War of Attrition

A/N: I will be working full time at a game camp this summer. But as I will have some moments to myself, I will have the grand opportunity to play with my neglected WoA fic. Yes you heard right. This summer I dedicate myself to working on WoA and hoping to try and get it almost finished before I start work full time and school again in the fall.

I appreciate all of you who have encouraged me and continued to read the story. And I cannot thank you enough as it has been a difficult one for me to write.

As per usual:
"" is human language
// // is goblin language
thoughts will be itliczed regardless of language.

War of Attrition
Chapter 11

- - -


The mixed rain and hail that had descended on the Forest of the Lost was unseasonably early and resulted in a frantic scrambling to protect crops and livestock. Limbs of the pine trees that surrounded the outlying village were weighed down and as the sun rose betraying a sky of bleak grey everyone's fears were confirmed. An early winter.

Magistra moved about the village, her bones aching deeply with foreboding. An early winter, frost phase all but skipped, was a troublesome sign from the gods, especially occurring so soon after the war. But the healer wasn't a priestess, it was up to them to decipher the messages of the gods, although the old healer did pride herself in knowing a thing or two about the Other Realm. Were they angry at the underlying motive to keeping the human warrior? Or something else? Or was it a nudge in a direction, involving their divine hands to move events in a favorable direction?

The healer moved along, her supply of herbs and medicinals were safe in one of the few greenhouses that the villages had. It had taken her ten years of gathering the glass, sheet by sheet, a precious resource in and of itself, but now it stood and protected her most precious cures and medicines.

Cautiously she moved, her purpose hindered slightly by patches of hidden ice. A message had arrived in the end of the ice storm from Dwykfarrio, the human had been in their possession for nearly a full season, the council wanted results or at least an update before the snow settled in making communication and travel difficult at best and impossible at worst. However the matter of tracking down Dwingvatt and his houseguest was going to be easier said than done she realized as she stood in the doorway of a house that was quite obviously empty. And there were no signs of struggle or upheaval. Sighing at the situation the healer shut the door and began to head through the woods that surrounded the outer most house of the village.
- - -

Inphyy had been sleeping, and quite contently at that. It was hands down the best sleep she'd had since she'd been taken captive. She was vaguely aware that she was sitting in a slightly awkward position but that aside, she was warm. And there was the undeniable feeling of sanctuary.

The peaceful bliss was determined not to last however as a sudden icey draft blew through and light flooded the area around her, demanding that she rouse her consciousness to discover the source. The light contrast was not as great as her sleeping state had thought it was but the door to the shack-wait why am I in the storage shack?- was held open by an undeniably smug looking Magistra. It was then that Inphyy realized just what a precarious situation she was in and scrambled to her feet, or at least trying to as she found her limbs intertwined with Dwingvatt's and tumbled to the ground as Magistra chuckled in amusement.

"N-Nothing happened!" Inphyy managed to choked out, feeling a crimson blush flood her face as she still fumbled to detangled herself from the albino goblin who was groggily waking up. Magistra was clutching her sides now as her chuckling had turned into peels of laughter.
//Dwingvatt you horn dog you!// she exclaimed good naturedly as the albino stretched, and stood once he was sure that he was detangled from Inphyy. The female human was practically beside herself in embarrassment and clearly flustered.
"Inphyy," he said, his voice deep with sleep still, as he tried to pacify the panicked female. She was talking so fast in the human tongue that he couldn't follow her.
//What is she so flustered about?// Magistra asked Dwingvatt, finally having stopped laughing, figuring that if they ignored Inphyy for long enough she would calm down. If they weren't fussing over it then the human had no need to.
//I'm not quite sure myself. I think it ties in to their social structure and mind set. Apparently she's terrified of the idea of...// he paused for a moment to listen to the female's near babbling before he continued. //The idea of any potential mating, never mind who it is with, getting out. A persecution complex that seems to be the prevalent theme of most human actions.//
//They are so strange,// Magistra sighed, watching as Inphyy slowly calmed down, as she realized no one else was upset about this but her. //Inphyy,// the healer said calmly. //I know nothing happened, I would have smelled it if it had.// The goblin tapped the side of her nose and winked.

