Doira'Liim (The Beautiful Whisper of the Goddess Saga) (50 page)

     She was doing what she had to. Though every thought and sensation felt like a dream, she knew that what was happening was real. Looking back over her shoulder, she drew strength from Arizira and continued walking north. This whole thing could turn out to be nothing more than a fluke. She could find nothing at the top of the ridge and then she and Arizira could laugh at her silliness.

     It was a pleasant thought and an entertaining idea, but Talliea knew such an occurrence was not going to happen. She continued walking, one foot in front of the other. When she was nearly at the base of the ridge, she stopped again.

     Arizira's teachings of tracking and survival came back to her. She chastised herself for not bringing a weapon of any kind. What did she plan to do if she came upon something or someone who meant her harm? Cursing her impatient nature, she sighed and looked down at the ground beneath her feet. With the snow melting, any possible tracks were hard to make out. She had no idea what sort of tracks she was looking for and even if there were any to begin with.

     "What am I doing?" she asked herself, feeling as if a hazy fog were being lifted from her mind.

     She turned away from the ridge again and looked back toward the cave. It was a lot smaller from this distance. She had not realized how far she had traveled. Suddenly, she felt very silly for having left like she had. Deciding that her little excursion must have been caused by a sleep-addled brain, Talliea laughed to herself. As she was about to start heading back to Arizira, a sound behind her filled her with an alarming dread.

     "I have counted the days for this reunion."

     No. She swallowed and closed her eyes. It couldn't be.

     "The others thought you to be dead."

     How? This could not be happening. She had to be dreaming! Opening her eyes, which were quickly filling with tears, Talliea tried to calm herself.

     "Yet, you have been not two days' walk from the camp."

     Lao'dahn.

     His voice was closer to her now and she could feel his breath against the back of her neck. Images of his assault filled her mind and a fear so paralyzing it nearly stopped her heart gripped her insides. Before she could say anything or even think of attempting an escape, his hands were upon her. She felt herself being thrown face first into a nearby tree. Pain shot through her cheek and jaw where they impacted with rough bark.

     She gasped when she felt him come up behind her. One of his hands held the both of hers behind her back in a vice-like grip while the other brushed hair away from her shoulders. His face was close to her ear as his words dripped like an icy poison from his lips. "You're mine," he growled.

     Tears fell down her face. Her body shook with fear and anger. This was not supposed to be happening! She was with Arizira. They were in love and planning a future together! How had he found them? Why had Arizira not detected his presence? What had compelled her to leave so suddenly this morning?

     "N-no," she managed to choke out. Lao'dahn pressed her harder into the tree. She felt blood, warm and sticky, spread across her cheek where it cracked against the bark.

     "You believed yourself better than Esuval? You believed you could run away from your duties?"

     His words were spoken harshly. With each one, he tightened his grip on her wrists and pressed her more firmly into the tree. She felt powerless all over again. There was nothing she could do to stop him. Arizira had never gotten around to teaching her about weapons usage. She felt a surge of anger flare inside of her.

    
This
was why she had begged Arizira to teach her how to defend herself! She had worried about Lao'dahn finding her! And now? Now, her worst fears were coming true! She was angry with herself for allowing her mind to play such cruel tricks on her. How had she ever believed that she would be able to leave such hatred behind? How had she convinced herself that her life could be different? That she could find love and be loved in return?

     "Look at yourself! You bear the image of a man," Lao'dahn hissed against her ear in reference to the pants she was wearing. She gasped when he yanked her away from the tree and flung her to the ground. Scrambling, she attempted to back away from him. He was on her in a flash, pressing her down into the cold and wet snow and slamming her arms down to her sides.

     "Tell me something," he began, "what manner of creature have you been laying with?"

     Talliea stopped all of her struggles in one swift instance. Her face went from one of petrified terror to one of blank resentment. Lao'dahn knew about Arizira. How was that possible? How long had he been watching them? Did he have intentions to harm Arizira? Did he plan to take her back to the Esu where she would be beaten and interrogated for information? Did he plan to force himself upon her?

     "What did you say?" she asked emphatically. Her voice was low and rough.

     The sudden change over the woman beneath him unsettled Lao'dahn. He lowered his brows and looked down into a face so very different from just a few moments prior. Talliea's eyes were dark and still lined with moisture, but they were now hard and cold. Her body no longer fought to release itself from his hold. Instead, Talliea laid relaxed under his weight.

     But, it was her voice that unnerved Lao'dahn the most. It was chilling. The timber was deep. It was wrong, as if it did not belong to Talliea. Shaking off his uneasiness, Lao'dahn leaned over her and rocked his hips against her.

     "I asked about the woman you have been laying with. What type of abomination is she? I have seen the two of you enjoying one another's flesh. It sickens me. When I'm done with you, I think I will treat myself to one of your pleasures."

     Something came over Talliea in that moment. Something unknown. Something foreign. Something powerful. She heard herself scream
'No!'
and the next thing she knew, Lao'dahn was slamming into the tree she had so recently been against. What had happened? Had she even touched him? She heard the air being torn from his lungs before a grunt passed his lips. Standing up quickly, she looked around with wide eyes. Her breathing came in fast pants as the power from before faded away.

     Lao'dahn moaned slightly before using the tree to help himself to his feet. He raised a hand to the back of his head and gasped when his fingers came back red with his own blood. "You harlot!" he growled before advancing on her once again.

     Talliea had no time to try and summon the power again. She had no time to question matters or try to defend herself. Everything was happening too quickly for her. She could not understand how Lao'dahn had found them. It felt like ages ago that she had left the cave to follow a feeling. Lao'dahn's hands came to her throat.

