For the last nine months, Raziel has been close to the Elindis. They were expecting yet again, and this time they were hopeful and scared. After figuring out they were cursed, Cecil had devised a counter curse to help protect the children before they were born. All of them were happy to announce that it seemed to have been a healthy pregnancy, Instead of a premature magical termination, Nelanna held the children through to term. To make things even more amazing, this pregnancy was to produce twins.

Of course, with Raziel’s presence so too did the wyverns increase their time. Both of them were worried, though they did not show it very well. Cecil did his best to accommodate everyone, setting up guest bedrooms for them, the angel’s being closest to the master bedroom. It was often remarked how Raziel never expected to become a midwife for anyone, let alone six times, usually in jest. Still, the shadow of the previous five deaths hung over this pregnancy, always lurking nearby as if everyone expected the counter to fail at any minute.

Today was finally the day, the day that Nelanna started to feel the beginning contractions. At first it was light, as if her abdomen was just tightening a bit as she walked. But Raziel would not let Nelanna sit around leisurely. Cecil, Ensarrian, Sanyi and herself took turns walking with Nelanna around and around the gardens. Once the contractions were at a proper timing apart, the excited mother-to-be was brought into the bathing room where their inlaid tub was full of warm water. Cecil and Nelanna were given their instructions.

Sanyi stayed nearby, on call to gather whatever was required by Raziel. Ian was called in if the water got too cold for comfort. Cecil helped keep Nelanna calm through each and every contraction while Raziel kept an eye on everything else. The excitement in the air was palpable as it was getting closer to the birth of the first Elindi child. ”Okay, Nelanna, you’re doing great. Now, give a good push.”

It had taken longer than usual for Cecil to convince her to try again for a child. Each loss had scarred her deeper, instilling within an intense fear of yet another miscarriage. But she trusted Cecil, and decided to put faith in his ability to counter the curse. She allowed him to talk her into one final attempt. When she became pregnant once again, fear had filled her. She had expected to fail once she reached the fifteenth week, like the others. But, it didn’t happen. Months went by, and still nothing had gone wrong. It was the first glimmer of hope she was allowed in years. By the time her belly was swollen, Nelanna was beaming. It was the furthest she’d gone with a pregnancy, making it appear as though this would finally bless them with their first child. Or two, they learned. She was expecting twins. It seemed no short of a miracle. But yet, fear still lurked deep within everyone’s hearts. The past had truly scarred them all. Even so, Nelanna had decided to focus on the positive this time rather than stress over what could be. Perhaps she was only building her hopes for them to be brutally crushed, but it felt nice to be happy for once.

And the day she began feeling the contractions, her entire world had changed. It was the beginning of her first birth. Cecil had been at her side the entire time, so he was quick to call for help, and Raziel had arrived swiftly. Ensarrian and Sanyi came as well, aiding the small angel with taking Nelanna to the large bath. She was partly unclothed and submerged into the water, which Ensarrian had already warmed for her. He remained on the other side of the closed door, waiting for any further instructions or news. Sanyi stood close by in case Raziel needed an extra hand. Cecil, naturally, stayed by her side. He kept her hand in his and allowed her to squeeze whenever the pain became too great. Each time she was told to push she would cry out from the intensity of the pressure she felt inside. Her body was squeezing hard around the child, working harder than it ever had to give birth. She was sweating, struggling to keep her breathing steady and even.

Cecil was the one who reminded her to watch her breaths, and to take a moment every now and again to prepare herself for another push. He kept her relaxed by discussing their children, things they wished to do with them and things they wished to show them. Soon enough, names were mentioned. Nelanna took the moment she was given to breath to really think about possible names. Only one name came to mind with the time she was given: Aurora. The name meant Dawn, perfect for a daughter, as she would be the beginning of a new life, a new world, a new generation. Like the start of a new day. Nelanna smiled softly, yet wearily as she looked to Cecil. “Aurora,” she breathed, and laid her head back against the tub. “I like…Aurora.”

