Forums » Fantasy Roleplay » The Winds of Ithilien

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It was tough thinking about seperating himself from Fay, but after several more kisses along her neck and ear, and a quick peck to her lips as their noses touched, he let his hand slip around her ribs. He turned and looked for the best way to get down the few feet of rocky slope.

"I think I see a way down."

He stepped down to a lower rock and moved to its edge, and Fay set her hands on his shoulders and jumped down next to him. Durian then tried to step across to another rock, but as he did so, the rock came loose from the bank and he started to slide. He tried to hold to the rock as he slowly slid down, but there would be no stopping, and he fell back with a big splash. Well, he was down. He came back to the surface and pushed his hair from his face and looked up at Fay who was smiling at Durian's clumsyness.

She could tell he was loving their interactions just as much as she was. She laughed softly as he landed with a big splash.

With a wide grin Fay jumped down into the water and dove in with elegance. She popped up in front of him and smoothed her hair back. She bit her lip and gazed into his eyes.

•

Durian gave her a quick kiss before he said,

"I do need to get these boots off."

He sank under the water, and came up with a boot which he dumped out the water and threw it up on a rock. He did the same with the other and said,

"My clothes, such as they are, did need a wash.
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He ran his hands over her wet hair and he beheld her face, commmiting to memory every feature. He then slid his hands down her back and wrapped his arms around her and kissed her long and slow. The world had for now fell away, and she was his world right now.

Fay wrapped her arms around him and ran her fingers through his hair. She blushed and moved her lips in sync with his. She smiled against his lips and felt everything around her melt away. The only thing that mattered now was him.

•

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Having lost themselves into each other for what seemed an eternity, Durian lifted Fay and turned, and he leaned against a tall vertical rock that was smoothed by the falling water. They were splashed by it and it was only now as the day was darkening into the evening did they start to feel cold. He lifted Fay and she wrapped her arms around his neck and buried her face in his neck, and he carried her out and lay her on his surcoat. He sat beside her and his fingers drew patterns on her stomach, and she opened her eyes and sat up.

"Oh my love, I think we burned most of the rest of this day with our little swim and bath."

It did feel so good to be clean and refreshed and relaxed, their tension seemed to have subsided. He turned to Fay who lay back down and stretched out,

"Maybe we should stay here for the night as it is going to get dark quickly."

He brushed a stray wet lock of hair from her cheek and kissed her slowly and gently.

She kissed him back lovingly and pulled him down beside her in the grass. She moved so she was on top of him as they kissed.

”My love... let’s forget everything tonight. No troubles in the world. Nothing. Tonight it’s just us.”

She laid on top of him and closed her eyes. Her head lay on his chest and she listened to his steady heartbeat. She smiled and yawned softly as a warm breeze blew by. She reluctantly got up and grabbed his surcoat then laid back down on top of him with his coat over them.

So warm… feeling Fay’s body press into his felt so good, so relaxing, that he just rested there with his arms about her. He would occasionally pat her back through the surcoat or rub his plan in a small circle as to reassure her he was still there, or maybe it was to reassure himself that she was still there, and this was not a dream. Every now and then, Fay would jump in her sleep, an involuntary spasm of contented bliss. Durian looked up at the sky which was a solid dark monotone, and he said softly,

”How is it that I found you Fay? May Varda bless us.”

It was then as he was about to close his eyes that he thought he saw a star in the haze. He blinked and brushed Fay’s hair away from his face and looked again. For that one moment, it was as if Varda herself winked at him. Her star twinkled once and was lost in the haze of the belching Mt Doom. He fell asleep as Fay shifted slightly atop him.

Dreams can be a beautiful thing. But so too can they be brutal. Durian fell so deeply asleep he lost himself in his drained bliss. It was then the shadowy Nazgul came to him in his mind.

’Durian you fool, you have lost all…. Oh, don’t you know? Have you not heard? Maybe it was wrong to kill them. May I should have let them live and see what you do…’

Durian began to sweat in his sleep as vivid vision came. A small house there was, burning. Screams could be heard, and soldiers of the dark fled. Soon there were no more cries, and the house fell in on itself. Durian recognised the house, and he jumped awake yelling,

”NOOoo!”

