Moonbloods Season 1
Star Hill

The next morning Emris sent maids to dress me in riding gear for a day in the town. He had said he wanted to teach me himself and I needed supplies. Ink and power for one .I looked down at the thin cotton gear. It was spring,

a slightly chilly wind was gusting it's way through Star Hill so I dressed warm, adding the cloak Emris had gifted me. Emris had spent the night else where in the castle and I tried to not let that bother me since I knew Yesmina was here in the castles too.

I sat at my dresser, brushing my hair when he arrived at my door, ready to escort me into town. He seemed detached today, his mind occupied with something else. As we walked out into the courtyard, Emris was quite, having folded my arm under his as we walked toward Niko who stood waiting with our horses. "Have you given her a name yet?" he asked me.

I shook my head. "No," I said.

"You should think of something soon," he reminded me. "A horse with no name is not properly bound to its rider until you give her a name."

I nodded, looking at my horse, her grey, black and white main was that of the night sky. "Moon," I said in a low voice and Emris laughed. "Very appropriate," he praised me.

Before I could answer, a familiar voice echoed across the courtyard and I turned to look at her.

"Nalia!"

Aunt Gracie was being escorted by guards across the quad. Yesmina had her in tow, looking annoyed when Gracie stopped and drew attention to herself. Emris looked down at me, his face curious. "My aunt," I told him.

I watched as Yesmina shoved her through a side door in the tower wall. Emris' hand slid to mine, his naked fingers gripping my leather gloves ones. "Honestly love, it won't be cold," he told me, doing his best not to sound annoyed. I looked up at him, gently pulling my hand free of his as I reached for the reins of my horse. "What should I name her?" I asked him. I wasn't sure how I wanted to handle this.

When I woke this morning, I'd realized that I'd lost track of what I wanted. I wanted to go back to Summer Crest. I wanted to be safe with my brother, away from anyone or anything that wished me harm. Even away from Emris.

But now, with everything changing so quickly and with the knowledge of my actual birth ... would it be fair of me to keep this information from my brother? This knowledge was much to dangerous to send in a letter and it wasn't like I could just pack up and leave.

"What you name your beast is up to you," Emris told me as he heaved me up onto the horses back. "Perhaps you need a Naska or Dikiri?"

I shook my head, the image of the purple skinned cat like creature and it's massive sharp paws and teeth... I shuddered. I simply couldn't see myself riding one. "I didn't realize you could ride Nazka," I told him. Emris smiled.

"I have a Naska in another stable back in Negera. Perhaps you can try to ride him," he told me as I settled myself into my horse. I felt his hand stop on my thigh.

"Emris!"

We both turned and looked to see a woman, dressed in a long, royal blue dress, her long blond hair was up in braids, adorned with feathers and beads. Emris' hand slipped from my thigh as he turned to face the woman. I watched him bow his head. "Mother, I didn't know you were back," he said. I lowered my head respectfully. Emris looked up at me and then smiled at his mother. "Mother, this is my Wife, Princess Nalia-"

The Queen narrowed her eyes at me. "You are not yet married," she reminded him. "She still holds the title of Lady. To call her anything else would be is poor taste. Besides," she looked me up and down. "She still needs training."

Emris shifted uncomfortably beside me. "Truly, Mother, that is not-"

"Queen Delphine, will do," she told me as she continued to look me up and down. "Have you been to see the physician?" she asked me.

I nodded. "I am as healthy as can be, your Majesty," I assured her.

Delphine sighed. "We will see about that. Have you bled?"

I felt myself blush and I glanced at Emris who had an annoyed look on his face. "Mother, this is not the time or place!" he said in a low voice. The Queen smiled.

"I would like to talk," she said, now directly speaking to me. "Come see me before you leave-"

Emris cleared his throat. "We leave day after tomorrow, Mother-"

Delphine scowled at her Son. "Would you leave without letting me speak to my new daughter?" she demanded and I felt guilt wash through me. Guilt that was entirely my own because Emris was extremely annoyed. I cleared my throat. "Of course," I assured her. "I wouldn't leave without seeing you first, your Majesty."

Delphine smiled. "Very good, dear,"she praised me. "We will work on that we well."

I raised an eyebrow as she turned away and watched her sweep down the hall, followed by Maids and Ladies. About half way down she stopped. "I have a girl who is to return to Vendera with you."

Emris sighed and leaned his head against his massive horse.

"She torments me," he mumbled.

I turned to look at him. "Your mother seems...-"

Emris laughed. "Like a burden?" he asked me. "My mother has a bad habit of sticking her nose where does not belong."

I shook my head. "I hear she is well informed of everything at Court."

