Armina sat up in her massive bed, unable to sleep. It wasn't the stress of running the Underground that kept her up tonight. This time, it was the fact that the next day she was marrying her best friend.
Rubrind had been there for her as long as she could remember. He was her rock, her only constant. When she had escaped the clutches of her own murderous kind, he ran with her, fearful of what might happen if she were left alone. Little did he know, her charisma brought the rebels of the forests together into a massive fighting force under her command.
Rubrind convinced his father to support her cause. The Elvish King was the de facto ruler of the Elvish race, being that the shapeshifter that was placed in charge was never listened to by the people. King Lucas of the Elves was celebrated as one of the greatest leaders of his time.
Lucas didn't live long after the war, eventually succumbing to wounds received in an assassination attempt. He died a few days after Armina's coronation as Queen of Beasts. Rubrind, for once, was crying on her shoulder.
The many years she had been queen were filled with arrogant Fae trying to woo her and tame the greatest being in the Underground. After one particularly nasty Fae man, called Dacian, had finally reduced the queen to tears, Rubrind finally asked her to be his wife.
It had been nearly six months since he had asked her to marry him, but she never felt her love for him wane. It had taken her forever to realize how much she actually loved him in more than a friendly way.
The ceremony was nothing like a human one, being that no witnesses were necessary, they just bonded themselves by blood.
"Why the hell am I so nervous?" Armina asked harshly to no one in particular. It wasn't like she had to present herself in a huge public ceremony. "I love him and he loves me. I shouldn't be freaking out right now."
She rolled out of bed and walked over to the curtain-covered windows of her chamber. She parted the black velvet and saw the sun was just peeking over the distant Laetus Hills.
"Hic stercus tauris est!" she snarled. Her form changed suddenly, making the beautiful queen morph into an impressive-looking raven. The window opened as she spread her iridescent-feathered wings and took flight over Leora.
She reveled in the feeling of the wind in her feathers. She climbed through the air and dove with the winds that carried her. The fog of self-doubt refused to leave her mind despite all that she did. She landed gracefully on a branch in the Leoran Woods.
She changed back to her normal form, dressed in a sleeveless leather shirt and pants. The crunch of leaves made her turn and see the massive form of a mane-hound.
The beast walked up to her and she remained still when it touched its nose to her forehead and breathed deeply. "Why have you taken so long, queen?" said the beast with a low growl.
"I haven't had a time of need for my beast," she replied and rested her hand on its gray cheek.
"I raised you, love. How could you say you had no need for me," the hound said gently, folding its legs below itself and laying down. She sat down beside it and laid her head against its muscular shoulder.
"I need you now, Adrian," she confided in the beast.
"What is it?" inquired the beast, picking up his head.
"I'm so nervous. I'm to marry my best friend, Rubrind when the sun sets today."
A low rumble sounded in the hound's chest, his equivalent of laughter. "Why are you nervous? I imagine that would be a very happy thing for you."
"Don't laugh! I can't sleep. I don't even know why, but I can't shake the insecurity."
Adrian turned his head and looked at her with one of his massive yellow eyes. "Enough, Armina. When I left you with the defectors in the woods, I promised you that I would never leave you or lie to you. You would always find me. Here I am, and I will tell you that he loves you. I feel his soul calling to yours and yours eagerly calls back."
A chill went down her spine at his words. Of course she felt the pull of her soul, it was impossible to deny. Could he really feel it?
"I know these things, Armina," he said as he lowered his head back to the ground, closing his eyes. "He loves you, and you shouldn't worry so."
She sighed and cuddled up against the beast's side, remembering how she had done that same thing many times before he had given her to the Fae defectors. "I've been thinking, Adrian."
"What about, love? It's a dangerous thing to do," he said, curling his lip in a smile.
"You should come and live at Leora Castle with Rubrind and I," she stated simply.
