Simone’s face held surprise when she looked at the gown, “Something either Llywellyn picked out or his fucking help. It’s weird. It’s long. I hated climbing in it.” They kissed hard for the moment and there was a relaxed sigh coming from her sigh of the resonance. She could feel him again. “Once we get you out of this cell… I’ll be able to feel you again without worry.” Her eyes told a story especially with how sad they were.

Probably a shock to most Simone’s face got bright red at even the thought of getting sexual with Llywellyn, “Take that back Rhenakos!” She raised her voice and covered her mouth. Why the hell was she getting so upset. “It’s never been like that. Not for me.” She couldn’t even tell if she was lying. “Duty before love. So even if I had it was dead the moment he was no longer a candidate. Eyes on the prize and keep going forward. No distractions. It didn’t matter if I loved the person who I married. What mattered was I got there. A loveless marriage in a monarchy isn’t unheard of. It’s actually normal. It’s normal to hate your spouse with everything you are.”

There was a sigh a bit, “Even if they are all coming out of the woodwork. I never felt that way about any of them but Jerome and even then look what he did. Why would I trust anyone ever again? Lewis is safe. Lewis can see me and I can see him.” There was panic but she choked it out and away from Lewis but it might have been too late he could have noticed it. “It’s trouble all of it honestly. The only reason why I feel… anything towards Lewis… and I do mean anything… Is because of the Guide. If she doesn’t grow feelings then there is nothing to worry about. Ever. Because in the end, I’m still…”

She closed her eyes a bit and took a sigh. I’m still so broken on the inside. I’m a mess.

“It doesn’t matter.” Once Rhenakos added his own thoughts in Simone rolled her eyes. “Like now is the time for that,” she was simmering down and wrapping herself around Lewis. Was she trembling? She was scared, wasn’t she? Scared of letting someone else even remotely close to her. Dala was different because she had been a child when they met… but Llywellyn. He had always been good to her and she could tell he wasn’t lying. The hesitation was there and she hid her face in Lewis’s chest.

She was still so weak.

“He said he’s going to get you both released tomorrow morning. I have to behave until then but if the guards put their hands on me I can defend myself.” She wanted to make sure Lewis knew she would be safe. “I want to believe in him because… I’ve not been able to believe in anyone else in a long time… and maybe… It’s what I need to do… to heal…”

At least that’s what she thought. Trusting people was dangerous and she had stopped a long time ago. She hadn’t even trusted Lewis until the resonance. Lewis was safe. She needed him probably more than he needed her.

Despite her trying to hide it, Lewis could tell she was feeling scared. It was a strange sensation to feel coming off of her, and something that he had not ever felt before, not like this. It was one thing when Everett had been taken, but this…this was something deep, something personal. It was gone in a flash, but Lewis kept holding her tight, as if to tell her he would never let go of her. Did she still have feelings of some kind for Llywellyn? Perhaps. But that was a long time ago, and Lewis understood that, even if it did make him just the tiniest bit jealous.

But here and now, they were together. This was the path she had chosen, and continued to walk. And Llywellyn seemed concerned for Simone’s well being, but Lewis felt no desire from him, not like he had from the others who had tried to steal Simone away. It was something different, almost like a nurturing presence.

“How long can you say?” Lewis asked, holding her tight. “Take whatever time you need…I’m here. I’ll always be here…” He slowly stroked her hair, trying his best to comfort her. Even Rhenakos was keeping his mouth shut, understanding that this was a bad time to talk. He even felt a little guilty that his remarks set Simone off, and instead laid down, facing the opposite direction.

“For what it’s worth,” Rhenakos said finally. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean it…I was just…”

“Being an ass,” Lewis replied.

Simone gave a sad little smile and kissed Lewis’s forehead, then his nose, and finally his lips. “You are a treasure you know that?” She tightened her hug around him and settled her head onto his chest. She knew at the end of the day the game was on her turn and she wasn’t budging. She wasn’t budging because she was scared of what she would find. She could just continue to pretend it didn’t exist but she could see that slowly that wall was coming down. Lewis was opening it and if he wasn’t… Llywellyn’s sudden support was causing a shock to her.

Even Rhenakos was trying to make her feel better, “I don’t expect any less from you. You didn’t really hurt my feelings much. I’m just… dealing with a lot right now.” She’s been dealing with a lot for a long time now and it felt so rough. “I’ve been… having a harder time dealing with it since we had the babies.” They came from pieces of them and it affected her. Maybe just like regular pregnancy it had done something temporary.

