Into the Shadows New Beginnings 5 Time of the Demon

[Cameron W]

He was told by Cade to go get some rest that she would stay with their Mom and get him if anything changed. He was tired he figured that night he might be able to find some sleep with as tired as he was he was sure he was going to find better rest than the others. He was so used to having Kayli there with him. He thought nothing of it when he went back to his room and got changed for ber. He smiled and got into bed that is when he ealized she was there he did not want to wake her so he slid into bed with her and brought her into his arms without saying a word to wake her.

[Kiara Jade]

That's one hell of a flaw then. Poor Jake is either going to be horrified and wonder what kind of animal you are or he's going to be devastated that his work didn't hold up.

Settled in Losas arms Kiara started thinking about everything that had gone on, she was still a little in awe of how easily Losa had agreed with her when she said it would just be easier to kill the demon Sarot. He didn't even talk it over with his cousins who would have probably disagreed with him for their own reasons. That wasn't the only thing that had her attention, it was the way he killed Sarot that made her wonder if maybe just maybe he was getting pushed a little to close to the edge. She wasn't going to start worrying just yet, after all no one could be perfect all the time, he came damn close to it though and that could be enough to make anyone give in to less than perfect thoughts and behavior now and then. Grinning she melted into him content to just lay there in his arms with their bed on the floor.

[Aranor Shadow]

He sighed and just laid there he was looking up at the ceiling he was getting restless. He wanted to talk to her but she was not talking and he sighed again. He did not believe it was right that she had pulled what she had and then had Cross there.

Sometimes I wonder if I actually know you or not. You do not want to be far from me in crisis but you are willing to keep Cross from Cade intentional or not intentional I do not know. What is it you got against Cade being happy with Cross anyways? After your episode that was not called for and was basically to keep Cross from Cade in times when she needed him I would have thought you actually had some sense to maybe care about the fact that Cade might need Cross too. But you have to play the wounded one that needs Cross's attention instead of his attention being on the woman he is supposed to marry. I do not know what has got into you Payten but I do not like it at all. I understand since I started the studies it has been tough but we both knew it would be. I always come home to you though maybe tired as hell but I am always home. What is going to happen when our child is born and there is this issue or that who is it you are actually going to go to me or Cross? I know he is family but you know trying to ruin things between him and Cade is not going to help things. What are you trying to do split them up? Because you can not take sharing Cross and thinking that you are the only one that needs his attention. I would think you would have seen that what you did was wrong and tried to fix it instead of having him here when he should be with Cade. Just do not know how someone could be so loving to me and so selfish about keeping someone from the person they are going to marry. What are you going to do when they get married?

[Cyranda]

Ash'll be here when Ash wants to get here, Kiara keeps telling me that over and over but she said too that if I go one more week and the little bugger isn't here yet she's gonna round up Brody, Juni, Uncle Orion, Aranor and Oriana and between the five of them they'll agree on what to do. I'm not off about the timing babe. Now stop worrying about me alright? I want to know how you're doing with this whole damn mess? There were two demons here? Guess that explains why Oriana was actin' and lookin' like she needed a priest for an exorcism huh? Losa said she was pretty far gone, did you get to see her? Can you imagine being able to do even half of what that lady does? I swear to the gods I don't know how you can be so happy with someone so unremarkable like me! Compared to all the other women around here I'm nothing! Kiara can kill just about anything and thinks like wow no one I've ever met before, Ari can shoot anything from anywhere, Rayne can hunt down anyone just like GraceAnne, your sisters can all shadowwalk and do all this other cool shit, Katie is perfectly Katie with her perfect art and her perfect smile and perfect manners and perfect attitude. Tierney is a damn Gyptian that's all that needs to be said about her and Ori well I won't even go down that road theres no words for that one, and Payten has her elf magic, what can I do? Play with water and keep zombie boys from eating peoples brains and I can't even do that now cause Darius is cured now. Anyway, I went and sat with Mom for a little while and no I did not talk her into going into a coma just to get away from me, she looks pretty damn good I think all things considered but I know she still has a pretty long way to go. Guess Cons gonna be alright too after he has a few days to really recover. Really now, are you alright Stryder?

