Age of Heroes (Age of Heroes Chronicles)

Chapter 268: Hearts laid bare

Stars spilling the skies that night with beautiful colors and the sound of horns and drums and gongs can be heard all over the camp and the tents.

The celebration is ongoing like it would never stop. Arial stop in front of the tent and he look at it for a while, thinking of many things.

Then taking a deep breath he takes a step forward.

Arial step into Velamina tent. Slowly he walks. Slowly he steps. Almost wishing this day never comes.

Arial spotted her. She seems to be sleeping. Arial came closer and sit himself beside her bed, sitting on a chair and look at her.

Her mysteriousness and charms is enough to stir the heart. The beauty of a High Elven. Tonight their game ends.

Velamina stirred and as she slowly become awake, her hand moved and her fingers touched Arial fingers and slowly she opens her eyes, those beautiful green eyes that seems to be able to ensnare any hearts she wants.

'Arial?' she asked as she rubbed her eyes.

'You alright?' Arial said gripping Velamina fingers and he rubs her smooth hand. She smiles a weak smile. She sat on her bed and look at Arial face.

And then she strokes slowly Arial white hair, that curious color which Velamina always find strange.

'I am fine. A little tired and exhausted but fine.' Her eyes look at his and she knows that there is something that Arial wish to tell her.

'Why do you come here? It is uncharacteristic of you to come here. Missing me?' she asks, grinning.

Arial stifle his laugh. Still have the mood to joke, this Elvenan, Arial mused

'I need to say farewell.' He said

'Farewell?' she asked, her eyes open wider

'I'm leaving tomorrow' and this news startled Velamina.

'Leaving? Where?'

'Home' He replies.

Velamina is startled not only because she didn't expect that Arial is heading back but also because of her indecisiveness.

She knows what at stake yet she could never have the heart to….and she stopped her thought

She could have drugged him many times by now but she never could put that into action. And she knows why even though she tries to deny it

She loves him. She fucking loves him

And now, she wants him to know that. Even though she knows she will inevitably hurt him…even knowing that, because she knows what he will be giving up for her…. for the stars have spoken.

She couldn't deny it any longer even if she wanted to. Her heart ached too much for her to ignore the pain anymore.

She could no longer endure nor could she let him go away like this, with many things unspoken.

He may have his wife but Velamina doesn't care. And if that makes her selfish, if that makes her bitch and evil, so be it.

She doesn't care what the world calls her…since this is her life and she has to live it. Her pain would be hers and hers alone and not those people who calls her names

The same for regret and happiness.

She has loved this human more than she has ever loved anything in the world. And that is terrifying. Because she knows she has find her happiness. The stars were not wrong.

And by all the Gods, she doesn't want to let him go.

She was always alone in this world. Alone in a sea of people. She never felt that she belongs or feel the needs to belong somewhere or to someone.

She sees no future. Yet, with him, she can see a future.

But she knows, whatever happens tonight, tomorrow they would hardly meet each other again.

And tomorrow she knows, is a long time.

The stars have told her so. She mused.

Their paths are not yet there. Someday, when the stars are aligned, when peace has dawn, then they will meet again.

And at that time she hopes the encounter would be a pleasant one. Tonight is that day. Tonight mark either a beginning or an ending.

'So this means my temptation fails?' she laughed a weak and tired laugh.

'I should have known it will not work with good men like you.'

Arial grinned and then he smiles bitterly. Then looking at Velamina eyes he said

'A misconception'

'What is?' She asks

'It's a misconception that good men and good people do not know what temptation means. Only those who try to resist temptation know how strong it is and your temptation is great indeed Velamina. A man who gives in to temptation after merely seconds simply does not know what it would have been like an hour later. Ah, the willpower it takes to endure, to control your emotion, to not be blinded by emotions, especially the torments you have subjected me, it takes a divine patience to endure. That is why evil people, in one sense, know very little about evil. They have lived a sheltered life by always giving in." 

Velamina grin.

'So you admit my temptation stirred your heart'

'I admit so.' He said

'But you love your wife and this is why you endure; I presume?'

'I do love her and it is by her name that I endure.' Then Velamina ask, her eyes are sincere and her heart laid bare in front of him

'And me? How about me? Is there no love there in that cold heart of yours? No affection? Not even a tinge of feeling for me? What do you feel about me, Arial? A friend? Companion?'

She asks and Arial become flustered which is not in his character. And then he answers uncertainly

'I…I don't know' Velamina snickered

'Humph! You don't know or you don't want to admit it. For a man that is brave enough to storm enemies' stronghold and risk your life in battlefield, I never knew that you could be such a coward.'

'Coward? Me?' he raises his tone. Coward is a taboo word for him.

And then before Arial could answer her accusation, Velamina approach Arial and grab his collar and bring him near her lips.

