by Unknown
“I, uh,” I frowned and then whispered, “it boils it?”
“Yes, exactly,” King Cian nodded sadly. “Or water puts out the flame. Although this may make for passionate love affairs, it bodes ill for the running of a kingdom. It could produce something as simple as an outbreak of angst in the water fey or it could go as extreme as death. A plague perhaps. Or it could kill Guirmean's beloved.”
“What?” My jaw dropped open and I whispered, “Plague? Nora?”
“The royals of Faerie are connected to their kingdoms,” Queen Meara took over for her husband. “You know this, Queen Vervain. You've shown us a way of becoming even more connected to our kingdoms. You've brought back fertility to yours through that connection. So surely you must realize that a kingdom may also be poisoned in this manner.”
“Like with the well?” I thought about the little basin of water, high up in Castle Deuraich. The vein of water that led to the kingdom itself and through which Guirmean had given fertility back to his people with a rite he'd enacted with another water fey... because he couldn't enact it with Nora. “Oh, damn,” I whispered as it all hit home. I did know that. Of course I did. This wasn't the first time I'd been told of such a possibility.
“Yes, now you see,” Meara nodded. “We tried to explain this to King Guirmean but he was so upset, I think he failed to hear it. He just stormed out of the castle.”
“We'll explain it to him,” Arach said quietly.
“Thank you, King Arach,” Cian sighed. “That will be a great relief to us. Now, let's be done with this sadness. You have a surprise for Craigor, do you not?”
“Oh!” I looked toward Aradia but she was staring transfixed at Craigor, who I hadn't even noticed was in the room. Craigor, in turn, was staring at her. “Um, yes. Hey, Craigor,” I called to him and got his attention. “Hi. How are you?”
“I'm well, Queen Vervain. Is all well with you?” He nodded, a lot more subdued than the old Craigor I'd known. I guess being duped by the dark fey into abduction and a possible accessory to murder had put a damper on his temper.
“Yeah, I'm good,” I grinned before going on. “So I had the strangest thing happen to me the other day.”
“Oh?” He kept looking back at Aradia as Arach gave a soft chuckle.
“This goddess came up to me and asked me to bring her into Faerie,” I continued in an off hand manner. “Said she wanted to meet her father.”
“Oh?” He blinked and then refocused on me. “What?!”
“Yeah, can you believe that? I had no idea gods could have babies with the fey,” I chuckled a little. Okay, I have to admit, it was fun to see Craigor squirm, especially after the depressing news about Guirmean. Craigor's dark moth wings were twitching and his black eyes were terrified. Black eyes, just like Aradia's.
“Are you...,” he bypassed me entirely and went straight to Aradia. “Are you Diana's daughter?”
“Yes,” Aradia whispered, “and yours.”
“Mine?” He whispered back, his hand lifting to her face as his eyes filled with tears and his lips began to smile. “She never told me.”
“She was afraid that you'd take me to Faerie and she'd never see me again,” Aradia explained.
“She was right to be afraid,” his smile turned apologetic as a tear broke free and trailed down his cheek. “I would have taken you. Even as much as I loved your mother, I would have loved you more.”
Father and daughter stared at each other in silence while everyone else gaped at them. I had nothing. No jokes or comments to make. Even I wasn't that rude, to encroach on such a moment. Honestly, I hadn't expected Craigor to react so emotionally and it made me think better of him.
Finally, Craigor simply pulled Aradia against him and hugged her tightly. I found myself looking away, it was just too intimate to watch. I had thoughts of my own fey father. Of the one time I'd met him, gone back in time to do so, and how he'd held me in much the same way. Unlike Aradia, I'd never get another moment like that and that was a cold ache in my belly.
Father and daughter pulled apart after a long while, both of them with wet cheeks, and found us at the other end of the room. We'd been trying to give them as much privacy as possible. Craigor laughed at us and took Aradia's hand to lead her over to our little group.
