Blood Moon Chronicles Book 1 Beneath the Blood MoonChapter 12
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I looked at the gate rising, and watched as a form was slowly revealed to me. Black boots, covered slightly with mud, which went to just below the knee. A purple skirt starting from mid-thigh, to her waist, adorned with golden stitching along the hemline. To match the boots and provide contrast to the dress, a black belt adorned with golden stitching. As the gate continued to climb, I marveled at the sight before me. She wore a purple top, cut low, revealing remarkable cleavage, the sleeves, and cut were accented again by golden stitching ... However, the most stunning thing was when I saw her face. Her eyes were like emeralds, shining brightly, filled with life. Her hair was down past her shoulder and dark as a raven, which made her cream skin stand out even more. Her lips were full and red, accented by a cute little upturned nose.
As I studied the vision before me, taking in all the beauty in such a small package, it dawned on me. I knew this woman. Something about her was vaguely familiar, and that is when I realized. Her clothing was not purple at all, but rather it was the color of the most beautiful name I had ever heard. The most perfect name, for the most beautiful of creatures, Violet. The one person whom I had missed all the years was before me. I could still feel the sensation of the kiss she had given me the day I had left the village. I jumped off my cart, and slowly approached her as butterflies began to fill my stomach. I had changed so much over the past ten years and I could see that Violet had as well. I had never thought that I would see anything so beautiful in my life. Even though I had given my name, I did not want to scare her, as my size could easily intimidate people.
I stopped a few feet in front of her, keeping my eyes focused on her’s the whole time. She studied my face for a few moments until a glimmer of realization appeared in her eyes and it seemed that she had recognized me. I stood patiently as she walked slowly around me, probably studying how I had changed since we last saw each other. She stopped in front of me, looked deep into my eyes, and crooked her finger at me. I did stand a foot taller than her, at least. Instinctively, I knew what she wanted of me, and I dropped to one knee in front of her. Funny enough, down on one knee brought me to chest level with her, but I did not dare glance at it. My eyes never left hers as she came closer, taking my head in her tiny hands. I searched her eyes and saw the same yearning that I had felt for her. We had both missed one another dearly, and I wrapped my arms around her tiny waist.
Her fragrance filled my senses, filling my heart with joy and my stomach with even more butterflies. I closed my eyes and enjoyed the sensation of her against me, the soft beating of her heart in my ears. She smelled the same as she had when we were children, a mix of lavender, violets, and a summer breeze. The scent was much more refined and yet more vivid and it drove my senses wild. Memories of the happy times we had together came flooding back into my mind. Of all the adventures we pretended to have, the games we played. Of us carving our names into our special tree and the kiss that we shared. A smile came across my face, one that had not been there for a very long time. A gasp came from her, I opened my eyes to see her standing there, and my face was now in her hands. Tears came to her eyes, a smile that I had not seen in ten years was there with it.
She jumped at me, wrapping her arms around my neck, hugging me as tightly as she could. Smiling, I wrapped mine back around her waist, and stood up. The feel of her in my arms again made my heart skip a few beats. I could not help the flood of emotions, I laughed and twirled her around. Both of us were laughing at the excitement of it all. After what seemed like an eternity, I stopped spinning us and placed her back down on the ground. We searched each other’s eyes, smiling at the other, and reveling in the joy of being with one another again.
“Welcome back, Davik,” she said, smiling brightly, “I am very happy you chose to come back to us.”
“As am I, Violet,” I said with a smile, causing her to blush, “and I don’t intend to leave you, or this place ever again!”
I took her to the wagon, grabbed the reins, and began leading us into town. Violet held my hand, as she sat on the seat beside me, a smile never leaving her face. Upon entering the town, I could really see how much it had changed, and where it had remained the same after all these years. New buildings had been built among the old ones, yet they had a shabby, worn look to them. Many homes were damaged, with poorly patched holes in walls and roofs, windows broken or covered with pieces of wood. Some of them looked downright abandoned, as if they had not seen use in the years I had been away. Cartha was now a sharp contrast to what I had left in Fardun a few weeks ago. It seemed the fortunes of the two villages had switched over the past ten years. Perhaps I could do my part to change Cartha for the better, bring it back to its previous glory.
