WoLaD: The 1st Interlude V.21

"Wars of Light and Darkness"
By: Jade Lightning, a.k.a. ReverseTheEclipse

"The 1st Interlude"

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Verse Twenty-One: “The Wandering Heart”

  With the secret of the marks of the Son of Strength and the Daughter of Light now made clear to Mukot, his rage continued to grow.  Time was running out, giving Shadow less and less time to prepare for the on-coming storm.  As of now Mukot only knew of a mark in the echidnas, and even if he knew it was on Angel Island, whatever fate met Angel Island, would cause equal devastation to Spirit Island, due to the connection they shared.

  The only fragment of relief that there was in all this, was that the Daughter of Light remained anonymous.  No one, not even Shadow, knew exactly where she would be when she was born.

  Still, he couldn’t wait very long before he would have to go find her.  Just as Darkness laced with evil affected Casselina and Teikaru, and was leaking its way into Thaileon, it would also find the grandparents of the Daughter of Light, seeking to use them to cut down her parents before they had the chance to conceive her.

  Mukot did not know it, but it was his desire for evil, manifesting into Darkness, that caused it to take on a life of its own, seeking out the bearers of the marks and trying to destroy them all on its own.  He didn’t know it, but the war could be won for him even if he did nothing, if Shadow failed to protect these two children from their own families.

  Everything Mukot did just made things worse, adding to the pressure.

  Right now, with him on his way, Armundae was the least of Shadow’s worries, even as Armundae put Shadow’s words at the back of his mind, his heart leading him astray…straight for the heart of Valordian…


“A heart led astray,
  Must find its own way,

Along a path through the night,
 On the way to first light.

Though flighty and free,
  The wanderer will be,

They shall find the way,
  When all else, go astray.”


  With a song to sing even lighter than the feeling in his heart, Armundae was in good spirits as the third morning of his journey began with the first rays of the sunrise.  The Northern Kingdom was still a good week or so away, but with Angel Island so far behind him he was feeling happier than he had in months.  The pressure to find a woman just for the sake of bearing an heir to his bloodline seemed like nothing now, even if that was the only reason he was allowed this journey in the first place.

  This was his opportunity to be free, and he was relishing it, for in the back of his mind he knew this might be the last chance he had for it, or any sort of happiness, knowing there was a good chance he was going to be forced into a loveless marriage, one that would shove him into an even smaller cage than he was already in.  He was like a bird flying fast and free, trying to get away, but trying to enjoy the flight at the same time, in anticipation that it might be their last.

  But it did very little to dampen his spirits.  The thought of being trapped, of trying to make a life and marriage without love into something salvageable, staying away from the shady borders of Valordian Forest where the hedgehogs now harbored hatred towards the echidnas, all of this became lost to his awareness.  His heart guided his steps, and his desires, and the heart of a wanderer knows no bounds.

  Armundae stretched his arms up high, breathing in the crisp air.  It tasted cool and refreshing, the way the air tastes when spring is just starting to bid winter to fade for another year.  It was uplifting, almost in the same way spring brought new life to the world.

  The Captain couldn’t have felt any more alive at this moment.

  Following the straight path Shadow had started him on, Armundae’s waking hours had been filled with walking and songs, taking in the world around him.  Everything looked different than it did from where he saw it high above the ground.  He became accustomed to it quickly when he realized it was still largely the same as it was living up on his island.

  The only difference was the openness; there were no borders, no boundaries holding him back.  No drop off the edge; no Master Emerald or village life holding him back.  This world went on forever.

  He wanted to see it all.  He wished he had time that lasted as long as the horizon was far.

  The horizon.  His eyes were on it now, but in this moment right as the sun’s rays brought the first hints of sky blue into light, he took notice of something that had edged its way closer and closer as he walked, causing thoughts pushed to the back of his mind to come back to life like alarm bells.

  “Valordian Forest,” Armundae paused, tilting his head.  He stood there, the trees standing now tall and dark above him.  It reminded him of the woods on Angel Island, and yet there was an enchanted and mystical quality about it, something drawing him in, bidding him come ever closer.  That’s when Shadow’s words to him from before came back, directing his focus to stay to the north, not to stray into the forbidden forest.

  “Don’t go there Armundae.  There was once an alliance between Kashoku’s old tribe and Valordian, but when the tribe fell apart, so did the alliance.  The hedgehogs there are hostile towards the echidnas here for that reason.  Go around it as you make your way north.”

