Private Tales The Mountains Ahead

[Kasim Areth]

"Good." Natalia and he had talked for a few more minutes, though not about his history. She had filled him in on a dozen things about Vel Anir, about home, about everything else that had happened.

Some of the news was welcome, some of it not so much.

When Avian reappeared with Kiovec and their things he quickly took a few steps back, moving away from the Servants and leaning in to whisper in her ear. "We're going north."

His lips thinned.

He knew that it wouldn't really matter. His father would know that they were close, and that was all he would need. A spell, a death or two, and he would be able to find Kasim.

"We're going. Tell my father not to follow me or he'll regret it." His fingers tightened, and he grasped Aviana gently to help her climb onto Kiovec's back.

 

[Aviana Sabel]

With Kasim's help, Aviana was settled in front of her lover on the dragon's back, needed his help to keep her balance. She didn't want to say anything in front of the servants, but she was still disoriented and flighty after the initial attack.

What would have happened if Kasim hadn't returned when he did?

She leaned back into Kasim's broad chest, seeking out his comforting warmth as Kiovec pushed himself to his full height.

His massive wings unfurled, beating down in powerful strokes as he leapt into the air.

Aviana waited until the servants were tiny figures below them before she spoke.

"I'm sorry... I didn't see them approach..."

 

[Kasim Areth]

"It's alright." Kasim called out to Aviana through the wind.

This was something he had expected, though hoped would come in years. He knew that the castle would never be a permanent home, never be the place of solitude that both of them so desperately wanted, but he had hoped.

It would have been perfect.

"To the north!" He called to the Dragon. "Until I tell you otherwise."

Kasim knew exactly where they had to go now. Another of his families estates, one that he knew would be empty. They could go there for a few weeks at least, enough time to allow them to form a plan.

At least he hoped so. "I saw them through the castles magic, we rushed back as fast as we could."

Kasim was glad for this magics, he did not even want to imagine what could have happened without them.

 

[Aviana Sabel]

Aviana finally let her head drop back against his shoulder, relaxing against him as she bit her bottom lip. Her body ached from their servants' rough treatment of her, but she knew that it could have been much, much worse. She was just grateful that Kasim had made it back before any lasting damage could be inflicted.

"They were so... Furious." She murmured, her words nearly snatched away by the wind.

"I knew that your people held elves in disdain but... It's different seeing it in person. I'm glad you made it back... They were talking of killing me."

 

[Kasim Areth]

"It's my family." Kasim said softly, almost too quiet to hear. There was pain in his voice, true pain, the sort that reflected a life time of trying to understand something that no one really should have.

Were it not for his mother, his brother, he would have been the same as those servants.

It was a fact he did not share with Aviana. "They don't all feel that way...Natalia doesn't, but most...most do it simply because it is how my father feels."

That ran deep, always had.

"Vel Anir is getting better, but after three wars and ten centuries..." The Hatred was a strong one. Not that it was any justification of course. "It's vile."

Kasim said quietly.

 

[Aviana Sabel]

She reached behind her to gently grasp the back of Kasim's head, holding onto him as Kiovec carried them over the mountains. He wouldn't let anything happen to her or the babies, she knew that; but her encounter with the hate filled servants made it clear how dangerous the situation was for them.

"We'll just have to keep moving.. we'll be alright." She murmured, leaning back just enough to speak directly in his ear so that she didn't have to shout.

 

[Kasim Areth]

He nodded his head. "There's a manor."

Not a castle, not this time.

Kasim was sure that his family had more homes than he could ever hope to count, but the ones he knew of could fill an entire scroll. The one he intended for them to go to now was near Cortos, selected only because it was so far away.

"Even traveling on horseback they wont be able to reach it for weeks." Two months or so, by his estimation. "It will give us time to figure out where to go next."

Time was something they desperately needed.

 

[Aviana Sabel]

She worriedly placed a hand over the swell of her belly, closing her eyes. They wouldn't have much more time to get running. At some point, the twins we're going to arrive and Aviana would be in no condition to travel once that day came.

It frightened her.

