XXIV
＊*•̩̩͙✩•̩̩͙*˚ ˚*•̩̩͙✩•̩̩͙*˚＊

A commotion a short distance ahead caused her footsteps to come to a halt and Lillian froze, her ears pricking at the sounds of voices. When she recognised the deeply familiar masculine timber that belonged to Aëghan, she felt herself relax.

Around her, the sounds of the forest came to life vividly. A freshness hung in the air, clean and crisp thanks to the recent rains, and birds and animals chirped from the boughs above to mingle with the voices of Other and human. There was an atmosphere of excitement hovering over the ruins and the area in anticipation of the events that were to occur later that day.

And it was because of this that she had hardly seen or heard from Aëghan since he had left her the day prior.

Lillian crept forward, her steps silent and careful as she brushed against the fronds littering the ground. Having spent so much of her time avoiding detection in the Otherworld, she knew how to progress with an agile fluidity and right then she did not relish the idea of being seen, hoping to catch Aëghan unawares as she approached.

Veering off the path, she stealthily utilized the coverage of the trees to shield most of her body from view as she came about the short ridge that would reveal the settlement to her. A sense of eagerness filled her at seeing him again and, having woken up alone this morning, she had felt that longing sit as heavy as a stone upon her heart when she found his note upon her pillow that explained he would not be able to join her at breakfast. After a brief inquisition, she had determined that his attentions had been required among his tenants, so that was where Lillian headed once she had taken her fill of the spread laid out on the table courtesy of Enorae.

She listened closely, noting the intermittent laughter and the shrieks of children, and edged to the left, away from the general direction he had led her yesterday and deeper into the trees. As she crept up the slight incline, the sounds increased and added to them came the hollow thud of wood hitting wood. Curiosity bloomed in Lillian, aided by the fact that his distinct instructions were coming through clearer so that she was able to detect some of what he was saying and it seemed as if he was... training?

Finally, having inched so that some of the settlement came into view, Lillian stilled amongst the heavy foliage of the trees and peered through the leaves.

The day prior she had not been privy to this part of the area- a sizeable, circle of land that had been cleared of trees and other natural obstructions. It lay some yards away from the first habitable structures nestled within the trees of the forest and appeared to serve as ground to provide training for several males who lingered about the edges of the perimeter, keenly observing what was transpiring in the centre.

Sunlight filtered through the clearing, illuminating the occupants in the early golden sheen of morning, and Lillian detected him easily, noting his mud-covered appearance with an unwilling smile.

Aëghan was instructing several youthful males and children, who stood before him in a semi-circle, in what appeared to be swordplay. They brandished wooden planks fashioned into weapons, their manoeuvres clumsy and inexperienced as they faced-off a chosen opponent. The other males along the perimeter watched on patiently, amused or encouraging smiles on their faces while they crossed their arms and observed.

It seemed to Lillian as if their practises were routine, as if they were accustomed to this ritual and merely taking part in a regular activity.

For a long while she simply watched them- well, not them but rather him- hidden where she was amongst the leaves. His white shirt was splattered with dirt and mud, damp from his exertions and clinging to the contours of his muscles she had memorised the day prior with tantalising appeal. His hair, also darkened and damp, hung in limb tendrils over his temples and curled about the nape of his neck.

And his instruction was jubilant, excited as one of his wards accomplished a correctly positioned manoeuvre, congratulatory and proud when he issued praise... it was warming to behold this side of him, yet another hidden piece of the puzzle that made up the curiously mysterious Dravolese.

Reluctantly, she removed her gaze from him and surveyed the rest of the occupants of the clearing. There were a few human children among them, but there were those of the fae too- some with iridescent feathery wings, some with budding antlers at the crown of their heads and tufted, pointed ears, some with opalescent skin, and short black claws, some with tiny fangs that managed to peak out their bottom lip whenever they smiled.

Yet, for the first time, Lillian did not feel her anxiety surge at their presence. In fact, she felt herself relaxed. Secure.

Even though her fingers still trembled if she stretched them out before her, they were not aided by her unease.

As her gaze travelled over the other males and around the rest of the clearing, she suddenly collided with a pair of familiar bright brown eyes that belonged to Dellanae. The seer was poised on the edge of a fallen trunk, a sly smile curling the corners of her lips, chewing on something that bore an uncanny resemblance to a bit of tree bark. Once Lillian had spotted her, her grin deepened and she patted the space of wood beside her, indicating that Lillian should join her.

Heat warmed her cheeks at being caught hiding in the bushes and outright ogling Aëghan for the last several minutes, so Lillian straightened her shoulders and entered the clearing, feigning an air of nonchalance and hoping that she would be perceived as merely about on a stroll.

It did not work and it was clear she was not fooling anybody if Aëghan's smugly heated look in her direction was anything to go by.

Ignoring him, and the way her flesh was flaming, Lillian gingerly placed herself beside Dellanae and folded her hands in her laps.

"A fine morning to enjoy the view, isn't it?" Dellanae said, nudging Lillian with her shoulder and giving her a wink.

