Chapter contents - if you're trying to find something quickly, control + F is your best friend :

|Moon Rambles|

|Character File : Valentine|

|Character File : Ma'al|

|Recommendations / Hall of Fame|

|Mix it Up - for ayylmao| Content warning : contains drug use

|The Unusual Nest - For Oblique Strategies|

|Beach Day - For Sage Nightwing|

|Heated Emotions - For M-Angel 05| = Was not proofread by Sage because I kind of did this last minute, sorry!

|The Babysitter - For LadyAmazon|

|My Best Friend|

|A New Beginning|

|Moon Rambles|

Seeing as how this is the official, last installment of my until now longest fanfic, I believe a short goodbye is in order. It took a long time to get this finished and the first chapters are terrifying - congrats to everyone who made it this far. I never thought it would be this long, I exceeded my original word count by about 100 000. Actually, this fic is the length of about the two average novels. If I can feel proud about one thing, it's that I stuck with this fic for this long. Please don't read all of this in one go. Love yourself. Get some fresh air every once in a while, if you're the kind of person who needs it. (I personally, prefer to be inside most of the time. Summer is coming, and I don't like going outside at all this season. Yech.)

Anyway, I want to say thank you to everyone who ever commented on this fic. Reviews are what keeps fanfiction writers going, y'know? It cheers us up, lets us know what you like and don't like, reminds us people are actually reading our stuff... so yeah, I would like to thank everyone for that. There are too many of you to write down here, which makes me even happier. Thank you all for supporting me, and please have a nice day!

I do owe some special thanks to Sage Nightwing, who proofread everything starting from around chapter... 20-ish, something like that. Thanks a bunch, and I hope you'll find many more fanfiction you like 3

Character File : Valentine Ashiari

Bio :

Before the age of twelve, Valentine enjoyed the upbringing around court. Her mother was bodyguard to Mar's mother, while her father was one of the most promising programmers in town. She herself was taught in history, languages and self defense. If there had been no uprising in the future, she would have almost certainly followed in her fathers footsteps, eventually becoming one of the most prominent engineers in security detail.
Valentine was captured by the Baron's forces on the first day of his uprising. Despite having been considered a minor target due to her age, Erol's disputes with her family led to him being especially vindictive when it came to anyone sharing her name, the result of an old feud at court. It was easy for him to acquire permission to enter her into The Program; the Ashiari family was considered proficient in the channeling of Eco. What had once been considered a promising ability for Valentine led to the most traumatizing experience of her life.
She escaped at age sixteen, approximately a month and a half before Jak was captured. After a rough handling by one of the guards she was deemed a lesser risk and received less guarding while healing from her wounds. Realizing she was truly the last survivor of her family, a spark of rage fueled the Eco. Her first transformation allowed her to overpower her guards, while both luck and intuition guided her outside of the prison complex. She made way for her Uncle Vin's home, the only known blood relative she had left. There she encountered Torn. Mistaking him for a Krimzon Guard she attacked him, but the severity of her wounds and exhaustion soon left her unable to do any lasting harm.

Physical traits :

Dark blue eyes, full lips, dark long brown hair. Averaging at the same height as Jak, she sometimes wears heels because she likes being taller than him. Though she is of average weight at the beginning of the story, her time in Spargus leaves her more lean and muscled. She has an array of scars, some of them facial but most covered by her shirt. As DE-girl she preferred dark purple and black clothing, but as princess of Spargus she developed a preference for more natural colors.

Character development - personal remarks :

Of all my female characters I've written, Valentine is most likely to solve things by a fistfight. Her character design started first as thinking about which job I wanted her to have. She passed the revue as a hairdresser, baker, thief and lounge singer. Eventually she became - to my everlasting shame - a popstar, though this choice was mostly so I could have the 'big' scene where she believes herself betrayed by Jak. In the end, I like to think that she ended up maturing throughout the story. She's a strong character, but she has her fair share of faults. She's stubborn and prone to overthinking. When she doesn't overthink, she jumps to conclusions and refuses to budge from them. This in combination with a low self-esteem at the beginning of the story made for her most prominent character faults, at least in my eyes.

Character File : Ma'al

Bio :

At a little over 350 years during his first appearance, Ma'al is the youngest of the Metal Kings. Due to this, he doesn't have the necessary standing to add to his opinion. When the other Kings decide to do nothing about the threatening invasion, if they not actively participate with the Dark Makers that is, he is left standing alone. The answer to his questions comes when he receives words from some of his children. A woman who had infiltrated a research facility and freed the captive Metal Heads roamed the desert. She had bonded with a Scout, indicating she was at least open to negotiations. He started to plot several ways to meet her, most dramatic and impossible. His surprise grew when she came to him in what she believed to be a suicide mission.
During his time spent with Valentine, Ma'al came to realize that there was more than one way to live life. He is still confused about how communication works, or mating, food allocation or any of those things. But he is prepared to spend a few more centuries figuring that out. His agreement with Spargus has granted his nest a special status now, one which he exploits to the fullest.

Character development - personal remarks :

Ma'al is a bit of a special character in my cast, because I never intended him to become so prominent in the story. But readers seemed to enjoy his occasional appearance, and soon he turned into a comedic, fanservice character. Nevertheless, he has has own motivations, one of the major ones his unrequited crush on Valentine. I like to think the two would have ended up together if Jak had never come to Spargus. As far as reproductive systems go, I had to draw most of my information about Kings from Kor. In the final battle, Kor lays eggs and is male. Therefore, Ma'al also can carry children while being male. I don't think it's too far from the truth that the King of the Metal species may possess both semen and ovaries, meaning the Kings usually mate with one another. This also shows why he thought Valentine was a valid candidate for courting.
Ma'al is, in short, an idiot. He just happens to be a very handsome, very charming, idiot.

|Recommendations / Hall of Fame|

Fic Recs :

Oblique Strategies has written 2 seperate Fanfics for Jak and Daxter, and has a far more detailed writing style than mine. Best of all, both of their stories are complete, meaning you don't have to wait for them to be updated. I am however under the impression they're still in the process of re-writing things. Anyway, go check it out.

Sweetnovembers is in the process of writing a fic, and has a writing style that's quite comparable to mine. Of course the Oc is completely different, and I'm quite convinced Valentine would try to kill Cara (her Oc) before you can say boo once she finds out just what Cara's role was. That being said, go check it out.

