Where the hell was he?

Blaine couldn't understand what had happened to him or his family; it seemed like only yesterday that he was in his cottage with his beloved when a storm came. Or at least he had thought it was such before the earth below had trembled and he went to investigate it with sword in hand. No sooner did he manage to get a few quick steps in before the world around them grew dark and the next thing he knew, it felt as though he was being sucked up by the sky itself. What felt like hours to him before he regained conscious, he looked to where his house laid, only to find that it no longer stood. The clearing itself was gone, leaving him nothing but trees and his first concern was for his wife and children. He was driving himself mad, running through the endless rows of forest before he collapsed and wept for them. Was this the act of the Gods? Were they that cruel and petty to rob him of everything? If so, he couldn't even fathom a reason why. If it wasn't them, then what? An invader? A last act of a dying world? Some sort of curse latched onto him by someone that despised him?

The questions kept on running through his mind as he picked himself together and aimlessly wandered about until he arrived into town. From there, he was forced to quickly pick up the profession that he had once gave up for obtain an inner peace and for the sake of his loved ones. It however did not mean that he gave up on finding them; he would use the gold and the knowledge of this new world to his advantage and would inch himself closer to finding them if he needed. Although brash in his youth, Blaine was more experienced in his years and it left for a more refined killer that started to attract the attention of those with more coin under their belts. As time went on, Blaine looked and acted almost like a different person; his hair was allowed to grow longer and his eyes hardened and become colder. His body was retrained and fit once more to complete the physical tasks needed and to his side was the sword he had taken arms with before he was taken away from everything.

This early evening he had found himself being hired by one of the mid-ranking houses of Adeluna; something about a gang of highwaymen robbing their tradesmen when heading towards the northern lands. Right now, it was said that they would likely have traveled back to their camp with their loot and that's when he was required to strike. The pay was excellent and he knew that it was only steps away before the other houses would be contacting him for his skills. Blaine agreed and went off immediately, there was no reason for him to wait.

Back in the very forest where he had started a new, frozen blue eyes glared from the thicket as they watched the men cheerfully pour ale into their cups and singing an old merry song. It appeared that he had already came across them at the perfect time and circled around them, getting as close as possible while staying low to the ground. Although, with the way they were carrying themselves, he probably could have just walked over towards them and slit their throats without worry. Unsheathing his blade, Blaine leaped out towards them just as they were about to do an encore.

A minute or two had passed and most of them were slain and on the ground. Unfortunately one of them was smart enough to not get drunk this early and fled for his life. But not without some of the treasure his gang had collected. Blaine growled to himself in a while a wolf would to its prey and gave chase as he went deeper into the forest to cut him off. He wouldn't get away, not while he had the scent of the man still fresh.

Toya had been inside with her dearest Aurora at the time of the sundering. Blaine had run out of the house trying to defend them as always. She had been running to the door when the shaking had happened so she could find her husband. It was a blur past that. The moment she had any knowledge of what was going on her sister was staring her in the face. At first Angela was trying to calm the woman down but it was soon when Toya had completely lost it. 

She was knocked out and placed in a medical ward for days while they tried to stabilize her and get her to realize what was going on. The very fabric she held onto for all those years had been Blaine. The only person who was her rock. She opened her eyes as she looked out over the other patients. “Fuck you Angela.”

“That's not very nice at all.” Angela was cleaning her up and  let Aurora come in to hug her. “She'll stay here in Sularia with Lily.”

“Sularia? How the fuck are we in Sularia?” It took a good long explanation of the world's happenings for Toya to try and get up out of bed. She was about ripping off her bandages exposing her breasts and everything else. Angela and Aurora forced the woman back down. “I need to find Blaine. Let me find Blaine.” The tears were coming out of her eyes. “Don't take him away from me.” Her mind began to crumble. Angela delivered a hard smack against her face.

“Calm down. Most likely he's not dead he just wound up in a different place. I was able to intersect Aurora and yourself but you need to calm yourself. As soon as you can do that I will let you up and you can go find him.”

–

It took a long time before they let Toya up out of bed. The woman had suffered a lot and for the first time since her first husband had left she was recovering. Those green eyes were hardened and she asked more questions about her children then the man she had hung onto for security. She knew Blaine was smart and he was strong. Finally she found herself lacing up a corset and getting dressed. She pulled back her brown locks.