The ground was a mess of mud and weeds, any grass that was to be found was dead and brittle. The trees that were once vibrant within the town had become dull and gray, without a single leaf to be found. The town looked like the ones from the dark stories we told around the campfire as children. The sight that really made me uneasy was the look of the people that we passed by. Every one of them had an unfriendly look in their eye, staring at me with suspicion and contempt. I had remembered this town being friendly, and welcoming when I was a child. Strangers had been treated like neighbors, with kindness and friendliness. Now, it seemed to be cold and unsettling to be in. They looked to be disheveled, less vibrant and broken people.
Despite the tension in the air and the negative looks form the people we passed, Violet was tremendously happy. We slowly made our way towards the center of the town square, where the mass of people had been when I had arrived. I saw a man at the far side of the square that I figured was connected to the Patron. No doubt, the guard who had run off had gone to notify him when I heard the commotion. As we made our way through the crowd in the village square, I was surprised at how many people were there. They were all talking amongst themselves until we came into view of the man I had seen, and then there was only silence. They studied me, no doubt noticing that Violet was holding hands with me, her smile radiating happiness.
As we approached him, the crowd began to spread farther, increasing the distance on either side of us. I could feel the hostility coming from all those who had gathered here, they looked on with suspicion. I knew I would have to be careful, as anything I said or did wrong could set them off. The crowd continued to step back until we reached the man who I believed worked for the Patron. He stood just above shoulder height to me, with fierce blue eyes and copper hair. His build was slim, of one who probably had not had to do hard work in his life, and he had a stance of arrogance and superiority. Some of his features reminded me of the Patron, though he had been much more regal and approachable then the person before me.
“Who do we have here?” he announced and I noticed his voice had a nasal sound to it, “We don’t get many outsiders in our village.”
I let out a chuckle as I got down from the wagon and said, “Well, since I am no outsider, that hasn’t changed.”
The look on his face showed that he was not amused by my retort and even seemed angry that I had talked back to him. His hands balled into tight fists and his knuckles began to turn white from the pressure he was putting on them. It seemed he was not accustomed to having anyone talk to him in any other way than with respect and awe.
“You should not speak that way to your superiors,” he growled. “Should it happen again, I will see you whipped, you insolent dog!”
My eyes narrowed, and I approached the man, whom I now realized was Brant. He had been the son of the Patron when I had lived here before and had been a little shit even then. I had seen him only a few times, and every time he was an arrogant ass to everyone because of who his father was. The night of my family’s death, my father was working on a sword for his birthday. Based on how he was acting, arrogant and self important, I guessed that he had not joined the Imperial Service, after all. If he had, that arrogance would have been beaten out of him long ago. I stopped just in front of him, and leaned down so that my face was only a half finger’s length away. I noticed a touch of fear in his eyes, but he held his ground and continued to look at me with indifference.
I sneered and said,”I would mind how you talk to me, Brant, as you would not want to be on my bad side! Now, could you get your father, so I can see about purchasing some property?”
He swallowed hard, I could see the fear in his eyes, but the anger was still there too. I knew telling him to get his father, as if to a common runner, would upset him.
“My father is dead, and has been for six years now!” he spat in retort. “ I am the Patron, and I will decide if I will allow some nobody to live in my village.”
The news that this ass was Patron was unsettling, as the Patron and my father had been close friends. It did explain the withered state of the village, as his self-importance would not allow him to care about the village like his father had. Only what he could take from them to make himself feel superior and keep him in a lavish lifestyle. This would make my return a bit harder, as Brant had always seemed to dislike me. His arrogance was getting on my nerves, but attacking the Patron would only serve to get me killed.
