The Child of Destiny

[Nouh_Bdee]

The Child of Destiny (Closed for Emstar303)

He picked up his sword. The bare wood had a much different feel than the fine leather grip on the sword he usually used, but he would not risk training the prince with Demanudeam, his holy blade. Or any steel, for that matter.

Darian twirled the training blade in his hand and faced the young elf. He had come far in the decade or more Darian had trained him. He was still a bit too reckless, and Darian wanted to fix that, but he couldn’t bear to be too violent in his training. The prince felt like a younger brother to him, and Darian didn’t like hurting him.

He would go harder on him another time, when they weren’t sparring in the common yard. No need to hurt the boy’s pride as well.

Tarilon was smiling, twirling his own wooden blade as he stepped close. Don’t do that so close to your opponent, Tari! Darian couldn’t resist, and he lunged forward, batting Tarilon’s sword away onto the grassy lawn. He could have pressed the attack and made the lesson stick a little better, but he granted the young elf a reprieve. Tarilon picked up the blade and circled his human trainer.

The elf lunged, and Darian attempted a parry. But, the attack had been a feint, and Tarilon spun. He danced, striking at the human from multiple directions in quick succession. Darian had seen this attack before from many of the elves he’d fought beside. Most of them used it as a distraction, to great effect against less disciplined foes. Tarilon was different. His speed was inhuman, and greater even than most elves. Even Darian struggled to parry his whirling, twisting strikes. He took a few raps on his knuckles, and Tarilon revealed his weakness yet again.

The prince smiled, and Darian noticed the exact moment that his attention slipped. He stepped in, catching Tarilon under the chin with his shoulder and knocking the boy to the ground.

“That’s for the bruises I’m going to have on my knuckles tomorrow.”

The elf smiled up at him, undaunted as always. “I would’ve had you, were it not for your human strength.”

How many times had he told him? “It’s not my strength, Tari, it’s your focus! Your mind follows your eyes, and your eyes follow the wind. A split second where you’re not--”

“watching the man in front of you, and it’s your head.” Tarilon pulled himself up from the green grass. “You always say that, Darian, but I still don’t think I could take you down no matter how long I keep up the fight.”

It was the human’s turn to smile. “How would you know? You’ve never tried for more than a few seconds at a time.”

Tarilon shrugged, slower with his rebuttals than his blade.

Darian thought on the problem. “Try holding back your speed. I’m carrying more weight than you. Let me waste my energy a bit longer before you surprise me. Maybe knowing you’ve got a trick lined up will help you keep your focus.”

He tossed the young elf his sword. “Again!”

 

[Emstar303]

Princess Talia watched with wide, green, excited eyes as her brother practiced sword fighting. She wasn't enthralled with her brother, she'd seen him training plenty of times, but with his trainer, the human paladin. Her father had hired him to train her brother at sword fighting. Supposedly he was one of the best swordfighters on the continent. He was also one of the few humans to visit their kingdom. The elves preferred to keep what they considered their little forest paradise to themselves, so they rarely welcomed visitors. It was only due to the respect her father felt for the holy order Darian belonged to that he allowed him inside the kingdom. She also suspected there may be more to the story, of her father's relationship with the order back when he'd gone on some epic quest, but that was just speculation.

"If only you'd pay as much attention to your training as your brother, Talia," her father had scolded her many a time.

"Maybe if my teachers were as handsome as Tarilon's I'd feel more like training," she'd complained to her parents on more than one occasion.

"Don't make excuses, Tali," Her father had always said. "You wouldn't feel like training even if the most handsome man in the world was the trainer."

He was right of course. Her trainer was a withered old elvan wizard, talented, sure, but he was more about theory than action, and Talia was all about action. He insisted she needed to get a grasp of the theory in order to perform the spell correctly, but Talia just wanted to shoot fireballs. Talia liked doing things on her own terms, when she felt like it, kind of like one of those furry meowing creatures the humans kept as pets.

Talia had a lot of hobbies; she liked to dance, to paint, to goof around with her friends, watch battles in the arena, explore, but tell her to focus on one and she'll run off in the opposite direction. She was much wilder and adventurous than her twin brother. She'd run off into the forest on her own sometimes, or with her friends trailing behind. She enjoyed exploring the surrounding forest, launching icicles at trees. She only practiced fireballs with her trainer - she didn't want to be responsible for burning down their beautiful home after all.

And it really was beautiful. Lush greens and soothing browns, sunbeams streaming through the treetops, bathing the forest floor in soft, amber light. One of Talia's favorite pastimes was climbing the highest tree in their little neck of the woods, at the point the sun was highest in the sky, and just bask in its shine. At that time of day you could almost see a glimpse of the tallest tower from the human kingdom several miles away.

She was restless, and curious, about what lay behind the thick blanket of forest. Which was why she was so curious about Darian. He'd been her twin brother's sword trainer for years, ever since she was a young teenager, and he was very handsome. She sat on a tree branch with her friend Aubree and Shianni watching her brother and Darian spar in the common yard.

"He's so handsome," she said to her friends. They were far enough away that they shouldn't be heard by the two men, probably. Even if they were Talia didn't care. She was very forward with her thoughts and emotions. Besides, Darian had to know he was handsome, right?

"I know. Your goofy brother has finally grown into a man," Shianni commented.

"Don't make me push you off this tree," Talia laughed. She loved her brother and her friend, but they couldn't be together. Her brother was already promised to someone. Shianni had just developed a crush over the years. It was kind of like how Talia felt about Darian. She knew they couldn't be together. Not only was he a human, but he was a paladin. They were sworn to celibacy or something. She didn't understand human religions. The elves led a much closer relationship to nature in the gods they worshipped and that link to nature also meant they were more accepting of carnal pleasures. That wasn't to say she could just go sleeping around their forest home - she had a reputation to maintain, after all, being the princess. But it did mean she didn't have to cover up as the humans did. The forest was warm, and the elves' body temperature naturally ran hot, so Talia was used to wearing little clothing. Though perhaps not quite as little clothing as she wore today.

She wore a beautiful long, sparkling dress fitting for a princess, but it had an open back so you could see the slope of her back. The front was a shimmery, see-through white, with thicker fabric around her breasts to shield them from view. The neckline was low as well, dangerously slow. If she wasn't careful, one of her soft, perky breasts could easily slip past the fabric. But Tali wasn't worried - she knew how to walk with grace. She was used to such outfits.