So she was back to talking a mile a second again, it came and went but she had been so good staying out of the way and not letting her usually curious self get her into any trouble.

[Losa]

Very simple I am a wolf everyone knows that. But seriously I am not the only one that caused that all we got to do is tell him you were taken over by the hellion. I do recall you taking the lead at some points my love. Or do you not remember that? I think it is quite impressive we broke the unbreakable. Maybe we are better off keeping our bed on the floor seems to end up that way a lot anyways.

He could always tell when she was thinking about things and his fingers continue to play with her hair and kissed her.

So what is on your mind spitfire?

[Stryder Joseph]

Yup I know Ash will get here when Ash is damn good and ready to. Do you still not have a preference of if Ash is a boy or a girl? And you are not unremarkable I swear there is not a person alive that could out talk you. But seriously you are not just some dull person either now. What you can do with water without even thinking about it was cool so just imagine if you actually studied on it and all. Now that you know what you are. I am glad you went to sit with Ma maybe that is the clue have you go talk her ear off the whole time until she wakes up to tell you to shut the hell up

He laughed and kissed her.

I love you Pixie you know that

[Payten]

Are you crazy?

Payten was perfectly happy being there in her husbands arms, finally thinking she was going to be able to get a good nights sleep when he started talking, she smiled a little in her dazed state hearing his voice until his words started to sink in. Her eyes popped opened and she bolted upright in bed like she didn't have a big belly at all.

I didn't ask Cross to come here, his father sent him and I cannot believe you would think I am so petty that I would want to see Cross and Cade apart! She's one of my best friends and he's my brother and no one has been as happy for either one of them as I have been! I..

Anger white hot and raw ripped through the half elf, it was an emotion she certainly was not used to dealing with on such a level that it attacked her. Her breathing became labored and she started to shake, never in any space of time did she think Aranor would say such things to her or think she was that kind of person. Well if he didn't know her and he made it clear he didn't when he said what he did then he could sleep by himself, she sure as hell wasn't going to be sharing a bed with a man who looked at her like she was a stranger. The shutter windows to their room flew open , a great gust of wind tore through the room bringing with it dark green leaves that swirled around the half elf closing in all around her until she was wrapped from head to toe, there was another great wind and the leaves scattered, mixed with the leaves of green were reddish yellow leaves and they all moved in a great wave on the winds and out the window.




Paytens form emerged from the reddish yellow leaves in the main hall of Firyons palace where Payne had been pacing the floors waiting, being her twin, Payne had been able to feel even with the distance between them that his sister was in pain. It was not a physical pain, but an emotional pain and it tore into him as sure as if he had been the one hurting. Payne knew to expect her arrival, the winds that came to him had whispered to him that the Princess of Firyon was traveling with their sister winds so he waited for her. When he saw those leaves taking shape he stood until she took shape and right away took her in his arms. Payten fell into her brother sobbing, the sound was heartwrenching, at first he thought maybe something had happened to his brother in law but he soon learned that it was because of Aranor that his sister was in the state she had come to him in. He tried not to laugh at her, after all what she was feeling was very real to her and if it affected her enough to touch him then she had been deeply hurt. Rather than trying to make sense of everything at such a late hour Payne took her himself to the room that had been declared hers and Aranors within the palace. On the way he ordered one of the guards on watch inside the palace to send word to Prince Aranor that his Princess was safe in Firyon and that he expected to see him in the morning. Once he was able to get his sister to her room he put her bed and laid down beside her letting her cry into him while he smoothed down her wild black and red curls telling her to rest all would look brighter in the morning. There would be no rest for Payne that night, everytime he started to drift off his sister would either start crying in her sleep or hiccuping and he would wake worried that in her emotional state she had thrown herself into labor. It was definitely going to be a long night.

