O'Conner's School for the Light challenged

[The Madame Red]

Someone gave notice of Emma's new absence to Anya, waking her from her sleep to inform her of the news. Giving a brief nod, Anya went back to sleep.



Oscar had just feasted on one of Anya's ladies in waiting when the messenger told him of Emma's departure. Though he was somewhat worried because of what she was fully capable of, he decided it was for her own good. She needed to let off some steam as he did before.



********



The next night, Anya woke with a bigger belly. She was more than happy to see the quick transformation of her pregnancy was already showing. There was still much to do until the actual birth of the child. After she showered and put on a dress custom made for her pregnant-self, Anya went to great her ladies for an early evening drink. With the child growing stronger every night, it was necessary for her to drink more than what she would actually want.

"My Queen, what if the child is a daughter?" one of the ladies asked.

Anya's back became rigid as she forced a smile. These were new times, daughters were accepted now, but still... She smiled even more as she answered, "Then she will be more than happy to wait for her brother to arrive."

"But a little girl is just as good now," one of the ladies commented politely, "She could be Queen as a son could be King."

"Yes, yes," Anya rolled her eyes, "But it is a son I want and it is a son I feel. If I have a daughter by accident then she will be good as a first born until I can give this kingdom the son it deserves."

"Spoken like an old person."

The ladies hid their laughter as best as they could as Oscar walked into the room. He stood behind Anya's chair as she stood up to greet him, "You're fat."

"With a child," Anya beamed as she placed his hand on her growing belly, "He'll be the envy of the other kingdoms. Hurry up and marry to give my son a princess to marry, Oscar."  

[Hikari_Mamo]

Emma had not realised what she'd gotten herself into. Silver flame jumping? child's play, holy water? Another shower but how could they know her weakness? She didn't know she had a weakness! She was resistant to everything Vampires and Lycan were weak too. But really? She was weak against un-solidified Amber? Really? They'd shot the bullets at her as she rushed through the physical challenges they gave her. She was faster than them, stronger, but sometimes they got a shot in. Eventually they got enough to slow her down until she healed the damage. It was awesome! She felt so alive! She had no need to kill anything. And she knew her pack, her second family so well. When she returned with her pack they were laughing and joking and rough housing happily. Emma was covered in mud and dried blood the others were just a bit roughed. up. She also seemed to be regrowing a hand. "Seriously? Why did you guys cut off my hand?" She asked in fits of laughter.
"Because we couldn't hit you otherwise and how else are we to see how good a warrior you are?" A random called met by loud laughter.
"You should have let my rep speak for itself." Emma countered with a grin.
"Ah but they can be exaggerated. Who came up with you all but taking out the last of the ferals?"
Emma stopped and stared at the guy with a weird look. "I took them out with blood silver and fire. I was a mere human when I did this. I freed the human slaves the pack had set up for breeding and saved a coven from targeted slaughter. Little puppy. Don't think my story is in the least exaggerated. It is not. Now! I'm going to have a shower and greet my kids! Any questions?"
"Yes." Simon perked up. "Who were those others northside?"
Emma shrugged. "Beats me. I don't really care either. They're not the Pack of awesome!" They all blinked. "Yeah no not saying that again. to the showers!"
"You're going to track mud through your father's castle?" Marcus asked.
"Yes I am! More work for the servants. Shake it up from dusting. Anya! Anya I'm in! Stop playing Bridge and tell me how my kids were over night?!" Her hand was half way into it's regrowth stage. Muscles and tendons with a few think layers of skin had appeared over bone. "Seriously! You're all about as boring as Crystal!"  

[The Madame Red]

"Emma!" Anya hissed, her eyes wide as her cheeks flushed as she emerged down the hall, "Don't say-"

"I understand," Crystal smiled as she approached Anya from behind, "I do not find much livelihood of modern games as you do, Queen Anya, but the cards we played passed the time."

"Crystal has been staying with me to monitor the pregnancy," Anya placed her hands on the small of her back, allowing her swollen belly to be seen, "She's been helping me a lot with the back pain and salves for my skin."

"It is a very rare sight to see a vampire give a live birth," Crystal noted as she turned her attention to Emma, "I am most interested in these findings."

