Page 16 of Rise of the Gods: Vardor's Destiny
I noted with interest that she called me an Arbiter. Didn't that mean I could choose my battles?
Draeven picked up on the same. "Well then,Arbiter of Battle," his tone mocked my title, "what will it be? Will you fight for her?"
Unmoved, unafraid, Vaelora tilted her head, gazing at me as if asking,will you?
Even if my devotion to Vaelora hadn’t already been absolute, the act of granting me a choice now was what earned my unyielding loyalty. She was a goddess, she could have done anything she pleased with me, but she was offering me a choice now. Yes, she had used me, and I didn't like that one bit. Nobody used me, but that was a battle for later. I lowered my blade and bent a knee. "I am now and forever will be at your service, great Goddess Vaelora."
Draeven roared in anger. The moment he pulled his sword, I rose from my kneeling position and lifted mine. Metal hit metal. Hard.
"Say goodbye to your newest toy, Vaelora, because I will send him back to the dirt you raised him from." Draeven threatened.
Raahet, the other priests, King Maldrin, and the royal family retreated behind a large pillar, and guards placed themselves around them like shields. Maezharr stood back, letting his brother battle me alone. Had he joined, I likely would have been in trouble. I wasn't so sure if I could have defeated both.
Draeven was good. Much better than Xyphor, or maybe Xyphor had simply not been prepared for me posing a challenge. But Draeven lacked the battle experience I possessed. It wasn't a quick fight, but one I won by piercing his heart.
"Thank you, sister, now all of Orasis will be mine," Maezharr laughed.
"Not while I still breathe," I challenged, ready to take on a third god.
Maezharr shook his head. "Not today. But our paths will cross again." With that, he retreated into the shadows from where he had come from.
"Vardor," beautiful Vaelora stepped in front of me, "I knew I picked the right man."
She placed both of her hands on my face, caging it, then she rose to her tiptoes and kissed me. I put my arms around her and pulled her up, bending her back while I took control over the kiss. She might have cornered me today, but I'd be damned if she would do so a second time. Ever again.
She might have been a goddess, but she had raised me to her level. I would protect her with my life, but she was MINE. Not the other way around.
Ah, the memories—so sweet. I bathed in them during the hours of darkness that still engulfed me. Before I had been dreaming, but now I was wide awake, unable to move, speak, or see anything but blackness. I was alone with my memories, but I wasn't afraid. I waited in restless anticipation, filling the dreary hours by reliving Vaelora's and my time. It had been glorious from that day forward.
Eventually, King Maldrin and High Priest Raahet passed their titles on to others, and others after them. Centuries passed. The lands were once again prosperous. No more hunger plaguedthe people. Vaelora and I ruled when we were needed, and I led the armies into battle— there were plenty of them. Orasis was rich, and many tribes sought to take parts of it; none succeeded.
Century after century passed.
Vaelora and I were happy.
One might even call it love.
As much as it can be love, when one person doesn't really know what love is.
Vaelora was a good goddess. Fair. Majestic.
But she didn't know kindness or mercy. Or love.
Compassion might not have been completely foreign to her, but that was as close as she could come to actual emotions. I was fine with that. I loved her more than anything, enough for the two of us.
We never forgot that we were living on borrowed time. Maezharr was still alive, waiting in the shadows. One day, he would return, and when that day came, I would have to make a hard decision. One Vaelora would see as betrayal, one I would make to keep her safe.
And here I was in the aftermath. Lying in darkness, waiting for her forgiveness.
Waiting for her to release me from my prison.
Buried alive, she told me, was my punishment.Awaiting my pleasure.
I heard the creaking of the mechanism. It was time.
I was ready to do her bidding. I was ready to prove to her that love was more than just a word.
Ididn't sleep much the night after the ball. My head spun with worry about my future. I didn't doubt for a moment that Thomas would follow through with his threat and send me to St. George's Fields. It was a quite genius solution to his problem. Would I not have been the victim in this, I would have admired him.
