Swollen, tear filled lavender eyes slid to his form when she heard his voice call her name. When he’d stopped using such formalities by calling her Lady Rayann, she was elated beyond words and she would have given anything, ANYTHING to hear him say her name with such tenderness….but not now…..

Even with the hurt he had inflicted on her without raising a hand, all she could think of was that he was still weak and needed help. NO! She screamed at herself. NO! He DOESN’T NEED YOU! Fresh tears spilled down her cheeks and she turned her head away to try and fight them back. Instead of using her mind to communicate with him now, she spoke vocally to him.

”What….can you po-possibly say…..that I don’t……don’t already…..know?”

Another wave of sorrow crashed over her and her shoulders shook with silent sobs as she refused to let him hear her cry now. Taking another deep breath, she tried to regain her composure but she dared not look at him. Not now.

”You…..you li-lied to me….’

At this close range she could really feel his emotions and it just compounded the hurt she felt. There was no doubt he had true regret, but now she didn’t know if it was because he was caught at his deception or if it was because he HAD hurt her. Her shoulder shook again and this time, she turned her hurt filled gaze upon his green one.

”How could you? How could you……become my…f-friend…..and let me….let me… fall in lo…..develop….feelings for you? When you…..never intended to……oh Gods…..”

Tearing her gaze from him again, she clutched at her stomach as she felt a similar knot to the one he had grip her.

”I was so….stupid…”

Quickly snapping her head around at him again, she lashed out and this time with her mind as well, not realizing what she was doing. A knife piecing pain shot through Myth’s mind the went from the left temple and stopped just behind his right ear. It only lasted a few seconds but there was no doubt if she were to purposely use such a weapon, who ever was on the receiving end of that would not be able to withstand the pain for very long.

”How could you!? I…..I trusted…you…..”

Once more she dissolved into quiet sobs as she turned away from him again. Her pain was so deep that she felt as though she had somehow stumbled into some surreal nightmare and never find her way out of it again. Her light filled world was slowly darkening and she knew it was just a matter of time before that darkness that has tried to swallow her up in that hellish nightmare she had a few weeks ago was going to consume her once and for all.

Myth did his best to prepare himself for the forth coming onslaught of emotion he knew that Rayann would lash out with. In the end he knew he could blame no one but himself for this. Doing his best to stand tall he was resolute in his decision to take what came at him. He had fallen in love with this woman and she him. He had brought her pain and now he could only hope to recover from this. At the back of himself he knew her to be a mage and he could only hope that if things truly went sour that his death would be quick.

With each verbal outburst Myth flinched noticeably as he stood there leaning on his sword for support. At this point he was drained physically and was fast becoming drained emotionally. He could feel the weariness gnawing at his reserves of strength, but he forced himself to stand there and endure through sheer force of will. His mind was seeking a way to handle what was going on and he had become lost in thought for a moment when the strike to his mind ripped him back to the present. He had never thought to anticipate such a thing and it had caught him off guard.

His teeth clenched as he dropped to one knee a feint cry of pain erupting from his throat. He had been taught to withstand so many different types of pain but he had never experienced anything quite like this. If he had been in better shape he might not have been effected as much but somehow he was doubting that fact. It was in that moment he gleaned a better possible understanding of why the queen wanted this woman. From what he knew of Rayann's abilities so far the sudden idea of this woman under the queen's control actually scared him. Myth could barely comprehend the ways that these abilities would be twisted and to what heights they could be driven. A shiver actually ran up his spine.

He pushed these thoughts from his mind as he forced himself to stand. He knew she was saying something but there was a rush of sound in his head and he never heard it but felt a new rush of pain split his mind. He gritted his teeth now knowing what he might expect and managed to not be grounded once more. He looked up at her and spoke in a labored and weak voice.

"Rayann... I can not even think to where I could start atoning for my choices in the last weeks. I couldn't even apologize because it seems inadiquate to do so... it hurts... but I will have to live with what I have done. I do not deny joining with you and your brother under false pretences. I also do not deny that I agreed to help you with your journey for the same veiled reasons. However it gave me a chance to get to know you." Once more he made an effort to stand and he finally found the strength to do so. He desperately wished she would look at him to see the pain and regret in his eyes. Taking a breath he stepped forward watching her.

