Mature: Desert Moon

[Soran Nightblade]

Vlad smiled at her. "I don't think that's possible. Although I hope you will be good instead." He considered her a few moments. "Would you like to learn from another witch? It might give you more control."

[Emora Deen]

Tenara thought for a moment. "Okay," she replied. Tenara nestled down on her father's chest, wrapped her arms around his neck, and hugged him.

[Soran Nightblade]

Vlad pulled his arms around the small child and relaxed into the grass. It was a change to worry about these kinds of issues, and not how they were going to live through the next battle.

Small problems were nice. "I'll look into it," he promised her, kissing the top of her head. "Your mother's expecting you for your nap." He gestured at the sun overhead.

[Emora Deen]

Tenara groaned. "Awww... no naps." But, even as she said that the child had nearly fallen a sleep on her father's chest. She yawned and snuggled down against him.

[Soran Nightblade]

"Yup," Vlad said, as if that summed her adorable contradictory behavior up entirely. He rose to his feet, hoisting her up against him.

Ten minutes later, they were back at their newly appointed quarters on the third story of the palace. Tenara's things had been moved into the room, which had a small balcony. Vlad and Tenele's suite was next door. The vampire knocked so he wouldn't startle his wife, and let himself in. "We have a sleepy snack on our hands," he said as he carted the little one into the room.

[Emora Deen]

Tenele set the box down on the table and went to her husband. "Oh dear," she mused, collecting the half-sleeping child from his arms. "Let's get you tucked in." She pressed a kiss to Tenara's cheek and carried the child to her bed. Tenara made the cutest satisfied noise when she settled in and Tenele pulled the light blanket over her. She gave the child another kiss and closed the door quietly behind her.

"She's exhausted," Tenele smirked. "I should send her on play dates with you before nap time more often."

Tenele went back to the box, rummaging through it and placing things on shelves. "Will you open a window, its getting a little warm in here. I guess the winter made me readjust to Ighten temperatures. Though, the summer's won't be nearly as brutal as..." Her voice softened and she paused her task, just for a moment, and once her brain skipped to the next thought she was back at arranging their things.

[Soran Nightblade]

Vlad hesitated with her, his breath stopping just a moment. Then the thought passed, and the room had meaning again. He turned and cracked the window open halfway. "She had some excitement in the courtyard," he said quietly to avoid disrupting the girl's sleep.

[Emora Deen]

"Did she?" Tenele asked with a smile, placing a book on the shelf. "I hope she wasn't too rough on the other kids."

Tenele finished emptying the box and gave a heavy sigh, placing her hands on the curve of her hips. "I think that is the last box. We have officially moved into our new place. I know you like your tower... But, I think this will work out very well. We can play with the idea of getting a house down the line."

[Soran Nightblade]

"Thank you for doing all the work while we were off playing with lizards," the vampire smiled. He walked to the open door between their rooms and glanced around. "You've done it up nicely. Though it may take some time to adjust without a thousand stairs and cold, dank walls and that crumbling fireplace."

He was only mostly kidding. The tower had been a refuge for him, albeit never a home. But he didn't need refuge any longer. He had a place where he belonged, and it was with them. The tower was a finished chapter in his life now.

[Emora Deen]

Tenele smiled, going to her husband and slipping her arms around his waist. "Oh, but that crumbling fireplace holds many memories of long nights spent curled around you before the warmth of its flame," she whispered, stepping up to place a kiss on his lips.

"So, lizards," Tenele sighed, sitting on the edge of the bed. "How many did she catch and name this time?"

[Soran Nightblade]

"There was one victim in particular," Vlad smiled. "The other children weren't gentle with it. She lost her temper." He glanced back at his daughter as if he were almost a bit proud of her for it. "I believe she's ready now for a teacher."

[Emora Deen]

Tenele turned her eyes downward. She understood that Tenara needed to learn to control her abilities, but she also was afraid of teaching the child more. There were many things that worried Tenele, but she had to get past it. She had to come to terms with the fact that their daughter would never live a normal life.

"Who do you suggest?" Tenele asked thoughtfully, lifting her gaze from the floor. "There are not many people I would trust to train her."

[Soran Nightblade]

Vlad smirked. "For this handful, I've considered asking Queeny."

[Emora Deen]

Tenele blinked, a little surprised by Vlad's answer. The two of them hadn't been very cordial with each other since his return from Maxwell's mansion. "Sinead is very busy," she replied. "But, she does love Tenara fiercely. I'm sure she could make time in her schedule to teach her a little something every day. The most important thing is helping Tenara find a way to control her temper and disconnect it from her gifts. I fear she may really and truly hurt someone if they make her upset enough."

[Soran Nightblade]

"If that time comes, I suspect they will deserve it," the vampire said with a little more fire in his gaze than appropriate. "But she should not be a victim to the things that make her special." He took a breath and looked around the room. "I need to check in with her majesticness anyway. I'm out of assignments." He'd been burning through projects that he normally wouldn't come near with a twenty foot pole. Being idle had been strictly off limits to him as of late.