Kingdoms of Darkness and Light

[The Writer]

Nick watched Dominic before he shook his head. He shook Dominic’s hand and listened as he gave him some advice on his sister. Nick heard it and knew it was all too true. Such an interesting creature Dominic’s sister was. Now hearing that she broke his leg for just stealing a pillow…he was glad she mellowed with age slightly. He still had no doubt she would cause him pain if he ever lied to her.

Frankly he wasn’t sure how he got away with lying to her about his vampire status. He smiled as he watched Dominic leave to enter the lioness den. Poor fool. Nick shook his head and decided it was time to join Thea for breakfast. He walked out whistling a tone before he spotted Thea and Uryen.

Uryen chuckled and watched Thea. “Other than the fact that you may want to keep an eye on that streak of gray he has. It is probably nothing, but light magic does have a way about it that not even we can predict.” He offered. “And also, be watchful over Flower. You are not the only one scarred by Draco’s attentions. Though, you probably bore the worst of it, he still was Kind to you.”

Uryen only gave her hints. He would not tell her everything, that was against his nature. “But I shall assure you that Dominic and Flower are in better hands together than apart.” He smiled at her.

“Good Morning, Nick.”

“Good Morning.” Nick said back as he sat down and was served his own plate.

“I am glad you are wide awake today. I would hate to have to replace anything in my inn.”

“Hn.” Nick stared at Uryen with a very impressive Deathwish glare. Uryen only smirked.


Flower was busy bathing and getting Dominic’s scent off her. Hunter was busy glaring at Sky for beating her in chess and messing with situations that were none of her business. Sky only was becoming prouder of herself while Hunter prayed for mercy for her poor mistress.



Deathwish’s eyes went wide when Mia suddenly bit his neck, hard he might add. That had surprised him enough to give him a slight flush on his pale face, and even his fangs had snapped out in response. It was gone within a moment as he considered his troublesome partner. There were very few that could truly surprise him and have him so off guard like that.

Honestly the mark would not last long, not with his healing, but the point still was there. She was planning on doing that…a lot. He was not sure how he felt about that. Figures she would be the one to bite him when he had trusted her. He was half tempted to bite her back just as revenge.

“Hn.” Was all he said as he brushed his thumb over the mark he gave her. He chocked it up to karma, if he ever believed in such things.

 

[headlessSpleen]

Thea nodded a silent thanks to Uryen for the information. All she needed to know was what to keep an eye out for, and he had done just that. As Nick approached she looked at him and raised an eyebrow, curious about how his 'man time' with her brother had gone.

"Please tell me you didn't give Dominic advice that will get him killed." She said. Taking a bite of her eggs, she swirled the yolk into the hash browns on her plate before eating another spoonful. If Nick had told any idiotic advice to her Dominic, she would personally see to it that Nick wouldn't be able to talk for at least a week after she was done with him.


Dominic knocked again, this time a little louder, hoping that someone inside Flower's residence would let him in. He decided that if she wouldn't answer on the third attempt he would leave and try again later in the day.

"It's okay... she's probably not that mad at you..." He thought in an attempt to comfort his worries. "She could just be sleeping. She needs a good rest after yesterday... Yesterday... I wonder how many people know about that..." He made a mental note to apologize for all of the publicity they were probably getting just because they happened to smell like each other. Anyone with a sensitive nose within a mile of them was probably aware and he felt terrible for not being more attuned to what was happening.


Mia tilted her head so her cheek brushed his hand as he touched her. It was practically the opposite of showing vulnerability and affection for vampires who usually showed their necks to those they trust, but Mia was the other way around. Instead of giving him full access, she'd rather lean into his touch and ensnare his fingers right where she liked them. The mark he had left on her didn't hurt, but it was definitely more sensitive to the touch than the rest of her neck.

She shifted her position so her folded legs were on either side of him and she was resting most of her weight in the middle of his thighs. One of her hands drifted up to the hand touching her neck and gently squeezed his wrist while the other rested around his hip and absentmindedly fiddled with the waistband of his pants. That teasing smirk was still on her face as she leaned in toward him.

"Looks like you don't seem to mind a few tooth marks..." She said, her voice low. She was obviously toying with him now. "Do you, perhaps, enjoy getting bit?"

 

[The Writer]

Nick glanced a Thea from the corner of his eye. “Give me some credit, Thea.” Nick stated before he grabbed a cup of coffee and sipped it. “In all honesty, I told him what he needed to hear.” Nick set down his cup and smiled at her.

Uryen smiled at the two of them. “There are some rumors going around about the two of them. Hardly any are true if his character is to be judged by. Tell me, what advice did you give him?”

“I told him to treat Flower as a woman.” Nick stated basically shortening his whole speech. “And that includes seeing her as one and respect her as one.”

“You did well. I’m shocked”

Nick glared. “One of these days the rumor that I am an idiot will dispel.”

“I don’t think that’s possible.”


Hunter’s ears twitched before she stood up and got the door, neither noticing Sky’s eyes were set on something nor the smirk that was placed on her lips as she sipped her tea. Hunter opened the door to see Dominic there.

“Ah Dominic! Have you come to see my Mistress?”

“Of course he has.”

Hunter ignored Sky for the sake of Dominic and perhaps she shouldn’t have. “Why don’t you wait out here for a bit until she is done with her bath. She shouldn’t be long. Would you like some tea?”

“Hey, Hunter…” Flower was cut off by the realization that the door was open. She brushed her fingers through her soaking wet hair as she stared at Dominic. She had on a tunic that covered her, but the rest of her usual dress was missing. The tunic came down about mid-thigh and was long-sleeved “Dominic…” She paused for a moment to greet him, but there was something else on her mind.

Hunter smiled at Flower. “Ah yes…it appears Sky has hidden your leather armor.”

Flower growled. “Of course, she has.” She said as she glared at the large 8ft eagle guardian enjoying her tea.

“You need to learn to wear something else than armor.”

Flower pinched the bridge of her nose as she felt a headache coming on. She only waved for Dominic to come in.


Deathwish noticed how she liked to trap rather than expose. How curious of her. He tilted his head to the side as he observed her only to find that Mia’s mood suddenly changed. She shifted positions, and Deathwish stared at her with a raised eyebrow. He felt her hand grab his wrist and he leaned back. If he truly wanted his hand to move, it would move. He seemed to show indifference to her sudden teasing.

“Hn.” Was his only response to her toying. Like he would ever give an answer to that. He merely raised an eyebrow and waited for his next move. He was cold as ice.

 

[headlessSpleen]

Thea was relieved to hear that Nick's advice wasn't to flirt like there's no tomorrow. Dominic would've probably died of embarrassment before Flower could even get to him. Under the table she gave him an approving pat on the knee while she listened to him and Uryen banter.

"If it's true, it's not really a rumor now, is it." Thea teased, flashing a tiny smirk at Nick for a split second.

She had learned that most of the things that irritated her while he was just a castle guard were just parts of his exterior. The flirting with anything that moves, the constant perverted jokes, and the complete lack of any sense were just a few of the traits that weren't actually core qualities of the Nick she'd come to know. There were hints of it here or there, but at a much more manageable level. His true self was much more loyal and loving and genuine than he ever let on. In a way, he was a little like Deathwish. He was an emotional being living behind a wall. Deathwish's was a stoic mask, and Nick's was a smiling one.

Which reminded her. She still needed to have a word with Nick about what had been bothering him last night.


