Private Tales Read between the lines

[Zana]

"I've destroyed your house," there was a slight tremor in her voice as she stared at the state of the garden at her feet. If they had been in the city she might have hurt someone without even knowing it at the time. Not until it was too late. She knew he didn't care but it did nothing to ease the fear that was clawing its way up her throat. Dreadlords were trained so that this didn't happen and her emotions were unravelling all of that control at a rate of knots.

Zana swept past him and outside as her face grew more and more panicked, her hand still clasping the sheet about her tightly. There was a large hole in the porch just in front of the door but with a glimmer of energy she stepped across it as if no hole were there.

"Talus I'm so sorry," she ran a hand through her hair and then swept her hand out towards the porch to unbend the planks of wood that remained and smooth them back into place.

 

[Talus]

Talus' couldn't help the hurt in her heart as he saw her panic, the look on her face forcing an ache into his very soul.

As she fled from him he followed after, two steps behind her as she bent the pieces of wood back into place. He never even thought she wouldn't, never even considered that fact. He caught up with her, grasping her outstretched hand.

"Hey." He said softly. "Hey."

Talus drew her into him. "This was my choice."

He reminded her softly.

"I told you to do this." His home was destroyed, but what did he care? The Cabin could be rebuilt, the land could be put back together, even the trees could be replanted. He'd rather her magic be used out here than in the city. "You have nothing to be sorry for."

Talus knew the terror she felt, knew the fear at her heart. He had felt it too once. "We knew this could happen. It's okay."

 

[Zana]

Zana was stiff as he took her hand and coaxed her into his arms but then she crumpled inwards and buried her face in his chest, her arms wrapping round his waist to hold herself tight to him. He had asked, he had commanded it and she had obeyed. It had felt good to lose that control and it was a night she would never forget but the daylight hours threw it all into perspective for her. It was no longer a far off sound but a very real problem.

"I'll fix it," her voice was barely audible as her body trembled. She didn't want to keep saying sorry for she knew his words were the truth and it would hurt him to hear her keep apologising.

"The things I feel for you Talus... if you ever got hurt this could be people," that was her true fear. She wouldn't be able to stop the emotional response just like she hadn't been able to stop this response to her emotions. She would become the monster everyone always feared a Dreadlord would become.

 

[Talus]

"Don't worry about that." He said softly, petting her hair as he held her close.

The cabin was...well it was an utter disaster. It didn't particularly matter to him who fixed it, and in truth...he sort of liked the idea of fixing it anyway. There had been thoughts mulling about an addition, now seemed like the perfect time.

It was her second thought that made him hold his breath.

Fingers tightened around her, his lips pressed against her head. "So we help you control it."

He told her, understanding exactly where she was coming from.

"Last night was a first step." He said softly. "We know what can happen, now we work on making sure it only does when you want."

Directing the power, storing it. "You can do this. I know you can."

She wasn't a monster, she was the woman he loved.

 

[Zana]

"I don't know how," it was a heartbreaking confession.

The strokes through her hair were tender and helped to soothe her whirlwind of thoughts somewhat. Still it took her a while until she finally stopped shaking and regained some element of control over her emotions. She was so new to this. New to having them rush over her and try to drag her down beneath their waves. It was like sinking sand and the more she struggled the worse it got. A soft breath left her and slowly she finally let the last of the tension go from her shoulders.

"I need to fix this," she pulled back a little from him and motioned to the house and gardens. It was a painful need to make it right for him to heal a little of the fear that was settling into her heart like a bad weed.

 

[Talus]

She took her step back, but Talus didn't let go. Doing so would have been paramount to letting her fall into a pit. He couldn't allow that. "Okay."

He agreed quietly.

Small pieces could be put back into places, they would at least have someplace warm to sleep again tonight. That much he could help with. His lips thinned for a moment, and he noticed...he noticed something else.

Before he had seen her pain, he had actively hurt from the look in her eyes...yet now...now he could almost feel it. Was that love? Was that what it did to you? Talus frowned for just a brief moment, and then took a deep breath.

"Okay." He repeated again, and then slowly stepped so that he was behind her. His arms never left her, never went away. They wrapped around her stomach. "Close your eyes."