I saw guards approaching, watching me intently for any sign of violence. Reaching for Violet, he said, “Come Violet, I will not have you associating with trash such as him! I will take you home, and then I will deal with the scum when I return.”
Upon hearing what he said Violet turned and slapped him across his face as hard as she could. The impact knocked his head back, and left his face with a bright red handprint on his cheek. This was the first time I had ever seen her angry enough to do something that would in reality be breaking the law. Striking a Patron can result in the loss of a hand or worse, the loss of their life. The only way to stop that from happening is if the town sided with the accused on the matter. Given how he would be running the village, I would not be surprised if no one dared side against him.
“Davik is not trash or scum, Brant! If you ever call him that again, you will regret it! Do you hear me?!” The mention of my name caused the whole group of people in the square to get into an uproar.
When I opened my eyes the sun had gone down, and the moon had begun its rise. The attacks occurred when the moon was at its highest point in the sky. I had some time; I collected my gear, and headed downstairs. The others were sitting at the table; the tension could be cut with a knife. I could see the worry on their faces; Liza and Trina were in tears. Trent and Carl were trying to calm them down, while the rest sat with hard looks on their faces. I was shocked to hear that, but looking...
As I approached my house, I was pleasantly surprised to find Violet waiting for me. She had a beautiful smile, an amazing sky-blue dress, and in her arms, were two large baskets. “What, pray tell, has led me to the honor of your company? I was not expecting anyone,” I said, jokingly, with a bad, haughty accent. Once she stopped giggling, she softly replied, “Father told me that he traded you a very unique table set in return for your help fixing our home. I saw you buying cooking supplies,...
I was told when I finally woke up that I had been out for nearly five hours. Everyone wanted to be there with me when I woke up, but they knew the importance of the burning of the skulls. Lillian had stayed by me and told the others when I finally came to. I explained to them the meeting I had with Phaltina and that the curse had been released from the skulls when they broke apart. Kayla was a bit disappointed that she would not be using her mortar and pestle, but she was happier that I was...
The next week was much of the same routine each day. Wake up and spend roughly twenty-four hours cutting logs into boards, without any sleep. The boys came after the second day and began to work with me to deal with the logs. The tough weather had come through and I did my best to protect the inside of the house. With them working together on one and me working on another, we doubled the work that could be done. Violet would visit for breakfast and lunch, while Ruben would eat dinner and help...
Aphronia slowly regained consciousness and felt agony in every muscle and fiber of her body. The bastard had spent who knows how long torturing her. Not for information or her acquiescence, but for the simple and perverse joy it brought him. He had been cutting her skin, with slow and precise slices. Generating the most pain for the least amount of damage. Her abilities helped her heal quickly, but the psychological impact was hard on her. She still had not eaten, and her hunger, coupled...
We woke early and decided against having a morning meal, instead hoping to get on our way sooner. I collected my goods and made my way out of the inn with the others. I took Janet’s equipment as she was going to head to the carrier bird aviary to send out a message to her contacts. She would meet us at the stablemaster’s when she was done. Lillian padded alongside me and we were warmly greeted as we approached. “Hello, my friends,” he said warmly. “You are ahead of schedule, but I was able...
I laid my eyes on her once again, I was lucky that such a beautiful creature loved me as much as she did. I only hoped that I would be worthy of that love. I spent the rest of the night just watching her, as I waited for the sun to begin its journey through the sky. Just after dawn, Violet woke up, stretching her beautiful body, and greeted me with a warm smile. She gave me a soft, passionate kiss, got out of the bed, and left the room. A short time later, she returned with a tray of...
“Please. Join me, Davik, I have been waiting for some time, knowing that you would eventually find your way to Retvan. We have a lot to discuss.” I turned to find Ruben’s eyes staring at me, signs of care and weariness in them, but a cold resolve behind them. He looked a bit thinner and a bit more haggard in appearance since the last time I had seen him, though he had been falling into a chasm when I saw him last. The beard, as well as the used and torn clothing, would not let anyone except...
