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The Ties that Bind	By : Lady_Kae Category: +M through R > Ni No Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch Views: 2280 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own any characters used from the game Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch. All characters and game related material, plus any lyrics, save for original content is property of their respective owners and no money is being made from this

Chapter List
- 3
- 4
- 5
Book I: Link

Chapter 3: The Slow Burn

A Ni No Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch Fanfiction

Amara was dancing merrily to the music playing, her laughter bright and infectious to all those around her. The dwarves were celebrating their most treasured holiday- the anniversary of the Battle of Mozaradun and the founding of their fair city, and Amara was having a ball as she stepped lightly to the beat.
Gascon was more than content to watch her, his brown eyes full of happiness as he reveled in her joy. Tarin set a tankard of ale beside him and Gascon drank deeply.
“ What are you waiting for, my lad? It’s obvious you want to join her.” Tarin boomed drunkenly. His eyes, which Gascon had come to learn were a bright green, glittered like baubles of jade as they leveled on the porcine prince.
Gascon shook his head. " No, I'm more than content to watch her from afar. The last time we danced together didn't end all that well." That had been Amara's sixteenth birthday.
Tarin laughed at this. " Coward." He stated simply. He heard Gascon scoff as he took another swig of his ale and Tarin smirked. “ You heard me, young prince. She’s a woman yes, but she’s a firecracker. You enjoy that about her. Part of you fears that about her too I bet.”
Gascon leveled his gaze on Tarin. “ The only thing I fear from her is the sting of her rejection, not to mention the ice of her tongue and the heat her palm has left burning in my skin more times than I care to count.” Gascon retorted. They had been getting on so well these last three weeks that he didn’t want to break the friendship they had forged.
Tarin smirked and whistled shrilly over to Amara. She came bounding over, a bright smile on her face that reached her eyes. “ Need something of me, gents?” she asked coyly, her blue eyes locking onto Gascon’s as she spoke. It was customary for the dwarven ladies to be at the men's beck and call for ale and food on holidays like this. The garb that Amara was dressed in was simple peasant wear, but it did so much more to accentuate her wares than anything else Gascon had ever seen her wear.
" Gascon mentioned that he would like to dance if he knew the steps.” Tarin said, smirking behind his tankard.
The look on Gascon’s face was priceless for if looks could kill, Tarin would have been ash in the wind due to the glare the prince had settled on him.
Amara smiled brightly as she pulled Gascon to his feet and drug him onto the dance floor. “ Come on now lazybones!” Amara teased good naturedly. She couldn't hold back her laughter as Gascon stumbled a little due to the drink and he smirked a little as Amara righted him.
Resigning himself to his current lot; as Amara certainly looked as if she wasn't going to let him out of this, Gascon took the evestan princess by the hand and gently drew her closer to him as he began leading her to the uplifting beat. It didn’t take long for either of them to truly enjoy the dance they were sharing, and most of the dwarves gathered on the floor near them had sat at the tables nearby to give them room as they twirled and bounded together merrily. Gascon couldn’t keep the smile off of his face as he lifted and spun Amara at the same time, the bell of her dress inflating a little behind her. Gascon outstretched his arm, throwing Amara out towards the crowd and then spinning her back to him expertly as the song came to an end.
Both prince and princess were breathing heavily, but were all smiles as they gazed at one another. Gascon bowed low to her first to thank her for the dance, his lips brushing against her knuckles sensually. He couldn’t hold the smirk that claimed his face as Amara blushed past the collar of her dress, and she curtsied in turn.
The celebration lasted well into the night. The three friends drank, danced, and were all around boisterous in their merriment. Amara leaned against Gascon a bit drunkenly as they slowly walked through the dwarf king's halls, his arm around her shoulders comforting and steadying at the same time, and Tarin was stopped before them a moment.
“ It seems as if my father wants to see the two of you before you retire for the night. I'll take you there now, and from there we can hopefully get some sleep. I don't think I've drained that much mead since I was but a tweener.” Tarin said with a yawn. The last time he had drunk himself into a stupor was nearly fifty years ago in his twenties. By dwarf standards, he had been just a boy still, but he had proven then that he could drink with the best of them after he finished the three kegs his brothers had bet that he couldn't do on his own. Oh the hangover had been worth it.
“ You two have had me drinking entirely too much ever since we came into your company Tarin.” Amara teased good naturedly. She and Aden tied one on at least once a week when ever Gascon wasn't visiting. Well, Aden forced her to at least. Between, Gascon, Aden, and Amara's youngest cousin Michael, she was never left to her own devices long. Otherwise, she might have very well closed her heart off as Gascon had initially feared she had.
Amara's eyes went a bit soft at the worry and pain that had been etched into Gascon's face that day. It had broken her heart to see such a strong, resilient young man break down like that. Amara could see that Gascon felt guilty about his past transgressions, which had made it easier for her to open up to him since, but there was something else there as well. Something that had broken him down that he had felt hopeless. It was more than just wanting her forgiveness, Amara knew that beyond a shadow of a doubt, but she wasn't sure she was ready yet to know what else it was that Gascon wanted from her.
Gascon chuckled himself. He had felt at ease ever since their first day here in Uzrathane. It was a little surreal that Amara had been the one to provide him the comfort and understanding he had needed considering they had always been at one another's throats, but Gascon was happy that he had confided a bit in her. While he hadn't given away everything, it was enough to bring them closer than either had thought possible. It wasn't just an uneasy alliance any more, nor was it a tentative friendship at best. They were forging something stronger than that, though it would take time. If it meant that Gascon had a chance in capturing Amara's heart, he would take all the time he needed. “ But you're so much fun when you've had a tankard or two, Amara. Besides, you damn near drank me under the table tonight.” he said mirthfully. His brown eyes were glittering as he looked down to Amara and her own cerulean colored orbs met his brightly. She was in just as high spirits as he was it seemed. Definitely a huge turnaround from how she used to act.

