Chapter 12

When Aldren returned to their quarters, he found Ameni awake and waiting for him. Rather than explain it all to her then, he told her the bare basics of what he found out. What he didn't say was that it could mean his life. She accepted his explanation and helped him get undressed for bed.

They held each other for a while, just enjoying the closeness of the other. Eventually, their hands began to roam over each other's bodies and their passions started to rise. Aldren moved between Ameni's spread thighs and entered her in one slow thrust. She in turn brought her ankles around his back, pulling him tighter against her. Their rhythm started to increase as her lubrication flowed more freely. His orgasm caught him by surprise in its sudden appearance, and he thrust against her one last time while he arched his back and shot his seed against the mouth of her womb. Seeing and feeling the force of his climax sent her over the edge as well. They both fed off each other's passion until they were both exhausted. He slowly pulled his cock from her and rolled to his side. She in turn moved up against him so they were face to face. She gave him a loving kiss and then pushed him onto his back so she could take up her favorite position; laying against his side with her leg over his and her head resting on his broad muscular shoulder. Once in position they drifted off into a dreamless slumber.

The two lovers awoke shortly after dawn. After a quick kiss, they took turns using the facilities and getting dressed. They did not forego their armor as they intended to go to the practice field later. The two lovers stepped into the dining hall of the tower to find Mirgan and Kiran sitting together at one of the end tables nearest the kitchen entrance. Since the hall was otherwise vacant, Aldren and Ameni joined the young couple.

After being served a breakfast of cooked grains and honey along with sweet cakes, the foursome dug in. As they were enjoying their morning tea, Mirgan started to speak, then hesitated. When Ameni gestured for him to speak his mind, he turned a shade of red but tried again.

"Kiran and I were talking last night and we agree that we wish to be bonded. With both of us being half-elven, we want to have the traditional bonding." Here he hesitated for a moment. "Well sir, we were wondering if you could do the ceremony. Since you are the chief of your clan. You see we cannot get back to either clan for the ceremony, and with the exception of my mother, you and the lady are our only family. My Uncle was a good influence, but it was you who first taught me how to be the man I aspired to be."

The older couple looked at each other for a moment. What Mirgan had said affected them both. There was a feeling of pride in his words that they had been able to help in some degree with their growth as well as a feeling of responsibility. They turned back to the anxiously awaiting youths. Aldren started to stand and told them both to follow him to the great hall. As they passed the doorway, he told the guard that was there to assemble all the people he could find on the front steps one hour past dusk.

Once they got to the great hall, he had them seat themselves around the table. He eyed them carefully for a few moments then started asking questions.

"You are sure of this decision? Both of you?" They both nodded in the affirmative. "You are both young, not fully to the age of consent, though not far from it. Mirgan, your mother is at the main camp down south and I would normally require you to wait until we had the permission from her. However this request comes at a time that causes me to tend to bypass the traditions."

Ameni then told them what they needed to do for the ceremony and told them both to be ready at the front steps of the tower at the appointed hour. The couple left to make their preparations and Ameni left to speak to Isabella about cooking a feast for this night. Before she departed though, Aldren asked her to meet him in his office within an hour.

When called, Kal-angurr assured Aldren that he still kept a bonding stone and cord and would have them ready. Then Aldren moved down the corridor to his office. There were still some serious decisions to be made before the joyous occasion that night.

Aldren and Ameni were finally alone in his private rooms when he explained in detail just what he had learned the night before. Then he asked her for her opinion. Deep down he knew what he had to do, but also knew that it would affect her as well.

"I may not like it, but you have already made the decision to go through with it and of course I will support you. When we first met, I knew that I wanted to be with you from then on. Then of course, I could never imagine what would be coming and how things would change for us both. But that doesn't change the way I feel. I will be at your side until the end."

"Ameni my love, I cannot allow you to go with me into this battle. You cannot help when the time comes for me to face Ralahur. I cannot take the chance you would be hurt or killed from the blasts of magic that may happen."

