The Kings Court - Chapters 1-13

Chapter nine

Gaedor, Adiamantem Court – Reagan.

 

Pain, dread and anger hung around me like a dark shroud as we stood on the cold dock. My power coiled around me in black smoky tendrils like a living thing, stroking my skin and curling tight as if it was trying to soothe me in any way it could, but it didn’t help. I stood a step back from Eladrion, not knowing how to say my goodbyes and feeling utterly pathetic for feeling so much. Eladrion stayed quiet, letting me get my thoughts together.

The captain of the small ship yelled for any last passengers to board, I was out of time. I glanced around then back at the man in front of me; I ground my teeth then stepped forward and grabbed his shoulders.

“Don’t die, you have to promise me you won’t die.” I demanded and refused to weep. “Update me whenever you can and…” I paused and bit my lip, looking up into those teal blue and light grey eyes, eyes that would haunt me until he returned safe. “-and come back to me.” I ended on a whisper.

A muscle worked in Eladrion’s jaw and his nostrils flared. “I promise you all of those things, you know I do. I’ll be back before you can miss me.”

I already did miss him; a deep, black pit had opened up in my chest this morning at the sight of him packing his last essentials into a carriage. But I nodded anyway.

I pulled my hood up further around my face to hide my tears and desperation from the world as he stepped back. He was leaving, not only my lover and Second in Command but my best friend-my only friend really and I still couldn’t show any sign of weakness, a mean and horrible thing to have to endure in stoic silence.

An ache opened up in the pit of my stomach, like parts of my body were being taken from inside me while I was still breathing. I covered up a sob by clearing my throat as he reached the ship, as the blind panic and need to see him off properly pounded through my body. I didn’t even bother to make sure I wasn’t being watched when I shouted his name over the vicious wind.

“Eladrion!!” I sprinted towards him, my hood blowing back to reveal my tear drenched cheeks and puffy red eyes.

He dropped the bag he was holding and strode towards me, opening his arms at the last minute, he caught me in a tight hug and cried silently into his neck. Gripping him with as much fear and sadness as I felt I looked up into his face and pressed a fierce, hard kiss onto his lips and sobbed again when the captain boomed at Eladrion to board immediately.

I grabbed his face in my hands and kissed him again, savouring the smell, taste and feel of him and gasped.

“I love you.” I forced the words out as I took a step back and pulled my hood up around my face, shielding it from view.

His eyes widened, his mouth pulled up at the corner ever so slightly but his shoulders drooped forward at my admission, I didn’t give him chance to reply though I backed away from him but kept my eyes on his back as he picked his bag up and boarded the ship. Once he was on board and the gangplank pulled up, the ship started moving. Eladrion faced me as the ship sailed away and I didn’t stop looking at him until I could no longer see his form. Once he was too far away for me to make out I turned on my heels and strode for my horse, I didn’t bother to wait for Zakhar, who had rode the carriage full of Eladrion’s belongings, I mounted and kicked my horse into a dead sprint.

I let the vicious winds whip at my face as I rode, my black cloak billowing behind me as we raced to get away from the docks and go…anywhere but here or home.

By the time my horse started to tire, I was drenched with sweat and rain, and gasping for breath, my hair soaked and sticking to my face and neck. I dismounted and walked the horse until I found a stream that cut through the moors we’d found ourselves in.  I had no idea what time it was, how long I’d been riding but I knew where we were, another couple of hours ride from home. I laid on the ground, the wet grass pricked at my neck and face, I closed my eyes and forced myself to get my shit back together.