Not Meant To Be Alone (Open) (Mature)?

[Anonymous]

(OOC: Page 10! Woot!)

Melusine was still regaining breath from all her running. She could hear the boom and feel Aaron's fear. But she was still too winded to cry out. She curled herself into a ball.

I'm here.You don't have to worry, Aaron. I wouldn't turn out like that in a million years. I'm as scared of her as you are. Maybe more, considering Miranda actually said that woman might want to help deliver our babies! I won't have that, not if I can help it.

How could she? Throwing a wounded man! That was the cruelest thing Melusine thought the den mother could have done at a time like this, though she couldn't say she felt the same pity for Scar. Where in the world was Darius?

She wanted to run back to Miranda, to tell her what the den mother had done. She wanted to tell her how frightened she was of her and ask what she should do. She wanted to go to Sven and see if he was all right.


But she couldn't. She was too tired. She uncurled herself and lay down on the grass, her hands covering her belly, praying the den mother wouldn't notice her. She had made it to Aaron, to comfort him in his fear, and for now, that and protecting her babies were all that mattered.

[Anonymous]

Rio, having hidden. burried shallowly underground, grabbed her mothers feet, swiping her off the floor as a battle ensued, causing rippling shockwaves and tremors as their punches collided with each others.

Sven got back up, still consumed by rage and anger launching a new attack at the pair of fighting amazon women but Scar interfered halfway in the leap, trying to chew trough the thick armor that had grown on the were wolfs body.

"I trained you good daughter, but in my absence you have grown to ambitious. When you loose now i want you to leave the den." Grinning with the ecstasy and adrenaline of battle, the golden haired Rio, confident in herself replied. "You will die today." Then suddenly something weird happened, a motion she couldn't follow even with her heightened senses and then the world grew dark. The last thing she could see before feinting was her mother smiling a loving smile, that of a parent finally admitting that their child had grown up.

Then she turned to Sven and Scar, A sharp whistling sound made them break up the fight and run in separate directions.

Aaron was confused and felt rather helpless, he hadn't been able to transform nor be of any aid to Sven and to top it off. Melusine had arrived as if putting herself at risk or being present could be of any help at all but stayed an angry insult. She was pregnant and afraid, somehow nothing serious had happened to her babies. "How did you manage to run all the way here?" He said surprised.

"Yes, do tell." The mother gazed down with an alluring smile and curious. "I did know we were getting new members but i didn't know shed be pregnant already. You must have been as Inexperienced with bonding and werewolves as Sven and Miranda."

Darious appeared with a slight "pop" sound out of thin air, he was slightly sad and smelled of nervous cold sweat. "Good morning dear. I see you have dealt with Rio's rebellion already. I thought we would be able to postpone the fight another 50 years but I'm afraid this girl escalated the inevitable."

Whistling in approval the brown haired amazon became even more curious. Now that she was this close to the pair. She smelled weird as if the very air around her wanted you to serve and obey. "Shame that, but with her alpha training its only natural. She will return one day to lead the den. Hopefully more experienced and accepting of pregnant females."

Reaching a hand to Melusine as if wanting to help her up. "I'm truly sorry, My teachings are always proving inadequate whenever new elements appear in the den. You were by mere chance or destiny, the final ingredient that made a very unstable cauldron boil over. Sven will be OK and Miranda has been trained to withstand these kinds of traumas."

Darious remained silent, he wanted to say something but his wife had already said it. "I hope you will join us for dinner. You can yell at me for being an evil hag there."

[Anonymous]

"I... I thought I might be able to gather some herbs to put on his back," she whispered, finally able to speak. "I really thought I could. But I guess I didn't count on getting so winded. What's going to happen to Rio?" she asked, suddenly a little concerned. "I was going to invite her to the wedding, but after that... I don't know. I just don't know. But she fainted. You...want her to lead the den one day?" Melusine gulped. She was torn between sheer terror at the very idea of Rio leading the den and concern for her because she had fainted. "I hope Aaron and I don't have to run away when that happens." Melusine shivered involuntarily.

Yet she found comfort in the hand that reached to help her up. Melusine laughed nervously. "You're not evil. Intimidating, yes...but not evil. Miranda is trained, you say? Perhaps I should be too. After all I've been through just trying to get here, all that Rio and Scar put me through...if anything else happens I don't know that I would be able to stand it. Are you sure Sven will be all right? Why did you throw him? Perhaps I should stay and help Miranda... "

Though she really was hungry and could have used a dinner, and she didn't feel quite so frightened of the den mother now, there was the fear again, creeping up on her. The fear that if anyone else in her family died, she would be inconsolable, and not even the same as she was now.