[Kiara Jade]

Fair enough Angel. I can fully accept my part in it all, had damn fun with it too.

Kiara was laughing again, not as much as she had been before she could just see telling Jake exactly how the bed broke and she could also see the hundred shades of red he would turn. For the first time in awhile she really wasn't thinking about too much, nothing that couldn't wait until morning anyway. She didn't want to spend the rest of their night talking, they had done enough of that since before and after Bennett was born, if he wanted to talk he was just going to have to deal with doing it tomorrow. She didn't tell him what was on her mind, she didn't say anything at all, the old saying actions speak louder than words definitely worked for her that night, she showed him exactly what was on her mind. By the time they actually fell asleep she had no idea what time it was, she didn't care, she snuggled in his arms, put her head down on his chest and her fingers ran along the now flaming scar. The smile that turned the corners of her mouth when she fell asleep was still there when she woke the next morning. Usually she would be up and running as soon as she opened her eyes but that morning all she wanted to do was lay in bed in the arms of her Angel.

[Kayli]

What the hell..
In the middle of the night Kayli ended up being pushed out of bed and hit the floor, at first she didn't remember where she was, she sat up rubbing her eyes while they adjusted to the darkness then she remembered she was at the Hall of Shadows, and that she had fallen asleep in Camerons too small bed. If she was on the floor that meant that she had to have been shoved out. Peeking over the top of the bed she saw him sleeping sprawled out everywhere, if they had been in his bed back home she wouldn't have ended up on the floor, the beds back home were huge but this little thing they called a bed barely fit her. Grinning she crawled off the floor and back up on the bed. Trying not to laugh she used all her strength to roll him off the bed, when he hit the floor she dove under the covers and sprawled out pretending to be asleep. She had to keep her back turned so he wouldn't see her covering her mouth with her hand trying not to laugh.

[Aranor Shadow]

When he received word where she was he was even more aggravated he sent back a note.

Payten,

You want to know how I can think that let's see the fact that you played drama queen to get Cross to agree to go with you full well knowing that Cade needed him, needed his strength. You had Cross here when Cade needed him and did not think twice about it.

You can not take talking about things instead you go running off what does that truly say about things. It says I can not speak my mind with you and how right is that? You are not always going to like what I have to say but you know most people talk things out not go taking off. You really do not want to know what I am thinking right now, except if you expect me to come chasing after you I am not going to. Either you come home and have a life with me or you do not. I will see our child regardless of what you decide. But I am not playing games and do not apprecciate all of this.

I would think someone who loves someone like you love me would know where a person's true place was with their other half not doing what Cross was doing. Maybe you and Cross are not ready for real relationships.

I will not be playing this game or that but will tell you this simply if you expect to have a family with me and our child this is not how to go about it at all. I do love you but I do not know this person you are turning into and are acting like at all.

He sealed it with a magic seal that would allow only her to open it.

[Cyranda]

Cyranda and Stryder were in their room at the Hall and the woman was sitting up in a chair with tears in her eyes while the dark knight rubbed the back of her leg kneading out the cramps that had made her leg seize up. They had come upstairs when she started yawning, she was tired but sleeping was damn near impossible with her big belly. Alot of nights she would end up sleeping sitting up in the bed which wasn't good for Stryder because he always sat behind her so she wouldnt end up against the wall or the hard headboard. She really couldn't wait for Ash to be born not just because she wanted to hold her baby in her arms or see Stryder with their baby, but because she knew how unfair it was to him to have to suffer because of her. She tried to fight with him about it all a few times but gave up when she knew she was never going to win. While he worked on her leg she put her hand through his hair.

I'm sorry babe, I know you are tired and don't need this right now. It has to be exhausting dealing with me right now. Are you sure you're going to want any more buggers after everything you've been put through with me and Ash already?

