Spirits of the Earth

Chaos couldn't begin to describe the Hell that Fort Dhagh had become. Fires scorched through the snow, smoke and ash mixing with the skies, and bodies and screams of the dying and the dead echoed throughout the valley. And this is when the Fort, backed by the impenetrable Kilanthro mountains, began to fall.

Perhaps the stone wall should have been built with more haste, but whatever wood towers or gates, or housing were quickly taking to flame and charring the dirt and snow. And there was no turning back the clock now. The alarms had sounded, the archers to their post, and the clashing of steel and the shouts of men could be heard for miles.

They moved like thunder, a powerful rumbling force that shook the ground and over came their enemies. Though it was not without it's exhaustions, for there were many casualties on both sides, Blaith Harmond became invincible, cutting through everything and anything in his path.  He still carried the flag of his people, and it wasn't until he spotted the very man he came to seek. And his eyes cut over to the General, and soon his horse was tearing forth.

A few men tried to keep Blaith back, but they were soon cut down by his blade, leaving Blaith on horse back, and the General, glaring up at him from where he stood, blade ready, in the snow. Pointing his blade at the man, an intense fire in his eyes, he growled.

"You know why I've come," he told him, voice colder and harsher than the wind. "Where is she?"

The General only gave one look, a tired one that made him appear far older than he was. Though General Serenus had lived a good, long life-
He already knew his fate.


For it would all end here.





The others who witnessed the account were uncertain what to make of it- for the idea of cutting off the head of the snake normally left the rest in peril.  But to have witnessed the beheading of the infamous General Serenus-
It was then the army of Turgall knew, this was the turning point in the war.


It didn't take long for Blaith to bellow out his command and find out where his sister had been taken. And rage fueling his blood, he rushed off towards the great stone tower, up it's spiraling steps to where he made it tot he top- drenched in blood and sweat, and his breath, coarse and sore.

He stared at the door, obviously locked, but removed the keys from his side-and they too, were stained with cold blood. Placing the iron into the hole, he twisted the key and with an echoing click, the door released and groaned open. Though as he rushed inside, he came to an abrupt halt- for there, laying within the prison, was a woman in nothing but her under clothes.

There was a young woman lying there in only her under clothing. The light, soft grey tunic, leggings and woolen socks were meant to be worn under heavy padding and armor, but Lillian had been stripped of those. Kella had worn them in her escape. It was only because of Kella that Lillian was even still breathing, Aryn had planned to kill her to prevent her from raising an alarm.

Instead she lay on the bed in Kella's cell, frozen blood matting her golden hair from a gash on her temple, the blow that had left her unconscious. A small pool of her noble blood was frozen on the floor where she had fallen. Her skin was almost ashen in color. The fire had died in the tower and she was beyond cold, but small puffs of breath pushed past blue lips.

With her jade green eyes closed lightly, it would have been easy to mistake her at first for her prisoner. The women were of similar height and build, their hair was much the same color. Lillian had bright green eyes, where Kella had striking blue. However, mistaking her identity wouldn't have lasted more than a moment or two. This man knew both women too well to get them confused for long.

The confusion, however, lasted longer, for all he could see- was the possible dead body of his sister Kella. He took one shaking step forward, his blue eyes wide and frightful, but by the time he was at the gate- tears began to well. In a cry of anguish, he scrambled like a mad man to open the door, fumbling with the keys before throwing the gate open with a rattling clang.

Nothing could stand between him and his sister, and when he scooped her up from the bed, it was only then did he realize, with furrowed brows his mistake.

"Lily?"

There was only a dim awareness of the cell door crashing upon loudly. The sound seemed muffled and far away to Lillian, who was still swimming in a confusing sea of mingled darkness and awareness. Part of her mind wanted to sink down into that comforting, warm darkness, because trying to be aware was painful and cold.

Being lifted from the bed and held against Blaith jarred her, prickling at her mind in a searing hot lance of pain. Lillian groaned softly, green eyes fluttering momentarily as she thought she heard her name.

"C-cold. H-hurts." Those were the only two words she could press past her lips. Lillian's mind was consumed by those two single-worded thoughts as she struggled with consciousness. She'd failed at something important, but damned if she knew what it was at that moment.

The men who had followed close at his heels were in the room in seconds. And Blaith didn't waste a moment to bark the commands.
"Re-light the fire and guard the tower. And bring me those blankets over there. NOW!"

The men hesitated not, and soon the fire was roaring, and Lily, wrapped in two thick blankets as Blaith moved her towards the fire place. And though the shock was still there to see her and in such a state, he could not help himself but ask, when he thought she had had enough time to regain herself...

"Kella.... where is she?"

Lily was aware of someone barking orders, she was definitely aware that she was being moved, because each movement made her ache, her body stiff from cold. It wasn't until minutes later that she became aware that someone had wrapped her up in blankets and set her in the only semi-nice chair inside the tower before the fireplace, which was crackling with heat again.

Slowly she began to shiver again as her body relished the heat and she began to warm. Lillian's thoughts remained fuzzy, but her head did clear as her body temperature began to rise again. The events before waking were still a confusing jumble. So when Blaith asked her about Kella her green eyes could only stare at him in confusion for several long moments.

Finally she blinked and looked around stiffly. "She was...taken. You took her."

Her brows furrowed in confusion, because that didn't seem right. "No...not you. YOU!"

Lillian only just grasped the concept that Blaith Harmond really was there this time, and there were soldiers here. What the hell had happened while she'd been out? How long had she been out? She struggled against her blankets, managing to wriggle a hand free to point at him accusingly.

"What are you doing here? This...this is all wrong. You shouldn't be here. Ansgar damn it all, I'm going to kill that son of a bitch. Where's my armor? Where's my sword? Give them back this instant Blaith Harmond."

Blaith's expression soured darkly at her request. And at her words. And the only thing he could spit back at her was a roar.
"GONE!?" The words echoed like a lion's roar. "What do you mean she's gone!?"

"I MEAN SHE'S BLOODY GONE BLAITH HARMOND! WHAT PART OF THAT WAS HARD TO UNDERSTAND?" Lillian was still cold, but her mind was snapping back into coherency and fury was in her green eyes as her voice had risen to match his roar with shouting.

Things were all out of order, out of control, and making little sense. Blaith Harmond was really here, and he was looking for Kella. If he was here, and strange soldiers were here, then he was here by force. If he was looking for Kella then she really was gone. Somehow her mousy prisoner had actually escaped. This was beyond humiliating.

Like the crackling fire that danced in his eyes, he bore a glare back at her more vicious than the ocean storms. He was losing his patients- Lily Coleridge or not, and asked her in a deep throated growl,
"I'll ask one more time, Lady Coleridge. Where.... is.... Kella?"

Lillian could scream, no, she did scream. The sound was one of pure frustration and rage. Blaith Harmond was not helping the sting of humiliation that came from knowing she'd failed and let her prisoner escape.

"I don't know!" She growled back at him, burning jade eyes meeting his stormy blue. "A man came here claiming to be you. He got all the way to the tower, none of these fools could tell the difference between a lowborn thug and your grace, but I moved to arrest him and he nearly took my head off. With his fist."

Lillian reached her hand up to tenderly touch the small wound on her head. She gave a grunt of distaste at what she found.

It was only then did Blaith register her wound, and his blue eyes softened. But only briefly before he rose before her.

"A man? An imposter?"
He felt his blood boiling as his muscled tensed. He gripped his hands into fists, but his arms still shook as he tried to control his rage. After a moment, he swallowed the anger down and opened his eyes to her.

"Yet he did not kill you. And he left you here? To suffer and freeze to death in that cage?"

Lillian might have missed the way his eyes softened as they rested on her wound because they became hard again so quickly, but her jade eyes hadn't actually moved from his face since she'd realized that he was there.

When his eyes opened again as he wrestled with his rage at the news of an impostor, she was still staring at him intently. There was still fury in her eyes, and her expression was not soft or sweet as it might have been under better circumstances.

"I am surprised he didn't kill me. I don't think my life meant anything to him, so my death should have come quickly. I imagine your sister has something to do with the fact that I'm still alive."

It was only then did he turn from her and released a long, shaking sigh.

"We're taking her with us. Let's get out of this god forsaken tower." And he gestured to a group of his men to gather around her, and he said nothing more as he headed towards the door. He wasted enough time here anyway.

Was...was he serious?

Lillian watched the soldiers close in around her and her green eyes widened slightly, anger flaring back inside her. "Now just you wait a minute! What do you mean 'we're taking her with us'?! Don't you dare talk about me like I'm not right here Blaith Harmond! You can't just take me anywhere!"

At her statement, he paused at the door. And a second later, he turned to look at her.
"Of course I can. You're my prisoner." And he moved to begin his long trek down the spiraling stairs.

You're my prisoner.

Those words echoed hollowly through her head repeatedly for a several moments as Lillian sat in shock. It took one of Blaith's men putting a hand on her arm to snap her out of her stunned stillness. Shrugging him off furiously, she gave him a glare that had him shuffling back a couple steps as she rose from her chair on her own.

She was still sore and stiff, and chilly, but she was damned if she wasn't going to walk out of here on her own. There was a temptation to force them to carry her out of the tower kicking and screaming, but that was hardly a dignified exit.

No, Lillian Coleridge followed Blaith Harmond as they began the decent from the tower with an expression of cold fury, but her head was held high and her shoulders straight. The blanket wrapped around her might as well have been palace finery and her guards might as well have been royal escorts for all the grace she managed to muster.

Lillian Coleridge was the crack in his mirror, the fallen tree in his path- and the walk down the spiraling stairs felt endless. By the time he reached the bottom, he had enough of his thoughts on her, and discarded them without so much as a glance behind him.

It was more of his men that greeted him at the bottom- which was a good sign. It meant they had the upper hand. But then again, with their General down.... who was to lead these forces at Fort Dhagh.

"Prepare the men to continue North. The mage camps should be of no consequence since we've come this far. Fan through them all, inspect every crevice. If you find my sister there..."
And again, he felt his hands clench into a shaking fist.

"Angsar have mercy on their souls."

The trek down the stairs was certainly a long one, but it was made in silence except the sound of their footfalls echoing against the stone walls of the narrow, spiraling stairway. Lillian's eyes remained fixated ahead, not looking at any of the men around her, and especially not looking at Blaith bloody Harmond. Who did he think he was taking her prisoner?

Instead she kept her mask of indignant fury, all the while he green eyes assessed the situation once they reached the ground level of the tower. She listened to the orders given, lips drawing into a thin line as her eyes narrowed, but she bit her tongue and remained silent. Chin still risen haughtily into the air as she tried to keep the blankets firmly about herself without showing sign of cold or weakness.

Both of which she suffered. The long walk down the stairs had left her feeling light-headed and ill, and she thanked all that was holy for the blanket wrapped about her, not only for the small amount of chill it kept off, but that it hid her trembling steps.

You're my prisoner.

They would see about that!

As his men began to rush off and bark the orders, the duke turned sharp on his heels. It was only then did his eyes go to Lily, but not for long. He looked to his men.
"See that she is well guarded. She'll be the only prisoner we take." And he gave a stiff turn and began to storm away, dark cape flapping behind him like torn, black wings.

Lillian watched Blaith leave wordlessly, the fire in her eyes had flared again when he had referred to her once more as a prisoner. She was going to flay him alive for this! He would be a lucky man if she killed him before her father found out about this. Micah Coleridge was not a man known for leniency or mercy for those that harmed or endangered his kin.

The guard that seemed to be "in charge" of these men issued orders to take her outside the fort and away from the fighting. Again one of them tried to take her by the arm, and again her frosty gaze was enough to make him think better of it. Lillian walked towards the waiting horses of Blaith's army, those beasts currently not in use.

From her manner you would think she was walking this way simply because this was the direction she wished to go, not because she was being escorted there under guard. Inside she was far less stoic. On her feet were nothing but woolen socks, and the snow was quickly soaking them. As soon as they reached the place her guards chose to hold her until Blaith returned, Lillian demanded a seat.

It took harsh, cutting words, threats, and general brow-beating, but by the time Blaith would return Lillian would be sitting primly on a stool, clean dry socks, a coat, and a pair of sturdy boots had been fetched for her. Her clothing seemed more appropriate for a farmer's daughter than the child of a duke, but the way she held herself was clearly noble, and still seething with quiet fury.

It would be an eternity before the duke would return to his camp- and in the meantime, the screams and smells of battle filled the air, and by the end of it, though much blood was spilled and lives lost, it was almost all completely covered in the heavily falling snow.

Most of what happened next he was blind to remember- since what he came here for was no where to be seen. But as camp after mage camp were uprooted, he felt his mental state breaking away. So when the last crevice of the camps were searched, only then did Blaith believe Lillian's words. Though he was a fool to ignore them- he could not stop the drive, the hunger to find her.

The victory, to him, was empty, even as it would leave a massive and famous mark on the war. But the footprints he'd leave behind him were gone in seconds, as the snow crept higher and higher around.

The Turgall flag was raised, the Fort- claimed and gutted. And though he finally gave the command for his men to rest, when he returned to his camp, he looked as if he had just suffered the greatest loss and defeat.

The battle that raged so short a distance from Lillian only served to stoke the flames of her anger higher and hotter. So many had already died today, so many more would die before it ended. Men she knew and had served beside. Lillian had thought about asking what had become of General Serenus, but she kept her lips firmly sealed, refusing to ask. She knew the answer, of course, he was dead. Blaith would have never made it up the tower so long as the general had lived. His death rang hollowly inside her. He was a well-known, well-respect general, or had been, but she had not known him well. Soldiers died in droves.

By the time the Turgall flag was raised above the fort, the young noblewoman was stoically fighting her exhaustion and cold, which had been steadily creeping back into her limbs. She was a Coleridge, however, and her pride had her sitting stiff-backed on her stool, silent and nursing her fury.

Blaith returned to camp eventually, and as he drew close enough for her to see, jade eyes flared. For the first time since the tower she spoke to Blaith. Words cold and angry, lashing out at him in his obvious disappointment. "A hollow victory, your grace? You look so very unhappy for a man that just slaughtered thousands needlessly looking for a woman who is not here. If only someone had mentioned that to you earlier..."

It was then his eyes snapped to her, dangerous- like the poised stare of a snake. And if he growled, it was inaudible, but his lips did draw back to expose his teeth.

"Let them fall. Let them all fucking fall. I'd do the same for you if you were my sister." And he said no more, and stormed cleaned past.

Perhaps fear would have been a good thing to have a dose of in this situation. Lillian however, was fearless, even in the face of Blaith Harmond's fury and those dangerous hints to him were either unnoticed or intentionally ignored by the young woman.

Although Lillian did allow Blaith to be out of earshot before quietly saying, "If you were my brother you would not have failed."

To which her guards shifted uneasily and gave her strange looks. Blaith had just left her there under guard, again. Lillian wasn't sure if she should be more angry at being labeled a prisoner or at being ignored after being slapped with such a label.

Asking for the stool had been as much of her pride as she was willing to sacrifice, however, so she once again fell silent and did not ask for further comforts. She didn't demand a fire, or to be taken out of the snow and wind. Indeed, she'd have rather bit her tongue than admit that she was uncomfortable. Even when her fingers and toes grew numb again and her eyes felt heavy she sat rigid and silent, awaiting Blaith fucking Harmond to decide just what to do with her.

He already knew what to do with her. There was no question about it- the daughter of a duke, prisoner or not, was to stay with him. Once his place in the former General's room was established, and a fire roaring, he commanded his men to lead her there- and when she entered, all he did, was stare at her- a brooding figure against the dance of the fire.

Lillian managed to find the strength and will to stand when it came time for them to move her. She made the familiar trek to the General's room, it made sense for Blaith to take it for his own while he stayed, though she doubted this massive army would stay for very long. Probably only long enough for the soldiers to recover enough from the battle to march again.

When she entered, for all her manner, she might as well have been stepping into a throne room. Her throne room, because the glare that she fixed Blaith was certainly not that of someone that offered any deference to the man that stared at her so broodingly. Lillian lifted her chin haughtily before bowing stifflly.

"Your grace." The words were spat out in an angry growl before she straightened and cut her green eyes to her guards distastefully. "Did you bring me here to gloat your victory to my face?"

For a long time, his eyes bore into her.
"Do I look like the sort of man who is ready to gloat?" he growled lowly, his voice cutting through the stone room in a raspy echo. To his soldiers, he commanded, "Leave us!" And once the door was closed, he finally rose from his chair and gestured to the other seat at the table.

"Sit."
It wasn't a request, but a command.

The urge to resist was strong, but resistance would also serve littler purpose other than to show immaturity. Instead Lillian kept the haughty air about her as she took the seat as if sitting down had been her idea.

Honestly she was more than a little relieved to sit. Lillian was sore, cold, stiff, and exhausted. Only stubborn pride kept her awake and moving at this point. She tried to come up with further snide commentary, but kept her teeth firmly clenched together, unable or unwilling to provoke him further in that moment.

"I see your eyes, Lillian, and I see the way they flame. Do not bore them into me. This is a war. And it seems we've ended up on opposing sides."

"Then you are my enemy and we have nothing to discuss, your grace." Lillian said the words quietly, but the cold, hard edge did not leave her voice. She didn't say anything else, she really wasn't sure what there was to say. He'd attacked the fort, killed her commanding officer, and taken her prisoner. To say she was hating him in that moment was not incorrect.

It was more than that, though. If she had barely known him at all...She did barely know him at all! They flirted and shared dinner once. He played a guessing game with her as they walked along a beautiful trail. They raced horses. They laughed. He saw her in her undergarments, twice now, she supposed.

Hearing him call her his prisoner had hurt her more than she cared to admit. It was war, yes, but he had been so cold towards her. Whatever affection he had decided to give her that day was gone now, or so it would seem. Her green eyes closed and she focused all her energy on sitting up straight and not slumping in her seat.

He growled out an irritated sigh.
"We are.... and you could have died back there. This... this is the only option for your safety, Lily. Don't think I wanted this, because I did not!"

"Could have died? Your grace, by all accounts I should have died in the tower. I failed my duty to keep Kella safe and imprisoned. My life was forfeit, and the impostor did not take it. The cold should have killed me, but you arrived in such a timely manner. Ansgar, it would seem, doesn't plan for me to die today. I don't know if I should thank him or curse him. I was disgraced, and now I am a prisoner, offering me nothing but further dishonor."

