Private Tales Read between the lines

[Zana]

Zana went to reply when the bird launched itself into the air and landed on her shoulder where it put its head under its wing as if it were going to sleep. She winced a little as the claws dug in to her skin but she didn't complain and motioned for Talus to help her up carefully.

"She might not want to stay at home," Zana wasn't sure why she thought it was a female but she just... knew it. Knew it like she knew so many odd things like whether there would be a small accident or rain that day.

"But perhaps if she has Grey she will, they can keep each other company," that would make it easier for her too when she couldn't take the wolf with her on her missions. He always got so sullen and lonely when she told him to stay but now... now maybe he would be less upset.

"Or one day we'll come home and find the cabin in ashes," she grimaced.

 

[Talus]

Talus smiled and shrugged as he helped Zana to her feet, making sure to be careful around the mythical bird of flame. "I'm sure it'll work out."

In truth, he hadn't really planned much for the aftermath of all of this. His plan had been to wow Zana into saying yes, and beyond that...well he had been a bit of a fool he supposed. What he'd read though indicated Phoenix's shouldn't have been much of a problem.

They were smart, almost human in their intelligence.

"Besides, You're always saying you want more pets." He said with a smile, pressing a kiss to her cheek once again as he shifted his feet.

Talus felt like he'd won big, bigger than anyone had any right to.

 

[Zana]

"I love her, I loved this, I love you," Zana said in a tumble of excitement and pulled him close once he was standing. Her fingers twined with his and for a moment the lovers simply stood on the edge of a river of lava and gazed into one another's eyes. Words were hardly necessary when they could feel one another like they could. Her fingers ran up his chest slowly and then her smile suddenly turned more mischievous, darker, sultry thoughts entering her mind.

"I suppose..." she slowly pulled his tie out and used it to tug him down to her level for a slow kiss. "That was good enough for the thing you want to do..." her eyes slowly trailed up to catch and hold his gaze. She raised a brow suggestively.

 

[Talus]

Talus froze in place. "Oh?"

He sounded excited, hopeful, curious, utterly enticed all at the same time. His fingers tightened for just a brief moment, and Zana would be able to feel the thrill suddenly run through him as he took a step closer to her and kissed her back.

"That thing..." Talus of course knew what she meant.

A brief flash rushed through her mind. "We should..."

His mind began to wander.

"We should get back to the Hotel." Sooner, rather than later.

 

[Zana]

Zana started to laugh. It was a warm, low chuckle that bubbled over into a proper belly laugh eventually. When he had first brought it up he was so nervous, almost shy. There was a warmth in her stomach at seeing the happiness on his face as he realised what her words truly meant.

"Let's get going then," she brushed her ringed hand over his cheek and then took his hand and led him back down the way they had come.

The way back was less exhausting than the way up at the very least but even still, by the time they got back to the hotel she was glad to take her heels off. Zana threw them unceremoniously to the side. Grey put his head up from the sofa then froze when he saw the bird, a low growl coming from his jaw.

"Grey..." she said slowly. The wolf hopped down and slowly approached. "Now, we play nice okay?" the phoenix flapped her wings then leaned down. For a moment the two touched nose to beak and Zana held her breath. When nothing happened she breathed out and let the bird go. It flapped over to the edge of one of the lamps and began to groom itself.

 

[Talus]

Almost as soon as the Bird was off Zana's arm would she find Talus come up behind her.

His arms wrapped around her belly, his muscles tensing as he tugged her tightly against himself in the middle of the massive suite. His fingers played softly over her skin, thumbs drawing small circles as he subtly began to lift her dress.

"It's a wonder we made it back here." The Dreadlord murmured quietly to his love.

His words could have spoken about their exhaustion, but it was clear from the salaciousness of his touch that Talus meant no such thing. His hands slowly drifted up and down her form, palms gently pushing her forward and towards the massive bed tucked away in the further room.

All the while he kept her close, drawing Zana against himself even as he forced slow, deliberate steps.

 

[Zana]

Little had the two known just how much they would have needed that holiday to prepare for the coming months.

Things seemed to move at a breakneck pace. Their first mission together saw them treading a fine line with Virak Dreadlords on the Cortosi Coast where Talus had become the object of one of her oldest enemies hatred. Then had come the siege the political fallout from that; of the guard taking a city, of their secret being shared with one of Talus' oldest friends. The next few weeks had been filled with hellish nightmares of murders, catching said serial killer and uncovering a plot that ran far deeper than any of the Houses had realised to bring them down.

All ending in Talus discovering he had a sister.