I awoke with a start, the last residual emotions of the dream leaching out of me. I felt disgusted with my body each time the dreams happened, but I knew more, now. I knew the monster’s voice, as well as a bit of what he looked like. Still, to see him help murder his father while I watched through his own eyes was unsettling. The feelings of superiority, glee and even arousal were disgusting, and I felt tainted by them. I looked over and saw that Lillian was still resting, so I went and got...
I thought some more about the wood that I would be using to repair my home. I had come across this wood when growing up with my elder parents. It was unique in that it was water resistant, lighter than all other woods, never had bugs go through it, and could bend into any shape without breaking. It is known as Teaka wood, and only grows in a certain part of the forest. It was mostly used for the boats that the village fisherman used in Fardun, but I had noticed its qualities, and figured it...
I held on tight to Violet’s unconscious form, making sure to keep her above the water. The power of my eruption, along with her own blissful orgasm, was too much for her, and she had passed out from it. I had done no better, but I didn’t stay passed out like her. I made sure I had a tight grip around her midsection, as I did not want her to slip out of my grasp and drown. I slowly moved us away from the shore, laying her head down gently when we reached the blanket I had laid out. She had a...
This caused me to laugh, but caused Violet to blush even further. She grabbed my arm and pressed herself into my side, her right breast firmly pressed against me. I enjoyed the feeling as I entered the house to join them for breakfast. We discussed many things over breakfast - how my repairs to the house were going, what I planned to do afterward. Ilane was thrilled when I told her that I would be doing major repairs to the village, with much stronger wood. On more than one occasion, Ilane,...
She considered my eyes, and said, “Davik, if you ever scare me like that again, you had better hope you do not survive! ‘Cause if you do, I will kill you!” Violet said nothing, only continued to collect the bandages and bowl of water. She did not look me in the eyes, but something told me this was for a reason other than the usual. She brought the supplies to the bed, and began to remove the bandage. Her actions and body language said she had something else to tell me, but that it was...
I awoke slowly. A light throbbing of my head caused a bit of discomfort. I looked around to find myself alone in bed, daylight shining through the window. I could hear the faint sounds of birds through the glass. It was very auspicious, given the nature of events that had transpired last night. As memories filled my mind of everything that had happened, tears began to fall freely down my face. My friends, my love and her family all gone. Taken by that black monstrosity in a binge of carnage...
I woke up with a start, my hand darting to my chest, to look for the hole where the sword had pierced me. Content that there was nothing there, I tried to get up and only then did I realize that I was not alone in bed. Janet had laid down next to me and, I guess, fell asleep on my shoulder, though my jerking up in bed had roused her from her nap. “Davik?” she asked, a note of concern in her voice. “Are you okay? Was it another of those dreams again?” “Yes it was, Janet, but your suggestion...
I panicked again when I woke up from the dream, as both my arms had gone numb. When I looked at both, I saw tuffs of red hair on either shoulder or it dawned on me what had happened. The only thing I wondered was ... why? While I had been shocked at the surprise of Lillian and Janet sleeping on me, I had not realized how much I had missed the sensation. It had been nearly a year since someone was sharing my bed to fight off the tremors and, during my time away, as well as during the trip...
When I awoke, I was sometime in the evening, the sounds of the insects out on their nighttime hunts filled the air. The gentle breeze from the open window carried their sounds into my room. Hopefully, I hadn’t slept past evening meal. As I moved to get up, I realized there was a soft arm draped across my chest and a leg resting on my thighs. I looked down to see dark locks of hair draped across my chest and felt the soft rise and fall of my companion’s chest. The scent that filled my senses...
