The dark forest

[Red Gypsy]

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Layla sat up with a sleepy frown and tried to run her hand through her hair, only to find it bound to his and blinked her eyes open more as she tried to focus on the cord binding them together. When she realized what had happened, that the goddess had actually handfasted them herself, she gave a soft gasp and looked up at Borias with wide eyes.

Then she noticed that he was looking elsewhere and followed his gaze to the other things that had been left for them. She'd never seen such gifts in her life, had never received a gift at all, to be honest, except from the centaurs and those had been more along the lines of foods, a place to stay, the wood for her bow, and an endless supply of arrows whenever she'd needed them.

This was so much more and she was rendered speechless at first. Then her golden eyes fell on the gown and she felt tears welling in her eyes, "No one has ever given me such gifts before... I don't... I..." she fell into silence again as she held his tightly, not bothering to remove the cord or try to get away from him.  

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Borias squeezed her hand.
"Just accept them Layla....I know it is a first for you, but she gave them to you as she wanted to."
He raised her hand to his hips and kissed it.
"She even hand fasted us herself....just give her a prayer of thanks."

He smiled as she eyed the gown.
"When you are able to.....I know you will look stunning in that dress."  

[Red Gypsy]

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As he kissed her hand then spoke of the gown, she raised her eyes to look into his and said what she wanted, "I don't want to wait... I know we've been handfasted by her already... But I want us to be joined by my father as well... No more waiting to live my life... When Zuko returns, we will kill him, but no more waiting," she said softly.

She knew that if they waited for Zuko to die first, they would probably be waiting for a long time. She didn't want to live by fear anymore. She wanted to live by hope and love instead and hoped that he wouldn't refuse her.

She moved up on her knees in front of him, straddling him with their bound hands between them as she pressed his hand over her heart, "I want my life with you, Borias. I want to wear that gown for you today. I want you to take it off of me tonight after we celebrate with my family. I want to see my father accept you as his son and give us his blessing. Please, Borias..." she told him in a soft but insistent whisper, her golden eyes begging him not to say no.  

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Borias was surprised at this development, but he gave her a huge grin and he placed his hand over hers as she held it on his chest over his heart. If she was paying attention, she would notice his heart skipped a few beats and was increasing in tempo as he was excited.

"I.....I say yes! Let us go home and meet with your family and let them know the good news. I will talk with your father and we can celebrate long into the night."

Borias kissed her firmly and hungrily a bit before he pulled back and waggled his eye brows at her.

"I look forward to tonight...sliding that dress off you.....taking you repeatedly....making you my mate and showing you the love and affection you have always deserved."  

[Red Gypsy]

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She threw he head back and laughed in delight, her own heart skipping a bit then beating hard as she looked at him again, "I look forward to that as well, Borias..." she told him softly then gave him a hungry kiss of her own and grinned, "But if we don't get going now, we'll get distracted and never get there," she added in a laughing tone before getting to her feet and reaching for her clothes before she realized that things had gotten a bit complicated.

The cord that bound their hands refused to come loose. Apparently it was going to stay right where it was until they had a witness to what the goddess had done. Which meant that he was going to have to help her get dressed and they were going to have to work together to get everything they'd been given back to the village.

But she couldn't seem to be upset over it, instead finding herself actually giving a soft giggle over it, giddy with all that happened and the fact that they were not only handfasted but to be mated as well.  

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The two had figured out how to get her dressed and Borias cheated by switching back to his horse form, when nearby there was dark pull of magic and Ravor, Esabel, and a groaning Zuko appeared.

Borias pulled Layla to him and looked at the three but didn't get to ask who they were as the tall male came forward and dumped a nearly dead Zuko at their feet.
Borias looked to the man and frowned, but Ravor held up a hand.

"Consider this a gift."

He saw traces of his sister around and noticed they were favored by her.
He looked at them both and grinned.

"A gift for the newly mated ones...do as you wish with him. He is trash and no longer under my protection."

Then as quick as they came, Ravor wrapped Esabel and himself up in magic and was gone.

Borias glared down at Zuko who was laughing.  

[Red Gypsy]

Hot Champion_of_justice

The two had figured out how to get her dressed and Borias cheated by switching back to his horse form, when nearby there was dark pull of magic and Ravor, Esabel, and a groaning Zuko appeared.

Borias pulled Layla to him and looked at the three but didn't get to ask who they were as the tall male came forward and dumped a nearly dead Zuko at their feet.
Borias looked to the man and frowned, but Ravor held up a hand.