Hall of fame :

Nothing so far, since I'll keep this space for the day when someone writes something with Valentine, Ma'al or any of my other characters. If you want to use my Oc's, you can but I would appreciate you dropping me a note that you did so. Furthermore, if you do write something containing them, this spot right here will be used to tell people about it. Pretty sweet eh?

|Mix it Up - for ayylmao|

Seem inspected the herbs in the burlap bag with a critical eye, comparing them with the drawing in the old book she held in her hand. "These don't look like the ones I asked for."

The merchant peered in the book as well and blinked. "I don't see a difference, monk."

Seem vaguely gestured at the page, not daring to touch the delicate paper. "The stripes should be vertical, not horizontal. And the stem curls more than depicted as well."

This time the man took a second look, taking a pair of reading glasses out of his front pocket. Peering at the page and semi-fresh herbs he finally shrugged. "These are the ones that were labeled for you, and I'm sticking to that story. And can you really be sure, it might be smudges. Book looks mighty old, older than my granny."

The monk hesitated, before reaching in her pocket to pay the man. The book was old, the herb might have adapted in unforeseen ways. And she could always test them on a Metal Head first, even though she wasn't quite supposed to. Valentine would throw a fit if she found out Seem had been using some of the Scorpions to test new medicines. And the medicine she intended on brewing was intended for her friends, who had developed a nasty cough after their adventure in Kras City. They were possibly after-effects from the poison they had been administered there, and Seem considered it her duty to make sure they recovered as fast as possible.

Behind her the merchant shouted out the next destination - Haven City - as she made her way through a throng of people who had come to the docks in their free hours. Seem spent the better part of the afternoon locked away in her room, testing the herbs on several of the Metal Heads who seemed to experience no ill effects. After a few more days she had determined the medicine would cause no lingering harm. The only thing left was rounding up her victims and forcing the medicine down their throats.

Finding Ashelin and Torn was easy. The two of them had agreed to stay in Spargus for as long as it took for Seem to find a cure, and Seem quickly arrived at their shared living quarters. Both of them took their pills in one go, Torn not even bothering to drink some water to make it go down smoother. Keira was next, the woman having flown over just two days ago after a quick message from Seem. She took the pills in between unpacking some of her suitcases, pulling out what looked like an exhaust pipe from one of the bigger ones. It was followed by a strap of leather and the words 'seat belt, special order'.

Lastly she found Valentine, Jak, Daxter, Sig and Damos in the throne room. Out of all of them, Daxter took the longest to convince to just take the pills and get it over with.

"Listen, Seem, I got poisoned once already, I don't need it happening again."

"I tested it thoroughly before I even considered giving it to you. So please, just take it and get it over with?" Seem pleaded. Valentine took Daxter's one pill in her hand and closed one eye, waiting for the Ottsel to start yapping again.

"Forget it, there is NO WAY that I- Agh… ahghggh…"

"Well, that's still perfect aim for me. Just swallow it Dax, it's just a pill. It doesn't even taste as gross as the syrup Seem makes."

"Valentine! That was totally uncalled for!"

"Don't take those pills!" Torn yelled at them, dragging Keira and Ashelin behind him. The two women giggled at each other, before rolling their eyes at Torn.

Seem turned to the man, as well as the others. "Is something the matter?"

This unleashed a new barrage of giggles from the two women, and even a chuckle from Torn. He coughed, rearranging his eyebrows in a frown. "Yeah, there is… after we took those pills the world started getting crazy, Seem. Like… colorful."

"Everything keeps spinning," Keira added in a helpful tone.

Ashelin tried to look serious, but couldn't fight the grin that kept appearing on her face. "Some of the civilians kept looking at us funnily. King Damas, I fear you might have spies in your city."

At this the elderly man stood up, before hiccuping once. Seem felt the hairs at the back of her neck prickle up at the behavior. When her King attempted to walk to the streets she stopped him, stooping down to grab Daxter who seemed to be intent on fighting Torn.

"Seem, you ain't so bad. Sure, you smell funny and look like lil' kids used you as a coloring book, but deep down y'are pretty swell. A real class dame." The Ottsel confided in her, before pressing a moist kiss against her cheek. Then he observed his own paw. "Wow, were my hands always this furry? Jak, buddy, check this out."

Jak walked over to the group, wrapping a hand around his father's shoulder to keep standing. "Woah, check that out. Mine doesn't look like that at all, Dax."

"Heh, you're right. Hey, old man, show us what your hand looks like. Woah, that one doesn't look like mine either! You guys are Weird!"

Seem realized what was happening. The herbs had been the wrong ones after all! Torn seemed mostly unaffected, even managing to keep Keira and Ashelin under control. The two had gotten to argue about the color 'blue'. When the former KG-soldier caught her look he nodded slowly. "The Baron pumped us full of drugs before a big fight. I know some of what I can expect."

His words would have been more comforting if they hadn't been interrupted by the occasional giggle. Seem turned around and saw Valentine peering over the waterfall in the room, leaning dangerously over the edge. With a scream she grabbed the woman by the scruff of her collar, pulling her back. "What are you doing?"

Valentine pointed behind her. "I always wondered how the water got up here. Maybe if I follow it down, I can figure out how it gets back up as well."

Seem had to stop Valentine from leaning over the edge once more. "Now Valentine, wouldn't it be more interesting if you… if you help Jak and Daxter determine which one of their hands is more normal?"

Valentine considered the idea for a moment. "No thanks."

"Then! Uhm… how about discussing 'blue' with Ashelin and Keira?"

Another pause while Valentine furrowed her brow. "They're discussing 'blue'? That's just idiotic."

For a moment Seem got her hopes up. Clarity dawned in Valentine's eyes as she looked at the two women.

"Everybody knows 'orange' is far more interesting!"

—In Haven —

"Sorry Jinx, this just isn't doing it for me," one of his closer friends announced through a cloud of smoke. They'd been smoking the herbs for over an hour now and still didn't feel a thing. This was a far cry from what he had been promised. Annoyed, Jinx ran a finger across the vertical lines in the leaves, reaching for the familiar comfort of his usual cigar. Chairs scraped backwards over the floor as his friends left the room.

"Next time at my place, right?"
"I'll bring the stuff then."
"Sorry Jinx, sometimes the stuff is just too weak."

He didn't understand a thing, they'd even used the damn leaves pure at that. Ol' Joel leaned over his shoulder, his breath smelling like cough drops. "Jinx, bud, can I take the rest of those home with me?"

