Fan Fiction ❯ Earth's Reflection, My World ❯ Acceptance ( Chapter 11 )

Chapter Eleven:

Acceptance

Xel materialized in the waiting room after being sent to retrieve Neouri for judging. He locked eyes with Keurai who was the first to notice his arrival, and shook his head.

Keurai groaned, and placed his head in his hands. Now he was going to have to explain why she couldn't be here, to be judged. That damn galdilore.

Threnin was being tended to by a quaking healer. The woman had stuttered that his bruise that was forming on his cheek was a magicked bruise, one that only the caster could heal. With a mumbled apology, and Threnin's glare, the healer woman left gratefully.

Vairon was in the corner of the room, in a pose that signaled he was relaxed. But his aura was anything but, and if glares could kill, Threnin would already be six feet under the earth with the fire Vairon glared at him with.

Eede was in the same mood, except he paced the room, going in circles dizzily, until everyone had to stop watching him. He was muttering under his breath, and every so often tossed his dark blue gaze over at Threnin.

The queen, Reyana, Keeran, Devian, and Marvolo were united in their upset with Neouri. They believed that she shouldn't have punched him, or said what he said. Besides, what did she know about him. If she had introduced them earlier, Neouri would have known not to hit him. They sat at the other end of the table.

Derrin was the only one who appeared calm and collected. He tossed looks at Threnin, then Keurai. When he realized Xel was standing there, he broke the silence.

"So?" He said. "Where is she?"

Xel glanced over at Keurai. "She's asleep."

Derrin glanced over at his son. "Why did you not order your man to wake her?"

Keurai sighed. "I told him to wake her, but she did not sleep alone." He cleared his throat when his father gave him a quizzical look, and his brothers gave him one of surprise. "A galdilore has given her his name."

The news didn't sit well, Reyana and the queen screeched in denial, his brothers roared with insult, and his father looked surprised, and a little offended.

"That woman is protected by a galdilore!?" Threnin paled. "Why were we not told!"

Keurai shook his head. "I would know if you mean to cause her ill will, brother."

"But a galdilore!?" Reyana shook her head. "It can't be! When would she have had time to search one out?"

Vairon's laughter reached their ears. "I knew I saw C somewhere!" He said laughing. "Do you remember when we sent Neouri that message when we were returning from the battle over the road?"

Eede's eyes widened with realization, Keurai cracked a smile, and Xel looked shocked. "We sent him to her!?" Xel asked incredulously.

"Yes!" Vairon said happily. "But the thing was, we didn't know that remember? We just asked for the fastest runner, and the boy came up. He had a hat, or a bandana over his head, but his face and hair were hard to miss."

Keurai was chuckling, and Eede smiled. Xel shook his head.

"So you are responsible for her being guarded by a galdilore?" Threnin snapped.

"If I lose my first in command-" Marvolo began, but was cut off by Keurai.

"C doesn't work like that." Keurai said. "And he looks like a child, so he doesn't want her for a mate."

Threnin shook his head. "Galdilore's are ancient guardians. And if this one is able to look like a child, then he is strong, and wise."

Devian sighed. "That wrath of a galdilore is an easy place to get, just not an easy place to stand." He looked up. "Did she know what a galdilore is?"

Eede shook his head. "She called him a 'friend'."

Derrin laughed dryly. "And is that why the galdilore has chosen her?"

"That is yet to be found out." Keurai said. "But from the looks of it, it seems so."

"Then I shall speak with her come morning." Derrin said. "I do not risk the anger of a galdilore. Especially with one who has such powers that he can hide his true age."

Taking the wisdom from their father, the princes of Tiare went up to their own chambers, where sleep still eluded them.

*****

The sun crept upwards on the white bed sheets where two forms slept cuddling together for comfort. The room glowed with the post-light of dawn, and lit ablaze with midmorning light.

Cerin's eyes opened first, his stirrings woke Neouri as well, and she rose before the galdilore had a chance to move his body.

He stared up at her in his sideways position lying down, and smiled when he saw no distress from the evening before. Her hair was mussed, and her scent of sleep and rain wafted through his nose. He watched her turn her head this way and that, searching for something.

Then she turned to Cerin. "Someone came into our room last night."

"Really?" Cerin asked, bolting up in bed. "Who?"

Thinking twice on it, she tapped her chin with a puzzled look on her face. "It smelled like Xel."

"Smelled like?"

Neouri nodded. "He smells like a cold winter breeze, and his aura is like that of a lone, yet alpha, wolf."

Cerin's eyes widened. "You have supernatural senses." She smiled, but then frowned when he teasingly added. "For a human."

Neouri cocked a brow. "Who says I'm human?" She picked up a pillow, and hit him with it, making him tumble down into submission.

He picked up a pillow and hit her back. "You smell and look human."

She gave him a devilish smile. "Wait until tonight, Cerin."

Puzzled, he watched her leap off the bed, and fly the pillow smack dab in his face before fleeing out the door, and he followed her.

*****

King Derrin, Queen Lilaria, Princes Marvolo, Threnin, Keeran, Keurai, and Devian, Lord Xel, Sir Eede, Sir Vairon, and Lady Reyana, were all surprised to see Xel's appointed ward breeze into the meeting room with a galdilore's hoof beats right behind her, and the same galdilore run into her back with an "oof!"

Neouri was in her pajamas with her hair down. The light offered a glint of her body beneath the practically transparent material. Cerin was only in his large long sleeve shirt, and he too appeared nearly naked to the royalties eye.

