(M) To Love & Never Hold (Natora x EvelynWillows)

[EvelynWillows]

(Rated M for violence, betrayals, intrigue, sexual themes, drugs & alcohol, assassinations, and possibly more as the plot becomes more developed and complicated.)



To Love & Never Hold

Magic rolled across the dark thunderclouds as the wind ripped the mage's hood from his head. Dark hair whipped around the golden eyes of the Elf. He fought his horse and kept the beast focused on the muddy roadway. Their destination was less than an hour away; the Slyvan castle where his next assignment awaited him.

Tyrfayn Ambrians was not a young elf, as far as elves go. He had seen his share of winters and human kingdoms pass as he remained virtually unchanged to their more mortal eyes. He had begun working with other longer lived races nearly sixty years ago when his best friend, a human ranger, died of old age. Eighty-three years his friend had. It was much too little for a lifetime; an elf of eighty-three would be a young adult. Tyrfayn was considered in his prime. Most elves his age would have found a mate and started a family. Indeed, a successful and respected man like Tyr would have had many offers to share his life with another of his people.

But Tyr's magic required a sacrifice. His deity was jealous. To maintain the highest level of power that Master Ambrians enjoyed, he had to give his full focus to his art. And to do that he had to remain celibate.

He wiped the rain out of his eyes and pulled his hood back up. The magic was thick in the atmosphere. The gods had something in their plans, some kind of change was in the air. Tyr hated change. It was unpredictable. It ruined plans and destroyed goals. He drew in a deep breath, steeling himself for any signs of what might be coming lest it catch him off guard. The castle could be seen over the next hill; it's spires reaching high above the neighboring trees. Once he was at his next assignment he could find out the details of what the royal Sylvan family desired, and then he could start planning his next move to increase his standing in the circle of mages.

[Natora]

Reinatia Sylvan sat in her rooms with her maids. Soon the man who would write her ticket to doom would be here. Well he wasn't a man, he was an elf. Very different from her kind. Elves were foolish and easy to corrupt, especially by her own kind. She was a nnymph, her skin a beautiful soft cream as with the rest of the royal family with markings in various shades of brown on the right side of her face and over her forehead in the shape of branches and leaves. Her hair was a dark brown and being braided as she watched out the window with angry dark green eyes for the man that would bring all her happiness to an end. She had some slight magic abilities that she had never quite learned how to master yet but still was able to grow vines and the like, manipulate the trees. She wished she could do as much now without her father noticing but she knew that he would know it was her.

She sighed as she saw the elf ride over the last hill and start to descend down into the valley where their castle was set. She sighed and stood up, causing the maids to rush through braiding the last bit of her hair. She started walking with her ladies in waiting down the stairs to the throne room where she knew her parents would be waiting to receive their new guest. So easy to corrupt if she wanted to. Just as all the other men that her father wanted to see if appropriate to her. Reinatia was more than willing to just stay home and rule the kingdom herself for the rest of her life but her father had insisted that she find a man to help her rule their kingdom. She kept adament that she didn't need a man to do it but her arguments fell on deaf ears. So she stood and waited for their new guest beside her father who was beside her mother.

[EvelynWillows]

In the great roundabout before the castle adept groomsmen took Master Ambrians' mount and led her to the stables to be unpacked and rubbed down. Castle pages removed the mage's cloak as he strode into the hallway, and outside the receiving hall two armed guards relieved him of his sword and dagger. No one presented himself to the Slyvan king fully armed unless they were either part of his royal knighthood or they desired immediate death.

TyrfaynAmbrianssmallversion_zps3c7a0bf5.jpg

Tyrfayn kept his eyes lowered as he approached the throne, a sign of respect and of his position here to serve the crown. Many distrusted mages, even still, and saw their direct gaze as a threat. Since Tyrfan was here to help as a gesture of goodwill between the Elves and the Sylvan he was very careful not to appear too eager to approach the noble family nor too reluctant.

Once he was near enough to see the foot of the throne pedestals he stopped and knelt on his left knee, his left hand on the ground and his right bent across his heart. "Master Tyrfayn Ambrians, order of the Five Swords, here as commanded Lord King. King Hirset of the Elven Nations sends his regards and well wishes." Only after his greeting was acknowledged by the Slyvan king would he raise his gaze to view those he would be serving for this assignment.

[Natora]

Reinatia watched with her parents as the man walked in. She would never admit it to anyone but herself but the mage was quite attractive once he was decloaked and all. She started absentmindedly thinking of what he might like shirtless. She shook her head slightly as he kneeled down in front of the royal family. She looked to her father after the stranger's introduction, waiting for his reply.

The king paused, considering him for a while before he decided to speak. "We have heard a great deal of you, Master Tyrfan. I hear you are the best at what you do and I expect no less for my daughter. We have agreed to marry our daughter to a prince or lord of elvish or nymph descent and I am relying on you to make a decision that will bode well for both my kingdom but more importantly, my daughter," he instructd easily. "Once you have finished this for me, our good graces will be with those of elvish descent."