Hope flickered in his chest. "You feeling somethin' Joel?"

"Nah man, but I think this stuff cleared up my sinuses. Think they'll help with my allergies?"

Jinx waved a hand, sending the smoke in the room around in swirls. As Joel left he promised himself this was the last time he bought anything from that merchant. The fact he was still sober enough to remember this clearly in the morning was proof enough someone had screwed up.

|The Unusual Nest - For Oblique Strategies|

Keira absently scratched a small scab on the side of her hand, trying to see the ship that would be delivering Ma'al - an actual Metal King! - to Haven. Normally the King would have been accompanied by Valentine or Jak, but both of them had become busy with a few unexpected problems. So they had asked Keira if she would be able to handle the King for a few hours, an afternoon at most. Could she show him around town a bit, explain how things were functioning?

She considered the few stray things she'd heard about their exotic guest. From Valentine she'd heard that the man was tall and friendly, easy to get along with but strange in his ways. But there had also been a reassurance that if he was a problem, it was not because he was being obstinate on purpose.

Jak had told her that she should try to keep the King at an arms length at all times. He had heard strange things about what was and what was not proper, and Keira might not be very happy with what Ma'al considered to be manners. And Daxter had told her the King was a convinced nudist, tall and with a voracious appetite. Considering what Metal Heads considered food, the last part worried her more than anything else.

The visit was to be a semi-formal one, which meant they would only be visiting Ashelin and Torn later on that day, for dinner and some polite conversation. Keira's mind uncomfortably wandered to what might be served this evening, and hoped rare meat would be the worst thing she was expected to choke down. For a moment she considered her hands. She had managed to scrub off the oil and grease, the telltale marks of her favorite pastime. Her hands looked foreign to her like this, too bare and fragile. The platform where she was waiting left her feeling vulnerable. She much preferred the shelter her workshop provided her. But no, today she was acting as a neutral representative.

Tall, dark and with an impressive set of teeth. That was how Daxter had described Ma'al, and her heart raced at the thought of having to guide such a monstrosity through Haven. Why couldn't Jak for once have normal friends? Why did he have to insist on surrounding himself with… creatures?

Movement in the corner of her eye betrayed the ship arriving. The light metal gleamed in the pale sunlight as it started to descend. Keira nervously ran her hands through her hair, straightening her shirt. She really didn't like the idea of having to do this, but there was no one else. And he wouldn't actually eat her. At least, she was certain he wouldn't. According to Jak, Ma'al had promised to limit his diet to creatures that didn't walk on two legs.

The transport landed with minimal creaking. Keira was relieved to see that this one would only require the barest of repairs. Then the hatch opened with hissing, the metal banging down on concrete. Several Wastelanders jumped out before it had fully opened, most of them here for trade. A few that had come for sightseeing followed soon after, hardly taking the time to smooth out the crinkles in their clothing before they too moved on. And then he appeared.

Tall and dark was certainly the right word, but Daxter had failed to mention the eyes. They were dark gold, and intense. Keira had no doubt Ma'al was a predator at heart, his eyes scanning every inch of the platform before he stepped out of the transport. His robes had been pinned together at the shoulder with an obstinate pin. Judging from what she knew, it was likely Valentine who had added that touch, to ensure Ma'al wouldn't strip down in the middle of Haven. Eventually his gaze landed on her, and the corners of his mouth pulled up in a convincing smile.

As he neared, Keira was relieved to note that his teeth really weren't that more pronounced than those of the average guy. His hair was slicked back, somehow pronouncing his cheek bones more. She could certainly see how Ma'al could be alluring to pretty much anyone with a set of eyes. He stopped a neat three paces away from her, and bowed from his middle. "Fema- miss Keira, I presume?"

He looked up with a big smile, and for a moment Keira nearly swallowed her own tongue. "Yeah, that's me. Glad to see you got here safely."

He nodded his agreement with the statement and then waited for her to continue. Realizing she had to be the host during this trip, Keira gestured behind her. "Well, let's go. Is there anything you would like to see while you're here?"

"My friend Daxter suggested I might find a place called 'the Red Light District' very enlightening. He refused to elaborate on the matter however. Perhaps we can start our reconnaissance there?" Ma'al suggested in an innocent tone.

Keira sputtered. "Don't listen to Daxter when he suggests things. How about we start with… ehm…"

"May I purchase something from that machine over there?" Ma'al asked her, pointing to a dingy vending machine. Keira nodded, scratching the back of her head while trying to find anything that might interest a Metal King in disguise. Everyone had seemed so convinced nothing bad would happen, they hadn't even provided a guard for the both of them.

As they approached, Ma'al explained to her quite proudly how King Valentine had allotted him some allowance, to be spent however he choose during his visit. Keira nodded, a polite smile gracing her features. The King continued how fascinating he found their entire way of living here, before asking her opinion on which beverage he should sample. Keira pointed out one of the safest choices, before guiding Ma'al further inside the city. He yelped in surprise after his first taste of the drink.

"Does your species enjoy this… bubbling in your mouth?" he asked in genuine confusion.

"Ugh… yeah. I mean, we're used to drinking it…" Keira considered it for a moment. "I think we like it because of all the sugar in it. I usually have some if I have to work late."

Ma'al considered it for a moment, before taking another sip. With some strain he complimented the amount of sugar he could taste. Then, undoubtedly as a means to avoid having to take a new sip, he asked another question. "Perhaps you can enlighten me on how your species communicates."

"We… use words. And writing. I think those two are the main means. Why?"

Ma'al shook his head, gesturing about him. "No, I mean here. On those strange zooming vehicles you ride, or while you walk on the road. Us Metal Heads use scents and co-ordination coming from a King to do this. I assume King Damas does the same in Spargus. But here… King Valentine informed me you have no King. How do you stop yourselves from falling into chaos?"

Keira glanced around her, as if she expected some grand director to pop out from around a corner. "We… just pay attention to where we're going. And there are rules for driving a vehicle, so people won't get hurt that easily." When she caught Ma'als stare she gestured around her as well, encompassing the entire city in a gesture. "We just follow rules, and we look where we're walking. It's just common sense at work here."

"Common Sense," Ma'al repeated after her, and she suspected someone in Spargus would have to take a day out of their schedule explaining the concept to Ma'al. "Miss Keira, please show me some other things."

"Like what?" she asked, slowly thawing to the King's alien charisma. He acted more like a really courteous foreigner than a bloodthirsty animal.

