Prologue of the Prologue: Nelora Mahariel

Chapter 12: Just say NO

Summary:

Tamlen and Fenarel have gone fishing. It is usual getting food for the clan and relaxing bro talk time but then Fenarel brings up an interesting topic that is very close to Tamlen's heart.

Notes:

"Always be true to your feelings because the more you deny what you feel the stronger it becomes." - unknown

It's a misty summer morning, the air is warm and moist, clouds cover the sky and the sun is yet to fully rise. Even though Tamlen and Fenarel are both Hunters they go fishing food for the clan. Since Tamlen received his Vallaslin they've become even closer friends, they understand each other better when on the other side the friendship between Tamlen and Mahariel has grown a little more distant and colder.

Fishing trips like these are great for relaxing and clearing one's head. It is nice to be a part of a big clan but it just gets tiring when you are always around a lot of people, when everyone wants you to do something, when everyone has advice for you how to act and live your life... they all mean well but it can be just overwhelming. Fenarel understands him, he has always been the calm and wise for his age sort and the fishing trips to the river are a great possibility to say it all by saying nothing, being good friends and occasionally talking about the little stuff.

****

Its noon, the sun is high in the sky and the air is still moist and sticky, a really fitting day for lazy fishing. Tamlen looks at a bee slowly buzzing by. Even it seems to be taking life easy at a non-hasty pace...

A voice interrupts "Hey daydreamer you have a bite."

Tam glances at the cork and sees that it is being played with by a fish, the creature tugs it slightly, let's go, tugs a little stronger and let's go again- it's like a slow dance of grabbing and releasing the bate while getting bolder, soon the fish will take the bait fully. Finally the floater is underwater and the rope is tense, the fish is trying to swim away but it's hooked and all left to do is to pull it out. A pretty decent salmon, it's exactly the length from his fingertips to his elbow. He puts the fish into a basket.

As he puts new bait on the hook Fen starts to make small talk "So have you noticed that Nelora has become more serious in the last year, to think of it she's been more serious since she got her Vallaslin ."

"Yes she has, she hasn't gotten into any trouble and that is new, she's always been sort of..."

"...Troublesome."

"Sort of... yes... but not quite."

"So how do you get along with her now?"

"We're good friends."

Fen raises a curious eyebrow "Nothing more?"

"Why would you think that?"

"I don't but I'm just asking. Now tell me do you like her as more than a friend?"

Tamlen feels this strange panic inside like someone is squeezing his heart trying to see him react "I... I don't think so. Why do you ask?"

"Just asking because I wouldn't want to get between anything the two of you have."

"Why would you get in between anything with us?"

He keeps his gaze on his floater and just speaks like it's nothing special, like the subject is of the most casual kind "You see I've been thinking of asking her to become my bond-mate. She is a great hunter, she's strong, she's fairly good looking, she's gotten more serious last year and it would make sense. Well she is still a little wild but I guess she just needs someone to tame her. And well if there's nothing between you two then I could be the one doing the taming."

"Why would you tame her? She is perfect as she is."

"That's coming from the guy who got regularly into trouble with the elders because of her."

"Yeah but why not Merrill? She is calm and sweet and a little quirky and as a bonus she has magic. I'm fairly certain that she can get really creative with it- if you catch my drift."

"I do get where you're going with it but I don't know about her, she just seems so distant, lost in her books, studies and all. Being the Keepers first can be demanding and I don't know she is just not my type. So what do you think of my idea?"

"I don't know, it makes some sense... but are you sure that you are ready for it or if she's ready for becoming bond-mates?"

"I'm certain that I'm ready and how many options does she have. It makes sense."

"So when are you going to ask?"

"I'm thinking that later today or tomorrow, there's no point in waiting."

"I understand."

****

Tamlen rushes off from the fishing trip early saying an excuse that he remembered that he has something to do, in reality he needs to find Mahariel and speak with her before Fen does.