Still. Her and Kasim had a dragon and the Viral family did not. Flight was far faster than horseback, so they held that advantage at the very least.

"What... Happens if your father catches us?" She asked, turning her head to meet his gaze.

 

[Kasim Areth]

"I..." Kasim was about to open his mouth to tell her, but then he suddenly thought better of it. His head shook from side to side, and he closed his mouth for a few seconds. He knew it was best to keep silent.

At least right now.

"It won't happen." He told Aviana softly. "I won't let anyone hurt our children. Not my father, not anyone."

Even if they brought an entire army. "My father still needs me."

As long as that was true, Kasim had leverage, as slight as it was. He slowly reached back, stroking his fingers over Aviana's thigh in a soft caress.

 

[Aviana Sabel]

It was painfully obvious that Kasim was avoided the question--which could only mean that whatever his father would do, Kasim didn't want Aviana to worry about it. She bit her bottom lip, knowing that Kasim must have been terrified and was trying to protect her from that fear.

Kiovec made a point of grunting, snapping her jaw shut as if in agreement. The dragon would not let anyone near his Bond and her mate.

"We'll be okay, Kasim. Don't try to carry this all on your own. You still have me a d Kiovec."

 

[Kasim Areth]

"I know." He called out.

Kasim did not really think that his father would hurt Aviana, at least not until the children were born, but that reality scared him more than any torture could have. His lips thinned, and he closed his eyes for a brief moment as he took in a deep breath.

His fingers continued to gently caress Aviana as they continued to fly.

It would have been hard for him to say just how long they flew. It seemed that Kiovec kept them in the air for more than a day, but by the time they landed in a large open field they had put several hundred miles between themselves and the castle.

The Temperature was once again warm, and the air seemed almost laden with water as they came down gently. To the east one could see the bare lights of a village.

Kasim estimated they'd need another two days of flying to reach the Manor near Cortos.

 

[Aviana Sabel]

Even though they'd landed safely and hours away from the castle, Aviana couldn't shake the fear of being chased. Her hands worriedly tied themselves into knots once she gotten down from Kiovec's back, anxiously pacing back and forth.

By now, the bruises from her attack had appeared on her fair skin, marring her neck and face with dark marks. Her heart was racing in her chest, terrified that at any moment someone from Kasim's family would come charging across the field.

She was trying her best to stay calm, but the haunting memories of her time held captive by his uncle plagued her thoughts. Still, she didn't want Kasim to feel burdened by her. He was always having to look out for her.

An frustrated sigh slipped her from her lips and her shoulders slumped somewhat.

"I... Always make things so much more complicated for you..." She mumbled, grimacing.

 

[Kasim Areth]

Kasim watched Aviana only for a few seconds, lips thinning as she began to speak.

Without replying to her the young Heir of House Virak closed the short distance between himself and Aviana. His arms wrapped tightly around her, hands sliding over her body as he suddenly pulled her into a tight and warm embrace.

His nose nuzzled the top of her head, fingers lacing over her skin. "Hey."

Kasim said quietly.

"It's okay." He spoke softly, soothingly. "We're okay, you're okay."

There was not a moment of his life where he had thought of Aviana as anything close to a burden. She was his lover, his companion, the mother of his children. She was everything to him, his whole existence. Never was she a complication. "The road to happiness has a lot of bumps, this is just another one."

He kissed the top of her head.

"We never wanted that castle anyway, remember?" Kasim said as he touched her soothingly. "We're gonna build our own."

 

[Aviana Sabel]

His last remark actually got Aviana to laugh, even as she was trying to hold back tears. She was so emotional and couldn't help but feel overwhelmed by the entire situation. Kasim was her rock, the one person she knew that she could lean on. Of course he would never think of her like that, but his outpouring of love chased away any doubt in her mind.

He'd made his choice to be with her long ago. This was where he wanted to be, she just needed to remember that.

Her fingers tightened in the fabric of his shirt, holding onto him like life itself. She buried her face into his chest, inhaling the scent of him as she started to relax.

"You're right. I'm just a little shaken up..."

She took a deep breath and tilted her head back to meet his gaze. "It'll be nice to sleep under the stars with you again."

