The Sprite & The Fairyhunter

The Hunter & The Hunted

 

The Sprite (Part 11)

 

Neena awoke to a massive headache and the faint smell of smoke…and Adrian’s voice.

“This isn’t gonna work, Neena.”

Dread filled her as she opened her eyes to find him on the edge of her bed. “Which part?” she asked, her throat unbelievably dry.

“The part where I tell you to do something for your own safety and you do the exact opposite and nearly get us both killed,” he replied seriously, handing her a glass of water.

“Oh. That.” She sipped slowly, barely feeling the refreshing coolness in her quiet panic. There was no arguing his point…she knew she had ruined everything. Turlock had warned her about following Adrian and she’d even had her own misgivings, so trying to pretend was a ridiculous plan.

“Yeah, that.” He watched her drink it all, then took the glass and stared sullenly into the bottom of it.

Neena winced inwardly. This was how men looked before the breakup speech. Adrian had every right to walk away from her now, and she knew it, but trying to make him stay was something she had no ability to do. She watched him for a moment, then lay back looking at the ceiling. While she had no experience with telling people how much she cared about them, she had LOTS of experience being stubbornly silent.

“Here’s what’s gonna happen,” he began. “You are NOT gonna follow behind me this time when I go off to find the rest of these statues.”

She blinked. This was an interesting way to say goodbye to someone. “If you think I’m gonna stay here and wait for something awful to happen to you, you’re crazy,” she snapped.

“Well, I’m crazy, but I don’t expect you to wait here,” he said, looking up from the glass. “You’re gonna have to come with me.”

Definitely NOT the way to say goodbye...

Neena found her jaw open. “C-Come with you?” she gasped. “But you said…”

“Yeah, and I should’ve said come with me instead. I said I needed to do my own penance and I’ve DONE that. I’ve been away from you for 6 months, nearly saw you die and I couldn’t save you from…” He paused, gritting his teeth and frowning to hold back emotion, then slid off the edge of the bed and took her hands. “I couldn’t save you from whatever they did to you at the guild. I’ve had enough penance to last me a lifetime and now I’ll have double for that act alone. I’ve proven that I can do the tough guy thing. Now I need to prove that I can take care of the woman I love. And NOW,” he said, as she opened her mouth to protest, “would be a BAD time to tell me how well you can take care of yourself.” She shut her mouth again and he continued. “Look, I’m not…asking for your hand or anything, but I know we need to stay together until…until such time as we’ve…figured out our…next option.” His face flushed with the look of a young man finally considering a permanent long term relationship in a positive light.

She faltered…how could she make him understand? “It’s not just that….”

“Is it your age?” he asked. “’Cause I know you’re older than me and you’ll probably die long after me and that’s okay. I just want to be around you while I’m here. And if it’s the sex…well, I’ll try a LOT harder next time.” he added with a smirk. “I think I could go for 8…”

She laughed weakly. “I think that’d kill you.”

“No, I think I was just tired that night,” he said, seriously. “I think I can handle it.”

She looked at him and realized he wasn’t joking. “Really? Because…no, no, it’s not ABOUT that! It’s…I…look, I told you I haven’t always been this…well behaved. Turlock saved my life from the Drow I worked for a while ago. He let me stay here with his family and I promised to take care of his kids to pay him back.”

 “Now, ye know that’s not right, lass,” came the Highlander’s voice from the door. “The dark elves had that Valorian witch spell on ye, making yer magic their own. Ye had no choice but to do their bidding. And since then, ye’ve been in this house and faithfully kept watch o’er all in it, despite the fact that we were only able to break the spell after ye’d been here for several months. Ye’ve long since proved yerself ta be on the side of right and repaid any debt ye had ta us. ‘Tis time ye moved on.”

“Besides,” said Naomi, her lithe form stepping out from behind her husband’s, “if you don’t go, how’ll I ever have the chance to take care of my OWN children?” She smiled teasingly and Neena looked back at Adrian, stunned.

“I cover all my bases, Mothwing,” he smiled roguishly. “Didn’t want you to have any reason to say no except for you NOT wanting to be with me. And if that’s it, then…” She sat looking at him, still stunned and he faltered slightly. “Then I have guessed VERY wrong…”

“No, no!” she gasped, sitting up and throwing her arms around his neck. “No, you…I do!” His mouth fell open at her sudden edict, and she pulled away quickly. “I mean, I do want to GO with you…to wherever you need to go…as partners…together.”

“Well…well, good, then,” Adrian was suddenly very intent on the glass in his hand as he spoke, the flush on his face easily distinguishable on the tips of his ears. “Then…um…that’s settled. Once you’re…feeling up to traveling…we can, uh…go.”

“Um, good, good,” Neena replied, steadily. “I look forward to it.”

“Well, then, we’ll leave ye to your travel plans then,” Turlock said, seriously, taking the door handle as he ushered Naomi and himself out.

 

 

Out in the hallway, Naomi looked up at her husband with a childlike innocence. “I don’t remember love being this complicated, Turlock,” she frowned. “I thought it was just deciding you loved each other and then being around each other all the time and mating a lot!”

“Aye, that’s because neither of us is quite as filled with ourselves as those two,” Turlock murmured to her. “But it’s not quite as different as you think. Listen.” They both paused until they finally heard the rhythmic sounds of furniture being moved. “There, ya see? There’s still quite a bit of mating involved!”

 

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