Pain, fear, comfort and lust
-
Pain
Long she had thought of departing, ever since she had found herself living out two separate lives.
In one there was light and a promises, one which held few risks, and glossy dreams.
On the surface awaited a man of good heart. He has offered her the way out and with him lay a golden future, which some would envy. This future spoke of a beautiful house, a wedding ring, a fairly rich and handsome husband in a good position, and the chance to finally retire, with never the lack or need for anything.
But she found it boring, and she doubted he had ever quite understood her, who she was, her world, why she kept seeking it and what drove her. Their relationship was based on a "don't ask, and I wont lie" philosophy that only worked for so long.
So she had taken to the shadows. When night fell upon the city she sought out the other side, where the crowd hid themselves in fear of being hunted. She didn't quite belong in their world, she certainly didn't agree with their views, and she rarely partook in their activities. Yet, their lives were exciting, the quirkiness of their personalities stimulated her, and the danger that surrounded them excited her.
There was an understanding, and though she took no side between light or darkness, chaos drove her, and her love for disorder made he wander all paths equally in her exploration.
But tonight she was to surrender, leave the side of dark and embrace light fully.
She left her master a small message, the content was simple and straight forward. "I am leaving" she thought about adding an explanation but their earlier talk was enough for him to understand what she meant.
She tightened the straps of her boots, gave his hall a final glance, saluted, before with a smirk and a wink she traveled out the gates, leaving the walls she had began to call home.
The assassin was watching, fully aware of the mixture of emotions that flooded the face of the elf, and so followed close behind
She waited until the girl was out of the gates before approaching, her helmet removed and a friendly grin decorating her thin features. The elf returned the smile to her slender friend, happy to see her taking the time to see her off. When asked what troubled her she confessed all, not hesitate to tell of the life that awaited, and how she now was ready to put the darkness behind her.
She admitted she felt useless, and that she finally had decided upon her right path.
This would be her final good bye.
She didn't quite know why she decided to return through the gates. The assassin who she had spent hours in the past laughing and talking with, invited her for a final drink, and she followed, safe in the belief that those that travel in the gray zone between black and white has never any cause to anger either side.
But tonight, her world would take a sudden turn, and one side would come tumbling down upon her and leave her strapped down.
The assassin locked the door of her bedroom and there she sat telling the tale, confessing all as one would openly speak to ones sister.
It was what they had become, they had an understanding and trust that, despite their different heritage, they held a strong friendship, based fully on a similar interests and skills. The assassin tried her best to convince her friend not to leave, but the elf mind was set, she was to leave this world and take on the life she had promised to her lover.
Seated upon the bed looking in to her lap, the assassin approached her slowly "friend please" she pleaded for the final time, giving the girl a thin smile and wide eyed look. The elf didn't return it.
She paused for a while, an airy silence in the room as the elf considered the best reply, in the end she shook her head.
"It is too late, I gave him my final word."
It was sudden, a strike of such perfection that had she wanted, there was no opportunity to fight it. Instead she stood there gazeing at the assassin with an expression of shock and bewilderment, watching as her "friend" lashed out in blood lust, until pain became all she knew and there was only darkness.
The assassin stood towering over her in triumph, sheeting her weapon, and laughing.
"Did you really think they would just let you leave"
She placed her boot upon the nape of her neck, pressing down with the knowledge that only a slight amount of pressure was needed to cause instant death,
"You had so much potential" she added "I actually started to respect you, but like you said I belong here"
The words echoed in her mind somewhere in her subconsciousness as she felt herself drifting. She was recovering from the shock, the realization of what had happened was bringing her back to the light, and along came the various senses. She felt the metallic flavor of blood on her tongue. The broken rib that was poking her lung, her bruised face, the swollen neck, all making it difficult to breath, and near impossible to move.
The light stung in her eyes, as they squinted, trying to take in her surroundings, but soon she realized they were no longer alone. Black leather boots, inches from her face, unlike the ones worn by the assassin, it was her master. She twisted her head as far as she could manage to get a glimpse of him, she saw the assassin slowly backing away toward the far wall, her master gazing down at her on the floor, his face hard, emotionless and impossible to read.
He shook his head disappointed.
Trembling, her voice barely audible, the elf gasped out the single word
"Don't"
the assassin by the wall whispering amused "such a waste"
-
Lust
"n.. no" she stuttered looking at him lost "how, what?"
She refused to belive, refused to accept, his words made no sense to her whatsoever at this stage. Her master was a man of immense power, whom she had seen once die before her very eyes, just to be tossed back in to existence as if nothing had happened. She resented him a little for making her believe he had once died, and here he stood now, smiling at her in a near fatherly manner, which disturbed her more than the earlier cold expression.
