by Alanea Alder
"Because I loved my parents, and when they died, I almost got lost in myself."
"How did they die?"
"A stupid drunk driver. He clipped them causing their car to go off the road and slam into a tree. He walked away without a scratch and didn't serve any jail time since it was his first offense. He only had to do community service."
"How old were you?" he asked, holding her close.
"Twenty-one. I had to sell the house and most of its contents to pay the bank. I packed a few bags and have been on my own ever since."
"You and Meryn impress the hell out of me. You had to take care of yourselves at such a young age."
"What about you?"
He rubbed their noses together. "I had mother, Cord, and of course Darian, I wasn't alone."
"Have you ever shown him his baby pictures?"
Oron blushed furiously. "Of course not. It would be embarrassing for him to see my chicken scratch."
Izzy stepped back and headed to his wall. She had taken the second picture down when he placed a hand on her arm. "What are you doing?"
Izzy held up the picture that showed baby Darian with a beautiful woman and tall man. "Those are his parents, right?" He nodded. "Don't you think he'd like to know what they looked like, hell, what he looked like? As you said, this was before cameras Oron."
Her mate turned his head away. "They're not very good."
"They are exquisite. Now, grab the one where Cord looks like he's about to strangle Darian in the kitchen." Izzy gathered a few more and they headed to the smaller, more intimate dining room for breakfast.
She noticed the closer they got to the dining room the slower Oron walked. "Hurry up!" she said excitedly.
This time when she entered, she ignored all the men standing and went right to Darian. "You know how you didn't know that the Skysongs moved here because Fremi saved you, but Oron did because he was older?" Darian nodded slowly, taking in her ramble. She was about to continue when she noticed Oron lingering at the end of the table. "So help me..." Oron trudged over to stand next to them. Instead of handing the picture of Darian with his parents to him, she passed it to Oron, then stepped back.
Without saying a word, Oron handed Darian the small framed picture.
Darian looked down, confused. "What is this?"
Amelia gasped as she looked down. "It's you," she whispered, tears in her eyes. Of course, his own mate would recognize him.
Darian looked up at his brother. "Oron, is she right?" Oron just nodded. Darian looked back down at the picture. He kept swallowing over and over again as tears ran unchecked down his face. "Are these, are they..." he couldn't even finish the sentence.
Oron just placed his hand on top of Darian's head. "It's your mother and father. You had just started to crawl in the garden and they were so proud."
"What?" Aleksandra asked, before popping up out of her chair and racing over with Brennus and Cord.
When she looked down and saw the picture, she covered her mouth with both hands. "How?"
Oron shrugged. Izzy knew that this was an important moment for her mate, so she slipped her phone from her pocket and began taking pictures.
The queen turned and grabbed both of Oron's hands, snatching the one from Darian's head. "These hands did this?" He just shrugged again. "All these thousands of years, why didn't you tell me you were this gifted?"
"I'm not, I'm just a warrior," he said.
The queen pulled him into her arms. "You Oron Vi'Eirson are not 'just' anything. You are my son. You are the best brother any boy could pray for. You are kind and your light shines so bright it threatens to eclipse others. Your hands can create and defend, you are not just anything," she said fiercely.
"Aleks, look!" Brennus said, holding up another picture.
When the queen saw what the picture held, her knees gave out, so Oron had to support her. Heedless of her condition, she still reached for the sketch. It was of her, giving baby Darian a bath while a laughing Cord supervised. The queen's hair was falling out of her immaculate braid, her sleeves were pushed up to her elbows and she looked to be soaked from head to toe.
Brennus handed Cord the one where Darian had destroyed his kitchen. Cord accepted the picture and turned his back to the room while his shoulders quaked.
Oron looking positively terrified, helped his mother to a chair while she cradled the drawing in her arms like a newborn.
"You are a unit warrior when you can create such masterpieces?" Aiden demanded.
Oron spun. "But sir, they're not that..."
Meryn held up a hand. "Oron, they look like freaking pictures, like from a camera. Trust me, they are beyond art."