Lillian I left everyone in the room and made my way to the cellar of the, opening the door to find Violet, on the floor. The chains of the shackles were looped around a metal bracket on the floor, even Davik’s unique strength would not be able to pull it up. I looked down at her, memories of her sleeping after our love making filling my head and alerting me to her ruse. I walked up and planted a hard kick to her abdomen, causing her to scream in pain, as well as curse me for hitting...
Davik I could not tell how long I had been here, but my stomach was beginning to demand that I accept the food that the young girl had been bringing. True to her word, Brenson had stopped using blunt objects and began using a whip. I had to be careful as the pain of the strikes could have made me bite my tongue off, which would have been very painful, and I doubt I would have been able to grow it back. The whole time, he was asking how I was able to do the things I could, where I got my...
While I had seen Lillian change more than a few times now, the change happening to Violet seemed far more violent and painful. The transformation Lillian underwent happened in a matter of moments, one minute she was a human, the next she was a wolf. I had to wonder if this was what occurred during a Voguel’s first transformation as their body shifts and morphs under the manipulation of the curse. It sounded like her bones were breaking with every shift of her body, as her body repurposed...
“I have not heard that name in a very long time,” she said as the color drained from her face. “Brenson was the name of my older brother.” “Is that name common where you came from? I mean, it could have been a different Brenson that had come from your country.” “Names are a bit different back home,” she said shaking her head. “They are regional and very few are repeated outside of a family. Besides, the age fits and I will know from the books you collected, as he wrote one or more of...
I awoke sometime later with Lillian and Janet still in my arms. I looked down to see that their hands were still intertwined. I wished we were done with all this, allowing me to bask in the love and tenderness of the women in my life. I was growing tired of all the darkness and death that seemed to permeate my life, despite my attempts to prevent it. Still, they are the light that has come out of that darkness and I do not think I would do anything that would have kept that from...
“So, Davik, this is where you have been hiding? I must say it is a quaint little camp that you have here.” The voice jarred me, given that I had not seen anyone here during my quick search of the rooms. I turned to see who had said that, as the voice was familiar, but my shocked mind was having trouble figuring out who it was. I soon looked into the deep brown eyes of my love’s mother, Ilane. “I assume you are having trouble understanding my presence here,” she said, with a smile. “You are...
I awoke to the sound of a crackling fire, the smell of something cooking and the softness of a bed beneath me. I felt completely drained of energy and gingerly opened my eyes to see where I was, hoping that I had not been captured by an unseen enemy. I saw old grey stone above me and turning to look to my left, saw a form sitting in front of the fire. The person was humming a tune that I did not recognize, but it put me in a sense of ease and contentment, as it almost seemed familiar. I tried...
I did not get back to sleep right away, my mind reeling with the idea that there could be another like Brenson out there and worry of what that person could do. Lillian kept me company for as long as she could, but after an hour, she fell back into a deep sleep, her rhythmic breathing lulling me to join her. Thankfully, there were no other dreams that plagued me, not that I could remember, so I was thankful for that. When I next woke up, sunlight was creeping through the window and the...
The trip, over the next few weeks, was strained at the beginning, as the tensions were still high after what had happened with Gwen and Ethal. The other soldiers were giving me a wide berth, but they were cordial when we were around one another. They worked with Liza and Celka to see what their skill level was, what they might have an aptitude for and where they would need to improve. Given the unique nature of the beast we might face, Janet took it upon herself to train with me, though I...
“All this time,” I yelled at the top of my lungs. “All these years and it had been you all along. Janet considered you a friend! Her worst enemy and her ultimate target was hiding in plain sight the whole time.” He laughed, “Hiding in plain sight is the best way to do it, boy. I made sure after I killed my cousin to ensure I was in the shadows. Then I appointed that fool to act in my stead, using a link to send messages through. I would be able to relay information and orders for Feror to...
We woke a few hours later at the same time, which was not surprising. We had slipped into our dreamscape and we had noticed that we would all come out of it at the same time. This occurred every time, and we emerged rested, despite what had occurred. While they had acquiesced to my request for resting, they decided to try and pull us all into their dreamscape. They had succeeded and we were pulled into an accurate facsimile of my bedroom back in Cartha. There were some differences, since the...