[Anonymous]

"Don't worry too much about Rio, she wont be leading the den anytime soon and by then you would be more than a match for her." The den mother brought out Melusine's new found spirit. "This spirit is probably the reason you didn't collapse before your limits were reached. I can teach you the basics but for the most part it is self study and diligence. Not my teachings that will raise your powers."

Thinking a little more, smelling the fresh air and the sour sweat she had worked up during the recent battle. "Miranda will be OK without you consoling her. In fact, she might resent your help because it would make her look like she needed it. Perhaps visiting her after dinner would be more appropriate." As for the reason she had tossed Sven, she decided not to answer that yet. Instead quietly watching as Darius patted Aaron on the shoulder.

"Your wondering why you couldn't change or do something when faced with Scar eh?"  Scratching his forehead, but remaining quiet. His mind brooding over something. "Aye." was all he manage to mutter out, he still felt useless. It was a bitter emotion. Slightly dimmed because of the pretty surroundings and Melusine, his beloved. If she wasn't here he would probably have expressed his frustrations physically.

"Its because this is new to you and because Melusine hasn't given you permission to change at will. You are as dependant on her as she is of you now that your bonded. In truth, what we ask of you is too much. Wearing the armor of Wright."

"The longer it is on the more it increases your reliance on her, because the spirits that inhabit the armor end up overwhelming your mind. That's why for now. Her focus would be on spirit training. The more control she has over you. The less we need to rely on your own sanity to fight against the Lord of frost, Cedric."

Darius shuddered over the name as if he had caught a cold just by mentioning it. Now that he had spoken it out loud, the area did seem to slightly chill. Almost as if he had invited a hollow darkness to join them.

The cold darkness dissipated into nothing by a flick of the first mothers wrist. "Fear not child, this is a true haven. People of greed and evil can't find this place. Hm, perhaps we should dine here." Nodding at the view. The crystal castle could be seen reflecting the sun. Gently caressing their skin with warmth akin to that of a protective mother watching over their children. After First Father had summoned up a wooden table filled to the brim with extremely wondrous meals. It seemed to be just as good as any other place.

[Anonymous]

"I'm sorry, my beloved." Her cheeks burned in shame. "If I had anything to do with this- anything at all- then I'm sorry. I didn't realize it would be so important to have you change at will."

And indeed, if their babies ended up coming when he was a werewolf, it might turn out to be even more important. But in truth, she was still rather new to the bonding thing and didn't know if it would work if she just said the word.

All the while, she was also paying attention to what Darius said. The more control she had over him the less they needed to rely on his sanity to fight Cedric? She wasn't sure if she understood.

"Then whose sanity will you depend on? Mine? I'm not sure that's a good idea."

[Anonymous]

"There is nothing you can do, Aaron cant change when he wants to in years to come. We bypass those years to come part by bonding with a person. By now you should be able to command him to change whenever he needs to but then again you have never practiced so its OK. Nobody learns it during their first day of teaching." First father said trying to reassure Melusine.

Fidgeting with his belt buckle before grabbing a chicken breast. Sniffing in the spiced skin of delicate yet tender meat before indulging himself. First mother was different, she observed Melusine trying to pile together a profile of sorts. Like a horse trainer looking for fresh horses on a market, it would seem that her experienced eyes didn't ignore any detail.

"By any rate, we gotta wait for your pups to do anything. Pregnancy is a delicate thing and the spirit training regiment i want to fit you in isn't delicate. Suits me fine considering the winter season is about to arrive. As for kids, they wont have your illness and will turn out healthy enough, its raising them that will be a problem. Good thing you have more than one woman to aid you with that." Taking a breather quickly nabbing a fruit. Letting its juice run down the cheeks, savouring the taste.

"For now focus on giving him simple instructions, you have been doing it subconsciously many times already. That much i can tell." Aaron looked at her quite surprised but kept on chewing on that chicken leg. Trying to copy First father, it had slaked some of the blood lust he had felt rushing around in his veins. Aaron had never heard a single command if Melusine already were commanding him then that meant he had no control over his actions. He was lucky that Melusine was the one that had bonded him. At least she wasn't Rio or someone he would despise greatly.

