3 comments/  15509 views/  17 favorites

The Hunter's Companions Ch. 01

By: SinisterSpiders



Author's Note: This story takes place within the World of Warcraft universe. I have taken a little creative license with the timeline, so that it fit in with the story, so if lore and this story don't match up please don't be too offended. Just a disclaimer as well; I do not own the WoW universe or franchise, nor any of the lore characters from it. I've made no money from the writing of this story. Enjoy. 

~*~

Livinia grimaced as she slung her longbow over her back and braced one hand against a boulder and the other on the shaft of her arrow. With a grunt and an undignified squelch she pulled the arrow out of the dead crocolisk.

"So, I'd say that you owe me one." Belcarm's voice came from behind her, smug and with a hint of laughter.

"Owe you one?" Livinia growled, whipping around and pointing the bloodied arrow at her companion. 

"I don't owe you anything!"

Livinia crossed the distance between them in three steps and poked his breastplate with her arrow for good measure. Belcarm frowned and brought down a gloved hand to wipe a dab of blood off the spot she had just poked.

"Well, if it weren't for me you wouldn't have been able to kill that thing!" Belcarm said with a dismissive wave at the dead crocolisk.

"What?" Livinia threw the arrow on the ground angrily, not caring whether it got damaged in her outrage. "That crocolisk was my kill- I marked it- I shot it first! I did not need your help!" Her pet, a well-loved Springpaw named Borris, had been happily sniffing a nearby patch of bulrushes but upon hearing the anger in his mistress's tone he begun to growl.

"Well whether you needed it or not is not the point. I helped; therefore you owe me one." Belcarm chimed, his immaculate black hair stirring in the humid Ramkahen breeze. Livinia glared at him, her mouth set in a thin line, her heart beating rapidly with adrenaline. She watched as his pale green eyes twinkled with a subtle sense of triumph.

"Right then, what exactly is it that I owe you?" She sneered, she felt a familiar weight rubbing against her thigh and brought her hand down to ruffle Borris's coarse fur reassuringly.

"Oh- I won't ask for much..." Belcarm trailed off when Borris started to circle around him, the Springpaw's big yellow eyes narrowing as he contemplated his next possible meal. For some reason Borris always looked at Belcarm like that, even though they had travelled together for years. Belcarm often insisted that the big cat hated him, and even though Livinia agreed she never said it out loud. 

"Oh Borris," Livinia said "Don't worry about this big oaf- I could take him down with nothing more than a mirror. You should go find something to eat." 

With what could only be described as a yowl of laughter the big cat turned and prowled over to the dead crocolisk. He took two sniffs of the dire beast before a shudder ran through his entire body and he plonked resignedly onto the grass below him. He rested his head on his paws and closed his eyes, apparently bored with the offerings. 

"Seems Borris doesn't like crocolisk meat...." Livinia said with a shrug.

"Don't try and change the subject Hunter." Belcarm said raising his eyebrows.

"Don't try and intimidate me Paladin. Your oversized mace doesn't scare me." Livinia snapped turning her attention back him. 

As angry as Livinia was she couldn't ignore how handsome he was; well-chiseled face and perfect ink-black hair. He grinned, brilliant white teeth sparkling in the midday sun, and she rolled her eyes. It made her blood boil.

"I only ask for a small favor really." He said with a nonchalant shrug.

"Do you have any idea how many times I've saved your arse?" Livinia snapped.

"No. How many?" Belcarm challenged.

"Well... I haven't kept count." Livinia spat, eyebrows furrowing together. There had been plenty of times where they had only managed to defeat an enemy because of the other. It made her wonder why Belcarm suddenly decided that he wanted something in return for his help, now, after all of these years.

"Oh really?" He laughed using a tone that he reserved only for when he was making fun of her.s

"You want gold? I've got gold." Livinia responded, her hands automatically going to the purse she wore at her belt.

"No, I was thinking of something more along the lines of a personal service." 

"Do you want me to make you a pretty gemmed necklace to match your sparkly eyes? I'm a good jewel crafter... but you know that already, don't you?" She asked in a sugary sweet voice laden with sarcasm. 

"No... that's not what I was thinking." He said slyly. Belcarm leant forward so that his lips brushed against her ear. "I was thinking of something more along the lines of..." He finished his request in a hushed whisper, hot breath tickling her skin tantalizingly.

Livinia gasped in shock and stumbled backwards. Her mouth opening and closing rapidly, making her look like a fish out of water. For a few moments she was completely stunned, unable to comprehend that those words had come out of his mouth.

"Are you serious?" She laughed after the initial surprise had worn off. He was just teasing her, he had to be. He had always made little jokes about things like that ever since they started travelling together, but they were only that- jokes... But they had never been so crude before. Plus, after all these years she had come to believe that he wasn't interested in her. The only thing he ever paid a decent amount of attention to was his own reflection.

"Deadly serious." He replied deeply, his emerald eyes boring into hers lighter green ones. She watched him for a moment, as if considering his offer, and she could see desire building in his eyes. Livinia laughed, a little more awkwardly this time.

"Very funny Bel. Let's high-tail it back to Orgrimmar. I'm buggered." Livinia said, picking up her abandoned arrow. When she looked back up at him he was staring at her, still looking very serious and with a malevolent glint in his eyes. "What?" Livinia snapped impatiently.

"I'm serious." He told her, this time slowly and firmly. When she could not detect a single hint of humor in his eyes she glared at him. What the hell was he thinking? He had never, seriously, even hinted at anything like that before. He couldn't just pull it out of the blue and expect her to go along with the idea.

"No." Livinia responded "Absolutely not. No way." She jammed her arrow in her quiver without cleaning it, and turned on her heel. 

It had been far too long since Livinia had engaged in that sort of activity. The thought of her last encounter with an old friend still made her weak at the knees. But however desperate she was for a little tension relief, she would not find it with Belcarm. Sleeping with him would only make things between them awkward.

"Come on Borris- we're out of here!" Livinia said loudly.

Before Liv could take a single step Belcarm came up behind her and wrapped one strong arm against her waist. His free hand came up to caress her stomach, fingers creeping up closer and closer to her armored breasts as he put his lips against her ears.

"I didn't ask for your help." She said, breath catching in her throat at the sudden intimacy between them. It was so unusual. Normally when they touched, as they did often in the course of their travels, it was purely platonic. His actions now were slow, purposeful and undoubtedly sensual. 

"No, you didn't. But now I'm asking for yours." He nipped her earlobe playfully before spotting a trail of hot kisses down on her neck. When he reached her collar bone he brought his hand up and over her breastplate, playing with the delicate skin of breasts above the chainmail. Livinia breathing became heavier as desire stirred deep in the pit of her stomach.

"Asking?" She whispered, an idea forming in her mind. She leaned back against his body and rested her head on his shoulder. "I want you to beg."

Belcarm turned her in his harms roughly and slammed his lips against hers. Before she had a chance to think Livinia found herself being half-walked half-carried backwards. His tongue traced a tantalizing path along her lower lip and she instinctively parted her lips to allow him entrance. His hands came up to tangle in her hair and she cried out as he slammed her back against a tree. Belcarm's kiss became more passionate upon hearing her cry out and he groaned into her mouth. Livinia brought her hands up to cup his face but as soon as her skin touched his he pulled away from her. She couldn't let herself become caught up in this mess, however erotic it was.

"Please?" He panted between shallow breaths. With a wicked grin Livinia ever so slowly wrapped her arms around his back and her deft fingers worked to free the leather straps from their clasps. After a few seconds of work, her eyes never leaving his, she moved her hands back around to his front and pulled his breastplate out from between them. She flung the plate piece onto the ground carelessly and let out an undignified snort of laughter as she heard it clang against a rock.

"Hey!" Belcarm protested trying to turn his face to see what had happened to his beloved armor. However, Livinia would not have him so easily distracted. She grabbed his face in her hands and forced him to look at her.

"Get it repaired later. For now though..." She looked down between them, his eyes following hers slowly, and she made it her mission to rid him of his greaves. When she had worked them off she tossed them aside just as irreverently as she had the breastplate, but this time his attention did not waver because they both knew her next target would be the pants he was wearing.

Livinia leant forward, pressing her lips softly against Belcarm's, and led a trail of kisses down his chin, to his neck, down his chest and stomach and to the very top of his trousers. By the time she was on her knees her face was level with his groin, his coarse pants were tented with his obvious arousal. 

"I think that these need to come off." She said looking up at him, as she did so she brought a hand up to give his cock a firm squeeze through the fabric of his pants. He threw his head back and let out a groan of pleasure.

"Please..." He begged. In less than the blink of an eye his pants had fallen part way down his legs, held on only by his silver sabatons. His manhood now stood, firm and erect, merely an inch from her lips.

"What should I do with this?" She asked, hot moist breath tickling his sensitive tip. She removed her gloves and laid them delicately beside her then traced her forefinger along the foreskin right near the peak of his manhood. "Should I stroke it?" She asked, she took his length in her hand, and felt herself moisten when his hot and engorged skin made contact with her own, "Like this?" She wrapped her fingers around it tightly and began to stroke at a leisurely pace.

Livinia looked up at Belcarm's eyes as she rubbed him and almost regretted not doing this earlier. His manhood was just as handsome as the rest of him; it was the perfect size and shape and so tantalizingly erect. All of this time she had sought out the sustenance of others in her sexual droughts, yet the perfect oasis was with her all along.

"Oh yes." Belcarm moaned, with a satisfied smile Livinia watched him lean back against the tree, her increasing attention to his arousal making him weak at the knees. As her hand sped up she could feel her nether regions swelling, moistening, desperate for attention.

"Or perhaps I should do this?" She hissed, she waited until he looked down, green eyes meeting green, before leaning forward and planting a delicate kiss on his exposed head. 

"Oh Gods yes." Belcarm moaned, hips bucking forward involuntarily in response to her attention.

"Yes what?" She said, she stopped rubbing his stiff rod and glared at him.

"Please!" He said desperately. "Yes please!" 

"Oooh, now that's better." She crooned. The next instant she had his entire length engulfed in her mouth. His hands came up to tangle in her hair once again, this time though he used them to guide her attention; urging her to speed up.

Livinia continued her sucking then swiped her tongue over his tip and tasted the salty tang of his seed. She moaned, her nether regions twitching in desperation. When she moaned a shiver of pleasure ran through his entire body, the vibrations in her mouth making his seed leak out more profusely. She wanted to stop, she knew she needed to, but seeing his handsome face in the throes of pleasure was dangerously intoxicating.

~*~ 

"Stop." Belcarm panted "So close..." Gently, he pulled her head away from him, his arousal at full mast and slick with her saliva.

Livinia gasped as he leant forward and scooped her in his arms, then slid his back down the ancient tree they were defiling. He positioned her so that she was straddling him and he pulled her against him, groaning as her weight pressed down on his eager erection. His hands snaked around her back to unbuckle the clasps on her breastplate. She looked stunning, straddling his waist like that. Her vibrant red hair beautifully tousled from her exertions. Her glowing green eyes were filled with need, her perfect breasts heaving with desire. 

"Wait..." She whispered with an impish grin "Close your eyes." Belcarm's expression mirrored hers and he did as she requested. His body suddenly felt cold as she stood up despite the humid swamp air. He heard the clang of metal on metal and his arousal twitched as he imagined her adding her own armor to his pile. There was a bit of shuffling and he pictured her peeling off her underclothes.

"Can I open my eyes yet?" he asked huskily, her response was nothing more than a mischievous giggle. He knew that laugh well, it was the one that she had whenever she was getting up to no good. Normally he dreaded that laugh, but now that he was naked he could only imagine the wonderful things she could do.

"Not just yet." She responded, his imagination went wild as he considered what she could possibly be doing to herself while he was sitting there prone. Unable to resist he took his cock in hand and started stroking it gently while picturing her delicate fingers exploring the folds of her wet nether region. Another few seconds passed and she giggled again.

"You can open your eyes now." She called seductively. His eyes fluttered open and his eyebrows shot into his hairline.

He watched as Livinia sat astride her tawny Wind Rider fully armored and with a triumphant grin on her face. She let out a loud cry of 'HIYAHH!' and urged the beast into the air, his breastplate and greaves clasped firmly in her now gloved hands.

"HEY!" Belcarm cried jumping to his feet. He made to step forward, but his pants were still caught up in his sabatons. He tumbled to the ground, face-planting in the damp earth below with a loud oomph. "Come back!" He yelled, rolling onto his back.

"YOU DIDN'T SAY PLEASE!" She shouted over her shoulder as her Wind Rider flew off into the big blue beyond. He could hear her high-pitched laughter long after he had managed to untangle himself. As he hearthed back to Orgrimmar, pride hurting just as much as his un-sated lust, he was determined to hunt her down.

The Hunter's Companions Ch. 02



Livinia held her breath as she crept through the inn. It was well past three in the morning and she had spent the whole day travelling. Her legs were tired and chafed from spending so much time on her Wind Rider. As soon as she had gotten a decent distance away from where she had left Belcarm face down in the dirt, she had dismounted and rummaged through her pack for her hearthstone. Just as she was about to mutter the incantation to activate it she had stopped and realized that, if she hearthed back to Orgrimmar, she would have the honor of sitting in her room and waiting for Belcarm to come and reclaim his gear. 

Truth be told, Livinia hadn't thought much further ahead than riding victoriously off into the sky whilst laughing at a trick well pulled. She hadn't considered the fact that she would have to face her companion again afterwards, and she especially didn't consider that their short, erotic, interaction would leave her body tense and her desire at an almost fever pitch. It was for that reason that Livinia dropped her heathstone back in her pack and remounted her Wind Rider. The ride from Ramkahen back to Orgrimmar would be a long one, and she only hoped that it would be long enough to help her clear her mind.

As Livinia climbed up the poorly-lit staircase she realised that her long flight back had failed to create a ceasefire between her outrage and her guilt. Instead, she was left even more confused and conflicted. On top of that, during the dullest moments of her travel, her unsated lust had caused her mind to drift to past encounters that only served to inflame her cheeks and set her blood on fire. 

With a sigh Livinia reached into the crevice that her fitted breastplate created between her breasts and drew out the key for the room she had rented a few days ago. Conscious of making as little noise as possible she tiptoed the rest of the length of the corridor and slipped the key into the lock as quietly as she could. She pushed open the door gently and slipped through. She turned to shut the door but yelped with fright as a person in a black cloak put their hand out and stopped her.

"What the-" She cut short when she was pushed roughly into the room, the door slamming shut behind the intruder. She reached behind her to grab her staff but she was too slow. Before she had a chance to move the intruder grasped her wrists and held them against their chest, taking full advantage of the element of surprise. 

"Get- off-" She struggled to free herself but the intruder held fast. In the struggle the voluminous hood started to slip back. With a loud laugh Livinia stopped struggling. "Belcarm?" She asked, relieved "I should have known it'd be you." 

Annoyance plagued Belcarm's chiseled features as he shrugged the hood off his head completely and released her from his grasp.

"Nice to see you have you pants on." Livinia added with a cheeky grin, pleased to see a flush creeping up on his cheeks.

"You took my armor!" He accused, cutting straight to the point. Livinia laughed softly and gave him a caustic glare.

"Yes, and you took my kill." She replied, turning away from him. She walked over to the bedside table and used the flint and stone on it to light the oil lamp. When the flame flickered to life it bathed the room with a warm glow of orange light.

"How does that warrant you taking my armor?" He asked crossly, hands balled into fists by his side. Livinia shrugged.

"And how does that warrant you demanding a blow job?" She snapped.

"I want my stuff back." He barked, his voice inappropriately loud in the quiet of the sleeping inn. 

"And why should I give it to you?" She snapped in response, stripping off her weapons and putting them on the floor by her feet. "You stole my kill and then wanted me to pay you back with sexual favors?" She asked, anger coloring her tone "I am not some common whore or filthy mercenary!" She said. She untied her riding gloves and slipped them off her fingers. 

"I never said you were." He replied shortly, eyebrows furrowing.

"Well you didn't need to. I can't believe that after almost three years together that you would pull something like that, Bel! Why?" She asked, crossing the distance between them and giving him and angry shock. Belcarm's eyes widened in shock at the rough gesture.

"Why what?" Belcarm asked quickly, looking down at her warily.

"Why what?!" She shrieked. "Why the hell would you do that? Everything has been so great between us. We are in the same guild! But now! By the Aspects, Bel! What the hell am I supposed to do now? How could you even consider it! You had to know it would make things awkward between us!" She gave him another shove, although this one was more of a frustrated gesture than an angry one. "Why would you do that?"

"Why do you think?" His voice was clipped and he frowned at her.

"What?" Livinia threw her gloves down beside her weapons and then raked a hand through her windswept hair.

"Anar'alah!" Belcarm cursed in Thalassian, throwing his hands up in the air in exasperation. 'By the Light', he only ever used that curse when he was really frustrated. "They say males can't take hints!"

The realization hit Livinia like the Giant Fiery Ball in Uldum.

"You like me?" She asked incredulously. His eyes darted around, apparently interested in every miniscule detail of the ramshackle room. "But Bel- you never..." Livinia stopped speaking and looked at him again, surprised to see that he wouldn't meet her eyes. "Oh my! You actually do! You like me-"

"Just give me my armor back and I will get out of your way." Belcarm sighed, still avoiding her gaze. He took a step to the side and walked over to the open window, leaning against the window sill with his forehead against the glass.

"By the Sun Well Belcarm! I had no idea. You were always too busy looking at your own reflection to even notice me! And you never made a pass at any females- I thought perhaps you preferred the sword to the sheath! Well, with the obvious exception of the undead, that is..." Livinia said, a shudder of disgust rippling down her spine. 

"That was ONE time! And Athumat is Forsaken, not undead!" Belcarm hissed angrily.

"Undead, Forsaken.... Either way she is dead." Livinia said with an indifferent shrug.

"Oh look, just forget it. That time I was very angry and extremely drunk." He said dismissively trying to diffuse the situation and Livinia could see he was desperate to change the topic. Even though the Blood Elves and the Forsaken were allied as members of the Horde there were still some lines that most normal Elves refused to cross.

"Where as now you are just angry?" Livinia questioned with a grin making Belcarm's cheeks redden with a mix of anger and embarrassment. 

"Just give me my armor back.... Please." He said refusing to meet her eyes. 

"In there." She snapped, jabbing her thumb in the direction of the two bags that she had dropped at the door when she first entered the room. "Get it yourself."

When Belcarm silently brushed past Livinia, the horrible sense of guilt that had followed her all the way back from Ramkahen reared its ugly head again. She hadn't even considered that he was interested in her; she had just assumed that he was being sleazy. But now... when she looked over at him and saw the way that his entire posture had deflated, she could tell the truth of his confession. As he leant crouched down opened the drawstrings on her she realized just how horrible her actions were considering his crush on her.

However, when Livinia thought of the way that Belcarm had chosen to announce his feelings for her, a surge of anger coursed through her body. If he wanted to tell her that he liked her then he should have damn well done it properly. Livinia had never ever gotten the feeling that he was interested in her- and then all of a sudden he claimed that he was. Confusion took over anger and Livinia watched as Belcarm fished his items from her pack and got to his feet. Without turning to say goodbye he opened the door.

"Wait!" Livinia's voice filled the room, tense and demanding. He turned to face her just in time to be pushed back against the door roughly. He held his hands up in front of himself defensively, eyes wide with shock.

She needed to know for sure.

~*~

Livinia's lips slammed against his and Belcarm's heart thundered in his chest. Unable to resist the heat of her kiss he wrapped his arms around her and pulled her against him. Livinia deepened the kiss, her tongue delving into his mouth. His knees went weak as she ran her hands up his chest and gripped either side of his face, pulling him against her harder, kissing him more furiously. He wrapped one arm around her torso and bent down, scooping her up into his embrace. She gave a yelp of shock as he broke the kiss and walked her over to the bed in the corner of the room, her soft leather clothing creaking loudly against the backdrop of their heavy breathing.

Belcarm had to admit that Livinia's sudden kiss was far more pleasant than the angry beating he had expected when she launched herself at him. However, considering the discussion that they had just had, he had to wonder what had gotten into her. Even though he knew that he should stop her, that this might end in a repeat episode of the day before, his body was responding strongly enough to block out his better judgment. The taste of her lips on his, the feel of her heat against him, was more than enough to bring back the memory of the exhilaration he had felt when she had kissed him for the first time.

Belcarm laid Livinia down on the bed and felt his heart beat faster. There she was, after all this time, waiting for him. Her cheeks were flushed an arousing shade of red that was almost as brilliant as her hair. Her bright green eyes twinkling with a mix of desire and mischief. As she had spent the whole day riding from Uldum to Orgrimmar she was wearing her supple riding leathers. The patchwork brown gear was tightly fitted the glorious curves of her body. Her pants were skin tight and closed with leather laces at her crotch. Her top, if it could truly be called that, was a soft leather breastplate. The leather was barely enough to cover the flesh of her breasts, but because she had been riding the winds she had wisely chosen to wear it over a semi-fitted shirt of green cheesecloth. Her red hair was pooled beneath her head. She smiled at him as she watched him assessing her.

"You seriously want to do this?" He had to ask, had to be sure that she wasn't going to tease him again.

"Yes!" Livinia breathed, her response seemed to shock her as well as him. "No tricks. On my honor as a hunter." She said, hand pressed over her heart. Belcarm snorted at the idea of her honor but she ignored the sleight. 

Slowly, and with a look that made his blood turn to fire in his veins, she traced her fingers down her neck and over her cleavage, lingering seductively over the peak of one perfect breast. But she didn't stop there. Her fingers continued their luxurious journey over her body, down her stomach and to the waistband of her pants. Belcarm shivered as he watched her practiced fingers caressing her own body and his mind reeled as he pictured her doing this to herself in the dark of a long and lonely night. Livinia bit her lip and closed her eyes as she slipped her hand slowly under the brown leather of her pants, her hips bucking slightly in response to the feeling of skin on skin. Belcarm could see the outline of her fingers through the leather in the flickering lamp-light. A soft moan escaped her lips and he knew that she had found her tender region. 

"Are you going to make me do all the work?" She hummed, her voice vibrating from her throat seductively, her hand moved slowly under the cover of her pants. 

Belcarm didn't bother telling her his answer. Instead crawled onto the bed, and covered her body with his, using his knee to split her legs apart before settling himself between them. He could feel her pull her hand out from between them and he took advantage of the situation and pushed himself more fully against her. He pressed his lips against hers and her hand came up to stroke his cheek. He could smell the delicious musk of her arousal on her fingers as she raked her fingers through his unbound hair. 

Belcarm slid his arms down her body and pushed his fingers up under her top. Slowly he worked the cloth and leather up her silky torso. When the fabric was bunched tightly against her breasts he pulled his lips away from hers and leant back, kneeling between her legs. He held his breath as he carefully lifted the fabric over her breasts. Belcarm grinned as Livinia grasped the bottom of her top and shimmied if over her head, with a laugh she cast the fabric across the room and into the darkness. It hit the opposite wall with a dull thud and then slid to the ground. Belcarm turned his attention back to the woman in front of him and let out a heavy breath as she lay bare-chested beneath him. Her two firm breasts were perfectly rounded, each topped with a dark pink nipple that stood at attention. Her breasts gave way to a narrow waist and then flared out to full hips. He watched for a moment, mesmerized by the perfect curves of her body. He had managed to catch rare and quick glimpses of her naked body in their travels, sometimes when cleaning up after a battle, or even when they shared a room at an inn, but never before had he been able to openly admire every inch of her perfectly smooth and pale skin. 

Belcarm fell forward and captured the peak of one breast in his mouth. He traced his tongue around her erect nipple and smiled as her back arched, forcing more of her magnificent breast into his mouth. Now with her in his mouth he could taste her as well as smell her. She tasted of cream and sweet fruits, and her skin was as smooth as marble. Unable to resist he brought the other hand up to caress her unattended breast. Her skin was hot and firm against his and he loved the feeling of her hard nipple biting into his palm. 

~*~

Livinia brought her hands down and tangled them in Belcarm's hair, urging him on. Her body was so beautifully responsive to his, it all felt so natural. He thought that it was wrong that this was the first time he actually touched her like this. She brought her other hand down and her fingers touched the warm metal of his spare armor.

"I want this off." She hissed, tapping the troublesome metal. Belcarm pulled his lips away from her breast and she looked down into his eyes. 

A sharp jolt of passion travelled between them and Belcarm rolled off Livinia. She watched as he deftly removed his leg guards, letting them clatter to the floor with a dull thud. Next he rid himself of his mail pants and the cotton ones beneath them. Her mouth fell open as his manhood sprung up, now free from his restrictive clothing. He stood before her completely naked and looking glorious in his skin. Every muscle on his body was perfectly defined, and his handsome face framed eyes that were filled with lust. Livinia's stomach tightened when her eyes fell on his manhood; completely erect, skin taut around his swollen member. Even though she had already seen his length before she couldn't help but marvel at it again- especially knowing that she would be able to enjoy it this time. She imagined the feeling of that hot rod sinking into her and closed her eyes- suddenly regretting her trick the day before. Belcarm moved forward, his knees pressed against the hard mattress, and smiled as his fingers traced soft circles around her nipples. He slowly, almost painfully walked his fingertips down her body and brought them to rest on the laces of her breeches. 

Much to Livinia's delight Belcarm took his length in one hand and begun to stroke himself leisurely. His other hand plucked at the leather string at her crotch. She bit her lip to stifle a moan that threatened to escape when she could fill the heat of his fingers so close to her groin. She brought her hands up to caress her breasts as she watched him pleasuring himself. His green eyes were aflame with lust as he pulled the leather cord from her pants and discarded it. Livinia uttered a cry of dismay as his hand fell away from his rod and came to rest on the waist band of her pants. 

Livinia gripped the top of her breeches and lifted her hips slightly before peeling the leather down her legs. She wiggled each leg free of its bindings in turn and then kicked her pants aside. While she was removing her clothes Belcarm had taken himself back in hand as he watched her. Livinia spread her legs, her bare womanhood glistening with arousal, growing cold in the frigid night air. As she looked up at his perfect form hovering so tantalizingly close to her she wondered why she had never considered him before.

~*~

In a tangle of arms and legs Belcarm crawled back on top ofLivinia, his manhood pressed against her dripping core. He moaned and pushed his hips into her, his hard rod pressing against her swollen nether regions. Her hips bucked up and he pulled away quickly. 

"I'm not going to make this quick... I want to take my time with you, make you beg for me." He whispered in her ear before planting a soft kiss on her lips. The words held a threat that made Livinia whimper.

Belcarm slid his body down the length of hers, the metal of his breastplate pressing hotly against her bare skin. He slid all the way down until his head was level with her womanhood. He could smell her musk heavy on the air. His tongue darted out, taking a tentative taste of her arousal. He hummed in approval as her flavor settled on his tongue. He would have thought it impossible, but she actually tasted better than she smelled. He pressed his face into her and slid his tongue up and down her already wet slit. He heard her moan at the contact and pressed his tongue harder against her. Her hands gripped his head desperately so he continued his ministrations.

Belcarm licked her slit and then stopped moving to focus on the sweet pearl of her desire, her soft moans filling the night air with the sound of her pleasure. Her hips moved slowly, grinding into his face, as he licked and sucked and bit at her. Her fingers clawed at his scalp as her moans became more fevered.

"Put your fingers in me." She directed between moans. He stopped licking and shook his head.

"I want my cock to be the first thing that enters you." He mumbled into her womanhood, voice vibrating against her aching clitoris "I want you fresh and tight around me as I plunge into you." He told her, her gasp made him smile. He continued lapping up her juices and teasing her pleasure bud. Her moans became louder and more frequent and her hands pressed his face into her, hard.

"Don't stop." She whimpered, her clitoris twitched under his tongue as her back arched. He looked up and watched as she threw her head back, her mouth open as moans poured out, voice chiming through the air in a song of pure rapture. As she climaxed she dug her sharp fingernails into his hair, the pain he felt melted away as desire coursed through him. 

Finally, after all this time, she was there for the taking. Two and a half years of training and questing together had finally come to head. His cock twitched as she looked down at him, their eyes meeting over the alabaster plain of her body, and smiled- face languid with satisfaction. For years he had tried to get her attention, helping her and spending time with her, only to be ignored. But now she was there, her juices soaking his mouth, her hands tangled in his hair, and the past years of long and lonely nights of attempted self-satisfaction were banished to the back of his mind.

"I want you." She said, hips raising of the bed. The words swirled from her mouth and floated into his mind. His breath hitched in his throat as his fantasy came real. "I want you inside me." She said, voice plucking at his arousal like the strings of a lute. 




The Hunter's Companions Ch. 03



Livinia had spent her afternoon auctioning off goods, visiting the hunter trainer, tending to her stabled pets and trading various supplies with merchants. Now though, after an exhausting day running about doing excruciatingly menial tasks, she was curled up on a bench seat by the common room fire of her inn. She had a steaming hot bowl of vegetable soup. Even though her dinner was lacking the tough chunks of meat she normally liked to eat, she enjoyed the flavor of the fine spices and vegetables she often went without whilst questing. When she was out exploring the world she made do with salted meat, hard bread and cheese, so the vegetables were a welcome taste indeed. 

With a satisfied sigh Livinia drained the last drops of her soup and put her bowl back down on the rough wooden table. She knew that it would be best for her to get an early night because she had decided to return to the Twilight Highlands on the morrow. As long as there were still forces out there to be fought she could not afford to remain idle for long. Nor did she want to. She thoroughly enjoyed the feeling of chasing down her enemies, longbow in hand, watching them fall against her might. Plus, she needed something to distract her from the strange thoughts circulating through her mind about her recent relationship change with Belcarm. 

Livinia got to her feet and yawned, reaching up high and stretching her limbs towards the roof. She turned and made her way to the stairs that led to the lodgings, nodding and smiling to various other patrons as she went by- there were a lot of adventurers in Orgrimmar, so it was inevitable that she would always see familiar faces wherever she went in this city.

"Where do you think you're going?"A gruff voice boomed from behind her as a heavy hand fell onto her shoulder and clasped it. She shrugged out of the hold and whipped around, ready to tell the Trogg to back off. Instead, her mouth fell open in shock before pulling into a huge smile.

"Kalendras!" She gasped, and then threw herself at the massive Tauren that had stopped her. As she wrapped her arms around him she buried her into his chest and sighed longingly at his familiar smell.

"Hello Nitawa Kee." He said in that deep husky voice that was uniquely his. Nitawa Kee, the Taur-ahe words made her smile. Translated into Thalassian they meant Little One; it was something he had been calling her for as long as she could remember. The sound of those words filled her with memories of their childhood. However, she knew how their meetings always turned out, and considering her interactions with Belcarm the previous night and that morning, her cheeks flushed.

"I didn't know you were in town... and you haven't returned any of my letters over the past month!" She said eyeing him over carefully, he always told her when he was coming to Orgrimmar. He knew that she was mostly based in the Orcish city, so it was often their best chance to catch up. 

"Sorry Nitawa Kee," he said with a frown "I was stuck in Thunder Bluff attending to some family business... I wanted to reply but I was very busy."

"Are your parents okay?" Livinia asked, voice changing quickly from pouty to concerned. He smiled at her and nodded.

"They're fine. Nothing to worry about." He said and she smiled back at him. 

"Nice robes." She added, placing her hands over the rough cloth. His muzzle quirked up in a smile.

"Only just got 'em." He puffed his chest out with pride.

Livinia was just about to ask him where he got his new gear from when she was knocked off balance as a disgruntled Orc pushed past them. 

"Hey!" Livinia called after the big oaf, but he kept walking. She made a rude gesture at his back and Kalendras's amused laughter brayed through the room merrily. 

"Why don't you come up to my room so we can catch up?" Livtha asked as she spied more people trying to get through the narrow corridor they were occupying. Kalendras nodded and motioned for her to lead the way. Her earlier concerns about her relationship with Belcarm completely fled her mind at the excitement of having Kalendras back.

Livinia climbed the steps two to keep up with Kalendras. When they reached the landing he stopped and waited until she stood beside him and she led him past the rows of shut doors. Towards the end of the corridor Livinia stopped, reached down into her silk bodice and plucked her key from between her breasts.

"Lucky key." Kalendras grunted under his breath, making Livinia laugh and roll her eyes.

"I've got nowhere else to keep it." Livinia said with a shrug "Fine dresses like this don't often come with pockets." She said. The druid turned his big brown eyes on her again and gave an appreciative nod. Her dress was the colour of deep green emeralds and clung to every curve of her body like a second skin before it reached her hips and flared gracefully until it hit the floor. She had a delicate gold chain wrapped around her waist that clasped in the center and fell three quarters of the way down her legs. Her hair fell in fiery red waves around her body and her pale skin glowed with the contrast. Livinia slipped the key into the hole and the lock clicked. When she replaced the key into bodice Kalendras pushed the door and held it open for her.

"You do look good in dresses," Kalendras said as she stepped through the threshold, "But as I've always said- you look much better in your armor. Makes you look... dangerous." Livinia laughed and went over to sit on her bed and took her shoes off whilst Kalendras stood just inside the door.

"So where are you staying?" She threw her boots across the room and looked up at him. Luckily for him the architects at Orgrimmar were skilled in creating lodgings fit for all races. He was huge. He towered well above her when they stood side by side, her height and half again, and he was easily twice her width. Though Livinia knew he was small for a Tauren he still seemed incredibly large to her. His entire body was covered with a coarse silvery-grey fur that she had always loved to play with. Now, at the age of twenty-five his horns had truly reached their adult length. They jutted out of his head, thick and dangerous. His beard fell in a long plaited rope from the chin of his muzzle like mouth. He was, by deed and age, an adult in the Tauren culture. However Livinia only two years his junior, would still be considered a child by the elves.

"I'm staying here, actually." He replied slowly, breaking eye contact with her. "Really?" She said excitedly, it was rare that they met up and even rarer that they were staying anywhere near each other "What room?"

Kalendras cleared his throat loudly before continuing.

"The one directly under yours it seems." He replied, voice rough.

"Oh! How convenie-" Livinia stopped suddenly as cogs clunked into place in her head. "Ohhhh!" She finished, face going a deeper shade of red than her hair. She and Belcarm had become very loud last night, she should have known that the entire inn would've heard them. Though if she had known Kalendras was right below them....

"Yes..." He said, snout wrinkling in distaste. "I'd know the sound of your climax anywhere." 

Livinia buried her head in her hands and had to bite her tongue to stop herself from apologizing. She had no reason to be sorry for her interlude last night. She and Kalendras had been friends for a long time, almost her entire life, but they had never made much of a commitment to each other. They met in Silvermoon City, where his parents were envoys for the Taurens and her mother and father were prominent Blood Elf politicians. They had spent years running around the picturesque city and going to the same social gatherings. Their parents had become comrades of sorts, so it was inevitable that the two became friends.

Being a true Tauren, the time soon came when Kalendras had felt the call of the wild and made the difficult decision to leave Silvermoon, and Livinia, behind. His parents had sent him off to the Cenarion Circle with pride shining in their eyes, pleased with the knowledge that their son was going to become a Druid. Livinia's parents had been completely different. When she announced that she wanted to become a Hunter and an adventurer, just like Kalendras, her mother had been horrified. Her mother had then insisted that Livinia start her studies so that she could carry on the family's political career. Livinia hadn't been pleased about that. Instead of following her parents' wishes like an obedient child she had used any spare time she had between lessons to sneak off to the Hunter trainer in Silvermoon. 

It was five years after Kalendras has left Silvermoon City before Liv managed to free herself of her parent's reigns. At the age of twenty-one her trainer had decided that Liv's talents were better spent in service of the Horde. Livinia had expected a fight when she told her parents. Instead, her father had rolled her eyes and told her that she was free to go. Her mother had laughed and said that they knew she'd be back in a few months anyway. Livinia was pleased to go. Over the past five years Kalendras had travelled back to Silvermoon at least once every six weeks or so for a visit. She loved when he would come home, and used his tales of adventure to live vicariously through him.

Six months into her life as an adventurer she had run into Kalendras one day while she and Belcarm were in Thunder Bluff. Belcarm had to report to the Death Knights, leaving Livinia free to catch up with Kalendras. The Tauren had grown considerably since he had left Silvermoon and towered over her with ease. Livinia had blossomed also. Her body had been honed by her adventuring, well-shaped by years of wielding the weapons of her craft. Her breasts had swelled as she aged and had become full and firm. They had spent the night just outside of Thunder Bluff, both drinking far too much ale whilst talking about their childhoods. When the torrential rain hit they abandoned their campfire for the shelter of an ancient tree and huddled closer for warmth, the ale in their bellies and the fire in their loins made them both woozy with lust. They rutted on their damp dirt, in the pouring rain, as he broke through her virginal barrier. That was the first and only full night they had ever spent together. Ever since then they had often sent suggestive letters to each other, and occasionally had been able to rendezvous in the flesh. Their meetings were always passionate and swift, both drawn inexplicably away from the other due to their responsibilities and oaths. Their sexual encounters had been much the same; rough, wild and spontaneous. 

"So... you heard everything, huh?" Livinia asked breaking out of her reverie. She watched as the Tauren nodded.

"Yes," He replied gruffly, crossing his thick arms across his broad chest "And I think everyone else in the inn did too."

"Surely we weren't that loud?" Livinia gasped.

"I heard a group of adventurers talking about it in the common room this morning... They seemed to be quite impressed by your theatrics. Said they wouldn't mind taking a turn and making you wail like a banshee." He said, his dark eyes glaring at her. Her cheeks were hot with embarrassment, but even so she could not find it within herself to regret the previous evening. All of Kalimdor could have heard it and she would still do it over again given the chance. 

"Well..." Livinia said, breaking eye contact with her oldest friend, it certainly made for an akward conversation.

"Who was it?" Kalendras asked suddenly.

"Oh... no one." Livinia said with a dismissive wave.

"I don't believe that you'd rut with 'no one'." Kalendras growled, crossing the room to stand in front of her. 

"Come on Kal, surely you know that I have had other lovers. I know you have." Livinia said shifting on the bed awkwardly. 

Even though there was a part of her which was undeniably attracted to the Tauren, and wanted to deepen their relationship, she knew better than to expect that he would go without intercourse for the vast amount of time between their trysts. Apart from Belcarm, Livinia had enjoyed the satisfaction of a few other lovers in her years of travel. Not any was nearly quite as satisfying as the Paladin, after all they were usually just hurried drunken romps, but nevertheless the more she thought about it the more that she realized she had thoroughly enjoyed Belcarm's attention. 

"I realize you might have other lovers. But never before have you had one while I listened on from below." He said.

"If I'd known you were there...." Livinia stopped herself before she said anything else, she didn't want to lie.

"Yes?"

"Well... I didn't know you were there, okay?" She snapped angrily. He had no right to be interrogating her."What does it matter anyway? We've never even pretended to be committed to each other beyond our friendship. Why does this bother you so much?"

"Just tell me who it was." Livinia crossed her arms over her chest and let out a puff of indignation. "It wasn't that Belcarm fool, was it?" Kalendras snorted. When Livinia's silence continued he turned to inspect her more closely. 

"Please tell me you didn't let him put his pathetic little cock inside you!" Livinia turned and glared at her friend.

"KAL!" She snapped, angry at his sudden possessiveness, "I could've let Arthas himself fuck me and it'd be none of your damned business!" Kalendras let out a low growl that hummed through the room, and Livinia could tell his anger was rising. 

"That smarmy git has been after you for years now, I told you that before." Kalendras grunted and Livinia threw her hands up in the air.

"Apparently so," She cried, "Yet here I am- the last to bloody know about it!" Now she was thoroughly annoyed. It was one thing for him to ask who she had slept with, but it was well out of line for him to rage on about it. "You were gone for so long, Kal! You always are! What did you want me to do? Sit around like a happy little peacebloom and wait for your return? Make do with a shared night once every blood moon?" She glared at the Tauren and he had the decency to look away. "I have been travelling with Belcarm for nearly five years, you know. You are not the only friend I have!" She watched as his face set into a dissatisfied sneer. "What's your problem?"

"I came to Orgrimmar so that I could join your guild, Liv." Kalendras said "I talked to Kahora a few weeks ago about it. I am going for a run with him tomorrow." Livinia's jaw fell open in surprise. She and Kalendras had both known that they were walking very different paths, they had known that since their first coupling. They had said, way back then, that if their paths merged then perhaps they could consider the possibility of a relationship, but Livinia hadn't expected it to actually happen- especially not so soon. She had become used to their strange, casual relationship. She wasn't completely happy with it, but she was unwilling to give up her adventuring and she would never even contemplate asking Kalendras to make such a sacrifice, so she had come to believe that it was the best they'd get. 

"You're done with the Cenarion Circle?" Livinia asked, amazed. He had worked hard to climb the ranks of the prestigious Druid organization. The fact that he would be willing to leave it was a shock to her.

"Yes. Well, sort of. I'll still be affiliated with them so long as my actions with the guild don't cross any of their ethical lines." Kalendras explained, she could tell from the tension in his voice that it wasn't an easy decision for him.

"Why didn't you tell me?" Livinia asked softly, bringing one hand up to stroke the soft fur of his neck.

"It was supposed to be a surprise. I wanted to make sure that your guild mates and I worked well together before I told you... I wanted to join your guild because you are in it." He said, his words set her cheeks aflame and made her stomach flutter nervously. He reached out and put his massive hand on the side of her face tenderly. "These rare meetings once every other month are not good enough anymore Livinia. I want you as often as I can have you, and if it means leaving the Cenarion Circle then I am willing to do it." He told her. Livinia couldn't believe it. After all of these years. The words sounded strange to her, even though she had been fantasizing about for them for so long. She should have been happy, she should have been completely and utterly ecstatic, but an image of Belcarm flashed in her mind and she couldn't celebrate Kalendras's news

"Oh Kal, I didn't know! No wonder you are so angry about..." A shadow crossed his face and she realized that she shouldn't have brought it back up. Now, judging by the flash in his eyes, his anger and possessiveness was back in full force.

Livinia let out a loud gasp as Kalendras's huge three-fingered hands closed around each of her arms and lifted her off the bed and up to his eye level.

"You've never screamed like that for me before." He breathed and Livinia felt a nervous roiling in the pit of her stomach. She broke eye contact and refused to meet his eyes. "Why?" He demanded, giving her a shake. So that is what it was all about.

For this Livinia had no answer. At least not one she was willing to tell him. He was right, she couldn't deny that. Even though their encounters were undoubtedly satisfying and exciting, it had been different with Belcarm. There were impracticalities that had to be dealt with when she made love with Kalendras. For one, he was massive. His sheer size meant that she could never feel more than a small amount of his body against hers. And also- the size of his nether regions was an issue as well. He was, at most times, a painfully large fit for her. They were restricted to positions where his enormous rod wouldn't enter her too deep and plunder her till she cried out in pain. There was also the issue of his muzzle. His mouth was not like hers at all, which meant that kissing was off the cards. The most he could do was use his rough tongue to lick her. While he knew how to use his tongue quite artfully, their couplings lack the intimacy that came from being close to one another and the gentle kisses and surprising nips that Belcarm had shown her. 

"I want you to scream for me." Kalendras said, deep throaty voice reverberating off the wooden walls of the room. With a jolt, he dropped Livinia on to the bed, the sudden impact making her cry out. The next instant he grabbed her by the hips and flipped her over so she was face down on the mattress. The sound of delicate silk being torn filled the room as he ripped her dress in half from top to bottom, exposing her scant undergarments.