  He remembered the words exactly.  He thought about them, he did, and for a moment he found himself glancing at the path to the north, knowing he should be obedient and listen to his elder.

  Yet…in the same way Arandor’s heart led him to Eries against Kalak’s wishes, Armundae’s heart, the heart of a wandering, free spirit, pulled at him strongly.  The woods of Valordian beckoned for him, almost as though they called directly to him, asking for only a short visit, a moment with which to see them, and if they were as ominous as Shadow had said.

  Armundae glanced at himself; his frayed cape whipped around his legs gently in the morning breeze.  On his belt were three sheathes, one long, two short, for his sword Akrenar, and the two daggers, Tempest and Twilight.  These were the very same blades that Durnam had wielded, Tempest the same blade that UnDark reviled after it had pierced his chest.  The other line of the Captains passed down his more traditional weapons, his spear and his bow and arrows; it was Armundae’s family that cherished the blades, weapons very few knew how to wield, and though only sixteen, Armundae brandished them with the same deadly power that Durnam had.

  He looked back up at the border of the woods, then back at his weapons, feeling a grin curl his lips slowly until they couldn’t be twisted tighter.  He looked back, feeling a rush of excitement as his heart made the choice for him.  “I’ve got my weapons,” he said to himself, “If anything happens I can get away.  Besides, I’m a skilled hunter, I know how to avoid being detected by prey.  If they really want to kill me, they’ll have a hard time with it.  What could possibly go wrong?  I’ll only stay for a moment or two.”

  With his heart doing the choosing, Armundae strayed off the path to the north, still keeping the east to his right so he could easily find the path again later, heading into the woods of Valordian.  Though they appeared dark and imposing from the outside, on the inside they were both beautiful and curious, teasing the senses with countless new sensations and sights asking only for more time to be explored better.  The canopy of the forest was tight, like the ceiling of a cave almost, but patches of light penetrated down, brightening up the still dusk covered woods.  Morning came here slower than it did to the world outside for this reason, serving to lock Valordian into an even more intricate capsule of time and existence, separate from the rest of the world.

  As Armundae walked forward he took slow but careful steps, barely making a sound as he did so.  The grin on his face had only receded a little as he entered, out of whatever caution his mind could use against him in a last attempt to keep him out.  It had returned now in full force, his heart pounding with excitement.  On the outside the woods looked dangerous, but on the inside, they were beautiful, full of memory, and life.

  His hands barely touched the bark of the trees as he walked, moving silently through the woods as only an elite echidna hunter can.  He took in everything; the sound of the leaves rustling gently in the breeze, the sound of birds and other animals greeting the new day, and some saying farewell to the night as they settled in for sleep, the smell of wood bark and grass blending with the crispness in the air, the feeling of coolness, even dampness, much more than the air outside, tickling the skin beneath his fur.

  He was so uplifted he felt he could fly.  He had to fight hard to resist the urge to continuing humming as he walked; silence was a must here, not just to avoid detection, but so he could listen to the sound of the woods; carefully, very carefully.  The further in he went, the more the sounds changed, until he heard one that was important, more so than all the rest.  

  The sound of water, the kind that water made when running along a steady stream.

  Armundae’s eyes opened, swallowing to relieve scratchiness in his throat, the kind that comes as a first warning of thirst.  It had been several hours since he had had water, and though the rush of endorphins flooded his body with good feelings, making him feel like he could fly, thirst was one of the few things that could rise above the ecstasy fueled daydreams.

  But Shadow’s warning was not one of those things.

  He grinned, heading for the sound of the water, any thoughts of fear for his safety all but gone.  As he got closer to the river, he found some nuts on a bush, and after ensuring they were safe to eat, he popped them in his mouth casually, enjoying his walk.  All he saw around him was beauty, no danger; if there was any, he had already assured himself he could either avoid it all together, or fight his way out if need be.

  He would never see it coming.


  The river he approached was known as the Vala River.  It was the very same stream that Arandor had frequented multiple times in the past; it was where he first saw Hailamei while he still lived as Kashoku; it was where he and Shadow were captured later when he returned as Arandor to save them.  It was a place he and Hailamei would walk along after they fell in love, eventually leading to Lake Vala where their relationship was consummated for the first time.  The memories Armundae sensed, the feelings that beckoned him to the woods in the first place, were no doubt fueled by Arandor’s spirit, the parts of it that remained sleeping inside him, and tied to the very life of the woods of Valordian even after thousands of years.

