Rose hurried back to the Court as the sky began to cloud over. Thoughts swam in relentlessness in her mind. She couldn't believe she had actually wanted to know what Ralon was planning—what Chu'si had gotten herself into. It was madness, pure madness not even Ecl could muster.
She fell to her knees and bowed her head, "It was I who started this and I who shall finish it. If Ralon plans to kill me…" Rose lifted her head to stare at the great and beautiful Wyvern's Court that stood before her. Standing again, the princess looked back and squeezed the blue stone in her hand. "I'll let him."
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Namid searched for her daughter's face among the crowd. It wasn't like her to back down on a promise, but perhaps something had come up? Perhaps she was just running a little late?
Shrugging the thoughts off, she walked though the ballroom, talking with people and sharing the latest news. Finally, she sat down on a chair and sighed, the soft music floated though the air, punctured by chatter and laughter. The air was peaceful in its own accord and Namid was content to stay and listen.
Spotting Salem speaking with Nassin, she knew he wasn't very comfortable with Rose's absence as she was, but he seemed to not mind for the time being. Candlelight danced on Salem's face and Namid grinned. In the summer, she would be able to dance the Namir-da with her mate and, while she knew most of the moves from the Shadow Dancers, the Lupine dancers from her tribe, she had better arrange something with Aisha.
Poking absently at the food on her plate, she smiled. Life was so down-to-earth with the Lupine and the ways of the Court were both untamed and practical. It felt so rightliving here, amongst two very different cultures. Her body felt so balanced and she felt as if she had known these people her whole life.
Suddenly, Nassin raised his glass, his brown eyes shining with pleasure as Oliza stood beside him. "A toast" he began. Everyone held a glass by this time and others were refilling them. The wyvern nodded, continuing, "To Midwinter luck and the years to come."
Voices chorused around the room and glasses were raised. Namid smiled and took Salem's arm. "Want to dance?" she asked, setting down her glass.
Salem chuckled, "You sound giddy. Is it the atmosphere or the fact that what you just drank was alcoholic?"
"Both, I suppose." She replied as Salem whirled her across the floor.
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Rose knocked on the door to Nyesh's rooms and sighed as she got no answer. "Nyesh." She called. Hearing scuffling she bowed her head as the door opened. Nyesh stepped back to let her enter. "So you have really changed your mind, then?" he asked. Rose nodded, entering, and took the pins from her hair, letting it, fall loose down her back. "You knew I would."
Falling into the bed sheets, she laughed and Nyesh grinned as he sat on the edge, looking down at her, his ears ringing with the sweet sound of her laughter. Silently, he smoothed the hair from her face and bent down, "You know what?" he whispered.
She looked into his eyes and saw what she wished to give to him: Herself.
She wanted to, yet what would the Court say? What would her parents say?
Nyesh grinned and brought her out of her thoughts, "I love you."
She kissed his lips softly, "Isn't it obvious?"
Nyesh cupped her cheek in his hand, and kissed her so deeply, she though her heart were fit to explode. It pounded hard under her breast and, when they broke apart, both gasping softly for air, she felt herself wanting more. Yet she refused the feeling and pushed it away. When she sat up, she knew he felt the same for in his eyes was an emotion she knew too well.
Passion.
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Salem with Namid and Nassin with Oliza twirled on the floor, oblivious to the others around them, enjoying the simplicity of the moment, of the holiday. Namid grinned and wished she could sing to Ylva for the wonder of the night, for the joy that Wyvern's Court brought her.
Suddenly a worried cry erupted from the crowd and it took Namid a moment to recognize the familiar voice…
Oliza.
Searching the crowd, she found the wyvern queen kneeling by Nassin. Oliza held his hand as he lay on the floor, his face pale and eyes emotionless. His voice was still strong as he tried to sit up. "I don't understand." He whispered, "The room spun and I…found myself like this."
A woman turned to the crowd, "Back up, back up. Give him some air." She ushered people who immediately began to move backward. Oliza gave her husband a thin smile, "Can you stand?"
