A Foolish Mistake

Summary: A direct sequel to Broken Bonds. Taran makes their displeasure about Arendin's actions known
Warning(s): Spanking; references to violence and character death; references to abuse and mind control
Pairing: Arendin Silverleaf/Rain Silverleaf
Author's Note: Follows the 'canonical' ending of Broken Bonds. This is where Rain is captured and Arendin sneaks into the enemy base with Taran and Corella to save him...and then breaks cover after noticing a wounded Galahad. This story takes place after the return to camp.
I hope you enjoy!

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Back in their tent, Arendin took a deep breath and turned to Rain. He didn't say anything. He just reached out to his lifemate, wrapping his arms around Rain and hugging the elf tightly. "Are you hurt anywhere?" he whispered, his voice ragged.

"No, my love," Rain murmured, wrapping his own arms around Arendin and hugging just as tight...just as fiercely...in return. "I'm sorry," he murmured softly. "I shouldn't have left the camp."

Arendin shook his head and pressed a kiss to Rain's shoulder. "I understand you were upset," he whispered, his voice ragged. "I don't blame you. I just wish..." His voice trailed off.

Rain's azure eyes darkened with sadness and he whispered, "I am sorry that so many of our people left to follow Jana."

Arendin closed his eyes, wincing at the stab of pain that went through him at the thought of that betrayal. "I can't blame them," he whispered. "The Ancient One offered a chance to surrender...a promise for an audience with the King. It seems Jana had been having doubts for a very long time...and this just pushed her into making that decision."

Rain nodded and opened his mouth, but before he could say anything, there was a light knock on the outside of the tent.

Arendin glanced towards the entrance flap. "Come in," he called, not so much as loosening his hold on his lifemate.

The tent flap was raised and Taran slipped into the tent. Their hood was raised up, casting their face into shadow, but their body was stiff...almost tense. "Rain." They inclined their head slightly, then turned to Arendin. "Commander. I'd like to speak with you alone."

"You can speak to me in front of Rain," Arendin said. "I have no secrets from my lifemate."

"Fine." There was an edge to Taran's voice as they said, "Then he can hear me call you an idiot."

Rain frowned and took a step back, looking into Arendin's eyes. "What did you do?"

Arendin blinked, then winced as the memory came rushing back to him. "I...didn't think," he admitted quietly. "I just saw someone in need and I..."

"You stepped out of our hiding place," Taran finished. "If the knight had been a true enemy, you would have immediately got us both captured. Or worse."

Arendin took a deep breath and nodded slowly. "You're right," he said calmly. "I acted foolishly and I put myself in danger. I was worried and scared for Rain's safety, but I shouldn't have drawn attention to myself." Even if it hadn't ended as badly as it could have done, he could understand why Taran was annoyed.

Rain reached out and took hold of Arendin's hand, his eyes wide with worry. "Arendin, I can understand why you were worried and scared...but you shouldn't have acted so dangerous and reckless," he said softly. "You could have been killed."

"I know, my love." Arendin sighed, turning his hand over to gently grip Rain's. "I'm sorry." Of course, their relationship was such that dangerous, reckless behaviour was dealt with in a very specific way. However, in this instance, it wasn't Rain who'd directly witnessed him doing something dangerous.

Rain looked at Arendin with gentle, loving eyes for a few moments. Then, he turned to Taran. "Would you take a seat on our sleeping mat?"

Taran hesitated, as if they weren't sure whether to do what Rain said or not. Finally, though, they moved over to the sleeping mat and sat down on it.

Squeezing Arendin's hand gently, Rain guided him over to stand by Taran's right leg. He then took a seat next to Taran and looked up into Arendin's eyes, giving him a reassuring smile.

Taran shifted uncomfortably. "What are you expecting me to do?"

"Arendin and I have a very...unique way of handling dangerous and reckless behaviour," Rain explained. "It's often Arendin who steps in with me, but since it was you who witnessed it this time, it seems to me that the best person to take care of this is you."

"I'm not sure that's appropriate," Taran said.

Arendin glanced at Rain and took a deep breath, then focused on Taran once more. "Rain is right. You've stood by me when Jana and Kenric...and others...have abandoned our cause. I'm sorry that I was foolish and endangered myself. If it would help make things right between us, I will submit to punishment at your hands," he said seriously.

