Home Again

[Thorin]

Thorin woke up hours later, noting that he didn't feel the change of time in this realm. It was comforting, but at the same time, it put him on edge. He didn't like being so relaxed in their situation. Looking to where Igraine lay, he let her sleep. She looked completely different now- relaxed and comfortable. Her muscles were no longer tense and her pulse no longer raced. Thorin felt at peace, his mind only thinking of the next steps.

Going to his clothes, he put on the so-called out of date uniform. Even if it was out of date to Igraine, it was more luxurious than the rags he had in the beginning. While she didn't appreciate simple things, he made up for it for the both of them.

Thorin idly placed his hand in his pocket, feeling the shirt fabric. Sighing, he wondered how to approach Igraine's mother about such an embarrassing topic. He had just met the woman and now he would be flashing this piece of bloodied fabric in front of her. It wasn't typical blood, something he could readily explain from a wound, but something much more sacred.

Thorin didn't know how this realm would react, let alone Kahlan, to finding out that it belonged to her daughter. He was sure that she would sense something amiss, with the way he was behaving- it didn't feel right, it was as if he was exposing their most intimate moment.

His face was probably already heated from embarrassment, but he didn't know any other around it. Earlier, Igraine had mentioned about turning it into some trinket, but he thought a sword might be a little more useful against their enemy.

“Kahlan...” He wandered timidly into the room that Kahlan rested in. She was just as beautiful, if not more, then her daughter. It was still awkward to think of Igraine as his half-sister and he wasn't sure if he would ever call her that.

Barely exposing the torn fabric, he naturally tried to hide the stains. “Igraine told me that you might know how to forge something tangible with this...” Thorin said, almost stammering. He hoped that she would just take the object and take it to the smith- not once asking about its significance.

Thorin doubted that he would have that much luck with him. Looking toward the door, he had least had an exit...it was just a shame that they were over two-hundred feet off the ground.

He was a dead man either way.

[Igraine]

Kahlan looked up at Thorin and tried her hardest not to laugh. He looked so incredibly embarassed to have her daughter's virgin blood in his hands. He had a few things to learn about her world. Kahlan stood slowly, gathering the folds of her white robe around her and smoothing them over her hips idly. Her sea blue eyes settled on Thorin again, her long molten gold hair falling in loose curls around her shoulders and down her back to her waist.

Kahlan was a Queen, and she was a Fallen Angel of God. She had so many connections that it would turn Thorin's knees to water just trying to grasp the breadth of it. Yet, here he stood, holding her daughter's blood in his hands -- terrified that she would smite him. She reached out and took the scrap of fabric from Thorin and held it up to the sunlight. It smelled like Igraine and Kahlan smiled, a soft haunting smile that lit up her face. She was beautiful and she knew it.

"Relax, Thorin is it now? At least I believe that's what my daughter has been calling you." Kahlan motioned for Thorin to follow her as she walked along the intricate web of walkways connecting the treetops together. "I have an idea that would make this blood work for you and my daughter for a very long time. It would be almost indestructable because of the magic in her blood." Kahlan explained as she walked with Thorin. It was a short journey to the forge because Kahlan felt more comfortable near something so oriented in the arts of war as she had been in the Realm of Man.

"A blade can be forged with this blood. It looks like there is enough blood to make a long sword. It can be forged with faery steel because her blood was willingly given to you. It's a lot like Elvish mithril but it's an iridescent green steel and lightweight. Men would kill to have steel such as this." Kahlan picked up a shortsword made of the iridescent steel, looking not unlike the shimmer on a dragonflies wings set to a sparkling steel. Kahlan moved through a few fighting stances, whirling like a sleek white tiger in her glistening white robes. She directed the handle of the short blade toward Thorin and turned to the old elvish man by the forge, his skin permanently tanned from long exposure to the forge flames.

"I need you to craft a long blade using my daughter's virgin blood for her future husband. She will see it as a beautiful gift for their wedding vows. It must be of Fae steel, it will serve to protect them both the best." The old man nodded and smiled at Kahlan. It was obvious he would do anything for her and that she had visited the forges often, reminded as she was of home.

