Oh darling bubble gum dumpling drops! Another chapter just for you :3
Note for all Sinedra and I are good friends and we talk a lot and we have a lot of inside jokes, so if your confused, don't worry, its just us.
Disclaimer: Look at chap. 1.
To DarlingBubbleGumDumplingDrop: We should write this together, as one. Together...while we play nurse and patient. Hehehe...Just remember on saturday we're doing cowboys and russians with beaver caps in the mountains.
To : We need the guns for cowboys and russians still, don't forget the lasso! Hmm, I wouldn't mind writing it together but it feels so weird, like I'm assulting your story... kinda awkward...
SinedraPookeyBear: No! Not assulting...molesting is a better word. Lasso is in Fabio's room.
Zane looked at Danica, like a bored child. Aiden, Ailbhe, Sadira, and Rei sat at the table looking at the woman like she had sprouted another eye. They knew she was pregnant and they knew that she was worried, really worried, especially after the attack, but a whole new guard just for the baby? Zane was used to hearing the idea and didn't even bother arguing with his hormonal mate. Hell at this moment if she wanted a whole another branch of guards, then she could have them.
"Danica." Sadira said slowly. "We have lots of guards, the child can have up to 4 personal Royal Flight and palace guard members or more if needed. But a whole alliance of guards...I'm sure none of us or Zane's family had a whole fleet to themselves and that was during the war."
Danica nodded and sighed. "Yes and I know all of you have opinions about it but so do our people and some of them are against this child, the only child I will ever have," At this Zane flinched and looked away. Sadira and Aiden noticed it, but said nothing. "And I don't want to take those risks."
"Well when you put it like that, then I understand extra protection, but not a whole other guard that we are not sure we can fund." Sadira tried again. She really did understand her sister's intention and was behind the idea, but funding the guard would be harder.
"Yes, well...I took the liberty of sell some of my possesions..." Danica sighed. "But not any heir looms, just valuable personal items." She looked down. "Like all my silk gowns."
Zane looked at her surprised and Sadira, who didn't see a need to use her reserve, gawked at her sister. "Danica..."
Rei smiled gently. "Any thing for your child."
The Tuuli Thea nodded and smiled fondly. Zane's eyes softened and he took Danica's hand. "Yes, anything. They were just items, replaceable ones at that. But Zane and I have enough funds to hire these select few till the baby is born and then we have also selected those who we feel comfortable with being around the baby when it is born." Danica handed over the piece of paper to Rei, Ailbhe, and Aiden, who had recently had become 2nd in command of the Royal Flight.
As Aiden's eyes skimmed over the paper, he felt his heart jump into his throat. That idiot was on it...that bastard who liked to make his life miserable all the time by violently attacking thieves and any one else he wanted to damage. He knew that man was the Diente's friend from his childhood, but this made Aiden sick.
Ulyesses Opries was to lead the guard that protected the heir to both courts.
"Ulyesses!" Araie ran into her brother's room, jumping on him when she saw he was still laying in bed. "You lazy idiot wake up!" She straddled his back and then ruffled his hair ruffly. She was excited to hear that the guards had decided not to arrest her brother and let him go with one last warning.
Ulyesses reached behind him and grabbed her arm and jerked her off him, causing her to fall on the floor on her back. She hopped back up and continued to pester him till he sat up and hissed at her, showing her his fangs. She tilted her head back and laughed at him. She mocked him by hissing back and giggled. He rolled his eyes and stood up. "What the hell is your problem you stupid brat?"
"My problem? Its way past dawn, bread has been made, breakfast has been served, and you have been asleep so long that you'll have to go with out food this morning." She jumped on the bed and laughed when she came face to face with Ulyesses. "That and I think I might pursue a man." She said saucily. "And he is real handsome."
"Oh? And did I say you could? No. So what does that mean? Means you'll die a bitter virgin." He went over to the basin and poured water into it from a ceramic pitcher and proseeded to wash his face.
She stayed on the bed and frowned. "I will not die a bitter virgin. In fact my goal in life is to have a mate and fornicate with him more than twice a day-" She jumped off the bed, red curls bouncing.
"Ah and this is were you stop and I make you wear metal undergarments for the rest of your life." He wiped his face off. "Like I said, bitter virgin."
She rose her eyebrows. "I'd just go behind your back and do it."
He glared at her and inhaled sharply. "Till I catch you and kill him."
"Then I'd kill you." She crossed her arms over her chest.
He pulled off his shirt and looked out his window. "Hot today?"
