The Cost of Peace

[Emora Deen]

Tenele rolled in the sand to where she was flat on her back. They still wanted to keep going. She sighed, sitting up and climbing to her feet. She wanted to tell him she'd be just fine, and she could keep going. But, she couldn't lie anymore. She was very tired, and dealing with that dragon had taken a good bit of energy. If she slept, she'd feel better. "I'll let you carry me," she whispered, a soft smile on her lips. She rather liked being in his arms anyway, just as long as she wasn't too much trouble for him. Tenele often forgot that her weight to Vlad was nearly nothing.

[Soran Nightblade]

Vlad grinned and knelt down next to her, gathering her up against his chest. He rested his cheek against her warm hair for a moment before standing up again. After watching her face down a dragon, it was a relief to have her securely tucked against him. He turned to start walking, but then he stopped ear to ear with Atul. "As if I invited the dragon over to play," he snorted quietly. His eyes grew serious. "And Verin would never have managed to use me that way. I know because she wouldn't have let me. You seem to think the protection only goes one way. She carried me before, and I'm carrying her now, that's how it works, so keep your judgments to yourself."

He walked on past Atul in angry silence. He knew he was angrier than he should have been, and he knew it was because the prince's words had struck a chord. He was a constant danger to Tenele, and it wasn't fair to expect a human girl to keep up with him. But she was special, she was stronger than that. She'd earned his trust and respect. But even though this was all true, he knew at heart that he was endangering her. If he'd contained himself at the banquet, she might not be suffering heat exhaustion in the middle of the desert while Ighten's political future grew bleaker by the minute. Still, he'd be damned if he admitted it to Atul.

[Emora Deen]

Atul watched as Vlad walked away, carrying on behind him without a word. He watched as the vampire carried Tenele away, her silver hair waving in the wind. Tenele opened her eyes, looking up at Vlad as she was held safely in his arms. Her arms were laying comfortably on her abdomen, her legs dangling off his arm. She tilted her head towards his chest, resting her face there. "I guess this means you forgive me for the other night?" she asked softly into his shirt. "I'm sorry for acting so strangely. I really did try, I just underestimated him. I didn't expect him to drug me, when he was obviously so busy making you miserable. I was afraid of telling you anything, because I was afraid you'd do something like what you did today. Vlad, I have never been so scared for you in my entire life." Her green eyes fluttered open to stare up at his handsome face.

Atul walked quickly to get around them, trying to get some distance. He didn't know them well, but he knew enough about the way the air felt to know that they needed space for the moment. He quickly jogged up the steep sandy incline until he was once again balancing on the tip of the dune. The sun was gone, and the edge of dusk was soon disappearing. The stars were coming out as the sky slowly turned a ebony black, and filled with thousands upon thousands of shimmering stars. The moon hung low in the sky, and the sands slowly glowed a soft white.

[Soran Nightblade]

Vlad's garnet eyes flicked down at her uncomfortably. "I regret frightening you, but if I hadn't been able to defeat him in a direct challenge, I'd have sooner been dead. Better you die by their hands than by mine," he said, glancing away. The memory of how close he'd come to forfeiting what remained of his sense of self and destroying the person who was most important to him left a bitter taste in the back of his throat. "Perhaps a little selfish of me," he acknowledged flatly, glancing away at the sands ahead of them to escape the brightness of her eyes.

[Emora Deen]

Tenele's eyes watched him a while longer, regretting mentioning it a bit. He seemed troubled, and she could understand why. Her eyes grew heavy for a moment and she rested them. Deciding she could talk with them closed just as easily as she could with them open. She snuggled against him, more comfortable than she had been in a while, even if she was being carried. "I don't understand why we're here anymore," she whispered. "We came in the hopes of making peace, but they never intended to make peace with us. Maybe they were just hoping that I would just give in and agree to there proposal? I don't get it. Why bring someone half-way across the world with the chance of a no-go?"

Atul glanced over his shoulder. "Because we had intellegence that said the possibility was high that Sinead would agree if you were involved. Not to mention the rewards if you did not. Information just being one, and they would get it out of you. Then, there would be the public humilation of Ighten with using one of their esteemed as a sacrifice to Verin. Though, all of this is debatable. It can really be considered unknown what they would have done to you. They can be very, very creative."

