Rise of Ruin

Farei was left extremely confused for a long moment as she stared at him dumbly for what seemed like a good minute after he had finished speaking. Where had all of that come from? One minute he was kissing her, which had made her feel more alive than even the alcohol had and the next he was telling her no. No. Being rejected seemed to snap her out of it and she found herself snatching the bottle from where he placed it. She took another long drink from the bottle itself, but it did nothing to placate the boiling of anger and shame in the pit of her stomach. Despite the look of complete dejection on her face, she began to laugh. It wasn't a lighthearted laugh at all. It was cold and bitter.

"No you don't." she started to get to her feet, still chuckling. "No. No you don't. You..." she pointed at his face, her finger inches from his nose. "You will fall in love with some pretty Hylian girl. You'll get down on one knee with an expensive ring and propose to her all proper like and you'll do everything the right way." She was so sad and angry right now, but she couldn't stop smiling. The power of that wine, she guessed. "You keep telling yourself how meaningless it would be but maybe I'm the selfish one here. I mean, what right do I have to want to feel human? No. Thank you for setting me straight, Mardian, and reminding me just what I am." she was grinning still, but she was angry and trying to make sense of it all. Despite all of his kind words, he had still rejected her. "I'm just a Gerudo. A filthy Gerudo whose only purpose here is to be used like some tool. And once I'm all used up and broken, I get tossed in the trash."

Farei took another swig of the wine and stumbled back toward the door a bit. "I'm done. I'm just done. I'll do my part in saving all of you. I'll be the good girl you and everyone else wants me to be. I'll go and die like a good girl." she started to laugh again as she fumbled with the doorknob, her fingers not wanting to cooperate. She was trembling, no doubt thanks to being drunk and miserable all at the same time. "Thank you, Mardian, for making me feel like the complete idiot I am." she pushed the door open finally and raised the wine bottle in his direction, as if she was making a twisted toast to the occasion. "To hell with all of you and to hell with the Sages and the Goddesses! I can't wait to go home. No Hell they can damn me to can be much worse!" she began to stumble down the hall and headed outside, giggling and laughing the whole way.

Mardian just felt rooted to the spot as she went on her tirade. It couldn't have gone any worse than if he told her she was a whore and to get away from him. No matter what he did he couldn't be himself and get along with people. Perhaps there was just no room for men like him anymore, men like his father had been. He didn't know how to talk to a woman even on good terms to begin with...but apparently he couldn't have handled the situation more poorly if he had outright tried to hurt her. He felt sick to his stomach and he felt like Farei was burying a dagger in his heart with every unsteady step she took away from him. He knew that nothing he could say would help at this point. She wouldn't listen to him, wouldn't understand, and wouldn't believe him if she did hear him out. It was hopeless, just like he was in everything he had done since the day he'd went to help on Death mountain.

Everything had gone wrong from that moment on, he'd already lost his little picori friend because they couldn't agree about Farei, he got along dismally with his brother and Gayle, and Avis thought he was a bully for getting on Iridian's case, not to mention Farei had confronted him about how useless he really was before hand. He was starting to believe it more and more. He'd been better off on his own and not getting his heart invested into other people. It hurt too much. Perhaps it was him that needed to just disappear. A few months ago he had been proud of who he was, he did a great service to the community and had never asked for much more than what he needed to buy clothes and a few odds and ends, he could pretty much take care of the rest on his own. Everything he tried to touch now just blew up in his face and made him feel like a failure, and he didn't like the feeling at all. He knew that it would be impossible for him to turn her down without upsetting her some, but that....dear goddess he couldn't have hurt her more if he'd ripped her heart out with a spoon and he felt terrible for her. He understood that it had to be so painful for her being what she was and expecting to die despite her trouble, he wanted to protect her from that fate, even if he'd have to die in her place if that's what it took, he'd do it. He just wished she knew that...he'd placed his heart on the table for her and she'd taken it as an insult...For the first time he could remember, he got physically sick and laid down on the cold floor tiles afterward, closing his eyes and gripping his head in both of his hands. Everything he did was wrong no matter what it was.

~

Iridian chuckled softly and nipped her lips, pressing his tongue into her mouth. "Mmm....glad you like it baby, and if you're still up for some fun tonight, you'll see just how much more fun we can have with it." he smirked, nipping her soft lips. He'd give the little rag doll another fun time and new experience tonight, and he was looking forward to teaching her just how much fun booze and a little romp could be.