"The blade will be done in two days' time. It will be unlike anything you have ever seen before and as light as a dagger. It will serve you and my daughter. Anyone else that tries to wield it outside of your bloodline will die. If you taste my daughter's blood at any point...only willingly of course...the blade's relationship with you will be cemented. Her blood will not taint you, but it will serve to allow the blade to know that what was given willingly once, was given again and thus it will always be." Kahlan hooked her arm through one of Thorin's and began to walk him back toward her home.

"Igraine is slowly waking, you should let her know what has been decided of her virgin blood gift to you. She will be excited and understand that you need to take more of her blood." Kahlan stopped Thorin briefly in the middle of the last boardwalk leading to her home. "Don't hurt her. If at any time you use the sword for anything that would hurt her, it will be as if the weight of a mountain were at the end of your hand. It will never serve to hurt her directly or indirectly. Remember that when you set out to use it and when you drink her blood."

Kahlan let him go, lingering on the boardwalk to soak in some of the sunlight filtering through the leaves. "Go to her, she's almost awake. She will want to see you, I can feel it in her heart."

[Thorin]

Thorin followed her, feeling at peace with the woman. He thought he would curse her, but found himself admiring her strength. When she introduced him to the blacksmith at the forge, he was shocked by the man's appearance. Thorin was amused like a child, when he laid eyes upon the elven. He had never seen these creatures before, Thorin had only heard about them in myth.

When she explained the ritual to completing the blade, he only marveled at the sensitivity involved. Thorin's blade had been given to him, but he understood that his father had made it with his bare hands.

"In exchange for our gift, take my father's dagger. I won't need it any longer. I know that you have it stashed somewhere...I can feel it calling to me like a lost child. If you don't desire it, then give it to my mother- she will appreciate it." Thorin hoped that Isabella would never have to use the blade on him. Someone from their blood line had to wield it and he knew it didn't call to Igraine. Maybe Kahlan would see it as a kind gesture, but he didn't expect anything too grand.

He knew that demons could lose control of themselves and be consumed by darkness like his father. It was only from that single thought, that he felt some sympathy for Vylrath- Vylrath had never been free. Maybe that was why his father enjoyed the suffering of his family and people.

Leaving Kahlan with her own thoughts, he sought Igraine. When he went to their quarters, he saw her waking slowly from her deep sleep. "Rest well? Your mother isn't so bad after all...we can have her for the holidays." He smirked, wondering where his own mother was and what she thought of the current events. "Your mother is giving us a gift...a sword made from the blood that you gave me. It wasn't easy explaining that." Thorin said, wanting some pity from that humiliating experience.

"She said that you would know the rest of the steps, so I don't think I need to explain anything further." Thorin said, feeling anxious. They should be heading back to the kingdom, but he felt tied to the Fae realm. He could feel his spirit wanting to rest here. It would be hard leaving behind such a paradise.

[Igraine]

Igraine stretched lazily having slept like the dead for a few hours. Her eyes focused on Thorin as he stood nearby. He had a knack for showing up at the right time she noticed. She also realized that Thorin was speaking about her mother and she smiled. Thorin would find comfort with Kahlan despite what he thought about her. Her mother was an old soul and patient.

"You showed my mother the blood?" Igraine laughed into her pillow and slowly stood on her feet. Her legs were a little wobbly after being so weak but she braced herself on Thorin's chest. "Obviously you are still living and aren't a ghost. She must have had an idea for my gift to you. If I know my mother it was a blade, correct? She has an affinity with the art of war that not many understand. She's good at what she does, however." Igraine rested her head against Thorin's chest, listening to his heart beat.

"I know showing her wasn't easy. I'm glad my mother is understanding in ways most parents are not. I get a little wiggle room because I am her only surviving daughter." Igraine said with a soft yawn into Thorin's chest. "I believe you need something from me for the process to be complete? My mother would only give you the best, and the best is Fae steel."

