As she rode down the pathway in the forest, Gabriella refocused her attention on the land surrounding her. It would be too easy to get lost in the beauty lying before her and lapse into dreams of a life with a Life Mate like T’Harris.
Gabriella had grown up amongst a whole generation of Eagle Claw cousins, which had taught her the folly of losing her concentration. Her cousins had considered her a challenge, and if she had let her guard down at any time, they had ambushed her. It still wasn’t beyond the possibility to have them lie in wait for her even now. As most of them would have heard she had met her Life Mate by now, their teasing would be ruthless.
Gabriella frowned, as she studied each branch and twig, both high and low on the pathway she had chosen to travel on. There wasn’t anything to indicate possible problems. It didn’t negate the chance that one of her cousins could be lurking around the corner. Most of the members of her family unit were Tratchars, not only Cambria, and although she could second guess them, they were very difficult to catch outright.
Gabriella grinned evilly when she thought about Lariel and his opinion of Tratchars. He couldn’t see them in his visions or read them like he could most Elves. Very few people without Tratchar Talent could track another of their kind. What was worse, they knew this and tended to tease the others about their so called superiority. They were proud of their talent and spread their work from one end of the Elven Empire to the other. As far as she was concerned, they had a right to feel the way they did, for they earned it.
Gabriella rode out of the first forest through the meadow separating it from the second one. She studied her surroundings. No one had been here but the creatures that made this their home for months, perhaps not even since the last attempt the Humans had made to invade the valley. She looked at the position of the sun and decided to stop for a few moments to eat and refresh herself near a small spring where the water ran cool and clear. She wasn’t going to stay for long, as she wanted to get to the area where the tunnel was and check it out before the end of the day.
As she ate a small snack of cheese and berries by the stream, Gabriella planned the rest of her day. She still had two forests to ride through. She had a good idea she wouldn’t find anything there. But, as no one had travelled this way for a long time, she would make sure none had come from the other direction. When she was sure the land was safe, she figured she would spend the night in a small grove near the edge of the forest, where it ran close to the area leading to the entrance of the cave.
There was a small waterfall there, with a pool barely large enough to bathe in. The water would be warm later in the day, and she could spend sometime under the falling waters enjoying herself. She loved the feel of water rushing over her body, it stayed with her long after she was clean, and she often remained in water until her skin puckered. She would then allow the air to dry her hair as she combed her locks. It was a luxury she seldom got a chance to indulge in. When she was clean and dry, she would sit and decide what she was going to do about T’Harris, because she knew she couldn’t continue to feel the things she was without acting on them.
As Gabriella mounted her horse to continue her search, she sighed. She had the feeling she wasn’t the only one struggling with the changes in her life. T’Harris couldn’t be finding things any more comfortable with these new feelings than she was. The difference between the two of them was that she was the one balking, even while she knew she was fighting a losing battle. It wasn’t he she was waging this war against, it was the Fates, and that never ended well for anyone. Someone was going to get hurt, and she didn’t want to be the reason it happened. She needed to do something about this and soon.
CHAPTER XI
As the second day of separation dawned, T’Harris could feel Gabriella moving further away from him. He knew she was heading for the entrance to the tunnel and doing all she could to resist the draw that formed part of their bond. He could feel the effect this was having on her, and she wasn’t the only one feeling the strain of being apart.
T’Harris was actually surprised at how clearly he could sense Gabriella’s mood swings. He remembered his mother talking to him about the meaning of each one, while his father listened to them, before adding his comments. “It isn’t only the woman who can feel the separation, but the man as well. We are not meant to be apart, especially during the bonding. If the Fates are kind and gift you with a Life Mate, you will find that out on your own.”
“The further you are from your Life Mate, the more she will miss your presence. For a Light Elven Female, this is worse before the bond has been established, probably because she will try to fight being so firmly connected to anyone. We tend to be somewhat independent. The stronger the draw to the man she is attracted to, the more frustrated she will get by her inability to break free,” T’Harris’ mother explained.
“You will probably notice if your bonds are strong ones, you will not only be able to tell where your Life Mate is at all times, but the range of her moods. If you are as lucky as I was, the Fates will honor you with a Light Elven Female. They are the ones most Elven men hope for. They are fierce, yet loving. As far as I am concerned, they make the best mates,” T’Harris’ father had added.
It was with their words in his mind that the young T’Harris had set to work honing his skills to make his dreams worthy enough for the Fates to consider. He studied the art of mastering the sword and the different techniques of weaponry under Gabriella’s grandfather. When he was finished, he topped the class and earned the right to become Champion of his people. He had then surprised everyone by turning into a Dragon, which gave him the distinction of being one of the few Guardians of the Elven Empire. It was something no one had expected, least of all him. He was proud of his new position and determined to make sure he was deserving of the honor bestowed upon him. He didn’t realize how many millenniums this meant he would have to live through before meeting his Life Mate if he had one, though.
