Night Enchanted

--Mature Content--

I waited at our normal spot, dressed again in my father’s old clothing, and carrying his arrow. Elwin appeared shortly after and stared at the arrow as I held it out to him.

“Are you angry with me?” he asked finally.

“No,” I whispered. “But it doesn’t change anything.”

“What do you mean? Your father still insists that you marry him?”

I shook my head, avoiding his eyes. “I will marry him, Elwin. My father… he needs the money.”

“So you’re going to live in misery because-”

“It will bring peace to my father,” I interrupted. I sighed. “Elwin, the goddesses may have marked soulmates for the elves, but I don’t believe they did so for us. I’ve only seen one happy couple and my mother died when I was a child.”

He was frowning at me. “You don’t believe that.”

I chuckled. “You sound like my father.” I looked up at the moon. “When I was a young girl, my father would tell me stories. They were all fairy tales and they all ended the same way: they lived happily ever after. I believed that my life could end that way. Until the other day,” I added in a whisper.

“Happily ever after sounds beautiful,” he whispered.

“Yes, it does. But such a thing does not exist.” I looked up at him and stepped back. He was very close to me. “Why are you looking at me like that?” I whispered.

“Show me your hand,” he breathed. His eyes were bright with excitement. I held out my right hand and he pressed his left hand to mine. “I…. Camilia…. I feel….”

“What?” I whispered, stepping closer. “What do you feel?”

“I don’t know how to put it in words you could understand,” he said quietly. “I don’t know the translation.”

“Then show me,” I said in a shaky voice.

His eyes flicked between mine. The world around us seemed to stand still. Even the trees had forgotten to sway with the wind. I waited, my heart beating rapidly in my chest. I wanted to make sure that what I felt and, what he felt, were the same things.

Finally he pressed his lips to mine. I froze for a brief moment. His lips were cold but soft. I laced my fingers with his as his other hand touched the small of my back. I kissed him back and a warm sensation spread from our clasped hands and down into my body.

When we broke away, his eyes met mine and he touched my cheek. I stared deeply into those pools of silver.

“Now I know,” he breathed.

“Know what?” I whispered.

He pulled me to him so our bodies were touching. “I know who the goddesses chose for me.”

I closed my eyes, a tear sliding down my cheek. “No, Elwin. We can’t.”

“Why not?” he asked, sounding hurt. “Is it because of your betrothed?” I nodded, not daring to look at him. “I know you felt it too, Camilia. You cannot hide that from me.”

“Elwin,” I breathed, finally looking to him, “my father told me today that contact is forbidden.”

He nodded. “I don’t care, though. Come with me,” he said suddenly.

“Where?”

“To my home,” he said. “To meet Elder Winterblade.”

I couldn’t stop my tears. “I would love nothing more, Elwin. But if Theodore were to find out….”

He kissed me again, holding me tightly. It was full of passion, a passion I thought I would never feel. I couldn’t help it. I kissed him back, standing on my toes and holding his face in my hands.

“Tomorrow night,” he breathed against my lips. “Come with me tomorrow night.”

“I will,” I said.

I could never say no to him. As he kissed me again, wrapping his arms around me, I didn’t see the person in the shadows.

—Theodore—

I gripped the sword on my hip, glaring at the scene in front of me. She was kissing that creature! No wonder she kept refusing my advances! She was getting them from this… this… demon!

Anger pulsed through my veins. I watched as they shared one last embrace before departing. The elf disappeared into the trees. I knew I wouldn’t be able to follow. Instead, I debated grabbing her and making her see that this is the way things would be.

I stopped myself, though. I knew that, somehow, Gerard had found out about the bruise I left on her. At first I thought she told him. Now that I knew this disgusting elf was spending the evenings with her, I suspected that’s who it was.

I tramped through the woods, a plan brewing in my mind.

—Camilia—

I hummed while I did my chores. I kept thinking about my night with Elwin: the way his lips felt against mine, how safe I felt wrapped in his arms. What we were doing was risky but I couldn’t resist what I felt. Perhaps I had found a happily ever after….

Someone knocked on the front door and I opened it. My smile disappeared.

“I am not fit for visiting today,” I said, trying to shut the door on Theodore. He stopped me, though, his eyes glinting. “My father is not home, either.”

“I know,” he said. He forced his way inside and closed the door behind him. I backed away, feeling uneasy. “Have you been enjoying the forest?” he whispered.

“I don’t know what you mean,” I lied. “Leave now. It is not proper for a man to be in a lady’s home without an escort.”

He smiled nastily at me and grabbed my upper arm roughly.

“That’s true,” he snapped. “But I am not in a lady’s home.” I blanched. “How long have you been seeing him?”

“Seeing who?”

He pushed me against the wall and I winced in pain. “The elf,” he snarled.

My stomach dropped and I stared in horror.

“I- I don’t know-”

“Spare me,” he snapped, squeezing my arm more and I whimpered in pain. “I could have you both killed, you know,” he said quietly.

I began to shake. “Please,” I whispered. “Just leave him alone.”

“On one condition,” he said darkly.

“I will marry you,” I said immediately.

He smirked and, to my horror, pushed me into my room. He slammed the door shut and locked it. I backed up into the corner, hugging myself. As he advanced, he took his shirt off.

“Oh, my dear,” he said in a silky voice. “You will marry me regardless.” Before I could run he pressed his body to mine. “I need a son and I will have one.”

He forced his lips on mine and I fought against him. He was too strong, though, and soon my dress was ripped off me.

“Please don’t,” I cried as he dropped his trousers.

“The bed,” he growled. “Now!”

“No,” I said, shaking and trying to cover my naked body. “This isn’t proper.”

“Do it or I’ll kill your beloved elf,” he growled.

I took a few steps towards my bed, crying. He groaned and pushed me onto it. I landed on my stomach and he flipped me over roughly. He mounted me, grinning down at me.

“Beg,” he said.

“What?”

“Beg me not to,” he breathed in my ear. I felt his erection on my thigh and knew what he was doing. When I remained silent, he slapped my breast and I whimpered in pain. “Do it!”

“P-please.”

“Please what?”

“Please don’t do this.”

He bit down on my shoulder roughly.

“Too late,” he snarled and pushed himself into me.

I cried out in pain and he laughed in my ear. Both of his hands held my hips tightly as I tried to get out from underneath him. The more I fought, the more pain he sent through me. It also seemed to give him added stamina. His thrusts became harder. I tried to scream for help but he clamped his hand over my mouth.

“Your father won’t be back for a long time,” he panted in my ear as he continued to ravage my body. “I made sure of that.”

I screamed into his hand as the pain ripped through me.

“Stop it,” he snarled. When I couldn’t stop crying, he slapped my stomach open handed. “I said stop.”

So it went for at least two hours until he had worn himself out. He climbed off of me, looking triumphant.

“You better pray you’re pregnant,” he snapped, getting dressed. “And if you tell anyone, you can expect worse than that.” He chuckled before leaving. “Not that they’d believe you anyway.”