Fever
Elisandra slept soundly in her bed, bathed in the starlight passing through the open windows of her palace. Her mattress was huge for a single occupant, but she was not alone tonight. The feeling of movement on the bed caused her to stir, and she rolled onto her back. Two hands were pressing down beside her, and she felt legs intertwine with her own.
"Sir Noah," she whispered as she opened her eyes, gazing at the man atop her.
"Your Majesty."
He wore a gentle smile and gazed with eyes that saw only her. He had no clothes on and was underneath the blanket with her. All that separated them was Elisandra's thin nightgown. She should have panicked, screamed for her guards, or wielded her magic to force him back, but her mind could not process any feelings or thoughts that would intrude on the moment. Instead, she felt that this man, this suspicious and sinful stranger she had just met earlier that day, belonged nowhere else in the world but her bed.
She reached up and caressed his cheek. "Such a handsome face."
"My face, and everything else, belong to you."
He then lowered his head, and their lips met in a tender union. They embraced each other, kissing slowly and gently like the wind kissed the ocean. There was no rush, goal, or end, just the two of them there, enjoying the taste of each other. Elves were such a clean race, producing little to no aroma of any kind, but human males wore a naturally musky scent that now enticed and intoxicated the queen. She had missed the feeling of a man's weight, a man's warmth, and a man's firmness for a long, long time.
Though she felt Noah's hands wander, he was only finding different places he could hold onto her and pull her closer. She did the same, with her fingers finding toned muscle wherever they roamed. Eventually, her nightgown was discarded, letting her truly feel his body against her own.
The moon passed by overhead, and they rolled back and forth, taking turns on top, but it never progressed beyond that deep, passionate kiss. Though Elisandra felt Noah's member pressed to her lower abdomen, the only penetration was the swirling of their tongues in each other's mouths. It was a simple bliss, but one she savored.
Elisandra didn't know how long they were together. One moment, they were wrapped together in the darkness; the next, she was alone, with the rising sun shining directly into her eyes. She sat up and looked around, finding herself back in her gown with no traces of a nighttime visitor. Embarrassment flooded her, unable to believe that she would have such a dream, and of Noah, of all people.
"Those stories he and Leuca told me must have really left an impression."
She pushed all her thoughts and shame aside and got out of bed. There was no point getting hung up on a dream.
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The sound of fluttering wings awoke Valia from her pleasant slumber. She opened her eyes, finding a hummingbird floating in front of her face as though she were a flower. Its feathers were a mix of emerald green and ocean blue, gleaming with stunning beauty.
"Hello there," she said with a sleepy smile.
The hummingbird backed away and flew around the room in circles with several others. She spotted Noah sitting in the corner of the room with his hand outstretched. All the hummingbirds flew over to him, landed neatly on his fingers, and vanished into thin air.
"You've gotten pretty good at that."
"Thanks. It wasn't too long ago that just getting an illusory falcon to fly was beyond me. I guess my powers are growing as I do."
"Maybe you'll be able to do a flock of wyverns next."
"First, I'd have to be able to summon at least one. I still have a way to go."
"Well, we should eat breakfast quickly. If today is a repeat of yesterday, someone will be coming to get us soon."
They got dressed and ate breakfast with steaming mugs of tea. Outside, the forest was brightening, and the elves of Sylphtoria were going about their daily lives. Once Noah and Valia were done eating, Aithorn appeared.
"You are to come with me at once," his words were blunt, but his tone lacked the usual iciness. The awareness of Noah's true identity was starting to sink in.
"Are we speaking with the queen?" Noah asked.
"There is no need for her to see you again. You wish to earn the trust of the elves, and an opportunity has presented itself. For now, that's all you need to know."
Noah and Valia followed Aithorn through the city. They were both dressed in elven clothes, further decorated with leaf-shaped talismans marking them as welcomed guests of the queen. It softened the sharp glares of the locals, but after his noisy romp with Valia, they now looked at Noah with a mix of intrigue and disdain.
"Where are Gradius and the other knights? They aren't here in the city, are they?" Valia asked.
"If they know what's good for them, they're waiting outside of the forest. I've sent word that you've been granted safe haven and they are to remain on standby until further notice. Once you depart from these lands, the protection of the elves will vanish, and you will again be fugitives, and it will be my duty to bring you to justice."
They arrived at a house built into a tree trunk, just like Noah and Valia's. Aithorn knocked on the entryway three times, recited a phrase in elvish, and then led them inside. Art, bookshelves, and high-quality furniture decorated the house's interior. In the candlelit bedroom, thick with the smell of incense, they encountered an elf lying on the bed, with what Noah assumed to be his wife clutching his hand. Neither looked like they could've been older than 30, but it was impossible to discern their actual ages.
The man on the bed appeared ill, as evident by his physical discomfort, the empty potion bottles on his bedside table, and the worried expression on his wife's face. Upon their arrival, she spotted Noah and became enraged. "You are not welcome here! Lord Aithorn, why would you bring a human into my home?!"
"The queen believes he can help," Aithorn said. He then turned to Noah. "Isn't that right? Yesterday, you said you have extensive medical knowledge. If that is true, you can save this man."
"I know how to treat humans and animals, but not elves. Still, I will do what I can. Sir, what's your name?"
"Balil, of House Pielva," he said, though just talking seemed to hurt.
"My name is Noah. I'd like to ask you some questions if you don't mind."
He approached Balil, but his wife intervened. "Get back, human!"
"My Lady, I understand your distrust of me and respect your protective instinct. My only goal here is to find what is troubling Balil and fix the problem. It's clear you love him, but love isn't enough to heal him, and it appears neither potions nor magic is doing it either. So tell me, what would you do to save his life? What would you be willing to give?"
"Noah," Aithorn growled.
"Anything," she murmured.
"Then give me the chance to try and save him. That is the purpose for which I stand here."
"How can someone like you save my husband? You're just a boy."