"You can not fathom the guilt I have been harboring in my heart for the choices I made to get here Rayann. I've done my best to keep the guilt locked away so you did not have to worry about what was bothering me. I have done my best to avoid following my orders to take you to the dark palace because I came to know you as a person and after a time because of more." He sighed "The more we shared with each other the more I became resolute in ignoring my orders."

He steadied himself a few paces from her his voice quieting "Rayann I have never out right lied to you and I never plan to. Yes I have misled you, yes I have deceived you and others but I have never out right lied" There was a grain of truth in his words. Other than his initial deception he had never been untruthful with her and had in fact answered quite honestly. Occasionally he withheld information but he had never lied in all the time they had travelled alone. He hoped deeply that she would know this.

His voice was growing weaker as he felt his strength slipping once more as he stood only a couple paces from her looking to the floor. "Those men today were sent to finish the mission that I have chosen to abandon Rayann... They were sent to take you to the palace, to the queen. I could not let them do that because I know what lies down that path. You do not know the horrors that that woman will put a person through. I have seen what she does to her chosen with my own eyes and I could bare the thought of any of that happening to you." He shuddered as one session with the queen's high inquisitor came to mind. The way she had made that warrior scream curdled his blood.

Myth raised his eyes to her once more his mind pleading please for the love of the gods look at me... He almost sighed as she finally turned but it froze when he finally saw the pain in her eyes, he wanted to die and the spot because of what he saw.

"Rayann please believe me when I tell you I know what fate awaited you, and because I care for you so deeply I had to act. You can not begin to fathom the fate I have consigned myself to by dispatching those men." He felt his strength finally faltering as he struggled to speak and for that matter stand. "I have signed... my death warrant... by choosing my love for you over my... duty"

The world spun and Myth's world went black. His strength had been drained from his body his sword falling from his grip. The sound of his blade clattering rang through out the cavern as he collapsed upon the cavern floor at her feet. There was a deep look of pain etched upon his face. He was so drained that even his mind had fallen into silence.

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

The world was dark and his mind became aware that he was not in the waking world. He knew at a glance that he was in a realm between realms. A shiver went up his spine as he perceived the world around him. He had been here before and he was not looking forward to what he knew was coming. He felt the presence and dropped to his knee his eyes lowered to the earth as a shadow fell over his form. He closed his eyes and did not look up to see the five headed form before him. He wasn't sure when it started but unimaginable pain ripped through his very soul. The pain he had felt in his waking mind at the hands of Rayann was a tickle in comparison.

His many decades of service was the only reason his eyes never opened to witness the tortures that were inflicted upon his very soul in this plain. He did not know how long that the pain went on but he knew he welcomed the darkness that followed. He was certain that his soul was going to be trapped in this place and he would be made to suffer till the ends of time.

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

Pain would be etched deeply on his face as he slept. Though it seemed as if years had passed in his mind he had only been unconscious for minutes. His punishment had begun the moment he lost control of his mind and would likely continue till he was drawn out to the world once more. The question that his unconscious mind asked was would there be anyone there to do it.

Part 1 of 2

The minute Myth collapsed, Rayann was at his side. As she watched the pain etch across his handsome face she knew he had suffered greatly at the hands of the men he killed in her defense. While she was a wreck emotionally and it had taken some of her physical strength as well, she had the where withal about her to use her magic to levitate him back to the fire. Once there, she worked at tending to his wounds the way she had planned on in the first place.

As she worked at tending his wounds tears would fill her eyes and slip down her cheeks as she thought about all that had occurred between the two of them these past couple of months. His words rang true and she knew it. He HADN’T lied and while Rayann found SOME comfort in that, it didn’t change the fact he’d deceived her right from the beginning.

