Lord William Vatigar stood before the full-length mirror in his personal suite. His clothes were immaculate, the black silk and velvet finely sewn and imitating the latest fashion. He smiled, feeling slightly excited about seeing his new... no, slave was the wrong word. In truth he hated slavery and he often freed the women only months after he purchased them, once they had settled into their new lives. Of course if they wanted to leave he would let them, but they never did. Their lives could not be better and he expected nothing from them and so they were very happy to stay.
This new one though, that hadn't been for his usual reasons. He usually only bought slaves who were pretty but who had bad lives, as whores or had abusive masters. But the elf, that had been different. He had always wanted to see an elf, ever since he was a child and his nanny would tell him stories of the magical creatures and their wars. But elves never came to Brantilay, and so he finally decided to bring one to him. He would have preferred a male one, as they did seem the more interesting gender of the fair race but that would have been bad for his reputation. Everyone believed he purchased the women to look at and admire because they were the beautiful women who he could never have, who would never love him.
He sighed and pushed those depressing thoughts aside, tracing the scar along his left cheek carefully. It was a hideous sight, running from his forehead right down to his chin, his left eye had been removed entirely and the lids sewn shut. In their delicate and refined society he was a monster, but a rich one and a cunning businessman. And so he held much respect... but he would never have a companion to share his life with. But he couldn't really complain, his life was far better than that of many other Brantilans.
He picked up his mask and carefully put it in place so the deformed half of his face was completely covered. He then straightened his jacket and headed out the door. It was time to see his new 'possession'.
When he reached the sitting room he sat down on the only couch in the room and took a glass of fine wine from the servant. He glanced around the room, it was one of his duller rooms, with very little decoration and furniture. He had chosen it specifically because he wanted nothing to distract from the elf's beauty. He had deliberately not found out from Warren what the elf looked like because it was more enjoyable that way, he longed to be in awe of something and he hoped the elf would live up to his expectations.
After he had been waiting only a few minutes he heard the door handles turn and he carefully set his glass down on the coffee table, looking anxiously towards the entrance. The doors opened and Urtha walked in, stepping to the side of the doors as the elf walked in. William drew his breath in sharply and was very glad he had already set his glass down.
The tall and slender figure was wearing a dark purple and pale pink dress of the finest silks and lace but truly the dress paled in comparison to its angelic wearer. She was stunningly beautiful, with the most amazing hair he had ever seen. There was a finely tattooed dragon on the elf's cheek but this seemed to only add to the creature's unearthly beauty.
He stood and walked a bit closer to the beautiful elfess, he then took one of her delicate gloved hands and bowed, kissing her hand softly. He then straightened, but didn't let go of her lovely hand. "Welcome to my estate, Lady Vali."
"Thank you, my lord." She smiled but the gesture seemed weak and he realised her hand was hotter than it should have been. He placed his other hand under her chin and lifted it gently so their eyes met. He gasped as he got another shock, her eyes were just as astounding as her hair and almost as silver with just a hint of blue. He then frowned as he noticed a drop of sweat trickle down the side of her face.
"Are you alright?"
"No..." She confessed, closing her eyes lightly. "I... don't..."
He darted forward, supporting her just as she collapsed. He then lifted her, amazed he could as he wasn't exactly well-muscled, and placed her gently on the couch. Urtha had come over in a panic and was now hovering over the unconscious elf.
"I-I don't know what happened, sir, she was fine a minute ago!" She exclaimed going slightly hysterical at what she considered a huge disaster.
"Calm down please, Urtha." He told her kindly and she calmed down enough to stand still. "Now, did she say anything at all about not feeling well?"
The maid shook her head but then stopped. "She, she did complain of a headache, sir, just before we got here. But I gave her some lavender oil."
"Ok, why don't you go and fetch a doctor." He told her calmly and she left in a hurry. He took out his handkerchief and dipped it in a jug of nearby water before gently wiping the cosmetics off the beautiful face. When he was finished he was surprised to see the elf's skin was smooth and milky-pale naturally, with not a blemish or freckle in sight. He decided she was even more beautiful without make-up. He patted the damp cloth to her warm forehead and wondered if she was ill. It was possible she was just nervous about meeting him, and the stress of being moved to a new land and climate had finally taken its toll.