Lillian's voice faded into something rather dispassionate. Hollow. Even if she were able to see her father and brothers again she wasn't sure she could even stand to look them in the eye she had disgraced herself so badly by allowing Kella to escape.

Her eyes stayed closed, they would require too much effort to open at this point. "Don't pretend to care for my safety, your grace. If I were you I'd be more concerned about my own safety, because when my father hears of this you will wish it was only Ansgar's wrath you faced."

He should have been annoyed, angry...
but at her last statement, a sudden, gruff chuckle escaped his lips.
And he laughed. Yes, it was at her statement that he laughed.

"If I survive this war, your father can have at me. But for now..." And he looked her over and slowly frowned.
"For now... get some rest"
And he paused, just briefly before adding,
"Do I have to command you? There, in the corner. Take the bed. I'll stick to the hay on the floor."

The sound of his laughter was enough to get Lillian to drag her eyes open, glowering at her as best she could while wishing that she hadn't opened her eyes to being with. The room was tilting and spinning, festering a nauseous feeling in her stomach.

"What's this? The prisoner sleeps on a bed while the great conqueror takes the floor? I think not, your grace. Take your bed, I don't want it." She spat the last sentence venomously. Like hell she was sleeping in the General's bed while his corpse was either buried in snow or burned.

"Oh?" he raised his head, and it seemed as if he were almost jovial, but that tone was hollow.
"Then you'd rather sleep in the dirt? How modest."

"Consider it my disinclination to accept your charity." Lillian responded coolly, as she stood, managing to only falter and stumble a little in the process. Her green eyes were a touch feverish as she very slowly and carefully walked over to a corner of the room away from the bed and sat with her back to the wall.

She'd have liked to stay awake and glare at him for the rest of the night, but within minutes she was slumped in her corner, chin resting on her chest as it rose and fell in slow, even breaths.

The rest would be brief, and he knew he wouldn't be able to sleep. Though he was surprised to find Lilian breathing quietly on the ground not too long after the pair had settled into quiet. For a good long while he stared at her, before rising from the ground and scooping her up and placing her into the bed.

The rest was brief, three hours to recharge, then it was time to move on. They had to get back to Turgall to regroup before word got out to all of Connlaoth. And it would be there he'd await his fate-
though in the mean time...
He could only hope his 'prisoner' could help him find his sister- lest the madness to have her consume him.

It was another soldier who awoke her, Blaith, now standing at the door discussing details, didn't even give a glance in her direction. The soldier offered her a bowl of water and some bread.

"Eat. We march in less than an hour."

Lillian hadn't wanted to sleep. She simply hadn't been able to stay awake any longer. Being moved from the floor to the bed didn't cause her to so much as stir. During her short sleep her skin had gone from chilled to hot, and when the soldier woke her she let out hoarse groan.

It took effort to wake up, confusion and fever clouded her eyes before she realized someone was offering her food and water. Lillian barely noticed the bread, but she took the water and gulped it greedily, letting the cold liquid soothe and burn her raw throat at the same time.

With a series of coughs she pushed the empty bowl away and ignored the bread entirely as she managed to stand, only to sway for a few moments before standing up straight and glaring at those around her indignantly. She swallowed painfully again, wishing there was more water, but refusing to ask for it.

Blaith was ignoring her again. Good. She thought sourly as she proceeded to look everywhere but at him.

Once the orders were given, Blaith nodded and the men were off, swiftly delivering the message to the entire army that had temporarily made homage to the keep. And he still didn't address Lily, instead, he moved to the General' s desk, idly flipping through his things.

What she wouldn't give to have her armor back. Lillian was still angry that it had been stolen. It was just rubbing salt in the wound of her prisoner escaping. Also, not that she would admit it, but she felt vulnerable without it. She was surrounded by a hostile army, after all, and no matter what he said, Lillian wasn't sure she could tell just what Blaith was really thinking or planning.

She was his prisoner, but to what end? Did he think he could hold her hostage? The White Lily scowled at the very idea of being used as some bargaining chip. "If we're leaving soon you had better make sure my horse is ready. The palomino war stallion that was in the stables, Blaith." She said, pointedly as she turned her green eyes on him coolly. It was obvious that her horse was not a request, but a demand.

Blaith only sighed and replied, "You'll ride, partial hog-tied, mind you, on the back of my horse." And he didn't bother to look up at her when he said that.

Lillian's composure dropped as her eyes bulged slightly. He couldn't possibly be serious! Anger flared in her again. "Like hell I will! you're a fool if you think I will tolerate being tied to your horse like a sack of potatoes! That isn't dignified, you, you can't do that to me!"

Ansgar help her, Blaith really was mad.

Still not lifting his gaze, he asked simply, "Then what I am to do with you?" It was then his blue eyes lifted to her. "As a prisoner, I could do much less. And you have yet to show you want to cooperate." And he paused, before adding, "Do you really think this is so easy?"
He hadn't come here for this, hadn't wanted this- but what other choice did he have? There was no sign of Kella and she? She was the only connection he could find of where she might be- but even that was uncertain. And he was't taking prisoners for a reason. Technically, she should have been dead.

"Cooperate?!" Lillian snarled, dropping any pretenses that she was calm or in control. "Y-you labeled me your prisoner, have barely spoken to me or looked at me or even acknowledged me since, and you've certainly not told me your plans for me. Are you just going to lug me around like a burdensome pest? Are you planning to use me as a hostage for negotiations with my father? What do you want from me Blaith?"

By the time she was finished ranting her breath was coming out raggedly, as the simple act of arguing with him was winding her. There were also tears in her eyes, but her voice was still hot and angry. "I am not going without my horse. My brother gave me that horse. I will ride on my own, beside you, I promise not to try to escape, but don't tie me to your horse like a damn saddlebag."

Blaith released a long, hot sigh through his nose. His eyes peered darkly at her, but there was a glimmer of sympathy and something else.

"If you want answers, I plan to keep you until I figure that out." And he turned from her and gestured to one of his men.
"Find the lady's horse. Then tie it mine." And he paused and looked back at her.
"She'll ride with me, hands tied." He brushed past her. "We'll share the saddle." She looked freezing anyhow, and they had hardly any clothes to spare.She should still be safe from his touch anyhow. He was in so many layers it seemed to mirror his emotions.

Just keep them in check. Keep them at bay.

He could not afford to lose his senses now. Not when he was so close.

Lillian stared right back at Blaith, teeth gritting before she turned her head away. It was a compromise, she chided herself. Her hands would be tied, but she could sit in a saddle. His saddle. At least her horse wasn't going to be left behind, or worse, stolen. Her armor, her sword, her freedom, Ansgar help her should she lose her horse too.

"Fine." She finally sighed. It was in her best interest to work with Blaith instead of completely against him. If he was willing to budge, even a little, well, she should probably be grateful. As his prisoner he could really do whatever he wanted with her. Including order her execution.

Little did she know how close to death she would be. Sharing his saddle he knew was risky, but what else could be done? Once he and his men were ready, and her horse, retrieved and allowed to be inspected by her- he began the orders to prepare him men to head West.

"There are other mage camps..." he was telling one General. "Kella could have been taken there."

Lillian was delighted when she got to inspect Sunset Breeze and find that he was both in good health and good spirits. Petting the stallion for a few moments did calm her frayed nerves some, but it was hard to forget, even for a moment, that her situation was pretty bad.

She overheard Blaith and sighed heavily. "I already told you that Lady Harmond is gone. She was in that tower, and I was assigned to guard her. A man pretending to be you came and knocked me out. I'm fairly sure that he did not take her to another mage camp. Your sister is free - somewhere."

Blaith bristled at what Lillian had to share, and he and his men he was conversing with went quiet. After a moment, Blaith stalked over to her side.
"Care to enlighten me more about this?"
He could use any lead he got. He just hoped Lily would actually cooperate. He knew she was more than upset with him- and for good reasons.

The man could bristle all he wanted, but Lillian had already told him that an impostor had taken Kella. What more did he want from her? "What more would you know? I was unconscious, Blaith. I have no idea where he could have taken her, or why. Well, maybe I could make a guess as to why. Lady Harmond seemed to know him, so I assume they were familiar with each other. Certainly enough for him to foolishly try to rescue her. Or not so foolish, as he seems to have succeeded."

Blaith was taken back. A mixture of emotions twisting across his face, from rage, to surprise. It took him longer than he'd like to digest that sort of information, but with a soured look, he finally turned away from her.

"And you have no more clues as to who he could have been? My sister... hadn't mentioned a name?"
And desperately he tried to think over who it could have been. A relative? Someone he had sent after her? If so...then why did they not contact him?

Lillian scowled as she tried to recall everything she had seen or heard, both from Kella before the escape and during the escape. "She spoke fondly of a man to me, once, but she never mentioned his name. Someone that she'd spent time with before her capture. I would chance a guess that it was him in the tower."

She rubbed at her face tiredly. "He was dressed up in lordly clothing, but he was definitely lowborn. If one was unfamiliar with your or nobles in general, I can see how he might have been mistaken for you. Blonde hair, blue eyes, and a solid wall of muscle. Ansgar, when he hit me it was like getting struck with a hammer."

Blaith visibly stiffened, and his demeanor instantly grew dark. A man? Did Kella have...

No.. he couldn't think on it. For it was making his blood boil and his mind roar in rage. He had to turn away from her, but the next thing she said snapped him to his senses as he turned around at her, eyes wide. That's when his anger flared.
"I'm going to fucking kill him."

Lillian rolled her eyes slightly as Blaith got angry about this mystery man that his sister had talked about. She almost pointed out the little problem his sister had with her skin being deadly to touch, so he probably didn't have much to worry about in that department.

It was when he turned to her in a rage that she jumped slightly, blinking owlishly at his outburst. "He rescued your sister from the tower, which was what you were trying to do, shouldn't you be giving him a medal? Providing you can find him, that is?"

"Rescued!? RESCUED!? If you call bagring in here, marring my name with his commoner's blood and then just parading in and taking my sister away.. And to you he... he... he... " He was so mad he couldn't even say it as he shook and held his hands into fists.

"I'll gut him. And more than once, and hang him from his insides off my castle wall."

The only part of that Lillian understood why he was mad was the commoner parading around pretending to be him. A lowborn fool pretending to be a duke was an insult to them all. Pity so many fell for it.

"I don't see why you'd care what he did to me, Blaith Harmond." Lillian said quietly, now looking back at her horse longingly, wishing that she'd be in the stallion's saddle instead of stuck on a horse with Blaith. She didn't want to be that close to him right now.

At such a remark, his anger continued to flare.
"What do you mean? You're a lady! How dare such a cad lay a hand on you! But no, I'll do worse to him. I'll hang him from eyes and have my people throw stones and acid at his gutted body!"

Lillian's anger flared a bit at his comment. "Yes, such a lady that you were going to hog-tie me and strap me to your horse!"

"Of course I would if you didn't concede! But the fact of the matter still remains you were struck by that ruffian and he will pay for the consequences!"

"I don't need your chivalry, Blaith! If we find him, I will kill him myself. That is a very big if, your grace. Now figure out where we're going and let's be away. Staying here turns my stomach." Lillian just wanted to be away from here. The snow covered up much of the evidence of the battle, but she still knew there were thousands of dead bodies out there, just beneath the deceptively innocent white powder.

"I would know what direction to take us if you could give us a better lead! The only thing I have to go off of is nothing!"

"That isn't my fault! I've told you everything I know!" Honestly, men were such stubborn, pig-headed, arrogant, blow-hards.

Blaith growled and turned away from her. He knew he had to make a decision, and to make it soon. All of Connlaoth would be hunting he and his army, this he knew for certain. But which way was he to go from here?

"Sir?"

Blaith turned back around, and the young man that approached paused before bowing his head and folding an arm across his breast.
"I come with news. They say at the bottom of a ravine... a horse..."


"A horse?" Blaith's brows furrowed.


The man nodded. "If.. if you could confirm it... It looks... like yours."

"Looks like you've found a lead, tenuous as it might be." Lillian sighed, rolling her head back slightly to gaze up at the sky, judging the weather. It was miserably cold, of course, but that wasn't going to stop the army from marching.

Giving another heaving sigh she strolled over to Blaith's waiting horse, her own was tied to his on a decent length of lead. Obediently she turned to one of the soldiers and put her hands together, waiting for him to bind them, since having her hands bound was part of the condition of her getting to ride with Blaith as opposed to simply strapped to the horse.

Blaith gave an irritable sigh and cut a look Lily's way before barking to his men, "Take us to it!" And they nodded and before Lily was even properly tied (or tied at all!)- Blaith grabbed onto her wrist and dragged her along with him. It seemed the ravine wasn't far enough away to need horses.

Once there, he surveyed the area and looked down the hill side. Seeing the horse, still and half fallen in snow, he made a face.
"How could you guess the horse is-"
But he paused in mid-sentence, taking a step forward as he noticed the Turgall crest upon the fallen mare.

Lillian had to bite her tongue to keep from saying something she'd regret as Blaith dragged her along with him by the wrist. She wasn't a damn rag doll! Why did she have to check out the horse with him? Couldn't she have just waited by horses? Her protests were swallowed with a sullen look that was dangerously close to pouting.

Instead she focused on keeping up. She was a short woman and Blaith had a long stride, thankfully he was slowed by the snow. Unfortunately, so was she. Somehow she managed not to fall, though she stumbled more than once. When they stopped she was gasping again, and when he moved forward she moved with him, stepping closer to him than she had before.

Her eyes moved over the crest on the mare, but she was more worried about something else. Keeping her voice low so that the others wouldn't hear her, she glanced up at Blaith with a worried frown. "You're hurting my wrist, please stop squeezing so hard."

In that moment, nothing else existed except the still horse. And all of those fears, those dreads came bubbling to the surface. And he didn't even hear what Lily had said, his grip tightening even more as his lips curled back to reveal a scowl.

Kella... if Kella was dead. They would all pay!

"Ready the horses, we go down into the ravine!" he snapped, and continued to pull his prisoner along back to his horse. "Find the safest and quickest route and do it now!"

All Lillian could do was grit her teeth as she was dragged back through the snow again, concentrating on not being pulled off her feet. Her wrist was probably bruised, but Blaith was beyond reason right now. It probably should have frightened her, but she was more annoyed than afraid.

Her breath came out in misty puffs as the cold air scorched and froze her lungs at the same time. An unnatural wheezing came faintly with each breath, but Lillian ignored it. Ill wasn't something she had time to deal with.

"Blaith, slow down." She jerked on her arm painfully, stumbling and nearly falling face first into the deep snow. "There weren't any bodies within sight of the horse, your sister had to have walked away from the horse, don't lose your head. Think."

At her words, he paused and turned around, growling in her face.
"Just because we can not see her body down there, does not mean she suffered from the fall. The snows are deep!" she snapped. "And who's to say, if she survived... if that is where she ended up, if she had walked away? Someone... as I now surely have many enemies, would know the value of such a find," he growled and continued to pull her along until he got to his horse, and he promptly mounted and pulled her onto the saddle before him and held her close before snapping the reins and kicking the horse's side with a , "YA!" as they dashed off down a steep and narrow path. And each moment that passed, fear gripped him like no other.


Kella... Kella...
Was she alive? Was she okay?
Please... Angsar....
All he could do was pray that she was still alive.

Lillian forced herself not to shrink back as Blaith turned and growled in his face. Instead she stood her ground stubbornly. Still, he was irrational and afraid, so unreasonable. Stifling further protest, she let herself be dragged to his horse and then onto the horse. She was stiff as they took off down the path, not happy having Blaith holding onto her like that. Just being near him right now was enough to annoy her.

To think, she'd admired this man not so long ago.

By the time they reached the bottom, he felt not any better than when he had been at the top. And after doing mad circles around the area, he spat out a curse.
If Kella had been here, she was long gone. And the remains of his horse showed proof the wolves had a nice feast- but something interrupted it. He just hoped it wasn't Kella. Then again..
If a wolf dared to eat her...

A cold smile graced his lips at the idea.
NO, no wolves could kill her-
Not before she'd kill them.
And with a growl, he gave a jerk to his reigns and turned his horse about.

"Let us go back to the Fort. We're holding a meeting."
His search for his sister proved fruitless, but he had more pressing matters now to contend with.


What was to happen next? He had an ENTIRE duchy conquered within a few months, mages camps were free...
and his army- though there were causalities, actually seemed to be growing. The newly freed mages were to thank for that. And as his horse trotted nearer to the entrance at fort Dhagh, the anger inside him seemed to cool as he held onto Lily, feeling a hollowed comfort in it, and some bitter, bitter regret.

No matter how angry the young White Lily was, the stiffness in her posture couldn't last. Not only was it horrible for riding, but she was cold, exhausted, and feeling unwell. Annoyance and anger couldn't fuel her forever.

Lillian eventually had relaxed back into Blaith, gaining what warmth she could from him. By the time they would reach the fort, Blaith would find she had fallen asleep against him.

It was only upon entry into the Fort that he realized his prisoner was asleep. Making haste towards the barracks, he moved to claim General Serenus's former office, and laid Lily down upon the lounge. He took his own seat and prepared a fire, commanding his men to get a hold of his Uncle. They needed to have a good long talk.


But in the mean time, Blaith's eyes studied Lily as she slept. She was in a peaceful state, despite the war, and he felt guilty knowing he was the one that broke that for her. Not that either could help their stations. All and all, he did the right thing...
Or as right of the thing as he could. And whatever chains she'd have on her she'd find were discarded as she slept. But the doors to the room were closed.

She wasn't going anywhere anytime soon.

Three hours of sleep hadn't been nearly enough, so when Blaith moved her from horse to lounge, despite all the jostling and noise, Lillian remained sleeping. As soon as she was laid down she had rolled to her side and curled up, and she didn't move from that spot once she'd settled into something reasonably comfortable. Indeed, the worn-out knight seemed like she might sleep until someone made her get up.

Blaith let her sleep, as he was busy and there was much to prepare. He and his men would finally get a good night's sleep, and despite his prisoner being unchained, the Duke of Turgall drifted off to sleep, leaning over his desk with a balled fist resting just beneath is chin.

It wouldn't be until hours later that Lillian sat up suddenly on the lounge, starting awake from a fevered dream. Tired jade eyes swept around the room, noticing first Blaith's sleeping form, then the closed door. The thought of attempting escape crossed her mind but was immediately dismissed. A closed door was likely a locked door in this instance, and where would she go? Being surrounded by a hostile army didn't exactly harbor high hopes of slipping away.