  On this day, memories sought to repeat themselves through different hearts.

  By the banks of the river there was a hedgehog girl on her knees, gently washing her plates in the rushing water.  Her fur was golden yellow, a rarity in the village that was once associated with members of the royal family; however, there was no longer a ruling family, as the descendants of Prince Bresley had fled ages ago, taking the mark of the Daughter of Light with them.  The leaders were now chosen by the village periodically.

  Though not the leader of the village, the girl’s golden fur spoke volumes; she did not bear the mark, but she was part of the last breath of Arandor’s bloodline that remained in Valordian.  Not royal in the slightest, but even more humble than Hailamei had been, she lived like all of the rest in her village.

  Streaks of orange laced her long hair, hair that fell in long tresses to her knees, and in a ruffle of bangs just above her eyes.  She wore a simple dress, light blue, with a grass green shawl covering her shoulders.  Her sandals had lavender straps and sat beside her neatly as she washed her dishes, an opal teardrop-shaped pendant hung from a braided black cord around her neck only inches away from the water lapping over her hands as they worked under the surface.

  She hummed softly to herself in the early morning, as oblivious to any danger as Armundae was.  Nobody ever entered Valordian except for the occasional human trying to cut down trees for lumber.  Shadow chased off the humans, threatening them, unbeknownst to the Valordians, who believed it was out of sheer intimidation, running to meet them brandishing swords, bows and spears that had kept them away recently.  Not knowing the very same Shadow they praised in their history looked out for them still, they became more and more closed off, having no fear.

  And so she kept her eyes on her work the entire time, not noticing the subtle changes in the woods around her, ones even the youngest of warriors were trained to notice, as she sang softly, washing her dishes.  Armundae too feared nothing, eating the nuts he had collected, moving so softly those same warriors could notice changes, but not be able to pinpoint Armundae’s silent approach.

  Finally, he arrived at the river.

  Finishing her final dish, the girl looked up finally, a soft gasp escaping her when she finally noticed the figure approaching from the woods.  He had not noticed her yet; she had plenty of time to flee, and began to gather up her dishes and sandals hastily.  As she rose to her feet, something gave her pause.  This wasn’t a human approaching her, nor one of her kind, or anything like anyone she had seen before.  He was tall with deep crimson fur, a white ruffle on his chest to match the tips of his long hair, banded with red.  A long cape cascaded down his back, and he wore black and blue boots that rose halfway up his shins.  From a belt around his waist hung three sheaths, two short, one long.  He was very well-equipped; most warriors only kept one sword, save the leader of the village, who often wielded two at once.

  Her head tilted, the rapid pace of her heart relaxing a little, her breathing still short but deeper.  If this male was a danger to her she’d have little hope of escape; she recognized what he was from old manuscripts.  He was an echidna, a member of the race that lived on Angel Island, which they could see from Valordian Village floating in the distance.  The echidnas were reviled and hated here, for during the time when Prince Bresley’s descendants were threatened, the hedgehogs waited for the echidnas to come and help them, per the agreement of the ancient alliance; however, the echidnas never came, which was why in that desperate hour, the family who bore the mark of the Daughter of Light fled Valordian, and eventually, the invaders were banished out of the woods.

  Why the echidnas never came was uncertain; in reality it’s because it happened a few hundred years after the split of Kashoku’s original tribe.  Just because Angel Island had been raised into the sky, the hedgehogs had no reason to believe the echidnas had forgotten the alliance.  Rage and anger erupted in their hearts, and they came to hate the floating island and the echidnas that surely lived there.  Any good memory or connection that was left of them was eradicated, and without the royal bloodline there was nobody to try and soothe over the hurt and mistrust.

  Only her family had remained, and after so long her family wasn’t even considered royal anymore.  Yes, this small tie she had, a tie to Arandor, gave her the pause that kept her from running in fear and anger.  In fact, she felt no anger at all, only an innocent curiosity trying to break through to the surface like a baby bird pecking away at its shell, waiting to be born.

  Her crystal blue eyes blinked slowly, her lashes curled neatly at the edges.  Hated by her people, for a good reason or not, she had to see; she had to know more.

