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haebinHere is the promised next chapter of my Fic "The Mistress of the Shadowland".
I really hope you'll enjoy it. ♥
Sadly I didn't have the chance to write something today because of a new pain flare but I hope that things will go better this week when I have the time. :)
Chapter I - Chapter II - Chapter III - Chapter IV
The old fisherman laboriously pulled his boat ashore and sank exhausted onto the edge when it was finally in its usual place. For safety, the man looped a rope around a dead tree trunk that was still about two meters in diameter and anchored deep in the ground so that the boat would not be lost even with a surprising tide.
Despite the long hours at sea in the blazing sun, he had not managed a successful catch. Shortly before rowing back to the beach, he had emptied the squid cages and was able to bring home a few octopoids.
Doran, as he was called, took a deep breath of the salty sea air, stretched and finally stood up. He reached for the octopuses and walked towards the house when he suddenly stopped in surprise.
His daughter was sitting on the beach not far from him, her hands folded in her lap and her gaze fixed on the vastness of the sea.
She was so deep in thought that Doran's surprise gave way to palpable anger.
“Anwyn!” he shouted angrily, snapping her out of her thoughts and making her look at him in shock.
“Do you want to end up as food for the Sahuagins, child? See that you get off the beach and run home!”
“But father,” Anwyn began, shaking his head. “It's safe here.”
“No, it's not,” her father shouted angrily. “It's never safe by the sea. Go back into the house and wait until I get back!”
His daughter bit her lip guiltily, but nevertheless stood up and followed her father's instructions.
The old man's heart was literally racing with anger, but behind this lay the fear of losing his child. As he approached the house, Anwyn stood uncertainly at the door and avoided his gaze.
“What makes you think you can sit on the beach, Anwyn? Didn't I raise you to know what dangers you were exposing yourself to?” His voice was dark with anger.
“Of course I know that, Father,” she replied with a hint of defiance in her voice. “I was born and raised by the sea, I know the dangers. And I didn't recognize any risk.”
Doran shook his head.
“If the Sahuagins flocked to the beach in pairs, it would have been too late and you wouldn't have stood a chance,” her father said angrily, hanging the squid over the wooden rack.
“I would have noticed,” Anwyn replied, looking at her father challengingly. “I know about the dangers.”
“Child,” Doran warned his daughter. “You know the dangers, but you can't defend yourself. Before you had taken a single step, you would have been impaled by their sharp spears and they would have eaten you alive. So don't try to lecture me. The beach is forbidden to you.”
“Father!”
“Do not argue with me, Anwyn.” He looked around the small forecourt and frowned. “Where is the wood you wanted to collect?”
“In the cellar,” Anwyn replied narrowly, avoiding her father's gaze as he stared at her sullenly.
This child's stubbornness is going to send me to my grave, he thought and walked around the house, opened the doors and stepped down into the cellar. At the bottom of the stairs, he stopped in surprise and called for his daughter.
Anwyn appeared in the cellar entrance and looked down at her father. When she noticed that he wasn't looking up at her, she walked down the few steps and stood next to him.
“The wood...” he mentioned and looked at her questioningly.
“Yes?”
“How did you get this amount of dead wood?”
“By collecting it,” Anwyn replied slowly.
“This amount? You can't even find that much wood in three days.”
Anwyn shrugged her shoulders as her father frowned at her and finally avoided his gaze.
“You couldn't have brought that much wood out of the forest on your own, Anwyn. Who helped you?”
“No one.”
“Anwyn.” There was clearly a warning in her father's voice. “You'd better not lie to me.”
“Well, it was someone from the village,” she replied quickly. “A child.”
“A child?” her father replied with a raised eyebrow. “And which child might that have been?”
“A child from the village. How was I supposed to know his name?”
“Anwyn,” her father warned his daugther again.
“Very well, there were several children and I gave them a few copper coins from my savings. I wanted to surprise you.” She crossed her arms in front of her chest. “Are you happy now?”
She turned, trudged up the steps and disappeared from his sight.
A group of village children in the forest? Doran wondered. Why would the children be so far away from their village? Had they come across Anwyn while playing or hunting?
It would have been possible, wouldn't it? Who else could have been a help to Anwyn?
The old man strode up the steps, closed the door behind him and went back into the house. Anwyn was sitting on her camp with her legs drawn up and one of the Barder's books in front of her, which she was reading.
For the rest of the evening, neither of them spoke a word to each other.
*****
It was early in the morning when the door to Trálír's chamber opened and the young Elf stepped into the corridor. A few torches still flickered on the walls to illuminate the dark long gallery, but he would have had no difficulty finding his way even in the darkness.
When Trálír had crossed through it, he turned left, walked down the grand staircase and entered the Great Hall.
The fire in the middle was already burning, but there was not a soul to be seen in the imposing hall.
Trálír's footsteps echoed through the high hall as he cut through it and then opened the wide double doors to the castle courtyard.
Despite the early hour, it was already relatively busy. Trálír nodded to the servants and strode into the stables, his eyes searching for the stable master.
"Good morning," Trálír greeted the older man and stepped up to Arod, who was standing attentively in his stall. He nuzzled his beloved horse’s neck and the stallion gave a contented snort.
"Fairre, would you please saddle Arod?"
The old man nodded, grabbed the blanket, saddle and bridle while Trálír walked a few steps further and stopped at a stall where a slightly smaller bay mare stood.
"Rodwen, my beauty," Trálír whispered and also scratched her behind her ears. The mare neighed delightedly. "We have a little adventure planned today, my noble one. I'm going to introduce you to a young woman whose heart is so big and wide that you could lose yourself in it."
