The Hunter's Companions Ch. 15

"No!" Livinia cried as Kalendras was led from the dungeon. "You can't arrest him! He has diplomatic immunity! You can't!" She launched herself forward and crashed into a wall of bodies who all stood their ground, refusing to let her pass. Though they remained between her and Kalendras she could see pity and sympathy in the eyes of the Guardians.

"He forfeited diplomatic immunity when he came back to the city to rescue you," Belcarm's voice came from close behind her, soft and patient. Livinia flinched when his hand rested on her shoulder and she turned quickly, some part of her still unable to believe that it really was him despite the fact that he had more than proven it.

"No! Please! Don't arrest him!" Livinia looked at Aegon over Belcarm's shoulder, her eyes pleading. The Master of Sword frowned deeply, his face full of regret.

"I'm sorry Liv, we had no other choice," he said grimly.

Livinia felt like a caged animal being prepared for the kill. Her heart was racing and her eyes were wild, looking around for an escape, a way to get to Kalendras. She knew he was in trouble and she had to help him. She had to protect him from the bastards in Silvermoon.

"KALENDRAS!" She cried, voice reverberating off the walls as she put all of her energy into throwing herself once more at the wall of flesh and armor. The soldier closest to her grasped her around her upper arms and held her back as gently as she could, but Livinia struggled to free herself from her grip. When Belcarm took her out of the soldier's grasp she fell into his embrace and buried her head into his borrowed armor, sobs wracking her body as reality crashed down around her.

"We'll figure it out," He whispered into her ear reassuringly. "I promise that we'll figure it out."

~*~

When Belcarm had last seen her only hours earlier she had been covered in bloodied welts and bruises and looked as though she had been tortured. It appeared that Rioden had healed her since he last saw her. She walked normally and the robes she was wearing covered the injuries he had seen when her earlier outfit was shredded. He had asked if she needed healing, but she refused and she seemed well enough that he didn't bother arguing. Livinia had been imprisoned in the Warlock's Guild. There was a secret door hidden behind a bookcase in Mitrae Swiftspell's office, behind it was a steep spiraling staircase that descended deep into the bowels of the city. As soon as he had seen the stone descent he knew they were at the right place. That part of his blindfolded journey had been terrifyingly dizzying.

This time, as he ascended the staircase, it was with a subdued sense of triumph. Livinia was pressed against him, tucked safely under his arm, as they made the climb. He could still feel her body convulse every now and again with a suppressed sob and guilt flooded him. He shouldn't have let Kalendras take the blame. He had been the one who had struck the killing blow, by rights he should have been hauled straight back to prison. Though, with Livinia pressed against him so warmly, he couldn't help but feel grateful that the Tauren took his place.

The most uncomfortable part of the climb was trying to negotiate the stairs with the distraction of Livinia in his arms and the horrid erection that was an after effect of his encounter with the Succubus. He had been fine until the moment she fell against him, then he had caught the undertone of her scent and his body had reacted painfully. He felt betrayed by his own body, and the response that was so inappropriate for the situation. It felt nothing short of disrespectful, the guilt making him think once more that he had failed Livinia.

When they finally stepped into the startling dawn light Livinia brought an arm up to cover her eyes and he pulled her into a tight embrace, protecting her from the brightness of the sun-streaked streets.

"It's so damn bright!" She hissed under her breath and he hummed in acknowledgement. She had been locked up for three days with no natural light around her. He could only imagine how sensitive her eyes must be.

Outside of the prestigious Warlock Guild Hall, the members of Liv and Belcarm's guild arrived in a steady stream as they were freed from their defensive posts within the building. Each and every one greeted Livinia with excitement and a sense of achievement, and she responded with clipped words and body language that was screaming to be left alone. Despite their guild mates' enthusiasm the entire rescue felt far too bittersweet to Belcarm. They had rescued Livinia, but they had not saved her from anything. He couldn't even imagine the torture that she had endured while she was held captive. Then there was the fact that Kalendras, who had orchestrated the entire mission, was not there with them. As much as Belcarm had wanted Livinia for himself, he could see how the turn of events pained her. He also had to admit, grudgingly, that he had come to appreciate the massive Druid.

