All was quiet in the city of Thais. It was nearing midnight, and everyone had gone to bed for the night, save for Queen Rhen Pendragon, who was seated comfortably in front of the fireplace in the royal library, a thick fur blanket wrapped around her to protect her from the chilly night air that often wafted through the castle. There were still some repairs to be made to the castle, but the city itself was almost completely restored, and for that she was grateful.
Rhen had proven herself as a gracious and compassionate Queen in the last year and a half, putting the needs of her people before her own, and the people had come to love her for it. However, despite her many responsibilities, which occupied a great deal of her time, she always made an effort to keep in contact with her former traveling companions, and that was precisely why she was still awake.
Most of her friends were too busy to come and visit her, but Te'ijal had made a habit of coming to see her every now and then. Until now, she had managed to always come during the day, using what was left of her bottle of sunscreen, but she feared that the Vampress might have used it all, for Te'ijal had sent her a letter the evening before, informing her that she would be coming only at night from now on.
Dameon wasn't too pleased by the idea, claiming that Rhen needed her sleep, but Rhen did not mind. She was more than willing to stay awake a bit later than usual if it meant that she would get to spend time with one of her dearest friends. Besides, she enjoyed Te'ijal's visits. They brought an extra bit of excitement to her day, and that was certainly something that she lacked. Although she loved being Queen, it could get rather boring and monotonous at times.
Just then, a sudden strong blast of cold air swirled through the room, causing the papers on her desk to fly up into the air and scatter about. Rhen knew in an instant that Te'ijal had arrived. Getting to her feet, she turned and found the all too familiar Vampress standing no more than five feet away from her.
"What took you so long?" Rhen asked, an irrepressible smile stretching across her face.
"I got hungry along the way and stopped for a bite," Te'ijal said with a mischievous smirk. "You might find that a couple of your guards are missing in the morning."
Rhen couldn't help but laugh. Most people would have been appalled by such a statement, but Rhen knew Te'ijal well enough to know that she was just kidding. The Vampress certainly had a morbid sense of humor, but that was what made her unique. Even Dameon admitted that he found it amusing.
"It's good to see you again, Te'ijal," Rhen greeted her, "Where is Galahad? Did he not come with you?"
Te'ijal shook her head. "We are currently in the midst of playing hide-and-seek. I have yet to find him, but I plan to go look for him after our visit."
That was another reason she enjoyed the Vampress's company. While everything else in life was constantly changing, Te'ijal remained forever the same. She remembered how the Vampress had always enjoyed chasing Galahad around the Dining Room at the Manor in Sedona. Although Galahad tried to outrun her, Te'ijal was just too fast and always caught him. Then there was the time that she body slammed him into the table and pounced on top of him. Needless to say, they had to purchase a new table after that.
"That is enough about Galahad and I," Te'ijal added. "How are you and Dameon getting along? It would appear that the two of you have been busy, if I am not mistaken."
Then, in a sudden bold move, which Te'ijal was well-known for, she ripped the blanket away from Rhen, revealing the bulge in her stomach that was starting to show quite prominently underneath her nightgown. Rhen had known that it wouldn't take her long to figure it out, but still wanted to try to surprise her.
Rhen blushed at the Vampress's remark, placing a hand instinctively over her belly. "No, you're not mistaken. I am about four months pregnant, which should tell you just how well Dameon and I have been getting along."
"I must congratulate the two of you then," Te'ijal said with a slight giggle.
Eventually the two of them went to sit down in front of the fire, seeing as Rhen was getting a bit cold. They talked about everything that was going on in the lives of their other friends. Lars had apparently gotten engaged to a young noble woman from Velderah, and was set to marry her in two months time. Elini had fallen pregnant as well, and was trying to figure out which one of her husbands was the father. Mad Marge had gone back to working as a bartender, which wasn't at all surprising, but what was surprising was that she had actually given up on trying to steal Pirate John from Elini.
It was nice hearing that everyone was able to live peacefully now that Ahriman was gone. However, she couldn't help but wonder what the future would hold. She knew that Ahriman was gone for good, but she couldn't quite shake the feeling that a new foe would arise some day and put the world in danger again. Perhaps it was just the anxiety of a soon to be mother, but she felt the need to ensure that her family would be safe.
"Te'ijal, can I ask a favor of you?" she asked.
"Of course, Uplander," Te'ijal replied. "What is it?"
"I want you to promise me that you will watch over my descendants, even if from a distance, and help them if they are ever in grave danger."
Te'ijal remained silent for the first few moments, as if contemplating whether to accept, and in those moments, Rhen held her breath, praying that her friend would agree. Despite knowing Te'ijal well, Rhen honestly didn't know how she would respond. The Vampress could be selfish at times, seeking her own pleasure above all else. However, she was capable of being loyal and reliable to those who had proven themselves to her. She would not help just anyone.
"For the sake of setting your mind at ease, I give you my word that I will keep an eye on them," she answered at last, "and if your descendants are anything like you, I will gladly offer them my help."
Rhen smiled at her, a sense of relief washing over her. "Thank you. It means a lot to me."