Aella (manxman) - ON HOLD - Chapter 23: Chapter 23

"Relax dear, you look like you're about to faint"
She smiled lightly to the Leader of her clan and tried her best to even her breathing. She glanced around them again and the sight made her as nervous as the first time she had to choose a mate.
And there they were, the men of the tribe, the Aellos. Proud, large, and strong. While her clan held some very strong women, the Aellos have always been stronger and fiercer. The young Aella stood shyly beside her Leader, eyeing the man-beasts with awe and caution. She couldn't focus on any of them, though. Every time her eyes met another pair of the opposite clan, she'd cast her sight down and occupy herself with the softness of the sand under her feet.
No matter how shy she was, she had to choose an Aello. After all, it was the gathering of the Agape.
The Agape was a celebration of harmony, fertility, and affection. It was the only month of the year when the men and women were allowed to be together. And while the young Aella looked forward to having her Agape, she was too shy and intimidated by the crowd to choose a proper mate. So there she stood like every year since she bled, beside her Aella Leader, almost hiding behind her.
An Aello came closer. He bowed low to the Aellas' Leader, and then straightened his back, looking tall and very dominating, making the young Aella wish she could be back in the safety and comfort of her home.
The Aello ran his eyes on another Aella that was standing on the other side of the Leader. She was the youngest hunter in the Aella clan. With brown eyes, a caramel skin, long red hair, and a spear in her hand, she held more confidence in her cold stare than many of the Aellos present in this gathering.
The Aello was daring and held no shame as he spoke in a deep voice.
"You have the most beautiful hair, Aella-hunter. I will be honored if you agreed to be my mate on this Agape"
The Aella-hunter inspected the Aello, his looks, his muscles, his weapons, and the lion skin that laid helplessly around his shoulders.
The Aella-hunter seemed pleased with this year's mate. She smirked and took a step forward, speaking with a voice that held no less dominance than his. "I am Aella-hunter Rhonwen"
The Aello smirked. "My name is Essylt"
The young Aella smiled at the sight of the new couple as they both bowed the Aella's Leader. The latter nodded her head and they both stood up.
"My Leader Halina," said Rhonwen, "I will leave to my Agape after you safely start yours".
The Leader waved her hand. "There's no need for you to wait. I have many hunters who will wait with me." She turned to Aello Essylt and continued, "Rhonwen is the youngest hunter in our clan. She just had her first year as one and she worked very hard to prove herself worthy of her position. She is a strong and reliable Aella-hunter, but on her Agape, she is your mate. Take care of her and make sure to spoil her."
Essylt smirked and answered without removing his eyes from Rhonwen's chest. "I certainly will"
"Good. You may leave now. May the spirits bless your Agape", and then she added quickly to Rhonwen, "and have fun."
Rhonwen smiled widely to her Leader. She respected and cherished her more than anything in the world. And with the Leader's insistence, Rhonwen left with the Aello walking side by side with her. They walked through the mass of the other members of both clans, until they arrived to the Aello clan's Leader. They bowed to him in respect, and left the gathering to start their Agape.
The young Aella's eyes met another Aello staring at her hungrily again, and she looked away.
"Lift your chin and look strong." Her Leader advised. Then she reached up from where she was seated and brushed a lock of hair back from the young Aella's face. "And show your beautiful face. They need to see you, dear. Or you'll be one of the last to be chosen like last year"
The young Aella sighed. "Sorry. There are too many faces I don't know. It's...... unsettling."
"You are too sweet for this world, my dear."
"What about you? There are many waiting for you to give them your attention. Or... will you mate with the Aello's Leader like Elder Ula said?"
"Oh, never. He's too old."
"She said it would reinforce the harmony between the clans"
"Not when he's that old! Uh-uh." The Leader continued while nodding at another couple that came to bow to her, "I will get me a nice Aello, with a wide muscled chest and a dignified aura."
"I'm happy you're making your own choice. I just hope Ula will not make an issue of it like she did last year"
"Just because she accepted to mate with the old Aello Leader when she was our Leader, doesn't mean I'm obliged to do the same. She can go mate with him If he wants."
