Royalty Meets Royalty

by ArchdaemonCorvus

Summary:

A foreign prince is gifted to an elven princess as a prisoner of war. He soon finds out her situation is not so fortunate either. Will their meeting change the tide of a century-long war?

Chapter 1: Royalty Meets Royalty

War. 

It can be started over the smallest things. An unintentional gesture, taken as offense, a woman, or perhaps even a sneeze in the wrong place, at the wrong time. 

This one, however, started with the spillage of innocent blood. Or so they claimed. Nobody knew how or why this war started. They only knew it had been going on for a century now, initially with fierce battles raging across the land, which slowly petered off into guerrilla strikes against each other.

As of now, the war was at a stalemate. Both sides had suffered heavy losses, and had pulled back to regroup. 

There were three factions involved in the war- The Bastion, mainly consisting of the unified armies of the Elven, Mermish, Dwarven, and Human races, with other members scattered in.

The opposing faction was The Dakh'ragh- Orcs, Minotaurs, Tieflings, Elementals, and a strange new race that had appeared in these lands. They called them demons, but that was a name given to anything that appeared monstrous and wasn't understood. 

The third faction was- of course- the Merchant Guild. They were open about dealing with both sides, and currently commandeered the largest gathering of wealth thanks to the war. However, something was about to happen that would drastically change the course of the war. 

There was a knock at Gwyneira's door. "Princess? Your father wishes you to come down to the courtyard, if you please." The voice of the captain of the guard- Jiras- came from the other side. 

Gwyneira sighed, then put her comb down. She glanced at herself in the mirror. Her white, flowing locks were mostly straightened out, and her almost milk-white skin was flawless. Her pale blue eyes stared back at herself, before she pouted her pink lips, making a face at herself.  

She adjusted her belt and robes, making sure they were perfect, before she walked to the door and opened it. The elven man outside immediately bowed his head. 

He was old- he'd been around longer than her father had been king. His skin was tanned and leathery, and he had a well defined face with a strong jaw. He had a beard, a scar across his cheek, and only one working eye. The other was covered by an eyepatch with as many rumours surrounding it as the hairs on his head. 

"Why does he want me to come to the courtyard, captain?" She asked softly. 

"He wishes to show you your new… pet." The captain murmured, his face souring slightly.

Gwyneira raised an eyebrow, but seeing that no further details were forthcoming, turned and strode down the hallway, Jiras following behind to escort her to the courtyard. 

When she entered the courtyard, the first thing she saw was a large object, covered by a cloth. The second was her father, King Eidiron, standing near it with all the members of the King's Guard, and the palace wizard, a Mermaid by the name of Melissri. 

"Greetings, daughter. I've got you a present." The king said with a smile as he gestured to the large object. 

"That is a very large present, father." Gwyneira murmured as she approached the object. 

"That's just the box. Your real present is inside. Go on- open it up." He said with a smile. It was a dark, twisted smile- one that had come to mean he had something sick planned. 

She swallowed, then cautiously reached out, gripping the cloth. She pulled hard, and the cloth slipped off the object underneath. 

There was a metal cage before her, and within it, sat a… strange creature, on crossed legs. 

The first thing she noticed was that it was big- easily twice her size and then some. It had jet black skin, with metallic purple tattoos over its chest, arms, and neck. It had large, clawed hands- one of which was currently covering its face from the bright light of the sun, and taloned feet. The claws and talons were… metal? They glinted in the dark, curiously enough. Two horns grew from the back of its head, curving around to the front and then upwards, almost like a crown, and also metal. 

The creature had shimmering, silvery hair, and eyebrows- a stark contrast to the darkness of its skin and metal. Its hair was tied back in a braid that went down its back. Two pointed ears poked out- almost elven in their shape, only bigger. He had a handsome face- but sharp and angular, like it had been carved from marble. He had high cheekbones, a strong jaw, and thin lips. 

The creature had metal spikes jutting out of its elbows, and sharp metal plates on its knees. There was also a raised ridge on each of its arms, with a hole in the front, and a groove over its shins. 

Around its- his, rather- it appeared to be a male- neck, sat a mithril collar etched with runes. Gwyneira immediately recognised Melissri's runework.  

The hand lowered after a moment, and she saw dark purple eyes quickly glance her way, then at the Mermaid, before they settled on her father, and immediately filled with rage. 

The beast leapt, slamming against the bars with a roar as it reached out, trying to grab her father through the bars. She saw its cheeks split as it roared, showing off a set of large, sharp metal teeth. It was at that point she realised this creature's bones were… likely entirely metal. 

She jumped slightly, startled by the noise. A clanging noise alerted her to the fact that this… thing… had a thick tail as well, with a blade on the end, which was slamming around inside the cage. 

There was also what appeared to be a dark purple gem set in the creature's forehead, though she wasn't sure whether it was decorative or served a purpose. 

The purpose of the hole in the ridge on his arms, however, quickly became quite clear as a curved metal blade shot out, stopping a mere inch from her father's nose. 

"Mel, the collar, if you please." The king said, his head rearing back only slightly. His voice, however , was tight. He was trying to control the faint fear in his voice. 

The mermaid nodded, then whispered the activation spell. 

A gem on the collar lit up, and the beast screeched in pain as it was shocked. It fell back into the cage, writhing and clawing at the collar around its neck as it rolled around. 

Her heart squeezed in her chest- enemy or not, this was just… inhumane. Yet, she said nothing. She couldn't. 

Her father smirked as he watched it squirm and scream for a minute or so, before he nodded to the wizard, who whispered another spell. 

The collar stopped shocking the beast, who lay still, panting heavily. His back was to the cage, and she could see a row of quills going down its spine, large between the shoulders, but slowly tapering down in size as they approached his tail. 

"So… how do you like your new pet?" King Eidiron asked, looking at Gwyneira. 

"It's- it's a wonderful gift, father. Thank you." She said, forcing the words out of her mouth, and then forcing a smile on top of them. 

"Wonderful! I knew you'd like it. Just slip a leash onto that collar, and you can even parade him around town too." He said with a grin, before he leaned closer. 

"I even heard that this thing is a prince, of sorts! Hahaha! As if these savages have any notion of royalty." He said, before he shook his head. 

"Don't worry. The creature will not be able to harm you. The collar will detect any hostile movement and immediately shock it." He murmured, before he gently patted her head. "As if I'd let any harm come to my darling daughter." He cooed.

It was a show… but she had to go along with the lie, lest she suffer the consequences later. 

She forced a smile and nodded. "Of course, father. Thank you." She replied softly. 

"Now then… Let the beast out!" He said, gesturing for the guards to open the door of the cage. 

One guard carefully reached out and grabbed the bolt, before he pulled it back and unlocked it. 

The door swung open, and the beast was immediately out, snarling as it swung a blow down at one of the guards. 

Just before the blow connected, the collar activated, and the beast let out a pained screech, falling over onto his back as he clawed at the collar. 

The shock this time was much shorter, but just as intense, leaving him panting heavily. 

"Haha! It works! Excellent work, my mage." King Eidiron said, patting Melissri on the shoulder. 

She bowed her head and smiled, though Gwyneira could tell that it was forced as well. She'd seen that very smile on her own face far too many times. 

Her father reached into his robes, and produced a thick chain of mithril, which he handed to Gwyneira. 

"Go on… Leash the beast." He said with a smile. 

She took the chain and swallowed, before she approached the creature on the ground. She knelt next to its head, and fastened the chain to the collar, before giving it a tug to make sure it was secure. 

The tug made the creature open his eyes, and they flicked towards her, before he let out a low, warning growl. 

No emotion. She couldn't show any. Not now. Not while he was watching. 

She stood, and tugged on the chain. The creature slowly stood as well, towering over her, and glaring spitefully down at her. 

"He's… big." Gwyneira murmured. 

"He is, isn't he? He'll make a fine trophy." The king said, putting a hand on her back. 

She couldn't help it. She flinched away slightly. 

His hand left her back, and folded behind his. She closed her eyes and swallowed. She'd messed up. She could see it on his face- a cold, icy expression, like a sharpened edge of glass- it looked harmless, but cut deep. 

She felt the beast's eyes on her. He'd noticed.

She didn't look up.  

"Now then… Why don't you head into town, my darling daughter? I think the people would like to see our enemy at our mercy." King Eidiron said, a cold smile stretching his lips. 

"Yes, father." She said, her voice monotonous and emotionless. 

She raised her head, and blinked when she realised she was just about eye level with his crotch- which, thankfully- was covered up by a loincloth. 

She looked up at him for a moment, then away as she tugged on his leash. "Move." She said sternly as she started walking out of the courtyard. 

"Sire, perhaps I should accompany-" Jiras started to say, but was cut off by the king raising his hand as he watched them walk away. "You will do no such thing. You trained her. Have you no confidence in her?" He said, his voice dripping with acid. It was a trap- a setup for a punishing retort that Jiras had no choice but to walk into. 

"I do, my lord, but the people-" He started to say, but the king rounded on him. 

"Have you no faith in my rule, captain? Hm? Should I have you executed for treason? Ha! Insinuating that the people here are unhappy with my rule… Foolish." He said, before he stalked off, a satisfied smirk on his face at putting the captain in his place. 

Jiras watched princess Gwyneira head down to the town square, and sighed. This… wasn't going to end well. 

The beast's steps thudded quietly behind her as they walked, his tail swaying to help him stay balanced. For being so large, he walked surprisingly quietly. 

"Do you have a name? Something I can call you besides… I don't know, pet or something?" She asked quietly, without looking over her shoulder. 

No response. 

She paused, then turned to look up at him. "Do you… understand me? Understand my words?" She asked. 

He stared down at her, his expression stony and unreadable. 

"Well… whether you understand me or not, I'm going to talk at you anyway." She said, before she turned and kept walking. 

At the bottom of the path that led from the castle, she paused, then sighed. Her hand rested on the pommel of her sword. She'd left her shield in her room- she didn't think she'd be needing it, but… she wished she'd picked it up now. 

It was too late to go back now. If her father saw her return too early, the consequences would be… unpleasant, to say the least. 

Her skin crawled, and she shuddered slightly, rubbing at her arms to make the sensations go away. 

She tugged on the chain, and he followed along, his metal talons clicking on the cobblestone path. 

It wasn't much, at first. Gasps of shock and surprise, which quickly turned to laughing and jeering. 

But it quickly went downhill when the projectiles started flying. Stones, animal droppings, emptied chamber pots, rotten fruits and vegetables, mud- anything of little value the people could find, they threw. 

Then came the beatings. Whips, chains, branches- even the children of the city joined in, picking up sticks to hit him with, and laughing giddily as they did. 

He walked without a sound. Not a single snarl, growl, bark, or cry escaped his throat. 

Her knuckles were white on the chain. She wanted so badly to shout at them to stop- that he wasn't going to hurt them. 

But she couldn't. Her father had eyes everywhere. 

An iota of visible mercy, and she would be… punished. 

Suddenly- a glint of steel in the crowd. 

She drew her sword, yanking on the chain to pull him behind her as she leveled her blade at a scruffy man. 

"Damage my pet, and I will have your head on a pike outside the castle." She snarled. 

The man swallowed, dropped the dagger, and staggered backwards into the crowd with laughs and insults being hurled his way. 

She could feel his eyes on her. 

She couldn't meet them. 

"Enough! Show's over. Go back home!" She yelled, waiting for the street to clear before she led him back. 

Even then, a stray pebble or fruit hit him on the way back. But she said nothing. She couldn't. 

She had to be the perfect child. Or else. 

She led him back up to the castle, and was passing through the courtyard to get back to her room, when she heard clapping. 

She looked up, towards the throne room, where her father stood, a grin on his face as he clapped slowly. 

"Excellent. Most excellent. He looks much better now than he did before… but do get him cleaned up, dear. That smell offends my nose, much like the mere sight of him does." He said, dismissing her with a wave as he turned away to head back into his throne room. 

She glared up at the balcony for a moment, before she turned and pulled on the chain, leading her new pet to her room. 

"I'll- I'll draw you a bath. Just… stand here. Please." She said, gesturing to a clear spot on the floor. 

She could feel his eyes on her again. She still couldn't meet them. 

She ran to her bathroom, and shut the door behind her. 

She took a deep, shuddering breath, then slowly let it out. 

She strode to the tub and turned on the shower above. She waited for the water to get hot, then opened the bathroom door. 

"Please… come. I need to clean you up." She said softly, gesturing for him to walk in. 

He stared at her for a moment before he obeyed. He walked into the bathroom, then carefully sat in the tub, under the shower. 

Even sitting down, he was still taller than her while she stood at his side. 

She dragged a stool over and stood on it, adjusting the shower head so the water fell on him. 

"I'm sorry. I'm so, so sorry you had to deal with that." She mumbled as she carefully washed his hair clean. 

"I- I wanted to tell them to stop. I wanted to tell them to go away. But- my- my father. He doesn't- he's a horrible, horrible person… I- he'll punish me if I show mercy. I… don't want to be punished." She mumbled as she started washing his horns and face. 

He said nothing, but once again, she could feel his eyes on her, and once again, she could not meet them. 

She carefully washed his neck and shoulders, then had him hold out his arms, then washed those, cleaning very gently inside the holes. 

It was at that point she realised, cleaning the rest of him would be a bit of a problem. He was simply… too large. 

When he noticed her struggling to clean his chest, he held his hand out, palm upturned. 

She sighed and placed the sponge in it, and sat down on the stool to watch him clean himself. 

She looked away when he took off his loincloth, and out of the corner of her eye, saw it fall to the floor. It was ragged and dirty… probably something they'd given him to wear in the dungeons. 

She bent down and picked it up, and took it to the sink to wash it. She made a mental note to get him a better one later. Or at least some actual clothes… though she wasn't sure if she could even find his size, let alone have him wear them. 

She heard water splashing behind her, and turned. She went beet red when she saw that he was standing up, and immediately turned away before her gaze could be dragged downwards.

She returned to washing the loincloth with quite a bit of vigor. She was a noble lady. She could not be thinking impure thoughts. Least of all about some… creature! 

Another splash. He'd sat down. She turned and looked at him. 

"Should I wash your back?" She asked softly as she walked over. He stared at her. Still no response. 

She had the feeling he understood her, but he just… wasn't replying. 

She moved around behind him, then started to slowly wash his back. She saw his quills rise, then fall as he relaxed, letting her clean him. 

She washed his back, slowly moving down to the base of his tail, and then cleaned his tail. After that, she stepped back to let him clean the rest of himself off. That was an area she did not feel comfortable exploring just yet. 

A few minutes later, while she was hanging the loincloth out to dry, he stood, water splashing off him, and turned off the shower. 

So he knew how their technology worked, it seemed… So he probably wasn't as savage as they'd thought… 

She tossed a towel at him before he could turn. "Please, cover up a little. I don't want to see something I shouldn't." She muttered, looking away as she blushed slightly. 

His lips twitched. She wasn't sure if he almost smirked or sneered. But! It did prove he could understand her, which was a step in the right direction! 

He did as she asked, however, and covered himself up as much as he could… though the towel hid practically nothing. 

He stepped out of the tub, and stood in front of her, looking down at her. 

She stared up at him. "What?" She asked. 

He tilted his head slightly, then raised a hand to tap the chain with the tip of his clawed index finger. 

"Oh. Right. Yeah, let me take that off." She mumbled, and he knelt before her, allowing her to undo the chain. 

Once it was off, he tapped the collar and raised an eyebrow. 

She shook her head. "Sorry. I can't. I don't know how to." She murmured, before she ran her fingers along the edges. No seam. It was magically sealed. The only person who could take it off was probably Melissri. 

He grunted, then stood. 

She looked up at him. "Umm… Just… stay in my room, I guess? I'll try and get you some clothes." She murmured, then shrugged. 

Without a word, he walked out of the bathroom and into her room, where he sat down on the bed. It creaked loudly under his weight. 

She walked out as well, then gestured for him to stand. "I'll need to take measurements." She said softly. 

He complied, and she walked to her dresser, where she pulled out a measuring tape, and walked back over. She measured his waist, thighs, and calves. However when asked to raise his foot to have it measured, he shook his head. 

After that, she had him kneel, and walked around him, taking the measurements of his upper body. 

This close, she was able to see that there were powerful muscles under his skin. Made sense, why they were losing, then. It wasn't just because her father was losing support for the war… These creatures were dangerous, and that wasn't even with their arms and armour. 

His eyes followed her around as she moved, but she paid it no mind. If he liked staring, he could stare as much as he wanted to. It didn't bother her. 

Once she was done taking his measurements, she walked over to a rope hanging by the side of her bed and pulled on it three times. 

A minute later, there was a knock at the door. 

Gwyneira answered it, and found a servant with her head bowed. 

"Take this." She said, passing the paper with his measurements on it. "Tell the tailor that no, this is not a prank, and I'm going to want a few outfits as soon as possible. His latest fashions." She said. 

The servant took the paper, bowed, and scurried off. 

She shut the door and turned to her pet with a smile. "Alright. We should have some clothes for you on the morrow! Maybe the day after. Depends on how quickly he works." She said as she moved to the bed and sat on it, cross legged, with her sword across her lap. 

"Do you feel like talking?" She asked softly. 

He stared down at her. No response. 

"Do you have a name? Something I can call you besides "pet"? It sounds a little… offensive." She murmured. 

Still no response. 

"Hmm… I'm going to call you Onyx, then. Black, shiny, and sometimes streaks of white." She said with a little smile. 

He tilted his head slightly. Approval? Disapproval? She couldn't tell. But if he didn't protest, she'd stick with the name. 

"So. Onyx. My name is Gwyneira. I'm the daughter of King Eidiron. My mother's name was Emilia. She passed away when I was very young- practically a baby." She paused, sighed, then continued. 

"I was raised by my fa-" She came to a sudden stop, then continued. "By the people in this castle. Not my father." She shifted slightly. 

"I'd never call that monster a father." She said quietly, before she quickly shook her head. 

"A- anyway- that old man you saw in the courtyard is captain Jiras of the King's Guard. He's been around longer than my father." She said with a faint giggle. 

"He taught me how to fight. All the other tutors taught me… well… everything else. That thing that calls itself my father just sat on his throne and waged this stupid war." She said with a shrug. 

"My father died when my mother did. He… that… thing… is not my father. My father is dead. This thing is just some… demon possessing his body. At least… that's how I'm choosing to see it. It makes things easier to swallow." She murmured, before she stared up at him. 

There was a long moment of silence where they just stared at each other. 

"It's… going to be time for lunch soon. What do you eat? Meat? Vege-?" She paused, looked him up and down, and then nodded. 

"I'll have them prepare chicken, beef, and lamb." She said with a sigh. 

His lips twitched again. She took that as approval, and rang the bell to have the servants prepare a meal for him. 

"Can you read?" She asked, looking at him. 

As usual, no response. 

"Or write? Hmm…" She leaned closer and took his massive hand in hers. "Probably would be difficult to write with these giant cl-" She started to murmur, then jerked her head back slightly in surprise when the claws retracted into his fingers, leaving just a set of sharp nails. 

"Oh. Hm. That's pretty convenient. I suppose you can write then?" She asked, before she looked up at him. 

He stared down at her, unresponsive. 

"Right. You don't talk. I keep forgetting." She murmured, patting his hand, before she looked down at it. 

It was pretty big… 

Her eyes slowly trailed from his hand to her waist, and back. Yeah… it was probably big enough to grip her around the waist with just one hand… Scary. 

For just a moment, her mind crossed over the thought of what else he could do with a grip around her waist. 

The milky skin of her cheeks turned a rosy pink, and she awkwardly patted his hand. "I bet- uhh- you can crush a lot of skulls with it, huh?" She asked, finishing with an awkward laugh. 

He stared down at her, an eyebrow slightly raised. 

She stared up at him, slowly turning a deeper and deeper shade of red the longer she stared into his eyes. 

"Oh screw you!" She huffed, crossing her arms and pouting. 

The embarrassment didn't last long. The food arrived, and she ran to the door faster than she'd ever run before. 

In came a tray- on it was a large roasted chicken with a spice rub, freshly grilled lamb chops, beef ribs, two steaks, and a large bowl of mashed potatoes, and a smaller bowl of garlic sauce. There was also a basket of freshly baked bread, sliced and covered with a rub of garlic, oregano, a bit of rosemary and thyme, and butter. 

"Alright big boy. Eat up. Let's see what you like." She said with a smile. 

He picked up the chicken first, tilted it a few times, and she then watched in horror as he popped the entire chicken into his mouth- bones and all, and started chewing, and used his long tongue to scoop the garlic sauce right out of the bowl, mixing it up with the chicken as he ate. 

The sound of his metal teeth crunching through the bones was… a little disturbing, if she was being honest. She'd never seen anything eat a chicken like that. Even wild animals at least left the bones! 

Then the beef ribs… those went into his maw too, bones and all. 

Crrronch- crrronch- crrronch- 

He let out a little purr. He liked the ribs, it seemed. 

Lamb chops- once again, they were eaten with the bones. Another hum. His taste in food was expensive! That was understandable… her father had mentioned he was some sort of prince too… 

The steaks followed, and he seemed slightly surprised when they were no bones. Regardless, he chewed it up and swallowed it, before he reached for the bowl of mashed potatoes. It, too, vanished, but at a slower pace than the rest of his food. 

Once he'd finished the meals, he sat back, and she watched his long tongue idly lick the plates clean. 

In the middle of licking, he suddenly stopped, looked down at the plate, and then at her. 

He realised he hadn't left anything for her to eat. 

He closed his eyes and sighed quietly, before he looked at her again. His eyes seemed apologetic. 

"It's okay. I'll get us some more food. Are you still hungry? Do you want more beef and lamb?" She asked. 

He nodded. Just slightly, but he nodded. 

She smiled and got up, walking to the rope to ring the bell again. 

Half an hour later, more food arrived. Once again, he ate his fill, but left her some food this time. 

She ate whatever she could, then pushed her plate towards him. He ate her food too, with no complaints. 

She chuckled softly as she watched him eat. She wasn't surprised that he needed so much food. A lot of energy must have been required to power such a large body. 

Once he'd finished, she got up and went to the bathroom. She checked on the loincloth. Hm. Still damp. 

She came back out. He was sitting up and staring at her. 

"I went to check if your loincloth was dry. I figured I'd take you out. Show you around the castle or something. Buuut I think that'll have to wait till we get you some actual clothes. I don't want to parade you around butt naked." She said with a wry chuckle. 

He said nothing. He placed the plates on the meal tray, then walked to the door, where he opened it and set the meal tray down to the side, where a servant could come and clear it.  

He closed the door, turned, and then walked back to the bed, where he slowly sat down again. 

They stared at each other for a while. 

"Well… guess there's nothing to do but wait… would you like me to read a book to you?" She asked with a smile. 

No response. 

"I'll take that as a yes." She said, walking over to her cupboard. 

She pulled out a nightgown, then looked at him, before she twirled her finger. 

"Turn around, silly." She huffed softly. 

He stared. She pouted. He turned his gaze away. 

She quickly disrobed, then put on the nightgown. 

"Okay. You can turn around now." She said with a giggle as she closed the cupboards. 

He turned, and he watched her pick up her clothes, then carefully arrange them in a hanger, before she slipped them onto a hook beside the cupboard. They'd need to be washed! 

"Okay. I'll be right back." She said with a smile. 

She left the room, and her light feet quickly pattered towards the library. She quickly snatched the book she'd been reading off the table, and ran back to her room. 

She arrived at the room flushed and panting, while laughing softly. "I love doing that- running around in my nightdress and hoping nobody sees. It's so much fun!" She said with a laugh as she walked towards him, then plopped herself on the bed. 

"Okay. So. This is the story about a man who went to the moon. He built a giant cannon, sealed himself inside a capsule, and launched himself into space. He lands on the moon and finds out there's people living there. Then, he ends up falling in love with the princess of the Lunar tribe, aaaand… yeah. It's a sad story. I'll just read it to you." She murmured, before she looked up at him. 

He had raised an eyebrow. 

"Listen- I know the premise sounds silly, but I promise it's a good story!" She said with a laugh as she shuffled closer to him. 

"So. Once upon a time, there was a man who was in love with the moon. So in love with it, that he wished to one day visit it." She began her story, and he listened, leaning back against the headboard as he did. 

She read on and on, until night fell. Neither of them felt like eating, so she continued reading the book to him. 

Suddenly, there was pounding on the door. 

She froze, then looked over her shoulder. 

"Open up. Open up, damn you!" She heard her father growl, and saw the doorknob rattle. 

Her heart froze, and sank. 

She looked up at her pet. "Hide." She whispered as she got up, moving slowly to the door. 

"I know you're in there, Gwyneira. I said open- up!" The last two words were driven home with harder pounding on the door. 

She swallowed, closed her eyes, sucked in a shaky breath, then unlocked the door. 

 

///// TW: SA AHEAD ////

 

King Eidiron stumbled in. His face was red, and his eyes slightly glazed. In his hand was a bottle of wine. It was almost empty. 

"There you are. Answer the fucking door when I knock. Stupid girl." He growled, before he shut the door and clumsily locked it. 

She backed away. "F- father, please. You've been drinking. You're not in your right mind." She said, her voice shaking. 

"Not in my-? Who the fuck do you think you are, to judge my mind, huh!?" He snarled, backhanding her across the face. 

She gasped as she fell back onto the bed, her eyes watering with fresh tears. 

"Father, please!" She cried out, but gasped in pain as he slapped her across the face again. 

He then grabbed her arm, and she grunted as she was rolled onto her front, with her arm twisted painfully behind her back. 

"Stupid bitch. Don't you tell me what to do, you fucking murderer." He hissed, before he snorted. 

"Here. Have a drink. Maybe you'll fucking loosen up." He snarled, and she squirmed when she felt him lift her nightgown. 

"No! Father no! That's dangerous! Please!"She yelled, then cried out in pain when she felt the narrow end of the bottle push into her ass, then felt the rest of the liquid in the bottle flow inside her. 

The tears were coming fast and hard. She was struggling, but there wasn't much she could do from this position. And not against him. 

She remembered the last time she fought back… the punishment that followed was far worse. She'd been tossed to the King's Guard, and they'd taken turns with her, violating her till she could barely walk. 

She gritted her teeth, sobbing hard as she stared into the darkness. She found a pair of purple eyes staring back at her. 

He was almost invisible in the darkness. She saw the glint of metal claws extending. She shook her head. 

"There… hah! Too bad there was just… like… a glass or so worth in there. Could have passed your death off as a… fucking party accident or something." He mumbled, before he tugged the bottle out and tossed it to the floor, where it shattered. 

She felt him grip her hips. "Father, no- please- think about what you're-!" She started to say, then gasped when she felt his cock slam into her. 

Her hands curled into the sheets, and she bit into them too. She wasn't going to cry. She wasn't going to give him the fucking satisfaction. 

"Fucking- flinch away from me, in front of everyone!?" He growled as he pounded into her, before he viciously slapped her rear. 

She jerked forward, but made no sound. The tears were flowing freely. She could feel her pet's gaze on her, and met it, staring into his eyes as she muffled her cries with the sheets. 

"Defended your stupid pet, even. Should have let that fucking peasant stab him. They're our enemies!" He snarled, with another vicious slap to the same cheek, sending her jerking forward again. 

"And… your mother. You took her from me. Cursed- blasted child!" He snarled, and she whimpered as he grabbed and pulled her hair hard. 

He started slamming in harder and faster, slapping her butt again and again. "Stupid little shit- I wish you'd never been fucking born. You're- you're nothing but a fucking burden!" He snarled, before he suddenly pushed in deep. 

He pulled out, and her nails poked holes in the sheets; she bit back a pained scream as he forced himself into her ass, and finished there, ropes of cum painting her walls. 

He pulled out, then spanked her again as he stumbled back. 

"Clean up the place. Stupid bitch…" He muttered as he turned and staggered towards the door, pulling his pants up as he went. 

He unlocked the door, slipped out, and slammed it shut. 

She slumped against the bed, shivering, shaking, and sobbing uncontrollably. 

She stood on shaky legs, took one step towards the bathroom, and fell. 

She didn't make contact with the floor. 

She looked down at her pet's hand, then up at his face. 

She felt him gently grab her by her torso. He picked her up, and cradled her in his arms as he walked to the bathroom. 

He bent to enter, and ran the hot water. He gently placed her down in the tub, then handed her the things she needed to clean herself up. 

Sobbing quietly, she took off her nightgown and tossed it to the floor. 

She didn't care if he saw her naked now. He'd seen worse. 

She took the sponge and started scrubbing. She scrubbed and scrubbed until her skin went raw and started to bleed. 

He put a hand on hers. He took the sponge out of her hand, then gently scrubbed her other arm, his movements slow and rhythmic. 

She felt his fingers close around her body, and he lifted her like a doll, holding her up facing him. 

He ever so gently cleaned her chest, abdomen, and legs. The whole time, she stared at him in silence. 

When he spread her legs, she flinched, drawing them closed. 

He looked up at her and stared. 

He attempted once more, and this time, she let him spread her legs, if reluctantly. 

With a wet rag, he started to clean the area with even more gentleness than he'd used while cleaning the rest of her. 

Regardless, the area still hurt. Fresh tears filled her eyes, and she looked away, blinking them out. 

He gently set her back down under the shower, his thumbs carefully rubbing the soap off whatever spots he'd missed. 

He let her sit under the water while he walked to the towel rack and picked up a fresh towel. He came back, then turned off the water and wrapped the towel around her. 

He swaddled her in the towel, then stood. He walked out of the bathroom, then set her down on the bed. He gently patted her dry, then turned over the arm she'd scrubbed raw. 

He looked at her, then stood. He walked into the bathroom, and she heard the sound of ripping fabric. He came back with shreds of her nightgown over his claws, and carefully bandaged the area. 

"It seems we're both in prisons we cannot escape… only yours has bars of gold." He murmured. His voice was deep and silky- a far, far cry from the stories of the barbaric, unruly tribes she'd heard of.  

She stared at him, and cracked a tiny smile. "He speaks." She mumbled. 

"Apologies, princess. I was not sure whether I could trust you or not." He said softly, before he took her hand and gently pressed it to his lips. 

"I am prince Drakhari of the Erakleon kingdom. I wish we could have met under better circumstances." He said quietly. 

"The feeling is mutual." She mumbled, before she gently pressed a hand to his face. 

She wasn't sure whether it was her or the alcohol talking, but she spoke nevertheless. "Stay with me. Tonight. Please… Protect me." She said quietly. 

"As you wish, princess Gwyneira."He murmured, and carefully climbed into the bed. 

She crawled into his arms, and buried her face in his chest. 

She felt his arms go around her. His tail coiled around her, and then she felt his thighs gently press against her feet as he curled up around her. 

She curled up into a little ball, and, wrapped in the towel, pressed into the warmth of his chest and the tightness of his embrace. 

She silently cried herself to sleep, just like she had every night her father decided to visit. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Chapter 2: Plots and Plans

Summary:

The Prince and the Princess grow closer to each other, but, as always, something gets in the way.

Drakhari woke first. Seeing that the elven princess was still asleep in his arms, he decided to get a closer look at her. He'd never really been this close to an elf before. 

He tilted her face up first. She was quite pretty. She had delicate features set in a soft, almost round face. He gently rubbed her pointed ears, and she purred, stirring in her sleep for a moment. So those were quite sensitive, much like his own. Interesting. 

His hand moved lower, to her arms. He gently pressed against them with his thumb. He could feel developed muscles underneath- she was strong. She must be if she'd trained with that sword and shield. 

He then tilted her back slightly to look down at her chest. Her breasts were large. Quite a bit larger than the average elf, he thought. Their women usually had much smaller breasts. He reached under one of them, curling his finger and giving it a slight push upwards. Heavy, too. 

He moved his hand lower, running it across her thigh. Developed muscles here, too. Figured. 

He gently ran his hands over her back, then paused, before he gently turned her further towards him to take a look at her back. 

Scars. Many of them, and all of them deep. They looked like marks from a whip. Some were still pink, like they were more recent than the other older, whiter ones. 

"I learned very quickly that it was either listen to him or… Be punished." Gwyneira said quietly. 

"When did you wake?" Drakhari asked softly as he looked down at her face. 

"Right around the time you started to fondle my breasts." She said wryly, looking up at him. 

"I- it was curiosity." He muttered, a little flustered. He blushed slightly, but she couldn't see it, thanks to his dark skin. 

"Mmhmm." She hummed slyly, a smirk on her face. She didn't believe him in the slightest. 

"It was!" He huffed. "I was merely noting that your breasts are larger than average for an elf." He grumbled, trying to save some face… at which he failed miserably. 

She giggled softly. "Okay, prince. Whatever you say. But… since you're examining my body… It's only fair that I examine yours." She murmured, before she reached up, gently running her fingers over the tattoos on his chest. She could see that they weren't just some abstract design. They had a rather distinct shape- like calligraphy letters. Getting it done must have taken quite a while…

"These are… letters. Words… what do they mean?" She asked softly, as she glanced up at him. 

"Religious teachings." He said softly, looking down at her. 

"Every person of our race is encouraged to get one- a favourite passage from our book- something that they identify with and feel the closest to. I've got four." He murmured, a slight smile on his face. 

"Four? Is that a lot?" She asked, tracing her fingers over the letters. The writing was far from barbaric scratches she would have assumed they had. This was the work of a well-practiced hand. 

"No. There are those who have had their entire bodies covered in tattoos. Some who have written a paraphrased, somewhat shortened version of the entire book on their bodies. Mine are just the ones I like the most." He said with a shrug. 

She reached to the side and traced the symbols on his left arm. "What does this say?" She asked softly. 

"It matters not who was strong. It matters not who was weak. It matters not who was rich and who was poor. In the eyes of our Creators, we are all the same. What matters is the weight of the deeds we have done.” He said softly, before he paused, then looked down at his arm. The tattoo stretched down to his elbow, and wrapped around his arm like a band. “That's the best I can offer, in terms of translation.” He murmured. 

"Some here believe the richer you are, the closer you are to the gods. That you can buy a seat beside them in the afterlife." Gwyneira said softly.

He snorted softly, disapprovingly, but whatever comments he had, he kept them to himself.

She tapped his chest. The tattoo here extended down to just below his sternum, with the last few letters ending just below his sternum. The tattoo was centered, shaped like a triangle that pointed downwards. "And this one? What does it mean?" 

"Carry yourself with the grace of a king. Face everything that comes with a straight back, and kneel before none but your Creators, for they are the only ones befitting such respect." He said softly. 

"You knelt in front of me yesterday, though. So I could take the chain off." She murmured, looking up at him with a tiny smirk. 

"Yes, but that was not a kneel to show respect. This one refers specifically to kneeling in front of people of authority. Kings and the like. We do not kneel to our kings and queens. A simple bow is all that is required." He said softly. 

"Hmm. Interesting." She hummed softly, before she moved her hand across his chest to his right arm. "This one?" 

"Evil lurks all around. It is your solemn duty, as a warrior, to root it out and exterminate it with the righteous fury of a thousand suns. Defend justice as you would defend your life. It is all that separates you from a savage beast." He murmured, before he smirked. “I know. It's a little over the top, but… Like I said… it's something I resonate with.” He murmured, before he sighed softly. 

"Did you know our courts are the fairest in the world? Harsh, but fair. We only give the death sentence to serial killers, or people who have committed treason." He murmured. 

"Hm. Since my father took over, everyone gets their hands chopped off for stealing food for their family, gets their tongues cut out for speaking against him, and gets their heads cut off for doing anything that might seem like it “goes against the kingdom's best interests”." She said wryly. 

He raised an eyebrow. “And yet your people call us the savages." He teased, then chuckled softly. 

She sighed and shook her head, before she tapped the one on his neck. "What about this one?" 

"If you love, you must love with the beauty of a thousand roses. Treat those who have chosen to be with you as a part of your soul, for that is what they have become." He murmured. 

She looked up into his eyes. "That's… beautiful." She said quietly, and he nodded. 

"It is. That's why I chose it." He murmured. 

She moved her hand over to his left arm. "So… basically, it's… humility-" 

She moved her hand over to his chest. "Nobility-" 

She then moved her hand over to his right arm. "Righteousness-" 

She finally moved her hand to his neck, her touch soft and gentle now. "And… Love." She said softly, before she looked up at him. 

He nodded. "Correct." He murmured. 

"Did you know that those are four of the conditions you have to fulfill to be a Knight in this realm?" She asked with a soft giggle. 

"What's a knight?" He asked, tilting his head slightly. 

"Warriors. They embody holiness, justice, humility, nobility, and generosity. They wear heavy armour and carry around a weapon at all times." She murmured. 

"Ah. I've seen them, I think. On the way here." He murmured, and she nodded. 

"Sometimes, they patrol the streets. They're probably the only thing keeping criminals at bay… The police hardly do anything now." She murmured. 

She looked up at him again, then looked over her shoulder at the sunlight streaming through the window, before she groaned softly and buried her face back in his chest. 

"Too early." She grumbled, and he chuckled softly. 

He slowly sat up, but she clung to him still, like a baby koala on its mother's back, except she'd glued herself to his front. 

"You have things to do, do you not, princess?" He asked softly, as he put his hands on her sides and tried to peel her off. 

With a loud whine, she clung even tighter, and he sighed and relented. 

"Very well. I suppose I can allow you to… stick to me for a while." He said with a shake of his head. 

She sighed and loosened her grip, sliding down his front to plop into his lap. 

She pouted. "Fiiiine. I'll get dressed." She grumbled, before she crawled off the bed, and huddled up in her towel, scurried towards her cupboard. 

He watched in amusement as the misshapen lump of towel browsed through her clothes, before she dropped her towel. 

He stared at the scars on her back, before his eyes slowly moved downwards, to her heart-shaped rear. It was plump and perky. She clearly got quite a bit of exercise. 

She bent over to pull something out of a drawer. She could feel his eyes on her again, but… she didn't care. She had a feeling he wouldn't do anything she didn't ask him to. She felt safe with him. And that was a courtesy that could be extended to exactly one other person in this entire castle. 

She pulled on her black panties, and wore a matching bra, before she pulled out a blue dress and put it on. 

She took out a dark brown corset, then shimmied into it, before she looked over her shoulder. 

"I don't suppose you know how to tie a corset?" She asked. 

"I… know how to tie a few knots." He said with a shrug. 

"Good. Get over here and lace me up. I want bows, if you please." She said, beckoning for him to come. 

She heard the bed creak as he got up and moved over to her. 

He tugged on the strings, and she wheezed as the breath was squeezed out of her. 

"Notthattightnotthattight!" She wheezed, and he chuckled in amusement as he loosened the corset. 

She sucked in a breath, then glared at him through the mirror. "You did that on purpose, didn't you?" She grumbled. 

"Yes. I wanted to hear you wheeze like a blatgish out of water." He said with a snicker. 

"A… what fish?" She asked. 

He tugged on the strings of the corset, a lot more gently this time, tightening it around her and starting to tie bows. "A fish that's basically just a thin body attached to an air sac. It moves around by… well… farting out air from different holes." He said with a laugh. 

"Huh. How odd… what evolutionary purpose could that possibly serve?" She mused. 

"I don't know, but they're very useful for pranks." He murmured. 

Her eyes went wide. "Oh, you did not." 

"I very much did." 

She let out a laugh of disbelief. "You're telling me you pranked a noble?" She asked. 

"What, and you haven't?" He replied, smirking as he looked back at her through the mirror. 

"I mean- I have- but I didn't figure you for the type." She said with a laugh. 

"Mm. I was much younger then. Now, never. Unless it's a noble that's a close friend." He murmured. 

She chuckled softly. "I still prank nobles here. On occasion. Well- mostly suitors my father finds for me." She said with a smirk. 

"Oh? Do tell." He said, patting her back to let her know he was done with the knots. 

"Well- this one guy, I heard- didn't like spicy food. So I made two bowls of soup- one for myself with a normal amount of spices, and the other… well… let's just say his next morning was very unpleasant." She said with a smug grin. 

He snickered. "That's just delightfully vicious. I approve." He murmured, and she got up, then turned to look him up and down. 

"You really need some clothes. I don't want you wandering around naked, but I also don't want to force you to wear that… disgusting loincloth. God knows what's on it. The water was black when I was cleaning it off." She muttered. 

He looked at her cupboard, then at her, before he looked at her cupboard again. 

Then, he reached out and picked her up. 

She squeaked and wriggled in his grip. "Prince Drakhari! What are you doing!? Put me down!" She squealed.

"Hold still. I'm comparing our hip sizes." He muttered, hugging her against his body. 

"You're- huh?" She mumbled, looking up at him as she went still. 

They looked in the mirror. Her dress hid her hips. 

"Drakhari wait-!" She squealed, but it was too late. 

The elven princess went red in the face as the beast hiked up her skirt, pressing their hips together. 

She went even redder when she felt a bulge- no- a pair of bulges press against her. 

"My hips are slightly bigger than yours. I think your clothes might fit." He murmured as he set her down. 

She immediately rounded on him. "Hey! You don't just- just pick people up like that! It's rude!" She yelled, hands on her hips. 

"Would you have agreed to compare if I'd voiced the idea first?" He asked wryly. 

"No, but- that's not the point, you- ugh- I'd like to call you a few choice names. There are other ways to compare sizes! I have a bloody measuring tape!" She huffed, crossing her arms, before she turned. 

"If you wanted an excuse to touch me, just say so." She grumbled as she walked to her cupboard and started looking through it for something. 

She turned back around with a pair of black leggings. "Here. These will stretch. Idiot." She grumbled, as she balled them up and threw them at his face. 

He had to suppress a grin as he lowered his head slightly. He found it amusing that this elf, half his size, was yelling at him. "My apologies, Princess Gwyneira." He murmured, before he pulled the leggings on. 

They fit… But a little too well. His pair of dicks was a little too outlined, as were his muscular thighs. 

They both stared down at the bulges, before they looked at each other. 

She smirked. "Yeah. You're walking around in that. Consider it payback." She said, crossing her arms over her chest. 

He shrugged. "Doesn't bother me. Casual nudity is quite commonplace where I'm from." He said with a smile. 

She blinked. 

"Say what now? They're all just… walking around naked? Why?" She asked. 

"Well… not everyone, no. But those who do, are not judged. They are respected, in fact, for their bravery to be able to walk around without protection. Some also believe it is another way to show devotion to the Creators- to walk around as they had made them." He murmured. 

"That's… interesting." She mumbled, shaking her head, before she looked up at him. 

"By the by… call me Gwynne. Princess Gwynne." She said softly, before she quickly raised a finger. 

"Only when it's just the two of us. Outside, you will refer to me as Princess Gwyneira, or m- mis-" She choked on the last word, her face going a little red. 

He leaned close, his cheeks splitting apart as he gave her the biggest, scariest grin she'd ever seen. 

"Mistress?" He purred, and she immediately pressed her palm up against his chin, tilting his head up and away from her face. 

"Sh- shut up! And yes." She mumbled, and he let out a deep, rumbly chuckle. 

"Very well… Mistress." He purred. 

"Don't say it like that-! Just- okay- just shut up. Do what you were doing before. Not a word." She grumbled, quickly turning to the dresser and starting to apply a bit of makeup. 

She could see him in the mirror. He still had a smug smirk on his face. 

She stuck her tongue out at him, her expression grumpy as she continued working on herself. 

Applying the blush was a bit of a problem. She was still red in the face. 

She decided to forgo it for today. She closed her makeup box, then turned. 

"Now then… pet. Would you like to go and see the library?" She asked. 

"Yes… Mistress." He said it again, and grinned when he saw her face go red again. 

She pouted, and he chuckled. 

"Okay, okay. That was the last time." He said, before he made a motion of zipping his lips shut, locking them, and tossing the key to her. 

She rolled her eyes, then walked to her side table, where she picked up the mithril chain, then walked back over to him. 

He knelt and stared at her as she fastened the chain around his neck. 

"I know, I know. It's humiliating. I'm sorry." She murmured, before she took a step back. 

He was smirking. 

She was suddenly glad she'd asked him to stay quiet. 

Tugging on the chain, she led them out of the room, and started walking towards the library. 

"Listen- if anyone asks, I'm going to say you're wearing these leggings so it'll be humiliating, what with your… things… practically out on display like that. But that's not why, okay? I promise." She whispered. 

"The only person getting humiliated here is you, Princess." He whispered back wryly, and she rolled her eyes as she kept walking, the heels of her boots thumping on the floor. 

"Your clothes should arrive today, at some point. I expect you'll be wearing those." She said with a firm nod. 

He chuckled, but said nothing. 

They continued on till they came to the library. She pushed the doors open, then walked in. 

"Here. The library. A place of quiet, learning, and peace." She said softly, letting go of his chain as soon as she'd shut the doors behind them. 

"Go ahead. See if there's something you like." She said as she returned the book she'd taken last night to its spot, then wandered around looking for another. 

"Uh- stay close, please, Drakhari? I don't want someone coming in and getting suspicious." She murmured. 

He nodded, then walked behind her as she walked around. 

Luckily, with him around, she didn't need a ladder to get to a shelf, and if she needed to go higher, he'd just pick her up and raise her to the level of the shelf. 

By the time Gwyneira was done picking out books, she had a stack of ten to choose from. 

She walked to one of the chairs and sank into it. 

She almost gestured to the other chair, before she remembered she was supposed to keep up appearances. If someone walked in and saw him sitting on a chair, they might pass that message on to her father, and… 

She shivered slightly. 

Last night was a reminder of why it was important to keep up appearances. 

She looked at Drakhari. 

"Floor, please. I don't want someone barging in and seeing you being… well… comfortable." She said softly. 

He chuckled and nodded, before he sat on the floor. 

"Now- massage my feet. Have to keep up the image of you being a good little pet." She murmured as she kicked her boots off, then stuck her feet out to him with a grin, wiggling her toes. 

He raised an eyebrow, before he shook his head and reached out, taking her feet in his hands. 

"Hm. Small and dainty. Very princess-like." He said with a smirk, and her face reddened. 

"What did I tell you about shutting up, Prince?" She huffed, and he smirked, before his fingers sank into her feet, making her purr softly as he started to massage them. 

"Thank you, Prince." She said softly, as she lowered her head to read, and got comfortable in the chair. 

A few minutes later, the door opened, and Jiras poked his head in. 

Their heads snapped to the door, and they froze, like deer in the lights of a night carriage. 

Jiras sighed. "Alright. What am I telling your father?" He asked. 

"Uhhh- I was in the library, reading, and using my pet as a footstool." Gwyneira said. 

Drakhari glanced at her, but said nothing. 

"Alright… I wasn't sure it understood us, anyway." Jiras said as he entered the room and shut the door. 

"He. He's a person." Gwyneira said softly. 

"Ah. My apologies, princess. We know so little about them that-" Jiras started to say, but she cut him off. 

"That's exactly it, isn't it? We know so little about them. So, like the humans, we assume that anything different must be bad." She said with a sigh. 

She felt Drakhari's claws starting to poke almost painfully into her feet, as if warning her to hold her tongue. 

"It's fine. This is Jiras. He won't report anything to my father. Well- besides what I tell him to." She said, wiggling her feet as a signal to make him let go of them. 

Drakhari looked at her, then up at Jiras. His grip loosened. 

"If you tell her father anything, I will personally eviscerate you as soon as I get this collar off." He said quietly. 

Jiras raised an eyebrow. "He speaks!" He murmured, genuinely surprised. 

"Eloquently." Drakhari muttered. 

"No need to worry about that. I know what sort of elf her father is. Believe me." Jiras murmured, before he looked at Gwyneira. 

"That being said… he wants to see you and your pet in the throne room. Now." He murmured. 

She looked over the edge of her book, and seemed to shrink into the armchair. 

"What does he want?" She mumbled. 

"Something about sending you on a trip to Kirisantos." He said with a shrug. 

"He… wants me out of the palace? What for?" She asked, blinking. 

"He didn't say. Wanted you there to explain the details." He said with a shrug. 

She didn't move. 

Jiras sighed. "Come, Princess Gwyneira. He would not be so daft as to do… something… in broad daylight, in front of all his courtiers." He said softly. 

"You underestimate his daftness and his malice." She grumbled quietly, but stood, putting her boots on. 

"Come, pet." She said, tugging on the chain to get Drakhari to follow her. 

He stood, chain clinking as he did, and they walked past Jiras, heading for the door. 

They walked to the throne room, and she paused outside the ornate wooden double doors, stomach churning. 

Drakhari looked down at her. He knew what was going through her mind. He quickly glanced around, before he put a hand on her shoulder and squeezed gently. 

His touch was only slightly reassuring. She knew that he could not do anything with that collar on. 

She pushed the door open. 

The throne room’s floor was made of marble tiles, with gold and gems inlaid in the marble pillars, forming elaborate designs of various scenes from the kingdom’s history- mostly victories in battle, and some events from the founding of their kingdom- the first settlements, the first school, things of that sort. 

There was a dark purple carpet that led from the door all the way up to the throne, with borders, designs, and tassels of golden thread. 

The thrones themselves were made of purple heartwood, a highly valuable kind of wood that grew in a faraway land and darkened over time. The thrones were so old, that the colour now matched the carpet before her. They were raised higher than the room, with a few steps leading up to them. 

Her father currently sat on the throne, head tilted and eyes closed as he rested his head in his hand. He was surrounded by his courtiers, who murmured and conversed amongst themselves. 

She spied the court's mage, Melissri, at her father's side, her head bowed so she wasn't looking anyone in the eye, while her hands were clasped tightly at her front. 

Gwyneira recognised that look all too well. It seemed she hadn't been the only victim of her father's, last night. 

She walked closer to the throne, almost dragging her feet. "You called for me, father?" She called out. 

He raised his head, and his eyes opened. "Ah. Daughter." He murmured, before he held his hand out. The mage placed a bag in it. 

"I need you to take this gold to the kingdom of Kirisantos. It's a diplomatic mission, so no arms or armour." He said, tossing the bag to the floor in front of him. 

"A caravan is waiting to take you there as soon as you're ready. When you get there, I want you to reassure the king and queen that they will have our full support in the war to come, and that this gold is a gesture of goodwill." He said, leaning back on the throne. 

She nodded and walked to the bag, which she picked up.

"Anything else, father?" She asked. 

"Yes. Take your pet with you. I don't want his unsightly presence smearing my castle. The carriage is big enough for both of you, anyway." He sneered, casting a glance towards Drakhari. 

"Yes father." She said, before she bowed and turned away. 

"Come along, pet." She said loudly, without taking the chain. 

Drakhari turned to follow her, and she heard a courtier chuckle. "My- Princess Gwyneira is certainly adept at training beasts. Look how it follows her without even needing to be pulled along!" He said, and the others tittered with laughter. 

Drakhari ignored them and kept walking. 

She turned as soon as they'd exited. "I'm sorry. I should have taken the chain." She whispered. 

He shook his head slightly, as he blinked slowly. She assumed that to be a sign that he wasn't bothered. 

"Right… Well, come along. Let's go see if your clothes are here. Hopefully we can get you into something nice before we leave." She murmured. 

He rumbled softly, and they walked to her room. Though she'd ordered several sets of clothes, only one had actually arrived, with an apology note saying that there simply wasn't enough fabric for several clothes at once, and that the rest would take time to arrive. 

She sighed, then opened the box. 

Inside was a dark red shirt, with a deep neckline, and ruffles along the edges of the neckline. Beneath that was a pair of black leather pants. 

On the shirt sat a spiked black collar. There was another note attached to it, that proclaimed a revolutionary new method of curing leather, which had led to this- something that she could slip over his collar to hide the magic metal underneath. 

She blinked, then picked it up, before she looked over her shoulder at him. 

He raised an eyebrow, then shook his head slightly. 

She slowly grinned. 

A few minutes later, he stood, clad in the tailor's latest fashions for men, with his spiked collar cover on. 

He did not look pleased. 

She grinned up at him. "You look handsome." She said softly. 

"I look ridiculous. And the collar is excessive." He grumbled. 

"I knoooow, but… it looks so nice! Really brings the whole outfit together." She said with a grin, trying to stifle a laugh. 

"I'll collar you, and see how you like that." He grumbled. 

She went a little pink in the cheeks, but said nothing. 

"A- anyway- we have to get going. Carriage is waiting." She mumbled. 

"Don't you have anything to pack?" He asked. 

She sighed, then walked to the bed, where she reached under and pulled out a packed suitcase. 

He blinked. "Do you… always keep a packed suitcase under your bed?" He asked. 

"I wanted to run away… so I'd change the contents every few days. Last time I packed was the day before you arrived. So… yeah. I've got what I need in here." She said softly. 

He stared at her for a while, before he nodded slightly. 

She raised a finger, before she walked to her dresser. She opened the drawer, then pulled out a leather scabbard with a small, ornate dagger in it. 

"No arms or armour, but he didn't say anything about concealed weapons." She muttered, hiking her skirt up and tying the dagger around her right calf. 

She put her leg back down, then looked at him and smiled. 

"All ready. Carry my bag, pet." She said, folding her hands behind her back. 

He shook his head. She was starting to enjoy this pet thing a little too much. 

However, the prince bent and picked up her suitcase, before he looked at her. "After you, Princess Gwyneira." He murmured, nodding to the door. 

She walked to the door and opened it, before she stepped through. After he'd come out, she closed and locked the door behind him. 

She took the chain, then led him down to the courtyard, where a carriage was waiting. It was quite large. Her father hadn't lied- for once. The carriage itself was black and ornate, with her house's livery on both sides- a sparrow with crossed blades going through it, set against a purple background, with the words "Nulla res tams innocents" below. 

Nothing is so innocent. 

She set her bag down in the back, and the driver opened the door for her. 

Drakhari held out his hand for her to take, and the driver chuckled. "Oh, nice! Your pet has manners? You sure trained him well." He said with a laugh as he moved back to the front. 

She gave him an apologetic glance as she climbed into the carriage, and he slowly followed. 

The carriage tilted heavily to the side while he tried to enter, causing the driver to cry out in surprise and flail about a bit as he was nearly tossed off. 

It slowly tilted back to the middle as he entered and settled down right in the middle. Unfortunately for him, the carriage was still a little too small. 

He spread his legs, and left his feet resting on either side of Gwyneira. 

He gave her an apologetic shrug as he slipped downwards in his seat, pulling his horns out of the ceiling, in which they'd apparently gotten stuck. 

Gwyneira leaned out the window, and slapped the side of the carriage. She heard the crack of reins, a neigh of horses, and the carriage started moving, clattering over the cobblestones as it headed to their destination. 

"Comfortable?" She asked softly. 

"No." He replied honestly. 

She smiled slightly. "Don't worry. It's just a six hour carriage ride." She said with a wry chuckle. 

He sighed. 

They were out of the city in just under an hour, and traveling through the countryside. 

He pulled the curtains back slightly and looked through the window at the rolling, green hills. "Another time, and I would have loved to come here. As a guest." He murmured. 

"You are a guest here." She murmured. A slight pause. "Admittedly under worse circumstances than I would have, but… nothing we can do about it." She murmured. 

"I was about to say. If this is how you treat your guests, then we're certainly in for a rough time trying to get along." He said wryly, and she giggled softly. 

He smiled. He liked the sound of her laugh. It was light, airy, and pleasant- like a breeze against wind chimes. 

"Maybe someday… when the war is over… we can come here for a picnic. Would you like that?" She asked softly. 

"I would, Princess Gwynne." He said softly, and she smiled, resting a hand on his shin, before she gently rubbed her finger through the groove. 

"What purpose does this serve?" She asked softly. 

"Move your hand." He murmured, and she obeyed. 

A moment later, a blade sprang forth from his shin, making her jump slightly. It was aligned vertically with his shin, and quite sharp, much like the blade she'd seen come out of his arm.

"Your race is… built for combat, isn't it?" She murmured, carefully running her fingers along the blade. "Do you have to- like- sharpen them?" She asked. 

"We are. And this is magic. We don't squeeze muscles or anything to make the blades show up. And yes, we do." He murmured as the blade retreated back into its groove. 

"So you know magic, then?" She asked. 

"Not… exactly. Though we are magic creatures and are capable of it; to us, using the magic that controls our bodies is… like breathing. Natural. We all know how to do it. Anything beyond that, we have to learn as any mage would." He murmured. 

"But you are, all of you, capable of magic?" She asked, and he nodded. 

"Correct. We are all capable of magic. Some choose to follow the path of the sorcerer, and some choose to follow the path of the warrior. There are also those who choose to follow both. They are our deadliest warriors." He said with a grin. "I aim to follow their path one day." He murmured. 

She smiled. "So your culture is very warlike?" She asked. 

"Hmm… no. Not exactly. Though we do value strength, we do not value only physical strength. Intellect and cunning is just as highly valued. We're harsh, but fair." He murmured. 

"Hm. You said that before. Harsh, but fair. Would you say those words describe all of your countrymen?" She asked. 

"Most of them, yes. There are always a few rotten ones, however." He murmured. 

"As always." She agreed, nodding. 

"Seems to be the other way around in your country, though." He said with a grin. 

She made a face at him. "I can't say that's entirely uncalled for." She muttered, huffing and crossing her arms. 

He chuckled and gave her a nudge with his shin, to let her know he was teasing. 

She pouted nonetheless. 

"Idiots don't want to learn. We've picked up too much behaviour from the humans. Anything different is automatically scary." She grumbled. 

"Mm… well, I can't say I blame them for thinking I am frightening." He said, gesturing to himself. 

She hummed in response, before she smirked at him. "You're not so scary all the time, Prince Drakhari." She said softly. 

"I am only a monster to those who perceive me as one and little else." He said softly, settling back in the shade. 

In the dim light, his purple eyes stared into her pale blues. She found herself drawn to them. 

He had an air of grace about him- even curled up in an undignified position in this carriage. He seemed comfortable- confident, sure of himself. 

She tore her eyes away from his, and looked outside. They were passing through a forest now. 

"Weather should be turning cold soon." She said softly, and he tilted his head slightly. 

"Indeed. A few weeks, at most." He replied, and they slipped into silence once more. 

She turned to look at him again. There was that look again, but now with some smugness mixed in- like he knew something she didn't. 

"What's that look for? Stop giving me that look." She grumbled softly. 

"What look?" An eyebrow quirked slightly, and his lips twitched to the side. 

"That. That look right there. Like you know something I don't. It's annoying." She said with a pout and a slight frown. 

"If you don't like it, come here and wipe it off yourself, Princess. If you dare." He murmured. 

She narrowed her eyes, then leaned forward, grabbing his chain and pulling on it as she stood. 

"Listen here you little-" 

The carriage suddenly ground to a halt, and she gasped as she stumbled, falling forward onto him. 

Her face burned red as she slowly looked up at the Prince, who grinned. 

"You were saying, Princess?" He purred, and she slapped his chest. 

"Sh- shut up." She muttered. 

He laughed, but his smile vanished when they heard the sound of fleeing footsteps. 

Drakhari narrowed his eyes, then glanced through the curtains. 

"It would seem our driver has fled." He murmured. 

"Wait- what? Why?" Gwyneira mumbled as she sat up, extricating herself from him as she peered through the curtains too. 

There was nobody outside. That she could see, anyway. 

Drakhari opened the door, and stepped out with some difficulty. He glanced towards the empty driver's seat, then scanned the woods. 

Gwyneira hopped out behind him, before she looked towards the road, where a tree had been felled, blocking the path. 

"Oh no." She mumbled, slowly reaching for the dagger under her skirt. 

A crossbow bolt thudded into the side of the carriage, making her freeze. 

"Wouldnae do tha' if I was yous, princess!" She heard a voice call out from the woods. 

Five men emerged- two elves, two humans, and a dwarf. The dwarf held a crossbow, but the others held something designed like clawed gauntlets in their hands. 

"Lissen 'ere lass. Yer pappy promised a pretty sum o' gold in exchange for a priddy simple task." The dwarf said, before he looked at the elves. "Oi. Knife-ears. Wha' was tha' spell again? Fer the collar?" He asked. 

One of the elves pulled out a piece of parchment, before he looked at it. He recited the words on it, and Drakhari's collar came undone, falling to the ground with a clatter. 

"Gwan then. Off ye fock. This doesnae concern ye." One of the humans said, and the dwarf gestured to the side with his crossbow. 

"Go on. Shoo. Fuck outta here, ya beastie." One of the elves said, waving a hand at Drakhari. 

He moved in front of Gwyneira and stood, his tail lashing the ground. 

They seemed stunned. 

"Oi- look 'ere- this doesn't concern you, ya giant fuck. Get lost! We're only 'ere fer the woman!" One of the humans yelled. 

"Drakhari. Go. Please. I don't want you to get hurt." She whispered, putting a hand on his back. 

He looked over his shoulder, down at her. His gaze was icy and angry. 

He looked back at the men, but stood his ground. 

"A'right. Fuck this. Ya wanna die, ya can focking die! We'll have some fun with the Princess 'fore we kill her, eh lads? Seems like somethin' the fucker'd do, anyway." The dwarf said as he raised his crossbow, aiming it between Drakhari's eyes. 

"Las' chance, demon. Leave, or die." He growled. 

"Fuckin' thing's fallen in love with the Princess, eh? As if she'd ever love a monster like you! Daft cunt." One of the humans said, which made the others snigger. 

Drakhari stood his ground, and narrowed his eyes. 

"A'right. Ye asked fer it." The dwarf muttered, his finger resting on the trigger. 

"Drakhari, please-" Gwynn said, grabbing his arm. 

"If you want us to live, let go." He growled quietly. 

"No! I'm not letting you die for me!" She yelled. 

"I'm not going to-" The crossbow fired. 

Drakhari jerked his head to the side, and the bolt went flying past. 

Then, he exploded towards the dwarf. Gwyneira, unprepared, was dragged to the ground.

She raised her head just in time to see the dwarf's head fall from his shoulders. 

He was a whirlwind of slashing blades. His taloned feet gave him an unparalleled grip on the ground, enabling him to twist around and move at frightening speeds. 

His tail lashed out as he pivoted, and one of the humans fell to the ground, his lower and upper body falling in two different directions, as blood sprayed from the halves. 

The others stumbled back, yelling in fear, before they quickly rushed him with a yell. 

He was as elegant in his fighting as he was brutal. It was almost like watching a deadly dance. 

He twisted, bobbed, and weaved out of their wild swings. 

He swung his leg- again, like he was dancing- and the head of the second human fell, quickly followed by the guts of one of the elves spilling out onto the ground. Both bodies fell, the elf still groaning as his life bled out. 

The last elf dropped his clawed gauntlets as he fell to his knees. 

"P- please! Spare me!" He begged, his hands raised towards Drakhari. 

The Prince sneered, then reached down, before driving his hand forward. 

She heard a grisly crunching as ribs snapped, and the elf screamed. 

"Shut up. Stop screaming." He growled, and, amusingly- if morbidly enough- the elf stopped screaming, squirming and whimpering in pain. 

"I've got my hand around your heart. Literally. Answer my questions, and I'll give you a quick death. Fail to do so, and it's going to be incredibly painful. Now- why the claws?" He asked. 

"Th- they told us- to use them- they provided them! Please! Gods above it fucking hurts!" The elf screamed. 

"Why?" Drakhari growled. 

"I- I don't know! They told us she had to be dead and you weren't supposed to be anywhere nearby! That's all they said, I swear!" He screamed. 

"Hm. I believe you." He murmured, before he squeezed, crushing the elf's heart, then letting the body fall to the ground. 

He turned to look at Gwyneira as the blades retreated into his body. 

"You realise what this means, yes?" He murmured as he walked towards the dwarf, picking up his crossbow and reloading it, then taking his satchel of bolts and fastening it around his hips. With his size, the crossbow was pretty much a one-handed weapon. 

She was shaking, staring at the red liquid in the grass slowly seeping towards her. 

"Y- yes. I realise what this means." She mumbled, slowly getting to her feet. 

"Good. Then we should get moving." He said, walking back over to her and holding his hand out. 

She took it, staggering to her feet, before she looked up at him. 

"Wh- where will we go?" She mumbled. 

He pointed towards the craggy mountains separating her kingdom from his, and smiled. 

"Home."

Chapter 3: On The Run

She stared at him, flabbergasted. 

"Home? What do you mean home?" She asked, still trying to wrap her head around his suggestion. 

"My home. The kingdom of Erakleon." He said simply, before he nodded to her suitcase. 

"I suggest you get what you need from there and come with me." He said quietly. 

"W- wait- I can't just waltz into an enemy's kingdom!" She squeaked. 

"We can if you're accompanied by the prince of said kingdom." He said with a wry smile and a shrug. 

"N- no- I don't think it's a good idea to-" She started to say, but he cut her off. 

"And what's the other option? Hm? Head back to your palace? To that herzak you call a father?" He asked. 

She wasn't sure what "herzak" meant, but it was probably some kind of insult. 

He held his hand out to her. "Come with me if you want to live. I mean truly live. To be free. To live and love as you choose." He said softly. 

She stared at him, before she looked back and forth between him and the caravan. He was serious. He'd really take her away to his kingdom. But… that would mean leaving behind everything and everyone she knew. 

Then again… she knew just one good person, and it was… mostly bad memories that she'd be leaving behind. 

She reached out and took his hand. He smiled, then bent his head and gently kissed the back of her hand.  

"Gather only what you need. We should move." He said softly. 

She nodded, then ran back to the carriage. She threw her suitcase open and rifled through it, getting her food, flint and steel for fires, and some ropes, as well as a change of clothes, which she quickly stuffed into a rucksack, then made her way back over to him. 

"Alright. I'm ready." She said, and he nodded, before he looked towards the mountains, then narrowed his eyes, thinking for a moment. 

"How well do you know the territory?" He asked, looking back at her. 

She shrugged. She hadn't been let out of the castle much. 

"Hm. A moment." He murmured, before he walked to the carriage. He pulled up the driver's seat, taking a look underneath, before he reached in and pulled out a large, rolled up piece of paper, which he unfurled on the seat. 

"As I suspected. Map." He murmured, looking down at it for a while, his eyes darting back and forth a few times. 

"Alright. I've planned a route up to the mountains that will keep us off the trail. The hardest part will be getting through the mountains… but once we're through, we should be fine." He murmured, and she nodded. 

"Alright. Lead the way, then." She said softly, before she looked down at her rucksack. 

"We're going to need more food, too. I only packed enough for myself for a few days." She muttered. 

"Understandable. I'll hunt something down along the way." He murmured, before he rolled up the map and handed it out to her. 

"Take care of this." He murmured, and she nodded, slipping the item into her rucksack. 

With that, they were off, slipping into the woods. 

The route Drakhari had planned would take them through the forests of Kirisantos, around the city, and then a straight line to the mountains through the woods. A simple route, but long. 

They also likely would not have enough time, as her father would likely want what he deemed his possessions back. If they were caught, it would mean death for Drakhari, and permanent house arrest for her, along with some horrendous punishments. 

"Slow down." She said, reaching out and grabbing his hand. He slowed. 

"Was I going too fast?" He asked. 

She nodded. "You're tall. Longer legs. I'm shorter. I have to practically jog to keep up with you." She said with a soft laugh. 

"I could carry you." He said with a shrug. 

"I can walk just fine, Prince. Just… slow down." She said softly, and he nodded. 

"As you wish." He murmured, then kept walking, going slower now. 

She told herself she was holding his hand so he didn't speed up, but not-so-deep down, she knew it was because he was security in the unknown. Something solid, sturdy, and grounded to hang on to in a whirlwind. 

He didn't seem to mind, either. 

They walked until night fell. 

"We've been walking for a long time… we must be almost to Kirisantos by now." She said softly. 

"Hm. Are there animals in these woods?" He asked, looking around. "I can smell several, but I'm not sure which one is what. The wildlife here is different." He muttered. 

"Uhh… There are boars and deer here, I believe. Boars are the ones that are like- big, have tusks, and a really thick hide that varies in colour from brown to black, and a ridge of fur down their back that's stiff and stands up. Also they have hooves." She said, nodding. 

"I see. And a deer?" He asked. 

"Mmm… Four slender legs, usually light brown fur, may or may not have white spots, two eyes on the sides of its head, long, slender neck that may have a streak of white fur underneath. Sometimes they have these really pretty antlers- looks like tree branches." She said, holding her hands above her head with her fingers splayed out to imitate antlers. 

"You've… certainly got some interesting wildlife here." He murmured, raising an eyebrow. 

"I could likely say the same about your homelands, Prince." She said with a little smile. 

He snorted. "Fair enough. I'll go hunt. I will be back soon. In the meantime…" He looked around the place. 

"Set up here. If you make a fire, set up a wall of some kind around it to hide the flames. I don't want trackers seeing us through the woods." He murmured, and she nodded. 

"Stay hidden. Stay safe." He said softly, before he looked down at his clothes, then started to strip them off, right in front of her. 

She quickly reddened. "Wh- what are you doing!?" She squeaked. 

He paused and looked at her. "I- I can't hunt in this." He said, gesturing to his outfit. 

"Th- there's trees everywhere. Pick one and change out of my sight, you goof." She groaned, covering her eyes. 

"Why is this embarrassing? We have already seen each other without our coverings." He said, tilting his head. 

"Those were different conditions! Would- would you please just… somewhere else? Please? For me?" She asked with a sigh. 

He shook his head. "As you wish, Princess." He said, rolling his eyes as he walked off behind a large oak. 

She saw his clothes get tossed to the ground, and then saw a shadow slip away from behind the tree. 

There was likely a naked, ten foot tall biped now streaking through the woods. 

She sighed and walked to the oak, picking up his dropped clothes. He'd even tossed off his underclothes, as she'd suspected. 

She shook her head, then folded and kept his clothes down, before she started taking her clothes off as well. 

She slipped into a much more comfortable outfit of leather pants and a full sleeved blue blouse. 

Her clothes, she folded and kept in the rucksack, while his were left outside- something for him to wear when he got back. 

She closed her eyes and leaned back against the tree, resting for a moment, before she got to her feet. She spent a few minutes gathering some wood for a fire, and then dug a small pit in the ground. 

The wood and tinder was tossed into the pit, and she lit a fire. She moved closer, holding her hands out to the warmth. 

She sat there for a while, relaxing as she listened to the sounds of the forests. She'd always found them comforting. Maybe less so at night, with the limited visibility, but during the day, they were quite enjoyable to spend time in. 

That thought was interrupted by the faint sound of something crashing to the ground in the distance. Her eyes and ears flicked towards the source of the sound, and she reached for her dagger, staring intently at the spot. 

A few minutes passed by before she slowly relaxed. Perhaps it was Drakhari. Maybe he was chasing something down. 

Her eyes flicked into the sky, checking the position of the moon. Likely around ten o'clock, if she had to guess. 

He sure was taking a while… It had been an hour already. 

She heard a twig snap nearby, and her dagger was immediately out of its sheath, and pointed in the direction of the sound. 

A large figure emerged from the trees. Drakhari looked a little… roughed up. There were leaves stuck in his hair, and there were several small scratches all over his body. 

Though he was carrying a dead deer over his shoulder, he did not look happy. 

He strode over to her, and dumped the deer onto the ground. 

"Your trees are weak!" He huffed, before he stormed off to where he'd left his clothes to get dressed. 

She had to bite the inside of her cheek to stifle her laughter. That's what the crashing noise from earlier must have been. He'd fallen out of a tree. 

She got up and moved to the deer. Its neck had been slashed deeply, and the animal had bled out already. 

She knelt beside it, then started to skin and gut it, like Jiras had shown her all those years ago. 

She smiled slightly, remembering her intense disgust the first time. Now… it didn't feel so bad. Did she feel a little guilty for taking its life? She did, yes, but they needed to eat. 

He came back over a few minutes later, and stood there, watching her. 

"I'd assumed most of your lands' princesses fainted at the sight of blood. Yet here you are, elbow deep in a deer's guts." He said, grinning as he leaned against a tree. 

She grunted as she pulled out the organs and intestines. It took a moment before she responded. 

"Yes, well… the captain of the guard- Jiras- he wanted me to be a little self sufficient. Said he'd taught my father, and was going to teach his son too, but that I'd have to do. I know how to do most things that princes should, and also things a princess should do. I'm no damsel in distress, Prince Drakhari." She said with a smug smirk. 

He chuckled, then shook his head. "Good. You should probably buy some actual weapons in the city, when we get there. Sword and shield. I've got this." He nodded to the dwarf's crossbow, sitting next to where his clothes had been. 

"Child's toy, really. It's so small." He murmured.

"It was made for a dwarf. A full grown dwarf is less than half your size." She said, gesturing to him. 

He blinked. "Huh. I didn't know you were part dwarf." He murmured. 

Her jaw dropped, before she pulled out the first organ she felt and flung it at him. 

Drakhari quickly raised his hand, impaling the heart on the claw of his index finger, before he brought it closer to his face to examine it. 

"Hm. The heart. You know, where I'm from, this is a romantic gesture." He said with a grin. 

"Flinging an animal heart at someone you like? Really?" She asked wryly, pulling out the lungs, then starting to skin the deer. She didn't believe him in the slightest. 

"Yes. It is akin to the combat tradition you have here. To throw a glove in someone's face? Yes? Something like that." He murmured. 

"I see. And how does one respond to having a heart thrown at them?" She asked. Her tone said she was just entertaining what he was saying. She still didn't believe a word. 

"Well… it depends. If it was done in a private setting, but the receiver does not like the other person, they merely hand it back. But if it was done in a public setting, well… they keep it to be returned at a later time. In private, so there's no embarrassment involved." He murmured, still looking at the heart. 

"Mmhm. And what does the person do if they like the other person?" She asked wryly. 

"Simple. They eat the heart." He said, then popped the organ in his mouth and started to chew, with a smirk on his face. 

She blinked, blood rushing to her cheeks. "You're horrible." She grumbled, pulling the deer's skin off with a grunt. 

Then, she sliced off the meat, before she glanced around. "I need a sharp stick." She murmured. 

He looked at the tree he was leaning against, then up into the branches. He crouched, then leapt upwards. There was a loud snap as he came back down with a whole branch. He held it out in front of himself, and his tail’s blade made quick work of the twigs, leaving just the branch. He then scraped off the bark with his claws, sharpened one end, and handed it to her. 

"Here." He said softly. 

She took the stick and speared the meat on it, before she moved over to the fire and started roasting the meat over it. 

"Ideally, I'd have spiced the meat up a bit, but uhh- spices aren't exactly at the forefront of one's mind when they think of what they'll need to survive in the woods for a few days." She murmured, and he chuckled as he sat down next to her. 

"That is fair. Spices are not essential to survival. But they are essential to a good meal. Besides… We can find spices out in the wild if we're lucky." He murmured.  

"Yes. Among other things. Mushrooms make a good pairing to most dishes, too. Though we'll have to be careful in our selection. Some mushrooms can be eaten once, and you'll stay full for the rest of your life." She said with a laugh. 

He blinked, then tilted his head. "Huh? How would one mushroom keep you full for the rest of your life? That does not make sense." He murmured. 

"It does if you ate a poisonous mushroom." She said with a snicker. 

"Ahh. I see. The rest of your very short life. Understood. That's a good one." He said with a chuckle. 

She giggled softly, and they sat there in comfortable silence for a while, listening to the crackling of the fire and the sizzling of meat. 

A few minutes later, she pulled the meat back towards them. 

"Here. Your share." She murmured, handing him the bigger portion. 

"Thank you, Princess Gwyneira." He murmured, taking the piece and starting to chew on it. 

She nodded and started to eat her meal as well. They finished their meals quickly, hungry as they were. They hadn't eaten much besides rations all day.

"Oh dear. I just realised… we have no water." Drakhari said quietly. 

"And nothing to carry it in, either." Gwynn muttered, before she looked at the deer skin and organs she'd tossed to the side. 

"Buuuut… I might be able to fix that." She muttered.

He glanced over to where she was looking. "Waterskin?" He asked, and she nodded. 

"We're going to need to clean those out. Can't do that with no water." He murmured. 

"Yes, but I think it would be prudent to at least keep them with us until we come across a source of freshwater. I'll get started on preparing them, in the meantime." She murmured, getting up and walking over to the pile of viscera. 

She fished around for a bit, and pulled out the deer's stomach, followed by its bladder.  

She kept them to the side, then started to gather the deer's sinew, as well as more meat, which they'd need for the journey. After all that, she had him cut off a piece of the deer's antler. 

Then, she stretched the deer's hide over a nearby tree, where she assumed the sun would shine in the morning. Hopefully that would dry the skin out enough. With the deer's stomach and the hide, she could probably make a makeshift waterskin. Something to tide them over till they reached the city. 

When she came back, she saw Drakhari looking over the map. 

He pointed to a spot. "I think we're somewhere around here. If we make a little detour to the east…" He moved his finger over to a thin, wavy blue line. "There may be a stream we can use for water. Seems to come from the mountains." He murmured. 

She looked down at the map, then nodded. "Tomorrow. I'm tired." She said softly, and he nodded, rolling the map up and putting it back in her rucksack. 

She looked down at her bloody arms and sighed. She couldn't even clean herself off right now. 

She looked at Drakhari, sitting with his back to the tree, then walked over to him, then plopped herself down next to him. 

"It's getting chilly." She said softly, and he raised his head. 

"Is it? I'm not really feeling it." He murmured, and she looked at him, before she reached over and touched his arm. As expected, it was quite warm. She scoffed.  

"You males are always so warm. Makes me a little jealous sometimes." She said with a soft laugh. 

He reached over and touched her arm. It felt a little cold. 

He hummed, and she squeaked as his arms slid under her, picking her up and depositing her in his lap. 

"Just what do you think you're doing?" She grumbled. 

"Keeping you warm." He murmured, hugging her to his chest. 

"I have my bedding, you know." She grumbled, adjusting her position so she was more comfortable. He was big enough to be a single bed. 

She stretched out, then relaxed on his body, her head turned to the side as she rested. 

"Oh? Does your bedding come with heating?" He asked. 

She reached up and pinched his lips shut. "Shut up, Prince Drakhari. I'm going to sleep." She grumbled. 

The last thing she heard was a rumbling chuckle, before she promptly passed out. 

