Madeira was keeping to herself too. This assignment was working out to be a lot harder than she thought. She had never met a man who could challenge her on any level. While his reasoning had certainly shaken her belief system a bit, it stood to reason that she would be tested. It was why the Queen had made sure it was her who would be in position at Port Cholandra, in the event it was a male that was found as the portents had told. No, Wollfen was an aberration just as those babies were. He was not meant to be, but he would be used to achieve their aims. It was the only logical explanation she realized now. The Queen was right in placing her in charge of this, any lesser sorc may very well have fallen under his spell.
Feeling better about herself, she rose from her chair and started to walk towards the door. At that moment Wollfen entered and stopped just inside the door. He had a hard look on his face.
“
I am sorry for what I am about to do, but know this, it is for the good of all, not just my countrymen.”
“
Sorry?”
As she said it she was hit, not by any physical blow but a mental blast that stung her mind. She cried out as the wave hit again and she felt her defenses cracking. She tried to rally, force out the power. Again this time it was more enveloping and trickling into her mind, but she was strong and she fought, fought hard. Wollfen focused more, Madeira opened her eyes. She felt herself lifted and thrown against the wall a good foot off the ground, she was pinned. Now she could feel it, real power surging and she could not resist.
“
I do apologize again Madeira, but you can’t know what I am about to do. I will give you this promise. When I am done I will bow to anything you wish, but right now that cannot be.”
Wollfen cloaked her mind in blackness. She could sense nothing, hear nothing and see nothing, she was cut off.
Wollfen reached out for Dark, calling her. ‘Hear me my love, listen, I call you, answer me please.’
Dark shot up on her cot, Wollfen? She listened again and it came, ‘Answer me please.’
She thought hard, ‘I am here my love, are you in danger?’
‘
Listen carefully, I have important news.’
‘
I am listening my love.’
‘
You must turn back. I cannot return as yet, it is my duty to go to Isogorr.’
Dark was not understanding, ‘My love what are they doing to you?’
‘
It is okay you need not fret, I am well and will be fine. I do this of my own free choice. It is something that must be done for the good of the Kingdom.’
‘
Baby maybe I can assist you? I can help.’ Dark was pleading now,
‘
No my love, I am sorry I must do this. I don’t want to be away from you for so long, but I have no choice. My destiny, for better or worse, lies in Isogorr. Please, you need to turn back and know that I love you and when I am done I will come to you.’
‘
I love you too my dearest wolf, please don’t go.’ She was crying now, not wanting him to go, she missed him so much.
Wollfen sent a large wave of love directly to her and it passed through her enveloping her from head to toe. She could feel it with every inch of her body. Vaughn had come in hearing the words.
“
Are you alright?”
Dark grabbed him by the hair and pulled him down to her, her tongue entering his mouth searching and feeling in a passionate kiss that left him gasping. Dark let go and fell back. Her eyes became clear again and she could taste blood in her mouth. It wasn’t hers. She looked over and saw a shocked Vaughn sitting there with a bleeding lip.
“
Oh, it was you, I’m sorry. I cant explain right now.”
Remembering she sprang up and out the door, she went onto the deck. Racing to the bow, she closed her eyes looking for the orb, but it was gone. She kept looking and feeling for it, but nothing was to be seen. Wollfen was gone.
Dark walked slowly back to the cabin. Entering Vaughn looked up. She looked haggard all of a sudden, it was bad news.
In a dull, sad tone and tears in her eyes Dark spoke to Vaughn.
“
Tell the Captain we return to port.”
Vaughn protested,
“
But what of Wollfen?”
“
Just do it!” Dark snapped.
Vaughn quickly left the room. She walked over to the cot, threw herself down and quietly cried herself to sleep.
Back on the Man O War, Wollfen had released Madeira from his grip and caught her, then placed her seated on the bench.
“
I am sorry again.”
Wollfen lay down and immediately fell into an exhausted sleep. He had used up more than just his magical energies in carrying out his task, he had taxed his physical self too.
Madeira on the other hand was stuck fast to the bench. She couldn’t move, fear had gripped her like she had never felt before. She could do nothing but stare at him there on the bed. She was too scared to move, too scared to speak. She felt a stickiness between her legs. I wet myself she realized. Now she moved, watching the still form of that man as she left the cabin. Madeira made her way to the hold. She had stopped a sailor on her way and ordered a fresh robe be deposited at the hatch to the hold. As he had left she had given him a sting mentally to his mind and he had cried out dashing off. That made her feel a bit better.
At the bottom of the stairs she stripped off her robe and walked over to a bucket of water in the corner, she knelt and began washing herself down. She was shaking not from cold but from what she had just been through. Power had traveled through her like she had never felt before. Her own powers still worked and she didn’t seem to be any worse for wear. Collecting her thoughts, she wondered how all this could be? That man had not only cracked her mental defenses open, but when she had fought back, he had brushed her energies aside like a, like a child’s.
A shiver ran through her at the thought. This was more power than she could ever have imagined and not only did he do that but his was such power that she had been physically lifted and pinned. It had scared the piss out of her, but at the same time, now in its afterglow she found it more and more exhilarating. Now she felt an arousal like never before, the energy was coursing through her whole body. It stoked her sexuality to a level she hadn't ever felt and she couldn’t hold back. Standing up she left the hold and walked along the deck to the bow of the Man O War feeling the wind caressing her whole nude body. Her nipples stood out hard, she felt a sexual flow and she exulted in it.