"HEY!" Livinia cried in protest, trying to turn around. He put a hand on her back and kept her pinned to the bed. "This is my favorite dress!"

"I'll buy you another." He grunted before tucking a finger between her knickers and her arse and ripping off her panties in one hard pull. He let out an appreciative hum as he ran his fingers over the soft skin of her arse. Keeping on her to keep her down he used the other to rid himself of his belt, robes and undergarments. Livinia turned her head and looked back at him over her shoulder, he felt her tense beneath his hands at the sight of his rigid rod in all its naked glory. His lips curled in satisfaction at seeing that expression of shock on her face. It didn't matter how many times she had seen him naked, she was still always taken back by the sheer size of him.

"He'll never fill you like I can." Kalendras growled, taking himself in hand and stroking his length slowly. Livinia bit her lip and shook her head, letting him know that he was definitely right. 

Livinia's already oversensitive core thrummed with anticipation when Kalendras fell to his knees behind her. Due to his size, Kalendras was able to kneel on the floor and still have his erection perfectly positioned while she was on the bed. Each of his hands gripped a thigh and he pulled her down the bed so that her legs were hanging off the end and her feet touched the floor. Although, instead of pressing himself inside her, he lowered his head level with her body and used his strong hands to spread her arse cheeks. 




The Hunter's Companions Ch. 03



"Oh Kal!" Livinia cried as she felt his rough wet tongue flicker against her swollen nether lips. She could feel his hot breath on her arse as he continued to lick her, lapping up her juices like a kitten lapping at a bowl of cream. He continued to lick her up and down, the tip of his tongue occasionally stopping to flick her clitoris making her yelp in pleasure.

Livinia could feel the pleasure slowly seeping through her entire body. As wave upon wave of sensation built up inside her, almost at breaking point, she felt him ram one thick finger inside her. She moaned at the feeling of his digit inside her, his finger alone was bigger than some of her previous lovers' manhoods. The sensation of fullness pushed her over the age and her entire body tensed as she cried out in pleasure, voice bouncing off the walls as he continued to plunder her with his finger.

"Okay! Stop!" She said, as he licked her "Enough!" She cried, entire body convulsing as he continued to stimulate her overly-sensitive nub. With a gruff laugh he withdrew his tongue. She turned and watched as he leant back, the fur around his snout glistening with her juices. His pupils were dilated with desire as his tongue darted out to lick her juices from his fur.

"Sit on the edge of the bed." He directed, getting to his feet. With his entire grey mass hulking above her, his massive erection standing there so tantalizingly, she scrambled to comply with his request. She rolled over onto her back and then scooted into a seated position. At this level, the tip of his generous erection was level with her eyes. 

Kalendras brought one of his beefy hands down to caress her hair for a moment, before he cupped the back of her head in his palm. He grasped himself with the other hand and then leant forward, inching his exposed tip closer and closer to her face. Livinia opened her lips in a wide circle and closed the distance between the two of them. Taking his entire girth in her mouth she moaned at the taste of him. She inhaled the familiar scent of his fur and the nostalgic aroma of fertile earth and leaves that clung to him like a second coat.

Kalendras let out a feral growl as Livinia's tiny tongue swirled over his tip expertly. She brought one hand up to circle the base of his trunk, stroking softly, and the other up to caress one of his testicles. Bobbing her back and forward slightly she continued to flick her tongue over his hardness, and she was sure to take in a little more of him time she engulfed him. His growl was now a constant hum that combined with the noises of the busy street below the window, all of the sounds of life assaulted Livinia's senses and made her sensitive core throb with desire.

"By Cairne's blood!" Kal groaned as Livinia's fist pumped his length and her tongue traced his tip. With an impatient grunt he tightened his grip on her head and begun to thrust into her mouth. As his hips bucked back and forth, his tip ramming against the back of her throat, the sound of her muffled gagging made his entire rod twitch desperately. 

With a final growl of need Kalendras tore himself from her mouth and grabbed her around the waist, flipping her onto her stomach once more. He spread her cheeks apart with his hands and, in one bone-jarring thrust, buried himself deep inside her. She cried out in a mixture of pleasure and pain that was the hallmark of their couplings. 

"Oh yes!" Livinia cried as Kal's cock slammed into her, the shock of his size sending a shockwave of pain through her entire body.

Livinia's fingers clawed at the sheets as Kalendras continued to ram himself in and out of her. Every time his withdrew from her she let out a sigh of relief, only to have him force himself back inside her again, his girth stretching her to breaking point and his tip slamming against her innermost barriers. Ever since their first time together, when he had taken her virginity, she had learnt to appreciate the delicate dance between pleasure and pain. Every thrust of his made her body ache with an inexplicable combination of raw pain and penultimate pleasure. 

"Do you feel that, Nitawa Kee?" Kal grunted as he thrust into her "Do you feel how I fill you to the core?"

As Kalendras continued to hammer into her, Livinia slipped a hand beneath her body and her fingers found her throbbing clitoris. She stroked herself as Kal took his frustration out on her. She felt the delightful waves of her orgasm washing over her and Kalendras thrust into her with a force that hadn't been there before. She squealed with pleasure as her fingers coaxed an orgasm from her, her core exploding with the intensity of it. Her second cry was met with a resounding roar from Kalendras as his cock spasmed inside her, her tight muscles squeezing around him as he shot jet after jet of molten seed as deep inside her as physically possible.

In the aftermath of their simultaneous orgasms only the sound of their labored breathing could be heard. Kalendras slowly pulled his length out of Livinia and leant over her, his shaggy chest hot against her bare back. Livinia sighed contentedly as his rough tongue traced a gentle line down her cheek. With a grunt turned so that she was facing him. The satisfaction in his dark brown eyes echoed her own and she gave him a woozy half smile.

With a grunt Kalendras rolled off her and fell onto the bed beside her, the mattress sagged at his weight and she rolled into him. She stroked the length of his smooth horns with one hand and smiled as he shivered beneath her touch. He had once told her that stroking his horns was the single-most intimate thing she could ever do to him, and it was clear in his reaction. His eyes were closed and his muzzle was turned up in a dreamy smile as her fingers played with the smooth surface of his horns. 

"I'm leaving tomorrow and I'll probably be gone for a week or so, but of everything goes well I will be spending a lot more time in Orgrimmar." Kalendras said, stroking Livinia's naked breasts fondly.

"Oh. How wonderful." Livinia said, voice lacking the enthusiasm that it should hold at the news. Luckily Kalendras was too satisfied from their lovemaking to notice.

She should have been thrilled that Kal was interested in joining her guild, but the thought of having to go out and fight in the same party as both Kalendras and Belcarm made her want to escape into the deepest dungeons of Undercity. If Kalendras had told her this three days ago she would have been jubilant, but with the very recent developments between herself and Belcarm she couldn't help but wonder where that path would lead her. Livinia closed her eyes and took a deep breath, wondering what type of mess she had gotten herself into, and how in the name of the Aspects she would get herself out of it.



The Hunter's Companions Ch. 04



Even though it made her feel quite guilty, Livinia had been relieved when Kalendras had taken his leave of her. He had spent a few more hours with her before excusing himself, saying he still had a few more matters to attend to before he left for his trial run with the guild the following morning. Knowing that he would be gone for a couple of days gave her hope that she would have some time to figure out her rather strange predicament before he returned. After all, if he was accepted into the guild, and she had no doubt that he would be, it would certainly become awkward if Belcarm were to learn of their relationship. 

Belcarm was another matter entirely. They had been comrades for the past two and a half years, they had both started out together; teaming up when they left Silvermoon City. At first she had despised him, he represented everything that she hated about Silvermoon; but he knew his way around the woods. She decided that it was better to team up with him than ignore him because they trying to eradicate the same creatures. Eventually Livinia realized that even though Belcarm was a Blood Knight, he was actually pretty decent. Over the past few years Belcarm's loyalty to her had been unwavering they had gone from inexperienced adventurers to well honed fighters together. Belcarm was a dear friend, even if his conceited and self-righteous attitude did rub her the wrong way at times. 

Now that Livinia thought back to her time with Belcarm she realised that she should have at least had an inkling of his feelings for her. The jokes that he only made with her, his seemingly innocent touches, the twinkle in his eye when he healed her (which he did far more often than was necessary). Even the fact that, to her knowledge, he'd only ever had one other lover. Livinia cursed under her breath and shook her head; she'd been so blind.

Livinia sighed, gave her Windrider a grateful pat on the rump and unsummoned him. She did a quick mental inventory of everything she carried with her to make sure she hadn't forgotten anything and walked towards the portal to the Twilight Highlands. While Belcarm was playing puppet for the Death Knights she figured she might as well take the opportunity to clear her head. In her years of adventuring she had decided that the best way to cleanse her mind was to indulge in some hard fighting. It was for this reason that she stepped through the swirling purple vortex before her and ignored the strange feeling of light-headedness and disorientation that accompanied the use of portals for travel. In less than a moment she stepped out on the other side of the magical portal and into Dragonmaw Port.

She took a few seconds to regain her senses completely before she walked out of the Portal House and towards the giant bonfire in the centre of the town. Livinia then begun the familiar spell that would summon her ever-faithful pet, Borris. When the giant cat flickered into reality beside her she heard an affectionate growl before he leapt at her, knocking her onto her back in the dirt. He showered her with happy licks and her laughter rang like bells through the deserted town square.

"Borris! It has only been a couple of days!" She sighed, he backed away from her slowly and hung his head. "You funny little thing!" Livinia scratched him behind the ear. "Fancy going and killing us some dwarves?" She asked, Borris's tail twitched back and forth and he lowered himself into a pouncing position. "'I'll take that as a yes, huh?" She asked. 

Livinia hitched her pack higher on her back and turned, taking the path towards the city gates. Before she managed to walk fifteen feet she heard her name being called out from behind her. 

"Belcarm?" Livinia said, eyes widening at the sight of his familiar cascade of black hair. He was wearing a deep silver tunic with black leather pants beneath it. The tunic was embroidered with traditional Elven knot work in light silver which caught the sun enticingly and complemented his spectacular eyes. She loved looking at males in armor, but Belcarm looked so effortlessly handsome in his casual clothes that she couldn't help but appreciate him. Livinia blushed and looked away from him. He grinned as he approached her, apparently noticing the red tinge to her cheeks.

"What are you doing here?" She asked him, "I thought you'd get stuck with one of those week-long patrols?"

"Luckily all Master Pyreanor wanted me to do was deliver a message to Champion Dawnrose." He said with a shrug "I figured that you would be headed here anyway and decided to wait it out rather than return to Orgrimmar." He said with a grin, clearly conscious of her appreciation. 

"Yup." She nodded and patted Borris as he nudged her thigh. "Borris and I are going to kill us some Wildhammer Dwarves."

"Well, I'm afraid that will have to wait." He said with a frown. 

"Narkrall Rakeclaw specifically asked me to get it done." She said "And I am assuming he wants it done as soon as possible." 

"We'll make a deal then." Belcarm reasoned with a suave smirk "You come with me and help me with my quest and then we will sort yours out... how does that sound?"

"What quest are you doing looking like that?" Livinia asked with a laugh, going into battle dressed as he was would be completely suicidal.

"A special quest. How about you stop asking questions and just trust me?" He had a playful twinkle in his eye that made her smile and roll her eyes.

"How am I meant to know what to do then, you trog?" She asked. Now it was his turn to roll his eyes.

"Just be quiet and follow me before I change my mind." He said, then turned on his heel and took the path that led outside of the town. Anger sizzled in Livinia as she grudgingly followed Belcarm. There was one thing that always frustrated her when it came to the Paladin; his intense conviction that everyone ought to be doing what he thought they should. Even though Livinia was loathe to follow him on principle, it was always more fun working with someone else; that way there would be someone there to appreciate when she made a good shot.

Livinia and Belcarm walked for ten minutes before they reached a ramshackle hut on the outskirts of the town. Belcarm held the leather flap aside for her and she crossed into the one-room building. 

In the centre of the room there as a swirling portal of deep purple and blue. She turned back to Belcarm and gave him a quizzical look, but he just grinned.

"In you go." He said, putting his hand on the small of her back and giving her a gentle push towards the portal. 

"Where does it go?" She asked, he shook his head.

"Anar'alah!" He growled "Just get in there!" This time his push caught her off guard and she tumbled through the portal, she could hear Borris's growling fade into the abyss as she was transported through space. 

When she fell out of the portal she landed on the spongy grass and looked around. She had spectacular, uninterrupted views of the world all around her. Livinia stepped away from the portal and spun around slowly, taking in the beautiful scenery that surrounded her. She could see the giant green trees and thick forest that was unique to Feralas and knew where she was. With a satisfied smile she noticed the other mountain top nearby and confirmed her first thought. The Twin Colossal Peaks. Ever since Kalendras had told her about them years ago she had always wanted to visit, but she and Belcarm never had time for leisurely sort of activities. 

Livinia heard a loud growl and turned around to see Belcarm being pushed out of the portal as Borris pounced after him. The big cat downed the paladin with a growl and then looked up for his Mistress. The portal popped out of existence behind them and they were left on the windy mountain top. 

"Leave him be, Borris." Livinia laughed making her way over to her pet. Borris backed away from the elf with his tail twitching, just begging for a chance to pounce on him again. Livinia offered Belcarm her hand and he took it, she helped him up and he dusted off his clothes, looking thoroughly annoyed that they had gotten dirty. "Told you your clothes weren't suitable." Livinia said with a grin.

"They would have been if your kitty hadn't pounced on me." Belcarm said, disgruntled "You know, even after all this time I still don't think he trusts me." Belcarm grunted, readjusting his armor.

"I don't think he does." Livinia agreed, smiling at her pet "But it is only because he doesn't like people with egos that match his own." The cat snorted at her and Belcarm crossed his arms over his broad chest. 

"Wait here for a moment, okay?" Belcarm asked. Without waiting for a confirmation he strode over to the Orc fisherman. It was a sign of their friendship that Livinia didn't follow him just to spite him, there were only a few people that she would grudgingly take orders off, and in most situations Belcarm was one of those people. He and the Orc talked for a moment before Belcarm gave the Orc some coins and the Orc gave him two small objects in return. 

"What are those?" Livinia asked when Belcarm returned to her side. He handed her one of the items and she inspected it closely. It was a small, round ball of parchment that was hollow in the middle. There was a thick string that came from a hole in the center. Curiously, Livinia lifted the item to her ear and shook it. She could hear some light scraping as she did so. "What is it?" She asked. 

"Time will tell." Belcarm said. "Now strip."

"What?!"

"Take your gear off..." He said slowly, as though it was obvious. Livinia glared at him and he rolled his eyes. "Here-" He slipped his fine tunic over his head, removed his boots, and then dropped his pants until he was left standing on the mountain top in a small pair of cotton shorts. Livinia was just about to complain- she had enjoyed seeing him looking so handsome in his fine clothes, but then she stopped and realised that he looked twice as good out of his clothes as he did in them. He was standing before her in only his undergarments, the sun shining on his creamy white skin, his perfectly sculpted chest, and his silky black hair. Livinia bit her lip, using the pain to pull her out of her reverie. Belcarm then made the movements that Livinia knew would summon his windrider. When the creature appeared he balled his clothes up and jammed them into the saddle bags.

"Now your turn." He said with a nod.

"Why?" Livinia asked, still extremely suspicious. 

"Is this part of your quest?"

"No... Well- sort of - yes- please, just do as I say... for once." He said, a tinge of desperation in his voice. 

"Fine, but I am not putting my clothes with your windrider... I am summoning Oscar." Livinia said with a sigh of resignation. Livinia summoned her own wind rider and slowly stripped herself of her armor. She followed Belcarm's lead and stripped right down to her underclothes. When she had finished strapping her items to the majestic creature she looked over her shoulder to see Belcarm's eyes raking over her appreciatively. 

"Now what?" She said, wrapping her arms around herself and turning around. Even though the weather here was quiet warm, the wind on the mountain top was enough to make goose bumps rise on her normally smooth ivory skin.

"Now unsummon Borris." He said. Borris looked at him and growled angrily. The big cat prowled over and begun circling him menacingly.

"Why?"

"He can't use one of these, can he?" Belcarm held the strange item and Livinia sighed again. 

"Here Borris." She said patting her knees. When he trotted over to her she knelt down and gave him a firm hug. "It won't be for long- I promise." She said. She gave him a kiss on the nose and rocked back on her heels, concentrating on the un-summoning spell. 

When Borris had flickered from their presence Livinia stood and looked over to see Belcarm staring at her, eyes full of desire, and a cool breeze reminded her that she was extremely under-dressed. She wrapped her arms back around herself somewhat self consciously. Belcarm closed the distance between them and pulled Livinia's scantily clad body against his own, their smooth hot skin burning together. He put his lips against her ear and nipped her earlobe playfully. The intimacy sent a jolt of desire down to the pit of her stomach and her breath caught in her throat.

"You should never cover yourself up." He whispered, breath hot in her ear. "It is a crime to cover up something as fine as your body." Even though the words kindled the fire of desire deep in her stomach, Livinia laughed.

"And you wonder why I used to think you were joking." She said. "Now, what do we have to do? I'm going to turn into an icicle if you don't hurry up!"

"Now listen carefully," He said softly, "when I tell you to, you need to pull the string away from the parchment as quickly as you can... Got it?" Livinia nodded and Belcarm kissed the crook of her neck slowly, tongue darting out to lick her sensitive skin playfully. Belcarm stepped back from her, the entire front half of her body feeling cold from the sudden distance between them. He gripped her hand and led her towards a rocky cliff on the edge of the mountain.

"What are we doing?" Livinia asked nervously as they approached the edge of the mountain. Belcarm turned and gave her a dashing smile.

"The first time we came to Feralas you wanted to come up here because a friend told you about it. Your friend said that this was the single best thing he did on this continent. We didn't have a chance to do it back then, so I thought we could do it now instead." 

A friend. The only person who Livinia had ever talked to Feralas about save Belcarm was Kalendras. Livinia was still distracted, trying to recall what Kalendras had told her about the Twin Colossal Peaks, when Belcarm handed her one of the small packages. Without notice or warning he gave her hand a hard tug and the two of them tumbled over the edge of the mountain.

Livinia screamed in horror as she tumbled over the edge, only air and freezing water many miles below them. Belcarm kept a tight grip on her hand as they fell. The wind roared in her ears and she looked at the deep waterfall pool at the very base of the mountain.

"PULL!" Belcarm's voice boomed as he dropped her hand. Livinia fumbled with the parchment bundle in her hand and she gripped the string and pulled with all her might. A shimmering silver powder puffed out from the parchment, which dissipated into thin air, and she felt a sharp jolt.

Now instead of falling they were floating. The world below them approached at a leisurely pace and Livinia was suddenly struck by how beautiful everything looked. The waterfall pool below them trickled into several smaller pools further down a hill before disappearing into a lush, almost overgrown, forest. At her current height she could see above the canopy of trees and for miles and miles beyond where the horizon turned into a jagged line of dark blue shadows. 

Livinia looked to her right and smiled at Belcarm.

"This is AMAZING!" She shouted. He gave her a cocky grin and shrugged as if to say that it was no big deal. He looked purposefully at the pool below them and then tucked his knees up into his chest. Livinia followed suit and braced herself for impact.

There was an almighty splash as the two Blood Elves hit the pool and found themselves falling through water instead of air. Livinia felt a hand grip hers and drag her slowly to the surface. When her head broke through the surface she gasped for air for a few moments before throwing her head back and laughing. When the laughter finally subsided and the adrenalin rushing through her body settled down she looked over at her companion. He was watching her, with a big smile that spread to his green eyes. He waded over to her and wrapped his arms around her.

"Amazing." He whispered throatily before he pressed his lips against her. The feeling of his kiss brought a second adrenalin rush. His smooth lips on hers, their near-naked bodies pressed together in the cool weightlessness of the water, all of it was so intimate that it made Livinia feel light headed. Slowly he pulled away from her begun to swim to the shore of the pond, Livinia followed him. When they reached a spot where they could both stand comfortably he pulled her back into his arms and resumed his assault.

Their kiss deepened and Livinia's core began to throb with desire. She could feel his erection pressed against her stomach and he leaned into her slightly, making her groan. One of his hands came down to cup her buttocks and pull her into him harder, she broke the kiss and threw her head back, exposing her neck to him. He took the opportunity to rain a trail of kisses down her neck and collarbone, biting and sucking where he saw fit. 

Finally he pulled away, chest heaving and face flushed with desire. 

"Come," He said, gently pulling her out of the water. He led her over to a spot underneath a massive oak tree and he closed his eyes. He muttered a few unintelligible words and a wicker basket and a blanket appeared on the ground between two massive roots of the tree. "Sit." 

Livinia fell to the ground and her eyes widened at the sight of his tented shorts. He looked down at her and grinned. "Now, now, Hunter- not just yet. You can have desert after you finish your lunch." 

Belcarm sat down opposite her and reached into the basket. He pulled out some cheese and bread, he divided it into two equal portions and handed her half. Livinia took it with shaking hands.

"What's all this?" She asked, face furrowed with confusion. She looked up at him and he gave her a tender smile followed by a careless shrug.

"I just thought we'd do something nice... We always spend our time fighting and sorting out other people's problems. I wanted to focus on us for once." He took a bite of his cheese and chewed thoughtfully. 

Livinia couldn't keep the blush from rising up her cheeks. Not once had one of her lovers ever done anything like this for her. She watched as Belcarm ate his food and a smile slowly crept onto her lips. Why hadn't she ever really noticed how handsome he was? His thick black hair was as long as hers and extremely well kept, even after falling through the air at high speeds and being drenched in a freshwater pool. His face was as finely chiseled as any statue's and his eyes held a combination of determination, conviction, and humor that said a lot about his personality. Livinia broke some bread, rolled it into a ball, and popped it into her mouth. 

All of her other lovers had just taken her, as she had with them. Even Kalendras often took what she offered and made himself scarce. She knew why she and Kalendras were never able to spend time together, due to their different responsibilities and paths, but nevertheless it was something that their relationship was sorely lacking . Livinia's heart skipped a beat as she realised that Belcarm truly did like her. This whole excursion had been so indulgent, so intimate, so relaxing. She looked up at her companion. Seeing him sitting so contentedly made her heart flutter. He caught her eye and she gave him a small smile as a sense of guilt settled over her. She had to tell him about Kalendras... but not yet. There were some things that were better done on a full stomach. 

"Why is your hair still so perfect?" Livinia asked with a grin, reaching out and stroking his quickly drying tresses."Even after that massive drop, or after a battle, you never ever have a single hair out of place." Livinia said shaking her hair in disbelief. "

"I made an oil for it..." Belcarm said, his cheeks colouring slightly.

"You have something like that and you let me get around with my hair looking like a birds nest? Why didn't you tell me about the oil?" She asked, instead of blushing more his lips quirked up in a wicked grin.




The Hunter's Companions Ch. 04



"I like seeing your hair messy." He said suggestively, and her mouth popped open in shock. A moment later she started laughing and rolled her eyes, then had some more bread. 

"I honestly didn't know..." She said trailing off and breaking eye contact with him. He sighed and she frowned.

"I still don't know how you didn't even have a clue." Belcarm said exasperatedly. "I dropped so many hints that even a Mechanical Yeti would've picked up on it."

"Are you saying that I am dumber than a Mechanical Yeti?" Asked Livinia, her eyebrows raising to her hairline, Belcarm laughed.

"No, it's just that-" He stopped and thought for a moment. "Do you remember the time where we first saw the Stonetalon Mountains and you looked up in awe and said 'It's going to take a while to scale those peaks'?" Belcarm asked. 

Livinia could remember that moment quite vividly. The Stonetalon Mountains were beautiful, they had taken her breath away when she had first seen the range disappearing off into what seemed like eternity. 

"And then you said that it would take you less than ten minutes if you were given a chance?" Livinia asked, confused by the direction of the conversation.

"No, I said that it would take less than ten minutes to scale your peaks if I had the chance, and I said it while looking down your top." He said, Livinia snorted with laughter.

"That's right!" She said, suddenly remembering the unbelievably sleazy tone of voice he had used. "Bel that line was so tacky- surely you didn't expect me to believe you?"

"Okay." Belcarm said rolling his eyes "What about the time when we killed that ogre in Dustwallow Marsh and I picked up the club and made very suggestive movements with it?"

The memory made Livinia laugh- seeing Belcarm with that Ogre's club had been extremely entertaining and a relief after the brutal fight they had just won. She remembered that she had laughed at him and rolled her eyes before she continued looting the corpses, in a much better mood than she had been in earlier.

"Classic overcompensation." Livinia said with a dismissive wave.

"Fine." Belcarm said shortly. "What about the first time we went to Dalaran and that Mage was showing us around the city. She started hitting on me and I put my arm around your shoulders and held you close so that she would take a hint and leave me alone." 

"I thought that was because you weren't interested in her! Or any female for that matter!" Livinia said defensively "The entire time we were with her you were nattering on about the flowing sensual lines of the archways or the subtle Quel'dorei influence in the layout and design of the main walkways!" 

"Well it was true!" Belcarm said, throwing his hands up in exasperation.

"Yes Bel- but you sounded so...." Livinia trailed off and from the look on his face she knew he didn't need to hear the rest of the sentence. "Fine... what about that time that we met Rexxar and you then spent the rest of the day describing, in vivid detail, how amazingly sculpted his muscles were."

"Well he was very well built!" Belcarm said "Just because I can admire a fine physique does not mean that I'm not interested in females!" 

"If you say so." Livinia said with a shrug, and Belcarm glared at her. "What about the time that we adventured with Helios- the other Blood Knight? You both hit it off really well and he even slapped your arse? You giggled Bel! You giggled like a little girl! Then he said he wanted to compare your Hammer of Righteousness with his Hammer of Justice? Then he winked!"

"I honestly thought that he wanted to compare techniques!"

"Bel, you are good, but not that good!"

"Hey!"

"Seriously though, he was into you." Livinia said. "If you'd have asked him back to your room he would have jumped your skin without hesitation." Livinia laughed as Belcarm shuddered at the thought.

"How about this," Belcarm said, eager to change the topic "do you remember when we defeated Ragnaros, and you were badly burnt, and then I healed you?"

"Bel, you always heal me! Even when I get a tiny scratch!"

"Yes, but after I healed you I tucked your hair behind your ear and you said thanks, then I leant in and almost kissed you. I would have too if Kahora hadn't interrupted us!" Belcarm said, and Livinia could hear the frustration in his voice.

"It was adrenalin." She said with a nonchalant shrug.

"No. That was me trying to kiss you." Belcarm said, clearly very frustrated. Livinia remembered back to the moment, and now with the benefit of hindsight, could see that she was wrong to pass it over as adrenalin. She felt terrible for Belcarm, and just more than a little foolish for never noticing him.

"Well, I know for certain now that you don't swing the other way." Livinia said with a suggestive grin, and shuffled over so that she was seated beside him on the picnic blanket. She placed a soft kiss on his cheek and rested her head against his shoulder. "And to be honest I'm quite glad that you don't."

Fifteen minutes later the two had finished their food. With a flick of his hand Belcarm banished the picnic basket into thin air and laid down on his back. With a relaxed sigh he pulled Livinia against him, and she rested her head on his chest. Through his firm muscles she could hear the study drum of his heart. 

"Belcarm..." She begun. Their meal was over and in the silence that ensued her mind had drifted back to the woes of the past couple of days. She had resolved to tell him about Kalendras after they ate, and now there was nothing to stop her.

"Hmmm?"

"I have to tell you something." 

"Yes?" Belcarm said, voice backed by the chirping of birds and the roar of the nearby waterfall. Livinia gritted her teeth and steadied herself.

"You know my -- er- friend, Kalendras?" Livinia begun, not knowing how exactly to phrase her words. As she spoke, his hand crept between them, his fingers tracing delicate circles on her skin, making her blood burn and her breath quicken.

"Yes?" As he spoke he turned on his side so that he was facing her and his fingers slipped under the fabric of her knickers. 

"Well, yes, him... and I thought you ought to know-" His lips pressed against hers and he swallowed her words. She was about to protest but one of his long fingers slipped into her slit and probed her clitoris, she moaned into his mouth . "It's just that he and I..." Belcarm's finger moved down to circle her entrance and she gritted her teeth. "Belcarm, you need to know-"

"Tell me later." He groaned huskily before he brought his spare hand up to brush away her bra and his mouth engulfed one of her breasts. Livinia cried out as his tongue expertly stroked her nipple and his fingers teased her lower entrance. She reached down between them and slipped her hand into his shorts, a triumphant smile playing on her lips as she took his hot and hard staff in her hand. She begun to stroke his shaft slowly, enjoying the look of sweet pleasure on his face at her touch. 

Belcarm's finger slipped into her entrance in one fast fluid motion and Livinia cried out in pain.

Suddenly he froze, his green eyes turning sharp as he looked up at her. Very gently, cautiously, he moved his finger out of her and she had to bite her lip to stop herself from whimpering at the stinging it caused.

"What's wrong?" He asked her, concern overtaking his desire.

"It's just... I'm a bit-" She begun.

"Worn out, hey?" He asked with a guilty grin. He pushed himself along the ground so that his head was at the same level as her pelvis. "We did go pretty hard at it last time." He said. Livinia frowned and tried to figure out the best way to break the news of her liaison with Kalendras.

Belcarm carefully peeled her underclothes down her thighs and took a closer look at her swollen nether regions. He tutted and cupped his hand over her mound.

"What are you-" Before she could finish the question Belcarm started an incantation and an intensely pleasurable tingling thrummed in her mound, all soreness and stinging replaced by an erotic stimulation.

"I am good at healing more than just battle wounds, you know." He said. Livinia's stomach flip-flopped and her heart fluttered nervously. She looked down at him over the pale plane of her body and she couldn't help but smile, touched by this caring side of him that she had never received from anyone else.

If she were to be honest with herself he had always been quite considerate. After each fight he was sure to heal her, and even Borris (much to the cat's chagrin) before himself or any other companions. He had refused to let her endure any sort of pain whatsoever. Even though Livinia believed that some wounds were best left to heal naturally she always gave in to him, not wanting to fight over something so trivial. When he had healed her he had always been very careful as well, making sure to place his hands so as not to hurt her further, and running his fingers over her skin slowly to make sure it had healed correctly before moving on to someone else. Now she thought on it, she also realized that his touch had always lingered a little longer than it needed to, just as his hand was still cupping her protectively. 

Livinia's revelation was interrupted suddenly as Belcarm's fingers pushed back inside her. This time when she cried out, it was in pure pleasure. 

"Much better." Belcarm said before he lunged forward and used his skilled tongue on her pleasure pearl. 

Livinia's couplings with Kalendras were all about the mixed feeling of pleasure and pain, fullness and being pushed to the limits. With Belcarm it was all about the subtleties- the feeling of the tip of his tongue as it swirled delicately around her clitoris, the slight bend in his fingers as he aimed to reach a spot inside of her that made her cry out with every contact. Even though none of his body parts could even hold a candle to the sheer size of Kalendras, Belcarm's attention to detail, eagerness to please, and intimate gestures were incredibly erotic. 

It wasn't long before the combination of tongue and fingers drove Livinia to a sensational climax. She opened her mouth and cried out as her body tensed and then released, her hands clenching at the leaves and soft dirt that surrounded her. As quickly as she came, her body turned sensitive, and Belcarm instinctually slowed his tongue and slid his fingers out of her. Livinia pushed herself up and reached down, her hands settling on Belcarm's ears. She pulled him gently up to her level and kissed him, the taste of her musk heavy on his lips. His tongue probed her lips one, twice, before pushing into her. Not breaking the kiss, he sat up properly and crossed his legs in front of him, leaning into her kiss. His hands tenderly caressed her breasts as she reached down to fondle him. 

Livinia loved the feeling of his hot, soft, lips on her own. His tongue was not rough like Kal's, and the kiss was mind-blowing. The intimacy and desire mingled in her mind and it was only then that she truly realized what her past couplings had lacked. She could feel Belcarm's affections in his attention, the way he kissed her alone was enough to know he cared. It was different from her casual flings, it was passionate not greedy, desperate not rushed.

Even though the kiss was wonderful, Livinia was even more aroused by the sound Belcarm made as she stroked his cock. Every couple of strokes she could feel some of his seed escaping his tip, desperate to find its way into her core. He broke the kiss and let out a guttural growl, then he grabbed her around the waist. With a bit of maneuvering he straightened his legs out and pulled her onto him, her glistening womanhood throbbed against his erection. 

With a mischievous smile Livinia pushed Belcarm back into the dirt. The crinkling autumn leaves matting with his normally perfect hair.

"You have controlled everything else today. Let me take care of this." She said, making him grin as though he had just defeated Onyxia. In an instant she had raised herself and positioned him at her entrance. Without warning she slammed herself down onto him in one hard motion. Slowly she rose again before crashing back down onto him. She continued this rhythm, enjoying the complementing sounds of their flesh colliding, her moans and Belcarm's grunts of pleasure. 

Livinia's clitoris began to throb again and she abandoned her position. Instead, she leant forward, her bare breasts brushing against the hot skin of his chest, as she rode him. This time, when she came, she threw her head back and cried out in ecstasy, and continued her frenzied pace until the slightest brush of her clitoris made her entire body shiver. She collapsed against him, her head buried in his neck and she heard him laugh.

"I like that." He said, his cock twitching inside her, and she knew he was close. In her own rash attempt to reach her peak she had completely ignored his encroaching climax. He slowly, tentatively, begun to grind into her again and her mouth set into a determined line.

This time he would come with her.

It didn't take long once she sat back up. Her nub was sensitive enough that the slightest pressure from their colliding pelvises was enough to cause the pleasure to build. Tempted as Livinia was to throw her determination to the wind and ride out another orgasm, she resolutely watched his face as it contorted in pleasure. She listened to the increasing pace of his breathing and cried out as his manhood pulsed inside her, preparing for the onslaught to come. When he grabbed hold of her hips and slammed her down around himself she knew he was close. His fingernails dug into her delicate skin and she finally gave in, allowing the pleasure to consume her. This time though she felt him freeze and then shudder as he released load after load of his seed deep into her. Their mutual cries echoed through the forest and their carnal joining came to a roaring completion amongst the sound of the wind rushing through the trees and the squirrels foraging for food. 

When Livinia collapsed against Belcarm again he wrapped his arms around her and pressed his lips against hers in what could only be described as the most grateful kiss she had ever known.

"Thank you." He murmured into her mouth, pressing his forehead against hers in an endearingly intimate gesture. She squeezed her eyes shut as the guilt of her deception flooded her again. 

~*~

Five hours later Belcarm and Livinia returned to Orgrimmar with matching smiles. After a day of incomparable intimacy, mind-blowing sex, and the sounds of their enemies fleeing in terror, the two were thoroughly exhausted. 

"I'll walk you back to your room?" Belcarm asked, Livinia nodded and smiled as his hand bridged the gap between them and claimed hers.

They walked the way from the portals to the inn in companionable silence. As they walked Livinia desperately tried to puzzle out the best way to word what she was desperate to tell him. When they entered the over-crowded common room Livinia heard her name over the busy clamor. She froze as the sound of the deep voice flooded over her, but she turned and was relieved to see that it was only the Inn Keep. 

"What's wrong, Gorp?" She asked the unusually friendly orc. 

"This was left here for you." He said, holding up a package. It was large enough to cradle in her arms and was wrapped in rough undyed calico and tied with some fishing line. 

"Thanks." Livinia said with a slight nod and frowned, dropping Belcarm's hand reluctantly to take the package. However her reluctance was short lived, replaced by a novel sense of curiosity. 

Belcarm followed her up to her room without a word and she held the door open for him to follow her in. She threw the package on the bed and turned to face him. The package now forgotten as a million words rushed through her mind.

"Belcarm, I..." She begun, but was cut off as he bounded across the distance between them and pressed his lips against hers. He wrapped his arms around her and she melted into his comfortable embrace. Her world swirled with the warmth of his affection.

When he pulled away from her he smiled and tucked a loose strand of scarlet hair behind her pointed ear tenderly. His eyes fluttered from her face and the corner of his mouth pulled up into a grin.

"So, you going to open that?" He asked, gesturing to the package on the bed. 

Livinia turned and looked at the parcel again with a frown. She had no idea what it was. No one ever sent her anything and she certainly hadn't ordered anything from any merchants. Deciding that it was probably some benign and useless gift from her parents she walked over and tugged on the fishing line. When the knot came untied she reached into the bundle of fabric and her fingertips brushed against a luxurious material below. She pinched the contents carefully and freed it from its confines.

A luminescent silver dress slithered from the package and swirled around in front of her. The fabric of the dress itself was fantastical, shimmering and changing colour slightly in the dim light of her room, as silver as a coin one moment and as luminous as the silvery winter moon the next. 

"Dreamcloth!" Belcarm said, his voice filled with awe, as he reached out and touched the fabric. Livinia looked down at the material more closely and realized that he was right. "Where did you buy this?" He asked curiously.

"I didn't..." She said, voice trailing off. She held the dress up against her body and her eyes widened in wonder. The dress was low cut in the front and even more so at the back. When it was on her it would probably reveal everything above her hips at the back and most of her cleavage. The dress was well tailored too, the lifeless fabric holding a shape that showed her clearly that it would hug every one of her curves. The fabric rippled in the slight breeze from her semi-open window and two pieces of parchment fell from its folds onto the ground. She leant down just as Belcarm did, and they grabbed one piece of parchment each.

Liv,

I said I would get you a new dress to replace the one I ruined. I would say it is almost as beautiful as you but that is a lie. I look forward to seeing you in it, and promise to take better care with this than I did with the emerald one.

Kal

Livinia stopped breathing and her eyes snapped up to Belcarm, who was happily reading the parchment in his hand. With a grin he held it out to her.

"An invitation to the Diplomat's Ball in Silvermoon City in three weeks time." He said in a guarded tone and she sighed with relief. It was a mere matter of chance that she got the note from Kal and he got the invitation. She reached out and took it from him. "Who sent it?" He asked, curiosity burning in his eyes.

"Er- my Mother and Father." She lied quickly. Well, it wasn't entirely a lie. They had sent her two tickets to the ball a few weeks before but she had sent them back. She had no desire to attend their boring parties, even if they were full of delightfully boring socialites. However, with the gift of a dress and the invitation coming from Kalendras she could hardly refuse. With him there she might actually have a chance of enjoying herself. 

"They only sent you one ticket?" Belcarm asked "They didn't think you would want to bring anyone?" Livinia had heard that tone in his voice before. She knew very well that he, as an Elf of low birth, was in awe of her family's long history and prestigious name. 

"I never have before. They must have given up hope." She said, suddenly feeling bad for refusing the earlier tickets. She knew then that Belcarm would have enjoyed the chance to see the inner workings of Silvermoon's high society, but she couldn't think of any idea more repulsive than going to the ball. 

"They are having an exhibition before it, did you know?" He asked, eyes lighting up with excitement. He had always been one to appreciate fine art, architecture and literature. Things that she found quite dull and dry.




The Hunter's Companions Ch. 04



"Yeah, some exhibition displaying work from all of the races of the Horde to celebrate the exemplary interracial cooperation or some kodo shit like that." Livinia said with a shrug. Belcarm's mouth dropped open in horror.

"Kodo shit?" He said in disbelief. "Livinia we have reason to celebrate! Our people were betrayed by the Alliance! The sheer fact that the Sin'dorei have been able to ally themselves with the Horde is amazing! The exhibition is one of the very few chances that we will have to see-"

"Okay, okay!" Livinia said, pinching the bridge of her nose in irritation. She knew he was passionate about art, but the last thing she needed was a lecture. "Look, if you are really that interested I can ask my parents to get you a ticket." She said.

"Just me? You wouldn't come?" He asked looking utterly crestfallen.

"Fine." Livinia sighed "I can ask my parents to get two tickets for it. We can go together if you really want, but it will be as boring as watching grass grow." She said, she wanted to be angry but the look of sheer delight on his face made her smile. Livinia sighed and folded up the dress carefully.

"You know, my dad's men will be acting as security for the ball." Belcarm said with a nod towards the folded dress. "He asked me to help, but I refused... I think I might write to him and tell him I've changed my mind. I would do just about anything to see how well your glorious curves fill out that beautiful dress."

Belcarm leant down and planted a soft kiss on Livinia's cheek.

"I look forward to seeing you in it." He said, motioning to the mercurial dress in her grasp. He turned and left the room without another word and 

Livinia fell back onto her bed, holding the note from Kalendras in her tightly clenched fist. Why didn't she stop him? Why didn't she tell him not to bother? He would go to the ball and see her with Kalendras, that was for certain. Kal had invited her so that he could spend time with her. She hadn't even found the right time to tell Belcarm about her relationship with Kal, and to be honest with herself she wasn't even certain of what she wanted to say anyway. She had to figure out exactly what she wanted to do before the exhibition and ball, that was for sure.



The Hunter's Companions Ch. 05



"Nitawa Kee!" The sound of Kalendras's voice broke through the rabble of the common room and Livinia turned around to see him pushing his way through the crowded room. She couldn't help the smile that spread across her face. 

"You're back!" Livinia said as he approached her and he grinned.

"Yes and I got into your guild!" Livinia gave him a quick "I'm very glad to see you again." He reached down and traced his fingers along her arm softly.

"Do you want to go upstairs so we can talk properly?" Livinia asked him, getting to her feet. Immediately she cursed herself for the knee-jerk reaction. She still hadn't figured out what to do about her situation but she had decided that a day or two of abstinence might help to clear her mind. However, it seemed as though that was now off the cards.

"I really would love to talk, but unfortunately we have to go."

"We?" Livinia's eyebrows shot up, suddenly interested.

"Yes. Kahora said that we're all needed for a raid today." Kalendras explained. Kahora, the Guild Leader, always found the most exciting tasks. So, even though Livinia would have loved to have spent some one on one time with Kalendras, the possibility of a good job was too good to resist. She asked Kalendras to wait a moment while she ran upstairs and got her stuff together.

~*~

TWHUNK

 Livinia's arrow nestled in the sweet spot between her enemy's shoulder pad and chest plate and she heard the creature's piercing scream of pain. 

"Have you told him yet?" Kalendras's voice hummed through the loud clamor of battle.

"No." Livinia snapped.

TWHUNK

Her next arrow took the creature in the neck and he fell to the ground, twitching and spluttering all the way down. She watched as Belcarm swung his mace around, swept up in the adrenalin of the battle, and then turned her attention to the enemy spell caster fifteen feet behind him. 

"BORRIS!" Livinia cried, voice high and clear. 

"THERE!" She held an open palm out to the spell caster and her shimmering red mark appeared in the air above his head. With a ferocious growl Borris detached from one of the sword-wielding minions and crossed the distance between himself and their new target, crossing the last five feet with a powerful pounce.

"When are you going to tell him?" Kalendras asked, turning his attention from the melee to her.

Livinia pulled her bowstring taught, and then whispered a spell as she sent the arrow flying towards her enemy.

THWUNK

It pierced layers of flimsy cloth and buried into the woman's breast. Even though it was a good shot, the best part about it was that the woman's constant muttering stopped and all of the spells she had begun to cast fizzled into nothingness. 

"You did say you were going to tell him, didn't you?" Kalendras asked. Livinia clenched her teeth and wished desperately that she could bury one of her arrows charmed with a silencing spell into Kal's thick hide.

"Shouldn't you be concentrating on healing everyone?" Livinia growled, Kalendras just laughed.

"Don't worry Nitawa Kee, everyone is perfectly healthy.... Why haven't you told him?"

