Wings of an Angel

Lord Ren peered out of the aerie, his sharp eyes glaring down the mountain. His ebony wings ruffled in irritation. His favourite concubine, Kyttyn, moved quickly to his side, rubbing his shoulders gently. He ignored her ministrations, turning to his younger brother.

Daniel sighed and saluted his opponent, sheathing his sword as he coasted down, landing neatly before Ren. His wings, white tipped in black, fluttered slightly as he neatly folded them against his back.

"What now?" Daniel's voice was soft, with only the slightest hint of irritation, although the muscles in his jaw were clenched tight as if refraining from a harsher response. He smiled tightly, the warmth not quite reaching his cold blue eyes.

"She is barely coherent most of the time," Daniel said. "The iron embedded in the walls of her cell cause her immense pain. I know you don't want her to be able to use her magic, but she can barely keep a straight thought in her head from the pain."

"I trust no one," Ren said. "Not with a battle raging below us. We were few to begin with. The land-bound have always outnumbered us, and since their king saw fit to try to exterminate all that he terms demi-human, trust is not a commodity that I can afford."

Daniel shook his head. "I will try again. But you know it is unlikely that she will betray her own people and hand you victory. Especially considering the amount of pain that she has endured since being brought here."

Daniel slowly flew higher, watching his brother on the ground. When Ren turned again to peer down the mountain, Daniel's attention went to the shear cliff in front of him. The cliff face was spotted with caves that the Winged Ones made their home in. The highest of the caves, however, were given over to containment of land-bound prisoners. No guards were necessary. Death was the only escape for one without wings unless Ren relented and released them.

Daniel aimed for the highest cave, his wings flaring as he touched down on the small landing outside the entry. He pushed the blanket aside and stepped inside the cave. The glow-balls that lit the interior shone brightly, illuminating the cave. The decor befitted a prison however. A pallet for a bed. There was a small freshet of water from the internal springs that ran down from the pinnacle of the mountain. And in a separate area in the back, there were facilities for toiletry, kept clean by a different branch of the same springs. Strong magic had gone into diverting the waterways through the aerie proper. Magic that no longer existed for most.

Daniel looked at the silent figure laying before him, her eyes closed in sleep. She was covered by a thin blanket that did little to ward the chill at this height. Her clothes had been taken from her in an effort to break her will. But even naked, she carried an air of royalty. Her deep red hair was tangled, although she had made an effort, at least at first, to keep it neat. Her bare white skin, glowing faintly in the light, was tantalizing, and Daniel felt an internal stirring that was matched externally.

She sat, wincing slightly at the pang of pain that struck her suddenly. She disregarded the blanket that slipped from her shoulders, and sat naked in front of him. "But I felt your approach. You are in turmoil."

"I wish you would kiss me first," Lisa said. "You know my response to his offer. I can not give your brother the sword. I do not know where the Tomb of the Ancients is. And even if I did...there are other reasons."

Daniel leaned in and kissed Lisa gently, his lips brushing against hers. Her eyes sank closed. Daniel released Lisa's hands and put his arms around her. Breaking the kiss, he cradled her head to his chest.

"And will you tell me the reasons that you can't give him the power? Other than lacking faith in him, which I understand. But you need to understand too, so many of our people have been killed because of your father's war. The sword of Armageddon has become his only hope."

Lisa looked at him, eyes filled with tears. "How can I trust you completely? You are my captor as much as your brother is. I feel love for you, but my emotions are suspect too. You are the only person I have contact with. Is my love genuine? Or is it merely because you are a comfort to me in my pain? Don't you see? If I can't trust myself, my emotions, how can I trust you?"

Daniel stood, pacing the small room. It took less than five long strides to go from one side to the other. He looked back at Lisa. Her head was bowed and her shoulders shook. Her tears were silent, but he knew they fell. Her sorrow filled the room.

"Answer me!" he shouted. Lisa cringed away from his harsh voice. Her withdrawal tore at Daniel's heart. He knelt beside Lisa, pulling her back into his arms. She struggled briefly against him before relenting. Her tears were hot against his bare chest, dripped onto the billowing trousers he wore.

"I'm sorry," he whispered, stroking her hair. "I'm frustrated. I don't know what I can do to show you that I am not my brother, and have no part in his games. The only thing I want is to be with you. Nothing else matters. Not the sword, not the war. Only ask, and I will take you away from here."

"And what then? Be hunted the rest of our lives? Your brother will not let me go so easily. And my father is already massing troops to come against the aerie. What makes you think that he would do less knowing it was one man who held me and not an entire tribe?"

"If I ask you to take me away from here, it would be like asking you to prove your faith to me," she said. "I want to trust you unconditionally. But that's not possible under these conditions. The pain makes it hard to think.

"You asked me if I could sense your feelings. I can. But only a glimmer. The pain makes more impossible. And I would never probe your emotions. That is patently unfair to you, and gives me advantage over you."

Lisa's voice was growing drowsy. Remaining awake was difficult in the face of the pain. "This I will tell you. The day that I am free from here, and know that your heart is true to me, and mine true to you...that day I will reveal to you the secret of the magic."

Daniel gently laid Lisa down, covering her with the thin blanket. He sat on the pallet for a few minutes, eyes lingering on her face. A small crease of pain was present on her brow even in sleep, although less than when awake. He wondered at the pain she endured just by being here.