Thaden met them in his study, his eyes bright and merry from the festivities. His green eyes fell on his visitors and a wide smile broke over his face as he held his arms out wide. “ I hope you have enjoyed your stay, friends. I daresay the celebration was much more lively this time around.” Thaden boomed happily.
Gascon nodded as did Amara. She had since untangled herself from him and was standing on her own. “ We thank you once more for your hospitality. As you know, we will be leaving in the morning.” Gascon replied with a curt bow.
Thaden nodded in understanding as he stood up to walk around his desk. “ Tarin is going to guide you through one of the tunnels that will put you directly north of the Briar. However, it will take almost another month and a half to reach it from the exit; weather notwithstanding of course, and the trip in the tunnel alone is about two weeks worth. Are you both well with that?”
Gascon looked to Amara who nodded. They would get by no matter what. “ That’s more than acceptable your majesty.” Gascon said gently. It wouldn't do to disrespect their host after all.
Tarin smirked even as his eyes settled on the two before him. He could see the workings of a budding romance between them, and he was eager to see how it played out before he left their company for good. Tarin wasn’t kidding when he had told Gascon that Amara was a little firecracker. She had told him off at least twice in the last three days for things he had done to annoy her.
Thaden's eyes turned to Amara fully now as he picked something up to hand to her. “ Princess, I actually have a missive I would like delivered to your grandfather, Dagaron, if you would be so kind.” he said, holding up an envelope for the elf king. “ It's not time sensitive, so there's no rush to get it to him.”
“ Of course. I would be honored to return some semblance of a favor to you for all that you have done for us, Thadenking.” Amara replied, curtsying. Her long locks fell over her shoulder in a cascade as she bent her head and Thaden sighed a bit. Amara was every bit as lovely as her mother, and the dwarf couldn't deny that her beauty had captivated him over a hundred years ago.
“ Your bags will be ready in the morning and all the clothing you came here with has been cleaned and mended for you. I do have gifts for each of you. For you, Amara, as I know your birthday is soon approaching, I gift you with this. My great-great-grandfather designed this wand. It is crafted from lodestone, the inner part of the bands are lined what had been a single living stick off of the sky tree before it left these lands, and the runes that are carved into the stone are lined with truesilver and then set with either jade or shadowglass.” He held up a hinged, stone box to Amara, who took it in her hands with awe.
Amara’s eyes went wide as she opened the box. The two bands sitting before her were nothing short of beautiful. “ Two rings as a single wand?” she breathed out. “ I had only read of this make in the history tomes at the palace. It hasn’t been used since the dwarves stopped using the arcane arts!” Her blue eyes were shining at this piece of living history and she looked up expectantly at Thaden. “ May I?”
Thaden nodded even as he smiled at the apparent joy on her face. Gascon was certainly lucky to be marrying the treasure before them. “ I had a feeling you would know that. What you don’t know is that the one here on the right is used for attack magicks while the left can cast the most potent of healing spells known to dwarf, elf, and man. This is the last dwarven made wand in existence, Amara. I have seen first hand that you are more than skilled enough to wield it. You don’t have the worry of being disarmed in combat either, as the rings will never leave your hand unless you yourself remove them.” he said knowingly. Thaden turned to Gascon now, a smirk on his face as he waved his hand to a long, wrapped parcel on the table. " This is for you Gascon..."
Gascon stepped over and unfurled the contents from it's wrapping, smiling brightly at the rifle that met his eyes. " This is a very handsome gift, your majesty. I thank you most kindly for it." he said, giving the dwarf king a low bow. He had been allowed to test some of the dwarven guns during the time they had been allowed to stay and Gascon marveled at the beauty and power the dwarves had crafted. He would love a chance to learn how they made them so as to make his own pistol if the time ever came to that. But the piece before him was honestly a marvel. The stock was made of highly polished birch, good and sturdy and not prone to warping under the conditions that they would possibly be traveling through. The mechanics of the gun were steel, though there were hints of gold and silver for the accents and there was a lot of intricate knot work hewn into the metal with the utmost care. The rifle itself was a work of art, and more than likely more powerful than anything Gascon had fired before. It was a shame he wouldn’t have the time to test it before they left in the morning.
" The way to the briar from the mountains is treacherous and long. There are many enemies you may meet, as well as the beasts that roam the plains between here and the forest Dagaron rules. You both need the means to protect yourselves if you wish to see your wedding day. Besides, I owe it to Tamarion to see her daughter off safely. You also can expect armor and swords to be on the safe side as well. Now, both of you are dismissed, so please rest while you can.” Thaden said kindly. His eyes drank in Amara one last time and he shook his head. The woman was definitely her mother's daughter. “ Tarin, please stay a moment."
Gascon and Amara bowed and curtsied respectively and went to the rooms that the dwarf king had been kind enough to arrange for their stay. This would be their last night of comfort for a long time coming. Amara was keen on taking one last steaming hot bubble bath before she fell asleep for the night. She didn't know when she would have the chance for such pleasantries again.
Thaden smirked as the door closed and he looked to his eldest son. " The answer is yes, Tarin." He stated simply.
" I don't care if you say no, I'm going with...What did you say?" Tarin was surprised in the least.
" I said you may travel with them for as long as you please. I can have your sister take over with the rangers on the northern quadrant. Besides, I daresay that they will need a ranger with them as they continue. There is safety in numbers. Both of us know that the goblins have been searching for them the last week and we need to smuggle them away from the mountain before they are tracked any further into their territory." Thaden said wisely. " Just be certain you're ready as well."
The tunnel that Tarin was leading Gascon and Amara through was on the southernmost border of the contested territory between the dwarves and goblins. However, the goblins had claimed the wooded area just before the plains, though the numbers were not all that great in that area. It was mostly scouts and loners they had to worry about.
Tarin nodded in understanding and bowed to his father. " Thank you." He said simply. “ Til next we meet, may your beard grow ever longer.”
“ And may yours never be shorn.” Thaden replied as Tarin closed the door behind him.

