Corrander barely hears the conversation going on around him-- he is completely consumed by the being he's clutching in his arms...the face he's looking down at. She has been his one, powerful obsession for so many centuries-- first waiting for her to return with the Fae, and then going after her, himself, when she didn't return. And now...here she is. Here she really is!!
As if afraid she's going to suddenly disappear and leave him wretched again, he squeezes her to his chest, closing his eyes and pressing his face against his hair.
"Oh Gwendolyn..." he whispers so no one else can hear. "How I wish I could take back every time I teased you and replace it with telling you how much I adored you! I never knew we would be parted...I took your presence for granted...I thought there would always be tomorrow..." he murmurs. "I never knew I couldn't live without you...until I was living without you..."
"...Queen Mab said it could be an hour, or a day..." Helen tells Ellowyndriel when Ellowyndriel asks when Gwendolyn will awaken.
Corrander looks up at his mother's face. He only knows one thing, and though it makes him ashamed there's nothing on earth that could take him from Gwendolyn's side. For the first time since he can remember, he...fears death. He would be a half-hearted fighter in this war. He'd do nothing but obsess with getting back to Gwendolyn, and that would either get him killed, or get someone else killed who he should be watching the back of.
Without any second thoughts he turns and runs towards the palace with Gwendolyn in his arms-- the highly-disciplined soldiers of Ellowyndriel's vast army automatically moving to either side to clear a path for him.
Ellowyndriel gives a tiny nod of approval. She didn't want her children fighting in this war, anyway. She just got them back! She would spend the entire battle keeping her eye on them, and that would result in her getting a sword or arrow in her back.
She raises her arms to address her army. "Hear me! Should Loviander and I fall in battle, all of this goes to my children...this county and castle!"
Loviander calls out his agreement with her declaration, and the army raises their weapons and shouts back their approval.
Corrander barely registers his mother's words as he crosses the drawbridge and starts down the marble road that leads up to the palace.
Faeries gasp and point as he runs past them, and he hears his name and Gwendolyn's name murmured in astonishment and excitement...but this, too, he barely registers. As he runs up the great marble stairs, soldiers snap to attention. He glances at one, and catches sight of tears in the troll's eyes.
"Oh m'lord and lady!" cries a familiar voice. He sees Mrs. Galloway standing in the great doorway, slumped a little against the doorframe as if she's trying not to faint! "Yer mother said you were comin' back, but...but forgive me if I didn't think it was one of her fantasies! She's been so...well..."
Corrander sees crowds of people gathering down in the streets at the foot of the stairway, cheering "Long live Corrander! Long live the lady Gwendolyn! Long live the Moonglows!" Other people are rushing out to the field where the soldiers are moving towards the gateway-- hoping to find their long-lost loved ones who were trapped when the gates were shut so many centuries before.
Corrander looks back at Mrs. Galloway, and then down at Gwendolyn, and then back at Mrs. Galloway with a pleading look in his eyes.
"Oh forgive me, young master! Forgive me!" she says, ushering him into the castle. "Follow me!"
The two start up the staircase. Two trolls appear at Corrander's sides, and one holds out his arms for Corrander to hand Gwendolyn to him. "Allow me, my lord?" he asks.
Instinctually Corrander clutches his sister tighter to him and gives the troll a dark, challenging look. The troll steps back with a surprised look on his face. "Your pardon, your majesty.
"Nothing to forgive...too many years searching...it is I you must forgive..." Corrander says between breaths as he continues ascending the stairs. The trolls continue following protectively, but at a respectful distance, glancing at each other in astonishment that the Moonglow children actually HAVE returned. They will never doubt their countress' words again!
Mrs. Galloway leads Corrander up to the giant double doors that lead into Gwendolyn's chambers and quickly pushes them open for him.
"Kept her rooms dusted and fresh by yer mother's orders for this very day. Thank the great lady and lord this day has come at last..." Mrs. Galloway says, shaking her head and bursting into tears. "Do ye need a healer? How can I assist you, m'lord? What wound or illness does she have?" she asks through her tears.
"No wound, Mrs. Galloway. She was placed in suspended animation by Queen Mab. The charm may wear off immediately, or take a day. If...you don't mind, could you...leave her care to me? I will call for you when we need you." he asks-- a little timidly, Mrs. Galloway notes.
She gives him a smile and bows. "Of course, dear. Of course. We will have something nourishing ready for her to eat the moment you call."