Ren had discovered an old tome in the royal library detailing ways to weaken magical ability. Iron was the surest way, according to the text. The Winged Ones had been assured of losing the war up to that point. They may have superiority in fighting ability, but their numbers were far too few to wage war effectively. The aeries were widespread, and did not cooperate well together.

Ren searched the book out looking for a way to revive the magic, although the Winged Ones were magic in and of themselves. But their magic was internal. They could not affect the outside world. Their magic buoyed their flight, speeded healing, and gave a boost of strength. Ren hoped to discover a way to apply the magic externally. instead he had discovered the Sword of Armageddon and the way to defeat a mage.

Lisa was one of the few that possessed enough innate power to be dangerous. The magic bred true to the female heirs of the Land-Bound throne, and possessors of the magic all had a small silver crescent as a birthmark. Lisa’s was on her left breast. Her sister bore no such mark, and though many wondered at the lack of magic in the younger heir, Daniel knew the truth. Lisa had confided that much to him.

Her sister was not truly her sister, only a half-sister. Her mother had been left unable to conceive after a difficult pregnancy and birth. Her father, King Storm, had wanted more heirs, and begot the younger princess on a serving wench at the castle. The child was raised as the daughter of the king and queen. The serving wench had died in childbirth. Or so Lisa believed. Daniel privately had doubts. He thought the king, or the queen, or both, may have aided her departure.

But the magic. Daniel had no way to gauge Lisa’s magic. Her mother was the only other living soul that had possessed any quantity of magic, and she had died years before. Many of the Land Bound possessed a little magic. A few possessed a lot. And one each generation, always a royal, possessed a great enough amount to enter the Tomb of the Ancients.

And all were bound to share the weakness of iron. Something in the iron interacted badly with the magic, setting up a painful vibration. The greater the magic, the greater the pain. Those who possessed little magic were barely affected. Those who possessed much were nearly disabled by the pain.

Daniel could see it’s affect on Lisa every time he entered the cave where she was kept. The special cave that his brother had lined with iron in the walls. He had originally had iron shackles on Lisa as well. She still bore the scars on her wrists from the burns the shackles had left from only one night on her. Any longer would no doubt have killed her.

Daniel left Lisa sleeping in the small chamber. He paused on the small lip in front of the cave, taking a deep breath. The sun was sinking below the horizon, bathing the world in a bloody glow. Below, on the plateau before the cliff face, few people remained in the chill of the coming evening. Even Ren had abandoned his post and went into the royal chambers.

Taking a deep breath, Daniel spread his wings and dropped from the heights. Holding his wings close in until the very last second, the adrenaline rush in the pit of his stomach making him dizzy, he flared his wings at the last second, cupping the air and turning gradually, heading for the large cave entryway situated in the center of the cliff face.

The main cave, the royal hall, served as a meeting place, a worship center, and an audience chamber. Ren’s monstrous throne sat at one end of the chamber, and behind it was the entry to Ren’s private chambers. A honeycomb of chambers opened off the main chamber here. The concubines had their quarters, Ren’s mate had her own opulent chambers, and of course, Daniel had his own quarters here. His were austere, a plain bed, and his favourite weapons hanging on the walls. He went there now, moving silently through the hall. He was vaguely surprised that no one else was around, but since the wars began, few came to mingle in the evenings.

Entering his chambers, which were down a long hallway from the main cavern, and blocked off by a stout door, he quickly went to the clothes press and randomly grabbed a shirt and trousers, knowing that they would not fit well no matter which he took. For himself, he put on a long-sleeved tunic, struggling awkwardly to reach the buttons beneath his wings, and belted his sword belt tightly around his waist. The belt had two scabbards on it...one for his favourite longsword and another for the heavy dagger that he favoured. He had perfected a two-hand fighting technique with the weapons.

Daniel regarded the weapons on the wall briefly before selecting a long, narrow blade. It was more a dueling sword than a true weapon, but he was unsure of Lisa’s skill with a blade, and knew she would no doubt have difficulty with any of the heavier blades anyway.

He shoved the clothes he had chosen for her into the a knapsack and shouldered it. Taking a last look around the room, he added a blanket and tinderbox to the back as well. He left the room silently, easing the door shut.

Daniel moved on cat-feet up the hall, pausing at the entrance to scan the main chamber. It was still empty. Taking a deep breath, he eased into the room and went to the marble statue standing in the center of the room. The serene countenance of the Goddess Ashlynne peered down at him.

Steeling his resolve, Daniel turned away from the statue. He did not see Kyttyn silently watching from the darkened hallway to the concubine’s quarters. Nor did he see the small gesture of affirmation from the marble statue.

Another pair of cat feet made their move this evening. Ren had chosen a night with his mate over one of his concubines... it was the evening Kyttyn had been hoping for. Her things had been packed for 3 days. Drawings, notes, maps and clothing. She'd drugged the wine, the other girls were out for the count. Now, the Catling shifted her way through their snoring bodies. Her clothing was all black, her long purple tail twitched behind her.

Three months of cooing and coddling that moody tyrant Ren, of wheedling her self into his favor... and now she was off to get paid. The King would be able to locate his daughter with the information she'd gathered.... though he'd have one hell of a time reaching her with out wings.

Out the door, through the shrine.... Pressing against the wall. Daniel, Ren's sappy brother. Praying to their goddess, Ashlynne about something. He had it bad for the human princess. Brandy could smell it on him when ever she was mentioned. He walked right past her, too intent on what ever mission was on his mind to see her. Just another shadow. Of course, that was why it cost so much to hire her.