Inphyy stared at Magistra, not quite sure how to take this news, but slowly nodded.
//But, if you could...please don't tell anyone,// she said softly. Next to her she heard an exasperated snort from Dwingvatt.
"You are being ridiculous. What do you care what other people think? And besides Magistra knows how...." he searched for the proper words to translate. "Delicate this situation is. You're a poor judge of character if you think she would spread it like a town gossip."
Inphyy nodded, bowing her head, still fighting down the panicked feelings that were shifting so quickly that she wasn't sure what they all were.
"None of that," she heard Dwingvatt say in gentle exasperation. Then his fingers were under her chin tilting her head upwards slightly and he placed a firm kiss on her pale lips. The reaction was instantaneous.

Inphyy yanked away from him, and he watched as two distinct emotions came over her, first true fear, bordering on terror, a haunted look, but in a moment it was gone and replaced with rage that seemed to engulf everything. Then the blow came. A swift, hard slap that snapped his face to one side. He could hear her labored breathing and then a soft, unusually feminine gasp and he sensed her pull further away. Dwingvatt didn't need to look up to know that fear controlled her actions again. A second later she was gone, scrambling and pushing passed him and fleeing, because running allowed her to distance herself from the matter. To free herself to repent.

Dwingvatt looked at Magistra.
//You knew she might react like that didn't you?// the healer said, shaking her head.
//It was a possibility. She is at a strange stage, I'd venture that she is still afraid of this human concept of "sin", but she's not sure what she is more afraid of,// he paused to gently rub his cheek where she'd slapped him. //Committing a sin but being safe and happy or returning for a most painful judgment by her fellows.// His fingers traced the air for a moment. The healer nodded, following the train of thought.
//You only wanted to show her how little it mattered. That it is not a matter of shame,// Magistra looked in the direction that Inphyy had run. //While she be alright?//
//Probably not, she'll try to do some stupid "repenting" ritual. The act of seeking forgiveness from their god by some form of self-torture. Humans,// Dwingvatt rolled his eyes in frustration.
//With all this you would wonder how they are able to function....// Magistra said, shaking her head. //But I trust that you will be able to work with her. She has come great lengths already....//
//What?// Dwingvatt tilted his head, looking carefully at the healer.
//You will probably be summoned by the council once spring gets here,// Magistra said. //They ultimately decide her fate, you know this. I'll not tell you what to do, but I would advise you use your better judgement. The most important thing is that she is stable and sympathetic to our cause. You know this.//
Dwingvatt kicked at the half frozen ground. //I know...//
//You will do what you feel is right, you always do// Magistra smiled, and patted her former apprentice's shoulder.

- - -

Inphyy collapsed by the small river that snaked through the woods, her breath coming in great heaving gasps that hurt her lungs as she sucked in the cold air. Her mind was swimming with conflicting concepts and feelings. Things that had been ingrained into her since birth, now as natural as breathing, were being forcefully overridden. She was truly torn, the touches, kissing, soft subtle things she craved, that could be given to her, that would be given to her. Willingly. Sensations that made her head spin with unfamiliarity and her adrenaline race. And all by a goblin. Her sworn enemy. The creature that had caused her so much suffering and taken her as a war prize...But had never harmed her since.
[flash back-previous night]
Inphyy whimpered, her vision clouding with ecstasy. This couldn't be real, anything that felt this good was usually a horrible trap or trick. But she found herself not caring. Strong, warm hands touching her in the most soothing way that made her want to snuggled and pounce on her captor like a tiger all at once.
//Kiss me again...please...// she managed to whisper, her voice seemed far away and hazy. His lips were on hers again, his hands pulling her close to him and tracing the tight muscles that were just below her flesh. She kissed him back, clinging to him as though he might fade away into the storm. His hands moving gently and carefully over her, teasing her through the rough cloth she wore. Without realizing it she growled softly at him, wanting more of the touch, needing more.
//What a beautiful creature you are,// she heard him whisper as he bit and sucked on his ear before trailing his tongue down her neck.
Then for no reason at all, something triggered.
"No," she whispered, her body suddenly snapping to awareness, the fog of pleasurable feeling vanishing. And she was pinned to a tree in the forest. "No stop. Stop! Please brother!"

