by Tiya Rayne
“We need the numbers.” Bilal counters. “If we have the numbers, we wouldn’t be so unprepared from an attack of the Dark King. We may stand a chance.”
“Not even the numbers will help you if he sneaks in on us.” Fisgal argues. “I for one, do not have the numbers to send without leaving my own kingdom open.”
“Then send your non-soldiers.” Hyland demands. “Anyone that wants to fight, allow it.”
The king’s laugh at this.
“What use are a bunch of peasants with weapons?” Artimus inquires.
“They are as useful as a bunch of trained soldiers that can’t stay sober long enough to pick up a weapon.” I supply.
Artimus’s eyes narrows at me.
“Focus men.” Avalia says before the conversation can take a turn for the violent. “We know the problem, we need to be better protected and we need more soldiers, now let’s solve it.”
The room quiets as we all figure out a way to solve the issue.
“Would anyone care for my opinion?”
I try to fight the urge to roll my eyes at Bartus’s smug tone.
“Please, Bartus, we would cherish all the help we could get.”
With an air of superiority, Bartus rises to his feet. “If this were my kingdom,” he starts, and I already know I’m going to have to fight the urge to beat the shit out of him. “…My main goal would be to protect my most vulnerable parts. I would put my strongest fighters at the two exposed parts of my border. If the Dark King sent his soldiers into my kingdom, he would come up against my stronghold. They would delay him—if not defeat him outright—then I would send one person back to base camp to alert the others. This would buy them time to prepare.”
I had to give it to the smug bastard that was a good plan.
“I will even send more of my soldiers to cover this position. If my grandsons are going to stay here, I want them protected.”
“Thank you, Bartus.” Avalia says. “I will assign some of the magicals to accompany this group.”
“That is unneeded. I will need soldiers out there that knows what to do. I cannot train magicals in the way of war as you can. Send just a few of your elves with tracing capabilities. We will need ones that can trace back to base if ever there was a need.”
“Very well. I hope that the Western and Eastern kingdoms can at least offer up more fighters. I won’t ask for your soldiers, but if you have anyone in your kingdom who would like to join the fight, send them.”
Artimus and Fisgal agrees before tracing away.
“I will gather my soldiers, I’ll leave a few behind to help with the training.” Bartus states then traces away leaving only us in the room.
“Augustus, I won’t you to gather some elves to accompany Bartus’s soldiers. You will be in charge of them. Make sure they can be trusted, and I want detailed updates on what goes on at my boarders.”
“As you wish, My Queen.”
“The rest of you, I need you to increase the training. I need these soldiers ready.”
Chapter Eleven
I could hear my youngest son crying as soon as I got to the floor my bedroom was on. I open the door to my bedroom and find Miriam trying to bottle feed my fussy youngest while Kema sings to him. Lydell is rocking my eldest back and forth as Cleo entertains him with a ball of water she balances over his head.
I smile at the ladies that are like sisters to me. They have been a great help.
“Don’t cry, sweetheart. Mommy’s here with the good stuff.” I say with a laugh as I take my youngest out of Miriam’s arms.
“I thought you would never come back. The lesser fat one is hungry.” Tipper informs me. She has finally started to show herself around others now.
I sit down in the chair and place my baby at my breast to feed. Immediately he latches on. I place a kiss on his head as I stare down at him.
“We tried to get him to take the Mother’s Milk,”
Mother’s Milk is a type of flower that looks like large white orchids. When it’s boiled it turns into a milk substance that has the same health benefits as breast milk. Here, it’s given to newborns whose mother might have died during childbirth. Or in my case, when I can’t always feed both babies at the same time.
“Mr. Flirt at least tried it before he decided against it.” Miriam continues. “But Mr. Stubborn was not having it.”
It amazes me that at such a young age, I can already see my boy’s personalities showing through. My eldest, or Mr. Flirt as Miriam and the others has labeled him, is more outgoing. He smiles more, a lot more friendly, and more laid-back than his younger brother. And he loves females. Apparently, it doesn’t matter the species. My youngest, Mr. Stubborn, is the complete opposite. He is more serious, saving his rare smiles for only me. He barely tolerates anyone other than a certain few to hold him, and he is quick to make a fuss. The kid speaks his mind.
“Thank you, ladies. I’ll try not to stay away so long next time.” I blush as I think about why I stayed away.
Even now there is a tenderness between my legs that can’t be ignored.
By no means would I consider myself and expert in sex. I haven’t even seen enough penises to have a real opinion on the matter. Yet, I will go to my grave arguing that Assassin has the biggest and best penis in the entire world. And that’s on all layers of the onion.
Thick from base to tip, and long with a slight curve upwards. It is beautiful. Just the thought of it makes me blush and sends another kind of ache between my legs.
“If you were in the Southern Kingdom, you would have round the clock nannies to help you with the babies.”
I almost forgot Rykan was here. Assassin has that power over me.
Rykan is standing in the doorway of my room looking regal. His dark eyes staring at his son attached to my breast.
“Leave us.” Rykan demands of the others in the room.
I catch the glare Miriam gives Rykan before turning to me, I tamper down on my laugh.
