Son of the Dream

I woke warm and comfortable, feeling safer than I had since I had become a demi-mortal. Lightly muscled arms were wrapped around me, holding me against a strong male body that was spooned behind me. I snuggled further back, wanting to never have to leave Aleron's arms, but nothing will last forever. His head was buried in my hair and he woke with my movements and nuzzled the back of my neck affectionately.

“Good evening.” He said quietly, tightening his grip slightly.

“Ditto.” I replied, yawning and trying to turn over to look at him. “So… what do we do next? I mean, we freed you and all that, but what’s going to happen at dinner? Barcus is going to want you back, and no matter what I say or do, I’m not strong enough to really fight him if the queen backs him up.”

He let me turn over and looked into my eyes. I had a sudden realization, he was much older than I had thought, like around his fifth or sixth centuries, rather than third or fourth. “She won’t be able to back him up.”

“What? Why not?” I asked, giving him a quizzical look. I was confused.

“Because, I never made a contract with Barcus and I made one with you. She can’t dispute it.” He replied quietly. “I knew that you won’t be strong enough to take on the queen.”

“What contract? I don’t-“ I started to ask before he dipped his head and licked the mark he gave me before I fell asleep. I moaned and arched against him at the feeling it caused to course through me.

“This contract. It’s the geisis that my father gave me if I ever wanted to be free. I had to choice a person that I would serve since I am only a half-breed and can’t survive on my own without someone else.” He explained, licking my ear lobe. “Without someone to act as an anchor, I’ll turn into what my father is, or rather, was. I will become a dream without a body.
”
I was shocked, trying to figure out what he had just told me, but he kept caressing me gently and I couldn’t think straight. He could tell I was having trouble and pulled back a bit, letting me breathe. “A contract made in blood and desire… I’ve heard of them, but never thought I’d need the information so I didn’t pay attention. What exactly does it entail? I sort of remember parts of the spell, but not clearly enough to sort everything out.”

He smirked in satisfied way that almost made me want to smack him. “I’m glad I could be such a distraction that I made the famous Tigeress of Twilight forget a spell.”

I did flick him on the shoulder for that comment, with an exclamation of “Hey! It was my first time!” before he continued.

“I am bound to you magically now, almost like a familiar is to a witch. I am sworn to protect and serve you in anyway that I can, even if I am to die because of it. At the same time, you are my link to the physical world and are my main, how do I put this, fix? for my magic. I can do almost nothing without your permission unless it is to protect you… meaning that you can’t order me to let you die, which the Master said you might if things became bad. Even if I die, I will still be bound to you as an incubus to help and protect you.”

I shook my head, confused. “Wait, the Master told you to do this?! I’m going to have to have a talk with him when I see him next… quite a few words such as give a goddamn heads up when you plan to bind someone to me!!! It’s not funny!” I growled at him when he started to laugh. “You don’t seem upset that I basically have complete control over you!”

He laughed so hard that tears started to form at the corners of his eyes and he rolled away when I went to smack him for laughing at me. “You, you don’t even realize that already you have proven to be the best master one could ask for. You haven’t even tried to control me with magic since I told you that you could. I’ve also heard rumors of how well you take care of your friends, those whom others might call pets or lessor creatures. I am not afraid of what you might have me do, for you walk the twilight path with a kind heart meant to protect those you hold dear. I hope to become one of those, if I haven’t already. You’ve let me laugh when I haven’t laughed in over a century.”

“You haven’t laughed in a century?!” I asked in shock, my jaw dropping when he nodded, his eyes still twinkling slightly from the laughter. “Why not? Your laugh is, well not sexy, but quite warming, I like it!”

“Barcus thought his slaves laughing would mean that they would have hope, remembering what it was like to be free. He liked us broken, submissive, and above all obedient. He wouldn’t give us the chance to laugh or even talk unless it was to further his own ambitions.” He said, a haunted look creeping into both his eyes and voice.