[Anonymous]

"There's a slight problem with the command thing. See, I only command him when I really really need him to do something. Like, for instance, if I were outside and my labor started, I would tell him to carry me toward the den. That would be a need, because I'm not expecting to be able to walk. Otherwise, he has control over his own mind, because if he only depended on me to give him commands,  I...I kind of feel like there would cease to be two of us, if that makes any sense. He wouldn't be able to do anything of his own accord and that includes loving me...doesn't it? Our wedding is not far away now. But if I commanded him for every little thing, I'm concerned he would grow to resent me." Resentment and hate were not emotions Melusine was used to feeling from him, and she didn't want it to start.

"I don't know if I've told anyone this before, besides Aaron and Irridan and Nathaniel, but Cedric was the one who burned my village. He tried to capture me too, but Aaron rescued me." And as it always would, intense love and gratefulness welled up inside her when she thought of it. "The point is...I believe that this one man, Cedric, has enough hate and resentment for the entire world. I don't need those feelings coming from my bonded love." Melusine tried to eat with the vigor Aaron was, but she couldn't quite manage it. Thinking about all this made her sick, even though she was very hungry. She ate slowly, almost methodically now, even the things she loved to eat most.

[Anonymous]

"He wont, thats the whole point of bonding. His spirit is slowly syncronising into submission anyhow. The wolf part of him will remain, see scar. The man used to be able to form coherent sentences however by now he has regressed mostly into a permanent wolf state. His spirit was frail and he had a weak will. Following his every desire regardless of the bond. In another 50 years or so he would be reduced to a tool for Rio's every whims."

"That my girl, is the true nature of bonding. We wont let it happen to your beloved though. You only need to learn the bare essentials, fight Cedric and then break the bond. The link will remain but your ability to command him will be gone just like all the other benefits. such as the shared stamina and endurance. A bonded werewolf is the equivalent of having 15 Laella Aurum type spirits."

Sighing, already slightly bored with how the conversation had suddenly become a lecture and story telling. First mother took a large sip of water, before plunging back into the conversation. "Cedric used to be such a sweetheart, we don't know why he has turned against the forest themselves but he must be stopped either way."

Aaron listened intently, slightly agreeing with their reasonings. He felt used but accepted it. Oddly enough. He believed his love with Melusine to be genuine and that was enough for him to let her decide what fate they should choose.

[Anonymous]

Oh dear gods. If she were to break the bond with Aaron, ever, she'd need a god or goddess of healing more than ever. But if she didn't...

If she didn't, that would be worse.

"I don't want you to turn into a wolf of death. Not that I'd ever stop loving you either way. You do understand that I'll never stop loving you, right?" These words were for his ears alone.  It almost brought her to tears, this love so intense and genuine that they shared. "But Scar...is frightening to me. I want you to be your own person, even if it costs me...everything I've gained from this."

Everything. Once she broke the bond, there would be no more shared stamina or endurance. She would be weaker for it. But to her, not having Aaron's true personality around would bother her more than any pain or weakness she could ever endure.

[Anonymous]

"I don't need to listen to this." Aaron said agitated, he should be infuriated with what was said here but again incapable of summoning fourth anger enough. A thing that was growing increasingly frustrating. Except he couldn't feel frustration either.

"Listen Melusine, I think we shouldn't let these event's decide how to live our lives and while I love you too this is one of those things that a man has to do. If i have to fight. If what i do will save lives but cost me some sanity. Then i will still do it. Because it seems to be the right thing to do."

First father whistling approvingly in the background. "We could jump start your training at once, while Melusine chats and has fun. There will be periods of resting with tons of room to converse and keep building your relationships."

[Anonymous]

"If you want to," sighed Melusine. And suddenly the fact that he actually wanted to meant a lot to her. "I love you, and I love that you want to." His mood puzzled her though...all those feelings that he wanted to feel and yet couldn't. She wasn't really sure what to do about the fact that she couldn't decipher his mood, but it made her uncomfortable.

[Anonymous]

First mother took a probing look at Aaron now that he had her attention it felt as if nature was eyeing its own creation. Marvelling and studying, sampling it for a later event. "Your already developing split emotion's. It's because of the recent event's. It will tone down eventually. What your experiencing is your body wanting to feel angry. It's the werewolf inside you. Soon enough First father will teach you to supress and control this part and more."

[Anonymous]

Melusine was comforted- slightly- that First Mother had been able to explain it. But this- this surge of emotions...did it mean he didn't love her anymore? Miserable with this, yet not daring to ask, she put a hand on her belly. It wasn't fair...it wasn't.  She loved him. She had  loved him even before they were bound. Yet if he didn't love her, she knew there was no use letting him linger, bound to her. She suddenly wanted to talk to Sven, to see if he had once felt as used as Aaron seemed to feel.

