3rd POV (two weeks later)
Time in Esteban was running smoothly for the four.
The same routines continued.
The queens had the occasional meetings and small journeys to nearby villages, but that was all they really had.
The rest of the time was spent with their new found found mate.
Marley was still getting used to the idea of mates and being in love, but she openly embraced the idea.
She quickly became close friends with Sovia. She even showed Marley some paintings of her wife and child.
Sovia also helped Marley to plan some events for Zarren and Ambree.
Marley was content with her current state.
She wondered if anything were to happen in the future.
***
It was another routine day.
The queens were in a meeting and Marley was with Ambree and Sovia in the library, it was now an hour past dinner.
They were reading books of far away places and new ideas.
Eventually the three got hungry so they decided to take a break and head towards the kitchens.
They had to pass through the entrance hall in order to get to the kitchens so they managed to run into the queens on their way there.
Upon seeing Marley Demitri excitedly waved and walked up to meet Marley.
Marley laughed lightly at Demitri's excitement.
There was never a dull moment with her.
Heather and Lea smiled upon seeing the ginger and walked over as well.
"What are you guys up too?"
Lea asked,
"We got hungry so we're getting a small bite to eat,"
Marley responded, her voice calm as she spoke to the three.
"Well if you want the chef's just made some-"
Before Heather could finish her sentence the grand doors were opened.
Revealing two guards and a small child around the age of 7 or 8. A baby swaddled in her arms.
Marley looked at the two in interest. She doesn't see much children so it interests her a lot.
Lea looked at the guards confused.
Ambree and Sovia matching her look.
"Guards who are these two?"
Heather asked approaching the group.
As Heather got closer the girls eyes widened in fear as she pulled away and stepped away to create distance from herself and the ruler.
Upon seeing the child's fear Heather stopped walking,
"These two were found walking among palace grounds, they refuse to speak,"
One of the guards informed the group.
Lea walked up closer to Heather trying to calm the child down.
"Hello I'm queen Lea, what's your name,"
Lea spoke calmly to the frightened child standing before her.
The child opened her mouth to speak but shut it quickly shaking her head, refusing to speak.
Lea was about to get closer to hopefully help the girl but the child backed off further and the baby she was holding started crying.
And it wasn't just a couple of tears.
The baby began wailing.
Heather covered her ears, more sensitive to the loud noise.
"Lea! You'll scare the child if you get closer,"
Demitri scolded her wife,
"I was just trying to calm her down,"
Lea countered back.
"And look how good that's working out,"
Demitri responded.
Lea and Demitri began going back and fourth trying to figure out how to calm the child down.
At the same time Heather began talking to guards asking for more information.
Also at the same time Ambree and Sovia began talking, wondering about what the queens were gonna to the children.
Marley looked around the now crowded room.
Everyone was talking and the noise got louder and louder.
She looked over the crowd and began to move forward trying to get to Demitri and Lea to help calm the two down.
But before she could take a step forward she felt a small tug on her pants.
She looked down and felt her breath hitch as she saw the little girl.
The crying baby still in her hand as she gave Marley a begging look.
"I-is there something you need?"
Marley asked her voice becoming a strange tense.
She wasn't use to children so seeing the baby in front of her crying didn't help calm her nerves.
The little girl said nothing as she held the baby up putting it closer to Marley.
Marleys eyes widened.
"W-what do you want me to do?"
Again Marleys voice was tense
"Please can you help?"
The girl spoke, almost pleading with the dragon shifter before her.
Marley froze as she heard the child.
It was barely a whisper but Marley could still hear her.
Her voice sounded so sad and broken.
Marleys heart ached for the weeping child.
She decided to do something crazy.
Marley remembered when she herself was a crying child so she did exactly what her mother did to her when Marley was sad.
She brought her wings out and sat down.
Her knees in the air with her feet on the ground.
She little girl placed the swaddled baby into Marleys hands and she placed herself in Marleys lap.
Leaning on Marleys chest for warmth and comfort.
Marley shakily started petting the baby's hair.
She worriedly looked over to the little girl who was looking up at her,
"She likes singing, calming music helps soothe her,"
All Marley could do was nod.
She looked up and people were still taking, to busy with each other to notice Marley and the children.
Marley let out a sigh.
She put the child closer to her and.
.
.
.
.
.
Started singing.
She recalled a lullaby her mother had once sang to her.
It was in her old dragon language so no one what but Marley understood what she was saying.
But it didn't matter
The child could hear her voice.
And she stopped crying.
Upon hearing the child stop crying the rest of the people turned around.
The queens were in utter shock to see the display in front of them.
Marley was sitting down, her wings folded and warping around her and the child sitting in her lap.
In her arms lay the now calm baby,
Who could only stare in wonder at the singing woman.
Marleys voice was serene.
A beautiful melody as she sang in the foreign language.
It was a beautiful sight to behold.
Though the queens could not help but think.
Of how much Marley looked like a mother.
A mother too these two children wrapped in her protection.
With her wings wrapped around acting as a shield.
The little girl had her head rested on Marleys chest.
Comfort wrapping around her once scared mind.
She closed her eyes as she listened to the sing song melody of the fae.
Although Marley couldn't tell herself, she sang beautifully.
Her voice was so calm and soothing.
It was serene, and strange coming from such a strong warrior.
Marley looked so peaceful with the children.
Her eyes were calm and her body relaxed as she sang to the children.
Her eyes locked with the baby who looked up at her with wonder and fascination.
The little girl had her eyes closed as she laid there in Marleys lap, listening to the sweet song.
Ambree and Sovia were dumbfounded.
they stood there frozen, unable to have a reaction they just stood there.
Barely moving.
Marley knew that the others were staring, though she couldn't blame them, she didn't expect to do this herself, yet here she was.
She used her fire to heat up her body to warm up the two as they laid there with her.
Marleys wings wrapping around them as a barrier protecting the three from the world outside.
By the time the song was finished the two girls were asleep.
Both the baby and the child.
Marley finished her final note as she breathed out a sigh.
Admiring the two in her hold.
She brushed her fingers through the girls hair to help sooth her.
Marley got up carefully holding onto both children.
Demitri offered silently her hand to help hold the children but Marley shook her head.
She didn't know why but she had an instinct to now protect these two children, as if they were
Her own.
Marley then took them to her room.
Not a word was said as she left.
The group could only watch in both amazement and shock at the events that just took place.
*****
Once Marley reached her room she tucked the children into bed,
The girl cuddling with the baby,
Wrapping her arms protectively around the tiny human.
Marley gazed at the two, sleep consuming them as they rested on the large bed.
Marley wondered why the child chose her.
She shook her head, not wanting to think to much of it.
She gave one final brush of the girls hair, to move it out her face and sat down next to the bed.
Her wings still out as she fell asleep,
Guarding the children as they slept.
As for the others no one said anything.
Ambree and Sovia went to the kitchen and the queens returned to their room.
It was now nighttime and the castle was quiet.
Not but a word was spoken as the queens got to their chamber.
They dressed for bed and got unready.
Once they finished they quietly went to bed, letting the pale moonlight pour into the large glass windows.
Thoughts swarmed the queens, the thoughts going back to Marley and the children.
The queens could collectively agree on one thought
Marley looked like a mother.
A mother the queens hadn't thought of before.
Children weren't really a thought of the three queens previously but now.
Now they realized that they liked the idea of Marley being a mother.
Seeing her with the children made the queens happy.
They were unsure of what their thoughts truly consisted off.
But perhaps the future isn't as set in stone as they believed.
For the queens they didn't care.
If they had Marley and each other.
No matter what happened.
They'd stick together through it all.