(Unedited)
Xaria was floating in a beautiful dream.
"Zephyr!" a captivating voice called out, causing her to turn around at once, and Xaria felt her heart skipping a few beats when she found the most fetching woman she had ever seen walking up to her.
Xaria's breath halted as she watched the goddess of a woman approach her; her light brown skin glowing beneath the sun, her deep brown eyes twinkling far more marvelously than any star ever could, and her soft, pillowy lips, lifted in a smile that could lay waste to a million armies. The woman wore peculiar clothes as if she belonged to a world away from all worlds, and Xaria's eager eyes shamelessly traveled across her bare arms, kissing every inch of exposed skin like a starved creature. When the woman came to a halt before her, something inside Xaria's brain glitched for she visualized her having golden eyes and hair, her heart plunging, and then that image vanished just as fast as she had conjured it, leaving her a breathless mess as she stayed still.
A bizarre thing occurred then, leaving her discombobulated.
"You are late," it was Xaria's lips that moved to speak but she sounded nothing like herself and she glanced down only for her eyes to widen in panic because she found herself in a different body.
"Forgive me, my love. The children begged me to stay and you know I can never refuse them," the woman before her spoke in the most loving voice, causing Xaria to look up again and her hands moved on their own only to bring her closer.
"It appears I will always be at war with those wretched children who keep my mate away from me," she replied lowly, the voice leaving her lips was deep and husky— manly —and the woman dissolved in her hold most perfectly.
"Zephyr, my love, you need not worry. No one in this world, or all the others out there, could ever keep me from you," the woman's words were a melody that made Xaria's heart sing and dance and she leaned down only to press their foreheads together, feeling her chest throb.
"They may try if they ever feel so emboldened but they will fail. For I will find you, my beloved Amaya, in this life and the next and all that may ever come. You are my home and I will always find you," as Zephyr whispered those words, so deeply and with conviction, Xaria knew in her heart that she felt the same and the woman in her arms, Amaya, became teary-eyed at her words.
"Oh, my soul, must you always shed tears at my confessions of devotion?" Zephyr, the one whose body Xaria was possessing, mumbled unhappily as they wiped their mate's tears and Amaya shook her head with a sweet chuckle, making their heart swoon.
"I am not to be blamed here, my love. It is you who is at fault," Amaya teased her mate then, pulling away with a mischievous smile on her luscious lips, and Xaria's chest ached as she watched her walk beneath a huge tree, only then realizing that they were on top of a hill.
"Zephyr? Is something the matter, my heart?" Amaya called for her attention when she did not move, gazing at the scenery before her in awe, and Xaria shook her head before walking over to a small blanket where they were, apparently, having a picnic.
"A-Amaya, I-I... How..." things shifted when Xaria realized she was in control of the body now and not Zephyr, and Amaya's eyes shimmered with worry as she quickly moved closer to her.
"What is it, my love? Do you-- Do you sense it? Is it time already?" Amaya's soft hands cradled her face, making her forget about everything else, and Xaria felt her eyes brimming with tears, making her mate move onto her lap.
"I am here, Zephyr. I am here, my love. You are not alone. We will be alright, I promise. I will never let anything harm you," Amaya said those words with such surety that even when Xaria knew not what she was talking about she believed her and it made her even more emotional.
"I do not deserve you, Amaya," it was Zephyr who said that, they sounded just as emotional as Xaria felt, and Amaya shook her head before cradling their face against her heart, whispering sweet nothings as she held onto them strongly.
"You do, Zephyr, you do deserve me and my love and everything you may ever desire. I do not understand why you are so dismal but..." Amaya shifted only so she could bring them face to face and Xaria's eyes widened in awe when her brown eyes began turning gold.
"If what transpired a few nights prior is the reason behind your tears then you need not fret, my love. I understand that it was a mishap and out of your control. Believe me, I do, and I could never hold you at fault for it. My heart and soul will not forgive me should I ever be that foolish," Amaya appeared desperate then, her words inciting shame and regret within Xaria's heart, and the woman must have felt it for she began pressing sweet kisses along the edge of her jaw, making her shiver.