Dominic nodded and smiled at Sky and Hunter, being as polite as possible. He said a quick "no thank you, but I appreciate the offer" when asked for tea and took a small step into the doorway when welcomed in. Hearing that Flower was in the bath, he felt a little bad for not stopping and bathing himself before coming over. Probably not the best impression to make. But, then again, Flower had already seen him doused in blood and sweat in the middle of a battlefield, so it couldn't be that much worse.

But when Flower walked out, his mind froze and the tops of his cheeks went pink. Even his jaw went a little slack. It was those legs again. Why did it have to be legs? Everyone has legs? Why were hers so... nice? He gave his head a little shake to compose himself and stuttered an awkward "Oh, h-hi..." to Flower. He honestly felt like a teenager asking a pretty girl on their first date. The awkwardness of adolescence was upon him in full force.

As Flower beckoned him in, he took a few more steps that helped him gain his grounding again. His eyebrows furrowed at the mention of hidden armor and he couldn't help but say, "Well, she did wear a formal dress all last night. The day after an event like that, everyone has the right to wear what's most comfortable. And if that's armor, why not let her wear it? I'm sure there will be more opportunities to try out different fashion later." He paused for a moment, looking down at his hands for a split second. "But, then again, it's not really my place."


As Deathwish tilted his head, Mia went in for the kill. She leaned into the side of his neck that she hadn't already chewed and nuzzled in close to him. She let out a few slow, warm breaths on his skin before teasingly nipping at his throat with her front teeth. Where her teeth had pinched him, she quickly placed a light kiss, and continued this down his neck to his collarbone and back again.

There was no mistaking the game she was playing. She was trying to get him worked up. Force some emotion out of his chilly gaze. Between kisses and little bites, she whispered. "Deathwish, you're a glutton for punishment, aren't you?"

 

[The Writer]

Nick sent a half-hearted glare at Thea. Nick only sipped his coffee. “Can’t help it though, when surrounded by lovely company.” He winked at Thea.

He highly doubted anyone would know his true nature, not fully. He showed it little by little, but it had been kept so hidden by his persona he sometimes doubted there was a difference. There was, he could remember when he was alone with Thea. He supposed he owed her a lot.

Uryen finished his plate before he stood up and bowed to both. “And that is my que to leave. I hope you have enjoyed your stay and do let me know if you need anything else.” He stated before he walked out. Nick watched him leave before he shrugged and dug into his food.


Flower moved without a clue about Dominic’s reaction. She was too busy sending irritated glares at Sky. Sky and Hunter, however, both took notice. Hunter hid a chuckle behind her hand and Sky did not react. Flower smiled as Dominic tried to help the best he could with her leather armor. She knew it wouldn’t help, but…

“As you wish, King Dominic. I shall fetch your fiancée’s armor at once.” Sky stated before she stood up and the full gaze of her eagle eyes settled on him. She turned before moving to the balcony and hoping off before an eagle shot up into the sky.

Flower stood corrected. She blinked before she turned to look at him. “How did you do that?”

“Sky is only ordered around when she wants to be.” Hunter reminded Flower before she patted Dominic’s shoulder. “Shall I leave you two alone?” She asked more to Dominic than Flower.

Flower only grabbed some tea for herself and moved to sit on her legs on the bed. Her room was large with a sunroof over her bed and a large window leading to a balcony to the left. By the window was a table, and then a cushioned window seat at the end of the window. It was simple, but with elfin marble designs for walls and white wood infused with greens and blues.

With all the light, this room was obviously designed for a light elf. The sunroof was more for the moon at night. Above her bed on the wall were several swords and armor.


Deathwish took Mia’s attack admirably, though he sealed a groan in his chest and would not budge to release it. He took it for a bit longer before he suddenly turned on her. He placed a hand on one of her legs while he pulled away from her touch and kissed at her neck slowly.

“I do not know, M…A…I aren’t you the one just begging for punishment?” Deathwish stated in a low purr. He bent forward before heated eyes looked up at her from his position at her neck. He was steely calm until he wanted to attack and when he attacked he did it meticulously, as pointed out by the fact he was stroking one of her legs.

 

[headlessSpleen]

"Thank you for your company, Uryen." Thea said, bowing her head politely. "And for your hospitality. You run a beautiful establishment."

In that moment, she had snapped into her princess mode, being polite and gracious, although Uryen definitely deserved the credit. Maybe her and Nick had that in common. They both had a persona that they put on every day. Hers, the lone princess of the human royal family, and him the guard with an insatiable appetite for flirtation. The pair of them together had definitely allowed them to show more of their true selves. When thinking about it that way, it made a lot of sense how they had become so close.

Taking a few more bites of food, Thea pondered exactly how to bring up last night to Nick. He was obviously still a little groggy, and therefore more than a little cranky, but the food was helping his mood. Eventually, she decided to just be straightforward with it.

"Nick," she said in a hushed tone, giving his knee a little squeeze with the hand that had never really left its place there. "You've been troubled lately. And I know you're trying to protect me, and it's technically your job to do so, but I want to know the full story. I've been able to figure out bits and pieces on my own, but there's a lot that I don't know about you. Even if I can't fix the problem, I can't work through it with you if you aren't open in honest with me.


Dominic was just as confused as Flower when Sky complied with his request. For a split second he had thought it was just because he had asked nicely, but that thought was quickly dispelled. Sky was far too independent to comply to his wishes without her having some sort of benefit coming out of it.

As Flower got herself some tea, he decided to take a seat in an empty chair and address Hunter's question. "You can stay if you wish. I just wanted to discuss a few personal matters with Flower is all." He gave Hunter a gentle smile. He'd always respected her and knew that, even if he asked for privacy with Flower, her and Sky would find out what had happened sooner rather than later. They had their ways with those kinds of things.


Heat filled Mia's cheeks as Deathwish reversed her assault back on her. Biting the corner of her lip, she forced herself to swallow a few soft, pleased noises that threatened to escape her mouth. She grabbed onto the waist of his pants and pulled, using the leverage to scoot forward a few inches closer to him.

"Oh, Deathwish." She said, her voice a little breathier than she would have liked. "You know I don't beg." She trailed one hand up his chest and leaned in toward his ear. She whispered, "I get exactly what I want" before getting his earlobe between her teeth and giving it a little tug.

Her plan to rile him up had succeeded flawlessly, but she'd have to thank him for pressuring her into taking medicine later. The moment wouldn't be half as fun with a pounding headache, and thanks to his care and the elfin medicine, she felt better than ever.

 

[The Writer]

Nick had been waiting for it. He knew she was going to bring it up. He didn’t want to talk about it, he may never have wanted to talk about it. He waited in silence for a while before he smiled at her. “Yes, I am sure you are aware of most of what I am worried about.” He looked down as that smile remained in place flawlessly.

“As you are aware, vampire society is harsh. You should know once the child is born and news continues to spread it will be in danger for a long time. He is the child of a powerful vampire, others will see him as a threat. It’s honestly amazing my mother wishes to help you, but then again, it’s not. That is her brother’s son, no matter how far apart the two may seem. As we are both painfully aware my track record for protecting people is severely lacking.” That wasn’t the only thing on his mind, but that was all he was willing to give up, he just hoped it was enough for her. He needed his mask to stay in place and he wasn’t sure how long he could keep it up if he was talking about this.


Hunter smiled at Dominic. He was obviously use to people listening in. However, Hunter knew Sky was nearby and for the sake of Flower who seemed slightly nervous all of a sudden, Hunter merely opened a portal behind her and walked backwards through it.

“Goodluck.” She whispered to Dominic before she was gone.