Avis felt the deeper kiss, her face flushed before now turning a bright crimson. How generous Iridian was with his kisses, and how deeply Avis enjoyed them, suckling his tongue softly as she felt it probe past her scarred, yet sweet lips. She gave a hiccup after they parted, a wide grin spreading from ear-to-ear, and her eyes obviously unfocused in her delirious state. "Hic! D-didn't you shay you'd help meh when I wash shore?" she reminded him, her legs indeed having trouble staying closed from some slight muscle twinges.

By the time Farei had reached the edge of the lake, it was too much. Her feet were bare and the cool breeze coming off the water seemed to wake her up a little more from her drunken stupor. She stared out at the water that sparkled like crystals even in the moonlight, looking back in the direction they had come from. The direction of home. She gripped the bottle by the neck and with all the rage and strength she could muster, she threw it out into the water. She watched as it fell into the water with a less than satisfying splash and she sunk to her knees, breaking into uncontrollable and miserable sobs. She felt like such an idiot. A disgusting whore.

The strain on her stomach from crying and the emotional pain resulted in her throwing up a good deal, the alcohol and any food she had eaten that day coming back up. After a weak attempt to wash the vomit from her blouse, she passed out on the lake shore, her final thought before slipping out of consciousness was a wish to never wake up. She was sick of hurting people around her, people she cared about. She had approached Mardian because she trusted him most, because he had made the most effort with her. All she had wanted was the intimate touch two people could share, to know what it felt like before she was damned to her fate.

She was sick of hurting everyone around her.

Mardian's worry for Farei overrode his own feelings of despair and helplessness after a few moments and he got up and went to search for her, to make sure she was going to be all right. In the state she had been in when she left he was afraid of what she would do to herself in her clouded judgment and he couldn't bear it if he caused her to harm herself. It took him a good few minutes, but he finally found her and he knelt beside her, seeing that she'd lost the contents of her stomach as well, and had succumbed to the alcohol and passed out. He gently lifted her in his strong arms and carried her back carefully, returning to his room and getting her out of her vomit soiled blouse, cleaning her up and replacing it with one of his tunics and laying her down in the bed, laying down beside her and gently wrapping his arm cross her waist, holding her in a sheltering embrace and stroking her thick hair gently, hoping she would be better in the morning. He'd given her a little something he hoped would keep her from getting a splitting headache. He'd found the chasers that Gayle had along with the alcohol to help the hangovers and hoped it would serve its purpose, for now all he could do was be there for her and wait.

~

Iridian smirked and nipped her lips. "Mm...that I did, baby." he said, stroking her thigh and leaning her back a bit. She really was a cute little thing when you looked past that stitch like face of hers. He enjoyed making her feel good just about as much as he enjoyed feeling good himself.

"Well, if you'd lied to me, I would've made sure you would've payed for it," Avis replied, a hint of a teasing tone in her voice as she felt his fingers caressing the soft, milky-white skin of her thigh, garbed slightly by a plain, white spring dress.

The alcohol and sheer exhaustion had given Farei a dreamless sleep. She hadn't stirred at all while he had changed out her clothes and put her in the bed. She was aware of his presence, his scent filling her nose and his warmth sinking into her chilled body from being outside and then washed up and changed. Her breathing was soft and slow and she was pretty relaxed despite her outburst not even an hour ago.

Farei didn't wake until well into the afternoon of the next day. She opened her eyes weakly and looked around, quickly realizing she wasn't in the room Gayle had given her. She held her aching head and realized she was no longer in her blouse but one of Mardian's shirts. It was large enough on her to fit like a short dress would. The memories started to flood back in and she gripped her head tighter and gave a quiet sob, the tears starting to flow again. She felt so stupid.

There was a slight rustling sound from the direction of the bathroom and a moment later the feel of some weight beside her on the bed and the gentle touch of a strong hand at her hair as Mardian gently stroked it in a soothing fashion. "Easy....it's going to be all right..." he murmured softly. His arm slid beneath her waist and he drew her close against him, holding her as she cried and gently rubbing her back in small circles. He couldn't be angry with her for her advance or her outburst. She was hurt and confused and any mixture of things from the wine and he didn't blame her for any of it, all he wanted was for her to be all right.