"She had him last year. If he wants, he can claim her again"
"Let's hope he does."
"How about... the Leader's son"
Their eyes drifted to an Aello not too far from where they were, crossing his arms to show his bulging muscles, and surrounded by five Aellas who were trying to seduce him.
The Aella's Leader scrunched her nose. "Nah, he's too cocky"
The young Aella chuckled. "He seems kind and funny."
"He looks childish. I prefer mysterious Aellos, remember the aura? They must have an aura."
"The aura is scary."
The Leader smiled gently and looked at the young Aella. "If not for your shyness towards the Aellos, you would've easily become the Leader instead of me, sister"
"I prefer it this way. Being a Leader is not easy"
The Leader scoffed. "Definitely not. The only time I really appreciate my position is here at the gathering, when all the Aellos have to bow to me" she wiggled her brows playfully making her sister giggle.
The young Aella's laugh was interrupted when she suddenly felt a hand grasping her left forearm and tugging her slightly. Alarmed, she looked up to find an Aello gazing at her with the most beautiful honey-colored eyes. He was staring at her intensely and she felt as if he could read her deepest thoughts.
"You are my mate," he said, "You will be my Agape and I will be yours."
His voice was rough and deep, sending chills running down the Aella's thighs. This time, she didn't look away. Her mouth opened, but no words came out. All she managed to do was to gaze back at him. Eventually, her voice came out softer than a whisper.
"Um...... ok?"
The Leader was startled at first, but now she smiled widely. "Aello Alev, is it?"
The Aello turned to her, nodded, and then bowed to the waist. His hand never left the Aella he had just claimed, and the Aella's eyes never left him.
The Leader grinned even more and stood up, putting her hand on the young Aella's shoulder. "Sister, this is Alev. He is young and strong, and I hear he's one of the best Aello hunters. I am sure he will take good care of you"
The Leader glanced at Alev who gave her one nod. He took a step back and pulled the Aella with him. He wasn't harsh, but not too gentle either. It was hard for the Aella to read him. And the next thing she knows, they were both kneeling to the Leader to get her blessing.
The Leader held her sisters' shoulders and let her stand, then she tucked a lock of her dirty blond hair behind her ear. "May the spirits bless your Agape", then she leaned to hug her sister and she whispered, "He has such a manly aura"
The Aella blushed deeply, making her sister, the Leader, laugh. The Leader kissed her forehead before Alev led her to the other end of the gathering.
They barely took a few steps when Alev was stopped.
"Already? Not fair! "
Alev sighed and the Aella lifted her head to find the other clan Leader's son, Cailyn, standing in Alev's way, while scowling.
Alev gave him a bored look, making him even more upset. "The gathering has barely started and you're leaving already. You always choose the first one who asks you. You don't even take our challenge seriously! Wait, you got the Leader's sister? I thought you never cared about the Aella's position! You know what, it doesn't matter. I will get one that is more beautiful and I will win this, just like I do very year"
Cailyn smirked and the young Aella almost chuckled. He really is childish, she thought to herself.
Alev looked like he was used to his friend's attitude. "I sincerely don't care who you mate with, Cailyn. Go play with someone else". And then he walked past him and the Aella followed obediently.
"You always say that when you lose!" Cailyn yelled after them, but Alev completely ignored him.
They continued to the other end of the gathering. They walked by many other Aellos who ran their eyes up and down the young Aella's body, making her even more uncomfortable. They both stood before the Aellos' Leader who received them with a satisfied smile. They bowed in respect to him and then immediately left the gathering.
The Aella turned back to glance at her sister, only to see that Cailyn was standing before her sister with a smug pose and crossed arms to show his muscles. Good luck, the young Aella thought, I hope Halina sees your aura.
The walk was long and exhausting, especially with all the trees, roots, branches, and bushes. During the few hours of walking through the thick forest, the Aello never released her arm. Most of the way, the Aella thought it wasn't a bad thing because he kept her from falling many times, and kept him from going faster and leaving her behind.
But at one point, her arm started to hurt from the Aello's securing grip. She didn't say a thing though. Although back home she was very popular, cherished and loved by her clan, with the Aellos, she found herself too shy to even talk.
