Under a starry sky..

[Crowe]

To say that he wasn't expecting this reaction, would have been completely false. Watching her transform and take off in anger only fueled the same feelings deep within him, she was injured and bleeding but she had grit her teeth through it all and asked him, told him to take what he wanted because it was his and it wasn't...Crowe didn't want to give up, to give in to what their creators wanted but he couldn't have a hand in ending this world. For him to do what he wanted was to forsake the hopes and dreams of thousands of others, and millions of wildlife. All that death was too much for one righteous man, and it was definitely too much for a fledgling Queen, this is what he was here for, he would make the hard decisions and the sacrifice even in the face of her wrath. And even with the solemn pride that he had effectively protected his duty and her life, there was but a spark of hope in that ink black darkness that now filled his spirit. Maybe at sometime, someday, he would be rewarded for his sacrifice. Mori was born into this world to lead the forces of the light against the looming darkness of a storm that had not yet completely ripped into this reality, and he was here to make sure she completed this task safely. Maybe it was enough for him to get up, but even as the calls from her advisors rang up from where he was now on his knees he couldn't get up the pain too heavy on his back.

But as that chaos filled his mind, the anger became too much for the sadness to hold back and those tears dried as heat rose throughout his body. Slamming his fists into the ground, he would pull his legs underneath his body and spring into the air, his body would twist in a flurry of magic and his smaller black form would soar off into the sky, into that storm that still raged after his resignation. Crowe felt that they were waiting for her to submit, to admit that she couldn't have this without destroying everything else and to put to rest this action on the feeling. Crowe needed to protect her but his mind was awash with the dark feelings that he had, voices telling him that she would be led to someone else and that even holding out hope was foolish, so many years would pass before this situation was resolved, the situation they would be in would last and it would be uncertain in terms of victory.

And while he chased her, he knew that it was all slim and that maybe he would live to see her forget him, see him only as the statue that protected her and perhaps he had damned himself in this moment and he could see no reward. And when he caught sight of her the feelings raged, why was he continuing on? If there was no end but death for him, why was he created to feel tormented? Why could he not be soulless? A golem that does as it is commanded and as glimpses of night's peaceful sky could be seen through the vortex of the tornado, he could realize why it had to be as it was. Without this love, he wouldn't be as fierce or strong. He made difficult decisions because he thought for himself and it was always for her, and now flying into something so dangerous he realized that as much as he had begun to resent his place in life, he was too addicted, too dedicated to her to give up.

[Moridanu]

*She heard their voices beneath her. She felt Crowe pursuing her, his ever present heart racing in perfect time to her beating wings as she soared higher and higher. The dark cloud she was chasing; the oblivion she so desperately needed right now, proved quickly to be an elusive refuge. Even as she flew higher and higher, she realised that the sky was not only thinning out, it was now almost completely clear. The storm had faded as quickly as it had begun, the clear dark night now appearing as a dark, cool lake lit up with sparkly lights. She wanted to dive into that pool, and dive she did; deep into the waves of air that swirled around her causing her ebony feathers to ruffle slightly as she stopped beating her wings and began to surf the air waves.


Surfing like this was something she and Crowe had enjoyed ever since they had realised this ability a year after their creation. More often than not they enjoyed it together, but she had sensed Crowe had been surfing alone far more frequently over the past few weeks. As her black body dipped low as the current wave fell out from beneath her, the raven beat her large wings once, propelling her body onto another air wave which she rode for another few miles. The stillness of the sky around her and the quietness of the surrounding atmosphere was only occasionally disturbed by the far away sound of Crowe’s powerful wings as he flew behind her. This tranquillity filled Moridanu with a sense of resigned peace as she surfed high above Morthika, riding the currents far away from Kendelah.


Soon, there was nothing beneath them but endless forests of trees. Moridanu rode an air current down to a more respectable level before she began to beat her wings again, flying lower and lower until she was soon flying through the thick canopy of leaves. As she descended, her dark feathers burst into flame, burning into thick auburn curls which tumbled down the back of the alabaster skin which was now starting to take shape into her womanly form. Within moments, her bare feet touched down upon the ground and Moridanu stood, naked as the day she was created; her modesty only assisted by the long auburn curls which hung down loose, covering her breasts.