Moving from shadow to shadow, climbing where needed, she reflected that Ren wasn't really evil... just frustrated, desperate and arrogant. Plus, he was about to make her a very rich woman.... he likes to show off his exotic concubines. She, being the only Catling among them had been shown a lot. Her pointed, shell like ears missing nothing. Her excellent memory allowing her to go 2 days before she had to write it down or risk losing it. Her pillow had become crinkly with pages of information, but that was her job. The fact that no one even looked twice at a simpering, big eyed female made it easy for her to get away with it.

Daniel spread his wings, lifting away from the main chamber. He made a quick detour to the royal kitchens, filling the knapsack with travel rations. Waybread and trail mix. His next stop was the armory, where he snagged a bow and quiver of arrows, extra bow strings, and a sling. He knew that hunting was going to be a necessity.

Slipping outside, he took to the air again, noting the slight chill, although his exertions at flying warmed him rapidly. His wings beat rapidly, gaining the heights. He was slightly out of breath by the time he reached Lisa’s cell, and wondered briefly how he was going to carry her along with his weaponry and the food. No one thing was that heavy, but combined, it made for a lot for one man to carry. He was determined though. He could not let Lisa down.

Throwing back the blanket, he was surprised to see Lisa sitting awake. And he was dismayed to see her huddled in on herself, the blanket pulled tightly around her shoulders, shaking from the cold. She looked up at him, eyes bleary from sleep and tears.

"Oh, Lisa," Daniel said, moving swiftly to her side, dropping everything except the knapsack. He wrapped his arms around her, pulling her close and sharing his body heat with her. She clung to him unthinking, unknowing. He had sensed her sorrow before. Now he sensed nothing but a wash of incomprehension and pain.

Keeping one arm tight around her, he worked with the other to open the knap sack and pull out the garments he had found for her. Releasing her, he dressed her quickly, putting the shirt on her backwards so it buttoned up the front, and pulling the trousers up her legs. He pulled the drawstring tight, only then realizing that he had forgotten any kind of shoes for her.

"No help for that now," he muttered under his breath, re-wrapping Lisa in the thin blanket from the bed, and wrapping the thicker one he had brought from his room around her. She was completely unresponsive. He tilted her chin, looking into her eyes. They were glazed and dull, almost lifeless.

Daniel stood, shouldering the knapsack. He slung the bow across his back, threading it between his wings, and hung the quiver from his sword belt. Taking a deep breath, he bent and picked Lisa up, cradling her to his chest. Her head lolled limply against his shoulder.

"Damn you, Ren," he whispered, his voice tight with anger. Walking swiftly to the cave entrance, he briefly considered taking the blanket from there too, but realized that he would have to put Lisa down to do that, and he wasn’t sure he would be able to get her back up. It was fully dark out now, and he was already tired from a long day of mock battle practicing sword skills all day.

Shouldering the blanket aside, Daniel stopped dead in his tracks. He was not alone on the small lip before the cave. A beautiful, winged woman stood there. Her long, dark hair glistened in the moonlight, and her eyes flashed silver.

"To help you, of course," she said. The woman reached out a hand and laid it gently against his brow. Daniel was surprised at the surge of strength that ran through him at her touch. His fatigue was washed away.

Daniel did as she ordered, and felt her soft touch against his eyelids. A picture flared to life in his mind. A view of the ground below, seen in darkness. Swift movement in flight, an image of a desolate cave about an hour’s flight distant.

"Go there," the woman said. "You will have a chance to rest. Your trail will be obscured. None will find you until she is well enough to protect you. This I promise. I can do no more for you. That I give this much help stretches the boundary."

Daniel opened his eyes, opened his mouth to question her. The mysterious woman smiled. "Think back. You asked for my help and protection. Sometimes prayers are answered more tangibly than other times."

Daniel merely nodded again, unfurling his wings and beating them rapidly, lifting off from the ground. He was amazed at how easily he flew. He turned back to Ashlynne to thank her, and discovered that she was gone. Shrugging mentally, he hugged Lisa tighter to his chest and swiftly winged away, a pale shadow in the moonlight.

King Zod looked around the audience chambers, tapping his fingers on the arm of his throne. He younger daughter, Cryllia, sat in a miniature throne beside him. She sat stiffly proper, but he could tell that she was bored. His eyes narrowed as he peered at his advisors, all of whom scurried about trying to look busy rather than face the irritation of the king.

There had been no word as yet from the spy sent to infiltrate the enemy aerie. Intelligence reports were few and far between. Most spies were ferreted out immediately and imprisoned. The lucky ones. The not-so-lucky ones were returned in pieces.

The advisors glanced at one another...and cringed as the king's favourite advisor pushed through them and approached the throne. Pala had come from out of nowhere and had stolen the king's ear. On his advice, the king had mobilized for war. On his advice the king had begun seeking a mate for his eldest daughter so that she could reach her magical potential.

"Your Highness," Uriel said, bowing low but with no hint of concession in his posture. "Your spy will be returning shortly. I feel it in my bones. She will bring you the information you need to recover your daughter and crush the aerie completely."

"My Liege, you will soon see how true my words are. Your spy will be back in no time. And shortly after that, you can crush Lord Ren's aerie and recover your daughter. And with her..." Pala hesitated to say more.

The ground passed swiftly beneath Daniel. The touch of the goddess had given him a massive burst of energy, and he utilized it to its fullest, not knowing how long it would last and desperate to have Lisa to safety before it wore off. He estimated that he had been flying for about an hour, and he was beginning to feel the strain in his wings when he recognized the ground beneath from the vision the goddess had given him. Trees grew thick here. The entry to the cave was partially blocked by the immense bole of one of the trees.

