She began to pace and grunt. “Sure, I’ll just call him up on my cell phone and ask him to alter the entire past! Hey Nikolai, what do you say you set free the Unseelie Queen and her kids? Can you do that without affecting all of history?”
Rain began to pelt outside. “Well of course I can immortals, but why would I?”
Bodhe looked over at the god standing there. He was dripping wet from his little storm and had his massive arms folded over his chest. Bodhe and Amele both bowed respectively.
Amele looked to him with as much humility as she could muster. “Please grant me this one more thing my Lord, and name your price beyond. We wish that the innocent be released is all. Delia and her two daughters should be returned to Loveryn, as they were before Fieren made his greedy choice. We didn’t know that she was not part of it and beg of you to assist in rescuing them from that scorched hell.”
He stood as still as a statue for a few moments, looking at them both.
“My lord, when I was rescuing Isabel, were it not for the help of Delia I may not have found her. We could both have died there. They planned on using Isabel somehow to barter for their positions back in the other Realms but even through all of the centuries of living that way she has not lost heart. Please. If there is anything that you can do to help.”
Nikolai raised his hand and silenced him.
“What could I want now that I have already secured you for three months Amele? What will you offer me now?”
Her eyes began to glow amber. “How about six months instead?”
His laughter echoed throughout the great hall. “No, that will not do at all. I may not want you around that long.”
Her cheeks flamed and stomach clenched and she spoke through gritted teeth. “Then name your price, for it is right that those three return home, exactly as they were when they left it.”
He looked out at the skies and then turned back to face them. “Actually, there is something that I want. And it will require about a year of your life instead.”
She looked at him hard and cold and Bodhe stared angrily. “What my Lord could require a year of my life? Shall you chain me up with the dragons again and let the women take from my hide for what I did to their men?”
Lightning cracked from the sky and thunder roared, the Elementals eyes flashed black again. He took a deep breath and the storm receded somewhat.
“No, you will never go back to the dragons.”
“After my time is served I shall go wherever I please Water God!” She scowled at him.
He looked at her sternly. “I want a child.”
The gasps from her and Bodhe echoed in the room.
“My lord, with all due respect,”
“Prince!” He yelled “This is not your bargain! Though I must thank you for it. I have wanted this for some time actually.”
What the hell kind of joke was this? A God wanted a child? To what end? Was it even possible for her to conceive with him?
“Is it even possible?”
“Amele, don’t do this! If this is the only way then we must leave her there. I will not let you whore yourself out to an Elemental just to save them. You are a Queen for God’s sake!”
“Which is why it is possible. The Sidhe royal line are direct descendants of the other Gods so it would not kill her to birth my child. These are my terms, do you accept?”
She looked over at Bodhe who was screaming at her to not do it in her mind.
“Bodhe, take good care of Isabel and please tell her that I shall return to her soon,” she took one look at the Elemental and glared. “I too have one condition. When the child is born I am free to leave unharmed.”
“Agreed”
“Amele!”
“Shhh Prince, do not worry. It’s a small price to pay is it not? You have kept your word and I have broken no laws. Tell your father that the stay is going to be slightly more extended than I originally planned.”
“Delia will return here as I take you, with her two daughters that were born before Fieren the unwise became greedy. It will not affect history because I will take them from the moment after Delia showed you the way to Isabel. And of course I will return to them their appearance so as to not scare the children of the Sidhe. Is that satisfactory?”
She looked at the beautiful God and nodded. “We have a deal.”
**************
“Isabel, you have no idea how happy I am to finally see you in person!” Keiren hugged her tightly.
“You too,” she said shyly, taking in the beauty that was before her. Curly long tresses like hers only blonde shaped the face of an angel with fiery green eyes. She was taller than her, not a surprise, but she was so similar in many ways. She inhaled the scent of lavender and smiled, no wonder it had always been her favorite flower. Isabel’s eyes pricked with tears, finally home. It had been devastating to lose the only family she had years ago, and now to have her real mother in her life it was so wonderful. It would take a while to get used to but she knew she would love her.
“No no child, there will be none of that today. You have served your people well in this great challenge. We could not have asked for better,” she radiated love and Isabel could not help but smile to her and grip Bodhe’s hand more.
“There is someone else coming to the ceremony that you will be happy to finally meet as well. I know she has been thinking of nothing else since she knew that you were her only son’s child. Queen Lorelei is en route now to the kingdom, hoping to embrace you as I have. I hope that one day you will understand why I did everything that I did. Even though it may not have seemed that you were safe, the alternative if I hadn’t done what I had, would’ve been far worse.”
Isabel just nodded, unsure of what to say. She really couldn’t wait to hear the stories from her mother but she would have to.
Everyone had been fussing about her since sunrise, between the measurements taken so that the gown she hadn’t even seen yet would fit, making sure the food was to her liking, that the wine was perfectly aged. As if she would know good wine. Ha! Spring wine for breakfast, yum!