Talus was no teacher, he did not know much about magic as an academic, but...he could try to help. Try his very best.

 

[Zana]

Zana was oblivious to everything else but him and her turmoil of emotions. He was so calm, so collected. She wondered if one day she would have enough of a handle over her own emotions that she too could be like that in the face of such destruction. She was thankful he didn't let her go as he moved around her and as his hands came to encircle her from behind she pressed back into him with a soft sigh. He was the only thing keeping her from spiralling.

She threw her trust into him and shut her eyes.

"Okay," she echoed his words and took a deep breath trying to clear her mind and wade through the emotions that swirled inside of her. One hand still held the sheet to her chest whilst the other rested on his arm and stroked her fingers over his skin.

 

[Talus]

His arms tightened in an embrace, and then he took a breath.

Talus had said that she wasn't in this alone, and he meant it. He tried to exude a feeling of calm, he tried to allow her his level base. She could be a rolling tidal wave of emotion, a surge of passion, and he would be the rock she clung to. "I want you to think about me."

He told her softly.

"Us." Talus continued. "How I make you feel. How our nights together bring you that rush."

He kissed the small mark on her neck. "I want you to think about it. I want you to feel it."

There was no sultriness to his voice. This time he did not want to seduce her, he wanted to bring forth what she had felt the night before.

 

[Zana]

A wave of calm did roll over her but it didn't feel like her. It felt like him. It forced down the tide of emotions further until she could find her feet again enough to focus on his words.

It didn't take much effort for those feelings to come to her. She merely had to think of him and the images rushed at her like a swarm and the emotions came with them: love, passion, desire, need, comfort, safety, hunger. Her eyes were still closed so she couldn't see nor could she tell what was already happening but if Talus had his eyes open he would. The debris rose first of all. Her breathing began to hitch and become more laboured as the images of last night came next. There was another crack and another post from the porch crumpled in on itself. Then it was a tree right behind them. The purple spread like a bruise across the sky as the emotions hit her fast again in that rush she couldn't control and the energy storm rained down. Bolts of pure energy thundered into the ground leaving holes across what remained of his neat lawn.

Not that she could feel it. All she could feel were the mix of emotions he brought out in her.

 

[Talus]

Talus was like a stone. Even with all the chaos around them, the cracking trees, the bolts of energy that struck close enough to send the hair on the back of his neck standing up.

He never moved. His grip never changed. "Good."

Talus whispered quietly, trying to soothe her, trying to inject some measure of calm into her. The feelings had to be there, they had to be dealt with, but he could help. His arms tightened just a little bit around her, and then he continued to speak.

"Now focus, love." He said softly. "Picture the cabin. The shattered walls. The broken roof. All the pieces that are awry."

His voice was a soothing brook besides a raging river, but he kept going. "Take all that power, all that feeling, and bring it together."

A breath. "Piece by piece. Not at all at once."

"Focus." He told her softly. "You can do it. I know you can."

 

[Zana]

Love.

That word again used now as an endearing pet name. It helped bring her down until she felt like she was standing in the middle of a storm. The magic tore at her skin and her hand tightened on his arm as she tried hard to do what he coaxed, to try and hold on to the maestrom of emotions that roared around her. Another bolt of energy dove into the ground and ripped through it like a sheet of parchment. Her jaw clenched. Her instinct was to try and suppress the emotions so that they were no longer causing her a problem but she didn't want to do that when she was with him.

So she tried again. Took another breath and pictured the cabin. Grief and fear welled up as she thought of what she had done to it and for a moment the sky darkened even more.

"I-I can't," a tear streamed down her cheek.

 

[Talus]

"Yes you can." His voice was stern, not commanding, but inspiring.

Talus knew the pain she was in. He could feel the fear, the grief. It was like a needle in his stomach, a hurt that he couldn't shake. The pain wasn't his own, but he felt it just the same. That was why he knew he had to be strong for her.

"I know you can, Zana." He held the same tone. "You're strong."

His arms squeezed her gently. "You can do this."

The calm confidence poured from him, his own love fought the fear that sat at her heart.