"You two are too much," Aubree chirped. She was leaning against the tree, while Shianni and Princess Talia sat on the branch. "Make room, I'm coming up."

"Aubree! It's going to break with you on it too!" Shianni warned, but it was too late.

They weren't very high up, so Talia found the situation more humorous than anything when the tree branch cracked and they came crashing to the ground. She laughed with her friends as they "Why don't we get a bit closer?" Talia suggested. She led her friends to one of the marble benches surrounding the common yard. Her gaze lay heavy on Darian as they passed.

 

[Nouh_Bdee]

Tarilon was a tornado, striking almost simultaneously at Darian from multiple angles. A lesser warrior would be down, but the paladin was here because he was one of the best swordsmen on the continent. He focused on parrying, knowing the prince would falter eventually. It happened sooner rather than later, as the prince’s sister and two friends walked by to watch. The slender elven maidens sat down on a stone bench.

Darian knew Aubree and Shianni from their time with Talia, but he didn’t know them well. Talia on the other hand, was a fixture in his life with the elves. She used to follow her brother everywhere he went. Darian suspected that if she’d been allowed she would be training with the blade as well. In truth, she would be better in some ways than Tarilon. In temperament, she was like an extreme version of her brother: extremely skilled and fast, but flighty and unfocused. Darian would have been driven mad training her. Darian loved the siblings, and adored spending time with them off the field, when he wasn’t doing his job, but on it he could barely handle the one royal elf.

Tarilon noticed them as well. His eyes widened and pulled away from his opponent for an instance. He failed to notice that Darian had stepped out of the way of his latest strike. The human grabbed the prince’s wrist and batted away his wooden training blade. Darian dropped his own and put his arm around the young elf’s shoulder.

“Which one?”

Tarilon looked confused.

“You’re distracted by one of those girls in particular. You little smile gave you away. Which one?”

Tarilon smiled guiltily. “Shianni. It can’t happen, though. Father has made an arrangement for me.”

Darian’s stomach grumbled. They could stand a short break. “You can talk to her, though, can’t you?”

Tarilon gasped. “Darian Verayne, are you playing the matchmaker?”

Darian shoved the young elf with his hand. “Come off, Tari, just because I’m sworn to celibacy doesn’t mean I expect everyone to be. The Goddess Emmaryn wants the world to keep going on, after all. Besides, I am specifically not suggesting that you fool around with her. Just talk.”

Tarilon paused to consider it, but Darian interrupted him. “Shianni’s the one with the healing magic, right?”

Tarilon nodded. “She healed Trolo when he was knocked from a tree last month. His bones were showing!”

Darian had an idea. “Alright, let’s go again. This time, go on the attack again, but after a few hits, I’ll sweep with my blade. I’ll pull it, but go down anyway.”

The prince was scatter-brained, but he was very smart. “Ah, and then maybe you could find something for Aubree and my sister to do while I need healing?”

Darian poked Tarilon in the forehead playfully. “I knew you could use that thing!”

He stepped back and tossed the prince his sword. This go around went exactly the same as they’d discussed, and Tarilon exaggerated his fall well. Perhaps a little too well. Darian thought he saw the princess stifle some giggles. Nevertheless, soon Shianni was helping a falsely limping Tarilon into a nearby tent.

“Talia! Aubree!” Darian called out to the remaining maidens before they could follow. “Tarilon and I could use a meal after our training. Would you two help me carry some food out for the wounded warrior, and perhaps yourselves as well?”

 

[Emstar303]

When her brother Tarilon fell to the ground, Talia couldn't help but giggle. That was the most exaggerated, overacted stage fall she'd ever seen. She shared a knowing smile with her friends. Even Shianni didn't seem convinced this was a real fall, but she would jump at any excuse to spend some one on one time with the prince.

As Shianna lead a limping Tarilon away, Darian suggested Aubree and herself help him get some lunch for the group. Talia was happy to spend time with the handsome warrior and readily agreed. As the three of them made their way through the grounds towards the castle, the elvan maidens flanked Darian on either side.

"For a paladin, you're awfully devious," Talia observed as Darian led her and Aubree to get some food for the "wounded warrior". "You shouldn't torture the two of them like that, not everyone can resist temptation like you can." Talia made sure to brush her arm slightly against his as she said this. He was much taller than Talia and Aubree, so he could see straight down their dresses in he wanted to, but she'd knew he would never. He was a paladin after all.

 

[Nouh_Bdee]

Darian suddenly felt himself outmaneuvered as Aubree and Talia surrounded him, the princess’s arm brushing against his mail-clad elbow.

He looked at the precocious elf, careful to keep his eyes above her chest. He was well familiar with her teasing ways and elven exhibitionism. It was harmless. He was spoken for by the Goddess, after all. “You’re too smart for my own good, princess.” They walked into the kitchen. “Besides, who says they shouldn’t enjoy their time together. Perhaps she would be a better match than (He pitched his voice for maximum snootiness) Sarisa of Eldergrove, heir to the silver forest?”

He winked at Aubree and turned back to Talia, happy to see he’d surprised her.

 

[Emstar303]

The girls laughed at Darian's joke, amused as always. He had a good sense of humor in general, especially for a holy guy. She remembered being surprised by that when he'd first been introduced to her as her brother's trainer.

"Father wants to make nice with the elves in the Eldergrove after our past quarrels over land... or something," Talia waved the conflict away with a flick of her wrist. "I don't really know. Sarisa's all right, but I think she's too uptight for my brother. I'm just dreading what father will select for my match."

Aubree laughed. "He knows you'll reject anyone you suggest, and he's probably afraid you'll scare any would-be suitors off."

"Aw come on, Aubree! You're supposed to be on my side," Talia complained, but there was a joking tone in her voice and she leaned across Darian to make sure her friend saw her smile, and just to tease Darian a little bit.

"I am on your side! You should be happy. Maybe you'll get to choose. That's rare for a princess," Aubree said. She placed a long strand of flyaway dark brown hair behind her pointed ear.

By then they'd reached the kitchens. No matter what time of day or night, the kitchens were always a bustle with the clatter of pots and pans and an assortment of delicious smells. Talia picked a strawberry off a passing fruit platter - likely on its way to some important political gathering or public event.

