4 comments/ 17032 views/ 8 favorites Aelia in the Kingdom of Farran Ch. 01 By: Nayeli She paused for a second, catching her breath and took a sip of green tea sweetened with honey from the aluminum bottle which rested in the side pocket of her black and red backpack. The weather was warmer than normally expected that season and she was glad she'd worn the light, summer pants instead of the thicker gore-tex ones; spring was always tricky in these mountains, one could expect anything from a snow storm to the wonderful temperature she was enjoying. Most of the snow had melted but Aelia was sure that some was still left in the shaded valleys above the 2000 m altitude, so an ice axe was strapped to her backpack and the sharp 12-point crampons were packed inside. She was no stranger to difficult treks, but this route was new to her and unmarked, so she needed to be extra cautious; every experienced mountaineer would advise against trekking solo, but then again, she knew, they were all doing it every now and then; the lure of the mountain was just too strong to resist. Pushing a few strands of dark red hair that had escaped her braids out of her face, she tucked away the bottle. She needed to get going and push harder if she was going to make it to the cabin by nightfall; she usually enjoyed night treks, but this trail was barely visible in daylight, and the last thing she needed was to get lost; in all her years of hiking she'd never had to call a rescue team. Well, not for herself, anyway... Aelia frowned as the memory of her best friend sliding down the icy slope towards the sharp cliffs 300 m below briefly washed over her. He had just stood still once he slipped, eyes wide, looking at her as if he couldn't believe what was happening, not making a single move to use the ice axe to secure himself to the frozen snow and stop the slide. She shook her head trying to get the image of his horribly broken body out of her head and quickened her pace. A few hours and a good use of the ice axe and crampons later, she had almost reached the remote cabin that was her destination for the day, when the sky suddenly went dark; grey clouds took over in a matter of minutes and an ominous wind began to send shivers to her bones despite the warm polar fleece jacket she was wearing. She stopped to put on her windstopper jacket and took out the headlamp from the top of her backpack. The rain began to pour even before she could put a raincover over her backpack; she quickly put it back on her shoulders and set off. The storm was now raging as she had never before encountered and she was literally running uphill; the trail had already left the forest, where it was easy to distinguish between the trees, entering an open area of pastures and juniper trees; here, she could only rely on her trusted GPS to guide her through the rest of the journey. But when she took it out she found that, although it seemed to be functional, there was no signal from any satellites, as if there were none left in space. Since that couldn't be the case, she cursed modern technology and tried to make some sense of the compass she hadn't had to use in years. Today was definitely not her luckiest day, as the compass too seemed to have gone mad: the needle was spinning out of control, as if it were surrounded by half a dozen magnets. She cursed again and pondered on the next step. She could try to set camp here and wait out the storm, but she was familiar enough with the meteorological features of these mountains to know that it would go on for at least another two hours, and by the time it would end, it would be too dark to find the way to the cabin. Also, the wind was getting stronger by the minute, and she was afraid it would blow away her small tent with her inside. She looked around for anything that could be used as a shelter, a sheep-fold or at least a larger rock to use as a shield against the wind and rain. There was nothing, at least not within her visibility range, which was now reduced to less than two metres; she couldn't stand there any longer, the chill was already inside her bones and she started to walk again in the direction she assumed was right. The wind was hitting her from every direction and lightening bolts were flying around, creating the most amazingly terrifying spectacle she'd ever seen. She could feel the electricity circling her, hairs were lifted from her braids and the headlamp on her forehead began to blink. She felt unbelievably tired all of a sudden, as if the intense display of nature's power around her was using her energy to achieve even higher levels of greatness. Just as she was on the verge of lying on the ground and letting the elements decide her fate, she bumped into a large, hard mass. She reached out and felt a ragged wall of stone; another lightning revealed the entrance to what appeared to be some sort of cave. Without another moments' thought, she entered and moved a few metres inside, away from the wind and rain. She sat on a slab of stone, leaning on her backpack and catching her breath. She was calm now, the situation no longer looked desperate. The storm was still raging outside, but she was well equipped to pass a few hours, even a night, in such surroundings. She rose and started to explore her new lodging: the cave started with a small corridor, about two metres both in height and width, and about ten to twelve metres long; at the end, Aelia found herself in a wide hall, at least 100 metres long and immensely tall. It reminded her of a concert hall, and it was filled with rock formations of various and wondrous shapes and sizes. She found some space near one of the walls and set up her tent. She took out some energy bars and sandwiches and checked her mobile phone; not quite surprisingly, it was out of signal range; "It's ok", she thought, "I won't need to be rescued tonight after all". *** When she woke up, a delicate light was entering the cave from an opening in the ceiling; for a moment she wondered why the same hole hadn't allowed the rain water to flood the cave the night before; come to think about it, she hadn't even noticed it until now. Not wanting to delay her departure any longer, she packed her tent, ate some energy bars and went through the corridor that was leading outside, to see if conditions had improved enough to let her continue her trek. To her horror and surprise, the entrance was completely blocked; what was even more puzzling was that this wasn't the result of some rock avalanche, but it seemed as if the entrance had never existed; the corridor was now only two metres long and ended in a thick, smooth stone wall. She returned to the great hall and began to explore it, looking for another way out. She went around the walls several times, carefully inspecting every crack but there was no other way out. Sighing, she looked up and examined the smooth wall; the ceiling was arched, and the opening that was allowing the sunlight to enter was right in the middle of it. She was carrying rock climbing gear in her backpack, but it was only in case of dire need, as it wasn't her favourite activity and she wasn't very experienced at it. "This definitely qualifies as dire need", she decided, and started to get ready. Aelia slowly made her way up the wall, making full use of the stash of pitons she had carried along; she slipped a few times and the backpack was adding extra weight, but half an hour later she was making her way up the narrow fissure. Much to her surprise, she found herself standing on a completely different landscape than she'd taken refuge from the night before. She was now on a small clearing, surrounded by a thick forest; in the distance she could hear shouting and the sounds of a fight. She checked the compass and noticed the needle had settled down and appeared to be working properly. The phone, however, was still out of signal range; she turned it off to save battery and packed the ropes. She decided to move towards the sounds, as she was certain that it could only be a skirmish between poachers and mountain rangers. Once the thieves were taken into custody, she would accompany the rangers to the foot of the mountains and back to civilization. As she made her way through the trees, she was stunned to see that the several dozens of men fighting at the edge of the forest were by no means mountain rangers; for one, they were wearing nothing of the red and black uniform she was used to seeing on these trails. Instead, they were clad in black leather and chain-mail and carrying huge steel swords... "Wait, what?!!" She ducked behind a tree and pinched her arm: she wasn't asleep. Maybe she was still in the cave, hallucinating from the strong electrical charge of the atmosphere? She took another careful look from behind the tree; the battle was almost over and she could see some of the combatants fleeing the scene. The victors were rounding up their wounded and securing the prisoners with ropes. Her eyes fell on the man who seemed to be their leader and she felt her lower body warm up: the guy was by far the sexiest she'd ever seen. He seemed to be in his late twenties or early thirties; like the others, he was dressed in black leather, a long cloak made of dark fabric hanging on his back and down to the back of his knees. His breeches hugged his hips in the most enticing way, and the knee-high boots were attracting attention to his perfectly carved thighs. He wasn't wearing chain-mail, and the white shirt underneath the black leather vest was slightly undone, exposing the upper part of his well built chest. He was wearing his raven hair cropped short and his face was all sharp angles; his full lips seemed to be made for touching and kissing, contradicting the hard look in his deep blue eyes as he was giving short orders to his men. Yes, she was definitely