Then, she was told to push again. Despite how exhausted she’d become, and how hard it was to keep going after what felt like hours of labor already, she did as she was told. She cried out again, giving it her all in one final push, her body screaming at her as it stretched to accommodate the baby. Her eyes were shut tightly, hand nearly crushing Cecil’s. The water was turning red. Time seemed to slow as she did, carrying on and on until she wondered if it would ever end. Until it did.

She stopped stretching as the child left her body. Finally, she was able to breathe. Her heart soared with joy. Finally—finally, she was able to bear a child! But it seemed her exhaustion hit her harder. She struggled to open her eyes, attempting to look down. Nelanna wanted to see her baby, she wanted to gaze upon her sweet child. But she couldn’t get a good view before her eyes fell shut again. She was so tired…

Cecil wrapped his arm around her, holding her hand as tightly as she gripped his, gazing down at her lovingly. ”Aurora, that’s beautiful. You’re doing great Nelanna.” He glanced at Raziel as she worked, noticing that she actually closed her eyes when she truly concentrated on her patient as if she was listening for something. ”Aurora it is. And for a boy? What if it’s a boy?” There was once a boy who showed a young Jade kindness after a brutal session of Oberon’s favorite pastime. After his death, his mother would say “Remember Trevan’s strength and bravery, to help you despite your father’s cruelty.” Before he could ask, she was told to push once more, Cecil watched as he gave his undying support while his wife poured her all into the action.

”I’ve got the head, one more tiny push and it’s free,” Raziel said over Nelanna’s cries. ”Raziel…” Sanyi stated in a concerned tone, seeing the water become tainted with blood. ”It’s natural,” the angel assured as she caught the baby. With a swift movement, she pulled the baby up out of the water where Sanyi tied a string tightly around the umbilical cord before cutting it. She swiftly wrapped her in a blanket and attempted to show Nelanna her daughter. Cecil, however, despite the fact that his child was within eyesight, was focused on the exhausted mother, shaking her gently. ”Nelanna? Come on, baby…”

”Nelanna, I know you’re tired, but we can’t rest yet. Aurora’s sibling is about to come.” ”Cherie, what about Trevan if the next one is a boy?” Something about his tone changed Raziel’s attitude, from patient midwife to stern, sensing the concern in Cecil’s voice. ”Sanyi, pass Aurora off, I need you.” Her hand was on Nelanna’s belly, feeling the contractions which should be just as strong beginning to weaken for the next child. ”Don’t you dare, Nelanna Elindi! I’ve not lost a patient yet. So wake your tired eyes up and push!” As she commanded the mother to give her second child life, she began to pour her mana into the mother.

Something was wrong, weakening the elf. Healing magic flowed through the angel as she attempted to revive Nelanna’s strength. Sanyi sensed her actions and placed her hand on the angel’s shoulder, pouring her mana into the angel’s to bolster Raziel. Her magic tendrils told her the baby was moving down the chute, slowly. But without the magic, without assistance, it would not even be that far. Something was killing the elf from the inside despite her efforts…

Nelanna was fading. Exhaustion weighed over her, more threatening than the wave that crashed their ship and washed them all away so long ago. Soon enough, it took a heavy toll on her. Breathing slowed, her body becoming weak and heavy. She wanted to rest, just for a little while. Her eyes had already closed without her knowledge, beckoning sleep ever nearer. Voices surrounded her. Cecil was speaking to her and shaking her gently. It managed to get her eyes open for a moment to acknowledge him, but they quickly closed again. “Just a little rest,” she whispered weakly. Even Raziel spoke up. There was no time to rest. She must keep going. But how could she when she couldn’t even keep her eyes open?

