Private What Wonders

[Aelin Erevos]

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Outfit | XoXo
Location | Hardhaven, Islimore
Tag | Gerwald Lechner

The smallest of she-wolves made her way through the halls of Hardhaven after her early morning visit to the Godswood, having woken to pay a traditional sacrifice to the Goddess Cérmæ for blessings on her upcoming travels, Anders trailing a suitcase of her belongs for the journey ahead as they navigated their way to the entrance of their temporary abode of snow. The cool morning air of the mountains hit her square in the face as they exited the warmth of the Kanaka clan home, Aelin's cheeks flushed prettily and her body shivered as small crystals of ice caught in her auburn hair and coal stained lashes. The windows of the sleepy hall had begun to glow as its residents woke, candles and hearth fires lit behind crystalline panes as snow birds and other creature chittered to welcome the morning.

Gerwald Lechner's personal starship was an eyesore against the naturalist backdrop in a landscape that'd forgotten that a developed Galaxy existed beyond its borders.

Looking upon it, a feeling of dread settled as a heavy stone in her stomach.

Aelin feared for her people and her absence from them, enough that it almost made her stay put. Three days into their march North they'd suffered their first casualties. Oldseters, most of them, frozen to the bone and unable to continue on. Two days later they'd lost children. The anguished wails of their mothers continued to echo through her mind day and night, yet there was nothing to be done. Death, followed death, followed death.

When they'd finally arrived at Hardhaven, many had become gaunt and hollow eyed. Several were still recovering and many who had fallen sick would die before the week was over. Several of those who'd originally pledged to follow her had began to mutter and whisper fearfully that she'd brought them all to this frozen hell to die.

'They will feel differently after they've recovered, when their bellies are full and the dead have been buried.' Anders told her, attempting to reassure her fears. It hadn't done much, hence this excursion. Her trip with Gerwald served two purposes - the first being to go forward and bring back resources and medicines that her people so desperately needed. Hardhaven only had so much to go around for the recent influx of unexpected guests. The second reason was to get a final glimpse of the Galaxy before she set to give it all up, before she tied her fate to the fate of another.

Those who excelled at schemes and deceits had already began to push their agendas, willing her into a position that would see her mated to the Alpha of Clan Kanaka. His demeanor was pleasant enough, but he was still by all accounts a perfect stranger, leaving her with some feelings of apprehension.

However, as they'd perfumed her hair in the days before and slipped her into deep maroon gowns to bring out the fire in her eyes, she was reminded that her life was not her own. Alpha's belonged to their people, and her people needed the stability that such a powerful match could ensure. Her own father had forgotten this and they'd all paid dearly for his whimsy.

Aelin knew better. She would make her peace with it. Perhaps in time, she could learn to love him - he had a disposition that could make it easy, and he was handsome, too.

Never mind where her heart might yearn or lust.

"Gerwald?" she called out, quickly unclipping the cloak from her neck where the clasp began to chaff and choke her.

​

 

[Gerwald Lechner]

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WEARING xxx
TAG: Aelin Erevos

Time was an ever moving thing. It never sped up or slowed down, and yet it seemed to fluctuate constantly. The only constant Gerwad seemed to feel in regards to time was that he was always too late. He had been too late for Naedira, too late for Palm, he had been too late for his own kind, and now it seemed he had been too late for Aelin. His pursuit of two things had often blinded him to the reality of life, or the idea that he could move on.

Even with the collapse of the Confederacy the wolf held onto his desire to kill Prazuits for what he had to done to Naedira, and the torture he had suffered at his hands. Gerwald also continued to seek a way to bring the woman he loved back from her own personal hell. Even if she did not recall or remember him, the state of limbo she existed in was not something anyone deserved. He could not move on until he knew she was lost to him entirely, and even then it would be difficult. His loyalties once given were hard to shift.

Perhaps that was why he was taking Aelin off world. Her life path was leading her to a place where she would soon be unable to see the rest of the galaxy. Destiny had set her on a collision course with a life Gerwald would find miserable. The more he thought about her path, and what joining his with hers at any deeper level, the more he understood it would mean abandoning his own quest for revenge. He could not keep making promises which kept him from fulfilling the one he considered to be his first and most important.