"You are my beloved, Zephyr. You are my one and only mate. And I hold you far more dear than I have any other... I am because of you. I am for you," she mumbled those words with every kiss, igniting a fire within Xaria that she feared would eat her alive and the woman halted just as she reached her lips, torturing her without meaning to.
"There is no Esme without her Orion," Amaya's voice cracked as soon as she said that, leaning in to press their lips together, but something about that name made Xaria's eyes widen as she pulled back at once.
Xaria gawked at the woman in horror, seeing not Amaya but someone else.
"N-No," she whimpered as a strange ache began spreading through her limbs, her eyes watching the woman on her lap as her hair began changing colors too, and when she moved away from her, she screamed loud enough to make the skies tremble.
"A-Amaya," she managed to say her name, her eyes struggling to focus on the woman who was professing her love only moments ago and Xaria's blood ran cold when she realized something.
Amaya's whole appearance had veered around only to morph into a mirror image of the woman of her dreams, one that was always present to witness Xaria taking her last breaths and the way her eyes watched her, so dead compared to the lively ones she had been blessed with moments ago made her misery only worsen a thousand folds. As the pain increased, so did the whole view around her, and then, Xaria found herself standing at the edge of a cliff, her hands soaked in blood. Glancing down, she realized that she was percolating, and when she looked up, she found none other than the golden-eyed woman, the one from her dreams, standing before her with the same dead look in her eyes. This time, however, Xaria knew her as Amaya: her mate, and her beloved. Amaya raised her hand, causing her eyes to follow it, and the last thing Xaria saw before she found herself free-falling into the lake below was the black smoke that emitted from her fingertips, stabbing her hard enough to send her flying away.
As ice-cold water welcomed her in its vile arms, holding her in a way she feared she may never be able to free herself, Xaria looked up only to acknowledge that she was reliving the first memory she had of her strange life and it was not the moon that was red, it was her own blood that stained it so. Sinking deeper into the harsh embrace, Xaria finally had the answer to the question she did not even realize she needed an explanation of and she ultimately recognized that the ominous shadow that had moved above the water, just before she succumbed to the first of the countless deaths that she was yet to face, was none other than Amaya; the woman who was her mate, the one who vowed to love her and protect her and the one who, in the end, killed her.
Unlike all the other times when Xaria would feel the stone-cold hands of death wrapping around her throat and choking her into capitulation, this time something odd happened, and the water around her stilled. Slowly— very, very, slowly —it began getting warmer and warmer to the point that she was sure her flesh was melting off of her bones.
Xaria's panic-filled eyes observed as the pitch-black lake surrounding her began projecting recollections of her past that she could not even remember having forgotten and with each new recovered memory, the pang inside her chest exacerbated. And it did not end, not for a time long enough to have sent any other living creature into absolute madness, and by the time Xaria regained most of her memories, she was on the brink of letting go entirely. However, it was hurt, betrayal, bitterness and never-ending love that kept her going and after far too long, she came into herself.
Nyx looked up from their book as soon as Xaria sat up in the bed with a gasp.
"Amaya," she whispered in horror, her memories in place while she remained disoriented still, and Nyx motioned Aaliyah to stay back for she knew how discombobulated the woman could be waking up after dying.
"Hey, Xari. How are you feeling, my dude?" Nyx inquired calmly, taking a seat at the edge of her best friend's bed, and when Xaria looked up at them, she could not even recognize who she was.
"Amaya. Where-- Where is Amaya?" Xaria's voice was different as she asked that, she was heaving and sweating through her clothes, and Nyx frowned at the question, turning to Aaliyah to see if she knew who Amaya was.
"Amaya!" when Nyx took too long to answer, Xaria yelled out her mate's name before getting out of the bed with wobbly legs, and Aaliyah's eyes widened in alarm as she watched her, unsure what was even happening.
"Amaya! Where are you?!" the woman screamed in madness, her head still throbbing as she attempted to move, and when Nyx tried to stop her, the woman pushed her away with a strength she did not previously possess.
"Woah! Dude, calm the frick down!" Nyx's ribs ached as they pushed themself to stand again, worried about their best friend who was acting so unlike herself and Xaria did not even react to the sound of their voice.
