The Power of Four: A Coven's Tale
C12: Full Disclosure
Standard Disclaimer: I don't own any of the recognizable characters.
The following morning Fabian woke to the gentle kisses against his chest and stomach. "Good morning my lovelies. To what do I owe this sensual wake up call?"
The smiled and Luna kissed him softly on the lips. "Dora came to wake us a little while ago. It's almost noon and they're waiting for us, so we woke you up as gentle as possible." Bellatrix said with a soft smile.
"I didn't realize I slept so long. I must have been exhausted after yesterday." He said softly.
The three girls smiled at him. "We figured as much, and we let you sleep as long as we could, but we have a lot of information to convey and we all need to be there for that. Chances are they will ask you the most questions." Bellatrix said softly.
He smiled and kissed them softly. "Then we should probably get dressed, because I doubt they will want to talk to us in the nude."
"We wouldn't want them to see, mon amour. You are ours only." Fleur said softly.
He loved the possessive tone in her voice and kissed her before getting out of bed. "I love how possessive you can sound, my love."
She smiled as he got dressed, the girls following soon after, choosing comfort over looks for once.
When they walked into the living room, Hermione had cuddled close against Dora and appeared to be asleep. "Why that's just grand. We take all this trouble in getting our lover to wake up and Hermione is asleep as soon as she is back in your arms." Bellatrix said with a smile.
Nymphadora smiled at her. "We had quite the night last night, so she is a bit tired from that. Come love, they're here." She said as she shook Hermione slightly.
Hermione opened her eyes and smiled at them. "Hey guys, sorry about that. Dora wore me out yesterday."
"It usually is that way on your first time, 'ermione. Fabian and I 'ad the same issue when we finally got to it. So you are forgiven for falling asleep." Fleur said with a smile to the now blushing brunette.
Hermione smiled as the Coven took a seat. "Before we start I have to thank you again Fleur, last night was the best night of my life and I have you to thank to help me settle my nerves."
Fleur smiled at her. "Think nothing of it 'ermione. As a Veela it is my responsibility to 'elp everyone enjoy sex with their partners to the fullest, especially when they are family."
Hermione smiled as she repositioned herself so that she could see them better. "Now I'm just imagining you in a skirt and blouse giving lessons on sex."
Fleur smiled at her. "Well, I wouldn't go that far, but if Draco would ever 'ave any questions, I would gladly 'elp 'im too, although I doubt 'e will ask."
"What about Gabrielle?"Aren't you going to help her when her heritage presents itself?" Luna asked softly.
"Non, that is the job of my mother and grandmother. It is tradition for the oldest Veela in the family to instruct the new generation. I am interested to see 'ow she will 'old up to those questions, given that she was terribly embarrassed when she came to wake Fabian and myself back in France." Fleur said with a soft smile to her blonde lover.
Luna smiled and cuddled into her, while Fabian relaxed against Bellatrix. "Would you girls mind if we had some lunch first? It will make it easier to get everything out in one go." Fabian asked softly.
Nymphadora smiled at them. "We waited with that ourselves, so no, we don't mind at all. As a matter of fact, we took the liberty to whip something up for us to eat."
"Did you cook it, or did Hermione. Because I know your cooking skills and I would rather make it to class tomorrow alive." Fabian said teasingly.
Dora smiled at him. "No worries Fabe, Hermione cooked everything. I have long ago accepted that the kitchen and I don't mix."
He smiled at her as Nymphadora waved her wand and floated a tray laden with sandwiches, eggs and bacon towards them, as well as a carafe of orange juice and a pot of tea.
They ate in silence and afterwards Fleur went to get their Coven Chronicles, which they had already prepared so that Hermione and Nymphadora could also read it as well, or at least that was their hope. It would certainly make things a lot easier.
Hermione's eyes widened at the sight of the big book. "Wow, what is that? I've never seen such an old book before, and that is saying something given all the books I have read since coming to school."
Fleur smiled and put the book on the center table. "This is our Coven Chronicles, and it is so big because this book is probably older than all the books in school combined. The entire 'istory of our Coven is in 'ere, most of which we 'aven't read ourselves. It 'olds spells, potion recipes, rituals and our complete family tree."
"And you four are okay in sharing this with us. We're honored." Nymphadora said softly.
