Bloodstone

Author's Note

I'm glad you all are enjoying this story. I'm also sorry that I can't post these in larger chunks. I do know what you're talking about. I feel the same way sometimes. I hope you'll keep reading. Thanks for the comments and the votes. Take care!

*****

"Do you surrender?" Magnus's voice could be heard over the sounds of battle.

Balor glanced at Luria and then at Graeme. Both shook their heads no. Graeme passed one of his short swords to Luria who hefted it and gave it an experimental swish through the air.

"I'd rather die than spend one more moment with him," Luria said. "Death holds no fear for me."

"You won't die as long as there is breath in my body," Balor claimed.

A loud trumpeting sound caught Luria's attention and she suddenly smiled. Closing her eyes, she took several deep breaths. "It is not our day to die, my love," she said when she finally opened her eyes. "Rowan, Shria." The two cats looked at her, Rowan grumbling a little at whatever she was telling him.

When she finished, he roared loudly, sending the beasts closest to him stumbling back a few steps before those behind them pushed them forward again.

Once more the large trumpeting noise sounded.

Balor glanced toward it, seeing the first gray shape step out of the forest. "The elephants," he whispered. "I forgot about the elephants."

Graeme turned to look, knocking aside a pike that tried to push into him. He smiled, catching the eyes of one of the beasts. He nodded behind the guard, watching as he turned, his eyes growing wide as he saw the animals coming toward them. The ground trembled under the weight of the running elephants and Rowan and Shria leaped into the fray, their claws and fangs cutting a swathe through the guards gathered around them.

Luria followed them, hacking and swinging the sword, killing anything that reached for her. Balor came next, following her and then Graeme.

They fought their way toward the walled city, stopping only when Graeme hollered.

They followed him around the wall and through a small gully. At the top was a locked door that was quickly unlocked from the inside. Graeme's wife stood there, pulling him into her arms quickly before ushering the others in and locking the door once more.

Luria stood, leaning against the wall. Her once silver armor was now blood red. Her arm shook from holding the sword and her body seemed to shrink as if she were too weary to hold herself up anymore.

"Are you all right?" Balor asked, rubbing his knuckles gently against her cheek.

She lifted her eyes to him, and nodded grimly, standing up defiantly against the weariness that tried to pull her down. "Yes, I'm fine." She then turned and saw Rowan walking limply towards her.

"No!" she cried.

She reached him just as he fell. "Rowan?" She buried her hand in his mane and scratched his ears, trying to get some reaction from the big cat. Shria yowled, butting him with her head in an effort to get him up. Then she turned and disappeared, racing away across the courtyard.

Blood ran down his side from a deep wound. Luria looked up at Balor and then at Graeme. "Help him, please."

Marka hurried to his side, reaching into a pouch she kept at her waist. Pulling out a few leaves, she ground them between her palms, pushing the resulting mash into the wound. Rowan grumbled at the pain that she was causing him but didn't raise his head from the ground. "This will stop the bleeding and close the wound," Marka said softly to Luria. "But he will need to eat to recover his strength. I have no broth or soup that will help a lion heal."

"Thank you," Luria said, tears streaking down her face. She looked up in time to see Shria return with the leg of some animal clutched between her teeth. Setting it down in front of her mate, she yowled again, this time sounding determined. Rowan lifted his head slightly, glancing from Luria to his mate and the meal she'd brought him. He bit into the leg, pulling it closer to him and then laid down again.

"Come, Luria," Balor said, glancing around. They were too close to the gate. If Magnus's forces should break through there, Luria would be the first person that they saw. "Get him up, we have to get away from here.

Between her prodding and Shria's yowling, they got Rowan back on his feet. Marka's poultice began to work, the blood that had been flowing from the wound, slowed and stopped. The four retreated back to the elder's courtyard, Luria glancing over at the small archway that marked the spot of her wedding not so many hours before.

"We must get back," Balor said softly. He bent down and kissed Luria. "Stay with Rowan and Shria.

Between the elephants and the elves, Magnus's forces should be pretty much defeated. I'll be back for you."

Marka stayed as well, though Luria thought she'd rather go and fight at the side of her husband.