“Will that be all from us then, Lilly?” Miriam asks completely ignoring Rykan.
She has long become use to not taking orders from everyone. Although she’s labeled my lady in waiting, I treat Miriam as a friend that just happens to help me. I never demand she does anything, and neither should anyone else. So when Rykan turns to Miriam with disapproval, I quickly cut in.
“Yes, ladies and thank you again for your help. Take a break. I’ll see you shortly.” Miriam nods towards me before heading towards the door. Lydell helps me situate my eldest at my other breast before they leave the room and close the door behind them.
The only sound in the room now is the rumble of Tipper’s breathing as she lies on the bed, and my boys’ greedy sucks.
For a while, Rykan seems to be content with just watching me with the boys. His eyes rake over my body with a smile. From the outside looking in, it would seem as if we were a happy couple sharing alone time with our babies. Only he’s married to another woman, and the man I love is not in this room.
“I doubt I’ll ever see anything as beautiful as watching you feed our children.” He finally says.
His words leave me feeling uncomfortable. I do not know what Rykan’s intentions are. The time for he and I have passed.
“I reckon you will change your mind when Sarafine has her first child.”
My words were not said to hurt him, I was just stating fact. However, the look on his face tells me it hurt.
“I guess I deserved that.” He steps closer to me. “I’m sorry, Lilly. I shouldn’t have hurt you.”
I didn’t want or need Rykan’s apology. If Rykan had chosen me that night we would have both been miserable. Yes, we could have been happy, and I would have cared for him, but it would have all been bland. Our relationship would have lacked everything that makes a relationship special. My body would have never burned for him with a mere touch as it does Assassin. And I could have never given him the heart he thinks he deserves. How can you give something away that is no longer yours to
give? He would have only had half of me, which later would have made him grow to resent me. Rykan making that decision was the best thing for us. I was not angry at him for it.
“No need to apologize.”
I take my youngest away from my breast.
“Would you mind burping him?”
His face turns ashen as he stares at me.
“You want me to hold it?” he asks, the fear plain as day on his face.
I try not to take offense to him calling our son an ‘it’. He is just nervous.
“Yes! It’s easy. Just place him over your shoulder and gently pat his back.”
He still looks skeptical, but he does take the baby from me. Mr. Stubborn immediately begins to whine. It isn’t a full blown cry, but he does seem to be unhappy.
“How do I make it stop?” Rykan asks holding the baby away from his body as if it is a bomb.
“Just put him over your shoulder.”
He places his youngest son over his shoulder and gives him an uncomfortable pat on the back. Mr. Stubborn finally burps and then immediately spits up a bit.
“Ugh!” Rykan shouts startling the baby. He hands the baby back to me and immediately starts to wipe at the small spit up stain.
“This is royal garb.” He states. “It’s ruined.”
“And this is who you decided to procreate with? I do not understand humans.” Tipper supplies.
“He was not always like this.” I say in my defense.
I get to my feet, placing both boys in their bassinet. I grab a drying cloth and wet it with water from the pitcher on my dresser and begin to wipe the spit-up off his clothes.
“See, all better.”
I go to walk away and Rykan grabs my wrist looking into my eyes. He is searching for something that is not there.
“I need to burp your son.” I explain and he releases my wrist.
I pick up my baby and pat his back.
“You have too many responsibilities here. You need help. Come back to the Southern Kingdom and I will have servants help you.”
“I have plenty of help here. Besides, I enjoy doing this for my boys.”
“Then come back for me. Allow me time to bond with my sons.”
I snort. “The sons you don’t want to hold? Spitting up is not a onetime thing, Rykan. You would end up with plenty of ruined royal garb.” I place the baby back down in the bassinet.
Rykan steps closer to me. His height causes me to have to look up at him.
“Lilly, please.” He pleads.
“What do you want, Rykan?” I ask, not believing a thing he has said so far. “You don’t care about how tiring motherhood is, you don’t even really want to bond with your sons. So why do you want me back in the Southern Kingdom so bad?”
He runs a hand through his hair.
“Alright, fine.” He concedes. “I want you. I still love you, Lilly. And I know I married Sarafine, but it was a mistake. A mistake that I can still make right on. Come back to the Southern Kingdom with me.”
His eyes are doing that searching thing again. I place a hand to Rykan’s smooth jaw. He is still a beautiful man, he is just not the man for me.
“I can’t.” I pull away from him, but he pulls me back into him. His grip on my arm is not too tight, but definitely not loose.
“Because of Assassin?” there is so much virulent in his voice when he speaks of Assassin that immediately my hackles go up.
“Yes!” I admit snatching my arm away. “I’m in love with him.”
Rykan laughs a joyless laugh. “That is absurd. The information from the prostitute may not have been accurate, but it is still relevant. He can never love you because he doesn’t know what love is.”
“And you do?” my question catches him off guard. “You’re married to Sarafine, a woman that you chose over me, yet you are here claiming you love me.”
“It was a mistake!” he shouts startling my youngest from his sleep making him cry.
“A mistake that took you four months to see.” I calmly explain as I pick up the baby and rock him.
