Chapter 22 - Lilas
The past day has been amazingly pleasurable but exhausting. Knowing that Kor and Bel will be leaving in the morning we've spend all of yesterday and today locked together in our room, having sex on and off but also just simply being together. It's something that soon we won't be able to do for potentially a long time, at a minimum I think it'll be at least a year but likely more.
It's getting late and we should sleep soon, we'll need the rest for in the morning when they leave. A whole ceremony has been planned to send them off along with all the soldiers, it's all been arranged by the Council that will be staying here to help me rule Rialria. But for right now going to sleep is the last thing on my mind which is instead consumed with the feeling of Kor thrusting into me pushing me into Bel who in turn pushes into Emmy.
On and on the repetitive cycle continues with Kor in complete control of us all, he's fucking all of us at the same time. This might be our last round for tonight so he's clearly making it count, imprinting his claim on all of us. In just a few more thrusts Emmy is the first to come setting off a chain reaction as Bel then me and finally Kor follow her over the edge. Exhausted we all collapse onto the bed.
"We should really get some sleep." I pant out struggling to catch my breath. From around me I receive agreeing hums as we all cuddle together.
"Don't think I could go again tonight anyway." Bel mutters burying his face into my neck finally settling down to sleep. Next to me Emmy is wrapped up in Kor's arms almost asleep already. If it hadn't been for Kor and Bel leaving so soon we'd have probably taken more time introducing her to sex rather than jumping straight into a two-day sex marathon. Whenever we've taken the time to bathe I'd given a healing potion to help her but she'll still be sore come morning, if she's going to make it through tomorrow's ceremony then we need to let her rest.
"Sleep." Kor grunts out reaching across so that he's managing to touch all of us. Not able to fight off sleep anymore I drift off to sleep enjoying this last night together with all of my mates.
Knocking on the door wakes me up but without waking Emmy and Bel there's no way I can get up and answer it. Luckily the noise has also woken Kor who gets up to answer it without a care that he's still naked.
"Nuela." He says in greeting opening the door just enough for her to see him, blocking her view of the rest of us. Possessive dragon. He doesn't care that he's naked but Gods help anyone who sees any of us naked.
"Your Majesty, good morning. I've had the main bathroom prepared for you all to clean up, while you're cleaning up I'll fetch your clothes for today. Breakfast is currently being prepared and will be ready by the time you're done." She informs him. Even though I can't see her I can easily picture the blank vaguely unimpressed look on her face. Likely she knows the state that this room is in after the past few days and isn't looking forward to getting the maids in to clean it all up.
"Thank you Nuela." I call out as I start gently shaking Bel and Emmy awake. If Nuela already has that all sorted then she must have let us sleep for as long as possible, we need to get moving now or we'll be late.
Closing the door Kor returns to the bed lifting a groggy Emmy into his arms letting me focus on getting Bel up and moving. Luckily a sleepy Bel is easily movable so we're soon up and moving to the bathroom where just as Nuela promised the large bath is full and warm. Stepping into the bath works to finish waking Bel up as we settle along the edge of the bath.
Grabbing a sponge I start scrubbing the last few days off of me and slowly Bel starts doing the same thing. At the other end of the bath Kor has started washing Emmy who is still not quite awake, the last few days have really exhausted her. I'll have to find another healing potion for her to have with her breakfast.
We take turns washing each other's hair, getting rid of the sweat and tangles that the last few days have caused. Finishing off we climb out of the bath, all of us awake now, and head back to our bedroom where Nuela is waiting for us. In the time that we've been in the bath she's had the bed stripped, the discarded clothes removed and the rug has disappeared as well.
"Right I've got your clothes for the ceremony ready. For now put these on until you've had breakfast, I've kept it simple so you can change quickly. I'll have Talindra on stand by to help Queen Emilia and there will be servants to help the rest of you as well." She states handing over clothes to each of us that are easily pulled on before she ushes us out of the room to go and eat something.
"Yeah, she's in a bad mood." Bel comments as we leave, "We really need to make it up to her."
