Chapter 18 - Ominous Discovery

The evening light-streaked crimson across the forest glade as Rowan gazed into the dancing flames of their campfire. Beside him, Elia sat in pensive silence. The fearful encounter from earlier weighed heavy on both their minds. 

The village lay secured now, its residents comforted yet mystified by the strange occurrence. All had turned in for the night, seeking refuge from the darkness without answer. Yet within this glen, shadows lingered still.

A long moment passed as the flickering firelight played upon their features. Then Elia spoke, her voice soft yet resolute. "You promised no more deceptions between us."

Rowan regarded her somberly. "Never have I wished to deceive you. But this power..." He trailed off, finding no words to explain the mystery writ within his soul.

Elia contemplated the flames dancing in his eyes, depths she now saw stretched vast as the starry void above. Something slumbered there, beyond reckoning yet dignified in its majesty. A divine chord, awakened by love's potency to safeguard all radiance from shadow's reach.

"I have watched you walk these lands in humbleness all our days," she said finally. "Your strength lies not in talent but character, Rowan. That has ever been plain to me." Reaching out, her fingers traced his cheek in a caress lingering yet resolute. "My heart is yours, till shadow steals the very stars. No power or title can change what I see - only a guardian whose light was meant for worlds beyond our knowing."

Her touch and tone dissolved lingering shrouds as dawn banishing night's fitful images. Rowan gazed at her, beyond words to convey all swelling within as the future stretched vast and ineffable before them. For now, in this glade with radiance assuring all would be well, solace had found its fitful respite. Darkness was kept at bay, and in her eyes, he glimpsed worlds he vowed to keep safe whatever power might flow through his veins. Their bond was sealed in ways too profound for speech. All else could bide, so long as this light remained to illuminate his path ahead. Rowan met Elia's gaze, eyes kindling with emotion as the firelight danced upon their faces. "Your faith in me has ever been my lodestar, guiding me true through trials I scarcely comprehended," he said softly. "Yet this power - it awoke within only now, when your light was threatened."

Reaching out, he clasped her hands in his own, feeling their warmth like an anchor tethering his tumultuous soul. "I never wished deception between us. My only desire was to protect the village as any common son, with naught but steel and spirit as my weapon." A rueful smile touched his lips. "Fate, it seems, had grander designs unknown even to me."

Sighing, he gazed deep into her eyes, pleading without words for her to see into the heart she had always known - one gifting reverence to her radiance above all elevated gifts or lofty titles. "I pray you understand, Elia - my intent was never estranging you from what moves within my veins. You are the firmament guiding all I strive for, now and always."

Leaning close, he rested his brow against hers, breathing in her soothing presence like balm to doubts prowling the recesses of his spirit. "By your light I take strength, now and in all trials to come. Say you forgive this solitary man his guises, as you have since we were but children running free beneath the open sky." His eyes held only devotion unfettered, seeking solace within hers as from the glade's brief sanctuary, shadow's portents loomed once more without. Elia gazed into Rowan's eyes, her own shining with a calm only true devotion birth. Lifting a hand, her fingers traced the line of his cheek with a touch as light as a breath of wind. "There is nothing between us but this moment, and the love spanning lifetimes beyond name or deed," she said softly.

"Your spirit drew me from the first, as surely as this glade's dusk-song lured wandering pilgrims to solace. Whatever power resides in your veins matters not - I see only the man who stared darkness in the eye for me and banished all shadows from this world where light and warmth yet have dominion."

A faint smile graced her lips, "alive with the assured tranquility of one knowing safety's harbor, wherever winds or fate might lead. We have walked this path since time began, my love, she continued gently. And here, in this haven your steadfast heart has made, all questions melt away like mist at sunrise."

Lifting her other hand, she framed his face in a delicate embrace, eyes drinking deep of the world held within his eyes alone. "You are my dawn and dusk, Rowan. Now and always, my place is at your side, regardless of what unseen roads may unfold before us." Her voice dissolved on the balmy evening air, rich as any benediction seeping into his soul like dew soaking parched earth come spring. All that needed saying was told, in a gaze sealing their bond beyond any power's hope to rend asunder. The glade yet whispered refuge, as night deepened her veil across bountiful skies ripe with promise untold. Elia's words dissolved the last defenses barring the tide swelling Rowan's heart. Gazing up at her radiance gilding the gloaming, he was seized by a tremoring awe - this woman, this light, had chosen to stand at his side through all mysteries yet to come.

Slipping his hands from her own, he lowered slowly to bended knee upon the soft earth, eyes never leaving her countenance limned ethereal by foreglow. Here in this blessed place beyond fear's whisper or shadow's intrusion, only truth could be told.

"Elia," he breathed, voice thick yet steady as the gratitude and veneration swelling his breast. "From the moment I first knew your heart, it has been anchored and lodestar guiding my steps, illuminating all pathways winding ahead into mystery." Reaching up, he cradled her slender hands in his once more, feeling their warmth heartbeat against his skin.

"You are my dawn, my redemption, my light eternal against any darkness." Gazing up at her, eyes shimmering with all the adoration and protectiveness of one comprehending life's deepest harbor, at last he voiced the question resonating through each fiber of his being. "By your blessing, will you stand at my side through all seasons, in this life and those beyond reckoning?" His visage, aglow with an otherworldly devotion, conveyed all the depths words could never mirror. Here, in this numinous glade, only truth could be conveyed between souls Bales as these. Elia gazed down at Rowan; hands clasped gently within his own. His eyes held only solace and sincerity as they had since their days running free through dawn-gilded meadows. Lifting one hand, she cupped his cheek tenderly, smiling through misting eyes.

