Vali sat patiently in a comfortable fluffy robe as he waited for Urtha to finish attacking his hair and face. William had gotten back that day and he was going to take Vali out to dinner. They were going to go into town, and maybe even go dancing. He was so excited, he was even going to wear one of those stupid dresses, which were the latest fashion. The night was going to be perfect, he could just feel it!
Then Warren walked in, without so much as a knock. Urtha let out a little squeal of surprise and dropped the clip she was holding. Warren turned to the maid and said very politely. "Urtha, would you leave us alone for a moment? There are some things I need to discuss with your mistress in private."
"Of course, Master Warren." She quickly scurried out of the room closing the door as she went.
The man's eyes trailed over the elf's form, his eyes lingering on the partially exposed legs. Vali pulled the robe tighter about himself, suddenly feeling very underdressed. "What do you want?" He asked managing to keep his voice calm, despite his anger that the man would stare at him so blatantly.
"I think we both know the answer to that, elf." He said with a sly grin as he walked over, pulling up a stool to sit opposite the elf. "You won't be going to dinner tonight." The man told him coldly.
"Yes I will." Vali retorted feeling his anger rising, how dare this man presume to tell him what he will or won't be doing.
"You stupid elf." The man shook his head in mock sadness. "And what happens when William wants to take things further? Do you think he won't find out that you are a man? Do you really think that finding out won't disgust him? Our country isn't like yours elf. That sort of thing is frowned upon here, and he has been brought up to hate people like you." The man slipped his hand into the robe, squeezing Vali's thigh but the elf was too stunned to do anything. He couldn't believe he could have forgotten such a simple thing, he had been so overjoyed at William wanting him that he had forgotten the Lord thought he was a woman. Warren was right, William would be disgusted.
"What should I do?" Vali whispered painfully.
Warren's hand started stoking the smooth skin, as he looked thoughtful. "Well, unfortunately it appears that William has fallen in love with you. And so it won't be easy for him to let you go. But you will have to put him off, and now, cleanly so he can get on with his life. And so you won't be discovered.
"B-but how? I...I can't tell him I don't want him anymore... I can't. I love him." Vali was still whispering but he gave a small cry as the human's hand clamped painfully onto his inner thigh hard enough to bruise.
"Then you will have to deter him some other way." The human then moved his other hand to squeeze the elf's other thigh in a similar fashion, making the silvery eyes water. "Let him see you with someone else, then he will know he means nothing to you and it will be finished."
"I...I can't." Vali shook his head in denial of the whole situation, he desperately wanted to shove the hurtful hands away but he felt so helpless and confused, like all his will and strength had suddenly been drained, leaving him a pathetic fragile creature. "I can't hurt him like that."
"You have to!" Warren hissed angrily tightening his grip enough to make the elf start crying, his body trembling. "You must be seen kissing me, we must be together, then he will stop this nonsense with you!"
"I can't!" He insisted, pushing weakly at the vice-like hands. This caused Warren to finally lose it. He ripped his hands back before backhanding the elf so hard he fell to the floor in a sobbing heap. He then crouched next to the elf, gripping a handful of his hair to force his head back.
"You will!" He commanded before kissing him harshly, biting into the soft lips until he tasted blood. When he was finished the pushed the elf back to the floor and stormed out of the room.
Vali squeezed his eyes shut trying to block out the pain and fear, not even trying to move from where he had fallen. He felt so stupid. He should have realised his happiness couldn't last, he should have remembered what he really was here...a slave. Warren had been clever getting Urtha to leave them alone, no one would ever believe his word over Warren's. And the human had deliberately hurt him in a place where Vali would never be able to show anyone. The human had had everything covered, if Vali would have defended himself Warren would just say Vali hit him and the elf would be punished, maybe even sold to someone else.
Urtha was nearly thrown back into the wall as Warren came storming past, obviously very pissed off about something. She shrugged and walked back into her mistress's suite, giving a soft knock on the door before opening it slowly. She gasped in shock and dismay as she saw her beautiful lady lying sprawled on the floor, her hair a mess and her robe barely covering her. She walked over silently and knelt by the elf, she was about to touch her shoulder when she saw something on the elf's leg. The robe was pushed to just above mid-thigh and Urtha noticed an angry red mark on the smooth white skin. She moved the robe a tiny bit, a bit worried that Vali hadn't moved at all. She then gasped again as she realised it was a handprint.
