Samhain's Blessing

[a_libertine]

Lirar eyed the invitation once again in something akin to disbelief. A Samhain invitation? It had been a long while since he had been invited to such an event.

The foolhardy costumes, the hiding of self to appear as someone, or something else was hardly his idea of a good time, or even something that proper adults should or would do.

Looking at a silver mirror, he looked at his eyes and murmured, "I suppose changing them to the same color is a start. Perhaps red."

Lirar decided on a costume dressing up like Borti, the discoverer of Borti's Passions, the spell that would allow a wizard to manipulate the emotions of a non magic user;commonly used to get laid. Looking at himself he changed his eyes from their natural blue left, and green right eye, to both a light brown. Making himself more handsome that he was, was a trick, a little cosmetics, and illusionary magic to enhance, and Lirar decided he had the appearance, it was now time for clothes.

An hour later he was dressed in layers of gossamer silk in vibrant purples and golds and made off to the party at Adsh's mansion. "The place to see and be seen."

 

[Hikari]

Her family always received invitations from Adsh. Every year they we're rejected. It was something about it being a stain on the family name if they attended. Una watched the invitations go unused each year. Multiple times she'd asked to go, but was denied. However, this year would be different. She slipped the family some mild sleeping potion, which would take a long time to take effect. So by the it did, she was ready for the party. She wore a lovely dress the color of autumn leaves and placed a dark brown mask over her eyes. It was barely enough to hide her beauty. They said she was the jewel of Aron family, one that should be protected, but who protect them from her.

She snuck out of her window dressed as wood nymph and shuffled off with several of her friends. The potion would work well into mid-morning. She'd be harshly punished if she was caught, but it'd never happened before. Una wanted to have fun, to be herself for once. The girls approached the manor and handed in their invitations. Without question they were given entry and moved out to mingle with the other masked party guests. At first they danced only amongst themselves, but one by one her friends were spirited away by men, leaving her all alone. Perhaps she needed to find a dancing partner of her own, but there were none in sight. She stood against the wall looking for someone that might be dancing alone.

 

[a_libertine]

Lirar stepped into the mansion's grand ball room and took the sight in. White marble flooring was polished to such a high sheen that one could almost see their reflection in it. It was certainly polished enough that the more juvenile males were trying trying from time to time to ascertain if they could indeed see up a woman's skirt.

Will o' Wisp like lighting danced around the ballroom leaving it in a perpetual state of shadow that was pierced weekly by the floating orbs that moved languidly though out the cavernous hall. From an unseen band, music filled the hall evenly making Lirar think that the music was an illusion by a master bard.

Males and females pranced around the room in time with the music swirling and whirling like dervishes in the throes of passion. A pang of jealousy stabbed at Lirar, then he shook it off, scolding himself that his loneliness was his to resolve at any time he wanted, all he had to do is find the one he wanted.

Which of course was the problem, he thought. Finding what he wanted, when he was not all that sure of what he did want.

Walking around the dance hall, moving something akin to a shark in a tank, Lirar saw a sight that gave him pause. Leaning against the gilded wall, was perhaps the loveliest sight he could recall seeing. Even accounting for the use of magic to enhance herself, the woman dressed, appropriately enough he thought, as a wood nymph was striking.

Captivating.

Mouth and throat dry, Lirar made his way toward her. As he arrived, Lirar held his right hand out, palm up, as he crooned, "Perfection should be displayed, not hidden like a miserly art collector's paintings. Will you dance with me?"

 

[Hikari]

Una gasped, as she saw a lone man moving through the crowd. He had to be the most beautiful creature she'd ever set eyes upon. Surely he'd used enchantments to achieve this effect, making her wonder if she should have. There was this feeling within her as if she'd seen him before, but seeing someone like this, surely she would have remembered. He wandered as she had, and somehow she felt nervous. It was odd, what was there to fear? She wanted to go up to him, but found herself frozen. It was then the unthinkable happened, he stopped and then moved towards her, extending a hand.

"Perfection should be displayed, not hidden like a miserly art collector's paintings. Will you dance with me?"

She smiled and took his hand.

"Kind sir, I thought you'd never ask."

They practically floated to the dance floor. This was what she'd been missing, the chance to enjoy male company. Somehow it all felt strangely familiar. His touch was warm and experienced. Her father warned her of such men. He said that they desired only one thing, but what he didn't know was that this was what she too desired. She wanted to be close to someone and wasn't afraid of what might happen as a result. He was an excellent dancer, light on his feet and controlled movements.