"My place has ever been by your side, my love, come sun or shadow," she replied softly. "You are my dawn, my home... and I offer my life as freely as you safeguard this haven with your hands, and all souls finding shelter within."

Graceful as a feather sailing on balmy zephyrs, she lowered to kneel before him, their faces inches apart and limned ethereal by fire glow. "My heart knew its match from the moment your eyes first found mine, all those seasons past," she continued, voice rich yet delicate as finest silk. "You awoke this radiance, and I vow to stand as your beacon through all roads lying ahead, wherever your steps may roam."

Delicately, she lifted her hand from his, extending it palm-up before them like an unspoken prayer. Her smile shone with the wisdom of souls comprehending life's deepest mysteries. "My place is with you, Rowan, now and always, till shadow steals even stars from the sky. By your love and faithfulness, will you have me... as your wife?" The sacred glade itself seemed to exhale an approving breath, bathing the kneeling pair in blessing as countless lifetimes of finding each other across the ages wove their bond in strands beyond breaking. Elia's question still hung delicate upon the balmy air, charge heavy as any vow spoken before the eternal. Yet as Rowan gazed upon her, savoring this moment beyond time's touch, a discordant sound shattered the glade's sanctuary.

A biting laugh echoed from the deepening shadows, grating as steel talons down flint. Rowan rose in one fluid motion, senses igniting as a familiar dampener doused the numinous atmosphere. Stepping protectively before Elia, he peered into the encroaching dusk, eyes narrowed and kindling.

From between the trunks prowled Cadmon, limbs unfolding in an insouciant stretch as a predator toying with fleeing prey. "Well, well... it seems our village champion has found his treasure at last," he sneered, raking the pair with an insolent leer. "Though I'd not wager such frivolities lasting, where... personal ambition holds dominion."

Gliding nearer, he peered down at Elia still kneeling tranquil, smirk widening as her light illuminated some envy's jealousy come wraithlike to infect sanctuary's balm. "Tell me, Rowan - do your gifts extend to seeing futures, I wonder? One day, her eyes may open and find... simpler comforts awaiting without hardened hands." His tone dripped poison blossoming unease even within Rowan's staunch heart, threatened where it shone brightest. Shadow had come, and in its depths roiled intents to part what fate had sealed beyond parting. The glade held its breath, awaiting Rowan's defense of his beloved's radiance against a darker soul's encroaching pall. Before Rowan could respond, Elia rose with graceful ease, coming to stand at his side. Her eyes held no fear, only vigilance refined through trials walking always at Rowan's side.

Cadmon eyed them from the gloom's edge, limbs crossed in a pose hinting restlessness long nurtured. Upon his visage, usually mantled casual disdain, features now writ plain an envy rooting barbs to tear what his will could not reach.

"Well, it seems even champions require... encouragement, on occasions," he sneered, raking Rowan with a sidelong glare simmering cold ambition. "Tell me - will you always hide behind skirts or face what questions prowling souls bear... as any hero worth legend." His tone dripped scorn, jibing to provoke where trust yet stood resolute.

Rowan met that mocking stare unfaltering, soul alight to safeguard what darkness sought stain. Elia's presence poured calm through his veins as balm to shadows' intrusions. "Our bond faces no judgment but times'," he replied evenly. "Now take your poison elsewhere, before sanctuary shows less patience for your 'gifts'."

Cadmon smiled that insidious smile, seeing defiance glittering fierce behind azure eyes. "We shall see if courage holds... where simpler things appeal." With that, he melted back into gathering dusk, taking with him barbs meant fester doubt in hours more auspicious for his Male designs. Rowan drew Elia close, finding solace in strength tempered through trials walking every furlong at his side. Shadows prowled, but their radiance could not be dimmed. Elia curled closer to Rowan's side, taking solace in his steadfast protection as the gloaming deepened its veil across the glade. Cadmon's intrusion had torn jagged seams upon sanctuary's mantle, letting slip talons of distrust to rake souls yearning only solace.

From shadows beyond the fire glow's cradle came his silken tone rippling the glade's stillness once more. "Tell me, Champion - do your gifts afford peering past skies' veil, into mysteries your... lesser kin can scarce fathom? Power such as yours must stir primal wants, one's simpler souls know well. Why, even legends bore... passion in proportions to match their abilities."

Rowan tensed; discerning poison infiltrating thoughts left unchecked. He drew Elia protectively near, meeting her eyes aglow with trust unshakable. Darkness would find no purchase here, where their light yet held dominion. But Cadmon's malice was schooled by seasons laying labyrinthine snares.

"Perhaps a walk, to review village matters and stretch idle limbs...? I'm certain our mage would find solace amidst comrades, for the evening." His dulcet purr flooded glade and spirit alike, insinuations subtle yet potent as any blighting. Elia leaned into Rowan's sheltering strength, radiating faith rending shadows' incursions to ragged wisps dissolving on balmy airs. Here was sanctuary reaffirmed, impenetrable to all but the dawn heralding day's bounty renewed in their loving eyes.