I wanted to kill Barcus even more now, but I wanted to end that look on his face. I touched his shoulder and pulled him into my arms as I said, “You don’t have to live that way anymore. I won’t let him or anyone else hurt you if I have any say in it at all, and if this contract thingy is what you say it is, I do. I’ll pulverize anyone that tries to make you do anything you don’t want to!”

He smiled wanly at me, “I know. And you wonder why it is that I’m not afraid to put my life into your hands. You barely know me and already you want to protect me.”

“So? Isn’t that what a normal person who is decent would do?” I asked, still slightly peeved and wanting to go look for a fight.

“Not always, my lady, not always.” He whispered at a level I had trouble hearing. At a louder level, he quickly asked, “Do we need to get dressed for dinner? And I think your hawk wants something from the way he’s looking at us from his perch.”

I bolted upright, “Oh shit! What time is it? Never mind, we need to get up and I need to feed Felix before we go into the dinning hall, as well as I should have let Luckous know what is going on. He’s going to be worried sick! God! Where’s my brush?”

He had gotten up from the bed and was smiling as he pulled on his pants. “I don’t think the prince will be too worried… he stopped by when you were still asleep and saw us in the bed. He said to let you sleep and told me good luck for some reason.”

“I’m gonna kill him…” I muttered, pulling on my own under things while scanning the room for my brush. I shook out my gown from earlier that day and slipped in on over my head and put on my slippers. I still couldn’t find my brush- oh, Aleron had it in his hand and was beckoning me to sit next to him on the bed.

“Sit, my lady. I will tame the curls that I riled up.” He said while smirking. I was really beginning to get annoyed with him and his smirk. Maybe I would tell him after dinner, but once he started to brush out my hair, I forgot to be so annoyed. He was gentle, not pulling too hard and I started to feel more relaxed again as he smoothed it down and rebraided it in a fishtail, a style I hadn’t worn for ages because I couldn’t see behind my back well enough to do it myself. He kissed my forehead when he was done.

“Thank you.” I whispered, blushing and feeling a lot calmer now. I feed my hawk quickly before looking at him pulling on his tunic. It looked course and I wanted to find one that fit him better as well as a better material for him. From what I understood of the contract that we had made between the two of us, I was like his liege lady and he my oath man, much like Lord Luckous and I were, only in the reverse. I would take care of Aleron and he would do his damnedest to keep me safe from harm.

Everything taken care of in my room, we left, me holding his arm like I had with his master just this morning, but with one big difference. I liked Aleron and wanted to hold on to him, wanted to keep him safe. I laughed at myself in my head, thinking that this was almost too easy and asking myself why the hell it was that I had become this attached to someone I hadn’t even known for a whole day. There was something almost disturbing about it, but my instincts said it was alright and that I was fretting over nothing. I felt more at peace than I had for years.

The peaceful feeling left almost as soon as we entered the dinning hall and mutters went around the room, people pointing at us and whispering behind their hands. I bit back a snarl and a growl as Barcus rose from his seat and started shouting at us. “I said I’d loan him to you for three hours! Not forever! My Queen, you must punish this outrageous behavior! This is the exact reason that we do not allow humans to live among us! Your Highness!”

“I know what you said.” I said, keeping my tone level to hide my true feelings. “And I know the laws, not of the fey, but of magic. If I am exiled for following those laws rather than breaking them, so be it.”

The prince look dismayed at me, even though he knew exactly what I was doing. “My mother, please do not be so drastic to do as my mage suggests. She doesn’t always think things through.”

“If you excuse this, what else will this stupid human think she can do?! She might take it as leeway to stage a take over, even though she claims featly to your son! Do you want her to start a revolt against Your Majesties?” Barcus screamed, turning red in the face.

I started to chant in my head my life’s motto, ‘Life is a masquerade, learn which mask to wear when.’ It was taking almost every trick I knew to keep my temper in cheek. I would never do anything like that to Luckous, which the prince knew, but this bastard was trying to get rid of me.

The queen stood up. “Well, what do you have to say Tai? Do you have a defense?”

