Emera wrinkled up her nose. "I'd rather go pray to your gods." She answered with a deep frown. She did not like the idea of bringing him to see her gods. Not if they did not have to. "I think your gods are more likely to answer, in any case." She almost wished that he had not let her go. That was not something she could say to him, however. Instead, she turned away from him. She stepped over to where she had dropped her needlework, and gently took it into her hands. "River? Do you truly think it is necessary to sleep with your spouse to have a happy marriage?" Her voice was soft, unsure of what he thought.

She sat down, trying to think of reasons why Sylvia would not be abed with Aranhil already. Suddenly her eyes went wide. "River! Tell me, quickly. Did you and your brother ever make a child pact?" She asked in a rush. "When Sylvia and I were children, we swore before her gods that we would not get with child until we both could. She did it so that I would not be scared of having a bastard of my own. If you and your brother made something of the like, perhaps he is reluctant because you are unable to-" She blushed deeply. "I mean, not willing...or perhaps...."

Emera had no doubts that, should she offer, River would not take her to bed. She knew quite well that he would get her with child in an instant, should she let him. She also knew that Aranhil was aware of her reluctance to let his brother do as he pleased to her. "I wouldn't wish to be the reason Sylvia could not be granted a child." She whispered softly, her cheeks bright red. "Maybe I'm not right for you, River.....I know you're free, and wild. But I'd have you in a cage, just to be happy myself. Perhaps you would feel better with another woman."

Emera flushed deeply, trying to squirm out of his hold. "Stop that. You're just a guy. Guys never know what's good for them. Woman know that, not you men!" She protested as she tried to free herself from his grasp. Why did he have to be so strong? She loved that on any other day, but right now, she wouldn't mind breaking free. "Don't you dare try to kiss me. You know I forget how to argue with you when you do that! Don't distract me. I have to break up with you before I forget that it's better for you!"

She had a feeling that her protests were worthless. Why would he let her go, if he was able to keep her for himself. She groaned softly and gave up, sinking into his warm chest. "I hate you." She mumbled, though they both knew she didn't mean it. "I don't understand you, River. You could have a princess. If you wooed ether of Sylvia's sisters, you know they would take you. Or the vampires. Their strength is almost as legendary as that of the dragons. Their princess would be a worthy bride for you. I heard that a new one recently claimed a place among the royal family. She's only suppose to be a hundred and three years old. And I had heard that she is very beautiful. They said she's likely not even of human origin. That she had arrived from another country with one of the lords of the court. Neither of them would say where he found her, or when she was changed."

The elven lands had bordered upon the vampire's territory for years. For a long time, garlic and steaks had been very popular items to buy, grow, or make. However, eventually, they had worked out a deal. The vampires could have free passage through to the human lands, if they left the elves alone. "You would like her, River." She murmured as she closed her eyes. She smiled a bit and squeezed him a bit tighter. She loved being in his arms. "You smell good."

Looking up at him, Emera started to smile. "Would you like to travel with me to go see their country?"

Emera kissed him gently. She couldn't help it, he was right there, and it was just too easy. She reached up and wrapped her arms tightly around his neck. "I think you still haven't gotten me in bed, and your male pride won't let you leave me until you do." She purred back. Sometimes, she was certain she had him all figured out. Usually, though, she was hoping that he would prove her wrong. He didn't just want to sleep with her, did he?

"I think," She whispered as her lips moved across his jaw. "You find me to be different than anyone you've met before." She almost couldn't believe herself. Her hands moved on their own accord, touching his shirt gently, and searching for the easiest way to get it off of him. "I think people see me as a conquest, and you would not want them to say you turned from one." She nipped at his neck gently, trying to keep her own desires in check. She hadn't realized how badly she wished to see him shirtless.

Pulling away from her young prince, she looked up to meet his eyes. She could hardly catch her own breath. "I think I'm not so sure I care any more. But I do know something." Very gently, she kissed him one more time, then stepped away.

"I know I am going to see the vampires." She smiled at him and took one more kiss. "Your people don't have an alliance with them. I've been studying the politics of your court, you know." She looked very pleased with herself. "Your country is at war with almost the whole rest of the world. Sylvia is sure to find that out. And she will not want to bring children into a world with so many dangers. We are going to go make peace with every single land that you hate. So, pack a bag, River. If you want to stay with me, you've got to come with me."

"You're a prince!" Emera protested from under him. She squirmed against him, trying not to read too deeply into what he'd just done. She struggled, panting with the effort of it. he was too damn strong for her, though. And she was in a dress. A dress that was trapped by his knees. She tried to bring one of her legs up, to help fight free. The resulting rip left her frozen, though. She could feel cool air on her outer thigh, and it wasn't something she was use to. "Ri-river?" She squeaked. "My dress."

