Faeid (3) Oh, this was good. No, this was great. I shifted slightly, and sat down with my legs to one side, and he didn't let go. Neither did I, for that matter. I moved my head so that it was resting on his shoulder, and sighed. God, was it supposed to feel this good? Especially with this guy that I'd just met around five minutes ago? I didn't think so. Can I stay this way? Please? Just for a while? Teremai kissed the top of my head, and I let myself melt against him. Beneath his robe I would feel the muscles that he must have acquired from vigorous battle training. I brought my right arm up from around his waist and ran it along his arm, curious. Yep. Definitely a lot of muscle in his arms. Finally he drew back. Goddamn it, he drew back. Shut me up. Shut me up, please. Ignore all that I've just said. Thoughts like that are for people that I've known for a while. Not this beautiful stranger. He looked me in the eyes, and I noticed that his weren't wholly violet but had tints of lavender and plum. They were even more beautiful in this close-up than they were from far away. He ran his hands along my jaw line and cheeks, leaned forward and� He kissed my forehead. I almost exhaled in relief. I mean, if I felt all mushy in his arms, imagine how I'd be if he kissed me. Goddamn. He stood up�blast him�and held out his hand to me. "Ki'Leana, come. We have much to discuss over dinner with the rest of our keth'enai." I nodded and took his hand, standing up, and all the while thinking, damn, damn, damn. Chapter 5 And we fairies, that do run By the triple Hecate�s team From the presence of the sun, Following darkness like a dream, Now are frolic. Not a mouse Shall disturb this hallowed house. William Shakespeare (A Midsummer Night's Dream) The eating room was crowded when we entered. Everyone was seated, and the food was right in front, laid out on the large table. Filled with salads and different types of meat and pies. There were two seats left. Both of them right next to each other. And both of them were in front of Lord Avanthar. Just my luck. Teremai placed his hand on the small of my back, and led me over to the two empty seats. I sat in one, and he sat in the other. And Lord Avanthar was looking at me. Keep up the glamour, keep up the glamour. Don't fret, damn you. Concentrate. Concentrate. "How are you today, Ki'Leana?" Lord Avanthar asked. Shhh� Don't let your goddamned concentration drop. Keep it up. Just keep it up. I plastered a fake smile on and said, "I'm doing just fine, my Lord. How are you?" He smiled arrogantly. "I've had better days." I felt Teremai thread his fingers through mine. He turned his head and smiled at me. A lock of his hair got loose from his half ponytail, and slid down onto his cheek making him look even sexier than he should. Despite the fact that I was uncomfortable with how I was immediately attracted to Teremai when I shouldn't have been, he was very comforting. His fingers threaded through mine helped me breathe better even with Lord Avanthar staring at me and being at a table full of elves I didn't know and who would kill me in a second if they found out who I really was�despite the fact that I was a princess. Basically, if I were caught spying, it would mean that Ela-Ishtel wants to declare war on Draelond, and any excuse I make up wouldn't mean a goddamn. I smiled back briefly. Not wanting to look anymore because he looked so beautiful by the candlelight. It enflamed his red hair slightly, making it glow. His eyes were now wholly violet, and his skin glowed a pale yellow color. I caught Lord Avanthar's look, and met his eyes. And he looked just as beautiful then as Teremai. Both eyes were pools of black, and his pale skin shimmered. Someone down at the end of the table raised his voice, "Why the silence, my keth'enai? Normally there is much talking among you." Lord Avanthar looked away from me, and looked down at the speaker, grinning. I'd never seen him grin before. It was actually quite lovely. It softened his eyes, and gave him a more playful and sensuous look. Damn� I looked toward the speaker who was a tall, broad man with light blonde hair and golden eyes. Okay, I don't like you. Mother always told me something about a guy with eyes as golden as the sun setting. Don't trust them. They always stab you in the back. A little bit of elven advice there. Lord Avanthar spoke, laughing a beautiful laugh now. "Analalai, you make enough noise for all of us. Tell us of your journey to Tela'nokai. How are the pixies doing?" "Their queen doesn't know what to do about the breaching of the plane there. Too many humans stumbling in. Do you think we should attack?" I tried not to look alarmed, knowing I was failing a bit. Dammit, Eressea, don't blow your cover. You're fine. Stay calm. Lord Avanthar glanced at me, and then back at Analalai. He'd stopped laughing but kept his smile, his eyes darkening. "No. Leave them be. We do not think of attacks during our meal, Analalai, only of food. Now eat." I inwardly breathed a sigh of relief, silently thanking the arrogant bastard Lord Avanthar for once having some mercy. Thank you, you bastard, because for once you were too tired to talk about battles while eating. Enjoy your food, and let us hope that one day, I can kick your ass and drive that staff I was using with Loren the day before yesterday right into your