Flower suddenly was looking anywhere other than Dominic. What personal stuff did he want to talk about. It made her uneasy, but with a sigh she finally looked over at him and brought her tea to her lips. “What did you want to talk about?” She asked. On the outside she was calm, but on the inside, that was farther from the truth. This whole marriage thing was running her for a loop and Dominic’s mere presence was enough to disrupt her, as much as she ignored it. He was to be her husband, which someone changed everything….and nothing at all. This whole situation really made her want to punch something. There was a twitch in her ear at the urge.


“Do you now?” Deathwish eyes hooded over before he suddenly nipped at her ear in a scolding manner. He stood up and caught her waist just enough, so she didn’t fall to the ground completely. He could tell she was feeling better, but that didn’t mean he’d let her just drop. “I am glad you are feeling better.” His voice was back to being cold and his whole demeanor was nothing as it was.

His cold eyes turned to the door. “You should eat.” He stated. Deathwish was proving a point, try to seduce him…you’re not going to get anywhere. It was his standard. One she would have to get used too. Was Deathwish evil? Quite possibly.

 

[headlessSpleen]

Thea pursed her lips. She appreciated Nick's honesty, but she also knew there was more that he wasn't telling her. Finishing the last of her food, she pushed her empty plate aside and gave Nick a deadly serious look. "To the vampires, he might just be Draco's son, but to me, he's my baby, and nothing will get in the way of me protecting him." She said. She removed her hand from his knee underneath the table and slowly stood up. "I'm going to go for a short walk. We'll talk more about this later."

She placed her hand on his head and affectionately smoothed his hair before placing a quick kiss on his temple and heading for the door. It frustrated her that he still wasn't telling her everything. Although, he did have a right to his privacy, it was hard to sit back and not ask questions when he was obviously bothered. He had already helped her through the darkest part of her life, and she wanted to be able to return the favor in any small way.


Dominic crossed his legs and laced his fingers together in his lap, trying to figure out exactly what words he wanted to use. "Um..." He said, looking at the ceiling for a moment, as if begging some spirit from above to plop the right words into his lap. Turning his gaze to her he said, "I'm sorry for last night. Apparently everyone with a nose is making wild guesses about what happened."

"And I'm sorry about this whole marriage thing. I know you don't want it. But, if you'll give me a chance, I promise I'll do everything in my power to do right by you." He said, looking her in the eye and mustering all of the genuine care he had for her into one glance. "The last thing I want to do is take away your freedom. I want you to be able to be yourself and be your own person and do what you want. This is my way of trying to make that possible for you. As long as I'm by your side, I won't let anybody take that away from you."


"For f**ks sake!" Mia exclaimed as Deathwish's demeanor completely flipped on its head. She scowled and crossed her arms, looking like she was about ready to smack him but was using all of her power to hold herself back. She had agreed to behave herself, after all.

Grumbling curses under her breath, she stomped past him toward the door. "I'm not done with you yet." She said, glancing back at him with a dangerous glint in her eyes. Although she had been toying with him earlier, this time she wasn't playing. Now that she'd realized that his mark went both ways, she was going to make the most of having him all to herself. Especially since she was forced to be nice to him for the entire day. With that, she turned on her heels and strode down to breakfast.

 

[The Writer]

Nick watched her and his protective instincts swelled in his chest at her declaration to protect her son. Nick stilled himself to prevent him marking her. Instead he only nodded and sipped at his coffee. He avoided looking at her. When she smoothed his hair and kissed him, he seemed to untense his muscles only to tense again when she headed for the door.

Nick had to grip the table to avoid just up and following her. He knew she wouldn’t appreciate being hovered over, but at the same time when she said short walk, he heard danger. She was in the Elfin Kingdom. There were guards everywhere, she would be fine. He hissed to himself as he slowly moved his food away from him.

He had lost his son, that much she knew, but how much did she know about why Nick had lost it afterwards. He sighed and sat there in silence. He had showed what was under his mask, the true personality but he hardly showed what also was there hiding.


Flower watched as she sipped her tea. She displayed her royal nature which she tended to fall back on when a situation was uncertain. She was perfectly still and her damp hair fell into her face. She listened intently to what he had to say. Her ear twitched when she apologized about last night. Her face slightly flushed again. After what she was told by the council, it made her shift uncomfortably. That was not what she needed to be reminded of right now. That look in his eye made Flower’s heart warm. As if in response her magic guided across her skin before disappearing.

Once he was finished talking, Flower twisted and set her tea on a stand. She looked back at him and took a deep breath prepared for a response.

“First of all, you hardly need to apologize for anything last night. That was my doing after all. It is not unusual for my family line to be accused of something. My great great grandmother tended to have a scandal every week.” She smirked. “Or so I am reminded of.” It was obvious half of Flower’s mischief was thanks to the stories she heard about her grandmother. The council truly only tormented themselves by reprimanding her and comparing her to that woman.

Flower looked over at the balcony, knowing Sky was listening in. She turned to Dominic. “You hardly need to worry about me anymore.” She stated as she leveled him with a serious gaze. “It is your freedom I am concerned about now. I can handle the council to a certain extent, but now you will have to deal with them. You will be both a Human King, and an Elfin King, and being an Elfin King comes with the pressure of the council. They think they can rule me only because I am young in their eyes. They were never so…interventive with my father, but then again he could cause earthquakes.” She stated as she grabbed her chin and thought about it. Her father never did truly reveal how old he was, and despite being young when he died, she remembered the numerous times her mother would tease him for being old and how flustered he would get. His mother would race off giggling while her father followed declaring he was not old. Of course, he would hide a smile at her mother’s teasing.

“Dominic, I will aid you when I can and be, as much as I can be, a good wife. Besides I will also have to keep you from going mad thanks to the council.” She said before she huffed. “Once we are married all they will be talking about is children.” Flower showed him a teasing smile. “And I’m sure flustering you up constantly can’t be good for your health…but perhaps revenge is sweet.” There was a threat in that statement, one that meant if he went through with this…she’d do everything in her power to torment him. Flustering Dominic was just as easy as it was fun.


Deathwish watched her pass him. He raised an eyebrow at her as he stared stoically from behind. He hid a small chuckle that rose from his chest and a dangerous smirk. So, she thought she could challenge him? That probably would not end well for her. He only followed her down with his arms crossed behind him. He spotted Nick and stared for a bit before Nick met his gaze.

The two twins seemed to share a whole conversation without saying a word before he walked over and placed a hand on Nick’s shoulder.

Nick smiled at Deathwish before he looked at Mia. He noticed the mark on her neck and smirked up at Deathwish. “Couldn’t resist huh?”

“Hn.”

“You are hopeless.” Nick laughed and Deathwish raised an eyebrow at his brother.

“You are moreso.”

Nick hunched over and sighed dramatically. “I know…”

 

[headlessSpleen]

Thea could sense how tense Nick was as she left, but as soon as the morning sunlight hit her skin, it almost completely disappeared from her mind. That was one great thing about the elfin kingdom - everything was designed to utilize natural light to its fullest capacity. She had never seen anything quite so beautiful in her life. The human kingdom looked like a pile of rocks in comparison to the ornate carvings and elegant stonework that surrounded her. As she made her way through the streets, she received a few curious stares from passersby, but for the most part, she was ignored. Yet another good thing about elves. For the most part, they didn't have any desire to mess with the visiting humans.

