A dilemma and a chance encounter

[Peredhil]

He had to prevent Mynx from throwing her life away on a commission that couldn't be fulfilled. Regardless of the cost to himself. It's what Dad would've wanted. With a resolute look, he spoke a
Word.

~~~~

Guido kept his mouth tightly shut as they strobed from world to world, universe to universe, Plane to Plane. They rarely paused longer than it took to kill anyone foolish enough to attack their sudden appearance. Elladan was colder than ice, completely focused on some elusive trace that only he could follow. Guido was just along for the ride, and a wild one it was.

Word. Word. Word. Word. Word.

On and on until the adrenaline wore off, fatigue set in, and Guido fell asleep at Elladan's feet, baggage on the mission. Peredhil would want his Bodyguards safe before Elladan was free to avenge him.

~~~~

Elrohir walked warily through the swamp, passing from hummock to hummock. Behind him on a leash was a sullen pale-faced teenaged human, with badly dyed black and green hair, wet up to his waist, and a practiced bored look on his face. He wasn't too bored to ensure he stepped precisely where the Elf stepped. He'd been careless at first, and Elrohir had not been gentle removing the giant leeches.

The ground sloped up and became an island. It was lumpy and uneven with tangled roots, and the footing very uncertain. In the center was the roots' source, an enormous oak. It was currently barren of leaves, but bore a strange twisted fruit - from every branch hung hangman's nooses of many sizes. Some were so weathered they were hanging by a thread, others were new.

The lad spoke his first word, eyes brightening in interest. "Coool."

~~~~

WordWordWord.

Guido woke suddenly to silence. They were in a huge heavily decorated chamber. The overwhelming first impression was of round shocked eyes. Slowly they resolved into golden-furred faces. Attached to furred lemur bodies. All surrounding Nuncio, who was sprawled on a couch being pampered. Combed, groomed, buffed, fed. Completely safe.

"Hey! I recognize deese guys," Guido blurted, "Da Boss and us was here!" In hindsight, he blamed having just woken. His words broke the frozen tableau, and there was a melodious swell of voices welcoming them, suddenly cut off.

"Youve. Been. Here. Safe. All. Along." Elladan spoke between gritted teeth, punctuating each word by blowing out window after window with magic. Suddenly the flames wreathing his hands extinguished and he stood tautly, fists clenched, face raised to the ceiling. The only sound was of Elladans grinding teeth and tendons popping with tension. He finally lowered his face, and everyone present found it necessary to look away.

Speaking to the Giant Guinea Pigs, he uttered two words.

"Stay."
WORD.

~~~~

Out from the hollows at the root of the oak tree crawled an old woman as gnarled and twisted as the roots. She leaned heavily on a short trimmed branch. Bright blue eyes peered up through a fringe of dirty lank bone-white hair, gleaming in malice.

"Greetings Elrohir Demonbane. I have long expected your twin, but this is a rare treat." A pale dry tongue traced the thin lips lasciviously as she looked at the boy. "You come prepared to bargain. Is he worthy of the Tree?"

"He killed his father and mother. They were paying more attention to his autistic sister than himself, and he was bored."

"Yes. Worthy indeed, if true. Not all bargain in faith." She turned to the boy and addressed him directly. "Did you kill your parents?"

"They were lame. Always fussing over the dummy. Selfish bitch." He was obviously bored again, eyes empty once more.

She turned back to Elrohir and nodded once. "The price is acceptable and non-refundable. Ask your Boon." She waved a hand dismissively at the boy and with a *pop* he was gone. A new noose appeared on the tree.

Elrohir looked pale and ill, but his voice was steady as he spoke to the hag. "I need the loan of the Mournblade until I have avenged my father."