[Losa]

He grinned and laughed kissing her as he held her.

Damn fiend you said I was bad.

He lost track of how much they had done that night but all that mattered to him was that they were together. He smiled and held her through the night he was smiling the whole time as well his fingers in her hair. He did not want to move from where they were like they were until they had to which well what the hell good was being King and Queen if you could not do what you wanted anyways. He smiled looking at her.

[Stryder Joseph]

He smiled at her and leaned and kissed her then the baby belly. He grinned up at her from where he was working on her legs.

You even need to ask that Pix of course I want more little buggers with you. They are damn fun to make too have you not noticed that.

He grinned and winked at her and kissed her again once he was done he piled the pillows up then went over and laid back against them pulling her with him holding her like he had been doing as of late.

Though I do think going to talk to someone got this idea I do not know if will work or not.

[Cameron W]

He knew that she was awake he could hear what she was trying to hold in. He went and slid in next to her putting his arm around her and kissing her neck

Do that to me again and you will find yourself sleeping alone again.

He grinned and turned her to him and kissed her his hands running all over her. He wanted her for more reasons than one but the most reason was he wanted to feel every part of him against him. His mouth claimed hers again and he not going to let up. He had missed time with her and now he was staking his claim on what was his.

[Cross]

Hearing Aranor come in was all Cross needed to get up, pen a quick note to his half elf sister and quietly leave. From day one, the day of Lady Dustballs attack, Cross had been at the Hall of Shadows keeping himself in the background, staying out of everyones' way while the did what they had to. The only time Cross got involved with anything was when he was asked to or Cade needed a break, sometimes those breaks had to be forced on her but in the end she always did what he asked her to. Of course he was worried for his future mother in law, but his true worry rested with his wild child, if Cade lost her mother Cross was aware there was nothing he would be able to do to mend that part of her heart that would broken. The first thing Cross did when he returned to the Hall was go straight up to the floor that had been designated for Lady Dustball, the healers and anyone else who wanted to be close to her when they couldn't be in the room with her. It was no surprise that he found Cade where he had left her with Cameron earlier that night. He didn't want to leave but his father had asked him to check in on Payten, how could he say no to the old man? Moving through the room Cross also noticed that Brody was keeping watch over Dustball, he took that as a chance to get Cade to try and get some real sleep. Going to where she sat he knelt down in front of her, his hands rested on her knees.
Aranor went home, I came back as soon as I heard him. He can take care of his wife, I need to take care of my wife to be. No arguments tonight Cade, you are going to get yourself sick if you keep going on like this and I am sorry sweetheart but I cannot let that happen.
Cade wasn't given much of a choice, unlike others Cross would make his intentions, what he wanted or what he asked to be known once, after that there was not fighting or trying to coax her into listening to him. When it came down to Cade and her health he refused to back down. Lifting her out of the chair he picked her up and carried her from the room promising her sleeping mother that Cade would be back in the morning once she slept. Cross brought her to her room, rather their room, they had been sharing the same bed for months now but still Cross would not make any attempts at bedding her not until she was his wife. He respected her too much and honored her too much for that to happen no matter how much they both wanted it to. He set her down on the bed and moved in beside her. Taking her in his arms he kissed the top of her head. The incident with Lady Dustball made Cross understand how important it was that he and Cade be married before anything else happened and someone in their family was lost. If Lady Dustball had died the guilt that she would not be there to see her daughter married would stay with him the whole of their lives. It wasn't only because of Dustball that Cross needed to marry Cade, he told her he would wait for her to tell him when she was ready, and one night he had overheard Cade talking to her mother telling her how she needed to wake up because Cade was ready to be his wife but she couldn't get married without her.
I promise Cade as soon as your mother wakes up even if we have to get married in her room while she stays in bed, I am going to marry you. Now go to sleep wild child, I'll not say it again.

[Cyranda]

And what idea is that?

Settled back against pillows and a very patient loving dark knight Pixie reached behind her to wrap her arms around his neck.