"Oh you are a dear," Anya smiled as she took hold of Crystal's wrist, "Please read my cards again. I want to know if my son will be handsome or comely."

"As you wish," Crystal returned with her own smile as she walked off with Anya.

Oscar had just rounded the corner, catching a glimpse of Crystal before watching the witch walk off with Anya. He didn't exactly trust the woman. Then again, she was making Anya happy during the final stage of her pregnancy. He turned his attention back to Emma with a shrug, "Well you're back already. Kill a race off yet?"  

[Hikari_Mamo]

Emma rushed at Oscar hugging him tight even though she got him dirty. "Even better!" She gushed. "I lost a hand! It was so much fun! You should have seen me! And my pack! Oh gods they're so awesome! Not as awesome as you though no one could ever be as awesome as you and-" She paused going pale under the mud and swayed. Marcus rushed to his Alpha's side knowing what would come next. It happened on the game of Instinct. "Sorry Oscar, you'll have to get a rehash latter. That weird bird thing she ate keeps making a repeat performance." He rushed Emma off to the nearest bathroom just in time to save Oscar from a fountain of sick. Once she'd finished Emma shooed Marcus out so she could shower. It didn't take that long. She returned in a fluffy bathrobe her hand still raw from the fight. "Sorry about that, Oscar, it was just so exciting." Her eyes shone a little. At least she wasn't homicidal or drunk any more.

Conrad was hovering over his wife, and the twins. He kept the twins with him at all times and his wife in sight too. He didn't like the witch being around but it made Anya happy so he dealt with it. His daughter returned sounding like her old self so he broke away to greet her.
"Kiss her my king!" A servant of Oscar's called out when Emma returned to his side. She always seemed to do that. Even when she was married with Liam she always tried to subtly be around Oscar. It didn't matter. "That's not proper!" Conrad snapped at the servant who flushed and ran away embarrassed that she'd been caught. Though it would have been nice to know how she'd react to him kissing her. She looked happy again. With her larger pack. He turned and went after Anya again hoping Emma would be all right. She'd come for her twins when she was ready for them. After she'd calmed down from her trip.  

[The Madame Red]

"As if a bat could," Liam walked passed Oscar and Emma with Isolde trailing an inch from behind, "Glad to see you're back, Emma."

"I see you like my cousin's pack," Isolde smirked with pride towards Emma, "We're a fierce bunch. There was no doubt that you could pass through the trials everyone from the North have to go through for initiation."

"Well look who the mutts dragged in," Oscar turned to the two passing wolves, "Done pissing on the territory?"

"Only around your castle," Isolde snided before receiving a playful slap from Liam.

"Anyways... I'm going out for a hunt with my men, i'll be back later to hear about the trip," Oscar walked off with a line of men and women following him.

Liam watched Oscar leave and turned back to Emma, "We need to talk about sharing the twins or just keeping them here so I can see them more. I have my pack settled on the outskirts of the territory to give privacy towards your family, but I want to see my kids."




"Oscar is quite odd," Crystal mentioned as she gazed out the window of Oscar and his people entering the woods.

"I hope you mean that in a good way," Anya sat down to write a letter, "He has a hard shell, but he's been warming up slowly over the years."

"From our last conversations, he hasn't shown any signs of being hard to talk to," Crystal turned towards Anya.

Anya glanced up from her letter with a sly smile, "I see. You have a little crush on Oscar. If you'd like I can set up a supervised outing so you can get to know him."

"A supervised outing? My kind normally take people in on an intimate level in a different way, Queen Anya. But I do appreciate your help," Crystal stepped away from the window, "I think i'll be taking a walk through the forest as well."

The Queen stifled a small laugh as she watched Crystal leave the castle before continuing to write a letter to a relative she had believed to be long since dead.  

[Hikari_Mamo]

Emma's expression changed dramatically. Her eyes cold. Her jaw clenched. Simon and Marcus pulled everyone back. "I'll have to put some thought into it." Emma replied in a calculating tone. "Come back to me when you're done with the tart okay?" She glided quickly up the stairs to the second gym in the south wing. Her pack followed quickly. "Now you've done it!" Marcus snapped at Liam a few of the pack spat at his feet as they followed their Alpha. "There are rules cousin. Follow them." Eythur growled looking at her with disgust. He turned then followed his Alpha. He picked up fast who had hurt whom between the two pack alphas. And he had picked sides just as quickly. When he arrived at the gym his Alpha was already taring apart a punching bag already half turned. The killing intent on her features was back. and he knew distracting her again with another game of instinct wouldn't work. Nothing would work now. Emma wanted to kill. And he didn't know how to control her.