The three left bright and early the next morning, with Tarin taking the lead as he guided them through the maze of tunnels leading to the northernmost section of the mountains that was the contested territory. Gascon made sure to take the rear, as his hearing was sharper than Amara's and the evestan princess was safely flanked by either of her companions. Tarin had not said why, but that it was imperative to keep Amara safely sequestered between the two of them while traveling. Amara hadn't liked the sound of that, but Gascon had certainly had no qualms in doing such a thing. As far as the porcine prince was concerned, Amara was his responsibility to protect and care for while they were outside of the evestan kingdom's boundaries and it was not a burden he shouldered lightly. Gascon would sooner die than allow any harm to befall Amara.

Amara sighed with relish as she sank into the cool water of an underground pool that they had nearly passed. She hadn't bathed in over a week and the need to be clean had won out over both men's protests that they keep moving.
She closed her eyes as Amara recalled the first time she had awoken in Gascon's arms; as she still felt the ghost of his lips on her skin, the warmth he had exuded, and the feel of his body pressing tightly against hers as he strove to get closer to her. The memory had been haunting her since, as it had awakened a slow desire for the porcine prince that Amara found that she could not rid herself of. Even now, she felt the pulses of that desire below her navel, the fire it burned was slowly snaking its way through her veins and Amara gasped as her fingers lightly caressed her skin as she imagined his doing just that.
NO! Amara did not want to think of Gascon at that moment. “ Ruddy bastard.” she swore under her breath. The man had been really gotten her ire up earlier to where Amara had just stomped away in an effort to be rid of him. Her eyes settled closed again as she tried to relax, though Amara could still see how ablaze his beautiful tawny eyes had been, the determined square of his jaw as he held firm to the course of action he wanted to keep. Again she gasped as her fingers moved on their own as if trying to recreate his touches. Damn him! I rid myself of his presence and even now his memory haunts me. She thought with a groan. Resigning herself over to her body's yearning, Amara mused that she was the only one who had to know about this. It was the same circumstances as to what Gascon had done in the Giant's Nest after all. She just needed to rid herself of this insane longing for him.
Her eyes snapped open a moment; as she remembered that she had happened upon Gascon under these same set of events, and she moved out of the direct line of sight, but only enough to where she would be just visible if either Gascon or Tarin came looking for her. Amara looked about once more to be sure that she was alone, as if that would make what she was about to do all the more permissible, and then settled herself against the bank of the pool opposite of the shore she had entered in as her hands ghosted over her breasts. She gasped sharply at the sensation and her fingers slowly rubbed her peaked nipples, shooting lances of pleasure through her body and straight to her core.
" Gascon..." she breathed out, caught now in the fantasy that she was envisioning.