Daniel reduced his speed and dropped down, careful as he wove between the trees to land at the base of the landmark tree. His sharp eyes had difficulty picking out the entrance to the cave in the dark.

"Mmmmmm. Flarus." The limp figure against his chest spoke in a sleepy voice. A small, glowing ball appeared before Daniel, destroying his night vision as he made the mistake of looking directly at it.

Daniel shrugged mentally. "Find the cave," he directed the glowing orb. The ball moved to the tree, hovering with a touch of impatience. Daniel moved to follow and the glowing ball gave a little jiggle. Daniel swore that it was happy he was following it.

The glowing ball illuminated the mouth to a cave. Daniel hesitated only a moment before ducking inside, expecting a dank, drear place. Actually, expecting anything but what he found.

The small light penetrated the dark interior of the cave, revealing what could only be a smuggler’s hideaway. A cooking area, with a fireplace vented to the outside...in all probability vented to surface far from the cave itself, was on one side of the cave, a stack of firewood beside it. A small bed with several carefully folded blankets was on the other side. There was a darker entry at the rear of the cave, but before exploring further, Daniel moved to the bed and laid Lisa down gently. He added another blanket to the two she was already wrapped in, and dug into the knap sack for the tinderbox.

Making short work of starting a fire...there was a ready supply of kindling as well as larger wood ...Daniel had a merry blaze going in no time. He could feel the fatigue creeping into him as the fire warmed him. He hadn’t even realized he was cold until the warmth struck.

Daniel moved toward the darkness in the back of the cave. There was a narrow opening that widened out into another section of cave, this one with a small stream running through it. "Fresh water," Daniel said with appreciation. He noticed that the water originated from somewhere above...tricking down the stone wall and traveling a well-worn path through the center of the chamber. A pit had been dug on the far side of the stream...obviously intended for a latrine.

Daniel disregarded that for the moment, bending to scoop a handful of icy water to his mouth. He splashed more on his face, shuddering at the cold. But not even that was enough to rouse him. He was beginning to feel every second of the flight, and he staggered back into the main chamber, stoking the fire with a few of the larger pieces of wood, before sliding under the blanket next to Lisa.

She washed in the river. Her escort had provided her with the special soap that would remove the dye in her fur and hair. Slowly, the deep purple faded .... to magenta... then lavender.. .. and finally, fully stripped away, and she was silvery blue. If Ren were to swoop over her now, only his familiarity with her body shape might give her away. And her golden eyes. But, she wasn't worried. There were 3 hours of night left. She and Dane would be in a nice cave he knew of long before then.

Dane was poking the fire when she returned in a simple pair of black leather pants and soft silk vest. He looked up and nodded to her. 'Feel better, Miss Brandy?" His eyes ate up her curves as she was gleaming in the fire light.

Cassandra's snow-white wings slowly let her bare and pale feet touch the ground. Her white dress falling lightly to the ground around her. She was a pale beauty like none other. Her wings where as white as new fallen snow and her skin a light ivory, only having enough color to distinguish her from her wings. Her long hair was like sunlight and moonlight wrapped together in a cascading shower of color. It fell down her back coming to rest just before her knees. Her face was soft and tender, the only true color on her was her eyes. A shade like the sky after a rain, a soft blue with gray on the outer rims. As she walked her white dress flowed like the sea around her body, clinging ever so slightly to her slender and curved form. She moved as if she were still flying her feet never seeming to touch the ground. A gracefully walk with dignity, her head held high even now in the presence of Lord Ren.

No one had ever before seen this creature, surely one of them but with something more to her as well. As if she was a dream to them the guards rubbed their eyes briefly. Following her with their eyes as she moved closer to their leader doing nothing to stop her. Coming to stand before this handsome man of nobility Cassandra lowered her head slightly to show respect. Her eyes coming to meet his as she returned her glance upward.

Her voice was soft and melodious, intoxicating with its gentleness. " Lord Ren, I am Cassandra, I come to you from a place called Menois. I have been sent here to try to stop this war between you and the land bound. My people were once your people but many centuries ago when the conflict with the land bound first started a group of us left to find peace in the new place. To live in the old ways of magic and find our lost heritage. I come to you now to beg with you to stop this war. There will be no good in it and all will be lost if either side wins. "

Cassandra voice saddened as she spoke to this powerful leader of men. " With out the land bound we, yourselves are lost. We two are the same and are connected, with out one the other will not survive. Our fates and lives are intertwined in one another's. If the land bound die we too will perish."

Her eyes were as tossed as the sky and as deep as the sea as she looked at Lord Ren with this dark hair and piercing eyes. She knew not what else to say but knew that these words might not be enough to sway this determined man. Looking at him she waited for him to speak and tell her what his mind had said. If he would believe this wondrous creature or turn his back on her.

Lisa shifted slightly, attempting to stretch and savor the warmth. Realization came hard and fast that her arms were pinned to her sides, and her legs bound together. Overwhelming panic flooded her senses, and she began struggling, crying in frustration.

Daniel, sleeping beside Lisa with one arm draped across her middle, woke at her first movement. As her movement escalated into a frenzied struggle, he initially tried to restrain her, then realized that she was trapped in the blanket and scared.