~

Iridian smirked faintly. He really had been a terrible influence on this innocent little thing, of course she was far from the first and he highly doubted she would be the last. He poured her another glass of wine and placed it to her lips to drink, stroking along that thigh still with his once again free hand, a roguish smile on his handsome face. They continued to drink through the bottle together as he toyed with and teased her, wanting to get her plenty relaxed and ready before they got down to business.

Farei tensed at his first touch. Why was he touching her? Surely he thought she was some desperate whore, a typical Gerudo. That's what she felt like. She moved a little when he pulled her close and buried her face into his shoulder. She trembled a bit, trying to control her sobbing. He wanted something more serious. Something more...permanent, and there was no way she could give him that. She seemed to keep hurting him the most, yet he still wanted to be near her, to hold her. She'd take him up on the offer now since he seemed so willing. "I'm sorry...I'm so stupid. I never meant....meant to upset you."

"You're not stupid, Farei...you're hurting and trying your best to cope with a terrible situation." Mardian said softly. "You're trapped in a situation you did nothing to deserve and I don't blame you for being bitter or angry about that. I couldn't give you the comfort you wanted last night because it wouldn't have been right to take advantage of your vulnerability in that condition, and you probably wouldn't have remembered much about it in the morning anyway..." He stroked her hair back from her face, supporting her head against his shoulder and brushing her tears aside, looking down into her eyes softly. "I've been thinking about it a lot since you came to my room last night...and whether we're together for a lifetime or just a day, you're what I want too, Farei. I want our time together to be with both of us being nothing but ourselves. I want you...and I'm going to do everything in my power to make sure that we can be together long after all of this is through...and even if I can't, I'd never regret you." he said gently, pressing his lips to hers and kissing her long and tender. He was ready to give himself to her now, no longer afraid of doing the wrong thing. He loved her, and she desperately needed to be loved, to know what it was like. He held her in the kiss and moved down on the bed with her more, leaning over her and stroking through her hair and down her slender waist. She had shown trust in him, and now he wanted to show her that he trusted her too.

"Ooh, that ticklesh!" Avis cooed as Iridian nibbled on her collarbone at one point, squirming playfully and trapping his hand between her thighs. She felt his teeth on the bone and she gave a gasp. "Ooh, you'sh playin' dirty!" she accused with a playful scowl and mock indignation. She rolled over onto him, gently biting at his bearded neck. "Ack! Spptt!" The still fairly short hairs of Iridian's beard were mildly sharp, poking at her lips and tongue, something Avis wasn't prepared for, and why would she? Touching a man was practically alien to her before Iridian came along. "Porcupine," she said, managing to regain her goofy, inebriated smile.

Farei was happy to hear that he wasn't still angry with her. She listened, his voice deep and comforting to her. Her heart skipped a beat when he said he wanted her still. The feeling of rejection she had was fading and she closed her eyes when he kissed her. She felt that spark she had last night, the one that had reached deeper than even the alcohol. "I won't ever regret you..." she murmured against his lips, stroking his handsome cheek. She enjoyed the feel of his hand on her side, his touch, and she wanted more of it. She wanted him.

Iridian laughed at her playful advances and her rather awkward attempt at being rough and alluring. He found it absolutely adorable really. He rolled her across the cavern floor, making sure they steered away from the wine and the glasses to ensure neither of them were injured on them and kissed her deeply, his knee between her legs and he smirked down at her playfully. "Mm...You are a mischievous little rag doll." he smirked. "I like that." he said before leaning down and kissing her deeply.

~

Mardian held the kiss and gently stroked along her slender arm nuzzling her gently and murmuring her name against her neck. He wanted her too, and he wanted to chase her fears and her worries away, to treat her like she deserved to be treated, not as some irredeemable monster, but as the beautiful and amazing woman that she was. He kissed her tenderly, stroking along her waist and nuzzling her neck and shoulder, his hands exploring her soft skin and his lips feathering along her slender neck affectionately.

