Faery Kissed

chapter Four

I don’t know how I managed it, but I still ended up in the place she suggested. Either I’d become totally unobservant and walked in a circle, or she’d anticipated me wanting to contradict her and had told me the other way just to get me to come in this direction.

Whichever it was didn’t matter. Both situations made me even angrier.

I stomped over to where the blossomed branches of the ancient tree were parted and made my way inside and found a soft lounging bench complete with pillows. Flopping down, I rested my elbows on my knees and shoved my hands into my hair, cursing slightly.

What had I done? Better yet, what could I do to fix it? I wanted to call myself every stupid name I could think of. People always warned of messing with the Fae, but I didn’t want to listen. I was mesmerized by the tales of them—always wanting to know more. Even Fergus had warned me before I left on this adventure.

Fergus. It was the first time I’d thought of him or the rest of my family. I wondered if they were frantic with worry. Would they be out searching for me?

I snorted, doubting it. They were all probably passed out from the honey mead somewhere. Knowing my luck, they wouldn’t realize I was gone for another whole day.

Ceridwen—her name came easily to my mind and with it a wave of memories and feelings that twisted at my heart. I almost felt panicky, like a prisoner in a cage. The thought of never seeing her again was excruciating and made me long for escape. I wanted to run my fingers through her hair, and kiss her breathless as she clung to me. I couldn’t count the nights I’d lain awake, dreaming of the time I could finally make her mine and start our lives together. She was all I ever wanted.

I wondered if there was a way for me to leave this place. Eirian said it was impossible while I was bonded. I believed her, knowing she couldn’t lie about things like that. Was there a way to break a bond? I’d assumed, because of the magic, it was infinite. Was it? Or was Eirian withholding something from me?

I growled in frustration. Even if I could flee, what could I say to Ceridwen that could fix this? There was nothing. She’d hear my story and be repulsed—forever doubting my honor. I could only imagine how I’d feel if she came and told me something like this had happened to her. I would be devastated—unable to recover.

On second thought, maybe it was best if they all thought me missing. Wouldn’t it be better for Ceridwen to think I’d been carried off by some wild animal, or killed in an accident, than to find out her love had willingly bonded and lain with another?

I groaned. Thinking of Eirian brought a whole new set of problems. I might not know her very well, but there was an abundance of physical attraction there. I was fairly certain—given my current state of anger at the situation—that I’d been released from all enchantment, too. That wasn’t a good thing considering I could feel my body reacting to even the thought her.

What was it about her that seemed so familiar? Why did I loathe the idea of losing her as much as I did Ceridwen? It didn’t make any sense.

I lay back onto the bench, placing an arm over my eyes. Eirian’s image floated there, and I sighed, realizing I already knew every part of her, almost as well as I knew myself. I wanted to be angry, but if I was being truthful, there was a closeness I felt with her that I’d never experienced with anyone else. That troubled me. I didn’t want to be in love with someone who had tricked me.

Love? I almost choked and openly scoffed at the idea. There was no way I could ever fall in love with Eirian. Not after what she did. She betrayed my trust. I wasn’t sure how to learn to love someone like that. Things of that nature only happened in faerytales.

I laughed wryly at the irony. It seemed a faerytale was exactly what I was stuck in.

I got up and left the area under the tree, and walked to where the water from the river lapped the shore. I searched for a pebble, acquiring several, before I sat down in the tall grasses and began tossing them one by one into the shimmering surface. I could barely hear them hit the water though; the sound being drowned out by the waterfalls that tumbled down the rock faces farther down the canyon.

It was beautiful here; something my eyes had never dreamed of beholding. If I were ever able to go home, I would be sad to never see this place again. It was magical—part of a dream come true.

In all honesty, I wished I could share this place with my loved ones. My mother would be completely excited to know this existed. I don’t know what my father would think. His eyes used to light up when he told his tale of seeing the Fae in his youth; how he spied on them in the glen while they were dancing, unaware of his presence. But there was also a solemnity about him, as if such things should never be taken lightly. He never encouraged me to be frivolous in my thoughts concerning the Fae, nor did he build them up to be sought after. He just told his story and that was that.

I knew there were some people who didn’t want to believe him. They were determined to undermine the truth of his tale, but they couldn’t really refute him since he was known as one of the most honest and noble men in the area. He was too well respected. I wondered what advice he would give me about this situation.

Just considering that gave me the answer I needed. I sighed, part of me not wanting to acknowledge what he would say. I sat in silence, trying not to think about anything for a few moments while I came to terms with the new direction I would be heading.

I would be staying with Eirian and making the best of my current situation. Whether I’d been tricked or not, I was still responsible for the choices I had made. I’d chosen to seek out the Fae. I’d accepted her offer to dance, even knowing my heart was given to another. I’d kissed her, bonded with her, and consummated that bond. It was time to be the man my father had raised and accept my responsibilities in this new life and world I found myself. I would honor my family by being honorable.

It was the right choice, I knew, because even though it caused me heartache, peacefulness came upon making it. My heart still hurt over the idea of never seeing my family, or Fergus, and giving up Ceridwen completely. I felt awful knowing they would think I’d died some terrible death, and it would cause them all pain. I wished there was some way I could keep that from happening.