Even though she had an uncanny sense of direction, she didn't want to stray too far from their lodgings. She knew if she disappeared, Nick would probably lose his mind, so she chose to stay within the city. There were lots of buildings and winding streets with scattered shops on either side, but there was also plenty of open space with beautiful airy squares and tree-filled parks. Eventually, she took a seat in one of those parks, hoping to use the peace and quiet of the natural surroundings to do a bit of relaxing meditation. It had been a while since she'd been able to sit by herself and just clear her mind. Not since before the war. And surrounded by the peaceful aura of the elfin city was the perfect place to pick up the habit again.


Dominic listened intently to Flower, feeling relieved that they were on the same page. The council would not only be a pain for Flower, but for him too. He'd have to get some pointers from her on how to deal with them. As a King, it wouldn't be right for him to let them stampede over him and take control, but as a diplomat, it was important to make compromises and learn to cooperate. It would be a tough balancing act.

Flower's last little statement caused his cheeks to flush. Dominic rubbed the back of his neck and cleared his throat. "You've already started giving me gray hair. I'm a little afraid to know how you'd be able to make it worse." He said, looking up at her. He returned her devious expression with a gentle smile. Sure, she could make him flustered, but he was resilient. He would always come back from any embarrassment in a good-natured way.

But, there was one thing that was itching at the back of his mind that he just had to say. "But, don't worry about the council when it comes to children. That choice I will leave up to you, and if they try to pressure us into moving things along, I'll do whatever it takes to get them to drop the topic." He almost chuckled, imagining the possible scenarios he'd have to make up to keep the council off their backs. Faking a fight between the two of them. Digging up some antiquated human law preventing the royal family from having children. Pretending to have erectile dysfunction. It would definitely be a show.


Mia noticed Nick and Deathwish's silent conversation and decided to take one of the empty seats at Nick's table. A plate was served to her relatively quickly and she immediately tucked in while the two had their brief exchange of words. From what she could gather, Nick knew about her and Deathwish's relationship. She honestly should have guessed that much, being that the two of them were brothers and both vampires. Nick could probably spot Deathwish's mark from a mile away.

Getting food in her stomach didn't settle her grumpy mood, though. She doubted that nothing shy of getting what she wanted (or possibly punching Deathwish in the nose a few times) would be able to calm her down.

 

[The Writer]

Flower only smirked as he stated he was afraid what she would do. “Come now, Dominic, what ever could I do?” Her voice was low, and she stared at him before he added that it was her choice about children. She nearly raised an eyebrow at him. That only seemed a given considering what actions they would have to take to even get a child.

Flower did have strong maternal instincts, but even she knew she wanted to wait until she was older. For all she knew, she wouldn’t want children until her hundredth year which by then Dominic would be too old to have children himself. Flower stared at him honestly. “I have no prospects for children in any near future despite what the council says and even if it wasn’t my choice, it’s not like anyone could get near me without my permission. The council can force me to marry, but they know very well that can’t force me much farther than that.”

“Besides…” Mischief danced in her eyes. “It’s not like elves are known to breed as fast as humans. It would take many attempts and many years before a child could be produced.” She added. She was teasing him, but there was truth behind it. There was a flutter that sounded like a bird coming from the balcony. Flower’s ear twitched as she sipped her tea. Sky probably thought she was hearing things. However, Flower only thought it was fair to torment Dominic and the council for putting her in this situation. Marriage itself made Flower nervous, marrying Dominic made her nervous around him, but she pushed that aside with her shyness, just to jab at them.

Never underestimate Flower when she was angry or frustrated. She had accepted it as it was, but that didn’t mean she would take it lying down.


Nick smiled at Mia as she seemed to be quiet. “I am glad you two made up by the way. I’d hate to deal with a pouting Deathwish again.”

Deathwish raised an eyebrow at the word pout. He does not pout.

Nick crossed his arms. “It was your equivalent!”

Deathwish only seemed to stare at him before he looked down at the plate he was served. Deathwish took a bite. He remained silent as ever as he ignored the annoyed waves Mia seemed to be giving off. She was behaving as she promised. He would enjoy it for now, but he was sure he’d let her off it sooner or later. It didn’t seem natural for her to be so quiet.

 

[headlessSpleen]

Dominic's face went even redder at all the things Flower was insinuating. He knew she was just teasing him, but that didn't stop a lump from forming in his throat. This is what he had gotten himself into for the rest of his life. Was he really prepared to go through with this? No, not really. But he was going to anyway for Flower's sake. She was too important to him to not fight for her. And maybe that was a key point of this whole marriage thing in the first place.

"Again, I, uh." He cleared his throat. "I'm leaving the matter in your hands. If I die an heirless virgin, then so be it." Dominic paused. That probably wasn't the right thing to say in that moment. But, it was already said, so he let it hang in the air. It was so difficult for him to form appropriate phrases with Flower toying with him. She was getting too much enjoyment out of his discomfort. That was definitely something he'd have to learn to resist eventually if he wanted to get anything accomplished at all.


"You're a pouter and you know it!" Mia retorted, pointing her fork at Deathwish from across the table. That was one thing she could get on board with. Nick pointing out his brother's 'delightful' attitude. Being required to behave didn't exclude her from being a little bit sassy, right?

She spun her fork around in her hand and took another large bite of food. Table manners were not her forte. Mia only really broke them out for extremely special occasions, and even then her skills were rusty. The last time she had actually been required to sit down and behave at a formal dinner she must have been around ten years old. That was one of the last times she actually remembered behaving herself at all, to be realistic about the situation. Keeping her drunken promise to Deathwish must have been important enough to break that record.

 

[The Writer]

Flower went very stiff for a very long time. She finally blinked out of her stare at him. Thea’s child was unlikely to be allowed to rule due to his unfortunate father, Vincete didn’t want to rule and the same applies to him. Flower shifted uncomfortably, and she tried to come up with a retort to that.

“An heir from me may be unlikely whether by choice or by luck, but you have plenty of siblings.” She looked over. She felt guilt. He was giving up the possibility of an heir, a son, or a daughter just to save her. The anger she thought she let go came up again and it was clear in her eyes she was suddenly reminded of how much he was given up.

“However…” Flower closed her eyes for a moment. “Should you want a child…or anything else…I will not stop you from seeking out another human. This is a political marriage, and I am more than aware of the concept of concubines in certain human customs.” She went back to her regal side.

She was flustered, she was angry, and her very instincts went against allowing this, but she had to at least give him the option. She would outlive him, children could wait, but he was human.

“Honestly, Dominic, why don’t you think more before you agree to something.” She looked at him seriously.


Deathwish watched her point a fork at him before he raised an eyebrow. “I am not the one pouting at this moment.” He stated simply. He wouldn’t say anything about her sass, that was something he felt could not be helped besides, he was rather impressed with her behavior and some leniency on her promise wouldn’t hurt.

Nick had almost thought Deathwish was talking about him, but Deathwish’s gaze was held on Mia. The older twin sighed before he looked at Deathwish. “Something happened? And did it have anything to do with that strange bruise on your neck.” Nick smirked as he leaned his head against his hand as he stared at Deathwish. The mark was already gone thanks to vampire healing, but Nick caught it before it disappeared.

“It is not unusual for females to claim a male.”

“Ohhhh…” Nick stated as he understood.


Vicente was walking through the pack reading a medical text book. He had a white lap coat on and his light red hair mixed with white streaks seemed messy and untamed as if he hadn’t thought to brush it which was probably true. He ignored the angry glares and whispers around him. They knew who is father was, but Vicente moved on as if he was too engrossed in his book.