Angry as Lillian might be at him, by Blaith's side was the safest place for her to be in the given situation. Actually, it was hard to really stay angry at him. Sure, she thought he was being foolish in this obsession with finding his sister, but ultimately she had to look at things from more than her own perspective. Blaith was doing what he thought was right. He had freed many mages from the camps here, and a lot of them had joined his army. That Calent was insane and going too far in his mistreatment of mages was more than obvious and someone had needed to do something about it.

She just hadn't thought it would be him. Rubbing her eyes with a sigh she noticed that she wasn't restrained, save the most likely locked door. That was something, at least.

"Blaith?" Her voice was hesitant, because honestly, what was she supposed to say to him?

Blaith made a subtle noise, which sounded like a snore, but kept sleeping while drool seemed to have pooled beneath his mouth, marring his other wise sweet and peaceful expression.

"Blaith" Lillian said a little louder as she stood up and walked towards the desk. If he'd been laying down properly somewhere she'd just have let him sleep, but being hunched over a desk like that was going to leave him stiff and sore when he woke up. Stiff and sore would likely mean cranky, and she still had to deal with him.

By the time she was standing next to him, she hesitated to call his name again. His face looked so peaceful, when not marred by worry and anger, Blaith was a very handsome man. Lillian recalled his smile quiet well. Memories of their ride, their walk, and their dancing made her close her eyes and sigh. Looking was all she was allowed to do. Love, passion, marriage - those were all forbidden to a White Lily, and wishing for any was just tormenting herself. That day had caused her more than a small amount of grief.

Besides, Blaith was already nearing forty and hadn't expressed an interest in romance in all his years, why even use him to daydream about her silly childish dreams? Especially considering right now she was considered his prisoner. Slightly disgusted with herself, but unable to resist as she looked down at his peaceful expression, Lillian reached down and gently brushed her fingers across his cheek.

"Blaith, wake up."

Blaith made another noise, his eyes opening groggily at the touch. At first, all he saw was blonde hair and a sweet face.
"Kella?" But as he moved to sit up, he froze, and recalled his situation, and hers, as he tensed and looked at her with guarded concern.

Lillian arched an eyebrow as Blaith called her Kella as he woke up, letting her hand fall away from his face. Touching him probably hadn't been the smartest thing she'd ever done. Blaith didn't seem to enjoy physical contact all that much. She'd never seen anyone actually touch him. Sure, they had danced before and had been rather close to him in the saddle, but there had always been this barrier, both from clothing and some hard-to-describe feeling she got from him.

"You fell asleep at the desk, you should go to bed. It'll be more comfortable and you'll rest easier." Her brow furrowed slightly as she realized that he looked...concerned. "Is something the matter?"

Blaith's brow continued to furrow, and as he noticed the confused look on her face, his own sobered as he sighed with some relief. He must've imagined her touching him. That, or she was wearing gloves. Though when his eyes went to her hands, he saw she wasn't wearing any.


For a moment, he said nothing, eyes lingering on her hands before sighing again, ignoring whatever it was he thought had occurred and moved to rise.

"I'm surprised you didn't pull that letter opening on me, threaten or beg for freedom."
Standing now, he moved to crack his back, then his neck as he went on to roll his shoulders. Turning to her again, he studied her with a frown.

"Why didn't you try anything, by the way? You had the perfect opportunity to kill the Grand Duke's only adversary."
Well, a royal one, anyhow...
He had a feeling he'd be losing his head at some point. But hey... what else could he do? He refused to stand idle while chaos consumed the land and Kella....


What was to become of his sister?

"Would it have done any good?" Lillian asked with an arched brow. Although it was a rhetorical question. "Of course not, therefore, it would have been a pointless action. Though, truly, surprised that I did not stoop so low as to pull a weapon - even a poor one - on a sleeping man?"

Her posture stiffened slightly as she turned away from him. "I hadn't realized you thought so little of my character, Duke Harmond."

She walked back over to the lounge and sat down tiredly, fatigue still tugging at her even after her long nap. "Besides, this is partially my fault, is it not? It was Kella you were anguishing over those days ago when we - we...spoke. Did I not say someone needed to do something? I admit this wasn't what I had in mind...but there you have it. I won't pretend I am happy to anyone's prisoner, but this is war now, is it not?"

Blaith stared over at her in silence. In another time he'd never dream Lily Coleridge was ever capable of such a thing. But as she pointed out, this was war. And times were getting harsher, and desperations rising. Perhaps part of him wished she had tried something, for he knew he deserved it. In another time... He'd never take her as a hostage. But that was the only solution for one of her standing that would not degrade her or leave her dead.

Then thinking on the last part, where she blamed herself, he simply digested all her words before realizing what she meant.
"Yes... In the church. For so long I thought Kella was dead. And now, to have come so far in searching without her.... It makes me a fool."

"An idealist fool." Lillian agreed with his personal assessment. Blaith had declared war on the Grand Duke with, from what she could reason, no chance of victory. That certainly qualified as foolish action. Though his cause had some merit. Not enough, but some.

"For what it is worth, I am sorry you were pushed to this. I cannot agree with what you've done, but I  can understand it. I...hope you realize that. The Grand Duke is destroying Connlaoth, but this was foolish beyond measure."

Her jade eyes rose to look up at him, solemn, tired, and sad. "You know you can't possibly win this way."

It wasn't a question.

"I'm not aiming to win. I wanted to rescue Kella."

"To what purpose? So that you could die together? Calent will kill Kella now. Right along with you, and your men. Kella's only chance is to either remain undetected or for you to win." Lillian sighed and ran her fingers through her hair.

"What you wanted to do doesn't matter any more, only what you've done. You've set into motion something that can't be stopped now. You've openly defied Calent, destroyed three of his mage camps, recruited mages into your army...The only real question now is who will stand against you and who will stand beside you. There must be some duchies that would be sympathetic to a military campaign against Calent."

Blaith grew quiet as he mulled over his options.
"Whether I or Calent shall fall won't matter. This land is scarred by too much war. The duchies have always been at war with one another. Now that we're unified... That war had only gotten worse."

"Unified? Don't make me laugh. Calent has unified nothing. Indeed, I can only see him driving wedges between himself and his allies with his zealotry. Almost anyone would be more fit to lead us as a whole than him. Ansgar, I could lead this country better than him, and I'm a woman!"

At that, Blaith smirked at her.
"And it seems a woman has her head on her shoulders better than any man.But this is war... Wedges were placed long before it was declared. Connlaoth law was always a joke. Out law magic? Might as well out law the sick. "

"Most women do." Lillian said testily, shooting Blaith a slightly dirty look. After all, someone had to keep sense when the men got particularly stupid. Which could be quite often with some of them.

Groaning softly she dropped her head into her hands. "I agree that the laws have always been poorly executed, but magic is dangerous. It shouldn't be used on a whim by just anyone for any reason that pleases them. The problem has always been that mages are criminalized indiscriminately. You punish crimes, not potential for crimes. Magic is a weapon, you don't jail a man just for having a dagger, you do so when he uses it to cause harm."

Dropping her hands, she looked up at Blaith contemplatively. "You need to gather allies. I -" She paused and licked her lips nervously before continuing, "-I think you should talk to my father. He needs to know what has happened here before he gets news in some other manner. Let me write to him so he knows that I am alive, well, and being taken care of by you so that he doesn't worry that I've perished in the battle. I can arrange quiet, private talks with him on your behalf. My father has no love for Calent, and you know Orchy's military reputation, we've some of the finest soldiers in Connlaoth. Don't wait until father assumes you to be his enemy."

Blaith stared at Lily for the longest time. His eyes digested her, and her words before carefully asking, "You do realize what you offer? It would.. definitely put your father in a predicament, supporting me or not. And to so... willfully offer your support..."
But then he couldn't help but smirk at her.
"Did you forget, because I took off your shackles, you are my prisoner?"

"Father would have moved against Calent eventually one way or another, if you both intend to challenge the Grand Duke doing so together and in force ensures a higher chance of success for both of you." Lillian pointed out what she thought was obvious, of course Blaith couldn't possibly have known that her father was plotting against Calent because of Micah's public support for the Grand Duke.

Jade eyes flashed angrily, chin lifting defiantly as he prodded her with the reminder that she was a captive in this situation. "The degree of my imprisonment suggests that my status as a prisoner is a formality at the roots. Would I better serve you by weeping? I am a Coleridge, I have taken my situation and will make the most of it, my father would expect no less of me."

"Weeping, no, but I never considered you'd come to my aid."
And for that, his smirk grew.
"Was it the dancing? I never thought I was much good at it, though I do enjoy it from time to time."

"It is not the first time I have." Lillian pointed out, though she scowled and looked at the fire instead of at Blaith. His smirk was insufferable. And sexy, but she wasn't going to admit that one.

"Was the dancing what, Blaith? It was enjoyable and adequate, much like the meal, the dress, the gallop through the city streets...I could go on, but need I? None of it is relevant to the current situation. You need help. I can provide help. Is there a reason I shouldn't? Just because you thoroughly humiliated and infuriated me doesn't mean I can't agree with your underlying purpose - and it certainly doesn't mean I want you to die. Which you will without that help."

Blaith kept his smirk, those blue eyes of his dancing lightly. He might have chuckled and if he did, it was soft as he looked away.

"But wouldn't helping me go against your orders of the church.. your vows to the Grand Duke? Your help could put you in more danger than you think, Lily. And who says because I'll gain more ally's I'll come out of this alive?"

He knew the consequences well going in. And all that mattered was Kella.

"Who says I haven't considered the danger to myself?" Lillian asked quietly, casting a glance in his direction. Why did men always think they had to protect and baby women as if they might break if they worried their pretty little heads for more than a few moment's time?

"I am putting myself in no more danger than you've already put me in, or that you've put yourself in for that matter. This is war, helping you or not who is to say that I would come out alive? Having allies certainly won't hurt your chances of survival, and it does improve your odds of accomplishing your goals."

He was right about her going against her orders, and her vows as one of the Grand Duke's personal knights. "As for my vows...well adhara aren't given much choice about those, are they? If my father comes out of this on the winning side, then any transgressions will certainly be forgiven - so I suppose it is in my best interest to be sure you win."

Blaith looked her over, thought it over before giving her a nod.
"Then let's fetch you some paper and a pen."
And he moved to stand but stumbled a little, forget he had a minor leg wound as he grunted. He tried to brush it off, not wanting to look any weaker than he already was as he moved towards where a line of ink wells and quills lined the wall. Bringing them over, he rifled around for some parchment and set them all before her on the desk.

"For when you feel like writing," he told her with a smirk.
"I.. on the other hand, will relinquish my desk and try to find more adequate sleeping arrangements for myself,.. lest you lose anymore sleep over my own well being."

"You're hurt." Lillian observed idly as she watched him stumble in his quest for stationary for her letter, which she was already composing in her head. It would have to be written very...delicately. Micah Coleridge was not going to be pleased about Blaith taking her prisoner no matter how she said it, but it didn't have to be a complete disaster either.

Standing she moved to the desk, looking down at the assembled items with a frown before looking back up at him. "Whatever your sleeping arrangements, I suspect they include having me close at hand. The lounge is rather agreeable, but you should have your leg tended to before you go back to sleep."

There was still dried blood in her blonde hair. They both could probably do with a hot bath, but that was probably a bit more luxury than could be afforded.

Blaith took a seat upon a more relaxing looking chair as he sighed.
"Yeah, it wouldn't be wise to let you out of my sight." He offered her a smirk before looking down at his leg with a frown.
"It'll heal. It's just a scratch." And he peered over at her.
"What about you? Got any injuries we ought to look at?"

One of these times Lillian was going to end up slapping that smirk right off his face. She folded her arms across her chest, just beneath her breasts, which only served to make them appear more pronounced(the effect slightly diminished by her common attire) and arched one delicate brow at him in a pose she had seen her sister pull off a dozen times or more. Especially when she was talking down at one of their brothers. "Scratch or not, you should still have it cleaned, and I'm fine. Just the one little gash where that cad hit me."

"Cad?" he lifted a brow, staring at her as if he didn't recall the events she had explained.

"The idiot pretending to be you." Lillian replied testily as she sat at the desk and ruffled the parchments before settling them and picking up the quill to begin writing slowly, choosing her words carefully. Her pride was still quite bruised over the fact that the impostor had made it as far as the tower, and then she had failed to stop him from taking Kella.

Blaith gave a nod.
"And to think... I'm so unpopular no one noticed it wasn't me."

"I noticed." Lillian smirked without looking up from her task.

"Yes, but you had the advantage."

"Mm. True, I at least had met you before, mostly when I was much younger, but our more recent meeting was quite...memorable. Even so, I'm not sure how they mistook him for you. Honestly, he was much more handsome - in a roguish, lowborn sort of way." Lillian, somehow, managed to say that with a straight face.

"So what you're saying is if I fail at my goals and don't die but become banished and stripped of my title, that Is have a closer chance at courting you? Tempting... That's awfully tempting."

"Knights of the White Lily don't court, and from what I understand neither does the greatly admired Blaith Harmond. So elusive and stony to the advances of the court ladies, from what I heard." Lillian recalled that her sister had been one of those ladies that had set her eyes on him and come up empty-handed.

"Also, Coleridges do not court losers, so there is that to consider."

"Well, then when I take over the Grand Duke's throne, that'll be the first thing to go."

"Is that so?" Lillian mused, lifting her head from her writing to peer at him through narrowed eyes. "Why, Blaith Harmod, are you flirting with me? You scoundrel."

At that, Blaith laughed.
"Well, if I'm going to die anyway, might as well flirt with my attractive captive. I always was fond of blondes...."

"I see, I see. So you are flirting with my hair? Oh my, I fear it is a bit of a mess at the moment." Lillian smirked. "Also, flirting with a prisoner? Double scoundrel."

Blaith reclined, hands behind his head as he looked to the ceiling.
"What else can I say? And I mean in a way that would upgrade me to triple scoundrel."

"Triple scoundrel? That's a lofty goal, even for you." Lillian sighed dramatically while returning to her letter.

"Yeah well, I'll take it. Or whatever this is," he said with a smile as he closed his eyes.
"I haven't felt this way in ages..... Almost like...."

'Like I'm myself again,' he thought with a frown as he opened his eyes to stare at the stone ceiling so high above.

"Whatever what is?" Lillian asked as innocently as she could manage as she put sand on the letter, delicately ensuring there would be no smudges.

Blaith only smirked. And he said nothing and might even have fallen asleep.

Lillian finished her task before setting the letter aside on the desk, assuming that it would have to meet Blaith's approval before it would be sent out. Looking up her jade eyes easily fixated on Blaith, who had failed to respond to her remark.

Despite herself, she found her lips twitching as she fought a smile. It looked like he'd fallen asleep. Well, she had wanted him to get proper rest. Still, she found her lower lip pouting slightly. She had drawn out that playful, appealing side of him only for him to turn around and leave her alone with her own thoughts, which were heavy.

"Figures." She groused.

It would be a few hours before Blaith awoke, and despite having moved to a different place to sleep- he was still stiff and sore. Grunting, he moved to sit up, rubbing away at the sleep from his eyes and looking might disheveled. He felt hot, sweaty, despite the coldness in the room and worked at unbuttoning his shirt, where he paused to look at a few wounds he had collected in the dim light of the fading dance of the fire.

Whatever blood was there had long since ceased in running, but was not itchy and caked to his skin. He was positively filthy- and hadn't had a bath in who knew how long. But this was war- and thinking about such things were a luxury from a life from a different time.

Lillian had been mulling silently in a chair by the fire, one leg haphazardly draped over the arm, lounging rather comfortably with her head in her hand, staring into the flames. With Blaith asleep, the door locked and guarded, there had been little for her to do other than think since finishing her letter. Though what she thought about was anyone's guess as her expression betrayed nothing.

Eventually she heard the sounds of her captor stirring, but other than her eyes, which turned to watch him with interest, she didn't move from her position. A brow arched delicately as he unbuttoned his shirt, and she noted the injuries and dried blood that caked his muscled torso. The thought that he'd be so very appetizing after a bath - or during a bath - crossed her mind.

"I might have been able to comment on how delicious you looked, but frankly the fact that I can smell you from here rather detracts from your overall appeal, your grace." The words were spoken with an airy, teasing tone and there was a mischievous gleam in her jade eyes as they openly looked over him. Turn about was, after all, fair play.

Blaith paused, still half bent over where he sat and had one hand now running through his hair. At her comment, he simply smirked.
"Too bad you can only look but not touch."

And after a moment, he lifted up his arm and could definitely smell himself. He made a face.
"I think you're right. I'm in need of a good bath."

"You're no fun." Lillian said with a teasing pout, that quickly turned into a snicker at the face Blaith made when he smelled himself. Well she had warned him of his ripe stench.

"I usually am right, Blaith. The sooner you get used to it the easier it will be on everyone." She offered with a smirk before her expression turned wistful with a sigh. "I would love a bath."

Blaith looked her over, before rising and making his way to the door. He still limped a little, but it was nothing he couldn't handle and by the time he got to the door he was asking, "Anyway you could fetch me a bath? My lady prisoner says my smell is an offense to the senses."

"He is an offense to the senses." Lillian protested loud enough for the soldiers' benefit, though she still hadn't moved from her comfy position draped across the chair. "Cruel and unusual punishment being stuck in a room with him as he is."

Sighing she tilted her head just slightly before adding, "There are large aluminum wash basins in the kitchen, as well as hearths and kettles to heat water, if you're so inclined. There is a well in the courtyard, although melted snow seems a likely source as well."

Blaith looked from Lily back to his men.
"Well, you heard the lady." And he gestured for them with a shrug of his shoulders and they were off. "And go for the snow option... Angsar knows there's enough of that stuff."

Turning around, he sighed after shutting the door before he began to look around the room for some place private to set the tub. If not for him, at least for her.

Lillian was watching Blaith with amusement as he looked around - honestly there was very little else for her to do at the moment except watch Blaith. "Are you worried I'll peek?"

A sly gleam entered her jade eyes. "I promise to be a good and proper lady and be discreet. At the very least peek no more than you did during my fitting. Or I could wait in the hall with your guards. I wonder if they know how to play Chase the Ace."

It was a card came played in common taverns that her half-brother had taught her, much to the annoyance of the rest of the family.

