Back From The Brink (Amber)

There was an ominous feel to the guild hall that day, one that could cause people to freeze up with fear. A heavy and dark feeling that seemed to travel throughout the corridors and beyond, affecting everyone who was unfortunate enough to encounter it. There were occasions in the past where this sense of dread had plagued the castle and it always just happened to be whenever a certain member of the guild was in a particularly foul mood. Today was no exception to that and the source of the discomfort was currently standing at the top of the first flight of stairs, purple eyes seeming to be almost vacant, lost in her own miserable thoughts. Anger, sadness, loneliness, such emotions were hardly foreign to the raven haired witch but she had dearly hoped that perhaps the third of those had finally been handled for good. Finally, she had found the one who had made the thought of living an immortal life one of joy rather than heartache. Someone she could spend her entire life with and a woman who she could depend on, without that nagging sense of doubt in the back of her mind that she would be abandoned once again.

How foolish could she have possibly been to believe that? Here she was, alone again, with her heart ripped to shreds. To make the same mistake twice was unforgivable to the dark being and as she violently insulted herself mentally, her hands would tighten around the bannister, resulting in it starting to bend due to her magical power channelling into her hands. A part of her knew that she would only become stronger from the pain but that was of no comfort to her now. She felt like a complete fool, a lovestruck teenager who had fallen head over heels for another beautiful blonde and that was what made it worse. Not only had she fallen for a beautiful blonde but the sister of the woman who had broken her heart the first time. Was she just asking for punishment or was this karma for her own interference in other womens lovelives? Whatever it was, Medeia was beyond furious with the situation and the worst part? She could not get Amber’s face out of her mind and the memories of their short time together were permanently in her mind, driving her mad and starting the cycle of grief all over again. When would it stop?

With a sigh, the raven haired woman would come back to herself and walk down the steps, seemingly half aware and half not. A dangerous state of mind for anyone to be in, let alone someone of her level of strength. Even now, she was visualising the time she had spent with her lost blonde lover, the nights of passion, the adventures they had shared and those tender moments that she craved now more than ever.

Yet, it seemed that her craving would forever be one that would remain unfulfilled. Amber was gone and as Medeia sighed a second time, she knew in her heart of hearts that she would have to move on.

Again.

(523 Words)

At first, there was little in the way of a reaction from the angel, her eyes gazing rather emptily at the woman in her arms. Was this all just another vision? Another trick that her mind was trying to play with her? A look of confusion crossed her face and the normally perfectly controlled woman appeared completely at a loss. She had been in this state for days now and it had been difficult for her to understand much of anything that was going on around her. Nothing mattered beside her broken heart and everything else had faded into the void. Even Armina, her loyal maid and longest supporter had been unable to awaken her from her stupor and had been brought to tears trying. The angel should have felt guilty for it but all there was inside her was melancholy. Medeia did not even remember where this overwhelming anguish had come from. One night she had gone to sleep, as confident as ever and the next morning? This. As though her mind had suddenly decided that morning that Amber no longer wanted her and had left her alone. If she had been in her right mind, she would have realised that it had been exactly the same with Jennifer. So possessive was the witch, especially for those she loved dearly.

Yet, there was something about the arms around her that felt different from the other manifestations. There was a warmth that had not been there previously and her heart was beating in a way that it had not for what felt like years. Her body and soul were telling her one thing and yet her mind and bitterness were telling her something else. The blonde had left her, vanishing from her life and disappearing. This could not possibly be the real Amber? Returning to be with her after some unfortunate mishap? Her thoughts were all over the place, trying to make sense of all the fragments that were floating around the void that was her mind. Her sight started to go in and out of focus briefly as she fought an internal struggle inside her.

Trust your senses and let them guide you.

It was a line that she had uttered herself, advice that she had given both Amber and Kyra in the past and it struck her then like a thunderbolt, seeming to break through the madness inside her head. She blinked hard twice, shaking her head briefly to shake the cobwebs out and turning her gaze towards the woman in her arms, she finally understood. This scent, this voice, this body. These were no mere illusions…they were the real thing.

Amber had returned to her.

Her arms wrapping around her lover, Medeia would embrace her with all the love and adoration that she could express with such a simple action. The anger started to seep away, overtaken by pure and unadulterated joy. There were questions, so many questions that needed to be asked but for the moment, there was something else she wanted more.