“It’s… overwhelming. All of it. Sometimes I have to step away. I don’t know what to do,” she looked up at Lewis and she was sad again. “It’s not the kids’ fault that I feel this way. They are all so ready to give their love to me even Rex,” she chuckled a bit.

Once more she kissed Lewis’s forehead and leaned into him closing her eyes. “I think…” She took a breath and pulled herself from Lewis to look up at him. “That it would be a good idea to introduce Lly to the kids. Not only because he would be a good ally to have but because… I need to be able to trust in others again… Somewhere.” That meant she was distrusting in even their friends and that made her feel really guilty.

“Now, hopefully, his wife doesn’t shank me in my sleep…” She groaned a bit. She had felt the glare in the throne room but she couldn’t tell where it was from. She had caught a glance of her. Elves were really pretty creatures when they were blue-blooded. Llywellyn was not an exception to that rule. “I feel almost sorry for her. I could hear the whispers. Lly’s been married for just short of eight decades. Which means… He ignored her all that time searching for me. I understand why she would hate me. That stupid fucking moron,” her face twisted. “I’m going to lecture him so hard tomorrow during breakfast.” It was almost like she was the mother and Llywellyn was the child, just like he had said. “He’s always done stupid shit like this. Always. Drop of a hat he would come to Auclair even if he had to slip out. It was never romantic but he was my best friend and that was the role he played. He only ever tried to get frisky once and he ended up almost drowning for it. Learned his lesson rather quick.”

She huffed a bit, “I think that honesty is the way to go with Llywellyn. We should answer any questions he has… He probably has a ton. He’s spent the last fifteen hundred years looking for me and he went out of his way to let me know it's unacceptable I think it's okay he never found me. I can tell. He feels guilty Lewis. It’s not that he’s coveting me, that he loves me, or any of that nature. He feels responsible and he’s been mourning all that time.” She rubbed her neck not really knowing how to handle someone else actually caring about her.

“There’s… something else,” she paused a bit. “About Llywellyn’s mother. You know my memories come back at random thanks to the fey magic being gone. I saw her portrait on my way to my room… I know what happened to her because… I was told just before I was killed.” I… feel so guilty.

Once it was time she made her way back to her room and changed for bed falling into it. “I really… Just… hate how I am feeling right now.” The resonance had shut off again thanks to the cell.

The fact that Simone was struggling so much hurt Lewis in a way he couldn’t begin to describe. He wanted nothing more than to help her feel better, to heal her from the pain she felt, but he knew that was something that only she could do. They had done so much together, and he knew her better than most. The strength she possessed was something that he was in awe over, but she was at her limits with it. Lewis promised her again and again that he would always be there to support her.

There was, of course, a lingering fear in his heart that he managed to suppress, that she would leave him if it made her happy, but it wasn’t even remotely a concern. His fear was nothing more than the realization of everything that he had grown up in, and he had learned to trust Simone and combat those fears, now more so than ever. Even if a part of him was terrified of Llywellyn, there was the true part of his heart and soul that she would stay.

Even with all of this, though, as the cell was locked and his resonance was cut, he felt alone. As she tiredly left the room, he felt the lingering resonance of her pain fade. He went to the corner of the cell, and sat down, leaning against it as he tried his best to get some rest. He would need it for the next day, regardless of whether or not Llywellyn pulled through on his promise.

Simone, he thought, pushing his resonance past the cage if only for a moment. I love you. More than anything. With that, he fell asleep.

The morning came, and Lewis was woken by the guards coming in. It took little time for them to unlock the cells for both Lewis and Rhenakos, and they were escorted upstairs into another room. The two were offered a change of clothes, to which Lewis forced Rhenakos to comply with.

Lewis was given a gold and green, close fitting elvish tunic with matching pants. The elegant weave of elvish runes went down the sides of the arms and pants. If someone hadn’t known better, they would have thought Lewis another one of their elves, minus the ears.

Rhenakos, in contrast to Lewis, was given the same style tunic in red and black. It was impressive at how well they measured Rhenakos, and even the oaf managed to look almost like royalty in it. He hated it, though, and made it apparent to everyone around him as they were taken to the dining hall.

The assassin had already felt Simone’s resonance reconnect, but he had stayed quiet for the most part, waiting on her to initiate contact. He could feel she was safe, but her emotions were hard to follow, and for the moment he just chalked it up to the stress. But, that did not change his worry. Everything will be fine, he spoke to himself, wondering if he really believed it.