Her maniacal cackle started a murder of crows from the surrounding trees of the swamp. "Denied! fool! Your father yet lives for now. Youll need another payment if you return." Still laughing, she crawled back into her hole, leaving Elrohir to stare at the new noose on the tree in horror.

~~~~

Peredhil determinedly rebuilt his barriers again. He had faced his inner demons and survived, but it had been expensive to his Self. He was able to view the memories of his failed relationship clearly, accept the failures that were hers, but recognize that he had not been alone in tragedy. He had been assigned by Gil-Galad to lead the group that had hunted down the last of the Balrogs of Morgoth. It was the guards whod failed his wife, not him. Hed done all he could to heal her, but shed rejected him and all his efforts to comfort her. Shed given him all the blame and hed taken it all. He was clear now, but weakened, and still captive. If he were to die now, his guilt was expunged.

Whatever had taken him wanted his power. He had always been very careful to lay the threads in the Un between all realities, bound to existence only by his life. He would hold onto his life as long as he could resist, then end it voluntarily, denying the captor any victory. He had a feeling it wouldnt be long until he reached that limit.

[Peredhil]

Elrohir spoke without looking as Elladan came into the Vault.

 

"The Crone at the Hanging Tree said he's alive at the moment." He heard his twin stagger in his steps, but carefully didn't turn. "I've hired that mercenary Planeswalker, Mynx, from the Pen Keep, to try to sneak him out. We should be ready in case she gets him to where we can snag them." He held out a piece of cellophane tape with a few orange hairs sticking to it.

 

Elladan accepted it and asked, "Price?"

 

"a Great Favor, to be redeemed in the future. If I die, take it."

 

"Yes."

 

Elrohir continued defusing the Wards protecting his section. Elladan started on his. No further words were spoken. They stripped down and began outfitting themselves from the skin out, layers of magic alternating with technology.

When both were done, they took turns jumping up and down, and using black electrical tape to silent any sounds.

 

Elladan carefully field-stripped, cleaned, and oiled a bulky rifle with a long thick barrel. Reassembling it, he did a careful function check, then inserted an extremely heavy metal ball into the stock, and a power-pack into the butt. Finally, he cycled the power on, let it whine up to full, checked the charge meter, then powered it down. Removing the power-pack, he repeated the process with three others, rejecting one to replace it with a fourth.

 

Elrohir had taken a heavily warded case, long and narrow, and opened it to reveal the pieces of a compound bow, made of some melding of heavily laminated thin pieces of nearly translucent horn interleaved with rune-inscribed mithral. The pulleys were also of the silvery metal, but the wires and string were heavy braided blond hair. Opening a secret compartment in the case's interior, he removed scarlett gauntlets, thin as rice paper, shaped from a finely scaled hide. An aura of actinic power played about the gauntlets once he pulled the second on, then absorbed into the hide.

 

He inspected each piece of the bow, then assembled it carefully, slotting and locking each piece, then double-checking before moving to the next. He strung the wires, and used a small metal tool to tighten them to the presets marked on each wire with a Sharpie™. Finally, muscles straining, and lights playing around the gauntlets, he strung the bow. Placing it carefully into a wall-rack, he pulled out a jeweler's loupe to enhance his vision, and began inspecting arrows, rejecting arrow after arrow until he had a rack quiver of fifty.

 

Both ate lembas thoughtfully, washing them down with high-electrolyte water, and used the loo for the last time.

 

Finally, they went to a crystal cabinet, and took turns leaning to place an eye in front of a large ruby, while murmuring a quiet phrase into a pinhead microphone. With a hiss of escaping gasses, the cabinet cracked and they carefully opened it further. It wasn't large, just big enough to hold two rings, one with a large ruby, one with a large white diamond, a sheathed long sword, and a small folded pile of grayish fabric.

 

Ceremonially, they each took a gray cloak, and garbed the other, Elladan first, then Elrohir. With the hoods down, the cloaks just brushed the stone floor, shimmering slightly and baffling the eye. They were careful not to touch the sword or the rings. Closing the cabinet, they reversed the opening process, and each took a turn shaking the lid, ensuring it was closed and locked.

 

Elladan took his rail-gun, Elrohir his bow. The sons of Peredhil were ready to go to war.

 

With three silent nods to coordinate, they both spoke a

 

Word.

Edited June 18, 2014 by Peredhil
bows can't be both recurve and compound...

[Peredhil]

They crept forward across the broken terrain, moving slowly; motion attracts the eye. The aerial patrols were overhead when they stopped. Poor tactics on the enemy part - they were regular as clockwork. They both practiced sighting targets, one after another, working from the outside in.

 

Hoods up, magical senses extended, they settled into a relaxed watchfulness for any indication of Mynx.

[Mynx]

There was so much magic in the air that Mynx felt almost constantly on the verge of a sneeze, a fact which seemed ironic given her constant exposure to the element. The entire mountain was a power trap, a veritable hub of traps, stolen Talents, and raw elemental energy that she quickly associated with the volcano at the heart of the mountain. It did help her with her shadow-hopping though, and Mynx wasn't one to neglect such a boon even if it did come from the enemy.

 

Her awareness of the shadowed maze had only grown sharper now that she was inside the mountain, and along with it came a sense of different qualities among the shadows. Mynx had puzzled about this for some time as she crept carefully through the halls, only beginning to understand what she was sensing when she paid attention to the crystals growing from the walls. They were the primary source of light - and thus, shadows - and glowed in different shades of red and orange. Some quick experimentation soon showed the feline that the shadows cast by one coloured crystal would limit her to only those shadows; red to red, orange to orange.

 

It was disorienting enough stepping through these links without having her destination within her line of sight, but Mynx had plenty of time to practice as she avoided the patrols of guards. Everything from lumbering ogres and trolls to men covered in full, white body armour and carrying rifles, all of them alert for any sign of infiltration. And then there were the magical traps, elegant and powerful but oddly limited at the same time. Whoever designed these things must not have much of a nose, Mynx decided, her own wrinkling at the smell of one such trap.

 

Once she knew what to look for, it was almost easy to avoid them, but it was beginning to tire her to keep track of everything. The guards, the shadows, the traps, her quarry. She'd already lost track of how many hours she'd been inside the mountain, and knew she'd only get sloppy as time went on. Time to regroup and reconsider.

 

Time to call in a favour.

 

Mynx had mixed feelings about it, and about the potential price she'd have to pay, but practicality won out. This might not be the only way to bypass all of the obstacles, but Havens knew it was one of the better ones right now. Finding the darkest and least patrolled nook she could, the feline closed her eyes and Reached.

 

She felt the shadows shift around her, embracing her for a moment before they coalesced and took form before the feline, growing into an impossible tall, impossibly thin, impossibly faceless figure.

 

Lady-Cat! The entity positively purred. What a delight to see you again.

 

"Mmm," Mynx said noncommittally. Her response evidently amused the entity, its shadows rippling in silent laughter as it swirled around her.

 

To what do I owe the pleasure? Something new you would like to forget?

 

"I'm quite happy with my recollection of things at the moment, thank you," the feline said shortly, but respectfully. "I actually wanted to request your help."

 

Oh? The entity stilled before Mynx again, faceless head tilting quizzically. My. This is an interesting place you've found.

 

"Believe me, I can think of better places to vacation," Mynx's dry answer earned her another silent ripple of laughter. "I've been commissioned to rescue someone being held captive here; a Half-Elf."

 

A Half-Elf? The entity's soundless voice grew wistful, and Mynx's expression hardened.

 

"Off limits," she told it sternly. "I'm not asking you to help me save him only for you to snack on him."

 

The shadows rippled again, but this time in disgruntlement. What would you offer, then? This is a dangerous place to be, Lady-Cat. Maybe even too dangerous for me.

 