Then he shocked me even more by dropping her hand at the last second and pulling me into a hug. His wings folded gently around us and I felt his lips brush my cheek. When he pulled back, I saw a faint greenish glimmer on my arms and I realized it was dust from his wings. Arach, Cian, and Meara were all staring at us in open-mouthed shock.
“You have my deepest gratitude, Queen Vervain,” Craigor said with emotion-roughened words. “You, who I treated so horribly, who I've done nothing but insult and abuse, have now given me my greatest treasure. I've sorely misjudged you and I humbly ask for your forgiveness.”
“Uh,” I blinked, glancing at Arach who was glowering at my glimmering arms. “Of course, I forgive you. That's all in the past. I'd never deny you a child out of spite. Besides, you tried to rescue me, remember?”
“Too late,” he said somberly. “I realized my mistake too late. As I often do,” he looked back at Aradia. “But no longer. Bitterness has no place within a father.”
“Truer words have never been spoken,” I nodded and laid a hand on his arm, giving him a gentle squeeze of encouragement. He looked back at me with a radiant smile and I continued. “I'm handing her over to you now. Take care of her and don't you dare hold her prisoner in Faerie.”
“I won't,” he laughed and went back over to Aradia. “That time has passed. We fey have changed,” he shot a grateful look back at me.
Before I could say anything else, a fluttering started rising inside me. The butterflies of my love magic. I was a little shocked at first, thinking this was an inappropriate time for them to show up but then I felt like an idiot. There were many forms of love and one was that between parent and child. Love wanted me to give Craigor and Aradia's new relationship a blessing.
Sometimes it astounded me how oblivious I was to love. You'd think that holding the magic inside me would have made me wise in all things love related. Nope, I'm just as lost as I ever was. I did get some help from the magic occasionally though and this was one of those times.
“This relationship will be hard,” I said as I reached out one hand to Aradia and one to Craigor. I clasped their hands and continued, “There are barriers between you that must still be broken, though you've conquered the hardest of them by simply wanting to know each other.” I smiled as the butterflies raced down my arms and into their hands, causing them both to jerk in surprise. “In honor of this momentous occasion, I'd like to give you a blessing that will hopefully ease you through whatever obstacles may arise. Will you accept my blessing?”
“I'd be honored,” Craigor said and glanced at Aradia.
“Of course,” she added in a breathless voice.
“Then my blessing is this,” I sent the magic out fully into them as I continued. “You shall always remember that your blood lies within each other's veins. No matter what else you may be, first you are family. Blood binds but it also strengthens and your blood shall strengthen each other. It shall protect and cherish each other so that you can be an example to others of what being a family can mean.”
The butterflies did their work and then raced back to me, happy as clams. Okay that doesn't sound right but however you wanna put it, my love magic was thrilled to give its blessing to the new family and they in turn seemed happy to receive it.
“Thank you, Godhunter,” Aradia beamed at me. “Thank you so much.”
“If I hadn't just tasted your magic, I'd accuse you of trying to be overly kind to me in an effort to make me feel even more horrible over the way I've treated you,” Craigor gave me a sideways grin. “But since I did just feel the honesty of your intentions, I can only accuse you of being a true Queen, more magnanimous than I deserved, and a woman that I would be honored to call my friend.�
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“I would be grateful for another friend in Faerie,” my smile may have been a tad bit smirkish.
“Thank you, Queen of Fire,” Craigor said with a serious tone and a little head bow.
“You're very welcome,” I said and they turned to leave. “Hey, don't you want to meet the High King and Queen?”
“Oh!” Aradia exclaimed and laughed as Craigor led her back over to introduce his new daughter to the High Royals of Faerie.
Chapter Nine
“I'm so relieved that went well,” I said to Arach as we arrived home at Castle Aithinne.
“How could it not?” Arach asked. “You gave the man a child,” he was staring at my arms again.
“Okay, what gives?” I held up my sparkling arms. “Is there something significant about the fairy glitter?”
“Air-sidhe only shed dust when they fall in love,” Arach growled.
“What?” I felt my eyes widen so much that they dried out and I had to start blinking.
