Home Again

[Thorin]

He heard the chattering of women and cringed inwardly. It was an awkward moment for him. Thorin would have no say in the naming of their child, or on the idea of marriage. His mother could probably sense his anger, his fury seething into an almost sentient matter across his skin. The words he said to her might have been harsh, but she had understood why he had said them. Denying him marriage, was a bigger blow than dying the other night. His mind might not comprehend her reasoning at that moment, but for once he didn't want to figure something out.

Thorin was losing his last nerve and he knew he would never raise a hand to her. She was acting as if he were less than her, his ego taking a quick beating for the worse. It was almost as if she didn't want to be pleased, or to be content out of spite- women were difficult. He growled something low and guttural when she placed her hand on his...the warmth of her was welcoming, but he didn't let her see that comfort.

The mere thought of Igraine back at Ulster, exposing herself and the baby, angered him beyond reason. With all of the changes he would appear more animalistic to her- his eyes vibrant with a ferocity. She was made in love...those words struck him personally, but it didn't last for very long. She was giving him up, whether she wanted to admit it or not. They could easily be married and let the past be past.

Men could cry, but he wasn't about to shed a tear. She knew his ultimatum and he was starting threaten her with it again. That was when he remembered the other two women were only a few feet away. They would defend her as they always did- he was on his own.

“Then this is goodbye. You hesitate to be by my side, but you didn't hesitate to have a child with me. You will be taking our daughter to a kingdom unprotected- the Unseelie King will destroy her, or use her against you.” Thorin paused, knowing Igraine could hear the blunt anger in his voice. He was more hurt by the rejection of her and the thought of her moving on without him- even if that really wasn't the case.

When Igraine leaned her head against his arm, he regretted some of his words, but his anger was still there. The more she stayed by him, the more he wanted her by his side permanently. She couldn't go unprotected, so he would have to ask her mother to help him reach her kingdom without her knowing. He could easily move within the shadows, his magick having been enhanced by his Vuri form.

Thorin growled once more, pushing her away, as if to make her leave sooner. It was the only way to make it easy on the both of them. Although to Igraine, he would be seen as heartless.

“I release you....” He growled at her, baring unnatural fangs. She would connect the words with his earlier threat. He wanted her to guess if he would keep his word- maybe that would give her something to think about. His actions were out of spite and pity for himself.

Even if they didn't understand each other, he would always be in the shadows watching over his family. While she thought he was an ignorant man, he had his own way in the world. If she thought he could be stopped, she would learn that he wasn't easily fooled.

His mother would feel his dread, worry and concern mixed in one strong emotion. While he yelled at Igraine, his emotion would be entirely the opposite to his mother. Thorin stormed off without letting Igraine see his pained face.

Speaking to Kahlan might not be easy after his display, but he knew that his mother could help explain everything once Igraine left. It was possible that he carried more stubbornness and anger than his father.

[Igraine]

"Oh no. No you don't just walk away from me!" Igraine followed him. She knew he wouldn't kill her. He could hit her but then he ran the risk of killing their child, or if he got too rough, killing her.

"Would you just STOP." Her voice echoed unnaturally and her eyes glazed over. She was so close to unleashing her power at anything nearby that she could barely contain herself. "Can you stop thinking about yourself for one second? You're so full of yourself you can't even SEE that I want to marry you. That I want to spend my life with you? You can barely control yourself right now and you're throwing out demands like you know what you're doing. I'm not even suggesting that I stay in Ulster, but I have to make appearances. I can't just stay cloistered away. I have never backed down from a challenge, Thorin. No matter what you think of me, no matter how sheltered you think I have been."

Igraine tried to calm herself down, feeling her power seeping through her body, fresh and raw. He had never seen her display her power, no one had ever pissed her off enough to lose her control. He thought she was some stupid little thing, when in reality she had a firm grasp on a power that had the ability to create or destroy.

She looked at him with glistening green eyes, if he looked close enough he might see a residual glow from her power clawing its way through her body. The baby would be fine, though she would be washed in some of the most pure power the realm had to offer. It wasn't often that Fae power met Angel power, though when it did there was something awe inspiring about it -- though the offspring usually died if the father was Angelic. She was one of the first with the powers married within her that had actually lived to reach maturity. If you asked Kahlan she theorized it was because of the displaced demonic power she would have had, if she hadn't been cleansed. The fae power naturally fell into place as it permeated the womb.