"Amaya. I need-- where is she? Where is my mate?!" stumbling and struggling, Xaria yelled as she tried to get anyone to answer her, and Aaliyah's heart stilled at her words, her eyes widening as well.
"What is going on here?" Juno walked inside her mother's chambers then, scowling at the sight of the untethered woman, and Aaliyah remained frozen in her spot while Bida, who was away searching for Esme, hurried to return to her.
"I don't know, she woke up, and she-- Xari! Stop, please!" when she fell to her knees, Nyx yelled at her best friend before going to her side at once and Xaria's hand wrapped around their throat as soon as she touched them.
"Where. Is. My. Amaya?" the woman hissed in a deep voice, her dark eyes maniacal, and Nyx did not struggle against her hold as they tried to stay calm, knowing her best friend would never willingly hurt her.
A powerful voice fused in the air and finally halted Xaria.
"Zephyr," Iris spoke the name calmly and sternly, and Xaria's gaze honed in on the woman at once, finding her standing only a few feet away with two others at her sides.
"Let go of them, Zephyr. Nyx is your best friend," Iris knew better than to demand anything from the unhinged woman and Nyx grinned at her words, holding out a thumbs-up as she still did not even try to push her best friend away in fear of hurting her.
"Thanks for the pronouns!" it was the silly way Nyx said those words that made something click inside Xaria's brain and the woman immediately pulled her hand back, watching as her best friend coughed while caressing their bruising skin.
"Nyx," Xaria mumbled lowly, her eyes widened in shame and panic after realizing what she had done, and Nyx gave her an easing smile, patting her shoulder with her free hand as she did so.
"Hey, Xari. Welcome back, my dude. Thanks for not killing me," Nyx jested, their voice hoarse from the trauma, and Xaria's eyes brimmed with tears as she pulled her into a stronger-than-usual hug, causing the woman to groan loudly.
"Too strong, Xari, don't kill me with your hugs," when they wheezed those words out, Xari eased up but did not pull away and Nyx hugged her back with as much strength as they could muster, realizing that she felt bigger than before too.
"I'm sorry, Nyxie. I could not see you. It's... Something is happening to me. I-I have all these memories that are mine but they feel so...foreign," there was fear in Xaria's voice when she spoke, pain too, and Nyx held her closer before pulling away only to wipe her tears lovingly.
"It's okay, Xari. I know you would never hurt me... Come on, get up," Nyx tried to lift her best friend only to fail, feeling as if she was made of steel, and Xari frowned up at them, feeling different in their body too.
"Dude, I mean this the nicest way but you, like, feel as if you weigh a ton and I am not joking. I could bench your weight only three days ago," looking down at their best friend, Nyx itched their scalp as they frowned, and Xaria glanced at her palms before getting to her feet.
"I... I feel different. It's like... It feels like I am not even in my own body," Xaria mumbled lowly, glancing at her arms and hands, and Nyx moved closer to her at once, her eyes brimming with worry and love for her.
"It's alright, Xari. It'll be okay... When was the last time you took your estrogen shots?" Nyx asked that most lovingly, knowing how bad body dysphoria could get for her best friend, and Xaria gave her a loving smile before shaking her head, feeling better already.
"You're trans?!" it was Juno who had barked that like an idiot, gaining a sharp glare from Nyx who was the most protective of her best friend and even Gen scowled at the young dragon, making her shrink a bit.
"Yeah, she is. Why?" the ire in Nyx's voice was not lost on anyone, she hated it when people questioned her best friend's identity because of her 'masculine' style and Xaria smiled before making them face her, their eyes warm again.
"I love you for this, Nyxie, but it's not that. This feeling is different. It's like... I feel like this is not my body at all. Like I am living in a different person," Xaria explained in a faraway voice, and as soon as she recalled the memory she saw, her eyes found Iris who was already watching her.
"You... You knew my name. My old name... Zephyr," Xaria's demeanor shifted once more, her body tensing as she walked up to Iris, and even when the white-haired woman was more than a good foot taller than her, she glared up at her fiercely.
