Zenna and Aerah
Zenna nodded and smiled at the other dragon.
"You're right." she said, then turned to the other rider. "I know you don't know or trust us yet... but going to and joining the Blood-Bound really is your best hope right now."
Aerah turned to her rider.
"Leave him be, Zenna." she said. "Everyone has the right to choose their own path."
Knox grinned down at Nova.
"Last chance to push me away, love." he teased, although he was serious as well.
Ao's heart was thundering in her chest. Her blood felt like lava. As Kees gripped her hips, Ao tangled her legs with his, bringing the two of them closer together. She never wanted to be apart from this male... ever. She knew it would kill her.
Hearing her soft call, Alistair sighed in relief.
Hush, Lady Luna. he told her gently. I'm here by your side.
Auriel smiled at her daughter's surprise. She wasn't surprised Kree knew nothing of this. This had happened before Ragnar had been born, although only he had been told the story. Judging by Valke's calmness, the older brother had told the younger one as well.
Valke smiled at Salem as she nodded to Eben, then turned an amused smile on his sister.
No, but Ragnar did. he teased her. He told me about it when we were younger.
Vanesmee looked over at the one who called himself Lance's twin.
You do this and get caught, you'll die... Vanesmee told him as she hurriedly lead him to Larken's chambers first. But Larken's chambers are up the stairs ahead, second door on the right. If you carry on down that corridor, you'll find my father's .
Marisa frowned slightly at Lance's words.
"Then I hope the good outshone the bad." she told him with a sad smile.
Anlos smiled as Katya picked up Declan and started getting him ready for the day. As he entered his and Katya's room, he saw the red ceremonial gown of the King, worn only at the coronation.
"The hell...?" he muttered. "I didn't leave orders for this to be- Mathayus."
Mathayus! Come to my chambers, please. Immediately!
Dracael frowned for a moment, then seemed to undertand and nodded with a smile.
"The Negate spell that was used on the 'hell holes'." he said. "I see. And that's fine, Millie. I have to admit, I'd rather you had our children in the normal time frame for drow than souped up like Katya and Amelia had to and to a lesser extent Marisa will have to."
Sofi hugged her back, then started playing with Amara's curls, which seemed to fascinate her.
Dorian smiled at Amelia and turned to gently kiss her.
"Good morning, my gorgeous Queen." he teased he. "Sleep well?"
Angela giggled as Ethan puffed out his cheeks in a pout as she grabbed his sleeve and joined the queue going out the door as they had to get their assignments from the teacher first.
"No you won't because I'm going to explain and you're going to help me with the planting and research." she told him with a grin.
Knox smiled into the kiss as he wrapped his arms around Nova, bringing the two of them closer together.
Having you with me for forever sounds like a good deal. He told her as he kissed her deeper. And I could care less right now about Ilia or anyone else... all that matters right now is you, my beautiful mate.
With that he made their pants and undergarments disappear. Fade out
Ao smiled up at Kees with loving eyes as he told her to let him know if she wanted to stop before going too far. She shook her head, gripping his shirt as her hands made fists on his chest.
"I don't feel forced, love. I want this... to be with you like this." she told him. "I want to be yours, and you to be mine... forever."
Marisa kissed him back tenderly, then smiled sadly at him as she shook her head lightly.
"While I agree with you and would not change who you are for all the world, that's not what I meant, my love." she told him. "I merely meant that I hoped the good outshone the bad... so you had more pleasant dreams than... nightmares."
Vanesmee smiled, amused.
Why did I get the feeling you were going to say that, Dan? she told him. And I'm Vanesmee.... Vladimir is my... father.
She was silent for a moment before speaking again.
Still... be careful. I would hate for Lance to lose his brother when he desperately needs every ally he can get right now. she then looked over her shoulder. I should probably get back to the feast... my presence will be missed.
Marisa nodded at Lance's words. She had guessed it was so and, from what Lance had told her and what she remembered of drow and other elven legends, she had to agree that Lance had had very few spots of light in his life. But now... with her and their son... maybe that could all change. She glanced down at her stomach and gently took Lance's hand that was still there, entwining their fingers.
"Now that we have each other... and our son... many happy times will follow." she told him. "I promise!"
Markus and Roth
Markus raised an eyebrow at the thinly veiled insult from the dragon and pursed his lips slightly, but did not comment. After all, sometimes people (and dragons) said something in a way they did not mean. He had to bite back a smile at how the Thunder dragon had leaned in before relaying his request, as if relaying a conspiracy.
"I'm not exactly sure what it is you want me to do?" he finally spoke. "Do you want me to spar with him? Because, unfortunately, I can't help him with the magic... that comes from the bond and is unique to each dragon species."
