Hidden Spirit {Completed}

Chapter Twenty-Five: Only Night

"How could you?" she demanded, glaring at Feren in their clearing, having not even bothered to change or dry her dampened hair or summon a spirit to carry her from keep to forest. Her breath was heavy, her eyes flaming, and her heart....

"Aria... it is only in your—"

"The business of the King is not of your concern!"

"The business of his wife, is."

She dropped the paper to the ground, turning and holding her fists to her head. She wanted to yell at him. She wanted to be mad, even when he'd done no wrong. She wished she could scream and kick and fight — accuse him further of stepping out of his bounds and possibly disrupting some sort of peace, but—

"You knew this was inevitable," he said, covering up whatever weakness may have been in his voice. "There was no reason to delay it, especially when the risk of your own protection—"

"What have I to be protected against?! She's gone, isn't she?"

"Aria—"

She twisted back around, in a whirl of black hair and creme skirts and mists of pure magic that flew with her figure. "I tried for so long to fight against this belief that you wanted to be rid of me. Now it seems as if you simply cannot wait."

"Amelia—"

"Two days, Feren."

His nod was short, eyes downcast. "I figured."

"What am I supposed to do then?"

"Amelia...." His head shook lightly. "This isn't a life for you. This isn't what you were meant to be — you are meant for bigger things than hiding in the meaningless vacation home. Andrew can at least allow you opportunity up there. You can't keep looking for momentary happiness. If the life you live is for Constentine, you have to f—"

"Don't," she demanded, fists tightening up at her sides. "Don't say it."

"Aria...."

She felt his hands touch hers and just as she'd always done with Andrew, she pulled away, feeling the usual itch behind her eyes.

"Aria, look at me."

She didn't. "If you could stop being so soft in the belly, that would suit me fine," she chewed out, fighting every word.

His knuckles touched her chin. "A hard chest won't do anything for you."

She sniffled in response, turning away from him. "May give me something to hit when the idea fancies me."

When she turned back to look at him he'd managed as small a smile as she, eyes rolling barely at the look she gave. "In all seriousness...."

He stepped away, maybe to seem as cold as she was used to him being.

"No. That's enough. I don't want to think about it. Or him." Her eyes looked at him pleadingly. "Let's...." She trailed off, wandering her eyes upward. A heavy sigh left her chest, and she forced her hands to loosen. "I can't fight with you, Turi. I won't. I just...." She didn't stop the tear that leaked to her lashes. "I...."

At the next sniffle, her chest tightened.... Tears began to form more easily. She broke. It was too late.

She didn't have time to wonder exactly why she was crying when he held her to his chest... and teardrops turned to streams across her cheeks.

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you," he murmured into her hair. "But I knew you wouldn't let me if I did."

"I know," she whispered back.

"We don't know if she will come back. Or what she will bring with her when she does. You have to go where you are best protected. You have to stay alive. No one else will ever fight so hard for your country if you are gone."

Again, she knew. She just wished it didn't have to come so quickly.

***

Within the private clearing of the deeper woods, a soft glow lit the trees. A certain warmth came from the struggling embers of the fire, while the two Voerr, tired and worn, sat beside each other.

Feren's hand was lightly brushing Amelia's, feeling the quiet stress as it came from her. Her fingers grasped one of his hands as if it might supply some answer.

The sun had completely set not two hours before, and without the fire, the sky seemed as dark as her hopes.

"Turi..." she whispered, looking over at their hands.

"Aria, no."

"If this is our last night—"

"It won't be."

"... But ... if it is...."

He shushed her, his hand taking hers to completely clasp. "Then we will cherish it, and think not of it again."

"... Feren?"

He refused to look at her.

"I love you, too."

He hesitated, and no breath filled his lungs upon the next beat.

She looked at him more closely, gripping his hand with more meaning. "I love you, Turi."

"Amelia...."

"Hush."

His other hand covered hers. "You don't want this path."

"Please, Turi... if this be my last night, I want it with you. I want to know you, Turi. I want to know what my mark is."

"Don't do this." His voice was pleading.

She ignored him, instead moving her hand up his chest... to his jaw, until he faced her and... as if distracted from her mark... her thumb touched his lips. Already the tattoos on his skin seemed hot, burning a different, lighter shade... his pale skin and moonlit hair in contrast seemed... surreal.

She kissed him.

It was different and their spirits, who had until then been unmoving, knew it.

There was fire between them, and not one calm inch in either. Their lips melded together just as their hearts did, and for a moment, just a brief moment, Amelia forgot everything that was not the voerr before her.

Feren took over. She'd opened the door and he was not strong enough to resist it. He couldn't push her away any longer. He guided her back to move over, his hands careful in where she lie.

As his hands traced over her skin... he hesitated to appreciate every bit. She was offering herself to him and he was too willing to take it.

His hands caressed her. He could forget, too, for just a moment. Forget about all logical reasons he had to refuse her. Feren, for once, and likely the only time in his life, fully submitted himself to the emotion that was having her so close to him, and knowing she was his. Everything burned with contradiction....

When her arms wrapped around his neck to hold him, or keep him from pushing away, the designs across his shoulders and back burned as ice. And in the entirely foreign way that only pushed him further, he felt hers, too.

Their spirits, unbidden, emerged from the shadows. They twisted around them in worn procession, hiding them from the world around, destroying the opportunity to run.

Amelia kissed him.

And through the night... they shared so much more.