Irish Beauty (butterfly0408/Kolath)

Kiara sighed and laid back on the roll, resting her hands under her head as she looked up at the stars through the branches of the tree they were camped under. "I can't define it Alan! It's such a wonderful joy to know that I will see my family once again and sleep under my own roof in my bed." She nipped her lip a little bit and rolled to the side to look at him. "I... I have been thinking... Alan....... I want to... I want.... Alan will you stay with me after tomorrow? For at least a little while?" They had not really spoken about what would happen to them after she was home again.

Alan had rolled onto his side looking over at her. He couldnâ??t help but smile as she spoke about home and family. He reached over gently taking her hand smiling leaning in close kissing her forehead for a moment. â??If your family will allow me to stay Kiara I would wish to stay as long as I am allowed to.â? His hand brushed over her cheek lightly before laying back down smiling, â??Now best we get some sleep.â?

She smiled and nodded, letting her eyes drift closed, still speaking as she started to drift into slumber, "I am sure they will welcome you with open arms. You are my hero after all." By the end of her sentence, she was already half way into a dream. But she did not know, this was not a normal dream. It was, like so many things, a plot by Kiel to get her back in his grasp.

Alan smiled laying there looking up at the stars for a moment before closing his eyes seeing what could come in the next few days in his dreams. He never knew what was happening with Kiara till it was too late.

Kiel was getting angry that his followers couldnâ??t seem to capture even one girl from one protector. He decided that he himself would have to come and make sure things were done right. However he had forgotten that in human form he had to walk like all the rest of the humans, and though they pushed hard still Kiel was only a little closer to his goal. Getting impatient he reached out with his mind to Kiara as she slept. He invaded her dreams, she would see what looked like home and family all she had to do was get up and walk to them.

Deep in her dreams, Kiara fell right into his trap. Both within her dream, and outside, she stood up and started to make her way towards the vision of her home. It was only a vision though, and while the direction she traveled in her dream was towards home, in reality, Kiel's visions were leading her in another direction. Deep into the woods to where his men waited to greet her, not her happy family.

In her dream her family beckoned her closer, when in truth the minions merely didnâ??t want to come closer to her so as to alert Alan. As she neared them they got over confident and one stepped forward taking her hand the dream still holding. There was only one problemâ?¦he had stepped over the alert barrier that Alan had set up. In seconds Alan was up his sword in hand glowing as he charged. With a sudden flip over Kiara he knocked two down cutting a third in half as the others came at them. In her dream it was worseâ?¦A dark formless enemy had suddenly coming between her and her family and had begun attacking themâ?¦Kiel was turning her salvation into her worst fear in the dream forcing her to remain in the dream.

It was horrible. She had been holding her mothers hand! She could feel it! And then felt it be ripped away again. The images Kiel painted in her head were terrible, graphic! She watched her family fall one by one, then her friends, things were in flames before the dark figure. She was full of rage and her instincts seemed to kick in. She ran and leaped onto the dark figures back, starting to beat him, scratching his skin, and trying to defend her home. But in reality, it was Alan she was attacking!

He gasped as Kiara jumped on him. it took a moment for him to realize what was up but after his several hundred years of doing this it wasnâ??t hard to guess. Pulling a throwing dagger he sent it into the chest of one of the other servants of Kiel that had gotten up. Giving him a moment to deal with Kiara. He reached back and with enough force to dislodge her from his back he brought her over his head and carefully dropped her to the ground. Still standing her slammed his hands together palms flat as he called on the power of the god he served. Kneeling quickly he touched one finger to her forehead and sent her into a deep dreamless sleep that would break the spell and make her think this was all just a nightmare which is was. Now it was time to deal with the remaining servants of Kiel.

Kiara was struggling to rise one second, but the moment his magic touched her, she went limp in unconsciousness. By the time Alan had taken care of Kiara, most of Kiel's remaining men had either fled or where down for the count, slowly dying. One of them glared at him. The glare was unworldly, with a hint of a red glow. The dying follower was being used by Kiel, still far away, but ever present. "You can't protect her forever paladin..." he hissed, "One day soon she will be mine and you will be dead..."

