When Raehn re-entered the room and checked the Wolf Prince's injuries he sighed and suggested that they all let Naeil get some rest. Elsa noted that Raehn whispered something to Magda and she closed her eyes and nodded, exhaling as she did so. The two Queens returned to Elsa's private dining room, and Elsa turned towards the other monarch. "What happened?" she asked.
Madga took a deep breath, "Shortly after Nathaniel and I returned to Yoitsu, we started getting strange reports from our eastern frontier. Animals fleeing, and refugees from places that are known for staying put through anything. When we pieced together the information, it pointed to the return of the Moon Hunting Bear."
Elsa gasped, "The beast that..."
Magda nodded, "The very same. When we asked for Naeil and Ragnar to return, it was initially to discuss the evacuation of Yoitsu, until the beast had passed. Naeil suggested we fight, and I must say, he was very convincing. It takes a lot to change the mind of the Wolf Kind, and even more to change the mind of Holo. He came up with our strategy, but it took the better part of three months to gather our forces and to lure the bear to his ambush site." She paused, "At one point early on, we even suggested sending for you, but Naeil decided against it."
Elsa grunted and the Night Queen laughed, "Actually, his logic was quite sound. If his plan failed, we'd have to evacuate Yoitsu anyways. He felt that such an event would be better served having you firmly on the throne in Arendelle rather than fighting at his side. Please understand, Nathaniel's absence before we were wed caused some issues for us upon his return. Naeil didn't wish to suffer the same problems. He didn't send for you because he needed you here."
Elsa sighed and nodded in understanding. "So, Naeil led the army into battle, what happened next?"
Madga shrugged, "What always happens. We lost soldiers, too many, really. Several of the Wulfen gave their lives and many more were injured, but finally, Naeil snatched our victory, quite literally, in his jaws."
Elsa could not help but feel a bit of pride. Her beloved Wolf Prince had done what many had thought impossible, and saved his homeland. However, she thought as her eyes darkened, at what cost? "You said there others injured like Naeil?"
The Night Queen nodded, "Some merely suffered minor scratches, like Ragnar, for instance. However some have more severe wounds. All are getting worse. Ragnar's wound was minor immediately following the battle. Raehn just told me he lost his eye this morning. Two of the Wulfen have died of their wounds, and they too were less severe originally. I believe Naeil would have also died, if not for his Vampiric blood, but it appears to be a stalemate. I'm not sure how much longer his body can resist." She sighed, "If we don't find a solution, and quickly, I'm afraid they will all eventually succumb."
Elsa put her head into her hands, as her chair frosted over. "No, I can't lose him like this. Not so soon, not after..."
Madga nodded, "I know how strongly you love him. You would not have reacted to his feeding the way you did if otherwise."
Elsa sat straighter, "About that. Does that happen every time?"
Magda tilted her head in amusement, "Even better, it actually will become even more intense. Eventually, your bond will be almost telepathic in nature while so joined. You also might want to invest in soundproofing, unless you're comfortable with half the staff knowing your toes are curled."
The Snow Queen blushed in embarrassment. It was true, though. If Naeil had not been injured, if not for the fact that his mother had been present in the room. Given all that had occurred and the way she'd felt during and immediately after his drinking of her blood, she would probably be still in that room with him, proper royal decorum be damned.
Magda smiled, "Do you have a library here?"
Elsa nodded, "Of course, this way."
The two Queens walked down the hall and entered the Library. Magdalena turned, "Go get some rest, my dear. I'm just going to be reading up on some things. You'd be surprised what is often hidden away in these old books."
Elsa started to protest, but the yawn she let loose ended it before it really began. Walking back along the corridor, she nearly gave into the temptation to return to her own bedchamber, and sleep next to Naeil. However, whatever this curse upon the Wolf Kind who'd fought the Moon Hunting Bear was, it was causing him enough injuries without her making them worse. Walking across the hall, she knocked on the door before her. "Anna?"
The face that greeted her was not Anna's but rather that of her husband. He smiled, "Come on in, Elsa. We've been expecting you."
Elsa smiled and notice as he entered the room that there was a second bed already made up in the room. She moved towards it, but Anna called out from the bed where she was already lying beneath the covers, "No, you're with me tonight, Sister."
Elsa tried to protest, but Kristoff held up his hands, "It's okay, Elsa. This was partly my idea too."
Elsa awoke to groaning, and saw Anna sitting up in the bed, drinking from a mug. "Did the honey help?"
Anna smiled weakly, "Oh yes, it's great...bur!"
Elsa quickly grabbed her robe and moved out the door and down the hall towards her husband. He was already awake and looked at her, "Hey, my love."
She smiled desperately, "Hey..."
She moved towards his lips, which returned the kiss weakly. Elsa smiled as she exposed her neck, and the Wolf Prince, drawn by a desire he both prized and feared, leaned in.
Naeil bit down, his wife gasping slightly, as he let beastly side go. Elsa gasped in pleasure, as she let go of her control in the throes of her husband's pleasure. This Morning, the past was in the past. Fears were laid aside as Elsa and Naiel gave in to each other's desire. Elsa let her husband rake her with tooth and claw, Naiel gave in to his wife's freezing touch. Every moment, they held each other's gaze...hearing the song she had sang..."Let It Go."
He joined in, and what had been a solo song of power became a duet of kindred spirit and oneness. When it was done, Naeil pulled Elsa into him..."What do you want of me?" Elsa froze, but then smiled, "I want You to get better, the rest, we can discuss later." Naeil smiled and nodded, "I will be the Knight you need of me."
Elsa smiled, and leaned in close, "I hope not too much of a Knight...my dear Wolf."
Naiel smiled, but then noticed the barely noticeable marks he'd left on Elsa's pale neck, "My love, I'm so sorry."
Elsa stood, and glared down at her husband. "Don't you dare feel guilty for these!" she declared, grasping at the fang marks as a treasure. "You gave me these as a mark of yourself... I am honored to bear them." Naeil looked confused, and Elsa chuckled, "You're immortal because as long as anything I've created from my snow exists, you do as well. Let me have a measure of you as well."
Naeil smiled, and nodded in acceptance. "Very well, my beloved Snow Queen."
Kristoff was shirtless, working the pell, sweat dripping off of him. He stopped as he detected Naiel walk in, trying to be casual but still heavily leaning on every support offered him.
"My Prince!" he blurted , bowing.
Naiel paused, trying to lean casually against one of the support beams, and smiled. "Kris, we are family. If you insist on being formal outside of official functions..."
The mountain man immediately relaxed, "Sorry, but I am trying..."
"To be worthy of the honor appointed you," Naiel finished. He breathed deeply, "You are originally of common, human birth."
Kristoff opened his mouth in protest, but the Wolf Prince continued. "Which is precisely why I inducted you into the Order. Any organization that believes itself above and beyond will ultimately fail."
Kristoff stood before the Wolf Prince, who needed the support of a wooden beam to stand upright, "The power of the pack is the weakest pack member?"
Naiel nodded, and stood straight, walking slowly to a weapons rack. "Correct."
Kristoff was suddenly faced with a confident Wulfen wielding a training blade made of Rattan. He smiled and walked over and grabbed a similar blade of his own and settled into a ready stance.
"One might surmise you are the weakest," Kristoff said, his expression one of worry.
Naiel's smile widened, "Test that."
The figures clashed, rattan blades clattering off each other.