Tilting the blonde’s tear streaked face upward slightly, the witch would lean in and kiss Amber deeply, silencing her lover's apologies without uttering a word.

(532 Words)
(1055 Med WC)
(1471 TWC)

It felt like a dam had burst inside her soul and all of her emotions and feelings were just flowing out. She was where she wanted to be, where she had always wanted to be ever since she and Amber had first opened up to each other in her quarters. That was when their connection had been forged and ever since then it had grown every day, becoming stronger and more magical. Yes, it had been strained during the blonde’s absence but as Medeia held her gorgeous lover in her arms, she finally began to realise that all those days of waiting and the pain that she had felt, were simply signs of just how much she adored Amber. All of those days of restless and eventually becoming listless days all felt so much more worth it now. The endless waiting had shown without a shadow of a doubt that she loved the earth mage more than any woman she had ever met and she would never let her go. There would be no more descending into melancholy. No, if Amber went missing again then Medeia would move the Earth itself to find her, no matter how long it took.

She did not want to let her lover go and as the angel deepened the kiss, her arms tightened further still around the blonde, a sign of just how attached she had become. She could feel it in Amber’s muscled arms too and that only caused her purple eyes to shine with joy. There was a time where she would have baulked at being quite so close to anyone but the angel’s time in Earthland had taught her many things, to appreciate aspects of life that she had never thought anything of before. Lust was something that she had appreciated all her life but love? No, that was something that she had only truly appreciated since she had joined Erring Rising and by overcoming her fear of long lasting relationships.

Eventually and with an awful lot of reluctance, the angel would gently pull out of the kiss, her usually pale cheeks having turned rather red due to the love and passion of their liplock. For once, she was rather lost for words and it took her some time to try and put everything into one short, coherent phrase. There was so much that she wanted to say but it just did not come to her and so she kept it simple indeed, her right hand brushing a stray strand of hair out of her lover's beautiful eyes. “I missed you. More than you could ever know.”

It was only then that Medeia took a moment to look over Amber’s clothing and physical state, which brought a concerned look to the angel’s face. “What happened to you?”

(466 Words)
(1521 Med WC)
(2180 TWC)

Holding Amber tenderly, Medeia would listen in silence as the blonde told her story, her left hand gently stroking the hair of her beautiful lover. To hear the tremble in her words, the lack of confidence that was radiating from her and the misery in her body language caused a ripple of anger to stir within the powerful dark mage. Anyone who would put the woman she cared for most through that amount of pain and torture deserved only one fate. As the story continued, the ripple grew more powerful and her embrace tightened slightly, a simple sign of her protectiveness. To discover that it was in fact a group of ex Rune Knights who had captured Amber brought a scowl to the face of the raven haired woman. She was not surprised by the information and her dislike for that particular military force was well known although now that dislike began to deepen, becoming raw hatred. A brief image crossed her mind as Amber described the horrors she had been forced to endure, as if she could see it for herself in her mind's eye, resulting in a deep and angry sigh leaving her.

When Amber asked her how long she had been missing, Medeia’s gaze returned to meet her lovers. She could only tell her the truth and sugarcoating it would do nothing in the long run to soothe the pain that they both so deeply felt. “Months. Five months.” She did her utmost to try to hide the loneliness from her voice but the angel was unsure if she had been successful. “It felt like so much longer but I can only imagine how long it must have felt for you. I am sorry that I could not save you, my love and rescue you from those foul men and women. If I ever meet any of their ilk, they will not be alive for long.” There was no hesitation in her words, every word a promise to her blonde love. “How did you escape? Did you make them pay for the pain that they have caused?”

Softly, Medeia’s hand would move up slightly, before starting to stroke one of Amber’s ears, wanting to do nothing more than to make the situation as comforting as possible for her gorgeous lover. There was a lustful part of her that wanted to move forward but the angel kept that side of her tightly under control. Now was not the time for that. The blonde needed a shoulder and Medeia would provide it for as long as Amber needed it.