He watched her sleep for a while. His hand lifted, and he carefully brushed her hair out of her face, tucking it behind her ear. 

She was supposed to be the enemy. He was supposed to kill her on sight. And yet…

His hand rested on her face, his thumb gently rubbing across her cheek. 

She cooed softly and nuzzled into his hand. His heart nearly stopped, and his face heated quickly. 

His hand didn't move. His heart, however, was going a mile a minute. 

It eventually slowed down when a minute or two passed by, and she didn't wake up. 

He let out a quiet sigh, then wrapped an arm around her waist as he relaxed. He watched her, his eyelids slowly getting heavier and heavier as the embers in the fire died down. 

He, too, fell asleep. 

He winced as he opened his eyes. There was a dull pain in his lower abdomen. He needed to pee. 

He almost sat up, before he realised the Princess was still very much asleep. 

He froze, then slowly laid back down. He could put up with the pain for a little while. Better that than disturb the sleeping princess.  

He looked down at her. Bloodied though she was, she still looked more at peace than he'd ever seen her, and he'd be damned if he was the one to disturb that. 

So he waited. 

And waited. 

And waited some more. 

It was almost midday when she finally stirred. 

She sat up, and he clenched his jaw as the weight distribution put pressure on his already painfully full bladder. 

"Morning." She murmured, rubbing the sleep out of her eyes. 

"Yes. Yes it is." He murmured, before he picked her up and set her down to the side. "Now if you'll excuse me-" He shot to his feet and off into the woods. 

She stared at the spot he'd disappeared to in confusion, but in her slightly sleep-addled state, didn't think much of it. 

She got to her feet, and went off a little ways into the woods to relieve herself as well. 

She came back a while later, and checked on the deer hide. It had mostly dried out, as had the stomach and bladder. She took them down, then looked around for something to wrap them in. Her eyes settled on her rucksack. 

She sighed, then walked over to it. She pulled out her dress, then wrapped the organs in the hide, then covered the hide with the dress and slipped it into the bag. 

Drakhari came back a moment later, looking very relaxed. "Ready to move?" He asked, and she nodded. 

"Let's get going. I don't want this dried blood giving me some sort of skin condition." She said with a wry laugh as she gestured to her arms. 

He chuckled softly. He found the bloodstained princess very attractive, but he wasn't going to say that to her face. 

"Alright. Follow me." He murmured, and she nodded. 

They trudged through the woods for a few hours. They were both feeling the lack of water- their throats were dry, so conversation was kept to a minimum, and the pace was kept slow and steady. 

Then- they heard it- the babbling sounds of flowing water. They froze, then looked at each other, as if to confirm that the other was hearing it too. 

What followed was a headlong dash for the stream, with both of them cackling madly. 

They skidded to a stop at the edge of the stream, then got on their knees, immersing cupped hands in the water and bringing it to their lips. 

The refreshing, cool water felt like a blessing from the gods themselves to their parched throats. Gwyneira took the opportunity to clean off her hands and arms as well. 

They drank their fill, before she got to work. She cleaned the stomach and bladder thoroughly while she had Drakhari hollow out the antlers. 

She bound the hollowed antler to one end of the stomach with sinew, and did the same for the bladder. She then had him slice up the hide, which she wrapped around each organ. Now… she just needed something to sew them together. 

She looked at Drakhari, then past him, before her eyes went wide and horrified. "What is that!?" She cried out. 

He spun around, his eyes searching the forest with alarm. While he was distracted, she reached up and grabbed one of the quills on his back. 

He yelped loudly as she yanked it out, hopping a whole foot forward, before he rounded on her, glaring daggers. 

"Sorry." She said with a grin as she held up the sharp, curved metal quill. 

He grumbled quietly, but sat and watched her as she stitched the waterskins together. 

"There. All done. This will do till we get to the city and purchase some better ones." She said, tossing the bigger one to him. 

He snorted softly, shaking his head, before he lowered the waterskin into the stream, filled it, then picked it up. He took a few sips from it. 

"Deer flavoured water. But it'll do for now." He said wryly. 

"I'll keep this. Thank you, prince, for your generous contribution." She said, grinning as she slipped his quill into her rucksack. 

"... You owe me." He grumbled after a short pause. 

She nodded to his waterskin. "I'd say we're even, no?" She asked smugly. 

He looked down at his waterskin, then sighed. "I suppose." 

She clapped her hands, then moved back to the stream to clean her hands again.  

"We should move soon. Fill up your waterskin. I'd like to get closer to the city before dark. You still have the money your father gave you?" He asked. 

She nodded. 

"Good. You can purchase some equipment for yourself, as well as clothes for cold weather, and some proper water canteens that don't taste like deer." He said with a chuckle. 

"Won't you need clothes too? For the cold?" She asked. 

"No. I'll hunt something on the mountain. Unless you find an oversized fur coat or something." He said with a shrug. 

"Bearskin rug?" She asked, raising an eyebrow. 

"What's a bear?" He asked. 

"Uhh- really big creature, walks on four legs, massive claws, big and chubby, covered in brown fur. One of the most powerful land animals. Has cute little round ears." She said with a little chuckle. 

"And you use this creature as… a rug?" He asked, raising an eyebrow. 

She shrugged. 

"Very well… if you find something of my size, pick it up." He murmured. 

She nodded. 

With that, they set off again. By nightfall, they could see the walls of the city in the distance. 

"I think we should keep moving. Get closer before we stop." He murmured, looking down at her. 

"I agree. About an hour or two more, and we'll practically be camped right outside the walls." She murmured, and he nodded. 

"That means no fire tonight. We'll have to share your rations, and you'll have to go into the city in the morning to buy more." He murmured. 

"I don't mind not having a fire. You were uh- satisfactory enough last night." She mumbled, her face reddening a little. She was glad for the darkness. She thought he couldn't see her. 

Unfortunately for her, he could see very well in the dark, but he didn't need to- he could hear her tone of voice. That was enough. 

He laughed silently. "So I take it you'll want to sleep on me again, then?" He asked. 

"Yes. You're warm enough." She muttered. 

"Mmhm." He hummed, then felt a little punch land on his side. 

He chuckled, but said nothing further. 

They walked for a few more hours. The walls of the city were a lot closer when they finally stopped to make camp. 

As agreed, they split her rations, and ate quietly, before they rested for a while, their backs against a tree. 

"You know… this is the most fun I've had in a while." Gwyneira said softly. 

"You're on the run from your father, skinned and ate a deer, used its organs for a waterskin, and you're being taken to enemy territory. You call that fun?" He asked wryly, before he laughed. "You're going to fit right in with the rest of us." He murmured. 

"Yes. Yes it is fun. You wanna know why?" She said as she stood and swung her legs over him, before she plopped herself down in his lap and gripped the front of his shirt.  

"Because for the first time in my life, I'm free. Free, Drakhari. My decisions are my own. The consequences are mine. Not chosen for me. I'm free to choose for myself. I'm free to eat what I want. Free to spend time with who I want. Free to do whatever the hell I want!" She said, gazing into his eyes with an intensity and fire he'd never seen in her eyes before. 

"And I owe that to you. If you hadn't come into my life when you did… This never would have happened, and I'd still be trapped in that living hell. So… Thank you." She said softly, giving him a gentle smile. 

He rested his hands on her hips, and chuckled softly. 

"You're welcome, Gwynne." He said softly, and she bent her head forward, kissing the exposed part of his chest. 

She laid her head on his chest, and wrapped her arms around him as tightly as she could. 

He wrapped his arms around her, and squeezed gently. 

"Don't think this makes up for you plucking a quill out." He said quietly after a moment, and she let out a peal of laughter, which got him chuckling.

The laughter slowly died down, and she laid on him, getting herself comfortable as she snuggled close. 

"Goodnight, Prince Drakhari." She said softly. 

"Goodnight, Princess Gwyneira." He said softly, and gently patted her head. 

She settled in, and quickly fell asleep. She'd never fallen asleep quickly before, nor had she ever slept through the night. She'd always been afraid- wondering whether her father would come in at night to hurt her. She'd slept with one eye open her entire life. 

With him, however, she felt safe. Safe enough that she could pass out completely, and without worry. 

Drakhari stayed up a while longer, staring up at the stars in the night sky. He liked the twinkling little white dots. To him, seeing stars in the darkness was something hopeful. Proof that even in the darkest night, there would always be a light. No matter how small. 

He looked down at Gwyneira's white hair, then smiled slightly. It seemed he'd found a star right here.

He let her sleep in his arms till morning. Once again, he didn't stir until she did. This time, thankfully, she'd stayed asleep less. 

"Morning." She murmured. 

"Yes it is." He murmured back, and she sighed softly, before she sat up and looked at him. "You know saying "morning" is another way of saying "good morning", right?" She mumbled. 

"Oh? I thought you were making a statement." He murmured. His voice was so neutral, she couldn't tell if he was serious or messing with her. 

So she made a face at him, and slapped his chest. He snickered, before he sat up properly, then looked in the direction of the city. 

"You'll have to go get things for us. It's going to be a lot to carry. Can you manage?" He asked softly. 

"One giant coat or rug, several rations, cold weather clothes for myself, aaaand new equipment. Yes. I think I'll be able to manage." She said wryly. 

"Alright. Good. Get going. I'll wait here." He murmured. 

She chuckled softly and stood, before she took the bag of money out of the rucksack, and started walking towards the city. 

She could hear him behind her, following her till the very edge of the woods, where he stopped at the treeline, watching her head into the city. 

Only once she neared the gates did she feel his gaze slip away. He'd likely gone back to their spot. 

She walked through the gates of the city, and headed straight for the market square. Her first stop was at the blacksmith. If not armour, she at least needed some better weapons. 

As expected, the blacksmith only had custom made armour available, which would take a day or two to make, at the shortest estimate. So she picked up a sword and shield of decent quality. It wasn't the best, but she didn't want the best. She had to stay incognito. A strange elvish woman showing up in a human city and buying the best quality arms was not exactly laying low. 

With a shield strapped to her back and a sword at her hip, she went to the next shop- a camping store. 

There, she picked up a large tent, made to withstand the cold weather, and several rations, as well as some utensils for them to cook with. It would make the rations taste better, at least. 

She refused their offer to provide an escort to carry the items, and got strange looks as she merely lifted the whole pile like it was nothing, and slung it onto her back as she walked out. 

Her next stop was the clothing store. She brought a thick, heavy fur coat for herself, and then the largest fur coat she could find for Drakhari. 

Being a specialty item, it cost the most, but she had quite a bit of money. More than she knew what to do with. 

Carrying the bags and now drawing quite a bit of attention, she headed to a nearby restaurant and got a few boxes of food to go. 

Carrying the heavy weight as casually as one could carry over sixty pounds or thirty kilograms, she made her way back to the forest. 

She felt his eyes on her mere moments after she stepped into the forest. 

It wasn't long after that, he dropped down in front of her. 

He looked her over, an eyebrow raised as he saw how much she was carrying. 

"I'm… impressed. I didn't think you were that strong." He murmured, and she smirked. 

"I'm stronger than I look, prince Drakhari." She said smugly as she kept walking. 

"I can see that." He murmured, grinning as he turned to follow her. 

"I got us some food as well. Restaurant meals. I figured we could have something good before we headed for the mountains. Kind of a… farewell, I guess." She murmured. 

"Oh? Something good?" He asked, before he sniffed. "Certainly smells good." He murmured. 

"Mmh. I hope you like sausages and potatoes, prince." She said as she made her way back to their campsite. 

She set the items on the ground, and opened the boxes of food, one of which she handed to him. 

He looked inside, then tilted his head, before he plucked out a sausage. 

"What is this… mildly phallic object?" He asked, turning it around in his claws. 

She laughed and shook her head. "That's a sausage. They basically… like… mash up animal meat and stuff it inside the lining of intestines. It- it sounds worse than it tastes. Just trust me and take a bite." She said, smiling at him. 

He looked at her, then at the sausage, before he took a cautious bite and chewed. 

She saw his expression change almost immediately. His lips twitched in a slight smile, which shuddered, like he was trying not to grin. 

"Okay. This is… not bad." He murmured, before he dipped the sausage in the gravy and mashed potatoes, before he took another bite. 

He let out a moan, and his ears quickly shot up with embarrassment when she gave him a look. 

"I apologise, but that was really good." He mumbled, going back in for another dip and taking a bite. 

"I am definitely asking the cooks to figure this out." He murmured, before he set one sausage aside and wrapped it in the napkins the restaurant had given them. 

"Forget state secrets. I'm coming back with a princess and a sausage." He said with a laugh, which made her giggle softly. 

"We've got better dishes too, you know. Maybe we can try them together." She said with a smile. 

It quickly faded when she realised that, reality being as it was, that that was simply not possible. 

She looked down at her food and pushed it around the plate, her appetite suddenly gone. 

She felt his hand on her face, gently tilting her head up. 

"Do not despair, princess Gwyneira. It doesn't suit you." He said quietly, gently patting her face. 

She stared up at him for a while. "How? We're- we're just two people. Our kingdoms are at war. I want to come back here at some point- with you- because- because I want you to experience this place! Experience the things we have! But I can't! I can't, because people hate you! They think you're little more than savage beasts- monsters!" She cried out. 

He put his other hand on her face, wiping away the tears that were starting to drip down her cheeks. 

"I just… I just want to experience my home… with someone I l- like. But… I can't. We hate you and you hate us. There's no hope for us." She said quietly, looking up into his deep purple eyes. 

He sighed softly, then knelt as he hugged her to his body. 

"I know… you said we'd be free in your home… but that's just the thing- your home. Not mine. Not the place I've come to love." She said quietly, resting her head against his chest. 

"Even- even if you manage to win the war… and take over this land… you will be seen as nothing more than occupiers. Nothing more than invaders." She mumbled, her hands going up to rest on his. 

He sighed softly and gently scooped her up into his arms as he sat down on the forest floor, cross legged. 

He didn't know what to say. She was right. But they both knew she couldn't stay here. Not anymore. 

"I'm… I'm going to get back to eating. Need to keep our strength up for the journey." She mumbled. 

He set her down, then sat with his back to hers, before his tail wrapped around her waist. He picked up his food and ate as well. 

The silence hung heavily in the air. All he could do was just sit and let her know he was just… there. 

He could feel her shudder slightly as she cried quietly. 

"If it helps…" His tail curled tighter around her waist. "I'm going to do my best to make sure you're as comfortable as possible." He murmured. 

She sighed quietly, then leaned back against him, tilting her head back so she was resting it against his back. 

"It does help a little bit, yes." She murmured, staring up into the sky as she wiped her tears away. 

She looked down at his tail, then gave it a little squeeze, rubbing her hands along it. 

He let out a little purr, and she smiled, starting to rub his tail a little harder. "You like that, huh?" She murmured, giggling softly. 

"Maybe." He murmured, and she chuckled, moving her hand around to scratch the base. 

His tail quivered hard in her lap, and he let out a deep purr. "Careful, princess. That spot there is a little… sensitive." He murmured. 

"O- oh. Uhh- how sensitive?" She asked, her fingers stopping for a moment. 

He looked over his shoulder and smirked. "I don't know. You got any sensitive spots on your body I can look for, for a comparision?" He asked wryly, and she went red, before she slapped his back. 

"Sh- shut up." She grumbled, turning away and sitting back down, crossing her arms and legs as she closed her eyes, face on fire. 

He chuckled, then turned, wrapping his arms, legs, and tail around her as he drew her into his embrace, squeezing her gently. 

"I know… that you're going to miss your home, but… we have this. Each other." He said quietly, his hands sliding down from her shoulders, along her arms, and then to her hands, giving them a gentle squeeze, before he brought them up and kissed her palms. 

He sighed. "Unfortunately for you, Princess Gwyneira… I like you. And what that means is that I'm going to be doing everything within my power to keep you happy. Because I do not want to see a single tear of yours again." He growled softly, giving her hand a firm squeeze. 

"I like you… a lot." He murmured, and she looked up at him. 

"I… like you a lot, too." She mumbled. 

They stared at each other for a moment- pale blue into dark purple. 

His head lowered slightly, then paused. She shifted, tilting her head back and leaning upwards. 

Their lips met. His arms wrapped tighter around her, and he squeezed. 

It was over as soon as it began. He pulled back slightly. They stared at each other again. 

"Do you… really want to do this?" He asked quietly. 

She nodded. 

"You realise what this means, yes? You- you'll never be accepted as a ruler of this land again." He whispered. 

"I don't care." She whispered back, her hands going up to grab his horns as she dragged his head back down. 

She felt his tongue slip into her mouth, and her hands slipped down to his face, before she moved, twisting so she was facing him. 

She gasped softly as she was suddenly pushed away, down to the ground. Before she could question it, he was on top of her, growling- almost purring, with his face right in hers. 

She kissed him again- wrapping her arms around his neck and pulling him close. 

His tongue slipped into her mouth again, and she moaned softly, squeezing him tighter. She tried to wrap her legs around his body, but he was a little too large. The best she could do was just squeeze his sides with her legs. 

He pulled back a little, and their eyes met, the two of them panting softly. 

"Do you… want to…?" He mumbled, and she nodded. 

"Yes." She whispered, burying her face in his neck as she clutched him tightly. 

She felt his hands slide up under her shirt, then gasped softly as his sharp nails gently sank into the flesh of her breasts. 

"C- careful. They're sensitive." She whispered. 

He paused, then raised his head, an eyebrow raised, with a smug look in his eyes, and an equally smug smirk on his face. She'd just given him some ammunition to use later. 

"Oh shut up." She huffed, grabbing his horns and pushing his head back down. 

He snickered, then slipped his hands out, before he gripped the edges of her blouse and lifted. She moved her arms above her head to assist in taking it off, and he shoved her blouse under her to give her something comfortable to lie on. 

"Princess Gwynne… You really want to go at it here, in the forest? Like animals?" He purred, and she growled softly at him. 

"Yes. Yes I do, Prince Drakhari." She hissed, and he grinned, before he undid her pants and tugged them off. 

He bent his head and kissed her lips, then slowly moved downwards, his gentle kisses flitting over her breasts, then her stomach, and then pausing at her groin. 

Grinning, he grabbed her legs and lifted her up, leaving her lower back off the ground. She yelped, and her thighs immediately closed around his head.  

He snickered, then gently gripped her thighs, parting her legs, before he opened his mouth, showing off his sharp teeth as he ran his tongue along them. 

"I swear to god, if you bite me, I will-" She didn't get to finish her sentence before he slid his tongue into her, making her suck in a ragged gasp as her eyes shot wide open.  

She gripped his horns, letting out a loud moan as she began to grind against his face. 

She felt him grin, and let out a surprised moan as she felt his tongue start moving deeper and deeper, until the tip pressed against her cervix. 

"D- Drakhari wait-!" She started to say, before she arched her back and let out a squeal as his tongue pushed past, slowly entering her womb and starting to grind around. 

"Whaa- aaah- t is that tongue!?" She squealed, her legs shuddering as she tried desperately to maintain control over them. 

"A tongue. What else would it be?" He murmured, and her arms fell to the side, her fingers digging into the grass. The elf panted and gasped as he started to rub his tongue against her little pleasure button, intensifying the pleasure even further. 

Ragged gasps and moans escaped her lungs, the poor woman overstimulated from her lover's oversized tongue. 

"I'm- I'm gonna-!" She started to say, but was cut off as blinding pleasure shot through her brain, making her cry out in ecstasy as she arched her back hard, drenching his tongue in her fluids. 

He slowly pulled his tongue out of her shivering body, and looked down at the elf, who was currently staring blankly up at the sky, and panting heavily. 

"Are you… okay?" He mumbled, raising an eyebrow. 

It took a few seconds before she gathered her scattered brains enough to respond. 

"Y- yeah." She said breathlessly, and he chuckled. 

"Was that your- no. No way." He murmured, narrowing his eyes as he shook his head. 

She looked at him, her gaze still slightly unfocused. "What-? What are you-?" Then, her face froze in a look of horrified realisation. 

He grinned wide. "It was! Yes! That was your first orgasm!" He called out, and she covered her face in embarrassment while he fist pumped the air. 

She let out a loud whine, and he laughed again, before he reached down, gently but firmly moving her hands away from her face. 

"Hey. Hey. That's nothing to be ashamed about. I'm just… happy I was your first." He said with a smile, before he gently kissed her lips.

She let out a grumble-whine, but kissed him back. 

They kissed for a while, before he smiled, then leaned back. He took his shirt off, and tossed it to the side, before- with some difficulty- he took his pants off. It was painfully obvious why, afterwards. 

She finally let herself look at his genitals, and her eyes nearly fell out of her head. They were… quite large. 

The tips of his dark purple cocks were tapered, with swirling, curled ridges down their lengths, almost like little spirals. At the center of each spiral was a short fleshy spike, and at the bottom of each shaft was a thick, swollen knot. Each shaft was as long as her forearm, and likely similarly thick. 

 

She let out a nervous chuckle. "That's- uhh- that's pretty big. Y- you sure that's not… d- dangerous?" She mumbled. 

He laughed softly. "I'm quite sure it's not dangerous. But we can stop if you want. I can hop behind a tree there and finish myself off. Or, there's other ways to-" 

"No." She cut him off, before she spread her legs, looking away from him with her face burning hot. 

"I- I want you inside me." She said softly, and screwed her eyes shut. Hearing herself talk like that felt incredibly embarrassing. 

His hand closed around her waist, and she looked up at him when his hand rested beside her head. 

"I'll take it slow." He said softly, and she nodded. 

"Please." She whispered. 

He lined his lower cock up with her, before he leaned forward, slowly pushing into her.

She whimpered softly when she felt the tip slide inside. Uncomfortable memories began to bubble up, but were quickly squashed right back down when he wrapped his arms around her, holding her to his chest. 

She rested her head against his chest, listening to the pounding of the heart she'd fallen asleep to the last three nights. 

She felt him slide deeper, and let out a low moan. Bit by bit, he slowly worked his way inside her. 

She shivered when she felt the tip of his cock press against her cervix. 

Her nails dug into his sides, the elf letting out a pained whimper as he pushed past, burying his cock fully inside her. 

She was shivering and shaking so hard, she could barely speak. 

She looked down at herself, and swallowed when she saw herself distended around the shape of his shaft. The little spikes inside her were grinding against her walls with the slightest movement, able to reach her sensitive spots with ease. 

He sat up on his knees, holding the shivering elf to his body. 

"S- start moving." She mumbled, looking up at him. 

"Are you sure? I don't want to hurt you." He murmured. 

"Haven't you heard? Elves are made of rubber." She said with a weak laugh as she pressed her forehead to his chest. 

There was a long, awkward silence, before she sighed and looked up. "It's a joke, Prince Drakhari." She murmured. 

"Ah. I see." He murmured, and she giggled softly. She then let out a shaky moan as he slowly lifted her up, then brought her back down, very carefully and gently sliding in and out of her. 

She clung tightly to him, her body refusing to listen to any other commands as she took him again and again, each entry sending a spike of pain and pleasure up her spine, and each withdrawal leaving her feeling incredibly empty. 

His other cock rubbed against her stomach, and she reached down, giving it a few tender strokes. 

"You feel really, really good." He whispered, and she let out a breathless chuckle. 

"Likewise. I- I can't feel my legs." She mumbled, letting out a weak little laugh. 

He stopped moving, and leaned her back a little to look down at her with concern. 

"No, no. That's a good thing. Carry on. Please." She cooed softly, smiling up at him. 

"If you say so, princess." He murmured, resuming his slow thrusts. 

She let herself go limp, and closed her eyes, secure both in his grip and the knowledge that he wasn't going to let any harm come to her.

She moaned freely and loudly; it got faster when he sped up a bit. By this time, she was starting to adjust to his size, allowing him some room to thrust faster. 

"Lay me down. I want to feel you go harder." She whispered, and he obeyed, laying her down on her back as he bent down over her. 

A hand pressed against the back of her head, holding it to his chest, as he growled softly, cock throbbing inside her as he started to properly rail her. 

She panted and moaned, her legs hooking around his thrusting hips and clenching as hard as they could- given her internal organs were getting rearranged, and she was shaking like a leaf. 

"Again-! It's happening again!" She whimpered, then tilted her head back and let out a scream of pleasure as she climaxed again, drenching his shaft in her juices. 

He let out a low snarl when she clenched up around him, and she felt his arms wrap around her body, the large male starting to hammer harder into her. 

Then, she felt it- the knot, pushing inside her. A part of her wanted to scream out- to tell him to stop, that she would break- but the other part wanted it inside her. Wanted him inside her- completely. 

Mixed pleasure and pain shot through her, making her cry out as the knot pushed inside. Then, she felt it, his- his- fluids- erupting into- and onto- her, as he let out a loud roar. 

It was hot, almost, and she shuddered, melting into his arms as the warmth quickly spread through her body. 

She looked down at the dark fluid over her stomach and breasts, then chuckled softly, before she reached down and ran her finger through it, before she brought it up to her mouth and sucked her finger clean. His… stuff… was sweet, and a little sour, like… some kind of fruit jam, but no fruit she'd ever tasted. 

She felt him twitch hard inside her when she did that, then blinked, before she tilted her head back, looking up at his face. 

He was staring down at her, a somewhat shocked, but turned on look on his face. 

They stared at each other for a few seconds before he slowly sat up, panting as he looked down at her.  

"Are you okay?" He asked quietly, and she nodded, before she looked down at herself. She was covered in his semen, and her belly was slightly rounded out, filled with his seed. 

She felt very, very full. 

"I'm alright. Just… still trying to recover." She mumbled, letting out a soft giggle.  

"Did you… enjoy yourself?" He asked. 

She nodded, and he smiled, before he reached out and gently took her hands in his. 

"Maybe we should delay our trip to the mountains. At least until you can walk again." He murmured. 

She let out a weak laugh. "Yes… I think that would be wise." She murmured, smiling as he kissed her hands. 

There was a pleasant buzzing in the back of her mind. She felt good. Relaxed. Sore, but… in a good way. She stared up at him. It was too soon, wasn't it? They'd known each other for only a few days. But... Deep down, she knew it to be true. 

"I love you." She said softly. 

He raised an eyebrow, then chuckled.

For a moment, her heart turned to ice. It was too soon. He didn't feel the same way about her. "Idiot. Stupid goddamn idiot!" She began to curse herself, before he spoke. 

"Huh. Miracles do happen." He said wryly, as he sat back against the tree, sitting on a pile of their clothes. 

"I love you too, Princess." He whispered, holding her close to his chest. She stared at his skin, her eyes wide as warmth filled her chest. She relaxed, the tension slipping out of her body, before she spoke.

"Tomorrow morning… mountains. Then… home." She mumbled, closing her eyes to rest for a while. 

"Yeah. Home." He said softly, rubbing her back as he gazed at the sharp peaks of the mountains in the distance.

Chapter 4: The Journey

Gwyneira groaned softly when she woke up. "Ughhh… ow…" She grumbled, sitting up as she put a hand over her stomach.  

It hurt like hell. She looked up, and saw Drakhari looking down at her with one opened eye. 

"Are you alright?" He asked. 

"Your… thing… was all the way up inside my uterus. I'm sore." She grumbled, headbutting his chest. 

He chuckled softly and gently pushed her head back with a single finger. "Well, I didn't hear you complaining when it was up in there, princess." He purred, and she went red, before she slapped his side, making him snicker. 

"Shut it." She grumbled, before she got up off him and started to slowly get dressed. She moved stiffly and slowly, wincing every now and then as her abdomen protested violently. 

Eventually, however, she got her clothes on, and looked at Drakhari, who was down on one knee and looking at her with a raised eyebrow. 

"I can carry you, if you want." He said softly. 

"I'll be fine. I can walk. Let's get going." She murmured, walking past him with a bit of a waddle. She was quite clearly feeling the downsides to having a lover that was quite literally twice her size. 

Drakhari eventually walked in front of her, leading her through the forest. She watched his tail swaying as he walked. She had the sudden urge to pounce on it, which she quickly stuffed down. She wasn't some sort of cat! 

They walked for hours, stopping every now and then so she could rest. The pain was getting worse. It felt like she was about to give birth! 

She worried for a moment, that maybe there was some internal bleeding, caused by their lovemaking the night prior. If that was the case, they'd have to move quickly… 

It was just past noon when they reached the mountains. 

"You're sure we're heading the right way, right?" She muttered, looking up at the steep slope. 

"I'm sure." He murmured, before he knelt. "Get on my back." He murmured. 

"I can climb." She grumbled. 

He looked over his shoulder. "I wasn't asking, princess." He murmured. 

She glared at him. She could climb, but the way her body was rioting against her right now… she didn't feel like it. 

She sighed, then carefully got onto his back, before she wrapped her arms around his neck and buried her face in his hair. It smelled like- well- hers. He'd used her stuff the last time he'd taken a bath. 

She felt something go around her midsection, and glanced down, watching him tie her to his body with a belt. 

"Umm… what are you doing?" She mumbled. 

"Making sure you don't fall off." He murmured, and she grunted softly as the belt was tightened, practically gluing her to his back. 

"Why would I fall off? I'm not-" The rest of her sentence was cut off by a yell as Drakhari dropped to all fours and started crawling his way up the side of the mountain, and fast. 

She felt like she was on a very maniacal horse she had no control over. He leapt and skittered across the rocks, moving like a man possessed as he ascended rapidly towards the peak. 

As soon as he could, he scrambled horizontally along the mountain, then paused. 

"No, no, don't you dare! Those are brand new pa-aaaaaants!" She screamed as he leapt right off the edge. 

She heard rocks shatter, and grunted loudly when he landed, then skidded down the slope, coming to a stop at the bottom of the mountain. 

"Back home, we climb these mountains with boards of metal, and then come down them while riding those boards. It's fun! I'll take you someday." He said with a grin. 

"No thank you!" She yelled immediately, which made him laugh, before he turned to the next mountain. 

"Ready to do that again?" He said with a snicker. 

"Esmerae help me." She prayed helplessly as he walked the short, flat stretch of ground to the next mountain slope. 

Several nauseating ups and downs later, she was just about ready to kick the bucket. Her stomach was screaming at her, while also threatening to throw up everything she'd eaten. 

She patted his shoulder. "Break. Please." She mumbled. 

He blinked, then looked around. "What do you want me to break?" He asked, before looking over his shoulder at her. 

She rolled her eyes. "Break. As in a rest. I need to rest." She mumbled. 

"Oh. Okay." He murmured, looking around for a bit, before he climbed over to a large, flat ledge. 

He undid the belt, and carefully got her down as she groaned, holding her stomach. 

She crawled a bit away, then leaned back against the rock wall, wincing in pain as she held her stomach. 

Drakhari sniffed the air, and his head moved closer, before he started to sniff her. 

"You're bleeding." He said with some alarm. "We- we must get you to a medic. As quickly as possible." He murmured, putting his hand over hers. 

"Wait… what- what's the date?" She mumbled. 

"Huh? The date? Fourteenth of Miha'ir. Why?" He asked. 

"Oh. Ohhh it's early." She groaned loudly, flopping onto her side. 

He frowned slightly, hovering over her like a fussy goose. "What is? Are you alright? Should I get you something? Do you-?" He started to ask questions, rapid fire. 

She held up a hand and pinched his lips shut to stop the barrage of questions. 

"Periods, Prince Drakhari. I'm on my period." She grumbled. 

He blinked, then plucked her hand off. "What's a period?" He asked. 

She stared at him in silence for a few seconds. "Of course you intimately know a woman's sensitive spots, but not what a period is. Typical man." She said, sticking her tongue out at him. 

He grabbed her tongue before she could reel it back in, and smirked. "Are you going to explain, or keep giving me cheek?" He said, snickering, before he let go. 

She blew a raspberry at him, but explained anyway. "It's this… thing that happens every month. Our body basically punishes us for not being pregnant, and the lining of our womb decides to say aella." She mumbled. 

He assumed the elvish word was something for goodbye. 

She could see by the look on his face that he was horrified. 

"Mmhm. Eeeeevery month. Without fail. Well- unless you get pregnant, but that's another matter." She murmured. 

She grinned, then leaned close to whisper in his ear. "Sometimes, if you move wrong, you can even feel the blood clots slide out." 

He shuddered. "Ooookay. That's enough out of you." He grumbled, putting a finger on her lips. 

She grinned and gently bit his finger, before her head flopped back, and she groaned softly. "Ow. Ow ow ow ow owww…" She winced, curling up into a ball. 

He sighed softly and carefully picked her up, setting her down in his lap. "Should we wait here until it passes, then?" He asked softly. 

She looked up at him, then reached up to gently caress his cheek. "Oh you sweet summer child… This could go on for a week, for all we know." She murmured, giving his face a pat. 

He stared down at her blankly. His brain seemed to have shut down. 

"A- a week?" He mumbled. 

"Five days, usually, but it could go up to a week, yes." She murmured, nodding.  

He shook his head, then tilted it back, staring up at the sky as he sighed. 

"And this is every month. That's just… not fair." He said with a wry chuckle. 

"You're telling me." She said with a smirk as she snuggled into his chest. 

"Just give me a few minutes. I should be okay to move around after that." She murmured. 

He nodded, and they sat in silence for a while, with him idly stroking her hair, and she taking a catnap. 

About half an hour went by, before she woke up again. She drank some water and ate a few of their rations, before they continued moving. 

They travelled for another hour or two, until the sun began to set. At that point, They were deep enough in the mountains that there was snow capping some of the peaks, and the temperature had dropped several degrees. 

They were currently sheltered in a shallow cave. He was building a fire, while she sat in a corner, rolled up into a ball as she held her stomach and groaned. 

"Will something warm help?" He asked softly. 

She nodded, then looked at him. "Why? What are you planning?" She murmured, watching him warm his hands over the fire. 

"Well… give me a moment." He murmured, before he got up and walked outside. 

He came back inside several minutes later, holding a large, flat stone. She tilted her head, watching as he held it over the fire. 

"I've seen women in my land sitting with this on their bellies… always wondered why. Now I know." He said with a wry chuckle. 

"A heated stone? Isn't that going to burn my skin?" She asked softly. 

"Well… It shouldn't, if I've got the right stone, but I'm not completely sure about that. Might be wise to cover up the area a bit." He murmured, and she nodded, bunching her coat up around her stomach. 

He flipped the stone, warming it from the other side as well, before he walked over to her and gently placed it over her belly, and pressed down slightly. 

The warmth slowly spread through her body, and she sighed happily. The pain reduced a little. 

Gwyneira shifted so her head was in his lap. "You know… most men get squeamish when they hear about women having periods. Many straight up refuse to help, and some even like to pretend it doesn't exist." She murmured, smirking up at him. 

"Not taking care of your wife while she's in pain for a few days is the least masculine thing I can think of." He murmured, and she chuckled, before she reached up and patted his face. 

"If only the world had more men like you." She said, smiling wryly, before she brought his hand to her lips and kissed it. 

"Just… hold me, my love." She said softly as she closed her eyes, relaxing in his embrace. 

"In a moment." He said softly, before he gently moved out from under her. 

He picked up his oversized coat, then walked back over to her, before he carefully wrapped her up in it, stone and all, then carried her as he moved over to the fire. 

Bundled up and as warm as she could be, she quickly fell asleep in his arms. 

He sat there, awake for a while longer as he stared out over the fire, and into the inky blackness beyond the cave. Another day, and they'd be in his lands. Another two days after that, and they'd be home. 

He looked down at Gwyneira. He wondered what his mother would think of her. His brother… his brother probably wouldn't be happy he'd brought an elf home. 

He sighed. Introducing her to the family was going to be… awkward. But it was his choice. They'd have to respect it. 

He looked down at the small woman bundled up in the cloak, then bent his head and gently kissed her lips. 

She cooed softly, stirring just a little before she settled down again. 

In the morning, Gwyneira woke up with a loud groan. The cramping had started again, and the stone had gone cold, as had the fire. 

Drakhari woke almost immediately upon hearing her, and looked down. "Are you okay?" He asked softly, and she shook her head. 

"Cramping started again." She muttered, wincing as she crawled out of his cloak. 

"Get the fire going, please. I need to change my underwear." She muttered as she shuffled off behind him. 

He turned his head, and watched her pull down her pants. When he spotted the bloodstained panties, he turned away, giving her her privacy as he rekindled the fire. 

She came back a moment after he'd started the fire, and took out a pot from their camping utensils. 

She walked out, packed it with snow, then came back and stood over the fire, letting the snow melt a bit before she set it down to let it boil. 

As soon as the water began to bubble, she tossed her panties in and sat in his lap. 

"Is… isn't that the pot we use to cook our food?" He asked. 

"It's boiling water, Drakhari. You won't get my period blood in your food. Relax." She said, rolling her eyes. 

He snorted softly, and they watched the cloth get tossed around in the bubbling water for a few minutes, before Gwyneira fished it out with a twig and set it on a rock to dry. 

"Imagine if it froze instead." Drakhari murmured, and she shot him a glare. 

"I have three good pairs, and this is one of them. If it's ruined, I'm beating your ass." She grumbled. 

"Wha-? What did I do?" He asked with an incredulous laugh. 

"Started my period early or something. I don't know!" She huffed, crossing her arms as she glared at him. 

"How could I possibly have started your period early?" He asked, clenching his jaw to stifle a laugh. 

"I- I don't know! Your- your thing was all the way up inside where your things aren't supposed to go! Maybe you knocked something out of alignment!" She grumbled. 

"My… thing?" He said teasingly. 

"Yeah. Your thing. The thing between your legs." She grumbled, gesturing vaguely in the direction of it. 

"What is this thing called, princess?" He asked, grinning as his tail swished along the ground. 

She went red and glared at him even harder. "Oh don't even start, you- you- stupid- grr!" She huffed and stamped her foot, which made him laugh out loud.

"Oh you are just too precious, princess." He murmured, moving to her on all fours, and coiling his tail around her waist as he pulled her into his lap. 

"You can't swear, can you?" He murmured, and she huffed. 

"Can too." She grumbled. 

"Oh? Say fuck." He said, grinning. 

"F- fu-" She paused, then puffed her cheeks out. "Oh go jump off a cliff." She grumbled, pouting as he laughed and kissed her forehead. 

"Precious, princess." He said softly, gently stroking her hair behind her ears. She grumpily nuzzled into his hand, before she gave it a none-too-playful bite, which just made him laugh softly. 

About an hour later, they were ready to move again. 

Once again, with great trepidation, she let him fasten her to his back, and she immediately gripped his horns.

"If I fall off, I swear to all the gods, I'm coming back to haunt you." She grumbled. 

"Oh? Is that a promise? Good. I'd prefer seeing your pretty face again." He murmured, and she headbutted him in the back of the head as she went red. 

He snickered, then took a running leap out of the cave, falling several feet while she screamed. 

Several hours later, he slowed down. The mountain ranges had gotten rockier and darker, as well as warmer. They were approaching his homeland. 

"Is your homeland volcanic?" She asked, looking at the mountains around them. 

He nodded. "Yes. Warm and volcanic. The soil is excellent for farming. Highly nutritious. You should see the sizes of our crops." He said with a chuckle, before he held his hands about ten inches apart. 

"This is the average size of one cucumber." He murmured. 

"Hm. I know a couple of noble ladies who'd be interested." She mumbled quietly, and his ear twitched. 

"What?" He asked, looking over his shoulder at her.

"What?" She asked innocently, blinking back at him. 

"Did you say something?" 

She shrugged nonchalantly. 

He squinted at her, but said nothing as he kept moving, until the sun set behind the mountains, casting shadows over the ground. 

It was at that point that he stopped, and set her down. Their new spot was little more than a ledge jutting out of the mountain at a slight upwards angle. 

"Well this is… cozy." Gwyneira muttered as she sat on his lap, hands resting on her stomach. 

"Yeah, I'm not too fond of the angle either, but… best we can do for now." He murmured, shrugging. 

"Can't make a fire either. It would just roll down onto us." She murmured, and he nodded. 

"Cold rations for dinner it is, then." She said softly, pulling the bag open and pulling out rations, handing a few pieces to him, and taking just one for herself. 

He frowned slightly, then gave her nose a poke. "Just one isn't enough." He said softly. 

"I… don't have much of an appetite. The pain is… well… It kills the appetite." She murmured, shrugging, and he sighed, before he reached into the bag and took out another ration, breaking it in half and handing her the other half. 

"You're losing blood. You have to stay stocked up." He said softly. 

She sighed and took the piece, before she started munching on it. "I'll try." She muttered. 

"That's all I'm asking for." He said with a soft smile, biting down into his own rations as he watched her eat. 

She ate slowly. Little bites- not too big, More akin to large nibbles. He found it quite endearing, but said nothing. 

As soon as their dinner was finished, she pulled his cloak over herself and snuggled down onto him, closing her eyes to get some rest. 

"Don't roll off. Or I'll-" 

"You'll come back and haunt me. Yes, yes. I know. Go to sleep, princess." Drakhari said with a wry laugh. 

She let out a grumble, then gently slapped his side. A moment later, her hand went limp as she laid across his chest, getting comfortable with a low purr. 

It wasn't long before they fell asleep, and the next morning, she woke to the sight of him sleeping with his head tilted back, jaw hanging loose, cheeks split open, and all his teeth on display. 

She chuckled softly. Most normal people would have screamed, but she wasn't normal. 

She gently pushed up on his lower jaw. It stayed shut for all of five seconds before it dropped down again. 

She giggled, then settled down on him, wincing slightly as her abdomen protested every tiny movement. 

She sighed, her hand slipping under his shirt and gently tracing her fingers along the metallic tattoos on his chest. 

She traced her fingers along each letter, going in a completely random order, then starting to move upwards to his neck. Then, she grasped it and stretched upwards, wincing slightly, before she gently kissed his neck, then buried her face in it. 

She could still smell the things she'd used on him the last time she'd given him a bath. He smelled like her… albeit a bit sweatier given how he'd been leaping around the mountains.

She smiled slightly, then looked at his ear. It was pointed, and shaped like hers. The only difference was a slightly bony ridge poking through the skin where cartilage formed an arch. 

She wondered if… no… surely not… 

She reached up, then gently rubbed the ear between her fingers. 

The reaction was immediate. He twitched in his sleep, and his tail thumped on the ground, once, as he let out a low rumble. 

She grinned, the dull, aching pain in her abdomen momentarily forgotten as she explored her new toy. 

She gently caressed the bony ridge, and his tail quivered, thumping on the ground as he let out a low, happy purr. 

She giggled softly. It was adorable, seeing him like this. She carefully straddled him, and her fingers reached for the other ear as well. 

She rubbed it, and his eyes flickered open as he let out a moan. They were unfocused at first, but he quickly focused up and glared down at her. 

Her fingers slowly came to a stop as she let out a nervous chuckle. "I'm in danger." She mumbled. 

No sooner were the words out of her mouth than he'd grabbed her wrists and twisted them around, pinning her against the wall as he let out a low growl. 

"If you were not bleeding, Princess… you would be getting impaled right now." He hissed in her ear, and she swallowed. 

"I would have torn your clothes off and ravaged you right here, until you couldn't walk. Again." He growled quietly, and she clenched her thighs together, staring at him as he slowly leaned back. 

"Consider yourself lucky." He murmured, before he smirked, then leaned in and gently kissed her lips. 

"That being said… good morning." He murmured, and she just whimpered softly in response; confused, turned on, and still trying to process what had just happened. 

He let go of her hands, and she stared at him, blinking, as they fell into her lap. 

Right now, she was really, really wishing her period had come a couple days later… but she'd never say as much to his face. 

She swallowed, then cleared her throat, her cheeks still burning. "S- so uhh- we- we must be getting close, right?" She asked. 

He nodded. "Yes. By tonight, we shall be in Erakleon. Getting to the city will take another two days." He said, before he turned to look at her. 

"And don't even think about changing your clothes. They'll laugh if they see you in your princess dresses." He said with a smirk. 

She raised an eyebrow. "Oh? So your people have no sense of fashion?" She asked wryly. 

"They do… it's just very, very different from yours. We go for function over form, but also still manage to make it look good. You'll see. But my point is, wear the clothes you're wearing now. You'll gain more respect with them that way. Show them you're not just some… pushover princess I happened to capture." He murmured. 

She snorted softly. "Alright… But only for the first impression. After that, I'm going back to my "princess outfits"." She said, using air quotes around the words “princess outfits” before she stuck her tongue out at him. 

"As you wish." He murmured, before he handed her a ration and a half, and kept two and a half pieces for himself. 

"Are there any water bodies? Rivers or streams, preferably?" She asked. 

"Many. They all originate from the volcanoes, so they're quite warm, too." He said with a smirk. 

"Oh? That's really good, then. Can finally get a bath." She murmured. 

"Yes… I'd say we're both in dire need of one." He murmured, and she mumbled her agreement. 

After they ate, she strapped herself in for another nauseating ride, and off they went again, up and down the mountains while she struggled to keep her meal down. 

As they got closer, she saw the mountains change colour, from white snow capped peaks and light brown soil with grey rocks, to hard, craggy peaks with soil of a red so dark it was almost black, and black rocks. 

They were in Erakleon. The volcanic homeland of the creature whose back she was currently glued to. 

He paused at the top of one of the peaks, then took a deep breath. "Home." He murmured, before he leapt right off. 

She didn't even bother screaming on the way down. 

They traversed a few more mountains, before he came to a sudden stop halfway down. 

She looked up at him. He was frozen, but his ears were twitching. 

"D- Drakhari? Are you-?" She started to ask, but cut herself off when she saw him raise a finger to his lips. 

He looked at the ground, then skidded a little lower, before he started to dig. 

The soil here was more loose, and digging was a bit of an effort, but he eventually gripped something in the ground, and with a growl, pulled it free. 

She peered over his shoulder to see he had a metal board in his hands. It was about six and a half feet in length, and was about an inch thick. The board was symmetrical, with both ends rounded, and tapering off to a straight line down the middle. Cut into the surface were two grooves, with the raised walls acting as something to brace against. 

"What… is that? Is that a shield?" She asked curiously. 

"No. It's someone's mountain board." He murmured, glancing up the slope, before he looked down, then crouched and dug a little further, before he winced. 

She peered over his shoulder again, and saw what looked like the end of a rock jutting vertically out of the soil. 

"My guess… the rider didn't see this. Board came to a stop. Rider didn't." He murmured, pointing further down the slope. 

She winced too. "Ouch." She murmured. 

"Ouch indeed." He murmured, before he looked down at the board, then smirked. 

"No. No, don't you da-!" She shrieked as he leapt into the air, sliding the board under his feet as he landed. 

Their descent was now a lot faster than him just scrambling down the mountain. 

She buried her face in his back as he flew down the slope, cackling and whooping like a madman.

She was starting to regret her decision to come with him. 

Then, they were in the air. He'd gone off a rock. They soared for a moment, before they came crashing down again. 

They flew downwards for a few more seconds, before he twisted his body, skidding them to a stop at the base of the mountain. 

She immediately dropped from his back, staggered a few feet away, then dropped to her hands and knees as she threw up. 

She heard him chuckle as he walked over, then gathered her hair up in his hand, holding it back while she spewed. 

"Ahh… reminds me of my first time." He said with a snicker. 

She groaned in reply, dry heaving a few more times before she waved wildly. 

Surprisingly, he understood the gesture, and handed her their waterskins. She cleaned herself off, then slowly stood. 

"Don't… ever… do that again." She mumbled. 

"Yes… I said that for my first time too. Come on. We should return him to his family." He murmured.

She blinked at him. "Return… who?" She murmured. 

He held up the board. "Him." He murmured. 

"It's… a board." She murmured, looking down at it, before she looked up at him. 

He chuckled and smiled. "No… this is a person." He said softly. 

It was at that moment, she realised, that the metal that made up his claws and the metal of the board he was holding seemed to be the same kind… albeit a different colour. 

Her eyes widened. 

"Ah. You understand." He murmured. 

"Th- that's-?" She mumbled, looking up at him. 

"Someone's family member, yes. You see… though we live for hundreds of years… we do not bury our dead." He said softly, then gestured for her to walk with him. 

"We cremate them. And their bones… stay with us. They are used in the making of weapons, armour, jewellery, and these boards." He said softly, gently patting the board. 

"In a way, the dead live on. And we can… feel them, too. Even if we had no connection. It's how I found the board. I felt it somewhere below me. Calling out." He said softly, looking down at the board with a smile. 

"Things like these are passed down through generations of a family. The metal does not bend, crack, chip, fold, or break. At least… not under the conditions we've tested it under so far. And believe me… they're very extreme." He murmured. 

"I… see." She murmured, before she gingerly laid her hand on the board. 

Drakhari smiled, then glanced down at the board and chuckled. 

"What?" She asked softly, looking up at him. 

"He thinks you're pretty." He murmured, and she blushed faintly. 

"You're just saying that to mess with me. He didn't say that." She said with a wry chuckle. 

"Not with words, no… but… it's a feeling. Y'know… that feeling you get when you see a very attractive… uhh… elven prince or something." He said with a shrug. 

"Oh. I see. So the feeling I get when I look at you. Interesting." She murmured, smirking up at him. 

He snorted softly, then bent and tilted her chin up to kiss her lips. 

"Bold little brat." He purred, before he gently patted her face. 

"Come. We should return him." He murmured, holding out his hand. 

She nodded, taking his hand as they walked into a forest. 

It took about ten minutes of walking before she looked up at him. 

"Do you have any idea where we're going?" She asked. 

He gave the board a little wiggle. 

"Ah. Okay." She mumbled. 

They walked for almost an hour, before the trees thinned out, and they came to what looked like a little cottage. 

It was a stone hut with a wooden roof, and a little chimney on the side. 

Outside, there was a field of flowers, and behind the house, she could see a glimpse of what looked like a vegetable garden. 

Drakhari walked up to the wooden door, and knocked on it. 

A minute or so later, the door opened, and she saw another of his kind. This one had dark grey skin, and his metal was dark blue. 

His eyes widened when he saw Drakhari, and he immediately bowed at the waist. 

"P- prince Drakhari. P- please- come in!" He said, standing to the side. 

Drakhari walked in, and gestured for Gwyneira to follow. 

The man stared at her in abject confusion as she walked in. 

"M- my lord- what brings you here to my humble abode?" The man asked, looking at Drakhari. 

He held up the board, and the man closed his eyes, seeming to drop into a pit of embarrassment. 

"A moment, my lord." He said, before he walked further into the house. 

A woman came out from the kitchen, and smiled as she bowed to Drakhari. "Good day, my lord. Would you like some refreshments? I just made some frusri." She said with a smile. 

"I would love some." He said with a smile, and she headed back into the kitchen. 

The man came out a moment later, with a smaller version of himself in tow. 

The young one had a few bandages around his body, but his eyes widened when he saw the board. 

"Grandpa!" He cried out, reaching out for the board, but Drakhari moved it behind his back. 

The child winced, then took a step back. "Forgot my manners, sir. Good day, Prince Drakhari. My name is Ansel." He said, bowing his head.  

Drakhari smiled, then brought the board around to his front. 

"Do you have anything to say, Ansel?" He asked softly.

"Yes sir. I'm sorry, grandpa. I'm sorry I left you behind. I- I tried to look for you, but I was hurt really bad." The boy said, gesturing to his bandages. 

"He forgives you… but do try to be more careful, hm?" Drakhari said as he handed the board back to the boy, who took it and bowed at the waist, before he carried the board off somewhere else into the house. 

"Please, sit, my prince. You must be tired." The man said as he gestured to a couch. 

Drakhari nodded and sat down with a sigh. Gwyneira sat down next to him, and wiggled into his side. 

He smiled softly and put an arm around her, giving her a gentle squeeze. 

The man glanced between them, before he looked at Drakhari. "Es sri-?" He started to say, before Drakhari cut him off.  

"Common tongue, please. Princess Gwyneira does not speak our language." He said sternly. 

"Ah- m- my apologies, prince. Um- I was going to ask- is- is she aelfar?" He asked, and Drakhari nodded. 

"And you are… with her? You have chosen her?" The man asked. 

"Yes… though I fail to see what business it is of yours." He said curtly. 

"W- well- she's- we are at war with them, are we not? To- to choose an enemy, of all people…" He murmured. 

Drakhari said nothing for a few seconds, but when she looked up at his face, she realised he was likely imagining gutting the man. 

"I realise it is highly irregular… But it is a chance for peace between our kingdoms." He said quietly. 

The man blinked, and his eyes widened slightly. "Ah… I- I had not considered that, my prince. A thousand apologies." He said, bowing his head. 

"Yes… that's why I'm the Prince. I always put our people's interests first. Remember that." He said softly. 

The man nodded, then fell silent. Thankfully, the awkward silence did not last long. The man's wife came in, carrying a tray of glasses. 

She set the tray down, then put a glass in front of each of them, before she took one for herself. 

Inside the glass was a light red liquid, with a black stone sitting at the bottom of the glass. From it seemed to be emanating… well… bubbles. Lots of them. 

Drakhari grinned as he reached for a glass. "It's been a while since I've had this." He said, before he tilted the glass back and took a few sips. 

"Mm… excellent." He murmured, before he gently nudged Gwyneira. 

"Try it." He said softly, and with a smile on his face. 

Seeing that the three of them were staring expectantly at her, she reached for the glass and brought it to her lips, before she took a sip. 

It was sweet and fruity, and she let out a surprised chirp as she felt the little bubbles pop in her mouth. 

Drakhari chuckled. "This is generally made for children, but… adults enjoy it too." He said, winking at their hosts as he took another sip. 

They chuckled and nodded, taking sips from their own glasses. 

"So… my lord, if you don't mind my asking… we- we heard you were captured." The man said. 

"I was. I got ambushed, and they took me to the king. He put a shock collar around my neck and gave me to his daughter as a pet." He said with a smirk. 

Their jaws dropped, and their eyes slowly turned to Gwyneira. 

"That was not my idea." She said quickly. 

"She lies not. Her father is… beneath even a sli'ig." He murmured, before he grinned. "I will say, though… I enjoyed that more than she did." He said with a smirk. 

Gwyneira went red, and discreetly pinched his side. He winced, but snickered nonetheless. 

"What's- uh- what's a sli'ig?" She asked. 

"It's this creature that travels along the ground and leaves a trail of slime in its wake. But… not the one with a shell." He murmured. 

"Oh. A slug!" She said, and he nodded. "Yes… he is definitely beneath even a slug." She murmured as she took another sip of the sweet, fizzy, fruity drink. 

Their hosts chuckled awkwardly, not sure how to respond to that. 

Thankfully, the wife changed the topic. "S- so, princess Gwyneira? What do you think of our land so far?" She asked, smiling. 

"Well… it smells nice. Like… I was expecting the whole place to smell like… well, a volcano, but I was pleasantly surprised. But I heard the men here engage in some… dangerous activities." She murmured, giving Drakhari the side eye. 

"Yes… yes, they certainly do." She said, giving her own husband the side eye. 

"It's only dangerous if you don't know what you're doing." Drakhari said with a shrug.  

"Exactly." The husband said, nodding. 

"It's an extreme sport. It comes with its risks, yes, but that's what makes it so fun. The adrenaline rush. Going down a slope so fast you might turn into paste on a rock. Nothing beats that feeling." He said with a grin. 

"Hm. I didn't know you boarded, Prince Drakhari." The husband murmured. 

"The mountains near the city have smoother slopes. It's almost a straight shot from the peak to the bottom." He said with a grin. 

The husband sighed, then chuckled. "Do not tempt me, my prince. My wife would never allow it." He said, looking at his wife, who stuck her tongue out at him. 

He laughed, then took her hand and brought it to his lips. Gwyneira saw the woman blush and smile gently, then lean forward to kiss her husband's lips. 

"Okay- maybe one time. Provided you take Ansel." She said with a grin. 

"Of course. He has to learn somehow." He said with a smile. 

The wife chuckled softly, then looked at Gwyneira. 

"So, princess. What's your home like?" She asked. 

"Uhh- it's cold… but we have a lot of trees that stay green year round. We do have this one grove of trees, though, called the golden forest, that turn this really pretty yellow colour just before winter… and then it stays this sort of… rose gold shade for spring and summer… Umm… we've also got some interesting wildlife, I guess." She murmured. 

"Their wildlife has fur, by the way." Drakhari said, gesturing to his cloak. 

"Fur? Really? Wow! Never heard of animals with fur before… may we touch it, prince?" The wife asked, and he nodded, handing the cloak to them. 

They ran their fingers through the fur, oohing and aahing with wonder. 

"It's… it's so soft. And fluffy!" The wife said with a laugh. 

"Yes… they wear it during the cold seasons down there." Drakhari murmured, and they raised their eyebrows. 

"They're softer and squishier." He added, and they let out soft ahs of understanding. 

"We're not that soft and squishy." Gwyneira grumbled quietly, just loudly enough for him to hear while the other two chatted. 

He glanced at her. "Compared to us, you are." He whispered back, putting an arm around her waist and sinking his fingers into her belly, which made her squeak softly and bury her face in his side as she tried to surreptitiously bite him. 

The husband and wife turned back to Drakhari and Gwyneira. "Prince, would you like to stay for the night? Please. It's the least we can do for you returning our heirloom to us." The wife said softly. 

"You can be on your way in the morning. Promise! Besides, it's going to be dark soon. Do you really want to be out in the woods with bargris around?" The husband asked, and Drakhari sighed. 

"Very well. We'll stay. It would be nice to sleep in a real bed." He said with a chuckle, before he looked down at Gwyneira. "Oh- right. Bargris are these large land predators. Similar to your bears, but not as cute. They've got thick, overlapping scales for armour, massive jaws, and much bigger claws, as well as a tail with a spikes on the end. Not something you'd want to come across in the forest at night. They're quite aggressive." He explained. 

"And you said my wildlife was weird?" Gwyneira whispered, which made him chuckle. 

The couple chuckled, then clapped happily, before they rushed off to prepare one of the rooms. 

Drakhari looked down at her. "Are you okay with eating meat for dinner? Because… we eat a lot of meat. The vegetables are just for taste and texture." He said with a chuckle. 

"I'm fine with meat. But I'm not a carnivore like you, if that's what you're asking." She said softly. 

"Mm… I'll have the cooks put extra vegetables into the food when we get home, okay?" He said softly, and tilted her chin up to kiss her lips. 

"I'd appreciate that." She murmured, before she leaned into his kiss, throwing her arms around his neck to pull him closer. 

Their kiss was broken by the clearing of a throat, and she quickly pulled away, her face burning. 

"I just came to say- your room is ready, and we'll be having dreeya for dinner." He said with a smile, before he hurried off to help his wife out in the kitchen. A few seconds later, the parents yelled for the child to come and eat while they set the table. 

Dreeya, as it turned out, was a dish with thin slices of meat, layered over each other and slathered in spices and sauces, covered by a thickly buttered layer of pastry, served in a deep dish. 

There was nothing left by the time dinner was done. 

The four creatures sat back, in a sort of food coma, and she leaned into Drakhari, holding her stomach. She was full. They'd made her eat more than she wanted to. The food was excellent, though, and she made sure to say as much while they were eating. 

“Well… The food was excellent. Thank you.” Drakhari said with a smile as he bowed his head to his hosts, who bowed their head back. 

“It was our pleasure, prince Drakhari. Also, I think you two should get some rest.” The wife said, gesturing over her shoulder to the rooms inside. 

“Yes. Considering we've been on a long trek… I think we'll retire for the night, hm?” He asked, before he looked down at Gwyneira, who nodded. 

“In that case, let me show you to your room.” The wife said with a smile as she got to her feet and gestured for them to follow. She led them down a hallway, then gestured to a room with a half open door. 

“I'll leave you for the night. Once again, thank you, my lord.” The woman said as she bowed her head, then walked back to her family. 

Drakhari nodded, then pushed the door open to check out their room. 

It was rather simple and rustic- four stone walls, and a wooden ceiling. The bed was a thick mattress sitting on a raised stone platform, with sheets and a blanket thrown over it. To the right was a bathroom, and to the left was a small cupboard, and a small dressing table with a small, oval-shaped mirror. 

Gwyneira moved closer, gently running her hands across the blankets. They were soft, but slightly leathery, and had a thin layer of fuzz over them. 

"There's a few animals here that have a hide like this. Herbivorous creatures. The ones we eat. They have this light fuzz on their hide that gets softer and thicker when exposed to the tanning process. That's what we use for blankets here." He murmured, before he flopped onto the bed. 

"I know it's not your fluffy, cuddly blankets, but… in this heat, you won't need them." He said softly as she sat down on the bed. 

"I know. I'm just… y'know… still processing all of this. Everything here is so… different. The air, the soil, the plants and wildlife, the culture… it's… a bit of culture shock, I suppose." She murmured, running her hands across the blanket, before she laid down next to him. 

"I've been meaning to ask… does your race have a name?" She asked softly, resting her head against the pillow. At least the pillow had some give. The bed was firm. 

"Well… everyone else calls us Madon'ashti. Literally translated, it means Metalbones." He murmured, before he moved closer to her, putting an arm around her waist and pulling her closer so she was pressed up against him. 

"We call ourselves the Eridvaari. Literally translated… God's children." He murmured, and she raised an eyebrow. 

"When you see the depictions of our gods, you'll understand." He said with a soft chuckle. 

"How many do you have?" She asked softly. 

"Two. The Mother and the Father. Senestri and Balinor. Fertility and war. Life and death. Two halves of a whole." He said softly. 

"We've just got one. Esmerae. We pray to her for blessings for… well… everything." She murmured, burying her face in his chest. 

"I see." He murmured softly, gently stroking her hair. "Do you believe in her?" He asked softly. 

"N- not anymore." She said quietly, burying her face deeper into his chest. 

She felt his hand gently press against the back of her head. "I understand." He murmured, and she sighed quietly. 

"You don't believe in a benevolent god after the things I've been through." She mumbled, squeezing him tighter. 

He nodded, then smiled slightly. "You won't have to worry about anything like that happening here." He said quietly, and she sighed, before she looked up at him. 

"I know, my love." She said with a slight smile, before she leaned up and gently kissed his lips. 

He smiled, then sat up as he took his shirt off. It was quickly followed by his pants and underwear, which were tossed to the floor. 

She raised an eyebrow. "That was not an invitation for sex." She said flatly, and he laughed. 

"I'm aware. I just like sleeping naked." He murmured, before he looked at her. 

"Might want to get out of your clothes too. Nights here aren't cold." He said softly. 

"Make me." She grumbled, and he raised an eyebrow. 

He moved over to her, and she playfully bit and swatted at his hands as he undid her shirt, but that was quickly put to a stop when he bent down and kissed her lips, then her neck, then her breasts. 

He slowly moved his way down as he undressed her, tugging her clothes off and kissing whatever he could, before her clothes were dropped to the floor. 

They slipped underneath the blanket, and he quickly pulled her close, curling up around her as his tail wrapped around her body. 

"I will admit… this feels… nice." Gwynn mumbled quietly, snuggling closer to him as she wrapped her arms around his tail, trapping it between her breasts as she hugged it to her chest. 

"You sure we won't get too hot?" She asked. "I don't want to wake up all sweaty. 

"We won't. That's why I asked you to get naked. So we can cuddle without getting too warm." He said softly, and she smiled, before she tilted her head back and grabbed his horns, pulling him down for a kiss. 

"Goodnight, my love." She whispered, before she gave him another kiss, and then let go, quickly snuggling back into his chest. 

"Goodnight, my love." He murmured, looking down in amusement at her, before he started to gently stroke her hair until she fell asleep. It wasn't long after that that he fell asleep too, his hand resting on the back of her head.

Chapter 5: Homeland

Thankfully, Gwynn slept through the night, sans period pains and safely ensconced in the Eridvaari prince's arms. 

He woke up first, blinking sleeping against the light starting to shine through the curtains. 

He gazed down at her face in the dim light of the room, before he raised his hand and gently brushed it across her cheek. 

She stirred slightly, letting out a tiny chirp, but nothing else. 

He smiled faintly, then lowered his head to gently kiss her forehead. 

"My princess." He whispered, and she grumbled softly, pushing her arms against his chest as she stretched. 

She let out a sleepy rumble, before she promptly buried her face in his chest. 

"Hungry." She grumbled, and he chuckled softly. 

"Well… our hosts are already awake, I think. Shall we go get something to eat?" He asked softly, his ear twitching slightly. He could faintly hear the sounds of movement and voices outside their room. 

"No. I want it in bed." She grumbled, burying her face in his chest as she clung to him. 

He let out a rumbling laugh, then patted her head. "Very well. I'll go see if I can-" He said, starting to rise, before she wrapped her arms around his neck and dragged him back down. 

"I was joking around, you goof." She huffed softly. 

"Ah. I can't tell, sometimes." He said softly, and she snorted. 

"Yeah. I know. Silly." She said softly, her hand caressing his face for a moment, before she tugged it down to kiss him. 

"Let's go get something to eat." She murmured, giving his cheek an affectionate rub. 

He didn't move. Then, she grunted as he dropped down on top of her, before she looked down at him. 

"What do you think you're doing?" She asked with a soft laugh when she saw his head planted right between her breasts. 

"Testing out the best pillows in the world." He murmured, and she shook her head, before she wrapped her arms around him, giving his head a gentle squeeze. 

He stayed like that for a while, before he slowly started to kiss downwards. 

She quickly grabbed his horns, tugging hard enough to stop him from going further. "Down, boy. I'm still a bloody mess down there." She said softly. 

"Bold of you to assume I care." He murmured, and she saw his tongue slip out, and start to slide along her belly. 

"Let me at least clean myself up." She grumbled, holding his head still with one hand while she reached down and grabbed his tongue with the other. 

He grumbled, and his tongue snaked around her wrist. It was slick and wet, yet she could feel the powerful muscles within. It was like a long, wet snake. 

"How much tongue do you even have?" She muttered, and he smirked. 

"How tall are you?" He asked, grinning as she started to pull on his tongue. 

Her eyes slowly widened as more and more tongue was reeled out, until he finally gagged slightly. And that was when there was a good several feet of tongue now sitting coiled up on her stomach. 

"Theoretically… I could probably push this all the way through you." He murmured, smirking as his tongue slithered back into his mouth. 

"That… is simultaneously impressive, horrifying, and arousing." She muttered. 

The moment she saw his tongue start to come back out, she immediately wagged a finger in his face. 

"No. You wait until I've cleaned myself up. Disgusting man." She grumbled, before she leaned forward and kissed his lips. 

"I appreciate the sentiment, though." She said softly, smiling at him, before she gently touched the flap of skin on his cheeks that covered his teeth. 

She hooked her fingers under them, then gently lifted them, taking a look at his metal teeth. 

"Guess you don't have to brush, huh?" She murmured. 

"No, no… we still have to brush. Our teeth don't degrade, but it does smell if we don't clean them every couple of days or so." He murmured, and she chuckled softly. 

"Such big teeth, too. How wide can you open your mouth? Show me." She asked, and he did as she asked, stretching his jaw till she was staring at little more than teeth and the wet, warm, insides of his mouth. 

"Wow. That's… quite the range." She murmured, holding her hand up next to the bottom of his jaw, and using it to measure. The height alone was two of her hands long! 

She gently tapped on the bottom of his jaw, and he closed it, before he grinned at her, his tail swaying in the air. 

She looked up at his tail, then gestured for him to bring it closer. He obliged, and the tail quickly found its way into her lap as he sat up, cross legged. 

She picked up the end of his tail. It was heavy, as expected. The tip was rounded, with a thick tuft of fur, like a lion's tail. She smiled as she ran her hands through the fur, before she gently ran her fingers along the groove running across the middle. So that's where the blade popped out. 

Almost as if he read her mind, the blade slowly peeked out of the sheath, extending to its full length. She held her hand up next to it to measure. About three hands long, and- as a quick brush of her thumb against the edge revealed- very sharp. 

"We've… never actually gotten a close up look at your people before. The battlefields were always cleared almost immediately." She said softly. 

"Of course. We had to take the bodies back to their families." He said softly. 

"They… We leave ours where they fall, much as I hate it. But… I can understand, as well. There's just too many bodies to reasonably carry back before they begin to decay. Some are too damaged, as well. I doubt anyone would want to see a loved one in such a state." She murmured. 

He nodded. "Yes… I can understand that. But we cremate ours, so... Not a big deal." He said softly, before he leaned forward and kissed her forehead. 

"Enough about that. Come. I can smell them cooking something." He said with a smile, before he scooped her up in his arms. 

She squealed as she was lifted, then batted at his face. "Put me down! I have to get dressed!" She squealed. 

"You do remember we don't have the same views on nudity as you do, yes?" He said as his face was pushed upwards via force applied to the underside of his chin by an outstretched palm. 

"I don't care! There's a teenager out there!" She huffed. 

He laughed, then unceremoniously dropped her like a sack of potatoes. 

She grunted as she fell to the bed, and stared up at him in shock, her mouth open. "Did you just drop me? The audacity of-" She was cut off by her clothes being tossed in her face by the grinning prince. 

"Ohhh you little sh- sh- Argh! Shark!" She yelled, and he cackled. 

"One of these days, I'm going to make you swear." He purred, leaning in for a kiss, but was quickly blocked by an outstretched palm. 

"Jump off a cliff!" She huffed, and he snickered, before he kissed her palm. 

"Alright. Enough antics. Come." He said softly as he got off the bed. 

She stuck her tongue out at his back, then quickly got dressed. He followed suit, before he walked to the bedroom door. He opened it and walked through, before he turned around and looked at her. 

"Coming?" He asked, raising an eyebrow. 

"Isn't it supposed to be ladies first?" She asked, raising an eyebrow. 

"Not here it's not, no. The men go first and make sure the area is clear before we let the women through." He said, holding the door open for her. 

"Hm. So you get shot at or stabbed first. That's fine by me." She said as she walked past him. 

He chuckled and turned, following her out into the living room. 

As they suspected, breakfast was already laid out. There were warm buttered scones filled with meat, as well as cups made from animal bones, with a large clay teapot sitting near them. 

The family was already gathered in the living room, quietly having their breakfast.

The wife noticed the pair first, and smiled. "Good morning, my prince. I trust you slept well?" She asked with a smile. 

"Certainly." He said, a hand on Gwynn's back gently steering her towards the couch. They sat, and Gwynn immediately loaded up her plate with several scones. 

"Good morning." She murmured, before she took a bite, then let out a happy moan. "Oh, these are good!" She said with a smile. 

"I'm glad you like them! They're my favourite too." The wife said with a smile. 

"Hers are the best I've had. Even better than my mother's." The husband said with a chuckle, and the wife giggled softly. 

"Well the recipe is hers… I just made a few changes." She said with a shrug. 

"Whatever they were, they were certainly an improvement. And hey, they'll be passed down soon once Ansel gets a woman, right?" The husband said with a grin. 

"Daaad!" The boy groaned, throwing his hands up in the air. 

"I'm just saying- you're almost an adult now! You should be looking for a woman to settle down with." He said. 

"Yeah? And what if I like men?" He asked, crossing his arms petulantly. 

"Well, then, you're going to have to look for a man to settle down with." The husband said without missing a beat, and the wife laughed while Ansel pouted and crossed his arms. 

"So, prince Drakhari- will you be heading to the karnagh, then?" She asked. 

He nodded. "The city. Yes. We'll be leaving after breakfast." He said, smiling at her, then looking at Gwynn, who was downing the scones like a machine.  

He suppressed a grin, before he looked back at the farmers. "So which way is it?" He asked. 

"Well… From my front door, take a right and keep walking until you come to a stream. Just follow it upstream, and you'll come to a bridge. Cross over and keep walking, and then you'll come to the main road to the city." The farmer said with a smile. 

"Alright. Gwynne? You want some tea with your scones?" Drakhari asked, and she paused with a scone halfway to her mouth as she shot him a glare, then nodded. 

He snickered as he reached over, pouring some tea into one of the bone cups. 

"How much sugar?" He asked softly, and she leaned forward to take a quick sip. 

Her nose scrunched slightly, before she held her cup out to him. "A lot." She murmured, and they chuckled as Drakhari put teaspoon after teaspoon of sugar into the cup, then stirred it around, before he presented it to her. "Here. Your sugar with tea." He said wryly. 

She took another sip, then smiled. "Better." She said, reaching for another scone, then settling down to munch on it. 

He shook his head, and his tail coiled affectionately around her waist, giving it a squeeze.

He started to eat as well. In the middle, the farmers got up and went to the kitchen to prepare more food for their guests. 

Drakhari looked at the teenager, then smirked slightly. "Are you actually into men, or were you just trying to catch your dad off guard?" He asked. 

"I'm... Bi. Just… haven't found someone I like enough yet to actually… y'know… pursue a relationship with them." He mumbled. 

"And it's a little hard to meet new people all the way out here in the middle of nowhere." He murmured, before he shrugged. "Sure, there's some people in the nearby villages, but I barely know them." The boy murmured.

"You're not going to, unless you talk to people." Gwynn said gently, before she smiled at him. 

"My father used to call suitor after suitor for me. I saw through all of them almost instantly- they wanted the money and power that came with the position. None of them wanted me for… well… me. The day before I met Drakhari, he warned me that the next suitor should be the last. Didn't matter who or what he was." She said, before she looked up at Drakhari and grinned. 

"And I took that literally." She said, leaning into his side. 

Drakhari chuckled softly, then put an arm around her shoulder and squeezed gently. 

"Sometimes… you just have to wait for the right person to come along. But that doesn't mean you just sit in one place and hope they come to you. You have to go out. Talk to people. Get into group activities." He murmured. 

The teenager nodded, before he sighed. "Sounds like a lot of work." He murmured. 

"Relationships are a lot of work." Gwyneira said with a gentle smile. 

Ansel sighed again. "Yeah. Sounds like it." He mumbled. 

"Hey. Don't be discouraged. When you find the right person… well… you'll enjoy putting in the work. That's for sure. That's what makes it really worth it." Drakhari said with a smile. 

He nodded, then looked towards the kitchen. "I'd better go help my parents." He mumbled, before he got to his feet, quickly bowed, and left. 

Gwynn sighed softly, before she leaned against Drakhari, resting her head on his arm. "Full." She mumbled, turning her face to his body and nuzzling him. 

"I should hope so. You ate most of the scones. And those are Eridvaari sized scones." He said wryly, then laughed when his arm was slapped. 

"Shush." Gwynn grumbled, her face heating up. 

He snickered, then slipped his hands under her armpits, before he picked her up and plopped her down on his lap. 

"What?" She grumbled, pouting at him. 

"You're being too cute." He said, poking her nose. 

"Because I am." She said, sticking her tongue out at him. 

He smirked and tried to poke her tongue, only to get his finger bit, none too gently. 

She grabbed his hand and gnawed on his finger while he watched in amusement. "You're like a very large cat. Petting aggression included." He murmured, before he smirked. "Good thing I know where the off button is." He purred, before he reached for her ear with his free hand. 

"Drak- no- aahn~!" She moaned as he brushed his fingers along her ear, and glared at him. 

"B- bas- basted turkey!" She hissed at him, and he snorted with mirth, before he grinned. 

She quivered as he rubbed her ear again, and her thighs clenched together. "Those are sensitive! Please!" She whimpered, her lips hanging open as she panted softly. 

"Oh I'm fully aware." He purred, before he brushed his thumb over her lips, then gently pressed it against them. 

Her lips parted, and she let his thumb in, before she began to gently suckle on it. 

"Good girl." He purred, before his ears twitched, and she was quickly pulled to his chest, hiding her aroused face as the farmers and their son returned, bearing trays of food. 

She took deep breaths, trying to get her pounding heart under control. 

She sank her nails into his sides, and grinned with satisfaction when she felt him tense and let out a stifled grunt. 

His tail coiled around her waist, before she was suddenly turned to face the others. 

She was all smiles as soon as she was turned, and leaned back against Drakhari, tilting her head back to give him an innocent smile. 

She leaned forward to put some scones onto a plate, while Drakhari picked up a plate and put some scones and eggs on them. 

While they ate, she moved her hips, subtly grinding against him. 

She felt him freeze when he realised what she was doing, then smiled when she felt his cocks twitch and slowly start to stiffen. 

His tail coiled around her waist, but she knew he couldn't yank her away from it. Her weight was the only thing keeping his cocks from springing right up. 

Her eyes widened when she felt his tail slide down the back of her pants. 

He wouldn't. He wasn't so bold as to do that right in front of them… was he?

She stiffened as she felt his tail slide under her, then start to grind against her lips, making her shudder and let out an involuntary moan. 

The farmers glanced at her, and she raised a scone. "Just… so good. C- can I get the recipe?" She asked, and the farmer's wife nodded. 

"Of course! I'll make a copy right away." She said, smiling as she headed to the kitchen. 

"So uhh… Prince Drakhari- I hate to ask, but… s- should we be expecting a draft?" The man asked. 

"A draft? No. Not anytime soon." Drakhari said softly, giving him a smile that quickly turned into a grimace as Gwynn wiggled her hips, causing his cocks to twitch hard, and nearly bounce her off. 

"We've- we've still got the numbers. That, plus our allies… we can manage." He said with a smile. 

"Well, that's- that's a relief." The farmer murmured. 

"Yes… But unless the war starts going our way, maybe in a few years." He murmured. 

The farmer gave him a worried look, but said nothing.

A moment later, the wife came back with the recipe on a rolled up piece of paper, which she handed to Gwyneira. 

"Keep it a secret, princess." She said with a wink. 

"Cross my heart and hope to die." She said with a gentle smile. 

Her hips ceased their wiggling… for now. She could feel that he was still hard, and the spot she was sitting on was getting slightly damp from their mixed fluids. 

Once he'd finished his food, and she'd finished her tea, they sat there for a moment longer, before Drakhari looked down at her. 

"Well… we should get ready to leave." He said softly. 

"Hold on- I'll pack some food for you." The wife said as she started to get up, and he shook his head. 

"No, no. No need for that. We've got our own supplies. Please- we've already eaten a lot." He said with a smile. 

"Probably won't need any food till dinner." Gwyneira said with a shrug and a smile. 

"Well… if you insist, then." She said as she sat back down with a soft laugh.  

Drakhari stood, and Gwyneira slid off his lap, landing on her feet. 

