Mature: Desert Moon

[Soran Nightblade]

Vlad drew his clothes off quietly and slipped in beside the king, wrapping his body protectively around his exhausted lover. "I will never grow bored of this, Atul," he whispered, kissing his shoulder. He put his arms across the man's chest and stroked his fingers through the warm hair at the nape of his neck.

[Emora Deen]

Atul smiled softly, just on the cusp of sleep. Those were pleasant words to fall asleep too.

* * *

"Daddy," Tenara sighed, climbing into her father's lap. "Must mommy and papa go out tonight. Couldn't they go on a date in here?"

Tenele was pacing back and forth nervously, wringing her hands together. She glanced to her husband, to her daughter, and then to the hell hound lounging on the floor in front of them. She was dressed conservatively compared to what most Hajaran women wore, but the coral color looked beautiful against her skin and hair.

"Mommy, are you scared?" Tenara asked with a soft giggle.

"No," Tenele laughed, shaking her head. "Not at all!"

"She looks scared," the little girl whispered to her father.

[Soran Nightblade]

Vlad smiled and relaxed into the chair as he watched Tenele bluster around. "Tell you what. We can set up a secret signal. If it starts to get awkward, you can send me the signal and I'll come throw you both in a fountain."

[Emora Deen]

Tenele scowled at him. "No," she replied very firmly. "I am not going in a fountain. If you even try to put me in a fountain, I will see to it that..." Tenele clamped her mouth shut. She had absolutely no threat. How do you threaten a vampire?

"It will be fine. It will be pleasant..."

Knock. Knock.

"This is going to be terrible..."

Tenele went to the door and opened it slowly. Atul stood on the otherside, his black hair hanging loosely around him. He wore plain servants clothing and held in his hand a beautiful teal and gold paisley print fabric.

"Tenele," he greeted, bowing his head. "You look... very lovely."

Tenele flushed. "Th-thank you. You look..."

"Like a commoner, I hope," he replied.

"Papa!!" Tenara dove off Vlad's lap, managing to hit the family jewels as she kicked off. She wrapped her arms around the King's legs tightly. "Papa, I love you."

"I love you," Atul sighed, scooping her up.

Tenele smiled at how happy her child was in the man's arms. He carried her inside and back towards Vlad.

"What's this?" Tenara asked, grabbing the cloth he held.

"It is something pretty for your mother," he replied. He passed it to her. "I thought you could wear it to cover up your hair. It is too warm out for a cloak and hood, a shawl should work nicely."

Tenele took the cloth gently. "Thank you."

"Okay, back to daddy," Atul smiled. "We'll be back in time, before you go to bed. I plan on reading you a story."

[Soran Nightblade]

Vlad embraced his daughter, even if his testicles didn't want him to. "Better escape. I can't hold her back for long," he warned direly. "And I'm looking forward to the story."

[Emora Deen]

Atul chuckled. "Okay, off we go," he replied. He reached up and helped Tenele with her shawl, making sure it wrapped around and over to cover her head. "There..." He gave her a bright smile and motioned for the door.

The two walked side by side for several long agonizing minutes in silence. Tenele played with the beautiful silk shawl he’d given her to cover her silver hair. Even still it couldn’t mask her fairer skin, or her green eyes. She was sure people would know she wasn’t a local, especially when tallied up next to him. And he, a King… even in the guise of a servant, he had to be recognizable to someone.

“So-“

“I thought we could see a play?” Atul began, looking flustered. “I know a place that puts on very nice shows. It’s not in the nicest part of town, but it is worth the adventure. We’ll be fine though, I promise. I won’t let anyone bother you.”

Tenele nodded slowly. “A play sounds nice. I don’t remember any plays.”

“Then, maybe dinner? There is a good place to eat near the docks. Its seafood. I’m pretty sure they cover everything in pakika, so I’ll ask them to substitute it for something else.”

“Why?” Tenele asked curiously.

“You are allergic to it,” Atul replied, sounding confused until he realized she wouldn’t remember that. “You are allergic to pakika and sumol. They are Hajaran spices. Every time you eat something with either one of those you end up sick the next morning. It is a little funny when you happen to be connected to Vlad at the…” Atul frowned when bringing up that connection, the very one that had made her so upset.

“What kind of show is it?” Tenele asked quickly.

“It’s a fairytale about a woman who tames the Sand Dragons and falls in love with the Dragon King,” he explained.

“Sounds romantic,” Tenele smiled.

“If you aren’t in the mood for something romantic, we could do something else. There are a lot of shows, I’m sure.”

“It’s fine.”

“You’re sure?”

“Yes,” Tenele nodded. “I’m fine.”