“No, your majesty, only that my loyalties lie only to the prince and yourself. I did what I believe is right and I do not pretend to make an excuse for it. Do with me as you will.” I stated, moving in front of Aleron and holding my head up. “This man is mine, of his choosing and mine, magically bound together for all time. I will protect him with all I have as I am obligated to by our contract written in blood. He is my servant.”

Luckous nodded to me, he would support me in my decision, but he would have to be careful of his mother. What ever happened, he would make sure I was taken care of.

His mother spoke. “I do not agree with what you have done, but there is nothing that can be done to undo it. Therefore, I must send you away to prevent further problems with the rest of my subjects. I can not allow things like this to happen without punishment, even though you are my son’s right hand servant. That, and the laws of magic by which you are bound, are the only things that save you from being permanently exiled from this court. This will be the last time you eat at this table for a century. I want you gone by dawn. Take whatever you need and your new servant with you, and I hope that you find that what you have done has grave consequences.”

“Thank you for your fair justice your majesty. I will take care to do all that you have told me to the letter.” I said, curtsying deeply. I took my seat at the prince’s table while Aleron took his at the servant’s.

The queen sat down and began to eat. I was going to leave tonight, with my animals, books, and other sundry supplies for myself and Aleron. I ate with a heavy heart, but I knew that my magic hadn’t steered me wrong. The prince put his hand on my shoulder when we got up to leave after we finished eating before he let me go. It was his way of saying that I was not to leave until he came to see me. I nodded to him and took Aleron back with me to start packing. We walked quickly back to my room, making haste so we didn’t run into other guest who had finished dinning before we did.

We made it to my room without problems, much to my relief. “We made it.”

“Why so worried my lady? They won’t have dared harm us after the queen had stated why she didn’t execute us or exile us.” Aleron asked, locking his hazel eyes on me.

“I know, but that’s not why I was worried. I have enemies in court and the queen basically said that unless the prince says anything, I’m fair game. You are too, now that you’re stuck with me. I don’t know where we’re going to go, but I have an idea.” I said, shaking my head. “We have to wait for the prince to come and see us before we leave, but I still want to be ready to leave right after he comes here. Some one will have notified the stable that I would be needing my horses. Do you have anything you need to get from your quarters before we go?”

He shook his head. “I’m wearing everything I own.”

“We’ll change that at the next town that we go to. You’ll be needing some other things besides just clothes. Do you know how to use any weapons?” I asked, stuffing clothes into my bag.

Once again he shook his head. “Why would a pleasure slave need to use a weapon? My body is all I need.”

“That’s not all you need! What happens if you get jumped changing rooms, or if your master is waylaid while traveling?! What happens then?” I exclaimed, growling at him. “I now know the first order of business then, after we get you some more clothes and things. You’re going to learn how to defend yourself and put that body to use in other ways than just sex!”

He started to laugh at me and I lunged at him, annoyed and taking out the stress the only way I knew by hitting the person closest to me. He flinched and started to cower, which only made me more angry as I started to shout at him again. “You are a damn fool Aleron! I’m not going to really hurt you, and even if I was, this would be a perfect example of why I want you to learn how to fight! I just lost my home that I’ve had for the last twenty-five years and you think it’s funny. I don’t want to go back to the human world, it sucks royal ass there.”

“It sucks royal ass? And which, pray tell, royal’s ass is it that your birth world sucks?” the prince’s voice asked me from the door.

“Luckous! You know what I meant. I don’t like going there, I stood out even when I was really a kid, I don’t want to imagine what it’s going to be like now!” I said, almost to the point of tears, but I reminded myself that I didn’t cry. I wasn’t allowed to.

He smiled sadly and wrapped his arms around me. “Shh desert child. I won’t make you go there, but it might be wise to disappear for at least the next couple of decades. The land of the changelings has enough humans in it that you could blend in. I could also communicate better with you if you were still in this realm, but I will understand if you want to go to a different one to avoid trouble.”

