Everything had changed.
Cersei awoke abruptly with a gasp, her heart pounded rapidly in her bosom. Instinctively she rolled over in her bed and reached for the comforting feel of wolf fur, but her slender hand made contact only with the cool, midnight blue, silken sheets. Draven was likely out hunting to regain his strength, he needed to feed more frequently now. There had been a time when although she understood the need for it, the thought of such violence and murder had disturbed her. But everything had changed.
When they had traveled through the portal it took every maternal strength and all of Cersei's power to keep Paige from being ripped from her arms. On the other side, she and Paige were alone in what she now knew to be the Virens Forest. Cersei's body immediately began to react to the death of the babe that had just started to grow within her womb. Those first days were the worst for the fey'ri. It was not because she had lost the child, whom she believed was the product of incestuous rape. The physical pain was nearly disabling to the already weakened woman. But Cersei fought through it to protect and support Paige, and to continue her search for her missing husband.
It was, perhaps, the smell of her miscarriage that eventually led Draven to her. But he was in a far more pitiful state than she. She had been surprised that he could walk, even in his wolven form. Travel was slow. During the days they would find a dark place to sleep… a tree hollow, a small cavern. Cersei could not sleep without feeling Draven's fur against her skin. In the evenings they would slowly travel again. The first evening they awoke to the sound of a couple people nearby. Draven didn't ask, he didn't even suggest it… Cersei sought them out and lured them to where Draven was so that he could feast upon them.
By the time Draven had found Dimitre, Cersei was little more than a ghoul. Her silvery white hair was snarled and wild, her pale gown was torn, dirty, and bloody, her skin was covered in filth, and there was a deadness in her turquoise eyes that spoke of how drained she was. She could have sucked the energy from Draven's victims before he had at them, but she refused. She joked that it was because Draven had spoiled her and that she simply could not feast on something of a lesser quality. While it was true to some extent, it was more-over that Cersei refused to be with anyone other than him.
But when she was reunited with her Lord, she fell into his comforting embrace and he placed his lips upon her own to feed her. The hunger in her was nearly insatiable, and it took much effort to force herself to keep that hunger in check. However, Draven insisted that she feed until she was completely replenished.
Both she and Draven had been living within the Keep. Cersei helped to raise and teach Devany and Elena. She loved them both a great deal, as if they were her own children. And they both loved to play with Paige. There was no cathedral, there was no Minoc, they had lost their home. But Cersei was happy there. The Keep in this new land was their home now, and Cersei felt safe there.
The fey'ri rose from her empty bed and the nightmares of her past life in DaeLuin. She opened the heavy curtains, and moonlight spilled in to kiss her naked flesh. It would be a good night for a hunt, if that was, indeed what her husband was doing. She hoped that he was, she could not wait for him to return to his human form so that she could once again feel his hips between her thighs and his hands groping at her flesh. The very thought made her warm in the chilly keep.
She could hear Paige starting to wake up in the crib she had set up in their room. She wasn't ready yet to be parted from Paige and wanted her near when she slept. The shades appeared with a plate of fruits for her to break her fast with. After eating and then feeding Paige, Cersei dressed. Although all her clothing had been lost, more had been made for her. She stayed true to her elvin heritage in her clothing design, though it was mixed with the fashions that had been popular in Minoc before they had left. Her skirts were the loose, pale, flowing fabric that the Ostwynne elves favored, but they were paired with a corset. Jewelry of mithril and blue goldstone adorned her neck, arms, fingers, ears, and head.
Paige was dressed the opposite of her mother. Rather than pale fabrics, the rich and dark colors looked much better with her dark hair and made her bright eyes stand out. When they were both ready, Cersei and Paige emerged from her rooms and were instantly met with Devany and Elena who began to fawn over how pretty Cersei and Paige were. They asked if they could watch Paige, and Cersei transferred the babe into Devany's arms. She trusted the girls, undoubtedly, with her child.
“Where is Draven?” Cersei questioned. Elena shrugged and wiggled her finger in Paige's tiny grasp.
“I'm not sure,” Devany answered. “But daddy is in the library mourning the loss of his literature again.”
Cersei thanked Devany and let the girls run off with Paige and began to make her way to the library. She was certain Dimitre was mourning the loss of more than just his books. Cersei stood in the doorway, watching his back silently. She knew that he was fully aware that she was there and felt no need to announce her presence. She simply watched him look at the shelves that had yet to be filled and the shelves that contained completely new tomes. The tomes that had been lost were a tragedy, to be certain… however Dimitre also lost Skylania and Aiden and so many others. Cersei believed that he misdirected the pain of such loss onto his library. Certainly it couldn't have been easy though, especially since she was there. Draven had always told her that she resembled Skylania in many ways.
“Each passing night your daughters impress me more and more, my Lord,” Cersei remarked, attempting to draw Dimitre's attention away from what he had lost to what he yet had. “Their intelligence knows no bounds, and their beauty matures equally as fast. I think they will both thrive very well in this Revaliir. They will certainly help to carve out a powerful shadow syndicate for you. Though, hopefully not too soon… I cherish their youth and wish to preserve it for as long as possible. A sentiment we have in common, I believe.”
Cersei walked into the library, towards her Lord, and eyed an empty shelf. It was a reminder that she no longer had the resources to learn about her demonic heritage and what powers it contained. Before the sundering she had planned on going to the Keep's library to research Incubi and Succubi, she planned on learning how to wield those powers so that no one could ever touch her again. Although she felt safe here, away from Fisetha and Aldaren, she still yearned to hone her skills. Draven deserved nothing short of a strong, capable wife.
“I would help to carve out your faith here in Revaliir, if you would allow me to,” Cersei added, reaching out to place a soft hand on Dimitre's arm. His aura was like dark electricity, a deceptive contradiction that left one in a state of excitement and fear all at once, a power that left one eager to throw themselves into the abyss if only for a taste. Cersei shuddered in delight at the sensation. “You have only but to command, my Lord. I will do whatever is asked of me.”