"We cannot thank you enough for your hospitality." He said, bowing his head. 

"No, my prince- it was our pleasure. Honestly." The husband said with a smile. 

Drakhari and Gwynn smiled at them, before they walked to their room. 

As soon as the door was closed, she was lifted up and slammed down onto the bed, his hand around her throat. 

"You're such a goddamn brat." He snarled quietly, and she smirked, before she stuck her tongue out at him. 

He pushed it right back in with his own, as he bent his head and kissed her furiously. 

His hand hooked into her pants, and he yanked them down, before he rolled her over and got to his knees. 

"P- period-! Drak-! Stop! Please!" She said softly, and she heard a low growl, then winced when she felt his claws sink into her cheeks and spread them. 

He let go, then leaned forward. She could very plainly feel his bulges pressing against her. 

He gripped her throat and raised her head. "As soon as this period of yours is over… I'm going to ravage you till you fucking break, princess." He hissed in her ear. 

She smirked and looked up at him. "You can try, big boy." She purred, and felt his cocks twitch against her as he let out a deep growl. 

"Ohhh you- mm." He grunted, then let go.

She was just about to pull her pants back up, before a slap bounced off her right cheek, making her gasp loudly. 

She looked over her shoulder, then quickly pulled her pants up and scrambled away before he got any more ideas. 

She worried she might have taken it too far. He had a hungry look in his eyes, now- like she was food. Or prey. 

The second thought sent a shiver down her spine, and straight between her legs. Was she… turned on by the idea of being hunted down for sport by her lover? 

She decided she'd voice those questions later. Right now, he looked like he'd pounce on her if she even bent over slightly. 

Keeping her front to him, and a wary eye on him, she checked their supplies, before she slipped her pack up onto her shoulders. 

"Ready." She said softly. 

He nodded. "Right. Let's head off, then." He murmured, lifting his own pack and slipping it around his shoulders, before he picked up his cloak and threw it across his shoulders. 

"Do you really need to carry that around, now? It's warmer here." She said softly. 

"Of course. This is something you bought for me. Why would I just toss it aside?" He asked, looking at her with a raised eyebrow. 

Her cheeks flushed slightly, and she walked up to take his hand. She gave it a squeeze, then brought it to her lips to kiss it. 

"I appreciate that. Thank you." She said softly. 

He smiled gently, before his tail affectionately squeezed her waist. 

They walked out into the living room, and the farmers got to their feet. 

"Well, then. Goodbye, Prince Drakhari, and Princess Gwyneira." The husband said, bowing his head. 

"It was a pleasure having you here, both of you." The wife said, before she took Gwyneira's hand and gave it a squeeze. 

"I do hope you try and make the scones, maybe even pass the recipe on to your own children one day." She said with a smile. 

"I certainly plan to." She said with a smile. It took all her willpower not to glance up at Drakhari right then. 

With that, they set off, the farmer and his family waving to them as they left. 

They followed the husband's directions, turning right after they exited the property. 

It took about two hours before they reached the stream. It was a bit large for a stream, they noted. 

Nevertheless, they turned right and started walking upstream.  

"How far did he say this bridge was?" Gwyneira asked after about two hours of walking. 

"He didn't." Drakhari replied after a short pause. 

"Oh. Well, let's hope we're getting close." She said, before she looked at the water. 

It was clear, and the rocks at the bottom were shiny and black. She took a few steps closer, then peered over the edge. The bank was kind of steep here. Perhaps further ahead… 

Another hour or so later, they came across a bend that was more shallow. 

"Drak." She said softly, and he stopped and turned, an eyebrow raised. 

She nodded to the shallow slope, and he smiled. 

"Break?" He asked, and she nodded. 

They set their packs down on the bank, and she approached water, kicking off her shoes. She tentatively dipped her feet in the water, expecting it to be ice cold. 

To her pleasant surprise, the water was lukewarm. 

She took another step in, then turned and smiled at Drakhari. "Come on in. It's warm." She said softly. 

"I know." He murmured, before he got to his feet and walked towards her, shedding his clothes as he did. 

She smiled as he approached, looking up at him as she took her own clothes off as well, folding them neatly and setting them down, rather than leaving them strewn over the place like he did. 

"We haven't bathed in a while." She murmured as he stepped into the water, then moved deeper, until his waist was submerged beneath the water. 

She moved closer, and stopped when the water came up to her neck. 

She was then reminded that she was half his size, and as such, was eye level with his cocks.  

She blinked, then giggled. "They float?" She asked with a laugh as she reached out, then gently pushed them down. 

They quickly rose, and she pushed them down again. "This is amusing." She said with a giggle. 

"I'm glad you find my physiology amusing." He said wryly as he closed the distance between them, wrapping his tail around her and pulling her close. 

Her face went bright red when she noticed she was pushed up next to his cocks. 

"I- I mean- I didn't know a man's- th- thing- floated too." She murmured, and he took a step back, before he gently pressed down on her breasts. 

They dipped down, then rose to the surface. 

"Generally speaking… fatty tissue floats." He said, while she stared up at him. 

"Are you calling me fat?" 

"Oh don't even, you little brat." He snorted, splashing water into her face. 

She gasped, her mouth hanging open in shock. 

"How dare you!" She squealed, laughing as she started splashing back at him. 

They fought playfully in the water, with her trying to jump around to avoid his splashes. 

Throughout all of it, his tail stayed coiled around her waist, acting as a tether both so that she didn't get swept off in the current, and also to keep her within splashing range. 

A good few minutes later, they stopped, grinning and panting as they gazed at each other, with Gwyneira floating in the deep end. She wasn't scared, even though she could feel the current tugging strongly at her body. 

She knew he'd never let go. 

"So… Now that you've had your fun… can we get ourselves clean?" He asked, chuckling as he dragged her back to the shallower, calmer water. 

"I suppose." She said softly, before she tugged on his arm, making him sit. 

"Luckily for you… I bought some soap in the city." She said, striding out of the water to one of the packs. She knelt and rummaged through it for a moment, before she pulled out a bar of soap, then walked back over to Drakhari. 

He watched as she dipped the soap into the water, then began to work, starting with his face. 

He made a face as she scrubbed it, and she giggled softly, moving downwards to his neck and shoulders.  

She splashed water on him to wash the soap off, then gently kissed his neck. "Mm… you smell much better already… stinky." She said with a soft giggle, then squealed loudly as his tail whipped across her rear, leaving a neat red line on her alabaster skin. 

"Stinky because I carried your ass through the mountains, cutting our journey short by several days." He said wryly, smirking as she rubbed her butt and pouted at him. 

"Stinky." She said, sticking her tongue out at him, before she walked behind him. 

He leaned forward, and she scrubbed down his back to the base of his tail, which started to quiver and lash around as she scrubbed it clean. 

She spent more time there than she needed to, just to see him squirm. 

Eventually, to his relief, she moved on from the spot, and moved to sit on his lap. She looked down at his cocks, and her fingers gently flitted over them. 

He let out a soft, short grunt, and his cocks twitched, stiffening slightly at her touch. 

She gently lifted one, then bent down to examine it.

This close up, she could see that the skin behind the ridges, like his tongue, was dark purple, as were the little spikes, while the rest of his shaft was the same colour as his skin- jet black. 

"You've… certainly got a very interesting looking… thing." She murmured, before she brought her bar of soap closer, rubbing it between her hands to lather them up. 

She gently ran her hands over his upper shaft, working the soap in. 

He grunted quietly, and she heard splashing as his tail started to swing through the water. 

They stiffened further at her touch, and she smiled, looking up at him. "That desperate for me, are you?" She cooed, and he let out a low growl, his eyes narrowing at her. 

She tutted, then picked up the soap again. She lathered her hands, then got to work on his lower shaft, gently and slowly rubbing the soap into his skin. 

He let out another growl as he stiffened fully, and the spikes rose too, pulsating slightly with the blood pumping through them. 

She giggled softly, then splashed water on his cocks, cleaning the soap off. 

He stood, and she smirked, before she turned her head and planted a kiss on his upper shaft. 

It twitched hard, and she giggled, before she lathered her hands up and gave his rather firm butt a scrub, before she moved down, taking her time with his legs. 

They were muscular, and she spent extra time cleaning the groove in his shins, scrubbing out the dirt that had gathered in there, before she did his feet, then quickly stood, checking the holes in his forearms. She cleaned those out too, before she smiled. 

"All done." She said softly, and he walked into the deeper water, cleansing the soap off himself, before he came back out, dripping wet. 

She swallowed, then held up the bar of soap. "Y- your turn." She mumbled, pursing her lips slightly with anticipation. 

He took it, then sat down, feet in the water, before he gestured to his lap. 

She walked over and sat down, facing him. He drew his knees up, giving her something to lean back against. She did just that, staring up at him with slight apprehension. 

He looked at her, holding eye contact as he lifted and spread her legs. 

She went beet red as her holes were put on full display, and he smirked slightly, before he brought the soap up. 

Lathered hands gently rubbed against her feet, and she cooed softly as her feet were simultaneously massaged and cleaned. 

"Ooh… that feels nice." She said softly, purring happily as he even cleaned between her toes. He was quite thorough with his cleaning, though it was, she supposed, made easier by his comparatively much larger hands. 

Soapy hands slid down over her ankles, massaging them as well, before he moved on to her calves. 

She let out a low groan as he massaged them, the weariness of all their walking slowly melting away under his fingers. 

"Y- you're- you're really good at that." She mumbled, and he smiled. 

"Like I said before, my love… You're not the first woman I've been with. If there's one thing I've learned, it's that women love getting a massage, followed by-" He suddenly stopped. 

She stared at him for a few seconds. "Followed by what?" She asked, raising an eyebrow. 

"You'll find out." He said with a snicker, and she rolled her eyes. 

"Ugh. Fine. Keep your secrets, if you must." She grumbled, crossing her arms. 

She pouted at him, trying to stifle her pleased groans as he slowly moved upwards to her thighs. There, he had to use both hands on each, and she quivered, practically melting into a puddle as he massaged her. 

Her legs felt like jelly… but they felt good. 

She squeaked softly as he ran his hands over her butt, his palms pushing up hard to get at the muscle below the fat. 

She cooed happily as his hands ran over her abdomen, and closed her eyes, relaxing under his gentle, but firm, touch. 

He could feel powerful muscles under the thin layer of skin and fat. He smiled faintly. 

He'd chosen a strong woman for a wife… 

Her eyes quickly snapped open when she felt his thumbs on her breasts, and she let out a soft moan as he gently rubbed her nipples. 

"My little doll." He purred softly, and she went red again, letting out another soft mewl as he started massaging her breasts, followed by a groan as he massaged the muscles around her breasts. 

She didn't even know those could feel so good! Probably because he was being so gentle… 

She didn't resist as he turned her over, and she stretched out, wrapping her arms around his knees. 

He gently pried one arm loose, and massaged it, all the way down to her hand, palm and fingers, then did the other arm. 

She let out a pleased moan, melting once more as he gently squeezed the back of her neck between his thumb and forefinger, and carefully rubbed in circles. Her arms went around his knees again, hugging them to her chest as she started to relax. 

He slowly moved down, and her ears drooped, the woman now completely relaxed as he slowly massaged her back. 

Her eyes shot open again when she felt his fingers wander a little too far down. 

Before she could react, she felt his thumb, pressed up against her ass, and slicked with soap, it slid right in. 

She gasped, before she looked over her shoulder. "Drak! Wh- what are you doing!?" She squeaked, grunting softly as his thumb pushed in and out, all the way in to the knuckle before it dragged back out. 

"Checking how stretchy you are." He murmured, and she quivered as a second thumb joined the first. 

"Wh- why!?" She whined, squirming in discomfort as her hole was invaded. 

"I want to see if I'll fit." He murmured, and her eyes widened. She quickly looked over her shoulder at his face. He was dead serious. 

She blinked, then looked down between her legs at his cocks, gently twitching against her belly. 

"H- hold on- Drak- you're going to kill me if you try that!" She whimpered, before she groaned softly as his thumbs pulled to the side, stretching her backdoor wider. 

"Hmm… Don't think so. You're stretchy enough… but you're going to need a bit of training before you can take me." He murmured. 

"Wh- what if I don't want to?" She mumbled, and he chuckled. 

"What? You've never wondered what it was like to take something in both holes? Hm?" He cooed, his thumbs sliding out, only to be replaced with his middle and ring fingers.

"C- could use my hands!" She mumbled, panting softly as his fingers thrusted in and out of her ass. 

"Mm… maybe. But…" She mewled softly as his fingers slid in from the front too, and let out a quavering moan when she felt his fingers rub against each other through the walls that separated her holes. 

The feeling was… intense, and very, very pleasing.

She looked down at his cocks again, then swallowed. Feeling those little spikes rubbing against each other through her walls… Sh- she'd break! But it would feel so good…

"Well?" He purred, his silken voice coming from right next to her ear making her jump slightly. 

"O- okay! Okay, damn you… You better be there to pick up the pieces if I break. D- donkey." She grumbled. 

He chuckled, then gripped her thighs. Without any further warning, he dragged her down, impaling her on his lower cock, while the other slid between her cheeks. 

Her eyes went wide, and she let out a strangled noise halfway between a moan and a scream as she was so roughly penetrated. 

"N- no foreplay?" She mumbled, holding tightly to his legs as her body shook from the pain and pleasure of the sudden intrusion. 

"We already had our foreplay. Brat." He murmured, before she felt a thick, slimy thing press against her ass. 

She looked over her shoulder, just in time to gasp as his tongue pushed into her ass. "D- Drak!" She squealed, her holes tightening up on their invaders. 

"What? I told you my tongue is long enough to kiss you from the inside." He said with a smirk, and she let out a ragged moan as his tongue pushed deeper, making her squirm. 

"I- it's in my guts!" She whimpered, panting as his tongue slithered in and out, making her shudder and moan. 

On one hand, it felt… very strange. She wasn't used to having anything back there- well- besides forced insertions from her unfortunate parental relation. 

But this… This felt good, somehow. Strange, but good. 

"Ride." He growled quietly, and she swallowed, before she got on shaky legs, and gripped his knees for support as she started to stand. 

Her legs gave out halfway, and she crashed back down, letting out a scream as his cock impaled deeper into her, the head now past her cervix. 

"I… I can't. My legs aren't cooperating." She mumbled, her whole body shaking as she tried once more to get to her feet. 

She felt his hand on her shoulder, gently pushing her back down. 

"It's okay. Let me work, my love." He said softly, and she whimpered softly as he carefully rolled over so she was underneath him, her back to his chest. 

Her hands curled into fists in the black soil of the riverbank, and she cried out as he started to thrust, moaning freely as his massive shaft practically cored her out. 

His tongue writhed still in her guts, making her squirm with the mixed feelings of the wriggling muscle inside her, and her lover's large member grinding in and out of her. 

Her mind was already starting to go fuzzy. Her mouth hung open, tongue hanging out as he slowly picked up the pace, starting to properly rail her. 

"Aah~! G-haah~! Draaak!" She wailed, looking up at his face. 

He looked down at her, and she squeaked when she felt his cock throb hard, making the spikes pop to life inside her. 

Seeing the expression on her face had- quite literally- spiked his arousal. 

Those spikes were now grinding around inside her, further heightening her pleasure. 

Her eyes rolled back, and she tensed up hard as she came, her body shuddering as she gushed around his cock and clamped down on the tongue burrowing through her guts. 

She panted heavily after the orgasm passed, her face flushed and red. But her lover wasn't anywhere close to done. 

His tongue pulled out of her ass, giving her a moment of relief, before he reached around, putting his hands on her chest as he lifted her up. 

She staggered to her knees, still getting pounded from behind by Drakhari, only to fall to them again as he leaned forward, bending her over and mounting her doggy style. 

Her cries of bliss filled the forest as he filled her again and again, bringing her close to another climax. 

"Knot me!" She yelled out. 

He paused, panting, and looked down at her. "What?" He asked, raising an eyebrow. 

"Knot. Me." She replied, panting heavily, her eyes practically gleaming with lust. 

"As you wish." He murmured, and she felt his grip around her waist tighten, pulling her closer as the pressure against her entrance grew and grew, until- 

She screamed as the knot pushed into her, and came hard, her whole body spasming as the pleasure overloaded her brain. 

She was panting and moaning, babbling incoherently as he kept moving, letting out a deep growl as he knotted her again and again. She could feel the tip of his cock pressing against the other end of her womb each time he knotted her. 

The fact that she'd managed to take his full length- and was still taking it- was impressive, to say the least. 

"Fuck… it's like you were made for me." He growled as he slowly picked up the pace, starting to knot her faster. 

Each time he knotted her, a spike of pleasure and pain shot up her spine, making her scream, again and again. 

"I'm getting close." He warned, his tail coiling around her waist. 

"F- fill me- please!" She begged, reaching upwards. 

He lowered his head, and she wrapped her arms around his neck. 

He opened his mouth, and his tongue slithered out, finding an easy entrance between the panting princess' parted lips. 

She gagged slightly as the muscle slid down her throat, and her eyes rolled back into her head as she squirmed, a hand going down to the shifting bulge in her abdomen. 

Then, she felt it- the sudden ramp up of his pace- the frenzied pounding that threatened to turn her inside out- and then- his roar. The rush. 

The sensation of hot fluid filling and swelling her womb sent her over the edge again, and she creamed herself once more, her body spasming in the throes of intense pleasure. She was too sore to scream- her throat hurt. The best she could manage was a croak. 

She was afraid of the day he'd touch her ears while they were making love… she was afraid she might truly break when that day came, if he was having this much of an effect on her without doing anything special. 

Quivering like jelly, her eyes slowly came back into focus as his tongue pulled out of her throat. 

The prince held her close as he knelt, panting softly. She could feel that her back was wet, and that there was cum running down the middle.  

She wearily looked up at Drakhari, before she reached up and grabbed his face. She pulled it down as close as she could, before she kissed his neck. 

She couldn't speak. All the screaming had left her throat raw. 

He stood and turned, heading to the water. He knelt at the water's edge, and she watched as handful after handful of water and soap scrubbed her back clean. 

He started to pull out, but she squeezed hard with a quiet growl, and he quickly stopped, before he chuckled softly. 

"Alright. Alright. Point made." He said softly, before he sat down at the water's edge, leaving their legs in the water. 

He leaned back, and she laid back on him, staring up at the sky, and the swaying canopy of the trees above. They were pretty, in a way, with their black bark and bright red leaves… 

Her eyelids grew heavy. She was comfortable. Full. Very full. Warm… 

A few minutes later, she'd passed out, laying limply on his chest. 

Drakhari looked down, then sighed as he laid back as well, letting her rest for a while. 

They still had a day or two of travel left. 

She jerked awake an hour later, and immediately regretted the sudden movement as her abdomen and entire lower body screamed in protest. 

"Ouch. I felt that." She heard Drakhari murmur, before he slowly sat up. 

His knot had deflated, and he'd slipped out of her, but she was still stuffed with his fluids, and quite sore. 

"You okay?" He asked softly, moving her so she was being cradled in his arms. 

"Ugh… I will be." She muttered, pushing her face into his chest. 

"I love our… sessions, but gods, it hurts like all the hells afterwards…" She murmured, before she looked up and smiled slightly. 

"Good thing that isn't going to stop me." She said with a soft giggle as she reached up to touch his face. 

He chuckled and lowered his head, purring softly as he rubbed his cheek against her hand. 

"My princess. My love." He cooed softly, his tail swishing happily on the ground behind him. 

She giggled, then dragged his face down to kiss him. "I love you too, my prince." She said softly, then groaned softly as he squeezed her tighter. 

"We should keep moving. We've still got several hours of daylight." He said softly. 

She nodded, before she tried to stand, wobbled, and would have fallen if his tail hadn't immediately wrapped around her waist. 

"You… might need to carry me. My legs don't want to work." She said with a chuckle. 

"Easy." He said softly, and quickly scooped her up in his arms, before he deposited her on his shoulders. 

She chuckled again, then gently patted his head. 

"My love?" 

"Hm?" 

"Our clothes. Unless you plan to go traipsing through the countryside butt naked." She said with a laugh. 

".... Right." He muttered, before he picked her up off his shoulders and set her down. 

He helped her get dressed, and got dressed himself, before he picked her up and set her down on his shoulders again. 

He handed her pack to her, and slung his own over his back, before he started walking. 

They traveled for a few more hours, until the sun went down. Then, she saw the bridge. It was a simple arched bridge, made of stone and mortar. She pointed it out, and the prince crossed it, heading down the path.

While he walked, she noted how different the wildlife in his land was from hers, from her perch on his shoulders. 

The birds were mostly darker coloured, and most of the beasts she saw had scales. 

The first thing she saw was a four legged beast covered in dark red scales. It was about twice the size of a large dog, and, like Drakhari, had an exposed set of sharp, shark-like teeth. It had a short, thick tail, and spikes down the length of its back. Each leg ended in a thick paw pad, with massive, sharp claws that looked like they could tear through metal. 

It was currently sleeping in a pile with a few others, and she could hear the faint sound of their snoring. 

She gently tugged on Drakhari's horns. "What's that?" She asked, pointing in its direction. 

He turned, then glanced upwards to see where she was pointing, before he focused on the pile of sleeping animals. 

"Ah. Vaardren. Very good hunters. Excellent at tracking, and they make good pets. They may not look like it, but they love getting cuddled and scratched." He said. 

"Hm. Weird… scaly dog." She murmured, and he chuckled.

"I suppose, yes." He murmured. 

About fifteen minutes later, she tugged on his horns again. "Another weird scaly dog. There- on the tree." She murmured. 

He blinked, then looked at where she was pointing. 

"Huh. You've got sharp eyes. Took me a while to spot that." He murmured, focusing on what was in essence, a large black lizard, with striations on its body that matched the bark of the tree it was sitting on. 

"What's that one called?" She asked. 

"Well, I don't know the exact name of that particular species, but we call them lizards." He murmured. 

"Oh… I've heard of these lizards, but I've never seen them." She murmured as he walked closer, stopping a few feet away to admire the animal. 

Sensing it was being watched, it quickly scurried off upwards, disappearing into the canopy. 

They resumed their journey. 

Once again, his horns were tugged. 

"Look- another weird dog." She said, pointing. 

He looked, then froze. "Umm… Honey… that's a very dangerous dog." He murmured. 

The creature she had pointed to was a large, long, four legged creature. It was about two and a half metres long from tip to tail, and covered in thick, segmented black scales. It had yellow, slitted eyes, which were currently only half open as it lazily waddled across the road, low to the ground. It had a long muzzle, with a massive, powerful looking jaw, with bigger and sharper looking teeth than the Vaardren they'd seen earlier. 

"That's a Jordengarr. Big and mean… but also very lazy. It usually doesn't attack unless you go too close." He murmured. 

He felt something rest on his head, then blinked. It felt like a book. 

Then he heard scratching. He smiled. So she was writing all of this down in that little journal of hers, huh? 

He chuckled softly, and they waited for the big creature to pass before he continued onwards. 

As they kept walking, he heard more and more scratching as the elf wrote down and drew whatever she saw. 

"These trees- what are they called?" She asked. 

"Eironwode. Or- well- ironwood, if that's easier for you to say." He murmured. 

She blinked, looked down at him, then closed the book and smacked him on the top of the head. 

"Don't ever tell the native elvish speaker that something is difficult to pronounce. Now get me closer to that tree. I want to take a rubbing of the bark." She said, grinning. 

He snorted, then shook his head as he walked closer. She leaned the journal against the wood, then rubbed with charcoal until she'd obtained the bark's pattern, before she sat back. 

"Hm. Very different from our trees. The striations aren't as wide or deep as ours. Grouped tighter together, too." She mused, before she patted his head. 

"Onwards!" She said cheerily pointing back to their path, and he chuckled as he shook his head, then turned to keep walking. 

By nightfall, she'd amassed quite the collection of new wildlife in her little journal, and she was quite happy about it. 

Even when he set her down, she was still writing. 

"Hey- what's your word for bird?" She asked. 

"Skordri. Sky dweller." He murmured as he started to build a fire. 

"Another question- how come the wildlife here doesn't seem to be afraid of you?" She asked, tilting her head. 

"Because we live with them." He said simply, and she stared. 

"Elaborate?" She murmured, raising an eyebrow. 

"Well… I've noticed that in your cities, you have chased out the wildlife. There are only a few birds, no deer, no nothing." He murmured, before he gestured vaguely in the direction of the city. 

"We have areas relegated to wildlife. The whole city is like a…" He paused, searching for the word. 

"A zoo. Menagerie. Gathering of animals. The prey animals are kept separate for our consumption, of course, but most of the wildlife is free to move about the city. They come and go as they please." He murmured. 

"Wow. That… sounds beautiful." She said softly, before she smiled gently. 

"I can't wait to see the city." She murmured, and he smiled. 

"Neither can I." He murmured, warming up their rations over the fire, before he handed her a piece, then moved her so she was sitting in his lap. 

His tail wrapped around her waist, squeezing gently, before he laid back against a tree and relaxed, gazing up at the sky. 

She turned around, using his chest as a desk to write on as she continued making her notes in her journal. 

He smiled, amused, before he shook his head. "Don't forget to sleep, my love." He said softly, and she frowned, before she looked up at him. 

"Shush. Don't move." She grumbled, and he shook his head again. 

He settled back against the tree, and went to sleep. 

Come morning, he woke to find her asleep, face down on his chest, and holding her still-slightly-swollen belly. 

He smiled, then lifted her face up. Her hair was in her face, and she blearily opened one eye, before she whined and buried her face back in his chest. 

"Still sore?" He asked softly. 

She nodded enthusiastically, before she groaned and stretched, before she looked up at him, and rested her chin on his chest. 

"Think we'll reach the city by tonight?" She asked. 

He nodded. "Most likely, yes. Maybe even earlier. Hopefully before dinner." He said with a grin. 

She chuckled softly. "Yeah? You like the dinner they serve?" She asked, rubbing his stomach. 

He chuckled and nodded. "I certainly do. It's a lot of meat… Which I'm sure you're going to love." He said with a laugh. 

"Certainly." She said with a chuckle, before she pushed herself off of him. "Ooh… still sore." She murmured, patting the bulge, before she slowly stood. 

"Ow. Hips are sore, still, but I can walk." She murmured, walking in a circle around the camp. 

"Hm. Going to be difficult to get all those drawings done so neatly if you're walking… and don't have something to rest the book against. Such a shame. Oh nooo…" He murmured, grinning. 

"If you want to feel my thighs around your head, just say so." She said with a laugh. 

"Fine. I'll let you carry me on your shoulders again. No more shoulder carrying when we get to the palace, though. That's just going to be embarrassing." She said with a giggle. 

"Mm. Understandable." He murmured, before he reached out and snatched her up as he stood. 

She squealed, wriggling in his grip and laughing, before she was set down on his shoulders. 

She puffed her hair out of her face, then tied it back in a bun. 

"Onward, noble steed!" She said, pointing towards the road they had been on thus far. 

He snickered, then started walking. Soon enough, he heard the scratching of her pen as she began writing and drawing again. 

He walked for hours, and by evening, they had come within sight of the city. 

The first thing she saw was the palace, sitting atop a hill. It was a massive stone structure- easily twice the size of hers and then some. Though to Drakhari's people, it probably felt like a normal sized castle, since they were already twice her size.

"It's huge." She murmured. 

"Mmhm. That's what she said. And yes. It is." He murmured, before he grunted, then laughed as she smacked the book down on his head with a bit of force. 

From where they were, she could see the walls of the city as well. There was one massive gate on each side for the people and their goods, and several smaller ones that were left permanently open, likely for the animals. 

The stone of both the palace and the walls was dark grey- almost black, and shimmered slightly in the light. It was likely mined from the volcanic mountains around them. 

She couldn't see inside the city, since the walls were quite high, but she was quite content with the view she had at the moment. Just from the outside, the city looked beautiful. 

She grabbed his horns and pushed forward. "Gooo! I want to see the city from the inside!" She squealed, bouncing excitedly on his shoulders. 

He chuckled and reached up to pat her leg. "Maybe go drain yourself first? Can't have my mother thinking you're already with child." He said wryly. 

Her face went red, and she quickly scrambled down off his back, before she dashed into the woods. 

She came back a few minutes later, her belly now noticeably flatter. 

She reached up and took his hand. "Let's go." She said softly, and he nodded, before they started walking through the last leg of their journey- the road to the city of Kar'dunn.

Chapter 6: The City of Kar'dunn

It was only when she got closer did she realise how massive the walls were. They were easily twice the size of the walls of her city, in both height and thickness. 

The gates stretched almost to the top of the wall. They were made of the thick, sturdy black ironwood she'd seen in the forest, and reinforced with metal- the mined kind. Not their bones. At the gate stood a pair of guards, chatting to each other in their language. 

They seemed to be wearing some sort of standard-issue armour. 

It consisted of a thick, tough leather t-shirt, made from the scaly hide of one of their local wildlife. Over the chest was stretched a large, hexagonal, metal plate that protected their vitals. 

They wore metal-plated leather pauldrons over their shoulders, with the straps crossed under the metal plate on their chest. On their forearms sat metal bracers, with a section cut out to allow the raised, bony projection on their arm to poke through the metal.

Below was something akin to a weightlifting belt- a large leather strap, with another thick hexagonal plate bearing a motif of a large, open maw with sharp teeth. The leather strap was covered by scalemail, which extended around to their sides. At their back, however, the leather gave way to solid metal, which arched upwards like the tips of outstretched wings, and were connected in the middle by a series of thick metal rings. 

This style left a gap for their tails to poke through, and also gave it enough range of motion to be swung around freely. The front and back of the waist piece had a strip of scalemail dangling from the front, which extended up to the level of the middle of their thighs. Behind was a broader strip of scale mail, of approximately the same length, that covered their hips and rear. 

Below that, they wore what was essentially tight leather shorts, with vertical strips of metal running along the thighs. 

They also wore greaves with a similar cutout as their bracers, strapped to their shins with a leather strap. The greaves curled outwards and above the knee, protecting it from blows from the front, while still allowing a full range of motion.

Their armour seemed to be built around mobility, sacrificing their protection for agility. Given how she'd seen Drakhari fight, it made sense to have armour made like that. 

Their helmets were arched above the eyebrows, providing an arrowhead-shaped point that protected the gem in their foreheads, and didn't hamper their peripheral vision. At the back, the metal gave way to chainmail, protecting the backs of their necks. 

The moment they spotted her, though, their postures shifted to a guarded stance, and they raised their spears, pointing them at her. “Halt!” They yelled. 

She immediately raised her hands, and Drakhari growled loudly as he moved halfway in front of her, turning their attention to him. 

Their eyes flicked to him, before they looked at each other, then reluctantly put their spears away. 

"Who are you?" One of the guards asked. 

"Prince Drakhari. And I'd advise you not to treat my wi- companion that way again, unless you want to lose your heads." He snarled quietly, before he lowered his hood. 

The guards stared at him for a few seconds, before they looked at each other, then at him. 

"If you are who you say you are… surely you must carry the royal seal, no?" A guard murmured, raising an eyebrow. 

"I do not. It was taken from me, along with the rest of my possessions, when I was captured." He said, crossing his arms. 

"Then we can't exactly let you in, now can we? Unless you've got some proof of identity. Can't have some impostor running around the city claiming he's the prince." The other guard said with a shrug. 

She saw his eye twitch, then reached up and squeezed his hand tightly- hard enough that the pain cooled him off a bit. 

He smiled pleasantly. "I understand you're just doing your job… but I'd like to see the captain, please." He said with a smile. 

One guard rolled his eyes, while the other laughed. "Yeah okay, buddy. The captain is definitely going to come down here to see a nobody and an elf." The one who'd laughed said with a smirk. 

"Tell you what- you leave the elf with us, and you can go in, eh? How's that sound?" The other guard said, grinning lecherously at her. 

This time, it was Drakhari who had to squeeze her hand, before she let herself fly at the arrogant guard. 

"Enough." He said quietly, before he narrowed his eyes. "Call Commander Vaidir, or the captain. Or I'm going to make a scene, and you're not going to like that." He said with a smile. 

Their smiles disappeared, and they looked at each other, before they looked at him. "How do you-?" 

"He's my brother, you fish-fucking, shit-eating mongrels." He said flatly, only to get the spears leveled at him. 

"You wanna say that again?" One guard growled. 

He leaned closer, until the blades were poking into his cheeks. "If you fish-fucking, shit-eating mongrels don't let me in, you're going to find your heads mounted outside the castle gates by the night's end. Do you really want to take that risk?" He asked, smiling serenely. 

"Alright that's it!" The guard yelled, and pulled his spear back to stab him, while the other swung his spear at Gwynne. 

The pair stood their ground. Gwyneira raised her shield, slamming the spear point to the side, before she lunged at the guard, closing the distance.

Drakhari, on the other hand, simply extended the blade in his arm and slapped the spear point aside. 

One guard received a punch to the face, and then the jaw that knocked him out cold, while the other was swiftly tripped, and had the flat of Gwyneira’s blade slammed against his metal horns, which made him roll around on the ground, groaning in pain as his metal skull vibrated.  

Drakhari looked at her, then the guard rolling around on the ground, before he chuckled. “Heh. That's going to be a fun headache in the morning.” He said with a grin. 

“I certainly hope so. He deserves it for looking at me like that.” She grumbled, before she used the tip of her sword to lift the chainmail protecting the guard’s groin. It was followed by a swift kick to his balls, which made the guard scream and curl up into a foetal position. 

Drakhari winced. “Ouch. Headache and a kick to the balls?” He asked wryly. 

Gwyneira snorted, then gestured to his guard. “At least I gave mine a kick in the- uh- family jewels. You broke his nose! Mine will be fine. You gave yours a disfigurement.” She said, putting her hands on her hips. 

Drakhari looked at his guard, then at the one currently face-down in the mud and holding his testicles. 

"Y'know what? That's fair." He murmured, before he stepped past. 

She followed him, but the moment they took a few steps past the gate, a crossbow bolt thudded into the ground before Drakhari. 

"Next one goes in your head." Called a voice from above. 

He sighed and raised his hands, before he turned. 

"Once again… Who are you?" An archer called from above. They looked up to see a woman, flanked by even more guards, all with crossbows aimed at them. 

"Like I said before… Prince Drakhari." He sighed, raising his hands. 

"Who's the elf?" The voice asked. It was a woman- of that, they were sure. 

"Princess Gwyneira of the Llosandrii Kingdom." He said, and there was a pause. 

"I don't suppose at least she's got a signet ring?" The voice asked. 

Gwynn reached for her bag. 

"Ah- ah- ah! Slowly, elf." The voice warned. 

She slowly took her bag off her shoulders, then opened it and reached inside. She searched for almost a minute, before she found it buried at the bottom of the bag, under all the supplies. 

She pulled out the golden ring, and held it up. 

There was a long moment of silence, before the voice called out again. "Lower your weapons." As one, the crossbows pointed at them were lowered and disarmed.  

The pair breathed a slight sigh of relief, before they looked at each other, then at the bolt in the ground near Drakhari. 

Gwynn noted that it was about half the size of a full sized war spear from their armoury. If this was the size of their crossbow bolts, she really wanted to see what their arrows looked like. 

A door next to the bottom of the gates opened, and a dark blue skinned woman stepped out, striding towards them. 

Her armour was different from the guards at the front gate. She wore a similar leather shirt, except hers was full-sleeved, but without the hexagonal plate, and her forearm coverings were studded with metal.

Besides that, she simply wore tight, metal studded leather pants. 

"My apologies for the security, Prince Drakhari, but since you were taken, we've been expecting an attack." She said with a shrug, before she bowed to them. 

"My apologies to you as well, Princess Gwyneira. I'm sure this isn't the reception you were expecting." She said with a wry smile. 

"Well, you're right about that, but I understand why." She said softly, before she looked up at Drakhari. 

"We ran away." She murmured. 

The woman raised an eyebrow, then looked between them. "Well… anyway… I think queen Mordren will be expecting you, my lord." She said with a smile, before she bowed slightly. 

"It's good to have you back." She said, smiling. 

"Eh? Why? Is Vaidir acting up again?" He asked, raising an eyebrow. 

The captain froze, her eyes closing in embarrassment, before she lowered her head. "... Yes, my lord. He's sent the palace into full lockdown mode. It's going to be difficult even for you to get in." She said with an awkward smile. 

"Oh. Lovely." Drakhari said flatly, before he sighed. "I disappear for a week and the whole place goes mad. You people wouldn't last a month without me, eh?" He said wryly. 

"Without you, maybe. With Vaidir? Absolutely not, no. He's far too strict with his bloody rules. I could be tossed in prison just because I told you about the security measures at the castle. Or the fact that I'm not wearing the my pauldrons." She grumbled. 

Drakhari looked her up and down, then smirked. “No complaints from me on that front.” He teased. 

The woman blushed faintly, then shook her head. 

"Please, my lord. I know all about your reputation. Shoo. Go to the palace. They must be missing you terribly." She said, smirking back at him. 

He chuckled, before he bowed his head and turned, starting to walk down the street. 

"It was a pleasure to meet you, Princess Gwyneira." The woman said, smiling down at her. 

"And you as well, Captain…?" She trailed off, expecting a name. 

"Mirai'a." She said with a smile. 

"Oh- that's a pretty name." Gwyneira said with a smile. 

"As is yours, princess. Now if you'll excuse me, I've got to get back to my duties." She said with a smile.

They bowed to each other, and turned their backs- Mirai'a heading back to her post, while Gwynne ran to catch up with Drakhari. 

She grabbed his hand, and he looked down. "What reputation was she talking about?" She asked, tilting her head. 

"Uhhh- I- I slept around a lot." He murmured, shrugging, and she snorted. 

"That doesn't surprise me. Typical male." She said, and stuck her tongue out at him. 

"Hey- I wasn't looking for love or something. Just… y'know- casual stuff. No commitments, no strings attached. Just sex!" He grumbled defensively. 

"Hey. It's okay." She said, putting her hand on his. "What's in the past is in the past. Besides… at- at least it made you good at s- the thing." She mumbled, going red. 

He looked down at her, then smiled slightly, before he chuckled and bent down. He scooped her up and squeezed her in a hug. 

"Most women would have walked right off." He said softly. 

"I'm not most women, you silly man." She whispered, tugging his horns to bring his face to hers so she could kiss him. 

He set her down after that, and they resumed their walk through the city. 

She held his hand as they walked, and looked around at the city as they headed to the palace. 

The roads were smooth and paved. She didn't see chariot tracks anywhere, surprisingly. Did they walk everywhere? Surely not… 

Her question was answered a moment later when a large shadow flew overhead, accompanied by the sound of leathery, flapping wings. 

She looked up, but the beast was already flying away. So… they flew. That explained why the roofs were flat, and she could see posts up there, like one would tie a horse to. 

The place was lively, for the most part. People greeted each other, and like Drakhari had mentioned, some were straight up quite naked, though nobody batted an eye at it. 

Her face, however, still turned a little red every time she saw a person walking past wearing nothing. 

Most of the houses were constructed using the same stone as the walls and palace, making them rather sturdy structures. 

They passed quiet taverns, with the smell of food wafting out from the windows, shops selling all manner of things- fabric for clothes, stitched clothes, kitchenware, jewellery, and a few bookstores that she made a mental note to visit later. 

"You're just like us." Gwynn murmured as she walked. 

"What did they tell you about us? That we lived in mud and dirt? Maybe never took baths, and were a bunch of dirty savages?" Drakhari asked with a grin. 

"That's… pretty much the gist of it, yeah." Gwynn said with a sigh, before she pointed to a large, domed building with marble pillars. 

"What's that?" She asked. 

"The Dornaden. Public library." He murmured. 

"Oh." She murmured, before she looked at him, grinned, and then stuck her arms up, wiggling her fingers. 

He sighed, then shook his head and picked her up. He set her down on his shoulders, and turned towards the library. 

He stood still as she drew the structure, and only started walking when she tapped his head. 

"And over to our right, you see that huge building with the spires on the roof? That's the Qadaarii. A museum, basically. They've… mostly got things from our history, plus skeletons and taxidermied bodies of animals so you can take a closer look at the dangerous ones without getting your face bitten off." He said with a chuckle. 

He paused to let a family of deer-like animals walk past. Though they were shaped like deer, they had a thick, tough hide layered over their bodies like an armadillo's, and a medium sized tail. 

Their underbellies were soft, and had short, fuzzy hair. Rather than elaborate antlers, the males sported a pair of sharp, dagger-like horns, and the females had a more rounded, conical shape.

"What were those?" She asked, smiling as she watched the babies stay close to their parents. 

"Bairos." Drakhari murmured as he continued onwards. 

She noted that Drakhari was at least a foot taller than most people they passed by. The closer they got to the castle, though, the more people bowed to him and greeted him by name. 

One scantily clad woman even waved out of a window, and Drakhari waved back with an awkward smile as he practically ran past the building. 

"Brothel?" Gwynn asked directly, with a grin on her face. 

"Urk… yes." He muttered, sighing. 

"Spent a lot of time there, did you?" She teased, grinning as she ran her hands through his hair. 

He whined, then tilted his head back to look up at her with a pout. 

She laughed, then gently patted his face. "I'm just messing with you, my love." She said, and he huffed, before he stuck his tongue out at her. 

She stuck her tongue back out at him, before she pointed to a tall building, with a spire shaped like the blade of a sword. "What's that?" She asked. 

"That's a temple to Balinor." He murmured, and she quickly sketched it, before she looked across, to what looked like a giant orb. 

"And that one?" 

"Temple to Senestri. They're always built within viewing distance of each other." He murmured. 

"Father wants the mother close by? Something like that?" She asked softly. 

"Mmhm. Something like that. Good guess, my love." He said, smiling as he patted her thigh. 

She smiled, and gently tugged on his horns to make him stop for a while while she sketched the temples. 

Then, she gently nudged his horns forward. He started walking again, before she gently tugged back on them. 

"I want to see inside the temples." She said softly. 

"Mm. Which one first?" He asked, and she gently tugged his horns right, towards the temple of Balinor. 

A few minutes later, they were at the steps leading up to the large doors of the temple. On either side of the stairs was a stone statue of a vaardren, sitting on its hind legs, and with a dagger in its mouth. 

"They say the vaardren are his favourite animals. That he kept their ancestors as pets." Drakhari said as he climbed the steps. 

She heard it before she saw it- the sounds of battle- steel ringing out against steel- and frowned. 

"Drak- I think there's a fight going on." She whispered. 

He merely chuckled and opened the door. 

Inside, she saw that the interior of the temple was shaped like a large amphitheater, with a large circular area in the center. 

Above, she could see that the walls were covered in mosaics, depicting what must have been the battles that Balinor engaged in. There were many windows spread throughout the structure, each highlighting a different mural. Their arrangement, she realised, would tell the story of the first battle at sunrise, and the end of the god's story at sunset. She decided she'd come back later to study the murals in detail. 

In the center of the arena sat a statue. It resembled Drakhari's people, just a lot more… spiky. A second pair of horns, spikes on his shoulders and tail, and even on his knuckles. 

He stood with a wide stance, holding a large sword aloft with one hand, while the other cradled what looked like a bundle carrying a child. 

Around the statue, half-naked priests with their robes tied around their waists sparred against each other with the same sword the statue was holding, causing the clashing sound of metal against metal to echo over the hall. 

"Balinor. The Father." Drakhari murmured as he started walking down the steps. 

The priests stopped their sparring, and quickly sheathed their weapons, before they bowed to the visitors. 

"Prince Drakhari." One of the older priests greeted them with a smile, before casting a curious glance to the elf on his shoulders as he approached.  

Drakhari bowed his head slightly. "Priest Mardos. Good to see you." He said with a smile. 

"Likewise. Though if I may be so bold… why are you carrying an elf on your shoulders?" He asked. 

"She needs somewhere to rest her book while she draws and writes." He said, shrugging. 

"I… see. Well, is there anything I can help you with?" He asked, tilting his head slightly. 

"Not really. We just came to see Balinor." Drakhari said, nodding to the statue. 

"Ah, yes. By all means- please." The priest said, standing to the side and gesturing towards the statue. 

They walked closer, and Gwyneira got a proper look at the statue. She sketched it down, then stared at it for a while. His face and Drakhari's bore very similar features, save for the little tusks jutting out from between his lips. It was kinda cute, but she wasn't going to say that. 

"Is this like… life size?" She asked curiously. The statue was huge- at least twenty feet tall, possibly more. 

"It is indeed. There are smaller versions for home use, of course, but this is the true-to-life version of Balinor." The priest said with a smile. 

"I can show you the smaller statues, if you'd like to buy one." He added with a chuckle. 

"No thanks. I've got my own life size version right here." She said, patting Drakhari's head. 

The priest chuckled, before he looked up at Balinor, then down at Drakhari. "Yes… we always wondered how he looked so similar to Balinor himself. A blessing, to be sure." He said with a smile. 

Drakhari hummed, but said nothing, until Gwyneira gently tugged on his horns, turning him around and starting to move him up the stairs. 

They bid the priests goodbye, and ascended the stairs until they were outside, where Drakhari sighed. 

"Blessing my ass." He muttered, shaking his head. 

She looked down at him. "What's wrong?" She asked softly, gently running her hands through his hair again. 

"They always look at me like I'm some kind of… prophet or god. Every fucking time I go in there. I hate it. What, just because I happen to bear a passing resemblance? Fuck off. Idiots." He grumbled. 

It was a little more than a passing resemblance, but she kept that opinion to herself. 

"You should have said something." She said softly. "I wouldn't have made you go if you didn't want to." 

"I wanted you to see the inside of the temple, though. It's pretty cool." He murmured. 

"That… I can agree with. Do you want to see the other temple?" She asked softly, and he nodded. 

"Thankfully, I don't bear a passing resemblance to Senestri, sooo... Yes." He said wryly as he started walking to the orb-shaped temple. 

As they got closer, Gwyneira saw that the temple was not an orb, but rather closer to a hundred-sided die. Well… close enough, really.

That aside, the entire structure looked like it was made out of webbing and flat stones. 

That made her very nervous. 

Drakhari felt the tug on his horns, and slowed down, before he looked up at her. "You good?" He asked. 

"Yeah… uhh… is that… webbing?" She asked, nodding to the exterior of the temple.

"Yeah. Spider silk. Strongest material we've got. Why?" He asked as he stopped at the entrance to the temple. 

"And… where exactly did you get so much?" She asked. 

"Spiders, of course." He said, before he walked into the temple. 

Unlike the well lit spire temple of Balinor, this one was dark, and lit from the inside only by candles that gave off an eerie green flame. 

At the back of the temple sat another large statue. It looked slightly smaller than the statue of Balinor, but only by a foot or so. 

The humanoid woman was sitting down, cross legged, and Gwyneira noted she had six spider limbs growing out of her back, with each limb holding what looked like a different kind of die, with a few more on the pedestal before her.

She had a pretty face, and shoulder length hair. On her forehead head was a diagonally slanted pair of emeralds. She had slightly plump lips, surrounded by a quad of mandibles. 

There were several candles surrounding the statue, casting their flickering flames over the statue to illuminate it well. 

The human arms of the woman also held a bundle in her arms, at which she smiled warmly, her head lowered slightly. 

"Oh. S- sp- spider lady." Gwyneira mumbled, swallowing. 

"That she is!" Called a cheery voice from above, followed by the sound of scuttling. 

A large figure moved into the light. It was a drider, wearing a white robe that covered her upper body. The hood was down, revealing a pretty, pale-skinned face. She had four eyes- two where they were supposed to be, and another two on her forehead, slanted diagonally. When she smiled, it revealed a mouth of large, sharp teeth, and four large mandibles. 

"Welcome to the temple of Senestri! How can I help you?" The priestess asked cheerily, tapping her front most legs on the ground twice. She had a black spider body, with shiny black spider legs. Her spider abdomen had large, dark red streaks across it, like tiger stripes. 

"Oh. A drider! You've got- heh- you've got very pretty legs! T- too many legs…" Gwyneira mumbled, before she promptly keeled over backwards and passed out. 

Drakhari's tail caught her before she hit the floor, and the drider priestess put her hands over her mouth as she gasped. 

"Oh dear." She mumbled, before she came closer, peering down at the unconscious elf. 

"Did- did I frighten her?" She mumbled. 

"Most likely. Didn't know she was scared of spiders." Drakhari murmured. 

"I am so sorry." She mumbled, her pointed ears drooping.

Drakhari waved a hand. "Please. You have nothing to apologise for." He said with a smile, and she sighed, before she gestured for him to follow her. 

Rather than benches, there were raised pillows on the floor for worshippers to sit on and pray. They moved a few of them together, and Drakhari gently laid Gwyneira down. 

"She's… quite pretty." The priestess murmured, peering over his shoulder. 

"Mm. That she is." Drakhari said with a smile, as he gently rubbed the back of his hand against Gwyneira's cheek. 

"Forgive me for saying so, but I find it amusing that she complimented my legs before she fainted." The priestess said, smiling.

Drakhari chuckled softly. “Again, you have nothing to apologise for. It was funny.” He said with a smile as he looked up at her. 

She bowed slightly, then walked off, coming back a moment later with a bowl of cold water and a towel. 

She folded her legs under herself as she sat, then dipped the towel in the water, before she gently laid it across Gwyneira's forehead. 

"Heh… Pretty legs…” Drakhari murmured, before he laughed softly and shook his head. 

The priestess smiled and giggled softly, before she tilted her head and frowned slightly. 

She peered closer at Gwyneira's face, then looked at the statue at the back of the temple. 

"Huh. Quite the resemblance." She murmured, raising an eyebrow, before she shrugged. 

Drakhari glanced up at the statue as well, and groaned internally. He did see the resemblance. Gods damn it. 

"Probably a coincidence." She murmured. 

“Yeah. Probably. Anyway- where are the other priestesses?” He asked, quickly changing the subject. 

"Well, it's the day off for the rest of them, and the one who was supposed to be working with me called in sick." She said with a sigh. 

"She probably would have been the better choice to greet this poor woman. She's smaller and quite… fluffy. Easier on the eyes. Easier than me, at least." The priestess said with a faint smile. 

"Hey. Enough of that." Drakhari said sternly, before he reached out and rested his hand on the priestess' shoulder. 

"You couldn't possibly have known about her fear of spiders. I didn't, either. It's not your fault." He said softly. 

"Mm… Well, I should let her rest for now." The drider murmured, before she got to her feet and walked off, climbing up the sides of the building and disappearing into the darkness above. 

Drakhari stayed at Gwyneira's side for a while. It didn't take more than ten minutes or so for the princess to come back around. 

She sat up with a soft groan. "Ugh… Could have sworn I saw a giant spider. Did I imagine it?" She mumbled, looking at Drakhari. 

"You did not, no. The priestesses of Senestri are driders." He said wryly, before he gestured to the statue. 

"I mean… take a look." He murmured, chuckling. 

She looked over at the statue, then sighed. "Right. Sorry. I freaked out because I've had to deal with Snow Spiders a few times." She murmured. 

"What's that?" 

"Giant, man-eating spiders." She mumbled. 

"Oh. Ohhh, that explains the reaction, then." He murmured, before he chuckled softly. 

"Don't worry. The priestesses here won't eat you. Eat you out, maybe-" 

He was interrupted by an indignant "hey!" from above, which made him snicker. 

"Well, you're not entirely wrong, but- rude!" The priestess huffed. 

"Wait- aren't your holy people barred from having sex?" Gwyneira asked. 

There was a pause, before the priestess erupted in laughter. "By the gods- no! We're not barred from having sex. That would be a horrible existence!" She said with a giggle, before she slowly lowered herself from the ceiling to dangle behind Drakhari, with a grin on her face. 

"If the gods made us to be able to feel pleasure with each other, why should we be punished for engaging in it?" She asked with a smile as she lowered herself to the floor, but stayed a good few feet away, afraid of making her faint again. 

"Well… the priests and priestesses in Piraelea are forbidden from having sex. They view it as a sinful thing." She murmured. 

"Well that's just silly. Sex is a beautiful thing. Bringing yourself and your partner to a pleasure that practically makes both of you blank out is a skill one should not take lightly!" She said with a giggle. 

"Yeah… I know." Gwyneira said, shooting Drakhari a glare. "Not entirely fun when you're nearly getting killed every time you have sex." She grumbled. 

"First woman with a problem with big dicks, this one." Drakhari said wryly, tilting his head to Gwyneira, while the priestess giggled again. 

"Well, the size difference between you two is quite large- pun intended- so I don't blame her." The priestess said with a shrug. 

"Thank you." Gwyneira said with a soft laugh. 

Drakhari shrugged. "I don't hear her complaining much after." He murmured, giving Gwyneira's nose a poke. 

She immediately snapped her jaws shut around his finger, and proceeded to gnaw on it for a few seconds before she replied. 

"Yeah. Because I'm barely capable of conscious thought after." She grumbled. 

The priestess giggled, then walked to the pedestal. She picked up something, then came back. She sat down, then took Gwyneira's hand. 

"Here… our goddess' favourite item. May it bring you luck and turn the odds in your favour." She said with a gentle smile as she deposited a twenty-sided die in her hand. 

"Th- thank you." Gwynn murmured, looking down at the object in her hand. She'd seen children using the very same die when they played those games about made up stories… 

She looked at the priestess. "I'm… sorry about earlier. I didn't-" She started to say, but the priestess put a finger on her lips. 

"It's okay. We always get fainters. That's why the floor is covered with pillows." She said, then winked and smiled,displaying her fangs and mandibles again.  

"Go in peace and luck, princess Gwyneira." She said softly. 

"Could- could I at least get your name?" She asked softly. 

"Iseidra." The priestess said with a smile. 

"Thank you, priestess Iseidra." She murmured, before she smiled back at her. 

"This was… definitely an interesting visit." She murmured, before she got to her feet. 

"Good! I do hope you'll return. Hopefully one of my sisters will be here to greet you. She's fluffier and less intimidating." The priestess said, staying seated as Gwyneira got up. Even seated, she was still almost eye level with her. 

"Maybe." Gwyneira murmured, before she walked closer to the statue. 

She spent a few minutes there, sketching the likeness of the goddess, before she turned to Drakhari. 

"Okay. Palace time." She said, taking a deep breath, then letting it out quickly. 

He chuckled, then held his hand out. She walked to him and took his hand, and with a final wave to the priestess, were on their way. 

The priestess watched them go, before she turned to the statue. "Such an uncanny resemblance. Heh. It's almost like the gods are getting back together, in a different life." She said, before she giggled to herself and shook her head at the absurd notion, then climbed the walls to go back to her hammock on the ceiling. 

They walked outside, and Drakhari bent down to pick up Gwyneira, but she shook her head.  

"No. I'm walking into the palace. But thank you." She said with a smile, and he chuckled. 

"Fair enough. Come." He murmured, and she took his hand again as they walked. 

At the bottom of the stairs to the castle, sat a statue of a vaardren on each side. She paused for a moment to sketch a rough shape of things from her perspective, before they started to climb the stairs. 

The stairs were- thankfully- made for smaller races, so she was able to climb them with ease, while Drakhari took them two or three at a time. 

At the top, they were blocked once more by guards, who crossed a pair of large axes, blocking their path. 

"Halt- who goes th-?" One of the guards said, before he stopped. 

"Prince Drakhari? What-? Wait- what do we-?" He mumbled, before he looked at the other guard. 

"Dunno. I'm new. Don't look at me." She muttered, shrugging. 

They stared at him for a few seconds, before they looked at each other again, then at Gwyneira. 

"Who's this?" The female guard finally asked. 

"Princess Gwyneira of the Llosandrii Kingdom." Drakhari said, tilting his head. 

"Oh." 

Another long pause, before they looked at each other, then at Drakhari. 

"Uhh- g- go in, I guess?" The male guard mumbled, before he hesitantly pushed the doors open. 

Drakhari bowed his head slightly to the guard, and holding Gwyneira's hand, walked in. 

The hallways, as she expected, were quite large- twice the size of the ones in her palace and then some, and made of dark stone. Drakhari was able to walk through with ease, without having to hunch over to get through doorways. 

Guards stood to attention as he strode through the hallways, until they came to a set of large, ironwood double doors. 

A pair of guards stood outside, and bowed to him, before they pushed the doors open. 

He walked in, with Gwyneira at his side. 

The court, that had until that point been talking, fell silent enough to hear a needle drop. 

At the end of a long, dark red carpet, sat a large throne. It was made of steel, with a high, arched back. 

There were ribs arranged along the rectangular back of the throne, with the pointy ends sticking out towards the sides. 

Jordengarr skulls sat at the end of each armrest, twisted around to face the viewer, while their upturned ribs were used as cushion rests. The rest of their lengthy bodies curled downwards, decorating the sides of the throne with their tails and legs. 

On the throne sat a woman, about nine feet tall, and very muscular. She wore a small skull pendant around her neck, and furred shoulder plates, reinforced with what looked like Eridvaari bone. 

She wore a sort of corset, with a pair of metal, skeletal hands holding up her breasts, and a small set of bones reinforcing the armour around her midriff. 

She had silver hair, just like Drakhari's, but icy blue eyes, unlike his purple. Her skin was purple, and the metal of her body was bright and silvery. 

At her right stood a man that looked almost identical to Drakhari, except with a more sour face. His skin was mottled purple and black, and the metal of his body was a dull grey. 

At the woman's left, stood another woman who was a stark contrast to the people around her.  

She had fair, milky skin, and pink hair that framed a delicate, pretty face. Two pairs of horns grew from the sides of her head- one set curling out to the side, while the other curled backwards, to the back of her head. 

She wore a white and pink lace collar, and a white blouse that was open at the front, and held closed by pink straps. 

Matching that outfit were white pants, that ended where the pink fur of her hooves began. Behind her swished a tail, with a large, fluffy tip. 

The woman on the throne- that Gwyneira correctly assumed was the queen, stood. 

"Son. I was not expecting you back." She said as she walked down the steps. 

"Come, mother. You know I'm a little more resourceful than that." He said wryly. 

The woman paused, then ran the last few steps to him, before she threw her arms around him, squeezing tightly. 

She heard his bones pop as he groaned, and was lifted off the floor by his eager mother. 

The woman set him down, then immediately slapped him right across the face, making the people of the court gasp. 

"I told you not to go alone, you absolute idiot! And what did you do? Go alone! The one thing I specifically asked you not to do, you fucking numbskull!" She roared. 

For the first time, Gwynn saw slight fear in Drakhari's eyes as he took a step back. 

She had to bite her lip so she didn't laugh. The fear of enraged mothers was universal, no matter the species. 

"Have you any idea how worried I was!? You had one job. One. Job. Take the guards with you when you leave. But noOo. Big prince thinks too highly of himself to-" She suddenly paused, only just then noticing the tiny figure next to him. 

Gwyneira stared up into the queen's icy blue eyes, now with growing apprehension. 

"Hello, dear. Welcome to the queendom of Erakleon. I'll be with you in just a moment." She said sweetly, before she looked back at Drakhari, then smacked the back of his head. 

"Idiot. I should ground you, but since you managed to escape, I suppose I can let it slide." She muttered, before she turned to walk back to her throne. 

She took her seat, then gestured for them to walk forward. 

Drakhari walked closer, pushing Gwyneira in front of him. 

"So! My foolish son has returned, and with a woman. Tell me your name, dear." The queen said, leaning on the armrest. 

"My name is Gwyneira. I am the princess of the Llosandrii kingdom, to the south- across the mountains." She said, loudly and clearly. 

The people in the court gasped, and it was quickly followed by angry murmuring. 

"Well met, princess Gwyneira of Llosandrii. Welcome to Erakleon. I am Queen Mordren, mother to the princes at our sides, and ruler of these lands." She said, flashing her a grin, before she gestured to the man at her side. "This is prince Vaidir, and this-" She gestured to the tiefling on her other side. "-Is Luti, my advisor." She said with a grin.   

"We should kill her, mother. And send her head back to her father in a box." Vaidir growled. 

"Try that, and I will turn your insides to outsides and leave you on the roof of the palace for the carrion birds." Drakhari growled, putting a hand on Gwyneira's shoulder and moving to stand halfway in front of her. 

"Enough! Everyone, out." She said sharply, gesturing to the people of the court. 

They slowly filed out, casting backwards glances at the people around the throne. 

Only once the room was clear, did she speak again. "I am not such a fool that I would throw away what could be our greatest ally in the war." Queen Mordren growled, glaring at Vaidir, who bowed his head, staring at the floor with intense animosity. 

She looked back at Drakhari. "So. You do realise what this means, yes?" She asked. 

"I do. I'd already been planning on it." He murmured. 

Gwyneira elbowed her way past him. 

"Wait- what does this mean?" She asked, frowning at the assembled people. 

"It's time for a wedding!" The queen said, flashing her a grin full of teeth.

Chapter 7: Dinner With The Family

"W- wait a minute- what do you mean a wedding!?" Gwynn squeaked. 

"I mean I want the two of you to get married." The queen said, straightening in her seat as she leaned forward, the grin sliding off her face. 

"My son is clearly, deeply in love with you." 

"Ma!" Drakhari groaned, but the queen continued. 

"And he's definitely had sex with you." She said with a shrug. 

"Ma!" Drakhari groaned, now mortified. 

"I know my son. He can't keep those dicks of his in his pants." She said, continuing on, deaf to his protestations. 

"By the gods- MOTHER! CEASE!" He groaned loudly. 

"So! I propose the two of you get married. You're royalty, and you're pretty, so you're a pretty good match for him." She said as she leaned back in her throne. 

"That is, of course, assuming you have no problem with it?" She asked, raising an eyebrow. 

"Uhhh- I- I-" Gwynn stuttered, flabbergasted and speechless. 

She looked at Drakhari. "W- well, I don't have any objections to marrying him, but-" 

"Did you have to say it like that?" Drakhari groaned, currently wishing the earth would just open up and swallow him. 

"I- I didn't mean it like that! I-" Gwynn stuttered, before the tiefling at the queen's side cleared her throat. 

"Princess… look at me. Breathe." She said softly, and Gwynn looked at the pretty, smiling woman's face, then took a deep breath, before she slowly let it out. 

"Good. Drak-" The tiefling looked at the man, who had his face buried in his hands.

She stared at him, a smirk on her face as she let him stew in his misery for a while. Eventually, she spoke. 

"You should go get some rest. The wedding planning can wait for later." She said softly, before she smiled when he lowered his hands to pout at her. 

"Fine." He grumbled, before he looked down at Gwyneira. 

"You want to come see my room?" He asked softly, and she looked up at him, before she nodded and smiled slightly. 

"Good. C'mon." He murmured as he turned to walk out of the room. 

His mother chuckled softly as she watched him go, then sighed when the door closed. 

"I'm so glad he finally found someone to settle down with. I was worried I was going to have a bunch of illegitimate grandkids before I got some legitimate ones." The queen said wryly, and Luti giggled softly. 

"I still think we should kill- or at least imprison her. Show their alliance what we're capable of. Imagine how big of a slap in the face it would be." Vaidir muttered. 

"And the princess marrying the "enemy" prince isn't a bigger slap how, exactly?" Luti asked, looking at Vaidir with a little smile. 

He stared at her, then scowled when he couldn't come up with an answer. 

She giggled softly. "Yeah. You've still got a lot to learn, young one." She teased gently. 

"Sh- shut up." He grumbled as the queen snickered. 

Gwynn followed Drakhari down the hallways. They took several turns, until they came to a large wooden door. 

The key was already in the lock. He turned it and pushed it open, before he stepped in, then held the door open for her.

She walked in, and he removed the key from the outside, and inserted it into the lock from the inside. 

His room was quite clean- there was an emperor sized (by her standards) four poster set in the middle of the back wall of the room. There were ornately carved bedside tables on either side of the bed, each with a candle holder and a fresh candlestick. 

There were two sets of cupboards- one on each side of the bed, just a foot or so away from the bedside tables. 

To the left side of the door was a dressing table with a mirror- both quite large, considering the size of the person they were made for. 

On the right was an armour stand. There was a suit of armour sitting on it, propped up by the sticks within. 

She could see that it was similar to the armour the guards at the gate wore, except his armour was more customised. The metal chestplate, belt, and pauldrons bore his family insignia- a wyvern, coiled around an Eridvaari skull, with both snarling at the viewer, while the wyvern had its wings outstretched, as if ready to pounce. 

Besides that, his metal chestplate was made of a dark metal- the same kind as the one in their bodies. 

At the armour’s right hand sat a large, one handed sword. The blade was curved almost like a sickle, with a bend shaped like a hook near the hilt, and tapered off into a sharp point. 

If she had to guess, that weapon was perfect for pulling smaller shields away, allowing the wielder to slice or push the blade through a gap in the enemy's armour. 

At the stand’s left hand side sat a large spear, the head made from the dark metal of their bones. The shaft was ironwood, with a long, dark red pennant tied to the top- just below the head of the spear. 

On the right wall was a door, which led to the bathroom, and on the left wall was a large window that overlooked a massive lake. 

"Two cupboards? Surely you don't have that many outfits, or I'm going to start calling you Princess." Gwynn said wryly as she stepped into the room, and walked to the bed, where she sat. 

"No… one cupboard is for me, and the other is- was- for Vaidir. We used to share a room. After he moved out into his own room, I kinda just left the cupboard there and kept it stocked with backup clothes for my… uhh… visitors." He mumbled, scratching the back of his head. 

She raised an eyebrow. "What activities ended with ripped clothes, I wonder." She teased, chuckling softly. 

He looked at her, raised his hand, and then extended his claws. "Some people like being... Cut." He murmured as he walked closer and sat down on the bed next to her with a heavy sigh. 

She looked at him. "We don't have to get married if you don't want to." She said softly, putting a hand on his arm. 

"No, no. I was already considering it while we were traversing the mountains. It's just… I wanted to do a proper proposal and everything. Make it a nice gesture. Then mother went and ruined it." He said, rolling his eyes. 

"Well, nobody said you can't propose anymore. If anything, I'd appreciate the gesture." She said, leaning closer to kiss his arm, before she pulled his head down to kiss his lips. 

He smiled slightly, then rested a hand on her face. "Well… I'll see what I can do." He said softly, before he stood. 

"You're going to need some clothes. I'll have the seamstresses called for you." He murmured as he walked to the cupboard and opened it. 

He took out a white shirt and a pair of loose brown cotton pants. He changed his clothes, before he looked at her. 

"Do you want one of my-" 

"Yes." She said immediately. 

She'd been wearing the same two outfits for the last three days. She was desperately in need of something new to wear. 

He chuckled softly, then took out a sky blue shirt, which he tossed to her. 

She quickly took her clothes off, before she put his shirt on. 

As expected, it was big enough to act like a nightgown. The sight of it immediately made him burst out into a peal of laughter. 

"Okaaaay… Going to need a few adjustments here." She said, glaring at while he laughed. 

"I don't suppose you've got pins lying around?" She asked, and he pointed to the dresser. 

"I mean, you could leave it as is. It looks adorable." He said, grinning as she hiked up his shirt and trotted over to the dresser. She felt like she was wearing a ball gown; minus the prettiness. 

She shook her head, ignoring him as she pulled open a drawer, searching for the pins. 

"Lower." He murmured. 

She checked the drawer below it. 

"Lower." He said again. 

She checked the drawer below that one. 

"Lower." He said, and she paused, before she bent over and checked the bottom drawer. 

"Heh. Nice." He murmured, and she froze, before she closed her eyes and thumped her head against the drawer with vague annoyance, before she straightened and looked over her shoulder. 

"Really?" She muttered, smirking slightly, before she tapped the dresser. 

"Where?" 

"If I recall correctly… Right middle drawer." He murmured, snickering a little. 

She opened it and pulled out a sewing kit, before she walked back over to the bed. 

"I don't suppose you know how to sew?" She asked wryly, before she pulled out a pair of scissors. 

"I do, but you're probably better off doing it yourself." He murmured, before he raised an eyebrow. 

"What are you doing with tha- ahh-?" He asked, before his jaw dropped as she cut right down the middle of his shirt from the bottom, stopping about where she judged her groin would be.

She smiled sweetly at him, before she cut horizontally, a few inches above the vertical cut. 

He sighed, watching as she sat down and made herself a pair of pants and a shirt, both baggy and loose fitting, yet somehow still stylish. 

"There. See?" She murmured, smirking at him as she stood before him in her new clothes. 

He looked her up and down, then smiled. "There's something amusing about seeing you in my clothes." He murmured, his tail wrapping around her waist and dragging her close. 

She clambered up onto his lap when she got close, then smiled and kissed his chest. 

She then gasped softly, her face going red as she felt him grip and squeeze her ass with both hands. "Please don't ruin my new clothes!" She whined, burying her face in his chest. 

"Can't ruin your clothes if you're not wearing any." He purred, his hands slipping into her pants to grope and squeeze her bare rump. 

"Gh-! Ugh. You're insatiable. Fine! But make it quick." She grumbled softly. 

He chuckled, and his tail squeezed tighter, before hoisting her into the air. 

Her pants went flying off, but the shirt stayed on. 

Then, her eyes widened when she saw him open his jaw up all the way. 

His tail lowered her, gently depositing her between his sharp teeth. 

They slowly closed around her, trapping her groin and butt between jaws of steel. 

"I swear to the gods- if you let your intrusive thoughts win and bite, I'm going to murder you." She mumbled, nervously gripping his horns as she rested her feet on his shoulders. 

She tugged backwards slightly, but immediately stopped when she felt his jaws close tighter, and heard a muffled growl. 

Then, she felt it- his long, thick tongue. She shivered as it brushed against her clit, then tilted her head back and moaned as it was quickly assaulted. 

The danger of possibly being bitten in two, combined with his expert tonguework, was proving to be a surprising, yet very effective combination. 

She gripped his horns, clenching her jaws together as she tried not to buck her hips. That would really hurt! 

Shaky moans escaped the elven princess' throat as her lover's tongue writhed around inside her. He was so deep- inside her womb- again! 

His hands rested on her thighs, gripping them and keeping them spread as his tongue lashed her insides. 

She couldn't resist- she bucked her hips, and gasped in pain when she felt his sharp metal teeth slice her skin. 

She then saw his pupils dilate as soon as the blood hit his tongue. 

They locked onto her with a burning intensity, before he quickly rolled over, pinning her underneath him. 

His tongue-lashing got even more vigorous, and she now had to grab his horns not to steady herself, but to keep him from biting down. 

His hands slipped lower, and she winced as his claws dug into her cheeks, likely drawing blood there as well. 

This had taken an unexpected turn for the dangerous. 

She could feel him licking harder- gulping down her blood as his teeth came down again and again, still trying to bite her.  

Despite all that… she came. The pain, the pleasure, and the danger all came together to make her crash into an intense orgasm that made her arch her back as she came, screaming from the pain and pleasure. 

The taste of her fluids seemed to calm him down. Whether it was because he couldn't taste the blood anymore, or because she'd climaxed, she wasn't sure.

He paused, then slowly raised his head. She stared at his bloody teeth, then looked up at him. 

"D- Drak- stop. Please. You hurt me." She whispered. She didn't even want to imagine the mess his teeth had left. 

He let out a low, rumbling growl, then wrapped his arms around her waist. 

She shivered as she felt his tongue slide out of her, and start to lap at her wounds. They stung at first, but slowly, the pain tapered off, leaving a pleasant buzzing sensation. 

She stayed still, waiting and watching nervously till she felt him stop gulping and licking. 

She tugged hard on his horns, and he reluctantly separated from her groin. She didn't look down. 

She lowered her hands, and whispered a healing spell while Drak watched, licking his lips and teeth clean as he did. 

When she was done, she stared at him in silence. 

"What in the seven hells was that?" She hissed, covering herself up with her clothes as she glared at him. 

"I… don't know." He murmured after a while, tearing his gaze away only once she'd covered herself up.

"You just… your blood…" He started to move closer, but immediately stopped when she held up a hand, silently warning him to keep his distance. 

"I don't know. That's the first time that's happened. Ever." He murmured quietly, sitting on his knees. 

"And this is… not the first time you've tasted blood, I'm assuming." She asked quietly. 

"No. Only yours has had… that intense of an effect." He murmured, shifting to sit cross legged. 

"I- I see." She mumbled, before she swallowed. "L- let's just… Be a little careful next time, yeah? You almost bit me in half." She mumbled, slowly pulling her clothes on. 

He nodded quietly, before he sighed, then moved closer to gently kiss her forehead. 

"I'm sorry." He whispered, pulling her into his lap as he sat there, head lowered as he nuzzled her hair. 

"Don't be. I don't think either of us knew that was going to happen." She mumbled, resting her head on his chest. 

"Still. Sorry." He mumbled, and she patted his side. 

"Accepted. Just… Go a little easier next time, huh?" She murmured, looking up at him with a faint smile. 

He nodded, then bent down and brushed his lips across hers, before he smiled back, just as faintly. 

"We should probably get some rest. Mother will likely have a feast ready for us when we wake up." He murmured. 

She nodded, and raised her arms, letting him gently tug her newly made clothes off, before her hands suddenly came down on his horns. 

"Wait- I need a dress!" She whispered. 

"Oh. Right. Seamstresses. Uhhh- I'll go get them. Stay here." He murmured, before he got up and headed to the door. 

She sighed quietly, then sat up, before she moved to the window and looked out at the lake. 

Staring out at the lake gave her a strange feeling, for some reason. As if she was being watched… But it's not like something lived in there. Right? Maybe some big fishes, but… she still couldn't shake the feeling. 

She shook her head, dismissing the thought. Why would a lake be watching her? She was being paranoid. Maybe it was because of what had just happened. She still wasn't completely over it, even though she'd said she was. 

Seeing him behave like little more than a wild animal... It has scared her. And why her blood, specifically? These were questions she wanted answers to... But she suspected they wouldn't be easy to find. 

She stared over the still, glittering surface of the lake once more, before she went back to the bed, got dressed, and waited. 

A few minutes later, the door opened, and Drakhari walked in, followed by three women. 

"I present to you…" He said, before he stood to the side and bowed as he gestured to the Eridvaari women. 

"The Silken Sisters. The best seamstresses in the kingdom." Drakhari said with a grin. 

"In Erakleon." One sister, the tallest of the three, said. 

"In Erakleon." Drakhari said, before he gestured to the woman who'd spoken. She had dark grey skin and ivory horns, and her hair was black, with red highlights. 

"This is Dori-" He said, then gestured to the one in the middle, who was shorter than her sister. She had striped grey and black skin, with the same ivory horns, and yellow streaks in her hair. 

"Mori-" Drakhari said, before he gestured to the shortest of the three. Her skin was a pale grey with black spots, and she had ivory horns too, though the streaks in her hair were blue. 

"And Kori." He said, and they nodded to her. 

"Sisters, meet Princess Gwyneira of the Llosandrii kingdom." He said, smiling at her. 

She stood and curtsied. "Pleased to meet you. I'm looking forward to working together." She said with a smile. 

"As are we. Just a quick warning, princess- we don't do big fancy dresses here, so don't expect anything frilly and lacy and whatnot." Dori said. 

"I mean we can, she's not saying we can't- but we don't do that here. Usually." Mori said with a shrug. 

"Which is a shame, because I think they look pretty." Kori said with a smile. 

"Ladies- sorry to interrupt, but we're going to need a dress before dinner tonight." Drakhari said with a grin, and the trio sighed in unison. 

"That's going to cost you extra, princeling." Dori said, putting her hands on her hips and frowning at him. 

"I'm good for it. When have I ever defaulted on a payment?" He asked, smirking as he raised an eyebrow. 

Dori stared pointedly at him. "Just because you're good in bed does not mean we'll take it as payment. Again." She said, both hers and her sisters' cheeks reddening slightly. 

Gwynn looked at Drakhari, then shook her head slightly. By the sounds of it, he'd slept with nearly every woman in the kingdom. 

"That was one time. Anyway- dress by tonight. Can you do it?" He asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Of course we can!" Mori said, sounding offended that he'd even ask. 

"We'll just need to take her measurements and we'll be on our way~!" Kori said cheerily.  

"Right. Princess. Clothes off, legs spread, arms out." Dori said, snapping her fingers. 

Gwynn quickly followed the woman's orders, baring herself once more. 

The three sisters slipped close, pulling measuring tapes from their bags. Gentle fingers slid over her skin, followed closely by the soft measuring tapes. Over her calves, thighs, between her legs, her breasts- not even her fingers and toes were spared. 

By the time they were done, she was a little red in the face from being touched so intimately. 

They huddled together, whispering amongst themselves for a bit, before they turned and grinned at her. 

"We've decided on a dress. Just one last question. Favourite colour?" Dori asked. 

"Sky blue." She said immediately, before she held up Drakhari's shirt. 

"Hm. Something a little darker okay?" Mori asked. 

"Browns and blues. Doesn't matter what shade, but light is preferred." Gwynn said firmly. 

Kori nodded. "Alright. Easy enough to manage." She said, before she looked at Drakhari. "You better have the money ready this time, princey." She said, before the three of them filed out. 

He chuckled softly as he closed the door behind them, then turned and leaned against it. 

"What did you think?" He asked. 

"They're… certainly… unique." Gwynn murmured, smiling as she watched him walk closer. 

She squeaked softly as he picked her up, then cooed as he laid down, trapping her underneath his large frame. 

"I also found it amusing that they were in descending height. The tall one- Dori? She looked like she was eight feet tall? Then Mori was seven feet tall, and then Kori was six feet tall. Shortest one of your people I've seen so far." She said with a soft giggle. 

"Mm. Yeah. Some people call them The Steps. Not to their faces, though. Not unless they want a synchronised slap session with their face being the focus." He said wryly. 

"Out of curiosity… one by one, or all three at a time?" She asked, grinning. 

He sighed. 

"I knew you were going to ask. All three. At once." He grumbled, and she giggled. 

"Sorry. I'm going to tease you about this forever, my love." She said, before she gently bit his nipple, which made him grunt softly. 

"Brat." He grumbled softly, before he lightly spanked her butt. 

She cooed at the slap, then snuggled into his chest, curling up into his embrace. "Yes. Yes I am." She murmured, rubbing his side. 