She greeted several kitchen staff as they passed. Her bright green eyes surveyed the available dishes laid out on the counter. "Hmm, should we ponder on our meal for a moment? Give my brother more time with our dear friend Shianni?" her question was mostly directed at Aubree, but her eyes did flash to Darian for a moment, flashing him a curious smile.

"You're just asking for trouble, just pick what you want, grab another plate for your brother and let's go. I'll grab one for Shianni."

"Aw, you're no fun! What do you think Darian? You're the one who concocted this little scheme. Should we take the long way back?"

 

[Nouh_Bdee]

Darian both did and didn’t appreciate Talia pressing her chest against his side as she leaned across him to speak to Aubree. The young elf made his vow of celibacy harder than it needed to be, and she seemed particularly determined to keep him from seeing her like a little sister. It was especially effective since she’d...developed...in the years he’d known her.

He ignored it, though. Acknowledging her flirtation would only encourage her. He picked up a basket from the cupboard by the window. “Why don't we just fill this? It would be easier to carry than five plates. Then we can walk through the palace around to the training ground. They’re just talking, so we might as well give them some time.” He held the basket out for the girls to fill with delicious elven cuisine. When Darian had first arrived in this forest paradise, he’d thought the meat portions at elven meals were too small. Since then, he’d come to appreciate the exotic flavors they used in their vegetables, and elven pastries, both sweet and savory, made human breads taste like hardtack.

Once their picnic was prepared, Darian carried it through the door to the palace, an elf maiden on each side. The palace interior was exquisitely designed, a bold fusion of fine velvets, intricately carved wood, and smooth, polished marble with majestic tree trunks, thick vines, and fragrant wildflowers. A human architect or human maintenance would fail to balance the natural and the elf-made, but the elves themselves were naturals at it. Darian would never get tired of walking these halls. They made him feel closer to the Goddess, even though he was her only strict adherent here.

“Talia, how is your training coming? Is Ogephon tearing out his beard yet?” he teased her.

Before she could answer, they turned a corner to find the king himself, greeting a guest. The woman was short and slender, and even more scantily clad than the local elves, including Talia. The first thing Darian noticed, though, was that she was a dark elf. He’d never seen one. He didn’t know any humans who had. They were notoriously reclusive. Her dark gray skin was a marked contrast to the light and green in the palace.

“Ah, Talia, come! Greet our guest. This is Cybene, an envoy from...where were you from, my lady?”

The dark elf’s voice trickled into Darian’s ears, thick and sweet. “Dúrmindon, your majesty.”

“Yes, Dúrmindon.” The king nodded to Talia’s companions. “Thank you, Darian, Aubree, you’re dismissed.”

With a nod, Darian and Aubree left, but not before overhearing Cybene address Talia. “Aren’t you a vision, dear! You’ll fetch quite the bride price when the time comes.”

Outside waiting for the princess, Darian kept trying to listen to what was being said inside. He didn't hear what Aubree said or notice that the queen had walked up to them until she addressed him directly.

“Hmm? Oh! Your majesty, I apologize!”

The queen smiled at him warmly. The king and queen were formidable rulers for this forest kingdom, not least because the people loved them, and the queen was the biggest reason why.

“Don’t worry, Darian. I was just telling Aubree here how happy I am to see you two spending time together. If you ever relax about your silly vow, she would be a wonderful choice, you know.”

The swordsman blushed and stammered. The queen enjoyed this. “Darian Verayne, caught off guard twice in as many sentences! This is a day of wonders!” She walked past them into the palace, laughing congenially.

 

[Emstar303]

Talia shared a smirk with Aubree when Darian said that Shianni and Tarilon were just talking. Childhood friends of Shianni, they knew she could be a little... aggressive in her approach. They didn’t bother to tell this to Darian though. After all, he’d tried to do a sweet thing by lending the two lovebirds some alone time. They didn’t want him to feel he’d done a bad thing - of course in the elven friends' eyes it was far from bad. Talia loved her brother and loved her friend, why wouldn’t she root for them?

The trio loaded up the basket with delicious elven cuisine. Talia's stomach rumbled from the aroma of all the options. After they finished, the young elven maidens flanked beside Darian again, Talia winding her arm through his insistently. His other hand held the basket of food, so Aubree did not get the same opportunity. The brunette elf was more soft-spoken than Talia and not as wild about romance as either of her friends, so she didn't mind letting Talia get to be the one to loop her arm through Darian's.

Talia was thinking up another excuse to sit close to Darian while they ate their meal when he asked her how her training with Ogephon was going. She audibly groaned. The truth was she'd skipped the past few lessons this week... The first she'd napped through, bathed in the sunshine up in the treetops of the highest tree. The next she'd opted to freeze the wildlife a few miles out from their designated forest kingdom, and the third to giggle with Aubree and Shianni about boys over a peace pipe by the shimmering waterfalls. She wasn't sure if he'd like to hear about her activities, especially that last one. She was about to tell Darian Ogephon had no hairs left when they rounded a corner and ran into their father and a slender, nearly nude, beautiful dark elf.

The sight of the elf unsettled her. She couldn't explain why, but she felt foreboding, sinister energy from the dark elf that made her wary. When the woman opened her mouth, that dark energy seemed to leak out. She told Talia she'd fetch a good bride price when the time came. Talia didn't want to be bought and paid for by some fancy elf in some faraway, unfamiliar forest. A price implied being owned, and she didn't want to be owned by anyone. Her mother told her it was tradition and not to take it so literally, to try to be open to the idea of a political marriage but Talia had always waved her off. She wanted to stay here in her own forest with her family, Aubree, and Shiann, free to do as she pleased.

Expressionless, she turned to the visitor and said flatly, “Thank you."

Her father laughed apologetically. He looked sheepish. "Though my daughter is beautiful she isn't the most charming. I can only hope the bride price will be decided upon before she opens her mouth."

She knew he was joking, but it still hurt a little that her very own dad was insulting her to try to appeal to this strange newcomer. Who was this Cybele and why did she carry such an aura of unease with her? Dúrmindon was one of the dark elf kingdoms. She knew their customs were different. Some of them practiced dark magic that had been banned by the forest elves. Not wanting to be around the woman another moment, Talia turned to go but ran into her mother who was walking into the palace.