"Give it a rest, will you?" Panther asked from the other side of Kalendras before the other Blood Elf Hunter sent a spray of arrows into the fight. She was an interesting character that one. Livinia didn't know what her real name was, because Panther was certainly a strange name for a Blood Elf, but she was such a seasoned member of the guild that Livinia figured it had something to do with one of their many conquests before she and Belcarm had joined. 

Ten minutes later the battle was done and their party regrouped to loot the corpses and distribute the spoils. Livinia was recovering some of her arrows from a body when she felt a hand on her shoulder. She turned quickly, ready to stab the person with the bloodied arrow, but pulled her strike at the last moment when she saw who it was.

"Belcarm." She said, with a stiff nod.

"How did you fare?" He asked, running a set of critical green eyes over her body. 

"Fine!" She said defensively, her arms crossing over her chest. One thing about the Paladin was that he often became overprotective. She could hold her own in a battle, they both knew it, but sometimes this coddling became too much for her to bare.

"No injuries?" he asked "Nothing that I need to heal?" His eyes looked at her again and settled on her breasts. "Nothing at all?"

"No Belcarm, I'm perfectly-"

"I assure you that I am more than capable of healing this Nitawa Kee." Kalendras's voice boomed from behind her, and he took a step up and rested one massive hand protectively on her shoulder. Belcarm's eyes met Kal's and he raised his eyebrows in a quizzical expression.

"Nitawa Kee?" Belcarm asked, looking between Kalendras and Livinia curiously.

"Little One... in Taur-ahe." Livinia said matter-of-factly.

"She doesn't look so little to me." Belcarm said, sizing up the Druid behind her. He took a step closer and Livinia's hands clenched around her arrows. The tension that she could feel, being wedged between the two males, was thick. Kalendras because he knew of her relationship with Belcarm, and Belcarm because he was concerned (and rightly so) of Kalendras's attention towards her.

"Perhaps that is because you are so small yourself?" Kalendras asked, Livinia's mouth fell open and she tried to turn but a second fuzzy hand clamped on her other shoulder and held her firmly in place. Belcarm casually reached behind himself and scratched his armor where his mace was clipped to his back. 

"I may be smaller than you are," Belcarm begun "but I assure you that size is no indication of ability." Livinia rolled her eyes and tried to shrug free from Kal's protective grasp to no avail. Belcarm looked between Kalendras's hands and face and stepped closer to them.

"I'd say that Liv would be the best judge of that." Kalendras said, haughtiness creeping into his deep voice. Livinia's throat tightened as she watched anger flare in Belcarm's eyes. She tried to step away from Kal again but he held her fast.

"And I'd say that Liv wants you to leave her be." Belcarm said in a tone that Livinia had come to know was a warning that there was bloodshed to come if Kalendras didn't let her go. Belcarm eyes the way that Kalendras was holding on to her with great disapproval and gave the Tauren an angry glare.

"Hey- do either of you three want this shit?" A perky troll voice sliced through the tension. Zin'Jiri held up a dangerous looking staff and the two males reluctantly took a step away from Livinia. They stood for a moment, looking at each other, before Kalendras let out a guttural growl and stalked away.

"Kalendras seems quite familiar with you." Belcarm said, ignoring the fact that the others were arguing over who should get an item that he probably needed more than the three of them combined.

"Well, we've been friends since we were a few years old." Livinia said with a shrug. Belcarm stepped closer towards her and put one armored hand on her cheek, the metal was hot on her skin.

"I've been lonely without you." He said intimately, his voice lowering so that only she could hear his words. "You have no idea how desperately I want to bury myself inside you." He said, her stomach was flooded with desire as green eyes met emerald. He leant forward and planted a chaste kiss on her lips, innocent enough in itself, yet it held the promise of so much more. 

When Belcarm pulled away from her, Livinia looked around just in time to see Kalendras's gaze dart away from her. The desire was replaced with guilt and she closed her eyes.

"Can I get everyone to meet at the Green Skin Tavern tomorrow night after we all get a chance to clean up and rest?" Kahora said, his voice dispersing the intimacy between Livinia and Belcarm very efficiently. There was a general murmur of agreement and Livinia took the opportunity to make her way over to Panther and check out her new weapon. 

~*~

Later that evening, just as Livinia's eyes had fluttered closed, there was a loud knocking on her door. The sound startled her and her eyes snapped back open, all of the drowsiness banished into the darkness. It had taken her hours to get to that sleepy stage, she had spent most of the night trying to figure out the awkward love triangle she had gotten herself into. 

"Who is it?" She sat up in her bed her ears strained for the answer. 

"Me." Even that short word was enough for her to identify the voice. She sighed as she got out of her bed, pulling the rough linen sheet with her. As she crossed the room she wrapped the fabric tightly around her and tried to reign in her anger.

"What do you want?" She opened the door and was met by Kalendras's confused face.

"What do you mean?" He asked gruffly, shaggy brows knitting together in confusion.

"After that stunt you pulled today?" Livinia asked, he continued to stare at her and she sighed and then took a step back to let the Tauren into her room. Once he was through the threshold she slammed the door shut.

"The stunt I pulled?" Kalendras waited until she turned to face him before he spoke up. She could see anger bubbling in his eyes and she took a deep breath to calm herself down.

"Yes, you." She said in the most patient voice she could muster "You know I haven't told him yet! So what do you do? You get in there an act all possessive and start making snide remarks about size!" She threw her hands up in the air, all pretense of calmness dissolving with the angry motion. 

"Oh, I see." Kalendras begun "This is all my fault, is it?" His voice was sarcastic and it grated Livinia's temper.

"No! Well- yes! You should have just shut up. You know I haven't told him yet- but you had to go and make a show of it... Why couldn't you just leave it be?" She asked. The Tauren's thick fists clenched and unclenched.

"You've had plenty of time to tell him!" He barked "And you haven't! And you let him kiss you, Liv!" He said, he stepped closer to her and lowered his head so they were eye to eye. "You let him kiss you and I was right there." Livinia pushed past him and sunk onto her bed, putting her head in her hands.

"I'm sorry Kal!" She said weakly through her hands, exhausted from the unbelievably consuming confusion "I- ... I just don't know..."

"You need to tell him." Kalendras said, his voice was still tight but there was a little hitch in his tone and Livinia knew that his mood was softening.

"Tell him what?" She asked, throwing her hands in the air angrily.

"Tell him that I love you." The words floated down around her like a soft blanket of snow, they blanketed her and her entire body was chilled to the core. Her eyes rose slowly, eventually meeting his in the dismal flickering of the candlelight.

"What?" She asked nervously, not sure she had heard right.

"I told you to tell him that I love you." Kalendras came and kneeled down on the floor in front of the bed. 

"But- you never... We were never like that! We always just did our thing and then you would leave!" Livinia stammered, confused, bewildered and flattered all at once.

"Why do you think I am in Orgrimmar?" Kalendras grumbled "Because I like the Orcs? Pah! I hate this place! It stinks like Orcs, shit and stale dirt!" He said, his snout scrunching up in distaste. "Give me the Wild any day!" He looked around the cramped room before returning his gaze to her, his light brown eyes soft. "But you are here. In Orgrimmar... And now I am too." 

Livinia looked at the familiar face of her best friend. His shaggy fur freshly washed and combed after their earlier raid, but clean or not she had always thought he was quite fetching. Even if he was a completely different race, they had grown together for too long for her to care about that. She reached out and put her hand on his shoulder, and she could feel his soft fur and hard muscles through his thick robe. 

"Why now, Kal?" She asked "After all this time you tell me now?" She didn't mean to sound hurt, but she couldn't help it. She had always pretended that she was fine with their casual arrangement, but they had been friends far too long for either of them to miss the signs that they both wanted more. The way that Livinia would purposefully venture to whatever area she had known him to be in, the fact that Kalendras always managed to hint in his letter when he would me making a trip to Orgrimmar, the strange coincidences that were really carefully planned opportunities for them to spend at least a little time with each other. Although she did feel a sense of relief at having him so close by, she couldn't help but wonder what made him change his mind.

"It is because you heard Belcarm and I, isn't it?" Livinia asked. Kalendras shook his head and looked away, but not before Livinia caught sight of the tell tale flicker of emotion in his eyes that confirmed her theory. "You were happy to know that I was just having a fling here and there, but now that you think there could be something going on between Belcarm and I you have decided to waltz in and claim your property?" She asked. The Druid shook his head.

"Is there something going on between you two?" he asked "Something more than just rutting?" Now it was Livinia's turn to look away.

"I.... don't know." She admitted, frustrated with her situation. Kalendras had told her that he loved her, something that, although she loathed to admit it, she had fantasized about for a long while. This was supposed to be where she finally got to tell him that she loved him- as more than just a friend with benefits. She opened her mouth and tried to form the words but they dried up in her throat and her lips shut uselessly. She couldn't do it.

"How can you not know?" Kalendras growled. She could tell that he was angry that she hadn't responded properly, hurt that she didn't return his sentiment.

"You were never there Kal! What was I supposed to think? I was just a plaything to you!" She groaned.

"Never! You have always been my best friend. We both just had things to do, different paths to follow." He told her, his heavy hands resting on her thighs.

"Yes, but we never made any commitment to each other! The sex was just casual- we both knew that... And then I find out that Belcarm likes me-" She stopped, not wanting to go on, but she was too confused and frustrated to hold back any longer. "Belcarm who has always been there for me. We travelled together for years, he always had my back... When you didn't." She looked up into his eyes. "He had my back when you didn't Kal... What was I supposed to think? What was I supposed to do?" 

"I thought you liked being independent. I didn't think that you'd want me hanging around all the time." Kalendras said. 

"I do. But Kal, being independent doesn't mean being alone. I don't like being away from you. Not now, not ever. But we had different paths to follow. You were with the Cenarion Circle and I had my own future to forge."

"I thought that you were okay with the situation Liv! If I'd known you were unhappy I would've come back. All you had to do was say and I would have tried my best to make it work!" Kalendras said, his fists clenching and unclenching in frustration.

Livinia's mouth opened and shut uselessly a few times. What could she say? Why was he only coming out with this now? After years of pining after him and wondering if they would ever be together he comes along at the worst possible time and demands her attention. It was confusing, and it was strange. Livinia bit her tongue to stop the tears from welling up in her eyes. Kalendras let out a deep whine and put his hands gently on her cheeks.

"Well, you know what I want you to tell him," Kalendras said, his eyes searching hers for any sign of a resolution "now you just need to figure out what you want to say." His tongue flicked her cheek affectionately and he got to his feet. 

"I love you too." Livinia finally managed to blurt out, but it was too late because she said it just after the door slammed shut behind him.

~*~

The sun had just kissed the horizon good night when the guild members had gathered at the inn for the meeting Kahora had called. The Tavern Owner, had happily given them a large private room at the back of the establishment and had rolled in an entire barrel of ale for them. Livinia was chatting happily to Sierra and Kalendras about the day before when Belcarm, the last person to arrive, made his way into the room. He had traded his armor for a handsome red surcoat with detailed black embroidery. He walked straight over to Livinia and stood behind her, his hands resting softly on her shoulders. Livinia's stomach tightened and she wished that they were alone so that he could place his hands somewhere else. Somewhere much lower.

"Took your bloody time Belcarm!" Kahora said loudly but not unkindly. "Right- let's get this show on the road shall well, I'm tired and want an early night." The Tauren waited for the room to quiet down and for everyone to take a seat. Livinia scooted over on the bench and patted it, making room for Belcarm to sit down. She ignored the slightly annoyed look that Kalendras was giving her.

The first part of the discussion was taken up with the introduction of their newest recruit, Kalendras Totemrunner, and by tying up some loose ends left by their latest conquests. There was one dispute over looted jewels that Kahora settled, and then the shaman was able to get down to the real business.

"We have a few jobs over the next week or so that will require a bit of creative delegation." Kahora said, "I know that we have all gotten used to working with certain people, but these jobs are very specific and will require that everyone fills a role appropriate to their skills and abilities... so I don't want any complaining, the sooner we get the jobs done the sooner everything will go back to normal."

Belcarm's hand crept over to Livinia's thigh under the cover of the table and she turned to give him a reproachful look. Belcarm grinned back at her and shrugged innocently. Livinia rolled her eyes and decided that it was best to ignore him. She went to look back at Kahora but she caught sight of Kalendras out of the corner of her eye, and the look he was giving her made her inch away from Belcarm slightly and subtly remove his hand from her thigh.

"First up, myself, Panther, Sierra, Belcarm, Jervis, Mak, Trei, Zanthis, Fiorestra and Rorge are all heading to Scourgeholme. There had been some recent reports that the dead are once again becoming restless. We are heading off first thing in the morning. Everyone okay with this?"

Liv looked at Belcarm and could see the shock in his eyes. As far as guild runs were concerned they had only been separated once before; Kahora always did his best to keep friends together. The other times that they had spent apart had been because Belcarm was away on Blood Knight business, or because either of them had to visit family. 

"Can Livinia not come as well?" Belcarm asked over the general mutter of conversation, Kahora looked at him and frowned.

"No, I have another job in mind for Livinia... Zaela has asked for someone to do some scouting to determine the number and position of Mor'ghor's forces. I think Livinia is best suited to that job."

"How about Panther?" Belcarm asked, giving the other Hunter a pointed look, Panther just shrugged.

"You and Liv have been spending more time in the Twilight Highlands than I have. I've only been there once. I don't know the land nearly as well as Liv does."

"Well can I go with her instead? You have Sierra going with you, surely you don't need me as well?" Belcarm asked. Kahora gritted his teeth angrily.

"We are going to quell the restless dead Belcarm, you are a Paladin. Isn't that what you do?" Kahora asked.

"Well, yes, but by all reports Mor'ghor has gotten very brave lately and has been killing any horde envoys on sight. He might confuse Liv for-"




The Hunter's Companions Ch. 06



It was well into the afternoon when Livinia and Kalendras scouted the land surrounding Dragonmaw Port. Kalendras had spent most of the day in flight form, making it easier for them to get around, and when they were fighting he had shifted into cat form. They had come across several scouts and patrols in their own scouting mission, but had no trouble dispatching of them. Livinia had always known that Kalendras was a powerful fighter, but seeing him fighting rather than healing had really shown her just how skilled he was. Between Borris, Kalendras and Livinia, their enemies hardly had time to see the attack coming before they were brought down. 

They had found and counted two different encampments of Mor'ghors forces, and had discovered that there were at least six more dotted somewhere in the Highlands. They would have to check out Thundermar, Kirthaven, and Bloodgulch at the very least. It had taken them the better part of the day to achieve what they had, and Livinia knew that finding the other forces would take at least three more days. It didn't bother Livinia though, even if she wasn't able to talk to Kalendras she thoroughly enjoyed his presence. 

The silence of their travel had given her plenty of time to think about the past week. However the more she thought about it the more confused she became. She was pleased that Kalendras had decided to join their guild, and even more pleased that they were going to be spending more time together. It had been years since they had spent a decent amount of time with each other, and it was very reassuring to see that it hadn't taken long to fall into old patterns. Their playful banter had returned in full force, as Livinia had discovered that morning when they made their way through Orgrimmar to the Twilight Highlands Portal. In addition to the banter, they worked just as well together now as they had when they were children. They didn't need to talk as they fought, they knew each other well enough to be able to coordinate their actions without discussion. So, even when Kal was in cat or bird form, they worked together well.

Livinia also had a similar ease of communication with Belcarm. They had been travelling with each other for long enough to know each other's style, and to be able to predict each other's next move. Thinking of Belcarm confused Livinia all the more. She liked him, a lot, and she knew that now. She decided that she had enjoyed his affections just as much as she enjoyed his friendship, even if he did act very strangely the previous night. She had always known he was protective of her, but his behaviour had just been plain strange. Then when he had refused to talk to her about it she knew there was more to the story, but if he wouldn't tell her how was she expected to know?

"Liv?" Kalendras's deep voice shocked her and she jumped and turned to face him.

"Kal? What's wrong?" Livinia asked, taking in his Tauren form and wondering what had caused him to change form.

"We've done all we can for today. We're best off setting up camp now and heading to Kirthaven tomorrow. If we leave now it will be dark by the time we get there and that could be dangerous." He said, stretching his arms and rolling his shoulders, looking as though he had to get comfortable in his own skin again.

"Okay, that's fine. Are we going to head back to Dragonmaw? There is a pretty good Inn there with the best Lamprey Pie-"

"An Inn?" Kalendras looked at her with an eyebrow raised and a grin.

"Yes. You know, those places where you can hire a bed and even get some nice hot food?" Liv said slowly.

"By the Mother you've gotten soft!" Kalendras said with a laugh. "You have been spending far too much time with Pretty Boy!"

"Fine." Said Livinia, slightly annoyed by Kalendras's mocking tone. "We'll make camp out here then. Doesn't bother me."

"That's more like it." Kalendras said. "I saw a spot a while back that looked pretty good. It was far enough from where the scouts were stationed and it was over the other side of a little rocky hill."

"That should work." Livinia said with an indifferent shrug.

"Here, hop on. I'll take you there." Kalendras said. Livinia was just about to ask what he meant when his form shifted again and he changed into the form of a Sandstone Drake. She looked over at Borris, and then at Kalendras-Drake's back.

"Sorry buddy, but I think there is only room for one." Livinia said to Borris before dismissing him. She hitched her pack back up on her back and clambered onto Kalendras's bare back as gracefully as she could manage. "No showy moves please Kal, I can only camp for the night if I am still alive!" Livinia said, when she had settled onto his back, she dug her heels into his stomach and Kalendras-Drake let out a low growl before his powerful legs tensed and then launched them into the air.

Their trip was short, and Kalendras kept close to the tree tops, but it was a lovely flight. His wings were powerful and he was unusually graceful in this form. Without a saddle, like she was used to on her Windrider, Livinia had to rely on the strength in her thighs to stay mounted. She had spent all day creeping, low, around uneven and often rocky terrain, so her body was quickly tiring of the action. It was not an easy task when she was hovering so high above the ground, but it didn't detract from the lovely views around them. Nevertheless, by the time they landed she was pleased to slide off him.

"You look tired." Kalendras said, shifting back into his normal form once again.

"I'm fine." Livinia said defensively, dropping her pack to the ground with an audible oof. 

"Really?" Kalendras asked "You look as though you'd love to crawl into a nice soft feather bed with a warm plate of Lamprey Pie." Livinia laughed and elbowed him in the stomach.

"Well as it just so happens I am more than happy to camp out. I just thought I'd suggest the Inn because you're getting old and weak." Livinia said in a sugary sweet tone with a kind smile.

"Old and weak, eh?" Kalendras said, eyeing her appraisingly. "I may be older than you but I am certainly not weaker. As I recall I took down three more enemies today than you did." 

"You can count?" Livinia scoffed, Kalendras rolled his eyes and continued on as though he hadn't heard her.

"I keep count so I can tell you exactly how much better I am than you." Kalendras said cockily.

"Oh, so you really think you can beat me?" Livinia said, crossing her arms and puffing her chest out.

"It doesn't matter how far you puff out that chest of yours, Nitawa Kee, you will never be bigger than me." Kalendras laughed, looking at her breasts with a smirk on his face. While he was distracted Livinia launched herself at him and wrapped her legs around his waist and her arms around his, effectively strapping them to his side. 

"You think that will stop me?" Kalendras laughed, he easily lifted his arms away from his body and broke her strong hold, but before he could grab her she dropped off him, bounded around behind him, and jumped onto his back.

"You're easier to mount than a Hawkstrider!" Livinia laughed, wrapping her arms around his neck. Kalendras growled and tried to pry her off his back, but he couldn't reach around properly, making her laugh even louder. She reached forward and grasped his horns. "Giddy up Hawky!" She cried, knowing that she was pushing all the right buttons to annoy him.

"You want to play dirty do you?" Kalendras growled "I can play dirty too!"

The next thing Livinia knew, Kalendras had shifted to cat form and she fell face first into the dirt. She looked up just in time to see him bounding off into the trees and she laughed.

"Don't think I can't catch you Kal!" She called out after him. She heard a loud growl in response and she quickly got to her feet and followed him into the bush.

He was good, she had to give him that; he chose his path well. He managed to find the best possible places to walk so that he would leave little or no tracks. Despite his obvious skill, Livinia was gaining on him, and quickly. She had perfected her tracking techniques over the past five years and she didn't need his tracks to know where he was. Nevertheless she took her time following him, lulling him into a false sense of security, letting him think that he had a head start.

About five minutes later Livinia came to a dead end. She looked around for him, taking care to look in the tree branches in case he had climbed them, and then re-examined his tracks to see where she had missed his change of tact.

~*~

"Where the hell did he go?" Livinia growled, looking around the copse of trees for the third time. Kalendras had to stop himself from shaking with laughter. It would look very suspicious is one of the trees begun to shake and howl in amusement. 

She had been too good for him. He may have been faster than her, but his effort to hide his tracks hindered him significantly. In the end he realised that she would be able to follow him, tracks or no, so he decided on a different plan of attack. She was looking for a cat, not a tree, so even though he was smaller than the rest of the trees, she didn't seem to notice him as she searched the ground for clues of his whereabouts. She circled the copse again and swept very close to him. He held his breath this time, not wanting anything to alert her to his presence. But when she tripped over his root the only thing he could do to stop himself from yelping in pain was biting his tongue. 

"Glad he wasn't here to see that!" Livinia muttered, looking around sheepishly. "Stupid tree." She grumbled petulantly, and Kalenras had to bite his tongue again to stop a howl of pain as she gave his trunk a swift kick.

With a loud sigh her shoulders fell and she shrugged before turning and following the path she had come to the copse from earlier. When she was out of sight Kalendras shifted back into cat form and prowled after her. He decided that turning the Hunter into the hunted would be an excellent way to win this game.

~*~

One.

Two.

Three.

There was the sound of snapping twigs, and a woosh of air, and Livinia turned around with a triumphant smile on her face. Kalendras had been encased in a slab of ice with a look of shock on his cat-like features. 

"You seriously think I fell for that tree crap?" Livinia laughed, turning around and sauntering back over to him. "That was naughty you know- I thought you'd play fair." 

Kalendras's features were frozen, but she could see the surprise glittering in his eyes. She traced circles on the ice in front of his face and grinned.

"I can't believe you thought that'd work!" She said again, shaking her head. "You are good, I'll give you that, but Kal- I am a Hunter! This is what I do! You had no chance!"

The ice around Kalendras began to crack, small hairline fractures spreading rapidly over the previously smooth surface of the Kalendras flavoured icicle. After enjoying her triumph Livinia began to feel sorry for him, it must have been very cold in that ice. She punched the surface of the ice and there was a loud crack. The ice splintered into a million pieces, showering the world around them with glittering crystal shards.

"Such a pretty pussy!" Livinia said cheekily, reaching out and stroking Kalendras's shivering back. He snarled and snapped at her, she barely had time to snatch her hand back before he bit it. He shifted back into Tauren form and wrapped his arms around himself, shivering violently.

"You cheated!" Kalendras said accusingly. "That trap was unfair!"

"Sore loser are we?" Livinia laughed "You started the cheating by changing into Treant form!"

"I don't think changing forms is cheating." Kalendras said evenly. Livinia shrugged and put her hands on his chest, pushing him backwards slowly. 

"Either way I won... and I want to claim my prize." Livinia looked up into his brown eyes and he grinned back down at her.

"What prize would that be?" He asked, she gave him a suggestive smile as his back collided with the nearest tree. 

"I would've thought that was obvious." Livinia said, running her hands down his chest and stomach, resting them on his belt heavily.

"Well I would love to give you your prize, I truly would." Kalendras said earnestly "But you haven't won yet!" The next instant Kalendras disappeared from her grasp and she looked down to see that he had shifted to flight form. She tried to pounce on him, but he launched into the air with a mocking caw and took flight.

There was a loud roar and a dark shape fell from the canopy of the tree that Livinia had pushed Kalendras against. The blur collided with Kalendras in mid air and came crashing back down to the ground. 

"Good work Borris!" Livinia cried, racing over to where the cat and bird had fallen. Borris looked up at her with amusement in his eyes and a coil of rope dangling from his mouth. She slid her arm through the loop and then took the large Kalendras-bird from Borris. She held Kalendras fast against her breasts so that he couldn't shape-shift back and carried him back over to their tree. She placed his struggling form at the base of the tree and he immediately shifted back to his normal form so that he was sitting on the ground with his back against the tree trunk.

"Hey! Now that was unfair." Kalendras said, Livinia made a casual motion with her hand and Borris pounced on Kalendras. "Wait- what are you doing?"

While Borris was on Kalendras, Livinia quickly tied the rope so that he was bound to the tree.

"I'm claiming my prize." Livinia grunted as she pulled the rope tight. She looked into Kalendras's eyes with a victorious smile and the Tauren cleared his throat loudly.

"Right Borris, you'd better go. I think I've made your Mistress very angry." Kalendras said, voice low with anticipation. Borris rubbed his head against Kalendras's chest affectionately, as if to tell him that there were no hard feelings, and then trotted off into the wilderness.

"I think it is time to admit that I am much, much, better than you." Livinia said, her hand moving to the buckles of her breastplate. 

"Never." Kalendras breathed, watching her hands eagerly. 

"Never? " Livinia asked softly. Her breastplate fell to the ground at her feet and her hands gripped the bottom of her mail shirt and cotton undershirt. "Are you sure about that?"

"Totally sure." Kalendras said. Livinia pulled her two tops off in one smooth motion and then put her hands on her hips. Kalendras's eyes raked over her naked torso, lingering appreciatively over her breasts. "Not so sure now." He added, voice husky with desire.

"I bet you're not." She said, turning her attention to her pants. Once she peeled them down her legs she looked up at him through her lashes. 

"Bet you're completely unsure now. How about it, Kal, am I better than you?"

Kalendras looked down at his crotch suggestively and Livinia's eyes followed, she was pleased to see that the fabric of his pants was disturbed by an eager erection. He looked back up again and grinned.

"I don't know why it matters to you." He said "You have me all tied up and at your mercy. The truth is obvious."

"I want to hear you say it." Livinia said, sauntering over to him slowly, accentuating the movements of her hips and breathing heavily so that her breasts rose and fell enticingly.

"Never!" He growled. 

Livinia walked forward so that his face was 

level with her breasts and she was standing astride his lap. She pressed her body up against him and he shuddered at the contact. Livinia laughed and took a step back, then bent over slowly, making sure that he could see every inch of her body displayed alluringly for him before she gripped the fabric of his pants tightly. She gritted her teeth and then pulled the fabric in opposite directions, tearing the cotton and making him cry out in dismay.

"My pants!" He growled. 

"That, sir, is payback for my dress." She brushed the fabric away from his erect cock and smiled up at him. 

"I bought you a new one!" He said defensively.

"Yes, but it was my favourite." Livinia purred, her fingers stroking his length as she spoke. Kalendras rested his head back against the tree as she fondled him, a low growl vibrating deep in his chest.

"That feels good." He grunted when she traded her fingertips for a firm grip.

"I bet it does." Livinia said, letting go of his cock and shuffling back so that she was straddling his upper thighs and his erection stood between them. 

Instead of continuing to stroke him, she traced circles over her own body. She was careful to cup each breast and play with each nipple as Kalendras watched, then moved down lower, tracing long graceful lines down her exposed stomach and hips. When her fingertips brushed her mound she heard Kalendras groan and felt him shift under her, trying to escape his bonds.

"Do you like watching this?" She asked, her fingers slipped down further to touch her nether lips.

"Yes." Kalendras said, his voice strained and strangled, Livinia gasped as she pressed her fingers against her entrance, she was already so wet. She watched Kalendras's expression as she slipped one finger into herself slowly, she could see the lust rising in his eyes and he struggled again. She pulled her fingers out of herself and held them up to his nose.

"You've always said that you love the way I taste." She whispered, then Kalendras's tongue flicked out and lapped at her fingers, cleaning her of her juices as he moaned and closed his eyes. Livinia wanted to take him then, she longed to sink down onto him and lose herself in a fog of lust, but she wanted to be completely ready for him. If she was going to have him the way she wanted him she needed to make sure that she was wet enough to accommodate his generous length and girth.

Livinia raised her body up and leant forward, pressing her breasts against his rough leather armor. She reached down between them and grasped his cock, loving the way that he moaned as her fingers wrapped around his rock hard shaft. She tugged down slightly, pulling his foreskin down, and moved her hips so that his tip was pressed up against her burning hot skin. He groaned and threw his head back when their skin made contact.

"This is torture!" He groaned, trying to raise his hips up so that he could press himself into her, but she was too quick and pulled away before he had a chance to enter.

"This is nothing." She said, adjusting her hold on his cock and pushing his tip against her clitoris. 

Slowly, Livinia began to move his member up and down, using it to stimulate herself. She cried out as she felt him twitch eagerly in her hands. She wanted him inside of her, but she had made a plan and had to stick to it. She concentrated on the feeling of his tip against her sensitive skin and continued to use him for her own gain. His tip was hard and hot against her, and she knew that as soon as she flushed an orgasm out she would be wet enough for him. The thought of sheathing him inside of herself increased her pleasure and she moaned as her orgasm built. Kalendras's hips were restless beneath her, but she kept her hand firm and continued to use him to stroke herself. When her cries became louder she could see the lust in his eyes turn frantic and he howled, desperate to be inside of her. When her peak came she buried her teeth into his shoulder to stop herself from screaming out, and when her body stopped pulsing she reached down and placed his tip at her entrance.

Livinia looked up into Kalendras's eyes as her body sunk lower and lower against around. His eyes widened when his tip pressed against her entrance. She had never taken him from on top before, always a bit too concerned about how deep the penetration would be. But now she had had more experience with being the one on top, she knew that she would be able to control how much of him she took in. As she sunk down around him the feeling of his tip stretching her entrance was exquisite.




The Hunter's Companions Ch. 07



It took Livinia another two days to finish scouting the Twilight Highlands. As suspected, she found several other encampments of Mor'ghor's fighters hidden around the country side. None of the ones she found were as large or prepared as the one she had come across with Kalendras. While the two days was more than enough to complete her quest, time did not dull her anger at the Tauren Druid. She was still seething as she hearthed back to the Inn in Orgrimmar. 

Livinia had to stop herself from dropping into Dragonmaw Port to check her mail after Kalendras had left. She was, despite all of her anger, desperately wanting to know when he would come back to her. Though after he went back on his word she wasn't entirely sure how things would work between them. If he said he would stay then she expected him to, but for him to say one thing and do another made her think that he didn't value her enough to keep his word. Then there was the fact that he wouldn't tell her why he had to leave in the first place. That was what made her the angriest. 

Before heading upstairs for a bath and a good night's sleep in a soft bed she decided to grab a drink to calm her emotions. 

"Gork- give me something strong." Livinia asked as she sunk down into the seat at the bar. Gork turned around and grinned at her.

"How strong?"

"Strong enough to knock your mother's knickers off."

"Something that strong'll make you hate yourself come morning." He said winking at her, but as he did he was already reaching for a bottle full of a particularly nasty looking black liquid. He poured the drink and then took a folded piece of parchment from his pocket. He placed the glass on top of the parchment and slid both over to her. 

"This came for you a few hours ago." He said.

"Thanks Gork." Livinia said. She slid the parchment from underneath the drink and opened it to see Belcarm's familiar curvaceous handwriting in the center of the page.



Liv,

The reports of the restless dead at Scourgeholme were greatly exaggerated. Looks like I will have all of tomorrow free before I have to report to Lord Solanar in Silvermoon the following morning. If you want me to drop by so we can spend some time together, let me know. If not I will spend that time with my Father instead.

Bel



Liv read the letter a second time, reached into her pocket for a coin, and then placed it on the counter. She stood up, grabbing her drink, and walked over to a nearby group of Orcs. They looked up at her as she approached and she smiled at them sheepishly.

"Looks like I was a bit ambitious, gentlemen." She said "One of you can have this." She said, she placed the drink on their table and then made her way to her room. 

When she got back to her room Liv rustled through the supplies she had left behind to find some ink and parchment. 



Come back if you can.



She scrawled the short message on the parchment before running from her room, bounding down the stairs, and racing through the Inn. Once she reached the street it was a short dash to the mail box. She hoped that the message would reach him in time.

~*~

The next morning Livinia was still angry at Kalendras, but the possibility of seeing Belcarm managed to soothe her somewhat. She spent a few hours after sunrise in her room, studying her maps, reading, and sharpening her weapons. When she got hungry she made her way down to the common room for a late breakfast. After breakfast she had started to think that Belcarm hadn't gotten her letter and that she might end up spending the day alone anyway.

To fight the feeling that the walls of the Inn were caving in on her, Livinia decided to take a stroll to the book shop and browse for some new reading material. It had been a while since she had bought a new book, and she decided that it was time to learn about something new to distract herself from her confusing love life. In the end she bought a particularly interesting book on Goblin history and culture. Livinia could speak several languages, as was the norm when you grew up with parents who were diplomats. However, out of all of the Horde languages Goblin was the one that Livinia was least familiar with, so she had decided to go with the one written in Goblin rather than in Orcish. It would be much more of a challenge and much more distracting. 

As Livinia approached her room she reached down into the bodice of her dress to retrieve her key and couldn't help but remember what Kalendras had said when he had seen her do that. Lucky key. Livinia gritted her teeth and made a resolution to get a tailor to sew pockets into all of her dresses. That would teach Kal for being a smart arse. 

When Livinia opened the door she yelped in surprise.

"Bel!" Livinia cried, almost dropping her book in her shock. Belcarm gave her a devastatingly dashing smile. He was looking out of the window at the street below, the bright sunlight playing beautifully upon his handsome features. He was dressed in casual wear again, this time in a dark green vest and grey breeches that brought out the stunning emerald of his eyes.

"Who else?" He said, green eyes twinkling. "It's sweet that you act as though you 're surprised to see me!" 

"Well I am- I thought you didn't get my letter in time... That's why I went out." She held up the book with a casual shrug and he laughed.

"Alas I did get it and here I am...." Belcarm said with a nervous half smile.

"Since when did you ever ask for permission to see me, anyway?" Livinia asked "Normally you just turn up and- BAM! You kill my shit!"

"I just thought after the whole business at the guild meeting that you might not want to see me." Belcarm said with a shrug.

"What? Oh... Yeah, that." Livinia said, at first she had trouble figuring out what he was referring to, having been so effectively distracted by Kalendras leaving. Then she remembered. "What the hell was with that anyway? I can take care of myself. I don't need you or Kalendras to help me." She snapped, now even angrier because of the reminder of that episode. 

"I know you can take care of yourself." Belcarm said slowly, looking at her warily "I've seen you fight Liv, you're brilliant, I don't doubt that."

"Then what's the problem?"

"I was worried about you going on your own. Mor'ghor and his followers have been brutal lately-"

"And you don't think I can handle them on my own?"

"No!" Belcarm snapped, somewhat angrily. "I just don't want you to get hurt." Livinia raised an eyebrow at him.

"Bel, getting hurt is kind of an occupational hazard." Livinia said, frowning at the frustration in his eyes.

"I know, but at least if I am there I can heal you." He said, his entire body still tense beneath the soft fabric of his tunic.

"I can drink potions you know- it's not that hard. As much as I enjoy travelling with you I don't need you there all the time." Livinia explained as calmly as she could.

"I know that, but ..."

"But what?"

"I want to be there." Belcarm said, the tension leaving him, his entire body looked deflated. Livinia looked into his eyes and couldn't restrain the small smile playing at her lips. 

"It didn't come across like that the other night." Livinia said.

"Well..." Belcarm trailed off, breaking eye contact with her and concentrating on the view out of the window.

"If you want to spend time with me, say it, don't carry on like I can't take care of myself."

"I never said-"

"No, you didn't, but that was how it came across. It was embarrassing." Livinia said, crossing her arms over her chest. Belcarm's eyes snapped to hers and his eyes widened.

"I didn't want to embarrass you," he murmured "and I most certainly didn't want to make you mad." He placed a warm hand on her cheek and she pressed against him. 

It was nice to Belcarm's soft skin against her own. Belcarm, who went out of his way to spend time with her. Unlike Kalendras, Belcarm actually made an effort to be with her, made it acutely obvious that he cared for her.

"So you want to spend time with me, huh?" Livinia asked, letting her arms drop to her sides. Belcarm leant down and pressed his lips against her for a short but sweet kiss. "Spending all of our time adventuring isn't enough?"

"No." Belcarm whispered, his breath hot against her skin. "I would've thought that was obvious."

This was one thing that Livinia had been wondering about. What exactly did Belcarm think should happen between them after they had sex? Did he just want the sex and her friendship, or did he want more? Livinia hadn't been game enough to ask, and part of her was very reluctant to because of her relationship with Kalendras.

"Well, it wasn't obvious really. You never said anything- how was I to know?" Livinia asked, Belcarm sighed and rolled his eyes. "What is it that you want? And don't be cryptic about it- we've established that I suck at taking your hints." Livinia said.

"I want you. I want to be with you. I want to be in a real relationship with you. I have spent almost all of the last two and a half years with you, you are my best friend and my most trusted companion. I can't think of anything better than being with you. " Belcarm's words set her body on fire. So much conviction, so much passion. In that moment he was so raw and so vulnerable that 

Livinia couldn't help but imagine how her actions and ignorance over the past few years would have affected him.

Livinia brought a hand up to caress his cheek for a moment before she pulled away from him and crossed the room. She should say something. She knew she should, but she didn't know what to tell him. She wanted to spend time with him, and the idea of having a proper romantic relationship with him made her heart skip a beat and her stomach tighten. However, he was not Kalendras. She had been in love with Kalendras for too long to just move on, but how could she not? She knew her feelings for Belcarm ran deep, even if they were more heavily rooted in friendship. How could she decide between the two? Her two best friends and her two best lovers. Livinia's left hand tightened

"So tell me Liv, how did the scouting go? Did Kalendras make enough noise to alert all of Mor'ghor's forces?" Belcarm asked, clearly trying to break the tension in the room.

"It went fine." Livinia snapped, throwing her book on top of her pack and leaning against the wall, she crossed her arms and tried not to look too angry. Belcarm knew her too well though, his expression changing from a grin to a tight wary smile in an instant.

"What happened?" He asked, walking over to her slowly.

"Nothing, it all went fine." Livinia said, turning away from him and leaning over to take her shoes off.

"Why don't I believe you?" Belcarm's voice came from above her head.

"Because you have trust issues?" Livinia asked, throwing one boot across to the other side of the room.

"What happened Liv?" He asked again. Livinia gritted her teeth and stood up. He was standing very close to her, their bodies merely an inch apart. "Why are you angry? What did he do to you?"

"Oh for the sake of the Sun Well!" Livinia growled, "Don't go getting all defensive! He got a letter on our second day and had to rush off to Thunder Bluff."

"He was supposed to stay with you." Belcarm said through gritted teeth, clearly unimpressed.

"Yes. But he didn't." Livinia snapped angrily, for some reason Belcarm's anger made her feel dreadful.

"What on earth could be so important that he would just leave like that?" Belcarm sneered.

It was too much. Livinia couldn't handle him being angry at Kal for leaving her- not when the alternative was staying with her and making love to her every night. Suddenly her stomach churned with guilt and she didn't want to talk about Kalendras anymore. She hadn't told Belcarm, and now wasn't the right time. At that moment she wanted Belcarm, the one who had been with her through thick and thin, the one that went out of his way to be with her. 

In the span of a moment Livinia went from feeling overwhelming guilt to overwhelming need. She crossed the distance between herself and Belcarm and pulled him into a passionate kiss. Her hands roamed his back, feeling the play of his strong muscles through the thin cloth of his tunic. She moaned when he pressed his body against her, and cried out in dismay when he pulled his lips away from hers.

"I never thought I'd say this- but I like it when you're angry!" Belcarm panted with a smirk on his face.

"Shut up and kiss me, fool!" Livinia hissed before pushing him back against the wall and slamming her lips against his. When he reached down and cupped her arse with both hands she took the hint and wrapped her legs around his weight, his hands helping to support her weight. It wasn't long before his kisses became as fierce as hers and she was grinding her hips against his rock hard erection.

"Anar'alah!" Belcarm breathed, pulling his lips away from hers "I need to be inside you, now."

Livinia pressed her hips against him harder as he pushed away from the wall, carrying her over to the bed. He sat down on the edge of the mattress and a look of surprise transformed his face when she pushed him back against the bed. Quickly, Livinia stood and unlaced her pants before peeling them off her legs eagerly. She then worked on unlacing Belcarm's tented breeches, making sure to brush her fingers against his raging erection much more often than was necessary. She heard Belcarm's grunt as she finally managed to free him of his clothes, and she also noted the strangled groan as she climbed on top of him.

His tip was deliciously warm against her moist slit. Whenever she moved her hips slightly he would exhale sharply, as if the pleasure was a shock to his over-stimulated system. She was thinking of teasing him, of drawing out their encounter, but she was overwhelmed by the desire to have him right there and then. So, instead of taking her time, she raised her hips so that he was poised at her entrance and then slammed down onto him, sheathing his entire length inside of her in one swift movement. She cried out as their bodies collided and he filled her entirely. She repeated the movement again, loving the way that his handsome face contorted with pleasure as she took him inside of her. 

Belcarm's hands slipped up and under her shirt as she rode him, his fingers easily finding her hard nipples, his soft hand cupping and caressing the tender skin of her breasts. As her moans got louder and her pleasure mounted, his attentions towards her breasts became harder and more pointed. Every time he gave her nipples a tweak, she felt the pleasure resonate right down to her core, and it added to the pleasure that was threatening to overtake her entire body. After a few more tweaks it all became too much, Livinia's vision started to black out and her toes and fingers began to tingle. Her clitoris filled with insurmountable pleasure and the next moment the tension burst. Livinia cried out as she rode Belcarm with wild abandon, letting the waves of pleasure wash over her.

When Livinia came back to reality she fell forward against Belcarm, breathing heavily. She could hear him chuckle and she looked up at him curiously.

"What's so funny?" She asked, too pleased to be grumpy about his laughter.

"Nothing, I just love seeing you like that." He said. With an innocent smile he thrust himself against her and she cried out, her body still reeling from her orgasm. He chuckled again and she slapped his chest. "What?" He asked defensively. 

Livinia rolled off Belcarm, her core still throbbing with the aftershocks of pleasure. 

"Hey!" He cried. Now it was Livinia's turn to laugh.

"I'm not done with you yet, don't worry." Livinia said, stripping off her top before getting on all fours. She looked over her shoulder at him and wiggled her hips. "I want at least one more before you get to finish." She said. His eyes widened as he took in her position and he scrambled to his knees behind her. He took his tunic off and she marveled at his finely carved body before he pushed himself inside of her.

Livinia let out an appreciative gasp, she felt him so much more deeply in this position. His hands came down to grasp her hips and then he begun to pound into her without any hesitation, slamming into her as hard and fast as he could. The feeling of him moving inside of her so desperately soon made her desire another orgasm. Slowly she slipped her hand beneath her body, then pressed two fingers against her sensitive clitoris. She looked back over her shoulder for a moment and heard him growl with pleasure when he realized what she was doing. He pounded into her even harder, and she closed her eyes and focused on the feeling of her fingers against her clit.

Livinia bit the sheets and tried to hold back a moan as Belcarm pounded into her. Her fingers were working at a frenzied pace to flush out an orgasm that she had been desperate to release since he slammed into her inside of her. She turned and looked over her shoulder, and the sight of the handsome blood elf pounding into so powerfully threw her over the edge.