"Oh, dear, my poor lady. What did that bastard do to you?" She questioned feeling angry and protective of the fragile creature. The elf only made a small sobbing sound and buried her small shaking hands in her hair. Urtha pushed her anger aside for later, knowing that right now she needed to be calm to comfort her sensitive lady. She reached out to gently brush the silver hair out of Vali's face but the elf shoved her hand away.
"Go away." She murmured, her voice sounding choked and teary.
"I won't leave you in this state." Urtha told her calmly. "Now get up and you can take a nice hot bath." As she said this she helped Vali to her feet, feeling a bit odd comforting someone who was half a foot taller than herself, though the elf was infinitely thinner. "It will take a while to get you ready again but I'm sure the lord won't mind waiting."
"I'm not going." Vali said miserably as they walked into the bathroom. Urtha led the elf over to the side of the bath and sat her down before she started preparing the bath, tipping in the water and some oil (not lavender oil) into the large tub.
"Because of that beast? What did he do to you? Did he try to rape you?" She didn't exactly get the answer she wanted as the poor elf burst into tears. She walked over and wrapped her arms around the trembling body. "Please, miss, I only want to help, please tell me what he did."
"I can't stand it anymore!" Vali exclaimed clinging to her desperately. "I'm not a woman! I'm a man and I can't stand this..." She...he sobbed against Urtha's dress, soaking it, but she didn't care. She gently pried the elf off her and looked carefully into his face for a long moment. She saw the complete vulnerability there, the elf had shared what he thought a life-threatening secret with her and he was worried she would rat on him. Huh! As if I would, she thought huffily. She then smiled a bit cheekily.
"Well thank god. I was beginning to fear I was a lesbian." She said cheerily, gently pushing some of the silver strands away from the pretty face.
"You...you don't hate me?" He asked hesitantly, his big blue eyes looking very innocent and hopeful.
"Of course not, silly." She chuckled softly. "I'm sure you only lied about it because you had to." She then became serious as she started untying his robe. "Now hop in the bath and tell me what Warren did. Then we'll get you ready for William."
He clutched the fabric together, halting her undressing of him. "You can't!" He exclaimed, shocked. "You just admitted you are attracted to me and you think you are going to get me to take my clothes off?"
"Oh, stop being a fuss pot." She huffed. "So what if I think you are cute? You have a thing for our lord, so what does it matter? It's not like I'm going to crack onto you or anything. Now take it off and get in the water."
He hesitated a moment longer but then complied, though she had to turn while he took his robe off and got in the bath. She then sat on the edge of the bath and started washing his glorious hair. "Let me guess, Warren knows you are a man and he also knows how in love you and William are. He is jealous and so he told you something like if William found out you weren't a woman he would be disgusted and sell you off. So Warren thought up some stupid plan for him and you to get together and he hurt you when you wouldn't agree."
"How did you know?" Vali exclaimed thoroughly surprised. She gave an indignant snort.
"It is just the sort of slimy thing he would do, and the way his eyes have been all over you whenever you two were in the same room, it's obvious he's obsessed with you."
"What should I do?"
"I don't think you should have dinner with William tonight." She said as a plan started forming, they would get that bastard good. "Make Warren think you are going to go along with him." She gave a short bark of laughter, "I have the perfect idea. I shall plan everything for tomorrow, it will be grand!"
"My lord? May I speak with you?"
William turned to the door, a bit surprised to see Vali's maid there. "Of course, Urtha, what is it? Does my beautiful angel need more time to get ready?" He certainly hoped not, they would be late enough as it was.
"Well, my lord, that's what I wanted to speak to you about, you see she came down with a sudden illness."
He looked at the maid a bit suspiciously, he could tell she was hiding something, not to mention the fact Warren had told him only moments before that Vali was just toying with him. And he hated to admit it but the seed of doubt had been sown, after all why would such a beautiful woman ever want him? It made much more sense that she was doing as Warren had said, just playing him to get more expensive gifts and her freedom. And now Vali had sent her maid to tell him that she wouldn't be coming to dinner, she most likely didn't want to be seen in public with him, to have to bare dancing and dining with him.