  Finishing the last of the wild nuts, Armundae still felt like he was flying amongst the clouds.  The sound of water brought his awareness away from the woods and to the stream directly in front of him.  He thought of the cool water quenching his thirst and cleaning the layer of grime from his face and fur, and then he stopped, finally taking notice of the girl that perched on the other side of the river, sitting balanced on her feet, her dishes gathered in a bundle of cloth in her arms and her sandals dangling from her wrist.  How he hadn’t noticed her he wasn’t sure; he even remembered hearing the humming now, but it had not registered in his mind to be afraid of a threat.

  And as of this moment, it still hadn’t.

  He tilted his head slightly, much like she had, taking her in.  She was a hedgehog like Shadow was, but was golden like his friend Kashkie whom Armundae had only met once or twice and never for very long.  Though her eyes were widened, they weren’t full of fear, rather, curiosity.  Armundae suddenly found himself very curious as well.  She had no weapons, and didn’t look like a threat.  Even if she was, he was sure he could defend himself.  Right now, he was certain he had just stumbled upon her doing her chores.  He wouldn’t have blamed her if she were fearful of him, the stranger that he was.

  The two held their positions, heads tilted, eyes locked on to each other curiously.  Memories began to repeat themselves, taking a different turn from the way they had before; whether the results would be the same remained to be seen.

  After several moments, Armundae grinned again, gentler this time.  He took a step forward, taking the corner of his cape in his arm and folding it across his chest and abdomen, bowing low as he stopped at the edge of the river.  The girl gasped softly when he moved, blinking when she saw this.

  “My humblest apologies, my lady,” Armundae said still bowed, speaking the common tongue that Shadow had taught him over the years, “I did not mean to frighten you.”  He looked up at her, smiling now.  “I hope you can forgive me.”  He paused, waiting for her to speak.  In the back of his mind he wondered if the people here even knew the common tongue that Shadow spoke of.  If she didn’t, he’d never be able to communicate with her.

  The girl tilted her head, waiting to see if he had more to say, then she giggled softly.  “It’s okay,” she replied, speaking in a soft voice, fully understanding, and even speaking the same language, “I was just…surprised is all.”  She looked at him, the curiosity in her eyes shining clearly.  “I’ve never seen one of your kind before,” she paused, “You came from the floating island did you not?”

  His expression lit up considerably.  Not only could she understand him and he her, but she had the most beautiful voice he had ever heard.  He wasn’t sure why it was so beautiful to him, but the thought rushed into his mind almost immediately and without challenge or question.  It made him so happy he had to chuckle, standing up straight again.  “That’s right my lady.  Angel Island.  I’m an echidna,” he said, without thinking.  Looking at her he added, “Don’t be fearful,” he gestured to his sword, knives, and the blades on the backs of his boots, “I’m merely on a journey and wanted to come and see the woods here.  I mean no harm or peril to anyone.”

  She felt her heart flutter, though she didn’t think about it.  What she did think about was how he was nothing at all like what recent history portrayed echidnas as.  Her tie to Arandor and the royal family meant her family was in possession of old manuscripts, ones that talked of the glorified and honorable echidnas, allies and friends of the people here.  It was her grandmother that showed them to her, and told the tales; her parents were like the rest, hating echidnas, living off the betrayal of yesteryear.  After all she and seen and everything she had read, she never imagined she’d actually get to meet one, and put the stories of old to the test.  Were they honorable and kind, having good reason for abandoning the people here, or were they selfish and cruel, and deserving of death for breaking the alliance?

  She had to know, and to know, she had to first offer trust.

  Getting up slowly, she smiled.  “I believe you my lord, and do not worry, I am not afraid.”  She paused, seeing a look of relief sweep over his features, allowing more gentleness and warmth to shine through.  She felt light tingles but they didn’t register immediately, save through a giggle.  “I’m Aerealei Stillwater, my lord.”

  Aerealei.  Her name echoed in his head, as beautiful as the voice she spoke it with.  It didn’t occur to him how much these things made him feel inside, full of good feeling and tickles, but it was enough to make him grin to try and show a glimpse of it.  He nodded his head, “Armundae my lady.  …our ancestral last name was Rodnara I believe, but it’s sort of fallen out of practice, using last names.”

