Soft tremors shook the hunter's rugged, weathered body, toned muscles twitching in response to Elariel's affectionate touch. Him mind made a brief effort to analyze her behavior and her continued closeness to him, losing to the pragmatism of his instinct informing him that, if she wanted him dead he would be dead. Reflexively Tae'loren jumped slightly when he felt her lithe body press against his, when he felt the presence of those graceful elven arms coil around his neck once more, when he smelled the sweetness of her skin and her warm breath blowing gently, in pants, against his face, less than a foot from his.<br/><br/>A deep, barely steady inhalation had his firm chest extending toward her, and he unmistakably felt her chest press against his. He felt those soft breasts submit to him, felt them squeeze back ever so slightly, and were it not for his leather armor, may have even felt the gentle poke of her nipples. Another series of gentle tremors traveled the distance of the hunter's body when he felt her fingertips caress the edge of his ears, oh so subtle in movement, disguised as an effort to remove the handkerchief, though Tae'loren knew that Elariel was far too graceful, her body far too practiced to slip in such a simple movement.<br/><br/>It was then the hunter realized that he was indeed a captive, not to her group, but to Elariel. She, ironically, held him captive with his own freedom: freedom to walk without shackles or bindings, save for a blindfold, freedom to carry his weapons, and perhaps most enticing was his freedom to receive her kindness, which she offered, surprisingly, in abundance. When his sensitive ears informed his brain that those dainty, deceptively delicate fingertips were touching them again, he decided to reciprocate her kindness.<br/><br/>When the blindfold was removed, Elariel would be met with a piercing gaze from the hunter, one that likely, for a moment, made her feel like the captive, like his prey. It was not a threatening gaze, however, but one of captivation and arousal. Allowing her only a moment to process that hunger, the next moment would find the hunter embracing the mage, quick but gentle. This was no normal embrace, however, for as his cheek brushed against her cheek, his face did not stop, not until his ear was brushing her ear. This action drew a fierce spasm from the hunter, his firm, lean body vibrating gently against hers as he held her. After a moment his head withdrew, and those piercing golden orbs locked intimately with those radiant green globes peering back at him.<br/><br/>His words would reach her ears as a husky whisper that any auditory wards would likely not be able to detect. What was more astonishing, the whisper was in ancient elven, a language he knew she would understand. “To you, Elf Maiden Elariel, I owe my life; you have safeguarded my life at the possible cost of your own. What I have done just now I have done because I can never forget you, or your actions.”<br/><br/>At this the elf hunter's eyes slowly slid closed, and he tilted his head toward hers, in submission, and shockingly, performing this while embracing Elariel, meant he held her with tender affection.<div class="messageTextEndMarker"> </div>