"Fine." He sighed before continuing a bit wistfully. "Tell her I hope she feels better."
Urtha hesitated for a moment, as if unsure to add what she obviously wanted to.
"Just say it." He said coldly just wanting this over with, Urtha would tell him Vali wasn't really sick and that she just didn't want to see him.
"Well, my lord, my lady isn't really sick."
Yep, he knew it. He just wasn't prepared for the stabbing pain in his heart or the overwhelming emotions that little confirmation stirred up in him. He couldn't believe how stupid he had been to think she actually liked him, would one day maybe even love him.
"She was scared."
"What?" All his self-depressing thoughts flew out of his head. "What do you mean - scared?" He asked worriedly.
"She was just fearful, my lord, she said for me to make up some lie... but I couldn't just tell you a lie, sir. I'm worried. You see, she was as happy as I've ever seen her, all excited about going out with you and dancing and such. But then Warren came and spoke to her, I don't know what he said, my lord, but she was right spooked afterwards and said she wasn't going to go with you anymore."
"I see. I will come speak with her then." He said heading for the door, but she blocked his path.
"She's sleeping now, my lord. But you should speak to her in the morning, she'll be feeling better then, I'm sure." With that said the maid left.
He paced the room wanting desperately to find Warren and beat him into a living pulp. He was sure the man was playing some game, first with his comments about Vali not wanting him and then threatening his beautiful elf. He would not stand for it. But what stopped him was he didn't actually know if Warren had threatened the elf. Perhaps they had discussed something else. Perhaps Warren had simply said that eventually William would want more than just kisses and she was disgusted and fearful at the thought. Warren might have been telling the truth, so he had to stay calm. He would just have to question Vali about it in the morning, because he knew if he went to speak to Warren right now he would do something rash no matter what the man said.
William suddenly sat up in bed, in the dark room, his heart racing as he wondered what had woken him. He then found out what, as he heard Vali's voice in his mind. Please...not again...Gods, not again...stop! His vision then blacked out for a moment and he had a vision of the beautiful elf, her wrists and ankles tied to the bedposts of her bed and a gag in her mouth as someone sat menacingly between her slender legs, slowly lifting up her nightgown as she lay trembling, her eyes spilling tears.
As soon as his vision went back to normal he jumped out of bed, sure it had not been just a vision or a dream. Vali really was in trouble, and he had to get to her. He didn't even bother with his robe, simply running down the corridor in his pyjama pants. When he reached her bedroom door he twisted the handle sharply only to find it locked. He jogged back a few steps before throwing himself bodily at the door. The door crashed in but he didn't have time to wonder at his sudden burst of strength. He recognised Warren even before the man turned to him with a shocked expression.
He had the man by the throat in mere seconds and he threw him across the room. Warren hit the far wall with a loud thump and slumped to the ground unconscious and William didn't waste another thought on the man. He quickly turned to his beautiful angel, who was indeed how she had been in the vision, only the hem of her dress was now above mid-thigh, and even in the candlelight he could see the dark bruises there. He knelt next to her carefully on the bed and removed the gag from her mouth as she watched him with huge eyes. He then touched her cheek gently, wiping away some of her tears.
"Oh...angel." He whispered feeling tears choking his own throat, surely he could have prevented this. He should have come to speak with her before, he should have said something to Warren, he should have done something. Anything to stop this from happening. As he carefully untied her, she lay perfectly still, not uttering a word and he feared she was in terrible shock. He moved her arms down, laying them gently by her sides, his fingers lingering on the red marks around her thin wrists for a moment. This was horrible. "Please, say something." He begged caressing her cheek lovingly. Her eyes flicked to him and she simply looked at him for a whole minute. When she finally spoke she said something he really hadn't expected her to say.
"I'm a man." And as William sat completely stunned, Vali said the words he had been longing to hear most of his life. "And I love you." The elf then continued to look at him, the beautiful eyes seeming to plead with him to respond, to say the words back. But he continued to sit silently, unable to move or speak or take his gaze from the pretty face, the pretty face that only a moment ago he had thought belonged to a woman. It was too much, to wake in the middle of the night, then come to the rescue of the woman he loved, only to find out she was a he. He couldn't handle it.
