It was just as he suspected and spoken of earlier- absolutely everyone had to work out in these parts. Nothing too unheard of, but it was still a minority in comparison to most of the world. Perhaps it depended on the different societies; some could spare having only the strong work while the privilege kicked up their feet back but in places like Sularia where death could creep up without warning, they had to work harder.

“Most people can get along with Blaine as far as I could remember. He was a bit of a hothead and would jump at any opportunity of a fight or adventure. Caused his mother and father some headaches, he did. Suppose that when met your mother, he mellowed down real quick.” It was still odd for Jordas to think of that skirt-chasing bachelor settling down.

But then he heard more about Keira’s situation and a smile crept up. “That boy will never learn…still has some of that hotheadedness in him from the sound of it. Perhaps nothing is going on with her and her bodyguard, perhaps there is. But if it is the latter, then one day he will come and break down the door and wished he hadn’t.” For a moment, he felt as though they might have been followed. Perhaps it was just a bad itch in the back of his mind, but every so often, he thought he could hear voices and movement, yet nothing really stood out around them so perhaps the desert was continuing to play tricks on him. “Don’t be one of those “All work and no play” girls…Don’t want to overwork yourself or else it will be like a bad tumble…down a mountainside.” He smiled as he followed her through the building and towards the night gardens.

Meanwhile, Blaine looked at his wife unamused while Krys was pondering why he has dragged here himself. The former cut his eyes at Liz with that remark of hers before coming back down to Toya. “Don’t we have better things to do than to spy on them?” He wouldn’t admit it but he was a bit worried from what was going on at breakfast, but surely nothing was going to come from all this…right?

“Well, it is in our blood…”, Krystopher stated to Liz before he caught a hot glare from his brother. “You know it’s true”, he said with a hasty whisper before the ringleader led them on. Blaine could use a good drink right about now, but instead, he was spying on his cousin and stepdaughter.

“We reside close to the mountains of the highlands, where the weather is thankfully much more suited for my kin. I’d feel like a piece of ice left out in the sun if I was to stay here for a good long time”, he chuckled and made nothing out of her being accompanied on his arm. “The sight of the mountains are lovely, especially in the morning.”

“The sight of the mountains, are lovely, especially in the morning…”, Blaine mocked him, word for word. If he didn’t know any better, it would seem like he was trying to butter Rose up with sweet words, a trademark of the Wintercrest men. Not that he would mention it to Toya or Liz- they would have a field day with it. Perhaps Krys would understand his plight.

Rose chuckled a bit at Jordas and tilted her head. “I don’t quite remember what Blaine was like when he met Mother. I was already out by myself… Though I could see it. Those two are alike in a lot of ways and different in just as many.”

Thinking on the situation with Keira and Daylor she merely shrugged now. “Only time will tell with that one. Eventually, Keira needs to be able to be happy. I think she holds herself back.” The Oracle put her hand on her hip and gave an interesting look up at Jordas. “Been this way my whole life. It hasn’t exactly been easy being what I am so the work keeps my mind off of it.”

Finally, they were at the night gardens and could at least enjoy themselves there. “Better things to do? The next thing you know there will be little Jordases running around and then what will you do?” Liz crossed her arms and took a look at her future brother in law.

Krystopher at least agreed with Liz and she seemed pleased. “The Wintercrests seem to gravitate towards Roses. It’s a mighty big problem and Jordas and Rose have caught each other’s attention,” Liz whispered to the group as they followed them inside the gardens.

“I’m just curious to see what is going on.” Toya shrugged over to her husband.

Thinking about the cold lands Rose merely smiled up at Jordas. “I miss the snow lands at times. I’ve been in Sularia for much of my time here in Revaliir. I have duties to the Oracles and though Bryony doesn’t care what I do… I feel obligated to help where I can to keep this place pure. After all… This was where my rebirth was. I feel a kinship to the water.”

The flutter of wings caught her sight and Rose held out her free arm. One of her slender digits extended by itself. Gently something appeared to land on it. A soft flutter of wings once more before a bright array of colors flew around them. There was a butterfly on her finger. Its wings were glowing a deep blue while around them were many other butterflies of different shades. They were illuminating the gardens as much as the flowers at this point. Rose curled her finger and lifted the butterfly up to Jordas’s face. Its wings fluttered against his face before it took off at his touch. There was a chuckle from Rose.