"Lisa!" he called. He struggled to unwind her from the blanket, standing finally because a corner was pinned beneath his body. He grabbed the end of the blanket and pulled, spilling Lisa unceremoniously to the floor.

"Ren didn’t relent," Daniel said, crouching beside her and gently brushing away the remnants of her tears with his fingertips. "I just got smart and realized that he was going to end up killing you by keeping you in that cavern. You wouldn’t give in to him. And he will never relent. He wants your magic too badly."

"Yes." Daniel said. "I was having trouble finding the cave in the dark. And wished for light. You were asleep against me until I thought that. You said something like ‘flarus’ and the glowing ball appeared."

Slowly Lisa stood and stretched. The clothes shifted on her body in an interesting fashion, and Daniel tried hard not to look. Trying to distract himself, he looked around the cave.

"I’m not sure. When I was about to leave, someone who said she was the Goddess Ashlynne showed up. She washed away my fatigue and showed me the cave. I flew the distance in about an hour, but even burdened, I flew about twice as fast as I normally do. It would take someone from the aerie at least that long, and travel by air leaves no tracks.

Daniel’s eyes dropped. "You want to go home to him. I didn’t think. We flew in a direction opposite the castle. A fast flier can make the castle in about three days. So add however long from here to the aerie, and then the three days to the castle."

Daniel marveled at the change he saw in Lisa since she was out of captivity. She was every bit royalty. And he wanted to touch every bit of her. But he knew that was an impossibility now.

Daniel nodded, taking her left hand in his left, standing slightly behind her with his arm arched protectively around her shoulders. Lisa smiled up at him in appreciation before turning her attention to the entry to the cave. Holding her right hand palm up toward the entrance, she narrowed her eyes.

Daniel felt an incredible itching tingle against the palm of his hand, and felt as though he were caught in the eye of a maelstrom. Nothing touched him, but what swirled around them was intangible, pure energy. It coalesced about them. Daniel felt a surge of energy rushing into him, only to be drawn out by the palm-to-palm contact. He saw/felt/heard the surging rush explode from Lisa’s upraised hand.

"Only if they know the exact wording that I used to seal it," Lisa smiled. "And then, only if they had access to the same amount of magic. " Her eyes were slightly glazed, and glowed from the energy she had channeled.

"Exactly. The words are spoken in my heart, not aloud. No one could know. And none have the power. Because I could not channel that power unaided. You are the catalyst that was necessary. That is why Ren could never have the power or the sword. What I have must be given in love, and what I take must be given freely in the same love."

"Not by a long shot," Lisa said. "That is the edges of the secret. I will tell you all. Because I know that our hearts are true. We could not have done that magic unless the love we felt was true."

Smiling dreamily, Lisa pulled away from Daniel. "It’s been so long since I’ve been able to wash," she said. "I tried in the cell, but there wasn’t enough water to do anything with."

"It could be just this side of ice, I wouldn’t care," Lisa said, her fingers moving to the buttons on her shirt. Daniel averted his gaze as the shirt fell from her shoulders. Lisa noticed him looking away and the glimmer of a frown crossed her face.

"And should I suddenly be shy in front of you?" she asked. "You have seen me naked. You have held me trembling in your arms naked." Untying the rope that belted the trousers around her waist, Lisa let them drop to the floor.

"Look at me Daniel." Lisa’s tone was peremptory. It was a royal, commanding tone that set Daniel’s teeth on edge. He looked at her, nostrils flaring slightly, his blue eyes cold with anger.

"Yes, your highness?" he asked. He swept his eyes over her naked form, feeling an involuntary reaction and hating himself for it. He also saw the dismay on Lisa’s face, the tears in her eyes at his tone. Her hand flew to her lips as if unable to believe the tone she had taken with him.

Daniel’s hand gripped her upper arm, spinning her around to face him. "I am not your subject and you are not a whore," he said. "Whatever I saw in the past was because you had to choice. You do now. Act like the princess you are."

Lip trembling but eyes taking on a glint of steel determination. "A whore? Is that how you see my actions? I would be your lover, and you debase me so? What we did can only come from love. There is only one logical step, and only one possible step for us to take next."

"And why not?" Lisa flared. "We are lovers already, except for the final step. You have held me, comforted me, kissed me, supported me. You have been my lover in every way but that."

"And what do you think will happen when we get the sword?" Lisa asked. "You think I’ll give it to my father? That is insane. And I will tell you why. Because no one can wield the sword but you. I can not. I haven’t the physical strength. And only one who is bound to me in love will be able to bear its touch. That is the secret of the sword."

Daniel stopped, the words he had been going to say denying her further dying on his lips. His hand loosened on her arm, leaving livid marks that testified to the strength of his grip. Lisa ignored it.

"Daniel, I am not trying to be wanton. But I love you. I would bind myself to you to allow the final joining. We can neither find the cave nor brave its secrets unless we are joined together fully. Would you have me recaptured? Fed potion after potion to simulate a false love for another? That was what my father was intending to do. He intended to take the sword for his own. But he didn’t know the truth. None but the heir to the power know.

"And none but the heir know the rest. Once one is bound in love, it can never be sundered. For him to kill either of us is to deny the chance of ever opening the Tomb. And to kill me is to lose any chance of an heir."

Lisa shook her head sadly. "No. We’re not. Not really. In the tomb are tomes detailing the truth. It is given to each heir as well. The Winged Ones, the Catlings, all the others who are considered demi-humans, are not. They are modified humans. That is why the magic was withdrawn from the land. Because mages of old abused their powers to modify rank and file soldiers to fight their battles.