Just as someone was about to run into him, he pinned past without a blink of an eye. He continued his way. He was studying under some elves, but with the day off due to last nights celebrations, there wasn’t much he could do.

 

[headlessSpleen]

Dominic rose from his seat and slowly approached Flower, his casual expression turning a little more serious, but not cold. "Flower" He said. "I've thought this through plenty and I know what I'm getting into." He took a seat beside her on the bed and placed his palm down between them, similar to the way he was sitting last night in the forest when she was having her panic attack.

"There are plenty of systems in place if I don't have a son. When I'm gone, someone will fill in. You won't be left to lead the humans and the elves alone. It will either be one of my brothers or one of their children. There will always be someone there who can fill my shoes as King." He said, a thoughtful look in his eyes.

"But, my job as King is to give myself to my people and those who truly matter, and you aren't exempt from that. You're talented and powerful and much smarter than I am. And I get the honor of being your husband and I'm able to shield you from the council's wishes for a short time. Anything above that is unnecessary."

He held her gaze, hoping that him basically giving his entire life for her wouldn't upset her. In the grand scheme of things, she was much more important than he was. Dominic just hoped that she would understand that his sacrifice was minimal in comparison to all the good she was capable of accomplishing without the council breathing down her neck.


Mia groaned and rolled her eyes. "But, he can't seem to figure out how to have any fun with it." She said. That was the one thing that peeved her most about Deathwish. She knew he was capable of letting go, but it was never for as long as she'd like. Every time she saw him open up, it was cut too short. Whenever she thought she had him under her thumb, he would snap back to his stoic, unreadable nature. It was torture.

But, Deathwish had said that she was just begging for punishment.

 

[The Writer]

Flower’s ear twitched at the word alone. He’d one day leave her all alone, in a way he wasn’t quite grasping. It made a dull ache start in her chest, but she pushed it away. It would still be a long time before that happened. Ty flashed in her mind, and she added on that she would make sure it was a while before that happened. She might have stayed on that depressing thought if not for the fact it was incredibly hard to do so while Dominic was looking at her like that.

“You give yourself so little credit, Dominic.” Flower stated as she showed her concern. She reached out and grabbed the piece of hair she had turned gray with her magic. “You’ve already saved me once.” He had saved her from her hate of humans.

“But what is with you humans and believing yourselves so worthless?” She asked as she leaned toward him. “I will let it lie for now, but I won’t stop tormenting you.” Flower stated as recalled how often her mother teased her father. Seemed like a normal thing married couples did, and Flower did get her mischievous side from her mother.


Nick raised an eyebrow before he looked at Deathwish. “Fun? Do you need some advice on how to please a lady?” Nick smirked only to receive a smack on the back of his head. If Thea ever wondered why smacking him never worked, perhaps she should calculate just how hard Deathwish tended to smack him.

“Hn.” Deathwish stared stoically at his brother. Nick’s teasing was brushed aside with that smack and left unanswered. Deathwish was over a hundred years old, that answer was fairly obvious based on time.

 

[headlessSpleen]

"We aren't worthless." Dominic said, chuckling lightly as she fiddled with the silver band in his black hair. "But, we know that we have a limited number of days on this earth. Most want to leave some kind of legacy. I want to do good while I'm here and help those who will outlast me to do better for much longer. It's not that I'm worthless. It's that my value has a different place."

He breathed a sigh of relief when she said she'd pause her tormenting for the time being. It was nice to know that, with a bit of persuasion, he could at least get a bit of a break. He would probably lose his mind if he had to deal with her constantly teasing him day in and day out for the rest of his life with no respite. But, Flower was merciful when she knew it was right, so hopefully that would carry over into their marriage.

Dominic was glad that she wasn't too horrified by the idea of their being married. In fact, she was handling it much better than anticipated. He'd expected her to at least try to punch him in the face once by now. Or blast a hole in the wall with her magic. Really, anything that wasn't the relaxed conversation they were having would have been his guess. Their marriage wouldn't be an easy one, but it was nice to know that they could both be reasonable about it.


"He might know how, but he never seems to apply his vast knowledge." Mia said between bites of food. She had a tendency to talk with her mouth full when she wasn't trying to impress someone - and Nick and Deathwish weren't very high on the list of people she felt inclined to impress with table etiquette.

 

[The Writer]

Flower shook her head before looking to see Sky walking in with her leather armor in hand. “HAHA!” Flower bolted from the bed and quickly grabbed it from Sky and disappeared into the bathroom. It was a dark blue coat that enclosed around her chest and waist but opened around her legs for free movement. It had short sleeves and opened around her neck and chest to fold back against the sleeves. Her tunic covered most of her neck. Around her waist was a belt with a bag attached to it before it opened around her legs where another cloth covered the front of her legs extending the tunic underneath. The rest of the outfit was completed with tall boots that were laced up in the front and hard leather armor around her forearms to the top of her hands. The blue of the coat was assented with white and gold lacing that made a diamond pattern at the bottom of the coat and around her sleeves, collar, and waist.

Sky took the moment of Flower dressing to look at Dominic with her predatory yellow eyes which stood out from her dark skin. The eagle eyes on a humanoid, but still pointed face made her gaze very unsettling. Her long brown hair was kept out of her face thanks to the line of feathers behind her ear. Her clothes were feathered around the chest and much like Flower’s outfit was leather and brown which fit tightly around her. She had a cape of white that flowed behind much like her tail feathers would in her true form.

Sky was truly towering, which made her predatory status that much more frightening. Honestly if Sky wanted to, she could kill and eat Dominic like she had so many other humans that entered her forest. Sky was a forest guardian, and her forest, which they had resided in before coming here, had a large magical barrier which protected it that she controlled. Her magic was just as vast as that forest.

“I have protected the light child ever since she was carried to me bleeding and barren of magic carried by a weak Hunter.” She walked forward which made it known her boots had metal talons on them which clicked against the floor. “I have little care what happens to humans, but that child matters to me.” She leaned forward over Dominic. “I have chosen you to be her mate. Do not make me regret it or else.” Just then she smiled with pearly white teeth. She may not have teeth in her eagle form, but the picture was there, fail and he was dinner. “After all, I did lose a bet because of this.”

Did anyone still remember that bet? It had been made with the twins and Hunter in her house. Sky remembered clearly, but it had been long before the forces were assembled for Draco’s downfall. However, her statement had to bring up the question just how much did Sky have control over this situation, or did she just mean she chose him over Ezra? It was hard to tell what was going through the ancient being’s mind. She stood up and turned as Flower came out looking much more comfortable than before.

“You are a strange creature preferring cumbersome armor over regular clothing. They hardly serve a purpose in a peaceful city such as this.” Sky commented.

“Says the one wearing armor herself.” Flower pointed out.

“This is merely a representation of myself and gives my magic form. It feels no heavier or lighter than my own feathers, not that this humanoid form is any more real. It is simply easier to use this form for battle and communication. Also…doors are not bird friendly.” She stated as she looked at a doorknob. Flower snickered at the image of a bird attempting to open a door.

(I thought we needed a refresher course on what Sky looks like…because I honestly forgot and needed to go look up my character references which I am so glad I took the time to make despite the fact I am lazy as all heck.)


Nick looked at Mia and chuckled. “Mia, you choose the most detached man to his desires and emotions. What exactly did you expect?” He glanced at Deathwish. “He hasn’t had a relationship since Neshema or even a fling…or anything really.”

“Hn.” Deathwish looked at Nick. “Shall I go around flirting with anything that moves when I am not interested in any one of them?”

