Naveen

"My lord?"

"Yes Paeris?" Looking up from where I had been cleaning my weapons I smiled faintly up at one of my elves. The Centaur were in council right now, discussing the information we'd brought to them. There was little we could do but wait at this point.

Th woman scratched at a scar on her cheek, taking a moment to choose her words with care. "Are you personally involved with that human?"

I paused mid motion, staring at my weapon before looking up at her. "Yes. I am." I didn't need to look to know the other elves were focused fully on this conversation. But I did look at them, each in turn. "She has managed to capture my heart. And what's done is done."

Rina:

We talked whale she searched for her herms and I kept watch. She had this funny expression when she looked at me. Like she was trying to figure something out. Eventually she sat me down on a log.

“Rina, I need to check something,” She said, seriously. I gave her permission to do whatever she needed. She hovered her hands over me, almost touching but not quite. First my head, then my shoulders, chest, belly, thighs, then belly again. When she finished she looked at me with her wide, inhumanly green eyes.

What she told me left me dazed and confused. We returned to the camp shortly after. she sat me down and started a fire for tea.

I didn't elaborate fully, but I gave enough to my elves that they seemed satisfied with my answers. Each of them bore the lines on their skin, they were less likely to question my choice than the rest of my people back home. That was a different kind of problem for me to deal with later.

It was another hour before the centaurs returned, stating they needed time to gather their tribe and speak to other tribes but they themselves pledged to assist. Thanking them for their decision and hospitality I left with a small bow.

I wondered about the future, now that my people had brought it into my head. Rina was human, she wasn't going to be around forever, nor perhaps was what we had permanent. I felt the urge to travel, to see the world and meet the various people and races within it. My heart and mind felt at ease when I walked into the camp, glad that work had been accomplished as well as a path for the far future.

Rina:

We had been back for half an hour when Talon arrived. Maleen had brewed me tea to help calm me. I felt nothing like I had the first time I thought I would have a child. Then I had been nervous and worried. I was still nervous now, but there was also excitement and happiness.

My main worry with Talon was that he would forget me when I was gone. That he would have something more meaningful with someone else. I could devote my life to him, but I would be only a small part of his in the long run. But this changed things.

If I had his child, I would be leaving something with him long after I was gone. I would have had a major impression on his life. He wouldn’t forget the mother of his child.

And it wasn’t just because of Talon that I was happy. It surprised me, but I wanted a child too. Savien’s child. Our child.

When I saw him walking through the camp I couldn’t help myself but to go to him. In that moment I didn’t see anyone else. It was just us. I threw my arms around him and pressed my lips to his.

After reaching the camp I excused my warriors to go rest up. I turned and started to look for Rina. I'd left before she had gotten up in the morning, and I was hoping to see her. As I started to make my way, she found me first, throwing her arms around me and kissing me.

Staggering slightly from the surprise I kissed her back, wrapping my arms around her as I spun her in a small circle. Setting her feet back down I pulled my lips away and grinned. "Well if that's the greeting I am going to get when I leave before you wake up perhaps I should do it again."

Rina:

My stomach fluttered and I almost told him right there just looking at his grin. Instead, I kissed him again deeply then pulled back to murmur in his ear. “I have something to tell you… Lets go someplace to talk.”

Her kisses were pushing all the right buttons, and with her whisper I murmured in a soft purr, "Oh? Well I can't wait." Brushing a kiss over her temple I pulled back just enough to grin once more while my hands settled on her hips.

(( And yes, he is misinterpreting this as sex ))

Rina:

I pulled back and took him by the hand. We had to go a roundabout way through campus to get away without people spotting us leaving together. On the way to a little clearing that would give us some privacy, I asked him how the meeting with the centaurs went.

When we got to the clearing I turned to him with bright eyes. I parted my lips to tell him the news but nerves bubbled up and I kissed him again instead.

I kept an eye out as we made our way. Briefly I saw Liam giving us a brief hard look before he was lost among the tents and then trees. I told her about the meeting with the centaurs, about the success and offer of troops. I made sure to mention my worries about their stubborn pride and my plans to speak with Samuel about it.

In the clearing I took a look around before smiling down at her bright gaze. Something seemed to dance on the tip of her tongue but it never came, replaced instead by a kiss. I returned the kiss, pulling her against me with a pleased sigh.

Rina:

When he pulled me to him I wound my arms around his neck and kissed him deeply. I let it continue for another minute before I leaned back enough to look at his face. “I’m carrying your child, Savien,” I said holding onto him behind his head. “It’s real this time. Maleen confirmed it. It is really happening.”

