Thiramin

Life, Relationship change

Fenneck finally meet's his thiramin.

Fenneck climbed over the ridge and felt a cool blast of wind and snow hit his face as he entered the grove. His five beautiful apple trees were in full bloom despite the harsh cold. Tomorrow was the Winter's Eve Festival. The anniversary of the Battle for Flottenheim.   Today was a different anniversary. It had become a tradition for Fenneck to come up here during the week before to remember that awful day when he had lost his parents and Evelyn. They were coming to a point where some of the people in Flottenheim didn't remember the revolution. It had been a century, and as people aged and passed away so did the harsh memories of Lenisily and the terror Staladin had inflicted upon them before they became an independent nation.   Fenneck smirked thinking about how Staladin was finally dead. How at least some of the horror in this world had finally been removed. The one who no doubt signed the order to kill three of the people Fenneck's heart was longing for in being here.   He closed his eyes and summoned a burst of magic into the towering trees to rejuvenate them and protect them from the coming winter before picking a few apples from their giant branches. He walked through the beautiful trees, thinking about his family and how much had changed since he lost them before finally turning to leave.   As he turned, Fenneck heard something fall down into the grove behind him, landing between Erikur and Evelyn's trees. Fenneck drew his bow and turned to see a hooded figure, lying limp in the snow as blood spilled out around them into the white snow. They were whimpering and trying to collect themselves and Fenneck saw that they had fallen onto their bow, splintering it in half and their pack had been torn open on the fall down the mountain side.   They were wearing hide armor that was ripped and tattered and their cloak looked like it had been made from animal hides that were poorly strung together. Fenneck carefully aimed his bow and walked forward until the figure sat up, clutching their leg in pain. Their hood fell back as they did, revealing a red-headed female wood-elf.   Fenneck froze as a weird feeling overcame him. This was his thiramin. She was his soulmate. She would be his partner. His wife. Fenneck shook his head in disbelief. It was so much more... simple than he thought it would be. So much more... terrifying. This was thiramin? He wasn't in love. He was horrified. Fenneck was supposed to believe she was his soulmate? His spouse? His spouse should have been Erikur. His soulmate was Erikur.   It suddenly dawned on Fenneck as he studied the wood-elf. The red hair. The scared demeanor. Why would a red-headed wood-elf who looked next to death be lost in these mountains? Perhaps an ex-KAV soldier escaping her country after going rouge and murdering her emperor. If this was her though that meant there was a very good chance she was the same red-headed wood-elf who killed Erikur. Fenneck highly doubt the KAV had two of them. What kind of cruel joke were the gods playing on him making her his thiramin?   The elf was crying in pain from a giant gash along her thigh she'd gotten from falling down into the ravine but she stopped in fear when she saw Fenneck. She quickly reached for her bow and panicked as she saw the splintered wood. She turned back and stared at Fenneck in horror, clearly taken off guard by their spiritual connection to each other.   After a few moments of fearfully staring into each other's eyes, she lurched over and threw up into the snow, gasping in pain from the effort before shivering and looking around in fear. Fenneck just stared at her, unsure of what to do. He remembered the plan was obviously to incapacitate her and bring her in for questioning but he felt conflicted as he saw her broken, fragile body bleeding out into the snow. When she threw up Fenneck saw that the bile was mostly clear and so he could assume that she hadn't eaten in days.   He stared into her dark green eyes for a long time as they sized each other up. She definitely wouldn't be able to put up a fight. "Who... who are you?!" she finally said with a weak, raspy voice as she clutched her bleeding leg. Fenneck swallowed. "Fe... Fenneck," he told her nervously. "Fenneck Frostears." He watched what color was left drain from her face and her expression flooded with horror as she recognized his name. Fenneck saw her slowly unhook the dagger from her belt as they stared each other down. "I'm warning you," he told her, but she didn't throw it at him. She went to stab it into her neck and Fenneck quickly shot her in the wrist before she could kill herself, causing her to scream out in pain as she dropped her dagger as the arrow lodged through her wrist, sending a spray of blood over the snow and her tattered clothes.   Fenneck dropped his bow and drew his swords as he ran up to her. She screamed in fear and reached for her rapier that was lying on the ground next to her but Fenneck moved faster and he flipped one of his swords in his hand and bashed the hilt across her head, knocking her unconscious into the snow.   