"Are you sure about this?" Taran seemed to be addressing their question to both Rain and Arendin.

Rain nodded. "If you would prefer not to, I can of course step in, as I would normally. But in this situation, I think it would be beneficial and healing for you to step in."

"And I'm sure about this." As he spoke, Arendin removed his weapons belt and carefully placed it out of the way. Then, he waited.

"All right." Taran was still and quiet for a moment or two. Then, they reached out and closed their fingers around Arendin's wrist, pulling him round to their other side and helping him across their lap.

Arendin was positioned in such a way that his upper body was resting on Rain's lap, and his lifemate stroked gentle, reassuring fingers through his hair, then wrapped his arms around Arendin's torso and held him close and tight.

Slowly, one of Taran's hands came to rest on Arendin's backside. They kept their hand there for a moment or two, as if not certain what to do. Then, finally, they lifted their hand and brought it down in a fairly light swat.

"I'm not going to break." Arendin glanced over his shoulder. He couldn't see Taran's eyes, and their face was in shadow, but he spoke directly to the other. "You can use a bit more force."

"If it's hard, think about how foolish he was and how irritated you are with him," Rain suggested.

Taran hesitated. "It sounds like you're speaking from experience."

Rain's smile was slightly rueful as he said, "Taking control like that isn't always easy." He gently stroked his fingers through Arendin's hair; hugged him a little tighter.

The next swat landed a little harder, stinging through his leggings, and Arendin found himself wincing slightly. He did his best to stay still and limp...as relaxed as it was possible to be...across Taran's lap as the other settled into a pattern of swats, working their way over every inch of Arendin's backside from the crest down to mid-thigh...and then started over from the top.

As skin that had already received attention was swatted, Arendin couldn't help letting out tiny hisses and groans. He tried to keep still, but his body began reacting in spite of himself...shifting from side to side and wriggling slightly, even though he wasn't actively trying to get away from the swats.

Taran began a third circuit of swats, going a fraction harder and faster. As Arendin's shifting became a little more frantic, Taran began to speak, their voice serious...bordering on stern. "I think I can understand why you chose to step out of the hiding place, but understanding doesn't mean you should have done it. And you certainly shouldn't have stepped out without telling me what you were about to do."

"You're right." Arendin gasped softly as the sting in his backside increased. He was relieved that Rain was holding onto him, otherwise he might have tried to twist fully away from the swats. "You're right," he repeated. "I'm sorry. I...I should have told you."

Taran didn't say anything, but they began to focus more swats to Arendin's sit spots and the tops of his thighs.

In response to the swats to the more sensitive spots, Arendin couldn't help kicking his legs. His eyes began to fill with tears, and a tiny sob caught in his throat.

"It's all right, Arendin," Rain whispered, stroking his fingers through Arendin's hair. "Let it out. I'm here."

As if the words from his lifemate were the permission he needed, another sob escaped Arendin's lips. And then more followed after that one as the tears began to slip down his cheeks; as he began to sob out the emotional pain and sense of betrayal from people he'd trusted abandoning their cause.

While Arendin cried, Rain tenderly stroked his hair and spoke to him in soft, soothing tones. "I'm here. You're not alone. We'll win this fight tomorrow," he promised, his voice low and intense. He slipped into the elven tongue, the almost lyrical tone of the language providing a soothing cadence to the swats Taran was still delivering.

Finally, though, Taran stopped spanking. They rubbed Arendin's back lightly for a few moments, then helped him to stand up.

Arendin took a deep breath, wiping away his tears. "Thank you," he whispered to Taran, his voice hoarse with tears and emotion. "I'm sorry I stepped out without warning you about what I was doing. I'm sorry I nearly endangered all of us in the actions I took." He glanced at Rain, including his lifemate in the apology as well.

Rain's smile was tender and loving as he reached out, stroking the side of Arendin's face. "I forgive you," he whispered.

"I forgive you too." Taran cleared their throat and stood up. "But this is getting a bit too emotional for me. I'll leave you both in peace until it's time for the battle." Without waiting for a response, they slipped out of the tent.

Rain turned back to Arendin and reached out, running his hands over Arendin's shoulders and down his arms. "How much time do we have before we need to march out for battle?"

Arendin took a step closer and allowed his own hands to rub over Rain's arms. "I think we have enough," he whispered.

The End