"I have agreed to your every demand. I have let you build me up and break me apart. I ask this ONE thing and you can't handle it? Are you serious? Can you even listen to yourself for one second? I know being a Vuri makes you angry. Just ask Isabella, she knows exactly what you're going through. Don't make me walk away from you because you can't handle me making demands. You may think I'm just a child, a baby that can't make her own decisions, but I've lived long enough without you and I've made a lot of decisions. The fate of an entire countries worth of humans is in my hands, Thorin. I don't take that lightly. They may just be cattle to you, but I am responsible for their wellbeing."

Igraine rested her hands on her belly and sighed. She could talk until she was blue in the face and he wouldn't listen. He'd just call her childish for speaking and not listen to her. She wasn't entirely sure that he had heard a single thing she had said since they met. He just wrote her off as being younger than him and thus inferior to him. He loved her though, she could feel that emotion rolling off of him in waves.

"You actually thought I would go back to Ulster without you? I wouldn't put our child in danger like that. I hope, at some point, you'll stop thinking that I'm an idiot and actually see me as I am." Igraine let her power go slowly, taking in a deep breath and letting it out slowly.

"If you keep acting like this I will stop fighting. If I stop fighting then you'll lose everything you love about me. This is the last time, Thorin. I have a baby to think of now. I can't keep stressing myself out over this, over you." She turned and walked back toward the house where Kahlan and Isabella were.

[Thorin]

Even though his back was turned, glaring into the afternoon sky, she was being listened to. It was the one thing that her and the other women couldn't grasp- he had always listened. When she displayed her powers, he felt an overwhelming sense of death. It was more than likely because of what he was and his new form reacted to her sudden surge of energy.

Thorin could talk with her, or go by his ultimatum. If he learned to control his Vuri essence, he could make use of it. Igraine spoke of their child as if he weren't apart of it. He knew of her duties back at the kingdom, but she also needed to see reason with his own request. The ground underneath him wilted into a blackened substance. He quickly realized that heat had emanated from his body and had scorched the ground's surface.

Maybe it was best that they separated after he gained control. Thorin couldn't live with himself, if he accidentally injured her or the baby. If he was going to return with her, he wouldn't be living in the castle. He had spent years on the streets, so it wasn't going to be difficult surviving without luxury.

She spoke about the humans as if he didn't know them. They weren't cattle to him, but they had been his enemy since his early years of exile. Igraine still acted as though he were hotheaded and without a cause. Breathing in deep, he tried to calm himself, so that he could walk back with her to the house. His mother would be there, more than likely infuriated with him.

Gathering his thoughts, he met her at the house and watched her with the other women. He didn't care that they were near, or within ear shot of his words. Thorin would look calmer, but it was taking all of his energy to attempt such a feat. His voice was contrived of calm, something she would notice right away. Thorin loved her more than anything, but he could survive without her if they needed to.

“I'll go with you- you need someone to keep watch. You shouldn't be fighting in your condition and I have energy to spare if anything does happen.” Thorin said, trying to make her see that he was going along with her wishes. She was the one carrying his child and he knew he had to learn to control his power if they were going to survive.

“I'll stop thinking of you as childish, when you stop thinking I'm ignorant. I do have my reasons behind things...” Thorin said, for a moment he sounded like his father.

“If anything happened to you, or the baby...” His voice trailed off and he had the pained look he had tried to shield her from earlier.

He was a man full of power, but there were times when he forgot about that importance with Igraine. She could always bring out the worst in him, but she had a way of calming him down. Thorin wondered if he would be ready for fatherhood, in a world that would readily harm Igraine or Morgana.

If she could just understand Thorin was trying to protect her, then they would both be able to understand one another. He didn't want to cage her and isolate her from the world. Igraine was a strong woman and maybe that's why he had to constantly fight to prove his view.

