Saetan felt the snap of the black shield and rushed into the room. Daemon wasn't here so there was no reason… or at least a good one that the shield around his room would have gone up…. A shield that he had asked his son about several times in the last year… A shield that every time the damn thing snapped around the room he despised even more. "What in the name of hell…" He stopped when he got a good a look at Lucivar's eyes. His eyrien son was doing nothing that screamed a threat but doing nothing was far worse than doing something. "Prince?"

With a snap of his wrist Lucivar pointed his war blade at the door that lead to the Queen's sitting room. "You knew?"

Any movement would have an enraged eyrien warlord prince going for his throat. The fact that Karla had already decided that she was with Lucivar and wouldn't do a thing to help the situation made the room very, very dangerous. He could fight one but did he really have the strength for both? In a clam yet deceitful voice he said, "I knew. That didn't mean that I agreed with it."

"Where is she?" The words came out as a teeth clenched growl.

"She?"

"The gutter whore that forced My brother to need this shield."

Ah shit. If Lucivar was referring to their queen… No. Jaenelle would never do anything to… He took a good account of the fire in Lucivar's eyes and the Ice in Karla's. *Andulvar?*

*SaDiablo?*

*Get your ass in here. And prepare for a fight.* Saetan paused then quickly added, * Have one of the others get Jaenelle.*

"Papa… what?" then she screamed in shock as Lucivar lunged at her.

"You whoring Bitch!" he struggled with the phantom hands that were holding him "What did you do to my brother?!"

"Yes Lady what did you do to Prince Sadi?" Karla faced her long time friend and sister but it was anything but a pleasant conversation in her voice.

"What? I … I … "She took a good look at the fire in Lucivar's eyes and the ice that was dancing in Karla's."I didn't do anything to him!" except not tell him about his child.

"Liar!" Lucivar hissed.

Saetan was sweating with strain of keeping his son from tearing into their queen. "Lady perhaps if you explain the lock."

"Oh hell. Daemon placed it there the night that he …you… returned from Terrielle. Hell if I know why."

Slowly Lucivar relaxed. Just a bit. "Why is it still here?"

"You would have to ask him. It's not like he tells me anything that is useful." Jaenelle turned to Saetan, "Papa didn't you talk to Daemon about it. I swore that I did ask you."

"Yes I spoke to him. He spent the next three days in here with the shield if I remember correctly."

Lucivar's eyes danced between the Queen and her Papa. It was too clear. Or at least to him. Daemon needing the cottage that was off limits to everyone including the Queen. Especially the Queen. Daemon building this web to keep all other's out. Including the male black widow who just slightly wore a jewel less them him. Daemon who despite being the Consort never slept in the Lady's bed. These two knowingly or not was doing something to put his back up. These two who Queen and Stewart were forcing the Consort to perform regardless if he wanted to or not. "My brother is not coming back here. Regardless if I have to destroy the hall to see to it."

"Prince Yaslana." Andulvar now spoke. He had been watching this situation go from bad to… "Perhaps you would like to explain something to me."

The hate seethed from his narrowed eyes. "Explain what, Prince?"

Oh yes this was going well. "Explain to me what you think this shield is for?"

Oh well that was easy, "To keep the little bitch out." No that wasn't quite right. He was on the right track he could feel it but not exactly right. "Damn you to the bowls of hell let me go."

Saetan let the phantom hands go at the same time wrapped the Queen in a double black shield and placed one between her and the enraged warlord prince.

"Lucivar, what do you know." Andulvar held his nephews gaze. He wouldn't fight him… No that wasn't true if it came to defending his queen and destroying the threat he would. But he wanted to know why before he did.

"Daemon had places like this when we were slaves. Always so the bitch couldn't reach him." He needed to move. Had to move. Damn his body for hurting while he did. It only added to his anger. "Of course no one ever knew he was a black widow so the shields were never directly linked to him." Lucivar paced around the room always a wear of the Queen and her pets always aware of Karla and her temper. He could feel the death webs. Could feel… He lurched to a stop. Wood and stone remembered or that was what black widows always said. "High Lord what does the wood tell you?" He knew what it was telling him. Even if Daemon hadn't been here in the last few weeks he could just feel the bitter cold contained in the furniture even if his brother did try to hide it.

"Lady?" He did not like this. If Lucivar was right then the queen had much to answer for. If Lucivar was wrong… no the look in Lucivar's eyes he was not wrong but the reason could be.

Jaenelle nodded barely, "I want to know."

Never in his life would he willingly go into another black widows private room and attempt to do this… and if he used the reasoning that this room also belonged to the queen and whatever was being hidden was a threat to her safety then he wasn't doing anything against his son. He still didn't like it. Slowly he called out the strong emotions… Pain not physical but emotional slammed into him. Grief. Longing. Fear… paralyzing fear nearly knocked him off his feet. He couldn't pull out the visions that should be there but the emotions…. Mother night… the emotions were heart retching. Daemon had been slowly bleeding from a heart wound without saying anything to anyone. Then the cold burning rage hit. He could pull out those visions. Jaenelle asking more or less for Daemon to come to her. From where he stood she did nothing wrong to cause that rage. The fire in Lucivar's eyes screamed he was missing something.

