Traveler (26 page)

"I can understand that, Alex," she said softly.  " Thank you for hearing me out in the first place."  She smiled up at him gently.

Fingers gently caressed her cheek as he smiled back.  “I will always hear you out, Aislin...even if I don’t agree with you.  Now...even if I can keep you hidden, I think you should put on some clothes.  We don’t know what exactly will be happening when we get there...so it’s always best to be prepared. Besides...”  He suddenly gave her an impish grin, playfully smacking her butt.  “...only I get to see your panties.  It’s a new rule.”

Aslin stuck her tongue out at him playfully. "You and your rules...always so strict about them.  But it will be as you say and, since you didn't ask for the shirt back, I'm keeping it."  She grinned at him over her shoulder as she walked away towards her bedroom.

Alex laughed softly, watching the way her hips moved as she walked away.  When she disappeared into her bedroom, he finally tore himself out of his thoughts and went to his own room, needing to put some pants on at the very least.  Since his plan was to keep them hidden, he figured it really didn’t matter if he just wore clothes from this world.  Grabbing a pair of jeans, he didn’t even bother to put on boxers first, going commando instead.  When he was done, he went out into the living room to wait for Aislin, lounging back on the couch with his eyes closed.

Aislin walked into her bedroom, slipping out of Alex's shirt before slipping out of the panties she had slept in the night before.  Alex had said to get dressed, so Aislin decided she would wear the deep blue dress she had worn the first time she jumped, the one with the low bodice that pushed her breasts together and clung to the curves of her upper body.  The downside to it?  She couldn't tie the corset back on her own.  "Alex?"  She called.  " Can you come in here and help me please?"

Hearing her call, Alex leapt off the sofa, long strides carrying him to her bedroom.  With one hand, he pushed the door open and walked inside.  “What do you need?”  He asked just before he noticed that the back of the dress was still undone, allowing him to see the pale skin of her back.  “That’s a good color on you...” He remarked as he came up behind her, pressing a light kiss against the back of her neck before grabbing the corset strings.  Deftly he laced her up, as if he had been a lady’s maid at some point.

Aislin looked behind her in in surprise, goose flesh breaking out on her neck from the kiss he had left there.  He laced her up very quickly, pulling the corset tight enough that her breathing was only slightly constricted.  "Thank you," she murmured blushing at the compliment.  "You seem to have much practice in tying up these kinds of dresses."

His laughter was low and his breath against her ear as he bent down to murmur softly in her ear.  “I have many skills that you are unaware of, my dear Aislin.  Perhaps if you’re good, you’ll get to find out all of them.”  Then he straightened slightly, winking playfully.  “Are you ready to go now?”

Aislin shivered at the feel of his breath so close to her ear.  Her eyes were slightly darkened as she turned to look at him. " And you, my dear Alexion...are not the only one who has skills yet to be discovered."  She winked at him, grinning.  " Of course I am ready.  Lead the way."  She swayed her hips provocatively as she walked into the living room the phoenix pendant glinting above her breasts.

He watched her hips for a moment before darting out of the room after her, laughingly grabbing her from behind.  Pulling her back against him, he grinned down at her.  “You know...we could have left from your bedroom.”  Mischief and desire filled his blue eyes as he suddenly leaned down and captured her lips in a deep kiss.  While she was distracted, he blindly gathered the tendrils of magic at his disposal, hiding them from view even as he initiated the jump.  When the kiss broke, he had her pressed down against the mattress of the bed, having brought them back to the cabin on the pirate ship.

Aislin let out a squeak of surprise as she found herself grabbed from behind and then kissed thoroughly.  She let out a soft moan as he did, and when he pulled away she was lying on her bed on the Dragon's ship, pinned below Alex.  "Oh," she murmured, chuckling softly.  " so we just...appeared...on my bed, hmm?  Convenient, that."  She nuzzled his nose.

“I have skills...as you’ve already guessed...” He grinned down at her before deliberately grinding his hips against hers.  “Maybe if you’re really good, I’ll make us appear in our bed when we go home later.”

Aislin chuckled, biting her bottom lip before her hips met his in an answering movement.  "Mm....now that would be a trick.....you must really like this dress," she teased, kissing the juncture of his neck and collarbone as he lay above her.