"I was out for a stroll," she retorted primly.

"Of course you were." Dellanae's tone suggested anything but belief towards Lillian's prior statement and she took a notably large bite out of whatever she was eating, chewing loudly for long moments, before she chose to speak next. "That's exactly what I was doing," she said around a mouthful, "strolling."

Lillian inclined her head towards the men instead of lingering on the insinuation in Dellanae's voice. "What are they training for?" she asked. Her gaze was once more drawn to Aëghan who was currently correcting the stance of a small boy with tiny horns poking out of a crop of messy, curling brown hair. There was an encouraging smile grooving his cheeks, the low murmur of his voice reaching her ears, as he patted the small boy's shoulder.

Dellanae sighed almost wistfully. "I'd like to think for my own enjoyment," she said slyly. "But Aëghan encourages the men and women to foster camaraderie and maintain links to our world through using magic in combat. At first, it was to throw his weight at the beastkeepers under the pretence of exuding control should he ever win, but I believe that was never his real intent."

Lillian glanced at her askance then, curious as Millie had told her of Straecht and every so often they would engage in combat to establish new dominance. However, she had never heard of Aëghan ever actually attaining it, sure that the other beastkeepers had maintained control throughout the years and never once relinquishing it. "What was his intent?"

Dellanae was now watching the men too. "He hoped that by forcing the draëllians to use their magic in combat that it would somehow reveal to him the signature he needed to find a way back," she explained quietly.

Lillian's throat worked, her heart clenching at the reminder. For years, Aëghan's sole intent and focus was to return to his world. Every action, every circumstance of his existence, had been so well thought out and driven towards a singular goal... as much as it pained her, she could respect his steadfastness to it and she knew she would never willingly insist he put it aside, even if it meant never entertaining anything further happening between them.

Which is what she should be considering.

A wise and level headed leader wouldn't be indulging in anything but.

Just then Aëghan looked up, catching her staring, and his gaze became heated, his smile sultry and wide, before he dipped his head again to continue addressing the young boy before him.

Lord help her, but this male was making her all kinds of stupid.

"Didn't care a whit who won or lost," Dellanae continued around another enormous mouthful of whatever dry atrocity she was digesting. Then she leaned in close to Lillian, her hot plumes of acrid breath brushing against the other woman's cheek, making her recoil somewhat. "If you ask me, I'm half-inclined to believe that Aëghan contrived those meetings with Leowyn often enough because he simply missed his friend."

Lillian edged away from the seer, sure that she was about to be spewed with a downpour of foul debris from her very lips if she remained so close. "I was not aware that he was close to Blayne."

"After their falling out of sorts all those years ago, neither of the stubborn idiots would admit as much. Yet Aëghan defers time and time again to the Draëllian's judgement- even though he is powerful enough not to."

"Why?" Lillian considered her sceptically, her brows knitting together at the truths she was learning about the enigmatic Dravolese. Dellanae continued to gnaw on her strip of something, her eyes moving languidly over the solidly built males beginning to position themselves into combat stances on the other side of the clearing. "Why would he do that?"

"Who's to say really? That male has always maintained that he coordinates everything to his own agenda." Dellanae turned to her then and cast her a wide smile, her teeth caked in brown sludge. Even though the fae woman was rather beautiful, she seemed to attempt everything in her power to contrive it otherwise with her wild hair and brash mannerisms. However, despite this, she seemed to exude a certain blustery kindness which Lillian noted and found herself warming to.

Dellanae tilted her chin towards the men across the clearing. "Every one of those males you see there have sworn loyalty to Aëghan. The majority of them he sought out for himself, offering them a reprieve from masters who tormented them with whips and abusive slurs and poor wages. Here, many of us were allowed to rebuild, to live how we chose, to earn our living and be as free as we could be under his protection. He doesn't need to exert control over any of us to ensure his power- every person here follows his rulings willingly because he is fair and protects his own. He's created a slice of happiness out of an existence that used to be a miserable one for us, and that's all he- and we- need, I suppose."

"But... how?" Lillian made a broad gesture with her hand, indicating the habitable establishments littering the forest around them. "Even a small holding on my lands requires finances. There are maintenances to fund, soil to till and irrigate for crops, levies and taxes-"

"You believe Aëghan to be underhanded?" Dellanae snorted, blinked slowly, and then turned her gaze back to the men once more. "At first, we provided for each other communally. As most of us were inherently from trade backgrounds, we were able to exchange services to keep each other content." She fisted the stick-like food she had been chewing on and stabbed the soil with it for emphasis before sucking on it once more. "Tilled our soil, crafted our metals, sewed our cottons. Any excess... well, it was sold to merchants in nearby villages. Whatever blunt was made, and whatever wasn't needed to tend to the needs of the settlement, Aëghan invested. He had a mind for it- always did, that one. Not one of us ever perceived him to be a saint, let me tell you that, so it is no surprise he has a knack for gambling and manipulating people- especially humans."

