by Raven Li
“Where are we going?” she asked, not certain if she really wanted to know the answer. Elodan seemed to be taking her cooperation for granted, when what she should be doing was running back to the Order and telling them where he was and what he was about.
Except they would destroy me as well, for a traitor, she thought. And even if they didn’t...they would surely kill him. The idea made her feel sick at heart.
“I don’t know if any of my old followers are still alive,” he replied. “Even if they are, they would be very old. They had to live through fifty years that passed as a dream for me.” A sad frown touched his mouth, and she had to restrain herself to keep from kissing it away. “But if any still remain nearby, undiscovered by the Order, they may know how to contact others who are discontent with Arath’s perverted rule.”
Sasha frowned, uncertain what to think about this. “There are none. Arath’s rule is absolute.” Even as she said it, though, she wondered if it was true. After all, didn’t the peasantry dress and eat as they pleased, disdaining the strictures she had grown up with? Clearly, although the nobility supported Arath, not everyone had taken his laws to heart.
“So he’d like you to believe, my darling,” Elodan said, confirming her thought. “One should never take the claims of a liar such as he without a good deal of skepticism.”
He led her away from the farmer’s fields and into a thick wood. Silence descended around them, broken only by the crunch of leaves underfoot and the occasional song of a bird. Sunlight filtered through the canopy overhead, streaking the world in green and gold. To her surprise, Sasha found a strange sense of peace stealing over her.
At length they stopped in a small clearing. Huge oaks ringed the glade, their outspread branches stretched over it like hands bestowing a blessing. Wildflowers dotted the thick, emerald moss that formed a living carpet. A small brook bubbled and laughed as it made its way through the clearing, and its water glittered like diamonds where the sunlight found its surface.
In the center of the clearing was a stump where once a mighty tree had stood. The long years had worn away the bark, and many hands had polished the wood beneath until it glowed with an inner warmth. The tree had not broken off evenly, and two projections had been carved into a pair of human figures, their hands outstretched in greeting and benediction. The one on the right was a man, his head crowned with antlers, while the one on the left was a beautiful woman. Someone had laid garlands of fresh flowers on the pair, and their sweet scent perfumed the air like incense.
“What is this place?” Sasha asked, awe making her whisper.
“It is a sacred place,” Elodan said. He, too, spoke in hushed tones, as if unwilling to disturb the peace of the glade. “I could not believe that everyone had abandoned the true ways for Arath’s lies, and here is the proof. This altar shows the God and Goddess as I know them, not as the Order has made them out to be. You may approach and look closer, if you wish.”
She hesitated, then took a tentative step nearer. No longer certain what to believe, she looked first at Osan. Rather than the stern, wrathful God depicted by the Order, he combined strength and gentleness. Although the artist had given him a serious expression, the God didn’t look ready to mete out eternal punishment for the smallest sin.
The only pictures of Nyx that Sasha had ever seen were that of a twisted Hag, full of evil. But the Goddess on the altar looked like a mother, holding out sheaves of wheat in one hand and a crescent moon in the other. Her face was beautiful, but wise and sad as well.
Before meeting Elodan, she would never have dreamed that anyone might be engaged in such blasphemy, let alone a goodly portion of the peasantry. But it doesn’t feel like blasphemy to me, she realized. The carvings had been done out of love and respect for the pair of deities, that much was obvious.
Troubled, she drew away. Elodan touched her hand gently, a gesture of comfort that unexpectedly tugged at her heart.
“I know this is all very difficult for you, young one,” he said. “I don’t know that you can accept any of it, let alone all of it. I ask only that you think on it for a while.”
“What will you be doing?”
He tilted his head gracefully towards the altar. “Praying, mostly. Afterwards, I’ll try to Summon any who might be able to help us against Arath.”
She pulled away from him sharply. “I don’t recall agreeing to help you against the Order.”