“Well it might make you relax more.” Nick smirked.

“Like you did when you almost got eaten by a siren?”

“Hey, Mermaids and Sirens look very similar ya know.”

“They look nothing alike. One is half fish and the other is half bird.”

“Wait…what?”

Deathwish rubbed his temples. “Do you even recall what she looked like?”

“It’s been a long time, Deathwish.”

“Hn.” Deathwish crossed his arms. “Foolish brother.”

Nick decided to let that slide and was just happy Thea wasn’t here to hear that story.

 

[headlessSpleen]

Dominic swallowed hard. Sky's threats did not go unnoticed. In fact, he was all too aware of the danger he was putting himself in marrying Flower. Flower was dangerous enough. If he crossed her, he knew full well she could kick his butt into the next century. But, Sky was a different brand of dangerous. Flower, at the very least, had a degree of restraint when it came to ending the lives of others, but Sky had no boundaries. There was no doubt in Dominic's mind that she would tear him to pieces and eat him for breakfast if he displeased her. He just hoped he could live up to her standards.

When Flower returned, he was a little relieved. Being left alone with Sky was slightly unsettling.

"Knights in the human kingdom rarely go without some form of armor," Dominic commented, trying to be casual. "It's not just for protection, but it's a status symbol and identifier, showing that one is capable of protecting those around them."


Mia couldn't help but snicker as Deathwish, in his own stoic way, taunted his brother. Nick was right that she had chosen the most emotionally detached man in the world to be her romantic interest, but it was always fun when she could see Deathwish get a little bit out of his emotionless box.

Nick, in ways, reminded her of one of her old friends. He used to flirt with everything that moved, and every time it got him into trouble. More than once she had to rescue him from violently angry women while he cowered in fear.

 

[The Writer]

Sky smirked as Dominic showed the proper fear. Sky was an interesting being. She had been pleasant enough with the group, but she hoped not too pleasant for them to forget just what she was. She was more dangerous than Flower and no one restrained her but herself. She just was that old. If she wished to kill something, not even Flower could stop her. Still, she had a territory to defend, and while it was interesting messing with Flower and Dominic, she needed to return less she use up her magic reserves. Even her magic was not infinite.

“Do they? How interesting.” Sky added as she rather lazily looked at Dominic. She now was sitting once more and leaning back into the chair. Flower was none the wiser of their previous conversation. “I suppose humans do need to be more prepared than other species. Hardly needed for the light child.”

“I’m right here, Sky.” Flower stated with a half-hearted glare. Sky often called her light child.

“So you are.” Sky stated before she stood up. “I must return to my forest.” Flower’s frown made the bird only stare blankly at her. “I have my duty as much as you have yours. Besides, my mate has been waiting for me.”
“I thought you two hardly saw each other?” Flower asked with a raised eyebrow.

“Of course, he is a pest.” Flower just stared at Sky by that point. Sky merely turned and waved Flower off. “We are of different mindsets when it comes to mating. We are not nearly as close as some of you humanoids. He cares for his own territory as well. I have been far enough away from mine.”

Flower nodded although a bit sadly. Often when Sky left it was years before she saw her again. Sky wasn’t the closest of people to others. As far as Flower knew, Hunter was one of the only long-time friends she had. It briefly passed Flower’s mind that Sky had lived so long that she kept her distance simply because she outlived many. Sky turned and headed for the balcony for departure.

“Do something with your wife-to-be, King Dominic!” Sky ordered as she narrowed her eyes at the boy from over her shoulder. Flower flustered a bit, but Sky ignored it as she turned her back to them and offered a little wave.



Nick leaned back in his chair. “Hardly matters now. I won’t be flirting with any woman anyways.” Nick smirked at Mia. He knew she was enjoying the conversation and Deathwish’s reaction to it.

“Except with the princess of the human kingdom currently pregnant with our uncle’s child?”

Nick’s head snapped up so fast there was an audible crack. Nick glared at Deathwish who only raised an eyebrow. Nick glared, and shadows swirled in his eyes for a moment before Deathwish got the info he needed. Deathwish only leaned forward. There seemed to be some silent communication before Nick threw up his arms in frustration.

“You’re an ass.”

“So I have been told.” Deathwish stated calmly as ever. Nick knew he would have to tell Thea eventually what was going on with him. Grief and pain were consuming him, but the other side of Nick was rearing its ugly head because of it. Nick felt like he was being swallowed up in darkness and he feared he was losing the battle. Deathwish knew the feeling more than anyone.

“Mia…” Deathwish paused as he turned to look at her. “When do you wish to return to the human kingdom?” He supplied a change of subject before Mia questioned what just happened.



Vicente turned to look up from his book long enough to notice Thea. He paused and looked at the heavily pregnant woman before him. He didn’t spare a glance at the hateful looks sent his way or fearful whispering. He only stared at Thea’s belly before he shrugged and decided to sit by her. He still held up his medical text book and read through it. He was unsure why he decided to sit by her, maybe he was protecting her, or maybe it was because even after learning about him she didn’t fear him. There first interactions in Draco’s castle had taught him a lot about the young woman. She was an interesting human, even more so now that she obviously had a relationship with his cousin, Nick.

 

[headlessSpleen]

Dominic turned to Sky and bowed low at the waist. The thought of Sky leaving felt strange. They hadn't known of her before the war, but Dominic could barely imagine a life without her in it. "I hope we'll be able to meet again." He said, slowly rising into a standing position again. "Although, perhaps under better circumstances than a war. Whenever you would like, you are welcome in our kingdom."

He rubbed the back of his necks and his ears turned red at the 'do something with your wife-to-be' comment. What she meant by that, he wasn't sure, and he wasn't entirely sure if he would be able to figure it out. What exactly was he supposed to 'do' with her? Ride off into the sunset on the back of a white stallion? Flower would probably kill him if he tried to pull some sort of prince charming act like that.


Mia was about to make a comment on Nick and Deathwish's silent conversation, but Deathwish quickly and intentionally cut off her train of thought. The idea of going back to the human kingdom surprised her. During the war, she'd become accustomed to being on the road, moving between different kingdoms and battlefields. Finally, now that the fighting was over, she was expected to do something with herself.

She hated to admit it, but she had been waiting on Deathwish to take the lead. Even before the war, she had been his lackey of sorts. Without his guidance, she didn't have a place to go. Maverick was an option, but he would only tolerate her for so long. Job qualifications were out of the question. Mia hadn't had a stable job in her life. Petty thievery and brawling were her only real skills, and those wouldn't keep her going forever. There were a lot of questions running through her mind, and not a lot of answers.

Putting both feet on the floor, she bit down on the inside of her cheek. "I, um..." She said, scratching behind one ear. "I haven't given it much thought." She internally cringed, knowing that her uncertainty was obvious.

Mia looked up at Deathwish and narrowed her eyes, trying to put up her usual tough facade, but it was apparent that she was silently begging him to take her with him whenever he was ready to go.


Thea glanced at Vincente as he sat down beside her. She wasn't too shocked by his presence. Out of anyone that had come in in their posse, he was the one she was the most protective over. He was a child of Draco, just like her son would be. She understood the looks and whispers of the people around them, and she knew that he would be one of her greatest allies in raising her son, because he would receive that same kind of treatment from the world around him.

"What are you reading?" She asked. She didn't lean in, because she still wasn't sure of how he felt about personal space, but glanced down at the medical book in his hands and then back up to his face.

