Mature: Desert Moon

[Emora Deen]

Tenele smiled at his insistence, and lurked behind him as he prepared her bath. "I suspect maids will want to do this in the future," she hummed, sitting on the edge of the tub as it filled with hot water. "I wonder how much will change after tomorrow, when we are officially of Atul's family, and are officially... rulers of Hajara."

It still seemed like such a strange thing. Tenele never dreamed of being ruler of anything. She wondered if she would come to miss the forests of Ighten, or maybe even miss grass. Hajara had little of anything remotely close to green. Everything was sand, tan, gold, blue.... There were colors in tapestry, jewels, and mosaics, but little in the landscape.

But, Tenele was very happy with Atul, and being with her family, and she knew that no amount of landscaping would draw her away from that. She loved the people, the land, and the king.

[Soran Nightblade]

Vlad tested the water with a pale hand. "I don't imagine much will change... do you suppose Atul will get an even bigger bed?" his eyes lit with amusement.

[Emora Deen]

Tenele glanced out at the bed and laughed. "I hope not, else I'll need a map to find you both should you role away at night." She leaned on him, peering down at the water. "Is it ready?" she asked, placing a warm kiss at his neck. She nuzzled him there for a minute, taking in the smell of his clothing. He smelled clean, where she was sure she smelled of sand and horse.

[Soran Nightblade]

Vlad nuzzled her back, pausing at the crest of her neck to focus on her heartbeat. "It is ready," he confirmed in a quiet purr. He helped her down into the warm water and sat at the edge of the tub, drinking in the sight of her. He unlaced the upper half of his tunic and slid his shoulders free, letting the fabric hang around his belt. "It sounds like Knight was able to bring you back home," he surmised, still piecing together what they'd gone through along with his blackout spots where Knight had taken over. He dunked the washcloth into the bath and brushed it lightly along her skin, attending to every inch of her. As usual, what should be a normal bath became some kind of ceremony when it involved Vlad and his lover.

[Emora Deen]

Tenele smiled dreamily, leaning forward so he could wash her back. "I hurt his feelings," she whispered, her smile falling. "I was tired and frustrated, and he wanted to argue about taking me to the capitol and I wanted him to take Sho. He said he couldn't make it with both of us, and I figured he could make it with smaller cargo. I said something, and I didn't mean it. But... I didn't have time to apologise. When Atul is feeling stronger, I will apologise to him."

[Soran Nightblade]

Vlad tilted his head, a thoughtful set to his jaw as he caressed her back and shoulders. "I didn't imagine him to be so sensitive," he pondered without judgment. He poured a bowl over her head, tilting her chin up to keep it out of her eyes, and massaged soap into her hair. It felt like warm silk as he ran his fingers through and then rinsed the suds away with another bowl of water.

[Emora Deen]

Tenele closed her eyes, revelling in his pampering. "Maybe he isn't... Maybe I'm over thinking it," Tenele thought that as Vlad was a part of Knight, maybe he would know best. "I still feel bad for saying it. But, maybe he didn't take it as it sounded?"

When he was finished with washing her, she stood up in the center of the tub and waited for him to bring her a towel.

[Soran Nightblade]

Vlad wrapped the warm garment around her like a burrito and stole her from the tub, carrying her to bed like a well wrapped festivus present.

[Emora Deen]

Tenele laughed at him. "You are worried, you shouldn't be worried. I'm fine. I may be tired, but I'm not incapacitated like our dear beloved King. I can walk, and talk, and do all sorts of things," she snickered.

Tenele wormed out of her tight towel and snaked her hands around his belt. "Its early for you, this is true, but you could lie here for a little while. I'm sure the court is busy readying everything for tomorrow, and probably have resided to not admitting townspeople for review. Listen to your wife, the devil on your shoulder, and come to bed with her."

[Soran Nightblade]

Vlad sneered, not about to admit how exhausted his mind was from holding that link with Talon all night. "I will keep your company," he obliged, sliding out of his belt and tunic. A minute later, he was settled in a cool spoon along her warm back, chin tucked over her wet hair. His arm rested around her waist securely as he listened to the rhythm of her pulse with Atul's. "It will be a change," he acknowledged, musing over the handsome form of the unconscious king next to them. "This kingdom is growing. It stands to tip the balance of the world, if it is united. Atul's leadership will be at center stage. This marriage obsession has been a distraction, I think. After this rite of passage, the people will be seeking to judge his real leadership's worth."

[Emora Deen]

Tenele nodded, settling back against him. "That is true. They will also judge us. But, Atul is a noble man, and a good leader. He will do well, and he will earn their respect. Let us try and do the same." She yawned, drawing the silk sheet over them.

She had been determined to seduce him, or at least get some fun in before her eyes grew to heavy, but the moment Vlad laid down with her she realized how exhausted she felt and went straight to sleep.

[Soran Nightblade]

Vlad lay in total stillness, in the room with his sleeping wife and soon-to-be husband. He didn't feel like he could sleep. The hypervigilance of a monster in love with its prey kept him alert and watchful of each heartbeat. It couldn't be wedding night nerves. Not him.

[Emora Deen]

The castle filled with people that evening. Dignitaries came from far and wide to stay in the guest wing of the palace. There were the Warlords of the East, lords and ladies of the towns and cities, Queens and Kings of other kingdoms that Ighten had yet to discover, and finally one special guest who sent most of the staff running with fear.

Lelana frowned at their cold looks. She hadn't come in the guise of the Queen she'd pretended to be for a few years now, she had come as herself, as Vlad would have wanted. It did not go unnoticed that the ones who had lived in the palace when she was a resident still remembered her temper and her cruelty. Nevertheless, as the sister of the King, they showed her respect and a room. It wasn't as lavish as she was accustomed to in the palace, but Lelana didn't complain. She settled in and thought about going home immediately. What on earth was she doing here at any rate? And why was she here to see her brother's wedding? Would he even want her there? She had agreed to go because Vlad seemed like he wanted it...

And she was trying, she really was trying to turn over a new leaf. It was hard, and it had been hard, but she'd managed to go a while without inflicting harm on a person. That was saying something, wasn't it?

* * *

Atul woke with a start in the middle of the night while the moon was high and the room was dark. It startled Tenele awake when he shot up straight, groaning at the numb pain in his ribs. If it hadn't been for Tenele's healing, it would have been much worst.

At first Atul barely recognised where he was, but when he figured it out he settled back down into bed.

Tenele stretched her hand out across the sheets but the bed was so big and he was so far away she couldn't reach him.

[Soran Nightblade]

Vlad raised his head up, the rest of him dead-still. "His ruby eyes flashed and met Atul's bright cobalt stare. He was already too wide awake to be startled, especially when he'd heard the king's pulse slowly rise to alertness before he woke. Instead, he showed the king a loving grin and gestured for him to come join their pile.

[Emora Deen]

Atul's blue gaze was alive, swirling bright with power. As it always seemed to do when he took one of his recharging naps, when he first woke he was overcharged. Full of energy near combustion, but that was a sharp contrast to how his half-mortal form felt. The holy wounds still burned beneath the clothing, and he felt achy. Despite that he also felt like he could run a marathon without breaking a sweat. It would take at least an hour for the excess energy to level off.

He slid across the bed to where Vlad lay curled against Tenele. She was sleeping soundly, and didn't even budge or blink an eye as he pressed in close.

He checked her over quickly, his gaze darting up and down her towelled form, finding relief not to see the wound he'd bandaged. That relief washed the tense expression from him.

"I thought I dreamed we made it back. I'm glad it wasn't a dream," he sighed, settling in next to them. "How are you?"