She began to roll bandages that would be needed for the coming day as those who'd been hurt sought out her skills. Luria reached into the basket Marka had brought to the courtyard, and began rolling as well; after all, it was her fault these events were occurring.

She tried, she really did, to stay with Marka and to do as Balor had asked, but a wildness inside of her grew, and she dropped the last of the bandages that she'd been rolling and stood. "I can't stay here," she said, almost to herself. "I need to know what is going on."

"But Lady Luria," Marka said, "You can't go out there not knowing where Prince Balor or my Graeme is." She reached for Luria's hand to pull her back down, but Luria pulled away.

"I need a sword," she said quickly, glancing about. Graeme's short sword was where she left it, lying next to Rowan. She still had her quiver of arrows but a bow would be handy as well. Grabbing up the sword, she gave Rowan a quick pat and then turned to leave.

She wasn't expecting Graeme's wife to try to stop her but when she turned, Marka was standing between her and the gate.

"Lady Luria, you barely made it back to the castle before. I cannot let you leave this courtyard."

"I have to, Marka. Can you not understand? One woman to another, this fight is over me. If it weren't for me, your husband and mine wouldn't be risking their lives now. I can't stay here and not know that he's okay, or see if he's been hurt or injured. Please, Marka," Luria almost begged the taller, older woman. "Please, don't you want to know?"

"My husband lives," Marka said softly. "I would know if he were to be brought down in battle. I would know here," she said, touching one hand to just above her left breast.

"Then let me go and find out if mine still lives," she begged.

* * * *

Balor swung around, his sword meeting the one of the beast behind him with a clang of steel upon steel. Around him were the bodies of the beasts he had slain but still they kept coming.

Graeme slayed another of the foul guard, glancing up to see the many that had died. Both elf-kind and beast lay scattered upon the field of battle, yet more still fought, standing up to Magnus and the dark magic that he wielded.

The meadow, once a beautiful place, was now forever scarred by the blood and gore of battle. But he had no time to ruminate over its loss now.

He looked over at the black gates of Magnus's castle. The gates were closed and they began to shimmer as if it were daylight.

"Magnus's leaving!" he shouted to Balor.

Balor pushed the beast on his sword away, and then turned toward the sight as well. "He leaves his guard to die and runs like a hound with his tail between his legs."

"He's giving up too easily," Graeme shouted as he fought another of the guards. He caught the beast's first thrust, turning it away with a quick move of his sword, then he moved under the beast's armor and sliced open its belly. The beast bellowed as it fell, landing on another of the guard.

"Balor!?" Graeme heard her call and turned to look, watching as Luria and Shria moved quickly through the battle grounds, slashing and clawing at beasts as they went.

"Balor! Your wife is approaching."

"What? Luria?" Balor turned toward her, his eyes darkening as he saw her take on two of the beasts. Shria grabbed one by the throat while Luria ducked under the other's armor and ran him through with her short sword. Then she was at the small rise in the meadow where Balor and Graeme fought.

She stood behind her husband, her back to his back and fought with him.

"When this is over, I'm going to take you across my knee and blister your hide for you," he growled as his sword clanged loudly.

"You need help, I can help," she said, yanking her sword out of the body of one of the beasts. "Shria and I can help."

"Luria, if anything happens to you," he growled, ducking a blow and then spinning to deliver one of his own.

"It won't," she said firmly. "Why are they still coming when Magnus's castle is gone?"

"They're mindless drones under Magnus's control, who knows why he does the things he does?" He killed another of the guard and blocked the sword of one that would have split him in two. He quickly dispatched that one only to turn to look at Luria. She'd been drawn further from him and was fighting one of them while another was sneaking up behind her with a club in his hands.

"Luria! Watch out behind you!"

But she didn't hear him in time, looking up just as the beast struck.

"NO!" Balor shouted, racing toward where the beast was going to pick up her limp form. Two arrows flashed by him, killing the beast who was trying to pick Luria up and wounding the other. Balor's sword finished him off quickly.

The beast Graeme had killed lay on top of Luria's body and Balor kicked him off. Then he knelt at her side, his hands unsteady as he reached to find her pulse. "Dammit, girl, you should have stayed in the village." He breathed a sigh of relief when he found her pulse in her throat. It was strong, but there was a huge knot forming on her temple and blood flowed from the wound.