At such a reply, Blaith arched a brow at her.
"Not worried you'll peek," he assured her with a grin. "Knowing I will."

"Then perhaps you should wait in the hall, like a proper gentleman." Lillian said with a soft chuckle, "Or we could blindfold you, wouldn't that be fun. Although you could still peek with a blindfold."

"And leave you unattended?" Though the words were a bit mocking, he smiled none the less.

"You say that as if I have anywhere I could possibly go, and as if I haven't voluntarily been helping you - even insisting on helping you. Besides, I assure you, there is no way I'm missing the opportunity to bathe." Lillian crinkled her nose slightly as she glanced down at herself. "But stay if you must and try not to leer."

"But wouldn't it be an offense if I did not?"

"There is a difference between admiring and leering." Lillian admonished, though she gave him a side-ways look. "I still recommend the blindfold if you won't leave."

And Blaith just admired her.
"I still don't see the difference."
But before she could retort, a metal basin was brought in for their make shift bath, and men were working to set up a large pot with snow to melt over the fire. Once they were done, soaps were delivered, and linen clothes to use for towels, presented before the two were left alone again.

Blaith stood over by the fire, watching the snow melt and waiting for it to boil. He said nothing, simply kept watch over the pot, hands clasped behind his back.

Lillian would have given another sassy response, but the door opened and soldiers were filing in and out delivering everything they could require for bathing. Honestly, while it wasn't the most luxurious looking set up, it was much better than she could have really asked for.

Shifting in her chair as she watched Blaith again once they were alone, she took several minutes before speaking again. "So who gets to go first?"

Blaith watched as tiny little bubbles began to for at the bottom of the pot. And the water's, ad the pots metal, distorted the colors and shapes of his face. But at her question, he simply told her, "Ladies first." It was the only proper thing to do, after all. Prisoner or not!

Considering Lillian was far less filthy overall, her going first did make sense. After Blaith was done the water wouldn't have been usable for a second bath! The young woman hummed softly, watching how the water and light reflected across her captor's (admittedly very handsome) face.

"Are you sure you're not wanting me to go first so you have some...inspiration...for your own bath?" She challenged, arching a brow at him.

"Wouldn't that sort of inspiration make my bath a little less.... well, helpful? I mean I would be trying to get clean, is all. And where did all of these remarks come from?" He had to smile, eyes dancing. "Aren't Knight's of the White Lily to be sweet.. vulnerable... and chaste? It would be a sin for me to even lie eyes upon you.. let along use your wet, nude body for unspeakable things."

Lillian arched a brow at him, and amused smirk crossing her lips. "Sweet...vulnerable...chaste."

She let the words roll across her tongue in a playful manner before chuckling. "Oh Duke Harmond, the stories I could tell you about your sweet Knights of the White Lily. We're forbidden from men, this is true, but many, many of my fellow ladies take lovers from the other lilies. It's not talked about, and of course I never participated in such scandalous debauchery, but there you have it. Also you've obviously never met my brother Cyrus, whom I adore. Now he is a triple scoundrel. It frustrated my family to no end the horrible low-born influence he had on me."

She smiled again, this time fondly as she thought of her half-brother.

"Do my ear's deceive me? I don't think I am hearing this!" he went on, feigning exasperation. "Lillies not pure? And do I suspect the Lily before me tries to beg to say she is not the same, after coughing up an example she might not?"

"Do you question my purity? How brash and wicked of you." Lillian grinned, tossing a playful eyeroll at him. "Really, I assure you, I am a woman of high moral standing. However, a life of forced deprivation can certainly leave a person very frustrated."

At that, Blaith grit his teeth and was tempted to bite at his fist.
"We should drop this conversation, my lady." And then he moved to lift the bucket of water with a grunt. "The water is nice and hot." And he moved about in filling her bath and setting things up for his own.
"And don't worry about me peeking. I'll be a good Duke and stick to my desk."

The should drop the conversation. It had been highly inappropriate, but Lillian didn't seem all that phased by the vulgar implications they'd teased at. Still, she didn't comment further, or tease further, rather, as she watched him pour water for her bath.

"I should hope you behave yourself this time. You were thoroughly scolded for your peeping last time." She stated matter-of-factly as she finally rose from her seat, shedding the coat that she'd managed to talk the soldiers into giving her and kicking off the likewise acquired boots.

And that's when Blaith sat down and simply stared at her as she undressed. But though he looked amused, those eyes of him dancing, he also looked tired..
And old.

After the coat and boots, Lillian's hands worked what was left of her braid loose, letting her wavy, if disheveled, hair fall down past her shoulders. For the most part she seemed to be trying to ignore Blaith, although the creeping blush on her cheeks suggested she knew he was staring.

When she had nothing but her tunic and tight leggings she cleared her throat and glanced in his direction. "Stop staring, you're acting like a dirty old man. You promised to behave."

At her comment, he simply chuckled.
"Look at me, Lily. I am a dirty old man. Thank Angsar I'm a blonde. The grey hair's are hard to see."

Blaith earned an eyeroll for his trouble.

"Definitely dirty. Filthy and smelly old man, about sums you right up. Now don't look." She huffed as she turned her back to him and wiggled the leggings down her legs before stepping out of them as she deftly pulled the tunic over her head and stepped into the hot water hurriedly, trying to keep herself as modest as possible - just in case.

And Blaith didn't look.
He didn't look.
He didn't look.
But once he heard he settled into the water, he couldn't help but steal a glance.

Normally a hot bath would be something to relax, enjoy, and savor. Considering the circumstances, Lillian didn't want to prolong it longer than really necessary. After all, there was little she could actually do to ensure that Blaith remained a proper gentleman.

She was making a point not to look at Blaith as her cheeks heated, and so did not catch him stealing a quick look. Any man seeing her like that was rather unnerving and shameful, but only because of societal policy and conventions of propriety. Lillian was a lithe young woman of high breeding, with a quite ascetically pleasing figure. Although part of his view was obscured by the tub itself, and her breasts were mostly hidden beneath waves of honey-blonde hair.

Blaith wished he could say something, but his breath was stolen away. And all thoughts lingered on just the vision of her, wet, in a tub before him. He had never had the chance to fully appreciate a woman in this manner. And the obsession for his sister, the whores he had killed...

He cast his eyes down, shamefully before getting up from his seat and walking over to the wall- where there, hands clasped behind his back, he stared at the wall.

Lillian hurriedly soaped and rinsed her body and her hair, the longer she stayed in the tub, the more chances Blaith would have to sneak looks. That thought heated her cheeks even more. She didn't care that Blaith was an older man, he was still very attractive. Having a tiny part of her someone hoping he did look(and liked what he saw) made it all the worse.

She had noticed his retreat to stare at the wall, and was grateful for it when she climbed from the tub to towel herself semi-dry. When she was once again covered by her leggings and tunic, she cleared her throat and looked over at him wryly. "I'm decent. Or more decent, at least."

For a moment he didn't move, her words registering, but his mind was still wallowing on his other thoughts. When he was finally able to let them sift away, he turned towards her and his eyes lingered over her body- but it appeared as if he was looking through her.

The way Blaith was looking at her sent a chill up her spine. Lillian stepped over to him cautiously, worry coming across her face. "Are you alright Blaith? You look...well, unsettling. Come take a bath, you'll feel better once you've cleaned up a bit. You're not hurting too badly anywhere, are you?"

At her comment, Blaith forced a small smile.
"I'm just tired," he told her simply. "Feel free to get some more rest yourself. I'm so exhausted, I might pass out in the tub." And on his way over, he discarded his shirt and was working on the buttons and ties of his under shirt while kicking off his boots, which he had loosened and delaced earlier.

"I feel like I've done nothing but sleep since you showed up." Lillian sighed as she settled back into the chair. She wasn't even sure how much time had passed since that had happened, but even if she had slept a fair amount, she was still tired. Blaith must have been even more exhausted all things considered.

As a proper young lady she was doing her very best not to watch, but jade eyes couldn't help but glance in his direction as he undressed.

Unlike Lily, who warned him not to look, he could have cared less, and once he was fully naked, stepped into the bath and let out a long sigh as he settled into the waters. Despite the waters now being only luke warm, it was still better than nothing. And he had become quite malodorous during his journey.

Sweat, dirt, blood.
It all came off in the water, making it quickly darken in color as he reclined back into the tub, tipping his head so he could wet his hair. He cleaned that swiftly enough, managing to get water just about everywhere before proceeding to relaxing in the water again with another sigh.

And it was only then he happened to look over in Lily's direction and smirked.
"Enjoying the show?"

Lillian was not looking. Okay, just a tiny bit. Out of the corner of her eye. The accusation had the young woman's face turning scarlet regardless. It wasn't her fault he wasn't taking any measures to try to hide the view from her! Although the tub did cut off the view to the more interesting parts.

"I don't know what you're talking about. It isn't as if I could see anything especially scandalous anyway. A shirtless man is hardly...well it doesn't matter, I was not looking!"

"Not looking, yet I can see the jade of your eyes."

If possible, Lillian turned redder and snapped her head away, staring at the wall trying very hard to resist the temptation to turn her head back to the man in the tub. "Turn about is fair play. I seem to recall you looking in on me while changing, and I have no doubt you stole a few glances while I bathed as well."

"Yes but I am the victim of being a man who is in the presence of a very attractive woman. Can you blame me? It's even doubly worse since I like blonds..."

Lillian snorted at that comment. "You? The victim? Don't make me laugh! Men always act as if they are unreasoning animals subjected solely to their baser urges, while women apparently never are. By your reasoning am I not a victim of being in the presence of an attractive man? Even if he is old."

At that reply, he gave a small smile in her direction.
"If only I could touch you... To let you know how I feel..."
But that moment of weakness had him turning away to stare at the wall.

Pouty lips pursed at the comment, and Lillian found her head turning away from the wall to look at him more closely, and without hiding the fact that she was looking at him. Funny that he was so firmly looking away now.

"Touching me would be rather inappropriate for a number of reasons." She mused quietly, jade eyes moving over his naked torso. Women of her order took vows of chastity, young noblewomen weren't supposed to be touched except by their husbands, she was his prisoner and he her captor...the list could be quite long if she cared to really consider it.

"Although I find myself curious as to what exactly you think you feel. Lust? Lust is an easy thing to come by, from what I understand. Or could it be that you harbor some semblance of genuine affection for my person?"

Blaith continued to look at the wall intensely, as if those blue eyes of his could burn a hole clean through it. But he said nothing; lost in thought.

Annoyance flashed through her, of course he was going to ignore her after saying something like that. Again Lillian wondered what it was that she saw in Blaith that made her so drawn to him. Huffing, the young woman rose from her seat, jade eyes still roaming over him as she stalked towards the tub. The closer she came the more of him that came into her view, causing her cheeks to heat up with every step she took.

"Blaith Harmond, it is rude to ignore a lady when she is speaking to you."

It was then he turned to her, blue eyes sharp and wild.
"Don't come near me, Lily." He growled.

Lillian paused in her step, arching a brow coolly at Blaith. The heat was fading from her cheeks slowly, leaving them flushed and pink, but not as red as when he had first accused her of watching him bathe.

"Still afraid I'll pull some hidden weapon on you? Perhaps you're worried about propriety, understandable perhaps given the circumstances, but the real question, Blaith," Lillian said, taking another step in his direction, "Is do I care?"

Blaith's eyes cut into her more sharply. His warning still remained, and his hardened gaze proved it. However, before she had a chance to get near the make shift tub, there was a.knock at the door.

"Duke Harmond?"

Blaith's eyed didn't move from Lily.

"I've got the reports you asked for."

With a sigh, Blaith shouted, "Well come in and set them on my desk."

And the soldier obliged, setting the papers down before turning to address Blaith.

"Any news?"
"Negative. The Fort is still at rest."

Blaith gave a nod then waved the man away.
"Very well. You are dismissed."

And the second the man was gone, Blaith went back to sulking.

As soon as the knock sounded at the door, Lillian froze. Schooling her face to a calm mask, she stood patiently and silently through the entire interaction, seemingly bored with the guard's presence. When the door closed behind the disappearing guard she turned her jade eyes back to Blaith's sulking face with a scowl.

"You seem overly distressed at the idea of me coming near you. Call me impertinent, but that makes me want to step closer on principle."

At that reply, Blaith shot her another look and an irritable sigh.
"It's for your own protection." And his eyes looked over her form. "I don't need war from your father as well."
Of course, that wasn't the reason, but the soldier coming in bought him enough time to think up that excuse instead.

"Preventing war with my father is why you're going to send the letter I wrote." Lillian tsked Blaith, giving him a disapproving frown at his grumpy behavior. They always complained about women having mood swings, ha!

Giving a dramatic sigh she made a show of sitting back down - much closer this time. "I don't know what exactly you think it is I need protection from."

"A letter would mean nothing over what I could do to you," he told her, moodily. "You forget we play a dangerous game." And she more than him, for she did not know how close she was to his secret. It was then he stood up, waters and suds gushing down his body before he reached for a towel. He didn't bother to remain modest, and began to dab the towel across the waters rivering down his chest and abs. He moved the towel then to his head, taking it through his hair roughly before wrapping it around his waist and stepping out of the bath.

And as he stood there, water pooling at his feet, his eyes went distant in thought.

"My sister... What can you tell me of her capture?"

Lillian opened her mouth to question just what kind of game Blaith thought they were playing, and why he seemed so convinced that he could bring some kind of harm to her, but the words strangled in her throat as he rose from the bath. Jade eyes widened impossibly large as her face turned red, but that didn't stop her from staring. No, rather she seemed rather transfixed for several long moments before finally tearing her gaze away - having to twist her head to stare at the far wall just to accomplish that feat.

Blaith asked her a question but the only word she managed to croak out was, "W-what?"

"About her capture.. before they brought her here... What were the exact reports.. where they found her. Who found her and how they found out she was a mage." Seeing her gaze turned away, he would have reached for her but... His own curse made that problematic. Instead, he had to settle for a pensive sigh.
"I need to know... So don't hold any information back."

"I don't know what information you think it is that I have to hold back. I know only what I was told - which was very little. She was captured by the man known as Krah at Thaedes, when it was discovered that she was a mage she was sent here. When I arrived I was informed that your sister's power seemed to revolve around touch and that contact could be lethal. I swear that's all the General shared with me. I have no doubt he would have known a great deal more, but I'm assuming that the good General is deceased now."

Lillian sighed, a slightly pained expression coming across her faced as she risked a glance in Blaith's direction. Serenus had been a good man and a legend. Of course there was one thing she had been told that she did not share - she knew that Krah's men had tried to rape Kella and had learned about her deadly touch the hard way. Telling Blaith that wasn't so easy, she actually feared what he might do hearing it.

Lily was right to presume omitting such a detail. His chaotic mind being suppressed or not, he would have went off like a volcano and challenged the entire world to make them pay for what had happened to Kella. But he only stared at her as she gave her answer before looking away and moving towards his clothes.

"Yes.." he muttered. "The General is dead. This is war. There will be many deaths."

"I am not naive enough to think that there wouldn't be. I'm also not naive enough to think that I wouldn't know many of the people that will die in this war. That doesn't mean I can't feel something about those deaths." Lillian felt almost defensive about the issue. Frustratingly she worried that Blaith would see her as childish.

Hands balling into fists she jumped to her feet, jade eyes angry as they glared hard at Blaith. "My own brothers will end up fighting in this war. Gabriel could die. Cyrus could die. You could die. I could die. So don't you dare act like I'm a child or just some silly girl. I know what is at stake just as well as anyone else, and feeling regret for people dying - even necessary deaths - doesn't mean I don't know."

Blaith cut a cold and angry look at her, but said nothing. To him, this conversation was over. And he went about his own business to get dressed.

"Men are stubborn, pig-headed fools." Lillian muttered angrily under her breath, still glaring hard at Blaith as he started getting dressed. She really shouldn't watch him dress. At the moment she was still fuming and she wasn't really paying attention to whether or not she was seeing things she shouldn't see.

"You infuriate me, Blaith, and still I can't help it." What it was she couldn't help she didn't bother to elaborate on at that moment, instead she took very deliberate and determined steps in his direction. "This is not over and I will not be ignored."

Damn insufferable man! It wasn't fair. His behavior was erratic - sweet, charming, playful to her in a moment and colder than the winter frost the next. He would begin to say something that she needed to hear, stop, and then ignore her when she questioned him! She knew why he got angry or defensive when she drew too close. Knew, but hadn't dared speak it or think on it too hard - not yet.

In a flash, he turned to her with eyes wild like a mountain cat's.
"Save your breath. We have nothing more to discuss. This conversation is over. " And his words and expression spoke of his finality. He did NOT wantto deal with this, with HER like this. Not now. Perhaps not ever. This was war, after all. And all soldiers had to become as cold as the snow and lethal as a snake.

But it was not just the war she could see, for the demons inside him nagged mercilessly at his mind, as unbeknownst to him, his powers were becoming stifled.at her presence, and inwardly, the suppression of power happened too fast and for too long...

That he had no idea what to do with himself in such a vulnerable state.

"No it isn't over! You can't just dismiss me. Don't you dare try." Lillian should have been ashamed of herself, honestly, she was throwing a tantrum like a child, wasn't she? Blaith's dismissive attitude hurt far more than it should. Talking wasn't getting her anywhere, though. The situation really called for action, but what action she should take, honestly...

She wanted to kiss him, but that was highly inappropriate. She also very much wanted to hit him, also hardly appropriate, but more appropriate than a kiss, in all likelihood. Part of her feared a violent reaction in either case. He seemed unstable and it pained her. Lillian remembered how tortured and tormented he'd seemed there in the cathedral and again she found herself wishing that she could reach out and soothe him somehow.

Only a few seconds had really passed from the moment the last words had left her lips and the time the Knight had actually moved. Lillian didn't give him time to protest or warn her to stay back this time, swift closing the distance between them and raising her hand to slap Blaith hard across the face. Her heart was pounding in her chest as she almost immediately followed the slap with her arms thrown around him and her lips pressed against his lips.

Blaith's face followed the slap, his expression unchanged in the brief moment as the hot impact tickled like a thousand needles upon his skin. And there was a wavering in his eyes, torment beyond words that he kept swallowed down, but almost seemed as if they might bubble forth like tears. He knew he deserved that, little else was going through his mind. But he wanted peace. He wanted to argument, and he wanted ignorance. She was his prisoner, was she not?