Adrian's laughter barked through the forest, stirring owls and mice from their hiding places to look at him before retreating. "I am a beast of the forests, dear. I have proven to be untamable. I am a wild animal, and I highly doubt I could bear living in a castle!"
"I'm no better. Look at me; I've left the comfort of my castle to visit one of the most beastly creatures I know. I want to thank you for all that you did for me. I probably wouldn't have made it if I had been left alone in the woods."
"So you think living in a castle is the best thing to thank me with? I don't think so, dearest. I shall remain in the forest, enjoying my relative anonymity as the beast which preys on the wicked."
"I couldn't just do that, Adrian."
"Then what will appease you, my queen? Shall I be shackled to your throne and bent to your will?" he said in a mocking tone.
"You will be henceforth called the Queen's Beast. Respect will be afforded to you by all who are subject to my rule. Is that acceptable?"
His rough barks of laughter again stirred the animals in the trees. "Is that all? So I'm the Queen's Beast then," he laughed.
"I have something to ask of you, Adrian."
"Yes?"
"Might I add your likeness to my repertoire? I never take on the form of those who don't wish it." Adrian began to rise, and Armina released her grip on his ash-colored fur. He shook himself off, ridding himself of the leaves in his coat.
"Of course, beloved queen. Now, go marry your love. I will never be far from you, as promised. Is suppose the queen's beast can't be far now, can he?" he said, loping away. "Marry your beloved, and your beastly philosopher won't be far."
Armina watched him lumber away and changed into a snowy owl, taking flight over Leora once again. She landed in her window, which had opened by her silent will.
Returning to her normal form, she strode out into the hallway. The sun had just made its way over the Laetus Hills, and it poured its golden aura into the castle through its many stained-glass windows.
She walked through the winding passageways to her magnificent throne room. She walked up the three steps to the raised platform where her throne sat alone. She draped herself over the arms of the chair and watched the sun filter in through the massive twenty-foot, multi-colored glass windows depicting her realm.
Her talk with Adrian had somehow eased her fears. He always seemed to take care of her, even before she had met Rubrind. The beast understood her struggle as the only moral shapeshifter left, and he did his best to dispel her needless fear. He promised that if he had the will not to kill the innocent, something that his beastly blood begged him to do, she could resist the urge to take what the other shapeshifters took.
Her eyes slowly shut and she left consciousness. She was awakened not long after by a pair of warm lips against her temple. She opened her liquid-bronze eyes to see Rūbrind's ice-blue eyes staring back at her with pure adoration. He wrapped his arms around her and rested his chin on the top of her head.
"Good morning, my queen. I didn't expect to see you here in your throne so early in the morning on our wedding day," he whispered into her hair.
"I couldn't sleep, so I came out here."
"Oh, love, go sleep now. I shall marry you at another time," he said with concern.
"No, Rubrind, I've finally gotten over my nerves. I will marry you today," declared Armina.
Rubrind grinned and kissed the top of her head. "Oh, gods, how I love you. Please, come and walk with me in the gardens. We have all day to do the ceremony."
He released his hold on her and rose to his feet, pulling her up with him. He took her hand in his and led her to the royal gardens.
They took a leisurely pace as they made their way through the winding paths of the gardens. They ate lunch together and told stories as they ate, just like the old friends they were.
When the sun began its descent from the sky, they returned to the throne room. "Are you ready?" asked Rubrind as he pressed his lips to her knuckles.
Armina took a steadying breath and replied, "Ready as I'll ever be, love."
They walked to Armina's study and stood in the middle of the room. Rubrind took a dagger from his boot and placed it on her desk where it would wait until it was needed. "I, Rubrind Potens, King of the Elves, do take you to be my wife this day. I promise to guard your life as though it were mine own. I give my oath to be faithful even should temptation rear its head, and I will love you until the stars fall down from the heavens and beyond. Should the earth shake and lightning roar, I will never leave your side. I give you my oath: love me, fear me, and I shall be your slave."