"Who are you and how do you know my name?" she demanded an answer, her eyes turning darker with every passing moment and when she breathed deeply, she halted at once, her face twisting into disgust and anger.
"You reek of her," and just like that, Xaria's voice changed once more and while Nyx was entirely confused about what was happening, Iris remained unaffected for she knew the woman better than she knew herself.
"Where is Amaya?" there it was again, the anger and the bitterness and it made Nyx walk up to her best friend only to grab her hand and make her calm down instantly, something that Iris observed keenly.
"Who is Amaya, Xari?" Nyx asked, understanding that whoever this Amaya was she was vital to her and Xaria's jaw clenched as she gazed down at her best friend, trying to tame the rage crawling beneath her skin.
"Amaya is... Amaya is my mate, Nyx. She is my... She is betrothed," when Xaria said that, so easily and surely, Nyx had no other choice but to believe her but she, unlike her best friend, also remembered someone else and her eyes shifted to her at once.
"I thought Aaliyah was your mate," even though she did not fully understand what it meant, Nyx pointed towards Aaliyah with her eyes and Xaria's frown vanished as soon as her eyes finally found her dragon mate, her heart skipping a beat familiarly.
Xaria was astounded, feeling entirely too blessed as she gazed at Aaliyah.
"Mate," she whispered lowly, in awe and surprised, and her feet moved only to carry her closer to the second mate she had been endowed with, her eyes drowning in her new mate's magnificence.
"You... You are my... How?" there were tears in Xaria's eyes, her hands shaking as they fell limp on her sides and Aaliyah's gaze brimmed with moisture too as she watched her, still tormented by her screams of pain from only hours ago.
"He--Hello, mate. I am... I am..." Xaria could not even finish her babbling when Aaliyah embraced her strongly, weeping in her arms as she held onto her, and Nyx beamed happily while Gen clenched her jaw at the scene.
"We are so glad you are alright, mate," Bida spoke as they walked inside the room, making sure to glance at Nyx who was still wide-eyed in their presence, and Xaria, with most of her memories restored, beamed up at the most exquisite dragon she had ever seen.
"You are the most brilliant dragon I have ever seen, dear mate. It is an honor to be in your presence," Xaria bowed her head as best as she could, knowing how much a dragon appreciated that, and Bida appeared impressed as they watched her lovingly.
"You have fine manners, dear mate. Unlike your friend who refused to believe I was real even after the third time they fainted in my presence," Bida glared at Nyx then, causing the poor human to smile sheepishly, and Xaria chuckled at their words while pressing Aaliyah closer to her heart.
"Nyx means well, mate, I assure you. Dissimilar to me, she has never been to this realm or met any other supernaturals... Unfortunately for her, I did not have my memories to tell her all about it, too," Xaria's eyes became sad again as she glanced at Iris, her manner of speaking altering too, and the white-eyed woman knew what she yearned for but she refused to indulge.
"Hey, I do need clarification on that one, you know. I am still in shock about the, uh, the mighty dragon here so I would really appreciate it if you can explain how the frick all of this is real?" Nyx finally let out the question she was struggling to keep in and Xaria smiled at the woman before nodding, her hands holding Aaliyah close still.
"My memories are still hazy but... I believe I was born here, in this realm, and I went by a different name; Zephyr, it was, I think. I was--" Xaria winced, grabbing onto her skull as her head ached, and Bida was quick to use their magic to aid their mate, causing Nyx to watch them wide-eyed.
"This magic is so cool," Nyx whispered in awe, gawking at the white light that emitted from Bida only to vanish inside her best friend and Aaliyah turned to the human, surprise written all over her face.
"You can see Bida's light?" Aaliyah asked, astounded by the human, and Xaria, now having remembered enough about how the supernatural world worked, frowned at her best friend as well when she shrugged.
"I mean, yeah. Can't you all? It's like, right there?" Nyx's cheeks flushed as they pointed to the white light and Iris sighed deeply when Aaliyah gave her an unsure look because nobody but she and her mates should have been able to see it.