"My daughter may not have the best manners but she does have a pure heart and talent. Speaking of..." her beautiful, ethereal eyes sparkled knowingly as she turned to Talia. "A little birdy told me you froze half a mile of wildlife yesterday." It wasn't an expression about the bird - her mother had powerful nature magic and could communicate to certain wildlife creatures.

"It'll melt."

Her mother sighed, but a hint of a smile played at her lips. "Please don't neglect your lessons, Tali. It's not enough to wield your magic. You need to know how to control it too."

"Yes, I know mother," Talia said in a politer tone than she'd used with Cybele. She tried not to sound too bratty; she knew her mother wanted the best for her.

"Control is everything, girl. Your mother is wise to warn you of that," Cybele said. Her voice was smooth but bitter. "Without control, even the greatest of magic users can fall prey to manipulation."

Why did her words sound like a warning? Talia bowed to her mother, father, and their strange visitor then took her leave.

"Ugh, I couldn't get out of there fast enough!" she exclaimed to Aubree and Darian when she caught up with them outside. "That woman is seriously creepy."

"Yeah. I got a bad feeling around her," Aubree agreed as the three starting walking again. "What about you, Darian?"

 

[Nouh_Bdee]

Darian had felt the same way. Something about her gave him a vague impression of a threat. “I’m afraid I was unsettled as well. Hopefully she’ll be on her way soon, and we can all steer clear of Dúrmindon.”

Surely he had nothing to fear from the dark elf. If she was a threat, Emmaryn’ shields would protect him from any magical attack, and he doubted she could stand against him with a blade. The paladin shook his head. Why was he plotting out a defense as if she’d been openly hostile? Her only words had been a friendly, if a bit rudely presumptuous, greeting. Emmaryn’s charity wasn’t just of coin and strength. He was called to be generous in his consideration of others, as well.

He blinked and noticed that Aubree and Talia had turned back to him after starting to walk toward the others. Talia was holding out her arm for him to take. He really shouldn’t encourage her to tease him with such familiar contact, but something about the irrepressible elven princess made him want to indulge her. It’s not like either of them would be willing to take their flirtation any further. After all, he was sworn to celibacy and she was a young, beautiful princess who he was sure would never want a scarred human swordsman such as himself. He took her arm in his and the three of them walked to the tent.

The day was bright and warm. It always was, here in Bala Faresha, the capital of the elven kingdom Talia and Tarilon’s father ruled. The sun was never harsh. The rains, even when plentiful, were never anything more than soothing drops of life-giving water trickling through the trees. Darian felt blessed by his Goddess to be one of few humans invited to stay here.

Talia’s arm was warm and comforting against his own, and he enjoyed the feminine contact, even as he knew he should avoid it. Emmaryn had given her paladins no proscription against platonic contact, but Darian knew that he struggled with his celibacy more than the other knights discussed and he didn’t want to make his vow any harder on himself than it needed to be. Of course, perhaps the other members of his order struggled just as much. He, himself, didn’t advertise his temptations, so maybe they didn’t either.

They reached the tent, and walked in to find Tarilon and Shianni sitting quite close, but fully clothed. They both, upon noticing the other enter, slid apart on the bench they’d both been sitting on, red-faced but smiling.

Darian decided to tease them, since only the five of them were within earshot. He turned to Talia. “See! Fully clothed! I told you their time would be spent innocently.”

He set down the basket and pulled out their lunch as the aftermath of his words played out. It was a light lunch, which would be good for the two men, since they had some training left to do. Darian began passing it out to the elves.

 

[Emstar303]

At seeing Tarilon and Shianni's red faces, Talia couldn't help but share a look and giggle with Aubree, especially when Darian made his comment about them being fully clothed. She was certain by their faces they had at least kissed. She was happy for them, but hoped her brother remembered his duty to marry the Princess of Eldergrove. Hah! Talia was the last person to lecture anyone about that, but she knew the relationship between their two kingdoms hadn't always been jovial and marriage would help mend that bond. Neither side wanted further conflict. Calling off the marriage now may leave a bitter taste in King Rhys mouth.

Talia wedged herself between Shianni and her brother and wrapped an arm over each other shoulders. She turned to her brother and grinned. "How's your leg?"

 

[Nouh_Bdee]

Tarilon’s blush persisted as he answered his sister. “Much better. Shianni’s a very talented healer.”

Shianni’s blush appeared to worsen at the prince’s words.

Darian thought it prudent to spread the compliments around to spare the poor girl. “Talia and Aubree did a wonderful job putting together our meal, didn’t they?”

Tarilon quickly agreed. “That certainly looks to be the case. Thank you sister, Aubree.”

They enjoyed a light and pleasant conversation while they ate, and then Darian intended to collect his favor for giving Tarilon and Shianni some time together. He thought about asking the girls to leave so that Tarilon could focus a bit better, but he’d trained the young man for years. He knew that wouldn’t be enough.

“Talia? I was wondering if you might do me a small favor?”

The princess looked at him, and he continued. “Tarilon and I have some more training to do, and he was struggling with distractions this morning.” Shianni blushed. Darian avoided looking to see Tarilon’s reaction, but he assumed it was similar. “Would you mind watching our bouts, and if you happen to notice his focus slip, give him a rather significant chill?”

Tarilon objected. “Whoa! That’s not necessary!”

Darian smiled. It was his job to make Tarilon a master swordsman, but that didn’t mean he couldn't also enjoy it. “There will be times you face fighters and mages simultaneously, Tari. You need to prepare for that.

“Ugh!” Tarilon appeared to give up his appeal to the swordmaster, and carry on the kind of silent conversation that siblings occasionally have with his sister. Judging by her face, Darian assumed he was no more successful there.

“Good.” He tossed a wooden blade to the prince, and picked up his own. “Let’s get started.”

 

[Emstar303]

At Darian's request, Talia smiled wide and nodded in agreement. "I'd be delighted too!" she said. Ice crystals were already frosting her fingertips.

"Eek! That's cold!" Shianni yelped and leapt from the bench she was seated on. Her brother was less reactive, but clearly not pleased at the addition to his training judging by his immediate objection.

The trio of elven maidens took their place on the marble bench as the boys redied themselves for their next bout.

