Jealousy and Fear

[Twiggy]

A couple of never posted stories I found when cleaning out my ALFA folders.

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"Jealousy"

Explosions rock the city of Sundabar. The floor of the temple of Mielikki trembles sending dust motes spiraling through the air. Eyes closed, Lee stands in a darkened corner leaning wearily against a pillar trying to clear her mind, wishing desperately for freedom from the city walls. A loud crash echoes through the temple as the doors burst open. Sliding noiselessly along the shadows of the pillar, Lee turns her head, eyes searching the room. Her pulse quickens as she finds it seemingly empty still. Yet her skin prickles as a sense of danger lingers. Silently she slips her daggers from their sheaths murmuring a quick prayer to the Leaflord for protection. Easing through the shadows, her eyes roam the room seeking any movement. Suddenly a voice echoes throughout the room, cold laughter resonating from the shadows..."So you are Ahleera."

Frozen in place as shock takes hold, so few call her such. Clenching her jaw, she moves on through the shadows, eyes straining to find whatever stalks her.

A low, masculine voice rings out, "Come...step into the light. It would make a better shadow for these eyes.." Chilling laughter fills the chamber once more. "No? Perhaps me first?"

The shape of a man separates itself from the shadows. Lee's chest tightens as fear bursts to life. This was no human. Black hair overhangs the ashen skin of a face covered with strange tattoos. Dark eyes with red slits for pupils, painting an image of daggers covered in blood, send a chill down her spine. Fighting back emotion, she steps into the light unwilling to cower. "And you are?"

Again the man laughs. "I am many things."

With a bravado she was far from feeling, Lee leans casually against the pillar. Daggers she deems useless against such a creature finding their sheaths once more. Conjuring a cold smile she replies, "Name a few."

"He has not told you?", amusement lacing his voice.

"He?" said as her blood turns to ice, "Could you be more specific?"

"I imply your master."

Lee's brows raise feigning bafflement. "The Leaflord then....nay he has told me nothing of you."

Impatience breaks his amused facade. "No! Your master, He who has lost his way...or so they tell me."

"I have no other master."

"No? Then what sort of relationship does he have with you? You do not seem very useful apart from perhaps personal satisfaction or..." his voice trails off as he studies her.

"Oh I have many talents." A cold smile flashes once more.

Shrugging, he continues on, "Truely you are merely a contact on the path to finding him."

Barely hearing over the pounding of her heart, Lee continues the game cocking an arrogant brow, "Him....the elusive man...who is he?"

A smirking reply, "He is...how should I say...family."

Fear mixed with fury squeezes her chest....Seva! By the Seldarine no! They cannot find him. Damping her emotions through will alone, it would not do to have Seva think something is wrong...to come to her now. Stepping foward, Lee studies the man intently before shaking her head. "You bare no resemblance to any I know."

Those eyes, dark as the deepest recesses of the abyss, flash again. "No...not in his chosen form. No." Folding his arms, he watches her still.

"Chosen form...hmm." Shifting slightly, she watches the man, eyes thoughtful, betraying none of the terror clawing at her heart.

Snarling, "Yes chosen form. Which is the difficulty in finding him."

A look of dismay crosses her face. "And yet you find me. My skills grow weak from lack of use in the cursed city."

Amused once more, a smile, or what could be called a baring of teeth, spreads. "It is not hard to seek out a mortal. And one of your distinctive background makes it slightly easier." Chilling laughter rings out. "Your own personal history...*waves a hand in dismissal*...No matter. I did not come here to discuss you nor your past or fate. I am here for Seva."

Lee's eyes harden as anger burns stronger battling the fear his words strike into her. The cold tone of her voice slices the air. "Then be on your way. He is not here."

"He will come for you." An evil smile contorts his face.

"Family....Locke I presume." Eyes flash rage as she draws closer.

Again a smile, this time seeminly pleased. "So he does remember me."

"Nay another told me of you."

The smile fades quickly as his eyes narrow. "Reincarnation can be rattling to even an immortals mind."

Cold amusement drips from Lee's voice. "Blessed amnesia."