"So you see...we are viable. We are necessary. We are destined. Please, Daniel," Lisa said, her eyes filling with tears. "If that was your only objection to us being together, then the point is moot. If your objection is based on my being royalty, that objection too is moot. Because you are also royalty. We are not only a love match, we are a political match that could stop this war. With the sword of Armageddon, we have within us the ability to halt the fighting."

Lisa could feel Daniel’s hesitation in his kiss. His objections had been overcome, but his desire still warred with his reluctance to be with her. His need to believe in her fought against the beliefs he had been raised with. Had she revealed all, he would never have touched her at all.

Feeling his withdrawal, Lisa pressed in tight against him, pressing her breasts against the soft cotton of the tunic he wore, wrapping her arms around his waist and holding him close. It wasn’t enough. He broke off the kiss and tried to pull away from her, putting his hands on her pale shoulders. She could feel the tremors in his hands, feel the him stirring against her lower belly where she pressed against his groin.

"It’s not that simple," Daniel said. He seemed unconscious of his hands, which lightly stroked her bare arms. "You are still withholding something from me. How can I love you...truly love you...without all of the facts?"

"What do facts have to do with emotion?" Lisa queried. "Nothing. The fact is, there is something remaining. And the fact is, I can not tell you. The remaining truths can only be given to someone I share a full bond with. I will tell you this. I had not known for certain what we shared until you shared the magic with me. According to my mother, that is the final test. To give yourself to each other in perfect trust, to give yourself to the magic in perfect trust."

Lisa sighed and rested her forehead against Daniel’s chest. "Daniel, I can’t tell you more. There is a geis to prevent me from telling my chosen prematurely." She looked back up at him, her eyes shining with tears, determined not to shed them. Determined not to claim victory by so foul a means.

"I have serious misgivings," Daniel said. "Very serious. I know that you think we are viable. But do you honestly think that either of our peoples will accept our union? You know the answer to that. Are you willing to throw away your throne, your heritage, for this? We can never be married. No clergy in the world would join two peoples from different races."

"And I tell you it doesn’t matter!" Lisa said, trembling with the effort of keeping her temper in check. "We are destined." She closed her eyes, feeling the tears welling. Rather than to let him see her cry, she pulled away from Daniel, grabbing the clothes he had dressed her in from the floor, taking one of the blankets from the bed. She looked back at him, her eyes shining.

"I won’t force you to come to me Daniel. I know in my heart that we belong together. There are no obstacles that we can’t meet together. I thought that you trusted me when you helped me seal the cave. But it’s not enough for you. I’m not enough for you." The first hot tear trickled down her cheek and Lisa turned away. "I’m going to wash up. Don’t worry. I will be fully dressed when I come out, and I will remain that way as that is your wish."

Daniel watched her go, clenching his hands tightly, his arms trembling from the strain of not following her. Trying to distract himself, he went and built the fire back up. There was no chance of a chill in here with the entry sealed, but the fire instilled a false sense of cheer to the chamber. In addition to providing light. Daniel was not about to ask her to create another glow ball.

Staring into the flames as the fire caught, Daniel’s eyes drifted closed. A change of smell made him open his eyes with a gasp of shock. The Goddess Ashlynne stood before him, looking very much like the marble statue, her limbs pale white, her hair dark spilling down her back from the coronet of flowers around her brow, her dark eyes merry and mysterious at the same time.

"You are the same place you were before. Your body at least. Your mind I borrowed temporarily. There are certain things you must know. Your hesitation does you justice, but beware that you are not hesitating for the wrong reasons. She is not her father. She is not her father’s daughter. Everything she has told you it the truth."

The goddess paused, her face serene. "I break many rules by speaking to you thus, but as I created most of the rules, I have a certain leniency. I know you wish to know her secrets. Those I can not tell you. But this I can. You must join with her, lest the world be destroyed. Great evil has awakened, and even now controls the king. Evil is solitary though. There is strength in numbers, and there is strength in love. Strength enough to destroy the hatred that festers, waiting to destroy this world."

Daniel shook his head. "She is hurting and confused," he said. "I don’t hesitate just for the reasons I told her. I hesitate because she is reaching out because I am here. Because I rescued her. Because I was there. That doesn’t make it love."

Ashlynne laughed, her voice a shivering silver shower. "No. Reaching out in need does not make it love. And reaching out in weakness does not make it love. But you have taken her from a situation where she was right to doubt her feelings, and placed her in one where she could learn the truth. Maybe she did reach out first because you were there. But that is not the reason she stayed here."

"Go to her," the goddess urged. "My daughter has great love for thee, and great need of thee. If you fight your destiny, it will only push harder until you finally accept it. Now go."

Steeling himself, still feeling a certain amount of trepedition but no longer worrying so much about it, he rose to his feet. Taking a deep breath, he moved to the back of the chamber, passing through the narrow opening into the bath chamber.

Daniel stopped at entry to the back cavern. Lisa knelt before the stream, the glow ball, somehow larger, hovering over her. She was bent over the stream, cupping handfuls of water over her hair...the red had darkened to a muted fire glistening damply in the glowing light. Her pale skin shone softly, and the beaded drops of water on her back reflected the light prismatically.

Looking at Lisa for the first time as a woman he desired and loved instead of an impossible dream, Daniel felt his heart swelling. His eyes moved slowly over her back, caressing the smooth rounded globes of her bottom, the curve of her spine, the soft arms.