"Nyx is...a peculiar human with a strange tendency to decipher things that she is not supposed to. Despite all my efforts, I am yet to discover why that is," Iris finally spoke, sounding stern yet intrigued, and Xaria moved away from Aaliyah only to approach the woman once more.
Xaria's dark eyes clashed with Iris's white ones.
"I may not be as strong as I once was, but I can still sense my mate on you. I do not know why you reek of her and I am afraid of what I might do to you should I try to figure it out. So I will ask you once... Where is my Amaya?" the fire in Xaria's eyes only burnt brighter when Iris tilted her head slightly as she observed her and she took it as an insult, raising her arm to punch her in the face.
"Xari, don't--" Nyx's words halted mid-sentence, her eyes widening when Iris grabbed Xaria's fist as if it was nothing and she gawped at the woman because she had never seen anyone stop her best friend like that before.
"How?" Xaria herself was absolutely stunned, having never met anyone who had managed to best her so effortlessly, and Iris let go of her hand, watching her with a emotionless gaze.
"You may have regained your old memories, Zephyr, but you are yet to learn of this realm's new guardians," Gen spoke from beside her sire, a smirk on her lips as she mocked the woman's name, and Juno scowled at her words, feeling bad for Xaria who stepped back from them at once.
"My name is Iris Athena Frost," as soon as Iris said those words, Xaria's eyes widened in alarm as she took another step back, and the look of amusement on Gen's face did not sit right with anyone there.
"You may remember meeting my great grandfather, ruler of the vampire kingdom," Iris said those words offhandedly as if they meant nothing, and Xaria gulped harshly, finally realizing just who she was standing before.
"You are Athena's daughter?" she asked then, causing the white-haired woman to nod tensely, and Aaliyah motioned Bida to merge with her before walking up to their mate protectively, grabbing her arm as they eyed Iris.
"Where am I?" now that she thought about it, Xaria did not even know where she was and she suddenly felt outnumbered for some reason, the hair on her nape standing at alert even with her mate at her side.
"You are in my home. A palace in the north. You will be safe here with your mate--" Iris tried to ease the woman, speaking kindly if only to assure her she meant no harm and Xaria shook her head at once, her face scrunching.
"North? Why would you-- Amaya hates the cold! She does not appreciate it. My mate likes spring and flowers! Why would you ever bring her here? Why would she let you bring her here?" Xaria's voice rose with every question, her eyes going wild as she tried to attack Iris again, and Bida was quick to pull her away from the unmoving woman, worried for their mate.
"Where is she?! Where is my Amaya?! Why won't you answer me?! Why won't she come see me?! Amaya! Amaya where are you?! Amaya!" the woman screamed as loud as she could, knowing her voice would reach her mate and believing she would come running to her, just as she always did.
Xaria turned to Aaliyah before grabbing her arms.
"Why is she not coming to me? My Amaya always heeds when I call her. Why is she-- Have you even met her yet? Does she know we have another mate?" Xaria was weeping now, without even meaning to, and Aaliyah's heart ached for their mate as she nodded at once.
"She knows, mate. We have met before. We have... She knows about me," Aaliyah replied in a sad voice, her words causing Xaria to calm down a little and Juno watched the poor woman with a sad frown, hating Esme for hurting her too.
"Oh... Oh, that is lovely. She is lovely, isn't she? The most beautiful. I can..." the woman trailed off, weeping as her head throbbed from the onslaught of so many memories and when Aaliyah failed to do so, Bida took over only to guide her back to bed.
"Where is she, mate? Why is she not here? Why is my Amaya not here? She is never one to desert me. She-- She always comes when I call. Always... Amaya! Amaya, please, come back to me!" the woman sobbed openly, calling out to a mate that did not listen and Aaliyah began weeping as well, realizing that their mate did not care for the both of them.
"Amaya, please, I need you..." When Xaria fell asleep all of a sudden, Nyx turned around only to find Iris standing behind her and she nodded her way thankfully, knowing that she had used her powers to put her to sleep.
"Why would she not come? How could she? Has she no heart? Does she not feel her pain the way I do?" Aaliyah asked her, bitterly so, and while Iris remained silent at her words, Gen looked away in anger, something that Juno caught easily.