Fay awoke startled by Durian’s outburst. He fought for breath and she tried to comfort him. He looked at her and saw she was alive and safe, and in his arms, and he gasped as her hand brushed his damp hair from his face. He began to slowly regain his breath, and he felt better knowing he was still in the arms of Fay…

Fay frowned and hugged him close to her. ”Tell me...” she whispered, asking him to tell her his dream. The way he screamed... his cold sweat... how he gasped when she touched him. She knew those feelings all too well. Nightmares and night terrors came to her more often than not.

She was pleasantly greeted by awful things almost every night. So she understood. She ran her fingers through his hair slowly hoping to further calm him down. Seeing him so... scared. So panicked. It hurt her heart.

Durian rested his head against Fay's breast as she held him and combed her fingers through his hair. His breathing started to calm and he said in a rasp...

"Fay... you're alive... not dead... not burned..."

He sat up and looked in her eyes as his hands ran through her hair and caressing her head. He took several deep breaths as he rested his forehead to hers and closed his eyes.

"The Witch King of Angmar, the bane of our people... he lies!"

Durian said through gritted teeth. He then was captivated by Fay's caring eyes and he brushed her soft cheek with his finger as he watched his finger trace her cheekbone. So beautiful she was to him! He smiled as his gaze softened hinto a loving embrace.

"Alas, it is morning. Thet the demons of darkness remain in the blackness of night."

and he kissed her gently on the lips.
•
They rested a while before the horses whinnied in impatience, and Durian kissed Fay before he said,

“I think they had their fill of grass and want to get moving.”

With a small yawn Fay opened her eyes and smiled down at her love. She thought for a second and bit her lip. Quickly feeling guilty she got off of him and took a few steps away. She could feel Durian’s confused gaze on her.

Fay quickly turned to him and said softly ”what if we... stopped this? Stopped having a part in this war? What if we... got a house together..? Lived peacefully?” was it ok for her to suggest such a thing?

Durian stood and watched Fay as she walked away. When she turned and spoke, Durian remained silent. His eyes were on Fay, but his sight reached far away. Peace... live peacefully.... with Fay... what a beautiful thought. But how could they stop? Were they not duty-bound? Would it be desertion? Durian had once or twice failed to report but not for very long. But his last word was sent west from Dale, and for all anyone knew he was lost in teh river. Except for the Ithilien Rangers, Fay's comrades. What of them? Especially the one who hesitated and looked longingly at her when she left with him? He started to walk toward Fay and said,

"Fay... we have duties to our kin. Maybe we return to your comrades or go to Minas Tirith and do our part, then after all this is over, we settle?"

A brief vision of the burning cabin flashed in Durian head and he blinked his eyes and swallowed. He said again,

"Fay..."

“No... no I know.. it was stupid to think.” She turned around and felt her heart drop a little. She didn’t want to fight. She was so afraid of one of them not making it. Or even them being separated. She wrapped her arms around herself almost as if she had a stomach ache.

Fay stayed with her back facing him and tried to calm herself but before she even knew it she had tears streaming down her cheeks.

Durian slowly came up behind Fay and slid his arms around her and pressed his chest to her back. His hands held hers as he leaned his head forward to her shoulder and said softly in her ear,

"Fay, we are here, we are together. We cannot fear the future. Fear kills the mind and destroys all hope. It is a key weapon of the enemy. We must face our fear. Whether we face it together or alone, we must stand strong against it, and when it passes, we will remain."

He kissed her neck gently in hopes of soothing her fear now, but he too seemed to lose himself in thoughts. After some silence, Durian mumbled,

"Them, he said them."

He didn't inderstand, and he didn't know what to do or say. He took a deep breath and considered what their path should be.

She looked up at him and stepped back ”Durian you never told me what your dream was...” she said softly and crossed her arms.

She had a bad feeling about it too. Once Durian explained the dream she felt anger rise in her.

