Completed The Morning Dew

Taliyah smiled widely when she saw Arastan and she leaned up to place a chaste kiss of appreciation on his cheek. "I love it," she said as she absently touched the hilt. "It is the most beautiful weapon I have ever owned and it is perfect."

She looked past the Prince at the delegation that had begun to gather in anticipation for leaving. It was larger than she thought. Well, honestly, she hadn't really had an idea of what it would look like. She just figured it wouldn't be so many people.

"So as your bodyguard, what exactly are me official duties? Besides making sure you don't die, of course. I have never been on a trip like this." Her voice was soft and more quiet than usual. She didn't want to seem as incompetent as she felt.
 
The sword came out just how he envisioned it. He did not know why he was worried, the enchanters and blacksmiths of Aellevanda were experts in their craft. They had risen to the challenge when the prince came with a special request.

The kiss on the cheek and Taliyah's smile were all the thanks he needed for the gift. The sword was completed just in time to make it for the trip and to defuse some of the tense and awkward atmospheres between the two.

"Oh, that's really the main thing. We have some of the royal guards, so watch them. The main thing is to stay close and make sure I don't die. If you can do that then that's all I really need."

It looked like the rest of the group was preparing to leave, so that meant things were finally getting started.

"The best part about this. You can ride right next to me."
 
"It is still a little strange being your bodyguard now that I have my memories back. I kind of liked being the damsel in distress," she joked and smiled up at him. She was more excited about this trip than she let show. She still remembered how he had acted the previous day and it was better to guard her heart.

It was not long before the group was heading out of the city. Taliyah did get to ride next to Arastan and it pleased her. She wondered how much she could get away with trying to pull out of him when neither of them could run away.

"So what exactly is this whole thing about?" She gestured at the huge group that traveled with the two of them. He had called it a diplomatic trip but what was he trying to gain from it all?
 
"You can still be my damsel in distress if you want to. It gives me the chance to show off." Arastan responded to her jokingly as mounted his horse. With that, he spurred the horse onward and the journey began.

It was not long before Taliyah enquired as to the nature of this journey. He shrugged at the question at first not having a great answer but ultimately decided on telling her his plans.

"If you ask anyone else, this trip is to get me to Fal'Addas, where I can bow really low and kiss the asses of a bunch of old elves stuck in their ways who cowardly hide in the trees. I have no interest in that, and the chances I change their minds are low...However, there are a lot of things and people in between Aellevanda and Fal'Addas and I am hoping to encounter a few of them." This was all said in little more than a whisper next to Taliyah.
 
Taliyah smiled at Arastan. He was trouble. "So you are using this diplomatic mission as nice little vacation with me?" Her eyes sparkled with humor and joy. She was only teasing a little. She was happy to be with him and alone...well alone without his parents judging her.

A few days passed on their trip without any incident and lots of laughter. The group was stopped for the night now with a fire going, stew being cooked, and tents being set up.

"I do not think I have ever ridden this much. My body is protesting," she said as she stretched.
 
Arastan winked at Taliyah as they moved forward and provided the simple affirmation of her question, "Bingo."

The trip for the next few days was largely boring for Arastan, besides his time with Taliyah the delegation did not really let him take too many detours at first. He knew he could not push the point if he wanted to do what he planned on doing when he got closer to Fal'Addas. They would not even let him shapeshift and go hunting which was just cruel.

That night he walked around and spoke with the other members of the group, as he was expected to, before making his way into Taliyah's tent.

"You get used to it...maybe." Riding a horse was still weird to him, too, but that was mainly because he could also just turn into one which would probably be quicker.

"For now, let's rest and enjoy the few moments we have." He said while falling onto the soft mat that Taliyah would likely be sleeping on.
 
Taliyah just stared at Arastan laying on her mat. Her mat. He had been slowly getting closer and closer to that mat every night. He had not actually gotten on it until tonight though. She shook her head and plopped down next to him. "I believe the Prince has his own mat," she teased.

Neither of them had a care in the world when they were together and she had started to look forward to their evening times today. They enjoyed just being together, talking, eating, and joking. She enjoyed being with Arastan.

She also enjoyed the fact that there was no one here to get upset about it.
 
Arastan feigned being hurt at the comment. He acted like he was about to get up and move, but every time he seemed to fail and fall back onto the mat, then he would start the process over again.

"I guess I can move if you really want me to?" He said questioningly, looking towards her with a raised eyebrow and a smirk.

Arastan's time with Taliyah was always so peaceful and relaxing to him. She was the only one on this journey with him that did not have any expectations towards him. To her, Arastan was not the wild and dangerous prince of the city that might cause chaos at any moment. To her, he was just Arastan.
 
Taliyah giggled at his terrible display of acting. She knew full well he wasn't going to get up and she didn't mind as she plopped down next to him. "No no I suppose you can stay," she said softly. She yawned and laid down facing him on her side.

"I would be lying if I said I didn't enjoy our time together very much, Arastan." Her smile was huge. Despite the pain her body was feeling, she wouldn't trade their time together for the world.
 
"Thank goodness. I can't stand my own tent. It's so stuffy." He said with a laugh. He switched to his side so he was looking directly at her.

"I sure hope so. Otherwise, this trip would be absolutely unbearable." He smirked to show he was joking, and after a moment of pause included.