Gascon finished his sandwich in silence. Tarin was in the midst of sharpening his blade and the porcine prince stood up. " I'm going to see what is taking Amara so long, Tarin. She should have been back by now." he said gruffly. He and Amara had gotten into it when she had wanted to stop for her bath. He was of half the mind to sneak up on her and scare the living daylights out of her in order to pay her back for her cheek.
" Are you certain that is such a good idea? She might need some time to herself after all. You two were not exactly kind in your words when you crossed one another earlier." Tarin replied with a smirk. His green eyes glittered in the fire light and Gascon shook his head.
" She's been gone nearly two hours. I'll return shortly." Gascon said. Looking down at his right hand, he invoked the magic that would show him where Amara was. He was terribly tempted to prank her now more than ever.

He couldn't see Amara when Gascon reached the pool Amara had been bathing in and his brow furrowed a bit. Where the hell could she have gotten to then? Gascon allowed his eyes to adjust in the low light and he barely saw her in the water on the other side of the pool. Her creamy skin was just this side of visible and Gascon swallowed hard as he made to turn away to allow her her privacy.
" Gascon..." came the soft, yet sharp echo from across the way.
The eldest of the porcine princes stopped dead in his tracks as his eyes glittered. He had been with enough women to know when they were whispering his name in the throes of pleasure. But Amara? There wasn't any way Amara was doing what he thought she was, was she? Her breathy gasp reached his ears and Gascon smirked even as he began stripping his clothing away, his ire forgotten as his lust and avidity for the evestan princess began flooding his veins. Oh, it was on now…