He stared down at her body and suddenly realized that she was bleeding out. "Wow," Erikur said in shock and bewilderment as he walked up behind Fenneck. "I... I..." Fenneck stuttered, trying to figure out what to do or say. Erikur leaned down and looked at her body and back up to Fenneck. "Fen... she needs help," he said, motioning to her blood that was slowly creeping through the snow around them. Fenneck leaned down and froze, unsure of what to do. "Fenneck!" Erikur scolded him. "She needs help! Now! Or she's going to die!" Fenneck looked up at Erikur and jumped seeing him covered in blood from his own chest wound. "She... she killed you," Fenneck muttered under his breath as he watched her dying in front of him. Erikur shook his head and gave Fenneck a disgusted look. "So you're going to kill her?" he asked him disapprovingly. Fenneck felt fear and confusion well up inside him. "I... I don't know!" he cried out to Erikur. "She killed you, Erik! I... I can't just..." he looked down at her limp body as tears started filling his eyes, blurring his vision. Erikur reached out helplessly to the poor elf. "She needs help, Fenneck! She's your thiramin!" he exclaimed. Fenneck shook his head as he started sobbing. "No!" he cried out to Erikur. "No! It was supposed to be you!" he shouted in pain. "What kind of cruel joke is this?! She murdered you, Erikur!" "She was following orders, Fenneck." Fenneck jumped as his father walked up behind him and crouched down next to her. "She's an assassin," Leonid scolded him. "You really think she cared about Erikur or hurting you? She was doing nothing but following orders," he explained. "Save her before you lose your only chance at happiness!" Fenneck shook his head. "I don't deserve happiness" he said desperately. "So you're willing to sacrifice her life?" Erikur asked him, bewildered. "Come on, Fenneck," Leonid said, becoming authoritative. "You have orders. Follow them. Take her to Baegla! You don't get to be her judge!" he ordered him.   Fenneck reached out and picked up her hand and quickly snapped the arrow shaft, withdrawing it and causing blood to spill out onto him. He quickly summoned a warm stream of golden magic into her body to close her wounds as he shook from his nerves and emotions. After a few moments he watched as the gashes were magically sutured and she moaned in pain, but remained unconscious.   Fenneck sat back, terrified of what had just happened. He looked around for his father and Erikur but they had disappeared. He felt the presence of someone though and he quickly looked around, fearing the elf wasn't alone. He suddenly realized it was her. Even though she was unconscious, he felt her presence with him. It was very unsettling to Fenneck and he hated it. He felt like he was being watched and spied on.   He leaned down and took her various daggers and rapier. He scooped up her remaining few arrows, which had clearly been reused on multiple occasions. He broke them before burying the heads in the snow so she couldn't use them. He then searched her pack, finding nothing of great value, mostly ball bearings and some lockpicks and a worn out tent and bedroll. He then went to her body and searched her pouches, finding some wire and string and a few gold coins. He took them and stuck them into his own belt and carefully felt her thighs and checked inside her worn boots, finding another tiny dagger there. He went to her chest and saw the armor was ripped in quite a few places and saw bandages wrapped around her waist that were covered in dried blood. Her body was frail and deathly thin and Fenneck assumed it had been weeks since she'd eaten a decent meal.   He looked around again before sitting back and pulling out his voice stone. He sighed in annoyance as he held it up to his lips. "Cat Eyes to Mountain Man," he said reluctantly, hating the stupid code names Vyndius and Baegla insisted they use. After a few moments, he heard Catherine's voice. "Cat Eyes here, over," she said. "What's your twenty, Mountain Man?" "Memorial Grove," he said through gritted teeth. "I need a lone bird," he explained. "Copy that," she replied, sounding confused by such a request.   Fenneck turned back to the wood-elf who was laying in the snow and saw she was growing pale. He removed his big white fox-fur cloak and removed her scrappy thin one, carefully wrapping it around her shoulders and pulling her into his arms. She laid limp against him and Fenneck felt his heart start to pound as he looked down at her face as he shielded her from the wind and snow.   She was undeniably gorgeous, even with her chapped skin and sunken, starved features. She had sharp, elegant features and a cute nose. Her hair was a beautiful shade of red, bright as blood, and it was in a long matted braid that evidently hadn't been washed in months. She moved a bit and moaned in pain as he clutched her closer to his chest but she remained unconscious.   Finally, Fenneck heard the scry of an Eagle and looked up as Catherine landed in front of him, gracefully turning back into an elf as she landed. She gasped and a hand flew to her mouth as she saw the wood-elf in Fenneck's arms. "Dear Corellon!" she exclaimed. "Who? Who is that?" she asked as she approached him. Fenneck watched the realization set in to her face. "She... she's the wood-elf? Isn't she?" she finally asked. Fenneck nodded nervously, but didn't move as Catherine approached him. "What- what happened?!" she asked him in disbelief and confusion. Fenneck shrugged helplessly. "She fell and... I don't know what to do, Catherine," he told her, growing fearful as he felt himself growing attached to the pretty wood-elf. "She fell and she got knocked out?" she asked him, studying her face. Fenneck shook his head. "I knocked her out. She tried to kill herself when I told her who I was and then... then I shot her in the wrist and hit her with the hilt of my sword," he whispered guiltily.   Catherine nodded understandingly before smirking at the elf. "Did it feel good?" she asked him. Fenneck looked at her in confusion and shook his head. "No," he said sadly. "It... it felt awful," he told her. Catherine cocked her head at him. "She's clearly the one who killed Erik, Fen. I'm surprised you didn't kill her on sight," she mused. Fenneck swallowed nervously. "She's... she's my... thiramin," he whispered in fear, instinctively clutching the wood-elf into his chest. Catherine's eyes widened in shock and horror. "What?!" she exclaimed. Fenneck nodded and wiped the tears from his face. "I felt it when I saw her," he explained. "I don't know what to do, Catherine!" he exclaimed before bursting into tears and collapsing into the wood-elf's chest.   