He could feel her presence before she called out to him. The weather outside had been cold, and he had not felt welcome to stay with his kind in the main hall where they had taken up their residence. Many of them blamed him even more than Aelin for the plague and death they had all experienced. Maybe they were correct. Had he not sought to reclaim Bloodraven Hall or the secrets which it stood upon, the Fayth would not have attacked so soon. He bore some of the responsibility, but in the end he consoled himself with the fact the Fayth were the Fayth. They would have attacked regardless.

It was who they were.

He sighed as he stretched. The simple armorweave which he wore beneath the armor which once signified him as the Lord Commander of the Knights Obsidian had been the only comfort during his attempt to sleep. The dreams of darkness still haunted him. The beast which threatened to overtake him still pursued him during his slumber. Dark circles were under his eyes bragging of the battle he had fought and lost. Sleep had not come, and the wolf was still tired.

“I am up here.”

His voice was gravely, another indicator of his long night. It had been enough that he rose from the bed of furs and other things which were designed to remind him of Stejon and home. Whether she took his words as an invitation to board the ship or not, the Wolf made his way to the galley. A pot of caf began to brew in short order as Gerwald would not be prepared for whatever conversation they would have without it. The aroma would likely hit Aelin’s nose and be more of an invitation than his gruff morning greeting had been.

She would find him waiting for her, seated at his table. A cup of caf was in his hand with a second mug waiting for her.

“I am not sure how you take it, but you no doubt must be cold,” he said as his eyes fell to the parts of her flesh which were exposed to the natural air. “Women never seem to have the advantage of wearing anything practical regardless of the climate.”
​

 

[Aelin Erevos]

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Outfit | XoXo
Location | Hardhaven, Islimore
Tag | Gerwald Lechner

Aelin couldn't help but sniff at the air as she came onboard, the scent of caff wafting beneath her sensitive nose. The universal elixir held significant meaning even for the secluded young woman, and so it was with a great deal of anticipation that she followed the scent of full-bodied dark roast until she happened upon Gerwald, and a steaming cup poured out for her.

"I haven't had caff in..." since before they came to Islimore, months prior. It was a simple thing, yet tasted like the richest extravagance as she pushed the mug between her parted lips and sipped it. Elegant fingers wrapped tightly around the mug, savoring the warmth that reminded her of the sun and time spent on Bellassa with Børre Drage , Deidric Drage and the rest of their brothers. Aelin gave Gerwald a smile, dabbing the corners of her mouth before shaking her head, "My family lived in a cold mountain village just like this one," it was cold as a grave on her skin, but Aelin didn't seem fussed. How many excruciating winters had she lived and starved through, before Børre finally found her? It was hard to say.

"I was built for the cold, but perhaps you would like to borrow my furs? Would hate for you to lose any fingers or toes..." a sly smile tugged the corner of her lips as her slender fingers trailed to the lacing of the furs adorned about her neck as if she were about to take it off, but stopped just short. Her features lit into a knowing smile, letting him know that she was enjoying a jest at his expense before finally sitting across from him. The smile faded slightly from her lips, truly taking in his haggard appearance. What had he experienced after he'd left them? Had he suffered, as well?

"You mentioned at the funeral that there was something you wanted to discuss?"

​

 

[Gerwald Lechner]

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WEARING xxx
TAG: Aelin Erevos

Aelin teased for a moment, if only Gerwald had been in the frame of mind for this particular jest. As her fingers moved for the ties at her neck and chest the Lechner Alpha looked away. She had to know why. It had not been his intention for any sort of tension between them, but in a moment of weakness for them both it had been created. She had left him in the pool, alone with his thoughts and another sleepless night as he fought hard to keep the Devourer in his mind at bay. Aelin did not know, she could not have, but the wolf was also wise enough to understand she had not left him because she was cruel.

She had felt threatened.

Neither of them had ever spoken any promise of intent or romantic interest to the other. It was why Gerwald had been shocked at how quickly she had abandoned him. It was not a matter to dwell, or would not have been had she not kept her distance since. Even as he searched for her the next morning, she ensured he would not find her. Gerwald had not been to Islimore since then, and he had only returned for the funeral.