They smiled at that. "We are more than okay with it. You two can give us the outside perspective we need to interpret things. Usually only members of our Coven can read it, but we have found that having family members advise is a common practice for the Coven and a spell was created to let trusted people read the book. We have already cast it on the Chronicles, so we are pretty sure you two can read it." Bellatrix said with a smile.
Both Nymphadora and Hermione smiled at her as the title shimmered into appearance. "It is actually called the Coven Chronicles. I thought that was just your name for it." Hermione said intrigued.
"Before you start devouring that book, we need to tell you about the part of our history that is not completely in there, but is quite important none the less. The origins of our Coven go back all the way to Ancient Greece, and came from a union between the Goddesses Athena, Aphrodite and Hecate and a mortal man. It was used then to take on a great evil, and as far as we have been able to gather, it has been that has been a common theme over the centuries the Coven has made an appearance."
Hermione nodded and quickly skimmed over that part of their history. "From what I can tell is that each of you carry a part of the aspects of those Goddesses inside of you, which makes a lot of sense if you think about it."
"It doesn't seem to phase you though." Bellatrix said with a smile.
Hermione smiled at her. "Sorry, it is what happens when I go into learning mode. All that matters are facts. I do think it's amazing that you all came from such rich histories."
"But why does it make sense 'ermione? I must admit I am a little bit confused." Fleur asked softly.
"Well, if I am not mistaken Veela are creatures of love, are they not? So it makes sense that they would be descendant from someone like Aphrodite. Bellatrix is a member of the Black family, which is if I am not mistaken one of the oldest magical known families, so the chances of them having some connection to Hecate is pretty big, and of course Luna certainly has the mind for being descendant from Athena, so in my mind it makes sense that at least some parts of these three deities are inside of you." Hermione explained with a smile.
The three women blushed a little at that. "If you say it like that it does make sense." Luna said softly.
Hermione smiled at them. "Are you okay Fabian? You're looking a bit uncomfortable."
He smiled and nodded, although he kept his eyes closed. "It's because we basically accepted you two as part of our Coven that I also feel your emotions more strongly as well. It just takes a bit of getting used to and I need to compartmentalize it like I did with the girls. I'll be fine in a minute."
"Ah the gifts I have heard you talk about. We have been awfully curious about those." Nymphadora said with a smile.
"Most people have been, but for now we will only be able to talk about it with you. The gifts bestowed upon are Empathy for Fabian, Healing for Fleur, Telepathy for Bellatrix and the powers of a Seer to me. We have been hard at work to read and learn as much as possible about them, and we are starting to scratch the surface of what our gifts are capable of. My visions are quite subjective so far and have shown me some glimpses of possibilities in the future." Luna said with a soft smile.
Fleur smiled and kissed her cheek. "As for my 'ealing, so far I 'ave only used it once when Fabian was injured, but it seems to be able to 'eal all injuries other than death. I don't know if it is possible for me to cure diseases, but given what 'appened to me when I was a child, I think it is possible."
"May I ask what happened to you Fleur?" Hermione asked softly.
Fleur smiled at the brunette. "Of course, 'ermione. The purpose of today is to give full disclosure. I was very sick as a child, for almost nine months. No doctor could find out what was wrong with me, but one day every sign of the illness was gone and now knowing what we do I think my ability 'ad something to do with my recovery."
"If I may be so bold, I think it has another cause. You said you were sick for nine months, do you also remember the day you got better?" Hermione asked softly.
Fleur nodded and smiled. "Oui. My mother always says that my symptoms disappeared on September 12th."
Hermione smiled at that before turning to Fabian. "And when was your birthday again Fabian?"
His eyes widened together with the rest of their Coven's. "Do you mean that Fleur's illness was because of the circumstances of my mother's pregnancy?"
"I think it has everything to do with that. Your Coven is a force of Light Magic, always present to combat the Dark Magic. Voldemort was on the rise and it was too late to let another Coven rise, so the forces behind your Coven set to work to combat the second rising they surely saw coming." Hermione said with a soft smile.
"Mon Dieu. If that is true, then a lot of things would make sense. Our Coven 'as a 'istory of coming together through tragedy and if we are all connected through this, we need to do some more research." Fleur said with a soft gasp.
Hermione smiled at her. "I think we should sit down and go through all of your histories together. Maybe we can find some similarities with events that happened in the time of the previous Coven and the First Wizarding War."