"I'm coming!" She cried. As soon as the words left her lips she felt Belcarm increased his tempo, his tip hitting her inner barrier and adding to the pleasure. Her jagged nails raked the sheets and she buried her face into her pillow to drown out the sound of her orgasm.

~*~

It had been a tough three days in Thunder Bluff. Just when he had finally begun to believe that he had sorted out his problem, he had received the letter from his parents and discovered just how far things were from being over. He didn't want to leave Livinia, if it had been up to him he would have stayed, but he knew that he had deal with everything as soon as possible.

Kalendras looked around as he made his way through the Valley of Strength, not surprised to see that the pleasant weather had brought out hordes of shoppers. With a grin he turned down the path that would lead him to their Inn. He knew that Livinia would me mad at him, and he couldn't entirely blame her, but he was simultaneously too pleased and too nervous to see it as a problem. He was finally in position where he believed he could tell Livinia about why he hadn't written to her in the month before they had met again. He could tell her why he had to leave without explanation. When he told her he knew she'd understand. He also hoped that his revelation would help her take the final step to tell the prat of a Paladin to leave her alone. 

So, as Kalendras made his way back to their inn, he tried to stop thinking about how good it felt to have his trunk wrapped in her wet heat, and tried to focus on exactly what he needed to say to explain the situation to her properly.

It wasn't until he stood outside of her door that he had it figured out. The best approach, Kalendras decided, was to be completely honest and to start at the beginning. Even though he could pin point the moment that their friendship moved from just a friendship to something more (that wonderful night outside of Thunderbluff, in the pouring rain and surrounded by nature), he couldn't pinpoint when his feelings for her had changed. He knew, however, that it was well before that night when he had heard her screaming another's name. Hearing that from her was merely a catalyst. After all, wasn't she why he was in this stinking city in the first place? And then there was the business in Thunder Bluff. Either way he knew exactly how he felt, and just hoped that she would be able to accept it. 

Kalendras took a deep breath and knocked on the door. Hoping she would be in. If she wasn't he knew that he would have to rethink his strategy- maybe he wasn't meant to talk to her now. But just as he had given up hope he heard her voice, muffled by the thick wooden door.

"Come in!" She cried, he took one last moment to calm his nerves before he turned the door handle and pushed it wide open.




The Hunter's Companions Ch. 08



Livinia ran her palms down her thighs nervously as she rushed towards the Court of the Sun. It had been four days since she had seen Belcarm and she was running terribly late. She had sent him a letter the day before to confirm that she would still be meeting him, but she hadn't foreseen that her business at Mount Hyjall would run so late. She hadn't gotten back to Silvermoon until just before she was meant to meet up with him, and the last thing she wanted to do was greet him while covered in blood and smeared with mud. She knew that he had seen her in worse states, but when he was in Dalaran he loved to dress up, so she could only imagine that he had pulled out his finest for his beloved Silvermoon.

Livinia peered around the rim of the grand fountain outside the front of Sunfury Spire and, through the throng of people, could see the quick flashes of emerald green and jet black as someone paced along the waterfall, disappearing behind the groups of mingling Sin'dorei. Livinia bit her lip and pushed her way through the crowd.

"Bel!" Livinia said when she reached the space that he had been using to pace. He stopped in his tracks and turned to face her, a confused smile on his face.

"Liv?" 

"Well I'm certainly not Alexstraza." Livinia said, eyebrows knitting together. 

Belcarm's confusion turned to a grin. One moment he was a few feet away from her, the next he had his arms wrapped around her waist and was kissing her hair softly.

"You came!" He said, stepping back and holding her at arms length to inspect her properly. "You look incredible." He said, his eyes raking over her form fitting black silk gown. 

"I sent you a letter yesterday... I told you I was still coming." Livinia said with a frown.

"Yes, I know, but..." He trailed off and Livinia reached up and put her hand on his chest. Livinia had been right about him pulling out of the stops for Silvermoon. His tunic was deep emerald green and his breeches and boots were midnight black. They weren't overly fancy or intricately adorned garments, but the fabric itself needed no dressing up. The garments were perfectly cut to complement his stunning physique. As Livinia held her hand against his chest she could feel the tone of his muscles and the warmth of his skin, and her insides tightened.

"I said I would come and here I am." She told him with a reassuring smile.

"Does that mean that you've made up your mind?" He asked hopefully. Livinia bit her lip and looked away.

She had thought that the time away from Belcarm and Kalendras would help her clear her mind enough to make a decisions. She had been wrong. The only thing that the added time and space had done was confuse her more. She missed Belcarm just as much as she missed Kalendras, and the thought of losing one of them was too much to bear. She had given herself to that very morning to make a decision, and then when she had woken up in her cold bed roll she decided that she would wait until after the Diplomat's Ball. She had promised to meet Belcarm for the exhibition, and she had promised to go to the ball with Kalendras. Any decision she made would likely make her break one promise, and she didn't want to get into that sort of habit.

"I wish I had something to tell you, Bel." Livinia said "But I really don't know what to do. I still haven't made a decision. I understand if you want to call all this off. " Livinia gestured around her dismissively.

Belcarm looked at her thoughtfully for a moment before giving her a winning smile.

"We're both finally in Silvermoon -- together- at the same time. I want to enjoy this." He said, grasping her hand and bringing it to his lips. The feeling of his skin against hers, his hot lips pressed against her knuckles, made Livinia's knees weak. "Let's forget about everything else and enjoy ourselves, yes?"

"Sounds good to me." Livinia replied with a relieved smile. "What shall we do?" She asked, looking around their beautiful surroundings with apprehension. It had been months since she had been in Silvermoon for more than a couple of hours, and even longer still since she had spent the night at her childhood home. 

"I have plans if you are happy to trust me." Belcarm said with a sly smile, offering her his arm.

"Please don't tell me that we'll be spending the afternoon discussing the curvaceous yet refined lines of the Sunfury Spire in the differing lights of the sun..." Livinia said good naturedly as he let her around the edge of the giant fountain.

"No, we'll be discussing the artistic representation of the Walk of Elders as it pertains to the historical culture of the Sin'dorei." Belcarm replied, Livinia's mouth dropped open and she looked at him. 

"You can't be serious!" Livinia said, surpised.

"Well, that is what we will be discussing if you don't wait patiently to discover the true nature of my plans." He told her.

"Patient? Me? Remind me Bel, how long have we known each other for?" Livinia asked with an eyebrow cocked, Belcarm laughed and kissed her on the forehead, and Livinia's fears that he would still be angry with her drifted away on the light autumn breeze. 

~*~

"You've got to be kidding me!" Livinia said, craning her neck to look at the white marble building in front of her.

"Why?" Belcarm asked.

"I think I'd rather talk about architecture than come here." Livinia said, gesturing to the blazing red phoenix carved into the plaque above the door of the building. Belcarm looked down at her again, but this time he just rolled his eyes.

"Come on, we're going in." He said, grabbing her hand and almost dragging her through the open door.

As soon as they had turned down the street Livinia had feared that he would be bringing her here. The Hall of Blood in Farstrider's Square was the headquarters of the Blood Knights and the last place she had expected him to bring her. Not only was it full of prissy Blood Knights (Livinia could only handle one of the up-jumped Paladins- and that was Belcarm) but there was absolutely nothing interesting about the Order. At least, nothing Livinia cared to hear about again. 

Despite her protest, Belcarm led her confidently up the grand staircase, stopping occasionally to say hello to another Blood Knight, or to point introduce Livinia to one of his comrades. When they reached the fifth floor he took the corridor to the left rather than continuing up and then pushed gently on a blank space of wall at the end of the corridor. Livinia had to admit to him that she was impressed when the inconspicuous slab of marble noiselessly slid aside to reveal a well worn wooden staircase. "Come on, I don't want to be late." He said excitedly, and Livinia couldn't help but wonder what they were going to do. For a few moments she was concerned that he was going to take her to his room, but then she remembered that he preferred to stay with his Father when he was in Silvermoon. 

The sun was beating down on the rooftop as they emerged from the relatively dark staircase. 

"BELCARM!" A few voices cheered in concert as Livinia blinked furiously, trying to adjust to the sheer brightness of the sunlight reflecting off the surrounding white buildings.

"Hey! Hope we're not late." Belcarm said, putting his hand on the small of Livinia's back and leaving her forward. They stepped into a patch of shade cast by some sort of sun shelter and Livinia could finally get a better look around.

The rooftop had several chairs of all different styles set around it. There was a fire pit, a few very worn training dummies, some arrow filled targets and a long table in the middle of the roof. They had come out at the side of the building that joined to the neighboring one which had a slopes roof tiled with blinding white shingles. In addition to all of the furniture there were six other people. They were wearing differing amounts of armor, but the one thing that they all had in common was the black and red colors of the Blood Knights. 

"Just on time actually." Said a particularly pretty woman standing beside a tall male. "We thought we'd wait for you two to get here before we started, so you could have taken another hour and you'd have still been on time." The woman said with a grin.

"Great." Belcarm returned, beaming.

"Livinia I presume?" The woman said, stepping forward and offering Livinia her hand. Livinia took it and shook it. "I'm Tirenna, this" she gestured the male she was standing beside moments earlier "is my husband Lionél." 

Tirenna continued the introductions until Livinia had met each and every one of the other Blood Elves. When they were done Tirenna said something about getting ready and led Lionél off to one corner of the roof while the male that had been introduced as Kelthro stalked off into the opposite corner somewhat grumpily.

"What's going on?" Livinia asked, turning back to Belcarm.

"When we were out on our rounds Tirenna and Kelthro had a bit of a... hmm, disagreement?" Belcarm said.

"A bit of a disagreement?" Laughed a blonde-haired male standing nearby them, Livinia remembered that his name was Michel. "Kelthro and Tirenna almost tore each other to shreds!"

"Either way," Belcarm said with an indifferent shrug, "the Blood Knights do not tolerate in-fighting. If we draw arms against each other without suspicion of treason or serious insubordination we can be excommunicated from the order."

"So we solve our problems other ways!" Michel said with an enigmatic grin. "Observe." Said Belcarm, gesturing over to Tirenna and Lionél's corner. 

Tirenna turned around with a pleased smile on her face, her hands were side by side, open and palm up, at waist level. Hovering just above them was an ethereal lion cub made entirely of light magic. Livinia gasped and then laughed as the cub shook its head and then sneezed. She felt a tug on her sleeve and turned to see Belcarm pointing to Kelthro's corner. Hovering above his hands was a large rabbit with extremely twitchy ears and a glowing light-made nose to match.

"You can use your magic for that?" Livinia asked, eyebrows raised curiously. She had always held great respect for magic of all kinds, only using it when needed and never for fun or show. 

"We vow never to use our magic for selfish or frivolous purposes..." Michel trailed off.

"But for this, we make an exception." Belcarm said, winking at her and settling one arm around her waist. 

"What do they do?" Livinia asked, watching as Tirenna and Kelthro made their way to the table in the middle of the space.

"They race them. They start on that roof top there-" Belcarm pointed to the blinding white shingled roof top near where they came out. "To that one there." He pointed to a towering steeple off in the distance "and back again. First to return is the winner."

"But they're made out of light!" Livinia said, watching as two very real looking light creations were placed side by side on the large table. 

"That is the real challenge." Belcarm said with a nod, he stepped behind her and pulled her back against him. His arm came above her shoulder and he pointed to a spot of shadow on the roof of a building two doors over. "Every time they have to pass through a shadow in their path, it gets harder to sustain them." He explained "Today is a good day, not overcast or raining, so it shouldn't be too hard... but even sustaining them to reach the spire and back is difficult." He explained. "Some of us can't even hold them past a few roof tops away." He said.

One of the Blood Knights who had kept to himself thus far made his way over to the table and said a quick word to each Tirenna and Kelthro before stepping back and counting down, starting at five. When he cried "Go!" the two critters bounded off, running through the air and towards their first roof top. The rabbit got the head start- bounding powerfully from shingle to shingle, then from one gutter to another. However, after a few moments the Tirenna's lion cub pounced and landed on top of the rabbit, making Livinia gasp. Wasn't it supposed to be race? 

"Keep it clean!" Cried Michel through cupped hands as the light rabbit's outline began to flicker. The Lion leapt off the rabbit and then bounded onto the next roof top. After a moment Kelthro must have regained his concentration, as his rabbit continued to hop along the make-shift track.

"Not strictly against the rules, but poor sportsmanship so early in the race." Belcarm whispered into her ear conspiratorially. 

Livinia nodded and watched the critters tackle the first shadowed roof top. It was clear from Tirenna and Kelthro's tense postures that they were concentrating hard, and their light creations slowed as they crossed the roof, like stones falling through a vat of honey. But then the bunny crouched and leapt high into the light again, something which seemed to recharge it and it also served to help it cross the roof with minimum effort.

"Why do they have different animals?" Livinia asked Belcarm, not taking her eyes of the race as the two creations continued to hop along the roof tops.

"Comes down to personal choice and ability." Belcarm told her. "Michel is best at making wind riders, Sierra is renowned for her wyrmling- "

"Sierra?" Livinia asked, shocked. 

"Yep." Belcarm replied. "Nobody wants to go against anything she creates- she can hold her own, that's for sure."

"Don't be so modest." Michel said, looking at Belcarm with a grin. "You've beaten Sierra."

"What? Really?" Livinia asked, taking her eyes off the action and looking back up at Belcarm. His cheeks reddened slightly and he shrugged.

"Yes." He said somewhat reluctantly.

"What were you two disagreeing about?" Livinia asked.

"You know, it's funny, I don't even remember-" Belcarm begun.

"Sure you do!" Michel cut in "She asked when you were finally going to get around to f-"

"My Charger will take down your wind-rider in a heart beat!" Belcarm growled warningly, but Michel just laughed it off. 

"Yours is a Charger?" Livinia asked curiously.

"Yes." 

"Why?"

"I don't know." Belcarm said, and she could feel his arms move as he shrugged behind her. "It is usually something that we are familiar with, or can replicate easily. There are a couple that I have tried but I can hold the Charger for the longest. I tried to make Borris once, but for some reason the light-Borris disliked me as much as the real one."

That made Livinia laugh. Belcarm laughed with her and she turned her attention back to the race. The light creatures had made it to the spire, looking a little less radiant and defined, and then turned to make their way back to the roof top. At that moment Kelthro's rabbit had just taken the lead. The two creatures were just about to begin the ascent up a particularly steep roof when Livinia felt Belcarm's lips on her neck. She had to make a conscious effort to keep herself from leaning back against him. She had to stop herself from moaning in desire when his lips parted slightly and his tongue caressed her skin. His arms tightened around her and he pulled her back into him. 

"I've missed you." His voice was soft but hoarse as he murmured his words into her neck. Livinia bit her lip and pulled away from him slightly, wanting desperately to submit to his intimate ministrations, but knowing that if she gave in now it would be hard to stop.

"I missed you too."She whispered back at him, so that he would know that she wasn't rejecting him. He planted a chaste kiss on her hair and she turned her attention back to the race just in time to see Kelthro's rabbit leap magnificently over Tirenna's Lion as it bounded to the table. The rabbit's paws touched the surface just before the lion's and then both flickered out of existence as the winner was announced.

"What happens when someone wins?" Livinia asked, looking back at Belcarm and grinning as she snapped him out of some sort of daydream.

"Hmm? Oh. Nothing really- it's just satisfying. Considering we can't actually fight each other aside from sparring, it is the only way we can compete properly." Belcarm said. 

"Can I see your Charger?" Livinia asked, slipping out of his embrace and turning to face him as the other Blood Knights walked towards the centre of the roof to chat.

"Really?" Belcarm asked, shocked.

"Yes!" Livinia said, "Why wouldn't I?" She asked. Belcarm frowned for a moment.

"He still needs some work- he's not quite there yet. I have been trying to get his armor right for ages but-"

"Bel, just show me." Liv said softly, rolling her eyes. He shrugged and then closed his eyes, placing his palms up at waist height just as the others had. After a few moments of silent concentration a blazing ball of light burst into life above his arms and begun to spin, slowly at first, but then it sped up. As it spun, parts of the ball slowly begun to mould into a different shape, in the same manner that a potter moulded his clay on a wheel. That, however, was where the similarity to pots stopped. As the light spun, the shape really begun to form, seemingly of it's own accord.

When the light finally came to a sudden halt Livinia was looked down at a miniature version of a Charger. The horse stomped it's feet impatiently and Livinia couldn't help but admire the detail that went into it. The entire creature was wearing plate armor that was a replica of what Belcarm's Charger wore, even down to the Blood Knight logo on it's hind-quarters armor.

"Belcarm! He's amazing!" Livinia said enthusiastically, leaning over to get a better look at the creation.

"His armor need a bit of work- the part around his muzzle is all wrong."

"Are you kidding?" Livinia said, looking up at him in dismay "He is absolutely perfect! Can I touch him?" She asked eagerly.

"Give me a moment." Belcarm said, concentrating for a moment. The radiant horse dimmed slightly until it was not so blinding. "Okay, go on."

Livinia laughed as her fingers fell through the horse and it popped out of existence. It was hot- extremely hot. Sort of like placing your hand above a bowl of boiling water. Though unlike steam which burnt, the light horse made her finger tips tingle. When she looked back up at Belcarm he was gazing down at her with such intensity that it made her blush. "You have a beautiful laugh." He told her, bringing a hand up to stroke her cheek. After a moment he combed his fingers through her hair and pulled her face up to meet his, their lips colliding in a delicate kiss of longing and affection.

Belcarm wrapped his arms around her again and pulled her into him as his tongue slid along her lips, begging for admittance. She was only too happy to oblige closing her eyes and inhaling his clean fresh scent as one hand slid up her back and the other inched lower towards her buttocks. 

Livinia jumped back quickly as the strange buzzing in the background turned into enthusiastic cheers. She turned to see the Blood Knights in the centre of the roof cheering and punching the air, all eyes on them. Her face flushed red and she turned back to Belcarm, embarrassed. She would have given him a mouthful but the mixed look of embarrassment and pride on his face softened her anger. 

"Tirenna and Lionél have gone to the kitchens to get some lunch. Are you two joining us or are you too happy with your own party?" Michel said exuberantly with a wicked grin.

"Hungry?" Livinia asked Belcarm, holding her hand out to him.

"Not for food." Belcarm grumbled, glaring at Michel over her shoulder. 

"Pull up a couple of seats." Said the Blood Elf who had started the race. Livinia gave Belcarm's hand a gentle tug and pulled him towards the nearest chairs.

~*~

A few hours later Belcarm said that it was time to move on. Livinia, much to her own amazement, found the present company to be thoroughly entertaining. She had made a point of not going to the Blood Knight gatherings with Belcarm. As she was growing up she had come into contact with several Blood Knights, at least one of their order appeared at every social function her parents dragged her to. She had always found them to be stuffy, boring and obedient to a fault. Add to that the fanaticism that usually came from any organized and single-minded group and Livinia had believed that Blood Knights made for terrible company. 




The Hunter's Companions Ch. 09



"Liv, dear, how are you?" Asked Deanna Sunspeaker as she walked into her daughter's childhood room. Her lustrous blonde hair was intricately braided and fell down past the base of her spine. Deanna's bright red dress clung to all of her curves, and her pale green eyes twinkled alluringly in the evening light. Livinia's mother pulled her daughter into a strong embrace. 

"Good afternoon mother." Livinia said with a forced smile as they pulled away from each other. Livinia sat back down at her vanity table and picked up her brush. The ball was due to start in just over an hour, and she hadn't even begun to get ready.

"Sorry I am late, I tried to make it on time but I had a meeting with Loreneus Magitree. You know how he can be!" 

Livinia nodded, she was well aware of how long-winded Loreneus could be at the best of times. 

"Do you need help getting ready?" Deanna asked, her previously friendly expression turning critical as she ran her eyes over her casually attired daughter. Livinia looked over to where her dress was hanging from a wooden frame off her privacy screen, the silver and diamond hair net carefully hung on the end.

"Not really- I'm sure I can manage it." Liv replied.

Deanna Sunspeaker had always enjoyed before-ball preparations. When Livinia was younger they would spend hours preening and primping before an event. Livinia's mother always insisted on trying at least three different hairstyles on her daughter before making a decision, and Livinia really hated it when her mother touched her hair. 

"Is that your dress?" Her mother asked, pointing to the glorious silver gown, she walked over to it and took it between her graceful fingers reverently. She then seemed to realize the hair net that Belcarm had made on handing off the door knob beside the dress. "This is simply divine." Her fingers then went to play with the crystallized air tacked onto the spidersilk net "And so expensive looking... At least adventuring pays well." 

"Where is Father?" Livinia asked, she didn't bother telling her mother where she really got the items. Livinia didn't even want to imagine her mother's response if she told her that she allowed Kalendras to buy her the dress. Even if Livinia told her mother that Belcarm had made the hair net she knew that the woman would have something to say about his low birth.

"With Zuroc Totemrunner." Her mother turned and placed her hands on her shapely hips "Apparently Kalendras will be arriving in an hour or so to pick you up. I didn't know you two were still such close friends. How often do you see him?"

"Er- more often than you would think, actually." Livinia said, unable to keep her cheeks from flushing with heat. Luckily her mother didn't seem to notice. "He has just joined the guild that I'm in." Livinia added.

"Oh that's wonderful!" Her mother said with a smile, but somehow it still sounded condescending. "And are you still travelling with Belcarm Shapsword? The Master of Sword's son? Your father mentioned that he saw you two together at the exhibition yesterday." 

"Did he? How lovely of him... Yes, Belcarm and I still work together." Livinia said with a sigh. Even though she had tried to avoid the topic, somehow, Belcarm and Kalendras were now the focus of the conversation.

"He's a handsome one." Her mother said with a weak smile, "Even if he isn't high born, at least his father has made a name for the family..." 

Deanna trailed off and took Livinia's hairbrush out of her hands and started brushing it for her. Liv wanted to tell her to stop, but she knew that it would be easier to just submit. There were two things that she never argued over with her mother; hair and politics. 

"Liv, dear, do you remember the High Warlock's son, Rioden?" 

"I saw Mitrae and Rioden yesterday actually." Livinia replied in a strangled tone.

"They will be attending tonight. Perhaps you could spend some time with Rioden? Get to know him a bit better? I'm sure Kalendras won't mind seeing as how you two see each other so often these days anyway..."

"Mother," Livinia begun with a groan, pinching the bridge of her nose to ward against an encroaching headache that threatened to split her mind into a million parts if she had to put up with another one of her mother's ill-fated matchmaking schemes.

"Oh dear, relax! There is no pressure, just something I thought might help you out a bit, you know..."

"Well, I'm not looking for anyone at the moment." I already have enough on my plate, although Livinia didn't say that last thought.

"Hmm, well... Let's just see how it goes then, shall we? Look darling- I am sorry to run, but I have a lot of preparations that I need to see to before I get dressed. Are you sure you are all right here?" Her mother asked in the most maternal manner possible.

"It will be challenging, to get the dress on and all, but I am sure I can handle it if I try hard enough." Livinia said bitterly "If I need any help I will ring for Maelinda." She added in a faux sweet voice. Her sarcasm was lost on her mother though, as she turned and left the room, undoubtedly trying to figure out which flower arrangement to put on the tables and which should go in the balcony vases. By this stage Deanna would normally have been ready to go, but the fact that they were hosting the ball must have prolonged her preparations.

~*~

The silver gown fit her better than Livinia dared to imagine it would. Kal had done a wonderful job picking it for her. The luminous silver fabric was extremely low cut in the back, the cowl-neck stopping a mere inch above the base of her spine, showing her long, smooth back in all its glory. Around her waist was a belt of similar fabric, embroidered with glorious silver moons in the traditional Sin'dorei fashion. Livinia's long red tresses were mostly caught up in the net that Belcarm had given her, setting the crystallized air to a fiery backdrop. She had left small wisps of hair free to frame her face and trail down her back ever so slightly. If it weren't for Belcarm she would have worn her hair loose, but he had chosen his gift well; the spidersilk net not only complemented the fantastical colour of the dress, but the net made sure her hair did not distract from the sensuous lines of her back.

The only problem with the dress was that the shoulder straps did not like staying up. Even the slightest movement would cause one side or the other to slide down her shoulder slightly, and Livinia knew that she was going to spend the entire night pulling them up. Even though they were supposed to be worn quite low, the dress already exposed so much of her body that Livinia felt thoroughly indecent when the thin strips of fabric started to slide. 

She was tugging the strap up, yet again, when there was a knock at her door. When the door opened Livinia saw her mother, looking radiant as always in a deep red velvet number, standing beside Kalendras. Kalendras was dressed in the Traditional Tauren style. He had thick roughspun pants died a deep brown, with a thick leather belt around his waist. The belt was imprinted with the symbols particular to the Totemrunner clan, and inlaid with several roughly polished citrines and lapis lazulis- blue and yellow like the colours of his house. He had two thick leather straps crossing over his chest and shoulders, imprinted with more Taur-ahe symbols, with beaded feathers dangling from it. He had a two gold arm bands around each of his upper arms, inlaid with several lapus lazulis, and his arm guards were leather with citrines dotted around the wrist.

"You scrubbed up alright." Livinia said, trying not to stare too much in front of her mother. With only two straps covering his chest his chest fur was there for her to ogle at, and at that moment she wanted nothing more than to run her fingers through it as he made love to her.

"You too." Kalendras said with a tight voice and a nod. Livinia couldn't help but grin.

"Well, I'll leave you two to it- I have a few things to do. Please hurry along though, I don't want you to be late Liv. See you later Kalendras." Deanna said before disappearing down the corridor. 

When her mother's footsteps sounded like they were a good distance away Livinia walked over to Kalendras, tugging up her straps again. He grinned down at her, this time without bothering to disguise his admiration of her, and then slid the straps back down with his thick fingers.

"You look amazing." Kalendras said, dipping his head and running his tongue along her bare shoulder and the crook of her neck.

"You look... like several birds died in the making of your outfit." Livinia said slowly, Kalendras let out a low growl and Livinia laughed. Kalendras crossed his arm over his chest but she reached out and stroked his fur anyway. His growl turned to more of a purr and she pulled her hand away. "Glad to see that you decided to change back to your natural form. Trying to dress you as a cat would've been impossible." 

"The dress fits you nicely." Kalendras said, his eyes running hungrily over the veritable fields of her exposed skin. 

"Well a very savvy friend of mine picked this dress out for me because he ripped my old one." She said, one eyebrow perking up. "Though he didn't get the shoulder measurements quite right. Seems this dress is determined to slip off."

"Perhaps it is just as he wanted it." Kalendras said with an innocent shrug "Perhaps he enjoys seeing you in a constant state of undress."

"Perhaps he is a bit of a pervert... who knows?" Livinia asked. "Shall we move on?"

"I think we have a bit of time..." Kalendras looked over her shoulder and at her bed suggestively. Livinia rolled her eyes and put a hand on his chest.

"As revealing as this dress is Kal, I still like it. The last thing I need is for you to rip it off and then to explain to my mother why I'm not wearing it." Livinia slipped her arm through his and looked up at him. "Let's get this over with."

~*~

The Sunspeaker residence was as large as they got in Silvermoon City. The manse itself had been built well before the other half of the city had been destroyed, so it was grand in a way that was inconsiderate to the rest of Silvermoon. There were three wings; one was dedicated to the living quarters for the family, each room having its own dressing and bathing rooms. The centre wing was a reception and general entertaining wing and held the kitchen, dining room, formal lounge and formal dining as well as a library and drawing room. The third, easternmost wing's entire ground level was taken up by a large ballroom. The second story was home to the guest rooms. The three wings were situated around a lovely formal garden, with all of the bedrooms having a view of the fountain in its centre.

As Kalendras and Livinia approached the door of the ballroom they joined the queue of people waiting to be formally introduced into the room. It was an old custom, to announce the guests as they arrived, and it was something thaa blood filled body. Livinia hated it. She hated walking in to a packed room and having every eye on her, each person knowing that she was a Sunspeaker and automatically expecting her to act a certain way. 

"Livinia Sunspeaker and Kalendras Totemrunner of the Cenarion Circle?" The Silvermoon City Guardian asked as they approached.

"Just Kalendras Totemrunner- no longer an active member of the Circle." Kalendras said with a gruff nod. 

When the door opened the first Guardian whispered their names to the one just inside the the room and he banged his glaive on the ground three times.

"Miss Livinia Sunspeaker, escorted by Mr. Kalendras Totemrunner." The man's voice rung through the hall and over the rabble. Several heads turned in their direction and Livinia tried her hardest not to blush. Escorted by? They hadn't asked him to say that. Now several dozen sets of eyes were on her and Kalendras. The saving grace was that anybody from Silvermoon would know they were just friends. Even though we're not, Livinia couldn't help but think.

Livinia and Kalendras walked further into the room, into the crowd of warm bodies, and Livinia was glad to have the presentation out of the way. She didn't let go of Kalendras's arm though, and let herself be led to the drinks table. As a waitress poured them each some pungent wine Kalendras and Livinia exchanged information. Livinia recounted again, as she had to Belcarm, just how boring of a time she'd had in Hyjal. Kalendras told her all about his trip to Moonglade, and how strange it was to go there as a messenger rather than a member. 

"And did you end up meeting the Paladin?" The question was inevitable, but made Livinia sigh nonetheless.

"Yes Kal, we went to the exhibition yesterday and to the Blood Knight headquarters the day before." She said.

"By Cairne's Blood!" Kalendras growled "He took you to the pretty boy headquarters? What did you do- look at your reflections?"

"No. We actually had a good time." Livinia snapped. "Damn this dress!" She hissed as she felt the straps slip again.

"The more you touch them the more attention you bring to them. Leave them down, Nitawa Kee, I like seeing your shoulders." Kalendras said. Livinia glared at him as she pulled the straps up for the millionth time. "Turn around for a second." Kalendras said.

"What? Why?" Livinia asked, looking behind her to see what could be of interest.

"I want to see what the back of your dress looks like." Kalendras chuckled. Livinia crossed her arms over her breasts and shot him a disparaging glance.

"Not a chance you big furry pervert." Livinia laughed.

"Oh, come on! I didn't invest in a dreamcloth dress for you so I could only see part of it." Kalendras said patting her playfully on the shoulder.

"I'll tell you what, first we'll go up to the roof and see if these feathers help you to fly," Livinia flicked the feathers on his chest straps "and then I'll turn around for you."

"Oh ha ha Liv, you're so funny." Kalendras grunted sarcastically.

"What? Do you not like the outfit mummy picked for you? Citrine and lapis lazuli are really your stones, you know? They bring out the startling silver of your oh-so-shiny fur." Livinia teased.

"Liv..." Now it was his turn to glare at her.

"So, after you got shoved into a hot perfumed bath and had every inch of you combed, did you get oils rubbed in your fur to make it shine so prettily?" Livinia asked with fake enthusiasm.

"Livinia, is that you?" A voice interrupted the intimate moment and Livinia spun around to see her Aunt Caristra heading towards her. "By the Sun Well! It is! I haven't seen you in nearly two years!" Liv was pulled into yet another hug and she grinned when she spotted three well-dressed males hovering in Caristra's wake. "Livinia, dear, these are my friends- Aneas, Fialner and Tristion." Livinia smiled at her Aunt's friends politely and was overcome with a sudden urge to ask the woman for advice.

Due to their long life span, Blood Elves did not tend to remain monogamous for long. It was often the case were a couple would come together for a while, usually around fifty years, perhaps breed, and then move on. About half of the Elves managed to remain with one or two, partners for an exceptionally long time (her parents were a good example, they had been together for close to one hundred years). Her Aunt Caristra was well known by all of the gossips for her preference for having multiple lovers at the one time- often numbering three or four. Livinia had known for a while that her Aunty's lovers were ill named as such, they really were more like sex toys than actual lovers. 

"How have you been, Aunt Caristra?" Livinia asked, the older woman grinned.

"Well! As always dear, always well! How could I not be with such handsome friends?" Livinia laughed and shrugged.

"Aunt Caristra, this is my friend Kalendras Totemrunner." Livinia said when she recovered her manners. 

"Ah, Zuroc and Timbra's son, yes?" Caristra asked, Kalendras nodded. "Very good, very good! Oh- please excuse me kids, Aegon Sharpsword has arrived and I simply must relay my congratulations on his recent promotion!" Livinia followed her Aunt's line of sight and her eyes fell on Belcarm's obscenely handsome father.

Aegon was clothed in deep green velvet and brown hose, looking like a part of nature come to life. He was carelessly stunning. As Master of the Sword he was not required to work on nights such as these, but there were plenty of his men and women stationed around the room. Livinia had to suppress a laugh at Aegon's clearly disgruntled face when her Aunt tried to relay her congratulations to him. 

"By the Mother!" Kalendras groaned, "He's just as pretty as his son..." Livinia's mouth fell open and she slapped Kal's chest.

"Kalendras!" She tried to sound reproachful but it was hard when he was merely speaking the truth. The Tauren laughed and patted her on the shoulder.

"If I hadn't seen it for myself, I would have thought Belcarm was female." Kalendras added, making Livinia slap him again. "Oh don't bother playing Liv, I am sure he says the same sort of things about me." 

"Well actually, he doesn't say much about you at all." Livinia said with a shrug "Not in my hearing anyway." Kalendras gave her a strange look and she could tell that he would have been more comfortable if Belcarm had been putting him down at every turn.

Kalendras slowly edged toward her, until his arm was resting light against hers, and she had to try hard not to lean into him. The feel of his fur on her bare arms was comforting, and being surrounded by people from her past, in the ballroom of childhood manor, she couldn't help but feel at home.

"We haven't talked properly since...." Livinia trailed off, knowing that she didn't really need to finish that sentence.

"I don't have much to say." Kalendras growled from deep in his throat. Livinia turned and put a hand on his chest. He looked down at where their bodies were touching and cleared his throat. "I am not sure if this is appropriate." He said, with a cautious look around the room. With a sigh Livinia dropped her hand.

"I know but..." She tried to say something; she tried to tell him how hard it was for her to love two but to know she could only have one. "Why did you come back?" She asked changing topics and also addressing something that had bothered her for a while. 

"Well it certainly wasn't so that I could watch him fuck you." Kal's earthy brown eyes found hers and her face flushed. "I told you that I loved you, Livinia, and I meant it." Livinia wanted to kiss him. She wanted to stretch up on her toes, grab his snout, and place a firm kiss on the tip of his nose. She wanted to throw her arms around him. She wanted to cry in frustration.

"Oh Livinia, here you are darling!" Deanna's voice rung through her mind like a shrill bird's cry. She turned and favoured her mother with a reluctant smile. "Kalendras, dear, do you mind if I interrupt?" Without waiting for a response Livinia's mother gestured to a young elf that had followed in her wake. Livinia had to suppress a groan when she recognized the stark blonde hair and disturbingly pale eyes.

Rioden reached forward and took her hand, he pulled it to his lips and gave her a lingering kiss. Livinia resisted the urge to pull away automatically. 

"We meet again, Rioden." Livinia said tersely, feeling Kalendras stiffen beside her. 

"I'll let you two get acquainted, shall I?" Her mother said with a bright smile before she grasped Kalendras's massive hand. "Kalendras dear, Livinia tells me you're both in the same guild now, I would love to hear all about it!" She tugged on his hand and Kalendras had no choice but to follow, even though he knew very well that Deanna didn't give the smallest damn about their guild.

"For a warrior you clean up very nicely." Rioden said, his eyes lingering over her exposed shoulders and cleavage.




The Hunter's Companions Ch. 10



Livinia woke the next morning to the sounds of the city coming to life around her. She sighed loudly and rubbed the sleep from her eyes, luxuriating in the feel of thick cotton sheets and plump feather mattress. As her senses trudged out of the black abyss of sleep she recalled, with great detail, the events of the previous night. With a groan she gripped the covers and pulled them over her head, dreading what the day would bring. When her mind settled on the way that her night ended and her clitoris gave a quick pulse and she moaned. The way Belcarm had taken her last night had been so erotic. He was angry, she understood that, but never before had he been so forceful with her... and the way he left her unsatisfied? 

Her fingers slipped under the gauzy fabric of her night dress; she was already wet and throbbing. At least there was one problem she could solve without too much trouble. She ran the tips of her fingers up and down her moist slit and moaned. Livinia closed her eyes and imagined the way that Belcarm had looked at her, full of rage and desire, and she could almost feel him pumping in and out of her. Her fingers sped up as she remembered the pain and pleasure mingling when he continued to drive her into the wall. When she pictured the look of ecstasy that flooded his face as he came within her, her entire core pulsated and wave upon wave of pleasure crashed down upon her. 

Breathing heavily, Livinia pulled her fingers away and relaxed into the mattress. Now that she had sorted out that problem she knew beyond a doubt that she would have to go out and solve her other problems. She had a strange feeling that they wouldn't be as easy or pleasurable to solve. 

Her mother and father were in the dining room already, they both looked up when she walked in. As she sat down she could see her mother bursting to question her, but for some reason she was holding back. Livinia took one look at her father and she could see a similar look in his eyes as well. 

"Right, well, go on- say whatever you want." Livinia sighed as she reached forward and took a warm bread roll "You might as well get it over wi-"

"What in the name of the Sun Well happened last night?" Her mother asked before Livinia had finished her sentence. At least her mother didn't waste any time.

"Kalendras and Belcarm had an argument." Livinia said simply, breaking the roll into two and placing it on her plate.

"That much is plain Livinia, but why were you involved?" Her mother asked. Livinia reached forward and caught some butter on the end of a knife before spreading it on her roll.

"I told you why." Her father grumbled, but her mother waved him away.

"I don't believe it! I want to hear it from her." Once again she had her mother's undivided attention. "Livinia, what is going on?" 

"Look mother, it's nothing, really. It just got a little out of hand, but I'm going to sort it all out and you really needn't trouble yourself with it." 

"Milent Goldentongue said that he heard Kalendras professing his love for you." Her mother said, nose crinkled with distaste.

"Milent Goldentongue says a lot of things." Livinia bit back but her mother rolled her eyes.

"Yes, but be that as it may, they are usually quite true."

Livinia looked up into her mother's green eyes and frowned when she could see the determination there.

"Fine. Yes. Whatever. Kalendras and I love each other." Livinia said, her mother gasped and fanned her face and her father shook her head.

"But... Liv- he is... Kalendras is so..."

"Tauren?" Liv supplemented when her mother's horrified rambling came to a halt. "Yes, I believe he is." Her mother took a deep breath before changing direction.

"So what does Sharpsword's son have to do with this all then?" She questioned shrewdly.

"He loves me as well." Livinia said and looked at the two halves of her buttered roll, both equally appetizing. With an indecisive sigh Livinia pushed her plate away.

"And do you love him?" Her mother asked.

"Yes."

"You love both of them?" Her father asked, speaking for the first time, and Livinia looked up at him.

"Yes." 

"Well your solution is clear. Forget Kalendras and Belcarm and try to patch things up with Rioden Swiftspell." Livinia's jaw dropped in horror and she glared at her mother.

"What? How is that even a logical solution?"

"You heard me, Liv. You botched this one up well and truly. By now all of Silvermoon and half of Azeroth would have heard this sordid gossip... I don't know what is worse- you with a Tauren or you with the social climbing Sword Master's son!"

Livinia could scarcely breathe for her outrage. She stood up quickly, her chair clattering to the ground noisily behind her. She took her napkin off her lap and threw it down on the table before fixing her mother with a caustic glare.

"For the love of the Sun Well mother! Belcarm doesn't even come up to your high standards?" Livinia snapped "Both Kalendras and Belcarm are brave, intelligent and strong- much more than I can say for that Swiftspell prick!"

"Livinia! How dare you-" Her mother begun, but Livinia would have nothing of it.

"No mother, how dare you? You always wonder why I don't come back home- well, this is why! This is why I wanted to leave in the first place! You do not control me. I am my own person and I will live my life how I want to. I don't need you to find the first desperate bastard you can to fix me up with, and I certainly don't need your input on my love life!" 

"THAT'S IT YOUNG LADY!" Her mother screeched, getting to her feet and throwing her napkin onto the table. "For years I have let you go about your business, fighting like a second class citizen and running around with brainless hulks of muscle- but no more! You are a Sunspeaker! You are the only heir of a family line that is so old that even some history books forget where it started! Our race was almost completely decimated thanks to the Burning Legion, the Scourge and now Deathwing! You have a responsibility to yourself, to your family, and to your race to make sure that our people survive! I don't care who you think you love, or that you want to run around and shoot birds with your damned arrows, because right now your obligation is to your people. "

Livinia's mouth dropped open in horror as her mother ranted and raved. She was so dumfounded by her mother's argument that she needed a few moments to compose an answer. Where had all this come from? Her mother had never said a word of her supposed responsibilities before, and now she was dumping this rubbish onto her?

"What you need to do, young lady, is learn your place. You and Rioden will marry, and then you will try for children. There is no question about it Livinia, this gallivanting around has to stop."

"Gallavanting around?" Livinia cried angrily."What the hell do you think I am doing out there, huh? I am fighting against Deathwing! I am one of the people trying to stop all of this crap that is going on."

"Well you clearly aren't doing a very good job of it." Deanna said snidely, crossing her arms over her chest.

"How dare you?" Livinia hissed. "Belcarm and I helped to bring down Orno Grimtotem, we helped Sylvannis infiltrate Icecrown, we even helped Thrall take the Dragonsoul through to Wyrmrest! And that isn't even half of it! While I was out there trying to save Azeroth what were you doing? Sitting on your pretty arse and discussing how horrible Deathwing is! Don't you dare even tell me that I am messing around! I have achieved more in the past five years than you have achieved in your entire life!"

"Don't talk to me like that young lady!" Deanna screeched "For years you have ignored your responsibilities and I will not put up with it any longer. Even though we are long lived our race is cursed with a lack of fertility. You are young, and strong, and you shouldn't be wasting your time playing with weapons!"

"Is that what this is all about then? Making babies to fill your precious city?" Livinia sneered. "Want to know a secret Mother? I have been getting a hell of a lot of practice making babies lately without your damned intervention!" 

Livinia glared turned, chest heaving and face red with anger, and glared at her mother who was staring back at her open-mouthed. Livinia turned her father for help, but he merely looked at her with a frown and a noncommittal shrug.

"Now I am only going to say this once, so listen closely. You do not control me. I do as I damn well please, and I do whom I damn well please. So you can go and tell Mitrae to shove his stupid fucking son up his arse and then jump off the top of Sunfury Spire!" 

The sound of the door echoing through the hallways after she slammed it shut was the only sound she heard before she bolted for the door.

~*~

Livinia took her time traveling through the Eversong Woods. She had chosen to ride her hawkstrider as her feet were still hurting from the shoes she'd worn the previous evening. After the fight with her mother and the fiasco last night she really needed to get herself sorted out. She had decided to go to see Belcarm first. Even though she didn't know who she wanted, she thought that she'd be able to talk to him with the least fuss. Aegon was probably working after a day off, and they would have the house to themselves. Talking to Kalendras would be a lot more difficult; after Zuroc's anger last night Livinia gathered that they would have been arguing well into the morning. Probably best to let sleeping Taurens lie.

No matter how much Livinia tried to slow her hawkstrider down they still made great time. It was barely even mid-morning when Livinia tied the hawkstrider's reins to a tree near the Sharpsword cottage. She had a sudden urge to turn around and race back home, but the memory of Belcarm's anger steeled her nerves. It wasn't fair to leave him hanging like that- at the very least they needed to talk about what had happened last night.

Livinia had to knock on the door for a long while before she heard footsteps from within. As they came closer her nerves reached breaking point. However, when the door opened, she was shocked to see Aegon Sharpsword looking out at her.