A look of pain flashed over his features, quickly hidden. He bowed slightly, his hair falling to conceal his expression from her. “Of course. Forgive me. You must follow your heart, in this as in all other things.”
Turning away, he went and knelt before the altar, head bowed. Feeling afraid and uncertain, Sasha went a little way apart and sat beside the stream. Its cool water looked so inviting that she took off her shoes and dangled her feet in it. Immediately she felt the heat of the day recede, and let out a grateful sigh.
I wish Jacie were here, she thought wistfully. I could really use someone to talk to.
Remembering the state of her friend when she had last seen her, Sasha felt a harsh stab of guilt. She hadn’t even been able to learn what was wrong with Jacie—had, in fact, abandoned her by fleeing the Order with Elodan. How selfish she was to indulge in self-pity when her friend was obviously in more dire need.
At least for the moment. If she were caught with Elodan, then Sasha would be the one in danger. And that wasn’t even touching on the fact that she might be courting eternal damnation.
If someone had told her even a week ago that she would be the lover of the Dark Mage—would even, Osan help her, go to him willingly!—she would never have believed it. In fact, she would have been outraged by the mere suggestion. Yet here she was, in this glade with its solemn, but generous deities that called into question everything she had ever believed to be the truth. Instead of feeling evil or unclean, she felt...peace. As if she had come home.
She spent the afternoon watching Elodan and dangling her feet in the water. He sat still for a long time, obviously deep in meditation. Then, at some signal she could not determine, he began his spell casting. Sitting up straighter, he tilted his head back and held out his arms to either side, palms up. As the golden sunlight gleamed off his ebony hair, he began to chant softly, the words too quiet for her to hear. He went on for a long time, holding the difficult pose with apparent ease, and she could feel the energy building in the glade. It crackled along the ground, outlining every flower and blade of grass with green fire. The energy continued to build, and she could feel the fine hairs on her arms stand up, as if lightning gathered around her. A glow appeared around Elodan, outlining him in a pale blue haze that grew brighter and brighter.
Then, suddenly, he brought his hands together in a loud clap. The bands holding the magical energy in the glade snapped, and the aura around him exploded outwards in the form of a flock of white birds. Their wings were silent as they streaked past Sasha, and trails of light sparkled behind them like the fire of a thousand stars.
Before the altar, Elodan slumped tiredly. Concerned, she stood and went to him. Sweat soaked his brow, and his fair skin was flushed, as if he had worked a long time in a hot field. Even so, he managed a tired smile for her as she approached.
“I’ve done what I could,” he said. “The rest is out of my hands.”
“Are you all right?” She worriedly stroked the sweaty hair off his face.
“I will be. I just need to cool off.” He rose lithely and took her hand in his. “This stream ends in a pool not too far away.”
They followed the bubbling water through the forest, until it came to a sudden drop. A miniature waterfall foamed down over a lip of smooth stone, then spread out into a deep, still pool sheltered on all sides by tall trees. Elodan walked to the edge and removed his clothing, carefully hanging it on a limb. His muscles rippled beneath his skin as he moved, every motion graceful and controlled, like a panther. Then he dived into the water, cutting through it cleanly and coming up
halfway across the pool.
“Come in,” he invited her. “There’s plenty of room for us both, don’t you think?”
Her heart beat faster as she watched his strong legs easily tread water. The pool was so clear she could even make out the dark thatch of curls surrounding his manhood. A lazy, inviting smile crossed his handsome face, and he kicked farther away from the bank before floating on his back.
Sasha quickly removed her own clothes, aware that he was watching her by the stiffening of his cock. Taking a deep breath, she leapt into the pool as well. The water was cool but not uncomfortable, so she dived deep. Elodan had gone back to treading water, so she paused a moment to suck his cock briefly into her mouth before surfacing.
“Little tease,” he said with a pleased grin.
