Alda'hirakam ghar Ara; Chapter 100

  • He woke up on Teldryn’s chest with his head tucked under the still asleep mer’s chin and one strong hand around him. He lay there, unmoving, but relaxed, and listening to his partner’s heart beat. Ciel’nn savored the nearness of his partner as one strong arm rested on his waist. He’d freeze time and stay like this for eternity. With half-closed eyes the young mer relaxed and sighed.

    Idly Ciel’nn let his fingers trace the mer’s muscled arm while he waited for his love to wake up. There was no rush to go anywhere and he didn’t have any desire to move yet. The last night, he remembered, had been most euphoric for him. His body felt sore but he hadn’t complained about it. A smile crept on his lips as he brought his hand on his love’s shoulder.

    Ciel’nn was picky with who he was with and he always had followed his intuition when it came to partners that he picked carefully. I hope I get to keep you, Teldryn. I really don’t want anyone else at this point.

    “You’re my only one, daelha.” The young mer whispered, forgetting that he wasn’t supposed to wake his partner yet. Then he felt the arm move languidly up to his back which the young mer enjoyed.

    “I love you, Teldryn.” Ciel’nn murmured as he propped himself up so that he could see the mer’s face. Teldryn looked so tempting and gorgeous with his sleepy eyes. Damn, he’s so Teldryn. He brought his hand up to caress the mer’s cheek, his finger trailed on the tattoo.

    Teldryn shifted slightly and looked to his partner. He smiled at the touch. “I love you, too. I’m just amazed you haven’t run off.” Like the others had. His partner raised a brow, but the older mer didn’t know what to say. Then Ciel’nn took his hand into his own and planted a soft kiss on his knuckles.

    “Well, Teldryn.” Ciel’nn’s tone grew a degree serious, but still soft. “Where’d I go?” He tilted his head slightly as he poured his affection into his words. “I can’t leave you. I’m not like the others in your past. I want to stay with you, live with you if you still want to have it.” He paused to see the other mer’s strong eye contact. That smile was still on his lips.

    Ciel’nn understood the fear of abandonment for he also had it. He’d had trouble to express his feelings most of the time because of it, but maybe now he would be more open when given more time. Maybe he’d be free from his fears one day.

    Teldryn found himself speechless. It didn’t happen often. He smiled at his partner as they held hands and looked into each other’s eyes. For the longest of time, the older mer felt peace and love. He just didn’t believe that he was going to settle down.

    Teldryn gently pulled Ciel’nn onto him and hugged him tightly. “I’d like to live with you, Ciel’nn. I don’t have anyone else either.” He paused as he caressed the young mer’s back. “Do you want to leave with the next ship?”

    “Yes, Teldryn. I want to leave this place.” Ciel’nn kissed his partner’s neck and rested a while longer, savoring the moment.

    Thank the Reclamations.



    Ciel’nn stood at the beach, watching the waves in the spring wind. He held the scroll in his hands. The vellum tingled under his fingers and he frowned. His heart raced as he hesitated. “It’s tingling now.” He glanced at Teldryn who stood next to him.

    “Are you sure of this?” The older mer frowned in turn, his hand  resting on his waist. “I think you should keep it. Might come in handy later.”

    Ciel’nn shook his head and sighed. “I’m going through with this. I just hope it doesn’t blow up in my face.” In truth, he was rather horrified about what he was going to do. “Be ready, daelha.”

    “Alright. Let’s get on with it.” Teldryn grunted, his hand found the hilt of his sword and rested there.  And hope it goes well.

    Ciel’nn took a deep breath. He opened the scroll, called out to the Dremora Lord while his heart raced. Maybe I am crazy to do this… But…

    The Dremora Lord, Kliksaath, appeared from the summoning portal, hovering in the air. She hissed in annoyance until the young mer was in the center of her sight. “Little mortal. What is it this time? More mortals to kill?” she purred.

    “Kliksaath.” Ciel’nn did his best to hide his nervousness. “I have nothing to ask of you. I…want to free you from your binding.” He paused and hesitated. “Our binding.” He bit his lower lip. The Dremora Lord seemed to stared at him as if she was frowning and calculating if he was really meaning it.

    Kliksaath came down to face the young mer. She stared him into his eyes. “Free me?” Her gauntleted hand lowered down to the mer’s head and she noticed him frozen on his place. “You better not toy with me, Ciel’nn.” She purred, still searching for something in his eyes.

    Ciel’nn tried not to panic even if his heart was close to exploding. “I’m not! I value freedom so… I want to undo my ancestor’s spell. I want to set you free, Kliksaath.” He really wanted this to happen, but the Dremora Lords were hard to convince as it seemed.

    Kliksaath pulled her hand away, her eyes still on the young mer. “Freedom is earned even in Oblivion, if at all. You’re strange for a mortal. Do you know how to break the spell?”

    Ciel’nn shook his head. “No, I’m not a mage.” He laughed nervously.

    The Dremora Lord took a step back and tilted her head. “It will need your blood and you have to make your own unbound words when burning it.” Although she wasn’t sure if it would work at all. The little mortal would have to find it out by himself.

    Ciel’nn frowned and glanced at Teldryn who nodded to him. He took a deep breath and nodded back.

    He knelt down to put the vellum on the ashen sand and found four medium sized stones to hold it open.