I've finally done it. I didn't mean to but it's happened! I've finally driven you mad! You'd have to be mad to want to go through this every time I end up pregnant! Oh gods I'm never going to hear the end of all the "I told you so's'" Those people we call our family have a running bet going on how long it would take me to make you crazy I wonder which one of them won?

Giggling a little she yawned at the same time. It was true, there really wasn't anyone around anywhere who understood how Stryder could put up with her and not be insane, hell no one could understand how the two of them ended up falling in love, getting married and starting a family. They were called one of Pallias greatest mysteries. They didn't need to understand, she understood, he understood and that was all that mattered to either one of them.

[Cade Daemons]

She curled up into him she needed him and had been needing him.
]
I am a bit worried about Payten too Cross she took something I said the wrong way and ran with it. It is not like her just hope her and Aranor are ok. I just don't know what is going on with her right now and would hate for their to be big problems started. Damn straight you are marrying me soon as Mom wakes up waited too long to be your wife already. I would have married you anyitime any place. You know that Cross. I am not so much the wild child anymore. Just been settled down a bit now. So not sure if anyone other than you believes I am still one.

She smiled and kissed him. She ran his fingers through his hair.

I know you are worried about me Cross I promise I won't over do it just hate to think of Mom there all by herself now.

It was a simple enough statement and straight to the point that is where she was worried about things. So she just took a breath and laid with him.

[Stryder Joseph]

Well maybe the future times won't be so bad. Do not have to have gone mad just have to be in love with my wife to want to do this all over again. And many times over again too.

He smiled and leaned and kissed her. Holding her to him.

Something that makes it easier to sleep more upright like you have been needing to do to be comfortable. So we can always see what we can do about things love.

He smiled at her and just laid there holding her and kissing her deeply.

I love you Pix and would do anything for you.

[Kayli]

You're a damn liar Cameron Wakefield don't even try and feed me that crock of crap again you can no more sleep without me than I can without you unless that's changed all of sudden and you just haven't told me.
There really wasn't anyway to put into words what happened after Cameron got back into bed with her. She didn't need to say anything about it all the way she reacted to him and how she gave him all of herself said it all. Laying along the length of his body, a sheet covering them both from the waist down she was propped up on one arm grinning down at him her green eyes locked on to his warm dark eyes.
So it's a good thing I'm here then? Hope you were surprised. King Shadow came for me earlier today, he told my parents that his Queen wanted me at court, he told me everything that happened here Cam. Is your mother going to be alright? Are you alright? You don't know how worried I've been about you, I wanted to leave for Pallia the minute I saw that dragon take off with you but I didn't because I knew you needed to be here for your family, they haven't seen you in such a long time and with your mother being hurt I just thought I'd get in the way. I didn't want to come across as selfish and clingy, I'm so glad I'm here now though and I don't care what any one thinks, the only way I'm leaving you or letting you leave me again is if you tell me I have to.

[Cameron W]

Of course it is a good thing that you are here why would it be anything other than a good thing? Definitely a good thing of what happened here too. I will not send you away Kayli. I am glad Losa went to get you though he could have warned me someone would be in my bed. You know if you do that to me again you will find out if I can sleep without you. And go without what we just got done doing as well

He was grinning at her he was as close as he could get to get what they needed.

[Cross]

Payten is pregnant that's what's wrong with her. She loves you Cade, you know that, right now she's just having a difficult time dealing with everything that has been happening. Aranor has been kept away from her longer than she's used to, even though they live in the same house they are like strangers to one another right now. I'm not making excuses for her, I know how dramatic she's been lately, the old man says its because she's so close to having the baby and she's having a hard time reigning in her hormones and the fear she has that something will go wrong. Look at it this way, she lasted a hell of a lot longer than Kiara, Ari, Cyranda and even Katie Joy before she finally flipped her lid a little. Whatever you said I know you didn't mean it the way she took it, don't worry about Payten she'll be back to herself once the baby is born. Now, if you promise me that you'll actually sleep I'll go make a bed for you in with your mother alright? Don't you know Cade? No matter how settled you might get you will always be my wild child, and when I tell our children about their mother the first thing I am going to tell them is how this loud mouthed woman came barreling into a trial screaming as loud as she could about the bullshit going on with her cousin.
True to his word Cross made sure there was a comfortable place for his bride to be to sleep so she could be close to her mother. There wasn't enough room for him to lay beside her but he didn't go far, he settled down in a chair close to both women and sat there watching over them for the night.