They all nodded at that. "Let's do that next weekend. You have given us a lot of food for thought for now." Fabian said softly.
Hermione and Nymphadora smiled at them. "We're glad we could help you with bringing a new perspective."
"We'll certainly have a talk about this before we discuss this any further. This may have implications that go beyond our Coven." Bellatrix said with a kind smile as they stood and gave the two women a hug.
Both Hermione and Nymphadora smiled at them. "We'll leave you to your thoughts for now. 'Mione and I have some things to discuss ourselves." Nymphadora said with a wink.
The Coven smiled as they watched the two women walked back to their bedroom, doing the same themselves.
…
The moment they were back in bed with each other, Luna crawled close to her lovers, nuzzling her nose in Fabian's neck, frowning a little at that scar she found. "Where did you get this love?" She asked softly.
He smiled and kissed her softly. "Fleur gave this to me when we made love in her private lagoon at the Chateau Delacour. It is common for Veela's and their mates to mark each other so visibly, and we wanted to talk to you two about it for a while now."
"Does that mean you plan to mark us too?" Bellatrix asked softly.
"We both will, mon amour. It will serve us well to carry each other's marks. I 'ave noticed that it 'elps a lot in terms of jealousy, and of course it is a big turn on. I 'ave never came 'arder then when he marked me." Fleur said with a soft smile.
Luna and Bellatrix smiled at that. "I would love to be marked by my lovers, and maybe in time we can find another way of showing our claim on each other." Luna said dreamily.
Fabian smiled and pulled her into his arms. "And I would love to mark you like I have always wanted to do, my Moon." He said as he kissed her neck softly, biting the skin lightly.
The petite blonde moaned softly and trailed her hands down his chest to his throbbing erection. "So you have thought about marking me for a long time then. How long exactly?"
"Ever since I admitted to myself that I felt more for you than I was willing to admit to anyone else. I have loved you for a long time Moon, and I will love you for as long as I have breath in my body." He said softly.
Luna smiled and kissed him softly. "Fleur also told me about what you two did yesterday, and I have to admit that I've had dreams about that for a very long time. It would be a nice sort of full circle for us, wouldn't you think?"
He blushed a little at that as Bellatrix and Fleur crawled up to them. "Don't worry love, Luna told us what happened, and while I can't wait to try it with you as well. I really think she should have that honor first, since you two almost did it once before." Bellatrix said with a loving smile.
His blush darkened a little. "I was having a dream. It shouldn't count, especially since it happened so many years ago."
Luna smiled and straddled him. "Dream or not, your cock was firmly between my butt cheeks and you were grinding pretty hard. It was the first time I felt aroused when sharing a bed with you."
He smiled and kissed her softly. "And am I right in assuming that you want the same as what Fleur and I did together?"
She nodded at him. "Yes, I want you to claim me in every single way possible." She said softly.
He smiled and heard a soft moan coming from their right, where Fleur and Bellatrix were already lost in pleasuring each other. "Since our lovers are already getting busy, I think we could do the same, but I do hope I could pleasure you a little first. It has been a while since I have tasted your juices."
"I will never object to you pleasuring me, my love." She said huskily.
Fabian smiled and kissed her softly as he flipped them over, getting an adorable yelp from his blonde lover before he started kissing his way down her body, toying her nipples erect with his fingers, making the blonde moan loudly. "I always love the sounds you make when you're teased my love."
Luna smiled and tangled a hand in his hair. "Only you, Fleur and Bellatrix will ever hear these sounds from me, my love. No one else is worthy."
He smiled at that. "Well, perhaps our family if we ever forget to use Silencing Charms at home, but I know what you mean love."
She moaned as he kissed her just above her trimmed pubic hair. "Please love, I can't wait anymore, I need to feel you inside of me again."
Fabian smiled and positioned himself. "Are you ready love?" He asked softly.
She nodded and moaned loudly as he entered her and pulled her up against him, kissing him deeply as she wrapped her legs around his waist. "How I've missed this, my love."
He smiled as he kissed his way to her neck. "I know you have, my love, I have missed this too, and I'm sorry it took so long for us to make love again."
Luna smiled and pulled him close to her neck. "We knew there were going to be logistical issues when we figured out that we both loved two other women as well as each other, and we all understand we can't monopolize you all the time, and we're all okay with that. It will make the time we do have together more special, and right now this feels pretty special. I have never held you this close."