And they eventually arrived to their destination. Alev only released her when she was finally inside his den. The Aella walked to the side, resting her weight on the wall as her feet felt exhausted. She lifted one foot off the ground to ease the pain in her sole while she glanced around the den. She noticed that it was quite clean and well kept. And that almost made her smile. She loved cleanliness.
Suddenly, she realized that Aello Alev was staring at her from the entrance of the small cave. As soon as their eyes met, hers dropped to the ground and she stood straight. He was gazing silently way too long. So when he moved towards her and drew closer, she instinctively moved away from him. Alev paused for a second, and when the Aella didn't escape, he continued towards her despite her obvious discomfort and grabbed her arm.
The Aella whimpered as soon as his strong fingers pressed on her forearm. Alev frowned deeply and released her arm, making her cradle it to her chest. He stared at the colored and slightly swelled skin on her arm.
"You're hurt" he stated. Trying to sound calm, but his voice held concern for her.
The Aella shook her head. "I-I'm ok"
Alev stared at her for a moment before he realized the cause of her pain. "I'm the one who hurt you"
"No, I-It's alright. It... doesn't hurt anymore"
Alev looked very perplexed. The Aella was obviously scared of him and that was the last thing he meant or wanted. So he stepped away from her and left the den.
The young Aella didn't know what to do. She blamed herself for upsetting her mate. She believed that she wronged him by behaving so weakly, now the handsome Aello will never like her.
She didn't know what to do so she waited, and waited.
She was too tired from the descent of the mountain and the long walk to get to Alev's den. First she sat down on the ground, and when Alev still didn't show up, she laid on her side and sleep raided on her senses like a heavy wave.
She woke up many hours later, a while before the next sunrise. She rubbed her eyes and pushed the unruly locks of her dirty blond hair back, only to have a couple stubbornly resume their places. The first thing she noticed was a bowl of water set in front of her. She suddenly felt parched, so she emptied half of it to quash her thirst, before wiping her mouth with the back of her hand. She set the bowl down and saw another covered one. She lifted the piece of leather to find some food inside.
Did the Aello leave that for her? She wondered.
She looked around and noticed the small fire that lit the den against the darkness brought on by the night. A little spark of panic started tormenting her as she realized how long she had slept.
She looked around the den, but the Aello wasn't there. Now she was breathing faster at the thought of spending the night alone in the dangerous forest. Her fear drove her to stand up, making a cover shift from her body. She grabbed it and stared at it. It was made of rabbit skins, soft and well sewed.
At that moment, she forgot about her rising panic and only thought about the Aello who brought her here. She found him handsome and fascinating, but of course she didn't say any of those things out loud. Her shyness always took the best of her. But the way he dragged her here and remained silent all the time, it made her question his goodness.
But now looking at the bowl of water, the food, and the soft cover that ensured her peaceful sleep, she knew she shouldn't have feared his silence.
The Aella moved around the dim-lighted den, looking for any signs of the mysterious Aello. Her search was soon halted when she found him sitting at the entrance of the small cave, his back to the wall and his arm resting on his half folded leg.
She approached him carefully until she could see his face. Alev slept peacefully and she couldn't help but smile at how charming the Aello was. She leaned forward and looked closer at him. His breath made his chest rise and fall slowly, his head tilted back and slightly to the side, and sleeping, the Aella couldn't help but feel his strength.
A small breeze of air licked the Aella's legs, lifting her knee-high clothes slightly. She looked at the Aello and then at the cover that was still in her hands. She smiled and sat quietly on her knees, before slowly covering the Aello with the soft covers.
One second she was covering his alluring chest, and the next, a pair of piercing eyes were staring at her. Before she could react, Alev's hand grabbed her in alarm. The Aella yelped and tried to pull away, but his hand was gripping her tightly.
She released a painful moan that made Alev immediately let go of her. She held her forearm and said very quietly. "Y-you should really stop doing that"
"Sorry." Alev answered, still looking like he wanted to say something, but he chose silence as usual.
A moment of awkwardness passed before he gathered enough words to deliver. "I apologize for hurting you, Aella. It was never my intention."