“Mm...wasn’t this the dress you wore the first time?” Alex asked playfully, his eyes darkening with desire.  “The one that I flipped over your head? Mm...yes...yes, I do like this dress.  It’s almost as pretty as your red silk panties...almost.”

Lin's eyes darkened in response to his, one of her hands reaching between them to caress between his legs.  "It was..." She murmured a blush staining her cheeks.  " and maybe, when we get home, I'll have time to-" her voice broke off as she heard voices coming from the next cabin over.  Bri's cabin.  "Alex, they're here" she whispered.  "Listen!" She urged.

***

Rahim felt terrible.  Bri hadn't spoken more than two words to him for two days, not since she had been rescued...he needed to make it up to her but wasn't sure how.  Grovelling seemed to be the only option.  He had dressed humbly for this meeting, in a simple linen shirt halfway unlaced and doeskin breeches with well worn boots, her pendant on his neck.  It was no good hiding any more.  She knew.  He had walked down the hallway to her cabin, raising his fist to knock softly knowing that if he announced himself he'd be thrown to the curb.

It had been nearly two days by her estimate, nearly two days since Brileia had finally discovered the truth about the Captain.  For twelve years, she had clung to the notion that her Dragon was out there, looking for her just as she was looking for him.  And the truth was...he was no more than a pirate that cared nothing for her, not if he could sell her to the highest bidder as he had.  It had been a painful lesson to learn, but she had come to accept it; in the end, she was alone.

The petite girl was sitting on the bed provided for her, lost in thought when she heard the knock.  She frowned slightly, wondering why Rogue would be returning so soon after having brought her lunch tray.  Most likely he had news about the Captain planning to sell her again.  Biting back a sigh, she called out.  “Come in, Rogue.  You know it’s open.”

Rahim pushed the door softly, ensuring it closed with a soft click behind him as he closed it.  "It's not Rogue, Brileia," he murmured softly, moving to kneel at her feet before she could react.  "Please...I need to speak to you."

The cool, emotionless look in her cerulean eyes seemed out of place for a girl like Brileia, who was normally full of life and light.  She lifted her chin slightly, clasping her small hands together on her lap.  “It is your ship, Captain.  And I am merely a prisoner here.  Do what you wish.”  She would not give him the satisfaction of hurting her any more.

"Light, Bri, you are no more of a prisoner here than Luc," he erupted, running a hand through his messy black hair.  He hated to see the smile on her face vanish, but it had as soon as she saw him.  "Rogue,whatever you bloody want to call him.  I'm sorry.  For everything.  I thought that by telling you what I did you'd give up on me...and live your life.  It wasn't meant to hurt you- gods, I'd rather kill myself than hurt you!  Don't you understand that?"

“The road to hell is paved with good intentions, Captain, or so I have heard.”  She replied quietly, looking away from him. If she continued to look at him, it was just weaken her resolve...and she couldn’t allow that.  She couldn’t let him hurt her again.   “You made your own decisions and choices...and now you must live with the consequences of your actions.  You wanted me to give up, and I have done so.  It is a bit too late to regret your decision now.”

 "Bird," he whispered, trying to grasp her hands.  "Bird, please look at me....I couldn't stay with you then, because of who I was and who hunted me.  And now those forces threaten me again but this time I can't..." His voice broke, and he needed to take a moment.  "This time I can't let you get hurt.  Not again.  I wish you had found out some other way but you didn't...you found out this way.  And I hate myself for it.  I am sorry I ever hurt you, bird, my sweet bird...I know I'll never have your trust again, but...forgiveness is what my soul needs.  Please, Bird," he whispered, burying his face in her hands.

It was impossible for her to ignore the pain she heard in his voice.  Brileia looked down at him, a bit hesitant before speaking softly.  “...Dragon...do you not understand that being without you was excruciatingly painful?  All those years...fearing that I would never find you? Never be able to see you again?” Small fingers slowly touched his cheek. “I don’t understand...why.  Who was after you?”

"I understand, better than anyone, bird," he whispered.  " I didn't know whether I had left in time to save you or not, every day of my existence.   I wanted to check on you, to be with you, to dry your tears....but I couldn't risk it, not with Silvertongue's men still hunting me.  Gods, they almost killed you last time...I saved you, from his attack. That's how I got this scar.  You don't remember any of it....do you?"