"I thank you, for choosing me. This is my first time being at a party with this many people. I'm afraid I don't get out as much as I'd like to"

 

[a_libertine]

"I thank you, for choosing me. This is my first time being at a party with this many people. I'm afraid I don't get out as much as I'd like to"

Lirar looked down into her perfectly sculpted eyes and for a moment fought with his heart to settle its rhythm into something close to normal, it threatened to beat headlong into an explosion as each hammering of its valves came faster than the beat before it.

They began whirling and twirling to the music as he whispered, "If you were but mine, I would attend more of these events, suddenly it seems so much more fun than usual."

The emerald and tourmaline necklace around her neck highlighted her green/brown hazel eyes. Eyes that Lirar thought he could dive into and swim in their depths for the ages to come.

Leaning forward, Lirar put his lips next to her ear, not quite brushing the lobe with his lips, but certainly the air disturbed by their movements tickled her. "I am Lirar, and I am so very glad to make your acquaintance."

 

[Hikari]

"If you were but mine, I would attend more of these events, suddenly it seems so much more fun than usual."

That thought was pleasant, but impossible. Because of some stupid fewd with another family going back centuries, she was watched like a hawk. There were many that would like to exact revenge on Aron family for it's practices, and there was no easier way than through her. She wanted more than anything to date like a normal person. This was about as close as she'd get.

They danced in time with the music. She hadn't had this much fun in ages. If only this night could last forever, it would please her greatly. However, staying till morning would be more than enough. He whispered gently in her ear.

"I am Lirar, and I am so very glad to make your acquaintance."

She grinned and moved to whisper something to him in return.

"I'm Una, and the pleasure is mine. Tell me, where do they hide someone as charming as you during the day? It would seem rather difficult."

She spun out and back into his arms. Would he recognize her? This she wondered. Everyone made such a fuss, seeing as there were so few older female children within her family. Nearly all her cousins were male and she had several brothers. Though in some place so crowded, she was hardly in danger.

 

[a_libertine]

Lirar laughed, a carefree sound that he had not made in ages it seemed. It was almost a foreign sound to his own ears; yet, the reaction it brought in Una's face was heart stopping. Her smile widen further, a dulcet giggle coming from her as they twirled and swirled.

Something about her name twitched uncomfortably in his mind ever so slightly. Squashing it ruthlessly, he returned his mind and attention back to Una. "Well, there is a tower across town, black and nearly ruined. They keep me in the dungeon there."

He lift her gently for a lift and spun around, "Please tell what ever deity that loaned you out tonight, they have my thanks, and you my worship."

 

[Hikari]

"Well, there is a tower across town, black and nearly ruined. They keep me in the dungeon there."

She laughed effortlessly. Atleast he had a sense of humor. It was more than refreshing. The night was young and already she had a feeling that she wouldn't be switching dance partners. If only she'd had the guts to sneak out the year before, perhaps she'd know this handsome stranger already. A full moon shone through the windows of the grand dance hall only adding to the atmosphere.

"Please tell what ever deity that loaned you out tonight, they have my thanks, and you my worship."

She liked this man Lirar already and it felt almost natural to be near him. This was what her family's history deprived her of. So long she'd been wanting to meet men like him, to dance, and flirt. It would be difficult to give it up in the morning.

"Well sir you flatter me. However you are mistaken. I was not released, I escaped. My presence here is a secret. One I hope you can keep. My family would be very cross if they knew I defied them, but the night called to me and I had to answer."

 

[a_libertine]

Lirar cupped her face and with his thumb caressed it lightly. "To my grave, your secret is safe," he said gravely.

He maneuvered the two of them toward a waiter, and waiving a hand, two long slender glasses floated to the two of them. The drink, Riven's Crown was moving, pulsing mixture that and beyrl in color. When sipped it tasted of bananas and cream.

Raising his glass to her, Lirar toasted, "To us, to tonight."

 

[Hikari]

His hand moved to her face, making her cheeks turn a shade of pink. Who was this man, and why had she never seen him before? The magical community in this town wasn't very large. Families knew one another here.

"To my grave, your secret is safe,"

It was good to know that she had an ally. They moved to a waiter where Lirar got them each a drink.

