by D. R. Grady
“Yes. We’re both already those and well established.” Ari’s hand gripped his harder.
Kellen squeezed hers in a show of solidarity and something more. He hadn’t experienced emotions in so long, at least not strong ones, that he figured it would take a long while before he even could discern between them.
“The emotions are the most difficult to battle.” Lajos’ tale of caution was appreciated.
“That’s reassuring. I feared that perhaps this would be my downfall.” A gust of air whooshed from Kellen’s lungs.
“I’m struggling with mine as well.” Ari’s admission helped. She looked to Lajos. “So you’ve struggled with these unfamiliar emotions as well?”
“Of course. Aern enjoyed Vidar’s foray into his returning emotions.”
“Returning?” Kellen sat up straighter.
“We all experience emotions, especially strong ones, in our youth, and humans experience additional ones as they become adults. But our Aasguard training and transition mutes them. From what Vidar says from his research, many Aasguards never experience the return of their emotions.”
Ari blew out a breath. “But we’re all embarking on relationships that have never been done, as far as we know, so we shall experience things not encountered by our predecessors.” Her other hand played with Kellen’s fingers.
He didn’t mind. The warmth of her hand, coupled with the calluses there, a testament to her skills, caused a new surge of emotion. This one he thought might be pride in her. Ari the Noble had willingly joined her life to his. Or intended to do so.
The details remained hazy.
“Yes.” Lajos wiped a hand across his nape. “Have you thought about what you want to do now that you’re joining your lives? Clearly you don’t wish to reside in separate kingdoms.”
She and Kellen exchanged a look. He nodded to her.
Ari answered. “We’re wondering if Felicity and Maeze might stay here and continue Raene’s training, but also Felicity, Vidar, and Raene can work with Maeze. That would allow Kellen and I to return to Swiftland with you where we can continue Stefana’s training, and Lukas’ once Felicity assumes his duties here. There’s really no reason for anyone to guard the treasury. Kellen, you, and I can all work with Lukas, but we’re also on hand to assist you and Stefana with everything that still needs doing.”
“I applaud that idea.” Lajos’s expression took on a stunned quality.
“Over the winter, we thought perhaps we could draw up plans for a school.” Kellen glanced at Ari. “We hope to build a school, perhaps in the west, for future Aasguard warriors.”
The easy lines of Lajos’ body tensed. “You’re thinking of building a school in the west? It’s wild and dangerous there.”
Kellen and Ari both sent him droll looks.
“Oh right. You’re Aasguard warriors. You’d welcome the battles.” A thread of envy interspersed his statement.
“We’ve grown lax over the centuries. It will be exciting to hone our skills again.” Ari lifted an eyebrow. “Remember the battle for Swiftland?”
“Fun times.” Lajos rubbed his hands. “The problem is, I care about the people of my land. And while exciting, I’ll admit to being terrified for them.”
“It might be interesting to see what Raene and Stefana can do in a true battle now.” Ari tapped her lips with the fingers that had been playing with his.
Lajos tensed further. “I’m not interested in my wife coming to harm.”
Again, he and Ari both set knowing looks on the man. “Once they’re fully Aasguard, how does one officially determine this?” Ari enunciated with the tone of an instructor.
Her brother closed his eyes. “They have to succeed in battle.”
“Your wife, as a full Aasguard, will enter battle with the same skills, defenses, and strengths our kind enjoys.” Ari kept her tone gentle.
“Humans don’t stand a chance against us.” Kellen supported her statement with one of his own. Although he fully understood the man’s trepidation, he’d seen Ari in action. He had nothing to fear.
Stefana and Raene were new to their ranks, hadn’t transitioned fully yet. So he also understood Lajos’ reservations.
It would be interesting to see what their newest warriors could do in a true conflict.
He turned to Ari. “I’m having trouble remembering much of my youth. Do you remember how long it took you in combat before your Aasguard traits showed themselves?”