"You will endure as long as there is darkness," Mynx countered with a smirk, recognizing banter rather than genuine reluctance to assist. The chuckle that answered her this time was almost audible.

 

I have missed you, Lady-Cat. What do you propose?

 

"Help me find and free my quarry, possibly other prisoners if available."

 

And your payment?

 

Mynx grinned. "Hell, I don't give a lick for anyone else in this pit. Once the objectives are met, you can feast on everyone in here that isn't a prisoner."

 

The entity positively vibrated excitedly, dancing into Mynx's robe and nuzzling her beneath the hood.

 

Agreed!

 

"Good," Mynx smiled a predator's smile. "See what you can find, then."

 

The entity nodded against her head, before the shadows lost their solidity and melted away, leaving the feline alone once more.

[Peredhil]

In Its massive throne room a BEING stirred. Something... wrong? Unusual? A stirring of forces outside the Pattern? Its attention began to focus for a moment...

Then It forgot why.

 

Still uneasy, It ran a rippling check on the Boundaries but they were unbroken, with no signs of tampering. One of the prisoners? Had It left a vulnerability? It had fed on deities' power, but been unable to take their abilities. It still was limited in Its defenses to what It could imagine an attacker could do.

 

It doubled the strength and frequency of the patrols, and sent three of the Brain-Locked Planeswalkers into the Prison to inspect Its security. Having a blind spot in Its own fortress had made It uneasy from the start, but that had been necessary for the capture, and either Brain-Locking, or stripping and destroying of Its victims.

 

If necessary, it would reabsorb the prison and trigger the Purge. It had had to start over collecting life three times already, but each time It had been more powerful for the destruction.

[Mynx]

If she paid attention to the actual passage of time, Mynx suspected it wasn't all that long before she heard from the entity again. When every step had to be carefully calculated to not trigger anything, though, time had a habit of stretching far longer than she liked. Nevertheless, after somewhere between fifteen minutes and five hours had passed (depending on who you asked), the shadows solidified behind Mynx once more.

 

I believe I have found your quarry, Lady-Cat.

 

"Good." Mynx said, before reconsidering. "Well, I hope so. Still alive?"

 

Alive, but not well. The shadows lost some of their solidity for a moment, the entity either thinking or disgruntled. There are formidable barriers to the prison cells that even I could not bypass.

 

Mynx swore under her breath. "That's never good. What else can you tell me?"

 

The prison has capacity for seven, if each cell houses only one. Currently, I can detect four lives that are not serving this place.

 

Three prisoners besides Peredhil, Mynx translated for herself. And others in the cells with them. "Anything noteworthy?"

 

Even you might have trouble with some of the magical barriers in place, Lady-Cat. I would advise caution.

 

"Since when do you care if I'm being cautious?"

 

The entity's head tilted, a black slash crawling across the blank face in a truly disturbing facsimile of a smile. It would be a shame if the world were to lose someone as interesting as you, Lady-Cat. You have brought me some of my most delicious meals, after all.

 

That's what being interesting did for you, Mynx supposed. It earned you far too much attention, but sometimes it could help... "I guess that means you're happy to take a more active hand in helping me?"

 

I will use my discretion, Lady-Cat.

 

Deciding not to push her luck, Mynx nodded. "Alright, then. Can you lead me to the prison?"

 

Of course.

 

 

[Mynx]

An hour later, Mynx skulked in a side corridor just outside the entrance to the prison chamber, grimly ignoring the dread she felt as she considered the large, ornate door that blocked her path. Nestled around her and providing part of the shadows currently camouflaging her, the entity trilled voiceless in agreement.

 

It is most elegant. I can sense the lives beyond it, but crossing it...

 

Mynx flicked her tail. "Did you try following someone when they entered?"

 

I did. There is a barrier that prevents many things. You might be able to walk through it, though I could not speak for this marvelous robe of yours. And I would be stuck out here, which would be a shame.

 

"You'll get your meal in good time," the feline said distractedly, before stilling as a patrol approached. She watched carefully as the half-dozen Minotaurs waited for the double doors to open and marched inside, senses straining for any kind of clue. A glimpse of darkness at the other end of the hall caught her attention, and she brightened hopefully when she saw a storage closet, the door not completely shut. It was barely in view, and a long shot, but-

 

"Help me out here, Shadows," she murmured, not waiting for the entity to reply before she stepped back into her robe.

 

For a long, protracted moment she didn't think it was going to work. The barrier was powerful, the shadows had barely been in sight to begin with, and she'd rushed the attempt before the doors closed. But then the entity had wrapped more tightly around her, constricting dangerously for a moment as if it were considering reneging on their agreement, before pulling her the rest of the way.

 

Mynx clapped her paws over her mouth to keep from gasping at the shock as they reappeared in the closet, a cold, slimy quality to the entity's touch triggering an unconscious revulsion that had had her shuddering. The entity didn't say anything, only waiting for her to regain herself as it stroked her robe fondly.

 

Such a marvelous robe. It purred.

 

Nguh. Swallowing, Mynx gave herself another moment before taking stock of where they were. The storage closet wasn't much, but it was inside the barrier, and entering the way she had had evidently preserved her magic. Putting her eye to the crack in the door, the feline studied what she could see. The central cell was almost directly in front of her, and next to each of the walls she could see was another cell.

 

One off each side, the entity provided. One atop and below, as well, like a cube. Your Half-Elf is in the central cell.

 

Mynx nodded, eyes caught by yet another feature. There were potted plants placed on each corner of the cell; squat things with broad leaves and each with a single orchard-like flower. She was still puzzling this out when the door to the central cell opened, and a white-robed figure exited, flanked by the Minotaurs. As one, the flowers turned towards the figures and followed them until they left through the main doors. Deciding that this might be the Elfbane Elrohir had talked about, Mynx flicked her tail again thoughtfully. I'm probably going to have to get rid of those somehow if I'm to get Peredhil out of there.

 

But first, a distraction.

 

"It might help us to free the other prisoners first," she suggested to the entity in a nearly-voiceless whisper.

 

The entity chuckled, and slowly darkness began to bleed out from the closet. Trusting it to know when the coast was clear, Mynx slunk after it and followed the entity into the first cell.

 

The first prisoner was a woman encased in a globe of fire who, after Mynx and the entity had managed to choke out enough of the flames with their collective shadows, proved to be an air and water elementalist in dire need of a drink. She was dazed when they reached her, and at first suspicious that the feline was a trick or hallucination, but she warmed to Mynx after being given a full waterbag.

 

"I can take care of those plants," she'd assured Mynx after getting a quick explanation of what the feline was doing there, and with that they parted ways.

 

The second prisoner appeared to be some sort of cyclops, although the empty sockets where eyes would normally be suggested a more magical nature to his sole eye than simple genetics. His sphere was made entirely of power, and he only stood there and glowered at Mynx unhelpfully as she tried to make sense of it. It took her nearly twice as long to free him, using a spelled blade from her shadows that had an otherwise-annoying habit of draining her own magic if she used it for too long. The cyclops didn't say a word, but neither did he attack when he was able to exit the orb, and when Mynx commented that she could use a distraction as thanks for her deed he gave her a short nod.

 

The third prisoner caught the entity's attention, and it seemed torn between mantling defensively and dancing around the golden, statuesque figure that appeared to have no restraints holding it in place. A cousin!

 

"You know this one?" Mynx asked.

 

I recognize the traits of power, Lady-Cat. The entity said nothing more, apparently fascinated by the figure, only to retreat quickly behind Mynx when it stirred and made for the now-open door.

 

Apparently, its trap had only been in undoing the lock on the door's exterior.

 

Deciding she'd caused more than enough trouble short of actually saving the one she'd come there for, Mynx crept over to the central cell and peeked in through the window.

[Mynx]

