Their Bonds of Love

He took deep, even breaths trying to control the urge to jump between Eleri and Caerwyn as they spoke. Conri knew it was ridiculous, but watching her even smile at Caerwyn almost drove him out of his mind. When she touched the man’s arm, he made a hard fist, digging his fingernails into his skin as he stood by Eleri’s side.

She was only thanking Caerwyn for all he had done to save her and keep Conri safe. Conri was thankful for Caerwyn support, but he did not like the intense look in Caerwyn’s eyes as he spoke with Eleri. He beheld her as if she was the most wonderous thing in the world to him. Eleri gave him pretty smiles as she reinstated her thanks and made sure he was not injured.

Conri breathed a sigh of relief when she finally moved on to hug Aron. It seemed strange that a man could hold her in his arms, and Conri felt almost nothing, but a look from Caerwyn could send him almost over the edge.

“She still looks tired,” said Caerwyn as they both watched her hold Aron’s hand as she talked with him.

“Efa says she will be for some time,” said Conri. “We are lucky she isn’t much sicker or worse. I will kill Lord Fellen the next time I see him. I don’t care what it cost me. I know I should be thinking of the land and my people, but the thought of all he did to her makes me want to travel back to the palace this instant to seek him out.”

“I understand your feelings. I almost ran back last night when I heard all he had done, especially marking her forcefully.”

Conri took his eyes off Eleri and looked at Caerwyn. “I guess you know the rest by now.”

Caerwyn nodded. “I understand there was no choice.”

“Perhaps there wasn’t, but it doesn’t mean that I didn’t want to do it.”

Efa stepped near them before Caerwyn could respond. “I told Eleri about Selven and his father.” They watched as Eleri took Selven’s hand. “She was devastated to hear what her escape cost.”

“No one was forced to do anything. Selven went to his father willingly, and Dillion Pirey made the decision to stay at Argenta House and meet his fate,” said Caerwyn.

“I am sure Selven is telling her that now, but it won’t make it any easier for her. She feels others’ pain deeply. Her mother was the same. She will have a hard time forgiving herself even though I told her none of this was her fault.”

“She cannot possibly think she has any blame,” said Conri with surprise. “She was taken from her home forcefully. She gave herself up to save others and was willing to die for all of us.”

Efa looked at Conri intensely. “She feels much guilt over many things that happen. I am sure some of it is due to how sick and weak she feels, but she could use many reassurances.” Efa put her hand on his arm. “Especially about one specific event.”

“I hope she does not regret it. She promised me she would not,” said Conri.

“She does not regret it for herself, but she feels as if she forced you into it,” said Efa.

Caerwyn laughed bitterly. “She can’t think Conri would not jump at the chance to mark her with permission.”

Efa looked at him harshly. “Do not dismiss her pain, Caerwyn. I know you have much practice in it, but now is not the time.”

“Is something wrong?” asked Eleri as she walked over to them.

Efa took a deep breath. “Nothing at all, my dear. We are only concerned that you might be extending yourself too much.”

“I actually feel much better since coming down. I was hoping Conri might wish to walk with me outside for one moment. I understand Deri is wandering around the grounds, and I would like to speak with him if possible.”

“I would be happy to walk with you, Eleri, if you are sure you are able,” replied Conri.

“I am. I know you might want to rest as yesterday must have been exhausting. Caerwyn, you still look agitated and drained. I wish you would go rest for a while.”

“I am fine, Eleri. I cannot rest while you and the prince are out walking. I should accompany you.”

Conri was about to say something he probably shouldn’t when Eleri spoke first. “We will not walk far, certainly not beyond any wards Aunt Efa has set up. I do not have the strength to be out long. Stay here and rest. I hope we can leave tomorrow.”

Efa nodded as Conri took Eleri’s hand. He stared at Caerwyn for a moment before walking to the door with Eleri. He helped her put on a cloak that was there before throwing on one himself. They stepped out into the sunny winter day and towards the side of the house.