The Aella stared at him for a moment, happy to hear him talk. Then she shook her head. "I know you didn't mean to. Aellas are sometimes weaker than you-I mean, not all of us of course. We actually have very strong members as well"
Alev seemed to consider that. "I understand. I'm sorry for scaring you earlier. I guess I spend so much time alone that I forget how to deal with Aellas"
"Me too! I mean... you didn't scare me, it's just... It's really difficult for me to feel relaxed around people I don't know well, especially... Aellos"
Alev looked at her, his eyes wandering around her face as if trying to memorize it. The Aella felt uncomfortable again. She fidgeted in her place. "I... I woke you. I will let you sleep peacefully"
"I prefer this than sleeping." He tilted his head slightly, and continued his stare.
"Th-thank you for the food and water"
"It is my duty and pleasure. I intend to provide you with anything you need, so please don't hesitate to ask. I gathered many things in preparation to the Agape. I will show you tomorrow. You can have anything you want and if you need more, I will get it. So... don't feel scared of me. I would never hurt you... intentionally. I promise to keep you safe from animals as well as people, including myself."
The Aella smiled, feeling the sincerity behind his words and finding them very reassuring. She found the way he pauses for a second to find the proper thing to say very amusing and relaxing.
"There is one thing I would like to ask" she said hesitantly, and Alev straightened his back in his sitting position and waited for her request with a serious face. "I want you to talk more."
"Talk?"
She shrugged. "I feel better when you talk"
After considering what she asked, Alev nodded. "I will talk more." He promised, and she smiled.
Yet despite what he said, Alev fell back into one of his silent gazes. After a long moment, the Aella's curiosity gave her enough courage to break the silence.
"I think I saw you before"
Alev looked surprised, then his lips twitched in what looked like the ghost of a smile.
"I definitely saw you before, Aella. Every time I did, I wanted to touch you"
The Aella's cheeks blushed instantly and she looked at her clothes, tugging her clothes to cover her knees. She pushed a heavy lock of hair back and peered at him. "I didn't know that. You... didn't talk to me"
He frowned. "You were surrounded by many Aellas. I remember walking towards you"
"And?"
"I was stopped by other Aellas who seduced me."
"Oh"
The Aella felt a bit disappointed. She wasn't less beautiful than the other Aellas, but her shyness always denied her from flaunting her beauty and seducing Aellos. That was why it has always been Halina who chose her mates. Halina was brave and outspoken. She also knew how to choose men.
"Today was different, though."
"Different?"
He nodded. "I saw you as soon as I arrived at the gathering. You were standing shyly beside the new Aellas' Leader and you looked so fragile. All I could think of was that I had to have you"
He reached his hand slowly, his knuckles brushing her reddened cheeks. This time, she didn't pull away. Alev grabbed the soft cover and put it around her shoulder, pulling her towards him in the process. When she didn't try to escape him, he dared to go further. His arms hugged the cover and her with it until the Aella was sitting on his thigh.
She felt her heart race faster to keep up with the situation and it didn't help that Alev smirked at her in confidence.
"You are so beautiful, my mate" he whispered, before his lips settled on hers gently. The Aella melted in his arms instantly and tried to follow the quickening motions of his lips and tongue the best she could.
After a moment of rising lust, Alev pulled back, his eyes half hooded with desire as he asked.
"What is your name, my Aella?"
The young Aella was too busy staring into his mesmerizing eyes. And before leaning in and kissing her Aello again, she answered.
"Dilara"
~~~~~~~
(Less than four years later)
"Dilara! Dilara!!"
It was painful. Deadly so.
Voices pleading, demanding, yelling, and arguing in a symphony of total chaos that enveloped her.
And yet her mind chose to travel to her last Agape.
~~
She saw herself arriving at the gathering that was already filled with many of the Aellos clan. Unlike her old self, she didn't stand by her sister. She didn't hide from the hungry eyes of the males there and she didn't feel shy and flustered.
Because even though she could see the Aellos around her devouring her with their gazes, her mind and heart never registered them. She walked around, looking left and right to the one person who could make her feel alive.
