Heartless - closed for Ravenloft and Eklectikchik

Treyis smiled and made a sniff like sound of laughter as he glanced down at the sound of Tamara's rumbling belly. "We'll stop, make camp and I'll cook up the meat, so we can eat our fill. And then we can decide if we want to push on to make it to town." He sounded happy about stopping and cooking, but not at all eager about making it to town.

"How does that sound?" He asked, shifting in the saddle as he drew Hexen to a stop.

"I wouldn't mind a few carrots..." Hexen sent, lifting his head, illiciting a surprising scoff like chuckle out of Treyis as he slipped out of the saddle.

"What was that?" Hexen sent, questioningly.

"What was what?" Treyis said aloud by mistake, in an unguarded moment.

"You laughed." Hexen pointed out in his mind.

Treyis paused, thinking about it before sending. "I did... Strange..."

"It's the girl." Hexen added.

At that, Treyis looked up at Tamara with a look of wonderment, acknowledging what he already knew.

"I suppose it is." He sent, offering her a hand down.

Tamara almost responded to Treyis's odd question, but then realized after a moment that he must be talking to Hexen. She wondered how long she could keep it a seciret that she herself was talking to Hexen, but only in dreams.

Taking his offered hand, she slid off the saddle, stumbling as her feet hit the ground and pressing up against his body for support. "Ugh...sorry..." She groaned and then pushed off, drawing out her arms for balance and steadying herself. "Okay...I'm alright."

After a moment, she found the strength to move as Treyis let go. "I can help." She said. "Just tell me what to do." She offered, patting Hexen's neck affectionately as she stood nearby.

Treyis went around to the Packs on Hexen's side and searched for a folding shovel so that he could create a small fire pit for them to cook in. "Hmm... I've got to dig a fire pit and find wood for a fire, and no offence, but you really don't look like you're in any condition to do either of those. You're barely standing... What sort of things do you know? Perhaps you could forage? In any case... Hexen, you're not to leave her side." Treyis instructed as he began to dig the pit. "Oh, perhaps some herbs for the meat? To make it more satisfying?"

Tamara smiled, “It's true that I am weak, but yes, I can forage and I can pick herbs.”

The shared a moment, staring back at each other before he nodded and she moved carefully. Hexen stayed close as Tamara moved away and moved around their camp site. She found fresh eatable berries, wild onions and some other herbs that would help season their meal. She carefully gathered them in the sash she wore and returned to Treyis who had quickly and efficiently already created a fire for them.

“I found some things that will add to the meal.” She said, bringing him her findings. “Where do you want them?”

She shifted her gaze to Hexen, wondering if it would be alright for her to replenish herself with the earth in front of Treyis. She tried to link her mind, wishing they could speak as freely as he did with Treyis and let out a soft sigh. “I think we must speak, you and I.” She finally said as he took the contents out of her sash and placed them in a small bowl by the fire.

"You just need a good meal in you and some time to recover..." Treyis wanted to say, but when he looked up into her eyes, he lost his words. The best he could manage was a nod.

He watched her a moment longer as she foraged, frustrated by his own silence, he focused back on the work at hand, getting it done with surprising efficiency.

As he passed his hand over the fire to find it was ready to cook on, Tamara returned with some fine looking forage. He smiled, pleased with her findings. He had the meat in sealed satchel next to him and rumaged through it to pick the first cut to cook as she asked to speak with him and put her forage in a bowl on his other side. "Okay, what about?" He asked, casually taking his knife out of its sheath and handing it to her, hilt first, so she could cut up the onions and herbs.

Tamara took the knife, sitting Indian style near the fire as she began to cut up the herbs and onions as though she'd been doing it all her life. Which, in fact, she had. “I don't want to offend, for I have much to thank you for. You've saved me twice now and not left me to fend for myself, alone.” She began.

Clearing her throat softly and scooted the bowl towards him so he could season the meat. “I...would like to know more of you. What is it that you do and for what gain? I would share of me as well.” She rushed to tell him with a slightly smile. “You already know that I have a gift or two...” She said, trying to keep it vague.