“I’m leaving,” he said in answer to her question. “I know you could see the cold reception at the funeral. The others, they blame me for the attack.”

It was not a question, but rather an observation. He knew well enough that his kind had never wanted to listen to the logic of his words. They wanted to kill all humans. It was the cry of most anyway. Gerwald was loathe to participate in any genocide that was based on fear or hatred. Those who called for it did not understand the enemy they faced, nor the prejudice by which they operated. If they did, they would not display the same hatred or prejudice in return.

The Sith were different, so were the Knights Obsidian. There was always a purpose behind every life that was taken. Gerwald did not have the stomach to see his people become the enemy they hated, and so he would not remain to watch it happen. Perhaps Aelin would heed his council, but the wolf had little hope for the rest in that regard.

“Well I mean I won’t be staying when I bring you back.”

For some unknown reason Gerwald had felt the need to clarify.

His lips parted as he lifted the mug to them. The dark, hot liquid washed down his throat as we swallowed. It did nothing to lighten the color of the bags under his eyes. For a moment all Gerwald could hear was the quiet which settled between them. He was uncertain of what she would say, or what Aelin’s reaction would be. Would she feel betrayed, abandoned? Would she even care? After all, she had been the one to leave him in the pool alone. She had been the one who refused to be found.

His eyes moved back to hers now that she was in her seat. He held a stoic and somber look about his features. For whatever this moment was, it was not a happy one. Something slightly awkward was on the air as both had yet to talk about their previous meeting. Had it meant nothing to them? Did they both understand it to be a mistake? He wanted to know, but did not want to ask despite the fact it had been on his mind for quite some time after.
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[Aelin Erevos]

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Outfit | XoXo
Location | Hardhaven, Islimore
Tag | Gerwald Lechner


"And your solution to that blame is to run?" she bit harshly, part anger, part sorrow, part fear. Where others had guffawed and scorned Gerwald's beliefs, Aelin had aptly listened and even valued his council, had hoped to make him part of her personal guard and even been warned against it. He is a risk, they'd said, a wild card. How can I achieve anything without risk? She'd argued back. Only, now... Aelin inhaled sharply through her teeth.

There was never anything formally etched in stone. No promises had been made nor were there any oaths to keep, yet she couldn't help feeling her faith had been misplaced, betrayed - to a certain extent. Perhaps that was truly all she inspired. Not unity, nor hope, but betrayal and abandonment. Dereliction of duty. The corners of her mouth pulled downwards, pulling into a thin line. It was the last bastion between her composure and the tidal wave of emotion that struck her. "Where will you go?" she asked quietly, her eyes vivid with a controlled amber fire as she felt the cords in her throat tighten.

​

 

[Gerwald Lechner]

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WEARING xxx
TAG: Aelin Erevos

Betrayal, was that what she thought it was? Her words had a bite to them which he had not expected. Surely she could see why he could not stay. Her goal was to unite the clans, and that was not going to be possible if he had stayed. Was the attack his fault, not to the degree as the rest who had refused to listen to him. Had the rest taken to his advice sooner the Fayth would have found a formidable opponent, and their surprise attack would not have succeeded.

His eyes settled on hers for a while. They were intense. There was something else. Gerwald watched the way her body moved, how her throat contracted as she tried to contain the emotion his words had elicited. It almost drew a smile from him, if it were not for the fact he knew it would have only made matters worse.

“You know that after the attack my presence weakens your position. I cannot help you from here.”

It was not an answer to her question. Maybe he would tell her later that he intended to join the Sith. There was enough of what they were whispered in the galaxy that it would also not settle well with the she-wolf. Gerwald slowly sipped his caf as he let his statement settle on the woman’s mind. She would eventually realize he was right and accept that her claim died if he remained.

“There are some of the Confederacy which have resurfaced, one in particular who has my loyalty. She saved my life.”

It was a way to answer without giving her details.

“Besides, you’ve made it clear that my presence bothers you.”