When silence became too much for him, he interrupted it. “I think Morgana is a fine name...I just wish I could have helped in naming her.” Thorin was basically swaying her way, trying to win her over again. He was doing everything he could to put her in a good mood and the other women probably saw that. Even if he was failing miserably, he had to try something.

[Igraine]

"I accept your proposal. You can return with me to protect me. I wouldn't trust anyone else anyway." Igraine eased herself into a chair and relaxed with a heavy sigh. She was really tired, she had slept from exhaustion, but she hadn't slept well. Her dreams had been clouded and painful and she felt more exhausted now than she did before she had slept.

"She still needs a middle name. It is customary for the man to give his daughter her middle name in my culture." Igraine rested her head back against the chair and smiled at Thorin. He was trying, she knew that, and she was willing to appease him. Kahlan and Isabella gathered their things and left. Isabella rested a hand on Thorin's arm and smiled.

It gets easier, with time. You'll come to understand her better than anyone else. Your bond was physical with the demon blood, but now you can transcend that. You can be everything to her. She just wants to protect you. Feeling you die last night hurt her more than she will ever admit. Isabella squeezed his arm gently and patted his shoulder. He would feel that she was proud of him. He was handling things better than she did when she was first turned by Vylrath.

"Come, sit with me for a while. We can leave for Ulster in a little while." Igraine reached for Thorin's hands and stood up. She pulled his hands to her still flat belly and smiled up at him. He would feel the spark in her, the little bit of life that would become a great woman some day. She guided him to the couch and sat down with him. She placed his hands back on her belly and relaxed back against the arm of the couch and closed her eyes. She was tired and she knew that he would feel that. She wasn't entirely sure if he could sense energies like Caela and Isabella did though.

"What do you think her middle name should be? Feel her spark? She's got a brilliant shining light, don't you think? I'm surprised neither of us felt her when she was concieved." Igraine let go of his hands and left them on her belly. Morgana wouldn't be more than few hundred cells, but he would be able to tell that she was growing, ever growing, and wouldn't stop until it was time to be born.

"I think this explains feeling so tired the past few days. I just thought I was fatigued from our entire journey."

[Thorin]

Thorin was put off by the energy she shared through the baby. He knew it was the child's alone, which made his defenses react. The light coming from their child would be almost threatening to his new essence. He tried to act nonchalant, but she would see him leave the couch to pace his thoughts away.

“Elysia...after my great grandmother.” Thorin only knew a small story about his grandparents. He only knew it was another tragic story, Elysia having died after giving birth to Vylrath. Thorin had been told by Isabella, that Vylrath was almost killed by his own father- it probably explained his own hatred toward his children. Thorin hoped he wasn't cursing his daughter, with that kind of name.

“You don't have to share your energy and cause yourself exhaustion. I can feel both of you- the curse of being a Vuri's lover.” Thorin knew he would have to explore his new powers, but he was running of of energy. He knew he had drunk the blood, but he hadn't yet eaten flesh from a man. Silently, he wondered how Igraine would be able to handle that. Just because his mother had explained the race to her, it didn't mean that she fully understood their life style.

Thorin knew he might become too dangerous to be around her or Morgana...he would have to distance himself often. He went to her clothes, the ones that had become scattered during their argument. Putting them back in the bag, he was happy to see that the ring was still on her finger and not scattered somewhere.

“When do we leave?”

[Igraine]

"You have to eat first. Flesh. Isabella has some stored and I won't have you weak, considering the Unseelie King is probably honed in on my essence. He'll know when I'm back in the Human World." Igraine got to her feet and walked to the bedroom, letting him pick up her clothes and shove them in her bag.

"I'm going to lay down while you do that." Igraine laid back on the bed, relaxing her whole body and looking over at him. She smiled at him, glad that he was trying to be useful and not trying to stress her out. Igraine turned on her side and closed her eyes and promptly fell asleep, much faster than she had even planned on.

There was a light tap on the front door, followed by a soft shuffle. Thorin would know who it was and know that the sounds being made were for Igraine's benefit. Isabella didn't have to make a sound when she moved.

Is she asleep? Good. Isabella moved to stand next to Thorin with a basket in her hands, covered heavily with a densely woven cloth.

