The King & the Stable Boy

XLVII: Our People

"Did you initially accept this?"

Roman gave off a laugh.

"Oh, gods no. I wanted to take off Evan's head."

"Wanted?" Evan scoffs. "He was on his way back to the armory. He nearly did take off my head, would have if Malick wasn't there to stop him."

I laugh at these misfortunes and still persisted. What had changed from now since then? I may never have had open competition for William's affections, but if I had, I wouldn't have stopped at the decapitation attempt, I would have poisoned the bastard too.

"Anyway, Malick and I spoke about it, and I gave him six months. This ones lucky he passed."

Evan rolled his eyes at this. It was clear that they have formed a bond, beyond that of the mating call. They were clearly falling in love with one another.

"Now, for the reason I came here. Roman, you've been invited to sit in on our meeting to prepare for the arrival of King Dacre. The rest of the bunch will be in attendance as well."

He nods at this, and I leave them, to do Olympus knows what.

"We should go on a family run around the grounds." Chandler proposes.

"That would be lovely. We could have a picnic in the woods as well." I suggest.

With a plan in mind, I set out to find my children in the kitchen. They were sat at a small table in the corner, removed from the chaos of the chefs preparing tonight's meal. With them is Nana, telling Mira and Art stories about William and I's childhood. They seemed to be in a trance, watching their grandmother move her hands as she told her tale.

"Gran, did you ever think that Daddy and Papa would be mates?"

"No. That caught me off guard, but I did have a suspicion that William would have a male mate. Your grandpa and I caught him kissing one of the lord's in their youth. Grandpa thought nothing of it, as children are always affectionate with one another, but I knew better."

I couldn't help but chuckle aloud at that. This was something I never knew had occurred, and I had heard almost everything the King did in his childhood, or witnessed it first hand.

My laughter caught their attention and the children looked at me curiously. I just shook my head, motioning for Nana to carry on, pulling a chair up to the table.

That was how William found us all about half an hour later, laughing at his mother's recount of his first attempt at shifting into his dragon form.

"Mother!" he groans.

"Oh, hush. The cooks have heard it all before, and your family seems to be enjoying them."

I rose from the seat, leaving the sulking king with our giggling children, asking one of the kitchen hands to prepare a blanket and basket. I return to the four a few moments later, with both in hand, and a satchel slung across my chest to hold our clothes so that we could shift.

"What's all this?" William asks.

"I thought we could go on a run then have a picnic." I propose.

Artan perks up at the word 'run', as does Mira, both turning to their father giving him their best puppy eyes.

He sighs out, disguising his amusement, and agrees.

An hour and a half later, we all redress, having stopped at a cliff face, overlooking the castle estate.

William makes a few plates, as I keep a watchful eye on the pups who are playing quite close to the edge of the cliff.

I see Artan whisper something to his sister, still in wolf form, who nods. Just a second later, he did the unthinkable. I watch in horror as he runs at full speed off the cliff. I got up quickly, all out sprinting, not sure of what I was going to do once I reached him, but knowing I had to do something. William saw my panic, and put two and two together as Mira also dove off.

Before William could shift to dive after them, a bright flash darts into the air, stopping just a few feet above us. I let out a relieved breath, looking at the now in Phoenix form Mira, with a flaming Artan in her talons with distaste.

William's moment of relief quickly turned to a worried anger, as he demands her to land and shift back then begins scolding them both for doing something so reckless.

"All of that being said, please just be careful. What if you didn't catch him in time? You both can't just scare us like that okay?" he ends.

"We're sorry." Mira says, looking at her feet.

He shakes his head, and just hugs them both.

I join the huddle then say "Let's eat."