What Rayann knew, beyond a shadow of a doubt to be true, were his emotions. He couldn’t fake them and what she felt from him was such a profound guilt that she felt as though her heart was constricting within her chest. The last words he spoke before he passed out still echoed in her head.

"I have signed... my death warrant... by choosing my love for you over my... duty"

He said he loved her. While she didn’t know if that were true or not, Rayann DID know he felt something for her that was deeper than friendship. She could only assume it was love but she was never one to assume anything. Without proof, she never believed anything until she saw it for her own eyes. But she couldn’t deny there was….SOMETHING there within his heart.

Once she tended his wounds she made sure the fire was stoked and extinguished the torches that had been lit earlier. While Myth would not be happy to know she’d left the fire burning like she did, Rayann didn’t want to take the chance of not being able to see if he broke out in a fever. Exhausted like she’d never been before, Rayann drifted off into a fitful sleep but not before her hand reached out and the tips of her fingers barely touched Myths’ hand.

Something awoke her in the darkest hours of the night. The fire had burned down to where it was nothing more than glowing embers. Rayann sat up as a mind numbing fear overtook her and threatened to swallow her whole. Closing her eyes tight, she fought the panic she felt welling up within her back and after what seemed an eternity, she felt the fear slowly subsiding but not without a struggle. When she blinked her eyes open, she quickly glanced to Myth and saw a strange, eerie, glowing aura surrounding his body.

Realization struck her like a cold slap in the face and she quickly scrambled to his side. Holding her hands over his form, she felt the evil presence and knew exactly who and what was working here. Myth was losing his life but not on this plane. He was being punished for his deeds in a place none should have to know.

No…no…no…NO! No…you can’t have him….

Rayann closed her eyes again and said a silent prayer asking for strength, endurance and guidance from Solinari knowing she was about to tread to a place she had never been before. When she opened her eyes, she positioned herself so that Myth’s head was cradled in her lap as she sat at his head, facing him with her legs crossed before her.

The pain that still etched his face had grown quite severe for Rayann saw the lines had grown deeper and she silently cursed herself for not seeing it earlier. If she had been in her right mind, she would have. Now she prayed she could bring him back from the void before it was too late. Taking a few deep breaths, she closed her eyes and gently laid her hands on either side of Myth’s head. Her thumbs gently caressed his cheeks before stilling once more. Terrified at what she was getting ready to embark upon, Rayann forced herself to push her fears aside and tread where her feet had never set foot before.

There was nothing but blackness. Empty, silent, blackness. Her voice called softly to him and slowly, images began to come to her. What she saw made her shiver and cringe and sometimes made her stomach churn to the point she was certain she would wretch. Forcing herself to remain within his mind, Rayann steeled herself against the onslaught of things she was witnessing.

Myth had been in service to the Dark Queen for quite some time and she was seeing his tasks first hand, so to speak. He was well trained in the art of combat, that Rayann already knew, but she didn’t realize how talented an assassin he was….until now. He had killed so many in service to the Goddess and at no time did she feel any emotion from him. Even as he witnessed uncounted acts of torture and cruelty within the dark palace in audience with the queen herself, she felt nothing from him. Until this one scene.

Myth was ordered to kill a prominent figure and his family for with holding some information from the Queen. When she found out about it, she was livid and lashed out wanting to make an example of the man and his family to show what happens when you cross her. Myth was given the order to kill them while they slept and he accepted the order. But when he went to fulfill his duty, he couldn’t bring himself to kill the wife or the man’s three children. While the man had defied the Queen, his family had done no such thing and therefore he refused to kill the innocent.

The Queen was outraged by his lack of action and sent another of her court to finish the job and Myth tried to intervene to prevent the slaughter of the innocent but he was caught. Myth had paid for his insubordination then with a lashing and his back still had the scars to prove it. Even as Rayann witnessed his punishment she flinched with each crack the whip made to his back and she wanted to cry out for him when he refused.

More images passed by her and she found herself almost lost in the things he had done as his duty had compelled him to do. And then Rayann came to the images of when he met her and Rorie on the road. While she knew these images already, she wanted to see them from his perspective and from his mind. He told the truth when he old her he came to them by false pretenses and she saw the way he had consumed the potion to make him appear weak and weary and the roll the other men played by consuming the undead potion.