“Sularia isn’t so bad underneath the desert sun. There are many treasures here to enjoy. Though I suppose looking at the mountains in the morning would be a lovely sight. Sularia doesn’t have any. However, in Glaciem you can see the aurora from Horae Island off the shore. I suppose that I am still fairly young at heart,” there was a smirk from her as her voice held a gentle tone.

For a moment she pondered something before leading Jordas over to a gemstone like fountain that had the valuable stones glowing as the water flowed over them. There was just enough light. “This is going to be awkward but I want to show you something.” She let go of his arm and turned her back to him. Moving her hair over her shoulder she undid her robe enough to show her back. Luckily thanks to the clothing underneath she was still covered though barely.

There was a spiraling dragon with many, many scales down her back and a portion of her right arm that had been hidden with the long sleeve. There were a few scales colored in towards the top while the sides had many different arrays of colored scales but the vast majority of the dragon was a mere outline aside from its head and its tail. The dragon itself was shaded blue with golden eyes. “My teacher Bryony has a tattoo similar. Each colored scale at the top represents a decade of life. Each scale on the side in varying colors are different accomplishments. I decided to get one likes hers since I don’t really plan on living too short of a life. She is well over three thousand now and her scales have all been colored in for a while but she had found ways of making adjustments.”

Rose turned her head enough to have her blue eyes look at Jordas. “It’s a memento of life. A life I didn’t have to be given. I told you that we are kin with the water… but it’s much more than that. If my mother birthed me into this world… then the water also did so. To be an Oracle of Sularia is as much of a curse as it is a gift. Rosenite children do not die but when the water calls… They become oracles after being bathed and our souls are returned through the water from the Soul-Stream. We are inhabited by the spirits of Sularia to see visions that would help us. Every ten years we must bathe in the waters or madness takes hold. After all… This is borrowed time for us. Eventually, the madness will result in death if we neglect it.”

She pulled the robe back up and redid it. “Most of us have to grow up fast. A vast majority of parents no longer want their child once they become an oracle. I’ve been very lucky to have both my mother and father still wish to call themselves that. I walk the boundary of the past, future, and present. Not all of it is pleasant. Nor should it be in my opinion.”

Jordas knew of Blaine, at least from the younger years he last saw him in. But it wouldn’t have been proper to spill those beans to Rose about her father. As for her mother, he was just glad that her daughter wasn’t like her. “A couple of knuckleheads from the looks of it”, he humored as they continued their little stroll. “Eh, your mother can be a pain, and her mouth is only second to her fist at being quick but I suppose she does mean well. But I ain’t saying to her face, a wolf has to have his pride after all.”

He shot her a meager look, it was baffling a bit still to think of her whole existence leashed onto her profession, which eventually would later give him the reason while she was so focused on it. Devoted even, if one wanted to look at it that way. The world, in general, was an odd place, but with everything that had happened to his family and later would be wound up from one world to another was something that seemed out of the ordinary. “Haven’t seen snow in a while, I take it? Well, Glaciem’s not too far off from arrival and us except the first wave of snow there in the coming weeks. Tell you what; if you like, I could escort you back there when it comes?”

Blaine wasn’t impressed by this talk of “snow”, nor did Liz’s egging on helped. If anything, it only made him more aggravated. That slick little hornywolf! He came here to scope out and found a prize in Rose. Gods knew what was going on in that perverted mind of his! Only terrible thoughts about what to do with his daughter, surely! “I’ll skin him, that’s what I’d do if he plans on pulling a Torn”, he muttered beneath his breath. Krys shook his head, “Wouldn’t fire up the hothead any further than he is now, dearest.”

Jordas, every now and then, heard something that sounded like conversations in the shadows and the scents were a giveaway of who might be tracking them, but aside from that, he behaved normally aside from the butterfly brought up to his face. It was a strange one but it did give Rose comfort so he left it be as just that. “It’s the way to live life, at least when you aren’t buried in responsibilities. If anything, your father and uncle are proof of that since they still think they are kids with the way they fight.”