  Armundae.  His name bounced back and forth as it passed through her ears.  So proud and strong, handsome just as the smile on his face was.  She felt a smile curl her lips; it didn’t occur to her how his voice made her heart flutter, and caused any uncertainties to relax.  The name Rodnara piqued her curiosity even more, as she ran it through her head, because she realized it was the name Arandor spelled backwards, and that it was a name mentioned in the manuscripts.  Not only was he an echidna from Angel Island, but Armundae had come from their royal bloodline.

  Yet…he mentioned the use of last names had fallen out of practice, and she wondered how a royal name least of all would suffer from this.  Perhaps the echidnas had suffered something damaging after all, explaining why they had not held up the alliance.  She thought to ask him about it, but other desires took priority; at the moment, all she could do was smile and giggle softly.

  “Armundae,” she repeated, “It’s wonderful to meet you.”  She paused, stepping into the river, Armundae’s eyes following her as she moved.  “You said you were on a journey,” she continued, looking at him, “Was this your destination or, are you just passing through?”

  The euphoria of that morning broke a bit when Armundae was reminded of his errand.  He wasn’t meant to come here at all, and instead walk around the woods, on his way to the Northern Kingdom to find a woman.  He shook his head to clear it of these thoughts, shoving them back again.   He had four months to find a woman, and the Northern Kingdom was only a week and a half away.  He had time to spare to see Valordian. If all of them here were as nice as Aerealei, he’d be just fine.

  “I’m heading to the Northern Kingdom, actually, my lady,” he paused, rubbing his neck, his eyes darting to the north, “Although, I will be honest it’s not something of my choosing.”  He looked at her, seeing her head tilted curiously, causing him to grin.  “I wasn’t even supposed to come here really. …you see, I’m a Captain of the Guardian, and…I’m about to reach the age of manhood but, I’ve yet to find a woman that I love, so, I’m being sent to the Northern Kingdom where there are more echidnas.”  He paused again, bending down to the water.  “Frankly I’m only as excited about this trip as I am because it’s a chance to see the world and get away from the elders pressuring me.”  He took a drink of water from his hands.

  Aerealei watched him closely.  He was a Captain of the Guardian.  Though she was unsure exactly what that meant – she knew of Guardians from the manuscripts but not Captains since they came after the split when ties had been cut – she knew it meant he had to be of royal descent, as his name implied.  Naturally he would be expected to have an heir, and yet, being sent on a journey just to find one seemed rather extreme.  All he wanted was a little freedom; with a heart like his what he was being forced to do was even worse than being trapped in a cage.

  She wanted to give him some time to relax, time to have fun and enjoy himself.  She knew only her grandmother would understand; anyone else would drive Armundae away with their weapons and fire.  He was in danger if he went into the village, but she didn’t care.  She had to try, even if she put herself at risk for helping him.  It was what her heart wanted, and she smiled as she made her choice, watching him drink thirstily from river.

  “Well,” she said at last, her eyes watching him, “Why not spend a few days in Valordian?  …I’d have to keep you hidden from the villagers but, I can bring you food, and I know of a place you can stay.  Would that be alright Armundae?”

  He looked up from washing his arms clean, seeing her looking down at him.  He had only just met her, and already he was being offered shelter here in Valordian.  He couldn’t deny that he loved the idea of exploring the woods, enjoying some part of this journey, a part that didn’t involve going to the Northern Kingdom and having to look for a woman to bear his child.  Staying here would be wonderful, even for just a few days, maybe a week or two.  If Aerealei offered it to him, he would take it, and it sounded like he needed to; Shadow was right about the hedgehogs being hostile after all, apparently.  For whatever reason, however, Aerealei was different.  Not only did she offer food and shelter, she offered trust and kindness.

  And she had such a pretty face; a sweet smile, crystal blue eyes, beautiful eyes with delicate lashes, a sweep of hair barely brushing over them.  He could look at that face forever…

  Yes, a few days in Valordian wouldn’t hurt.

  With a grin Armundae got up.  “That would be wonderful Aerealei, thank you,” he replied, chuckling, “I can spare some time to spend here in Valordian.  …maybe we can learn more about each other and our people.”

  Aerealei’s expression brightened.  Not only did she want to learn about his people, he was already offering to tell her about them.  If she could set the story straight, perhaps the people of Valordian would come to forgive the echidnas.  She was becoming more and more excited about this handsome echidna, and the excitement of a child took over, causing her to reach for his hand, taking it securely in her own, without thinking.  As she did so, however, she was aware of it, and looked down.  Her hand looked small in his larger one, and she felt her cheeks burning gently.