Everyone in the kingdom was introducing themselves and though she couldn’t speak the language yet, she understood them, which was still fascinating. Bodhe ushered her around the palace, showing her the great hall and the many rooms and the largest library that she’d ever seen. If she’d had her way they would’ve remained there all day as enthralled as she was with all the books. He had to practically drag her out with promises that she could return any time after today as much as her heart desired.
After the greetings and the tour Bodhe snuck her back to their room to make love to her again, and again. He said that it was good luck though she didn’t think she needed any more of that. And she certainly didn’t need to be coerced into licking every inch of his solid body. She honestly couldn’t wait for this day to be over so she could spend the night, and the morning doing exactly that.
Reluctantly she got bathed and dressed for the ceremony, the Manue’s, who were the servants of the Royal House, and her mother fussing equally over her. She learned that the Manue’s took great pride in serving the royals and that this was one of the most honored positions amongst the people here. Starched white linens and perfect manners, they all smiled at her as she was getting ready.
The dress that was presented to her by her mother made her jaw hit the floor. It looked like it was made of a million diamonds, all catching the fire of the sun at the same time. It came down in an elegant ‘v’ in the front and well, there wasn’t much back at all. Beaded slippers that matched were brought in too that cocooned her feet perfectly in dazzling beauty. Her hair was combed to silky dark perfection and then a box was brought in that was a present from the King and Queen.
She looked from her mother to the Manue’s and they all just smiled. “Well, don’t just sit there child,” her mother chided, “open it!”
Lifting the cover off carefully of the square box she saw a Samuril like the one that Bodhe had made
for her, only this one had diamonds that circled the entire thing, with one rather large one that dipped down in the center.
“Breathe darling, it’s ok.” Keiren grinned
Isabel inhaled sharply, afraid to touch the thing in case she broke it. “I really don’t know what to say. This is…well it’s… wow.”
They all started chuckling and Keiren took it from her hands and placed it gently on her head. Tears welled up in her eyes as she took a step back.
“You look beautiful my princess. Go to the mirror dear and see for yourself.”
She walked slowly towards the bathroom and looked at her reflection. Covering her mouth as she gasped she couldn’t believe the woman that stood before her. This was as good as seeing herself as a warrior for the first time.
Looking back from the mirror imbedded in the stone wall was an auburn haired beauty. Curls cascaded freely halfway down her back and her beautiful pointed ears crested from them. Eyes stared back at her that were bright green with golden flecks and her thin frame was surrounded by sparkling folds of fabric that clung to her curves perfectly. The real kicker however was the samuril. It was stunning. The way the light hit it made it seem like it was on fire and she watched as her eyes flashed pure gold. She never really thought of herself as a princess even though she had been told that she was over and over again recently. But now, as she looked in the mirror, she accepted the fate that had been foretold.
“It’s time Isabel,” her mother said softly.
Her hands were shaking as she reached up to touch the stone that fell from the center on the samuril and she felt a warmth surge through her.
Keiren grinned. “Yes dear, it too holds magic. But there’s no time for that now. We must go meet your partner, and the rest of the Realm. They await us now.”
She nodded taking one last look at the stranger in front of her and followed her mother to the great hall where Bodhe would be waiting for her.
They floated through the halls effortlessly. At least she wouldn’t need to worry about tripping! She smiled to herself.
“How are you feeling dear, are you okay?”
“I’m better than okay, I’m happy.” She stopped in the corridor and looked at her mother before they entered the large wood and gold doors that would take them into the beautiful white hall.
“If there had been any other way, would you have kept me?” Tears welled up in Kieren’s eyes again.
“What a silly question! Of course I would have,” she stepped back, taking a moment to think of her words. “You see, when your father died I had a vision of Morkain trying to take the throne of Albequen but then he learned of you. He hunted you down and…” her eyes went dark and far away for a moment. “So that’s why I had to leave and cloak us both in magic. But my magic was not strong enough to last until you were older so I called Isura, Elemental God of the Air. In return for her protection, she put me in a sleep and created the curse. It was her way of having a game. I still don’t understand why she tortured me with having Morkain being one of your suitors, but I had to agree. The alternative was far worse. Plus, I knew you would choose the right one. And I got to add the caveat of having Amele watch over you.” Keiren wrapped her arms around her and held her for a moment. “I love you more than life Isabel, and I promise you that I will make up for this time that we’ve lost.”
Tears welled in her own eyes now and threatened to spill. “Oh no sweetie, you will not be crying today. Today is a happy day for you and I will not see it ruined. Now, there is a very special male waiting for you behind these doors, are you ready to drive him absolutely mad when he takes one look at you?”
Isabel giggled and forced back the tears. “Yes mother, yes I am.”
Keiren stepped forward and the doors opened to the great hall. The entire kingdom was there and across the room Bodhe stood patiently waiting by the King and Queen, a white and gold robe flowed to the floor around him and his Samuril sparkled like hers but with just a single large center stone that was encased in silver. She felt his hungry stare and saw the beastly smile that came to his lips. Glowing brightly at the first sight of him she was almost embarrassed until everyone in the room bowed to her. When they rose the sound of clapping rang throughout the large Hall.