“You cannot fight with Caerwyn, Conri,” said Eleri. “He was just trying to do his duty by you.”

Conri pulled her closer. “I don’t like the way he still looks at you as though you belong to him.”

“He does no such thing.” She sighed as she pulled a way from him. “It is all because I forced you to mark me.”

He stopped and held on to her hand, so she stood by his side. “Eleri, you forced me to do nothing.”

She turned her head. “You know that isn’t true. I was not strong enough to resist the pull of Lord Fellen and leave the palace grounds. What else could you have done?”

“Perhaps I didn’t wish to do it at that moment, but that is not because I did not want to make you mine. He moved closer to her, catching her eye. “I want you to understand that I have no regrets about it beyond what it cost you. I know you just regained your memories of us and wanted more time.”

“I do not regret it at all. I told you I would not,” said Eleri quickly. “I do wish it was under better circumstances, but the outcome would have been the same. I wanted to be bound to you.”

He reached up and gently moved her cloak to look at her neck. The mark was red with extensive bruising. He brushed it with his fingers as she closed her eyes. “It looks very painful.”

“It is sore, but I hardly notice it when you are close to me.” She opened her eyes.

He moved her hair out of the way and bent down to gently kiss the spot. As his lips made contact with it, a feeling of desire and need ran through him. He wrapped his hand around Eleri’s waist as she moaned in obvious relief.

“Do it again,” she whispered.

He kissed the spot again, this time letting his tongue run over it. She arched up against him, and he pulled her to him possessively. “You will have to forgive me if I keep you too close, Eleri, or am harsh with men who laugh and stare at you. I do not wish to control you, but I can’t help but think you are mine.”

“I am yours, Conri,” she said as he kissed her neck again. “I think I was even before this, but now the feeling is overwhelming. I cannot bear to think of being apart from you.”

“There will be no chance of that,” he said as he leaned up. “We do things together, remember?”

She smiled before she put her arms around his neck and kissed him. It felt like he had waited so long to be with her like this. To feel his arms around her and express his love was all wanted all those weeks apart. The thought that she was now marked as his was more than he had dreamed. He hated how it had happened, but he was very pleased that it had come to pass.

Their kisses grew more passionate as his hands moved up her body. They went under her cloak as one crept up her side until he caressed her breast. She moved against him as though she could not get close enough. He finally pulled back and keeping one of his hands on her waist.

She gave a small groan of frustration that made him laugh. “I thought you wish to find that guard we brought back with us.”

“I do, but I find you are too tempting of a distraction. We have been apart for too long, I think.”

He kissed her nose before letting her go and taking her hand. “I won’t argue with that, but I also think you are feeling the effect of my mark. Efa said it would be more intense for you for a few weeks before you settled.”

Eleri nodded. “I am afraid you will grow tired of me quickly.”

“Never,” said Conri as they continued to walk. “Of course, you could just mark me and be done with it. Then we can disappear for hours together.”

She sighed. “I have thought about it, but I believe we will have to wait. It is bad enough I will be beyond obsessed with you for a time. You have too much to do to only be focused on me.”

“Eleri, I am already completely focused on you. I know what I owe Elahtia and my people, but you are already mostly what I think about.”

“And adding any unnecessary power to that at the moment cannot help. I believe you already feel some added responsibility to me because of this.”

He shrugged. “Maybe, but I already wanted to keep you safe beyond anything. I promised your father I would, your mother as well.”

“My mother?” asked Eleri in confusion.

“Efa took me to see your mother’s place of rest. I had a nice talk with Lady Cadwin about how I felt about you, and I promised her I would save you and keep you safe.”

Eleri took his arm and moved closer to him. She laid her head against his supper arm. “I go and speak with my mother sometimes. I haven’t been there lately.”

“I will take you when we get back to Cadwin manor. I told her I would visit her again and bring you with me.”

