'Tis Now the Very Witching Time of Night

Althea could hear fire crackling, and she opened her eyes at the strangeness of the sound. She felt no arm encircling her in warmth and comfort. As she turned around in the dim light, she saw that she was alone. She was no longer in the cellar. As she looked around the room, she realized she was no longer safe.

The fire she heard was in the bedchambers of the room, and her body was compelled to the side of the fireplace at the far end of the room. She could hear the sound of the door shut ominously behind her. She could feel the fear and panic rise within her chest and hold tight against her lungs and quicken her heart. She closed her eyes to focus all her concentration to wake. She silently begged and prayed to be the master of this nightmare and escape it. But the dark and powerful Magic that had pulled her to this place, having her both there and not there, would not allow any will of hers to pull herself back from it.

"I can feel you're closer now." Althea heard his voice from within the shadows of his grand, curtained bed slithering through the air like a serpent.

"Durai, let me go." Althea had no power behind her plea and only went to show just how terrified she truly was. She despaired to know that, just like that, she was his prisoner again. But the veil of his treachery was lifted, and she could see clearly where before she was blinded.

"No, Dove. I don't think I will yet. I have waited so very long. I find that my patience is gone now." His figure emerged from the bed dressed in fine bed robes that flowed with the graceful heaviness of fine silk. "I'm glad to see you've dressed for the occasion," he replied gesturing to her.

Althea looked down at herself and found that her appearance in the place had been manipulated into false clothing. Another trick inside this spell. She saw that she was now in a deep green negligee also of heavy silk. The length of the soft dressing gown reached the floor and barely covered her feet in the front and trailed just slightly in the back. There were no sleeves to show the smooth skin of her bare arms. In the coolness of the room, she saw and felt the goosebumps on her arms appear. How could this be in a dream? These sensations were painfully real. The neckline was lower than she had ever had on before in all her life reaching almost to her waist. The curves of her breast made subtle shows into the exposed neckline and were teasingly alluring. She closed her eyes in torment and self-conscious shame at being put into something so obscene and revealing.

"Durai, this is disdainful. Give me back my own clothes." Althea could feel more strength behind her words as she started to allow herself to be angry. She realized then that before she had not allowed herself to feel anger at him. She had felt so much because of him such as shame, humiliation, betrayal, but she never allowed the anger that she had towards him to have its moment in her mind. In a moment of clarity, she realized that the anger was not a weakness, for it was the part of her that loved herself and wouldn't stand for this treatment any more.

"You don't like my gift? I'm hurt. I think it becomes you most…beguilingly. But if you insist on being without it, I could have it removed." He had closed the distance between the two of them by now and looked down at her revealed chest and repressed every screaming urge to caress the parts of her that he had dreamed of for over a year.

"You know very well that I did not mean that, Durai? Don't be any more crude." She could feel herself tremble with the tempest of emotions raging inside of her heart like wind out of control blowing about the leaves in autumn. Durai could see in her eyes her instability and the weakness she was desperate not to show.

"Oh my dear darling Dove, crude is what I simply cannot wait to be with you finally here." He lowered his face to rest on top of her head and he inhaled her scent deeply. He had so long missed her natural, sweet smell.

"Why have you brought me here?"

"I told you already," Durai said forcefully as he turned from her then to pick up a glass of wine he had on the small table next to the fireplace. "I have waited far too long to have you back, and you have yet to arrive. So you come when I call you. And I've called you."

"You do know that this is not what you will get when I come back to stop everything you have set in motion," Althea said still unable to will her limbs to move. "I will do all that I can, I will bring an end to all of this if I possibly can, and then I'm as good as gone again. I've learned so much stealth while I was away, you may not even know I've come until I've gone."

Durai took a drink of his wine and savored the sweet heat of it. He then walked over to her gliding like a predatory animal standing once again in front of her. "You really believe it will be as easy for you as that? What has all this time out in the wild done to your mind?" He let out a low and taunting laugh that made her blood boil. "Althea," the sound of her name in his voice made her wretch, "it really won't be long now. I have felt just how close you've come to me now, and they are looking for you. Oh yes," he continued seeing her panicked confusion, "men have been sent to fetch you to me. How long do you think you could evade the palace's trained guards? I don't suspect long. And then…"

He lifted a hand suddenly, and Althea found herself actually flinch. Durai smiled at her, and indeed it was loving. If it could be believed that the devil were capable of it, he truly did love her. His raised hand then moved to her face and brushed aside a stray wisp of hair back into place behind her ear. His hand then moved slowly down her neck and rested at the small of her back just resting where her alluring, curving swell began.