"Your most favored activity?" he suggested.

They spent the rest of the day, unexpectedly, in her work shop and at the racing tracks. Ma'al did not quite see the use for a sport with so little bloodshed, but he allowed it had potential. His suggestion for adding either robots or Metal Hunters to the track were shot down, which he took in good humour. As he later informed Keira, not all great ideas were accepted at once, as his current alliance with Spargus proved. And he personally would have liked to race in his true form, only the track seemed rather small for something like that. He felt that squashing his opponents would be an unfair method of winning. Keira agreed with him, though for different reasons than the King suspected. Since Praxis was dead, casualty numbers had gone down. Though a Metal King would be a spectacular way of raising them, she suspected at least Ashelin was happy about the low mortality rates.

In her workshop he found great joy in fiddling with small items he found laying around, scattered in organized piles. Several times he nearly upset one of the stacks, only to shove them back in place with an ease that was amazing. She suspected Ma'al was a sparring partner to be reckoned with. At dinner he was more inclined to listen than to talk, though he asked a few questions of Ashelin concerning on how she managed to rule despite not being able to mentally bond with her subjects. While he ate, he politely sampled some of the vegetables, preferring a rare steak above them. And three steaks to follow that one. He also listened to Torn, who he apparently considered as a person of importance. "King Valentine holds your advice in great regard. That alone is enough for me, but you also survived several assaults on your city, with an admirable lack of losses."

At the end of the evening she stretched out a hand for him to shake. With a slow smile he grabbed her hand in both of his, vigorously pumping the offered appendage up and down. "This is the correct way to do this, is it not?"

Keira nodded, making the Metal King beam in pride. As their handshake continued, he made a final offer. "Miss Keira, if you are ever in the opportunity, I shall gladly give you a tour of my Nest. It might be… very different from this one, but perhaps you will be able to draw inspiration from it either way? Several of the Spargus warriors have been decorating recently. The effect is quite lovely."

Keira nodded, though she didn't think she'd ever take him up on the offer. "We shall see, King Ma'al. Have a safe journey home then."

As he departed, she didn't quite consider him a friend. But, she had to admit, sometimes appearances and gossip could be deceiving.

|Beach Day - For Sage Nightwing|

"That stuff belonged to you?" Valentine demanded as soon as she heard Jinx tell about his misfortunes when buying drugs. She scrambled over the sand and an unsuspecting Jak, planting her knee in his stomach in her haste of reaching Jinx. "You had us all high as a friggin' kite!"

Jinx tried to pry the necklace around his neck from Valentine's fingers, without choking himself in the process. "H-hey, I should be the one angry with you. My friends don't even trust me to buy anything anymore these days. Val, babe, I kinda need air!"

Jak rubbed his stomach, having retreated from the fight. As Jinx' sputtering continued he offered a shred of helpful advice. "Don't call her babe, Jinx."

"No murder on the beach, Valentine, or I'll have to arrest you!" Torn shouted to the would-be murderess and victim, before tossing a beach ball to Ma'al. The Metal King caught the ball and sniffed it, suspicious of the plastic scent wafting from the object. He offered to help Valentine get rid of the body - no evidence meant no crime, right? - before being hit on the back of the head by Ashelin.

Valentine let go of Jinx, who gulped for air in an exaggerated fashion. Pouting she folded her arms in front of her, allowing Jak to smooth her hair back for her. "I would've only mangled him a little bit," she told her lover, who nodded full of understanding.

"You did mangle me, and not a little bit," Jinx growled, his voice more smoky than normal.

Jak threw Jinx a warning glance, gesturing to the beach ball game the others were enjoying. The sun was hot on this Spargus beach day, warming the white sand and clear blue sea. To Daxter's great pleasure there had been no sign of the giant squid, and Jak had to admit some relief about that as well. Something about a giant calamari swimming free in the ocean had a tendency to make people nervous.

"Who wants burgers?!" Daxter shouted from his place near the grill. Next to him Sig deftly flipped the meat on the grill, looking as if he wanted nothing better than stand near a source of fire on this hot day.

"Come and get them cherries, while they're juicy and hot," the tall man added with a smile, slapping away Daxter's paws when the Ottsel tried to add more hot peppers to the seasoning.

Daxter scooted back with the hot pepper mix, glancing at Ma'al. "As if you don't want to see what happens when we feed these to a Metal King." Tess shook her head when she heard her boyfriend make the suggestion.

Jak immediately turned to Ma'al who walked by them to get a rare burger. "Whatever you do, don't drink the seawater."

Ma'al shrugged at the strange advice. Valentine looked at the King with a grin on her face. "You think Torn would try to arrest Ma'al for murder?"

The hero considered the question for a few seconds. "I think he would have a hard time explaining the problem to him. After all, Ma'al still seems to think you can't prove anything if there's no body."

"You know, he once proposed to get rid of you that way," Valentine said, brushing the sand off her thighs as she stood up. Jak paled as he considered the King in a new light. "I told him you weren't to be eaten, so don't worry."

"So if we ever get into a big fight?" Jak asked, suddenly feeling uneasy at the ease with which Ma'al polished off his first burger. He was surprised by a sudden tap on the back of his head.

"Then you'll answer to me for fighting with my daughter-in-law," Damas promised him with a friendly grin.

It didn't take Jak long to decide. "I can live with that!"

"And me," Torn added, after a first bite of burger.

"Well, ganging up on me isn't fair at all, you know…" Jak began to waver.

"Guys, please!" Valentine held up a hand to request silence. "Everyone knows I am perfectly capable of settling things with my dear, soon to be husband myself. I'll simply tell him he can sleep on the couch."

Jak lifted Valentine on his shoulder and carried her off. "Oh, really now?"

"Jak, where are we going?" Valentine asked with a rise of panic in her voice. His shoulder, despite being muscular, still pressed against her stomach in an uncomfortable way. The walk on the sand made his gait bumpy and awkward. When she noted they were walking on damp sand she squirmed. As soon as waves splashed around his ankles she kicked her legs.

"No, I don't want to swim! Put me down!"

"In a few seconds I will, my darling," Jak promised her, the smile audible in his words.

"Jak, Jak, no I-"

When he dumped her in the water she screeched, scrambling to her feet. By the time she'd gotten up he was halfway across the beach, waving back at herwith a smile. Oh, she would get him for that!

|Heated Emotions - For M-Angel 05|

"Val?"