“There has been word of a man who once fit Blaine's description running around. You might just have to ask questions.” Lily's words were full of love as she placed the white rose necklace around her sister's neck and kissed her forehead. “Go now.”


“Yeah.. Go.” Toya picked up a sword and strapped it to her belt since she had lost her flame blade. It felt like she was naked without it but it didn't compare to how she felt without Blaine. She made her way outside and a large golden dragon stood in wait.

“I am Karith. Named after the seventh daughter of the sun.” The dragon was rough with her language but Toya nodded to her.

“I lost my mate and most of my children. I've gotten word about them.. You'll help me?” The dragon responded by only letting the woman on her back. Toya climbed on as if she had never been without a dragon all these years. Her sisters seen her off as she flew into the foreign skies. Luckily for her the dragon knew where the rumor were.

Once she got to the forest she hunted around. She had ordered Karith to stay behind. Going deep within the forest she was blind sided by a drunken idiot. She was quick to draw her blade and put it to his throat.

“The wolf. THE WOLF. It's coming!”

“What wolf and speak fast before you lose your dick and then we will go from there.” Put her hand to his throat and moved her sword down below his belt. “Your manhood or information on this wolf.”

It was pointless for the man to have to make the hunter chase after him, at least in Blaine's mind. All this would do is leave him even angrier and that would leave for a much slower death. His footsteps were heavy against the very earth as he dashed about, closing into the point where he was sure to cut him off at. It would simply be some more coin for his pockets once he was done and from there, he could focus a bit more in looking for his family. Despite wanting to keep check in these parts, he was sure he would find better clues up north. They had to be somewhere on this land, at least he was hoping so. His darling Toya, and their beautiful children. The daughters would hopefully be with her, or perhaps just Aurora. The twins were often off on their own, as was their older brother so gods only knew where they would be if not with her. He broke concentration for a moment or two, worrying about her psyche. She was strong physically, but mentally she hadn't recovered completely from her eldest child's death nor the departure of her first marriage. Life was funny in that regard; had neither one of those events took place, then they wouldn't had met, or at least in the circumstances they had in their encounter.

Bringing himself back to the hunt, the smell of the target was getting stronger on his nose. It was only a matter of time now. But something else was picked up, something that at first he faintly recognized. Roses? Out here? Throughout the miles of forest he had checked and checked again when he had first came here and then after some more searches. There weren't any roses planted in these parts, so what was that scent? His jaw dropped and eyes widened as he continued to run; the smell was becoming more familiar to him. It was the scent of what Toya smelled like, especially in the morning with her body so closely bundled against his. But he had searched gallantly over and over, was this some sort of trick? Shaking the feeling he eventually came across the man, who was now pinned against a tree with a blade on his throat. As his stormy eyes moved to its owner, he was left utterly speechless and dropped his sword loudly onto the ground. She looked and smelled like her, but it couldn't have been her, right? For the longest time Blaine couldn't move nor speak, able to do little more than just stare out at her. After all this time of looking, was it possible that she was underneath his nose? But his tracking skills had been sharped to how they were in his younger years. Looking at her with a dumbfound expression, Blaine stumbled to find his words for his beloved. "To…Toya…" Taking a few steps close, he wanted to run towards the woman and cradle her against him, never wanting to let go. Before long his attention was turned to her prisoner. "Release him, he's not worth it." There was no longer a care killing him, he would let him go with ease in exchange for Toya. "You better disappear and never rob anyone ever again." The man spoke in fright, something about him being the wolf and looked onto her to see if he would be released. Either way, Blaine came close enough to her and fell against her waist, hold onto it tightly as tears run down his face and buried it against her stomach. "Toya…"

Toya thought she had him right where she wanted him until there was a noise. Her senses spun and she almost jabbed the sword right into the man's jewels as she stood stunned. It sounded like her Blaine. She sheathed the sword and threw him. “Disappear before I really do take your dick.” She spit in the man's direction and found herself stunned as her beloved held onto her waist.

She was slow to wrap her arms around him and give him comfort. A warm smile came to her face as she let her fingers go through his blonde hair. The same blonde hair their girls had. She held him tightly after that thought. “I was so worried about you Blaine. So entirely worried about you! Angela got Aurora and I but I was locked away in the healing ward for.. days? A month?” She was foggy on how long it had been but she wiggled her way down him and let them both go to the ground as she held him.