“Am I?” she asked and swam away from him. He gave pursuit and she evaded him, until at last he dove down with her and caught her around the waist. Pulling them both to the surface, he held her firmly against him. His erect cock rested between her thighs, hot in contrast to the cool water. With a hungry moan she kissed him, rubbing her clit against his hard length.
Elodan propelled them towards the edge of the pool, until she felt the water-smoothed stone against her back. Grasping her beneath the arms, he lifted her up so that he could stroke her nipples with his tongue. Sasha groaned and gripped his hair, pushing her breasts against his mouth. Her legs wrapped around his waist, holding her in place, so he let go of her arms and used one hand to play with her other breast. The other hand he slid between her legs, fondling her engorged folds. Feeling her eagerness, he chuckled softly. “Wetter than this pool, aren’t you, my darling?”
“Yes,” she moaned, unable to deny it when it was so obvious that she wanted him.
Bracing his feet against the bottom of the pool, he lowered her towards him, pausing with just the tip of his cock lodged at her entrance. “Say you want me.”
“I want you!”
He shoved into her in a single, smooth stroke. Her back arched as she felt him gently but relentlessly penetrating her, and her legs thrashed helplessly as he opened her completely, pushing into her until his cock sealed her entrance. “Goddess, you’re so tight,” he whispered huskily.
She moaned, expecting him to start thrusting. Instead he moved into deeper water, pulling her with him. “Lay back and let yourself float,” he instructed.
Locking her legs tightly around him, she did as he asked. The water lapped the sides of her breasts like a hundred cool tongues, and she writhed in pleasure and frustration.
“Now touch yourself,” Elodan said, and she saw that his obsidian eyes were fixed hungrily on the sight of his cock stretching and penetrating her.
Sasha ran one hand down her abdomen, until her fingers found the hot bud of her clit. It was impossible to touch it without also feeling his cock; it was hard and slick with her juices. A bolt of pleasure went through her as she fingered herself and him, feeling how stretched she was, and she could feel her climax starting to build. With a moan she tried to get him to thrust, but he shook his head, never taking his eyes off her hand. “Like this,” he whispered.
She began to tug on her clit harder, faster, the sensation of the cock splitting her incredibly intense. A cry of pleasure tore its way out as she came around him, her cunt muscles tightening and milking him so that he groaned wildly.
She felt herself being pushed back through the water; then she was up against the stone side again. Even before the final spasms of her orgasm had ceased, he began thrusting into her. A second explosion took her as he pinned her against the stone, riding her hard, until he suddenly groaned. His cock seemed to swell even further, before warmth flooded her cunt as he released deep inside.
They floated for a while, holding each other, happy and content. How odd, thought Sasha, but it was true. Even though her life had been turned upside-down by this man, at the same time she could not deny that she was more at peace than she had ever been before.
Chapter Nine
The sun was close to setting by the time they reentered the village. Elodan had taken her hand on the walk back, and Sasha had found the gesture curiously comforting. But as they approached the large square that dominated the small town, Elodan’s steps slowed, and a worried frown touched his face.
A great crowd had formed there—it looked as if most, if not all, of the village had gathered. As they drew closer, she saw that the crowd formed a loose, uneasy ring around a smaller tableau in the center. There stood a man, a small boy...and a mage of the Order.
Sasha’s heart sank, and she shrank back instinctively. How had they found Elodan—and her—so quickly? Was there yet time to escape?
Then she realized that the mage was not there for them. His attention was focused on the small boy, who cowered in terror before him. A man who must be the boy’s father was held by two burly guards who formed the mage’s escort; his face was white with fear.
“There can be no doubt!” the mage was proclaiming. Sasha thought that he looked vaguely familiar, but couldn’t place a name to him. “The boy has shown magical powers!”
The boy’s father cried out in despair and struggled wildly against the men holding him, while the other villagers shifted and murmured nervously amongst themselves. A puzzled frown crossed Elodan’s face. “I don’t understand—what is happening here?”
Sasha sighed, pity for the unfortunate boy welling up in her soul. “The boy is a witch.”