"To us, to tonight."

She raised her glass.

"To kind strangers."

With that she drank from her glass, savoring the taste in her mouth. It was more than lovely. Some said that those who met on Samhain could easily become lovers. She'd never believed it until now. It was then that she saw something horrifying. Some of her cousins had showed up to the party. If she were recognized, she'd be finished. She grasped Lirar by the hand and drained her glass before placing it on a waiter's tray.

"Lirar...come with me.."

She led him out the backdoor and into the garden. They were soon behind a great bush and she panted heavily.

"I'm sorry, my cousins are here. They never come to this party. I am so sorry."

She pointed to where they stood.

"You see those men over there. They wouldn't hesitate to skin you alive, but perhaps we could make some use of the dark." She said gazing into his deep brown eyes.

(OOC: He will probably recognize her family members.)

 

[a_libertine]

It was something of a semi-erotic adventure as Una grasped Lirar's arm and pulled him toward the back and then out the back. Once the settled behind a fire dragon plant, Una hissed, "I'm sorry, my cousins are here. They never come to this party. I am so sorry."

Lirar glanced from her to the men that had spread out through the house looking for something, or someone. The someone holding his hand. Looking from the heavenly vision next to him, to the men, Lirar gasped as he recognized the lead man, Cecil.

"Well, if Cecil is your cousin, then we have some problems."

Sitting back on his heels, Lirar though a moment then whispered, "To my grave."

A tear rolled from his right eye as the colors blended faded and swirled to their natural colors. "I-," he stammered, "I am Lirar Lively, one of the reasons your family keeps you locked up."

Cupping her face one last time, he felt a charge of electricity dance along his skin. Then nodding, "I will go handle Cecil, go home Una."

Stepping from behind the fire dragon bush, Lirar slithered off to the right some distance, severely changing the angle of approach to the house, so that none would see Una as she left.

Stomping arrogantly into the house, Lirar called out "Cecil, here boy. Come lick your master's palm like a good mutt should."

Rising to the bait, Cecil and his cousins immediately attacked Lirar, who began a goose chase across the city, farther away from their home, and closer to Lirar's own holdings.

 

[Hikari]

"I am Lirar Lively, one of the reasons your family keeps you locked up."

Her heart sank. It couldn't be. Tears filled her eyes as it sank in. She had wanted to see him again, now that was impossible. His hand went to cup her face and she felt as though her heart was breaking. Why was it that the one man she was becoming fond of, was caught up in this stupid mess?

"I will go handle Cecil, go home Una."

Her friends would find their own way back, but it was a shame to leave so early and without him. She'd wanted to kiss him goodnight, but now it would never happen. Her feet moved quickly once he'd gone, running as fast as she could to the house. She had to climb a tree to get to her window, but it was more than worth it. The house was silent and her potion had worked. The question was, what had her cousins been looking for? It made no sense. While she undressed and contemplated their actions, Lirar crept into her thoughts. There had to be something she could do. He was just mixed up in all of this because of their families. It wasn't fair. Long ago someone had died by mistake. Aleda Aron accidently killed her lover, the Lively family's oldest son. The story had been told for generations, and strangely enough it had always been her favorite bedtime story as a child. Even though it made her very sad, she asked her mother to tell it over and over. So taken was she with the story that they gave her something rather special. Aleda's silver hand mirror, was a magical item that never tarnished nor became worn. It was a gift from Aleda's husband, and she could tell from the craftsmanship just how much in love they were. Every detail had love sewn into it. It was said Aleda died of a broken heart and had the mirror clutched to her chest when she died. They could not bury her with it, as they feared her grave would be disturbed in order to take it back. Una wasn't called the jewel of Aron for nothing. Aleda's looks we're said to occur every couple of generations, but none had beared the resemblance quite like she. That night Una held the mirror to her chest and said a small prayer, asking that somehow she's see Lirar once again.

--------------

The night was young with a pleasant chill in the air. Fires had been built around the town and many were dancing. The music was lovely and Aleda had finally managed to escape her attendants. She danced around the fire switching partners every so often. The beat was exhilerating. Never had she had so much fun. Sure she would be punished for this, but how could she help it? Her parents were looking for a man to marry her off to. This was perhaps her last breath of freedom in the midst of duty. Her white dress made her glow in the firelight. This was all she desired. She smiled as friendly winds blew by, making the flames flicker and sway. Why couldn't every night be like this one?