Igraine turned and rummaged through a table next to the bed. She pulled out a small knife that was made from the same Fae steel that was being utilized for Thorin's sword. She glanced down at the palm of her hand which was healed completely. Without flinching she placed the sharp blade agianst the soft flesh of her palm and sliced it open. Cupping her hand to try to prevent some overflow of blood, Igraine held her hand out to Thorin.

"Drink deep, but try not to devour me. My blood is richer than what you're used to. It will be like eating a fatty cut of meat without the fat." Igraine wiped the blade against her thigh, leaving a dark smear on her pants. She realized she was going to have to change her clothes. She'd been in these for a few days anyway and her closet was nearby. Thorin would enjoy seeing her in the more gossamer gowns that were in fashion here anyway.

"When you're through, lick the wound. It will stop the blood flow and make the wound heal faster."

[Thorin]

Thorin watched her slice her own flesh, something that should disturb him, but it enticed him. He cradled her bloodied palm and drank. Her blood didn't taste sweet, but it heightened his awareness. He wanted more- her blood made him feel at peace with himself. This new drunken state of bliss, kept him from controlling himself. The demon side of him demanded more, while some conscious in him, argued against his irrational thoughts.

Demons -even half demons- had blood and flesh as their source for nourishment. If Igraine had been any other woman, he would have killed her instantly. She would see that animosity come to life, his grip tightening. Thorins thoughts were no longer his own, but enslaved by the blood lust.

Unknowingly licking her wound, he slowly felt his control return. He sat back, seeing her as prey for the first time. Thorin felt a desire to see her blood spilled along her mangled corpse. He rushed toward her with one final dark thought, his yell out of anger and frustration, of not having consumed more.

With her weakened state, she would feel his frenzied strength. It was foolish to have the scent of blood around a half-demon, let alone allow him to drink blood. He knew in the depths of his mind, that there had been a cause, but that thought was quickly phasing out of reason.

Kahlan would hear the sound of a tormented man and the screams of her daughter. In his sane state, he would have never harmed Igraine, but this new state of being had pushed him over the edge. He wanted her- the purity that dwelled within her, called out to his damned soul. The thoughts in his mind were out of a crazed desire, not the natural thoughts Thorin would have wanted to possess. He would barely be aware of his actions, except that he needed her blood- even if that meant taking her life for it.

His mother would sense his anger and inner plight. It was something she would be very familiar with- his father had gone into this state many times before, but this would be one of the first times for Thorin. He had often been in solitude for this reason...the slightest scent of blood could drive him into chaos.

Thorin would regret his actions, but his mind was too clouded to recognize the consequences.

[Igraine]

Both Igraine and Kahlan had known that Thorin would react in such a way. Kahlan stalled Isabella at the door, the feeling of her son's torment bothering her greatly. Kahlan slipped inside as her daughter ran past and into Isabella's waiting arms. Bella knew better than anyone what a demon's love, lust, and bloodlust could do to a person. She had died because of it.

Kahlan stepped inside as Thorin lunged after her daughter. He caught her around the waist but the scent of blood was long gone with her daughter. Kahlan's presence was quiet, calm, deadly. Thorin's grasp on her waist was hard, closing around her narrow waist as he tried to complete his lunge after her daughter in his maddened state.

"Remember what I told you." Kahlan placed her hands on Thorin's chest and gave him a light shove back, disentangling him from her body. There was a smear of blood on her white robe from Thorin's face. The second time she had seen her daughter's blood that day. Just so long as he didn't hurt her, the sword would still work for him. He hadn't yet, and with Kahlan and Isabella between them he would never be able to reach her.

Kahlan placed her hands on Thorin's enraged face. She let slip a power that she rarely used in this realm. Her angelic power would sting Thorin smartly. It would serve as a reason for him to dredge himself out of his bloodlust. He needed his rational mind to discern the reason for the pain, and with Kahlan's hands on his face he was going nowhere. No half demon could manage to dislodge her from her hold on them -- fallen or not Kahlan had unique abilites as an Angel. She was quite capable of making the bloodlust disappear, but she didn't want Thorin to be sent into shock. He would regret what he had done to her daughter, whom was sobbing just outside the door. She could smell the sweet soft scent of fear for her wellbeing coming from her daughter as well.