Mrs. Galloway gives the two one last look, shakes her head with an amazed smile, and then turns and hurries from the room, shutting the great doors behind her.
Corrander watches the doors shut, pauses for a moment, and then looks back down at Gwendolyn sleeping so peacefully. For the 100th time since finding her he checks for a pulse and breath, and exhales in relief when he discovers both.
He finally takes a moment to look her over. She's wearing a leather armor tunic, pants, gloves, and boots in various shades of green with intricate silvery embroidery around the edges. Her light golden hair is in a long, loose braid with tendrils hanging around her face. She looks as she did when he saw her in the amulet at her death, except with no wound to her body.
He sits beside her on the bed and almost shyly lifts her gauntleted hand up to clasp tightly in his. He looks down at her so intently that he forgets to blink. He looks back at her hand, and then slowly pulls the leather glove off to reveal her pale, flawless skin. He raises her hand up to his cheek, and then moves his face against her palm and closes his eyes, tears squeezing out from under his clenched eyelids.
He cries a ragged sob, and then quickly looks back at her to see if she heard him, and when he sees that she's still unconscious he finally allows himself to cry. Still clasping her hand, he looks up at the ceiling and sobs shamelessly. He had been planning to allow himself to fade or die just to be reunited with her, and now he has her back...and they are both alive. He never expected this blessing.
After his sobbing quiets a little he looks around at her room, done all in her favorite shades of green, like her eyes. How long it has been since he has been in here? So long...
He looks back down at her. Still holding her hand in one of his, he reaches out with his other hand and slowly touches her face-- relieved to find it warm. He moves his finger to lift a tendril and move it back behind her ear with an uncharacteristic nervousness.
"What the hell am I doing??" he mutters in agitation. "When she wakes up, the first thing she's going to do is ask for that Aberthol bloke, and then my heart will break a second time...and then she'll ask about her son..." Corrander lets go of her hand and stands up quickly and starts pacing, one hand on his hip and the other holding his head. His clothing darkens again to match his mood.
"Futile...futile...this will all be futile...she's your sister! She tasted having a husband and child! She'll want it again!" He turns to face her with an accusing look on his face. "How could you! How could you marry! We made a pact! Neither of us would marry-- let alone have children! You didn't even love him!" he almost shouts, pointing his finger at her, and then quickly looking back at the door...but it doesn't open.
He moans and sinks into the closest chair, elbows on his knees and head in his hands. "How would Mother and Father feel if they were to know how I feel about...about my own sister??" Then he gives a sudden laugh. "Well, when your great-great grand-niece can give birth to her own great-great-great grandfather, does it REALLY matter anymore?" He starts laughing hysterically, and then the laughter turns back into sobs. "What am I doing...oh gods...as Alec would say, �Mate, you're royally fucked.'"
Corrander sits hunched over in the chair for a long time, his thoughts eating at him. Here he is-- finally reunited with his precious sister-- and he's filled with misery and fear. The minutes tick by...and tick by...and tick by.
Finally Corrander rises from the chair and walks wearily over to the bed and climbs onto it, laying himself beside Gwendolyn as he did so many times over the years when he wanted her company but she was sleeping.
"I am a louse, Gwendolyn. Forgive my outburst. I found company in the arms of someone else in your absence, as well. Well, a couple of someone elses, but only one of them really mattered. You would be within your rights to be angry with me...if that matters to you..."
He snuggles up beside her...pauses...and then drapes his arm over her to hold her bare hand again. "I accept whatever the fates have in store for us. All that matters is that you are back." he says sleepily.
He hadn't slept much at all the last week. Too much excitement at the thought of seeing his mother again, and seeing her reaction when she saw Loviander was with him! He vaguely remembers her crying and falling down on her knees at Loviander's feet. He feels a pang of guilt again that he'd been so all-consumed by Gwendolyn in his arms that he hadn't had the presence of mind to watch his parents being reunited.
He closes his eyes and sighs sadly. "A real louse..." he repeats, and soon falls asleep.
Gwendolyn floats drowsily in darkness...floats and floats...and then suddenly she detects light in one direction and turns towards it. At first she's half-hearted in her attempts to get to the light...it's warm and comfortable here...and then she can barely make out a voice...a male voice...a familiar voice coming from that light.