Rayann felt her stomach churn again at how easily she had fallen for such an act. Again she thought herself a fool for developing feelings for him because of how easily he had deceived her. But she began to question herself when she saw how he fought off the goblins with her and Rorie and when he agreed to be her escort to what ever it was she was supposed to do.

He’d given strict orders to her and decidedly took a longer path to the dark palace, purposely. Why had he done that? As the images kept coming, the one thing Rayann began to notice is the slow deterioration of the walls he had around himself. As they began to grow close, she saw a change in both of them. They smiled at each other more, shared laughs more, began to engage in intelligent conversations and eventually learned to trust each other in ways neither had trust others in the past.

As she watched these changes in him, she felt the changes in his emotions. When they first met, she was a mission to him. By the time she reached the last images of him fighting with and eventually killing the soldiers sent to relieve him and bring her to the palace, she saw the moment he realized he loved her and that he would never be able to give Rayann to anyone.

Tears once more slowly eased down her cheeks as she felt his heart and knew what he had confessed to her earlier was indeed the truth. He loved her, beyond words and beyond time. And he loved her for WHO she was. Not WHAT she was. This realization struck Rayann to the core and she felt her heart both want to soar and sink the unimaginable depths.

They were in love but so much had occurred between them now, would they ever be able to trust each other as much as they had before all this happened? Of course, that all depended on rather or not she could get him back from where it was he was now confined. And in order to do that, she would have to fight a battle, alone, in a place where the odds were stacked against her against an opponent that was far stronger, and conniving who would use every dirty trick in the book to win. At all costs.

But Rayann had to try. If she failed then she would be trapped where he was right now. And if that were the case, she rather be there with him then here without him. If she didn’t succeed, her life was over with anyway.

Pushing through the darkness, harder and farther than she had ever done, Rayann reached out to Myth, using the strongest weapons she had. Her mind and her heart. Several times she was struck down by an evil force she couldn’t see but could feel with every ounce of her soul. Finally, through the darkness she could see a form. It was very large and it moved in ways Rayann had never seen before.

I was still pitch black all around her but somehow she could see the figure clearly now and what she saw frightened her to the point of immobility. All five heads turned her direction and began to hiss loudly. Within the hiss was a female voice filled with malice and hate that filled her mind.

”You stupid whelp of a girl. You DARE tread here? You’re more foolish than this pathetic fool.”

Myth’s limp form was lifted in the front claws of the dragon and Rayann felt her heart jump to her throat and stay there. Frightened, lavender eyes darted to the five heads once more and she saw all five heads looking at her, amusement in their eyes as they saw her reaction.

”He should have known better than betray me. Especially for someone like you. You insignificant insect.”

Myth’s limp form was being tossed around like a rag doll and Ryann once m ore felt her heart constrict within her chest. NO! NO! Don’t do that! You’ll kill him!, she thought to herself

The five heads lowered slightly and narrowed their gaze at her again.

”That’s the whole idea, but not until I’m sure he has suffered so badly he will beg for the release death can bring him.”

Myth uttered a sound and Rayann felt her heart leap. He was alive! By Solinari, he was ALIVE!

All five heads snapped towards Rayann then and hissed threateningly.

”THAT NAME IS FORBIDDEN HERE!”

Suddenly Rayann was struck with such an indescribable fear she dropped to her knees. But she also realized her mind was an open book and vise versa. While this place was frightening, Rayann also concluded the normal barriers one had in place to protect against certain things was nullified. There was one chance and one chance only. It would take all of her strength, but it would be worth it if they survived.

When Rayann first found out about Myth’s deception, she lashed out at the warrior with her mind without realizing it and when she was reliving the moment over from his perspective, she saw the pain he experienced. While she’d never purposely done such a thing, she knew now she was quite capable. All she needed to do was concentrate.

