2. It Was You

Aqualia made her way up the large staircase and into the second floor corridor. The keep was well taken care of and the floors here were wood but in good condition. She knew a good portion of this keep well. She’d visited quite a bit in the month prior to now. However she’d been back with her people at the keep that was above the valley entrance to the mountains. This was King Ky’s keep, the mountain keep of the barbarian king as some liked to say.

Aqualia knew better, well for the most part. This was a stronghold of werewolves. Being animalistic wasn’t out of the picture, but she liked it here better than back home at the moment. She hated being there with her brother Merol who was trying to shove their old ways and traditions down her throat. Aqualia had left and gone to the upper valley keep where Lord Muchin used to rule but was now under King Ky. Ky was a strong and at times forceful ruler. Still they were flourishing even more now. Even if he had let vampires into the land and keep there. She was surprised though, the vampires were keeping to themselves and rather well behaved. Guess being a certain species did not dictate whether or not you were good she guessed.

Right now Aqualia had traveled with a small group heading back to King Ky’s keep. She wanted to get here ahead of a few others. One of them being her brother, who no doubt would give her an earful about leaving without proper escort. Namely him, Merol was not fond of anything that wasn’t an elf. He did not trust werewolves and saw them more as animals. Still he would not go against Ky, that was foolish. Aqualia on the other hand liked Ky. She was very good friends now with his queen and Luna Adele.

Aqualia admired Adele greatly. She wished she was more like her. Strong and defiant, yet graceful about it. She was a smart savvy woman. Which Adele had asked Aqualia to come here personally a week ago. Travel had been hard with the storms in the mountains and the season. Still she made it here and just in time too. Another storm was about to roll in. Adele’s letter had seemed rather urgent. Besides it gave Aqualia a reason to leave. She wished this could be her home, but she would not overstay her welcome with her one friend. Even if that friend had offered her a place here for as long as she would like. Unfortunately Aqualia had duties that she’d kept from her friend and others. Duties she knew she had to face shortly.

Coming down the hall Aqualia saw the door to the main study that Adele liked to meet in. It was just across from Ky’s main meeting room. Which the door to Ky’s study opened and Adele stepped out. She was wearing a darker red dress that made her Raven hair nearly black. You could see that she was pregnant but not very far along yet. Adele’s ice blue gaze came up and met Aqualia’s bright green.

Adele used to be human, her father had gifted her to King Ky. A punishment for Adele and a parting gift of truce to Ky. It hadn’t been spread far just who Adele was yet. Aqualia wasn’t even sure if her father was aware that Ky had claimed Lady Adele and not used her to just warm his bed. Probably best he didn’t until affairs were firmly in order.

“Aqualia.” Adele said with a warm smile. Adele did however have some shadows in her gaze. She also had a rather bright flush to her face too. Aqualia noted her scent was mingled with that of her mate’s. Looked like someone had been up to an intimate moment with their mate. It made Aqualia want to smile and sad on the inside as well. Elves had long ago stopped waiting for their mate. They had started to marry for status and ability. That wasn’t what Aqualia wanted, but it was not easy for an elf to recognize their other half. Just like humans struggled too, but they did have a ceremony that would tell them. Most did not practice it anymore. It made Aqualia ache inside. Why was it so wrong to wait? Why did so many rush or force things upon others?

“Adele, I am so happy to see you.” Adele said with a smile. Adele stopped before her as the door to Ky’s study opened again.

“I am too, I’m sorry that I was unable to see you last night when you got here. I’ve been having morning sickness at night. I felt awful.” She touched her stomach and Aqualia just smiled at her.

“No issue at all, we can speak now. I was told you called for me, much busier now that you are Luna I see.” Aqualia said to her in jest and Adele shrugged a bit. Behind her Ky stepped into the hall, Aqualia suppressed a swallow. He was a strongly built man, muscled and the air around him spoke of the alpha he was. Aqualia noted how his gaze first trailed over Adele a softer needful look. Then grew a bit more stoic looking at Aqualia. Adele had tamed this man in an elemental way, and with the way that Adele glanced over her shoulder at him, he had managed to thaw her heart. Aqualia’s touch was very sensitive, she was also very intuitive. There was no mistaking the perfect pairing the two of them were.

“That she is.” Ky’s voice was deep and he moved forward stopping just slightly to the side of Adele but still behind her.

“I hope you are hungry Aqualia, I was having lunch brought up. I have a rather heavy matter I wish to talk with you about.” Adele’s gaze dropped from hers for a moment and Aqualia frowned slightly. She clasped her hands before her. The blue dress she wore was a warmer one with sleeves and her silver blonde hair was only half in a ponytail.

“I am actually. You seem distressed Adele, we should speak quickly then. It is not good to fester.” Which Aqualia needed to take her own advice, but she was also not the one that was pregnant.

“True words.” Ky commented and looked down at Adele. He reached and made Adele look up at him by taking hold of her chin rather gently. Adele met his gaze and Aqualia knew that they were speaking privately. Adele seemed to clench her jaw for a moment, clearly not agreeing with something. Werewolves were telepathic, and some but not all elves were too. Aqualia happened to be one of those elves, but she could not hear what they spoke about as it was a private mental link.

“You are a stubborn woman.” Ky growled and Adele raised an eyebrow at him.

“Yes I am. For what is right.” They were staring at each other again.

