Him and Thaulka had travelled all day in near silence, Scar gave sideways glances everytime Thaulka made a sudden movement. He would smile and Scar would imagine a knife planted in his chest.
Now they were settled around a campfire for the night. "You know of my past, you must. I can tell by the shit eating grin that keeps showing up on your hideous face."
"I do."
"Well then you know I don't trust you."
"Tell me Scarface, if it had been a human who killed your mother would you harbor this distrust towards your own species?"
The elf's eyes were darker than the pitch black. They held such an intensity that Scar wanted to look away. He didn't.
"They tell me it was slow. Painful. A death nobody deserved."
"Did they ever tell you that she was also a elf?"
Scar felt angry boil through him and spew out his mouth, "Liar." He hissed.
The elf was calm as he stirred the dwindling flame.
"Answer me this. Do you know that the stone has infinite uses?"
Scar didn't answer, but Thaulka Zandrai already knew the answer to his question by the vague emotions that were fed into the night air.
"You do know."
He sat back on the cold earth. "If you planned on using the stone before giving it away to Barnabas you will be sorely dissapointed."
"Why?" Scar's voice came out scratchy, almost hoarse.
"It will not work for the species that trapped it's power away."
Scars eyes hardened and he turned away from Thaulka and the fire.
"If the stone does not work it will not be because my mother is what you claim."
Thaulka hissed, his equivalent of quiet laughter.
"Usually half breeds are not as dull witted as their human counterparts. There is always a first for everything."
Scarface remained quiet until he heard the breath of Thaulka fade to a slow steady rhythm. He sat back ready to watch the night. He be damned if he was going to trust a night elf.
***
The hall tables were being arranged. Tomorrow she would be married to Boren
Everything but the flowers was set up.
It was beautiful. Her city's color was teal. The custom color of her wedding gown was not entirely absent from the hall.
Beautiful satin swaths of teal and deep blue decorated the tables and walls and chairs.
Boren appeared at her side. A large hand gripped her waist possesively.
"I need you to consent to some extra binding processes."
She turned her brows raising in suprise.
"Is that really necessary?"
She was truly shocked. Although, the longer she thought of it the more it made sense.
"We are after all an arranged marriage of sorts. Anyway, it doesn't really matter. Your father already agreed to the processes. If you would like to discuss it though we can go somewhere more private my dear."
She plastered a ditsy smile on her face as if she was to stupid to understand his meaning.
She made herself reach out and clutch his arm endearingly.
"I'm sorry my love. It just caught me off guard was all. The more I think of it the more it makes sense."
She tried and failed to quell the panic in her chest so she risked a question.
"What process were you thinking."
"Blood binding. Perhaps Magic Oath as well." He said casually smiling at a woman who was walking by with a centerpiece of silver and pearl.
Her heart plummeted and she felt faint.
Blood binding.
The two words were suddenly the worst she'd ever heard.
The tradition was an old fae tradition once outlawed in the wars by the human King. Usually only fae mates made the magical bond that adventually few humans also tried. It was found out in coming years that the amount of time before the bond took was ultimately varied, but none of that was what scared her.
What ultimately had bile rising up her throat was that the blood bond when used on humans had a ninety seven percent chance of favoring the stronger male, some said because testosterone, which meant if the male were to die so would the female. The fae for some reason never experienced these qualities. Her mother had spoken of it highly for fae but didn't agree with humans using it.
Her hands trembled as she thought of the thought sharing, the ability to see the another's eyes; it would be like him always being able to invade her mind.
She should excuse herself now. Smile while she still could. She felt like she might be sick as it was.
"Have you already thought on the oaths?"
Her voice came out strange to her own ears.
"I have." There was a smile in his voice.
He was toying with her. She smiled at a man who had brought her the water she had requested just before Boren found her.
She took a sip.
"What will they be?"
"For me," he turned to look her in the eye.
"A promise to keep you betrothed to me forever. And for you,"
A cat like smile spread across his face. "To never speak with another love. And obedience of my every request."
Tears pricked her eyes. She looked away as he smiled madly at her. He'd seen in her eyes her true feelings; somehow he knew.
"Excuse me while I go touch up."
He grabbed her wrist with a savage twist. Another women with a centerpiece glanced their way and looked a little uncomfortable. She smiled at the woman and she gave a small smile back before heading away.
There was nothing anyone could do anyway.
"No. I think you look just fine."
***
Scar ended up falling asleep in the early morning. He awoke to a quiet rustling in the wood. The moonlight was obscured by fog.
It was pitch black. His eyes had barely adjusted when a creature came hurtling out of the bushes towards them. It's back was hunched its hands long and curled with claws as long as its bony fingers. It had six eyes and wiry hair, and it was fast.
Scar saw that the fires coals were completely spent. The camp was empty. Thaulka had left him.
"Bastard." He cursed before quickly accessing that his blades were also gone. He turned tail and ran. Scowering the ground for a loose branch as he went, or a stray rock, anything he could use as a weapon.
The creature caught up to him quickly and fell upon his shoulders sending Scar into the dirt. He turned spraying dust in its eyes, but it didn't matter. The creature went straight for his throat and he sat up panting on the cold earth.
Thaulka looked at him from his side of the dead fire.
"We are close to the Wood of Shadow. It can feel your presence. It will torment your nights to dissuade your approach."
Scar looked at him closely as he caught his breath.
"The creature I saw in my dreams..."
"This is not the beast you will be facing."
Scar didn't bother to ask how he knew what he saw in the light of morning or how he knew what the beast looked like. He splashed a little cold water over his face from his water skin and pulled out dried meats.
He didn't bother offer to share, night elves were like reptiles, they went long periods without food, and they did not eat meat they didn't hunt themselves.
He chewed pensively until Thaulka's voice disturbed his thoughts.
"There is two tasks for two rewards. The first task is a poison. Drink it and feel no fear. For the fear will burn the poison to kill you. Also tell no lies." A smile lit his cold black eyes.
"For a week after you drink the poison you will feel like a dead man, the more you indulge your fear or lie the worst you will feel in the coming week."
Scar shrugged, "A small price for an alliance with Silva."
Thaulka scowled at him, "If the beast kills you. Is your life a small price?"
Scar felt irritation vibrate over his skin as he rose the water skin back to his lips.
"The beast will not kill me. I will kill it."
For the first time since he'd met him Thaulka Zandrai looked suprised.
"You plan to kill the beast? It is said that if the beast finds you worthy it will understand you and you will understand it without words. It's known that it will bond to your very soul and forever serve as a protector."
"I have no use for a protector."
Hisses protruded from his body in laughter, "You would turn down that kind of power?"
Scar glared at him, "You would not?"
"I would not. Nor would any other man. We will see what you do when the time comes."
Scar gritted his teeth, "I will kill the beast or it will kill me."
He stood and packed away his flint and waterskin.
They set off in silence once more.