"I swore an oath to be with you always. You cannot release me from that oath, and I refuse not to honor it! We are bonded in ways that transcend both time and space and I will be standing by your side. We can overcome whatever we face as long as we are together."

Aldren stopped pacing around and came up to face her. Her features were set in a look of defiance and her eyes were blazing. He put his hands on her shoulders and moved in to kiss her passionately. "Then that is the way it will be. Together we will be forever."

Aldren considered the best time and place to meet with the great dragon. He considered traveling to Balroth's territory and searching out his lair. But time was a factor now and they didn't know exactly where the lair was. They could spend months looking and even then, they did not know if the dragon would help them.

Ameni suggested that they travel to Dragon's Hold where they first met Balroth. Three days ride away and they could call the troops out that were stationed there and send them to the impending battle. They would ride in three days.

There was quite a crowd in the courtyard of the Tower that evening. Aldren was dressed in his finest, dark red and black in honor of his clan. Ameni was garbed in a dress that befitted the Lady of the Tower. The soft greens were from her heritage as well.

Mirgan was standing on Aldren's left awaiting his mate. He was clad in the ceremonial uniform of a Captain of the tower. He had yet to attain his adult stature and the uniform had been hurriedly tailored to fit. Despite his youthful appearance, he stood proudly and more than willing to go through the ceremony.

Kiran approached the central group. In the traditional white of bonding, she almost shimmered as she moved gracefully to stand next to her soon to be life's mate. Aldren took note of the circlet of silver that adorned her head. It was the same one that Ameni had worn for their bonding. As the two participants turned to face the Lord and Lady of the Tower, Aldren raised his hands to command quiet from the crowd.

"Here me all who witness this bonding! Mirgan, son of Etwain and Dulca has asked and received consent from Kiran, daughter of Morson and Berenth to be bonded together from this time on. Both are known to the Dragon Clan and we verify their heritage and their desire."

Then he turned to the couple. "Do you both agree with what is stated in regard to your families and your desire to bond together?"

"Yes, My Lord." They answered in unison.

"Do you Mirgan wish to be mated with this woman for the rest of your life and beyond, to be honor bound to always love her, protect her, and cherish the person she is?"

"Yes sir, I do wish this to be."

"And do you Kiran wish to be mated to this man for the rest of your life and beyond, to be honor bound to always love him, care for him, and cherish the person he is?"

"Yes sir, I wish to have this."

Aldren took a stone similar to the one that had left the scars on his and Ameni's palms and placed it in the middle of Mirgan's hand. Kiran covered the stone with her own and their hands were bound with the cord.

The incantation that Aldren spoke in elvish gave the blessings of the ancients to the couple and bound them together always. He touched their clasped hands and a soft white light bathed the couple that dissipated only when he finished the spell. If the spectators looked closely, they would see that the cord that had been tied to their hands and wrists lay loosely clinging where it had been tight before. Kiran lifted her hand to reveal the stone that still glowed from the magic. Mirgan placed the stone into Aldren's hand and clasped his mate's hand once again.

Aldren finished the ceremony. "Let it be known throughout the clans and all lands beyond that you have made the vows to be bonded and will be considered so in the traditions of the Kin." Aldren and Ameni both gave them a low bow.

"May your life be filled always with the happiness and love that you feel at this time." Ameni blessed them in the language of their kin.

"You both have our eternal gratitude, my Lord and Lady. Your blessings will surely see us together in this life and beyond." Kiran replied.

The couple then turned and acknowledged the cheers of the crowd. Aldren and Ameni parted, indicating to the couple that they were to precede them to the great hall for a feast, then to their quarters in the tower.

Three days later, a small group left the gates of the tower on their way to the Dragon's Hold. Aldren and Ameni rode in the lead, with the new bondmates just behind. Aldren had been surprised when Mirgan had appeared the day before and requested permission to ride out with them. Aldren told him that he should spend some more time with his mate when Kiran appeared and stated that it didn't matter where they were together, their place was with the Lord and Lady of the Tower. Aldren had consented and thus the foursome was on the road just after dawn.