He snapped his fingers and at once a servant rushed up to them, bowing and giving him a parchment. "This is a list of possible suitors. You will determine a final four with the help of our daughter and then you will take her to meet these suitors. If anything happens to her under your watch there will be a war and I warn you that we have not lost and I never intend to," he said to him evenly.

[EvelynWillows]

Once he was acknowledged Tyrfayn looked up at his ward. She was lovely; her skin was flawless and soft in shade, and the markings on her face only served to augment her features. Above all this was luscious dark brown hair braided in intricate patterns and she wore a tasteful but obviously expensively wrought outfit. For all outward appearances she would make a fine bride.

He listened to the king's requirements and bowed. "I will do everything possible to ensure a suitable match, my Lord." He took the parchment and rolled it up, not bothering to look at the names. "Before I can ascertain who the best match is for your daughter I must know more about her. With your permission, my Lord, I would like to understand what kind of woman she is, and what her hopes are for her match."

Tyrfayn took one step back. "I promise, my Lord, not even death will keep me from protecting your child." He let his eyes return to Reinatia's face. Not even she will keep me from doing my task. He was used to dealing with spoiled, petulant royal children. Lord Ambrians expected nothing less from this one. "By your leave, I'd like to have a few days with the princess before we begin to consider her suitors."

[Natora]

The king looked to Tyrfayn and considered his request. "You have two days, sir. Two days. On the third we are having a ball in my daughter's honour and you can learn more about the suitors there as well," he said to him simply, nodding. "Sneevel will show you to your rooms and I suggest you settle in for the night. We will have food and drink brought to you but it seems we are in for a rather nasty storm so I expect everything to stay in the castle and be locked within an hour," he said. As if to emphasize his point, a large wooden beam was lowered across the doors. "I think we should all start heading to bed," the king said with finality.

Sneevel ran out from behind the king and up to Tyrfayn. "Right this way, Master Tyrfayn," the rat nosed fidgeting servant said, bowing quickly. "Your rooms are down the hall from the princess," he said nodding again as he went to scuttle away.

"Sneevel," Reinatia said quickly before he could get too far. Her eyes hadn't wandered from the new addition to their keep. "If his rooms are the ones across from mine, I am sure that I can show him the way," she said, her voice flowing like silk to keep attention easily on her as she spoke. She nodded to Tyrfayn and gently said, "Follow me." Her ladies in waiting waited until both the new Master and their princess were walking before starting to follow. "How long of a journey did you have, Master Tyrfayn?" she asked curiously as she walked down the stone hallways.

[EvelynWillows]

Two days? Two days was barely long enough to properly introduce oneself. How was he to learn enough about his ward to guide her towards a suitable husband in merely two days?

Tyrfayn maintained his composure and inclined his head towards the king. Had this been his own ruler he might have spoken up and reasoned with him, but the mage had not spent enough time among the Sylvan to know whether to do so would incur the king's wrath or respect.

Sneeval looked exactly as his name sounded. If Tyr had believed in wererats he might have pegged the sylvan servant as a lycantrope in disguise. He followed the servant out of the receiving hall, pausing long enough to retrieve his sword and dagger from the guards outside the great entrance. As he was tightening his sword belt and sending the end of the leather through the loop the princess caught up with them. The sheer fabric of his tunic did little to hide the toned and well-muscled arms and chest under his half-robe. He had the lean body of a warrior and the eye of an intellectual. The best of both worlds in a nearly immortal form.

The mage regarded her with a curious expression. His golden eyes danced momentarily in amusement. Volunteering to show a guest to his room was hardly the behavior Tyr expected from a princess. He accepted his cloak from another attendant and draped it over his left arm before following Reinatia down the hallway. His ears flicked slightly as he heard the soft titterings of her ladies-in-waiting as they waited for the proper distance to grow before following their lady. Women.

"I've been on the road six weeks Princess Reinatia." When he said her name the sounds were distinct; foreign. It sounded like 'Rain-ah-ti-ah', with the emphasis on the 'ti'. "Though if I were to have traveled directly the trip would have been merely a moon. And you, my lady? Have you traveled far outside your father's protective walls?"

He regarded the way she held herself as they walked, and noted that she kept a friendly but respectable distance. That boded well for her. Thus far her conduct bespoke of good breeding and fine morals; a must when searching out the finest of suitors for his ward.

[Natora]

It wasn't easy to ignore him and his beautiful body that he had. She knew better than to speak in front of her ladies-in-waiting about certain things, though. As wonderful as they could sometimes be, they could also be the worst gossipers in the kingdom. She led his beautiful body down the hall and made a turn as he answered her question. Where on earth had he gone so he wouldn't have a direct route? What would he wante to see? She would save that question for a time when they had more speaking time than they did now. As it was, they were nearly at the rooms.