hallucinating, this man couldn't be real; they didn't make them like this anymore, oozing masculinity, this guy seemed like he'd stepped off the cover of some cloak and dagger novel. Aelia continued to stare, mesmerized, at the handsome figment of her dirty imagination; she didn't notice that one of the soldiers had seen her and was moving towards the tree she was now more leaning on than hiding behind. The man grabbed her shoulder and, in one quick move, she reacted by throwing him to the ground; she had been trained in martial arts from an early age and the skills had come in handy more than once in the shabby neighbourhood she'd grown up in. The man left out a loud moan which attracted the attention of his comrades who started to run in her direction. She knew she couldn't outrun them and threw her backpack to the ground, preparing herself for the attack. Two of the men plunged forward and they were soon joining their mate on the ground; another one jumped at her shaking his sword and shouting in anger, and she managed to kick the blade out of his hand. However, more attacked her at once and in a matter of minutes they had her pinned to the ground; she could see a blade dropping steadfastly towards her chest. In one swift move, the man's arm was caught before it pierced her jacket. She heard someone bark an order of which she could only make out "alive" and she was hurled to her feet, arms still held tight by two soldiers. She was now standing before the guy she'd been drooling over for the past few minutes, who seemed to be the leader of the group. He was staring at her in disbelief and she realized that her appearance must look as strange to him as his did to her. He motioned to the men holding her to let go, and circled her, inspecting her clothes closely. He then looked straight into her eyes, obviously used to his gaze intimidating people and expecting her to lower her head to avoid it. However, he hadn't counted on her experience in dealing with the harshest managers in the business: she held his eyes intently. In truth, she was scared out of her wits, but she didn't want to let him know. His blue stare was deep and as she tried to read it she could see arrogance, cruelty and curiosity. He was overly confident, a natural born alpha male and, though she usually hated his type, she found herself strangely drawn to him. Before she could try to reason with him, he was already motioning to the men to take her along with the prisoners. Another man took her backpack and they set out through the forest. They didn't tie her down, though, as they had done with the enemy prisoners, and she was grateful for that. They had been walking for about fifteen minutes when she saw her chance for freedom; she had stopped fighting the men who were holding her, so they thought she was tamed and loosened their grip. As the man on her right broke off from the group for a minute to relieve himself, she slid her hand in the pocket of the polar jacket and retrieved the pepper spray she was carrying for emergencies. She swiftly sprayed the other man's eyes and made a run for the trees, leaving him shouting in pain. She heard the others chase after her, but she kept going. She had always been a fast runner and the earlier fight hadn't taken much of her energy. She could hear that her pursuers were lagging behind and was already feeling relieved, when something knocked her down; she managed to kick the man in the shin and her knee made its way towards his private parts. She didn't fully hit her target, but she felt some satisfaction at his groan. She knew the battle was lost the moment she hit the ground, because, unlike the other men she had fought off earlier, their leader wasn't all about brute force, but had some moves of his own. He managed to immobilize her and twist her arms behind her back so that if she kept struggling, her shoulders would be dislodged from their sockets. He pulled her up and pinned her between the nearest tree and his own body; the sexual tension was palpable as he gazed angrily into her eyes. "You're a wild cat, aren't you? Don't worry, I have ways of taming the likes of you", he hissed into her ear, then he leaned down and kissed her forcefully, while forcing her thighs open with his knee. She could smell his musky scent, sweaty from the fight, but very masculine; she tried to resist his kiss, but he held her jaw tight until she opened her mouth to his invasion. Heat and moist was already building up between her thighs, and she again thought that this had to be some kind of kinky fantasy, that it was too surreal to happen in real life. Their kiss was interrupted by his men approaching and he dragged her towards them; asking for some rope, he tied her arms behind her back and tied her to the group of enemy prisoners. The man she'd sprayed was still moaning in pain and the others were shooting dark looks her way. The leader picked up the can of pepper spray and held it carefully. "Don't, my liege", said one of the men, who seemed older than the rest, "It might damage your eyes as well". The looks on the other men's faces showed the same concern. No one else would touch the damned devil's toy. Ignoring his men's warnings, he asked her "How does this work?" "I'll show you if you let me go", she said, sporting a bravado she did not really feel. She had to get out of this mess and fast. Whoever or whatever these people were, they were obviously dangerous and she didn't want to stick around long enough to find out just what they were capable of. His only reply was a short laugh, after which he gave the order to set off. No-one spoke to her for the rest of the journey, but she was closely watched and there was no other opportunity to escape; a few hours later they reached an odd-looking stone castle. She had always been a history buff and she enjoyed studying fortifications, but she couldn't recognize the style or the period of this construction. The walls were very thick and it was surrounded by a wide ditch, filled with water. It did remind her of medieval European castles, but the shape and decorations of the outer walls were something she'd never seen before. A huge drawbridge was lowered and the group entered the city; the soldiers were greeted with cheers by the civilian population and it was obvious that they loved their leader. He smiled and waved to the crowd, his gaze no longer harsh, but even somewhat warm, and then gave quick orders to have the prisoners taken to the dungeon and interrogated. "My prince, what about the wild witch?", asked one of the men; he gave Aelia a look as if he was hoping for the leader to order her to the dungeons as well. She shuddered as she realized his intentions and gave the prince a pleading look. He smiled again in his playfully cruel way and spoke briefly to one of the guards; she couldn't hear his words, but she was taken towards the main building, which seemed like the centre of the walled city. *** The servants bowed as prince Rowald entered the main hall of the castle. He motioned to a pretty dark-haired girl and, as he passed on his way to his private chambers, she followed him. The bath was already prepared and he discarded his clothes; he moaned softly as he entered the hot tub; it had been a long and tiresome day and he needed to relax. The girl began to gently lather his body with soap; she let her hands roam on his shoulders, lightly massaging his sore muscles, then slowly down his chest, making her way through the curls of dark hair and down to his thighs. He smiled as she ignored his already swollen cock and continued to wash his legs, all the way down to his feet. When she was finished, she took off the light gown she was wearing and entered the tub, straddling him. She massaged his cock with expert fingers and leaned down to taste it. She took it all in her mouth and began to move her head up and down. She had done this many times before and she knew exactly how to please her master. He stopped her right before he came and stood up, dragging her along. He laid her on the bed and entered her in one swift motion. Out of nowhere, the image of the auburn-haired beauty from the forest entered his mind, and he came instantly, grunting loudly. He would take her too like this soon, that much he knew. Aelia in the Kingdom of Farran Ch. 02 The room in the tower where she was locked up was small and sparsely furnished; there was a small bed, a table and a chair, all made of rough wood. There was a mattress on the bed, but it looked so decrepit and filthy that even the cave she had slept in the night before was a much better accommodation. They had taken her backpack, so there was no chance of at least getting some rest in her own sleeping bag; not that she could sleep after everything that had happened. Because it was right under the roof of the tower, the room had a high ceiling with girders made of large tree trunks; there was a small window about two metres above the floor and she could see the sky as sunset was beginning to take over. She sat on the chair, the events of the day replaying in her head; she couldn't make sense of how she had got here, or what this place was. The fortress and the settlement around it seemed... medieval, for lack of a better term, although she couldn't identify either the time or geographical area. And the people, well, the people were a complete shock, with their barbaric and violent manners; not to mention their leader who seemed to be regarded as something of a god around here. And the weirdest part was that she could understand their language. "I'm having a nightmare, this is the only explanation"; she pinched her arm hoping that it would wake her up. It didn't. She pinched harder, leaving an angry red mark on her pale skin, but she was still in the cold room under the wooden roof. At least they had untied her before