These next six chapters are for AnimeFreak71777 because they asked so politely for more.

Disclaimer: I own nothing


Dalca felt like she was drowning in a sea of cold eyes as the room filled with males. Her eyes darted around, as if searching for an escape. She could feel their minds pressing down on hers and was afraid hers would crack under the pressure.

"Is there any male who can lay claim to this woman, Dalca Dalakis? To take claim of her for their lifemate?" Mikhail's voice echoed through the chamber and clenched her teeth so hard her jaw ached. This was cruel and archaic. She felt like a brood mare up for auction but all the bidders were silently judging, looking her up and down, appraising her worth. Dalca clenched her fist and walked as gracefully as she could from the chamber. She would not be subjected to such a ceremony again. Her hand shook with anger, she did not care that it was how it had always been done, it was pointless. Mikhail had planned it as well as all the others. Throw her to the wolves and hope one of them would carry her off.

Bitterness flooded her system as the crowd parted for her, the eyes watched her as she left. She could hear someone following her and she turned to mist and moved through the air quickly.

"Dalca, please wait." It was Raven and Dalca landed on the ground in the dark tunnel. "I understand." Dalca spun around and glared darkly at the woman.

"You understand nothing. You do not know what it feels like to stand there, in the middle of that and have the prince of the Carpathians ask if you have a bidder." She turned on her heel. "I will not be doing it again. I came here to be with my people, I did not come here to be auctioned off like a slave. I suggest your husband and any of the others that participated in such a celebration to stay away from me." Dalca was so furious she was shaking, it was humiliating. She could hear Raven calling to her but she shut the sound out as the cold air of the mountains hit her.

Her body faded to mist and she took off towards her cave, it took her close to three hours to reach her destination as she kept doubling back and creating false trails. The only people who knew of her cave was Jacques and most likely Shea. Dalca hoped that they would remain quiet. She slipped into the crack and entered the small room before moving into the large cavern. She slumped down and closed her eyes.

Dalca, you did not need to run off like that. The words had a stern tone in them and Dalca rolled her eyes. Of course Alexander would give her shit over it.

I felt it was fitting. She stood up and started on carving out her home. As it was so humid and moist she knew this would be the perfect room for a garden. Her hands against the rock she urged it to create a vein of crystal all the way to the surface.

It was childish. His tone as sharp and Dalca ignored him as she looked upwards. She sat bathed in moonlight, the crystals catching the moonlight and sending it down to a large area of the cavern.

It was appropriate. With a careful gaze she found a crack in the floor and called some lightning to her. She nearly shrieked at the lightning was magnified by the crystals and slammed into the rock, splintering it into rubble. Dust flew up and Dalca coughed, waving the dust away from her face

You have insulted everyone that was in that chamber. You insulted the prince. He was angry and Dalca sat back on her heels. Her eyes narrowed darkly.

What about me? They brought me to a strange place, far underground where I really had no chance of escape and thrust me into the middle of a crowd of cold and dangerous men and asked them which one was going to take me out of that chamber. They were insulted? I was terrified and humiliated. You do not understand what it was like standing in the middle of that. I was treated like I was mindless, as if I were not my own person, if one man did stake his claim I would have been forced to go with him. I will not be forced to do anything. Dalca slammed the communication path closed, she did not want to be scolded for her actions. She tugged on her hair and gritted her teeth with frustration. The broken rock stared at her and she gently picked one up. It was heavy but she whispered gently to it and it crumpled to dust in her hand. The stone dust would have the minerals that she needed for plants to grow in the soil.

It took her several hours to get all of the rubble to crumble into dust. Dalca stood up, ignoring her protesting limbs and dusted off her pants. She needed to get some rich loam to make it a rich soil for her plants.

Dalca, are you okay? Alexander told me what happened. There was concern in Alice's voice and Dalca sighed.

I am fine, emä, I just do not wish to relive the experience again. I would prefer to forget about it. Her body shifted and she left the large cavern for the smaller cavern. She wished to complete her garden before sunrise.

Okay, lańa, I just do not wish for you to be distressed. Alice left her to her search and Dalca dug her hand into the soil, wondering how to get it back to the cave. She started filling her pockets, it would be one handful at a time.