He opened the stall and reached for a blanket lying on a stack of hay behind him. Trálír stood next to the mare and spread the blanket over her back.
He knew that Rodwen's character was calm and reliable, so he left the box and looked for a narrower saddle suitable for a woman. When he found one, he took it in his arms and stepped back into the box. Lost in thought, he saddled Rodwen first, then put the bridle on her.
"Why do you need a second horse?"
Trálír winced as he heard the dark voice of his younger brother. He turned with a sigh and looked reproachfully at Teárlach.
"You shouldn't always sneak up on me like that. It'll be the death of you someday."
"I doubt that since you have neither dagger nor sword at hand," Teárlach replied with a grin and leaned against the wall with one leg bent. He looked at his older brother attentively.
"Are you planning to sell Rodwen or why are you taking a second horse to the hunt?"
His particular emphasis was on the word hunt and Teárlach's smile was mocking. Trálír took a deep breath.
"I'm taking her so she can get some exercise," he replied curtly, looking at his younger brother with mild annoyance. Teárlach brushed back the shoulder-length black hair that had fallen into his face and then looked at the fingernails on his right hand with interest.
"Wouldn't that be the work of a groom, brother?"
Trálír remained silent and nuzzled the mare.
"Or do you want to impress your human lover with a ride together?"
Teárlach noted how Trálír's broad shoulders tensed at the mention of his human lover. A smile slid across his lips. He was on the right track.
"Perhaps you should take a lover too, Teárlach, and not keep yourself busy with me."
His younger brother raised a dark eyebrow in amusement.
"Who says I don't, brother? Do you think I only scurry around in dark vaults and utter dark magical words?"
Teárlach laughed. "I scurry around in dark vaults and drink my fill of the desires of human women who can't wait to give themselves to me."
Trálír rolled his eyes.
"Now come on, don't be a spoilsport. You seem to have gotten in on the fun yourself, don't you?"
Teárlach felt cold anger flare up in his brother.
Well, well, the firstborn is losing his temper, he thought with delight.
Trálír turned slowly to face his brother and he could barely suppress the anger in his blue-green eyes.
"Fine, go ahead and make fun of me, Teárlach. I have more important things to do," the elf said curtly, grabbing the mare's and Arod's reins and striding past his brother, who held his hands up almost apologetically.
"I was just joking," Teárlach called after his brother, but he left the stables without saying another word. Before leaving the castle, he went to the blacksmith and grabbed a sword, two daggers, a bow and his quiver.
Trálír had no idea that this decision would save his and Anwyn's lives.
*****
"Anwyn?"
Surprised, Anwyn lifted her head from the trousers she was mending and tilted her head to the side as if she had imagined that someone had called out to her.
Didn't that sound like Trálír's voice? she asked herself, putting the trousers, needle and thread aside and rose from her chair. She opened the door and saw the High Elf elegantly dismount from Arod, wrap his reins around the handle of the stable door and smile at her. To Anwyn's astonishment, a small mare stood patiently beside him while he held her reins in his left hand.
"Trálír," Anwyn called out in surprise, looking first at him and then at the horse standing next to the elf. "I don't understand."
"You told me you could ride," Trálír replied, beaming with joy and pointing at the mare. "This is Rodwen, a mare of noble blood, strong and yet obedient. She would certainly enjoy a ride by the sea."
He looked at Anwyn curiously. "And you too, perhaps?"
"I don't know," Anwyn replied slowly as she remembered her father's words. A shadow slid across her pretty face, which did not go unnoticed by Trálír. He frowned and looked at her questioningly. As she had done so many times before, she avoided his gaze and intertwined her fingers. Ever since he had known her, this was a sign that something was on her mind.
Trálír also tied the mare's reins to the stable door and then walked towards Anwyn. She looked at him uncertainly as he came closer step by step and then turned her gaze back to the ground. When Trálír stood in front of her, he tenderly took her hands in his and his voice was soft.
"Anwyn, is there something weighing on your heart?"
She shook her head but Trálír sensed the heaviness in her thoughts.
"If I have surprised you or my presence is not agreeable to you, I will leave immediately. There is nothing I wish to impose on you."
Anwyn looked up at him and her voice was quiet. "It's … I want ..." She broke off with a sigh.
"What do you want?" Trálír asked gently and stroked her fingers tenderly with his thumbs.
Anwyn took a deep breath but the words she would have liked to say did not come out. Trálír realized that she was struggling with her thoughts and emotions.
"Close your eyes."
He looked at her encouragingly as their eyes crossed.
Anwyn took another deep breath, then closed her eyes.
"What do you want?" Trálír repeated softly.
"I want to feel the wind in my hair," Anwyn whispered. "I want to feel the horse carry me across the sand, feel the spray on my skin, listen to the gallop of the horses."
Trálír smiled.
"And I want to know that you are riding next to me. I want to experience this together with you."
He leaned forward to Anwyn and kissed her tenderly while placing his right hand gently on her cheek.
"So be it," Trálír whispered as their lips parted. He grabbed her hand and was about to walk towards the horses when she suddenly stopped.
"Wait a moment," Anwyn said and closed the door of the house behind him. You never knew who or what might find their way into an open building. Together they walked to the horses and Trálír helped Anwyn into the saddle. As his hands clasped her right ankle to help her, Anwyn felt her heart beat up to her throat. She was wearing a simple white linen dress and since her mare's saddle was not a side saddle, she sat astride the horse.