He felt like he was drowning in a sea of fire... everything hurt. From far away he felt someone caress his cheek and he relaxed slightly, it had to be Brandon. He slowly came back to consciousness but didn't open his eyes, he was laying on something soft and gentle hands touched his face with cool fingers. He heard someone say his name softly, but it didn't sound like his lover. He forced his eyes open and when the world came back into focus his heart sank. He wasn't in Sentanii with his lover. He was in Brantilay with his...owner, and he had fainted. What a great first impression, he thought miserably.
"I'm sorry." He apologised weakly as the Lord pressed a damp cloth to his forehead. "I...I did so want you to like me."
"What?" The man seemed stunned from what Vali could tell from the man's voice and the half of his face that wasn't covered. "This wasn't your fault, and I do like you. You are very beautiful."
Vali's vision went blurry again for a moment and he tried to focus back on his Lord through the haze of dizziness and pain. When he could see again he momentarily forgot about being in a massive mansion with his very wealthy new owner... all he saw was a kind young man, with thick chocolate brown hair and gentle green eyes...eye. He looked so concerned, and for a moment the elf saw his soul.
He reached out a slightly shaking hand and touched the man's cheek in something like awe. "Beautiful... such a generous soul." He whispered not registering the amazement in the man's expression. He then squeezed his eyes shut as another wave of pain washed over him.
"Vali?" The deep and soothing voice questioned softly.
"It...hurts!" The elf gasped out, his whole body trembling, his veins feeling like they were on fire. He was hot... it was too hot! He struggled to try and pull the damn dress off, it was too tight and hot and he was suffocating. Gentle hands took his own and pulled them away from the fabric, he struggled for a moment but then slumped back against the couch, too exhausted to move anymore. The hands moved to caress his face again, in a soothing fashion and he became aware of the fact he was whispering something. His brain wasn't working properly and he wasn't entirely sure what he was saying, so he forced himself to stop.
"Take deep breathes, angel. Deep, calm breathes."
As William's words sunk in he realised he was taking short shallow breaths and his heart was racing, he was going to kill himself in a minute. He held his breath for a moment before forcing himself to take in slow, calm lungfuls of air.
"Good, that's good, angel. Everything will be alright, the doctor will be here in a minute and then you'll be fine."
The human's voice was so soothing and kind he soon found himself calming down. He looked up at William tiredly, the pain seeming distant for the moment. "Why do you wear that mask? It looks silly." He mused quietly, his throat feeling terribly dry.
The Lord blanched for a moment, he then shrugged and started peeling the elf's gloves off. "Urtha said you complained of a headache." He commented obviously trying to change the subject.
"Not truly, she was chattering so much and I just wanted her to be quiet for a moment. And... and then she gave me that sugary stuff, and I felt awful."
"Have you ever eaten lavender before?" William questioned thoughtfully.
"No...it is a fragrance in my country, not a food." Vali answered feeling dazed and not sure what the human was getting at.
"Did you use it often in your homeland?"
"No, I don't like the smell, it makes me feel queasy."
"I think you are allergic to it." William told him as he put the gloves aside and reached to undo the tight necklace. When the ribbon was removed, cool fingers brushed across the red mark around his throat. "I don't think you should be dressed in such things again."
"No." Vali whispered his agreement, feeling very sleepy. "What's 'allergic' mean?"
"It is when your body can't handle something, like the lavender. It makes normally harmless things act like poison." William answered him gently, before starting to remove the clips and ribbons from the elf's hair.
When the last decoration was removed from the silky tresses he moved his gaze back to the angelic face, realising the elf was staring at him, with her beautiful big blue eyes. It was rather puzzling but they now seemed more blue than silver, as if they changed colour often. She looked exhausted and he wondered if she even realised she was staring at him so blatantly. He had been absolutely shocked when she had told him he had a beautiful soul, but he chalked that up to the fact she was probably delirious. As he ran a hand through the soft hair he realised he would have to be very careful with this one. It would be entirely too easy to fall in love with her.
He might even have to have her sent away to one of his secondary estates. He toyed absently with one of the silvery locks, his heart torn at the thought of sending the beautiful creature away. If he didn't know any better he would think he was already falling for her. He just couldn't understand it, sure, she was beautiful, the most beautiful being he had ever seen but he knew he wasn't attracted to her just because of that. There was something different about her, there was a calm strength in the way she looked up at him passively, showing none of the terrible agony she must have been feeling. And she had never once spoken badly of Urtha, even though the whole situation was much her fault.