  Armundae looked down too, tilting his head.  He saw the same thing that she did, noticing how delicate her longer fingers looked clasped around his much bigger ones.  He grinned, wrapping his fingers around hers, looking up at the same time as she did. He noticed her cheeks appeared rosy under the growing morning light.  He found it cute, causing him to chuckle.

  He has such a handsome smile.  She giggled when he laughed, pulling him forward gently.  “I’m going to take you to a small shack outside of the village.  Nobody uses it so you should be safe there Armundae.  After I bring you breakfast we can take a walk in the woods and, talk about whatever comes to mind,” she said with a smile.

  She has such a beautiful face.  He nodded, grinning.  “That sounds wonderful to me Aerealei.  Lead the way.”

  She nodded, giggling, leading Armundae away from the river, deeper into Valordian.  As the two teens walked, Armundae’s eyes watched her, his eyes following her hair as it flew along behind her.  He no longer watched the trees or the creatures moving within them.  All he could think about was this beautiful girl that was already becoming a dear friend.  It didn’t occur to him how much he was thinking about her, or why he was just yet, but one thing he knew was he was the happiest he had been in years, happier than he could ever remember being.  In the back of his mind he knew Shadow had told him not to come here, but right now, no danger held terror for him; no risk was too threatening to keep him from spending time here.  There was nothing that could tear him away from this girl at this moment.

  With her hand securely holding his, she glanced back, smiling at him.  She looked ahead, seeing the shack come into view.  She wondered what must be going through his mind, a strange girl offering him shelter and friendship when they had only just met.  He was friendly and gracious, and so very kind and thoughtful.  She wondered how long he would stay with her.  She thought not of why she was thinking these things; she thought only of the moment, and all of the things that would come.

  He thought.
  She wondered.

  “I wonder what they’ll think of me.”


  The night was silent on Spirit Island.  Almost all lay snuggly in their beds sleeping as they had been for several hours now.  Even Kashkie was asleep, and very soundly.  Ever since Baralai had been born Deannalee had been more friendly with him, repairing the damage she caused.  She no longer came to Kashkie for intercourse, and Kashkie’s spirits had been lifted.  He smiled in his sleep; after a shaky start things were finally starting to get better.

  For him, at least.  Darkness still covered Spirit Island like a blanket, and ever since Mukot had found out the secret of the marks, that darkness had only grown increasingly evil.  The hold it had on two particular echidnas meant danger for the one meant to bear a child of Arandor.

  Deannalee.

  At first Teikaru’s bitterness was lessened by the presence of Baralai in his life.  He still treated Deannalee rather coldly, refusing to show her any love and affection, but still demanding intercourse from her pretty regularly.  Such behavior towards a woman was unheard of…being treated like property…and the Guardian Queen no less, but it was something Deannalee accepted.  It was the only way she could protect her baby son Baralai.

  She gave up having sex with Kashkie, not only because she now knew it was wrong to have hurt him like that, but because if she had a child with Kashkie Teikaru had threatened to take Baralai from her forever.  Loving her son above all things, Deannalee kept quiet about their troubles and held her head high.  Nobody in the village sensed anything was wrong, and life had gotten back to normal.

  But now with the wicked darkness affecting Teikaru and Casselina much worse than before, things were about to get very grim for Deannalee.  As the darkness sought to destroy the Children of Arandor without Mukot knowing about it, acting solely on his evil desires, Deannalee was the first target.  She was the only one in position to actually have one at this moment, and though she would not bear one with a mark, the one she was meant to bear, the Master of the Elements, would be very dangerous.  The loss of this child would mean Mukot was almost guaranteed victory.

  She would be the first to suffer, and the pain would be great…violence of a terrible and ghastly nature.

  Casselina stood outside of their hut now, looking around.  Driven solely by this malevolent darkness, she put up an air tight barrier around the home, invisible, so that nobody from the outside could hear what was about to happen; nobody would know, and thus, nobody could stop it.

  Deannalee was now defenseless.

  She shifted in bed, turning over on her side.  Teikaru laid beside her, and as if on cue, as if he knew the moment the barrier went up, he opened his eyes, grinning wickedly.  He felt pure and deep hatred for Deannalee and Kashkie where before there was only hurt and mistrust.  Now there was nothing more that he wanted to do than crush them both, and with Deannalee, he could do this in a very, very vile manner.

