“Shhh little one. It is okay. Mommy’s here.” Feeling the safety of her mother’s arms Destiny quickly settled.
“I’m sorry,” Abby whispered.
“You have nothing to be sorry for. I was baiting you.” Kim told Abby swaying slightly in the way all females seemed to do when they were holding a baby. “I knew you loved Ynyr. It is there in every look you gave him, in the way you said his name. You chose him because he touched something deep inside you, something you didn’t even know was empty, then he filled it and now he is your everything.”
“Yes,” Abby agreed.
“Then what you do when you get to Etruria is show that to everyone. Through your actions, your words and your deeds. It will take time for the males there to believe it, but I know you will eventually win them over. In the mean time you start building your House. A fit and worthy House that your future offspring will be proud of. I almost envy you Abby.”
“What? Why?”
“Because you are being given the opportunity to build a House from the ground up. You get to decide what rules you want to follow and what ones you don’t. You get to start traditions that will continue long after you and Ynyr have passed on to the Goddess and everyone will know it was because of you.”
Abby’s mouth dropped open as Kim spoke. What she was saying was amazing… and scary. Abby had always wanted to be a teacher because she wanted to have a small part in shaping those young lives, to help them achieve a better future. Now Kim was telling her she could play a bigger part and in doing so change the lives of many… for the better by how she helped Ynyr build their House.
“But a blade?” Abby asked, looking back to it.
“I carry one,” Kim told her, expertly lifting her sleeve without disturbing Destiny. “Especially when I am away from Wray. General Rayner gave it to me on Pontus. It saved my life when Caitir and I were kidnapped on Vesta and Lisa carries the Claw.”
“And you really believe that I will need one too,” Abby whispered.
“Yes, if only for your own piece of mind. Ynyr can’t be at your side every second of every day Abby. I hope you never have to use that but you might…” Kim’s eyes became hard as she remembered what Lisa had done not only to protect herself but Kim and Destiny. “Do. No matter what. For it will destroy Ynyr if he loses you now.”
“So you would go. Even with the risks.” Abby said.
“Yes. Life is a risk Abby. Choose how and with whom you want to share it because you may not get another chance.”
Destiny took that moment to let her mother know that she was hungry and let out a loud angry cry. As Kim was moving to sit so she could feed her, the door crashed open and her guards came rushing in.
“Oh come on!” Kim gave her guards an exasperated look and tried to calm the still crying Destiny.
“What has happened? Why is the Princess crying?” Jaqua demanded.
“She is hungry. Really, you guys have to stop reacting like this every time she cries.”
“Hungry?” Jaqua questioned.
“Yes.” Kim’s hand went to the tie of her covering. “Do you really think Wray will appreciate you watching me nurse our daughter?”
Jaqua immediately flushed when he realized what she was saying and spun around. “OUT! Every male out!”
Kim was still chuckling as she opened one side of her shirt, then positioned Destiny so she could latch on to her mother’s breast. The crying immediately ceased. “There you go. That’s my sweet little girl.” Kim said, nuzzling Destiny’s head with her nose. “You like to keep those males jumping don’t you?” Kim looked up to find both Isis and Abby smiling at her.
“She has her manno’s temper,” Kim confided in them. “She already has him wrapped around her little finger don’t you baby girl.” Kim cooed leaning down to kiss said finger. “I wouldn’t be surprised if Jaqua wasn’t contacting Wray right now, informing him Destiny cried.” Kim looked to Isis. “Sometimes your males remind me of little boys. Did you see how they came running in then back out all embarrassed and flustered? I mean really…”
“Oryon was the same.” Isis admitted, smiling at the memory. “He fussed over each of his offspring, at least in private.” The two females shared an understanding smile, one that Abby found she wanted to be a part of.
“So,” Kim’s gaze returned to Abby. “Spill.”
“About?”
“Last night.”
“I…” Abby didn’t know what to say, her eyeing flying to Isis, Ynyr’s mother who was looking at her just as intently.
“Tornian males are different than Earth ones,” Kim said.
“You’re telling me,” Abby whispered then flushed.
“The Serai teach them very well,” Isis told them nodding.
“In some things, in others they are absolutely useless,” Abby muttered.
“What do you mean?” Isis asks, giving her a confused look.
“Well, I can’t argue that the oral sex is amazing,” Abby flushed looking at Isis, who just nodded and Abby deciding if Ynyr’s mother wasn’t embarrassed why should she be. “But that whole releasing as fast as you can instead of enjoying the experience is bull shit.”
“What?” Isis gave her a confused look.
“He took his time? You released while you were Joined?” Kim asked.
“Oh yeah,” Abby said.
“That is possible?” Isis whispered.
“Of course!” Abby and Kim say in unison, looking at Isis.
“What else don’t I know?” Isis demanded.
Chapter Eight
“Have you formulated your plan for building your House, Lord Ynyr?” Wray asked, sitting down at the table that had hastily been cleaned of its dishes.
“We were discussing it when you arrived Majesty.” Ynyr told him sitting down across from him.
Wray gave him a considering look. “I would have thought that by now you would have had that completed.”