The wyvern king's voice suddenly became distant, "My legs have gone numb, everything's blurring…"
Oliza held his hand; "Just…" she trailed off, not knowing what to say as Nassin lay back against Oliza's arm.
Namid couldn't hear her ears were ringing and her heart beating fast in her chest. She heard a few people gasp and draw back as someone cried, "Get a doctor! Somebody, quick!"
The she-wolf could hear only the silence and labored breathing…
And soon, that too, was silent.
Shoving through the crowd, she held back a gasp. Oliza held a limp body to her chest, her face a breaking mask of grief and rage. Her gown of golden silk contrasted with his tunic of bronze and Namid felt her own chest constrict in sorrow for the queen. Trying to hold back the tears, Oliza turned to the crowd, molten gold eyes questioning, "Who did this?"
Namid closed her eyes and longed to comfort her queen and friend. Drawing back to her world of meditation, she opened her eyes again and placed a hand on Oliza's shoulder.
"Who did this?" the queen repeated.
Murmurs rose among the crowd and Salem silenced them with a hand as Oliza stood. "No matter, this cannot be solved in one night…" Salem helped Oliza stand and Namid looked down to the closed eyes of the former king. Though pale, his face was still handsome, and filled with certain fatherly warmth.
Namid sighed tiredly. Who had done this?
Oliza was led away and Namid turned away as guards took care of the body. The wyvern queen stubbornly stormed off, fists clenched, leaving her escorts behind. Namid watched her take her wyvern form and soar off.
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Rose sat in her mother's room and watched as she retold the events, her usually composed face growing troubled. "Listen to me, Rose…" Namid stood in front of her daughter, "If he comes for you again…attack with all your might."
Rose gripped the blue stone that now rested on a chain, around her throat. "I will."
Namid nodded, and sat on the bed, facing her daughter. "Please…you're the Court's only heir now, with Chu'si's betrayal." Namid swallowed back tears. "All Oliza has now is you and Nyesh as the new Diente and Tuuli Thea."
"But Nyesh and I are—" Namid raised a hand.
"Half-blood, I know. Don't you ever say you are deformed, my child." Namid whispered, "You still hold part of the Court's blood within you. Cobriana blood."
"What of Nyesh?" Rose murmured.
"He has proud wolf and panther blood and, if he were to become king—your king, then your child would be of two royal thrones. Lupine and Wyvern's Court…"
"His mother was a healer of the Pantheran tribe." Rose added. The child would then be of—Ylva bless!—Three thrones…"
Namid chuckled, "Then you'd best be ready to bear three cubs, one for each throne."
Rose looked shocked, "Mother!"
Namid chuckled, "I'm sure you don't want children yet, dear." Rose shook her head, "Then I'm just calling attention to your options." Nodding briskly, Namid stood and sighed, "I'm glad you weren't there tonight, Rose. To witness that horror would be a year's full of nightmares… for the enemy's gaining on us."
Rose nodded; "Ralon…"Uttering his name made her muscles go tight, sent shivers down her spine and made her blood run like a river of ice in her veins.
In her bed that night, Rose lay, tossing and turning, unable to sleep. Sitting up, she sighed as she heard a wyvern's screech of grief.
Whoever had the chance to slip something into the wyvern king's drink that night, was coming for the queen and her blood-kin.
Rose, with a sickening feeling, knew she was not safe here in Wyvern's Court. Climbing from her bed, she sighed and gripped the blue stone before lighting a few candles and walking to a trunk at the end of her bed. Opening the trunk, she held a candle above her head, searching.
Finally, she found what she was looking for: A plain dagger in a leather sheath. Strapping this to a belt, she fixed it around her waist. Clambering back into bed, she felt safe with the dagger pressing into her side, although she would probably feel sore in the morning.
But she knew she wouldn't be caught off guard, like the last time, if anyone came for her again.
With this thought, she fell asleep, feeling satisfied.