Suddenly, a baby’s cry filled the air, loud and needy. Her eyes shot open. “My baby,” Nelanna muttered longingly and tilted her head slightly. Yes, one was already born, and there was one to go. She could not forget her children. There was no time to rest. The first birth was long and tiring, but unless she kept going, the second child wouldn’t see life. She wanted to see them both, hold them in her arms and kiss their little noses. Cecil asked her a question, attempting to help her concentrate on the presence. He’d asked about a specific name if the second child was a boy. Trevan… She’d never heard it before, but it must’ve meant something to him, like Aurora did her. “Trevan,” she quietly repeated, slowly turning her face to smile weakly at her husband. “Yes, Trevan it shall be…” her voice faded as her eyes closed once more. Each second was more difficult to resist sleep than the last.

Raziel’s voice brought her back swiftly. She hasn’t lost a patient yet? Was Raziel suggesting that Nelanna was dying? The thought horrified the elf. She couldn’t die. Not here. Not now. Not yet. Not yet… Despite having very little strength left, Nelanna gathered every last drop to help the last child. She forced herself to sit up on wobbly arms, the water turning a deeper shade of red. Her flesh was already losing color. But she ignored it all. Her eyes had gone straight to her baby, the firstborn, wrapped in a pink blanket she’d made herself. A girl. “I will not…” she began, fighting the hardest battle she ever had just to maintain her last bit of strength. “Give up…” She had a husband, and children now. Already her motherly instincts were in full drive.

Her hand squeezed Cecil’s as she cried out, putting her all into the pushes necessary to give birth one final time. When Raziel announced the head was out, she stopped to breath, then pushed to end it all. With the baby out, she fell back, breathing heavily with a weak, yet loving smile upon her sweaty face. And that was it. All of her strength was gone, her body too weak to move. The cry of her second baby filled her ears, gradually becoming distant. Her heart was filled with such joy that tears began to fall from her eyes as she made one last attempt to see her children. A blue blanket wrapped the secondborn, a boy. “Aurora… Trevan…” she whispered, voice fading. Her exhaustion had full control over her body now that she had nothing left to fight with. It drug her down, down…down.

The pink and blue darkened from her sight, and the newborn cries vanished.

On the other side of the door, Ensarrian gasped for breath. His hands gripped his shirt over his chest tightly, his eyes clamped shut. Pain filled his body, his legs trembling from it. She was dead… Nelanna was gone… He’d felt it slowly approaching, but…he was no healer. There was nothing he could’ve done to save her. Raziel was the doctor, and if she couldn’t stop it either, then…

The pain was immense. It was like each of his flesh were being torn away from him, down through the muscle to the bone. Like his very being was being stripped away, cell by cell. He nearly fell to the floor. His connection to her was gone. Nothing was left. No breathing, no thoughts, no emotions, no heartbeat. It left nothing. He found himself staring into a black void, as endless as the sea. Even Kohaku was cut off from him. He was all alone.

No… It couldn’t end that way. He’d seen her struggle for years to have children with Cecil. It meant everything to her. She couldn’t try for so long, so hard, only to have that dream taken from her like this. In the beginning he wasn’t fond of her, but in truth she was a wonderful woman who cared deeply for all those around her. It couldn’t end…

It wouldn’t end!

He drew in a deep breath and spun around, forcing away the pain he felt from her loss. The door was thrown open for him to behold the scene that he’d been hiding from. The water was red, Nelanna laying deathly still within it. Cecil was distraught, a heartbreaking sight even for the Wyvern. Raziel was also by Nelanna, Sanyi’s hand on her shoulder. They were trying to bring her back… His eyes hardened as he walked up to them, hiding the pain and sorrow he felt inside. He put his hand on Sanyi’s shoulder, filling her will all the mana he had. He wasn’t connected to Raziel, but he was to his mate, who in turn was bonded with Raziel. “Run me dry if you must,” he said to Sanyi, giving her a determined look. “Don’t hold back.”

By the feel of it, just judging by the small head in her hands, Aurora was the bigger child. While that was an interesting hypothesis, Raziel had no time to dwell on the information. Cecil was doing all he could to support his wife, who Raziel knew she was losing. He was trying to anchor her to the mortal realm with his love and determination alone, desperate to keep the inevitable at bay. As Nelanna gave the final push, once the child's shoulders were free, the rest of him just slid into the world. Sanyi removed herself from Raziel's side only to sever the connection between son and mother, wrapping him warmly in the blue blanket and presented to his mother.

