A/N: This dress in black.
Unedited sorry in advanced
The last time I had been to Unity the world was on fire. Churches were burning, hospitals were filling, homes were being abandoned and the Kings castle was caving in. Bodies littered the streets as the people trampled over one another to get out of the city.
It was all of my doing.
Hoping that when the war between man and dragon ended that the people would see how much peaceful the world could be if we all could see each other as equals.
I knew my wish had been fulfilled the moment me and Shyra made it past Unity's bordering line.
Homes had been rebuilt, churches were thriving and the hospitals seemed to have less and less patients than it did almost seven years ago. My chest swelled with pride knowing that after the war Juko had been behind it all. Leading the people towards a life that was more giving and fruitful. No one was starving, begging on the street, and people seemed to be in high spirits the further I went into the city.
There were more dragons here than I thought there would be. Some flying high in the sky, others playing with the children happily while their parents called them in to come and eat dinner.
I was happy.
How couldn't I be? Those plans me and Juko made had come to life and flourished perfectly in once unlivable conditions.
Each step I took towards the castle seemed to excite Shyra, she happily bounced on her tiny little feet as the castle came into view.
Just beyond those brick walls was my husband and children including Tatsu and she knew.
"Aren't you just the excited little one." I coo to Shyra who let out tiny little shrills. Flapping her little wings she runs towards the wall surrounding the castle nearly smacking into a guard standing by.
When the guard sees her he merely glances down and then looks at me eyes widening in shock. "I-Ivy?" The man hesitantly steps forward with his hand on his sheathed weapon. I nod my head with a little smile and watch as he bows. "It is a honor to meet you."
"Thank you." I say kindly, stepping up to the gate. "Are we allowed through?" I ask already knowing the answer.
"Why of course m'lady, I'll notify the King of your arrival." He says hastily.
I shake my head, feeling the sleeves of my dress fall down my arms. "Don't, I'd like to make my arrival a surprise."
"Of course." He bows again and turns towards the gate to a man on the opposite side. "I can have someone escort you to the King."
"That would be nice, thank you."
The guard nods once again and lifts his arm signaling for the gate to be opened. When it does he turns back to me with a small smile on his face. "You have done a lot for this kingdom, the people are grateful. Families are fed and new leaders have taken place all across the land. They've even made a statue in your honor."
A statue? Just for me? I thought for the most part a lot of the people would have resented me. Most people looked up to the monarchy in their time of need. I killed the old King and Queen and slaughtered half of their army. I burned the city to the ground and instead of hating me they seemed to have praised me. The people were finally opening their eyes and acknowledging the truth. A new leader had to rise to just to make them see that they deserved so much more than false possibilities. "I would love to see it one day."
"Of course, it is in Esaro, the King had the castle rebuilt for you and your family."
I smile my heart warming with knowledge that Juko went out his way to rebuilt Esaro for me and our children. I had wondered if he kept everything that meant something to me. That castle had always been my real home to me, the loved I received in the small months I grew up there could never be replaced. My grandmother had done so much for me and I would forever be grateful.
A guard from beyond the castle comes out and waves me over, "I can bring you to the King, if you would just follow me." It's a woman and I am shocked for a second. But of course this was Juko leading by an example, he allowed women into the army. It was a amazing feat to know that he saw women as an equal although I was sure he always did.
I follow the woman learning that her name was Eliza, she was a sweet blonde, tough as nails with a killer personality.
As soon as we make it to the front door Shyra takes off to the back of the castle. I let her be because in the back of my mind I knew who she was ready to see. Tatsu of course and I couldn't wait to see my giant red baby. I missed him so much just as my kids.
"Do you think Juko will like this dress?" I ask Eliza as we walk the halls of the castle heading towards the throne room.
"I think he will, you look wonderful." She says kindly.
"Does he still wear a lot of black, I've hardly seen that man in color and I'm beginning to think he might be a little colored blind." I joke.
Eliza laughs shaking her head, "yes nothing but black my Queen."
My Queen.
The Queen of Unity.
I would need to get to use to that title.
This was still all so new to me, to be reborn and come back as a Queen.
I lift up my arm a small black cloud of ash appearing in my hand, Eliza watching me closely. I press ball against my dress and it sinks into the fabric like ink turning the dress a coal black. Eliza eyes widen, I see her gulp but she doesn't question me on what she just saw. Instead she continues to lead the way towards the throne room.
Our footsteps are quiet and my feet are starting to hurt. I step out of my shoes discarding them in the hall and let the pads of my feet hit the cool marble floor.