“Earlier, when you seemed ill...what happened? And now...you're obviously injured. I'm no fool. That sort of injury would kill an ordinary man and I did not even have to see it.”

"I take no offence... In fact, I'm... I'm disarmed by you. It has been a very long time since I've had someone other than Hexen to talk to..."

Treyis contemplated her questions. "You will not like the answers, I think, for they will put you in more danger than you know." He took a hearty slab of meat and seasoned it with Tamara's work, then hung it over the fire on a skewer, carefully letting the flames lick at it.

"I kill... And butcher... Monsters... Collecting their various components... For a powerful witch. I've nothing to gain by it. If I do not do as I am bid, I suffer for it as punishment."

His hand moved to his neck as he turned the meat on its skewer with his other hand. "You're right, no living man could suffer such a wound and live." He shifted an eye upon her, hoping that she would stay, but expecting her to run away screaming.

Tamara took it all in and didn't run away screaming. “I still...feel you.” She said carefully, “Your emotions. I've heard of legends...of curses and witchcraft that can steal a man's soul.”

Drawing up her knees, Tamara made a lazy circle in the dirty that surrounded her, pushing the tips into the soil. Her irises almost seemed to swirl with the opal color as she gazed at him, drawing in some energy from the earth as making new sprouts of life pop up. “So tell me...how does she have a hold on you?”

Leaning forward slightly, she drew her hands away and brushed off her fingers. Disturbed that someone could use another in such a manner, Tamara was quickly learning that her life had been sheltered against a lot of the evils of the world. “I want to help...”

Treyis watched Tamara closely, warmth spreading through his chest as she remained by his side. "I feel them too... My emotions... I want to feel more... I..." He was struggling to pin them down, but they were still like ghosts slipping through his grasp. It frustrated him, but instead of growing angry, he shook his head and cleared his throat, moving on to her next statement. "Yes... I am missing my soul." He said calmly, as if he were talking about a shoe.

He looked over at her again as she began using her powers to replenish herself. The way her eyes swirled entranced him as she fixed her gaze on him. "She holds me by my heart..." He began to undo his leather vest and draw his under shirt up to show her the horrid scarred lump of pale white flesh where his heart had been cut out so long ago. He wasn't trying to disgust her or be cruel or flippant, it was only to show her the truth of things.

"Help... Me?" There was a subtle tremble in Treyis' voice. "You put yourself in mortal danger just be staying with me. My Mistress knows little about you, but she does know you posess power. Power she would rip you apart for... Power I fear she will command me to take from you... I would.... Rather..." Treyis was sweating and rubbing his chest, his right eye flaring red. "D..." He groaned, leaning forward in obvious pain.

Hexen shifted uneasily making a nervous sound in his throat.

"Stop, let the girl come part way with understanding, my friend. It's not all on you." Hexen sent supportively.

"Bring her into our pact, so that we three can protect one another in the sending" Treyis sent, made desperate by the pain in his chest for having nearly broken one of the standing commandments he was bound by.

"As you wish." Hexen sent, turning his head and stomping a hoof, snuffling to draw Tamara's attention.

He lowered his head and fixed an eye on her, trying to send with all his will through the haze of an unforged path while she was awake.

"Ta ma ra." The voice was faint and whisp like through her mind, but the feel of it was familiar.

Tamara looked at Treyis was alarm as he bent forward and groaned, looking unwell as he forced himself to breathe through the pain. She reached out, but stopped as she heard the family sound of Hexen as their eyes met.

“Yes?” She returned silently and gasped softly as he fully invaded her mind and connected with her thoughts. She drew her hands away, having seen his eyes and not wanting to cause Treyis anymore pain or put either one of them in danger.

Instead, she reached up to slid her hand over Hexen's broad snout and gave it a loving caress. Her body relaxed as their link was merged. “We do not have to do this if it harms any of us. I do not wish to cause pain...I only want to help.” She stated.