"..."

"Val? Val?!"

"... yeah? Jak, what? I'm kind of busy here," Valentine stretched, working out some kinks in her muscles. She'd been sitting hunched over at a desk for the past two hours, occasionally calling Uncle Vin to ask for help in drafting up a new security coding system. Torn had been haranguing her about it for weeks, and she'd finally gotten down to actually doing it a few days ago.

Jak didn't look very happy. "This is the first time I've seen you in a week! What are you doing?

"Writing something for Torn. I'll be done in a few days, so just hang on if you could?"

Jak slammed down his hand on the table. "No Val, I won't 'hang on'. You're my wife, and yet you spend more time with Torn than with me. And if you're not with him, there's other things like the council, my dad, Tess... It never ends!"

Valentine rubbed her temples, groaning when Jak opened the curtains. She worked the best in the dark, and hadn't been outside ever since she started working. "That's nonsense... We had a date just before you left on that one mission your dad gave you. Which one was it again?"

"That ended the day before yesterday, Val! This is what I'm talking about, you're too busy. Can you just take a Precursor's be damned rest every once in a while? The world won't end if you start taking it easy." Jak wasn't exactly shouting, but he wasn't using a polite conversational tone either.

It raised the hairs on the back of her neck to be talked to like that. She slammed her hands down on the table, and stood up. Before Jak could register what happened she stood in front of him, poking her index finger against his chest as she talked. "I take plenty of breaks, just so you know. It just happens that every time I'm free, you're out in the Wasteland doing who knows what. You can't just go out and handle business, no, you have to explore the entire area for little secrets."

He glowered at her, grabbing her wrist before she could poke him again. "Well, I can't help it if Damas asks me to go out and do something. All I'm asking now is that you take a few minutes and just talk to me."

Valentine gestured behind her, to the program she'd been writing. "Well, I'm almost done. Just a few more days and-"

"Val!" Jak roared, a dark spark drawing across his fist and biceps. Valentine blinked, realizing somehow he had been pushed too far. It had been years since his last loss of control, but that didn't make it any less dangerous. He repeated that he wanted her to take a rest, but she was too busy checking his symptoms. His pupils started to dilate, and his nails were already taking on a darker color. She needed to snap him out of his rage before he was too far gone.

She stepped closer to him. To his dazed mind the move was unexpected and foolish, and therefore threw him off balance. She raised her arms and wrapped them around his neck. He opened his mouth to protest, but whatever he tried to say was muffled by her lips pressed over his. He froze, and Valentine hoped this action would be enough to snap him out of it. But when his hand wrapped around her, long nails scratched her skin. He felt hot against her, as if consumed by a fever.
She opened her eyes. His skin was paler, no longer the healthy sun-kissed tone replaced by an icier complexion. But his eyes were closed, and she took that as a good sign. When he pushed her against the table, hands pulling her top higher, running over her stomach, she didn't resist. Instead she pulled him closer, wrapping her legs around him. What had started out as a simple distraction ended up becoming more serious. Valentine realized it had been a very long time since she'd actually spent some time with Jak, just the two of them. And, truth be told, the current situation was a turn-on. No complaints from her side of the story.

"King Valentine, I-" Ma'al stumbled into the room without knocking.

Jak pulled away from her, observing Ma'al as if he were a threat. But the pupils were slinking back to their original size, and the grip around her waist grew more slack. Valentine was actually a tad disappointed.

"Is this a mating ritual?" Ma'al inquired innocently.

"OUT!" Jak growled at him. The Metal king looked at Valentine once before retreating, closing the door behind him softly.

Valentine sighed. "That's going to take some explaining, again."

"If you're thinking about doing that now-" Jak started, the growl still not completely having left his voice.

Valentine kissed him, short and hard. "It can wait."

"Can it? For how long?"

She pressed a few more kisses along his cheek, towards his jawline. "However long you want it to."

|The Babysitter - For LadyAmazon|

"Are you sure he's up for this?" Jak asked Valentine, taking over their youngest son from her. Karim blew spit bubbles at him, pleased as always to see his father.

Valentine disappeared around a corner, her voice muffled as she replied to him. "Of course he is! He only has a bazillion kids of his own to deal with." She stuck her head around the corner, hair tousled and a tooth brush on its way to her mouth. "He'll be fine. Oh, thank you darling."

The last words were spoken to their eldest, Anke who at eight years old was quite happy in assisting her mother with anything concerning dressing up. The brush she'd carried to her mother was immediately used. Relieved of her burden she turned to her father. "I like it when uncle Ma'al comes to visit."

Jak nodded and treated the announcement with all the seriousness his daughter expected of him. He had gotten dressed far more quickly than Valentine ever managed these days. Then again, she had spent most of her free time with Damon, their middle child, fiddling with something small and incomprehensible to him. But Damon has assured him that this time nothing would explode. He wiped away a clear thread of spittle from his shirt.

"Ready!" Valentine shouted, just as someone knocked on the door.

"I'll get it!" Anke shouted, running through the apartment he and Valentine shared after ascending to the throne. Losing his father had hurt, a wound that would never fully close. He took comfort knowing that Damas has seen all three of his grandchildren before passing on. The loss was still tangible after three months, but even someone like his father could only cheat death so often.

Tonight would be the first time they attended an official event as the rulers of Spargus. Which meant they would have to be on time, impeccable and congenial.

"I apologize for my lateness, little one," Ma'al said seriously as he entered the room.

"Don't worry, mommy and daddy are late too," Anke replied, raising her arms up to Ma'al. The Metal King obliged, picking up the young princess without even grunting.

"Consort Jak," Ma'al greeted him, stretching out a hand. Jak returned the handshake, balancing Karim in one arm for now.

Valentine appeared back from around the corner, dressed as soberly as possible in her new position. "Ma'al, good to see you, thanks for coming, we have to go now!"

Jak was caught in the whirlwind that was a harried Valentine, Karim plucked from his arms and deposited in Ma'als sure embrace next to Anke. Damon appeared from the doorway leading to the sleeping quarters, waving goodbye to his parents as he slowly walked towards Ma'al. He tried to give some last minute good advice. "Don't trust Anke when she says she can stay up past ten. Don't let Damon play with fire. Or scissors. Or anything sharp! Karim's already eaten but-"

Ma'al watched the door slam shut behind the fleeing couple and placed Anke on the ground. Her youngest brother was tugging intently at his shoulder-length hair, just bordering on painful. The Metal King regarded the two older children with an interest he hadn't exhibited for a long time. Though he saw them regularly, this was the first time he was expected to see to it they survived a night. And Valentine had tried to give him pointers, but he had found the provided manual so boring he had 'forgotten' it on a hunting trip.