He smiled and pressed a kiss against the soft flesh. "It can be even more special if you want my love. A symbol of our Coven that all of us will share."
"Then do it. Claim me Fabian." She said huskily.
He only smiled and thrust up at the same time as he bit her neck, making Luna moan in both pain and pleasure as she pressed herself against him before repeating the action on her lover.
When they pulled back from each other's necks and saw the small traces of blood on each other's lips, they couldn't help but giggle before they kissed each other deeply. "Was that to your satisfaction, my Moon?" He asked softly.
She nodded at him. "More than satisfactory I would say, but I do believe we had something else planned. I want you to fuck my ass, Fabian."
"I do love it when you use dirty language in the bedroom love, and if that is what you really want, who am I to deny you your needs." He said softly as he slowly lowered her down to the mattress and pulled out of her.
Luna moaned softly as she felt him leave her and wasted little time in getting on her hands and knees. "I'm ready love, please claim my ass like only you can."
He smiled and kissed his way down her back, biting the pale globes of her ass softly. "You have such a cute ass Lu. I don't think I will be able to keep my hands to myself after today."
She smiled at him over her shoulder. "Like you could contain yourself from touching us before. I don't think anything will change."
He laughed lightly at that as he cast his Cleansing and Lubrication spells, placing a lavish kiss on her puckered asshole afterwards. "Are you ready love?" He asked softly.
She only nodded and moaned as he placed the tip of his cock against her most intimate of places, moaning even louder as she felt his cock slip in.
"Sweet Morgana, you're so tight Lu. Your ass is the perfect vice. I could do this all day, every day." He said with a soft groan.
"Let's see how this goes love. While this doesn't hurt thanks to your spells, it takes a little bit of getting used to." Luna said with a moan.
He just smiled and kissed the back of her neck softly as he slowly started thrusting into her, letting them both get used to the movements, for him mostly because she was tighter than Fleur was.
Fabian and Luna were completely lost in each other's pleasure and Fleur positioned herself beneath the petite blonde. "Bonjour mon ange. Are you enjoying yourself?" She asked with a husky purr.
Luna smiled and kissed her blonde lover deeply. "I'm loving this Fleur. Now I know why you were so keen on trying this with him."
Fleur smiled and tweaked Luna's nipples softly. "I wanted to do this ever since I first slept with 'im. As a Veela sex is one of the most important parts of our lives and the desire to know our mate on every level is almost all-encompassing, and as a Coven us knowing every part of each others bodies will only benefit us."
"Then I think we'll have plenty of opportunity to get very familiar with each other when Fabian does this with Bellatrix." Luna said with a smile.
Fleur nodded and kissed her lover again while Bellatrix had positioned herself behind Fabian, wrapping her arms around his strong frame. "Enjoying her ass love?" She asked in a husky purr.
He kissed her softly and smiled at her. "Immensely so, my love."
Bellatrix smiled and nibbled his ear. "Then I hope you're up for another round after this, because I want the same treatment as our dear Luna, but unlike her, I've been preparing." She whispered huskily into his ear.
"You've said that before you wanted to try it, so I am not really surprised, but I will need to recuperate a little after this." He said softly.
Bellatrix smiled at him. "That's fine love, we have plenty of time until dinner."
He only smiled and felt he was close. "Luna, I can't hold it much longer. I'm cumming."
Luna broke the kiss with Fleur and smiled at him. "Feel free to fill up my ass, my love. I would love to feel you explode inside of me."
He smiled and kissed the back of her neck as he thrust deep inside of her and filled her insides with his cum, Luna shuddering in orgasm beneath him.
As he pulled out of her as she rode out her high, he was immediately pushed down by Bellatrix, so the three women could cuddle up to him. "Don't worry love, we're not going to push you just yet. We just want to cuddle up with you for a little bit." Bellatrix said softly.
He smiled and kissed them all softly. "I think I'll be alright after dinner, my loves. For now I am more than content to bask in these calming emotions you girls are giving off."
They smiled and kissed him before relaxing against him once again. "That seems to be easy when we are in bed with you, mon amour." Fleur said softly.
He smiled and nuzzled against them, paying special attention to the scars he had left on Fleur and Luna, knowing that Bellatrix' mark would not be far behind.