Conrad glared at the witch. "It would be. . . wise not to get involved with Oscar Crystal. Emma is unpredictable at this moment in time. And now that Liam seems to have recovered rather quickly from Emma leaving him she will be even more volatile. And Anya, you are not going to set up a betrothal with our unborn child to anyone. Our child can marry who they want and if you try to make an argument of breeding then you will be offending yourself with every word you say. for I chose you. why not let our child choose theirs?"
There was a very loud roar to which the twins tried to answer with mews. Conrad sighed and left the room. "I'll be back. Emma's calling her babies." And he left for the south gym placing the twins at the door so he wouldn't get hurt.

Emma turned to see her babies sitting confused at the threshold of the gym mewing at each other. Emma walked calmly over to them and gathered them in her arms holding them close trying not to cry. Her world was in her arms. And she lost sight of it for a moment. She would protect her children with all her power.  

[The Madame Red]

"Are we a couple now?" Isolde innocently blinked, "Marcus is Emma's Beta, does that mean they've been a couple the entire time?"

"From their assumptions, i'm guessing I wasn't allowed to have any type of females associating with myself under Emma's home," Liam rolled his eyes, "Either way, they'll figure it out that we're just pack-mates eventually. Besides, don't you already have a mate."

"Yup," Isolde held up a picture, "Jesse will be down when he can, he's currently with his family up North."

Liam decided to not push the fact that he was not having any intimacy with Isolde to the others. No one would believe him so why bother? Emma was going to choose what she wanted to know or make up to make herself more of a victim anyways. Isolde pinched him slightly with a sly grin, "I gotta say, it was kind of funny to know your ex was pretty jealous."

"I would say more territorial," Liam shrugged as he went on his own way.




"I do recall that Emma turned down Oscar," Anya pointed out, her tone as sharp as Conrad's when he spoke to her, "And I am simply giving him better options. I was just lucky, but his bride will be hand-picked."

Anya waited until after Conrad had left the room before whispering a profane word before finishing up her letter. She rested her head on her elbow on her writing desk as she looked out the window. One thing Emma said was true, she was rather boring. There was nothing to do and no drama to keep her blood flowing.

"Your letter has been sent," one of the ladies chimed, Anya merely nodded.




Oscar watched as his small army of people searched the forest for the best of animals to hunt and use for future use. A normal hunt was no longer exciting since he didn't drink animal blood anymore. His hunt consisted of an unwilling vampire that could only be unmatched for so long. Oscar took a long drag of his cigarette before turning away from the hunt.

He then came face-to-face with Crystal who seemed deep in thought as she gazed at him. Oscar raised a brow, "Can I help you?"

"When you drink from a vampire, does the blood taste different?" she asked as she tilted her head to the side slightly.

"Uh...kind of? I don't know, I don't pay attention to taste anymore," Oscar looked her up and down, "Why are you here?"

"You are intriguing," Crystal took a step closer, "I want to know you more and eventually partake in a mutual bond."

"Mutual bond? And I thought Anya was the only one who talked weird," Oscar commented dryly, "Look, I'm not-"

"Those who walk on the same path as me have silent customs when it comes to having a mutual bond," Crystal began to explain, "There isn't any jealousy or fights, every person has one person that they choose to form a bond with that goes on for a lifetime. That is why I wish to get to know you more and see if we can make a mutual bond."

Oscar had to admit, she was rather beautiful to look at and at least she wasn't bat s**t crazy. What did he have to lose? Not seeing a witch again? Besides, it'd be nice to talk to someone different for a change. Oscar finished his cigarette and flicked it to the ground, "I'll agree to just seeing how things go. I don't sleep around so don't expect me to hop in a bed with you."

Crystal chuckled softly as she smiled, "I wouldn't force you to sleep with me, I would simply ask if you'd like to join me."  