Catherine started pacing around the grove. "Fuck!" she muttered under her breath. "Well... we still need to take her to Baegla," she decided. "After that... then..." she trailed off and shrugged helplessly. She paced for a few more minutes as Fenneck tried to collect himself. "What does it feel like?" she finally asked him. Fenneck weakly shrugged. "Like... I know that she will be my... person. I don't know, Cath!" he exclaimed. "It's confusing! It's not at all like how I thought it would be! I thought we'd fall in love but it's... it's so much weirder than that!" Catherine shrugged. "She did kill your best friend," she pointed out. "The guy you should have married," she said passive-aggressively. Fenneck swallowed guiltily. "Sorry," she told him. "This is just... not how I thought this would go," she said, getting upset. "How do you think I feel?" he asked her. "Okay," she decided. "Let's get back to Flottenheim. It's getting dark out." Fenneck nodded and stood up before scooping the wood-elf into his arms. "Do you know her name?" he asked Catherine. She shrugged. "Lieutenant Ivanhoff is all we heard over the voice stones," she told him before turning into a giant eagle. Fenneck draped the elf onto the bird's back and carefully climbed up and held her tightly, burying his head into Catherine's feathers.   She took off into the skies and flew through the snow back to Flottenheim. They landed on the balcony leading to Revolutionary Hall and Fenneck carefully picked the elf up into his arms before carrying her into the palace. Vyndius and Baegla were waiting anxiously in the ballroom with a handful of guards. "Oh my!" Baegla exclaimed as they all ran up to greet Fenneck and Catherine. "Is that her?!" Vyndius exclaimed excitedly as he saw the red-headed wood-elf in Fenneck's arms. "The famed KAV soldier we've heard so much about?!" "She needs rest and food," Fenneck explained.   "Guards!" Baegla said, motioning for them to take the elf from Fenneck. He clutched her close, reluctant to release her. "What do you plan to do with her?" he asked Baegla. Baegla gave him a confused look. "If she is really the KAV soldier she needs to be interrogated, Fenneck," she explained. "I also need to know what happened. You seem to be fine," she observed. "Did you find her like this?" she asked him. Fenneck shook his head and stepped back as the guards approached him and he felt himself start to worry about what Baegla would do to her. "She fell into the grove and tried to kill herself when she realized who I was. I managed to stop her and knock her unconscious." he explained. Baegla nodded and considered this. "Hand her to one of the guards, dear," she told him. Fenneck shook his head and clutched the wood-elf to his chest. "What do you plan to do to her?" he asked her again. Baegla gave Fenneck a stern look. "Fenneck, she needs to be locked up for the safety of the city until we understand what's going on," she told him harshly. He started shaking. "I'll take her then," he said, holding her protectively against his chest. "She needs medical attention and food," he explained again.   Catherine stepped forward. "Let him carry her to the prison," she begged Baegla gently. "He's just worried about her." Baegla squinted at Fenneck and nodded slowly. "Fine," she agreed. "Vyndius, why don't you go fetch some soup and warm food to bring down to our new guest. Fetch Feliks as well," she decided before turning and beckoning the group to follow her down the stairs.   Fenneck clutched her to his chest as they made their way to the lifts before descending down into the prison. She led them down the empty cells till they were in the very center, the most protected room and she walked inside and motioned for Fenneck to follow. The cell was a small room with a bed and a table in the corner with a couple of chairs. Fenneck carried the wood-elf over to the bed and gently laid her down onto the warm comforter, still wrapped in his fox fur cloak.   "Leave us, Fenneck," Baegla ordered. Fenneck cast a worried glance at Catherine who nodded for him to listen. "She'll be okay, Fen," she promised. Fenneck looked down at the wood-elf and shook his head. "I can't. I can't let you hurt her," he said definitively. Baegla gave him a confused look. "Fenneck, she quite possibly killed Erikur!" she exclaimed in anger at being disobeyed. "You should want her dead more than anyone!" He stood over the wood-elf defensively. "She tried to kill herself Baegla-" "Because she's a spy, Fenneck!" she cut him as she levitated across the room and hovered so that her eyes were level with his own. "It's what she's trained to do when coming into contact with an enemy! Do not challenge me boy! I swear! What's gotten into you?!"   Fenneck glared at her as he felt his blood start to boil in his chest. He saw Baegla suddenly soften her demeanor toward him. "Why didn't you tell me?" she asked him pointedly. "Tell you what?" he asked her angrily. "That she's your thiramin?!" Baegla spat in his face. "Clearly your emotional state leaves you compromised and therefore unfit to be in the room while we interrogate her," she decided. "She is a KAV soldier, Fenneck Frostears. She killed your partner! Your best friend!" she exclaimed in bewilderment at his stubborn behavior. "She is dangerous until I can safely say otherwise and I have yet to come to that conclusion. If she is your thiramin she would have felt it to and clearly it wasn't enough of a pull to keep her from taking her own life in front of you so I will question her true motives. You need to leave." He glared at her. "I thought you had more respect for me than this," he challenged her. "You know how rude and untrustworthy it is for you to read people's minds." She met his glare. "And I thought you respected me enough to be honest and upfront with me and to follow orders when you are given them. Leave," she demanded. Fenneck swallowed angrily and cast one final glance at the wood-elf who looked so peaceful and graceful laying on the bed before storming out of the cell, passing Vyndius and Feliks on the way. Fenneck stormed up to his room and started pacing across the floor.   "I see you've had a change of heart?" Erikur pointed out as he absentmindedly tossed a ball of magic around. He was sitting at Fenneck's desk with his smooth bare legs up on the desk. He was wearing his lavender robe which hung loose around his graceful body and his signature earrings hung loose with sandy blonde hair. Fenneck shook his head in frustration. "I'm confused," he argued. Erikur shrugged nonchalantly. "Clearly. But you do like her," he pointed out. Fenneck scoffed at him. "I know nothing about her!" he exclaimed angrily. "Do you really not trust Baegla?" Erikur asked him curiously. "If she innocent-" "She's not, Erik!" Fenneck cut him off. "She killed you! Motive and loyalty aside, she killed a Glitterfjellian and a rather important one at that. No matter what conclusion Baegla comes to about Staladin, she still bound to be guilty of crimes against our people!" "She could always pardon her," Evelyn suggested, coming in from the balcony in her beautiful white nightgown. "If Catherine and Vyndius let her," Erikur argued with her. "But Catherine didn't seem as pissed as I thought she'd be," Erikur said in annoyance, pursing his lips. Fenneck rolled his eyes. "I just don't want them to hurt her!" he exclaimed. "They won't hurt her, Fenneck," Evelyn assured him. "I'd be more worried about her hurting herself." Erikur chuckled. "She was so scared of being your soulmate she decided to kill herself instead. How does that make you feel?" he teased Fenneck who gave him a horrified look at such an idea. Evelyn elbowed Erikur. "Don't be cruel!" she scolded him.   Fenneck leaned back against his table and shook his head. "I don't even know her name," he said sadly. Erikur sighed in defeat and looked to Evelyn for help. She was normally the voice of reason between the two of them. "Fenneck," she walked to him and gently took his hand. "It won't be too long and you'll get to visit her and meet her yourself," she pointed out. Fenneck gave her a sad look. "And what if she is... a..." "Heartless assassin?" Erikur helped him out. Fenneck sighed and closed his eyes. "I've waited so long for this," he said woefully. "She's a monster whose going to be locked away in a prison cell her entire life!" he exclaimed before pulling away from Evelyn and walking over to his cabinets. "Fenny!" she begged him sadly. "Don't do this." Fenneck was already pouring a glass. He threw back the glass of whiskey and quickly poured himself another shot. "Fenneck," Erikur stood up and walked over to him. "Maybe you should go see Alexei," he suggested. "Why?" Fenneck asked him. "Because he's real and you aren't?" he waved his hands at his dead lovers and threw back his second glass. "Yes, frankly," Erikur argued bluntly. Evelyn gave Erikur a scolding glance. "Come on, Erik. He's going through a lot." Erikur shook his head at Fenneck ashamedly. "He needs to move on, Ev," he told her. "He's met her now. His thiramin! He doesn't need us anymore," Erikur said, giving Fenneck a betrayed look. "Come on." He waved his hands and they both vanished.   Fenneck looked around his empty room, waiting for the loneliness to settle in. He felt something else though. Her. Somehow he felt her presence with him but this time he found it comforting. It helped him relax a bit as he worried about the interrogation happening deep in the mountain. It felt like she was in the room with him, softly leaning against him, letting him no he was no longer alone. Fenneck swallowed nervously, wondering if Erikur had been right. Fenneck started crying and he walked over to his bed and curled up under his blankets, allowing himself to fall into the warm, beautiful feeling. He was confused and he cried in bed for a while about a lot of different things until he finally convinced himself to meditate.   ***   The next morning Fenneck opened his eyes as he heard a knock on his door. He stood up and grabbed a robe to throw around his body. As he did the event from yesterday tumbled back into his mind and he was suddenly overcome with panic and stress about... he hated that he didn't even know her name yet. Referring to her as Lieutenant Ivanhoff seemed wrong in his mind.   He walked over to the door and opened it to see Feliks. "Well?!" he asked him expectantly. Feliks chuckled. "Be patient!" he scolded Fenneck as he walked in. "She'll probably be done resting after another hour or so," he assured Fenneck as he grabbed an apple from his kitchen. "Well... what's her name?" Fenneck asked him. Feliks shook his head. "Get dressed and then go find out yourself. Seriously, she's your thiramin. You two should get to know each other on your own," he told Fenneck. "Is she... Is she still in the prison?" Fenneck asked pointedly. Feliks nodded. "Baegla hasn't made any decisions yet. It is her though. She admitted to killing Staladin and Erik. She's had a fucked up life, Fen. You should get along well," he said, shaking his head as he bit into the apple.   Fenneck sighed and walked over to his vanity to grab his hair brush. He started getting nervous. There was no denying it. His thiramin had killed Erikur. Fenneck started brushing his hair out. "Well... what about the festival today?" Fenneck asked. "Is she allowed to go?" Feliks shrugged. "I'm not sure, Fen. Baegla said they could figure things out in the morning but Baegla will still be asleep for a couple more hours. I'd try to go see her though. She's probably freaked out," Feliks pointed out. "No shit," Fenneck muttered under his breath. "She meets her soulmate, throws up, tries to kill herself and he knocks her out. Not exactly romantic!"   