She smiled and looked down at Thorin and drew him closer to her. "Wake up. Come now, fight the haze. I can't have you killing my only living child. Thorin, fight it. If your father managed to never kill his lovers you can manage this. You can't hurt me, so don't try. You're not leaving this house, this room, until you find your sanity once again. Wake up, Thorin."

[Thorin]

Thorin laughed through the pain, but it was hollow and forced. His voice would sound eerily familiar to Isabella, as if his father was reaching beyond the grave. The force of Kahlan's power created a searing blindness for only a few moments- but it was enough. His thoughts were still hazed, his words sounding unlike the natural Thorin Igraine knew.

“Kahlan...you've been with my father...why not his son?” His words were said to only taunt Igraine and to tempt Kahlan into using her full spectrum of force. The demon side of him craved to see her power in full bloom, knowing very well it could kill him.

He could sense Igraine nearby, knowing her fear fueled him more than anything. The pain brought by Kahlan, helped his words turn into a promising curse. “I'll kill her...I'll kill the bitch and make sure that her blood spills your ground! Her blood will be mine...” Thorin grunted the last words, feeling himself slowly wake from the turmoil ravaging his body and mind.

Looking toward Igraine, he saw her huddled against his mother. Kahlan could have killed him and it probably would have been for the better- but like an angelic being, she had spared him. “Are you sure you want me with your daughter? What if I do this again and you aren't here to protect her?” Thorin asked, worried more for her safety than his own.

[Igraine]

Kahlan leaned down and whispered into Thorin's ear, her breath soft against his ear and neck. "The Son is not what the Father was."

Kahlan pulled back and looked at Thorin, her eyes like ice, but she was unphased by the whole interaction. He had basically called her a whore and with her reputation as a Fallen Angel over the centuries a lot of that was true. She'd been called a hell of a lot worse, and by far greater men than Thorin. His words didn't even put a dent in her proverbial armor.

"She has the power to kill you too. Her blood is doing this to you, but don't think she's stupid or weak because of her effect on you. We both knew this would happen to you. Besides, if you try to kill her I will know. You better hope you kill her because if I come to find you standing useless with the sword you're being given...well lets just say there are other creatures that exist to fulfill a bloodlust. Not all demons are borne of demonic heritage."

Kahlan's eyes flashed silver as she back handed Thorin across the mouth. He could do nothing against her in his state. "You will show some respect, boy. This girl brought you to your mother as you asked. She didn't ask to love you, but she does." Kahlan snatched at Thorin's arm and opened the door to show him to Igraine, who was alone. Isabella had walked away not wanting to give rise to the fury in her bones. Unleashing another Vuri on the world was not something she wanted to happen, especially not from her making.

Kahlan was still completely calm, she was more concerned for the look on her daughter's face than for her own reputation. She let go of Thorin, letting him stumble, stagger, or fall wherever he so desired to go.

"I tire of this exchange, Thorin. Do not cause me to lose my temper. You will not survive it, and I will not regret it. The only thing that I will regret is hurting my daughter, but you don't seem to care that you hurt her at all. At least your father had some control over his bloodlust and could control it in order to suit his needs. He wasn't a victim of his own base nature. Hate him as you will, but don't think that he was any worse than you are right now."

Kahlan held her hand out to her daughter, but Igraine stayed where she was. She watched the pair together quietly without making a sound. The fear was long gone because Igraine knew her mother too well. She turned her back on Thorin and tipped her head to Kahlan and walked away. Just...walked away. She needed to clear her head and she couldn't do that anywhere near Thorin right now.

Their bond almost seemed a tangible thing between them as Igraine walked away, wandering a slow path along the walkways of the canopy. Kahlan watched her go and she turned to Thorin, blocking Igraine from his sight.

"You don't have to die for her blood to be cleansed of your taint, Thorin. I have done it before and I can do it again. It might hurt you, but I can blunt the force of the pain for her. You see, I don't really care if I hurt you or not -- it's only my daughter that I care about. Perhaps that's why your father looked for me, Thorin. Not because I'm beautiful or powerful, but because as a Fallen Angel I have the power to be as mercilessly cruel as a full blooded demon when provoked. I can save a soul, or I can condemn it to hell and not give a rat's ass whether it belongs there or not. I choose not to be redeemed because Heaven has no place for what I am anymore, Thorin. That makes me a very bad enemy to make, understand?"