"Consider this a gift."

He saw traces of his sister around and noticed they were favored by her.
He looked at them both and grinned.

"A gift for the newly mated ones...do as you wish with him. He is trash and no longer under my protection."

Then as quick as they came, Ravor wrapped Esabel and himself up in magic and was gone.

Borias glared down at Zuko who was laughing.

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Esabel hadn't liked the fact that Zuko had enjoyed what was done to him, not one bit. But she knew there was little she could do about it. So when Ravor called her to his side, she went with a qualm, her bare feet barely making a sound over the stone floor. She wrapped one arm around his waist and tucked herself under his arm, ignoring the whimpering Zuko as he was held under Ravor's other arm.

"One more trip, then a bath. That's good cause Esabel is really starting to itch, Rav..." she said with a soft whimper. She didn't care that she wore nothing but the drying blood over her, she really only cared about seeing the people's faces when they dropped Zuko off and she finally could get a bath...

As they were teleported, she frowned at the forest a moment then gave a grin, "I like this forest better than the other one..." she told him, her soft voice filled with a bit of awe as she looked wide-eyed at everything around her, barely noticing it when Ravor delivered Zuko to the couple then pulled her closer to him and teleported them away again.

Layla gave a harsh hiss as Zuko laughed, moving swiftly with Borias to tie the b*****d up despite his injuries. She also gagged him for good measure. That done she looked up at Borias.

"As much as I'd love to kill him here and now, we should take him to the village. He's hurt them as well," she said to him, knowing that he was going to have to carry the burden. But at least she'd be able to walk beside him and help with the test of the stuff...  

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Borias gave a disgusted snort as he was ready to stomp him to death.
"I will carry him....leave him there. I will help you bundle our things together."

Borias 'accidently' clipped him with a hoof as he lead Layla over to their things and the two worked quickly to bundle the items so she could carry some of it.

When everything was ready, Borias had zuko draped over his back. He felt gross but lead Layla back to her fathers village.  

[Red Gypsy]

Hot Champion_of_justice

When they arrived, they caused quite a stir as they approached her father's home. Zeena came out to help get their new things inside as her father came out to raise Zuko's head by his hair to look at his face briefly. He simply ordered two of their guards to secure him to a post in the center of the village.

Then he focused on them, grinning broadly when he saw their hands bound, able to recognize the goddess' 'signature' all over it, "I take it that we're planning a celebration? We'd better be..." he finished with a glare at Borias, fully intending for the male to do right by his adopted daughter.

Layla spoke up, though, "Of course we are. Zuko was apparently our wedding gift from the one tho took him in the first place. I knew he'd hurt the village as well, so his final fate should be the decision for all to make," she said softly, drawing another grin from the older centaur.

He immediately called for the preparations to be made and simply slipped the cord from their hands, allowing her to be drawn away by the females to prepare her for the ceremony as her father lead Borias to a place to clean up and get ready as well, "We will decide Zuko's fate before the ceremony begins. He will be under full guard until after the ceremony. I want him to see her getting bound to someone who actually loves her..." he told him simply then left him to clean up.  

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Borias chuckled as her father gave him a look that said 'death' to him if he didn't do right by his adopted daughter. As Zuko was being tied to a post in the center of the village, Borias followed his soon to be father in law to go and get washed.

"Before anything else happens..."

Borias formally asked the man for Layla and got the man to swell up in pride. No one had given a hoot about old tradition, but at least his son in law had some brains. He gave permission before he left Borias to clean up.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Awhile later, Borias was cleaned and he had found a necklace at the blacksmiths to present Layla with. Borias looked handsome in the ceremonial coat he had been lent and he went outside to stand with his father in law to wait for Layla.

Zuko had no clue what was going on until he saw Borias in a familiar coat.
"Bast....b*****d....she will never....never be yours...."

Borias simply smirked.
"She's already mine and will no longer live in fear of you. I will give her the happiness you failed to give."

Zuko spat up blood as he felt so weak....
He chuckled.
"Enjoy this while you can you damn animals......death is coming on swift wings from the god Ravor......he is the end....and the beginning of a new dark dawn....."  

[Red Gypsy]

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The chieftain frowned and gestured for one of the guards to gag Zuko, "Really... b*****d just can't keep his mouth shut..." he muttered then turned in the direction of his home where several females were leading a walking figure in their center, hiding her from view.

