The Princess and the Blade

[Emora Deen]

Laurius wondered if he'd heard Ren correctly, but the words filtered through is foggy mind and he snorted wearily. "Are you feverish?" he asked. "I feel like an icicle." But, he rubbed his hands over Ren's arms to offer the man more warmth. They should get going, his nerves said. His gaze darted to the hole. He needed to get Ren as far away from that bitch as possible.

------

Tenara felt Havi's arms curl tight around her. She held a breath as her bruised bones settled under his grip, and she burrowed her face into the warm crook of his neck and let his comforting voice wash over her. She wondered if part of her hadn't believed, truly, that he was here until this moment. All the adrenaline from running, the rage, her magic, the pain—it had all been barriers to thinking clearly.

He was here. She had him now.

Tenara had promised herself she wouldn't cry, and she broke it. She broke into a million pieces in his arms, too relieved by a certainty of safety to feel shame for it.

[Soran Nightblade]

Ren scoffed. "Don't worry. It's an Ivis's job to keep his master warm." He reached back and felt the man's forehead testingly. "I will keep you warm," he vowed."

Havi stroked a hand gently up and down Tenara's while she sobbed in his arms. He didn't - couldn't - let himself think about how she must have mastered these tears in solitude for the past two days, surrounded by people who wanted to hurt her. He was with her now, and he would not fail her a second time. He hoped Elias had survived the Toothsbane. Suddenly his punishment felt far too light. He kept the thought to himself, remembering how she'd reacted to his torture.

"Rest. You're safe. Just rest," he assured her as he collected her in his arms and rose. He looked at Ren, who looked more focused than he had a minute ago. "Ready?"

Ren nodded. "We need to get out of Kishva's wyrmways and into the Veins. I know the way."

Havi nodded for the other man to lead. Ren, in turn, looked Laurius over. "Where are you injured? Do you have the strength to walk?" he asked quietly.

[Emora Deen]

Tenara cradled Havitharon's sword to her as he carried her. His urging to rest was easy to succumb to. She was tired. No, she was beyond tired, beyond exhausted, she had never felt this heavy of weariness before. She was hungry and thirsty too, but that was a different matter and one they couldn't solve yet. She had gone this long. She could go a little longer.

"The burns healed," Laurius said, moving to walk alongside Ren. His hand flexed to reach out and lace his fingers with Ren's, but he only managed enough courage to brush them along his. He wasn't sure why he was shy about it. He hadn't been shy earlier. But something about Havi walking behind them, watching. Everything felt exposed right now, from his nerves to his soul. It was the exhaustion, he told himself. "I'm more worn down than anything. Maybe we can find an alcove to rest in up ahead, someplace hard to find. I have medical supplies..." He glanced back and found the princess had already gone limp in Havitharon's arms, cheeks still damp with tears. Then, he set his sight on Ren's bitten and bruised appearance. "Are you hurt?"

[Soran Nightblade]

Ren shook his head. "I'm fine now," he said, pulling his right arm a little closer to his body. He was worried about how it might affect his master when he found Elias's 'calligraphy' inscribed on his property. He focused instead on leading him with care over the uneven terrain of the tunnels. As they continued, the passages grew larger and more interconnected. They'd probably hiked a few miles by the time Ren finally stopped and declared them 'far enough' from Kishva's domain. Here, the air was colder than before, and beads of moisture dripped from the ceiling. Havi and Ren led them carefully around the drip points and instructed them not to touch the damp walls. After a few minutes, they located a dry, raised area unstained by the calcified residue of the dripping water. A fine gray 'moss' of fungus covered the stone ledge - not much of a cushion, but the fungus bloom had a faint heat to it and was at least slightly warmer than bare stone.

"It will be safe to rest here briefly. No one should come this way for some time," Havi said, helping Tenara down onto the fuzzy stone ledge.

[Emora Deen]

Tenara settled onto the soft moss, running her hand over its texture as Laurius unburdened himself of the pack he'd been wearing. He knelt near her and dug out a flask of water and a pummeled piece of bread. "Not much water," he said, "Maybe Ren and I can go hunt for water that won't melt our insides."

Tenara took the flask and drank, but was careful to be conservative with it. What if they didn't find any drinkable water here? She passed the flask back to Laurius, but said nothing to him. She shivered and turned her attention to Havitharon's sword, taking up the skirts of her borrowed dress and rubbing at the blade to try and polish off some of the blood staining it. The act proved awkward and hard to manage with one hand.

"I should take a look at that," Laurius said, nodding to her broken wrist. "Someone bandaged it for you?"

"Ren," she said..