She was truly an astounding woman. And now he was sure he was falling for her. It would be tragic, he could just see it. He would fall so in love with her that he would get enough courage to tell her, or kiss her and she would reject him. She would look at him with disgust and laugh at him mockingly, telling him that no one would ever want to be with him, that it was sickening just being in the same room with him and his deformities.
She reached out one delicate hand and brushed his cheek, the dampness coming off on her fingertips. "Why are you crying?" She asked softly, her voice sounding like he would imagine an angel's to sound. He looked down into her amazing eyes and for a moment he was going to tell her. He felt he could tell her anything, anything and she wouldn't laugh and she wouldn't be disgusted.
But then Urtha came back with the doctor, and the moment was gone.
Vali snuggled further under the blankets, blessedly thankful that Urtha had finally left him alone. He had been put to bed shortly after seeing the doctor and he had then slept until the following morning, when he had found his maid fluttering around him and occasionally shoving food in his mouth, all the while apologising profusely. Sometime in the afternoon he finally got sick of her and lost his temper, telling her to go for a walk off a bridge. She left tearful, but she'd get over it, and Vali was too annoyed to care. He figured he had at least another hour before she came back to pester him about eating dinner.
He stretched happily, letting the blankets slip to his waist, a warm afternoon breeze lifting the drapes and whisking across the room to brush across his skin, the thin straps of his nightgown doing nothing to impede the tranquil breeze. He then froze in mid-stretch as there was a soft knock at the door, surely she couldn't be back already. He sat up just as the door opened and prepared to tell Urtha to fuck off. But it wasn't her.
Lord William smiled and walked over to the bed, his movements surprisingly graceful for a human. He sat on a chair by the bed, and Vali noticed he carried a small silk-wrapped parcel in his gentle hands.
"Good afternoon, angel, how are you feeling?" He asked in a sickeningly kind voice as his eyes travelled over the elf's exposed shoulders and arms.
Was the man trying to annoy him? Was it annoy Vali day and no one had told him? "I have a name you know." He said rather nastily, not caring at this point if he insulted his 'master'.
"Of course you do, angel." He agreed wholeheartedly. Vali responded by glaring at him and making a low growl in the back of his throat. William laughed at this. "I would ask if you got out of the wrong side of the bed this morning, but you haven't gotten up today yet have you, beautiful?"
"I'm sick." Vali stated crossing his arms. "What's your excuse?"
"My excuse for what, angel?" He questioned innocently.
"For being nasty!" The elf confirmed in an exasperated tone.
"Nasty? Such a strong word to come from one so beautiful and fragile."
"I'll show you fragile." Vali mumbled wishing he could just deck the guy, how could he have thought William was attractive? The man was infuriating!
"What did you say, angel?" The lord asked, pretending not to hear, a very pleased expression on his face.
"I said, what do you want?" Vali lied in a rather sarcastic tone and leaned back against the pillows.
"Well I did come to give you a gift." William said fingering the silk parcel absently.
"A gift? For me?" Vali questioned hesitantly, very surprised and his heart fluttered lightly in anticipation as he wondered if it would be something he would like.
"Yes, but I'm not sure I want to give it to you now, you have been rather rude." The lord commented, though the sparkling in his eye betrayed his teasing. Vali could play this game too.
"Please." The elf then coughed weakly, holding a hand to his head as if it hurt. "It might make me feel better...and I didn't mean to be rude...it's just been such an awful day...and I..."
"Enough!" William commanded with a teasing grin, he then held out the small parcel for Vali to take. Vali instantly recovered, sitting up to all but snatch the gift from the Lord's hand with an excited little giggle. William chuckled softly at this, waiting patiently for Vali to carefully unwrap the present.
The gift then sat in his pale hand for several moments as he looked at it with stunned admiration. It was a tiny pendent, about the width of his thumbnail and it was hung on a thin, finely crafted gold chain. It was a tiny red-gold dragon holding a small purple gem in it's front paws. The most amazing thing though was that it wasn't just any dragon, it was the same dragon that was tattooed on his cheek.
"I had it made this morning." William told him in a rather subdued voice and Vali realised he was nervous, he was worried the elf didn't like it. "I did a sketch of it from memory, I hope the likeness is..." He trailed off as Vali clutched the tiny gift to his heart and smiled beautifully.
"It's beautiful...thank you so much." He choked out, feeling tears welling in his eyes. He had never been given such a thoughtful gift.