 

[Kasim Areth]

Kasim nodded his head. "A peaceful night."

Though in truth he had preferred the bed.

Their time at the castle had reminded him of luxuries long lost, and it would have been a lie to say he hadn't missed them. A breath filled his lungs, head shaking slightly as he placed another kiss on the top of her head. His eyes meeting hers a few seconds later.

"I'll start a fire." He told her softly. "You lay back, rest and relax."

It had not been the easiest day, and he'd not have her exert herself anymore than she already had.

 

[Aviana Sabel]

Aviana smiled softly in return, placing a quick kiss against his cheek before she took a small step back. Normally, this would be the part where she'd insist on going to find some water, but she refrained from doing so. The events at the castle had taken a toll on the both of them.

She doubted that Kasim would want to let her out of his sight, and to be honest, she was afraid to wander off on her own in her condition.

An absent hand pressed over the swell of her belly as she took a breath. "I'll get the bedrolls out, how about that?"

There was a smile on her lips, she still wanted to be helpful. The guilt of having him do everything little thing for her would be soul crushing if she didn't contribute somehow.

Once their improvised campsite was situated, Aviana found herself seated at the edge of a campfire, leaning against her lover's side the ate their meal. It was a comfort silence, one that she allowed to drag on for sometime before she spoke.

"I'm glad I have you at my side." She murmured, pressing her cheek against his shoulder. "As long as you're here, I know we'll be okay."

 

[Kasim Areth]

Kasim slowly and gently traced his hand over Aviana's arm, smiling slightly as he peered into the flames. "We will be."

He was not entirely sure just how they would be yet, but he knew that they would be. There were not many things in this world that he could be confident of, certainly not with how the last decade of his life had gone, but he was just...sure.

It would work out somehow.

"We'll figure it out." Kasim assured her. "We'll get to the manor first, have a few weeks there."

This time he would put a ward in place, something that would prevent others from entering the damned place. At least if only for a little while. Fingers tightened for a few seconds and he took in a deep breath, his chest rising. "Then maybe head East."

Away from Vel Anir.

He leaned over and gently pressed a soft kiss to Aviana’s Temple.

 

[Aviana Sabel]

They both knew Kasim's family would not stop hunting him. Especially once news arrived from Sarkus about the children, if the vampire ever managed to find a way off the island he'd been stranded on. Their entire family was at risk, and the only thing they could do to protect themselves was keep running.

Aviana nestled her head against Kasim's shoulder, soaking in his inviting warmth while she gazed into the fire before them.

The sooner they reached the manor, the better. It was only a matter of time before the twins arrived and Aviana did not want to be in the wilderness when she gave birth. If they were lucky, it wouldn't happen until they were safely at the manor and then have a few weeks to recover.

However, it also meant that she was going to have to deliver the twins without a midwife.

The thought was a terrifying one. So many things could go wrong, but she did her best not to dwell on the possibilities.

"We'll have to figure out how to travel with the twins." She mused quietly, a hint of a smile on her lips.

 

[Kasim Areth]

Kasim chuckled. "Maybe a carriage under Kiovec."

The expression on his face told Aviana that he wasn't being serious with the suggestion. A solution would have to be found one way or another, but for the moment what was on the forefront of his mind was ensuring all of them were safe.

His father would undoubtedly keep coming for them, and they would have to make sure not to...well do anything foolish.

He would have to make sure not to do anything foolish.

With a slight sigh Kasim wrapped an arm gently around Aviana, gently pulling her against himself and kissing her cheek. A thousand thoughts spun around in his mind, a hundred different paths and avenues that they could potentially take.

"I'm going to have to be more..." He frowned a moment. "Violent with how we deal with things."

A breath filled him. "To keep you safe."

 

[Aviana Sabel]

Kasim's words dug up an old memory. The werewolves that attacked them in the village. It had been the first time she'd seen the power and destruction Kasim was capable of... And she reckoned it was the first time he'd considered himself a good man.

He wasn't a violent man by nature, he only ever resorted to such means when it was absolutely necessary to protect her.