Amara had moved into the water a bit and was on her knees as one hand toyed with a pert breast while the fingers of her other hand moved clumsily between her slick folds. Her eyes were closed in intense concentration as she envisioned Gascon's sure fingers caressing her so intimately, the other hand gently cupping and squeezing her breast as his lips and teeth suckled and nipped at her neck. Damn him for working his way under her skin like this!
Amara didn't feel the water lap gently against her heated skin as Gascon silently approached her, his cinnamon eyes alight as he watched her in her pleasure. Gascon had never seen her so free and uninhibited before, though his name falling from her lips was the most arousing thing he had heard in a long, long time. He was of half the mind now to see how loud he could make her scream it. Gascon closed the distance between them as he pulled Amara into his arms, her back settling against his torso and he ran his hands down the smooth, moist skin of her arms. She felt like heaven to touch. Amara cried out a little in surprise, but it was quickly turned into a throaty moan as Gascon's lips latched onto the side of her neck as he suckled the pulse point there. Oh the things he wanted to do right now....
" What the hell are you doing?" She gasped, though she couldn't deny that her temperature had soared the minute he had put his hands on her. Her eyes screwed shut as his breath fanned against her ear and he chuckled sexily in it. By the ancients, Amara mused as she shuddered in his grasp, Gascon should not be allowed to use his voice like that.
" I could ask you the same thing, Amara...Imagine my surprise to hear my name falling from your lips like this..." Gascon growled huskily in her ear even as he nibbled gently on the outer shell of it. He was running on automatic at this point, and Gascon caught her earlobe between his lips, reveling in the gasp that met him as he worried the sensitive piece of flesh tenderly with his teeth before resuming what he had been up to prior. “ As to what I'm doing...I'm going to help you reach what it is you've been striving for Amara. I know for certain that I'll enjoy it just as much as you will...”
Amara quivered as one of his hands settled over hers, his nimble fingers gently toying with the pert bud and he groaned into her ear delightedly as she arched into his touch. Gascon closed the distnace between them again and Amara gasped at the feel of his manhood pressing against her so ardently. Even in the chill water, it was hot and heavy against the swell of her backside and Gascon could not resist grinding against her. Slowly, his other hand slid down her arm and into the water, and Amara cried out as his fingers joined hers at her womanhood. If she thought she had been hot before, Amara certainly felt aflame now.
" Shh..." Gascon purred in her ear, his fingers guiding hers now as he taught her the motions. By the heavens above, he never thought he would have ever had this opportunity so soon. Gascon's eyes closed as he pulled her tight against him now, her soft, voluptuous body nestling against his perfectly as he settled her in his lap. He trailed one finger in a lazy circle around the little nub he was working over, only to gently mash it with his thumb the next second and Amara bit back a scream of delight as she rocked her hips against him. Gascon groaned as her innocent actions riled him up even further. He had no qualms in giving pleasure, but even he had his limits on how much stimulus he could take before wanting more himself. Hell, Gascon was hard pressed to leave her with her virtue now as it stood.
Amara was in nothing short of a haze of sensation as Gascon's sure digits worked furiously now, completely intent on taking her all the way as Amara's voice began softly rising in a steady crescendo. There was something inside of her that felt as if was focusing on a single, throbbing point, the sensation both thrilling and daunting at the same time as it kept growing tighter and tighter. Despite how unbearably wonderful it felt, there was the promise of something so much sweeter, so fulfilling that Amara couldn't bring herself to stop him. " Gascon!" she cried as he touched her so intimately. She could not hold back a scream of delight as he inserted a finger into her heat; the feeling of fullness that consumed her there was too much, and that was the trigger that sent her spiralling into her release.
Gascon groaned as Amara shuddered in his arms and she fell still against him, her chest heaving as she sought to catch her breath. He turned her around, pulling her tight against him as his aching rod pressed eagerly into her belly. " Do you realize how this is going to haunt me until our wedding night? I have you here in my arms and yet you're so far away at the same time..." he whispered passionately, his eyes half lidded in desire. They were nose to nose now and Gascon had never felt so tempted by anything or anyone before in his life.
Amara gasped at the feeling of his hips pressing into her like so and she shook a bit, both in fear and anticipation. By the heavens, she knew she shouldn't want him like this, but she did. As much as Amara didn't want to admit it, Gascon was the one who had sparked the flames of desire that were now consuming her and she knew instinctively that he was the only one who could temper the heat she felt. Nervously, she chanced looking up at him. To hell with waiting that long. They were the only ones who had to know.
Gascon's eyes fell to her lips a moment and he slowly closed the distance between them. Amara's hands slid up his chest as her arms wound their way around his neck. The feel of his strong, lithe frame against her voluptuous softness was maddening and addicting as her breasts mashed against his chest and Amara whimpered slightly as his arousal pressed against her heat as she slid up his body. It was as if their bodies were drawn together like magnets. Both could feel the tickle of each other's breath against their lips and Amara inhaled sharply as Gascon's nose brushed hers.
" Amara?! Gascon?! Are the two of you alright out there?" Tarin called to them from the opposite shore. The dwarf had grown curious when Gascon hadn’t returned sooner. He had been gone nearly forty minutes by the time Tarin had began searching for them both.
" We're fine Tarin! You were right about Amara needing some time to herself!" Gascon answered. Amara looked as if she were about ready to blow a gasket she was so upset, and Gascon grinned a little. Oh the wonders of frustration. The thought that things were certainly getting much more interesting now crossed Gascon’s mind again. Maybe he could continue once Tarin left.
Amara shoved away from him before Gascon had a chance to pick things back up between them and she quickly swam back to shore, gathering her things and retreating behind the privacy of a boulder to dress herself again. She couldn’t stop the feeling of self-revulsion that coursed through her now at how she had even allowed Gascon to do what he had done, never mind the fact that she had been of half the mind to seduce him as well. To hell with that! Amara was not going to let this happen again. She couldn't let it happen again. Yes, they were moving on, but Gascon had still teased and tormented her mercilessly as children, though she had been just as horrid herself. Not only that, he had yet to even kiss her once! It was that damn dwarf who was ill timed as ever. Every single time...Every single time she and Gascon even came close, Tarin interrupted!
She heard the soft rustle of clothing as Gascon dressed as well and soon his footfall suggested that he was coming closer to her. Amara pulled her cloak back on and shivered a bit. And not because she was cold either. Far from it in fact.
“ Don’t you dare get a step closer, Gascon...” Amara warned him, her blue eyes nothing short of serious as she leveled them on him.
Gascon smirked even as he did just the opposite. “ That’s not what you were insinuating a few moments ago, Amara.” he said, his brown eyes glittering promisingly.
“ I mean it Gascon...” she growled, though it was obvious her resolve was wavering a bit. Amara took a step backwards, only to hit the boulder as Gascon drew closer to her. Her breath seemed to be caught in her throat as Gascon pinned her against the rock, his hands on either side of her head and his body just barely hovering over hers as he began closing the distance between them.
“ I can see it clearly on your face Amara...You don’t want me to do that.” Gascon leaned in closer to her to claim her lips once more. To hell with all this. He was going to kiss her come hell or high water.
“ Come on you lot! We need to get moving!” Tarin’s voice boomed out. He sounded annoyed that they were taking so long.
Amara let out a scream of indignation and shoved the prince away from her. “ Bugger off Tarin!” she bellowed, her eyes narrowed. “ Don’t you even think about it Gascon!” she snapped, stalking off towards camp.
Gascon swore himself, though he was pretty sure that he understood Amara’s line of thinking now. Either he and Amara were jinxed to be ever interrupted or Tarin had a hell of a knack for knowing exactly when he wanted to kiss her and would interrupt right at the last possible moment. He stalked off after Amara, muttering darkly about dwarves and elves at this point. Hopefully they would run into something to fight soon. He needed to vent his frustration somehow.

