Date: Thu, 24 Oct 2002 01:25:51 -0400 (EDT) From: Zane Subject: A Mortal Lover-Part 2 A Mortal Lover: Part 2 By Zane Hunter Once again this story is an adult fantasy. It is copyrighted to it's author, and can not be placed at a for money site. It was early evening Eastern Standard Time, as Mal slipped into our world. The landscape that greeted him was a desolate forest that had suffered from the ravages of a large fire earlier that summer. The charred tree limbs sickened him; their pain caused his head to pound like daggers were carving his brain. He staggered over to the ashen trees to see if he could give it spirit. He touched one dead trunk with his hand willing the spark of life to transmit it's self into the tree. When nothing happened he was confused. Even a common elf could share it's energy with another living thing, the ability was not unlike jump starting an engine, as he would later learn when he had to adapt to a new life. . His coat had materialized. It was still shimmering like green gold, and keeping him warm. He knew that going through the veil had taken it's toll. He could sense others from his world here, but they remained as raw energy, and didn't take their true forms. He had been warned that he must never become his natural form if he ever ventured to this side. It would rob him of too much power to manifest as himself, but how then would he find a lover if he was light, and energy instead of flesh and blood. He had chosen to be as a human, and now that he was here it would be impossible to return. He wondered if he had any magic left at all, or with it waning from him due to his brother's curse, did he risk the rest when he crossed over. He didn't have time to think about that if he wanted to break the curse. He walked on until the trees once again showed signs of life. At last he was away from the scared and burnt trees, and he was surprised by the colors. They paled compared to where he came from, but they still had a beauty to them. The leaves and red and gold amid the pine trees. His night vision was such that he started to be aware of night owls, and the dart of tiny mice-faced bats. Without magic to protect him, he bent down and picked up a pointed stick that he could thrust fast and deep if he had too. He was a peaceful elf, but even a Prince had to be aware of monsters. Those with eternal life could still die young. First he smelled smoke, which made him fear for the trees around him. He could no longer hear their voices but he sensed that they were alarmed. He went towards the smoke until he could see for himself that it was a controlled fire, and a lone man sat beside it. ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ Alex's stared at the fire as if somehow within the flames was the soul of the man who had been his life for the last fifteen years. It was months now that he was gone, but everyday brought the constant pain, such as when he woke in an empty bed, or saw the blue-purple flower that grew abundantly around his home. For someone else he would light a candle in a church everyday for the rest of his own life, but Heath was different. He was always a mixture of Celtic wildness and sweetness. It was Heath that told him that on Halloween bonfires used to be lit in the woodland to welcome back the spirits of the dead. Alex in a moment of impulse left a party he had attended, telling his caring friends that he was going home. They were having fun in their outrageous costumes, in the staged setting of a Halloween bash. He didn't want to damper the evening for anyone, so he left friends who were drinking hard cider, and kissing and fondling whoever they believes was hidden in mask and paint. He walked down the drive lined with jack o lanterns carved to resemble silent film stars, got in his car, and kept driving, down less and less populated roads until he arrived at the foothills. For a while he followed the pathway until he arrived in a grove of aspen. It was there that he would make a fire to welcome back Heath. Out of his pocket he took a twig of heather, the plant he sometimes called Heath when he was making love to him. He lay the plant on the infant fire, and sat back to watch the fire grow and think of how empty the years would be ahead without Heath here to share them with him. As he blew on the fire to watch the embers dance in the night, Mal watched his every breathe. The man with his dark hair, and eyes looked like a clumsy form of Leaf. ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ It was early dawn but the castle was humming with excitement in the bowls of the kitchen. For the Prince's birthday visitors were expected from many far reaches of the Outlands. For days preparations had been underway, but many elf delicacies had to be prepared the day of a feast. There were other creatures to consider as well. This was a party that would be attended by many others, dwarves, and fairies, merpeople, a few of the friendly trolls and orcs, and hobgoblins, who were at peace with the light elves. There would be a few dark elves too. It was a change for diplomacy as many clans gathered to honor the beautiful Prince who reached his recorded tenth year. The chief chef woke up the kitchen boys who were sleeping with their arms around each other like a group of affectionate kittens. The chef almost expected that Mal himself would make an early appearance demanding to help out...no, his brother Leaf had arrived before. Leaf never came into the kitchens, and when Leaf was around, Prince Mal was his shadow. The chef chuckled as he though about the cakes he created to surprise the young Lord. There were several with sugared leaves and hearts. The palace staff knew how the boy adored his brother. Then again it was sad, the Prince had no other family. The Queen was alive but she had been in a vegetative state since the birth of the Prince. No one knew who had fathered either of her sons, just that Mal's father was of royal pedigree, which was apparent the first time as an infant he managed to bring his bottle from the kitchen to the nursery on his own. It was a happy sign when the bottle floated past the guards. If the Queen had a girl child she would be the ruler. Things were more complicated when a boy was the heir, but the Prince had to be a magic-elf to claim the title. He was, and it was doubtful she would ever produce another child. She was never quite right after the first one was born. There had been rumors enough that Leaf's father was a dark elf. But Mal would never hear any words spoken against his brother. Leaf used to straddle Mal and carry him around the palace. The young boy was naked, and though his genitals were hidden, pressed into his brothers neck, the royal ass was solidly on display, as the boy giggled as his brother played pony to the impish and delighted rider. It was perhaps a good thing that Leaf was training to be a General, as he had little time to spend in the palace influencing Mal. They all dreaded that Mal might insist in giving up magic studies to become a warrior as well. Well there was too much to do to worry about it. The birthday party was going to be full of happiness, and hope. At age ten, Mal could take over the duties of a regent, and the older elves had waited for this moment long enough. There was always the fear that another clan would take claim, and the Queen was never in condition to stop it. Only a few knew that the Queen was living in the west tower, many were told that she was away working on the magic forces that shielded this world from the chaotic one rules by human's. Sagon, one of the elders made his way into the kitchen. The chef without a word handed the old elf clover root tea, and honeycomb. "That is just what I need. I guess after I finish I'll have to get the Prince out of bed. That might be a task this morning" "His brother is here, so he probably didn't get much sleep" "Well Leaf was up early enough. I heard that he went out to the stable before dawn and took his favorite steed, and rode off." "That is odd that he would choice to exercise a horse so early. Was he alone?" "I was told so, but the stable elves were still asleep except for one dutiful boy who is not the brightest of their lot. Leaf has yet to return." "Has no one checked on the Prince." "Mal is as constant as the sun. I am sure that when Leaf asked him to go on the wild ride he said that he couldn't today of all days. I never worry about Mal. He is as good an elf as one would dream of." "Yes Mal is indeed an Elf of dreams. I shall let the boy sleep as he will be up late tonight." Therefore when they learned that Mal had disappeared most figured that he had left with Leaf. There seemed to be only one horse missing but Mal was agile, and small enough to ride with his brother. Sentries were sent out to find the brother's and bring them home. Guests were already arriving, and the staff saw it as a hopeless task to cover up for a missing Queen, and her heir. When a troll spend s year carving a bone into a small miniature sports arena for a birthday gift, they better be able to present it.