"Good morning Mr. Sharpsword." Livinia said quickly, her face flushing red. This wasn't how it was supposed to be- surely Aegon should have been working?

"Good morning Livinia." He replied curtly. Hearing him speaking to her in that tone made her feel like she was a child being scolded again. 

"Erm... May I please speak to Bel?" Livinia asked slowly, trying to ignore the sense of guilt that was creeping up her throat. Aegon looked at her with a frown.

"Belcarm is in Silvermoon at the moment... Apologizing for his behavior last night." Aegon said stiffly.

"Apologizing? What for? He did nothing wrong!" Livinia said in dismay.

"Nothing wrong?" Aegon asked. The way he spoke gave Livhthia a shiver- it was exactly how Bel sounded when he was angry. "My son was acting as a Guardian for the night, then he had an argument with the son of one of two of the most important Tauren envoys. My son was representing the Guardians and the Blood Knights. He has a lot to apologize for."

"B-but... he didn't start the fight!" Livinia argued, Aegon crossed his arms over his chest.

"Then he shouldn't have continued it," Aegon said. "Either way he put a lot of noses out of joint." 

"Oh hell, this just gets better," Livinia mumbled under her breath, Aegon raised his eyebrow and Livinia bit her lip.

"Do you love my son, Miss Sunspeaker?" Aegon asked. The question made Livinia's mouth fall open with shock. She looked at the Master of Sword and frowned. 

"Yes," She replied, still confused as to why he asked the question, but knowing she had to answer it truthfully.

"He loves you more than you know, please don't break his heart." The anger in Aegon's eyes was slowly eaten away by some other emotion that Livthia couldn't place. 

"Sir?" Livinia asked slowly, confused by this sudden change of tone.

"You'd better head off Livinia. Belcarm won't be back until late and he said that you were supposed to be heading back to Orgrimmar at midday. He will meet you there tomorrow some time. I'll tell him you stopped by,"Aegon's eyes hardened once more and Livinia was now thoroughly confused. Livinia nodded slowly and then turned to leaved, forgetting her manners in her haste to get away from Aegon's heartbreaking love for his son. 

~*~

When Livinia stood outside of the door to the large city apartments that belonged to Kalendras's parents she realized that this was going to be even harder than her encounter with Aegon. She didn't know what had made Zuroc so angry the previous night, he was usually calm and rational in even the most intense situations. With a deep sigh she decided it was best to get it over with, and then knocked on the door.

When it opened she was greeted by Zuroc Totemrunner. She bit her tongue and wondered at her luck lately. Two fathers in one day? 

"Zuroc," Livinia said with a respectful bow of her head. "May I please speak to Kalendras?" Zuroc looked back into the unit before he stepped outside into the hall and shut the door behind him.

"Kalendras told us everything," Zuroc said with a sad frown.

"Oh did he?" Livinia asked with fake enthusiasm "How splendid." 

"Livinia..." Zuroc looked as though he wanted to say something but changed his mind at the last minute. He went to speak again but stopped and shook his head. "I love you like my own daughter, you know that, don't you?" He asked, giving he a sad smile.

"Of course!" Livinia said quickly. In most respects she was closer to Kal's parent than her own.

"I love you dear, but there are some things that... Well, sometimes no matter how much we want something, it is impossible. You are old enough to understand that by now," Zuroc said sadly. 

Suddenly the door flung open behind Zuroc and Livinia was delighted to see Timbra standing there. The Tauren woman gave her a broad smile and pushed past her husband to pull Livinia into a bone crushing hug.

"Oh Livinia!" Timbra said, letting Livinia go and taking a step back. "I wish Kalendras had told us about everything earlier. I am sorry we missed it though- we should've known. What else could we expect? You two were brought up together it is only natural that-"

"Timbra!" Zuroc growled warningly.

"What?" Timbra snapped, turning to her husband. "You wouldn't have a problem with this if she was Tauren!"

"But she's not Tauren!" Zuroc hissed. 

"And therein lies our problem," Kalendras said as he opened the door. Livinia took a deep breath of relief when she saw his familiar silver fur and curving horns. "Livinia, we need to talk."

"We do Kal, we do indeed," sighed Livinia.

"You're welcome to come in, Liv," Timbra said, stepping out of the doorway.

"No.Liv and I need some time alone," His tone was hard and his mother looked at him sadly.

"Kal, you need to tell her-" Zuroc begun.

"No!" 

"Son, this is ridiculous!" Zuroc said through clenched teeth.

"Father, don't," Kalendras pushed past his father and took Liv's hand.

"Tell me what, Kal?" Livinia asked. Kalendras growled and pulled her away from his parents and down the corridor. 

When Kalendras and Liv left the corridor of the apartment building and stepped out onto the street he let her arm go and turned to her, his eyes filled with emotion.

"Give me a second." He said taking a step back. Livinia felt a little dizzy as she watched his body shimmer for a moment before shifting into his sandstone drake form. When Kalendras-drake jutted his head sharply towards his back Livinia scrambled on, settling herself on the hollow between his wings and placing her feet carefully on the joints. She reached forward and grasped onto one of his spine spikes a moment before his powerful legs pushed off the ground and launched them both into the air. 

Kalendras flew them to the portals in Silvermoon City and they went through together, him still in drake form, and came out in Thunder Bluff. With another powerful leap Kalendras soared into the air and circled higher and higher above the city, seeming to enjoy the feeling of the wind under his wings. There was a loud clap of thunder and Livinia looked to the sky to see angry black clouds swelling around them. Before she called out to him, Kalendras seemed to notice the horrible weather, and he lazily floated down lower and lower and lower until he came to a small dip between two of large peaks that made up Thunder Bluff and they took shelter under a small familiar copse trees. 

Livinia dismounted and gave him a thump on the rump, then Kal slowly transformed back into his normal Tauren self. When he was done he stretched his arms and legs and then walked over to a nearby tree, leaning against it and looking away from her. Livinia bit her lip and waited, thinking that he needed some time.

"They're right Liv," Kalendras said finally.

"Who's right?" Livinia asked

"The paladin. My parents... Your parents too, I'm guessing," he said. With a deep sigh he turned around to face her. "As much as we want to be, we just aren't suited to one another."

"Don't you start with this too!" Livinia groaned, rolling her eyes.

"No Liv, we have to face it," Kalendras's words were soft, but his words hit home all the same "I love you and I don't want to give you up... but there are things that will never work for us. I'll never be able to give you a child-"

"What is it with everyone and babies?" Livinia asked, her tone dripping with annoyance. "Kal I can't even get my love life in order- what makes you think I want a child?" Kalendras tried not to, but he couldn't help but laugh at her exasperation.

"You don't now but you might in the future." 

"Do you want a baby?" She asked. She wasn't too fussed on the little mess makers, but if he wanted children then Kalendras needed to have that chance.

"Me? Not really Nitawa Kee. I'm happy doing what I'm doing," Kalendras said with a shrug. "It's not just the children thing though... The stupid Paladin was right about my life span- I won't be around for nearly as long as you. It is selfish of me to let you fall in love with me, because when I die you'll be left alone."

"Even if something happened to you next week I would never regret our time together." Livinia said seriously.

"If you choose me, Nitawa Kee, our relationship will never be accepted. People will say and do horrible things, rumors will fly around and we risk ostracism from our societies."

"Kalendras, I haven't made my decision yet- I want you to know that right now. But I don't want you to give up on us based on what others will think. I love you, I know there will be consequences, but that isn't what bothers me. If you give up on me, do so because you don't want me, not because you don't want others to talk about us," Livinia said, crossing her arms over her chest angrily.

Kalendras looked at her for a moment before walking over to her. He reached down and placed a hand on her cheek softly. She leaned into the contact and he smiled at her.

"And there will always be the fact that I hurt you when I make love to you." He said. The shimmer of emotion in his eyes told her that this was what bothered him the most.

"It's not like that Kal. You don't hurt me as such... Sometimes, yes, it can be slightly uncomfortable, but it is all part of it. It is all part of what makes being with you wonderful." She reached up and ran her hands over his chest. He closed his eyes and wrapped his arms around, pulling her closer to him. "Look Kal, after the last couple of days all I want is to spend some time with you."

"It was so hard last night you know... to stop myself from snatching you away from the ball and taking you back to your room," Kalendras whispered, stepping closer to her. "You looked so beautiful in that dress..."




The Hunter's Companions Ch. 11



Two days after her fight with Kalendras, Livinia and Belcarm stood at the Orgrimmar portals with Kahora and Sierra. They were waiting on the arrival of final member of their party for their latest mission. Sierra and Kahora were deep in discussion, trying to determine the best way to enter the Deadmines. Livinia and Belcarm stood a little apart from them in order to chat in privacy.

In the two days that had passed Livinia had plenty of time to think which, typically, only led to more confusion. Fighting for Kalendras had just reinforced her desire to be with him, but she couldn't forget Belcarm's warm, intimate affection or the way his lips felt as they travelled across her skin.

"So you had to apologise to virtually everyone in Silvermoon, huh?" Livinia asked. Belcarm's face flushed red.

"Not everyone... just some of the Guardians, Magister Bloodsworn and Lord Bloodwrath. My father told me to apologize to your parents as well, but your father opened the door and refused to hear a word of it. He said that there was nothing wrong with fighting for the person you love," Belcarm's embarrassment abated a touch and he smiled at her in that delightfully tacky way of his.

"Did he just?" Livinia asked, surprised. 

"Yes, but then your mother came along and gave me an earful."

"Harpy." 

"Liv!"

"What? It's true?" Livinia rolled her eyes, Belcarm should know that she held no love for her mother beyond what she owed her for bringing her into the world. 

"She said that you were soon to be betrothed to Rioden Swiftspell," Belcarm said through gritted teeth.

"Well she's delusional. The only way I am marrying Rioden is over my own dead body. And that, Bel, is physically impossible," Livinia snorted indignantly. Belcarm grinned at her and she reached out and put her hand on his chest.

"Liv, I also have another apology to make," Belcarm said, grin quickly turning into a guilty frown. "I shouldn't have... well, you know... It was wrong of me to do that to you."

"You are apologizing for that?" Livinia asked, eyebrows furrowed. "The only thing you need to apologize for is making me responsible for my own orgasm!

"In light of recent events Bel, I think you have made enough apologies to last you several years. Honestly, though, it is me who should be sorry for allowing this whole situation to get so bad in the first place."

"Any closer to making your decision, Dolah'surfal?" Belcarm asked huskily, eyeing her hungrily as his fingers traced circles on her cheek.

"I wish I was Bel- I really do... but all that crap in Silvermoon City made things so much more confusing," Livinia said despondently. Belcarm shrugged as though he didn't mind, even though he must have, and leant forward, brushing his lips against hers tenderly.

"Take your time. Take as long as you need. When you pick me I want you to sure of your decision," Belcarm tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear as he spoke. The sound of his voice filled her body with anticipation and she gritted her teeth. 

"Keep talking like that and I won't be able to focus on the fight," Livinia laughed warningly. Belcarm chuckled and pulled away from her.

"When is Zin'jiri getting here?" He asked over his shoulder. Kahora looked over at him and then at Sierra, who shrugged meekly back at him.

"Zin'jiri had to cancel on us. He isn't able to make it... We had to replace him."

"With who?" Belcarm asked. Livinia frowned, she trusted Kahora's judgement implicity, but there were only a couple of other people who would be able to replace Zin'jiri.

"Someone else," Kahora looked at Sierra unsurely.

"Oh look," Sierra said with far too much enthusiasm. "Here he comes now!"

Livinia turned to face the moving stream of people and could see a familiar, hulking, silver mass above the crowd. Kalendras grinned sheepishly as her eyes caught his and her hands balled into fists. Belcarm caught on a moment later and turned to Kahora angrily.

"Anyone else but him," Belcarm seethed. "If he comes then you have to replace me."

Sierra and Kahora exchanged exasperated glances and waited for Kalendras to join them.

"Look," Sierra said, addressing Liv, Belcarm and Kalendras. "We've heard a couple of rumours fresh out of Silvermoon-"

"What the hell?" Livinia cried "Who told you?"

"We heard it from half a dozen different sources. With Zin'jiri out you three are the best group we could get together," Kahora shrugged.

Livinia watched as Belcarm and Kalendras eyed each other warily.

"Kahora and I thought that you would all be professional enough to put aside your personal problems for this. We have to get into the Deadmines, and it is imperative that we bring down the Defias Brotherhood," Sierra explained, watching the two males as she spoke.

"I came here today so that I could help bring down the Brotherhood," Belcarm said stiffly, straightening his back. "I'm not going to forsake my guildmates just because Zin'jiri had to be replaced."

"I knew what I was getting into when I came here," Kalendras grunted with a shrug. "Let's do this."

~*~

For the most part Kalendras and Belcarm kept to their word. There were only a few instances where one of them was unable to stop themselves from saying something snide to the other. Livinia was quick to intervene though, and to tell them that they had more important things to concentrate on. It was a grueling mission. Their trip through the Deadmines had taken longer than any of them expected. By the time they fought Admiral Ripsnarl they were all tired and on edge. They had to make several different attacks against Ripsnarl before they managed to defeat him. After Ripsnarl came Captain Cookie, the only reason they beat him in one go was because they were flat-out determined to put an end to this mission. When they reached Vanessa VanCleef no one in the party was prepared for the absolute havoc that the she would unleash. She thrust them all into a surreal dream state that mixed reality with a cruel, harsh nightmare. After facing Glubtok and they had to pick their way through a dangerous hallway full of lightning bolts. They got through, barely intact and they the shade of Ripsnarl in their nightmare. When they finally came face to face with VanCleef again they were all exhausted. Livinia's arrows were slower and less accurate, Belcarm's strikes weren't as sure, and Kalendras was worn out from the copious amount of healing he had already performed.

However, they were strong fighters, even when they were worn down. Livinia fired the final arrow that brought Vanessa VanCleef to her knees. Just when they thought it was over, VanCleef begun to laugh and her skin glowed, looking as though it had turned to molten flames.

"TO THE RIGGINGS!" Kahora cried, voice booming through the strange popping sound emitting from VanCleef.

Livinia turned quickly and saw several ropes swinging just over the edge of the deck. The party members grabbed on as VanCleef gave her dying scream. Just as they were about to swing away to safety Livinia turned to see Borris sniffing at a dead body obliviously. She let go of her rope and launched herself back onto the boat- she had to save Borris!

"BORRIS!" She cried out at the same time that VanCleef smiled triumphantly. Livtha pushed Borris to the edge of the boat and covered his body with her own just as VanCleef exploded, raining fire all over the ship. Livinia's armor seared red hot and she cried out, the pain was excruciating. She fell to the deck with a loud thunk and blacked out, to a dark abyss filled pain and the sound of ValCleef's maniacal laughter.

~*~

Belcarm watched in horror as the flame engulfed Livinia. Without thinking he abandoned his own rope and jumped onto the ship. He fell down through a sea of fire, his armor burning hot, and as soon as he landed beside Livinia's prone form he threw up a Blessing of Protection. An impenetrable bubble formed around them, sheltering them from the flames. He wanted to kneel down and check on Livinia, but the concentration it took to sustain the bubble in his depleted state made it too hard to do. Instead, gritted his teeth and held on as his world swam around him.

When the flames died it took a moment for him to realize that Kalendras was outside his barrier, yelling at him and demanding to be allowed inside. Belcarm groaned in relief when he released the blessing. When the magic around them fizzled out of existence, Borris extracated himself from under Livinia's prone form. For a moment he looked as though he was about to attack Belcarm, but thought better of it and slunk around behind Kalendras instead.

Belcarm let out a gasp of surprise as he felt the Druid's healing power focus on him. He tried to resist it, Livinia needed it more than he did, but his body betrayed his mind and he surrendered to the healing.

"She will need both of us if she is to make it out of here," Kalendras said gruffly. Belcarm nodded, feeling refreshed, and knelt beside Livinia. 

"I'll help," Kahora gruntedd, taking off his gauntlets and kneeling beside Belcarm. "Sierra, you keep watch." 

Kalendras, Kahora and Belcarm worked together for few minutes, trying to heal Livinia and bring her back from death's doorstep. However, when Sierra cried out a loud warning and begun to fire offensive spells over their shoulders they had no choice but to stop.

"We need to get out of here before we're swarmed," Kahora announced grimly.

When Belcarm looked up he saw the small army of Defias Brotherhood members that were coming to inspect the disturbance in their leader's domain. Belcarm swore at the sight of them and looked at Livinia desperately.

"Can you hold up a Blessing of Protection while you fight?" Kalendras asked quickly.

"What?" Belcarm asked "She can't even wake let alone walk!" He said, pointing to Livinia.

"If you hold up a Blessing around us I will carry her and heal her while we get out of here," Kalendras said desperately. "Just make sure nothing gets through and I will make sure she lives to see another day."

Belcarm wanted to argue, he wanted to tell Kalendras that he should be the one to keep Livinia from the afterlife, but he knew the Tauren was right. Even if they both tried to heal her on the way out they would be besieged by enemies. Kahora and Sierra wouldn't be able to hold back the flow on their own, but with Belcarm's aid they should be able to make it out. Holding up the Blessing of Protection whilst fighting, especially when he was already so run down, would be difficult but Belcarm knew he had no choice.

"Fine," Belcarm said "But if she dies I will turn you into a fur cloak."

"If she dies I'll turn myself into a fur cloak," Kalendras grunted at him between healing spells. Belcarm spoke the words of the Blessing and the bubble of protection formed around Kalendras and Livinia a moment before the enemies came charging at them. 

~*~

Kalendras watched as Belcarm observed the gash on his neck in Livinia's mirror. It was pretty impressive. He'd received it as he fought their way out of the Deadmines. As much as Kalendras hated to admit it, the Paladin had done an admirable job. It would have taken a lot out of him to sustain the Blessing of Protection while fighting so many enemies. Even though he had Sierra and Kahora at his side, there were so many enemies that they were almost overwhelmed a number of times. 

It was lucky that the Paladin had managed to sustain the shield. By the time they managed to get Livinia out of that hell hole, they all knew that the only thing that kept her clinging to life was Kalendras's constant healing flowing into her. When they had found a safe place to regroup Belcarm had dropped the shield and Kalendras thought that he would pass out from a combination of his wounds and his weariness. Instead, he turned shakily and begun to channel spells into Livinia. Kalendras had told him to heal himself first, but the pretty boy would hear nothing of it. Kahora had sent Sierra off to warn the Sunspeakers that their daughter had been injured, and that their house would be the best place for her recovery. After that Kahora helped them, with his efforts they finally managed to stabilize Livinia.

"Livinia will be fine for now. You should heal yourself."

"It's just a scratch," Belcarm sniffed, turning away from the mirror. "It'll heal."

"It will scar," Kalendras warned.

"So?" Belcarm challenged, glaring at him, daring him to say what they both knew he was thinking. 

Kalendras rolled his eyes and turned back to Livinia who was now sleeping soundly in her bed. She was lying, naked, on her stomach. Her entire back was covered in healing ointments from the top of her thighs to the base of her neck. That was where the burns had been the worst. They weren't able to cover her in a sheet though, because they both feared that it would stick to her and ruin her chances of healing cleanly. Deanna Sunspeaker had protested loudly when they refused to allow her to cover their daughter, but her sister Caristra, who was staying with her at the time, had told her that both Kalendras and Belcarm had undoubtedly already seen Livinia naked and that there was nothing to be gained by covering her.

Deanna had also protested when Erique set up a pallet beside Livinia's bed so that Kalendras and Belcarm could rest if they needed to. Erique had given his wife a withering look that silenced her and sent her from the room, fuming. The cot had been set up over an hour ago, and it seemed as though it would go unused. Kalendras refused to be the first to take a rest, and Belcarm seemed determined to resist as well.

"You're both still awake?" Caristra asked as she came into the room, bringing a tray of food and drink with her.

"I'm not tired," Belcarm and Kalendras protested at the same time.

"Ha!" Caristra laughed. "I'll tell you what- both of you have something to eat and then you can rest. I'll watch Liv while you two get some sleep and that way neither of you loses your little pissing match."

Half an hour later Belcarm told Kalendras that he should take the pallet. It would be easier for the Elf to rest on one of Livinia's couches as he was much smaller. Kalendras agreed, and as soon as his head touched the pillow his exhaustion overcame him and he fell asleep.

~*~

Livinia opened her eyes slowly, with a grunt she tried to roll onto her back but when she did her body exploded with pain and she cried out.

"Easy Liv," A female voice soothed.

Livinia quickly rolled back onto her stomach, her entire body protesting at the effort that it took. The skin on her back felt about three sizes too small for her, and where it made contact with whatever was covering her stung like hell.

When her eyes finally adjusted the brightness of the room, still gritty and tired, she had a look around and groaned again. She was in her bedroom in Silvermoon City with a massive mountain of blankets piled around her. She bit her lip and tried to figure out why she was here. After spending time with Kal and talking to her father she had gone back to Orgrimmar and then on to the Deadmines with Kal, Bel, Kahora and Sierra. She remembered the strange nightmare scenario they had faced when they came up against VanCleef. Her entire body tingled when she recalled that Borris had been on the ship when VanCleef had exploded.

And then Liv remembered the agonizing pain she had felt when she leapt off her rope to protect Borris and her armour had turned red hot, cooking her inside it's metal cage. Everything after that was a mixture of disembodied voices, swirling colour and blinding pain. With a deep breath Livinia did a mental stocktake of her current health. Apart from a headache and feeling woozy, the only other pain she felt was where the delicate sheet was covering her back. 

"Good to see you're awake," The voice said happily. Livinia turned her head to the other side and saw her Aunt Caristra smiling at her from the window seat.

"Aunt Caristra?" Livinia asked with a frown. Of all the people in the world she would have least expected her Aunt.

"The one and only! I decided to stay in Silvermoon for a while after the Ball; so much more quaint and unassuming than Dalaran... And then just over forty eight hours after you leave you are returned to us looking more well-done than a suckling pig!" Her Aunt's tone was casually conversational despite the topic.

"Is Borris okay?"

"Of course." 

Livinia let out a breath she hadn't known she'd been holding. 

"Unfortunately your mother would hear nothing about allowing him into the house, so Belcarm took Borris to his cottage... Last I heard he was happily prowling around in the Eversong Woods," Her aunt looked at her with concern, "Livinia dear, pets can be replaced...."

"Not Borris!" Livinia argued, but her Aunt just waved her hand dismissively. "How did I get here?" She asked, knowing that it would be useless to argue. If she had made her own way to safety this was not where she would have come.

"Belcarm and Kalendras brought you here." 

"Bel and Kal?" 

Caristra's laugh rung clearly through her room, echoing off the cavernous marble walls. 

"Yes dear, both of them! And might I just say what a wonderful job they did healing you! When the High Priest of Silvermoon himself came to heal you they turned him away. Can you imagine that? Apparently they didn't think anyone else could be trusted with you!"

As a matter of fact Livinia could not imagine that. Both Kalendras and Belcarm in the same room, working together? It was more likely that Deathwing decided to give up on destroying the world and become a Stratholme lily farmer. 

"How long was I out for?"

"Three days... " Caristra sighed, showing the first sign of how serious the situation really was. "By the way- Belcarm is exceptionally handsome... I offered to pay him kindly for his services to you but he refused me! He is very dedicated to you, dear." 

Livinia rolled her eyes at Caristra's antics but wasn't outraged- she knew that her aunt was a horrible flirt, and she also knew how appealing Belcarm was. 

"Where are they?" 

"I sent them both home to get some proper sleep. Neither of them wanted to leave you, you know, as it was they were both falling asleep on their feet when they arrived. They've had hardly a wink since. I only just convinced them to take a break, which is why I'm watching you. They both thought it might be better if your mother wasn't here; I figured that she is the last person you'd want to see when you woke up!" Livinia snorted and her Aunt smiled sympathetically.

"You all clearly know me too well!" Livinia laughed. Caristra walked over and Livinia felt the bed dip slightly under her weight.

"Hmmm... Indeed we do. So tell me darling, how on earth did you end up in this predicament?"

"Oh- it was like they told you... Fighting in the Deadmines, trying to save Borris-"

"Not that you silly girl! With the two of them! I simply must know!" Caristra said, making Liv blush. "Oh, I'll have none of that now!" Livinia stared at her in disbelief but her Aunt's resolve did not waver she had no choice but to talk.

"Kal and I have been friends for ever," Livinia said with a half smile, "And then one day outside of Orgrimmar just after I started adventuring... Well, we became more than just friends."

"And was he wonderful? For a Tauren, that is?"

"Excuse me?"

"Don't be coy; you know what I mean. How was he?" Livinia's eyes widened and Caristra's green orbs rolled impatiently "Really Livinia, do you think you are the only one of us to sample the delights of the other races?" 

"Seriously?" Apart from human and elf relationships Livinia had heard very little about other inter-race relationships. 

"Yes, seriously!" Caristra laughed laugh "I've had a couple of Taurens myself! Not the most attentive lovers, but what they lack effort they make up for in size." 




The Hunter's Companions Ch. 12



Author's Note: Firstly, thank you to everyone for reading and for the patience. This story is finished, and I am just posting as I get the chapters edited.

Secondly, and more importantly, a warning; this chapter contains a vivid scene with some magically forced consent. If this bothers you then it may be a good idea to skip the scene.

~*~

Belcarm and Kalendras had remained at their table at the tavern for a long while after Livinia had left. At first the silence between them was due to their mutual shock. While Belcarm couldn't say for certain that Livinia was going to chose him, he would not have imagined that she would make the decision she did. It was a long time before either of them had spoken, but it was Kalendras who broke the silence.

"I will not give her up." Kalendras said, Belcarm turned and looked at the Tauren appraisingly.

"Nor will I," Belcarm responded. The two of them looked at each other, the sense of competition between them gone. Livinia had clearly stated that she had no desire to choose. If Livinia couldn't pick one how on earth were they supposed to pick between themselves?

"It appears we're at a stalemate," Belcarm said with a frown, Kalendras nodded. I'll take one of you, or both if you are so inclined,. Livinia had told them the possible solution to their problem. 

To say Belcarm had woken early would be a lie. He had never truly slept. As he turned the corner that led to the Orgrimmar portal it was still dark outside. He wanted to get there early, hoping to be the first. If he arrived he might get one last chance to talk Livinia out of this decision. When he rounded the corner he could see Kalendras already waiting and he groaned. The Tauren had beaten him to the portal as surely as he had beaten him to Livinia's heart.

"Belcarm..." Kalendras sighed as the Blood Elf approached the portal, his snout twisting into a wry grin.

"Kalendras," Belcarm gave him a curt nod and they both turned and waited for Livinia to arrive.

"I do wonder something," Kalendras begun, Belcarm looked at him curious at the instigation of discussion. "Who was the shield and who was the mace?" 

The comment made Belcarm laugh. It shouldn't have, but it did. After the month he'd had he needed something to laugh about. He looked up at the Tauren who grinned back down at him. Slowly, the sun began to rise into the sky and they were both nervously awaiting their woman. However, an hour after sunrise she was still not there and their nerves were strung taut.

Belcarm had been unsure of his decision all night. He wanted Livinia. He had waited for her for five years and he had come too far to give up on her now. He wanted to go to that portal with all of his heart. However, he didn't know what he would do if Kalendras had decided the same thing. The thought of sharing Livinia with the Tauren was disturbing, but when he really thought about it, he had been sharing her for the past month anyway. 

Livinia had said that she couldn't choose between them. Belcarm couldn't understand it, but Liv was always so determined and sure of herself that this indecisiveness was uncharacteristic. When she had told them the night before that a part of her would always love both of them he realised that, no matter what, he would always be with Liv knowing that she missed Kalendras. He didn't know what that would do to her; to have to hold back that constant longing for someone else. The worst case scenario was that it might make Liv resent him for forcing her to make that decision. So, he decided to leave it up to fate. He would go to the portal, and if Kalendras was there too then there was nothing he could do about it. 

"She did say dawn?" Belcarm asked, snapping out of his tired reverie. He hadn't meant it to sound like a question, but it did.

"Yes...." Kalendras confirmed as he looking around as if it would make her appear out of thin air.

"Maybe she got caught up," Belcarm said with a shrug.

"I thought she would be here well before us even," Kalendras murmured, and Belcarm didn't admit out loud that he had thought the same thing.

"Kalendras Totemrunner.... Belcarm Sharpsword?" A voice came from behind them and the two turned around to see a host of Silvermoon City Guardians standing there with their hands on their weapons.

"Yes?" Belarm confirmed warily, looking at the Tauren out of the corner of his eye.

"We are here to arrest you both under suspicion of high treason and conspiring with the known traitor, Livinia Sunspeaker."

Belcarm was too stunned to move. Livinia a known traitor? Impossible. Luckily, Kalendras was not so fazed by the accusation. How could his Belcarm's father allow his men to arrest his only son without so much as a warning?

"Whose orders are you here on?" Kalendras growled. Belcarm knew the druid well enough to see how his body tensed, poised to fight at a moment's notice.

"The Chief Warlock has sent us to apprehend you," The leader responded dispassionately. Belcarm's eyebrows furrowed in confusion.

"You answer to the Master of Sword not the Chief Warlock." 

"We were sent by the Chief Warlock," The Guardian repeated evasively. Belcarm and Kalendras exchanged a look and they both understood what was going on. The Chief Warlock, Mitrae Swiftspell. The only real question that now ran through Belcarm's mind was,  where is Livinia? If these brutes were here to arrest them, then he didn't want to imagine that there was someone who had done the same to her. The Guardians moved forward and made to grab them but Kalendras danced back out of their reach.

"I'm afraid you are ill informed," Kalendras said, voice strong "As the son of the Tauren Envoys, Zuroc and Timbra Totemrunner, I have diplomatic immunity. You cannot arrest me."

"What?" One of the guards asked, looking at their leader in confusion.

"As the son of the Tauren Diplomats I am exempt from being trialed for treason or any related crimes under Silvermoon City's jurisdiction. Any matter of such nature needs to be taken up with High Cheiftan Baine Bloodhoof," The Blood Elves looked at each other in anger and Belcarm's jaw dropped open.

"Well, you might be covered by diplomatic immunity, but Sharpsword has no such boon. Rest assured that Baine will hear about this," The leader said to Kalendras before turning his attention to Belcarm. "Arrest him." 

The six Silvermoon City Guardians converged on Belcarm and he tried to retaliate. He swung out with his fist as one lunged at him, his fingers cracking the male's nose with a satisfying crunch.

"Belcarm, stop!" Kalendras order boomed through the noise of the scuffle. Belcarm looked at him questioningly and it was all the time that the Guardians needed to push him onto the ground and restrain him.

"You'll pay for that you bastard!" The man with the shattered nose spat through his blood and tears.

"Get off me!" Belcarm yelled, struggling in vain to be free of them.

"Paladin! Stop!" Kalendras barked again. "I will sort this out."

"Where's Livinia?" Belcarm asked, turning to face the leader of the group.

"Who?"

"Forget it. Belcarm; just go with them." Kalendras said, his tone quickly becoming exasperated. "I will get to the bottom of this mess."

"You have ten seconds to use that portal or we will arrest you as well."

"And Totemrunner?" The leader said, just as Kalendras was about to step through the portal, "If you are seen in Silvermoon City again you will forfeit your right to diplomatic immunity and you will be arrested... just as we arrested this scumbag."

"Never fear, Elf," Kalendras said dangerously, Belcarm could see the fury in his eyes and knew that Kalendras would kill each and every one of them, slowly, if given the opportunity. "I give you my word that I will never step foot in your city." 

With that Kalendras turned and made his way through the Orgrimmar portal without so much as a backwards glance.

~*~

It took all of five minutes for the Guardians to drag Belcarm through the streets of Silvermoon. However, as they passed through a forgotten back alley the leader called a halt and turned, grinning at the man with a broken nose like a lunatic. That was all the warning that Belcarm had before they pushed him into the ground and begun to punch and kick him like he was nothing more than a sack of potatoes. When they finally dragged him through the doors of the jail he looked as though he had been through a war, and he felt much the same.

Unbeknownst to Belcarm or the guardians a swift-flying silver hawk swept through the Orgrimmar portal just as they threw him into his cell. The bird's powerful wings carried it his above the city, when it was high enough, it tucked its wings into its body and begun a quick but controlled dive into the thick forest surrounding the Elven capital.

~*~

When Livinia came to her entire body was aching as though she had just been in battle. She opened her eyes, but all she could see was black. After a few tentative tugs of her sorely stretched limbs she determined that her arms were tethered to the wall above her head and her legs were chained to the stone wall behind her back. She wondered how she even managed to sleep in such an uncomfortable position; whatever spell they had used to knock her out must have been incredibly powerful. She strained her ears and could hear the sound of footsteps approaching, then a door creaked open, more footsteps, and then a door slamming shut again. 

Bright light flared to life in the room and Livinia hissed as it burnt her retinas. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath before slowly opening them again. Coloured spots danced a merry jig before her for several minutes before her sight adjusted. In one corner of the room stood a sturdy wooden desk and a carved oak chair, but aside from that the room was all stone walls, floor and cobwebs. 

"You have to be fucking kidding me!" Livinia groaned when she saw the two men standing by the door.

"Language, Livinia, language," Mitrae Swiftspell tutted, his watery blue eyes surveying her appraisingly. "Such a foul mouth for such a pretty woman." 

"What the hell am I doing here?" Livinia snapped impatiently, the sound of his voice alone was enough to make her skin crawl, so the fact that he was grinning at her like trapped prey made her stomach churn.

"We tried to do it the easy way, we really did," Mitrae said with a frown, "But you forced our hand. We told your mother that we would give her three days to turn you around. However, at the first chance, you snuck out to meet up with the Bull and the pathetic low born. We couldn't very well have you running around like a slut when you are supposed to be marrying Rioden!"

Livinia's face scrunched up with confusion.

"What are you even talking about?"

"The betrothal between you and Rioden, of course," Mitrae said as if she were a few arrows shy of a quiver.

"There is no betrothal."

"Unfortunately Sunspeaker, that is not up to you," Rioden snapped.

"A bit hard to have a betrothal with only one interested party, isn't it?" Livinia's comment made Mitrae laugh.

"I am sure you will be interested soon enough," Mitrae told her, tapping his nose with his finger knowingly. "Like I said, it is regretful it has come to this, but after your performance at the ball and your eagerness to resist our kind offer we really had no choice," His voice clawed at Livinia's aching head and she wanted to scream in frustration.

"What in the name of the Sun Well are you talking about?" She groaned.

"Didn't your mother tell you?" Rioden asked sarcastically "No, I don't suppose she would have."

"What?"

"Your mother promised that you would marry Rioden in exchange for a favor of sorts..." Mitrae said with a wicked grin.

"She would never-"

"Well she did, and here you are," Mitrae gave nonchalant shrug. "You see, I caught her with some rather incriminating documents... Something that might see her expelled from Silvermoon City, if not executed."

Livinia's mouth fell open end her eyes wide with disbelief. Her mother might be manipulative and thoughtless at time but she wasn't stupid. She would never get caught with anything suspect because she wouldn't be involved with it in the first place.

"I don't believe you," Livinia said, sticking her chin up in the air defiantly despite the pain coursing through her body from being in such an awkward position.

"I don't care if you do," Mitrae told her "But you will marry my son." 

"Over my dead body," Livinia snapped, tone dripping with disgust.

"Now now, that won't be necessary. We want you alive and not dead. Plus, you wouldn't want to see your dear mother's head on the execution block, would you?" Mitrae asked, Livinia was tempted to tell him that it didn't sound like a bad idea right about now but she pressed her lips together tightly. "You need another reason, do you? What about if I tell you that I currently have a small host of Guardians arresting your pathetic lovers under suspicion of treason?" Livinia's heart skipped a beat, but she refused to believe it. Surely it was just another lie.

"What treason?" She laughed.

"We have decided that the documents we found your mother with could also be used against you. If you choose not to marry my son we will give the papers to the council and your lovers, both of them, will be hanged." Livinia looked deep into his sickly green eyes and she could tell that this was not an empty threat. The thought of Belcarm or Kalendras dangling from the gallows made her stomach twist and bile rise in her throat.

"Why me?" She asked looking between the father and son. She kept the fear in her voice in at bay, sounding merely curious instead. "Surely there are plenty of stupid wenches desperate to be part of your ridiculous high society drama."

"Why indeed?" Rioden asked with a laugh. "You are a Sunspeaker, Livinia. The youngest heir to a family as old as our history. Those other wenches are nothing but whores, they do not deserve to bear Swiftspell heirs." 

"I'm sure the Brightspells or the Wellmaker family would have someone to offer you, someone who wouldn't find you so repugnant," Livinia supplied, Rioden glared at her but Mitrae merely laughed.

"Brightspells, Wellmakers and Sunspeakers... they would never lower themselves to Swiftspells," Rioden said, "We need someone to produce heirs that we can place in every office of society. We will fill the Sin'dorei government with our people. Never again with some low-born upstart like Sharpsword ever take a position destined for a Swiftspell." 

The words swirled in her mind and she remembered back to the ball. The way her mother had introduced her to Rioden, and when she had threw the knife at him, the way he had gone running back to his father. Her Mother's insistence was rare also, Livinia had no shortage of suitors to be sure, but the way her mother had constantly come back to Rioden made sense. If this was true, if, then her mother's actions made complete sense.

"You're forgetting one thing," Livinia said, a spark of hope burning in her heart "The marriage ritual requires that the two participants are willing. That will never happen," She told them defiantly. She just needed to buy time. She knew that Belcarm and Kalendras would be looking for her, and that this would be sorted out, but she just needed to give them as much time as she could.

"Really?" Mitrae asked, "We shall see, Livinia, we shall see," He smiled crossed the room. He looked her body up and down and she shuddered in disgust. 

"Such ugly clothes, dear, no wonder you stooped so low as you did." 

Mitrae reached into the pocket of his robe and withdrew a ceremonial knife, the handle of which was encrusted with deep rubies and garnets that twinkled prettily in the bright light. Slowly Mitrae brought it up to her stomach. She struggled against her chains but they held her pinned in place. With a sick smile he reached forward, grabbed her shirt, and cut a small hole in the bottom. He stuck his fingers through the hole and ripped the fabric in one move, exposing her pale skin to the dungeon air. Mitrae hummed appreciatively.

"Get the fuck away from me," Livinia warned, her vision swam red as rage overcame her.

"While you're thinking about our offer you might as well start your marital duties dear, because you will marry my son. And we want heirs from you, lots of pretty little girls and strong handsome boys."

"You are disgusting." She spat. Mitrae simply laughed as he slipped the knife into the waistband of her pants. This time when he cut the fabric he also cut skin, tearing a line in her stomach before tearing ripping her linen pants apart. He grunted in a disgustingly animinalistic way when he saw her womanhood and Livinia was reminded of an ogre on heat. He put his knife back in his robes and then brought his fingers up to cup her mound, she moved her hips backwards to avoid his touch but he had her pinned up against the wall.

"You should have fun with this one, son. Do you remember the chain commands?" Mitrae asked wistfully before turning on his heel and facing his son. Rioden nodded. "Very well. You tend to your future wife while I go and eliminate the competition." 

Mitrae left the room, the door slamming loudly behind him. As he left a tiny amount of malice left with him, but when Livinia looked at Rioden she knew that his intentions were likely to be just as foul. 

"Don't you even think about it," Livinia warned, looking at Rioden with wide eyes.

"You are ever so pretty." Rioden said, ignoring her warning before leisurely crossing the room. 

"I'm sure that, in time, you will come to respect me even if you don't love me," He stopped in front of her and put his hand on her abdomen "And you will make very good looking children."

"If you so much as put your filthy prick near me I'll cut it off," She growled with all of the venom she could muster, but he laughed it off.

"I see no knife, dearest Livinia. Pray tell, what do you plan to castrate me with?" He asked innocently.

"When I get out of these chains..." 

"You will be my bonded wife. I shall see to it."

"Not even in your wildest fantasy."

"Oh no? Do you have any idea of what my father is doing right now? Do you?" 

Livinia pursed her lips together and refused to look at him.

"Right now my father is having Sharpsword and Totemrunner arrested. Once in possession not only will they be unable to save you, but they will be on trial for treason. Do you know what the punishment is for that? Do you?" Livinia tried to pull away from him but his cold fingers grasped her face and turned it to him. "They will hang them both Livinia. They will both be dead and fucking cold within three days if you disobey us." 

Livinia gritted her teeth and tried to dismiss the thought of seeing Kalendras and Belcarm hanging from the gallows, necks broken and thick purple tongues lolling out of the corner of their mouths.

"You will never get them." 

"My guess is that we already have them," Rioden said complacently, his characteristic cockiness shining through . Livinia could only hope they didn't. She hoped that, when she hadn't arrived, they had thought that she had left without them. Or that she had already gone off with the other. Either way they would be difficult to find. 

Unless, of course, they had both decided to share her, and they would have been waiting by the portal like sitting ducks. Suddenly she cursed her stupidity. What have I done?  she thought to herself.

Livinia closed her eyes and leant forward slowly, as if to kiss Rioden on the lips, but at the last moment her eyes snapped open and seared into his.

"FUCK YOU!" She yelled, her spittle littering his skin. His face contorted with rage and brought a hand up and pinched her nipple, hard, making her cry out.




The Hunter's Companions Ch. 12



"Oh- you do me such an injustice Livinia. All I want to do is please you and yet you yell and swear at me! It's tragic, it really is," His hand came up to stroke her breast and tweak her nipples with a softness that denied his anger.

"I will never enjoy you," Livinia growled.

"We'll see to that!" Rioden sneered. "Semira?" He called out over his shoulder. Livinia was just about to ask who the hell Semira was when she found out for herself. 

Semira walked into the room, her skin a fantastical purple in the dim light. She was stunning. She had delicate black bat wings sprouting from her shoulder blades, framing her perfect figure. Her breasts were barely contained behind the skimpiest armour Livinia had ever seen. Down lower, past the glorious curve of her waist and hips, her nether mound was covered by a small plate of armour. Her thick thighs were stained with darker purple shadows in the shape of flames that licked the inside of her legs enticingly and led right up to her covered womanhood. Her legs ended in dark hooves, and a thick, spiked tail swung from side to side playfully. When she saw Livinia she looked at Rioden with a pout.

"Master?" She said, the sound of her voice was like molten fire that burned at Livinia's core. The sound melted through her veins and made her feel alive.

"Succubus," Livinia breathed, looking at the demon's glowing eyes and majestic silver horns. The demon sneered at her in response and every nerve in her body tensed.

"Semira, this is my future wife Livinia."

The demon's upper lip curled at the word wife and Livinia shivered. 

"Now I know you are unhappy about this marriage, but I think I can make it work well with you in the picture, if you desire it to." 

"How?" Semira purred, one hand stroking Rioden's chest with long clawed fingers as though he was her treasured pet. 

"Livinia takes no pleasure from me. She finds me repulsive and is resistant to my affection."

"Then she is a fool."

"You are kind, Semira, you truly are. Though I think I know how to solve the problem. I want you with me still, even though I am forced into this alliance with the hunter, but if you can please her as well as myself then we may be able to make it work."

