Dragon Clans Bk. 01 Pt. 24

"Michael," Aoife began, her tone soft, her voice barely a whisper in his head.

"You near the end of this journey young one, soon your questions will be answered and new ones will take their place. I know it is frustrating for you, just a little more time." Her voice soothed him.

Michael felt a veil drop over him, some of the tension and stress leaving him as he lay back on the sand.

Looking up, the bright spot on the ceiling was dazzling against the black backdrop of the high cavern ceiling. It began to blur a bit as his eyes began to close, their lids heavy.

"Rest now Michael, I gift you a small boon, hopefully it will help you through what is to come."

Aoife's voice faded as he slipped into unconsciousness.

............

Michael stirred on the bed.

Sleep left him quickly but his eyes remained closed as he replayed the vision in his head. 'I'm getting tired of this,' he thought to himself as he stretched the kinks out of his muscles.

His clothes stuck to him, the sweat had dried on him from his exertions with Elise and he felt funky.

'A shower sounds wonderful.'

Dropping his feet to the floor he stood, arms above his head he stretched again, feeling much better than he had after dealing with Elise.

Preoccupied by his thoughts he absently slipped off his shoes and socks, stripped off his shirt and jeans. Stretching one more time, he padded naked towards the bathroom.

Valerie and Tera sat watching.

They had both seen him awaken and stretch. Watched, as he stood facing away from them, oblivious that they were in the room.

The two women had growing grins on their faces as Michael stood and stripped down. They stayed quiet, curious to see how long it would take him to notice their presence.

Tera watched his muscles flex as he stretched high, his lean calf and thigh muscles extending, showing their definition.

Valerie looked at the broad expanse of his back, the cuts and lines that defined his muscles.

Both women watched as he moved, his stride easy and confident. He carried himself with a lightness that neither had ever seen before.

Michael looked to the side just before reaching the bathroom. He turned towards the women, noting their large grins. He felt a blush come to his cheeks.

"Ah...sorry, I was wrapped up in my own head there."

"You have nothing to apologize for," Tera said, her tone having the ring of simple truth, and thick desire.

Michael stood there for a moment; it was an odd feeling being appraised in this way. He found he enjoyed the women's appraisal of him, enjoyed it in his head and other, more apparent locations.

"I'll just get showered up and we can go to the archery final," he said with a bit of a stammer, the blood suddenly leaving his brain for other areas.

Tera and Valerie watched through the angle of the door left open as Michael stepped into the shower. Both took the opportunity of the glass door closing to finally take a breath.

"Fuck."

Valerie's exclamation broke the tension in the room.

"Absolutely."

Tera's response brought a laugh from both women.

Michael showered quickly, thoughts of Valerie and Tera, his burning desire for them, his questions about how they would build a relationship between them rolling around in his mind.

'Just let it be as it will,' he thought to himself as he turned off the shower and grabbed a towel. Drying himself quickly and wrapping the towel around his waist he grabbed his toothbrush and brushed his teeth. He regarded himself in the mirror. He looked...different, older and yet not. The lines that were just starting to form on his face seemed lighter, less pronounced than they had been when he arrived just a few weeks ago.

The eyes that regarded him however, seemed ancient. As if they had seen more than his life's memories encompassed.

Michael shook off the feelings, trying to find some balance in what had become his very imbalanced life.

Tera and Valerie were sitting in the room talking animatedly about something as he entered.

"What time is the archery final?"

Michael asked as he grabbed a clean pair of jeans and a white turtleneck sweater.

"About twenty minutes, but we really don't have to go." Tera answered as she watched him dress.

"Nonsense, it will be fun, I'm looking forward to watching you shock and amaze a few of the locals."

Michael dropped the towel to the floor and pulled on his jeans then the shirt. Sitting on the bed he pulled on a pair of socks and started to lace his shoes.

"I'm starving, we should have a victory feast after you kick their asses."

His playful tone brought a smile to Valerie and Tera as they stood, wrapping their arms in his.

They walked out of the room arm in arm, all three of them feeling better.

............

Nigel paced in front of Ian's desk. The day had been far too energetic already and it was just a little over half done.

"We think Nicholas may be in the area."

The resigned tone of Nigel's statement let it be known that he believed the "may be" within it was a hope more than a fact.

"I wouldn't be surprised." Ian said evenly as he watched his friend pace.

"Things are now in motion that can't be stopped my old friend. We can try to prepare for them, be ready when they happen, but the path now is very narrow with few branches. That which should happen will happen. Fighting against it has as much chance of changing it as screaming at the rain does of stopping the deluge."