"Sorry for interrupting..." His father's voice cut through the chatter and commanded the attention of everyone gathered around them. "I just wanted to let you know that Kalendras has been taken to the Silvermoon City Jail while awaiting communication from Thunder Bluff. We have done everything we can to ensure that the process is quick and that he will be taken to the Tauren capital as soon as possible. Until then, he has been placed in maximum security and is allowed no unauthorized visitors..." He trailed off when Livinia raised her head to listen.

"Who authorizes these visitors, then?" Livinia asked bitterly, his father winced at her acidic tone.

"Unfortunately it is the Warden that does... and he's already annoyed at us enough for the earlier break out, I wouldn't ask him for favors any time soon." Aegon's voice was soft but it did not to much to soften the blow: , Livinia's tense shoulders fell and she made to turn back to Belcarm, but Aegon cleared his throat. "I'm sorry Livinia, I truly am... But I must say that I'm glad to see you alive and well. Even if Kalendras's trial is beyond our control, between Belcarm and I, we will do everything within our power to keep you safe."

Livinia didn't manage anything other than a curt nod at his comment, but Belcarm could see the fresh tears welling in her eyes at the sentiment.

"Son, I have to go back to the barracks and sort the rest of this mess out. Where are you headed?" Aegon asked, looking at his son. Belcarm looked down at Livinia and shrugged.

"It depends..." Belcarm said slowly, "Liv, do you want to go back to your parent's estate?" Livinia's face turned pale and her nostrils flared angrily. "Perhaps we'll head to Dalaran then," Belcarm ammended quickly before he incurred her wrath.

"Very well. Stay safe. If it is acceptable with Caristra I will come and visit you as soon as I get everything fixed up here."

Belcarm's expression hardened at his father's comment, the paternal nature of it making him feel as though he was a small child again. He quickly brushed aside his annoyance, knowing that his father was within his rights to be concerned about his welfare after such a tumultuous week.

"I will." He replied solemnly before excusing Livinia and himself from the crowd and whisking her towards the portals and away from the city that had burned her.

~*~

It turned out that Caristra hadn't been exaggerating. The first guard that Belcarm had asked gave him the directions to her home with no hesitation. Belcarm expressed his wonder out loud, and was delighted when Livinia snorted with laughter. As soon as he looked down at her, though, her face had returned to its previous hardness and the moment had passed.

The door was answered by a polite and venerable looking Blood Elf wearing the typical housekeeper's garb.

"Miss Sunspeaker? Mr Sharpsword?" The woman asked politely, Belcarm nodded in reply "I am Katrine. My Mistress has told me to expect you... Please, follow me through to your rooms where you can rest for an hour or so before dinner."

Belcarm couldn't help but marvel at the classical opulence of Caristra's Dalaran apartment. Living space in this city was at a premium, and by the time they reached the top floor, Belcarm realised that Caristra owned the entire three story apartment, with roof garden to top it off. The rooms were grand and the corridors sprawling. Every room was decorated with a perfect balance of art and architectural features and it all oozed class. He didn't even want to imagine how much this residence was worth, but he had no doubt that it was more than his father's entire family had made in several generations.

"Mr Sharpsword, your suite is here." Katrine said, pushing the double doors open to reveal a generous living area. "The bedroom is behind that door, and the bathing room is behind that one. If you need anything just pull on that red rope and someone will be up right away."

Belcarm stepped into the room and had to concentrate to stop his jaw from hitting the ground.

"Thankyou." Was all he managed to stutter. His suite alone was larger than his father's entire cabin.

"You are welcome. Miss Sunspeaker, follow me and I'll take you to your room." The statement made Belcarm stop suddenly and turn to the two women.

"She has a separate room?" Belcarm asked, trying to keep the annoyance from his voice.

"The Mistress asked us to prepare this entire floor, all three suites, for you two and Mr. Totemrunner... She'll be home for dinner though, so if there are any problems you are welcome to take them up with her."

"Liv-"

"I'll be fine Belcarm," Livinia said in a tone that was far more confident than she looked.