[Anonymous]

First mother turned to Melusine. "There is much you need to know about the werewolf curse, at least we have established a general oppinion that it is a curse. An ancient curse from an ancient evil. The wolf of death being second stage of its evolution. Scar embodies with the beast, revels in it. The only reason you have not died during Aaron's transformations yet is because he desired you and the wolf wraith inside of him saw fit to let you become its mate."

It was indeed troublesome. This girl didn't seem too keen on getting information like this, only reasonable. A pure hearted kid, rather untouched by cruelty and evil. Perhaps this was too much for her. Only time would tell and that was what they all had much of. Time.

"You see unlike most animal spirits the wolf lingers on in nature and a skilled warlock called Naow managed to draw them out, he corrupted them and put them inside people experimenting and testing different side effect's to obtain immortality. He loved what he had created and even today there exists no cure. Only bonding can prevent the natural evolution."

First mother looked at her mate next, she knew his plight and he knew hers. "Forever bonded. "

[Anonymous]

It bothered her, but that wasn't what bothered her most. Melusine had lost everyone who ever loved her (except Aaron) when Cedric burned her village. To think of raising her children alone bothered her, too, but to have no one who loved her bothered her the most.

"What if he doesn't love me anymore?" She turned very pale, and would have cried, but she realized that if he didn't love her, she would just have to accept it. Even if no one ever loved her again. Even if it meant raising her pups alone. Even if she died! And if it came to that, she knew that she would die for Aaron gladly.

"I would have no one who loved me then..." she said, not thinking of Sven and Miranda. If Sven didn't make it, neither would she. "I have lost everything. But even if Aaron were to turn on me... I think I would die for him gladly. Because I still love him. I loved him even before we were officially bonded, and that has to count for something, doesn't it?"

In spite of her paleness, her words showed an inner strength...a strength she was just beginning to learn how to master.

[Anonymous]

Aaron felt a shift in his anger, there was no explaining what had happened. As if the wolf within him had openly recognized a large threat to its dominion and his eyes now rested upon First Mother. Curiously enough her eyes where ready and waiting for his, drawing in everything she could use and the wolf felt overwhelmed by it. Like it had sought a threat and found something worse. A predator larger than itself and much, much more cunning.

Cowering behind Aarons soul and body it hid in terror, lingering within only the farthest reaches of his mind. His tension slipped and he was his regular happy self again. "Thank you for everything you have done, I am grateful for the bonding and i think you have said enough."

He rose and hugged Melusine, taking in the scent's from her conflicted mind along with the feedback from his connection with her. "If this is the way we must live then that is the way we will live. The only other option is dying right? and that would be awkward considering I did just recently save your life from zombie men and whatnot."

[Anonymous]

It didn't exactly answer her question, but Aaron's hug did soothe Melusine quite a bit. "Yes, I guess so, that would be really awkward," she agreed, and then she smiled. "Not to mention, you wouldn't get to see your children. Don't you still want to see them?" she asked happily.  Even if there might be a possibility he didn't love her anymore, Melusine would not have denied Aaron the pleasure of seeing his children for anything. What had happened had happened, and there was no going back now.

Of course, not being sure about the status of their relationship did make Miranda offering to make a wedding dress seem quite awkward now. But even though he might not love her anymore, she hoped they could remain friends.

She would have liked him to say directly whether he loved her or not, but for now, his hug seemed to say that he wasn't angry with her. That was enough.

[Anonymous]

"I guess i could have not said anything and left you to be blissfully ignorant but that would leave me feeling rather cruel if you would ever find out otherwise. Even Sven and Miranda stayed by their decisions after gaining this knowledge." First mother rose from her chair and looked away at something distant. "Regardless of what you know. Actions serve to define what you do with that knowledge and your wrong to think there is no other option."

First father then spoke up out of thought, the bond compelled him to speak and he did. "That way is Cedric's keep. Getting in is easy, everyone that has tried has gotten inside. Its trickier to get out. Only two of our finest ever got out again. You have met Scar when he was sane and peerless warrior lost himself to carnal rage and was never the same again.

and then there was Silver knight Dagoth, finding nothing of importance during his first, never came back during his second attempt. I wont lie to you, we know what happens to those that are caught by Cedric's contraptions or guards. Or at least we have encountered their remains in battle weeks afterwards."

Aaron couldn't do much but listen to the end. He had wanted to comment but did not feel like it the more he heard about this weird quest the less he desired to actually go trough with it. "How is it that you two have not attempted to enter?"

"We can't. First father and I have been branded by Cedric, if he where to encounter us we would end up as his servants, subjects to his will."