Raziel gasped as she fell to her knees in the bloody water, one hand on Nelanna's belly, the other on her cheek. Sanyi quickly returned to continue passing her mana. Cecil was sobbing, begging her to come back, babbling about their future, and his inability to survive losing her again. The angel, however, was throwing her entire being into the spell to heal what has been damaged and resurrect what has been lost. Despite the surge of strength from both wyverns, something was blocking her, preventing the magic she cast to take hold. It was then that she remembered that curses snake through the entire being of the victim, entwining them with the magical fate. "Sanyi, knife."

Sanyi hesitated, looking at the outstretched hand. "But why?" There was no logical use for a knife in trying to resurrect someone, was there? "Just give me the damned knife now!" Raziel screamed impatiently. It startled Sanyi to see her master so frayed, so agitated to speak to anyone in this kind of tone. When the knife was finally in hand, Raziel drew it back, bringing it down toward her patient.

Only to have it stopped inches from Nelanna's heart. "Raziel, no! What are you doing?" The angel whirled on the fae, eyes clear and furious as she tapped into her amulet. "What was done now must end for me to do my job!" Unexpectedly, her unarmed hand withdrew from Nelanna and punched Cecil square on the jaw. The children were wailing, Cecil splashed in the water as he flailed to get back above the surface. Free of his grasp, Raziel stabbed Nelanna's heart, all but twisting the blade within it. Raziel withdrew the knife and tossed it, placing her hand over the fresh wound and pulling the woman’s face to her shoulder, her nose in the damn curly hair. "Forgive me, my friend. It must be done," she whispered before she began chanting in an ancient tongue.

Sanyi gasped, clutching her heart, panicked by the realization of what Raziel was doing. "No! Stop it!" she cried as she attempted to pull on Raziel's arm. Without skipping a beat with her ancient chant, Raziel seized the wyvern’s wrist and threw her almost effortlessly across the room. She crashed against the wall, surprised and hurt on a personal level. It was not like Raziel to lash out at anyone like this, but she was killing herself to save Nelanna and refused to let anyone interfere.

Ensarrian offered Sanyi all of the mana he could. As it was swiftly being drained from him, his body was growing weak. But he was not the only one feeling it. Sanyi was lending Raziel mana as well, while the angel was surely affected the most. It was clear to him how weary they’d become. For a moment he allowed himself to truly take in the scene, and found his eyes staring at Nelanna and Cecil. He sobbed over her bloodied body, seemingly crippled while Raziel, Sanyi and he fought to bring her back…while his newborn children cried. Their wails rang in his ears along with their father’s own. How had such an exciting and long awaited moment turned to chaos so quickly?

The sound of Razile’s and Sanyi’s voices brought his focus back to them. Sweat dripped from his brow as he narrowed his eyes, breathing already shallow from using so much mana. Why would Raziel want a knife? Sanyi’s hesitance and questioning brought on a response he rarely ever saw in the sweet angel. Even he was taken aback by her snapping, blinking widely as his mate did as she was told. Had Nelanna’s death upset Raziel that much as well? He hadn’t realized they were that close. Either he hadn’t been paying attention, or Raziel was more upset that she’d lost another patient. That could never be an easy experience for a healer. It wasn’t easy for his first time, when he’d been the cause of innocent deaths, but she was meant to heal, to save lives, not take them. And it's already happened once before… The burden must be immense.

When his mate handed her the knife, the sweet angel did the unthinkable. He threw himself away from both women and stumbled back to avert Cecil’s leap towards Raziel. Confusion consumed them all, and fear…so much fear. And yet, Raziel seemed so certain in her actions. Was it her anger for losing another patient that drove her? Was she no longer thinking soundly, and became obsessed with never losing another patient? Or was it something else entirely? He stood away from the others, watching in silence, observing Raziel carefully as she ruthlessly knocked Cecil into the water and plunged the dagger into Nelanna’s heart. The heart was the body’s main source of life and mana, next to the brain which controls all else. But with Nelanna already dead, then it must be magic related. Right?