“I was so fearful. Angela had to keep me under strong medicines. I lost myself but I found it again in a resolve to find you and our children.” She nuzzled his face and kissed him softly. Her lips had missed him. She could taste the forest on him. She could taste his prey. “I am so sorry if I worried you.” What did she mean if? She knew she did. She snuggled him closely. “I lost my flame blade but I do have someone you might want to meet. She will be staying with us for the rest of our stay here in this world.”

She got up and pulled him with her. It was like they were young. She held his hands in hers and gave him a thoughtful smile. There was strength in those green eyes and not that madness she had suffered from. “This way.” She pulled him to a clearing and used two of her fingers to whistle. The gold dragon circled above and landed.

“Blaine this is Karith. She has been entrusted to me by Sularia. Blaine Sularia is here. There is a city full of Rosenites! That is where our Aurora is right now. As for Angela she has.. annoyingly been promoted higher than she was.” She looked annoyed. “Goddess who gifts fertility and holds the cornucopia.” This time the Rosenite scooped her husband up bridal style. “Just wanted to introduce you two. You can go back to hunting Karith.” The dragon nodded before leaving her alone with her husband. She teased him as she walked holding the man in her arms no matter how much he squirmed.

“You always worry me getting lost.” She teased more as she nipped at his ear. “And here you are out here in the forest doing gods know what. While your poor wife is being medically tortured by her demented goddess sister.” She said it sarcastically and nipped him again. “All the while our youngest daughter is laughing at me.” She nipped once more. “Because she knows I loathe it.” She pinned him to a tree and smiled before leaning in and nipping his nose. “So what were you doing?”

Blaine felt the warmth of her body as he wrapped his arms around her. He missed it, he missed her scent, he missed Toya completely. In return, her own arms were on him and felt his hair being played with. "I was worried about you and the children as well. I was going mad trying to find you all." Those very words reminded him that the children were nowhere in sight, and though their youngest was safe, there was still the matter of their son and the twins. As she explained what she had to endure, he couldn't help but to feel guilty. "It was my fault", he choked out. "I shouldn't have rush in to see what was going on. If I hadn't, then I wouldn't had caused you so much grief, my love. Please forgive me." Their bodies wrapped around together on the earth below and he brought up a hand to caress her soft face. When their lips joined together, it took him back to their first night, and every single moment they kissed every since. He met her with equal force, wanting to get lost in her taste. "Don't fret about it. It wasn't your fault. I just care that you and the others are safe and sound. I am sorry about your sword though, I know how important it is to you", he said sadly, once again running his hand smoothly down the side of her face. It had belong to Costel, the last thing she was left with aside from her grandchildren when he died. To lose something like that, he'd imagine that she was devastated. Holding her tightly, Blaine did look at her weirdly. Before he could ask who she was talking about, she lead them away and onto a clearing. Before he knew it, a large dragon dived down to greet with them. Toya had a habit of making friends out of these creatures, not that he was complaining as long as he wasn't getting eaten. A nod of respect was given to Karith. "Sularia? But this place…how in the world is it here?" It made no sense to him but then again nothing had ever since he had found himself here. News of her sister didn't really phase him too much, or at least not to the extent that Toya was showing. They had a stranger relationship that surpassed his rivalry with Krystopher, another person he would have to end up searching for eventually as well. Without warning Blaine was picked up by his wife and looked at her with narrowed eyes. It was unexpected yet that was what his wife had always been. He wanted to break free, but knew that the woman was damn strong and wouldn't break easily. Karith left the two to her own ventures while Toya moved them away from the clearing.

"Its not my fault I didn't have a map on me", he replied with a roll of his eyes as she nipped at him. Even if he was ever upset at her, she knew his weaknesses well enough to draw him back to her. "Aye, it was a freakin' jolly old time, running around looking for you all", he replied in a similar tone. It was great to see that she hadn't changed or lost a pep in her step. She was his Toya all right. "I don't know about that, she probably would have a different opinion about what she did to you." Another nip was given and he quieted down some more. "And how was Aurora faring? Hopefully she won't be completely like you and give me smart remarks as well. The world only needs one of you, not two, Toya." His words stopped the moment he was pressed against a tree and her body against his. His hands fetched for her hips and pulled her tightly against him. "Been looking for you all and when I wasn't, i was reliving some of my past doings to raise enough coin so that I could continue my search." His head came down to the side of her neck and kissed it tenderly. "I didn't stop looking. I couldn't. You are the most important person to me. You and the children mean the world to me", he whispered into her ear. "I'm not leaving your side again, unless it's by death."