The taste of wine was heavy on Avis' lips, having drunk so much, and the added taste of his wine-stained lips was making her head spin so wonderfully. Her emerald eyes, glazed in both delight and her drunkenness gazed upwards to his, an almost sober, soft smile creasing her lips. "Iridian..." Her fingers came to the straps on her shoulders, and she loosened them for him herself. "Do you...think I'm sheckshy?" she asked, her lips now pursed in a needy, pouty fashion, her eyes lidded in such a fashion as to make her lust more evident. In spite of her awkwardness and innocence, there were still things she remembered from various customers and passersby...perhaps what she learned from their gossip and off-hand comments could be used for the benefit of both their pleasure. She had never before understood what they had meant before now...but being around Iridian, it made sense.

Farei leaned into his touches and returned his kisses. She shivered faintly as his lips traced along the sensitive skin on her graceful neck, wanting more and more every passing second. She whispered his name softly and stroked through his hair, surprised some how silky and well kept it was given its length. Her breathing quickened and her heart began to race in her chest, her fingers finding the buttons of his tunic. Her golden eyes met his as she worked the shirt from his strong shoulders, tracing her fingers along the well defined muscles in his chest and down to his abdomen. She wanted to be everything he deserved as well, and hoped she would please him and satisfy his every need and desire.

Mardian met her golden eyes gently as she exposed his strong chest and torso and he breathed deeply at the feel of her touch to his strong, smooth muscles. He slipped his fingers through her hair and kissed her tenderly, and he shivered a bit as she reached his abdomen, his heartbeat hammering in his chest and he felt his own need for her rising, and blushed as it also became otherwise obvious. His touches and kisses grew in their intimacy and boldness and he pressed her back onto the bed, smoothing his tunic from her frame and kissing and petting softly, murmuring her name against her lips as their embraces escalated and he gave himself to her, treating her with the tenderness and reverence he felt she deserved. He held her gently to his chest once their passionate exchange was through, stroking down her smooth slender back and admiring her beautiful form, kissing her tenderly and resting his head against hers. "I love you." he whispered into her hair softly, kissing her brow, massaging it with his lips as he embraced her affectionately.

Mardian closed his eyes, breathing in her scent and taking in her presence. She felt so right in his arms, and what they had just shared had been the most beautiful experience of his life. All the more he wanted to protect this woman, to care for her and show her that she did matter. She mattered to him more than she could ever know. He held her close, her head pillowed against his chest, his heartbeat steady and strong against her ear, the pace a little escalated from what they had been doing moments before. His hand strayed down to her waist and he stroked along it gently.

~

Iridian laughed, but not in a mocking tone, her slurred speech and silly attempts at being seductive only made her more endearing. He liked the new boldness too. Although he was sure the wine had something to do with that, if not mostly to do with it. He smirked and pressed his now bare chest against hers. "You sure are, Rag doll." he smirked, stroking down her spine and giving her a light squeeze to enjoy at her posterior, although she could certainly feel something from the front as well. "Feel how sexy you are, baby?" he asked with a smirk.

Her face beet red, but that same silly, drunkenly seductive smile on her face at the same time nodded up at him. "Oh...yesh...and it...it makesh me...sho happy..." She giggled softly, gently running her nails across his bearded jaw as she stroked it softly. Even though the young woman was so completely smashed, she didn't show any signs of sickness. All that she felt was pure joy and bliss, and she indeed became bolder because of the drink, throwing her legs around his waist as she desired so desperately his special brand of attention, wanting to continue granting him her company after he'd left.

The tanned red-head had been left breathless by the hunter's intimate and passionate performance. Farei listened to his heart, her breathing still a bit elevated from the exertion. She closed her eyes at his gentle touches and stroked along his strong chest. All of her worries seemed so far away when she was like this in his arms. She didn't care about being a Gerudo or being Ganon's daughter. She didn't care because he didn't care. Finally, she had a taste of what it was like to be loved, to know what it felt like to be human.

She nuzzled his chest and curled up a bit more against his side, gripping his hand. "I love you too, Mardian." she murmured softly, looking up at him. "I love you..."

Mardian's smile was gentle and genuine as she returned his words and made herself more comfortable against his strong frame and he met her eyes as she looked up at him, leaning his head down and kissing her tenderly, stroking through her hair. He had given her his warmth both inside and out and he wondered vaguely if anything would come of it. He wouldn't mind if it did eventually, because he wanted her to be not only the first but the only one. He rested his brow against hers gently and caressed her waist. "You were perfect, Farei." he murmured gently, nuzzling her cheek softly. He wanted to tell her that he wanted her to forget about returning to the desert after all of it was through, that she didn't have to die, that he would take care of her and protect her always. Right at the moment though, he knew that she didn't believe that she could, and he didn't want to ruin the evening by bringing any of that up. Concentrating on the here and now was going to be best....he didn't want anything to make her sad right now.