"Do try your best to distract him, won't you Shianni?" Princess Talia asked her dear friend. "I'll wait for my opportunity to strike." She conjured a pointed icicle from her palm and whipped it at the post just a few yards from where Tarilon and Darian were standing.

Shianni laughed. "Just don't freeze him so much he shrivels up, okay? At least not that part of him."

"Ew, Shianni! That's my brother you're talking about!" Talia said.

Aubree giggled at the pair of them. "Shh, shh! They're about to begin."

 

[Nouh_Bdee]

Darian circled around the prince, to keep him between the girls and himself, to make Talia’s job easier. Tarilon realized what he was doing immediately and rolled his eyes.

“We’re really doing this?”

Darian was sympathetic to the prince’s concerns, but not enough to spare him the harsh lesson. A little ice from his sister would be a lot easier to get over than a fireball from an enemy mage. “Tarilon, this is something you have to get past. You’re good. Better than you realize.” He hefted his wooden blade in the air “But you keep letting me knock you down with this because it’s made of wood. You need to figure out how to stop me before the time comes when it’s not me, and they’re not using wood.”

Tarilon, to his credit, nodded and accepted his fate. He readied his blade and charged. Darian jumped back, blocking slashes as he did. He set his feet and parried the prince’s thrust. He countered with a few slashes of his own, which the prince competently parried.

He stepped inside Tari’s guard and tried to hit his sword hand with a downward strike. The elf was too fast, and he spun, catching the human on the off shoulder. Darian pulled his body in to lessen the pain. It still hurt like the devil. If that’d been steel he’d need a healer for sure.

Tarilon smiled. Darian was okay with that. It’d been a good move, and the prince had earned the boast. Maybe there was a way for the swordmaster to still turn it into a learning opportunity, though.

He engaged Tari with a few more slashes before the opportunity presented itself. He stepped inside again, feinting an identical downward strike to the elf’s sword arm. Oh, Goddess, the elf really thought he was going to make the same mistake twice in a row. He spun, and Darian abandoned his feint and ducked. Tarilon’s blade flew harmlessly overhead, and Darian tripped him with his own.

The prince lay there for a second before spouting one of the few elvish curses Darian had picked up.

“Up again. Let’s go.”

Tari picked himself up off the ground and readied his training blade.

They entered an improvised sequence of attacks, and Darian was more patient this time, letting Tarilon push him back.

 

[Emstar303]

Her brother's focus didn't slip this time, at least not due to a girl. To be fair, Shianni was trying her very best to smile sweetly and draw his eye, to Talia's great dismay her brother fought very well. He was getting better and better; Darian's training was really paying off. Oh well, she was gonna give him a little challenge anyway. Darian was right, he needed to know how to defend against mages too. Talia would never actually throw a sharp icicle at her brother to hurt him. She would, however, give him a chill as Darian had asked.

As the men stood up for another round, Talia stood up. She began to gather her energy and focus. Her brother started pushing Darian back, leaving a wide-open space between the girls and their sparring match. Talia seized upon the particles of water vapor in the air around them and channeled them into a cold, chilling fog. It took a lot of concentration not to turn it into a full-on mini blizzard. Her eyes seemed to glow with intensity as she tried to keep focus. She moved the chilling cloud over to where Darian and her brother were fighting and surrounded them in a cloud of cold, debilitating chill. Darian knew it was coming and had leaped out of the way, but Tarilon was less fortunate. He got caught in the chill, his movements slowing. This left him wide open to Darian's attacks, and their next bout was over in a matter of minutes.

"Ugh, no fair. You've got more meat on your bones, it's easier for you to resist the chill."

"You could have dodged. Besides, even if that is true it's no excuse. You have advantages too as an elf, you have to work with the natural strengths and weaknesses you have," Darian explained.

"You're lucky it wasn't a fireball," Talia added. She sent a warm breeze her brother's way to warm him up.

 

[Nouh_Bdee]

“See? Would an enemy mage help soothe you after you’re hit with one of their spells?”

Darian saw Talia make a face at Tarilon in agreement with the paladin’s words, and he had to struggle a bit to keep from laughing.

The prince shook out his arms and legs, trying to dispel the last of the chill. He picked up his wooden blade, and pointed it at Darian’s chest. “Alright, I guess I’m just going to have to beat you, then.”

Darian smiled at his friend. “Just try.”

Darian took a balanced approach this time. He didn’t feel the need to bait the elf with an overly aggressive maneuver, but he also didn’t want to just play defense either.

The clunking sounds of wood on wood reverberated over the grassy field as they traded blows. Tarilon was still a whirlwind of wide slashes and lightning-quick thrusts, but it seemed more deliberate this time, like he was more in control. It was also harder for Darian to defend, and he took several hard strikes on his shoulders when he couldn’t quite get his block up in time.

Something was going to have to give, and for the first time Darian wondered if it would be him, even though he was giving it his all.

 

[Emstar303]

Her brother was doing exceptionally well this time. It almost made her not want to interfere. Keyword: Almost.

Talia readied another storm above them, this time a little colder than before, somewhere between just above freezing and a slight chill. It was hard for her to get a steady temperature and it kept fluctuating, but it wasn't enough to actually harm her friends.

Just as Talia began to descend the storm onto the pair of them - she didn't want to aid one man over the other, the dark elf from earlier strode by just outside the grounds. Talia was startled and her concentration faltered, causing the storm of icy wind to increase in ferocity.

Talia's attention was transfixed on the woman as the snowstorm grew around her brother and Darian. It was extremely cold and growing more dangerous by the second. The soft snowballs were forming hard, ice crystals and now the men were more focused on avoiding the jagged points than each other. They dropped their weapons and tried to get out of the storm.

"Talia! Stop! You'll freeze them!" Aubree suddenly grabbed her arm, drawing her focus away from the dark elf. It had almost been like her attention had been drawn to the woman by forces out of her control. Talia stopped the spell.

Cybele caught her eye and gave her an almost indiscernible smile as she shook her head. Talia hated that she'd demonstrated her loss of control in front of the woman who'd warned her of this weakness earlier, but more than that she hated that she may have harmed those she loved.

She yanked her attention from the woman and rushed over to Darian and Tailon along with Shianni and Aubree. "I'm so sorry!" she cried. The girls knelt around the warriors. They could feel the chill coming off of them. Shianni grabbed the prince's hands in both of hers and rubbed. Then she channeled a warm, healing aura out of her body and into Tarilon's.

