Heirot

Atul nodded. "It can be. It will be. Definitely. For us... We can have this life for now. For eternity. I may not be able to tie myself to you as a husband, but I can be yours when you need me. When you want me," Atul pressed a kiss to Tenele's neck, and then to Vlad's forehead. "And until the day comes when I have to take a wife, I will devote what time I am allowed to be with you, to you. Until then, I want this happiness. Gods, let me have this happiness."

Vlad drew in a tremoring breath and drew his arm tighter around the man. His forehead felt warm where Atul had kissed him, and the rest of him felt a little cold, which was silly, since he couldn't truly get cold. "It will be okay," he assured quietly. "Regardless of what circumstances require, we are here for you, and proud of you, and joined to you, and we will all be okay." His ruby eyes flashed. "And I will hold you to your commitment. I expect full devotion of your time to us," he snipped cockily.

Atul smiled down at Vlad, and pressed his cheek to Tenele's. "Of course," he whispered. "You have my full devotion, as always." He pushed away slowly, trying to draw out of Vlad's tight grip. "Unfortunately I need to get dressed. I really do have to leave this bed today. But, I'll be back later. Why don't you take Tenele into town, or through a stroll in the garden? Or," he added with a chuckle. "Stay in bed all day. Just do something that makes the two of you happy and relaxed."

Atul hopped out of Vlad's grip quickly, and thoroughly, skipping across the room towards his wardrobe where he quickly began dawning his fine silks.

The vampire glowered at his escaped toy, disapproval and the temptation to pursue written across his face. Luckily, he had his lovely wife beside him like a counterweight, so he remained behaved and twisted in the sheets to lay against her more fully. "He says we should be happy and relaxed," he said, "after all that tension. Perhaps it would be relaxing to reorganize his drawers a bit. I'm not sure he had a good system," he said vengefully.

Tenele laughed at her silly husband. "Reorganize his drawers?" she asked, wrapping her arms around his neck. "While that does sound absolutely relaxing in every way I've ever known... That sounds a lot like a prank on our caring lover." She kissed his nose. "How about you shower," she told him, poking his back with her fingers and ruffling his short hair. She laughed softly against the skin of his shoulder.

The vampire looked offended. "I do not play at pranks," he scoffed. And a moment later, "I'm quite skilled at them." After all that had happened last night, he could admit he rather required a shower. "I will get clean. Hopefully I can find my way around the king's fancy toiletries."

Tenele smiled at her husband, nestling back into the pillows. "Well, let me know if you need any help finding your way around." She brushed her finger tips down the side of his face. "Go on," she urged, pushing on his shoulder. "I'll pop over to our room and find something to wear."

Vlad smiled and went onward to the shower. He took the time to fool around with Atul's oils and lotions, and when he chose something that smelled masculine, he rubbed it through his wet hair and let his thoughts wander.

If it were Tenele, he would have stopped at nothing to have her commitment. He would abandon Sinead's rule, if he could manage it. He would give up his lifestyle, change his manners. If she needed it, he would. But could he say the same about Atul? When he asked those questions, Vlad had frozen. He wouldn't betray Sinead or confine himself to a palace. They all loved each other, yes, but they loved other things more. No...that was the wrong way around. Maybe they loved each other enough not to take each other's lives away. They were already joined in blood and spirit. They were forever part of each other's lives.

Gradually, the confused tension in him subsided at his reasoning. He'd had to convince himself he wasn't losing something terribly precious, that it could never be lost. But gradually, supporting Atul in his goals as a king seemed more and more the right way to show him his love. Even if he couldn't always touch him when he wanted to. Even if he couldn't always be with him when he wanted to. His love for the king was very different from his love for Tenele, but it was just as important.

He stepped out of the shower about 20 minutes later, warm from the long exposure to heat. He shouldn't waste the water out here, but it felt good to do some thinking. Only his protective desire to have closer proximity to Tenele drew him out of his stronghold. He looped a dark green towel around his waist and headed out into the hall barefoot, embarrassing a young maid who was carrying firewood to the king's quarters. She managed to look frustrated instead of interested as she swooped around him and into the room as he left. Vlad smirked and strolled next door to he and Tenele's quarters. He did have a tendency to walk around like he owned the place, pants or no. Then again, Atul had said to make himself at home.

"I'm pure again," he boasted as he strolled in and swung the door behind him.

Tenele glanced up at the door as she pulled a coral colored dress over her head. The color made her tanning skin all the more luminous. "So you are," she laughed, adjusting the dress around her waist and hips, smoothing out the ruffled lines. It cowled low over her chest, and swished lightly around her feet.

Stalker lounged on their bed, exactly where she'd left him when the maid had called her to tend to her husband. He lifted his head at Vlad, and then cast his red eyes on Tenele.

"What do you want to do today?" she asked, slipping her arms around his waist. "I know the doctor said I needed to rest, but I'm feeling better. I really am. I think I'd like to do something with you today." She placed a long warm kiss center-chest.

Vlad grinned at his wife, enjoying her soft lips on his warm chest. "Very well. If you grow tired, I can always bring you back my own way," he teased. "Perhaps you would accompany me into town on an errand?"

"Yes!" she replied with a bit of excitement. She was eager to get out of the palace and walk around town, but even more so to spend some time with Vlad. "I'm glad you get the day off and we can spend it together. Sometimes I think you both work all the time. How is it you got roped into helping him diplomatically, and I get to represent Ighten at social functions and shop openings? Although, never mind. Now that I say that out loud, don't bother answering. I understand." She tightened her arms around him before loosening them and giving his bottom a firm slap. "Get dressed."

"Dressed?" Vlad glanced down at his towel. "Errands really must be boring for you, aren't they?" he condescended. "My way would be more amusing." As he spoke, he loosened the towel and tossed it on the bed. He strode naked and fully aware of how good he looked as he made his way to the dresser and pulled out tan pants and a burgundy-red tunic.

"Well, we could go in the town your way, but it might frighten the locals," she told him as she admired his body with the slight tilt of her head. Her mouth watered at the way his muscles moved while he dressed. She shook her head to clear her thoughts. When he was dressed she looped her arms around him again. "You look dashing with or without clothes." She raised onto her tip toes and kissed his lips tenderly. "Lead the way sunshine."

Vlad's chest swelled with pleasure at the way she called him sunshine. Something about her voice tingled across his skin and warmed him from inside out. His ruby gazed lived up to the name as he kissed her back and squeezed her in tight, half twirling her toward the door. "Alright, to perform our mission then," he announced as he clasped his coin purse onto the side of his belt and opened the door for his wife.

Tenele smiled at him, walking along side her husband with her arm looped in his. The guards greeted them as they left through the palace gate towards town. She was careful to draw the hood over her head to hide away her silver hair, as it tended to draw too much attention from the villagers. "Is there anything in particular we are searching for today?" she asked, admiring some trinkets littered across a merchants table.