Tenele's eyes opened again and she shifted her head in Vlad's arms, wanting to change the subject as she played the renewed memory over in her mind. "Verin seemed so intent on targeting you. What did he want you for? He obviously wanted you for something. Did he give you any hint?" She was a bit fightened to know, but still... If Verin ever came at them again, it would be nice to know what he was going after.

[Soran Nightblade]

Vlad had to think about that one for a minute. "Maybe he saw me as a bridge to Sinead. If he'd gotten me, he could have taken all my control. I might have done anything he suggested, even to her." He glanced back at Tenele with a wry smirk. "But it was probably a lot simpler than that. Gods are egotistical beings. They don't like things they can't have. Fortunately, I'm egotistical too."

OOC: it's called EPMo-tioooooonnn *sings*

[Emora Deen]

Tenele smirked, closing her eyes again. "Egotistical just doesn't describe you," she told him softly, her voice fading as her consciousness did. She shivered as a cool breeze blew, and when she fell a sleep she fell with her face pressed close to his chest.

They walked for a while longer, the night growing later and later. And still no light could be seen in the distance, no sign of the deserts end. The stars were bright, twinkling in like diamonds. The moon, only half full, caused the sandy desert to glow white.

"We should stop for the night. Its going to get to the point where we won't see where we are walking. We don't want to step on the wrong sort of sand. Some of it swallows you. Is she still cold?" Atul asked, setting the sack down and plopping down on the sand. "I can hold her, give her my warmth if you're concerned."

[Soran Nightblade]

Vlad regarded the man thoughtfully. The night was extremely cold, moreso than he'd expected. Once the sun set, the air had steady chilled until it was close to freezing, and it was likely it would get colder. His body didn't have problems with these temperatures, but he certainly wasn't much help to Tenele. He'd spotted her shivering occasionally in her sleep. "That would make sense," Vlad responded, and it was impossible to determine what mood he was in when he said it. "But I don't trust you yet. I have no proof you can't teleport out here, and Verin could probably possess you in a heartbeat." He looked at the Prince, and his expression said that he wanted to be argued with. He wanted a reason why the man wouldn't betray him. All in all, he knew entirely too little about Atul to be letting him lead him through a dangerous no-man's land, let alone to entrust Tenele to his care.

[Emora Deen]

Atul narrowed his eyes. "You're being stuborn." Though, it was hard to tell him that he wasn't going to betray him. It would be quite diabolical if he lead Vlad out a day's walk into the desert, only to kidnap Tenele and take her away. Vlad would be to long in getting back, and too many things could happen in a day. He could see why he was distrustful. "You're right not to trust me. I can't console your fears of being betrayed. And Verin could possess me in a blink of an eye, so quick you wouldn't notice." He glanced at Tenele, who was sleeping so soundly and safely in his arms. "But, she's cold."

[Soran Nightblade]

Vlad narrowed his eyes and scrutinized the man for a long moment, considering his words. He looked down at Tenele. Her lips were faintly purple from the cold. "Fine," he finally said. "You hold her, but I hold you. If you try going anywhere, I'm piggy-backing," he said.

He knelt in front of Atul in the sand and passed Tenele carefully into his arms. When he had her secure against him, Vlad sat cross-legged to the prince's right. With visible displeasure, he reached out his left hand and found a grip on the other man's right forearm. It wasn't rough, but it was secure and tense, ready to do more if there was any call for suspicion.

The vampire sighed under his breath and sat still and upright, not relishing the situation in the least.

[Emora Deen]

Atul arched an eyebrow at Vlad, but said nothing as he grabbed his arm. He was strong enough to move Tenele with one arm, and laid her out on the ground next to him. He tugged the cloak about her with the arm that he had free, and then giving Vlad a flat expression, he made a strange manuver that brought him over the sleeping woman. He slid to where he was lying next to her, and giving his arm a harsh tug, so that Vlad would understand to give a little slack, he drapped it over her. He pressed close, tilting so his body was slightly resting over her. His head rested just above hers.