Tarin was clueless as both his comrades returned to camp, both looking harrowed and high strung. “ Was the water not to your liking Amara?” he asked innocently.
The glare the evestan princess shot him was nothing short of murderous and Tarin shrugged it off. Maybe she was upset that her bath had been interrupted. Then again, even Gascon didn't look to happy either. Realization dawned on him and Tarin couldn't help but chuckle. They were both upset because he had interrupted them. Well then, maybe I just need to keep what I’m doing. If anything it will prove to be nothing short of amusing. Tarin thought, his eyes glittering as he watched his two friends repack their things.

The three continued on their path, their way slow going as Tarin noticed signs that the tunnel they were in had been used recently. Not only that but the stench of goblins was assailing his nose.
" Be careful and stay close. These tracks are fairly fresh. Only about two days old." the dwarf said warningly as he pointed to the fading footprints imprinted in the dirt.
Amara looked to Gascon worriedly and he nodded grimly. Both knew it was only a matter of time before a fight happened.

Dull golden eyes were glittering in the shadows near the exit of the tunnel and the sentry sounded off a low whistle that there were travelers coming their way. He could all but feel the tingle of magic rolling off one of them, if not two of the three he could hear. Whoever was coming wasn’t a dwarf. The stout folk had learned their lesson centuries ago. Notching an arrow, he fished a vial of a black liquid from his belt and poured a healthy amount on the arrowhead. Pocketing the bottle once more and hugging the wall tightly to blend into the shadows, he waited patiently. Any minute now...