But before he could realize she had just touched him, he turned just in time to her embrace, and suddenly their lips locked, and his body rushed with a thundering heat all over, that tickled his veins and loins and constricted his throat, forbidding breath or thought. And then reality came crashing back to him, the bittersweet knowledge that he was hurting her by this simple touch, this simple kiss that was more complicated than anything in his life. And instincts kicked in as he stiffened after a moan and suddenly shoved her away so hard, it surprised even him as he reared back, blue eyes wild, like a cornered animal as he simply stared at the woman, and could do nothing more.

They touched...
He touched her.
Their skin had contact.

He let that fact roll around inside his head so much it was a deafening thought. Even his heart was thundering, pounding away inside his ears as he stared at her- wondering what consequences he placed upon her, how much she was in pain, how much of herself she lost-

And at the notion he had done this to her, allowed her to get so close to him in such a heated moment, a sickening feeling clenched at his stomach as his nostrils burned. And he would wretch in that moment were he still not completely frozen by shock.

It had been a crazy thing to do. Lillian didn't know what she was thinking when she threw herself against him, but she wasn't truly surprised at the violent shove that sent her stumbling back away from him a few steps. Her breathing was heavy, jade eyes wide as she stared up at him, heart pounding in her chest as her mind turned over what she had just done. Kissing Blaith really had been an impulsive thing, but there was no denying that she'd wanted to do it.

Blaith had a wild, tormented look to him. Lillian could see the guilt etched painfully across his face as he seemed to stare at her in horror. At first there had been this nagging feeling that she'd been missing something, it had started when she arrived at the fort and taken charge of Kella. That feeling had become suspicion, and the knight felt that she had all the confirmation she needed at this point. It seemed so painfully obvious now.

"You're a mage." The words were barely a whisper, tone not questioning or accusing. "Your twin sister has the same affliction as you. I had suspected..."

Lillian didn't raise her voice, and she didn't act like she was in pain, although her mind was reeling slightly from the knowledge that the man she had begun to care for was indeed a mage. She realized that his horror probably was in part because of a belief that he'd somehow caused her harm. "Blaith I'm okay, you didn't hurt me. You can't hurt me...not like that, anyway..."

But it was too much. All of it, all at once. His mind couldn't process a thing. A kiss, a kill, a revelation...
He felt nothing. But in the same moment, his entire being was gripped in fear.

He barely heard most of what she said, but only needed to hear the major points that left pock marks in his state of shock. Eventually, he found his lips closing, teeth gritting so hard they might break. And before she could stop him, he stormed away.

He didn't even utter a word, simply flung the door open and slammed it. And if she were to follow, the door would slam right in her face. And she'd hear the door lock as the key's were then stuffed into Blaith's pocket.

To one of his men on guard he said, "Keep watch of her and be sure she does not leave!"
And with that, he didn't bother to look back as he stormed away.

Lillian didn't try to follow. Instead she watched impassively as Blaith stormed from the room, locking her inside. Well, it wasn't as if she hadn't expected his reaction to be explosive. He hadn't lashed out at her violently aside from the initial shove to push her physically away. Being left alone in the room only reminded her once again that she was only a prisoner.

For someone used to having authority, it really was grating to be reduced to someone so completely at the mercy of others. The only power she had here was what Blaith gave her, which was really none. At least she wasn't tied up and her captor seemed intent on keeping her unharmed. Sighing in aggravation she did the only thing she really could do. Dragging the chair as close to the dying fire as she could, Lillian curled up and waited - although what her wait would bring was anyone's guess at this point.

The sting of the wind took his breath away, as he stormed away from the barracks and out into the moonlit snow. The snow that was falling had lightened, turning into a sparkling mist that glowed like a million falling stars turned to dust. And he didn't stop walking until he was at the very edge of the Fort, his entire body clothed in shadow as he had to pause and wipe at his eyes, for his vision had turned bleary, and he was surprised to find the cause was tears.

Curled up in the chair by the fireplace, Lillian had nothing to do but let her mind wander. Mostly she tried to formulate a strategy for either turning the situation to her favor or getting out of it altogether. Once the letter was sent to her father she knew that it would only be a matter of time before Micah Coleridge had her safely back under his dominion and away from Blaith's control or influence.

Eventually she found herself drifting to sleep. Might as well rest while she could. Lillian wasn't sure how much rest anyone was going to be getting in the coming days, weeks, or months as the war was about to reach a new level of violence and chaos.

For hours he stood, staring at the snow and the stone cold walls that lay broken and towering all around him. Just behind him he could hear the flapping of the raised flag of Turgall along with the howl of the winds. The place was eerily silent other wise, most of his men remaining indoors, except the soldier's who were on guard posts.

None seemed to recognize or realize their Duke had gone off on his own, the corner he chose was especially vacant and near to the remains of the mage camps, that of which he turned to observe and found himself walking through them.

Numbly he observed the dead bodies, not of the soldier's they had slain, but the corpses of the mages he inadvertently hadn't saved in his attempt to rescue his sister. Many claimed him a hero, a champion against the cruel laws raised by Grand Duke Allarrick. But to him? To him, it was as empty and hollow as the bones that lay collecting in the snow.

Men, women and children lay in piles- slaughtered before they could escape, or even before the fighting had reached them. The blood stains were still there, having turned dark with the hours. His blue eyes remained unmoved, cold as the ice as his vision took in the rest-
And the horrors only escalated enough that he had to turn away, storming away from the death, the destruction as his eyes hardened, as did his disposition.

He was heading back towards the barracks, boots leaving heavy prints in the snow. Uncertainty, emptiness and confusion all battled within as his mind returned back to the problem at hand-
That Lillian Coleridge had touched him-
And though brief, the kiss nor slap did not kill him, but sent his mind into a frenzy, into a heat like he'd never felt before. For years of being repressed, frightened by touch had hardened him to anything like attachments or true emotions.

The only one who truly understood him was his sister, and now she was lost to him- perhaps for forever. But that was a battle for another day, and as he swung the door open to the barracks ad headed for his room like a dark horse, he said nothing as he gave the signal for his soldiers to stand down as he moved to unlock the door and step within.

And when he entered, the room was getting cold, the fire nearly starved as only hot coals remained to keep the large room tepid at best. And it was here, his heavy foot steps took him, pausing over the form of the sleeping White Lily, while a wild fire brewed within his eyes.

Silent questions glimmered in his expression, but he said and did nothing- simply studying the woman as she slept. And then, after what seemed like the longest moment in his life, he removed his glove from his hand and moved it forward, slowly, ever so slowly until he was just a breath away.

And he remained tense, eyes still looking at her breathing softly, sleeping...
And then lightly, tenderly his fingers stroked her cheek. And it surprised him to see-
Nothing had happened. The woman did not jerk awake, no spark of power came drawing inside him.

And before Lily would realize what had happened, his large hands moved forward, warm and sweaty from his gloves, and from his ramping anxiety as he held onto her cheeks, seeking her eyes before his lips crashed powerful to hers to sample a kiss-
A real kiss, and soon the room felt stifling, hotter than the sun as his hands moved to explore everything and anything he could of her. And if she'd allow him, he was completely open to sin.

The sounds of Blaith entering - the key turning the lock, the hinges creaking - didn't reach through the haze of sleep. Even the soft caress against her cheek didn't disturb Lillian, gave the young woman no warning at all. Imagine then the primal terror that seized the heart of the innocent White Lily when she was suddenly jerked from peaceful dreams by the sensation of being seized by powerful hands.

Lillian would have recoiled, had she been able, her body stiffening in fright, but a mouth was crushing hers in a hot kiss. It took a few moments for her to register that it was Blaith that had set upon her so. When that realization finally sank in, she relaxed against him as his hands began exploring, moving everywhere in a frenzy as if unsure what part of her he wanted to touch first. Not that she knew what to really expect - this was certainly a departure from his rigid and cool(if not cold) attitude towards her just before he'd stormed out.

Jade eyes fluttering, she whimpered against his lips before moving her hands to his chest, splaying her fingers wide as she felt her hands would have been as effective at attempting to push a wall back as they would have at getting Blaith off of her. That she was unsure if she wanted to stop him didn't help matters at all. Ultimately the Duke of Turgall would find his White Lily pliable and completely willing to be coaxed into submission.

He felt her tense, but then become yielding at his touch. And his hands were hungry, starved to feel every curve of her body, every piece of exposed skin. And his kisses grew more fervent, his mind possessed with need. And he couldn't help but wonder if this was really happening, if the kisses that felt so real were, and his touches only enticing and not lethal. And even after a lengthy session of kisses and feeling her up, he pulled away, heart drumming in his ears as he looked at her through half lids.

"Ansgar be damned!" He exclaimed, his grip tightening. "I can kiss you. I can really kiss you. And to touch..." Trembling fingers then moved through her soft curls, then traced the soft skin of her face. "Clearly this is a dream." For if he were awake or dead, he knew this reality would never exist.

These were new and strange sensations and feelings, Lillian thought the swimming in her head was a little like having drank too much wine, but different at the same time. Blaith's hands had a dizzying affect as he seemed intent on stroking every scrap of her skin that he could get his hands on. Her face was flushed and red from a mixture of desire, embarrassment, and shame.

None of those feelings stopped her lips from moving against his, eagerly accepting and returning his hot kisses. The sounds of soft whimpers and moaning muffled against his lips as her hands tentatively moved over his chest until finding their way into his shirt so that her soft palms could smooth over his muscled torso appreciatively.

By the time Blaith stopped his assault Lillian was breathless, staring up at him with a hint of awe and bewilderment at what was really going on. Her expression changed, became tender as she listened to his words, eyes fluttering closed as his fingers brushed across her face. Retreiving one hand from his shirt, the white lily took his hand and brought it so she could gently kiss his fingertips.

"Not a dream. I tried to tell you before Blaith, but you won't hurt me. I'm an adhara - I am immune to it." Her voice was gentle as she opened her jade eyes and looked up at him with a hint of doubt and possibly even fear. "Do you care about me at all? I mean, even if you couldn't touch me...this isn't just a matter of convenience for you is it?"

Large hands grabbed her face again, crushing hair against her skin and looking directly into her eyes at such a question.
"Convenience? Convenience?" his voice growled out, a hint of anger, and also confusion. "Do I look like a man who is used to this convenience?"
He could have wept, to be able to taste a woman, to feel her, to smell her being so close. He shivered at the thought of what else he could appreciate, and it took him some moments of moving his hands down her body before he brought his forehead to her's as he closed his eyes.

"Just let me... enjoy this. This moment. Even if you hate me... as I've taken you as my prisoner.... At least let me believe this is real." Because he was just as much drunk, if not more so, than she on this moment. And he wanted to experience it all before whatever barrier was removed in their presence somehow came back again.

Ah, but that was just it wasn't it? Lillian felt an icy knot of fear and self-loathing in her stomach. What if it was some other woman? Did Blaith care at all that it was her and not someone else? His hands holding her face to fiercely only intensified the hint of fear in her deep green eyes as she started at him for what seemed the longest time. Finally his hands moved back down her body and she let her eyes fall closed as their foreheads came to rest against each others.

The white lily still felt so overwhelmed by all of this. She wanted him so much, but at the same time knew there were so many reasons why she should be shrieking in protest to everything that had happened so far. Her vows, her family honor, her personal honor were all being stained with each passing second.

"Hate you?" Lillian questioned softly, her hands moving up to stroke his face lovingly as she kissed his cheek lightly. "Am I acting like a woman who hates you?"

"Gods.." he breathed. "I don't know."
Because he truly didn't, and the confusion continued to twist with the intense passion before him before he opened his blue eyes to look into her green one's.
"I've never touched a woman before... at least not one that I couldn't kill. And so many years of this agony, of this madness.... I.."

And he was shaking, his eyes welling up in tears as he recalled all of those memories when he had lost himself, taken a woman to his chambers and bedded her until she was dead. The guilt was too much to bear, even more over whelming than this sudden realization and desire that possessed him so as he tore himself away from her and took a few steps back and walked away from her.

He had to get away from her, he needed to cool off.
If Lily knew..
If she knew what sort of monster he was...

Then she'd realize how much he did not deserve her.

It was painful for Lillian to hear just how tortured he sounded. She was forbidden from some things, but to not be able to touch anyone at all, even in the smallest way was unimaginable. How lonely must it have been for him? His tears made her heart ache for him and she wanted to reach out and comfort him. Instead Blaith pulled away from her, again.

She sat up as she watched him retreat some distance, at least he'd not stormed from the room this time. It was frustrating and maddening to be left alone here, uncertain and feeling vulnerable. Actually since he'd woken her with those passionate kisses Lillian had begun to feel even more vulnerable. Knowing that she felt something for him was quite different once he'd actually laid his hands on her.

"Blaith please," she pleaded softly, "Let me help you. I want to help you. I need to help you. I can't stand to see you in so much pain."

And at that, Blaith could have laughed. But the undeclared laughter hung in the air like a mournful ghost. He shook his head and turned to her.

"Help?" His eyes were still blazing with tears. "One does not help a monster, Lily. Have you already forgotten where we stand?"

Or had he? He was seeing prisoner now out of guilt, and shame that she'd have to question his motives. His morality was already broken so many times...
and his mind, never his. So he had no idea how to cope now where he was finally himself.

Ignoring the word monster, for what else could she really do but ignore that word, Lillian instead winced softly at the unspoken word that hung over them both now. Prisoner. She wasn't going to lie, that declaration in the tower had hurt her. For many reasons. It still hurt her.

"That doesn't have to be where we stand, but only you can make that decision. I wrote the letter, it is sitting on the desk as proof that I am more than willing to aide you, to be your ally, not your enemy." She wished she could reach out to him, but she didn't make a move to close the distance between them, afraid she'd just make him flee again.

"I care about you, Blaith. More than I should, but I do and I don't know if I should feel ashamed of myself for it or not. All I know is that right now, in this moment, I am here and I am willing to help you if you'd only let me."

At that, Blaith covered his face with his hands, his large, calloused, chapped hands. After a moment of becoming stifled on his own hot breath, he dragged his hands down his face and moved over to the hearth and leaned over it, the remaining coals barely visible as they simmered between orange and grey.

It really did make Lillian's heart ache as she watched him. She'd always been a compassionate and caring person. Her father and brothers had commented on it so many times, telling her she was sweet. Becoming a White Lily had made her try so hard to be tougher, harder, something she thought they wanted her to be. Right now she just wanted to cry and hug him, but that wasn't what a knight or proper lady should do.

Maybe the most frustrating thing was not knowing how to help him. She felt like anything she said or did could be the wrong thing and making him close himself off to her again. That was the last thing she wanted. If she did nothing he was likely to slip through her fingers anyway. Getting up the young woman shuffled nervously towards him, stopping a little shy of him.

"If you don't even try then we'll never know. Your power doesn't hurt me, maybe I can help. At the very least, it might not hurt? I'm...floundering here Blaith. Help?"

It took a while before he turned to her in the somber, heavy silence they shared. But when he did, he looked so old and tired the way the shadows hugged at the creased on his face. But he was no less handsome, even with the rough beard he adorned. But his face was rigid, even as his cool blue eyes were searching.

"Help me? I don't think you realize what you're asking."
Or if it was possible. And hadn't she helped enough with her willingness to aide in the war and cool her father's temper?

And even though they could touch...
It would be wrong of him, he knew this, if he were to ask her to satisfy all his dreams, all he'd been denied for all of his life. But even beyond that, he felt undeserving and it maddened him all the same.

Lillian Coleridge, though he cared for her, was still something far out of his league. After all, he had grown up knowing he'd never have the chance to love or be loved by a woman properly. And he always hid that behind a charming grin and a quick way to divert those who might have been interested away.

After all, he had to hide what he was from the world-
Not only ofr his own protection, but for Kella's, too.

"It's very hard to know when you won't let me know." Lillian countered, looking up at him stubbornly, jade eyes wandering over his tired face. Sometimes she forgot how much older than her he was, but she didn't care. Blaith was handsome and something more, even if she couldn't really place her finger on it. It wasn't uncommon for an older nobleman to find himself with a woman as young as her. There case was unique in that Lillian was supposedly a forbidden fruit.

"This war is going to change things. Remember? I am so ready for a change, Blaith. I'm sick of wanting and being told that I am wrong to want. I won't pretend to know what it has been like for you, all these years so alone, but you don't have to be alone anymore. I can't change the past, but I can help you make a different future. I want to."

Blaith glared at her for her initial retort, but as she went on to explain, he sighed and looked away from her, shaking his head as he avoided her eye contact. And despite the room having grown quite cold, Blaith was still hot with uneasiness and rage, and had no intentions of feeding the remains of the fire anytime soon.


Once the silence grew too heavy, Blaith finally spoke.
"I don't think you understand what you're asking. What you want to know."

"What I want to know..." Lillian sighed, raising a hand to rub tiredly at her temples, the frustration written clearly across her face. The room was growing colder by the minute and the young woman shivered slightly, although she otherwise ignored the dropping temperature.

"Right now, all I want to know is that the man I've grown to care for isn't going to push me away or shut me out." Maybe that made her just another silly, stupid girl. She should have guarded her heart better. A knight should be harder.

Blaith turned to face her, giving her a hard look over as he frowned.
"This is a war, Lillian. Emotions have no place here." Yet as he looked at her, that stony and angry disposition wavered, and the hint of tears from earlier began to return.

No, this was not how it was going to be. Lillian felt a surge of anger well up inside her. She as a Knight of the White Lily and a daughter of Orchy. No daughter of Micah Coleridge was going to throw herself desperately at any man. Not even Blaith bloody Harmond!

"Then send my letter to my father and have this meeting so we can be done with it. I will go home and you will get your army and be rid of me. I would so hate to inconvenience you with something so tiresome as affection." Shoving aside her hurt feelings, she narrowed her jade eyes at Blaith coldly. Lillian was actually proud of herself, her lips didn't tremble, though she felt the faint sting of tears as her eyes watered slightly, but she blinked them back as she turned her head to look away from him. Looking at him made it so much harder to try to harden her heart against him.

As stubborn as he was, as arrogant as he had been, and as fearful as he had been taught since the awakening of his 'curse'; Blaith could not for the life of him deny himself the one moment when he realized his true self was coming forth; and his only opportunity to ever feel something from another.

Sure, Kella had been his madness, the thing that drove him on unrelentingly..
But in the presence of Lillian Coleridge it was a madness of another kind.
And he could not take the hammer he was using to drive them apart.