Markus then smiled slightly.
"I don't know what Roth told you, but it seems to have made an impression." Markus said. "I'll help you by sparring with Zakus, if you want. But know this- you two will have to work out your issues on your own. Roth and I weren't unlike the two of you. We bumped heads... but eventually learned to work together- tenuously it's true... but that cautious tension gradually grew to be trust and friendship."
He could sense Zakus coming and smiled.
"The same can happen with you and your rider, Auron." he said. "You just... both have to work on it."
Zenna and Aerah
Zenna huffed and crossed her arms. She could sense that the other rider was upset about something She looked towards the forest below as she spoke to him.
"Look, I'm sorry, stranger." she told him, having given him her name, but not received his in turn. "I'm sorry if what I told you has upset you for some or other reason, but it's the truth,. You're safer with the Blood-Bound. Alone you're a sitting du- AERAH ROLL!"
Startled by her rider's sudden scream, the Soul dragon did as commanded, Zenna clinging to her saddle pommel, as an arrow whizzed in the air between the two dragons, barely missing Aerah's stomach. As they straightened, Zenna growled lightly.
"That was too damned close." she muttered. "Dammit! They have long bows! Aerah, evasive manoevers and contact the Bound and tell them to get their asses moving!"
"Who do you want me to contact." the soul dragon asked.
"Anyone. Everyone! I don't care, but they have to know of the danger." Zenna answered, turning to the other dragon and rider. "We're going to try and lure them to the south. Follow us... if you guys want to live."
Aerah took off in the direction Zenna had said, contacting Myotis again, as this was whom she had spoken to before.
Myotis, heads up. she told the other dragon. The hunters have long bows. Our position has been compromised. We're heading south.
Marisa seemed to read what Lance wasn't saying in his expression and the way he bit his lip and smiled sadly at her mate.
"You've been promised something like that before... haven't you, love?" she asked quietly, then studied his face, amber eyes meeting blood red. "Lance... I'm not promising we won't have bad times... that's impossible to do, as, unlike Mila, I'm not an oracle with future sight."
She bit her lip.
"But I can promise that we will have good times as well." she said. "And I can promise I'll try my damnedest to make sure they over shadow any bad times. The Fallen knows... you deserve that much and far more after all you've been though."
She smiled up at her mate.
"I don't care where we are or what we do... I'll be happy wherever we are, as long as I'm with you, Lance. And our son." she said, then grimaced as the morning sickness hit her. "Please excuse me, love..."
She then hurried to the bathroom as fast as she could with a large stomach.
Mathayus arrived shortly to see Anlos in a towering temper.
"You called, my King." he said evenly.
"What is the meaning of this?" he said, pointing to the coronation gown. "I ordered a presentation for my son, not a coronation ceremony!"
Mathayus inclined his head.
"Think about it for a moment, Anlos." he said calmly. "How can we present your son as the prince... if you are not king?"
Dracael nodded sympathetically.
"I can imagine that that is not fun..." he said. "I'll get the kitchen staff to make you some ginger tea to help with that."
Dorian smiled lovingly.
"I slept well, thank you, darling." he said with a smile, then chuckled as he watched their daughters."Excuse me a moment, while I get dressed?"
Knox smiled tenderly at Nova, gently toying with her blood red hair.
"And I love you, my gorgeous, kind, loving mate." he told her, then kissed her gently. "More than words can express... and I'm glad that I am yours and you are mine... forever."
He then groaned lightly.
"I suppose we better get back to the Wyvern camp." he said. "But I really don't want to..." he said. "I'd rather forget I'm king for a while longer and stay here with you... but I know we can't..."
As Kees kissed her again and removed both their tops, Ao ran her hands down his well toned chest. Her heart was in overdrive. Her skin tingled where their flesh now touched. She just... couldn't get enough of this male.
Valke frowned at is sister's teasing.
It's not my fault, Kree. he told her. Ragnar made me promise. He wasn't even supposed to tell me, but he did.
He then frowned more, reading the look Lance gave Kree correctly.
"My sister is unfortunately spoken for... sire." he said a little stiffly. "By a court snake."
Auriel frowned sadly and bit her lip as she looked at her mate.
"He is a traitor then..." she said softly. "It is as we feared."
Valke frowned as Salem eyed everyone, then quietly excused herself. He then quietly excused himself and followed Salem, seeing her with her hand in a wall.
"Salem... are you, alright?" he asked her quietly.
Alistair smiled softly at Luna's words.
You are the Princess' Lady-in-Waiting, are you not? he asked her softly. That alone is enough to elevate you to the ranks of nobility.