(430 Words)
(1951 Med's WC)
(2933 TWC)

The Warlord felt nothing but pride as Amber spoke of her escape, destroying all those around her and freeing herself from her torment. She knew that her blonde lover was not awfully keen on mindless slaughter and Medeia understood the effect that the massacre Amber had caused could have on her mind but surely deep down there must have been satisfaction? In Amber’s position, Medeia would have felt great elation at such a display but the angel knew her lover well enough to know that it might not have been the same for her. It would take time for the beautiful blonde to process the horrible situation that she had found herself in and Medeia would be there for her, every moment of every day, if need be. Nothing meant more to the raven haired woman than Amber’s happiness and well being. The angel wanted nothing more than to have her lover back, the confident and outspoken woman who had clashed with her over beliefs and methods without a trace of fear, the woman who shared all of her devious and pleasurable hobbies, the woman who had repaired the hole that the dark being had been carrying in her heart for so long. Amber had done so much for the witch. What kind of lover would Medeia be if she did not help her now?

Her arms wrapped around the blonde again, holding Amber as she unleashed the pain that she had been so cruelly forced to suffer, her head leaning against the muscled mage’s. Medeia’s exotic dress was completely covered in mud and other unpleasant fluids at this point but she cared not. All that mattered to her was Amber and soon enough, she spoke softly. “It is going to take a long time for you to recover from this, my love. Such horrors are not something that you can just sweep under the rug and forget. I can understand the helplessness that you felt, the fear that you would be trapped with those monsters forever, completely at their mercy. I have been where you are now but I promise you that it will get better from here. You are and always will be safe with me and I will do everything in my power to help you find yourself again. If anyone tries to break the bond between us and take you from me again, I will send them so far down into the pits of hell that even Lucifer himself will not be able to find them.”

Taking a step backwards to give herself a little space, she would then place a hand on each side of Amber’s head, before leaning in and kissing her on the forehead, instantly feeling that spark that was always there when they touched. When she pulled away, there was a gentle smile on her face. “From now on, I want you where I can see you. I want you to move into my quarters permanently and we will take those first few shaky steps together. You will come back stronger from this, I swear.”

(513 Words)
(2464 Med's WC)
(3819 TWC)

Eyes filled with happiness, another smile would cross the features of the angel as her offer was accepted. Honestly, Medeia would not have it any other way. Not now, not with Amber in such desperate need of her support. It was an offer that she had made without thinking, entirely made by emotion instead. Yet, Amber was almost in tears again and even though they were no doubt ones of joy rather than sadness this time, the raven haired woman still could not help but feel a pang inside her. She hated seeing the blonde in tears and Medeia could not help but raise a hand and brush them away from her beautiful lover’s face. The holy being herself was able to keep control, unable or perhaps just unwilling to allow herself to let her shields down in the middle of the guild hall. That, of course, did not mean that she did not feel anything though and a smile was the only real way she could express it.

That being said, she leaned in close and whispered into her lover’s ear. “No more tears today. You hear me? We have both shed enough of those to last a lifetime and we have so much time that we have lost to catch up on. You are going to follow me to my…our quarters and I am going to take care of you. For every moment of pain that they caused, I will counter it with all the love and adoration that I can muster. Anything you want or need, you just tell me and I will be there.” It might have sounded like more of an order than a request but the angel’s tone was so soft and gentle that it was obviously not meant as such.

Leaning away from Amber’s ears, she would then move in to capture her lover's lips once more, unable to stop herself from doing so. Those five months had been such agony for the angel and to finally be together again with the muscular warrior still almost felt like a dream to her. No doubt she would be pinching herself a few times, just to make sure. Yet there was no aggression in either the witch’s kiss or the embrace that followed, keeping the beast of desire that lurked within her firmly under control. It would be kept under lock and key until Amber was ready.

(402 Words)
(2866 Med's WC)
(4413 TWC)

It was becoming more difficult for the normally rather stoic angel to maintain her composure as she watched her lover struggle to stop her tears. Medeia was beginning to be reminded of her own torturous experience, which had begun so long ago that the holy being did not even know when it had been. She had been in the same helpless position as her lover, unable to do anything than fall into the depths of melancholy and misery. The Warlord had been forced to live through that for centuries, unable to die and unable to live, with nothing but darkness and solitude to keep her company. It had been the start of her journey, a journey which had sent her from one side of Earthland to the other, from the peaks of the heavens to the depths of hell. It was the horror that had set her on the path of vengeance and what resulted in the brutal destruction of her own kind. Yes, she knew what it felt to have been truly broken and it was a sensation that she had sworn to never be forced to experience again. She would never be at the mercy of another again, never.