"Greater harm will befall all of us if we do nothing. Treyis suffers for good reason. He wants to protect you, because you can save him, but he knows he has no right to put you in such danger. The Mistress is powerful, she can use him against you, beware. You will know when he is being controled by his eyes."

"Tamara, help me, please... The pain... It is too much..." Treyis called out, but there was something off about it.

Hexen shifted and stepped in between Tamara and where Treyis lay. "Beware." He warned her again.

Tamara was torn. She wanted to reach out, but Hexen blocked the way. She'd seen the flash in his eyes and knew that the witch was more than likely trying to see, trying to control. Looking up at Hexen, she gave him a pained look, needing to do something! “What can I do?” She asked him.

She could hear the pain in Treyis's voice, but there was something else laced in his words. Something not...him. Unfortunately, Tamara was still weak and her training had contained many things, but nothing such as this. She waited to see what Hexen could offer her...anything to help her figure out a way.

"If you use your powers to help him now, you reveal yourself to the Mistress, and she WILL command Treyis to... Kill you, or worse, bring you to her so that she can do it herself." Hexen revealed, while he was free to do so. The Mistress couldn't keep an eye on him while posessing Treyis at the same time. It was the moment he'd been waiting for all this time.

"Tamara! Please! Help me! The pain!" Treyis shouted, flopping to his side, twitching in pain.

"It's not him..." Hexen sent. "But if you don't go to him and do something, her suspicions will grow, and she will only watch us all more closely."

Tamara scrambled to her knees and pushed at Hexen, begging him to move in his mind. He did so reluctantly. Treyis lay on his side, twitching and crying out for her. His one eye blazing as they locked gazes.

She gulped and crawled over to him, her eyes scanning his body for weapons. and then placing a cool hand to his cheek. "I'm here, Treyis. Hush now." She soothed softly, trying to calm him, to reach in and pull him through.

She didn't dare heal him in any way, but she tried to calm him. Instantly she could feel his inner struggle and the pain that burned within his chest. "Shhh now...easy. Calm yourself." She whispered softly, her voice calm and fingers caressing his face, the glint of the blade he had been using earlier covered by a few scattered leaves.

"Treyis..." She murmured, focusing on his good eye as she cupped the other side of his face and dipped closer to his face. "Breathe with me."

"Please... Nnnngah! Heal me... My heart..." Treyis was delerious, his teeth gritting and his eyes bulging as heat rose from his burning red eye. His words were not his own. The Mistress was behind his eyes, forcing her words through him, never before had he resisted so well.

Knowing that her ruse was pointless, she tried to force Treyis' hand to go for the blade. If she would not reveal her gift for him, then perhaps if she gutted her, she would heal herself.

Treyis found enough control of himself to bellow "NO!" pushing Tamara away, he rolled and pinned his arm under the weight of his body to keep the witch from using him to hurt her.

There was an otherworldly shriek of anger, and then he lay still, unmoving, his face down in the grass. He'd empailed himself on his own knife, the tip protruding an inch out his back.

"Calm. Calm." Hexen sent feeling Tamara's confusion and gripping fear.

"He is deathless while the Mistress has his heart. Now is the time to help him though. You must be strong, draw on your gift like you have never drawn before. Fill him with life, it will protect him... For now..."

Treyis's shove sent her sprawling back onto her bottom. She hit the ground with a soft groan and then let out a scream of alarm as she watched him roll and impale himself on the blade. "Oh no!"

Hexen's words did little to truly comfort her. He wasn't dead, but he was hurt! That small comfort wasn't much, but she quickly scrambled back to her knees. "Treyis!"

At his side, she tried to roll him, pushing and tugging at his side. "Treyis!"

His limp weight was too much for her slight frame to move, but with a loud groan, Treyis himself began to move. Hexen let out a snort and stomped his foot, "Roll you idiot! The girls will help you!" He sent to Treyis.