He reached out slowly and took up the arm, and when she didn't protest he said, "The bandaging has come loose. I can—"

"Elias liked to use it to keep me in check," she said. "He would grab it, and..." She remembered the black powder, and the wonderful feel of it burning through her veins. A strange itch of desire curled inside her. She had wanted to taste that numbing bliss again—wouldn't mind tasting it now. That was probably a bad thing, craving something like that after what had happened. "He gave me something for the pain, and it did take the pain away. It was a black powder you breathed in. It made everything feel good, even if you didn't want it... Even this." She nodded to her arm, tears in her eyes again that made his heart ache. Poor, sweet, broken thing. "I squeezed it as hard as I could, and it didn't help..."

Laurius drew her hand into his lap and began unwrapping the bandaging. She made a tight sound in the back of her throat, and squeezed her uninjured hand in her skirts. "It's been set but... It's very damaged, Tenara. I'll dress it, but... you won't be much use in a sword fight. This wrist will likely always be weak." He fished into his bag for a brace, having packed it for this specific wound. "He gave you Devil's Bliss," he said. "It's highly addictive. Some people would do anything for a taste, if they've used it enough. It distorts sensations so awfully that someone could gut you and you'd probably come..." His voice trailed off when her eyes snapped up. He had a hard time focusing on them.

"He wanted to use me to make a god," she said. "He lacked a way to control me..."

"He likely hoped to break you, and then get you addicted to Devil's Bliss. When I tell you addicts would do anything for a taste of it, I mean that. Anything. And the withdraws are... How much did you have?"

"Once," she said and then furrowed her brows as if confused. "I... I think.”

Laurius nodded. He worked on the leather splint and brace quietly. When he was almost done, he looked up at Havi and Ren. “Could you two scout out to find some water? Is there a way to make heat down here?”

[Soran Nightblade]

Havi's posture was rigid as he observed their interaction. It took physical effort not to swat the other male away, even if the pain he was causing was necessary to heal her. The more she spoke of her experiences at Elias's camp, the more his stomach twisted. This drug Laurius was talking about sounded disturbingly similar to Toothsbane, but at least Toothsbane could heal you and wasn't addictive. And that bastard had dared to force it upon her. To force himself upon her.

"Fine. Artisuren, stay and keep them out of..." his words ran off when he turned to the other Ivis and found his face as wet as Tenara's. The horrified apology in Ren's eyes threatened to topple his own composure as well. He sighed at the other male. "Just keep them safe." He brushed a hand over Tenara's head, not quite touching her. "I'll be right back."

[Emora Deen]

Tenara watched Havi go into the cave's darkness. A minute later, Laurius finished the wrapping on her wrist with a tight knot that made her suck in a breath. But then, the pain eased and he said, "You're face... You're lucky you aren't going to loose that eye."

She nodded, but said nothing of it.

"Do you... is there anything else that needs a band—"

"Can you make Foul Mother's Tea?"

Laurius stiffened. He'd barely heard the request. It was spoken so softly, as if she didn't want Ren to hear.

He nodded, but in the act of nodding he understood his mistake and shifted it into a fierce shake. "No, I'm—"

"What do you mean, no?" she asked, anger rumbling in her chest. "You can make poison apples but can't make that?"

"I mean to say, I can, but I can't. Not here. There isn't... We are not on our world anymore, Tenara. I don't know any of the plants here, or what they do. I could easily kill you without m—"

"Useless," she spat.

"But maybe... Maybe Havitharon knows?"

Her gaze snapped back on him sharp as a knife. "No."

Laurius held up his hands, like he was trying to calm a tiger. "Tenara... he knows what happened. He does. How could he not? He would want to hel—"

"No," she said again through her teeth.

Laurius's gaze softened. "Then... Perhaps Ren can help?" he asked, and turned his gaze up to the Ivis. He opened his mouth to ask, but Tenara quickly covered it. Laurius fought his way out from under her cold, weak grip. "Why not?"

"He..." she began, but hesitated. How could she explain to him? Ren wasn't like Havi. He believed in the culture of this world—missed it maybe. "Life is sacred here. It's difficult to create. He won't understand..." She turned her back on them. "Forget I asked. I'll sort it out myself."

[Soran Nightblade]

Havi made his way down the main tunnel, doing his best not to think. Tenara had been so afraid to discuss what happened to her the last time that she'd run away from her own parents. This time, he could swear he felt her keeping the same distance with him. Or was it just his own guilt making him misread her?

It was for the best that Laurius suggested he leave for a bit. She needed space to herself last time. Perhaps it was true now. But this time, he was closer to her, and it was harder to give her that space. He could hardly stand for Laurius to touch her, which wasn't like him at all. New doubts gnawed at his mind. What if she thought he fled to avoid her?

He shook his head, which had begun to throb. He should get the moss and head back to her quickly. She would talk to him when she was ready. The important thing now was keeping her safe so he could get her back home. He took a moment to reflect on the scene back in Kishva's compound, and her story about the four of them being her harem. He nearly grinned. His sister would shit herself if she heard such a rumor.

A bit of pride took the bite out of his headache. Tenara had taken his explanations of his homeland to heart. The story she'd given them was a brazen one, but clever. If she ever had to survive here, she would likely do an excellent job.