The castle had been redone, rebuilt and painted. My fingers lightly drag against wall where some of the wall paper is wilting.
It falls to the floor and I take noticed of the halls. There were guards walking around, paintings on the walls, plants in the corners with stone statutes at the bases but for some reason it still felt so empty, so alone in the castle.
Finally we come to a set of gold double doors.
The temperature drops noticeably and goosebumps litter my skin. Beyond those doors I knew my husband sat waiting for me.
Did he know I was here or was he busy meeting demands for the people?
I lick my lips tasting the candy flavored gloss on my tongue nervously. "Are you ready?" Eliza asks turning to me.
I adjust the tiara on my head, Uri said this one was temporary and that I'd be getting a crown soon. I felt silly wearing it but it was customary.
I feel the nerves shoot through my body and my hands become clammy. I rub them against my dress hastily, "I think I am."
"Good, I'm sure he's ready to see you."
The doors open, a gust of wind shooting out the room causing the hem of my dress to dance in the air.
I breath in deeply and step inside, as soon as I do I notice four men standing in all four corners of the room bow almost immediately.
There is a long black rug leading up the throne stairs. The floor to roof windows are open with the see through curtains swaying gently in the wind.
Upon the throne are two chairs one is occupied by a figure. A man with a crown on his head, long curly locks wearing a black leather jacket, shirtless with jeans and combat boots. Tattoos are on his torso, hands and neck and when his looks up my breath catches in my throat. He hardly looks older but age still looked so good on him. His beard has grown out not by a lot but still it's clean cut.
He stands, tall, body strong and swell, ripped with muscle.
Those eyes.
The lightest pair of gray eyes I had ever seen are staring back at me and as the man slowly lifts his head his crown tilts.
He looks dark, dangerous as he stands to his feet.
The mad King sounded so fitting, sexy even.
His eyes stay on me and with a flick of his wrist the guards in the room leave immediately.
He descends the throne stairs and stands at the bottom.
Silence fills the air as tears fills my eyes.
I know I had my reservations but I still dreamt of this day for a very long time. To think there was a moment where I didn't want to come back. There was a part of me that was still lost at sea and when I took a chance and relived my life. I found that small piece I had been desperately searching for.
It was him.
"Juko." I breath.
His eyes flickers down, following the heavy tears falling down my cheeks.
"Ivy-" his deep voice rumbles but the moment I hear his voice I run across the room, his words cut short.
I jump into his arms my own going around his neck breathing in the familiarity of his intoxicating scent. I missed it more than I thought I would, the smell of wood, pines and the river.
Heavenly.
His large arms wraps around me as he steadies himself and the tears seem to come harder. "I've missed you." I whisper through the tears.
Juko's hold tightens and I hear him let out a light breath.
A sigh of relief.
"I've missed you too baby." His hands go from my waist and slip down to my ass.
I can't help it, the moment we lock eyes gazes again I crash my lips down on his. The feel of his lips are so soft and delicate against my own. They move together allowing us to familiarize ourselves with the taste of one another. And quickly the kiss turns from soft to one of pure urgency and need the moment I moan and part my lips for his tongue.
My fingers rake through his hair and our heads tilt at a angle. Our tongue wrestle for dominance while his grip on my ass tightens greedily. He easily wins the uphill battle as another moan crawls it's way up my throat. My lungs are burning and as much as I want to pull away from the kiss to breath I can't seem to.
Those butterflies in my lower half begin to flap their wings and I can feel my panties pooling with desire and need. Juko groans taking, biting and nibbling on my bottom lip before sucking it into his mouth. Just as he lets go and my bottom lip snaps back into place I pull away from the kiss inhaling deeply.
The skin on my cheeks heat up while we both pant out loud.
We share a breath of air and I can see his eyes darkening, pink tongue coming out to lick his lips. Juko rests his forehead against mine slowly taking me all in.
"I've missed you so much." He says again softly but deep timbre of his voice does something to my insides. "I'm so sorry I let you die that night, that I wasn't looking out for you..."
I shake my head, "it wasn't your fault neither one of us knew that going was going to happen. A life for a life, you asked Shyra gave her life to me and she did just that."
"I would have given mine to you in a heartbeat if I could. You didn't deserve that, any of it." He mumbles pushing my curls out of my face. "You deserve the world, the stars and the universe Ivy. You gave me the blessing of being a father, you've given the world the one thing they've been fighting for, peace. You deserve so much more than what I've given to you."
I smile, laughing through the tears. "You're the reason I'm even alive right now. I wouldn't have had Shyra by my side if it wasn't for you."