“Immediately.” She didn’t hesitate.
This surprised him. “Really? Why don’t I remember?” He looked to Lajos.
Who wore a frown. “I can’t remember how soon my abilities came about either.”
“I believe those who train to become an Aasguard begin to change immediately although it’s not noticeable at first. However, by the time the process is accomplished, it is obvious. Once in warfare, although green, it does happen.” Ari didn’t exert her opinion or shove it on them. It just was.
He wanted to draw her close for another kiss.
But refrained because they weren’t alone in the room. Not that her brother didn’t take to kissing his wife in public, but he and Ari hadn’t spoken about deepening their relationship yet.
Marriage was likely on both their minds, but since they’d only just decided to be together, perhaps they needed to shelve those ideas until they sorted out their immediate future.
Vidar, Raene, Felicity, and Stefana trailed into the room.
Ari studied everyone before her forehead pleated. “Where is Princess Rialta?”
“Oh, no, we forgot to tell you. Queen Lacey had her baby and Rialta longed to meet him.” Raene’s chagrin poured through her statement. King Eduard of a neighboring kingdom was a friend of both Montequirst and Swiftland. He and his wife had welcomed their son and heir. Rialta was his sister and had taken over for Stefana when she became the queen of Swiftland. Princess Rialta had quickly become Raene’s right hand woman and from what he heard, danced around her cousin Haines, the Duke of Lockwillow.
“Ah. I suppose it would be time.” Ari reflected for a moment on this before her eyes met his. As though her thoughts had perhaps gone to babies.
“She had a boy?” Stefana overflowed with excitement.
“Yes and she and Eduard are thrilled with their future king.” Raene hugged Stefana, as though the two of them had personally done something to aid in the birth and delivery. Although perhaps they had if they sent Rialta back to Oxland for a time.
“Who is doing Rialta’s duties?”
“No one at the moment. With the festivities, we decided to enjoy a few days with less duties.” Raene sounded unconcerned. A good thing.
The woman worked harder than six sometimes. He should know. During his meetings with Vidar, he’d become aware of how much she accomplished in a day’s time. It boggled the mind that a human could do so.
An exclamation escaped him. “No wonder you’ve been able to work as you’ve done of late. Your change from human to Aasguard has allowed you to work harder and smarter. Not to mention longer.”
Everyone focused on him and noticed their entwined hands.
Stefana gasped before her avid gaze darted to Ari. “Are you two…?”
Ari’s cheeks colored another pretty shade. He enjoyed the view. “Yes. We’ve decided to join our lives together.”
And they had. He abruptly decided not to shelve marriage. This woman belonged with him. He belonged with her and two people made that sort of commitment to one another.
That meant marriage.
Chapter 11
Ari had both anticipated and dreaded this moment. “Yes.” But the bubbling happiness inside her matched what happened within Kellen, so she enjoyed the sensation and sided with the anticipation and joy, and therefore shoved away the dread.
They had nothing to fear and everything to celebrate.
Except that they had no idea of the consequences of two full Aasguard warriors joining their lives.
Stefana cl
apped her hands. “I knew it. I wondered about this back when Lajos and I wed.”
“You did?” Ari tried to sort through that, but for some reason she couldn’t.
“We were in full denial then.” Kellen came to her aid.
“That might be why I noticed. Lajos and I had been in that exact situation hours before.” She smiled at her husband, who trod her personal space into the dust.
“We were. I can’t say I noticed, at least not until Stefana mentioned something.”
Raene brushed wisps of hair off her cheek. “I didn’t notice either.” She nodded to Lajos. “At least not until Stefana pointed it out.”
“I had no idea we were so obvious.” Ari couldn’t determine whether to be embarrassed, or something else.
Kellen’s low chuckle yanked her attention right back to him. “I was in denial, yet I certainly kept track of Ari. I also didn’t mind when she left for Swiftland.” He stroked a finger across her lips. “But I resented her disappearance too.”