Anwyn noticed that her dress slipped up to her knees, giving Trálír a clear view of her bare legs.
He let go of her ankle at that moment and looked up at her.
And it was as if Anwyn was lost in his gaze.
Only when Arod let out a neigh did the two break away from each other and Anwyn watched as Trálír swung himself onto the saddle and reached for the reins.
He clicked his tongue and the stallion set off. Anwyn's mare followed without hesitation and she relaxed on the saddle. She held the reins with her right hand while she stroked the horse's neck reassuringly with the other.
Anwyn felt comfortable and safe on the mare that Trálír had brought with him as the horses made their way towards the beach.
For a brief moment she thought of her father at sea and wondered if he would discover her on the beach, but then she pushed that thought far away from her. She didn't want to think about anything else at that moment but herself, Trálír, the horses and the feeling of being able to leave everything behind.
When they reached the beach, the horses switched from a walk to a trot for a few dozen meters. Anwyn looked with a laugh at Trálír, who nodded for her to gallop. Without her giving the command, her mare also fell into a canter to follow Arod.
The wind in her hair, the spray splashing against her bare legs, the feeling of the horse galloping beneath her filled Anwyn with such intense joy that she had never experienced before.
After a few hundred meters at full gallop, Trálír reined in his stallion and fell into a relaxed trot before telling him to stop. Anwyn, who had been riding behind him, also stopped.
"That was fantastic," she called happily to Trálír as he got off his horse, walked towards the mare and put his hands around Anwyn's waist, who literally jumped towards him.
"Then I was right that you would enjoy this ride?"
"Of course," Anwyn replied breathlessly and brushed her hair out of her face. Her face was flushed but this time not out of shame or insecurity but out of pure joy. "I can hardly find the right words for what all this has triggered in me."
"You don't need to find words for it, I can see it in your eyes," Trálír replied and smiled. Only now did Anwyn realize that she was only a few centimeters away from the high elf and that his hands were still on her waist.
And without thinking, she stood on tiptoe and kissed him with her eyes closed.
The kiss was tender and innocent, but then Anwyn opened her lips and allowed Trálír to enter, exploring her gently.
His grip tightened, as did the pressure of his lips, then he suddenly reached under her legs and lifted her up without breaking the kiss.
When he reached a small dune protected by tall grass, he went to his knees and gently set Anwyn down.
"The horses?" she asked in a whisper.
"They won't need us right now," he replied with a grin. Anwyn put her hands on the back of his neck and pulled Trálír with her into the warm sand. Closing her eyes, she found his lips and explored him gently.
His lips were warm and soft, his tongue slid into her mouth, playing with her and his even teeth nibbled gently on her lower lip. Anwyn pulled Trálír closer, his hands sliding down either side of her dress from her waist to her thighs. As she felt his fingers on the edge of her skirt, she felt a heat inside her which was a complete new experience for her. Unconsciously, a moan slipped from Anwyn's lips and she felt Trálír's body tense. His right index finger slid over the inside of her thigh and Anwyn's kiss became more urgent.
Her hands slid from his face to his neck and along his shoulders.
But then suddenly an ominous roar sounded from a conch shell and Anwyn's blood froze in her veins.
Trálír tore immediately himself away from her and pushed Anwyn with his left hand at the same time.
The horses neighed fearfully and she saw out of the corner of her eye that they fell into a panicked gallop, leaving her and Trálír behind.
Anwyn looked towards the beach and saw five Sahugains rising from the water.
"Sea Devils," she whispered, terrified. Everything inside her screamed to flee, but she was trapped in a state of shock and couldn't move. Her eyes widened in horror as she saw Trálír quickly stand up and unsheathe his sword while the humanoid creatures approached him lurking, raising their spears in his direction and letting out guttural cries.
The five monsters were male in size and the streaky scales on their bodies were green, darker on their backs and lighter on their bellies. Despite their obvious resemblance to fish, they walked on two legs, and the webbed feet and hands seemed to give them no trouble on the sand.
The largest of the Sahuagin gave a shrill cry as it opened its powerful jaws, revealing its long and sharp fangs. The four remaining humanoids approached Trálír and began to encircle him. Anwyn watched with a racing heart as they came closer to the waiting elf and then suddenly realized out of the corner of her eye that the largest, the leader, was walking towards her. His bright green eyes glittered dangerously.
With a gasp, Anwyn pushed herself backwards and tried to stand up, but she got caught in the long dune grass and lost her balance. Another cry rang out from the Sahuagin's mouth and its slimy hands grabbed her ankle. Anwyn screamed in panic as gurgling noises came from the humanoid's mouth, his vision clouded and he slumped to the ground.
Anwyn saw that a dagger was stuck in the back of his head and her gaze slid to Trálír, whose body was turned sideways towards the four monsters as he had thrown the dagger.
A Sahuagin gave an angry cry and charged forward, its spear aimed directly at Trálír's chest. The Elf, however, turned quickly and skillfully to the side so that the spear slid along his upper arm. A quick thrust with the sword and the second Sahuagin warrior fell to the ground with a stab wound in his chest.
At that moment, the remaining three humanoids rushed at Trálír, who skillfully dodged their blows and parried with his sword. A scream followed and Anwyn saw a severed arm lying on the sand, followed by more blows from the weapons. Guttural screams, Trálír's sword clashed with another spear and Anwyn heard fabric tearing.
The smell of salt, fish and blood was overwhelming and she saw Trálír turn agilely, parry the numerous attempts of the remaining spears to impale him with his sword, take a few steps to the side, then take a step forward, stab, raise the sword and let it swing down. Another guttural scream, another severed arm. Anwyn saw his shirt turn red as he cut off the last Sahuagin warrior's head with a powerful blow from his sword, which came rolling to rest at her feet.