locking the iron door behind them. She pulled the chair under the window, trying to see beyond it; it was still too short, so she dragged the table, placed the chair on top of it and climbed on this improvised platform. The window was about half a metre wide and she could see that the width of the wall was over one metre, which didn't surprise her, considering the general aspect of the fortress. Outside, the night had already seized control; from her window she could see the drawbridge on which they had entered the citadel, now closed. Beyond it, the village seemed peacefully asleep, with only a few camp fires still burning here and there; the houses were made of wood, with thatched roofs and most of them were surrounded by gardens. In the distance, there was the dark forest where it had all begun. She climbed inside the window frame and looked down on the wall beneath her, hoping for irregular masonry which would allow her to climb down the wall and out of the fortress. This was not an option, however, as the wall was to smooth to try anything without a rope, and one look at the meagre sheet lying on the bed, it was clear that tearing it apart would not produce a rope that was long or safe enough for such an endeavour. She then turned her attention to the wooden beams which held the roof; if she could climb inside the attic, maybe she could get out of this room and find a way out of the castle without being spotted. She stepped back on the chair and reached for the closest girder, but she was still about half a meter short. She bent her knees and made a desperate jump; she managed to attach her hands to the girder while the improvised scaffolding went tumbling to the floor in a deafening noise. He walked in just in time to see the chair and the table crashing and the woman dangling from the ceiling, trying to get her legs on the next girder. A roar of laughter swept over him while she gave him a murderous stare. "It's always interesting to see a woman with initiative, but you should know this attic only reaches over this room and the adjoining staircase, which happens to be well guarded" he said, still shaking with laughter. "Well, then, would you mind getting a ladder before I break something?" she replied, trying to remain calm although the sight of him was again warming her lower abdomen. He was wearing a white shirt, probably linen and black wool pants; his hair was damp and tousled, and he looked clean and fresh. The fact that the bastard had a chance to clean up from the day's journey, while she'd been locked up in this dirty tower only served to irritate Aelia even further. "Yes, I suppose you'll be less entertaining with some broken bones, although you might be a bit more tame..." he pretended to ponder on it. Meanwhile, she managed to climb completely inside the attic, only to see that he had told the truth; this was not the way to freedom. When a soldier arrived with a ladder, for a brief moment she considered refusing to come down and trying to negotiate her way out, but it was clear that they would simply come after her and she didn't really feel like being thrown on the hard stone floors. The prince was sitting on the chair very close to the ladder, admiring her natural grace as she climbed down the ladder. She was wearing pants, most unusual for women, but the way they wrapped around her cute little ass was one of the most arousing images he'd seen in a while. Her clothes were nothing if not unusual, beginning with the fabrics, the likes of which he had never seen before, and continuing with the strange cuts and craftsmanship. But the boots were probably the oddest piece of her outfit; they seemed to be made of some kind of leather, but it looked harder than normal leather footwear, ankle-high, with a thick sole and twisted laces. She finished her descent and turned to face him; his icy blue gaze was intense, almost burning into her skin, and she could feel warmth pooling between her thighs. She shook her head and walked a few steps away from him, to regain control of her hormones; she had to be crazy to be attracted to this barbarian; could she be experiencing the Stockholm syndrome, this soon into her captivity? She sat on the table, holding his eyes defiantly; this was a power play, he was trying to intimidate her and she wasn't going to allow him. If there was one thing she had learned about these people in the hours since she had been taken, it was that they seemed to respect power. He smiled, as if he'd understood what she was doing. This was going to be a particularly interesting evening, as this woman was unlike any he had met so far. He knew he would take her eventually, but he wanted to know more about her first; between the serving girls who rushed to tend to his every whim and the court ladies who were throwing themselves at him in hope of becoming the future queen or at least the official mistress of the prince, it had been a while since a woman had said no to him; it was becoming boring, and this strange redhead was a welcome entertainment. "So, do you have a name?" he asked, resting his right foot on his left knee and leaning backwards in his chair. "Yes, I do, and it's none of your business; you have no right to keep me here and I demand to be released immediately, and my things returned to me." Aelia was trying to remain calm, but his casually mocking smile was almost as irritating as the fact that she found him so attractive. "I have the right to do anything I want in my kingdom, my dear; for your well-being I'd advise you to remember that." He never stopped smiling, but his eyes were conveying a clear warning. Strangely, that only served to arouse her even more. Aelia stood and began pacing the room; she had noticed that when the soldier who had brought the ladder left the room, he hadn't locked the door; she had also heard his footsteps as he descended the stairs. If she could get close to the door without raising her captor's suspicions, she could try to make a run for it. It was clear that this man was dangerous and also that she couldn't be trusted near him too long without ripping her clothes off, and she wanted to put as much distance between them as she could. "My name is Aelia", she said, in a more conciliatory tone, hoping to thwart his attention from her movements by continuing the conversation. "There we go, that wasn't so difficult, was it?" he smiled. "I'm Rowald, heir to the kingdom of Farran. Since you will be my guest for a while, I think we should get to know each other a little better, don't you agree?" "Well, Your Highness, is this how you treat all your guests?" she couldn't help the sarcastic bit. "Only the ones I like." He seemed amused by her anger and was flashing a charming smile. He didn't seem to notice that she was moving closer to the door, and his legs were still crossed casually. "So, where did you come from? I'm guessing you're not from around here, but you don't look Syrtari either." "Don't look what?" She seemed genuinely ignorant, and for a moment Rowald wondered whether she was a spy sent to seduce him. Her clothes and things were so strange, even for the enemy kingdom of Syrta, but he wouldn't put anything past them. He would have to be careful until he figured out what she was about, but that shouldn't stop him from having his fun. She had now got close to the door and seeing as he seemed somewhat preoccupied with a thought, she decided it was now or never; she quickly pulled the handle on the door, only to find that it was heavier than she had estimated. She had managed to open it and was halfway out when she was roughly pulled back inside the room and the door slammed with a thunder. He had been observing her walking around the room ever since they'd started the conversation; he felt like a cat, watching a mouse make its escape. He pretended not to notice that she was getting closer to the door and even allowed her to open it before bolting from his chair and pulling her back. He pinned her against the wall next to the door, bringing both her wrists above her head and securing them with one hand. She was gasping for breath, loose strands of hair floating over her face. Slowly raising her head, she looked into his eyes; there was still defiance in her eyes, but he could also see the fear, just like earlier in the forest, when she'd tried to escape him the first time. "When will you learn that you can't run away from me?" he whispered, gently caressing the back of her ear and her neck with his lips. She whimpered and struggled against him, but they both knew it was useless; she had felt his power during their fight in the forest and, like then, he had parted her thighs with his knees, so it was impossible to try the classic knee-in-the-groin self-defence move. Rowald used his free hand to push the hair out of her eyes and touched her slightly parted lips with his thumb; he was half expecting her to try to bite him, but she just kept looking at him with those wide emerald eyes that seemed to touch something inside him. He leaned over her and kissed her deeply, possessively, but without the violence he had used so far; to his surprise, she responded. Her body was still moving against his, no longer struggling but undulating around him; his hand continued to explore lower and lower, caressing the side of her breast, then her delicate waist, moving further to her hip, her thigh, and slightly raising her leg to curl around his hip. She moaned softly in his mouth and he could feel the warmth between her thighs while his breeches were becoming too tight. He let go of her wrists and began to explore her body with both hands. As soon as they were free, Aelia put her hands in his hair and pulled him closer; their lips never parted, and one of her hands began to make its way lower, touching his chest through the soft