[Hikari_Mamo]

"I want to forget them." Emma said bluntly to Eythur. "I know there are wolfy ways I want to know how."

Eythur blinked madly at Emma. How the hell did she know about the switch? "It's dangerous." He said. "If you turn it off, you won't feel anything toward anyone." He said.

"Oh come now, what's the worst thing that could happen?" Emma asked light heartedly

"We could become your menu." Marcus said bluntly. Emma winced at that.

"But what if I could control the switch? What if I could make it that I could turn it off for some people and not others?" Emma countered. Eythur thought it a very intriguing hypothesis. But given his Alpha's reputation he was in no way going to-

"It hurts Eythur. Seeing them all the time. Knowing I can't just disappear. It hurts being around them. I need to make it stop until I can handle it again." Eythur eventually agreed and like a Vulcan placed his fingers strategically on Emma's face. Eythur muttered some words in Norse and Emma felt heat radiating in the finger tips and in her mind. She shivered opening her eyes. Red, green and a ice blue swirled like a full sink in a drain pipe. The colours seemed to swirl and sink into her pupils. "Forget the love, forget the pain. Simple, detachment to those who hurt your heart. You are not the victim, or the offender. Feel nothing. Fell nothing!" He let go of Emma and she pushed back swaying for a moment. Her eyes searched the crowd or nervous faces. Simon and Marcus holding a twin each.
"The voices are gone." Emma said blandly. "I feel no need to kill, to need to do anything but protect you." She swept her hands out to her pack. "Still loyalty to my father, my children but. . . nothing to the others." The pack sighed collectively. The ritual, had sort of worked. She didn't feel anything to anyone other than pack and family. "What about the two who have your heart?" Marcus asked concerned. Emma turned a cold gaze to Marcus then it turned bored and questioning.
"What about them? Do they have any meaning to us?" She asked then after an affectionate caress of her children's cheeks turned and left the room. Her pack were. . . surprised to say they least.

Conrad had given up. There was no point in talking to pregnant Anya. None at all. And he hated the fact she wanted to set up prospects. . . He hated that sort of thing. He spotted his daughter and instantly knew something about her was wrong. Last he saw her she looked ready to kill everyone, but now she looked. . . calm. Sane. How someone her age should really look like. Someone who hadn't seen and experienced the horrors Emma had faced. But it felt anything but natural. "Emma? Dallim? Are you okay?" He touched her shoulder. She felt ice cold. Emma turned her calm eyes to her father and gave a half smile. "Yes. I am fine. I'm going for a walk. Don't wait up." She left the castle looking strange. "Oh, and get the excess trash out of here, Mine is the only pack allowed in this castle." Then she left followed by her pack. They looked, like they were walking on eggshells. Waiting for their Alpha to lose it.
"She's done what I did to you Conrad." Adele said from behind him. "She's frozen her heart."
"I know. She, like you thought this life was too much to handle. . . But what thawed you out?" Conrad asked he wanted Emma back soon before her "Zen" mentality got someone killed.
"Oh silly leech, I haven't." Adele turned away to follow her pack, her grandchild. She didn't know where they were going, but she guessed it was away from the pain so Emma would be able to coupe.
"Burn it with fire." Emma said staring blankly at the place her children were conceived. Reluctantly her pack nodded torching the Manson. The only thing saved was the pool house on the other side of the large pool that joined manor to pool house. It was large enough that they could all live. And though the pack when into the pool house to sleep, Emma just watched the place burn with a vacant expression on her face. For a moment, with the fire, she could hear the screams of the girls she was trapped with, could hear the humans begging for her to spare their lives. Then she shook herself and went into the pool house. "We build a new tomorrow." She said then took a meditative position in front of a window looking out. She thought she saw Crystal watching her with a curious expression but another blink and the woman was gone. What Emma dreamed that night was not her normal dreams. . .  

[The Madame Red]

Oscar walked alongside Crystal as his people followed from a short distance. He was too deep in conversation with the witch to notice anyone else. Once they reached the castle, his people went to their secluded section away from Conrad's court as Crystal remained by Oscar's side with a distant smile on her lips.

"I don't normally hangout with your kind, but I can make an exception this once," Oscar nonchalantly shrugged, causing Crystal to laugh softly, "What?"