The humanoid body collapsed and Trálír immediately ran to Anwyn, who looked at him in panic with wide eyes.
"Anwyn!" Trálír kicked the severed head aside, dropped his sword and went to his knees in front of her. "Are you hurt?"
She shook her head. Breathing heavily, Trálír pulled Anwyn into his arms and stroked her back reassuringly. He heard her whisper something and loosened his embrace so he could look at her.
"What did you say?"
"It's my fault," she replied haltingly. "The Sahuagins. It's my fault."
"How could it be your fault?" Trálír asked, shaking his head.
"My father," Anwyn began and then broke off. Her eyes filled with tears. Trálír put his hand to her face and caught the tear with his thumb. "He had warned me yesterday and I ignored his words. He told me I have to be careful."
She looked up at him, ashamed. "I should have known something like that could happen. How could I have forgotten that everything in this damn place is a danger? I... I... am so stupid."
"Shh," Trálír whispered, looking deep into her eyes. "It's not your fault, Anwyn. Sahuagins have been terrorizing the shores of the land since the beginning of time. This could have happened to us anywhere, at any time."
He reached for her hand. "Can you get up?"
Anwyn nodded and her gaze fell on Trálír's shirt, which was bloodstained on the right sleeve and showed a deep cut across his chest that was also soaked with blood.
"You're hurt!" Anwyn said in horror, but the Elf shook his head and replied in a clear voice: "It's just scratches, nothing to worry about."
While Trálír helped Anwyn to his feet, he let out a loud whistle and only a few seconds later Arod appeared in his field of vision. Rodwen followed the stallion hesitantly.
"Arod, over here," Trálír ordered the stallion to him and as he stood beside him, he reached around Anwyn's waist and placed her on the horse. Without another word, he swung onto the horse's back behind her. With his left hand he grabbed the reins while with his right hand he reached around Anwyn's waist and pulled her against him so that she could lean against his chest.
He pressed his heels lightly into the stallion's flanks, which fell into a relaxed trot as they headed back towards Anwyn’s Home.
The mare followed her master and the older stallion obediently.
The sun was at its highest point, burning down mercilessly on Trálír and Anwyn as they reached the small courtyard. The whole ride Trálír's arm was around Anwyn's waist to support her and he could still feel the tension in her body. Even though it had been a while since the attack, he could feel her heart pounding in her chest.
Trálír let go of Anwyn, dismounted and put his hands around her waist to help her off the horse. She sank against him, but immediately cleared her throat and took an unsteady step back. Trálír looked down at her and whispered, "Are you sure you can stand, Anwyn?"
She nodded. "Yes, I'm not hurt."
Her gaze fastened on his face. "But you are!"
Anwyn took another step back and stared pale at the blood-covered shirt. "Let me help you," she said, pointing at the house.
Trálír gave an affirmative nod and pointed to the horses. "I'll take Arod and Rodwen to the run for safety."
Trálír watched worried as Anwyn turned and walked unsteadily to the house, opened the door and disappeared inside.
The attack had shaken her to the core.
Trálír grabbed the reins of the horses and led them around the stable to the back of the house where there was a run. As he opened the gate, he scolded himself for persuading Anwyn to go for a ride.
How had it slipped his mind that life on Faerûn was such a struggle and danger for the humans and so many other races?
As a High Elf, especially as a firstborn, he was practiced in combat and could defend himself or attack. For decades he was trained in the art of sword, bow and arrows, daggers and spears.
A human like Anwyn? If she was unlucky enough to encounter one of the numerous monsters alone, she would have no chance of survival. How often had he stumbled across mangled and torn bodies in the woods or on the coast in the past? Even in small groups, there was no safety when encountering Faerûn's creatures.
She had also mentioned that her father had spoken of the Sea Devils only yesterday.
Trálír led Arod and Rodwen into the run, closed the gate behind them and looked out to sea. It was not far from the courtyard and another attack could come at any time. Was her father skilled with a sword? Would he have the ability to defend Anwyn and himself?
She had confessed to Trálír in the forest that she would have liked to dedicate herself to the art of healing, but had decided against it in order to be of help to her father.
But life on the coast held many dangers, as she had experienced today.
Trálír sighed as he walked back to the house. The door was open and he stopped, knocked gently on the doorframe and saw Anwyn turn around, holding a small glass bottle in her hands.
"Please, come in," she said, pointing to the chair. Trálír had to bend a little to step through the door, then he took a seat in the chair and watched Anwyn walk from the table to a shelf on the wall, open a small casket and take something out of it. He watched as she returned to him, a small knife in one hand and a clean piece of cloth in the other.
"I... um... your tunic." Anwyn faltered.
"Should I take this off?" Trálír asked, biting his lip to keep from smiling. They had already kissed, carefully explored each other's bodies - at least that was true for him - and now she stood in front of him, embarrassed that he was taking off his shirt.
She nodded and Trálír reached for the edge of his tunic to pull it off. As he raised his right arm, he flinched unconsciously.
I really hope you'll enjoy it. ♥
Sadly I didn't have the chance to write something today because of a new pain flare but I hope that things will go better this week when I have the time. :)
Chapter I - Chapter II - Chapter III - Chapter IV
The old fisherman laboriously pulled his boat ashore and sank exhausted onto the edge when it was finally in its usual place. For safety, the man looped a rope around a dead tree trunk that was still about two meters in diameter and anchored deep in the ground so that the boat would not be lost even with a surprising tide.