fabric, parting the folds of his shirt to feel the hot skin beneath. She slid it slowly towards his waist and she could feel him tense in anticipation. "Hands off and move away from me or I'll slit your throat." Her voice was husky and slightly hesitant, but he could feel the coldness of the blade against his skin. He couldn't believe how fast she had been in removing the dagger from his belt and placing it at his throat; she had caught him by surprise and he felt a wave of anger sweep over him, but he also couldn't help but feel some sort of admiration for her ability. He took one step back and she quickly made her way to the other side of the room. He could tell from the way she was holding it that she had no experience in using a dagger in a fight and he took one step towards her, determined to tear it from her hand and teach her a lesson, when the door was slammed open and one of his guards rushed in, gasping for air. Rowald turned from the girl with a mind to kick him out and send him to kitchen duty as punishment for his interruption, when the man spoke, nearly choking on his own breath: "Your Highness, lord Maelwyn is here. The Syrtars have occupied Caersten." *** They were both out the door in the next two seconds, leaving Aelia stunned, with her fingers still clutching the hilt of the dagger. She recovered quickly and immediately noticed that they had left the door wide open as if they had completely forgot about her. This was her chance and she wasn't going to waste it. She looked outside only to find that there were no guards on the small corridor outside her room or on the stairs leading to the ground floor. Aelia descended slowly and made her way through the narrow corridor which they had used to bring her here earlier. She could hear the noise made by people running around the castle, iron clinking, voices shouting. She peeked into the great hall which was filled with soldiers; there was no escaping through this route. As distracted as they were, they were still likely to notice a woman in strange clothes moving around. The hall was circular, with corridors similar to the one where she was hiding radiating from it; the walls were covered in tapestries and weapons. She crept behind a huge tapestry which was almost completely covering one of the walls and slowly made her way towards the next corridor. She was hoping to go unnoticed long enough to reach the gate. She got to the entrance to the corridor and carefully looked inside, only to see that it was not a corridor at all but a large room; inside were eight or ten men, all dressed in leather and chain mail, heavily armed. The prince was there as well, talking to a blonde man who seemed to be about his age. Rowald's face shocked her; she had seen intense anger and desire in his amazing blue eyes before, but their intensity at this moment surpassed anything she could have imagined from him. His voice and demeanour were calm, but the eyes showed the deepest grief and fury. She wondered what had caused it and, for a moment, she felt her heart go out to him, despite their history; she decided to put off her escape for a few minutes and listen to what was being said in the room. When Rowald entered the council hall, it was already filled with the generals who had accompanied him on this campaign. The captain of the fortress of Terfyn was also there and all these men's attention was focused on his closest friend and advisor, who was barely standing, covered in blood and dirt and making obvious efforts to regain his composure. "Maelwyn, what happened?" the prince asked, directing his friend to the nearest seat. "There was a surprise attack on the capital by the Syrtari forces; they laid siege seven days after you left and we closed the gates. They breached them that very night, entered the city and slaughtered anyone they could find. With most of the army here in Terfyn, the garrison was unable to fight them off." "The king?" Rowald dreaded the answer but the question had to be asked. "Your father is dead. I'm sorry, Rowald, I failed him, and you." He could feel the blow in his stomach; he felt an overwhelming need to scream and hack someone to pieces, but instead he remained still and silent as a rock. There would be a time to let the anger take over, when he took his city back. For now, he would focus on that. He unfolded a map of the fortress and its surroundings; the men gathered around the table and he asked Maelwyn: "How did they get past the fortifications? Caersten is impenetrable; it has never been conquered, never in its 400 years of existence." "They had help from the inside." The new blow left everyone in the room stunned for a few seconds, then they all erupted in angry screams and curses. "Silence!" the prince commanded; he didn't even raise his voice, but the tone was enough to quell the scramble of the generals. All eyes went to Maelwyn, as their new king asked: "Who?" "I don't know, my lord; it all happened too fast". "What of the garrison left in the city?" "Slaughtered, most of them; the attack came by surprise, no-one expected them to enter the city. You had taken more than half with you on this expedition, and the others, although would have been more than enough to hold the fortress during a siege, were outnumbered by the Syrtari soldiers." "Where were you when it started?" "I was..." He hesitated. "I was outside the castle, in the lower town. I ran towards the castle when I heard the noise of the battle; I got there just in time to see the king..." He stopped and gave his friend a grieving look. "Tell me" Rowald spoke through his clenched teeth. He needed to know, no matter the pain the truth would bring. "He had been stabbed and thrown from his chamber window". There was complete silence in the room and all the generals had tears in their eyes. Aldric had been a good king, just and strong, and such an end pained and revolted them. Rowald was fighting back his tears; he had to stay strong, for his father's sake, and avenge his death. He also had to regain control of the capital city, and fast, for it was the key to his kingdom. He directed his attention back to the map. He was right about one thing: Caersten was impenetrable. He would have to find a way to conquer the strongest fortress in the known world, and he would have to do it within the next few days. "How many warriors do each of you have under your command?" he asked the generals. "Your Majesty, if we had a hundred times one thousand, it would still not be enough to take Caersten" The man who spoke was Eilert, one of the oldest generals, who loved king Aldric like a brother. "I know. Our only chance is a surprise attack. We're going to sneak through the secret tunnel, into the city, and beat these Syrtari barbarians at their own game." "Emm... Rowald, I'm afraid that will be impossible." said Maelwyn. "It's how they got in." "How, in the name of Mawr, did they know about the tunnel?" Rowald couldn't help from releasing and angry growl. Not only had his father been betrayed, he had been betrayed by someone he trusted with his life. There were only a handful of people who knew the secret. "Maelwyn, do you know what became of Anwirad?" He asked after he managed to regain control of his fury. Anwirad had been his fathers most trusted advisor for as long as Rowald could remember. He had never taken a personal liking to him, but he was an able statesman, always offering loyal council; true, there was something dark about him, but Rowald couldn't imagine a reason why he would betray his king. He already had more power than anyone in the kingdom, save for Aldric and himself, and surely he wouldn't have anything more to gain under a Syrtari occupation. "No, my liege. I tried to find him and get him out of the fortress, but he wasn't in his chambers or in the throne room. There was no time to look elsewhere. Do you think he might have..." He stopped, feeling uneasy at the very idea that the third most powerful man in the kingdom could have committed such treason. "As far as I know, no-one but the four of us even knew of the tunnel's existence, much less its exact location. I know you better than I know myself, but I never fully trusted that man. Regardless, now we have to figure out another way." "My lord, as you know, the city is surrounded with heavily guarded fortifications, and extremely well stocked on supplies. An assault would be pointless and a siege would take months, maybe years. If the Syrtars send reinforcements, our camp would be caught between the two enemy forces and crushed." spoke Gunnar, the commander of Terfyn fortress, a tall man in his forties, hardened by battle. Rowald knew he could trust him to ride with him to the end of the world, but he also knew he was right. Aelia in the Kingdom of Farran Ch. 03 I know it's been a while, but life just took over and left me with no time to develop Aelia & Rowald's story. There is no sex in this chapter either, but I want the story to be more about the dynamics of their relationship. Which is not to say they won't get more intimate soon ;-) Thank you all for your feedback, public and private and I ask you to comment on this part as well, it really helps with the process. - Nayeli - They had been riding for five days, only stopping to eat and sleep. The journey to the capital normally took eight to ten days, but the prince was bent on doing it in less than a week, so they had been riding for as much as fourteen hours per day. Aelia had never been horseback riding before and, although she was a fast learner and not quite a stranger to physical hardships, the voyage was taking its toll on her. Still, she was in a surprisingly good mood, though she didn't quite understand the reason. She snuck a look at Rowald who was riding next to her and smiled slightly as she let her mind wander back at the strange events