There had never been a Dreadlord more in need of a break. Zana sat on the porch with a warm mug between her hands and her eyes closed as she tried to ease the turbulent emotions and sickness inside of her. Talus was off escorting Riley to wherever it was the two Morrid siblings had decided was the safest spot for them to part ways and for the first time, she was able to think about what was going on with her own magic. It was not unusual for it to change; since being with Talus it had developed in ways she couldn't fathom. But the idea her visions were developing disturbed her. And then of course there was the stress induced vomiting and lethargy. Was it a sign of what she had seen happening to Fen would happen to her? Would her body simply give out one day?

Grey jumped up onto the swing beside her, disturbing her quiet contemplation. With a small smile she put the mug down and lay on the porch with her wolf. Her eyes drifted shut and quietly she slipped into a doze.

 

[Talus]

Talus stepped up onto the porch to find his future wife already sleeping on the bench. A smile touched his face, and as Grey raised his head to peer up towards Talus he raised a finger to his lips and motioned for the Hound to be silent.

After narrowing his eyes to ensure it was really Talus the Wolf simply nodded, laying his head back in Zana's lap and snuggling her close. "My love."

Talus spoke the words softly.

He had not been gone all that long, at least it didn't feel like it. Bringing Riley back to the Falwood had been...an interesting journey, but a rather quick one surprisingly. His sister was confident in where he had taken her, and although it had taken much arguing he'd eventually agreed.

Slowly he came to stand in front of Zana, his hands reaching out to softly touch her.

"My love." He repeated. "It's time for bed."

For them both.

 

[Zana]

Zana's eyes opened with visible effort when she felt Talus' fingers brush against her cheek and into her hair. Eight weeks was a long time to go on minimal sleep using the amount of energy she had been on her missions recently. Despite it, she smiled when it was Talus' face that swam into focus. Jarringly she nodded at his announcement and slowly forced herself to her feet.

The world spun and she ended up slumping against him.

"I just need sleep," Zana answered his question groggily before he spoke it out loud. "Doctor thinks I'm close to a burn out," a dangerous thing for magic users, especially Dreadlords. With his help, and Grey on her other side whining nervously, she managed to get to the bedroom, strip herself off and crawl into bed. Grey didn't hesitate in joining her, sleeping at her back to keep her warm and safe.

Sleepily Zana held out her wrists in an unspoken plea: the manacles. She wanted to sleep.

 

[Talus]

It was not a request that would see any argument from Talus.

He could practically see the exhaustion in her coming off in droves. His fingers traces over her for a moment, and then he stepped over towards the floorboard where the manacles had been stashes away. Before a minute had passed Talus pulled the manacles free and clasped them around Zana's wrists.

"There." He said softly as he leaned over and pressed a kiss to her forehead.

Without another word he gently pushed her back against the bed, his touch soft and slow as he smiled at her and pulled off his own clothes. A second later he wrapped his arms around her, fingers slowly playing over her skin. "Get some sleep."

He told her quietly.

 

[Zana]

There was a mumbled few words that could have been anything they were so slurred and marred with tiredness, before Zana's whole body went limp and she slid into a deep sleep.

The sun was climbing it's way high into the sky when she suddenly woke. Grey was slumped over her snoring, his heavy weight which had been a comforting blanket for the night now suddenly a barrier to getting to the bathroom. The poor pup gave a surprised yelp as Zana shoved him off the bed and scrambled her way quickly out of the sheets.

She barely made it to the bathroom before heaving her guts up.

 

[Talus]

Talus raised his head groggily from the pillows blinking, his eyes barely open as he watched Zana rush from the bedroom and into their bathroom.

"Are you okay?" The young Dreadlord asked quietly as he slowly pulled himself out of bed and grabbed a nearby pair of pants. Grey looked at the two humans with a rather annoyed expression, letting out a huff before he flopped down back onto the bed.

The inconvenience of being thrown away forgotten as he sank down into the feathered warmth.

Talus could hear Zana vomiting in the room beyond, a frown touching his features as he came into the doorway. "Do you need some water?"

He asked, though moutwash might have been a better option.

 

[Zana]

"Please," came the croaked answer from inside the room followed by another heave and whimper. Zana had never felt so ill, even when she had had the Red Fever as a child. Her head was swimming, her skin clammy, and it felt as though she would never be able to keep food down again. Another heave brought up nothing but water as Talus returned and she slumped against the wall. One leg bent at the knee upon which she rested her elbow and her head rested upon that hand.

"I think I'm sick, Talus," she glanced up at him and took the water with a weak smile. Zana took a sip, swirled it in her mouth then spat it out before taking a proper drink. "The Doctor said it was exhaustion but I don't know... I've never felt this bad from burn out."

