Academy of Elements: Earth

Chapter 33: When Winter Winds Wilt Willows

I would be in the hospital wing for the rest day. Yesterday night I had woken to a rainstorm, the wound in my shoulder fully healed despite some soreness. Healers had been brought into Herta Macer to heal me, professionals from the Affilatorian Circle apparently. They had fused my skin back together, though it still didn't help the pain which they couldn't get rid of. I had just finished some physiotherapy to ensure the wound hadn't any long term effects.

I look out the window, the golden grass beneath reaching up like hands. The hospital wing was also used for members of the small village and so it looked over the large cavern, the building's roof covered with leaves of ruby, jade, and topaz. Nora and Ella had come to check on me, the two of them barely fit in the curtained section. Apparently, John's injury would heal fully as well, though he was being released tomorrow since they still had his leg numbed.

When I exit the hospital it's dark outside, the day fading quicker and quicker as the heart of Autumn drew nearer. It was the middle of March, and as of next week, I doubted the world would have a trace summer. It was so odd for the seasons to be reversed, having summer during Christmas just didn't feel right... I make my way upstairs and enter the ice dormitory. The frozen fountain takes the shape of a tree. Nora paces by the fountain her eyes locking onto mine as soon as she hears me.

"Jaxon." His voice is shaky.

"What happened?" I question rushing to her.

She shows me to her room pushing her door open. In black running ink on the wall by her bed is a message.

You chose the wrong side and for that, you will be punished. If you seek redemption, if you wish to have a family you will accept the mission and go through with it. If not it may cost you your life...

"What mission," I ask as Nora sits on her bed, tears slowly falling from her eyes.

"Last week, when I told you I was sick, my father video called me, said that Kassadern Darath himself had a mission for me and that if I didn't accept it he would disown me."

The world spins as I sit down at Nora's desk.

"Nora..." I whisper. "You-you should have told me... I would have done something."

Nora shakes her head. "Nobody can know about this." She turns to me.

"What are you going to do? I..."

"I'm not going to do anything, I'm going to stay at your side and be strong."

"Nora, it'll cost you your family!"

"You are my family." She yells. "They never loved me as you did, they never did and never will!"

"It could cost you your life!"

"It would be worth it! I'm not letting my father push me around, I'm not letting Kassadern Darath rule our lives!" She wipes a tear from her cheek. "Some things would be worth dying for..."

"Nora, don't even think like that, you..."

"Jaxon, it is what it is, we will be okay."

"I love you, Nora!" I yell. "I can't lose you!"

"And you're not going to." She snarls. "I'm not going to be pushed around by them, I am going to stand strong by your side and support you, and nothing, nobody, is ever going to change that."

"Nora..." I whisper shaking my head. "It isn't worth it, I'm not worth the loss of your family."

"They aren't my family." She cries.

"Yes, they are! I can't have you lose your family because of me, I can't have you lose your life because of me."

"We can fight it Jaxon..." She whispers.

"No Nora, we can't. You know what your father said. You will be disowned, you will become a target of assassins, you would be risking your life."

"So what do you want me to do?" She yells. "Leave you behind, forget about you. You are the first person who has ever loved me for who I am, and I would, and will, fight to the death to stay with you."

"I know," I whisper leaning into her touch. I wipe a tear from her eye, and slowly lean over, kissing her tenderly. Passion floods me as a winter storm fills me with energy and power.

"I don't want this." She points to my heart. "To ever be taken away from me."

"It won't," I reply lowering her onto bed. My lips reconnect with her, her teeth slowly biting my bottom lip. Her tongue seeks entrance to my mouth and I let it enter, her tongue sliding over mine as the kiss deepens more. Her hands comb over my chest my shoulders. She cups the area between my legs and my body is filled with lust. But I stop drawing back. This would be our last night together, I would make sure of that...

I look into her eyes and kiss her again, the words written on her wall would never truly get rid of this raw passion, the burning cold that filled me when I was with her.

Sliding my hand under her shirt, I feel her body, her flesh warm against my cold hands. She twists me around, now on top of me as she pulls off my shirt revealing my toned body.

"I love you." She whispers and kisses me again.

I tear her shirt from her body and sit up, kissing her neck tenderly I go lower, feeling her body for the last time. A tear drops from my eye and she kisses it away, her lips so soft on my skin. A calloused hand runs down my body, feeling my muscle until stopping at my waistband.

She looks me in the eyes and I shake my head, "No."

"Not yet," I whisper. She nods and leans over my body, kissing me once again. I turn her over so that her back is on the bed and take my lips away. Feeling her breasts, my thumb rubbing over her nipple. I sit back as she removes my pants and boxers, revealing my length. Slowly she cups it in her hands, lust filling me. I wanted her so much. But I wasn't going to take something that could never be taken again if I was going to leave her tomorrow. She kisses my neck as I take off the rest of my pants, my full body revealed.

Carefully she traces the scar on my shoulder, then goes lower tracing the long wick scar that snakes down from the top of my back down my side and finishes just above my knee.

"How did you get that?" She breathes.

"Kassadern." She studies it, the scar unlike most I have ever seen. It is a dull gray colour, it had originally been the colour of obsidian but had since faded into a pale gray.

"First year," I add.

I run my finger along her collar bone, stopping just above her revealed breast.

"I got it two years ago during a mission in Egypt."

She traces my wrist, to where I had cut myself years ago.

"From a darker time."

She kisses me again, our infinite love burning brighter than a star in the darkest night.

Whoa, things got sexy and sad! How are you enjoying this more intimate and smutty relationship? It definitely is a more mature writing style and I'm kinda enjoying writing it. I hope you are enjoying it as well.

Question of the Chapter:

If I were to add another POV Character who would you want it to be?