Amara felt a chill pass over her and she pulled Tarin's cloak to stop him even as she held her other out to stay Gascon. " Something isn't right..." she said, her eyes looking to either of her companions. No sooner had the words left her mouth, Amara crumpled to the ground, an arrow protruding from her chest. Her eyes narrowed as both hands flew to the wound. Damn it! It had pierced right through the leather cuirass she was wearing.
" Amara!" Gascon cried out, only to go on the defensive as they were surrounded by goblins. He pulled both his gun and sword, the gleaming blade flashing for a brief moment before he stabbed one of their assailants.
Tarin had a broad ax in one hand and his hammer in the other and the dwarf bellowed his rage as he began slicing and pounding into the opposition.
Amara grunted as she pulled the arrow and rolled out of the way as a jagged looking blade came down in the spot she occupied. She wove her magic, shooting off a fireball right into the ugly blighter's face for trying to kill her. The goblin screeched in both pain and rage and Amara kicked his feet out from under him even as she jumped to her own. She drew her blade as well, turning and sinking the sword into the gut of another attacker. She stomped her boot down hard, crushing the windpipe of the one she had knocked down and she screamed in rage as another one caught her long hair in it's grasp. Cutting it was really starting to look like a good idea now!
Gascon turned his gun on the goblin attacking Amara and fired, the bullet ripping through it's temple as it crumpled in a heap to the floor.
Tarin looked to both of them and waved his arm as he began running forward. If they could get out into the daylight, they would be safe until nightfall. The goblins didn’t dare tread into the daylight. It hurt them more than any wound they could sustain.
Gascon grabbed Amara by the hand as they made a break for the exit and Amara recoiled as yet another arrow pierced her from behind in the lower back. Her eyes flew wide open in the sheer agony she felt and her steps slowed a bit due to the shock induced from the pain she was in. Gascon qucikly scooped Amara into his arms as she stumbled; his heart thundering heavily in his chest out of fear, and he ran as fast as he could with the added weight towards the light that was now flooding the dark space. There! They were almost out of there.
" Gascon! Turn around a moment!" Amara ordered, weaving another spell. Her eyes were narrowed in pain and anger as she did so and Gascon stopped at the door and turned just as soon as Amara finished it.
The tunnel rumbled angrily and soon cries and shouts from their pursuers echoed a bit as Amara forced the rock passage to cave in with the spell Quake. Gascon followed Tarin to the tree line once he deemed that Amara had finished and he gingerly set her down.
" That doesn't bode well, Amara..." Tarin said, shaking his head slightly as he looked over where the arrow was. " It's too deep to pull."
" Push it through then. I can heal everything afterwards." the evestan princess growled out. She stifled a scream as Gascon did just that and he snapped the head off once he had loosened her cuirass enough to get his hand under it. She hissed as he pulled the rest away and Amara wiped the tears from her eyes. That had hurt like hell and she told Gascon as such.
" Why were they concentrating the efforts on trying to kill her as opposed to the two of us?" Gascon asked, tossing the shaft off to the side as he stood.
" Goblins can sense the magic she uses...That's the very reason we dwarves stopped using it. Our forces were ambushed more times than I care to count." Tarin replied. He sniffed the air a bit and scowled. " I suggest you hurry and heal yourself, Amara. We need to get moving and cover as much ground as we can before nightfall. The surrounding area is infested with goblins."
" She's not the only one who can use magic though..." Gascon said quizzically. His eyes were narrowed as he looked off to the side, falling onto the rings that Thaden had gifted Amara with. " It's your wand...You have it on so you're constantly exuding magic..." he whispered.
" I'm in more danger with it off." she said as she carefully moved her cuirass to place her hands over the wounds. Amara sighed a bit in relief as the light dimmly flowed over them. There, much better.
Gascon hoisted her to her feet, his eyes sweeping over her worriedly. If she wasn't an accomplished fighter in her own right, Gascon knew that he and Tarin would be doubling their efforts to keep her safe. That still might very well be the case.