A confused look crossed her pretty face as she stared down at him.  “...no...I...not really...I mean...you are the only thing I really remember from that time...the rest is a blur.”  She hesitantly ran her fingertips along the length of his scar, tears filling her eyes.  “I can’t believe you were hurt because of me.  I never wanted anything like that to happen.”  Then something else occurred to her, the confused look reappearing.  “Why would Silvertongue send his men after you?  I’ve met him once or twice at my parents’ home...and he was always very nice to me.”

Rahim froze as she mentioned Silvertongue.  “You’ve...met him?” he asked, his voice soft.  “And he’s been nice?”  He shook his head, feeling his heart jettison to his boots.  “Because, Bri....I am the rightful heir to the throne of Avaldiir.  Silvertongue is the usurper.  He...he had my family all killed, that day I disappeared.  All of them, dead and gone, when I turned twelve.  That’s why I left.  It wasn’t because I didn’t want to be with you...I had to run for my life.”

Her shocked gaze rested on his face as she tried to figure out what to even think about the secret he had just told her.  She bit her bottom lip, just caressing his cheek for several moments before finally speaking.  “I would never have guessed...not about him...and not about you either.  You were always a prince in my eyes...whether you were a street urchin or a pirate.  I am sorry to hear about your family, though.  You should never have had to deal with something so horrible.”

A bitter smile crossed Rahim’s face as he leaned into her touch, closing his eyes softly.  “No...but it’s not an excuse for leaving you alone and to fend for yourself, either,” he whispered.  “No one deserves that...least of all you.”

She blinked in surprise before frowning slightly.  “Don’t be silly, Rahim.  I was perfectly safe in the care of my family while you were all alone in the world.  I was afraid for you, yes...but I knew there was no way you could have taken me with you then.  I was only four.  All I ever wanted was to find you one day...when I was no longer a burden.  You always took care of me...while never taking anything for yourself.”

Rahim chuckled.  “Always taking care of you...even at the end.  Giving you away, at the Islands...it killed me inside.  But I knew that, if I bribed the Harbormaster enough, that at least you would end up in the entourage of a nice family, one that wouldn’t hurt you and one that would keep you fed, clothed, and sheltered.  I was still keeping you safe...I didn’t want you to go back to your pompous fiancee.  I was too selfish for that.  But I needed to know you were safe.”  He ran a hand through his hair in frustration.  “But that, in itself, was selfish of me.”

“The problem with all of that, Rahim...you never asked what I wanted or needed.  I am not a child to be coddled.” A small finger flicked his forehead lightly as she glared at him.  “I needed to know you were safe and cared for...and you told me you were dead.  At least if you were going to lie to me, you should have made sure to keep your...facts straight.”

He had the grace to look sheepish at that, frowning a little at the flick to his forehead.  He rubbed his fingers against it, sullen.  “And what facts did I get wrong?  The one about your betrothal to what’s-his-name?  Yes, that was a slip.  But how was I supposed to, with a good conscience, let that flippant snake take what was mine to begin with?”  he scowled on the floor, not thinking straight.  “And I was safe and cared for...it just happened to be pirates that did the caring.”

“What do you mean what was yours? Beyond that pendant and the rabbit, you technically had no claim on me, considering that I hadn’t seen you in twelve years.” Brileia replied, poking his shoulder.  “Yes...I know now that you were safe and cared for...but I didn’t then.”

Rahim cursed softly under his breath.  Shit.  He didn’t think.  “It’s...nothing,” he said, trying to give her a fake smile.  “Please forget about it, bird.”

She frowned slightly, unintentionally making the white silk of her dress strain against her breasts as she crossed her arms over her chest.  “You are lying to me again.  Tell me what you meant by that.”

Rahim’s eyes were drawn to her chest unintentionally as she crossed her arms.  “Light...you’re going to make me eat my words, aren’t you?” he groaned, closing his eyes.  “What I mean, Bri....is that you were my betrothed before you were ever Snake’s.  They just cancelled our betrothal because they thought I had died.  They didn’t know I had just disappeared.”

“I don’t care what anyone says...I was never Snake’s and never will be.  I hate that man.” Brileia murmured softly, a hint of venom in her voice.  It was completely against her character for her to ever say such things...but she meant it, for the first time in her life.  “Why wouldn’t you have told me that? Why do you persist in thinking that you are keeping me safe away from you?”