She squirmed again, trying to cover her leg. The dress just ripped a little more. Unable to fight back physically, she returned to words. "Get off me, you oaf! My dress is ripped, and this isn't decent! Of course I don't expect you to stay with me. You're a prince, did you forget that?" She could feel her tears starting to build up, and she desperately wanted to hold them back. "And I'm a bastard. Maybe it would have worked out if my parents had been wed. And if my dad hadn't tried to kill Sylvia. And if I had a higher social standing. But they weren't, he did, and I don't."

She planted her hands on his chest to push him back. She couldn't bring herself to do it, though. Her hands dropped down, and she looked away. "You're going to leave me, River. Eventually it'll get to be too much for you. I know I'm always leaving those stupid handkerchiefs for you, but it's just a joke! It's not like we can get married. You deserve a proper princess. Not me."

Emera shivered at his touch. She let his hand stay where it was, though. She hated to admit it, but she almost liked the way it felt against her skin. She sunk into his chest, defeated. He never fought, but he always won. "Not that law." She muttered sullenly. "I've been studying the ones that apply to me. Not your stupid marriage laws." She still felt sulky, and she refused to be easy. "It's not like we're going to get married."

The young elf sunk into her beloved's chest and closed her eyes. She didn't want him to ever let go of her. "Stop touching me." She demanded, even as her own hands wrapped around his waist and drew him tighter to her. "And don't you dare think about kissing me." She wanted him more and more every day. Which is why she had to let him go now. "You do too have to marry a princess. Stop telling your silly lies."

Nestled against him, Emera felt so safe. "We are too going to go do something important. You can just tell Aranhil to make you a stupid ambassador. We're going, and we are making the vampires your friends." She insisted firmly. "You call me stubborn, but you haven't seen half of it. Now shut up." She kissed him gently to lessen the sting of her words. "Sorry, shut up, handsome."

Pulling out of his arms, Emera got to her feet. "Help me find a dress, River! We should go make our travel arrangements. Oh, damn it!" She caught sight of herself in a mirror. "I look like a mess! My hair'll have to be redone, and this dress...." She sighed. "I liked this one..." reluctant to throw it out, she decided she'd do what she could to repair it. She was handy with a needle and thread. "You'll have to step out while I dress, though. And cover your eyes, you shouldn't see so much of my leg."

Emera reached up, shyly wrapping her hand around his ring. It wasn't an official engagement, but it did make her feel a lot better. "But you've slept with woman before." She'd heard the one he'd had in his room when they first met. She had good lungs. "What if they had given you a son? Is it not the same? Bastards don't count, do they." She knew how that went. As a bastard, she couldn't inherit anything from her parents. When they died, their things would go to legitimate children, if they had any. If not, it would return to the government. Whatever she could make for herself, she could have. But that was it. Bastards were not friends of the elven society.

"I could give you a daughter. Would a daughter be worth anything to you?" She inquired curiously. She didn't think a daughter could rise to succession, but she actually was not completely sure about that. She doubted, though, that if she had a daughter, her beloved would be exceptionally excited. She knew they valued sons more, and she was sure for his first child, he would want a son.

"And what about bastard children? If we were to have a child out of wedlock, would that little one challenge your brother's children for the throne? Would a bastard girl stand as much of a chance as a son born within wedlock?" She shook her head, not understanding at all. "I would never want to be a queen. I don't think I'd ever want to be a princess, ether. So many rules, and details. I don't know how Sylvia has handled it."

Sinking back into River's chest, the young elf sighed. "River, why won't you try for peace? Don't you want your children to be safe?" She looked up at him, starting to blush. "They might be my children, too. I don't want to have children that are just going to be sent off to die in a war." She hated the thought of losing her children. "For that matter, I don't want them participating in your stupid rite of passage, ether. I've read about that one. Children DIE during it!" Tender hearted little Emera couldn't stand the thought of loosing a child.

She stood up and crossed over to her wardrobe. Selecting a dress of sea green, she laid it upon the bed. "Shoo, River. I have to change. It's not proper for you to be in here while I dress. We can go for a walk and start preparing for our trip once I have dressed."

Aranhil sighed as he reread his brother's letter. He was getting tired of people nagging him to just get laid already. Why was it such a problem that he wanted to wait? He just didn't understand it. Crumpling up the offending piece of paper, he threw it into the fire. "Stupid thing." He mumbled to himself. "Why can't they just mind their own business?" He stood up from his desk and turned, casting a glance at his bed. Just because his wife wasn't in it didn't mean that they had any right to shove their noses in.

He made his way down the hall, casting a glance around for his wife. By the time he reached her room, he had determined that she was not in the hall, and no one else was going to bother him. Knocking firmly he called, "Sylvia, I'm stepping in." He usually just announced himself, and the entered during the day. He saw no reason why he could not enter if he pleased. She was his wife, so they should have no secrets. And he didn't think she'd have a reason to be undressing in the middle of the day.

