Chapter One Hundred And Forty Four - Thoughts of Vengeance

"How long has he been in this state?" Leif asked after Elyas visited him with a distant Saewulf in tow.

"Almost two days," Elyas replied, clearly distressed that he had not been able to coax his beloved from his child state. He knew that Sae would occasionally become locked into the state, the reasons seemed random, but Elyas knew there were likely connections to something deeper, something that his psyche sought to protect him from. "We were talking and I was showing him some things and suddenly he retreated. I thought he would just need a little time, like usual, an hour or so but... what was the longest that he was in this state when he was just with you?"

"Hmm, probably the same, an hour or so," Leif believed as he thought back.

"Nine years," Wulfgar (formerly Five) said, honestly as he appeared from the bedroom. The two other men stared at him wide eyed. "He was barely six, I had just turned ten. He stopped crying that day. Did not revive until the day on the surface." Five placed a shy kiss upon the warm cheek of the Witch, before blushing and turning away. Leif smiled as he observed the large man's back.

It had been a long year for the Witch as he chased this giant of a man, whose hands could easily crush a throat and fists snap bones, but who had protected a small boy with soft paws and who had fled when Leif first announced his intentions. As this was not strictly a rejection, Leif simply let Wulfgar get used to the idea before approaching him once more.

"If you do not like me," Leif had told him, "then tell me now and I shall let you alone."

"I like you," Wulfgar had replied. He spoke longer sentences now he was comfortable within the company and surroundings of the village, but he still used words sparingly.

"Then why flee from me?" Leif had asked, in a demanding tone.

"I don't want to give birth to children." Leif had appeared startled at his response before bursting into laughter.

"What makes you think you need to?" Leif had asked him as he had clutched his aching sides, unable to cease the tickling mirth despite the rosy glow of Wulfgar's face.

"People here marry to have children," Wulfgar had replied. "Why else would you wish to marry me?"

Leif had stroked his fingers along Wulfgar's jaw, the younger man shivering in delightful response. "That's not the only reason for marriage, Wulf," he had told him. "I simply want to be with you in more than simple friendship. I want to share my home with you, my food and my bed. Will you think about it?"

Wulfgar had taken a great length of time to think about the proposal, not because he was slow in thought, but more that he had thought too deeply about it. His mind still had not been able to fathom the concept of love, so he still could not understand why Leif wished to marry him and why he should agree or disagree. His friends had been of no assistance to his dilemma for whilst Elyas and Saewulf were in favour for Leif, Samuel had teased him no end about becoming a mother and Fleur had suggested that if Wulfgar decided that he disliked Leif's suit, he should just kill him.

In the end, Leif had dragged Wulfgar from the hall, which he had still shared with his brothers at that time and into his own home. They had emerged some three days later, Wulfgar with a glazed look of wonder upon his face and Leif with a noticeable limp. Saewulf had wondered whether Leif had had to resort to that aphrodisiac to weaken Wulf enough to let him have his wicked way with his body! Leif would likely openly admit to whether this was true or not, but no one thought to ask.

Wulfgar had not left Leif's home since that day and they were formally wed a month or so later, some three months after Saewulf and Elyas. Wulfgar's morning astonishment had vanished to become that generally of one satisfied, while Leif occasionally still limped in the early hours of day.

"What did you say or show Saewulf before he retreated into his mind?" Leif asked, curiously.

"I conjured some images of people I knew from the Kingdom," Elyas told him. "Friends, Teachers..."

"Show me," Leif demanded, so Elyas summoned his fire and concerntrated upon the flickering flames. Leif was lost for words for once as the burning element altered to reveal little humanoid sprites that resembled smiling boys, each with his own clear persona. These morphed into a lone boy, a different fellow with an obvious attitude. Lastly from these, the flames became the images of two men, both serious of face. Wulfgar sucked in a sharp breath as he stared at the magic that closely resembled that of the sun mage.

"I know what has upset him," he admitted.

*****

Leif cleared away the dinner plates and cups from the table, using purified water to clean them before returning them to the kitchen shelf.  Wulfgar made a cursory swipe of the table, spilling any remaining crumbs to the floor, before sweeping them together and towards the door.  He glanced over his shoulder at his small husband, the man lost to his own thoughts.  He had accepted the words that spoke of the assassins past quietly, while Elyas had held back tears and rage, fire seeming to burn in his normally warm eyes.