 

[a_libertine]

Lirar's heart pounded furiously as he finally teleported away from Cecil and his cousins. Using the mental key necessary, he landed in the familial castle in the courtyard.

His father was standing at the top of the flight of steps leading into the castle. "Have fun?" his disapproving voice asked.

An image of Una flickered in his vision and his hand warmed where he had held her face. "Indeed, I had an excellent evening."

"Why were the Aron boys chasing you?"

Lirar laughed, "Something about a good mutt licking his masters hand."

Even the dour Lleerd grinned, "Son, they will kill you eventually."

Nodding Lirar replied, "Perhaps, but maybe I can do something about that one day."

Lleerd face flat lined again as he said, "What end the feud, how would you propose to do that?"

The flowery scent of Una's perfume tickled his nose in remembrance, "I do not know just yet, but I will figure it out."

Mounting the steps three at a time, he patted his father's shoulder as he passed, "I always do."

Talking to air as the door closed, "Not all things can be controlled son. In fact the more control you think you have, the less you have."

~*~*~*~*~*


Flickering yellow red and orange her dress whirled and twirled in the fire light. Samhain. One really has to love it, Lorgha thought. The vision dancing before him beckoned him on a level he did not understand fully.

What he did understand was that she would be his wife. No other woman would ever do.

Stepping up to her, he knelt before her. His voice was strong, ringing off the walls and through the fire, "I am Lorgha, son of Liaden. I would ask your father for the right to court you, who should I ask?"

 

[Hikari]

A handsome man walked forward as if he'd stepped from a dream. He surprised her, taking a knee. What was he doing?

"I am Lorgha, son of Liaden. I would ask your father for the right to court you, who should I ask?"

Her cheeks were painted with blush. This beautiful stranger was already practically asking for her hand. She'd never smiled this much before.

"Kind sir I am Aleda, daughter of Silvin from the house of Aron."

She was glowing. No one had ever asked her such a thing. With some luck her family would allow it. He seemed kind and certainly respectable enough to handle his desires in a proper fashion. Many would have made lewd suggestions about going off somewhere, but Lorgha seemed a proper man. He might handle his desires well, but she wasn't as certain that she'd keep her own in check.

"My family is set on arranging a marriage for me without any solid candidates yet. If you ask in the morning, I see no reason why they wouldn't allow it. Perhaps until then, you might dance with me?"

His eyes were lovely, determined, and focused. Somehow she was finding she liked him already.

 

[a_libertine]

Lirar walked up to his chambers and looked out over the city. A yearning pervaded him that he had never felt before. A longing for Una that defied logic, defied normal emotions.

Summoning a dove, he caught it up in his hands and whispered to it, "Deliver this message to Una of the house of Aron:

I swear to you Una, I will find a way for us to be together again. A way for us to end this war that prohibits us being together. I will end it. I swear.

*~*~*~*~


"I dance not well," Lorgha stated, "But for you, I shall be a sprite on the wind."

Taking her into his arms, Lorgha spun Aleda around playfully, dancing until the crowds began to thin, and the musicians packing. Kissing the palm of her hand wetly, longingly, Lorgha whispered, "Tell your father I shall call on him with the coming of the morning's sun."

 

[Hikari]

The house woke as if the night before had never happened. Una's dreams had melded with it all until she could no longer tell the two apart. Last night she'd been Aleda, that part she knew to be false. She'd danced around the ancient Samhain fires with a man that looked very much like Lirar. However there were differences. Lirar danced well and had a greater air of grace about him. She longed to see him again, this time without a mask or magic. Her daily routine was a blur. Showering melding into dressing, which shifted into breakfast.

"Una, I trust you slept well." a soft voice murmured.

Her fork slipped at the sound, breaking through the egg on her plate. The table was quiet as usual, but this morning she was giving her a warm glance.

"Your mind seems to be wandering. Good dreams perhaps?"

There wasn't much she could do to hide things from her mother's eyes. It was a rare gift, but the woman was clairvoyant. While the future was never clear, she could gather fragments of it amidst the uncertainty. She would always know something of what was going on.

"My darling do not fear what you've seen. Sometimes the visions we are given at night can bring us that much closer to where we need to be."

Una's leg shook restlessly beneath the table. It was scary how much she sometimes knew.