Emris heaved himself up into his horse. "She is," he agreed. "That is why she has one of her Ladies at each High Court in Azga."

I pushed my horse to follow him. If she had a Lady at each High Court, would she place her own ladies in my ranks when the time came? I frowned. It's not like I needed to know. As I thought about it, I realized I did need to know these things. I needed to know what his plan was...I wanted to know...Emris spoke of the future as if we would have one. And I was starting to believe it. Did I want something I knew I could never have? Was it worth it?

"Nalia, talk to me, please."

I looked up to see Emris staring down at me, his face frustrated. I frowned at him. How long had he been watching me?

"Have you tried not to be inside my head?" I asked him sternly, feeling annoyed. Emris smirked. "It's not something I can control," he sighed, his voice growing deep. "Or at least not something I want to control."

I sighed.

There it was again. He was saying just the right things, making me feel like his longing as strongly as I could feel my own. My body tingled and the movement of the horse came to a stop. I blinked when I felt his hand warp around my waist and I turned to face him.

We had arrived at the the Star Hill Village stables. I had been so lost in thought that I had missed most the ride here. I forced a smile on my face as he pulled me from the back of my horse.

As soon as Emris had me on the ground beside him, he took my hand and headed for the main strip of road, leaving Niko and the handful of guards behind.

"No guards?" I asked him. Not that I wanted them around. I just found it odd. Emris was very thorough when it came to security.

"This is my home, Nalia," Emris reminded me as he folded his leather gloves into his belt. His face had become eager. Almost impatient. He nodded at my hands.

"Take off your gloves," he instructed me in a low voice. I wasn't surprised to see his reflective, sliver glowing eyes staring down at me. We were alone now, standing in the mouth of the alleyway leading to the stables. What was it with Emris and dark corners where no one could see us?

I felt my mouth go dry. He wouldn't try and do anything here, would he? Out in the open like this? I didn't want to give him a reason to. I quickly pulled the leather riding glove from my hand hands and offered him my naked hand. Emris looked down at my naked fingers, his face turing into an unsatisfied fown. "What is the matter?" I asked him, wondering if I had dirt under my nails or something. I tried to pull my hand back to look but Emris didn't seem to like that either. His hand tighten around my fingers as he smiled down at me.

"Nothing, Love. Come, let's away."

Emris folded his fingers through mine as he led down the ally way.

I wanted to insist on knowing what was bothering him but he pulled me along, not really giving me the chance to question him. I sighed, my mind returning to its circling thoughts.

Emris stopped at quit a few vendors, handing them lists of things he wanted and sacks of silver in payment. I had to send a Village guard to fetch Niko and Hali to help me carry my things. We would be returning to Vandera with more possession and belongings then I ever thought I would need.

Jewelry, dresses and shoes. Gear and at least a few dozen combat gear sets. I wasn't at all sure what I would need them for. I didn't plan on taking part in a battle anytime soon. When I asked Emris he had told me that he would be training me himself once we returned to Vendera. I sighed, knowing I would be married to Emris as soon as tomorrow. We would be headed back to up the Black Sea at dawn after our wedding. I glanced at Hali who had just finished up loading the wagon attached to a guards horse. "Take these three crates to the ship," she was saying. "The rest is to be brought to the Royal Chambers."

Emris had vanished somewhere and I didn't want to get lost searching for him and since Niko knew his way around I figured it was the safest way to go. As I stood waiting for him, I noticed a rather well dressed man in white armor had been watching for for quite some time now. When I asked Hali about it she didn't seem to know who they were.

"They remind me of The White Knights," she said. "The protectors of the old ways. They were the ones who rounded up Witches for their blood-"

I felt myself pale. "The Oder?" I asked in a low voice. I turned away from the man who had caught on that I was aware of him now. Emris?

I waited for him to answer. Nothing came. No warm touch to my body, no tingling sensation from his voice echoing inside of my mind. Emris!

Still no answer. I turned to Niko.

"Ready the horses, we are leaving," I hissed at Niko.

He was watching the man, who was not alone anymore. Another man in gleaming white armor was next to the first. "Yes, Princess," he said as he reached for the reins of my horse, holding Moon steady as I mounted her. I glanced around once more but I didn't see Emris anywhere. "Did his Majesty say anything about where is was headed to?" I asked him.

Niko shook his head. "No, Princess."

I sighed, turning in my saddle to look around once more. "What should I do, Niko?" I asked him glancing back at the man in the white armor. But he was gone. I turned back to look at Niko, but he was helping Hali with the wagon. Then, I felt something hard and cold press to my leg.

