SUMARY: Coral is no longer the good little Avian.
WARNING: I do not know what this story will have, so ratings will change at any time. Cussing, blood... The usual warning on any of my stories.
DISCLAIMER: I do not own any of the original characters.
Chap 5
I awoke with a familiar, yet still surprising weight on my stomach. The first morning I had freaked out, jerking away and in the process slamming a fist in his face. He wasn't too happy about that one. He'd been moody that whole day. But not moody enough to keep me from the startling delights he had shown me. Now I didn't stiffen from shock. Rather I burrowed closer to him, seeking the heat of covers and companionship.
I smiled as I noticed his garnet eyes open, studying me. I no longer dropped my gaze with him. After all I shared my body with him so why not my eyes? In all honesty I was happy.
"Good morning."He pressed a chaste kiss to my lips, and I moaned. Naturally it led to more interesting things but all too soon he pulled away. I was languid in a bliss I'd not known existed, his eyes on my form through the covers. I was still far too modest to brazenly reveal myself like him.
"Will you contact your sister today?" It was a daily asked question but it was enough to have me hiding in my avian reserve again. Seeing him wince I dropped it but bit my lip. The topic of Danica always made me grow fearful. By all rights I should have been there, at the keep, being heir-like. I should have been with an Avian Alistair. Instead I was happy with the enemy. Sleeping with the enemy's king! What a predicament. Seeing my face he didn't press as always. I should have known I couldn't hide from my sister forever though.
We were in the market, Zane pressing all sort of odd delicacies into my mouth. Juice dribbled down the side of my lips as I bit down on a piece of lamb. I laughed as Zane teasingly licked it off, tingling from the sensation. The sudden tensing of his body alerted me that somebody was behind me. My mind blanked as I realized the tempo of the hearts was like mine.
Not surprisingly I spun to see my former guard there. Erica, Karl, Gerard and… Rei… Zane tightened his grip on my arms as he saw the thunderous expression on Erica's face. The resignation on Reis face. The gesture seemed to make things worse. I could feel the crowd pressing in on us, ready to fight. Perhaps I'd been wrong to wait a month to contact them but still… They didn't have to look so mad!
"So it's true." Rei murmured sadly. "You've betrayed your people for a serpiente." To say the last I was shocked. I'd given them peace! Why couldn't they understand that? In the month I'd been here no battles had been fought that hadn't been started by the Avian's. And they always ended with no loss of life on the Avian's side. Thinking on it her people probably thought they were winning a war that, to the serpiente, been over since I wed Zane.
Speaking of Zane he'd positioned himself in front of me. The action made Karl snarl out a response. I gasped and felt Zane stiffen more. I placed my hand on his arm and the tension drained away. Thank the gods.
"Your mistaken I'm afraid. Coral is not yours. She happens to be my Naga." His words were calm but I heard the thread of steel undertone, daring any to contradict him. Rei cast a disbelieving glance at me. Seeing no denial on my face his crumbled. Then it returned to a mask of indifference. His voice was cold and unfeeling
"As you have failed to deny the accusations we must ask you to return with us to be tried as a… Traitor." His voice hesitated on the last word. Zane turned to embrace me but I don't think he understood fully what being called a traitor meant to me. They clipped the wing of traitors…
"You want me to… Let you butcher my wings?" I forced out and felt the angry ripple run through the crowd. In the month I'd been here I'd been good Naga. They respected me and, I realized with a shock, accepted me more than the Avian's ever did. And Zane… I thought he perhaps felt more for me than bare tolerance. All those nights together… In his eyes was a tenderness that I knew was genuine. The thought was confirmed when he let his rage be known.
"You will leave now and never return." He said.
"Not without the prisoner-"Erica began but Gregory cut her off.
"You will either leave willingly or we will send you home in pieces." I didn't know where he had come from but I was thankful for his support as I felt tears pricking. I was so unused to my avian reserve now I very rarely used it.
"We will take her by force if need be." Rei was deadly calm, a soldier. I was frozen as I realized that in his eyes I was an enemy.
"The only reason you walk out is because it would upset my Naga," The title directed at Karl who eyed me with despair in his eyes. "Would object to seeing your blood spilt here before her. But make no mistake if you threaten her any harm again in front of me I will rip your wings out feather by feather before slitting your throats. Now leave" Zane ordered. I'd heard this particular chilling voice only once before when Adelia refused to acknowledge me. Rei gave Zane an appraising look before casting me a look of pure disgust.
"You've found a loyal thing to share your tainted bed." Erica said. Karl pushed forward to me but Zane's guard… My guard as well surged n front of him, blocking him.
"Please Coral! Rethink this… I'll still become your Alistair; your sister will forgive you." When Serpiente grows wings would she forgive me. I stepped in front of Zane and very calmly placed his hands on my sides. He laced his long fingers naturally together across my stomach. They felt so right there. I felt so right there in his arms, his bed. As his Naga…
"I belong here." I said simply, finding a courage I didn't know was there. Zane pressed a kiss on the back of my head, his hands brushing in the feathers at the nape of my neck. He no longer hesitated at them; in fact he sought them out, absorbing the texture with his fingertips. I didn't flinch when he shifted to have his scales. I would run my palm slowly across them, relishing when he lifted me off my feet and made love to me wearing them at first until he was swept up I passion and couldn't hold the form.
"Then Coral Shardae-"
"Cobrianna." I interrupted him and he scowled.
"As you have refused the chance to come back clear and refuse to return to face trial… I have no choice but to declare you dead to our world. Do you understand that?"
"Yes Rei a do. Tell Danica the war is over. We will not attack you unless you attack us." And now the hard part. "As Naga I must support my Nags order for you to leave. Force will be used if you don't obey me in this."
The others simply left not looking at me or Zane. Karl hesitated a minute before shifting. Rei also hesitated, the soldier mask gone to show me my friend, the Hawk.
"Your secret is still safe with me." I told him softly.
"Cor…" A nickname I hadn't heard in years. Face tortured he flew away, the beat of his wings showing his hurt, his anger. I turned to Zane He saw the tears in my eyes and pulled me to him.
To my people I was dead… I was dead yet alive. But I didn't weep for that. They weren't my people anymore, the Serpientes were. I wept for hurting a friend. Zane stroked my gold curls, whispering sweet nothings. I cried so much he had to carry me to our room. There he kissed my hurt away, making me think of other things. I know I cried out my feelings for him. "I love you!" And much to my shock, and enjoyment, he responded with the same three words. And I knew he meant them because Zane didn't say things he didn't mean. Not something as important as this at least.
After he held me with loving tenderness and I asked if he meant it.
"I wouldn't have said it if I didn't." He responded. I smiled at the sincerity in his voice.
"I love you." I whispered against his lips.
"And I you, my one true Naga."
Hawks nest
Danica sat disbelievingly on her thrown. So her sister had in fact left them. And for peace… It hadn't taken her long to figure out the truth of why Coral claimed a serpiente. She couldn't allow this to stand, couldn't allow the sacrifice of her blood. Peace wasn't worth it if she would have this loss as well. No way could Coral actually love that thing! She gazed at her Alistair and the look they shared was obvious.
"We will fight for her return." She said.
AUTHORS NOTE: Ok ignore mistakes for this. I am so so so so so so so so so sorry! I haven't been on in so long! That's over I'm updating all my stories! Please stay with me! Anyway this isn't the last chapter so stay with me.