“We talked often about our pupils.” Heat infused her cheeks, but she valiantly ignored it.
Felicity leaned forward. “What about your both being Aasguards? Will that be a problem?” She touched her sword. An unconscious gesture that made Ari wonder about the root of that gesture.
Did Felicity have a secret? Did she have a man in mind? Or, like the rest of them, was she merely lonely and now had started to think about a companion of her own? One who was not a dragon.
Ari could relate to all of those.
“That is our one concern.” Kellen squeezed her hand. “We don’t know if there will be ramifications.”
She swallowed. “No one has done this, at least as far as we know.”
“It’s a new age. So far only two have paired with humans.” Vidar looked between himself and his wife.
“Who aren’t human now. We don’t know what this process will bring. Will the outcome be safe for them? Will they remain healthy? Can they have children?” Lajos spoke what had to be on all their minds.
Her heart flipped or jolted, or at least did something she couldn’t remember happening in ages. What about children?
She’d never thought it possible before. Because Aasguards didn’t marry in the past. But now she was thinking about reproduction.
At their ages, were she and Kellen parent material?
Were they too set in their ways?
Could they even reproduce? This new territory made all of them in the room blink and stare at each other. Each as dumbfounded as the next.
“The thing is, I feel perfectly fine, and as Kellen pointed out, I’m blazing through more work than I ever have done before. We should take that as a positive sign.” Raene stated this with all the confidence of the queen she was. Yet she didn’t know more than any of them as to the longterm consequences.
“I’m not so far behind Raene in my transition. I hadn’t noticed the amount of work I’m doing.” Stefana bit her lip for a fleeting instant.
“But you’ve kept up with me and Ari,” Lajos inserted. “Or nearly so.”
Ari thought on that. “I hadn’t given her stamina a thought, but yes, she has performed as one would expect of one our league.” A new notion inserted itself. “How are your parents doing with the amount of work they’ve undertaken?”
Stefana’s eyes widened, then narrowed. “My mother has always enjoyed high energy, but they keep hours similar to what we kept here in Montequirst.” She straightened her skirts. “They’re working longer hours, but I would state that they’re sleeping as they’ve always done.”
“I don’t know them as well, therefore I hesitate to weigh in on this.” Lajos shook his head.
“I’ll think further on the subject, and once we return home tomorrow, I’ll keep watch. I honestly can’t say one way or the other.” Stefana appeared to make a mental note.
“They’re not transitioning, so I’m guessing their stamina is the same as it’s always been, other than what the typical aging process reduces.” Vidar stated this with some elements of confidence, but they’d all need to observe if there was a noticeable difference between Stefana and her parents’ energy output.
“So if Kellen is going to Swiftland with Ari, does that mean Maeze and I are staying here in Montequirst as the protectors of the treasury?” Felicity’s bright question jerked Ari’s attention from this newest puzzle to her friend.
“Yes, if no one minds.” She gestured between herself and Kellen. “This only happened today, so we’re not far into our plans.”
“If Vidar and Raene are fine with me remaining here, I’m content to do so.”
“Keep in mind there is no need to actually guard the treasury.” Kellen looked to Vidar who nodded. “It makes more sense for you to continue Raene’s training and perhaps take over Lukas’ duties so that he can come to Swiftland.”
Everyone looked to Vidar now. “It makes sense. Aern and I have so many safeguards and protections on the Treasury it doesn’t really need a protector. And Felicity could be far more useful training our women.” Vidar stretched out his legs. He also took Raene’s hand. “Do you have an opinion, Queen Raene?”
She nodded. “I think it must be very boring to live in Vidar’s old space. Our women could use as many people to train them as we can spare. If Felicity is willing to help Lukas until she can take over the training, I believe that’s a fine idea.”
“I’m willing.”
Ari leaned forward to explain an additional bonus. “This way Felicity, Vidar, and Raene can all help with Maeze’s maturity as well.” The new dragon simply needed time.