crotch so that you are no longer of any use to any female. Ooh. That's a lot of anger, isn't it? I almost forgot that my hand was still holding Teremai's hand. He lightly squeezed my hand, and I looked at him. Which was a mistake, you see. Yeah, because he looked better than he had before. Some of his hair came around to lightly rest on his shoulders, and the chin length bangs rested lightly on his left cheek. His lavender eyes were sparkling with laughter, and making him glow even more. And at that moment, I wanted him. Wanted him as my own, and not as this Ki'Leana's. But as mine. Princess Eressea Glora of the Aratar Elves. And I couldn't have him. He didn't belong to me. Lord and Lady, why me? Chapter 6 The voice I hear this passing night was heard In ancient days by emperor and clown: Perhaps the self-same song that found a path Through the sad heart of Ruth, when sick for home, She stood in tears amid the alien corn; The same that oft-times hath Charmed magic casements, opening on the foam Of perilous seas, in faery lands forlorn. John Keats (Ode to a Nightingale) Blah, blah, blah. Babble, babble, babble. That's all that Analalai did. Talking about battles and how he miraculously beat fifty men from entering the bridge at Draelond some ten years ago. Well, good for you, you idiot. I was bored at dinner, and I'd only been eating a total of ten minutes. The look on Lord Avanthar's face told me that he was loosing his patience as well. Okay, no longer smiling, skin still shimmering, eyes deep pools of black, hair tinted blue; he looked gorgeous, but extremely bored. Not that I blame him with all the crap that Analalai was saying. Gods, did the man ever just shut up? I glanced at Teremai, and he was sitting with his elbow on the table, and his head rested slightly in his hand. He looked bored too. Jeez. Does no one have the courage to just tell him to shut the hell up? Why on earth would anyone want to endure this excessive babbling about nothing? Teremai released my hand, and ran his fingers up along my arm. I looked at him, and he smiled at me, his violet eyes sparkling. I smiled back, feeling slightly ill at ease because he wasn't mine. He was attracted to this person I was playing. Not me. I looked up and found Lord Avanthar gazing at where Teremai's hand rested lightly on my shoulder with a look that might have been jealousy, but I'm not exactly sure. He's very good at hiding his emotions. Another point for you, Lord Avanthar. Lord Avanthar felt my stare, and met my eyes briefly. He blinked, and then shifted his eyes over to Analalai. "Analalai," he called. "There is no reason for all of this babbling. We will all retire for the night." Thank you again, Lord Avanthar, for shutting the idiot up. Analalai didn't say anything but he looked slightly perplexed. Serves you right for boring everyone to the point of total exhaustion. I got up, and Teremai's hand fell away from my arm. Only�I didn't know where to go. Where the hell was my room? Teremai stood up with me. "I will walk you to your room, ma kyela." I nodded. I would have nodded gratefully because I didn't know where the hell it was, but it would have given something away. Teremai took my hand and kissed the knuckles lightly. Then he threaded his hand through mine, and started walking up the stone steps. I watched his feet, staying silent, making sure to notice the slight turns his feet made so that it looked like I at least knew somewhere to go. Finally, we reached two thick wooden doors, and Teremai turned to me� And he hugged me. God, how awkward would it be if he kissed me, and BAM! Glamour melts off like freaking candle wax. Fuuun. I gently laid my head on his strong shoulder and sighed, absentmindedly rubbing my cheek against his black robe. He breathed in the scent of my hair, and asked, without letting me go, "Ki'Leana, would it be presumptuous of me to ask to come in?" I could feel my eyes widen. Come�in�? Like, come into the room? Meaning�? All of that? You know, all of that�? I sort of pulled back, which made Teremai raise a surprised eyebrow. Cover it up, girl. Cover it up. "Maybe some other time, Teremai. I'm just really tired." He smiled then, one cheek dimpling, giving off this sexy and yet very pure, innocent vibe. I don't even think that he even tries to be sexy. He just�is. And I think that he's actually as innocent as he looks. He leaned forward and kissed my cheek. I almost breathed out deeply. No lip kissing. As much as I want to, I mean. None. Zip. Zero. Nada. I smiled at him charmingly, and opened the door so I didn't have to look at him anymore because I knew that I really was about to kiss him. Or maybe it's just me being deprived of really kissing anyone because I wasn't very attractive. I didn't even bother to look around the room. I saw the bed. I saw the sheets. I was tired. I lay down. Go me. It was the morning after that that I woke up to screaming. Chapter 7 God defend me from that Welsh fairy, Lest he transform me to a piece of cheese! William Shakespeare (The Merry Wives of Windsor) Someone was screaming. I mean, really screaming. I wasn't dreaming it. And it was coming from my own goddamned room. I woke up thinking, bloody hell! Did my glamour come off? Am I screwed? I was very good at glamours, and had kept one up in my sleep�which is hard for most elves to do�but I'd never kept