I felt odd in a way I could not place and tangled in a darkness I could not fully perceive. As I opened my eyes, I found myself once again within a dreamscape that was not my own. The one I shared with my ladies felt different than the one I currently found myself in. I stretched out with my senses, hoping that they would work here and what I found was peculiar. The environment was strange, with no form other than the dense forest and storm clouds above. It only seemed to stretch out for a...
“Excuse me gentlemen, is there a problem here?” We all turned to look at the source of the question, to find Jerreth standing behind the two men, arms crossed along his chest. His gaze was cool and passive as he looked from person to person. I then looked at each of the men more closely, they were holding pieces of wood, no doubt scraps laying around they felt would work as clubs. “It is none of your business darkie,” yelled one of the men, “our business is with this murderous piece of...
We arrived at the western encampment a few minutes later. I had been surprised to find the people of the capital forced to live outside the fortified area of the city. What genuinely surprised me was the number of soldiers that were camped outside the core of the city. Based on the Dran’s vanity, I would have assumed he would keep as many soldiers he could between him and any Voguel. My gut told me that these were ones he could not confirm as totally loyal to him. So, under the guise of...
Janet and Lillian had been listening in on my comments through our link, so when I said I was not alone, Janet came crashing through the window that investigated the atrium. Lillian would make herself known when the time was right. We needed to keep him off guard if we were going to succeed. Seeing Janet nearby brought me a sense of relief, though I was worried about leaving Ingrid up on the second floor alone. ((Do not worry, Davik, I sent the two with me up to make sure she got to us okay...
Davik //Are you sure? \\ I asked Lillian, worry in my thoughts. // Maybe you need to find the inner fire that I did to trigger my abilities and I believe that Janet was able to pull from the same source.\\
We made our way through the town and arrived at the bank just as the girls and Jerreth, were leaving. Lillian had a satchel on her shoulder, which I assumed had the money they were supposed to take out. Based on their happy expressions, things must have gone well, and it looked like Jerreth had taken the opportunity to start talking to Liza. I was glad that Janet’s choice was to be in my wagon, as it helped them spend some time together on the trip other than at meals. “Jerreth, you and Liza...
I made my way from the inn to the market east of there, where Clive had said they had been ambushed. When I arrived, there was a bustle of activity, normal for a market of this size, as well as a grouping of soldiers on the far side. I suspected that was where the attack had transpired. I weaved my way through the crowd until I arrived at the other side, where three soldiers were investigating the area. “Good afternoon gentlemen, what exactly happened here? Do you have any idea who did...
We both stood there in shock, waiting for what Violet would do next. Her face was a mixture of emotions that, for the first time since I had known her, could not read. After a few minutes of silence, she walked up and slapped her mother in the face. The force of the blow made a loud smack and her mother’s head rocked back at the force. As soon as she smacked her mother, she turned to smack me, but my reflexes caught her arm mid-swing. She looked at me with unabashed hatred and as I searched...
Jethro, You are a man of great promise, but I can give you an even greater one. The power over those around you, fed by fear and control. Why settle for being a lone soldier, when you could be greater? All you need is the vision to see a great future for you and the will to do what it takes to bring it to fruition. Understand that despite this power, you will serve me and will do so for all time. If you fail to understand that, I will not hesitate to rip your throat out, after I kill every...
Violet looked at me for a few moments, her expression never changing and said, “Davik, we need to talk.” “What would you like to talk about?” I asked, gesturing for her to come inside. “You will need to be a bit more specific.” “No, not here,” she replied with a shake of her head. “Let’s talk somewhere more private. This needs to be a talk between you and me, with no one else interfering or trying to give their own input.” I shrugged my shoulders, though I took note of her lack of reply. I...