He then frowned as a lone tear trailed down her cheek. It was obvious that whatever baggage this female carried, it was a heavy burden. Alistair said noting as he gently wiped it away.
Vanesmee nodded as Dan said she was Vladimir's adoptive daughter, then smiled as he said he had a hound's nose. She had smelt that he was a werewolf but had said nothing of it. She bit her lip as he hurried up the stairs on silent feet, then hurried back to the ballroom, where she was met by an agitated James.
"Princess? Where were you?" he asked.
"Forgive me, Lord Howell." she said softly. "I walked through the gardens, trying to calm my nerves."
James smiled.
"Do not worry, Princess." he told her. "A patrol has been sent to look for Lady Luna. They will bring her home."
Marisa was in the bathroom quite a while and then waddled back to the bed after cleaning up. She groaned as she lay beside Lance.
"I swear the morning sickness is getting worse..." she said softly.
Angela smiled a little sadly at the human. Sleep. How many years had it been since she had had or needed that? Oh, she and her 'parents' had beds in their rooms and in the spare room, but they never used them. They had no need to. It was just to keep up appearances.
She giggled.
"Geez... you do seem to sleep a lot." she teased him.
When they got to the end of the queue, Angela gave the teacher their names and took the page with their assignment on.
"Do you want to keep this, or do you want me to?" she asked Ethan.
Marisa nodded with a smile as Lance rubbed her stomach.
"Yes, what with vampire rapid growth and the spell on Home Cave... he is." she agreed. "He'll be here soon."
Knox nodded with a smile as Nova said to go to his home.
"I think you mean our home, love." he teased her gently, then lifted his mate's hand and gently kissed her fingertips.
He knew that Ilia would try anything and would stop at nothing, so neither of them were safe from her or her father.
"I promise, love." he told her. "But you must promise something in return... that you will not go anywhere alone. I want you to have Maidens from some of the females I trust. You may choose them from the bundle... but never go anywhere unaccompanied. Because Ilia and Vermillion will come after you too... and probably first."
Ao gasped softly as Kees teased her by trailing kisses down her body. Her body was hot and as he kissed her stomach it felt like sparks of electricity flew into her body, her skin tingling from where he kissed, her body arching slightly in answer to his question.
Matayus nodded as Katya entered and said they'd have to have a mating ceremony as well.
"Indeed, and I'm glad you're the one who brought it up... my Queen." the old drow healer said. "It may not have been condusive to my continued good health if I had dared remind our moody monarch or that little point."
Mathayus had a gentle smile on his face as he spoke and Anlos glared at him, the smile on his face ruining it however.
"Watch it, old male." he growled teasingly, then nodded and sighed. "You're both right, of course... but with 3 ceremonies on one day... it's a bit much, don't you think?"
Mathayus chuckled lightly, then smiled.
"But necessary." he said.
As Mila hurried to the bathroom, Dracael had gotten out of bed, pulled on a bathrobe and stopped a maid going past to ask for some ginger tea and saltine crackers.
He then returned to the bed and smiled gently as Mila came back, just as there was a knock on the door.
"That must be your order." he told her, then got up to open the door, thanking the serving boy for bringing it to them and then carried it over to his mate. "Here you go, sweetheart."
He placed the tray next to her, setting down the cup of tea and plate of saltine crackers.
"It'll help settle your stomach."
Dorian lightly kissed Amelia's cheek and hurried off to get dressed. Sofi smiled up at her mother, her toothless grin happy. She cooed to be picked up.
Marisa smiled at him.
"That's not too bad... although that's three more months of upset stomach!" she teased him, grinned. "But still... I can't wait to meet him."
Knox nodded and stood up, helping Nova up off the sofa.
"We shall." he said with a smile. "My beautiful Queen."
Fade in Ao smiled as she snuggled up to Kees, where they were in the cave. Her head lay on his chest, her arms wrapped around his waist. Their mating had been better than she'd ever imagined it would be.
Valke remained beside Salem, comforting her, although he smiled at Kree's words. He wondered what they would decide, annul her betrothal to Alistair... or leave it as it was.
Alistair shook his head. Vladimir was truly a monster. Why did he have to make everyone's lives such a misery. And yet, Alistair was well aware of the role he had to play... it was his burden by birth. He was a Snowbird. He signed.
I know what it feels like not to belong anywhere... my lady. he told Luna, refusing to drop the honourific. I was born a Snowbird... and the very first thing I was ever taught is... there is no such thing... as a snowbird. It is a metaphorical creature which does not exist in reality.
As she and James spoke, Vanesmee couldn't help but worry about the man doing a dangerous mission on his own...
Dan... I hope you're alright...