Despite the long hours at sea in the blazing sun, he had not managed a successful catch. Shortly before rowing back to the beach, he had emptied the squid cages and was able to bring home a few octopoids.
Doran, as he was called, took a deep breath of the salty sea air, stretched and finally stood up. He reached for the octopuses and walked towards the house when he suddenly stopped in surprise.
His daughter was sitting on the beach not far from him, her hands folded in her lap and her gaze fixed on the vastness of the sea.
She was so deep in thought that Doran's surprise gave way to palpable anger.
“Anwyn!” he shouted angrily, snapping her out of her thoughts and making her look at him in shock.
“Do you want to end up as food for the Sahuagins, child? See that you get off the beach and run home!”
“But father,” Anwyn began, shaking his head. “It's safe here.”
“No, it's not,” her father shouted angrily. “It's never safe by the sea. Go back into the house and wait until I get back!”
His daughter bit her lip guiltily, but nevertheless stood up and followed her father's instructions.
The old man's heart was literally racing with anger, but behind this lay the fear of losing his child. As he approached the house, Anwyn stood uncertainly at the door and avoided his gaze.
“What makes you think you can sit on the beach, Anwyn? Didn't I raise you to know what dangers you were exposing yourself to?” His voice was dark with anger.
“Of course I know that, Father,” she replied with a hint of defiance in her voice. “I was born and raised by the sea, I know the dangers. And I didn't recognize any risk.”
Doran shook his head.
“If the Sahuagins flocked to the beach in pairs, it would have been too late and you wouldn't have stood a chance,” her father said angrily, hanging the squid over the wooden rack.
“I would have noticed,” Anwyn replied, looking at her father challengingly. “I know about the dangers.”
“Child,” Doran warned his daughter. “You know the dangers, but you can't defend yourself. Before you had taken a single step, you would have been impaled by their sharp spears and they would have eaten you alive. So don't try to lecture me. The beach is forbidden to you.”
“Father!”
“Do not argue with me, Anwyn.” He looked around the small forecourt and frowned. “Where is the wood you wanted to collect?”
“In the cellar,” Anwyn replied narrowly, avoiding her father's gaze as he stared at her sullenly.
This child's stubbornness is going to send me to my grave, he thought and walked around the house, opened the doors and stepped down into the cellar. At the bottom of the stairs, he stopped in surprise and called for his daughter.
Anwyn appeared in the cellar entrance and looked down at her father. When she noticed that he wasn't looking up at her, she walked down the few steps and stood next to him.
“The wood...” he mentioned and looked at her questioningly.
“Yes?”
“How did you get this amount of dead wood?”
“By collecting it,” Anwyn replied slowly.
“This amount? You can't even find that much wood in three days.”
Anwyn shrugged her shoulders as her father frowned at her and finally avoided his gaze.
“You couldn't have brought that much wood out of the forest on your own, Anwyn. Who helped you?”
“No one.”
“Anwyn.” There was clearly a warning in her father's voice. “You'd better not lie to me.”
“Well, it was someone from the village,” she replied quickly. “A child.”
“A child?” her father replied with a raised eyebrow. “And which child might that have been?”
“A child from the village. How was I supposed to know his name?”
“Anwyn,” her father warned his daugther again.
“Very well, there were several children and I gave them a few copper coins from my savings. I wanted to surprise you.” She crossed her arms in front of her chest. “Are you happy now?”
She turned, trudged up the steps and disappeared from his sight.
A group of village children in the forest? Doran wondered. Why would the children be so far away from their village? Had they come across Anwyn while playing or hunting?
It would have been possible, wouldn't it? Who else could have been a help to Anwyn?
The old man strode up the steps, closed the door behind him and went back into the house. Anwyn was sitting on her camp with her legs drawn up and one of the Barder's books in front of her, which she was reading.
For the rest of the evening, neither of them spoke a word to each other.
It was early in the morning when the door to Trálír's chamber opened and the young Elf stepped into the corridor. A few torches still flickered on the walls to illuminate the dark long gallery, but he would have had no difficulty finding his way even in the darkness.
When Trálír had crossed through it, he turned left, walked down the grand staircase and entered the Great Hall.
The fire in the middle was already burning, but there was not a soul to be seen in the imposing hall.
Trálír's footsteps echoed through the high hall as he cut through it and then opened the wide double doors to the castle courtyard.
Despite the early hour, it was already relatively busy. Trálír nodded to the servants and strode into the stables, his eyes searching for the stable master.
"Good morning," Trálír greeted the older man and stepped up to Arod, who was standing attentively in his stall. He nuzzled his beloved horse’s neck and the stallion gave a contented snort.
"Fairre, would you please saddle Arod?"
The old man nodded, grabbed the blanket, saddle and bridle while Trálír walked a few steps further and stopped at a stall where a slightly smaller bay mare stood.
"Rodwen, my beauty," Trálír whispered and also scratched her behind her ears. The mare neighed delightedly. "We have a little adventure planned today, my noble one. I'm going to introduce you to a young woman whose heart is so big and wide that you could lose yourself in it."
He opened the stall and reached for a blanket lying on a stack of hay behind him. Trálír stood next to the mare and spread the blanket over her back.
He knew that Rodwen's character was calm and reliable, so he left the box and looked for a narrower saddle suitable for a woman. When he found one, he took it in his arms and stepped back into the box. Lost in thought, he saddled Rodwen first, then put the bridle on her.
"Why do you need a second horse?"