"You hold such a barrier to the rest of the world that it's funny you let me see a small glimpse of you," Crystal explained as she hid her smile, "I am only intrigued to know more, Oscar."

He glanced at his watch. There were still plenty of night left to talk with this witch, but he still had work to do. Oscar scratched the back of his head, "I'd like to talk with you again sometime, but I have a lot of work to do."

"I know," Crystal nodded knowingly, "I'll be somewhere in this castle."

Oscar parted ways with Crystal as he turned to his own section of the castle. It felt odd. Though he still loved Emma, he wouldn't mind getting to know Crystal better. Emma was a flight-risk at this point with being recently divorced. If he rushed in too fast with Emma, he may end up heart broken again. He forced those thoughts out of his head as he walked deeper down the halls.




Anya snatched her cloak and decided to go for a walk herself. If Conrad was going to be fussy with her already over their unborn child then she needed a break. The hormones she felt were all too new to her and having someone pushing her to the brink of hysteria now wasn't helping.

The full moon was still low in the night sky as she pulled the hood over her head. Her hands caressed her swollen belly softly as she felt her son gently kicking against his hardened chamber. She began to hum a quiet lullaby she recalled her own mother singing to her as a toddler. It had helped her through so many hard nights before that it only made sense it'd calm her own child down.

She then heard footsteps rushing towards her. Anya instinctively turned to see a messenger running towards her with a letter in his grasp.

"What is it?" Anya reached out and looked over the letter, "There's no time to waste!"

"He's here," the messenger panted.

Anya walked as fast as she could until she saw the black limousine pulled at the front gates. The door opened just before she climbed in to see Isaac sipping a glass of blood, "Good to see you, Anya, you look well."

"Just get me there as fast as you can," Anya ordered, the driver then took off at full speed, "When did you find her?"

"I had come across her just a few days ago, she was almost on the brink of starvation," Isaac explained, "It looked like she had been traveling for weeks without a single drop of blood in her."

Anya's mind raced. Isaac was not the one who changed her, so he wasn't able to track her or her creator down. Once they were back at her old school, Anya was helped inside and guided to the medical portion. She quietly walked through the doors to see her twin sister hooked up to an IV machine that was pumping her minutes amount of blood to keep her sustained. Anya covered her mouth as tears struck her eyes, "Katya..."  

[Hikari_Mamo]

"I know you're all talking about me and I would love it if you would stop." Emma turned her head to her pack with a frown. She wished they'd stop that look. She wasn't going on a killing spree. She wasn't going to kill Liam for what he did to her. But she wasn't going to roam the halls weeping anymore either. That was just plain senseless. Silly pack. Her twins walked slowly to their mother and her face changed instantly. Boredness turned to affection and she held them close to her. They didn't look too much like Liam so she could coupe being around them. she fed them her blood when they needed it and food when they demanded it. And she found they grew rapidly. Their walking became natural as did their speech though they never had to speak to their mother. Emma just knew what they wanted, what they needed. What they were thinking as if they had a mental bond. She couldn't explain it herself. They made the pain go away. "Alpha? Can we go hunting?" One of the young girls asked. Emma turned her head and smiled happily giving her pack hope she'd feel again.
"Of course, I don't need to hunt for a while so Marcus is in charge. Let me stay here and bond with my twins some more." The pack nodded and she waited until they were out of her earshot before making a call. "Jason, I'm calling in that life favour you owe me. I'll pay you twice your annual salary. I need you to build me a house. In two months. Start tomorrow. You will? Oh good! You know where I am now. Pull up around back there's a pool and a pool house near some burnt out ruins. Clear those up first and I'll give you an extra month to build what I want. Thanks. Oh it would be best if none of you tried to work during the night. okay you can but only when I'm around. Need to know stuff. That's why if you do this f or me, I'll consider the life favour paid and give you full protection from. . . the bump in the nighters. Wonderful! see you and your crew of. . ? Really? Nine hundred? Wow okay see you all tomorrow." She hung up then with her twins went outside and taught them how to swim.  

[The Madame Red]

Anya moved a strand of hair of the sleeping Katya's forehead to feel her skill was cold and clammy, but her brain waves were active. She still lived. It was then the first contraction waved through her, but Anya made no sign of pain to keep herself as calm as possible. She kept her body steady by holding onto the siderail of the bed to keep her standing. This was going to be a quick birth, she could feel it.