 

[The Writer]

Flower pinched the bridge of her nose before Hunter stepped back into the room through a portal. Flower’s ear twitched before bright green eyes met Hunter’s mix matched ones. Hunter only patted Flower’s shoulder, Hunter’s other arm hidden behind her back.
“Since Dominic will probably be returning to the human kingdom soon, I have made sure to clear some time for both of you.” Hunter stated. Flower shifted uncomfortably. It never settled right with her that he would leave without her guarding him. She had been at his side as the knight for so long. Hunter took notice of Flower’s sudden shift. “Dominic, you have something suitable for swimming?” Hunter stated as her tail slightly wagged behind her.

Flower’s ear twitched before she turned to Hunter with a raised eyebrow.

“I thought we might go to the old ruins. It is lovely to swim there, and the elfin writings do provide some lovely history.” Hunter stated before she pulled her other arm from behind her back to show a bag which Flower assumed would have Flower’s swim suit in it. Flower stared suspiciously at it.

“Besides, I have a feeling the council will want to see Dominic later and provide him with the beginnings of the necessary knowledge for marrying an elfin queen.” Hunter added. Flower huffed.


Deathwish remained quiet as he watched Mia’s body language turn nervous. He clasped his hands over the table before using them to cover his mouth as he glanced at Nick. Deathwish only met Mia’s narrowed eyes. The message was clear, she wanted him to decide for her. He released a breath.

“Nick and I are returning to work as guards for King Dominic. His mercy is most…commendable.” Deathwish added. It wasn’t often Deathwish showed outward gratitude towards anyone, but as far as Dominic knew both Nick and he were traitors, so it was most kind that he allowed them back as guards. He supposed his mother was an ally during the war so that might have smoothed things over.

“If you would like, you can return to your duties as my guard in training.” Deathwish glanced down at Mia.


Vincente looked over at Thea. “About vampire pregnancies.” He looked back at his book. “I of course was not birthed normally, but if I had been implanted into my mother it was interesting to see what she might experience. Vampire pregnancy is rare after all. There is little need as the species lives for so long.”

“Actually, vampire births were almost none before the great uprising of their human slaves to exterminate them. Most new vampires were turned by being bitten much like what Draco could do, but rewriting DNA is tricky and often gave messy results. Imperfect vampires often were kept as mindless slaves. Some were not immortal, some ate food at incredible amounts instead of blood, and some were just humans with longevity. Once their numbers continued to decline, vampires began breeding with other species to survive. It eventually gave birth to the new bloods, which while are weaker and cannot turn others by biting, they can walk in sunlight and have more variety with powers.”

“I do believe it is because I am mixed with Flower’s DNA that I do not inherit many old blood traits. As far as I am aware I cannot turn others into vampires. I have never had a problem with sunlight either.” Vicente stated before he turned to look at his book again.

 

[headlessSpleen]

Dominic's eyes widened as Hunter suddenly appeared through a portal before them. Although he had been exposed to plenty of magic, he was still adjusting to the presence of it. After all, he had been raised to believe that magic was a lie and that the only race that existed was the human one. It would take a while before he fully became accustomed to the magical world around him. Thankfully, unlike his father, he was open to learning.

"I... um..." He stuttered, blushing even more intensely than before. "I can work something out for swimwear." He said, glancing at his shoes for a brief moment before looking back up to Hunter, then Flower, then back to Hunter. He was really hoping Flower could help him out in this situation. He wasn't entirely sure what was expected of him. He had nothing that was considered a swimsuit in his wardrobe. He'd only ever really been skinny dipping in his life. But he doubted that would be appropriate in front of his fiancé and Hunter. Flower was more familiar with the customs and what was actually appropriate in, not only Hunter's eyes but, the elfin kingdom. Would underwear suffice? Would he need a full-body scuba suit? Was it appropriate to be shirtless? Dominic really wasn't sure.

He was incredibly interested in the ruins, however, so he wasn't going to back out for modesty's sake. Dominic was open to learning about the cultures he hadn't been privy to in his youth. Now that he was king, it was important for him to absorb as much information as he could about the cultures surrounding him, including their histories. The elfin kingdom would be his first step, since he was marrying their queen, and if Flower could help him along, he had no doubts that he could become much more knowledgable about the other surrounding kingdoms as well.

Plus, getting more information on what connected Flower so deeply to her people would probably make their married life a little easier. He was a little worried about their differences pulling them apart. So, if he could learn more about her and understand her through her race's history, it might help him be a better husband and keep their marriage on steady ground.


Mia breathed a sigh of relief as Deathwish offered for her to come with him, but she quickly covered it up and tensed her shoulders. She knew he was aware of how she was feeling. Deathwish was too good at reading her sometimes. But, she didn't want to make it easy for him. That wasn't how she worked. If he was going to give her the gift of letting her train with him, she wasn't going to take it easily. Even though it's exactly what she wanted, Mia was not the kind of person to do anything without a fight. She was divisive like that.

"I wouldn't mind going back to training." She said, with a glint in her eye. "Now that I've been practicing, I might be able to kick your butt for once." A smirk crossed her lips as she teased him.


"Interesting..." Thea said. She closed her eyes and returned to a semi-meditative state.

"Do you have any information that might be beneficial to me?" She asked, not really missing a beat. She wasn't wary about talking to Vincente. She knew that he wouldn't harm her. He was a gentle soul, albeit an unsettling one. He may be a little on the unnerving side, but he wasn't evil like his father Draco. He had Flower's light in him, and it gave him the humanity that his father lacked. "As you know, I'm going through a vampire pregnancy, and it would be nice to have a knowledgable doctor, such as yourself, to help me understand what's going on."

 

[The Writer]

Hunter’s eyes sparkled in amusement at Dominic’s blushing. She gave her bag to Flower and smiled gently as Flower sighed in relief at what was inside. Hunter placed a hand on her hip as she looked at Dominic. “Do not be too concerned. A pair of pants will do just fine.” She stated gently. Hunter’s dog ear twitched.

Once Flower had looked in the bag, her heart calmed down. Hunter was gracious enough to give her a pair of shorts and a long shirt. If Sky had anything to do with it, Flower probably would have been mortified. Shorts was pushing it a little, but Flower was much more comfortable in that than in traditional elfin swimwear. Flow-y silks that only covered the important spots was not Flower’s style.
“The ruins are from the first capital of the elves and the what use to be the home of our first Queen.” Hunter stated. “My grandfather’s father served that Queen Flower as her familiar just as I serve Flower now.” Hunter smiled. “Most of it is under water now, but it is an important part of our history.”

Flower briefly frowned. It is also the first disaster that struck all non-humans centuries ago. The time of the human wars. Flower wondered why Hunter was taking them there. Perhaps because Humans and Elves were joining forces, Hunter thought it sentimental to go there, to reclaim History as it were.



Deathwish only raised an eyebrow at Mia’s statement. It was more of a challenge for her to try to beat him. He had centuries on her, but it would be entertaining to watch her try. Mia did everything with everything she was, that was what made him believe she could accomplish many things. He turned to Nick once more.

“Have you talked to Thea about your position at the castle?” Deathwish asked and watched as Nick’s shoulder’s tensed.

“I’ll probably go back to a normal guard.” Nick stated. He looked away. There might be a chance he could stay as her personal guard, but many might think it a conflict of interest. Still, he was very protective of her especially now.

“Hn.” Deathwish nodded once. “I will discuss her protection needs at length with both Dominic and her. She will need constant watch for a long time. Her old position makes her an enemy to many.”

Nick rolled his shoulders. “I know.”



