Page 10 of Blackwood Milk Farm #7

Unexpected Reunion

“You’re not welcomed here,” Asher said with confined sternness.

The day’s light continued to shift to a deepening yellow and pink sky.

The elf kept his gaze on Asher’s heated eyes, and his smile broadened into an amused chuckle.

Elara stared with hard eyes at her former employer, but a twinge of fear crawled along her heart. Nyn reached over and touched her side, reassuring her that everyone was on her side and would defend her without question.

Sontar let his chuckle diminish and he looked at Lord Blackwood with calm eyes.

“Such a typical thing to say in such circumstances. Not even a feigned greeting, to ease any misguided tensions,” Sontar said with a sickeningly regal tone.

“Nothing is misguided between us. You are not welcomed here. Not now. Not ever,” Asher said with a sharp edge.

Sontar continued to stand in the dying light of the day, a small breeze causing locks of hair to waver slightly.

“It took some doing to investigate Elara Moonwhisper’s disappearance. Naturally, the empire takes matters very seriously when one of our own disappears without a trace. I of course volunteered to head the investigation. Lady Moonwhisper is a favored spirit among many from within the academy and the empire.”

Sontar slowly shifted his gaze to Elara and his eyes took on an endearing gleam.

“It is good to see Lady Moonwhisper as well. Farm life appears to agree with her,” the elf’s tone filled with a soothing creepiness.

Asher moved between them, blocking the elf’s view of Elara.

“The empire has no influence here. Your investigation is a sham, and a pitiful one at that.”

The regal elf let out a tut-tut as he looked down.

“Such cold words from the man she loves. I thought we had an agreement? Our Elara would spend some time with you before you wasted away to old age. She then would come back to the empire, and to me.”

Elara couldn’t hold her tongue any longer as she took another step further on the porch, her gaze hot enough to melt metal.

“You said those words but we never agreed to it. You coming here, trying to threaten our life with subversive intent is a mockery of anything I thought you stood for in the past.

“The Sontar I once knew was an elf of honor, high standards, and a good heart. How all were fooled by the thing you are now, desperate, shallow, and sick.”

“There is that fire again. How delicious it burns,” Sontar said like he was enjoying a fine wine.

Asher’s hand tightened around the pommel of his sheathed enchanted dagger.

“Leave,” the single word carrying all of Asher’s protective fire.

Sontar gave the former ranger an impish glance before turning his back to him. The elf stepped away, his voice filling the air like an invisible cloud.

“It didn’t take me long to discover the black books and figure out such a simple code. I was able to chart out many locations to many Wild Gates across Valoria. To keep such a thing a secret was foolhardy and wishful thinking. The Wild Gates will be a wondrous addition to the empire.”

When Sontar was about thirty feet away, he turned around with a knowing smirk, his gaze meeting Asher’s fiery eyes.

“Now that I have entered the Wild Gate, and made my way here, it is very easy for me to teleport here as I wish. I don’t need the gate any longer to see some of my favorite people. Perhaps I will visit the town and buy some property? Mist Valley can be my home away from home. A place I visit when I need to get away.”

Sontar shifted his gaze to Elara.

“I could visit old friends and talk over tea?”

Asher drew his dagger in a blur and held it at his side.

I don’t know if I can take him, but I will ensure he feels every drop of my skill and power.

Sontar’s eyes took on a darker gleam.

“Or I could notify the emperor that there is a disease among our people? One plagued by secret books and carnal acts with the lesser races? With a word, the emperor could order every black book found and burned. He could order the arrest of all those who took part in these perversions and have them imprisoned, or worse?”

“Not if they don’t find your body,” Blyss said with a sinister gleam in her yellow eyes.

Sontar eyed the goblin before he let out a dark chuckle.

“Very true, goblin, very true. But I believe you underestimate my skills and prowess. If I willed it, this property and all within would be turned into a smoking crater,” the last word filled with venomous spite.

From behind a farmhouse, Brynda stepped out with a broadsword in each hand. The giant eyed the elf with a protective fire.

Sontar’s eyes widened a hair before he looked at his nails.

“You have a giant. How quaint.”

It was Asher’s turn to smirk. Giants have a hard resistance to magic, the lord remembering Brynda taking several lightning bolts from the sky before she finally fell. Asher doubted the mage could get off enough spells with Brynda charging at him.

“You’re out of your depth,” Asher said with confidence.

Sontar looked over at the man and gave him a small smile.

“Lord Blackwood, I will continue my investigation of Mist Valley at my leisure. With time, I will finish my report to the emperor.