"Are you sure?" He wasn't convinced.

"I need a chance to clean up... and I need some time to think." She looked as though she was about to say more, but instead she turned and continued down the corridor without waiting for Katrine. Belcarm sighed and then walked over to the room that he had been told was the bathing room. He pushed open the doors and sure enough, the giant tub had been filled to the brim with steaming hot, lavender scented water. He shrugged his shoulders, pretending that the separation didn't bother him as much as it did. He could surely do with a good bath.

~*~

When Livinia finally got out of the bath she had to admit that the soothing warmth of the water did a lot to improve her mood. She didn't even want to think about how bad she had smelled beforehand. It seemed strange to her, but after so long being alone in that dark cell, she found that she needed more time alone to maintain her tenuous grasp on reality.

When Belcarm and Kalendras had burst through that door she hadn't known what to think. She had been totally and completely convinced that Rioden was telling the truth. The pain and passage of time that she had felt due to the potion still lingered with her strongly, and she couldn't ignore that tiny part of her that was morning Rioden's loss. The idea made her feel sick, but the potion was strong and she just could not shake the authenticity of the emotions it inspired in her.

Livinia had to trust that this turn of events was real. After waking so many times only to find that the world wasn't as it seemed, she had a hard time believing that anything was true. This new reality did have some very convincing factors in it. Belcarm and Kalendras had both been able to tell her very personal things that no one else would have known. They looked like themselves, as she expected them to, not as she dreamed of them or with strangely different characteristic. Kalendras's fur was just as she always remembered it, Belcarm was still walking stiffly from his injuries and was almost as dirty and scraggly as she was though still incredibly handsome.

The journey to Dalaran had been akward, there was an uncomfortable silence between them. Livinia wasn't able to break it though, not sure what to say to Belcarm; and she could tell he was having a similar problem. The encounter with the succubus was bad enough, but when she rejected him when he came in to free her it must have added insult to injury. He seemed warm, caring and patient enough, but he hadn't spoken of it and that discouraged her from bringing it up.

Livinia stood gingerly and walked over to the massive armoire in the corner of her room, hidden behind an elaborate screen with jeweled carvings on one side and glossy mirrors on the other. She opened the doors and was amazed to see that some of her clothes had been brought over from her room in Silvermoon. There was a great range of items, from travelling wear to casual and even the beautiful dreamcloth dress that Kalendras had bought for her.

Livinia sighed as she thought of Kalendras. She wasn't sure why he had taken the blame for Belcarm, but he did. Livinia also wondered what Belcarm meant about forfeiting diplomatic immunity. She made a mental note to ask him, wanting to know exactly why her lover had been taken away.

A knock at the door interrupted her thoughts and she reached into the cupboard and grabbed the most comfortable looking items; a pair of soft brown leather pants and a deep green linen tunic.

"Just a minute," She called out, and there was no more knocking. She pulled the pants up and laced them, wincing as the fabric pressed against her womanhood. She tugged the tunic over her head as she made her way to the door. When she opened it she was pulling her semi-dry hair through the neck of her tunic.

"Liv..." Belcarm gave her a small smile as he trailed off.

"Is it dinner time already?" She asked, surprised that she had taken that long to get ready.

"No, I just wanted to come and see how you were..." He said softly, not seeming phased by her indifference "After spending so much time apart from you I just want to make sure that you are really still here."

That made her smile. She stepped back further into her room and held the door open so that he could walk in. She let the door close softly behind them. He had stopped at her dressing table, carefully touching the remnants of the shredded clothes that she had worn and Rioden had hidden under a more complete dress. She walked up until she was two feet behind him and waited for him to say something. She didn't want to interrupt whatever he was thinking, but was also reluctant to start the conversation herself.

"I'm sorry."

Of all the things she had expected to hear from him, that was probably the last. "I'm angry" or "How did this happen?" would have been more appropriate in her mind.

"What- how... sorry?" She struggled to speak coherently just as she struggled to understand what he had said.

"We were too late. I was hoping that we could get to you in time- before they did anything... but Liv, we failed you. I am so sorry." His voice wavered at the end and she felt a rush of emotion.