As they got closer, they finally spread out and Zeena placed Layla's hand in her father's, proud to have been asked to that task for her sister. Layla had been bathed, oiled, and lightly perfumed until her skin actually glowed under the sheer gown, her hair down and falling around her shoulders to her waist with a simple crown of wildflowers holding a sheer veil over her entire body.

Her father turned to Borias with a smile, "Borias Oke... Today, I give you my daughter. Not the daughter of my bloodline, but the daughter of my heart. I give her to you as she came to us. But I also add her bride-price, the last gift a father can give to his daughter. You two will always have a home with us, built by the best in the village. The women of the village have pledged to see it furnished properly for you both and the men have promised the first of the hunt for your feast. As her father, I give you full membership into our clan as my son, a second set of full centaurian armor, and a sword crafted by myself to protect the treasure I give you this day. Cherish her and love her for the rest of her days," he told him, his voice carrying easily over the gathered crowd.

Then he placed Layla's hand in his, only the veil between their skin. She knelt in front of him so he could remove the crown of flowers and the veil from her, a shy smile on her face as she looked up at him, easily able to gauge his reaction to her from where she was kneeling.

Watching it all was Zuko. Who knew full well that the older centaur had spoken the simple truth about how Layla had come to them. She'd been a small child and had run from a wedding she'd participated in, wearing a gown much like the one she word now, barefoot and with her hair flowing around her. Zuko had seen her that very day and had vowed to have her when she'd given her beautiful laugh as the chieftain had scooped her into his arms, tossed her into the air, then set her on his back for a ride through the trees.

He'd never had what Borias did now: the full acceptance of the centaurs, the chieftain giving her hand to his, that soft smile on her face as she looked up at him... Borias had that now and was going to keep it...  

[Hot Champion_of_justice]

Borias's was nervous as the female centaurs came out of the main house surrounding his bride to be. When the group parted to reveal the bride, Borias's heart nearly stopped as his jaw dropped.

Layla was more beautiful than before. The dress hugged her body, accentuating her curves, her skin practically glowed, as the smells of perfumed oils from delicate flowers surrounded her. Borias had to take a breath as a beautiful wildflower crown sat on her head holding a sheer veil over her.

Borias was honored by what her father had gifted the two of them and he smiled as her hand was placed in his. He gave it a squeeze before he watched her kneel and then look up at him a slight blush to her cheeks as he knew she saw how she affected him...

He removed the crown of flowers and the veil from her before he helped her stand. He was nervous as he reached into his coat pocket.

"I promise to honor and loving cherish your daughter till the end of our days...and beyond. I have nothing to offer to her but my heart and this token of my promise to always be her mate."

He presented her with a Sapphire tear drop pendant and with her fathers approval, he placed it around her neck.

Not soon after, borias was allowed to kiss Layla and he made sure it was a good one. He held her close as his mouth captured hers fully sending cheers through the gathered clan members.

Zuko wanted to kill them all but he felt so tired.....so cold.....
Memories of how she was the first show him kindness.....the first to try and help him escape his abusive family.....All the good things she had done for him flashed in front of him and he gave a moan.
Darkness began to creep in and in the distance, he saw a hooded figure with glowing red eyes watching him. It grinned as it waited for him to die.
"curses...."  

[Red Gypsy]

Hot Champion_of_justice

When Borias finally let her up for air, Layla found herself blushing at the cheers that quieted when her father held up his hands, "As a gift for both of you today, the village has decided on Zuko's fate," he said in the silence then presented them both with matching daggers.

She looked at the dagger then over at Zuko for a long moment before finally turning to Borias, "His life is yours to take. I no longer need it," she said softly, knowing that she could have easily planted an arrow in him, but not a dagger.

She finally returned her eyes to Zuko and approached him, making certain that he was conscious enough to see her before she spoke to him, "I treated you with kindness once, Zuko. But you returned that with pain, torture, and isolation. A person cannot live in happiness like that. I am free of you now. I thought I had to have your death to gain that freedom, but love has given it to me instead. I do wish you well in your afterlife..." she told him softly then returned to her father, leaving Borias to do as he would.

She knew full well that if Borias didn't take Zuko's life, the village would do so slowly and painfully. She didn't want screams to mar this day...  

[Hot Champion_of_justice]

Zuko only laughed as Layla finished her little speech.
"Yeah...that's all I could give you. I was never good enough for you nor accepted by anyone but you....."