Juko looks away for a moment, a indescribable look on his face. "I was scared you wouldn't come back. I was able to catch small glimpses of you. When you were stuck in limbo and reliving your life."
I look away too, feeling a little ashamed, "so you know?" I mumble nervously, quietly. I didn't want him to hate me for having my reservations.
"I do, I saw your hesitancy. You didn't want to come back and I..." Juko pauses for a moment a frown marring his face. "Was it because of me? I could never tell, your thoughts had always been hard to decipher."
I gently tug his beard, gray eyes meeting brown. "I've relived my life over a hundred times, I've met you over a hundred times. You were there for me the entire time, through thick and thin and if I was asked I'd do it all over again." I say softly running my fingers through his beard. "I would do it as long as I had you by my side. You mean everything to me."
Juko smiles at the slightest allowing me to see his dimple. "You're so brave princess. I prayed to the Gods for your safe return." He says nudging my cheek softly with the tip of his nose.
My lips part and I can't help the large smile that forms on my face. His gaze drop down to my lips again eyes darkening noticeably. "Almost seven years since I've had you you Ivy."
I feel my skin heating up a blush forming on my face, "and you will have me." I cup his cheeks and peck his lips a few times. "But for now we need to do a lot of catching up, there's something I need to tell you and I want to see our kids."
"Of course." He licks his lips and gently puts me down. "I'll take you to them."
I follow Juko's grabbing his hand as he leads the way. "Are they still aging?" I ask as we pass a few rooms.
"Not anymore. They're about to be seven in a few months but physically and somewhat mentally they are thirteen."
I shake my head, "that's so insane. It makes me sad to know we never really got to see them as babies."
"We could always make more." Juko chuckles and I almost choke on my tongue.
"Are you insane!?" I nearly shriek. "You gave me triplets, keep that demon sperm away from me." He laughs the soft but deep sounds sends a pleasurable chill down my body.
Finally when we come to a set of double set doors Juko pulls them open.
The first thing I see is all three triplets running around the garden playing tag with Summer. I can't help but smile seeing how big my babies have gotten since I've least seen them.
Akeno and Elliot are slightly taller than me and Eden is still a little shorter than me.
Eden looks just like me, a large curly afro, mahogany colors skin and a beauty mark on her left cheek.
Akeno could have been easily mistaken for Juko if it wasn't for the fact that the boy was obviously younger and shorter than him. Identical gray-blue eyes, curly black hair and light freckles dusting his olive colored cheeks.
Elliot on the other hand was a perfect mixture between me and Juko. His curls were looser than mine but tighter than Juko's, light golden brown skin with blue-ish brown eyes a perfect mixture of us two.
I nervously link my fingers together - what if they had forgotten about me? No longer cared for me, or what if they didn't even know who I was? I knew it was a possibility but I'd hate for it to me truth.
I swallow thickly my forehead creasing under pressure. "Stop overthinking." Juko says placing a hand on my lower back. "They're still your kids and they still love you."
I look back up at him with a faint smile on my face, "right."
"Ivy is that you?" A familiar voice says. I turn my head back seeing Summer looking at me with wide eyes. She had to be about twelve years old if I wasn't mistaken. She had grown into her looks with her long wavy brown hair, and sun kissed skin, she has freckles like Juko's and she's about six inches taller.
The triplets pauses all staring at me, "mom?" Eden says so faintly that I almost miss it. She's moving her hands still using her sign language.
I look between both girls and nod my head feeling somewhat speechless. Everyone was getting older and it made my heart constrict heavily I missed out on so much and it secretly hurt.
The girls come running towards me full force and tackle me in a hug while the boys take their time.
I land softly on my bum laughing feeling more tears brew in my eyes. "Ivy you're back!" Summer screams excitedly using her hand to sign too.
"I am." I giggle kissing both of their heads making sure Eden was included. Leon and Uri told me she could hear but if she was still using sign language I still wanted to keep her in the loop.
"Mom..." Eden pauses looking up at me hesitantly for a moment. "Does this mean you're staying, you aren't going to leave again are you?"
I sigh sadly pulling both girl into my arms, "no baby, I'm never leaving you all ever again." I say feeling them wrap their hands around my waist.
"Does this mean I can finally have a boyfriend?" Eden asks looking at Summer.
"Yeah. Juko keeps saying we're too young but all of my friends have one." Summer agrees.
For the second time I nearly choke as I break my neck to look at Juko with wide eyes. I don't think I was ready to have the boy talk with the girls yet and I was unsure if Juko even considered it for a moment.
Juko crosses his arms over his chest and looks at the girls unimpressed. "Maybe in the next thirty years."