 

[Talus]

He frowned a moment.

Magical burnout was a problem among young Dreadlords, hell even elder ones sometimes succumbed when pushed. Zana had been going through a lot, using her magic in training the guard and on missions, but he thought not enough for all of this.

"Maybe you need a healer." Talus offered quietly, though the only one he knew of was several dozen miles from Vel Anir to the North. There were a dozen fourth levels who could heal, but he wouldn't want any of them near Zana. He doubted she would either.

"We'd have to travel a bit." He said quietly. "But I can carry you, and he might be able to help."

The man didn't use magic, at least not like a Dreadlord would. He referred to himself as an Alchemist, utilizing plants and other ingredients to create medicines that some would call miracles. Talus had met him on a mission for the Guard, and had promptly hidden him away so there would be no danger to his craft.

Lest some overreaching Proctor discovered his craft.

 

[Zana]

A spike of fear shot through Zana.

"I don't want to go to a healer," if he hadn't felt her terror through the bond he would hear and see it now. Trust seemed to come easier to the love of her life but she couldn't imagine someone checking her over that she didn't know. It was bad enough when the Luana healers checked her - when Ashur checked her who knew the ins and outs of her gifts. What would a stranger do if he knew about her visions? If she had one when he touched her?

The panic had her scrambling back onto her knees to be sick again, the glass of water almost spilling in her haste.

 

[Talus]

Talus bent down and rubbed Zana's back. "Okay, okay."

He would not force her to go, at least not until she was worse for ware. If she was sick right now then it was a good bet that exhaustion really had laid on her. If that was the case then a few days time might be all that she needed to recover and become whole again.

If not...well then they'd have the conversation again.

"When you're ready I'll take you back to bed, fetch you some soup from the city." The art of soup making was not one he had mastered, and Talus wouldn't even try. Not when she was already sick. "No matter what's wrong, rest can't be a bad thing."

At least that was what he figured.

Talus had never been sick a day in his life, at least not from any illness. He'd never really questioned why, always figuring it was something to do with Dreadlord training and his own magics.

 

[Zana]

Tears rolled quietly down her cheeks as she rested her forehead on her arms, head still firmly facing down into the toilet. Each heave was making her more tired and her body began to shake as though she were cold. Mutely, she nodded at his offer of soup and bed. She had heard of a few cases of Burnout which had been horrific. Dreadlords whose magic had developed to quickly for them to cope with and control resulting in the body drawing on its own life source to fuel it. Throwing up and fevers were a common side effect.

After a moment or two to catch her breath and make sure she wasn't going to be sick again Zana nodded again.

"Bed sounds good," she reached up and took his hand. Usually she did such a thing even when she was perfectly capable of getting to her feet but today she really did rely on him helping her up.

 

[Talus]

Talus smiled and gently scooped Zana off the ground. His touch was soft, grasping her just tight enough to pull her onto her feet. As soon as she was standing he looped his arm around her.

Slowly he took her back towards the bed.

As soon as they crossed the small threshold Talus let out a quiet whistle. Grey snapped his head up, looking at the two humans and giving a low whine. For a second he wiggled in place, and then slowly crawled his way a bit over on the bed to make room for Zana.

Talus carried her over, gently sitting her down on the edge of the bed and settling her down before kissing her forehead. "I'll take care of you today."

He told her softly.

"Get you everything you need." His nose nuzzled against hers.

 

[Zana]

As soon as Zana was laying Grey places his head over her stomach and shut his eyes. She smiled faintly and brushed her fingers through his thick coat whilst she turned her gaze up to Talus.

"You always take care of me," despite her tiredness her smile was genuine and full of happiness. With her free hand she lightly cupped his cheek and rubbed her thumb over his cheekbone. "I'm going to sleep some more," she wanted to tell him not to worry but she knew it would be impossible. Instead she released him and snuggled down, cuddling up to Grey to demonstrate as best she could she would be okay whilst he went for soup.

Exhaustion dragged her under as soon as she shut her eyes and Zana slept for most of the rest of the day in the deep slumber she would only ever know with the manacles. When she woke up the sun had almost entirely sunk beneath the horizon and the sky was a beautiful fiery red. Grey had vanished, probably to sate his own stomach, and Zana could hear Talus moving around in the kitchen. Carefully she swung her legs out of bed and padded her way to the kitchen in one of his discarded shirts.

"Smells good," she said sleepily, leaning up against the door frame with her mussed up hair.