"Get off the horse, My Lady," the man said. I turned to see the man who had been watching me. He had a dagger in his hand and was pressing it to the inside of my leg. I did my best not to scream or kick him. Anything I did other then what he asked would result in his cutting me with his nasty, rusted dagger. I knew enough about medicine that if I got cut with that blade, there was a good chance infection would kill me. I glanced back at Niko who was still talking to Hali. She seemed upset. I dismounted slowly but when I turned to face the man, I came face to face with Emris instead. I breathed a sigh of relief when I saw him.

"Are you alright?" he asked me in a low voice as he glanced around.

I closed my eyes in relief and leaned into him, for the first time holding on to him like a life line. Emris smiled at me as my arms snaked around his firm waist. Pressing my face into his chest, I was reminded how much better I'd felt when he'd returned from the wild in Negera. The reliefe was immediate and overpowering, causing me to shudder and a ragged breath left me in a relaxed sigh. "Nalia, you are shaking," he whispered as his arms locked around my waist. His breath warmed my chilled skin and I sighed in content. "I'm fine," I assured him.

He didn't seem convinced. "Would you like to ride with me?" he asked me. I leaned away, feeling drowsy, high even. I smiled when he touched my face. "We still need to talk," I reminded him, the bliss feeling that was growing in my middle seemed to dim some as he dropped his arms from around me.

"Indeed," he agreed, his full lips were pressed together, his face reserved. I looked down at the dried mud on my boots and pants but his hand came up to my face to make me look at him.

There was some kind of intention in his eyes I couldn't place. Emris breathed out a slow breath as he leaned in closer. His eyes were locked on my lips, the hunger in his eyes was nothing I had seen before. He stopped when his nose touched mine. He sighed.

"You smell devine," he whispered in a low, raspy voice. My fingers gripped his shirt as he leaned forward. His breath washed through my nose, warm and sweet. "Well this is new," he whispered as he ducked his head to press his face to the side of my neck.

I leaned away from his touch. "What is?" I asked him in a low and confused voice. But he dropped his hands slowly.

Emris smirked at me. "Come," he said in a low voice. "We have dinner to get to."

I frowned at him for not answering my questions. "What about the men in white armor?" I asked him as I turned to look for them but they were no where to be seen. Emris shook his head, following my gaze.

"What men?" he asked me, his hand tightening around mine. Before I could answer, Emris whistles, loudly, and his horse approached us from the alleyway. "Go straight to the castle-"

I shook my head. "You're not coming with me?" I demanded.

I didn't like this. I didn't want him to leave. Last time he had been gone for to long. Emris touched my face, a frustrated look in his eye.

"It's not that don't I want to," he reminded me in a low voice. "There have been sightings of bandits in the city. The White Knight is no friend to the crown."

I looked around. That didn't add up due to the lack of guard detail in the villiage. I haven't been with Emris long enough to know the differences yet but I'm sure bandits weren't welcome anywhere is Azga.

"Go, I will meet you for dinner," he assured me and turned away. The feeling of longing was replaced with an odd feeling of purpose, of determination and urgency. I didn't like it. It was draining. Emris had said he didn't need food or drink or even sleep for that matter. What kept him going? I watched as Emris saddled up his horse and took off down the crowded streets with a handful of guardsmen flanking him.

I sighed and turned back to Niko and Hali. "We should be going," I told them and glanced once more after Emris but he was to far gone down the street.

When I returned to the castle, I was immediately summoned to the throne room where Queen Delphine Gave me enough time to freshen up from my ride into twon. I dressed quickly in the new dress Emris had made for me, the fabric was thin and air like. The skirts were different lengths, paired with a soft pair of leather heeled boots.

Hali folded my hair into braids and twists, adding feathers and ferns. "Has the Queen said what she wishes to see you for?" Hali asked me. I shook my head. "She is sending some her Ladies back Vendera. Do know any of them?"

Hali sighed. "I wish Niko hadn't said anything to you about my birth-"

I frowned. "I want to restore your good name when I am Queen-"

Hali shook her head. "You won't be able to," she assured me. "There is a reason I was disgraced. Emris won't return the standing of a traitors daughter. Once he replaces out you are pregnant with his child, you-"

The door behind me swung open and a guard stepped in.

"The Queen requests you presents, immediately, My Lady." He turned on his heel and left the room once more I sighed and got to my feet. Hali frowned at him. "How dare you com in here without being announced!" she scolded him.

The guard shook his head. "She does not carrry the title Princess. She is Lady Crast. No more."

Before Hali could say anything, I reached for her arm, wishing for the first time I was powerful enough to link to her mind and tell her to calm down. "Thank you Hali, that will be all!" I told her in a low voice. Hali looked up at me, her face frustrated.

"Best I not keep her waiting," I said.