"I know you are the reason he has not come home."

Her voice mocking, "We intend to return home when this war is done. Though if you plan to wait for him here I do hope you have a great deal of time. He rarely comes to me."

Locke's control slips as his body tenses in anger. "I have been following you...and will continue to do so. You overestimate your skills." Another smirking laugh.

Lee's cruel laughter rings out. "I am but a mere mortal after all. A pity that Seva is bound to the likes of me, is it not?"

Locke once again bares his teeth snarling, "Bonds can be severed."

Confidence radiates from her voice, "Some cannot."

A dark smile splits his face as one hand falls to the bastard sword at his side. "A simple question for you. Why is it you do not let my father embrace his past? He is half what he should be."

"He has no need of it. Your father is gone. He is no more."

In a blur of motion, Locke stands before her, sword pressed to her throat, glaring into her eyes. Lee holds his gaze unmoving. "My father will live forever mortal! He will always be!"

Lee replies, her voice low and strained. " Locke Sixth-Born...first in his father's love...have you come all this way to take him home?"

"Where my father walks is home puppet," he growls out.

"He walks the battlegrounds in a war he cannot win. How long will it take you to find him again?"

Leaning in dangerously close to Lee's face, forked tongue visible as he speaks..."I have an eternity to search."

Motionless she studies his dark eyes. "He remembers you."

Snarling, "Do not lie to me half-breed!"

Her voice low and hoarse and his blade presses harder against her throat, "The smallest child, the most beloved, so proud of you then..."

Seemingly stunned, Locke slinks back pulling the sword slowly away from Lee's neck. Staring down at the tiles of the floor, his voice low and menacing, "I will find him." With a spinning motion he sheaths his sword.

Watching him, Lee rubs a hand over the line the sword pressed into her skin. "Will he be proud of you now?"

Glancing out of the corner of his eye, he growls, "You know nothing of us." In flick of his hand the chamber goes dark. Lee closes her eyes, breath held, listening. Just as suddenly the light returns. Blinking she spins around searching the room before letting out a slow breath. She swallows hard rubbing at the linger pain in her neck. Rage recedes leaving only fear as she sinks to her knees on the cold floor of the temple.

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"Fear"

Silence now ruled the temple of Meilikki, the only sound slow and steady breathing. The violence and rage, the fear, that permeated the air just a short time ago had faded to little more than a memory echoing through a troubled mind. Eyes closed, senses outstretched, absorbing the essence of nature with each steady breath, Lee battles back the terror that threatened to choke her. Slowly she calms her racing heart, forcing away images of her sanctuary, her haven within the city, being invaded, replacing them with thoughts of happier times, carefree days past...it seems so distant now.

The doors swing open dragging her back to the present as her eyes dart to the shadowed entrance. Oddly the peace is not broken, no sense of danger sends tendrils of fear coursing down her spine. With narrowed eyes she watches the doors. Her breath seizes, chest tightening as she recognizes the form striding forward from the shadows. Blackened armor, dented from countless battles, eyes hidden within the dark recesses of a helm....the one whose coming she both longed for and dreaded equally. Seva.

Spotting her beneath the oak, he removes his helm. The faintest of smiles appears on a face lined with fatigue. He halts folding his arms, waiting and the battle is lost for Lee. All the fear she had so painstakingly beaten down rushes back stealing her breath. Standing, she hurries forward. "No..no...no..no! Get out of here!" Reaching him, she tries futilely to push him toward the door. "You have to leave."

"Leave?" Staring down at her puzzled as she continues trying to turn him away.

"Yes. Now go. Leave and do not come back." Her voice tremors, "Stay away from me."

A stunned look crossed his face, "This is your wish?"

Again she shoves at him growing more frantic. "You have to."

His eyes go cold, his body tenses. "You have not answered me. Are you in danger?"

Terror squeezes her throat making her voice high pitched from fear. "You have to Seva! You have to stay away!"

Struggling to make sense of her actions, he holds firm. "This is joke yah?" Seva's face darkens as she attempts to push him away once more. His eyes sweep the room seeking an unseen threat. "What has happened? Look at you...tell me why I must leave."

