Heirot

Lelana frowned, and didn't reply. "He isn't," she finally admitted. "I fed you his blood yesterday." The Queen of Monorrow moved away from the vampire, standing up. She stretched, feeling an ache in her body from the position in which she slept, and a weakness from the amount of power she used the day before.

She rubbed her temple lightly. "I used too much..."

Vlad drew a deep breath, and found very little motivation to get off the floor. Remembering that he was on his back in front of an emotional predator more or less raised his incentive. He sat up and got to his feet, but didn't look well. "Who else lives with you?" he asked, looking down at his indecent clothes.

Lelana admired him as he stood before her. "Servants and soldiers, that is all," Lelana replied. "Your pants seem to be missing the other half that holds them up. Not that I'm complaining. My, Tenele is a lucky woman." Her nose wrinkled with a smirk.

Vlad rewarded her comment with a cocky smile. "Why thank you," he gloated. "Where can I find something that covers me on more than one side?"

"The servants deposited the clothing you packed in the drawers, you should be able to find your things there," Lelana told him, taking a seat in a chair. "Around the corner there is a waterfall run off that makes for a good shower. If you are so inclined."

"Yeah," Vlad said. "I'll think I'll take you up on it, this time." He made his way out of the room ahead of her and headed for the quarters he'd been given. The luxurious accommodations weren't as oppressive as the day before, but they weren't as beautiful either. Everything here now symbolized the self-contrived torture chamber that girl had built for herself. He dug out an outfit from the drawer, keeping to something modest that he didn't mind having destroyed.

Once he was prepared, he went to the waterfall she'd mentioned and stripped away his ruined and bloody clothes and threw them in the corner. He threw himself into the icy water and stood limp in the current, letting his world narrow to the cool liquid streaming down his spine.

Lelana peered around the corner at him. She admired how much peace he found in the current of the water running over him. She covered her head. "No, no, no," she whispered at the thoughts that filled her mind.

A few minutes later warm hands slid over Vlad's back gently, fingers massaging into his skin. They slipped around to cup the muscles of his chest, and warm flesh pressed into his back. Tenele's silver hair washed wet down her spine. "My love," she whispered. Her lips pressed against his skin.

Vlad's calm mood fell to pieces. What terrorized him most was not the fact that he knew this woman wasn't his wife. It was the thought of even imagining physical intimacy with Tenele, even a fake one. He went still, his heart pounding. "Be careful, Lelana. Try to fight it a bit longer. I want to see what your endurance looks like." He turned to face her, unashamed to be naked, and put his hands on her shoulders. "Let's do something else."

Tenele brushed her fingers across his chest. "Okay," she whispered. "Something else." She smiled, leaning forward to drag her lips across his chest. "Something else..."

Vlad's legs wanted to strike out at her. He held still and pushed gently back on her shoulders. "What makes you happy, Lelana? Other than making others miserable by comparison?" he asked in earnest as he toweled off. He didn't bother with modesty. It was too late to care.

Tenele's visage fell away and Lelana stood naked in the water. "What makes me happy?" he asked him softly. She wasn't meaning to make him miserable... but of course she couldn't avoid that. Of course he didn't want her touch. Lelana frowned down at her feet. "Music. Music makes me happy."

"You are in poor luck," Vlad said as he pulled his pants on. "I have a lousy vocal range. But I've lived a few years, and I may know a song or two." He cast her a devious grin. "If I'm persuaded."

Lelana stepped out of the water, dawning her clothes over her wet body. "A song?" Lelana asked. "What do you want in return for a song?"

"You seem to dabble in psychology," Vlad said, crossing his arms as he drew his shirt over his shoulders unbuttoned. "Motivate me. Positively. I'm curious if you can use your powers for good," he teased.

Lelana frowned at him. "Something good? You're really willing to let me in your head after what I did to it yesterday?" she asked him, stepping forward. "Something good..."

The Queen went to Vlad and she slowly cupped his face. The world faded and Vlad was standing in a sea of sand. There was a little girl with black hair frolicking behind an older boy. The girl giggled as she danced up behind him and gave him a playful shove on the back.

"Tag!" Lelana laughed, dancing off away from him.

"I can't play tag, Lelana," Atul announced. "I'm going on an adventure."

"Where?" Lelana asked him, slipping up along side him. "Can I come?"

The young prince scowled at his sister. "You're a girl."

"So," Lelana smiled, looping her arms around his and hugging it to her chest. "I can come. I'll be helpful."

Atul paused in his journey. "No, its best if you stay. Let go." He pried her arms from him.

"Atul," Lelana called. "Please, don't go!"

Atul kept walking. Lelana panicked. "Please! Father will be angry. Stay!"

When he was several yards away Lelana started sobbing. Fear. So much fear. If Atul left, there was no one left to love her or protect her. "Atul, please! Please don't leave me."

Atul stopped at the sound of her tears. He turned and jogged back to her. "Don't cry," he urged. "I'm sorry. I won't go." He hugged her tightly, burrowing his face in her hair. "I'll stay, please don't cry."

Atul dried Lelana's tears. "I love you," she whispered to him.

Atul smiled, "I love you."

"Will you love me forever?" Lelana whispered. "Promise you won't leave me."

"I promise. I won't leave you."

The image faded, and Lelana realized that it wasn't a very happy memory. Not to someone else, but to her it was very happy. It was when her brother loved her, and that time were her happiest days.