Lisa's back slowly straightened, stiffened. She tossed her hair back over her shoulder, rainbows flying from the drops of water that shook free from her hair at the movement. She turned her head slowly, catching sight of Daniel.

Lisa slowly rose to her feet and turned toward him. Her head was bowed, and she slowly lifted her lashes, looking at him almost shyly. Daniel‘s breath caught in his throat. Her skin was so pale. The only color, aside from her flaming hair, was the livid mark his fingers had left on her arm, her rosy nipples hard from the cold of the water, the dark shadow at the juncture of her thighs.

"I bind to thee, body and soul, mind and spirit," Lisa intoned, her voice soft and vibrant. "All that I was, all that I am, and all that I will be, I give to thee willingly. None shall stand before you in mine eyes or in mine heart. Thou art my life, and willingly to I commend myself to thee."

"I bind to thee, body and soul, mind and spirit." Daniel was hesitant, fumbling slightly over the words that burned in his brain. Taking a deep breath, his voice grew stronger on each phrase, on each syllable. "All that I was, all that I am, and all that I will be, I give to thee willingly. None shall stand before you in mine eyes or in mine heart. Thou art my life, and willingly to I commend myself to thee."

Their fingers twined as a jolt of electric shock ran through them. Daniel’s eyes widened slightly. Lisa’s lips parted in a smile, the tip of her tongue peeking out enticingly. Daniel leaned toward her, his lips gently brushing against hers. No kiss that they had shared before had ever felt like this. Everything before now seemed mechanical, perfunctory.

Fingers still entwined, they moved in closer together. Daniel cupped Lisa’s head gently, his fingers tangling in her wet hair. Her hand went around his back and slowly worked the buttons of his shirt free. Their bodies pressed together, trapping Daniel’s clothes between them. Lisa stroked his bare back, running her hand higher, stroking under his wings, tickling her fingers into the soft feathers where wings joined back.

Slowly disentangling his fingers from hers, from her hair, Daniel pulled back slightly, letting his shirt drop to the floor. Undoing the drawstring at the waistband of his trousers, he let them fall as well, stepping out of them and kicking them aside before moving back in against Lisa, pressing tightly against her.

He felt tremors running through her body as he moved his hips slightly against her, his burgeoning cock pressing against the soft skin of her stomach. He realized with a small shock that he could sense a strong thread of anxiety, almost fear, running through Lisa.

Daniel wrapped his arms tightly around her, pulling her close. He unfurled his wings, drawing them around both of them. Kissing the top of her damp head, he said, "It’s impossible to do wrong. Just go with your feelings."

In slow, surreal motion, Lisa’s hands touched Daniel’s shoulders. She stroked down his arms, gently squeezing the muscles of his forearms, his biceps, smiling in appreciation. Gliding her hands back to his shoulders, she framed his neck with her fingers before moving her conjoined palms down his chest. She stroked the light hair on his chest gently, raking her nails against his skin slightly. Discovering his nipples, she traced tiny circles around the small nubs. Reading the reaction on his face, in his involuntary, indrawn breath, Lisa smiled and leaned forward, tickling his nipple with the tip of her tongue, sucking gently as her hands continued downward.

Tiny tickling strokes over Daniel’s ribs, over his belly. Lisa slipped her fingers, still cool from the freezing water, around his cock, gently covering his length with exploring caresses. Daniel groaned at her touch, and Lisa looked up at his face, smiling in delight.

"No. That would be you," Daniel said. He grasped her wrists gently, and slid his hands up her arms. Her skin was chill, and goosebumps raised as he trailed his warm hands over her flesh. His hands mimicked her earlier caress, tracking down her chest. Cupping her breasts, squeezing gently, he edged his thumbs closer to her nipples.

Lisa’s lips parted, her breath coming slightly faster. He smiled at her small sound of surprise as his thumbs made contact with her the dark pink nipples, already hard from the cold. He swept the pads of his thumbs across her nipples lightly, leaning in to press soft kisses on her neck, tracing her collarbone with his tongue.

Daniel traced his tongue lower, displacing his hand on her breast. He sucked a nipple into his mouth, rippling his tongue across the engorged nub. His free hand caressed slowly down her stomach, nudging her legs apart. He slowly parted her nether lips, fingertips exploring her warm, moist flesh. Finding her swollen clit, he moved a fingertip across it, barely touching. Daniel stroked lightly, each pass increasing the pressure slightly.

Daniel smiled at the involuntary gasping and panting whimpers from Lisa. He grazed his teeth against her nipple, smiling at the shudder that ran through her body. Her hips were moving against his hand now.

He pulled his hand from between her legs, slipping his other down from her breast. "Put your arms around my neck," he whispered. Lisa did so, clinging to him tightly, her knees weak. Daniel grasped her buttocks, lifting her against him. She wrapped her legs around his waist, supported by his hands. Shifting her position on him slightly, Daniel centered his cock on her inviting, wet entry, and slowly penetrated her, his throbbing shaft sliding easily into her slippery wet channel, burying himself deeply within her.

Clinging to Daniel, wrapped around him, Lisa was wracked with shaking. His every movement, his slowly thrusting cock, his hands kneading her bottom even as he supported her, the tickle of the soft feathers as he enclosed them in a cocoon of wings, played riot on her nerve endings. Tears slipped unheeded from her eyes as his lips met hers in a teasing, deep kiss, their tongues slowly pressing together, twining together as the rhythm of their bodies increased.