“If I hadn’t made my intentions clear, you and yours will be seeing me around the valley from time to time. There will be no violence on my part, but our agreement will be finalized whether you agree to it or not.

“Farewell for now.”

Asher and his family watched as the mage whispered an arcane word and vanished.

The lord stared at the spot where Sontar was just standing a moment ago. He had fought rogue mages before and escaped many magical traps across many dungeons, but this was different. The threat lingered like a chill in the night. Sontar made it clear there would be consequences unless some agreement was made. Asher would never agree to anything the mage elf put forth, but when he turned and looked at his family, his heart weakened. When he looked at the small fear in Elara’s eyes, his heart weakened more.

Asher clamped control over his own fear and only focused on his family and their safety.

Asher approached the porch and took a few stairs up. Elara watched him, frozen in place as he approached, lifted his hand, and touched her cheek with the back of his fingers.

Everyone else stepped a little closer, knowing the weight of Sontar’s appearance and what it meant for their family.

“I swear on our bond, he will never take you away from us, from me,” Asher assured the beautiful elf.

Elara’s eyes trembled, feeling his soul connect to hers, but a truth lashed at her reasoning. The elf pulled away, her back now to everyone.

“Sontar is a master mage. He is not only powerful, he is also intelligent and cunning. If he is truly investigating for the emperor, our life here is in jeopardy,” Elara said with fear in her eyes.

Asher walked up to her. His strong arms slipped around to her front. Elara let out a sigh, feeling his strong chest against her back. The lord hugged her close, the side of his face touching the side of her head.

The couple held each other for a time.

Blyss and Nyn herded Amber back into the house. Brynda watched them for a time, before she turned and marched off.

Soon, it was just Asher and Elara in the dimming daylight.

“I’m scared,” Elara confessed with a whisper.

“I know,” Asher said.

Elara grabbed at his hands against her stomach, curling her fingers into his and holding him to her soft belly.

“Our friends? Our family,” the elf began.

“My love, we will persevere,” Asher assured her.

Elara stared at nothing, her heart sinking in her chest.

“This is a threat I hoped would never darken our doorstep.”

“He will never take you away from me, from us,” Asher said with a warm whisper.

Elara shook her head and broke away from his embrace. She walked over to a porch pillar and leaned against it, facing her lover. Contemplation filled her oval eyes as a dark shadow clung to her spirit.

“We have faced so much, and now, for the first time in a long time I’m worried our paradise may shatter to pieces. At such a precarious time where we are considering…” she trailed off.

Asher looked at Elara with adoring eyes.

“There are no considerations. I want us to have a child. I want our family to grow.”

Asher stepped closer to Elara with smoldering eyes. She looked at him with a worried gaze.

The lord of Blackwood gently put his open palm to her belly as he leaned closer.

“No threat will stop our love from entering this world.”

Elara’s worry dimmed. A small smile filled her features. She put her hand over his hand on her stomach and gave it a loving squeeze.

“When did my handsome morsel become a romantic?” Elara asked with a loving whisper.

“When I met a beautiful elf at my doorstep. I remember how we sat and talked. I remember us having wine and some meager pieces of food. But what I remember the most was that I had met the other half of my soul.”

“And I found the other half of my soul,” Elara said with a happy, slow blink.

Asher knew it needed to be said.

“I want us to have a child, to have children. I want to feel our little one kicking in your beautiful belly. I want to change rags and hear little running steps through our home.

“I must admit, I was drunk on our life and love, but now I am sober and I want our love to grow into new souls. I don’t care what it takes. I want you to be the mother of our children. I want us to show the Mother our glory and make her smile upon us,” Asher said with soulful warmth.

“And if I say no,” Elara said with playful eyes.

Asher rubbed his chin as he looked into her gleaming oval eyes.

“I will have to convince you, one way or another? Or perhaps, the rest of our family will convince you with babies falling out of many bellies?” Asher grinned.

Elara let out a laugh as her hand lashed out and grabbed his shirt by the collar. She pulled him close, a seductive smile across her lips.

“You know you just have to push into me and I will moan my approval,” Elara said and licked her lips.

“I like your way better,” Asher grinned before the pair kissed deeply.

When they pulled away a little from each other, Asher noticed the elf’s demeanor wilt.

“Asher,” Elara sighed, unsure how to further express her concerns and worries.

Asher kept his hands on her waist and held her close.

“We will prepare and plan our defenses. But for tonight, let us forget everything and focus on just us and our family,” he said with warm confidence.

Elara looked at the strength in her lover’s eyes and knew they could overcome anything, together.

“We should get inside. The goblins have a celebration planned for our clan. We shouldn’t miss it,” the mature elf said with love in her eyes.