Rather than sleep, she laid there in a sort of trance like state, neither fully awake, nor fully asleep. 

Her head was pressed to Drakhari's chest, and she occasionally nuzzled him, enjoying the sensation of his body warmth, and the low rush of air through his lungs, as well as the loud, steady sound of his powerful heartbeat. 

He'd twitch in his sleep every now and then, but his arms stayed closed tightly around her, the large creature holding her possessively to his body. 

A few hours later, just before dark, he stirred, then stretched, letting out a low groan, before he looked down at her, then smiled faintly.  

"Did you sleep?" He asked softly. 

"Sorta." She murmured. She felt his hand slip under her shirt, and run over her side. 

"You really like feeling me up, don't you?" She said wryly, poking his chest. 

"You're soft, smooth, and squishy." He murmured, before his hand moved to her front and gently pressed against it. 

"But there's also firmness… and I like all of that. So… yes. I enjoy feeling you up." He murmured, before his hand slid upwards and gently groped one of her breasts, which made her coo softly. 

"Besides… you make the most delightful noises when I start touching things." He purred, before he bent his head down to kiss her lips. 

The moment was suddenly- and rudely- interrupted by banging on the door. 

"Open up, lovebirds! I don't care if you're naked!" They heard Dori yell. 

"Besides, it's not like it's anything we haven't seen!" Mori yelled after. 

"God, you two are horrible. How are we related!?" Kori groaned. 

Drakhari looked down at Gwynn, who smiled up at him. 

"Well? Go get the door, prince. They must be very excited to show me their dress." She said softly. 

He sighed, then bent down to kiss her one last time, before he got up and hopped to the door, pulling a pair of pants on as he went. 

He opened it, and the trio practically fell into the room, carrying a box between them. 

Without a word, they rushed over to where she was sitting on the bed, then laid the box at her feet. 

"Go ahead. Open it." Kori said with a smile. 

Gwynn looked down at the box, then at their excited faces, before she opened up the box. 

She reached into the box and pulled out a dress. It was a shimmering light blue fabric, soft as silk to the touch.

It flowed down from the neck, ending at a barebones corset made from multiple pieces of metal joined together in an elaborate, diamond pattern across the front and back. It curved under where her breasts would sit, and again above her where her thighs would be, with a pointed end over her crotch. 

The cloth of the dress extended further down, to her ankles, and she noticed a slit that would be going up her right thigh. 

The shoulders were armoured with a light, metal pauldron that curved upwards above her shoulder, while a section underneath curved downwards. The fabric on her arms was also covered by shimmering, light chainmail, which rested on the blue fabric, and flared open at the wrist, dangling below. 

"It's… it's beautiful." She mumbled, at a loss for words as she stared down at the dress. 

"Go ahead. Put it on." Drakhari said softly. 

She got off the bed and took her clothes off, leaving herself in her underwear, before she shimmied into the dress. 

It fit like a glove, and hugged every curve of her body just right. 

The three sisters grinned, before they looked at Drakhari, then snickered. 

The prince was staring, speechless, his lips parted slightly as he slowly looked her up and down, unable to tear his eyes away. 

She blushed a little, then smiled. "I take it you like the dress?" She asked softly, twirling once. 

"Yuh- uh-?" He coughed, then cleared his throat. "Yes. Yes I do." He murmured, then glared at the snickering sisters.  

"Well, good." She said with a soft chuckle, before she bowed to the sisters. "Thank you. I appreciate it." She said softly. 

"Oh, honey, we've got a lot more planned. Just you wait." Dori said with a grin. 

"Indeed. Besides, it's technically cheaper to make dresses for you since you're like- half our size." Mori said with a grin. 

"Besides… It's fun watching his brain turn off." Dori said, thumbing over her shoulder at Drakhari, who made a face at her. 

"What are you wearing, Prince Drakhari? Surely you've got something to match with your pretty wife-to-be." Kori said with a grin. 

He rolled his eyes and walked to his cupboard. He threw it open, then cast a thoughtful glance over at Gwyneira. 

He hummed, then looked into his cupboard. He pulled out a lavender shirt, followed by a thin chainmail suit jacket. He took off his shirt, and Gwynn quickly glanced at the sisters. 

As she expected, they were staring with faint grins on their faces. 

She looked back at him, and smiled too. She couldn't exactly blame them. He was… quite good looking. 

He put on the lavender shirt, and followed it up with the dark grey chainmail suit jacket. 

"Hmm… pants…" He mumbled, tapping his chin as he looked through the cupboard, his tail flicking around in the air. 

They watched, fixated on the flicking end of his tail as it bobbed and weaved, drawing abstract patterns in the air. They were then startled slightly by a loud "ah–ha!" when he finally pulled out a dark grey pair of serge pants, along with a pair of elaborately carved greaves bearing his family crest on the knee cover. 

He pulled off his pants, and the women grinned, getting an eyeful of his perky, muscular rear as he put his pants and greaves on, then turned around. 

"How do I look?" He asked. 

"Do your feet, and you're good to go." Mori mused, and Dori snapped her fingers. 

"Ah yes. That reminds me." She murmured, before she pulled open a satchel on her waist. 

She reached in and pulled out a pair of supple, black, leather heeled boots with metal buckles, which she handed to Gwyneira. 

"Here you go, princess. We don't do those fancy, delicate shoes here. These are proper stompers. Made for crushing the skulls of your enemies!" She said with a grin. 

Gwyneira laughed softly and sat on the bed to put the boots on. They fit perfectly, and were quite comfortable. 

"Mm… be nice if my father's head was under this heel." She said as she stood and put pressure on the heels, testing how comfortable they were. 

She could easily wear these all day, if she wanted to. 

"There. You're all done." Dori said with a soft smile, before she looked at Drakhari, who had put on a pair of black leather dress shoes. They looked a little odd, though. They seemed to almost conform to the shape of his foot, and had a steel plate over where his toes would be.

She could see why he didn't want shoes, back at the palace. There was no way their cobblers could make something like this. 

 On the arch of the shoes was an ornately carved, wing shaped metal plate, that matched the greaves on his pants. 

"Hm. He's done too. Come here and stand next to her." Dori said, gesturing for him to come over. 

He stood and walked over, and the sisters took a few steps back, before they smiled. 

"Perfect!" They spoke in unison, before they looked at each other with a smirk, then at Drakhari. 

"So you owe us one thousand krin. So far." Dori said with a smirk. 

"I'll swing by the house tomorrow and pay." He said wryly, and she walked closer, making a show of straightening his clothes, before she suddenly grabbed his balls and squeezed, making him wince and hunch over as he snarled quietly. 

"You better, or we're stealing your wife to model all our outfits." She hissed, and Gwyneira saw the other two sisters wink playfully at her. 

"Okay, okay. I get your point. Would you let go of my balls, please? I need them." Drakhari grumbled, and after a moment, Dori let go. 

"Alright then prince and princess… enjoy your dinner." She said, and the three of them turned to leave. 

"Heh. I like them." Gwyneira murmured. 

"Of course you do." He grumbled, before he held out his hand. 

She reached up and took it, before she looked up at him and smiled, before she brought his hand to her lips and kissed it. "You look amazing, my love." She said softly. 

"As do you." He murmured, before he knelt and gently kissed her forehead. 

"Anything I should know before we go?" She asked softly. 

"Well… my mother will probably have a thousand questions. My brother will sulk as he usually does. Luti will probably try and cheer him up, as she usually does. Hmm… There's going to be a lot of meat dishes too, so I hope you're okay with that." He murmured. 

"I'm craving meat at the moment, so I'm more than okay with that." She said with a soft chuckle. 

"Alright then. Let's get going." He said, putting a hand on her upper back. 

She nodded, then walked towards and out the door. He stepped outside, following her, and closed the door behind himself, before he held a hand out. 

"C'mon." He said softly, and she took his hand as they started walking through the castle. 

They walked until they came to a massive hall. The columns here were carved statues of male and female Eridvaari, created with such skill that it looked like their colossal bodies had been turned to stone while holding up the roof. 

In the center of the room were three long tables, arranged in an upside-down U shape, with the queen sitting in the middle of the lower section of the U. 

On the right and left side of the hall’s ceiling were massive windows, letting them see the starry sky outside. Between them dangled a chandelier, currently lit with candles, the sparkling crystals casting a shimmering light across the hall. 

The conversation came to a stop as they walked in, and the queen stood from her seat with a grin. 

"Ah! My son and his wife have arrived!" She said with a grin, before she gestured to two empty seats on her left. 

"Come! Be seated." She said, and they walked to their seats. Gwyneira sat next to the queen, while Drakhari sat next to her. 

On the queen's right was Luti, and next to her, Vaidir, looking sour and sullen as ever. 

"So. I assume the climate here is a lot warmer than what you're used to." The queen said, looking down at her. 

"It is, but it's not too bad. It's very similar to the climate of my vacation home in the far south, near the seas. Just- less humid." She said with a smile. 

"Oh? A vacation home, huh? We have one too, in a neighboring kingdom." She said with a smile, before she stood. 

"Ladies and gentlemen!" Her voice boomed over the hall. She wasn't talking loudly, but the acoustics of the room amplified her voice, making it sound a lot louder than it was. 

"Tonight, we celebrate the safe return of my firstborn, Prince Drakhari, and his engagement to Princess Gwyneira, of the Llosandrii kingdom! So drink! Feast! Celebrate!" She said, before she raised her chalice. 

"Vaski!" She roared, and the guests around the table echoed the cry as they raised their chalices. 

"Strength." Drakhari whispered as he leaned over. 

"So it's like a proclamation before a meal?" She whispered, and he nodded. They raised their chalices as well, then set them back down. 

The queen sat back down, then rested a hand on her back. 

"So! What would you like to eat, princess?" She asked, nodding to the food spread out on the table. 

There was a fish almost Gwyneira's size, cut in half, with its meat shredded, spiced, and fried, then placed back into the body and served, with the hard, rock-like outer body of the fish serving as a bowl. 

There was also a large platter of sliced meat, which had been glazed with a dark sauce and grilled to a slightly bloody medium rare. Each slice had a two pronged fork driven into it, for people to take as they wished. 

Surprisingly, there was a vegetarian option as well- a large bowl with massive green leaves sticking out of it. Within was a potato salad, garnished with some sort of creamy white sauce, and a few different kinds of herbs. 

For drinks, they had a few different pitchers. One was filled with water, one was filled with bubbling water, a third was filled with some kind of fruit juice, another was filled with frusri- the fuzzy sweet drink, and the last was filled with something that smelled strongly of alcohol. Must have been a very high alcohol content if she could faintly smell it from where she was sitting. 

Made sense, considering their sizes. It would take a lot to get them drunk. 

"Umm… all of it. All of it looks really good." She murmured, eyeing the glazed meat in particular.

The queen followed her gaze and snickered, before she reached over and grabbed the fork sticking out of a piece, then lifted it and brought it to her plate. 

"There. Enjoy, darling." She said with a chuckle as she patted Gwyneira on the back. 

Gwyneira licked her lips, before she picked up the knife and fork. She paused, before she glanced at the rest of the people to see how they were eating. 

Seeing that they were eating however they liked- right off the skewer, with their hands, or with cutlery, she felt a little relaxed. She could choose how she wanted to eat, too. No strict rules about that here.

She cut into the meat with her knife and fork, and brought the first bite to her mouth. 

The meat was soft, tender, and perfectly cooked, with a rich, smoky flavour. The glaze on it was somewhat sweet and spicy, leaving her tongue tingling. 

Her eyes widened. "Oh… oh this is really good." She mumbled as she began to dig in properly, practically savaging the meat like a ravenous beast. At one point, she just started eating it right off the skewer, like several others were doing. 

Drakhari raised an eyebrow as he looked down at her eating the meat, before his gaze slowly traveled up to his mother's grinning face. 

"She's going to fit right in!" She said in her native tongue, which made him crack a smile. 

"Look at the way she eats! Would she mind terribly if I gave her a nickname?" She asked, continuing in her native tongue. 

"Doubt it. She's quite laid back." He replied, reaching out to grab a piece of the glazed meat for himself. He bit into it, then groaned softly with happiness. He missed this. 

"I think I shall call her little raptor. What do you think?" She asked, and Drakhari chuckled. 

"It certainly fits. This woman downs meat faster than any other I've seen." He said with a chuckle. 

"Oh I'm sure she's good at downing meat alright." She said with a snicker, and Drakhari's eyes went wide. 

"MA! By the gods!" He groaned, while she cackled mischievously. 

Hearing the queen cackle, Gwyneira looked up, her lips covered in the sauce, and glanced between them. 

"What's so funny?" She asked curiously.

"My mother was making a dirty joke at your expense." Drakhari grumbled. 

"I'm just saying- you're really good at gobbling meat." She said with a grin. 

Gwyneira looked at her, then blinked. "I don't get it." She murmured. 

The queen chuckled, then reached over and patted her head. "Hush, ek'rai. Have your food." She said with a smile as she started eating as well. 

"Ek'rai?" Gwyneira asked, looking up at Drakhari. 

"Little raptor. Little bird of prey." He murmured, smiling softly down at her. 

"Hm. Bird of prey… I like it." She murmured, before she reached over and gave his hand a squeeze, before she returned to eating and drinking. 

They feasted until they were full, and the conversations had slowly died down to a to a faint buzz in the background, picked up only by the people listening for them. 

Seeing that the night was drawing to a close, the Queen raised her hands and clapped twice. 

The doors opened, and a dark brown, female Eridvaari with black horns strode through, wearing a flowing red dress that covered her breasts with fabric in the shape of an X, but left her midriff exposed. It flowed down and flared out into what was essentially a ball gown, layered with thin pieces of gold instead of frills.  

Her horns were decorated with golden jewellery, and she had several piercings on her ears, as well as a ring through her septum and lower lip. 

She bowed to the Queen, who then gestured to her. "And may I present, princess… our country's best singer… Liarona, The Siren." She said with a smile. 

The singer bowed again, this time with a smile. 

Then, she took a breath, before she began to sing.  

Gwyneira immediately felt her hair stand on end, as the singer's haunting voice echoed through the room. 

Whatever little conversations that had still been going on were suddenly silenced, as the gathered guests turned their attention to the singer in the center of the room. 

She wasn't sure what the woman was singing about, but she could take a guess. People were looking at their partners with adoring gazes, holding hands, and a few were even kissing. 

She glanced to her side, and her eyes widened slightly when she saw Luti straight up sitting in Vaidir's lap. The tiefling had her forehead pressed to the man's, while his hands rested on her waist. 

She could have sworn she saw a smile crack his face as they whispered to each other. 

She looked at Drakhari, and found him giving her the same look people around the table were giving to the ones they loved. 

"What's this song about?" She whispered, the sound of her own voice harsh to her ears- almost as if her brain was angry at her for interrupting the beautiful melodies it was hearing. 

"A lament." Drakhari whispered, and she squeaked softly as he reached out and gripped her by the waist. He picked her up, then set her down in his lap. 

"It's called The Lament of the Golem. It's a poem about… well… being a golem. Not being able to experience love. Not being able to taste food. Not being able to feel the warm embrace of another. An existence without the ability to feel. An emptiness and a hole that can never be filled. It… makes us thankful for the things we have." He whispered, his arms resting around her waist as he explained it to her. 

"The golem is sad. Sad that it cannot experience any of these. Lamenting its cursed existence. Wishing… wishing that it could feel. Feel anything." He whispered, his tail slowly coiling around her. 

She wanted to respond. But there was a frog in her throat that just wouldn't let her. Her mouth opened, before it closed, and she just buried her face in his chest, hugging him tightly as she turned her attention fully to the singer's haunting lyrics. 

She felt tears begin to fall. She didn't try to stop them. They welled in her eyes and fell, hot, onto Drakhari's clothes. 

He gently rested a hand on the back of her head. "Go ahead." He whispered softly as he slouched in his seat, giving her a more comfortable spot to lay on. 

More tears fell, and she clutched tightly to his shirt. 

She felt that she identified a little with the golem in this poem. 

She was not allowed to love who she chose. She was not allowed to display the emotions she wanted to. She was not allowed to move around even her own home as she wished. 

What was she, if not a bird with clipped wings, locked in a golden cage? 

Eventually, the song drew to a close, with not a single dry eye to be found. 

She slowly lifted her head, then looked down at Drakhari's tear-stained shirt. "I'm- I'm sorry. I ruined your shirt." She mumbled, before she glanced up, then wiped his tears off his cheeks. 

"You have nothing to be sorry for, my love." He murmured, before he grunted as his horn was suddenly tugged on by his teary-eyed mother, who planted a wet smooch on his cheek. 

"I love you, darling." She said softly, before she looked at Gwyneira and smiled. 

"Welcome to the family, my dear." She cooed softly, reaching out and giving her hair a few strokes with her free hand, before she pulled them into an awkwardly-positioned hug as best as she could. 

She squeezed them for a few seconds, before she turned and did the same to the other pair. Luti was happy to be hugged, but Vaidir- as expected- whined. 

"Let's… head back, shall we? I want to lay down with you." Gwyneira said softly, resting her head on Drakhari's chest. 

"Want me to carry you back?" He asked softly, and she shook her head. 

"No. I'll walk." She whispered, giving him a little squeeze. 

He nodded and stood, setting her down on her feet. 

He took her hand, and they walked to his room. 

As soon as they entered, he walked straight to his cupboard and undressed, stripping his clothes off and hanging them in the cupboard. 

She walked over to the other one and opened the doors. As expected, empty. 

She slowly shrugged off her clothes and accessories, and hung them up in the cupboard, before she closed the door and looked at Drakhari. 

They walked to the bed and got in. She immediately snuggled herself into his chest, squeezing tightly. 

"She was beautiful. And that voice... I've never heard someone sing so well. It was enchanting." Gwyneira mumbled after a few minutes. 

"Mm. She was. And yes. That's why they call her The Siren." Drakhari murmured with a smile, his hands idly running up and down her side. 

"And your mom didn't ask me a thousand questions." She said with a faint chuckle. 

"Yeah. Thankfully." He replied with a faint chuckle of his own. "Maybe she realised you probably don't want to talk about it. Home, I mean." He murmured, and she nodded. 

They laid in the dim light of the lit candles for a moment, neither saying a word- just gazing into each others' eyes. 

"Drak?" She mumbled softly. 

"Yes, my love?" He asked, his tail slowly coiling around her leg. 

"I love you." She mumbled. 

"I know." He murmured, before he snickered softly when she scowled at him. 

"I love you too." He murmured, and she cooed happily as she was squeezed into his larger body by his arms. 

"We should get some rest." She mumbled. 

"That we should… Goodnight, ek'rai." He said with a smile as he leaned over to blow the candle in the lantern out. 

"Goodnight, my prince." She murmured, moments before they were plunged into darkness, and they quickly fell asleep. 

Chapter 8: Allies

Gwyneira woke, then stretched, pushing her hands against Drakhari's chest as she arched her back, using his grip to bend her spine to get it to pop. 

As soon as she was done, she snuggled back into his chest and purred contentedly, her ears flicking happily. 

She dozed for a while, before her leg moved a little closer, and a foot gently brushed against Drakhari's shafts. 

She felt them twitch, but their owner was fast asleep, still holding her tightly. 

She wriggled downwards, out of his grip, before she smirked and pushed him over onto his back. He moved without resistance, grumbling faintly as he did. 

Then, she quickly snuck under the covers, laying on him with her head to his groin, and her hips resting just below his chest. She eyed up his cocks. She'd been thinking about it, but… would they even fit? 

Her ears flicked, and she leaned forward, taking a closer look at his cocks. They looked so… strange. So alien, compared to the ones she'd seen in her biology textbooks, of the humans and elves… 

To be fair, though, even the merpeople had strange looking penises, she'd heard. 

She gently ran her fingers along his length, tracing the curves and ridges, and gently poked the little conical protrusions where his spikes would pop out. 

The more attention she paid to it, the more it stiffened, until both cocks were fully erect, bobbing and swaying in her face. 

Her face reddened slightly with the thought of what she was thinking. She was a princess! Surely she wasn't just going to… suck her lover off while he was asleep!? 

It only took about five seconds before she quickly stifled those thoughts. She wasn't at home anymore. It didn't matter what other people thought of her, here. 

Besides… If he told anyone, she'd punch him in the nuts. Plus, given the height difference, she would be at the perfect height for it. 

She leaned her head forward, and took the tip of the upper cock into her mouth, and let the lower one slide through her breasts. 

She wasn't entirely sure what she was doing, but… his lower brains seemed to like it. 

She suckled on the tip. It tasted… salty, kind of? But not overly so. She ran her tongue along the tapered head, then through the slit at the top, which made his cock twitch. 

She jerked her head back slightly at the unexpected reaction, blinked, and then moved back in, gently running her tongue along the slit again. 

She giggled softly when it twitched again, before she pulled off and started to move down his shaft, giving it tender licks and kisses. 

She reached below, and gently squeezed his heavy sack, before she rolled his testicles around in her hand. They felt… spongy. Firm, but with a bit of give. Must be pretty sensitive if a simple punch could down them… 

She turned her attention back to the upper shaft, before she ran her fingers along it. Considering it was slightly curved, she was in a pretty good position if she wanted to… take it. 

Her face reddened a little more, before she leaned forward, took the tip into her mouth, and then tried to move downwards. 

She gagged after a few inches, and immediately pulled back, holding the back of her hand to her mouth as she swallowed, fighting off her gag reflex. 

This was going to be a little difficult, but she was determined to take the whole thing. 

But she'd have to take it slowly. Very slowly. 

She leaned forward, grasping the shaft with both hands as she eyed the length. At least he wasn't a foot long… his cock would be right in her stomach if she ever took the whole thing at that size. 

Still, two inches short of a foot wasn't exactly going to be easy, either. 

She guided it into her mouth again, then bobbed her head, getting herself used to the sensation of his cock sliding into her mouth. 

Bit by bit, she worked her way down until she had taken a good few inches of his cock, and it was now pressed against the back of her throat every time she took it in. 

She popped off, panting softly to get some air. It was a little stuffy under the blankets, but… it felt hotter this way. 

She leaned forward again, taking his cock back into her mouth. Her hands stroked whatever length wouldn't fit into her mouth, and she began to bob her head again, fellating him as well as she could. 

She felt him twitch again, and knew he was close. She nestled the lower cock properly between her breasts as she started moving faster and sucking harder, wanting to get him off as hard as she could. 

She saw his balls twitch, then contract- she knew he was about to blow. 

She wrapped her arms around his hips, and forced herself as far down as she could, and then some… until her lips touched the top of his knot. 

Her throat hurt, her eyes were streaming, and she was fighting against her gag reflex like a madwoman, but she'd done it. She'd taken his entire length. 

She heard a ragged moan from somewhere behind her as his hips bucked- once- twice- and then she felt him swell up as he came, moaning as his double barreled pricks fired off, one blasting a load right down her throat, while the other spurted over her breasts and stomach, and dripped back onto him. 

She held his hips close as he came, letting him squirm and moan as her stomach was filled with cum.

She leaned back, then gripped the base of his upper cock, and moved her hand upwards, squeezing the last bit of his cum out into her mouth. 

There was that familiar blackberry jam taste… She was starting to like it, she realised. 

"Whaddafu-?" She heard him mumble sleepily after a few seconds, before the covers rose. 

She looked over her shoulder at him as she ran her fingers through the spilled cum and licked them clean. 

"Good morning." She murmured, smirking slightly at him. 

His cocks, which had been softening, almost immediately sprung back up when he saw her licking herself clean. 

"Seven hells, woman. You're going to be the death of me." He grumbled, tossing the covers off while she giggled. 

"Oh please. Don't act like this wasn't the hottest thing you've seen." She said, giving his freshly-sucked cock a gentle smack for emphasis. 

"It was." He admitted, scooping her up in his arms as he got up and kissed her, hard. Thankfully, he didn't seem to mind the taste of his cum on her lips. "Good morning, my love." He said softly as he walked to the bathroom. 

"It certainly was." She said smugly, grinning like a cat with the cream as she snuggled into his chest. 

He chuckled softly, then turned on the water in the bath, before he stepped in and sat down, letting it fill up.

The tub was so spacious, it was practically a small swimming pool for her. 

She separated from him, then stood. The water level stopped just above her breasts.

"Big guys need big tubs, huh?" She murmured as she moved back to him, purring softly as his arms wrapped around her. 

"We certainly do…" he murmured, his tail grabbing a sponge and soaping it up, before he brought it close, gently tapping her back. 

She turned, laying back against him so he could clean her front, and closed her eyes, relaxing as the sponge slid over her skin. 

"Feels nice." She mumbled, reaching up to gently rub a hand against his face. The other slid below, rubbing her slightly swollen belly. 

"You produce so much… It's practically breakfast in bed." She murmured, and he laughed softly. 

"And you have to work for it. Double the reward." He murmured, and she giggled faintly, gently smacking his cheek. 

"You're terrible." She mumbled, and he snickered, finishing off with cleaning her front, before he tapped her shoulder. 

She rolled over and folded her arms, looking up at him as he started to scrub her back clean. 

"Any plans for today?" She asked softly. 

"Well… the Losavaarian royal family is coming for lunch today. But after that, we're pretty much free." He murmured, shrugging. 

"Losavaarian?" She murmured, raising her head and tilting it slightly. 

"You saw that big lake out there, I assume?" He asked, nodding in the direction of his bedroom window. 

"Yeah. That dark, creepy looking one." She murmured. 

He snorted softly at the description. "Yes. That one. That lake is called Losavaari. And it's… very, very deep. Deep enough that there's an entire civilisation living there." He murmured. 

Her eyes went wide. "A whole civilisation!?" She squeaked. 

"Mmhm… the mermaids down south refer to them as their "barbaric cousins". But they're nice people. As warlike as we are, that's for sure, but that's only when something threatens the lake." He murmured. 

"Huh. Never even heard of them before." She murmured, lowering her head back to his chest. 

"Well… you haven't exactly heard of a lot of things from up here, have you?" He teased, and she scowled at him. 

"Not by choice!" She huffed, sticking her tongue out at him. 

He snickered. "I know, I know. But hey… if you ever go back, you can tell everyone about the things you saw here." He said softly. 

"Pfft. Yeah right. As if they'd believe me." She muttered, before she looked away and wrapped her arms around him. 

"Besides… I don't want to go back. Not unless it's with an army behind me." She muttered. 

He gently squeezed her, then bent down and kissed her head. 

"I understand." He said softly, before he patted her side. "Someday. Hm? You'll take your homeland back. Make it something better." He said softly, before he gently tilted her chin up. 

"You and me. Together. King and queen. We can make it a better place for everyone." He said softly. 

"Oh? Are you going to start calling me your queen now?" She teased, smirking slightly. 

"No… I'm still calling you Princess… in private, at least. But yes. If we win, I'm calling you my queen." He murmured, chuckling softly. 

"Good." She purred, before she kissed his chest. 

He smiled, then bent his head to kiss the top of hers, before he tilted her chin up and kissed her lips. 

She smiled, then cooed happily as she nuzzled against him. 

"Alright… enough of this. If we start, we're never going to stop." She murmured, pushing off him, which made him laugh. 

"Not entirely wrong." He murmured as he sat up and started to scrub himself clean. 

Since she was already clean, she stayed in the tub, enjoying the warmth of the water as she watched him clean himself off. 

Once he was done, he stood, dropping the water level by a good few inches, before he looked down at her. 

He reached out, grabbing a towel, before he wrapped it around himself, drying himself off, before he quickly scooped her up in the same towel. 

She shrieked, laughing as she was wrapped up in the folds of the towel, but quickly settled down as she was wrapped up like a bread roll. 

He stepped out of the tub and turned off the water. With no water flow, the tub slowly drained by itself. 

"Huh. Narrow drainage to let the tub fill while also providing constant water flow. Interesting." She murmured. 

"Mmhm." Drakhari murmured, carrying her out to the bedroom, where he gently laid her down on the bed and unwrapped her. 

She rolled out of the towel and sprang to her feet, before she ran to the cupboard and threw it open. 

"Now… which one of your clothes to ruin today?" She mused. 

"If you pick any of my favourite colours, I'm spanking you raw." He warned, and she tilted her head, before she looked at him.

"Promise? Also, What are your favourite colours, anyway?" She asked. 

"Mm… dark red- the colour of blood. Silver… and black. And yes. Promise." He said with a soft laugh, as he walked to his wardrobe to look for something to wear. 

"Edgy." She murmured, and he looked down at her. 

"What does that word mean?" He asked. 

"Someone who's trying too hard to be scary. They usually dress in all black, try to act all scary, y'know. Stuff like that." She murmured, raising her hands and bending her fingers to form “claws”. 

"Ahh. I see. Yes, I've met a few people like that. But they are mostly… young ones. Teenagers, by our standards." He said with a chuckle as he walked to the door. 

"I told the sisters to make you some regular clothes… I hope they-" He murmured, as he opened the door, then let out a small "ah". 

He picked up a box and came back inside, before he walked to the bed and set it down. 

"Hey. Your clothes are here. No need to ruin mine." He said with a chuckle. 

She let out an excited squeak and jumped onto the bed, scrambling over to the box from the other side to look over the clothes she'd gotten. 

Right at the top of the pile was a brown leather corset, very similar to the one she usually wore, except a little more decorated, with metal ribs, and metal buckles down the spine, rather than laces. They'd cleverly worked in a hole for each of the leather straps to go into once tightened, so they weren't just flopping about everywhere. 

"Oooh. This looks nice!" She murmured, setting it down, before she looked into the box to see what else they'd gotten. 

There were various dresses, made in her kingdom's style, most with colours that suited her, as well as a few pants, blouses, and even some lacy underwear. 

"They made all this since- what- yesterday? Wow. They work fast." She murmured, raising her eyebrows as she pulled her clothes out, then left one of the dresses on the bed, while she scampered off to the other cupboard with the rest. 

While she arranged her clothes, Drakhari got dressed, wearing a button-up red shirt and grey pants. 

"Hey- what time is it?" She asked, and he looked out of the window. 

"An hour or so to noon. Why?" 

"Mm… I was thinking maybe we just skip breakfast… you show me around town, and we come back here for lunch with the prince?" Gwyneira said with a shrug. 

"Besides… I'm still full from… the first breakfast." She said with a giggle as her cheeks reddened slightly. 

"Ah… yeah. Sure. I don't mind." He said, nodding. "Should probably let mother know we're going out, though." He murmured. 

She nodded. "Yeah. And you can grab a snack on the way out." She said, smiling at him. 

He nodded, then sat on the bed, watching her get dressed. She chose a simple dress, with the plan that she'd come back later to wear something more formal for the luncheon. 

She chose a simple pair of dark brown leather pants, and a blue blouse. 

"Alright. Ready." She murmured, before she turned and walked over to him. 

He smiled and stood, then headed to the door, opening it and stepping through, before he held it open for her. 

“Heh. Men first again, huh?” She teased as she walked through.  

"We don't like to send our women out into danger first, like your men seem to like doing." He said with a faint smirk. 

She giggled softly and smacked his butt. "Yeah? What if the women can take care of themselves?" She asked. 

"Well, then… I'm still going to go first and take the first blow, which will give her time to come up with a plan. If they can take care of themselves, they can capitalise on the element of surprise." He said with a grin. 

"That's… a fair point, actually." She muttered, raising an eyebrow. 

"Exactly." He said with a soft chuckle, before he bent down and kissed her hand, then straightened and resumed walking. 

He led her to a hall- this one a lot smaller than the one they'd had dinner in last night. This hall just had a simple round wooden table, with several chairs around it. 

The queen was sitting in the largest chair, with Luti next to her, and Vaidir next to Luti. He may have thought they couldn't see it, but his tail was curled around the tiefling's hand. 

"Morning, mother, brother, and advisor." Drakhari said with a grin. 

There were murmured greetings from around the table, and his mother waved a hand. 

"Come. Sit. Eat." She said, gesturing to the food on the table. 

"As much as I'd like to, no. Gwyneira and I are going out. But we'll be back before lunch." He said, and she nodded. 

"Very well. Keep an eye on the clock. And here. Have this, at least." She said, cutting off a large slice of dark brown bread from a loaf, before she spread it with cheese and laid a few slices of meat on it, then handed it to him.

He took the slice and tossed it into his mouth, chewing it up whole. 

The queen cut a smaller slice and spread it with cheese and meat as well, before she held it out to Gwyneira with a smile. 

"Here, dear. Volcanic sourdough, in case you're wondering." She said with a smile. 

Gwyneira took the slice and bit into it. The bread tasted slightly tangy and smoky, but the sweetness of the cheese and the savoriness of the meat blended together to form a wonderful bite.

The texture of the bread was slightly chewy, and it had a crispy crust. It was something that made a great snack, at the very least. 

"It's really good." She murmured after she swallowed, and the queen chuckled. 

"Indeed. Filling, too. Should keep you going till lunch. Unless you're one of my sons." She said with a grin. 

The boys rolled their eyes as Luti snickered, and Drakhari's tail gently smacked Gwyneira's butt. 

"Let's go." He said with a chuckle, then turned to walk out. 

She turned and followed him, still munching away at her bread. 

They soon exited the palace, and made their way down the stairs and headed into the city. 

"So. What did you want to see?" Drakhari asked. 

"Well… I want to see your favourite places. Favourite places to eat, drink, visit- no brothels!- and maybe go see if there's a library. You said there's a library here, right?" Gwyneira asked. 

"Mmhm. Yeah. The public library is over in… that direction somewhere." He said, gesturing to his left. 

"As for my favourite places… well… let's see…" He mused as he walked. "There's this place where you can get excellent fried food and various types of drinks. It's just a food cart, but… mm! Really good food." He said, and she giggled. 

"Hey. Never underestimate the power of the street food vendors. They'll either give you the best food you've ever tasted, or the worst diarrhoea you've ever had." She said with a laugh. 

"Sometimes both. Those are the ones you have mixed feelings about visiting." He said with a chuckle. "This guy, though? Never had issues. Uses fresh ingredients." He murmured, waving a hand. 

"Probably shouldn't go eating, though, considering we're supposed to have lunch with the prince and his family." He murmured. 

"Ooh. Right. Right. Mm… are there any places to… I dunno- have fun? Like…" She trailed off when she realised she'd never been able to visit the places in her city that would be considered "fun". 

"Well… hmm… depends on your definition of fun. There's a place we can go to play carnival games. They're all rigged, but if you get lucky, you might win a prize." He said with a shrug and a chuckle. 

"We also have archery ranges, axe-throwing ranges, crossbow ranges, sword classes, and last but not least, destruction rooms." He said with a grin. 

She frowned slightly, then looked up at him. "What's a destruction room?" She asked. 

"Simple, really. You pay a fee, they give you a weapon, and lock you in a room with a bunch of breakable objects that you can smash apart to your heart's content. Very therapeutic!" He said with a grin. 

"That… actually sounds like fun." She muttered, raising an eyebrow. "I might actually go try that out later." She said with a giggle. 

"There's also a window made of very hard glass so people can watch the carnage." He said with a laugh. 

"Good. Where is it?" She asked. 

"Right between the blacksmith and pottery training schools." He said with a laugh. 

"Of course." She said, laughing as well as she shook her head. 

"So. What would you like to do?" He asked softly, his tail coiling around her waist. 

She gently rubbed the fluffy tip, thinking for a bit. 

"Let's go to the library. I've got some research to do." She murmured, and he nodded as he started walking in the direction of the library. 

"Out of curiosity… What research?" He asked while they walked. 

"Marriage rituals. If we're to be married, I'm planning this wedding, and what I want to do is find a way to blend our culture's rituals. Have something from both worlds." She murmured. 

"Ahh… I see. That's quite nice, actually." He murmured, smiling slightly. 

The trip to the library was short. It wasn't too far from where they were. 

Along the way, many people smiled and bowed their heads, greeting Drakhari by name, and even more gave her curious and shocked looks. 

"Have… have they never seen an elf before?" She whispered as they walked up the stairs to the library. 

"Nope. You're the first elf to enter these city's walls in the last couple of centuries." He murmured. 

"Really? Not even prisoners of war? That can't be possible." She whispered. 

"Not. A single. Elf. Before you, that is." He replied, shrugging. 

"Wow. I'm… honoured? Maybe? Or slightly concerned." She mumbled, blinking up at him. 

He chuckled. "That being said, I should warn you- there will be people who would consider our union… unnatural. You should be careful when you're not with me." He murmured. 

"Ah. So… my life is under threat? Not something I'm a stranger to." She said with a faint, humourless chuckle. 

"Life? No. They wouldn't dare. But you will definitely be on the recieving end of hateful letters, spiteful words, and prejudiced actions. Just… don't let them get to your head, okay? Remember what I said about a few rotten apples." He said softly, and she nodded. 

He smiled at her, and they walked into the library. 

The library was the largest she'd ever seen- bigger than the library in her castle, and much bigger than any of the public libraries in her hometown. 

The roof was supported by ornate stone pillars, with several wooden cases filled with books in between. 

There were wooden tables as well, each with soft, comfortable chairs to sit in, and single chairs placed around for those that didn't need a table. 

Before her was a stone desk, adorned with carvings of what looked like rays of light, springing out of an open book. There was an Eridvaari woman sitting behind the desk, wearing a pair of glasses and looking down into a book. 

Gwyneira walked up to the desk, cleared her throat, then called out. "Excuse me?" 

The librarian looked up, then gave Drakhari an odd look, assuming the feminine voice had come from him. "Uh- c- can I-?" She started to say, before he held up a finger, gesturing for her to wait a moment. 

He reached down and gripped Gwyneira under the arms, then picked her up, bringing her up to eye level with the librarian, who slowly went red. 

"Hi! I need a book on Eridvaari wedding customs!" She chirped with a smile. 

"Ah- right this way, please." The librarian said with a smile as she got to her feet, bowing her head slightly in a nonverbal apology to the prince, who accepted it with a dismissive wave. No big deal.   

He set Gwyneira down, and they followed the librarian to a wooden bookshelf. 

There was a ladder attached to the bookshelf, which the librarian moved as she walked, mumbling to herself, before she let out a soft "ah". 

She climbed the ladder, then reached out and pulled out a book, before she came back down and handed it to Gwyneira. 

"Here. This book contains abridged knowledge of all parts of our culture. If you want to look for something in detail, please come and see me. I'll give you the requisite books." She said with a smile. 

Gwyneira nodded, then bowed her head slightly in thanks as she moved towards one of the desks. 

She climbed up onto a rather high chair, where she sat, then immediately realised the table was a little too high. 

Drakhari snickered and leaned against the back of the chair. "Aww… You look like a child at the dinner table." He said, grinning. 

She tilted her head back to shoot him an annoyed glare, before she huffed and crossed her arms. 

He chuckled, then moved to the side. He picked her up, sat down, and put her down on his lap. 

That gained her a few inches, which was just enough to see over the table. 

She sighed and laid the book down on the table. While she would have loved to read the whole thing right away, she needed specific information. 

She went through the chapter list, then flipped to the chapter about their weddings. 

It was… a little barbaric. Traditionally, one Eridvaari would offer a fresh heart of their favourite animal to another that they were interested in. If they were interested, they would eat the heart. If not, the heart would be rejected. She remembered him telling her that, but had assumed he was pulling her leg. 

Apparently not!

Following that, the courtship rules were somewhat normal. Go out on hunts together, spend time together, cook meals together, etcetera. Eventually, when they judged the time was right, each party would present the other with a piece of jewellery made from the bones of their family, as a gesture of welcoming them into the family by marriage. 

Then, once the engagement was completed, the wedding would take place at a time and place of the couple's choosing. It was up to the couple how many guests they wanted. 

Following that, each party would hunt with the other party's family. Whether the hunts were successful or not, it was intended more as a bonding moment- for the families to get to know the person their child was marrying. 

After that, the oldest members of each family would teach a skill to the newly married couple. It was up to them how many were to be taught, but the most common ones were different methods of tanning a hide, how to turn obsidian into a blade, and even some more artistic skills, like carving different kinds of materials, and how to make jewellery out of bones. 

"Hm… This is the kind of information I was looking for. I was thinking… Maybe we could try and blend our wedding practices together." She murmured. 

"Oh? What practices were you thinking of?" He asked softly, his arms going around her waist as he leaned forward. 

"Well… Where I come from, Partners usually braid flowers into each others' hair… so I was thinking we could do that. There's also a thing where we do two dances- one before the marriage ceremony, and another after, as husband and wife." She said, leaning back against him as she took his hand, starting to play with his fingers.

His hand was three times the size of hers. She gently squeezed one of his fingers, half expecting his claw to pop out like a cat's claw would. Unfortunately, that didn't happen. 

She then traced her fingers along the sides of his, then over his palm. It was rough- which wasn't surprising. She suspected there wasn't a single Eridvaari with soft palms. They seemed to be hardworking people. She hadn't even seen an overweight one. 

His hand gently started to close around hers, and she playfully pulled it away. 

Like lightning, his hand snapped to hers, and grabbed it. She gasped softly, then looked up at him, her face reddening slightly. 

"Stop being cute." He grumbled softly, before he lowered his head and gently kissed her lips. 

"Not on your life." She whispered back, and they giggled softly, before she looked up at him and reached upwards, poking at the bottom of his jaw. 

"You're not romantic." She murmured, grinning. 

He raised an eyebrow, then looked down at her. "Excuse me?" 

"You're not romantic!" She said, still grinning. 

"And… How exactly do you figure that?" He asked wryly. 

"You haven't said one romantic thing to me since we met." She murmured, pouting. 

He rolled his eyes, and she yelped softly as she was picked up and plopped onto the table, then pushed back to move the book out of the way. 

He rested his arms around her waist, and she felt her cheeks slowly start to redden as he gazed into her eyes. 

"You want me to be romantic, huh? Alright… it's your funeral." He said with a smirk. 

He took her hand, then lowered his head as he brought it to his lips, gently brushing them across the back of her hand, then raised his head again, looking into her eyes. 

"Gwyneira… You are a light in the darkness. A light that burns away the shadows that seek to drag her down. You could have had your pick of a thousand men, yet you chose me. And that… that makes me feel special. Every time you speak, my ears perk with joy. Every time you smile, it feels like time slows down, and all will be right with the world. When you laugh, it's like the heavens themselves are welcoming me with bells. Your touch feels like the softest of feathers, yet that belies your strength. Your steely resolve. Your drive and determination. You're my goddess. My queen. And I would scorch all the lands for you. All you have to do is ask." He whispered, looking deep into her eyes as he spoke. 

Her face got progressively redder and redder, her heart fluttering hard in her chest as he spoke. When he'd finished, she was staring at him with wide eyes. 

"Y- you say that to all the girls you like?" She mumbled, letting out a faint, slightly flustered chuckle. 

"No… just the ones I love." He murmured, leaning in for a kiss. 

She grabbed his horns and dragged him in, kissing him hard. 

She felt his hands grip her waist, pulling her closer as he leaned forward, their tongues dancing in each others' mouths. 

Their passionate kiss was quickly broken by someone loudly clearing their throat. 

They split like caught schoolchildren, before their heads turned to the source of the sound. 

The librarian stood there, arms crossed and an eyebrow raised. 

"Sexual acts aren't allowed in public domains, Prince Drakhari. As you very well recall, this isn't the first time I've had to remind you of that." The librarian said icily, glaring at him. 

"Right. Sorry." He mumbled, clearing his throat as he leaned away from Gwyneira, straightening his clothes. 

The librarian nodded, glanced at Gwyneira, bowed slightly, then turned on her heel and walked off. 

"Didn't seem to mind so much when it was you." Drakhari muttered, glaring at the woman's back, before he looked at Gwyneira, straightening her own clothes. 

"Sorry about that… Did you get what you came for?" He whispered. 

She nodded, then hopped off the table. He pushed the chair back into place, then took her hand. 

"Soooo… Sexy libr-" 

"Not. A. Word." 

She snickered as they walked out and down the library steps, before he paused, looking around. "Hm… What next…" He mumbled, before he looked down at her. 

"You wanna get something to eat?" He asked. 

"After this morning? No. I'm still full." She said with a laugh. 

He snickered, then shook his head. "Very well. But I'm getting something to eat." He murmured, before he walked, holding her hand as he did. 

He walked slower, allowing her much shorter legs to keep pace with him. 

He led her back to the market square they'd passed the previous day. There, he headed straight to a stall selling some kind of grilled, cubed meat on skewers. 

"Ma'hiir!" The seller called out, greeting the prince as he raised a hand. 

"Ma'hiir. Five harrak di morag, please." Drakhari replied with a smile. 

"Coming right up!" The seller replied after glancing at Gwyneira, before he reached under the table and pulled out five skewers of meat. The meat was placed in an alternating fashion- one piece of red meat, and one piece of fish, with a total of ten pieces. 

The vendor set them down on a large grill, and they sizzled immediately, the meat starting to cook quickly from the flames. 

A few minutes later, he handed Drakhari’s food to him on a metal plate. “Hand it back when you're done!” He said cheerfully as he placed some flatbread and three small metal bowls of sauce on the plate. 

One was dark brown- the sweet and savoury one she'd tasted yesterday- one was green, and the last was white and creamy, with little flecks of black in it.

"Where do we sit?" Gwyneira asked as he took his plate, then looked around.  

"Well… we can sit wherever we want to. I suggest the bench there." Drakhari whispered back, nodding to a bench a few feet away from the stall, that at the moment, just had one Eridvaari sitting on it, munching away at his food. 

He shifted to make space for them as they approached, nodding to Drakhari as he did. 

They sat, and Gwyneira leaned against him, peering into his plate. “Okay. So. I know the dark brown sauce. Had it with the meat last night. Is this the same kind of meat? And what do the other sauces taste like?” She asked. 

Drakhari looked down at his plate, then pointed with his pinky to each bowl as he spoke, starting with the bowl of green sauce. “You've already had the brown one, so this one here is cucumber, pepper, and some yogurt. It's light, a little spicy, and goes well with both meats.” He said, before he moved his fingers to the bowl of white sauce. 

“This one is made from beaten egg whites, a bit of oil, herbs, and those tiny black things are a mineral we get here. It's a bit like salt, but not as… strong? I guess? You can try it. It goes well with the morag.” He murmured, pointing to the fish. 

“Morag… what's that?” She asked, looking up at him. 

“It's a bony fish that lives in the lake. It's a pain in the ass to get all the bones out before you cook it, but it's worth the pain. The meat is really tender and juicy. As for the dark meat, that's harrak, which you get from the bairos. Those deer-looking animals you saw yesterday. And no, different meat.” He explained. 

“Oh okay.” She murmured, watching as he raised one of the skewers to his mouth and bit into the dark meat. He let out a soft sigh of contentment, then hummed. 

“Mm… good stuff.” He murmured, going for a bite of the fish, then pausing halfway when he spotted Gwyneira staring up at him with puppy eyes. 

He closed his mouth, stifling a laugh, before he pushed one of the skewers over to her. “Here.” He said with a smirk. 

“I'm not hungry… just bored.” She mumbled as she stared, very hungrily, down at the skewer. 

“I know. But I usually order four. The extra one is for you.” He said with a soft laugh. 

She looked up at him, scowled, and snatched the meat skewer off his plate, before she bit into it the first piece of meat, the harrak. 

It was gamey, with a slight mineral taste, and a rich aroma. The meat itself was soft and tender, gushing flavorful juices as she bit into it. It had been marinated well, too. There was a bit of salt, pepper, and lemon. 

She let out a surprised noise as her ears perked up, then looked down at the skewer, before she looked up at Drakhari, her eyes wide. “Oh my god.” She mumbled, and he grinned. 

She bit into the next piece- the fish. As he said, the meat was tender and flavourful, and had been marinated in a few spices. It had a bit of heat to it, and a slight tangy flavour- almost like lemon juice, with a bit of saltiness and a hint of… dill? Sure tasted like dill. 

“This is… this is amazing.” She murmured as she dipped the next piece into the dark brown sauce. She was about to take a bite, when Drakhari gently placed his claw against the skewer. 

“Hold it. Wait.” He murmured, and she frowned at him. He smiled, then tore his stack of flatbread in half, before he handed one half to her. 

“Try this. Wrap the flatbread around the meat, pull it off the skewer, dip it into the sauce of your choice, and then eat it.” He said with a grin. 

She followed his advice. She pulled the harrak off the skewer, dipped it in the peppery cucumber sauce, and then popped the piece into her mouth. Her ears drooped, and her eyes nearly rolled back into her head from the flavour. 

Smooth, buttery bread, the tanginess of the sauce, and the juicy, marinated meat all combined into an explosion that sent her tastebuds to heaven. 

“Oh my god.” She moaned softly, before she looked up at him. “This is so good…” She mumbled, and he laughed softly as he kept eating. 

For a while, they simply ate in silence, the princess eating from her skewer of meat, before she snagged one more from Drakhari’s plate. She finished that too, just as quickly as she'd eaten the first. 

“Happy?” Drakhari asked with a smile. 

“Very.” She murmured, her ears perking up as she smiled and licked her lips clean. Then, she sighed as she set the empty plate to the side, and leaned against Drakhari. 

"For the first time in my life… I feel like I can breathe. Like I'm not being suffocated for merely existing." She murmured, her eyes idly following the people walking past. 

His arm rose, then came down around her, gently squeezing her to his body. "What happened to you was horrible. But… this place is a fresh start. A chance to let go of your past." He murmured. 

"That's just it. I don't want to let go of the past. I want the people who made my past a living hell to pay." She growled quietly. 

"I want them to suffer. To hurt just as I did. I don't care about the whole "revenge is bad" shtick. I want to burn my kingdom down!" She hissed. 

He raised an eyebrow, them gently cupped her chin, tilting it back so she was looking up at him. 

"Do you want to burn the entire kingdom down… or burn one man alive?" He asked softly. 

She swallowed, then looked away. 

"Just one man, then. And I meant what I said in there. I'll scorch the lands for you… But I'm not going to kill innocents. You want to take over your kingdom… I can help you do that." He murmured, letting go of her chin. 

She gazed up at him regardless. 

"You're willing to commit men to this, then? A proper, all out war against the alliance?" She asked quietly. 

He nodded. "It's time we put an end to this conflict, no? And who better to do it than us? Living examples that people can live together… the ones that aren't too buried in their pride and prejudice to look at the other person and see… a person." He murmured. 

She nodded. "But… How are you going to convince the others?" She asked softly. 

"Well… You let me handle that. They're more likely to gather and listen if it's me calling the War Council. Buuuut… there's something I have to handle first." He murmured. 

"And that is?" She asked, raising an eyebrow. 

"I… can't tell you just yet." He murmured. 

"Drak… we're partners. If you have a problem, I will help you with it." She said softly. 

"Not this one. It's… more a suspicion than a problem. If it does wind up being one… I'll let you in on it. Fair?" He asked, smiling faintly. 

She sighed, then nodded. "Fair." She murmured, shaking her head as she leaned against his arm again. 

After the meal, they returned the plate, then went for a walk in one of the nature parks, where Gwyneira got a closer look at one of the Bairos. Close enough that she could touch one, that is.

Their fur was rougher than it looked, apparently. They were surprisingly warm, too, and didn't flinch away when touched. 

Up close, they were as tall as she was, and some were slightly bigger. They likely didn't react to her presence, because they didn't view her as a threat. 

Eventually, however, they had to make their way back to the palace to greet the dignitaries that would soon arrive. 

"So. Is there anything I should be aware of?" She asked while they changed their clothes. 

"Well… Rex's dad has a stick up his ass. So does his sister, at times. Rex and his mother are laid back. They have to act stuck up, but don't let that get to you." He replied. 

"Okay… anything else?" She asked, pulling on a pair of brown pants, before she undid her shirt. 

"Well they're a little inti-" He turned to look at her just as her shirt came off. 

He stopped in his tracks, and she could practically hear his brain grind to a halt. 

He gave his head a quick shake. "Int- intimidating." He muttered. 

"You're worried about me being intimidated by them? Honey, I've slept with you. Nothing could possibly get more intimidating." She said with a smirk and a wink. 

"Y'know what, that's fair." He murmured as he put on a shirt and started buttoning it up. 

She chuckled, then changed to a white ruffled shirt, and left the first few buttons open. 

He'd worn white pants, a red shirt, and a white jacket with armoured shoulders. 

"Alright. You ready?" He asked, holding out his hand. 

She held up a finger, then walked over to his dressing table. She took a bottle out, then uncapped and sniffed it. A strong scent- ironwood essence, musk, and amber, mixed in an oil. Yes, that would do. 

She walked back over to him, and bade him to come closer. 

She gently dabbed the liquid around his neck and under his jacket. "I like it when you smell nice." She murmured, smirking at him, before she walked back to the dresser and switched bottles, doing the same for herself. 

She'd chosen a more floral perfume- roses, musk, cinnamon, and patchouli. 

"Mm. Much appreciated." He murmured, walking towards the door. 

"They should be slithering out of the lake in about… twenty minutes." He said with a chuckle. 

"I'm sorry- slithering?" She asked. 

"You'll see." 

"Well that's ominous. Thank you, dear husband." She said wryly as she took his hand, and he laughed as they walked down to the lake. 

There was a pier that extended past the shore of the lake. The end of it had been lowered into the water, forming a slope. 

On the pier were the royal family and their advisor, Luti, who smiled and nodded to her as she approached. 

"About time." Queen Mordren murmured as Drakhari approached, even though she hadn't even turned. 

"Sorry, mother." Drakhari said, rolling his eyes. 

"Don't you roll your eyes at me, boy. I'm more than capable of tossing you into the lake." She said wryly. 

"How did you-?" 

"You just confirmed it." 

"Wait- that's not-" 

"I'm your mother, boy. I know you inside out." She said with a laugh, before she waved a hand. 

"Come here. We need to present a united front." She murmured, gesturing for him to step forward as she moved to the edge of the pier, giving the two of them space to stand alongside her. 

"Aren't we a little early?" Vaidir asked. 

"There's no sunlight down there. They tend to arrive a little earlier than most people normally would." Luti responded. 

"Ah. I see." Vaidir murmured. 

They didn't have to wait long. Within a few minutes, they saw dark shadows moving beneath the water's surface, which slowly morphed into more humanoid shapes. 

At least, their upper bodies did. 

Their lower bodies blended seamlessly into a mass of eight tentacles, moving them up the slope of the water. 

They had pale, milky white skin, and elongated, almost conch shell-shaped ears, as well as a pair of horns that curled upwards from the sides of their heads. 

The male in the front wore a crown of gold, shaped like coral, and inlaid with serpentine and aquamarine.

At his side was a woman, wearing a dark green breast covering that looked like it was made of some kind of plant fibre. She wore a similar crown to that of the male at her side, albeit smaller and more delicate. 

Behind them were another male and female, each carrying a vicious looking weapon that looked like the bastard child of a trident and a harpoon. 

All four were almost the same height- just over seven feet tall, though their tentacles could be used to provide a foot or two more. 

The king had dark green, mottled tentacles, while his wife had solid black tentacles. As for the children behind them, the male had a striped pattern of purple and iridescent black, and the female had a wavy blue and black pattern on hers. 

They had scales from their waist that went up to their necks and down their arms, where it thinned out to reveal the skin on their hands and faces. On their chests, they had ridged fins covering what looked like intakes for gills, as well as fins near each elbow. 

The mother and son had dark purple hair, while the daughter and father had dark grey hair. 

"King Adira. Welcome to the kingdom of Erakleon." The queen said, lowering her head slightly. 

The king bowed his head slightly as well, before he moved forward and held his arm out, his tentacles slithering across the deck and increasing his height slightly to match the queen's . 

The Eridvaari queen reached out, gripped his forearm, and gave it a firm shake. 

"I trust all is well?" The king asked, and the queen nodded, before she let go of his arm. 

The octotaur queen came forward, and the women gently hugged, whispering their greetings in each others' ears, before they leaned back, smiling at each other.

"Oh- I forgot to mention. They're called Losavaarians." Drakhari whispered to Gwyneira. 

"Mm." She hummed in response. 

The king and queens stood aside, and the siblings came forward. 

The male presented his weapon to Drakhari, and the female presented hers to Vaidir, each with a bow, before they moved behind their parents. 

"Now then… I know you didn't summon me for nothing, Mordren, so let's get down to business, shall we?" King Adira asked as he moved forward, with the queens on either side. 

The children fell behind, and the male sidled up to Drakhari, while the female walked behind Vaidir. Luti was up front with the other royals, walking beside Mordren in attentive silence. 

"New side piece?" The male asked wryly. "Didn't figure you liked elves." 

"Wife, actually." Drakhari replied, smirking. 

The man blinked for a second, then shot a wide eyed look at Drakhari, then at the elf at his side. 

"Hi. Princess Gwyneira. Pleased to make your acquaintance, prince…?" She trailed off, raising an eyebrow.

"Uh- Achyrex. But you can just call me Rex. My mother over there is Liseya, you've met my father, and the one with resting bitch face is my sister, Varineya." He whispered, nodding to the women in turn. 

"I… see." Gwyneira murmured, nodding slightly, before she looked between them. 

"You two act like you've been friends for a while." She murmured. 

"We've known each other since we were kids." Drakhari murmured, chuckling. 

"Mmhm. He had a crush on my mom, and I had a crush on his mother's advisor." Achyrex said with a grin. 

"I will grill you over an open fire, so help me gods." 

"Oh please. You had the hots for my mother and it was painfully obvious." He said. 

Drakhari "accidentally" stepped on one of the man's tentacles, causing him to stifle a yelp. 

"I had the hots for your mother when I was younger and going through puberty. Not anymore." Drakhari grumbled. 

"Oh so you're saying she's not beautiful anymore?" Achyrex asked, raising an eyebrow. 

Drakhari opened his mouth to respond, then closed it as he narrowed his eyes and stared at Achyrex for a few seconds. 

"That question is a trap and I am not answering it." He said with a smirk. 

Gwyneira snickered and patted his side, while Achyrex grinned. 

"It was. So how have you been, brother? How did you and the princess end up meeting?" Achyrex asked. 

"Oh it was pretty simple, really. Her father kidnapped and enslaved me, then handed me off to her as a pet to try and shame me. She ended up falling in love with me instead." He said with a shrug. 

Achyrex chuckled. "Since he's obviously talking shit… Could I rely on the truth from you, princess?" The prince asked, grinning at her. 

"That was the truth." She said, in the same nonchalant tone Drakhari had used. 

Achyrex blinked. It was followed by several attempts by him to speak, all of which ended in failure. 

"Huh. I think that's the first time I've seen him speechless." Drakhari murmured. 

"Fish out of water, too." Gwyneira added, smirking. 

"Okay now that's just rude. I'm not a fish. I'm a cephalopod. Partly, anyway." Achyrex huffed. 

Drakhari and Gwyneira giggled, and Achyrex cracked a smile. 

"Alright, alright. You had your fun. But uhh- how did you get caught, Drak? Even the spymaster couldn't find you at times." He murmured. 

"I- I'm not too sure. They probably got incredibly lucky. Or it was magic." He murmured. 

"Hm. Probably." Achyrex mused, before he shrugged, then looked at Luti. "Man… she just gets prettier every time I come here." He said quietly. 

"Still have that crush, don't you?" Drakhari asked, keeping his voice low so he wouldn't be heard. 

"Maybe. But… she's taken with Vaidir, I think. So… yeah. No." He mumbled, before he waved a hand. 

"Enough about that. I came here for a good lunch. Also, don't forget, I'll need you to bail us out after a while." He murmured. 

Drakhari sighed, then looked down at Gwyneira. "We usually have this thing we do where Achyrex and I make some excuse to leave when the topics of conversation get particularly dry and boring." He murmured. 

"That means when my father starts talking about the economy of the kingdom. He'll drone on and on and on about it for hours if you let him." Achyrex sighed. 

"Vari eats up every word of it, too. Two peas in a pod." Drakhari muttered. 

"I swear." Achyrex whispered. 

Gwyneira shook her head, a little smile on her face as the men complained. Surely it couldn't be that bad? 

It was, in fact, that bad. 

The conversation had opened up with a relatively normal topic- how Mordren's queendom had been doing, the training of their army, and then went on to how the relations between the neighbouring kingdoms were. 

Unfortunately, someone (Varineya) had brought up how expensive it would be to maintain a standing armed force, which caused King Adira to launch into a long-winded, mind-numbingly boring, one sided discussion on the shifting values of a currency, and how it would best be wisely spent. 

Achyrex and Drakhari's eyes had slowly glazed over as they stared blankly into space, likely somewhere else, mentally. 

Varineya was hanging onto king Adira's every word, while queen Liseya merely smiled politely and nodded every now and then.

Just as she was about to slip into a daydream of her own, Gwyneira caught Achyrex staring intently at her. 

He flicked his eyes to Drakhari, then back to her, then repeatedly flicked his eyes to Drakhari, before he widened them expectantly. 

Gwyneira gently nudged Drakhari, who blinked as his gaze focused, then swung around the table, before he locked eyes with Achyrex. 

He sighed quietly, then looked down at Gwyneira, before he glanced at the door, then back at her. 

She nodded, her eyes pleading. 

He sighed again, then looked at king Adira. 

"Oh shit!" He called loudly, causing the king to pause and stare at him in mixed shock and confusion. 

"I think I left the Naraak cages open!" He groaned, before he quickly hopped to his feet and took Gwyneira's hand. 

"Fuck fuck fuck- We better go shut them! Sorry! Rex, gonna need your help too!" He called out as he hurried to the door. 

"Language!" His mother called out, shaking her head as Achyrex quickly pushed himself away from the table and followed Drakhari, his tentacles plapping faintly as he ran. 

The door to the hall shut, and the trio breathed a simultaneous, collective sigh of relief. 

"Dear god. My father makes me wish I was deaf, sometimes." Achyrex groaned quietly. 

"For a man who loves economics so much- how does he manage to make it sound drier than sand!?" Drakhari whispered. 

"That's a good question." Gwyneira muttered, before she looked at Drakhari. "What's a… Naraak (nah-raahk)?" She asked, unsure if she was pronouncing the word correctly. 

"Those reptilian looking birds you've seen outside. We use them for traveling around." He murmured. 

"Oh… do you have your own?" She asked. 

"As a matter of fact, I do. Come." He said, grinning as he walked off down the hallway. 

"Hold up- you got your own and you didn't even tell me? Dude. Fuck you." Achyrex grumbled. 

"I was a little preoccupied." Drakhari said wryly. 

"A letter would have been nice, you pisshole. "Hey Rex! Long time no see. Guess what, I got a Naraak egg of my own! Wanna come see what it looks like?" That's aaaall I'm asking for!" Achyrex huffed. 

"Is it… like… a big thing for someone to get one of their own?" Gwyneira asked. 

"Oh yeah! It is! It's like a rite of passage for his people. Like getting a uhh… family pet… but… more important." Achyrex said, stumbling over his words as he tried to explain it. 

"But anyway- what's more important is- Tall, dark and dumbass over here didn't think to tell me." Achyrex grumbled. 

"For your information, fishface, I was busy preparing for a journey. Not to mention, I haven't checked on the egg since I got back, so I don't know what it looks like now!" Drakhari huffed, and waved a hand. 

"Well, it's been nearly a month, so the bugger is probably like, your size, already." Achyrex said with a shrug, then groaned loudly when he saw that they had to climb a flight of stairs. 

Up and up they went, until they came to a heavy, reinforced ironwood door. 

Drakhari unlocked the door, and they stepped into a large room, filled with straw. 

"Uh oh." Drakhari mumbled. 

"Uh oh? What the fuck you mean uh oh?" Achyrex asked, glaring at him. 

"I… hope they fed it while I was away, or it's going to be... very aggressive." Drakhari muttered. 

"Drakhari, if I die because your fucking pet dragon ate me, I'm going to kick you out of whatever afterlife we wind up in." Achyrex groaned. 

"Wyvernling." 

"Brother, I do not care. I do not want to be classified as a snack. Do you understand?" Achyrex hissed. 

"Shh." 

"Did you just shush me? Motherfu- uh oh." Achyrex suddenly stopped talking too, when he noticed… something. 

Peering into the darkness, she saw it too. A reflective red eye, glinting as it stared at them. 

Drakhari slowly walked forward. "Eaaasy there, boy. Or girl. Whatever you are." He murmured as he approached the beast. 

"Princess… You see that rope on your right? Yeah… get ready to pull it." Achyrex mumbled. 

Gwyneira glanced to the side, then reached out and held onto a rope dangling from the ceiling. 

"When I say so, I want you to pull on that as hard as you can." He whispered. 

The red eye shifted, looking at her, then at Achyrex, before it focused on Drakhari, still moving towards it. 

"It's wild. Nobody has ridden or fed it since it was hatched, I'm assuming. It isn't going to be happy." Achyrex muttered. 

"There's bones on the floor, though." Gwyneira whispered. 

"Let's hope those were animals and not Eridvaari, then." Achyrex muttered.  

"Eaaasy… I know you're a little pissed, but trust me, I would have come sooner if I could have." Drakhari murmured. 

There was a loud growl from the darkness, deep enough that Gwyneira felt it in her bones. 

"I know, I know. I should have come sooner. If I'm being a little honest, I kinda forgot you were here." Drakhari said with a shrug. 

There was a loud, angry shriek. 

"Why would you say that!?" Achyrex yelled, before he looked at Gwyneira. 

"Pull!" He yelled. 

With all her might, she pulled. 

The roof of the room creaked loudly as it slowly split open, letting in the sunlight. 

Standing before Drakhari was a large draconic creature. 

It currently stood on its hind legs, towering over the ten foot tall Eridvaari man. It was covered in pearl white scales, with a creamy membrane over its wings. 

Three viciously sharp, black claws sat at each wingtip, and the snarling creature's maw was filled with a double row of sharp teeth. It also had a pair of horns, curled forward into sharp points. 

Black spikes ran up the length of the creature's snout, and down its back, all the way to its tail. At the tip of its tail was a clubbed, spiked structure, like an organic morningstar.

"Oh. It's an albino! Cool!" Drakhari said happily, seemingly unphased by the creature currently growling at him. 

"You know it wants to bite your head off, right?" Achyrex interjected. 

"Yeah, and? Can't exactly blame it." Drakhari said, folding his hands behind his back. 

Gwyneira let go of the rope and started to move forward, but Achyrex held a hand out in front of her. 

"You're going to get in the way." He whispered. 

She shot him a glare. "I'm more than capable-!" 

"He wouldn't have chosen you if you weren't. But he needs to focus." Achyrex whispered, and Gwyneira looked at Drakhari. 

The man had his hands out, raised to the sides, mimicking the creature's posture. 

The right arm rose, and he repeated the motion with the opposite arm.

The beast paused, then put its arm down. 

It let out a low growl, and Drakhari let out one right back. 

It started to circle him, and he followed, maintaining eye contact with it the entire time. 

Then, like lightning, it struck. The claws flashed through the air, and the Eridvaari prince leapt over them. 

The Naraak shrieked as he landed on its wing, then immediately catapulted himself onto its back, using the wyvern’s wing-flapping attempt to throw him off to do so. 

One of his arm blades popped out, and quickly swung down, slicing off the spikes on its back. 

The Naraak snarled angrily, then immediately tried to buck him off. 

He sat down, then reached forward and gripped the spikes on the Naraak's neck. 

The beast flapped its wings, then took off, soaring into the skies. 

"Wait- there was no saddle- what if he falls!?" Gwyneira cried out, looking at Achyrex in a panic. 

"Well… if he dies, he dies." Achyrex said with a shrug, staring up into the sky intently. 

She stared at him blankly. "What in the sweet merciful heavens is wrong with you!?" She yelled after a moment. 

"Your brother is probably in danger, and your response is "if he dies, he dies"!? We need to help him!" She yelled. 

"Oh, and you know a spell to grow wings that can match the speed of a Naraak? Go ahead and help him out then." Achyrex said as he walked over to a wall and tossed a saddle and harness to her. 

She caught it, then threw it to the floor as she growled at him, her hands balled into fists. 

He stared down at her, then sighed. "Look… I'm concerned too, but I trust him enough to know that he knows what he's doing. Now… What do you say we go to the courtyard and wait for him to land?" He asked, walking over to the spot where the spikes had fallen, and picking them up. 

"Fine." She muttered. She couldn't help but be afraid, but… Achyrex was right. There was nothing she could do at the moment. She couldn't even see where they were, anymore. 

The man held out his hand. "Come. We shall go to the courtyard. He'll land there, considering it's the largest space available for it." He murmured. 

She sighed, picked up the saddle, and took his hand. It was cool to the touch, unlike Drakhari's warmth. 

Holding her hand, the octotaur made his way down the stairs and through a set of hallways, until they emerged into the castle's courtyard. 

There was a large tree in the centre of the courtyard, that surprisingly, did not look like it was from this land. The tree was strangely graceful, a slender trunk, with boughs that dipped low to the ground, causing its leaves to trail along the ground. 

It was encircled by a low stone wall filled with soil, holding in the roots of the old tree. 

The courtyard itself was neatly kept, with trimmed, ankle length grass covering hard dirt. 

They looked up into the sky. All they could see were clouds. 

"Y'know, there is the off chance that he's already fallen off and-" Achyrex was cut off by a grunt as the elf elbowed him right in the kidney. 

"He didn't fall off." She muttered, scanning the skies intently. 

"How are you so sure?" He muttered, rubbing the sore spot she'd hit. 

"Because I am. Now shut up and keep an eye out for him." She replied, frowning slightly. 

He sighed, then looked up into the sky as well.

They stood there for a few minutes, before Gwyneira spotted it- a serpentine shape, dashing through the clouds. 

"There!" She cried out, pointing towards it. 

"I see it." Achyrex murmured, narrowing his eyes as he watched it. 

"I… can't tell. Which way is it flying? I don't see a rider." He murmured, concern rising in his voice. 

"I'm not too sure either, but… it looks like it's heading this way. I think Drakhari is on it." Gwyneira replied. 

"Or, it saw us from up there, remembered we were in the room with it, ate Drak, and is now coming to eat us." Achyrex said with a sigh. 

"Are you always this annoying?" 

"Only when I'm nervous." 

They stared in apprehension as the Naraak got closer and closer, until it stopped just above the courtyard, wings beating as it hovered, watching them. 

Then, it slowly lowered itself to the ground, and lowered its head. 

Drakhari sat up, then groaned. "That… was painful." He muttered as he stepped off, then slowly waddled over to them. 

"Saddle sore?" Gwyneira asked, wincing slightly. 

"You could say that." He sighed, then looked at Achyrex. 

"Fancy a fli-" 

"Fuck all the way off." 

Drakhari snickered, then nodded to Achyrex. "He's afraid of heights." He murmured. 

"I'm not afraid of heights. I just think we shouldn't be up there! Underwater? Sure. Somewhat safe and sound. There's places to run and hide. Land? Same thing. Air? Where the fuck do you hide in the air!?" He huffed. 

"I should also mention that Losavaarians are ambush hunters." Drakhari said with a grin. 

"That… makes a lot of sense." Gwyneira murmured, smirking slightly. 

"Anyway… Have you decided on a name?" Achyrex asked, nodding to the Naraak that was currently preening itself. 

"Well… it's a she… so… I'm thinking Jai'ras. White Rose." He murmured, gently stroking the Naraak's neck. 

"White and full of thorns. Hm. It fits, I suppose." Achyrex murmured as he approached, then handed him the spikes he picked up. 

Drakhari looked down at Gwyneira, then at the spikes in his hand, before he looked at her again. 

He smirked slightly, then slipped the spikes into his pocket. 

She approached the wyvern, who lowered her head and turned it to the side. The red eye looked her up and down, before she leaned her head forward and gently sniffed her. 

Gwyneira stood still, letting the Naraak sniff for a while, before she ever so slowly reached forward and gently rested a hand on her snout. 

The beast huffed softly, watching her as she gently rubbed, feeling the creature's smooth scales. 

"Good. She likes you." Drakhari murmured, grinning. 

"Yeah? How can you tell?" She asked softly, moving a little closer to use both hands to stroke Jai'ras' head. 

"She hasn't made a snack out of you." Drakhari said with a chuckle. 

"Heh... hey, can I get my own?" She asked, looking at him with wide, pleading eyes. 

"Uhhh- I suppose, yes. They're usually reserved for us, but you've proved yourself strong enough to ride one, so… I'll see what I can do about getting you an egg." He mused. 

"Can I-?" Achyrex started to ask. 

"No." Drakhari said flatly. 

Achyrex pouted and crossed his arms. 

"You were literally just whining about going into the air being dangerous, and now you want one?" Drakhari asked wryly. 

"Thought I might as well try, since we're doing handouts today." He said, sticking his tongue out at him. 

Drakhari shook his head, but didn't respond. 

"There you are." They heard a feminine voice call out. 

They turned to see Varineya moving towards them across the courtyard. 

"Is that the Naraak that got out?" She asked, nodding to Jai'ras. Drakhari nodded. 

"Good. Rex, come back. Dad wants to talk to you about… You know what." She said, giving him a meaningful look. 

"No." Achyrex said flatly. 

"What do you mean "no"? You know dad wants to-" She started to say, before she was cut off by Achyrex. 

"I don't give a fuck what dad wants." He hissed, glaring at her. 

"Rexy-" 

"No. Go back and tell dad to shove his plans up his ass. And another thing- since you're kissing his ass so much, go ahead and shove your head up in there too, why don't you?" He growled, his hands balled into fists. 

Varineya stared at him, hurt in her eyes. "Wow. Real mature, Rex." She muttered, before she turned and left. 

There was a moment of awkward silence before Drakhari spoke. 

"Reeeex?" 

"I don't want to hear it." The man said, waving a hand dismissively. 

"Rex, that was unnecessarily mean. Even for you, brother. Is there something you want to tell me?" Drakhari asked softly. 

Another moment of silence; longer this time. 

"Dad wants to pass the crown on to me." He murmured. 

"Wait- he's retiring?" Drakhari asked, raising an eyebrow. 

"Yeah. And he wants me to take over." He muttered, before he gestured in Varineya's direction. 

"I told him to give her the crown. She's a much better ruler than I would ever be. She's everything I'm not. Just like him." He grumbled, before he sighed. 

"Pretty sure he wants to give you the crown for that exact reason." Gwyneira said softly. 

Achyrex looked at her. "Elaborate." 

"I think that's exactly what he wants. He doesn't want the same old thing. Varineya would rule exactly the same way as he did, whereas you'd be a change. Maybe for the better. I… think you should give it a chance. See how things go." She explained. 

He stared at her for a few seconds, turning the idea over in his mind, before he signed. "I should go apologise to her, shouldn't I?" He muttered. 

"You should." She murmured, nodding and smiling. 

“Yes. You should. She's got your back, brother. Whether you want to see it or not. She cares about you. C'mon. You guys are inseparable.” Drakhari said softly. 

Achyrex sighed and moved away, heading for the courtyard's entrance. 

"Hm. Expertly handled." Drakhari murmured. 

"You too. Also, Growing up with an abusive parent makes you good at conflict resolution." Gwyneira murmured. 

He chuckled and walked to her, then gently ruffled her hair. "Yeah. I suppose it does… We should probably head back too." He murmured. 

"Are you going to leave Jai'ras out here?" She asked softly, nodding to the Naraak. 

"She can take care of herself. Besides, if anyone tries to snatch her, she'll make a meal out of them." He said with a snicker as he picked up the saddle she'd brought, and then placed it in the spot where he'd cut the spikes off. 

"Sorry, girl. I'll get you a better one later. Promise." He said softly as he rubbed her neck. Jai'Ras grumbled softly, then bumped her snout against his leg. 

"Yes, yes. I'll do it soon. Don't worry." He murmured as he stepped back. 

She chuckled softly, then gave Jai'ras one last snout rub, before she walked with Drakhari back to the hall. 

Achyrex and Varineya were absent. The man was likely apologising to his sister, still. 

They sat, and Liseya smiled at them knowingly. 

Gwyneira could see Mordren slowly losing her focus, her gaze starting to go blank. The queen had a very strong will, to have been able to sit through it longer than than the young princes. 

Finally, the Losavaarian queen stepped in. "Dear, I think that's enough. Perhaps a change of topic?" She asked gently. 

The king sighed, then nodded. "Alright, that's fair. I've been talking for quite a bit. My apologies." He murmured, bowing his head. 

"None needed." Mordren murmured, waving her hand, before she looked at Drakhari, then at Gwyneira. Her gaze settled on the elf for a while, before it slowly slid to king Adira. 

"I'm curious… if I were to enter into a war for control of the Llosandrii kingdom… would you back me?" She asked, raising an eyebrow. 

"Uh- why would you war against them?" He asked, raising an eyebrow. 

"For starters, their king tortured and imprisoned my son, and hurt my daughter. They want payback." She murmured. 

"You… don't have a- oh." The king murmured, his gaze shifting to Gwyneira and settling on her face. 

"I might… but are you okay with it, princess? Going against your father? Taking your kingdom down?" He asked quietly. 

"Yes." Gwyneira answered without hesitation. 

"Hm. I see.” He hummed as he scrutinised her for a good few seconds. 

“Then… in that case… I suppose we have a war to plan for." He murmured finally, leaning back in his seat with a sigh.

Chapter 9: The Traitor

Over the next few days, the wedding planning continued, while diplomatic summons were sent out to the Eridvaari allies. 

At the present time, however, Gwynn was laying on the bed, her face buried in a pile of pillows that sat on her husband-to-be's lap, while he gently ran his hands through her hair. 

"It's too much." She mumbled. 

"I know, honey." He murmured, starting to massage the back of her neck. 

"I like this place, but I feel like everyone is expecting me to just… be this- this perfect princess all the time. Not to mention, people keep commenting about how I remind them of that goddess of yours. Or worse- some people are- like- they look at me with distaste. Like they don't want me here." She whined softly. 

"Best to ignore them, my love." He murmured, his hands sliding further downwards and starting to massage her back. 

She groaned softly in appreciation, before she lifted her head and pressed it against his chest. 

"I like that I can just… cling to you when the world gets so… overwhelming." She mumbled, her arms going around him. 

He chuckled softly and leaned backwards, letting her lay on him while he propped himself up against the headboard. 