  He pushed himself up, positioning himself over her, grabbing her face and putting a forceful kiss to her lips.  She woke up immediately; she had grown accustom to having intercourse with him that was nothing but lust, but this time the kiss seemed angry, like it was meant to be painful.  She moaned, immediately trying to push him off of her, only to be forced back down, almost gagging as he slammed his hand on her throat, biting her lip.  He had never been violent like this before.  Something was wrong.

  “T-Teikaru!” she croaked, gasping for air, “Are you…insane?!”

  Teikaru sneered, his other hand drifting down between her legs, fondling her as he kept his hand pressed to her throat.  “I don’t know my dear.  After all you’ve done to me, what do you think?” he glowered at her.  Deannalee did not answer, only continuing to gag and gasp her breath, as she was unable to breathe.  Teikaru did nothing except continue to touch her, pressing his hand down harder and harder.  His eyes looked both dark and dead, filled with apathy, and yet his head was tilted curiously, as though intrigued by what the possibility of death looked like.

  Deannalee’s head began to swim, her eyes shut tightly.  She wanted to cry for help but couldn’t, as she could barely breathe.  All that registered was his hand on her throat, and his other hand touching her, two things she didn’t want.  She felt her tongue leap from her mouth as she gasped, her eyes forcing themselves open as they watered, starting to bulge out as she began suffocating.  Teikaru grinned, his eyes shining.  This was a very intimate experience.  He stopped touching her in favor of bringing his hand up to her chest, undressing her slowly, all the while continuing to choke her.

  “For a bitch, you’re still very appealing.  Were it not for that, and for that idiot Arandor protecting you, I’d kill you,” he breathed, bending down and running his tongue down her chest.

  Arandor.  She knew she had heard him say it.  She hadn’t told a soul about Arandor, or even Kashoku, so how in the world did Teikaru know?  She knew something wasn’t right.  He was too dark, too wicked, too vile.  She struggled harder, gasping for air, her attempts at screaming coming out as pitiful whimpers and whines.  All she could do was try to push him off, her stomach gurgling with sickness as he continued to touch her.  The intercourse they had had after Baralai’s birth was loveless, but it didn’t make her sick, not like this.

  “Listen to her cry like a baby.  If she’s crying already, she won’t survive what I’m about to do,” he pulled back, smirking at her.  “I was thinking of suffocating you until you fainted but…I wouldn’t want you to miss this.”  He took a rope and tied it around her neck, pulling it tight, crawling over her.  “I need both of my hands for this.”

  She continued to gasp and gag, struggling beneath him.  “T-Teikaru!” she croaked out, getting a little more precious air from the rope than she had from his hand.  “St-Stop it!  I…don’t want this from you!”

  Teikaru suddenly punched her hard, growling.  “Too bad bitch!  From now on this is all you’ll ever get!”  She moaned painfully, sputtering as she recoiled from the violent punch, causing him to smirk as he moved into her, keeping her pinned down.

  Deannalee wailed as loudly as she could manage, wondering why nobody had heard at least something and come to help.  He forced himself into her painfully, and the horror began.  This wasn’t consensual; this was something she did not want.  Something had snapped inside Teikaru, and all of these months later, the true punishment of her sins was beginning, or so she thought.

  In reality, she’d have suffered whether she had laid with Kashkie or not.  The darkness coming from Mukot would have made both Teikaru and Casselina just as evil as it sought to destroy Deannalee and the child she would have.  In any other time and place, she might have been able to repair her relationship with Teikaru after long enough.  Now though, in this place, in this world, on this night, he was now her worse nightmare.  It was now his turn to damage her even deeper, even more beyond repair or rescue.

  Though the air bubble kept people outside from hearing, there was one who heard, and even saw it all.  Baby Baralai woke up in his basket, hearing his mother’s cries, and whimpered softly as he watched, unable to understand what was wrong or why his father was hurting his mother.  For hours and hours it continued, and the young prince could not get back to sleep.  He was the lone witness, the only light his mother would truly have.  Another Light was separated from her by death, and the last possible one would be unable to help as the sins were kept hidden from his sight.

  While Armundae’s heart was just beginning to feel the first blossom and tickle of love, Deannalee was just another tragedy in the making.  Fate was cruel, and painfully so, and it was beginning to become more and more obvious that the only way out of this she would ever have, would come from the arms and embrace, of death.