If you are like me it is finals week and this might just be what you need! I know I needed to distract myself by writing it! Enjoy!
Shout outs: Gemini Explorer and Gast for leaving lovely reviews!
Disclaimer: Still not mine... Except Calia, Malakai, Decant, and that nameless baby...
Time stopped. All thoughts of the outside world were disregarded as mother and daughter locked eyes for the first time in fifteen years. No one moved for the moment would surly turn into a dream and one of them would wake. A bomb could drop and the two women would not budge an inch.
Marguerite was having trouble staying up straight. The little strength she felt came from Roxton's hand on her shoulder. This was her little girl, alive and well. So many dreams of this being possible, for her to see and talk to her daughter were becoming reality. Her mind did not know where to start. So much time had passed. Time that they could not get back, but she would try her damnedest to keep the future with this woman.
Similar thoughts were going through Naomi's mind. Four years of searching, a life of dreaming, and here was her mother mere inches away. Why was her body locked in place? A quick glance and she saw her own daughter still attached to her. Easing the child off she moved, ever slowly to the woman who had given her life. The woman who she could barely remember singing her to sleep. Who would comfort her when she had a nightmare.
They were face to face still not daring to touch. "Mother?" A whispered voice spoke in the silence. Marguerite could only nod her head. If she spoke then the tears she was fighting so hard to keep back would fall. She felt it but her eyesight was blurred and she could not see the woman move. The close pressure of her daughter finally in her arms opened the flood gates and she was sobbing into a shoulder.
Sight of mother and daughter together was something that made Lord John Roxton's heart melt. He even had moisture in his eyes for the joy he felt towards his fiance. He glanced to Calia, his almost grandchild, and could see the happiness in her face as well. His gaze continued to Tribune who was less than enthusiastic about the reunion. There was a look of leverage lost and distaste for the displays of affection. That did not matter to Roxton. Knowing Marguerite would not fall from the emotion of the moment he wandered and crouched next to Calia. "What do you say we give them a moment alone?" She nodded and they went to slide out a side door with the other lizard in the room following.
The movement was caught in Naomi's peripheral vision. She took another moment before leaving the comforting embrace. "Wait." The small group stopped. She was not sure what to do at the moment. Her mother and daughter were alive, well, and with her, but her family was not complete. Her son was still in great danger back at the kingdom. A kingdom that Tribune knew was failing, which explained why she was here. She wiped a tear off her cheek and approached the Emperor, all traces of happy emotion gone. It was still in the back of her mind. She wanted the time to catch up with Calia and even more with Marguerite, but there were certain matter's that needed immediate attention. "If you knew my home was in shambles why did you even ask?" Her voice was laced with venom.
The reunion was of no interest to Tribune. All he could see was his loss of a bargaining chip if he ever needed the explorer's unwilling help. He was all too glad to leave the scene of human emotion. When the Queen called them back he cringed a bit. Naomi's attitude was close to her mother's. The few occasions they were in contact with each other had barely been kept civil. "I needed to know exactly how much of an inconvenience your situation would be to me. Clearly it is more than what Calia has revealed if you are lying to your Emperor." His voice raised along with his brow. She was taking an immense risk by hiding the truth from him. It was a crime punishable by death.
"An inconvenience." Naomi shook her head. "You call my son being in mortal danger, my daughter fleeing for her life, and my husband's death an inconvenience?!" Her voice was at a yell. So much emotion held back over the last few months was lashing out. A yelp was heard behind her and she turned to see Calia with tears in her eyes.
Calia had left him and he was okay. "Daddy's not dead."
The tears returned, despite her willing them away. Naomi had never imagined having to explain this to Calia. She could see the conviction in her face, the same conviction that Naomi had when she sent her daughter away. Kneeling down she looked into the face of a stubborn child. "Sweetie, your father came to me in a dream that he said could only happen if he died." Another tear escaped down her cheek.
Roxton stepped into the conversation knowing that Naomi would not believe the child. "We found him in the forest, your husband. He was badly wounded but we fixed him up and he was recovering when we left."
"But Malakai said..." Her voice trailed as she saw the hope and truthfulness in his and her daughter's eyes. She was sure of what her husband had told her. Sure that the beach was the last time she would see him. A hand drifted down to her stomach as she envisioned seeing him again. It was still scary for her to hope for that reunion. So much had already been brought back together for her to hope for that.
Tribune scowled a little at what he heard. His son being dead was not news that he enjoyed. Malakai was a key player in many of the political situations and battle plans for keeping the Empire together. He looked to Naomi and addressed her. "What did he tell you my dear? More importantly where?" If this notion of Malakai being dead came from where Tribune thought it did, then there was a moment when his son could have been dead.