The clearing where she had landed was nearly empty save for a pretty pink wildflower and a small bubbling brook. Moridanu walked slowly through the long grass, picking long blades of pale green and long dark green stems with pink fragrant heads. As she made her way over to the brook, her fingers wove the stems together quickly so that soon a floral arrangement was hiding her lower half from prying eyes. She suspected that Crowe would at least hover and observe her to make sure she was alright, and she didn’t want him getting an eyeful of anything he shouldn’t see.


Reaching the brook, Moridanu found a large rock and sat on it, her feet dipped in the cool, bubbling water as she took a deep breath and tried to calm herself down, tending to her wound which had already started to heal.*

[Crowe]

Crowe knew there was comfort from her, but in this moment and as things seemed to level out for her after she couldn't chase down that storm, it seemed she took solace in that activity that was completely theirs. No one else could know what they knew from up here and maybe this was as intimate as their relationship could ever come to be but as she calmed down everything remained within him, still hot and burning as it had ever had. He didn't know how he could manage everything, how could he walk the fine line between what was to be done and what he wanted to do. Nothing else could be thought of, a never ending circle of despair that he could not escape from no matter how much his rage burned deep within him. The things he had heard in that storm only were images that played in his head and he would not give them voice, he could only fly along and follow her down to where she decided to land.

When he landed, he did not change back, perching on a branch so that he could keep an eye on her if need be but remaining the way he was for the time being. Possibly she could feel it all within him, but if she couldn't it would only be the bird. Black as night and just as watchful as his human form, but a perfect shield now for what he couldn't control, something he had never had an issue with before. It seemed like not too long before this moment he could just shut it all up, remind himself that this was his duty and hope that his servitude would lead to his one heart's desire. But now even in the calm that had come from that moment, he couldn't even go to tend to her wound, he had felt what would be his salvation and he was blatantly told that he couldn't have it. If it was possible for him to find a place to curl up to himself and just rage himself into a sleep it is what he would have done but, he had to do this for her, to make sure she would be alright with what had happened to her. He felt so blindly trapped, and everything didn't offer him relief but more pain and anger.

And in those moments he realized that it was possible that some of this was immature of him, or rather certain that some would think it was. Could it truly be that he would be allowed to be this way but only to an end? It was all so confusing to him that he wasn't even sure if he would turn the dial back, that if he could go back and make a different decision that he would. It all was too much for the moment, but he could not see himself winning in either instance. But as he perched there and kept the lookout around the area, he thought this was the only moment in his life where he would much rather be back at the palace and sleeping. But he would remain here, as he wanted to do to make sure that she make it back safely on her time and not his.

[Moridanu]

*The water was cool upon her skin, and she hurried its healing properities along with the just the hint of elemental magic as she bathed in the brook. She cast one last uninterested gaze upon what was now only a small scar on her hip before she sat back on the rock and tilted her head back to look up at the clear night sky which was only visiable through a small opening in the thick canopy overhead.


She had felt Crowe land, and had predicted perfectly what he had chosen to do. She understood why he had chosen not to change form, and respected his right and his need to stay the stoic, separated warrior and protector of her that he had been created to be. But, rolling her eyes she thought if they were ever going to have a night when everything that needed to be said was going to have its chance to be aired, that tonight was that night.
Letting out her breath in a slow, long whoosh of air, Moridanu tucked one auburn curl behind her air as her cool emerald orbs sparkled in the moonlight.


~I know ye there, ye know?~ she said, her words hanging in the air.*

[Crowe]

How much one man could feel like a child was ridiculous and in his rage filled stupor of a thinking process, just about everything was ridiculous. But as soon as he had stopped, she healed and he had some time to think, all that was left within him was the solace and pain of what he had done. Realizing that though no one would give him the credit, he had saved Kendelah from its own fledgling ruler. Certainly he had started what had happened while they both urged it on but he had decided to end it against anything that they both wanted and desired above anything else.

