AN: Okay, okay, I am soooo sorry to everyone who has ever read any of my fanfics, I'm sorry for totally neglecting them….but I have my reasons, because these were part of a trilogy certain things happen in them universally. I didn't want to give away major story arcs through one fic, and neglect others, but at the moment I'm having writers block with the other two, I know exactly what's going on with this fic though, so seeing as I have a certain reviewer who seems as hardcore Dryden Milerna as I am, I've decided to break my rule and resurrect my baby! Mwahahahahahaha! So this is for you Kou Haruko!!!!!

Milerna stared at her open diary dumbly. Taking a few shallow breaths, her gaze strayed anywhere but the page in front of her as a salty teardrop exploded upon it. Rain quietly pattered on the thick window pane. It's quiet rhythm was the only sound to penetrate the small room which was the intimate of Milerna's apartments.

For three weeks now Milerna and Dryden had shared a bed, sharing themselves with each other regularly. Milerna enjoyed it, she would admit. Dryden was a wonderful lover. So considerate, gentle and yet commanding. He was sensitive to when she was tired, when she just needed to be held and when she wanted his intimacy. Her days were now uneventful as she had no depression, or self-pity to wallow in. Dryden had spent more time with her which gave her less responsibilities to cope with. She had expected that such time spent in his company would only serve to suffocate her, but she had found her mind and heart at peace. Whether they were dining together, riding together or dealing with affairs of state, she felt relaxed in every aspect of her life. But as it sometimes does, life had thrown something unexpected into her lap.

Milerna wandered from her room and headed towards Dryden apartments. She could just imagine him at his desk, shirt open to his ribs, hair tied back in a loose ponytail, frowning over some paper. She knew at this time in the morning he'd have been working for about three hours and it was time for a break, perhaps she would talk to him about the issue that was worrying her. Passing a window looking out onto the private royal courtyard where official persons made their entrance, Milerna noticed the tall blonde figure of Allen. She paused for a moment to watch him. A dull pang of despair crept up on her. It was a feeling she had grown accustomed to. Regret and guilt about Allen's past made her avoid him when she could. Of course she wanted to stay his friend but…well she didn't completely trust herself to be alone with him. It could do more damage than good. Frowning a little she continued on her way.

Reaching the door, The now Queen of Asturia knocked in her usual manner and entered the dark room. Her husband sat back in his leather bound chair tossing an apple in own hand non-chalantly while he scanned some official document. Milerna sighed before moving over to the windows

"Dryden Fassa! Why pay for windows-" She scolded reaching up to open the heavy velvet curtains "-if you can't see out of them!"

Dryden squinted as he struggled to swallow a bite of apple. Standing up he stretched out, a look of mild annoyance pouting his broad lips. "You know me I work better by candlelight" Milerna smirked at him.

"Well maybe Sylvie would like a little bit of light, did you think about that?" Milerna indicated to the mermaid who had suddenly appeared to see what all the commotion was. Dryden eyed her skeptically "Sylvie is quite accustomed to my way of work-" a high-pitched squeal interrupted his sentence. He frowned comicially at the fish tank where the mermaid peeped playfully from the weed.

"Oh alright" He sighed taking Milerna in his arms "You win this time"

Milerna smiled, playfully scratching the stubble beneath his chin. "I always win" She said softly, relishing the contented smile he wore. His emerald eyes traced the features of her face; her violet eyes, wide and beautiful, those lips so moist and full, and that cute nose so proud and perfect just like her.

Milerna thought this the ideal time to discuss with Dryden the issue that had never left forefront of her mind all morning. "Dryden, can I talk to you about something?"

Dryden's brow straightened. "Of course you can Millie, is there something wrong?" He asked warily guiding her to the cushioned ledge at the fish tank. She shook her head dismissively.

"No, no it's nothing like that" He settled down next to her, his undivided attention now hers. The loose ponytail he wore slipped over his shoulder, letting stray curls brush his face. With his glasses so low and his eyes so wide and attentive he looked, in her eyes, the most handsome man she had ever seen. Stroking the tan skin of his chiselled jaw, she smiled. "I just wanted to know how you would feel if I told you-"

She was interrupted by a swift knock at the door. Dryden's eyes became unfocused for an instant before looking towards the doorway, annoyance once again returning to its usual place amongst his features. "Come back later, I'm occupied!" He shouted.