Kahlan turned her back on Thorin and walked back into her house and shut the door behind her. Igraine would come back eventually, but it wouldn't happen until she had reached a decision. Kahlan had stood in the way long enough for Thorin to be incapable of knowing which direction she took -- and Igraine was schooled in masking her location through thought. Thorin might feel her, but he would feel her everywhere in this realm that was her second home.

Igraine was lost to him for now.

[Thorin]

He could live without their bond. The trouble of feeling each others emotional status was proving more cumbersome. When Kahlan struck him across the face, he flinched only from surprise. Thorin knew he would never lay a hand on her, Igraine or his mother, if his bloodlust allowed it- his shame began to show, but only briefly.

Bravely, he stood up against her. Not forcefully showing his strength, but to show that her mere push didn't falter his step. “I can see why my father choose death....” Thorin left his words at that, knowing very well that he shouldn't make an enemy with Kahlan. His nerves were shaken, wondering how he would fair in a fight with such a powerful creature. Kahlan must have thought of him as ignorant, having to explain the dark creatures that lurked. He knew that there were more powerful demons than he- Thorin had to fight against several on his own, in order to be standing in their realm in one piece.

Thinking of his next step to convince Igraine to stay with him, he began to think of their blood bond. He could easily do without the bond and still be with her. Silently, he wondered if she would return after seeing him in that state of crazed fury.

He had seen the pained look in his mother's face before she had left in her silent anger. Thorin couldn't face her after his display- he had too much pride to face the lecture she would give him. Maybe he wasn't like his father, but at least he had only been with one woman and only thought of one woman.

Thorin wanted to leave this realm, his emotions making up the decision for him. Without Igraine, he wouldn't be leaving and he had already infuriated Kahlan. He was quickly running out of options. Not knowing what else to do, he decided to see how his weapon was coming along. He wanted to see the creation process and to talk with the man who would be responsible for creating the blade.

He walked on the path, leaving the room in which Kahlan had scorned him in. His nerves needed a break from women and he could already hear the pounding of steel. He watched the blacksmith drown the blade against the hissing water and begin the process again.

The man seemed unbothered by him, only remembering his name. He agreed to allow Thorin to practice his skill- he could see the anger in the half-demon. He knew better than arguing against such a creature, especially if they were favored with Kahlan and her daughter.

Thorin nodded respectfully at the man, grateful for the chance to be away from women. His mind began to clear, as he was instructed on crafting the blade for Igraine. Thorin broke more blades from his strength, than creating. The old man was not hesitant to show his anger, often smacking Thorin upside the head and forcing him to watch the process again.

It was not easy for Thorin to pound steel against steel, because his strength tended to shatter the delicate Mithril. It would be late in the evening, when Thorin finally managed to control his strength to the approval of the master blacksmith.

Igraine could perhaps hear the chattering of men, some of the people gathered around the blacksmith questioning the sanity of the old man. He had let a demon craft a sacred blade, something they never thought they'd see.

[Igraine]

The master craftsman stood back, watching Thorin carefully. When he started to make yet another mistake, youth was so foolish in this day and age, the old man grabbed him by the elbow and shook it enough to make it wobble.

"Loosen that elbow, lad. You're not trying to make a plate, just a blade." He contented himself to speak of methods and showing this half demon how to create rather than destroy. That was usually how it was with men that had such powerfully willed women in their lives. The old man smiled, he was some five hundred years young, with possibly another hundred or two left in him by all accounts. He spent his life learning the process of making the highly prized Fae steel. He was one of five masters in all the realm of the Faery that knew this process. He hadn't taken on an apprentice yet, but someday he would, it would have to be passed on.

He watched Thorin carefully, watched as his anger began to fade with the strength of his arm. He was doing just as hundreds of men before him had done, beating his anger out to a purpose. It always mad the men happiest to put their anger to good use. Only two women had visited him in his many decades of making weapons, and one of them was Kahlan. If he were a younger man he might go after her, even though he knew she was so much older than he was -- he looked old and she didn't.

