Chapter 7 - Ruikor

Flying for just under an hour I arrive at one of my favourite hunting grounds, just on the other side of some mountains near the castle. We don't really need more meat but my urge to hunt won't subside until I fill it, so a quick trip won't hurt. It'll also give me a chance to clear my head after hearing Lilas tell our story to Emilia, but I don't want to be away from home for too long anyway.

I've always been uncomfortable remembering the creation of the Stones. Not only had the process been complicated and very over my head but it became clear that they were planning to leave after this last gift. It made for a very uncomfortable time being surrounded by families that were about to separate forever while also coming to terms with the fact my mother was leaving. The time after that was difficult as well but Lilas stuck with me through it all.

At times I can't help thinking what my mother would think of my mates, being her youngest she was very protective of me. She'd met Lilas a few times and had always thought he was lovely despite being very different from us dragons. No doubt she would have found Bel hilarious in small doses but too much and he would have found himself being punished like a child. Emilia likely would have ignited all of Mother's protective instincts, making want to keep her safe in a nest for as long as possible.

Knowing the area well I manage to track down a small herd of deer quickly. Swooping down as fast as I can I manage to snatch up a doe in my claws. Landing I eat it raw, something I only tend to do when I'm alone it's freaked Lilas out in the past although Bel doesn't mind as much considering his own food source.

Taking off again I track down a larger amount of deer for a second kill that I'll take home for the others. There are a few stags in the area, so I snatch one up before turning around to fly back over the mountains and home to my mates, the urge to provide for them now satisfied.

I drop the deer onto the ground beneath me before landing and shifting to human form. Heaving the deer up onto my shoulders I head to the kitchen my instincts satisfied now, and clear headed after hunting, that I've hunted and am providing for my mates, especially my youngest mate. She's so tiny all I want to do is feed her until she's healthy. Placing the deer in the cold storage room that Lilas had created I head upstairs to find my mates, with the cold storage butchering the deer can wait until the morning.

Their scents downstairs are faint, so I head upstairs it seems they're still occupied with what they had headed inside for. As I get closer to the floor our rooms are on the scents get stronger, ink and parchment, Bel's earthy scent with the faint smell of blood and the new scent of lavender and vanilla from Emilia's bath this morning. I think it suits her, calming and sweet.

Heading past Bel's room I enter the library where the scents are leading me. The three of them are sat together at the table and I can't help letting out a quiet purr at the sight of them so content together. This is what I've always wanted, the four of us together.

"Kor your back." Bel greets me, quietly though so that he doesn't wake Emilia up. He puts his book down and gets up to give me a hug which I happily return loving how content his scent is. It's a nice change from yesterday when we were all nervous, Emmy's scent in particular had been soured by uncertainty and fear.

"Good time?" I ask walking back to the table with Bel taking the seat next to his. Lilas only nods focused on his book.

"Yes I managed to finish Emmy's dress. She loves it and she seemed to enjoy today, even started her reading lessons with Li. I think his book sent her to sleep though." Bel informs me clearly excited about her reaction to something he had made. Lilas and I have never been to concerned about clothes so having Emmy be so interested and even wanting to learn from him has made him happy. It does make me wonder what her reaction would be to jewellery I've made, she clearly loves the necklace containing her Stone having not taken it off all day.

On the other side of the table Emilia starts to wake up, sitting up I get my first look at her new dress which looks much better than her old one. Seeing me she gives a sleepy smile in greeting, it's cute and Bel clearly thinks so as well because I'm sure I hear him coo. Looking at the title of Lilas's book I'm not surprised that it sent her to sleep, politics bores me to death as well I'm more for action rather than talking.

"Did you have a good hunt?" She asks rubbing at her eyes briefly to try and wake up some more.

"Caught a deer."

"Oh. I've never tried deer."

"I'm sure we have some ready. We can have it for dinner if you'd like?" Lilas joins in having been listening despite still reading. He's about halfway through the book now hopefully he'll take a break soon so that we can have dinner. It's one of the benefits of having just found Emmy it's become easier to pull him away from his books to spend time together.

