It was dark. Nuada blinked and he could hardly tell that he had. He felt so alone, his link with Nuala wasn't there. Where was everyone? Where was his family? He turned, trying to find some source of light, anything. He turned back and found Lily standing there, surrounded in light, her arms wrapped around herself.

"Lily. Where is-?"

Lily's arms moved. She stretched them out in front of her and Nuada realized that they were covered in blood. His heart dropped. Not again.

"They came again. They came again and I couldn't stop them." Lily's voice sounded distant.

Her gown was covered in blood and Nuada watched as the blood spread from a wound on her stomach.

"Lily-"

"My babies." She cut him off. "Not my babies. Not again."

He watched as her eyes began to dull, the life leaving them.

"No, Lily . . . " He reached out to grab her, desperate. He wouldn't lose her. Not again. Not forever.

His hand went right through her body and he watched as the light around her faded and he was once again plunged into darkness.

HBHBHBHBHB

Nuada opened his eyes, the back of Lily's hair in his vision. He reached out and placed his arms around her. He held her close. She was still here. She wasn't dead. He buried his face in her hair and promised he would keep her this way.

HBHBHBHBHB

As the night turned into day, Nuada rebuilt the walls that had managed to crumble during the night. He couldn't appear weak, not now. He dressed with a hard expression on his face. He had to protect his family. That was the most important thing right now. Lily had also awakened and was checking on the children, who had been moved into their room for safety reasons. She was dressing Catherine when she spoke.

"Who is heir to the throne now?" Lily asked, turning her head to look at him.

His eyes moved from Catherine to Lily before he answered.

"Nibenon. He's the next male heir." He replied simply. He turned his attention back to the mirror in front of him, waiting for the explosion that was about to happen.

"Not Catherine?" She replied calmly, but he could hear the restrained anger.

"No." He said sternly. He pulled on his boots and turned all of his attention to her.

"But she's older."

"But she is female."

"But she's OLDER." Her voice became harsher.

"This is how Bethmoora has operated for centuries. I will not change it. We have enough beings that hate us. Changing tradition will make you more of a target. All of you." His tone was final, but Lily didn't care.

"She is one year older than him. Her two older siblings just died trying to protect the two of them and now you're telling me she has no chance of becoming queen?" The thinly veiled anger was clearly heard by Nuada.

"This is how is has been and this is how it will be."

"It's stupid. She could be a much better ruler than Nibenon, but it won't matter because she's a girl!"

"Don't argue. We're not changing it and that's final."

"I WILL argue for the rights of my children!" Lily had finished dressing Catherine and placed her in the crib with Nibenon. She faced Nuada.

"Then yell all you want. I'm not changing it."

"The humans will hate that decision! It's sexist and outdated!"

"It's worked."

"Only because you haven't tried anything else!"

"We don't need to try anything else."

"Ugh! You're so infuriating! Why can't you change the rules for your own children? !"

"Because Nuala is the older twin!" Nuada spat.

Lily blinked. " . . . What?"

"Nuala is older. Only by a few minutes. But I am king because I am male and she is not." He answered slowly through clenched teeth.

Lily sat down on their bed, a thoughtful look on her face. Her hand rested on a bruise on her torso and Nuada felt those walls begin to chip away again. After a few seconds, she looked into his eyes.

"You stole the throne from your own sister? No, tradition made you steal the throne." She began to think out loud.

"Yes. And if we say that the oldest child becomes ruler, then Nuala becomes queen and the entire treaty begins to fall apart."

"Because they made it with you, not her and you aren't king anymore." Lily finished.

"You see my dilemma. I do love our children and want the best for Catherine, but I can't. We can't." He told her.

"There has to be something-"

"No-"

"-some way to work around it-"

"There is nothing-"

"We can't just cheat her out of her life-"

"There is NOTHING!" Nuada shouted.

The room went silent. Nibenon began to cry. Lily moved to stand, but Nuada placed his hand on her shoulder. He picked up his son and began to comfort him.

"Please talk to Nuala. Maybe she can think of something." Lily pleaded.

Nuada shot her an intense look. If the children weren't in the room, he might have shouted again.

"If you do and she says there's nothing, I'll drop it. Completely." The look in her eyes told Nuada that she desperately wanted Catherine to have the ability to become queen.

He nodded his head. "I'll go now."

He gave her Nibenon, noticing the slight wince she gave with the weight, and left their bedroom.

"Oh great, now he hates me." Lily spoke into the air, bouncing the whining baby in her arms.

HBHBHBHBHB

Nuada used their link to find Nuala in her room. Abe was in there, but one look from Nuada and he was gone.

"I assume you know why I am here." Nuada began.

"Lily wished for you to find a way for Catherine to be queen." Nuala responded. "It does make things harder because I am older. If you were the older one, we would not have such a dilemma."

"She wants this, Nuala. She wants our daughter to be treated as she would if she were born male."

"Not treated as such, but given the opportunity to be treated as such. Lily only wants Catherine to have the ability to be queen. She can give it to her brother if she doesn't want it. Her younger brother." Nuala looked pointedly at her brother.

Prior years of unspoken communication between the two made it easy for Nuada to understand what his sister was trying to say. Comprehension passed over Nuada's face. Nuala continued.

"If Catherine doesn't want the throne, Nibenon can have it. If she has no desire to be queen, she doesn't have to be queen. If she's happy instead watching her brother rule with his family, then she can pass the crown to him." A small smile was on Nuala's lips.

Nuada understood everything she was trying to say.

"Now go tell Lily the wonderful news. I'm sure she'll want to properly thank you." Nuala smiled innocently, but Nuada had the feeling her words had a lustful meaning.

"I shall. After I discuss with the council. I'd much rather give her the news after everything is done." Nuada left his sister's room without pause.

HBHBHBHBHB

Meldiron was walking down the halls of the castle when he spotted Nuada. His promise to himself yesterday drifted through his mind, but Nuada did not look the least bit angry or vengeful. He could not have been told about the affair yet. Meldiron would keep his silence. For now. Instead, he would keep his role as the faithful companion. He changed direction and began walking towards Nuada.

"Where are you off to in such a hurry? And so early as well." He asked once he'd caught up.

"To the council. I have an urgent matter to discuss." Nuada nonchalantly said.

"Protecting your family?"

Nuada stopped and turned to his friend.

"Always." And he began walking again.

Meldiron bit back a snide remark and stayed where he was. If he continued to walk with Nuada, it would not end well. His control was slipping. Maybe tomorrow he would finally confront his friend on his disregard for his own family and his unworthiness as a husband and father. Maybe.

Meldiron turned and walked back down the corridor.

HBHBHBHBHB

It was much later in the day, well into the afternoon, when Nuada found his wife and children in the garden. Nuala and Abe were nearby, watching the children play.

He strode right up to his wife where she sat on a stone bench and whispered in her ear the good news. The council had reluctantly agreed. Lily turned immediately, her eyes wide, and hugged him. She kissed him multiple times on the lips and cheek. He smiled with her.

Nuala and Abe saw Lily touch Nuada's chest and say something. He got a devious look in his eyes and Nuala heard a 'Watch them' in her mind before the couple disappeared inside the castle. Nuala giggled at their antics and switched her gaze to the playful children. It was good they were finding hope in the world after so much lose. She could still feel the despair in her brother, but Lily was helping. His remaining children were helping.

She sighed to herself as Nibenon began to cry. Catherine had pushed him a bit too hard. She only hoped things would continue to go up.