UPDATED AND EXTENDED!
As everyone dragged themselves back to the drawing room to await the summons to dinner from Beale, each person received an amused look and sometimes a saucy remark from Karla, who had been entertaining herself with a bawdy romance novel. She had partially been distracting herself from the strange sensations coming from her legs which she attributed to Jaenelle's comment in passing that there was some new healing trick she wanted to try. The bright confidence in Jaenelle's expression had given her too much hope and now her body was playing tricks on her.
When Azazeal entered the room Karla said to him, "Does your tongue work as well in the bedroom as it does in front of an audience?"
"Better," he grinned and then followed her eyes as she noticed Lucifer enter the room.
"He healed you, you know?" Azazeal said in a fit of mischievousness.
Karla's body tensed noticeably at this since she had been thinking about this subject just a little while ago.
"It's not possible!"
"Oh, lots of things are possible when you're an angel and when you're the most powerful angel in existence…anything's possible."
"But…but why…when…I…"
"Last night, remember, he walked up to you and put his hands on you. It's really very simple. And as to why, well, there's only one reason for everything he does."
"Elizabeth?"
"Yes, now you're getting it."
"You know, I never thought she was an evil witch. Any idiot could see they're in love."
"Yes, well, Lucifer's a challenge for anyone to understand."
"No, he's just an exaggerated Warlord Prince and the boyos just don't like to be reminded of how silly they can be. He just like them only worse. He's a Warlord Prince in love and perpetual rut, irrationally protective, dangerously aggressive, and yet so completely surrendered to his Queen the he's capable of obeying without question and falling to his knees at inappropriate times. The contradictions are what make them so cute that we bother to put up with it."
Karla smirked at her own description of Lucifer which also described the way he was currently hovering behind Elizabeth with wolfish grin and piercing glare as he couldn't decide if it would be more satisfying to ravish her again or continue to force all the males to keep what he considered to be a respectable distance for no other reason than that he was stronger than they were.
Azazeal laughed, "Let's just hope the surrendered part kicks in soon or he's going to start another fight. Come on let me get you on your feet, hmm."
With that he bent down and put his arms around her. Exhibiting quite a bit more strength then you might give his body credit for, he effortlessly lifted her out of her wheel chair to a standing position and held her there. She tittered for a moment but then engaged her long unused muscles.
Those in the room began to look around at them in wonder but some of the males were more concerned then curious.
"Be careful with her," Lucivar growled and moved towards them. He would never admit it but since he had taken her through her Virgin Night, he'd been more protective of her than the other women in the Coven.
"She's quite capable of…" Azazeal started but Lucivar shoved him out of the way. Azazeal chuckled and left them to take his spot at Cassie's side.
"Get your hands off me," Karla exclaimed and tried to push Lucivar's hands away but then swayed and grabbed on to him.
"Now, now, I don't do shotty work," Lucifer admonished, "Stop the dramatics and walk already. Your muscles are perfectly capable of supporting you."
Karla's face set into a determined look and she gently coaxed Lucivar to release her. She took her first step to a sharp intake of breath by just about everyone in the room and then with more confident steps walked towards a teary eyed Jaenelle who hugged her tightly. She was soon surrounded by the fascinated members of the Coven.
"You really healed her!" Khary said to Lucifer.
"As you see," he shrugged.
Elizabeth whispered to him, "You've earned some points with them, you should take credit."
"I was only trying to get you naked," he murmured in her ear.
She blushed, "But they don't know that."
He laughed and stole a kiss.
"Dinner is served!" Beale interjected and since you did not keep Beale waiting or let Mrs. Beale's food get cold, they began making their way to the dinning room.
The next morning Lucivar insisted that everyone gather on the side lawn to take part in stick fighting practice. He set Jaenelle in charge of the Ladies who arraigned themselves in neat lines a little ways off.
"NO! You just cannot stand and watch!" Lucivar roared at the condescending Daemon and Lucifer. "You WILL practice, you lazy sons of…!"
"Mother Night! He's in a mood," Daemon commented loudly to Lucifer and Lucivar narrowed his eyes at his brother.
"Well, he does have a point," Lucifer said with mock gravity, "We will add some grace and beauty to this rag-tag bunch of so called warriors."
Everyone, including Azazeal glared at him.
"And ruin my exquisitely tailored suit?" Daemon asked in self-deprecating seriousness.
"Well, I for one never pass up an opportunity to relieve myself of clothing, so I suggest stripping to the waist, you know, for the sake of the Ladies. If we're going to do this, we may as well give them a show."
Daemon smiled seductively and began to remove his jacket and shirt while Lucifer did the same. Lucivar rolled his eyes and resolved to work them hard but at least they had agreed. The boyos were struck by what was indeed a sight of beauty in seeing them both bare-chested and several of the Ladies dropped their sticks, only to hastily reclaim them and try to focus on Jaenelle.
Lucivar began his warm-up but by the time he started the lesson in earnest, Daemon and Lucifer were chuckling to each other over Lucifer's perfect mimicry of Lucivar's movements and Daemon's botched attempts to keep up while laughing at Lucifer.
The boyos were sneaking glances at Daemon and Lucifer, wondering at their familiarity. All of them felt a tinge, well more than that, of shame at having shut Daemon out. He could be a stubborn man, hard and dangerous and distant, but they had missed his sense of humor and the kindness underneath it all. Daemon had found a friend in a most unlikely being, a being that terrified all of them, but who brought out a lightness in him that was good to see.
Azazeal, by this point, could see the good that their playfulness was doing and so had made no attempted to help Lucivar corral them but Lucivar…
"THAT IT!" Lucivar yelled, unaffected by their cuteness, "Lucifer, front and center!"
"I don't know why you bother, you know what will happen," Lucifer replied amused.
"Indulge me! Now come on!"
And so they fought to satisfy Lucivar's sense of honor and everyone gathered around to watch. Lucifer was infuriatingly defensive again. Perfect in every counter and block but not attacking aggressively to avoid injuring Lucivar on accident, but in the end Lucivar hand the last word, in his own way.
Lucivar whirled and broke away from the circle they had contained themselves in and grabbed Elizabeth. He had her by the wrist only but it was enough to have the effect he wanted. Lucifer became deadly serious and focused on the two of them. In an instant, there was a throbbing shield of power around Elizabeth that locked Lucivar out, slipping between his hand and her wrist, and then Lucifer's hand around his throat, his eyes flashing with anger and confusion, but the killing strike that you might expect did not come.
"See, you've learned a thing or two from me haven't you?" Lucivar half-chuckled, half-growled at him.
A reluctant, yet amused, smiled began to form on Lucifer's face.
"I could have killed you," Lucifer admonished.
"But you didn't. You've been learning how to protect without losing yourself to a killing rage."
"That was a hell of a way to test your theory."
"We're friends. I didn't think you'd harm me."
"Actually, I was thinking of Marian," Lucifer muttered, but clapped him on the shoulder companionably and they all when in for breakfast.