"You have no reason to be sorry Bel, if anything it is my fault you were dragged into this. I am the one that should be sorry." There, she said it. He turned around quickly and she could see anger in his eyes.

"Don't apologize. Don't you dare say sorry." His voice was passionate and his hand came up to cup her cheek. "You did everything you could have, even when..." His face tinged red and he looked away from her.

"Belcarm I'm sorry about that. I didn't know they would use you against me like that... If I had known I would have-"

"What, Liv? You would have given in to him earlier? You would've done it just to save me?" The words were bitter in the air between then and she was shocked. She had done what she did to help him, to save him from the Succubus, and she had thought that he would have been thankful at the least.

"I thought that-" She begun.

"I was weak, Liv... When you needed me I was so weak. I didn't do anything to help you. I just surrendered like some useless blood worm. I let him use me against you... and you were so strong," Belcarm said, turning to face her the anger tempered by admiration of her.

"Oh Bel! She is a succubus! You had no choice!" Livinia sighed. She had done it to avoid this situation, to stop him from feeling that way.

"Neither did you- but you resisted her! When Rioden came to get me he said 'she may be able to resist, but you won't'... He used me against you and I helped him."

"Don't you dare Belcarm! The only reason I resisted is because I'd submitted before. He was right when he said I begged for him. I did. Semira used me until my need became agony- in the end I begged for him to fuck me." The tears poured down her face and his face turned into a picture of shock.

"Doesn't make me sound strong now, does it? I begged for him! That's why I was able to resist the second time. The only reason I was able to resist... Then he brought you in and I didn't want you to suffer from the same loathing that I feel for myself!" She said.

The next instant she was pulled into a firm embrace, his lips pressing a soft kiss on her forehead as her senses were overwhelmed with the scent of lavender, soap and him. She had to fight a moan of relief at feeling him so securely around her, and managed to retain her balance even though her legs were threatening to give out on her.

"She is a succubus..." He echoed her earlier words, his breath hot against her skin "They are evil and vile and wrong. You didn't deserve that..." He continued to speak, his words blurring in a string of reassuring platitudes as the tears continued to spill.

They were interrupted by a coughing sound and looked over to the open door to see Katrine standing there as though this was an every day occurrence.

"Dinner is served," She announced. At the word dinner Livinia's stomach let out a mighty rumble and reminded her of that she hadn't eaten in three days.

~*~

As soon as her niece walked through the door Caristra engulfed her in a tight embrace. At first the young woman was stiff against her, but a moment later she relaxed in her arms and Caristra could feel her try to calm her rapidly heaving chest.

"I am so glad you are safe," Caristra said, pulling away to look at her at arm's length, she gave her a quick visual assessment and was pleased to see that she still looked physically intact, before she let her go and threw her arms against the shocked son of Aegon Sharpsword. "Belcarm, you did so well," Caristra said after ending the short embrace "Your father told me how you led them to Liv. For that alone you are welcome in my house any time you are in Dalaran."

When she pulled away Belcarm gave her a grateful, if shy, smile.

"Thankyou." His voice was solemn but sincere. Caristra turned her attention back to Livinia.

"Now, I know you didn't want to go home-"

"After everything-" Livinia begun but Caristra held up a hand to stall the rest of the argument.

"But your stupid cow of a mother begged me to send her deepest apologies, and you father sent his love," Caristra finished, Livinia's face paling at the insult to her mother.

"Stupid cow?" She asked, confused.

"You're right. That word isn't strong enough. Your idiotic, selfish, bitch of a mother. Is that more fitting?" Livinia looked horrified for a moment before her face begun to crack and the room was filled with the tinkling of her laughter.

"You forgot capricious and bigoted!" Livinia gasped through her laughter, and that made Caristra smile broadly. If she could laugh after the week she had just experienced, then Caristra knew she would be able to get through it.

"Come, sit, you both must be starving." Caristra gestured to the table piled high with an unreasonable amount of food. Belcarm watched the two women warily as he took his seat, not sure about the strange mood that had taken the room.

After they had all had the chance to enjoy a bowl of soup and some soft bread Caristra decided to speak again.