The trail had been improved and the journey could be made in two days. The group was traveling at a more leisurely pace and would make it in three. This was so they could have time for thought of what was to come. They met a few patrols on the way, but the area was trouble free. The nights were spent in the huts that the troops had built along the trail for that purpose. That gave them shelter from the elements and allowed them to forego posting a watch.

The young couple was still in the throes of passion from their bonding and their sounds of lovemaking had an effect on the older couple. If one had passed the huts during those nights, they would have heard the mixed sounds of the couplings of the inhabitants.

The sun was at its zenith when the group found themselves at the gates of Dragon's Hold. A fortified wall had been built across the narrowest part of the canyon with a parapet from which archers could defend the heavy gates. Aldren was recognized and the gates were opened to reveal the changes within.

Gone was the small camp where they had resisted the attack. In its stead were several large stone buildings that housed the troops and their weaponry. The spring had been routed into a system of cisterns that could provide water for all those inside. There were also gardens to provide vegetables between the barracks and a corral where herdbeasts were housed. A stable and armory were set near the back wall of the canyon.

The travelers dismounted and turned their mounts over to the care of stable hands. Aldren then led them to the building that housed the officers. The captain, Enthof, rose from his seat when they entered. He was surprised to see the Lord and the Lady out there.

After clasping forearms with Enthof, Aldren started to explain their presence. "I have other business out here so I decided to bring you the news myself. Things are bleak in the south and we are calling all our forces out. You and your men will need to leave as soon as it can be arranged and join Vabryn to reinforce the troops already there. Battle is looming and it may be the final battle for our freedom."

"We can be ready to move by morning, my Lord," replied Enthof with a measure of pride.

"I can see that you have exceeded my expectations here and I have no fear that you and your men will do the same on the battlefield."

Enthof left to give orders for the men to prepare for departure. Shouts could be heard as the word was passed. These men had been training for a long while and were anxious to put their skills to use.

Aldren and his group took the evening meal with the troops and there was much laughter and story telling between the mugs of ale that were passed around. The capture of the supply train was told so often that it caused Ameni to start blushing. Just before they all headed to their cots, Aldren stood and raised is mug.

"Men, we are coming up on a battle that may well decide the fate of all the lands. I know that you all have trained just for this and with your knowledge and skill we will prevail. I raise my mug in a toast to you. May the blessings of the ancient ones ride with us all!"

There was a loud cheer that mixed with the banging of mugs and the pounding of fists on the tables. Soon though the hall was cleared and the men were in their beds resting in anticipation of the upcoming events.

By midday, the keep was emptied except for Aldren and those who came with him. For being so full of sounds of industry, it was eerily silent. All the buildings were shuttered with the anticipation of their occupants returning. Mirgan had offered to prepare the evening meal and was rummaging through the stores that had not been taken for something to work with. Ameni was looking for the herbs that she needed to prevent conception. He was dirty and tired and decided that a dip in the sun warmed pool at the back wall of the canyon was just what he needed.

Ameni came back into camp with a supply of the needed herbs. She had been pushing her way through the alpine bogs to find the plant and was covered in mud to her waist... On the way back, it had dried to a crust that cracked and flaked off as she moved. She dropped her pack of herbs next to the rest of her gear and headed to the pool to clean up.

As she approached the water she spotted her lover at the far end of the pool, his head resting on a rock just letting the sun warmed water slowly move around his body. She stared at him admiring once again the masculine form before her. Those thoughts turned to the way that he pleased her during their love making, causing her to feel a tingling in her loins.

She quickly and quietly removed her clothing and slipped into the water. She was trying to get close enough to surprise him, but he somehow felt her presence and sat forward. She smiled at him and then wrapped her arms around his neck giving him a passionate kiss.