Heirot

Tenele chuckled lightly. "Boring, hmm?" She lifted her face to kiss him, since his body was trapping her against the mattress she couldn't go much higher than that. "I'm very sorry to have bored you, my love. If only I could make it up to you."

Tenele wormed her hand beneath the sheets until she could hold his side, drawing him closer. "You seem in a better mood," she whispered, brushing her lips against his.

Vlad kissed her more passionately than he had in days and drew her in closer to him with a possessive smile. "I believe I'm on to something. Finally."

Tenele melted after his kiss, her eyes falling shut, her body relaxing. She was sad when it ended. "You found something?" she asked, smiling. "What did you find? Do you think it will work?" Hopeful excitement flooded her. She kissed him quickly. "Tell me."

Vlad lifted the book far enough out that her eyes could focus on it and gave her a better view of the illustration. It was a large runic circle. "This is an incantation to leverage the power of multiple beings and effectively merge their strength. Theoretically, such a thing could overthrow a God if those involved were powerful enough. I'm still working out the fine print. It's written in a dead language, so I'm thinking it's older than Ighten and Arken themselves."

Tenele nodded as she examined the illustration, running her fingertips over the page. "That old? How long do you think it will take before you can translate the rest of it?" Tenele turned her eyes on him.

"Well, I am easily distracted," Vlad grinned as he dropped the book back over her head and nipped her on the ear. The promise of this potential solution had his spirits in a rare high after the dull discipline of the past week.

A soft shudder ran through her, and chill down her spine at the feel of his lips on her ear. She was too distracted to remove the book, and too deprived of his touch. She reached up slowly and pushed the book over her head until it sat on the pillow behind her. Her other hand lifted to brush fingertips across his cheek. "Easily distracted, aye?" she breathed with a smile. "How willing are you to be distracted at the moment?"

"Like I said," he murmured, his lips brushing her neck, "It is boring when you sleep." He ran his tongue along her neck in a long, silky line and brushed his teeth against the skin just below her ear. "God I've missed you," he said huskily against her warm skin.

Tenele shivered again just from the light touch of his lips and teeth. His sweet words tugged at her heart. "I've missed you too," she whispered to him, wrapping her arms tightly around him. "There is still a little time before the ship arrives at the docks..." Tenele smiled, trailing fingertips lightly over his chest.

Vlad's back was still a little sensitive from his wounds a week before, but they'd reached a point where a little pain could feel rather nice, if in the right mood. He rolled over top of her in a playful movement, tangled up in her and the sheets. He placed cool kisses down her neck and under the neckline of her nightgown, until the fabric stopped him. "You're wearing quite a bit too much clothing, my love," he chuckled into the fabric.

Tenele giggled softly, worming her hands under the sheets. She tugged on the hem of her gown, having to fight to get it loose from where Vlad's body pinched it to her. She managed to tug it over her head, and then she dropped it over Vlad's eyes playfully. "There," she sighed, enjoying the feel of his cool body against her warm skin. "Is that better?"

"Much," Vlad smiled, nuzzling down into her. He unfastened the lacing on the front of his tunic so he could pull it open and lie bare-chested against her.

Then a firm knock came at the door.

Vlad glanced over his shoulder, indifferent to whoever was outside. Probably another one of the useless servants he'd been rather harshly torturing all week. Whatever Queeny wanted, it could wait. "Not right now," he called out, stretching out in a cool line of contact against Tenele's body.

"Vlad?" came a distinctly familiar, slightly accented male voice from the other side of the door. The doorknob rattled and clicked open. "Our ship arrived early. Sinead said I could find you..up.." Atul drifted off as he stepped in and noticed them both on the bed. A flush rose to his tanned skin as he spun around to look back toward the door. "...Sorry," he said quickly, the image of both of them burned into his mind. He managed to smile slowly. "Good to see some things haven't changed."

"Atul!" Tenele blurted out, turning crimson. She dragged the blanket up to shield her naked body better. "Yes, some things don't change. Like, you haven't learned to be invited in yet." Still, she couldn't help but smile. Tenele wiggled her way out from under Vlad while Atul had his back turned and scooped up her gown from the floor, drawing it over her head. It wasn't exactly the most modest garment she owned, but it was a tad better than naked.

When she had clothes on she went to him quickly and through her arms around his neck. "Its so good to see you!"

Atul smiled broadly and returned her embrace. He tried to keep their contact to a minimum, his mind still preoccupied by the scene he'd just accidentally witnessed. As soon as she released him, Vlad was behind her and closing in. The vampire hadn't quite the same modesty as his wife, strolling up to Atul bare-chested and giving his friend a firm embrace.

Vlad sized up his friend - yes, definitely a rare, but actual friend - , having not seen him for some time. "You look tired," he observed, and he didn't just mean from the ship. The demigod had some shadows in his face that weren't there the last time they'd seen him. "How is the war?"

"Won," Atul muttered, scratching the back of his head. "I'm King now... but it came at a large cost. Its actually how I was able to make this journey, and why it was so important to do it now. I need to show my people, and Ighten, that we are heading in a different and better direction."

"King," Tenele mused with a smile. "Should I bow?"

Atul chuckled. "You two never have to bow to me, in fact I should be bowing to you. Without you, I'd have no kingdom and my people surely wouldn't be free."

Tenele smiled, looping her arm around Vlad's. The glint of gold caught Atul's eye. He reached forward and took her hand, narrowing his eyes. Then, he grabbed up Vlad's arm.

"Well..." Atul sighed, smirking. "You really... How- how in the world did you manage that? Well, this is too bad. I was really hoping for some stiff competition for when I came to steal Tenele's heart." Atul winked at her. "Congratulations, you'll have to tell me in great length how you managed to pull that off."