of the last few days. She had just finished bathing in the new room that had been assigned to her in Terfyn fortress; her hair, still damp, was hanging on her back, almost touching her waist. She was dressed in a strange long chemise that had been brought to her by the servant girl who had prepared her bath. She walked to the window, taking in the same view she had from her previous accommodation. Still, it looked different somehow, and she wondered if it was because her station in this had improved. Deep in reverie as she was, she didn't hear him come in (or the servant girl leave); she turned around and nearly bumped into him. His glacial blue eyes were staring at her, as if trying to pierce through her skull and into her mind. She swallowed her nervousness and stared back; as she had grown accustomed with this man, this approach seemed to inspire him some respect. "I've brought your bag" he said, without moving his eyes from her. "Thank you. What time do we leave tomorrow?" "Dawn. Can you ride a horse?" "No. Is there another way? "Carriage, but it's too slow. We need to get there as soon as possible, before the Syrtars bring backups into the city." "How far is it?" "Eight to ten days, less if we ride fast." "Well, I will have to learn to ride then. I will see you tomorrow." She was tired and hoping he'd leave and let her get some rest. In truth, she had never got on a horse before and the perspective didn't appeal to her very much. Still, this seemed to be the only way to get herself out of this mess, so she'd have to manage. "I want you to show me how your things work; are they really magic, as my men think?" The question caught her by surprise. For a few seconds, she considered telling him they were, to gain some sort of upper hand; she decided against it, fearing he might read her and end the truce they seemed to have reached in the past hours. "No, there's nothing magical about them, they're just some useful inventions. What do you want to know?" "Well, for start, I want to know how you plan on climbing a vertical cliff?" They spent the next hour with her showing and explaining to him all the details of her climbing gear; he seemed to be less superstitious than his men and possessed an inquisitive mind. He wanted to know how the flashlight worked and what the pepper spray contained. He was amazed at the lightness of her ice axe and it took a thorough explanation to convince him it was not a weapon. When he began asking her about her world, she smilingly sent him away, with the promise to talk more over the following days. For the first time since she'd met this strange man, she didn't feel an imminent danger emanating from him; in fact, she almost felt... secure. "Rowald." she called, just as he was about to open the door. He turned to her with a somewhat surprised gaze; was that a hint of hopefulness she detected? "I'm sorry about your father." His eyes seemed to blur for a moment; he gave her a brief nod and left the room. He was sitting by the fire, absently sharpening his sword while his attention was focused on the beautiful woman sitting across from him; the flames reflected in her auburn hair, giving it a surreal appearance. She was involved in what seemed like an intense discussion with Maelwyn, and Rowald could feel a pang of jealousy biting him inside as we watched her listen intently to his friend's every word. He couldn't understand why, he had just met this woman and besides, he had never been the jealous type; his mistresses, be they ladies of the court or mere servants, were always free to see whomever they wanted; he simply never cared. This woman was not even his lover, they had only shared two kisses and yet she had captured his attention like no other. Watching her, his thoughts wondered back in time. They had just set up camp on the second day of the journey and he caught sight of her leaving the camp. She was only carrying a small bundle, all of her things remaining in her tent. He followed her, after letting Maelwyn know that he was leaving and giving him precise orders to follow if he didn't return by midnight. If she was indeed a spy, attempting to meet with her people and report the situation in his camp, he was prepared to strangle her on the spot. She didn't seem to be in a hurry as she walked on the small path among the trees; in fact, she seemed to be savouring every second. A few minutes later, Aelia, and her hidden stalker arrived at a clearing where a nearby stream was creating a small waterfall as it flowed over the rocks. He remained concealed behind some bushes close to the bank of the river and watched mesmerized as she took off all her clothes and entered the water. She dove completely and resurfaced a few seconds later, clearly enjoying the touch of the water on her naked body. She washed her long hair with slow, flowing movements; she massaged the bar of soap all over her body, caressing her smooth, creamy skin several times. He simply couldn't take his eyes off her and his breeches were growing increasingly tighter. Aelia emerged from the water feeling refreshed and clean; the two days of continuous riding had left her sore and sweaty and this was the first occasion she had to sneak out of the camp and bathe. She knew that if she had informed Rowald, he would have either stopped her or insisted that she take a guard; she wanted and needed to be alone for a few moments, after the two days spent under constant (though discreet) supervision. The slight movement in the bushes made her jump: "Who's there?" she asked, quickly putting on her clothes. "Show yourself!" When nothing happened, she figured it might have been a wild animal or a bird. Still, the bushes were next to her path back to the camp, so she couldn't risk being ambushed by some rogue. She picked up a rock from the river bank and threw it into the bush. Next thing she heard was a moan, a curse and she saw the prince rising from the bush, rubbing his forehead. "You nearly knocked me unconscious, you know!" he snarled at her. "Serves you right for peeping. How dare you invade my privacy?" She tried to put on an angry face but she had to work hard to suppress her laughter. He seemed so confused, ashamed and piqued at the same time. "You shouldn't be out here alone. You should have asked for my permission if you wanted to bathe." "I think not." Now she was genuinely furious. Who did he think he was, ordering her around like that? "Why don't you admit that you still suspect me for a spy and you wanted to catch me in the act?" As soon as she had spoken these words, Aelia realized that this idea upset her more than him watching her while she was bathing, and the thought was troubling. He seemed to be taken aback by her reaction; the fact that she was right only made it more embarrassing for him. He turned his back on her and started walking in the direction of the camp, ordering her to follow him back. Without a second thought, she ran after him, placed herself in his way and pushed him back with both hands. Taken by surprise, he barely managed to keep his balance; he had forgotten how strong this woman was, despite her delicate appearance. "What the..." he was cut off before he could finish the sentence. "No, you listen to me now! I have never done anything against you and from the first moment we met, you took me prisoner, tied me up, locked me in a dirty tower, harassed me and pretty much treated me like a possession to be toyed with. I offered my help when your situation was hopeless and you're still unable to show me some respect. You have your men keep me under constant supervision like some dangerous criminal and I can't even have an hour to myself to get cleaned up. I don't care if you are a prince, king, or whatever. This is it and you either review your attitude or you can just storm your damned city with the handful of men you still have, for all I care, but I will NOT go through one more day of this!" She was raging now, both against him, for continuing to treat her like an enemy and against herself, for believing their truce meant they were beginning to build some sort of friendship. Without waiting for his reply, she spun on her heels and walked swiftly towards the camp, leaving him with his mouth open. Aelia walked into her tent and threw her towel into a corner; the fast-paced walk to the camp had done nothing to calm her. She felt like punching something, and kicked the mattress which served as bed; then, she realized she really wanted to punch herself, for being so naïve. This man was an arrogant ass, and she had known it from the very beginning, so why had she let her guard down to him? The light rap on one of the wooden stakes supporting the entrance to her tent called her attention and she forced herself to gain control of her anger. She pulled aside the canvas and found herself facing the object of her fury. The look on her face must have been all too eloquent, because he quickly raised his hands in a gesture of good will. "You spoke your mind, now let me speak mine" he said, before she could drop the canvas in his face. "I am not here to quarrel." "Fine. Say what you have to say and leave; I need my rest if I'm going to ride another fourteen hours tomorrow." She folded her arms and waited, looking him straight in the eyes. He took a deep breath; no-one had ever spoken to him the way she did, and still he wasn't angry. Instead, he found her demeanour strangely intriguing and attractive. "You appear out of nowhere, dressed in clothes no-one has ever seen before and carrying strange objects, just when I'm battling my fiercest enemies. The very same day, I learn that my capital city has been conquered and my father killed, possibly falling prey to the betrayal of his closest friend and advisor. Then you somehow manage to escape the tower, sneak into my council room and