Naomi glared at the leader. She did not want his help with anything, especially where her family was concerned. As far as she cared he was a cold blooded lizard who only did thing for his own agenda. With that in mind she knew that he could be of some use in getting her loved one's back together. It was an inevitable situation. With a sigh she explained her dream and what had happened leaving out a few intimate details.
Just as he thought. It was no wonder that Malakai had chosen this human as his dream sharing partner. "He very well may have been dying or believed he was. This would explain what you experienced. However, it is a practice sacred to lizards. He had no right doing it with you." This inferior species should not be anywhere near these sacred traditions. Tribune could see the anger flourishing in Naomi's face. She felt she was just as important as him. One of his gravest mistakes was letting his son wed this human.
The Queen advanced on the Emperor all others in the room on her tail. "No right? I have every right!" Her voice was at a commanding level. "You forget that it is by your hand I am queen. By your hand I was kept from my mother." She looked towards Marguerite. There was a smile on her face. Clearly she was enjoying watching Tribune being torn down. "You forget that without me your precious Empire would have fallen to civil war long ago. Malakai was doing his duty as king and as a husband by dreaming with me. Something you would know nothing about! Now," She backed down every so slightly. "tell me what you plan to do to help my family." There was such a ferocity in her voice that she almost scared herself.
Tribune's face went dark. There was not one person in the entire Empire that would dare to talk to him like that. Unfortunately there was a truth to her words and he could not let his son's family suffer like this. He could not let his son's kingdom fall. It was too vital to his own success. "The affect your kind has on me is most undesirable. I will offer one company of my men to storm in, save your son, and rid us of this rebel. Other than that I cannot help you." A company was only about 60 soldiers, but he would not be pushed around by this human. She may be his family by marriage, but she was not blood and he would not have her challenging his position any more than she already was.
An immediate flinch was seen as he suggested storming the kingdom. "No. If Decant sees even one Empire soldier in my Kingdom he will kill my son on the spot." Naomi heard an intake of breath from behind her. She was unsure as to who it came from but felt slightly comforted that anyone was still in the room with them. Beginning to pace she walked away from the thrown. Military tactics were not her strong point, but she was clever and only needed time to devise a plan. However, the politics were her strong point. If she asked Tribune for this time he would make a mess of her getting the men, playing it off as some inconvenience to not dispatch them now. Even when she did tell him she wanted the men, he would insist on using one of his generals, probably one that would favor bloodshed, and she could not have that blood on her hands. Only when she caught sight of Calia pacing at her side did she realize that she had been doing so for too long. "Here is what I need. I need that company of men, but under General Tartan's command. The loyal subjects in my home will only be brave enough to help in this fight when victory is in sight." Her giving a speech to her people would help as well, but that was not something that was feasible at this point.
The request was not a request at all. Tribune was going to have no choice but to give her what she desired if he wanted this tirade to end. "Very well." Once again he went to leave. This conversation was infuriating him and he needed to decide which soldiers would be going on this escapade. "You know where your quarters are. I will have the company ready in an hour for your use. Do with them what you will." If he did lose some of them it was not that large of an issue. With that statement he left.
The room was quiet for a long moment after he left. Calia could see the relief on her mother and grandmother's faces. Relief that she assumed went with the plan to save her brother. Slowly she walked to Naomi taking her hand for a comfort. It was so nice to have her mother back and safe. What scared her now was the situation with the baby. If she had only gotten to the tree house sooner, then she could have saved them both. A half smile crossed her face when Naomi looked at her. She did not want her to know how she was feeling guilty.
Letting out a breath she was not aware she was holding, Naomi hugged her daughter again. She was safe and in her arms, her mother was a few feet away, and her son would be saved. She looked to the man standing protectively by Marguerite. It was clear that he cared for her very deeply. "I'm sorry, I don't believe we were introduced. Naomi Sutton." She extended her hand with a broad smile on her lips.
Roxton gladly took it. "Lord John Roxton." He had an equal smile. He could see the similarities between Marguerite and her child, even if they had been separated for so long. Looking slightly down he could see Calia nestled into her mother's side. "Why don't Calia and I go get some dinner so you two can catch up." Marguerite tensed but he knew that it would be good to give them some time alone. They needed it.
Calia caught on to his drift and was happy to go with him. She had her mother bend down so she could place a kiss on her cheek and a final hug. "I'm starving!" Giddy with excitement she grabbed Roxton's hand and they left the room, leaving mother and daughter for the much needed time to reacquaint themselves.
