Moonbloods Season 1
Promises

Emris watched as I fixed my hair and dress in the mirror. I flattened the frount of my dress and cleared my throat. My skin was flushed, the blood in my face and chest giving my face a pink glow. When I turned to face him he smirked, reaching to catch my hand and brought it up to his lips.

"We have many things we need to talk about," he pondered as he slid the ring onto my forefinger. "We have many thing to talk about and so little time."

I sighed. "Perhaps we should make time," I told him. He raised an eyebrow. "What did you have in mind?"

I shrugged. "I'm not sure," I admitted. Emris wrapped his arm around my waist as we returned to the hall. "I will come with you to see my mother. She can be quite forward and not in a pleasant or respectful way."

I frowned. "I can hold my own," I assured him. Emris nodded. "I know you can. But my mother is not to be underestimated. She will see right through you."

I felt my heart sink. "How am I supposed to hide?" I asked him in a low voice. Emris slowed his step. He pulled me to a stop beside him, glancing over his shoulder at Niko and Hali. "Leave us."

They both immediately turned and headed back down the hall. "Firstly, you don't ever hide who you are. You never display or brag about it but never deny what you are."

His face had turned serious. "Do you understand?"

I nodded. "I think so," I said, not at all sure what he meant but I knew I would be able to ponder it later.

Emris traced his finger down the side of neck. "We will talk later."

"I will hold you to that."

We had reached the end of the hall where the doors stood open and and a golden wooden throne room came into view. A guard stepped forward.

"Presenting Lady Crast and Prince Emris Halcro."

I felt Emris stiffen beside me as we walked into the room. I reached into his mind only to replace him tense, weary. Emris.

Shock rocked through him and his hand tightened around mine.What is it? I asked him.

They presented you as Lady, he told me. I shook my head. Emris it doesn't-

Emris tightened his fingers around my hand, squeezing as he breathed in a deep breath. It does matter!

Emris! You're hurting me!

He looked down at me, his eyes surprised. "My apologies," he whispered, bringing my hand to his lips to gently kiss the top of my hand. I felt myself blush a little and offered him a thankful smile.

He narrowed his eyes at the woman sitting in the throne. Delphine smiled when she looked up from a scroll that she folded into her lap and turned her focus on us. Emris tightened his fingers around my hand again.

I winced and jerked my hand away this time. "That hurts!" I hissed under my breath. I chewed my lips for a moment as I slowly reached for his hand again. I held his hand but his hand remained immobile and open beside him as we walked.

Relax, I urged him.

Emris stiffed once more. I'm sorry, I said quickly. He already seemed on edge, I just wished I knew why. What was so horrible about his mother that he was worried about?

I kept my face impassively polite as we walked toward the end of the room. Emris sighed and stopped, his right hand hanging off the hit of his sword. I watched him

now, so I followed suit and curtsied as best I could. Hiram had not taught me well in the ways of being a Lady. Queen Delphine smiled.

"Welcome Lady Crast," she said sweetly. "How are you enjoying the Capital?"

I bowed my head. "It is beautiful, Your Majesty," I said honestly. "The castle is nothing I've ever seen before!"

Delphine smiled. "That is sweet of you to say," she said. Before she could say anymore, Emris stepped forward, his hand still gripping mine. "Mother is there a reason you have changed the title I have already bestowed upon Princess-"

Queen Delphine shook her head. "Lady Crast is not yet married to you, my Son," Delphine reasoned.

He shook his head. "We will be wed at noon tomorrow-"

Delphine cut him off. "Your wedding has been postponed, Emris," she told him. "The King is sick and the High Temple wishes to have a meeting-"

Emris shook his head. "I won't have the time," he said. "We leave for Vendera after the wedding."

Delphine sighed. "Your return to Vendera has been postponed as well-"

Emris scoffed. "I can't just leave Vendera unprotected!" he reminded her. "I would be disregarding my duties-"

Delphine was louder now. "Your duties are to serve your King and your King needs you here."

Emris shook his head. "She can't rule Vendera by herself!" he argued. I frowned. What's happening? I asked him mentally.

Emris sighed. "She wants you to retune to Vendera in my stead while I deal with the High Temple."

I shook my head, feeling suddenly very small. "Emris-"

Delphine. "Trying to figure a way out of it is fruitless," she said as if to remind us. "There is a carriage waiting outside for you my Son, to take you to the Temple."

Emris shook his head. "You are unbelievable, as always, Mother." He turned in his heel, pulling me with him, not giving me the chance to show my respects and stalked back toward the hallway.

"You are not leaving for Vendera," he assured me. "At least not right now. You will come with me to the Temple where we will be married."