Lady Reyana's gasp was echoed by Queen Lilaria's, was accompanied by the chuckles of, Marvolo, Keeran, and Devian.

Neouri blanched as she stared at the collected company, the laughter dying in her eyes, changing swiftly into embarrassment. Collecting herself, she smiled weakly. "Morning Keurai, Xel, Eede, and Vairon." She looked towards their guests, her eyes on Threnin. She glared at him before her eyes changed, and flit over the rest of the room. "Are these guests from last night?"

Cerin stood in front of Neouri, aware that his head reached her chest, and would actually be enough to shield her from the greedy male eyes, and the sneering female ones.

Derrin stared at Neouri, awestruck. The dumbfounded look on his face was what kept everyone's mouths shut.

"You." Was all Derrin said before a tear slipped from his eye, and down his cheek. He stood up, and walked over to her, slowly, as if anticipating her to vanish. When he reached her, he stretched out his hand to touch her cheek. She stood still, Cerin still between her and Derrin. "You're alive."

Derrin's smile reached his eyes and brightened his face. And for the first time, his son's saw the man he really was.

"Neouri." He said laughing through his discovery. "Only Na'ena would name her child after what happened between us."

"My birth mother." She said in a whisper.

Derrin nodded. "My only love."

Wiping tears from his face, Derrin placed his hands on her shoulders. "You look nothing like her, and a lot like me." His hand touched her hair, and his eyes locked with hers. "But you have eyes like hers. You have her temper." They grinned and glanced at Threnin. "And you have both of our powers, and our blessings as guardian of Ourivai."

This broke the warmth between father, and accepted daughter. Queen Lilaria went into a fit of sobs and smiles, Reyana, Marvolo, Threnin, Keeran, and Devian roared with disbelief, as Keurai and Eede clasped hands in victory.

"I'm so glad I have a daughter!" Lilaria said smiling. "And a beautiful one with that!"

"She struck me, and you're going to let her get away with it!?" Threnin demanded.

"She's the one who guards Ourivai!?" Marvolo was stunned that his father had kept that a secret.

"The stone exists!?" Devian shouted.

Keeran could only shake his head. "I don't understand father."

Reyana rose, and stalked off. Before leaving, she turned around and said, "You are aware highness, that she is more or less part of Keurai's personal guard."

The queen was the one who looked astonished, Derrin looked proud. "She is a warrior?"

Reyana nodded.

The queen sighed. "And I looked forward to playing harpy to protect my daughter."

Reyana gasped, spun on her heel and left.

Vairon the elf stood in the corner, and spoke for the first time. "Looks like she can wed good now." He said shaking his head. "And I looked forward to it."

Everyone heard his statement. Cerin was the one who reacted. "You can't have her."

Vairon's eyebrows lifted. "And why not?"

Cerin smiled. "I wouldn't allow it, elf." He nodded his head at Xel. "Neither would he."

Xel sighed. "If it's not obvious to someone, it's obvious to another."

"What if I've been wanting her for my own?" Eede asked.

The king's face paled. "I only have a daughter for five minutes and the vultures are swooping in."

*****

Neouri had everything packed, and ready to go when she heard someone enter her room. Not that she really worried, Cerin was sitting on the bed.

She could tell by the subtle vanilla scent that it was one of her brothers. The tang of orange, and the footfalls, and the aura of ice it brought in was a big clue who it was.

Without turning around, she said. "Hello, Threnin."

She heard his footstep's stop. "At least I don't have to tell you it's me." He said lamely. "I came here to- to-" She heard him swallow, and could smell a light change in his scent. It was an uncomfortable kind of smell. Like. . .a cherry with an orange.

She knew what he was trying to do, and she sighed. Turning around she face him. "If you're trying to apologize, then just carry my stuff and put it in dad's cart that carries everything."

She gave him a window.

And he leapt through it. He gathered up her stuff, glared at Cerin, and walked out, but not before she heard him mutter, "I'm sorry for being a little nasty the other night."

Cerin tilted a brow. "He seem to be warming to you."

"So he does." Neouri murmured.

Cerin nodded. "Threnin excepted you, as much as you could hope for."

"And for that, I am grateful." Neouri turned around to stare at Cerin. "Just as I am grateful of having you here, as a friend- no- as a little brother."

Cerin's heart warmed, and it showed in his eyes as he smiled at Neouri. "Thank you."

*****

The shadow sipped the blood from it's clawed hands. Blood that dripped silver in the moonlight. It had been alive, reborn since the coming of the Nargomine, it's powers were awakening. None of those foolish bordigovs had even sensed it's presence yet. Nor has the banes. Foolish, foolish younglings, caught up in their own little schemes.

The shadow smiled.

And soon, oh how soon, it shall make it's presence known, and from their steal the ourivai.

It was only a matter of time before this world, Nargoeeia, and Ethera became apart of the shadow's world.

He couldn't wait to sip the Nargomine's blood!

*****

It was late at night when Keurai shot awake, the dreams that disturbed him were becoming worse- they seemed real.

He was with his fathers group, Keeran and Devian had left to their homes, Xel traveled with Neouri, and it seemed Vairon and Eede did too. Cerin was in her makeshift tent where they could be heard laughing earlier.

The night air seemed icy cold tonight. Their was no sign of wind, or rain, but the air around them seemed cold.

He saw a shadow against the pale moon, and knew that he was not the only one who felt it.

He knew of the shadow's presence.