With the meeting concluded, we said our goodbyes to Vestra and planned our next steps. “Well, I am not sure that went very well, but I guess that we will soon see,” I said with a sigh. Janet nodded, “It is done, the next step is figuring out where the Voguel are hiding and launching their attacks from.” “It was easier in Bardack due to the smaller number of Voguel attacks,” I said as I pondered the problem. “You have centuries of such attacks and they keep coming back. We would need to...
Davik He used the whip again, demanding to know how I had gotten my abilities and what had been used. I tuned him out, thinking of other things, when a strange tickle occurred in the back of my head. Not on the skin, but deep inside, not unlike when I found the fire that triggered my abilities that first time. The tickle appeared just after a strike of the whip and after two more, it became much stronger. Instead of a tickle, I began to feel emotion, but it seemed off as if it were not my...
Even though there had been eighteen years since he had left, the smell of what lay inside had remained. The smell of decaying flesh filled the building, and I tried to control myself. Lillian had to leave, as the sight and smell were too much for her. I heard her asking for the Patron and whoever took care of the village’s dead to come to the shop immediately. The door muffled what she said next and I tried to focus. I needed to see what had happened in that room. There were two beds on the...
I put the cover over the pot, preserving the food for later, and left it to the side of the fire. I put a log on the fire and adjusted the currently burning ones to surround the new log, ensuring that it would catch and keep going while I was gone. I grabbed my satchel from off the pack, my water flask and the rabbit hide. It would prove useful if I was lucky, I might not even need to make any drying racks. Confident I had everything I needed for my quick trip, I made my way out of the cave...
We cut our way through another dozen Voguel before we reached the end of the scent trail. We turned right down a fork corridor and found an open door. My senses told me there was at least one person inside. But there could have been more. Lillian, however, confirmed that there was only one and her demeanor meant that it was our former captive. I slowly walked into the room and saw multiple cells, one of which was open. I approached the open door to find her in chains. There was a dead body on...
As the shock from the contents of the letter wore off, anger filled me at the audacity of the person sending these people after me. I did not know what I had done to warrant this level of aggression and I was not the only person that was affected by this, as he was toying with the lives of so many people. I had to stop him before any more people fell victim to his malicious intent and Ilane noticed the seething anger I was feeling. “What is the matter, Davik?” Ilane asked, a confused look on...
The next three months were a bit of a blur as my days were full of exercise and training. I would wake up each morning, with one of the sisters in bed with me. Thankfully, my clothing seemed to remain on, but their clothing seemed to lessen. They would notice the effect it had on me and giggle in response. After a light kiss on the lips, they would saunter out of the room to get ready. I would make my way downstairs to a nice hearty breakfast and a table full of friends. The day’s tasks would...
“How long has it been?” The woman before me asked softly. “You have grown into a fine young man, Davik.” My eyes narrowed, “It has been ten years, but this is not possible. You were not Voguel, nor should this be able to occur like this. I have dreamt of my mother often over the years, but you are nothing like her. So, end your mindless tricks and show me who you really are.“ The woman’s eyes twinkled, a small amount of pride appeared in her eyes and she shook her finger at me. “Ahh, ahh,...
As I entered the back of the wagon, I fought to clear my head of the feelings her appearance was dredging up from the recesses of my mind. She looked so much like my mother had when I was young, and if felt the yearning a child has to be embraced by their mother. I had thought that she had made herself resemble my mother through manipulation, a way of adjusting my dreamscape to benefit her agenda. Now I believed that she merely used it, knowing through the dreamscapes connection that she...
I felt drained as I sat on the bed and, though they were only pricks of the skin, the experience was enough to make me lightheaded. However, it was the mixing of the blood that had left me feeling drained. Lillian had said that I would feel better with some rest and left with the others to help Janet. The plan was to complete the rest of the procedure with the ladies in their respective rooms. That way they would be able to rest on their beds as the change occurred. The biggest issue would...