"Yes mom, and I did sleep well."

When breakfast was done she walked upstairs to begin her chores. Only to find a single white dove fluttering about the room. The creature fluttered around before landing at her shoulder. Lirar's voice whispered through the dove.

"I swear to you Una, I will find a way for us to be together again. A way for us to end this war that prohibits us being together. I will end it. I swear."

Her heart skipped a beat as his words found their way to her. The moment it was finished she let the bird perch upon her finger and pet it gently.

"Thank you for delivering this to me. If you please, deliver this message to Lirar Lively."

She whispered sweetly in it's ear.

Dearest Lirar, wars aren't ended overnight. However, until then perhaps you could meet me at midnight at the ancient oak by crescent lake. There is much to discuss. I hope to see you there.

With that the bird flew away, leaving a single feather behind.

 

[a_libertine]

Lirar was in the library when the dove found him and whispered its message into his ear, perfectly relaying Una's voice and inflection. Dearest Lirar, wars aren't ended overnight. However, until then perhaps you could meet me at midnight at the ancient oak by crescent lake. There is much to discuss. I hope to see you there.

Crescent Lake, it was near the Aron family holdings, and posed something of a threat, but midnight was a good time. Screwing his face up in concentration, he thought about the logistics of meeting her and decided immediately he would meet her.

Almost as soon as he made that decision his breath caught in his throat and desire flooded his body, clouding his mind.

He spent the day trying vainly to remove Una from his thoughts. She lingered just at the fringes of his consciousness, the smell of her perfume, the touch of her hand.

The day passed so damnably slow that Lirar thought time had stopped. When night finally did fall, he made his way to Crescent Lake and the specified oak tree. Spell after spell was cast, for observation and defense in case the Aron clan decided to attack the two of them.

Not long after midnight his enhanced senses caught the furtive movement of a woman heading toward the tree. No sooner had Una arrived, he snatched her up in his arms and kissed her deeply. "Finally," he breathed.

 

[Hikari]

She knew that this meeting was dangerous, but it was important that they meet. Her mind was flooded with thousands of scenarios in which this could go wrong. If her family found them, she knew what would happen to Lirar. She shrouded herself in an old black cloak and slipped out her window landing in the soft dirt. The dark of the night was enough to hide her from prying eyes, and a knowledge of this area meant she could navigate the area blind. This, had been her favorite spot growing up. She climbed the branches and sat beneath it's shade. It was a great place on a spring day. Now it would be the place of a romantic tryst, of new plans. The number of options available to them seemed very small. She wanted the freedom of seeing him, but their families were far too stubborn to allow it. Perhaps tonight they could start the end of this stupid feud.

The air was cool and the moon bright. She wondered if he'd come at all. It was understandable if he didn't. This was risky and she could kick herself for not picking a place that would be safer. It was just that there was no place more secluded that she knew of, and there was no place that she felt safer. As she came to the tree she heard the crack of sticks and leaves beneath the weight of someone. She prayed that it was him. Warm arms pulled her into an embrace, capturing her lips in a kiss. Here it was, what she'd wanted last night, and she was far from disappointed. Her hand brushed against his cheek, before moving through his hair.

"Finally," he said.

It was what she too had been thinking. However, it hardly described how she felt. There had been a spark there, something she couldn't put into words.

"Lirar, I'm so glad you came. I thought I might never see you again"

She held him tightly in her arms.

"I was wondering if you had any idea as to what we could do? I have a few ideas of my own, but they are few. There's eloping, meeting in secret like this, or well far more drastic measures."

 

[a_libertine]

The warmth of Una's body enveloped him as she hugged him tight to herself. His arms tightened reflexively around her, his hands clasped together in the small of her back.

Burying his face into the top of her head as Una went through her very short list of options, he drank in her scent and nodded. "Yes, my list was similarly short. I spent a good portion of the day working out the hierarchy of who would need to die."

He kissed the top of her forehead, and continued, "I think I became disturbed with that plan when I put my brother as third, behind your dad and cousin."

He felt her stiffen as her head turned up toward him. "I dismissed it almost immediately, because even if I thought we could kill off both of our families, it would so fundamentally change us, that we would not be who we are anymore."

Feeling the tension flow from her body he smiled at Una lovingly. "Though I would gladly kill all mankind for you if need be, I probably should not start with our families."

