“The Palace?” Lariel exclaimed. He was surprised at the swiftness of Deneene’s offer. No one, especially him, had suggested they use his facilities at the Palace. It made sense to do so, but he wasn’t sure of the wisdom of such a move.
Deneene turned to Lariel, and as she approached him, she held out her hands to take his in them. “It is time to right a wrong, to correct the mistake I have stubbornly held to since I first found out you were my Life Mate.” She spoke, uncaring of who heard her, or what they might think. “I make no excuses for my actions. We all know they were born of selfishness, and there can be none for that type of behavior in an adult. I am no longer a child, and I take full responsibility for them.”
Lariel reached to accept Deneene’s hands. He was not about to let her take full blame for what had happened between them. He was, however, not about to let this moment pass by either, for to do so would perpetuate the foolishness they had been acting upon in the past. Two wrongs wouldn’t make their situation right. The important thing was his Life Mate was finally coming to him. “The errors of my past colored your outlook for our future. I cannot blame you for my shortcomings.”
As Deneene allowed Lariel to take a part of the blame, she let the love she felt for him shine freely from her eyes for the first time. She softly smiled and decided to gamble everything she held dear in her next move, “I would speak our words of bonding now, if you agree. In doing so, I will not only become your Life Mate in every sense, but also your Empress and chatelaine.”
Lariel felt his breath hitch in his chest, as it seemed to swell in pride and ecstasy. He would have the love of his life at his side from this movement forward through eternity. The Fates had blessed him. He opened a portal, as he called to Deneene’s parents to join them. They came, along with her available brothers. He then knelt before King Thilmior and his queen and was surprised when Deneene knelt at his side. It was time for their union to be blessed in the way it should have been in the first place. He lowered his head, as she did and waited for them to respond.
King Thilmior smiled, as he guided his Life Mate’s hand first to Lariel’s head and then to their daughter’s. When this was done he motioned for them to rise. It was time for them to speak their words of bonding.
“My love, I come to you in all humility, my doubts have vanquished, my spirit soars in happiness,” Deneene began. “Lariel, I am yours.”
“My heart sings with happiness, my soul jumps with the joy of completion, my mind embraces the peace this union brings to my life, Deneene, I am yours,” Lariel spoke.
“My blood runs hot for you and I look forward to our future, Lariel. You are mine,” Deneene spoke, claiming him.
“My arms ache to embrace you, my lips smile as I speak these words, for now, my Deneene, you are finally mine,” Lariel answered.
“Together,” they finished the ceremony. “We are and always will be one.”
As Lariel and Deneene spoke, Cambria moved to stand beside Gabriella and teased, “I guess this means he won’t be chasing you anymore.”
Gabriella smiled as she ignored what her sister said and tossed out an idea, “You know what would make this perfect for them?”
“I think I know what you are thinking, and I know why you are telling me specifically,” Cambria stated.
“I can think of no one else capable of doing what I feel is needed to make this complete for our Emperor and his Empress bride,” Gabriella stated with a grin.
“Well, I would hate to disappoint you,” Cambria agreed.
As Lariel and Deneene sealed their words of bonding with a kiss, they were surrounded with the sudden appearance of thousands of Star Flowers, as well as Ice Flowers to signify the joining of the son of the Empire and the daughter of the Ice Lands.
This was done to express the love and wishes of happiness to both the people of the Ice Lands and the rest of the Elven Empire hold for their Emperor and his Elven bride. A blessing showing the union of the traditions they each embraced. As the flowers landed on every surface around them, their stems entwined, like extra signs of blessings from the Fates.
CHAPTER XXII
Gabriella, feeling Lariel and Deneene should be left on their own to adjust to their newly formed bond, argued to have T’Harris taken to her home. Those in command of the situation overruled all her reasons and desires. Even with Cambria taking her side, she wasn’t about to get her way. It irritated her, but amused her sister.
“So much for influence and power,” Cambria teased.
When Seladair appeared moments later, they found more changes had been made at the last minute. He had been called in to open a portal directly into the Palace. A stretcher was provided to place T’Harris on so they could carry him across, and he was to be placed in a room. The healers were given accommodations close by, in case an unexpected emergency arose. Gabriella was relegated to the role of bystander. She was expected to stand back and watch everyone work while they cared for her Life Mate.
Before the Head Healer left Gabriella and T’Harris alone, however, he listed the things she was to watch for, “If the area where your Life Mate was injured seems to be getting hot, either send or come for one of us immediately. It may be nothing, but I would rather be safe than sorry with him. You are to lay against the good side only. We cannot risk opening the wound. Anamara was extremely careful about how she knitted everything together, and she has the finest touch of anyone I have ever seen. Keep this in mind, because she is no longer with us. She had to return to the Elven Nation for some reason unknown to us.”
“I promise, I will be very careful,” Gabriella gave her word.
Satisfied, the Head Healer left the room and Gabriella began to fuss around make little changes to suit herself. The moment she was finished, she disrobed and slid under the sheets to curl up next to him.
“I thought they would never leave so we could be alone,” T’Harris noted, as he wound his good arm around Gabriella’s slight body to pull her close. He then chuckled, as she gave a gasp in shock.