Livinia gasped at the suggestion. She knew that she would not be able to resist the succubus' charm- it was impossible. Once she had succumbed to the dark pleasure of the demon she would be in ecstasy; she would be begging for any sort of contact, craving the feel of a man between her legs. It was the cruellest thing that Rioden could do to her; to rape her, and force her to enjoy it, beg for it even. At least if it hurt, if it felt bad, she could hate him and his cock and retain some part of herself... but being under the spell of an succubus? She would lose her spirit, her ability to fight, and be used as nothing more than an empty vessel. The idea made her feel as if an ice cold bucket of raw fear had been dumped over her head, drenching her with its sinister tendrils. Never before had she felt such dread and terror, not even when facing the Lich King.

"Oh, the little Hunter is scared!" Semira cooed, turning to face Livinia with those magnificent glowing eyes. The succubus crossed the space between them and put her face level with Livinia's. A forked tongue flickered out and tasted a sweet spot behind Livinia's ear, making her moan at the intimacy of the act. 

"I like the taste of this one Master... perhaps I will agree to this bargain after all."

"Go ahead then, pet, take her and make her ready for me," Rioden said, his voice husky and approving. His hands went to his breeches and he unlaced them, they dropped to the floor and he stepped out of them. His hand came up to grasp his semi-erect manhood and he stroked himself with purposeful deliberation. Livinia turned away, face scrunched and disgusted by the sight.

"Tell me Elf, do you like pain?" With the succubus's eyes burning into her own Livinia was unable to deny it. The thought of Kalendras's massive erection pounding into her and stretching her to breaking point flashed through her mind and the Succubus laughed, the high pitched sound ringing off the stone walls. "Oh, this will be fun."

The succubus stepped closer to Livinia and the smell of womanly musk and ash filled her nostrils, choking her. Semira's long fingers stroked Livinia's exposed breasts slowly and without meaning for it to happen her back arched into response her touch. The succubus smiled and bowed her head, taking one of Livinia's firm nipples into her mouth, rolling it with her tongue and caressing her spare breast with one hand. Semira's other hand traced slow circles down Livinia's firm abdomen, her nails scraping against her skin, scratching her and leaving a trail of beaded blood down her toned stomach.

When the succubus's clawed fingers found Livinia's already wet and throbbing nether lips Livinia couldn't help but moan. The very sight of the succubus was distracting enough, but to have her so close, so hot and real and tempting made her difficult to ignore. The promise of pleasure and pain that Semira's glowing eyes conveyed was enough to drench Livinia, even though she didn't want to be.

Two long fingers found Livinia's swollen 

pearl and started stroking her. Livinia cried out at the feeling of the hot appendages against her sensitive skin while the demon's forked tongue flicked her nipples expertly. Semira continued to stroke her, faster and harder, and Livinia's breathing became quick and shallow. Her reluctant orgasm built, slowly at first, but once it gained momentum the pleasure became overwhelming. Just as she was about to come the succubus pulled her fingers away from Livinia for a moment before ramming her fingers deep into Livinia's core. The tips of Semira's claws pierced Livinia's insides and she howled as the world swirled a painful red before her eyes. Semira's fangs sunk into her breast and she cried out again, louder this time. 

The demon slowly withdrew her fingers before thrusting them deep inside her again, piercing her anew. Even though the pain was almost blinding, the heat of Semira and the pure sexual allure of her scent made Livinia's clitoris ache with longing. Semira's mouth led a trail of wet kisses to Livinia's other breast and she gave the neglected nipple a playful nip. Everything the succubus did was the perfect counterpoint of pleasure and pain; leaving Livinia begging for mercy as surely as she was begging for relief.

Suddenly, the contact was lost and Semira pulled away from her. The cold dungeon air made Livinia's skin prickle and the distance reduced the allure. All of a sudden Livinia's cheeks flushed with shame as she watched Rioden stroking himself; enjoying the fact that Livinia was desperate for more.

"I want her on her back, on the desk," Semira commanded as though Rioden was her pet, and not the other way around. With a clank and a rattle the chains begun moving and Livinia was flung roughly onto the desk. She cried out as her newly healed skin fell hard onto the rough surface. 

"Very good.... Now allow the chain on her left arm some give, Master," Semira directed, and Livinia's arm fell when the chain no longer held it high. Her shoulders ached and her whole left arm was stiff. The pain all across her newly healed back was excruciating, and Livina had trouble focusing on any one sensation.

Livinia's eyes went wide when Semira reached for a leather handle at her waist and freed her whip from its holster. The leather thong unwound with a hiss and Livinia quivered with anticipation and apprehension. Semira walked towards her again and she felt herself succumbing to the demon's charms, her mind fogged with lust and she eyed the succubus's voluptuous body hungrily. 

"Like what you see, Elf?" Semira purred and Livinia's lust beat her self-control and she nodded. "Master, could you please remove my breastplate?" She asked, and Livinia's core flooded with warmth at the thought of seeing the demon's perfect breasts. Rioden walked up behind Semira and his hands fumbled behind her back while he rubbed his erection against her scantily clad arse. "Don't watch elf, you don't deserve to see me."

Despite the warning in Semira's voice Livinia couldn't bring herself to look away. She was transfixed, desperate to catch a glimpse of the purple planes of Semira's body. With a loud crack Livinia cried out in pain when Semira's whip bit into her skin. It left an angry red welt on her breasts.

"I told you not to look," Semira sneered as Rioden's hands freed her breastplate and it clamored to the floor. Before Livinia had a chance to look away she heard a second crack and the whip landed across her aching pussy. This time before Livinia cried out she looked away, knowing that the price of looking at perfection would cost her another whipping. 

"My master wants you to enjoy yourself," Semira told her huskily "So you will need to touch yourself, I want to see your fingers pleasuring your sex." 

Livinia didn't want to comply, she really didn't, but the thought of relieving her aching core was so tempting she couldn't refuse. The slack chain on her left hand was just enough to allow her to stroke herself. When her fingers found her clitoris she moaned. She could hear Semira mimic the erotic sound and she automatically looked over to see Rioden fondling her purple peaks. Livinia gasped at the sight, desperate to see more. When Semira noticed her watching the demon gave her a cruel smile.

"Such a rebellious little elf," Semira said, "Does this excite you?" She succubus asked, Livinia's moan was response enough. Her fingers sped up and she felt the pressure building. 

Livinia watched enviously as Rioden caressed Semira's breasts, she longed to touch the succubus's amethyst skin. She wanted to take her breast into her mouth and taste her deep purple nipple. Semira moaned and Livinia echoed the sound, knowing that her pleasure was mounting. A part of Livinia still knew that she shouldn't be enjoying this, at all, but the thought was so small and insignificant that it was thoroughly drowned out by her lust.

A moment before Livinia's orgasm came upon her she felt a sharp pain in her hand and she quickly pulled it away from herself. Her orgasm trickled away like sand through an hourglass and she screamed in frustration,

"How dare you?" Semira howled, her eyes burning intensely. "Who gave you permission to come?" Livinia bit her lip as her body throbbed with disappointment. "WHO?" Semira boomed.

"No one!" Livinia whimpered, pressing her stinging hand against her breast.

Another crack echoed through the air and Livinia's womanhood felt like it was on fire.

"No one!" She screamed and Semira nodded contentedly.

"From now on you do nothing more than we command," Semira told her and Livinia nodded mutely. "Now touch yourself and behave."

Semira ground her hips into Rioden and his hand traveled slowly down her purple stomach, his skin pale white in contrast.

Livinia's fingers found her clitoris and resumed their stroking, slower this time, so as not to displease Semira. She watched hungrily as Rioden's hand plunged below the skimpy metal plate that covered the Succubus's mound, Semira moaned when Rioden's hand jerked softly and she rubbed her head back against him.

"Do you want to watch?" Semira purred at Livinia. Livinia was unable to voice her response, and instead nodded avidly. Rioden withdrew his hands and unclipped the buckles holding the Succubus's plate on with practiced ease. When the metal clanged to the floor and Livinia was able to see Semira in all her seductive glory, her hand sped up and her hips bucked involuntarily. 

Rioden's long fingers spread Semira's nether lips and Livinia moaned at the sight of the demon's wet mound glistening in the torch light. Livinia timed her strokes with Rioden's and craned her neck to watch the show, eager to drink in every moment of Semira's pleasure. When Rioden slipped his fingers into the succubus's dripping core, Livinia made to copy but instead cried out in pain as the whip cut across her breasts.

"You will have nothing in you, nothing, until my master decides," Semira yelled with rage and Livinia quivered in a mix of anticipation and shame. "When you are ready to beg for the pleasure my master can give you, then you can come." 

The words were a harsh slap in the face, they were the only thing that could have broken through the dense fog of Livinia's lust. She would never beg for Rioden to mount her. She would rather suffer the wrath of a hundred succubi than feel his rancid cock inside of her. She pulled her hand away from her mound and winced when she felt Semira's whip hiss against her skin again.

"I didn't say you could stop!" Semira growled and the whip rained down stroke after searing stroke across her exposed torso, leaving a red grid of angry welts on her skin. 

Livinia was determined not to give in. But the whip continued to strike at her chest, raising new welts on top of ones that were already there and the pain was becoming unbearable. She looked up at the succubus and saw that she was thoroughly enjoying the pain that her whip was causing. When the shapely purple demon moaned, the sound was like music to her ears, drawing her back into the heavy mist of desire. Why was she resisting this so vehemently? The only thing that mattered was that Semira was pleased; that should be her goal. The succubus' cries of pleasure soaked through Livinia's pores and vibrated within her tantalizingly. It only took one more strike of the whip for her to give in, and when her fingers found her pearl she cried out in pleasure.

A gasp escaped Livinia's lips when Rioden pushed Semira forward forcefully, his hands grasped her shapely thighs and spread them and Liv could see the warlock using his cock to torment his pet's entrance.

"Master, tighten her chains," Semira breathed through her panting and Livinia's arm was suddenly pulled back above her head, her entire body spread eagle on the table and pulled to a point of discomfort. Semira looked at Livinia's waiting mound and smiled mischievously. 

As soon as the succubus's tongue found her nub Livinia was lost. All sense of resistance fled her and she got lost in a world of conflicting sensations. The feeling of the sharp forks flicking at her aroused clitoris was the sweetest sensation she had ever felt. Livinia watched when Rioden finally sheathed himself inside the succubus. Semira moaned and her tongue vibrated against Livinia making a similar sound spill from the hunter's lips. Now Semira's careful tongue caresses were mixed with a rhythmic bumping of her lips onto Livinia's lower ones in time with Rioden's fucking.

Livinia's world blurred around her and her moans became indistinguishable in her mind from Semira's cries and Rioden's grunting. Her entire core tightened and her mouth opened, ready to release the music of her orgasm, when Semira quickly pulled her head away and laughed cruelly.

"Remember what I said, elf?" The Demon hissed, her eyes glowing evilly "There will be no release for you until you beg." 

Livinia wanted to cry with the frustration of it, her entire body ached with the need for release but the pleasure was so elusive. 

Semira shimmied her hips and sighed when Rioden slipped out of her. Livinia's eyes widened with curiosity when the purple woman walked around and, with one strong bound, jumped onto the table, her feet landing carefully on either side of Livinia's head. The Succubus lowered her body slowly, her legs spread around Livinia's head, her wet dripping core radiating its heat just above Livinia's head.

"You will pleasure me elf," Semira commanded, before her hands grasped Livinia's thighs and her claws dug in painfully. The Succubus leant forward so that she was on her hands and knees above Livinia and began to lap at her pulsating clitoris again. 

The smell of Semira's sex settled over Livinia like a warm blanket; it was verything good and erotic all at once. She could smell Kal's soft fur, and the tang of Belcarm's sweat as he made love to her, she could almost taste the saltiness of cum in the air, and her entire body thrummed with need. She didn't need to be told what to do; the lure of the Succubus was so strong that her lips automatically found the velvety folds of the demon's nether regions. The taste of her fluid exploded on Livinia's tongue and caused her to cry out with pleasure, the vibration making the demon's tongue flick harder and faster on Livinia's own pearl. 

Livinia could see Rioden waiting beside them, his hand pumping his cock eagerly. A very small, very distant, part of her wanted to escape, but she was overwhelmed by the succubus's magic. She wanted Rioden's hot staff inside her, she wanted him to take her, she wanted to feel his seed flooding into her. Just as she was about to call out for him, to beg, that rebellious voice within her screamed Noooo! And her begging died in her throat.

Livinia's pleasure built again, making her arms and legs go numb, her entire body tingling with anticipation. Just as she was about to come Semira stopped her licking and Livinia cried out with frustration. Livinia felt something tapping her hand and she looked up to see that Semira was holding her whip out to her; the thick leather handle was being pushed into her grasp. When she took it Semira's hands returned to Livinia's soaked mound and her clawed fingers traced sharp circles around Livinia's entrance.

The handle of the whip was perfectly cylindrical and firm. At the tip there was a smooth round ruby, glowing red in the torch light. When Semira's hips bucked the cogs turned in Livinia's mind and she moaned. She knew what she was supposed to do.

Slowly, carefully, Livinia brought the handle of the whip up to the demon's folds and ran the ruby up and down her slit. The succubus moaned and her tongue resumed its flicking. Livinia used the handle to trace slow circles around Semira's hole, and she watched, entranced by the beautiful sight and the erotic scent emanating from the she-demon's skin. 

"FUCK ME!" Semira roared, and Livinia's hand thrust the handle of the whip into her tight pussy in one smooth stroke. Livinia withdrew the whip again and then rammed it back in, taking immense pleasure from the way that Semira's hips ground into the contact. Livinia brought her mouth back up to the perfect velvet sex again and began to lap at it like a hungry kitten.

Another orgasm began to build within her, and again the succubus pulled away and let it die. Livinia continued fucking her with the handle of the whip, hard, hoping that it would score her a release but the succubus brought her to the point of no return and then sent her reeling back seven more times. 

When she felt a hot smooth rod probing at her entrance Livinia's entire body went weak with need. Rioden held his cock alluringly just beyond her reach, and try as she might she just couldn't get him inside her. Semira continued her assault and the pain of the pleasure was more than she could bear.

"PLEASE!" Livinia cried, the sound escaping her lips like a dying scream, "PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE!" She continued to beg. She was beaten and destroyed; every part of her that held even an inkling of resistance was shattered into a million tiny pieces.

The feeling of Rioden's cock gliding into her was the most exquisite thing she had ever experienced. Her entire body clamped down around him and he roared with pleasure as he thrust into her powerfully. Semira continued licking Livinia with her exceptionally long tongue, and Livinia was only too happy to repay the favor. Again Livinia felt the pressure building up within her again, the feeling of having Rioden's erection deep within her making it all the better, and tears of frustration squeezed from the corners of her eyes. The hand that was fucking the demon with the whip sped up, as if that would encourage Rioden to keep up his fever pace.




The Hunter's Companions Ch. 12



"PLEASE!" Livinia cried, desperately needing this release. 

When she came her cries were so loud that it felt as if her vocal cords were being ripped from her throat. The sound rebounded throughout the room and was met by an equally loud orgasm from Semira, and the guttural sounds of Rioden's grunts as he drove his seed deep inside Livinia's womanhood.

Livinia's vision turned black and her brain went fuzzy when the two others withdrew their touch. Her eyes were heavy and her chest was still heaving. Her entire body was sore and aching, but nothing so much as her core, which felt as though it had been stabbed by a razor sharp dagger a thousand times over. Livinia lifted her head and looked down over the pale plane of her body, gasping to see the angry red weave of whip marks all over her skin. Parts of the red stripes were glistening with blood, others already turning a deep purple that matched the Succubus's glowing eyes.

"There there, isn't that much better?" Rioden asked, he walked over and planted a soft, lingering kiss on her lips. Livinia was too exhausted to speak, but Rioden smiled nevertheless, knowing what her answer would be. "Semira, let's go." 

Rioden left the room with Semira and after a few moments of being alone the succubus's spell dissipated and Livinia let out a long strangled cry that hurt her throat and rattled off the lifeless stone walls.

He had taken everything from her. Her free will, her hope, even the very last form of rebellion she had. She had begged for him, she had needed him so badly inside of her that she had sold a part of herself to the sex demon. Her voice had echoed through the chamber, begging, please... For him.

Livinia's entire frame seized up, still left spread eagle and stretched across the wooden desk, and then the sobs took her. The tears streamed down her face and cried until the exhaustion took her body and delivered it to the blessed grasp of darkness

~*~

A while after he had spilled his seed within her, Rioden returned with his father. She didn't really know how much time had passed- in this dungeon without a window time seemed to crawl. All she could feel was the burning in her groin and the fiery anger in her veins. She refused to cry again. She would not cry, and certainly not in front of him. She would not give him the satisfaction of knowing that his invasion had affected her so.

But when Mitrae threw Belcarm's mace onto the ground at her feet with a triumphant smile she couldn't stop the single, scorching, wayward tear that trickled down her cheek.

She looked up at him, her eyes filled with hatred and the promise of revenge.

"Your wedding will be in forty eight hours. That is how long you have to decide what you want to do. Use your time wisely, daughter, your choice will be permanent," Mitrae whispered coldly before taking his son and leaving the room.



The Hunter's Companions Ch. 13



 Author's Note: Hello again and thank you for clicking on this chapter! This is just a quick note of warning that this chapter contains some elements of non/reluctant consent. If this is something you are uncomfortable with, please skip those bits. 

That said, the story is really firing up now. This chapter has twists and turns aplenty. Enjoy. 

*

It took Kalendras over an hour to find Belcarm's house in the woods. In the end he only spotted it because, with his keen hawk eyes, he saw Borris stalking a deer outside in the woods. With a loud caw he circled down, losing altitude quickly, and coming to land near the big cat. He transformed back to his normal form and stretched his arms and legs. It was always a bit uncomfortable to change forms in a rush. 

"Borris!" Kalendras called, breaking the silence of the woods and sending the deer running. Borris turned and glared at him with obvious annoyance. "Bad news buddy, Liv's been taken... Belcarm too." 

Borris stared at him for a moment before letting out a woeful howl. 

"We are going to need to get them back, are you with me?" Borris bounded over to him and nudged him in the side roughly.

"ROOOAAARRR!" Borris called through the trees, his deep growl echoing off the trunks and setting a flock of birds fleeing from a nearby tree. Kalendras grinned and looked forward to having the big cat take down the Swiftspells with him.

"For now though, I think we need to talk to Aegon," Kalendras said, he gave the Springpaw a scratch between his ears and then made his way to the house that he had passed as he landed. When he got there the door was unlocked, so he decided to let himself in.

The cottage was small but homely. From what he could tell there was a main living room combined with a kitchen and a door that led only one other room. The walls were all made of the dark wood of the surrounding forest and it smelt like earth. Kalendras approved. This is a much nicer place to live in than the cold stone city of Silvermoon. It surprised him that this was where Belcarm had grown up- after getting to know the Paladin a bit better he could've easily been led to believe he had grown up in the thick of the city.

Time passed slowly in the cottage. Through the shaded glass windows all Kalendras could see was the muted green light of the forest beyond. He wasn't sure if he had been waiting there for five minutes or five hours. All he knew was that his entire being was suffused by the extreme desire to find Livinia and make sure she was safe. The waiting was terrible, and he had to turn to meditation to avoid his imagination steering him down a dark path. Just as Kalendras had thought he made the wrong move, that he should have gone elsewhere first, the front door swung open.

"What in the name of the Sun Well?" Aegon swore as he swung the front door open to see Kalendras sitting on his kitchen table (the chairs did not look sturdy enough to hold his weight). His hand reached for his sword belt but Kalendras held his own hands in front of him to show that they were empty. 

"Peace, Aegon, I come in peace and to ask for your help," Kalendras said slowly, using an even and calmly paced tone. Aegon eyed him suspiciously, and it made Kalendras think of Belcarm again; the two were so similar it was eerie. To prove his point, Kalendras unsheathed his weapons and slid them across the rough wooden floor.

"What do you want?" Aegon asked, stepping over the weapons and watching him warily.

"Belcarm has been arrested."

"Pardon?"

"A host of Guardians approached us and said they had orders to arrest us for treason," Kalendras said.

"Treason?" Aegon 's eyes were wide, clearly very shocked.

"Lies. All of it," Kalendras dismissed the idea with a wave. "I have diplomatic immunity for such matters, but they took Belcarm into custody and..." He trailed off, not sure whether Belcarm's father liked Livinia, or whether he would be angry if his son was arrested because she was involved.

"And, what, Totemrunner?" Aegon asked sharply.

"I think they have Livinia too," Aegon frowned at this news and then scrutinized him for a moment. With a deep sigh his shoulders hunched at he made his way over to one of the dining chairs.

"Start from the beginnings" Aegon sighed, and Kalendras was only too happy to comply. 

Kalendras told Aegon about Livinia's decision and that she mentioned something about a betrothal to Rioden Swiftspell. He explained that she had left shortly afterwards, and that they assumed that she had returned home. Kalendras spoke of how he and Belcarm had both arrived to claim her heart, only to be approached by the Guardians and accused of treason.

"The Guardians are my men," Aegon said angrily, clearly annoyed that he had no idea of what was happening under his own nose, "Did they say who gave them their orders?"

"Mitrae Swiftspell," Kalendras replied, watching as Aegon's face turned to stone. The room was silent for a moment before Aegon got to his feet and begun to pace up and down the room angrily. "You're not surprised?" 

"No," Aegon confirmed thoughtfully. "Do you know where they have taken Bel? Or where they are holding Livinia?" Kalendras shook his head.

"Unfortunately not, to avoid being arrested myself I had to leave Silvermoon immediately." 

"Then why are you here?"

"Because the portal guards were looking for a big Tauren, now a small grey hawk," Kalendras laughed, Aegon seemed impressed. "I wanted to go and find them straight away. I think that Swiftspell would be holding Liv in his manse or in the Warlock's Guild but-"

"No, Kalendras, you did the right thing," Aegon interrupted, shaking his hand. "What would you have done if you found her? He probably has several guards stationed around her, and killing your way through would only make this a political nightmare... Well, more than it already is," Aegon explained, and for some reason Kalendras felt pleased by the Blood Elf's praise. 

"So what do we do?" Kalendras asked, hoping that the older man would have some idea of how to proceed and save Livinia... And Belcarm too.

"I will go into the city and talk with Swiftspell. And some of the Guardians as well- they are my soldiers, and I want to know who turned their cloaks. I want you to go and talk to Livinia's parents. Find out if she came home, or where she last went. I want you to tell them about Mitrae. Even though I've never known the Sunspeakers to deal with them, you need to let them know what we are up against," Kalendras nodded, Livinia's parents certainly had a right to know. 

"Where will we meet?" Kalendras asked.

"Back here; it's safer than inside the city. Be careful that you aren't seen, the last thing we need is for you to get arrested. Oh, and if you get a chance you might want to let your guild mates know what's going on. We'll need all the help we can get," Aegon paced over to Kal's weapons and leant over, picking them up, then walked back over to him. "Thank you, Kalendras, for trusting me," He said, handing the weapons back to him before swiftly leaving the room.

~*~

Kalendras was relieved that Livinia's parents were home when he swooped into their parlor window. Deanna let out a cry of shock at seeing his bird form land on her crisp white chaise lounge, and when Kalendras transformed into his normal self she looked doubly shocked.

"Kalendras!" She said, placing a hand over her heaving breast.

"Deanna, Erique, I need to talk to you," Kalendras said breathless from the hasty flight.

"Kalendras, we are very busy. This will have to wait," Deanna said, angry at the invasion of their home and Kalendras's abrupt manner.

"Deanna!" Erique hissed, shocked at his wife's rudeness.

"Please leave Kalendras," Deanna said gesturing to the door. Kalendras felt anger stirring in the pit of his stomach at the rude dismissal.

"I don't think you heard what I said Deanna. We need to speak, and we need to do it now," The blonde elf glared at him angrily, her nostrils flared, but her husband placed his hands on her shoulders and forced her back down into her seat.

"You're always welcome in our home Kal. Say what you will," Erique said kindkly.

"Livinia and Belcarm have been taken," Kalendras said quickly, eager to have it out.

"WHAT?" Livinia's parents cried in unison.

"I haven't seen Livinia since last night, but she didn't turn up at the portals this morning, and while we were waiting to leave Belcarm was arrested."

"Wait- how did you see her last night?" Deanna asked, eyes narrowing suspiciously.

"She sneaked out," Kalendras said with a shrug.

"How dare she! When I expressly forbade-"

"Have you seen her since she left dinner last night?" Kalendras asked. 

Deanna looked at her husband as if the whole idea was outrageous, but he rolled his eyes at her and got to his feet. He left the room and returned a few minutes later with a look of concern and fear on his face. Kalendras's stomach dropped- he hoping that she had and that she was safely tucked up in her bed, that he had assumed the worst. But he knew better than that now. 

"She's not there," He said, face drowned of colour.

"She's just sneaked out again is all," Deanna said through gritted teeth.

"She was meant to be meeting Belcarm and I at the portal this morning. There is no way she would've abandoned us. Considering the fact that the Guardians tried to arrested Belcarm-"

"Arrested?" Asked Erique, interrupting his wife's angry rant and bringing attention back to the issue at hand.

"Yes. They tried to arrest me too, for high treason, but I have diplomatic immunity," Kalendras explained. When he said the word treason Deanna's hands flew to her mouth to cover her gasp. Kalendras looked at her with narrowed eyes.

"Oh no..." Deanna's voice was tinged with horror.

"I don't know about Liv, but Belcarm was arrested under Mitrae Swiftspell's order," Kalendras explained. When he mentioned the Chief Warlock Deanna got to her feet and stumbled over to the window for fresh air. Kalendras's insides twisted as he observed her strange behavior.

"Treason, you say?" Deanna's voice squeaked, and Kal could tell that she knew more about this than she was letting on.

"Yes, Belcarm at least. Although I have no idea what happened to Livinia. She could be anywhere," Kalendras directed this comment at the female elf, adding venom to his words and hoping that they stung her.

"Deanna, what is it?" Erique asked, walking over to his wife. When she turned to face him there were two thick trails of tears streaming down her face.

"I didn't know it would come to this," She said pleadingly, but her husband just looked at her with confusion. She turned to him and grasped his hands, holding them close to her face as her tears dripped onto the floor. "When I made the deal with Mitrae I thought... And when Livinia didn't want Rioden I figured that would be it... But he insisted! And then Liv went to see Belcarm and Kalendras again and Mitrae must have been-"

"Stop!" Said Erique snapped, his tone cutting through her explanation without remorse. "Stop babbling and start from the beginning," He said, and Kalendras settled down on the pure white chaise, wondering what sort of tale the woman would tell.

~*~

Belcarm's grunted as he shifted on the rock hard bed in his cell. Unfortunately, the room was warded against magic, even healing spells, and he was forced put up with the pain. When the rogue Guardians tried to arrest him he had punched one in an attempt to escape. Kalendras had told him to stop, so he did, and he went with the Guardians peacefully from there on. However, his retaliation had not gone unpunished; they still gave him a severe beating. His left eye was swollen shut, and he guessed that it was already turning purple and black. His ribs felt like that had turned into knives, every time he took a breath it would rattle in his throat painfully before his lungs pushed against his ribs and filled his body with pain. He had a limp from a particularly hard kick he'd received in the back of his knee and he probably had at least two broken fingers with another one sprained. Despite the throbbing physical injuries, the thing that hurt the most was the knowledge that Livinia could be anywhere. He had a feeling that they had taken her also; but he hadn't seen her in any of the cells he passed as he was led into the prison. If they weren't keeping her in the jail then it would be hard to find her.

Belcarm looked up at the small window of his cell and could see that the sun was now high in the sky. He had no idea who had taken Livinia, but he had no doubt that she was taken. There was no way she would have missed meeting them at the portal. He only hoped that her captors were kinder than his, and that Kalendras had not abandoned them. He had asked to speak to his father, but the turn-cloak Guardians had only laughed and said that the only people he would see would be those approved by Mitrae Swiftspell. Belcarm didn't know what he had done to offend the Chief Warlock so, but he had a feeling that he would soon find out.

~*~

Aegon Sharpsword pushed the doors to the Warlock's Guild open as he stormed through them, They slammed against the walls before banging shut, making the guards within the room jump and reach for their weapon.

"Sharpsword, what can I do for you?" One of the guards asked gruffly, stepping forward.

"I need to talk to Mitrae Swifstpell."

"Sorry, but the Chief Warlock is currently-"

"NOW!" Aegon barked, and the rest of the guard's protest dies in his throat. Challenging an order was one thing, but denying it was classed as mutiny. With a swift nod the guard let him up the grand staircase in the first room, off to the right, and then up several fights of winding marble stairs. When they reached the top level they walked down to the very end of the corridor and the guard rapped on the door sharply.

"Enter."

Mitrae was seated behind a massive oak desk that was piled high with mountains of scrolls and ancient tomes. When he saw Aegon, his face twisted into a cruel smile and he let out an amused laugh.

"Fancy seeing you here, Aegon," Mitrae jeered, "Please, have a seat. Guard, leave us." 

The guard nodded and nearly ran from the room. Aegon crossed his arms and did not move. 

"Where is my son?" Aegon asked, not one for exchanging cryptic words or playing pointless word games.

"Straight to the point, eh? How very common of you," Mitrae sighed. "Very well. Your son is in a holding cell in the city jail, awaiting his trial for treason that is scheduled for two days hence."

"Where is Livinia Sunspeaker?" Aegon asked, this time the Warlock's eyes flitted away for a moment before he shifted in his seat. Aegon remained silent.

"She's not your concern," Mitrae said sharply and Aegon gritted his teeth. 

The Warlock's defensiveness was all he needed to know that she was most certainly his concern. If not for her, his son most likely would not be in this mess. Apart from her indecisiveness with her love life, she seemed to be kind and strong, and he could not deny that his son loved her. If he had any hope of saving his son, he knew he must save Livinia as well.

"That's not for you to judge," Aegon growled. "Now answer my question, where is she?"

"You'd have more success squeezing wine from a hearth stone. Save yourself the hassle," Mitrae repeated firmly, "Instead I would suggest that you spend your time deciding on how to best deal with the situation your son has gotten himself into."

"What are you talking about?" Aegon said exasperatedly, he had never been one for word games. Give him a sharp sword over the political rubbish any day. People often said that he and his son were one in the same, but there were quite a few differences between them. One was that Belcarm would love playing political word games. Aegon hated them; the world would be a much simpler place if people just said what they meant. 

"Your son had been apprehended under suspicion of high treason and for consorting with a known traitor." 

"Oh, really?" Aegon asked, bored.

"Yes, really... And as far as I see it you have two options," Mitrae proposed diplomatically and with a fake air of concern. He steepled his fingers on the table in front of him and giving Aegon a winning smile. "If you resign from your position and leave the city, taking your son with you, then the charges will be dropped. You will need to give me a written oath of course, and your son as well... But if you decide not to? Well, the current punishment for treason is hanging, and while your son had a strong neck it will surely snap under the weight of all that muscle."

Aegon heard a rush of blood in his ears, it roared and pounded in his head and he struggled to maintain his composure. It would be so easy to take his sword and cut down the bastard where he sat. But that wouldn't work; he still needed to know what evidence he had, and where he was keeping Livinia. 

"So, all I have to do is step down and swear to never return to Silvermoon?" Aegon asked, he could do it for Belcarm, he would do anything for his son.

"Yes... oh, and Belcarm has to swear to never contact Livinia again. Did I mention that clause? No? Oh... oops!" 

Aegon glared at the Chief Warlock. He knew his son would never agree to it, not in a million years. If Aegon agreed to step down he could save his son, but if that meant that Belcarm could never see the woman he loved ever again? Belcarm would never stand for it. As soon as he was out of jail he would search for her from one corner of the world to another. He would lose his son either way. Aegon's fingers caressed the hilt of his sword.

"You kill me," Mitrae said in a deadly whisper "and your son and his little girlfriend will both hang in two days." Aegon put his hands behind his back and gave the Warlock an impish smile.

"It never even crossed my mind," Aegon lied. "But I will need to see my son, to discuss the conditions of his release. I won't presume to make decisions that involve him without first consulting with him."

"Oh naturally," Mitrae said happily clapping his hands together "be my guest, you will meet no resistance." 

When Aegon arrived at the jail he found that Mitrae had spoken truly. He was ushered through to Belcarm's cell after having his weapons removed from his person. He wasn't prepared for the sight that would meet him. His son had always been a wonderful healer, and ever so careful to protect his good looks. So this creature that paced the cell looked foreign to him. His clothes were covered in blood and he limped awkwardly, one eye was all shades of purple and black and was swollen tightly shut and he cradled one hand against his stomach gingerly.

"Belcarm?" The broken elf turned his head and those green eyes and black hair were so familiar. Aegon felt a rush of sympathy and pressed against the bars of the cell.

"Dad?" Belcarm raced over to the bars and motioned for his father to come closer, when his son's lips were an inch from his ear he spoke. "It's not true. They have Livinia for some reason, and they want me out of the picture."

"I know," Aegon said calmly patting his son's shoulder through the bars. "Mitrae Swiftspell had offered a compromise."

"Oh really?" Belcarm laughed, suddenly bitterness tinged his tone "Pray tell."

"If I step down and leave town, taking you with me, then he will drop the charges. You will also need to give your word that you will never contact Livinia again..."

"So it is about her." Belcarm said grimly. Aegon didn't even bother asking whether Belcarm would accept the offer. The look on his face was enough to tell him that no pardon would be worth staying away from the girl. "Where are they keeping her?" Belcarm asked, Aegon motioned for his son to come closer.




The Hunter's Companions Ch. 14



The sun rose over Silvermoon City as it woke from its slumber. The merchants had begun preparing their stalls and already there were eager shoppers spreading through the clean streets to get first pick of the best wares. The sounds and sights of the rousing morning was enough to conceal Kalendras and his guild mates as they milled about the city. They had all converged, some in armor and others in plain clothes, around the town square, attending to mundane business with various merchants. None of them were, of course, but they had to pretend to be in order to avoid suspicion. Aegon Sharpsword has parted ways with them in the dark before the dawn, claiming that he had to go and prepare his troops. Over an hour and a half had passed and now they were just waiting for Aegon to return before they could set their plan into motion. 

Kalendras did not manage to get a wink of sleep the previous night. His entire consciousness had been plagued by visions of his friends being killed in their daring attempt to rescue Belcarm and Livinia. At one stage he had become completely and utterly distracted by the horrible thought that perhaps even Belcarm or Livinia would die in the attempt. He had no idea of what sort of condition the paladin would be in when they found him, he just had to hope that he would be strong enough to protect himself or fight if need be. The most disturbing part about that particular thought was that he actually felt some sort of preemptive sense of loss when he pictured the prissy elf slaughtered by the enemy. It wasn't just the fact that Livinia would mourn his loss either. However confusing, it was something that Kalendras did not want to dwell on.

The biggest problem was that once he had managed to put thoughts of his friends (Belcarm grudgingly included) dying horribly out of his mind the thought that they would be too late to rescue Livinia haunted him and he found himself tense and unable to think of anything else. Surely, though, Mitrae and Rioden would have better sense than to kill her? The reasons they had to snatch her had nothing to do with wanting to kill her; a live bride was worth infinitely more than a dead one. Whenever his thought had become too grim to bear he had pushed his anger and despair aside and imagined holding Livinia safe in his arms. 

Kalendras sighed and shook out his feathers impatiently. Luckily for him, he didn't have to engage in the pointless bartering or conversations that the others had to. The fact that Mitrae's turn-cloak Guardians would be on high alert for him meant that he had no choice but to remain in flight form while they waited. It suited him just fine though, as it meant that he was free to flutter about as he pleased, he could even remain in the one spot and eavesdrop on the guardians. Right now two of them were having a rather amusing conversation about some of prostitutes they had picked up at one of the shadier inns that had turned out to be very pretty males rather than average looking females. If he was in his natural form he would have had some joke to make about it, so it was lucky his still had feathers and a beak.

The low chatter of the two Guardian's by him muffled the sound at first, but when he felt the ground vibrating he turned to see Aegon leading a long column of Guardians through the streets. The people of Silvermoon City stopped what they were doing and turned to watch the glimmering snake of well-armored bodies winding its way through the picturesque streets. Kalendras's heart beat faster, not liking such a blatant show of rebellion, but Aegon had insisted. If it were up to Kalendras they would have just broken into the jail at the dawn change of guard and then infiltrated the Warlock's Guild straight after. It was Livinia's Aunt Caristra's letter that had inspired this bold plan; she had secured the information they needed to clear Deanna Sunspeaker's name and provided the leverage they needed to free both Belcarm and Livinia. The only problem was that they wanted it done now, and if they had to wait for the diplomats and legal system to work in their favor it would take too long. So Aegon had decided that while a quarter of his guard went to arrest Goldentongue, the rest would be used to force his Son's freedom.

The Guardian's at the door of the jail gave each other nervous looks when Aegon and his men approached. Aegon has said last night that the loyalty of these two was in dispute, but judging by the matching looks of shock on their faces, they would most likely step aside for their brothers and sisters; political allegiances be damned. When Aegon was five feet away from them they both jumped aside and opened the doors, letting their leader pass through. Before entering the prison, though, Aegon turned to the force he had gathered.

"The Third Legion is to remain outside the doors and ensure that no one, and I mean no one is allowed to enter without my permission. The rest of you are to follow me." 

Kalendras launched himself and took flight before diving through the open doors. His razor sharp talons skited across the marble as he struggled to come to a halt, and then the next instant he had transformed back into his normal self. He watched as the remaining Guardians and his disguised Guild Members were led into the large foyer of the prison.

"Legion Two, secure this room. Anybody providing resistance are to be apprehended, but you are to use non-lethal force." 

A group soldiers sluiced off from the main party and begun to check the many entrances and exits of the main hall.

"You can't just come in here and-" One of the guards who was seated at the front desk, who had previously been wearing a look of stunned silence, started to argue.

"Apprehend him!" Aegon ordered, and two of the Second Legionnaires complied with his order and had the desk officer in their possession before he could raise another cry of protest. Kalendras couldn't help but grin at the Master of Sword's efficiency. He knew it was completely delusional, but he hoped that the rest of the plan would go just as smoothly.

Kalendras followed Aegon, his Guild mates all looking just as pleased with the progress as he was. The cavernous halls of the prison's administration level echoed with the sound of marching boots and the constant thunder was becoming deafening.

When they reached the gate before the stairs that led to the subterranean cells, Aegon was stopped by the two guards at the door.

"State your business," One of the sentries said, crossing his spear over his body and barring entrance.

"Move aside,"Aegon order curtly, his voice dripping with malice.

"On whose orders?" The second sentry snorted, Aegon's razor green eyes cut into him with distaste.

"I am the Master of Sword," Aegon said warningly. "Move aside or you will be apprehended for failure to comply with a direct command." The two sentries didn't even bother to contain their smirks.

"We have other orders," The first said defiantly.

"I am the Master of Sword and I am in control of the Guardians. Deathwing take your other orders. Guardians, apprehend these men."

Kalendras thought that it spoke of at least some measure of good sense when the two Guardians went without a fight. While Aegon had warned against lethal force, Kalendras was reasonably sure that near-lethal force would not be as frowned upon. When Aegon gave the two rebels a smug disdainful look Kalendras couldn't help but think of Belcarm. After spending time with both the father and the son they were almost indistinguishable from the other. The only real difference that Kalendras could see was that Belcarm wanted his woman. Kalendras sighed as they moved forward through the now open gates. Both he and Belcarm had turned up that morning at the Orgrimmar portal. Both turned up knowing that the other might also be there. With gruff snort Kalendras told himself that he would have to get used to the idea of sharing Livinia, because he sure as hell was not giving her up. 

As they descended into the bowels of the Silvermoon City Jail Kalendras couldn't help but wonder how deep down this tomb went. They descended at least seven flights of stairs, meeting very little resistance from the guardians at each level's gate, before they came to a halt at the bottom of the winding spiral staircase. Aegon had left one legion halfway down the staircase and told them to be on guard for people going up and down. The remaining legion of Guardians and the guild members were all threaded around the steps of the lower level, cramped tightly by the stone structure. Kalendras was lucky to be at the front of the column with Aegon, knowing that anyone more than four rows back would have no idea of what was transpiring on this final landing.

"Halt!" A female Guardian said, holding her hand up to her commander. "State your business." Her voice was soft but stern and not completely unpleasant.

"My son has been apprehended on false accusations and I am here to release him," Aegon told her, her and the male Guardian beside her looked at each other skeptically.

"The charges are valid, your son is to be tried tomorrow at midday. Belcarm Sharpsword is to remain in custody until his innocence is proven," The female said matter-of-factly, giving Aegon a contemptuous look. "And that Tauren there," She added nodding at Kalendras "is also wanted for high treason. You'd best hand him over before you are arrested for assisting a fugitive."

"The charges against both Belcarm and Kalendras have been cleared. Release my son or you will be held for failing to comply with a direct order." Aegon countered.

"We don't take orders from the likes of you," The male sneered and his voice made Kalendras's eyes widen in recognition. This was Liam Swiftspell, nephew to Mitrae Swiftspell, and son of the man who was in direct competition with Aegon for the position of Master of Sword. Clearly the man thought that the newly-made Sharpsword name was beneath his own. Kalendras's upper lip curled in distaste.

"Guardians app-"

Before Aegon cold finish the command the two Guardians tensed and then collapsed to the ground, their eyes unfocused and their bodies slack.

"Apprehend them?... Check!" Kalendras laughed as Sierra's voice rung through the dark corridors cheerily. Aegon turned to award the paladin with an appreciative smile.

"Thanks." Aegon's eyes twinkling with amusement, before he took a key off his belt and slid it into the lock. With a dull clunk and a near inaudible squeak the door to the lowest level of the Silvermoon City Jail swung open. 

~*~

The sounds of weapons clashing and grunts of exertion woke Belcarm from a fitful nap. His heart rate accelerated and his blood turned red hot with adrenalin. He got to his feet far too quickly and pain lanced through every part of his body. He was acutely aware of the raging erection that he had, and the pain in his balls that was the remnants of the Succubus's attention. He cursed under his breath but then gritted his teeth and limped to the small barred window in the door of his cell.

As much as he tried, he could not see what was going on in the corridor beyond. Instead of returning him to his original cell, Rioden had him escorted deep into the bowels of the prison. The lowest level of the prison was built for most sinister or hardened criminals of the city and was therefore nothing short of labyrinthine. That meant that unless the battle was happening right in front of his cell door he would not be able to see it. However, the marble hallways were terrible at muffling sounds, and if he wasn't mistaken the battle was coming closer.

While he waited he paced the room like a caged cat. It was infuriating to be left, quite literally, in the dark. A hundred thoughts ran through his mind, but the one that stood out the most was the feeble hope that the sounds were the metallic clangs that would give him his freedom. However, he wasn't sure how any band of adventures that Kalendras could gather at such short notice would be able to make it so far into the city prison.

Either way he wished the battle would hurry up. The sooner he freed them the sooner he could rescue Livinia. Just the thought of her alone was enough to fill him with shame. He had failed her when she needed him the most. He hadn't been strong enough to resist the Succubi's lure. Instead, his weakness had caused Livinia to sacrifice herself and her dignity. Even though he planned to rescue her, he was dreading reuniting with her; how could he face her when he clearly didn't deserve her? Belcarm shivered as his mind ran through the horrible night he just endured. He realised that the pain in his groin paled in comparison to the pain of his failure. When he got out he would seek vengeance. He would make sure that Rioden and the Succubus paid dearly.

The sounds of the battle died down, and there were only a few indecipherable shouts every now and again. When he finally heard footsteps making their way down his hall he took a step back and clenched and released his hands in anticipation. Belcarm shivered as his mind ran through the horrible night he just endured. 