Toya smiled a bit and kissed the top of his head. "I didn't have to worry about going mad as I already was. That's been fixed though and I am much better because of it." She pet his hair and kept him close. "It's alright my love you were just protecting your family. That I do not fault you for." She kissed him and smiled.  "It is something I cannot replace but I cannot worry about it when I have my children missing. I am sure they are fine though. They are strong like their parents." She gave him a sad smile.

"It turns out Sularia is from here. There isn't a lot I could dig up on it. We'll have to find out in time though. The good thing is that we have a home." She gave him a teasing smile as she carried him about. She loved him and that's all that mattered.

She laughed at him as she nipped at him. His responses were always funny to her. "Oh she most definitely would. She would say she was giving me an attitude adjustment! Aurora is like a little us. I think she has the better features of both of us." She she smiled a bit as the words stopped and they held each other.

She kissed his neck in return and lingered on his words for a few. "I wanted to search for you but Angela wouldn't let me out of bed. Something about setting fire to the world and destroying everything until I found you." Her eyes came up to his.  "You are my most important person as well. If you die I would bring you back and slap the shit out of you for thinking you could leave." She chuckled. She wrapped her arms around him and buried her head into his chest.

"You are my light when all things are dark. I don't ever want to be lost like that again." She closed her eyes and listened to his heart. "No matter what anyone ever says I love you Blaine. I love you more then anything else in this world. You are my eternal mate. You are the one I would run the afterlife hunting grounds with forever. My soulmate." She believed Seth was just the stepping stone to finding him and that she had to have Costel and Rose as well.

Her words of encouragement and affections did not fall onto deaf ears but he still felt terrible about it. He should have been there for them after these courses of events taken. Blaine knew that at least then he wouldn’t had countless nights losing sleep over the possibility of losing his family. They were all precious, especially the woman in his arms now. He brought her hands to his lips and kissed them. “They will be found, I swear. Even if it takes me all my days, I will return them to us.” That was a promise he intended to keep, even it it did takes his final breaths to fulfill.

Blaine was a tad confused to hear that the home of the Rosenites had been in a completely different realm despite the land having once been said to be a sea away from their original land. Scratching his head, he decided not to question it; it would likely make him more confused about this whole thing. “Yes, that is good. It doesn’t matter to me where we stay, I just want my family with us, safe and sound”, he replied, still holding onto her hands as if they were keeping him grounded. As much as Toya needed him, Blaine needed her too. The wolf had been without his mate for far too long, and he needed her touch and affections. It felt like layers of bitterness and loneliness were being peeled away with her presence alone. He was grateful to learn that their youngest child was safe and sound. Aurora was definitely like a miniature version of her mother with his eyes and knew that she had her strength to thrive well. “I just hope they haven’t drove you up the wall too much in my absence.” Her warmth comforted him greatly, her scent lingering in his nose as he breathed it in.

“I know darling, but I wouldn’t want for that. You and trouble don’t mix well, and I would be afraid for all that stood in your way”, he said with a slight chuckle. Blaine need well that she spoke the truth, that she would likely tear apart the heavens themselves to find him. Unfortunately he couldn’t lie; he knew that he would do the same as well if he had to find her. His chuckle turned into laughter at the thought of her saving him and then punishing him for dying if it had occurred.That too he knew was her being serious. Toya was an amazing individual, and he could see right through her flaws. She had been hurt before, and it took some time before he managed to help her deal with it. “And you are the only one for me, dearest. The only true mate I will accept in my life”, he whispered back to her ear, tightening his hug around her body. She was so much smaller than he was in comparison and each embrace only reminded him of that fact. “I love you Toya.” He brought his wife down to sit on the ground with him as he leaned back against a oak tree and cradled her against him. His eyes closed, taking in the quietness of nature all around them. He just wanted to hold onto her for now and enjoy what they had back in the other realm.

Toya took his hands in return and kissed them softly. "I know you will and I will be there to help. They are our precious pups and we will never let anything bad happen to them. They each can fight on their own and they are so strong but they worry me from time to time." She chuckled and kissed his lips. It would be something the children got from both their parents.