Darian stood and simply wrapped his arms around his brother's neck. "I already owed you my very life, even if I were to live as long as our mother, I could never repay you for what you've preserved." When he pulled back and looked up into Oron's face Darian's composure cracked. "I never knew what they looked like," he sobbed, clutching at his shirt like a small child.
Oron's back straightened and there was no panic on his face now. He wrapped an arm around Darian and rubbed his hand over his hair. "Shuush, Dari, it's okay."
"I just can't," Amelia sobbed into Meryn's shoulder at the sight of her mate so undone.
Meryn awkwardly tried to mimic Oron's actions and wrapped her arm around her big sister cousin's head.
Izzy set her phone down, feeling satisfied with her work. She plopped into her chair and looked around for the coffee.
"Allow me," Ryuu said, a kind smile on his face. "You, more than anyone, deserve it." Ryuu poured her a fresh cup of coffee. She sat back and enjoyed her mate's moment of glory.
*****
"I can't believe you've had these for thousands of years!" Darian exclaimed a bit later once he composed himself and started looking through the other pictures.
"Looks like your honeymoon period is over," Izzy teased.
"Can I go put them back now?" Oron asked.
The word 'no' echoed throughout the room.
Meryn was giggling uncontrollably. "Even thousands of years ago you guys did bathtub pictures," she said, pointing to the picture of the toothless Darian grinning up at his soaked mother. "Look Felix, baby Darian."
Izzy watched as Felix appeared from Meryn's lap. He looked down at the picture and smiled. "Baby," he repeated.
Izzy noticed that, unlike the previous day, Meryn now sported a graphic tee and jeans. She wondered if she'd have to wait until they left to get more jeans.
"I wish I had something like this from when I was a cub," Pierce said, looking over Meryn's shoulder. As usual, Pierce hadn't strayed too far from Ryuu.
"Oron, I have no right to ask, but may I please have this one?" Cord asked, holding the picture of Darian covered in flour as if it were the most valuable thing on earth.
"Of course, Cord, you're like a father to Darian and me, there's nothing I'd deny you."
Cord dashed away his tears. "It was one of my most cherished memories even before I saw the picture."
Darian turned to them, looking surprised. "Really? Because all I remember from that day is that it took me forever to sweep up all that damn flour."
Cord smiled. "You were trying to help me make dinner since I had accidentally slipped and bruised both my ego and my tailbone. When you tried to explain yourself, you started crying because you didn't want me to be hurt."
Kendrick chuckled. "The crybaby ended up with a crybaby," he teased.
Anne whacked him. "Hush."
Cord placed a hand on Oron's arm. "Are you certain?"
"Yes, I'm certain, I have a ton more pictures under my bed, I'll just frame one of those for my wall to replace it," Oron explained.
"More?" Aleksandra gasped.
"Wall?" Darian asked at the same time.
Oron groaned and let his head fall back as his queen mother and heir apparent brother tore from the room, heading down the hall unceremoniously. "Dammit!" he exclaimed.
Thane
gently traced the edge of one of the pictures then stood. He walked over to Oron. "Oron, if I were to put an image in your mind, could you draw something for me, something like those?" he asked, pointing to the table.
Oron's mouth dropped. "You want me to draw you something?"
Thane just nodded quietly. "You can name your price."
Oron shook his head.
Thane frowned. "I guess it was too much to ask."
"No, what I meant was I could never charge you money for doodles," Oron explained.
Thane studied Oron's face. "I want you to look at me and really listen." Thane pointed to Oron's hands. "I am not an overwhelmed mother or brother. I tell you this with objectivity and with no sense of bias. What you have is an extremely rare and gods-given gift, Oron Vi'Eirson. I would happily pay any sum you would name to have even one picture done to this quality. In fact, I will be personally petitioning Aiden to remove you from service immediately to protect these irreplaceable hands."
Aiden grunted but didn't argue.