“You are awake,” Gabriella’s accusation was quick to follow.
“Of course I am,” T’Harris answered with an unrepentant grin. He then pulled Gabriella even closer so he could kiss her properly. “I figured if they knew I was conscious, they would linger even longer. I wanted to be alone with my Life Mate, because I think we have a lot to talk about, beginning with what you said to bring about my shift. I want to know exactly what you were talking about.”
Gabriella immediately knew what T’Harris meant, she had told him about her condition. Even if she wouldn’t have, he would be able to tell by the glow of her spirit. “I carry two girls and two boys, all Warriors.”
T’Harris studied Gabriella for a few moments, then asked, “How? We were together only a day.”
Gabriella rolled her eyes for emphasis, as she answered, “As for how, I think you can figure that much out for yourself. It shouldn’t come as a surprise that Eagle Claw women are very fertile. There are enough children and adults with Eagle Claw blood running around the Empire to prove it.”
“Don’t expect me to say I am sorry,” T’Harris informed Gabriella. “I can think of nothing I would like better than to raise a family with you. Do you have any idea how long I have been obsessing about you? I hoped and prayed you were the one for me and, when it turned out you were, I couldn’t believe my good fortune.”
“I can only assume you knew before I did,” Gabriella noted.
“I saw you fight on the field in the battle,” T’Harris told her about the first day he had noticed her. “You were the finest swordsman I ever saw. I didn’t realize you were meant for me at the time. If I would have, I would have pursued you much sooner than I did. As it was, Thrax has stalked you a long time before I ever thought to. I am not sure if you noticed, all you needed to do was ride on another Dragon for him to object. I didn’t know what was bothering him at the time, but I do now. He recognized the signs of his own mate living inside of you. Allegra, you
called her, and she is as beautiful as a melody. I saw her take to the air, before I lost consciousness and my brethren carried me to safety and for treatment. You realize King Gerolth is going to want to talk to you about her. No one has ever as much as heard of an Iridescent White Dragon before now. We are wondering if even the Dragons know anything about them, of if any have ever seen one. We are going to want to find out what it means. We know about White Dragons, but this Iridescent White Dragon means more than they do, I am sure of it.”
“Perhaps because it is,” Gabriella took a guess. She didn’t know what to think about this anymore than anyone else, but it made sense to her to think that if she were the High Lord General and knew how to lead troops into battle, it shouldn’t come as a surprise that her Dragon would also.
“So,” T’Harris smiled, as he used his good arm to tuck Gabriella closer, so her head could lay over his heart. He liked her there with the top of her head under his chin. He barely needed to move to kiss her forehead or rest his head against hers. The feel of her breath feathering across his skin made him feel alive in ways he had never felt before. “What are we going to do about our burgeoning family? We can’t live in your tiny home for long.”
“What is wrong with my home?” Gabriella asked. She tried to make it sound like she was offended, but knew she wasn’t fooling T’Harris. He could feel the smile on her face against his skin. She didn’t need to be told the place Cambria and she had once called home wouldn’t be large enough to hold her, T’Harris and four babies. It was one thing to live as they had in a place like her and her sister had when they only used it to sleep in upon occasion, but it was another to try to raise a growing family in it.
T’Harris’ chuckle rumbled through his chest, vibrating under Gabriella’s head, and it tickled. If it wouldn’t have hurt so much, he would have liked nothing better than to wrap his arms around her and show her the depth of their love. Until he had found her, he had never realized how much he was missing in his life. Now, he felt a need to show her. It made him wonder if it would ever be enough to show his connection.
“I know,” Gabriella admitted. “Even Cambria recognized the limitations of our home. It was why she and Anders moved to another place. I was rather relieved when they did. It was awkward with them cuddling and such all of the time. Sometimes, it was even embarrassing to catch them in the middle of their passion, not that either of them seemed to care. Those two have no shame.
This time T’Harris did laugh loud, and hard, then groaned at the pain this caused. It was soon soothed by Gabriella’s touch, for this was one of the things she could do to help. She could deaden the pain that gave him discomfort, but not enough to allow him to act on his impulses to make love to the woman he still considered his bride.
“I can’t say I blame them,” T’Harris admitted. “If I was able, I would be showing you how much I missed you over the last month. I need you so much, my love.”
At T’Harris’ husky tone, Gabriella thought it a good idea to turn the conversation back onto less strenuous matters, like where they were going to live. If he got much more aroused, he might forget his condition and reinjure his shoulder. Gabriella said, “I have been thinking about a different place, but I believe we are as well off here as anywhere for the time being. The children are not going to join us for at least another nine months, so there is no pressing need for us to move. There is also the matter of the redistribution of our people. We are preparing to leave this land.”
“No one says it will be tomorrow though,” T’Harris pointed out. “It could be decades before this happens.”
“Unlikely,” Gabriella stated. “Humans think and act on a different time frame than we do, mainly because of their short lifespan. They want to see their plans put into play immediately, or at least as soon as possible, whereas we are willing to let centuries pass to set ours into order. Our people know that as time is ever-changing, and so must anything we plot be. There is always the possibility the Fates have a reason for allowing things to happen, which we cannot see the immediate reasons for.”