Talia thought she could possibly help Darian by channeling some heat through her fingers, but considering what had just happened she was hesitant to play with fire right now. It would probably be best to wait for Shianni. She warmed the air around them instead, apologizing incessantly. She took his cold hands in hers and squeezed as Aubree rubbed her hands up his arms repeatedly, trying to warm him up.

 

[Nouh_Bdee]

Darian could barely feel the princess’s hands holding his own. He’d never felt so cold. There must have been some reason Talia had lost control like that—the girl was kind and conscientious, and there was no way she would be careless with their welfare. The air warming around them was helpful, but Darian felt the cold deep in his core, to the bone. He needed real healing.

The princess’s magic was powerful. Darian didn’t envy Ogephon trying to help bring it under her control. Darian had been expecting ice spikes or jets of frosty air when he’d asked her to provide them some magic attacks to train against. What he’d gotten instead was a miniature blizzard, impossible to avoid or defend against. Once Tarilon unthawed, it would make a powerful lesson indeed not to underestimate enemy mages.

Fortunately Shianni had been present, and it looked like the prince was recovering nicely. Darian clung to Talia’s warm, slender fingers and waited his turn to be healed, teeth chattering in the now balmy air.

 

[Emstar303]

"What happened, Talia? I know you're scatterbrained but you're usually not this reckless!" Shianni scolded as she finished tending to Tarilon. She gave his hands a tight, affectionate squeeze before moving on to heal Darian. She nudged Talia aside and took Darian's hands this time, sending warm, soothing magic from her body to his.

"It wasn't my fault!" Talia protested. "It was the dark witch! She passed by and I lost control."

The group's eyes followed Taila's to where she'd seen the dark elf, but she was already gone. Talia supposed she was glad she wasn't there to scold her or curse her or whatever dark elves from Dúrmindon did.

"Lost control?" Shianni repeated. There was a slight annoyance in her tone. She'd had to deal with the aftermath of Talia's wild ways more than once. "More like got distracted."

"Easy for you to say! When you get distracted nothing bad happens!"

Sometimes Talia wished she'd been gifted with healing magic like Shianni; it would be much less destructive than, well, destruction magic.

"There was that one time she sliced..." Aubree started to recall the time Shianni had reverse healed someone, sending an array of deep, jagged lines into the man's arm, making his flesh wound decidedly worse, but Shianni shushed her.

"Not now! That's the last thing Darian needs to hear right now." Shianni tutted, shushed the others, and concentrating on healing Darian. Aubree and Talia were silent, Talia bouncing on her toes impatiently and wringing her hands with anxiety.

"They're going to be fine," Shianni said after several more minutes of dreadful silence other than Darian's chattering teeth. At last she finished and moved over beside the prince so Talia and Aubree could move closer to Darian. "I'm sorry I was so harsh, Talia."

"No, you're right." Talia admitted reluctantly. "I do need to get a handle on my magic..." she trailed off, almost adding 'but' to that thought. She knew she shouldn't make excuses but it really had felt like her attention had been drawn away by forces outside of her control. From what little Ogephon had taught her about entropy magic, she wondered if it had been a mind control spell of some sort, but that type of magic was forbidden in the forest elf kingdoms, so she couldn't be certain. She did know that type of debilitating magic was not forbidden in the dark forests of Dúrmindon.

"Yeah, last time we let you join us in training," her brother said teasingly. His smile let Talia know he wasn't truly angry. None of them really were, but Talia was disappointed in herself.

"I am really sorry," she said sincerely, looking from her brother to Darian and back with a pitiable look on her face.

 

[Nouh_Bdee]

Darian’s teeth were only chattering every few seconds now. That was an improvement over before Shianni had taken his hands and sent healing warmth down to his bones. The girl was gifted.

Now, Talia and Aubree were back at his side. He took comfort in their presence. He felt bad for the scolding the girl was getting. He had asked her to help, after all. While his fingers and toes and the tips of his ears were partially interested in blaming her, the rest of him couldn’t manage to do it. After all, the carefree eager openness that pulled her and her brother’s attention away was endearing, and outside of battle it wasn’t entirely negative. He was only hard on Tari because it was his job to be, but the truth was he enjoyed both their personalities the way they were.

The midday sun, filtered through the vibrant leaves of the forest, was finishing the work Shianni had started. Darian started to stand, and with the help of four young elven hands he managed it. “Well, I think that’s enough training for today, Tari. Just know that an enemy mage is unlikely to do you the favor of freezing your opponent as well. I’ll put away the training blades. Your afternoon is yours.” Darian realized he wasn’t sure that was true. “Do you have archery with Tarsúil this afternoon? I could speak to her, explain that I arranged to have your fingers frozen and you need the afternoon off?”

Tarilon chuckled, clutching to Shianni a bit more than strictly necessary. “Thank you, Darian, my aunt is off on an errand for father, so my archery training was already cancelled for the day.”

Darian nodded, and looked to Talia, who was still holding his arm with an expression of guilt and concern. He gently laid his hand on her own. “I’m healed, Talia, and so is your brother. You’ve given him a better lesson in fighting mages than I’d hoped. I accept your apology. Now let’s put it behind us, yes?”


Darian decided to change the subject, to take Talia’s focus off her accident. “How is your archery training going?” Darian asked, partially to give Tarilon a chance to boast in front of Shianni. He, himself, already knew the answer.

But, Tarilon didn’t give him the reply he’d expected. “Aunt Tarsúil says I’m doing very well, but I don’t know. I’m no match for her.”

Darian let out a genuine, full throated laugh of surprise and amusement. “No one is! The king’s sister has been the best archer on the continent since my grandfather’s time, at least! I still remember seeing her win the tournament at Raevell when I was a child.” He smiled at the memory and continued, happy to boast on the prince's behalf. “And, if I know her at all, I know she wouldn’t tell you you were doing very well unless it were true. She still tells me I’m using elven silverware slightly wrong!”

Tarilon smiled. “You do! You’re supposed to hold it in you fingers like—“

“That’s not the point! I was talking about your archery.”

“Wait, how does he hold it?” Aubree interjected.

Tarilon clenched his hand in an imaginary grip.