"There's a good lad. Feels good to work the muscles when you're not too sure what to do with your hands, doesn't it?" He wrinkled his brow, puffy white eyebrows like caterpillars bunching together over the bridge of his nose. In the glow of the forge he looked like a god with his impishly pointed ears and the suave cut of his jaw. In his younger years he had been a devilishly handsome man -- not unlike the half demon with him now.

"Some men try to drown their sorrows or their anger, but I'm of the crowd that likes to beat things into creation with my anger. Besides, drinking clouds the brain and that's never a good thing." He took the blade from Thorin and brought him over to an area with special bright green fire. Something about the fire was special, and the reverence that the old man gave it made it apparant that this was why Fae steel was so highly sought. He plunged his whole hand into the fire without flinching. It was mostly cold with a little warmth like a breeze on a spring night.

"This is what gives it the properties. The blood that was given to me...half of it was put in here and the other half in the metal. So long as you didn't hurt the young mistress this blade will still work in your favor." He didn't say how he knew, but then again the whole canopy probably knew with all the noise that had been made in the last day. The light was beginning to dim, the forge fires becoming one of the only sources of light in the canopy.

"The process must be finished tomorrow. The blade will sit in the fire until this time tomorrow. Come to me then and I will show you how to finish it properly." The old master turned and saw all the faces illuminated by the firelight, watching them as they worked. The crowd had grown to at least a dozen faces crowding the open area, which made the man chuckle and make shooing motions with his hands. "Off with you. Go on, there's nothing more to see here." There were murmurs that the Master had seen something in the demon boy and was going to make him the newest apprentice. That wasn't the case though, not yet anyway.

"I am certain that you don't mean me, Master Cadeyrn" Igraine was leaning against the opening farthest from them, just watching quietly.

"You know you're always allowed here, little mistress." Cadeyrn smiled warmly at her. She was like one of his own children. She had spent so much time here with him when she was growing up that he had taken a large part of her education about certain things like forging steel. This young woman meant the world to him in ways that only a very proud father would understand.

"Thank you, Master." Igraine walked over to the man and kissed his cheek. She had grown to call him father when no other man could be bothered to be there for her. "I see you have met my Fiance." Igraine glanced up at Thorin, searching his face, before looking back up at her foster father. "Thank you for accepting him."

Cadeyrn made a gruff noise and wrinkled his brows together but when he looked down at the girl leaning against him his features softened and he rested his chin on the top of her head and hugged her close. "You make me proud, little mistress. He still has some dents that need to be hammered out, but he'll do." Cadeyrn looked at Thorin while he held his foster daughter and nodded at the man.

"He'll do."

[Thorin]

Thorin hadn't been noticing the crowd that had been slowly gathering since he entered the blacksmith. He was shocked to see Igraine amongst the crowd, surprisingly blending in with the people around her. There were mostly men, some mocking the fact that he couldn't keep control, while others watched with a genuine interest. When Cadeyrn spoke, his voice sounded ancient to him. However, it was also a voice without prejudice- he accepted Thorin for who he was, not what he was. He felt at home here and didn't want to leave, when he was given a ultimatum on the sword's progress.

When Thorin tried to argue that he could help the old man, he reluctantly joined Igraine and followed her down the path. He didn't speak at first, to afraid of her silent anger. It was one thing to hear her mother's anger and another to be in her silent rage- it frightened him.

He was surprised to find that she still acknowledged him as her fiance, thinking that that had been broken earlier that day. Thorin had watched the loving exchange between her and Cadeyrn, jealous for a moment, having never had a real father figure in his life.

Thorin awkwardly tried to break the silence by talking about the weapon. He avoided the events earlier, only wanting to move on. He had been given some life lessons from the old man and decided to follow the advice. “The blade may not be as good as Caderyn's, but he taught me well...I think I'll stay here awhile and gain my strength. We can get married here and not worry about your safety.” Thorin said, hoping she would respond back. He had been thinking about a lot lately and he wanted to avoid being like his father- he tried putting her first for once.

