Autumn's Kiss

  "May have?" Autumn's Dragon snapped at Kiran's, not at all intimidated that his Dragon was larger than hers.

  "I know you are a Supreme, Autumn." Kiran's head lowered slightly to her. "But others are not going to be as accepting. Especially as you have already mated making it impossible for one of them to become a Supreme."

  "Well, they'll just have to accept it because no one is separating me from my mate."

  "It won't come to that. Not once the Council realizes your Mating is valid."

  "It'd better not be because I make no promises on how my Dragon or I will react."

  "Autumn... one's inability to control their dragon is considered a sign of immaturity. It will not aid your argument that you are mature enough to mate."

  "There's a big difference in being immature and being pissed off," she replied.

  "Just remember what I said," Kiran said. "Now come. We need to land so we can put this behind us."

  Chapter Ten

  Autumn watched as Kiran, Niccele, and Kirall circled down toward the Elders’ landing platform, other Dragons moving out of their way. She knew she should follow, that she was the reason they were all there, but found she couldn't. She wasn't ready.

  For the stares.

  The whispers.

  Wasn't ready for being judged by people she didn't know like she had been after the attack. So instead, she flew up into a cloud.

  "You are not that youngster anymore."

  "Kur?" she queried as a massive dragon, covered in iridescent scales that made it appear nearly transparent, suddenly appeared beside her.

  "Yes, I decided to take you up on the offer to fly with you."

  "Now?" she asked in disbelief.

  "It seemed like an opportune time. Would you prefer I leave?"

  "No! No," she said taking a deep breath. "I'm sorry. I'm just feeling a little overwhelmed right now."

  "Understandable with all that is occurring." Kur lazily looped up and over Autumn before returning to her side. "But you need to remember that while you are still a young Supreme, you are more powerful than nearly every other Dragoon on Mondu."

  "Nearly?"

  "There are a few that because of their age, color, and experience will have the advantage over you. If you were to meet one-on-one. But that won't happen because you are not alone."

  "I feel like I am. Oh, I know Kirall will be at my side," she quickly told him. "But it will still be me that everyone will be staring at. Me that they will be judging. And when they see my scars..."

  "They will be shocked and dismayed..." he acknowledged. "Don't let that bother you. It will take time for them to realize that your scars represent strength not weakness, and if there is one thing all Dragoons respect, it's strength. Carry your scars with pride and dignity, Autumn."

  "That's a hard thing to do after hiding them for all these years."

  "That is why I am going to help you."

  "Help me? How?"

  "You shall see. Now you'd best return to your mate before he tears the sky apart looking for you."

  ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞

  Kirall had followed his parents nearly all the way to the platform before he realized Autumn wasn't following. Twisting back around, he couldn't find her in the sky.

  "Autumn!!!" he roared, soaring high into the sky frantically searching for her.

  "Here," she called out flying out from below the cloud.

  Seeing her, Kirall immediately swept down until he was nearly on top of her.

  "What were you doing?!!"

  "I'm sorry. I just wasn't ready to land yet. Wasn't ready to face it all."

  "Autumn..."

  "I know. I’m sorry. I should have said something. But sometimes I still forget that I'm not alone anymore. That I don't have to deal with everything by myself. That I have you."

  "You do and you always will."

  "I know." If she hadn't been in her Dragon form, she would have reached up and kissed him. Instead, all she could do was raise her snout and caress the scales along his neck.

  "Are you ready to go down yet?"

  "Yes, but..."

  "But?"

  "I don't want to land where the Elders do. We might be Supremes, but we're not Elders. We have no more right to land there than any other Dragoon."

  "Alright, if that's the way you want it then that's what we'll do." Dipping a wing, he led the way down to the smaller platform, glancing behind to make sure she was following.

  She chuffed out softly, letting him know she was right behind him. She wanted this done. She also wanted to see him land on that platform that was much smaller than the one in Kruba. Watching him spiral down, she suddenly realized they were the last two in the sky.

  "Autumn?"

  Returning her gaze to him, she found him already standing next to the platform in his Other form and realized she'd missed his landing.