It was the first cell to have people inside it besides the prisoner, and Mynx blinked slowly at what she found.

 

Peredhil - or at least, a man she was assuming to be him - was strapped to a raised slab in the middle of the room. Like the other prisoners, he was naked and completely shaved, which only served to emphasize how emaciated he was. Unlike the other prisoners, however, he had a hood secured about his head with a collar that kept his identity a guessing game for the time being. Wires ran from the hood, connected to large machines set around the room that were covered with lights, dials, and levers and being manned by other white-robed figures.

 

Seated on a stool beside his head was something that looked as though it had come from the toad family, and perhaps mated with a giant squid. It was the size of a bull, its four legs ending in many tentacles that were also connected to the hood, and grafted to its back were a handful of severed heads frozen in various expressions of loathing, despair, and madness. Remembering Peredhil's empathy, Mynx could only guess at what the machine and toad-creature were doing to him, though the expressions on the heads were a fair indication.

 

There was no way to sneak into the room without being noticed, but Mynx had set enough balls rolling at this point that she knew subtlety had reached the end of its usefulness in this situation. And true to her word, the elementalist had removed the plants somehow. Mynx looked at the entity. "What do you think?"

 

Hungry... It keened a little, making the feline grin.

 

"Care to go in and distract them before I join the party, then?" She cocked an ear, able to hear the makings of chaos she hoped was being caused on her behalf. The entity trilled again, and when Mynx opened the door a crack it dived inside.

 

The speed with which it functioned was downright alarming. In a matter of seconds, before any of the robed figures could turn from the devices they were operating, it had taken form in the room and extended its shadows towards them, nearly-solid tendrils of darkness reaching out and wrapping around the heads of all except the toad-creature and prisoner. As one, they stiffened for a moment, before going lax under the entity's touch as it began to feed.

 

Slipping into the room and closing the door, Mynx took out a sword and lunged for the toad-creature. It started to retreat its tentacles at the sight of her, but not before the feline managed to drive her blade into its skull. The creature screamed and began to thrash, freeing itself from the hood and lashing out at Mynx with its fore-tentacles while the rear ones wrapped around its head protectively. The heads on its back turned towards the feline, and she felt the air growing thick with a tumult of negative emotions that gave even her pause for a second while the machines began to beep and screech.

 

Leaping free, Mynx dodged away from the creature and began to rip the wires from the hood, cutting the stubborn ones with her sword and the other bindings she could see as she worked on tearing the mask from the man's face. It was Peredhil, though she barely recognized him with his sunken cheeks and shaved head. He groaned and stirred weakly, but the feline was already dancing away again to try another assault on the toad. It was a tough old thing, but not the worst foe she'd had before, and with all of her focus on it Mynx was reasonably sure she'd have the upper paw before too long.

 

Then something exploded behind her, and the last thing she remembered was an enormous, immutable force swinging into her side with enough power to shatter bones as it send her flying into the wall.

[Peredhil]

She blacked out for just a moment. Which meant she watched helplessly through a haze of blood as things seemed to go into slow motion. From her new vantage near the floor, she couldn't see the toad over the machine, but she could see the metal automaton holding an ancient rune-encrusted stone axe, currently matted with her blood and fur, as it advanced slowly toward her. A crystal plate set into its "face" blinked in the same patterns as the machine was flashing.

 

She tried to move, and bent around her side, coughing blood and feeling a "wheeze" against the arm pressing against her side. Sucking chest wound. She needed to move, to attack. The contract wasn't complete. Black dots danced a slow waltz around the center of her vision as she willed her paw to tighten on her sword.

 

The automaton ignored the scream of metal behind it as the metal of the door showed hands pushing into it, like hands into water. When the door was ripped completely out of the frame, the flashing of lights in its face changed and it turned around to face the Cyclops. The short figure looked past it at Mynx as it caught the axe in its down-swing and held it motionless.

 

"This pays for my release," he said, ripping the arm off. Unable to repress a bubble of humor at how ridiculous it was to bargain at the moment, she weakly flapped a paw to indicate her consent. Catching the other arm in a swing, it threw the automaton across the room into the main banks of the Machine, which began flashing wildly in yellow and red. With a small wave at Mynx and a wink? (With only one eye, could he wink?) He turned and strode toward the Prison's entrance, walking around the figure of the golden man, now reunited with his staff, striding toward the mayhem. The golden head with its three faces, one masked, the opposite partially masked, and one uncovered, floated inches above the torso. A great glowing blue gem was set into the metallic skin, lighting the room as he stood in the doorway.

 

It raised the staff, and she gently floated off the floor and toward him. She could see the toad gripping its platform with all four tentacled legs as it was ripped free from the support structure to float toward him. Still dangling wires that pierced his shaven skull, Peredhil floated in the same direction.

 

The entity, its back to the door, straightened and all its darkness streaked back to join it as it slid under Mynx's body and tried to hide. The released bodies of its victims lay unmoving on the floor, abandoned. Inexorably, the entity was pulled out next to Mynx, coiling into a clot of darkness that hurt the eye.

 

Cousin? Let's not be hasty...

 

The staff thumped onto the floor, and they all halted a few feet from the waiting figure.

 

I have been pulled from my duties. I must render judgment before I return.

Each face briefly rotated to the front, then the bare face spoke again.

 

The Tribunal has judged. You were summoned. Cousin. You have kept faith. No justice is necessary.

 

You are a mercenary. The accountability is to your contract holder. You will be untouched by the Tribunal. It is reckoned to the account that you freed us.

 

You are a prisoner, as were we. Your threads are bound to the mercenary's. We will allow her to continue and what might be will be. You must waken to choose.

 

The wires writhed out of Peredhil's skull, and fell with a tinkle to the floor. The collar flowed as if it were water, off his neck, across the room and into the staff. Peredhil's eyes began to flutter, and he resumed his quiet moans.

 

You are an abomination, and your master has invested heavily in your creation. It is accountable for the inconvenience of our capture. We will remove you and the three Mind-Locked Planeswalkers entering the prison. We will remove the prison that it may not capture another, after a delay of 603 heartbeats, that choice may be made. We will then return to our duty.

 

The toad turned into dark hues of light and flowed into the staff. From behind the Tribunal, three streaks of light circled it and were also absorbed.

 

One.

[Peredhil]

Peredhil tried to shake away the annoying voice, which thundered an incrementing count every few seconds into his headache. He focused into time to see the demon absorbed, and feel the utter relief the absence of its horror made in his emotions. He was weaker than he'd been in millennia, close to death, unable to pull power from the environment and quite unwilling to take any from the others present.

 

His sons and bodyguards were either dead or their awareness had been stolen. He felt a slow swelling of anger that eased his awareness of his pain. In the clarity it brought, he became aware of the entity, who observed him quite curiously. He had a feeling it would have offered to share popcorn with the Tribunal if it had any, such was its amused fascination. It was splitting its attention between himself, and someone else. Lifting his head and rolling it to the side, he realized that he was floating unsupported in the air, and off to his left, also floating, was a very wounded Mynx from the Pen Keep! As soon as he became aware of her, her pain washed over his raw lacerated Senses, followed by a wave of determination from the tigress. Blinking slowly, he realized he was the focus of her intent and gaze. He managed a weak (ghastly to behold and so fragile) smile to reassure her.

 

She didn't seem reassured.

 

"I've been hired to rescue you, P'. Wait for a moment and I'll catch my breath."

 