"That's what I'm here for, Gwynne." He said softly, his hands rising to her face and gently squishing it between his hands. 

She pouted, then blew a raspberry at him. 

"Come on. Give me a smile, hm?" He murmured, squishing her face just a bit more as he grinned. 

She blew another raspberry at him, before she sighed and bared her teeth at him. 

"That's not a smile. That's a grimace." He murmured, smirking. 

"I don't care!" She huffed, pushing hard against his hands and headbutting his chest, where she stayed, face planted to his skin. 

He chuckled softly and wrapped his arms around her. "Would you like to go whack a training dummy instead?" He asked softly. 

Her head shot up, a grin on her face. "Can I really?" 

"Mmhm." He murmured, slowly getting up and gently tugging her towards the edge of the bed. 

"C'mon. You get to whack it to your heart's content." He murmured. 

"Yes, yes. I'm coming." She murmured, slipping her shoes on. She then ran right past him and to the door, opening it and grinning at him. 

"Come on, slowpoke." She said, smirking. 

He raised an eyebrow, and she saw the reaction clear as day on his face: "The audacity of this little shit-"

"You think you're faster than me? I'm twice your size. Literally." He said, walking to the door. 

She looked up at him. "Yeah, and twice as slow." She said, before she slapped his butt, then broke out into a sprint down the hallway, cackling madly. 

Drakhari shook his head, before he snorted with disbelief, then took off after her. 

The chase was rather short. He caught up to her quickly. 

She gasped when she felt a hand grab her arm and pull. 

An arm wrapped around her, and with a thud, she found herself pressed up against the wall. 

She stared at her lover's smirking face, panting slightly and grinning. 

"Heh- you're faster than you have any- mmph-!" Her sentence was cut off by Drakhari pressing his lips against hers. 

She moaned softly when his hand slid down, squeezing one of her breasts as he kissed her hard. 

Just as suddenly as he kissed her, he broke the kiss and pulled away, licking his lips, a smug smirk still on his face. 

She stared at him, panting, her face flushed and legs shaking slightly. The feeling of getting chased like that was… exciting. She remembered the way she'd felt earlier- when she'd entertained those thoughts about him hunting her down through the woods… She should tell him, at some point. He'd probably enjoy something like that.

"What?" She whispered, still a little breathless. 

"Nothing. Just admiring you. You're beautiful." He murmured, his smug smirk melting into a warm smile. 

"Oh, so you're just going for looks, then?" She huffed, crossing her arms and pouting. 

"You wouldn't love me if I was a worm." She said, turning her nose up at him. 

"Wh- huh??" He mumbled, confused, as he tilted his head and stared at her for a few seconds. 

"My love, if you were a worm, I'd tie you to a hook and toss you into a lake. At least I'd get a meal." He said with a shrug. 

She rounded on him, eyes wide and jaw on the floor. 

"That is not-! It's supposed to be a question of whether you'd stay by my side if I… y'know- lost the ability to do anything!" She huffed. 

"Ohhhh." He hummed, staring off into space for a few seconds. 

"Well… as long as you're still able to talk to me, I'd stay with you. But if you go completely… y'know… unable to talk or whatever… I'd mercy kill you." He murmured, before he crouched so he was looking her in the eyes. 

"And I expect you to do the same for me." He said softly. 

She stared at him for a few seconds. She wasn't even sure how to respond to that. The fact that he could just casually dive into something heavy like that was a little… jarring. 

Then again, it seemed nobody here had any filters while talking. They could switch from a light-hearted topic to a heavy one and back so fast it sometimes gave her whiplash. 

Drakhari straightened, then smiled. "But hey. We'll be growing old together. Don't worry." He murmured as he turned to walk towards the training area. 

She grabbed his tail near the tip, following behind him as she held onto it. 

He pushed the gates to the yard open, and she walked into it, rubbing her hands together excitedly. They had a lot of different kinds of weapons, and she was quite excited to try them out. 

She eagerly rushed into the armoury, looking for weapons to try out. 

A spear, a sword, a bow, and one funny looking spear were bundled into the elven princess' arms, which she then promptly carried out. 

"My lord?"

Drakhari, who'd been leaning against a column and watching Gwyneira, turned, looking at a messenger who had his head bowed. 

"Uhh- about the matter you had him look into, my lord…" The messenger mumbled. 

"Can it wait? I'm spending time with my wife." Drakhari murmured, turning back to watch Gwyneira. He raised an eyebrow when he saw her using both hands to drag a greatsword out of the armoury. 

Those swords were so large and heavy that even he struggled to swing one around for more than a few minutes or so. 

Those who wielded the greatswords had to train for years to be able to use them effectively. Yet here she was… dragging one out like it was nothing. 

He smirked faintly. 

"My lord…" 

He took a deep breath, then slowly let it out, before he turned. "Alright. Speak." He said with a sigh. 

"Right. Well- about your suspicions- we looked into the matter. There was indeed a message received on the very day you arrived. It came from here, but we have yet to determine the exact source." The messenger murmured. 

"When you say here… do you mean the country or the castle?" Drakhari asked slowly. 

"I… I mean the castle, my lord." The man mumbled. 

Drakhari stared at him for a good few seconds. 

"You realise what you're saying, yes?" He asked quietly. 

"I realise, my lord, but… the facts point to it. Someone within the castle has betrayed you." The man said quietly. 

Drakhari stared at him in silence. A silence only broken by a sudden, loud "oop!" from behind him. 

He turned, and saw the greatsword lying on the ground, a line of scuffed dirt, and at the end of it, Gwyneira, sitting and giggling loudly. It seemed she'd managed to swing it, and accidentally catapulted herself over it when it hit the ground. 

He smiled slightly, then looked over his shoulder. The messenger had disappeared. 

"Hey! What's this?" Gwyneira called out, picking up the funny looking spear she'd found. 

"Losavaarian harpoon." Drakhari said, walking over to her. He was glad for the distraction. 

"Same weapon Achyrex gave you?" She asked. 

"Mmhm. Well- same kind, anyway. I returned his to him when they left. They're highly personal. Each harpoon is crafted by the warrior who wields it." He murmured, before he crouched down next to her and pointed to the two-pronged, serrated head. 

"They use these to hunt deepwater fish. They're… pretty huge, so… yeah. The head is shaped like this to maximise the size of the wound." He explained. 

"Looks like they sorta just… put two harpoons together, with the blade side out. Well- harpoons with really massive heads." Gwyneira said, tilting her head, before she looked at the back end, where there was another dual-pronged head. 

"I'm guessing two heads because they're used in combat as well? Also, did you make this one?" She asked. 

He nodded. "That's right." He murmured, before he smiled. "The most interesting part though? This." He murmured, pointing to a button in the middle of the shaft. 

"What does that do?" She asked. 

"Press it and find out." He said with a smile. 

Without hesitation, she reached out and pressed the button. 

At first, nothing seemed to happen. Then, slowly, the smell of ozone filled the air. 

Gwyneira blinked, her head tilting slightly. She could hear a sort of faint buzzing noise. 

"No way." She murmured, looking at Drakhari, who grinned. 

"Yes way." He said with a chuckle as he placed the harpoon in her hands. 

She walked up to a dummy, then gently tapped the spear's head against the armour. 

It immediately sparked and crackled, making her hop back. "It's electrified!" She squealed with glee, before she immediately rushed forward, laughing giddily as she stabbed the dummy again and again. 

Drakhari watched on with a fond smile on his face. She was so adorable when she was viciously gutting something… 

Only when the dummy eventually burst into flames, did she step back and grin, holding the spear horizontally with both arms as she watched the fire crackle and pop. 

"Sooo… what's got you so moody?" She asked softly, looking up at him. 

"Uhh… well… just… something I suspected… turned out to be true. Which is… not good. So… I need to figure out what to do next." He murmured. 

She stared at him for a moment, before she walked over and hugged his side, pushing her head into his hips. 

"You'll share it when you're ready. Won't you?" She asked quietly. He nodded and rested a hand on her head as they watched the dummy burn together. 

Once there was nothing but a pile of ash and the burnt metal poles that had propped up the dummy, she turned and looked at him. 

"I'm… going to go back to your room. You go deal with what you have to deal with, and… I'll be waiting. Okay?" She said softly, gesturing for him to come closer. 

He knelt, then leaned close when she gently took his face in her hands. "You're here for me, so let me be there for you." She said softly, before she gently kissed his lips. "I love you, my prince." She said softly, and with a gentle smile. 

"I love you too." He said softly, wrapping his arms around her and pulling her close. 

She held his head to her chest, returning his embrace as she stroked his hair. 

After a while, he parted, then stood. "I'll be back soon, my love." He said quietly, before he turned and walked off. 

She watched him go, then sighed quietly. Whatever he was dealing with was… heavy. She could practically see it weighing down his shoulders. 

He would tell her when he was ready. At least… so she hoped. 

She walked back down the hallway, and headed to his room to wait… and maybe get some wedding planning done in the meantime to distract herself. 

Drakhari walked till he stood in front of his brother's door. He'd told only one person his full plan. He wasn't a very religious person, but right now, he was praying to both gods that what he suspected was wrong. 

He knocked on the door. No answer. So he wasn't in his room. Good. 

He twisted the handle, then sighed. Locked. Obviously. 

He glanced around to make sure the coast was clear, before he lifted his tail. The blade popped out, and he took it in his hands, carefully wiggling it into the small crack between the door and the edge of the wall. 

He slowly and carefully wiggled the blade back and forth, slowly pushing the bolt back out of its slot. 

Once he felt the blade slip through, he gently pulled it back out, then twisted the latch. 

The door slid open, revealing his brother's room. 

The first thing he spotted was the humped shape of a sleeping figure, with a tuft of pink hair sticking out the top of the blanket. 

He froze, watching Luti's sleeping figure intently. She didn't seem to be awake. 

He carefully stepped into the room, then quietly closed and locked the door behind himself. 

His eyes quickly flicked around the room. Dresser, cupboard, space underneath the bed, space on top of the cupboard, and… a picture of himself hanging on the wall? Seriously? Such a narcissist… 

He tiptoed over to the edge of the bed, before he dropped to all fours, taking a quick look underneath. Nothing. 

Staying on all fours, he inched his way towards the cupboard, which he carefully opened and thoroughly searched. Once he was done with the interior, he hopped and gripped the edge of the cupboard to see what sat behind the edge. 

Nothing. Though he did end up seeing a bunch of Luti's undergarments, and a spider sitting on its web on top of the cupboard. It seemed just as surprised to see him as he was to see it. Vaidir was not fond of bugs. 

He moved over to the dresser, opening the drawers and glancing through them. Luti's makeup, Vaidir's ties and jewellery… nothing that would point to a letter. 

He sighed and turned, focusing on the picture. 

He walked to it, then lifted the edge to peer under it. A hole in the wall. Crudely made. He'd likely done it himself. 

He pulled it off the wall, then set it down, before he looked at the hole. He couldn't exactly see anything. 

He sighed, then with a groan of slight disgust, reached into the hole, screwing his eyes shut as he groped around blindly. 

A rustle. His eyes snapped open. 

He closed his fist around the papers, then dragged them out. 

He looked down at them. Started reading through them. Love letters. Both his and Luti's. 

His blood ran cold when he saw who the last letter was addressed to. 

"No…" He whispered softly as he read through it. 

The letter was addressed to his brother, and had been sent by the captain of the Llosandrii Rangers. 

 

"You have my thanks, Prince Vaidir. Your information has led to the successful capture of your brother, Prince Drakhari.

The kingdom of Llosandrii thanks you for your service, and hopes that the removal of your brother will pave the way towards a new, prosperous alliance, and a peaceful future."

First, the ice cold realisation of betrayal. A momentary, crushing sorrow, which then erupted into a burning rage that could scorch the sun, but died out quickly, leaving just… an empty, hollow feeling. 

He turned, then jerked back slightly when he felt the rapier at his throat. 

"What the hell are you doing?" Luti growled quietly. 

He started to look down, but the rapier quickly forced his chin back up. 

"Answer me, Drakhari." The tiefling said sternly. 

"I- uhh- I wanted to impress Wynn, so Vaidir told me to go read his love letters." He said, before he let out a nervous chuckle. 

There was a moment of silence. 

"Darling, you're good at a lot of things, but lying ain't one of them." Luti said, before she sighed. 

"I also know you wouldn't come in here without a good reason." She murmured, before she sighed and lowered her sword. 

He looked down at her. She was wearing nothing but one of Vaidir's shirts. 

"Well? What is it? What was so important you had to break into your brother's room and bother his sleeping girlfriend?" She asked, tapping the tip of her rapier against the ground impatiently. 

He stared at her, his heart pounding in his chest. He couldn't. He couldn't tell her. It… it would break her. And then she'd break him. 

"I- I'm serious. I just- I…" He trailed off, and she raised an eyebrow, a slight smirk on her face. She always did love watching him squirm a little when he was caught doing something he shouldn't be. 

He closed his eyes, then handed the letter to her. 

With a soft snort, she took it. "So you were actually snooping through our love letters, darling? That's just-" She started to say with an amused tone, before she looked down at the letter. 

All traces of humour vanished from her face. Her lips slowly parted, and her eyes widened. 

A clang that felt far too loud- that made Drakhari flinch, as her rapier fell from limp fingers. 

She fell to her knees, her hand over her mouth, before she looked up at Drakhari, her eyes starting to fill with tears. 

"Is… is this… is this real…?" She mumbled, staring at him. 

"Insignia on the bottom looks real enough." He mumbled. His chest felt tight. It felt hard to breathe. 

Tears started to roll down Luti's cheeks. 

He knelt in front of her, before he wrapped his arms around her. 

She buried her face into his chest, using it to muffle a scream as she sobbed, occasionally beating a fist against his chest. 

He held her tightly, his head bowed over hers. "I'm sorry. I'm so, so sorry." He whispered, over and over again, like a mantra that soothed neither of them. 

The sobs eventually quietened, and the tiefling went limp in his arms, her body shaking every now and then as she sucked in a ragged breath. 

She turned, leaning her back against him as she stared blankly at the letter on the floor.  

Her hand rose, and her rapier zipped into it, hilt first. 

"I'm going to kill him." She mumbled, starting to get up. 

His grip tightened around her, holding her down. 

"No." He said quietly, his grip tightening further as she struggled and fought to get out of it. 

"Why not, Drak!? He tried to get you killed!" She hissed angrily as she clawed at his arms, leaving deep, bleeding marks. His grip didn't waver. 

"Because… we have to make an example of him. A public execution. Send the message loud and clear. Nobody threatens my life and my kingdom, then gets away with it. Not even my own brother." He mumbled. 

He felt… disconnected from himself. Like the person saying these words just… wasn't him. 

Luti looked up at him. "I agree." She murmured, before she wiped her eyes, swallowed, then stood on slightly shaky legs. 

Her knuckles quickly whitened as she gripped the hilt of her rapier so hard, her hand shook. 

"I'm not going to kill him… but I'm going to hurt him." She said quietly, starting to walk to the door. 

"Put on some clothes first." He murmured, making her stop in her tracks, then abruptly turn around to walk back to the cupboard. 

"Leave. I need to change." She murmured, making a shooing motion towards the door. 

He nodded and left the room. He didn't remember walking, but he did remember stopping at the door to his room. 

He walked in, and Gwyneira greeted him with a smile, which quickly faded into a slight frown of concern when she saw the look on his face. 

"Drak? What's wrong?" She asked, dropping the book she was reading, and scrambling off the bed to run to him. 

She took his hand, and he quietly followed as she pulled him to the bed. 

She sat on the bed, with Drakhari's head planted firmly in her lap. 

"What's wrong, my love?" She asked softly, gently running her hands through his hair. 

"Vaidir… betrayed me." He mumbled. 

Her hands froze. "What?" She mumbled, blinking in confusion. 

"He told your Rangers where to find me when I crossed over." He mumbled. "I… found a letter in his room. From the Ranger captain. Thanking him." 

She stared down at him, speechless, her mouth hanging open in shock. "Wh- what- I- I just- I don't understand why he'd do that." She murmured. 

"Two birds, one stone. It takes me out, makes him next in line for the throne. Plus, he'd ascend to the throne with the achievement of putting an end to a century-long feud." He murmured, before he raised his head, staring blankly through her chest. 

"I'd be impressed, if the person who came up with this plan wasn't my own flesh and blood." He mumbled, before his head promptly dropped again, burying his face in the warm darkness. 

"I don't understand… Was I a bad brother? Did he think I wasn't going to try and make a peace accord? I just- it's so fucking ridiculous!" He said, shaking his head as he started laughing. 

Not a laugh of happiness or good humour, no. This was a demented laugh. The laugh of someone in a situation so impossible, so absurd, so ridiculous, that even entertaining it seemed foolish, yet they were now in that very situation. 

"Drak…" Gwyneira said softly, gently tugging his head up by his horns. 

He looked up at her, tears dripping out of his eyes. He looked… lost. Confused. Like a wounded animal. 

It tore at her heart to see him like this. She wrapped her arms around his head, holding it to her stomach. 

His arms slowly moved up, then wrapped around her, holding her tightly. His body shook as he quietly cried, slowly dampening the front of her shirt. 

All she could do right now was hold him tightly, and plan a hundred ways to hurt his brother.

Luti stormed through the castle, searching for Vaidir. She was on the warpath. Anyone who saw her coming quickly and wisely got out of her way, watching nervously as she walked past them. 

She found Vaidir having a cup of tea in a secluded spot in the castle's gardens, while reading a report of some sort. 

He looked her way when she opened the door, and smiled. He hardly smiled. It was a smile that only she ever got to see. 

What once filled her with a pleasant, buzzing happiness now filled her with revulsion. 

His smile faded. "Luti? What's wrong, my love?" He asked softly as he stood, setting his cup down on the table. 

He glanced down at the sword in her hand, then started to walk towards her. "Are you okay? Did someone hurt you?" He asked quietly. 

"Yes." She finally spoke. "Yes, someone did hurt me." She said quietly. 

"Who? Name them. I'll break their-" He started to say, before she cut him off. 

"It was you." She said quietly. 

He faltered to a stop, confusion on his face. "What… What did I do?" He asked, frowning. 

"Oh, I don't know. Sold out any family members lately?" She asked coldly. 

He stared at her for a few seconds. "I can explain." He murmured, holding up his hands. 

"I don't want to hear it!" She yelled, pushing her hand out in front of her. 

A blast of energy slammed into Vaidir's chest, sending him flying backwards and crashing into a pillar. 

He grunted loudly, then fell to his knees. "Luti, listen-" He said, before he was cut off by the sensation of a hand wrapping around his body. 

He was lifted into the air, then promptly thrown back down to the ground hard enough that he bounced off with a cry of pain. 

"I loved you. I trusted you!" She screamed as she walked towards him while he slowly rolled to his feet, coughing blood as he did. 

"Listen, please- I… I only wanted to do what I thought was right. Drakhari was going to continue the war! Our kingdom can't take much more of it!" He said. 

"So your solution was to sell him out to the enemy!?" She screamed, gripping him in her magical fist again as she threw him against another pillar. There was a crack, and a sharp, short scream this time. 

"Please… I- I only wanted a safer world for us. For our… for our children." He mumbled, trying to get to his feet, but failing, and falling to his knees with a grunt instead. 

Luti's cheeks were wet. Tears were once more streaming down her face. 

She shook her head. "You betrayed your brother. Your own flesh and blood. The man who'd done nothing to you. The man who stood up for you every time you fucked up. The man who took the blame for things you did." She hissed, before she snarled at him, baring her fangs. 

"You turned on him. You turned your back on this family. You're a traitor… and you will be executed as one." She growled quietly. 

He looked up at her, his eyes wide. That look, again. She'd seen it so many times when he was younger… That confusion of not knowing why what he'd done was wrong. The shock that he was receiving a punishment. 

"Guards!" She yelled. 

A moment later, the door slammed open, and three armoured Eridvaari men marched in. 

"Take this traitor away. Lock him up in the dungeon, and prepare-" Her voice almost broke, but she swallowed and continued. "Prepare the stage for an execution." She finished. 

The guards glanced at each other, then at Vaidir, then at Luti. A traitor? The prince? It couldn't be…  

Luti glared at them. “Are you people deaf? I told you to arrest him!” She snarled angrily. 

The guards snapped into action, locking their arms around Vaidir and hauling him to his feet, before they started to march him out of the garden. 

He looked at her. A faint hope in his eyes. Searching for some forgiveness. 

She didn't look into his eyes. She couldn't. 

As soon as the door shut behind the guards, the tiefling fell to her knees, sucking in a ragged breath. 

She fell over onto her side, then curled up into a ball and hugged herself as she cried her eyes out. 

She wasn't sure how long she laid in the grass. 

Gentle, warm, and soft hands slipped under her knees and shoulders, then lifted her into the air. 

"Oh, darling…" She heard a soft voice coo, followed by the sensation of a hand brushing her hair behind her ear. 

She cracked an eye open to see Mordren looking down at her. 

"I heard. I know." She said softly, before the tiefling had a chance to say anything. 

She closed her eyes, then let out a single, quiet sob as the queen gently cradled her to her chest. 

"Stay with me tonight, darling. Please. I don't think either of us can be alone right now." She said quietly. 

The tiefling nodded. She didn't feel like being alone at the moment either. It might be a good idea to stay with her closest friend for the night. 

She felt the hilt of her rapier gently get pushed into the ball she'd become. 

"Can't leave that behind, my dear." Mordren murmured as she walked. Her steps were soundless, as she walked barefoot. 

She felt herself get laid down on a firm bed, and a moment later, a soft, warm body slipped into the bed beside her. 

She reached out, wrapping her arms around Mordren as she squeezed herself as close to the queen as she physically could. 

"It hurts. It hurts so much… I feel like my soul is being torn apart." She mumbled, hiccuping in between. 

"I know, darling." The queen said softly. 

"This isn't going to go away, is it?" She mumbled, looking up at her. 

"It never goes away, love. Life… and you… will just grow around the pain. It dulls, but… it's never going to disappear." She said softly, gently stroking the tiefling's hair. 

Luti was quiet for a while. 

"I… told them to… to prepare the stage tomorrow for an execution. I just… I condemned him. While he watched." She mumbled. 

"You did the right thing. He might have been my son, but... what he did was unforgivable, and could have seriously jeopardised our future." She murmured, before she gently patted Luti's head. 

"It was hard… but you did the right thing." She said softly. 

"Then why do I feel so terrible?" Luti asked quietly, even though she already knew the answer. 

"I… don't have an answer for that, my little azalea. But… nobody ever said doing the right thing was easy." She said softly, squeezing the tiefling a little closer to herself.  

"Nobody ever said it was going to be so painful either." Luti mumbled, burying her head in the queen's chest. 

Mordren sighed softly, before she started to hum an Eridvaari lullaby. The same one she used when she would put her boys to bed. 

 

Sleep, sleep, my children. 

Sleep, and dream of wonders and wishes. 

Sleep, sleep, my children, and fly amongst the stars.

Sleep, sleep, my babies. 

Dream of a wonderful world. 

 

When she finished, the tiefling was fast asleep, and her own pillow was slightly damp from her tears. 

Tomorrow, she would lose another child.

Chapter 10: Execution

The castle was quiet. The bird-like chirps of the prince's wife-to-be, that were usually heard early in the morning as she tried to lure birds to her for pets- were absent. 

The sky was dark- the sun as yet unrisen over the craggy mountains of the basin. 

Gwyneira woke to the sight of her fiancee sitting at the edge of the bed, hunched over with his head in his hands. 

She sighed quietly, then crawled over to him and gently wrapped her arms around him. There was nothing she could say. What could one say to someone who was about to execute a family member? That everything was going to be okay? The idea alone was laughable. 

She slipped out of the bed, moving so she was standing in front of him, her hands on his face. 

"I'm here." She whispered, then gasped softly as he suddenly wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close without saying a word. 

She gently kissed his forehead, then stroked his hair behind his ears. 

"Thank you." He said softly, kissing her neck, before he got to his feet. "No point in delaying. Let's just… Let's just get it over with." He mumbled. His eyes were roaming. Unfocused. Like they were searching for something, or looking for a threat. 

He took two shaky steps towards his cupboard, then fell to his knees, gripping the bedpost so hard, his claws dug holes into the wood. 

She was immediately at his side, a hand pressed to his chest as she leaned into his side, supporting him. She could feel his twin hearts pounding hard, their synchronised beats a wardrum in his chest. 

He was staring blankly at the floor, and breathing quickly- erratically- hyperventilating. 

She moved in front of him again, gripping his face in her hands as she looked him in the eyes. 

"Drak. Focus on me. Focus on my voice. Slow down." She said softly, her hands reaching further up to close over his ears, shutting off the sound of his breathing. 

"Slow down." She said again, enunciating the words clearly so he could read her lips. 

She took a deep breath, then blew it out at his face. His eyes snapped to her- panicked, but focused. He looked like a wild, cornered animal. 

She did it again. 

He swallowed audibly, then took in ragged, deep breaths, which slowed down and decreased in volume until he was breathing normally. 

He closed his eyes, then groaned softly as he leaned his head forward and gently pressed it against her forehead. 

"Maybe I could just… p- pardon him or something. Give him a second chance. Show them I'm merciful. Or- or something." He mumbled. 

"You know they won't take it that way. They'll think you're weak." She whispered, rubbing his cheek. 

"Y- yeah. Yeah. I know. You're right. I can't... I can't make an exception just because he's family. They'd- they'd never trust me to uphold justice." He mumbled, before he got to his feet again, using the bedpost as support. 

"I have to do this." He mumbled as he stumbled to his wardrobe, before he paused, then looked at the armour stand. 

A set of ceremonial armour now sat on it. The armour that was there before had been taken off and placed on the floor next to it.  

He'd gotten it out of storage a couple of days ago, and it had arrived yesterday, adjusted to fit his older, bigger frame. 

The metal was soft- not meant for battle, but rather to be shaped into whatever form the smith desired. 

The helmet was shaped like a wyvern's head, with holes cut out for the horns. The pauldrons had a scaled pattern etched into them, and curled out into a curved horn. 

The bracers and greaves were shaped like a wyvern's arms and legs, and molded around the ridges on his arms and legs, which would allow the blades to pass through the armour without damaging it. 

The waist piece was a leather sash shaped like a dragon's wing, which would drape down behind him, complete with talons at the tips. There was a little hole that his tail could slip through, to manipulate the sash- probably for dramatic effects during speeches. 

The chest plate was the most ornate. The family symbol- a wyvern coiled around an Eridvaari skull- had been embossed with great detail- so much so that it almost looked like the wyvern was readying itself to pounce on the viewer. 

"He always liked our ceremonial armour. I think… it might be fitting if I wore this to… to his… to see him off." He mumbled, taking another deep breath. He couldn't even say the words as he walked over to the armour. 

His execution. 

She walked over to him and, unbidden, started to help him put on the armour. 

Once he was dressed, she stepped back to take a look at him. The armour was ferocious, for sure, but… she could see beyond it, into the eyes of the man she loved. 

He was terrified. Unsure of himself. His usual warm, loving, and slightly smug and cocky demeanor was gone. Right now, she was looking at a terrified child in a scary suit of armour. 

"I need to get dressed as well. Could you… help me out?" She asked gently, trying to keep him focused. 

He nodded, his helmet clinking faintly as he did. 

She walked to the cupboard, then pulled out a black dress with a metal corset and ornately carved pauldrons, shaped like leaves, that held a cape. 

He helped her get dressed, and they left the room. 

They'd hardly walked more than a few steps, when they saw Mordren come around the corner, Luti in tow. 

The tiefling had opted to wear a black outfit as well- a black blouse, with a chainmail coat, which was currently closed, and black trousers, complete with steel boots. 

Mordren had also chosen to wear her ceremonial armour, though her armour was more arachnoid, rather than draconic. 

Four metal spider limbs wrapped around her torso, and her helmet had gems set in it to mimic extra eyes. There was a faint weblike pattern engraved into the rest of the armour, with a single arachnoid limb going down each of her own limbs. 

"Are you ready, my son?" She asked softly. 

Drakhari shook his head. 

His mother smiled faintly. "I'd be surprised if you were. Come." She said softly, holding her hand out to him. 

He reached out and took it. Together, mother and son walked to the gates of the castle. 

Luti dropped back a little, then hesitantly held her hand out to Gwyneira. 

The elf looked at her, before she smiled and took it, giving it a reassuring squeeze. 

She'd gotten to know the tiefling woman better over the last few days. She knew just as well as anyone how much Luti loved Vaidir. 

She couldn't imagine what the poor woman was going through. Just the idea of losing Drakhari made her heart freeze. 

She couldn't imagine how shattered Luti's was, at the moment… Nor did she want to. 

They exited the castle and walked down the steps. At the bottom, she could see that they'd built a ramp to a wooden platform- likely where the execution would be held. 

Beyond the platform, a massive crowd had gathered. The street was so packed, she couldn't even see the stones beyond the line of guards preventing people from getting too close to the platform. 

They were silent, watching as the royal family took to the platform. 

Mordren stopped at the back of the platform, letting Drakhari walk to the front. 

She gestured for Gwyneira and Luti to stand at her side, which they did- Gwyneira on the far left, Luti in the middle, and Mordren on the right. 

They held hands, squeezed tightly around each other as they watched Drakhari. 

"So." He began after a long moment of silence. 

"I'm sure you're wondering why I gathered you all here before sunrise." He said, before he paused. 

"Treason. My brother, Vaidir, has betrayed me. I found a letter from the Ranger captain, thanking him for his help in locating me. With it, he aimed to secure a peaceful alliance with the Llosandrii kingdom." He said, before he shook his head. 

"An alliance built on betrayal and deceit will crumble as easily as sand does to the shifting tide. My brother may have had good intentions, but they would have doomed us all." He said, before he gestured to someone on the left. 

"Bring out the prisoner!" He called out. 

From the left, a clanking of metal was heard as Vaidir walked up the stairs to the platform. His hands, feet, and neck were bound in chains, attached to a block of metal around his wrists. 

He walked to Drakhari, before he turned towards the crowd and knelt, wincing as he did. 

"Take his chains off." Drakhari muttered to the guards. 

"But- my lord-" A guard started to protest. It would be unsafe, having the prince unbound. 

"Do not argue with me right now, Jordakhi." He growled. 

The guard nodded, then bent, quickly unlocking Vaidir's chains, before he dragged them off. 

"The blade!" Drakhari called out. 

From the right this time, a man and a woman approached, each bearing one end of a thick, massive greatsword- even bigger than the one Gwyneira used yesterday. 

At first glance, it looked like a simple greatsword. But upon closer inspection, she could tell the metal had been reforged again and again. Not to mention- it had the strange, shimmering dark colour of their bones. The sword was ancient. 

The hilt was thick, to match the size of the blade, and wrapped in a simple leather grip. It was shaped rather simply, but had a massive ruby inlaid in the pommel. 

"Ehr'daki. Executioner. It started out as a simple sword, wielded by the first king. It was then reforged with each life it took- growing heavier and heavier. A reminder to the current wielder of the weight of the lives that it has taken." Gwyneira heard Luti say softly. 

The sword was handed to Drakhari, who grunted as he gripped the hilt, then again when he carefully rested the blade on his shoulder, seeming to strain against the weight. 

"Vaidir. Brother to the crown prince, son of Queen Mordren. Do you have any last words, before I, Drakhari, crown prince of the kingdom of Erakleon, carry out your sentence?" Drakhari asked, staring straight ahead. 

"Yeah. Just one thing. Uh- a favour, really. Well- two things, I'd you'd grant me those..." Vaidir said, before he looked up at Drakhari. 

"The first… could you… wait till sunrise before you do it? I've… always liked watching it." He asked, before he tilted his head ever so slightly over his shoulder. 

"And uh… Take care of her. L- Luti. Please."  

Drakhari nodded once. 

It seemed like they waited an eternity, all eyes in the city turned towards the eastern edge of the mountains. 

Ever so slowly, the orange ball of fire crept up from between the peaks of the mountains, its easy burning away the darkness of the sky. 

Vaidir closed his eyes, smiling faintly as he felt the warmth of the rays that landed on his face. 

"That view, brother. That's something you never get tired of seeing." Vaidir said, before he looked up at Drakhari for a good few seconds, then turned, looking over his shoulder at his mother, then at Luti, and finally at Gwyneira, as if trying to burn the memory of their faces into his mind. 

He turned back to face the crowd, before he took a deep breath, then slowly exhaled. 

"I'm ready." 

He bent forward, exposing his neck, as he folded his hands behind his back. 

Drakhari grunted as he lifted the sword, then positioned himself. 

With a roar, he lifted the blade up, then brought it down. 

There was a heavy thump as it hit the wood, quickly followed by another, softer thump. 

The head fell first, and then the body fell to the side, dark red blood spurting from the stump of a neck. It quickly pooled over the wooden platform, then started to drip through onto the ground below. 

Gwyneira winced when she felt Luti's hand nearly crush hers, the tiefling dragging a foot halfway forwards. Her jaw was clenched- her eyes wide- her chest rising with sharp, short breaths. 

"No, my little azalea. No." The queen said softly, squeezing Luti's hand. The tiefling swallowed, then got back in line. Her shoulders seemed to slump, and she lowered her head, letting her tears run down her cheeks. 

Drakhari quickly picked up Vaidir's severed head. 

Kneeling, he whispered to it. She couldn't hear what he'd said, but she could have sworn that she saw a very faint smile form on Vaidir's lips when Drakhari touched his forehead to Vaidir's. 

He stood, holding the head in his hands. "I, Drakhari, crown prince of Erakleon, have carried out the execution of my brother, prince Vaidir. You have witnessed this." He said. 

There was a resonating echo from the crowd. "We have witnessed this." They said, before they bowed in unison, holding their right hand to their chest. 

Drakhari bowed back, before he straightened. He looked at the guards standing to the side, then nodded to the body. 

They quickly rushed onto the stage and carried the body off, leaving him with the head. 

"With his death, his sins, your grievances, and any ill will die with him. His debts will be borne by me. Come forward with proof, and I will clear them." He said, before he turned and started to walk off the stage. 

"There is one more matter to be announced." Mordren said loudly, making Drakhari pause, then turn to look at her with confusion. 

"Ma? What are you-?"

"I would like to announce that I am stepping down as Queen. My only remaining son, Drakhari, will be taking over." She said, holding her hand out to him. 

He stared at her in shock for a few seconds, before he quickly walked over and took her hand. 

She raised it to the crowd. 

"Long live the king!" She roared. 

"Long live the king! Long live the king! Long live the king!" They chanted, over and over again, thumping their fists against their chests, and with grins on their faces. 

To them, it was a simple story. Their beloved prince had been betrayed by their brother, found out about his failed plot, and executed the traitor, as the law dictated. 

The former queen and newly crowned king bowed, before they turned, heading off the stage. 

Gwyneira gently tugged on Luti's hand. "Hey. Luti? Come on." She said softly.

Luti tore her eyes away from the pool of blood and looked at her, her gaze unfocused. 

"R- right. Sorry." She mumbled, letting her take her by the hand and lead her off the platform. 

"You have nothing to be sorry for, Luti." Gwyneira said softly, gently squeezing the tiefling's hand. 

They followed the royals back into the castle, where they found them standing in the entrance hall. 

"I'm… going to go clean him up and put him to rest in the crypt." Drakhari murmured, looking down at Vaidir's head. 

"C- can I come?" Luti asked quietly. 

"Not for the cleaning. But you can come to the crypt." Drakhari said with a faint smile. 

She nodded slightly. "I'll be in my room. Just… come and get me once you're done." She mumbled as she walked off, hugging herself tightly as she went, her shoulders slumped slightly. 

"I'll keep an eye on her. Make sure she doesn't do anything… rash." Mordren said quietly, and Drakhari nodded. 

"Thank you, mother." He watched as she walked off, following Luti. 

He looked at Gwyneira. "If… you wouldn't mind… would you come to the crypt with us as well? I want to show you something." He said softly, smiling slightly at her.

She nodded. "Of course." She moved to him and gently squeezed the hand that wasn't holding Vaidir's head. 

"How are you holding up?" She asked quietly. She could feel his hands shaking. His breathing was shaky and irregular. He seemed to be fighting just to stay on his feet. 

"I'll… feel better once I put him to rest." He murmured, and she nodded. 

"I'll be in our room." She said softly, before she tugged him down and stood on her toes to kiss his neck- the only part she could reach while he was wearing the helmet. 

She walked off, before she paused, then turned. "Actually, on second thought... I'll stay with Luti too. She… needs people around her right now." She said with a shrug. 

Drakhari nodded, and she turned, heading to their room to change into something more comfortable before she went to see Luti. 

Drakhari watched her go, then sighed softly, before he looked down at Vaidir's head. 

"Alright, brother. Let's get you cleaned up, hm? I'll give you a bath, then take you down to the crypt. Say hi to father for me, will you?" He murmured as he walked off. 

He walked down a flight of stairs and through a dark, barely-lit hallway, at the end of which was a heavy door. 

He pushed it open, and entered a small, hexagonal room. 

In the center of the room was a small stone pillar with a deep bowl on top. The bowl was filled with a clear liquid.

From the ceiling dangled a chain with a very sharp hook at the end. 

Drakhari walked to the pillar, then grabbed the hook by the base. He dragged it down, where he pressed it to the base of Vaidir's skull. 

"This might hurt a bit. Sorry, brother." He murmured, before he pushed the hook up into his skull with a slight grimace.

"There we go. Now… we get rid of the fleshy bits." He murmured, before he reached up, gripping the chain, before he dragged it down. 

The head was immersed in the liquid, which began to violently bubble and froth as it rapidly ate away at anything organic. 

The pulling of the chain simultaneously opened vents in the ceiling, which funneled the noxious fumes out of the room. 

He looked away, waiting for the bubbling to stop. When it eventually did, he let go of the chain, which pulled Vaidir's skull out of the acid bath. 

"There we go. Nice and clean. Bet your head feels a lot lighter without the brain, huh? Heh… Not like you were using it, right?" He teased, laughing softly, before he cleared his throat.

"Sorry. Old habits. Poor joke." He muttered, before he sighed softly, staring at the steaming skull while the liquid dripped back into the bowl.

"Heh. You look a little pissed about it. Guess we could say you're steaming about it, right? Hahaha! Hah..." He trailed off, winced and then stared at the skull with an apologetic look on his face. 

"I'm going to miss you, man. I miss the times when we were kids. The amount of stupid pranks we used to play on each other…" He chuckled. 

"Remember that one time I put powdered poison ivy in your underwear right before you went to Luti for your tuition? Heh… and then you paid me back by putting a bucket of spiders on top of the door. I was terrified of them back then." He said with a laugh and a shake of his head. 

"To this day… I still have absolutely no idea where you got all those spiders, brother. Buuut… I suppose I have to commend you on a job well done." He said, chuckling, before he reached out and gently patted the skull's cheek. 

Seeing that it was safe to touch, he carefully took it off the hook.

"Then we grew up. Went our separate ways. You started focusing more on your studies, and I… well… I just went around sleeping with anything that moved." He said quietly, sighing softly, before he looked down at Vaidir's skull. 

"I feel like you would have been a better ruler. Maybe more strict, but… you would have had me there to guide you and correct you if you went too far." He smiled, then chuckled.  

"But hey. At least you got the spot next to our father. Lucky bastard." He snickered, before he brought the skull to his lips and gently kissed its forehead. 

"Now let's get you to bed, hm?" He said softly as he walked out of the room. 

He walked to Luti's room, then entered. 

He found Luti curled up on his mother, her head resting on the woman's chest as she hugged the woman tightly. Gwyneira laid at his mother's side, resting her head on her thigh. 

The queen had already changed out of her armour into something more comfortable- a simple grey blouse and black pants. 

"It's time." He said softly, and their heads rose, staring at him for a few seconds. 

They got off the bed, looking at the skull in his hands. 

Wordlessly, they fell in line, following him. 

He led them out from the rear of the castle, where a short distance away, but still within the boundaries of the castle, sat a stone mausoleum. 

Drakhari's family crest sat between the sloped roof and a ledge, engraved into the stone. Two statues held up the roof- an armoured Eridvaari man and woman. 

Drakhari walked to the iron doors, before he unlocked and pushed them open. 

The smell of stale air hit their noses, but it was only for a moment. 

Inside, torches lit the way down a flight of stone stairs that led down into earth. 

Drakhari walked forward, walking down the stairs. They descended until they entered a hallway. 

The walls and ceiling were hard-packed dirt, held up by stone arches. 

There were statues of the members of the royal family, sculpted to look as if they were in their prime. 

They walked past rows of statues, until they came to one that looked exactly like Vaidir, but without his horns. His slightly sour eyes, now made of stone, seemed to stare at them. 

"Here we are." Drakhari murmured, before he reached up to the statue's face. 

He gently pulled, and with a faint grinding noise, the statue's face slowly came off. 

Then, he carefully slotted the skull in, before he put the statue's face back on. Now, the visage was complete, with only his metal horns sticking out where they normally would. 

"There. Snug, isn't it?" Drakhari murmured, smiling as he gently patted his brother's face, before he glanced over at the statue on Vaidir's left. 

His mother had carefully removed the skull from there, then walked back over. 

"I think… your father would want to be here." She murmured, and Drakhari nodded. 

"Do you know your prayer?" Mordren asked softly, and Drakhari nodded, before he turned towards Vaidir. 

He clasped his hands and bowed his head, speaking in Eridvaari. 

"O' Balinor, Father of All; take home your son. O' Senestri, Mother of All; take him into your loving embrace. Grant him what this world could not. Grant him relief, respite, and above all, forgive him for his transgressions." Drakhari spoke, before he stepped back, then glanced at the skull in his mother's hands. 

"Hey dad." He murmured, reaching out to gently touch the skull. 

"If… anyone wants to say something… now would be the time." He murmured, gesturing to the statue. 

Luti walked to the statue first, before she took a deep breath, holding it for a few seconds, before she let it out and took another. 

"When you first professed your love for me… I turned you down. You were still young. Hardly out of your teenage years. I thought I was just… going to be some passing fancy. That you wanted me just because your brother was getting all the women you weren't. How wrong I was." She murmured, before she looked up at the statue's face. 

"It took me too long to realise you genuinely loved me. Now… now I wonder if perhaps I'd noticed sooner, maybe we would have had more time together. Maybe we could have… even had children together. I would have loved that. To see a bunch of smaller, cuter versions of us running around the castle, squealing with delight. Maybe with you chasing them to get them to put some clothes on." She giggled softly, before she shook her head. 

The others smiled slightly. That certainly would have been an amusing sight.

Yet… 

"This pain… isn't ever going to go away. I'm going to miss you, my love. I'm going to remember the time we spent together fondly- bittersweet though it may be. Goodbye, my love. Sleep well." She said softly, before she placed her hand on the statue's stomach. 

With that, she turned and left, heading to the mausoleum’s entrance.  

The queen sighed softly, then stepped up next. 

"Vai, you're my son. No matter what you did, I would have loved you regardless. You were a precocious child, and I loved that about you. You may have used that knowledge for the worse at times, but… you were a kid. What did you know?" She chuckled softly. 

"Luti loved you, you fool. Why'd you have to go and do that, hm? I know you had the kingdom's best interests at heart, but you went about it the wrong way. Whatever happened to asking your mother for help, huh? You used to come running to me at the strangest hours, book in hand, asking me to help you figure out something or the other. I miss those times, when I would just scoop you up into my lap, take your book, and figure out what you were trying to understand." She smiled, but like Luti's smiles before her, these were bittersweet and sad. 

"I'm going to miss you, my son. I'm going to miss seeing that dour face of yours every morning. I'm going to miss your grumpy, blunt truths. I'm going to miss watching you smile at Luti when you think nobody is looking. I'm going to miss you, my sweet baby boy." She said, before she reached up and wiped her tears away. 

"Goodnight, my darling. Sleep well." She said, before she stood on her toes and kissed the statue's forehead, before she walked back over to her husband's statue to put his skull back in.

After that, she walked off as well, leaving the mausoleum. 

Drakhari looked down at Gwyneira. "Do you want to say anything?" He asked softly. 

She looked up at him, then at the statue. Even now, she felt like he was staring at her with that judgmental gaze of his. He must have been scowling at the carver, too, if they'd nailed his expression so perfectly...

She walked forward, then sighed softly. She didn't have much to say, but she was going to speak nonetheless. 

"I didn't know you very well. When I first came to the castle, you wanted to have me executed. Which- kind of understandable, I suppose- I was the enemy, back then. Even as the days went by, you didn't exactly change much. You still looked at me warily wherever I went. But… as you observed me, I observed you too. I could see you loved your kingdom. I could see you loved your people. I could see you loved the person you were with. Your respect would have been difficult to earn, but… I wish you'd given me the chance to do so. I feel like… maybe we could have gotten to a friendlier level if we'd gotten to know each other. I was going to be your sister in law, you know?" She murmured, before she looked back at Drakhari, then at the statue. 

"Goodbye, Vaidir. Rest well." She murmured, before she moved back to stand at Drakhari's side. 

"Do you want to say something?" She asked softly, looking up at him. 

He nodded, then took her hand as he walked closer. 

"I said most of what I wanted to say when I was cleaning you up, so… yeah. Like I said… I'm going to miss having you around. I'm going to miss the dumb shit we used to get into. I'm going to miss teasing you, and getting roasted in return. I'm going to miss seeing that stupid smug smirk on your face every time you proved yourself right. But most of all… I'm going to miss our late night rooftop conversations." He said, before he smiled faintly. 

"Goodnight, brother. Rest well." He said softly, reaching up to pat the statue's cheek. 

He stepped back, then looked down at Gwyneira, before he gestured to the statue on Vaidir's right. 

"Look familiar?" He asked softly. 

She glanced over at the statue, then raised her eyebrows when she saw Drakhari's face carved into the stone. 

"So… You're going to be put to rest down here too?" She asked softly, and he nodded. 

"Do you want them to make one for you too? Could keep it next to mine. Could even break this one down and make one of us holding hands or something. What do you think?" He asked. 

"I'm… not entirely sure just yet." She murmured, before she looked up at him. "I kinda… wanted to be buried in the open. With nature. Not… down inside a mausoleum. No offense." She murmured, taking his hand. 

"None taken." He murmured, chuckling softly, before he bent down and scooped her up into his arms, which made her squeak and immediately wrap her arms around his neck. 

"I'll see what I can arrange. But… no need to think about that now. Gods willing, our deaths are a long, *long* way off." He said softly. 

"Hopefully." She murmured, resting her head on his chest. 

"Let's go back. Get some rest. We all need it." She said softly. 

"I agree." He headed out of the mausoleum, and shut the door behind him to leave the dead to their slumber. 

"So… I've got a few questions." Gwyneira mumbled as he slowly walked back to their room. 

"Ask away."  

"That sword. The… uhh… Ehr'daki? How is it reforged, exactly?" She asked. 

"Well… they melt the bones, then use some of it to add to the blade. The rest of it is forged into bars and returned to the family to do with as they please." He explained. 

"I see. And… how did you find out it was him?" She asked softly. 

"I told you. The letters." He responded, and she shook her head. 

"No. I mean- why did you suspect it was him?" She asked gently. 

"Ah. Well… when I was captured… I knew something was up, because… I'd only told one person my point of entry, and the day I was traveling. The others only knew that I was going, but not where I would enter or when. So… when I got back, I asked a few trusted spies to look into the matter. Couriers were found and information was… Extracted. Information that confirmed my worst fears." 

He gently pushed the door to their room open, then set her down, while he walked to the armour stand and undressed, putting each piece back in place, before he looked down at the armour on the floor. “Need to get another stand…” He mumbled to himself, before he continued. 

"My first suspicion was Vaidir, because like I said… he was the only one who knew. I was hoping and praying, while I searched, that I wouldn't find anything. Unfortunately, I did." He said quietly. 

"On the platform… I saw you whispering to Vaidir after you… did it. What did you say to him?" She asked as she changed into a long, loose nightdress. 

He was silent for a while as he changed his clothes, putting on a loose pair of shorts, and choosing to forgo a shirt. 

Just when she thought he was ignoring the question, he looked at her. 

"I said I forgave him. That I wanted him to go into the next life without any regrets. Told him I'd take care of Luti as well. Watch over her. I told him I loved him. No matter what." He murmured. 

"Ah. I could have sworn I saw him smile slightly. It was… eerie." She said, before she looked at him. 

"He smiled. I saw it too." He murmured as he walked to the bed and flopped into it, crawling towards Gwyneira. 

He slid his hands around her, and she laid down, guiding his head to her stomach. 

"Take it easy, my love. You've been through a lot." She said softly, gently stroking his hair. 

He nodded slightly, then closed his eyes. He wasn't sleepy, but… his eyes felt heavy. He wanted to sink into the bed with her forever, and just… never come back up. 

She saw his eyes flicker open a moment later, staring through the wall he was looking at. He was watching his memories- likely remembering things about Vaidir. He had a ghost of a smile on his face, too, which pretty much confirmed it. 

She leaned her head back, sighing softly as she stared at the ceiling, her mind starting to replay some of her own memories.

Healing from this was going to take a long time, but she would be there for him. 

She would be there every step of the way.

Chapter 11: The War Room

"Hey- wake up. Drak? Drak! Wake up!" 

The prince gasped, and his eyes snapped open, wildly darting over the place, until they settled on his lover's face, and his rapid breathing slowed. 

"Again?" He asked quietly. 

Gwyneira nodded slightly, then lifted a hand to rest it on his face. "The same one?" She asked quietly. 

"I think so." He murmured, closing his eyes. His head bent forward as he shuffled downwards, then rested his forehead on hers. 

His arms went around her, pulling her closer. 

She sighed softly, her hand slipping up to the back of his neck and gently running her fingers through his hair. They came away wet. Cold sweat. 

She discreetly wiped her fingers clean on his pillow behind his head, then brought her hand back to his face. 

She was about to whisper something comforting, but he spoke first. 

"What time is it?" He asked quietly. 

She looked over his shoulder at the stars in the sky. "Uhh… maybe an hour or two after midnight?" She murmured softly. 

He sighed, then sat up, running his hand through his hair, before he made a face and pulled his hand away, staring at it in disgust. 

He looked at Gwyneira, who grimaced slightly, then grinned awkwardly. 

"Want to wash my head?" He asked softly. 

"Yes please." She said as she sat up, pulling her nightdress closed. 

He stood, pulled his boxers on, then walked towards the bathroom. 

She pattered after him, then made him sit on a stool. 

She gently leaned his head forward, then ran warm water over his head, starting to wash it clean. 

"It's been a week, and… Almost every night. It's the same thing. I cut his head off, and then it turns out it's someone else. You, mother, Luti, even Rex, sometimes. Or someone from his family." He said quietly as she bathed him. 

She hummed wordlessly in response. 

"Is it ever going to go away?" He asked softly. 

"With time, patience, love, and the proper grieving process, yes." She murmured, scrubbing shampoo into his hair. 

He smiled faintly. "That's… a very clinical answer." He said wryly, and she giggled softly. 

"It's just what I was told when I asked a question about a similar situation." She murmured, massaging his scalp. She smiled when he started to purr, his tail swishing happily. 

"I mean… it's good advice, even if the delivery was a little cold." He grinned, snickering softly as his tail smacked her butt. 

Her hands paused, then she flipped the tap over to the cold side. 

"How's this for a cold delivery!?" She huffed as she sprayed his head down with icy water. 

He gasped, his tail coiling around her and squeezing hard, before he laughed, then shook his head like a dog drying itself. 

She squealed as the icy water splashed onto her, then laughed as well. 

Their laughter continued for a few seconds, before it slowly died off, and two of them gazed at each other, faint smiles on their faces. 

"Just one person who can make me smile even after a nightmare." He said softly, taking her hand, before he kissed it. 

"Also... Who?" He asked quietly.

She smiled warmly, then leaned forward and kissed his forehead. "Because I love you, and you know it." She whispered in his ear, then smirked, which made him chuckle. "As for your question... Maybe some other time, my love." She whispered. 

"Mmh. Fair enough. You want to eat something?" He asked as he stood, toweling his hair dry. 

"Iiiii could… go for a snack right now, sure." She said as she stood and rested a hand on his hip. 

"Good. Follow me." He said as he walked out of the bathroom, tossing the towel onto a hook as he went. 

"Aren't you gonna put some clothes on?" She asked as she followed.

"Who's even awake at this time?" He asked wryly. 

"Guards?" She answered as she dragged a blanket off the bed, wrapped it around herself, and scuttled after him like some sort of small blanket monster, trailing the cloth behind her. 

"Besides them." He murmured, chuckling softly. 

"Us." She said as she grabbed his tail, holding onto it as he walked. 

"Yeah. Just us." He murmured as he walked through the hallways, heading down into the kitchen. 

He walked in, then suddenly stopped, causing Gwyneira to bump into him from behind with a soft grunt. 

"Hey ma. Can't sleep?" He asked, and Gwyneira heard a heavy sigh from inside. 

"No… And why are you in your boxers, honey?" She heard the queen reply. 

"Wasn't expecting anyone else to be awake either." He said as he walked into the kitchen. 

Gwyneira, still holding onto his tail, stumbled into the kitchen, then froze in front of the queen, who raised an eyebrow as she stared at the elf wrapped up in the blanket. 

She smiled, then chuckled. "Hello, Gwyneira. You look… enchanting." She said, letting out a noise halfway between a giggle and a snort. 

"Oh come off it, mother. Don't be mean." Drakhari said wryly as he rooted around inside a cupboard, while Gwyneira hid her red face behind the blanket. 

"I'm not! She looks adorable!" She said with a laugh. 

"She always does." The prince murmured, before he looked over his shoulder. "What do you want to eat, love?" He asked. 

"Whatever you're having." She murmured, moving over to sit next to the queen, who leaned over and ruffled her hair with a warm smile. 

"Hm. Okay then." Drakhari murmured, before he pulled out two slices of bread, then walked over to a large metal box. He opened it, then pulled out a jar. 

The metal box seemed to be carved with magic runes, which kept the metal cold to the touch, judging by the mist that came out when he opened it. 

He walked back to the counter, then unscrewed the top, before he dipped a knife into the jar, and started to spread a thick white paste over the bread. 

Once he was done, the jar was returned to the metal box, and he set a plate down on the table, which he slid over to Gwyneira. 

She looked down at it, then picked it up and bit into it. Her ears rose, as did her eyebrows. 

The paste was quite sweet and creamy. It was- in fact, cream, but much thicker and richer than any she'd ever had before, and definitely much sweeter. 

"Oh wow. This is… really good." She murmured, tilting her head slightly as she chewed. 

"It's the favourite snack of almost every kid in this country." Drakhari said with a chuckle, before he raised his finger. 

"They also sell this in bakeries in the city, in like this… kinda… bread that you can pull apart. And it's filled with this cream." He murmured, making a gesture of pulling something apart with his hands. 

"Pretty sure that's deep fried." Mordren mused. 

"Is it? The bakery I used to get them from, they weren't greasy enough to have been deep fried." Drakhari shrugged.  

Gwyneira chuckled softly. "We have something similar back home. I used to eat it when I was a kid. At least we have something in common." She muttered, chuckling faintly. 

Drakhari sighed, then reached across the table, giving her hand a gentle squeeze. "Hey. Come on. Don't go there." He said softly, rubbing his thumb over the back of her hand. 

She hummed in response, then gently pushed her hand against his, turning his hand over onto its back. 

She laid her hand in his, staring at it. Pale, milky white skin against a black so dark, even she had trouble spotting him at night, sometimes. 

She turned her hand over, spreading her fingers out across his palm, then gently touched her fingertips to his. 

She sat in silence for a while, before she looked up at him. "When we get married… we're going to be uniting two lifelong enemies. You realise that, right?" She asked softly. 

He nodded.  

"And after that… I'm going back home. With you. And your army." She murmured, her hand closing into a fist. 

He smiled, and his hand closed around hers. "That's something I'm looking forward to." He said as he squeezed gently. 

She smirked slightly. "At least you'll have inside information." She said, before she raised a finger. 

"There's just… some people I want you to spare, okay? They're not… all evil." She murmured, shrugging. 

"I know. I'm looking at an example right now." Drakhari said with a chuckle. 

"First off… no hurting the citizens. If we hurt them, we show them we're no better than the monsters they imagined us to be. Second, the only people I want you to spare in the castle are the captain of the guard, the librarian, and the servants and cooks. Slaughter each and every guard. For the king's guard specifically, I want you to make an example of them. I'll leave it up to you to do as you see fit, but I want the message to be quite clear. My father's rule is gone. Anyone who supports or supported him will share the same fate." She said, before she smiled coldly. 

"And my father, of course. Spare him. I've got something… Special planned for him." She murmured. 

Drakhari grinned- the savage kind that pulled his cheeks apart to expose his sharp, metallic teeth. "I'll see to it, my love." He murmured.

"Somehow, the fact that it's coming from the most gentle person I know, who is currently wrapped up in a blanket and munching on a children's snack… makes it even more terrifying. You sure know how to pick ‘em, honey." Queen Mordren said with a snicker. 

"I certainly do, mother. I certainly do." Drakhari said with a smile, giving Gwyneira's hand a gentle squeeze. 

The next day, the first of their allies to arrive were the orcs. There were three diplomats and their bodyguards. 

They marched into the throne room, then bowed to Drakhari, who was sitting on the throne. 

"Greetings, my liege." The diplomat said, before he gestured to himself. "My name is Rakhar, and this-" He gestured to his right, to a younger looking orc- who couldn't have been more than twenty five years old. "- Is my son, Kha'dakk, and this-" He gestured to his left, to an older, heavily scarred orc. 

"- Is my brother, Harkatt." He said, and the orcs bowed at the waist as they were introduced. 

"Welcome." Drakhari said as he stood, stepping down from his throne as he walked to the orcs. 

He gripped the forearm of each, then smiled. "We've got your rooms prepared. I'll have a servant show you to them. I hope you brought some tea along? We'll be needing it when the others get here." He said, snickering. 

The diplomat chuckled and patted a pouch on his waist. "Of course, King Drakhari. We never go anywhere without it." He said, grinning in return. 

An Eridvaari servant appeared, seemingly out of thin air, and gestured for the orcs to follow him as he led them out. 

"What was that about tea?" Gwyneira asked as the orcs left. 

"They drink this kind of… fragrant tea. It's kind of soothing. We're going to need soothing drinks when we get to the war table. Trust me on that." He said wryly. 

"Oh, I believe you." She murmured as she leaned back in the queen's throne. It still felt strange to sit where the former queen sat, but in the words of the queen herself, she "made up for the size difference with her attitude", and fit right in. 

Two days later, the tieflings arrived. This time, Luti was in the throne room with them. 

Like the orcs, only three tieflings had arrived. One with dark red skin, one with dark purple skin, and the third, walking in front, was an albino. 

The albino bowed first, and the other two quickly followed. "Greetings, King Drakhari." He said, before he gestured to himself. 

"My name is Palokin. This is Korden, and this is Phaedra." He said, gesturing to the red and purple ones in turn. 

"Welcome." Drakhari said with a grin as he stepped off his throne, walking forward to shake hands with each of them. 

"I hope we're not the last ones to arrive?" Palokin asked with a smile. 

"Oh no no. The second ones. None of our allies have to worry about arriving last. I know exactly who is going to arrive last." He said with a chuckle, before he gestured for a servant to come forward. 

"I have your rooms prepared. Please- follow him, and he'll show you to them." Drakhari smiled as he gestured to the servant. 

The dignitaries bowed, then turned and followed the servant out of the room. 

Drakhari looked at Luti and raised an eyebrow. 

"They're good people. Nothing to worry about there." She said quietly, smirking at him. 

He nodded. "Better to have an additional source of verification. Just… y'know. Just in case." He shrugged.   

"So uh- who's the one who's going to arrive last?" Gwyneira asked, quickly changing the topic. 

"Ah. Our beloved, betentacled neighbours. Rex told me to send his father a message only after everyone else had arrived. Which- I don't blame him. They literally just have to- y’know- walk out of their lake. No point in them staying for several days while the others arrive, no?" Drakhari said as he walked back to his throne and sat down. 

"Hm. I suppose that's true. Where is Achyrex, anyway?" Gwyneira asked, tilting her head. 

"At home." 

"Which home, King Drakhari?" Luti asked wryly. 

"The underwater one, you brat." He grumbled, while she snickered. 

Gwyneira smiled slightly. This was good. They were smiling, at the very least. The pain was still there, but… they were starting to recover. 

She supposed it was made easier by the Eridvaari’s belief that the souls of their departed were still- in part- attached to the bones of the owner. In a way, it was like he was still there, in spirit. 

"So the Dragonborn are up next." Luti mused.

"Wait- Dragonborn?" Gwyneira asked, leaning forward in her seat to look at the tiefling, who grinned back at her. 

"Oh yes. The one warrior race that can come close to the Eridvaari in physical strength. And they can perform magic!" She said with a grin. 

"Why do you sound so excited to see them?" Drakhari asked wryly, squinting at her. 

"You'd like it if a group of scantily clad women with weapons walked in with weapons too, no? Same thing!" She huffed.  

"I mean, if I want a scantily clad woman with a weapon, all I have to do is ask nicely." He said, thumbing over to Gwyneira. 

"That's- that's not what I- nevermind." Luti sighed, before she shook her head. The faint smile that was there slowly faded, and she stared sadly at the door, almost as if she wished a certain someone else would walk through it. 

It did open, but not to the visitor she was expecting. 

The familiar, faint squicking of tentacles moving across the floor reached their ears. "Hey. We on time?" Achyrex asked, grinning. 

"Early, actually. We're still waiting for the Dragonborn dignitaries to arrive." Drakhari said with a laugh. 

"Really? Shit. Okay, fine, I'll come back later." He replied, turning to head back out. 

"Stay here, you butthead. Might as well, now that you're here." Drakhari said with a laugh as he got down from the throne and walked to him. 

Achyrex turned and grinned. "With an invitation like that, how could I refuse?" He laughed. They gripped each others' forearms, and Achyrex stared at Drakhari, scrutinising him. 

"How are you holding up?" He asked quietly. 

"Uhh… I'm- I'm doing okay." He mumbled, waving dismissively. 

"Don't lie to me. You know I hate it when people lie to me." He said immediately, and Drakhari sighed heavily. 

"Well… truth be told, I'm… uhh… I miss him. Even- even despite what he did." He said quietly. 

"There's nothing wrong with that. He was your brother. He was family." Achyrex said softly, before his eyes darted momentarily over to Luti. 

"How's she?" He whispered. 

"That's… not my question to answer." He whispered back with a gentle squeeze of his arm. 

"Right. I'll talk to her later." He whispered back, before he nodded over his shoulder. "Dad will be coming soon. Ish. Probably after the Dragonborn dignitaries get here. I couldn't wait." He said with a shrug. 

"I figured as much. Well, you've got the usual room." Drakhari smiled. 

"Perfect. That being said, I think I shall retire to my quarters. See you later, you oversized asshole." Achyrex said with a grin as he gave Drakhari an informal salute. 

"Is that really how you address a king, you betentacled bitch?" Drakhari asked wryly. 

"You're not a king until the coronation ceremony is over, dickhead!" Achyrex yelled over his shoulder as he left the room. 

Drakhari snickered and shook his head, before he returned to his throne. "He's got a point. We should have the ceremony while the dignitaries are here." He mused. 

"Already planned for it, your majesty. We'll be doing it after all the dignitaries arrive, and before they leave." Luti replied with a faint smile. 

"You really are indispensable, you know that?" He smirked at her. She bowed her head in thanks, with a slight smile on her face. 

It was another day or two of waiting until the Dragonborn arrived. 

The doors swung open, and three reptilian creatures walked through. 

They stood well over seven feet tall, close to eight, even, but they were still a good two feet shorter than the king. 

The dignitary in the front was a heavily armoured, silver-scaled woman, who bowed her head to Drakhari. "King Drakhari. It has been a while." She said with a slight smirk on her reptilian muzzle. 

"Thrak. The pantry raider. I was hoping they'd send you." Drakhari said with a laugh as he got off his throne. 

The Dragonborn grunted, then laughed as Drakhari hugged her tightly, and slapped his back, returning the hug. 

"Yeah? Why is that? Because I am the best warrior out of our allies?" She asked with a grin. 

"Pretty much. We need more people with actual frontline experience." He said with a shrug, and she chuckled. 

"A woman in a room full of men, all of whom imagine their experience to be the most. It will certainly be interesting, Drakhari." She said with a chuckle, before she slapped his arm. 

"Now then. I will retire to my quarters. Let us convene at the War Table soon, yes? Sooner the better. I would like to return home to Braghdar soon." She said with a grin. 

He nodded. "Of course." Drakhari patted her shoulder, before he gestured for a servant to lead the dignitaries away while he headed back to his throne. 

"Pantry raider?" Gwyneira asked when the room had emptied. 

"Well… that woman is famous for her appetite. At the last banquet, she drank an entire barrel- I repeat- an entire barrel- of honeyed ale, and then proceeded to clean up two whole roast boars. Then, she was so drunk that she somehow made her way to the kitchen stores, and fell asleep on a few sacks of flour while munching on biscuits. Thus, she earned the nickname Pantry Raider." He laughed.  

"Hm. Drop a letter, and we've got a suitable nickname for you, too." Gwyneira teased, grinning at him. 

Luti immediately snorted, and tried to disguise it as a cough, while Drakhari blew a raspberry at both of them. 

"Mean." He huffed. 

"I'm never pulling my punches with you, big guy." She murmured, giggling softly, before she reached up and tugged on one of his horns, dragging him down for a kiss, which he was all too happy to accept. 

"Now... If you're all done with today's meetings, let's head back to the room. I wish to discuss floral arrangements with you." Gwyneira said, then grinned when Drakhari sighed. 

He took her hand, and they retired for the rest of the day. 

 

That night, Achyrex carefully unlocked the door, then slunk out of his room, leaving his door just slightly ajar. He glanced up at the moon. Just after midnight, he supposed. 

He slowly made his way out, and then down to the little secret garden. 

As he suspected, the tiefling was there, sitting at a stone table, and staring up at the moon. 

"You know, some people say you'll go blind if you do that." He said, just loudly enough for her to hear. 

Luti gasped softly when he spoke, then quickly got to her feet and bowed to him. 

"I- I apologise, my lord- I didn't see you there." She said softly. 

"No need for all that. I'm not here in an official capacity." He waved a hand as he walked closer. 

"Sit. Please. May I?" He asked softly, placing a hand on the empty chair. 

"Uhh- s- sure. I guess. H- how did you even know about this place?" She asked softly as she sat back down. 

"I've explored every inch of this castle since I was a kid, Luti. You should know." He said wryly, smiling at her. 

She smiled slightly. "Right. Yeah." She mumbled. 

They sat in silence for a while. 

"You used to argue with him so much…" She murmured, looking over at Achyrex. 

"It didn't change even when I grew up, let's be real." He said wryly, which made her giggle softly. 

"It certainly didn't. But… You've changed and grown a lot. You were this rambunctious little hatchling- always getting into fights, arguments, and breaking things. You broke one of my prized kettles, you know." She said wryly. 

He winced. "I did? I don't even remember." He murmured. 

"Ohh- hoho- you broke a lot of things, buddy. You have nooo idea." Luti chuckled and shook her head. 

"But… that's all in the past. You've grown. You're going to be ruling your kingdom soon." She said with a smile.

"Yeah. I'm… still… not sure I can handle that responsibility." He muttered, before he frowned slightly, then shot her a look. 

"I didn't come here to talk about myself." He said firmly. 

Luti sighed. She knew why he'd come, but was hoping she could steer the conversation in a different direction before he noticed. He was a little too sharp for that, unfortunately. 

She looked away, going back to staring at the moon. 

"Luti… are you okay?" He asked quietly. 

"Of course I'm not. What kind of question is that?" She said icily, before she sighed. 

"I'm- I'm sorry. I didn't mean to lash out. I- I just feel a little…" She trailed off. 

"Lost? Confused? Wishing you could turn time back? Wishing you had a few more minutes with him?" Achyrex asked softly. 

She nodded. "Something like that. Yeah." She mumbled, then swallowed. 

She heard a sigh, followed by the sound of a chair being dragged. 

He set it down in front of her, then reached out and gently took her hands. 

"Talk. Don't hold anything back." He said softly. 

She stared at him. Her mouth opened and closed a few times, while tears began to well. 

"I- it's- it's just- I- there's so much- where do I even-?" She mumbled, her vision starting to blur from the tears. 

She felt, more than saw, his hands reaching up to gently wipe the tears out of her eyes. 

"Start from the beginning." He whispered, smiling gently at her. 

She blinked the tears out of her eyes, then gulped, focusing on his eyes. 

"I… first realised he was in love with me when… when he started spending a lot more time with me. Drakhari was always out doing something or- well- someone- heh- I really should not be talking about the king like that." She mumbled. 

Achyrex chuckled softly and moved closer, gently squeezing her hands. "It's okay. I know all about his past too." He murmured. 

"Yes… a- anyway- he'd always hang around me. Strike up conversations. Then- the gentle touches, caresses, lingering gazes… I… I was the one who asked. Whether he liked me. He was quite honest- said he'd admired me for a long time. That he didn't look at me as a teacher anymore." She murmured, before she tilted her head back, her gaze returning to the moon. 

"He wanted to keep it a secret. He was afraid his brother would get jealous, and try to steal me away. Heh… amusing, but not entirely unfounded. I agreed. We kept our love a secret. For a year. Then… I told the Queen. I told her I wanted to marry him. She was more than happy to give her blessing. We would have gotten married right after Drakhari did. A joint wedding would have been adorable, but a little unrealistic. I'm- I'm sure Gwyneira has her own ideas, and I've got mine, and I didn't wanna step on her toes and all that, so I-" She was cut off by Achyrex squeezing her hands. 

"You're rambling, Luti." He said softly. 

"R- right. Yes. Yes I am. Apologies. A- anyway- What he did… it… it felt like twice the betrayal. The first to me, and the second to the family. I'm part of the family. Yet… he still…" She trailed off, his last words to her floating through her mind. 

She squeezed Achyrex's hands tightly as she forced his voice out of her head. Whatever his reasoning, what he did was still unforgivable. Even she knew that. 

But what if she'd done something? What if she'd realised it earlier? What if she'd seen the signs? How could she have been so stupid to miss something like that? 

"Hey." 

Achyrex’s voice jarred her out of her thoughts, and she turned to face him. 

"I know that look. You're wondering if you did something wrong. Please. Don't go down that path. It never leads anywhere good." He said softly. 

She stared at him for a while. How was he able to read her so easily? He barely knew her… 

She sighed softly. "How can you tell? Have you… lost someone as well?" She asked quietly. 

He nodded slightly. "Her name was Marisa. She… got sick. The kind of sickness you can't cure. Well- you can, but… we caught it too late." He murmured. 

"I'm- I'm sorry." She whispered. 

"It's okay." He murmured, shaking his head. "It was a long time ago." He murmured. 

"How did- how did you deal with the pain? Because- because right now, it feels like there's a knife in my chest. A knife, right in my heart, and every beat is shredding it to ribbons." She whispered. 

"What worked for me was… focusing on the times we had together. The good times. It gave me this… sort of fuzzy, bittersweet sensation. Eventually… the pain fades a little." He said softly. 

"Will… Will you…" Luti seemed to choke up, fresh tears starting to form. 

"Will I what?" He asked softly. 

"Will you help me? Please?" Her voice broke at the end, and she squeezed his hands tightly as she bit her lip, trying to stifle the tears that started to pour. 

"Of course." He said softly, then leaned forward, wrapping his arms around her and squeezing her in a tight hug. 

"Thank you." She whispered, squeezing back just as hard, desperate for something- anything to hold on to, as hot, fresh tears rolled down her cheeks. 

They parted after a minute or two, and Luti sat back in her seat, wiping at her damp eyes, before she focused on Achyrex's eyes. 

"Promise." She whispered. 

He smiled slightly. It was a warm smile, but with a hint of mischief. "I promise." He murmured, squeezing her hands. 

She narrowed her eyes, then sighed. "If you're planning something stupid, I'm going to end your whole bloodline. Keep that in mind." She grumbled. 

He chuckled, then shook his head. "Nothing planned. Don't worry." He said as he got up and dragged his chair back to the other side of the table. 

"Now then… got any more snacks for the tea?" 

Luti sighed and gestured to the plate of cake. "I suppose you deserve a little thank-you." She murmured, a ghost of a smile on her lips as she watched him munch on the slices. 

 

The morning found Gwyneira airing some grievances with her husband. 

"What do you mean they don't allow women in the War Room? That's just- that's just silly!" Gwyneira said, frowning at Drakhari. 

"I know, but-" 

"That's a tradition that shouldn't even be around!" 

"I know, but-" 

"So typical of men. Keep women out of spaces that they claim as "their own", and then get surprised when their plan backfires on them!" 

"I know, but-" 

"Besides, they're planning to let that Dragonborn woman in, aren't they? What's stopping them from letting me in!?" She huffed, crossing her arms and glaring at him. 

He stared at her in silence this time, waiting till he was sure she was done. 

"As I was trying to say-" 

His hand shot out, his fingers pinching her cheeks together when she opened her mouth to say something before he finished. 

"Let me finish. As I was trying to say, I'm going to try and get you in the War Room. You lived in the kingdom. You'll be a valuable asset, and they would be fools not to listen to you." He said, then sighed. Gods. He'd finally gotten a word in. 

She glared at him from under her puffed up cheeks, before she stuck her tongue out at him. 

He smiled, then chuckled and let go of her face. "As for why they let Thrak in, it's because she proved herself on the battlefield, both as a highly capable warrior, and a leader. You might know tactics and battle strategy, but she's been on the front lines." He murmured, poking Gwyneira's nose, which made her instantly chomp down on the offending finger. 

He chuckled, then shook his head as he wiggled his finger around in her mouth. "I'd like my finger back, Ek'rai." He murmured wryly. 

"No." She grumbled from around his finger. 

"Alright then. In any case, we'll still need your insight on what we'll be going up against, so yes… you'll be getting in the War Room." He murmured, leaning forward to plant a kiss on her forehead. 

"Good." She huffed, letting go of his finger. 

He smiled, then wrapped his arms around her, pulling her on top of himself as he fell back onto the bed. 

She straddled him, then leaned forward, sliding her hands into his. His hands gently closed around hers, enveloping them in darkness. 

"What?" She asked softly, tilting her head. 

"I can't wait for the day we get married." He said softly, smiling at her. 

She smiled back, then moved so she was sitting a little higher up on his body. "Should we do it after the coronation, then? Preferably before we head off to war. I want us to go as husband and wife." She murmured, her hands moving to cup his cheeks. 

"Sounds good to me." He murmured, his hands gently rubbing against her forearms, before they slid up and wrapped around the back of her head, pulling her down for a kiss. 

Their tongues intertwined, twirling and dancing around each other as they shared a passionate kiss. 

She let out a soft gasp when he rolled, pinning her underneath him. His hands moved to her wrists, keeping them pinned down to the bed as he rose, looking down at her. 

Her flushed, pretty face stared back up at him, lips slightly parted, as her glittering blue eyes searched his. 

"Why the fuck are you so pretty?" He whispered, and before she could respond, locked their lips together again. 

She cooed softly, her hands coming down to rest on his face, while her legs locked around him, pulling him close. 

She grunted softly as she was hugged tightly, causing her back to pop in a few places. 

She ran her hands through his hair, then gently tilted his head up to get a look at his face. 

"You're pretty handsome too, my love." She said with a giggle, before she leaned closer to kiss his lips. 

She let go of his face, and he shifted slightly downward, resting his head against her chest. 

She leaned her cheek into his upturned horns, while her hands gently ran through his hair and caressed his face. 

"Let's just… stay like this for a while?" He asked softly. 

"Sure. I don't mind." She replied, gently patting his cheek. 

She could feel the thrumming of his twin hearts against her body. He had loud, strong hearts. It was almost soothing, listening to them every time she slept.  

He too, had his ear pressed up against her chest, listening to the thumping of her singular heart. 

In silence they laid, arms around each other, only the sounds of their breaths and heartbeats filling their ears. 

Her hands ran through his hair, massaging the base of his horns, and eventually over his face, caressing it gently- as if to remember every little detail. He was silent until she brushed her hand against his ears. 

He gasped softly, and she raised an eyebrow, before she gently gripped his ear and rubbed her thumb against the tip. 

He let out a soft moan, then raised his head, staring grumpily at her while she grinned. 

"I'm just glad I remembered you have the same weakness I do." She whispered, giggling. 

"Doesn't matter. You still can't reach it, most of the time." He said with a smirk, forgetting his ear was still in her hands. 

A quick little rub brought him right back down from his high horse, forcing out a low moan in the process. 

"Maybe so, but you seem to have forgotten that I can reach it right now." She teased, grinning at him. 

She rubbed it some more, and he shuddered, letting out another moan as he gripped her thighs. 

She bit her lip. She was enjoying this… just a little bit. Nothing wrong with that! 

She gasped when her pants were tugged down, but quickly shut her legs before he could get his head in between them. 

"No… not until you get me into the War Room." She cooed, grinning at him. 

He shot her a glare, followed by a low, rumbling growl. 

He moved slowly, crawling on top of her. She brought her knees underneath him, pressing them against his body so he couldn't get inside her. 

"I'm going to break you tonight, princess." He whispered, gently caressing her cheek with the back of his hand. 

"As soon as we're done with dinner… you're not going to be sleeping until I'm satisfied. Is that clear?" He whispered.

His husky voice sent a shiver up her spine. She was excited… Maybe she should do this more often… Tease him until he finally gave in and just railed her senseless. It was certainly an exciting prospect! 

Besides… It kept him distracted from the other thing. 

"Crystal clear." She whispered, keeping her knees up until he pulled away from her. 

She hurriedly got her pants back on, even as she saw his nose twitching, his eyes drawn to the spot between her legs. 

As soon as her pants were back on, his eyes met hers. 

"You're playing a daaangerous game, princess." He whispered, before he leaned forward and kissed her lips. 