“Okay,” the King sighed. Gods, he was nervous. So, so, nervous. “I’ve never taken a woman on a date before. I was in love with a woman once who lived on the side of town we are visiting. We didn’t date really, our relationship was secret and we only met at night. She was a servant in the palace when my brother, my father-in-name, was King.”

“What happened? Did you break it off when you became king?”

“No,” Atul sighed softly, glancing away. “She died… When Verin, my actual father, was the deity for Hajara he demanded sacrifices of blood and fire. To make things fair there was a city wide lottery. They drew her name. I tried to stop it, but, my father, knowing I cared for her, made me watch. They burned her.” Atul blinked, shaking his head and the image away. “I don’t think about it.”

“I’m… sorry,” Tenele swallowed, watching Atul wash the pain from his eyes as quickly as one could dust off their hands.

“It is in the past,” he replied.

“How was your brother a father-in-name?” Tenele asked curiously, and desiring to change the subject away from death.

“That’s a complicated family lineage…” Atul chuckled. “The men in my family have always been brothers… but they raised the younger like a son. When a King came of age to marry he was chosen a bride. But, the bride was never really his. Verin claimed her for himself. This was so that each king of Hajara was always be a son of Verin. The people didn’t know. In the face of the people, the child was a son of the king, but to the priests of our city… Well, they knew the truth. The mother didn’t live after the birth to tell anyone, anyway.”

“Your mother…”

“Died birthing me,” Atul replied quietly. “Just as I feared you would, when you had Tenara. The children of gods, even demi-gods, take a damaging toll on a mortal woman. However, Vlad and your doctor made certain you lived, though it was a close call.”

“What about girls?”

“Girls?”

“You only spoke of the sons of Verin. Does he have any girls? How many brothers do you have?”

“There were never any girls, which is why I was convinced you would have a boy. Vlad won that bet,” he laughed. “I probably have more brothers out there somewhere, and nieces and nephews. Verin wasn’t celibate by any means. I have a cousin that I know of. She used to pose as my sister. She was the last King’s daughter from a second marriage. Lalana… I haven’t seen her in years, since the end of the revolution. She always tried to have a romantic relationship with me, and was livid when I never reacted to her advances. She would torture me by taking the form of the woman I loved and lost.”

“She sounds like a winner,” Tenele muttered.

“She was quite the piece of work,” Atul agreed.

“So how did we meet?”

“You and Vlad were sent here on ambassadorial mission in the hopes of winning our support against your fight with Arken, but unfortunately it was all a rues. Hajara had always been very strong allies with Arken, and you both knew it was probably a trap. You came anyway. Lalana took an immediate interest in Vlad. While, I didn’t take an interest in you at first romantically, I did admire you. You were one of the bravest women I had ever met in my life. When Vlad was compromised by Verin, you faced the god down without blinking, without knowing he couldn’t hurt a mortal without explicit permission. If you both had listened to reason and never come to Hajara, my people would not be free. You and Vlad helped me start a revolution that dethroned the last king and upended Verin from his control over these people. These people worship and respect you both with the same degree, or more, as they do me.”

Tenele turned her gaze to the people going about their lives around them.

“I fell in love with your spirit. Your bravery… That fire in you that makes it impossible for you to give up. You laugh at danger, you welcome it, and sometimes I think you might search for it. You are selfless, loving, and kind. You forgive what should not be forgiven, and love that which does not deserve love…” Atul glanced away. “I fell in love with you, and told Vlad to marry you even as that demand cut me in two. I pretend to be happy for you both when I found out you’d actually managed to pull it off. Deep down, my soul died.”

“But… somehow we ended up together, all three of us,” Tenele smiled.

“The spell that created Knight was our undoing. I think we all might have enjoyed the process a little too much,” Atul chuckled. “We repeated it… and repeated it… until one day the three of us woke up and realized we loved each other.” Atul glanced up. “Oh, we’re here. Wow, all that talking made the time go by so fast. I hope I didn’t talk your ear off.”

“You answered all my questions with details. I like details,” Tenele replied. “My world is short of them as of late.”

“I’ll tell you anything you want,” Atul grinned. “But, let’s talk more over dinner.”

Atul enjoyed the play, but more so because Tenele enjoyed it. The expressions that crossed her face made it more memorable. The way she slipped forward in her chair when danger lurked, how she clutched her stomach when she laughed too hard, or how bittersweet tears ran down her cheeks when the Dragon King’s wife died.

“I forgot to mention it was a tragedy,” Atul muttered as they left the playhouse. “Sorry.”

“It was beautiful,” Tenele whispered, wiping her tears with the edge of her new silk shawl.