     Her back was thrust against a boulder behind her. She could feel herself trying to black out from the force of the blow. She felt drained. Tired. Exhausted. Where was the power from before? Why could she not summon it again? Where was Arizira? This all had to be a dream. Their bond should have alerted Arizira to her plight. Lao'dahn was going to kill her!

     She struggled to breathe as her hands slapped helplessly at Lao'dahn's. "You are coming back with me! I have challenged Markahn's claim on you. His allowance of your freedom no longer carries any weight. Reforms are in place. The Esu have been reborn!"

     "No...n-no! I...w-will not...g-go...with...you," Talliea struggled to say. Lao'dahn slapped her across the face. The blow dazed her. She could feel herself sinking, falling. "You have no voice! This is not a debate." An idea came to Lao'dahn suddenly. A brilliant idea, one that would ensure his goals were met swiftly. "Others already walk through my past steps. They will soon be upon us. What do you think they will do with your little pet? Hmm? The woman devoid of Esuval's light?"

     He knew he was lying through his teeth, but he needed Talliea to stop struggling and come with him as soon as possible. He had no idea what type of creature the other woman was, but if she came to them, if she noticed their struggle, then matters would turn out far more complicated than he desired. He did not wish to drag out this ordeal. He and Talliea needed to be away from this place, far away, before the other woman with the shining eyes learned of their location.

     "You...will...not t-touch...her!" Talliea yelled again. She managed to push him away from her, but the power from before did not return to offer her aid.

     Lao'dahn grabbed her hands and held them out to her sides. The two of them fought and struggled for the upper hand. Talliea managed to position them away from the tree and the boulder and into an open clearing. Blood ran down her cheek and her jaw ached. She could feel a bruise forming on her back and her wrists were sore. Whatever power had come over her earlier had left her feeling extremely drained.

     She struggled to keep her own footing. Fighting with Lao'dahn's superior strength was almost too much. What hope did she have? Soon he would overpower her, but what choice did she have? He knew about Arizira. He knew where they were living. He could tell the other Esu men. He could take advantage of her. Talliea could not allow that to happen. She had to protect Arizira. It was bad enough that Lao'dahn had already harmed her. She couldn't allow someone like Arizira to be subjected to the depravities of someone like Lao'dahn. She would fight him until she could no longer draw a breath.

     "You hold an open flame near the thread of your own fate! Come with me and I offer you my promise that no other need know of your little pet!" Lao'dahn growled before throwing Talliea to the ground again.

     He reached over his back and loosed the binding that held his staff. Before he could lower the weapon completely, a sharp and blinding pain seared through his left shoulder. He cried out as he felt something pointed lodge into his flesh. Reaching back with his free hand, he yanked at the arrow in his shoulder until it was free. He tossed the feathered projectile onto the ground and turned to face his newest opponent.

     Arizira was already nocking another arrow into her bow when Lao'dahn turned around to face her. The look in her eyes was of fire and death.

     "Ari!" Talliea called out.

     Arizira made no indication that she heard Talliea. Her entire focus was locked on the man she knew as Lao'dahn. When she had awakened and realized Talliea was not next to her, she had immediately set out to find her. Her senses had felt renewed and the numbing sensation from the night before had passed. It had not taken her long to locate the sounds of a struggle. When she had noticed that struggle was between Talliea and Lao'dahn, a crazed haze of furious anger had overcome her.

     "The others shall be here shortly. Watch your woman die!" Lao'dahn said to Talliea from over his shoulder. He hefted his staff in his good hand and tried to ignore the pain radiating from his head and back. He took two steps toward Arizira before another arrow was flying toward him.

     It was not skill that allowed him to avoid the fatal strike, but luck. He moved to the side at the last minute, the head of the arrow grazing his upper arm. He cried out again and looked upon his latest arrival with new eyes. This creature was unlike his own people. She was feral. Her movements were animalistic and calculated. She was skilled. Was this the woman who had shot at him? He had always believed it to be Talliea, but seeing this creature in action caused him to rethink his original stance.

     He watched the woman hiss at him, her eyes glowing even in the daytime sun. He summoned a bolt of light and thrust his hand in her direction. Her agile quickness surprised him greatly. He watched her toss her bow and quiver to the side before rolling out of the way of his attack. She came up from the ground in one fluid movement, her hands deftly grabbing two long-bladed sabres at her sides. She crouched still some distance from him, her body low to the ground and her hands each holding a shining blade.

     Talliea struggled to keep herself from passing out. She had never seen Arizira like she was now. There was a look in her eyes that almost scared her. Though she had watched Arizira practice with her bow, she had never seen the woman actually use it in combat. She had never witnessed this side of Arizira. The warrior side. The huntress side.

     The woman before her was graceful and elegant in her actions. Her movements were fluidic, almost like a dance. A dance of death. Arizira was protecting her. She was risking her life to save her own.

     Lao'dahn attempted to clear the shock from his face. His confidence in his own ability began to dwindle. This creature would not hesitate to kill him. She had already landed two blows and their fight had only lasted a few minutes, yet she was unharmed. He watched her, crouched low like a cat about to pounce. She twirled the twin sabres in her hands and waited for him to make a move.

     Her unusual eyes left him feeling anxious. "Does your pet speak or do you just keep her to satisfy your body's whims?" Lao'dahn snarled to Talliea again.

     No answer came. Lao'dahn summoned another bolt of light and quickly directed it at Arizira. He hoped the suddenness of the attack would work in his favor. As before, Arizira was faster than he expected. She leaped out of the way and was upon him before he had time to lower his hand. Still in the air, the sabre in her left hand came down in a swift arc while the one in her right moved wide toward his side.