"Anya?"

Her eyes darted to the voice. The soft voice that she had grown up with. Katya's eyes blinked open as her head turned, "Anya?"

"I'm right here, Katya," Anya murmured, the contractions were getting increasingly worse by the second, "I'm..here.."

"Anya, you're sic-.. Holy s**t your pregnant!" Katya sat up on the bed rapidly before forcing Anya to get on the bed as well, "Your calving!"

"I'm not a cow!" Anya struggled to keep her legs closed as Katya tried to pull them open, "I-I can't give birth here!"

"That babe is comin' out now whether you're ready or not," Katya checked the dilation , "You're ready now."

Within ten minutes, a baby crying echoed the silent medical area. Katya cleaned and dressed the infant before wrapping it in a soft towel and handed the baby boy to Anya. Anya held her son against her chest, noticing Conrad's eyes in her son. Katya washed her hands before carefully taking out the IV site, "I heard you were pregnant and married to King Conrad. I came as soon as I heard, but it had been awhile since I had last had a drop of blood."

Anya heard her sister's words, but didn't comprehend them. Though Katya was her twin, she was curved in the right areas and more modern than Anya ever could be. But, Katya was still her sister and the remaining family besides Oscar.

"Alexei," Anya murmured as she kissed the infant's forehead.

"After our father," Katya smiled as she sat on the bed, "I have a lot to hear from you, Anya."  

[Hikari_Mamo]

Conrad felt it. His child was born without him. He felt cold and alone but felt a calling and his body moved on it's own to his child. He appeared not where he thought he would be. Standing at the end of a bed seeing double with one holding the screaming infant. He assessed the girls and found Anya without batting an eyelid pulling her and his so into his arms. "Why did you leave?" He asked. "I missed it." He buried his face in his wife's hair. "I missed another of mine born again. I don't want to miss anything again." He let the infant bite him then his mother. He wasn't alarmed. He had done the same when he was born. "It's rare for natural born vampires to be male, but I'm glad he is. Our son." After a moment he looked over at the slightly mirror image and frowned. "You are?" He asked with a frown.

"Mummy?" Sebastian opened his mouth. "Is cold now." Scarlette nodded shivering and Emma took them out of the pool and gave them a nice warm bath putting them in warm clothes. She knew what her son wanted to say really. He wanted to know why mummy and daddy weren't together any more. Scarlette knew why. Perceptive little munchkin she was but she wasn't convinced Liam was daddy anyway. She saw someone else when she was born. She thought that person was daddy but mummy had told her to stay quiet about that. So Scarlette did. Emma made a nest of blankets and pillows settling down with her twins a blanket over them all. "Sleep my darlings." Emma said with a kind smile. Her children had sensed something wrong with their mummy but didn't ask. So they went to sleep as asked by their mum. Emma went to sleep too. But that's where the dreams got weird

Who are you? Crystal's voice sounded in Emma's dreams. Why do you do these things? What are you? What makes you be? Emma of the Three? Alien, unknown! Different from the others. I don't know your habits. what are you?

No please don't. Don't I don't want to die! Please *sob* please no!!!
What are you?

I can't bare to be alone dad. His point of view, she was seeing his memories. She could feel her father wanting to help to do something but feeling utterly helpless.
Why do these things?

"Tell her I always loved her. . ." Oscar no! She felt herself running again.
She felt cold and woke instantly surrounded by her pack. Marcus and Simon had the twins in their arms Eythur was wrapped around her holding her tight. He was turned. Emma lifted her hands. She had turned too. What had just happened?!  

[The Madame Red]

"Katya," she extended her hand boldly, causing Anya to reach over and gently bat her hand away, "What?"

"That is not how we were raised," Anya reminded as she allowed her son to bite her finger before responding to Conrad, "I'm glad he is a boy. Where a daughter is convenient, a son will always give his mother love."

Katya chuckled slightly as she stood up, "You're still the same, Anya. I'm glad."

"Are you living anywhere? Do you have a husband yet?" Anya asked, her eyes wide with worry.

"No husband and no home," Katya shrugged, "Living city to city throughout the centuries to pass the time."