eavesdrop on our discussions. And just when the situation is hopeless, as you said, you step in and offer you support; more than that, you offer to do something that no-one else has ever done before. After everything that has happened in the past few days, can you really blame me for being paranoid?" Not only had he not raised his voice, but he seemed like he really needed her to understand him. Aelia gave him a long stare; in the short time since they had met, he had never acted so... reasonably. He had always been every inch the overbearing monarch, always commanding, never trying to explain his reactions. Even knocking on the entrance to her tent, instead of just storming in was unusual, and the awkwardness in his demeanour made it clear that he wasn't used to this approach. Gazing deeply into his cerulean eyes in search of sincerity, she suddenly became aware that she was slowly getting lost in them. She closed her eyes and shook her head to clear her mind; looking back up at him, she said: "Alright. I see your point, but if we're going to work together successfully, I will need you to trust me. After all, I am risking my life in this little enterprise. We have a deal, and if you can't trust me to keep my end of the bargain, how can I trust you to keep yours?" "Fair enough. I'll give you some space from now on. But please let me know when you leave the camp again; it's not always safe out there." She half expected him to choke on the word "please", but he did sound like he meant it, so she accepted this new truce. They avoided each other for the most part of the next few days, but kept civil in their few interactions; she was beginning to develop a friendship with Maelwyn, Rowald's best friend and advisor. Unlike the impetuous prince, Maelwyn was calm, balanced and courteous. He was handsome, but in a different, milder way; she could appreciate his beauty without the shivers which usually went through her every time Rowald was nearby. They had taken to chatting during lunch stops and in the evenings. She was anxious to know more about this strange land and he seemed content to describe it to her. Thus she found out that Farran was one of the three larger kingdoms in their known world, together with Syrta – their arch enemies at the south and south-east border – and Algaran, to the east, which was prone to changing sides in their never-ending spars. Other political entities were insignificant and were usually mere pawns in these wars; most of them paid tribute to one of the great powers and were often required to send troops into battles that were not their own. "Not unlike my own world..." she said pensively, "except we are more sophisticated at hiding the situation behind treaties and speeches..." She also learned that, thanks to the defunct king Aldric's diplomatic skills and desire to put and end to the endless quarrels which were hindering all the kingdoms' development, there had been peace for almost a decade between Farran and Syrta; it was more like a tense truce, but at least the killing had stopped. Both parties had stationed troops along the border, in fortresses such as Terfyn, but until very recently no-one had broken the agreement. Now, the peace-loving king was dead, his beloved capital city fallen into the hands of his enemies and his son would most likely retaliate, sending the three kingdoms into another cycle of death and destruction. "You seem sad, Maelwyn" she noted. "It seems like you don't quite agree with Rowald's intended course of action" "Rowald is the closest thing I have to a brother; I would follow him to the edge of the world and die for him without question. So, whether I agree or not does not matter. I would, however, like to see our people continue to live in peace." She sighed and turned her attention to the fire. Across, the prince was staring at them intently. She knew he couldn't hear their conversation, but his gaze made her shiver; she was by now almost getting used to the heat that was coursing through her body every time he looked at her. Almost... They arrived to Caersten two days later and set camp close to its walls; along the way, their ranks had grown, as the princes' small contingent was joined by volunteers from the towns and villages they passed through. He had sent strict orders to commanders of the fortresses along the border not to follow him, but to keep close watch and prevent the Syrtars from sending reinforcements to their besieged army. Rowald, Maelwyn and the other generals were gathered around a table covered in maps and sketches, faces dark and foreheads frowned. They all knew the fortress better than anyone; it was built to withstand years of siege. The walls and enforcements were impenetrable and the well-stocked granaries, terraced gardens and stables could provide the inhabitants with plenty of food. The only way to regain control of it was by cunning and all their hopes now lied with a strange girl who's allegiances were still uncertain. "How did they even get past the border?" the prince asked. "Our defences were vigilant and we got no alert from any of the commanders. One would think such an army would not go unnoticed." "The army itself is not that large; they relied on the element of surprise. I couldn't exactly count them, but I think they were even fewer than the garrison we had left in the city" said Maelwyn. "As for their route, I'd wager my life they entered from the north-east. Algaran." General Eilert almost spat the last word. "We will have to take care of those rats once and for all, after we finish our business with the Syrtars." Rowald was determined to see the people responsible for his father's death crawl at his feet and he would make sure they were never a threat to his kingdom again. Aelia was standing aside silently, listening to the conversation and trying to understand as much as possible of the dynamics of this world. She made a mental note to talk to him later about his plans of revenge; the last thing she wanted was to help spur another bloody war in this land. Maybe, with Maelwyn's help, she could convince him to continue his father's policies of peace... Earlier that day she had been accompanied by Rowald, disguises as fishermen, to the bottom of the cliff that was haughtily guarding the northern side of the fortress. It was a vertical and stunningly tall natural wall rising from the sea, relentlessly washed by angry waves; from where she was standing, on a small beach to the side of the great rock, it seemed about 120 m tall, with a nearly smooth surface. She could see why they thought climbing it was impossible; now she was almost inclined to agree. She spent the better part of the day studying it, trying to figure out a possible route to the top. "Have you climbed anything like it before?" Rowald asked, scanning the seemingly polished surface of the cliff, a deep frown marring his handsome features. She hesitated between admitting the truth and setting his mind at ease with a lie. "Sure, many times." "Liar." "Fine, I've never done it before. But I think I can. And if I can't, you have nothing to lose anyway" she shrugged. "You're not doing this. I'll find another way." "There is no other way and you know it. I said I can do it; why are you suddenly backing down?" Aelia couldn't understand his hesitation; she knew how important this was to him, so his behaviour seemed strange. He couldn't possibly be worried about her, they had barely spoken to each other since the night he'd followed her to the river; they had indeed exchanged some strange glances and she'd caught him staring at her more than once during the remainder of their trip, but this was still unexpected. "Look, I know we had a deal and I'm willing to give you your freedom without expecting you to keep your end. It's impossible, you said yourself you've never done anything like this, so you'd be climbing to certain death. You're a stranger to this land and there's no need for you to share our fate. It would only be a waste of time anyway" "Rowald, what is really the problem? Either tell me or we end this discussion here and now, and we start elaborating the strategy." She was tired of beating around the bush and wanted to either hear him say he was concerned about her safety, or get on with their plan. He looked at her beautiful, delicate face surrounded by loose strands of auburn hair dancing in the wind, her wide emerald eyes looking up at him, slightly annoyed but covertly hopeful and he knew at that very moment that he wasn't willing to risk her life. Instead of saying it, he wrapped his arms around her and pulled her face close to his; his lips took over hers in a deep, lingering kiss which sent shivers down his spine. He was expecting her to resist at first, but she surprised him again by responding passionately to his tongue's invasion of her mouth. Her arms encircled his neck and she pressed her body against his; she loved his warmth and hardness and wished they could stay this way forever. Unfortunately, this thought served only to remind Aelia that they could not. He had a duty to his people and she had promised her support. She reluctantly broke the kiss and released herself from his strong embrace. Her eyes met his as she said: Aelia in the Kingdom of Farran Ch. 03 "I'm not in this for my freedom, not anymore. I want to do this; believe me when I say it is possible." There was such unabated determination in her eyes and words that he could only sigh and nod. Then he took her back in his arms, resting her head against his chest and revelled in the sensations brought on by her lithe body nestled against his. Aelia in the Kingdom of Farran Ch. 04 She settled her right foot in a relatively deep hole in the wall of the cliff and, while holding on to a sharp edge with her left hand, used the somewhat stable position to drive