one up this long. I pried my eyes open to look at the screaming person in my room. She had long blonde hair, a purple, renaissance fashioned dress, and her mouth was hanging wide open and screaming. I quickly felt my face, and looked at my hands. Then I grabbed my hair and stared at it. Still black. I grabbed the mirror on the table, and looked into it. Still had the glamour up. So what the hell was she screaming about? And why on earth would she want to torture me with it? "Excuse me," I said lightly. She just kept screaming as if I hadn't talked. "Excuse me!" I screamed. She finally stopped screaming, and looked at me, her eyebrow raised. "Why the bloody fucking hell are you screaming so fucking loudly?" Oops. I'd used the word "fuck" twice in one sentence. Not a good thing, mind you. Be afraid. Be very afraid. The girl�yes she was a girl, probably around 11 years old, and about as tall as I was�blinked. I don't think that I should have cursed in front of her. Bad Eressea. Baaad. Not that it could be helped. I was tired. What was the point in this girl coming into this room screaming her bloody head off? Why me? Why me? Suddenly another woman came into the room. She had the same blonde hair that the little girl did. She looked at me, and noticed my expression. Well, I was glaring. You know, considering the fact that I'd risen to the beautiful sounds of shrill screaming coming from about four feet away from my bed. Did I mention that it was shrill? One piece of black hair had tumbled into my right eye, and I pushed it back. The woman spoke, putting her hand on the girl's shoulder. The girl, by the way, was choking back tears. "I'm sorry, my lady. This wont happen again. She was looking for her doll, and got frustrated at not finding it." I blinked, and said, "Fine. It's fine. I'm up." She quickly ushered the girl out, and I groaned, lying back down, and cursed about ten times before I climbed out of bed. I straggled over the walk in closet wondering why on earth the girl chose my room to look into, and why she chose my room to scream in. Bloody hell. I chose a black dress that was tight around the waist, and billowed out below that. It was tied up at my chest, with white peasant cloth underneath. I brushed my�err�the long, black hair out, while looking in the mirror thinking, damn, this girl's got great skin, doesn't she? I put the long mass of black hair up into a clip, and walked out of my�err�the room. I heard voices around the corner, and leaned forward, trying to listen. It was Lord Avanthar, and Analalai. "I take it she didn't accept your proposal?" Analalai was saying. "I don�t know yet. It's still to be decided." Lord Avanthar replied. "You do know that if you marry her, you will get both her kingdom and ours." "I know." Their voices faded as they walked down that corridor. That pansy, all-black-wearing, call-me-Lord-Avanthar son of a bitch! Marry me, you rule more lands. Kill me off, you still get both. Marry another princess, you get all three. Kill her off; you get to keep that land. It all continues! It's an ingenious plan! I mean, bad. Baaad plan. Mean Lord Avanthar, mean. But it's still a fucking ingenious plan. Ingenious enough to still be screwed up, I mean. Sure, I could still screw it up. That would be interesting, really. Especially considering how much I loathed Lord Avanthar, it would be a pleasure. An absolute pleasure. I'm now laughing my inner evil laugh. Can you not tell? I walked slowly down the stone steps, looking at my toes, until someone literally grabbed my hand, and I tripped. I fell against a broad, muscled chest, covered up by a silk black shirt, and looked up. Teremai. And his eyes were sparkling with lavender, plum and indigo. His mouth curved into a smile, one cheek dimpling beautifully. His red hair waved loosely around his face softly. His arms were holding me tightly against him, and my hands were rested lightly on his broad chest. He was supporting me actually, if he moved back, then I would fall. Without moving my position, I smiled up at him, and said, "Teremai. What is with this grabbing me out of nowhere?" His smile broadened into a grin, showing off his lovely straight, white teeth. "Ma kyela, you looked like you needed cheering up. Did you hear the screaming this morning? Do you know what it was about?" I laughed. "Of course I heard it. It was coming from my room." His hold tightened around me, his smile fading. Ooh. This was nice. You know, how sometimes you just need to be comforted, and it's so good to have someone hold you? That's how I felt right now. "Did something happen, ma kyela? I shook my head. "Some little girl looking for a doll. I still don't know why on earth she would look in my room. I mean, really." His smile reappeared, and he leaned forward. Gah! No kissing! No kissing! I slid out of his arms, and murmured, "Amonta de' toya! We should go and eat breakfast now, shouldn't we?" Amonta de' toya. Now that was definitely dark elven speech, thank you very much. Equivalent to "God (or Goddess) damn it". Teremai brightened, and took my hand. Goddamn, I was attracted to him. You have no idea how much I just wanted to kiss him then. I was so close; I almost didn't care about my glamour. And that itself scared me much more than how close I'd come to being discovered.
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