"I have to. I haven't enjoyed a trip this much since...ever."
 
Taliyah closed the short distance between them and kissed him softly. "I have never enjoyed a trip this much," she said against his lips.

The two of them had grown so much closer already and Taliyah liked to steal kisses whenever she could. Those times were when they were in his tent or hers. During the day, she was strictly bodyguard and friend. It was in the evening that they got to be themselves with each other.

"Can we just get on our horses and run away from the delegation?" She joked...kinda.
 
Arastan responded to the kiss, in kind, pulling her closer. He would have been find to simply stay like this kissing Taliyah until the sunset on the world for good.

Her question almost made him jump at the chance. If they ran, right now, he was pretty confident that they would not be caught, at least for a few years. Sadly, there was one thing that kept him from immediately agreeing to the proposition.

He still remembered the night he was told about his loving brother's death. The two had been opposites in most ways, but they were close. His brother had looked after him and was the nicest person he knew...and those humans had slaughtered him like an animal. Just thinking about it made him frown.

He sighed sadly before shaking his head. "I can't do that...not yet. I have things I have to do."
 
"Then we will finish those things first and then we run away," Taliyah said with a smile on her face and in her voice.

The two had still not discussed anything about what they were and she had not brought it up again. Even with the rapier gift and the kisses, she did not want Arastan to get weird again. No, she would keep those thoughts to herself. If he hadn't figured out how she felt about him then he was just very dense.

Taliyah sighed happily even though they were on her small mat on the ground in a tent.
 
Arastan smiled at her and nodded "Agreed." He did not know why he lied to her at that moment, maybe because he did not want to bring down the mood any more than he already had. Still, he loved spending time with Taliyah, but his hate would not give in so easily.

He was not going to stop this adventure until he watched all humans experience what he had. It was only just, right?

No point in thinking about that right now. He was here. She was here. That was all that mattered to Arastan for the time being.

"I would offer wine, but if I do, then tomorrow is going to be unbearable."
 
"Yes, let's get some sleep," Taliyah said as she pushed Arastan onto his back and snuggled in to his side. This had become how they slept now and she would not trade it for the world.

The next morning they were moving again. Days and nights blurred together as they traveled. Taliyah grew stronger with each passing day. She would spar with the guards almost every evening now. Her strength and her skills finally returning to her. She was happy for the first time in forever.

She and Arastan laid in his tent this evening when she asked a question that had been weighing on her mind.

"Arastan, tell me about your family..." She said as she played with his hair.
 
Arastan closed his eyes and felt the warmth of Taliyah next to him. Everything was perfect as he dozed off to sleep, and...it's gone. His eyes snapped open at Taliyah's question.

"My family? Why do you want to know about them? You've already met my mother and she is as friendly as you think she is...My Father is a good man but turns into a scared child when my mother is around...Anything else?"

He asked, while also trying to leave the topic alone. He had made that joke about drinks earlier, but now he really needed one.
 
Taliyah could tell that she had hit a nerve and she kissed him on the lips before turned over with her back to his chest. She wrapped Arastan's arm around her waist and snuggled into him.

"No, that is fine, my dear," she said softly and closed her eyes. It was a little while before sleep claimed her though. The words that Arastan said had answered her questions but he was holding something back and that worried her quite a bit.

Her sleep was restless and she woke up several times throughout the night but she did not move from her Prince's arms. She was too comfortable to leave them.
 
At some point, Arastan felt Taliyah doze off in his arms, but he could not sleep. He did not remember falling asleep that night, but he supposed he did. He just always woke back up thinking about the same processes. His mother, his father, his brother...and even the sister that got away.

They were all supposed to be the ones that supported Aellevanda. Arastan was the black sheep, the one no one had expected anything out of. So how was here, in this situation? He was going to lead the people of Alleavanda? Into war? Could he do it? No, he would have to. They would thank him later.

He squeezed Taliyah in his arms enjoying the night with her. At some point, he must have fallen asleep, because the next thing he knew he was waking up early in the morning.
 
Taliyah rolled over in Arastan's arms and kissed him softly. "Will they force us to get up and get moving or can we stay in the tent until we are ready to leave?"

She didn't want to leave his arms. She never did but most days she gave in to the responsibilities and got up. She did not want to today. She wanted to lay here and kiss him and talk all day.

"Cause I do not want to move, my sweet Arastan..." She kissed him again but this time is was not gentle.
 
Arastan leaned into Taliyah's kiss. He could hear the sounds of the camp packing up outside, but he declined to give the answer that he already knew.

Instead, he deepened to kiss and pulled her in tight. He looked deep into her eyes with a smile.

"My sweet Taliyah, I-" He was cut off from his sentence when a voice spoke up right outside the tent entrance.

"My lord, the rest of the delegation is ready to go. We must get moving if we want to remain on schedule."

Arastan rolled his eyes as far back as he could before sighing and planting one last kiss on Taliyah. "Unfortunately, my sweet Taliyah, the price of royalty sucks."

He jumped up to his feet and swiftly lifted Taliyah into his arms bridal style before smirking. "We can finish this up later."
 
Taliyah giggled as Arastan picked her up, "oh, we will!"

The rest of the days and nights were much of the same until the day they were finally set to meet with a possible alliance that Arastan had heard of.
 
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