Azrielstood panting in front of Ashmeer. She was naked as the day she was born, but right now it didn't register to her. The only thing that mattered was for her to reach out and touch the Book of Secrets. She reached out her hand to him for the book and he looked perturbed.
"Azriel, not everyone can touch this.....it can burn your hand if you don't have enough....."
Too late, her hand was already on the book. It felt somewhat warm to her touch, yet familiar. She took it from Ashmeer's wordlessly, loving the feel of the leather-bound cover. In so many years, the Book was intact. It was a simple cover, with nothing on the cover, it was empty. That looked odd, but then if someone wanted to keep a book nondescript and secret, then obviously, it meant that it would look like a simple diary or book with no meaning.
She turned the pages and realized in shock that they were all blank. Till a voice suddenly popped in her head.
"Ask....ask ...ask", it rang, in her head, clear as a bell, indistinctive of gender.
"What is it?" Ashmeer asked curiously. "What is going on?"
She shook her head, somehow realizing that Ashmeer wasn't hearing the same voice.
"No, only you, pretty bird.....," said the voice suddenly.
"Are you the Book of Secrets?", she asked incredulously.
"Among other things!"
"Oh...I ....we need you to close the Blight."
The book was silent.
"How do I stop the Blight?"
"With death...much death..much pain...much betrayal...."
"How do I stop the Blight in the mines of Andora?"
"You learn quickly little bird.....Sacrifices and betrayals, blood must be shed, yours and those you love. The Blight at Andora we will shut, but with it we will need pieces of your heart, your blood...."
Azriel was shaken. She was shocked at the answers she was getting, pieces of her heart? Her Blood? Sacrifices? How had her life suddenly become so complicated?
"Destiny." answered the book.
She sighed and looked at Ashmeer, tears brimming in her eyes.
"What is it", he asked, "You look as pale as a ghost."
"Nothing", she said, wiping away her tears. "I think I know how to stop the Blight at Andora's mines now."
Ashmeer looked a little perturbed as he reached out and held her by her shoulder. "You are so lovely, Little One, so strong, so smart, I...." But he didn't finish the sentence and started kissing her hungrily. Azriel held onto the Book of Secrets for dear life, as he took her in his arms. She was suddenly conscious of her nakedness and his, of sunlight and lassitude, of the afternoon that was heavy.
He was trailing kisses down her neck, and he gently took the book from her and kept it on a stone pillar as he held her. She felt his hardness now and she felt warm all over. He was cupping her breasts and kissing her, slow, soft kisses, his hands creeping down to her folds, to give her the pleasure she had experienced only a few hours before.
"Ashmeer....I....we.."
"Shhhhhhhh, Mia Kara...don't ask me to stop now. I can't. Not now. Let me love you and I promise we will go and stop the Blight in the mines of Andora. I promise.
She sighed as he gently placed her down on the floor, pulling all the fallen leaves to cushion her from the hard stone. He moved her below him and started fingering her in earnest, all the while kissing her playfully on her breasts, on her shoulders, and her neck. She sighed and moaned happily, her blood afire, her mind at peace. She felt herself cresting again as he kept playing with her nub, till she was falling into a sapphire sky and calling out his name like a mad woman.
Then she felt it, a sharp pain inside her and she opened her eyes to look into his as he lay on top of her.
"It will hurt a bit Mia Kara, but you will like it after that," he grunted pushing into her. His body was shivering too and his face was red, from passion, or exertion, she didn't know. His red scar was livid, but Azriel didn't care. Tears pricked her eyes, as she fell from her happy place to the intense pain she suddenly felt.
"Make it stop, Ashmeer."
"It will...Mia Kara....it will soon...", he said persuasively. He moved on her now, and the pain raked her apart. She clawed his back, biting back small sobs. She hated this, she hated it. He felt so big inside her and he was now moving on, mercilessly fast inside. Where was her gentle lover? Who was this man? Suddenly, all too soon, the pain stopped and she couldn't hide her relief. Ashmeer, was groaning and holding his organ as he moaned and moved his hand up and down.
"Just in time Mia Kara, didn't want you to curse me in a few months," he said.
She sat there feeling a deep disappointment. This was not what she had expected. This was very different from everything she had ever imagined. She looked down at the blood between her legs and her eyes teared up. She quietly dried them and looked up to see Ashmeer handing her his scarf, now wet at the edges.
"It happens the first time Little One, it will get better in time. Don't worry."
She smiled and nodded at him. She hadn't expected this. She quietly picked up the Book of Secrets and walked looked at Ashmeer.
"How do we get dressed? It's time to go back before it gets too dark, isn't it?"
In shock, she felt a wind howling around her and a great rush, and before she knew it, Ashmeer and she were back in her castle in her room. Naked save for his scarf and the book in her hand.
"My, my.....Azriel, not only does the book speak to you, it also does your bidding. Wow!" exclaimed Ashmeer.