"She is weak right now. It is better to let her rest so she may regain her memories and her strength without straining herself. I will ask Maman to come and stay with you--" Iris's words halted when Aaliyah raised her hand and she did not mind when the dragon glared at her, warning her to not speak another word.
"We do not need your pity, Queen Iris. Our mate detests us and we accept it. Now let us rot in our misery lest you find amusement in our pain and wish to enjoy it a bit more," Bida spat angrily, they were so done with Esme and Iris, and the white-haired woman nodded before walking away with Gen.
"Hey, wait up!" Nyx caught up to the two before they could slip further away, straining her neck to look up at the women she now knew to be vampires and Iris gazed at her curiously while Gen scowled.
"I just... I wanted to say sorry, you know. I get that Xaria does not have her memories so she may not remember everything. But I believe people do whatever it is they do for a reason and... I guess I'm trying to say that if your friend, Amaya, is not ready to see her yet then she doesn't have to," Nyx said those words honestly, their hands fisted in their pockets, and Iris smiled at the human while Gen melted too.
"Thank you, Feenyx. Your understanding is very much appreciated, kind human," when Iris said that, Nyx scoffed a chuckle, and Gen, too, smiled for she could understand that her sire spoke in a way that humans would find odd.
"I still can't believe this is all real... Will it be okay if I ask you to, you know, help me understand this whole place better? Also, why the frick have you people not sent me back? You know, since you're all so powerful and all?" Nyx's eyes showed their confusion, their cheeks flushed as they asked that, and they pulled a chuckle out of Gen while Iris smiled sweetly.
"You are exceptional, kind human. You managed to walk into our world without a portal, you can see our magic in a way you should not be able to and you seem to be invincible in the face of my powers as well. I, for one, believe that you deserve to be in this world for as long as you wish and until I understand how you are able to do all that," Iris told her honestly, causing Nyx to scowl for they had never believed themself to be special in any way, and Gen beamed at them.
"Huh, I, uh, I did not know I could do all that. It's not like I'm special or anything, you know? Like Xaria in there. I'm just a human who is about to begin her mid-life crisis soon and, evidently, who still does not know anything about the multiverse," Nyx shrugged innocently, gazing up at Iris in awe, and Gen shook her head before grabbing her arm with a sweet grin.
"I like you, Nyx. You are very cool. And I only like special people, yes?" Gen gazed down at the human, making them blush and nod, and Iris smiled as well, for she could tell that Nyx was a gentle human who did not wish harm on anyone.
"Well, thanks, really... About that learning thing? It's just that I don't want to come off as rude if I do something wrong, you know? Like, I did not even realize you were a royal until you mentioned it?" Nyx moved their hands around in an awkward manner, twitching in their place, and Gen laughed merrily before guiding them away, causing Iris to follow as well.
"It's alright, Nyx. The royal families in this realm are not as big of a deal as in the human realm and I should know, I spent a whole life there," Gen spoke nonchalantly, causing Nyx to gawk up at her, and when they halted before a portal, Iris gave them a kind smile.
"This is a portal, kind human. One that would lead us to my mother's castle. She is the queen of the vampire kingdom and she would be very much pleased to meet you," Iris motioned towards the portal, allowing Nyx to decide if they wished to leave and Gen watched as the human walked up to it with weary steps.
"This looks nothing like in the movies... Oh well, I have nothing to lose now, have I? Better to die doing something adventurous than dying alone," with those words muttered under her breath, Nyx walked through the portal and she gawked at the insanely lavish palace as soon as she reached it, her dark brown eyes wide in awe.
Nyx straightened up when three young women approached her.
"Hello, your majesties!" they almost yelled before bowing as deep as they could, having remembered the last time she met Val and Jamie Roman, and Gen chuckled as soon as she came through the portal while Iris smiled sweetly.
"You--You don't have to do that," Irene was the only one of her sisters who was not chuckling at the human's actions and Nyx's cheeks were hot red when she straightened up, fixing her shirt that was already fixed.
