Alora quickly made her way to what should have been the Steward's study, what
should have been Daemon's place to brood. She nearly ran into Lucivar just
outside the dark wood door because neither of them were paying attention. Alora
let out a little sound of surprise. Witch recovered quickly enough and in her
midnight voice said, "Prince Yaslana."
"Lady," Lucivar replied with un-amused dryness.
Fine, if he wanted to remain prickly…. No, she would dent his head later. After
all, she doubted that it would do any good right now. "Is Daemon in there?" she
asked, indicating the Black-locked room.
"Do you feel the shields?" Alora nodded. "Then you already know the answer."
Witch sighed. She just hoped this body would respond to basic craft when it
hadn't been trained. "Then get out of my way, Prince."
Lucivar gripped her arm hard enough for her to know he needed to say something,
but not hard enough to bring out more then her surface temper. In a soft,
hoarse, almost pleading voice, he said, "Go back where you came from. Go before
Daemon is lost to the Twisted Kingdom."
"I thought you wanted me here. You certainly did when you woke me yesterday."
"That was before… please, Lady, you have your Jewels now… please, just leave."
Then he let go and quickly left the corridor. Left because he wasn't going hear
her tell him no, wasn't going to have her saying something that would spike his
temper. Didn't want to plead with her because he couldn't stand to watch his
brother go through that again.
Alora watched him leave. She would have to fix that soon as well. Quickly, she
passed through the black shields, as well as the protection webs Daemon had
added. Scrunching up her nose at the smell of strong liquor, Alora decided to
make a brew first, before waking Daemon. As soon as she passed back out of the
room, she made a mad dash to her work room. She was relived to find it well
stocked, just as she'd hoped.
During the few moments needed to let the brew simmer, she called for a pot of
strong coffee. She asked only that it be left outside the study door, then made
her way back to that room, tonic in hand. She stopped long enough to pick up the
coffee and re-entered. She stopped again just inside the doorway and poured the
tonic into the pot.
She found Daemon passed out on the long couch. His silk shirt was unbuttoned,
exposing his very muscular chest, evidence that Lucivar had been making him work
out for a few hundred years. His hair was even more tangled then it had been
yesterday. Alora picked up the clear glass cup that held the remnants of the
drink. She sniffed it and wanted to gag. Gravediggers were strong, but this was
much stronger than that.
Witch sat down beside her sleeping male and gently traced his face with her
finger. Nerves made her jump when he opened his eyes unexpectedly. Daemon tried
to sit up, felt the room spin under him, and lay back down again. He didn't
understand how she had gotten past his shield. Very quietly, he said, "Lady,"
then winced because the sound of his own voice made his head throb.
Alora placed one finger over his soft lips, then in a very quiet whisper, said,
"Drink this." She called in the pot of coffee and used Craft to pour a mugful.
She saw the confusion in his eyes, then only let him get a glimpse of the ring
that now rested on her finger.
He sat up enough to take a small sip. It was clearly coffee, but it tasted sweet
and exotic at the same time. Not bad, just…different. Quietly, he asked,
"What's in this?"
Alora gave a slight shrug. "Nothing fancy."
Daemon took another sip and ended up draining the glass. His head started to
feel a little better, so he answered that dismissive comment with one of his
own. "Uh huh."
Her face went from a happy but mischievous grin to - if she had been Jaenelle
Daemon would have called this her queen's face. Her eyes no longer looked soft
but fully aware, fully alert. Her grin faded. In her deep midnight voice, she
began to speak, "We need to talk, Prince."
With a slight shudder, Daemon sat up. He only did so because he knew that tone,
and knew whatever she wanted to discuss was about something he did that was
distressing her. Respectfully, he said, "Lady?" He tried to sound puzzled.
"I told you I would return. Why do you have to get all snarly when…"
"You stop right there, Lady. You said you would return, yes… but you didn't tell
me that you made a web. Didn't give me a hint on how you planned to return.
Dammit, I couldn't even find proof in any of the damn webs I made."