As he looked into the vulnerable and teary eyes he knew he should say something, the elf had been nearly raped after all. Not to mention making two great confessions to him, but he still couldn't force himself to speak. He just sat watching as Vali's eyes filled with fresh tears, the salty liquid then running silently down his face to dampen his hair. After several more minutes the elf closed his eyes for a moment, steeling himself. "I understand." He whispered painfully. Then he was gone and William heard the bathroom door close. Vali was gone. The beautiful enchanting and interesting woman was gone, never to return. He would never have anyone to share his life with.
He left the room, and found a servant telling them to have Warren removed before he headed back towards his quarters. But before he could reach them, Urtha came rushing down the corridor.
"My lord! What happened?" She questioned in a rush.
"Warren tried to rape Vali. He's in the bathroom crying, you should go comfort him." He spoke distantly, feeling oddly numb.
"What!" The maid exclaimed before grabbing his shoulders and giving him a good shake, she then glared up at him. "Why the hell aren't you comforting him?"
"He's a man, Urtha, it would be inappropriate. Besides I can't stand to be so near the man who used to be the woman I loved."
"You fucking idiot."
His eye widened in surprise, certainly never expecting such an insult from the usually timid maid.
"Vali is the person you love! He's just the same as he's always been. He's just as clever and interesting and charmingly innocent, and he's just as beautiful. You're just scared! You're scared to admit that you still love him, that you are in love with a man. That you are still just as attracted and that you still want to hold him and never let go!" She started pushing him back towards Vali's rooms, "Now you stop being afraid and you get your arse back in there and you tell him you love him. Because if you don't, I guarantee you, you will never find someone like him again. You will never fall for someone so deeply and have them do the same. The love you two have is once in a lifetime."
He soon found himself standing outside the bathroom door, alone, and listening to Vali's soft weeping coming from the other side of the door. Again he found himself unable to do anything. He stood thinking for the longest time, did he really still love Vali? Was he still attracted to the beautiful elf? An eternity seemed to pass before he suddenly realised what he had to do. He would never be able to decide standing here thinking about the elf. He would have to see the elf, kiss him again. Then he would know. It was so simple now that he thought about it, he felt like an idiot for not realising sooner.
He turned the handle quietly, thankful the elf had been too upset to think about locking the door. Vali was huddled silently in the corner, his face buried in his arms, as he lay curled on the floor. And William realised the crying had stopped some time ago. As he walked over and knelt by the stricken elf he knew he still loved Vali. If not, he wouldn't be feeling the emotions he was feeling and as strongly as he was. He shouldn't have left the elf alone for so long, letting him suffer like that. He had been horribly cruel.
"Vali?" He stroked the silver hair softly, hoping to wake the elf. "Vali, my beautiful angel, wake up."
"Go away." He whispered brokenly, curling in further on himself, his bare arms and legs covered in goosebumps.
"Angel, please, I'm sorry." The lord sighed regretfully and reached out to touch one of the bare arms, with the thought of warming the elf a bit. But Vali jerked away from the touch, trying to press himself further into the corner, his delicate body shaking almost violently. William couldn't stand this, how could he have made such a massive mistake. "Vali, please...I won't hurt you, I promise."
"You already have, Lord William. Just leave me alone." The elf shivered, looking pleadingly at the human when he didn't move to leave. "Why won't you leave me alone?" He demanded weakly. "Is this why you buy slaves? To play with them and make them suffer? Was Warren working on your behalf the whole time? Did you-"
"Stop it." William begged gripping the elf's arms, firmly but gently. "You know none of that is true. I am so sorry, Vali, I never wanted to hurt you. I was just shocked and confused. I've never loved a man before and I wasn't sure if I could."
"Can you?" Vali whispered, a faint hope fluttering in his eyes.
"Yes, Vali, I love you." He leaned forward and placed a soft kiss on the trembling lips. "And I want you." He drew the elf into his arms, lifting him with surprising ease. "I want you to stay with me." He walked out into the bedroom and over to the bed but before he put Vali down he saw the fearful look in the elf's eyes. "I want you to sleep in the same bed as me too." He added after a moment's thought. The elf smiled at him gratefully before his eyes finally drifted shut.