"Nyx, I would like you to meet my daughter, Tulip Antonia Frost. This here is Ceres Azure Frost, she is my sister Sybil's daughter and..." Iris halted when she looked at Irene, noticing the young princess gazing at the floor with a scowl and Gen approached her grumpy daughter only to kiss her cheeks.
"This one belongs to me. Her name is Irene Iris Frost and she is even smarter than she looks. She secured the highest grades in all her subjects last semester," Gen cooed at her daughter, acting like every other proud mother, and Nyx smiled sweetly at the blushing Princess before halting when a thought occurred to her.
"Wait... You all look... I mean... They are your daughters? Like... Wait, I'm confused. You look barely past twenty-four so how are they..." Nyx trailed off, remembering just who they were talking to and Gen laughed when their eyes widened in alarm, knowing exactly what the human was thinking about.
"Yep, the tales are true. Vampires are immortal and we do not age as humans do. Although, in this realm, we develop our powers with what humans call puberty and we stop aging after we reach twenty-five in mortal years," Gen explained easily, causing Ceres to giggle when their human companion's eyes widened and Iris smiled down at Nyx when she looked up at her.
"Be honest, would I want to know how old you are? Mind you I am already scared enough by your magnificent height," when Nyx asked that, everyone but Iris and Irene broke into blissful laughter and the human blushed as she gave Irene a sheepish shrug, making the princess chuckle softly.
"My sister here is over a hundred years old, dear human," spoke Sybil, walking up to them with a cocky stance and Nyx's eyes widened at the sight of her and Azure, causing Tulip and Ceres to giggle at their expressions.
"Why are they so tall?!" Realizing she was entertaining the princesses, Nyx had whisper-hissed at Tulip and Ceres and Iris's heart soared when her daughters burst into laughter again, she had missed the sound of it for far too long.
"You sound just like my beloved Gen here. She asked the same question when she first saw Iris," Azure wrapped her arm around Gen before kissing her temple and Nyx's smile was the brightest as she watched them, so very happy to see a queer couple thriving.
"Hey, I'm Sybil and that's Azure. We are Iris's sisters, born together. Triplets is the term I believe you use in the human realm," Sybil was as cool as a cucumber when she introduced herself, smirking down at the human, and Nyx found it troublesome to close their mouth as they nodded.
"Kahlan! Sin! Come here, my loves. Iris has brought home a human friend," Sybil called out to her mates, wishing them to meet the human as well, and Nyx's eyes all but fell out of their sockets when the women walked into her sight.
"They're women," she babbled idiotically, causing Irene to give her a funny look while Gen, who understood her way better than the others, laughed before nodding happily and Kahlan waved at them with a smile.
"Nyx, meet my mates; Kahlan and Sin, and my loves, this is the human who managed to fool our beloved Iris and crossed into our world through a portal she forgot to close," Sybil teased her sister then, laughing when Iris mock-glared at her and Kahlan watched Nyx curiously, noticing something strange about them.
"Your aura is human," Kahlan spoke calmly, trying to see just how they had managed to do what they did and Nyx smiled nervously under her gaze, shifting from one foot to another.
"That's what I felt too. Nyx is as human as they come and yet here we are. Oh, they also wish to learn about our realm which I find really charming," Gen grinned at Nyx, causing their cheeks to burn even more as they pocketed their hands and Kahlan watched them even more closely.
"I can tutor them about our world and its ways, Mother," Irene spoke then, realizing how uneasy the human was, and Nyx gave her a thankful smile while Gen and Azure nodded happily, more than willing to have something occupy their daughter's mind.
"Thank you, Princess," Nyx bowed again, a little less steep this time, and Ceres giggled when her sister blushed, she was never one for the formalities and always detested being treated like royalty.
"I am not-- Please follow me to the library. You will find all your answers there," Irene shook her head, holding out her arm in a general direction and Nyx nodded with a smile, saying goodbye to everyone just before they left.
Once Irene and Nyx were gone, Azure turned to Iris.
"Did you find any clues? She does not look harmful. In fact, she seems kind and sweet. She made our princesses laugh too," Azure asked her sister, she had been doing her research to discover similar instances too, and Iris shook her head with a sigh.