Trálír winced as he heard the dark voice of his younger brother. He turned with a sigh and looked reproachfully at Teárlach.
"You shouldn't always sneak up on me like that. It'll be the death of you someday."
"I doubt that since you have neither dagger nor sword at hand," Teárlach replied with a grin and leaned against the wall with one leg bent. He looked at his older brother attentively.
"Are you planning to sell Rodwen or why are you taking a second horse to the hunt?"
His particular emphasis was on the word hunt and Teárlach's smile was mocking. Trálír took a deep breath.
"I'm taking her so she can get some exercise," he replied curtly, looking at his younger brother with mild annoyance. Teárlach brushed back the shoulder-length black hair that had fallen into his face and then looked at the fingernails on his right hand with interest.
"Wouldn't that be the work of a groom, brother?"
Trálír remained silent and nuzzled the mare.
"Or do you want to impress your human lover with a ride together?"
Teárlach noted how Trálír's broad shoulders tensed at the mention of his human lover. A smile slid across his lips. He was on the right track.
"Perhaps you should take a lover too, Teárlach, and not keep yourself busy with me."
His younger brother raised a dark eyebrow in amusement.
"Who says I don't, brother? Do you think I only scurry around in dark vaults and utter dark magical words?"
Teárlach laughed. "I scurry around in dark vaults and drink my fill of the desires of human women who can't wait to give themselves to me."
Trálír rolled his eyes.
"Now come on, don't be a spoilsport. You seem to have gotten in on the fun yourself, don't you?"
Teárlach felt cold anger flare up in his brother.
Well, well, the firstborn is losing his temper, he thought with delight.
Trálír turned slowly to face his brother and he could barely suppress the anger in his blue-green eyes.
"Fine, go ahead and make fun of me, Teárlach. I have more important things to do," the elf said curtly, grabbing the mare's and Arod's reins and striding past his brother, who held his hands up almost apologetically.
"I was just joking," Teárlach called after his brother, but he left the stables without saying another word. Before leaving the castle, he went to the blacksmith and grabbed a sword, two daggers, a bow and his quiver.
Trálír had no idea that this decision would save his and Anwyn's lives.
"Anwyn?"
Surprised, Anwyn lifted her head from the trousers she was mending and tilted her head to the side as if she had imagined that someone had called out to her.
Didn't that sound like Trálír's voice? she asked herself, putting the trousers, needle and thread aside and rose from her chair. She opened the door and saw the High Elf elegantly dismount from Arod, wrap his reins around the handle of the stable door and smile at her. To Anwyn's astonishment, a small mare stood patiently beside him while he held her reins in his left hand.
"Trálír," Anwyn called out in surprise, looking first at him and then at the horse standing next to the elf. "I don't understand."
"You told me you could ride," Trálír replied, beaming with joy and pointing at the mare. "This is Rodwen, a mare of noble blood, strong and yet obedient. She would certainly enjoy a ride by the sea."
He looked at Anwyn curiously. "And you too, perhaps?"
"I don't know," Anwyn replied slowly as she remembered her father's words. A shadow slid across her pretty face, which did not go unnoticed by Trálír. He frowned and looked at her questioningly. As she had done so many times before, she avoided his gaze and intertwined her fingers. Ever since he had known her, this was a sign that something was on her mind.
Trálír also tied the mare's reins to the stable door and then walked towards Anwyn. She looked at him uncertainly as he came closer step by step and then turned her gaze back to the ground. When Trálír stood in front of her, he tenderly took her hands in his and his voice was soft.
"Anwyn, is there something weighing on your heart?"
She shook her head but Trálír sensed the heaviness in her thoughts.
"If I have surprised you or my presence is not agreeable to you, I will leave immediately. There is nothing I wish to impose on you."
Anwyn looked up at him and her voice was quiet. "It's … I want ..." She broke off with a sigh.
"What do you want?" Trálír asked gently and stroked her fingers tenderly with his thumbs.
Anwyn took a deep breath but the words she would have liked to say did not come out. Trálír realized that she was struggling with her thoughts and emotions.
"Close your eyes."
He looked at her encouragingly as their eyes crossed.
Anwyn took another deep breath, then closed her eyes.
"What do you want?" Trálír repeated softly.
"I want to feel the wind in my hair," Anwyn whispered. "I want to feel the horse carry me across the sand, feel the spray on my skin, listen to the gallop of the horses."
Trálír smiled.
"And I want to know that you are riding next to me. I want to experience this together with you."
He leaned forward to Anwyn and kissed her tenderly while placing his right hand gently on her cheek.
"So be it," Trálír whispered as their lips parted. He grabbed her hand and was about to walk towards the horses when she suddenly stopped.
"Wait a moment," Anwyn said and closed the door of the house behind him. You never knew who or what might find their way into an open building. Together they walked to the horses and Trálír helped Anwyn into the saddle. As his hands clasped her right ankle to help her, Anwyn felt her heart beat up to her throat. She was wearing a simple white linen dress and since her mare's saddle was not a side saddle, she sat astride the horse.
Anwyn noticed that her dress slipped up to her knees, giving Trálír a clear view of her bare legs.
He let go of her ankle at that moment and looked up at her.
And it was as if Anwyn was lost in his gaze.
Only when Arod let out a neigh did the two break away from each other and Anwyn watched as Trálír swung himself onto the saddle and reached for the reins.
He clicked his tongue and the stallion set off. Anwyn's mare followed without hesitation and she relaxed on the saddle. She held the reins with her right hand while she stroked the horse's neck reassuringly with the other.