~

Iridian smirked and pulled at her blouse, kissing her roughly and planning on giving his little rag doll the time of her life. The wine had driven away so many inhibitions in the little beauty he found it both endearing and unbelievably sexy. They ended up all over the cave that night, enjoying each other to the fullest and drinking up the rest of the wine that Avis had brought along. He smirked as he rested beside the scarred beauty and toyed with her golden curls. He didn't think he'd ever seen such deep emerald eyes on a blond before. It was a nice look.

"Mngh..." Avis groaned weakly, closing her eyes as she rested her head back. She was no longer sore, no...not in the way she had been when she had climbed up to meet with Iridian. No, now she was sore from all that Iridian had given her, all the passions that they unleashed upon each other. Her left hand, clasped over her Iridian's other hand as it lay draped across her stomach had slight bruises on it, a sign among the others of how rough they had gotten, and how tight his grasp had been. Obediently she had swallowed the pill that he had given her, remembering his desire not to have a child conceived from their romps.

Farei smiled and blushed when he complimented her performance. She knew she had to have been so awkward, especially in the beginning. Still, she was glad she had pleased him and satisfied him for a bit. She already found herself wondering when the next opportunity would arise, where they could be left alone like they had been here in Gayle's home. She didn't think about returning to the desert, or even anything about leaving the bed. She was content and happy in his arms and didn't want to think of anything or even anyone else. Her eyelids grew heavy as she listened to his breathing and his steady heartbeat, being lulled to sleep from their combined lullaby.

Mardian smiled softly as he watched her start to doze, gently stroking her side and holding her against him. He was feeling tired too and he rested his head back, staring to doze off himself. They rested for a few more hours before Mardian woke again. Neither he or Farei had eaten anything since Iridian had taken his exit at dinner yesterday and now it was late evening. He stretched and carefully slid from Farei's side, kissing her cheek softly and covering her up warmly. He stepped over to the bathroom and cleaned up a bit, pulling on some clothes and going out to the kitchen and gathering up some food. He did some fast cooking and headed back up to the room, shouldering the door open and setting it down on the bedside table, sitting down beside her on the bed and gently stroking along her arm. "Farei, can you wake up long enough to eat something?" he asked her softly.

~

Iridian breathed deeply and smiled, stroking along her thigh and squeezing it firmly. "You just keep getting better and better, rag doll." he smirked, giving her a deep kiss and rolling her on top of him. "It's going to get awfully cold in here tonight. Might be a good idea to head inside." he smiled.

"Mm...only if...if you come along, too," Avis stipulated. "I don't want you to be...to be alone out in the cold," she murmured, looking up at him. She knew how 'welcome' he felt among the others, but she didn't care. In spite of what he had done to her, she still cared, and she still liked him. It was unfair to shun him so, especially Mardian, for the two were still flesh and blood.

Farei had stirred a little when he first got up, but had quickly fallen back asleep after he had covered her back up and she heard running water in the adjoining bathroom. She sunk into the spot he had vacated, soaking in his residual warmth and breathing in his scent. She woke when he touched her arm and she rolled over a bit and looked up at her handsome lover sleepily. "Food?" she asked, sitting up with a stretch. "Oh..yeah. I am hungry. And I need to shower." she gave a soft smile, pulling the blankets up against her chest to keep some form of decency.

Mardian smiled faintly and kissed her gently. He thought it was cute she was still covering up when he'd seen them quite a bit already. "Well, the food is hot now, so why don't you go ahead and eat first?" he asked. "Then you can get a shower." He set the food closer to her and laid it between them, taking a bite of the meat he'd heated up. "I hope you don't mind my cooking." he smiled. "I've always gotten by on it, anyway."

~

Iridian smiled up at her softly and gave her a soft kiss. "Well, that sounds good to me." he said. "If we're going to go we'd better be on our way though." he said, sitting her up and sitting up with her, cleaning up in the spring with her and getting dressed to head back inside. "Where are we going to bunk, hm? I don't think either my brother or Farei would be thrilled to have us sharing a bed in the same room." he smirked.