“Guess the desert isn’t so bad…” Jordas flashed her a charming grin that made his cousin sick to his stomach. “Damn blood…damn you father…uncle…grandfather…”, he muttered some more, wanting to list off his ancestors and blame them for this situation but the couple was on the move and so were they. He nearly flew off the handle when Rose lowered her robe, ready to yell at her to put that back on while Krys tried for dear life to hold him back. Jordas just looked with a face full of red as she explained the image on her body. She was definitely right; it was very awkward. But it did open his mind as to why she took her job so seriously. “Heard of the Soul Stream, wasn’t much of a thing on the other world, but then again, the mantle of those that handled that life and death thing was constantly shifting.” He stumbled a bit as he was still blushing and Blaine could only think that he was thinking more dirty thoughts. He struggled fiercely against his brother’s hold as he fought to get free, which was in vain.

“So you live a life without surprises?”, Jordas replied, the color finally returning back to his face. “Or much of them, I guess? I can see some of that being a burden at times. What is life without a few of those now and again?” He glanced from the corner of his eye for a split second and then focused back on her. “So you know about them, then?” He shrugged it off and let her lead him on further into their little adventure. “I shouldn’t be surprised that the golden wolf is protective, not that I’ve been trying anything. It’s just an innocent walk with a new friend.”

Rose raised her finger to her lips as she thought about it. “I would like that. I’m more attuned to winter but it’s been a long time since I’ve been in the snow. That could prove to be a fun adventure so I would like to take you up on that offer. That is… If you think you can make it back through the desert with minimal complaining.” A chuckle left her lips as her hand fell.

Liz was holding in her laughter towards Blaine but her eyes darted to Krystopher before she gave in. “I concede. I’ll stop. I don’t think I need to help it anymore.” Rose had known for a while they were being followed but nothing could get around her sight save for a few things.

Once more the Oracle chuckled towards Jordas’s confirmation that the desert wasn’t entirely bad. Liz helped Krystopher keep Blaine back once Rose began to show him her tattoo. Toya was wide-eyed and looking between Blaine and back to Jordas. She was wondering which one was going to die first. The overprotective father or the guy not really provoking him. Or at least trying to provoke him.

“Rosenites even in the other world believed in the Soul-Stream but perhaps it was hidden unlike here. No one really knows and we don’t really care to find out.” Rose fixed her robes and stared up at the wolf king. “Sometimes I am surprised but it takes a lot and a special person.” No telling who that special person was though from the way she spoke. Her blue eyes followed his glance and she laughed. “Have since we left the mansion.”

Rose looped her arm with his if only to make the protectors worse. Toya knew by that point that Rose was being troublesome but she patted Blaine on the back and gave a smile. “She’ll be fine. She’s a strong and smart girl. Always has been.”

Rose thought about it and shrugged. “It might be in his nature to be this way. He wasn’t always so protective like he is now. Keira changed all of that when Torn up and left. She was really young and it frustrates both of my parents even if Mother doesn’t say anything. She won’t admit it but she favors Belle and Jayden being together because it’s a solid and safe relationship.” Toya snorted a bit as she gained a not so amused look on her face. “If I had to guess the two troublemakers have a lot to do with why Father is being so protective right now. Mother probably started it and Liz probably carried it on.” There was a laugh from her lips again as she walked with him around the night garden away from the fountain.

“They made bets for weeks on if Uncle Krys and Liz were actually a pair. They are good for each other but Mother can be rather nosey even if she tries to hide it. She is just as bad as the other four.” Toya almost stormed out this time and Liz grabbed her. Unlike the boys, it looked like Liz knew just how to hold her back.

“She’s your daughter you can’t beat her ass Toya.”

“I brought her into this world I can damn well beat her ass whenever I please. Doesn’t matter if she is five, eighteen, or fifty.” There was a light growl from her lips as Toya flailed about in Liz’s stronghold.

Rose was amused by the look in her eye as she looked up at Jordas. “Of course, there’s cousin Liz… and her habit of trying to be more tomboy than she actually is. She gets moon-drunk way too often for her own good. She doesn’t even need to bathe in the moon but she goes nuts anyways… Probably to get Uncle Krys going. Wouldn’t be shocked if Liz ends up a Wintercrest… I mean it looks like the Wintercrests have a type. Loud, mouthy, and spontaneous.”

“WHY THAT LITTLE SHIT” Liz left Toya go and the White Queen fell on her face as Liz rushed out of the bushes.

Rose stomped on her foot nimbly as a fallen branch came up and whacked Liz in the face causing the younger cousin to fall. “Having fun?” Blue eyes looked in the direction of the pack that had been following them. “Or should I say some more embarrassing things?” There was a mischievous look on Rose’s face. Liz got back in and Rose let go as she lunged for the Oracle. Rose was nimble once more as she jumped just a far enough away that Liz missed her grab.