Feliks chuckled. "It'll make a great story one day when you tell you kids," he teased Fenneck. This idea stopped Fenneck mid brush. Kids... He had finally found her. His wife. He was finally close to having a family of his own. A baby even. Fenneck smiled nervously at the idea. "I guess so, huh?" he asked Feliks thoughtfully. Feliks smiled and gave Fenneck a playful smile. "You're adorable. Be patient with her, though, okay? She didn't mention thiramin at all and Baegla didn't bring it up so... I don't know how she feels about it."   Fenneck nodded as he got dressed into a nice silver tunic. He found himself trying to look his best. This was his wife after all. "How do I look?" he asked Feliks nervously. Feliks chuckled. "You look wonderful, Fenneck," he assured him as he stood up t go. "I need to go write up some reports about this incident. With her here we could get some great intel from Lenisily and Pufuktin," he commented excitedly. "Good luck," he told Fenneck before leaving the tower.   Fenneck paced the floor a bit more before mustering up his strength and heading down into the prison. He walked through the halls until he got to her heavily guarded room. "No weapons," the guard at the door told him. Fenneck sighed and handed him the dagger he had strapped to his side. "Let me guess, no magic either?" Fenneck asked him. The guard shook his head. "We don't know if she uses magic or not so Baegla went ahead and put up a shield," he told Fenneck who nodded. "She can," Fenneck informed him. "Healing magic at least." The guard shrugged. "I'm just following orders, Fenneck," he told him. Fenneck nodded. "I know. Wish me luck!" he said, patting the guard on the shoulder before taking a deep breath and knocking on her door. The guard rolled his eyes and opened the door.   Fenneck swallowed as he saw her wrapped up in his fox-fur cloak sitting on the bed. She looked exhausted still and a little freaked out to see him. He slowly walked in and closed the door behind him. He walked up to the table before stopping and looking her over. "Good morning," he greeted her, awkwardly rubbing his hands together. She gave him a weird look and looked frustrated. "Good morning," she responded hesitantly. She shook her head at him. "You... you can stop this okay? I... I'm not interested," she told him. Fenneck felt a lump get stuck in his throat at these words. She wasn't interested? But they were thiramin. He gave her a conflicted face. "I... I don't understand-" "This spell," she said, rather harshly. "Please stop. I don't want this magic bullshit. It's starting to freak me out okay?" Fenneck was taken off guard by this. He wasn't quite sure how to respond. "I... it's not a spell," he told her painfully. "Surely you've heard of thiramin?" he asked her. She squinted at him in disgust and anger. "That's just some story they tell children. It doesn't actually exist. Now stop. I'm not interested," she glared at him harshly and Fenneck stuck his nose up at her in frustration. "It is real," he argued back. "It's not nearly as wonderful as I'd hoped it be but... that's what this is," he told her sadly. "I'm not trying to trick you!" he promised her. Natalya glared at him distrustfully and he threw his hands up in annoyance. "My parents felt it!" he explained, trying to convince her. "As well as many other couples here! Look, you're from Lenisily," he pointed out. "I forget that they don't exactly like the idea there." She shrugged in annoyance. "I'm still not interested. I don't know you and I want it to go away!" she told him. Fenneck started laughing and he threw his hands up in exasperation. "Take it up with Corellon then. I doubt it will get you anywhere though, trust me, I've tried!" he said in annoyance.   He shook his head as he started pacing the room. "Look, I just came down here to check on you and to try and get to know you a little bit but clearly that's an awful idea and you want to be left alone in your prison cell to mope! So I'll just leave. I would ask your name but you'll probably accuse me of being a devil in disguise trying to trick you into giving up your voice or some stupid dragonshit like that!" he exclaimed in frustration. "This is a prison cell?!" she asked in confusion. Fenneck looked at her as if she was stupid. "Yeah, you think we're going to just let the best KAV soldier to ever walk this godforsaken tundra to just roam about freely in the palace?!" he exclaimed. She look around in confusion and fear. "Well... why is this room so nice?" she asked him. "I've seen prisons before and trust me, they don't look like this." He scoffed at her in annoyance that this was what she was taking away from their argument. "You're in Glitterfjell, not Lenisily. What do you think we are, animals?" he asked her in frustration. Natalya shrugged. "I don't know. I know you guys use a lot of magic here and that Pufuktin is scared of you and Baegla but-" Fenneck waved his hands cutting her off. "Pufuktin is scared of me?!" he asked her, finding the idea hilarious and wonderful. Natalya rolled his eyes at him and scowled. "You're ridiculous!" she accused him. "You're just like him aren't you?! All you care about is power and tricking people. I bet this room is all an illusion of some sort for me to trust you lunatics and spill all the KAV's secrets!" she said accusingly. Fenneck burst out laughing at her. "Oh dear Corellon!" he swore. "You have no idea what's going on, do you?" he asked her. She glared at him. "All I've learned since the moment you walked in here is that your a grade a asshole with a superiority complex," she said aggressively. "I don't care if you are my soulmate, I want nothing to do with you," she decided.   