Vicente looked back at her. “You should expect a fairly normal pregnancy if a bit shorter than a normal human one.” He stated before he raised a finger. “But cravings will be a bit different. You will most likely want more meat or even start craving blood. Meat shouldn’t be a problem, but blood might be. Humans aren’t supposed to ingest that. You may have to settle with meat cooked rare.” He looked back at his book. “All of which should be fine for the child.”

“But…there will be effects not only effecting you, but Nick as well.” Vicente glanced at Thea from the corner of his eye. “Vampires are very protective of their partners during this time. He will certainly be driven close to madness attempting to protect you. You will be a number one target for anyone and anything. That child threatens vampires as well as many other species. It is the child of an old blood. He is destined to be powerful. You are lucky Isabella has decided to help you for I would have thought she’d take the first opportunity to kill you. Draco was her brother and his child threatens her position above all else.” He stated plainly.

“There are other issues amongst that.” Vicente deadpanned. “Deathwish and Nick have distinct powers or rather, curses. The child could inherit one of these which would make him unstable to put it lightly.” Vicente was not one to hold back and laid it all out on the table. “That would force my cousins to take action whether you agree with them or not. They might deem the child too dangerous to live.” Vicente stared emotionlessly at her. “I imagine the war within my cousin now is alarming. He will be at war with his instinct to protect and his logic, that and his already unstable mood due to loosing a child already.”

 

[headlessSpleen]

Dominic's shoulders relaxed and he cracked a small smile. Thankfully, the trousers he was wearing could handle being a little waterlogged, so he was ready to go. He could tell that Flower was relieved with whatever she found in the bag as well - meaning that she would probably be dressed modestly as well. Hunter probably had something to do with that. When it came to fashion, she was much more considerate to Flower's wishes than Sky was.

He wanted to ask what happened to the Ruins and why they were underwater, but he held his tongue. All would come in time, he was sure. It would be easier to explain once they arrived there anyway. Glancing at Flower, he gave her a small, sideways smile and said, "Well, I'm ready to learn your history if whenever you're ready to show me."


Normally, when Nick and Deathwish were talking work, Mia would keep her two cents to herself, but she couldn't help it. "Nick," she said, crossing her arms, "You're going to throw yourself into the middle of an already scandalous situation."

Even though it wasn't her place, she did have a point. Thea's previous marriage to the vampire who almost obliterated the human race was one thing. Her pregnancy on top of that was another. And Dominic allowing relatives of Draco back into employment in the castle would surely cause a ruckus. But having Nick, the relative of Draco, as Thea's personal guard so soon after they had defeated Draco's terror? It was unheard of. No matter how kind of a soul Dominic was, it was incredibly doubtful that he would allow Nick to hold a position that close to Thea. Not until things settled down, at least.

"I get it, you want to protect her, but if you get involved with a human royal family, you also have to protect their fancy shmancy royal image." Mia said with a little distaste in her voice. The royal family had been good to her. After all, they'd allowed Deathwish to take charge of her and gave her residence in the castle after she'd been a liar, thief, and a scoundrel for the majority of her life. But, that didn't change the fact that she had a problem with authority - and the royal family was the epitome of authority in the human kingdom.


"Thank you for your honesty." Thea said, a very small smile crossing her lips for a split second. "So many people have been trying to shelter me from the truth of the matter. And the truth is, once my child is born, he not only has the potential to be dangerous, but to be so much so that his existence puts others and himself at risk."

Opening her eyes, she breathed a long sigh. "I spent enough time in Draco's castle to know what his genetics are capable of. So, if my son becomes as dangerous as his father..." She let her eyes close again, obviously deep in thought. "Then I will have to prepare myself. I cannot have my son suffering or causing others to suffer."

And Nick... the thought of how protective Nick would be over her made her worry. He'd already lost so much, and now he might have to be the one to save Thea from her own child. She could only hope for the best, but she had to expect the worst. Putting that kind of pressure on Nick could break him. Did she really have the heart to expect that from him? Would he even allow her to argue against it? No... His protective instinct was already too strong, and would only grow stronger as she came closer to giving birth. By the looks of it, she didn't have much longer. Maybe about a month or two at this rate, but she wasn't well-versed in how much quicker vampire pregnancies progressed. Only time would tell.

 

[The Writer]

Flower smiled a bit at Dominic. "As my King wishes." She said playfully as Hunter opened a portal for them to step through. Flower instantly went through and as she disappeared, Hunter gently placed her hand on Dominic's shoulder to halt him.

"I am Flower's familiar, and it is in her best interests that I teach you all you need to know for courting her and soon marrying her. Elfin traditions are vast, but they have loosened quite a bit. If you do have any questions or concerns, you may discuss them with me. As for what elfin men usually wear for such occasions, pants would be overdressing, but I think neither of you would would be comfortable if I held that closely to it." She teased before straightening and gesturing to the portal. "After you."


Nick sighed heavily at Mia's words. He knew it all too well, after all Deathwish and he were the sons of a vampire queen. Still though, Nick doubted anything could stop him from being drawn to Thea and protecting her fiercely. He only hoped that Dominic was smart enough to place a female in charge of Thea if he could not be her guard. After all, a male around his pregnant partner would drive him insane with worry and possession. If Draco had known about the child, he doubted Nick would have been allowed anywhere near her let alone in the castle.

"I know, Mia, but whether I am allowed or not, vampires are driven to the brink of insanity when their partners are pregnant. Instinct will demand I am by her side. After all, in vampire society, it is all too common to get rid of your enemy before they are born and their mothers are in a weakened state that makes it easy to do so." Nick clenched his jaw just thinking about it. How many times had Deathwish and he been in danger when their mother was pregnant with them? How many times had they almost lost their lives to those who were deemed close friends or relatives?

Deathwish glanced at Mia. "Vampires are not the most maternal creatures. After all, our young are more likely to kill us to take our power than anyone else. However, whether by design or fluke, we are driven to protect our young at all costs until such a time that they grow into their powers. Once that time has passed, we are no longer obligated by instinct to have anymore to do with them. It is not unheard of for a vampire parent to kill their offspring as soon as they are able if it happened by mistake or if they feel that the child will be too much of a threat."

"I doubt human sensibility would see it the same way, but it will get to the point where I cannot help myself."

"We may have to lock him up." Deathwish added. It might seem like a joke, but Deathwish was perfectly serious.

"The stronger the vampire the stronger the instincts." Nick grumbled.


Vicente raised an eyebrow at Thea. "I would think preparing you for the worst would be in your best interests, but then again I am still getting use to many things humans deem....logical." He shrugged his shoulders. "I cannot say whether or not this child will be dangerous, but I am also the son of Draco,and I have no interest in power. Even if my mother wanted to give me her Kingdom, I would not take it. My only interest is in science and medicine." He hoped that would comfort her a little. He was still getting use to the emotions and reactions of others. Not many other people thought his blatant honesty was good. Thea was one of the few people that didn't seem to mind him telling it like it was. He sort of took comfort in that. It let him relax around her unlike others where he had to always to check what he was saying and it made him stumble over everything around them.

It wasn't easy adjusting to this environment where truthful words might be deemed rude. He still was getting over a rather nasty interaction with a female that had asked him if something she was wearing made her look unattractive. He still felt the sting of her hand, but if she wasn't attractive to her in the first place, what would clothes do to fix that? Wouldn't not having clothes make her more attractive? Honestly he doubted she would ever be attractive to him clothed or not. Still,her reaction was less than pleasant. Females are strange creatures.