"If that's okay with everyone?" She replies shyly looking for our reactions. Both Lilas and I nod in agreement while Bel just raises his hand.

"I'll just take some blood if you don't mind." He laughs out while Emmy's cheeks turn red remembering that he won't eat with us.

We head down to the kitchen once Lilas finishes the chapter he was on. Emilia is still not fully awake, so Bel keeps an eye on her as we go down the stairs the last thing we want is for her to fall and hurt herself. Lilas is once again in charge of dinner although I make myself useful preparing the meat for him. It doesn't take us long deciding to stick to just meat and some vegetables for tonight.

Dinner is quiet as we all focus on eating, Bel finishing his blood quickly and runs back to the library on this floor to grab a book to read while we finish eating. Emmy appears to enjoy her first taste of venison although she takes her time to finish her small portion before helping herself to a few more vegetables.

"Would you like to go to the bigger library to look for some books to start learning from?" Lilas asks Emmy when we'd all finished eating. She nods and stands following Lilas as he heads off to the library.

"Want to join them?" Bel asks me, standing himself and stretching. I shake my head going to the cold room so I can take care of butchering the deer first.

"Butchering the deer first." He nods in understanding leaving me to it.

After so many years of practice skinning and butchering the deer doesn't take me very long. With the work done and the meat stored away for another day I walk over to the library ready to spend remainder of the evening with my mates.

The three of them are sat on the sofas around the fireplace in the reading area mostly quiet except for Lilas reading aloud to Emilia, a story this time rather than one of his other books. As I get near I see that there is a small pile of books, all stories, on the table no doubt the books that Lilas will be using to teach her to read.

I sit down on the sofa next to Bel who immediately turns slightly putting his feet in my lap making himself comfortable as he continues to read. It's nice getting to sit with them all like this, just a nice quiet evening together, the only sound other than Lilas reading is fire crackling. Content I close my eyes sleeping lightly relaxing but keeping my senses focused on them just in case.

"She's asleep." Some hours later Lilas breaks the silence, opening my eyes I find Emilia fast asleep against his shoulder. Next to me Bel looks over as well, having been sleeping himself his book lying flat against his chest. "We should probably wake her up, she wouldn't want to sleep in her dress." Bel nods and goes to stand up, forgetting about the book on his chest which falls to the ground waking Emilia up.

"I fell asleep again. I'm so sorry."

"It's no problem Emmy. A lot has been going on, it's natural to be tired." Bel reassures her, "Come on we should head upstairs. You can put Lilas's old robe back on to sleep in." She nods and we make our way upstairs to the bedrooms.

Just outside of his room Bel loosens the ties of Emmy dress then directs her into his room so she can get changed in private. It doesn't take her long before coming back out in one of Lilas's old robes which Bel has clearly shortened to fit better length wise, but it still appears a bit big for small frame. She's playing nervously with one of the sleeves when she steps back out.

"I-if you don't mind could I… stay with you tonight?" That explains her nerves she's worried will say no but there is no way we could turn her down. Not only do we want her with us, but she looks so vulnerable as though our rejection would break her.

"Of course you can stay with us." Bel says happily grabbing her hand to lead her into our room. Shaking his head a bit Lilas follows with me just a few steps behind him. Once we're inside we can see him showing Emmy around the room, so we duck quickly into one of the side rooms opposite of them to get changed for bed.

Bel settles down after that getting changed himself before we all climb into bed. We keep Emilia in the middle with me to her right Li and Bel lying down on the other side of her. Like before she's asleep almost immediately her breathing soft and even. I'm the last one awake as Lilas and Bel drift off not long after her, stretching out my arm out I'm able to reach right across to Bel at the other side of the bed.

A light purr escapes me as I have all my mates safe and close as I start drifting off to sleep. It's been a long day reliving the past and a part that I try not to think of too often. Mother had been the only family I was close to, dragons are solitary by nature and all my siblings had left the nest years before I was born, so her leaving was painful. Pushing those thoughts away I focus on now having my mates close and in my arms, like I've thought about for so many years, as I fall asleep.