A New Hope

Writers: Clancey, Paula
Date Posted: 5th August 2014

Characters: Corowal, Felyna
Description: A bad dream doesn't end so badly.
Location: Emerald Falls Hold
Date: month 8, day 2 of Turn 7
Notes: Mentioned: Felwal (NPC), Benani, Erassa

Felyna

She tossed and turned uneasily, turning from her back to her side and then
back to her back. Her right hand was clasping and unclasping into a fist
and she was breathing rapidly.

~*~

*"Run Lady Holder! I will find you, you cannot hide from me." The
stereotypical dark and cloaked figure chased her as she ran through the
forest. She was looking for Felwal, he had vanished. While she had
been calling him, she had encountered this man. His face was shadowed, but
she thought she recognized his voice patterns. He had showed her his
teeth, then lunged at her. She had run. "No! I will protect him." She
had been looking for her son ever since. *

*The man's eerily familiar voice called after her. "I will find you and
then I'll find your son.." Trees grabbed at her and tore her clothes,
but she never stopped moving. *

*She turned the corner around a large tree, seeing the river bank before
her and Felwal playing nicely in the shallows. Then she felt a hand grab
her from behind and she screamed. *

~*~

"NO!" Felyna awoke with another scream, panting heavily and shaking. The
sound would have been enough to disturb the entire suite.

She threw the blanket off, exposing one long, slender leg. Blond hair
was mussed and splayed out all across the pillow as she sat shivering alone
she had previously shared with her husband.

"Corowal!" His name came from her lips almost the first sound, not knowing
what else to do but call for her husband. But it was weak and not that
loud; her energy was drained from the dream. Another dream. Would they
never stop?

Corowal had been pacing restlessly in their quarters, drink in his hand. It
had been one of those days. First Erassa had thrown an ultimatum; if he
didn't stop pursuing her, she would leave. She would be only fostermother,
nothing more, nothing less. Rather than rob his children the fostrmother
they loved, he had made a promise to leave her alone. She was even going to
move our thei quarters to separate room. One suited for fostermother of
Lord Holder's children, but clearly saparate. It hurt but sometimes clean
break up was for the best. In way that kiss during Turn over ball had been
kiss of goodbye. Before he could inform Felyna, he had been called away to
deal with emergency and he hadn't seen his wife whole day. Whe he was
finally free of duties, she had already gone to bed. Yes, it had been a
crazy day.

Corowal was just pondering whether or not lure some drudge woman to his bed
to ease the loneliness he felt, when he thought he heard cry from her
bedroom. "Felyna?"

Again he heard a muffled sound. "Felyna!" He put his glass on the table and
rushed to bedroom.

She looked up as her husband entered, her eyes glassy and looking quite
scared. "Corowal... " She held out her hands, wanting him to come and hold
her. "Corowal... he was chasing me. He was after Felwal... " She knew
she sounded crazy, she felt crazy at the moment. The dream had been far
too real and she never had nightmares. She thought it had been brought on
by seeing Benani after her ordeal.

She was glad she had been able to help her friend, but the stark visions
stayed with her as if she'd just seen them.

Xebex was perched on the top of the bed, hissing a little. His eyes where
whirling red as he reflected his person's emotional state.

"Corowal... " Her voice was shaky, heavy with emotions. But in that one
word, she conveyed much. She didn't know about Erassa yet, since he
hadn't had time to tell her. But... she needed him...

"Felyna, I am here," Corowal said, sitting down on bed he pulled her to his
arms. "Shhh, it's all right, you are safe, it was just a nightmare," he
spoke with soothing murmur

Her eyes were open but she didn't see. She only reacted.

She clung to him tightly, the warmth of her spreading to him. He would be
able to feel her shaking but she couldn't think clearly.
"But ... Felwal.... he was there...." She pressed herself into his arms
and his lap, needing the solid comfort of her husband. "He was there..."
The tears began to come slowly, but soon they were coming faster and her
breath caught. "Someone was after him.. after me... " She continued to
shake, her shoulders shifting as she tried to contain the sobs threatening
to break loose.

Her eyes cleared with the tears and she fastened the green of that gaze on
his handsome face. "Don't let that happen to me. Ever. " Still gazing at
him in deep, stark, fear, she a barely breathed, "Hold me. Please. Don't
leave me."

While Felyna was not above acting this all out for his benefit to get him
back into her bed, this was no act. She was truly terrified. And so
lonely.

"Never! I am all yours now," Corowal said and hold her tight. There was
promise and wryness in his voice. "As long as you can tolerate me, I WILL
be yours and yours alone."

Even in her mental state something about what he said captured her
attention. Her gaze sharpened and she leaned back to look him in the eyes.
"What did you say? What do you mean?" She moved her hands up to trace
his face, as if making sure he was real, and really there. "Do you
mean... Erassa?" The green sparkled with hope that she wished she didn't
feel.

"Yes, I mean Erassa. There's only so far you can pursue a woman and if she
doesn't respond to your feelings," he shrugged, "you either give up or take
her by force. I am many things but not a rapist." There was brutal honesty
in his voice. "So, she'll be moving out from Lord Holder's quarters and
while she reminds as my children's fostermother, I will leave her alone.
She did admit doing things to keep my interest going and she promised to
stop that too. So our relationship will be completly professional basis."

He leaned towards her. "So, this is our change to make this marriage a real
one. It might take me awhile to forget my feelings for her but at least my
heart is open now." It was a promise, a promise he could love her if given
a opportunity. He was already attached to her and physically attracted to
her. He admired her wit and spirit, was proud to have her as his Lady. That
was fertile ground for love to grow from.

The words were like arrows, lighting up her heart. Hope had been
squashed long ago, before she had even married him, to be honest. She had
known from the first moment her promise of beauty began to develop into
real beauty that love was out of the question. But, instead of fighting
it like many girls of her station, she had embraced it. She had learned
to take what was given and maintain her marriage at all costs. Everything
she knew had led her to this moment, and this man. But what she had not
counted on was loving him. She had thought those feelings squashed along
with hope, but her heart had played her false in the months after Felwal.

The pain had been real enough when she had heard of the happening at
Turnover.

Did she _want_ him to fall in love with her? Not loving was, in many
ways, easier. She had handled Erassa much better before she had loved
him. Still, she was no less pragmatic than she had been before his
statement and she took it for what it was, a peace offering.

And a promise to _try_.

She had asked him to try to be a husband.

The least she could do was be a wife. "Corowal... my husband... " Her
hand lay against his cheek. Her voice was ragged from the sobs and the
screams, but she had only this to say. "That is all I've ever wanted, you
handsome, foolish man. A chance."

She leaned closer to kiss him, softly, but it was one laden with her own
promise.
"Stay?" She asked hesitantly, moving to the side to let him back into her
bed. And her heart.

"If you so wish, my wife," Corowal replied and leaned to kiss her. Tenderly
at first, it soon turned more passonate.

Last updated on the September 7th 2014

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A New Hope