Nodding she kissed his cheek and thought about it. "Aye, we'll be safe and sound in Arri. We can run around the tropical forest together." She ran her fingers through his blonde hair now as she thought about their children. "Aurora has been a blessing while I was in bed. She read to me a lot and did not complain when it came to feeding me. I was strapped down you know because I wanted to come find you. Was driving me mad."

Eyeing him all she let out was a laugh as she kissed his forehead. "You know it." She hugged him close as they committed themselves to each other once more. They had gotten pregnant with Jayden before taking their vows and never had looked back. She drove him nuts whenever she was pregnant as she had been large and swollen. Always burning herself on the stove when brewing tea. She snuggled into him and smiled. "I love you as well Blaine. To the moons and back." Kissing his forehead again as she relaxed greatly and thought about everything leading up to that moment.

Oh how the years had aged them. "These kids are going to kill us." She chuckled a bit. "I  think they get it from you. Being stubborn and going off on their own, the lot of them."  She destroyed their nature as she thought about everything they had past worldly possessions. "They will find us I think. The twins will look for each other and Jayden will be like his father and come to us. Rose… Rose will do whatever it is that she does." Her voice was quiet. "I hate that we raised them to be very good at being independent."

“Aye, I am as well. The thing is that we have to let them be them. Even if it means watching them venture out into the world”, he spoke softly to her. Heavens knew that he worried about them but also knew that they weren’t little children anymore. Jayden was growing into a fine young man and both Ynnarah and Keira had turned into beautiful and strong women. Even Aurora had grown much from what he saw prior to his absence, helping out her uncle back at his guild and taking to the bow. Once she would leave, they would have an empty nest but they would each other. Of course he wouldn’t blame his wife for feeling the way she did; she was a mother most of her life and gotten used to it. And she was a terrific one at that, despite her stability at times. Toya was a great mother and wife in his eyes.

“I don’t know, I haven’t gotten used to the one that we had stayed at before. Where I’d inspect to see deer and bears, we had big cats and snakes”, he said, making a face as he thought about the shifting of the simple forest into a rainforest. However, he had missed running with her, it was something very intimate that they had shared since they married and it was something Blaine looked forwarded to in the near future. His wolven side quite agreed with it. His thumb stroked at her chin before his whole hand cradled the side of her face. “Of course, she is pretty much you, dearest, just missing your beautiful eyes.” While he didn’t find what they did to her as be favorable, the lycan could understand why it had to be done. She was a be centric and hell of a lot stubborn. Had they not gone to that extreme, she would have been off doing gods know what to the land until she found him.

They had been through alot together and as along as they were still breathing, they would likely go through even more things. But as long as he had her, Blaine didn’t mind. He couldn’t see himself with anyone else nor was there a better person for him than the one he held in his arms now.

“I think they get that from us, the stubbornness.The desire to wander, that’s from both them and their wolves. As much as we would wish, they don’t stay little forever. But they also won’t forget that our door is always open for them if they want to come back. They may still need our guidance from time to time.” Each of them were strong willed and were brought up to such, they would survive somehow until they were found.

He had much confidence about all of them, even Rose who wasn’t his true daughter, but that didn’t mean that he didn’t care for her like he did his own pups. “Don’t worry, their elder sister will do exactly that. I don’t think it will take very long to hear from her.” He muzzled his stubble face against hers, “We are good parents because of that. It just means we did an amazing job, Toya.” 

Toya chuckled softly as she watched him. "We could always go off on our own, to our next big adventure. Run the wilds together like we never have before. I do have my duties but there should be a lot of down time if things stay peaceful." The dragon knight laughed a bit and shook her head. "I am glad she has your eyes. They keep me at peace when you aren't around."

Looking towards him with a pout she managed a smile. "They are us through and through. Even Rose has taken on some of your qualities even if she was older when you and I got married." She huffed a bit and thought about it. "Guess that means we should let Aurora out into the world finally huh? We've done so much to keep her grounded and her head on straight that I think this court business has gone right to her head."

She nuzzled against him and smiled.  "Well at least we did well with them. We can rest easy knowing for the most part they have fine heads on their shoulders. I do think we have enough pups to last us a life time though." A laugh left her lips before she swooped in to kiss him. "Enough trouble for a damn life time. We should get going back to Arri before the young one knows a fit."