The sun had started to rise and the thick and rich soil covered more than half to the cavern, it extended to the edges of the light and Dalca rubbed some of the dirt off of her hands, the soil had been purified, the taint had been removed. She would find seeds when the moon rose again. Dalca stepped backwards, a cracking sound startled her and the rocks beneath her feet gave way. Dalca fell into the dark pit and misted to prevent the falling rocks from hurting her as they fell. She slowly descended into the dark cave and could see the bottom. She materialized and realized that she was in several aqueduct chambers. With an unhurried curiosity she walked into the opening of the first chamber, the air was still humid but it felt nice against her skin. Her eyes took in a small hallway carved from water and she walked down it, the sound of water hitting her ears. She turned into the next chamber and smiled. Steam practically covered the ground and she could feel it against her skin.

The water from the hot spring above her exited the large chamber and into this room. It fell from the roof and landed into a deep pool. She could feel the heat from the water and with a lazy hand she undressed herself. Her bare feet stepped into the pool and she gave a content sigh as she walked to the middle of the pool where the water fell from the roof. She stepped into the waterfall and fairly purred as the hot water crashed down on her, washing away the dirt and dust that had coated her. She could feel the minerals in the water and she pushed her hair from her face.

Dalca relaxed into the hot pool and closed her eyes, her eye lids were growing heavier as the sun rose higher above the horizon. She pulled herself out of the water, she needed to find a place to rest. Dalca ignored her nudity as she excited the water chamber and into another hallway. It was slightly smaller than the one leading to the water chamber and it curved but the water that had flowed through it so many years ago had deposited rich soil in the bend. Dalca stuck her hands deep into the soil and closed her eyes, this had no taint. She walked forward and the floor dropped suddenly and the walls widened. The humidity from the waterfall room did not reach this portion and Dalca looked around before seeing another opening. She ducked through it and came into a smaller room. The ground dropped once more and Dalca looked it over.

There was no other opening to the room and Dalca moved back to the bend and started carrying the soil to the last cave. After nearly an hour all the soil rested in her chamber and her eyes struggled to stay open. With a sigh, Dalca slid into the soil and called it back to cover her completely. Her body shut down before the soil had a chance to settle.


"It is a nice place. Quiet. You would like it." Dalca smiled as she touched the poppy's petals. She was kneeling next to it. She talked to it, she wasn't sure why she liked the flower as much as she did but it was there, the connection she felt to it. The other flowers chittered at her and she rolled her eyes before getting to her feet, they needed to be watered. They could be so demanding but Dalca couldn't hate them for it. It was their nature to want their needs fulfilled. "Demanding aren't they?" Her fingertips trailed over the poppy's petals and she smiled wistfully before heading to the pool of water.

After nearly an hour she poured some water at the base of the poppy. It swayed slightly, as if appreciating the gesture and Dalca looked around. The flowers had stopped chittering to her and she closed her eyes. It was easy to push their voices away but she didn't like too, she liked hearing them. Her breathing evened out and a small content smile tilted the corners of her mouth upwards.

Sívamet. The poppy's petals brushed her forehead and she smiled at the word as it tenderly brushed the edges of her mind.

"If I am your heart, then you need to come and get me. It is lonely where I am." She opened her eyes and gave a sad smile. "It is not like here, I am alone there." She stood up and looked around, feeling the air of the garden around her, everything was connected and when she returned to her world, the contrast was sharp. Her gaze turned to the field of rot and Dalca sighed, this world was so different than her own. Her eyes closed and she allowed the breath to be drawn from her body as darkness settled over the garden.


Dalca hated the sharp feeling of loneliness that seemed to spike through her chest as she rose from the earth in her sleeping chamber. The feeling of losing a connection was sharp and made her breathless. The earth slung to her skin and she didn't think twice before moving out of her sleeping chamber, through the other space and around the bend, into the waterfall chamber. The hot humid air clung to her skin as she entered the pool, washing away the earth that lingered on her skin. The water seemed to wash away the feeling of loss and she emerged several minutes later, knowing she needed to find the seeds to plant her garden. Dalca knew she would require herbs and other useful plants to grow for the people on the mountain. She waved her hand and clothing materialized on her skin. A warm long sleeved shirt and jeans in muted colours seemed to reflect her mood.