“I think this is a perfect solution for Maeze. As well as her spending the last few days with other dragons.” Felicity appeared to be thrilled with this new arrangement.
Her positive reaction relieved Ari. Another new employment opportunity for an Aasguard warrior.
“We are pleased to have Felicity.” Raene’s wide smile proved this in an obvious way. Her sister-in-law gave off good emotions, which further relieved her.
Ari reminded herself she and Kellen weren’t doing anything wrong. As far as they knew. Yet things didn’t feel entirely right either.
The sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach didn’t promote a happy outlook.
Kellen felt the tension snaking through Ari. What he felt in her reflected what lurked inside him.
He totally understood.
Yet watching the two couples in the room, he resolved to maintain and enrich whatever he and Ari had found. The two queens glowed with health and happiness. A feat for Stefana as their land hadn’t been conducive to human life as little as five months ago.
The two Aasguard brothers emitted an air of contentment their kind didn’t normally enjoy. Satisfied with their lot, in love with their wives, and everyone benefited from their newfound happiness, not merely from the men’s swords.
But their swords were now used for the greater good, if there was such a thing. Instead of for the benefit of a king or queen, or a well-known personage.
This proved a far better endeavor for one of their kind. Maybe he and Ari were floundering now, but he believed their own plans would also align with the Aasguard mentality. They would have their own home, with the benefit of instructing young warriors in the art of battle.
Ari’s hand loosened on his before she twisted it slightly and then their hands fit that much better together. All thoughts disintegrated. His world filled with her and he had to lean forward and kiss her.
The turmoil swirling through her dissipated.
As others carried on a conversation around them, her silvery-blue orbs captured him. “Are we doing the right thing?”
“Yes.” He didn’t even think about it. “Nothing has ever felt so right.”
She shook her head. His heart protested. “You’re saying this doesn’t feel a little wrong?” Ari didn’t raise her voice. She didn’t need to.
The ugly side of his thoughts now pushed forward, rearing its head like an unruly drag
on. His stomach muscles contracted.
“You’re feeling it too.” Not a question from her.
“Why are we feeling this?” He tried to sort through the weird thoughts and emotions pummeling him, but he had no idea where to start.
“That’s your Aasguard training slowing you down so you rely on your brain, not your emotions.” Vidar inserted this quietly, but with authority.
The man had already lived this.
Both Kellen and Ari latched on to Vidar’s knowledge. “You went through this as well?” Ari sounded hopeful.
“Oh yes.” Vidar’s hand tightened around his sword hilt. “Here I was having thoughts for a human woman, a young woman about to lose her mother to a horrific disease, after she had already buried her father. To complicate matters, she’s the crown princess, so if I take her on, which has never been done before, I then become king to her queen.” Vidar’s dazed expression, for the brief second it lasted, encouraged Kellen.
“But your heart urged you on.” Ari’s soft response made his heart swell.
“Oh yes. And Aern kept pushing me, making little comments. Pithy little comments. He found the entire situation hilarious.” Vidar’s tone turned dry. The big, clumsy dragon would find Vidar’s situation amusing.
Ari’s low, delighted laughter shot straight into Kellen’s very being. Where she resided. How had this woman even gotten there?
Shouldn’t that be disallowed?
Kellen had a question though. He hadn’t been present in Montequirst during that time. “What changed your mind?”
Vidar’s expression morphed to slightly droll. “Raene announced my name when she named her husband.”
Had he been holding a beverage, he’d have dropped it. Fortunately, the only thing that dropped was his jaw. Not noticeably but enough that he had to tighten his muscles there to keep from embarrassing himself.
“She named you? When?”
“Montequirst had this obsolete law that the impending queen had to name her husband on the day she took to the throne.” Vidar didn’t need to expound upon his thoughts in regard to this horrendous law. “A male heir did not need to name a wife, on the other hand.”