Finn walked down another hall way looking for Veronica and Malone. She had spent the last ten minutes getting turned around and lost in this palace trying to find them and let them know of Naomi's arrival. "It would have been easier to tell the dude to tell them too. Why did I volunteer to let them know?" She shook her head and turned another corner.
"Talking to yourself again?" With a raised eyebrow Veronica stopped the younger woman from running into her. There was a smile on her face and Ned was close behind.
Seeing them was slightly startling. "Oh hi." The comment of her talking to herself was forgotten. Finn looked suspiciously at the closeness of the two, but decided not to ask at the moment. "Uh, Marguerite's kid is here. We are supposed to meet in the thrown room to say hello. That is if we can find it." A frown crossed her brow at the thought of looking for another room in this building.
A slight hint of annoyance crossed Veronica's face. She had been thinking for the last few hours about how lucky Naomi was. Of course she still believed her own mother to be alive, but knowing that another mother and daughter were being reunited upset her. The situation brought questions to her mind about whether or not she would actually she her mother again. That was what she and Ned had actually been talking about before Finn found them. "Why don't we get dinner and let Marguerite have this moment. I'm sure she will want to be alone with her." A half smile crossed her face and Ned grabbed her hand discreetly and gave it a reassuring squeeze.
As much as Finn wanted to meet this mysterious woman she could see the conflict in her friend's eyes. "Alright." She shrugged and headed in the direction she thought the dining hall was in.
Malone saw his jungle beauty stifle a chuckle as Finn walked away. "Uh, Finn?" The two had developed a brother-sister relationship since he had returned. Seeing her make a mistake always made him smile. Especially when she realized she had made the mistake. He watched her turn around with a 'what?' expression on her face. "The dining hall is in that direction." He pointed behind him and started to usher Veronica that way while he heard an 'oh' from Finn.
Calia bounded down towards the dining hall. She turned to look at Roxton who was following close behind. Since coming to the Empire they had not really been together. A question burned in her mind ever since she learned Marguerite was going to marry him. "So since you are marrying my grandmother, does that mean you will be my grandfather?" A little hopeful smile crossed her scales. She would love if he said yes. It was obvious how much he cared for her grandmother and the other people around him that having him as a grandfather would be wonderful. It would be much nicer than Tribune.
Roxton smiled at the enthusiasm of the young lizard. He chuckled at her question and almost immediately responded. "If you would like me to be." He never thought of himself as a grandfather, but seeing how his love was the child's grandmother it was something that was to be expected. Over the past week he had also grown to care about Calia and would be happy to serve as a grandfather to her.
"I would like that very much." She stopped and hugged him around the waist. He responded by returning the hug and squeezing tight. He wanted her to know that she was safe and would always be protected no matter what.
The trio had just been served when Roxton and Calia entered the dining hall. "Hello everyone." Roxton took a seat across the table from Malone and Calia sat down beside him. He could see the questions on their faces before they even voiced them. "Naomi is here and much like her mother. She even went up against Tribune and succeeded in ordering him about." Roxton chuckled a little. Tribune was a pain in the ass to begin with and having another person that would stand up to his antics was always a good thing to have.
Veronica had a thought come to her. "So stubbornness is a genetic trait. You will have a handful with you when that baby is born." A devious smile came to her lips.
Roxton's face paled a bit. He had yet to truly think of the reality of having a child and if it did have Marguerite's stubbornness than it would be a challenge. "I guess I will." He bit into a piece of food on the table which he was not entirely sure what it was.
Finn decided to join the conversation. "I think she will make a good mom." It was a random statement but they knew who she was talking about.
Roxton had filled Malone in on the past few days, his reasoning being that Marguerite would be telling Veronica so it was only fitting that he let Malone in. Ned could see the information bursting from his friend the moment they were outside the door. Of course he was pleased with the news, but he was slightly concerned for that child. Marguerite was not the most motherly figure he knew. "What makes you say that?"
Finn just shrugged. "She is always the one taking care of us when we are sick." There was more to being a mom than being a good nurse, but she firmly believed that it was where mothering started.
A smile crossed Veronica's face. "I think she will too." There was something in Marguerite that was innately motherly. The part of her which made Veronica feel safe to share more intimate details with her. The part that went out of its way to save a child from poisonous gas.
The conversation lulled as the group continued to eat, thoughts of the short term future in their minds.
Finally she had the moment alone with her daughter. The problem was that Marguerite did not know where to start. Fifteen years of time to catch up on, plus all the excitement of the past few months. It was enough to make her head spin.