His words reached her and she smiled a bit. “I love you too…” She was far too disconnected to push it back but she would make sure he knew in the morning. In the morning, handmaidens were quick to work on her hair and redress her for the day. She looked more like her title, even if the place itself was gone. Simone looked gorgeous as she stared at herself in the mirror and was vaguely uncomfortable.

Feeling the resonance reconnect she smiled a bit. I love you too. More than anything.

She was escorted down for breakfast and carefully maneuvered in the long gown. She made a face at Llywellyn and he chuckled a bit. “Was this your idea?”

“No, I left it up to them.” He was quick to point the blame on others and threw his hands up. This was the first time Simone saw his wife. She was a beautiful blonde elf and the two blondes at the table with them had Llywellyn’s facial features.

“Are you going to stop being a rude asshole and introduce your family or am I going to have to NOT go get my children?”

Llywellyn’s face drained of color and he was quick to introduce them now, “This is my wife Jehanne and my son Garsea and daughter Amee.”

“This is our friend Rhenakos and my husband, Lewis. Now, I’m going to gate and I’m going to get our children who aren’t busy.” She looked at Lewis before going over and greeting him with a kiss. “They are going to be so pissy…” The twins didn’t like it when they got stuck with a wet nurse who wasn’t their mother.

The gate opened with black fire and Simone sighed a bit as there was screaming on the other side. “What on earth…” She held this shocked look as she went in. “WHAT ARE YOU TWO DOING,” Alshaya ran through the portal.

“DADDY, EVERETT PULLED MY HAIR,” the little girl was in tears as she ran right to Lewis and up into his lap.

Everett ran through next and got next to his lap, “BECAUSE SHE STOLE MY BACON.” He was quick to try and pin it on his sister.

“I ASKED,” Alshaya yelled back and clung to Lewis.

“I DIDN’T SAY YES,” Everett yelled up, and Simone went back through with the six-month-old twins.

They were fussing and pulling at her dress, “Yes, yes. I know. It’s all Uncle Rhen’s fault.” She kissed both of them. “Are you coming or not?” She looked towards the portal. Soon the older children came through. “Fiori is practicing her embroidery so she didn’t want to come. Mira is doing Mira things.” Ezili was holding Lucas’s hand and he was excited about the library.

Rex was just coming because he was Rex.

“So many…” Lly’s face went to each of the children.

“Alright, introductions. The tall one is our eldest Lucas and the one holding his hand is our Ezili. Rex is the redhead. The one crying is Alshaya and the one trying to get her hair, knock it off please, is Everett.” Everett got in a seat with Lewis’s help and Alshaya found her place next to him. “And these two are Janus and Lila.” She turned the fussing twins towards Lly.

Lly was almost instantly out of his seat and rushing Simone. It was a reaction as her foot came up and she kicked him back, “I DIDN’T SAY YOU COULD TOUCH THEM YET.”

“FUCKING HELL MONE,” Lly was holding his nose. He had been so excited to see what looked to be miniature versions of Simone.

After a moment Simone gave a rough sigh, “Alright you can hold them.”

Without a struggle, Llywellyn was back up and taking the twins in his arms. “I got so excited… They look like you so much and Lewis too.” He was bouncing them and they got even fussier. “They are hungry.”

“For attention. They apparently just ate.” She took the twins back and handed Janus off to his father. “Silly kids.”

“Can’t believe you have nine kids,” Llywellyn laughed. “I thought you would have more than just the two biological.” Simone frowned a bit and Llywellyn noticed, “Something I said?”

“Lly, I can’t have children. The twins… they were a miracle and not born naturally… My womb it got ripped out.”

The color drained from Llywellyn’s face and he went back and sat down, “Did he do that?”

“Yeah… Punishment.” Simone sat down and looked at Lewis with a smile. “It’s fine though. Right, Lewis?”

When the children came through, it was almost like they were at home again. Within moments of Lewis sitting down at the table, after introductions of course, Alshaya and Everett hopped into his lap arguing up a storm about bacon and hair pulling. He did his best to try and keep them separated, petting Alshaya’s hair first as he straightened a bit of it, and then doing the opposite to Everett as he ruffled the boy’s hair.

“Both of you, calm down,” Lewis said as he chuckled, trying to keep the peace. “Alshaya, you know better than to steal bacon.” He tapped her on the nose. “And Everett, no pulling your sister’s hair. Two wrongs don’t make a right.” This, coming from an assassin, was almost priceless. As Llywellyn made a move to see the twins, Lewis couldn’t help but smile at the sudden fierce blow from Momma Simone as she protected her babies from a potential threat. Sure, she gave in eventually, but it felt a little good that she was so protective of the twins.