He had been about ready to storm clean out of there, but instead, he turned to her and saw exactly what he wanted. And he stormed clean up to her and grabbed her roughly by the arm and pulled her to him so that their bodies pressed and she was all but consumed in his arms.

"Lillian Coleridge you are a fool. You seek to desire, to want, to have affections for a mad man." And as he held her, his heart raced and his blue eyes danced like a wild flame.
"And I can only return that in kind, to take everything from you and drink of it, and indulge if I could. But laws and wars will weigh on this, cut at it until we are both hung for treasons beyond treasons."
And as he studied her, his grip grew even stronger and his voice and expression, desperate.

"But if you want this madness, to let the world fall down at our feet, I'll take you right here, right now, I swear to Angsar's name, Lily I will claim you as mine as I have wanted for so long."

For yes, he had fantasized about htis woman on more than one occasion, but knew better it could be nothing more than that. Something about a woman in armor, and that stubborn pride...
His heart was like a volcano, exploding with heat that feuled his blood and clouded his mind.

But he didn't need to see anything else. He wanted her, only her.

"Let's fuck the system, the rules, the logic before I fall deeper into this. Let me kiss you, claim you like we both want. Because Gods, Lillian, you are the only thing I can touch, want to touch and even Angsar isn't cruel enough to keep us apart."

And before she could reply, his lips claimed hers, hungrily devouring hers before he pulled away, keeping his face but inches apart from her.

"Say it's so and I'll be yours."
Because, as he declared-
Fuck everything else.

He wanted Lily, and he wanted her now.

As much as it wasn't what she wanted, Lillian had thought that this conversation was finally over. Angsar take Blaith. She would go home and wait out the coming storm. Hardly a satisfying path to take, but what choice did an adhara have? The war would be fought, and no matter the winner her life belonged to the Church, not her.

So imagine her surprise when her arm was seized harshly and she found herself enveloped in the arms of the very man she was torn between loving and hating in that moment. Outrage filled her jade eyes as she glared up at him through tears. How dare he drag this pain out for her. Being called a fool didn't lessen her glare at all, but he spoke on and she found herself unwilling to interrupt. Though several scathing and colorful retorts were dancing on the tip of her tongue.

His hold upon her grew all the stronger, a soft sound of disgruntlement escaping at the desperate grip upon her person. Still he was talking, and the more he talked, the softer her expression grew. The anger Lillian felt cooled, but did not leave entirely.

Not even as his lips crashed down upon hers, the kiss more than enough to steal her breath away, leaving her gasping softly as he pulled away. The sudden change left her dizzy. To have him go from determined to keep her away to practically begging her to stay was infuriating in and of itself. She was not going to be swung about back and forth on such an important issue!

"Yes." She wasn't sure she trusted herself to try to say more. Instead she closed the distance between their lips, kissing him fiercely, hands gripping his shirt where they were pinned between their bodies. This was definitely what she wanted.

Lillian was fully prepared to embark on a crusade to free herself from the shackles of the Church's tyranny regarding adhara, mages, and anything else that stood between her and the man she wanted.

She didn't need to say more after that kiss. He reveled in it, more than any man could know. Having been denied such attentions for all of life.... He simply melted, each kiss eliciting a moan as if the pair were already making love. ANd as she fumbled with his shirt, he helped her, not wasting much time to remove it so that her hands could feel his skin. And how much he needed to have her touch his skin. That in itself was a whole other world of ecstasy for him, and even the thrill was begging him to ask for more.

But he wanted to take the moment slow, to feel her, to be feeled, and to let this go in any way they chose. In here, they were only prisoners to one another, and free from the world.

As quickly as Blaith could get his shirt off, Lillian's hands were all over the newly exposed flesh. Soft, delicate palms smoothing over his stomach, chest, and shoulders as she seemed intent to slowly learn every inch of him. This was a momentous occasion for both of them - in a way the first time for them both, and absolutely forbidden, which added an extra thrill to it, at least for Lillian. For her it was definitely a moment to savor and enjoy at their own leisurely pace.

Judging by the way Blaith moaned just from the way their tongues intertwined she was doing the right thing - something she was really very uncertain about! After all, this was new to her. Breaking the kiss, her breathing ragged with a mixture of cold and desire, Lillian stepped back from Blaith just long enough to drag her tunic over her head. Goosebumps immediately raised on her exposed torso, her nipples were already quite hard as her young breasts heaved softly as her jade eyes regarded Blaith smolderingly.

And all Blaith could do was look at her. His blue eyes ate up her form in slow, sensual silence. Sure, he'd seen and handled women before, but nothing.. nothing like this. All the women before...
No, he'd rather not go there, think there and soon found his hands moving forward, gentle at first, to touch the softness of her skin, and smile at the way the goosebumps raised upon her flesh. And he noted, only then, how cold it must have been and his large hands moved to her arms, where he began to rub them for warmth.

"You're so cold," he told her, and wrapped his arms around her, pulling her close so as to press their naked torso's together. And even that was heavenly, just the simple act of flesh to flesh.
Yes, even just this moment was perfect. He felt he could die happy...
And they hadn't even begun to sin.

A faint flush came to pale cheeks as those blue eyes roamed over Lillian's naked chest. There was the urge to recover herself out of embarrassment, but there was another part of her that relished the way his gaze seemed to devour her. Finally, once he seemed to have taken his fill of the view, his hands moved to roam over her bare skin which elicited a different kind of shiver entirely from the previous ones.

Moments later those large hands were rubbing her arms to warm her before she found herself once again engulfed in his embrace, this time without the barrier of clothing between them. She moved her arms around him, letting her hands smooth across his back, appreciating how he felt beneath her palms.

"You'll keep me warm." She assured him with a little breathy sigh as her lips found his collarbone, peppering kisses across his chest.

The scruff of his beard would scratch her, but he was not sorry for it. He reveled in her scent, in the softness of her skin against his cheek and the way she felt so close to his body, so warm with their shared heat. And when she began to kiss him, he shivered and released a held breath, a large palm moving down to rest at the small of her back, the other, resting and its fingers entangling into her hair, feeling each soft curl and how it fell through and tangled around his hand.

For a time Lillian found herself perfectly content to stay just like that, letting her lips explore softly along the expanse of his chest as they simply held each other close. There was something very sexy to her about the way his scruffy face scratched against her skin. Though she couldn't possibly know why that was, only aware that she adored every gentle scrape.

Her hands continued to lightly stroke across his back, delighting in the warmth and strength of him. Tilting her head, Lillian sought his lips again, bringing one hand up to stroke his cheek tenderly as she kissed him deeply and slowly, once again wanting to taste him. The other hand stroked down his side to his hip, plucking at the hem of his pants. That there was still skin unavailable to her seemed unbearably frustrating, although she was embarrassed by the thought of being pressed against his fully naked form.

Her earlier peeking had been quite scandalous, but oh she was planning on so much more than just looking now.

"Gods, Lily," he breathed against her, hands moving up and down her form over and over before he squeezed her to him again. "Gods, you have no idea how this makes me feel," he moaned, lips trailing down her throat. "To taste a woman, to touch one... to do all of this without-"
And he paused, flinching at his slip of tongue and falling short of just saying the cruel reality of what had been. But he only whimpered, and continued on with his kissing. And feeling her hands on his pants, he blindly moved his own hands down there to help her unlace them before none too gracefully wriggling them off.

"And we've only just started." Was the softly groaned promise of things to come. The feel of his warm breath caressing her skin as his lips teased down her throat had Lillian whimpering softly and tilting her head inviting him to lavish attention to more of her delicate neck. His voice sent little shivers through her, though she seemed not to notice his slip.

Obviously there was more worthy pursuits to attract her attention. Like helping slide the pants off Blaith's hips, though perhaps her hands were a little clumsy with the task. She'd never helped a man remove his clothes before and she was nervous. Tentatively her hand moved over his exposed hip and what of his outer thigh she could reach as jade eyes glanced down to catch a better view of what she'd only dared glimpse at before.

And she'd see his member, purple headed and erect with just a subtle, glistening on the tip. He was more than ready to go, precum giving away to that, and to a woman like her, who had no experience with such a thing-
Perhaps he'd appear a bit large to fit... well, between her legs. But he was only barely above the average, but even still, he had more than plenty of his sex to give her a fill.

Hands moved down her body, removing any clothing between them that was left and in the way, and he paused after that, admiring her body, and letting his hands slowly move across it, then down, and down to where his hands smoothed between her thighs, barely getting close to her sex, but being close enough that he could feel her heat. And once he did, those blue eyes looked up to her and he smiled, he genuinely smiled, and was quick to capture her face and bring her to him, onto him and over him as he went back to lay on the only bed the room had.

He dare not enter her, not yet, even when they were both so obviously eager. He wanted his 'first time' at true love making to be just that-
something he could savor, relish in and not be rushed. After all, in this moment, the war no longer existed. But he still had a will to conquer-
and the thrill to conquer her.

Lillian's eyes widened slightly as she took in the sight of his sex, it certainly looked different than it had before, but she had expected that. Despite her inexperience, she didn't fear so much that it wouldn't fit - men and women had been doing this forever so she didn't doubt this was entirely possible - more she worried if it was going to hurt. Not that she participated in dirty gossip about such things, but she'd heard that for some women it could cause pain.

Drawing her attention back to Blaith's face, she watched him as he explored her body with his hands in the process of removing her leggings, which she gladly shimmied out of. The feel of his hands smoothing over her inner thighs had her gut clenching slightly as she bit her lip to hold back a soft moan. Her body was certainly eager for his attention, as evidenced by the heat and moistness of her sex. Lillian found herself aching for something.

When Blaith smiled at her though, the last of any lingering apprehension about going through with this melted away as jade eyes gazed into blue. She felt a swelling of feeling in her chest, causing her heart to beat all the harder as he brought her against him again and drew her down onto the bed. Her cheeks heated again as she found herself on top of him, straddling his waist and hands on his chest.

He made no move to enter her, and Lillian was content to let him take the initiative on that matter. Instead she focused on sliding her body against his, feeling his hot and hard sex rubbing over the lips of her sex, drawing a gasping moan from her. So she did it again.

Blaith's eyes rolled back so he was nearly seeing his brains. His sex sliding along hers, to feel those moist folds..
It was heaven.

And they still hadn't consumated the moment.

But wasn't that the beauty of it? To take things slow, to savor each step, each breath, each hitch, each desire? He was in no rush. His first time... his real first time, would be something he wanted to remember forever.

And if this were a dream...
May he die before he awake, as he moved his hips slowly in tune with hers, both hesitating, but knowing exactly what they wanted. And so no entry was made, only the sweet soft petting of sex to sex.

It took a concentrated effort for Lillian to maintain a slow glide to her movements, especially when Blaith started moving his hips in time with hers. She angled her hips in a way that had the head of his member bumping and rubbing deliciously against her clit with each slow stroke. Each time that happened she let out a soft mewling gasp, her face twisted into a mix of extreme restraint and absolute ecstasy. Her moist folds quickly became much wetter, coating the length of him, making each stroke smoother as her hands pressed lightly against his chest.

"Angsar...Blaith you feel so good." Lillian whimpered softly.

At her exclamation, he released his own whimpering moan. And he could feel it, hear it as his length lapped against her. She was so soft, warm and slick, and it took a considerably amount of effort not to simply bang her like a dog.

With his eyes closed, his hands continued to move across her body, feeling up and down her soft skin and going to her breasts, which he took his time to fondle, before leaning up on one arm to take one to his lips, to kiss it and suckle on it, while his dick threatened to make entry, but remained in such a way only the tip continued to prod her.

He'd let her take the lead with entry. Knowing it hurt for a woman on her first time, perhaps it was best to let her ease him within her folds? Though he wasn't sure how long that might last, as eager lips moved from breast and trailed up her front to where her shoulder and neck met, and was soon sucking eagerly at the skin there, and feeling just a little more than the tip of his shaft slip within her. And even that small amount made him freeze and shiver.

Every new sensation was paradise, when his lips found her breast Lillian's back arched, one hand reaching up to tangle in his short hair as she gasped and moaned. The new angle of her hips had the tip of his sex pushing against her entrance enticingly. They were so close to actually going through with this, she could scarcely believe it. At the same time, she wanted nothing more than to go through with it, so she pushed the last of her fears about breaking her vows out of her mind.

A good thing too, because Blaith shifted slightly, his lips finding her neck and pulling whimpers of pleasure from her as he suckled the sensitive skin, and it was then she felt him begin to slide slightly into her. It wasn't very much, but it was enough for her to gasp softly as her body stretched around him. There wasn't pain yet, but it was mildly uncomfortable. He felt impossibly large and slick as she might be the fit was very tight.

Sucking in a breath as she closed her eyes, Lillian tilted her head to rest it against his before rolling her hips down on him, impaling herself with a soft whimper of pain as her innocence was lost. Angsar, but he wasn't even all the way in yet!

Feeling how her own sex yearned for his, his lips met to hers, his own fingers tangling and gripping into her hair. She had only taken him in about half way and he felt he could come. Her hot, velvet folds were like nothing he could imagine. Sure he had women... but that was only lust... insanity.

And this, what they were sharing now? This was so much more.

His hands now found her hips, his own rocking slowly and moving upwards, coaxing her tightness to allow more of him to fit, but also doing it, or so he hoped, on her own accord. But Ansgar be damned if the world were to end now- He'd at least make love to this woman right. And before he knew it, he was no longer holding back, and his entire length had slipped within.

A couple tears managed to escape the corners of her closed eyes as she kissed him passionately, which was a convenient distraction to the temporary discomfort she felt. Her hands moved to grip his shoulders gently as his large hands found their way to her hips. Soft moans were muffled against his lips as Lillian let his hands encourage her to gently move her hips with his.

It didn't take long at all before she could feel Blaith in his entirety buried within her. The sensation had her gasping and he would feel her sex spasm softly around him as she moaned softly again. The head of his sex was putting pressure on some spot deep inside of her that Lillian hadn't even known existed, and it had her seeing little white spots.

He could feel her sex taste him, grip him tightly as her body grew used to him. And she was so tight, so wet, so unbelievably hot he had to wonder something so hot like hell could feel so good, like heaven.

And she wasn't the only one that tensed and moaned at their full union. It took Blaith moments to recover, panting all the while when he began to move, slow and with purpose as his hands kept to her hips and his eyes remained half lidded.

The short pause in movement was a blessing, as Lillian adjusted and became accustomed to Blaith's size. For a few moments she'd tensed because of the pain and discomfort, but she forced herself to relax and that made it much, much better. Indeed, there was hardly any discomfort at all after that initial stab of pain.

Instead she found little shivers going through her as each slow, purposeful movement of her lover's hips sent little shocks of pleasure through her that made the White Lily tingle from scalp to toes. Each slow rock of her hips drew more moans from her as her lips sough his, kissing him softly before moving to his cheek, then placing little nipping kisses down his neck to his shoulder.

"Gods.. Lily.." he moaned, closing his eyes now as he continued to roll his hips. He moved as slowly as he dared, moving his full length completely into her and also nearly withdrawing from her in the same roll. ANd he could hear the moist sounds of her sex as he did so, and soon his hands were traveling up her body, and fondling the soft skin of her breasts and their pert nipples.

She couldn't get enough of him. Her lips continued to move over his skin, suckling on the junction of neck and shoulder. Every time his member thrust back into her in that nearly maddeningly slow pace Lillian gave a soft cry of pleasure. The feel of his hands moving over her sensitive nipples had her giving a gasping cry, her eyes squeezed shut.

The position was beginning to become uncomfortable for her, the unfamiliar movements were causing her thighs to burn. Her hand moved to clutch at the back of his neck as she sealed her lips against his in a hungry, desperate kiss. She only broke it to whisper hoarsely to him. "Can we switch?"

His hips never once stopped moving, rolling and crashing beneath her like ocean waves. But at her request, he stopped, hands to her hips and opened those blue eyes to look at her. ANd he sat up, still inside her before hands found her face and his lips met to hers.

"Anything for you," he whispered, and moved to turn her around, but keeping their bodies linked as he awkwardly maneuvered her, and soon Lily'd find herself with her back to the bed and Blaith's arms on either side of her. And at this new position, he tried to maintain that slow, agonizing pace, but in this position, it was just too much.

She did her best to help as he rolled them over, or at the very least not make things harder or more awkward for him as he did it. As soon as Lillian was settled onto her back she wrapped her legs around Blaith's waist, tilting her hips at an angle that would take his thrusts deeper. Jade eyes looked up at him half-lidded, her mouth parted slightly as her breathing came in hitching pants.

Leaning up she cupped his face in her hands and gave him another soft kiss. "It doesn't hurt anymore." To emphasize her point she bucked her hips against him wantonly. She didn't want him to keep going slow and easy.

Blaith whimpered at the revelation, eyes nearly closing as his hips began to move, and much faster. Her sex was so tight, and each time he buried himself into her, he grunted a shudder.
"Gods, Lily..." he moaned. "You have no idea.. how... "he paused only to pant out another moan. "How good you feel."

"Y-you feel pretty a-amazing yourself." Lillian managed to choke out between moans, and she obviously meant it.

So far Lillian had managed to remain relatively quiet, but this new position quickly unraveled her restraint. The way the new angle had him stimulating her, not to mention the quicker pace, drew breathy cries of pleasure from the young knight. Which also caused her face to flush heavily. For Ansgar's sake there were guards just outside the door! It was embarrassing knowing that they likely knew exactly what was going on.

What they were doing was more than making love. Neither one experienced in this, their bodies joined wholly, willingly and blissfully. The songs of their pleasure would indeed be head by those guard's posted in the hall. And in fact, they exchanged glances and only smirked, and kept about their business. They knew if anyone needed to get laid, it was the Duke. And though he was banging a White Lily....
All the more power to him. It made a statement, and would do so much more, as Blaith continued to move his hips in a hypnotic rhythm that stoked the flames in hopes to get her to elicit more wild cries. She was soaking wet, and he was nearing his peak, but he hardly wanted this pleasure to end as his lips met to hers constantly. He was hunger and every ounce of him showed it. And when he finally reached his peak, his eyes rolled back as he exclaimed, "Gods.. Lily.. I'm gonna come."
And before she could protest, she was soon flooded with a hot gush of his seed. There was so much some dribbled out from within her as Blaith continued to buck. And it seemed his climax was never ending, and when he was through, he collapsed over top of Lily, and panted as he gave a soft kiss to her chest.
And from where he lay, he could smell her scent, feel her heart beating and her warmth. And through it, he felt everything was perfect in the world. And if he were to die...
The Gods could take him now. For at least he got to taste this sort of love but once.