Looking upon her lover, Medeia gently sighed, annoyed somewhat by her own contradictory words. Holding back Amber’s tears would not solve anything and the raven haired woman scolded herself mentally for having stated such a thing. Tears were a part of the healing process and there would no doubt be many more to come. “No, forgive me for asking such a thing from you. If you need to cry, Amber, then do so until you cannot cry any more. Cry, shout, pound something into dust. Do whatever you need to do if it will make you feel better.”

When Amber confessed her love for her, Medeia fell silent for a moment, her hands briefly clenching as she tried to fight off the rising warmth that was flooding her body and face but after that moment of stupidity had passed, she unclenched her hands and smiled. The hell if anyone saw her let her shields down, she was sick of keeping up appearances and putting up a tough front. “I love you too and I always will.” Medeia finally said softly, her eyes briefly becoming watery too as said shields fell away. “Life is just not worth living without you in it, my love.”

(403 Words)
(3270 Med's WC)
(4994 TWC)

There was a point during Amber’s weeping where the holy being had to close her eyes, the blonde haired woman’s misery seeming to flow directly into her. Such pain and torment that Medeia wished that she had never experienced before and now, as she held the broken warrior in her arms, all of that pain came roaring back. Memories of being in complete darkness, blinded, bound, silenced, buried under tonnes of sand, left there for eternity. An endless cycle of hopelessness that she had thought would never stop and had her kind had their way, never would have. It felt just as raw now as it had done then and the words that Medeia uttered then were ones that would never normally have come from her. She despised the men and women that had forced Amber to face that same torment and the mass of hatred that formed in her heart would not diminish for some time. Her lover may have killed those who had imprisoned her but that was not enough for the witch. Anyone associated with them had to be removed. No matter how distant the link. Rooted out and destroyed. Nothing less would satisfy the wrathful angel.

Yet, when her eyes finally opened again, she found Amber sleeping against her, somehow having fallen asleep in her arms. It was the most adorable sight that Medeia had ever seen and despite all of the anger that she felt, a small smile crossed Medeia’s face. The blonde would be alright, with time and the tender loving care that only the witch herself could provide. Vengeance and wrath could wait.

As tenderly as she could, Medeia would gently take Amber into her arms in a bridal carry kind of way and start to make her way back to their quarters. It was going to take a little time for her to get used to calling it that but honestly? Nothing had ever sounded quite so natural to her. She was going to be around Amber so much during her recovery that the blonde would probably be sick of the sight of her by the end but that was unimportant to the dark haired Warlord now. A few members of the guild would give the duo rather unusual looks but Medeia was not in the mood for them and one look from her was enough to have them sweating bullets.

(399 Words)
(3669 Med's WC)
(5569 TWC)

The door to their quarters would soon open and Medeia would enter, looking a little weary but with a smile across her features nonetheless. In her arms would be a tray, littered with various foods and drinks, balancing them perfectly without a chance of anything dropping. Armina had been rather forward that it should have been her to bring it to the beautiful blonde but the angel would have none of it. She had promised to look after her lover and that was precisely what she was going to do. It did feel rather strange, serving someone else instead of being served herself but the raven haired woman shrugged it off.

Her eyes brightened as she saw her love awake at last and the Warlord wasted no time in walking over and gently placing the tray before the beautiful blonde. “Good morning Amber. I trust that you slept well? You were out for the rest of yesterday and until noon today.” The dark mage uttered tiredly, having spent the entire night watching over her love, as well as using her healing magic upon her for the duration. “I did what I could to heal your wounds and you should be feeling a little better physically. It will take time for your stamina to return but hopefully there will not be as much pain.”

Truthfully, Medeia had been rather sickened by the condition that Amber had been left in and while healing the gorgeous blonde, the angel’s anger had only increased towards her deceased captors. The image of her lover crying in her arms would be one that she would not forget for a long, long time and it would be one that would always stir the fire of hatred that lurked within the slayer. It would not happen again, not while there was breath left in Medeia’s body.

(308 Words)
(3977 Med's WC)
(6017 TWC)

When the question about being by Amber’s side the entire night was brought up, Medeia did not say anything for a second, as if she was rather caught off guard. Perhaps she was just not used to having someone ask about her own well being or having her whereabouts questioned. As it was, it had been a sacrifice that the purple eyed woman would make again without any hesitation. What was losing a night's sleep compared to helping her blonde haired lover heal? It was necessary and the raven haired angel knew that she would never have been able to sleep anyway. How could she possibly stay apart from Amber having been separated from her for months? She wanted to spend every moment the world gave her with her golden eyed love. “Do not worry yourself about that, Amber, I am fighting fit. You needed me here and those…people left me with a great deal of work to do. Others offered to heal you but I told them no. When I said I was not letting you out of my sight, I meant it.” Her tone was gentle and genuine.