Her brave words were belied by the frothing blood at her side with each labored breath, and the steady patter of blood dripping from her coat. Another wave of pain assaulted him as she tried to shift her body, and he winced in sympathy as a few splinters of bone fell from her side. Shattered ribs, undoubtedly.

 

She was going to kill herself trying to rescue him. That thought was... unacceptable. It would be rude to allow that. He had to help her. Even if it killed him. He was old, she had many years to live. Ruthlessly using those and other thoughts to spur himself, he managed to swing his feet to the side and slip off whatever force had held him. It was reassuringly solid to his desperately clutching hands as his weakened legs collapsed and he tried to slide TOO far.

 

He wished that lunatic would count silently.

 

With a grimace of determination, he pushed off and moved/fell toward where she floated. He managed to clutch her invisible platform without clutching her - he'd been very afraid he'd either pull (or push) her to the floor, or just put his hand through the enormous gash in her side. He kept his face impassive when he realized he could see part of her spine. How the jalapenos was she alive, better yet conscious?! She was more stubborn than... than... well, than him, to be honest.

 

(Behind him, the entity leaned forward. If it had remembered to breathe, it would've held its breath in anticipation. This was fun! Obviously one would die, and its money was on the Lady-Cat. There was no way she'd let the Elf give his life to her - he was the contract. It wished the Tribunal was the type to bet, but the Tribunal could see into the futures, which meant it was absolutely boring in that respect.)

 

He'd been a healer for much too long to have illusions. He could save her, but it would take all he had left. If he wasn't cut off from all power, this would be a mere inconvenience. How ironic it should be like this after all these years.

 

Bracing himself on one hand, he put the other into her wound and Opened himself. He would have to hope that he had enough power left that the shock of matching her aura and life force wouldn't kill them both. If it didn't, he'd match and Resonate, then heal.

 

He focused and flowed into her, and almost out her other side. There was no resistance, no disharmony. They were a perfect match at the deepest levels, an indicator not that they were identical, but that they matched, they resonated, as one harmonic. Gleefully, for his life would not be wasted, he poured himself into her.

 

As she poured HERSELF into HIM. "Damnation woman, let me save you!" he thought at her furiously, unaware that with a slight change of gender, she was thinking the same thing. Fortunately, neither one was a mind-reader, and both were tenacious beyond all reason, and together they had almost enough for the Healing. Almost. He gently disengaged and started to let the blackness take him.

 

SIX HUNDRED THREE. The Tribunal was gone, and with it it took all magical barriers and constraints. The Prison was broken. A number of things happened simultaneously. Elladan and Elrohir suddenly felt their life-bonds with Peredhil snap back into place - and began killing guards as they charged the Volcano. The Captor became aware of an unfettered Power where once it had a giant blind spot in its volcano, and lashed at it.

 

And Peredhil's Threads came back. Just a few short of a million Threads, each to a power great or small, always held latent in the Un that separates universes and Planes, flared into life as the strike hit and parted around him, brushing Mynx.

 

Mynx screamed. Peredhil screamed with her, still bonded deeply. Something had HURT HIS LOVE. Pulling Power with both hands, including a thread to this Volcano placed eons ago during his travels, he blew the Captor several Planes away.

 

When his sons arrived, he was stroking Mynx's hair and ears tenderly, with a look of wonder on his face.

 

"Hullo 'Dan, Hullo 'Ro. Forgive me for not standing, but my wife is recovering, and I want to be the first to tell her when she wakes."

 

Their expressions were priceless, and he began to laugh helplessly.

[Peredhil]

The twins drew a deep breath, then began together with a "WHAT?!" before devolving into a confused babble of questions. Peredhil used the time to catch his breath. In his arms, Mynx yawned, turned and snuggled into him, and began a slight buzz too light to be named a snore. Peredhil held up a finger and commanded silence. They trailed off with a muttered "what about Mom?" from 'Ro and a practical "does she know?" from 'Dan.

 

"When I thought you dead and me dying, I came to peace with your mother, and myself. No, she doesn't know yet. Really, if she has some sort of ceremonies we're just mated I suppose. But, in the manner of our kind, we shared essences more deeply than I'd ever imagined, and I can only assume this feeling is being "in love". I'm not going to be rude; I'll try to woo her and hope she accepts the idea, however, as far as I'm concerned, I'm married to her. I hope she doesn't mind."

 

Both sons hid their faces in their hands at that, an epic double-twin-double-hand facepalm.

 

This entire world is about to slip. The entity said. A shame, but I have fed well. Of course, if any of you are burdened by memories I would be all too happy to assist.

 

The twins spun to face the entity, swords drawn, but halted at a sharp word from Peredhil.

 

"This is a friend of Mynx, I believe," he explained, then addressed the entity, "We're safe for a few more minutes. I asked the Volcano not to implode for a bit, and it agreed. Aren't you the quintessential incarnation of a concept, like Eternity, Death, or Coyote? Odd to find you here. May I help you find your way?"

 

The Lady-Cat leads an interesting life.

 

"Really! So you know her well. Wonderful, if you have a moment, I'd love to hear more about her past. I've developed a sudden fascination."

 

I would be willing to spend your remaining 119 seconds here telling you part of what I know if you let me have your memories before you die?

 

"No, we have a deal," Came a purred sleepy voice. Mynx yawned, blinked, and stiffened at the feel of a hand stroking her hair.

[Mynx]

Slowly, the feline sat up, expression utterly blank as she took stock of the situation. She was no longer dying, so that was nice, although her body still ached with the aftermath of the attack. Next time she saw anyone wielding a hammer bigger than she was, Mynx planned to run.

 

She was relieved to see that Peredhil had survived, and appeared about as well as anyone could after what he'd been through. Elrohir and (she assumed) Elladan were here, too, which meant she didn't need to worry about getting back to them. Granted, they were both looking at her with alarmed expressions that confused her, but maybe that was just a comment on how impossible they'd thought the task.

 

Groaning as a headache spiked, Mynx buried her face in her paws and tried to remember what had happened between the hammer and waking up outside. She vaguely recalled trying to Heal Peredhil while he'd stubbornly resisted, but beyond that... "Tell me you didn't feed from me without asking first," she addressed the entity.

 

And go against our agreement? Lady-Cat, you wound me. The entity shifted closer and extended a tendril to stroke Mynx's side, giving Peredhil another of its alarming smiles when the Half-Elf frowned at it.

 

"You can't blame me for being susp- ack!" Mynx wheezed as Peredhil's arms tightened around her in response to the entity's touch.

 

"Leave her alone," he told the shadows sternly. The entity laughed.

 

My, this one has almost as much fight as you, Lady-Cat. No wonder...

 

"No wonder what?"

 

The entity cocked its head, still smiling. I believe this is a matter my cousin would describe as being not my place. Goodbye for now, Lady-Cat. I look forward to our next meeting.

 

Shaking her head carefully as the shadows dissipated, Mynx's fur bristled at the stares she was still receiving from all three Half-Elves. Sitting in Peredhil's arms wasn't helping her confusion any, either, however comfortable it might have been in that moment. Havens, she must be tired.

 

"Right. Well. I'm going to leave you three to it, I think." Gritting her teeth Mynx started trying to get up. "Take care. I'll send you the bill, Pointy-Ears." At last succeeding in breaking free of Peredhil's hold, the feline lurched to her hind-paws. And promptly collapsed.

 

At the same time, Peredhil slumped over as if knocked unconscious, and the volcano let out a warning rumble.

 

[Peredhil]

Elrohir knelt by his father's side in concern.

 

Elladan brandished his sword at Mynx, instead, and demanded, "What have you done to him!"

 

Mynx rolled her eyes and snarled weakly.

 

Propped on Elrohir's knee, Peredhil admonished 'Dan gently.

 

"It's a temporary side-effect. We're currently sharing one life force; we were both wounded rather badly, and neither one of us was willing to let the other die. 'Ro, if you'd move my hand to her paw? Thank you. I currently have an abundance of Power, which is a very different matter. If no one minds, shall we continue this somewhere else?"

 