He felt the amulet activate, but ignored it when he listened to her words carefully. His eyes narrowed. The dagger was then tossed aside, the spot it’d taken within Nelanna’s chest replaced with Raziel’s hand. She started chanting…and Sanyi gasped and cried. His eyes widened with alarm as she fought to pull her master away from his own. Before he knew it, his mate was thrown across the room with the same ferocity used on Cecil. His heart leaped anxiously as he raced to his mate. “Are you alright?” He asked, offering her a hand to help her back to her feet. But she didn’t appear concerned for herself at all. She looked at him with wide, fearful eyes, and quickly explained that Raziel was willing to kill herself if it meant saving Nelanna.

His world seemed to freeze.

How… How could she be so desperate? Was one death not hard enough? Nelanna was a good woman who didn’t deserve to go away, but so is Raziel. It was unfair to everyone else for her to pick and choose who lives and who dies. No matter which she chose, the end results would be the same. Everyone would grieve and suffer. But…she was his friend…his dear little sister… Nelanna shouldn’t have gone, and in that he supported Raziel’s decision. But he wasn’t one to give up so quickly. There was always a way to save everyone. They just needed to look hard enough.

And being the only one thinking clearly it seemed, he knew what he could do. But first—he looked at Cecil as the father rose from the water—Raziel needed time. Ensarrian made his way to the grieving father and blocked his path to Raziel, standing between them with hard eyes. “She knows what she’s doing,” he started. “She doesn’t need you in her way and slowing her down from saving your wife. If you want to be helpful, then quit your balling and go to your children. Nelanna wouldn’t have wanted you to neglect them, especially when she tried and suffered for so long to have them. Honor her wishes and be there for them.” He nearly snarled as he turned away. He then knelt down behind Raziel and moved her hair away from her neck. “Forgive me,” he muttered. “This is all I can give. Please, take it.” And then he bit her, fangs sinking deep into her skin and dripping manna loaded venom into her veins.

She could feel Raziel slipping away from her rapidly as the spell continued. Bit by bit as water poured from a vase. While she hated to admit it, the wyvern had grown rather fond of the angel. Her fear was not just for her master, but a dear friend, a confidant, an ally. But what could she do when Raziel had access to the strength of a wyvern and so much more? Ensarrian was there. She gripped her mate, a tether to sanity as she gazed at him with her emotions so easily visible. ”She’s going to kill herself if it means Nelanna’s life!”

Sanyi watched as Ian intercepted Cecil’s path, speaking reason to cut deep into the fogged state of mind. Cecil’s eyes dragged from Ensarrian to his wailing, bundled children. The wyvern was right, he knew deep down that he was. It was just so hard to see past the death of his wife, a death he was forced to endure once before in a cruel deception. But he could not afford to slip down into the drunken state of despair as he had then, for the two wee ones required his presence if they were to grow and see the future Nelanna fought so hard for. Sanyi approached Cecil and assisted him out of the water.

Fae and wyvern picked up the children and she escorted the three of them out of the bathing room. Raziel was unaware of the movement around her as she was absorbed in her spell. While her voice was steady, she could feel the strength waning in her limbs and fatigue beginning to set in. Even as her hair moved, warm breath suddenly on her neck, there was not a skip in the angel’s chant… Until her skin was pierced. Her voice hitched, yet she pushed on. The angel knew this was not an attempt to stop her, this was assistance beyond what he had been giving before. Tears welled on her cheeks.

She would not have the time to say goodbye to her brother. There was no time for apologies or explanations. Raziel held Nelanna tighter, though she wasn’t sure that she was even able to, as she could barely feel her arms anymore. She poured her love and soul into the spell, trying so desperately to save her friend. The twins she lost all those years ago were strangers, yet their deaths still hurt because Raziel had tried hard in her naive ways. But Nelanna was a friend, her loss would be a monumental blow. It was more than that, though, the twins born just minutes ago deserved their mother, a brave woman who fought so hard for their very existence.