I felt my heart sink.

"Tonight?" I demanded.

Emris turned to look at me. "Unless you are having second thoughts?" he asked me as turned to face me. My feet dragged to a stop. "No," I said hesitantly. Doubt filled me for a moment. Fear. Emris sighed.

"This isn't what you want," he told me. I shook my head, leaning into him, my fingers grazing against his chest. "That's not it," I assured him.

Emris reached up and gently shoved my hands away. "We have about an hour ride ahead of us. We should get going."

I looked down at the simple out fit. I chewed my lip. "I should change-"

"Your dress is beautiful and you will ware it when we have a Court Ceremony when we get back home," he told me.

I raised an eyebrow. "Star Hill is your home," I reminded him.

Emris smiled and shook his head. "It is home to the Halcro family," he said. "Where as I am Halcro, Star Hill was never my home. I replace peace in the frozen north."

I smiled. "I understand why," I told him. "It's peaceful."

Emris sighed and looked me up and down once. "No need to change. We will go straight to the temple and take the ship from there. It's already left for the Temple Harbor in Brightwood. They are preparing for our arrival and our wedding. Your brother will be in attendance."

I smiled. "Really?" I asked him, my heart fluttering in excitement. I watched an amazed look spread across his face. "Does that make you happy?" he asked me.

I couldn't help the heat that spread across my chest as the odd feeling of giddiness filled my chest. Before I could answer, Emris jerked me forward and pressed his lips to mine. The taste of him washed through me as his lips pressed firmly to mine followed instantly by shock and instinct took over. My hands turned hard and I shoved him away. It was like shoving against a stone wall. Emris leaned away to look at me. His eyes were bright and face confused. I wasn't even sure why I did it. I opened my mouth to speak but no words came out. Emris sighed impatiently and leaned away, jerking his stiff fingers from my arms. "I-I'm sorry," I breathed out in a startled breath. "You surprised me!"

He didn't speak and he didn't look pleased. I tested his mind for a moment. There was a jagged wall around him, blocking me out. I frowned. Emris sighed and he looked down at me. "Come."

He didn't wait for me answer and didn't turn to see if I was following him. I lowered my head and followed him down the hall and through the main gateS "I had your trunk brought to the carriage. You can bathe and change when we reach Brightwood."

He held the carriage door open for me and waited for me to enter. "What about your mother?" I asked him hesitantly. I didn't want to gain wrath of a queen. "Won't she be angry?"

Emris shrugged. "She will get over it," he assured me and offered me his hand again. I sighed and glanced over my shoulder.

"Nalia." His voice had turned soft again. "We have a few hours to ourselves, my Love. We should not take them for granted."

I nodded and climbed into the carriage and Emris followed me, closing the door behind him as we went. The inside of the carriage didn't match the outside; the inside was massive, a wide, padded bench lined the left side of the carriage and the right side was decorated with blankets and pillows. Stain glass decorated the carriage windows, complete with curtains. There was fruit in a large bowl, bottles of wine and some bread and cheese. It made absolutely no sense.

I shook my head. "How?" I demanded. "The outside of the carriage-"

Emris held up his hand and let a black, silky mist form from his fingers. "Magic," he told me. "With some help you will be able to do the same thing."

I shook my head as I settled into the bench by the window, suddenly uncomfortable. "I can move things with my mind. So what?"

Emris shrugged. "That is how any of us start, Nalia. Simple things such as influence of elements or being able to move things with your mind." Emris sighed and stared down at his hands, his face troubles. I shook my head.

"What's wrong?" I asked him.

He looked up at me, the carriage rocking back and forth a little as we got going down the beaten road.

"You won't be dying, Nalia," he said in a low voice. "I found a way."

I shook my head. "That is impossible!" I told him as I felt my eyes go wide and my face go white and I dropped my gaze to my folded, pale hands in my lap. I forced a smile on my face.

"Emris, you need a son of good breeding-"

He shook his head. "What is to become a child without its mother?" he asked me. I sighed, feeling very uncomfortable. "Emris-"

He waved a hand. "A topic for another time," he said and looked out the window. "Just know you won't die. Not because of me."

I stared up at him. "There are Priests of the Old Religion. They will assist with your birth- and no worries, I'm not going to touch you again unless you ask me."

I blinked. "What?" I asked him.

Emris shook his head. "I don't know what our bond is. I don't know how long it's been there, I don't know when it appeared. All I know is that you won't be dying."

I waited for a moment, waiting for him to continue. "How?" I pressed.