Quietly, she said, "You weren't supposed to. If you chose to move on…"
He let his voice roll like thunder. "Move on! You expected me to move on when I
spent 1700 years searching for you. When I spent almost another hundred in your
bed."
Alora pulled away. She needed to pace. She didn't want to look him in the eyes.
Her voice quivered as she said, "And in a thousand years you never..."
"No, Lady. And if you think otherwise then you really underestimated how much I
love you."
"You loved…"
"You. Jaenelle was only the husk as Alora is now." Daemon stood behind her and
let his hands caress her skin, felt how uncared for the skin really was, and
decided he would fuss later. And he would fuss, because she owed him a thousand
years for making him think she was truly gone.
Alora sighed. His hands felt so warm and soft, so… loving. It was a feeling she
didn't know... It was a feeling she would fight to keep. Her body relaxed against
him, relaxed until she felt something she had never experienced. Not knowing
what to do, she decided to stop him. She and Witch were one, but there were
still a few things that she knew only in theory. It was those things that would
best be discovered in a soft bed.
Not yet pulling away, she forced herself to say, "I need a favor, Prince."
Daemon snickered as he whispered in her ear, "Queens don't ask for favors. They
do, however, ask for help with a problem."
Help... Well, she needed a lot of that. She needed help with setting her
brother's realm to right. She needed help so she would feel welcome here. She
needed help so Lucivar wouldn't be so snarly around her because he was
protecting Daemon, even though Daemon didn't seem like he needed any protection
right now. She started again, or rather, Witch did. "I need your help, Prince."
"And what is the lady's pleasure?"
"Two things…." She thought for a minute, then corrected herself. "Well, really
more like three things, and you don't have to help if you don't wish to."
Daemon turned her so that he could lock eyes with her. His eyes were no longer
loving or soft. They were no longer clouded with the fog of the Twisted Kingdom…
but instead were filled with... Alora looked deep into those eyes, as did Witch…
and knew she had the full attention of the Sadist, even if he was showing
nothing. No outward signs of temper. In a deep coo Daemon said, "And why would I
not want to help my queen?"
Well, that certainly answered one question…. His loyalties lay with Witch and
not the flesh... "My brother will need a strong Blood male to help him."
"Brother?" His first thought was Lucivar, but Daemon couldn't think of any
reason he would need help at the moment.
"Brother, the one who shares a bloodline with this flesh."
"I had intended to see that realm. Now I have a reason not to destroy it… or at
least not everyone in it." Mother Night, Witch thought as she looked behind
those eyes. She shuddered inwardly to think about what she saw. A thousand years
and it was becoming very clear what spells and webs he had been studying. She
was so lost in that train of thought that she almost didn't hear Daemon ask,
"And what is the second thing that needs my attention?"
Witch very slowly blew out a breath of air. She worded her request very
carefully because if she didn't, Daemon would leave nothing left of his brother
just because he had offended his queen. "Will you find out what I need to do so
that Lucivar…" She watched his gold eyes narrow into tiny slits, felt the air
cool around her, "...is comfortable with this husk?"
Daemon looked at the door. His gaze seemed to pass though it. Dismissively, he
said, "I'll talk to him, then you can invite him to join me in your realm."
"Us, Daemon, not just you. I have four brothers, all of whom I intend to see
often." Alora said in a very stern and commanding voice, a voice that dared him
to argue.
" Fine, us... But I reserve the right to be true to my caste if I do not like
what I see."
"As you wish, Prince, as long as my family remains whole."
Daemon let out a slight irritated growl. "And the third matter."
Alora bit her bottom lip. Then, very shyly, she said, "I want you to see me
through my..."
Daemon tilted his head. Understood what she needed of him. Was going to make her
say it. Except he didn't. After all, it was the one thing he hadn't shared with Jaenelle. Couldn't have shared because of what had happened. "See you through?"
"If you don't want to I understand."
He pulled her close to his body and let her feel his response to her. "Sweetheart, do you really think I would let another male in your bed?"