"Now… come. It's time to discuss strategy." He murmured as he stood, not even trying to hide the straining bulges in his pants. 

"Right." She mumbled, scrambling off the bed and taking a change of clothes out of the cupboard. 

She could feel his hungry gaze on her while she changed. She smirked. If he wanted a show, he'd get one. 

She changed slower than she normally would- making sure to "accidentally" flash herself to him as much as she could, by bending over to pick up clothes she'd dropped, seemingly nonchalantly running her hands over her breasts or her hips, and giggling at nothing to herself just to tick him off further. 

It worked. By the time she was dressed, he was glaring at her with mixed frustration, lust, and amusement in his eyes, and a slight smirk on his face. 

She'd chosen a dress with metallic frills, sharpened into a blade's edge. A simple twirl would leave a lot of cuts in someone who happened to be standing too close. 

Drakhari had opted for a jacket with pauldrons, and nothing underneath, and a pair of pants with greaves and thigh plates. 

"No shirt?" She murmured, nodding to his bare chest. "Showing off for the guys?" She asked, snickering. 

"Nope. Just for you." He, smirked right back at her as he held his hand out. 

"Shall we, my love?" He asked softly, and she smiled. She took his hand, then looked up at him. 

"I'll just observe. At first. I'll only say something when I absolutely have to. I promise." She murmured. 

"I think they'd prefer you stayed silent for the duration of the meeting." He said wryly as he walked out of the room, holding her hand. 

"I'm aware, but we both know that's not going to happen." She said with a snicker.

He sighed heavily. "Yes. Yes, I'm aware. Painfully so." He murmured, and she giggled. 

"Don't be such a bore. They're going to love me!" She said cheerily. 

"I already don't like where this is going…" He muttered. 

A few minutes later, they stood in front of a wooden door with two guards posted outside. 

They bowed their heads when they saw the king, but frowned slightly when they saw Gwyneira. 

"Uhh- sire, I don't think- um-" One guard started to say, before he was swiftly cut off.

"Keep it that way, Makhairi. Open the door." He said. 

The other guard stifled a snort, and Drakhari's eyes shot to him. "Something funny, Kaveiri?" He asked, tilting his head. 

"N- no sire. Apologies, sire." He mumbled, swallowing and staring straight ahead, trying his hardest to stifle his laughter. 

"Good. Door, please." He said, gesturing with both hands to it. 

The guards looked at each other, then at Gwyneira, before the first one sighed and turned, opening the door. 

"The King of Erakleon, Drakhari Rai'vaardi, and the Lady Gwyneira!" The guard announced as they entered. 

She followed Drakhari inside, standing at his side. 

Inside, the first thing that caught her eyes was in the center of the room- a large round table with an expertly made model of the kingdoms sitting on it.

No- it was carved into the table. Whoever had made this had put a lot of time and effort into it. The model had even been painted with vibrant colours to match the landscape. 

Around the table were seats, and from a drawer jutting out of the table, she could see Palokin pulling out little figurines. 

Nearby sat a little drink trolley with a large pitcher of tea, and five cups. 

All activity in the room ceased when she walked in, and all eyes turned to her. 

Thrak and Palokin grinned, but Rakhar, the orcish dignitary, and Adira, Achyrex's father, frowned. 

"King Drakhari, this is highly irregular." Rakhar said, crossing his arms. 

"I'm aware. But we've got inside information on the enemy. Why not use it?" He said as he walked towards the table and plopped himself into a seat. 

"The Lady's information could have been enclosed in a report. There was no need to bring her all the way here for nothing." Rakhar said, before he glanced at Gwyneira, then back at Drakhari.

"Not to mention- what if she provides incorrect or falsified information? It's her kingdom we're going after. No matter how much she says she's okay with it, we cannot be absolutely certain." Adira said, leaning back in his seat. 

Gwyneira's hands balled into fists, but she said nothing. If she said anything, that would be all they needed to get her out. They didn't want "emotional" people there, right? Instead, she strode over to the trolley and poured herself and Drakhari a cup of tea. 

"Out of my love for your son, I'm going to pretend I didn't hear you insinuating my wife would sabotage and betray us, King Adira." Drakhari said curtly, before he looked the Losavaari king dead in the eyes. 

"You already know how we deal with traitors around here, I'm sure." He said coldly. 

There was a tense silence in the room while the two kings glared at each other. The tension in the air was so thick it could be cut with a knife. 

"I say we let her sit and watch. What's the worst that could happen?" Palokin said with a shrug, in an attempt to break the ice. 

"There you go fuckin' jinxing it again, you godsdamned twink." Thrak groaned, sighing as she hung her head. "Need I remind you what happened last time!?" 

"Listen- that was not my fault!" 

"Sure happened right after your big mouth said "oh, what could possibly go wrong?"! Who spent a week cleaning slime out of her armour? That's right- me!" 

"To be fair- you didn't see where you were going! Why is that my fault!?" 

The two of them glared at each other for a while, before they snorted and devolved into a fit of giggles and snorts. 

Their contagious laughter lowered the tension at the table considerably. 

Drakhari and Adira smirked slightly at each other. 

"My apologies, King Drakhari." The man murmured, bowing his head. 

"You have mine as well. I did not arrive in the best of tempers." He chuckled, before he cast a glance to the side at Gwyneira. 

She stared back at him, and her tongue stuck out- just the tiniest bit, so the others couldn't see. 

Rakhar sighed heavily, then shook his head. "Very well. She can stay. Purely in an observational capacity, I hope." He murmured, shaking his head. 

Drakhari nodded to the seat beside himself, and Gwyneira sat, placed between Thrak and Drakhari, and slid his cup over to him. 

She stared at the model on the table for a minute, her eyes roving over the peaks, valleys, and plains of the land. 

"How accurate is this?" She asked softly, nodding to the model.

"Pinpoint. Not even a tree out of place." Drakhari said, before he smiled and nodded to the table. "Take a closer look at the forest near our castle." 

She blinked, then peered closer. Her eyes widened when she saw movement in the trees- birds flitting about, the strange deer-like creatures walking in herds, and even the odd Eridvaari walking through the forest. 

She immediately turned her gaze to the city, where she saw Eridvaari walking the streets. 

"Is this… happening right now?" She asked. 

"Mmhm. Real-time updates. We can see movement of people, but beyond the borders, we have no sight." Drakhari explained, pointing to the mountain ranges that bordered his kingdom. 

"That's… still incredible." Gwyneira murmured, and he chuckled. 

"This piece is ancient. Our ancestors had it made. No clue who made it though." He murmured, running his hand along the edge of the table. 

"It's very old, and very powerful magic." He murmured, before he gave the table an affectionate pat. 

"Now then. I believe we're all here for something else. Palokin, if you will?" He murmured, gesturing to the table. 

"Right. So!" The tiefling scurried around to the side where their lands were. "So the plan is, we amass our armies here." He said, pointing to Erakleon. 

"It's the only place with enough space to accommodate all your armies." He said, before he raised a finger and looked at Gwyneira. 

"I say "your", because we- well- don't have much of a standing army to speak of. However, we have the largest spy and assassination network in all the lands. We've got an army, yes, but it's nowhere near as large as the ones they have." He murmured, gesturing to the others at the table. 

"In any case!" He continued before anyone could speak, and pointed at a pass on the map. 

"Fastest route to the kingdom of Llosandrii is here- through the pass, so I say we take the pass, and-" 

"You'll get annihilated." Gwyneira mused, and the table fell silent. 

"Care to elaborate?" Rakhar asked, raising an eyebrow. 

She sipped her tea, then set it down at the edge of the table, before she stood and leaned forward, pointing at the ridges that overlooked the pass.

"They'll most likely station centaurean archers here. They're incredibly accurate marksmen, and they'll have the advantage of high ground. Also-" Her finger moved a few inches away, to a large hole in the ground. 

"If I recall correctly, there's a quarry here. They can easily get boulders from here to roll down onto the army." She explained, before she pointed to the side of the pass. 

"Going from around would take a few more days, but it would be a lot safer." She said, before she sat back down and sipped on her tea. 

It was pretty good. Strong, with a faint fruity taste. She couldn't pinpoint exactly what it was. There was definitely some kind of berry, and… something a little sweet. Whatever it was, it was good. Some cinnamon had been mixed in too, most likely. 

"We can send Naraak riders to clear out the sides of the pass, no?" Adira asked, glancing at Drakhari. 

"Why? Target practice for the archers? Because that's exactly what they're going to wind up as. Target practice." Gwyneira retorted, taking another sip as she looked at Adira. 

"Do not underestimate the centaurean archers. When I say they don't miss… I mean they don't miss." She said softly, before she looked at Drakhari. 

"What does the army composition look like?" She asked, raising an eyebrow. 

"Well… the majority of our vanguard is going to be made up of Eridvaari, orcs, and dragonborn. Eridvaari and Dragonborn are the only ones that have ranged units that are capable of long distance shooting. Dragonborn have aerial ranged units. The tieflings and the orcs will make up the bulk of our spellcasters, with some from Dragonborn and Eridvaari in the mix." He said, gesturing to the figurines on the table. 

"Siege units?" She asked, and Drakhari nodded to Rakhar. "That'll be made up mostly of orcs, with some support from the Dragonborn. They'll be constructing elaborate siege units on the move. We- and I mean the Eridvaari- only have basic siege units. Ladders and battering rams. Won't be safe to use those." He shook his head. 

"You got that right." Gwyneira murmured, staring at the small figurines Palokin had placed on the table. 

Drakhari squinted at her from the side, but said nothing. 

"If they'll be constructing siege units on the move, and they're done as soon as we get there, we should be fine… but we'll need to keep them at the rear. Knowing my father, he'll try to have some sort of grand battle on an open plain- like this one." She said after a few seconds, pointing to a spot on the map. 

"We can engage. We've got the frontline units for it." Drakhari muttered as he leaned forward. 

"He'll set up ranged and magical units in the rear. Specifically the centaurs and merpeople. The ones in the front will be the elves and humans. Dwarven forces too, both in the front and the rear. Their machines are dangerous, and their weapons are second to none." She said, reaching forward and picking up a few figurines to place on her kingdom's side of the battlefield. 

"To be fair, anyone with any sense would set the most vulnerable units up in the back." Palokin chuckled, before he tapped the figurines for their forces. 

"For us, I say the tiefling spellcasters at the rear, orcs on all three lines, dragonborn in the front, and Eridvaari in the middle." He continued. 

"In the middle? Why?" Gwyneira asked, tilting her head. 

"You'd expect them to be at the front, right? But the thing is- they don't use shields." He said with a shrug. 

Gwyneira blinked at him, and then her head slowly turned to Drakhari. 

"He's joking. Please tell me he's joking." She said flatly. 

"He isn't. We don't use shields." Drakhari said with a chuckle. 

"How- wh- what- why wouldn't you- just- just why?" She mumbled, stumbling over her words several times out of utter confusion and disbelief. 

"We're big and we're strong, yes. However, we prize our agility. Our armour is made to be tough, but deflect blows, rather than absorb them. We're not walls. We're water. If that makes any sense." He shrugged. 

"I- I guess-? But that translates to duels better than it does a battle!" She said, frowning. 

"That's where you'd be wrong, Lady Gwyneira." Thrak said, before she gestured to Drakhari. "Have you ever seen him fight?" She asked. 

"Once. When he killed bandits that were attempting to kill me." She said, before she stared at Drakhari. 

"Do you people at least use bucklers?" She sighed. 

"Uhh- we- have a sort of variant. It's both a shield and a weapon. I'll show it to you later." He mumbled, waving dismissively. 

"That aside… Lady Gwyneira, what did you notice when he was fighting?" Thrak asked, raising an eyebrow. 

"He was… a lot faster than he had any right to be." She said thoughtfully, looking back at the dragonborn. 

"Exactly. I can say with absolute certainty that every Eridvaari fighter on that battlefield is going to be just as fast, give or take." She said, before she nodded to the figurines. 

"That's why we came up with this formation. Tieflings and orcs in the back, raining magic and stones down on the enemy, Losavaari in the middle with their cannons, guarded by the Eridvaari, and then us dragonborn and orcs in the front." Thrak said, arranging the pieces to fit the layout. 

"Another thing. The Eridvaari are our trump card, so to speak. Our job- that being the dragonborn and the orcs- is to merely clear a path into the main body of the army. The Eridvaari will rush in at that point and… do what they do best." She continued. 

"Kill eeeeverything that moves." Drakhari said with a smile. 

"I should mention… the cannons fire spiked balls that whistle as they fly, so if you hear one coming, get out of the way." Adira said with a slight smirk. 

Gwyneira sipped on her tea as she stared at the formation. They knew their own units better than she did, that was for sure. But she knew her own- or rather, her father's units- better. 

Her eyes drifted towards the figurines sitting near her kingdom. 

"Considering what I remember from my secret battle tactics lessons…" She leaned forward in her seat, staring at the figurines. 

"There's no noble speech or anything. They'll order the firing as soon as we get within range." She said, before she looked at Adira. 

"What's the range of your cannons?" She asked, raising an eyebrow. 

"At the right angle? Around a quarter of a league. Why?" He asked, tilting his head. 

She stared at him for a moment, before she looked down at the map. 

A slope… 

Her eyes roved around, before they settled on a certain spot. It was a slope a good mile or so away from the potential battle site. 

"I've got a crazy idea, but… hear me out." She murmured, before she pointed to the slope. 

"What if you set up here, and use a bit more power on the cannons? Would the balls theoretically reach the battlefield?" She asked. 

He stared at the slope, and his eyebrow slowly crept up his forehead. 

"Theoretically… yes. We'll have to set up on the very crest of the slope, at least a few hours beforehand. To get the right angles and such." He mused, before he smiled. "That's clever, Lady Gwyneira, I must admit." He chuckled softly. 

"Try and aim for the rear and middle. The fewer Dwarven machines and spellcasters we have attacking our troops, the better our odds." She said, smirking as she leaned back in her seat and took another sip of the tea. 

She would be lying if she said she didn't feel smug and satisfied at the moment. 

Drakhari leaned forward as well, his eyes flicking between the figurines, before he snorted softly. 

"Yes… we'll try that out." He murmured, before he looked at Gwyneira. 

"What numbers can we expect?" He asked. 

"Hmm… a few thousand elves and humans, maybe a thousand or so dwarves, a few hundred centaurs and merpeople, each. Relations between the two kingdoms have been a little… strained… lately." She mused. 

"Oh. Well… shit. They have the advantage of numbers, then." Drakhari muttered, frowning slightly. 

"We've got about… a thousand or so less than they do." He sighed. 

Thrak snorted. "So what? Just kill more of them than they can kill of you." She said with a smirk. 

Drakhari smiled wryly. "I suppose that's true, yes." He said quietly, staring at the figurines. 

A few hundred could make all the difference in battle. A few thousand? That was a bigger problem. But… with strategy, they could likely overcome it.

"I'll send spies later to try and get a rough estimate on their total numbers before the battle begins." Palokin said reassuringly when he saw Drakhari's face. 

The king chuckled, then nodded. "Much appreciated. Now then… Since we've figured out a route and a plan, let's take a break for the night. Get some dinner and some rest, and get to work on the logistics tomorrow." He said with a smile. 

"Hear hear." Thrak murmured as she downed the rest of her tea, then stood up. 

The others rose from their seats as well, after finishing their tea. 

Drakhari glanced around at the empty cups, frowned slightly, then looked down at Gwyneira's not-so-empty cup, before his baleful gaze slowly slid up to her face. 

She smiled sheepishly, then immediately scuttled off to the trolley to pour him another cup while the others snickered.

She'd stolen his tea while he wasn't looking. 

"Go to the dining room. I'll join you shortly." Drakhari said, nodding to the others. 

They nodded back and left with amused smiles on their faces. 

He sat back down in his seat, and Gwyneira came back over with the cup. She used her foot to move her chair right next to his, before she set the cup down on the seat of her chair. 

She swung her legs over Drakhari's, sitting on his lap with a smile. 

"I think that went pretty well." She said softly. 

"Besides the opening introductions… yes. I'd say it went well, too." He smiled, his hands coming down to rest on her waist. 

"We've got our own aerial units as well, y'know? They can-" He stopped talking when Gwyneira put a finger on his lips. 

"Shush. No war talk right now." She said softly, smiling warmly as she dragged his head down by his horns to kiss him. 

He chuckled softly, returning the kiss, before he picked up his tea and had a sip. 

He let out a happy sigh. "Orcish tea is the best." He mumbled contentedly, and she giggled. 

She leaned forward, resting her head on his chest while he drank his tea in silence.

Once he was done, he looked down at her and smiled warmly. "Thanks for making me another cup." He said softly, and she nodded slightly as she smiled back at him. 

"I can see why you were looking forward to it. It's really good." She murmured, and he nodded. 

"Yes… so good you stole mine too. Heh… The orcs grow the best tea in the land. Something about the climate and soil. It's just perfect for the strains they grow." He explained, before he looked down at her. 

"Maybe we could go there someday. Just the two of us. Tour the land. Sample all the different kinds of tea." He said with a soft smile, and she smiled back. 

"I'd like that." She said softly. 

He chuckled softly, before he leaned in for a kiss. 

She returned it, her arms going around his neck to pull him closer when she felt his hands sliding up her thighs. 

She gasped softly when her rear was squeezed, then giggled softly. "You really like that part of me, don't you? You're always spanking and groping it." She whispered, and he shrugged. 

"It's aesthetically pleasing." He replied wryly, making her laugh again as he gently nibbled her neck. 

She moaned softly when his tongue slipped down her dress and coiled around one of her breasts, gently squeezing it while his head was buried in the crook of her neck. 

Her moans got louder when she felt his fingers enter her, and she held him tighter- one arm around the back of his head, and the other hand gripping his arm tightly to steady herself. 

She panted softly, grinding against his fingers as they slid in and out of her. 

"Draaak~!" She moaned his name, panting softly as he groped and teased her. 

Her walls squeezed and milked his fingers, the elven princess gasping and moaning as he pleasured her with his fingers. 

She let out a squeak when she felt his thumb rub against her clitoris. It slowly and gently rubbed in circles, causing her to throw her head back and let out a happy squeal. She was close… so close! 

Suddenly, the pleasure stopped. She whined loudly, watching her lover pull his fingers out from under her dress and lick them clean with a sly, yet sultry smile on his face. 

"We should probably go to dinner before they come looking for us." He murmured, grinning. 

"Ohhhh you- you- ffff- falutin flautist!" She hissed at him as she fixed her dress, glaring at him angrily while he stifled his laugh. 

So if that was how he wanted to play it… 

She huffed and slid off his lap, crossing her arms as she stood, waiting for him to get up. 

He stood, and she held her hand out, a grumpy expression on her face. 

He took it, and was practically dragged out of the room and to the dining hall. 

She let go of his hand when they entered, and walked to her seat. 

Rather than take it, she sat in the seat next to it- that was, his. 

He raised an eyebrow, then walked to his seat. "I think you're in my spot, princess." He said wryly. 

"I don't think so." She said, pointedly avoiding looking at the higher, smaller seat they'd made for her. 

He shrugged. "Alright then." He murmured, before he picked her up and sat down. 

He plopped her down on his lap, and she smiled slyly. That was exactly what she'd been planning, and he'd fallen right into her trap. 

For now, she pretended to sulk, with her arms crossed over her chest, while he loaded food onto his plate. 

He brought the plate closer, and she picked up a fork, only to be greeted with a piece of meat held up right in front of her. 

"Here. If you're going to sit on my lap, you might as well get fed." He said softly. 

She leaned forward and ate off the fork, chewing on it. Okay, maybe she'd show him a little mercy? Nooo… no. No mercy. 

Her eyes scanned the table. The others seemed preoccupied in their conversations. 

She shifted, tossing the rear of her dress out from under herself. 

"What are you doing?" Drakhari whispered curiously. 

Rather than answer, she ground her rump against the front of his pants. 

"Ohhh fuck me." He mumbled, closing his eyes as he saw the trap he'd fallen into. 

"Mmhm. Deny my orgasm, this is what you get." She whispered back, smirking with satisfaction when she felt his twin pricks quickly stiffen. 

"Feed me." She murmured, her smirk growing bigger when she noticed the fork he was using wasn't entirely steady anymore. 

Once she was sure nobody was looking, she quickly reached underneath and undid his pants. 

"No-!" He hissed quietly, but it was too late. 

His twin shafts pressed against her rear, and she smiled, before her ears twitched slightly at the sound of faintly cracking wood. 

She glanced downwards, and saw his claws digging into the wooden armrest of his seat. 

She giggled to herself and wiggled backwards a little, before she clenched her thighs shut, trapping his twins between them. 

"Drak? You okay? You've barely touched your food." Achyrex murmured, glancing over at him. 

"H- huh-?" He mumbled breathlessly, before he chuckled faintly. "I- I'm fine, brother. Just uhh- little hot under the collar." He murmured, chuckling nervously as he tugged at his collar.

"Go open a window or something, then." Achyrex said, thumbing over his shoulder. 

"I- I would, but uh- th- the food would get c- cold too quickly." He said with a shrug. 

"Good point. Carry on, then." Achyrex murmured as he went back to his food, not suspecting a thing. 

She felt his hips move to try and thrust into her thighs, and squeezed tightly, making him let out a growl. 

She leaned back, reaching up to pull his head down. 

"What's wrong? Do my deliciously soft thighs feel too good?" She purred huskily in his ear. 

The cracking got louder. He was clawing at the wood. He laughed out loud, as if she'd told him a joke. 

"You are so fucking dead when we get back to our room, princess." He growled quietly, grinning at her. 

"Bold of you to assume you'll make it that far." She said with a smirk, before she bit the tip of his ear, grinding it very gently between her teeth. 

He shuddered, and let out a quiet moan that drew a few eyes. He was trembling- his cocks twitching hard between her thighs, while copious amounts of precum dripped down his shaft, slicking her skin up to allow her to grind against him more easily.  

She started moving her hips again, grinding his cocks back and forth while they twitched and throbbed. 

"I'm- I'm gonna-" He whispered, and she suddenly stopped moving, squeezing her thighs shut hard enough to prevent his movements. 

She stayed that way as she ate, smirking smugly as the king squirmed in his seat, his claws scraping against the chair while he desperately tried to buck his hips against her. 

It took a minute or two before he calmed down. He leaned forward, taking another fork to eat. 

"You're not going to be sitting right tomorrow." He whispered as he ate. 

"Big talk, my king. But I doubt you're going to be able to back that up." She murmured as she crossed her legs at the ankles, making him whimper faintly as she squeezed tighter. 

Achyrex glanced over at the sound of the whimper. "You sure you're okay?" He asked, raising an eyebrow, before he looked at Luti. "Is he sick or something?" He whispered. 

"Not a clue." She murmured, before she looked Gwyneira dead in the eyes, then smirked slightly. 

She knew exactly what the elven princess was doing… and she approved. 

"He's probably just really enjoying the food." She murmured, shrugging. 

"Y- yeah. Yeah, that's exactly it. This food is- is really fucking good!" Drak mumbled, his hips involuntarily jerking forwards, and causing him quite a bit of stinging pain. 

"I mean… tastes decent to me too, but like… you seem to really be enjoying it." Achyrex said with a chuckle. 

"H- heh- it's just that good, my f- fuck- ing friend! Dunno what to tell y- youuu!" He said, letting out a laugh as he ate. 

Achyrex stared at them for a few seconds. Something fishy was going on, but he couldn't quite figure out what. 

"Look at you. Big, strong king, twice my size… all it takes is a little squeezing and you're at my mercy." Gwyneira cooed sultrily in his ear, rubbing her thighs back and forth again. 

"Big bad king… I bet you're just dreaming of pounding me into the dirt, aren't you? Ravaging me again and again, filling me with your seed till I'm overflowing? Putting this bratty princess in her place?" She purred, grinning when she felt his cocks throb much harder. 

She had to be careful now- he was leaking so much, her thighs had been properly slicked up, and even with her strength, she wouldn't be able to hold him back for much longer. 

He'd forgotten about the food on the table. The knife and fork were gripped in his hands- so tightly that the metal fork was starting to bend. 

"Can't even eat anymore, can you? Big dumb horny brute… All you can think about right now is clearing everything off the table, slamming me down on it, and pounding me till I can't talk sensibly anymore. Isn't it?" She whispered, and a low growl confirmed her suspicions. 

"That's what I thought." She murmured, leaning forward to finish the rest of the food on the plate, while she kept the vice grip of her thighs tight around his shafts, making sure he absolutely could not move. 

The cracking got louder, and she glanced down to the side. His claws were now fully embedded in the iron-hard wood of the chair. 

He took a deep breath, and held it for a few seconds, before he slowly let it out. 

She smirked, then rubbed her thighs together a little, making him grunt softly again. 

"Don't think just taking a deep breath is going to help, my love." She murmured, popping the last piece of meat into her mouth, before she glanced around the table. 

Everyone else had finished eating… but they were waiting for the host to stand first. Something which he was currently incapable of doing. 

It seemed he'd come to the same conclusion. His claws suddenly popped out of the chair, and he quickly fastened his pants, leaving his twin members buried between her thighs. 

He stood, using her to cover his privates, which- given her long dress- was quite easy. 

He bowed slightly. "I hope you enjoyed the meal. Again- we thank you for coming." He said, and the people at the table raised their mugs to him, thanking him in return. 

Chairs scraped against stone as they got up, slowly filing out. Luti cast one last glance back at Gwyneira, then smirked and winked as she shut the door behind her. 

The reaction was delayed- probably because he was waiting for them to get out of earshot. 

His arm then suddenly swept across the table, sending empty dishes clattering to the ground. 

She gasped when he gripped her neck, and grunted loudly when he slammed her down on the table. 

He was breathing heavily, his teeth bared as he glared down at her. 

His hand slipped under her dress, and she yelped as she felt his claws sink into the skin around her groin. He pulled, and the sound of tearing fabric filled the air as her panties came away, falling to the floor in a tattered rag. 

A hand stayed on her neck, while he slowly dragged his claws up her thigh, pushing her dress up with it to bare her skin. 

He moved closer, and his hands gripped her sides tightly enough to draw blood.

No escape. 

She felt the tip of his lower cock press against her, then arched her back and screamed in pleasure as he lurched forward, sinking his full length inside her with one swift motion. 

She gripped his arms, clawing at them and panting as she squirmed, trying to adjust to the sudden insertion. Her walls clenched down around his ridged, spiky cock, and she swallowed, reaching down to grasp the other in her hands. 

She shuddered and moaned when he started moving. The ridges and spikes grinding around inside her were certainly a unique sensation she quite enjoyed. 

Though she would never say so to his face, obviously. His ego didn't need any further inflation. 

The thought made her giggle breathlessly, which made Drakhari pause and raise an eyebrow. 

"Something funny, princess?" He growled quietly. 

"Nothing. I just love you." She murmured, grinning up at him. 

"Sweet words aren't going to save you now. You know that, right?" He murmured, his grip on her neck loosening for a moment. 

"I know." She murmured, and he snorted softly, before he bent down to kiss her lips. 

"That's the last time I'm going to be gentle, princess." He growled quietly, before his hips quickly picked up the pace. 

She gasped and moaned as he mercilessly slammed into her. He had a hand on her neck, the other on her waist, keeping her from moving while he filled her again and again. 

She kept her hands clasped around his other prick, providing it with some stimulation as well. 

Thanks to all her teasing from earlier, he didn't last much longer. A few more thrusts, and he bottomed out inside her, growling as cum spilled into her womb and over her stomach. 

Sure, he'd finished quickly this time, but she knew he wasn't done. Not by a long shot. Besides… he didn't even knot her. 

He scooped her up, and she clung to his body, keeping his shaft buried inside herself. 

He started walking towards the door, and she mewled softly as his alien phallus twisted around inside her. 

"The guards will see." She mumbled, then looked down when she felt his tail coil under her rear, bunching up her dress and covering her up. 

"No they won't." He said firmly as he walked to their room. 

Along the way, they got some strange looks from the guards, but wisely, they said nothing. 

He walked into his room, then immediately tossed her to the bed. 

"Strip." He growled as he took off his jacket, tossing it to the floor while he walked towards her, undoing his pants as well. 

Knowing her dress would get torn off her if she didn't comply, she hurriedly shrugged it off, baring herself to him. 

She sat on her knees, watching him approach. Her eyes drifted downwards, focusing on his swaying shafts. 

She swallowed. He was already hard. Again. 

She gasped when she felt a hand close around her throat, followed by him pushing her down to the bed, on her back. 

She sucked in a ragged breath as he growled and squeezed, getting onto the bed as well. 

"What? No smart ass talk now?" He growled quietly, and she smirked. 

"I fail to see how it's going to affect your poor performance. Really, prince- finishing before me? That's just rude." She said, grinning up at him. 

He growled again, before he bent down close to her. 

"You say that… but I think we both know what's coming, hm? You, mostly. Over and over. Until you're so out of your senses, you can't even think straight." He purred, before he bit her ear. 

She shuddered, letting out a tiny moan when he bit her ear. He reared back, then grinned. 

Her eyes went wide. "Wait no- ohhh god~!" She squealed as his tongue wrapped around her ear, and reached up to grip his horns. 

She twitched and shuddered, gasping and moaning as he teased her ear with his tongue. "St- stooop!" She whined, trying in vain to get him away from her ear. 

She arched her back and let out a ragged moan as his hands shifted, one going to assault her other ear, while the other slid between her legs, pushing two fingers inside her.

She squirmed and writhed in place, her eyes nearly rolled back into her head as her ears and nethers were assaulted all at the same time. 

A sudden loud shriek was the only thing that signalled her orgasm- followed by the gushing of fluids around his fingers.

He chuckled, then straightened, looking down at her flushed, angry face. 

"Cheater!" She hissed. 

He raised an eyebrow. "How exactly is that cheating? You played with my ears too." He shot back, poking her nose. 

She immediately bit his finger before he could pull it away, and growled at him. 

He grinned, then shifted slightly. 

His finger was let go when she moaned loudly, following the sudden sensation of one of his cocks sliding into her. 

"Now… enough playing around." He growled, before he rolled her over onto her stomach. 

He dragged her to the edge of the bed, where he stood, still buried inside her. 

"I was planning to claim this for my wedding gift, buuuut I think I'll be claiming it a little early." He murmured. 

Claim what? What wedding gift? 

The answer became all too clear when she felt his tongue grind against her backdoor. Uh oh. 

She stiffened, then looked over her shoulder at him, followed by a nervous glance down at his cocks. She'd occasionally wondered how it'd feel to have both of them inside her, once… Well, soon enough, she wouldn't have to wonder anymore.

She gulped. 

She gasped softly when his tongue pushed in, then moaned, squirming as it worked its way deeper. His hips started to move as well, making her shudder and moan as his shaft slammed into her depths. 

Her eyes widened as she felt it push deeper and deeper, winding its way through her guts. No... He wasn't seriously...? 

She shivered, whimpering as she felt herself get stretched out by his freakishly long tongue. He was so, so deep inside her...

Her nails suddenly dug into the bed when she felt his tongue touch the bottom of her throat. God- he wasn't kidding about that tongue going all the way through her! 

She felt it push in, and squirmed around as it slowly climbed upwards. 

Then, she felt it rest against her tongue. Her eyes went wide, and she looked over her shoulder. She opened her mouth to say something, and he took the opportunity to push his tongue through. 

She stared down in mixed confusion and arousal at the tongue sticking out of her mouth.

She shuddered, then went limp as he began to thrust it through her body, grinding it back and forth. 

Then, she felt his thumbs push in. They stayed at her sphincter, massaging and gently tugging at the edges to spread her wider. 

She whimpered softly. It felt strange, but… she didn't want him to stop. She reached back, spreading herself for him. 

He twitched hard, and she smiled. 

He pulled his cock out, and just as she was about to complain, slid right back into her with his other shaft. 

She mewled at the reentry, then gasped and fell forward when he he leaned forward, pushing her down as he started to slam into her. 

It only lasted a few seconds before he pulled out again. His tongue slithered out of her ass, and she felt the tip of his now freshly lubed cock press against her ass. 

"Don't clench up." He murmured as he leaned forward, gripping her waist to make sure she didn't squirm away as he pushed into her. 

She arched her back, her lips parting and eyes widening when she felt his spiked cocks start to push into her. 

"D- Dra- haaak~!" She moaned his name, shuddering as her backdoor was invaded. It wasn't the first time, but… it was the first time she'd voluntarily let someone use it; and that made all the difference. 

Her legs shook like leaves in a gale as he slowly hilted himself inside her. It was like they'd turned to jelly, though she didn't understand why. 

"S- slow-! Oh god!" She moaned, squirming as she felt his throbbing shaft stretch her open. 

He rocked his hips back and forth, getting her used to the length as he slowly sank deeper into her. 

Then, she felt it- his knot, resting against her ass. He was all the way inside her. 

She felt full. Incredibly so. She could feel every slight twitch of his cocks. His very warm cocks. Having both of them inside her felt… incredible. 

She reached under herself, and her face reddened when she felt the bulge against her stomach. She gently rubbed it, and he snorted softly. 

He grabbed her by the wrists, pulling them back and holding them in place with a single hand, while the other grabbed her hair. 

He pulled, making her gasp as she arched her back further. 

Then, he started to move, slowly dragging his shafts out of her. She groaned with disappointment at the sensation of emptiness, then let out a scream when he rammed right back in. 

She came. Hard. Her teeth gritted, eyes nearly rolled back into her head as an intense orgasm ran through her body, making her tremble fiercely. 

He started to roughly thrust into her- each heavy thud from behind felt like it was jolting her brain with spikes of pure pleasure. 

Her heavy breasts and cheeks rippled with each deep thrust her lover made as he laid claim to her holes. His pace slowly picked up, and her brain sunk deeper into a haze of lust the faster he went. 

A sharp crack rang out through the room, and she cried out. The blade on his tail had whacked her rear with the flat end. 

She cried out, squeezing up harder around him as he did it again and again, each slap landing after every alternate thrust. Her rump quickly reddened from the relentless assault; and at some point, the yelps had become loud, high pitched moans. 

"I'm- I'm cum- ahh~!" She didn't even get to finish her sentence as another intense climax crashed through her body like a battering ram. 

He'd never been this rough before. This time, he'd thrown all caution to the wind, and was pounding into her with wild abandon. Right now, he was a beast hell bent on mating with his chosen one. 

Her eyes went wide when she felt his knots suddenly apply pressure against her. 

"Wait- waitwaitwaitwaiiii~!" She squealed as his knots forced their way into her holes, and his lower cock pushed past her cervix and into her womb. 

Another orgasm, this time accompanied by his hot cum flooding her womb and guts. 

She shivered and went limp with a tiny moan, her eyes glazing over. 

He let go, and she flopped to the bed, quivering and panting. 

"We're not done, my love." He murmured, and she looked over her shoulder with alarm. 

He bent down and kissed her lips. "I'm going till I'm satisfied, remember?" He growled quietly as he dragged his knots out, making her whimper and shudder as they popped back out. 

And in. 

And out again. 

Another round began, and the elf was already feeling weak, her gaze unfocused and eyes glazed as the king pounded into her.  

Her focus came back rather quickly when she felt his fingers on her ears. 

"Wait no-! If you do that I'll- ahh- haah~!" She let out a high pitched moan as he rubbed her ears between his fingers, making her squirm and start to buck back against him. 

"Ch- chea- ah- ahh- hnn~!" She huffed, looking over her shoulder with burning lust in her eyes. 

"Harder!" 

He paused, then raised an eyebrow, before he slowly grinned. 

He reached out, grabbing her arms and pulling her to him. He lifted her up into the air, using his arms to spread her legs and trap her in a full nelson. 

His fingers went back to her ears, and she gritted her teeth, eyes rolling back into her head as he sped up, hammering into her holes from below, while his fingers dexterously teased her ears. 

Another orgasm. She was starting to lose her senses thanks to the soup of lust her brain currently sat in. 

She felt even more cum pour into her holes, and saw her belly round out slightly from just how much her lover was producing. 

Even after he'd cum twice… he was still going… It was at that point she realised- she was in for a long night. 

She wasn't sure how long he'd gone on. She'd lost consciousness from exhaustion at some point. Even then, he'd kept going, using her while she was out cold.

By the time he was done, he'd been going at her on and off for a few hours. 

Eventually, he too passed out, sleeping while curled around her, with his shafts buried securely in her holes. His knots didn't allow even a single drop of seed to spill out of the unconscious elven woman's overstuffed holes.

Chapter 12: Pre-Coronation Jitters

Gwyneira woke with a soft groan, followed by a venomous look over her shoulder to her lover. 

Her entire lower body hurt from how rough he'd been last night. 

She shook her head, then carefully wriggled out of his embrace, earning little more than a low grumble for her movements. 

She tiptoed to the bathroom, and turned on the hot water over the tub. She watched it fill, before she carefully stepped in, then slowly sat down, sighing with relief as the heat spread through her body. 

She leaned back, resting her head against the rim of the tub as she closed her eyes. 

She felt the faint vibrations against the floor as Drakhari woke up a short while later, and padded to the bathroom. She felt the fluffy tip of his tail gently brush against her neck, and shrunk against it with a squeak, before her eyes popped open and she glared at him in silence.  

“What?” He murmured, grinning down at her as he knelt, his face hovering above hers. 

“You were rough last night. Too rough.” She grumbled. 

He raised an eyebrow, before his face came closer, and he planted a kiss on her nose. 

“If you recall, darling, you were the one who relentlessly teased me last night. I'm disappointed you expected me to be gentle after all that.” He said, smirking. 

She huffed, then darted forward and bit his nose with her sharp little teeth, before she pulled back, still scowling. 

“... Ouch.” He murmured, shaking his head, before he ruffled her hair. 

“Finish up soon. We have to talk to mother about the wedding. Besides, the coronation is also- what- tomorrow?” He mused. 

“Oh. Right. We've been putting that off too long. And yes. Yes it is.” She said as she sat up. 

“To be fair, we had some more important things to deal with.” He said with a faint chuckle as he moved over to the mirror and started to brush his teeth. 

She watched him from behind, smirking slightly when she noticed the quills on his back quivering while his arms moved. It was amusing. 

She reached for the soap, and started to scrub off the stink and sweat of last night. 

It didn't take long, and a towel was flung her way as soon as she stood. 

“Aren't you going to bathe? You put in quite a lot of work last night.” She murmured, drying herself off. 

“Eh. Mother is used to the stink.” He murmured. 

She rolled her eyes, then smirked, before she slipped the towel off and rolled it over a few times. 

“You'd better take a bath, my love.” She murmured. 

She saw him frown slightly in the mirror, before he glanced at her through it. 

“You make that sound like a threat.” He murmured. 

“Because it is. Take a bath. Stinky.” She said with a grin, then dipped the end of the towel into the water. 

“Pfft. Or what? What are you going to do, bite my nose again?” He murmured, shaking his head. 

“I'm going to flick you with this. Payback for last night.” She said casually, rolling the towel up a few more times as she walked up behind him. 

“You're going to… what, whack me with a towel?” He asked wryly. 

Oh. Ohhh-ho-ho, yes. He had no idea what this was!

“Trust me, babe. It's going to hurt a lot more than you'd think. Bath. Now. Tell you what- I'll wash you off, too.” She said, smirking as she sweetened the deal. 

“Nah. I'll take a bath after we-” 

Crack! 

He let out a loud yelp as he hopped straight up into the air, a hand covering the spot on his butt she'd hit. 

“Ow- ow- ow! Fuck! Gods damned- what the fuck did you do!? My ass is on fire! Fuck!” He yelled, before he let out a few more cuss words in his native language. 

She giggled, then folded over, wheezing with laughter at his cussing and hopping around. 

“We call that the towel whip. It's an ancient tradition passed down through generations. Now. Are you going to take a bath?” She asked sweetly, as she wiped a tear out of her eye.  

He scowled at her, still rubbing his butt. “Only if you teach me the technique of this… towel whip.” He grumbled. 

“I will.” She said, barely fighting off her giggles as he walked to the tub and drained it. 

She could see the welt forming rather clearly on the smooth skin of his butt. She had to pinch her lips shut with her teeth to keep herself from bursting out into laughter again. 

He clambered into the tub, then sat down and crossed his arms, glaring at her like a petulant child. 

She shook her head. “Giving a grown man a bath. What has my life come to?” She teased, snickering softly as she reached for a small jug, starting to pour the water over him. 

“You hurt me.” He grumbled. “You owe me!” He huffed. 

“Mm. Remember the time you almost ate me?” She asked wryly as she washed his neck and shoulders. 

He groaned. “Okay, okay. Fine. You get to use that card a few more times. But that's it.” He said, wagging a finger in her direction. 

“Mmh. I'm sure you'll do something else to give me another card I can use.” She said, biting his ear as she leaned forward to scrub his chest. 

His ear flicked when she bit it, and he huffed. “Rude.” 

“Nope. I just know you quite well.” She cooed, kissing his neck, before she pushed him forward and scrubbed his back, being careful with his quills. 

“I suppose you do.” He muttered, shaking his head, before he looked over his shoulder with a smirk. “I know you quite well too. Well, at least what makes you scream the loudest.” He grinned. 

She rolled her eyes. “Is everything about sex with you men? So barbaric.” She said, sticking her tongue out at him. 

His tail rose out of the water, then slapped her in the side, just hard enough to sting a little. 

“You say that like you don't enjoy it, which we both know is a godsdamn lie.” He murmured, smirking smugly at her. 

“Maybe, but that doesn't mean it's all I think about. Get up.” She said, shaking her head. 

He turned and stood, facing her. She carefully scrubbed his shafts clean, then worked on his thighs and rear, moving all the way down to his feet. 

Amusingly, his legs got twitchy when she'd cleaned the groove in his shins. That was probably going to be useful information later. 

Eventually, her husband-to-be was clean enough for her, and he was allowed to step out of the tub and dry himself off. 

“So. You think Rex and Luti are going to get together?” He asked as he scrubbed himself dry. 

“Most definitely. That man is smitten with her. Besides… he's the only one who's been able to make her smile. I haven't seen her smile ever since… well…” She murmured, glancing towards Drakhari. 

“You can say he was executed. It's okay.” He murmured, shrugging. 

“I know, but…” She sighed softly and looked away. “I just worry I'm reopening wounds.” She said quietly as she reached up and squeezed her arm from the side. 

Drakhari sighed softly, then bent and gently kissed her cheek. “My love… It's something that has happened. I've accepted it and moved forward already. Besides… we've got more important things to deal with.” He said softly. 

She looked back at him. “How? How did you move on so quickly? He was your brother. And your hand was the one that brought him his death.” She said softly. 

“Yes… but it was also the consequences of his own actions. That, plus the fact that I can go see him whenever I want… well…” Drakhari shrugged. 

“Like I said. I've accepted the fact. I can't exactly go back and change things. Is there a point in grieving? Besides… we've got his bones, as well. I have to… decide what to make of them. Something he'd be proud of. Would you help me with that?” He asked softly. 

Gwyneira stared at him for a few seconds, then nodded. “Yeah. Yeah, I'd like that.” She murmured as she went in for a hug, her arms going around his neck and squeezing. 

His arms went around her waist as he squeezed her back gently. “Come, my love. Get dressed.” He said after a while, before he let go and stood.

They headed out of the bathroom, and got dressed in casual clothes. 

Gwyneira was still a little worried about Drakhari, but said nothing. If he truly was fine, then there was nothing to worry about. 

But if he was still hurting and ignoring his grief, then… She wasn't sure what she could do besides just be there for him if and when he needed her. 

They walked to Mordren’s room, and Drakhari knocked on the door. 

“Come in!” The queen's voice called from inside. 

Drakhari opened the door and walked in, before he smiled at his mother, still in her nightdress. “Heh. No crown, no responsibilities, eh mother?” He asked with a grin as he moved to sit on the bed. 

“Shut it, you. Good morning, Gwyneira.” Mordren grumbled at her son, then switched to a sweet tone when she spoke to the princess. 

Gwyneira smiled and bowed her head. “Good morning, queen Mordren.” She said with a smile as she walked to the bed and sat down next to Drakhari. 

She leaned against her husband, and gazed at the queen.

She seemed… better. More rested. Still tired, but not as bad as she'd looked during the first couple of days after the execution. It had been four months, and she seemed to be healing. 

The diplomats had left as well- to prepare their countries for war- but were already on the way back for the coronation. 

“So. The coronation is tomorrow. When's the wedding? I think you two have been putting it off long enough.” The queen said with a smirk as she rolled onto her side and propped herself up on an elbow. 

“Right. Yes… that's actually what we came to talk to you about. Did Gwyneira tell you about the ideas she had?” Drakhari asked, glancing down at Gwyneira. 

“She did, yes. Something about braiding flowers in your hair.” Mordren mused. 

“She wants to do what now?” 

“Well, you'd have to do it for her too, but yes. Flowers in your hair.” Mordren mused, before she raised a finger. “As well as a hunt, aaaand… I believe she wanted to go fishing as well.” She said, nodding. 

“Why? You got a problem with the flowers? Don't wanna mess up that big manly man image?” Gwyneira teased as she grinned up at Drakhari. 

He looked down at her, then grabbed her whole face in his hand. “Shut it, you.” He grumbled, before he paused. 

“I get to pick the flowers. For myself. You pick the ones you like.” He muttered as he let go of Gwyneira's face, and Mordren laughed. 

“Goodness. A few years ago, he wouldn't even have considered the idea, ek’rai. Hah! Seems like you're a good influence on my son.” The queen said with a huge grin, before she tapped her fingers together. 

“Hmm… There is one thing I'd like to do before I hand you over to my son.” The queen mused, rubbing her chin. 

“Oh? What's that?” 

“Teach you how to tan a hide.” She said, nodding firmly. 

“I already know how to tan his hide.” Gwyneira snickered. 

“It's true. She used this thing called a towel whip. My butt still hurts…” Drakhari said morosely. 

The queen snorted loudly, then let out an unladylike guffaw. “Ahhh… good, good. But yes… I meant animal hides. I assume you know how to tan the ones from your homeland, but I will teach you how to tan the ones here. The process is different, I assume. Requires more hard work, but the result is better.” She said with a smirk. 

“I would love that, queen Mordren.” Gwyneira said with a smile, before she glanced over at the woman's armour, sitting on a stand. 

“By the by… Whose hands are those, supporting the breasts?” She asked, nodding to the skeletal hands at the edge of the corset. 

“Hm?” The queen turned and looked at the corset, before she chuckled. “Ah. Those are my husband's. Heh. He had a silly sense of humour. He approved of getting to hold my tits up while I was still alive. And, those are his ribs along the sides as well. It makes me feel like he's still hugging me, sometimes.” She said with a smile. 

“And… the little skull below the hands? Is that decorative?” Gwyneira asked. 

At this question, the queen's jovial expression darkened. “That… is my third son. Athraxos. He died… early.” She said quietly, before she looked at Gwyneira. 

“His lungs had not formed fully. The healers tried everything they could, but… they couldn't save him.” She murmured, before she looked at the skull again. 

“I keep him close. To the warmth he knew while he grew.” She said quietly. 

Gwyneira stared at her for a few seconds, before she reached over and gently squeezed her hand. “I'm so, so sorry.” She murmured. 

The queen sighed softly, then placed a hand over hers and gently squeezed it. “It's alright. It was a long time ago. When his father was still alive. But he passed soon after that. Some incurable disease.” She murmured. 

“You've… been through so much.” Gwyneira said, before she shuffled a little closer and wrapped her arms around the queen. 

She didn't feel the same need to be formal with the queen like she did with other nobles. She looked at her like she would a mother. The queen didn't seem to mind either, or she would have said something. 

The queen sighed softly, then squeezed Gwyneira back gently. “Thank you, ek’rai. I needed that.” She said with a warm smile, carefully caressing Gwyneira's hair. 

“On a more pleasant note… Have you two noticed Luti and Rex spending time together?” Drakhari asked, and the queen laughed softly. 

“Yes- as a matter of fact- I have. She was smiling and laughing! She hasn't smiled or laughed since… that day. It's nice, seeing her let her guard down.” She said with a grin. 

“You think they're gonna…?” Drakhari asked, then trailed off. 

“Get together? I fuckin' hope so. They'd be good for each other. Not to mention, he's had a crush on her ever since he was little.” She said with a laugh. 

“Wait. You knew!?” Drakhari asked, his eyes going wide. 

The queen stared at him pointedly for a good few seconds, before she rolled her eyes. “I'm your mother, boy. I knew he had a crush on Luti the same way I knew you had a crush on Liseya. His mother.” She said with a smirk. 

Gwyneira could practically feel the heat radiating off his cheeks, even though she couldn't actually see it. 

“He's always had a thing for older women, my son. Hah! It was endlessly amusing, watching him flirt with the married ones.” She said with a grin, as Gwyneira started to giggle. 

“Mother, please.” 

“This one time-” 

“Oh no- not this one again!” 

“Nonono- I wanna hear it. Please, continue!” Gwyneira said with a gleeful giggle. 

“This one time- he gave this tiefling noble a bunch of flowers. Poor lady didn't realise he was flirting with her. Thought it was just a gesture of affection or something. This young lad spent the rest of her visit hanging around her, practically waiting on her hand and foot, giving her little handwritten notes, more flowers, all of that- and she still thought he was only being overly affectionate.” She said, the grin on her face growing wider as Drakhari let out a whine and covered his face with his hands as he flopped backwards onto the bed. 

“Finally… This fool asked if he could marry her. Oh my gods, the look on her face!” The queen doubled over, both her and Gwyneira wheezing with laughter as they had fun at the prince's expense. 

Drakhari simply stared at the ceiling with a glum expression. 

“What- what did she do? How did she respond to that!?” Gwyneira asked, still giggling. 

“She was surprisingly nice about it. Thanked him sweetly and planted a little kiss on his forehead. Said if he was still interested after a century or so, he could marry one of her daughters!” The queen said, then guffawed again. 

“Joke's on her. I found someone better.” Drakhari grumbled, his tail coiling around Gwyneira's ankle. 

“Aww…” She rubbed his tail affectionately with her foot. “Still isn't going to stop me from bullying you though.” 

“Good.” 

The queen shook her head, then patted Gwyneira’s head. “You two are adorable. In any case… Drakhari. Did you discuss the details of the coronation with Luti?” She asked. 

“Eh. I'll get around to- ow!” He yelped when she smacked his foot. 

“Now, lazy bones. Stop leaving everything for the last minute.” She grumbled. 

“Okay, okay! I'm going!” He grumbled as he sat up, then swung his legs off the bed and stood. “Coming, Gwynne?” He asked, looking over his shoulder. 

“In a bit.” She said, snuggling into the queen's soft warmth and closing her eyes. 

The queen chuckled softly, then shook her head and wrapped her arms around Gwyneira. “I appreciate it, darling.” She said softly. 

Drakhari smirked, then shook his head. “Alright. I'll be back later.” He said as he walked out, closing the door behind himself. 

Gwyneira simply stayed there, hugging the queen as she relaxed. She imagined this was something she would have done with her mother, if she'd still been alive while she grew up. 

The queen simply adjusted her position, letting Gwyneira rest on her as she ran her claws through her hair, while her other hand rubbed the princess' back. 

“My son tells me you grew up without a mother, child?” The queen asked after a while. 

Gwyneira blinked, then nodded. 

“I see.” She said softly, then gently lifted Gwyneira's face so they could look at each other. “I'm going to do my best to be a mother to you as well, my darling daughter.” She said with a warm smile. 

Gwyneira blinked, then suddenly squeezed the queen tightly as she buried her face in her nightdress. “Thank you.” She mumbled, squeezing so hard even the queen winced a little. 

She chuckled softly, then patted Gwyneira's back. “Of course, my dear. You're part of my family now.” 

Gwyneira raised her head, then wiped her damp eyes. “Heh… so what now? Want me to start calling you mother too?” She asked with a giggle. 

“After the wedding, ek'rai.” The queen said with a smile, before she poked her nose. “Now go. Make sure my son stays awake while they discuss the coronation ceremony.” She said with a smile. 

Gwyneira nodded, then slipped off, before she ran off to Luti’s room. 

The queen watched her go, then sighed softly, her shoulders seeming to slump down with a heavy weight. To think, there was a war coming, too…

She didn't know if she could bear to lose another child. 

She got to her feet, then walked to her armour, before she placed her hand over her husband's hands. “I worry, my love. The future looks so uncertain.” She whispered softly. 

She smiled when she felt a ghost of squeeze on her shoulder, followed by a reassuring warmth from the skeletal hand. 

“Heh. I know, I know. I should have more faith. Still… I'm a mother. I can't help but worry.” She whispered. 

She felt a hint of exasperation, followed once more by affectionate warmth. 

She chuckled softly. “What would you know, darling? You were the most easygoing man I've ever met.” She said with a wry smile. 

She felt a faint flash of mild annoyance, and laughed. 

“Oh come off it. You'd worry too if you were here, my love, and you know it.” She said with a soft laugh. 

She felt begrudging acceptance, followed by a touch of amusement. 

She giggled, then kissed the hand. “I miss you, my love. We'll meet soon.” She said softly as she caressed the hand, while another went downwards, resting on the smaller skull, and simply basking in the warmth she felt from both. 

Meanwhile, Gwyneira made her way to Luti's room, where she assumed Drakhari would be. 

Her assumption was correct, as she walked in and saw her husband-to-be sitting in a nearby chair, his eyes slowly glazing over as Luti rattled off a list of formalities they'd need to follow during the event. 

The more interesting thing, however, was the fact that Achyrex was laying in her bed, his head propped up on an elbow. He glanced at her and waved, then went back to grinning at Drakhari. 

Luti took a moment to notice she'd walked in, and bowed her head when she saw Gwyneira. “Princess. Good morning.” She said, before she gestured to Drakhari. “I was just explaining to the prince the things he'd have to do during the coronation.” 

“I can see that. Look at his eyes.” 

Luti glanced at Drakhari, then sighed. “At what point did you zone out, Drak?” She asked wryly. 

“Right around the time you started talking about all the things I'd have to say. Can't I just give- like- a tiny speech and call it a day?” He grumbled.

“No. Our allies need reassurances that nothing will change. They know nothing will change, but it's moreso just a formality. Something to make it official.” She sighed and rolled her eyes. 

“In any case… Princess? I'm going to need your help too. You'll have to be right up there with him on the platform, and be saying the same things.” Luti said with a grin. 

“... Oh. Great.” She mumbled. 

The tiefling snickered, then shook her head. “You're both terrible. Anyway, you've got time till tomorrow.” She said, before she hummed. 

“It's not going to take long. It's just the same diplomats you've already met. Just give them your official word that you're taking over, nothing is going to change, you value the partnership, all of that. Just a bit more… personal.” Luti shrugged. 

“Still. It's a boooooore.” Drakhari groaned loudly.  

“Ever the petulant child, my prince.” Luti smirked. 

“Oh fuck you, I am not petulant!” He huffed, his head shooting back up to glare at her. 

“Oh? Then you'll do what I asked without further complaints?” She asked, flashing him a fanged grin. 

“Yes! Wait- no. I mean-” He stuttered, then growled as he fumed, glaring at her while she grinned. 

“I love when she does that. Leads people right into a verbal trap.” Achyrex said with a chuckle. 

“Shut it, octocunt.” Drakhari grumbled. 

“Wooow. Attack the defenseless guy here, eh?” He asked wryly. 

“Brother, your tongue is sharper than the sharpest sword in our armoury.” Drakhari said, then flipped him off while Achyrex laughed. 

“Alright. Enough, you two. Drak, shoo. Go do something to relax. Tomorrow is a big day.” Luti said, making shooing motions at him. 

He sighed, then got to his feet. He walked over to her, then bent down and kissed her forehead. “Don’t know where we'd be without you.” He said quietly, and Luti smiled. 

“Lost. That's for sure. Now go.” She said, giving his thigh an affectionate pat. 

He nodded, then walked to Gwyneira and took her hand as he stepped outside and closed the door. 

They'd only taken a few steps away from the door before she just couldn't contain it anymore. 

“You saw what I did, right?” She asked quickly. 

“Yep.” 

“On her bed, no less!” 

“Mmhm.” 

“I mean- I would never, unless I was very comfortable with the person.” 

“Which can only meaaaan?” 

“They're getting close?” 

“Indeed. Now shhh. Keep that to yourself. Can't spoil the surprise.” Drakhari winked down at her, and she grinned up at him, before she zipped her lips shut. 

A few seconds later, she tugged on his hand. “Hey- uhhh- c- can we head to the um- the spider temple?” She asked, giving his hand a squeeze. 

He blinked, then looked down at her. “Uhh- are- are you sure? You… fainted, last time.” He murmured. 

“Yeah. I know. But uhhh… I wanna apologise. And maybe learn their names. I- I mean- they're going to be at the wedding, no?” She mumbled. 

He stared down at her, then sighed. “Just when I thought it wasn't possible to love you any more. Alright. Come along then.” He said with a soft laugh as he led her out of the palace and towards the temple. 

She held his tail as they walked, rubbing her thumb against the fluffy tip as she stared at the orb-shaped temple. 

“Nervous?” Drakhari asked as he looked down at her. 

“A lot, thanks for noticing.” She grumbled quietly, squeezing the tip of his tail in her hand. 

“It'll be fine. I'll be there with you. Besides- this is very brave.” He said softly. 

She nodded, then swallowed. “Right. Yes. Still… they're… y'know.” She mumbled, looking up at him. 

“I know.” He squeezed her hand. “You'll be okay. You already saw one of them. The others don't look so frightening.” He said softly. 

“Right.” She mumbled as she stepped into the temple, then swallowed. 

She heard the sounds of scuttling almost instantly. The sound sent a shiver down her spine, and raised the hairs on the back of her neck. God, she hated that sound. Even though she knew the driders were friendly, it was very difficult to get over their… lower bodies. 

“Hello, princess!” Chirped a cheerful voice. The priestess they'd met before, Iseidra, lowered herself from the ceiling, and placed herself down, keeping herself a good distance away. 

“H- hi! Uhh- I- I came to- uhh- m- meet the o- others.” Gwyneira said, stumbling over her words as she fought back her irrational fear. 

“Oh! Well, good. They're all here today. Girls, if you please?” She asked, gesturing towards the ceiling. 

Two more driders dropped down towards the ceiling. She focused on the smaller one first.

She was small and fuzzy, and had a huge, fanged grin on her face. She had long, flowing pink hair with two braids in front, and a youthful, slightly chubby cheeked face. 

She had a pair of horns that curved upwards, with a pink ribbon tied between them. The ribbon had a little fake, fuzzy spider holding it together. 

Her human half was more on the lithe, petite side, with the waist blending seamlessly into fluffy pink chelicerae. 

Her spider half had white markings on an extremely fluffy pink body, with one large teardrop shaped marking right over her abdomen. She seemed to be a jumping spider variant. 

“Hi! I'm Lettie!” She said with a grin and a quick wave. “Are you the princess? Oh my gosh you're so pretty! Oh you're getting married soon, right?” Lettie asked. She spoke quickly- her words firing off rapidly. She also skittered back and forth constantly, like she was full of pent up energy and ready to explode. 

The other priestess was a little more on the chubby side. She had dark, chocolate-brown skin, and hair styled into goddess braids. Her arachnoid abdomen was covered in soft, short, and fuzzy grey hair, while her thick black spider legs were harder and shinier. She seemed to be a velvet spider variant. 

“Hi there, princess.” She said with a pleasant smile as she bowed to her. “I am Naxhes.”

“H- hello, girls. Heh. N- n- nice to m- meet you.” She said, before she swallowed nervously. 

“She's got arachnophobia.” Drakhari said bluntly, then grunted when he was elbowed in the knee. 

“Ow.” 

Gwyneira shot a glare at him, then looked back at the priestesses. “H- hi. Um… yes. My husband is correct. I'm a little afraid of spiders.” She mumbled. 

“A little is putting it mild- ow!” Drakhari was cut off by a grunt as Gwyneira reached up and backhanded his crotch. 

“Anyway- I wanted to get to know the priestesses. M- mostly because I'm- uh- t- trying to get over m- my- uh- fear. I figured if I got to kn- know you all better, it w- wouldn't be s- so- um- scary.” She said, shifting her weight from one foot to the other as she stared up at the driders surrounding her. 

The priestesses looked at each other, then back at her, before they grinned and chuckled softly. They sat down on the pillows nearby, folding their legs underneath themselves, much like a loafing cat would. 

“Well, princess, what would you like to know?” Naxhes asked with a smile. 

“Ask quickly, because I've got a million questions for you too!” Lettie chirped, bouncing in place with a grin. 

“She means that quite literally.” Iseidra said with a soft giggle, which made Lettie pout at her. 

“There's nothing wrong with having a million questions!” She huffed. 

“There isn't, but people do have lives of their own, dear.” Iseidra reminded her with a giggle. 

“Well… That's fair.” Lettie said with a shrug, before the driders turned their attention back to Gwyneira. 

“Okay so… First off… Where do you guys come from?” Gwyneira asked. 

“We're originally from much further south. Closer to the equator. We grew up in and around civilisations, so we kinda got used to living with people. Not like our… psychotic cousins.” Naxhes said with a sigh. 

“Ooh. Yeah. That's a nasty bunch. You don't wanna mess with them! They'll straight up torture you. For fun! And then maybe eat you. If they don't lay a bunch of eggs in you first.” Lettie said, nodding quickly. 

Gwyneira went a little pale. She'd heard the stories as well. How the massive spiders would snatch up unaware wanderers and… well. They'd either eat them or egg them up and let the kids eat their way out. 

While that behaviour was typically replicated in the wild by wasps, these spiders weren't exactly parental figures. The children would consume the host, and eventually each other, in a battle for survival of the fittest. 

“Lettie, I think you're scaring the poor girl.” Iseidra said gently.

“Eh? Wha-? Oh-! Oh dear. I'm so sorry!” She squeaked, her hands going over her mouth. 

“I- it's fine.” Gwyneira mumbled, before she swallowed. “Just… some bad memories. I was forced to… um- hunt in their hunting grounds. In winter. Their hunting season.” She muttered. 

“Oh goddess. That must have been horrible.” Naxhes said softly. 

“It was.” She muttered, lowering her gaze to the floor. 

An uncomfortable silence settled over the group for a few seconds, during which Drakhari seethed with anger. 

He wanted nothing more than to tear her father apart with his bare hands, but… no. That honour would not be his. 

“Well- uh- have you been enjoying the kingdom so far, princess?” Lettie piped up after a few seconds, steering the conversation in a different direction. 

“Oh- uhh- yes, actually. The city is quite vibrant. Very, very different from home. But- like- not in a bad way. It's just a bit chaotic to get used to at first. Especially the- um- barely clothed and occasionally straight up naked people.” She said, her face going a little pink. 

The priestesses laughed. 

“Wait so like- does everyone wear clothes in public where you live? Wait- what do they wear when they wanna feel comfortable? Do they like- only walk around naked at home? Because I certainly do- I mean- who wouldn't, right? It's just more on the natural side! In fact, I think everyone should walk around na-” Lettie started to ramble, before she was interrupted by a light cough from Iseidra. 

“Oh. Right. Yes. Sorry! Continue, princess.” Lettie giggled. 

“Heh.” Gwyneira smiled, then spoke. “Yes, everyone wears clothes. We keep it on the modest side. Ankle length skirts, loose clothing, or if shorter skirts have to be worn, we usually wear leggings. And uh- no. No nude people. Public indecency is a crime.” She said with a chuckle. 

Lettie’s face fell, followed by a mixture of expressions- confusion, concern, mild annoyance, then finally disappointment. “People really need to stop being so prude. What is the naked lady gonna do? Poke your eyes out with her nipples?” She grumbled. 

Drakhari let out an unexpected, ugly snort, which, coupled with what Lettie said, made Gwyneira laugh. 

The driders smiled and giggled as well, before Iseidra shook her head. “The difference in cultures is certainly quite jarring. I hope you didn't experience any culture shock, princess?” She asked softly. 

“On the contrary. I actually quite enjoy it here. It's… mm… freeing, almost? I don't feel the same… unseen pressure I felt back in my city. Don't know how else to describe it.” She said with a shrug. 

“Peer pressure?” Drakhari hazarded a guess. 

“Kinda? It was more like- I don't have to hold up a million expectations here.” She mused, shaking her head. 

“What about the food? What's the food like? Is it like it is here? Is it bland? Flavourful? What kinda stuff do you guys eat most? I bet the diet is crazy different too, considering the region. Did you know their region is excellent for growing potatoes? It's the soil there that, for some reason, leads to the softest, most flavourful potatoes! Mmm… now I'm kinda craving some lomann with potatoes… Ooh! You should try that! It tasted just like- uhh- lamb, I think? Yeah! Lamb and potatoes!” Lettie said, as her chelicerae tapped the floor in front of her with excitement. 

Iseidra shook her head and flashed Gwyneira a slightly apologetic look. The princess subtly shook her head, waving it off, before she looked at Lettie. 

“Well- the first major difference I noticed is the amount of meat consumed. We don't eat nearly as much meat as you guys do. Our diet is more… balanced. A mix of veggies and meat, but I will admit, it's a little more on the bland side, compared to here. The food here is… spicy. Flavourful. Back home, it felt like they only added enough to give it some taste.” She said with a laugh. 

"Mostly because father dearest considered salt spicy..." She added after a moment.

“Eh. You'll get used to the food here. And the quality of the meat is definitely much better here.” Drakhari said with a smug smirk. 

“Mmh. You would certainly know. You eat far too much of it.” Gwyneira grumbled as she moved to sit between his crossed legs. She leaned back against him, crossing her arms. 

“Can you blame me? My cooks are way better than yours.” He said with a chuckle, which was cut off by a grunt as she slammed the back of her head into his diaphragm. 

“Don't you dare talk about my cooks that way, you oversized lump. They did their absolute best to make good food for me.” She grumbled while he chuckled. 

“Okay, but the only thing they managed to get right that day was the ribs. Oh, and your… sausages. I already passed it along to the cooks. I'm certain we can make a better version.” He snickered. 

Gwyneira rolled her eyes, and elbowed him in the ribs again. “That's cultural appropriation, you piece of- uh- bait.” She grumbled while he laughed. 

The priestesses glanced at each other, chuckling softly, then shook their heads. Watching the two of them interact was simply adorable.

“Heh. You two were made for each other, honestly.” Iseidra said with a warm smile. She'd noticed Gwyneira was no longer stuttering as much around them. She'd begun to feel comfortable around them.

“So uhh… about our… “cousins”, I guess, if you could call them that… Did you ever fight one?” Naxhes asked quietly. 

Gwyneira nodded. “Yes. A few times. The guards were occasionally sent into the mountains to cull them. I was usually sent with them under the excuse of training exercises. Pretty sure it was a bullshit reason to try and get me killed.” She paused, then sighed quietly, before she continued. 

“I went on a few nest clearing missions before I was pulled off. Some advisor probably remarked that I'd be more useful alive than dead. But… the things I saw… Those are going to stay with me forever.” She said quietly. 

Drakhari wrapped his arms around Gwyneira and squeezed her tightly. “At least you made it out alive.” He said quietly, before he bent down and kissed her head. 

“Yeah. Still… some of them died in horrifying ways. I can…” She paused, squeezing his forearms tightly enough to make him wince as her nails dug into his skin. 

“I can still hear their screams, some nights.” She whispered. 

A sombre silence fell once more, as the priestesses glanced at each other, then at her. 

“I'm so sorry you had to deal with that.” Naxhes said, before she shook her head. “I wouldn't want to fight them. I can't imagine someone half their size…” She trailed off, then shook her head again. 

“Yeah… but hey. Like he said. I'm still alive and kicking, so… that's a plus point.” Gwyneira shrugged, before she looked up at Drakhari. 

He stared down at her, then reached up and gently rubbed his thumbs along her cheeks. “I'm amazed you survived all that.” He said quietly. 

She leaned into his touch and sighed softly. “Mmh… as am I.” She said quietly, before she turned her head and kissed his hand, before she closed her eyes and rested her head against his palm. 

Silence fell once more, for all of three seconds, before Lettie spoke. 

“Okay the silence is getting too awkward. So- prince and princess- when's the wedding?” She asked cheerfully. 

“Mm? Oh- uh- Coronation is tomorrow. The wedding… sometime soon after. Ish. Hopefully before the diplomats leave.” He mused. 

“Oh goody! I love weddings!” Lettie said happily, clapping her hands. 

“Ah- right- I nearly forgot. I'd like to extend all of you a formal invitation to it.” Gwyneira said with a grin. 

“I’llbethere!” Lettie squeaked so quickly Gwyneira barely even heard the words as they zipped by. 

Iseidra and Naxhes giggled, then nodded to her. “We'll be there too, princess. Rest assured- we wouldn't miss this for the world. Once in a lifetime event.” Iseidra said with a smile. 

“That it certainly is. Marks the beginning of the end of a century long war.” Drakhari said, before he looked down at Gwyneira. “The hard part is yet to come, but… I'm confident in our abilities.” He said softly. 

“And I in you.” Gwyneira cooed, reaching up and tugging him down for a kiss. 

He smiled and squeezed her close as he kissed her, to the sound of soft “awww”s from the priestesses. 

“Okay. Now let's get out of here before they explode from cuteness overload.” Drakhari said with a laugh as he stood, then set Gwyneira down on her feet. 

The driders rose as well, and Lettie began to hop in place, her spider abdomen bouncing with every jump. “Eeee-! I'm so excited! I love weddings!” She squealed, hopping from one set of legs to the other, before she started prancing in place and clapping happily. 

The other priestesses smiled and glanced at each other, before they looked at the soon-to-be-wedded couple. 

“So- have you chosen an officiant yet?” Iseidra asked. 

The couple froze, and slowly turned their gaze to her. 

“Errrrr…” 

“You… you did pick an officiant, yes? Worked on your vows?” She asked, raising an eyebrow. 

“Ehhhhhh-”

“Goddess help me.” She muttered, turning her eyes skyward, before she sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose. “Okay. Vows. Work on those first. They need to be personal. It needs to mean something. As for the officiant, I'm willing to do it, as I'm sure Mardos is. Now- the best thing to do would be to have us, and a backup, in case we can't show up, for whatever reason. Understand?” She asked, arching an eyebrow. 

They nodded quickly. 

“Good. The wedding must not proceed without the blessing of both priest and priestess, understood? It is a tradition that is not to be taken lightly. Understood?” She hissed, glaring at them. 

They nodded again, faster this time. 

“Good. Now shoo.” She said, gesturing towards the door with both hands. 

Drakhari and Gwyneira scurried out, and the priestess shook her head. “Hopeless, those two. Wedding’s in a few days and they don't even have their vows done! Ridiculous.” She grumbled as she shot a line up to the ceiling and headed back up to her hammock. 

Naxhes and Lettie glanced at each other, then giggled, before they followed her up too, with Lettie chattering away at both of them. 

“Alright. What next?” Drakhari asked, glancing down at Gwyneira. 

“Mmmm… I think I wanna go fishing.” She mused. 

He laughed softly. “Okay, yeah, I can fish for you, sure. I just nee-” 

“Mm-mm. You misunderstood. I want to go fishing. As in, I want to hold the rod and do the fishing things.” She said, looking up at him. 

“Oh. You… know how to fish?” He mumbled in slight disbelief, raising an eyebrow. 

She tilted her head and stared up at him. “You don't?” She asked, in the same tone. 

“Of course I- ohh I see what you're doing. However, the fish here are huge.” He said, holding his hands spread apart. 

“Drak, darling, the only thing I need from you is the rod and bait. I can do the rest.” She said, rolling her eyes as she walked off, heading towards the lake. 

“Alright then. You go on ahead. I'll get the stuff.” He said with a chuckle and a shake of his head. It would be amusing to see her get dragged around on the surface of the water, at least. 

Gwyneira headed to the pier where they'd met Rex's family, and sat down, before she took her boots off. Then, she dipped her feet in, and wiggled her toes in the cool water. 

She didn't have to wait long before she heard Drakhari’s footsteps. She turned, and saw the man carrying a pair of fishing rods, as well as a tacklebox. 

He sat down next to her, handed her an unstrung rod, a piece of meat for bait, and metal weights. “Here. And this is for in case you get yanked off the dock.” He said with a smirk as he pulled a small, curved dagger out of the box and handed it to her. 

The blade was curved almost like a sickle’s, with the inner side razor sharp. The other side was broad, with deeply grooved ridges. They looked like they'd fit perfectly between the thick scales of the fish. 

She examined the knife for a moment, before she looked at him and smacked his horn with the handle, producing a pleasant twang that made his eyes vibrate in his skull. 

He quickly shook his head, then scowled at her when she smirked. “Rude.” He grumbled. 

“Oh hush, you. You just want to see me get sent flying. I can assure you, that isn't happening.” She murmured as she tied the hook to the line. 

It was quite large, she noticed- like the kind of hook they boats off the coast would use for deep-sea fishing. 

Well, at least it made a much easier task of tying it to the line. 

She hummed as she worked, an old fisherman's song. It was normally a little on the “rougher” end of songs, but it sounded better in elvish. 

 

Come, come, little fishies,

There are many empty bellies. 

Hook, line, and sinker,

Just no inker or stinker! 

Splish, splash, put up a fight, 

Matters not- I'll have the final bite! 

The fisherman waits, ready his bait, 

He must not frustrate, but the fish await! 

Come, come, little fishies, 

Come, come, silvery, slippery, quicksilvery beauties! 

 

Drakhari stared at her for a moment when she stopped. “Dunno what any of that means, but your singing is beautiful.” He said with a smile. 

She snorted. “It's uhh- it's a song about fishermen and fishes. It's a silly little thing they would sing at the docks when they were preparing the boats for the day. A shanty, really.” She explained.  

“Still. Sounds nice.” He chuckled, and she smiled at him. 

“Thank you, my love.” She said, before she stood and wiggled the tip of the rod a little, getting a feel for the weight. Then, she quickly flicked it back, and then forth, casting it out into the lake. 

The line soared out in an arc, and broke the surface with a tiny, barely audible plop, and sank down, only the white and red bob bouncing on the surface of the water. 

She sat back down, occasionally jigging the rod. “And now… we wait.” She murmured as she leaned against Drakhari. 

He chuckled, casting his line from a sitting position, but in a different direction. 

"Wanna take bets on who gets a bite first?” He asked with a grin. 

“Alright. If I get a bite first, you have to do what I say for one week. If you do, same thing.” She said with a shrug. 

“Fair enough.” He said with a grin. 

They sat there in comfortable silence, leaning against each other as they watched their lines bob in the water. 

They weren't sure how much time had passed, before Gwynn's buoy dipped into the water momentarily. 

She immediately sat up, focused intently on the bob. A stray bit of weed? Or was it a curious fish? 

Her question was soon answered when the buoy disappeared, and the line began to spool out rapidly. 

Gwyneira grabbed the rod, then locked the line. 

The tug was immediate- she was yanked a good few feet forward, and crashed into the water. 

She managed to get her feet under her, standing waist deep in the waters of the lake as she fought back. 

The fish thrashed around at the end of the line, fighting to go deeper, darting this way and that to try and break free. Unfortunately for it, the line was specifically made to catch them. 

The moment she felt the line go slack, she began reeling it in while she slowly stepped back up the sloped pier. The section below the water was a little slimy from being immersed- didn't exactly afford a good purchase for her feet. 

She'd just gotten onto the dry section when the fish began to thrash around again, redoubling its efforts to break free. Thankfully, she was able to stand her ground this time, and leaned back, still moving upwards as she let the fish tire itself. 

She could see it now- it was one of the ones with plates- a Morag, maybe? Whatever it was, it was big.

She could feel Drakhari hovering over her, perched on all fours with his tail swaying in the air like a giant cat as he watched from behind. 

Once again, the line went slack, and once again, she reeled it in, dragging it closer as she moved up the pier. 

Finally, she reeled it up and onto the wooden boards, panting, her arms shaking from the exertion. The fish was heavy. 

Speaking of which- the fish itself was covered in thick, overlapping scales, protecting it both above and below. The thickest plate covered its eyes and massive jaws, while the thinner, lighter ones covered the rear of its body. The only parts that weren't covered in the plates were its dorsal and ventral fins, and the large, vertical, bisected tail at the back. It looked a bit like an armoured shark, if she had to guess. She'd only seen illustrations of the large vertebrates. 

She reached for the fish, then pulled her hand back when it opened its mouth to snap at her. It thrashed about, moving towards her, snapping as it went. 

She frowned, then pulled out the knife Drakhari had given her. Her eyes ran over the fish, looking for a weak spot in the armour. A chink she could use. 

There!

When the fish leapt at her again, she quickly flipped it over, and drove the dagger through the plate between its lower jaw and neck. 

Hot blood gushed over her hands. The fish thrashed around for a while longer, before it slowly went still, staining the water below the pier a dark red. 

“Hmm. Not bad.” Drakhari murmured, before he clapped softly, then smiled at her. “Congratulations. You caught your first Kordakk.” He said with a chuckle. 

“Eh? It's not a Morag?” Gwynn asked, glancing up at him. 

“No. Close cousin, though. Plus, these guys are blind.” He said, nodding to the fish's head. He was right- there was a distinct lack of eyes. 

“Oh? How do they find their prey, then?” She asked as she hauled the fish further up the pier, to the flat section, before she sat down with a grunt. 

“If I remember correctly, they have sensory organs under the plates that are extremely sensitive to changes in the water flow. So if a fish passes by, they can feel it.” He said, before he held his hand out for the knife. 

She gave it to him, and he pulled back one of the segmented plates. “Take a look.” 

She leaned over and saw a row of holes in the fish’s flesh, each with a tiny hair growing out of it. 

“Huh. That's… pretty cool, actually. Why all the armour, though?” She asked, gesturing to the body. 

“Well- as my not-dead brother likes to say… there's always a bigger fish.” Drakhari said with a shrug, before he stood, while Gwyneira giggled softly. 

“In any case, it looks like you won. I have to do whatever you say for one week… within reason.” He said with a smirk. 