In startled response Dwingvatt detached himself from her entirely and stared at her in confusion.
"Inphyy?" he waved a hand in front of her eyes. She didn't blink, she wasn't seeing him. "Inphyy!" She flinched back from his voice and scrambled away, tumbling off the worktable and giving a small cry as she fell to the ground.
"Please, please brother...Not tonight. Please I beg you..." she was whispering frantically, crying and curled up in a fetal position.
"Inphyy," Dwingvatt softly crooned, he crouched next to her and despite her struggling pulled her into his lap. "He's dead. He can't hurt you. You're safe," gently he stroked her back and rocked her, shushing her as she cried and shook. It wasn't the first time she'd had a spontaneous flashback. There was no way to pull her out, she had to come out on her own. The first time without Magistra there to guide him had been terrifying and frustrating, but after that these episodes had rapidly declined. He kept repeating the mantra, and stroking her back. Countering the mental play that was happening in her head, it was all he could do.

Twenty minutes later, she had quieted and was clinging to him. She was almost out.
"Dwingvatt?" she asked timidly. Now came the most important part, reestablishing everything.
"Hmm?"
"I'm safe right?"
"Yes. You're safe." He couldn't rush this. A confirmation of safety, a repeat of promises. Then finally after another ten minutes...
"I'm sorry." Apology for the episode. For what was out of both of their controls.
"Its alright. You did nothing wrong. You've nothing to be sorry for." Then sleep could claim them.
[end flashback]

Inphyy stared at the half iced over river, and plunged her hands into it and splashed the icy water on her face. This motion gave way to a series of frantic motions that quickly soaked her whole body as she scrubbed and clawed away at her flesh in a desperate attempt to tear off the offending guilt. Then she stood and waded into the river to her waist and repeated the actions. The gods had to be angry, why else would they keep tormenting her. She didn't deserve happiness or safety. Finally she began to loose sensation and without knowing it fell to her knees the river swirling level with her breasts now, the freezing temperature knocking the wind out of her.
"I just want...to be left alone. I'm tried of being people's play thing...Let me go..." she whispered to the river, consciousness rapidly slipping away.

"Oh no you don't," a strong voice said, as she felt herself pulled from the water, it had actually started feeling warm and the weight from her chest was lifted only to be replaced by a feeling of freezing that encompassed her entire body. "Inphyy look at me," she found herself sitting on the cold ground and managed to raise her eyes in a half dazed expression to connect with Dwingvatt's.
"I will never toy with you. Never give up on you. I promise. But you can't keep doing this," he spoke calmly and in a empathetic manner.
"But I-" she started, and he hushed her.
"You are committing no wrong. So stop punishing yourself."
"But-"
"But nothing. Listen...You have the chance to start over. To leave everything behind and recreate yourself. To have a clean slate. However you have to want it...Do you want it?" he asked softly, for the first time since they'd met, seeming uncertain. The words were bouncing around in her head. They were overwhelming. It was too much. Too much to even imagine. To erase her sins, to be free from everything. But gods yes how she wanted it! How she craved it! Freedom from her past life, before this village before these four or five months. Nothing needed to exist before that. To be truly reborn and recreated.

Dwingvatt watched Inphyy turn the concept over in her mind, even half frozen, you could practically hear the frantic pace at which the human thought. Then she launched herself into his arms.
"Yes," she whispered, clinging tightly to him. To the chance to change everything. To make it right as if it had never happened. "Please, yes."
"Alright then. Let's get you home, it won't do you much good if you're frozen like a statue out here," the white goblin helped the shaking human to her feet and in a slight daze she followed him, her hands clutching his.

Magistra watched from a safe distance away and smiled. Dwykfarrio would be pleased with this report. She added a few notes to the lengthy scroll she'd hastily written and attached it to the leg of a hawk that had a green tasseled band on it's leg, her symbol. The raptor took off into the sky. Honestly at this point, the council wouldn't even need to see her. This would be decided long before they sent to the two off in the spring.