"You and Kor will be leaving soon; it'll be me and Emmy dealing with an angry Nuela." I reply dryly.
"Market. New rug." Emmy mutters her voice sounding slightly raw. That should be better after she's had plenty to drink and that healing potion.
"Should help." Kor hums in agreement with her idea. It won't fix everything but it'll be a start, we might be the Kings and Queen here but Nuela runs our palace with an iron fist and we've made a mess of it.
We avoid talking as we eat knowing that if we start talking we'll end up on the topic of Kor and Bel leaving and none of us really want to talk about it. Knowing that we'd need something quick today Nuela has kept breakfast simple and has it all laid out by the time we sit down. Helping ourselves to whatever we want it doesn't take us long to finish, making quick work of the food after the last few days of picking at food off a tray. As we head back up I grab a healing potion and get Emmy to take it, she won't make it through the day without it.
Heading back upstairs we're immediately surrounded by staff helping us to get prepared for the ceremony. Talindra draws Emmy away from us taking her into her private bedroom to get ready in private. Being so well organised it doesn't take them long to have the three of us dressed, complete with our crowns, and ready to go. Kor and Bel are both wearing leather tunics that will be better to travel in than they're usual clothes and they'll be better prepared if they need to fight. Hopefully they won't have to but it's better for them to be prepared.
"Right, we'll be waiting downstairs for Emmy. Have all of the trunks been prepared?" I ask Nuela as we head back downstairs. Over the last couple of days we've sent out clothes to be packed for Kor and Bel but we haven't been able to check on it until now.
"Yes your Majesty. All the clothes have been cleaned and packed away. I've had the trunks sent out and they'll be placed on one of the supply carts travelling with them." She reassures me, pushing away her anger for now to help with the departure.
"Thank you Nuela." Bel tells her before she heads back off with a nod towards us to continue organising the servants. The three of us enter the drawing room sitting down to wait for Emmy, she shouldn't be long and then we can make our way to the meeting hall before the ceremony begins.
"I'm going to miss you both. So much." I whisper after we've been sitting in silence for a while. I need to say it now, we can't have a proper goodbye in public. Kor cups my cheek drawing me into a light kiss.
"Miss you too." He mutters leaning his forehead against mine.
"Don't worry, Li. We'll be back before you know it. You just look after Emmy for us." Bel replies coming to sit down next to me for a kiss of his own. We stay together on the settee holding each other close until the door opens and Emmy steps inside. She's wearing a beautifully embroidered dress that's slightly thicker than others she's worn before now that it's getting colder. Her hair has been pulled back out of her face but left to flow down her back and a diamond crown has been secured on her head as well. The only other jewellery she's wearing is the necklace containing her Stone.
"Beautiful." Kor states standing and kissing her cheek as she blushes. It's true she looks every inch the Queen that she is.
"Kor's right, you look stunning Emmy." Bel and I stand and join them, "But we should really start heading over to the meeting hall. Any longer and they'll send someone looking for us."
"Please just a minute more." Emmy asks tears gathering in her eyes, "I don't think I'm ready."
"It'll be okay." I tell her lifting a hand and brushing away a tear with my thumb, "Kor and Bel will come back to us, just as they are. Until then they'll send us letters and we'll do the same." She nods taking a deep breath trying to stop anymore tears from falling. Kor and Bel each take hold of one of her hands keeping her close as we start making our way out of the palace.
Outside there are a lot of people around all of them preparing for the ceremony or waiting for it to start. Before it can start though we need to get to the meeting hall where the Council is waiting for us to arrive, from there we'll start the ceremony. We've also been told that there needs to be a speech which given Kor's reluctance to speak and Bel just not wanting to, the speech has fallen to me.
The entire Council is waiting for us when we get there along with General Astaroth, the only general to have arrived in Hadlau before the news of war came. The others were sent word to either make their way to the border or to hold their positions until the army arrived then travel with them to the border. Some should already be close to the border and helping the dwarves at the border prepare their defences until the rest of them arrive.
"Your Majesties." They greet as we join them. That's going to take some getting used to, due to our relation to the Gods Kor and I have always been called Lords and Bel has been called the same as our mate so for it suddenly change is strange.