Armina breathed deeply, trying to keep her voice from wavering. "I, Armina Magna, Queen of Beasts, do take you to be my husband this day. I promise to guard your life as mine own. I give my oath to be faithful even should temptation rear its head, and I will love you until the stars fall down from the heavens and beyond. Should the earth shake and lightning roar, I will never leave your side. I give you my oath: love me, and I will be yours forever."
Rubrind plucked the dagger from its resting place and sliced her hand, then his, and pressed his hand against hers, letting their blood mingle.
A dull heat radiated from their joined hands. She felt their souls join and her beastly side was silenced. Rubrind truly was her rock, upon which she could rely. The feeling of their joining by blood was indescribable. A joy welled in her heart, the likes of which could never be compared to anything else.
Her free hand tangled itself into Rūbrind's shoulder-length, iridescent black locks. Without any hesitation, she pressed her lips to his, needing to be closer to him. She never felt like this towards him. She was caught up in the moment, and she didn't mind a bit.
Rubrind released their joined hands and picked her up bridal style, carrying her into her chambers through a side door of the study, never pulling his lips away from hers.
Despite the want in her heart, she had to pull away as a yawn overtook her. He placed her onto her bed, having managed to use his magick to pull the sheets back. Rubrind gave her an indulgent smile and whispered, "You'll sleep tonight, nothing more."
"But, I-" She was cut off with a finger over her lips.
"You heard me, my love. I will share a bed with you and hold you in my embrace, but you will only sleep in my arms tonight. Besides, we have all day tomorrow," he added with a devilish smile.
As if to reaffirm what he said, another yawn escaped her lips. Rubrind chuckled and used his magick to clothe her in a silk nightgown, and himself in silk sleep pants. He climbed into the bed next to her and wrapped a protective arm around her midsection. He placed loving kisses up and down the back of her neck, tickling her ear with his intoxicatingly warm breath.
"If you expect me to sleep, you had best stop that," she warned teasingly.
"I suppose I should stop," he murmured against her heated skin. He settled down and pulled her closer to his hard chest, as if he was afraid she would float away. "I love you, Armina."
She smiled and lost consciousness, wrapped in her husband's warm embrace.
~1 year later~
Armina woke in her husband's embrace, as she had done for nearly a year now. She sighed as she felt his warm breath tickle the back of her neck. As if sensing she was going to leave, his sleeping form pulled her back against his chest.
She smiled and gently rolled over to face him, finding his cerulean eyes staring back at her with unhidden adoration. "You expect me to just let my beautiful wife leave for the day without so much as a good morning kiss? No, that won't do at all, my dear."
"Oh really?" she said and lightly pressed her lips to his. "Your embrace is quite difficult to escape, and I would hate to break your arms."
"Hmm, I would agree with you," he said, releasing her from his arms. "It doesn't mean I like it, though."
She made her escape and changed into a white blouse with silver vest, accompanied by black pants. In a flash, Rubrind was dressed and behind her with his arms wrapped around her waist, guiding her slowly to a floor length mirror in the corner. He placed light kisses on the base of her neck.
"Do you see what I see?" he murmured into her skin.
"What could you possibly see?" she asked, truly not understanding. He looked at her in the mirror, his eyes fixed on her.
"I see the most beautiful beast in all of the Underground," he said as he inhaled her unique scent of biting winter cold and sweet cherry blossoms. "Happy anniversary, my dear."
She smiled and stepped out of his embrace. She made her way to the door leading to the hall. He followed her like a puppy until he grabbed her hand and looped his arm through hers.
They walked together down the hallway until they were confronted by and Elvish messenger. "Your majesties, an attack has been made on a Fae settlement. All of the Fae in the settlement were massacred by what appeared to be a roving band of ne'er do wells. The attackers have all been killed or captured."
"We must visit, Rubrind. We must pay our respects."
Rubrind gave her a pained look. "Are you sure? We could send others in our stead."