Forcing herself to stand and placing one foot in front of the other, Rayann began to slowly walk closer to the five headed dragon that still held Myth’s limp form in its clutches. As she moved, the dragon’s head hissed at her again. Her mind spoke to the dragon as she walked.

This place is not yours. It belongs to no one but the people who inhabit it right now. And right now, that is you, me and Myth. And I shall speak what ever name I chose to speak when ever I chose to speak it. You can do nothing about it.

Rayann was hit by that powerful force she couldn’t see and she was knocked down by it. Forcing herself to her feet, she stood before the dragon, close enough to be struck down if the dragon wished. Again she felt that near mind numbing fear engulf her and it was all she could do to fight against it.

”Bravery is not a trait you should practice when you don’t have it.”

Swallowing hard, Rayann trembled as she stood before the dragon.

Bravery isn’t something you p-practice. It’s s-something you…..find within y-yourself.”

”Well…..aren’t you the scholar now….

No….just tired of….cowering…before…bullies….

All five dragon heads registered the shock of her words, and in that split second, Rayann seized the opportunity. Lashing out at the dragon with all she could, she concentrated on inflicting a great deal of excruciating pain that was much worse than anything Myth had felt. The dragon heads reared back and practically screamed in pain. In that moment Myth’s limp form was dropped from the dragons claws and Rayann rushed forward.

Part 2 of 2

In Myth’s blackened mind a light began to penetrate. It started out as a tiny spark and grew slowly until it was all consuming. A hand reached out for him from the center of the light and as he slowly reached out to take it, warmth engulfed him and he felt the pain that had been inflicted upon him slowly disappear. He felt weightless as though he was drifting on soft air currents. Rayann’s voice sounded as though it was in the far distance talking to him softly telling him to come with her and her hand tugging him gently to go with her where ever that would be.

He saw her laughing and talking with him once more like they did before the terrible truth was revealed. Her hands reached out to him and he felt her fingers slowly close around his hands as she encouraged him to move. All the while she spoke to him softly as though nothing had ever happened between them to damage the trust they’d built between each other. When he did move he found he could move with no trouble and pain free.

All too soon the images faded and he was left with nothing. He knew he as laying on something soft and a soft breeze drifted over him where he rested. As his mind slowly returned to consciousness and his eyes slowly fluttered open, saw he was resting in a soft bed by a window on the second floor that overlooked colorful flower gardens.

His room was quaint but cozy and as he stirred to move he realized his wounds from the fight he had with the soldiers were not completely healed yet but had been tended to and were well on their way to healing nicely. His body did ache slightly but not as much as he expected it to and when he went to sit up he found he was without clothes.

As his eyes took in his surroundings more, he would see there was a change of clothes that might be a little big for him but would still fit all the same on a chair next to the bed and fresh water in a pitcher on the dry sink on the other side of the chair.

Once he used the cool, clean water to refresh himself and dressed in the clothes, he began to slowly move about the place and what he discovered he was in a country cottage but where he wasn’t sure. When he reached the first floor he saw a tea pot on the stove and a cup sitting beside it. It had been used but who ever used it wasn’t anywhere to be seen yet.

There was someone watching him. Myth stiffened and slowly turned to see who it was when he saw Rayann standing in the doorway of the cottage. She wasn’t wearing her robe but she was dressed in a white tunic with a tan belt cinching it at the waist and light tan leggings tucked into the tan, soft, high boots she liked to wear.

Rayann stood frozen to the spot when she saw Myth up and walking around. A thousand thoughts raced through her mind but she forced herself to remain where she stood. Her emotions were like an open book when he first looked at her but after a few seconds, she placed an unreadable mask upon her face.

Myth's subconscious did not share his heart felt willingness to give in to the pain that was coming. He remembered a time long ago when he had first disobeyed and had only received a severe lashing as a result. Later while he was recovering his master had visited and had told him how lucky he was to have gotten off with such a light punishment. Other men had their souls stripped from their bodies and the skin flayed from their flesh. It was Myths abilities and record of service that had granted him reprieve. That was when his master trained him to defend himself during interrogations and torture.