“Oh… right. Heh…” She smirked up at Drakhari. “I'm certainly going to have some fun with that. But first… let's get this to the kitchen. I want to eat it for dinner.” She said with a grin as she stood. 

“Your catch. You're carrying it.” 

“But it's heavyyy!” She whined. 

“Don't care.” 

“Oh wait. The bet. I can just tell you to carry it for me.” 

“Ah fuck.” 

Gwyneira grinned smugly. “Carry it for me, prince.” She said with a giggle. 

Drakhari sighed, then snatched the fish up by its tail, before he handed her the knife. “Keep it. You've earned it.” He murmured, and she smiled. 

“Thank you, love.” She said with a warm smile, and followed him back to the palace. 

He entered the kitchen, then slammed the fish down on a nearby countertop, making the cooks jump. “We're having this for dinner.” He stated, matter-of-factly. 

“Ooh. Nice catch, prince.” One of the cooks said as he approached the fish and admired its size. 

“Wasn't mine.” He shrugged. 

“Oh- did you buy it, then? It looks pretty fresh.” He said, leaning over to sniff it. 

“No.” Drakhari said as he washed his hands. 

“Then who-?” The cook looked at Drakhari, then at the princess, beaming up at him with a smile. 

He blinked, then looked at Drakhari, who raised an eyebrow. 

“Did she-?” 

“Yes.” 

“Oh! Well, that's surprising. Congratulations, princess!” The cook said with a smile, before he looked back at the fish with an expression of slight confusion. The thing was almost as big as she was. How did she…? Surely the prince must have helped her. Yes, that must have been it. 

“Hauled that thing up herself. No help from me. I'm impressed, honestly.” Drakhari said, as if reading the cook's mind, while he wiped his hands clean. 

The cook stared at him in shock, then looked down at Gwyneira, whose grin had turned a bit more menacing. 

“I… see.” He said, before he let out a small “heh”, then paused. “Alright. I'll have this ready for dinner.” He said, and Drakhari nodded. 

“Very well.” He said, then looked at Gwyneira and smirked. 

“C'mon. Let's head back.” He said, holding his hand out. She took it, and he led her back to their room, before he sat on the bed with a sigh.  

She took her shoes off, then crawled into his lap as he moved to rest against the headboard. 

"Today was eventful, huh?” He said, smiling down at her as she curled up in his lap. 

She nodded, then sat up and leaned against him, snuggling into his chest. “Talking to people is… tiring.” She mumbled, her arms and legs going around him as she relaxed. 

“Yeah. It is. But hey- at least you got used to the priestesses, which is a good thing. They’re lovely people.” He said with a smile. 

She nodded. “Lettie is adorable. Pink and fluffy.” She said with a soft giggle. 

“Mmhm. Talkative, too. It's like she's full of bees. Just buzzing with energy.” He said with a laugh, and Gwyneira giggled. 

“Yeah. Like- I've never seen someone so energetic.” She said, before she kissed his chest. 

“Mm.” He slid his hands up her shirt, and she sighed softly as his warm hands pressed against her back. “Want to just relax for a while before dinner? It'll be a couple of hours before they serve it.” He murmured. 

She nodded. “Yeah, I'd like-” 

She was interrupted by a sudden loud, frenzied knocking at the door. 

Drakhari looked up at the door and scowled. “Who is it!?” He grumbled. 

“Sisters!” Yelled a voice from the other side. 

“The seamstresses? What do they want?” Gwyneira asked softly as she looked up at him. 

He sighed. “I shall find out.” He said in a slightly exasperated tone as he gently pushed her off onto the bed. He got to his feet and walked to the door, before he unlocked and opened it. 

The three seamstresses practically fell over themselves as they scrambled into the room. 

They rushed right past Drakhari, who blinked at the lack of so much as a hello, and ran straight to Gwyneira. 

“Coronation! Tomorrow!” Kori said, panting. 

“You need a dress!” Mori said, wild-eyed. 

“We need measurements. Again!” Dori said, brushing her hair out of her face. 

“Hang on- why again?” Gwyneira asked as she sat up. 

“Well, you've- uh- gotten bigger, since you came. Not fat! Just- bulkier. More muscular. That sort of thing.” Mori explained. 

“Ergo, we need new measurements.” Kori said with a grin. 

“You sure this wasn't just an excuse to see my wife naked again?” Drakhari asked wryly. 

He was ignored by all three of them, which left him a little miffed. 

“Well? What about it, princess?” Dori asked, raising an eyebrow. 

“I- okay, sure. I don't mind.” She said with a chuckle as she got to her feet and took her clothes off. 

Once again, they took her measurements. Except something was… different, this time. She felt their hands lingering on her body a little longer than they had to. Gentle brushes against her stomach, the occasional caress of a breast, the brush of claws against her ass… Kori was even so bold as to slip her hand between her legs and press it against her lips. 

“Just to get an idea”, she'd said. Though she hadn't exactly specified what kind of idea. 

The end of this particular measuring session left Gwynn even more flustered than last time. And- well- she'd be lying if she said she didn't feel… something stirring. 

She'd always found other women pretty, but- like- that was normal, right? Every girl found other girls pretty, right?

Right?? 

“Mmh. We're done, and as we suspected, we were right. Lil' more plump and muscular. But in a good way.” Dori mused, looking at her notepad. 

“Right. So, we're going to be making you a new dress for the coronation. You'll have it by tomorrow morning.” Mori said, nodding. 

“Mmhm. We'll be seeing you around, princess.” Kori said with a wink, as the three of them filed out of the room, whispering amongst themselves as they went. 

Drakhari shut the door behind them, locked it, and then turned to his wife. He raised an eyebrow when he saw the look on her face. 

“Errrr- you- you okay, love?” He asked, tilting his head. 

“Um- I- it felt- uh- different. They were more… handsy.” She mumbled, blinking at the door. 

He slowly raised an eyebrow, then slowly grinned. 

“What? What!? Ugh- you know I hate it when you give me that smile!” She huffed, scowling at him. 

“Mmmm… this one, I'm going to let you find out for yourself.” He said with an ominous chuckle as he walked towards her. 

“Wha-? Huh?” She mumbled, blinking at him, before she pinched his side. “Tell meee!” She whined, but only got a laugh in response as he ruffled her hair. 

“Nope. You'll find out for yourself, eventually.” He said as he flopped down and grinned at her. 

She scowled at him as she walked to the cupboard, and put on some more comfortable clothes.

“I hate you sometimes.” She grumbled as she walked back to the bed and got in, snuggling up to him with a light punch to his chest. 

She only got another ominous chuckle in return as his arms went around her, squeezing her to his body.

Chapter 13: Long Live the King

Gwyneira glanced down at the snoring man curled up next to her, his face pressed into her side. She preferred it that way- it stifled the noise a bit. 

She glanced back at the book she was reading- something she'd snagged from the library when she'd gotten some free time. 

Studying was second nature- relaxing, peaceful, and familiar. It was a way to put down roots in things. 

Since here was home now, there were plenty of beds to garden in. 

It was a story of how Balinor and Senestri, the god and goddess of this land, had met. 

As the story went, Senestri had been cast out by her warlike people for her gentle nature. Alone, she'd wandered the barren wastes far to the north, seeking sustenance and shelter. 

After days of wandering in the scorching heat and freezing cold without food or water, she'd collapsed and blacked out. 

When she'd come to, she’d seen a large, hooded, cloaked figure, and had immediately proceeded to accept her fate of being eaten. 

Much to her surprise, the hooded figure had decided to nurse her back to health. She couldn't see much of it, besides the scarred hands that held a bowl to her lips. That only fuelled the fire of her curiosity. 

As the days passed, she'd slowly regained her strength, enough to use her spider limbs to hobble around. 

She managed to sneak out of the tent he'd kept her in right when the mysterious stranger was bathing, and got her first look at the man under the cloak. 

His hair was wild, cascading in waves from his back, over a muscular, powerful back, covering a single massive, diagonal scar. The rest of his dark red skin was covered in small, white scars, some faded, some fresher than the others. (Here, Gwyneira felt the book's author had embellished a few details… and had possibly been writing with one hand.)

He had a quartet of horns, one set curved to the front and rose, like a crown, while the other curled behind his ears and jutted out past his jaws. His shoulders had a trio of horns, each extending up and to the side and overlapping slightly. They were embedded in bone, forming natural pauldrons.

His knuckles each had a metal spike growing out of it, lying almost perpendicular to his fingers, so it would be aligned correctly if his hand was curled into a fist. 

The rest of his scarred, muscular physique bore a resemblance to his descendants, minus the stretchy jaws, fluffy tail tips, and slimmer, more agile builds. 

Gwyneira glanced down at Drakhari again, then looked back at the book. Hmm… The way his face was described, and the illustration provided… He didn't bear as striking a resemblance as she'd first thought. 

The immediate, most obvious difference was their skin colour. Balinor’s was dark red, like dried blood, while Drakhari’s was an ashy black. The next thing she noticed was their brows. Balinor's was thicker and bushier, pulled down into a permanent scowl, while Drakhari's were- okay they were also downturned, but more so in a worried frown, rather than an angry, moody scowl. 

Their eyes, however, were the biggest difference, she felt. Where Drakhari's were warm and jovial, Balinor's were dark and stormy- the eyes of a man who'd seen things he wished to forget. 

The artist had earned their commission for the image, she felt. The amount of detail in the work was incredible.  

She looked down at Drakhari again, then ever so gently pushed his face away from her side. He grumbled softly, but quieted down a moment later. 

She gently ran her fingers over his face, and then over the bridge of his nose. “Definitely broke your nose a couple of times. No surprise there.” She said quietly, before she looked at Balinor. 

His everything was broken. Broken nose, scarred face, missing eartip, scuffed horns, too many scars to count, split, cracked lips… He looked like he'd just walked off a battlefield. 

At least they had similar cheekbones. Distant cousins, maybe? Definitely not a reincarnation.

She let go of Drakhari's face, and it fell back into her side while she kept reading. 

Of course, some oddly detailed shenanigans later, Senestri bore a child.

Here, the story got a little more vague. It claimed the tribes went to war over the existence of the child, while sending out assassins to find and kill it. 

The war broke both tribes, and scattered the survivors. Eventually, the child grew up and mated with the surviving members of both tribes, giving rise to the Eridvaari and the Driders, several generations later. 

At this point, Drakhari grumbled softly, then raised his head, staring at the book for a moment, before he turned his sleepy gaze towards her. 

“Wharyourea’in’?” He mumbled, shifting so he was laying down on her, his head resting on her stomach. 

“Story of your gods.” Gwyneira said softly, closing the book and setting it to the side. 

He grunted in response, then let out a deep, rumbly purr when she ran her hands through his hair. His tail flicked, swaying happily. 

“You should get up, you know. You have to get ready for the coronation.” She said, gently raking his scalp with her nails. 

The purring got even louder. “Five more minutes. Just… keep doing that.” He mumbled, stretching like a very large cat, and wrapping his arms around her. Then, he went limp, his eyes drifting closed as he kept purring loudly. 

Gwyneira had never owned a cat, but it seemed she was about to get married to one soon. 

She giggled softly, then shook her head. Alright, he could have a few more minutes. 

She leaned her head back, relaxing as she settled in against his arms. 

She watched the sunlight drifting in through the window, illuminating dancing motes of dust with its rays. Beyond, the lake shimmered, the surface rippling with waves. 

It was peaceful here. No quiet commotion. No horse hooves on cobblestones, no voices shouting about the price of their latest wares, and especially no godforsaken roosters crowing before sunrise. 

Seriously- whichever god created the rooster was a cruel, cruel one. 

She glanced at Drakhari's ceremonial armour in the corner. He had to wear it for the coronation, but… would he be able to? Considering… 

She glanced down at the man, before she gently ruffled his hair. “Come, my love. Up now. It's been five minutes.” She said softly, gently patting his cheek. 

Drakhari finally raised his head and yawned, his mouth stretching open to full size. It gave her what most would consider a rather horrifying view of a maw of sharp teeth. 

She, however, had gotten used to it, and simply smacked the bottom of his chin. “Didn't your mother ever tell you it's rude to yawn in people's faces?” She said with a smirk. 

He blinked in surprise at the smack, his jaw closing immediately, before he stared at her, then smirked. “Oh? Are you just people now?” He teased, bringing her hand up to his lips to gently kiss it. 

She chuckled, then rubbed her hand against his cheek. “No, but your breath stinks. Go freshen up.” She said, thumbing over to the bathroom. 

The prince laughed softly, before he sat up and stretched again, raising his arms to the sky like he was praising the sun. 

She couldn't resist giving him a poke in the ribs, which made him bark and quickly withdraw his arms. He glared at her as she giggled, then shook his head and got up, heading to the bathroom. 

She followed behind him, and after a quick bath, they exited in towels and split up to get dressed. 

Gwyneira watched Drakhari carefully while she got dressed. She saw him stare at his armour in silence for a while, before he began putting it on piece by piece, each movement hesitant and slow. 

She sighed quietly, turning back to her wardrobe. Hmm… the seamstresses had taken her measurements last night, but there was no delivery. Odd… 

The memory of that little session turned her cheeks a little red. All those hands running over her body… 

She gave her head a quick shake, before she cleared her throat, then started trying to pick out an outfit. 

As if on cue, there was a knock at the door. 

Drakhari raised a hand, gesturing for her to wait while he stood and walked to the door. 

As soon as he opened it, the seamstresses ducked under his arm and rushed into the room, grins on their faces as they bore an outfit in their hands. 

“Huh. Must've been the wind.” Gwyneira heard Drakhari say pointedly as he rolled his eyes and shut the door.

Her attention was quickly pulled back to the three grinning women before her. 

They held a dress in their hands. It was… elaborate, to say the least. 

It started off with pauldrons shaped like golden wings that would droop over her shoulders. Each feather had been painstakingly made to look as lifelike as possible. 

The back was left exposed, with golden chains between the pauldrons. The sleeves were loose, flowing, sky blue fabric, extending down to her wrists. 

The front had a rather generously low neckline, which made her blush slightly. 

The waist piece was shaped in a way that would hug her hips, and followed the bird theme. Golden feathers drooped downwards, swaying slightly with the movements of the women's hands. Below that, a simple loose, flowing skirt extended down to where her ankles would be. 

“It's… beautiful.” Gwyneira said softly. 

“Right? We've been working on this for a week. Now take your clothes off. We'll help you get it on.” Kori said with a grin. 

Gwyneira raised an eyebrow. She was rather direct, but the elven princess had gotten used to it, after living here for so long. 

She complied, and took her clothes off, standing naked before them. The way their eyes ran over her body felt… different, this time. 

Almost… Hungry.

Her cheeks reddened slightly, before her vision was suddenly darkened by the two taller sisters lifting the dress over her head. 

It was slowly and carefully tugged downwards, the pauldrons settling lightly onto her shoulders, while the waist piece sat comfortably on her hips. 

She felt a hand gently caress her rear, then slip under a cheek and gently press upwards. “Hm. Yeah, fits well. Told you.” The shorter of the two taller sisters, Mori, said with a smirk. 

“Yes, yes. I'll listen to you next time.” Dori said as she rolled her eyes. Gwyneira felt her nails gently slide down her back, adjusting the chains while brushing against her skin. 

Kori nodded. “Looks pretty good.” She said, before she reached out. Her hands slipped into the front of the dress, and Gwyneira gasped softly as her hands gently adjusted her breasts into the dress. 

“C- could have done that myself.” She mumbled, her face turning cherry red as she looked Kori in the eyes. 

The seamstress smirked. “I know. But I wanted to.” She said, before she slipped her fingers back out, but not before giving her nipples a slight pinch between her fingers. 

Gwyneira twitched at the sensation, and stared at Kori, confusion evident on her face. 

Drakhari's eyes suddenly widened. His hand quickly rose to his face, covering the biggest grin as he gazed at his wife's confused, slightly turned on face. 

He knew… but did she? He suspected not. Not yet, anyway. 

“There's just… a couple more things.” Kori said, her voice slightly husky. 

“Wh- what's that?” Gwyneira mumbled, before she swallowed, then cleared her throat. 

“Oh, just some jewellery.” Kori said, before she reached into a box and pulled out a thin golden collar. It was etched with little feathers and leaves, paying homage both to her elven ancestry and the nickname she'd earned when she reached her new home. 

“Oh. Wow. That's beautiful.” Gwyneira said softly, reaching out to take it off Kori’s hands. 

It darted slightly out of her reach, and the seamstress smirked. “We're putting it on, princess.” She said with a grin. 

Gwyneira blinked, then glanced at the other two sisters at her sides, before she looked back at Kori. 

All three of them were grinning. So was Drakhari. Was there some kind of joke she was missing? She felt a little out of the loop… 

She felt the collar go around her neck, then felt hands at the back of her neck- one pair gently closing the collar, while another pair carefully slid a golden rod through a series of holes, locking the piece in place. 

“Perfect. Now… Just one last thing.” Kori said, before she reached into the box and pulled out a bunch of nail rings. 

Each ring was shaped like a bird of prey’s talon, with a sharpened tip, to boot. 

The sisters at her sides scooped up the rings, and Kori held her hands while Dori and Mori carefully slipped the rings onto each finger.

They fit snugly, and Gwyneira wiggled her fingers slightly. The rings were surprisingly light, despite being made of gold. She had no doubt she could probably scratch someone up pretty good if she decided to use them. 

Then, Kori knelt, and Gwyneira shivered as she felt her claws tracing up from her ankle, slowly hiking her dress up and exposing her leg. 

“Boots.” She said, and Dori and Mori set two soft, supple, leather, thigh-high boots down. 

The front was pointed, and the shins were covered in simple winged metal greaves, while higher up was a pair of golden rings that were designed to tighten around her thighs. 

Kori’s hand slid back down, and she gently guided Gwyneira's foot into the boot, before she pulled it up. Her fingers lingered a little longer than necessary over the skin of her thighs, and for a moment, Gwyneira felt like those fingers were considering creeping up a little higher. 

She wasn't exactly sure how she felt about that, but… it wasn't exactly a bad feeling.

Her hands slipped away, and Gwyneira breathed a tiny sigh of relief. 

Her breath quickly caught as Kori shifted, guiding the other foot into the boot, before she slipped her leg over her shoulder, tugging the boot up to her thigh, before she tightened the ring. 

“Comfy?” She asked, resting her hands on Gwyneira's thigh with a smirk. 

She nodded quickly, and the seamstress chuckled, before she set her leg down and stood. 

“You look beautiful, princess.” Dori whispered in her ear, which flicked from the sudden closeness of her lips, while she blushed hotly. 

“Indeed. I think we outdid ourselves.” Mori whispered in her other ear. 

“Indeed. The dress looks even better with her in it.” Kori commented as she took a step closer, her hands running down the sides of Gwyneira's dress, and over her hips, smoothing the fabric out. 

For a moment, there was a very loud silence while Gwyneira’s face slowly turned into a bright, cherry red.  

With smug grins, the sisters stepped away, and walked back to the door. 

“I'll pay you ladies later.” Drakhari said with a grin as he held the door open. 

"Oh, no need. This one was on the house.” Mori said with a smirk as she patted Drakhari's side on the way out, with Mori behind her, the two chuckling as they went. 

Dori paused for a moment, then leaned towards Drakhari. “We'll be collecting a… different kind of payment.” She whispered, before she winked at him. 

“Doesn't surprise me. Now shoo.” He whispered back, and the woman chuckled as she walked out. 

Drakhari closed the door behind her, then turned to look at Gwyneira. 

“Wuh- wha- what was that!?” She squeaked. 

“What was what?” He asked, tilting his head and blinking innocently at her. 

“Oh don't you play games with me, you overgrown lump. You saw that! Th- they were getting so- so- handsy!” She squeaked, stomping her foot indignantly. 

“I have absolutely no idea what you're talking about. That looked normal to me.” Drakhari responded with a shrug, fighting with his whole soul to keep the laughter trying to bubble out, inside, where it belonged. 

Gwyneira scowled at him. He was being intentionally obtuse. She was sure of it! 

“You- ugh- you're useless.” She huffed, crossing her arms, before she stuck her tongue out at him. 

“Mm. Maybe, but they weren't wrong about one thing.” He said softly, as he tilted his head, while his eyes ran over her. 

“Yeah? What's that?” 

“You look beautiful, my love.” He said softly, walking towards her. 

She pouted, even as she felt his hand cup her chin and tilt it up. 

“Don't think I'll be forgetting this.” She grumbled, then melted into his kiss with a soft sigh. Her hands slid up, caressing his cheeks, before it gently gripped his ear, making him gasp softly. 

“I don't like it when you keep things from me.” She whispered, and he laughed, the sound soft and rich. 

“Mmm… I would tell you, my love, but- heh- not my place. It's something you have to realise on your own.” He whispered, his arms going around her and squeezing gently. 

She buried her face in his neck with a soft grumble. He smelled of cardamoms and ironwood essence- a strong, rich scent of freshly ground wood bark, mixed with a little bit of a floral scent similar to jasmine. 

“Ugh. Fine. If you insist.” She grumbled softly, before she kissed his cheek, then let go of his ear. 

“Get dressed. C'mon. We've got a coronation to get to.” She muttered as she walked towards the dressing table. 

She felt… powerful, seeing herself in the mirror. It was really a wonder how much of a difference an outfit could make. 

This particular outfit made her feel regal- strong- someone soon to be the queen of a kingdom. 

Perhaps two. 

She uncapped a bottle and dabbed a scented oil around her neck. Amber and roses, with a hint of lavender. 

She watched herself intently in the mirror as she applied her makeup. She kept it minimal, as was the style here- and thank the gods for that. 

Back home, the women applied far too much makeup, and ended up looking like circus performers. 

Not to say there weren't some women who had the ability to absolutely nail an appearance that suited them. Some of the eyeliner wings she'd seen on the more exotic designs? Drop dead gorgeous. 

And the nails! That was something that was very rarely screwed up. Many royals had intricate designs on their nails- either false nails, or if they'd maintained them well enough, their real nails. 

The end result was usually a stunning display of creativity and talent by the artists, incorporating local design trends, as well as their own designs. 

Hm. At least the parties back home were interesting. They were the only time she got to see people from outside the palace. New clothes, new faces, but never new friends. 

She couldn't trust anyone there. She couldn't know who would report on her to her father simply to curry favour. 

She shook the thoughts out of her head, then glanced at Drakhari through the mirror. 

She watched him reach out for the armour, and saw his hand pause, before it made contact, squeezing hard. 

He suddenly pulled his hand away, like he'd touched hot metal.

Drakhari stared at the armour, a scowl slowly furrowing his brow. His breathing sped up. 

It's just metal. Inanimate, harmless metal. It's not going to kill you. 

He reached out again, then squeezed the pauldrons hard. Cold. Cold, lifeless metal. 

He slowed his breathing, focusing on the crest of his family emblazoned on the chest. 

You've got a job to do. Focus. 

His breathing slowed down further, before he sucked in a deep breath, then slowly let it out. 

He's gone. He's dead and gone. Accept it. Move on. 

Why the fuck can't I move on? 

He picked up the helmet and nearly slammed it down on his head as he put it on. The cool metal helped, somewhat. Gave him something else to focus on. 

Bit by bit, each piece of the armour came on, trapping him in its cold, metal embrace. 

It felt warm, once. Protective, even if it was only ceremonial. Something familiar. 

Now… It felt like a prison. Cold, dark, unfeeling, and unfamiliar. A stranger passed on the street. 

He turned, and caught Gwyneira staring at him in the mirror. 

He shook his head slightly. He didn't want to talk about it. 

She understood. She sighed softly, then nodded back slightly. Her eyes, however, said they would be talking about this later. 

He looked away, staring out of the window for a moment, before he took a breath and steeled himself. 

He walked towards the door, then looked at Gwyneira. “Ready?” He asked quietly, and she nodded, before she walked over and took his hand. 

“You smell nice.” He said softly, and she smiled. 

“So do you.” She said, giving his hand a squeeze, before she looked up at him and smirked. “I told you those perfumes would suit you.” 

He rolled his eyes. “I'm never hearing the end of this, I swear to the gods.” He muttered as he pulled the door open. 

They stepped out and walked to the hall where Gwyneira had had her first dinner with Drakhari's family. 

The tables had been cleared away, and rows of seats had been placed on each side of the hall, facing a raised platform. 

In the middle, between the seats, was a dark red carpet with a gold trim, that led up to the podium. 

Chairs scraped back as the attendees stood, a few nodding to the prince. 

She saw the orcs, the Losavaarians, the tieflings, and the dragonborn, as well as two new races who hadn't been present at the last meeting. 

The first was a large, muscular, dark skinned man. He had thick, shaggy hair, and a long pair of horns sticking out of the sides of his head, with the tips curling upwards. 

He had a thick, ornate golden hoop through a rather bovine nose, and massive golden bracers on his crossed arms. He stood at over nine feet tall, towering over the others near him. Gwyneira judged he might be the only person able to look Drakhari in the eye. 

Next to him was a fair-skinned, tanned woman who almost a whole foot shorter, but no less muscular. Her hair was braided, with golden rings along the braids, a golden rod through her nose, and golden rings on her fingers. 

They must've been the minotaurs. She wondered why they hadn't shown up to the meeting. But… if their rulers were here in person, it was probably to make up for it.

The other pair she noticed were- well- on fire. At least, one of them was. The other was chilling. Literally. 

The woman had an unearthly look about her. Her face was human enough, but eyes were a solid black, broken up by glowing cracks, like a piece of coal about to burst into flames. Her hair was simply waves of red flames cascading down from her head, and down to her back, swaying without any wind. 

A golden tiara with a single large ruby encircled her forehead, the gem seeming to pulse and glow in the light. 

She seemed to glow from within- as if she, too, was about to burst into flames. Even now, Gwyneira could see the occasional tiny flame lick through her clothes, before it vanished. 

The person next to her was equally stunning- a very handsome man with a chiseled face. His skin was blue, and he had a beard that seemed to be made of frost, that grew down to his chest. 

His eyes were a milky white, with small, icy blue irises. His hair, like his beard, seemed to be made of frost, and was combed neatly back. 

He too wore a tiara- a silver one that supported an equally large sapphire, which, much like his wife's, seemed to glow and pulse with magical light. 

They were clearly the elementals. Fire and ice. That had to be one… steamy relationship. 

She bit the inside of her cheek, trying to stifle a laugh at her own pun, before she glanced up at Drakhari. 

She saw him glance down at her, and his lips twitched, before he shook his head slightly. 

Save the puns for later. We can't laugh!

She nodded slightly, and they made their way to the podium, where a middle aged Eridvaari woman stood. 

She was dressed in a simple black robe, but her pale grey face was covered in streaks that looked suspiciously like dried blood. 

Three lines ran from the bottom of her lower lip, to her chin, where they converged into a single line that dipped below the neckline of her robe. 

Another pair of lines ran from a smudge under her eyes, halfway down her cheeks, stopping just before the line of her jaw. 

The last set of markings was around the gem in her forehead. It consisted of two curls- one around the bottom, and the other around the top, of the gem. Thick lines curled to the sides, narrowing as they approached the edge of her brow, then dipped down, coming to a stop near the lines on her cheeks.

Her shiny black horns, too, were unusual. Rather than point upwards, backwards, or to the side like most Eridvaari’s did, her horns curled downwards. They curled around her ears and jutted out beyond her jaw, like the horns of a ram. 

Her eyes, however, were the most startling thing about her- bright yellow, with vertical, slightly rounded pupils. 

Her eyes locked onto Drakhari, staring at him for a good few seconds, before she looked at Gwyneira. 

For a moment, the elven princess felt as if this strange woman was peering straight into her soul. Her gaze was intense. It bored into her like a searchlight. 

Even though she tried, she couldn't look away. It felt like her head was being held in place by a pair of powerful, invisible hands. 

Finally, the woman looked away, and she let out a breath she didn't know she'd been holding. 

“We are gathered here… to witness the one who ascends.” The woman said, speaking slowly. Her voice was monotone, but it carried weight. Power. Gwyneira could sense the magic infused into every word she spoke. 

“Kneel, prince.” The woman said, and Drakhari dropped to one knee, his head bowed. 

The woman’s eyes shot to Gwyneira, and the princess got the sudden urge to kneel, too. 

She did, lowering her head as she did so, and stared at the floor. 

There was a moment of silence.

From out of the corner of her eye, Gwyneira saw the woman draw a wavy dagger from her robes. A kris.

The blade was etched with markings she couldn't make out. It was clearly a ritualistic dagger. 

“Your witness?” She asked. 

“I choose princess Gwyneira of the Llosandrii kingdom.” Drakhari said. 

“Princess Gwyneira, do you accept the honour- and responsibility- of being witness to the ascension?” The woman asked, and Gwyneira could feel those strange eyes drilling into the back of her head. 

She wondered for a moment why she felt uneasy. Why she suddenly felt like the woman had seen something she wasn't supposed to. 

“I do.” She said, before she swallowed. She felt nervous. Skittish. She wanted to run. Every cell in her body wanted to flee. 

“Very well.” She said, before she drew a piece of parchment from her robes. 

“Read.” She said, handing the paper to Drakhari, who took it in his hands, and began to read aloud, his voice carrying easily across the hall. 

“I, Drakhari Rai’vaardi, swear to safeguard the people of the kingdom of Erakleon. I swear to uphold her laws and protect her spirit till my physical form passes from this world.” He said, before he glanced up at the woman. 

She nodded, before she handed him the knife. “Right hand. Draw your blood.” She stated. 

Drakhari nodded, then hissed as he sliced the tips of his fingers open upon the blade. 

He let the blood run down his fingers, before he turned the parchment over and pressed his hand to it. It left a neat, bloody handprint that seemed to dry near instantly. 

The wounds on his hand quickly closed, and he hand the dagger back to the woman. 

She took the dagger and examined his handprint, before she looked at Gwyneira. 

“It is your turn, witness.” She said as she handed her the dagger and parchment. 

Gwyneira took the items, then set the parchment down on the floor, before she winced, hissing softly as she copied Drakhari- cutting open the tips of her fingers and letting the blood run down her fingers, before she pressed her hand to parchment, on top of Drakhari's. 

Her bloody handprint dried just as quickly, and she could see a noticeably darker, smaller outline where her hand had been. 

Her wounds sealed up, and she handed the items back to the woman. 

The dagger vanished into her robes, while the parchment levitated into the air. 

She produced a lump of metal, which she tossed into the air, making it float next to the parchment. Both twisted and elongated, wrapping around each other. 

“From the bones of your predecessors, and the blood of your mother, I give you your crown. Wear it with grace.” She said, as the metal twisted into a simple braided circlet. 

She lowered her hands, and the crown settled on Drakhari's head, wrapping around his horns, while another braid circled the gem embedded in his forehead. 

“So is sealed the oath and life of the former prince. Rise, Drakhari, King of Erakleon.” The woman said, raising her arms. Her voice suddenly having grown more intense and powerful, reverberating through the room. 

Drakhari rose, and the woman smiled, ever so faintly. “Remember your oath, king. Stray, and the kingdom falls.” She said quietly, and he nodded slightly, before he turned. 

The royals simply inclined their heads, but the others knelt, hands over their hearts as their heads lowered. 

“Long live the king!” The woman said, and a roar echoed from the Eridvaari present, followed by the thumping of fists against metal. 

“Long live the king! Long live the king! Long live the king!” 

The hall echoed with their chants and drumming of fists. It continued until Drakhari raised his hands, causing silence to fall across the hall. 

“Thank you.” He said, bowing his head to the room's occupants. 

“Now rise, witness.” The woman said, and Gwyneira got to her feet, straightening to look the woman in the eyes. 

“Remember your responsibility. He must not stray from the path.” The woman said sternly. 

“He will not.” Gwyneira said softly. 

She seemed satisfied with that answer. 

“That concludes the ascension. You may return to your duties, king.” The woman said, gesturing to Drakhari.

He nodded, then stepped down from the platform, right into his mother's spine-crushing embrace. 

Gwyneira was about to step off too, when she felt an iron, ice-cold grip on her shoulder.

“I would speak with you in two days’ time… Bearer. Ask for the Seer. I will be waiting. Do not walk away from this meeting.” The woman hissed in her ear.

Then, she took a step forward, and walked silently, slipping between the guests like a wisp of dark smoke as she exited. 

Gwyneira stared after her, before she swallowed, her throat suddenly feeling dry as sandpaper. 

What did she mean? Bearer? She'd said it almost like some kind of threat… 

She was jarred out of her thoughts by Luti nudging her shoulder with hers. 

“You look like you've seen a whole host of ghosts. What happened? What did she say?” Luti asked. 

“I- I don't exactly know. She… called me a bearer? Does- does that mean anything to you?” She whispered, looking at the tiefling, who rubbed her chin. 

“Honestly? Can't think of anything. Bearer. Maybe you're…?” She asked, glancing down at Gwyneira’s belly. 

“No. No way. We never did it on an… unsafe day.” Gwyneira whispered. 

The tiefling raised an eyebrow. 

“I swear!” 

“Alright, alright, if you say so. Ring bearer, then? No… you'd be a wearer, not a bearer.” She muttered, before she frowned, then sighed and shrugged. 

“I honestly have no idea.” She murmured, and Gwyneira sighed. 

“She wants to see me in two days… Should I go? Is this- like a threat or something?” She mumbled. 

“She asked to see you? Shee- iiit. She never asks to see anyone. Yeah, I'd go if I were you, hon. That's uhh- she's not someone I would stand up.” She said, shaking her head vigorously. 

“.... Thanks, Luti.” Gwyneira grumbled. 

“Listen- I'm not joking. She's a Seer. She's got demon blood in her. She's the one who makes- like- prophecies and stuff. She lives in a cave deep in the woods. Whoever goes looking for her, they never find her unless she wants them to.” She whispered. 

“Demon blood!? Wait- don't you have it too?” Gwyneira whispered back, frowning in disbelief. 

“I mean- all tieflings do, but like- she's got blood from a… more powerful source. Like… probably a demon lord or something.” Luti whispered. 

“I… see.” Gwyneira mumbled, before she shook her head. 

“But- hey- don't worry about it. It can't be something bad.” Luti said with a shrug. 

Even she sounded unsure. 

“Not exactly inspiring confidence, Luti.” She grumbled quietly. 

“Yeah… I know. Sorry.” She sighed, before she rubbed her back. “Look- just- go see what she wants. Whatever it is, it's important, and you're going to need to know.” She said softly. 

“Yeah. Yeah, you're right.” Gwyneira muttered, before she took a deep breath, then slowly let it out. 

“Alright. Let's just… focus on the party.” She muttered as she forced a smile, then walked to Drakhari's side. 

She slipped her hand into his, then squeezed it. 

He turned his attention to her, then smirked. “I did warn you it was going to be a little weird.” He said softly. 

“You didn't mention it was going to be “blood ritual with a creepy witch lady” weird.” She said, digging her talons into his skin, which made him wince. 

“Owowowow-! Okay, okay- yeah! I keep forgetting our standards of weirdness are completely different.” He muttered, then shook his hand when she let go of it. 

“Hmph.” She didn't tell him about the fact that the seer wanted to see her later. She wanted a clearer picture before she talked to him. 

“C'mon. Let's get something to eat.” He said, leading her through the crowd towards a long table, set up buffet style. 

There were several metal vessels on the table, each warmed by an array of candles from below. Each contained a different dish- fish, meat, and vegetables, prepared in various styles. 

She saw the skewers she'd eaten on her little outing with Drakhari- harrak di morag, the slices of meat she had when she first came here- Dreeya, potato salad, fruit salad, and a few new dishes she hadn't seen.

The first was sort of leafy vegetable in a curry- it looked a bit like spinach, but it was purple… and served with mushrooms. Drakhari informed her that it was called ras’ar. Tangy and savoury. The mushrooms tasted a little nutty. 

The next dish was noodles (something that seemed to be universal over the entire continent), served with sliced a’kho, which was meat from a large, cow-like creature called a Ka-laan, as well as shredded carrots, sliced capsicum, broccoli, and zucchini. 

Then, Gwyneira heard Drakhari suck in a long gasp, followed by a breathy “no waaaaay!”

She watched the king scamper over to one of the vessels, before he reached in and pulled out a very familiar, cylindrical piece of food. 

“They did it…” He said, turning to her with childlike glee on his face. “They figured out the sausage!” He said, holding it out to her with a huge grin on his face. 

She leaned forward and took a bite, and chewed contemplatively. 

Okay- she had to admit- they did make it better. The meat was finely ground, and actually spiced. They kept the spices to a minimum in her kingdom, since the product was being sold to the masses. 

But here? The masses enjoyed their spicy food. 

The sausage was salted and peppered just right, and she could taste some garlic, as well as a little bit of chili, judging by the faint, residual heat left on her tongue. 

“Okay. That's… actually pretty good. Better than ours.” She admitted begrudgingly. 

“Heh. See? I told you we could do it better. I could kiss the cooks right now.” He said as he happily munched on the sausage. 

“How about you get a plate first, hm? Get us something to eat.” Gwyneira said with a soft chuckle. 

“Mm. Yes. I will do just that. Our table is over there.” He said, nodding to the back of the room, near the platform. 

She nodded and walked to the table, where she seated herself next to queen Mordren. The only other occupant at the table was Luti, who seemed to be… distracted. Particularly by a nearby family of octotaurs. 

Gwyneira hid a smile, then looked at queen Mordren. “So. He's finally taking over for real now, huh?” She asked, and the queen nodded. 

“Yes… Yes he is. Though- heh- I don't expect him to start behaving like a king anytime soon. Just look at him.” She said softly, a smile on her face. 

They watched Drakhari for a moment, smiles on their faces as he piled the plate up with food, while chatting excitedly to a dignitary. 

“No grace.” Gwyneira mused. 

“No poise.” The queen added with a soft chuckle. 

“Absolutely no subtlety.” 

“Zero sense of his station.”

There was a pause, followed by both women giggling and leaning against each other.

“He's going to make a fine king.” Gwyneira said softly, and the queen nodded. 

“Indeed he is. I'm proud of him.” She said softly, before she reached down and took Gwyneira's hand, then gently squeezed it. 

“As I'm sure you'll make a wonderful queen, my dear.” She said with a smile. 

A queen… Gwyneira hadn't even given much thought to that. In a few days time, she would officially be the queen of this kingdom. 

“I… I was prepared for this, but… I don't know anything about ruling.” She mumbled, her eyes widening. 

The queen saw the look on her face and guffawed, before she shook her head, then bent down and kissed the top of her head. 

“Which is why I'm sure you'll do well… my daughter.” She said as she put an arm around her and squeezed her gently. 

Gwyneira’s eyes suddenly felt slightly damp as she looked up at the queen. 

She suddenly buried her face in the woman's side as she hugged her tightly. The queen chuckled softly, and draped an arm around her, squeezing her gently to her body. 

“Drakhari told me you grew up without a mother. Now… You may not be my child by blood, but… I will be a mother to you to the best of my abilities. That, I can promise.” She said softly. 

Gwyneira squeezed even harder, and stifled a sniffle, before she swallowed and pulled back, wiping the dampness off her eyes. 

“Thank you, queen Mordren.” She said softly, giving the queen a smile. She probably would have hugged her a little longer, but given the fact that they were at a formal function, she couldn't. 

The queen shook her head slightly. “No need.” She said softly, before she patted her cheek. 

Just then, Drakhari returned, and set his plate down on the table with a grin. It was- as she'd suspected it would be- piled high with food. 

Though to be fair, he'd snagged enough food for the whole table. 

“Ooh. Finally. I've been dying try these.” Luti said as she picked up a fork and stabbed a sausage. 

“You're going to love it.” Drakhari said with a grin, before he gently nudged Gwyneira. 

“So. About that couple from earlier.” He said with a grin. 

“Ohhh here we go.” Queen Mordren sighed and rolled her eyes. 

“Yeah. I bet the queen's a real hothead.” Gwyneira said with a grin, which earned a low groan from Luti and Mordren. 

“Good thing her husband seems like a chill guy.” Drakhari snickered. 

Luti started to giggle, while Mordren shook her head, a small smile on her face. 

“I just hope he isn't cold hearted.” Gwyneira said, fighting down a fit of laughter. 

“I’m sure she's got more than enough warmth for the both of them.” He laughed. 

“Okay that one was weak.” Luti said, shaking her head. 

“Oh come on.” 

“She's right, my son. That one did feel a little weak.” The queen said with a chuckle. 

Drakhari blew a raspberry at them, while they grinned and chuckled. 

“Jokes aside, personality wise- the queen is more icy, amusingly enough. The king is the one who's warm and… chill.” The queen said with a smile. 

Drakhari's head turned so fast Gwyneira thought he'd break his neck. 

“Did you just-?” 

“Not intentionally.” 

“Mine own mother. The queen.” Drakhari said regretfully, shaking his head. 

The queen rolled her eyes and shook her head. “Mine own son. Sooo easily scandalised.” She said, glancing around quickly to make sure nobody was looking, before she looked at Drakhari and stuck her tongue out at him. 

Seemed she was picking up some behaviour from her adopted daughter already. 

Drakhari laughed, then leaned over and kissed his mother's cheek. “I love you, ma.” He said with a smile. 

“I love you too.” She said softly, kissing his forehead. 

“So… I've got a question. I noticed all Eridvaari have these gems in their foreheads. Is that- like- a decorative thing, or?” Gwyneira asked, glancing at the gems in their foreheads. 

Mordren's was dark green, she noted. 

“Well… truth be told, we're not entirely sure either. Every Eridvaari is born with it. We theorise it serves as a way to channel the magic flowing through our bodies.” Drakhari said, tapping his chin with the handle of his knife. 

“Has it ever been broken? What happens if it breaks?” Gwyneira asked. 

“Well… Like our bones, it is difficult to break, but not impossible. Minor damage like chips, cracking, and scratches don't have an effect. Complete breakage or removal, though, makes it difficult to control our bones.” He said, raising his hand. 

The blade in his forearm extended halfway out, before it slid back in. “That's as easy to do as it is to breathe. It feels natural. But for those who lose their gems, it suddenly becomes a lot more difficult. It's like having to learn how to walk all over again.” He said softly. 

“Oh. That's… horrible.” Gwyneira murmured. 

“Yes… luckily, we did find a way to sort of fix the problem. Our healers, with the assistance of mages, created magically infused gems that can replace the ones lost. It works, but… it doesn't exactly feel the same. It's like a prosthetic. It takes time to get used to the gem, and not to mention, they need three. One isn't strong enough.” He said, before he shrugged. 

“Takes a while to get used to, but eventually, they do manage to go back to a normal life. With an increased sensitivity to terrible headaches at times, but… I think it's still a small price to pay.” He said with a slight smile. 

“Well, that's good. So… that's really important, huh?” She murmured, reaching up to gently rub the gem in his forehead. “And here I was, thinking it was just a decoration. Like a piercing.” She murmured. 

“Well, now you know.” Drakhari said with a soft chuckle. 

Gwyneira could feel the magic flowing through the gem now that she had her fingers on it. A gentle thrumming and pulsing, like a heartbeat. Simply part of a larger body. 

She lowered her hand, then smiled. “Thank you for telling me.” She said softly. 

Drakhari waved his hand. “I'm surprised you didn't ask sooner, to be honest.” He said with a chuckle. 

“Mmh. Assumed it was a cultural thing.” She said with a shrug. 

“Fair. Anyway- eat up. We've got a lot of people to talk to, still.” He said as he reached for another piece of meat. 

Gwyneira nodded and joined in. The four of them shared the plate as they ate. When they finished, they mingled with the guests for a while until dessert was served. 

Dessert was small, frozen balls of candied, condensed milk, served with flavoured milk- a wonderfully cool, refreshing snack and drink, all in one dish, for the hot climate. 

The little balls cracked and popped wonderfully in her mouth, while the cooled milk was sweet, but not overly so. It was flavoured with the essence of a local flower, giving it a fresh, cooling aftertaste. 

After dessert, they thanked the dignitaries for coming, and the hall slowly emptied out. When the last guest left, they headed to their room, where Gwyneira plopped herself down on the bed and flopped back. 

“So many people… I am absolutely not remembering half those names…” She groaned. 

Drakhari chuckled, then walked to the armour stand, sliding the pieces off, before he set them down on the stand. “Yes, well… I don't remember most of their names either. Which is why I make nicknames. Plus, mother's- or- well- mine now- advisors keep a little book of names and records and whatnot. Helps keep track of who's who.” He said, before he stepped back, shrugging his shirt off. 

Gwyneira rolled onto her side, admiring his figure in the light of the low sun. Her eyes slid over his face, then took their time working their way down his body, taking in every movement and muscle as he balled his shirt up and tossed it into a nearby basket for their laundry. 

Mm… Shame he'd left his pants on for now.

She sat up, then sighed softly. “Help me get out of this outfit. I need something comfy.” She said softly as she stood and walked over to him. 

He smiled, then bent down to kiss her head. “I'd love to.” He said with a grin, making her roll her eyes as he reached for the pauldrons. 

Before he could take them off, there was a knock at the door. 

Drakhari closed his eyes, and exhaled with exasperation through his nose, before he glanced at the door. 

“How much do you want to bet it's the Sisters?” He asked with a sigh. 

“I don't take losing bets, my love.” Gwyneira said with a soft giggle, which made him smile. He kissed her forehead, then shook his head. 

Drakhari walked to the door and opened it. The sisters stepped in, smirking slightly at him, before they looked at Gwyneira. 

“We came to help take the outfit off. We don't trust him to not damage it while doing so.” Kori said, thumbing over her shoulder to Drakhari. 

“Rude. Especially considering you're well aware of how gentle I can be.” He said with a smirk. 

“Anyway-” The sisters surrounded Gwyneira, who suddenly felt slightly cornered. 

“- Like we said… Just here to help take it off.” Mori said with a grin. 

“Go ahead.” Gwyneira muttered, her face reddening slightly. 

Hands slid over her legs, drawing the edge of her dress up and above her head. One set of hands lifted the pauldrons off, while the other pulled the dress over her head. 

Kori carefully laid the dress down on the bed, before she turned to Gwyneira. Her eyes ran over the elven princess, taking in every detail of her body. Right now, the only thing she had on was her thigh high boots. 

Even Drakhari was smirking approvingly from behind. 

“Gotta say, princess… you look pretty good in nothing but boots.” Kori said with a grin as she walked back to Gwyneira. 

“Thanks. My fiancée certainly seems to like it.” She mumbled, shooting Drakhari a glare. 

The fiancée in question snickered. “What? I've got a thing for elven princesses in leather. Can you blame me?” He said with a wink.

“Not in the slightest.” Mori said with a grin. 

“Indeed… I'm thinking the boots stay on.” Kori said as she moved closer, and Gwyneira twitched as her claws gently dragged over her hip, the woman pulling her a little closer. 

“S- stay on-? F- for what? I wanted t- to get dressed f- for bed.” Gwyneira mumbled, staring intently at a point just above Kori's head. 

Her heart was racing. Pounding like it wanted to jump out of her chest. Kori was so close- and she smelled good, too- Bergamot and lavender. Citrusy, floral, and spicy.

“Mmm… I don't think you need to get dressed just yet, princess.” Kori whispered, and Gwyneira swallowed, her nervousness quickly building. 

“Wh- why's that?” She mumbled, her face getting even redder as Kori's hand trailed up her body, over her breast, and gently gripped her chin. 

“Because you won't exactly be needing clothes for a bit… princess.” Kori whispered, before she lowered her head and pressed her lips to Gwyneira's. 

Every thought in the princess' head was snuffed out of existence like the flame of a blown candle. 

Her eyes fluttered closed, and she let out a tiny groan, her tongue still and unmoving as Kori gently brushed it around. 

Kori pulled back, and Gwyneira followed slightly, before her eyes shot open, staring at her. 

A rush of emotions flooded through her. Confusion, first and foremost, followed by fear, and finally, a tinge of arousal. 

“How dare you? I'm the prin-” Her attempt at being a hardass was cut off by Kori squeezing her cheeks together. 

The woman shook her head. “Don't even, princess. We both know it's fake. Let's skip the bullshit, hm?” Kori purred huskily, and Gwyneira swallowed. 

She wanted to push her away, at first. Yell and scream at her for being so bold as to cross a boundary set in place by their ranks. For forgetting her place. For doing something so taboo. 

But at the same time, she wanted… more. More of this strange feeling. More of… her. 

She'd had these feelings for a long time. Yet, she was told that they were wrong. Unnatural. Something to be pushed down and ignored. 

But now that they were bubbling to the surface, she was… afraid. Afraid of letting them in. Afraid of giving in and enjoying something she'd repeatedly been told was disgusting and depraved. 

She frowned slightly, trying to put on a brave face. 

“Kori, I’m not sure this is- ahhn~!” She was cut off as a pair of fingers plunged into her, and Mori chuckled. 

“Aww… Look at that. Little princess can't think straight when there's a couple of fingers inside her.” Mori cooed in Gwyneira's ear, before she gently bit it. 

Gwyneira shivered, then let out a quavering moan, her eyes fluttering again. 

The fear and anger were fading quickly, replaced by growing lust. 

She'd considered doing something like… This… with a woman, before. But… She never had the opportunity. But now that she did? It felt… good. She wanted more. 

Needed more.

Mori’s fingers pushed deeper into her, burying themselves in up to the knuckle, and her palm ground against her groin as she rocked her fingers back and forth. 

“So cute…” Dori cooed as she reached down, giving Gwyneira's ass a squeeze, before she giggled softly and gently bit her other ear. 

“Don't worry, princess. We'll take good care of you.” She cooed. 

Kori moved in, and pressed her lips against Gwyneira’s again, before she rested a hand on her waist. “Bed, princess. Now.” She said firmly. 

“Y- yes.” Gwyneira mumbled, swallowing as she stumbled off Mori's fingers, then sat on the bed. 

The sisters grinned when she obeyed so quickly, before they glanced at each other. 

Their clothes quickly hit the floor, and they stood before the princess. 

Kori, the shortest, was the most muscular of the three, with a more stocky figure compared to her sisters. 

Dori and Mori shared a similar athletic build, with the only difference being in their height. 

Gwyneira's eyes roamed over their bodies, taking in the sight of their breasts, the swell of their hips, and the well groomed fuzz below. 

She swallowed, then chuckled dryly. 

She was in danger. 

Kori took a step forward, then put a hand on her chest. “Down, princess.” She growled softly, and Gwyneira didn't resist as she was pushed down to the bed. 

Her heart was still racing, her breathing short and shallow. She could feel herself dampening below, but she still wasn't sure it was because of the sisters. 

It couldn't have been! Surely she wasn't attracted to women. Even these… oddly pretty ones. 

“Today, princess… You're going to learn something you're long overdue.” Kori said with a grin. 

Gwyneira swallowed the frog in her throat long enough to respond. “What's that?” She mumbled. 

“How to eat a woman out. Mori, if you'd do the honours?” Kori said as she swung her legs over Gwyneira’s face, bringing her pussy into view. 

“It's easy. Just follow along.” She said with a grin, before she brought her hips down, blocking Gwyneira's view of anything else. 

She felt Kori's thighs close around her head, muffling the sound as well, as the woman's hand curled into her hair, pulling her head up. 

Gwyneira instinctively wrapped her arms around Kori's legs, which made the woman chuckle. 

Mori rubbed her hands together, before she got to her knees between Gwyneira's legs, rump in the air as she spread them further apart. 

Gwyneira shuddered, letting out a muffled gasp as Mori's tongue slowly drew a lazy "A" over her labia. 

While it drew the dash, her tongue suddenly plunged in, making her squeak. Oh gods- that tongue! Stupid Eridvaari and their freakishly long tongues!

Gwyneira tried her best to follow along, but there were too many emotions flooding through her mind. Confusion, arousal, a little bit of panic, but most of all… Fear and shame. 

This was a bad idea. 

Father would find out. Or- or someone would see. She had to stop- she had to stop this before it went too far- she didn't want to get herself in trouble, or them. She didn't want to get caught. 

Then, she felt a familiar hand press against her stomach, followed by a weight pressing down into the bed beside her. 

“Stop thinking, my love. Silence your mind.” Drakhari purred softly, rubbing her stomach. 

“You're not back there. You're home. Breathe.” He said softly, before he kissed the side of her head. 

That's right. The palace was far, far away. They couldn't touch her, here. And even if they somehow did, her king would tear them apart. 

She was safe. She was home. 

She felt herself calm down- as much as one could with a tongue gently teasing her cervix, anyway. 

Her tongue began to move, and Kori shivered. “Ooh. Much appreciated, king.” She said with a soft laugh, before she moaned when Gwyneira reached up to squeeze her breasts. 

“Mmm… Someone's getting bolder.” Kori said with a chuckle, grinning as she began to rock her hips, grinding back against Gwyneira's face. 

She glanced down, and grinned when she saw a rather determined look in the princess' eyes. “Oh, honey, you aren't getting me to cum first. Not with Mori back there eating you out.” She said with a laugh. 

Gwyneira let out a soft growl, and Kori shuddered as the princess gently bit down on her clit. 

“Someone's a bloody natural. Ghh- fuck!” Kori hissed, holding Gwyneira’s face closer as she began to grind against her faster. 

Mori's tongue swayed back and forth, beginning to thrust in and out while grinding against Gwyneira's g-spot. It was rather easy to find- her hips had jerked pretty hard when she'd touched it. 

Mori reached forward, her claws gently sinking into the flesh of Gwyneira's breasts. She was rewarded with a muffled moan, and smirked, before her fingers moved to her nipples, gently pinching and rolling them. 

She earned a louder, sluttier moan, and grinned. Sensitive, huh? Good. 

She kept up the attention, while her tongue folded upwards, grinding against Gwyneira's clit while she continued to tease her insides. 

Meanwhile, Drakhari felt someone pat his side. He turned, then raised an eyebrow at Dori. 

“Can't exactly leave you out.” She said softly, reaching for his pants. 

His hand shot down, grabbing hers to halt her movement. He held a finger up, then nudged Gwyneira. 

Her eyes rolled over to his, and Kori lifted her hips off just enough for Gwyneira to suck a breath in, panting and moaning softly as Mori kept eating her out. 

“She wants me. Are you okay with it?” He asked softly, and Gwyneira nodded. 

“Y- yeah- go ahead.” She said, before Kori brought her hips right back down, cutting off any further conversation. 

Drakhari’s grip loosened, and Dori smirked. “Good man.” She said with a chuckle, before she undid his pants, letting his half-hard shafts spring up. 

“Hello, my little friends.” She murmured, before she patted the tip of each shaft. 

“Little!?” 

“I mean, you're kinda average sized.”

Kori let out a laugh, which quickly turned into a moan as Gwyneira's tongue hit her g-spot. 

Dori giggled softly, both at the cut off laugh as well as the look on Drakhari's face, before she kissed the tip of his upper shaft. 

Her tongue slithered out, slowly wrapping around his shaft, before she began to stroke it with the appendage. 

She moved her head, letting out a low purr as she slowly downed his shaft, and began to bob her head, servicing the king while her sisters worked the future queen over. 

Speaking of the future queen- they suddenly heard a loud, muffled scream as Gwyneira bucked her hips up, hard. 

Kori grinned, then raised her hips off the princess' face. “First orgasm to a girl. How's it feel, princess?” She asked. 

Gwyneira let out an incoherent mumble, still dazed from the force of the orgasm. 

“Yeah, that's what I thought. Back to work, princess. Right now, you've got one job… and that's to satisfy me.” Kori cooed as she lowered her hips again. 

Mori looked up, a satisfied smirk on her face as she wiped her lips. “She tastes sweet. Hah! Always imagined she would.” She said with a laugh. 

“Imagined!?” Gwyneira squeaked, pushing Kori's hips off her face for a moment. 

“What, surely you didn't think the interest was sudden.” Mori said with a grin as she leaned over to look down at Gwyneira from over Kori's shoulder. 

“Oh, no, princess. We've been fantasising about you since day one.” Mori purred, her hands resting on Gwyneira's sides. 

The princess' eyes widened, and all three sisters chuckled. 

“Mmhm. We've been eyeing you up for a while now. We just weren't sure until we took your measurements for the dress.” Kori said with a grin. 

“And that's when we knew.” Dori said with a giggle as she stroked Drakhari's shaft. 

“Hell, even I noticed.” Drakhari said with a laugh. 

“.... I hate all of you.” Gwyneira mumbled, before she groaned and covered her face with her hands. 

They chuckled, before Kori gently moved Gwyneira’s hands away to reveal a frowny face. 

“If you want us to stop, we will. Promise.” Kori purred.

Gwyneira’s frown deepened, and she opened her mouth, but then slowly closed it as her face reddened. 

“Thaaat's what we thought. Good girl.” Kori purred, shifting her hips back, before she bent down to kiss her lips. 

Gwyneira groaned softly, her hands sliding down the woman's body to give her butt a squeeze. 

This time, her tongue danced with Kori's, as she gave herself over to the pleasure. 

Mori giggled, before she gripped Gwyneira's legs and bent her hips backwards as she stood. 

She brought her hips down to Gwyneira's, pressing their lower lips together, before she began to grind against her, letting out a low purr of pleasure. 

“Mm… Does anyone have lube?” Dori asked, and Gwyneira pulled away from Kori's kiss to nod. 

“Y- yeah. Hang on.” She mumbled, before she whispered a spell. A spectral hand pulled a drawer open, and pulled out a bottle, before it floated over to them. 

Four pairs of eyes silently tracked the bottle, and stopped when it did, dangling above the pile of bodies. 

Slowly, those eyes slid down to Gwyneira, who suddenly felt self-conscious, like she'd done something wrong. 

“My love… Have you always been able to do that?” Drakhari asked after a long pause. 

“Y- yes? Um- I sometimes use them to do stuff that I can't focus on at the moment.” Gwyneira mumbled. 

“And not once… did it occur to you to- y'know- use them during- I dunno- fun times?” Drakhari asked wryly. 

“What are you-? Oh- Oh. Oh good gods in heaven. No.” Gwyneira squeaked, blushing hotly. 

“Princess… How about you do us all a favour and summon a whole bunch more of them, hm?” Kori asked with a grin. 

Gwyneira whined out a spell, and several more hands popped into existence. 

“Good girl.” Kori murmured, before she kissed her cheek, then sat up and grabbed the bottle of lube. 

She popped it open, then poured a generous amount on three of the hands, before she corked it back up and tossed it to Mori. 

“I think you know where those three hands have to go, hm?” She asked, looking down at Gwyneira, who nodded, still cherry red. 

The hands flew off, and there was a series of moans as the lubed up fingers gently pushed themselves into the backdoors of the sisters. 

The other hands went for their pussies, easing fingers into them, while a few more began to run over their bodies, groping and squeezing them. 

“Fuuuck… Ooh, that feels nice. They're warm, too!” Mori cooed, grinning as she dripped some lube between hers and Gwyneira's joined hips. 

“Just like the real thing, mm? Heh. Feels just like her hands, too.” Kori cooed, rocking her hips back against the fingers buried inside her. 

Drakhari snagged a passing hand, then took a closer look at it. “They are hers. Just… y'know. Ghostly.” He said as he lightly tossed it back into the air, where it hovered for a moment, as if choosing a target. Then, it dived for Dori’s breasts, which made her moan happily. 

“Even better.” Kori said with a giggle, before she sat up again, then smirked down at Gwyneira. “Still got a job to do, princess. Getting pretty close, though.” She purred. 

Any further conversations ceased for a while, replaced by a chorus of moans as the participants slipped deeper into their lust. 

The next person to cum was Kori. She shuddered, hunching over Gwyneira's face as she bucked her hips hard. “Ffff-! Oohh! Oh fuck!” She moaned, gushing over the princess' tongue, before she lifted her hips, panting as she did. 

“Fuck… you sure you haven't pleasured a woman before? Sheesh!” Kori groaned, panting as she recovered. 

“I think- I'd remember.” Gwyneira mumbled, her chest heaving as she stared blankly at the ceiling. 

“We should get the toys next time. See how she fares then.” Mori said with a grin. 

“Wha-? Toys!?” 

“Oh yes, princess. We've got quite a lot of them.” Kori said with a grin.

“Magical ones, too. Ones that deliver little shocks, even a couple of strapons that feel like the real thing.” Mori said with a grin. 

“.... What's a strap on?” Gwyneira asked, tilting her head. 

The two sisters stared down at her for a few seconds, before they looked at each other, then burst into a fit of giggles. 

“Oh, princess. We've got so much to teach you.” Kori said with a grin. 

The bed was suddenly rocked as Drakhari sat up, and threw Dori to the bed. The three of them watched as he gripped her horns, using them as handholds as he buried his shafts in her holes. 

Dori's eyes rolled back into her head, and her hands curled into fists as her tongue lolled out, jaw hanging loosely as Drakhari pounded into her from behind. 

“Such a slut.” Mori murmured, snickering. 

“I mean, she's a sub. She loves it. Look at her face.” Kori said with a chuckle as she leaned back against Mori. 

The sisters and the princess watched Dori get pounded for a while, before Gwyneira's cheek was gripped, turning her attention back to Kori. 

“Mm. Enough of them, princess. She hasn't cum yet.” Kori said, nodding over her shoulder to Mori. 

“So I want you to be a good little girl, and spread your legs nice and wide for her, hm? Even better if you do us a favour and cum.” She purred, her tongue slipping out and wrapping around Gwyneira's ear. 

The elf shivered, her mouth falling open as she let out a strangled moan. 

“Ooh… fuck, keep doing that. I love the look on her face.” Mori growled softly as she began to rock her hips faster. “Fuck- so close…” 

Kori snickered, her hand moving to Gwyneira’s other ear, and gripping it in her hand. Her claws ran tantalisingly up and down the length, making Gwyneira's eyes roll back as she bucked her hips, panting heavily as she squirmed helplessly. 

“There it is- that's what I wanted.” Mori hissed as she began to grind her hips faster. With both the physical and visual stimulation, it didn't take long for her to get pushed over the edge too. 

She threw her head back, letting out a loud moan as she came, gushing over Gwyneira's pussy. The sensation pushed the elven princess over the edge too, and she let out a ragged moan as she came, bucking her hips up hard, before she fell back, limp and panting heavily. 

Kori laughed softly, before she kissed Gwyneira's cheek. “Good girl. You can rest for now. And watch.” She purred, pressing a finger to her cheek to turn her gaze to Drakhari and Dori. 

There was a soft thump as Mori flopped into the bed beside them, and wrapped her arms around Gwyneira. 

Gwyneira focused on Drakhari, her eyes trailing his muscular form as he thrust into the woman below him. 

So that was what he looked like when they were doing it roughly. Feral. Savage. Hell bent on getting both himself and her off. 

Then, she saw the moment the knots went in. Dori's eyes went wide, and she let out a scream of pleasure as an orgasm quickly followed. 

She saw her fiancée bare his teeth in a snarl as he came. He looked so… Rough. Animalistic. 

His eyes met hers, and he grinned, before he bent down, pushing Kori's face out of the way as he kissed her deeply. 

She purred softly, reaching up to caress his face, and smiled faintly into the kiss. 

“Still mad I didn't tell you?” He whispered, grinning. 

“Not anymore.” She mumbled, giving his face a light slap. 

He snickered, then kissed her again. “I take it you enjoyed yourself?” He whispered, nuzzling into her cheek. 

She nodded. 

“Good. They're probably going to be back for more. They're greedy.” He murmured, and grinned at the noises of protest from the trio. 

“I wouldn't mind too much. They said I've still got a lot to learn.” She murmured, giggling softly as she kissed his cheek. 

“Mmhm. We're bringing the toys next time.” Kori said, nodding firmly. 

“Oh boy. Heh… Trying to steal my wife, are you?” Drakhari asked wryly. 

“If you don't keep her happy, we'd love to take her off your incapable hands.” Kori teased with a smirk. 

“Ha! In your dreams.” He said, sticking his tongue out at her. 

Gwyneira giggled at their banter, then shook her head. “Let's just… get some sleep. I'm exhausted.” She said with a tired smile. 

“No argument there.” Kori said as she sat up. 

She yelped as her horn was suddenly grabbed, and her head yanked back down. 

“I didn't tell you to leave.” Gwyneira said with a smirk, which made Kori raise her eyebrows. 

Her eyes flicked to her other sisters, who shrugged and smiled. 

“Wouldn't mind staying for the night. Wouldn't be the first time.” Mori said with a smile. 

“I can't exactly walk.” Dori agreed, which made Drakhari snicker. 

“It's settled, then. You may stay the night.” Gwyneira said as she wiggled her way up the bed, resting her head on a pillow. 

“Mm. No complaints.” Kori said as she moved downwards, resting her head on Gwyneira's breasts, while Mori snuggled into Gwyneira's side. 

Drakhari moved, letting Dori hug herself into Gwyneira's other side, while he stayed behind her, his knots not allowing him to pull out just yet. 

He reached down, then gently caressed Gwyneira's cheek, before he smirked. “Someone's a happy elf.” He said softly. 

“Very.” Gwyneira chirped as she snuggled into the soft bodies around her. 

The last thing she heard was Drakhari's soft, warm laugh as she slipped into darkness.

Chapter 14: The Seer

Gwyneira groaned softly as she stirred. Her eyes slowly opened, and she focused on the grey stones of the ceiling. 

She tried to sit up, and was reminded very quickly of the bed’s other occupants when she almost gored herself on Kori's horns. 

She slowly laid back down, then glanced around. The sisters were still asleep, but the king seemed to be half awake, slowly coming out of his sleep. 

She reached up and poked his nose repeatedly. 

With a faint grumble, his eye cracked open, and he looked down at her with a raised eyebrow. 

She nodded to Kori's sleeping form. 

Drakhari smirked slightly, then shook his head. He wasn't going to be the one to wake her up. She was sleeping so peacefully, after all. 

Gwyneira scowled at him, then reconsidered her decision. Knowing him, he'd probably wake her up in the rudest way possible. 

She looked down at Kori, then reached down and gently ran her thumbs along her cheekbones. 

She jumped slightly when she felt something wet brush against her fingers. 

Kori raised her head, letting out a low purr as her tongue slowly coiled around Gwyneira's fingers, weaving its way between them, before it wrapped around her wrist. 

Gwyneira went red, fast. Even Drakhari raised an eyebrow, and let out a rumbly chuckle of approval. 

“Morning, princess.” Kori cooed, before her head craned forward and she began to nibble on Gwyneira's fingers. 

“M- m- morning.” She mumbled, glancing at Drakhari for help. 

As expected, her fiancée merely grinned at her. He wasn't helping her wiggle out of this situation. 

Gwyneira gasped, her attention suddenly drawn back to the seamstress by the gentle grope of a breast. 

“How is it… You wake up next to such a beautiful woman, every day, and don't immediately fuck her brains out?” Kori asked, glancing at Drakhari. 

“Sheer fucking willpower.” He said, smirking at her. 

Kori rolled her eyes, then looked into Gwyneira's. “Well then, forgive me, my king, but I am a very weak-willed woman.” Kori purred, a grin slowly spreading across her face. 

Her hand slid downwards, tracing over Gwyneira's curves, before her clawed fingers carefully plunged into the princess, eliciting a ragged gasp. 

“Gods- can't get enough of those delightful moans.” Kori cooed, before she shifted slightly to press her lips against Gwyneira's. 

Gwyneira let out a muffled moan into the kiss, her arms going around Kori's neck as the woman's fingers began to slide in and out of her. 

Her skillful fingers quickly found her g-spot, but she teased around it- tantalisingly close, but never brushing her fingers over it. 

Her thumb pressed up against Gwyneira's clit, and the elf let out a high-pitched moan into the kiss as her thighs suddenly clenched together. 

“So sensitive… and I haven't even started rubbing yet.” Kori cooed, before she grinned, her thumb rolling in circles over the sensitive little button. 

Gwyneira arched her back, letting out another moan as she bucked her hips up into Kori's hand. 

“That's it, princess. Be a good girl and moan for me.” Kori growled, her fingers starting to thrust faster. 

“Good girl”. Those words always sent a shiver up her spine when Drakhari said them, but with Kori too? 

She was hopeless. 

She let out another moan, starting to squirm as the pleasure mounted. It spiked even further when Kori's tongue wrapped around her right breast, starting to massage and squeeze it. 

Kori lowered her head, and very carefully trapped the princess' erect nipple between her metal teeth. She then carefully rolled it back and forth while her tongue rubbed against it. 

Gwyneira shuddered, her breaths coming in short, fast pants. “C- close!” She managed to squeak out, before she went right back to moaning. 

Kori chuckled, and her fingers finally pressed against Gwyneira's g-spot, grinding hard against it. 

The elf couldn't help it. She arched her back and let out a scream of pleasure as she gushed over Kori's fingers. Her nails dug into Kori's back, raking downwards hard enough to make her hiss. 

Kori's fingers kept moving, riding out the orgasm. Only when the princess had ceased her movements, did she finally pull her fingers out. 

She pressed the dripping fingers against Gwyneira's lips. They parted, and Kori pushed her fingers in. 

Gwyneira's hands moved to Kori's wrist, holding her hand in place as she licked her fingers clean. 

The woman let out a soft, lustful purr, before she smirked and bent down to kiss her forehead. 

“Obedient. Good.” She whispered, before she pulled her fingers out and rested a hand against Gwyneira's cheek. 

She lowered her head, kissing her again, her tongue slipping in to tangle with hers. 

“Excellent show.” Drakhari said with a soft laugh, clapping quietly. 

Kori raised her head, then smirked at Drakhari, before she looked down at Gwyneira. “We're going to be busy for a few days, princess… But you'd best believe me when I say we will be back.” She whispered, before she kissed her cheek. 

“I believe you.” Gwyneira mumbled, her head still swimming from the orgasm. 

“I call dibs on waking her up next time.” Mori said, raising herself off the bed, before she stretched and sighed contentedly. 

Kori sat up on her knees, then smirked down at Gwyneira. “Sure. I don't mind.” She said, before she stretched and popped her back a few times.

She swung her legs off, then scooted to the edge of the bed, while Mori rolled herself off from the other side. 

Dori sat up and bent down, sneaking a quick kiss from the princess, before she got up too. 

“Well, princess. We'll be seeing you later.” Kori said with a wink, before the trio left the room, closing the door behind themselves. 

For a moment, there was silence. 

“So.” Drakhari said with a grin. 

“I like women.” Gwyneira mumbled, still staring at the ceiling. 

“A lot, apparently.” He snickered, before he reached over, resting a hand on her stomach as he bent down to kiss her forehead. 

“Apparently. Heh… I- I never… Uhh…” Her eyes moved over to his, staring into them for a moment. She wasn't exactly sure how to word her feelings. 

“It never felt… safe… to try and explore something like that. But… here…” She mumbled, and trailed off. 

“You're free. No longer a sparrow in a gilded birdcage.” He said quietly. 

She nodded, then suddenly reached up and grabbed his horns, pulling him down into a kiss. 

“Thank you.” She whispered, burying her face in his neck after a few seconds. 

“For kidnapping you? You're quite welcome, my love.” He chuckled, wrapping his arms around her and squeezing gently. 

She smacked his back, which made him snicker. 

“Don’t ruin the moment, you… horse stable.” She grumbled. 

“Horse stable?” He mumbled, raising his head to stare at her while the gears turned in his head. 

“Ohhhh it's because I'm full of shit.” 

“There you go.” She giggled, resting a hand on his side. 

He shook his head, grinning, before he sat up. “C'mon. Got a lot of things to do today. Still have some things to arrange for the wedding.” He said with a grin. 

“Right. Yes.” She followed him up, heading to the bathroom to take care of business before they got dressed and headed out. 

The day went by in organising for the wedding. They'd already picked out a colour theme, and had craftsmen working on a few other things- arches, tables, and some supports for drapes. 

The two of them tore over the city, picking out fabrics and various dishes to be served, as well as arranging for invites to be delivered the next day to the people who were supposed to attend. 

By the time the day drew to a close, they were so exhausted, they passed out as soon as their heads hit the pillows. 

The next day, however, Gwyneira woke with a faint feeling of dread. 

“I would speak with you in two days time.” The voice of the Seer echoed through her head. 

Today was the second day. The Seer would be expecting her. 

Even now, she could feel that strange woman's gaze burning a hole into her skull. 

She shook her head quickly, before she got to her feet. 

She moved towards the cupboard to get dressed, but was stopped by a tail that wrapped around her waist. 

“Where’re you headed?” Drakhari asked, raising his head from the pillow to look at her with a sleepy gaze. 

“Just out. Want to wrap up some more wedding stuff before tomorrow.” She said with a smile as she patted his tail. 

“Hrrm.” His head flopped back into the pillow. “Give me a few minutes. I'll come.” He said, before he yawned so hard even her jaws got a faint urge to stretch. 

“No, it's okay. I can take care of it myself.” She said with a soft chuckle. 

“Mm… Okay.” He mumbled, and his tail loosened. His snoring resumed not long after. 

She sighed softly and unwrapped his tail from around her waist, before she got to her feet again. 

She walked to the cupboard and got dressed- a simple outfit of a green blouse and black leather pants. 

She quietly left the room, closing the door behind her as softly as she could. 

She made her way to the streets, where she paused. She had picked up a decent amount of the language in the few months she'd been here, but… Who was she supposed to ask to direct her to the Seer? 

She decided to simply flag down the nearest person and ask for directions. If that failed, she'd try looking elsewhere. 

The Eridvaari, when questioned, gave her a strange look, before he simply pointed east, towards the woods. 

She nodded her thanks and took off, slipping through the gate they used to let animal traffic in, to avoid any awkward questioning from the guards. 

He'd just pointed to the woods. But where was she supposed to go? These woods were huge! Both literally and figuratively! Not to mention, there were some not-so-friendly beasties in here… 

Gwyneira scanned the woods, then picked a direction at random and started walking, heading deeper into them. 

She walked in silence for a while, simply listening to the chirps, croaks, and chirrs of nearby animals and insects, before she heard the distinct flap of wings. 

She glanced up, and blinked when she saw an oddly large, black-feathered bird in the canopy above. 

It looked like a raven, except it had a streak of red plumage running down its back. The other difference was the shape of the beak- it was thicker and hooked- like that of an eagle’s. 

The bird stared down at her with solid, beady black eyes for a moment, before it flapped its wings. “Follow!” It squawked, before it took off. 

Gwyneira blinked again. Did the bird just… talk? 

Wait- it was moving fast- no time to think about that! 

She took off, following the bird. It was difficult- not because it was fast, but because it flew between the trees, occasionally breaking line of sight. 

Leaves and twigs crunched underfoot as she moved. In the back of her mind, she noted that the leaves were starting to fall more frequently. 

It was getting colder. Autumn was approaching. Winter wouldn't be far behind. 

She slowed down, having lost sight of the bird again. She put her hands on her hips, a slight frown on her face as she recovered her breath, looking around for the bird. 

A loud, irritated caw alerted her to the bird's presence up a tree a good distance away. 

“Oh stuff it! You're the one who keeps flying around trees!” She yelled back at it. 

It flapped its wings and cawed angrily at her again. 

“Just fly above the trees! In the sky! Y'know, where you're supposed to be! I'd be able to see you better!” She yelled, tossing her hands in the air with exasperation. 

The bird started an angry caw, then suddenly stopped, before it cocked its head, as if considering something. 

She could have sworn she saw it roll its eyes as it took off again, flying above the canopy this time. 

“Thank you!” Gwyneira called out, before she shook her head and took off again.

It was a little harder to see the bird now, but it was easier to figure out which direction it was heading in. The few gaps in the foliage allowed her to catch sight of it every now and then. 

The trees began to grow closer together as she moved deeper, beginning to bend down towards her like menacing sentinels. 

Their trunks grew dark, twisted and gnarled, and Gwyneira suddenly got the feeling she was somewhere… Old. 

Ancient. 

She slowed down, treading more carefully. She wasn't sure why, but she felt like she was being watched. 

This section of the forest was strangely quiet. No birds, no bugs, no random animal noises- only the rustling of wind through the trees. 

Yet, it still felt alive… just not with wildlife. There was something else here. A power so old and ancient just the thought of trying to figure out how old it was made her feel a little dizzy. 

She glanced towards the sky, hoping to catch sight of her guide, but the bird had disappeared. 

She swallowed nervously. The feeling of being watched grew even stronger.  

She nearly jumped out of her skin when she heard a caw from a nearby branch. 

She spun, and saw the bird perched on a branch. 

She scowled. “You ditched me!” She complained, her voice low and whispered. 

She wasn't sure why she was being quiet- but something told her that that was the right decision here. 

Again, she could have sworn the bird rolled its eyes at her.

Then, it suddenly flew right at her. 

She yelped and ducked, but grimaced when its claws sank into her shoulder. 

“Ow-! Owowow-! Ohhh, you- gah! I'm going to make my husband eat you.” She grumbled, wincing in pain as the heavy bird settled down on her shoulder. 

Now that she could see it up close, she could see that it, like everything else in this land, was huge. Easily twice as big as her head.

She shifted uncomfortably, then looked up at the bird. “What now?” She grumbled. 

“There.” The bird said, nodding to the direction it wanted her to walk in. 

She turned and began to walk, grumbling quietly to herself about how heavy the bird was. 

She walked for what felt like an hour, before the bird suddenly took off, making her wince and hiss in pain. 

It settled on what looked like an archway, made of roots and branches, that surrounded the entrance of a tunnel into the depths of the earth. 

It was decorated with animal bones, with a trio of large skulls placed at the apex of the arch.

An animal, a bird, and… an Eridvaari. 

She gulped, then looked down, into the darkness of the cave beyond. 

She took a few steps towards the cave, then placed a hand on the cool stone wall. 

Carefully, she made her way in, and frowned slightly when she saw a flickering light. A fire? No… too pale. 

She made her way deeper, and in the dim light, noticed drawings on the cave wall. Runes, pictographs, and some other imagery she couldn't make sense of. 

All drawn in what looked like dried blood. Or maybe it was dark red paint. 

At least, she hoped it was. 

Then, she entered a large, open cavern, where she saw a fire blazing on the floor. 

It wasn't a normal fire. The flames were pure white, and burned without smoke, casting an eerie, ghostly light over the cavern. 