Crying wildly is precisely what she did. Every thrust seemed to build up this unbelievably intense pressure inside her, driving her wild with both pleasure and a strange aching need for more. Nearly incoherent pleas for more for him never to stop, peppered through her strangled cries. Blaith announced his release, causing her eyes to fly open. It was when she was hotly flooded that Lillian gave a sharp cry, nails clawing lightly down her lover's back even as her sex clamped down and pulsed with her own orgasm.

Blaith continued to buck for what seemed forever, only drawing out the intense sensations. By the time he collapsed on top of her, still buried inside, she felt as if her entire body had been wrung out. Lillian mostly went limp in the bed, only managing to keep her arms around his shoulders, lightly stroking the back of his neck and head where it lay on her breast. She felt completely dazed, but in a very good way.

"Gods..." He said, barely catching his breath. "You have no idea how much I needed this, wanted this."

Her heart was still pounding wildly, though beginning to calm slowly, and she was still catching her breath when she heard Blaith. Lillian's mind was starting to work again and not all of her thoughts were pleasant.

"I wanted this so badly, too." She confessed, her face heating up as she considered just how wanton she had been and behaved. Lillian groaned softly as she wondered just how far off people had heard her just now. "This was...so good, but...not good."

She felt a slight clinching in her gut as she thought about how much trouble she would be in. What would the Church do when they found out she'd broken her vows? The thought of how disappointed her father and brothers were going to be worried her even more. Lillian had dishonored them with her poor behavior.

"Not good?" Blaith found himself chuckling as he trailed kisses up her sweaty body. ANd the room was so cold, but their flesh,so hot that steam rose from their skin. And when they spoke, clouds would puff out from their lips.
"If anything, I think that was beyond good and boarding on godly." His lips continued, now taking her hand and kissing it softly, taking those lips of his to each finger tip, down them to each knuckle and just savoring the ability to just be able to touch.

The feel of his lips trailing so pleasantly along her skin sent little shivers through her. During the heat of the moment she'd felt downright hot, but now the sweat would begin to cool on their skin. At least his body still covered hers a considerable amount, holding off the chill. His lips also served to make concentrating on her thoughts difficult. It was just so distracting to be showered with the gentle, affectionate touches.

"I wasn't talking about the sex - I cannot argue with you about that." She gave a soft, frustrated sigh, loving the way his lips caressed along her fingers. "I broke my vows. Even more than that, this isn't exactly the way a proper lady is supposed to behave."

She'd pushed for this, had wanted it, but now she had to worry about the consequences. "I don't regret it." Lillian said softly, hoping he wasn't worried about that!

When she was done speaking, he paused at the ends of kissing her fingers and smiled up at her. He guided her hand to press it against his chest.
"Do you feel that?" he asked. "My heart beat.. no one else has ever, or can ever feel that but you."

"Good. That just means it and you are all mine, right?" Lillian said with a slight smirk as she felt his heart thrumming beneath her palm. She certainly wanted him to be all hers.

Chuckling, Blaith threaded her other hand with his and raised it to his lips.
"Are you saying you'd actually be okay with this?" he asked, kissing her knuckles.

"Okay with what, exactly?" Lillian asked with a breathy chuckle. "I just let you ravish me quite thoroughly - broke my vows to Ansgar and the Church. If I wasn't okay with this - whatever this is, well it is a little late to start saying no, don't you think?"

Blaith smiled through his kisses before leaning forward and kissed her on the lips.
"I suppose you're right." And he gave her a leftward grin. "And now that I know I can touch you... I'll be sure to make that claim on you every night, day and afternoon."

"That sounds exhausting." Lillian said with a soft laugh, wondering how she would keep up with such a bold statement. Although if it felt so good every time then she couldn't exactly say she wasn't looking forward to finding out. Although she also had to wonder how they might manage it when Blaith's army was on the march - there was a war to be fought, after all.

"And as much as I might like you, I am not your toy, Blaith Harmond." That had better be abundantly clear to him. She felt for him, but she wasn't going to just let herself be used either!

"Toy?" he laughed and dove at her, kissing at her neck and shoulder, and any place that might be ticklish. "You're not a toy, but my prisoner!" he jested, but after a moment, he paused to look at her seriously, pinning her beneath him as he did.
"But I suppose what just happened now... we should probably talk about it becoming... another sort of arrangement."

Jade eyes only had a second to widen before Lillian let out a surprised squeal as Blaith started trying to tickle her with kisses - and it was working. She squirmed for a moment but the play was short-lived as he became serious again. He'd used that filthy word again - prisoner. Even in jest she hated it!

Not that she could do much but look up at him with a half-pout half-glare as he pinned her beneath him. "Absolutely am not going to be considered a prisoner while also being your lover." Lillian agreed on that definitely.

"So what sort of arrangement did you have in mind?" They still had not sent out the letter to her father. That needed to be done. If she was going to convince her father to ally with Blaith then she definitely couldn't be his prisoner. Maybe a liaison between Blaith and her father then. That sounded a lot better than prisoner.

At the words lover, he gave her a warm, and semi-whistful smile.
"Lovers," he simply repeated, leaning forward to kiss her softly as a curled hand caressed her cheek.

Lillian blinked, before smiling softly at the expression he was giving her. Her lips moved against his, returning the kiss just as soft and sweetly. At least for a few moments before his shifting had her grimacing. He'd slipped out of her, and without all the pleasure she found that maybe she was just a little bit tender down there. Even worse, his seed was now oozing out of her - not the most pleasant of sensations.

She gasped softly before looking between them with a scowl, only now realizing that he'd absolutely unloaded his seed into her. "Blaith you idiot. Look at the mess you made, and it's inside too."

Ugh, making love to him had been one thing. That she had most certainly wanted. Having his seed inside her, possibly taking root in her womb. Now that was a chilling thought. It was one thing to be his lover, but that alone was going to reflect so poorly on her - to have a bastard by him would be much too shameful.

As if it wasn't that big of a deal, he fetched his crumpled shirt and handed it to her.
"Here, use this to wipe up with." And he chuckled, giving her a boyish grin. "I guess nobody warned you sex was a messy sport?"
For he was hardly thinking about the consequences, right now, he was just content to bask in the after sex bliss.

"Is there always so much?" Lillian grumbled as she took his shirt. Sex was definitely messier than she'd expected. Not to say she hadn't expected some mess. They really should have thought this through better. At least she was able to get most of the sticky feeling off. Ew. Ew. Ew.

"If you get me pregnant I'm going to kill you." She scowled at him, tossing his shirt to the side in a huff. Sure, he could be all relaxed at a time like this - though really she couldn't blame him, their activity had worn her clean out and despite her grumbling and annoyances, she still felt pretty good. Still, she was the one that had most of the pressure on her shoulders in this particular situation.

As Blaith lay there, a contented heap of meltiness, his smile grew as he peered up at the ceiling in wonder. Pregnant? By Angsar's name.. he never thought such a thing could be possible, and suddenly he was sitting up and kissing her all over.
"Then kill me now, because I won't stop until you are."

The look that Blaith received might have been very similar to the look Lillian would have given him should he have sprouted an extra head. Or maybe three extra heads.

"Have you gone mad?" She managed to sputter, not at all reciprocating his kisses. "Do you even realize how much I've already shamed myself?"

Tears actually welled up in her eyes as she glared at him in a bit of disbelief. How insensitive could he possibly be? "People are already going to sneer at me being your mistress or...or... whore! I - I can't get pregnant with a bastard!"

Despite her ruffled disposition, Blaith still tried to kiss her.
"Who said anything about a bastard? Or you being my mistress, or whore?"

"What else do you think people are going to call me?!" People were awful. Any fault, any mistake, especially for the nobility and especially for noblewomen, would be mercilessly gossiped about. Lillian thought she could handle the malicious things they would end up saying about her, but her putting up with it and having a child that would have to put up with it were two very different things.

In her obvious upset, she hadn't really thought about his denial about getting her pregnant with a bastard - although he quite clearly said he intended to get her pregnant.

Blaith laughed against her throat before moving to look her in the eyes.
"Lillian Coleridge, what are you afraid of? War rages all around us, yet somehow we found this taste of peace. Do you honestly think I'd let you become a mockery, become shamed? Did you forget I am the Duke of Turgall, the leader of this army, and the advocate to make change?"
His hands moved to touch her face.
"I am changing. This world is changing, and our lives will prove it."
He moved forward, his eyes glowing with passion as he took her hands.

"I have yet to ever touch a woman as I have touched you. What I am.. what you suspected, forbids me unless I kill. ANd do not think I am innocent, because whatever this power is I have, the one you, and only you can negate, it.. it has corrupted me Lily. And this.. what we have... I can't let it go. You free me, let me be my real self, let those ghosts that corrupt me from my own magics become snuffed out. And this war will be for nothing if I can't have you."

And a soured thought echoed in the pit of his belly.
For he recalled he had a similar notion against his sister.

Kella....

It was a rather touching speech, and Lillian's jade eyes met his through all of it. Tears still shimmered in hers. Ansgar but she wanted him. Not just physically, but emotionally she knew she was already his. That frightened her. So many other things as well. She pulled her hands out of his, but only so she could wrap her arms around him, finally looking away from those amazing blue eyes so that she could bury her face against his chest. To her credit, she didn't start bawling.

"I'm afraid of losing you. I'm afraid of disappointing everyone - you, my family, Ansgar. Father is going to be so ashamed of what I've done. To give myself to a man, any man, when I swore that I would not - and worse still a man that isn't my husband. What if he hates me for this? Father can be so harsh, so strict, and he holds me to the highest standard. I've embarrassed him."

Maybe she was crying just a little bit.

Blaith wrapped his arms around her, a gesture he was not used to, but nothing something he was going to be shy about. He buried his face next to hers and spoke softly, "You've embarrassed no one. If anything, the fools who follow a fool's law should feel embarrassed. We're only listening to what we want." He smoothed a hand down her back. "Repression... now repression should be a sin."

"My father is not a fool." Lillian grumbled, but she didn't pull away from his embrace, no, she burrowed in tighter. She had begun to shiver again as her body remembered that the room was cold.

"I'm not just breaking men's laws, but Ansgar's laws. I've always been a good, devout woman. When I was a girl I did everything I could to be the most proper of proper ladies. I wanted father to find me a husband that he and Orchy could be proud to have matched a daughter with. When I found out I was adhara he was so disappointed! So I tried to be exemplary in the church so he would feel pride in me again. Now what do I have for him to be proud of?"

It was really sinking in now. She'd disgraced and shamed not only herself, but her father as well. Gabriel would no doubt be upset with her too. Cyrus...he was probably the only one that would understand.

"You speak of everyone else... how you worry about them. But what about you, Lily?" he asked, trying to guide her chin to look up at him.

She offered little resistance, jade eyes coming up to peer at him through her tears. Nobody ever asked what she wanted or what she thought. That wasn't what women were for. Of course that didn't stop her at all from wanting! Far from it, it made her want more.

"I want..." Lillian hesitated, eyes looking down and away from his face. "I want you. I want to be loved. I want to be respected. Nobody cares what a woman thinks. It isn't fair." In a much smaller voice she added, "What do you want?"

At her response, he simply wrapped his arms around her tighter, just holding her and keeping her close. He could feel her heart beat, her heat, especially now as the cold room was finally getting to him.
"This." Was all he breathed against her. "This is all I ever wanted."

It was really impossible not to burrow against his chest as much as she could. The room was cold, he felt warm and in his arms she felt protected. Her mind was still reeling slightly from the sheer enormity of it all. At least Lillian knew that she hadn't lied to him earlier - she didn't regret giving herself to him.

"Do you really want to get me pregnant?" She finally asked after simply enjoying being held for a short time. That was certainly something she couldn't just put out of her head. At least she felt calmer. They could have a rational discussion about this.

Blaith laughed softly and stroked her hair.
"I don't know. I'm not sure its even possible."
After all, he had had women before but...
In the end, they were corpses, so even when he finished...
He cringed at hte thought and tried to bury that nightmare away and in doing so, buried his face against her.

"But if it were to ever happen, you, your child...... no... our child would not be a disgrace. And he'd be a Duke, by blood right. A ruling Duke in this scarred land."

"Of course it's possible." The evidence was all over his shirt, as far as Lillian was concerned. There was no reason to think that she were barren or that he was impotent just because no other woman could bear his seed and live, after all.

"The only way that would be so is if..." Lillian hesitated to say it, as she held him so tightly. Well, Ansgar, why the hell not just say it? It was the truth. "Well, if you married me."

And if they won the war, because if they didn't they'd all die.

Blaith went quiet as he thought it over, still stroking her hair. After a time, he chuckled softly, and soon that turned into more of a soft laugh.
"You know... it's a man's duty to propose marriage.." he told her, kissing her forehead.

"It's also a woman's duty to remain chaste until her marriage bed, but since we've thrown that out the window I don't see why it matters." Lillian murmured before nuzzling his cheek softly. "And I wasn't proposing, merely pointing out that the only option for me to save face and to bear you a legitimate son is marriage."

And Blaith simply held her, the moment lasting well into what felt like eternity. And when he finally did speak, his words were barely a whisper.

"Then let's get married."

"Just like that?" Lillian asked skeptically. Shouldn't it be more complicated? It certainly felt like it should be more complicated. "Are you not worried that your men will think that I am manipulating you?"

And all Blaith could do was laugh.
"But isn't that what just happened?" he asked, stealing a kiss.

"Did I? Are you saying you didn't want to make love to me and that you think there's a better woman to be your wife?" Lillian asked, arching a brow at him.

Stealing another kiss, he professed, "I never said that. On the contrary, you made me believe, and realize.." He kissed her again. "You are the only one for me. Not just because we can touch... but that damn well makes it easier, but because..." And here he peered up into her eyes and studied her face, but did not finish that thought. If only because for some reason, in that moment, she reminded him of Kella.

Lillian couldn't stop the blush that crept onto her cheeks as Blaith kissed her and looked into her eyes, and her demeanor became a little bashful. Love and romance had been something she'd always wanted, but had been forbidden (and had come to realize was probably childish as nobles rarely married for love alone).

"Because?" She pressed softly, wanting very much to know.

His eyes never left her's.
And all he could say was,
"God, you're beautiful."

"I love you, Blaith." At least Lillian was pretty sure she did, and her smile was radiant as she leaned forward to kiss him sweetly. He would be able to feel the goosebumps raised on her flesh as she began to shiver gently. Her body pressed closer to him, seeking warmth.

At her profession, Blaith simply stared into her eyes. Their color was nothing short of the same radiance as a cut and faceted jade, or even the color of spring grass.

"I love you, Blaith."

The words continued to ring in his ears, and soon his arms were moving around her form, realizing how cold she was as he kept her pressed as close as he could before kissing the top of her hair.

"I know."

I know. I know?!

Well then! Not exactly the most romantic response she could have hoped for. Lillian wasn't sure just how upset she should be at that declaration! His embrace was warm, but she pulled away from it anyway and rose from the bed.

"It's cold in here, we should restart the fire. Unless you are wanting to be moving on, then I suppose we should dress. There's a lot to do still."

And like a bear, he mauled her, scooping her up and throwing her over his shoulder.
"Get back here!" And soon he had her thrown onto the bed and tossed the blankets at her.
"Who left you in charge, anyway?" he told her, hands on his hips. "Besides, this is my office. I'll tend to the fire. And you.." he picked up a discarded pillow and tossed ti at her. "You just stay there and get warm and comfy."

Lillian yelped in surprise as she was lifted over Blaith's shoulder quite easily. Being thrown on the bed had her gasping softly before the blankets landed in a mess on top of her. She was certainly not used to being manhandled quite so deftly! His words had her gaping at him slightly, although he cut a very delicious figure standing there with his hands on his hips being all authoritative. And wondrously naked.

She caught the pillow tossed at her and stuck her tongue out at him. "A simple 'come back to bed' would have sufficed, tossing me about like a sack wasn't necessary." She grumbled sourly, although she did start arranging blankets and pillows in a comfortable little nest.

Blaith turned his attentions to feeding the fire, and with his back to her he simply replied, "Yes, but that would have been too easy. And besides," he looked over his shoulder with a smirk. "Who knows if you'd comply."

Well now she had an entirely different view to admire. Lillian watched him tend the fire as she pulled the blankets up to her chin as she settled back onto the bed, making herself as comfortable as possible. The covers were cold, but body heat would soon make a cocoon of warmth, especially if there were two bodies generating said heat!

"You're bossy." Was her answer to his smirk, though she was grinning herself. She still wasn't happy with his response to her confession, but she forced down that small disappointment.

Still feeding and poking the fire, he peered back at her and simply said, "I'm a Duke. What did you expect? I'm sure your father would make you suffer no less."

"Yes, bossy to other people. Not me." Lillian pouted at him. Yes, she'd grown accustomed to taking orders since becoming adhara, but as a young girl she'd been quite spoiled in Orchy. Nobody but Micah or Gabriel every got bossy with her. Not that they had to, she was always eager to please her father and brother - she lived to make them proud.

Blaith quirked a brow and spoke to her in good humor, "Oh? And what were you taught were the duties of a woman?" he went on, hinting at her role as something most others would perceive as 'a husband's property'. Though his indication of it was simply to pull her leg, which was something he was finding quite satisfying while in her company. He could see himself growing old and still doing this. And at such a thought, he could have cried, for despite this moment of reprieve from the war, he had a inkling his fate was sealed-
and their future like that.. growing old, would never be. At least not for him. This war, after all, would not be an easy one- and he was fighting an uphill battle all the way.

"Oh, so are you saying what you really want is an obedient little doll without an original thought of her own? One that never questions you, or anything for that matter? So exciting for a toy to lay there and do her duty, bearing your children without passion or desire. I think you should find yourself another adhara if that's your goal." Lillian's tone was sickeningly sweet through it all, although her clear disdain for the thought was more than evident.

"Oh, I don't know if I'd have to look for another. I like the idea of breaking in the one I've got." And his eyes shined with a challenging mirth.

"There will be no breaking, Blaith Harmond!" She shot back, jade eyes peeking out from her burrow of blankets to glare at him defiantly.