Mynx rolled her eyes at Peredhil, but kept her thought to herself: "If no one minds - and he is actually taking a vote." The heat was starting to mount, the Volcano obviously straining NOT to erupt, and he was worried about interrupting a family moment. She carefully didn't think about the whole life-force issue.

 

As soon has his hand touched her, he lithely rose and offered her a hand up. She politely bared her teeth in what could reasonably be called a smile, and accepted. Once he was certain she was steady, he raised his left hand and a blue star began to shine through it.

 

Squinting against the light, she heard him delay again.

 

"Elladan. Elrohir. Are those the LOTHLORIEN CLOAKS? I thought I'd made it quite clear how I felt about those."

 

"DAD! VOLCANO!"

 

"I CAN EXPLAIN!"

 

She soooo wished she could see Pointy-Ears' expression right now...

 

"You will." Funny, she'd never thought of Peredhil as menacing before. Not that he raised his voice. Actually, he dropped to a flat whisper. A hint of disappointment? She was still giggling at the thought of them being grounded at the age of Improbably Ancient when Peredhil spoke a firm

 

WORD!

[Peredhil]

It was a day for surprises, Elrohir mused. Dad finally let go of Mom. Dad ends up accidentally marrying his mercenary trying to unselfishly (not the surprise) save her life.

Dad is able to Portal straight into the Vault without having to go on a multi-Planar scavenger hunt for all the Keys first. Which might be the worst. He was looking either to have more time to arrange a story with his brother, or, in the best of all worlds, die before having to explain.

 

Elladan was slightly in shock. Dad CHEATED. He had a way into the Vault directly. Dad CHEATED?! When they'd set up the Vault they'd made certain there could be no direct route. He'd worked out the randomizing math for the Keys and been so pleased when he found it. CHEATED. Of course, he had an entire universal intelligence to help him, and he was Portal-savvy enough to have noticed that it had been the first step through, but still.

CHEATED. Peredhil the Polite. He shook his head in disbelief. Of course, Dad would probably be cranky about the cloaks, but as long as he didn't kill them to make his point, the rest could be survived.

CHEATED.

 

Mynx had always tended to travel lightly, keeping enough to meet her needs and little more. However, confronted with the enormity of the Vault, she did grip Peredhil's hand more tightly. Near the door were large dumpsters containing coins of various precious metals and materials. Beyond that were crystal caverns of artifacts. It was the hoarder's dream of three bored Elves over ten thousand years. A dragon would probably orgasm just at the sight.

 

"Elladan found this solitary moon orbiting around a rogue dwarf - it's currently between galaxies, which make the math tricky. He and Elrohir hollowed it and imported the atmosphere and the best of our collections and gave it to me as a present. If you see something you'd like, just ask.

 

I need to discuss a small matter of ownership and manners with my sons..."

[Mynx]

Mynx blinked slowly, trying to make sense of both where they were and the offer made to her.

 

"I've already agreed on my fee with Poi- with Elrohir," she said distractedly, before looking at Peredhil. "Um. Do you want me to go sit down somewhere and give you three some privacy? Last I checked we..." She gestured at their clasped hand and paw.

[Peredhil]

Peredhil's eyes widened and he looked down at their clasped hand and paw. He'd completely forgotten.

 

"Oh. Yes. that's right. Sons, I'll have this conversation with you. Later. You should put those cloaks away." Mynx managed to keep a straight face as she watched the flee. "May I show you around, or would you rather sit? I... um... I have something I should discuss with you."

 

Mynx smiled weakly. "If this is about me getting you out of that place - well, causing enough trouble that we were able to get out together, I suppose - then there's nothing to discuss." She glanced around to make sure Elrohir wasn't within earshot. "The Pen Keep was a good place to be for a long time, and I know how much of that can be attributed to you. I'd have done what I could to help you for free."

 

"Yes. Well, thank you. Actually, it is quite a different matter entirely, you have my gratitude, but I'll leave your deal to you and my son." He paused, and looked every where but Mynx. "I, yes. Indeed. As a matter of fact. You see. Nothing for it but to. Let me begin by apologizing." He glanced at Mynx, but saw only total bafflement.

 

"Yes. You know we're sharing one life-force between us. We were both so wounded and stubborn, that we wouldn't let the other die. Thank you by the way. But, as an unexpected consequence, well. heh, this is actually quite funny in a way, you see. In the Elven way, I some what accidentally married you. But I have no expectations and I'll not pressure you!"

 

He ran out of words and just looked at her hopefully.

[Mynx]

"You... what?" Mynx's ears dropped in shock. Surely she'd misheard.

 

Peredhil dropped his eyes again, mumbling something that did include a word which sounded suspiciously like 'married.'

 

"You WHAT?" The feline didn't scream, but only because her voice cracked on the high note. This was a mistake, had to be. Or maybe she never made it out of that prison. It had been a big hammer. "MARRIED?!"

 

Peredhil tried a smile. "Yes, but only from my side, you see. It's an Elven thing, sharing life essences. If you have a ceremony you'd like, we could do it your way too. If you want. Some day. Maybe. I'm, uh, willing to date you first. If you want." He gestured around them helplessly. "Are you sure you don't want to look at the Vault?"

 

Mynx's instinct was to pull away from Peredhil's touch, to isolate herself until she could make sense of this, but the way her knees weakened when their grip loosened prevented that. "How can we only be married on your side? Does that mean I'm not married to you? Did you want this? I barely know you!" Havens, she was babbling as badly as he was. "Do you have anything strong to drink?" She asked weakly.

 

He paused, then replied carefully, "Because it would be rude to assume it is on both sides since you weren't given a choice. I'll leave that to you to decide. Yes, in my mind and heart - forever. And yes, me either." He paused again, mentally ticked off the list of her questions, and then smiled brightly at her and nodded eagerly. "I'm quite certain this feeling is described as 'in love.' Although it is nice, I wouldn't presume to base our relationship on it. I would like it very much," he continued wistfully, "if you would consider a relationship. Once you can stand on your own, of course."

 

"I... I don't understand," Mynx sat down on the ground slowly, unaware that she forced Peredhil to follow suit until he was kneeling beside her. "How can you have wanted this 'forever' when you barely know me? How can you be in love with me?" With her free paw, she began to rummage blindly in her shadows for something to drink. Not even bothering to look at the label of the bottle she produced, the feline pulled the cork out with her teeth and drank deeply.

 

"Oh!" Salvation! She did ask for something and he'd missed it! He could give her something! That might help. He Reached out with a thread and snagged a bottle of wine, checking to ensure it was one of the safe ones, and offered it to her. Mynx looked from the wine bottle to the bottle of surgeon's alcohol in her paw, and took another swig before accepting the wine.

 

Peredhil began with the easiest question. "Although I've never actually felt it before, the 'in love' feeling is generated by a chemical in the brain, abbreviated P.E.A., which causes all sorts of chemical changes. In short, it feels nice. In me, it is probably a combination of how beautiful your aura and spirit are, with how lovely I find your fur and figure. I'm very tactile, which since this is physically based must feed into the situation. But none of that really matters, since feelings come and go."

 

He looked at her expression, panicked further, and floundered on, unable to stop himself from babbling. Where WERE his sons? An interruption would be nice about now. "The forever thing. As an empath and a healer, I've touched many lives. I've never felt one that harmonized with mine perfectly until you. Once I felt how you are inside, I'd have loved you anyway." He paused judiciously and eyed her. "You didn't have to be so physically attractive as well, but it is a definite bonus."

 

Mynx started to laugh hysterically. She couldn't help it; here was Peredhil - Peredhil, for Havens' sake! - professing his undying love for her? If it had been anyone else, she'd have accused him of outright lying to her face, particularly when he got to complimenting her looks. But even Mynx knew that, while Peredhil might be many things, of which mad might well be one of them, he was not a liar. Delusional maybe, but honest in how he saw things.

[Peredhil]