She lifted her head from his shoulder and turned in place just enough so that she was facing him directly.

"Just don't do anything reckless, Kas."

 

[Kasim Areth]

"I won't." Kasim had no intentions of dying, not now, not...well not soon.

There were few things he wanted more in this world than to see his children grow old. Fact was, there was nothing else. Lips thinned for a brief moment as he thought about what that might mean, but such things were quietly shoved aside.

"I just needed you to know." He said softly. "I will always protect you."

But that protection would come with a bloody hand.

He knew that was how it would have to be. Once his father knew where he was, where they had been...it was going to be the only way that they could actually survive. The only way that they would make it out of Anirian Territory.

Even with Kiovec to carry them. His father was smarter, smarter than he was.

Kasim hated to think what he was planning. "But."

He softly kissed her lips.

"No need to think about that now." Not right now anyway. "Not for a little while at least."

 

[Aviana Sabel]

"You're right. We're safe for the time being and that's what matters most." Aviana whispered, kissing Kasim's cheek when he pulled away from her.

They had each other, they had Kiovec, and they still had their freedom. It was more than enough.

"We should rest and then continue on to the manor. We can figure out the rest once we're there."

 

[Kasim Areth]

He nodded.

There was a small part of him that looked forward to seeing the manor again. It was not quite the same as the castle they had just spent time at, but close to it. The manor was a summer home, a place where he and his brother had spent many of their days.

His father had barely gone there, though the same was said of his mother. It had mainly been the children and servants who had traveled there during the summer months.

Kasim had always thought it was to get away from the heat of the city, though later he'd learned it was because assassins had been after them during those times. The Manor had been sort of a haven, though only because of it's distance from Vel Anir. "Get some rest."

He said softly, intending to stay up a while longer to stand guard.

 

[Aviana Sabel]

The next few days were spent on the road, just as most of their time together had been. Though this time, Kasim was the one tending to the campsite, insisting that Aviana rest. While she wanted to help in some way, the princess was grateful for her lover's generosity. Just the simple act of flying on Kiovec's back left her physically drained at the end of the day.

By the time they reached the manor, Aviana was silently desperate for a real bed. Her back screamed in protest with every little movement and her joints ached. Anyone who said that pregnancy was a beautiful miracle was a downright liar, she found herself thinking rather regularly.

One comfort to took solace in was knowing that this pregnancy was an entirely private affair. No one else from her home knew of it. There would be no parades or fanfare held on her behalf. Her and Kasim could experience this together, just the two of them.

Though... Going through childbirth without a midwife, however, was a daunting and terrifying reality that loomed in their near future. What if something went wrong?

While Kasim went on ahead to make sure the small estate was in fact vacant, Aviana turned to Kiovec and gazed into the dragon's striking eyes.

Their conversation was a silent one, but critical.

<If anything happens to me, I want you to stay with Kasim and help him protect the children. He won't hear me talk of the possibility, but it's a harsh fact...> She whispered, pleading in the dragon's mind.

<Our souls are one, Bonded. I will protect the little dragonlings, and your mate, with my life. Still your worried heart, all will be well.> Kiovec replied, bending his neck so that he could nuzzle into Aviana's shoulder.

She took a deep, relaxing breath and reached up to gently pet the side of the dragon's large head, murmuring her response aloud, "Thank you, Kiovec. I trust you."

 

[Kasim Areth]

Kasim found the manor unoccupied, though prepared.

If he had to guess, one of his family members had recently stayed there, though just whom it was he could not have said. None of the furniture was wrapped up, the stoves had ash in them though were clean, and the front doors were sealed.

He was able to open everything of course, wander through it to ensure no one was inside. He even used a rune to check for life. When he found nothing but rats in the basement Kasim returned to Aviana, a smile on his face. "It's safe."

That was a relative term of course, but he intended to make sure it was.

"The Great Hall should be large enough for Kiovec." Beyond that things would get a little tight. At least the gardens within the walls were warm, and the two of them would be comfortable. "I'll need to spend some of the day carving runes into the walls though."

Unlike the castle, this place had no magic of its own.