Heirot

About ten minutes later, Vlad let himself in through Tenara's door. He looked the way he normally looked when he'd been riding in the sun for days on end, but he stood straight as he entered the room. "Ah, you're still here," he observed with a tired smile. "Breakfast?"

Tenele stood up, lifting Tenara off of Stalker. "Are you sure?" she asked him, balancing the child on her hip.

"Daddy needs nap," Tenara announced, poking her father's cheek. "Did you have bad dream too?"

"You do look tired," Tenele whispered, wondering what exactly had happened when he went to visit Sinead. "Why don't you stay back and rest. I'll take Tenara out to eat and maybe for a walk. When you're feeling better you can join us?"

"I'm fine, fine," Vlad waved it off. "No worries. Let's do something fun, and dream about better things tonight, eh Snack?" he swung the girl up into his arms.

Tenara giggled. "Okay!" she hugged her father very tightly.

Tenara entertained them over breakfast with the stories of how she'd spent her time while they were away. It mostly included playing in the fountain and being told stories by the men in the library. Tenele wasn't so fond of Tenara hanging out with strange men in dark libraries, but the child didn't seem afraid of them.

And really, did she have to worry about Tenara? The child could splinter a man's bones with a thought. Then again, her powers were as unpredictable as they were volatile. Sometimes they worked, sometimes they didn't, and sometimes they happened just when she was slightly upset. One day, when she was older, she would control them... and Tenele laid awake some nights thinking what that power might do to her innocent girl.

After breakfast Tenara wanted to go to town and look at the pretty dolls in a store that Tenele liked to take her to. She repeatedly asked if it was okay, but Tenele was still unsure if Vlad was up for it and after the announcement the day before she wasn't sure how safe it was to venture out. Being the future queen, princess, and... whatever title Vlad would receive, had to be like painting targets on their backs.

"Please?" Tenara asked, shaking her mother from her thoughts.

Vlad mussed up the girl's hair with his big hand as she fussed about the shop. "How would you like to take a different route to the doll shop?" he asked the young girl. "Escape the crowds a bit?"

"Okay," Tenara replied happily, reaching out and grabbing her father's hand.

Tenele smiled, wondering what sort of way Vlad was thinking of going. Tenara wasn't particularly fond of his teleportation, but she was growing more used to it. She said it made her feel dizzy. She seemed excited to go and really not caring how she got there.

Vlad hoisted Tenara up onto his shoulders and reached out for Tenele's hand. It felt nice to feel her fingers around his as he led them down the hallway, down the stairs, and out the front gate of the palace. The city was bustling, but Vlad didn't head for main street. He led them North a block, and climbed up a stone stair someone had built into the side of their home. In moments, they were standing on the roof, looking out across the roofscape of the city. He cast a content look at his wife. "This is where I use an excuse to carry you," he informed her, offering his arms. His eyes dared her to try following him across the rooftops.

Tenele arched an eyebrow at him. "You are seriously going to jump roof to roof with our daughter on your shoulders and your arms around me?" Tenele scolded. For some reason it was in her mind that Tenara would go flying off. But, she knew her husband well enough to trust his judgement in the unnatural feats his body could preform.

"Jump! Jump! Jump!"

"Oh, alright. Fine," Tenele sighed, climbing into her husband's arms.

Vlad encircled her gently in his arms and stepped out across the roof. Despite the uneven terrain, his movements were smooth and comfortable, even when he needed to leap between buildings. He didn't feel Tenara teeter on his shoulders, but he had his telekinesis ready just in case. As they made their way across the city and he felt them relax more, he had some fun with it, spinning them around a little. Then he took in his surroundings and peered down at the roads below. "Where are we, exactly?" he asked innocently.

"I don't know," Tenele laughed. "I thought you knew where we were going. Its hard to tell from up here. Maybe we should drop down?" Tenara curled her small hands around her father's head, hugging him to her chest.

"We're lost," Tenara announced to them.

"I'm certainly not lost. I simply don't know where I'm going," Vlad scoffed. "What do you think, Snack? This way?" He strolled down the roof toward his right.

"No," Tenara replied. "That way!" she pointed to the left, though she really didn't have a clue where she was or where she was going from that vantage point.

"We should probably go down to the street and get a better idea of where we are," Tenele advised with a smile. "It would only take a moment."

"Psh. Snack and I have it," Vlad reassured his wife flippantly, heading in the direction Tenara indicated. He relaxed into his gait, enjoying the soft weight of his family against him. "Hmm, I'm pretty sure it's over that way," he pondered as they reached the corner of the rooftop road he was following.

"Are you sure?" Tenara giggled. She ticked his head with her fingers.

"There is honestly no telling with your daddy. You might end up in a fountain instead of a doll shop," Tenele chuckled, turning her green gaze up to him. She wondered if he was feeling better, he seemed to be a little happier than that morning.

A half hour later, they were on top of a tall stone cathedral near the port. The clay-tiled ceiling overlooked the water, and the smell of pastries and fish being sold on the market below. Vlad let his wife down onto the gently sloped surface and then lifted Tenara down. "Shall we pay our loving public a visit?" he suggested, taking a cavalier jump off the rooftop to the ground ten feet below. Others on the street turned and murmured, while some went on shopping.

He glanced back up at them, shoving his hands in his pockets.