She flew up to the lip of the opening where she fell and watched as the moonlight bathed the damp and dark earth. The scent of the earth was comforting to her and Dalca left the large cavern for the dryer entrance. Her safeguards had held but she knew she would need to create something better for her safety. The thoughts were pushed from her mind as the sharp cold of the Carpathian Mountains reached her. The night was still and Dalca looked around cautiously, not making the mistake of trusting her surroundings. She misted above the crack, not wishing to leave footprints to her new home.

The air was still as she moved silently through the trees, searching for the herbs she would use to plant her garden with. The snow made her job more difficult but she did not worry, the sunrise was many hours away and she had time.

Da'ca? It was Nikola and Dalca immediately pushed herself into his small mind, sending him comfort. Why di' you go? Come back, pwease. I promif I won' watchu wif the fwowers anymore. His sad voice wrenched her heart and Dalca filled his head with waves of calmness and love.

I left because I needed to, Nikola. I was too old to stay there anymore. It is okay. I'm still here aren't I? The words were soothing and she could feel Nikola's agreement of them.

I visichu? Dada an mum an me? He sounded so hopeful that Dalca chuckled.

You can visit me all you like. Just ask first okay? I love you, Nikola. Dalca looked around at her surroundings, spotting several herbs. She bent down and picked the seed pods from the dry plants.

I luff you too. His words faded as he fell asleep and Dalca continued to slowly gather the seeds for her garden.


Five years later

"Ivory, I have your herbs right here." Dalca smiled at the other woman and held out the bundle of sharp smelling herbs. Ivory looked at her with a faint twitch of her mouth before taking the offered package. Dalca turned back to the table what held her mid-stage drying herbs. She had turned her front entrance into a drying room for the plants she grew in her garden. Bundles of them hung from the roof of the cave and their scents filled the small space.

"I thank you, Dalca. I was unsure such herbs would even grow after I gave you the seeds. It seems I am surprised once more." Ivory nodded her head elegantly and Dalca resisted the urge to grimace. Ivory was so graceful that it made her wince. She looked like a bumbling toddler next to the taller woman. "You must have a way with the plants." Dalca gave a small shrug as she looked up at the woman.

"They listen when I ask them to grow. You cannot force them to grow, you ask and they will let you know if they will or not." Dalca felt uncomfortable under the woman's gaze, even after five years of knowing her. Ivory and Razvan were the only ones she really let come even remotely close to her. She just didn't trust the others. That wasn't entirely true, she let Jacques and Shea come close but not anyone else.

"Mikhail has been asking for you again. More unclaimed males have found their way to the mountains." Ivory's voice had a slight edge to it and Dalca knew the other woman was irritated on her behalf. "I told him that you did not wish to be paraded in front of everyone like a brood mare so I told him not to ask me again. He may be my Prince but he cannot demand my compliance. I will respect your wishes." Dalca grimaced openly.

"I thank you, Ivory. I do not wish to repeat the last time Mikhail had one of his 'celebrations'." She crossed her arms over her chest and blew and errant strand of hair from her face. "It no longer bothers me but now it is a matter of pride rather than humiliation." The corner of her mouth twitched up slightly.

"You are stubborn, Dalca. I respect that, you stand for what you believe in regardless of how it may appear. I do not suggest straying too far where the others will pick up your scent. You have been careful to keep your home a secret. Do not lose your privacy now doing something as idiotic as going where they can find you." Ivory delivered the words with a clear warning and Dalca knew better than to ignore it.

"I understand, Ivory. I thank you for the warning, I shall be sure to heed it." A small smile crossed her face and Ivory's mouth twitched slightly before she too gave a small smile.

"I understand what it feels like to wish to have your privacy and then to have others wish to take it from you." Her eyes went blank for a mere second before she nodded her head gracefully once more. "Razvan has requested my presence. I will not keep him waiting. I shall be back next week." Ivory's gaze asked a question and Dalca nodded slowly.

"They should be ready by then." Dalca touched a bundle of herbs that dangled from the ceiling, still drying. Her practiced eye looked over the rest. Shea's herbs would finish by tomorrow and she would have to bring them to her. She didn't like the prospect of going out, she was safer inside. "Safe travels, my friend." She glanced at Ivory who disappeared. Dalca could feel her leave through the safeguards and let out a small sigh. The garden needed to be taken care of.