The heavy metal door slid open with a loud clank, light flooded into the room and Belcarm's face broke into a relieved grin.

"Took you long enough, Druid," Belcarm said gruffly, nodding at the hulking Tauren now standing in the door way of his cell. He had never been happier to see anyone before save Livinia.

"While you sat here looking pretty?" Kalendras shot back, Belcarm's laughter rang through the cell and the effort made his bruised ribs ache like hell. Kalendras crossed the room and put out his hand.

"I have to say that this is honestly the first time I have ever been pleased to see you," Belcarm said, taking Kal's massive hand and giving it a firm shake. "Have you got Liv?" He asked. Kalendras didn't need to answer, the flash of anger in Kal's earthy brown eyes told him all he needed to know. "In that case we'd better stop the chatter and get a move on." 

"We don't know where Livinia is." He heard his father's voice say warily, as the older elf walked into the room, cleaning some blood of his sword. Belcarm frowned and nodded at his father slowly.

"That's fine. I should be able to lead us there." 

"How?" Kalendras's disbelief was painfully obvious.

Belcarm frowned again and looked at Kalendras.

"Last night they came and got me... they took me to her..." Kalendras looked surprised, and he opened his mouth to ask more questions. Belcarm gritted his teeth as red hot anger flooded through him; he didn't want to continue on with the story. What they had been forced to do was bad enough, sharing it with other people would only make the shame of it worse. Especially sharing it with Kalendras; he didn't want to hear what the Tauren would have to say about his failure.

"Is she okay?" Kalendras's voice was a soft growl, and Belcarm could hear the danger in his tone.

"I should be able to lead you to her." Belcarm spoke through gritted teeth, ignoring the questioning look the Tauren gave him. His father merely nodded grimly.

~*~

Milent Goldtongue sighed contentedly as his hands crept across the toasty warm bed to find their prize. His fingers danced across the soft sheets, under the blankets, and onto...

Nothing.

His eyes fluttered open and he was met by the bright light of mid morning burning through the room. He blinked a couple of times before he sat up and looked around the room. The sudden light was dazzling, and a terrible contrast to the fantastic dream he'd just had. Luckily, the dream had come with some sense of relief. The beautiful woman he had been playing with had been able to finish him before the end of the dream. 

There was a loud knock on his chamber door and Milent swore under his breath. He slipped out of bed, tearing the sheet off mattress and wrapping it around his waist to protect himself from the chill of the cavernous room. He hissed through his teeth as the silky fabric brushed against the tip of his eager erection. Apparently the dream lady hadn't quite satisfied him. He really would need to rectify that situation. But first, he needed to get rid of whoever was at the door.

It was his manservant flanked by two Silvermoon City Guardians. 

"Jacque- what is it?" Milent asked, feeling the blood draining out of his manhood, taking his enthusiasm for his planned morning activities along with it.

"I am sorry, Sir, but they insisted; they said they had found some concerning evidence that-" But before the servant could continue he was pushed aside the Guardians.

"Milent Goldentongue?" The foremost officer barked.

"In the skin... Quite literaly," Milent drawled, looking at the brown-haired elf. Lowborn- it was obvious in the way he held himself.

"You are under arrest for High Treason. You are required to come with us to the prison where you are to await trial for your crimes."

"What? This is ridiculous! I have committed no treason! Get out of my house!" Milent spluttered, gesturing wildly toward the door, momentarily forgetting that his hands were required to hold the sheet on him. The rich fabric slithered to the ground.

"In the skin indeed," Sniggered the other officer. 

"How dare you!"

"You will need to come with us." The first was able to gracefully subdue his amusement, but Milent crossed his arms over his chest.

"You need evidence before you can arrest me for such a serious crime."

As soon as he saw the non-descript leather satchel with the letters 'B.E.' embossed on it, his heart dropped to his feet. He couldn't keep the look of shock off his face. No one should have been able to find those documents. The only person with enough ability to break through the enchantments needed to access those documents was Mitrae Swiftspell, and he was the one who had help put them there.

Mitrae Swiftspell...

The name was caught on the tip of Milent's tongue as he was dragged from his house in all of his natural glory. As the eyes of shocked aristocrats and merchants watched on he couldn't help but grin. If he was going down he was going to take that Swiftspell bastard with him.

~*~

Caristra watched from under a heavy brown cloak as Milent was dragged from his house by the Silvermoon City Guardians. It was a pity really; she had actually enjoyed his company the previous evening.

Never mind though, the first part of her plan was now set in motion. If Aegon had acted swiftly and well, her niece would soon be released. Now, though, all she could do was wait.

~* ~

The climb back to the surface was much less eventful than the descent had been. At least in battle terms. However, Kalendras found his mind racing as he followed the limping Belcarm up to the foyer of the prison. He had tried to ask after Livinia another couple of times but had gotten no better response than "She's fine". Judging by Belcarm's tone she was anything but.

When they reached the entrance hall again, the second and first legions of the Silvermoon City Guardians had everything under control. Aegon called them all together and told them that Belcarm could lead the way to Livinia. As Belcarm had been blindfolded when he was led to where they were holding Livinia, he only had a vague idea of where they would be going. From the sound of the directions Belcarm had given, they were most likely keeping her in the Warlock Guild Headquarters, or in that general area of Silvermoon City. If they were in the Warlock Guild they would need all of the fighters they could get, as they would have little chance being able to infiltrate it as easily as the prison. With any luck Caristra's plan would have come to fruition and the Warlock's guild would be too busy trying to discover why their leader had been arrested to pay too much attention to an inspection of their quarters. 

It seemed as though Kalendras was not the only one that was concerned about the Paladin. When the other guild members had seen him they had been extremely loud and welcoming, but instead of returning their eager greetings with any sort of enthusiasm he merely grunted a thanks and insisted that they move on. When they had found the room where they kept the prisoner's belongings they had not been surprised to find that most of Belcarm's items were missing. So as they left he had nothing more than armor borrowed from another prisoner's locker and a weapon that Sierra had loaned him.




The Hunter's Companions Ch. 14



They were just about to move forward when Kalendras placed a hand carefully on Belcarm's shoulder.

"You need to be healed," Kalendras said quietly, so the others wouldn't hear. Belarm shrugged him off and turned to face him.

"I will not waste a single minute here healing myself while they have Livinia," Belcarm growled, and Kalendras was quite taken aback by the venom in the Blood Elf's tone. Usually Belcarm was quite cocky and complacent, this strange decisiveness and anger was most unlike him.

"Chances are we'll have to fight. If you don't heal yourself you'll be worse than useless." Kalendras kept his tone even and gestured to Belcarm's hand, which he had roughly bandaged using strips torn off his tunic.

"I'd rather keep my spells for Liv," Belcarm said shortly, he turned away and Kalendras let out a deep breath.

Healing spells were as natural to Kalendras as breathing. The magic flowed out of him and the healing power overtook Belcarm's body. He could hear a soft sigh of relief from the Paladin's lips and see his entire body relax as the spell took hold of him. A split second after the magic finished its work Belcarm rounded on Kalendras, emerald eyes glinting dangerouly.

"Why are you wasting your spells on me?" 

Kalendras 's eyebrows furrowed and he was perplexed by Belcarm's odd behavior. He should be thankful that he had healed him, not angry. Belcarm would not be able to fight properly as bruised and battered as he was.

"Like I said, you will be of no use to anyone if you were limping like you were. And your broken fingers?" Belcarm looked like he was about to argue but Kalendras raised his hand and cut him off. "Plus, Livinia will kill me if she knew I let you get around in so much pain. I do not want to deal with her wrath."

Belcarm glared at him for a moment, nostrils flared in anger, but he remained silent. Kalendras held his eyes and refused to be the first to look away. He couldn't decipher half of the emotions playing behind the Blood Elf's green orbs, but some of them made him want to back away. Whatever had happened the previous night was enough to inspire this unusual change in him, and without even knowing what had transpired, Kalendras found rage building in the depths of his stomach.

"Let's move!" Belcarm barked before turning on his heels and striding over to the prison door.

~*~

"I must confess, your insistence truly puzzles me," Mitrae Swiftspell said slowly, resting his elbows on his desk and steeping his fingers. He looked over his hands at his son. "I don't see why you don't just take her." His son's expression became tense and Mitrae had to stop himself from sighing with exasperation.

"Unlike some people, I find forcing myself on someone terribly tiresome." Rioden's response was curt, and that made Mitrae smile.

"Some people?" Mitrae asked with an amused smile, but the glare he gave his son dared him to continue with the thinly veiled accusation.

After a few tense moments, Rioden staunchly refusing to take his words back, Mitrae finally let out the sigh he had been holding back. When he had bargained for the Sunspeaker girl he had thought it would be an easy transaction. It all became terribly complicated when he had discovered her lovers. He had thought he had solved that problem, though, with the fabricated treason accusations and the threat against their lives. The one problem he did not foresee, or have any idea of how to solve, was his son's resistance to just take the damn bitch. 

"What exactly is it that you want?" Mitrae asked. "And why can it not just be solved by ramming your cock into her?" Rioden blanched at the uncouth words.

"I-"

"Does it make you soft when she begs you to stop?"Mitrae asked plainly, his son turned a deep shade of red.

"No! I-" He stammered.

"Or is it that you might actually feel something for the wench?"

"No, it's just that-"

"You want her to want you?" Mitrae said, and his son nodded, colouring a deeper shade of red as he did so. His son would not meet his eyes and he was pleased that the boy felt enough shame to look away. Unfortunately, his entire plan rested on his son filling Sunspeaker with his heir, and he didn't want to get on his son's bad side. "You have your succubus for pleasure. Sunspeaker is merely to there to produce your heirs."

"She is stronger than we gave her credit for, Father. You were right when you called her a hell-cat."

"I don't see what the problem is Rioden. We have already laid the plans, now all we need to do is wait for this afternoon and you will both be married."

"But Father, I don't think she'll agree to marry me."

"Of course she will- if only to save the Paladin."

"Sharpsword will never give her up knowing that we have forced her."

"Then he'll be put on trial at midday and sentenced to death. We'll get rid of him and threaten to do the same with Totemrunner if she does not cooperate."

"If we hurt Sharpsword I don't think she'll cooperate anyway."

"Who cares what she wants?" Mitrae sighed. "I don't get what all the fuss is about Rioden. Once she has given you two children, a boy and a girl, if she still has not come around we will dispose of her as planned."

"I have an idea father, a way to get her to come around without threatening her or the others."

"Rioden, she will never love you. Stop thinking with your cock and start thinking with your head."

"Please listen..." Rioden begged. Mitrae rolled his eyes but allowed his son to speak anyway. He should at least pretend that he cared about what his son wanted.

Five minutes later Mitrae was truly shocked. He would never have thought his son could come up with such an ingenious plan. The most amazing part of it was that it would probably work. If it did work though, they would still have to dispose of Sharpsword and Totemrunner, but at least they could guarantee that the girl wouldn't try and escape them or resist their authority.

Mitrae looked at his son thoughtfully. If he was right, this might just be the key to breaking the girl. His Felguard had eagerly told him of their partial success before sunrise, and he had also heard from Rioden's Succubus that they managed to blackmail Livinia into cooperation by bringing Sharpsword into the equation. If she were led to believe that Sharpsword and Totemrunner were dead she would have less cause for resistance. It might just make things easier. Truth be told though, he didn't care whether she wanted his son or not. Though it clearly meant something to Rioden... Rolling his eyes he realised that Rioden must have gotten a little of his mother's soft side.

"What you ask for is very expensive."

"I know... But having her as a willing bride means that we no longer need to bribe the Official to forgo the ritual of consent. What we spend on potions and dust we will more than make up for by not having to pay a bribe." Rioden explained quickly, but as soon as money was brought into the equation Mitrae could see how it would be a worthwhile gamble.

"I have to give you credit son, it is a decent plan. Sharpsword's trial is in three hours. You have until then to prove to me that you can make this plan work and no longer. Do you understand?" Rioden nodded enthusiastically in reply.

Mitrae got to his feet and walked over to a large oak cabinet against his wall. He held his hand over the crystal handles and whispered the unlocking spell. When he opened it he drew out the items that his son would need, hoping that the guild would not need them any time soon. It would take time to replace them, and it would be difficult to justify their absence if they were missed. 

"Thank you Father." Rioden took the items from him before bowing his head respectfully and fleeing from the room. 

~*~

Belcarm walked through the streets of Silvermoon City with his eyes closed, concentrating carefully on reversing the steps he had memorized less than a day earlier. He had tried walking normally at first, but had found the sights of the city to be too distracting. So now he was walking blind, reassured that his Father and the Guardians, as well as the members of his guild were following him. The sounds of their feet echoed through the streets like war drums.

The other wonderful thing about walking with his eyes closed meant that it was much easier to avoid Kalendras's questions. He knew it was unfair of him, to hold back information about Livinia, but the last thing he wanted to do is tell the Tauren about what had happened to her.... And to him. It was hard enough for him to hold his anger and thoughts of revenge at bay, the only thing that allowed him to focus was the knowledge that he would find Livinia at the end of their trek. 

"HALT!" His father commanded loudly, and the clanking footsteps slowly came to a halt. Belcarm stopped and opened his eyes impatiently, not pleased about the distraction.

"Caristra?" Kalendras said, puzzled, as the beautiful elf walked towards them with her ample hips swaying enticingly. Belcarm's hands balled into fists and repeated the remaining steps left in his head as she came to them. As she came closer he noticed a number of familiar items clutched against her body tightly.

"Hello gentlemen!" She said with a seductive grin.

"It's not every day that I get called a gentleman," Kalendras laughed, Belcarm had to bite his tongue and continue reciting their path to avoid making a snide remark on the matter.

"I came bearing gifts!" She announced, holding out an elaborate yet well used bow, quiver and a cloth bag that was bulging at the seams. "And good news," She added.

"Thank you." Kalendras said, taking the weapons and the bag almost reverently off the woman. "Liv will be pleased to have these, I'm sure."

"I suspected as much. Hopefully she can put them to good use," Caristra grumbled.

"And the news?" Aegon asked. Belcarm couldn't help but smile. His father was always one to get business out of the way before pleasure.

"Milent Goldentongue has been arrested, as has Mitrae Swiftspell." 

Belcarm gritted his teeth. He had been hoping that they would come across the Swiftspells in their rescue attempt so the bastards could fall upon his sword. Something about her words irritated him though.

"What of Rioden?" Belcarm asked slowly, Livinia's Aunty frowned and shifted uncomfortably.

"The Guardians searched the Swiftspell estate and the Warlock's Guild and found no trace of him. Mitrae claims that he does not know of his son's whereabouts..." she trailed off, clearly indicating that she did not believe the claim. This, at least, was somewhat comforting to Belcarm. As long as Rioden was not in the possession of the Silvermoon City Guardians he would be free to sate his desire for revenge. Belcarm could have the joy of hunting down the bastard for himself.

"Very well." Aegon said with a curt nod. He had been hoping that both of the Swifspells would be out of the way for the rescue attempt, but it looked as though things weren't to go quite as planned.

"Alright Darlings, I must be off. I will be waiting at my Sister's house. You will be bringing Livinia home I imagine?"

Belcarm looked at Kalendras and the Tauren looked just as uncertain as he did. Belcarm had heard the story of the circumstances leading up to Livinia's capture, and highly doubted she would want to return home.

"That will be up to Livinia," Kalendras replied.

"Fair enough. If she does not want to return home you are free to take her to my home in Dalaran. Just ask the town guards there- they'll know where it is. I will tell my household staff to expect you."

"You won't be there?" Belcarm asked.

"No... I have some issues to discuss with my idiot sister. Farewell," Caristra said, she took a few steps away but stopped and turned her head, looking at Belcarm's father over her shoulder.

"Oh, Aegon? If you get a chance to stop by my place in Dalaran I would love to reward you personally for your role in my niece's rescue." Her voice was low and suggestive. Belcarm watched as his father's body stiffened and his eyes went wide.

"The only reward I need is to see Livinia safe and my son happy." Aegon's response was awkward and a sign of his discomfort around dangerously pretty women. 

"What a pity." Caristra said then kissed her palm and waved at them, by way of goodbye, before turning and disappearing into the crowded streets.

"Rioden is not to be harmed," Aegon said once her nondescript cloak was lost in the crowd, not allowing anyone to comment on the clear attempt at seduction. "He is to be arrested and taken to the jail to await a trial." 

Both Kalendras and Belcarm nodded their acceptance of this, but Belcarm only did so to placate his father. There would be no mercy for Rioden. Not from him.

~*~ 

This time when the door burst open Livinia watched Belcarm and Kalendras enter the room and stop in their tracks when they saw Rioden standing beside her. The change in their expression was immediate and their rage was plain to see. With his eyes widening in shock Rioden raised his hands in surrender and slowly backed himself into a corner.

"Mercy!" Rioden stammered, making Belcarm laugh derisively. 

"What mercy have you shown Livinia?" Beclarm hissed dangerously, Rioden looked around the room for escape, but the only exit was being blocked by Kalendras. In three huge steps Kalendras crossed the room and after a five-second long scuffle, the Tauren had the weak Blood Elf in a choke hold. 

While that happened Belcarm walked over to Livinia and tried to figure out the enchantment on her shackles. He let out a frustrated growl when nothing he said or did made them free her. In his impatience he was careful to avoid looking at her injured, exposed body. His face went crimson and he looked at her apologetically, before ripping of his cape and throwing it over her.

"Free her from these chains," Belcarm ordered, turning his attention to Rioden. 

"Why should I?" Rioden snarled. Livinia's mind struggled to comprehend the strange scenario before her, trying to search the edges of her vision for the tell-tale signs of delusions that had been part of her last dream. However, the world remained crisp and clear, and she could detect Belcarm's masculine scent on the air as he stood so close to her. 

"Because if you do I'll show you mercy." Belcarm's tone was even as he glared at the Warlock. Rioden considered it a few moments before hanging his head in resignation. 

"Fine... hold your hands over the wrist shackles and say freazoric." 

Belcarm's emerald green eyes met her and she managed a relieved smile, which he returned with a reassuring one, and she felt her heart flutter in hope. His hands settled on the metal of the shackled.

"Freazoric- AHHH!" AS soon as the word was out of his mouth, Livinia felt the sharp crackle of electricity buzz through the chains and cried out in pain just as Belcarm did. He was thrown back off the chains and against the opposite wall, his entire body convulsing uncontrollably.

To Livinia's dismay Rioden used the temporary distraction to squirm free of Kalendras's grip, and before the Tauren knew it, he was writhing on the ground and enduring the horrid effects of a curse of agony. The Warlock focused his attention expanded the spell, then continued to channel the curse into the two adventurers' body with a malignant grin on his face. A loud, ethereal wailing filled the chamber, and it wasn't until she was out of breath that Livinia realised that it was coming from her.

Livinia watched, transfixed with horror, as she saw the bright spark of life slowly seeping from Belcarm and Kalendras's eyes. She struggled as hard as she could against her bonds, but the unyielding metal bit into her skin painfully and the blood from the open wounds trickled down her arms, warm and sticky.

"NOOO!!!" Her cry was interrupted as the door to the room was flung open, Rioden entered the room followed by a host of Silvermoon City Guardians. 

Livinia stopped screaming in her confusion and blinked. She shook her head but was shocked to see two Rioden Swifspells standing before her. The newcomer held out his hands and muttered a few angry words, the one channelling the spells into her lovers was thrown back against the wall and slowly his form began to morph and change in a way that made her stomach turn.

"Arrest him!" The newcomer said, pointing at his morphing mirror image. 

"No! Help them!" She cried, looking desperately at Belcarm and Kalendras lying curled up on the floor, both impossibly still. The Guardians ignored her as they made to subdue the first Rioden. The newcomer Rioden walked over to the Kalendras and crouched down beside him, he placed two fingers on the Tauren's neck for a moment and then hung his head before moving onto Belcarm.

"HEAL THEM YOU FUCKING IDIOT!" Livinia cried, but her desperate directions fell on deaf ears as Rioden felt for Belcarm's pulse. "HEAL THEM!"

"I'm sorry." 

The words fell strangely on her ears. They wouldn't settle in her mind, so unusual and unreal. 

"They're beyond help."

With a heavy sick the Warlock walked over and freed her from the manacles. Her entire body collapsed onto the ground and the best she could do was crawl over Belcarm's body, as he was nearest to her. Her injured hands gripped his shoulder and shook him roughly.

"Bel! Wake up! Bel!" She whimpered, continuing to shake his lifeless form. Her entire body was racked with painful sobs as she tried desperate to suck in air. She crawled over to Kalendras and her fingers combed through his thick soft fur, the way that it felt against her skin was so familiar, and his scent was real. Her entire body went weak and she fell against his still chest.

"Kal! No!" She whimpered, burying her head into his still warm fur.

She didn't know how long passed, but when she looked up it was just in time to see the Guardians hauling out Mitrae, clothed in Rioden's robes, and the newcomer Rioden looking at her with a mix of pity and regret. 

"GET OUT!" She cried, wishing that she could find the energy to rip his heart from his chest through her heaving breaths. "GET OUT!"

Before Rioden turned and left the room he muttered a spell, and Belcarm's body was gently floated to rest beside Kalendras's. The action was lost on Livinia though, she merely leant over Kal and felt for Belcarm's cold hand as she drowned in a sea of blackness.

~*~

"Livinia, there is someone here to see you." Livinia's mother said softly, Livinia ignored her as usual and buried herself deeper in her covers. Belcarm and Kalendras's funerals had been held the day before, but for all she knew it could have been two years ago. Time seemed to speed by yet crawl by in her state of grieving. The entire world was lost to her and she wanted nothing more than to will herself to stop breathing so that she could join her lovers.

There was the sound of hard heels on marble as several people made their way into the room.

"Livinia?" The voice felt like a knife in her heart and she howled, pulling her blanket over her head more firmly. "Livinia, I know I am the last person you want to speak to right now, but I couldn't wait any longer to let you know how truly sorry I am." She wanted to disappear at that moment, to stop herself from hearing his voice. 

She had heard the story already, though it meant nothing to her. What mattered was that Kalendras and Belcarm were dead. It didn't matter who killed them anymore; only that they were gone for good. Even though she had been told the story more than once, Rioden insisted on telling it again in a calm tone she had never heard him use before.

He was sorry. He didn't know what was going on until it was too late. His father had used a potion to disguise himself as Rioden, and then abused Livinia in ways that made Rioden ill. When he found out he had gotten the Guardians immediately, but it was too late. 




The Hunter's Companions Ch. 14



He wanted forgiveness.

He wanted to make her understand.

She wanted him to go away.

~*~

A month passed and Livinia was finally pulled from her bed by the members of her guild, who simply insisted that Belcarm and Kalendras would not want to see her spend the rest of her life wallowing beneath her covers.

Every day a different guild member spent time with her, in the yard, in the streets of Silvermoon, and eventually in the Eversong Woods beyond. It still hurt. It still felt like every breath she took was punctuated by a dagger to the heart. Though every day she began to function a little more than the last. Her parents were over the moon, but she still couldn't manage more than angry glares at her mother. She doubted she would ever be able to forgive the woman for her betrayal.

It was Sierra that was with her when Rioden came again. This time she was in a better state to attack him, but when her knife pressed against his hot throat he didn't look scared. He seemed to welcome it. He had dark circles under his eyes and he was paler than should have been possible.

He told her the story again. He told her of the trial happening at that very moment to determine his father's fate. He left and then came back again that evening to tell her that his father's was found guilty and that the sentencing would be held the following morning.

Good, Livhtia thought, at least there would be some justice.

~*~

The sentencing was supposed to be satisfying. It was supposed to feel like revenge, justice and relief all at once. It wasn't though. 

It was all part of a larger plan, a conspiracy with unknown players to remove the Swiftspells and Sunspeakers from the scene of Silvermoon Politics. Not only had Mitrae disguised himself as Rioden, he had been acting under a compulsion spell. They were trying hard to uncover the true culprit but it meant nothing to Livinia. Kalendras and Belcarm were still gone.

Instead of feeling relief Livinia just felt empty... 

That night Rioden had returned. They sat in the same room for a long time, silent, and Livinia could barely tolerate his presence. He explained that he hated his father. Always had. It didn't surprise him that he had been mixed up in such a terrible plot; for all of his dastardly deeds he deserved nothing less. Rioden was just sorry that Livinia had suffered because of it.

That night was the first of many spent in each other's company. Fate had a strange way of working, Livinia thought. Both united because of unspeakably evil acts, sharing a mourning that only the other could understand. 

Livinia didn't know when she begun to stop feeling angry in his presence, she only knew that she did. The months flew past and eventually he offered to take her to the cellar where Belcarm and Kalendras had been kept.

As Livinia walked the familiar roads of Silvermoon City, veering off into the quarter that held the Swiftspell estate, Livinia saw the sun light properly for the first time in months. She felt it's warmth wash over her as she followed the solemn Rioden back to the place where it all happened.

As soon as she crossed the threshold of the dungeon months and months of emotional agony hit her in a tidal wave and she collapsed. Instead of feeling the cold stone floor against her face, she gasped as Rioden caught her in his arms.

The next moment they were both crying. He apologized so many times that the word lost all sound and meaning. He begged for forgiveness and pleaded ignorance until Livinia had no choice but to believe it.

"The only thing I knew," Rioden said softly, when her sobs subsided into small breathless hiccups "was that we were supposed to be wed. I couldn't believe it. I couldn't believe I was so lucky..." He shook his head sadly "If I'd known I would have put a stop to it... Seeing you hurt had been the hardest thing, Livinia." With all of the political pretensions and high society drama stripped away he was better than she ever thought he could be.

When his hot lips fell on hers she knew that his story was the truth, instead of the sour breath she was used to in her imprisonment, his was fresh and sweet. His lips were soft on hers, and her tears added salt to the kiss. When he finally pulled away he was quick to apologize. She held her breath for a moment, not hearing him through the rush of blood in her ears. For a moment, the pain had been dulled.

It was going to be hard, they both knew, to settle into a relationship that had begun in such a cataclysmic manner... But they discovered in that moment that perhaps they were willing to try.



~*~

Livinia looked up, with hot tears streaming down her face, as the door shuddered violently against its hinges. 

"Shhh...." Rioden's voice came, gently, and she looked up into his soft green eyes. 

"Who is it?" She gently extricated herself from his grasp. 

"I don't know... just stay behind me," He said, as they got to their feet. He pushed her behind him gently and she frowned. Her fingers strayed habitually to her back, but she had come with no weapons. She hadn't needed them for months, and her body had gotten softer in her inaction. This was nothing more than a trip to gain closure, the thought that it would end in anything else didn't even cross her mind.

"Rioden, I can defend myself." Her voice was croaky from the sobs that had torn through her throat earlier.

"No. I let you get hurt before, I won't let it happen again," He said angrily, backing her further up against the wall.

There was a loud shout and the door exploded, sending shards of wood hurtling through the room and Livinia crouched down defensively as Rioden turned his back and hovered over her to shield her from the worst of it. They quickly got back to their feet and into a defensive position.

When the dust finally settled Livinia cried out in dismay and her entire body went weak. She fell against the stone wall behind her and her breath hitched in her throat as Kalendras and Belcarm burst into the room.

"Livinia!" Kalendras's deep growl vibrated through the room and send shockwaves into her newly healed heart.

"No!" Livinia cried, fresh tears springing into her bone dry eyes, "It's not possible." She whimpered. Rioden let out an angry hiss and stood over her protectively.

"Ignore it Livinia. They must minions of the person who started this mess!" His hands were sheathed in writhing dark energy. Livinia couldn't help it though. Minions or not she couldn't stop herself from peering around him, and found a new wave of nausea hit her body as she saw minion Belcarm looking at minion Kalendras questioningly. The big Tauren was holding her bow, arrows, and a bulging cloth bag in his hands, and Livinia wondered how they had gotten into her house to retrieve them. 

"Let her go, Swiftspell," Kalendras growled, the sound was so familiar that it hurt. It ripped into her heart and opened the wound of her mourning. 

"I don't know who you are, but you're imposters," Rioden returned, holding his hands up and releasing two powerful orbs of energy.

The other two were quicker though, and before Rioden could make another move imposter Belcarm had deflected the spells and sent one back of his own. Kalendras shifted into cat form, dropping the items in his hand, and pounced on the Warlock, effectively pinning him under his powerful form.

"No!" Livinia's body tensed as she saw Rioden's head slam painfully against the floor.

"Livinia!" The imposter Belcarm flew over to her and kneeled before her, he tried to take her into his arms but she cried and threw herself back against the wall.

"DON'T TOUCH ME!" Livinia shrieked, eyes wide with horror as she saw a trickle of blood seep from Rioden's injured head.

~*~

Kalendras was shocked to say the least. He watched as Livinia cowered from Belcarm and looked at the Warlock under his paws with concern. When they had burst through the doors his heart had soared to see her alive and looking well. When he had seen the look of horror in her eyes he had ignored it. But now? He couldn't push away the pained look of despair and confusion on her face.

"Livinia?" Belcarm's voice came, hurt and uncertain.

"This isn't possible!" She whispered, looking as though she was trying to melt into the wall. "Why can't you just leave me alone?" She pleaded desperately, in a voice so resigned and unlike her that it made Kalendras feel ill. 

"What are you talking about?" Belcarm asked, rolling back onto his haunches.

"Don't listen to them Liv!" Rioden hissed, managing to get a breath in even though Kal had one paw pressed heavily on his throat. He brought his other front paw up to give the Warlock a heavy cuff across the face and he heard Livinia gasp.

"NO!"

"Liv?" Belcarm looked at Livinia again, this time more cautiously. Not knowing what else to do, Kalendras cast a spell before he eased off Rioden and gingerly padded over to where Livinia was.

"Livinia?" Kalendras ignored the warlock, now safely bound by his spell, and stepped closer to his oldest friend, when she flinched at his proximity his heart stopped.

"Livinia," Belcarm said softly, "The Guardians will be here in a moment. Mitrae has been arrested and you're free."

"Mitrae is already in jail!" The conviction in her voice was so strong that Kalendras wondered whether she was privy to information that they weren't. "And both of you are dead!"

The words were like a physical blow. Kalendras could tell that Belcarm felt the same when his eyes turned to ice.

"No, Livinia, we are here... See?" Belcarm's voice was still soft, but tinged with worry. He patted his arms on his chest for good measure.

"No!" She snapped, fingers clawing at her face angrily "No! You died two months ago! I don't know who you are or what you want! Just leave me alone!" Belcarm tried to reach out for her again but she slapped his hand away and pushed further back into the wall.

"Her mind has been altered," Kalendras growled, it was the only plausible explanation.

"Ignore them Liv!" The Warlock's voice rung through the dungeon. It seemed to be the only thing that could calm Livinia down. Kalendras delivered a swift kick to his head and Rioden fell silent again.

"Leave him alone!" Livinia looked at Rioden in dismay, concern shining in her eyes. 

Unsure of what to do, Belcarm backed away from her and stood up beside Kalendras.

"What do we do?" Belcarm whispered, his concern plain in his voice.

"Her mind has been altered... I think she really believes we're dead." The pain in Livinia's eyes made his heart ache, and Kalendras had to resist the overwhelming urge to scoop her into his arms and hold her until she felt better. "We need to convince her it was a lie."

"Livinia, I saw you no more than twelve hours ago, when Rioden brought me here to your cell," Belcarm said softly, she turned her face and tried to ignore him. "You've been in Rioden's possession for three and a half days."

"No! You were brought here by Mitrae, disguised as Rioden. And you have been dead for months!" Livinia argued almost desperately.

"He is alive, Livinia, I assure you," Kalendras added "As am I."

"I will take no assurances from wights or imposters." 

A strange sound filled the room and Kalendras turned, seeing a look of maniacal glee on Rioden's face. He was laughing. The little bastard was laughing. Kalendras restrained the urge to kick him again, knowing it would not help their cause.

"Shut up, you evil bastard." Belcarm turned, paying attention to the Warlock properly for the first time since they entered the room. He made to move towards him, but Kalendras held him back.

"Swiftspell, the Guardians are on their way here now to apprehend you. You and your father are going to be trialed for high treason on the morrow. They will find you guilty and they will execute you both." Kalendras said matter-of-factly, but the laughter continued.

"Are you kidding?" Rioden laughed "No jury in this land will find us guilty! Do you know how many connections we have? Do you?"

"Rioden?" Livinia's voice broke through his conversation pitifully.

"Never you mind pet- I will dispense of these imposte-" His reassurance was cut short as Belcarm sent a rebuke spell his way. Kalendras turned back to see Livinia watching him with eyes wide in fear. 

Kalendras fell to his knees and looked deep into her eyes, trying to project all of the love he felt for her in the contact. He had to convince her that it was him, free her from this madness.

"Livinia, we have been friends since before we could walk. We ran through the streets of Silvermoon City together and caused so much trouble that our parents thought we were lost causes!" Livinia's eyebrows furrowed. "You were upset when I left... the night before I set out on my adventures you begged me not to leave! You pulled me aside and told me that I would make a much better diplomat than a druid. When I told you were crazy you laughed and said that it was true...."

Livinia's eyes softened slightly, but she was still clearly on the defensive. Belcarm watched carefully, catching on to what Kalendras was doing.

"I met you in the Eversong Woods," Belcarm supplied softly, taking the attention away from Kalendras. "You hated me... but I certainly didn't hate you. That day we made our first kill together. It was my second but your first... You took the arrow out of the lynx, cleaned it off, and then snapped the tip off. I asked you what on Azeroth you were doing, but you ignored me and tucked the arrow head right into the bottom of your pack. You still have it there, after all of these years you keep it, because it was your first kill and you can't bear to throw the souvenir away."

Kalendras was so relieved when he saw the fog begin to lift from Livinia's eyes, and crept slightly forward, pleased that she didn't retreat from him.

"It isn't possible." She looked at them with hope through them through a sheen of tears.

"Livinia, it is me, I swear... Do you remember the first time that we made love, under the shadow of Thunder Bluff, and you told me that I was the one person you truly trusted, above all others, to tell you the truth- whether you wanted to hear it or not?" As he spoke of the memory the tears began to spill from her glittering eyes. "I am telling you the truth now, just like I always have Nitawa Kee."

The sound of her nickname on his lips was enough to send her over the edge. She fell forward and wrapped one arm around each of them, her entire body heaving with sobs. The feeling of her warm body against his fur was the most amazing thing he had ever felt in his life. He looked over her shoulder at Belcarm and found that the Paladin was giving him a relieved smile, his emerald eyes flooded with emotion. Though Kalendras's brow creased when he caught sight of something out of the corner of his eyes. 

There, on the wooden desk, the only piece of furniture in the room, sat a crystal bottle and a deflated fabric pouch. Reluctantly, he pulled himself from Livinia's grasp and found that she fell easily enough into Belcarm's embrace. He made his way over to the items, his suspicions finally confirmed.

~*~

When Kalendras held the items out to her Livinia scrubbed the tears from her eyes and took them gingerly. Magic Dust and a Potion of Nightmares. The beginnings anger, betrayal and understanding slithered through her veins, hot and hungry, and she looked at the Warlock lying on the ground beside Kalendras. Silently, she stood and walked over to her weapons. She bent down carefully, taking one artfully fletched arrow from her quiver and taking her bow in hand, placing the bottle and pouch in its empty spot. The wood was smooth and comforting beneath her fingers. Real, familiar, dangerous. She walked back over to Rioden slowly, trying to comprehend everything that had happened to her in the past few months- no, days.

"You..." She tried to come up with the right words, but they caught in her throat and all she could do was look at Rioden. She nocked her arrow and looked at him, caught between pity, anger and a horrifying sense of affection.

"Nitawa Kee?" Kalendras's voice rumbled from behind her.

"You..." She tried to speak again but the words in her mind would stop before they reached her mouth. Rioden looked up at her, pale green eyes pleading, and her heart stopped in sympathy. She tried to shake the feeling off, but found it impossible.

"The Guardian's are comin," Belcarm warned, a sense of urgency in his voice.

Livinia heard the distant echoes of metal boots and her heart sped up. She drew her arrow back and aimed it at Rioden's head, knowing that, at this range, the arrow would have no trouble piercing his skull.

She took a deep breath, and tried to release the arrow, but instead fell to the ground with a strangled cry.

She couldn't do it.

~*~

Belcarm watched as Livinia fell to the ground, bow string relaxing in the motion. He saw the look of hopelessness and confusion in her eyes and an irrational rage filled him.

In less than a second he had drawn the sword he'd borrowed off Sierra and was kneeling over Rioden's bound form. He held the blade high above the Warlock's chest and heard Livinia's cry and Kalendras's protests a moment before he drove the blade through his body and into the stone floor beyond.

~*~

Kalendras's eyes were wide when he raced forward to pull Belcarm of Rioden's bleeding body. He struggled to maintain a hold of the Paladin as he wrenched the bloodied sword from his grasp.

When Rioden gurgled his last breath Belcarm finally relaxed. Kalendras dropped Belcarm and the sword just as Aegon and his Guardians marched into the room and looked at the scene before them with questions blazing in their eyes. A richly dressed Elf pushed his way through the silent crowd and took one look at the grizzly tableaux.

"You said he wouldn't be harmed!" The Warlock spluttered, racing over to Rioden's lifeless body.

"Who did this?" Aegon asked, looking at Belcarm, Kalendras and Livinia in turn. "I said that he wasn't to be hurt."

Kalendras watched as Belcarm got to his feet, his entire body shaking with the aftershocks of his all-consuming rage.

"Me!" The word tore from Kalendras throat. Livinia and Belcarm gasped and turned to face Kalendras. 

"Kalendras!" Belcarm growled, but Kal ignored him and stepped closer to Aegon.

"I killed him," Kalendras repeated firmly. Aegon closed his eyes and hung his head.

"Arrest him." 

Aegon's second in charge was the one who made the order, and a few moments later Kalendras felt dozens of cold hands grasp at his wrists, restraining him and pulling him towards the broken door.

"NO! KALENDRAS!" 

Livinia's cries echoed up the spiral staircase and clung to Kalendras' heart as he was pulled further and further away from her. 



The Hunter's Companions Ch. 15



"No!" Livinia cried as Kalendras was led from the dungeon. "You can't arrest him! He has diplomatic immunity! You can't!" She launched herself forward and crashed into a wall of bodies who all stood their ground, refusing to let her pass. Though they remained between her and Kalendras she could see pity and sympathy in the eyes of the Guardians. 

"He forfeited diplomatic immunity when he came back to the city to rescue you," Belcarm's voice came from close behind her, soft and patient. Livinia flinched when his hand rested on her shoulder and she turned quickly, some part of her still unable to believe that it really was him despite the fact that he had more than proven it. 

"No! Please! Don't arrest him!" Livinia looked at Aegon over Belcarm's shoulder, her eyes pleading. The Master of Sword frowned deeply, his face full of regret. 

"I'm sorry Liv, we had no other choice," he said grimly. 

Livinia felt like a caged animal being prepared for the kill. Her heart was racing and her eyes were wild, looking around for an escape, a way to get to Kalendras. She knew he was in trouble and she had to help him. She had to protect him from the bastards in Silvermoon.

"KALENDRAS!" She cried, voice reverberating off the walls as she put all of her energy into throwing herself once more at the wall of flesh and armor. The soldier closest to her grasped her around her upper arms and held her back as gently as she could, but Livinia struggled to free herself from her grip. When Belcarm took her out of the soldier's grasp she fell into his embrace and buried her head into his borrowed armor, sobs wracking her body as reality crashed down around her. 

"We'll figure it out," He whispered into her ear reassuringly. "I promise that we'll figure it out." 

~*~ 

When Belcarm had last seen her only hours earlier she had been covered in bloodied welts and bruises and looked as though she had been tortured. It appeared that Rioden had healed her since he last saw her. She walked normally and the robes she was wearing covered the injuries he had seen when her earlier outfit was shredded. He had asked if she needed healing, but she refused and she seemed well enough that he didn't bother arguing. Livinia had been imprisoned in the Warlock's Guild. There was a secret door hidden behind a bookcase in Mitrae Swiftspell's office, behind it was a steep spiraling staircase that descended deep into the bowels of the city. As soon as he had seen the stone descent he knew they were at the right place. That part of his blindfolded journey had been terrifyingly dizzying. 

This time, as he ascended the staircase, it was with a subdued sense of triumph. Livinia was pressed against him, tucked safely under his arm, as they made the climb. He could still feel her body convulse every now and again with a suppressed sob and guilt flooded him. He shouldn't have let Kalendras take the blame. He had been the one who had struck the killing blow, by rights he should have been hauled straight back to prison. Though, with Livinia pressed against him so warmly, he couldn't help but feel grateful that the Tauren took his place. 

The most uncomfortable part of the climb was trying to negotiate the stairs with the distraction of Livinia in his arms and the horrid erection that was an after effect of his encounter with the Succubus. He had been fine until the moment she fell against him, then he had caught the undertone of her scent and his body had reacted painfully. He felt betrayed by his own body, and the response that was so inappropriate for the situation. It felt nothing short of disrespectful, the guilt making him think once more that he had failed Livinia. 

When they finally stepped into the startling dawn light Livinia brought an arm up to cover her eyes and he pulled her into a tight embrace, protecting her from the brightness of the sun-streaked streets. 

"It's so damn bright!" She hissed under her breath and he hummed in acknowledgement. She had been locked up for three days with no natural light around her. He could only imagine how sensitive her eyes must be. 

Outside of the prestigious Warlock Guild Hall, the members of Liv and Belcarm's guild arrived in a steady stream as they were freed from their defensive posts within the building. Each and every one greeted Livinia with excitement and a sense of achievement, and she responded with clipped words and body language that was screaming to be left alone. Despite their guild mates' enthusiasm the entire rescue felt far too bittersweet to Belcarm. They had rescued Livinia, but they had not saved her from anything. He couldn't even imagine the torture that she had endured while she was held captive. Then there was the fact that Kalendras, who had orchestrated the entire mission, was not there with them. As much as Belcarm had wanted Livinia for himself, he could see how the turn of events pained her. He also had to admit, grudgingly, that he had come to appreciate the massive Druid. 

"Sorry for interrupting..." His father's voice cut through the chatter and commanded the attention of everyone gathered around them. "I just wanted to let you know that Kalendras has been taken to the Silvermoon City Jail while awaiting communication from Thunder Bluff. We have done everything we can to ensure that the process is quick and that he will be taken to the Tauren capital as soon as possible. Until then, he has been placed in maximum security and is allowed no unauthorized visitors..." He trailed off when Livinia raised her head to listen. 

"Who authorizes these visitors, then?" Livinia asked bitterly, his father winced at her acidic tone. 

"Unfortunately it is the Warden that does... and he's already annoyed at us enough for the earlier break out, I wouldn't ask him for favors any time soon." Aegon's voice was soft but it did not to much to soften the blow: , Livinia's tense shoulders fell and she made to turn back to Belcarm, but Aegon cleared his throat. "I'm sorry Livinia, I truly am... But I must say that I'm glad to see you alive and well. Even if Kalendras's trial is beyond our control, between Belcarm and I, we will do everything within our power to keep you safe." 

Livinia didn't manage anything other than a curt nod at his comment, but Belcarm could see the fresh tears welling in her eyes at the sentiment. 

"Son, I have to go back to the barracks and sort the rest of this mess out. Where are you headed?" Aegon asked, looking at his son. Belcarm looked down at Livinia and shrugged. 

"It depends..." Belcarm said slowly, "Liv, do you want to go back to your parent's estate?" Livinia's face turned pale and her nostrils flared angrily. "Perhaps we'll head to Dalaran then," Belcarm ammended quickly before he incurred her wrath. 