For an Elven Male in his prime, T’Harris should have been pleased with the way things turned out. He was popular with the women despite them considering him to be a prude because he rebuffed their advances. The Dark Elven Females were the most vocal about how he chose to live his life. It didn’t stop them from flocking to watch him practice with his weapons on a daily basis though. It was something he found irritating and the reason he eventually moved to the island where King Gerolth set up his headquarters for the Guardians. There he found the peace and privacy he craved. With it, however, there was loneliness and the realization that Elves had not been created to live solitary lives, or even in small groups away from their people and lands. They were set here to serve as members of the Empire, and this is what he was determined to do as soon as he got the chance.
This is not to say that T’Harris didn’t enjoy his time on the island for the most part. There were few demands on him other than for him to do what he enjoyed. He was often teased about his celibate state, but that didn’t bother him, as everyone indulged in pecking at their brethren Guardians about something. It was part of the fun, and it helped to pass the time.
The Elf they all enjoyed picking on the most was Daeron. By the time King Gerolth’s daughters were born, the sub commander was beginning to show signs of losing control of his Dragon. He was getting surlier and wanted nothing to do with the golden-haired Princesses as the rest of the Guardians seemed to. The twins were cute and funny and enjoyed playing games. The Guardians would take them for Dragon rides and helped them play silly tricks on others to make them laugh, so they wouldn’t notice they were the only children on the island. Thieron supported his brother to the point where both refused to have much to do with the girls or even look at them.
Instead of trying to get the young Princesses to laugh and play, Thieron and Daeron would volunteer to take extra shifts patrolling or they would hide out in their lairs. T’Harris doubted if either of those men had ever seen their Life Mates while they were in their natural state when the girls were young. It t
hey would have, they would have realized they had Life Mates a long time ago. It would have made the last several centuries much easier for them to bear.
When T’Harris finally decided it was time to leave his Island, he quashed the urge to shift through space to get to his destination. He knew it could be done and was quite familiar with the process, as they had often used this form of travel to cross the boundaries to arrive where they needed to be quickly. It was taught to them as a battle technique even though they were not apt to be threatened where they lived. Only someone with a death wish would attack an island being obviously defended by Dragons in the middle of an ocean. He had to admit there were some he had met who might have been tempted to try to do it just for fun.
King Gerolth had warned them about using the gateways in a casual manner, so they mostly refrained from using them unless it was urgent. Besides, crossing through those portals at the speeds they did often produced a sound similar to thunder and announced their arrival. Most of the time, if they wanted to slip into places in a stealthy manner so no one would realize they had come, they glided in. It was the main reason T’Harris was flying high and fast at the moment, the air currents were stronger, and they would take him to his destination faster. When he got to where he wanted to be, all he needed to do was hold his wings steady and float down to the ground.
T’Harris was enjoying his trip on the jet stream in the higher reaches of the skies overhead. It was the only way he seemed to be able to ease the itch that being so far from Gabriella caused him. The need to bond was upon them, and he was certain the Fates were secretly cackling with glee over how the effects they had cursed them with were playing on their nerves. At first, it had only annoyed him, now he only wanted to bond with his Life Mate so things could return to normal. As he considered the state he was in, he had to question if they would ever lose the ache pulling them towards each other from deep inside their souls. He reached out to King Gerolth to ask. He had no one else to talk about things like this with, and he figured if any of the Guardians knew the answer, it would be their leader. He had gone through something similar in the past.
“King Gerolth, do you mind if I ask you a personal question?” T’Harris asked.
“Depends how personal.” King Gerolth replied. He was rather surprised to hear from T’Harris. He had thought that young Guardian was taking a short break from his duties. This should have meant he would be on the island he favored basking in the sunlight and swimming in the deep blue waters of the lagoon there.
“It has to do with the effects of bonding,” T’Harris informed King Gerolth.
This was a subject King Gerolth hadn’t expected from T’Harris. He knew this Guardian was a deep thinker, but he had never questioned anything to do with bonding before. What had changed? What was happening in the outside world he needed to know about? He had a feeling it was time he found out, even if he ventured back into the Elven Empire to do so on his own. It would be something he would begin by contacting the Emperor Lariel. Things were happening he needed to find out about. In the meantime, he had to see to T’Harris’ concerns.
“What do you need to know? I would have thought your parents had told you all the details while they were alive. It is a subject we all touch on with our offspring at some time or another,” King Gerolth stated.
While Elves lived a long live, they had nothing on a Dragon. For this reason, when Elves of power began to shift into Dragon form, the first thing they learned was that their lifespan changed as well. This also touched those of their Life Mates through the bond they shared and they both survived for many millennia beyond what was normal for their people. This, however, King Gerolth believed was common knowledge and had nothing to do with an actual Life Mate bond.
“My parents’ answers were vague at best.” T’Harris replied, “While they made things very clear for the most part, the matter was brushed over when it came to the actual bonding. They told me that if I ever met my Life Mate, I would be able to find her anywhere. I would also notice that I would be very aware of her always. If she ran from me, as most Light Elven Females are apt to do, I would be able to track her to wherever she went. Only stone in great amounts was able to shield her from me, and if anything happened to her, I would know. If she could resist the bond, it meant our feelings for each other were weak and she would probably refuse to allow our relationship to strengthen.”
