Where Love is Great, the Littlest Doubts are Fear

Althea regained her strength steadily with another day of rest. Durai was by her side constantly tending to her even after she had well surpassed the effects of her Healer's sickness. Althea couldn't even get a moment's privacy as he followed her like a lost lamb. But she did adore him, so she was glad of the time he was spending with her while he could. Surely he had some duties that would require his attentions eventually.

Baldrik and Althea's reconciliation after that night was heartfelt and in no way drawn out or leaving resentful doubt. They were indeed kindred spirits and very much a part of each other now. They worked together each day towards building his strength or soothing his ailments during episodes of worsening pain. They would go for walks or even ride their horses if Baldrik was well enough, which was often lately, and exercise to make sure his body retained its vigor.

And Durai would be there when they returned to sweep her away with intensifying attention. Their courtship had not stalled in the least, but they dared not tempt each other more with a night like before. Not for a while at least. Instead they shared more of their Magic together. Durai had seen much of what Althea could do, and he was now adamant to show her the same. His conjuring and summons of the Mystic were intimidatingly powerful. She couldn't believe some of the things he could do. It was no question to her now how he became the appointed court Enchanter. She had never seen a mastery of the earth's Magic like he had.

What small moments she had apart from Baldrik and Durai Althea happily spent with Mireya. Althea didn't much care for alone time; as a Healer, her needs were best filled in the company of others. And Mireya and her quickly became as sisters. They often found the only time they could reliably be alone together was during dressing and bathing rituals, so they found themselves indulging in this time longer and longer. They shared stories of their childhood while brushing each other's hair, they exchanged their hopes and passions while bathing in a large, communal hot spring that was in the queen's courtyard, at night they sometimes snuck into each other's rooms and exchanged stories of ghosts, witches, and the old faeries by the light of a single candle. Neither woman could remember laughing so much in their life before.

Althea felt as if she had a new blood family filled with so much love. In her village, she had respect and admiration, but never love and affection as she felt here. She was happy deep into her soul, fulfilled in work and warm in devotion.

…......

"Aaahhh!" Althea yelped with a jump as she left Baldrik's room after some morning stretches. "You startled me," she panted out to Durai who was waiting for her just outside the door. Durai slipped his hand around her waist and escorted her down the hallway toward the garden for their own walk without much of a word to her, his eyes somewhat darkened.

"Is there something wrong?" Althea asked as they reached the garden still in silence. Durai made an attempt to lighten his continence, but Althea could still feel something off. He tightened his hold of her waist as they continued to walk. What she felt coming off of him made her feel uncomfortable. She stopped and pushed away from him. "Durai," she pressed stronger, "what is wrong?"

Durai moved to close the distance and took her hand. "I'm so sorry. I can't stop seeing in my mind what he did to you."

"Baldrik?" Althea asked confused; she had all but forgotten the incident as it was forgiven, and honestly, she had been treated worse before. She had no idea he was so troubled by it.

"Yes, Baldrik."

"Durai, I'm so sorry. I didn't know you were so troubled."

Durai looked at her with a strangely. "Of course I would be troubled," he said lovingly yet sternly. He put his arms around her and embraced her protectively. "You mean everything to me, Althea, and he struck you down. He hurt you!"

Althea raised her arms to embrace him back. She felt the passionate feelings behind his words, and she tried to see his concern despite her own understanding of the effects of Baldrik's pain, of all pain. She was at a loss for the right words to try and effectively reason with him and try to turn his emotions from resentment to understanding. It hurt her heart deeply to know he had been harboring this venom against Baldrik this whole time. "Durai," she started to say before she really knew where her words would end up, "please try -"

"Yes! I have tried!" Durai nearly shouted with as much frustration at her words as his own failings. "I've tried understanding, I've tried empathizing, I've even tried pity, but it all comes out as anger! He knew what he was doing; he felt the relief knew exactly the miracle you brought to him, and then he made a choice. He consciously decided to strike you to the ground!"

Althea didn't know what to think. She had never in her life had someone react this way out of a sense of protection or injustice for her. She was lost and didn't know what to do. And his aura had changed. Where usually the air about him was of enlightened and almost superior calmness and grace it was now a burning, hot redness. She almost made physical moves to guard herself against it as if she were afraid she would be singed.

"I..."

"What if he had really harmed you? What if you were broken somehow?" He paused and had desperation in his words. "What if you ran..." he couldn't bring himself to give the thought full words.

Althea thought on what he was try so hard to say and not say at the same time. "Duari," she started shakily, "I'm not a bird afraid of the world that will fly away."

"But you are a bird," he started softly. "You're my peaceful Dove. You've brought peace to my heart and renewed my life spirit. And he..." she saw the anger in him start to rise again, "he just didn't care! Did he even know how much you suffered for him?!"

"Durai, I don't see it as suffering-"

"Is that what you like?!" Durai continued. He was like a man possessed. His anger and passion overtook him in a way he had never felt before. He almost seemed to grow in size and the very air trembled around them in the garden. "Is that why you go to him every single day? You hope you'll be beaten down again? Is that how you are?!"

Althea was absolutely frozen, too stunned to even contemplate her own physicality in the world. She didn't even feel the tears leave her eyes betraying her or register her body's tense shaking. What was this? What was happening around her?