Oron turned to her and she could see that he was getting overwhelmed. She stood quickly and went to him. She wrapped an arm around his waist and winked at Thane. "I think those hands are magical too."
He blinked, then laughed at her double entendre. "I imagine that to be true."
She just rubbed Oron's back. "No decisions have to be made right away. Personally, I'm looking forward to living in Lycaonia. I hear that Meryn needs my skills as she works on databases."
"I'll do it, but I won't accept any money. I will barter for a favor to be redeemed by my commander should the occasion arise," Oron said, extending his hand.
Thane looked relieved as he shook hands with Oron. "Aiden is an honorable man. I have no problem promising a future favor to him, as I am certain he would never ask me to do something that would go against my own conscience."
Aiden's cheeks tinted. "Thank you both Oron and Thane, I pray that we never find ourselves in a scenario where I would need to cash in such a favor."
"Oron! I am going to kick your ass all over this realm!" Darian threatened, as he walked back into the room, struggling under the weight of a large box.
His mother was walking beside him a sketchbook under one arm. "And I will cheer him on. How could you not share these?" she demanded.
"I didn't think they were any good," Oron admitted.
Darian dropped the box on the table and began pulling out sketchbooks and loose pictures. "I think I have a hernia," Darian complained.
"Good, now you can't chase me," Oron said, flicking his ear.
Darian absently rubbed his abused ear and continued flipping through pages.
"Oron, may we have a few as well," his mother asked, unable to take her eyes off the pictures now scattered on the table.
"Any that you would like are yours," he replied.
Breakfast morphed into a stroll down memory lane. Everyone took turns eating to keep the food away from the pictures. Izzy was enjoying her coffee until she saw Brennus quietly consoling his mate as she wept into her hands.
Neither Darian nor Oron had noticed yet. She stood and walked over to sit beside her new in-laws. When she looked down and saw why the queen of the fae was weeping, she felt her own tears gather.
It was a book of self-portraits. The queen now saw how Oron always viewed himself. Finally, around the table voices quieted as both Oron and Darian saw their mother weeping. Moving quickly, they knelt on either side of her. She watched as Darian noticed the pictures first. He flipped page after page, the blood draining from his face. He stood, his mother's tears forgotten as he came face to face with Oron's pain.
Oron saw which book it was and quickly grabbed it from Darian. He was halfway to the fireplace when Darian tackled him.
"Thane, get the book!" Darian yelled.
Thane raised his hand and shouted. "Venito!"
"Asshole!" Oron muttered, as the book flew to Thane.
Thane looked down and saw what was on the first page. "My request can wait. To ensure I am one of your favored clients, I offer you a gift. I will copy images from the minds of the queen, Brennus, Darian and Cord, images of you, for you to draw. I will store them in a crystal so that you can see yourself as they do."
Izzy jumped from her chair and plowed into the witch, wrapping her arms around his waist. "Thank you!"
"Hey!" Oron shouted.
Izzy giggled as he raced over. She slapped Thane's ass causing him to yelp in an undignified manner before she ran around to the other side of the table, avoiding her mate.
"Izzy! Get your adorable behind over here," he ordered.
"Catch me!" Every time he'd go left, she'd go right. In the end, her brother-in-law betrayed her and carried her over to Oron.
She smiled up at him. "I'm glad he caught me, I was running out of breath," she wheezed.
Meryn walked over and handed Oron her phone. He looked down and blinked. "That's me?"
Izzy could have kissed Meryn. The picture was one she had just taken showing a joyous Oron poised to dash right. True happiness spilled from his image.
Darian looked over his shoulder. "That's how I've always seen you. When I was younger, I felt like you always surrounded me in your light to keep me safe. I have no idea who that man is that you have drawn, I've never seen him before a day in my life."
His mother came up on his other side and nodded. "That smile is so very precious to me," she stood on tiptoe to kiss his cheek. "Oron, the memories you have frozen in time for us to cherish and share is a gift. You cannot share a light you do not have son and your light is there for everyone to see," she pointed to the table.