And she knew her quest has ended, when someone grabbed her forearm. Not painfully this time, but possessively. Their eyes met and the desire came crashing down on her, and with it came a wave of sadness.
"Alev" she whined. She knew she had no right in him this year, but she couldn't pretend like she didn't want to be with him. Even if it was just for a few hours, until the gathering would be over.
Alev released her. He turned around and walked into the forest. The Aella was aware she didn't have the right to leave the gathering on her own. Here, was a common territory. And she could only enter the Aello's with her mate.
But her feet didn't seem convinced, because they followed where Alev had disappeared. She walked only for a couple of minutes before she saw him waiting for her. As soon as he saw her again, he smiled tenderly and hurried towards her, locking their lips together in a searing kiss.
A while later, they were sitting down by a tree. Alev's arms still around her as she sat between his legs with his face breathing into her neck.
She cried. She sniffled and her shoulders trembled slightly in his arms. All he could do was hug her closer. And she didn't need him to talk to hear his thoughts anymore. She had learned how to communicate with him through his silence that no longer bothered her in the least.
Eventually, they heard the drums that announced that their Leaders were about to leave the gathering. She held his arms closer to her, her tears refusing to stop.
"I need to go"
Alev shook his head stubbornly while still breathing her neck.
"Alev, it's......... it's the law" her own words tore through her heart, but she forced herself to continue. "We must hurry so you can find a... mate. There are certainly a few of our hunters still unmated since they leave after Halina. Alev?"
"I don't want another. And I don't want anyone else to have you"
Dilara cried harder now. "It's the law, Alev. Everyone has the right to mate and have children, it is our law and our punishment would be too severe. We'll... we'll be together n-next year-" she barely finished before succumbing to her tears again.
Alev raised his hand and covered her eyes, pulling her head to rest on his shoulder and kissing her cheek.
"Don't cry, my Dilara. Don't cry, my love. Do not think about anything at all, just be with me. I promise, just like the first day we mated, I promise to keep you safe. And I promise to keep our secret. You only need to trust me."
"But... Alev, we need permission from the Leaders, only then can our Agape be-"
"Our Agape will be blessed by our love. The spirits know of our sincerity and they know we mean no harm. You will see, my Aella. This time they will bless us with a child"
Dilara chuckled and looked at Alev. "A child... You really think so?"
"I believe so. We will have a son, kind and beautiful just like you."
"Why a son?"
"So he can come live with me. And I will see the fruit of our love develop through him for the rest of my life"
"Then I wish for a girl, strong and honorable like you, so I could see your bravery and love through her"
Alev smirked.
"A son, he will be" he said, and his lips claimed Dilara's, denying her from talking anymore, and making her drown in the love that only he could make her feel.
~~
"My Leader, they are demanding answers right now. Just make her tell them who is the damn father!"
The voices... the angry questioning voices returned. The Aella tried to block them away again, but the pain became unbearably intense as her body refused to rest.
"Rhonwen! This is not the time to interrogate and antagonize her!! Keep them away, that is an order! Call for Moina, and where is the warm water?"
Rhonwen turned around and went to give orders to the other Aella-hunters that were guarding the cave, leaving the sisters alone inside.
"Dilara!!"
A tiny, yet powerful melody emerged from the chaos. A baby's wailing broke free and echoed through the den. The tiny thing screamed in protest with all his might. And her body finally gave up as she felt a wave of peacefulness rest heavily on her senses.
"My heavens, I'm an aunt... It's a boy, Dilara! Y-you're a mother! You have a boy!!"
A boy
Of course, she thought. A weak smiled tugged her in remembrance of his promise. Now all she could feel was her tired heart beating only for the desire to see the tiny baby, to touch him and love him.
But her body wouldn't listen anymore.
The cave darkened around her and her eyes refused to see.
"Dilara, what's wrong? Y-you're still bleeding!!Dilaraaa!!!"
Dilara tried to go back. She begged her body, the heavens and all the spirits to allow her one look at her baby. Yet her wish was denied. And all she could manage was a last desperate whisper
"Halina... Protect my baby...
Promise never to look for his father...
Promise you will love my son...
my Ceri"