He would be perfectly content living here and raising their family in this place. Maybe it was a sickness that foreigner's got when they arrived here, but he never wanted to leave this realm. Thorin felt like he was calmer, even after the previous episode. The moon was out, shining its luminescent hue against her silhouette. She was breathtaking even in the night- he'd never let her go. Even if she refused him, he would probably follow regardless.

“I'm sorry you had to see the real me, but that's what I am.” Thorin said, not making an excuse for his actions, but being blunt about the reality. If she was going to have him, then she needed to understand that she would have to accept that part of him too.

“I think we should have our family here.”

He knew he was probably switching subjects out of nervousness, a quality that Cadeyrn had pointed out during his training. He tended to avoid problems by substituting them with another topic. “When I am King, Caderyn will be made my personal Blacksmith. I wouldn't trust anyone else.” Thorin said, having to get used to the idea, that he would in fact be a King if he married her. He wondered what his father would think of that if he were alive today.

[Igraine]

Igraine was quiet, listening to him with the easy grace of one used to hearing before she spoke. Her hands were clasped behind her back and her body language suggested that she had forgiven him hours ago. She just wanted to hear his voice, listen to him when he wasn't in a blood lust. She had given him her blood because it was necessary and because she loved him, not because she wanted to cause him to lose control. This would be something that had to be understood between them. There were things, such as the birth of their children if they were ever graced with any, that Thorin couldn't be a part of. She hoped he wouldn't be too terribly angry about that when the time came.

"I think that is an acceptable adventure. Cadeyrn can't venture into the world of Man because he would age much quicker there -- but we can venture here as often as you like to visit him. I admit it wears on me to not see him. He was a father to me when my own father knew nothing of my existence. I count myself lucky that my mother neglected to inform him of her situation. You know..." Igraine spoke as she took his hand and pulled him close to her so that she could kiss his lips softly, "My mother stripped me of Vylrath's demon blood when I was in her womb and after I was born. Otherwise I would be part demon like you."

Igraine kept her fingers laced through Thorin's hand and walked slower toward Kahlan's home, her childhood home. They would stay in a small hut of their own between Kahlan and Isabella, but she hadn't told Thorin that yet. She had actually gone and talked to one of the Elders about getting the small house for the duration of their stay and she had agreed enthusiastically that they should move into it and keep it for as long as they desired. She didn't exactly say that no one else wanted to live in that house between two such powerful women, but Igraine knew that was the case. Most women didn't want their men around such extraordinarily beautiful women, but in this realm power was respected and no one felt they deserved such a place of honor.

"I have a surprise for you." Igraine pulled Thorin gently past Kahlan's home and stopped as they rounded the boardwalk to where you could just see Isabella's house and turn and just see Kahlan's. The door they were standing in front of was a bright happy blue and the candles were lit inside. This is what she had been up to while she was away.

"It's ours. I felt that we needed our own space. It's too stressful trying to stay with our mother's when we're our own adults. Besides, they're capable of making tempers flare on a good day, much less under as much stress as we are with everything that we have been through in the past two weeks." Igraine smiled and opened the door to their house. It was modest, nothing like the castle, but Thorin would learn that she wasn't spoiled. Kahlan hadn't given her everything, and she had often worked for her things.

"I like the idea of spending more time here. With our own home we won't impose, and it's not far from Cadeyrn's forge so you can visit often. I would love to have our wedding here. I can visit a seamstress in the morning. Cadeyrn has offered to make our rings, but I think he wants you to be a part of that process. He wants to teach you, I can tell." Igraine smiled and kissed Thorin one more time before removing her shawl and closing the curtains. She wandered quietly along the short hallway to the bedroom. She disappeared inside and began changing her clothes from the dirty ones that she felt she had been in for days, to a nice soft gossamer shift that was just barely thick enough to be decent.

Standing in front of the candle as she was, laying out clothes for Thorin to change into, it was very obvious how thin the shift actually was.