By the time they reached his bedroom Vali was sleeping peacefully and he didn't even stir as William placed him carefully on the bed before lying next to him and pulling the blankets up over them both. He then drew the delicate creature into his arms, stroking the soft hair for a moment before closing his eye. And just before he drifted off to sleep he realised that the whole time he hadn't had his mask on, but Vali hadn't looked at him any differently. The elf had confessed his love when his scar had been in plain view. Urtha was right, he truly would have been a fool to let Vali go.
Hands were everywhere, large, rough, cruel hands, which ran over his skin, bruising and pinching him, touching every inch of his skin. The worst bit was they didn't stop on the outside, they thrust inside him harshly, causing him to cry in pain and humiliation at being so thoroughly violated. He heard a sound far off in the distance and for a moment the hands became unbearably hurtful, but then he heard someone call his name. The hands suddenly vanished and as he heard his name again he came awake with a start.
He sat up quickly in the bed, barely conscious of the comforting arms, which wrapped loosely around his middle. He felt his hair sticking to his neck uncomfortably and for the billionth time wished he could cut it. As if reading his mind, gentle hands lifted the hair from his neck, letting the blessedly cool morning breeze caress his sweaty skin. The hair was deposited carefully over his shoulder before the hands started massaging the tenseness from his shoulders. He relaxed into the touch vaguely aware that it was William touching him so protectively, as the lord hummed a soft tune.
"Will you tell me about it?" William questioned softly as he continued the careful massage. Vali felt slightly nauseous at the thought of telling him about his nightmare and he certainly didn't want to tell him about the events, which brought about his nightmare.
"I can't." He found the words harder to get out than he expected and he realised how dry his throat was, probably from all the crying he had done recently. Again the lord anticipated his needs, handing him a glass of watered down wine, just what he had felt like, he could have kissed William for his thoughtfulness. After he had downed the cool liquid that seemed like a rather good idea. He twisted in the lord's arms but the look on William's face stopped him. He didn't look in the least bit aroused, in fact he looked sad and rather upset, with a touch of irritation in the dark green orb. So instead of kissing him like he wanted to he opted for leaning against him, resting his cheek against the taller man's shoulder.
William sighed almost inaudibly and leaned back against the pillows, bringing the elf down with him, tightening his grip around the slender waist.
"I wish you could trust me enough to tell me. I wish there was nothing you felt you needed to hide from me." He commented sadly and Vali wondered if he could have chosen words to make him feel any worse than those ones did, he didn't think so. He felt tears stinging his eyes, he didn't want to tell William but he felt bad, and he feared if he didn't the lord wouldn't want him anymore.
"There are...hands..." He shuddered, curling his hands in the blankets. "They're everywhere...I... I..." He trailed off as the arms around him tightened and he prayed William would just let it be, of course he didn't.
"When Warren was touching you, you were praying that it wouldn't happen again. You have been raped before haven't you?" He questioned carefully, and oddly calmly.
"Yes." He answered very softly, feeling tears spill from his eyes to run across the lord's bare skin.
"I'm sorry, angel." He apologised sincerely before lifting one hand to stroke Vali's cheek. "I didn't want to make you cry. I just want to know everything about you, I want there to be no secrets between us."
"What is it you want to know?" The elf whispered against his neck just wanting to get it done with.
"Who is Brandon?"
He should have known. Of course William would want to know about him, especially after what had happened in the barn. He took in a deep but shaky breath, trying to steel himself to tell the lord about his old lover, and then he began. He told William how he had met Brandon and how they had slowly become more serious in their relationship. He then told of how Gabriel had been forced to rape him and how wonderful Brandon had been afterwards. And lastly he told of how he had expected too much form the High Lord and of how he had been kidnapped by the slaver.
"Oh, how awful." The lord commented when he had finished and he tilted Vali's chin to look at his face. "You were never meant to be a slave."
"No." Vali turned his face away, not wanting to see the pity in William's expression anymore. "So you will set me free then?" He questioned fully expecting the lord to agree, after all the man agreed it was wrong.
"No."
The elf sat up quickly, looking down at the lord feeling stunned and hurt as more tears blurred his vision. "Why?" Why did William want him to stay his slave? Why did he want to hold such power over him? The power to have him beaten, or worse, if he displeased the lord in anyway. Why did all his lovers always have to have complete dominance over him, why did he never matter? Why did it never matter what he wanted?