He motioned to her eyes, the tightness in her throat. Invading her mind with the thoughts of their last encounter in the cave, the way her heart beat inside her chest as though it would explode. Then she was gone, suddenly. He pressed his own feelings into her mind, letting the words he said that night echo in her mind. She had not heard them. Aelin was too far gone by the time they had left his lips. She needed to know. Gerwald refused to leave without dealing with it. He wanted her to know the truth.

<<"I wasn't trying to…">>

His blue eyes bore into the fire of hers.

“I was not trying to dishonor you.”
​

 

[Aelin Erevos]

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Outfit | XoXo
Location | Hardhaven, Islimore
Tag | Gerwald Lechner

“You know that after the attack my presence weakens your position. I cannot help you from here.”

Your absence weakens my position. She’d wanted to contend, but kept the words from slipping past her lips. Aelin knew what he spoke and hated the truth of it. There was too much at stake for her to argue otherwise, greater things at work.

“There are some of the Confederacy which have resurfaced, one in particular who has my loyalty. She saved my life.”

“I see…” she inhaled, holding his gaze briefly. “I hope you find your purpose and place among them, the place that you feel you have not been able to find with us.” There was no malice behind her tone, she meant her words with the utmost sincerity, despite the pain it brought her.

“Besides, you’ve made it clear that my presence bothers you.”

At this, Aelin’s spine stiffened and her brows furrowed in question.

His blue eyes bore into the fire of hers.

“I was not trying to dishonor you.”

The she-wolfs demeanor shifted in all but an instant, snapping to full attention.

“I won’t deny that I avoided you, perhaps even hastily judged you, but if by saying this you are expecting some admittance of penance for my actions towards you that night, then you are woefully mistaken.” it was as much of an acknowledgment as she was willing to give, but it was clear from her expression that her own words pained her. “You know now the blood I carry, its uncompromised value and what that means.” What she could buy because of the ancient history in her veins and the peace she could offer others because of her unbesmirched lineage.

You are an idea, more than you are a being. Dorian’s words echoed.

The girl in her had not wanted to leave Gerwald. Neither did she want to turn away from Børre. Long had her addled desires burned in her, but the Anasira had always understood that she did not belong to herself. Her trade was in her blood, in politics, and war. Not love, nor feverish wants. “My intention was never to hurt you that night, but that particular cost I can't afford."

Silence filled the space between them for some time, until finally, Aelin pushed from the table, leaving the rest of her caff that had long since cooled, untouched. “We should get going.”

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[Gerwald Lechner]

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WEARING xxx
TAG: Aelin Erevos

Now she was speaking like them. Gerwald could not help but notice the Aelin which had been with him when he discovered Bloodraven Hall, and the Aelin before him now, were two very different people. She was changing, and not for the better. There was a cold and emotionless response to her words. They may have been sincere, but whatever her feelings on the matter, she hid them. Further proof that she was not the same Aelin he had met near a year ago.

"And what has been offered to me that I did not have elsewhere?"

It was an intentional question, one that did not need an audible answer. She knew nothing had been given to him that he had not gotten elsewhere. Sure, he found his ancestral home, but it was just a building built on top of secrets which he had recovered. That was the other reason he could not stay. There were secrets that would destroy them all, secrets that would make them all question the fables of their ways. Had Aelin been in his position she would be doing the same.

At least she would not deny fault in her actions previously. They had communicated clearly that she was still far too immature in her leadership. Gerwald understood how compromised their situation had been. He even understood why she left. Where he had difficulty understanding was why she never sought to clear up the matter between them.

Still, there was nothing more that needed to be said on the subject. The wolf simply nodded as she stood from the table.

He remained quiet as he cleared the mugs, careful to pour the remaining contents of the cups down the sink. If they were going to leave Islimore before anyone could change their mind now was the time to do it. Gerwald would remain silent until the ship had cleared the atmosphere and surrounded by the black of the starry void of space.

Perhaps he had chosen to ignore the pain in the expression which Aelin wore on her face, but it was only because Gerwald knew he needed to choose his words carefully. Simply because she decided their conversation was over did not mean it was. The time in the cockpit had allowed him to think about his response, as well as his own feelings on the matter. Leaving was not any more difficult than staying. He was ambivalent to either option, something which surprised him.