…
After dinner Bellatrix and Fabian immediately moved to the bed, while Luna and Fleur went to look at some more potion recipes from their Chronicles, giving the two lovers all the time the needed to have fun together, and complete their Coven Bond in the most intimate of ways.
Bellatrix was already stark naked in bed while her lover prepared some last minute things in the bathroom. "What's keeping you love. I'm getting antsy from waiting so long."
Just as she said it Fabian came out of the bathroom, equally naked with a grin on his face. "I was just preparing my last surprise my love, something I might consider doing more often if you girls like it."
She gave him a good look over and noticed that he had shaved off all of his pubic hair, making his cock look even bigger. "Speaking for myself, I am liking this very much. Your cock looks even bigger now."
He smiled as he crawled onto the bed. "I'm glad you think so love, because it took a while to get myself to do this. I thought you girls might think me less of a man for doing this."
Bellatrix smiled and gathered him in her arms. "No matter what you do, we will never think less of you, not as a man and not as our lover and mate. We shall always want every inch of your body just like we know you will always want ours."
He smiled and placed a soft kiss in between her breasts. "At times like this you really sound like my mother, and I couldn't love you more for it."
She smiled and kissed him deeply. "For all intents and purposes, you've always had three mothers, one of whom loves you a bit more than was healthy for her."
He smiled at her. "Since that mother gave me racy pictures to have at school, I would say it was plenty healthy for the both of us. I jerked myself off so many times while looking at those that it borders on embarrassing."
"I do hope that the real thing is a better target though. I would hate to disappoint you." She said teasingly.
"Let me prove to you that it is. Just the fact that I can now actually tease you back like you did to me in those photos will be more than enough." He said before pinching her nipples softly, making the raven haired witch moan loudly.
She smiled sultrily at him. "I did go a bit over the top with some of those pictures, didn't I? I remember taking them like it was yesterday, and how I wanted to do even more, like actually play with myself for you."
"Aren't you glad that you now have three mates who would do anything for your pleasure, grant you every dirty desire instead of having to do it yourself?" He asked as he softly nibbled her ear.
Bellatrix moaned and kissed him deeply. "Keep that up and I will show you one of those dirty desires sooner than you might think."
He smiled at her and pecked her lips softly before kissing his way down her body. "Let's keep our goal for tonight in mind love. We have plenty of time to ravage each other. I believe you wanted me to pop your last cherry."
She nodded and moaned softly as he nuzzled his nose in the soft curls of her pubic hair before eating her out. "Please love, I'm already so close and I really want to cum while you are balls deep inside my ass."
"Your wish is my command love, but I do want to try something new, instead of having you on all fours, I was hoping you would be okay with me looking into your eyes while I fuck you." He said softly.
Bellatrix smiled at him. "I would love nothing more than to see your baby blue eyes staring into mine while you sodomize me."
He smiled and placed a soft kiss just above her clit. "You make it sound so dirty, love." He said as he cast his Cleaning and Lubrication Charms on her ass.
She smiled sultrily at him. "I know, and I know you love it when we talk dirty, so are you going to stick that hard cock in my tight ass, or did you need a written invitation?"
He smiled and lined up his cock with her asshole. "Your wish is my command, my love." He said as he slowly pushed his cock into her.
Bellatrix moaned loudly and pulled him into a kiss. "And yours will always be mine too, my love."
Fabian smiled and kissed his way to her neck, nuzzling the pale flesh lovingly. "You're so unbelievably tight, my love."
She smiled at him. "I have always dreamed of doing this with someone I love, so I made I my life's mission to keep that a virgin hole until that time, and even Rodolphus didn't get the satisfaction of taking my virginity."
"I know Mom and Aunt Andi did that love, you've told me that story before, the same night you gave me my first handjob." He said softly.
She smiled and kissed him softly. "Even then I was in awe at the size of your cock, that was probably why I took such care of you that night."
Fabian smiled and placed a soft kiss against her neck. "Do it love, mark me. Claim me as your mate." She said huskily.
Not needing more encouragement, he bit her neck on the right side, since the left side of her neck already carried Fleur's mark.
Bellatrix moaned in pain and pleasure before repeating the action on his collarbone, which she found more appropriate since both sides of his neck already held the marks of Fleur and Luna.
