Of ice &&& devotion

The smell was something his memory banks had branded into his dna for the rest of his life. The accompanying sounds and heavy shuffling of uncovered feet hit his intense sense of hearing like a flare of thunder after a display of lightning to the planet. 

He had lived through a similar situation once before. But now, as he reached for his weapon and brandished it for the first time in battle in the longest of times, he knew the odds were not in his favor. Before it had been his coven and himself, his brother, and the blessing of Auri-El that they might surpass the onslaught. This time, however, there were only three to withstand the small mob of their relatives. 

This time--

Cursing at his lack of tact, Gelebor's initial need to relocate Aerybel had caused any gift of surprise to fall to the wayside as he heard them coming his direction. How many, he was not sure, but the footfalls belonged to several of them. How many past that, he could not narrow. 

Pressing the cool blade to his forehead, he whispered a prayer of protection. Not for himself, but for his Aerybel, as he took a defensive stance --his broad frame mounted upon the cave-floor like a dangerous wall that threatened violence if it was to be pressed upon.

"…aye?"

It was taking entirely too long. He could tell by the lack of troll activity within the cave that nightfall was coming upon the land. And yet, he found no signs of the younger mer-woman whom he'd come to care for within the walls of the mountain. Instead, he returned to silence. Glancing at the statue to Auri-El, Gelebor made a quick utterance of a prayer before dashing off the way he'd left her. He had known better than to let a woman go unattended through the Vale. His lack of tact was appalling. What if she was afraid, hurt, or worse yet-- killed?

Calling her name through the thick accent of Falmer tongue, the Knight-Paladin searched as far as his oath allowed, his heart punishing his ribcage as he stared out into the snow-covered land before him.

Something was wrong.

rendered it!

Gelebor watched her for a long while after she departed for the Vale. He watched as her hair swished from shoulder to shoulder, her small, lithe form tentative as it branched into the new surroundings. 

And suddenly, as much as it pained him, he turned on his heel and headed back to the shrine from whence he came. Auri-El would surely punish him for this small lapse of absence. He would make amends with a brief lash to his body. It was the least he could do to punish his own self.