Ian smiled at Nigel as he finished arranging a few things on his desk and then stood.

"Come on, the archery finale is in a few minutes, let's see what Tera can do to the competition."

Nigel gave a weary smile to his friend as he followed him out of the study thinking it was going to be a very long afternoon.

............

Tera, as expected had crushed the competition.

Ian gave her a brief hug as he awarded her the prize for tournament champion, one of the long bows accompanied by an antique leather quiver and a bolt of handmade arrows.

"An impressive showing, I would hate to see what you could do if you had been practicing."

Ian's calm and jovial comment put Tera at ease. She had never liked competing; believing that her skills were honed for actual action, not pretend. But she had enjoyed this competition and was pleased that her winning did not seem to ruffle anyone's feathers.

Michael and Valerie wrapped her in a group hug as she walked off the field. She appreciated the activity and it was special that they both had been here to see her do something that she was basically a master at.

The archery award was the last one of the day. All of the others had been given out and now everyone milled around the central bonfire as it was lit for the nights activities. The day had cleared and the sunset burned with a ferocious red that heralded a calm evening.

Ian stood up on the small stage and addressed those that were gathered.

"The first day of the festival has been a rousing success. Tonight we will have the feast of the harvest and tomorrow we will conclude the events. I hope all of you will be able to attend the closing ceremony tomorrow evening. Now off with you all go eat and make merry."

This last was met boisterous approval and agreement as Ian stepped down from the stage and into Millie's arms.

"One down one to go," Millie said as she was wrapped in Ian's tight embrace.

"Yes, considering the circumstances today went better than I hoped." Ian commented before giving her a deep soulful kiss.

Millie smiled up at him as the kiss broke and arm in arm they walked over to where Michael and his women were standing.

Michael noticed Ian and Millie walking towards them as he looked up from Tera's beaming face. He was happy to see her relaxed, simply enjoying the moment.

He was about to greet Ian and Millie when there was a small tap on his shoulder.

He turned to find Elise, dressed in scrubs standing next to Sims. Her eyes looking up at him from behind half closed lids.

A wide smile came to Michael's lips as his hand went to her shoulder.

"I'm glad to see you up and around, how are you feeling?"

The honest concern in Michael's voice surprised Elise as she looked up and caught his eyes.

It all came rushing back to her in an instant. The internal struggle, him healing her, the way he had dealt with the other that had resided within her for so long. She had known he helped her before she looked into his eyes, but now all of the emotion came back, and with it the understanding of just what he had done for her.

"You, you...saved me."

Her voice was no more than a whisper as the force of it hit her. She leaned against Sims at her side and felt Michael's hand tighten its grip on her shoulder to steady her.

"Easy, it's ok." Michael said a bit startled by her reaction.

Sims held her for a moment, his arm slipping around her waist.

"I'm alright," Elise said with a grateful look to Sims as she stood up straight regaining her footing.

She regarded Michael for a long time, seemingly etching his face into her memory. But there was more too it than that, something deeper.

Taking his hand in both of hers she once again looked into his eyes.

"Thank you so much Michael, you will never know how much you helped me, you didn't just save my life, you saved my soul. I only hope that one day I can provide you with such an amazing gift."

Everyone who heard her was stunned by the power and conviction in her voice. It carried a weight that went far beyond a simple thank you.

Michael took his hand from her shoulder, bringing it down on top of hers as they cradled his other.

"I am glad I was there Elise, happy that I was able to help. If there is anything you need, ever, you just let me know."

His words, delivered with his crooked half smile put Elise and everyone else at ease.

"Take good care of her Sims." Michael said as he released her hands, slipping his arms around Tera and Valerie's waists.

"I intend to."

The tenor of his voice swirled with conviction, and something else that was given form in a glimmer in his eyes that Michael didn't miss.

With a last long look at Michael, Elise let Sims lead her off towards the banquet. The afterimage of having Michael in her mind, defeating the other, played through her thoughts as she walked through the growing darkness.

Michael watched her go, swallowed by the darkness. He was brought back to the moment as Valerie tightened her grip on his waist and addressed Ian.

"Is anyone on the grounds proper tonight?"

Ian thought for a moment before answering her.

"No, all the staff as well as security are here. They will be back up to the castle proper and their quarters but that won't be till late."

His answer was just what she wanted to hear.

"Come on you two, I feel like taking a stroll."

Valerie's voice held mischief and passion as she pulled Michael and Valerie along with her towards the castle.

A full moon was beginning to rise as the trio moved off into the growing shadows.

The shadows holding both the promise and dangers inherent within all transitions.