Time to eat. I won't let you go without eating everything in this basket, do you understand me? Isabella walked out of the house, making no sound at all, aside from the swish of her skirt as it whipped around the door as she slipped through. Once they were outside she turned to Thorin and handed him the basket.

"It's from a Fae that was mostly human. She died of natural causes in her old age. She wasn't given any herbs so you won't have any ill effects after eating the meat. Trust me, you'll notice when someone has been poisoned, or drugged, or anything that isn't normal. It's a lot easier to notice with pure humans, because you'll also taste the difference in their blood. Humans are the best food source, but you'll notice that other races give different attributes. Fae are the second best food source and their blood tastes the sweetest. Angels are probably the worst and I figure that has a lot to do with the fact that Vylrath was half demon and somewhere broken down inside us is that taint, only darker. Angel flesh will taste like ash in your mouth and you will spit it out. Demons will give you a buzz, mostly because of their dark blood."

Isabella gestured as she spoke, trying to give him a quick run down so he would understand what he should eat and should avoid. It was a simple 'This will be poisonous to you if you eat it' speech. He had no idea and if he ate the wrong thing he would be in trouble.

"Above all else, the flesh has to be dead. It's best eaten on the third day after death, but if you wait too much longer putrifaction sets in and you'll be vying for food with maggots and other insects. The liquifacation is digusting and you really shouldn't sully your body with such poisons unless you have to. You will notice a marked drop in your power as your body tries to rid itself of the taint."

Bella gestured to the basket and leaned against the wall of the house behind her.

"Above all else, be careful. The Vuri aren't widely known in the Human World. We didn't get a chance to have much influence, and those that know us fear us. Humans are most susceptable to our powers and you can transfer the Vuri power as easily as a virus if you aren't careful. If a human consumes your blood in any way they will become infected, die, and be reborn as a Vuri. You just have to be careful when you do this, because sometimes they'll freak out and go crazy. Other times they just die, not really able to handle the process of eating dead flesh. You WILL die if you don't eat once a month and drink day old blood once a week at the least."

Isabella flexed her arms and looked at her son carefully, watching his facial expressions, feeling his thoughts and his power.

"If you consume blood that is dead, three hours after given by the host, on the Full Moon -- your power will be strengthened three fold. I found that out the hard way. So eat, make sure you fill up for your journey. You won't need to eat again for a whole month. You can eat human food too, but you won't need it to survive. It just helps with the niceties of court."

[Thorin]

Thorin wasn't shaken by the idea of eating flesh. He had been part demon and was accustomed to drinking blood- flesh would be an easy substance to get used to. He ate while he listened to her, taking in the information carefully. If he ever got into another rage, he knew that he would just avoid Igraine entirely. His anger was something he was slowly controlling and using it to benefit his strength.

Thorin feasted on the flesh like a common steak- almost greedily devouring it. His body demanded it, so he couldn't satiate the hunger just yet. Thorin's eyes looked to her, wanting more, but it was just his body consuming the energy. He wouldn't hesitate to kill another for their flesh. The Fae he could taste- it had that same sugary sweet that he found in Igraine. Thorin could easily kill another and enjoy it.

When he finished his macabre meal, he wiped the remains off of his face and discarded the cloth in the basket. His mother didn't have to show him kindness, so he was grateful for that and her wisdom on the Vuri. He supposed their race was matriarchal – not that his father would ever acknowledge that.

Standing up, he would appear different and definitely stronger. His skin would still be the same gray tone, but his eyes wouldn't look so desperate for something unattainable. He didn't have anything to say to his mother. Isabella already knew that he was sorry for his actions and behavior- this new life completely a rude awakening, compared to a demon's strife.

“I'm sorry...thank you.” He said, bowing to her. With the renewed energy, he would be awake all night, but he could handle sleeping on his way to Igraine's homeland. Knowing that he would be sensitive around blood spill, he realized he wouldn't be able to witness his daughter's birth. Isabella would see the sudden sadness in his eyes, but the emotion would lift with genuine acknowledgment.

There were things he would have to give up in order to become a man. Even if he was enslaved in this form, he could still protect Igraine in other ways. Thorin would gladly make those sacrifices.