"I need to see who we're up against now, love. I need to make sure that sympathizers of the old regime are gone."
With an understanding nod he turned to the messenger and ordered him to saddle their horses. With a respectful bow, the messenger left to do as Rubrind asked.
They made their way to the kitchens and grabbed a quick breakfast of bread and cheese. Having finished their breakfast, they took their time walking to the stables, finding their horses ready to go.
Armina let go of Rūbrind's hand and strode over to her black stallion, Odoacer. She crooned things into his ear then grabbed his reins and climbed onto her saddle.
Rubrind made sure she was on before walking over to his mare, Stella. The mare excitedly whinnied and broke free of the servant's hands, happily trotting over to her rider. She tossed her head back and forth, unable to contain her excitement. He grabbed her reins and held fast, getting her under control. He mounted her and their guards came up behind them with their own mounts.
As they exited the gates, Armina kicked Odoacer into a gallop; those following her did the same. When they were close to the site of the massacre, she began to sense the smell of spilled blood. She pulled back on the reins and Odoacer slowed to a walk. At the scent of blood, her beastly side wanted desperately to rear its head. She took a deep breath and urged the stallion into a collected trot.
When she began to see broken boards and charred wood, she stopped him and dismounted, flanked by Rubrind and her soldiers. She walked into the middle of the wreckage. "Have all inhabitants been accounted for?" she asked of no one in particular.
One of the guards that found the massacre stepped forward. "We found all of the bodies of the Fae that lived here, my queen."
She nodded her head slowly, and then stopped. She tilted her head to the side, as if listening to something. Rubrind reached out and placed his hand on her shoulder. "Love, what is it?"
"I'm…not sure," she replied. She shrugged off his hand and transformed into a dog of some sort. The dog climbed over piles debris, followed by her surprised husband and their guards. She stopped suddenly, almost making Rubrind fall on top of her. She transformed back into herself and began pulling boards away from what appeared to be a crudely-made bassinet, covered with some sort of protective spell.
She reached forward and broke the spell keeping her from the bassinet's contents. She stood up with a bundle in her arms that made noises of discomfort.
"Love, what is it?" he repeated, trying to navigate the debris to get a better look.
"It's… a baby. He's Fae. He can't be more than a few months old."
"My queen, it's highly unlikely that they would have reported his birth. You know the traditions; they celebrate his birth on his first birthday, then make him known to the government," said one of her guards.
"Shh," she crooned to the baby as he settled down. "He needs parents, love."
"Are you sure, Armina?"
She walked over to him and placed the baby in his arms. "You know I will never have any of my own, and nor will you. This is our chance," she whispered while looking down adoringly at the little boy with tears in her eyes.
Rubrind hated to see his beloved wife so upset. Of course he knew that they would probably never have a child of their own. It was a miracle that her own mother conceived her. He would do anything to see her happy, and to be honest, he kind of wanted a child as well. He saw how disappointed she was every time she returned from tending the Labyrinth while a runner tried to outsmart it. She would rage about how lucky they were to have children in the first place and then they would just wish them away.
"Armina," he said, making her look up at him, "what shall we name him?
With an exultant smile, she uncovered the boy's little hands and studied his fingers. "I think he should be called Jareth."
"Named after your father, then?"
"If that's alright with you," she said, unsure.
"Of course it is," he said to her, turning his attention to the baby in his arms. "Hear that, little man?" Rubrind asked as the baby opened his eyes and grabbed Rūbrind's finger with his tiny hand. "You shall be the Great Prince Jareth."
Armina turned to their escorts, "Bring Odoacer and Stella back with you. I have a feeling he needs something to eat."
The guards bowed and she transported the three of them back to Leora Castle.
Armina tended to the baby, feeding him and getting him dressed in clean clothes. She arranged for a mahogany bassinet to be brought into their room for little Jareth to sleep in at night.