Anya's spine froze, knowing her sister probably had a string of lovers following her adventures. Thus, their main difference. She did her best to smile, "You are more than welcome to stay with my husband and I. There is plenty of land and other places to stay on the territory if you want to have your own little place."

Katya's sharp eyes went to Conrad. A larger smile formed on her lips, "You are very lucky, Anya. I can rest easy you have married a man who loves you."

"I agree," Anya gently held Conrad's hand before turning to her husband, "I want to go home now, please."




Oscar sat at his desk. All the paperwork was getting boring and dull. There was a new scent in the air, Anya gave birth and Katya had returned. As much as he wanted to be excited to see his nephew, he still was in a turmoil. Emma filled his head, even though it seemed like she wanted to be left alone for the moment. On the other hand, Crystal was giving him an opportunity to get to know her as someone special.

"Women troubles?" Troy stepped into the office, "There's rumors saying that you've been seen with that witch."

"It was just a conversation," Oscar sighed, "Why is this even an issue?"

"Your people don't care if you're married or not. All they want is a safe haven to stay," Troy shrugged as he looked through the musty books, "But, it'd be a safe venture to possibly rekindle your feelings with the Princess Emmaline to keep you and your kingdom safe."

Oscar's temper began to flare. This is exactly what he hated; being cornered and forced to make a decision. He stood up from his desk to light another cigarette before stating sharply to Troy, "If I so choose to do whatever the hell I want with either Emma or Crystal is my own choice, but I am not choosing either like a damn menu item, both are respectable people. I have to go talk to some people if you want to stink up the rest of my office."  

[Hikari_Mamo]

Conrad opened his mouth to have his say but found that things had already been arranged. He sighed and pulled his wife bridal style into his arms. "Yes. But as tradition dictates the new family must stay together for at least a month to that they can bond fully. My mother did it. I see no reason why you and I cannot." He turned and started walking back to the castle. "Oh yes before I forget." He pulled out a bag of rich blood that smelt human. "Drink this darling. to replenish the blood you lost from birth." He smiled happily at his female. "Come Katya or we'll leave you behind."


"Emma?! Emma are you awake?" Eythur asked panicked. Emma just stood there staring in surprise. The place looked utterly trashed.
"What happened here?" Emma demanded pushing her Gamma from her. "Were we attacked?"
"Nay Alpha. . . you were having a nightmare." Eythur said following close behind.
"Again." Marcus said. "She has these when under stress. I'm surprised she didn't rip Liam apart when they slept together."
"I never had nightmares when in his arms." Emma replied touching the walls with a bored expression. Her children weren't scared. Good. Though the fact they were unharmed gave her great joy. "What were you dreaming of?" Eythur asked sternly.
"Don't remember. I'm going for a walk. Keep their scent hidden." She had no idea she was walking out with pillow fluff all through her hair and all over her.  

[The Madame Red]

Once back at the castle, Anya had finished the blood as she held the swaddled child against her. Katya entered, her eyes wide as she placed a hand on her hip, "Daammnn, sis! When I heard you married big, I didn't expect you would grab a king."

"It was a happy accident," Anya smiled as she gave the empty bottle to a nearby servant, "But..Katya, I must ask that you-"

"Behave," Katya swiveled her hips as she rolled her eyes, "Yes, ma'am."

"Or just not sleep with the people in the courts," Anya whispered, not wanting to be heard in fear someone would know.

Katya winked as she puffed out her chest playfully, "What happens, happen. I just won't make a big show of it. Now where can I lay my head down to sleep?"

Anya wanted to show her sister the available rooms, but with Alexei sleeping in her arms, she didn't want to move too far from Conrad. So, she directed Katya to the nearest servant, "He will show you to your available room and I will come by and see you after Alexei drinks before sleeping during the day."

Boldly, Katya kissed Anya softly before whispering, "It's good to see you again, sister," before walking off.





"Well there's the new shitty diaper around here," Oscar entered the hallway, "And my nephew. Connie, you need a bath."

Oscar went straight to Anya to see the infant boy sleeping infant in her arms, "He looks a lot like Connie. Poor kid."

"Oh you hush!" Anya whispered loudly, seeing the joking nature in Oscar for the first time in such a long time.