"Councillors, General." I greet in return as we all take our seats. Usually there are only enough chairs for the Council but they've added extra for the general and Emmy. "General Astaroth I don't think that you've met our final mate Emilia yet. Emilia General Astaroth is an old friend of ours, he's fought together with Kor in many wars."
"An honour to meet you my Queen." He nods in greeting to Emmy who returns it with a small slightly strained smile. Her entire body is tense and the day only just started we still have a long day ahead of us, including Kor and Bel's actual departure.
A discuss begins on the route that they'll take to the border, the plan had already been established but the rest of the Council wanted to go over it again. We'll need to know where they are to send them any information we receive concerning Nerkise not to mention supplies and reinforcements. I try to commit to memory the route they'll take so that Emmy and I can send our own personal letters to Kor and Bel and hopefully get some in return when they stop at or near a town.
"It's time, your Majesties. We should go." Magor says rising to his feet. Nodding in agreement we stand as well making our way to the doors where I can already hear people waiting for us. Chances are most if not all of the city have turned up for the ceremony today, this will be our first appearance together since being declared rulers of Rialria.
We walk out to cheers as we take our places on the raised platform that has been set up for today so that everyone can see us. Not far from the stage a few grooms are waiting with Kor, Bel, Borgan, Halmed and General Astaroth's horses ready for them to mount up and leave. There are also a small number of troops waiting for them, they'll act as an honour guard while they ride out of the city to where the rest of the army is stationed ready for the march north.
"Welcome everyone." I shout as the cheers quiet down trying to make sure that I'm heard by as many people as possible, "We thank you for being here today and supporting the brave men who are departing today to fight for us. They leave today to fight not only in defence of our land and way of life but that of Nerkise which is currently under the control of the tyrant Rhistel. But not for long."
A roar from the crowd follows my words so I fall quiet letting the noise calm down before I continue, it's also giving me a chance to catch my breath. Having to shout to be heard is already irritating my throat.
"I'm sure that under the expert leadership of King Ruikor supported by King Belath, Councillors Borgan and Halmed as well as General Astaroth and all the other generals of this great kingdom we'll soon their return. Until then the remaining Council will help me rule Rialria with the support of Queen Emilia. Now let us wish them well in the battles to come!" I finish in a roar that starts cheering even louder than before.
Turning back to my mates I stand next Emmy as we say a final public goodbye to Kor and Bel. With everyone watching we trade light kisses with each other before they step back and leave the stage to mount their horses. General Astaroth, Borgan and Halmed follow after them mounting their own horses as the honour guard assembles around them ready for the ride through the city.
As they start walking past the stage Emmy surprises me by stepping towards the edge and pulling something out of her sleeve. Curious Kor and Bel stop near the stage waiting to see what she's doing. Despite us being on the stage with them on horseback they're still only slightly below us so Emmy is easily able to pass what I realise are handkerchiefs over to them.
"Please be safe." She whispers her voice wavering slightly. I approach her taking hold of her hand for support as we get to the most difficult part of the day.
"Always." Kor tells her tucking his handkerchief into his tunic close to his heart. Next to him Bel kisses his before doing the same. They ride off then, as we wave goodbye from the stage, the crowd roaring their approval as they depart. We stand watching them as they disappear into the city and stay there even after we can't see them.
"Come on, we should get home." I whisper to Emmy gently guiding her off the stage. She lets me move her but doesn't respond or take her eyes off the spot where Kor and Bel rode off and disappeared from our sight. I can feel her shaking slightly and so I send the first servant I spot to the palace letting Nuela know that we'll be back soon and that Emmy isn't doing very well. Hopefully with the warning Nuela can have a bath and change of clothes ready for her so that she can go back to bed and sleep for a bit longer.
By the time we walk through the palace doors Emmy is crying and I'm supporting almost all of her weight. Footmen open the doors for us so I'm able to walk straight in to where Nuela and Talindra are waiting for us. Rushing forward they take Emmy from my arms one of them on either side of her as they start taking her upstairs.