”So you saw this?! And you’re still willing to continue on?!” she practically yelled at him and laughed bitterly.

"Yes Fay, it was my vision. But I think of it now and things were quite vague. Maybe I made something out of it that was not there. I... I don't know. I know what we should do, and I know what we want to do... "

Durian was going to walk over to Fay again, but it was clear she wanted to stand clear of him. He swallowed and after several moments of silence between them, he said,

"I will go where you wish to go Fay, anywhere, be that battle, to the fires of Mt Doom or to find peace together somewhere, a fair house in the woods or by the sea. I love you Fay..."

A slight breeze sent a chill over them in the dull grey-brown of the morning light and caused Durian's words to trail off. His eyes were on Fay, but his ears were listening to the sounds around them.

She took a deep breath then walked to Durain and wrapped her arms around him "Okay... Okay we will do what we need to do. We'll finish this war. But you have to promise me Durian that we will both stay alive and together when it ends." Her voice was almost desperate sounding and she it her lip. The thought of losing him made her heart shatter... not being with him scared her. She loved him and knew she wanted to always be with him

It was a hard promise to make. He had been in melee battle before with the Hillmen in the Ettenmoors. One step to instead of fro could be the difference in life and death, and he could remember faces of men he fought with who fell. Skill in battle is a must, and having the fortitude to stand can make the difference in whether a battle is won or lost. The rest was sheer luck in timing.

Holding Fay, he said,

"Maybe we go to Osgiliath and help defend that strategic city? I think time grows short for Gondor."

He kissed her cheek and rested his head against the side of hers and caressed her back as a silent moment passed between them. He then looked in her eyes as he caressed her face and said,

"It would be my desire to stay here and make love to you again and again and yet again, but we have tarried long..."

He took a deep breath as he smiled at her, his hand brushing her hair that hung by her ear.

She leaned into his touch and smiled "I'd love that too... to just lay here with you... and make love over and over... and completely be with you.... but we must move on if we want a peaceful future together. Osgiliath it is." She said with a slight sadness in her voice.

She leaned up and pressed a gentle kiss to his lips and pressed against him, not wanting to go anywhere just yet. She yearned for him once more. His touch was intoxicating to her.

Durian and Fay enjoyed some few more moments here in this grassy dell, and it took some time for them to get themselves ready to go. This place had become their little place in this world where memories were made between the two rangers from the south and north. The kindreds were bonded as each took a place within the other, and they were loath to leave. But leave they had to, and once they had collected their clothing and gear and got the horses ready, they set out.

Durian led them back the way they came, and he felt more relaxed than he had been for some time. The trek was uneventful, and when they were again able to ride side-by-side, they would trade admiring glances. On occasion when she looked to him Durian would lift his hand to his upper lip and grin. He would then think of days in the future, and to a time when there was no war. Would there ever be a time like that again?

As the day grew late, they came in to sight of Osgiliath. They had been lucky so far on their journey, but as they neared the city, a volley of orc arrows came flying toward them. When one struck Durian horse, it reared, and Durian went to the ground. He struggled to get up, but the wind was knocked out of him. All he could do was lay there as his horse bolted away. Fay turned and rode to him, and he struggled to get up. She passed him and turned and came back. This time Durian mustered his breath and enough strength, and he stood and was able to jump up behind Fay with her help. Without word she rode as hard as she could to the line of Gondorians where the archers returned some long-range fire. They were going to make it! But another volley of arrows camefrom the orcs though not as many as before, and Durian grunted in Fay’s ear as he slumped forward into her back with an arrow in his back…

Fay felt the impact of the arrow and heard his grunt. Panic filled her and she rode faster than ever before to get past the lines and into safety.

Once past the gondorians she quickly got him down gently and looked at his wound. ”Oh my god.... Durian look at me...” she urged and bit her lip as worry filled her.

”Keep your eyes open ok? Don’t look away from me.” she said seriously and applied pressure to the wound and she felt tears well up in her eyes. Her rune began to glow and suddenly she was surrounded by orcs. She got up and began fighting and soon enough she got lost in a battle far away from Durian... completely out of his sight...