"Alright Prince what are we missing?" Saetan asked dryly.

Lucivar no longer saw his queen nor his sister he saw a bitch that would use clothing that hid nothing to get what she wanted. "If she would have come into my room dressed like that she wouldn't have survived the night."

"Oh mother night. Surreal picked that outfit out. She said that it would make his tongue hang out." It was just a harmless outfit and wore just for Daemon. Not that Daemon seen to care for it.

"Surreal?"

"Yes. Mother night Lucivar if Daemon didn't like the damn outfit he could have said something."

"You really don't know do you?" Pity filled his eyes. Not enough to trust but enough to consider that she really didn't know.

"How am I supposed to know something if no one will tell me what that is? You won't talk about certain things and getting any answers from Daemon… Hell asking Kaelas to let me pull a tooth would be easier."

Shit. He was right about Daemon's thinking but wrong in thinking that Jaenelle knew what she was asking. And damn Surreal for helping to trigger those memories. Then again Daemon had been the one to see the Queen through her virgin night so he should have told her what would trigger … then again Daemon the idiot had been more concerned with everyone's safety and happiness and didn't bother most of the time to give himself two seconds to not be useful. "Direct questions that can't be answered with one or two words is best when dealing with him."

"Uh ha. And results in a moody warlord prince that refuses to speak. Unless you want me to get him drunk since he tends to talk … a lot then. Then of course nothing he says makes much sense at least not to me since no one wants to discuss the years before they knew me."

It had been mildly said but she had that look of a queen that wanted answers and didn't know the question to ask to get them. "Oh no. I will not discuss what Daemon went through. If he wanted you to know then he would have said something."

"fine. I respect that you will not talk of Daemon when he isn't here to defend himself." She took a more queenly tone. "so tell me what you went through."

"I'll tell you when you're old enough to hear it."

"Mother Night. I'm 17 and about to be a mother. I rule this territory even if by right I should be older. "

"When your 99 I'll tell you."

Jaenelle gaped at him. "Well puppy that argument might work with the lady but it won't work with me. And I will have that report."

Uncle. Master of the guard. Warlord prince that he didn't quite out rank. It didn't matter who he was talking to he couldn't think of one reason except he wanted to rip the man to pieces that he shouldn't give that report.

It was then that Marian too calmly entered the room. "Oh good you're all here."

"Sweetheart?" Lucivar eyes her suspiciously.

"Don't sweetheart me Yaslana. Don't you dare. I'm still trying to decide if I should kick your ass or just dent your head."

She couldn't do either but then again if it meant staying married he would let her. "Ah hell. What did I do?" it was mumbled under his breath so he didn't think she heard.

"You're male. I'm sure you'll figure it out." She gave him a sideways glance then turned to the queen. "Lady, there is something I would like for you to see."

"Of course." She eyes Marian then asked, "Court or family?"

"Family. But the court should be made aware of it I think."

"Ah. Well since my triangle is here…"

"It involves a member of your triangle."

"Mother night. Marian…" A piece of paper was thrust into Jaenelle's hands. It was Daemon's writing. "When did you…?"

"The day after the storm. I didn't think that… well it wasn't meant for anyone else to see it."

"And you're showing it to me because?"

"Because there is too much temper in this part of the Hall right now. And I think my idot brother may be right."

Jaenelle read the paper once and didn't understand. Then read it again. "oh bloody hell. Of course he would know."

"Know what?" three males said at almost the same time.

"It makes so much sense. And If I had been made aware of this …" She gave Lucivar a cold stare, "You wouldn't have been brought into this room."

"What did I do?"

The rut wasn't something that was discussed. Marian took care of Lucivar. Marian had always for the past 11 years took care of Lucivar. Now this time she couldn't. Just just because she was with child but because even mentioning what he would need would send him to the killing field without a second thought. Very, very calmly she asked, "Lucivar when was the last time you went into the rut?"

"What the bloody hell does that…" He stopped and look right at Marian. "I'm pissed off because of this room not because of the rut.'

"Lucivar, answer the question."

"Before Marian conceived… Oh." Almost a year a go. No that wasn't true. A deadly calm over took him then the venom filled his voice, "If I hadn't been drugged I would have by now."

"Exactly. That being the case I think while Karla goes back to Daemon and I suggest you Take Surreal with you…"

"Surreal…" Lucivar paused he needed to know if she was alright but didn't know how to ask.

Jaenelle raised an eyebrow, "Oh she's fine… wanting to ring your neck… but fine." Knowing that at least satisfied the warlord prince side of his nature she continued, "Since she not with child she can help with whatever you need Karla. In the mean time Lucivar is going to spend the next few days getting the nursery ready at his eyrie."

"At my… I already have a …" he took a good look at Marian, "The babies are going to need a place to sleep aren't they."

"Yes they are… and very soon I would like some answers on how they got to my tummy to start with."

Oh no. This is not my fault. You can blame this unexpected pregnancy on Daemon."