Maybe there was. I would ask Eirian if there was anything she could do for them—something to erase the hurt that my choice would cause.

As if thinking of her had conjured her up, she suddenly appeared down the shoreline from where I was. She wasn’t looking at me; instead, staring out into the water with a sorrowful expression. She was wearing a pale blue dress, and her hair was unbound in loose flowing waves. She paused at a tree near the water’s edge, leaning back against it as she stared wistfully out at the scene before her.

I was drawn toward her, feeling the need to apologize for my earlier outburst. She’d agreed to be honest, and I berated her because of it. There may have been some enchantment involved on her part, but I felt just as guilty. If we were going to have any kind of life together, I needed to try and fix things with her now.

Quietly, I rose and made my way toward her. I was sure she knew I was approaching, but she didn’t make any movement to acknowledge it. I continued until I was only a few feet from her, and she turned her head to stare at me softly with her big blue eyes.

“I love you,” she spoke.

It was all she said, but I was frozen to the spot, unable to look away from her dreamy gaze. We stayed that way for several long moments.

“Why?” I finally managed to choke out, and her lips curled ever-so-slightly into a smile.

“I’ve watched you for a long time. I fell in love with you long before I began setting the plan in motion to call you here.” Her eyes never left me, and I could see her emotions in the depths of them.

“How long have you watched me?” I swallowed, wondering what I’d ever done to capture the attention of a girl like her.

She sighed. “Since you were born.”

Wait. What? I was confused. “How is that possible?” I asked.

She smiled. “I’m much older than you are.”

I laughed. “Is that so? Because you look younger.” I’d wager she was around sixteen or seventeen summers.

“I’ve looked this way for the past two hundred years.”

“Two hundred years?” I couldn’t help my skeptical glance.

“Time works a little differently here than it does in your realm. It passes quicker for us, though we age in appearance much more slowly.”

I moved closer, not even trying to comprehend her remark. My glance traveled over her perfect form and back up to her beautiful face. “Well, time looks good on you then.” I turned away, looking out over the water. “Before you tell me anymore, I just want you to know I’m staying. I know you said I couldn’t leave Faery since we are bonded. You probably think there is no chance of me leaving, but I want to tell you that I’m choosing to stay—of my own free will this time.” I paused, searching her face. “It is of my own free will, right? You haven’t done any enchanting again?”

She looked happy as she shook her head in denial. “Your will is your own.”

There was a moment of silence between us as her reassurances sunk in.

“Then please, continue on with your story. Time moves differently in Faery,” I reminded her.

I couldn’t stop looking at her, suddenly feeling very content with my decision to stay. All I wanted to do was talk and get to know her better.

Experiencing a sudden urge, I swept her off her feet and carried her toward the hidden bench under the tree. She laughed in surprise and wrapped her arms around my neck. I caught a whiff of her sweet scent and my mouth watered. I swear I seriously had the urge to bite her, she smelled so good.

“Time moves differently in Faery, and that has allowed me to watch you grow from a child into the young man you are today,” she continued on.

“And that didn’t scare you off?” I chuckled as I ducked through the opening in the branches, and let her slide to her feet.

“Not at all. You were interesting. It was fun to watch you grow, and see what you would do. For whatever reason, I realized one day that I’d gone from being interested to caring for you, and that eventually grew into a longing. I knew the day would come when I was expected to take a mate, and I knew I wanted it to be you.”

“Why not mate with another Fae? You’re royalty here in this realm, are you not? Why would your people let you mate with a commoner like me?”

She shrugged, turning away and going to sit on the bench. “My people love humans. They encourage us to mate with them regularly. It’s actually beneficial to our bloodline.”

“Really? How come?” I leaned against the tree trunk, crossing my arms as I stared.

“The children that come from those relationships are much stronger than normal Fae children.”

“That’s interesting. I wonder why?”

“It has to do with the mixing of human and Fae blood during mating. I don’t know all the particulars, but I know it works.”

Something she’d said caught my attention and I couldn’t let it go. “Mixing of blood—what do you mean exactly? How is the blood mixed?”

She looked a little uncomfortable, and she glanced down, drawing with her finger on the padded bench. “I’ve consumed your blood before.” She glanced up, her face reddening slightly.

“That’s right. You’ve bitten me, I remember. It made me sleepy, but it was also very . . . it felt very good.”

“It’s supposed to. It’s binding us together even more. You’ve had my blood as well.”

Now I was confused. “I have?” I tried to remember ever biting her, but nothing came to mind.

“Yes. You probably don’t remember the first time since you were quite incoherent. It was also mixed in the drink I gave you this morning.”

Ah, the sweet tasting liquid I couldn’t get enough of. “That explains my craving, but why have me consume your blood?”

She really blushed this time. “It helps to prepare our bodies.”

“Prepare us for what?”

“For the final sealing of our union.”

I wasn’t grasping whatever it was she was trying to tell me. “Can you elaborate a little more?”

“It prepares me to receive you.”

I laughed. “I thought you already had.”

“No. I mean yes, we have done that, but this will help to ensure what you give me is not rejected by my body. It will recognize your contribution as part of its own.”

“My contribution?”

She stared at me while my mind scrambled to understand what she was saying. Finally the pieces clicked into place. “Oh. You want to have my baby.”