Fabian also groaned and kissed her deeply as they pulled back. "It feels like we're finally complete my love. I have never felt so much love in my life."
He smiled and tapped the side of his head. "I can feel it all, my Bella, so clearly that I can almost taste it. I love you so much."
She smiled brightly and kissed him again, not pulling back as his pace quickened a little. "I can't hold it much longer, but I will be damned if she doesn't cum before me. She deserves that from me."
"Cum inside of me, love, I've been holding back ever since you started pumping into me. I can't hold it anymore either." She said with a husky moan.
He smiled and drove his cock up to the hilt in her ass, Bellatrix taking one of his hands and guiding it to her breasts as she screamed out his name as she came.
They took their time in riding out their orgasms, and only when Fabian pulled out of her she relaxed a little, a goofy smile gracing her face as she pulled her lover's face to her breasts. "That was absolutely amazing Fabian. We are definitely doing this again."
He smiled and nuzzled his nose in the valley of her breasts. "I was hoping you would say that, it definitely is acquired taste, but I love it. It's so much more intimate."
Bellatrix smiled at him. "That's because it requires so much trust between the lovers. I know you probably don't want to hear this, but your mothers have never done anything like this, and their love and trust in each other rivals ours at times."
He smiled at that. "You're right. I didn't want to know that, but I do think it has something to do with the fact that they were raised very proper and you have always been a bit of a rebel."
She smiled and nodded. "That is most definitely true. Cissa was always the proper one, Andi was the outcast, and I was the rebel, but in private we were goofballs, there is really no other way of putting it."
He grinned at her. "Well Dora had to get her sense of humor from somewhere. I wonder what happened to her to make her so guarded."
Bellatrix pulled him on top of her. "Ted happened. He was very controlling and it took everything Andi had to get away from him with Dora, not unlike another bastard we know."
"With a bit of luck we can get rid of him together with Voldemort. It will be a load of both mine and Mum's mind if he lies six feet under or is in the highest floor of Azkaban." He said softly.
Bellatrix smiled and kissed him softly. "I'd prefer him be dead to be very honest, that way he won't trouble us ever again, and that is safer for us all in the end."
Fabian smiled at her as the door to their potions lab opened, revealing a smiling Fleur and Luna. "It seems that the Silencing Charms do not work in our lab. We 'eard Bella's scream loud and clear." Fleur said with a sultry smile as she waved her wand to disrobe them both.
Bellatrix blushed and hid her face in Fabian's hair. "There is no need to be embarrassed Bella. You should know by now we love hearing you scream in ecstasy." Luna said dreamily as the two blondes crawled onto the bed.
That made her smile and accepted a kiss from the two blondes. "I know, but I can't help but think that Hermione and Dora might have heard that too, and I don't want that to happen. Any sounds in the bedroom are for you three only."
They smiled and kissed her softly before kissing Fabian. "We already established that they don't hear a thing coming from this bedroom, because I am sure Hermione wouldn't be able to look any of us in the eye if that were the case. She still is relatively fresh to the whole sex thing, and while I'm sure that will get better the more she does it with Dora, we'll have to give her time." Luna said with a dreamy smile.
"I'm sure it will, just as we will get used to seeing our mate without pubic 'air. I must say I love seeing you bare down there, mon amour." Fleur said softly.
He smiled at that. "I felt like doing something special for you all, and I think it worked out pretty well, Bella loved it."
"So do we, love. It will be nice to take all of your cock without those 'airs tickling my nose." Fleur said with a smile.
"You are going to have to teach me that Fleur. I've had many dreams where I deepthroated his cock." Luna said dreamily.
Fleur smiled at her. "Let's keep that for next time, otherwise you two might not be awake enough in class tomorrow, and we don't want to give the Umbitch more ammunition against us."
Luna smiled and nodded as she curled up against Bellatrix, since Fabian was still mostly on top of the raven haired witch, while Fleur cuddled up on Bella's other side. "We don't want that to happen, not until we have something in place to work against her, assuming she doesn't dig her own grave before then."
"She will, and we will be there to laugh at her when she does, but for now, we should really get some sleep before we talk the night away." He said as he got comfortable against Bellatrix, nuzzling his nose in the valley of her breasts.
The girls smiled and shared soft kisses before cuddling against the raven haired witch before joining their mate in blissful sleep.
