Crimson Revenge- Payback in Blood. Part 8

Lavineen Lightbringer held a hand up to her face, blocking the sun from her gaze as she surveyed the fields below. Her pointed ears poked out delicately from her sunbeam colored hair. The plate armor she wore was immaculate, shining and very ornate.  It was paladin armor.  On her back was a beautiful crimson and black cloak and over that, a large two handed sword named "Hope's Blessing" glinted and glowed with an inner light.

Starmane bent his head to gaze on the hillside flowers as his mistress sat upon his golden saddle. He was a celestial being from the astral planes of the ancients.  A billion stars twinkled in his coat of sky, his wings folded neatly at his sides.

The farms below lay in ruin, the crops ruined, the buildings burning.  Smoke billowed into the sky, thousands of feet high.  Farm animals that had escaped their pens were all running around panicked. The undead scourge was here. The farms were all lost.  In the center of the largest field sat an immense cauldron. It bubbled with a sickly purple liquid that spewed a noxious cloud of gas. This was the scourge poison. Once dead, any creature could be brought back to fight in the undead army for the Dread Queen, Malvissa Frozenheart.

Seeing the horror below frightened Lavineen, as it would anyone, but her face remained the same, calm expression.  She didn't move at all when another paladin rode up beside her and stopped.

"My group is up next. On a special mission." the male paladin said, looking at the fields instead of Lavineen. His armor plated horse snorted a greeting to Starmane who bobbed his head in return.

"We head out tonight." he removed his plate helmet, shook his black hair and ran his fingers through it a couple times.  He turned to look at Lavineen's face expectantly.  His human emotions written clearly on his face.

A stab of pain shot through her heart. She boiled with fear and worry, but mostly overwhelming love.  Even though she felt so much, her face didn't betray her feelings. Her expression remained the same.  After a moment she put her hand down and turned to look at him.

"Congratulations on your important mission, lieutenant." she said evenly. "I'm sure you will do an excellent job leading, as always, sir. May the light protect you."

Christopher grinned slyly at her words.
"No need to be so formal, soldier. We're the only ones in ear shot."  His steed bumped against hers gently, the two animals clearly used to being this close to each other. He suddenly embraced Lavineen, pulling her close and kissing her passionately. She returned his kisses with her own passion for several minutes before sighing and laying her head on his chest armor.  Christopher caressed her head lovingly.

"I want to go with you, Chris. I can't bear to be apart from you. It's so dangerous... I never want to lose you." she spoke softly.

Chris gently lifted up her chin to look in her eyes tenderly.

"Lavi. I feel the same way, but everything will be okay. I love you more than life!  I won't be gone long. I'll be back before you wake in the morning." he smiled warmly. He kissed her nose playfully, making her smile as only he could.

"I love you, Christopher. More than you'll ever know." Lavi removed a necklace from around her neck, placing it around Chris's neck.  "I want you to take this with you." she said as she clasped the chain.  The necklace held a silver pendant with a small piece of a celestial star embedded in it.

"I will wear it proudly and return it to you tomorrow." he smiled as he tucked it under his armor, close to his heart. They kissed and held each other for as long as they dared, not wanting to get caught in their fraternizing. It was against the paladin order after all.

[to be continued... ]