Finally, the chant ended, the room suddenly deathly quiet. Gently, Raziel lowered Nelanna back to rest against the edge of the tub to see her beautiful eyes peering up at her. What color are they? It’s a beautiful color… The angel smiled wearily at Nelanna. ”There you are, dear friend…” Pain coursed through her veins like fire, Raziel’s face contorting with a pained wince and frown. She gazed at Nelanna, wanting to say so much to her, to everyone. ”I’m… sorry,” she managed to whisper… before her strength faded and she fell unconscious upon the woman who was now back from the dead.

The longer he allowed he allowed Raziel to continue the spell, the more his heart ached. His eyes had clamped shut, as if refusing to face the possibility of her death by not watching. Even still, his mana-filled venom kept filling her slowly. Although he was trying to keep her from dying, hoping that his mana would aid with her spell, he couldn’t help feeling he was helping her die by not stopping her. Was he going to lose her? And all because he had the power to stop her, but decided to help her instead? Tears slowly came to his eyes as he knew each passing second she came closer to death. And he still couldn’t bring himself to pull her away from Nelanna. Maybe she would be happy that he supported her to the very end, despite the fact that he would forever be haunted with guilt and regret and grief. He gently placed one hand upon her shoulder, perhaps as a silent and indirect way of telling her goodbye, while his other clutched his shirt over the aching in his chest.

Eventually, the chanting silenced along with her voice. Ensarrian drew away from her neck, wincing at the two, bleeding puncture marks his fangs had left behind. Raziel carefully set Nelanna back down, and from deep within, somewhere far on the other side of their bond, he felt a distant heartbeat. It grew stronger with each beat, seemingly coming closer until he felt it as strongly as he once had, as if it were right next to him. And as he gazed upon Nelanna’s pale face wearily, her eyes slowly fluttered open. Relief washed over him. He allowed himself a moment of weakness and smiled just slightly. It actually worked…

The sound of a splash cut through the air. His heart dropped and leaped into his throat simultaneously as fear took hold of him. “Raziel!” He called worriedly. Nelanna was taken aback as well, wearing a look of concern and confusion as she looked upon the fallen angel. What happened? Did she fall unconscious? Or… She glanced at the water filling the tub around her, a deep shade of red. It no longer looked like water, but blood. Had she bled too much? She tried to ignore the tightness in her chest as worry grew for Cecil. And their children, what became of them? She couldn’t find any trace of them within the room. Did Cecil take them away? Somehow, a soft smile appeared. Hopefully he’d decided to soothe them rather than mourn for her.

Looking back to Raziel, she slowly reached out and caressed her tear stained cheek, working her hand down to her neck where she felt for a pulse. It was there, although faint. She seemed to have passed out. “What happened?” She asked Ensarrian, glancing at him briefly. “You died…” he responded quietly. His eyes wouldn’t leave Raziel, and from their bond Nelanna picked up great fear. As he slowly crawled towards them, he added, “She was using some spell…sacrificing herself to bring you back.” He seemed weary to her, face devoid of all color and brow wet with sweat. “I tried to give her mana… I hoped it would keep her from dying,” he said as he reached out to her. Ensarrian took her in his arms, turning her over so he could gaze upon her face, and he leaned his back against the wall beside the edge of the tub, his legs sprawled before him. She watched his hand reach for her wrist, feeling for a pulse just as Nelanna had. From the sound of the quiet sigh, and the sight of his ghostly smile, she figured he realized his friend was not dead. “That just might have saved her,” Nelanna said softly.