Elladan and Elrohir finished using the Toranga feathers to clean the cloaks. It had taken a while, but the longer they waited, the better as far as they were both concerned. After they carefully stored them back in the case, they started walking back to the entrance.

 

"Are you thinking what I'm thinking, 'Dan?"

 

"Doubtful, but you should try. It's amusing."

 

"This is huge! He's finally let go of Mom and is moving on with life. Just over 9,000 years."

 

"I was wondering when he'd realize he's naked, his other marriage was arranged, and he is creator and Emperor of the 'Friend Zone'. This should be highly amusing to watch."

 

"Barbarian."

 

"Intellectual."

 

The continued their unhurried amble, passing insults back and forth idly.

[Peredhil]

Peredhil managed to make himself stop babbling by biting on his finger. The last time he'd been this nervous was -

 

He didn't REMEMBER the last time. He didn't get nervous. But those large silver eyes completely disengaged his thinking from his voice! He listened to himself say all the wrong things. Needed to get a grip, distance himself. Smooth. Controlled. He wondered where he'd left his sunglasses. Those always looked cool in the mirror. He glanced at her and decided perhaps he should put them on HER. Did she have to giggle everytime she looked at him!?

 

"Oh cheese and crackers. I just noticed I'm naked. Did you notice I'm naked? I need to not be naked." He bit his finger again to stop babbling.

 

"ELROHIR, GET ME SOME CLOTHING!"

 

Still some ways off, Elrohir gave Elladan a penny. He nearly always won these petty little bets.

 

"Why," Elrohir whined, "does he always yell for me?"

 

"Because you all know I'd give him a cloak of Lothlorien? Remember Sam describing Frodo, buck-naked except a cloak? Funny image. Naked hobbit with furry feet."

 

Shooting 'Dan a look of pure disgust, Elrohir hasted toward the wardrobe caves.

[Peredhil]

Getting Peredhil dressed was a bit tricky until Mynx wrapped her tail around either his ankle or wrist, whichever wasn't in use. The tailored suit hung on his emaciated frame like on clothing hangers. At least the socks and shoes fit. A thought hit her.

 

"Just how long will it take for us to each have our own life-force again, anyway?"

 

"Oh, should only be a week or two. I've always been a quick healer, and you're in great shape. Uh, I mean, yes, you look lovely, but you're a very healthy woman. Not that you're not feminine."

 

He stammered to a stop and turned red. Elrohir had facepalmed and was bent double, shoulders shaking in restrained laughter. From one of the corridors, Elladan barked in laughter, then fell silent. Peredhil ignored them all.

 

"Elladan, Elrohir, where are Guido and Nuncio?"

 

"Elladan had them, Dad," came Elrohir's quick reply.

 

"Alright, 'Dan. Take us to them. We need to rest."

 

"Can I cheat, like you do?"

 

Peredhil eyed him coolly. "Can you?" he retorted.

 

It didn't take 'Dan long to answer that one. "On our way, Dad."

 

Words ensued.

[Mynx]

Mynx had come to the decision that she was either dead, drunk, or dreaming, although the brief buzz she'd managed to get from drinking had long since passed in the wake of the Portaling. Dead or dreaming, then; that was the only explanation. Maybe Hell was eternal confusion.

 

Elladan had taken them to the realm inhabited by the strange lemur-folk, the creatures' initial shock at the sight of Mynx soon overcome by the self-reassurance that if she was with Peredhil's family, she had to be safe. Not entirely sure how she felt about that, the feline had kept her tongue, only smiling faintly at Guido and Nuncio's expressions as they were quickly updated of the farce.

 

Silence didn't seem to be helping Peredhil any, though. The Half-Elf kept shooting quick, nervous glances at her as he tried to read her expression and see if she liked something, disliked something, wanted anything...

The feline was struck by the odd certainty that he'd burn the forest down if she said she didn't like the colour of the leaves.

 

"What do you eat?"

 

"Huh?" Mynx blinked back from her introspection, wincing internally as she got another good look at Peredhil's wasted frame. Not that he'd looked much better while naked, but at least then he hadn't been wearing something provided such a sharp contrast.

 

"Do you- can you only eat raw meat? I suppose if you can drink wine you must have some omnivorous tendencies but you really need to eat something and making yourself sick right now would not be good."

 

"You're the one resembling a skeleton, and you're telling me I need to eat?" Mynx asked.

 

Peredhil looked confused. "You need to take care of yourself."

 

"And you need to pay more attention to yourself than worrying about others." When this only served to increase his confusion, Mynx relented a little. "I prefer meat, raw or cooked, but I can eat just about anything." It was already quite obvious that their current hosts were vegetarians.

[Peredhil]

She wanted something! Quickly, Elrohir and Elladan were dispatched with strict orders. To avoid offending their hosts, they dined in their chamber. He'd had the boys pick up a variety of foods, Beef Wellington, scallops, sirloin cooked to different degrees, veal, and fried chicken, along with buttered garlic mashed potatoes and a stir-fry of vegetables. Once they'd honed in on her preferences, he could order more appropriately. The twins bore it all gracefully, although Elladan kept snickering and making snide remarks.

 

If was utterly baffling to him that she refused to eat unless he matched her bite for bite. He was fine, it was her needs that mattered right now. Other than his sons and bodyguards, no one fussed over him. He was much more comfortable as the caretaker.

 

Throughout dinner, he asked questions about her adventures away from the Pen Keep, seeking to know more about this woman in whose company he found himself.

 

Later, when it came time for bed, they looked at each other warily. Peredhil finally arranged things so that they slept on different sides of the sheet, close enough to reach out for the other, but not touching. Being listless and exhausted didn't matter as much if the goal was sleep. Since he was an Elf, and not mortal, he didn't sleep as such, and spent a bit of time observing and trying to categorize why she was so beautiful to him. It suddenly occurred to him that if she were to wake with him staring at her, she might get the wrong impression. Laying on his back, he hummed ancient Elven tunes and began to wander the Paths of the Mind.

 

He came back to himself with a jolt. A warm furry leg was thrown across his waist, an arm over his chest, and a head nestled against his neck, all vibrating with purrs. Suddenly, the sheet seemed very very thin. He was afraid to move. What if she woke and thought he was trying to molest her? Consummate the marriage? His traitoress body, which *should* have been too weak for this nonsense, wouldn't help his protestations of innocence. It was a *very* thin sheet. He took shallow breaths and finally discovered what mortal sleep was when he drifted off into unconsciousness.

 

Mynx woke to a warm body spooning against her back, one hand circling lightly over and over on her hip, the other somehow managing to stroke her hair and rub her neck. All this despite a baritone snore. Either it was early morning and his bladder was full, or he genuinely did think her attractive. With a mischievous grin, she arched her back enough to free her tail, then ground back against him. Just how polite WAS Peredhil? She needed to know how far he intended to push this whole marriage thing now, while he was still relatively weak.

 

She could tell to the second when he woke. One moment the snoring and cuddle, then next a strangled "excuse-me-I-am-so-sorry-I-did-not-mean-to-take-advantage-of-you-Ma'am!!!" as he sprang from bed with an agile inhuman grace - and immediately collapsed to the floor.

[Mynx]

With some effort, Mynx was able to move herself to the edge of the bed and look down at Peredhil's crumpled form. "Ma'am?"

 

"Are you okay?" He asked, writhing helplessly on the floor. "I didn't hurt you, did I? I'm so sorry."

 

"Hurt me? You're the one throwing himself about the room." The feline managed to twitch her tail in his direction, and as soon as it brushed against Peredhil he was on his feet, torn between wanting to check her over and not wanting to cause any further offense.

 

"I really am so sorry, Ma'am. Please, I didn't even realise - I must have fallen asleep strangely enough and-"

 

"Peredhil. Shut up."

 

Blinking at the quiet but stern tone Mynx used, his jaw closed with a quiet click over his babbling.

 

"Thank you. Now. Are you okay?" Peredhil nodded.

 

"Do you want to sit down?" He shook his head.

 

"Are you sure?" A nod.

 

"You're allowed to talk, you know."

 

Peredhil started to nod again, before the words sank in. "Oh. Thank you."

 

Sighing patiently, Mynx sat up and patted a spot on the bed next to her, tugging Peredhil's wrist with her tail when he resisted. "I'm starting to see why you have bodyguards to keep you alive," she teased. "Don't you ever take care of yourself?"

 