"But your majesty, it's Allen Schezar to see you; he says it's urgent that he speaks to you!" The muffled voice of a servant replied.

Dryden heaved a sigh "Ughh what does he want? The last time he was here was over the arrest of that beast-man… sheesh the man's a racist." He pulled himself lazily from the couch "Okay, okay I'll be down to see him in the drawing room in a minute, get him some tea or something!" Turning to Milerna, Dryden smiled. "Can it wait till dinner?" Milerna nodded understandingly. "Don't worry, Allen wont keep me long, there wont be much small talk" He said with a little bitterness lacing his words.

Milerna's expression saddened. She'd realised long ago that if she and Dryden were to have a successful and reasonably happy marriage, she was going to have to sacrifice her friendship with Allen, as much for her own sake as for Asturia's. Dryden strode out of the room without bothering to make himself presentable, he left Milerna and Sylvie to their mutual silence.

The young woman watched the mermaid swim in lazy hoops and patterns. She absently wondered if she liked being in that tank, then with another thought realised it was probably only Dryden's presence which made it enjoyable for her. Sighing she addressed herself as much Sylvie.

"Oh Sylvie, you love Dryden so much don't you." The mermaid watched her with sad eyes, Milerna unsure if she had even understood what she had said. "How would you tell him?" Milerna looked down at her trim stomach and sighed, imagining the tiny creature growing inside of her. "How will I tell him?"

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………...

Dryden closed the large gilded door behind him. He took a dubious glance at the former knight Caeli as he sat in a green tunic, dark trousers and feathered hat in his lap. Pushing his own auburn tresses from his forehead he came and sat reluctantly in the large leather bound chair opposite Allen.

"Hello Allen, how are you?"

"I'm very well, thank you Lord Dryden" Allen replied politely but obviously preoccupied.

"..and Lady Celena?" Dryden asked leaning back in his chair. The clock ticking in the background was the only noise besides the squeak in the chair.

"She is also very well thank you Lord Dryden" Allen replied with the same tone.

"Okay now the formalities are out of the way…this better be good Allen, I had Milerna back there about to tell me she was gonna have my triplets!" Dryden joked.

Allen looked a little put off but continued nonetheless. "Lord Dryden, there has been a mass uprising of beast people in Fanelia, as you know, The rebellion has now spread to Daleade. People in Palas have begun throwing out their beast tenants, workers and neighbours in fear. It happened this afternoon only a few hours ago, a large land based army of beast men were spotted by a border patrol crossing from Zaibach, there must be at least 50 000 people."

Dryden's eyes widened in shock "What? Why wasn't I informed of this?"

"As Secretary of Foreign Interests I was the first to know and I came straight here to report it to you." Allen shifted in his chair, his eyes narrowed at Dryden "Sir, I know you think I'm a bigot and a racist, but the incident with my sister has nothing to do with what I'm about to say. We cannot possibly fight a war when our ranks are made up of thirty percent beast men. But you know what they almost did to Fanelia, if it weren't for Van it would have been destroyed again! We have to expel them from our corps and banish them from the country. It's the only way we can safeguard ourselves and fight them head on!"

Dryden slapped his hand down hard on the table. "-it's the way to be murdered in our beds by cruel and unusual methods!" Dryden stood and crossed the room leaning heavily on the window frame, peering out onto the dull grey horizon as it met the ocean. "We have to convince our countrymen that they are safe here, they are probably more terrified of what's going to happen to them than they are bloodthirsty!"

Allen stood, clenching his felt hat in his fist "But don't you remember the Fanelian accounts? It was like an illness, or a poison spreading within their ranks, they were animals-literally!"

"Allen!" Dryden barked "Getting personal about this isn't going to help" Dryden stiffened "Let's get the council together and debate this, there must be a fairer solution to the problem than this."

Dryden groaned inwardly, dinner and whatever it was Milerna had to talk about would have to wait, this might take all night.

AN: Okay I'll hopefully have more chapters up soon---ish. Peace out YBP