"Nothing about her seems odd. Not to me at least," Iris turned to Kahlan with those words, causing the woman to shrug unsurely, and Tulip sighed before hugging her Maman with a soft groan.
"I like her, Maman. She seems sweet and funny. I'm sure she means us no harm," Tulip told them then, causing everyone to agree, but Iris remembered the way Arawn reacted to Nyx.
"I feel the same way, my loves," Iris mumbled softly, kissing her daughter's head, and Tulip perked up when they caught the sound of Irene's sweet chuckles again, it was a sound they had all dearly missed.
"I really like her," Ceres mumbled happily, hugging Iris as well, and Azure nodded with a smile for anyone who could make their beloved Irene laugh was a valuable person in their eyes.
While Iris stayed beside her family, Esme sighed as she gazed at the glaciers.
"I can hear your sighs from a mile away," said a voice that made Esme shake her head, causing her to turn around only to find a woman standing by the door and she motioned her to walk into the balcony with a gentle smile.
"Did my sighs wake you?" Esme asked her with a sweet smile, causing the woman to shake her head as she took a seat on the chair beside her, and then they both glanced at the icy mountains, watching the sun rays kissing it lovingly.
"When do you have to go back?" the younger woman asked, her voice low and calm, and Esme took her time before turning to her, studying every inch of her side profile with leasure.
"I have two more days with you," she replied honestly, her heart sinking when the younger woman's eyes closed, and she did not dare try to ease her, knowing her words meant nothing.
"I can hear her, you know. The woman who calls out to you... She yells a name I have not heard in so long," the younger woman made a circle with her finger and surely enough, Esme found Xaria's voice echoing the very air around them: it made her sigh once more.
"I'm sorry if it bothers you," Esme replied with yet another sigh, causing the younger woman to glance at her again, and she scanned her beautiful face for the umpteenth time that day, finding it the most beautiful.
"It bothers you," the younger woman replied, a certain sharpness to her tone, and Esme nodded before patting the space beside her, causing her companion to occupy it begrudgingly.
"I have missed you, did I tell you that?" Esme's voice was sweet when she said that, causing the younger woman to shake her head but smile nonetheless and she opened her arms only for her to accept her offer immediately.
"I have missed you more, I must let you know. I will always miss you more. Just as I will always love you more," when she said that, Esme chuckled softly and pulled her closer, and they both watched the beautiful scene before them for a long while.
"I wish you did not have to hide me," there was an endless sadness in her voice when she said that and Esme breathed deeply as she kissed her head lovingly, knowing she was not wrong at all.
"I wish so too. I wish so too," Esme replied honestly, knowing her companion would believe her, and she did for she nestled nearer in her arms, holding her tighter as she took solace in whatever time they had left.
"One day I will meet all those you love and who love you. One day, I will not have to suffer this horrid view of ice anymore. One day we will meet and it will not be inside your head but the real world!" the younger woman predicted with surety she knew she should not possess and Esme pulled back only to give her a pointed look.
"It is you who wanted to have this view, not I. This is my head and I can change it whenever I want, would you like me to?" when Esme said that, her eyes twinkled with mischief and the younger woman huffed before hugging her again.
"No I do not wish it, thank you," the younger woman replied unhappily, nestled closest to the golden-eyed woman, and Esme kissed her head a few times before pulling her closer.
"Do you think... Would she like me? Your anchor, I mean. Would she accept me? Accept us?" there it was again, the anxiousness that Esme hated in the younger woman's voice, and she kissed her forehead before looking into her eyes strongly.
"She will love you and she will accept you and us. Because you are my whole universe even if I have yet to share you with her. You need not worry about that. Ever," Esme told her surely, her golden eyes sharp and sincere, and the younger woman nodded before hugging her again, even stronger now.
"I love you," she mumbled lowly, already fearing the moment she would have to say goodbye again, and Esme kissed her temple, humming sweetly as she did so for she knew she liked it.
"I love you more, my world. I love you the most," Esme replied lovingly, holding onto the one who was, truly, her whole universe and she hoped, beyond hope, that one day she could tell Iris about her too.
Then, Esme and her companion simply sat together, with Xaria's voice in the air.