another piton in a small crack in the rock. She had covered the hammer with cloth to tone down the noise but it still rang loudly in her ears. The fact that they had tested the level of the noise earlier that day and she knew it could not be heard farther than a few metres away did little to calm her. Their plan was entirely dependant on her success and if the potential guards at the top of the tower heard her hammering, she was as good as dead and with her any chance for Rowald to take back his city would be gone. Aelia wondered, as she had done many times in the last few days, why she was risking her life to help a man she had barely met, a man who had tied her up and locked her away, no less. She could continue telling herself that it was only the bargain struck with him to gain back her freedom, but she knew better. Their trip to Caersten and the two days spent planning the attack had revealed a different side of Rowald. He had offered to release her of their deal and set her free when he thought the risk to her life was too great. After she stubbornly refused and insisted to go through with the initial plan, he had included her in the discussion with his advisors. He listened to her opinions and seemed to value them. He hadn't kissed her since the morning they spent at the base of the cliff and she avoided meeting him on a personal level, as she needed to keep her head clear for the upcoming mission. Forcing her thoughts back to the cold surface she was ascending, she passed the safety rope though the eye of the piton and searched for the next support for her left foot. She had already been climbing for over an hour and she wasn't even near halfway to the top. She had started immediately after nightfall and she had only a few hours to complete her ascent. Rowald and his men would follow her using the ropes she would send them. They would take a while to reach the tower and all had to be done under the cover of night. Suddenly, the edge she had grabbed onto moved and in less than a second she was tumbling down; luckily, the last piton was only a few metres below and the fall was quickly stopped by the rope. She let herself dangle for a few seconds, calming her breath and gathering her strength and started back up the abrupt cliff. Some 50 metres below, Rowald's heart nearly stopped when he saw the dark silhouette tumbling down the cliff. She had warned him that this might happen and assured him that she would be secured with the help of the pitons and rope, but hearing about it and actually seeing it happen were entirely different matters. He cursed himself for the umpteenth time for allowing her to get involved in this fight. It was not her fight and if he hadn't been so desperate to regain control over his conquered capital he would have refused her bargain from the very beginning. He knew he was beginning to have feelings for the strange vixen who had entered his life so suddenly not two weeks ago, but he decided this was not the time or place to explore the reasons why he didn't want her life endangered. Instead, he concentrated on reviewing the plan they had devised together. Earlier that day, their troops were enhanced by the small but well trained army of lord Blair of Xanar, one of the most powerful chieftains in the kingdom and an old ally of king Aldric. Their plan was that, after Aelia reached the tower, she would throw them ropes so that he and a selected few warriors could climb and make their way to the secret tunnel which ran underneath the walls of the fortress, where they would slay the guards and let in as many of their soldiers as possible. By now, the Syrtari invaders were aware of the troops camped outside the walls, but they had no reason to believe that they would attack so soon. To keep them busy, he had sent a message giving them an ultimatum to leave the city within three days time, offering them safe passage out of the kingdom. He knew they would refuse, relying on the famous impenetrability of the fortress, but figured they would not expect any trouble from him until the deadline expired. He was painfully aware of the many flaws in the plan. They had built it on the presumption that there was no guard in the tower. There usually wasn't one, because the cliff was considered the best possible protection from any assailants. But what if the Syrtars had decided to play it as safe as possible and posted guards? Of course, Aelia was not entirely helpless when it came to defending herself, but it was still very dangerous. That was assuming she made it up at all, and seeing her hang between life and death by a thin rope made him doubt the plan even more. It was close to dawn when she climbed over the parapet of the bastion tower. As they had expected, given the apparent impossibility of anyone climbing the high cliff to reach the tower, the conquerors of Caersten had placed no guard in that spot. She quickly secured the rope she had been carrying in her backpack to the flag pole and threw it into the darkness below. A few minutes later, it began to dangle, making it apparent that someone was using it to climb. "What in the name of Tiammar are you doing here?!!" She spun on her heels only to be thrown on the floor by a numbing backhand. The light of the emerging dawn began to fade... Rowald was the first to climb the rope sent down; it was a deadly plan and he wasn't going to let anyone else risk his life first. Of course, she had already done that, he told himself somewhat bitterly. As he approached the edge of the tower, he heard what could only be described the muffled sounds of a fight. He quickened his climbing pace and jumped over the parapet, only to be confronted with the sight of a huge soldier kneeling over Aelia. Without a second thought, he lunged forward, knocking the man over just a split second before the dagger he was holding reached her chest. The blow left the man dizzy long enough for Rowald to finish him off. "It sure took you a while to get here" she said, trying to sound light and sarcastic but failing to completely cover the shiver in her voice. She had spent the last few minutes (which had seemed as an eternity) keeping the burly Syrtari guard from cutting the rope, but it seemed like everything was over when she had tripped and fallen on her back just in time to watch his black grin and the shine of the dagger approaching her fast. The next seconds were a blur, as the man was knocked off her and she was suddenly free; at last, she saw her prince standing over the lifeless body of her would-be killer. He turned to her and, without hesitation, he took her in his arms and kissed her deeply. It was a kiss more intimate and more personal than any they had shared so far. In fact, she realized, as she melted against his rock-hard body, it was nothing like any kiss she had received before. "Emm... you think you two could maybe put this off until, I don't know, we finish taking this city back?" Maelwyn jumped over the edge and began tying another rope to the flag pole. Then he noticed the dead man in one of the corners of the platform and raised an eyebrow at the couple. "Yes, I'd also like to know what happened here. Why did you even enter the tower if you saw there was a guard?" Rowald's initial fear for her safety turned into anger. How could she had been so careless? The deal was to avoid endangering her life as much as possible during this mission, and she had gone and done just that. What if she had been... "He wasn't up here when I finished climbing. He came just as I threw you the rope. Can we argue about this later?" she retorted, her own temper flaring. "So you've been holding him back until Rowald got up?" Maelwyn was impressed. He had heard that she'd put up quite a fight when Rowald's border mission had taken her prisoner, but until now he was mostly inclined to attribute the stories to the men's rather creative imagination. "Yes, we've been having a very interesting conversation. Now, do you want to finish this or shall we all climb back down have our morning coffee?" More of the Farran soldiers had made their way up the ropes and the small squad was now ready for the next step of the plan. Aelia and Rowald locked eyes before he entered the narrow staircase leading into the fortress; it was a brief exchange but it spoke volumes. She would have to remain on the platform of the tower until victory was secured, but he knew her thoughts would be with him. Hours later, Rowald was enraged and frustrated. The attack had gone according to plan and they had slaughtered most of the Syrtari invaders; some had been taken prisoners and even fewer had managed to escape. His and Lord Blair's troops had suffered few losses, taking full advantage of the element of surprise. However, the traitor Anwirad was nowhere to be found. Rowald had been dreaming about tearing him apart limb from limb, and now it seemed that his revenge would have to wait. For now, he had to make sure his control over the city was secured and he had to quickly step into his new role as king. As the last of the Syrtars were either killed or tied and taken to the dungeons, he stood covered in blood on the balcony overlooking the main square of the city, the same his father used to address his people. It was a sunny day and he let the noon light wash over him. He looked at the people who were coming out of their houses or hiding place and gathering in the square; he listened to their cheers and assured them that they were now safe and that he would protect them; he announced that there was a reward on Anwirad's head. Aelia had begun to lose track of time in the tower looming over the northern part of the fortress. From where she was standing, she could hear the sounds of battle, but could see very little. She had agreed to wait until Rowald would send someone to get her, when he was sure