Heirot

Tenele smiled. "I managed to protect myself against one," she whispered, cupping his face. "He lost his head. I'm sure if another came he'd meet the same end. I'm not completely helpless, Vlad..." She glanced away. "I know haven't been my normal super-warrior-woman-self, but I'm on the mend. I'm getting stronger, and I'll have Stalker. The two of us should be able to manage. But, if you don't feel comfortable, I will stay with you. I want to stay with you, but I don't think it would be believable if I did." She kissed him tenderly.

Vlad drew her in a bit tighter against him and sank into the warmth of her kiss. It had been a long while since he'd been able to hug her so close, since Tenara had been protruding between them. Though that, too, was a special kind of embrace. He absorbed it for several seconds.

Finally, he drew back. "Are you ready?" he asked her.

Tenele nodded, though she wasn't sure what she was supposed to be ready for. So, quietly agreed and let Vlad take the lead on the situation. She hid the wince pretty well considering his tight embrace, and was proud he hadn't noticed, but the pain in her side was just a whisper of what it would be in the morning. Getting punched in the ribs repeatedly left nasty bruises. The last thing Vlad needed, after everything going on with Atul, was to be concerned about her health.

Vlad released her and took a step back. His garnet eyes were cool and unreadable. He didn't want to do this. It was taking every bit of control he had not to smother her with his protectiveness, and now he had to feign an argument?

Nonetheless, he'd had years of court training. He could be callous when he had to be. "Shall we go back, then?" he asked, already halfway in character. By the time they reached the door to the infirmary, he was a perfect image of impatience. "What medicine did you say they have you on? I suspect the dosage is too high," he was saying with concern as they re-entered the ward.

Tenele frowned. "I'm not on any medicine. I stopped taking it so I could nurse Tenara," she told him curtly, brushing past him. "I'm not lying, I'm not imagining things, it was right there!"

"Tenele, I'm a vampire. Do you think I wouldn't smell blood if it was there?" Vlad sighed, crossing his arms. "Is this about attention? I've been gone a lot watching over the king's affairs, yes, but I thought you were more independent than this.

Tenele gawked at him. She almost wanted to really yell at him then, but had to remind herself that this was a fake argument. "I can't believe you just suggested that!" she yelled, storming off towards the tented area where Atul was playing with Tenara.

The king had the most confused expression when she pushed through and entered their make-shift room. "What's going on?"

"Vlad thinks I'm imagining things." She took up her sword and a cloth and cleaned the blood off and tossed the rag at Vlad's feet. "If I'm grasping for attention, why don't you sniff that and go figure out the poor bastard I stabbed for my great big lie!"

"Vlad... Tenele wouldn't- Hey! I want to hold her longer..." Atul frowned as Tenele lifted Tenara up and cradled her. "I was telling her a story."

"I'm sorry," Tenele whispered to him, brushing her fingers through his hair as she cradled her child with one arm. "I'll bring her by tomorrow." She bent to press a kiss to her forehead.

"Don't go," Atul pleaded. "Tenele, stay, its not safe if you go. Someone just attacked you!"

"Apparently not," Tenele hissed, glaring at Vlad. "Apparently I'm imagining it."

Vlad put his hands on his hips crossly. "Tenele, stay. You're being immature. Tell you what, we can spend a long lunch together tomorrow. Will that help your mood?"

Tenele was going to punch him. She had to remind herself very quickly that this was all fake. He was too good of an actor, and this whole thing brought back really bad memories of when he'd been cruel to her to get her to leave Verin's realm.

"I'm going to our room. I'm taking our daughter and Stalker. I don't need your attentions, especially when you can't even trust me enough to believe what I've said. Good night, Atul."

"Tenele, please..." Atul looked positively mortified. "Vlad, stop being an ass hole and apologise to her! Go get her and apologise to her! Now, or I'll kick your ass!"

"Does it look like I'm in the mood to apologize?" the vampire sighed as he turned to Atul. "It certainly doesn't look like you're in any condition to kick my ass."

Atul growled and pushed up out of bed. He stood on quivering legs, grabbed his one remaining crutch, and began hobbling towards the vampire. "I can't believe you told her those things," he growled. "I don't know if you hit your head while you were gone, but you are going to go apologise to her. What if you are wrong? What if you are wrong and she goes away tonight and something hurts her?" He glared at Vlad.

The vampire had to focus on not intercepting the king's precarious movement across the room. Don't do that to your body. Please, sit still, he thought desperately.

Vlad rolled his eyes. "I'm not going to reward the way she's acting. Atul, she led me to a solid wall and insisted there was a passage. I checked it myself, there's nothing there but stone." He paused, as if reconsidering. "I'll send stalker, if it will calm you down." With a wave, the hound was out the door bolting after Tenele.

Atul growled and punched Vlad. It was a weak, weak punch compared to what the King normally could have done. He lost his balance and stumbled to catch it, managing to right himself. "You know what will calm me down?" he asked heatedly. "Tenele and my daughter being here with us, where they will be safe. Now, you go apologise or you get out of my sight."

Vlad barely felt the punch, which made him feel worse instead of better. The king had so little energy, and he wanted to waste it trying to hurt him? "I can't do that, Atul. We don't have to share a bed, but I'm staying with you."

Atul huffed. He glanced where Tenele left, and knew he couldn't make it. He couldn't reach her or Tenara. He was too weak, and the one man he could rely on to protect them didn't seem to care.

He had no idea how to respond to Vlad, how to express how angry he was when he was too weak to beat the crap out of him. Atul sat back down slowly, staring at the same spot he had a moment ago. "Go away," he told Vlad. "I don't know what's gotten into you, but I don't need the protection of a man who isn't willing to protect his own wife and child. Why don't you do as she asked? Take that cloth she wiped the blood on and go find who it belongs too."

* * *

Tenele rested Tenara on her bed and went about the empty bedroom lighting candles. A cool breeze tossed the curtains near the balcony. Stalker paced restlessly by the door. When there were enough candles to see by she went to her bed. "I left your cradle with your father, but you can sleep with me," she whispered to her infant. The child had fallen a sleep while she carried her back to their room. It was the most precious site to Tenele. It was late, and it was good that she slept.

Tenele couldn't get comfortable in the room, and the more she said in the dark room the more she got to wondering how many other peep holes there could be in the room. The hair stood on the back of her neck as she thought about something watching her. Paranoia took over, and she glanced about the room in search of possible locations for them to watch from.