"Well, I thought perhaps you could use some jewellery which won't choke you." William said with a soft smile as he shifted to sit on the bed. He then reached out, taking the necklace from the elf's hands before placing it carefully around the pale throat, closing the clasp. He then pulled the waves of silver out from the chain, so the cool metal fell neatly onto his skin, the charm settling about an inch down from the base of his neck. As William pulled his hands away he brushed his fingers across the elf's throat and shoulders and Vali felt his heart flutter again as he realised how close they were.
William frowned slightly in concern. "Are you cold?" He questioned running a hand down the elf's bare arm, unaware that he was the cause of the goosebumps.
"A little." Vali lied, pulling the blanket up to cover himself, wishing he could pull it up over his head to hide the blush he knew was visible.
"Vali?"
"Yes?"
"If you don't mind me asking? What is the dragon for?" William asked curiously, moving to sit back in the chair.
"I don't mind at all. Do you want the short or long version?"
"I have plenty of time."
Vali hesitated for a moment, he had never told the full tale to anyone, not even Brandon. Yet looking at the genuine interest in William's expression, he actually felt like telling the story, as he knew the human lord would actually listen.
"The elves didn't always take human slaves, in fact that only started just over fifty years ago. Before that they lived in peace with the humans of Laurien, there were just as many human nobles as elven ones and the peasants worked happily for both. But then the humans became angry and fearful of the elves because they lived for so many centuries and because they had magic. Whereas the elves believed they were far superior to creatures who only lived for half a century at best and who were crude and ugly in their eyes. And so another war began. Most of the elven nobles rallied under the High Lord of Ethriel, while the human nobles rallied under the Lady of Wyvern."
"Lady?" William interrupted absolutely enthralled. "The human lords followed a women?"
"Yes, I suppose I should have mentioned that. The people of Laurien believed women where the more important gender and so they ruled, not their husbands and the heirs ran from the female line. And as the Lord of Ethriel was the most powerful of the elves, the Lady of Wyvern was the most powerful of the humans, it was even said that she possessed magic herself, and could charm animals to do her will, even bring eagles down from their nests high in the mountains.
"In any case the elves won the war, but I won't bother to tell you about the battles as you could read that easily in a book. But when it was done the Lord of Ethriel had all the members of the Wyvern family killed, so they could cause no future rebellions. The only one he didn't kill was the Lady of Wyvern's five-year-old daughter. The girl, Valerie, was taken and kept as a slave and she was forced to follow the Lord wherever he went, a collar around her neck, to symbolise how great the Lord's victory was."
"That's terrible." William whispered worriedly, "The girl wasn't you was she?"
"No." Vali sighed and rolled his eyes. "Weren't you listening? The girl was human."
"Oh, sorry. Please, go on."
"Alright. Where was I? Oh, yes, Valerie. Well, you see, though she had only been five when she was taken she was a very clever girl, and she had been the Lady of Wyvern's first born, and so she had been brought up to be a ruler. Now the Lord thought that he had broken her and that it was a torment for her to live how she was and he made his greatest mistake by thinking she feared him. But in truth she only hated him, and the whole time she spent following him around she was watching and learning and planning.
"So in this fashion she lived out the next twenty-five years of her life. And when she was thirty the Lord thought it would be a great joke to have her bear his child. So shortly afterwards she became pregnant. But by the time the child was born she had decided she would not let him anywhere near the child, and that the child would be free. So as she carried the tiny child, wrapped in a bloody blanket straight from the birth and she made her move.
"The Lord was out in the courtyard addressing his loving public, telling them how he had a child from the Wyvern whore. She came walking straight out and when the guards tried to stop her she began singing. A deceptively beautiful song, the kind angels would sing. Everyone was so enthralled they were very surprised when a large shadow fell across the courtyard. As they looked up a thousand ravens dove from the sky, pecking and clawing at the elves who ran screaming and falling over one another, as Valerie stood calmly in the centre of it all. Holding her sleeping child and watching with passive eyes as the birds slowly pecked the elves to death.
"When it was done she stood covered in blood and gore and laughing as if the whole world was a wonderful joke. Need I mention the fact she was quite insane? No? Good. Anyway once she finished with her laughter she realised she would need to get away before the other elf lords came for her. So she took the fastest horse in the stable and rode it bareback into the forest. She rode so far into the forest the elves would never find her and there she made her home, never fearing goblins or orcs as others might, after all she could easily command the animals of the forest. And she lived happily this way for nine years, never seeing another soul but her child.