"You always called me your little warrior, so I didn't want to disappoint you," he admitted.
"I called you a warrior because I was proud of what you had done. I wanted you to know that your actions were noble and that your family's shame was not your own." She cuffed him upside the head. "Had I known the gods gave me a genius artist I would have bought you every medium under the sun and called you my 'little artist'," she said, before kissing his arm.
"I'm not giving up being a unit warrior," he said stubbornly.
"Good," she heard Aiden mutter under his breath.
The queen turned to Thane. "About that crystal."
*****
They were still looking over pictures when Portia entered. "Your Majesty, Cristo and Stefan Bolivar," she announced, holding the door open. Two dark-haired men hurried into the room. "Brennus, I found it!" The taller one called out.
"Cristo, I'd be more excited for you if I knew what 'it' was," Brennus said flatly.
Cristo held up a square, wooden box and looked like he was about to answer when he turned to the Ashleigh brothers and Kendrick. "The strongest soundproofing spell the four of you can manage please."
Kendrick exchanged shocked expressions with the brothers and the four of them extended their right hands forward until their fists were touching. When they released the spell Izzy's ears popped and she felt like she was going to puke. She didn't know a thing about magic, but she knew without a shadow of a doubt, that she just experienced the strongest soundproofing spell ever cast.
"Whoa," Meryn exclaimed, swaying in her chair. Both Aiden and Ryuu helped to keep her upright. Izzy was interested to see that where Ryuu's hand rested on Meryn's shoulder, a blue light glowed.
The queen clutched at her chest. "The next time you release enough magic to stall the sun, could we get a little warning." She eyed the door. "I assume a barrier is up as well."
Kendrick winked at her. "Of course."
She opened her mouth repeatedly as if to pop her ears. "I hope none of the servants need us until you take that thing down." She shuddered. "It's almost like a living breathing entity."
Meryn looked at the door, her eyes ablaze with curiosity. "Cool!"
Cristo placed the box on the table. "We were looking for Eamon's communication spheres!"
"What's a communication sphere?" Izzy asked.
Thane ground his teeth together. "Eamon created a magic that allowed him to basically record a video in a sphere and send them home. He used them for reports that were too sensitive to trust to paper. The sphere would simply appear here in Éire Danu and could only be opened by Brennus."
Izzy thought Brennus was going to be ill and not because the super witches' had cast the soundproofing bubble.
Cristo looked around. "Good! Doran and Celyn are here as well."
Brennus stared at the box. "Why would you possibly need them? They've gone untouched for nearly forty years."
"Because, I think I can finally open them," Cristo announced.
"Cristo, I have never wanted to punch you more than I do at this moment," Thane threatened as he stalked forward. "How dare you rip open a wound that has long since healed."
"Justice, Law, leash the maniac for the time being," Cristo ordered, completely unfazed by Thane's threat.
Law and Justice each grabbed their brother by the shoulder. Thane stared at them. "Since when do the two of you take orders from someone and against me?"
Law and Justice each pointed with the hand that wasn't restraining their brother. "It's Cristo," they said together. Thane simply growled but stopped his forward march.
"What do they mean, 'It's Cristo'?" Izzy asked.
"Yeah, what she said," Meryn echoed.
"What they mean, is I am Thane's Vanguard squad leader," Cristo explained.
"We're not Vanguard," Thane protested.
Cristo turned to him and held up his fingers in air quotes. "Fine, we're 'Guardians'. Happy now?" He immediately turned back to the box.
Thane squinted at the handsome man. "Why haven't I killed you yet?"
"Because secretly you want me to have your love child," Cristo said, without even looking up from the box.
Kendrick pointed to Cristo. "You like him because he reminds you of me."
"You mean I want to wrap my hands around his throat and throttle him because he reminds me of you?" Thane corrected.
Brennus laid a hand on the lid Cristo was about to open. "Are you sure?"
Cristo nodded. "My nose has never failed me."
Brennus lifted his hand. "What does that have to do with anything?"