Her brow furrows and she wills herself closer. And then she finally recognizes the voice! �Corrander! Corrander, where are you??' she thinks to herself. It's like pushing through molasses, but she pushes and pushes, and as she does it seems to get easier and easier, until finally she bursts through.
On the large bed Gwendolyn's eyes fly open and she sucks in a loud breath-- sitting up a little with the force of her awakening, and then falling back again. Her eyes move around trying to focus, and then she blinks and sees Corrander laying beside her. Everything is a little hazy...she hasn't used her eyes in so long...it's like a nimbus of white haze is around everything. This must...this must be the afterlife. She remembers the moments leading up to her death. She KNOWS she died.
"Oh NO...NOOO..." she moans when it all sinks it what this means. She sees Corrander's limp arm laying across her. It's a little hard for her to think and put things together right now, but if Corrander is here, then...he must be dead, too...
"Corrander! Oh no...what happened to you?? Did you come after me? I know you! I know you would have! And they got you, too, didn't they! Oh Corrander..." she cries. "How I have failed!" She throws her arms around Corrander and holds him tightly, rocking a little and crying. It all comes down on her like a giant weight. She got herself killed...got Corrander killed...now her mother has no one to chase away the dark depression...if only someone of her blood can open the gateway and redeem her!
Corrander wakes up disoriented, feeling himself being rocked and held in someone's arms, and then hearing a woman crying and calling his name. He blinks and looks up.
"Gwendolyn? Gwendolyn, you're awake!" he cries, holding her back tightly.
"Oh Corrander! You came after me, didn't you! I got you killed, didn't I! Oh please forgive me! I have failed in everything I set out to do!" she cries miserably.
Corrander looks at her in confusion, and then gives a little laugh. "Oh Gwennie! I'm not dead! And neither are you! Anymore, anyhow! Only your human host-body died! I did come after you, and I found your...well...your descendant! You didn't fail! We just barely opened the gateway and brought you and everyone through! And the lands are filled with glamour again! The gateways can remain open! Well, assuming that Mother and Father and their armies can defeat Edmund's puny forces!" he laughs. "And I'm confident they can!"
He reaches up and wipes one of Gwendolyn's tears. "Oh Gwennie! Don't cry! We did it!"
She stares at him in astonishment and surprise, and then when she sees that Corrander is telling the truth her face lights up. "We did it?" she asks softly. She pauses, and then laughs loudly. "WE DID IT!!" and squeezes Corrander tightly in her arms, eliciting an "oomph!" from him as the air is forced from his lungs, but she feels him squeeze her back and give a weak chuckle.
"Oh and how many times have I told you! Don't call me Gwennie!" she grins at him in mock-consternation, still holding him tightly.
Corrander looks up at her, his face inches away from hers. "Never again. I swear it, my lady." he says, his voice suddenly a little hoarse and serious.
Gwendolyn looks down at him and cocks her eyebrow, sensing the change in his demeanor. All his life he's always been sarcastic and joking. This is new.
"Well...thank you. I would appreciate that, Corrander." she says, studying his face.
"What else would you wish of me, my lady?" Corrander asks quietly. "You have only to ask."
Gwendolyn cocks her head to one side. "What...?" She studies his face, and then is suddenly aware that she's laying half on top of him...their arms around each other...their faces almost touching. "Oh..." she says in a hushed voice.
Corrander watches her, feeling the sudden heaviness in the air that they are at a crux in their lives. This is it. How does she really feel about him.
"Gwendolyn...remember the distaste we had for those simpering courtiers? That we'd rather remain as we were than be betrothed to one of them?"
Gwendolyn nods slowly, eyes locked on his. "Yes..."
Corrander swallows. "I still feel the same. But...you found a man...you had a child..." He lays there looking up at her, not daring to continue with the sentence.
Gwendolyn thinks back to Abersol's face looking down at her as she died. She nods her head, closing her eyes. "I did. You must be very disappointed in me, Corrander..." she sighs. "You saw everything in the amulet, didn't you..."
Corrander nods solemnly. "I did."
Gwendolyn sighs. "Then you must know that he was never in love with me. He was only in love with the woman whose body I inhabited. No matter how cruel I was to him he stood and took it because to him I was his fianc�e. He was a very good man, but...well, I felt a horrible guilt for being the cause of his love's sacrifice. You understand guilt, Corrander. I'll never regret having Trevelyn, though...you say one of his descendants opened the gates?"