He managed to make it to his side, blood pooling down his side as Tamara gazed at him with such concern. "I must remove this." She told him, biting her lip as her small hand grabbed the blades hilt and then tugged. It came away quickly and she tossed it aside. He looked pale, his flesh sweaty and hot.

"I'm so sorry." She whispered, fighting back tears as she rolled him fully over. Planting her feet and one hand firmly in the loose soil around them, Tarama pressed her other hand to his wound and leaned over him, her long hair fanning the sides of his face as she gazed into his face, her irises alight and swirling.

She drew in a breath and began to pool life into him, drawing strand after strand from the earth, channeling it through her body. It flowed through her giving her a slight unearthly glow. From behind her, he gasped, his eyes widening as she pushed it through, biting on her lip as she concentrated. She wanted him brimming with it. Wanted him so full that the witch couldn't get to him for a time. It was the least she could do.

Treyis didn't make a sound as Tamara removed the knife, only nodded and bared his teeth through the sharp bite of pain. He fixed his eyes upon her face, looking up at her like she was an angel, completely without meaning to, he reached up and caressed her cheek. "It's alright... You're safe." He whispered, forming a smile through his pain.

He watched her face, the scent of her hair reminding him of a verdant forest and the inner light that made her glow filling his senses. Her healing touch followed and the life energy she poured into his body felt like sifting sand, rushing water, cool breeze and a warming fire passing through him and over him all at once. He gasped, basking in the feeling. It made him want to laugh and weep at the same time.

His hand still lingered on her cheek as the pain in his eyes subsided. "Thank you..." He said softly, aching to pledge his heart to her. He'd long forgotten the feelings she filled him with. "You've nothing to be sorry for." He said with a joyful laugh, drawing her into his arms, slipping her across his lap so he could gaze down into her lovely face, though surprise was written upon her brow. "So beautiful." He breathed, smiling tenderly, his eyes glossy. "So beautiful..." He whispered again, his voice growing tight. He was leaning in to kiss her, his hand cradling the nape of her neck.

Tamara had rejoiced in the feeling of healing him...filling him. To see the pain fade from his eyes and his wounds heal themselves, giving way to smooth flesh. But nothing had prepared her for his emotions. They flooded her as well, catching her off guard. She was taken by surprise when he pulled her into his lap and gazed down at her with awe and reverence.

Her heart beat madly in her chest and when he dipped down to capture her mouth, she gasped against his mouth and stilled. Her body tensed, fingers curling into his vest as her eyes stayed opened and wide.

She'd never been kissed before...not by another man apart from the chaste cheek kisses of her father. Unsure what to make of it, she struggled with the need to push him away and draw him closer, afraid to do either.

His warm hand gently massaged the nape of her neck, drawing out a small moan of pleasure from within her and then she felt the flick of his tongue against the seem of her lips and jerked, drawing away. "Treyis?"

His mouth followed after hers as she drew back. "Its okay." He murmured, not understanding her alarm. He only wanted to share the pleasure of a deep kiss. He claimed her lips with his lustful mouth again, his hand slipping up into her hair, firmly grasping a hand full. He didn't get the reaction he wanted, so he drew back, blinking his eyes, looking into her face quizzically. "Have you never been kissed?" He asked concernedly.

Alarmed by his sudden shift and the firm grasp he had on her, Tamara clamped her lips together tight when he tried to further the kiss, her fingers spreading across his chest and her arms locking to keep him at bay. She wasn't sure what was suddenly happening, but was relieved when he finally drew back again.

"N-no." She stuttered softly and then cleared her throat.

Still, the warmth of his body was pleasant and his handsome face was one she could enjoy always. It just wasn't what she had expected in his reaction to her touch and healing.

"I am sorry, I did not mean to offend you. I was just, surprised." She told him and then feeling awkward, she looked at the fire and the over cooked meat. "Maybe we should eat so you may further your healing."

Treyis shook his head, rubbing his own neck, letting out a soft chuckle.