And that silent perch became a focus of attention when she spoke to him, there was no doubt she was aware of his presence but he knew this wasn't about her knowledge of him being there. And even though he knew what this moment meant, it scared the hell out of him beyond anything in his life. Wounds too great for him to bare had formed deep within his spirit and this would be cauterizing closing it needed, the only problem is that it was going to hurt like hell and leave him scarred for the rest of his life. There was no question that he would remain near her and that in and of itself that was a victory to him and what he wanted but nothing would ever be the same after this night. Everything would be looked at and scrutinized differently when he watched and now her coming to become a woman scared him also. But this was all that needed to be said and he didn't know how he could do it, his throat was dry and his heart ached so deep it threatened tears at every beat. He had sustained injuries, deep gashes and wounds from his training to be a great warrior so that he might always keep her safe but this was just more than he could take, he would hack off his own arm if it meant the end to this, that he no longer had to simply believe that it was all hopeless.

But he wouldn't turn down the silent request she had given in the form of a cryptic question, a fluttering of his wings and as he hover near the ground slowly drifting towards her as his strong human form came to tread the ground towards her, it was not exactly what he would have chosen to wear to this occasion, that is the say nothing, but he had no embarrassment towards that. The gods had given him everything he needed, everything to be a father and a strong husband to her, and even if it wasn't used it was still made for her in one way or another. So many things that had gone unanswered and if this was the state they needed to be in to get things off of their chest, so be it.

Finally standing before her, not too close to her as he felt was appropriate, he would turn to the side and look off into the tree line. Crowe wasn't sure all of what to do in this situation but he knew that she would guide him to what she wanted to know, or to let him hear what she had to say. And he felt like breaking in that moment, like his legs we rent strong enough to keep him standing in that moment but he had to remain strong...for her.

[Moridanu]

*She heard him morph, felt it in the very core of her being. Her ears were tuned to any little sound he should make; the sound of his feet upon the lush earth, his deep sigh of frustration- but still she didn’t turn her eyes toward him. Instead, she lazily ran three fingers through the water, making long ripples which reflected the starry sky above them.

~Hell of a storm, eh?~ she quipped in her normal manner. She knew that things were nowhere near “normal” between them, but it was so natural for her to just slip into her usual friendly banter with him that she found it far easier than beginning the conversation she knew they both needed to have.


Sighing deeply, she waited to see if he would respond before she finally turned her eyes towards him. Try as she might to keep her gaze focused above his waist, his toned torso and broad shoulders alone caused her mouth to go dry, forcing her to look away from him and bite her bottom lip in frustration.
Unable to keep up the charade of normalcy any longer, she felt her shoulders slump as she took another deep breath.

~What are we going to do Crowe?~ she risked another glance at him, before looking towards the stars once more.


~I.. I know that we lost our head back there.. but ye have to admit.. we have been walking this tightrope for so long.. it was only a matter of time before we teetered over the edge.. ~


She looked at him then, this time unable to tear away her emerald gaze which was shimmering with unshed tears. She prayed that he would talk to her, and not put up his walls which he was oh so familiar in doing so.*

[Crowe]

Crowe just couldn't look at her, couldn't bring himself that simple joy in the chaos that was his current state. He wanted her and that still stung to the very core of him, the sight of her in this state would do nothing for him to relieve himself of these feelings. And even when she spoke to him, he couldn't only do her the simple kindness of looking into her eyes, watching her as he always had as she joked about the storm. And in that moment he wished that he could have came up with something to say, something to do besides for just watch her turn from him in frustration over something that so apparent between them, but there was nothing to be done. He simply prepared himself for what she might say and how she might say it. He would turn away from her for a moment as his head once again turned up to look at the night's sky and even as each beat almost brought him to his knees, he would turn around to look at her when he was ready to speak.