"Well, no, but I wasn't sure…"
In a sensual purr, Daemon whispered, "Why don't you take the women shopping
while I have a very short talk with my brother. And when we get back from
visiting your brothers you can show me what you bought."
Puzzled, she asked, " You want to see my brothers first?"
"No, Lady. I want to see how you grew up so I can determine just how much
fussing you owe me."
There was another warning there, that she was sure of. "Very well, Prince, I
will be gone 'til evening meal. Will that give you enough time to ready
yourself?"
He kissed where her horn would be if they were in the misty place. "More than
enough." He let her pull away until she was just far enough that she couldn't
dent his head with a stick if she had one. "And Lady, be prepared to spend the
next several months in a practice circle."
"I know how to...
"
"Oh, no, sweetheart, you don't have to convince me, but there are a few members
of your family you will… or at least until there is a good reason for you not to
be in a practice circle."
Witch's eyes narrowed. "And what reason would that be?"
In a very loving voice, but with a cat's grin, Daemon simply replied, "The hall
is too quiet without the sound of little feet running through it."
Happily, Alora scurried out of the room. She would have to find out if their
marriage vows were made between Jaenelle and Daemon or Witch and Daemon... No,
maybe they would just have another wedding…. Yes, that would be better.
-----------------
Daemon found Lucivar looking out over the land, out on one of the stone
balconies. He was heavily sight shielded and fully aware that Lucivar wouldn't
know he was there until the very moment Daemon chose to let him know. Wouldn't
know till he felt the snakes tooth bite down on his shoulder. That is, if he did
let the snake's tooth fully bite down.
In a feline glide, Daemon approached, then let his lips curl into a demented
smile. He smiled because he could lecture his brother about not being shielded
when there was a possible fight just inside the Keep's walls. His hand grabbed
a hold of Lucivar's shoulder just as the sight shield fell. Just as Lucivar
snapped out his wings a little because his brother had came up behind him so
stealthily.
Feeling Daemon's snake tooth biting just hard enough to know it was on his
shoulder and feeling Daemon's other hand now ever so softly caressing his left
wing, Lucivar fought to control his breathing. Fought to remain passive because
he was sure Daemon was fully back on the roads of the Twisted Kingdom. Or, at
least, hoped he was, because if he was in this situation with the Sadist he was
dead. Trying to sound calm, he said, "Daemon?"
"You sound nervous, Prick."
Oh, now, there was a name Daemon hadn't called him in a thousand years. A name
that he couldn't remember while in the Twisted Kingdom. "Your snake tooth is
pricking my shoulder…." Why wouldn't I be nervous? And besides that, you're
holding my wing so I don't move. He didn't think it would help if he said that
to his brother just now. Anything he did try to try to free himself would result
in a snapped neck at the very least.
In a deep hiss, Daemon asked, "What would hurt you more… having the tiny bones
in your wing broken or knowing you made your wife a widow?"
Physical pain or emotional. Damn, damn and double damn. Lucivar wasn't just
talking to his brother, he was having a very clear conversation with the Sadist,
and for whatever reason, he was the prime target right now. Slowly, he said,
"What's the game, Bastard?"
"No game. At least, not yet." Daemon paused long enough to appear that he was
thinking of something, then continued, "Do you remember the games we used to
play in Terreille?"
Lucivar's heart stopped. How could he forget those games? How could he not
remember why he was afraid of his brother when he got into this mood … and why
he couldn't be fearful of the High Lord. Very slowly, he answered, "Yes, I
Remember... Why do you ask?"
"Do you remember when I told you that if you ever stood in my way I would see
that you never made it to the gates of Hell?"
Lucivar felt the snake tooth through his leather vest, knew how deadly that
poison was. Wanting to know what he had done to spike his brother's temper this
much, he asked, "And why are you bringing this up now?"
"As a reminder, and to make sure I had your full and undivided attention."
With a arrogant sigh of relief Lucivar spoke. "You always have my undivided
attention, Sadi."
"Good, then this conversation won't take long."
He thought they were already having a conversation. Maybe not a coherent one,
but still a conversation. "And you need to tell me what exactly?"