"I have to take her in," he said to Graeme, lifting her limp form in his strong arms.

"Go, we have this," Graeme said, shooting arrows at the remaining beasts. There weren't many left and they all seemed to mill around in confusion unless they came close to one of the warriors, then they would attack.

Balor nodded, turning toward the village gates.

Shria was at his side, protecting him while he carried her mistress. Wounded elves were already being brought in and a tent had been set up to house them until their relatives could be found to take over care. Balor ducked under the white flap, his eyes searching for Marka.

"I tried to stop her," Marka said, coming up beside Balor. "I told her nothing good would come out of her going out there."

"She'll be all right, won't she?" Balor asked, laying his wife on the cot that Marka directed him to.

"Head wounds are tricky; you never know what will happen with them. She could wake up and be fine or she could slip into a coma. The best I can do is try to stop the swelling and to stop the bleeding. The rest will be up to Luria."

Balor stared down at the small woman he'd married. She looked so tiny on the cot. She also looked younger, with her pale skin and light hair. The blood was a stark reminder of what she'd been through. He looked up at Marka. "When you are finished, I am going to take her to our rooms. If that is acceptable?"

"It is, it will free up a cot for someone else who is injured." She looked away and then back at Balor. "My Graeme, he is all right?"

"He's fine. He is a true warrior and a wonderful friend." He placed his hand on her shoulder and squeezed. "He'll be fine."

There was a commotion by the front flap of the tent and Balor turned his head, his hand going to his sword. He relaxed when he saw the Elder stride in, his eyes scanning the room until they landed on Balor. "There you are," he said. "We just heard. Is the Lady Luria...?"

"No," Marka said quickly. "I stopped the bleeding and there is nothing much more I can do." She looked up at Balor. "Keep a cold cloth on the bump and let her rest, when she wakes, call me."

* * * *

Luria felt as if she were swimming through a tide of black goo. She could see a light above her and she fought to reach it. Someone was calling her name, she could hear him. His voice sounded so afraid. She had to get to him.

"Luria, come on, love. You can do it, wake up. Luria, wake up for me."

Her eyelashes fluttered and she moaned as the pain from her head struck her, making her wish to go back down into that blackness. "Where am I?" she rasped, her throat and mouth almost too dry to speak.

"You're in the Elderon, love. You got clubbed in the back of the head before I could reach you."

Her eyes opened and she squinted, seeing Balor's handsome face above her. She started and tried to sit up but Balor pushed her back down. "But the battle, Magnus's troops, are they..."

"Destroyed, we wiped out his army and haven't seen hide nor hair of him since."

"So I'm safe?"

"For now," Balor answered. "We've still got a ways to go to get back to the Seventh Kingdom."

Luria lifted the cloth off of her head and turned on her side, her back to him. "Can we have our marriage annulled there?"

"Annulled? Why would you want to have it annulled? Luria, look at me," he said forcefully. He waited until she turned then took her jaw into his hands holding it still. "Why would you want to annul this marriage? I thought it was something that we both wanted."

"It hasn't been consummated," she sighed, closing her eyes and trying to drive away the pain in her head and the one in her heart. "You should be free to find someone to love instead of marrying me because of duty to your country."

He grabbed her shoulder, pulling her back on the bed so that he could see her face. "I didn't marry you for duty, Luria. You cannot look at me and seriously believe I did that."

"My head hurts, Balor, could we talk about this later?" she cried.

"No!" Balor anger's seemed to seep from his pores. "No, I don't think so. You and I have to get this decided now." He bent his head and kissed her, putting every ounce of heat he could into the kiss. When he lifted his head, her face was flushed and she was breathing rapidly. "Tell me, Luria, does that feel like duty?"

"Lust." Her mouth felt swollen by his kiss.

"Attraction. We've been caught up in such madness, is it too hard to think that what we feel is nothing more than that?"

"I know what I feel, Luria. You can't tell me it's anything but what it is. I love you." Balor reached out and pushed her hair away from her face.

"I don't know who I am." She looked up into his eyes. "I've never met my parents or even know who they are. I could be a beggar's daughter or perhaps even the daughter of a murderer. You would put someone like that on the throne at your side?"