She shrugged. "Look at what I'm wearing." She pointed to herself. She wore a skin toned dancer's costume, which luckily it was not a skimpy shirt but pants and bra. Seeing his sister showing so much skin, Ulyesses frowned.
"And mama let you out of the house looking like that?" He decided not to wear a shirt today. Why bother?
She scowled. "Ulyesses, I am 18, no longer a child and since mama thinks you are failing to provide a grandchild, she is leaving it to me. So when I said I was pursuing a man, she gave this outfit to me, using the heat for the excuse." She sat delicately on the bed and leaned back.
"What is this young ass like?" Ulyesses leaned against the wall, looking at his sister with a gaze he hoped would intimidate her.
She stuck her nose in the air. "Tall, muscular, great dancer...palace guard." She looked up at the ceiling.
"And what is that it?" He raised a brow. "I have to know so I can guess who's ass I need to kick next."
She scoffed. "Well now...20 questions it is."
He inhaled and thought for a minute. "Was he in before or after I left?"
"After." She kicked her legs up.
"Is he a consictor?"
"No." She shook her head.
"Is he a she?" He teased.
She gaped at him and threw a pillow in his direction. "No!"
He caught the pillow and dropped it to the side. "Ok, is he high in the ranks?"
"Yes, finally. Your bad at this game." She said monotone.
He thought through the ranks and came down to about 6 men. "Is he a mamba?"
"Nope, guess again."
"A viper." He squinted. It had better not be who he think it was.
"Yup."
"Does he happen to be the leader of the palace guard, Araie?" He bit the inside of his cheeks. The little traitor...
She blushed but kept her smile. "Yes."
"And does he happen to have white hair and bright blue eyes?" He approached her slowly.
She sank back a little. "Yes..."
"And is he talented with a staff?" He bent down to her level and eyed her.
She sighed. "Yes."
"And is this the man who took over after I left?" He was trying to scare her, and so far it was working.
"Yes..." Now she was being meek about it.
"I see. So Ailbhe is this man that you want to pursue and does he want to pursue you?" He stood up and paced.
"He wanted to meet me at the Keep tonight." She stood up. "Now if you don't mind, mama has a visitor that you are late meeting and he is on a tight schedule." She sauntered out the door and out into the bright sun.
She had expected him to throw a fit about Ailbhe but he actually just looked a bit miffed instead of completely hot headed. She smiled softly and walked into the stand where a short dark haired woman with the same blue eyes as her brother stood with a tall man. Araie hugged the man's arm and looked at the woman. "Mama, you have a lazy son."
Mara rolled her eyes and looked up into garnet eyes. "Prepare your self Zane, he has been nothing but a pain since he has come here."
Zane laughed and looked down at the red head on his arm. "I suspected nothing less of that man. Don't you say small sister?"
She smiled and shrugged. "This time, you should keep him all to yourself."
Aiden and Sadira walked silently around the market, no destination in mind. She was still in her state of mind were she was sure that a war was still going on and it was not yet over. She felt like every serpent she passed would put a knife in her back as soon as it was too them. She kept as close to Aiden by avian standards as she could.
"I hear your thinking about taking a mate soon?" She looked up at him, breaking the silence.
"Well Sadira...I'm 20 and I don't have to worry about losing someone close to me because of the war...I think it's time."
The hawk princess sighed, "Who am I to argue, I've had a family and you've been an orphan... Happiness has been long overdue for you Aiden." The idea that he could move on while she was in her perpetual worry and paranoia seemed unfair. Then again, she was simply being selfish. Just because the war had taken nothing from him was no reason to glower at her old friend.
His hazel eyes grew more green as they peered down at her, "And for you as well. You shouldn't have to deal with the loss of half of your family alone. Even for an avian, that kind of pain is almost unbearable-"
"It has to be bearable," she said with an emotionless finality, "I'm not just an avian, I am a Shardae. If I cannot handle the hardship of the war on my own then there will be doubts among our own people. I must stay strong for them to help my sister."
He stopped her near a shop and sighed. He pulled a flower out of a vase and put it behind her ear. "But your still just one person and even you need to let it all out some times." He said softly. "Especially since we aren't in that damn war any more, just breath."
She shook her head and touched the flower. "Aiden...I wish I could believe that, but...I can't...I'm sorry." She hurried off and took breath.
She moved toward a bakery on the other side of the market, ignoring others and not looking up until she heard some one talking. "Yes, Zane, I understand what you just said, do not talk down to me like an idiot." Clang, clang, clang. "I am making this dagger for a client, a flight member I believe." A shop that had a heavy curtain over the door was hiding who ever was talking, and who was ever talking was to her sister's alistair.