Then silence fills the space between them as they are staring at each other, locking their eyes to see what the other is hiding in their hearts, as their breath becomes faster, their heart is beating like the pounding drums on the outside celebration.

And then she kisses him right on his lips.

Her wide green eyes rested on him and instinctively Arial moved towards her without even meaning to, his body taking control, his heart drives his body, and put his hand on her shoulder, her eyes looking mischievously at him, facing each other and he could feel the tension in his own body, his effort of holding back is slowly cracking.

'I should stop' he said as he tried to push Velamina but Velamina is already up from her bed and she pushed him onto the bed and they look at each other.

'I don't want you to stop.'

However dangerous, unwise and wrong this is, Arial couldn't stop himself.

'It is just a kiss' he said, not sure whether he himself believed the words he uttered. Velamina heard the roughness in Arial voice and she laughed and grins.

Her laugh and the anxiety in her voice almost make Arial want to hurl Velamina onto the bed and take her right then and there.

All that he had to endure got loose and when they kiss, her arms came up around his neck and he pulled her against him.

She is kissing him as fiercely as he is kissing her. His hand slides down to her waist and then he remembers his wife and she stopped.

'My god!'

He stopped and slowly pushes Velamina

'We couldn't do this.'

'Why?' Velamina ask.

'You know why.'

Velamina unlock her hands from around his neck and stare at Arial. Arial began making excuses

'I.I... I... We both are a little weak and you must be lonely and I know I am lonely…so…I.' With every word Velamina is fuming

'DON'T YOU DARE DO THAT ARIAL!' And her scream startled Arial

'Don't you look what I had for you and call it weak!! No… No, you don't deserve to say that!!! Not when you were the one afraid of it. Don't you dare call me weak! I love you!'

She suddenly declares the words in her heart, the words she had wanted to say and the words she knew to be true

'This, I declare to you without any pretense and I will go to the grave with the memory of the bravery in my bones. Show me yours, Arial. Show me bravery befitting of a man of your stature.'

Arial then look at Velamina with such hunger that it makes Velamina almost took a step back.

Rarely has he been challenged this directly.

The only one that came on his mind is that blue hair girl he met years ago. And never before his heart has been stirred this wildly before, and never have had he endured greater torment, than denying the attraction he felt for her.

She is terrifying, strange, beautiful in every way, soul and body. She is feisty, daring and has passion of fire inside her, which is clear enough for Arial. 

A fire that burn right through his cold heart. What you see of her is what you will get. There is no pretension in the matter of her heart.

She exceeds his expectations, every time.

She is the perfect balance of danger and charm. She is something that not everyone knows how to appreciate or love.

And now that woman is asking for Arial to be brave.

He knows that he leads her on night after night, that the game they play of cat and mouse will eventually lead to this night.

The game of the seducing lady and the steadfast lord need to be concluded tonight. He knows that. That is why he came to her tent.

Even before he had moment to think it carefully, his feet have already arrived in front of that tent

He came forward baring his intention known. He had decided as he takes a step closer to her, that he will be responsible for this woman.

He might be condemned, mocked, and he already knows the consequences of bringing another woman back home, the political consequence but even he had honor he need to adhere towards.

And, frankly, right now he doesn't care. And hesitating like this is not his personality anymore.

Then he asks her

'Bravery? You ask me for bravery?' He approached Velamina, with that glint of fire in his eyes and he said.

But before that he will give her another chance. For her to run. To escape from him. There will be great pressure on her later if she were to follow him on to the Human Continent.

There will be hardships and there will be tears

After all, with his position, undoubtedly, she too will live in the castle, with all its dark plots and secrets.

Run, he had hoped for her. Escape, he had hoped for her. But at the same time he was thinking and hoping for this, in the corner of his heart, he prayed that she would never leavejosei

Then he said, his voice is slightly hoarse

'You need to walk away Velamina. I'm going to give you this opportunity to run away. You need to stop your temptation'

Then he paused, his eyes looking straight at her, showing is intention and his hungry look.

'Because God knows, I don't know what I'm going to do if you tempt me again. God knows, I can't walk away from you.'

Velamina was so happy by that sentence and she ran to his arm and stole a kiss from his lips.

'Don't worry about this elven, my lord. I'm different than other woman. I will never burden you. I might be a pain but my charms cover my fault'

Arial defenses crumbled and he kissed her back, his mouth lingering on hers, his teeth grazing on her lower lip, making her shiver.

'And me? What about me?' he asks. She laughed and she said

'You are different from other men. All I need is you.'

'Is this the charm you are talking about? Flattery?'

'One of many' she smiles a naughty smile

And then they remove their clothes, and lay on the bed and finally Velamina fell the virtuous dragon with her sincere heart, fell the steadfast lord with her bravery and they spend that night, making each other understand the intention of love and blissfully they sleep.

*************************************************************************