I awoke with a start, and found I needed to retch as well, the imagery had made me sick to my stomach, and I swore that my genitals felt a little tender. It was as if they felt a miniscule fraction of what had happened, and it only made me curse Brant even more. Once I had finished throwing up, I got some water, and went about cleaning up after myself. Once I had that done, I went about my morning business, after putting some more wood on the fire. When I returned to the cavern, I went to...
My heart skipped a beat and I felt a lump from in my throat as I heard Fergus utter the name of the one, I was dreading would come to Fardun, in search of me. “Fergus, are you sure that it was him? Like, absolutely sure that Brenson was the one who was asking around for me?” “Aye, lad, it was him,” he said with a nod. “He was, of course, much older, with some drastic changes, but I never forget a face.” I took a few deep, calming breaths before I asked, “You said that he had drastic...
It has been nearly three weeks since we found out about Jethro and everyone has done what they could to try and help locate Violet. Edgar sent men to each town, village and inn that was along the way. I scoured the area between them, looking for signs and even using my abilities in the hopes of locating a trail. I even visited Cartha and Dru’Tirk, but no sign there. Lillian even joined me to look, but even her skills and abilities in her wolf form did not help. After two weeks, I was...
Lillian “You have been asking around about something you shouldn’t be, little lady. I am afraid you are going to have to come with us, or you might get hurt.” I looked around, hoping to find something that I would be able to use, but there was nothing. I closed my eyes, focusing on the training I did with Janet and the others on the way here and everything that I learned. I opened my eyes to see the ringleader stepping towards me, reaching his arm out to grab me. One of the things they...
I flashed in and out of consciousness, not sure where I was or what state I was in. I could feel the sensation of being carried, but I was so fatigued I could barely move. I had been fed something to drink and the effects of the poisons seemed to have been lessened by it. The next time I had come back into consciousness, I felt like my body was burning up; I had never felt a fever such as this and I struggled to try and get some help, but my body would not move. I could hear arguing on the...
“Ruben! What in the seven hells are you doing? Why did you kill Trent and what do you mean - ‘unless he finds you’?” Ruben wiped the blood off his sword, using the leg of Trent’s pants, as if it were nothing more than an inconvenience. This arrogant display only further angered me, at his disrespectful attitude more so then the heinous act he had just performed. “I am truly sorry, Davik, but he had to die, as do you. I did not want to have to do this, but I do not have any choice in the...
It had been nearly two months since we had left the port town of Iltha’tal and thankfully we had not run into any trouble. We had maintained the schedule of who would travel the forests and who would travel in the wagon. Of those who did travel in the wagon, the driver on duty rotated between everyone and at least one other sat to keep them company. They also kept their eyes on the forest just in case something slipped by the others. Training their skills and accessing their combat awareness...
Our two-month journey back to the Vishant Capital city was uneventful. There were no attacks or distractions, but the looming threat of our enemy still hung in the air. We worked hard to prepare ourselves for what would occur in the coming days. Endless fighting drills and sparring matches. Some one on one, but now almost all were an eight-person free for all. Lillian would watch and keep track of the hits and wins. Her practice came on our hunts and she reveled in our time together then. I...
Aphronia walked quickly as she made her way through the dark corridors. Her cloak glided through the air as she moved quickly and purposefully through the lair, the swish of her dress caressing her legs as she made long quick strides. Her plan had not gone at all the way she hoped, but she had been able to escape with the knife and had been able to poison those bitches. She had been unsure if their threats had been genuine, but she hoped they enjoyed having their so-called cure fed to them....
I awoke with no memory of what might have appeared in my dreams, and I was thankful for that. The mixture of the journal contents, as well as somehow reliving Brant’s dreams, was starting to weigh on me. I knew I had to find out what each was leading me to, but I worried what I would be like when I reached the end. I stretched my sore muscles - I would need to get more padding for my bed roll. For now, I would go check my snares for any animals they might have caught, and then collect the...