"Will you come to me, if I need you to help Igraine?" Thorin thought that someone should be from their family, at the time of her giving birth to Morgana. He thought Kahlan should be the one to be by her, but he didn't know how to ask her, or if that journey was possible for either of them.

[Igraine]

"By the time she has the baby you will be under a much firmer control of your instincts and your body. You will be capable of standing in the room while she gives birth. You will be able to hold her hand if she needs you to. You'll slowly shed your demonic tendencies as you learn. Fresh blood is gross. I know you think it will taste amazing, but what you did to Igraine the other day? Drinking her blood fresh from her body? That will be disgusting to you, and you'll find that out sooner rather than later I'd imagine."

Isabella nodded at her son when he thanked her and she smiled. "You were my first. I will always look out for you. Though it is strange to have both of my children be Vuri now. It's as if we've cast off our old ties entirely." Isabella looked at the house and twitched her nose. She could smell Igraine, smell Thorin on Igraine, especially the demon part of him. It was in her hair and on her skin and she knew that Thorin could smell himself on her, and smell the change.

"You will taste different to her. You're lucky she's not human at all. She's going to be a lover that can match your strength and she won't die easy. In fact, because she's mixed with Angel, her blood will taste wrong to you. You will want her, but not for her blood. The child has a smidge of Angel blood in it too, I can feel it even with it being so small. Your family will be safe from your new lusts."

Isabella squeezed Thorin's shoulder and smiled. Her turquoise eyes were brighter and her gaze was sharper.

"I will come if you need me. So will Kahlan. If you need us we will come and all you have to do is speak her name. She will be looking after you two and keeping you within her sights. Within reason, of course, she doesn't want to watch anything you two do in the bedroom." Isabella laughed and shook her head, her chesnut brown hair brushing across her back and neck.

"I think she's waking up. She may be tired for a while, but once the baby begins growing more she'll find her second wind. Just try not to tire her out too badly." Isabella winked as the door opened and Igraine stepped out with her bag in her hand.

"Are you ready to go, Thorin?"

[Thorin]

Thorin nodded at his mother, understanding her words. When he heard the voice of Igraine, it startled him. He had everything he needed- his sword sheathed and the clothes on his back. “Of course I'm ready...” With that motion, he wondered if it was a good idea for her to announce someone like him, in her kingdom. It might cause panic, seeing their Queen with someone who gladly fed on blood and flesh.

“You may not want to introduce me to your kingdom and court just yet...I have my own ways for getting around and keeping an eye on you.” Thorin said, knowing their relationship would have to be this way for some time. He could just see the hysteria created when she tried to explain a creature like himself. If he had to hunt, he could do it in nearby villages.

“I'll probably need some armor made when we cross over, but what I have will work for now. The armor will have to be light, so I can move freely.” Thorin hadn't shown her his attributes, but there was no need to now. The shadows would appear as if they were deteriorating his form, making him making him blend with his surroundings. It was a simple trick, but not always witnessed by someone like Igraine. She might catch a glimpse of his eyes when he moved, or it could be a trick of the light. When his figure formed again, it was to point out how quick the process could be.

[Igraine]

"Cadeyrn has armor that will be suited for you upon your return. It's not quite done yet." Igraine mentioned as they descended from the treetops the way they had come just a few short days ago. She shifted her bag from one hand to the next and once they were down out of the trees, she shut the doorway behind them and muttered something softly, sealing it. Her fingertips glowed a bright bluegreen and faded just as quickly as it came.

"The walk out won't be as hard as the walk in. You're known now, in more circles than I believe we even realize. Some will work harder to lead you astray because of the power you radiate, others will sit back and watch." Igraine spoke as she ducked under some tree branches and stooped to sit her bag on the ground. Using her fingertips she drew what would be construed as an "imaginary" doorway. The only difference was that as her fingers traveled a soft green glow followed them, until the doorway was glowing with symbols and pulsing softly.

Igraine stooped again and picked up her bag and reached out with her free hand to Thorin.

"Well, lets go see how things are at home." She laughed and held onto his hand tight and forged on ahead into the soft green glow.






**END OF THREAD. Look for the next installment here: http://forums.sordidystopia.com/viewtopic.php?f=66&t=939 !**