“Don’t sabotage anything before they even meet. I’m warning you Adele, it’s not my agner you are going to have to fear.” Adele and Ky did not agree on the fact Adele was about to tell Aqualia about the sapphire and this first dragon Xev. That she was apparently his mate. Adele wanted to share everything and give Aqualia the ability to flee or deny it if she wished. Ky warned it didn’t work like that, and Xev was not going to rest until he found her.

“Yes my King.” Adele told him tartly. Sometimes when he did things like this, put a friend second she wanted to yell at him. However he was a king, an alpha, his job was to see to the good of the whole for the most part. Which Adele had to now accept responsibility for too.

“I’ll remember this later Adele.” He more growled and rather fiercely kissed Adele before letting go of her. He turned and looked at Aqualia. He met her gaze and she looked down after a moment.

“Look at me Aqualia.” He demanded suddenly and she snapped her gaze up, he seemed to gauge her.

“You are a strong woman, and you are a gift to your people. Don’t think I’m not aware of it. I appreciate greatly all the help you have given me and mine. The friend you are to Adele, if I thought there was serious danger to you, I would have warned you myself. I do not feel there is, and what Adele is going to talk to you about I hope you do not jump to conclusions.” Straight forward as always and she appreciated it.

“Thank you King Ky. I appreciate your words greatly. You yourself are a great leader and your people are fortunate to have you.” She said looking down again. He sighed and then moved forward.

“Go have your talk as women do.” He grumbled. “I’m sure Adele has a lot to say. So you are aware your brother and several others have just arrived. I will let you have your privacy for now. However what I am being told by my second mentally is that he has already demanded to know if you are here.” There was censor in his voice, and Aqualia felt a bit of tinge in her face as Ky passed her. He moved down the hall to meet his guests and take them to a different room that would allow for a larger crowd.

“Yes, I am aware. He has reached out to me as well. I was simply not ready to talk to him yet.” Adele gave a small laugh and Ky did not respond moving down the hall. Adele motioned for her to follow into the study area so that they could talk. Which as they did so a few servants came in with food and Adele was so very happy to see it.

“You know once I became a wolf I realized that my appetite increased a lot. Now with the little one I feel like I can’t stop eating.” She stated and sat down as did Aqualia. Aqualia sat very proper in her chair. Adele did too, but with a little less posture. Her back was aching a bit and honestly was not in the mood to be in worse pain. This was Aqualia she did not have to pretend to be a perfect lady with her. They both chatted for a bit eating some of the food before Adele looked out toward the smaller window and snow blowing out there. The next storm was coming in.

“I suppose we should just get to it. You’re so much better than me at holding your tongue Aqualia. While we chatted not once did you question what I really want to talk to you about. I know you sense it, how sensitive you are.” Aqualia shrugged.

“You would tell me in your own time Adele. I trust you.” Adele gave her a smile and took a drink of her tea. Adele looked Aqualia over, she was a very proper lady with great manners. Adele was sure that if she’d been like Aqualia all her life, then her father would not have given her away as he did. She was so very lucky that Ky was not the type to just use women and throw them away. That his people saw men and women as equals. She was in love with that man, and excited to be having a child with him in all honesty. Something for a long while she’d thought she’d not be able to have. Love, and bring a child into a real family. Adele brought herself out of her own wayward thoughts.

“Aqualia, do you know a lot about the dragons?” Adele asked her friend. That was what Aqualia was to her more than anything else. A real true friend, and she was glad for it. So she just cut to the chase instead of being coy.

“To be honest not much I suppose. Dragons are very powerful creatures, with magic that is unlike anything most of us have seen. They were banished over the mountains back when the great magic war happened. They are a very proud and intense race, even more unpredictable and wild than the wolves or vampires.” Adele listened to her and gave a slight nod.

“I have been told they are very loyal to their kind and hold mate bonds as a very serious and sacred thing. Ky has learned that there are no more female dragons left. Their situation here is a dire one.” Aqualia felt for the dragons. How could they hope to go on?

“Ky spoke to them? Last you told me, one had agreed to meet with him. Kaves no doubt has tried. He is clearly pulling in all manner of creature and I fear the danger of that. If he should also get dragons…” Adele gave a nod and had a firm line with her mouth.

“One did come here a month or so ago, and Ky seems to know a bit about dragons. It would appear that we are going to get aid from one dragon horde. The oldest one that is here.”

“That is great news Adele. We need them with us, not with Kaves.” Aqualia said and Adele nodded. She cleared her throat and spoke.

“My father, when he gifted me to Ky also gifted a dragon sapphire. Ever hear of it?” Adele was trying to decide how she was going to say this. How did you tell someone that another was their mate? That they might only want you and saw it no other way. Even if you didn’t want it? She wasn’t sure how Aqualia was going to take it.

“I have, but I know it is considered a cursed item by most.” Adele sighed.

“It’s not cursed as much as the magic is only for a dragon to interact with. A dragon and a female who is truly bonded with a mate. If said female is pregnant then apparently a dragon can use that energy to tap into the sapphire and see their mate. It will for a moment make the female standing before them appear as the woman.” She told her a bit more about it and Aqualia looked intrigued.

“Really? That’s fascinating, so I’m assuming you did this for him? That is very kind of you Adele. I hope he did see his mate. If what you saw is true, that their mate does not have to be dragon. It must have given them hope.” Adele wasn’t meeting Aqualia’s gaze right then and Aqualia frowned feeling the tension in Adele. Adele lifted her gaze and spoke.

“He did, I saw it too. I saw you Aqualia, you are his mate.”