"But I'll be old and soggy like grandma Jema by that time." Eden whines with a pout. "No one's gonna want me then."
Summer nods her head agreeing with her and I can see now who had been the trouble makers while I was gone.
I stifle a laugh, "boys are nothing but trouble, why don't you two wait until you're just a little bit older. Like seventeen?"
"Seventeen??" Juko narrows his eyes at me. "Over my fucking dead body." I hear Juko grunt as the boys finally comes to stand right in front of me. "That's way too young."
"You and Ivy got married at eighteen I don't see why I can't date." Summer crosses her arms defiantly. "I know because mom still has pictures of you both at her house and I know you two weren't just hugging on your wedding night."
I nearly faint, Summer had gotten too grown for her own good.
"Yeah dad." Eden adds mocking Summers pose.
"Summer, Eden you two better fu-"
Before Juko can finish his sentence Summer and Eden jump off of me and ran back to go play. Or at least went to avoid Juko who I'm sure was fuming on the inside. I'm sure he wasn't going to let them get away with that, I can see him eyeing them, pointing to both girls and taking his fingers across his throat.
I can't help but giggle while Akeno stood off to the side glancing awkwardly at me. Elliot cheeks turn a bright red before he comes bounding into my arms. "Mom." His voice is at that awkward stage where it's in between deep and soft.
"Look at you Elliot, you look so handsome." I say hugging him tight and ruffling his hair.
"Mom stop, I'm a man now." He whines.
"A man? Who told you that?" I tease planting kisses all over both sides of his cheeks. "You're still my baby boy no matter what." I say letting him go.
Elliot asks me a few questions some I don't have the answer to and afterwards it's just Akeno still staring at me.
He looks at me and then his dad and I'm scared that there might be a disconnect. "Akeno." Juko's voice is firm and full of warning.
I stand back on my feet dusting my dress off with my hands. "Baby do you not remember me?" I ask taking a step towards my son. "I carried you for six months. You were my first baby."
He still doesn't say anything and his eyes are turning red. I frown turning to Juko my face laced with concern.
"Tell her Akeno, it's ok."
I feel his body run into my arms, I catch him and hold tight, rubbing his back when I feel his body jerking. "Akeno tell me what's wrong." I encourage softly.
"I saw everything." He whispers shakily through the tears.
"What do you mean everything honey, talk to me." I was beginning to grow more and more concerned as I glanced at Juko.
"I thought they were dreams..." he starts inhaling deeply. "You couldn't see me but I could see you, every night that I went to sleep I saw what you went through. I saw it all and..."
"What did you see?" I ask softly.
"I saw how your parents hurt you and I could feel it too."
My heart breaks and I am left speechless for a second. Akeno was practically reliving my life too. I blink once, twice and swallowing a lump forming in my throat somehow feeling like this was all my fault. "I-I'm so, so sorry baby." I keep repeating to him. Smothering him in hugs all while trying to hold back my own my tears. "I'm so sorry you had to go through that."
"It's ok." Akeno says clearing his throat and looking back at Juko. "Dad helped me through most of it."
Juko nods his head. "I thought it was night terrors but the last couple of months it started to get better. Akeno knew you were coming back soon he just wasn't sure when."
"Can you teach me how to play?" Akeno asks nervously twiddling his thumbs.
"The piano?"
"Yeah." He says pulling in the sleeves of his shirt. "I could hear you playing it in my dreams sometimes, when you weren't being hurt. That was the only time I felt safe when I was asleep."
"Of course, we can start whenever you like." Akeno gives me a barely there smile and then goes to turn away but I stop him. "If you ever want to really talk about what you felt please come to me when you're ready. I never wanted you or your siblings to see something like that."
He nods and turns to go back to play with his aunt and siblings.
"You did such a good job raising them by yourself." I say watching them play. I hug myself rubbing my hands up and down my arms.
"There were moments where I felt hopeless without you." Juko admits.
"Now you'll never have to worry about that anymore." I hum.
"You're right but in all honesty you and the kids are all I'll ever need."
I lean my head back looking at him up in the sky I could see Shyra and Tatsu flying high, faintly circling the castle.
I felt at home, a sense of peace resting over my heart. The kids laughter, the dragons playing, my husband at my side, I felt the same as him.
Juko and the kids was all I ever needed.
"I love you Juko." I smile feeling my eyes water all over again.
"I love you too Ivy." He thumbs my tears away and plants a soft kiss on my lips. "Forever and always Ilaria."
"Forever and always."
A/N: Almost done. 🥹