  "You will be fine," Kur's voice filled her head, giving her the confidence she needed.

  As her claws dug into the stone platform, Autumn shifted into her Other form. She was confused not only by the feel of the clothing covering her body but by the shock in her mate's eyes.

  Following his gaze, she looked down and realized she wasn't wearing the same outfit she had been in when she'd shifted on Kruba. Instead, she was wearing crisscrossing bands of scarlet. While they covered all the important parts, they revealed a great deal of skin, especially on her back, before ending high on her thighs. It looked as if a giant claw had shredded the dress. Her legs were encased in matching, heeled, over-the-knee boots that made her taller but still a great deal shorter than Kirall. Moving down the steps, she took the hand her mate held out to her. A breeze caught the train of the dress and had it flowing out behind her like a Dragon's tail.

  Kirall felt his breath catch as his mate moved toward him. Kur, he'd never seen her look more beautiful. The dress she wore perfectly reflected who she was. She was a Red Supreme and was going to make sure everyone knew it. She wasn't hiding anything from them. Not her size, her beauty, or her scars.

  "You are beautiful, my love," he said bringing her hand to his mouth to kiss.

  "Thank you. So are you," she said realizing that he too was wearing different clothes. The black shirt he'd been wearing on Kruba now looked like liquid silver forming and flowing over his shoulders and chest. It emphasized his larger, thicker muscles as did his now red pants and black over the calf boots. It was all the perfect foil for his black and red hair and silver laminae that he'd left unrestrained. "It seems Kur wants our appearance to make a statement."

  Kirall looked down and for the first time realized his clothes were different too. "So it would seem. Shall we?"

  ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞

  Autumn took a deep calming breath as with a hand on her lower back, Kirall guided her across the now empty plaza toward the arched entrance of the Council Building.

  "It would appear everyone has already entered the Council Chamber so not to miss your entrance."

  "Great," she muttered as two Council Guards approached in their Beast form.

  "Kirall, eldest son of Black Prime Kiran," one of them growled. "We are here to escort you to the Council of Elders."

  "I am familiar with the way," Kirall growled back. When Kirall noticed the gazes of the two Guards traveling over his mate, his face started to shift as his own Beast rose up to show his dominance over them.

  "Kirall." Autumn put a gentle hand on his arm, calming his Beast the way only she could before she gave the Guards a cool look. "Our fight isn't with these Guards who are only mindlessly following orders." She ignored the disgruntled rumble coming from the Guards. "It's with the Elders, and I for one would like to deal with them so we can return to Kruba."

  Kirall tried not to smirk when he saw that his mate's words had her desired effect on the Guards. Their growls immediately ceased, and their eyes widened at her mention of Kruba.

  "You are correct, mate," Kirall made sure he stressed the word mate as he looked back to th
e Guards so they fully understood the extent to which he would protect her. To the death, as Dragoon Law allowed whenever a mate was threatened. These two would quickly spread the word to the other Guards. "Lead the way."

  With stiff nods, the Guards turned, and as she and Kirall followed them deeper into the building, Autumn took in everything around them. The corridor was wide with statues carved into the walls, but it wasn't all that tall, at least not by Kruba standards. While she might be able to shift into her Dragon form within the tight quarters, she knew Kirall wouldn't be able to even before he'd become a Supreme.

  "It's designed that way," Kirall told her quietly.

  "It is?" she asked not questioning that he knew what she was thinking.

  "Yes. Tempers can flare during Council meetings causing some to shift into their Dragon form. This confining size prevents disagreements from extending into the corridors."

  "At least in your Dragon form," she said glancing at the Guards in front of them whose Beasts still had a foot or two of headspace.

  "True, but even our Beasts prefer more room."

  "Yours didn't seem to back on Earth," she teased referring to the first time she'd seen him in that form.

  "That's because I was responding to a perceived threat against you."

  "Luckily, Dacke was only being a friend. He has never been a threat."