"So for nine years of my life I lived happily with her deep in the forest and she taught me many things, and she told me the tale of her freedom to me many times. But she was growing old, as humans do, and she became ill, it was a horrible wasting disease and she knew she was dying. So she gathered for me things I would need to travel to civilization and she gave me last words of advice as she carefully tattooed the dragon on my skin. I cried when she did it but she told me how important it was because that way the elves could never take the mark from me. They could never take away my lineage. And then I left."
"So that's what it means." Vali said finally then turned to his audience, surprised to see a tear slip down the man's cheek.
"What happened then?" William questioned, his voice a bit husky but his curiosity still at a peak.
Vali grinned, happy that William was so genuinely interested, no one had been interested in him and his past before, it was a very nice feeling but he had some questions of his own. So he took his time carefully pouring himself a glass of water from the jug on the bedside table before letting the cool liquid refresh his dry throat. He then carefully set the glass back on the table before finally returning his attention to the handsome human.
"Well, that is another story." He said finally. "And since I've already given you one, I'd like something from you before I tell you the next one."
"Anything." William offered without hesitation.
"Take your mask off." Vali wondered if he had made a mistake in asking that, as William's light brown skin turned almost white, his eye going very wide. He was about to take it back, say that the Lord didn't have to if he didn't want, but before he could William gave a slow nod of consent. He then reached up and removed the mask gingerly, closing his eye and keeping it closed as if fearing to see the elf's reaction. The elf for his part was rather surprised.
He had thought by how William kept it covered that it would be some hideous deformity, but all it was, was a scar. Sure it had taken his eye out, but it was a clean cut and it had been stitched neatly. And the elf, having spent a good many years in Tristian's army had seen far worse wounds. Actually it added to the Lord's character, and Vali had to admit he kind of liked it. Before he knew what he was doing he had moved to the edge of the bed and reached out to touch the scar. But as his fingertips touched the pale slash William's eye flew open and he knocked the elf's hand away, probably more firmly than he had meant to.
Precariously balanced as he was Vali slipped off the bed, landing rather awkwardly on the floor at the Lord's feet. He rolled onto his back and looked up to see William looking down at him, completely stunned. The expression was too much for the elf and he burst out laughing. He was laughing so hard his stomach stared hurting and he had to curl up on his side, for the moment unaware of his 'master'. When he finally managed to stop he sat up, glancing up to see William looking at him with a very strange expression.
"What is so funny?" The brunette questioned carefully, as if afraid Vali had been laughing at his deformity.
"Your expression...you'd think...you'd never knocked...someone out of bed...before." Vali answered in between gasps of air and the subsiding giggles. At this William managed to smile as stood and helped the elf up.
"How is it you can act this way?" He questioned, genuinely puzzled.
"Like what?" Vali retorted sitting back on the bed and pulling William down to sit beside him.
"Like you're not disgusted by my appearance."
"Ah...because I'm not." Vali said in a light tone. "Jeez, by the way you acted I thought you had an extra mouth or something. It's just a scar." Vali grinned and traced the scar with his index finger. "Besides it makes you look nasty."
"Nasty? And that's a good thing?" William questioned smiling in return.
"Now I know what you're thinking." Vali said mock seriously.
"Oh really?" He asked with amusement.
"Yes. But it's only a good thing looking nasty, not being nasty, and especially not being nasty to me, so you can just forget about it, Lord William." The elf stated matter-o-factly, poking the human in the arm for emphasis.
"It's already forgotten, angel." He teased, laughing as the elf glared at him in response. Their playful teasing was then put to a halt as a hysterical Urtha entered the room. She quickly shooed William out of the room before coming back to lecture Vali. "What on earth were you thinking? Sitting so close to him? And you are completely indecent!" "Indecent?" Vali questioned, very puzzled. The material of his knee-length nightgown was thick velvet and loose, it was perfectly decent. "Yes!" The maid squeaked huffily. "Your skin's showing everywhere! And your hair, its such a mess! Do you wear such clothes in public in your homeland? What were you thinking? And your legs... do you shave? They're so smooth. But that's not the point, a proper lady..." At that point Vali tunned out, thinking he had done very well to listen that far. He sighed a tad dreamily and slumped back against the pillows stretching happily before creeping under the blankets and blocking out that irritating voice. It seemed silly now that only a few days ago he had been so worried about meeting William. The man was so kind and charming and handsome and gentle and... he could have gone on for quite sometime but right now sleep really seemed like a better idea.