Alan narrowed his eyes walking slowly over to the servant being used as Kielâ??s eyes and ears. â??Know this demon.â? He swung his sword up showing the hilt and blade to the servant in full. â??Know this sword as the sword of truth and knowâ?¦â? he slashed hard across the servants chest killing him and almost severing the link, â??â?¦that it is your death.â? The link broke and Alan sheathed his sword going and picking up Kiara and taking her back to her bed roll.

Kiel couldn't help but laugh a little far away. This paladin was a riot. He was a fool as well. He had no idea how close Kiel really was getting to them and how soon he'd have his prize spread wide for the taking.

Meanwhile, Kiara groaned a little as he placed her back down on the roll. She was totally oblivious, just as all the other times of what had happened to her, thanks to Alan.

Alan moved his bed roll closer to her side wrapping her in his blanket and arms as he laid back down next to her. he couldnâ??t help but worry about the fact that the servants were still following them normally they gave up by now and went to find another girl. He would have to speak to one of the paladin archivists to find out why they kept pursuing but not tonight he knew that she would need his comfort when she woke in the morning.

She was very still the rest of the night, until she started to stir with the morning light. She first started to shiver than woke up with a sharp jolt and a gasp! It was as if the nightmare had only just invaded her dream rather that the hours ago it had been.

Alan had felt her stirring and had been ready for her to wake. He sat up his arms wrapping around her waist as he nuzzled into her neck. â??Shhh its ok Kiara, you didnâ??t sleep well last night I could tell by how much you were moving around so I came over to hold you and you seemed to sleep better.â? He kissed her neck playing dumb, â??was it a dream love?â?

She nodded her head, shivers still running through her. "Oh god, it was horrible Alan. Terrible! My family was right there, I could almost touch them, but a shadow stuck them down and killed them before my eyes! I tired to fight him but... oh God, what if it happens Alan? What if it was not a dream, but the future?!"

He held her kissing her neck rubbing her arms as he pressed close against her back. â??Shhh it will be ok I promise I will be there none of your family will come to harm no matter what.â? He gently turned her to look at him and smiled. â??I remember you being afraid of when I finally leftâ?¦well what if I never left? what if I stayed with you always?â??

Kiara's eyes went wide, "Alan... are you sure? It's not a very exciting place, my village. You'll be bored out of your mind in no time, I promise you. Are you sure about that? Alan, I don't want you staying for the wrong reasons. I don't want you to grow to despise me for making you stay in this place." The way she spoke of her village... it was a wonder she even wanted to go back.

Alan smiled brushing her hair lightly. â??I am sure I would love it because I could spend more time with you.â? He kissed her forehead lightly, â??I have thought about this long and hard I want to stay with you Kiara if you will let meâ?¦at least to see if we are meant to be.â? His hand took hers kissing the back of it lightly smiling that sly charming smile he had.

Kiara had a big wild smile on her face as she nodded her head swiftly, "I would love that Alan!" She rested her hands on his face, her eyes full of such joy. "It would make me so happy! You have no idea!" She wrapped her arms around his neck and hugged him tight. "My family will love you!"

He smiled laughing, â??Well they wonâ??t like me very much right nowâ?¦not with the way I have their daughter lookingâ?¦maybe we should stop at a stream or inn and get cleaned up a little?â? he stood starting to pack up the camp, â??We after all only have a half days walk there and so we can take a little timeâ?¦unless you want to clean up when we get there?â?

"Alan, you saved my life! They won't care what I look like, as long as I am alive! Now come on!" She started to roll up her bedding and help him pack everything up, "I can't wait any longer. I want to see my home."

Kiara set a swift pace for them. She was familar with the land now and knew how to get them there quicker than he had originally guessed. They rose up over a hill and down on the other side, was Kiara's home village.