"Very well. Stay safe. If it is acceptable with Caristra I will come and visit you as soon as I get everything fixed up here." 

Belcarm's expression hardened at his father's comment, the paternal nature of it making him feel as though he was a small child again. He quickly brushed aside his annoyance, knowing that his father was within his rights to be concerned about his welfare after such a tumultuous week. 

"I will." He replied solemnly before excusing Livinia and himself from the crowd and whisking her towards the portals and away from the city that had burned her. 

~*~ 

It turned out that Caristra hadn't been exaggerating. The first guard that Belcarm had asked gave him the directions to her home with no hesitation. Belcarm expressed his wonder out loud, and was delighted when Livinia snorted with laughter. As soon as he looked down at her, though, her face had returned to its previous hardness and the moment had passed. 

The door was answered by a polite and venerable looking Blood Elf wearing the typical housekeeper's garb. 

"Miss Sunspeaker? Mr Sharpsword?" The woman asked politely, Belcarm nodded in reply "I am Katrine. My Mistress has told me to expect you... Please, follow me through to your rooms where you can rest for an hour or so before dinner." 

Belcarm couldn't help but marvel at the classical opulence of Caristra's Dalaran apartment. Living space in this city was at a premium, and by the time they reached the top floor, Belcarm realised that Caristra owned the entire three story apartment, with roof garden to top it off. The rooms were grand and the corridors sprawling. Every room was decorated with a perfect balance of art and architectural features and it all oozed class. He didn't even want to imagine how much this residence was worth, but he had no doubt that it was more than his father's entire family had made in several generations. 

"Mr Sharpsword, your suite is here." Katrine said, pushing the double doors open to reveal a generous living area. "The bedroom is behind that door, and the bathing room is behind that one. If you need anything just pull on that red rope and someone will be up right away." 

Belcarm stepped into the room and had to concentrate to stop his jaw from hitting the ground. 

"Thankyou." Was all he managed to stutter. His suite alone was larger than his father's entire cabin. 

"You are welcome. Miss Sunspeaker, follow me and I'll take you to your room." The statement made Belcarm stop suddenly and turn to the two women. 

"She has a separate room?" Belcarm asked, trying to keep the annoyance from his voice. 

"The Mistress asked us to prepare this entire floor, all three suites, for you two and Mr. Totemrunner... She'll be home for dinner though, so if there are any problems you are welcome to take them up with her." 

"Liv-" 

"I'll be fine Belcarm," Livinia said in a tone that was far more confident than she looked. 

"Are you sure?" He wasn't convinced. 

"I need a chance to clean up... and I need some time to think." She looked as though she was about to say more, but instead she turned and continued down the corridor without waiting for Katrine. Belcarm sighed and then walked over to the room that he had been told was the bathing room. He pushed open the doors and sure enough, the giant tub had been filled to the brim with steaming hot, lavender scented water. He shrugged his shoulders, pretending that the separation didn't bother him as much as it did. He could surely do with a good bath. 

~*~ 

When Livinia finally got out of the bath she had to admit that the soothing warmth of the water did a lot to improve her mood. She didn't even want to think about how bad she had smelled beforehand. It seemed strange to her, but after so long being alone in that dark cell, she found that she needed more time alone to maintain her tenuous grasp on reality. 

When Belcarm and Kalendras had burst through that door she hadn't known what to think. She had been totally and completely convinced that Rioden was telling the truth. The pain and passage of time that she had felt due to the potion still lingered with her strongly, and she couldn't ignore that tiny part of her that was morning Rioden's loss. The idea made her feel sick, but the potion was strong and she just could not shake the authenticity of the emotions it inspired in her. 

Livinia had to trust that this turn of events was real. After waking so many times only to find that the world wasn't as it seemed, she had a hard time believing that anything was true. This new reality did have some very convincing factors in it. Belcarm and Kalendras had both been able to tell her very personal things that no one else would have known. They looked like themselves, as she expected them to, not as she dreamed of them or with strangely different characteristic. Kalendras's fur was just as she always remembered it, Belcarm was still walking stiffly from his injuries and was almost as dirty and scraggly as she was though still incredibly handsome. 

The journey to Dalaran had been akward, there was an uncomfortable silence between them. Livinia wasn't able to break it though, not sure what to say to Belcarm; and she could tell he was having a similar problem. The encounter with the succubus was bad enough, but when she rejected him when he came in to free her it must have added insult to injury. He seemed warm, caring and patient enough, but he hadn't spoken of it and that discouraged her from bringing it up. 

Livinia stood gingerly and walked over to the massive armoire in the corner of her room, hidden behind an elaborate screen with jeweled carvings on one side and glossy mirrors on the other. She opened the doors and was amazed to see that some of her clothes had been brought over from her room in Silvermoon. There was a great range of items, from travelling wear to casual and even the beautiful dreamcloth dress that Kalendras had bought for her. 

Livinia sighed as she thought of Kalendras. She wasn't sure why he had taken the blame for Belcarm, but he did. Livinia also wondered what Belcarm meant about forfeiting diplomatic immunity. She made a mental note to ask him, wanting to know exactly why her lover had been taken away. 

A knock at the door interrupted her thoughts and she reached into the cupboard and grabbed the most comfortable looking items; a pair of soft brown leather pants and a deep green linen tunic. 

"Just a minute," She called out, and there was no more knocking. She pulled the pants up and laced them, wincing as the fabric pressed against her womanhood. She tugged the tunic over her head as she made her way to the door. When she opened it she was pulling her semi-dry hair through the neck of her tunic. 

"Liv..." Belcarm gave her a small smile as he trailed off. 

"Is it dinner time already?" She asked, surprised that she had taken that long to get ready. 

"No, I just wanted to come and see how you were..." He said softly, not seeming phased by her indifference "After spending so much time apart from you I just want to make sure that you are really still here." 

That made her smile. She stepped back further into her room and held the door open so that he could walk in. She let the door close softly behind them. He had stopped at her dressing table, carefully touching the remnants of the shredded clothes that she had worn and Rioden had hidden under a more complete dress. She walked up until she was two feet behind him and waited for him to say something. She didn't want to interrupt whatever he was thinking, but was also reluctant to start the conversation herself. 

"I'm sorry." 

Of all the things she had expected to hear from him, that was probably the last. "I'm angry" or "How did this happen?" would have been more appropriate in her mind. 

"What- how... sorry?" She struggled to speak coherently just as she struggled to understand what he had said. 

"We were too late. I was hoping that we could get to you in time- before they did anything... but Liv, we failed you. I am so sorry." His voice wavered at the end and she felt a rush of emotion. 

"You have no reason to be sorry Bel, if anything it is my fault you were dragged into this. I am the one that should be sorry." There, she said it. He turned around quickly and she could see anger in his eyes. 

"Don't apologize. Don't you dare say sorry." His voice was passionate and his hand came up to cup her cheek. "You did everything you could have, even when..." His face tinged red and he looked away from her. 

"Belcarm I'm sorry about that. I didn't know they would use you against me like that... If I had known I would have-" 

"What, Liv? You would have given in to him earlier? You would've done it just to save me?" The words were bitter in the air between then and she was shocked. She had done what she did to help him, to save him from the Succubus, and she had thought that he would have been thankful at the least. 

"I thought that-" She begun. 

"I was weak, Liv... When you needed me I was so weak. I didn't do anything to help you. I just surrendered like some useless blood worm. I let him use me against you... and you were so strong," Belcarm said, turning to face her the anger tempered by admiration of her. 

"Oh Bel! She is a succubus! You had no choice!" Livinia sighed. She had done it to avoid this situation, to stop him from feeling that way. 

"Neither did you- but you resisted her! When Rioden came to get me he said 'she may be able to resist, but you won't'... He used me against you and I helped him." 

"Don't you dare Belcarm! The only reason I resisted is because I'd submitted before. He was right when he said I begged for him. I did. Semira used me until my need became agony- in the end I begged for him to fuck me." The tears poured down her face and his face turned into a picture of shock. 

"Doesn't make me sound strong now, does it? I begged for him! That's why I was able to resist the second time. The only reason I was able to resist... Then he brought you in and I didn't want you to suffer from the same loathing that I feel for myself!" She said. 

The next instant she was pulled into a firm embrace, his lips pressing a soft kiss on her forehead as her senses were overwhelmed with the scent of lavender, soap and him. She had to fight a moan of relief at feeling him so securely around her, and managed to retain her balance even though her legs were threatening to give out on her. 

"She is a succubus..." He echoed her earlier words, his breath hot against her skin "They are evil and vile and wrong. You didn't deserve that..." He continued to speak, his words blurring in a string of reassuring platitudes as the tears continued to spill. 

They were interrupted by a coughing sound and looked over to the open door to see Katrine standing there as though this was an every day occurrence. 

"Dinner is served," She announced. At the word dinner Livinia's stomach let out a mighty rumble and reminded her of that she hadn't eaten in three days. 

~*~ 

As soon as her niece walked through the door Caristra engulfed her in a tight embrace. At first the young woman was stiff against her, but a moment later she relaxed in her arms and Caristra could feel her try to calm her rapidly heaving chest. 

"I am so glad you are safe," Caristra said, pulling away to look at her at arm's length, she gave her a quick visual assessment and was pleased to see that she still looked physically intact, before she let her go and threw her arms against the shocked son of Aegon Sharpsword. "Belcarm, you did so well," Caristra said after ending the short embrace "Your father told me how you led them to Liv. For that alone you are welcome in my house any time you are in Dalaran." 

When she pulled away Belcarm gave her a grateful, if shy, smile. 

"Thankyou." His voice was solemn but sincere. Caristra turned her attention back to Livinia. 

"Now, I know you didn't want to go home-" 

"After everything-" Livinia begun but Caristra held up a hand to stall the rest of the argument. 

"But your stupid cow of a mother begged me to send her deepest apologies, and you father sent his love," Caristra finished, Livinia's face paling at the insult to her mother. 

"Stupid cow?" She asked, confused. 

"You're right. That word isn't strong enough. Your idiotic, selfish, bitch of a mother. Is that more fitting?" Livinia looked horrified for a moment before her face begun to crack and the room was filled with the tinkling of her laughter. 

"You forgot capricious and bigoted!" Livinia gasped through her laughter, and that made Caristra smile broadly. If she could laugh after the week she had just experienced, then Caristra knew she would be able to get through it. 

"Come, sit, you both must be starving." Caristra gestured to the table piled high with an unreasonable amount of food. Belcarm watched the two women warily as he took his seat, not sure about the strange mood that had taken the room. 

After they had all had the chance to enjoy a bowl of soup and some soft bread Caristra decided to speak again. 




The Hunter's Companions Ch. 16



"I can't believe you didn't tell me!" 

Belcarm's anger resurfaced as soon as their bedroom door was shut behind them. 

"With everything that's been going on lately it was honestly the last thing on my mind," Livinia said, hands held up in front of her. "I'm sorry Bel, I really am." 

"It would have taken one minute Liv! All you had to do was tell me and that's it!" 

Livinia could understand Belcarm's anger, she truly could. She could only begin to imagine the way it would feel to find out the person you love is betrothed to another. The more that she thought about it, the more she thought that Belcarm might feel the same way that she felt when she found out about it the first time. 

"It is just one of those formalities Belcarm, that's all. If I didn't do it Kalendras would have either had to wed that stupid cow or have to live the rest of his life alone." 

"And I would have no problem with either of those outcomes!" Belcarm snapped back. 

Livinia's eyes widened and she crossed her arms over her chest. Belcarm met her look of shock with his own stubborn glare. Livinia was tempted to smack that stubborn look off his face. Despite his harsh words Livinia knew that Belcarm had come to begrudgingly respect Kalendras and she was sure that, in a different situation, he wouldn't wish that upon his comrade. 

"So now what, you fuck him and then you are married?" Belcarm asked. 

"Bel, it's not that simple-" 

"That's right. He still has to ask the council, right? Well, once they've given their blessings you'll be free to become mates and then you won't need me around any more." 

"Belcarm!" Livinia gasped. Belcarm continued to glare at her. "Don't do this. You know I love you. This Peh'ahroon is just a complication. Whatever happens between myself and Kalendras changes nothing; I love you both equally, titles aside." 

Livinia took a step closer to her irate lover and reached out, putting a hand on his shoulder gently. 

"So what if the Tauren council decides to grant you the right to be his mate?" Belcarm asked, eyes glittering with a peculiar mix of anger and hurt. 

Livinia took a deep breath. That was something she was unsure of herself. As she'd told him; so much had happened in the past few weeks that she hadn't had time to think about it. 

"I don't know Bel, I really don't," Livinia said, shoulders falling in defeat. "Part of me thinks that it isn't really a big deal, you know? Neither Kalendras or I would gain anything more from it being official than the right to call each other mate. Either way it's just a title." 

Livinia took her hand of Belcarm's shoulder and looked around their room. It was slowly getting dark and she was getting tired. This line of conversation was emotionally draining and she really didn't have the energy for it. 

"It would be the same if you and I were to marry. Nothing would change for me apart from the fact that I would call you husband," Livinia's voice was resigned now, and she could feel the beginnings of a head ache threatening to turn into something bigger. 

"And would you marry me if I asked you to?" Belcarm asked, his voice cracked, suddenly he sounded less angry and more vulnerable. The change of tone in the conversation swept Livinia off her feet. She looked back at him, eyebrows arched. 

"It's like I said Belcarm, if we did get married nothing would change, not in my heart." 

Livinia's heart pounded as Belcarm's gaze locked onto her own. They both knew that she hadn't answered his question properly, but Livinia said how she truly felt. 

"Would marrying me change the way you feel about me?" Livinia asked. 

"No." Belcarm's response was firm and immediate. Livinia just shrugged in response and now it was his turn to cross his arms over his broad chest. 

"I'm going to bed," Livinia said gently. She got to her toes and placed a chaste kiss on his lips before turning and walking towards the adjoined bathing room. She rung the bell pull and waited for some hot water to be brought up to her. As she waited she tried to think about anything but the peh'aroon. 

Livinia had a lot of trouble getting to sleep that night. Belcarm hadn't returned to their room until later. When he slipped into bed she remained facing away from him and pretended to sleep, not wanting to get into another frustrating discussion. After a few moments she felt his lips press against her cheek before he turned and settled into sleep.Livinia pulled away from Belcarm and turned to face the opposite direction. Once his breathing had turned slow and measured, Livinia's mind turned to other dramas. Mitrae's trial would be the next morning and Livinia found it difficult to doze off with the knowledge that d that he could be found innocent and released. The thought of him having his freedom made her sick, and she knew that if she tried to get justice she would be the one to end up in jail. With a deep sigh she tried to put thoughts of the verdict out of her mind, whatever would come the next day was out of her hands. It wasn't until Belcarm turned over and wrapped his arms around her protectively that she finally managed to drift off to sleep. 

~*~ 

The following day Livinia hunted down her Aunt just after she and Belcarm had finished breakfast. Belcarm had excused himself, saying that he had to go and get some of his items repaired, but Livinia had a strong suspicion that he really just needed time to think about things. She couldn't blame him either. The situation was strange, and something that none of the three of them could ever have imagined. They just had to figure out how to make it work as best as they could. 

"There you are!" Livinia said as she walked into the office on the second story. 

"Hmm?" Caristra looked up from a pile of parchment that she was thumbing through and smiled "Just doing a bit of paperwork," Caristra replied, putting the pile to the side and motioning to the vacant chair near the bookcase. "How are you feeling?" 

"Good..." Livinia replied, sinking into the overstuffed arm chair. "Well, the cramps are gone... and speaking at the trial helped me to get things of my chest." 

"That's good," Caristra said with an approving smile. "And you know that the verdict from Swiftspell's trial is today?" 

"Oh yes," Livinia said with a nervous laugh "It's not far from my mind..." She sighed. 

"Why don't you and Belcarm go and join your Guild Mates on a raid?" Caristra asked. 

"Without Kal? No, it wouldn't feel right." Livinia replied, she'd already considered it. The idea of sinking some of her arrows into some thick flesh sounded highly therapeutic, but knowing that Kalendras was imprisoned in Thunder Bluff would dampen the satisfaction. 

"His trial is in a couple of days isn't it?" Caristra asked. 

"Yeah. The letter you gave me yesterday was from one of the Tauren Elders requesting that Bel and I attend." 

"Do you want me to come along for moral support?" 

"Well, I wouldn't mind actually. I think it would be good to have you there. Will the elders allow you in though?" Livinia said with a shrug, her aunt laughed. 

"It shouldn't be any trouble."Caristra said dismissively "I have some good connections in Thunder Bluff." 

"Did you come to Mitrae's trial?" Livinia asked, her cheeks flushing a deep red. 

"No, I couldn't, I hope you'll forgive me for not being there. Unfortunately I have dealt with bastards like Mitrae before- I had no inclination to recall my own memories about events such as those. Plus, I find it comforting to know that there is always someone who doesn't know exactly what you've been through- gives you a bit of space." 

Livinia looked at her Aunt with her eyebrows knitting together. Her aunt had been through a similar situation before? She had no idea. 

"When you say that you've dealt with bastards like Mitrae-" 

"When I was new to my business," Caristra said with a sad smile "I got a bit careless. I was gone for two weeks before your mother alerted authorities." Livinia gasped in horror. 

"How did you deal with it?" Livinia asked in a small voice. 

"Much the same way you are. Except I didn't have two lovely gentlemen to help me through it. You are doing well Liv. I won't lie and say that you'll forget all about it, but in time the pain will dull and you'll be able to go for weeks at a time without thinking about it... But come, you didn't seek me out to talk about me?" Livinia laughed and shook her head. 

"No, actually, I was hoping for some advice," Livinia said heavily, Caristra's perfectly shaped eyebrows rose high and her face was a picture of curiosity. 

"Of course Liv, I'm always willing to offer any tidbits of wisdom." 

"Well, after the Diplomat's Ball Kal and I ended up in Thunder Bluff and I discovered that his Peh'ahroon had already happened and that he was already betrothed. I, quite impulsively, challenged his future mate... I won the challenge and therefore the right to be his mate and, if Baine agrees, we'll be classed as married in the Tauren culture when we have sex next." 

"Oh my," Caristra said with a symptathetic but amused smile. Liv sighed heavily. "And what does Belcarm know of all of this?" 

"He found out yesterday, and not in the best way. I hadn't had a chance to tell him and Kal let it slip when we were talking," Livinia replied, "He's angry, and I completely understand, but I just don't know what to do." 

Caristra looked at Livinia thoughtfully. 

"What do you want to do?" 

"I still want them. Both of them. I know that next time I'm with Kal we'll become mates, but it doesn't mean I love Belcarm any less." 

"Of course it doesn't. Though I don't imagine Belcarm feels that way?" 

"No, he doesn't get it. I love him, I just don't know how to show him!" 

Caristra got up from her chair and walked over to Liv. As she sunk into the lounge, her aunt pulled her into a hug. 

"Just be there for him, be persistent," Caristra said gently, "It is all very fresh for him, he just needs time." 

~*~ 

When Belcarm finally returned to their room he found that Livinia had fallen asleep in a deep bath. He tiptoed over and quietly his finger into the water, finding that it had cooled down, and wondered how long she had been in there for. With a smile he walked over to the cabinet in the room and pulled out a fresh cloth before he threw it over his shoulder. He then went back to the bath and stroked her cheek tenderly until she stirred. Her long red lashes fluttered open and her bright green eyes were staring at him. 

"Oh crap!" She said, suddenly very alert and apparently just realizing that she had fallen asleep. 

"Here, hop out." 

Belcarm held the cloth out to her and had to suppress an appreciative groan as she stood up in the bath, water dripping in tantalizing rivulets down her body. Her firm breasts were peaked with erect nipples and her body was covered in tiny goosebumps. He longed to touch the smooth skin, but she stepped onto the floor beside him and wrapped the cloth around her body tightly, apparently oblivious to his stares. 

She had always been like that. He had thought that he had been making his interest in her quite clear for years. He'd admired a lot of things about her for a long time; the look of determination and concentration in her eyes when she drew her bow, how she looked strong and invincible when she fought, how she was always ready to share a laugh, how she didn't have to try to make herself look beautiful. Belcarm also knew that he was drawn to her for another reason; she reminded him of his mother. Both his mother and Liv were strong and determined, but their hardened outser shell his a softer interior. When he had seen her tuck that arrow head into her pack all of those years ago he had seen the soft and sentimental side to her power and determination. 

"You went for a long walk," She said, walking out of the bathing room and into their bed chamber. 

"Yes. Almost as long as your bath it seems," He replied with a smile, she turned and shot him a challenging look. 

"Did you find what you were looking for?" She asked him, fingering through the clothes in the wardrobe for something to wear. 

"Actually, I did," He sighed, watching the way her muscles played as she made her choice, moving the sheet that clung to her in a delectable way. "You?" She laughed. 

"Somewhere between the soap and falling asleep I must have relaxed a bit," She said with a grin and a shrug, using the cloth to rub her body dry, still completely oblivious to his attention. It was something that used to frustrate him to no end- that she seemed perfectly willing to dress in his presence. 

It wasn't long after they had started adventuring together before he saw her naked for the first time, and quite by accident. When she had said that she was going to clean off in the river he had no idea that she intended to get completely nude. By the time he had realized she was naked he had already waded into the river with his linen pants still on, and he had not known how to react. 

They had always slept close together out of practicality and often necessity. It was much easier to stay warm when their bodies were side by side. There were a number of times when he had woken wrapped around her, or with her leg splayed over his thighs. She never made much of it though, probably seeing it as a normal part of sleeping close to someone else, but it tormented Belcarm endlessly. 

Of course there were several occasions when she had spent the night in the arms of another. For Belcarm these nights always seemed to coincide with the sudden and uncharacteristic desire to drown his sorrows in the bottom of a barrel. He never thought to tell her of his affection for her, he guessed that she knew and didn't care. When they had gone on their first raid together he had finally realized that she was just as oblivious to the attention of all males. It wasn't until he was introduced to Kalendras for the first time that he had seen her blush. The shade of pink was so beautiful on her face that he never stopped to wonder what had caused it. He understood now though. 

"Have you heard from Silvermoon City yet?" She asked, breaking him out of his reverie. He shook his head, watching her brush her long red hair out carefully. 

"Unfortunately not." He crossed the room and took the brush from her. He directed her to the edge of the bed and sat her down, brushing her hair for her. "I'm sure it won't be much longer." 

There was a knock on the door and Livinia got to her feet and shrugged her shirt over her head before bending over and pulling her pants up. When she did Belcarm got a fantastic view of her well rounded arse and couldn't help but rub his hands over the firm skin. She laughed and batted his hand away playfully. 

"Come in." She called out as she pulled her hair out of the neck of her tunic. 

"Darlings, I trust I am not interrupting anything," Caristra begun, "But your father has arrived Belcarm, he wants to speak to both of you." Caristra gave Livinia a soft smile before turning and leaving the room, shutting the door behind herself quietly. 

Livinia looked at Belcarm, her eyes flooded with worry. 

"What if he says that Mitrae was found innocent?" She whispered quietly, so that only he could hear. "The politicians and high society in Silvermoon won't like seeing him condemned! And he has friends, lots of very powerful and very corrupt friends! Bel, I don't know if I could handle that. I-" 

"Liv, stop!" Belcarm said softly, grasping her shoulders. "Whatever the judgment is it has already been made- there is nothing we can do to alter that." She frowned and looked up at him, taking deep breaths and trying to calm her nerves. "C'mon, let's go see what my father has to say." 

~*~ 

"Guilty. He will be executed at sunrise tomorrow." 

The words washed away all of Livinia's fear and replaced them with a strange sense of emptiness where she had expected to feel satisfaction. 

"Can you repeat that please?" She requested, needing to hear it again. Aegon smiled at her, his face looking as young as his son's and easily as handsome. 

"They found him guilty Livinia. Of both kidnapping and High Treason. Milent Goldentongue too. They will be executed by beheading at sunrise tomorrow," Aegon repeated, elaborating a little and making it even more real for her. "The Chief Justice has asked me to extend an invitation for the both of you to attend." 

"Yes." Belcarm's reply was solemn. 

"No," Livinia said at the same time Belcarm agreed to go. She and Belcarm looked at each other. 

"What? Why not?" Belcarm was confused. 

"It won't change anything. Plus I don't particularly want to see him again. Even if he is a head shorter." 

Belcarm and Aegon looked at her with surprise on their faces, but Caristra smiled in understanding. 

"You can go Bel, I don't mind, I just don't feel the need to." 

"Well I'll think on it then," Belcarm said to his father. 

"Okay, I'll pass the message on. I hate to do this, but I really have to go, I have a few things to attend to before I can call it in for the night," Aegon said, patting his son on the back affectionately. 

"Do you mind if I accompany you back to Silvermoon, Father, I want to talk to you?" Belcarm asked. 

"Of course not. I'd love to talk." 

"I'll be back in about half an hour Liv." Belcarm said, planting a chaste kiss on her cheek before turning and leaving the hall. 

"Now that the boys are gone," Caristra said with a loud clap, "I think it is time for the girls to play. What do you say we get out of the house for a while and get pleasantly drunk." 

"But when Belcarm gets back-" 

"I can get one of the staff members to pass on the message that we went out." 

Livinia looked at her Aunt in amusement. She had barely been out of the house save for visiting Kalendras and going to Mitrae's trial, and the idea of escaping the restrictive, yet beautifully decorated, halls held a strong allure. 

"Sure. Why the hell not?" Livinia laughed. 

"There's my girl!" Caristra said, looping an arm though Livinia's and laughing as she dragged her towards the front door. As they walked across the threshold she told the butler that they wouldn't be back until late. 

~*~ 

The next morning when Livinia woke up her head was pounding and the midday light was burning into her eyes, turning everything around her red. When her eyes adjusted and her vision cleared she saw Belcarm standing at the side of the bed with his arms crossed over his chest. 

"You didn't get in until after five this morning! The sun went up just after you stumbled into bed! Do you have any idea how worried I was about you?" He growled, she shuddered at the loudness of his voice and buried her head under her pillow. 

"We passed a message on to Faric!" Livinia moaned, wanting nothing more than to close her eyes and slip back to sleep. 

"Yes, but I didn't expect you to stay out that late," Belcarm said, ripping the pillow off her head and throwing it on the end of the bed instead. 

"If you are going to yell could you at least heal me first?" She asked. Belcarm laughed and the sound felt like pins being inserted into her eardrum. 

"I thought there were some things that needed time to heal?" He asked pompously. Livinia had never wanted to punch him more than she did at that moment. 

"Seriously Bel?" She groaned, sitting up slowly, her head spinning the entire way. 

"There are some things that nature heals best," He said in what could only be described as a terrible imitation of her voice. 

"If you aren't going to heal me then let me go back to sleep!" She whined, glaring at him. He held her stare for a moment before throwing his hands up in the air in resignation. He stepped closer to her and put his hands on her shoulders, closing his eyes and concentrating for a moment. Her entire body was filled with pleasant warmth and the fogginess and pain in her head receded. When he stepped away from her she gave him her most charming smile. 




The Hunter's Companions Ch. 17



Livinia grimaced as she slung her bow over her back and braced one hand against the boulder and the other on the shaft of her arrow. With a grunt and an undignified squelch she pulled the arrow out of the dead dwarf. 

"So, I'd say that you owe me one," Belcarm's voice came from behind her, smug and with a hint of laughter. 

"What?" Livinia whipped around and glared at him. "Why do you always do this?" She snapped, voice filled with annoyance. "I was doing fine on my own!" 

"Didn't look like that from here," Kalendras added, flicking some gore casually of his tabard. 

"So what, now I suppose I owe you one as well?" Livinia asked, throwing her hands up in the air in exasperation and sending blood and bits of meat flying. 

"Actually, that does sound good. Yes. You owe me one too." Kalendras' eyes glimmered with laughter. 

"Oh I both bet you both think this is so damn funny," Livinia raged, taking a cloth out of her pack and cleaning off the salvageable arrows with furious vigour. 

Over year had passed since Belcarm and Kalendras has rescued Livinia from the basement at the Mage's Guild. After spending a month in Caristra's home they managed to find a place in Orgrimmar that they were able to rent. Despite Livinia's initial concerns Kal and Bel were able to develop a strong friendship based on a shared interest in making Liv angry and laughing while they did so. They also found it much easier to work together when they didn't hate each other. After several hiccups and some quite colorful arguments things had finally settled down into a routine that they were all comfortable with. Despite the occasional rude or flippant comments directed at them by strangers, they had found that the arrangement worked well. It turned out that their relationship was quite a novelty in any city they visited. 

Livinia loved having both Kalendras and Belcarm around, and neither of them felt the pressure to be with her all the time because they knew that the other would always be there if they weren't. It did mean that Livinia very rarely slept on her own, but with the fantastic quality of sex she was having she would be the last to complain. It also meant that they managed to keep active roles in the guild raids. When the three of them were out on a big raid together with the others Livinia put a ban on all sorts of non-platonic interactions after the sun went down. Althgouh she had broken her own rule several times with only the tiniest bit of encouragement from either Belcarm or Kalendras. 

"So when do you think we'll get our payment?" Belcarm asked. Livinia was just about to growl at him, but Borris pounced between them and did it for her. This time Belcarm laughed and rolled his eyes at the big cat. "Out of the way Borris old man, your Mistress has some debts to start considering." Borris looked between the three of them, then shot Livinia a thoroughly unimpressed glance before stalking off into a nearby copse of trees to investigate. 

"Do you really want a repeat of last time?" Livinia asked with a sweet smile, placing a hand on Belcarm's chest and pushing him back. 

"Last time?" Kalendras asked, his curiosity piqued. 

"Yes, last time. Whatever she tells you do not close your eyes," Belcarm whispered out of the corner of his mouth, loudly enough for them both to hear clearly. 

"Why? What will she do?" Kalendras was thoroughly amused now; this was a story that Livinia hadn't told him before. 

"She'll make you think that you are going to get repaid, then fly off on her windrider with your best armor while you are struggling to pull your pants up from around your ankles." Belcarm tried to sound annoyed but Livinia could hear the amusement in his tone. 

"Did you get anything?" Kalendras asked. 

"Other than a face full of sand? No." 

"Then it certainly isn't worth it," Kalendras said grimly "Your advice is well noted Paladin, I will keep my eyes open." 

"Right. Well. When you two are done swapping your old nag's tales can we go and kill more shit? And this time anything with my mark is mine, alright?" Livinia slipped her cleaned arrows into her quiver, picked up her bow, and beckoned for Borris to follow her. 

Livinia barely got further than two meters before a pair of thick, silver-furred arms wrapped around her waist and pulled her backwards. She tried to wiggle free of Kalendras's gasp but he was too strong for her. Belcarm waltzed into her field of vision with an indulgent smirk on his face. 

"You still haven't addressed the issue of payment. I was thinking something along the lines of-" He said coming close to her and running a hand over the molded breast-plate of her armor. He leaned forward and pressed his lips against her ear. He uttered the familiar words that had sparked the change in their relationship over a year ago. 

His request didn't shock Livinia like they did the first time. This time they made her stomach fill with desire, and her nether regions soak with the thought of fulfilling his request. She turned in Kalendras's arms and looked up at him as he towered over her. 

"And what sort of payment were you after, I wonder?" She asked, her voice raw, heart beating in her throat. 

"I'll have whatever he asked for, so long as it involves fucking you," Kalendras growled in a guttural tone that made Liv squeeze her thighs together in anticipation. 

The next moment Belcarm had pressed himself up against her back, his hand snaking between her and Kalendras so that they could see what he was holding. 

"A hearthstone honey?" Liv asked with a laugh. "Don't mind if I do... but first I think we need to clean up." She saw Belcarm look at Kalendras over her head, and slowly Kalendras released her from his grasp. "Mount up gentlemen." They called their flying mounts together and took to the skies. 

After a few minutes of flying around Livinia spotted the perfect location for them. She begun her descent down to the secluded offshoot of the river and hopped off as soon as her Winrider's paws hit the ground. Belcarm and Kalendras landed moments later.  

"Gear off, boys, we need to get clean," She directed authoritatively, they both gave her eager grins and begun to shed their armor, dropping it on to the floor unceremoniously in order to get into the water and get the boring bits out of the way. Livinia, however, took her time. 

"Hurry up Nitawa Kee," Kalendras suggested over his shoulder as he waded into the river "The sooner we hearth the sooner you can clear your debt." 

"Gentlemen, a lady's armor is one of the most complicated devices known to sentient beings. It takes time, precision and patience to remove," Liv said with a smile, dropping her breastplate as soon as she finished speaking. She bend over slowly, to unclip her boot guards and she looked up through her lashes to see Kalendras and Belcarm watching, transfixed, from their positions in the water. 

"I swear I'll never understand how something a simple as bending over can have you males so transfixed." She sighed and straightened her back again. 

"She really has no idea, does she?" Kalendras asked, shaking his head.. 

"Not at all," Belcarm replied as he sunk chest high into the cool running water. 

"No," Livinia agreed with a grin, reaching for the ribbon at the end of her braid. After she tugged it off she pretended to drop it on the ground. Her lips popped open in a look of surprise, then leant over and scooped it up as well as Belcarm's hearth stone. "Kal, do you have some ointment in your pack?" She asked. 

"In the front. Actually, forget the ointment, I'll heal whatever is ailing you," He replied impatiently and with a great deal of suggestion. Livinia grinned and made her way over to Kal's pack, her hips swaying seductively to keep their minds occupied. Instead of grabbing the ointment she picked up his hearthstone. She turned, keeping the stones hidden behind her back. 

"You told Kalendras to keep his eyes open," She told Belcarm "What you should have told him was to keep his gear on." Livinia pulled the stones out from behind her back and saw the confusion in their eyes before she took a running start and lobbed the stones into the forest on the other side of the lake. Laughing gleefully Livinia scooped up their armor as well as her own and hearthed back to Orgrimmar before they had a chance to comprehend what she had done. 

~*~ 

Kalendras appeared in her room first; naked, damp and frustrated. Belcarm came second; flushed with outrage and with his arms crossed over his sculpted chest. They would have given her a severe tongue lashing, but when they walked in to see her fingers stroking up and down her glistening slit neither of them could form any coherent words. Instead, their eyes burned with a peculiar mix of anger and lust that was all the congratulations she needed for a trick well pulled. 

"Payment, gentlemen?" She moaned, slipping one finger into herself and arching her back in pleasure. 

"Yes please," Belcarm grunted, pushing past Kalendras eagerly and crossing he room in two bounds. He threw himself onto the bed and Livinia moaned as his lips began to explore the naked curves of her body. 

"You're an evil little she-devil," Kalendras admonished, taking his time to come over to the bed. When he reached her side, his erection was at full mast and the thought of having him inside of her made Livinia gasp. She reached out in awe and wrapped her hand around his cock. 

"Perhaps an I-owe-you for your troubles?" Her whisper turned into a yelp as Belcarm bit her nipple playfully. 

"For our troubles?" Kalendras growled "Do you know how hard it is to find a hearthstone on a forest floor?" Livinia bit her lip as Belcarm's tongue swirled around her hardened nipple, she looked up at Kalendras with her best impression of innocence. "A forest floor covered with stones?"

"It takes a long, long time," Belcarm said, pulling his mouth off her. "Perhaps as punishment I can show you what other things can also take a long time." He got to his hands and knees beside her on the bed and led a trail of kisses down her stomach. When his lips reached her mound he climbed over her splayed legs and settled himself between them. He then pressed his mouth against her lower lips for a painfully intimate kiss. 

Livinia tried to cry out as his tongue flicked her clit, but the sound was muffled as Kal pressed his tip against her lips. Tasting his arousal she opened he mouth further and he pushed himself into her, groaning as he did so. He put a hand on the back of her head, to make sure she didn't try to trick him again, and she swirled her tongue around his tip, moaning when she saw his knees buckle slightly. 

"Do you like this?" Belcarm asked, tracing his fingers along her entrance delicately. With Kal's erection in her mouth the only way she could respond was by pressing herself down on his fingers, which made him chuckle appreciatively. He returned to his previous action, lapping at her with anger inspired vigour and making her clitoris throb. It was then that Kalendras began to move in and out of her mouth, and her own pleasure doubled. She reached one hand out and wrapped it around Kalendras's base, and then buried the other in Belcarm's silky smooth hair, pushing him against her and showing just how desperate she was for his contact. 

The taste of Kalendras and the way that Belcarm was working her, his fingers tracing her entrance as his tongue flicked her sensitive clit, made Livinia's groin fill with red hot desire. She wanted something inside of her, desperately, and she wanted it now. She ground her hips against Belcarm, but he just laughed and continued to tease her. Livinia whimpered in need, her clitoris throbbing in desperation. Belcarm doubled his efforts and soon Livinia's toes and fingers were curling, the edge of her vision going numb as her pleasure built. Just as she was about to hit the delicious crest of her orgasm Belcarm pulled away rapidly. She pulled away from Kalendras's cock and let out a strangled cry of disappointment. 

"I was so close!" She hissed, glaring at Belcarm with anger glinting in her eyes.. 

"Were you?" He asked with a fake pout "I had no idea. I am so terribly sorry Liv. Will you ever forgive me?" He asked. Livinia knew that he was being sarcastic and it only infuriated her further. 

Livinia growled and then launched herself at the Paladin, pushing him back against the bed. She straddled his waist and pressed her wet pussy against his hot erection. 

"Do you want this, huh?" She asked grinding herself against him. He looked as though he was doing to deny it, but then thought better of it, and nodded. "Then you will finish me off!" She demanded. His eyebrows furrowed in confusion as she lifted her hips up off him and then crawled up around his body. 

Livinia got to her feet, balancing carefully on the bed, and walked so that she was above Belcarm's head, looking down at him. She got back down onto her knees so that his head was trapped between her legs. 

"You know what to do," She ordered, then turned her attention to Kalendras who was still standing where she had left him. "And you get over here, NOW!" He scrambled to comply, coming to stand at the end of the bed and closer to her. When he stopped before her, Livinia leant over and wrapped her mouth around him, bracing herself against his hips with one arm while using the other to stroke the length that she couldn't take into her mouth. 

"By the Mother you're good at that!"Kalendras groaned as she swirled her tongue around his tip. She tried to respond but Belcarm nipped at her clit and a deep moan vibrated through her throat. Belcarm increased his speed, and as he worked harder to pleasure her, she worked harder to pleasure Kalendras. Finally her orgasm built up again, layer upon blissful layer of undulating pleasure. When she came she cried out, her screams muffled by Kalendras's cock for a few moments until he pulled out of her mouth, panting with the effort to stop himself from coming. The taste of the seed that had managed to escape him was salty in her mouth as she clung to his fur and rode the last few waves of pleasure from Belcarm's tongue. 

With a satisfied groan Livinia lifted one leg up and then rolled onto the bed. She laid on her back, panting heavily, as she recovered from the spectacular burst of pleasure. 

"Don't think we are done with you yet, Nitawa Kee!" Kalendras grumbled crossing his arms over his chest. 

"You still haven't paid us back yet." Belcarm added wiping her glistening juices off his as he got to his knees. 

"Get on your hands and knees at the edge of the bed," Kalendras ordered in a deep husky growl. Livinia shivered as her skin erupted in sensitive goosebumps, the sound of a threat and a promise in his voice making her desperate to be filled by him. 

Livinia rolled over and crawled to the edge of the bed, her arms and knees shaking from the aftershock of her orgasm. When she had positioned herself Belcarm crawled across the bed and crawled across the bed and stopped in front of her, his erection level with her eyes. 

"You have pleasured the Druid, Livinia, but what about me?" He asked, eyes glittering as he looked at his kneeling form. 

"I can pleasure you too if you like," Livinia supplied, opening her mouth slightly for him, he put his tip on her lips and she moaned at the taste of his salty precum, he was already so hard and eager. Just as he had positioned himself at her mouth, Kalendras positioned himself at her lower lips, his tip pressing against her with the promise of fulfilling her desires. "Oh! Please!" She whimpered against Belcarm's lips. The next moment Kal sheathed himself inside her in one hard thrust, pushing her forward against Belcarm, her lips opening to accommodate him as she was forced forward. Kalendras drew himself out of her again, and then slammed back in. Like this, he set the pace for their lovemaking. Every time he thrust into her, she fell upon Belcarm, and when he withdrew she would swirl her tongue against his tip, making him groan and bury his fists in her hair. 

Eventually the slow pace seemed to frustrate Kalendras, and he begun to speed up, barely allowing Livinia a chance to recover from deep throating Belcarm before she had to engulf him again. 

"Stop!" Belcarm panted, though it seemed as though it pained him to do so. Livinia pulled her mouth off him and looked up at him in confusion. "Not you!" he moaned somewhat regretfully. "Kal, stop thrusting for a moment." Livinia felt Kalendras tense inside her and she wondered what was going in. "Liv, I want you to rub yourself. Kal, believe me, let her do this and do not move inside of her. Stay where you are." 

"What? Why?" Kalendras asked. 

"Just do it!" Belcarm said. 

Unlike Kalendras, Livinia was all too eager to comply. She slipped a hand under her body and between her legs and moaned when her fingers pressed against her clitoris. 

"You won't regret it," Belcarm added. Kalendras grunted in response, clearly disbelieving. 

Livinia continued to rub herself, controlling the waves of pleasure, letting them build at a torturously slow pace. The first time her core squeezed around Kalendas he gasped in surprise and gripped her arse. The pressure made her clit, and channel, throb again and Kalendras growled, gripping tighter. The tactile memory of the last time she had been in a similar situation with Belcarm made her body thrum with desire and she slipped a second finger into the mixed before adding more pressure. It felt so good that she moaned again, and Kalendras must have felt something he liked because he groaned and his weight fell forward against her slightly. Liv opened her eyes and was met by the sight of Belcarm stroking his erection enthusiastically. She often found herself getting used to his overwhelming good looks, but at moments like these his perfectly sculpted body and handsomely chiseled face took her breath away. She grinned at him and opened her mouth and he rewarded her by sheathing himself between her parted lips. 

As soon as Kalendras stilled himself within her core, Livinia was better able to focus on pleasing Belcarm and herself. Every time she moaned the vibrations made Belcarm groan, and her core tightened against Kalendras whose breathing was becoming heavily labored. It was a delicious chain of events that further aroused Livinia. 

It didn't take long Livinia to find the right motions to have her clit throbbing desperately for release. Her orgasm built quickly, making her body shake with effort and ecstasy. When she came she could feel every single pulse and squeeze of her orgasm against Kalendras's unrelentingly hard cock. Belcarm's member slid out of her mouth and rested against her cheek as she cried out in release. Just as she came she could feel him twitching inside her. 

"Oh please Kal!" Livinia whimpered grinding her hips against him as she rode through the final throes of her own release. His grasp on her hips became painfully tight and with a guttural roar he fucked her so hard that she cried out and clung to the sheets to keep herself upright. Within seconds his massive cock was pulsing inside her, filling her with his seed. 

After a few moments Kalendras pulled out of her, leaving her sore and empty. She heard Kalendras breathlessly muttering something and turned around just as the pleasant tingling of healing magic sung through her body, banishing the stinging and soreness.  

"Are you forgetting about something?" Belcarm's voice broke through her post-coital bliss and her body tensed in anticipation. 

"Of course not!" She breathed, finding the energy from deep inside herself and turning to give him a cheeky half smile. "I want you on your back." 

Belcarm grinned at Livinia and repositioned himself, watching her prowling towards him eagerly.