[Cade Daemons]

She smiled at him and kissed him.

I know Payten does. Just a little bit frustrated with her. I am sure things will go back to normal. Are you sure you will be ok sleeping in that thing?

She smiled softly at him and reached her hand out to hold his. She knew he would do anything for her and he just looked so damn uncomfortable.

We can figure something out so you do not have to sleep like that I am sure.

She pulled him with her and went to her side and putting her arms around his sides and leaning into his body and his warmth. She knew she could not move much but did not care she was going to be with the one she was to marry as close as they could get.

[Cyranda]

I love you too you big...

She was going to call him an ape every time she called him that she was brought back to that day at the lake where he thought her name was bitch and Cade tore into her. That day in alot of ways had brought them to where they were right now, of course what had really started it all was the night he was bitten by the werewolf because he thought she was going to get eaten and he couldn't have her die because it would hurt her cousin Katie. She didn't get to call him an ape though, she was too busy watching in wide eyed wonder how her stomach just seemed to deflate and water went everywhere. Without even thinking she jumped from the bed, her belly was only half the size it had been. She knew she needed to be in the water when it was time but she hadn't been expecting so much water to come out of her little body and she sure as hell wasn't ready to see her big beautiful baby belly shrink down to almost nothing. Like a scared little girl Cyranda lifted her arms up to Stryder who was already on his feet and scooping her up in his arms. She almost started to panic but there was this voice inside her, that seemed like it was coming from her very soul that calmed her to the point of near indifference. Calmly she started telling her husband what to do with a bright smile on her face and a brilliant light in her blue eyes.

You have to take me to lake Stryder, we'll be safe if you take us through the shadows. I want Quinn there Stryder, he needs to be there. You can get whoever else you want so long as he's there.

[Payten]

When morning came Payne untangled himself from his sister being careful not to wake her, she had been through enough during the night, and honestly so had he. Payne loved his twin more than his own life and would gladly lay down that life for her, but he didn't know if he had the strength to go through another drama filled night with her. Apparently his sister did everything backwards with her pregnancy. Most women were emotional, moody, hormonal and crying all the time during the first part of their pregnancy, but not Payten. Dear Payten decided to go crazy during the home stretch.
Thankfully she didn't wake up when he moved which left him free to tend to his morning duties. Sometime during the morning a messenger came with a letter from Aranor to his wife. It did not bode well that Aranor had not come for his wife, he thought about keeping the letter from her until she was more calm but decided against it, he would not come between a husband and wife even if that wife was his sister. He sent the messenger with strict instructions to slip the letter under the Princesses door but she was not to be woken. An hour or so later there was this great commotion in the palace and a strong pain grasped his heart like a vice. One of Paytens ladies in waiting came to him in his study like the palace were on fire.

I'm sorry Highness but there is an emergency, the Princess...

Payne didn't need to hear anymore, he was on his feet rushing out of the study to his sisters quarters, he could hear his sister crying from down the hall and saw the flurry of men and women coming and going out of her quarters. Someone announced that the King was present and everyone scattered making a path for him. What Payne saw when he went into the room made his stomach turn and his skin pale. Payten was on her knees on the bed with her arms around her stomach, in her hand she held Aranors letter and blood soaked through the white of her sleeping gown. Four women were trying to talk her into laying down but their words were lost on the hysterical Princess. Payne had never seen his sister so out of control. He moved across the room and lifted her into his arms while he barked his orders.