Being that he was approximately four months old, she assumed that he would at least sleep a little at night, not that she would have cared if he didn't. She was just so happy to have a child of her own, regardless of his lineage.
Tears coming to her eyes, she placed Jareth on the soft rug she had in gardens with numerous toys on it. The queen sat on a nearby stone bench and watched as he studied his new surroundings and played with his toys. She began to think about what his arrival meant.
She knew that when Rubrind married her, he essentially threw away any chance at having a child, which broke her heart. He loved children. He was good with children, and she hated taking his chance at a child away from him, despite the fact that he insisted he didn't mind.
Whenever he would take her place playing Goblin King, he would sit for the whole thirteen hours and play with the wished away children. They would pull his hair, throw up on him, do whatever they could, but his good nature never changed. Of course, human children developed a whole lot slower than Fae children, so they entailed a bit more work, but he didn't seem to care. He would be the perfect father, and now he had his chance.
While she had been thinking about her new life, a hulking figure made its way out of the far, heavily forested end of the gardens.
"My dear, how you've changed in a year," said the deep voice of the Queen's Beast, Adrian.
She smiled and beckoned the mane-hound closer. Jareth looked up at the massive animal, but didn't panic. Rather, he crawled over, without any fear whatsoever, and reached out to pat the ash-colored paw of the beast. Satisfied with that, he crawled back over to his blocks and began to build again.
"Well, I didn't quite expect that reaction, little one," he said quietly to Jareth, receiving no response back.
"He's going to be a great prince," she declared as Adrian made his way over to her. He laid himself down beside her bench and put his head on her lap, earning a pat on the head from his sovereign.
"I would agree," he said. "I expect great things from your son, Armina."
"You know he's not mine."
"Does it make that much of a difference to you, dear? It made no difference for me, and I imagine others wouldn't care whether he was of your lineage or not. If the great Queen's Beast doesn't make a distinction, I don't think anyone else should," he said firmly, looking at her with his bright gold eyes.
"I would imagine that lineage is everything," mumbled Armina as she watched her son.
Adrian laughed his growl-like laugh and lifted his head from her lap. "Is it? The humans had their Julius Caesar adopt his nephew, and he became a great ruler. Besides, I imagine any child in your care would become a great leader."
She smiled at his compliment and absently scratched him behind the ears like she had when she was a child. "Thank you, I hope that I can be a good mother like my mother was."
"You will be, dearest. I know you will be. You even have a family pet for a while, if you'll have me."
"Really? You would reduce yourself to be a royal pet?" she asked in disbelief.
He shrugged his shoulders in nonchalance. "I care for the little one. I imagine that there are people who would think to harm him to get his position. I couldn't allow that to befall him. I shall be your family pet."
She smiled at the noble beast that lay at her feet. "I would be glad to have you as Toby's guardian. You will be rewarded for your efforts with whatever you need," she said, running her hand along the black ridge of hair that ran along his spine. He gave a deep purr and wagged his massive tail.
"I'm happy to serve my queen," he said, laying his head down between his paws.
The click of heels caught the attention of all three as Rubrind entered the gardens and found the massive Queen's Beast not a foot from his newly-adopted son.
"Well, I didn't expect to see the wonderful caretaker of my dear Armina today," commented Adrian as he looked at Rūbrind's surprised face.
"Why are you here, Adrian? I thought you had left her to me," said Rubrind in his surprise.
"I am not here to care for your wife. I am here to care for your son. I've heard rumblings of treasonous plans to kill the babe, and I will die to make sure it never comes to fruition."
Rubrind sat down next to his wife and placed a possessive arm around her waist. He pressed his lips to her temple and took in her scent, thinking about what Adrian had accused the people of.
"I couldn't bear to see my beloved daughter in pain if something happened to your son. I am the Queen's Beast, Rubrind. I couldn't just sit and wait for something like that to befall my beloved daughter," stated Adrian plainly.
