Elvi

Black And Green

“Morana, I need you to open up. I know you’re inside” Elvi said, knocking for the fifth time.

She stepped back in shock as Arryn opened the door. What in the name of the Gods was he doing inside of Morana’s house. He smirked as he took her in.

“Ah, Elvi” he said in mock surprise, like he hadn’t just heard her calling out.

“What are you doing here?”

“Morana was in need of support.”

“So you slimed your way into her house, did you?”

Arryn smiled, stepping out of the doorway and into the front yard, closing the door behind him. He grabbed a small section of hair that hung over her shoulder, twisting in his fingers, reminiscent of Morana. Elvi pushed his hand away roughly.

“Now now, Elvi” he said, running his hand down her cheek and to the back of her neck. She made to pull away but he tightened his grip and moved his thumb to the front of her throat, pressing firmly on her windpipe, leaning in to whisper in her ear. “There is no reason why we both can’t have our fun with her.”

Elvi’s skin crawled. He was sick. What hold had he suddenly got over Morana? She could tell this parasite was sinking his teeth into her and there was nothing she could do to stop it. If Morana was refusing to see her, she could not stop it. She originally had thought that Morana understood the mate bond attachment, and that she didn’t want it, but now she was not so sure. Did she truly think that Elvi would choose the King over her? Or, had Arryn poisoned her into thinking that was the case?

“Come on now” he said in a silky voice, pulling even closer to her. “You, Morana and me, sounds fun to me.”

Elvi pushed hard against his chest, ice shards coming out of her palms. Arryn quickly brushed them away with his hand. She stepped out of his reach. This was the man that Rowan had warned her about. The vile creature in front of her was what she had always known to be there, but had never fully seen before.

“I guess I get her all to myself then” he smirked.

“Over my dead body,” Elvi said fiercely. “Morana,” she shouted.

“Give it a rest Elvi. Go back to the Monster King where you belong.”

Arryn snapped the door shut in her face, laughing to himself at his victory. She heard the door lock, and the stairs creak as he went upstairs. Elvi shouted in fury. What was happening? Three days previous she was happy with Morana, and now she felt like she was lost to her forever.

*

Elvi stood in the growing crowd at the barriers edge, at eight-fifty in the morning. She had refused to go to the meeting the night before, already knowing all of the essential information. She thought if she saw Arryn with Morana she would cause a scene, and there were more important things to share at the meeting than her relationship issues. Rowan walked up behind her and whispered “Good morning beautiful.” Elvi turned around, choosing to ignore Arryn and Morana’s interaction in front of her, not being able to stand the sight of his hand on her hip anymore.

“Hello,” she answered flatly.

“What’s wrong?” he asked, studying her face.

“Nothing, I am just impatient to have everyone home.”

Rowan crooked his head to the right slightly, not believing her. There was a sadness and anger behind her eyes that was not there before. Arryn and Morana caught his eye over her shoulder, and his eyes darkened, catching his hand moving from her hip to her waist. He sneered standing straight, watching them over the heads of the crowd. Arryn, evidently feeling the fire of the King’s eyes, turned his head towards him. Smirking slightly he pulled Morana closer to him, and then laughing as the King audibly growled.

“Stop it. Stop drawing attention to them. It’s humiliating enough,” Elvi said in a small voice. Rowan was sure he saw her wipe a tear away as she turned from him.

“We are ready, my Lord,” announced Alarik.’

Elvi watched four heavy set shifters step out of the forest, recognising the King’s third, but not the other’s. Rowan stood to his full height before addressing the crowd. “Time to go,” he announced to the group at large. The witches made a move as a group, walking around the two wagons that were to accompany them. Two of the shifters fell wordlessly into their place at front, two more at the back, including Llyall, Alarik taking his place on the right, while the King fell into step with Elvi on the left. Elvi tried to ignore Arryn’s micro touches and interactions with Morana near the front of the first wagon. Haydeon, opting to be the driver of the second wagon, was removed from the interactions, lucky for Arryn and Morana, Elvi thought. Her brother had a short temper and would not approve of Morana’s behaviour; especially as they had not technically separated.

“What’s your favourite colour?” Rowan asked after some time of them walking in silence. Elvi watched him with raised eyebrows, before finally answering.

“Green.”

“Green. Why green?” he asked seemingly amused.

“It’s the colour of life.”

“Good answer.”

“There was a wrong answer?”

“No,” Rowan laughed. Morana turned to watch their interaction.

“What’s yours?”

“Black,” he answered in surprise at being asked in return.

They continued to walk in silence, the rest of her Coven seeming to avoid her and her personal bodyguard. After an hour they stopped for a short break for refreshment. Rowan passed Elvi a cup, watching her happily drink the water. He stepped away to dispose of the cups and Elvi found herself being dragged away by Morana, her hand gripping Elvi by the forearm, much harder than necessary.

“What are you doing?” Morana spat.

“I could ask the same of you,” she answered, yanking her arm free.

“Are you with him now?”

“I thought I was supposed to be with you, but it seems you have thrown me away for an older, more sleazy version.” Elvi crossed her arms over her chest, creating a barrier between them.

“That’s rich” scoffed Morana.

“I came to you yesterday, to talk things through, and by then you were already in his arms. You wouldn’t even come to the door. Don’t think for a second I haven’t seen him touching you at every opportunity. We hadn’t even separated and he was already in your bed. Remember that. Because I always will Morana.” Morana stared at her. “What was it you said; I will die before I have anything to do with Arryn. That’s funny, I don’t remember attending your funeral.”

Morana stepped back, looking hurt. Had she forgotten all that transpired to get them to this situation. Elvi refused to take the blame, knowing that this was not her fault.

“Just so you know, Morana, because I want you to be fully aware of the person you have chosen. Arryn tried to seduce me into a three way partnership yesterday.”

Several things happened at once; Morana gasped, looking hurt, the King stopped on his path to her, growling so loud that most of the witches fled behind the wagons, and Priestess placed a protection charm around them.

“HE WHAT,” Rowan roared.

Quick as lightning, Rowan had Arryn pressed up against a wagon by his throat, having been too far away to fall under the charms protection. He choked as he fought for air, his legs kicking pitifully underneath him. Morana screamed, taking several steps towards them, but appearing too frightened to get too close. Elvi watched as Arryn turned blue. Deciding that his death was not worthy of the King’s death, she hastened to his side, her hand gently grabbing his wrist. Black eyes met green.

“Rowan, you need to put him down. If you kill him you will be killed in turn under your own law,” Elvi said in a low, gentle voice.

Rowan dropped him unceremoniously to the ground before spitting on him and being dragged away by his elite. Elvi bent down in front of Arryn assessing the damage. Moving his head up slightly, there was a clearly visible deep purple hand print around his throat. He would be lucky if he escaped with vocal cords intact.

“PRIESTESS,” Elvi shouted, finding her by her side within seconds.

“Morana, help me get him into the first wagon, we need to move fast or there will be permanent damage. Elvi, go calm down the King, we can’t have this repeated.”

“Yes Priestess,” they answered in unison, not looking at each other. Haydeon matched Elvi’s pace, looking almost as murderous as the King.

“Did Arryn touch you?” Haydeon growled.

“Forget it, we have more important things to deal with right now.”