Physical pain could always be ignored to a point as could others. Myth had learned how to lock the core of his person into a place deep within himself. Hidden away from the pain of his physical and spiritual beings. It was not an easy technique to learn because the only was to learn was from the doing. He would spent weeks on end practicing to ignore physical pain from his master, and then how it withstand spiritual pain from one of the Queen's Fae-like servants, a particularly vicious beast named Piramay. The woman had a knack for torture that would eventually elevate her to the post of high inquisitor. Myth had learned from the best by being tortured by the best.

Without knowing it Myth's mind had called upon its training and hid his core deep in his soul when the Queen came for him. It was one of the reasons his body had been limp like a doll and the only reason he never screamed. He had locked himself away so completely that he literally forfeited control of his spiritual body to a certain degree. However he could only protect himself from a fraction of the pain that had been brought to bare against him. After all this was no mortal being that brought this pain to him. He was being tormented by the will of a goddess, a very pissed goddess. The darkness he had placed himself in was likely the only thing that kept him sane.

He knew the pain was subsiding but he knew not why but after a time he felt a second presence. While he was tucked deep within himself he could only hear what was going on. He could feel the presence of Rayann in his mind confronting the queen. He tried screaming for her to get out of his head but he was locked tight. His waking mind tried to come alive but the sleeping mind have nothing of it. As his body was flung once more he managed to spit out Run damn you but he was not sure if it was ever audible. In truth it hadn't been but it was the sign of life Rayann had seen.

After that things passed by him in a blur as he was pulled from his core. In time he returned to the land of the living and after some exploration with his sword in hand he found himself standing before the woman he knew had saved him. Deep in his being he knew what had transpired but it had not been disclosed be his own being. He was standing in shock for a moment as he noted the happiness in her eyes upon seeing him but he also saw how quickly it had faded. The moment her face became an emotionless mask he felt his heart sink. He averted his eyes from her own not feeling worthy of gazing upon the lavender depths as he thought to himself I will live with the consequences be they good or ill.

He knew then that this woman had saved him from his fate but he knew not how. His soul had been taken to the realm of his mind and somehow the woman saved him despite all he did. Why she had done so he did not truly know. Perhaps she did not wish his blood on her hands, he truly could not so. Taking a breath he stood tall and proud but spoke in a quite voice not wishing to upset the balance of what was around them. "Lady Rayann... I know not what you did or how you brought me from the hell I was sent to, but I thank you from the depths of my being." His eyes closed as images of their time together passed his mind.

"I have inflicted much pain upon you and you have in return granted me a kindness I am undeserving of. If you so wish it the moment I am able to I will depart from this place. I..." His voice trailed off as his mind went blank and he could only hake his head...."

"No.... I will not deal with this the warrior's way. I will not use a warrior's reason to justify my choices." His eyes looked up locking on to Rayann's "I can not begin to apologize to you... I could spend the rest of my natural life doing so and it would not be enough. If you hate me then so be it I have no one to blame but myself and I am willing to live with the pain Rayann. You need but point me upon the path and I will leave." He reached up touching his head "I can still feel you deep in my head. Not your presence but I can feel your passing. Its a strange feeling but I can only imagine what horrors you saw while you traveled through my mind to confront her Rayann. I am a monster and I could not blame you for hating me or wanting me to leave."

Taking a breath he stepped forward held out his sword and sheath placing them upon the ground. All these weeks of travel they had developed a bond, a bond he thought for certain was shattered. She knew his feelings for her because she had seen it in his mind but he did not have that same knowledge. He was blind to the truth and he approached the matter from that perspective and she would know this. He had no clue what the future would hold for them but he had hopes. They were vain and seemed like far reaching hopes but they were there. His eyes lowered as he released his hold on the weapon stepping away. It was a family heirloom and after having been in his mind she knew how important this blade was to him. It was the only thing he had to remind him of his roots, royal roots for her was once a prince in ages long since past. "I leave this to you to do with what you will."