Talia smiled, well aware of Darian’s struggle, but the other girls guffawed at his demonstration and stared at the human, scandalized, before Aubree scolded him. “That’s not how you use it!”

Darian struggled to keep the smile off his face. “Blasted elves! Maybe I should move out of Bala Faresha, where the meals aren’t so complicated!”

 

[Emstar303]

Talia smiled at Darian when he insisted they put the incident behind them, although she still couldn't shake the feeling that something seriously strange had happened there, she decided to let it go for now. "Thank you, Darian."

The mood soon turned jovial once again as the elves teased the knight, delighting in his reaction. "You know you'd miss us if you left, and would come crawling back before the season was over!" Talia teased the paladin. She poked him in the chest playfully.

The other elves seemed to agree and nodded in enthusiasm.

"Well, I've got the rest of the day off so... we'll see you all later," Her brother said. Holding Shianni's hand, he led her away from the training grounds. She looked visibly excited and was blushing a little bit.

"Quite bold of him to act this way just 3 months before his wedding. Isn't Sarisa supposed to visit just next week?" Aubree said to the others once Shianni and Tarilon were out of earshot.

"Yeah, but let them have their fun. Soon he'll be married to the prissy elf and won't be able to see Shianni anymore," Talia said, though she knew what she said might not necessarily be true. She knew affairs happened, but most of the time elves did take the bonds of marriage extremely seriously.

She turned her attention to Darian then. "Aubree and I have the rest of the day off too," she joked. Every day was a day off for Talia as far as she was concerned. "Want to go swimming with us? Or climb some trees? Or have a few rounds at the tavern?"

"Ooh I like the sound of that last one," Aubree laughed.

 

[Nouh_Bdee]

When Talia poked Darian in the chest, he slapped his hand to the “wound,” staggering back playfully, false anguish and pain on his face. She was right, of course. All the elves were vibrant, lovely people, but the royal twins were his favorites. He had no intention of leaving.

He was surprised that Tarilon and Shianni ran off on their own. Hopefully he wouldn’t regret pushing them together today. He hadn’t realized Tarilon’s wedding was so soon, but he wasn’t surprised he missed it. If his friend had been marrying for love, he would’ve been invested, but he just couldn’t manage to feign interest in a political marriage.

As much fun as swimming with the two remaining elves would be, it was likely to be too much teasing for the celibate paladin, even if the princess had no intention of teasing. Besides, he knew she had every intention of teasing him. She was as likely to show up in the skimpiest swimming outfit she could find as she was to show up nude. Part of him very much wanted to say yes to that, but as a paladin he was trained to ignore that part of himself, although these girls consistently failed to make that easy for him.

The tree-climbing would have just been frustrating for him. Elves consistently forgot that humans couldn't just spring up tree trunks like they were gently sloping hills. The girls would leave him either leave him behind, or worse, wait for him. No thank you, he’d climb trees on his own time if he wanted to do that.

He had been planning to visit the tavern later anyway, though. Talia’s teasing couldn’t be too bad in such a public place, could it? Surely! “Why don’t you ladies enjoy your afternoon? I’ve got some work here to do, and then in the armory. If you’re in the tavern after dinner, though, perhaps I’ll see you there.”

After the girls left and Darian had finished straightening up the training grounds, he was in the armory polishing and sharpening some of the blades when that dark elf from earlier walked in. He was shocked that she was even allowed in the armory, of all places. Guests really weren’t allowed in any of the military facilities. Perhaps she hadn’t been allowed, and she’d snuck in somehow.

“Ma’am, is there anything I can help you with?”

She moved down the short steps onto the stone floor like liquid. The thin strips of fabric she called clothing threatened to fall off with every step. Not that it would have made much difference. He could clearly see the shape of her nipples, and the loincloth she wore his very little of what lay between her shapely legs.

Her voice was like honey in his ears, thick and translucent. “Ah, the swordmaster. Darian, was it?”

He nodded, nervous to speak any more than necessary with this woman.

“Yes, Darian. What is a paladin of Emmaryn doing in Bala Faresha?”

He knew she was up to something, but he had no idea what it could be. “I am employed by the king to train his son in swordsmanship. Ma’am, guests aren’t really allowed in the armory. Is there anything I can assist you with?”

She stepped closer to him and took his wrist in her hand. “There’s surely no way I could be considered a threat, is there?” Her hand moved up his arm to his biceps. “It takes muscles like these to fight with one of these blades. My little arms couldn’t even lift the great broadswords you strong men wield.” She was standing close now, sharing breath with Darian as she squeezed the muscles in his arms.

Darian stepped back, pulling his arms away from her.

“Was I standing too close? I wouldn’t want to strain your vow of celibacy, Darian. Please forgive me.”

“There’s nothing to forgive, Ma’am.”

She put her hand on her chest, between her large, plump breasts. “Please call me Cybene, paladin. I must say that I have great respect for your order’s ability to keep to such a vow, forsaking sexual touch.” She held her hands in the air. “I could never. The...sensual pleasures of skin against skin, the delicious tingles and hunger that can be produced with the right touch, I couldn’t live without it.” She stepped closer again, ignoring her earlier apology. “Do you really...truly...never feel the need to feel a woman’s skin against your own?” She put a finger on his chest, running it down the thick linen tunic he wore.

“M--a’am, I…” He took a deep breath, just realizing that he had been holding it. “I really need to get back to my tasks. Do you need me to show you back to the guest quarters?”

Her eyes widened. “Is that an offer to accompany me to my quarters, Darian?” she purred. “Very well, I accept!” Before he could object, she had her arm wrapped in his, and they were walking out the door. Darian wasn’t sure when he’d taken off his leather gloves, but he was keenly aware of her soft, smooth skin against his wrist. She was wearing some kind of perfume, like berries that had been cooked into a syrup.

The situation that the paladin found himself in already felt out of his control, and his eyes bounced around the hallways, desperate to find a way out before safety slipped further away. He expected the image of her barely clothed body would already haunt him. Finally he saw a member of King Rhys’s guard.

“You there!”

The lightly armored elf turned to them, and fortunately Darian recognized her. “Thuream! Thank the Goddess! I have duties to attend to, and Miss Cybene here needs some assistance finding her room. I’m afraid she stumbled into the armory moments ago.”