"I asked if you could do me this one last favor, as a friend, not a retired palace guard." Clang, clang, clang. Sadira peeked into the shop, two backs were facing her. One was confirmed as Zane, the other was a tall man with broad shoulders, auburn hair, and sweat and dirt all over him. He was using a metal hammer to beat on a red hot piece of metal into what looked like a blade. He was frowning and shook his head.
"I refuse to work in a guard again." He picked up the blade with metal tongs and put it back into the fire, watching the flames. "I'm only a black smith and a jewelry maker, now."
Zane nodded and sighed. "Well it's temporary. Till the baby is born and then we'll apoint some one else, just do this for me. I am coming to you as your friend not your Diente and as your friend I am asking you to lead the guard that will protect my only child. The only one I will ever have." Zane looked down in dispair. This had caught the other man's attention and he pulled the blade out and stuck it in water and walked over to Zane.
"Zane, I lost everything in that war except my sister and my mother, and it was all because I was a palace guard." He shook his head. "You have to find some one else." He turned his back on him and then turned his head. "And grab that creep at the door while your at it." He wiped his hands. Zane turned his head toward the door and sighed.
"That is Sadira, the avian princess. Your superior." Zane was teasing but at the word superior, the man turned and glared at Sadira who had walked into the shop.
"Oh yeah? Your mate's sister?" He looked her up and down shamelessly. Heat rushed into her cheeks and the man scoffed. "She isn't half as pretty as Danica."
"Nor is she half as lenient when talking with a buffoon pretending to be a snake," her reserve might not have been used often, but now she plastered it so tightly on her face that only the slight edge of her voice gave away her anger. Not half as pretty? Well, even those sapphire eyes would be useless in charming serpiente women! Besides, he had insulted her sister by refusing to guard their child. A task many would give their lives to have.
Turning to Zane, she gave him an apologetic nod, "I was simply passing by when I heard your voice. I planned on greeting you when I heard you discussing your child's protection." Now she knew who this "Ulyesses" was. "Only fools refuse to give their lives for their friends," turning to glare at the serpent, "And I wouldn't feel safe having a man around who studies a mated woman. It has scandle written all over it."
Now Ulyesses smiled and glanced over at Zane. "Ohhh, but she is more interesting." He was mocking her. To him, he had nothign to lose so threatened with death or disgraced didn't bother him.
Zane sighed and nodded to Sadira. "I apologize. This is Ulyesses Opries, he is the former leader of the palace guard." He looked at Ulyesses with a slight glare. "He is a gentlemen, believe it or not, but he has some...'social' issues."
"Social?" Ulyesses scoffed. He looked at Sadira and raised his brows. "And princess, you don't understand my reasons for denying the honor, so you are not allowed to judge me." He glared at her.
"You watch yourself, serpent. I am the avian princess and you are out of line." She was fighting to keep her control. What was surprising to her was the way Zane handled Ulyesses. Like he understood Ulyesses's actions. "He is not a noble gentlemen. Not to mention he was looking at your mate."
Zane scratched his head. "Ah Ulyesses, can you not try to piss off every avian that comes in here please? Sadira, I am sorry, but he is also my older brother's childhood friend. He does have certain reason's to deny the oppurtunty to lead my child's guard, but you are right." He looked at Ulyesses. "You're out of line and I think you need to apologize to Sadira."
Ulyesses sneered. He only listened to Zane and that was only on occasions. He looked at Sadira indifferently. "I am only going to give you an apology because you are a woman, but I hate doing so since you are a filthy avian."
Sadira was shocked. This man refused to treat her like a supirior or as a princess. In fact, he had just stated his hate for her just because of her race. It made her so...so...now that she thought about it, it almost felt nice to be treated like any one else. He treated Zane in the same way, in a rude disregarding manor. But he was still rude.
Zane shook his head and looked at Ulyesses. "Think about it. I can trust only you...I need you, like you need me." He turned toward Sadira. "Milady, let me escort you back to the Keep."
Sadira glowered at Ulyesses. "This will not be the last time you see me. I might have you arrested."
Ulyesses burst out laughing, making her even more frustrated. "Please, I invite you too. Make that idiot Sorrell do it too. I want to kill the bastard." He turned away, broad back to her.
"Oh, I will." She said menacingly as she walked out of shop, feeling like she had just met her match.
Oh pumpkin pie, we did it! Alright, so R&R and we'll update! TTYL.