"Not now, I have much to teach you first"
She searched his face for clues, wiping the blood from her lips, being for the first time that night completely lost for words. "I.. see hm"
There was an airy silence between them, her master simply observing her for the time being while she slowly recovering from the sudden change of environment.
"When you died" she slowly confessed , tired green eyes resting upon him "I mourned your death for so very long.. I don't usually mourn people.. there has been so many.. too many to mourn"
It came out in one breathless sentence, and she noticed he was smiling. She brought her attention down at her hands instead, studying them, as her thoughts flooded across her mind.
She didn't notice him drawing closer, not before her was up against her whispering "I need to leave this world.." she gave a shudder at his cold hand reaching to caress her hair "and you are my key"
Her eyes up and she stared at him with an intense glare. "how long have you exactly been in this world" she was studying him.
He took a deep breath before shifting so he could look her right in the eyes, moving closer still.
"I have walked this land for so long.. I could have witnessed your birth" he said.
She needed to regain some strength and so took a step toward him, returning his stair. "I am not that old" she smirked amused up at him "and the celestial, when did you and him interact?"
He chuckled at this and to her surprise his arms wrapped around her slender figure pulling her in to his embrace. "This is for another day." He whispered "You are curious, but should learn patience to balance it" His dark eyes searched her face with a small smile playing upon his lips, before he leaned in and kissed her.
Her eyes widened in surprise, but having no longer the energy, nor the mental clarity to struggle against him, she gave in, willingly leaning in on the kiss, accepting.
His lips felt cold, and they parted and closed with ease while caressed her hair gently. Her head tilting and leaning in further, almost needing they deepened the kiss, her hand coming around the back to steady him.
Softly he pulled away allowing them both to catch their breaths as he studied her face. "All is well" he said with the first genuine smile she had seen, his elegant fingers toying with a lock of her hair.
They stood there speechless communicated only with silent looks, before he leaned in again and his cold lips was felt upon her cheek. Her mouth parted in a soft gasp, and she stood there motionless with wide eyes as he kissed her down her warm flesh, running his lips along her chin, before burying his head in her neck
He felt her shudder against him, standing still, accepting each touch and caress with no struggle. She felt warm, and a crimson shade decorated her cheeks when he pulling away.
"You wish me to leave now?" he asked in a silky soft tone, caressing the sensitive spot of her neck, with his hand.
The elf, swallows down hard, struggling to grasp all that had happened. First he had caused her pain, then there had been fear, he had continued to comfort her, and finally here she was in his embrace, feeling his caress upon her hot flesh.
She was trembling, lost, and defenseless, he was watching her with a calculated look as if knowing very well his actions. A subtle shake of her head was her reply. "actually.." she said barely audible, watching him now nervously "I would prefer if you stayed" she held her breath, in the distance a warning voice spoke up, but her mind were too blurry to think straight.
"As you wish"
He stepping back and began to unbutton his shirt.
-
Comfort
"DON'T"
"please don't"
"p.. please"
"master"
Her voice was weak, pleading, crying, she hoisted herself up, watching the assassin by the wall unsheathing her weapon. Watching her master turn and move toward the door, his boots clicking against the stone floor as he drew closer to the exit, and the assassin slowly approached.
"Why did you once save my life, if you now are going to kill me"
She shouted, panicking, ignoring her pain as she shifted away from the approaching assassin.
"I.. am sorry.. I"
She trembled, tears rolling freely down her face, looking toward the door.
"Don't kill me"
She noticed he had stopped, he stood still with his hand upon the handle as if contemplating something. She reached for the dagger in her boot, deciding to defend herself. With the Assassin lifting its hand to strike, her masters voice echoed across the room.
"You can leave us, it is between me and her now"
The assassins eyes widened in suprise, twirling the weapon as if quite lost as to what to do. The elf gazed up at her "friend" deciding between obeying or striking but in the end she straighten, unsheathed the blade and replied.
"If this is what you wish"
They didn't exchange anymore words. The assassin unlocked the door, turned once gazed back upon the elf with an expression of scorn, before departing, the door shutting behind her.
She was left with her master now approaching, the elf crawling back against the bed with her arms covering up her naked bloody figure.
A tower of healing struck down upon her, and all wounds knitted themselves leaving her fully recovered in just a gesture of his hand.
"Put some clothes on"
she didn't have to be asked twice, and hurridly scrambled to a stand and quickly pulled on some robes.
"You are free to leave. Free to live. I won't order anybody to hunt you or your lover"
The elf now stood before him, gazing in to his eyes confused and lost by his words and actions.
"why"
She tried to search his face for an answer, but he remained, cold, and unapproachable.