 

[Talus]

Talus was in the middle of carrying the soup when Zana poked her head through the door. He'd had retrieved the meal from one of the restaurants in the city with strict instructions on how to reheat it when he got back home.

He'd followed those instructions, and was busy filling a bowl and setting up the table.

The young Dreadlord flickered in and out of reality as he moved through the kitchen, setting up the table so that it would be ready for the small meal. Just as Zana moved through the door, his head turned towards her. Anyone else would be scared of his ghostly visage, but Zana would've well used to it by now.

Plus, a ghost holding a bowl of soup was always amusing.

That was, until a look of confusion and outright shock crossed that ghosts face. Talus suddenly snapped back into reality, and Zana would feel a surge of emotions rush through the bond that could only be described as pure startlement. Like Talus himself had seen a ghost standing behind her.

As the emotions shot through the bond Talus suddenly tripped, the soup bowl dropping to the floor with a sudden clatter as Talus fell over.

 

[Zana]

Everything happened so quickly. Chaos.

Talus' reaction to her terrified Zana. Her first thought went to the weird merging of her soul and the half a soul of another Dreadlord she had taken nearly a year ago now. Had something changed? The emotions coming at her were so hard to decipher she wasn't sure whether whatever had happened was good or bad, but it was certainly bad enough to send him sprawling to the floor. The soup went dramatically up in the air first before smashing onto the floor and all over.

Grey appeared like a ghost, eyes scanning the room and then landing on the food. He lunged.

"Talus!" Zana rushed forward, dropping down in front of him and her hands flittering over him to make sure he wasn't hurt. "Are you okay, what's wrong?" her brows pulled down into a frown as she put a hand under his elbow and eased him to his feet.

 

[Talus]

For a few seconds Talus remained silent, his head spinning from what he'd just seen. Lips thinned and he looked up at Zana with no small amount of confusion. His mouth opened, and then his vision flashed again as he looked down at her belly. "I umm."

He frowned.

At first he'd thought her soul had split again, that perhaps it was a side effect of that northeners magic, but it was not so. Her soul had merged a while ago with the second, her personality overcoming it and leaving her with only one. He'd confirmed that a while back, but when he looked now...he saw three.

Not the one it should have been. Not two. Three.

Two were small, almost not whole in a way, but he could see them all the same. His throat went sry, and he swallowed slightly as he continued. "I know why you're feeling sick."

His head was woozy.

"You're pregnant." Talus declared the words with all the certainty in the world.

 

[Zana]

Zana stared at him dumbfounded.

Pregnant?

For all their talk of the future; their wishes, their dreams, their fantasies... the possibility it could actually become a reality had always eluded her. She hadn't believe it could ever take shape, especially not with what had happened in the last few months. Slowly, Zana fell on her backside and in the soup that was slowly spreading over the floor.

"Pregnant?" Zana whispered, staring at the reddish liquid that she was sat in as though she couldn't quite remember how she had got there. It did explain more than a few things; the ache in her breasts, the tiredness, the sickness that came over her with certain smells. Her erratic magic.

Shock slowly gave away to pure joy, mingled with fear and excited, panic and nerves.

"We're pregnant," her eyes finally focused on Talus and she barked a quick laugh before quickly descending into tears. Her hands came to rest over her stomach. "We're going to have a baby."

 

[Talus]

Elation, terror, joy, fear, shock.

Talus felt a range of emotions run through him one at a time. His lips broke out into a wide smile, face beaming as he reached out and wrapped Zana in a tight embrace. He shook his laughter, joy, not really thinking of everything this meant but simply enjoying the knowledge he reveled in.

Then he realized something. "It's twins."

Nothing in her visions had told them of twins, at least not that he knew of, but he was sure. So damned sure.

"There's two of them." He told her with a wide beaming smile.

More than that he could not have told her. All he'd seen were the two extra souls. Mirth radiated from him as he watched and waited for her reaction to that bombshell.

 

[Zana]

Zana's face turned to hide itself in the crook of his neck as he pulled her into an embrace and they both shook with the cocktail of emotions wracking through them. Soup dripped down the backs of her thighs from where she had been sitting in it but she didn't care. It was the furthest thing from her mind, especially when he made his next revelation.

"Twins?!" Zana choked and pulled back from him, holding him at arms length to stare at him with wide eyes. Two... babies. The shock on her face said it all; nothing had prepared her for that. There had always been something... off with her visions when they had concerned some of her children but she had never been quite sure what that had meant. Was it that they had the possibility of being twins?

Slowly, Zana sat back down in her soup.

Then something changed and her face twisted. "Oh God, the smell." In a flash she was on her feet and back in the bathroom.