  While he knew Autumn didn't see it, he caught the look that passed between the Guards. They obviously didn't think she was aware that Dacke had been the one who informed the Council she was a Supreme and believed that once she did, she would never again consider him a friend. They had a great deal to learn about his mate.

  "Will he be here today?" she asked looking to Kirall.

  "I'm sure if he is able to, he will be," he told her.

  "He'd better be able to, or Elder Lando will answer to me," she growled, and for the first time, Kirall knew the Guards felt her power.

  "I'm sure Dacke will appreciate that, my love. But let’s deal with one thing at a time."

  "If we must," she said in a putout voice, and she rolled her eyes at him. It had him fighting back a laugh because he knew the Guards couldn't see her and thought she was serious.

  The moment of lightheartedness between them ended as they reached the closed doors at the end of the corridor.

  "The Council is waiting for you, eldest son of Elder Kiran," said the only Guard to have spoken to them as he moved to pull open the doors.

  "They are waiting for us," Kirall growled, his Beast wanting to emerge again. "I go nowhere without my mate."

  "Those were not the orders we were given."

  "Your orders have no bearing when it comes to me protecting my mate. That is Dragoon Law."

  "And it's Dragoon Law you've pledged yourselves to enforce, isn't it?" Autumn questioned. "Not self-serving Elders who abuse their power. But the actual Law?"

  The Guards looked at each other silently communicating before nodding. "You shall be allowed to enter the chamber with your mate."

  ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞

  The voices of those that filled the Council Chamber grew louder and louder as the Guards opened the doors. Autumn wasn't sure what she had expected. Maybe something similar to a Courtroom where she and Kirall would sit below the Elders and a small gallery for witnesses would be behind them. Instead, they entered what amounted to a coliseum. When Kirall paused just inside the doorway, she knew it was to allow her time to take everything in. And she did.

  Before them was a massive room that seemed to be completely dug out of the stone ground. She hadn't realized they'd been descending as they'd walked down the corridor. The floor and walls were worn with age, but with obvious gouges and scorch marks attesting to the violence that had taken place here. She hoped they wouldn't be adding to it today.

  The walls curved around the room and rose nearly fifty feet. At the top of those walls were row after row of carved out seating that nearly touched the domed ceiling. It all extended forward like a horseshoe until it ended on each side with wide corridors. Sitting near one corridor, two rows up, was Dacke looking decidedly worse for wear. He met her gaze for a moment, and she could see the guilt that filled it before he looked away.

  Sitting between the wide corridors she saw three levels of much more spacious seating. Looking closer, she realized each level actually contained more than one level. Sitting predominately in the middle of the lowest level were five sculpted, throne-like chairs where five robed males sat. The Minor Elders: Aidric, Eben, Bel, Lando, and Gal, representing each color of Minor Dragoon. Standing behind or sitting below them were other Dragoons of the same color. Some were male, some female. Kirall had informed her that when it wasn't a closed session of the Council, family members and staff of the Elders were allowed to sit with them.

  The second level was bigger and broader than the first and contained six carved out thrones with six robed males. The Prime Elders: Jeor, Hy, Pele, Rad, Tove, and Kiran. Sitting below Kiran was not just Niccele, but also Nixie, Ravannah, and Aisling. Zeb, Jariath, and Radko stood behind their father. She couldn't believe they'd all come. Kirall's family. To support them. Looking to Kirall, she saw that he realized it too and felt how much it meant to him.

  Above the Primes, the third level was again bigger and broader with eight thrones. It was also completely empty, waiting for the return of the Supremes so they could take their place. Well, at least one had returned, and it was time they proved that.

  Finally, after taking it all in, her gaze returned to Kirall and found him silently watching and waiting for her to let him know when she was ready to proceed. With the slightest of smiles, she nodded. They began to walk toward the Elders.

  The multitude of voices that had filled the Chamber when the doors had been opened slowly began to die away as those in the witness gallery noticed their arrival. Soon the only thing heard throughout the massive chamber was the steady click of her heels against stone as they walked across the room.

  ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞

  "Mother," Nixie hissed as she watched her brother and his new mate walk across the expansive space of the arena floor toward them.