King Gerolth checked on where T’Harris was and his eyebrows rose in surprise. He was flying high and fast, heading toward the valley of the Humans in the Elven Empire. What was going on with that Elf?
“Tell me what you are sensing,” King Gerolth ordered. “I assume you have met your Life Mate.”
“I can feel every move she makes, as well as her efforts to fight our bond. She is bright, spirited, beautiful, an Elven Maiden to be proud of. She is mine,” T’Harris spoke proudly. “What I am wondering is whether any of these feelings change after the bond is completed.”
King Gerolth grinned as he teased, “I bet she is ready to climb out of her skin to escape what she needs and wants deep inside. What you describe sounds like a very powerful and strong bond. In a case like this, I should warn you that things will get worse before they begin to improve.”
“You wouldn’t want to expand on that by any chance?” T’Harris asked. It didn’t sound promising to him. But, at the same time, it gave him the impression it wasn’t much different for Gabriella. He could work with that.
“The first weeks of a very strong bonding between Elves of great power can be very intense for both sides. The need to build on that connection is strong, and neither will want to leave the side of the other. Not for any reason. I know about this, as it was no different for Ninain and me,” King Gerolth admitted.
“What happens after? How long does this need to be together last?” T’Harris wondered. He was beginning to be concerned because he wasn’t getting any concrete answers.
“Once the bond between Life Mates is completely cemented, the instinct to finalize the relationship shifts and settles. It will become easier to bear. You will never be the same, but I doubt if you would want to be, no matter the discomfort in the beginning. You will get used to knowing you are no longer alone,” King Gerolth assured T’Harris.
“How about if you are separated, like you were with Ninain?” T’Harris wondered. It was something that concerned him greatly, especially when he considered who his Life Mate was and her position in the Empire, as well as his. Their worlds were apt to pull them apart often. He wasn’t pleased about the amount of trouble this might cause either one of them. The thought of Gabriella in pain was enough to make him want to blow flames on anyone or anything causing her distress, including King Gerolth.
“Our time apart hurt both of us, but we realized we only had ourselves to blame for what happened between us,” King Gerolth admitted. “I plan to make sure nothing like that ever happens again, not to us or anyone else under my command.”
It was all T’Harris needed to hear. He was now going to see what he could do to claim his Life Mate, and he was not going to wait. The time for him to act was now.
CHAPTER XII
Several hours after talking to King Gerolth, T’Harris stood in the shadows watching Gabriella bask in the feel of the warm water as it cascaded over the edge of a twin set of rocks and then onto her. He was certain she knew he was there, and despite this, she did nothing to stop him. It gave him hope and the encouragement he needed to continue his pursuit.
Soon after T’Harris arrived, he had noticed Gabriella walk under the falling waters to bathe. It had surprised him. He hadn’t thought she was the type to engage in this type of activity, and yet she was luxuriating in the warm falls, naked as the day she was born. It took a while for him to tear his eyes from the picture she presented. He was very tempted to disrobe and join her, but he decided it was too soon. If he were going to seduce his High Lord General, he would have to make sure they were comfortable while he did the deed.
/> With a supreme effort on his part, T’Harris turned from the sight of Gabriella enjoying the waterfall and prepared a love nest for them to share. Once finished, he then went back to the side of the spill pool to continue watching for a while longer before finally deciding to join her. This time, he promised, he would not stop until he was told a firm no or he realized his goal. To say he was both nervous and apprehensive about his move would be stating a certainty.
With a confidence he was far from feeling, T’Harris peeled his clothing off, then walked into the falls to join his Gabriella. He smiled as he noticed her eyes remained closed as she raised her face so that the water could run freely over her head and then down the length of her body. Her arms reached, as if to catch the pouring liquid and her lips spread in an open smile of enjoyment. He was certain she knew he was right before her, yet she didn’t reach for the weapon that rested against the side of the cliff, not three feet from her. Instead, she opened her eyes to look straight into his, and then breathed his name. “T’Harris.”
It was all the invitation T’Harris needed. He gathered Gabriella into his arms and claimed her lips with his. It was their first kiss, and if he had his way about things, it would be the beginning of many signaling the rest of their lives together.
“My Gabriella,” T’Harris whispered, between kisses. He didn’t know what to expect from her. He could tell she had never had a man make love to her before. She trembled in his arms like a fragile butterfly waiting to be freed from a set of caging hands. Would she fly away if he let her go? He needed to give her that choice. He released her, but continued to trace the lines of her body and face with the pads of his fingers, even as he gazed deeply into her eyes.
Gabriella’s breath grew labored, as she returned T’Harris’ gaze. She could read his feelings clearly in his eyes. She couldn’t lie and say they were unexpected. Nothing he had done up to this point had come as much of a surprise. She had felt his arrival earlier, and although she had been tempted to challenge his right to be with her, she had decided not to. She had given the matter of their bond a lot of thought throughout the day and decided not to fight it anymore. It was time to let the inevitable joining of their two houses happen. She couldn’t think of a better place for it to happen than right where they were.
The General Page 8