I followed the guard down the hall and through the castle. As I walked, I tried to think of things that the Queen would be interested in. Things about me. Other then my blood, I came up with nothing.

"Leave us," Emris ordered as he fell into step beside me. I watched the guard hesitate for a moment before he bowed his head and vanished back the way he had come.

As soon as he was gone, Emris grabbed my hand and pulled me into an empty study, closing and locking the door behind him.

"What are you doing?" I demanded when the lock slid home. I glanced around the study. It was dark, none of the basins were lit.

"I have something for you," he told me and reached into his pocket. "I hope you like it." Emris pulled the strings on the small pouch from his pocket and produced a ring from it.

A small gasp left my lips.

The band it's self was antique, silver settings with a decent size deep violet stone. "Tourmaline," Emris told me as I gazed at the breathtaking, beautiful stone.

"Emris-"

I watched him slid to one knee. "I promise you a life full of everything you wish for," he whispered. "Will you marry me?"

I stared at him. Was he serious? What if I said no? Would he send me back home to Jon? Would I be allowed to live out the rest of my days? "I-... Emris..."

His brow furrowed. "You don't want me?" he asked me confused, lowering the the ring. There were many things I wanted to say. Some of them were not not nice at all. Yet I found when I opened my mouth to speak no words came out. I stared at him, trying to understand, trying to think of what to say. When had he changed his mind? Just a few days ago he was telling me how he didn't want this. Rejection washed through me at the thought and I felt my lip quiver. What the hell was wrong with me? What had he done to me?

Emris reached and touched my face, making me look at him, his eyes hooded as he gazed down at me.

"Nalia... if you wanted out, you had plenty of time to say so."

His voice had turned hard, insulted. I felt my heart sink. Perhaps I should have made a run for it. But where would I have gone? Back to Summer Crest? Back to be Jon's burden in his own court? No one in Summer Creat would turn me away, I knew that much. But no one would be able to house me forever. I was promised to Prince Emris Halcro. No one wanted to be on the receiving end when Emris came for me. And how would I explain my absence from Court for so long?

I shook my head. "Would you have really let me go?" I asked him in a low voice. Emris, still on his knees, pursed his lips as he thought.

"A few weeks ago, when you arrived in Vendera, perhaps, if you had asked me, I would have let you go. But now..."

His words trailed off as he stared at me. "Possibilities," I said, knowing he would understand my meaning.

He smiled and reached to touch my face. "Possibilities," he mused. "Think about what Is said. Come replace me when you have an answer."

I frowned. "Won't I see you for dinner?" I asked him.

He smirked. "You have some thinking to do before tomorrow morning and I have my ship to see to," he reminded me.

"Besides, it's bad luck to see the bride before she walked down the isle."

I rolled my eyes. "That's a mortal myth," I told him as his finger reached up to grip my chin. Emris seemed to be conflicted about something, his face turning from sated to frustrated. My voice was soft when I spoke again.

"What?" I asked him. He sighed, his finger brushing my cheeks. I leaned into his touch, my eyes sliding closed.

Emris pulled me closer, his hands sliding down my neck. The feeling of his hands on my shoulder, neck and jaw was leaving a trail on fire on my skin, burning and searing his way into my hair. My breath caught in my chest as his lips caught my neck and jaw causing my fingers to tighten around the fisted fabric of his cotton shirt I hadn't realized I was now holding onto for dear life. When had I become so dependent on his touch? When I had started to feel like I couldn't breath unless he was touching me? When had I fallen in love with him?

Emris growled, his hand sliding to my hips as he pressed forward. My breath caught as I stumbled back, catching my back against a stone wall. He breathed out a sigh, seeming content as his arms wandered around me. Trailing his nose along my jaw, his hand tilting my head upward gently as he leaned away. I felt a wave of need wash through me; I knew it was not just me. My body was alive, my chest full of butterflies, making it hard to breath.

"Can I kiss you?" he whispered.

I felt my lips part in surprise. Emris didn't wait for me to answer. His lips touched mine gently, warm and inviting. I could taste his breath on my lips; sweet and addicting. Drawing in a ragged breath, Emris pressed forward again, inching his lips closer to mine until our lips melted together in a slow dance as he pulled me against him. I felt my feet leave the floor as he scooped me up, deepening the kiss so that it would be impossible to part my lips from his even if I wanted to. But I needed to breath. Emris parted his lips from mine, trailing his them down my jaw.

"Am I to take this as a yes?" he whispered along my neck. My eyes slid closed as he worked his way across my chest. A smirk crossed my lips and I breathed out a wide smile. Then, with a deep, steady breath, I spoke the only word I knew would save my life and end my life at the same time.

"Yes."