"The only time I lost my head is when I told you no...Everyone knows, they don't say it but they know. All of these people whom have surrounded us in life, they know. I was created for you..For you Mori, and each breath I take each day is in your name and I live for it. I would only change few things about my life and I cannot win. They know I love you, that you love me. I want what will make you happy and destroying the palace for one night of passion...You wouldn't be happy with that death. I will sacrifice what I want for the sake of a future that you need to nurture and bring to fruition. Maybe if I give enough then I can have you and the kingdom will be saved. And maybe I will protect you until my heart stops and I will die alone, and if it comes to that I only want to see you with everything you have wanted even if seeing you with a family that is not my own is the most painful thing I will experience. They say you always want what you cannot have, and I know what that means and more, I need what I cannot have." Crowe couldn't help the few tears that fell down his face as he looked at her, but he never blinked or faltered, he stood straight with clenched fists at his sides and feeling of defeat that ran rampant within him. But he carried that burden with the solemn pride that he had protected what was precious to them, even if it meant that he could never go back to that place of passion.

[Moridanu]

*His words washed over her, calming her as they always did while still stoking the fire of passion that burned softly in the depths of her soul. She watched him as he spoke, speaking the words that neither of them wanted to hear but both knew needed to be said. She found herself nodding as he finished one sentence and went on to the next. Of course she knew that he was right, but she did not know why it had to be this way. Why did it have to hurt so bad for them to want each other so much but never being able to have what both of them needed to be complete.


She was overcome with an overwhelming sadness, to see him there with such emotion etched on his handsome face. Without thinking, Moridanu rose silently and did what came the most naturally to her: she went to Crowe. Unmindful of their naked bodies, despite the passion that had raged between them only moments before, Moridanu wrapped her lithe arms around his strong neck and pulled him close. She kissed him gently on the lips, a kiss lacking the passion of earlier but resonating with a deep sense of purpose and belonging. Lowering her arms from his neck, she wrapped them around his torso and placed her head against his broad chest. Closing her eyes, she listened to his heartbeat as they stood there in silence for what felt like eons.
When finally she was ready, her lips opened and her words came slowly and softly. Still her eyes remained close as she poured out her heart to him. She knew that if she didn’t speak of her feelings now, she never would.


~My darlin.. my sweet, sweet boy. I know ye love me, as I love you. Ye were created for me, and I feel every time your heart beats in your chest. I feel every ache of yearning you feel for me, as of course I feel it for you. Every new day that is given to me is another day I have with ye, it is all I live for every morning.. that moment when I see your handsome face for the first time. That first smile of the morning ye give me.. though lately I have been lucky to get a smile before sunset..~ she trailed off sadly, her arms tightening around him.

~I am sorry for my actions tonight.. it was unfair of me to put ye in that position and I do thank ye for making the decision that I could not.. just.. ye must know..~

Finally her eyes opened and she lifted her head to look up at him.

~No matter how many years may come to pass.. no matter where these winds of change may take me on my journey in this realm.. know that it will only ever be you. Ye have my heart.. it will always be yours Crowe. Always..~ *

[Crowe]

Perhaps the shame should have been in that moment but there was nothing wrong in mind about this moment. They had always been created for each other and here holding her against him as she spoke to him just felt right. That deep seeded anger was placed far in his mind, still smoldering but simply unable to overpower her presence when she was around him. This would be enough, begrudgingly it would be enough to keep him through what his duties were. And even that kiss that made his heart leap and ache again was a solemn comfort within that storm that still raged within him even if its physical form was no longer destroying the world about them. What they had to say to each other didn't need to be said, just a comfort to hear it spoken out loud without restraint or care.

Crowe's mind swam into the future as she spoke of her heart always being his, and though he knew it to be true he wondered how long into the chaos that awaited them in that uncertain future. There was purposes they were created for, an ultimate goal that was weaved into every fiber of their being and sometimes he felt he could peer for moments into that future. He had always taken these visions as a way of motivating him for every scene was of atrocities that he wish he had never seen. Crowe had seen the banners of his homeland fluttering bloodstained with no hands to carry it forward towards victory. And even if everything in that moment, in that time was fairly clam and controlled he still could only feel an ominous darkness crawling up and around everything that represented his purpose. But it was in this moment, when she told him that this was a destiny, that even though it may seem dark now there was a light in the future and Crowe saw that light. Behind his closed eyes he was blinded by a flood of light, a flicker perhaps of hope.

All it was to him was enough to pull her closer to him, for him to lean his head down to whisper those words into her ear, "I love you Mori.."