There have been many moments in Naomi's life where she was scared. Losing Malakai, Calia, and the baby were prime examples. There was something about being alone with her mother that brought those feelings back. Brought her back to being a young girl in a car accident. It made her want to run away and avoid the situation, all while she wanted to pour her soul out to the woman in front of her. "I must speak with Tartan." Her voice cracked as she went to leave, praying that the other woman would say something to stop her.
"You kept it." Marguerite drew the necklace from her pocket and ran her fingers over the cross. "When Calia found me I refused to believe that you were alive. Even when she showed me this." The jewelry was clasped in between her hands as she approached her daughter. "Ma bichette alive and all grown up in front of me." She placed the chain in Naomi's hand her other one reaching to her child's hair.
A hand fell to Naomi's deep chestnut locks, stroking them in a comforting manner like she would do when the woman was just a child. She leaned into her mother's hand, her chin resting on the palm. "I've dreamed of this day ever since Nana told me you were alive."A dam broke in Naomi. She had been keeping her walls up for so long for Calia and the baby but being here made her feel more safe than she had been; even with Malakai.
It was a natural response to pull her sobbing daughter to her shoulder. Marguerite found herself backtracking to a person that she thought was long gone. The mother that she was to her little girl and that she would be to Roxton's child.
The minutes passed as mother and daughter just sat in each others comfort.
Silence was not something that Naomi had gotten lately and it was not something she wanted to be the first to break, but she had to know. Lifting her head she looked into Marguerite's eyes. "Is Malakai really alive?" Her breath caught as she was still afraid of the answer.
A smile crossed Marguerite's lips. "Yes, as far as I know he is. Challenger would have signaled us if something went wrong." There was so much relief in Naomi's eyes that Marguerite was hesitant to ask the next question. "I have to ask, how did -"
"I fall in love with a beast?" Her breath was released with a sigh. She knew that it would have to be explained to her mother, but she could barely explain it to herself. "Well it was Calia that I first fell in love with. She was a very young girl who needed a mother and I was the person for the job. It was not expected for Malakai and I to fall in love, but I slowly started to realize that he was just as human as me. Sometimes more so. Nothing like his father might I add." An eye roll was accompanied with her statement. Chuckling Marguerite agreed. Tribune was not anything but a sneaky lizard always trying to save his position in the Empire. Naomi continued her story. "I was a young impressionable girl. Who else was I going to fall in love with other than the man that saved me from being lunch." It was Naomi's turn to chuckle as a disgusted look crossed Marguerite's face. The day she was captured and brought to Malakai's kingdom was always fresh in her mind. "He rescued me and I rescued him. Quite the love story if you ask me." There was a twinkle in her mother's eye that led Naomi to believe she knew what she was talking about. "That's how it is with you and Lord Roxton isn't it?" A smirk crossed her own face as she saw the older woman falter.
A hand went to involuntary caress her stomach, but she stopped it just in time for her to act like she was adjusting her shirt. "Is it really that obvious that even my daughter can tell? I must be losing my touch." She nodded, not wanting to keep anything from Naomi. Too many of her relationships had been based in lies and she did not want this one to be. "Something like that. I do love that persistent hunter. He was a little less of a beast though, more like a pesky bug." She reached around her neck and unhooked her locket and engagement ring. It was high time she actually started wearing it. She glanced up to see a questioning eye coming from Naomi. "I guess you should know that he asked me to marry him and I gladly accepted." There was a bit of nervousness to the statement.
Smiling, Naomi hugged her mother. "That's wonderful." She breathed into her shoulder. When her face was out of sight the smile dropped slightly. Of course she was happy for her mother and did not expect her not to find someone after all this time, but the little girl inside wanted to believe that her mother had stayed a one man woman. Even through her research and tracking the 'Black Widow of Vienna' as best she could she still wanted to believe. It was just a point to tell her how much time had passed and how much they still did not know about one another.
It was a great comfort to know that Naomi was accepting of Roxton. Marguerite thought she would put off telling her about the child growing inside her womb until Naomi's own child was safe. "I don't know about you but I am starving and there are a few more people you need to meet." Through Marguerite's smile she missed her daughter hesitate at the thought of more people. All she heard was the reply.
"Alright mother."
A bit of tension for the future. Love to know what you think! This was by far the hardest chapter to write and I apologize if I completely screwed it up. I must have re-written it about 50 times. Sure is nice to see this other side of Marguerite that I don't think was nearly as developed as it should have been!
R&R and may any finals or deadlines you may have pass smoothly!