He spat blood and grinned.
"But for a time....when I was a good person....I did love you."

Borias approached with the dagger.
"For the trouble and pain you have caused everyone here Zuko, I shall take your life."

Zuko laughed while hacking.
"Go ahead! You may have taken the one good thing from me, but you will never have offspring....and because of that thought, I will die in peace."

Borias snorted.
"I may not extend my line, but I don't care. I don't need offspring from my loins to be a father."

He went behind Zuko, grabbed him by his hair, exposed his neck and make a clean deep cut from ear to ear.

Zuko burbled and quickly died as he had already lost too much blood from Ravor.

As Zuko's life faded from his eyes, the last thing Zuko saw was the creature of death leaping for him, exposing fangs and hungry red eyes.

Borias and several others untied Zuko and two males came and took his body to be buried elsewhere. He cleaned the blade with a cloth and handed it back to Layla's father.

The man nodded as Borias checked to make sure he didn't get blood on himself. When he saw that he didn't he went to Layla and cupped her chin.

"Now you are truly mated to me and we can live together without worry from Zuko ever again."

He leaned down and kissed her firmly.

"I look forward to our time tonight..." He whispered only to her.  

[Red Gypsy]

Hot Champion_of_justice

Layla wrapped her arms around him and kissed him back hungrily, gaining them plenty of cheers and ribald comments in the process. When she finally came up for air, she knew everyone would be able to scent that she was just as 'hungry' as Borias was from the kiss. But she didn't care. Instead, she gave him a grin and shifted her cheek to lay against his to whisper softly, "I was free the moment I met you, Borias. I just didn't know it at the time. Now I know just how free I am. Free to give my heart away openly, free to love openly whomever I wish, free to travel wherever I wish and live wherever I wish, and certainly free to enjoy not only our night together but each day and night that follows. You gave me that freedom, Borias Oke, when you first carried me to your home and when you first kissed me. If we didn't have the celebration to attend, I would be seeing to it that you knew the joys of loving a Forest Elf right now. As it is, the anticipation will only add to our passion when we can finally slip away," she said for his ear only.

Then she kissed him again and gave a delighted laugh as her father scooped her up and placed her on Borias' back before he placed a hand on Borias' shoulder and gave him a soft smile, "Thank you, Son, for bringing her laughter back to her. I haven't heard the joy of her laugh in so long that I'd forgotten her ability to lift the hearts of all around her with its sound. Now, take your bride to the platform where you two can eat and enjoy the first portion of the celebration. You two can slip away in about two hours, maybe an hour and a half," he finished with a knowing wink then gestured for Borias to lead the way to the area set aside on the archery range for the celebration.

The platform was decked out in beautiful flowers and greenery for them to sit where the centaurs of the village could go to them with their well-wishes and individual gifts and bring them portions of the feast, and the couple could watch the dances performed in their honor as well as feats of strength, agility, cunning, and such. After those were done, there would be dancing for everyone with the couple leading the first one. Only after that could they slip away to the house that was reserved for newly-mated couples in the center of the village where they would stay either until their home here was built or they left for Borias' home in the human realm.

Layla wrapped her arms around Borias' waist and pressed her cheek to his shoulder, looking every inch the happy bride as she rode 'sidesaddle' on his back to the platform. She knew how it would affect him to sit and dance with her for so long while she was wearing the sheer gown that allowed everyone, as well as Borias, to see every inch of her. It was a very old custom that ensured that the groom wasn't cheated with a switch in bride as well as showing him what he was getting. Usually, when the bride was presented to the groom, the father stated that she was given to the groom 'in the same state as she entered the world'. That wouldn't have worked since she'd been adopted instead of being born here, so her father had changed the line to fit the circumstances. Still, tradition had been kept and they were now officially mated and married, their hands still bearing the tattoo where they'd been bound by the cord the Goddess had used, the tattoo now forming into a rose vine that wound around their hands complete with roses, leaves, and thorns as if to remind them that marriage had its good moments and its bad.

Once at the platform, she slid from his back to take her seat, her stomach rumbling a bit from the smell of the food being delivered to them; roasted meats, fresh fruits, delicate pastries, cooked and fresh vegetables... All of their best foods made specially for this celebration and all easily eaten with the hands instead of relying on silverware.

Once Borias was seated with her, the first of the displays started for them accompanied by festive music...