Anwyn felt comfortable and safe on the mare that Trálír had brought with him as the horses made their way towards the beach.
For a brief moment she thought of her father at sea and wondered if he would discover her on the beach, but then she pushed that thought far away from her. She didn't want to think about anything else at that moment but herself, Trálír, the horses and the feeling of being able to leave everything behind.
When they reached the beach, the horses switched from a walk to a trot for a few dozen meters. Anwyn looked with a laugh at Trálír, who nodded for her to gallop. Without her giving the command, her mare also fell into a canter to follow Arod.
The wind in her hair, the spray splashing against her bare legs, the feeling of the horse galloping beneath her filled Anwyn with such intense joy that she had never experienced before.
After a few hundred meters at full gallop, Trálír reined in his stallion and fell into a relaxed trot before telling him to stop. Anwyn, who had been riding behind him, also stopped.
"That was fantastic," she called happily to Trálír as he got off his horse, walked towards the mare and put his hands around Anwyn's waist, who literally jumped towards him.
"Then I was right that you would enjoy this ride?"
"Of course," Anwyn replied breathlessly and brushed her hair out of her face. Her face was flushed but this time not out of shame or insecurity but out of pure joy. "I can hardly find the right words for what all this has triggered in me."
"You don't need to find words for it, I can see it in your eyes," Trálír replied and smiled. Only now did Anwyn realize that she was only a few centimeters away from the high elf and that his hands were still on her waist.
And without thinking, she stood on tiptoe and kissed him with her eyes closed.
The kiss was tender and innocent, but then Anwyn opened her lips and allowed Trálír to enter, exploring her gently.
His grip tightened, as did the pressure of his lips, then he suddenly reached under her legs and lifted her up without breaking the kiss.
When he reached a small dune protected by tall grass, he went to his knees and gently set Anwyn down.
"The horses?" she asked in a whisper.
"They won't need us right now," he replied with a grin. Anwyn put her hands on the back of his neck and pulled Trálír with her into the warm sand. Closing her eyes, she found his lips and explored him gently.
His lips were warm and soft, his tongue slid into her mouth, playing with her and his even teeth nibbled gently on her lower lip. Anwyn pulled Trálír closer, his hands sliding down either side of her dress from her waist to her thighs. As she felt his fingers on the edge of her skirt, she felt a heat inside her which was a complete new experience for her. Unconsciously, a moan slipped from Anwyn's lips and she felt Trálír's body tense. His right index finger slid over the inside of her thigh and Anwyn's kiss became more urgent.
Her hands slid from his face to his neck and along his shoulders.
But then suddenly an ominous roar sounded from a conch shell and Anwyn's blood froze in her veins.
Trálír tore immediately himself away from her and pushed Anwyn with his left hand at the same time.
The horses neighed fearfully and she saw out of the corner of her eye that they fell into a panicked gallop, leaving her and Trálír behind.
Anwyn looked towards the beach and saw five Sahugains rising from the water.
"Sea Devils," she whispered, terrified. Everything inside her screamed to flee, but she was trapped in a state of shock and couldn't move. Her eyes widened in horror as she saw Trálír quickly stand up and unsheathe his sword while the humanoid creatures approached him lurking, raising their spears in his direction and letting out guttural cries.
The five monsters were male in size and the streaky scales on their bodies were green, darker on their backs and lighter on their bellies. Despite their obvious resemblance to fish, they walked on two legs, and the webbed feet and hands seemed to give them no trouble on the sand.
The largest of the Sahuagin gave a shrill cry as it opened its powerful jaws, revealing its long and sharp fangs. The four remaining humanoids approached Trálír and began to encircle him. Anwyn watched with a racing heart as they came closer to the waiting elf and then suddenly realized out of the corner of her eye that the largest, the leader, was walking towards her. His bright green eyes glittered dangerously.
With a gasp, Anwyn pushed herself backwards and tried to stand up, but she got caught in the long dune grass and lost her balance. Another cry rang out from the Sahuagin's mouth and its slimy hands grabbed her ankle. Anwyn screamed in panic as gurgling noises came from the humanoid's mouth, his vision clouded and he slumped to the ground.
Anwyn saw that a dagger was stuck in the back of his head and her gaze slid to Trálír, whose body was turned sideways towards the four monsters as he had thrown the dagger.
A Sahuagin gave an angry cry and charged forward, its spear aimed directly at Trálír's chest. The Elf, however, turned quickly and skillfully to the side so that the spear slid along his upper arm. A quick thrust with the sword and the second Sahuagin warrior fell to the ground with a stab wound in his chest.
At that moment, the remaining three humanoids rushed at Trálír, who skillfully dodged their blows and parried with his sword. A scream followed and Anwyn saw a severed arm lying on the sand, followed by more blows from the weapons. Guttural screams, Trálír's sword clashed with another spear and Anwyn heard fabric tearing.
The smell of salt, fish and blood was overwhelming and she saw Trálír turn agilely, parry the numerous attempts of the remaining spears to impale him with his sword, take a few steps to the side, then take a step forward, stab, raise the sword and let it swing down. Another guttural scream, another severed arm. Anwyn saw his shirt turn red as he cut off the last Sahuagin warrior's head with a powerful blow from his sword, which came rolling to rest at her feet.
The humanoid body collapsed and Trálír immediately ran to Anwyn, who looked at him in panic with wide eyes.
"Anwyn!" Trálír kicked the severed head aside, dropped his sword and went to his knees in front of her. "Are you hurt?"