But Lillian knew the risks of investments, knew how lucrative the right decision could be one moment and then fail the next. She knew, thanks to her father's guidance, how to read the tells of a worthy investment, yet it had taken her years under his watchful eye to learn. Aëghan had mastered it independently and with very little to his name- and had become vastly successful at it too.

His tenants were well cared for, content and respectful of their leader, and he had accumulated enough wealth to appease his lofty tastes but not before ensuring that he had the means to tend to the needs of his people first.

She felt her heart clench and flip in her chest, a heat prickle down the skin of her arm from where the band circled her flesh. Her fingers trembled, but not from anything more than the intense surge of emotion unfolding through her.

Her gaze found him easily once more and he appeared to be dismissing the children for the morning, much to their woeful protests. He laughingly told them off, urging them to return to their mothers, before he turned to face the other males, his hands on his tapered hips.

Perhaps that was his mistake for the children decided to holler and attack all at once. Childish war cries lit up the clearing, sending birds into flight from their perches high above, and before Aëghan had a chance to defend himself he was tackled into the ground and swarmed with tiny bodies.

Lillian pressed her fingers to her lips, smothering a laugh and a smile, and felt her legs unfold as she stood.

"That's right, dear," Dellanae told her enthusiastically as if sensing what she was about, "claim your male- but if you do ravish him, do so at the festivities this evening. Good omens and all that."

She only half-heard her, her feet moving as if by their own accord, and right then Lillian wasn't quite sure what she intended, just that she needed to do something so overwhelmed with feeling was she in that moment.

Some of the children noted her approach, turning to her with wide bright eyes and nudging each other with awed whispers. "It's the duchess!"

"She's a lady."

"Don't pick your nose before a princess, Christopher!"

Soon, they had all calmed and clambered away from the Dravolese they had been play attacking, moving away and providing Lillian with a wide berth as she came to stop before Aëghan.

"Ah," Aëghan said, grinning up at her as he lay sprawled on the grass and mud, "my saviour. Come to rescue me from these tiny miscreants?"

"No." Lillian cast a quick grin to the children, who were watching the proceedings curiously. "I have a means to get rid of them." She dropped to her knees beside him and in one fluid motion, curled her fingers into the line of his shirt at the base of his throat, yanking him upright so that he was forced to prop himself on his elbows to support his weight.

Then she crushed her lips to his.

Dimly, she was aware of shrill yells of disgust and the patter of tiny feet running away from the ghastly scene, but as with each time that her lips found his, the world around her was mostly lost.

All she could feel was Aëghan, the heat of his flesh against her fingers, the wild tempo of his heart against his chest, the way his mouth slanted so perfectly against hers it was any wonder she didn't kiss him more before this. Their tongues met and tangled, her breath catching and holding within her lungs at the startlingly intimate sensation. They had kissed several times before this, yet each time felt more exquisite and shattering than the last- as if each time was just as new and tenuous as the first time he had kissed her in his gallery.

She marveled at the softness of his lips, shuddered at the muffled groan that reverberated against her fists coiled against his chest, desire coursing through her veins as if a torrent had been unleashed.

And in a sense it had, because she knew unequivocally what this male meant to her. Even if they were doomed to fail, even if their tumultuous affair was short-lived and destined to end in tragedy...

Lillian knew that she would rather experience these short, exquisite moments that brought her to life, that made her feel and breathe and live, than to never have had them at all.

She parted from him suddenly, a soft breath expelling from her lips, and she met his dark gaze as her chest heaved. Around them, the world came back into focus, the wild hoots and suggestive jeers of the other males filtering through to her ears along with Dellanae's suggestively lewd cackle.

Aëghan tilted his head to the side, the haze of desire diminishing slightly from his face as his brows drew together in question of her uncharacteristic actions.

"I have made my decision," Lillian told him, releasing his shirt and sitting back on her haunches. She studied him with a level-gaze, even if she felt anything but calm or composed right then. "I want you."

Surprise slackened his jaw, but it was quickly placed by a grin so wide it dimpled his cheeks. Lillian covered it with her fingers, preventing him from doing or saying anything further that could very well take away her resolve to wait as long as that evening lest she straddle his hips right there in the clearing.

"Tonight," she clipped, then she left, moving into a quick trot away from him and into the trees lining the perimeter from whence she came, back to the ruins.

~~~

A/N

I am soooo sorry this has taken so long to get out. I've been in a slump. 

I am travelling back to my home country in two weeks- I have not been back there since my mom died and I think I'm in a bit of an emotional slump with everything that needs to be get done beforehand (the wedding celebration with family and close friends is in July). 

On top of that it is hot as balls here currently and my brain is melting. Literally I can feel myself becoming stupider each day I get into that car and check out the thermostat. 

Anyway, I kinda forced myself into a routine to ensure that I slog forwards, even if it's a couple of paragraphs a day! 

And, of course, thank you to all of you for supporting, having an abundance of patience,  and reading this little romance :) 

Love,

Ash x