Talon:

I protested softly at her lips leaving my own, opening my eyes only half way to search her face. I started to lean in again for another kiss when my eyes widened and I pulled back the distance I'd crossed to really search her face.

"You're....pregnant?" I repeated softly, a look of wonder crossing my face before it was replaced with worry. "Maleen is sure? She must be." Laughter and joy bubbled up out of me and I kissed her again, without any trace of the previous need that had filled my kisses before.

Rina:

I laughed as he kissed me again. The nervousness had dissipated as soon as his lips met mine. I held onto him tighter and kissed him happily. I felt more in love with him now than I had ever felt before. Just the two of us sharing this perfect moment together.

Pulling back I cupped her face in my hands and beamed at her. "This is wonderful, joyous news." I babbled on, switching to my own language as I talked about names, things to do, places we needed to go.

Cutting myself off I drew in a breath and let it out slow, willing myself to calm down. "I'm sorry...children are just a special thing for my people." I pulled back to gaze down at her stomach for a moment with a soft smile before looking back up at her. "I am so full of joy, and love, and excitement it's hard to know what to do."

Rina:

I had never quite seen him like this. I couldn’t help but to giggle. My chest felt light. I kissed him again quickly a couple times. “I love you,” I said. It slipped out. And I didn’t regret it. I didn’t feel self-conscious or worried about the future. There was nothing negative about this.

I paused again, ears straining suddenly as if I hadn't quite heard what she'd just said. She loved me. The news of our child was shifted aside as another joy entered within my heart. I pulled her tight to me, hugging her close as I laid my head against hers. "I love you too Rina," I murmured softly in her ear.

Rina:

I didn’t know what else to say so I kissed him deeply. I held only him tightly, running my fingers through his hair. There was no where else in the world I would rather be than here in his arms.

I returned her kiss for a time before pulling away to trace her cheek with my thumb. "Did Maleen say how long?" I still reveled in the idea that I was to have a child, a child with Rina no less.

Rina:

I smiled and laughed. I put my hand over his. “Still quite some time yet. It’s only a few weeks in,” I said. There was plenty of time to plan for it and we would need to plan. I had just taken the role of leading this army and I didn’t intend to immediately hand it back over. But when the time came to have to child, I wouldn’t be having it here.

I kissed her once more, drawn to her lips with my own in a tender touch. "I'm sorry. Its hard to know what to do with myself. I love you Rina." I pulled back with another smile then released her cheek. I turned my face towards the sky and murmured a prayer of thanks in my own tongue. Looking to her once more I asked softly, "There is so much to discuss I'm sure. What comes to mind for you first?"

Rina:

The next couple months were difficult in more ways than one. Physically I started feeling tired and queasy a week after we found out. Maleen made a tea for me that helped some, but my main issue was constantly feeling tired. At night I had vivid dreams and woke up often, no longer heavy sleep I had been used to after leaving the castle. Still, I pushed through to continue my duties as leader of our growing army.

We drew new recruits, both human and otherwise. We had a couple small victories ambushing royal soldiers and commandeering supplies. There was too much work to be done for me to leave. Talon and I had plans to go to his citadel before the baby was due, but there was still time yet. I hadn’t even started to show.

Talon and I were now openly together. We hadn’t been hiding it much for some time, but now we were affectionate without caring who saw. The whole camp knew and were mostly accepting of it. We hadn’t told them that I was with child and we would avoid doing so. That sort of information would be bad if it got out to the wrong people.

I was three months pregnant now and we still had another three months before I thought we would go to the elves. Even so, I was attempting to prepare Samuel and the others in power for my departure. They didn’t know why I would be leaving, but they knew that I would within the next few months.

I woke up curled against Talon in our tent. I was more restless than usual tonight. My dreams weren’t particularly pleasant. I sat up and put my hand on Talon’s chest when he started to get up with me. “It’s alright, I need to step behind a tree for a minute. I’ll be back shortly,” I said and kissed him quickly on the lips.

Our tent was farther from the edge than it used to be, more sheltered by the rest of the camp. It was safer, but I preferred to be on the outskirts. I made my way through the tents to the darker woods surrounding it. There were a few campfires going still with men huddled around them drinking. That made me go farther into the woods than I usually would. The sky was dark, the moon only a hairline sliver, but my eyes adjusted to the dark well enough.

I squatted behind a tree while Aero perched on a branch above me. I stood up a moment later. I thought I heard leaves rustle close by. I wouldn’t have been alarmed by it, assuming it was an animal, but Aero chirped in alarm. I tensed. Aero darted into the darkness but his second alarm was cut short—as if he had been snatched from the air.