“We definitely do live longer,” T’Harris agreed. “There are also those who don’t see it as much of a blessing, especially when it seems like they will never find a Life Mate. It seemed to take forever for the members of the Guardians of the Empire squadron. We lost members a couple of times because their Dragons grew too strong for them to continue to do battle against. The fight you will experience with your Dragon is extremely real and can be very dangerous. It probably won’t seem that way to you though. The connection we share will ground both us and our Dragons. I am not sure why, but this is the way it is, and I am happy I found you before things got out of hand.
“From what Chania told us, things got serious with Daeron, enough so that she almost refused to bond with him,” Gabriella informed T’Harris.
“Daeron was very close to losing himself to his Dragon,” T’Harris explained. “King Gerolth was watching over him very closely before he connected with Chania. It was a day-to-day guess whether we would wake to find he had gone rogue. He was in worse shape than any of us. Thieron was only marginally better, although it was harder to tell with him. He has a lighter character than his brother.”
“He still has, but for whatever reason, their Life Mates compliment them,” Gabriella pointed out. “Also, take note, more of the pairings are resulting in upcoming births than not.”
“You hear any of us complaining?” T’Harris asked, as he pressed a kiss against the crown of Gabriella’s head. Every time he thought of his Life Mate heavy with their children, he felt a glow surround him. He was so proud to know she belonged with him, as he did with her. He could envision the children as toddlers already, with their sun-kissed hair and their silver blue eyes. They would be fierce little warriors. He could envision their mother teaching them the basics with him at her side.
“You are daydreaming,” Gabriella commented as she heard him give a wistful sigh. She could tell he was happy with his life, and it gave her a sense of fulfillment that nothing else came close to. It also made her wonder if this were the feeling Cambria had always spoken about before. It didn’t take Gabriella long to decide not, or Cambria would have settled with one of Cambria’s other lovers rather than Anders. Gabriella was certain this was how Cambria felt now though. There was a glow to Cambria that had been missing before Anders came into her life, and it had nothing to do with the fact that she was pregnant with their children.
“I am counting my blessings, as well as thanking the Fates for the day I met you face to face,” T’Harris admitted.
“I am not so sure that I am pleased about how I ache when we are apart, but I think I will be able to survive it,” Gabriella teased.
“I am sure it isn’t your only concern, not when we are facing a war while you are carrying our young,” T’Harris sounded seriously. He knew this was something he was worried about, so he could only imagine how much this was bothering Gabriella.
“I don’t think our enemies are going to move against the Empire any time soon, not after the mess I left behind,” Gabriella commented.
That caught T’Harris’ attention. He hadn’t been conscious during Allegra’s rampage although he was aware of how much damage an angry Dragon could do in a very short amount of time. Because of this, he was compelled to ask, “What did you do?
“I destroyed not only their entire fleet of Dragon Killers, but also a part of the castle where they had their smithies. I also killed one of the ruling members of their Royal Family and kidnapped another before setting fire to a wagon that exploded soon after. It was loaded with containers of black powder at the time. I also killed or injured anyone close to where I first shifted and close to the war machines. It is going to take time for them to recover,” Gabriella confessed.
T’Harris thought about it for a while, and as he grinned, he teased, “Remind me not to ever get you angry.”
Gabriella chuckled as she replied, “Well, you know what they say abou
t females protecting their young. I guess the same thing applies to the father of those babies.”
It wasn’t long after, T’Harris drifted off into a heavy healing sleep. Gabriella joined him shortly thereafter. They were both exhausted from their ordeal, and it was time they saw to their health as only Life Mates could.
CHAPTER XXIII
Lariel kissed Deneene soundly as he sat her on his knees while settling upon the throne. When he had opened a portal of his own to bring them to the Palace, immediately after they had spoken their words of bonding, it had not only been for them, but also for her entire family. They now stood before them, but he refused to let it stop him from claiming his kiss. He had waited long enough to hold his bride and to show her how much he desired her, other than with what he considered meaningless gestures.
“Well,” King Thilmior declared, “I am glad this is over, and we can all get back to living our lives normally. Our positions have suffered from the neglect, as have our lands.”
King Thilmior’s words reminded Lariel there were other matters he needed to take care of. He knew it would seem undignified for him to keep Deneene on his knees while he did this, but again, he didn’t care. Even if he had an Empire to run, showing is bride he loved her took precedence, at least for the moment. She was important to the Empire too, but it didn’t mean he wasn’t going to see to the things needing his immediate attention.
Deneene didn’t see things the same way. To her, Lariel would need to show his people, who included her family, that the Empire would always come first. This was important, even if this was supposed to be their bonding time. She squirmed to get him to release her and when he shot her an apologetic glance to tell her he wished it were otherwise, she pressed a chaste kiss on his cheek and whispered in his ear, “We have all night. There is no hurry. Our time will come, the Empire must come first. You are no different than any ruler in circumstances like this. The Empire must always take precedence.”
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