 

[Hikari]

"Yes, my list was similarly short. I spent a good portion of the day working out the hierarchy of who would need to die."

Una had an insane idea but it wasn't something you just gave as an option. They'd only just met. Perhaps it could protect him. She remembered Aleda and the tragedy that took her love. In a way, she almost felt as though she needed to resolve this for Aleda's sake. She'd go by her portrait each day and almost felt as though she were smiling down at her. Something needed to be done about this. Lirar's lips pressed softlt against her forehead. It made her heart skip a beat.

"I think I became disturbed with that plan when I put my brother as third, behind your dad and cousin."

A cold wind blew between them.making her hold him even closer. The chill in the air made this her favorite time of year. Yet the thought of killing anyone was enough to near ruin it.

"I dismissed it almost immediately, because even if I thought we could kill off both of our families, it would so fundamentally change us, that we would not be who we are anymore."

With that she relaxed in his arms.

"Though I would gladly kill all mankind for you if need be, I probably should not start with our families."

She pulled him into a deep kiss, her hands running over his back. Her lips parted, pulling back a bit.

"There will be no death if we can help it. Perhaps it'd be wiser to keep meeting one another."

Her face fell, if they could conceive a child, neither family would dare touch the first new heir of their generation. However she was a bit unsure. She would need to be certain about him before moving forward.

"Would you like to sit down? The view of the sky from here is particularly beautiful."

 

[a_libertine]

Lirar conjured up a small cloud to hold them aloft. As they sat, the cloud folded around them cradled them and insulated them from the cold wind as Una settled into the nook of Lirar's shoulder.

Her body molded with his comfortably as he looked up at the stars, plums of mist coming from both of them in the cold air. "Part of me wants to just take off with you, and to hell with the families."

He felt her face turn towards his and he looked down. "The question is, if we did elope, where do we go? Staying here is likely to mean our families will kill us both."

 

[Hikari]

The cloud was comfy and wonderful. Almost enough to forget for a moment what could happen and where they were. His warmth and kindness made her smile. She couldn't place why she trusted him so soon or why it felt right to be this way with him. None of it made sense, but someone it brought her happiness amidst the solitude imposed upon her. No one ever found happiness dead, and therein lay the problem.

"Part of me wants to just take off with you, and to hell with the families."

More than anything she wished that was an option. She wanted to go with him somewhere, anywhere.

"The question is, if we did elope, where do we go? Staying here is likely to mean our families will kill us both."

She turned the thought over in her mind.

"What if we...produced an heir? Could that protect us?"

---------------------------------------------------

Aleda danced that night with the kind stranger in the light of the samhain fires. The man named Lorgha made her night warmer. Already he'd asked to court her, and she prayed her father would accept the offer. It would mean admitting she'd been out tonight, but she would gladly accept the consequences. He'd said he danced poorly, but he never once stepped on her feet. Her head laid gently against his shoulder. She savored every moment as if trying to capture it in her mind, keeping it as a secret treasure. As the moon shifted in the sky, the hours passed bringing them closer to midnight. She took his hand and held it tightly.

"Lorgha if my father were to reject you, I'm not certain I could bear it. However I see no reason why he would. No matter what happens I must ask one thing of you. Would you kiss me before the night is over? Maybe then my sleep tonight will not be quite so lonely. Perhaps my bed won't be quite so cold."

 

[a_libertine]

Lirar rolled onto his side, pressing his body flush against hers, their eyes finding each other in the dim night. "That sounds amazingly wonderful, and I admit my heart races at the hope of holding you through the night."

He kissed her gently, her lush lips pressing and molding with his as their tongues danced with greater aplomb than his feet could muster. His arms wrapped around Una and pulled her even closer, his need growing steadily with each passing second until he thought he would explode, soaking his trousers and perhaps her dress.

With one arm wrapper around her shoulders and the other around her waits he broke the kiss and tilted his head back so he could stare into the most beautiful eyes in the world. "Unfortunately, a pregnancy would only result in a swift trial for rape with our babe as the primary, and irrefutable evidence."

His hunger was unabated a need to so deep and primal that in reflection it would scare him to the core. That hunger and need manifested in his turgid member pinned between their stomachs.

A glimmer of thought came to him, "What if we did like our Lorgha and Aleda? I can easily manipulate my shape and history slightly, and court you. With your father's blessing to a marriage then that forces a peace accord, does it not?"