"Until Alora is comfortable with all the snarly males of the family…"
"She's not-" He stopped when he felt Daemon's hand tighten on his shoulder, then
calmly continued, "-used to snarly males?" Not the question he wanted to ask,
but he really wasn't in a situation to mold the battlefield to his liking. Not
when the Sadist was out to play.
"No, I don't think she is. Witch is completely at home around them but the husk
doesn't know how to respond yet. In a few days, she will, but not right now."
"Papi, what in the name of Hell are you doing to poor uncle Lucivar?" asked a
silvery voice that came from behind them.
Lucivar sent a spear-to-distaff thread to his queen that said only, *Don't
push.*
"I thought you went shopping?" Daemon cooed.
"We were going. Then the three of us felt your shield followed by Uncle
Lucivar's worry... Well, Witch wouldn't leave 'til her male family members
stopped being so damn snarly."
"I'm not being snarly. I was having a private conversation with my brother."
"And your snake tooth is usually that close to his skin when you conduct these
private conversations?"
Daemon let Lucivar go and turned to face Ledia. His brother he could meet tempers with and know who would win if it came down to Jewel strength... His daughter... Since they both wore the Black he wasn't sure. He was, however, sure of one thing… moons blood. "Lady, you should leave."
"I will do no such thing." She looked in his eyes and understood why Lucivar was
always wary of him when he got this moody. But she knew how to leash his temper.
"Besides, you would never do harm to your daughter."
Not queen? Why hadn't she said queen? He leashed his temper enough to tell her,
"Nor my brother, unless it was warranted."
"And did he do something that would warrant dealing with you while I was
shopping?"
"Not yet, but he was getting dangerously close."
"Ah, well, in that case..." Her soft voice changed to a more formal tone as she
said, " Prince Yaslana, I formally request that you escort Alora to (wherever
she's going) until a more suitable escort can be found."
He didn't want to be around her.. well, that was a lie, but… he didn't want her
near Daemon when the latter clearly wasn't the least bit stable. He knew better
than to argue with his queen, because if he did, he would be dealing with
Daemon, Daemonar, and Diablo on a matter he really didn't want to discuss. "It would be my privilege, Lady."
"Uh huh. I doubt that, but it will give you a reason to get to know my... Papi,
what is she exactly? I mean, I can't call her a sister since she'll be… you
know. And I don't really know how this works yet, if I should call her my mother
since I'm the daughter of Witch and she's Witch, or if the whole age thing
trumps that."
Daemon chuckled. "Which of you wears the darker Jewels?"
"Well, since I only have two Black Jewels and they are my Jewels of rank, and
Alora has fourteen, if I counted correctly, and a full set of every other Jewel …" well, two sets of every other Jewel… I would certainly say she does... Why?"
Well, that made it clear who was the most powerful in the three realms, never
mind the two of them. "What does Protocol say you should call her?"
"Oh, Papa don't be daft. Alora hates being called Lady as much as Mama did… or
Does… grrr… I have to go figure this out… and Prince, no playing rough with
Prince Yaslana, Alora needs you both in good moods when you go visit her realm."
Knowing who else hated being called Lady when it wasn't needed, Daemon politely
said, "Of course Lady. I would never do anything to ruffle your uncle's
feathers." Too much, anyway.
Lucivar waited until his niece was out of earshot. "If I didn't know better I could have sworn you planned that."
Daemon put his hand to his heart. "Me?" Seeing the not-so-amused look on his
brother's face, he continued, "Actually I didn't but I did tell Alora I would
talk to you because you are distressing her. So now I'm asking you… stop."
"I don't want to see you back in the Twisted Kingdom." His voice broke in a soft
whisper.
"If I promise not to get to lost on the roads, will you try to get to know
Alora?"
Lucivar looked into Daemon's eyes. "You're serious?"
"Yes I am. Now do we have an agreement?"
With an exasperated and very forced sigh, he said, "One condition."
"And that is?"
"The next time you set foot into the Twisted Kingdom, she can deal with you."
Many thanks to Raelity Cayne for helping me with this one