He quickly makes his way back to the camp, drops off the fish and begins to look for Nelora. She is near the campsite telling stories to the younger elves. She looks lovely today, she has her beautiful hair loose and her eyes sparkle gorgeously just like the children's eyes who are listening to her. They seem to be hanging on her every word and who could blame them, she has a voice as smooth as river polished amber that is feminine and strong. "And from that day on we vowed never to..."

He is out of breath when he gets to her "Nelora I need to speak with you."

"Oh Aneth ara Tamlen I was just finishing the story of how our vow as elves got started, I'll be done soon then I can come."

"No Nel, I really need to talk with you now."

"Can't you really wait for a moment, when I talk a little and answer a few questions?"

"I can't, this is serious."

She folds her arms on her chest and gives me the: I'm very busy and annoyed look "You know I don't like to be paused to do anything else so talk then and do so quickly."

"Would you come with mw to somewhere more private?"

"Are you kidding me, I' in the middle of something important." They have an intense stare off. Neither of them seems to budge but finally as a surprise to even Tamlen Nelora gives in

"Ughh... fine, make it really fast then, and I'm dead serious about the fast part." She turns her head towards the little elflings and smiles warmly " Sorry little ones my friend here has something important to talk about, if you want to hear the end of the story then go to Hahren Paivel, he may even tell some more stories."

A tiny girl cries out "But I like to hear you tell stories."

"Aww you are sweet little one but," sends a suspicious and annoyed glance over to Tamlen "my friend Tam here needs me elsewhere."

Tamlen pretty much drags Nelora to the edge of the woods where the clan is distant enough not to hear them or come disturbing.

She seems to be angry "Are you happy now Tamlen, we are here, just you and me? What is this all about?"

He begins to pace back and forth "Remember the bet we made when completing our apprenticeships?"

"Yeah you still are hanging your 'prize' over my head, when are you going to use it?"

He stops in front of her "Right now. Nelora you see soon Fenarel is coming to speak with you and he'll ask you to be his bond-mate..."

Her eyes go wide, she looks at the ground and then back at me "Wait what? To become his bond-mate!? Where did you hear that, you silly?"

"He told me and I want you to just say no to him."

"Why would I do that? To think of it... it would make sense... We kind of get along, we are really different and there are no sparks but I do have a little difficult personality and thus I don't have many options."

Tamlen grabs a hold of her shoulders "Nelora please just say no to him, if not for your honor for an agreement made in the past then because I ask."

She takes a step back and frowns "Why should I do that? What do you get out of it?"

"Can't you see I like you, I really, really like you. To me you are perfect. What others see as being stubborn and pigheaded I see as passion for things you care about, what others call madness I see as genius. I love the way you laugh and the way when something surprising makes you just burst out in laughter because of the little snorting laugh you make in the beginning, I love the way you care for things deeply, I like to be the one beside you in trouble, the one to help bail you out and be there. I love you."

She seems to be utterly confused, her eyes don't sparkle anymore and she isn't happy either "You love me?"

"Of course I love you Nelora Mahariel, I think I have for a long time. Only now, when I saw that I could lose you to someone who doesn't care for you enough, who doesn't love the little things about you I got the courage to say something. To me there have been signs that we belong. Even the Vallaslin we bare shows that we should be together. I have the blood-writing of Dirthamen and you have the writing of Falon'Din. The two of them were soul mates. They grew up together. Don't tell me that this is a coincidence, this is fate, a sign that we are meant to be and we are soul mates like Dirthamen and Falon'DIn. If you don't feel the same about me then it's alright but I don't want you to be with someone who doesn't love you fully, who wants to tame you when you are perfect as you are."

"I hadn't noticed that connection between our Valasleen and it may be nothing. Many Dalish bare these markings you nor I aren't unique." She takes a deep breath "All of this is a lot to take in Tamlen. I don't know what else to say to you or Fen. All of it is just too much."

He takes a step closer to her and caresses her cheek, then guides her face to look at him "Just say no to Fen when he asks the question, that's all I ask."

She pushes his hand away "I need some time to myself, to think of it all. Shit this is too much. I... I'll be back soon, I'll... um... go hunting- alone. Don't let anyone follow including yourself."