Rubrind ran a hand over his chin in thought. "It makes sense, I suppose. If Armina trusts you, then I must say that I can trust you with Jareth."
He rose and went over to pick up Jareth from the carpet, earning excited giggles from the little boy as he picked him up. Rubrind smiled as Jareth settled against his chest and laid his head on his shoulder, promptly falling asleep.
"I'm going to put him down for a nap, love. If you would follow us, Adrian, I will show you where you might sleep next to him.
Adrian stood up with a grunt and indicated that he would follow them. Holding a sleeping Jareth with one hand, and taking Armina's hand with the other, Rubrind walked them back to the castle. They made their way to Armina's chambers, taking their time as Adrian tried to navigate the stairs.
Armina released her husband's hand and opened the double doors to their chambers. Rubrind placed the sleeping Jareth in his bassinet and tucked him in. Adrian loped over to the bassinet and was going to lie down next to it before Armina stopped him.
"Wait," she said and motioned for him to back away. She conjured a cushion that would fit even his massive form and he lay himself down onto it, finding a comfortable position from which he could watch the baby sleep.
"Thank you," he said as he situated himself on the cushion. "I assure you, I will inform you of he needs a changing or the like."
Rubrind nodded, "Thank you, Adrian. I know I haven't spoken with you as often as Armina has, but I think we will get along fine, yes?"
Adrian nodded and fixed his gaze on Armina. "Your royal pet will serve you well, Queen of Beasts," he said as he laid his head down to watch the rise and fall of Jareth's chest.
Rubrind took her hand and led her out of the room, giving the beast a slight nod as they left.
As soon as they left their chambers, Rubrind swept her up into his arms bridal style and placed a sound kiss on her lips. "You know, I think that may very well be the best anniversary present you could have given me," he murmured against her lips.
"That's what I thought, too," she gasped as he moved his lips and teeth to her throat.
"Gods, you've made me so happy over this last year," he said against her skin as he carried her into her private offices.
"Have I?" she asked breathlessly.
"Mmm, oh yes, you have."
"Love, you are insatiable," she said, pushing him away a little to look him in the eye. "Not right now, alright?"
"But why? The most beautiful beast in all of the Underground is in my arms, and I'm married to her, but I can't show her how appreciative I am of her?" he asked with puppy-dog eyes.
She smiled at his insatiable appetite for her, but today just wasn't the day, regardless of whether it was their anniversary or not. They had a new charge to take care of, and she was sure he would be hungry before long.
"If you haven't noticed, dearest, we have a child now. We can't just do this without considering that he'll soon need to be taken care of."
He pouted at her words, but refused to stop his lips' assault on her neck. "I can't convince you?" he purred and continued his kisses.
"Oh gods… no… you can't," she said weakly, trying to retain some resolve in her voice.
"Really? I think you want this, my love," he said against her heated skin.
"Believe me, I do. Right now, I think we have other priorities. For instance, we need to plan for his announcement as prince," she said.
He stopped his ravenous kisses on her neck and looked at her like a disappointed child. "I suppose."
"We've got forever," she said as he released her from his firm embrace.
"You know it's not all that long, love," he said.
~Ten Years Later~
Armina lay in Rūbrind's loving embrace, enjoying the heat that his skin generated. His arms were around her in their usual protective form, keeping her held tightly against his bare chest, her head rested on his bicep.
His face was the epitome of serenity, his eyes closed with his lips slightly turned up in a peaceful smile. His jet black, shoulder-length hair was everywhere, mixing with the stark contrast of her golden hair.
She stroked his cheek, surprised that he hadn't shaved recently. He usually sported a clean-shaven look, but he looked even better unshaven. He gave a slight groan and opened his eyes slowly, adjusting to the light pouring in through the crack between the curtains. He sighed and turned his gaze to his wife, who was still pressed tightly to his chest.