The look of regret and guilt upon his face was deep and he did his best to remain in control of himself but he could feel his resolve faltering. He went to one knee lowering his head looking to the floor speaking clearly "If I am to be sent from this place I will it to you. There is no questioning this... Whether you believe me or not Rayann I have grown to love you.... but I know I have caused you great pain and I know what danger you put yourself in saving me. I leave myself to your judgment and mercy even though I am undeserving of it."

As Rayann stood watching and listening to Myth, her face remained unreadable. Knowing there were things he had to say to clear his own conscience, she let him speak. The elation she felt at seeing him up and walking around was heart felt but she didn’t want to get her hopes up too high for anything else. There was no doubt he was treading in waters he’d never swam in and she knew she needed to give him time to cope with the emotions he was feeling.

True to his warrior nature, he was going to treat this as any other moment in a warrior’s life and try to restore his honor with her the only way he knew how. For some reason, she felt sorely disappointed he was going to do things this way. But when he stopped himself and began speaking from his heart, Rayann felt such a rush of relief and love that she was struck speechless.

He regretted everything he’d done to deceive her. That was the truth. And now, as he stood humbly before her and tried to find the words he needed to say to her, Rayann felt tears begin to burn the back of her eyes. Forcing herself to hold them back, she swallowed hard and barely breathed as she listened to him.

There was no doubt he knew what she had done to save his soul from eternal torture and suffering. What she did, she would never tell him, and even right now, she wasn’t sure she could explain it in terms he would understand. Rayann herself was having trouble trying to find words the described it. All she knew was that she won this round, but she also knew that was just the beginning.

Rayann had slipped deeper into his mind than she had any ones and because of that, she had left a permanent imprint of herself deep within him. One she doubted would ever go away. Fortunately it was one that was not riddled and infused with pain and for that, she was eternally grateful.

When he held his sword before her then set it on the ground before going to one knee and once more professing his love for her, Rayann once more felt a profound sorrow fill her very being knowing it was from him she felt such an emotion. The seconds seemed to tick by like hours before she finally began to move. Her foot steps were as quiet as a church mouse but his hearing was so acute he could hear her shallow breathing.

As his eyes remained fixed on the floor he saw her feet now and knew she was right there before him. Again the seconds seemed to tick by slowly before he heard her voice once more speak audibly to him. While it was as soft as it ever has been, there was a slight tremor to it as well.

”Any punishment I could ever think appropriate for you is noting compared to the punishment you’ve already inflicted upon yourself, Mythalas. You were willing to allow yourself eternal suffering at the hands of something that knows nothing about love and sacrifice because of your feelings for me.”

Rayann watched as Myth slowly raised his head to look upon her. Her lavender eyes shimmered with moisture she was barely able to keep at bay.

”That was something I couldn’t allow you to do. Especially knowing how you truly felt about me.”

Looking up for a moment and taking a deep breath, she regained her composure then looked back down at him.

”What I saw in your mind was a man who knew what his duty was and performed his tasks with perfection. I cannot fault you for that. You made the choice to become what you are. Just as I did. But there was one thing neither of us had a choice in. We have no control over our hearts. As you and I both discovered these past couple of months. And because of the way we feel about each other, we both knew it wasn’t going to be easy for either of us.”

Her hands reached out and tenderly cupped his face as she took the last step closer to him. Her eyes misted once more with unshed tears as she let her lavender depths look deep into his piercing green gaze. Her voice now floated tenderly through his mind and now, along with her voice, he could feel the love she felt for him as much as she could feel his love for her.

You are no longer just a warrior I saved from brigands in Witch Wood, Mythalas. What happened between us in the past was regrettable, but we can’t change it. The path laid out before us is uncharted and I don’t know what will happen, but I do know one thing. To make you leave would be the one thing I could never forgive myself for doing. Stay with me for as long as you wish. The only hold upon you is the one you place there yourself but I shall not now nor shall I ever tell you stay with me for I cannot control your heart.

Her tears could no longer be contained as they began to slowly slide down her flushed cheeks. Once more her voice filled the quiet room they occupied.