"The longest bit of travelling I have done before was about a week to our summer home. We make that trip every summer and I feel that when I was a child I might have made it take longer," she said simply, allowing a few fond memories dance in her head of the travels she had made before. With the pursuit of a 'partner' for her, as her mother liked to call it, she would be doing much longer travelling and as much as she may not enjoy spending more time with this man she was walking beside, she would at least like being allowed to spend a little time away from her family.

As they got to the hall with their rooms, Reinatia waved her ladies away and they scurried off to her room while she remained in the hallway with her new 'friend'. She waited until she heard her door close and then turned to look at him. "Your rooms are right here. There will be maids and servants in and out so if you need anything ask them," she said to him softly, her voice like honey. She started walking towards him, more like slowly strutting. Even though he towered almost two heads abover her, she still had a look in her eye that said she wasn't afraid of him and she was in charge here. Lowering her voice before speaking, she said, "And if you think that I will enjoy two seconds with you you are sadly mistaken." She put a hand gently on his chest and let her nails gently tickle his tunic, making sure he felt something as she pulled her hand down to his waist. As she did, she added, "The only part of the time that I am required to spend with you that I will enjoy will be watching your muscles as I make you wish for things you could never have imagined."

With that, her hand hesitating, wanting to stay on him, she turned and meant to walk back into her own rooms.

[EvelynWillows]

Tyr was mildly curious when the princess sent her ladies-in-waiting away. Was she about to plead her case for a preferred suitor? Or perhaps she wanted to live in a certain region of the kingdom. Whatever her reasons, she required privacy. Certainly it was her right, but it was highly unusual.

He recoiled noticeably when she placed her fingertips on his chest. Tyrfayn had let his guard down, and had she been an assassin he would have been helpless. His eyes widened slightly as the princess's threats sank in.

As she began to turn away the mage grabbed her wrist with his left hand. He jerked her back towards himself, his strength overcoming the surprise of her unexpected and unsolicited touch. "I don't know what you expect from your other guardians Princes Reinatia, but I am not here to enjoy your presence or to desire anything from you. Least of all your touch. You may be royalty, little one, but I am here to guard your father's interests. Touch me again and I will take you over my knee and spank you. Do you understand?" His voice was a low growl, tamed fury threatening to unleash itself upon her.

His golden eyes flared with anger and disappointment as he watched her expression. His hand was like a vice around her wrist, and already the faint metallic presence of magic was hanging in the air. If she tried anything more he'd be ready for her foolishness. "I asked you a question, princess. I expect you to answer me, and from henceforth you will address me as Master Ambrians unless I state otherwise."

If she answered Tyrfayn politely he intended to release her, but he was also ready to follow through on the threat of discipline if she pushed the issue. Princess or not, she needed to learn what the roles were than they were to play.

[Natora]

At the grab of her wrist she was tempted to turn back and slap him for being so abrupt with her. The only people that had ever grabbed her like that were someone trying to save her life or her parents. She lost the chance to prepare herself to turn and slap him when he pulled her back and instead just glared up at him as he threatened her right back. A battle of wits it seems, she thought to herself. She had little care for this man and she wasn't afraid to tell him why, not matter how perfect his outwards appearance seemed to be.

"I will not touch you again, Master Ambrians," she told him simply in understanding. "But while we are on the subject of getting to know each other's boundaries, let me be very clear. I do not care who you think you are or how immune to any form of penance here, but I am around the same age as you so let us be clear that I will not be treated like a child and spanked by anyone," she insisted, her honeyed voice getting a touch of venom in it.

She stood tall so that she was at as full a height as she could be, her body not far from his as she looked up into his eyes, her face calm, her voice quiet though it kept the bite in it. "Also, as you requested time to know me, there is really only one thing that you need to know. I do not wish to be married and that is why you are here. You are here because the last fifteen proposals that came my way were turned down by me. My father is tired of me turning useless, stupid men away who only wish to marry me for my title and so you are here to choose a suitable match since I have been deemed incapable of doing so. The sooner you make your decision, the faster I am to be forced into a loveless and horrible marriage where I sit quietly at one end of the table while my husband ruins both himself as well as his part of the country. That is why I despise you without knowing you but, as I must be, I will be cordial and pleasant while we are in company of others. Are we clear?" she asked him simply.

Though her words seemed angry and upset, it was clear that she was more furious with the situation than with him. Behind her eyes, she screamed of wanting out of this situation and to be given the right to live on her own terms. They were sad and tired with the effort it took to turn down all the men in this kingdom. Her eyes hid the fright of what could possibly be as they knew of the marriages that had only ended because the wife had spoken out one too many times and was swiftly executed. The possibilities were endless and she hated it all.