The other thing she noticed was the Seer, off to the side, gutting an animal. 

She was naked, crouched over a bairos as she pulled its entrails into a bowl. 

Now that Gwyneira could see more of her body, she noticed the woman's skin was covered in markings. 

There were lines down her back, with runes and words written in a language she couldn't understand. The lines swirled over her rear, and curved down her legs in a spiral, with the gaps between the curves filled with even more runic writing. 

Her arms were much the same, with lines extending over her shoulders and swirling onto the outer, upper edge of her arm, before they curved downwards, ending just above her wrist. 

“Hm. Punctual.” The seer said as she picked up the bowl and turned around. 

The front of her body was similar to the back- except with swirls over her breasts, and another at her groin. 

Gwyneira's eyes, however, were drawn to the seer’s, whose gaze felt… less intense, this time.  

“Sit.” She said, nodding to the stone floor as she walked over to the fire. She dumped the entrails into the flames, which flared bright green. 

This time, there was smoke- which wafted up to the ceiling and got sucked into the cracks. 

However, it didn't smell like smoke. It smelled more like- well- a forest, was the best way she could think of to describe it. Flowers, moss, freshly cut grass, and the smell of the earth after rain. 

“I return its soul to you, Mother of All.” The seer said softly, before she looked at Gwyneira. She seemed to consider something for a moment, before she tossed the knife to her. 

“Skin it.” She said as she walked to a stone altar and placed the bloody bowl on it. 

She dipped her fingers into it, and began to whisper to herself as she applied the blood to her skin, refreshing the markings. 

Oh. So it was blood. That… couldn't be clean… ew. 

Gwyneira grimaced slightly, then walked over to the bairos. She crouched next to it and got to work, cutting and peeling the creature’s hide off. 

“So… umm… you called me Bearer, earlier. What- uhh- what was that about?” Gwyneira asked while she worked. 

No response. 

Of course. Mystics had to mystic. 

She shook her head slightly, then pulled the bairos’ skin off, before she turned and held it up. 

“Now what?” She asked, and the seer, without turning, pointed to what looked like a drying rack. 

Gwyneira walked over to it and stretched the skin over the sticks, before she took a step back. 

She wasn't entirely sure how the skin would dry properly without sunlight and air, but… that wasn't her problem to deal with. 

She turned to the seer, who was now leaning against the altar, her arms and ankles crossed as she stared at her. 

“Tell me, young one… what do you know about the Tears of the Goddess?” The seer asked quietly. 

“The… what?” Gwyneira mumbled, tilting her head as she frowned slightly. 

The seer hummed, then chuckled. 

Gwyneira raised an eyebrow. 

She didn't know the woman was even capable of humour. Even if that chuckle sounded more menacing and ominous rather than amused…

“Oh, my dear, do I have a story to tell you. Be seated. I shall begin.” She said as she picked up a fur coat and draped it around herself. 

She walked to the fire and sat down, one leg raised, knee pressed to her chest, while the other extended and relaxed. 

Gwyneira sat down, cross legged as she stared at the Seer. 

“Long ago, there lived a god and goddess. They were similar to the ones the Eridvaari worship. Love and beauty; blood and death- two sides of the same coin. Two religions swallowed up by the new one.” The seer paused, her face scrunching up slightly as she tugged on the threads of distant memories. 

“The relic, if I remember correctly, was a holy item given to priestesses of the goddess- a way for her to follow the blood and find her departed lover when he returned to the mortal plane.” The seer said, before she smiled faintly. 

“A tale as old as time, isn't it? Love... Such a strange thing…” She trailed off, staring into space. 

After a few seconds, Gwyneira coughed, drawing the seer's attention back. “You were saying?” She asked softly. 

The seer hummed. “The relic was passed down through a long, long line of priestesses. Tell me, girl… what do you know of your mother?” She asked, raising an eyebrow. 

“Nothing. She died when I was born. Father… well… He didn't talk much about her.” She muttered, looking away. She didn't want to look into the seer's strange eyes. She didn't want her seeing the pain she carried. 

“Hrm. I suspect she was one of the priestesses in the line. Which makes you the next. However… I do not see the relic on your person, which can only mean one thing.” The seer said. 

Gwyneira raised her eyes, meeting the seer's. 

“And… that is?” She asked quietly, almost dreading the answer. 

A chilling grin split the seer’s face, her metallic teeth glinting in the firelight. 

“The goddess is reborn.” She said softly. 

Gwyneira stared at her for a few seconds as her mind ground to a halt. For several seconds, she tried to formulate a response. 

“Wh- what-? Don't be- that- what-? How would that even-?” She mumbled, starting several sentences, before she scowled and closed her eyes, pinching her brows together. 

“I'm- I'm no goddess. I can't be. That's- like- how? I don't- I don't have like- powers and stuff.” She mumbled, shaking her head. 

“Don't you? You are far stronger and faster than the average elven woman. You heal from wounds faster. You bear the gift, child.” She said softly as she leaned forward, her eyes near maniacal in the pale light. 

Gwyneira swallowed. “That's- that's just- a lifetime of training. It- it can't be some- some stupid relic!” She hissed. 

“Hmm. You are not ready to accept it. I cannot blame you.” The seer said as she leaned back, resting on an outstretched arm. 

“But know this. The relic will manifest when needed most. And it is usually… dramatic.” She said with a faint chuckle. 

“You speak as if you've seen it before.” Gwyneira muttered, frowning slightly. 

“I have, as a matter of fact.” She said wryly. 

“But- how? That would mean you're- like- a thousand years old or something.” Gwyneira said, blinking at her. 

The seer shrugged. “Yes and no.” She said, before she tapped her lip. “How to explain…” She murmured, before she tilted her head. 

“I am not… one person. I am many. My memories passed down through the ages.” She mused. 

Seeing the blank look on Gwyneira's face, she sighed. 

“It's something like your mother's line of priestesses. They were all different people with different memories, yes? But in my case, it is… different people with the same memories. A… shared consciousness. Memories passed down the line. When I give birth to a daughter, she too shall inherit our memories upon my death.” She explained. 

“Oh. That's… How- how far back does the line go?” Gwyneira asked softly. 

The seer tilted her head back, staring at the ceiling as she mumbled to herself. 

“Twelve generations.” The seer said, before she brought her gaze back to Gwyneira. 

“Twelve generations? That's not that far back. How would you-?” Gwyneira said, then paused when she remembered that the lifespan of the average Eridvaari was approximately seven hundred years. 

Which meant the woman before her was carrying approximately eight thousand and five hundred years of memories around in her head. 

“Ho… ly… fuzzballs.” Gwyneira mumbled, her eyes going wide. 

The seer chuckled softly and nodded. “Yes… now you understand.” She said with a smile. 

“And… what did you see last time the relic was used?” Gwyneira asked, at which the seer chuckled and wagged a finger. 

“That's for me to know, and you to find out, young one.” She said with a smirk, which made Gwyneira pout. 

“Let us hope you don't have to.” She said quietly.

“Okay- okay. Fine. Relic or not- what do you expect me to do with this information? Am I supposed to go out and start finding worshippers? Put on a dress and parade around town acting all godlike? How does any of this help me?” Gwyneira asked, throwing her hands up in the air. 

The seer slowly raised an eyebrow, unamused. “I think… You do not realise the importance of the gift you bear.” She said softly, and Gwyneira lowered her hands, staring at her. 

“First off… you continue as you are. As you always have been. As for what you're to do with this… at the moment, nothing. You will know when the time comes.” The seer said quietly. 

“Oh. When the time comes. How conveniently vague.” Gwyneira grumbled. Her mind was racing, scattered thoughts swirling around like shards of glass in a maelstrom. 

The seer frowned slightly, before she got to her feet and walked towards her. 

She crouched down in front of her, blocking the light from the fire, and gripped her cheeks, her claws digging slightly into her skin. 

In the darkness, her eyes seemed to glow. “Your mother gave her life for yours, child. She set pieces on the board long before you were even born, that are only now coming into play. Heed my words.” She whispered, before she leaned in close. 

“Her sacrifice will bring about a new age. You will understand… soon.” The seer whispered, before her grip loosened, shifting to a gentle hold. 

“When you return… search for the remnants of her life. Your father has not hidden them as well as he thinks he has.” She said, her voice carrying a hint of sadness, before she stood. 

Gwyneira stared at the seer as the woman walked back to the altar, and shrugged the fur coat off, before she set it down on a nearby rock. 

Her breaths began to come faster- shorter- while her heartbeat suddenly picked up, hammering painfully against her chest.

Too much. It was too much. Too much information. Too many things to process. Too many things to think about. This was wrong. All wrong. 

Hearing the noise, the seer turned, then snatched the cloak up and quickly hurried to her side. 

She hurriedly wrapped the cloak around her, and turned Gwyneira towards herself. 

She hugged the woman tightly to her chest. “Breathe. Deep breaths. Slow down.” She said softly, beginning to rock back and forth. 

Gwyneira clung to the woman, her eyes darting around wildly- unfocused. Panicked. 

She felt like she was at the edge of a whirlpool, about to be sucked in, and the seer was a rock she was clinging to, so as to not get swept away in the roaring waters. 

Her breathing began to slow, her gaze steadied, and her heartbeat began to return to a normal rhythm. 

The roaring in her ears turned into the steady thumping of the seer's heart. 

“S- sorry.” She managed to croak out, her throat dry as sand. 

The seer shook her head. “Be silent. There is nothing to apologise for.” She murmured, draping the cloak around Gwyneira. 

“I had… a similar reaction, when I got my memories. So much information… It took me many days to recover.” She said quietly, before she looked down at Gwyneira. 

“I know it is a lot to take in. But it is important that you know.” The seer said quietly.

"Do you… have a name?” Gwyneira asked softly, after a while. She wanted to change the subject. She didn't want to think about the... Other thing, right now. 

“Zathirra. But as you know, most call me the seer.” She said softly. 

“Pretty name.” Gwyneira mumbled, shifting slightly to lean back against her, nestling her head against the woman's breasts. 

“I… I can't be some sort of goddess. I don't feel… divine. Or holy. Or… whatever gods feel like.” She mumbled. 

“Maybe not. But the fact of the matter is, there is a spark of divinity inside you.” Zathirra said quietly. 

“And… how did you notice?” She asked quietly. 

The seer raised her hands, then gently ran her thumbs down over Gwyneira's cheeks. 

“You cannot see it, but I can. Glowing lines, like freshly cried tears, tracing a path down your cheeks.” She said, her claws tracing the invisible line to Gwyneira's jaws, before she brought her thumbs back up and brushed the tips down from the outer edge of her eye, halfway down her cheeks. 

“Here too. Another set of tracks.” She murmured. 

“I see. And… um… are the rumours true? That you have demon blood?” She asked softly. 

“I would not be able to sense divinity otherwise.” Zathirra said quietly. 

Gwyneira hummed, staring off into space for a while. 

At least the seer's presence was… oddly comforting. The woman might have been scary, but… It seemed she did have a soft side to her. 

Eventually, Gwyneira sat up. “I should… I should get back.” She said quietly.

“Yes. You should. Several hours have passed already.” Zathirra said as she stood. 

“Wait. What!?” Gwyneira yelped. 

“Time passes… differently… in this area of the forest. It's slower here. Go. Ithano will guide you home.” She said, gesturing to the entrance of the cavern. 

“Ithano…? The bird?” Gwyneira asked, handing the cloak back to her. 

The seer nodded as she took the cloak, and folded it up. She set it down on the rock, then smiled faintly at Gwyneira. 

“Run along, little goddess. Someone's waiting.” She said softly. 

“Don't call me that.” Gwyneira grumbled as she hurried out. 

Zathirra’s faint smile faded as she watched the princess run out.

So much pain… 

Yet there was still more to come. 

Gwyneira rushed through the forest, Ithano perched on her shoulder again- at least until she made it out of the ancient woods. Once she was out, he took off into the sky again, guiding her back towards the city. 

Once she caught sight of its walls, the bird peeled off, heading back to the seer’s cave. 

“Bye! And thanks!” Gwyneira called out, getting a vaguely annoyed caw in return. 

She came back in the same way she'd exited- through the gate for animal passage, and made her way back to the palace. 

The seer hadn't lied. She'd left in the morning, but it was almost dark when she returned, the sun starting to dip behind the craggy peaks of the mountain range that surrounded Erakleon. 

Gwyneira rushed straight to the bedroom, and barged right in. 

Drakhari looked up from his desk at the sound, and blinked at her, before he looked out through the window. 

“Holy fuck. It's late. Hadn't even noticed…” He muttered as he stood, then grunted when a ball of elf slammed into his stomach. 

His arms quickly went around her, and he looked down with mixed confusion and amusement. 

“Missed me that much?” He asked with a soft laugh. 

She nodded, burying her face in his shirt. She breathed his familiar scent in, which calmed her down. 

Here, far away from the cave, she felt more… grounded. Stable. 

Gods and goddesses? Relics and prophecies? None of that mattered. It was all far away. He was here. Close. 

“Did you get everything you needed?” Drakhari asked softly, and she nodded. 

“Good. C'mon. We've got dinner in a while. Why don't we rest for a bit before we go, hm?” He asked softly, ruffling her hair. 

She nodded again. 

He bent down, and she squeaked softly as he picked her up and moved to the bed. He sat down, then leaned back, letting her snuggle comfortably into him. 

His arms draped around her body, their weight and firmness comforting her near instantly. 

She felt safe. Secure. Just because he was around. 

She nuzzled into his chest, then wrapped her arms around him, squeezing him tightly. 

“I love you.” She mumbled. 

“I love you too. You do know we're getting married tomorrow, yes?” He asked wryly. 

She rolled her eyes, then slammed her forehead into his chest. 

“Ow. Okay. Point taken. Shutting up.” Drakhari chuckled, and the pair simply enjoyed each other's company, with one none the wiser as to the storm that was approaching.

Chapter 15: Wedding Ceremonies

Summary:

Sorry for the long wait! Been dealing with a bunch of stuff plus got dragged off to Thailand for a vacation. It's been hectic. Anyway, enjoy the read!

Surprisingly, the bed was empty when Gwyneira woke up. She rolled out of it, then rubbed the sleep out of her eyes. Strange. He was usually there when she woke. She wondered what pulled him away so early in the morning. He was usually a late riser. She shuffled to the bathroom to freshen herself up, then strode back out, pulling on a simple outfit for a task that wasn't so simple: locating her vanished fiancée. 

She checked the kitchen first. No oversized lump. She then moved to the dining hall. No mass of sentient coal. Out in the courtyard? Nope. Still no monster husband. He wasn't even up in the Naraak rookery.  Gwyneira paused there, hands on her hips as she frowned. Just where could he be?

She'd scoured almost the entire castle. Maybe he wasn't in the castle to begin with. Wait. Crypt, maybe? She glanced in the direction of the crypt. She wasn't too fond of the idea of going down there; trapped underground and surrounded by vaguely sentient dead people. 

Just then, the door to the courtyard opened, and her wayward husband appeared. The moment he spotted her, his eyes widened, and he quickly shoved a package behind his back. 

“Heeeeyyyyy! Gwynne! You're- uh- you're up early. Heh.” Drakhari said with a nervous chuckle. Gwyneira put her hands on her hips, cocking them to the side as she raised an eyebrow.

“And just where were you, mister?” She asked, tilting her head slightly. Her lips pursed and pulled to the side, the woman trying to put on an air of authority and suspicion as her husband walked up to her. 

“Ohh, just- y'know- out. Doing things. Had some things to take care of.” He said, giving her a grin. 

She wasn't having it.

“Package. What's in it, mister?” She asked, holding her hand out. Her fingers curled inwards quickly, twice, gesturing for the packet to be placed in her hand. 

Drakhari shook his head quickly. 

She narrowed her eyes, then suddenly lunged to the side, trying to snatch the package out of his hands. It quickly disappeared into his other hand, before he raised it above his head, holding it well out of her reach. 

She pouted, scowled, then pounced on him, trying to scramble up his body to grab the wrapped box out of his hand. A black hand quickly engulfed her vision, squeezing her whole face as he pushed her down and off.

“Nope. Down, girl.” he said with a laugh.

Her ears went back and flattened, quivering and twitching slightly. 

Drakhari, slightly surprised at how easily she'd given up, slowly moved his hand down, only to see Gwyneira's eyes burning with anger. He only had time to get a quick “uh-oh” out, before she grabbed his hand and bit it, sinking her sharp, tiny fangs into his flesh.

He yelped, pulling his hand away, but the elf followed, latched on like a barnacle to a boat. He shook his hand, trying to get her off, but she quickly wrapped her legs and arms around his arm, locking herself in place. After a few unsuccessful shakes, he sighed, watching her chew on his fingers with an expression that was a mixture of bemusement and amusement. 

“Would it help if I told you this is your wedding gift, and I don't want you to see it just yet?” he asked with a sigh. 

Gwyneira's ears perked up. The biting didn't stop, but the force behind them was reduced to rough nibbles. Drakhari stared at her. What did she want now? 

“I'm also… sorry for grabbing your face and pushing you down like a cat throwing a hissy fit?” he hazarded a guess. The biting stopped, and she looked at him, eyes narrowed.

“Could have done without the hissy fit bit, but! An acceptable apology, nonetheless.” she huffed, before she swung down off his arm. She whispered a healing spell, then kissed his hand, closing the tiny wounds she'd opened. Drakhari chuckled softly, then knelt and kissed her cheek.

“Tradition calls for one gift, but I got you two. I had to get up early in the morning to use the forges before the regular crowd came. I hoped to be back before you woke.” he murmured, kissing her neck. 

“Mmh. It's fine.” she said softly, nuzzling into his cheek. Her eyes flicked to the brown, paper-wrapped parcel. Her curiosity was killing her, but she held it back. She was sure it would be worth the surprise; especially if her husband worked on it himself.

“C'mon. Let's get ready. Don't forget, you're hunting with mother tonight. Not to mention, we have to go to the wedding grounds first. Make sure the decorations and whatnot are set up properly.” Drakhari said as he straightened, then extended his hand for Gwyneira to take. 

“Mmh. Hey, can we fly there? I don't want to walk all the way there and back.” she asked with a laugh, expecting Drakhari to shoot her down immediately. 

“Sure. Don't see why not.” he said with a shrug. 

“Wh- eh-?” she stared blankly up at him, her mind having ground to a halt. 

“Yeah, we can take Jai’ras to the lake. I don't see why not.” he said as he glanced down at her while pushing the door to the inner castle open. 

“Oh. Uh- w- will she be okay carrying both of us?” Gwyneira asked as she followed, jogging to keep up with her fiancée’s long strides. 

“Of course. They're wyverns. Not weaklings.” he laughed and shook his head. 

“Okay, yeah, fair enough. I just don't want to stress her out.” Gwyneira sighed, which made Drakhari chuckle softly. He reached down and ruffled her hair. 

“One of the many reasons I love you, ek’rai.” he said with a smile. 

A slightly painful climb up the long, winding stairs later, they arrived at the double doors of the rookery. Drakhari pushed, and the door creaked loudly as it swung inwards. 

Several pairs of glinting eyes rose from the darkness, slitted pupils peering in their direction. The sight made Gwyneira slightly nervous. They weren't completely tame. The idea that a particularly ornery one might just snatch her up for a snack was a little concerning, too. 

Drakhari strode forward, then pulled on the chain that opened the roof up to the skies. Sunlight streamed in, illuminating the rookery, which allowed Gwyneira to finally get a proper look at it. 

Compared to the room Jai'ras had been hatched in, the rookery was gargantuan. The roof was a domed metal structure that split in half and opened outwards. A weight attached to the chain ensured it closed a few minutes after a rider and their mount had left. 

The rookery had five floors, each containing ten large rocky alcoves that allowed each naraak to nest comfortably. The alcoves simulated their natural environment of dark caves, to allow the creatures to feel a little more comfortable. Each floor was accessible by both ladder and stairs, the former for use mostly in case of an emergency or impatient riders.

At the moment, there were only thirty wyverns in the rookery; most of which belonged to high-ranking guards. Drakhari's wyvern, Jai'ras, had picked a spot on the fourth floor, further away from the rest of the wyverns. 

So up the stairs they went. 

As they passed by each alcove, Gwyneira peered into them, marveling at the range of colours and patterns she saw on the naraaks. Some were plain solid colours, but others had tiger stripes, streaks over their ribs, mottling over the wing membranes, differently coloured underbellies, and swirls over their scales. 

They eventually made their way to Jai'ras, who raised her head when they approached. She got to her feet then let out a low, annoyed growl as she headbutted Drakhari in the chest. He grunted softly, then laughed and scratched the side of the wyvern’s head.

“I know, I know. I haven't been around much. I'm sorry, darling. I've been busy.” he cooed gently, which earned a less annoyed grumble from the beast. Drakhari gave the wyvern some affection for a moment longer, before he moved to the side to get the saddle. Gwyneira took the opportunity to approach, and lifted her hand up to the wyvern’s snout. 

She leaned forward, gave it a sniff, then pressed her snout into her hand. The princess smiled, then took a step closer and hugged her head, leaning against the large animal. 

“Sorry. I've been keeping him from you.” She said softly, reaching below to scratch under Jai’ras’ jaw. The flying lizard let out a pleased rumble at the scritches, then opened an eye to glare at her. She gave her a light headbutt, showing her annoyance. Gwyneira grunted softly at the impact, then giggled. 

“Yeah, understandable.” she said, then leaned against Jai'ras, hugging her whole head. The wyvern grumbled, then closed her eyes. Her annoyed grumbles turned into pleased purrs, before she pulled back slightly and licked Gwyneira's face. 

Her saliva was sticky, and smelled faintly of raw meat. Ick. 

Gwyneira groaned and wiped her face off, before she scowled at the wyvern. The albino simply gave her a smug grin. Her rider likely wouldn't be too intent on kissing his lover with that scent lingering. 

Drakhari came back a moment later with the saddle, and strapped it to the wyvern's back. Jai'ras stood on her hindlegs and flapped her wings experimentally, sending  a gust of wind across the floor. Seemingly satisfied, she dropped back to her forelegs and shook her head contentedly. 

Drakhari chuckled, placing his hand on Jai'ras' snout and pushing it down. She lowered her head, allowing him to hop on. Then, he held his hand out to Gwyneira and grinned. 

“Coming, princess?” 

She stared up at him for a few seconds, before she glanced at Jai'ras. She wagged a finger at the wyvern. 

“No funny business, you.” she said with a slight smirk, before she took his hand and clambered on behind him. She wrapped her arms tightly around him, wiggling closer to secure herself. 

Then, he let out a chuckle. A mischievous, evil chuckle she knew very well and did not like. 

He suddenly twisted, grabbed her, and hauled her kicking and squealing up into the air. She managed to hit his horn with her boot, but he didn't care. He put her down right in front of himself, then slipped the reins into her hands. 

“Here. You can have the full experience.” He said, before he nudged Jai'ras in the ribs. 

“Wait- waitwaitwaitwaitIdon’tknowhowto- YEE-!” Gwyneira shrieked as the wyvern took off, speeding towards the open sky. 

Jai'ras shot through the opening like an arrow from a bow, streaking into the air. On her back, Gwyneira shrieked, while Drakhari laughed madly, spreading his arms out to feel the rush of air through his fingers. Gwyneira's knuckles were white as she gripped the reins tightly. Her eyes were wide and watering as they climbed, the land growing further and further away. 

Finally, Jai'ras slowed down and levelled out, catching a current of air under her wings. Gwyneira finally sucked in a breath after who knew how long, before she let out a breathless giggle. 

“Oh my- oh my gods. It's- wow. That was such a rush.” she mumbled, her hands still gripping the leather straps like she was strangling the unlife out of the animal it came from. She swallowed, then leaned over the side slightly, peering down at the ground below. She could see the city, surrounded by the forest, and was able to make out the Seer’s hut for a brief moment before it suddenly vanished from sight. 

“Beautiful, isn't it? Peaceful, too.” Drakhari said as he wrapped his arms around Gwyneira. 

“No war. No politics. No responsibilities. Just the vast, empty sky and endless, fleeting possibilities.” he said, bowing down to speak right into her ear. Gwyneira blinked, then glanced up at him for a moment. That sounded a bit unlike him. But with everything going on, and what was going to happen in the near future… she couldn't exactly blame him. 

“Yeah. It's beautiful up here. Everything looks so small. It's crazy.” she said, leaning over the side again.

“Y'know what else is small?” Drakhari said, and Gwyneira felt the tip of his claw gently poke the top of her head. She rolled her eyes, and none-too-gently elbowed him in the side. Drakhari grunted, then snickered, before he gave her belly a slight squeeze. 

“Turn her to the left, my love. The lake.” he said, pointing in the direction they had to go.

“I'm not sure how to-” Gwyneira stopped when she felt his hands gently close around hers. 

“Gently. Don't jerk. That's an excellent way to get a very fast trip back to ground level.” he said with a soft laugh. His hands shifted to the left, gently tugging Jai'ras' head to the left. The wyvern turned, adjusting her flight path so they were now heading towards a lake. It was nestled in the mountains, in a flat spot accessible only by naraak.

The shore of the lake had a single massive, bowed tree that cast a large shadow. The ancient ironwood tree’s bark had turned an ivory white, streaked with black, and its leaves a fiery red. A small wooden podium had been erected in the shadow of the tree's crown, just below a branch. The branch had been turned into the wedding arch, with cloths of three different colours braided together and wrapped around the thick branch. They were orange, leek green, and delphinium blue.  

Along the branch and cloth, the lovers had strung up items they liked. 

Gwyneira had hung up crystals and gems of various hues that she'd found in her stay here. She'd also hung up windchimes of various types, which gently tinkled in the breeze. One was arranged in a spiral structure, with thin, hollow metal pipes. Another was brightly coloured crystals, strung horizontally along a piece of bone. Then there was one that was hard glass. The top was shaped like a crescent moon, with three glass mushrooms hanging below. The strings connecting the mushrooms were decorated with little stars. 

Drakhari had gotten orange and blue delphiniums that he'd grown in the courtyard’s garden, which hung down in bunches from the cloth. A small bird skull perched at the top of each bunch, while smaller bones were strung up between the windchimes and bouquets like little macabre streamers. 

“Alright. Looks like everything is still in place. The others should be here in about an hour.” Gwyneira looked up at her husband-to-be. 

“Which leaves us enough time to get back and get dressed, and still make it back in time.” Drakhari finished her thought, then nodded. 

“We should head back. Get dressed.” he said, putting a hand on her back. She nodded, and they turned back to Jai'ras, who was busy gulping down water from the lake, and occasionally snatching up a fish to munch on. 

She complained a bit at getting pulled away from her meal, but lowered her head for them nonetheless. They got on and took to the skies, heading back to the castle. The moment they landed, Gwyneira scampered off to her room to get dressed. The Sisters had handed the dress over late last night, with a promise of a “later collection” of their “fees”. 

She'd be lying if she said she wasn't looking forward to it, but hopefully, they'd collect after she was alone with Drakhari for a bit. 

She rushed to the cupboard and threw it open to pull her dress out. The sisters had kept it simple, at her request, but with much complaining. She pulled out a white corset dress with short, off-shoulder puff sleeves. It had a low waist, and a voluminous skirt. Around her hips were feathers made from a stiffer cloth, lending the appearance of wings that draped over the back of the skirt. Rather than get dressed immediately, she rushed off to Luti's room, while Drakhari stayed in his own. 

Luti looked up, blinking, when Gwyneira burst into her room. Achyrex was spread out over the bed, snoozing peacefully, with his head buried in Luti's pillow. Luti quickly flipped the covers over his head, while she stared blankly at Gwyneira. 

“Princess. Can I help you?” she asked, her tone diplomatically neutral. 

"I need a place to get dressed. Don't want Drak seeing me before the wedding and all that.” Gwyneira said with a smile. 

“I see. Rex?” Luti said, and the octotaur grunted softly. The sleepy sound was followed by a sharper, more awake intake of breath as Luti kneed him in the ribs. He jerked awake, blinked, then frowned at her. 

“Th’fuck? What gi-? Ohhhh heyyyy, Gwyneiraaa! I'm- uh- I'm just heading out. Heh. I- uh- bye.” He mumbled sheepishly as he shuffled out of the bed and hurried out of the room. The squick-squick-squick of his tentacled feet faded quickly as he rushed down the corridor. 

“So!” Luti said loudly, clapping her hands to distract the princess before she could comment on the oddity. 

“You need a place to change, yes? Go ahead. We'll take my naraak there when you're done.” she said with a smile. 

“Right. Yes. Thank you.” Gwyneira said as she quickly got changed, then gestured for Luti to come and help her lace up the corset. Once that was done, she sat down at the dresser and started to work on her makeup, applying a powder blue eyeshadow and some blush. 

“Sooo… Luti. Do you think Drakhari would still love me if I was the bearer of an ancient curse?” Gwyneira asked out of the blue, while she pinned her earrings on. 

In the mirror, she saw Luti raise her head and stare blankly at the wall for a good few seconds, before her head slowly turned in her direction. 

“Pardon the language, my lady, but what the godsdamned fuck!?” Luti stared at her with a mix of confusion, mounting concern, slight horror, and a slack jaw. 

“Yeaaah. Remember when the Seer asked me to go see her? That's what she told me about. Apparently my mother was a priestess! Well, part of a line of priestesses, rather. All carrying a really secret, very powerful relic.” she explained as she tilted her head, admiring the earrings. 

“Uh huh. I- I see.” Luti mumbled, before she got off the bed and walked over to a small cabinet. 

“I need a drink.” she muttered as she pulled out a bottle of apple cider, took out the glass stopper, and poured herself a glass. She picked it up and took a deep gulp, then set the glass back down.  

“Oh, also, I like women.” Gwyneira added a moment later, which was followed by the sound of Luti's head hitting the cabinet. 

“As in- like like women?” she asked, glancing over her shoulder at Gwyneira. 

“Mmhm. The Sisters uhh… well- let's just say they were the reason I found out.” she said with a grin as she put a slim black leather choker on. 

“Oh. I saw them coming out of- ohhhhh my gods. They slept with you and Drakhari!?” she yelped. 

“Yep. It was quite nice, honestly. Didn't figure Kori to be such a dom.” Gwyneira mused as she slipped a ring on. 

“One- one bombshell at a time, babe.” Luti groaned, pouring herself another glass of apple cider, while Gwyneira cackled mischievously. 

“Never thought you'd find your way out of the closet with brightly lit signs pointing the way.” Luti mumbled to herself. 

“What was that?” Gwyneira asked, glancing over her shoulder. 

“Nothing! Nothing.” Luti said, waving the hand with the glass in it. 

“Mm. Is that apple cider, by the way? I thought you were having something alcoholic.” Gwyneira said, eyeing the glass. 

“Yeaaah- it's- it's my demonic parent. I don't know if they made me prone to getting addicted to stuff. So, I take the safe route and try to avoid addictive substances. It's just safer.” she explained, taking another gulp. 

“I see. Is that common?” Gwyneira asked. 

“Yes. We never know what our demonic ancestry gives us, but it usually involves some form of hedonism. Ergo, no drugs or drinks. Even recreationally.” Luti said, nodding.

Gwyneira suddenly realised why Luti was always busy. This was her way of coping with stress; to throw herself into her work and numb her mind. Gwyneira hummed, then examined her jewellery.

They were gold and a deep blue sapphire. Her ring had a golden crescent moon cradling a large sapphire, with a little golden star next to it. Her earrings were a trio of vertically aligned gold and sapphire stars, with the smallest one at the top. 

“I’m ready.” Gwyneira said softly as she stood and smoothed out her dress. She felt strange. Her stomach was doing tumbles, her heart was fluttering, and her mind felt fuzzy. It was a foreign feeling- one that she'd never had an opportunity to experience. 

Luti's touch on her shoulder sent a jolt through her body. She gasped and spun around, her eyes falling on the tiefling’s smiling face. 

“Excited and nervous, I take it?” she asked softly. Gwyneira nodded silently, before she took a deep breath, steadying her dancing nerves. 

“I'm ready.” she said again, this time more firmly, with a steady voice. 

“Good. Let's get going, then. Xari is waiting.” Luti said with a smile. She led the princess out of her bedroom and back to the rookery, where Gwyneira saw Luti’s naraak.

It was cherry red, with white swirls over its body. Where the white and red swirls met were bands of pink, bridging the gap. 

“Xari, what does that mean?” Gwyneira asked as Luti saddled her wyvern and got on. 

“Candy.” she answered with a laugh as she held a hand out. 

“You named your wyvern candy!?” Gwyneira laughed as she took her hand and climbed on behind her. 

“I mean- just look at him. Tell me he doesn't look like some kind of kid's candy.” Luti giggled, at which the wyvern cast a baleful glance over his shoulder. 

“I don't think he likes his name.” Gwyneira whispered. 

“Unfortunately for him, he looks too tasty for anything else. Hup!” Luti said, suddenly digging her heels into Xari’s sides. 

The wyvern took off with what sounded like a grumble, shaking his head as he soared through the skies. They headed back to the secluded lake, where Gwyneira spotted the small figures of gathered people. 

The wyvern banked, circling towards the lake. The moment he was close enough, he took a sudden, steep dive. Both women screamed with a mix of fear and giddiness, before Xari stopped sharply, beating his wings as he landed on his hindlegs. He dropped to his forelegs, then shook his head and body from side to side like a satisfied dog. 

Luti and Gwyneira stumbled off, and Luti glared at Xari, who smirked at her. 

“That was rude. We're talking about this later.” Luti huffed, but her wyvern simply stuck his forked tongue out at her. She snorted, then tugged on it, sending it springing back inside. She wagged a finger at his face, then turned to the small crowd that had gathered. 

There weren't that many people in attendance. Drakhari's mother, Achyrex, the priestesses from Senestri’s temple, and a few priests from Balinor’s temple. Lurking in the distance, on a ledge, was the Seer. Of course, those that had gathered pretended they couldn't see her there. Even if her black cloak and pale skin against the grey and red of the mountain made her stick out like a sore thumb.

From where Gwyneira stood, the priestesses were on the left side, along with Drakhari's mother at the very end. The priests and Achyrex were on the right, and between the two groups was a path marked by light blue iris petals.  

Luti held her arm out, and Gwyneira glanced at her, before she smiled gratefully. She looped her arm through Luti’s, and the tiefling walked, escorting her down the aisle. Gwyneira couldn't help but notice that Lettie, one of the priestesses, was practically vibrating with barely-contained excitement and energy as she watched her.

She managed a tiny, excited wave, that turned her hand into a blur, as well a huge grin. Gwyneira returned the gesture with a smile and wave of her own, before she turned her gaze to the man standing at the podium.

He'd put on a black cloak with his family's crest embroidered in red on the back. He'd worn a cream shirt, with golden floral embroidery, and cream pants to match. The golden chain clasp of his cloak had a disc on each end. One was engraved with his own family's crest, while the other had hers. He'd worn black boots, and had decided to leave the topmost button of his shirt undone. 

Drakhari smirked slightly at her, with that maddening, “I know something you don't” smirk of his she'd come to hate and love. She narrowed her eyes at him, then glanced behind him, where Iseidra and Mardos, the head priest and priestess, stood. 

Why was he smirking? He had nothing to be smirking about! 

She walked up to the podium and stepped onto it, then turned to Drakhari and smiled faintly at him. Her stomach was still doing flips, and now her heart was galloping like an out-of-control steed, threatening to burst out of her chest. 

“The vows?” Iseidra asked, and Luti and Achyrex nodded. They stepped up to the podium, handing a strip of parchment over to Drakhari and Gwyneira. The lovers had painstakingly written out their vows on the narrow strips, which were to be wound around their hands. 

“Read them out. The king first.” Mardos said with a smile. Drakhari glanced at Gwyneira, then cleared his throat. He took a breath, then read aloud. 

“Gwyneira, my love and my light.  I vow to stand by your side and protect you till the day I draw my last breath, and find you in the beyond. I vow that I will bring to justice those who harmed you, and never give you a reason to be afraid ever again. I love you more than you could ever know.” Drakhari said, before he looked at Gwyneira. 

She smiled warmly at him, then reached out and squeezed his forearm. Then, she noticed the priest and priestess looking pointedly at her. It was her turn. She pulled the strip out and unrolled it, before she inhaled deeply and began to read. 

“Drakhari, my eye of the storm. My safe harbour. I vow to stay beside you till the day death claims our souls, and long after.  I vow that you will have my unwavering support, no matter what comes. I will watch your back, just as you watch mine. I am yours till the end of all that is.” she said, then glanced up at Drakhari. 

“That was beautiful. Much better than what I wrote.” he said with a soft chuckle. 

“Oh hush. Yours was beautiful.” Gwyneira said, then reached out and gave his forearm a squeeze. 

“Do both parties find your partner's vows acceptable?” Iseidra asked, and they nodded. Gwyneira caught sight of Drakhari's tail wiggling happily, and had to stifle a giggle.  

“The sword, then.” Mardos said, and Drakhari nodded, before he reached into a scabbard strapped to his waist and pulled out a blade. 

It was a simple longsword, with the blade made of a shimmering black metal Gwyneira instantly recognised as their bones. The hilt had a crossguard, which turned upwards at the end to form a small spike. In the center of the crossguard sat a large ruby. The grip was wrapped with leather, and capped with a spiked pommel. 

It was their family sword, of that she was sure. However, she'd never seen it until now. 

Drakhari turned the blade downwards, and held the blade out to the side. She reached out and gripped the hilt too, her fingers curling into his hand. 

Mardos and Iseidra took a step closer, and began to wrap the parchment around their hands with practiced ease. They began to speak in unison as they did so. 

“In the sights of the gods, we immortalise thine vows. Blessed be thine marriage, blessed be thine union, and may it last everlong. We bind thee to each other, and to your vows.” They said, then took a step back. 

The moment they did, Gwyneira felt the sword thrum. She glanced down at it in surprise, then looked up at Drakhari, who was wiping a tear away. 

“They're here. Happy, too. Very happy.” he said softly, and Gwyneira smiled. 

“Your dad and Vaidir?” She asked, giving his hand a squeeze. He nodded slightly.  

“Lovers, raise the blade, as husband and wife.” Iseidra said, her hands rising, palms out. Drakhari and Gwyneira lifted the sword, then tilted the blade upwards and pointed it to the sky.

Gwyneira felt the sword vibrate again, and she ever so faintly heard what sounded like raucous cheering and whooping, as well as clapping. The clapping was from behind her, but the other, wilder noises were definitely from somewhere more ethereal. 

“You weren't kidding about them being happy.” she said with a soft giggle. 

“I can't hear shit besides them cheering.” Drakhari grumbled, before he blinked, and his gaze shot down to her. 

“Wait. You can hear them?” he asked, surprised. 

“Mmhm. Very, very faintly, but yes.” she said with a smile. 

He stared at her for a few seconds, then bent down and kissed her head. 

“You're just full of surprises, my love.” Drakhari said with a smile. 

Iseidra gestured for them to lower the sword, and Gwyneira heard the cheering die down. She could, however, still feel the sword vibrating as she pulled her hand away. 

“Now. The gifts!” Iseidra said with a grin and a clap of her hands. Once again, Achyrex and Luti stepped forwards, and handed the gifts to the newlyweds.  

Drakhari turned towards Gwyneira, then knelt, holding two wooden boxes. One was larger than the other. Gwyneira saw Iseidra and Mardos raise their eyebrows. Clearly, this wasn't normal, but she wasn't sure whether it was the kneeling or the presence of two boxes. 

“Here. This one first.” He said, handing her smaller of the two boxes. She flipped it open, and saw a black leather choker. Connected to the sides were silver plates, with a thick, sturdy silver chain dangling from each plate. At the end of the chains were the long, curved spikes Drakhari had sliced off Jai’ras' back. They were connected by a long, thick, silver cap. She did notice, however, that the final link at the end of each chain was much thinner than the others. Pulling on it hard enough would easily snap the spikes right off. 

“I made that for you. So you'll never have to be defenseless again.” Drakhari said softly. It was then that she realised the purpose of the final link. It was designed to break if she pulled on it hard enough. 

She looked up at him, and her eyes watered slightly. She pushed the sword down slightly as she leaned forward, burying her face in his chest. Drakhari chuckled softly, patting the back of her head, before he ruffled her hair a little. 

“Hey. Still got one more.” he said, gently pushing her off his chest, before he brought the other box forward. Rather than hand it to her, he simply opened it for her. Inside was a single large, black egg. It took a moment for it to click, but when it did, Drakhari was glad he'd held the box. 

Gwyneira gasped, her hands going to her mouth as she squeaked, then looked up at Drakhari, disbelief in her eyes. 

“Is that-?” She mumbled, reaching out hesitantly, as if afraid to touch the egg. 

He nodded. 

“I- my own?” She whispered, her fingers gently running over the eggs rough, bumpy surface. Drakhari nodded again, this time with a smile. 

“Yeah. As soon as it hatches, that is. He's all yours. To train, raise, feed, and care for.” he said with a smile, before he leaned forward and gently kissed her lips. 

“Heh. If you could see the look on your face now.” He murmured, and Gwyneira let out a breathless giggle. 

“I'm so glad you were holding the box.” she mumbled. 

“Yeah, me too.” he chuckled, then closed the box and handed it to her.

“Here. Be careful with it, hm?” he said as he watched Gwyneira take the box almost reverently, and hold it to her body while she looked up at him.

“I um… I got- uhh-” She turned, holding a hand out to Luti for her gift. The tiefling deposited the box in her hand, and she turned back, holding it up to Drakhari. He opened the box, then tilted his head. Inside was a large, furry pouch and a hunting knife. 

“I don't-” he mumbled, before he recognised the fur, and his eyes widened. 

“Holy shit. Is that- is that the fur cloak I wore when we escaped?” he asked. Gwyneira nodded. Then, he took a closer look at the knife. He bent down and sniffed it, before he grinned. 

“This is the wood and leather from your suitcase. Smells very strongly of you.” he said, before he tilted his head. 

“Wait. Did you- did you dismantle your suitcase?” He asked softly. She nodded, and his eyes widened. He felt a mix of emotions. Pride, happiness, and suddenly, a sudden surge of love and protectiveness. 

“No more running.” Gwyneira said softly, reaching out to squeeze his hand. 

"No more running." he agreed, squeezing her hand back. 

“Now, with the gifts concluded, you may tie your vows about each other's wrists and go about your day” Iseidra said with a smile. Husband and wife looked at each other, before Drakhari bent down, allowing Gwyneira to tie the strip around his wrist, before he did the same for her. 

Once he straightened, Iseidra bent down, and gently cupped Gwyneira's cheeks in her hand. She tilted the princess' head back so she was looking up at the drider. Gwyneira was suddenly struck by how unnaturally beautiful the woman was, as well as the fact that her face was coming closer. 

Wait. Closer? 

She flushed hotly as the priestess kissed each cheek, then straightened, folding her gloved hands at her waist. 

“We will watch you with great interest, little elf. Something tells me you're going to cause a lot of chaos.” she said, raising a hand to her mouth as she giggled softly. 

“U- uh huh.” Gwyneira mumbled, then lowered her eyes, before she glanced at Drakhari. She saw that his jaw was clenched, and his ears were twitching slightly. He was staring straight through Mardos and his lecture, trying his absolute hardest not to laugh. 

He'd clearly heard the zing of Gwyneira's panties flying off into the next kingdom. 

Mardos ended his lecture with a slap to the side of Drakhari's shoulder, and the couple turned. Gwyneira saw a couple of tears fall from Drakhari's eyes, which earned a few “aww”s from the crowd. 

If only they knew. 

Gwyneira took his hand, then dug her nails into it. The pain made him sober up a bit, but it still couldn't hide the twitching left side of his lips. They stepped down off the podium, and were immediately swept up in his mother's bear hug. Well, at least Gwyneira was.

“Finally! Gods, I'm so happy!” Mordren squeaked, squeezing Gwyneira so hard, her ribs began to creak in protest. 

“Mother. Mother! Ribs!” Drakhari grunted, and the queen relented, loosening her hug. She wiped a few tears off her cheeks while the couple gulped in a large breath of air. 

“Never I thought I'd see the day. My whore of a son, finally settled down. And with a beautiful princess, no less!” Mordren said, giggling and grinning. 

“Ma!! Good gods.” Drakhari groaned while Gwyneira snickered. 

“What, it's true! You've slept with like half the city! Men and women alike!” Mordren shrugged and grinned, while Drakhari sighed heavily. 

“In any case. There are others waiting. Heh. I can bully you some more later.” Mordren said with an evil giggle, before she kissed Drakhari's cheek. 

“Jokes aside… I'm proud of you, my son. You too, princess. Heh. I can officially call you my daughter!” she said with a soft, warm smile, before she kissed the other side of his cheek, then bent down to kiss Gwyneira’s cheeks. Then, she moved to allow the next of the well-wishers to approach. This time, it was Achyrex and Luti. The Losavaarian gripped Drakhari's forearm and grinned, while Luti hugged Gwyneira. 

“Congratulations, you ugly fuck. Finally found someone masochistic enough to look at your hideous mug every morning, eh?” Achyrex said with a grin, before he looked at Gwyneira. 

“Keep him in line, eh? Maybe on a leash.” He laughed, while Drakhari rolled his eyes. 

“Yeah? And when are you planning to settle down, fishfucker? Sometime this century, I hope?” Drakhari asked, and his eyes flickered towards Luti for the briefest moment as he grinned. Achyrex blushed slightly. 

“Yeah, well. Maybe when I find someone I like. Remains to be seen.” He said as he shook his head. Luti then edged him out of the way so she could hug Drakhari. 

“This feels so strange. I watched you grow up, and now I'm watching you get married.” she said, as she reached up and pinched Drakhari's cheeks, which made him pout. She giggled, then rested a hand on his arm as she looked between him and Gwyneira. 

“You really are the best thing that happened to him. I wish you many, many happy centuries.” she said with a warm smile, before she kissed each of them on the cheek, then walked off. She looped her arm through Achyrex’s, and began to talk to him while they walked to her naraak. 

Gwyneira and Drakhari watched them for a few seconds, before they gave each other a sideways glance. 

“Fucking?” Drakhari asked. 

“Nah. Not yet. But probably soonish.” Gwyneira said, shaking her head. 

The next well-wishers were Lettie and Naxhes. 

“Eeeeee!! Ohmygodohmygodohmygodthisweddingwassoadorable!” Lettie squeaked happily, her spider feet drumming against the floor so fast Gwyneira was sure they were about to burst into flames. Lettie’s arms rose, before she paused.

“C- can I hug you?” She asked, giving her the puppy eyes as she tilted her head. Gwyneira sighed. She just couldn't say no to those puppy eyes. 

“Alright. Just this-” she didn't even have time to finish her sentence, before she was picked up and squeezed in a spine-crushing bear hug. Gwyneira groaned as the air was squeezed out of her for a good few seconds, before Lettie finally relented and set her down. 

“I'm so, so happy for you two! You're going to make the best couple ever!” Lettie said, before she skipped off to the side and began to chatter Iseidra’s ears off. 

“My congratulations to both of you.” Naxhes said, bowing her head, before she smiled. 

“You're both strong. Strong rulers, a strong land make. I wish you happiness for the future.” she said, shaking both their hands before she walked off to join Luti. 

“I think hers was the most normal.” Drakhari whispered, before he tilted his head in the direction of the Seer lurking on the ledge. 

“You think she's gonna-?” He started to say, before Gwyneira finished his sentence. 

“Come down here and say hi? Nnnnope. On a completely unrelated note, would you still love me if I was cursed?” Gwyneira asked, looking up at him with a grin. 

Drakhari blinked, then looked down at her. He opened his mouth, then closed it and sighed. 

“I’m finding out about this later, aren't I.” he muttered, pinching his eyebrows together. 

“Correct!” Gwyneira chirped happily. 

“Yeah. I need a fuckin' nap before you explain.” He mumbled, before he shook his head. 

“We should head back. Get some rest. Still got the party in the evening.” He said, and Gwyneira nodded. 

“I concur. Speaking of which, I'm not taking off the make-up tonight.” she said nonchalantly as they walked towards Jai’ras. 

“Hm? Makeu-? Oh. Oh.” Drakhari's eyebrows rose, and Gwyneira giggled. 

“Shh. Think it over, king.” she purred as she climbed into the saddle. She wiggled backwards when he got on, then leaned back and rested her head on his chest. 

“Take me home, husband.” she said softly. 

Several hours of cuddling and a nap later, came the dinner party. The dignitaries, a few important nobles from the nearby countries, and friends of the newlyweds had been invited. The dinner hall was crowded, with guests mingling and talking, and feasting on the buffet that had been laid out on one side of the room. 

At the back of the room, on a pair of ornate chairs made specifically for the occasion, sat the guests of honour: Drakhari and Gwyneira, grins on their faces as their hands dangled in the space between them, fingers interlocked. They had also changed their outfits before the party.

The dress Gwyneira wore was a more traditional, elaborate version of the one she'd worn in the morning. The corset was gold, over a soft blue skirt, which now had metal wings instead of sturdy fabric.

Drakhari had changed into a silver metal waistcoat, open in the front, with nothing underneath. He'd worn dark brown leather pants, with leather boots to match. The boots had silver wings over the shins, that swept around the sides and projected from the back. 

“I was not expecting this many people.” Drakhari leaned over to whisper to his wife. 

“Me either. Who knew we'd gotten so popular?” Gwyneira whispered back, before she nudged Drakhari and nodded to one corner of the room. 

At a round table sat Achyrex and Luti, the later chattering happily with a grin on her face. She held a bottle of apple cider in one hand, while she sat on one of Achyrex's tentacles, using it as a chair. The octotaur, on the other hand, had the most lovestruck look on his face. He had an elbow propped up on the table, had leaned his head on it, and was beaming at the pink tiefling. 

“Looks happy as a clam.” Drakhari said with a snicker. 

“Right? They're trying to hide the relationship but they're failing so hard. It's adorable.” Gwyneira added with a laugh, before she looked at her husband and pursed her lips. 

“Sooooo… about earlier.” She said, rubbing her thumb across the back of his hand. 

“With Iseidra? Yeah, I noticed. I was trying desperately not to laugh, if you hadn't noticed.” Drakhari said with a grin. Gwyneira groaned and smacked the back of his hand. 

“She's pretty, alright!? Gods. I just- y'know- didn't notice until she had my face in her hand and gave me a kiss.” Gwyneira mumbled, blushing. 

“Oh? You want to sleep with her too? Guess I'm starting to rub off on you.” Drakhari teased, and Gwyneira laughed. 

“No, no. Gods no. One lesbian pairing at a time. Besides, I don't even know if she knows- or noticed… that.” she said with a giggle. 

“Trust me, my love. She noticed. There's no way she didn't.” Drakhari laughed and shook his head, before he brought her hand up and kissed it. Gwyneira groaned softly, then shook her head too. Ever since she'd had her little awakening, she was suddenly finding a lot more women attractive. The fact that some Eridvaari women chose to walk around naked wasn't exactly helping. 

“I do wonder if she'd- y'know… pursue it. Those webs- like- I'm just saying, it would be kinda hot? Being tied up with those webs and- well- Just letting her take control…” Gwyneira trailed off, her cheeks reddening deeply, before she glanced over at her husband, who had a huge, smug grin on his face. She scowled, then slapped his chest. 

“Wipe that grin off your face. I'm just fantasising!” she huffed. 

“That's how it always starts.” he snickered, only for Gwyneira to stick her hand right in between the slits of his cheek. She wiggled her hand back and forth, causing a mildly unpleasant sensation. 

“Bluhbleheh- ey!” Drakhari barked, then quickly turned his head. The next thing Gwyneira saw was his large maw closing around her hand. They just sat there, staring at each other with her hand in his mouth. Then, she felt his tongue slowly slithering around her fingers as he grinned. She quickly twisted her hand around his tongue and tugged, dragging him closer. 

“Save some for later, my love.” Gwyneira whispered, and Drakhari raised an eyebrow. She leaned in and kissed his cheek. He chuckled, and they returned to observing and occasionally commenting on the guests. 

A few hours later, the party began to wind down, and the guests began to filter out after a few well wishes. Drakhari and Gwyneira stood at the doors, thanked the guests for coming, and stole one last smug glance at Achyrex and Luti, leaning on each other as they slipped out. Once the last of the guests had left, Drakhari looked down at Gwyneira, then grinned. 

“Tired?” he asked. 

“Not as much as you'll be, my love.” she retorted with a smirk, which caused him to raise an eyebrow. 

“Bold words, princess. Let's see if you can live up to them.” he purred as his tail slowly coiled around her waist. She simply smirked at him, while she ran her hand slowly along the length of his tail. Then, Gwyneira felt a hand thump onto her shoulder. 

“Well, if you've still got plenty of energy, then there's time enough for a hunt, no?” Mordren said with a grin. The smirk faded from Gwyneira's face, before she turned to look up at Mordren. 

“This time of night? It's quite late. Will anything even be active?” she asked. 

“Oh yes.” Mordren smiled as she patted Gwyneira's cheek. 

“The Jordengarr are nocturnal, and I mean to hunt one tonight.” she said, her smile growing into a savage grin. 

“A Jordengarr? Mother, you cannot be serious. Even an experienced hunter cannot take one down!” Drakhari said, frowning. 

“No hunter can take one down alone, yes. You know as well as I do, however, that you can take one down with two.” Mordren said, before she raised an eyebrow, daring her son to challenge her. 

“It's still a dangerous expedition for-” Drakhari was cut off when Gwyneira placed her hand on his chest. 

“I'm going.” She said softly, and Drakhari looked down at her with surprise. 

“Gwynne- I'm only warning you once. It's extremely dangerous. These beasts can and will take down our best hunters.” Drakhari said softly. 

“I'm going.” she repeated, firmer this time. Drakhari sighed softly, then nodded, before he brought her hand up and kissed it. 

“Come back to me, my love.” he said softly, and Gwyneira smiled warmly, before she pressed her hand to his face. 

“Good. Go get changed.” Mordren said with a soft laugh, before she patted Gwyneira's back and walked off. 

Gwyneira headed back to her bedroom and changed into an outfit more suited for hunting. A simple dark green cotton blouse, and dark brown leather pants. Then, she headed out to meet Mordren. The ex-queen had worn a mix of armour and clothes: greaves and bracers, combined with a metal band around her stomach, a white shirt, left open at the top, and black leather pants. She carried a small leather satchel, slung over her opposite shoulder, with her arm resting on it. She nodded approvingly when she saw Gwyneira, then gestured for her to follow as she turned to walk. 

“Tell me. Why do you think it's hard for a single hunter to take down a Jordengarr, but it's easier with two?” Mordren asked as she walked. 

“Numbers advantage?” Gwyneira asked, and Mordren nodded. 

“That's one reason, yes. But not the only one.” She pushed the door to the courtyard open, and stepped through. 

“Taking one down requires complete trust in your partner. If it falters for even a moment, the battle is lost, as well as our lives. Do you understand?” she asked softly. The guards opened the main doors of the castle, and they headed down into the now-quiet city. 

“I understand. What do you need me to do?” Gwyneira asked softly. 

“I'll explain when we get there. For now, follow, and watch.” Mordren said. They slipped through one of the animal gates, heading into the forest. The moonlight came down through gaps in the canopy, illuminating the area with a gentle white light. 

The queen paused, then knelt, gesturing to a massive paw print in the mud. 

“See that? Paw that big, it can only be one thing.” She said, putting her hand over the paw print to compare the sizes. The paw was at least five times larger than her hand, if not more. The queen’s hand was bigger than Gwyneira’s, too. Gwyneira nodded, then glanced around. A beast that big wouldn't be quiet, would it? 

“Okay. So. Here's the plan.” Mordren said as she rummaged through the satchel and pulled out what looked like a stake with a metal tip. 

“You take this, camouflage yourself as best as you can, and lie on the forest floor. I'm going to be the bait.” She said as she pulled out a cloth covered in wax, and a wooden stick, rounded at one end. 

“I'm going to go find this thing, aggravate it, and once it starts chasing me down, come running towards you. Now, here's the important part.” she stood, wrapping the cloth around the stick, before she looked at Gwyneira. 

“When I stop, it's going to rear up and raise its arms for a threat display before it strikes. There's a small spot, right here-” She pointed to her chest, just an inch or two below the end of her sternum. 

“-where the gaps of its armour will part, just for a moment. You need to use that-” she pointed to the stake. 

“To stab into its chest. In, and up. Remember that. In, and up. Then, pull the stake out before it comes down on you. After that, we have to survive for a couple of minutes while it tries to kill us. Then it drops dead. Understood?” She asked, raising an eyebrow. 

Gwyneira nodded, before she raised a finger. 

“On second thought- could we switch? You lie in wait, and I'll run?” she asked.

The queen tilted her head, looking her up and down. 

“Are you sure? They're faster than they look. It could easily catch you, if you're not careful. All it takes is a single trip over a root.” she said softly. Gwyneira nodded, then held her hand out for the torch. 

“I know magic. I can do it.” she said, giving the queen a slight smirk. 

“Alright then.” Mordren said, before she handed her a small device from the satchel. It consisted of a ball of flint and a ball of steel, each wrapped in a metal band. They were set at different angles, with a small, thick, and rough section for a thumb to rest on. The contraption sat at the top of a small wooden handle, allowing it to be held in and operated by one hand. 

“Just flick the little thing to spark it. When you see it, get up in its face, piss it off, and then you fucking run. Run like the wind, and come back to this spot.” The queen said as she reached down for the dirt and leaves, starting to mud up and cover herself in leaves for camouflage. Gwyneira nodded, then walked off, following the tracks the large animal had left behind. It wasn't long before she ran into it. 

The beast was absolutely massive up close. It was essentially an alligator, but three times the size of a grizzly bear. It had much longer legs, which enabled it to chase down prey. Thick, overlapping scales covered every inch of its body, from the large, brutal snout, to the thick, muscular tail. A row of spikes grew from its back, increasing in size till the middle of its back, then decreasing towards the tail. To top it all off, it had five massive claws, each as long as a dagger, on each finger of its paws. A single reflective eye stared at her, unblinking, as the creature had turned its head to the side to look at her. 

Drakhari had called them big and lazy. But they'd seen one in the morning, which wasn't exactly its hunting time. Now, however, it was eyeing her up like she was a bite-sized snack. However, she had a job to do. She raised the sparker to the torch, then flicked it. Stone struck flint, and the torch burst into flames, wax dripping onto the ground. 

The beast turned slowly, then simply sat and stared at her, waiting for her to make the first move. It drew its arms, legs, and tail in, seeming to appear smaller as she viewed it. She wasn't sure whether it was simply waiting for her to approach, or was actually too lazy to run after her. She still had to provoke it somehow. 

She waved the torch in its face. Nothing, save for the reflecting light shifting back and forth across its eyes. She frowned slightly, then jabbed the torch towards it, trying to provoke a reaction. She took a step closer, and saw the beast shift ever so slightly. It was then that she realised something rather stupid. The beast's entire hunting strategy was literally to lay in one spot, not reacting to anything. It would simply make itself smaller and less noticeable, and wait for something to pass too close. 

Mildly miffed, she suddenly lunged forward and plunged the tip of the torch right into its nostril.

For a brief, comical moment, its eyes widened so much, she saw the whites. It snorted hard enough to snuff the torch out, then snarled as it thrashed about, trying to stop the blinding pain in its nose. Eventually, however, it stopped, then looked at her with a murderous, hate-filled glare. She couldn't exactly speak Jordengarr, but she was pretty sure the low growling she was hearing roughly translated into “time to die”. Then, it let out an enraged roar that sounded like a saw cutting through a tree, just much louder and longer, and with pure hatred behind it. 

Gwyneira didn't wait. She turned and sprinted, using her magic to bolster her speed. Behind her, she heard crashing and cracking as the heavily armoured killing machine gave chase. She sprinted right back the way she came, her eyes on the ground as she followed the tracks. Mordren was lying in wait somewhere down this path. All she had to do was reach her. She poured the speed on, trying desperately to stay out of reach of the large beast behind her. She could hear its large jaws repeatedly snapping shut behind her, as if the beast was imagining chewing her up. 

 

It was then that she spotted it. Mordren's boot, wiggling like mad, hoping the movement would get her attention. The princess twisted her body, using a tree as a springboard to launch herself clear over the queen's body. She dropped to her feet just a few inches away from Mordren's head, then stopped and turned. She saw the beast crash into the tree, before it righted itself, shaking off the splinters of ironwood. It glared at her, and she spread her arms, staring it right down as it slowly advanced. 

Heavy, menacing footfalls vibrated the ground as the Jordengarr got closer. It stopped a few feet in front of her, and right over Mordren. Then, it reared up onto its hind legs, then roared right in her face. The princess didn't flinch or back down. She yelled right back, displaying her tiny fangs to the beast's much larger ones. It seemed almost surprised by her reaction, but that quickly faded as it raised a paw to take her head off. 

Gwyneira suddenly spotted the weak spot Mordren had been talking about. A gap between two plates on its chest. A gap so small it would have to be a very precise hit to take advantage of it. 

It was at that moment Mordren made her appearance. She suddenly got to her feet from her supine position, and roared as she slammed the stake up through the gap, and then pushed forwards, driving the tip backwards into the beast's heart. She ripped the stake out, and a geyser of blood followed, erupting onto Mordren's face and splattering over Gwyneira's body. 

With a roar of intense, unadulterated fury, it swung down at Mordren's back. She rolled, narrowly avoiding the beast's claws, and got to her feet once she was far enough away. It turned on Gwyneira, then took a swipe at her too. She simply stepped backwards, just out of reach.

Blood gushed heavily from the gaping hole, spilling onto the ground and slowly turning it into red mud. The Jordengarr dropped back to its feet, then began to lunge and swipe, desperate to take someone down with it. 

The deadly dance had begun. 

Queen and queen weaved, ducked, and rolled out of the beast's way. The Jordengarr began to slow down after a while, its hate-filled gaze turning unfocused, and swings getting slower. 

“Almost. Just a minute longer.” Mordren said, watching the beast closely as it tried unsuccessfully to go after Gwyneira. The princess simply backed up, letting the large animal chase her for a bit, before it finally crashed to the ground, too weak to move. After a few last wheezes, it finally laid still, dead. Gwyneira heard the queen whisper a quick prayer, before she looked at her and smiled. 

“You performed admirably, ek’rai.” The queen said, slapping her back, before she smiled.

“I'll have the cooks skin it. Perhaps we'll mount the head, hm? A memento of the hunt?” Mordren asked.  

“Could make something out of its skin, too. It's certainly big enough to make a matching set of something.” Gwyneira tilted her head, her eyes running over the length of the animal’s body. The queen chuckled, then nodded to the beast's tail end. 

“You grab that end. The next trial is carrying this massive bugger back to the castle.” She laughed, before she bent down and grabbed the head. She hauled it over her shoulder at the same time Gwyneira hefted her end. Huffing and puffing, they slowly made their way out of the forest, taking several breaks as they hauled the carcass back to the castle. 

Suffice it to say, the cooks weren't happy at the sight of two muddy, bloody, and sweaty women hauling a massive carcass into the kitchen just after they'd had a long day. They even went so far as to give them reproachful looks before agreeing to skin it and preserve the meat and skin. 

“I feel bad about dumping that beast on them at this time of night. Especially after they spent so long preparing for the party.” Gwyneira said once they were out of the kitchen. Mordren chuckled and ran her hands through her hair, before she wiped a droplet of blood off her face. 

“Me too. But I do not want the meat to spoil. Besides, I still have to teach you how to tan a hide, and the fresher the hide, the better. I wouldn't trust anyone else to get the job done, and they know that.” Mordren said with a grin. Gwyneira snorted softly, then shook her head. 

“Still.” She murmured, and Mordren laughed. The queen ruffled her hair, then bent down and kissed her cheek. 

“It's your care for those below you that lets me know the kingdom is in good hands. Goodnight, ek'rai.” Mordren said softly, before she gave Gwyneira a hug, squeezing the former princess tightly to her body. Gwyneira squeaked in surprise, then returned the hug, burying her face in the queen's stomach. 

“Goodnight, mother.” Gwyneira said softly, and felt the queen squeeze her even tighter for a moment, before she loosened her grip and ruffled Gwyneira’s hair. 

“Get some rest, ek'rai. And do not keep my son up all night, hm? He has work to do.” She teased as she turned to walk away. 

“Wha-? Mother!” She squeaked indignantly, while Mordren simply cackled as she walked off. Now she knew how Drakhari felt when the queen casually teased them. Gwyneira chuckled quietly to herself and turned, heading back to her room. 

She entered the room and sighed, before she looked at her husband, lounging on the bed. She leaned back, closing the door, while her eyes drank in the sight of his chiseled upper body. They slowly crawled upwards to settle on his face as he approached and gently cupped her chin. 

“Good hunt?” he asked softly. 

“Mmhm. Bagged one. And before you even think about jumping me, I'm covered in mud, blood, and the reek of sweat. Let me get cleaned up.” Gwyneira said, holding a finger up under his nose. He sniffed it, then bent down and inhaled. 

"Mm. You do smell of mud, blood, and sweat.” he hummed, before he leaned closer.

“I like it.” He growled in her ear, then kissed her, hard. She gasped softly as he reached down, squeezing her ass as he picked her up and turned around, heading for the bed. Drakhari stumbled and fell over onto the bed, squishing his wife underneath him. She grunted, then wriggled upwards, resting her hands on his horns while she panted, clenching her legs together. 

“Wait. Wait. I've got a- I've got a request for tonight.” she whispered in between sharp exhales.  

“Oh? Do tell.” he murmured, gently kissing his way up her shirt, until his lips made contact with the skin of her neck. 

“I want to take charge tonight.” she whispered, running her hands over his face. He raised an eyebrow and looked up at her, before he smirked slightly. 

“Surprising. Go on.” he whispered, a hand reaching down and starting to undo her buttons. 

“You dressed like you were a handsome peacock earlier, trying to catch the eye of the court ladies.” she huffed softly, tugging on his horns as he pulled her shirt away, and freed her breasts. 

“I succeeded in catching your eyes, didn't I? That was the point.” he purred, his tongue slowly coiling around one of her breasts, before he gently squeezed it. She gasped softly, then ran her thumbs over his cheeks. 

“Of course… it's practically staring at me.” she muttered. Her husband let out an ugly snort, then buried his face in her breasts to stifle his laughter while his body shook. Almost a minute later, he gently spanked her side, then sat up and pulled the rest of her outfit down and off, stripping her naked. His eyes slowly trailed down her body, before they crept back up to her face. He bent down, then gently closed his hand around her throat, squeezing slightly. He turned her head to the side, then bent down to whisper a single word. 

“Mine.” 

Gwyneira shivered slightly, a tingle running down her spine. It concentrated around her groin, and her now damp lips. She almost gave in right then and there, but put a hand on his chest. 

“Wait. Not yet.” She whispered, before she sat up, slipping out of his grasp. He hissed softly, making a half-hearted grab for her, but she slipped away while he fell to the bed, a smirk on his face and lust in his eyes. He shifted to take off his waistcoat, but her hand stopped his. 

“No. The coat stays on.” she whispered, and he chuckled, before he kicked his boots off instead. Meanwhile, Gwyneira walked over to the bathroom. He didn't seem to mind having her the way she looked right now, but she wanted to at least get herself presentable. She used some water to wipe herself clean, but left her face a little grimy and blood spattered. Once she was done, she headed back out and over to the gifts he'd gotten her. 

She took out the choker he'd made for her, then walked back over to him. She then slowly got to her knees and held the choker up to him. She saw his eyes widen slightly, before he sat up and picked up the choker. She turned her back to him, then shifted her hair out of the way. 

She felt the choker slip around her neck, then gasped softly when it clicked, closed. It was a little heavy, with the spikes resting on the swell of her breasts. Heavy and secure. Once again, she felt a little thrill run through her body, stopping right around her groin. She was willingly giving herself over to him. She was willingly letting him close that collar around her neck. 

She looked up at Drakhari as her husband tilted her head back and stared into her eyes. Then, he bent down and gently pressed his lips to hers, while his thumbs slipped up under the back of her head to support it. He knew what it meant, as well as she did. She was his, and he was hers. She turned, still on her knees, then looked up at him. Her eyes said everything they needed to. She was giving herself over to him, fully, with complete trust. 

He reached down and took her hands, holding eye contact as he gently kissed her hands. He welcomed that trust. He was as much hers as she was his. They belonged to each other, mind, body, heart and soul. Then, her hands slipped lower, going for his pants. Drakhari leaned back, propping himself up on his elbows as he watched her. 

His half-hard cocks sprang free the moment his pants and underwear were tugged down, and she smirked slightly, before she gently kissed his lower shaft. 

“You sure? Your makeup is going to get ruined.” he said softly. Gwyneira giggled softly as she planted a kiss square on the tip of his lower shaft, which left a little blue lipstick mark. 

“That's the point, my love.” she cooed softly. She immediately had to stifle a laugh when his shafts hardened fully and near-instantly, at her words. She shook her head, a little smirk on her face as she leaned closer, running her tongue along the underside of his side. The sudden throbbing and twitching let her know exactly how well she was doing. 

She guided the tip into her mouth, and smirked when she heard Drakhari let out a soft groan. She leaned forward, then pushed downwards, taking a few inches in, before she gagged slightly. Her eyes watered, and she pulled back, leaving a smear of blue down to the point she'd taken him. She reached up, wrapping her hands around each shaft, before she began to gently stroke them. 

Then, she made another attempt at it, taking a deep breath before she forced herself down. She made it farther this time, earning a louder, more pleased moan from her husband. She quickly pulled back, tears spilling over and running down her cheeks, leaving a trail of black mascara in their wake. 

“This… is really making me wish… I’d been awake last time.” Drakhari said in between pants, his shafts twitching as he looked down at Gwyneira's face. 

“It was fun, though, wasn't it? Waking up to that.” Gwyneira said with a soft laugh, stroking his shafts while they talked. 

“Oh hell yes.” Drakhari purred, his tail swaying back and forth underneath her. Then, it began to creep upwards, wanting to pleasure her from below, but she quickly pushed it down while she shook her head. 

“No. I'm in control here.” she whispered, shaking her head, at which Drakhari nodded, his tail ceasing its movements. She nodded back to him, then kissed his shaft again, before she went down on him again. This time, she fought her gag reflex as hard as she could, slowly making her way down his shaft. She felt her throat bulge as his cock pushed into it, stretching her with its girth. Then, her lips made contact with his knot. She gripped his hips, using them to push forward just a tiny bit more. She paused at the base, puckering her lips to leave a clear imprint of her lipstick, before she slowly pulled back. 

His spit covered cock gleamed in the low light of the candles as she popped free, linked to the tip only by a strand of saliva. Gwyneira sucked in a breath of fresh air, then coughed, before she leaned against his shaft, gazing up at him with lidded eyes. She pressed her lips against the side of his shaft, stroking it while she looked up at him. 

Drakhari's teeth were bared, his chest heaving. She could see the look on his face plain as day; he was fighting extremely hard to restrain himself. She gave him another smug look, before she eyed the little ridges and spikes of his shaft. She leaned closer, running her tongue between the ridges and over the little spiky nubs, as she made her way to the top. Judging by how much he was twitching right now, he was very close to blowing. 

She suckled the tip of his cock for a moment, feeling him twitch and throb madly against her lips. Then, in one swift motion, she took his shaft to the base again. She gripped his hips when she heard him groan, and felt a familiar pulse in her throat. 

Then, the sweet reward she'd worked for. Blackberry flavoured cum, gushing into her belly, and arcing over her back to splatter onto the floor and over her butt. Drakhari tilted his head back, letting out a low snarl of pleasure as his claws dug into the furs of the bed. The claws on his toes scraped audibly against the stone floor as he curled his toes, while his body spasmed slightly. 

Gwyneira slowly pulled back, her tongue undulating against the underside of his shaft. She squeezed the last few drops of his cum onto her tongue, then pulled away as she swallowed. She wiped her mouth with the back of her hand, then looked up at Drakhari. Her husband was staring down at her, panting heavily. 

“Holy… fuck. My head's spinning.” He mumbled, and she giggled, before she patted his thigh.

“I'm not done, my love.” she cooed softly, then gestured for him to lean against the headboard. He did as requested, and she slipped a leg over, straddling him. She slipped his cocks between her legs, then began to grind back and forth against them, trying to keep them hard. 

“I need to recover, my love. That's not going to wo- ohh, hello there. Apparently they had other ideas.” Drakhari said, raising an eyebrow as shafts began to stiffen right back up. 

“I know you, dear husband. Don't think your little friends are getting away so quickly.” Gwyneira purred. 

“Li-? Dori put you up to this, didn't she?” he asked wryly. 

“Heh. No.” Gwyneira whispered, her arms going around Drakhari's neck. She began to grind harder, trapping his shafts between her thighs until they were fully stiff. Then, she reared up and pressed her holes against his tips. Drakhari's arms went around her back, and she felt his face press into the side of her neck. She shivered when she felt his sharp teeth graze her neck, then let out a low moan when it was followed by a gentle bite. 

Her grip around him tightened, holding him in place, before she pressed her hips backwards. A sharp jolt of mixed pain and pleasure shot through her body as she took his shafts into each hole. Her walls clenched down hard around his shafts, massaging the tips, before she leaned forward, slipping them back out. 

“Why does it feel… so much more intense than usual?” she whispered in his ear. It twitched at the sound of her voice, and the air brushing against it. 

“You feel it too? Something's different about tonight.” Drakhari whispered back, a hand slipping down to gently squeeze her ass. She shivered at the sensation of his claws digging into her skin, and let out a soft moan. 

“Maybe it's just more… official? I dunno.” Gwyneira whispered, then whimpered when she felt her hips move back and forth of their own accord. His tips pushed into her again and again, causing her to let out a low moan. 

More. She wanted more. 

She slammed her hips backwards, quickly forcing herself halfway down his shafts with a sharp grunt. It had been a while since they'd lain together, but this was different. Neither of them could put their finger on why, but everything felt more intense. Every breath, hotter. Every touch, tingling. Every graze of his claws, lightning. 

She leaned forward, resting her head on his chest as she rocked back and forth. She moaned, toes curling as she slowly brought her hips the rest of the way down, her holes squeezing his shafts tightly. She rested her plump rear on his lap when she felt the knots press against her holes, and simply panted, her body twitching in pleasure. Every twitch of her walls against his spiked shafts sent little jolts through her body. 

She brought her legs under herself, resting on them on his thighs, before she tried to pull herself up. Her legs quivered, and she fell back, the motion forcing out a moan as his cocks slammed against her cervix and deeper into her guts. Then, she felt his hands slide under her ass, squeezing it while he lifted, helping her make her motions. 

Gwyneira looked up at Drakhari, and her heart nearly exploded when he saw her looking down at her with a warm, gentle smile. A smile nobody else had ever seen, except her. He brought his head down, and she felt his tongue push into her mouth, gently and playfully wrestling with her tongue. 

She gave up. 

“Take me, my love. Claim me.” she whispered. His ears pricked up, and she felt his shafts throb hard inside her. His hips began to move, forcing out moan after moan as he rocked against her, keeping her on top. She buried her face in his chest, clutching his waistcoat with a whimper as she felt his shafts plunge into her holes again and again. She could feel herself getting wetter, her arousal spiking. She felt his hands curl into her hair, before they rested against the back of her neck. He closed his hand into a fist, then gently tugged her head backwards. She gasped softly, then cooed when his tongue found her lips again. It was quickly followed by his hand trapping her ear between his index finger and thumb. He began to rub it, sending even more jolts of pleasure through her sensitive body. 

She closed her eyes, giving herself over fully to the bliss as she began to move her hips too, matching his pace. There were no further words needed. Just wordless communication between lovers. She slipped her hands under his waistcoat, running it over his bare chest, before she flicked the coat off. She wrapped her arms around him, and began to rock back faster, letting out short, sharp pants. She'd cum at some point, but she wasn't exactly sure when. It was all just a blur of pleasure. 

Their pants echoed in each other's ears, carrying on what for seemed like an eternity. Time seemed to blur. All she could think about and feel were the spikes and ridges grinding against her walls, and rubbing up against each other through the wall that separated her holes. 

Suddenly, Gwyneira felt Drakhari grip her tighter, and gasped. The pressure against her holes built, and she arched her back, letting out a scream of pleasure as his knots suddenly plunged into her. Her nails raked across his back, earning a snarl as she gouged him. She bit his chest, her holes squeezing down like a vise around his shafts as she felt him pulse again. 

Sweet release. His hot seed, spilling into her womb and into her guts, swelling her belly slightly with the size of his load. The sensation of being filled pushed her over the edge, and she drew her legs up closer to herself as she came the hardest she'd ever cum. It went on for what felt like a good minute. The moment it stopped, she went limp, slumping against her husband. 

Her chest heaved, her skin slick with sweat, and gaze blurry and unfocused. Drakhari wasn't much better off either. 

“Either we're getting too old for this- which is impossible, given our respective ages… Or tonight was just… something else.” Drakhari mumbled, slurring his words slightly. 

“Def- definitely the latter.” Gwyneira mumbled, her body still twitching weakly. 

“Yeah. Yeah. Ahh, fuck…” Drakhari groaned, tilting his head back, while his hands moved to Gwyneira’s hips. He looked down at his frazzled wife, then chuckled softly, before he lowered his head to kiss her. 

She returned the kiss weakly, then dropped her head back to his chest. 

“That drained me like crazy. I barely have energy to talk. Much less move.” Gwyneira mumbled. 

“Likewise.” Drakhari said with a faint chuckle, before he patted her side. 

“Just get some rest, my love. We're probably just tired.” he murmured, before he kissed Gwyneira's cheek. Unfortunately for him, the little elf was already waltzing through dreamland. Drakhari snorted softly, then kissed her lips as he laid her down, and dropped down next to her. His shafts were still buried inside her as he pulled her closer and curled up around her, trapping the elf in his embrace. 

Little did they know, something ancient was beginning to stir awake inside the princess.

Series this work belongs to:

• Part 1 of False Pretenses