They made it to dinner where Atul made sure to order Tenele’s food without the possible allergens. Things were going great. Atul was feeling much more confident than he had when they first set out. And then…

“You are not as scary as I thought you would be,” Tenele told him, lifting her gaze.

“I… I’m glad? I’m sorry you thought I would be scary,” Atul replied, frowning.

“Well, I didn’t know what to think. You kissed me on our first meeting, and then the second you fought with Vlad at breakfast. I saw you a grand total of five minutes, when you tried to feed a man to him in front of me. After that… my third encounter with you was inside my head after making love to Vlad.”

Atul frowned. “No, I guess those aren’t good impressions.”

“Flounder, no pakika,” the waiter sighed, setting the dish down in front of Tenele. It appeared to break his heart to give her something half finished. Then, he placed Atul’s dinner in front of him. “Here you go, sir.”

“Hopefully we will recover my memories soon,” Tenele sighed, taking a bite of dinner.

“Yes,” Atul agreed, frowning at his plate as he ate. “But… in the event we don’t…”

Tenele didn’t look up. She stayed very quiet. “I don’t know if I’m the sort of person who can love two men… That’s not to say that I might not… It’s just, well, it’s very hard trying to love just one at the moment, and I don’t know how to comprehend falling for two.”

Atul swallowed his food like he was swallowing daggers. “I see,” he replied quietly.

“I don’t mean that to sound like I’ve already made my decision. I haven’t. I just don’t want you to be excited about something that might not happen. I won’t stop Vlad from seeing you, if he wants to. I just…”

Atul smiled, even if his heart was twisting in pain. “You don’t have to explain,” he told her, reaching out and placing his hand over hers. “You don’t have to tell me what you are feeling. I understand. It’s okay, Tenele. Don’t make this any more difficult on yourself than it already is. This date isn’t about falling in love with me. It’s about knowing me. Hopefully getting to see that I’m not a monster, or a sexual predator, or a psychopath. Just think of this as a friendly courtship. I am your friend, nothing more. I don’t expect anything other than conversation.”

Tenele nodded, a smile flickering to her face. “I believe you when you say that,” she told him. “Vlad said something similar, but he looked like he was shattering inside when he said it. It hurt my heart, and I didn’t even really know him then. I think, subconsciously, I remember things… But, I just can’t really see them.”

“That could be possible,” Atul replied, suddenly very thankful for the many masks he’d learned to wear. He threw on a smile. “What do you say we eat this and head back home? That way we are in time to bid Tenara goodnight?”

Tenele grinned. “I’d like that.”

After dinner they headed back towards the palace. Atul was acting normal, but he’d slowly began to dissolve from the inside out. He was lost in his thoughts, and his pace was quick, while Tenele enjoyed pausing to take in the many different things to see.

The crowds grew thicker near the market, the lantern light warm and inviting. Atul had meant to stop and shop with her, but now he just felt the need to find a dark room and sit for a while. Besides, he’d promised to have her home in time for Tenara’s bedtime.

“Oh!” Tenele squeaked. “That’s so pretty!”

Atul turned at the sound of her voice and smiled at where she’d stopped in the distance, looking at all the colorful glass globes that reflected candlelight.

Then, he spotted the man glowering at her. While the other people meandered around the carts, this hooded man was the only one stalking forward, to her, through the crowd. His head was down, his hand reached beneath the cloak. He brandished a sword, lifting it high above his head.

“Tenele!!”

Tenele glanced up from the globes and to Atul. He looked petrified and then he charged forward. Tenele turned and saw the sword coming down. She screamed, and lifted an arm to cover her face.

Atul grabbed Tenele by her dress and shawl and snatched her back, just as he stepped forward. He lifted his bare forearm and caught the impact of the sword. It cut deep and shattered the bone, but it didn’t slice all the way through.

The King’s eyes glowed blue and he punched upwards into the man’s gut with a fist wrapped in blue fire. The attacker flew backwards, knocking down a few pedestrians until he smashed through a cart and then a wall.

“Atul!” Tenele called as the King stalked forward. “Your arm!”

The King looked down at the gushing wound, and then at the woman collecting herself from the earth. The attacker was forgotten as she stood up in front of him, her shawl knocked from her head, and the silver hair gleaming in the candlelight. The whole crowd went silent.

Atul reached forward with his uninjured arm and he cupped his hand around her cheek, his fingers curling around the back of her head. “Are you okay?” he asked intently, blue eyes blazing. “Did he hurt you?”

“Never got a chance,” she whispered, unable to tear her gaze from the look he had. “Your arm,” she reminded him, reaching forward. “Oh, gods, that’s awful.” Tenele took his fingers gingerly, feeling a little nauseas at the sight of it. “We should stop the bleeding.”