But Nelanna had died… Cecil must have been in so much pain…and Aurora, and Trevan, they almost went without a mother. If it hadn’t been for Raziel, they would’ve grown never knowing what their mother was truly like, never knowing her love and friendship. Tears began to swell in her eyes. All the pain she’d caused…

“Stop crying!” Nelanna flinched at Ensarrian’s near snarl, eyes wide. “It wasn’t your fault, alright? Just be grateful that you’re here now. Don’t linger on what could’ve been.” He carefully laid Raziel down next to him before reaching for a clean wash rag they’d kept nearby. Nelanna blinked, silent as she watched him drag a pail filled with water, which had been prepared for cleansing her and the babies, towards him. The rag was dipped and soaked, then wrung before he started washing away the blood from his sweet angel. Nelanna’s tears were at bay, for now, and she smiled lightly at the Wyvern and angel. It was rare to see that side of him. “Yes, you’re right,” she replied softly. “Forgive me.” He gave no reply, not even a groan nor sigh like he normally would. Instead, he turned his face towards the door, “Sanyi, Cecil!”

Nelanna’s heart leaped as she, too, looked towards the door, hopeful to see her husband and let him know she was alright. And her children—she still hadn’t gotten to see them yet. She wanted to lay her eyes upon their sweet faces, and hold them in her arms.

Since having been ushered out of the room, Cecil tried to lose himself in the necessary functions of simply cleaning the children. Sanyi held them while he prepared the kitchen basin, He glanced at the wyvern as she eased wearily into a chair wearily. They needed an easier way to carry the twins, one that would reduce the chances of their clean blankets getting bloody like their last ones. Cecil quickly removed his shirt and cleaned his arms before finding a large woven basket, padding it with one of the softest blankets he could find. He ensured that it covered all the itchy sides of the basket. Taking Aurora, Cecil unwrapped her and began the bathing process.

She was so fragile, so small that Cecil feared he would snap a little bone with the wrong movement. No matter which way he turned her, her head was always supported, the way he had seen mothers do, oh so long ago. He hadn’t noticed, but they were quiet. When he turned Aurora back over to clean her face, the rag paused. Her large eyes were staring up at him. A beautiful mix of purples and blue, green and gold, like iridescent gems so serious. Cecil was mesmerized. This was his daughter, a gorgeous little creature that he and Nelanna made. A small smile played at the corner of his lips. ”Aurora… My little Lorelei. How much trouble are you going to cause me?” He whispered to the child as he wiped her cheek. When her bath was over, he wrapped her neatly in a fresh blanket and placed her in the basket before turning to Trevan.

The young child was also gazing up at him, his iridescent gems identical to his sister’s own. Telling them apart may not be that easy in the future. But the expression that struck him hit a very tender, very fresh wound. Cecil nearly crumbled. ”She’s going to be fine… Just fine… Don’t give me that look…” Using the same gentle manner, the fae cleaned his son and wrapped him in his own fresh blanket, placing him neatly with his sister. Together, they gazed at him with such intensity, one would not believe that they were just born not half an hour ago. It was then that they heard their names called by Ensarrian. Cecil picked up the basket and followed the weary wyvern through the halls to the bathing room.

Upon entry, Sanyi’s icy orbs flicked over to Nelanna. She gave the woman a tight nod before turning her attention to her master. Ian had removed the angel from the tub and was holding her, soaking himself as he gently cleaned the blood off her face. Another cleaning rag was obtained, soaked and wrung as she took a seat next to them to assist in cleaning the angel who risked her life for the completion of the twins’ world. Cecil, however, had a far different reaction. He breathed Nelanna’s name as he placed the basket on the nearest counter before rushing to his wife.

The fae took her face in his hands and gave her a deep kiss. ”I thought I lost you, Cherie.” With his world now perfect, Cecil glanced over the wyverns and angel, Nelanna pulled into a hug. The four of them needed rest, and he had so much that needed to be done. Finally, the fae was in a rational set of mind. ”Let’s get you cleaned up. Then you will rest while I take care of everything else.” He drained the tub and began running fresh water. In the meantime, he began to undress his wife, refusing to let her be too modest by placing himself between the only other adult male in the room and Nelanna. He also undressed, not even caring how the others would react. They all must get clean before they can rest.