Fenneck stopped at her harsh words and straightened himself out, wondering if he really was coming off that way. "I'm... sorry I gave you that impression," he told her. "I'm personally, a bit... frustrated by this situation as well," he admitted. "I'm just trying to get to know you," he told her. Natalya sighed in annoyance. "What do you want to know?" she asked him reluctantly. "Well..." he started nervously. "What is your name?" he asked her, with a disheartened frown. "Natalya," she told him. "Lieutenant Natalya Ivanhoff." He swallowed. "Do you prefer to be addressed as Lieutenant?" he asked her, hoping that wasn't the case. She rolled her eyes at him. "No, I'm not a soldier anymore anyway. I'm a prisoner in a foreign country," she said, passive-aggressively. Fenneck pursed his lips. "Are you mad I brought you in?" he asked her. She raised her brow at him. "I tried to kill myself because I knew I'd get arrested and tortured and you shot me through my wrist!" She held up he wrist to show him the scar. Fenneck shrugged and looked down, avoiding her eyes. "At least it wasn't because you thought I was too ugly to marry when you found out I was your thiramin," he poorly attempted a joke as he remembered the insecurities Erikur was voicing the night before. Natalya seemed to soften her demeanor toward him. "That's why it felt like you were in here last night? Isn't it?" she asked him. Fenneck looked up and nodded nervously. "It... took me off guard as well," he admitted. "It... it was kind of... nice though," he told her, looking desperately into her eyes for some kind of comfort. Natalya shook her head in despair. "What... what is it?" she asked him, clearly confused and freaked out by their connection. He cocked his head at her. "Thiramin?" he asked. She nodded.   Fenneck hesitantly walked toward her and sat down on the end of the bed. "Its... its when..." he swallowed, trying to collect his thoughts. Fenneck glanced at Natalya and realized just how beautiful she was. She was still in pretty bad shape but she had brushed out her hair from her matted braid and Fenneck couldn't help himself from blushing as he admired her. "My parents told me that your thiramin is your... person," he explained. "The person you marry. The person who becomes your best friend. Your... partner," he explained. "You feel it when you meet them and you know that they're the person you're meant to be with." He looked up and met Natalya's eyes and he felt his blood start to rush to his groin, making him feel very confused and frustrated by this situation. "It's... confusing," Fenneck admitted slowly. "I... I've waited for it for so long..." he told her. "I must admit it... it's not what I expected it to be like at all, so I... I understand if you're disappointed." He gave her a small, empathetic frown. As he met her beautiful dark green eyes again he couldn't help but notice the similarity to Erikur's and he looked away nervously.   "I'm not really sure what's going to happen," Fenneck told her. "I know Baegla isn't done with you here and... I just wanted to see you in case she decided that you were... too dangerous to let go," he told her honestly. Natalya gave Fenneck a worried look. "Like... she'll kill me?" she asked him. Fenneck shrugged helplessly. "I have no idea," he admitted. "I'm not in charge. She rarely gives out such penalties but... your case is rather... particular." He saw her concern and he scooted closer to her and slowly reached out his hand to take her own. As their hands touched they looked into each others eyes as Fenneck his heart start to flutter in excitement. They instinctively moved closer to each other and Fenneck slowly leaned in to kiss her. As their noses gently touched the door suddenly opened and Baegla walked in with Feliks, prompting Fenneck to leap away from Natalya in fear.   Baegla gave Fenneck a concerning look before clearing her throat disapprovingly. "Fenneck darling," she addressed him. "Would you please excuse us?" Fenneck nodded guiltily and looked at Natalya longingly. "I um... Thank you for... meeting me," he told her sweetly. She nodded shyly to him. Fenneck awkwardly bowed to the room before quickly turning and sweeping out the door.   He heard the guard close the door behind him and he looked back in confusion. What the hell was going on? What did any of this mean? Fenneck shook his head and walked back to the lifts and thought for a long time before pressing the button that would take him to the first level of the mountain. When the lift arrived he walked over to Naertho's house and knocked on the door. After a moment, Ayred opened the door in his robe. "Good morning, Fen," he greeted him. "It's early, we're still getting ready for the festival," he explained. "Is that Fenneck?!" Naertho called out to his husband. "Yes dear," Ayred called back. "Let him in then!" Naertho called out. Ayred stepped aside and waved Fenneck inside. "Sorry," Fenneck told him. "I just... I just wanted to ask you both something," he explained as Naertho swept into the room in his own extravagant robe. "Ask us what?" he asked Fenneck as he walked over and pulled Fenneck into a tight hug. Fenneck hugged him and stepped back.   "I... I met my thiramin," Fenneck told them. Naertho's eyes lit up in surprise and joy. "Really?! Oh wonderful, Fenny!" He squeezed Fenneck again and kissed him lovingly on the top of the head. "When can we meet him?" Naertho asked excitedly. "Well... um he's a she," he told them awkwardly. "So... sorry to disappoint you," he said. "Damn it!" Naertho swore. Fenneck looked taken aback. "You know I'm bisexual," he pointed out. Naertho waved him off in annoyance. "Oh I know," he said. "I just owe Alexei some money, that's all." "Why??" Fenneck asked him in confusion. Naertho shrugged. "Oh, it's just a bet that's all," he explained. Fenneck shook his head. "You placed a bet on whether my thiramin would be a male or a female?" he asked Naertho in confusion. Ayred chuckled. "I think a lot of people owe Alexei money actually," he said. Fenneck turned to him in bewilderment before shaking his head. "I'll deal with that later," he decided. "I just wanted to know... is it bad if... I don't know... if things don't start well?" he asked them worriedly. Naertho smiled at Fenneck. "We didn't start off very peachy, if you'll remember," he pointed out as he walked over and pulled his husband into his arms. Ayred smiled as he caressed Naertho's chest. "I guess we didn't, huh?" he agreed.   Fenneck shook his head. "You both like each other at least," he told them. "She... she accused me of putting a spell on her, called me an asshole when I tried to get to know her a bit and told me she wasn't interested. Oh and she killed Erik by the way so that doesn't complicate things at all!" he said sarcastically. The happy couple looked at him in horror. "What?!" Naertho asked in shock. Fenneck nodded. "She's the KAV soldier that killed Staladin," he explained. "I found her in the mountains yesterday, close to death and I had to knock her unconscious before she killed herself." Ayred huffed in bewilderment. "Well, that is something," he remarked. Naertho shook his head and started pacing the room, deep in thought.   "What should I do?" Fenneck asked him. "I'm not even sure Baegla will let her survive!" he exclaimed in defeat. Naertho shook his head. "Baegla won't kill her, Fenneck," he assured him. "I think you should trust Corellon," he finally decided. "I didn't when I first met Ayred and now look at us!" he pointed out. "Besides, with thiramin you normally aren't meant to be together as soon as you meet Fenneck. You're still supposed to get to know one another. Take your time with things. Especially physical things," he told him. "I mean, Ayred and I waited nearly forty years before we were ready to get married." "Talk about a terrible case of blue balls!" Ayred said in playful exasperation. "That was different!" Fenneck argued. "It hadn't been illegal before and it was dangerous for you two to be together! Erik and I had to move into the palace to be safe from all the horrible attacks we would get!" Naertho sighed. "I think you should slow down and see what happens, Fenneck," he told him. "I know you've been alone for a very, very long time and it's hard but trust me, it will be worth it." Ayred nodded in agreement. "Maybe spend the evening with her at the festival?" he suggested. Fenneck shrugged. "I don't know if Baegla will let her!" he pointed out. Naertho shrugged. "Then wait and see what happens," he told him. Fenneck threw his hands up in despair. "I have waited, Naertho! I've been waiting an entire century to meet her!" Naertho gave him a pitying look. "I think you need to try and speak with her again," he told Fenneck. "I think you also need to be a little more patient with her and yourself."   Fenneck sighed in submission. "Okay," he agreed. "I'll let you both get ready. I'll probably see you down there," he told them. Naertho walked over and pulled Fenneck into a loving hug. "It's going to be okay, Fenny," he said soothingly as he caressed Fenneck's white locks. "Trust me, okay?" Naertho begged him. Fenneck nodded. "I love you," he told his uncle. Naertho kissed him on the forehead. "I love you too, Fenny. We'll see you tonight," he told him.   Fenneck left and walked up into the palace and plopped himself down in one of the thrones rooms, waiting to see if Baegla would return. Jasna walked in after a few minutes and looked around frantically for Baegla and stopped when she saw Fenneck pouting in one of the chairs. "Hey loser," she teased him. "Have you seen Baegla anywhere? I haven't seen her since yesterday afternoon and I need to make sure everything is good for tonight but I need to head down there soon to get started. The rest of the musicians are already down there waiting for me." Fenneck nodded. "Yeah," he told her grumpily. "She's down in the prison." Jasna's eyes widened in surprise. "The prison?! Why on earth for?" Fenneck looked up in surprise that the previous nights gossip had yet to reach her ears. "Did you not hear?" he asked her. She looked at him expectantly and he sighed and sat up in the chair. "I found her. The KAV soldier that killed Staladin," he explained. Jasna jumped in excitement. "Really?!" she exclaimed. "Oh my goodness! What happened?! Where were you? When did you find her?! Is she pretty?! Did she kill Erikur? Oh my gods, did she kick your ass before you convinced her to come meet Baegla??! Did she really kill Staladin by stringing him up on his bedposts?!" Fenneck squinted his eyes at her to wait for her to let him get a word in. "I'm pretty certain she killed Erik," he said. "I don't know how she killed Staladin. I kicked her ass and knocked her unconscious to bring her in. It happened yesterday evening, in the grove," he took a deep breath. "And... she's my thiramin." Jasna shook her head as she tried to process this new information. "She's... she's your thiramin? She killed Erik and she's your thiramin?!" she asked again, growing angry and crossing her arms. Fenneck nodded and raised his brows. "And she thinks I'm an asshole who was trying to curse her or something," he said, growing more and depressed by the minute. Jasna shook her head in defeat. "Well, guess I should pay a visit to Alexei later," she said in annoyance. Fenneck looked up in bewilderment at her. "You too?!" he asked her. She shrugged. "I don't know," she shrugged innocently. "When we made the bets it was back before the revolution even happened. I thought for sure you and Erikur would feel it. So yeah, we've made some bets over the years." "On my love life?!" She rolled her eyes. "I gotta go find Baegla," she said, turning around.   "No need!" the little halfling's voice rang out as she turned the corner to them. "Good morning Jasna," she told her sweetly. "Good Morning! Is everything good here? I need to get down to the arena to help warm up the musicians and run through some stuff!" Jasna asked her. "Of course, dear," Jasna assured her. "I need to speak with Fenneck for a moment." Jasna nodded understandingly and leaned down and sweetly kissed the top of Baegla's head. "See you tonight then!" Jasna told her before skipping off toward the lifts.   Baegla turned to Fenneck who h=gave her a grumpy frown. "Oh cheer up!" she scolded him. He rolled his eyes. "Are you going to kill her?" he asked her. She waved her hand and scoffed at him. "Of course not, you fool," she told him. He looked at her expectantly. She took a deep breath. "She killed Erik, Fenneck," she told him. "And Staladin, and Arrallath." "Who?" Fenneck asked her in confusion. "Lord Arrallath, in Thymryu. The demon lord who had taken over one of the fiefdoms. Surely you remember hearing about that," she told him. He nodded as the rumors came to his mind. She truly had made a reputation for herself. "Look," Baegla said, "I'm not quite sure how to go about this," she admitted. "I suggested that you take her to the festival tonight. No weapons, I'd prefer you not to be alone with her and I will alert every guard in the city to keep an eye on her," she clarified. "But I understand if you would like the chance to get to know her a bit. She seems to genuinely want to do the right thing. Maybe bring her a dress and you can escort her around Flottenheim," she suggested. Fenneck nodded and shrugged. "What's wrong, Fenneck?" Baegla asked him. "I understand that the situation is... tricky-" "You don't understand," he told her bluntly. "There is now way you could ever possibly know what it means to feel the things I'm feeling right now. Please don't pretend to try." She nodded and took a step back. "Very well, Fenneck. Try to be patient with her," Baegla suggested. "She's very cautious about this." Fenneck nodded and stood up, avoiding Baegla's eyes. "Fenneck-" "I'll see you around," he told her. "I don't want to talk about this anymore. I'll take her to the festival," he assured her before walking off toward the stairs to head up to his room.   He finally made it into his room and walked out to the balcony. He leaned against the railing and welcomed a cold blast of wind against his face. "She is pretty. I like her hair a lot," Evelyn said to Erikur, bouncing her baby against her chest as they joined Fenneck on the balcony. "I do too. I have to admit, though, I'm partial to her eyes," Erikur told Evelyn. "You don't think he's just intimidated, do you? I mean, she killed Staladin and Arrallath and who knows what else she's done. All Fenneck's done is... what did he do in the revolution again?" Evelyn teasingly asked Erikur who smiled and tried to defend his friend. "Well he... well he helped recruit the Frost Giants." Evelyn shook her head. "I thought that was mostly Vyndius?" Erikur thought comically for a moment. "He let Pufuktin steal Kapelya and murder Pyotr and Alina. Oh wait... you mean good things." Fenneck avoided their gazes angrily and looked out over the city. "He helped lead the charge into the palace," Erikur said, trying to win back Fenneck's affections as he rubbed Evelyn's shoulders. "And he made armor for the soldiers." "I guess she is a bit out of his league, huh?" Evelyn toyed. "Not as much as you were," Erikur playfully teased Evelyn who smiled and kissed her baby boy's head. Fenneck couldn't see the child though, it was always wrapped in a blanket and she always clutched it to her chest selfishly.   "Why is he so upset?" she asked Erikur. "He finally found the thing he's been searching for." "I don't really blame him," Erikur told her. "She did kill me." Evelyn leaned against Erikur who wrapped an arm around her as they studied Fenneck. "He could always ask her about it. I mean, she was a soldier. She was probably just following orders. Is she really to judge here?" Evelyn asked Erikur. "She did apologize... and she made it quick and painless," Erikur agreed with Evelyn. Fenneck felt his cold tears start to sting as they froze against his face. "I guess she did, didn't she? That's nicer than how a lot of those soldiers tend to handle things." "She's clearly had a rough life," Erikur pointed out. "To be a KAV soldier. Most of them are raised from birth to fight. To kill. What kind of a life is that?" Erikur said, more to Fenneck than Evelyn. "An awful one, I'd imagine," Evelyn said, looking down at her and Fenneck's child in her arms.   "He's been dreaming about meeting her for so long. It's sad that it's so disappointing to him. What did he expect? He doesn't know her," Evelyn asked Erikur. Erikur smiled pitifully at Fenneck. "He thought it would feel like when he met you," Erikur told Evelyn as he looked deep into Fenneck's eyes. "I suppose our first meeting was quite wonderful, wasn't it?" she said bashfully. "It was," Erikur told her, still looking longingly at Fenneck. "You charmed him more than any magic in the world had any business competing with. He was so madly and freely in love with you. I miss that Fenneck, even if he was an idiot sometimes," Erikur chuckled. "I do too," Evelyn said wistfully. "He was so charming and cute. He's grown so cold and stiff over the years." Erikur nodded in agreement. "He has. I hope he gets some of that back. Maybe Natalya can bring it out of him." "I hope so. I like her. I think she's going to be good for him," Evelyn said, leaning into Erikur's arms. Erikur nodded. "Me too." Fenneck sighed and turned to address his friends but as he turned they were gone.