Chapter Six

Remys followed after Lothien as the vampiress eagerly looked around the manor, eyes wide as they took in the decorations that littered the walls. Urdein gave a funny look towards Remys who simply shrugged from where the queen and she spoke, a little behind the prince and the vampire. The queen had requested a room be prepared for the baby, fully embracing it.

Good. Life was precious. And Urdein deserved the one wish he had always wanted.

Remys rolled a pale green gem around her fingers, the smooth texture slipping through her fingers like water. The surface of the jewel warped with each pass through her fingers, blurry images flashing across the surface one after the other. A small flash came from it after a certain image, drawing her attention from the vampiress skipping down the hall.

The hazy image sharpened into a clear picture, revealing a blue sky scattered with clouds, four figures banking around a sea stack, wings tilting as their riders leaned forward.

With a grin Remys slipped the jewel into one of her pouches, looking up as they arrived in front of the kings' study. Flipping the hood of her cloak back, Remys gave a small smile at Rhazien in a silky black tunic, tucked into a pair of brown riding leathers with black boots ending at his knee. Lothien wore the most color out of all of them, her bright blue blouse cinched at her hips just above a pair of black riding pants, her boots a warm brown.

"Too much black makes it seem as if I want to hurt someone," Lothien had commented when Remys had asked. To each their own.

Urdein had given Remys a very blank look when she and her two vampires showed up at the door to bid goodbye, blinking once in surprise, twice in confusion, thrice in acceptance before opening the door.

The queen gave Remys a warm smile before bidding her safe travels, heading towards the garden. With a slight dip of her head, Remys curled a finger and the doors swung open to the study, Urdeins' raised hand to ask for entrance falling on air.

The king looked up sharply before relaxing seeing his son, only allowing himself a single blink to compose himself as he looked upon the sorceress who flashed a smug smile.

"I wanted to bid you goodbye," Remys spoke before anyone could, smirking internally at the flash of annoyance that flitted across his face. "I do not see myself returning for quite some time."

He gave her a carefully neutral look before dipping his head. "May your travels be swift and easy," was the customary response. She gave him a wry smile before nodding her head and sweeping out the door, Rhazien immediately falling into place at her side. Lothien still flitted about, though as if sensing her twin leave her immediate proximity, blue eyes lifted and glancing around, her legs immediately carrying her towards the departing duo.

Remys glanced down at the still grinning vampiress, her lip quirking in a soft smile as she opened the manors' main doors, dipping her head to the queen in the garden. Mystic and Maiya were both waiting at the foot of the stairs, tacked up with small flowers braided into their manes. Casting a glance, Remys saw the queen give a playful smile before disappearing back inside.

Swinging herself onto Mystic, Remys picked up her reins and pulled her cloak smooth on her back before glancing over her shoulder. The guards grabbed the two vampires with easy smiles and placed them on the draft horse, Rhazien sitting directly behind Lothien.

With a quick laugh, Remys watched as Maiya immediately broke into an easy jog, startling the two children on her back. Snapping the reins, Mystic jumped forward and continued in an easy canter, her ears flicking back and forth. With a nicker, Mystic stepped into an easy lope, Maiya jumping into a lumbering canter behind her.

Rhazien gave a yelp of surprise as Lothien's nailed dug into his arm, eyes pinched in pain. His twin gave no heed to his cry, her other hand fisted in the mare's mane as her eyes widened in worry.

Rhazien gave Remys a pitiful look, eyes pleading. With a laugh, she pulled Mystic up beside Maiya and easily slipped Rhazien into a space in front of her saddle.

Lothien barely noticed her twin's absence, her sense of adventure returning in full force as the group cantered out of town. Her lips spread in a gleeful smile, a laugh bubbling out of her lips.

Rhazien grumbled as he rubbed his arm, the epitome of the disgruntled older brother. His head leaned back until it rested on Remys' left shoulder, the courser's smooth gait lulling him into a resting sleep. His eyes cracked open again when he heard Remys talking, though they shut again moments later.

Lothien noted her brother asleep against Remys and gave a lilting laugh, shaking her head. "He used to have too much energy!"

Remys glanced down towards her pupil and gave a soft smile. "A brother's job is to protect their siblings, especially an older brother. You left the place he knew back and forth like his own hands, forgive him for being weary now."

"I wouldn't trade him for anything," a pause, then a careful look. "Or you."

When they arrived at the camp in the woods, Remys barely slid off Mystic before a large white wolf barreled into her side and pinned her to the ground, slobber dripping from its open mouth, tongue hanging out the left side.

"Why hello there," she let out a laugh, desperately trying to keep her face out of range of the slobber. "I missed you too, Jynx."

Mercy gave a cry from her post on the wagon lifted into the air and pulling at Jynx's ears with a sharp sound of disappointment. The she-wolf grunted and pulled back, snapping her teeth in a playful manner at the mother hawk.

From her bag, Kashmir jumped out and ran towards Rogue, the cobra happily curling up on the kitten's stomach a content hissing sound. With a quiet laugh, Remys brought Mystic and Maiya towards the other horses, Zephyr acknowledging his rider with a soft nudge against her shoulder.

Lothien had eventually dozed off against the mares neck, her soft breaths rustling the chestnuts mane. Rhazien had woken up just before the group reached the camp and was observing the tattered family that had been stitched together over the centuries.

Nereus slowly climbed down from the top of the wagon, his tail brushing against the ground as he wandered towards Rhazien with a lazy cat-like look in his eyes. Though half-lidded, the golden eyes gleamed from the thin sliver that caught the setting sun.

Rhazien glanced towards Remys who had Lothien in her arms, smiling gently. "That is Nereus. My bonded." The griffin gave a very wolfish smile for a cat, before giving a long, slow blink towards the vampire. Rhazien gave a nervous laugh before slipping off Mystic's back, rubbing the neck of the mare in thanks before stepping into place beside Remys as she swept towards the wagon purposely brushing her body down Nereus' who was content to curl up and wait.

Inside the wagon, Remys placed Lothien on one of the hammock beds, Rhazien's directly below hers. With a smile she left the vampires as she grabbed a pair of flying goggles, the thinly cut sapphire lenses tinging her vision blue as she slipped them over her head. Nereus stood as she exiting the vehicle, giving a low trill as his left-wing stretched downwards.

With a smile Remys balanced along the bone, her steps quick and efficient as she slid into place just in front of his wings and above his shoulders. With a loud screech, the griffin launched into the air, body bunching as his powerful hind legs propelled them into the air. His wings spread open as he drifted in the air currents, his purrs vibrating through his entire body.

The vibrant scarlet red feathers on the top of his wings gleamed in the setting sun, shining a deep orange that scattered across his back. He let out a trill, wings tilting as he banked around a large tree at the edge of the forest, legs tucked up close under him.

With a low purr, Nereus leveled out above the clouds, neck stretched out and tail swinging behind him. Remys heard faint laughter on the wind and kept her eyes forward, just as a flash of black wings appeared on her right, the thundering of wings invaded her ears. She could hear their laughter in the air -deep and husky-, teasing voices echoed from lilting voices. The quiet grumbling beside her, and the sly, cunning, voice to her right.

When she glanced around though, the sky was empty aside from the pearling clouds, water gathering on her faces. A sad smile graced her lips as she leaned against Nereus' neck, eyes closing as a bright green forest flashing in her unseeing sight.