"I trust you. But others do not have the same opinion. This was a little setup, harmful I must apologies, to prove you will not speak"
"You are your games" she sneered at him, had the circumstances been different she might have been amused.
"You can hate me for this, but they would have asked a bounty to be placed upon your head in fear that you would speak"
"I feel betrayed by them" she muttered "I am useless here"
"Don't hate them, they protect this town from harm. Like a mother that protect her children."
"I don't hate anybody right now" She turned away from him, searching her mind for answers, gazing out across the bloodstained floor. She quickly returned her green eyes at him, now serious, and slightly bewildred.
"Why did you save my life? And why did you not kill me now? Clearly doing so would be no issue to you."
Cold face, cold expression, cold emotionless pillar.
"I am your teacher, until I am done with this, I want you to stay alive. And did I not say once that I would always protect you?"
She looked at him, surrendering again, though this time there was no pain involved.
"You wish for me to remain? I was wrong to leave, I swore loyalty to you."
"You can leave if you wish. This place is perhaps not for you after all"
She shook her head, still feeling very emotionally weak having been gone through his terrifying lesson. She no longer had the strength to pretend anything except honesty.
"I will stay so I can observe you" she fidget nervously with the belt of her robe "as for protecting me you have yet to tell me -why-"
"why?" He smirked, his face darkening and he slowly approached her. "you are the one that will kill me, this is why"
"WHAT?" the elf hands fell to her side and she stared at him in shock.
"You will kill me."
-
Fear
"How can you turn your back after what I did for you, I don't have much of a choice"
Her masters voice, cold controlled and at times almost mocking. She had come to learn that when he appeared the most relaxed and un bothered, when no true emotions showed and he could just as well be talking about the weather, he was usually the most deadly.
"don't.. p.. please" she choked out, spitting blood and saliva.
"you bear his mark after all" commented the assassin
"I am sorry.." she pleaded tears rolling down her swollen face, the realization of what was about happening, finally taking hold and she panicked.
He picked her up by the collar of her tunic choking her, his racer sharp knife slicing through and he cutting straight down, until the fabric fell freely down each side of her back exposing her naked flesh.
"I thought you were stronger than this" mocked the assassin,
Her masters ice cold hand slid down her spine, caressing the naked flesh and stopped upon the red tattoo of his symbol.
"P.. please" she stuttred, coughing out blood, she cried out in fear, having seen what his hands were capable of.
"why would I spare you" he asked, perhaps more to tease than to offer hope.
"b.. because I have.. a.. always been loyal" She surrendered, laying flat with her eyes shut, patiently awaiting the final stroke.
She choked, her swollen throat tightening, the crack in her lick fading, her lungs filling with refreshing life giving air, but still her wounds remained open and bleeding. He has healed her enough to speak, her guess more for his own amusement as, it made her a more lively toy.
"That's why you were going to turn your back on him, on the city" asked the voice by the wall "on me?" the assassin was watching the blood flooding out across the stone floor "seems my pets have some work ahead of them tonight"
Her name
Her master was whispering her name in a voice that was both soothing and comforting. This caused further panic and she quickly rambled out her excuse with little thought to what she was saying.
"I felt ..useless"
He stood still, towering over her like a cold pillar, his reply, calculated, and mocking.
"You are not useless, but you are hot headed. Maybe this head should be removed to let you breath"
"don't" she cried.
The palms upon the stone floor she hoisted her body half an inch off the floor, enough to lift her chin and look up at him properly with a pleading expression.
"Better we found out about her weakness now" said the assassin, "should I take care of her fiance also?"
Her master was peering down at her with disdain. Cold black eyes met almond shaped green, he seemed to consider it, instead he shook a hand at the assassin dismissiv.
"not now" he said, eyes never leaving her. "You want to live?"
She nodded eagerly, a faint smirk creeping in to the corner of his lip.
"She can't be trusted anymore" said the assassin.
She surrendered to the aching muscles and lowered her body back on the floor, the point of her chin resting in her own blood.
"You know people here trusted you, and would have died to protect you" her masters voice, echoing in her mind, but she could no longer tell from where it came, though she knew where he was.
"I.. if I left.." she said quietly "it would.. not mean I would have.. betrayed"
"LIES" the assassin snapped "you would have told your precious lover everything"
She had no longer the energy to lift her body, she lay there motionless, with her eyes shut, trying to regain some strength while listening to the two voices.
"yo.. you both know me.. be.. better than this"
"I though I did" said the assassin.
Her master voice. "You think my people wish to die? Their life is in my hands. You right now feel death, and they hide here to avoid this very feeling"
"I.. would not have betrayed your people." she growled "I just left because there is no longer any use for me here"
There was silence, her master was moving away from her figure and this caused her to relax a little.
He was faceing the assassin
"Kill her, I am done with this"