"Mmm, good morning, my love," he murmured as he leaned his head forward and placed a light kiss on her lips. Studying her face, he lightly caressed her cheek, her eyes closing at the feeling.
She caught his hand and held it to her cheek, enjoying the feeling of his warm palm pressed against it. "The same to you, dearest."
He leaned forward again and claimed her mouth in a hungry kiss, pressing her back flat on the bed as he moved to lie on top of her. He pressed his full weight against her and wrapped his arms around her torso, holding her fast to him.
With a purr of pleasure, Armina deepened his kiss and wrapped her arms around his neck. Releasing her mouth, he made a sizzling descent down her jaw to cover her neck with nips and hot kisses.
There was a knock at the door and Rubrind stopped his actions, resting his head in the crook of her neck with a frustrated sigh. "Who is it?" he asked in a frustrated tone, then placed a kiss on her shoulder.
"My queen and king, your son is awake and wishes you would eat breakfast with him in the gardens this morning," said the servant through the door.
Armina sighed and replied, "Tell him we won't be long."
"Of course, your majesty," he answered and then walked away.
"Now, where were we?" asked Rubrind in a deep, husky tone, returning to his work of covering her neck in kisses.
"We were getting up to go and eat breakfast with Jareth," she said with a playful smile.
Rubrind gave a growl of frustration than kissed her roughly before getting off the bed. She smiled at his being upset at being interrupted. She got up and stretched, feeling her power run through her veins.
She stood and snapped her fingers, dressing herself in black pants, a white blouse, and a black, form-fitting vest. Freshly-polished boots came up to her knees. She looked over to Rubrind who sported the same black pants and white shirt, but with a black, silver-trimmed overcoat.
He strode over to her and pulled her against him. "I will have you," he whispered hotly in her ear. "Even if I must lock him away in his chambers for a night, I will have you."
She laughed, and whispered back, "We'll see." She pushed him away from her with surprising force and gave him a smirk. He followed her eagerly, but was disappointed when she escaped out the door into the eye of their servants.
They made their way to the royal gardens where Jareth was already seated, waiting for his breakfast. His face brightened when he spotted his mother entering the gardens, followed by his father. Armina gratefully took a cup of tea from a servant that offered it to her, but Rubrind took black coffee and sat at the end of the table, looking a little upset.
"Good morning, mama," said Jareth cheerfully.
"Good morning to you as well, my son," replied Armina as she sat down. "And happy birthday."
"Is something wrong, mama? You look a little upset," he said quietly.
She gave him an indulgent smile and replied, "I am just fine. I was just…very comfortable in bed; I didn't sleep well last night."
Rubrind shot her a knowing look and looked to Jareth. "Same here. I'm a little tired, and I wanted to sleep in until I remembered it was your birthday today."
Jareth smiled at his father and began to eat his breakfast.
Of course, they didn't really know when Jareth was actually born, but they estimated the day of his birth to about four months before they found him. He accepted this as his birthday, since he didn't know anything different. He didn't know he was adopted, but he believed that they were his parents without a second thought.
The click of claws against stone drew their attention. Adrian made his way out into the gardens and sat down next to Jareth. He gave a respectful nod to the monarchs, but otherwise remained silent.
"Jareth, I have something for you," announced Armina.
"Like a birthday present?" he asked expectantly.
"Yes. Here," she said as she handed him a previously nonexistent, long box, "this is your gift."
Jareth eagerly took it from his mother's grasp and opened the box to find a riding crop with a crystal ball at one end. "What is this for?" he asked, studying his reflection in the crystal.
"It's for your horse," replied Rubrind.
"Really? I get a horse of my own?" he asked, almost jumping out of his seat.
"Yes, but you will care for him. In other words, he's your responsibility," said his mother, casually sipping her tea. "Since you are now ten, however, you will begin some magick training with me."
His jaw dropped at the thought of being able to use magick like his mother could. "That sounds awesome!"
He went back to eating and Armina laughed contentedly at his excitement.