The slow, deep thrusting grew more aggressive. Daniel‘s hands on her hips guided her motion, matching it to his. The riotous nerve music built to a rapturous crescendo. Lisa bit down hard on Daniel’s lip, tasting blood, her entire body contracting around him. Her cry muffled by his lips mingled with his own as he thrust deeply, pulsing inside, flooding her with the heat of his explosion.

Lisa’s eyes filled with tears, her face still stained from the early bout of crying. "And I love you." She snuggled her head into his neck, her voice slightly drowsy. "And now we are one."

Tapping at the king’s door and entering the chamber without waiting for a response, Pala strode into the room. The deferential pretense he had maintained while in the audience chamber vanished in private.

"King Zod," he said. "I have received news. Your daughter is no longer with the aerie. She has been taken from there by the younger brother of Lord Ren and even now they make their way to the Tomb of the Ancients."

King Zod looked at his advisor, his eyes blank. Pala could sense the essence of the king locked deeply away inside, struggling to get out. What remained was a shell that he, Pala, had firm control over.

Zod’s glazed eyes looked at Pala. "You forget, advisor. As my wife was daughter of queens, and thus privy to the secrets of her line, so am I the son of kings, and know their secrets. I have always known where the tomb is."

They remained locked together on the stone floor until the chill started creeping into their bones. Pulling away, placing her hands lightly on Daniel’s shoulders for balance, Lisa stood, shuddering slightly as Daniel’s quiescent manhood slipped free. She held her hands out to him, and Daniel placed his fingers within her own, standing quickly. He wrapped his arms around her, kissing her forehead.

Lisa returned the embrace, then reluctantly pulled free. She gathered their clothes from the stone floor, and picked up the blanket she had brought in. Daniel watched her silently, puzzled. When she faced him again, she had a slightly anxious look on her face.

Lisa brushed lightly against Daniel as she moved past him into the main chamber. Daniel wrapped an arm around her shoulders, pulling her near and moving with her. Together they moved to the bed, sitting side by side. Daniel kept an arm around her, clasping her fingers loosely with his free hand.

I already told you that the Winged Ones, the Catlings and all other forms of what are considered by many to be by many demi-human were once human. They were made that way several centuries ago at the behest of an evil man, Lord Pala. Lord Pala was a powerful mage himself, and had delusions of ruling the world. He banded together a group of magicians of lesser caliber, and the experiments began.

There were hideous permutations, combining different life forms, all with a human base. The Catlings are the mildest form of the feline transformations. And they are the only ones to survive to this day. Same with the Winged Ones. They were humans crossed with raptors. Mostly eagle, hawk, falcon. This accounts for the many of the variations in climate and configuration between the Winged tribes.

The transformed humans were the forerunners in the battle. They all were once rank and file soldiers, many of whom felt it their duty to obey Pala, as they had sworn to do. But when Pala began raiding villages, transforming women and children as well, one of the soldiers had enough.

His name was Karl. He was a brave man. He broke ranks and flew to the top of Goddess Mount, and there prayed for many days. There was no vengeance in his heart, only sorrow. He asked that the magic be taken from the land, that it might never be misused in such a fashion. He asked that Pala and his henchmen be stopped.

The Goddess Ashlynne watched and listened to him. He was a soldier, and she expected that sooner or later his thoughts would turn vengeful. But they did not. He remained true to his heart. And after fortnight, she came to him.

She explained that it was not so simple as taking the magic away from the world, because to do so would condemn all of those who had been modified by magic to death. And she was unwilling to do that. Instead, she would take the magic and place it in a repository.

The magic was similarly constrained. Because the child was the possessor of most of the magic in the world, she was extremely powerful, and the potential for abuse was great. Therefore, the additional caveat was made that the child would not be able to access the full powers until such time as she was bound in love to a mate. Merely being bound or mated was immaterial. It had to be love. Perfect and selfless. Because only in the surrender of love could one understand the terrible price that the power demands. She also felt that if one loved enough to unlock the full potential, then one would not be able to abuse it, because that would be a flawed love.

Karl took the child and went back to his people. The child grew up, and was given the story. When she came of age, her tribe offered her to the king as a wife. The king that had taken over after Pala’s downfall was a benevolent leader and wanted to heal the land. He gladly took the girl to wife, and agreed that from that time forward, the heir to the kingdom would be the eldest daughter, the possessor of the magic.

It was he that created the Armageddon sword. Forged of steel, the hilt sturdy, a large ruby on the pommel. The sword was his in life. And was buried with him in death. His wife, who survived him, enchanted the sword. The enchantment was thus:

In time of great need, the sword will represent hope to the people of the land, wielded by the bound one, it will spread peace to all. Defending its bearer from all harm, it will be a beacon in the darkest night.

The sword was buried with the king in what has become known as the Tomb of the Ancients, along with many of the magical texts and writings of ages past. One book remained out, that in possession of the heir that she might learn impartially what had happened in the past. A guardian was set over the tomb. He sits in judgment of those who would enter the tomb, and is fierce enemy to those who would plunder its riches, or fierce ally to those with the right to be there.

Lisa shivered in his embrace. The temperature between them seemed to drop. "There was no choice," she said. "Other than the one my heart and soul made. Had it been solely a conscious choice, then we would not be here. Had it been conscious choice, I would have no doubt married one of the men that my father kept pushing at me. Any of them would have suited. But none did I love.

"Daniel, it was important that I not just be a political pawn. I have known from the time I was young that I must seek my heart. Yes, I found it in an unexpected place. But I do not regret it."