I started to curl up into his arms until I saw the way Aleron was look at the two of us. He was jealous, but I wasn’t sure of what. I pulled away from my prince and took out the jesses for my hawk. The prince had seen what I had and realized that it was why I had moved away. He wasn’t offended, but he wanted to make sure that Aleron didn’t get the wrong idea between the two of us.

“She’s been like the little sister I’ve always wanted, but never had. My cousin was her teacher and Eleanor’s apprentices are her adopted brothers. I’ve known her since she was twelve years old and I can’t get over my first image of her flying on the back of a griffin and tackling Amos to the ground after jumping off of the griffin. She’s a special human and if you cause harm to her in anyway, it won’t just be me or her brothers that will come after you. She may have her little tantrums from time to time, like now, but once she makes a decision, she sticks by it even if it means her death. Don’t let her whining fool you, she really likes you or else she would never have tried to hit your shoulder. So far, she’s only done that to her friends. She just kills people she doesn’t like unless I tell her not to.” He said softly, laying his hand on Aleron. “Take care of her, will you? I’m not going to be around for this turn and she needs a keeper, even if she doesn’t think she does.”

I felt tears well up, but it was for a different reason this time. I had known to some extent that Luckous was protective and cared about me, but I hadn’t realized he thought of me as his little sister. That explained a lot of the protectiveness and the unwillingness to use me. I had always thought it was because he thought of me as his triumph card.

Aleron said something back, which I missed because I was having a hard time choking back my tears, to which the prince replied, “Good, I will hold you to that. Take the high road through the forest and be careful. Even with the Dark Blades patrolling that area, things have been attacking travelers left and right. Aleron, take this and made sure that you get something to defend your new master with. She can teach you better than I can, maybe better than my cousin considering how many times Eleanor and she have spared and it’s been a tie.”

“I will do my best to follow her instructions and take care of her. She is now my life and I won’t let anything happen to her.” Aleron stated and the two males shared a glance that I didn’t understand as a gold bag was exchanged.

I had finished packing while the boys were talking and walked over to them and hugged Luckous before moving and wrapping my arm around Aleron’s arm. “I think it might be a better idea to go to the human world for at least a little while, just the throw people off of my trail. My little brother should be able to put us up and he’ll understand. Eleanor knows where he lives and can get a message to him if you need me.”

“Of course. He is the other in your family that has magic, right?” the prince asked me.

“Yeah, he’s just not as strong with it and he has a different elemental loyalty than I do. He is the air as I am the earth, but we’ve always gotten along well. We’d better get going before your mother decides to ‘help’ us get out of her palace.” I said sadly, wanting to stay, but not being able to.

“Remember that the Taurelum isn’t part of my mother’s land. She can’t kick you out of our old haunting grounds unless she wants the Master to close it to the fey. I expect to see you there at the holidays if I don’t see you else where, understand?” he said, poking me on the shoulder.

I laughed, it was strained, but I did laugh. “Of course, and we can drive everyone else crazy with Amis and Amos. Then we can dance until our feet fall off!”

He laughed as well, but turned to the door. “You might want to hurry. I can hear the guards coming and I don’t want a confrontation so early in the evening. Go, I’ll delay them a bit. Your horses are waiting at the gate.”

I nodded and grabbed Aleron and took off at a run to the gates. Many of the guards were my friends and I didn’t want to have to hurt them. Felix was flying above us and would lead the way to the forest road. I was carrying my pack with my books, maps, and other camping supplies while Aleron carried my bag of clothes. We secured the bags onto the saddles and rode away from the castle, away from the fey court, away from my prince, and away from my life that I had loved to the place I had hated and been rejected time and time again.

AUTHOR'S NOTE: Thanks to everyone who's read this and a big thanks to Melrick and MystriousGirl who left me reviews. I live for reviews, as they might be the only good thing that happens in that day or even week. I'm sorry that it's been awhile since I updated, but I have been working and haven't had much time to spend writing, yet alone proof read it before I sent it off to my betas. Please look for other updates soon and review! The more reviews I get, the more likely I am to try to find time, even if it kills me, to write and edit my stuff. Peace and love to all those who read my stuff.