"You're not the one who needs to be sorry, Tamara... I was far too bold and you're far too sweet. You are the one who aught to be offended. I had no right to kiss you like that."

He rubbed his brow self conciously. "Its... Its been a long time since I've felt... The way I feel about you..."

"I..." He fell silent as he went to salvage what he could of the charring meat.

Oddly, he felt worse about the meat nearly being ruined than he did about having stabbed himself, forcing her to heal him with her power.

He reasoned that by empaling himself, he'd prevented the Mistress from knowing for certain she had magical gifts. So she was safe, at least for another day, it would take the Mistress at least that long before she could bring her wrath to bare upon him again.

Although it was fleeting, he couldn't help but feel free for the first time in at least seventy years. He looked at Tamara again. "I'll eat this one, let me make you another. A better one..." He took another cut of meat out of the satchel and skewered it on the stick he'd used to cook the last one. This time, he did it right and let Tamara have the finished product, eager to watch her enjoy it, hoping she would.

Tamara wasn't sure what to say or how to react to his profession. She didn't take it to hear to seriously in the end, figuring it was due to the fact that he'd felt no real emotion in a long while. It had to be...she wasn't nothing special in her mind. A slip of a girl, with slight curves. Her mother and father had always called her beautiful of course, but they were family and that's what mother's and father's did...was it not?

“It's okay.” she told him softly and smiled slightly, happily taking the offered meat once it was cooked. She didn't ask where it had come from or what it was. It smelled good and once she bit into it, Tamara moaned loudly and continued to eat eagerly, forgetting her manners for a moment as she gobbled it down, casting him a slightly embarrassed look as she licked her fingers clean.

“Perfect...thank you...” She told him, flushing and letting out a soft giggle of self consciousness. “Treyis...” She caught his gaze, “I'm not offended...it was probably the energy...”

Treyis wondered what Tamara was thinking in the moment before she smiled and took the meat he'd offered her. She seemed to have been contemplating what had just happened. His stomach felt tight until he heard her moan over the food. He relaxed and watched her with a sense of wonder as she scarfed her meal down. She seemed so care free in that moment, so pure and innocent in her eager hunger.

He cast her a grin and a subtle nod as if to say he enjoyed seeing her enjoyment. He'd been lounging back, watching her until she thanked him. Then he sat up and began to pick at his own meal, not feeling terribly hungry, at least not for charred meat. He looked up at her with a certainty he hadn't felt in a long time. "It wasn't just the energy... I assure you of that." He flashed her a soft smile, fighting the urge to reach out and touch her thigh.

Tamara felt her cheeks warm again and looked away shyly. She wasn't used to that sort of attention. Back home, she'd always been busy with her family. Under the guidance of her father, she learned more about her abilities and her mother was the town healer and midwife, so Tamara was always by her side, aiding where she could. There had been little time for flirtation or boys. If anyone had paid her attention, she certainly had never noticed. But now she was alone, with a man...not a boy.

"Will be travel further?" She asked him finally, drawing her knees up again and resting her chin upon them. "And...how long do you think it'll take for...the witch, to return to her nasty ways?"

She watched him poke at the fire with a stick, the soft sweet smile he had cast her earlier now gone and replaced with a frown of thought. "Tell me more...if you don't mind...while we have the chance." She urged gently.

"Please don't call her that... She is.... She was... My daughter..." Treyis said, hesitantly, bare above a whisper. "We have a day, maybe less before she is likely to be able to use her powers against us again. Do you know what your power did to me?" He asked softly, unsure how they worked himself. "Hers come from a dark place, a selfish and evil place. But yours... Its pure, its life giving. I feel like... I feel... I feel." He stammered, emotions crossing his face as he looked in her direction.

He shook his head in awe and confusion. "You may be my only hope, a hope I never thought I'd find. I want to be free of this curse... But no matter how evil she is, I cannot bare the thought of destroying my child... I just... I just want my heart back."