“Words so many times are over used, but there are words that need to be heard. And these words you need to hear. Not just in your mind, but from my lips to your ears. I love you, Myth.”

The silence after he had finished speaking seemed to last forever. It was as if time itself had decided to slow in an effort to torment him. There was a tightness in his chest and his heart was pounding. His mind was a random mess of thought and he couldn't even bring it to focus. His mind expanded on a multitude of possibilities and out comes to the current situation. Questions brought themselves to the forefront of his mind and blew away just as quickly. Would she forgive him? Even if she did would he be cast out into the world? On and on the questions went some pleasant others harsh reality.

He had been lost in his mind trying to gain control of his thoughts when his ears heard her movements. He felt his heart skip a beat as her feet came into his field of vision. His breathing increased a hair as he shut his eyes readying himself for the decision she was about to levy against him. Even if she chose to cast him away he would follow in the shadows, that much he had decided. In helping him she had put herself in grave peril and he would not let her travel alone no matter what she decided. Though it would hurt he was prepared to what he must in order to keep Rayann safe.

Again time seemed to slip by at a crawl and he could feel his heart race in anticipation. When she spoke he could hear the trembling of her voice. In that moment he felt pangs of joy and dread. She did not speak aloud often and when she did it was of great importance. Whatever she had decided she was about to voice it audibly and that made the feeling of joyous dread amplify.

He listened with a held breathe as she spoke. He could think of a great many things that he could do to himself as punishment and so her words rang true in his heart. He was indeed holding himself accountable to the highest standard he could. He did not completely expect to hear what she knew of his feelings however. Though as he thought about the impression of her in his mind it dawned on him what she likely had to sift through to get to where she needed. He guessed that she took a moment to examine that last few months from his perspective. While the thought of this filled him with a sense of foreboding it was soon replaced by elation. If she looked at everything he thought she had then she knew how he felt and she knew the truth of his words. A sense of hope filled his being and he found the strength to lift his head to meet her gaze. The tears he saw forming in her eyes caused him to feel a small amount of relief.

AS the words flowed from her lips he worried how much of his past she had seen, but something told him that it was enough to understand him as a person. With each moment he realized exactly how special she was in more ways than he could count. From the perspective as a soldier he saw a great many things in her and her ability, but more importantly as a person he saw so much more. She had a level head on her shoulders which seemed a good match to his own and she was capable of a great deal more compassion than Myth himself was even able to show. He was beginning to understand why he had fallen for her.

Looking into her lavender eyes she would see the build up of moisture in his, but because of so many years of forced control they would not flow. Myth was capable of feeling emotion but his body had a hard time showing it. After the trip through his mind she would know and hopefully understand that he indeed was feeling as she, but he just couldn't let it show outwardly in anything more than a teary eye or a smile at least not right now. It was something he was well aware of and something he was currently cursing at the same time. Amidst his self admonishment he heard the words he had been hoping for. Though she had not said it directly she had forgiven him in her own way and she had no desire for him to leave. His heart soared and a smile spread across his face as she voiced in both word and mind her feeling for him.

His strength that had felt drained and non existent returned and he found himself standing. His hands slid up to her face caressing her cheeks softly as he wiped away tears. Once more he was cause for her to shed tears but this time at least they were tears of joy and happiness.

He spoke finally in a quiet voice "Rayann your words bring joy to my heart the likes of which only you could know." He leaned his forehead against hers and smiled "As long as you would have me I will be at your side. The heavens would be hard pressed to make me break this promise. You have tamed the heart of this wild beast and I could not be happier for it. You know what is in my heart but as you said, some things have to be heard."

He took a breath and focused his eyes upon hers "As you love me Rayaan, I love thee as well Rayann mel amin*" He kissed her forehead briefly before a finger rested beneath her chin and he lifted slightly. With a smile as bright as the sun his lips pressed to hers as his arms wrapped around her pulling her close. It was an embrace he found that he had been longing for and he savored the moment just as he was sure that she did the same

((I'm rusty but I believe the loose translation is elvish for "my love" can't find my old elvish dictionary file lol))