Emris reached and pulled me forward, pulling me back into the bedded side of the carriage. I flopped down gently into the pillows and Emris used my lack of balance to his his own advantage. Pulling me up and forward, Emris wrapped his hands around my waist and made me straddle him. I gulped. This position seemed awfully intimate. I watched a smile spread on his face.

"I can hear your heart beat," he whispered. I sighed and tried to relax a little. Emris gazed at me, leaning back into the pillows and soft goose feather blankets. His hand rested on my leg, his head laid back, relaxed, his eyes closed. "It's the most calming thing in my world."

I couldn't help it. I laughed. "I doubt that," I told him. "Your world is full of wonderful, mysterious things, Emris-"

Emris opened his eyes, glowing and full of an emotion didn't fully recognize. I felt my mouth go dry,and I cleared my throat.

"Weren't we supposed to talk?" I asked him as I leaned away. I needed space. Uneasiness bubbles in my belly.

"Yes," he said, his fingers brushing up my arm. "I have a plan... a dangerous one and one that could get us both killed."

I shook my head. I'd come to terms that I would someday soon die, even when Emris had said I wouldn't. I didn't believe he found a way to keep me alive after the birth of a demonic child. I was part demon after all. I didn't know how powerful I was and I didn't really care to know. But hearing Emris say that harm could come to him, the thought filled me with dread. "If it's do dangers, why risk it?" I asked him in a low voice.

Emris sighed and I felt his hesitation and reluctance fill me. "Because," he said and I raised an eyebrow. I waited for him to elaborate but he didn't speak. Emris stared down at his fingers as they traced patters along the top of my hand. I sighed.

"Emris, what are you not telling me?" I asked him. He looked up at me, his face guarded. "Come on, tell me!"

"There is a way to save you from child birth," he told me. I shook my head, slowly pulling my hand away. "What are you talking about?" I asked him confused. "The genetic make up of half breeds are forbidden for a reason- Emris, you can't save me from this-"

Emris smirked. "I know I can," he assured me. "I have seen it done- you will be the next Queen of Azga upon the death of my father."

My mouth had gone dry. "Emris... this isn't how it was supposed to be," I reminded him. "This is how wars start! I can't be the face of a war! I can't! I won't!"

My heart was racing in my chest. How could he spring thing on me now? I was supposed to die with in a year. I was supposed to die.

"I know," he assured me. "But it is possible. If you want me-"

I shook my head, panic washing through me, irrational and quick. "Emris, I'm supposed to die in a year, perhaps two! If not- that's going to make a lot of powerful people very, very angry- not to mention the question of my blood will come up!"

We stared at each other. "We will deal with it when the time comes," he said as he reached and traced a finger down the side of my neck.

A defeated sigh left me.

"Why are you doing this?" I asked him. It didn't make sense. I had been wondering why Emris had been acting so caring around me. I had wondered why he was so attentive and suddenly so physically demanding.

Emris pulled me closer, his hand wandering down my side and down my thigh. Curling his fingers around my knee, Emris pulled me up and forward, making me straddle him. A heated gasp left my lips as he settled me on his lap the way he wanted.

"What is happening?" I whispered as his startled breathing warmed my face. I'd never had these odd, painful, feel good feelings before. The butterflies were filling my chest, as his lips and tongue wandered my neck and jaw. "Emris-wait!"

He didn't wait.

Emris stretched up and pressed his lips directly to mine, his arms snaking around my middle. His lips moved against mine gently for a moment before yielding more urgency. I couldn't breath. Although I could breathe perfectly fine, I felt like I was suffocating. But I didn't mind one bit.

In fact I needed more. I'd never felt this feeling of need before. The longer Emris picked away at my defenses, the weaker I became. I wanted to voice my concerns. I did. But that was when I'd believed there would be no way out of this for me. Now I could decide what I wanted if I walked away from this.

If.

Emris pulled away abruptly, his hands stilling on my waist, fingers pressed to my skin. "What is it?"

I frowned, my eyes wandering back to his swollen, plump lips. My mouth watered and I smiled to myself, my hands resting on his chest.

"You seemed to have so many questions," he told me. "What's holding you back now?"

I looked up at him now. "Nothing," I lied and smirked. Emris leaned back, his face curious.

"Then tell me what you wanted to know?" he said in a slow and seductive voice. I breathed in as he dragged his finger down my thigh. My hands came up to his shoulders as I leaned forward, bracing myself on his shoulders. It was almost as if he was pulling me in.

My eyes slid closed as Emris leaned forward, his face pressed to the side of my neck. "This constant confusion when you are with me is really putting a damper on things," he teased me.