He stepped into the room and glanced over it to locate her. "I'm going to send my brother a letter and tell him to stay out of our bed, or I'll make sure he can't have fun in his own." He muttered angrily. "And that if he still insists on annoying me, I'm going to have your maid brought back here, and he has to stay with the elves for the next century!"

I almost forgot. Aranhil then merrily road his segway off a cliff.

Aranhil looked confused. "I would hope that it would die." He answered bluntly. "Excitement means unpredictability, and I would rather know what to expect. I don't like not knowing what will happen next." He told her honestly. He didn't understand why she seemed to think it was bad for excitement to die. "I would much rather be able to plan when we have children, and what we intend to do for the day. It makes it much easier to deal with situations, and to handle unexpected intrusions."

"Speaking of which, my brother mentioned that Emera has gotten it into her mind to go adventuring. I have forbidden them from leaving the country, but I'm worried my letter will arrive too late. He did not mention which land they intended to travel to, just that she was determined to go make allies. Where would you think Emera would be most likely to go? I figured she would attempt to meet with the humans. The elves have a strained relation with the humans, and we dragons have a bitter one. But they are the least dangerous of our enemies. Although, it might be more likely she would go to the faeries. I know that you elves have a long standing peace with them. Personally, I think they make a nice snack."

Aranhil is disappointed that his wife could not join him. He's written a letter to River asking him to throw Sylvia and the segway off the cliff.

Aranhil frowned. He didn't care for how she had suddenly turned flippant. "Now wait just a minute!" He followed her out into the hall and grabbed onto his wife's wrist. Mindful of how delicate she was, particularly by dragon standards, he held loosely. "I am your husband and king. You can't just walk out like that!" He protested. Spotting Hoppy deciding to go explore the castle, he groaned. "Not you too!"

The dragon released his wife's wrist and snatched up the rabbit. "I told you, the servants find you, you're going to be stew. Wife, come." He ordered. He turned and walked back into their bedroom, Hoppy in his arms. "I don't understand what has gotten into you. You were so doting when we first got married, you never left the room without asking permission. Or at least making up for it with a kiss. I'm just not alright with this change in attitude."

He shook his head and set the rabbit down on the bed. "I know that you are angry I dismissed your chamber maid, but I told you what the reasons for that were. She's teaching you things that you have no need to be concerned about, and she's not acting as a refined lady should. She's teaching you bad manners, and about cornergirls and ankle dancers." He sighed, "And I wish you didn't need to know what ether of those were!"

Cornergirls was the politer term for a prostitute. The girls would stand on the corner and catch business there. Prostitution was illegal, so many times the girls stood on the corners outside where the dancers worked, and sold rooms in the upstairs. Each place had their own symbol for if they were selling prostitutes or not that night. Interested men would approach, and the girl would lead him to wherever she sold herself, or would direct them to a coworker. Ankle dancers referenced the wrappings that the girls wore on their ankles, which made their dancing legal. Often, they were just the cover for the prostitution ring.

"Sit on the bed, wife. We have to talk." Aranhil informed Sophia, giving her a dismissive glance. "And advert your eyes. I have to change for training." He had been meeting with an important lord earlier. Now that the talks were done, though, he had to change from his silks and velvets and into the clothes he wore to practice fighting. "I assure you, I will have a new maid for you by the end of this week."

"SYLVIA!"

Aranhil jerked the door back open, absolutely fuming. Unfortunately, she'd caught him with his pants down. Literally. He'd dropped his drawers as soon as he thought her back was turned. His initial reaction had been to turn around to catch her. This resulted in him hilariously spinning his arms about like a windmill while he crashed to the floor. The Jack and the beanstalk's giant style. Except with a bit less 'fe fi fo fum'ing. The prince scrambled to his feet, red faced with embarrassment. He hadn't done that since he was four, and his mother caught him peeing behind the barracks.

Bursting out into the hall (with his pants properly laced around his waste) he groaned. Sylvia was no where to be seen. He stopped and closed his eyes, drawing in a long breath. He had to be relaxed. He was a prince, he couldn't let his anger get ahold of him. He was not River, and she was not Emera. He couldn't just screw her and pretend their fights were over with. Calmly, he walked down the hall, going to find his wife.

He located her locked between Cendres, and his mother. Cendres had eaten too much sugar. He could tell by the way she was bouncing, squeaking, and making overly exaggerated movements. His mother was....his mother. Really, he was saving his wife. Truly, he had to do her a kindness. He walked over, interrupting their conversation.

"Pardon me, mother. Excuse me, Cendres. Sylvia." he smiled at her, and kissed her forehead. "First of all, it is NOT weird to be attracted to feet." He informed her with a smile. "Second, your body may be beautiful and natural. But there is nothing beautiful about mine. I'm not a female." He laughed softly, sounding to all the world like he'd just told the best joke in the world. Cendres looked very worried about that laugh. "Third, I'm going to carry you out of this room like a sack of flour if you don't walk with me right this second because I refuse to yell at you in front of people."