William walked towards the stables, as the sun was just rising, figuring he could get in a quick ride before he had to leave for the capital. He was rather annoyed that he had to go back so soon, he had only been back at his estate for two weeks. And he hadn't spent nearly as much time with Vali as he would have liked. He couldn't believe how interesting the elf was. She knew so many stories, which she gladly told him and he was rather surprised that most of them revolved around war and battles, and so he began to wonder if she had been involved in such things in Laurien. He had been planing to question her more about her life that night after dinner but now he had to leave.
He paused momentarily in his stride as he heard something. He listened carefully and realised it was someone singing softly. He walked into the stable and the voice became clearer, and there was only one person he knew of that could have a voice that intoxicating. When he turned the corner the owner of the voice came into view and he paused a moment to admire the beautiful creature. She was wearing a rather plain pair of dark brown leather pants, which clung nicely to her long slender legs and a loose cream-coloured shirt that had the sleeves rolled up to her elbows. Her hair was tied back in a simple braid and a few strands had come loose to frame her face. It was odd, but she seemed to look even more beautiful each time he saw her.
He walked over and patted the neck of the horse she was brushing down. "You know there are servants who can do this."
"I know, my Lord. But I was bored." She replied, not even pausing in her task.
"Please, just call me William. And how is it you are so bored you have resorted to menial labour?"
"Well, William, Urtha plans to teach me how to do tapestry this morning, and after having her try to teach me embroidery, sewing and cross-stitch over the past week, I really don't think I could stand it."
"You don't like such lady-like occupations? I must admit I am not in the least surprised." He grinned and she glanced at him, a pretty but shy smile playing at her lips. She then resumed her task and he watched her skilled hands for a few moments more before commenting. "I heard you singing a moment ago. You have an exquisite voice."
"Thank you, but its not that good." She replied modestly, and he was sure there was a rose tint to her pretty cheeks.
"Yes it is. But I have to admit, I am curious. You said your mother and grandmother could charm creatures with their singing, can you do that too?"
"No." She replied absently, "That particular magic is only passed onto the female-...Ah, I mean..." She suddenly became flustered and the brush slipped from her now-clumsy fingers. "It skips generations." She stated finally in a rush.
He looked at her carefully for a long moment, noticing how she squirmed slightly under his gaze. What was it she was hiding? What slip-up had she just made? 'only passed onto the female...?' The female of every few generations? He didn't think so. She was definitely hiding something.
"So both of them had this magic but it skipped you? But your children might have it?"
"My...my children?" Vali blushed looking at her boots. "I don't think so."
"I see." He stepped forward and lifted her chin to look carefully into her eyes. "Is there something you are hiding from me, angel?"
"N-no, of course not. H-haven't I always answered any question of me you have asked?" She answered, her gaze wavering nervously.
You are a very bad liar, my dear, he thought contemplatively, but I'll let you keep your secret for now. "Yes, you have. I apologise." He took his hand from her chin and she stepped back instantly, her gaze returning to the floor. She looked oddly fearful before she whispered almost too softly to hear.
"My Lord?"
"It's William. What is it?"
"May I ask you something?" She questioned still very hesitantly, as if fearing his gentle demeanour was a front.
"Of course."
"Warren...he said that you had other...possessions, like me? But I have not seen any and...I wondered..."
"Warren was wrong." He stepped up to her again and gently cupped her face with his hands, his gaze once again drowning in the icy blue pools. "There are no others...like you. You are perfectly unique. But if you mean, where are the other women I 'own'? They are at some of my other estates, the more minor ones. And they are very happy where they are, they have good lives and I do see them on occasion, perhaps once or twice a year." He smiled as he realised what she had thought. "Were you worried I would sell you off to some dreadful place when I got sick of you?" Unfortunately he only realised his mistake after the beautiful eyes filled with tears and she turned her head away, whispering one word softly.
"When."
He almost cursed out loud...If...he should have said 'if' not 'when'. He turned her head back, wiping the tears away tenderly with his thumbs, a little amazed and very pleased that someone was upset at the thought of leaving him. It was something he thought would never happen. "I said that wrong, angel." On impulse he placed a quick kiss to her forehead. "I will not grow tired of you, ever. And I won't send you away unless you want to go."