He found what he was looking for at the next forking tunnel, picking up the earthy scent of the moon moss higher up. But just as he turned off into it, a voice boomed through the stone hall.

"Marquis Ruthe," a female voice demanded.

Havi turned slowly. He recognized the voice and turned to face it. "Lady Kosa."

The woman resheathed the knife she'd drawn, posture straightening. "It really is you. There are a great many who would like to know where on earth you've been tarrying these past moons. Why have you not reported to your sister's court?"

"I was not in the talking mood," Havi scowled at her. His mind raced for a plan as he turned and met her at the center of the tunnel. His gaze dropped to the rolled parchment at her hip, and the green spade insignia it was sealed with. "They've made you a courier, I see. You are running a message from Lady Kishva's court. It must be urgent, at this hour."

"It came with a hefty bonus," she said, and then sucked in a breath. She'd caught sight of his horns. "You.... someone... who?"

Havi closed his eyes and tried to think. "How much higher do you suppose your bonus would be if you tore up that letter and delivered Mai her rogue brother and his Yurivis instead?"

Kosa's eyes lit with astonishment. "Your..." She shook her head. "Why should I choose, when I can just deliver both."

He leaned just slightly over her, his gaze cold. "Can you?"

She flinched back. "Your sister is going to have you gutted," she muttered, but there was more amusement than animosity in the statement. She took the scroll from her hip and showed it to him, then held a green stone under it. It flickered with soft green flame and fell to ash between them. "Alright. Where is your Yurivis," she nearly choked on the word, stealing another glance at his lone gold rings.

He snarled, a subtle warning not to come too close, and led her back the way he came.

[Emora Deen]

Laurius eased down next to Ren as Tenara kept her back to them. He had no idea what she was looking at, other than watching for Havitharon to return. There was nothing but dark tunnels and bioluminescent fungi.

He rested close enough to Ren that his arm brushed the man's. His mouth worked on how to speak to him, a thousand questions whirling in his mind. "The sisters..." he began, and immediately regretted it. He likely wouldn't want to talk about them. He knew them well enough to know their tastes, and his mottled skin were evidence of their touch. He wanted to kiss every place their lips had touched and replace it with his own mark, and he knew that was awful. Ren likely didn't want to be touched, but oh how he wanted to touch him. His. Ren was his.

He shook his head, because if he kept thinking along those lines, he'd end up getting himself in trouble. "It was clever to make a portal to escape... If Elias isn't dead, he'll make a good pawn for that... woman. A male that has no qualms about harming females could be strategically useful..."

[Soran Nightblade]

Ren squeezed his hands where they rested on his knees as Laurius mentioned the sisters. He knew. He KNEW.

He chewed the inside of his lip, remembering how he'd clung to Laurius earlier. It felt like a blur. Laurius had seemed happy to find him before, but what would he think now that he'd put it together that he'd been used by those Yurivie? It would only be natural to view it as a betrayal. He waited for the man to condemn him, but instead Laurius brought up Elias.

"That's absurd," he snapped in horror. "Any male that harms a female is as good as dead. Not even their own mother would defend him, let alone encourage him to do it again."

[Emora Deen]

Laurius nodded. "Then she'll do us all a favor," he said, turning his face to look at Ren. His hand reached out and brushed the man's cheek softly, tracing a bite near his jaw, and then down to one on his neck. He leaned forward and pressed close to whisper in Ren's ear. "I will erase every mark they made on you, and I will atone for it all."

[Soran Nightblade]

Ren's skin buzzed wherever his fingers brushed it. His wide green eyes darted to meet his master's. "This much was nothing." He half-buried his face in his collar as he added, "Rather than atone, I'd rather you replace them with your own," he retorted, blushing madly.

[Emora Deen]

Laurius's eyes brightened, the ghost of a smile tugging the corner of his mouth. "Funny," he whispered. "I was thinking the exact same thing." He leaned forward and brushed his lips against a bruise near his lips.

"Has he been gone too long?" Tenara asked, her back still turned to them, sitting on the edge of the moss. "He went to the left, didn't he?"

"He'll be back in a moment," Laurius said, lips brushing Ren's skin.

But, Tenara was climbing to her feet slowly, and taking up the sword. "What if someone found him?"

Tenara's weary mind had spun off suddenly into a terrible thought. She wasn't bonded to Havitharon. Did that mean any other female could have him if she wanted? Would he want that now that he was home? Another female? He had the choice now, and she was… She looked down at her hands, feeling so out of place in her own body. What if he didn’t want to touch her again? What if he was afraid to? Artisuren said nothing could tarnish a Yurivis’s light but she felt so dim. What if he went into rut and didn’t come to her? Didn’t want her anymore.

Or… what if he did? She didn’t want him to see what they had done to her, but worse, she didn’t want to see the sadness and pity and guilt in his eyes.