“Lilly.” I can hear the pleading undertone in his voice. “I’m sorry. I knew it was a mistake the moment I made the decision. I just didn’t know how to fix it. But now I do.” He takes a step towards me placing his hands on my arms. “If I can bring the boys back home to the Southern Kingdom permanently, I can convince my father and the council to allow us to marry.”
So that’s all my sons were to him, some political ploy. Chess pieces in a game to get what he wants. I should be more hurt by this, but I am not. Rykan wants me, he’s always only wanted me. He is still in love with the young girl he met back home in North Carolina that night. He just doesn’t know that girl is gone. This world, my time with Medina, and having my sons have changed me. I am no longer the Lilly he knew and I refuse to go back to her.
I pull away from his touch, placing my baby back down in his bassinet next to his brother.
“Although your apology is appreciated, it’s not needed. You did us both a favor that night. We would have been miserable together, Rykan. You want something that I can no longer give you.”
He looks confused. “And what’s that?”
“Me,” I explain. “My heart. I can’t give those things to you because they no longer belong to me. Everything that you want from me, is his.”
I have no time to react to his next move, he grabs my arms and yanks me into his lips. I fight to break free and when I do I ball my fist and punch him in the face. Immediately pain explodes through my hand. Rykan isn’t the first person I’ve ever punched, but his jaw felt like a steel wall.
I hiss and shake out my hand.
“I don’t know what came over me. Lilly, I’m…”
He tries to take a step towards me, but before he could, Tipper leaps in front of me in her silver fox form. Her ears flat on her head and her teeth exposed. The threat is clear in her posture, ‘take another step and I will kill you.’
“You need to leave, Rykan.” I clutch my hand to my chest.
I know it isn’t broken but damn if it doesn’t feel broken.
“Just let me see your hand.”
“Leave, Rykan.” I demand a little more fiercely.
This time when he steps towards me, Tipper nips at his pants leg causing him to stumble back.
“Ok! Fine, I’ll leave, but he doesn’t get to win.” With those words he traces away from my room.
I flop down on the edge of my bed and Tipper comes and sits beside me. She licks my injured hand and whimpers.
“I’m ok, girl.” I console her while rubbing behind her ears.
I can’t believe I’ve just had my first domestic dispute with my baby daddy. I have fully perpetuated all stereotypes. Teen mom, jobless, homewrecker, mistress, and now I can add ‘that couple’ to my list. The couple that fight and argue in front of their kids and have to have the police called on them. Yep, that’s me. I bet my grandparents would be proud to tell my mother how they predicted this.
“Sorry boys,” I say to the most important people in my life.
Both boys are staring at me with those wise and understanding eyes.
“It doesn’t look like mommy and daddy will be getting back together. I wish I could have made better decisions for you. But I promise, from this point on, I will do everything that I can to make sure that you are happy.”
They only stare back at me after my promise. But I have a feeling that they understand and maybe they believed me.
* * * * * *
“You are a wonderful mother, Lilly.” Kema sings as she flutters over my shoulder while I feed the twins.
Miriam, Lydell, Kema, and Cleo were all in my room. Every night they come to help me get the boys bathed, fed and ready for bed. As much as I tell them they don’t have to, they insist on being here. I don’t mind, I love the help and the time to bond with the girls.
“Thank you, Kema. You know, when I was pregnant, I didn’t think I would be.”
“Nons
ense, you were far better than my mother even then.” Lydell says with and eye roll.
Although these women felt like sisters to me, I didn’t know much about their lives. I know that Miriam has no family. Her mother died while she was young and her father died not long after she grew into adulthood. Both killed in attacks by the Dark King’s army. She has no siblings and has been working as a maid in the glass castle since she was ten.
“What’s it like to grow up a nymph?” I ask curiously.
“Much different from your youth. Our mother’s lay their eggs onto the side of a rock, then it is survival of the fittest. Hundreds of eggs are released but only a few are actually hatched. After a female nymph lays her eggs she has no further interaction with her young.”
Wow! And I thought my childhood was rough.
“So you don’t know who your parents are?”
“There are no male nymphs, only females. And yes, I know who she is,” Lydell admits. “…but after the release of the eggs, her job is done until she mates again and releases more eggs.”
“Be glad.” Kema announces as she flies into the air. “Fairies are born into the flowers. From the moment we are born our mothers and fathers expect us to start working. They hover over us, supervising our every move. From sun up to sun down they expect us to do nothing but help with the growth of trees and flowers. Only when a fairy is a certain age do our parents stop harassing us about work so much and start telling us it is time to reproduce. I was glad when Queen Avalia picked me for your guard. At least I didn’t have to worry about my parents trying to set me up with random male fairies.”
I know a lot of human parents like that too.
“Elves are different.” Miriam says folding the clothes she has just washed for the boys. “Our children are powerful from the time they are conceived. That power allows them to bond with the mother from the start. Before I came into the world, I knew my mother better than I knew myself. We are the only species that bear our power so soon.”
“She’s right.” Kema agrees. “Fairies can’t even fly until after the first six weeks of birth.”