“There were other things that needed my attention, Majesty.” Ynyr unflinchingly met the Emperor’s gaze. He refused to apologize or to be made to feel guilty for putting his Abby before the matters of his House. Especially when it was their Joining night.
“It was just one thing,” Zev chimed in, then cringed when every eye in the room focused on him.
“Zev,” Ynyr said quietly, looking at his younger brother with hard eyes. “Abby is not here to save you this time.”
“I…” Zev swallowed hard, instantly understanding he had overstepped. “My apologies Lord Ynyr.” He turned his eyes to the Emperor. “Majesty.” Zev bowed his head.
Wray watched the interplay between the brothers with great interest. He and Grim had always had a strong bond, just as these two seemed to have. It was one that had developed over time because they had known they only had each other to rely on. But that did not mean that there had not been times when Grim had challenged him. Not for Wray’s position, for it was something Grim had never wanted, but Grim had liked to annoy Wray, especially when they had been younger, before the pressures of life had changed both of them. It seemed as if Zev liked to do that to Ynyr too, he just hadn’t realized things had changed.
But Zev’s comment made Wray remember that last night had been Ynyr’s Joining night with Abby. Remembering his first Joining with Kim, Wray understood what needed Ynyr’s attention and Wray found he could not fault Ynyr for it.
“Yes, well it is understandable. My apologies Lord Ynyr, for not taking in the full extent of the changes that occurred in your life yesterday.” Wray looked to one of the males with him.
“Aad,” Wray said, holding out his hand, which was immediately filled with the papers he wanted. “Last night I received new reports from Captain Dai on the conditions he found in Etruria that I thought you should see it immediately.” He handed out the pages to those on the table.
“Why weren’t they sent to me?” Ynyr demanded of the Emperor.
“That is my fault,” Wray told Ynyr. “I meant to immediately inform Dai
of whom I had named Lord of Etruria but…” Wray found he had to clear his thought before continuing. “Destiny became… fretful once we returned to our chambers.”
“She is well?” Oryon immediately asked.
“She was fine. She had a tummy ache. Kim called it ‘gas’. It took time for her discomfort to pass and I forgot to notify Dai.”
Oryon gave Wray a sympathetic look. “Understandable majesty. I remember how… powerless… I felt when one of my offspring experienced a discomfort.”
“Yes. Well, as you can see from the reports the damage caused by Bertos was far greater than we had expected.”
Ynyr read Dai’s report with growing disbelief. Etruria was in shambles. Nearly every one of Bertos Captains had been in Torino for the Joining Ceremony and were consequentially killed when they attacked against the Emperor.
Bertos had held Etruria in such a tight grip that no male dared to do anything without his direct order. With his death the entire chain of command within the House had collapsed. Then it got worse as the remaining warriors realized that one of them could now become a Captain and they had begun to fight amongst themselves, the way Bertos had taught them to and several deaths had occurred because of it.
Dai had immediately taken control of the males, separating and segregating them. His own males now manned the walls and the House had become more of a prison camp with Dai’s warriors watching what was happening inside its walls as closely as they watched what happened outside them.
“They need their Lord to arrive and take control.” Wray’s voice was quiet, his eyes steady as he looked at Ynyr.
“Yes,” Ynyr agreed. “I will leave as soon as the warriors from the other Houses are assembled for transport.”
“I have sent orders to the Lords to have them in the loading area.” Wray told him.
“Good.”
“All except King Grim’s.”
“What?” Ynyr looked to the Emperor in shock.
“Grim came to me last night and requested that he not send any of the males currently with him to assist either you or Callen.” Wray held up his hand to silence any questions as he continued. “While Grim fully supports you and Lord Callen, he believes that with the number of females now under his protection that it would be unwise of him to deplete his forces at this time.”
“That is a sensible and responsible thing for King Grim to do, Majesty,” Oryon spoke, “the protection of those females must be a priority, even over the securing of two Houses. We owe them that and so much more for what we have done to them.” Oryon looked to Ynyr remembering what Abby had said the day before.
“You are correct Lord Oryon,” Wray nodded, acknowledging he understood what he was saying, “and we will make it so. Until that is accomplished, Grim wants you to know that once he has fortified his defenses and secured the females, he will send you whatever males you feel you need.”
Ynyr leaned back in his seat thinking. King Grim’s warriors were some of the best trained in the Empire, their honor and fitness would never be in doubt. He had been counting on them being in Etruria, knowing that he could trust them, even though he did not personally know them. While he could understand Grim’s decision he did not like it. It would make securing his House much more difficult. Would make keeping his Abby safe more difficult as he had planned on using those males as her guard. How could he take her with him now?
“Because of this I am sending more of my warriors to assist both of you,” Wray continued. “They will be at your disposal for as long as you need them and you are free to offer them positions if you so desire.”
Ynyr looked at Wray and knew what he was being offered. Warriors trained in House Tornio rivaled those from House Luanda, to be allowed to offer those warriors positions was unheard of.
“Thank you Majesty, I will take them.”
Wray was about to say more when he noticed Aad talking furiously into his Comm.
“Aad?” He asked his stomach tightening.