"Your blood does not carry an uncompromised value," he said when Aelin finally entered the cockpit. "The Aelin I met a year ago would have never taken such an arrogant position. The Aelin who walked the halls of Bloodraven would not have either."

There was more to say on the matter, and much to be discussed. Gerwald could not openly advise Aelin with others whispering in her ear, nor would she hear what he had to say as long as Islimore was all she could see.

Gerwald punched in the coordinates for Thyferra before sending the ship into light speed. For now he offered no other explanation for what he said. She did not know what their ancestors had known, nor why her clan and the Lechner's had once disagreed so sharply. To lead her people effectively she needed to know the truth, but that was for another time.

"I still have friends on Thyferra. Your body has sustained a lot of trauma and needs to heal. Between our ability to shift and the wonders of the bacta springs the planet offers, it should even diminish that scar."

He shrugged.

"I am not fully sure."
​

 

[Aelin Erevos]

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Outfit | XoXo
Location | Gerwalds Ship
Tag | Gerwald Lechner

“Arrogant?” she laid her hand over her eyes in exasperation, giving a one-note laugh. “No, it’s practicality. It’s learning to see past my own nose, something you could learn to do. You sit and pass these judgments, speak of loyalty, call yourself Alpha… but where is your pack, Gerwald? Scattered to the wind, while you only seek to further your own vainglorious self interests and whimper back to masters who’ve long abandoned you, like some whipped pup.”

From where she sat in the copilots seat—jaw firmly set and chin lifted proudly—her eyes raged like a blazing wildfire. It was a look designed to strike fear into the sturdiest of men’s hearts.

“Earlier you asked what has been offered to you that you did not already have. Did I not offer you a place at my table? Did I not fight by your side and promise to help you reclaim your birthright? Take your side when no one else would? I have been there when you needed me, but where were you when I was carved up like a lesser beast? I offered you a pack and somewhere to belong.”

She had been content to let it lie, to swallow her vast disappointment and let him find his own happiness… until he’d pressed the issue, effectively releasing the pressure valve that she tried so hard to keep tightly sealed off.

“The Aelin you knew died in the halls of Hljóðleva.”

Another beat of silence before Gerwald spoke again. Her hand instinctively hovered over the grotesque scar, then fell away. “All I need is bacta for the wolves who are sick and injured.” she hated that Alasdair had left his mark on her, the feelings it evoked when she looked at it… but a cosmetic fix was the last thing she was worried about.

​

 

[Gerwald Lechner]

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WEARING xxx
TAG: Aelin Erevos

“Srina Talon did not abandon me,” Gerwald bit back instinctively. “But you did. You left me in that pool when I was lonely and vulnerable. I told about the ring, what duty I was bound to and why. The others were never given this information. They can say all they want about how I abandoned them at their greatest need, but you know better.”

“You.”

“Know.”

Better.”

Gerwald was silent for the briefest of moments, but not long enough for Aelin to interject.

“You say you have learned to see past your own nose, but I dare you to prove it. Every decision you have made has been to secure the title of Anasi. You withheld your bloodline out of fear of what it might do, and you were so consumed by some imaginary notion of virtue and chastity that you abandoned the only person who has been completely honest with you, and has never once hinted at an ulterior agenda.”

“Your answer is to remind me that you offered me a seat at your table, a clan, a place to belong. These are things that have been offered to me over and over. Or are you so ignorant that you think you are the first to try and tempt with such things. Freya, Katrine, Scherezade, the Confederacy, all of them made the same offers in their own right.”

It was rare Gerwald allowed himself to feel so impassioned about something. A deep darkness overshadowed him as he pressed further with his words. Anger and frustration clouded his eyes, and the bright blue hue Aelin had only ever known was tainted. Yellow, bright and dull at once, outlined by a bloodshot red, flashed as the fire within him drank deep of the dark side. This was a wolf Aelin had not known. The fierce predator and warrior she knew was a tame pup compared to the beast which the darkness had created.