Briefly turning her gaze to the tray, she would add. “Try and eat something now. It will make you feel better and after all you have been through, you need a good meal now more than ever.” Her purple orbs would return to Amber. She had been chilled to the bone by the poor condition that her earth magic wielding lover had been in the previous night. The previous night had not been easy for Medeia, working constantly on trying to undo the damage with her blood healing spells but she was content with her efforts. It was not something she did too often and especially not for an entire night but now she had all the more reason to practice said skills. She would not be found to be rusty again.

(322 Words)
(4299 Med's WC)
(6586 TWC)

There was something in the tone of Amber’s voice that caused Medeia to stop handing the tray over, or at least for a moment. To hear her blonde lover speak so definitely about the two of them sharing a bed was progress in itself and it gave the purple eyed woman hope that the golden eyed beauty would get over her ordeal in time. Medeia did not doubt her, of course but it was pleasing to hear such certainty in her lover's tone again. Amber had sounded anything but certain the previous day and the raven haired woman had continually seen the tear stained face of Amber appear in her mind's eye while healing her, all night long. The blonde had been in such terrible shape, both physically and mentally, which had struck Medeia to her core.

Before handing the food over, Medeia would briefly place the tray on the bedside cabinet, sit on the side of the bed and capture Amber’s lips with her own. Her desire for her blonde love was stronger now than ever before and if there had ever been any doubt in the raven haired woman’s mind, there certainly was not now. This kiss was a sign of her commitment, her devotion to the well being and safety of the golden eyed woman, as well as the love and passion that Medeia felt whenever she saw Amber’s beautiful face. The angel would protect her lioness for eternity, no matter the cost. Amber was hers and she was Amber’s. It sounded so right in her mind and caused her heart to beat so much faster. “I would have it no other way, my love.” She finally said as she pulled back.

Only then did she hand the tray over, not needing to ask whether Amber was hungry or not as the lionesses stomach answered the question itself. The tray was rather large and Medeia had not wasted an inch of space. A feast fit for a king or queen in this case. Her queen. “Eat as much as you want. There is always more if you want it.”

(352 Words)
(4651 Med WC)
(7154 TWC)

“I am sure that I can find a bowl for you.” Medeia replied in an understanding tone, placing the tray back onto the bedside table and then heading towards the door. With all of the courses that she had already made, a simple bowl of soup was certainly no trouble. She had received quite a few funny looks from the maids while she had been doing so, seemingly amazed that the Warlord herself would bother with such a task but naturally, not one of them had the guts to say anything to her face about it. Her reputation was well known around the castle of course and no doubt Armina had spread a few rumours around too, something that she was well known for.

It was a rather amusing thought and even more so as she opened the door, to find her purple haired maid standing there with a tray, a bowl of soup placed upon it. Medeia’s eyes narrowed with suspicion and she folded her arms across her chest. “You had best explain yourself, my dear, as I told you specifically not to eavesdrop on us.” Her tone was a mixture of anger and amusement, the purple orbs of the witch baring into her fellow angels.

“I was not eavesdropping, Mistress, I was just bringing a bowl of soup for Amber.” The bountiful beauty replied, a sweet smile on her face. “I thought that perhaps the food you had provided might be a little too much for her in her weakened state.”

“Did you now?” The Ace answered, not believing her maid for a moment. “You know what happens when you do not follow my instructions, Armina. How many times are we going to have to go through this?”

“Oh no. Please do not punish me again, Mistress, you know how much I dislike it.” The fact that Armina was grinning from ear to ear said otherwise.

Taking the tray from her aide, Medeia would simply smile softly and utter. “When you have finished with your work, come back here and I will see that you learn your lesson.”

Armina just giggled and curtsied, before turning away and disappearing down the corridor.

Shaking her head in disbelief, Medeia would close the door with her foot, turning as she did so. “I am sorry about Armina.” She would then say to her blonde lover as she approached her. “She is such a dear but the nosiest maid on the planet. No matter how many times I tell her to behave, she never listens.” Upon reaching her love, she would then offer the tray to her. “Here. Try this.”

(438 Words)
(5089 Med WC)
(7741 TWC)