"It doesn't matter what you come from, Luria. What does matter is what I find in here." His big hand covered her chest. "You are good, kind and loving. You're brave, fearless to a fault and more than a little disobedient. You'd fight to the end for a cause you believe in. Why won't you fight for us?"

His hand trailed down her side, touching her bare arm. He'd removed her armor before tucking her into bed and now all she wore was the plain sleeveless tunic that she'd had on under her armor. "You're bound to my left hand, to my left side, Luria. If you forego what we have you will take that with you."

"I-I don't know. I can't think now."

"How about just feel?" He bent his head until he was but a mere wisp from her lips. "Feel and know that I love you." His mouth was gentle this time, twisting against hers until she began to kiss him back, clinging to his lips with her own. Her hands came up, twisting in the curls that lay at his nape, bringing him down further so that she could feel him against her.

His chainmail was cold against her skin and she shivered, her fingers went to the buckle on his shoulder and deftly undid it. She helped him get it off, leaving him in only his white tunic and black leather pants. His cod piece was mostly metal, sewn over heavy leather to protect him in battle. It was a pretty piece with engraving on the metal that was swirled and swished in a pleasing manner. Grabbing the hem of his tunic, she lifted it above his head, leaving him naked from the waist up. His wide chest drew her hand and she couldn't stop touching him, stroking over him.

Balor groaned, her little hands felt like fire on his skin. He was ablaze with desire, every touch bringing him closer to losing control. "Should we be doing this?" He moaned. "You're injured."

"I'm fine. But I cannot sit up," Luria said softly. "Come closer so I can taste you."

The thought of those soft lips and what they could do to his body had his cock hard and throbbing inside his codpiece. He moved towards her, cradling her to him so that she might taste his skin. He felt her hands touching the ties that held up his pants and then they were free. He stood, kicking off his boots and taking off his pants. Then he got back into the bed with her, his hands framing her face as he leaned down to kiss her once more.

"Lay still." He whispered against her lips. "I'll take care of you."

That command was a little harder to obey than he'd thought it would be. For even as his hands made quick work of her tunic, leaving her naked to his eyes, she was touching his shoulders, caressing his back and the firm muscles that moved under his tawny skin. When his lips touched her throat, she arched her head back, anxious for more. He gave it, nipping gently at her skin and then sucking upon it, leaving a mark that would soon turn to a bruise. All the while, Luria was whimpering for more.

She was naked against him and he stopped, stunned by her beauty. Her skin was pale, fair with just the hint of a rosy blush rising to her cheeks. Her breasts were perfect, rounded with berry colored nipples. Her waist was slim and then flared out to womanly hips.

"Oh by the gods, Luria, you are so beautiful." He sat up and let one of his hands rest against her sex. Slowly he pushed two of his fingers into the wet slit that welcomed them, thrusting them slowly into her core. He could feel the silky wetness that waited for him, but first he wanted to bring her pleasure.

His thumb found the delicate bud of her clitoris, circling it while he listened to her cries and felt her pushing back against his hand. It took no time at all for her to cry out and a gush of moisture filled Balor's hand. "How was that?" he asked.

Even as he waited for her answer, he climbed back into the bed next to her, slipping between her thighs and thrusting his hard cock into her.

She opened up under the pressure of his cock, her core accepting him with a firm caress of her inner muscles. She gasped her delight in feeling him inside of her and brought up her legs to wrap them around his hips.

He started slowly, not wanting to jar her or cause more pain to her injuries. He wanted this to last, to slowly make love to her, to show her what was in his heart. His hands slid down her arms, drawing them out to her sides where he entwined his fingers with her. Nuzzling the side of her neck with his nose, he whispered of his love for her.

Luria was wrapped around him, her body writhing against his as his words triggered more than just lust inside of her. She wanted to tell him, she ached for him to hear what he wanted to, that she loved him, too. He held her hands down and she struggled to get them free, wanting to touch him, to love him the way he was her.

Every long, deep thrust of his body sent her pulse racing and drew the tension in her belly tighter and then tighter still until she felt as if she'd explode. Her head thrashed on the pillow, her body moved against his, trying to push him even deeper inside of her. She could hear the air rasping in and out of him; feel the trembling in the arms that held her so securely.