the city was safe, but she was growing impatient. After a while, she decided that the suspense would kill her more surely than a Syrtari blade, so she began making her way down the inner staircase. The tower was much wider than the platform they had used as entry point, so she soon found herself roaming empty corridors and halls, some littered with bloody dead bodies. She had descended several levels when she reached a room which had a window overlooking a large square. As she peeked through it, she saw what seemed to be the royal palace on the other side of the square. The square was occupied by several hundred people, all cheering in the direction of the palace. She could see Rowald standing on a balcony, right hand raised towards the sky, bloody sword in his fist, as he spoke to them. His eyes roamed over the crowd and locked with hers. He smiled and the acclaims erupted again, even louder, although she knew the smile was meant for her, and only for her. Later that evening... Aelia was soaking in a hot, scented bath, eyes closed, while her mind was roaming over the events of the day. Just a week before, she would have laughed at anyone who would have told her that she would meet a Prince Charming and get involved in a violent battle to help him take his rightful throne. And now, she was bathing in a sumptuous apartment which looked like it belonged in one of the many museum castles she had visited, while her hair was being gently washed by a diligent servant girl. Later, as she put on a silk night gown and prepared to get some long-overdue sleep, she thought of him, this time wondering how he was coping with his father's death, now that his goal to retake the city had been achieved and there was nothing to keep his focus away from the loss he had suffered. She had only known him for a week, but she was sure that he wasn't the type to seek emotional support even in times like this. "Take me to the king's apartments, please" she asked the girl, as she was putting a long robe over the gown. Rowald was standing on the small balcony of his bedroom in the south side of the castle, taking in the spectacular view of the Seldain mountains. He had spent what remained of the day after the victory trying to locate his father's remains. Finally, one of the Syrtari prisoners had confessed that the body had been thrown into the sea, to prevent his people from burying him and turning his grave into a place of pilgrimage. That he would not even have a proper place to mourn his father served to enrage him even further, strengthening his decision retaliate against Syrta as soon as possible. A light tap on the door interrupted his plans for vengeance. He was only wearing some loose pants after his shower, but at this hour it could only be Maelwyn, so he didn't bother to put on a robe before opening the door. He was surprised to see Aelia standing in front of him, hand frozen in mid air as she was preparing to knock again and staring at his half naked body. "Are you going to come in, or do you prefer to just watch from there?" he asked, slightly amused. In truth, he was also mesmerised by her appearance; it was obvious that she had also bathed, her hair was still damp and she smelled delicious. His cock stirred as he remembered another evening when he had watched her bathe. "I thought you might like some company." She walked in and stopped in the centre of the room. Now that she was here it seemed a little awkward to come to his bedroom at such a late hour. He'd probably imagine she was offering to share his bed, and maybe that wasn't such an absurd thought... He smiled confidently and took her in his arms. "Why, yes, some company would be nice." Before he could kiss her and make her lose all reason, she pushed him away and took a step back. "I didn't mean THAT kind of company." He gave her the look of a child whose toy is being taken away. "What kind, then?" "I thought maybe you need someone to talk to. This must be hard on you and the pressure to seem tough all the time can't be helping." "I'm fine. I don't need talk about my father's death, I need to get out and take revenge on his killers." "It's up to you. Just know I'm here if you change your mind. Good night, Rowald." She turned and started for the door. "Wait" he stopped her. "What will you do now?" "Emm... get some sleep?" "No, I mean, I suppose you'll be heading back to Terfyn. I'm a man of my word, so you're free to do so." "Do you want me to go?" "You know I don't." "Do I? Because you haven't really been clear as to what you want from me." He gave her his stunning predatory smile and took her in his arms again. "Really? And I thought I was pretty clear..." "Yes, that you have. But you can get it from any woman. What do you want from ME?" she retorted, rather bitterly. Rowald let her go and turned around, taking a few steps towards the balcony, before stopping and turning back to her. He ran his fingers through his short but rich raven-black hair, a gesture she had noticed in him before and always made her want to do the same to him. "You're not like any woman I've met before. Yes, you're incredibly alluring and I want you in my bed, I think that's pretty obvious. But I also want to know you better. So, no, I don't want you to go. I just meant that I won't try to keep you against your will anymore." He had never spoken to a woman like that before; in fact, he had never really spoken to a woman. They were always just beautiful toys, there for his amusement and pleasure, whether they were mere servants or ladies of the court. She gazed him for a moment, completely caught off guard by his statement. Then, slowly, she walked over to him and ran her fingers through his hair. Without rushing, she stood on her toes and brought her lips closer to his. When he made no movement to meet her lips she whispered: "Well, are you going to kiss me then, or what?" Her tone flushed away the remnants of his hesitation and he encircled her with his arms; one hand firmly secured at the back of her head while the other roamed down her back, he kissed her deeply and passionately. She discovered with delight that the intimacy of that kiss in the tower was still there, and more. Her hands tightened in his hair as her body curved against his. Her body felt like it was in flames and it wasn't long before the kiss was not enough to satisfy the growing hunger. He seemed to agree wordlessly, as he swiftly removed her robe and pushed the night gown up her thighs. She wrapped her leg around his waist and moaned as his mouth descended in kisses down her neck, lowered the garment and stopped over her left breast, engulfing the hardened nipple. His hand continued to caress her body, moving lower and lower, over her firm ass and between her legs; she was already very wet and he pushed two fingers inside her hot core, moving gently in and out, while his thumb massaged her clit, making her whole body tremble with each touch. Her whimpers of pleasure nearly drove him over the edge. Promising himself to take his time exploring her body later, he picked her up in his arms and took her to the bed. He read the same passionate need in her eyes, so he set her down, tore the night gown and settled between her legs. With trembling fingers she began undoing his breeches, but the laces were making the task more difficult than she had expected. Fearing he would make a fool of himself, he took her hands and placed them on the headboard of the bed and quickly undid the troublesome strings. She bent her knees and wrapped her luscious legs around his waist while he guided his throbbing cock to her juicy entrance. He pushed slowly, enjoying every centimetre of her tight, hot and silky channel. Her hips rose to meet him and that was his undoing. In one swift move he buried himself completely in her welcoming pussy, drawing a sharp gasp from her lips. Her fists closed around the headboard as he withdrew and began to slam forcefully inside her. Just like him, she needed to first satisfy the most urgent need to feel him, before moving on to more thorough lovemaking. He was large and pushing roughly inside her tight body but she was enjoying the delightful combination of wild pleasure and delicious pain. Her hands moved on his back, burying her nails into his skin, then down to grab his butt cheeks and urge him to move even faster. Their eyes remained locked the whole time in an erotic visual coupling, while their skin was burning hotter and hotter. She was close, so very close; he could feel the first spasms of her orgasm almost before she did; her eyes were blurry and her creamy skin was flushed and shiny from the sweat. He grabbed her ass cheeks and began slamming into her harder, until she broke and began to shiver uncontrollably. She held on to his shoulders tightly as her world crumbled to pieces. Eyes closed, she was floating into an endless abyss of pleasure, crying out. He wrapped his arms around her and kissed the sensitive spot on her neck he had discovered earlier. When the waves finally began to subside, he turned her around and placed her on her belly; lifting her ass, he began thrusting with increased speed. He was so close to release and the sight of her slender back and perfectly round cheeks was making his blood boil even hotter. With a final thrust, he came hard inside her then collapsed on the bed next to this amazing woman, holding her body tight as he wondered how he was able to live so long without knowing such bliss. They remained entangled for a long time, feeling no need for words. Sensing that she was close to falling asleep in the king's bed, Aelia made an attempt to rise. Powerful arms held her back. "Where do you think you're going?" "Back to my room; how would it look if your servants would find me here in the morning?" she smiled, only half-heartedly trying to break away.