"I found some clothes for you to wear while we're here. The fabric is softer and wonderful quality. I think you'll enjoy wearing them." Igraine spoke louder so that Thorin would hear her from the front room. She settled on the edge of the large plush bed and relaxed. She was tired again from the stress and events of the day, but she was happy once again.

[Thorin]

Thorin didn't care about the house as much as she expressed, but he was appreciative of the thought that went into it. The clothing would take some time to get used to, since most of his outfits had been too ragged, or not made for his body type. Gratefully taking off his shirt, he didn't lock the door this time.

He looked around at their new “home”. It would take some time getting used to that idea, but he could manage. When he saw her change into the thin garment, he wanted her again. When she mentioned forging their wedding bands, Thorin could only agree. He didn't want another man to make them. Thorin had spent enough time to learn the basics of forging. His ego allowed him to think that he was capable of most tasks in the blacksmith. “I won't have him create something so sacred, but he is welcome to create anything else.” Thorin said, running his hands against the curve of her waist.

Igraines ivory thin garment had been enough to entice him. He didn't take the gossamer garment off of her, but let her wear it, while he took full advantage. Roughly entwining their body, he knocked the candle over and extinguished the flame. The wax would still be present, something he slowly poured on her inner thigh. It was enough to make her almost pass out, but he continued their passion.

Objects and neatly laid out clothing, were quickly sprawled around the room- their passion made apparent. Thorin was exhausted, sleeping on the bed. She was laying with him, but he would never notice her in his deep sleep.

[Igraine]

Igraine woke up the next morning draped over Thorin's chest, her wheat gold hair fanned out over his chest and part of his face. She quietly disentangled her body from his and walked naked to their closet. She pulled on a light blue dress and managed to tug the laces of the gown taut without much effort. The dress fell off her shoulders, leaving them bare and enticing for Thorin when he awoke. She sat at her dresser and combed out her hair before braiding it loosely.

Igraine moved through the house like a wraith, quiet as a mouse, and made certain that there was a rare cut of meat on the table for Thorin before wandering out of the house. The morning was brisk and bright. There were unidentifiable birds singing in the canopy high over her head and she was all smiles. Sure, Igraine and Thorin had their problems to work through, but they would manage. Thorin had a lot to learn but she had faith in him. He had the temperament of their father but he had the will to succeed where their father didn't care.

"You're simply glowing this morning, Igraine." She turned and smiled at the sight of Cadeyrn. "I came to see if Thorin was ready to make those rings. We can have them done before the sword is ready this evening if he's not too lazy about it."

"He's still asleep. He wore himself out yesterday between meeting everyone and the bloodlust." She neglected to inform him of the real reason behind it, but he seemed to understand and smiled at her.

"I'm sure you want to get wedding plans in order. Your mother has sent for the best seamstress in the realm -- she should be here within the next two hours. You both slept in this morning, but you both needed it. You run along now, I'll wait for Thorin out here." Cadeyrn sat in a chair in front of their house while Igraine wandered off toward her mother's house.

Cadeyrn pulled out a stick and a dagger of the green steel and began to whittle away contentedly. A feminine figure was beginning to emerge after a short period of time and he began to wonder if Thorin was in the land of the living or not.

[Thorin]

The lust was finally disappearing, but Thorin knew that they would have to break the bond. The bond was beginning to sap his energy and mental stability around her. When she was near, he only wanted her for other intentions and could barely think of other issues. Sitting up, he rubbed at his temple, wondering where Igraine went.

That was when grew frustrated with that single thought alone. He'd love to not think about her and only himself for a moment. Clearing his head, he heard stirring outside the house. Gathering the clothes on the floor, he naturally put on the outfit given to him by Igraine.

When he left the house, he saw that it was Caderyn. He would normally be embarrassed, but he was full of dark moods. Leaning, he saw what the man was making- the silhouette of a woman. Smirking, he wondered if the old man had been reading his mind and seeing his plight.

He didn't have to guess why Caderyn was here to fetch him. “I'm ready to make those rings...where did Igraine go off to?” Thorin looked a the sky, realizing he had slept most of the day off. He would need to talk to Kahlan about breaking the bond. The bond was much more demanding than he had originally thought.