Corrander laughs a short laugh. "Oh yes...but I'll tell you that story a little later. Please-- continue." he begs.
Gwendolyn beams proudly, and then her face grows thoughtful. "You say �descendant,' so that means many years have passed. Then Abersol is with his true love now. I should release myself from this guilt. It was their choice to give me her body...how could I know that she had a fianc�? Why they allowed it I'll never understand...but it shackled poor Abersol to me...someone so unsuited to my temperaments, yet so eternally patient with me because of my face...HER face..." she shakes her head. "I kept fantasizing about how I would change him if I could...make him more assertive...sarcastic...charming...passionate...make him more like...you." she says, suddenly feeling electricity in the air when realization hits her.
Corrander and Gwendolyn look at one another with wide eyes for a moment, and then throw caution to the wind and passionately kiss one another with such force that it bruises their lips, but they don't feel it and the pain actually excites them to higher levels. The two roll around on the bed, hands in each other's hair and limbs entwined.
"What...are we...doing?" Gwendolyn cries breathlessly between kisses.
"Who cares...I don't...rest of the world can sod off!" Corrander cries, pouncing on her and she giggles before pulling his mouth back to hers. Everything that was missing from her marriage to Aberthol is right here...where it always was...with the only man she's ever been in love with...all these centuries...but just didn't dare to admit it to anyone, including herself.
Suddenly the doors open and Mrs. Galloway is standing there with a large group of servants-- all thrilled to see the Moonglow children finally returned, and holding trays of food and drink!
Corrander and Gwendolyn both pause and look up with the same comical expressions of horror on their faces.
The newer servants who had never seen the brother and sister together before stand there with their jaws dropped, almost dropping their burdens! But the faithful long-time servants just give the siblings big grins, and then the applause starts...quietly at first, and then there are whistles and the applause turns jubilant.
Mrs. Galloway gives a loud laugh when she sees the looks of confusion and embarrassment on the siblings' faces. "Tis all right, you two. Ye think we servants don't notice the goings-on in the castle? The late-night visitations? The way the two o' you looked at one another? How the only times the two o' you smiled at the balls was when you were in each other's company? How you chased off each others' suitors? Oh aye! We saw! We were just wonderin' when the two o' you would finally notice it, yerselves!" she laughs. She takes the two great door handles and slowly closes them, winking. "We'll leave the food outside and leave you be."
Corrander and Gwendolyn watch the doors swing shut, and then see the looks on each others' faces and start laughing.
"Well! That was unexpected! And I'll thank Mrs. Galloway next time to NOT come in until she's called!" Corrander sniffs.
"NEXT time, hmmm?" Gwendolyn grins, pretending to struggle away from Corrander. "What makes you think there will be a next time? So typically arroga-- "
Corrander grabs her by her braid and arm and pulls her back to him, grinning. "We'll get to �next time' after we finish �right now!' One thing at a time!"
"Ow!" Gwendolyn exclaims, grabbing the wrist of the hand that's holding her braid. She hooks her leg around his leg and pulls, toppling him to one side, but he's back on her in a flash, pinning her to the bed, and then making motions with his fingers and causing any nearby cloth to wrap around her wrists and ankles, holding her spread-eagle.
She struggles against the sheets, and then tries her own glamour to force them to unwind. The two siblings engage in a mental battle of wills, but this time Corrander actually wins. Gwendolyn's head flops back and she fixes a look of desire on him, smirking. "Congratulations...you're the first man who's been able to catch me and hold me!"
"Quiet, you!" Corrander snaps with a smoldering look that matches her own. "I'm your master now, and you'll do as I say...if you ever want to be released..." he says caressing her face and neck.
Gwendolyn's pulse races. She's heard rumors from the ladies that Corrander was this way! How long she'd tried to find a man who would stand up to her and overpower her, but no man in the kingdom dared! She was the daughter of the count and countess! None of them thought they'd escape from the palace in one piece if they gave in to her suggestions! So to her they all appeared weak and overly-gentle with her...none sparking her interest...none lighting the fires of passion.
Gwendolyn closes her eyes at his touch, and then slowly opens them again with a satisfied smile. "Yes...master..." she says in a low voice. "But don't for a moment think that you won't have to re-earn that title each and every time..." she adds slyly.
Corrander grins wolfishly, leaning down and pressing his lips against her ear. "It will be my pleasure..."