"Because Brandon is a fool and a bastard and he doesn't deserve you. But you don't think of him like that and given the chance you will go running back to him, because he is as rich as me and he is not scarred. I will lose you and I couldn't stand that, not when I have only just found you."
"Why is Brandon so bad? Just because he treated me as his lesser? Because he needed to have full control over me, to be completely possessed by him?" He laughed bitterly. "And what is it you are doing? You are worse than him, because at least he did not force me to stay with the threat of punishment or death."
"What?!" The lord exclaimed incredulously, pain flickering across his expression. "I would never hurt you, let alone kill you." He choked out painfully and Vali almost regretted his words...almost.
"No, you wouldn't. But if I leave you what will happen to me? I will be hunted down as a runaway slave and killed. Just because you personally won't be carrying out the threat doesn't mean it won't be carried out."
"I'm sorry." William whispered brokenly, looking down at his hands as they lay limply on the sheets. "I'll free you, I'll free you. Just, please don't leave until it's legal, I couldn't stand it if you died. Please, please wait, I promise I'll have it done by tomor-" His miserably spoken words were brought to an abrupt halt as Vali grabbed the nearest pillow and whacked him in the head with it.
"I'm not leaving you, you idiot!" He exclaimed, throwing the pillow aside and wrapping his arms around the lord's neck, pressing them chest-to-chest, nose-to-nose. "I just want to be free, stupid!" He then added with a soft smile, "Free to stay with you, my love."
"Really?" William questioned a little hesitantly.
"Yes!" He replied exasperatedly, "Do you think I was so upset last night because of that jerk?" He shook his head before nuzzling the human's neck. "I was upset because I thought you didn't want me. If I didn't love you and if I didn't want to stay with you so desperately, I wouldn't have broken down like that."
"Oh, Vali. I'm so sorry." William said guiltily as he reached his hands around the slender body to trail his fingers over the elf's spine. "I'm sorry for everything."
"Alright." Vali gave the caramel-coloured ear a teasing nip. "Then I forgive you for everything."
"You know, I've noticed something." William commented as he shivered slightly from the butterfly kisses the elf was now trailing down his neck and shoulder. "As a man you are incredibly horny."
Vali chuckled slightly against the smooth skin. "I have always been this sexually driven, my lord, but it is considered very unladylike to act on such urges, but for a man it is expected."
"Is that so?"
"Mmm-Hmm."
William gasped as the elf latched onto one of his nipples, nipping and licking at it playfully. When he found enough of his voice to speak he commented. "Damn, you are good at this." Vali slipped back up to claim the human's mouth in a very sultry kiss before pulling back suddenly, tossing the blanket off the bed in one smooth motion.
"No, William. I'm very good at this." He purred with a predatory gleam in his silvery eyes before pouncing on his very willing prey.
William was amazed. He had never felt anything like this before, it was incredible. To have the skilled, smooth-skinned hands sensitising every part of his skin, not to mention the soft lips and warm, slick tongue. He vaguely wondered if he should have been at least trying to return the affections, and felt slightly guilty.
"I'm enjoying this as much as you, my lord." The elf whispered against his neck, answering his silent question. That was all the encouragement he needed to lay back and just enjoy this amazing gift he had been given. Until Vali reached out one hand, running it through his chocolaty hair and he caught a glimpse of the red marks, flawing the perfect skin. He halted the elf, taking his hands to inspect the wounds, all thoughts of pleasure pushed out of his mind in an instant.
"How could I have been so thoughtless?" He mumbled as he slipped off the bed and went over to the dresser table, leaving the elf sitting on the bed looking very confused.
"What are you doing?" Vali asked as he walked back over to the bed, a small jar of cream in his hand. He opened the lid, not bothering to answer the elf and sat on the bed before taking each of the delicate hands in turn and rubbing some of the cream into the slim wrists. "So you choose now to get all motherly." The elf commented dryly, smoothing out his nightgown as William rubbed the stuff into his ankles.
Vail had to admit he kind of liked the attention and he especially liked the human's gentle touch but he had been in the middle of something. He began to wonder if they would ever get further than kissing and a bit of caressing. Though, he supposed, it had only been three weeks since they had first met. It was strange though, because he really felt like he had known William a lot longer than that, at least a lifetime. Not to mention the way he had been able to sense what William had been thinking, and the way the lord had been anticipating his every need suggested William could do the same. It was very strange, not that it was a bad thing but it was a tad disturbing.