Amara stumbled a bit as her vision began blurring. The areas in which she had been wounded were throbbing in pain again and Amara could feel a fever settling over her. Hadn’t she healed everything through? Her sight went black for a moment and Amara grunted even as she hit the ground, scraping the right side of her face as consciousness faded away and back again for her.
" Amara!” Gascon called to her. “ Tarin! Hold up a moment!” he then called to their dwarven friend. “ Amara, are you alright?” He sat her up, noting that Amara looked extremely pale and she was sweating profusely. Much more than she should be with the shape she was in.
“ I’m fine you two...Just help me up.” Amara said. She refused to be a burden to either of them nor would she allow them to treat her any differently.
Gascon’s brow furrowed even as he complied with her demand. His hand settled on her lower back to steady her and Amara recoiled in agony at the pressure and pain it caused. “ Amara, what is wrong?” Gascon said hotly. His tune quickly changed when he pulled his hand away.
It was covered in blood.
Tarin quickly caught Amara before she fell forward again and he looked over to Gascon. “ Do you still have that arrow head?”
Gascon shook his head in the negative. “ I tossed it off after I pulled it from her.”
Tarin swore as he drug the nearly unconscious woman over to a tree to prop her on. “ Damn goblins! I can’t believe that they’re still using it! It’s been nearly two hundred and fifty years since we stopped using magic...Those dirty rotten bastards...” Tarin was seething at this point. “ Get her armor off and see what you can do about her wounds. I’m going to see if I can find some shelter for the night. Amara won’t stand a chance otherwise. Neither will we for that matter. The arrows were dipped in a poison that nullifies magic, among other things.”
Gascon nodded and kneeled down beside Amara as Tarin ran off into the forest. Amara was breathing heavily as if she was being constricted across her chest and her eyes opened blearily as Gascon began unbuckling her cuirass. “ Just relax Amara...Tarin and I will have you shipshape in no time.”
“ There’s...” Amara winced as Gascon eased her armor away and she stopped his hands a moment before he could pull her shirt away. “...a bunch of healing supplies in my pack...Magic isn’t going to be of any use here.”
“ I know a thing or two about first aid, no worries.” Gascon said gently. He tried not to convey the worry in his eyes as he looked at Amara’s shirt. It was stained crimson with the amount of blood she had lost. He pulled over both his pack and Amara’s and found everything he would need. The first order of business was cleaning everything with Amara’s special blend of steeped herbs. Gascon wanted her comfortable before he started stitching her up.
Amara’s eyes watched Gascon covertly as he unbuttoned her shirt. Thank the ancients she was wearing bindings. At least he wouldn’t get a free peak. She saw his brow furrow even as he blanched slightly. “ What was that look for?” Her tone was mirthful as her eyes looked over his face of their own accord, though her attention was drawn to his expressive cinnamon colored orbs. His eyes were beautiful in the way the lit up with whatever was on his mind or how he spoke. The way they had glittered down at her as he had held her in his arms after the moment they had shared in the underground pool...How could she have never noticed that before? Hell, this fever was getting the better of her. While she had forgiven him in a sense, Amara still felt Gascon had a long way to go to make things up to her. She was civil, and certainly didn’t mind the friendship they were building, but part of her needed to hear him say he was sorry. Only then would she apologize in turn and the hatchet completely buried between them.
But until that happened, innocent teasing would ensue, among other things of course.
“ One of the wounds I need to stitch up is under your bindings...While I may have had an opportunity last week, I didn’t take it as far as I could have.” Gascon said, his eyes locking onto hers momentarily.
Amara grimaced and seizured a bit, grabbing onto Gascon’s hand as she tried to hide her pain. Her sight was growing dim again. “ I don’t have the luxury of modesty on my side then...” she panted, knowing the next time she closed her eyes for more than a few moments that they wouldn’t be opening for a long time. “ Switch Rosie out with Willow for now...You...” Amara gasped a little sharper this time as she shuddered in pain. “ You can use her to carry me...”
“ Stay awake Amara.” Gascon hissed, his hands removing her bindings. He didn’t dare look down. “ Stay with me...”
“ Remove the poison if you can...Save it...I may be able to make an antidote...” Amara bit out, her body trembling nonstop now from the seizures wracking her petite frame. She weakly lifted her hand and Gascon’s eyes closed as it settled on his cheek. Tears were in her eyes as she watched the conflicted emotions play out on his face. Slowly, darkness began encroaching on her vision as her consciousness began waning. “ Gascon...” she whispered, her lashes falling against her cheeks in her new found serenity.
“ Amara no!” Gascon exclaimed in dismay. His eyes screwed shut as her hand fell limply to her side now, and Gascon fought to keep his control on his sanity. If only he hadn’t been such an ass to her when they were younger, had been the bigger man and settled their animosity years ago instead of fueling it further. None of this would have happened to her if he had only stepped up and admitted his mistake.
Gascon shook his head to clear it of the melancholy that was settling over him. He needed to get Amara patched up first and foremost. And even then before that, Gascon mused as he drew his wand, he needed to see if he could draw the poison from her. If anyone could make an antidote, Amara could.
By the time Tarin returned, Gascon was just finishing wrapping Amara’s wounds with padding and bandages in an effort to stem her bleeding. He slid a clean shirt onto her and did as Amara had asked him to do. He called Rosie from Amara’s creature cage and placed Willow there in her stead so that he would have room in his own for the embursa.
Tarin could see how badly this was affecting Gascon, and he settled a comforting hand over the man’s shoulder. “ Is she ready to move?”
Gascon nodded grimly as he stood up. There wasn't much else he could do now. “ She’s been unconscious since shortly after you left. Her tremors have been growing steadily worse though. And while I wasn’t able to gather much, I was able to pull this from one of her wounds.” Gascon held up a small vial that had a black liquid lapping against it’s glass confines. “ Amara’s extremely talented in the ways of healing. If anyone can make an antidote to this poison, she can. Of that there is no doubt.”
Tarin looked skeptical at this claim. “ We dwarves have been trying to crack that particular poison for over two centuries, Gascon. I highly doubt your half-elven princess is going to get it on the first go either.”
Gascon smirked. He obviously would have to watch Amara at work then. The porcine prince called Rosie out and then settled Amara onto her back, tying her into place so that she wouldn’t fall off the fire bear. He wrapped a blanket around her as best he could then and patted Rosie on the neck. “ Ready when you are then, Tarin.”
“ There’s a series of caves over this way. I’ve double checked them all for any hidden passages or doors that goblins may be utilizing. It looks as if these ones are in the clear.” Tarin replied, moving to the front to lead the way.
“ Steady now Rosie. Let’s go.” Gascon said, using a hand to steady Amara just to be on the safe side.
Rosie rumbled in response, and lumbered forward after the dwarf. If the cave he was leading them to was attacked, Rosie would have no qualms in defending it. Something had attacked and grievously wounded her mistress. Once she learned who done it, the embursa would be on the warpath.
Whoever was responsible was as good as dead as far as Rosie was concerned.
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The Ties that Bind