And that's when he stole a kiss on her forehead.
"We'll see about that," he chuckled, and moved to snake his hands up under the blankets, to place those cold fingers against her soft skin.

As soon as his cold hands touched her Lillian let out a soft squeal, squirming beneath the covers as she glared at Blaith. "You're freezing! Either get those icicles off me or bring the rest of you under here so I can warm you up."

Blaith laughed and tore the blankets from her.
"Just remember you asked!" And he dove beneath, his cold body clinging to hers as he laughed breathily against her and simply held her, warm and close.

Lillian giggled and squealed as Blaith joined her, and she immediately entangled herself against him, burrowing her face against his chest as she shivered slightly for a moment.

"Mm. I wanted to warm you up, though. A little cold for a minute is worth the warmth afterwards."

Blaith was all smiles, which were only interrupted as he kissed her, and he kissed her just about anywhere he could.
"Warm me up? And how do you and your sexy little body aim to accomplish that?" he teased.

"I was just going to cuddle against you, but I'm open to suggestion." Lillian said, blushing and gasping softly at the sensation of his lips against her skin, causing her to flush and warm.

Blaith smiled through his warm, unrelenting kisses.
"I don't know.." he murmured against her flesh before nestling in beside her, cheek to her shoulder and eyes peering up into hers. "I've never had the chance to cuddle someone either." And as he lay there, one arm draped over her, he sighed contentedly. "And I have to say.. it's nice."

Lillian smiled down at Blaith as he settled in beside her. She really couldn't get over just how blue his eyes were. Her free arm came up to run her fingers lightly through his blond hair, the other caressed over his back where she could reach, just enjoying having him so close, being able to touch him as much as she wanted.

"It's very nice." She agreed before letting out a content sigh and trying to snuggle even closer.

"I suppose, in a sense, you and I have suffered under the same consequences." He studied her with a serious expression, before looking in turn, to her eyes. He felt the same way about her gaze, and admired the green color, like the vibrancy of a spring field, or a sparkling, faceted ring of emerald.

"You know.. the road before us isn't easy. And I don't just mean the war."

"If you only ever take the easy path you'll never find great treasures." Lillian quoted with a half-smile as she looked down at Blaith admiringly. Nothing was easy about their situation. That didn't mean it wasn't worthwhile. "I can handle hard, Blaith. I can't handle alone. Not after having tasted being together."

At such a comment, Blaith felt a warmth stir in his belly and bubble up into his heart. His eye lids lowered and he leaned closer to her, their nose's touching.
"I know," he told her softly. "I wholly agree." And he cupped her face softly, using his thumb to feel and stroke gently at her skin before leaning in and kissing her softly, and with warmth and deep enough to steal her breath away.

This was a perfect moment, laying in bed with him, their naked bodies pressed close and him kissing her so soft and warm and deep. Lillian moaned softly into the kiss, clinging to Blaith lightly. He was hers. Nobody was going to take him away from her, not now.

Large warm hands, calloused from years of sin, and of war, felt along side the soft skin of her body. He kept his eyes clothes, and relished in the sensation of her skin, from the softness of her hips, down her thighs and up her belly, cupping the soft mounds of her breasts before once again, lips met to hers. And though they had made love not even an hour ago, his sex was once again hard and eager to sample this woman, the only woman he found he desired so- and wanted so desperately to be his wife.

"Can I make love to you again?" he asked, after pulling away from a breathless kiss, his hard on, pressing against her leg so she could feel it.

Lillian's eyes had fluttered closed, soft moans and sighs of desire escaped her throat as Blaith's hands moved over her still very sensitive body. His fingers would glide over particular spots, producing a higher voiced sound of want as her body shivered against or arched into his touch. It didn't matter how long or short ago they had made love, Lillian's body responded eagerly to his sweet, warm caresses and his breath-stealing kisses.

The feel of his eager sex pressed against her thigh had her gasping softly as he pulled away from her lips. Her jade eyes looked up at him with love and lust as he spoke, not trusting her voice for a moment, she closed her eyes and nodded as her hands moved to stroke over his back.

Where as before his hands were soft and gentle in their exploration, those motions soon grew hungered as his lips found hers and his kisses intensified. His hands gripped at her sides now, his body moving over to hers,  a knee coaxing her legs open. And once settled inbetween, he could feel her heat as kisses continued to trail up and down her body, and as his sex prodded for entry, he whispered, "I'm glad the only woman int he world I coudl touch was you."

"So am I." Was the husky response as Lillian grabbed his face and pulled him into a ravishing kiss, her back arching in a way that had him sliding part of the way into her welcoming folds. Her sex was still hot and slick from their first love making, and she groaned softly into the kiss at the feel of him inside her, their bodies joining and connecting her to him in a way that was more than just physical.

The sweet union of their bodies made him shiver. Despite the heat shared between them, and the one coming off the newly fueled fire in the hearth, every inch of her was more than he could bare. He felt he'd never moaned so much in his life, felt so much in his life, as his hips rolled and his body tasted her, unified her with him into one being born from bliss.

Lips were soft as they met to hers, and traveled down to her cheek, ears, then throat, where he breathed hotly, rolling his hips at a steady, but slow pace, and just enjoyed each movement for all it was worth.

Like before their passion started very slow and sweet, but unlike before, the initial burst of passion had been sated, allowing them to draw out the experience longer. This time Lillian couldn't even be bothered to care who heard her cries of pleasure as Blaith brought her to heaven once again.

Afterwards she laid in a contented heap against his chest, her cheek nuzzling against his heated skin as she pressed soft kisses to his collarbone. "I could get used to this." She murmured lazily, a happy grin on her lips.

[It took me that long to come up with something so I figured I'd just move it along a tiny bit. I know you've got another thread that ties to Blaith's movements. Hope this is okay!]

She wasn't the only one who turned to a mushy pile of contentment. With an arm around her and her laying pressed against him so close, he released a soft noise before turning to run a hand through her hair.
"As could I..."

But even as he smiled, the reminder of what brought them here, to this exact moment, was the undeniable cries of war.

"We should head to Orchy," he said softly, his eyes never once leaving hers.

Lillian sighed softly as his fingers moved through her hair. Jade eyes were quite enraptured with his as she stared up at him with obvious admiration. At least until he suggested they should head to Orchy, drawing her lips down into a soft frown.

"You can't simply march your army into Orchy, Blaith. My father will take it as an act of aggression and you'll end up facing Orchy's armies as well as the Grand Duke's. I wrote a letter asking for him to agree to a meeting for negotiations. He will respond quickly, and I'm sure he'll give permission for your men to move across our land as long as they don't cause any trouble. I suppose we could start heading that way while we await correspondence, but don't you dare start a war with my father."

She was quite serious, and was looking up at him slightly haughtily. That was her duchy, after all! Although she scowled at another thought. "Although considering the past few hours, you might have already started one and father just doesn't know it yet."

Despite the gravity of the situation, Blaith beamed.
"I've already started a war with the whole of Connlaoth!" he said with a laugh, and moved in on her swiftly as his lips devoured hers. "But who says I'd bring my whole army? Unless myself, and my entire army, groveling for his consent, would be easier than facing him alone.

He moved to lay on his side, a hand resting to the side of his head.
"But honestly, I cam here for one thing, and now I want something else entirely. And my direction in this war, if anything, is now skewed."

Lillian tried to give a huff to his declaration of starting a war with all Connlaoth, but then his lips were against hers in a ravenous kiss, causing the sound to be muffled and turn into a soft hum of appreciation. "A small group would be better to go talk to him, but you'd have to figure out what to do with your men in the meantime."

Rolling to her back, she looked up at him seriously, chewing on her bottom lip slightly as she thought about what they should do. If she had any say at all, that was. "I don't understand. What has changed that your direction in the war might be skewed? The goal is still the same, isn't it? Usurp the Grand Duke and replace him so that all this nonsense can be fixed."

It was only then, in a bitter realization, did Blaith realize Lily had no idea the complications of his power. Sure, it might have seemed that way, and that had been part of the plan, but as he looked into her eyes, he found himself needing to look away.

Lillian scowled as Blaith looked away from her, there was something about the action that bothered her, perhaps a glimpse of some emotion she'd seen in his face or beautiful blue eyes. Sitting up slightly she moved a hand to caress his cheek softly, fingers moving through his facial hair lightly against the grain.

"Whatever you feel you need to do, we're in this together now, and I'm going to help you - as much as I can. Even if the only help I can give is my support." She leaned forward to softly kiss his cheek, feeling a little lost and uncertain as to what she had said that had bothered him.

He turned to look at her, but his eyes didn't meet with hers.
"It's not too late for you to reconsider....." he murmured softly.

"Maybe if I were flighty that would be true, but I can be rather stubborn." Lillian moved so that she could look into his eyes, since Blaith seemed reluctant to meet hers. "I already told you I don't care if this is going to be hard. I care about being with you. You can't just make love to me - twice! - and get rid of me that easily, Blaith Harmond."

She smirked and gave him a tiny peck on the lips. "Besides, you're supposed to be marrying me and getting me pregnant, remember? This is your - our - only chance for that. Different reasons, but still a sole chance for us both. Hang on to this, to me, for as long as you can."

They weren't likely to have a happily ever after, Lillian knew that, but wasn't a fleeting moment of happiness better than none at all?

Blaith tried to smile, he really did, but soon he was taking her hands and holding them in his lap.

"Lily.... I'm no hero. The war.... I started this war. The other Grand Duke... He died because of me."

Lillian could only stare at Blaith for several long moments. It was a rather large, significant piece of information to digest. The previous Grand Duke had been murdered by a mage. Not just any mage, Blaith Harmond, Duke of Turgall, and her lover, if he was to be believed, which she did. There was no reason for him to admit this to her, she would never have assumed it of him had he not told her.

"Calent started this war, Blaith. What you did..." He had murdered the Grand Duke. Murdered. She swallowed hard. "You couldn't know that Calent would win the throne. Had another taken the seat - you, my father...none of this would have happened."

None of it would have happened if the old one was still alive. No, there was no proof of that. Mages had always been suppressed in Connlaoth, this war was inevitable with the way things were done. Calent's appointment had only been an explosive catalyst.

"Why are you telling me this now?"

Blaith looked at her grimly as she tried to comprehend it all. And he couldn't help but feel the rot of guilt burn through his gut, through his blood. But he didn't remove his eyes from hers, and continued to stare into them.

"Because it's the first of many confessions you need to know. What I am..." he paused to swallow the dry knot forming in his throat. "My killing... did not stop there."

Blaith certainly wasn't the only man with blood on his hands. Every soldier that saw a battle had his share, and those that put those armies into motion had just as much blood on theirs, whether an actual drop ever soiled them or not. Still, this was a lot different. He'd just confessed murder to her. Not just any murder, but regicide.

Lillian had to draw in a deep breath, trying to steady herself for what else he might throw at her. He might have continued to stare, but she closed her eyes and looked down. From there place in his lap her hands squeezed his tightly. "Tell me everything. No secrets. No lies."

Blaith tightened his jaw.
"Are you sure you want to know?"
Because nothing he had to tell her was pleasant, and the more he remembered...
the more he felt like a monster.

"You said I needed to know, and I think you're right. Considering what we did together, considering my position, I really think I need to know." Lillian felt a little sick. She barely knew Blaith at all, and now she was hearing his darkest secrets, and they were certainly very dark!

What he revealed to her made him feel more shame than he could ever imagine. The explanation of his powers, how it not only stole life, but powers, memories....
And dating back to the fateful night, when he had first used his power in a fit of rage against a man who had tried to rape Kella.... He knew from that day forward, his life would never be the same.

He explained how his mind felt suffocated as other thoughts, that were not his own, began to bubble ot the surface. And each day, he had a hard time knowing who he was, what he was, or even why he was. His identity had become so complex, and he began to list the men and women he recalled whom had been slain by his touch-

From the innocents who had seen to much, to the whores he needed and their pleasure, and to his sick desires....
For Kella.

Tears stung at his eyes as he let himself dwell on that hard fact.

Kella. He had lusted for Kella. And the very idea of it made him so sick and repulsed, if he could drink poison to end himself right then and there, he would.

"So you see, Lily, I am no her in this war," he told her, after swallowing the hard knot in his throat. "And I have only found myself because of your presence... your touch.... But I, I am by no means innocent. I..." He trembled, feeling the rage and shame well up inside him.

"I am a monster."

There was a lot of mixed emotions, a veritable roller coaster of them, as Blaith poured out everything. Lillian couldn't stop the tidal wave of feelings coursing through her. Everything from disgust to pity. As far as mages went, Blaith had to be among the very worst kind, but the fact that he couldn't control his power...she couldn't decide if that made it better or worse. Both in different ways.

"There aren't many heroes in war, Blaith." The words were an attempt to be reassuring, but honestly she wasn't sure what to really say to all this. Blaith had told her things that were unforgivable and sickening, but there was a lot of shame and remorse in him now. One thing she did feel, though, "You're not a monster. Seriously messed up, but...not that."

A monster wouldn't feel so badly for the things he'd done. Ansgar, she'd made love to this man twice. Her innocence lost, her vows broken for a man that confessed all that. Lillian wished she had known all this before letting him ravage her! A little late to take all that back, but he'd certainly made her feel things that she couldn't regret even now. This was complicated and her head was swimming.

"I'm not going to pretend you're a saint or an innocent man, but Blaith...you didn't do all of those things. You killed that first man to protect your sister. Your powers have been twisting you, changing you, making you do things you would never have done." What would happen to him if she left him now? He'd be doomed. His mind might be lost again, it was her power that kept the madness at bay, he'd said it himself. It was the only explanation for his current rationality.

Blaith lowered his head shamefully, and slowly shook his head.
"How can you be so... forgiving? So understanding?" he asked, blue eyes red with tears as he studied her face.

It was very complicated, to say the least. Lillian looked into his eyes with a soft scowl, not sure how to really answer that. "It isn't for me to forgive you. You didn't do those things to me. Your forgiveness is up to Ansgar and your victims. As for why I am not ready to give up on you...I love you. I don't believe Ansgar would let me fall in love with someone truly evil."

She chewed on her bottom lip and lowered her eyes before adding. "And...you need me. My ability helps you, and you've been alone too long."

Blaith went quiet, thinking over those words before cursing softly and looking away.
"Then you've been damned to me."
And he had to wonder what Lily Coleridge could have done to deserve that. It seemed she had lived such a perfect life until this war...
ANd it was yet another reason to make his belly boil as he thought over how much even he had lost to it. His humanity included.

"Then we're damned together." Lillian said softly before she leaned in to kiss him gently on the lips. No doubt her life was going to be filled with turmoil from here on out, but she had Blaith and wasn't about to let him go now. Pulling back she looked deep into his beautiful, haunting, captivating blue eyes. She realized that those were probably the first thing she fell in love with.

"We should get moving. You've an army to command and a war to win."

He gave her a ghost of a smile, and while he was looking at her, it appeared as if he were looking through her. But then his hand moved up her thigh as his lips met to her neck.
"Don't remind me," he murmured against her warm skin. "It reminds me how precious this moment truly is...." And somehow.... His dick was hard and eager again. Perhaps twice wasn't enough? It had been a while....

Lillian closed her eyes lightly and shivered at the feel of his lips and breath on her neck. "Is it so bad to be reminded how precious it is?" Her green eyes opened, glancing down and widening slightly as she realized he was aroused again already.

"You're insatiable!" Her voice was hushed and accusatory, but also full or humor. Indeed, she couldn't stop a soft chuckle. "Or is it I'm simply irresistible?"

He move over her with a moan and attacked her with hungered kisses.
"Both." he told her, his dick lapping at her sex and prodding for entry.

The humor disappeared quickly, giving way to a stifled moan. Lillian was sore from their previous two love-makings, but still found herself aching for him as he prodded her sex. She adjusted her hips and arched her back until she felt him slide partially inside her.

Lillian reached her hands up, grabbing his face lightly to kiss him fiercely with whimpering moans as she wrapped her legs around his lower back.

With her legs secured around him, Blaith slipped into her deep, shivering as he moved into her with increasing need.

"Oh god, yes." Lillian whimpered against his lips as she squirmed beneath him. Her arms wrapped around his shoulders, clinging to him as she moaned.

Hips undulated, taking her in, savoring her as he kissed her deep. One had kept to her cheek, hot and sweaty, while his other clung to her hip as he worked at her with vigor, hips bucking, slapping as he moaned with need.

"Gods... Lily..." He closed his eyes tight. "Gods, let's fuck like this all night." And he moved his hand from hip to her thigh and hefted it up to change the angle as he slid in deeper and sharper as he grunted, balls slapping against her ass.

Each harsh thrust had Lillian crying out softly, breathlessly against his lips. Their bodies were coming together roughly, certainly not a tender session of making love. No, this was as Blaith crudely put it - fucking.

The way her face and body flushed, the way her hips jerked and ground into the his deep, sharp thrusts, and the moans being ripped from her throat suggested that it wasn't an unwelcome assault. Lillian's hands were moving over Blaith's back, holding him, scratching lightly at him.

"Oh god, Blaith!." The words were a whimper. She was really powerless against him! If he wanted to fuck her again and again she knew that she couldn't deny him. Not because she was his prisoner - she wasn't that, not anymore. Lillian just knew she wouldn't want to deny him. Although she was going to be very sore by the time her lover was finally sated!

Who knew when the wild boughts of love making would end. Blaith had lost count, before he lay, once again, in an exhausted heap at her side. But lips soon captured her, hands entwining together as he smoothed a hand down her nude body.

"If the Gods are real, I'd believe this to be a sign." He gave her hand a squeeze, blue eyes glowing. "To think... we've both just had and drunk off the impossible," he murmured, a hand cupping her cheeks as his thumb stroked her lip.

Things had taken on a dazed, dream-like quality by the time Blaith had collapsed beside her. Lillian's thoughts were scattered to the wind and her body was flushed from head to toe. A delicious sort of ache had seeped into her every muscle it felt like. Not on the most vigorous day of training had she felt so completely and thoroughly spent and exhausted.

Jade eyes blinked languidly up at her lover as he intertwined their hands, an exhausted smile curved her lips as she felt his thumb sliding over them.

"If it is a sign then it is a good one. I am so tired I don't think I could even stand up if I had to." Lillian murmured softly, eyes closing as she snuggled herself against Blaith's chest, soaking up his warmth happily.

"I love you." She managed to whisper softly even as she succumbed to her exhaustion and passed out.