"Piece by piece." Talus whispered. "You can do it."

 

[Zana]

Her breathing hitched and dipped as she tried to drag air into her lungs amidst the rising panic as she felt control slip further and further from her. She took a step further back into him as if she could use him as a physical shield from it all and then she began to move the direction of the raw energy. It was painfully slow and hard to do. The sky turned blue once more and though the Cabin shook it wasn't threatening to break in on itself anymore. Debris that floated into the sky slowly slid back into place. Even the smallest of splinters slotted into tiny cracks and spaces.

The porch beam righted itself and then another until the roof was no longer dangerously leaning over. The side of the wall that belonged to the bedroom rebuilt itself log by log. The ground rolled over and the earth eased back into the holes it had been spat out from. The grass was irreparable but it wasn't as dangerous as before.

The energy suddenly left her in a rush. The sky turned blue once more and her legs buckled under her as blood began to stream from her nose.

 

[Talus]

As soon as he felt Zana collapse Talus' arms immediately tightened and he caught her. His body tensed, and before she could fall much further towards the grounds he scooped her up like one would a princess.

Concern thundered in his heart for her, but at the same time so did pride. She had done it, though it had not been easy. His fingers laced around her, and he slowly walked over towards the cabin as he held her. "Are you alright?"

He asked as he headed up the stairs.

Within just a few steps they reached the swing where they had spent some of the night before, Talus gently laying her down there as he squatted besides her.

"Do you need anything?" He asked, softly dabbing the blood from her nose with a torn off piece of his trousers while petting her hair. "Water? Food?"

The words came quickly in half a panic.

 

[Zana]

Doing something like that without her emotions was a breeze. She could have built houses over and over again without so much as a blink. But this new form of magic was pure and far stronger than anything she had ever felt run through her before. It would take her time to build it up and harness it.

"M'fn," her head lolled against his chest with a big sigh. Zana's energy was spent beyond belief but she could feel his concern not only radiating from him but in her. Was that another new gift? Was she going to be able to start sensing emotions from people too? Gods she truly hoped not.

As he laid her on the porch swing she put one hand on her forehead to try and feel if there was any kind of fever which could sometimes happen to Dreadlords after a sudden burst of energy the likes she had just done. But her skin was cool.

She turned her face towards him and gently ran a limp hand down his cheek.

"You're so cute when you're worrying," her lips creased her cheeks into a smile but her voice was thick as if she had just woken up from a long sleep. "Water, sugar," she needed to get herself hydrated and her blood sugars up before she entered shock. Her eyes drifted shut.

 

[Talus]

Talus quickly nodded his head and stood up.

With a practical jog the young dreadlord made his way into the Kitchen, grabbing water, sugar, and though she had not asked for it, a slight snack. With the same hurried steps Talus moved back out onto the porch, squatting besides Zana.

"I'm always cute." He told her with a smile as he offered the food and drink to her.

Despite himself, Talus was pleased. He couldn't help but feel that he had done right, that he'd fulfilled at least some part of his promise.

It wasn't done, not by far, but she had proven she could do it.

 

[Zana]

Zana had managed to struggle her way into a sitting position by the same he got back and she gave him a tired smile as he passed her the water and a literal bag of sugar. She couldn't help the laugh that bubbled up inside of her but she did pour some into her water, stirred it, and then downed it with only the slightest grimace.

"You are," she agreed and lightly touched his face again in a gentle caress. "Thank you," for being her rock, for pushing her when she would have given in to it or shut herself down entirely. After a brief pause to make sure there was no blood on her lip she leaned forward and kissed him. It was the barest of touches, more the promise of one than a deep and passionate thing.

"I didn't hurt you did I?" she ran her eyes over him slowly just to make sure for herself as her hand cupped his cheek. She didn't think it was possible but she hadn't seen it, merely felt it.

 

[Talus]

"Never." He told her softly, smiling at the tiny kiss.

A small bit of joy radiated from him, a glee at what she had managed to do. He had never actually helped anyone in this way. Talus had taught the sword to a few of the guardsmen, rune magic to a few others, but this?

This was yet another first with Zana. He reached up and gently stroke a thumb over her cheek.