He shivered slightly, coming back to his surroundings as something cool touched his thigh. He glanced down to see the lord was now carefully spreading some of the cream over the bruises there. He almost laughed at the studious expression on his love's face but managed to stifle it as William might take it the wrong way.
"They're only bruises you know." He commented as William put the lid back on the jar, placing it on the side table. William looked at him incredulously.
"Only bruises? They are huge, nasty handprints and they must hurt terribly." He reached out a gentle hand to caress the elf's cheek. "My poor angel, you don't have to be brave for me, you know."
Vali had to cough to cover that laugh and even then he ended up snickering for a moment. "William, I may be sensitive when it comes to emotions but physically I'm not fragile." He leaned forward to place a quick kiss to the tip of the human's nose. "I've been run through with swords, a couple of bruises is nothing."
"What?!" William was absolutely shocked. "Who could possibly hurt you like that?"
"Well, your enemies don't usually just stand there and let you kill them, they generally at least try to get in a few attacks of their own." Vali answered with a grin and leaned forward to kiss the lord again but this time he was stopped as William gripped his shoulders.
"You...you were a warrior? You killed people?" He questioned, a touch of revulsion flickering over his features for a spilt-second.
"Of course." Vali was confused, he had mentioned being in an army when he had told William about Brandon. What did William think he had meant? "I thought that was obvious."
"Perhaps to you." William said in a tone colder than Vali had ever heard him use, as he removed his hands, shifting a bit away from the elf. "But my society is civilized, we know the value of life, and killing is not something taken so lightly."
"Are you trying to hurt me?" Vali questioned, forcing the tears he wanted to cry away angrily, he had cried enough. "Why the hell do I keep falling for people like you?" He crawled off the bed and stood on the opposite side to where the human sat. "You think you are so much better than me! More 'civilized'!" His fists clenched at his sides. "You're not." He stated quietly, his voice colder than William's had been. "I know the value of life better than you ever can. You've never had to watch children massacred before you because you can't reach them in time. You've never walked into a church and seen priests' and priestesses' corpses covering the floor." He turned away from William, not able to stand facing him anymore. "Think what you like but it is far better to fight and prevent such things from happening than to help clean up afterwards."
The room was silent for a long time and he wondered why he had bothered. William hadn't listen to him anyway, and even if he had, nothing Vali could say would change what the lord thought. Just like he had always been a half-breed to Brandon, he would always be a savage to William. He was doomed to have the ones he loved always think he was trash, that he was beneath them.
Warm arms wrapped around his waist and William's body pressed against his in a comforting fashion, the lord's chin resting lightly on his head. "I'm sorry." William's voice was soft and apologetic and sounded surprisingly sincere. "We have both grown up in very different lands. You are right, I have never even seen anyone die from anything but disease or old age. Perhaps you do know the value of life better than me. It was cruel and petty of me to imply you are uncivilized. Especially since it was a lie." He placed a kiss to the pale hair. "I don't think I am better than you. I could never love and be so happy with someone if I thought they were beneath me. You are my equal, Vali, if not my better. Please forgive me for my rash words, I was just surprised."
The elf turned in his arms and looked up to see he wasn't the only one crying this time. "How can I not forgive you?" He asked slipping his own arms around the lord's waist and leaning against him gratefully, suddenly feeling very drained. "You actually listen to me."
"Of course I do." And as if again sensing the elf's fatigue he led him to the bed, laying him down on it before retrieving the blanket from the floor and placing it over him carefully. Vali was about to ask him to stay when William smiled and kissed him lightly before sliding under the blanket, taking the elf again into his arms.
"William?" He questioned quietly, snuggling gratefully against his love's warm body. "Do you feel it too?"
"What, angel?"
"Do you feel like we've known each other for a long time?"
"Yes." William answered thoughtfully. "Almost like we have lived a lifetime together."
"I think we have." Vali could tell William wanted to question him further but he was already half-asleep, so he placed a kiss to the caramel skin and let himself be pulled into a peaceful sleep. Certain there would be no more nightmares.