Fear flooded through me. Never had Aero been stopped midflight. I had never encountered a creature that could catch him. I turned to run but was smacked to the ground and crushed by a body falling on top of me. My breath was knocked out of me. I couldn’t breathe. I could barely comprehend that the ghostly face niches from mine was that of the dhampirs. I felt hot metal burn against my neck and slice through my skin. Aero. The shock of it helped me to breath again. I sucked in a breath and shrieked.

A hand covered my mouth and pushed my head hard into the dirt. I struggled against the body but it was like trying to free myself from stone. He started licking the wound on my neck. He was going to kill me. I was helpless against it. My one defense he had used against me. I was going to die yet again… No, no, no! If I died, so would the baby, it wouldn’t come back like I did. Maleen told us. It would die, or something worse would happen. I kicked and clawed and tried to scream from underneath the dhampir’s hand but nothing moved him.


Maleen:

I was sitting with Dorian and the wood nymphs. They kept late hours and I found myself joining them often. And Dorian rarely left my side. Despite the fire, a chill steeled over me. “Something is wrong,” I whispered to him. His hand reached for his sword. I closed my eyes, trying to understand the energy around me. It was Rina. She was in trouble. I stood up and Dorian followed suit. I didn’t respond to the nymph’s questions.

Then we heard the scream. I ran in the direction and Dorian was close behind me. I was drawn to her as if she was outlined by light.

“Stop!” I shouted at the figure bent over her. A shockwave rippled away from me and knocked him off of her. I hit the ground and scooped her into my arms, shielding her with my body. Dorian swung at the dhampir. It hissed. Dorian didn’t stop his attack, he was a skilled fighter but the dhampir was too quick and too strong. It grabbed the blade and wrenched it from Dorian’s hands. It used the hilt of the sword to hit Dorian in the head. I screamed as he went down.

Talon:

During the coming months Rina and I's relationship had changed. We spoke more openly about our relationship, plans for the future, even openly let it be viewed by the rest of the camp. Things couldn't be better I felt.

I felt her stirring and raised my head up. Seeing her starting to get up I shifted to get up myself but her hand waylaid me and with her soft words and quick kiss I went still and let my eyes drift shut. I wasn't going to fall asleep again, not until she was back in my arms but I did let myself float on the edge between being asleep and being awake.

And then I heard her scream. I was wide awake in an instant, on my feet a moment after. I paused only long enough to grab up one of my swords before I was off sprinting. I wore almost nothing, forgoing even shoes in my rush.

Maleen's shout spurred me on faster, my arrival barely slowed as I took in the situation. Dorian was on the ground. Maleen cradled Rina. And then there stood the damned Dhampir holding onto Dorian's weapon. I made my choice, crossing the rest of the distance to engage directly. I wasn't thinking about keeping him alive for Samuel. I wasn't thinking about waiting for answers or an explanation. I only saw a threat to those I cared about. A threat to be removed.

Rina:

My heart thumped heard in my ears, drowning out all other sounds. It was too dark for me to see much more than shadow’s moving but I knew it was Maleen and Dorian who had come to my rescue. Then Dorian went down and Maleen screamed. I clutched at her more.

And then Talon was there, the lines in his skin were bright in the stark darkness. He looked like an avenging angel.

A vampire I would have had trouble against. A fight with a full blood would be messy and depended on far too many factors to know who would be the victor. Draven however was a Dhampr, a half at best. When I charged him and my shoulder connected with his chest he flew back into the woods. I glanced one last time at Rina before I took off after him. It might not be an easy fight, but I wasn't going to hold anything back.

Maleen:

I watched Talon go after the dhampir for a moment before I turned my attention to Rina. She was injured. I placed my palm over her gash and focused on healing her. “I need to check Dorian,” I whispered to her. Together we scooted over to where Dorian lay crumpled on the ground. I healed his head and pulled him so his head was in my lap while I hand and arm still around Rina, ready to protect them both if I needed to.

Talon:

The fool tried to out run me. But I was faster. I didn't care how much magic I burned. When it came to the fight itself it was laughable. He surrendered, babbled on about how he couldn't help it. I made him pick up Dorian's blade. I toyed with him until I couldn't stand it anymore.

When I finished he was still alive, but just so. Unconscious I dragged him to the camp, stopping within sight of Maleen as she shielded Dorian and Rina. "Maleen. If they are alright now, go get Samuel." My voice was soft, gentle, but backed with enough restrained steel that could speak volumes of how little I wished to argue right now.

I didn't wait for her to leave. I dropped Draven onto his face then sat heavily on his back. I planted my sword into the earth, scant millimeters from his neck as I stared towards the camp. If I hadn't been a lord Draven would never have returned to the camp. But I was. And so explanations were required before punishments were served.