The lucid feel of his hands on her body brought a single tear rolling down Althea's cheek. Memories invaded her mind then. She could feel every time he had ever touched her, every inch of her that had been possessed by him and invaded by all of him. She felt the lasting burn of every pierce and the painful piercing of every caress in their long history of lovemaking. "Please, Durai, please let me go."

"No," he said with a domineering and commanding tone of finality. "I told you. I let you go once, and that will NOT happen again." She saw his eyes glow brighter, and she knew better than to think it was an illusion.

"Please," she pleaded still unable to move, still unable to wake herself away from where she wished she could escape.

Durai saw the tear as it made its way down her face. He lifted his hand to it and wiped it away with the tenderest touch of a single finger. "Now, now," he whispered so close to her face that she could feel the movement of his lips. "You'll be with me again. I'm going to give you the entire world, and you will give me all of you in return. We'll be happy again." With that, he placed his lips gently upon hers. She could feel then his pain and desperation in that kiss. If he were any other person, she might pity the ache she felt from him. He was a man begging again for the woman he loved.

But soon she felt the familiar, ardent passion return, and with it the power of dominance in his kiss. He parted her lips forcefully with his and demanded her love in return. His gentleness faded, and he was again the monster of her nightmares who would stop at nothing to consume every part of her over and over again. He would never be sated; he would always hunger for her.

Durai could feel her chest rise and fall with her heavy, frightened breathing. The alluring sensation of her breasts brushing against his chest sent exquisite shivers down into every sensual part of him. He could smell her floral smell stronger now even in this illusion. To him as well, each touch was solid and lifelike and he relished the agony of the anticipation of having her fully in his arms soon. Though his kiss had been solid, it was not truly her. Though the heart against his chest gave solid pressure against his robes, it wasn't truly her. But it would be all of her soon. Very soon.

"Durai, I wasn't happy. I left because I was very unhappy. I was dying inside, and you were the one killing me."

"No," he said again. "There were too many other things that were drawing the life out of you. Too many eyes following you hungrily, too much expectation drowning you in responsibility. It's different now. Baldrik's gone, so you'll only be mine now. You'll see how this time will be better."

Althea felt herself choke in her disbelief and the repugnancy of his words. "Better?" she gasped and nearly spat at him. "Baldrik's tormented end is in no way better!"

Durai's wicked smile returned to his face as he looked down on her face flushed delightfully red in her anger. "Oh, you mean this isn't what you wanted when you left him to face his misery alone? This isn't what you envisioned when you abandoned him to a life of unassisted suffering?"

"No, Durai!" Althea said as she raised her voice. "Don't you do that. You don't know anything, and you cannot make me feel guilt over him!"

"You're right," Durai deeply whispered. She could feel the vibrations of his voice deep in her bones as they shook her from the inside. "I don't need to. You already have that guilt, don't you? I know you're smart enough to know what is yours to bear. And if you don't blame yourself, you'll still have to face someone else who does."

Althea suddenly felt the terror and dismay that she had done so well fighting against suddenly break through the guards she had mounted. She was suddenly at the mercy of fear that seized her soul. Durai could see the sudden loss of her control, and his smile deepened along with his embrace of her. He pressed her body into his stronger than before and looked down at her terrified eyes.

"Oh yes, Dove. Her Majesty is most angry with you."

.......

Althea screamed without knowing she was back inside of her real, living body, back where she was hiding in the abandoned village where quite was essential. When she realized what she had done, she curled up into herself and clasped both hands around her mouth. And all she was left with was all-consuming loss. The feeling of indescribable loss snuffed out all of her will, all of her hope, and she withered within herself in renewed despair.

Then she felt the arms around her again from behind. This time she wasn't afraid, she wasn't mistaken. His hold on her was strong and stalwart. He didn't say a word, neither of them did. They stayed silent for a long time listening for signs that they had been discovered. They waited in the darkness for an hour, but no sign came. Luck had at least been generous in this.

"Were you gone again?" she heard him whisper finally. She nodded to affirm his response, and he held her tighter. She wished more than ever that it weren't true. It couldn't possibly be true, could it? Please let it all be false, and let his words be vicious lies spun with the shadows bread forth from the evil he conjured from. She begged silently into the darkness, but only silent darkness responded back.

And in the darkness all around her, Galen held her body that wracked itself in silent sobbing.

"Mireya. Please no."

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

No exorciser harm thee!

Nor no witchcraft charm thee!

Ghost unlaid forbear thee!

Nothing ill come near thee!

Quiet consummation have;

And renownèd be thy grave!