She shook her head. Breathing heavily, Trálír pulled Anwyn into his arms and stroked her back reassuringly. He heard her whisper something and loosened his embrace so he could look at her.
"What did you say?"
"It's my fault," she replied haltingly. "The Sahuagins. It's my fault."
"How could it be your fault?" Trálír asked, shaking his head.
"My father," Anwyn began and then broke off. Her eyes filled with tears. Trálír put his hand to her face and caught the tear with his thumb. "He had warned me yesterday and I ignored his words. He told me I have to be careful."
She looked up at him, ashamed. "I should have known something like that could happen. How could I have forgotten that everything in this damn place is a danger? I... I... am so stupid."
"Shh," Trálír whispered, looking deep into her eyes. "It's not your fault, Anwyn. Sahuagins have been terrorizing the shores of the land since the beginning of time. This could have happened to us anywhere, at any time."
He reached for her hand. "Can you get up?"
Anwyn nodded and her gaze fell on Trálír's shirt, which was bloodstained on the right sleeve and showed a deep cut across his chest that was also soaked with blood.
"You're hurt!" Anwyn said in horror, but the Elf shook his head and replied in a clear voice: "It's just scratches, nothing to worry about."
While Trálír helped Anwyn to his feet, he let out a loud whistle and only a few seconds later Arod appeared in his field of vision. Rodwen followed the stallion hesitantly.
"Arod, over here," Trálír ordered the stallion to him and as he stood beside him, he reached around Anwyn's waist and placed her on the horse. Without another word, he swung onto the horse's back behind her. With his left hand he grabbed the reins while with his right hand he reached around Anwyn's waist and pulled her against him so that she could lean against his chest.
He pressed his heels lightly into the stallion's flanks, which fell into a relaxed trot as they headed back towards Anwyn’s Home.
The mare followed her master and the older stallion obediently.
The sun was at its highest point, burning down mercilessly on Trálír and Anwyn as they reached the small courtyard. The whole ride Trálír's arm was around Anwyn's waist to support her and he could still feel the tension in her body. Even though it had been a while since the attack, he could feel her heart pounding in her chest.
Trálír let go of Anwyn, dismounted and put his hands around her waist to help her off the horse. She sank against him, but immediately cleared her throat and took an unsteady step back. Trálír looked down at her and whispered, "Are you sure you can stand, Anwyn?"
She nodded. "Yes, I'm not hurt."
Her gaze fastened on his face. "But you are!"
Anwyn took another step back and stared pale at the blood-covered shirt. "Let me help you," she said, pointing at the house.
Trálír gave an affirmative nod and pointed to the horses. "I'll take Arod and Rodwen to the run for safety."
Trálír watched worried as Anwyn turned and walked unsteadily to the house, opened the door and disappeared inside.
The attack had shaken her to the core.
Trálír grabbed the reins of the horses and led them around the stable to the back of the house where there was a run. As he opened the gate, he scolded himself for persuading Anwyn to go for a ride.
How had it slipped his mind that life on Faerûn was such a struggle and danger for the humans and so many other races?
As a High Elf, especially as a firstborn, he was practiced in combat and could defend himself or attack. For decades he was trained in the art of sword, bow and arrows, daggers and spears.
A human like Anwyn? If she was unlucky enough to encounter one of the numerous monsters alone, she would have no chance of survival. How often had he stumbled across mangled and torn bodies in the woods or on the coast in the past? Even in small groups, there was no safety when encountering Faerûn's creatures.
She had also mentioned that her father had spoken of the Sea Devils only yesterday.
Trálír led Arod and Rodwen into the run, closed the gate behind them and looked out to sea. It was not far from the courtyard and another attack could come at any time. Was her father skilled with a sword? Would he have the ability to defend Anwyn and himself?
She had confessed to Trálír in the forest that she would have liked to dedicate herself to the art of healing, but had decided against it in order to be of help to her father.
But life on the coast held many dangers, as she had experienced today.
Trálír sighed as he walked back to the house. The door was open and he stopped, knocked gently on the doorframe and saw Anwyn turn around, holding a small glass bottle in her hands.
"Please, come in," she said, pointing to the chair. Trálír had to bend a little to step through the door, then he took a seat in the chair and watched Anwyn walk from the table to a shelf on the wall, open a small casket and take something out of it. He watched as she returned to him, a small knife in one hand and a clean piece of cloth in the other.
"I... um... your tunic." Anwyn faltered.
"Should I take this off?" Trálír asked, biting his lip to keep from smiling. They had already kissed, carefully explored each other's bodies - at least that was true for him - and now she stood in front of him, embarrassed that he was taking off his shirt.
She nodded and Trálír reached for the edge of his tunic to pull it off. As he raised his right arm, he flinched unconsciously.
(no subject)
Date: 2024-02-04 08:33 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2024-02-06 09:03 pm (UTC)Damn those sea devils ò_ó
(no subject)
Date: 2024-02-05 08:58 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2024-02-06 09:10 pm (UTC)*hugs you strongly*
♥️♥️♥️
(no subject)
Date: 2024-02-05 07:36 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2024-02-09 08:02 am (UTC)♥️♥️♥️
(no subject)
Date: 2024-02-08 05:24 pm (UTC)Bin gespannt, wie es weitergeht!
(no subject)
Date: 2024-02-18 02:41 pm (UTC)Das ist wirklich ein ganz großartiges Kompliment!! Und das ist auch genau wie ich es schreibe der wie mir die Ideen kommen. Ich stelle mir das als Film oder serie vor :)
(no subject)
Date: 2024-02-18 03:39 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2024-02-20 09:31 am (UTC)