“That sight of yours is the most annoying thing in the world,” Liz said frustrated towards Rose.

“Oh, is it?” There was a tilt of Rose’s head and a sweet look on her face. It was a rather bullshit look since she was only playing innocent. “How about you let me show Jordas around Sularia without supervision? You can trust me after all.” She motioned a hand to herself as Liz once more came after her. Rose again moved just enough and kicked a pebble up hitting her cousin in the chest. There was quite a bit of force in it as Liz looked like she had lost all the breath she had. “There’s only one way this is going to end Liz. I don’t think you want to try and fight me like you used to when we were younger.” She sang it out and Liz growled again.

“Wintercrest men apparently like hot-tempered, ill-mannered, and hostile women.” This time it was both Toya and Liz who were going after Rose. Rose was quick enough to not only evade but also counter both of them. Eventually, Rose had somehow managed to get them so upset that they hadn’t noticed what she had done. A few more pebble kicks later and both women were soaked in the fountain. They were floundering about like they had no sense and Rose was laughing hard.

“You better take them both home Father and Uncle Krys before they catch a cold.” Rose waved her hand. It showed that Rose had a sense of humor under how serious she could be. She put her hands on her hips and stared at both Blaine and Krystopher. “I promise you can trust me. I’m not naive like Keira was nor am I dumb.” It was blunt and to the point.

Oh how he wished he could rip out that lecherous tongue of his cousin’s. Family or not, he didn’t trust him; in fact, being family made Jordas’ case that much worse. Blaine knew of most of the males in his family to be the sort to chase after woman after woman. He had done so, Krys had, their father and now Jordas. Just look at him and his sweet sounding promises when darker matters lived in his mind over what to do with his daughter. And she was playing right into his hands like putty. Krys could see that this was going to end badly and wished that he hadn’t come here to begin with. Had everyone just minded their own business, then what was to come wouldn’t have.

Blaine relaxed a little, enough for Krys to stop holding him back, but it seemed like it wouldn’t be the Lycans that needed resistant. Toya was about to storm out there while Liz held onto her. “Quiet woman, you’ll give away our position.” It was annoying, but at least now he wasn’t the only hothead in these parts as he turned his attention back to the Rose and Jordas. It took until she spoke of Liz in a negative light that her uncle gathered what she was doing but he was too late to stop his mate as she sprung out of the bushes. “Damn it all”, he sighed, gritting his teeth and Jordas saw that his senses were correct. “What are you lot doing there?”

“Quiet you, I’ll ask the questions around here.”, Blaine said, marching his way towards him and lifted him up by his collar. “What do you think you are doing? Talking that nonsense about mountains and whatnot.”

“Eh? I just meant taking her to see the mountains…”

“Uhuh, sure.”

He let the women tend to Rose, or rather vice versa- he had who he wanted in his grasp and was shaking him violently why the younger wolf was trying to get what he was saying. “Don’t you trust me?”

“Hell no!”

By now the only one not acting like a fool around here was Krystopher. He didn’t have a stake in any of this and figured he would have to play peacemaker since no one else was doing the job. He came from the bushes and put a hand onto his brother’s shoulder. “Put him down, Blaine.” A couple of angry snarls came from beneath his lip before dropped Jordas and he landed on his backside. “This is why I don’t eavesdrop.”, he said to Liz as he went to help her out of the fountain. “And even if I did, I wouldn’t have brought Blaine, knowing his temper”, he said to Toya as Blaine fetched her.

“It’s not you I don’t trust. It’s Jordas. We barely had a day’s reunion after all these years and here’s he is trying to run a game on you. I know those lines, those are the sort used by men that are ruled by that….thing between their legs.”

Jordas gave him an angry look; he hadn’t planned on doing anything at all. And he was one to talk anyway. “Says the man that run amok bedding any woman he could find.”

“Look here, you cheeky bastard. You think Toya’s little love tap hurt? I’ll give you something to cry about!”

“Come on then! I’ll knock you on your arse this time!”

The two wolves were about to charge right at each other when Krys got between them, barely able to hold them back from tearing the other apart.

“Okay, we were at fault here. We aren’t going to spy on you kids anymore. At least I’m not”, Krys spoke, trying to speak up from the growls his family was giving each other.