Her grip on his arm tightened. “You couldn’t be more wonderful, could you.”

“That is the euphoria from my mark talking, Eleri. You know me too well to believe that.”

“I believed it before you marked me. You convinced me of it on our journey together.”

He bent down and dropped a kiss on top of her head. “Then you must know I find you rather wonderful as well. I have felt lost without you these few weeks, so you stay as close to me as you like.” He stopped for a brief moment. “I hope your father won’t expect me to stay in my own room at night. I would hate to have to sneak around to see you.”

Eleri pulled on his arm, and they started walking again. “I am a grown woman, Conri. I can entertain who I like in my rooms, so you do not need to sneak.” She laughed a little. “I suppose if it offends his sense of decorum too much, you could just marry me.”

“I would do it in a heartbeat, my love. I will ask you this minute if you like. I will go out and find a priest or priestess somewhere in these woods. The great gods know there are temples all about this land.”

“I was only joking, Conri. My father will not say a word about it,” said Eleri. “You do not need to rush anything else.”

“I mean it, thought. I am sure of my love for you, and I know you love me. Perhaps if I bind you to me in multiple ways, I can make sure you do not forget it again.”

“I will not forget it. I don’t believe I ever truly did. It was just hidden for a little while, but what is truth always comes to light.”

They walked around the house until they found Deri with the horses. He bowed as they came forward, Eleri letting go of Conri’s arm.

“Deri, I am glad to see you are safe, even if I am sorry you were caught in the middle of all of this,” said Eleri.

“I’m happy you are well and with those who care about you, my lady. I felt so guilty standing there, watching as others hurt you,” said Deri.

“What could you do about it at the time? They would have killed you in a second had you made too much of an effort,” said Eleri. “You were kind to me when I needed it most. That meant more to me than you can know.”

“What will you do now?” asked Conri.

“Aron has offered to let me join the Cadwin guard. I think it is a good place for me and a much higher position than I deserve.”

“Your father is a lord, isn’t he?” asked Conri.

“He is a low lord recently elevated by Lord Fellen,” replied Deri. “I am the last of his seven sons, and he has never given me much notice. I was sent to work at the palace as some sort of offering for the estate given to him.”

“But you were of the palace guards which in the eyes of many would be higher than my father’s forces,” said Eleri.

“Perhaps, but it is not my opinion. I was in the false palace guards. That is what Bren Farrow called it many times.”

“Bren Farrow referred to Lord Fellen’s forces as the false palace guards?” asked Conri as he glanced at Eleri.

“Not to me, of course. He said it to some lords he would meet with out in one of the courtyards or near the stables sometimes after he rode out with them. I just happened to overhear it. He was always meeting with someone, it seems. I don’t believe he wishes for Lord Fellen to reign as king long if he does at all.”

“Bren Farrow is meeting in secret to dispose of Lord Fellen?” asked Eleri. “You heard this?”

“That is the impression I got, my lady. Of course, Lord Fellen does not trust Bren Farrow. I heard him say once he had what he needed from him, he would do away with him quickly. He was talking to those sour-faced sisters about it one day in his private parlor as I stood guard outside the door.”

Conri and Eleri exchanged glances. “Deri, what is your surname?”

“Glace, your majesty,” replied Deri.

“I think when we arrive at Cadwin Manor, you, Lady Eleri, and I should have a long talk with Lord Cadwin. I believe you have much to tell us that could one day lead to you being a lord in your own right.” Conri smiled. “I think Lord Deri Glace sounds very proper.”

Eleri laughed as Deri looked confused. “I believe I have brought you quite an impressive gift, my prince. You can consider it a reward for your part in my rescue.”

Conri leaned down and whispered into her ear. “I will take this reward if you wish, but I hope for something a bit more personal when you are feeling better.”

She blushed slightly before kissing his cheek. “As you are my future king, I will take that as a command.”