Erriene stood in front of Alarick, hands firmly clasped behind his back as his soldiers stood outside ready to leave.
“Is it done?” Alarick asked, watching the blue magic that surrounded them minutes ago disappearing.
The words were a little tricky to say, unknown to him, and the thrill he felt at his guts when the magic circled him and Erriene was overwhelming, in a good way.
Erriene had handed him the contract and he had dropped a little of blood on it, and it was a little unusual with land binding contracts. But he would send it to Maud, and it would be protected.
“Yes, yes,” Erriene said with impatience. “Now tell me, why are there soldiers all over the temple?”
Alarick had spent the last two days sending letters to Maud to let his father know of his plans, and waiting for a good amount of soldiers to travel to the Temple of Cyndel. He had sent some men around to find the trolls’ positions
Two days later, Alarick found himself riding his horse in a forgotten part of Kalise- the poor, unkind part of the land.It was said that Kalise was a holy ground, where supposed gods have been killed and born, but despite being pleasantly warm most of the year, it’s soil wasn’t good for growing.Thorne was making suggestions though, about some places that could be salvaged.Alarick circled the camp one more time. He had groups of men protecting the abandoned villages after making themselves the plague against trolls and killing anything they found in their way, and they were making camp after the archers took care of a large batch by the forest most of the trolls were coming from.It would take some time, letting the trolls regroup and then following the trails, but Alarick felt calm.Fighting in Kalise feels like protecting Erriene, and wherever Erriene was at, that was Alarick’s territory.Those were the th
It was done.And it was as easy as Alarick thought it would be. They had gathered their things first thing in the morning, and up on their horses as they were going back to the temple.The trolls were not all dead, but what was left of them could be dealt with by the men he assigned to take care of them, in different places.They were building posts, and there was a constant stream of food being delivered by his hunters to those posts.It would take some time to build a good watch, good fences and traps around Kalise, but the land wasn’t huge by any means, and they were all pretty used to the old routine they made in the villages of Maud.The villages were being reconstructed. Soon, the families that took refuge in the Temple of Cyndel would be going back to their homes.Alarick had fulfilled his promise. It was time to go back to Maud.Time to let Erriene go again, but not before collecting one more promise from t
One year ago…Alarick paced back and forth in his garden, raving mad.Randal watched his son with sorrow in his eyes. Alarick had never been denied of things before. Being the son of a warlord, and being a warlord himself, everything and anything that he wants was given to him with open palms.Rejection was something his son knew nothing about.Watching this for the first time without Aefstine by his side was frustrating.“Do you really want to declare a war? For a man?” Randal said, already knowing the answer.“Yes. Yes, I do,” Alarick said, but in his eyes, they both could see him accepting defeat. “But I don’t think I can handle to see him hating me more than he does now.”He let his sword fall to the floor and took off both his gloves, crumpling it in his hand.“What’s yours is yours, Alarick,” his father said, eyes distant. &l
“Y- You can’t... You can’t!” Erriene’s eyes went wide, and he took two steps back. “You’ve become insane. There are other ways to solve this!”“Then tell me, Erriene. Do I admit to Chevelle that you made a fool out of me? I might as well resign my inheritancebecause I am not worthy of my own name anymore.”Erriene’s hands clutch at the white fabric of his own clothes over his chest, and Alarick cursed the shakiness, and the desperation in his voice.He took a step closer to Erriene and held his cheek with one hand.“I amnot asking you to love me,Erriene,” Alarick said, even as the words seemed to cut deep into hisownchest. “I would never take from you what you won’t give to me willingly. I only ask for your company, and for you to recognize… recognize that you are m- mine.”The words seemed to not want t
Erriene looked at his surroundings.The path now was clear, a vast valley full of healthy grass, the high mountains in the distance and occasional lake that they had to make their way around.While the party of the soldiers strolled behind, he decided to keep his own pace for a while. The cold wind made him shiver again and he shrank, burying his chin in the fur coat one of the maids gave him before the travel. It smelled like Alarick.Alarick would be already in Maud right now. Mixed with Gythaean soldiers, Maudians kept a close watch on Erriene and the royal family that was coming along to attend the wedding.When his father accepted Alarick's large offer to keep his sword down and give him permission to take Erriene's hand, the man must have suddenly grew an eye on Alarick's power.He remembered a story back when he was still in Gytha. During King Randal’s reign, he had been said to also give a huge offering- double to what w
Erriene stood therein his white robe at the entrance of the castle while the maids took his possessions away from the carriage by another passage.Erriene trembled at Alarick's possessive gaze. The man had yet to get up from his throne, and Erriene was getting a little nervous. He cleared his throat.Alarick finally got up and walked towards him. His steps seem to echo in Erriene’s ears despite the commotion and flurry of activities of the servants behind him as they carry his possessions as well as greeting the Maudian soldiers for their coming back.Like always, Erriene flinched a little when the man got closer, his size and angry looking face always managed to get him a little out of sorts.Alarick put a hand to his face and caressed his cheek, surprisingly gentle when Erriene thought for sure he would strike."You're here," Alarick whispered, and Erriene frowned at thesoftcaress."I am," he replied.
Erriene looked at the massive room he was currently in.The room Alarick gave him was probably his own. It was entirely made of wood and rock. Everything was simple but very elegant, and Erriene felt a little comforted by it. It was clean and wide and cozy, and surprisingly, he felt at home.The bed was massive and stood against one of the walls, taking over the room. Beside it, some stands full of books, probably for his sake too since Maudians didn't read much, and two giant chests made of metal, wood and leather, which he assumed belonged to Alarick too.There were two big windows which gave him a very beautiful view of the mountains, and the dark winter forest that was just on the horizon.Erriene bit his lips and clutched at his clothes. He was so very tired but laying down in Alarick's bed was just everything he has ever been against.His eyes fell on the little table tucked in a corner full of trinkets and metal and gold-
Later in the night,Alaricktook a sleepy, drunk Erriene upstairs while everyone passed out at the hall and out on the front of the castle by the bigbonfire.Several villages had also made smaller bonfires and were dancing around it, commemorating the joining of the kingdoms once again, taking any excuses to stop working and drink until dawn, making Maud a loud and warm place tonight.Erriene shifted in his arms once again, too sleepy to notice Alarick was carrying him once they were outside the view of the hall.He carried him through the corridors and into his room- their room. He put Erriene on the bed, watching the man immediately curl to his side before going back to lock the door and telling the soldier stationed outside to leave for the night.While he was there, Erriene needed no other protection. He put the key around the doorknob.He turned slowly to Erriene. The elf was sitting up now, looking warily at Alar