Angel's Song

AN: Firstly I'm sorry I've taken so long to update again. Secondly I will be taking longer until next year, loads of stuff to do at work, and not many people there. I used the time that i was off sick to write this for you. So thanks for your patience.

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Ainu stood on the steps that led down to the ship that would carry Syrus to Taur Nihl. He cradled both their sons in his arms and pressed them close to his chest. It had been decided that Ainu would stay in his mother’s kingdom for a few more months until the babies were a little older for travelling. He pressed a kiss to each of their foreheads and then turned his head as he heard footsteps coming down the steps.

“Do not be sad my little angel.” Syrus wrapped his husband in his arms. “You can follow with Anael and Silivren in a few months.” Ainu sighed and rested his head against Syrus’ shoulder.

“Promise me you will be careful. Do not underestimate King Thorax’s army. They are dangerous.”

“I promise. How could I not be careful when I have a family to come back to?” Ainu smiled and pressed a kiss to Syrus’ lips.

“You need to go. They are waiting for you.” He held the twins up for a kiss. They opened their little eyes and gurgled at their father. Syrus smiled, hugged his children, placed a kiss on their foreheads and then kissed Ainu. He ran down the steps towards the boat and entered it.

Ainu watched as the ship left the harbour, an empty feeling starting to spread inside him as he hugged the twins to his chest. A gentle hand was laid on his shoulder. He turned round to see Faye’s comforting face.

“You’ll see him again soon. Your uncle wants you to start training your powers; I’ll take the twins for that time.”

“Thank you Faye. I need something to occupy my mind.” She smiled and took Anael and Silivren into her arms. Ainu placed a kiss on her cheek and then made his way to his uncle’s library.

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The villages were burning and Cortax looked on with satisfaction as they neared the castle that was built high on a hill. They would hold a siege and soon, Taur Nihl would be theirs. He smirked and gestured for one of the captains to come forward.

“Yes my prince?”

“You have burnt all villages?”

“Yes your majesty.”

“And killed all that could raise a weapon against us?” The captain nodded; he watched a smirk spread over the prince’s face. “This will teach them a lesson about what will happen when I am denied what is rightfully mine.”

“Yes your majesty.”

“Put up the tents here. Let no one pass.”

“Yes your majesty.” Cortax gestured for him to go. A commotion behind him caught his attention. He turned round and saw four of his soldiers struggling with a man in strange armour. A silver helmet with intricate swirls carved into the metal hid his head and face from view. He looked on with interest as one of the four men kicked the hostage in the back of the legs, causing him to fall to the floor with a pained yelp. As they dragged the man nearer he decided to make his presence known.

“What is the meaning of this?!”

The soldiers looked up in alarm, not realising that their lord was in front of them. One of the braver men took it upon himself to explain their situation.

“Your majesty! This is one of the men that attacked us from the back, which cost us so many men.”

The man struggles grew more forceful as he tried to break free from his captors. Cortax tilted his head to the side and regarded the man; there was something about him that wasn’t quite right. He moved closer and tried to remove the helmet to get a better look at the man. The captive tried to move out of the way, but when Cortax ordered for his head to be held still he gave up allowing the work of art to be removed.

“Ahhh, an elf. Well, well, well so you’ve been slaughtering my men,” he snarled, “Filthy creature. Did that pathetic fiancé stealing prince send you?” The elf just glared at him, struggling against the hold of his soldiers. Cortax was growing tired of the elf’s impertinence.

“Answer me!”

When still no answer was given Cortax was seeing red. He smacked the beautiful creature as hard as he could, wanting to mark that flawless face and scar him for life.

If a glare could kill, Cortax would have dropped dead that very second. He hit the elf again, infuriated that his orders weren’t followed immediately. “Answer me!” The elf didn’t, just silently glared at him. “Cut those horrible tips off his ears if he won’t answer.” A look of fear flitted across the elf’s face but he kept his mouth shut, as one of the soldiers pulled out a knife and placed it at the edge of the tip of his ear. “Are you going to answer me now elf? How many of you are there? Is that pathetic prince-ling of yours here?” No answer, Cortax gestured for the soldier to cut. The knife sliced the tip of the ear off cleanly, the elf bit his lip but did not make a sound.

Cortax was getting even more furious.

“Tell me now, if you want to save your other ear!” He roared into the elf’s face. The prisoner stared up at him, furious lilac eyes meeting his dark ones. A lightly accented voice breathed out a sentence.

“Do it.” Cortax grabbed the knife out of his soldier’s hand and with a cruel smile sliced the other tip off as well.

“Tie him to a tree near one of the burned villages; let it be a lesson to all that try to oppose us.”

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Syrus and his men were shocked at what they found when they entered Taur Nihl. The forest that had sheltered the bay had been cut down, the ground burned so that nothing would grow there for a long time. As they moved on they came upon a burned village, bodies were strewn everywhere, men, women and children; none had been left alive. Syrus’ second in command stepped up to him.

“What kind of monster has done this?” Syrus frowned. He shook his head and his heart went out to the poor folk that had died here for no other reason than that they were in the way. He did not want to see Ainu’s reaction to this. Ainu loved his country, loved his people and now there was nothing left but barren land and dead bodies.

“This is Cortax’s work. Ainu told me he was cruel but I did not think that he was so cruel. Elfor let us bury the bodies. They deserve at least that.” Elfor nodded and the elves got down to work, burying the bodies in a deep pit, they did not have time to make single graves for everyone.

As the elven army moved on they came upon more and more burned villages, the land seemed to reek of death. Syrus was horrified and prayed that Cortax’s army had not managed to take the castle yet; he did not want to have to tell Ainu that his father had been killed. A shout from one of his men alerted his attention.

“Prince Syrus!”

“Yes?”

“Come quickly!” Syrus hurried over to where his men were gathered; around a tree…the only tree that had been left standing. He gasped in shock. Tied to the tree was Nain, blood was caked to both sides of his face, his eyes were glazed, his breathing uneven. Elfor was clinging to his hand.

“What have they done to you little brother?” The eyes lifted to focus on Syrus’ second in command.

“Elfor?”

“Yes. I’ll get you cleaned up Nain. You’ll be ok.” A wet cloth was handed to him from somewhere as Elfor started to clean off the caked blood.

“NO! Don’t please!” Tears shot into Nain’s eyes, as he pleaded with his brother to stop; but his eyes had already widened with the revelation of Nain’s ears.

“Oh gods! What have they done to you?” Nain was untied and dropped into his brother’s arms.

“They cut them off…but I didn’t tell them anything. Please Elfor…I didn’t tell them anything.”

Syrus watched on with shock as Elfor continued to comfort his little brother. This war was now not only in aid of his husband, it had suddenly become very personal. Cortax had committed the worst crime against an elf. He was going to pay.

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JJay: Thanks for reviewing, here's the next chapter.

Cobraqueen: Thanks as you see I've used one of your names.

Anon: Nice idea..but no thanks. But thanks for the input.

Aki: I feel very honoured. HUGS!

Jae: yes babies are here...but there will be more.

Reike: My darling. Thank you for all your help and support, tis very much appreciated.