Bodhe took less than a second to be in front of her, his hands taking her face in his and kissing her deeply. Another roar erupted from the crowd as they turned into a glowing golden sphere.
“You take my breath away Princess, and as gorgeous as you look in that dress all I can think of is how badly I want to rip it off with my teeth,” he grinned mischievously at her.
“My naughty little prince, you will not be ripping this one off of me. You will take your time and peel it slowly from my flesh that burns for you even now. Then, and only then, will you ravage me and sate the desire that is currently pooling between my legs,” she grinned at him equally mischievously and took his hand as he growled at her.
“I can see that I shall have to keep this robe on for the remainder of the evening or all of Loveryn will see the thick bulge protruding from my pants now. You will pay for that,” he grinned.
She laughed and they walked over to Queen Danua and King Rystrom; bowing as she had seen the others do and hoping that it was not too clumsy.
“Thank you for the beautiful gift your majesties. It’s the second most beautiful one I have ever seen.”
They smiled and raised their brows curiously.
“Well, of course the one that Bodhe made for me is my favorite. I do hope you forgive me for that. But this one is extraordinary.”
The King and Queen grinned and bowed in return. “Well, this one dear you may save for special occasions of course. And yes, a gift from your beloved partner in any form would always hold sway over another, no matter its beauty.” The queen looked down at a simple ring carved from the same stone that the box she found beneath her house was made of. It had a single red stone in the center, not unlike the one that she and Bodhe wore around their necks. “Of course we understand the sentiment.” she smiled to the King and took his hand gently.
He smiled back and they began to glow slightly.
Isabel was amazed. They must have been together forever. And yet still they glowed like that?
When all the formalities had been exchanged Isabel took a moment to notice the stark difference in the two before her. The white flowing hair of Queen Danua matched Bodhe's perfectly, long and loose and fluttering about her as if even the smallest shift in the wind could make it flow around her like a wave. Her samuril was made completely of the Toriel that was treasured here, but intricate detail was carved into hers and it was raised just above her hairline into a crown. A dress of white and silver material that glittered hung loosely all around her slender and graceful frame. Her eyes adorned the color of an emerald in the sunlight, embedded with golden hints. And light radiated from them both, as if the light from the room came from within their beings entirely.
The King wore matching threads of white but instead of sparkling, his seemed almost to be flowing instead as her hair did. Gentle ripples in the fabric were noticed every few moments and when she looked into his eyes, they were the color of the deep blue of the ocean. His own hair was black as night and tied back in an intricate braid that she imagined tracing down the lengths of his muscular back. His crown was an exact match of his Queen, only slightly larger to support his larger frame. Where she seemed delicate, he appeared strong and unmovable. Truly the Sidhe were descended of the Gods. Come to think of it, the stark differences were very similar to that between her and Bodhe. She grinned at the thought.
Not to mention her grandmother, wow. She was the prettiest Elf she had ever laid eyes upon, not that she had really met any yet. But surely she was the prettiest anywhere. She gathered her up in her arms in a warm embrace at ‘hello’ and whispered to her in the Elven tongue. She made Isabel promise to visit soon so she could show her the kingdom properly, which she agreed to without hesitation. She wanted to lear
n as much about both the worlds that were her heritage and Bodhe stood proud when he saw how eager she was to do so.
She met Bodhe’s younger brother Sage, who was sweet and jovial and Cora, the youngest of the three who was completely taken over Isabel. She kept bringing her foods to try and wines to taste and there was something about her that was so very calming, even though she didn’t seem to be able to sit still. She kept hugging Isabel and welcoming her home. Bodhe just watched everything in amusement as his partner was overwhelmed by the curiosities and kindness of their people. Cora would be good for her transition; he could see that they would get along well.
“My love, I believe that there is someone else waiting for you patiently.” He gestured with his eyes to Amele, who even at the celebration wore her sword and dagger, though she did make an attempt and put on a dress.
“Please excuse me for just a moment,” she said softly to Cora. “Of course Bel, we have all the time in the world!” She gave her a squeeze and rushed off into the crowd, her golden dress billowing behind her in waves.
Bodhe chuckled. “Go talk to her, she has missed you.”
He leaned down and gave her a kiss and patted her playfully on the butt making her turn scarlet.
“Oh! Paybacks Prince! Paybacks!” She squealed as she glided towards her best friend.
“Amele!” She hugged her with ferocity.
“Halfling,” she smiled. “The celebration is beautiful, as I knew it would be. But compared to you at the moment it dims,” she smiled. “And you seem to be getting on well with everyone. Has it been good to spend time with your mother?”
Isabel sighed. “Yes, but there are so many things I still want to know.”
“You will learn them Bel, don’t worry. There is nothing but time for you.”
“You’re right, as usual. But don’t you mean there is plenty of time for us?” She looked at her quizzically.
Amele looked out over the gold and white city and her face flashed dark for a second. “Yes, of course that’s what I meant,” she smiled. “You know though, I miss my Ben and Jerry’s already,” she laughed.
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