Madeira was oblivious to the stares of the sailors on deck who were agog at the sight. She felt the power, felt its raw energy and was on a high, she cried out to the night with a howl of pleasure. Standing there breathing deeply, she turned and returned to the cabin. One sailor smirked at her and she hit him with a mental blow that made him cry out and collapse to the deck, knocking him out stone cold.
Wollfen awoke in the morning to see a naked sorc asleep on top of her cot. What is this? He looked her up and down, she certainly was a beautiful woman, but what was she doing naked?
Madeira stirred and opened her eyes. Looking over she saw him looking at her, she smiled and stretched in a provocative manner. Yawning she sat up, very happy to have him look at her. Wollfen was perplexed, he had expected fire and brimstone not this reaction, and then it dawned on him.
The last powerful energy burst he had sent out had been one of love to Dark. Madeira had obviously been caught in it too. Thinking about it, he realized it was an unexpected outcome that might pay dividends later. He wondered how long the afterglow would last, it had already been all night.
She stood up and walked over to him, sat by his side, smiling sweetly still. Madeira placed her hand on his thigh and lightly caressed, it was getting a little unnerving. This wasn’t the cold and reserved High Priestess he was used to. Finally she broke the silence.
“
I am not sure what I should do?
“
Um, I am not sure of what it is you speak of?” replied Wollfen.
“
How does one kiss?”
“
Ah, I am sorry Madeira but right now you are in the grip of an afterglow of energy that is making you do things you probably will be quite angry about later.”
Madeira pouted.
“
I am going for a walk, I suggest you get your robe on.”
Madeira kept pouting. Wollfen left the cabin and stood on the deck looking out over the ocean, back towards where Dark would have turned around to go back to Port. He thought about how he would miss her knowing it would be at least a year before he saw her again and his heart was filled with sadness.
He stayed out there, sitting and staring for a good four hours before returning. When he did Madeira was clothed again and appeared her reserved self once more.
“
I would like to apologize for the incident earlier. It was not as would be expected of a person in my position.” Madeira offered.
Wollfen responded quickly,
“
It was entirely my own doing and so you shouldn’t have to apologize at all. It is I who should apologize to you.”
Madeira nodded and thanked him. Then after a little uncomfortable silence she came forward and gave him a kiss on the cheek.
“
I will say though that I am grateful to you for showing me that side of the power. I have never experienced it before.”
Wollfen blushed a little, he certainly wasn’t going to tell her just what it was he had done or that it hadn’t been for her. One decidedly good repercussion was that he could sense she was thawing to him. It would make it easier for him to talk to her, show her his philosophies on life and have her actually consider them. Even if it was only from an academic point of view and for now he was happy for that to happen. After all his plan would take a long time to set up.
A week later Dark was standing on the bow of the small vessel as it approached the jetty of Port Valderus. She was steadily staring ahead waiting patiently for the boat to dock. Vaughn was behind her also watching, a grim look on his face. Dark hadn’t spoken much at all this past week and had withdrawn from everyone around her. He was worried and concerned for what she might do. There just wasn’t any indication from her at all about what she was feeling.
As the boat pulled up, the ropes were thrown out to be caught by men waiting on the jetty. Dark was out of the boat and off down the jetty with Vaughn trying to keep up. She made for Raz’s old headquarters and went in. Sergeant Burkhard was sitting at his desk.
“
Where are Keera and Justin?”
Burkhard looked up in surprise.
“
Uh they would be in Port Volarus by now.”
Dark turned and left leaving a bemused Burkhard staring after her. Vaughn had a quick word with Burkhard then nodded at him and left again following Dark. She made a beeline straight back to the jetty. Once there seeing the Captain she called out,
“
Make ready to sail again, we leave for Port Volarus immediately.”
The Captain protested,
“
Now wait just a minute we only just got here. I have no more orders to sail you around where ever you feel. I did this original trip on the direct orders of Lord Raz himself.”
Dark looked like she would boil over. Anger was in her eyes and she was close to letting loose.
“
We need to get to Port Volarus as soon as possible to report to Lord Raz of these developments. There is no time to waste!”
Dark was incensed, she was not reasoning at all. Vaughn stepped in as he caught up and spoke to the captain.
“
Captain, I have spoken to Sergeant Burkhard and he informs me that there is only a garrison of soldiers here to watch over the place and be a forward warning post. They already have a fast boat moored here for relaying messages so we are not needed here. I suggest we restock enough supplies for the four day trip south and then move out as soon as is practicable.”
The Captain considered these words and gave his decision.
“
Yes I see the sense in that, we should be able to get under way again in about three hours. That is the best I can do.”
Dark looking on nodded reluctantly, it would have to do. She turned and walked to the end of the jetty. Kicking off her boots she went for a walk along the water’s edge, her pent up emotions and angst tumbling over in her mind as she walked along. After awhile she was able to bring about some calm to her troubled soul.
It was about two hours before she returned. Going into the township she found a place to grab a drink of water and sat down. Dark was tired now, more from thinking than the walk. She couldn’t bear to think of Wollfen being away for the next year or more, him all alone and with no friends. She so wanted to be by his side.
It wasn’t long before it would be time to go so she made her way back to the jetty and found Vaughn giving a helping hand to stowing the last few things. She nodded to the Captain as she boarded the ship offering a helping hand if he could use it, but they were ready to cast off. The Captain gave his orders and within minutes they were departing Port Valderus for the last time. In four days they would be residing at their new base.