Once their cleaning had been completed, the two men retired to their room. Leif removed his many beads from his neck and Wulfgar divested himself of the black-stained leathers formed from the mountain beasts and favoured still by his family.  They crawled into the fur covered bed together and savoured each other's warmth.  It did not get particularly cold in the swamp, what with the ever burning fires and the rooftop fog that lessened the escape of any heat from the day.  However, in cooler months, the humid air and damp grounds caused a chill that seemed to sleep into bones and take root there.  Households would huddle together for warmth during those days and nights.

Leif nuzzled his cheek against the warm, though firm flesh of Wulfgar's chest.  "Is the whole of the Kingdom so unkind?"

"No," Wulfgar replied.  "Sae once had love from his parents.  It just could not outweigh their own selfishness.  I cannot remember mine, but I feel warmth when thinking of them."

"But these people who broke you, used you..." Leif began only to be hushed by Wulfgar's tightening hold.

"There will always be bad people," Wulfgar mentioned.  "We just happened to come across the worst of them. "

"Does it not want to make you go and seek vengeance?" Leif asked.  He recalled the number of times his Uncle had caused him grief and though his actions would not warrant something as drastic as death, he felt much satisfaction when he had finally been able to stand his ground against him.  Even more so when that man's own greedy nature had backfired upon him.  He would likely be serving his nine wives' whims for the rest of his life, as he had been vigilantly this past year, unable to flaunt his status and seek pleasures for himself.

"I have thought about it," Wulfgar admitted and a rare smile came unbidden to his plush lips.  "And then I am distracted from such thoughts."  He turned to gather Leif closer to him as Leif began to question his words;

"How...?" He was unable to finish his sentence, in fact he was unable to say anything coherent for a long while, but there were many groans that spoke of sinful pleasure.

*****

"I would kill that man should the opportunity arrive," Fleur grumbled, her hand stroking her swelling midsection.  The woman had not been able to chose between her most persistent suitors and now she and the five men lived in matrimonial bliss in a stone dwelling with a straw and clay roof.  The warriors adored her and worshiped her every move and she stood amongst them, their Queen and treasure.  With her appetites to sate, it was only a matter of time until she became filled with child.  And now, like a sabre worrying over its cub, thoughts of killing past threats to ensure its safety came unbidden everyday.

Oswyn (who was once called One) nodded in agreement, his cold eyes vividly chilling.  Had they not been in a hurry to leave the city that day, he certainly would have sought out that man and not have remained satisfied in the massacre of their handlers that happened to be in the building at that time.  His aura caused Lewin to flinch.

At least once a month, those who had once been a part of the Kingdom came together almost as if there was an elastic cord binding them and they were unable to resist its calling.  While they had made lives here, new friends even family, they felt a need to be with their own sometimes.  Needless to say, the fact that Sae had remained locked into his internal world for close to a week had drawn them together this time.

"I'm still shocked by it all," Herebert admitted.  Eulalia was sitting close beside him, her slight body almost pressed against him, but for once, he remained unresisting.  "I mean, the man is a Teacher..."

"Teacher or no," Lewin returned, calmly.  "Does not prove him to be a good man.  It simply reveals that he is clever with his disguise."

"Disguised and not hidden in shadows," Four, now known as Fulke murmured as if trying to understand this concept.  The youth had not adapted as well as the others to Village life, with the exception of perhaps Oswyn.  But Oswyn allowed his blade to talk for him, joining the hunts at every opportunity to keep the monster that dwelled within him at bay.  Fleur had her husbands as Sae and Samuel had theirs.  Eulalia had blossomed into a whole different creature with respect and awe for her powers enshrouding her rather than the fear and hatred that had tainted her in the darkness.  Fulke had never liked the killing, too much blood and often urine involved, he was happy to no longer need to continue such actions.  But without his family, he would have become a total recluse.

"What do you think?" Jenefer asked Elyas as he sheltered the distant Sae in his strong, but helpless arms.

"Honestly, I think I would happily kill him if it gave Sae some needed peace," Elyas replied after some thought.  "If it gave that to all of you," he added gazing upon Fleur's belly.

Wulfgar cracked his knuckles and Oswyn chuckled in response.  "Then why wait?" Fleur purred softly.