    Taking his dagger, Ciel’nn thought of the words he wanted to say, to break the spell. Undoubtedly his ancestor would be very angry with him. But this is what I want to do. No one should be chained for long. Especially not from Oblivion. He felt his partner shifting nervously near him and the Dremora Lord observing him intently.

    Ciel’nn cut his palm and dripped the few droplets of blood on the vellum. “With my blood I free this Dremora Lord from our binding. This will break my ancestor’s spell. Kliksaath, you’re free of this binding!” Then he focused on casting a flame spell on the scroll.

    All three were quiet as they stared at the vellum. The vellum seemed to be resisting the flame, but it eventually caught fire and burned strongly with a loud hiss.

    Ciel’nn thought he heard something else within the hissing, but shrugged it off. He looked to the Dremora Lord who stared at him while he heard Teldryn’s sigh. It is done. I hope. Now I need to bind this cut.

    “I can feel it!” Kliksaath spread her armored arms as she took a few steps on the beach and inhaled the air with what now tasted like freedom. The gauntleted hand turned into fist and opened again. “I feel no more bindings!” She joyed in a purr. Her gaze found the young mer again. “Little mortal. You’re the most strangest mortal I’ve ever met, but I’ve been wanting this for a long time.” Then she took a quick step to face the mer and cupped his face, surprisingly gently.

    “You have done me a favor beyond measure!” She purred, looking into Ciel’nn’s eyes. “When your ancestor bound me, I waited for your birth for what felt like an eternity. I waited for you to grow up. I watched how you hid in the Daedric Ruins. I watched your travel to Skyrim and I waited for the moment when he took you into our realm.” Kliksaath paused and then stepped away. She seemed to be thinking.

    Ciel’nn didn’t know how to feel except he was glad that breaking the spell had worked. He just smiled at the Dremora Lord. “You owe me nothing. Go, you’re free.” He said finding a piece of cloth which he used to bind his cut.

    Kliksaath tilted her head and flashed a wicked smile. Then she opened a portal and looked into the young mer’s eyes once more. I might miss you, Ciel’nn Sarion. You’ve grown into a remarkable mortal. I can’t remove your taint, but something else will fade in time. We might not meet again.

    The Dremora Lord disappeared into the portal which vanished.

    Ciel’nn looked at the place where the scroll had been. It had burned completely and not single piece of it remained. It is done. He should have felt relieved but instead there was sadness in him. The Dremora Lord spoke like she had known him. I can’t believe I might miss you too, Kliksaath. Thank you for everything you’ve done. Then he felt a touch on his shoulder.

    “Well, I’m glad that’s done. Let me take care of that cut.” Teldryn said as he took the wrapping from his partner’s hand and cast a healing spell on it. “For a moment I thought she was going to take you with her. I was almost ready to stop her… How do you feel?”

    Ciel’nn shrugged. “I don’t know, Teldryn. A bit sad because she knows what I’ve been through. She saved my life and deserves freedom. I don’t want a Dremora Lord in my pocket.” He looked to Teldryn with a smile. “Not when I have you, daelha.”

    Teldryn grinned and pulled his partner into a embrace. “Damn right, Ciel’nn. Damn right.”

    Ciel’nn smiled as his eyes shifted toward the sea. Something on the horizon. He narrowed his eyes to see better. Could it be? It seemed to move slowly. “Teldryn, I think I see a trade ship coming.”





    The waves lapped against the trade ship’s hull when they walked down the pier. The sky was clear above them and the air was brisk. The spring was making its way everywhere. It felt refreshing after a long and harsh frost season.

    Teldryn stopped to look at the trade ship for moment. Then he turned to his partner with a coy smile. Ciel’nn looked so beautiful in the daylight that it still made him breathless. And that alluring smile that was only for him alone. He crossed his arms on his chest and gazed into his love’s eyes. “What would you say? Would you allow me to take you home, daelha?” Teldryn then extended his hand for the young mer and waited.

    What would you say, he asks. Ciel’nn smiled as he looked into his love’s eyes then his hand before him. He almost couldn’t believe it was happening that he’d spend his time with the mer he loved the most. His heart beat only for Teldryn and for what they would experience together in the future. “I love you, Teldryn.” He took the mer’s hand. “Take me home.”

    The older mer beamed and pulled his partner close to him. “I love you too.” He whispered. “Come, let’s board this fine ship.”

    “Ciel’nn!”

    The young mer didn’t look at the Alchemist who had called out to him. Instead he stood there and looked at Teldryn. Ciel’nn had nothing to say to Tenaru. Not anymore. He wanted to leave Solstheim behind him for good. The sooner the better. “Lead the way, Teldryn.” He nodded.

    Together they watched the waves ahead when the trade ship left Raven Rock. It would be some time before they’d reach Blacklight, but Ciel’nn didn’t mind as long as he had the bladesman close to him. For the longest of time, he dared to hope that everything would be alright.

    Ciel’nn glanced at Teldryn, and the older mer took his hand into his own. They shared a soft smile and leaned in so that their foreheads touched while the crew of the trade ship was preparing for the journey to Blacklight.

     

     Back to ToC

    And so ends this story. I hope you liked it as much as I loved writing it. Thank you for reading it.

     

Comments

1 Comment   |   Sotek likes this.
  • Sotek
    Sotek   ·  March 11, 2020
    A great ending to a great series Caladran. Will catch up with rest in time.
    We might no meet again...      Might....   will miss these two....   Maybee...