Rex walked up to where Rhenakos had sat down, and he looked over his father with an almost confused look across his face. “Huh, even a monkey can look good if you dress him up.” He looked almost smug at his remark, until Rhenakos pointed out that the two looked almost exactly alike. The boy frowned, “Whatever…I’m off to look for some hot elf chicks.”

Lewis glared, “Sit at the table, Rex. It would be rude not to.”

“Fine…but after breakfast, I’m going exploring. You were gonna let Lucas and Ezili go exploring.”

Lucas cleared his throat, “er…I haven’t asked yet.” He looked to Lewis, who merely pointed to Llywellyn. “Oh, right…” He took a quick bow. “I assume you’re the one to ask? May I…have a chance to glance at your royal library? It would be amazing to see what kind of books you have….”

There seemed to be a lot going on, and suddenly the doors opened and a messenger came up to Llywellyn, interrupting all of this. He whispered something, and the elf king made a dramatic sigh. “Again? How many times must we tell them no? After all I-” He stopped. “Now isn’t a good time. We have guests. Tell them to leave and come back later.”

“Problems?” Lewis asked.

As if to answer Lewis’ question, the door opened and a familiar, dark haired man walked in. The healer, Xeik, had arrived in his usual attire, with a smile across his face. “Ah, King Celestina. I apologize for barging in like this, but I do believe that we did not conclude our business the other day. Lady Angela would truly-” He paused. “S-Simone?” He looked to the table, where Lewis and Rhenakos were sitting. “Why..the hell are you guys here?”

Llywellyn was excited over all the kids Simone was taking care of. He was most excited about the little ones who looked like her because he had always dreamed of what they would look like. Actually, he hoped they would look mostly like her since Jerome was a horse’s ass.

“Of course, I don’t see why not,” Llywellyn trusted Simone’s kids not to ruin any of their history. They seemed well mannered… Well maybe not Rex but it seemed like they were taking care of him for Rhenakos.

Then they got interrupted and immediately Alshaya hopped down and ran towards Xeik, “UNCLE XEIK!” She jumped up on him the best she could and hugged his leg. “You promised to come by and you forgot,” she puffed her face.

“Shaya, I’m sure he was busy,” Simone sighed a bit and gave an apologetic smile to Xeik.

“You know each other?” Llywellyn was surprised and Simone turned to him and took a breath.

“…Can you have the children go out to play? Please.” It was obviously not stuff that she wanted the two to hear.

“But Mama… We’re hungry.”

“Fine, it can wait until after,” Simone felt bad and had Xeik sit with them. After the kids were fed Llywellyn got one of his personal guards to take the kids out to a private garden. The older kids were free to do what they wanted.

“So, explain?”

“Lly… Lewis killed me once the curse was broke,” Simone was upfront and she watched as he gripped his utensils. “However, it was something I had wanted. I was far too broken to think I deserved happiness even though I wanted to stay with him. When he killed me I turned to dust. It was Lady Angela who made my new body and… I’m not human anymore. You might have noticed or at least got the feeling something was off.”

“So… What are you then?”

Simone looked around for wandering ears, “I’ll kill anyone who endangers my twins. Do you still want to know?” Lly was quick to nod. “It’s called a Night Phoenix. I was the last female one until Lila was born. Lewis’s lifeforce is the reason why I can live. We’re bound together.” She stood up and turned around pulled her hair around and lowered her dress a bit.

“ARE YOU INSANE?” It was Lly’s wife but Lly put his hand up.

“Is that a magic circle?”

“A contract between Lewis and myself. It’s the reason I’m alive. Lewis has one too. Opposite mine.” She was quick to fix herself and she fell back into her seat. “The entire reason I exist now is because of Lady Angela and the reason why my kids are alive and well… IS because of Xeik. Now I know that you’ve let people in past see your bo–”

“Simone… Don’t ask for favors.”

“Did I say to let him take the book? Let him into the library I can watch him.”

It wasn’t really ideal, but with the way things were working out, Xeik felt almost compelled to stay for breakfast. Since he wasn’t initially invited, though, he strayed away from abusing the hospitality of the elves, and merely asked for hot water, to which he used to brew his own mix of tea. During this time, despite trying to push business off until later, Lewis and Simone grilled Xeik for information as to why he was there.

During this, Alshaya finished her meal and hopped into Xeik’s lap, trying to pull his attention, commenting on how he promised to come over and had failed to do so.