“You heard me,” he took a deep breath. “That damn moth man loves you.”
“Or he loves his daughter,” I grinned as the obvious explanation hit.
“What?” Arach lost his thunder.
“He'd just met his daughter,” I pushed Arach's knee. “Hello? Of course he was falling in love, just not in a sexual way. In a fatherly way. Plus, I did give them a love blessing.”
“Oh,” Arach's shoulders relaxed. “I hadn't thought of that.”
“You're getting a little touchy, dragon,” I laughed.
“Vervain, shedding dust on someone is an act of claiming amongst the air-sidhe,” Arach rolled his eyes. “I wasn't overreacting. I'm not a drama king.”
“You mean drama queen,” I giggled.
“But I'm a king,” he narrowed his eyes on me.
“Yes, love, you most certainly are,” I waggled my brows at him, “but the term is drama queen.”
“Well I'm definitely not that,” he frowned.
“If you say so,” I teased. “The dusting was probably accidental. Craigor was a little shaken and I doubt claiming anyone other than his daughter was even on his mind.”
“Vervain-” whatever else he was going to say was cut off by shouting. “What in all of Faerie?” He huffed as he jumped out of the carriage without even stopping to help me out.
I leaped out after him to find Nora and Guirmean causing a scene right in front of Castle Aithinne. Light from the lava moat cast upwards onto them and enhanced their angry shouting, making them appear devilish in the fading afternoon light. They were shouting in Fey but it wasn't hard to guess what the topic was. Then they saw us and switched to English for me.
“Queen Vervain,” Nora said and strode past Guirmean. “Could you please help me get rid of your pathetic friend.”
I gaped at her as Guirmean came striding up to her and grabbed her by the upper arm. He yanked her around and tweaked her nose like you would a misbehaving dog. My jaw dropped further. Nora quieted and stared at him in disbelief.
“I'm sorry, Nora,” Guirmean said, “but I saw no other way to stop your tirade. I know what you're doing and I won't stand for it. Don't think you can belittle me into abandoning you. I love you and I asked you to marry me. You said yes and I'm holding you to it.”
“No, you won't,” Nora seemed to deflate. “I release you from your vow. I won't help you destroy your own kingdom. We were blinded by love and so very selfish when we thought I could ever be your queen. A king has responsibilities and the largest of those is to protect his kingdom. Even from those he loves.”
“No,” Guirmean whispered as Nora pulled out of his grasp.
“Go home, King Guirmean,” she wiped a tear away angrily. “Water can love the flame but only from a distance. To touch would mean destruction for one or both of them. I'm destroying you and I love you too much to let that happen. This is over.”
She turned around sharply, all military demeanor, and marched into the castle. Guirmean started to follow her but Arach grabbed his arm.
“We spoke to King Cian,” Arach said quickly, gaining Guirmean's attention.
“And?” Guirmean looked at Arach like his life depended on the next words out of Arach's mouth.
“Nora's right. It's all about the elements, my friend,” Arach said quietly. “You can't put fire on the water throne. It would indeed destroy your people. I'm so sorry.”
“But I love her,” Guirmean's face fell. “Doesn't that matter? Doesn't that mean anything to anyone other than me?”
“You can still have her,” Arach offered. “Keep her as your mistress. You have an heir, so marriage isn't necessary. You can stay lovers forever if you want.”
“I don't think Nora would accept that now,” Guirmean looked toward the castle entrance. “And I know I wouldn't be satisfied with it.”
“Oh, Guirmean I'm so sorry.” I hugged him and he started to cry. I held him tighter, so no one would see his tears, and we stayed like that until he was able to get himself under control again.
“Thank you for trying,” he said and then started over to his carriage, shoulders slumped and eyes set on the ground.
“It isn't over, King Guirmean,” I called out to him. “Love is eternal and you're both fey. You have forever to fix this.”
He looked back at me with just the barest glimmer of hope in his eyes and nodded, a small smile hovering over his lips. Then he got into his coach and went home.