I pulled away to look at him only to see a dissatisfied frown on his face. "I'm sorry," I said in a low voice as I moved to get off of his lap. His hands locked around my wrists and as he moved, sliding across the bed on to his back. With his head back against the pillows, Emris reached an arm behind his head as he settled into the feather bed. With his left hand resting on my thigh I noticed a scar on his wrist.

I reached and touched it. "How did that happen?" I asked him.

Emris looked down at my finger wrapped around his wrist as I raised it closer to look at. It was about an inch long, thick and white.

"Training Tryith, my Naska back home in Vendera," he said as he smirked. "I had just tamed her. Her claw had caught me and hooked into my sleeve and wrist. It healed quickly but the scars always remain."

I looked up at him when he reached up again. I held my breath as his fingers graced my jawline.

"I promise you a safe and secure life," he whispered. I lowered my hands from his chest.

"Emris..." I couldn't bring myself to speak. He smiled. "I promise you wealth and passion beyond you wildest dreams-"

I shook my head. "Don't make me any promises. I won't be around-"

He pulled me closer, his hands heavy and hard on my arms. His lips pressed to mine, a fierce growl rumbling in his chest.

"You are mine," he hissed at me.

I shuddered. "Emris-"

He pressed his lips to mine, his hands giving me no place to run. "Mine," he growled.

His lips danced across my jaw and suddenly everything seemed so vivid. The early morning sunrise was seeping in through the windows of the carriage, giving the already bright room a warm glow. Everything was bright, vivid and extremely surreal. Something was stinging my neck. I reached up as I pulled away from Emris only to see his face contorted with some kind of restless emotion. His normally beautiful silver eyes were black, a stark contrast of what I was used to. Shadows rimmed his eyes, blending with his thick black eyelashes causing his already pale skin to turn chalk white. I jerked my hands back from him in the same moment a surprised and scared look creased his face and he pushed me back. I fell off the side of the bench and into the carriage floor. Emris groaned and ran a hand over his face.

"I'm sorry," he groaned.

I shook my head, backing away from him, confused as to what I had just seen. "W-what was that?" I demanded. I shuddered as I I hugged my knees to my chest. Emris was sprawled out against the pillows, his hands over his eyes. He didn't move.

"Have you never seen a demon before, Nalia?" Emris asked me in a low voice. I couldn't answer yet. There was a giant, invisible boulder sitting on my chest, restricting my airways. Emris had never really scared me. He had never really done or said anything to make me fear him. Yet having seen that darkness in his eyes filled me with fear. Emris groaned.

"I'm sorry," he whispered as he sat up slowly, his shoulders hunched over, his head bowed forward.

"I got carried away. That won't happen again," he promised me.

I felt my heart sink a little. "You didn't hurt me-"

He sat up, his eyes back to the lovely silver I was used to. "That doesn't matter. I could have killed you just now." I felt the blood leave my face.

"What do you mean?"

Emris looked like he was about to be sick. He looked so uncomfortable and vulnerable. How had I misread this man? But he wasn't a man. He wasn't mortal. He was a demon. Immortal. I was a half breed. A hybrid. Something so rare that it was considered by many to be a myth. He was considered one of the most powerful beings in the World. "I am Demon Nalia," Emris said as he offered me a hand to help me off the floor. "First and foremost, that is what I am! Never forget that."

I felt my blood slowly grow cold and I regarded his hand in disgust for a moment. "Please believe me, I'd never hurt you and I never meant to startle you-"

I pulled myself up onto the bench opposite of him. "I've been brought up all my life to think I am going to die if you ever found out about my blood," I told him. Emris smiled. "All my life I've been told that the birth of my only child will be the death of me. How am I supposed to change all of that thinking?" I asked him in a low voice. I glanced up at him. But all I could see were his sharp teeth and shadow rimmed black eyes, grinning at me. I squeezed my eyes shut suddenly wondering if I could do this. Emris sighed.

"I suppose your not," he allowed. "So you have some serious thinking to do," he told me. "You already agreed to by my wife-"

My jaw dropped. "Yes, but that was before-"

Emris did not look happy. "Before what?" he demanded. I chewed my lips and I felt need flare through me that definitely wasn't mine. "Before I knew who I am... before you made me care for you..."

I forced my lips closed. What the bell was wrong with me? Emris stared at me, his eyes bright and clear now. We stared at each other in silence for a long moment, so long that I was surprised when I noticed the carriage roll to a stop and Niko opened the door. "We have arrived, Princess."

I watched Emris leave the carriage first. There was a bit of commotion outside and I frowned. Had word gotten out that we were coming here? I sighed. There was definitely no getting out of the now. With one last deep breath, I stepped from the carriage and out into the open, out to face my fate.