“You speak to me as though I am lost. I am not the others Freya drew in. I already had purpose, duty, people to call my own. Freya called me away from them because our kind needed my help, and from the moment I met the rest everything I had to offer was spat upon. You were the only one who refused to posture, the only one who would listen, until you did not.”

He closed his eyes, gaining control of himself. Hands gripped the control yoke of the ship tightly, nearly leaving grooves where his hands had been. When Gerwald opened his eyes they were blue once more. The wolf’s breathing had calmed, and Gerwald set his hands in his lap after turning on the autopilot.

“You need bacta for yourself as well. Thyferra has plenty. Daegon and his wife Seraphina are old allies. They have already agreed to provide everything you need. But perhaps you have been too busy with your schemes to think that when I am gone I am not working to serve the best interest of my kind.”

Gerwald let the words settle for a moment. He debated whether to speak his mind further, and since he was convinced his words could not cause any more damage than they already had, he spoke. Regardless of what Aelin would think, this was his truth.

“It is a good thing I am not remaining when I take you back. The Aelin that died at Hljóðleva was the only Aelin fit to lead our people. If she truly is dead then the cause is already lost.”
​

 

[Aelin Erevos]

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Outfit | XoXo
Location |
Tag | Gerwald Lechner

That had been the end of the conversation.

The end of her patience, and apparently, the end of his.

She had thrown sharp words at him, he had bitten back.

Aelin bolted upright from where she sat, proceeding to slink off into the shadows of her private bunk where she decided to stay for the remainder of their trip.

There was nothing more to say. Nothing more that she wanted to say, at any rate.

Let him believe about me what he wants, she thought stubbornly, hotly. Let him hate me, if he wants.

She was weary of hearing him and every other wolf explain to her who she was or who she ought to be, claiming to understand the full breadth of her actions while telling her in the same breath of why they and they alone were the only ones trustworthy in her life. Why she should listen to them.

A long breath squeezed from her lungs as her body settled into the solitude of her quarters, her eyes closing.

The moment her thick lashes kissed the tops of her cheeks, the feeling of a warm wet heat poured down them, coupled with the taste of salt on her lips. A concoction born from both her frustrations and the sting of various injuries that were still in repair, wracking her body. Gerwald had been right about at least one observation - it hadn't been long enough since the events of Hljóðleva for her to have made a full recovery, but in the presence of her brethren she'd learned to school her features into a mask of neutrality. In a culture where everything was measured by the strength of ones body and spirit, Aelin knew she had to be more than even that. Even around Gerwald.

Her arms scooped up her pillows to bury her face deeply into them, seeking to drown out the swirling thoughts and burning pain that plagued her, until eventually, exhaustion prevailed, taking her swiftly and merciful into oblivion. It was the first time in weeks that she'd slept so soundly.

-------------------------------------------​

Tucked away in the shadows, she didn't stir until the strident wail of proximity alarms started going off. Fiery eyes flashed open, combing her fingers through her bed-tussled hair as she slowly moved to her feet, padding her way to the cockpit to strap herself in for the landing sequence.

There was no greeting passed between them, no acknowledgement beyond a brief glance that was immediately redirected to the viewport. Whether that was born out of stubbornness, indignation, or remorse, Aelin couldn't fully say.

As their ship broke atmosphere, careening through the thick puff of white clouds, Aelin felt her breath catch in her throat, watching as the world of Thyferra burst to life in all its natural majesty before them. A sharp intake of breath was drawn in through her lungs as she sat as far forward in her seat as she could manage, finding herself so close to the viewport that her button nose almost pressed against the glass.

It was the most beautiful place she'd ever seen.

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[Gerwald Lechner]

​

WEARING xxx
TAG: Aelin Erevos

That seemed to be the end of the conversation for now. Neither one of them wanted to spiral around whatever it was that was going. Gerwald just knew from experience that these types of conversations tended to go around in circles without resolving anything. Had Gerwald’s words been hurtful. Maybe. He intended for them to be. Aelin was one of only three among their kind to know the truth about Gerwald and the Lechner clan, at least what he knew for certain. What was more, she knew more about him than any of the other wolves. The judgements she made were unfounded and she knew it.