Durai took a step back as if he were the one who had been struck then. He saw the tears roll down her frightened face, and he wanted to disappear. He was unleashed in a way he had seldom let happen, and it was towards the most precious part of his world. Like a frightened child, he turned his back to her and almost ran from her and vanished into the castle.

Althea stood there for a long time confused, hurt, and abandoned. She couldn't even feel the midday sun's warmth on her skin. Even the trembling breeze didn't touch her as if even it were afraid.

….......

Durai hadn't been at dinner that night; Mireya and Baldrik thought nothing of it until they sensed Althea's unnaturally reserved nature. Most of the meal was spent in silence save for short anecdotes here and there from the siblings until they realized it was barely received by their friend. Mireya wanted desperately to know her sister's troubles. She almost shooed away her brother to be alone with Althea to find out what was troubling her. Neither of them even considered it was Durai. They had only seen admiration and devotion in him towards her, and he sometimes was overtaken in study to realize meal times, so they didn't think much of his absence. But here in front of their eyes, she was like a flower curling into the night.

After dinner, Althea sat alone in her room neglecting to even light a candle for the night. She held herself and was still mostly numb with confusion more than she could register her hurt or sadness. She didn't even notice the first knock on her door.

It wasn't until the second knock that was only slightly louder and even slower that she came out of her melancholy and realized the calling. She smoothed back her hair and wiped away any remnants of sadness on her face. She went quickly to the door to welcome Mireya who she was surely coming to check on her.

She opened the door to Durai.

She took a step back to see his face and was both wanting to see him and not wanting to at the same time, and she was frustrated and uncomfortable with the complexity. She reached out with her body to feel his aura and read him. He was no longer red and burning but a deep blue contrite sadness filled with remorse and shame. Whatever had possessed him in the garden was gone.

"May I..." he asked looking at her and the span between them.

Althea backed up to let him in. She didn't respond with words because she couldn't trust strength in her voice. They both stood in silence when he entered, both as timid as two strangers meeting. Durai felt this change in them and it brought him to his knees.

"Althea, I am so …. so incredibly sorry. I was stupid, beyond stupid, and I'm begging to fix what I've wounded. The words I said...I didn't mean those hurtful things. I was so wrong." Though he was on his knees, he still seemed so strong in his stature. How could he be so weak and so powerful all in the same? He looked up at her with eyes full of remorse and earnest. She walked towards him and closed the gap as he quickly embraced her legs and waist from still on his knees. "Althea, I'm so sorry," he kept saying.

Althea lowered herself to embrace him back forgiving him completely. After all, he had spoken from his caring so deeply for her and not malicious. They embraced from the floor on their knees for a long time before she felt his hand stroke the back of her head down the length of her hair.

"I love you, Althea." Althea heard the words for the very first time and felt Durai's breathing stop as though her response held his still beating heart. She pulled back and saw his eyes full of anticipation, and her heart raced with giddiness at the terrifying unknown territory she found herself in. But through all the tumultuous rush of her feelings, her heart pushed forth with a voice of confidence. She had known long her feelings long ago and was safe to lay them bare now.

"And I love you, my Durai."

She almost wasn't given leave to finish her confession before his kiss was upon her with relief and passion. He hadn't lost her as he had dreadfully feared, but found her anew. Durai had one arm wrapped around her small waist while the other hand clutched the hair on the back of her head. Althea threw her arms around his neck and returned his kiss fervently. The sudden rush of rekindled passion was too much for them this time, and they both knew it.

Durai slowly rose from the floor still wrapped around Althea and brought her up with him. The moment she felt her feet leave the floor in his embrace, she bent her knees to press hard against his waist. They were the East wind and the West wind meeting and creating a whirlwind between them; even their entangled limbs reflected the tempest made in their passion.

Durai's hand slowly relaxed his hold of her waist and moved lower, feeling her curves beneath her robe and feeling his passion rising. Althea began to feel excited and stimulated in ways she had never felt in her waking life, and between the grips of her legs against her lover, she could feel that he felt the same. She began panting and threw her head back in ecstasy as his kiss moved from her lips to her neck. Neither of them even realized when they bumped against the side of the bed, but their balance lost, and they fell upon the mattress.

Althea's robe had already loosened in their dance and exposed the curves beneath. Durai rested his face against the half-exposed breast of his lady as his hands moved to undo the rest of her waist band. While Althea was terrified of the end of this rode knowing where it was leading, she knew she desired nothing else. He kissed the rise of her chest from her sternum to the rise on both sides, and his hands slipped into her robe feeling the bare skin of her waist. He moaned as he had before – like a tortured animal – but this time his passions could not be bound or tamed, and he smiled knowing he wasn't even going to try. He wasn't even meeting protests or a hint of resistance.

His nose parted the top of her robe to finally fully expose her full breast, and he was suddenly so consumed by the storm that he lost himself to its rage just as much as she was. Like flags against the wind they were tossed about each other with similar reckless motions. Their movements were not clumsy or fumbling in their haste but synchronized and harmonious, almost as if their bodies were made for only each other – to be tossed into abandon forever. They were the fire raging across the Plains ignited by lightning and driven ever further by passionate wind. Their motions were like the breathing of the earth rising and falling, rocking back and forth like the bending of trees against the thrust of each warm gust in summer. And the swell would rise and fall over and again. Over and over again.

The sound of their muffled ecstasy penetrated the night, and finally the last breath of the tempest heaved it last and rested against the earth utterly spent.