“Majesty…” Aad turned hesitant eyes to his Emperor. “I was just speaking to Jaqua…”
“And?” Wray demanded.
“It seems the princess was in some distress….” Jaqua never got to finish saying that Destiny was now fine for Wray’s chair clattered backwards to the floor as he surged to his feet and ran down the corridor.
∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞
The door suddenly flew open. And bouncing off the wall, had Abby and Isis immediately jumping up, forming a protective barrier between Kim who was still nursing Destiny and whomever dared enter. Abby even pulled the blade Kim had given her from its sheath. When they saw it was Wray, they all relaxed.
All except Destiny.
The noise caused by the door bouncing off the wall had her jerking her mouth from her mother’s breast and crying out in fear.
“What is wrong with Destiny?!!” Wray demanded storming into the room.
“Nothing.” Kim fired back trying to calm the now screaming Destiny. “At least not until you scared her.”
“What?” Wray moved carefully towards them. “I was told she was in distress.” Wray said uncertainly.
“She wasn’t.” Kim shot Jaqua a disgusted look. “She was just hungry. Crying is how she tells us that. Remember last night?” She asked, reminding him how Destiny had woken them up in the middle of the night, demanding to be fed. Wray had thought the windows would break. “She has the Vasteri temper.”
“She was just hungry?”
“Yes.” Fixing her top Kim stood then handed the still screaming Destiny to him. “So, since you upset her. You calm her down.” Kim told him.
Every male that had stormed in after their Emperor watched as the male, who moments before had been ready to rip apart anyone to get to his females turned into a gentle giant who spoke softly to the squalling bundle in his arms.
“Calm my little one,” he begged quietly, “your manno is sorry he scared you. Please calm. I do not like you upset.”
“See what I mean?” Kim asked, looking to Isis and Abby. “Wrapped around her little finger.” But she was smiling as she said it.
∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞
Ynyr had been on the Emperor’s heels as he had stormed down the hall towards their females. Ynyr had actually shoved the Empress’ guards aside when they tried to stop him from entering.
No one kept him from his Abby.
What he had found inside had shocked him. His Abby was standing protectively in front of the Empress and Destiny. She had a blade in her hand and a look on her face that told him she was willing to defend both to the death.
He immediately moved to her side, as Wray took Destiny from Kim, his eyes traveling over her to make sure she was okay.
“I’m fine.” She told him, sheathing her blade.
Together they watched as the Emperor cared for the tiny female in his arms. Wray was totally unconcerned with what the other males thought of his actions. His entire being was focused on the needs of his daughter. His love for the tiny creature apparent.
It took several minutes, but Destiny finally calmed and fell asleep in her manno’s protective arms. Wray raised his eyes to Ynyr and Ynyr felt something pass between him. Wray was showing him what his future could be if he opened himself up fully to Abby, as Wray had with Kim and Destiny.
Turning his gaze to Abby he found her eyes had gone soft as she watched the Emperor cared for his offspring. When she turned those eyes to him, he found he wanted to be the one who put that look in them. He wanted her to gaze at him that way as he held their offspring.
“We need to talk.” He told her quietly.
“Okay.” She told him just as quietly, not wanting to wake Destiny.
∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞
Ynyr led Abby back to their room after Wray and Kim had left. They had wanted Destiny to take her rest in their own chambers. Now he was wondering what he was going to say to Abby. There was so much he needed to tell her, but would she understand? Opening their door, he immediately pulled her protecti
vely behind him, drawing his sword when he saw a trunk in their room.
Someone had been in here without his knowledge.
“Ynyr? What’s wrong?”
“Someone has been here,” he told her, his eyes scanning the room.
Peaking around him Abby saw the trunk. “That just the trunk containing my coverings. Kim said they had brought it with them.”
“Covering?”
“Yes. Caitir made them for us. Lisa made sure it was taken off the Raptor before it left.”
“No one is allowed to enter our resting chamber without my permission.” Ynyr growled angrily. He should have been asked before this was allowed.
“I’m sure it was just an oversight Ynyr.” Abby put a reassuring hand on his back. “They were the Emperor’s males after all.”
“That does not matter. Stay here,” he ordered, moving into the room. After checking every inch he then inspected the trunk and found the Emperor’s seal was still intake. Returning to Abby he held out his hand.
Taking it Abby entered their resting chamber. “Can I open the chest?” She asked, looking longingly at it. As much as she liked wearing Ynyr’s shirt, she wanted to be dressed like Ynyr’s Lady and not some refugee.
“Yes.” Ynyr smiled as Abby let out a happy little squeak and rushed to open the trunk.
“Caitir made some of the most beautiful coverings Ynyr.” Pulling out the first one she turned to show him and while she hadn’t expected him to be as thrilled with the covering as she was, she also hadn’t expected his deep frown. “What?” She asked, some of her happiness dimming. “You don’t like it?”
“It is trimmed the color for House Luanda.”
Lisa frowned, looking down at the tan covering trimmed in violet. She hadn’t realized it would matter that much. Yes, she had noticed that Kim always had some form of blue on and Isis amber, but she had thought it had been a choice, not a requirement.
“I didn’t realize it mattered that much.”
“It informs other males of whose protection you are under.”