"Thank you for fixing my House." Talus said with a smile. "But now It's going to harder for me to build you a hobby room."

He'd have to do the demolition himself.

 

[Zana]

Zana leaned into the touch on her cheek and her eyes closed briefly to savour in the feel. She probably would have stayed like that if he hadn't mentioned something about a hobby room.

"A what?" her eyes opened and fixed on him like two round pennies. A series of emotions hit her at the thought of him building something for her. A whole room. Excitement overtook the tiredness and she gently pulled him down to sit with her on the bench. She was still just draped in the sheet from their bed so it was bare legs she slid across his lap.

"What kind of... hobbies are we going to do in this room?" she gave him a playful smirk before she began to pick at the snack he had given her. Some form of energy bar. She broke a little bit off and chewed it.

 

[Talus]

Talus smiled at her, letting her legs slide over his lap. A hand settled gently on her leg, slowly trailing fingers over her calf.

His smile began to mirror her smirk when she prompted him, shaking his head. "Whatever you want."

He told her softly.

"Maybe some wood carving things for me, some books for you, painting supplies." Talus did not think there was really a limit to what they could do. "I mean if you really wanted we could add another swing but..."

He trailed off, his hand running a bit higher on her leg.

 

[Zana]

Zana's main hobby was cooking but the fact he had even thought of putting a bookcase in his hobby room for her so that she might sit whilst he worked warmed her heart and softened her face. A feeling welled inside her and this time she caught the tendril of magic that came with it before it escalated. She breathed through it and the energy spiked along her hands in little sparks before fizzling out into a series of purple sparks.

"A spot for Grey," her fingers danced up his arm then brushed against his neck to his jaw line. Her thumb rubbed slowly over the harsh lines and slight stubble. She tilted her head so that it rested against the back of the swing. "I like the sound of this room," as she liked every bit of his home that he had been so shy about showing her. "I've always wanted a little window seat so I can just curl up and read," she admitted quietly.

 

[Talus]

Goosebumps crawled over his skin as she gently touched his neck. "Then you'll have it."

He promised with a smile, running his finger slowly down her leg.

It was still early in the morning, the sun had not even hit it's apex yet and he could start to feel the heat form. Clouds in the distance spoke of coming rains from the West, but it would be several hours before they reached the forest.

"Would you like to go for a swim today?" He asked her with a smile. "Once you feel up to it I mean."

 

[Zana]

"I would like that very much," Zana stroked her thumb across his cheek again. Her eyes drank him in in the early morning light. The way they lit up his eyes and bleached his blonde hair lighter still. It was hard not to simply marvel at the sight of him and her heart swelled with love as she realised once more he was hers. After a second she leaned forward and placed a kiss to the corner of his mouth.

"Do I at least get my clothes back to walk to the pools?" the dress from last night had lain in tatters before the destructive force of her magic had truly started. Gods only knew where it was now. It might even be a part of the house itself now.

 

[Talus]

He smiled, his fingers slowly drawing figure eights. "It's a quarry."

Nearby the mine they had been at yesterday in fact. The water in it was so perfectly clear that you could nearly see hundreds of feet to the bottom. One of the old documents he'd found had told the quarry had once been used for the stone that built the walls of Vel Anir.

After it had been left alone, rain and ground water had filled it to the brim. Now it simply sat there, a crystal clear reservoir of water.

When she asked her other question he couldn't help but smirk. He took on a face as though were thinking deeply.

"I think you could bribe me into it." Talus said as he slowly leaned back.

 

[Zana]

Zana still hadn't figured out which part of the wall he had hidden her clothes in. Wall, or ceiling perhaps. It had to be somewhere where she couldn't get to it unless he took her into that other realm so she could walk through walls. Not until she figured it out at least, then she would have to tear it apart log by log to retrieve it. There was a certain smugness to him as he leaned back in the swing and acted nonchalant about the whole affair. Zana wanted to lick it off him.

A soft huff and she rolled seamlessly onto his lap so she was straggling him, the sheets tangling around her legs, exposing bits of flesh here and there.

"When I start to rip your drapes up to make myself clothes you are only going to have yourself to blame."