As Darian spoke, the temperature in the hallway seemed to drop. It reminded Darian of Talia’s accident on the training ground. Had Cybene intensified the princess’s spell? Thankfully she didn’t object to being passed off. She even smiled at him.

“Very well, swordmaster. You’ve escaped me this time. Next time you won’t be so fortunate.”

Her tone and her face suggested she was jesting, but Darian wasn’t sure she was.

After finishing his tasks in the armory and eating an elvish dinner, allegedly incorrectly, the paladin found himself opening the door to the tavern. It didn’t take Talia long to see him, and he sat down at a table with her and Aubree.

He waved to a passing waitress. “One mead, please!” He would’ve preferred ale, but ale and meat seemed to be the two things elves couldn’t make well.

Darian hesitated to ask about Tarilon and Shianni, so instead he asked the women next to him about their day.

 

[Emstar303]

After parting with Darian, Aubree and Talia went to change into their bathing suits and then headed to the waterfalls. There they encountered Tarilon and Shianni who were playfully splashing each other in the water. They hung around for a few hours, but then mysteriously disappeared. Aubree and Tali spent a nice afternoon playing in the water and lounging on some rocks and sturdy, wide tree branches. Some elves she knew as Tarilon's friends and others came to the falls that day as well. It really was a beautiful day for swimming. Tali couldn't help but glance up whenever newcomers entered, hoping Darian would be among them, even though he'd told them he was busy this afternoon. She was curious what he looked like out of his armor.

When the sun fell low in the sky, Talia and Aubree decided to get changed and have dinner. Talia was excited to see Darian at the tavern later tonight, so she decided to wear one of her favorite dresses. It hugged her figure nicely and showed off her back, as well as the tops of her small but supple breasts. The bodice itself had beautiful decals, and an elegant sash tied around her neck. She felt beautiful and confident in this dress. Talia gave a little twirl in the mirror before she went to meet Aubrey

"Ooh, so formal for the tavern. To what do the common people owe this pleasure?" Aubree observed in a joking fashion, bowing extravagantly.

Talia hit her arm playfully and did a spin for her friend. "Is it too much?"

"Not for a princess," Aubree said reassuringly. "What about me?"

She was significantly less fancy than Talia. She had a simple leaf colored dress on. The color matched the green in her pretty eyes. Her hair was tied back with two elegant hairclips with dragons carved in the sides.

"Beautiful," Talia said sincerely. Reassured, the pair headed to the tavern.

They were one round in when Darian entered the tavern. Talia had been on the lookout for him so she noticed him quickly. She waved him over and was overjoyed when he sat done beside her at the table instead of Aubree. He asked them about their day and Aubree told him about their time at the waterfalls. His face fell a little when they mentioned Tarilon and Shianni heading off by themselves after encountering them at the falls.

"Don't worry about them, Darian," Talia said, trying to reassure him. "I know Tarilon, and trust me, he'll go just about as far as is allowed, but he won't step over the line. He knows how important this marriage is to the future of our Kingdom," Talia explained.

The elves weren't as stuffy when it came to the physical expression of love, and it was common for elves to have a few lovers before settling down, satisfying each other with kisses and touches, but it was customary to save the most sacred union for the one you married. Sex was the ultimate bond of the most intimate parts of yourself with someone else, and not to be taken lightly. The problem was Talia was starting to wonder if the way her friend and her brother felt about each other was more than a little fling.

"Yeah, don't worry, Darian," Aubree, said, echoing Talia's words. "There's a lot you can do without sacrificing your purity in its entirety," Aubree said, blushing a little from the mead.

Talia giggled knowingly at Aubree's comment and took another sip of mead. It was making her belly warm and comfy but she was running out. When the waitress came by with Darian's, she ordered another round for herself and Aubree.

She turned to Darian, hoping they had reassured him of her brother's purity. Then Talia's curiously got the better of her and she asked, "What about you, Darian? Is everything forbidden for you as a paladin? For instance, are you allowed to kiss?" She couldn't help but lean in closer as she asked. Aubree giggled from across the table and cocked her head in a similar curious fashion as Talia did. The girls loved pushing Darian's buttons like this.

 

[Nouh_Bdee]

Darian had told himself that he had mentally recovered from his encounter with the dark elf earlier, but now he wondered if that was true. It definitely didn’t help that both girls, but especially the princess, looked breathtaking in their green dresses. A bit formal for the tavern, but Darian had no complaints.

Of course they started teasing him immediately. He was capable of teasing as well, though.

“My vow of celibacy extends to all sexual touch, so a chaste, friendly kiss would be permissible as long as I wouldn’t enjoy it. Take Gruv Halla for example.”

Darian nodded at a nearby table, where Gruv, the dwarven engineer hired by King Rhys to manage the kingdom’s mines, sat with a few elves. His was a fascinating story, and his time in Bala Faresha had resulted in an equally fascinating achievement in structural engineering and industrial design, as dwarven efficiency was, by royal decree, tempered and constrained by the elves’ respect for the natural world. Darian had gotten a tour of the mines from Gruv himself. The dwarf was knowledgeable and friendly. Darian liked the man quite a bit, but he wasn’t at all attracted to him.

“I would be allowed to kiss Gruv without being in any danger of violating my oath. You two, on the other hand…”

He took a sip and sat his mead down. “It wouldn’t be safe for me to give either of you even a peck on the cheek. You’re too beautiful.”

He meant it, too, especially Talia. He needed to guard even his thoughts around her.

 

[Emstar303]

The girls liked that answer. They laughed and blushed profusely from the mead and Darian's compliment, both beaming. He really was such a gentleman and so charming. Though Talia was more open with her affection, Aubree had a small crush too and was very flattered he thought she was so beautiful he couldn't even risk kissing her chastely on the cheek.

"Why, you think you'd lose control?" Talia asked in response to Darian, just as the waitress returned with their drinks. She took a long sip, but her eyes didn't leave Darian's as she waited for a response to her question. The idea of him losing control and giving in to his natural instincts was very intriguing to her. She'd felt a spark between them for years and though she knew they could not act on it, she loved to entertain the idea.

 

[Nouh_Bdee]

Darian smiled, and didn’t take his eyes off Talia as he took his own slow sip of the delicious mead. His eyes twinkled as he answered her question with the utmost sincerity.

“Absolutely.”