I want every available physician and healer sent to my quarters, as soon as she is settled in I want to know what caused her to become this way. Send a mage to Prince Aranor informing him of his Princesses current condition.

Payne brought Payten to his quarters and stayed with her holding her hand talking to her as softly as he could, the physicians informed him that the Princess had gone into labor brought on by either stress or a great shock to her system. Payne stayed with her reminding her that she had to stay calm and strong for her child and her husband. When he mentioned Aranor Payten started screaming again, this time she was screaming she didn't want to see Aranor that he didn't love her and if he didn't love her she wasn't going to keep him bound to her in anyway. Again his heart felt like it was caught in a grip of iron. Payne questioned the healers if any harm would come to his niece of nephew or his sister if she were sedated, as soon as he was told no he ordered that she be sedated. A woman handed Payne the letter that Payten had been holding.

I was in with the Princess when she opened this your Majesty, it was shortly after that she went into hysterics and then...

Payne raised his hand for silence. He read the letter, when he was done it slipped from his fingers to the floor. Gods above no wonder his sister reacted the way she had. Just seeing Payten with Aranor he knew how much his sister loved the man, what could have happened that was so bad to bring them where they were now? As much as he wanted answers he had to focus on his sister. When the physicians informed him that the Princess had lost more blood than was normal he felt a panic rise in his chest. He asked about the baby and was relieved to hear that so far the baby seemed to be doing well but that they couldn't wait any longer, the babe was going to have to be cut from the Princess. Payne wanted to throw up, this was not a decision he should have to be making, but there was no one else to do it, and if Payne let anything happen to his sisters baby she would never forgive him. He nodded his head and told the healers to do what they thought was best, and then he was ordered from the room. It all happened so fast Payne wasn't even sure it was real at all. One moment he was out in the hallway of his quarters the next he was being handed a little bundle wrapped in a white blanket. Payne stared down at the baby in his arms, his body was shaking and there was a quiver in his voice when he was able to speak.

What of the Princess?

The woman who had handed him the baby smiled softly at him.

Which one your Majesty? Your sister or your niece?

Niece?! A girl? Payne looked down at the baby again and carefully unwrapped the blanket, sure enough he was holding his sisters daughter in his arms. Tears welled in his eyes at the same time the baby opened her eyes, eyes that were as blue as her fathers eyes, the hair on the babies head nearly made Payne laugh, he saw a little sprigs of red mixed with black. Wrapping the baby again he looked at the woman.

My nieces mother?...

The woman smiled again.

They are finishing with her now Majesty, you may need to give some blood, she did lose more than what is normal and there were a few complications but she pulled through. By tonight she should be awake.

Thank you.

Payne whispered his thanks to the woman then sunk to his knees with the baby in his arms outside his chamber doors praying in thanks to the Gods that his sister wasn't going to die and that his niece had been brought safely into the world.

[Aranor Shadow]

If she wanted to play games and stay gone so be it. He was having no part in it or in her as long as she was going to be acting like the spoiled little princess. He was actually ashamed of his wife and her actions. The way she acted in front of their family. He knew she had not apologized to them. He really started to wonder how much of a mistake he made marrying her. He could not be with someone that he saw as so selfish. He also could not and would not be with someone who would take off instead of talk to him. His decision was being made for him. If he found out anything happened to his child he was never going to forgive her. As it was he was having trouble even stomaching thinking about her. She had become something he hated she had become so self absorbed it seemed that nothing else had mattered except what she wanted. She had been willing to keep Cade and Cross apart and he did not like that. She left him in anger and was playing games that were not right. He had done everything he could for her from the first day and now she was turning into a spoiled selfish princess that he did not know and he wanted no part of. Of course he was going to know his child and do everything he could for his child. But he also knew that unless things changed he and Payten were not going anywhere other than in separate directions.