Her lack of ignorance was what made Gerwald upset.

She was too busy posturing. Aelin did not need to do that around Gerwald. Around the others it was a must, a demand. Even Gerwald felt the need to posture around them all. It drove him insane that she felt the need to do so around him. Her assumptions were based in falsehoods and a perspective that did not allow anyone close. It was clear that even though she knew what she wanted, Aelin did not know who she was.

Gerwald put the ship on autopilot and found himself in the makeshift gym he had built for himself. A good workout was what he needed to get rid of the anxious thoughts in his mind. It was the one thing he could throw himself into without feeling as though he was cooped up or hiding.

Proximity alarms interrupted his exercise. Gerwald grabbed a towel and wiped the sweat from his brow and arms as he rushed to the cockpit. Aelin strapped herself in and Gerwald followed suit. The descent was beautiful, and the wolf grinned as he watched Aelin inch forward and forward until she was just about falling out of her seat.

“Beautiful, isn’t it?”

It seemed Gerwald would be the first to break the ice between them. He intentionally avoided the previous conversation, even though he had a feeling it was not over. For now he could push it aside, but at some point he was leaving, and both of them were going to have to resolve it.

The ship touched down on a private and secluded piece of property. A rustic home was all that was visible as far as the eye could see.

“Daegon ensured we would not be seen. We are free to shift, run, hunt, and inside the home is a natural pool of bacta.”

Once the engines were cut off, Gerwald retrieved the luggage and carried it to the home. He set it all in an open place for them to take it to whichever room they wanted later. For now, Gerwald walked toward a window and simply looked out over the mountains and forest around them.
​

 

[Aelin Erevos]

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Outfit | XoXo
Location |
Tag | Gerwald Lechner

Aelin had a small suspicion that Gerwald had planned this out as part of a dare to pull her from the fortress she'd been building for herself, to let those walls of steel she'd been meticulously fortifying, fall. Let her howls be heard from behind the shadows. Staying with Daegon and his wife would have demanded adding another layer to that careful veneer, a production that was too exhausting to sustain for extended periods of time without her cracking.

The she-wolf was grateful for this small act, but upon remembering his words from their bitter argument earlier, swallowed any word of thanks that she might have otherwise paid him and ignored the olive branch he was extending to her, finding that she still burned hot from the exchange. But it was not all anger; Aelin had come to realize in her solitude. In fact, much of it was sorrow.

"Just so." she agreed, rising from her seat and readying to leave the ship, "Better that we have time to compose ourselves tonight, so we might be ready to meet their envoy in the morning and discuss terms." She barely felt her own body move as she began walking towards the boarding ramp, keeping her pace measured in a way that'd put a physical distance between the two of them.

While Gerwald made his way into the home, Aelin waited and then turned in another direction, unknowing if he'd realize that she'd left.

One sleeve of her dress slipped off, then the other, leaving behind a crumpled pool of fabric around her ankles. A swath of olive skin and an hour-glass of petite curves were only visible for a moment, her body shifting into that of a svelte wolf.

Where the woman was rife with hesitations and doubts, the wolf was free. A shiver of elation started in her paws and raced up her legs, daring her to run across the grassy earth and claim this new world that was hers for the night, but that tiny part in the back of her brain that was not given to such undomesticated urges, nipped at that whim. Until she found the bacta spring and healed, she could not explore the intricacies of the forest that sprawled in front of them.

She could feel the resistance of her own nature buck against her resolve as she lowered her snout to the ground, sniffing until she picked up that distinctively tangy-scent of bacta, taking off from the edge of the ramp and into the mildly warm evening.

The atmosphere of Thyferra was quiet, with only the full moon and stars to keep her company. There was an electricity that clung to the air here, an almost ethereal glow to the few clouds that peppered the sky overhead, and a palpable intensity about the land itself that filled her with a heady pleasure that jolted her onwards to a sheltered valley. Her velvety nose lifted to confirm what she already knew, the promised springs lay just ahead, secluded and untraveled from what she could smell.

