Darkthorn’s Blog

Blackmain and Ishton fell onto the bed in a tangle of limbs. For modesties sake, in case Julia was to look in on them, the two left their clothes on even though they were sweaty and crumpled. Blackmain angled his head to see Ishton already asleep, his breathing deep and even, almost like a stone statue. Tired as he was, sleep would not come easily or quickly. He thought instead of the last time they had slept like this. They hadn’t been worn out from focused spell work…

It was typical of elves to take many lovers. Ishton was an exception, he preferred to have only one person. This taste didn’t run to other elves, they bored him with their pretty speeches about sharing the birth of the children. He could understand that children were important, but he wasn’t willing to settle down yet. His pretty cousins could re-populate the Earth, they spent enough time with the humans to conceive.

Ishton was a typical elf, mainly appearing in his male form but preferring to take a female shape during intercourse. Humans had the silly idea that male partnerships were wrong as well, against the natural law. They hadn’t had the time to observe the animals in nature, it happened there. It wasn’t as if procreation wasn’t occurring when he was bonded as a male, he would be able to birth children in his female form. It was the joining with another soul that counted. Ishton didn’t see himself being that different from humans, except his long life and changeable nature. Both had evolved from the same creature, elves had just gotten the better of two bargains, able to give and receive.

It was an advantage to have both aspects available. Sexual pleasure could be taken in being female, although human lovers tended to be rough and abrasive. Being a male was more protective, stronger, faster, able to take pleasure in any kind of penetration.

The tales about the elves were mainly the product of overactive imaginations belonging to the human lovers. Having spent a wonderful night enjoying the elf’s female aspect, it was often a nasty shock to wake up next to an elven male. It was easier to explain away their horrified discomfort and shame by calling the elves ‘monsters’. Blackmain wasn’t ever like that. As a young boy, Blackmain had been confused because he felt equally attracted to both sexes. Ishton’s company had allowed him to explore, without generating rumours or having Blackmain get into more fights to preserve his manliness. Blackmain’s childhood hadn’t been conducive to priming him as a gentle lover. His internal anguish often overtook him in those early days, no ordinary female would have been able to withstand his violent wrath. Ishton was so much more hardy, another advantage. Even though he may have been in his female aspect, the strength carried over successfully from each change in shape. Pleasure and pain intertwined, inseparable just like Ishton and Blackmain were until Kolark.

Kolark had created a brief rift between the men, her heritage was unsuitable for Blackmain, and Ishton could tell that nothing good would come of the union. Blackmain insisted on pursuing her, his love for her growing stronger every day that passed without communion. Their one night of passion had resulted in Blackmain being exiled, and Kolark resigned to a backwater marriage. Blackmain’s brief happiness had granted him an unforgiving hatred of the royals in general when it was taken from him.

Blackmain had not thought of her until Julia had come, but now all the painful thoughts and memories seemed to be rushing back, as well as his desire for Ishton. Julia could be a problem, if she had any of those deep-seated human misperceptions. He would have to find some way of keeping her out of the house. Blackmain realized that he didn’t even know what she enjoyed. Something more to think about when he was awake. Blackmain drifted off to sleep, his thoughts carrying into his dreams.