"Well then…" he started, ignoring the sweaty little hands that now pressed against his cheek.

Damon regarded Ma'al intently, before sending him a message, much like Ma'als own children would have done. He had gotten more of the Metal blood than any of the other two, thanks to his mother. The message was put together well, though bearing the kind of logic that was so typical of him and Valentine. It was merely asking permission to go back to his room and finish his project. Ma'al gestured with his hand, sending back a mental agreement as well.

Anke looked sourly after her brother had left. "Mom says he should learn to ask for things out loud. She says it weirds dad out too much if we talk like that."

"I shall do my best to keep it in mind," Ma'al promised her, holding the youngest of the hatchlings away from his face. Karim, deprived of the joy of scratching along Ma'als face, immediately started to howl his displeasure.

Now this was something new. He looked around for Valentine, before realizing that his fellow King was nowhere in the vicinity. "Please refrain from this noise, young one. It's not seemly for a hatchling to-"

The crying got louder, threatening to pop an eardrum. Someone tugged on Ma'als robes, and when he looked down Anke offered him a stick with a ball on top of it. The item rattled as he picked it up, quieting the crying spell. Ma'al shook it up and down a bit more, pleased to see Karim pay full attention to it. "Is this used in teaching hatchl- children how to fetch?"

Anke giggled, shaking her head fiercely. "Of course not, uncle Ma'al. Don't worry, he'll fall asleep soon." A few seconds of silence, only broken by the sound of rattling.

"Say… uncle Ma'al… would you be interested in watching a movie with me?"

The King looked at Anke again. The young girl was twirling a dark blond curl around her finger, peering up at him from between her eyelashes. He started to make a pleasant remark when they heard something that sounded remarkably like a small explosion. He wasn't truly alarmed - who was to say what was normal in this Nest - until he could see small wafts of smoke coming from the sleeping area. Damon soon came from that direction, his eyebrows singed and slightly wafting smoke.

"I think you might need to see this," he announced both out loud and mentally.

Seconds after something small and buzzing flew over the boys head, bouncing against a wall before circling the living room. Ma'al and Karim followed it as it flew in circles, the buzzing growing more and more annoying with each passing second.

"I got it to work, but I think I connected some wires wrong," Damon explained while he scuffled his feet. It would seem that he hadn't expected this kind of failure tonight.

Ma'al found himself being handed a fly swatter by Anke. "You should probably catch it before our parents get back. Mom promised dad there wouldn't be any more experiments in the house after the espresso machine."

The King decided that later would be the best time to inform what an 'espresso' was, and why it had to be made with a machine, indoors. Instead he deposited Karim on the ground, handing the child the rattling ball on a stick, before rolling up his sleeves. Mindful of what Valentine had repeated time and again, he checked the knots keeping his robes in place. The small apparatus kept circling around, tapping against the wall, nearing the windows. When it reached the curtains, a ripping sound filled the air.

The rotating blades cleanly cut the curtains loose. Judging from the groans Anke and her brother issued, Ma'al judged that wasn't a good thing. He leaped over the sofa, changing the groaning to cheering. But when he hit the little machine, the blades sliced through the fly swatter with screeching snags. The machine changed direction, going over his head towards the kitchen. Ma'al followed suite, leaping over the couch and then the table, his robes threatening to tangle his legs.

He followed, left and right. Somewhere underneath his feet brightly colored balls sprang and bounced, sending him face first against the dining counter. The children behind him groaned, this time as if a favorite player in a sport had been damaged. The machine was bumping up and down in a corner of the room. For how long would be anyone's guess. Ma'al soon found a glass, and filled it with water as soon as he could. Before the machine could decide to try a different escape route he flung the water in the glass at it. Upon contact it sparked, ominous whirring accompanying dark smoke clouds. It landed on the counter and in the sink, where Ma'al happily doused it with more water.

"Awww, you broke it!" Damon shouted, standing next to Ma'al to peer inside the sink. Ma'al considered he would have to find a solution to the singed eyebrows. The boy fished out the machine, holding it delicately by one of the sharp rotors. "The engine wasn't easy to find, y'know. I'll have to ask aunt Keira to send me a new one. Say, do you smell coffee?"

Ma'al took a deep sniff, and realized he did indeed smell coffee. Suspicious, he turned around. Anke and Karim were nowhere to be seen, but he did hear someone pleading very loudly to 'stop doing that'. In three great steps he was back in the living room, where Anke was desperately trying to close a cardboard box. The box was soaked through with coffee, giving easy way underneath her hands. "It wasn't me! Karim pushed the box, and I think the battery turned back on."

"Self-charging battery. Mom was actually really proud of it," Damon explained while Ma'al rushed to Anke's side.

Dark liquid gently dripped from the box, spreading over the white stone floor. Ma'al opened the box, trying to find an off-switch. "How do I turn this thing off?"

When no answer came, Ma'al glared around him. He turned around, machine in his hands. The coffee sloshed over his hands, coming from an opening at the side of the machine. It was hot, burning his hands. Ma'al decided that crude measures were better than no measures at all, and without words hurled the machine towards the balcony. The machine bounced, leaving sprinkles and dashes of coffee grit in its wake. From outside he heard a growl, and Meta looked inside to see what the worry was about. The machine fell down with much clanging. Ma'al felt a grim satisfaction at that.

"Want me to see if it's dead?" Meta inquired.

Ma'al nodded, surveying the room. There was some damage to the room, certainly, but so far he had done splendidly. He rubbed his hands together. "It was nice spending this time with you, children. I'm certain your parents will be back soon now."

"Uncle Ma'al?" Anke gently diverted his attention to the clock. "You've only been here for fifteen minutes. Can we watch a movie now?"

|Early Morning|

"Oh Jak, I'm sure they'll be fine. They have Ma'al and Meta to look after them… say, do you smell coffee too?" Valentine kept up with Jak's firm pace despite the dress swishing about her ankles. Jak sniffed the air and assented he smelled it as well.

"Reminds me of that espresso machine you made. Which you promised you would throw away, remember?"

"I put it next to the door… oh, I'll throw it out now, as soon as Ma'al is gone. All in all, I'd say things went well. We made it through the entire evening without a single mishap."