Silver-gold light emanated from the bubbling waters that served as a natural lantern, guiding Aelin through the leafy corridors. A layer of milky froth covered the steaming lake as she approached, and a gentle waterfall trickled down into it from a crevice in the boulders that tapered down. She'd never seen anything remotely comparable on Seoul 5, nor Islimore.

Padding over to the rocks, Aelin pressed her head against them while letting her claws scrape along the stone. The wildness in her veins craved more roaming, the wolf unwilling to relinquish their freedom, but after some coaxing and settling, the animal gave way to the human within.

A long moment passed.

One forepaw stepped into the frothy water, and then the other, until all four legs were shoulder-deep, and the whole wolf disappeared snout-to-tail under the stratum of bubbling waves. When Aelin emerged, it was not a brindle head with pointed ears that broke the surface, but rather a crown of auburn hair.

There was no more need to hide from the world and shield herself from the crushing pressures of her tethered position, no more need to pretend that her body didn't ache from unseen bruises and broken blood vessels, to pretend that it didn't feel like a fleet of burning arrows were buried in her flesh.

Alone, there was nothing left to hide from.

It felt strange, yet comforting, to know that she could remain hidden away for hours, if she wished. An odd sense of calm washed over her as she relaxed into the waters, one that she hadn't experienced since she'd first ran with Borre through the golden meadows on Bellassa, shedding bits of clarity over what it was that she was feeling in that moment.

It was the sensation of peace.

​

 

[Gerwald Lechner]

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WEARING xxx
TAG: Aelin Erevos

The wolf nodded. His eyes dare not look to Aelin as the tone of her voice seemed to indicate she was still bothered by their previous conversation. Perhaps it was what they needed, both of them, to get the things they had been harboring in hidden places out in the open. Still, Gerwald felt there was something which had been left unresolved between them. Had his critique of her been harsh, perhaps, but she had begun to play games thinking it was the way to win wars. If that was her response to one loss, what would it look like if her scheming only led to another.

He went toward the cottage, and Aelin went another direction.

A smirk pulled at his lips.

“So the she-wolf wants to run.”

Maybe there was something of the Aelin he knew resting beneath the pain and hurt she was carrying. There was a strength and beauty beneath the scars she bore, that was much more sensible and understanding than whoever it was that decided to go to Thyferra. A run would do her good.

Gerwald let her run ahead. By the time he stepped outside, the only sign she had been with him was a pile of the clothing she had worn. He did not need to get her scent. The wolf knew it. His own clothes were discard, and as he ran toward the direction she had been his own shift took place. Joints popped and cracked as his body changed. It was never a pain free process, but with time Gerwald had grown accustomed to it.

It seemed their roles would be reversed this time. The irony of how much of this felt almost similar to the last time the pair spent under the moon was not lost on the warrior. Even as he run, it was with a purpose and intention to remain far enough behind. No doubt she already knew he had found her, or perhaps she was far enough ahead that she would not pick up his scent as the wolf remained downwind. Regardless, Gerwald found a fair amount of foliage to hide in, and waited.

He watched as she changed. It seemed she had been looking at the pool for some time before deciding to enter it, just long enough for Gerwald to arrive. If the wolf could have smiled he would have. The bacta was what she needed, and even if it had not been as he arranged, it was still a private sanctuary, and Aelin was still getting the healing she needed.

She was not good to her people if she remained damaged or in pain. Her healing was as much necessary for them as it was for her. He was glad she had at least listened to some of his advice. Gerwald was tempted to move out into the open. Aelin had to have known by now he was there. The moon called to him, as did the thought of the rejuvenating spring. Its healing properties were not just something Aelin needed. Gerwald still carried scars and brokenness of his own.

Perhaps it was time for boldness.

The sound of his change echoed in the night sky. If Aelin had not known Gerwald was there, she did now. There would be no hiding the familiar sound from keen ears. He stepped out from where he had been hiding, and without any words he stepped into the pool and submerged himself for a moment. When he came up from the water, his blue eyes found Aelin’s.

“It would seem I allowed my feelings to get the better of me earlier,” he said. “They forget their proper place whenever I am around you.”
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