Tenele took her shawl and wrapped it around the wound tightly. “The blood,” she murmured worriedly, watching the blood soak through the silk. She tied it tighter above the wound.

“It’s okay. It will heal by tomorrow morning. I heal fast. Not as fast as Vlad, but faster than you. Don’t fret over it.”

“You shouldn’t have done that,” Tenele scolded him. “No armor. You could lose your arm!”

“You sound like the old Tenele,” Atul chuckled. “Worrying over me such when you barely know me. Excuse me, my lady, I have a man to kill.” He bowed his head respectfully and turned on a heel.

But, when Atul got to where the man had landed, he was gone. The King snatched up anyone around, and all had no idea where he’d gone. The demi-god couldn’t imagine how anyone could have walked away from that hard of a hit.

“We should get back to the palace,” he told Tenele, grabbing her hand. He kept his arm tucked close to his chest and worked his way through the streets back towards the palace, Tenele close at his side.

[Soran Nightblade]

Vlad was playing with Tenara on the floor when an unmistakable scent picked up in his mind. "Stay here, Snack," he directed the girl stiffly as he leaped up and ported to the door, swinging it open. "Atul!" he demanded softly in the same motion.

[Emora Deen]

Atul pushed Tenele toward her husband, clutching a hand over her arm. "I don't want to alarm Tenara," he seethed, gritting his teeth through the pain. He looked down at his arm. "The guards are on high alert, the palace is on lock down." The King backed towards his room as stampede of feet headed his way. Nurses, servants, guards, advisers, all worried and loud.

"What were you doing out there," Mathis scolded as Atul went inside his room. "What are people going to think? An affair with the Ighten woman?"

"Really think that's the least of my worries right now, Mathis," Atul barked before the door closed.

Tenele stared longingly at the thick wood, her green gaze flinting to Vlad. Her coral dress had splatters of blood all over it. "It happened so fast..."

[Soran Nightblade]

Vlad stared at the hall in stunned frustration. Another part of Atul's life where he couldn't follow, couldn't protect him. His lover was hurt.

He directed his attention to Tenele, drawing her towards him with a gentle hand and studying her while his other hand shut the door. "Tenara, can you get mommy her nightgown?" he directed his daughter to stop her from staring at the door.

"It's okay," he said in low voice to his wife, squeezing her shoulders in reassurance. "What happened?"

[Emora Deen]

"I don't really know," she whispered while Tenara scurried off to where her mother had draped her nightgown from last night.

"I was looking at these glass things and then Atul shouted my name. He was looking at something next to me. I looked and this man had a sword and... Then, Atul was there and I was on the ground. His arm... There was blue fire around his hand and then the guy with the sword was gone. Its just one big blur of color." Tenele felt shaky just thinking about it. "Maybe it was an assassination attempt on the King and I was just in the way."

"Mommy," Tenara whispered, nudging her leg. She held up her nightgown. The child wore a concerned expression. She knew something wasn't right, but she didn't know what.

[Soran Nightblade]

Vlad frowned. "You're just as likely a target as he is. You are a celebrity here, and a nearly religious one at that." He glanced at the wall, as if that could bring him closer to Atul. If someone had made an attempt on his life, he was still in danger. He thought of how weak the man became when he used his magic. He didn't want the king lying prone in a room of people the vampire didn't know or trust. "Wait...you say he attacked with blue fire, and the person still escaped?"

[Emora Deen]

Tenele nodded. "He went to finish him and... he was gone. He went through a whole cart and a wall." Tenele replied. "Does that mean anything? Is that bad?"

Tenara fisted her hands in her mothers dirty dress. "No, baby, don't. Mommy needs to change," she whispered to Tenara. "Why don't you climb into bed and I'll be in to read you a story."

"Okay," Tenara replied, yawning. Stalker nudged her back towards her room, licking her face as they went.

[Soran Nightblade]

Vlad grimaced. "I can count on one hand the people I know of who can survive an attack from Atul. None of them are good news. All of them have the means to worm into his court, if they choose. They have the means to try to finish the job. You and he are both in danger," he told her in a low voice.

[Emora Deen]

Tenele frowned. "Aren't you in danger too?" she asked him, holding the night gown so that the stains on her dress didn't get on the white fabric. She almost started the change, but for some reason felt hesitant to do so in front of him. "Do you know who it could be?"

[Soran Nightblade]

"I have ideas." He looked back at Tenele, and the nightgown. "On second thought, please put this on," he said, drawing a more modest Hajarian robe from their closet with telekinesis. He caught the dress in the air and passed it to her, trading it for the nightgown.

*My blood. Come,* he directed Talon, calling on their blood link.