Jak nodded, opening the door to the royal apartment. The smell of coffee, smoke and tomato sauce grew stronger in the air. Judging from the sounds, someone was listening to the weather channel. They stepped inside, following a trail of spaghetti strands and coffee grounds. With every step they took Jak's expression grew more grim, while Valentine already practiced her 'I'm sorry I though a Metal King would be qualified as a babysitter' speech.

They were met by the sight of Ma'al passed out on the sofa, surrounded by two of his charges. All three of them were wearing robes, fashioned from what Valentine thought looked a lot like her curtains. Anke was curled around a pillow, in the crook of Ma'als arm. Damon looked a tad comical, sleeping upside down with smears of spaghetti sauce around his mouth.

"Is it me, or do his eyebrows look a tad… strange?" Valentine said in a low voice.

"They look like his favorite shade of crayon," Jak replied, biting the inside of his cheek in a mixture of anger and amusement.

The picture was completed by Meta appearing from one of the bedrooms, holding Karim's diaper in her mouth, carrying the stout infant across the room. She snorted once, surveying the room, indicating she wasn't responsible for the mess.

"Do you want wake-up duty or breakfast duty?" Valentine asked, stepping out of her fancy dress shoes.

"I don't think I'm ready to see the kitchen yet. Breakfast first, yelling later," Jak grunted, rubbing his neck. He knelt, taking his youngest son from the Metal Head who sought out the cleanest spot on the carpet to take a nap herself.

"Daddy!" Karim shouted, throwing his arms around his father. Jak pressed a kiss on the forehead of his son, surveying the room. He found himself considering the following question : which was more dangerous? A Metal King trying to rip him apart, or a Metal King babysitting?

|My Best Friend|

Ma'al carefully guided Valentine to the hilltop, trying to be casual about handling her like glass. Of course she caught on, as the sharp jab between his ribs proved. With a smile he rubbed the sore spot, before they sat down on the bench. The walk here took longer every single time they made it, but the Metal King did not mind. He enjoyed the time he got to spend with Valentine.

As the years had progressed, so had the white in her hair, until now it shone in the sunlight, almost like a beacon. The wrinkles in her face had become more pronounced, showing how weathered she had become thanks to the desert. But the deepest creases, the ones near her eyes and the corners of her mouth, hadn't appeared until after Jak's death. Nobody had ever thought she'd survive the blow as well as she had. Though, as she had said, there was still a lot of work to do. Still, she hadn't been quite the same these past years.

"Care to tell me why you're looking at me like that?" she asked him, turning to face him. Ah, but those eyes had never changed. That dark blue still held the same sharpness, the same curiosity and animal ferocity they always had.

Ma'al bowed his head, his black hair fluttering in the wind. He hadn't found the energy to slick it back, and besides, it was getting too long for that either way. "Just considering, how strange your species is."

Valentine smiled, and for a moment he saw her like she had been the first time he'd seen her. "You mean, how weird the both of us are. If it hadn't been for us meeting, Spargus would never have grown like this."

He considered the city spread below them, seeing how the shapes of both his own children mingled with those they had once regarded as food. The entire city hummed with energy, Eco, and the voices of his own kind. Here and there he found an echo, one of Valentine and Jak's children who'd gotten a bit of Metal in them. Next to him he could sense the contented purr of Valentine's mind. She was barely conscious of it these days, but they were always connected. That bond had only come after Meta had succumbed to age, when Valentine had desperately needed someone to have that bond with.

"I believe I saw my first gray hair this morning," Ma'al announced, grinning for a moment.

"Can't. You still have your baby face. I'm guessing your first gray hair isn't due for at least another century, longer if you can avoid the fangirls." She teased him in good nature. At the next gust of wind she shivered. Ma'al lifted his arm, allowing her to scoot closer. When he lowered it, he could feel her bones, and the frailty of her frame. If he had known how to cry, he believed he would have done it.

"No, my friend, you still have a long way to go," She said, leaning her head against him. She way looking at a point in the center of the city. He assumed she was trying to see the statue that had been erected after the fight against Erol, all those years ago. A simple block inscribed with the names of everyone they had lost in those days. It was fitting for the Wastelanders, and quite probably impossible for Valentine to see at the moment. Valentine continued, yawning. "It makes me feel at ease, you know? At least there will be someone in Spargus who knows what's what. Though there is one decision I will always regret."

Ma'al at once shifted towards her. "You must share that decision with me, King Valentine."

She looked at him with a pokerface, every bit a dignified old lady. "I will always regret I didn't let you run around naked more. Really should've appreciated the sight when I was younger."

The upturned corner of her mouth, along with the sly twinkle in her eye, was enough to make him laugh wholeheartedly. "My fellow King, you still manage to surprise me."

"Good, shows at least my brain isn't succumbing to old age," she snipped, laughing as well. They settled down again, enjoying the silence, before she broke it once more. "I can say, without a doubt, I am honored to have known you, Ma'al."

Ma'al smiled, and felt at ease when he was allowed to take her hand in his. In this moment there was nothing else he could have wished for, not even the thrill of the hunt. Those had become less enjoyable after losing Jak anyway. He had appreciated Valentine's nest mate, though at times he had also felt a stab of jealousy. But in the end, he had prioritized the happiness of his friends. Learning how they did things had been challenging enough. Now Valentine was the only thing he had left of what he termed 'the old world'. Everything had become so new these days. New inventions, new habits, new faces. Only two months ago he'd been named godfather of one of Valentine's grandchildren.

After a few minutes he spoke again. "Anke has invited me for dinner tonight, King Valentine. She will make a fine successor, when the time comes."

When no answer came he squeezed her hand, ever so gently. She'd developed a habit of falling asleep at the most random times. "King Valentine?"

Turning, gently so as not to startle her, he managed to maneuver so her head rested against his chest. Over time he had learned how fragile she could be. Ever so slowly he moved his fingers to her jawline, across the soft flesh, to her cheekbone. His thumb passed just underneath her eye, following the scar swiping to her nose. He couldn't say why, but it felt far more intimate than the times they had knocked each other against the ground in the Arena. Back then he had never realized how easily she and hers could be hurt.

No reaction came, and his heart dropped. He realized it, in the back of his mind, where normally Valentine's presence was softly glowing. Nothing but darkness, endless and terrifying, loomed there. Still he tried to denied what had happened; for this surely couldn't have happened. Not in full daylight, with seagulls screaming in the background.