Gazing down upon the little village, Kiara was relieved to see it had stood up well against Kiel's men on that night they took her. Only the one storage shed that had been burnt as the distraction was gone. Everything else was still standing strong and tall. She could see her house right near the middle of the town, the smoke rising from the chimney. "Come on!" She said to Alan as she took his hand, pulling him behind her as she went off running.

A few people were in the fields around the outter edge. She wondered if... she stopped suddenly... "Lucis?" she was gazing across the field at a young lad, about the same age as Kiara with her same red hair. "LUCIS!" she called out. The lad stopped and turned, spotting her, his face lit up. All the others working around him were looking at her in stunned silence. "It's my brother," she said to Alan before she took off running towards him.

"Kiara!" her brother finally called back, taking off running to meet her half way. The twins embraced one another with such force it was amazing they had not knocked one another over. He pulled back and looked her over to make sure she was real and she was alright, "Kiara! Dear God what happened to you?! We all thought you were surely dead!"

"I would have been Lucis, if not for Alan." She turned to see if he had followed her, and if not to motion him closer, "It's such a long story, I shall save it for mother and father as well."

"Yes!" he hugged he again, "Picking her up and spinning her around twice before putting her back on the ground again, "We must run tell them at once! Come!" Her brother took her hand and started to run with her.

"Alan!" she called back to him, letting him know she had not forgotten him. "Come! Meet my family!"

Alan had followed close behind her a smile on his face but his hand for some reason had drifted to his sword. He couldnâ??t explain it but it seemed like someone was watching them, not wanting to alarm Kiara and her family he made sure it just looked like his hand was resting on the hilt. He followed her walking rather then running but staying up close while letting her have a few moments with her family before he came to the house.

Lucis took her through the middle of town. Her safe return was drawing attention, and a bit of a crowd. By the time they all arrived at the house, the had a dozen or so followers, wanting to know the story of how Kiara had found her way home.

"Mother! Father!" she cried out as they approached the house. Before they could enter the yard, a middle aged woman came running out of the house to meet her. She had long blonde hair just starting to gray a bit. She was stunning to behold. Clearly, Kiara's looks came from her mother, "Kiara! My child! My Kiara!" her mother had tears coming down her face as she and Kiara meet in an embrace. It was a joyous reunion to say the least.

The only thing left to make it perfect was, "Kiara?" came a man's voice as her father came from around the back of the house into the front with the rest of his family. "Father, I'm home!" The older gentleman was already gray and said no words as he came up to embrace his wife and daughter both, hugging them. They were all together again.

These were the moments that Alan lived for, the love and warmth that was shown here made everything he had seen everything that he had been through in his nearly two hundred years on the earth worth it all. Normally when he returned a girl to her family he would have stayed at the back of the group and then when things were at their highest point he would slip away using the skill to hide in light he had been given. He would never be seen by them again but stay around long enough to be sure they were safe. But here he just remained near the back leaning against a sign letting Kiara reunite with her family but staying where she could find him when she was ready.

Once her family finally let her go, she instantly turned to look for Alan. Spotting him, she smiled and went to bring him forward, but her father speaking loud and clear to the now large crowd, "My friends! By the grace of God, my daughter has been returned to our village alive and well! A celebration! A celebration tonight for her return!" The crowd all cheered and started to disperse, all happy to make ready for such a joyous celebration. Her father finally turned his attention back to his daughter, "Come my child, you must tell us your tale while you clean yourself up."

"Wait, one moment father," Kiara pulled away and finally went to Alan, taking his hand, smiling warmly at him as she lead him to her family, "This is Alan. He is the one that save me and brought me home to you. If not for him, I would now be dead."

Kiara's mother came forth first and embraced Alan, kissing each of his cheeks, "Bless you my boy! Bless you for this gift!"

"Come," her father said, not yet giving thanks to Alan, but rather eying him like a protective father, "Come inside and share the tale then." Lucis was giving Alan the same protective look as Kiara's father as they all went inside.