  "Shhh," Niccele whispered back even as she turned to look up at her mate and saw he was as surprised as her, though it didn't show on his face. While it wasn't unheard of for a Dragoon to change clothing after arriving at a location, it was rarely done because it took an enormous amount of power and left the Dragoon weakened. Today was not a day to be weak. But Niccele had to admit they looked amazing as they confidently walked toward the Council.

  "Kirall, eldest son of Black Prime Elder Kiran. You were ordered to appear before us alone." Elder Tove's unhappy gaze flashed to the Guards who stood by the now closed doors.

  "You cannot order me to leave my mate unprotected around unfamiliar males, especially when they are in their Beast form."

  "Who says I can't protect myself?" Autumn asked, and while her question was directed at Kirall, she made no attempt to keep her voice down causing a ripple to move through the crowd.

  Kirall looked down at her, the corners of his mouth twitching as he tried not to smile. "Forgive me, mate. While you've more than proven you can protect yourself, I don't want you to need to."

  That statement caused another ripple to go through the crowd.

  "Forgiven." Rising up on her toes, she gave him a quick kiss on the lips. He lowered so she could reach them, then turned back to face the Council.

  "It's this so-called Mating that brings us all here today," Tove stated, trying to take back control.

  Autumn's Dragon, who had been content to let them deal with the Council, now lifted her head at how this... lowly Prime Dragoon dared question her Mating. Autumn had thoroughly planned on allowing Kirall to handle the Council and only speaking when absolutely necessary because he knew and understood them. But already she was finding that difficult to do. She wanted to release her claws and slash out at the Gold. She wanted to let him know that there was no way his daughter, who was s
itting smugly in front of him, was ever getting her claws on Autumn's mate again. Kirall must have sensed this because the fingers along her lower back moved slightly, caressing the bare skin and calming both her and her Dragon.

  "That's not why we were told this assembly was convening," Kirall said once again speaking to the Council. "We were told that you had been informed of my Mating," his gaze went to Maaike, who just lifted her chin slightly. "And then discovered that she was a Supreme." His gaze shifted to Lando who couldn't hold his gaze. "And wished to meet her.”

  This was something else they had decided last night between bouts of lovemaking. They would act as if this appearance was just a courtesy; her introduction to the Council and Mondu. Anything else, like her age, would have to be brought up by Tove.

  "True, but we also wish to investigate this claim that you have mated her."

  "Claim?" Autumn asked, disbelief filling the single word. "Is there something wrong with your eyes?"

  "Of course not!" Tove reared back insulted. "I am of a pure Dragoon bloodline and while I can see that Kirall has been slightly... altered... he still retains attributes of a Black Prime. Which means it's not a true Mating. Understandable, considering how impure the bloodline you claim to descend from must be," he sneered, his gaze traveling insultingly over Autumn.

  "You dare!" Kirall snarled moving toward Tove.

  "Kirall!" Kiran roared. As the Black Prime Elder, his order should have held enough power to force any Dragoon to obey, especially Kirall as he was Kiran’s son. But neither of those reasons were what stopped Kirall.

  "See! That's more proof!" Tove exclaimed, surging to his feet, his arm shooting out like an arrow to point at the now unmoving Kirall. "If you were truly mated to a Supreme, you would not be forced to obey a Black Prime!"

  "Elder Tove, you overstep," Kiran growled also surging to his feet, his sons moving to back him up.

  "I am only stating facts, Elder Kiran. Facts you don't want to face because it involves one of your offspring."

  "The fact, Elder Tove, is that while one of your offspring might disrespect you in such a way if they were ever to exceed you in power and status," Autumn's sharp, clear voice cut through the angry growls that had begun to fill the chamber as sides began to be taken. She moved to stand at Kirall's side. "But my mate would never do such a thing to his father. And your obvious misinterpretation of what just occurred here makes me wonder what else you've misinterpreted. Like the color of my mate's hair. Because an Elder should know that for Supremes, the elevated mate's hair is always dual colored. It is a sign of respect for who that mate was and who they have become. Only their offspring have hair of a single color."