Atul's dark human looking eyes glanced up at Vlad, knowing this had to be just as uncomfortable for him. After all, he was having to let another man hold something precious to him. "I'm not thinking any... unwanted thoughts, if that helps," he muttered. Maybe the fact she was between them now would calm his worried nerves?

She was warming, because her shivering soon slowed to stop. Atul glanced from the top of her head to Vlad. "This would be a bad time to get possessed," he muttered."To him, Tenele was as frail as paper-machet. She was human, and very breakable. If Verin took him over... But, Verin wouldn't. He had told Thar that he was bored with his game.

[Soran Nightblade]

Vlad had little choice but to watch Atul curl up against Tenele. Although flares of jealousy spread through him as he watched her rest comfortably against him, a stronger feeling that was harder to explain was present also. He recalled for a moment the offer he'd been made earlier, the image of himself restored to humanity and embracing Tenele as warmbloods were meant to. He even felt a little annoyed at Tenele, which he knew was unjustified. It wasn't her fault she was cold, but she didn't have to look so damned comfortable in his arms, either.

He maintained a cold grasp on the man's arm, when Atul's question broke his silence. "This would be a bad time to get possessed," he said.

Vlad looked at the man expressionlessly. "If you don't wish it, then don't allow it. You have no less will than I. Mind you, you do have less of many, many other things," he reminded arrogantly, "Just not will."

[Emora Deen]

Atul became silent, his eyes turning to the desert behind Vlad. The sand shifted back and forth like ocean waves as the wind blew over it. No trees were ther to block it, so swiftly did it spread across the horizon, where the stars melded with white quartz sand.

Her hair smelled sweet, he suddenly noticed. Like flowers. Grimancing, he turned his attention to something else. But, still he couldn't help but be reminded of how he used to hold a woman he loved like he now held Tenele.

It made him angry, and jealous. He was jealous of Vlad, who could fight Verin's hold. That he could some how have protection from it. But, Atul was different, and that difference meant everything. Vlad could fight to protect Tenele, while he had been made to watch his love burn.

Atul had no choice. No way of fighting, and if they knew the truth about him... Then, they would follow him no longer. He was jealous, though Vlad was a demon, he could love, and be loved. He could protect. He could have a relationship with a mortal, even if it were a little unconventional.

Tenele shifted under the weight of his arm, and most of his body. Atul kept his eyes on the horizon uncomfortably. He could imagin what was going through the vampires head. He couldn't be pleased with having to allow another man hold her.

"She's warm," he muttered, flashing a look at Vlad, suddenly realizing just how wrong that sounded. The only problem was he couldn't think of anything that would make it sound right. He could only hope that Vlad would take it the way he had meant.

[Soran Nightblade]

Vlad saw the opportunity to hassle the prince for his choice of words, and he almost took it just to entertain himself. But for a split second, he was certain he'd seen something in Atul's expression that changed the situation slightly. The demon wasn't enjoying this. In fact, for a moment he'd seemed almost tortured. Vlad decided on a whim not to heckle Atul for his comment. Instead, he grinned dispassionately. "Then you're doing your job," he confirmed. "But there are many hours before dawn." It almost sounded like a pep talk, though it wasn't clear if he was consoling Atul or himself.

[Emora Deen]

In fact there were many hours. And they seemed to pass on slowly. Then, the rays of light crested in the distance, sprouting like beams of power. And then the sun crested the horizon line, and the warmth began flooding into the air. Dawn had come, and Tenele had slept soundly through the night.

She rolled in her sleep, Atul jerking his head back before her elbow could smack him across the face. She seemed content and happy. Well, that was until she opened her eyes.

See, Tenele was warm and comfortable. Almost as if everything that had come before was dream, and on the edge of waking, it did seem very much like that. She was content, because she felt arms around her. Vlad's arms. She opened her eyes to look at him.

And found Atul's slightly petrified face arched back away from her.

"What-"

Atul was suddenly on his feet, as was Tenele scurrying away from him. She didn't go far, for in her attempt to quickly evade her "captor" she fumbled right into Vlad, half landing in his lap.