"We'll look after her your Majesty. There are clothes ready for her upstairs and a bath." Nuela informs me as she disappears with my remaining mate. Needing to do something productive I head downstairs into my lab to start making some potions, I'll start with a calming one for Emmy and then batch making healing potions. All over Rialria those gifted with magic have been tasked with making the same healing potions so that they can be sent to the army for use.
It's lunchtime when Tehlmar enters my lab to inform me that lunch is ready and Emmy is waiting for me in the dining room. I'd sent the calming potion up a few hours ago for her to take so hopefully it, along with some rest, have helped. We've only been together a few months now which may not be very long, especially not by our standards, but since we met Emmy there hasn't been a day where we didn't see each other. After so long together I've been without them before but this is the first time Emmy has been without them so I'd expected some panic about it.
"Hey Emmy." I greet joining her in the dining room which seems empty with just the two of us in here. She's dressed much more comfortably with her hair braided loosely back. "Feeling better?"
"Yes, I'm sorry about earlier. I thought I'd be okay." She replies not looking at me, instead she's focused on her hands in her lap.
"The first time Kor went to war without me, I didn't speak to anyone for almost two days. Then later on when they both left I holed myself up in the library the entire time they were gone." I tell her finally getting her to look up, even a quiet giggle.
"Really?"
"Oh, yes. I spent so much time in the library while they were gone that by the time they returned I had so many research ideas that I barely saw them when they got back because I spent so much time working in my lab. They were not impressed." She laughing properly now and her eyes aren't as sad as before.
I keep telling her about what I've done while they've been off fighting before while we eat lunch. It takes her mind off their absence which in this dining room where we've eaten so many meals together is all the more obvious. Maybe tonight rather than sleep in the main bedroom we'll go to mine or maybe Emmy's so that we can both get some sleep without feeling their absence too much.
"Could I see your lab?" She asks as we finish off lunch. Nodding I take her hand and lead her downstairs, she's never been down here before because some of what I work on can be dangerous and I didn't want her coming down here by accident and getting hurt.
"So down here I do all of my experiments. It's set up for potions over there, I'll be making a lot of healing potions down here soon, and over there I work on runes. Between potion batches I'll likely be carving protective runes to send to the army along with the potions." I explain as she looks around the room.
"This is amazing. How did you learn all of this?"
"Many years of studying. Plus a natural talent for magic. Bel has always said that I'm one of the most gifted magic users in the kingdom but I've tried never to compare myself to others, there are many who're better than me in other areas of magic. Battle magic for example has completely escaped me instead my talents lie in potions and runes."
"Could I watch for a bit? Maybe help if I won't get in the way?" She's nervous but I give her a gentle and walk her through how to cut the ingredients I need for the healing potions. With her help I'm able to move much faster getting a large batch of the potion cooking in almost no time and while it finishes we sit at my runes table where she watches me as I carve some protection runes.
It's easy to lose track of time in the lab because of it being underground and lacking natural light, instead light is provided down here by runes that I've carved into the room. I moved the lab down here after getting annoyed about having to keep lighting candles while in the middle of an experiment. Additional runes have been placed around the room as well to provide ventilation, one of Kor's requirements for moving down here was better ventilation because of the fumes from potions. We keep working for hours until Nuela ventures down to find us.
"Your Majesties, there you are." She exclaims, luckily we weren't working on anything too important as we jump slightly at her entrance. "I've been looking everywhere for you both. Lady Hess is upstairs asking for her Majesty."
"Oh, I'll be right up. Could you take Lady Hess into the drawing room?" Emmy replies to her. Nodding Nuela returns upstairs to speak to Lady Hess. "I'll see you later." She kisses my cheek as she rises from her seat next to me.
"Have fun my love." I tell her watching her leave before returning to my work. Our third batch of potion is almost finished and once it's done I'll call it a day for working in my lab. I'll send some servants down to collect the finished potions and transport them to the warehouse where we're starting to stockpile supplies to send after the army. Maybe I'll spend the rest of the day in the library, a new book I'd ordered arrived yesterday and is waiting for me to read it.