"King Valentine, I fear I do not understand this joke you are playing. Please… please explain it this instance," Ma'al started, fearing he might be right in his fears. The words felt thick and clumsy in his mouth, threatening to choke him. When she still didn't answer him, he touched her cheeks, lifting her to face him.

The smile she had so generously shared in her friendship still rested on the corners of her mouth. The wind blew through her hair and for a moment he could fool himself. Taking a deep breath he rested his forehead against hers, his gem against her skin. He closed his eyes, thinking back to their first meeting. He had been so excited back then, even if he had tried not to show it. "Do not leave me, King Valentine. I ask of you, do not leave me. That would be a most cruel punishment."

No answer came, and now he understood how she had felt, that day she had lost Jak. Only she had screamed and pleaded, threatening to harm anyone who tried to console her before breaking down in violent sobs.

This moment he allowed himself to believe that she had truly understood how much she had meant to him. She had seen him as he was, not from the beginning, but she had taken the effort to learn about him. She had learned to read him, and she had been the first. After her others had come, but nobody had been able to do it like her. The empty space where once she had been threatened to consume him.

"Val… what do you expect me to do, when my best friend is gone?"

|A New Beginning|

Ma'al watched the dawn of a new day, his robes gently swaying in the breeze. After so many decades he'd gotten used to them. Now he hardly noticed they were there, unless he got snagged behind something with them. Though these days he rarely spent his days looking humanoid, much preferring the company of his own children. He held Valentine and Jak's family close to his heart, but they perished so quickly. They burnt bright but fast, though slower than most of their kind, but always ended before he was ready to let them go. After Anke's first son had died he had begun to withdraw, only appearing on official occasions, or when there was a birth. Or when the little ones came to beg him for a story.

"King Ma'al, we were looking for you. Queen Eais has gone into labor since last night, and tradition dictates you be present for the naming ceremony." The man who appeared behind him sounded friendly, not in the least bit intimidated. And why should they be? The Metal Heads had been living with the citizens for Spargus for such a long time, there weren't even stories left to contradict this fact. Only Ma'al inspired some awe, because he was still the King that had started this co-habitation. He was the only one left from the Old World, when things had been harsher and wilder.

He nodded, sliding his hand across the bench as he followed. He could have transformed and flown over, but the women from the Mar family always took a long time to deliver a hatchling. That was one thing that still fascinated him. Nine months, give or take a few weeks, and all they had to show for it was one or two offspring at a time. The system wasn't economical at all, though given their size he supposed it could be excused.

He had even gotten used to the haphazard way people got around. Though none of them possessed enough of the mental ability to actively communicate - and hence alert him should they suddenly decide to swerve left or right - he had gotten used to reading their body language. Sometimes he would frequent the Arena, before memories of before weighed him down. Even Vin wasn't around anymore these days. One day the hologram had quietly announced it wished to be deleted, feeling it had outlived its usefulness.

Sometimes Ma'al felt like that as well, he pondered as he opened the doors to the palace. As if there was no real use for him anymore. Oh, his children still needed him, but there was nobody who could make an impression on him. Nobody he could share his thoughts with. He had tried, often. He'd built a few tentative friendships, much like the one he'd had with Warrior Sig, or even had a few romantic dalliances. But in the end he'd had lost them all, every single one. Even the Mar family. Valentine had once joked that her longevity was due to the Metal blood she'd injected herself with. It was a trait that had seemingly passed to the family.

It would seem his timing had proven impeccable. Just as he entered the small lounge where the entire family was gathered, a blood curdling scream pierced the air. It was quiet for a few moments, and then a baby started crying in the other room. Ma'al found himself surrounded by people, with hair ranging from dark to light, most of them with some shade of blue eyes. A small girl - Kiara, he thought - wobbled to him as fast as she could.

"Uncle Ma'al," she said earnestly, grabbing his robes before she could fall down. With a smile he picked her up, and was immediately hugged tightly. She was soon followed by several of her nieces and nephews, most of them preferring him over the novelty of a new addition to their family. After he had solemnly greeted every single one of them - Heere even stole two kisses on the cheek from him - he finally made his way to the bedroom, where he was greeted by an exhausted queen.

Eais greeted him with a weary smile, dark blond hair plastered to her skull. "There you are. Did you manage to fight your way through the hatchlings?"

"Only with great effort," he replied, smiling as warmly as he could. Eais was one of his favorites, because she was prepared to listen to any story he told, no matter how many times she'd heard them. Her husband made a small bow towards Ma'al, before gesturing he should turn around. Behind him a monk was waiting, face elaborately tattooed. In their hands a small bundle waited for him to take over.

"It's a girl," Eais announced from her bed, eyes still glazed over from her ordeal. It was her second child, and just like with the previous one she was determined to get back on her feet as soon as possible.

Ma'al accepted the tiny bundle, his big hands gently cradling the moving form. Memory served him to support the little head, and he grimaced when he saw the little thing. Blue and red, squished and still a tad moist, it resembled every bit a newborn Metal Head, with the disadvantage of needing several years before it could fend for itself.

"You always make that face when you see them. Did nobody ever bother teaching you tact?" Eais asked, allowing the monk to check up on her.

Ma'al grinned, and unconsciously reached out for the person who had once, in fact, attempted to teach him. His breath hitched when he actually found something there, reaching back out to him. He looked around him, to see which one of them was able to so effortlessly reach him. Had he missed anyone in the years he'd been so withdrawn? But none of the adults showed any sign of having felt him.

"I've been thinking, about the stories you told me when I was a little girl. Funny, I was so sure it would be a girl, I never bothered thinking up a name for a boy."

Ma'al glanced down and this time, straining himself, ghosted out his presence to the tiny baby in his hands. The mental energy struck back at him in full force, untamed and unsure of what to do. His hands began to shake as he realized what this could mean, as he reached out a bit firmer. The baby reached back, the energy flailing and undeniably there in a place of his mind that had been empty far too long.

"We're going to name her Valentine, after the hero you told us so much about. I always thought she sounded fantastic, and we… Ma'al, what's wrong?"

For the first time in his life, Ma'al found himself crying. Never before had he imagined being granted another chance. He shook his head, walking towards the King that had made this possible. With endless tenderness he settled newborn Valentine in her mother's arms, pressing a kiss against Eais brow.

"Thank you, King Eais. Valentine will be… simply perfect."