“Hey, Shaya, I’m sorry. Lady Angela has been keeping me quite busy lately and I haven’t been able to visit. I’m sorry.” he said as he looked back to Lewis and Simone. “Angela asked me to come find a book. It’s…what is it called, Zoi Kai Thanatos? The Book of Life and Death.” Alshaya was fussing at him from his lap, and he started to tickle her. Through her giggling, he glanced back up. “I just need to look it over and write down a few things for one of her….experiments.” There was hesitation in his use of experiments.

Llywellyn cleared his throat, “We can discuss this later, but I cannot change my answer.” To that, Xeik dropped the subject. When breakfast was over, the kids were taken away to play, including a very disappointed Alshaya. “You better come play soon Uncle Xeik!” she said, pouting. Lucas and Ezili went off with a guide to the regular, public library, and Rex disappeared to who knows where.

“Now that’s it’s just us adults,” Rhenakos said, kicking up his feet on the table. Lewis shoved his feet off, and glared. Even an assassin knew to have more decency than him. “Rude,” the hunter replied.

As Simone went into details about how everything happened, Lewis chimed in at the important parts that he had experienced; about how Simone and Lewis were tied together. Neither one of them mentioned their resonance, which might have been a bit much all at once. Even Lewis showed off his own brand. Xeik noticed that they had grown significantly since the last time he had seen the magic tattoos.

Xeik was surprised, though, at how Simone asked for the book. “I…don’t want to impose, Simone. I can’t possibly-” Oh. Oh….that crafty woman. Did she plan this? He sighed.

Llywellyn sighed a bit, “How am I supposed to take all this Simone? I would need proof that you two ar–”

The explanation on the Resonance looked like it would come sooner. Simone and Lewis gained the signature azure eyes. “You’ll just have to believe us Llywellyn. Together we are one and that is how the twins were born,” Lewis and Simone spoke as one in sync with each other. It startled everyone who didn’t know. “We are always with one another. The only time we aren’t is when magic can’t breach. We are in each other’s thoughts and we can communicate great distances. We share thoughts, images, and we can even hear everything if we are close enough.”

Llywellyn was quiet for a moment but then he opened his mouth, “…So… When you two fight.”

Oh, of course he would be curious about that. “We don’t fight. We communicate. We can’t walk away because we would just scream at each other even if we walk away.” Simone replied and sighed a bit.

“And…” There was a curious look on his face.

Simone immediately held a disappointed face, “Yes, even during sex. Yes, it’s amazing.” Llywellyn held an expression for a moment and let it go.

Once they began to discuss the book deal Llywellyn sighed, “Simone there are some things I can’t do for you.”

“You know… She might want this to help me.”

“What?”

“She isn’t sure how stable the magic is. At any given point I could die,” it was a little white lie but Angela was concerned about it.

“…”

“I know your people are worried about the gods but Lady Angela is more of a doctor than she is a god. Please? It might help me feel better too. Our resonance has a hole in it right now.”

“From the twins?”

“It’s like how a woman takes a bit to recovery after pregnancy except this affects both Lewis and myself since we both technically gave birth to the twins.”

“…I will let him look at the book for two hours. No more.”

“I can accept that.” Simone nodded and sighed a bit rubbing her neck. “You owe me anyways for the sex question.”

“ANYONE WOULD ASK IT!”

Lewis gave Llywellyn a look when he asked the sex question, and rolled his eyes when Simone answered. For once, he was appreciative that even Rhenakos hadn't asked the question, and Xeik knew too much about the resonance already not to know the answer. But this elf king just had to ask. Not that it mattered, it wasn’t much of anything to hide, and if this got Xeik a chance at the book, Lewis was more than happy to answer and get a better chance. Besides, it wasn’t like the rest of the group they were with hadn’t asked. Leilah and Kalina had been interested, if only to compare experiences, and Osiria was just the nosy type….

It was to everyone’s surprise that Llywellyn relented. Well, everyone except Simone, and by resonance Lewis. The two had a history, and there was probably underlying guilt that lead to the decision. And, from Xeik’s understanding, this was intended to help Simone in the long run. After, of course, the experiments.

The healer shuddered at the thought of what dastardly experiments the woman would do when she got a hold of the notes. “Well, I do appreciate this opportunity. Just…let me know when you’re ready?” He wasn’t sure what to do at the moment.

Lewis stood up. “I’m gonna go check on the kids. Just do your thing. I’m fine as long as the kids are okay. Though I am a little worried about Fiori and Mira…” He sighed. “Anyway, just let me know if you need anything.” He walked out of the room, and followed a guard to where the kids were playing.

Rhenakos noted that Lewis was gone, and kicked his feet back up on the table. “Well…guess that means just us.”