"Oh god Soren…oh god…Oooh god Soren…" Ilyana's hands were outstretched on either side of her. She was sweating, tiny beads adorned her forehead. It was unbelievable that earlier they had entered this tent miserably cold. She could feel Soren's body sliding against her wet stomach. "Soren…" she moaned weakly. It was dark now; the only light that could be seen was the lantern that barely glowed on the branch outside of the tent. The flame wouldn't last much longer…but Soren would. The wind had taken spells of being more and less forceful as the sun disappeared into the forest. The rain hadn't let up for a minute since they had gotten back. Ilyana could feel hot breath in her face. Soren loomed over her with fire in his already red tinged eyes. Long black hair fell forward into Ilyana's face. She reached a hand up and pushed long locks behind his ears. "You're not stopping there are you?" Ilyana begged of him as she felt his hips grind in to her. Soren smiled.

"Of course not. I wouldn't dare leave you in this condition." Soren reassured her as she felt his lips on hers. Her body was weak, she could feel the muscles in her arms limp and useless. In fact she was shaking a little, she knew she would be sore when she woke in the morning. She was so thankful Soren had more strength than her. "Trade me places." Soren asked kissing her cheek. Ilyana sighed. Her body was jelly, she didn't know if she could switch him places.

"You have to help me…hold on to my arms…you make me weak you know." Ilyana smiled as she clumsily traded him places. She rested her hands in the middle of his chest as she straddled him. She could feel Soren's hands on her hips. But that wouldn't do, she was too weak in her arms. She moved Soren's hands to her shoulders. "This will help me more." Ilyana said.

"If you get tired tell me." Soren reassured her.

"I will, I'll just tell you now. I will get tired." Ilyana said laughing. Soren smiled at her.

"I think you already are." He was right, but she was still full of fury and that would be more than obvious.

"Oh Soren…" Ilyana moaned breathlessly, feeling her body break.

"You're okay. Let me hold on to you." Soren told her. He closed his eyes and sighed. The way she felt was indescribable. Her rhythm was slow but intense. Soren held on to her arms tightly so her listless body wouldn't collapse.

"Faster?" she asked softly. Soren shook his head and let heavy breath escape from him. "No…no…god…no…just like that." Ilyana smiled. That was the response she longed for. She could see Soren become helpless underneath her as his grip on her arms loosened. "Harder?" was her question now. She was confident she knew what the answer would be.

"Yes…" Soren cried to her breathlessly. Ilyana was going to have him hanging by a moment in no time. Her legs weren't going to last much longer and her thighs were screaming. Ilyana watched Soren's face closely. It was nearly time to trade. She knew what Soren wanted…to get as close as possible to the point of no return and then get Ilyana to scream underneath him. Soren's hands had fallen from her arms and now his fingertips were pressing hard into her hips. She could hear Soren moan out loud as he shoved her upward. "Okay…trade me now…now…" Soren begged her trading her places and making sure she was comfortable. This was it…Ilyana let her arms lay above her head. She could feel long black hair tickle her neck.

"Soren…" Ilyana's voice was lost to the wind and it was a good thing. She could feel him consume her. "Soren…" her voice was louder this time. The sweat on the back of Soren's neck began to creep its way down to his back. "Soren…" had it not been so much commotion outside, someone would have heard that. Thank goodness this was a miserable night…because things were far from miserable in this tent. Soren had to put his hand over Ilyana's mouth…and then…she could feel his weight on top of her, both of them sweating all over. Soren could feel Ilyana's chest heave underneath him. She reached her hand up and dug her fingers into soft black hair. She twisted her hand around tangling long tresses between her fingers. She could feel his breath on her neck. This was such a perfect night, even with the storm outside that hadn't let up a bit. They didn't care how long it would last, it didn't matter…they had each other now. Soren raised himself up to his elbows and looked at her.

"Tell me how you feel." Soren asked of her. Soren would have never, ever asked anyone else how they felt. Frankly, he didn't care…but he did care how Ilyana felt.

"I feel wonderful…let it storm Soren…the night's anything but over if you know what I mean." Ilyana said wiping sweat from Soren's forehead. "How do you feel?"

"I couldn't feel any better Ilyana." He laid down beside her wrapping her shoulders in his arms and peeling away the blanket from them. "Why doesn't it bother you?" He asked her cradling her head on his neck.

"Why doesn't what bother me?" Ilyana asked.

"That I'm branded…it bothers other people. Why didn't it bother you when you met me?" Soren asked sincerely. For a moment it seemed that the wind was going to take the tent away.

"Why should it have bothered me? You're human like everyone else Soren. Besides…you're so incredibly gorgeous that I don't see how anyone could even care." Ilyana said.

"Unfortunately we live in a world where people do care, but I'm glad that you don't. It makes it easier for me." Soren said.

"I wish I didn't have to leave tomorrow." Ilyana said, a hint of sadness and dread in her voice. Soren wished she hadn't reminded him of the fact that she did have to leave the next day…and it would have to be before anyone knew she was here at base camp.

"I can't think about that right now. I just want to hold you." Soren admitted.

"Do you think anyone knows what we've been doing?" Ilyana wondered.

"No, but you know what…I wouldn't care if Ike or Titania…or anyone else knew. Sometimes I think I want them to find out…just to see how they will react. I don't think they ever thought I'd ever love anyone." Soren said. Oops…he let that one slip…he hadn't exactly told Ilyana that he loved her before. Did he love her or was that just his hormones talking? No…he did…he loved this sweet sage in his arms.

"What did you say? You…you love me? I thought you were just lonely and I thought you slept with me that one night because you were lonely." Ilyana admitted feeling Soren's hand on her back.

"That's what I thought too…until you left late that night and then I realized I missed you…and I felt more alone than ever before. That's when I panicked wondering when or if I would see you again. After that night, I never, ever stopped thinking about you and um…I said to myself I think I'm in love with her." Soren said.

"I didn't want to leave you that night…I just thought I should. I thought it was the right thing to do. Neither of us are very good at talking about how we feel." Ilyana laughed. "I love you, I thought it was just lust really…but I do love you." The thunder rumbled in the distance. The storm wasn't leaving, it was merely wrapping around for another round of torrential might.

"Am I uh…am I really the only man you've ever been with?" Soren wondered as the brutal world outside threatened their only shelter. Ilyana laughed.

"Of course you are. Soren, I bled the first time we slept together…not every girl does that the first time…but I did. You really thought I had been with another man before you?" Ilyana asked pulling away from him to cool herself off.

"It's just that…you're so beautiful and…you're so sweet. I can't imagine a man not wanting to get his hands all over you." Soren said rubbing his hands all over her.

"Well, perhaps you're the only man I've ever wanted." She said as the wind outside made the sides of the tents buckle. They laid there in the dark of night.

"Tonight I need your sweet caress, hold me in the darkness." Soren told her pushing the covers completely off of them. "Tonight you calm my restlessness, you relieve my sadness. In fact, I haven't been sad since that first night." Soren said. Ilyana laughed.

"Soren, I'd hold you in my arms forever if I could. You know what? I wish it would storm like this every time I was with you. I know it wasn't much fun getting to camp, but look at us now…we're lying here naked in the dark while the storm serenades us. I kind of wish tomorrow wouldn't get here, you know?" she said.

"But you know what, if tomorrow doesn't get here…we can't have another night like this. Besides, tomorrow morning we are going to have pancakes with hot cinnamon apples. I know you…you'll be starving by the morning and as much as it breaks my heart that you have to leave in the morning…it would break my heart even more if you left hungry. Soren kissed her forehead. To think, this all started with a storm warning. It ended with Soren falling in love.