“What do you mean?”
How could he not know, Sasha wondered in surprise. “The boy is a peasant,” she clarified. “Only the nobility can use magic with Osan’s blessing. Any others must get their power from the Ha—I mean, from the Goddess, and so are condemned as witches.”
All the warmth drained from Elodan’s expression, and his eyes glittered like black ice. “And what will they do to him?” he asked softly.
She winced. “He...they’ll kill him.”
Elodan went very still, and the dangerous anger on his face made her take a step back. “You should leave,” he said quietly. “If things go awry, then hide yourself.”
“What are you going to do?”
“Stop this abomination.”
“You can’t—you’ll be caught—” she protested helplessly.
“I can’t stand by and let them kill an innocent!”
He pulled away from her and strode towards the square. The villagers parted before him, as if the sheer force of his will was a wedge that pushed aside all obstacles. The Order’s mage had been speaking, but stopped, his eyes going wide with horror as he beheld Elodan’s approach. “You—who are you?”
They haven’t told everyone that Elodan escaped, Sasha realized in surprise. It must be Arath—he can’t admit that he didn’t perform the banishing spell correctly. Can’t admit that his enemy wasn’t defeated forever as he’s claimed all these years.
Elodan stopped and stood before the mage. The last light of the sun gleamed off his shining black hair, outlined the tall, straight body under his ebon clothing. He had not bothered to put an illusion over his obsidian eyes, and they shone cold and angry. “Who am I? Someone who will not let you kill this child.”
The mage’s eyes narrowed in anger and hate. “I don’t know you, but I see that you have taken the likeness of the Dark Mage on yourself. That is blasphemy of the highest level, and if you were not already condemned for using magic outside of the Order then I would kill you for that alone.”
Elodan smiled lazily, clearly confident in his abilities. “You could try.”
Uttering a curse, the mage quickly began his conjuring, sending hosts of writhing air and fire elementals towards Elodan. Calm and confident, Elodan countered with a host of willing elementals of his own.
“Look out!” someone shouted.
Distracted as she had been by the magical battle, Sasha hadn’t noticed that the mage’s guards had let go of the father and were coming up behind Elodan, their swords drawn. Even as they did so, the father snat
ched up a length of wood and swung it at one of the guards. A moment later, the rest of the villagers had joined in the melee.
Faced with such overwhelming odds, the guards were quickly subdued. The forward rush of the villagers had blocked Sasha’s view of the mages’ battle, however. Afraid for Elodan’s life, she struggled through the crowd to see what was happening.
The sight of him standing unharmed shook her to her core. With a cry of relief, she ran to him, flinging her arms around him. “You’re safe!”
He seemed as surprised by her gesture as she was. “Yes.”
A quick glance showed her that the other mage was unconscious. Unexpected fury rose in her—how dare he try to hurt Elodan! He was fortunate that this was the worst that had happened to him.
Elodan turned to the young boy he had saved. Dropping down by the child, he lightly brushed a hand across the boy’s forehead. “Are you all right?”
The boy could only nod. His father bent down and put his arms around the youth. “Thank you,” he said to Elodan. “My son’s the only family I have left.”
“Take him far from here,” Elodan said. “I’m sure word of what happened will get back to the Order quickly, and I would hate to see either of you fall into their hands again.”
“How can I repay you?”
“By remaining safe.” Elodan rose and took Sasha’s hand. “Now, I fear that we must leave, and for much the same reasons.”
The villagers parted to let them pass. Many of them bowed to Elodan, and one woman went so far as to grab his hand and kiss it in gratitude.
As soon as they had passed out of the village, following the narrow, rutted road that led through the countryside, Sasha said, “I never realized there was so much unrest in the villages.”
“Fifty years is a long time to suffer under the Order’s rule.” He sighed, looking suddenly tired. “And to think how many lives have been wasted! To kill any peasant who shows signs of magical ability! How dare they!”