"I do not want you here." Her voice breaks on the cruel words.

Tilting his head he studies her closely. Seeing the lie for what it is, some of the tension melts from his body. "You do not tell the truth."

"Just go! Hurry!"

Folding his arms once more, a stubborn look lights his eyes. "Or what?"

"Or they will find you!" Helplessly, Lee shoves at his chest, her fear giving way to anger.

Seva's eyes soften for a moment, "Let them come. Fear will not keep me from you."

"No! Just go! Stay away from me!" In frustration she slams both fists against his chest. Catching her hands, holding them still against his armor, he laughs.

"Hah! You flirt with me."

"No! NO! NO! Get away from me Seva! Stay away!"

His voice softens. "Ahleera they will find me regardless."

"No they won't.....they cannot."

Frowning a bit.."This is trick, your mind clouded, they wish to separate us, make us weak alone."

Growling out in fear and fury, "Do you not understand?! It is me they follow! I lead them to you!"

"So they say. Best I face them and end it than to suffer a life away from you."

Shaking her head quickly, the shadows shift across her neck. Narrowing her eyes, Seva draws her closer. "Your neck...what has happened?"

Ignoring his words, she tries to pull away. "If you do not leave then I will. They will not use me to hurt you."

"If you leave they already have."

Undone, defeated, her shoulders sag. Tilting her chin up with his fingers, he studies the long, thin bruise along her throat. "Your neck, what happened?"

Quietly she speaks, "I met your son."

"WHERE?!" Seva roars in fury. "He did this to you?!" Dragging her to his chest, he holds her tightly as his voice drops, low and deadly. "I will kill him. Kinslayer once more."

Lee shakes her head quickly in denial. Her voice breaks on a sob, "Please Seva...you have to go."

"It is the only way."

"Nay. He tracks me. Just stay away." The fear and anguish of the day take its toll as she stands trembling in his arms.

"I cannot. I will not. You must learn to assume victory. This must happen. I am unafraid my sweet Ahleera."

"I will run Seva. I will lead them away."

"They will suffer as they fall like harvest before the scythe."

Looking up her eyes harden. "Not if they do not find you."

"He must find me." Her head shakes in denial. "You must take my side in this Lee."

Struggling out of his arms, anger at the unfairness of it all boils her blood. "And lead them to you?!"

"Words were said to rend us in two. Why do you believe them?"

Fists clench at her sides. "You did not see him. You were not here!"

Seva growls out, temper rising. "It is a tactic, a ploy, a test of your resolve."

Meeting his eyes, her spine stiffens. "Then I resolve to play the decoy."

"You play into his hands."

"And keep you out of them."

"Tell yourself that as much as you wish Ahleera. Demons are not known to tell the truth."

"You did not speak to him! He wants you back so badly it consumes him. If he could find you so easily he would have by now!"

Control slipping, Seva advances on her, face reddened by anger. "He lies to you. It is what they do, what they are. I have spoken to him in the past. I made him what he is!"

"And he loves you for it!"

Jaw clenched, he eyes her. "You saw him where?"

"Here! Not ten paces from where I stand."

"I am well known here. You by my side or not he has found me. Your leaving serves only him."

"Do not be so stubborn Seva!"

"Do not be foolish! The enemy has given you information. He tries to dictate your actions by playing on sympathy and care." Lee bangs her fists weakly on his chest before leaning in to rest her forehead upon his armor. "Together we are strong, apart a tasty snack. Would you listen to black devil?"

Voice muffled against his chest she replies, "I listen to my own mind. They use me."

"No more using when they all rest in the abyss." His voice turns cajoling. "Give in. I am not going anywhere and I will not let you leave.” His eyes darken as he strokes a hand down her hair. “Locke will be punished."

[PensivesWetness]

well, what ever. If it leaves me baffled, then it's a good enough story, love...

[Twiggy]

I befuddled PW!

Was a long term and major plot GR was finishing up. There was going to be a part 3 to the story but alas I lost the logs of the grand finale session so never wrote the conclusion.