*~*~*~*~




His heart screamed "HOTDAMN!" when Aleda asked him to kiss her.

So he did.

His heart and soul poured from his inner core up through his mouth and into her via his mouth and tongue. It was no hurried rush of a kiss. It long slow delicate with an edge of certainty of destiny. This was his woman.

All others be damned.

An age of dragons came and went before they broke the kiss, standing arms wrapped around each other, their hips pressed firmly against each other. The heat coming from between her legs mirrored the firmness between his, and he saw in her eyes the same certainty that he felt.

He took his cloak off, and began folding the satin fabric into squares; each one half the size of the previous until he had it at a near impossibly small one inch square.

"Beloved, I can not have you catch cold this, or any other, night. Take my cloak and lay it upon your bed, I know it will warm your soul and body equally."

He kissed her lightly, briefly one last time, "I will be at your father's door with his clients in the morning."

 

[Hikari]

"What if we did like our Lorgha and Aleda? I can easily manipulate my shape and history slightly, and court you. With your father's blessing to a marriage then that forces a peace accord, does it not?"

It was a brilliant plan. However, she'd never learned that part of the story. That was probably due to the fact it involved her family being tricked by their worst enemy. They would never admit to have ever been defeated by them. This would work.Things were different now. Atleast half of the younger members of her family had nothing against the Lively clan. It was all the aging members of the family and their attitudes. However, the warmth from Lirar was growing by the minute. She could feel him. His erection, pressing hard against his pants. She blushed, similar feelings were stirring within her. It would need to wait. If only for his protection. For she knew that once they started, she wouldn't be able to keep her hands off of him.

"Alright, we'll do this. On the condition that you find someplace secluded for us to meet."

With that she kissed him on the forehead and then once more on the lips.

__________________________________

His kiss was wonderful, warm and wanting. This was what she'd been craving. She wanted the feel of someone close, and now that it was within her grasp she wasn't about to give it up so easily. The trouble she was going to be in was immense, and yet more than worth it. He took his cloak off and handed it to her. It wasn't exactly what she'd meant when she referred to her bed being cold. What she'd wanted was less than innocent.Still she wasn't that foolish. They'd only just met, but still there was this feeling building within her. If she did something like that and was discovered, she'd be shamed and tossed out. It was very tempting.

"It'll be dawn before long, come by the house around noon tomorrow. Father will likely be available then. Do what you must, to get him to accept. Otherwise I don't know if there's much I can do to keep myself from doing something...drastic."

She kissed him deeply, pressing her hips against his. One day she would know him, and it couldn't come soon enough.

 

[a_libertine]

Lirar nodded, "If you want something out of the city, I already own a small tower tucked in the Angel Sprawl Hills near the Metal Mines. You can't miss it, it stands up above the small valley."

Her kiss renewed the fire that was roaring in his blood, forcing the multiverse into the smallest possible point, her lips. He moaned lustily into her mouth as their tongues brushed against each other, and for a moment thought of making love to her then and there.

Brushing the thought aside as unworthy of her for their first time together, he pecked his way into breaking the kiss.

"If you are looking for something in town, then I will need to purchase such a place, and will do so anyway after I have created my persona for our courtship."

*~*~*~*~


It was the longest damned morning of Lorgha's life. He paced hither and yon impatiently. His eyes flicked out the window of his small house ever so often only to elicit a groan from him. The sun was not moving nearly fast enough.

He simply had to get back to Aleda. NOW!

For a brief time, he had felt whole, no lack, no want, just peace. Now that was gone for Aleda was not at his side.

"Fuck it!" he yelled and headed out the door.

She said noon, but that was too long, his heart would explode long before that time. He headed over to Aleda's palatial home and grounds, and joined the ranks of the other supplicants seeking favor from the House Aron.

When his turn came at long last, Lorgha prostrated himself, "Master Silvin, I am Lorgha, the son of Liaden, our house as yet has no name, nor fame, nor enemies of note. We are simple weavers of magic, using tried and true formulas and techniques, and produced a good product for those we consider worthy.

I seek neither boon, or charter, Master Silvin. I ask for the other half of my heart back, for the good part of my soul back for it was discovered and lost last night. "

An expectant murmur rose from the crowd. Raising his head back from the floor, Lorgha looked up at Silvin, "Master, I seek permission to court Aleda."