"It's alright." Vali smiled weakly, but the tears still ran down her porcelain-like cheeks. "You don't have to lie to me. I understand, it is the way life is." Everyone gets sick of me...Brandon did and you will.
William stepped back from her in shock, he could have sworn her lips hadn't moved at the last sentence. "What did you say?" He asked carefully.
"I said, that's the way life is." She replied looking away to wipe her tears away on her sleeve.
"Who's Brandon?" He felt it was very important he know who this mysterious person was, Vali had mentioned his name twice now; when she had fallen sick that first day and just now. So he must have been someone important.
"Brandon?" She seemed stunned. "I...I never said-"
"Yes you have, you called for him when you were delirious and you said his name a second ago. You said he got sick of you. Was he your old owner? Did he sell you off when he was bored with you? Is that where all your insecurity and hesitance comes from?" He knew he was becoming furious, but he couldn't help it, the thought of someone being so cruel to the sensitive elf was maddening. "Did he beat you? Is that why you cringe sometimes at another's touch? Is that why you were so afraid about me thinking you were lying to me? Did you think I was going to punish you like he did?"
"Stop!" She screamed and stumbled back away from him, falling to the dirt and hay covered floor. "Stop it! You don't know. You don't understand anything. You don't..." She broke off with a sob and her shoulders slumped, shaking with barely audible weeping.
This wasn't what he had wanted to achieve, not at all. He sat on the ground next to her and gently drew her into his lap and to his surprise she welcomed the embrace, wrapping her thin arms around his waist and resting her throat against his shoulder. He stoked her back soothingly, trying to calm her down feeling terribly guilty for making her break down like this.
"I'm sorry, angel. You're right, I don't know but only because you haven't told me. Please, help me to understand, tell me what happened."
"I can't." She murmured miserably and he wondered if that was because of whatever it was she was hiding.
He sighed and gave her a gentle squeeze of reassurance. "Alright then, you don't have to tell me, not yet. But will you promise me one thing?"
"What?"
"That you won't worry about me getting sick of you? If anything, angel, you'll be the one to get sick of me. And then you'll want to leave."
"No I won't." Vali tightened her grip as if afraid he would vanish. "Don't say that, I won't." He then felt the elf swallow before she continued. "I know it sounds stupid, and I've only known you for two weeks...but I've never met anyone I've liked more, that I've found more interesting and who can make me feel so content with myself and my life. These past two weeks have been the happiest of my life, despite my maid poisoning me."
William chuckled, the elf always seemed to be able to make him laugh at the strangest times. "Alright then, you promise you won't think I'm going to get sick of you and I'll promise I won't think you're going to get sick of me. Ok?"
"Ok." She then pulled back to face him, their noses almost touching. "I promise." She whispered, her warm breath caressing his lips.
Kissing those delicious looking lips suddenly seemed like a very good idea and he leaned forward ever so slightly, watching her face for any reaction or sign of rejection, but she simply let her eyes drift shut before closing the rest of the distance. Their lips stayed touching but motionless for a moment, both of them just enjoying the moment, but then the real kiss began. The elf's tongue slipped easily into his mouth and he was drowning in the fiery passion. It was incredible. He hadn't been kissed for eleven years, ever since his face had been ruined, and he had only been thirteen at the time so it hadn't been much of a kiss... and certainly nothing like this. This was heaven.
He thought he heard something but he ignored it, too caught up in the magical kiss. But then Vali pulled back very suddenly. He looked at her questioningly as she stood and stepped away from him wiping her lips on her sleeve. He thought fleetingly that she had suddenly realised who she was kissing and was disgusted, but that thought vanished as he noticed Warren standing near the entrance.
"My Lord, you need to come and get ready now." He said politely and as William stood and dusted off his pants he missed the vicious glare Warren shot the elf.
"Oh, of course." William then turned his attention back to the beautiful elf. He took her delicate hand and placed a kiss to the back of it. "I have to go to the capital for a few days, but when I come back can we finish our...discussion?" She smiled shyly and gave a slight nod, her eyes sparkling beautifully.
"My Lord?" Warren interrupted a tad annoyed. "There is no time."
"Alright, Warren." William was about to leave but then he decided he would give into one final temptation. He pulled her slender body to his, their lips locking again for another long moment of sweet passion. He then released her, pleased by her slight stumble and dazed expression. "Goodbye, angel." He said with a grin before following Warren out of the stable, feeling very happy with his life.