"Me? I'm fine. You don't need to worry about me."

 

Mynx arched an eyebrow. "You can't even stand if we aren't touching."

 

"It's nothing. I'm just sorry I disturbed your rest." And now he really did look genuinely concerned. "I- I really didn't mean for that to happen."

 

"I can take care of myself," Mynx reassured him. "You should be resting too, though. I don't want to have gone to all the trouble I did for your sake only to have you delaying your recovery like this." The look the feline fixed on him was level and honest. "Regardless of whatever's going on between us, I do want you to take care, please."

 

Well. Fudge. She had him there. Sighing, he sagged a little and let a fraction of his exhaustion show. "I... might be a little tired," he admitted grudgingly.

 

"Finally, some honesty," Mynx laughed. "I'll be quite put out if you make me a widow in less than a week, you know."

 

Peredhil looked at her uncomprehendingly. Did that mean she accepted that they were married? He couldn't tell if she was being serious or only joking, and her feline features were not helping. Seeming well aware of this, Mynx gave him an even more unreadable grin.

 

"First things first: you have got to stop with this Ma'am business."

 

[Peredhil]

For Mynx, the next few weeks passed in a blur of boredom and fascination. She quickly determined that if she was silent, Peredhil felt compelled to fill the silence. Out poured a babbling mixture of facts, histories, observations, and stories. Often he'd call in his sons and bodyguards to establish a point or help him remember a sequence. Quietly observing, she quickly formed her own impressions of all of them, but particularly Peredhil.

He was an oddly shy, private Elf, keenly interested in others. His ability to look at a person and evaluate them, see their essence, and motivations, was incredibly accurate, but so natural he did it as easily as he breathed. He had an impartial, mentally decided love for others that didn’t blind him to their flaws and faults, as much as illuminate them to his gaze, at which point he simply accepted them without judgment. She found that he secretly believed that he was incredibly boring, and that he was so other-focused that quite often he forgot about himself.

From the others she found that when Peredhil gave advice, he adjusted it to fit his model of the listener, and so thoroughly removed himself from the equation (so as not to distort things), that he actually didn’t listen to himself and usually had no recollection of what he’d said, only that it had been meant for the person. He was so persistently selfless that the other four made an odd cult of protecting him from himself. Definitely a cult of love, if that term could be applied to the coldly practical Elladan.

She started to keep a journal which she'd scribble in furiously on occasion, often to his perplexity though he was far too Polite to ask what she was doing.

From the rambling comments Peredhil let drop, she gained deep insights into his sons and bodyguards. He often disagreed with their choices or manner of doing things, but he took choice and free will so seriously as to let someone make poor choices until it killed them. If he had a religion, that was a foundation – give advice if solicited, but allow others to choose for themselves.

And he was a very lonely person. His selflessness was the ultimate emotional shield; he reflected back others so perfectly, in a loving way, that it was extremely difficult to see beyond that. Once she realized that, her curiosity peaked and she began a determined pursuit of the person inside. Which wasn’t as easy as it might have seemed, given they were forced to be in proximity at all times. He was an extremely patient and genuinely interested listener, with keen insights and observations, and she found herself relating not just her adventures, or answering a “how did you get THAT scar” question, but relating the feelings she'd had, or the reasons why she'd acted as she'd done.

In the dark of the night, it had become her habit to snuggle up tightly against his body. It scattered all his careful barriers to the winds. She suspected that he viewed his body as a necessary price to carry his mind, and her touch somehow forced him into physical awareness, and an embarrassed Peredhil was just adorable. His repression of sexuality was nearly absolute – he gave the most bone-melting massages possible – but he considered himself unattractive and refused to “force” his attentions on anyone. Which apparently included his wife. And yes, he did want her, it turned out, but was waiting on courtship so as not to “take advantage” of their enforced proximity. That his body responded to her despite any of his attempts to suppress it was a sure sign that when he said she was attractive, he meant it.

Not that he'd lie... but it was nice to have reassurance. She'd asked him why he thought she was beautiful, at one point, and he'd gotten his thoughtful look, and beginning at her ears, explained every point of beauty (in his eyes), and how they related to the whole “package”. When he'd paused, then began in on describing the beauty of her mind, aura, and feelings, she'd had to cut him off. She'd felt too much like a tiger being dissected for a lecture. "Got it," she thought to herself, "he feels it, but he isn’t just saying it."

It was one night, late in the night with him quietly petting and stroking her hair, that she’d told him about Skielah. He'd held her the rest of the night.

But mixed with the endless talking on all subjects were moments of restless activity. At first it was her prowling in circles around the chambers, him trailing in amusement after her, gently holding her tail. She was recovering much faster than Peredhil, soon was doing stretches and exercises.

Before the week was gone, she was sparring with shadows, with Peredhil as a second shadow, mirroring her advances and retreats so seamlessly she sometimes forgot he was there. Ever the teacher, Peredhil began having Elladan and Elrohir come in and “fight” in slow-motion, at counted numbers, to demonstrate strokes and counters that would fit her style. It was a casual comment of Elladan’s that informed her that, of the family, their father was still the best swordsman.

Which led to all sorts of stories about his warrior youth, born in Gondolin, and the battles in which he'd participated. He used illusions to show the battlefields and tactics. It was in private that she learned that he still blamed himself for failing to convince Isildur to destroy Sauron’s ring. He forgave others easily, but himself, very rarely.

She fit right in with the other four in teasing him mercilessly, which he always accepted with a smile and grace. She began to wonder if he even had a temper, until she saw it unleashed. It was Elladan, of course. He had inherited Peredhil’s ability for insights to people, but for him they were weaknesses for exploitation. And it was over her. Peredhil had warned the others, when he felt they were crossing the line between teasing and being rude, where she was concerned, a few times, but they’d been delivered with his usual mild requesting style. But when Elladan made a crude observation about whether she'd “gone into heat” on Peredhil, it wasn’t a mild response.

Peredhil had stood in perfect silence, but all softness was gone. It was a stern Elf-Lord, with a flickering circlet of crackling power around his brow who commanded his son coldly, “You will not speak of my wife in that manner. Ever.” It felt as if all the air in the room had fled, and she was panting as the heat of his anger filled the room, even though she wasn’t the focus of his wrath. From the defiant look on his face, Elladan wasn’t impressed. There was a bright flash, and suddenly where Elladan had stood, there was a toad.

“Take your brother somewhere to reflect on his ways,” Peredhil had directed, then turned and seemed to shrink into the Elf she knew. “I'm so very sorry you had to witness that. I do apologize; there is never an excuse for losing my temper. May I do anything for you?”

[Mynx]

Mynx watched him thoughtfully, one knee hugged to her chest and her chin resting on it. "There's an excuse for everything, eventually," she said. "You didn't need to get upset purely on my behalf, though."

 

"My sons will respect my wife," Peredhil replied flatly, before blushing faintly and dropping his eyes. "Regardless of what you decide."

 

"And what about where you come into this?" The feline asked. "He was slighting you as much as he slighted me, and I wasn't all that offended." She wasn't offended at all, actually; the thought of what Peredhil would do if she did have heats and went into one around him was rather hilarious. It was tempered, though, by a growing concern for just how little regard he had for himself.

 

"Why should what I think matter?" Peredhil asked, sounding as bewildered as he always did whenever Mynx tried to turn something back on him. The feline studied him silently, ear twitching in thought, before she turned and picked up her journal and began to write in it.

 

It took two days for Elladan to unravel the spell and return to his own form.