“I can't help but feel this is somehow my fault,” I sighed.
“Probably because it kind of is,” Arach grimaced at me and then gave me a little smile.
“Shut up, you red baboon ass,” I hit him and headed inside the castle.
“I truly wish you'd stop calling me a red assed monkey,” he griped as he followed me in.
“Baboon,” I called back to him. “And I didn't call you a red assed baboon, I called you a baboon's red ass. Totally different. The baboon has a brain.”
“Oh, thank you so much for clearing that up.”
Chapter Ten
Guirmean's troubles were far from over, even with Nora bowing out of the engagement. Later that evening, he mirrored us, looking distraught once again.
“King Guirmean?” Arach belted his robe as he went to the mirror.
I got my robe on a little slower. We really needed to put a screen up in front of the dressing table. It could have been a really awkward moment. Even with the early chime of the bell, we barely had time to grab our robes.
“I'm so sorry to bother you two again,” Guirmean swallowed hard. “I just don't know who else to ask.”
“What is it?” I came forward.
“My fey want Lorna out of the kingdom,” he sounded like he was reaching his breaking point.
“What?” Arach frowned. “Lorna, the fey who's pregnant with your child?”
“Yes, Lorna,” Guirmean ran a tired hand through his pale green hair. “After the maelstroms, everyone is nervous around her. They worry that she'll lose control again and kill her own people.”
“That's a fair concern,” Arach said gently.
“But I can't just kick her out of the kingdom,” Guirmean cried. “Where will she go? No other kingdom is going to want to take the risk.”
Arach looked at me grimly. I knew that look. He didn't want Lorna in Fire either. First of all, it would be salt in Nora's wound and second, it would endanger our fey. That was unacceptable in Arach's eyes. In mine as well but I also wanted to help my friend. There was no way I'd allow the woman carrying Guirmean's unborn child to be homeless.
“I got it!” I nearly yelled, I was so thrilled to have a solution. “She can stay in my house in the Human Realm.”
“The Human Realm?” Guirmean blinked, looking unsure as to whether to be relieved or not. “I don't know how she's going to feel about giving birth in the Human Realm.”
“Better than giving birth on the Road of Neutrality,” I lifted my brows at him.
“Indeed,” Arach added.
“She can mirror you as soon as her contractions start and you could send some fey to help with the birth,” I offered. “In fact, if there isn't anyone who will volunteer to accompany her, I'll find a companion to stay with her.”
“Really?” Guirmean smiled softly. “Thank you, Queen Vervain. I think that may work.”
“No problem,” I grinned. “I'm happy to help. When does she need to leave?”
“Right now would probably be best,” he glanced over his shoulder.
“Alright, bring her by and I'll take her home,” I agreed. If I took Lorna to the Human Realm, I could still use my ring to go back in time to when I'd just left the God Realm. That way, I wouldn't have to worry my men.
“We'll be there in a few hours,” Guirmean nodded and the mirror misted over.
“Looks like we have a few hours to kill,” I grinned at Arach and he swept me up and raced back to the bed with me.
He was growling before the clothes even hit the floor, his eyes starting to slant more as the red scales at his temples spread down the sides of his neck and chest. His hands went to my waist and after a thorough and almost violent kiss, he turned me onto my belly. He practically clawed me in his impatience to get me up on my hand and knees and when he slammed into me, I had to reach out a hand to steady myself against the stone wall.
I gasped as his arm slid under my chest and pulled me up against him. Then his mouth was at my neck and he bit deep, deeper than usual. As my blood flowed into him, I waited for him to offer me his own but he never did. He just kept going in an almost mindless ferocity. I would have protested but my dragon was loving it far too much. So much so that she insisted on making an appearance and gold scales lifted out of my skin, spreading from my temple to my belly just as Arach's did.
He seemed to sense it but instead of satisfying him, it made him even more wild. I was tossed onto my back again and he fell over me. I had a glimpse of slit pupils and bared fangs before he lowered his face to my chest. Then all I could do was just hold on and anticipate the screaming.
