Nero
"It is morning." Said Anui. Looking over Lila's waking body. A set of food placed on the table with fresh blood and fruits filling the air with a sweet aroma. Anui was standing by the window. This time the sunlight shined down on the castle and illuminated his front side. He turned to see Lila, a cup of crimson already in his hands. He sipped the fresh blood before setting it down next to him. He came to the bed Lila and him tossed in. Climbing over her and caressing her delicate doll face. His own paper white complexion tinted with a fresh warm red. Either with his own blood, or the blood he drank. "We have a summons." He sat on the edge of the bed after their morning petting. He had a letter in his hand, sealed with the Nero's snake stamp. He opened it already and was reading the paper. "We are to meet with the others. This time not to discuss you.. fortunately. But likely to talk about what the plan is now that the King is currently injured.. It's.. A travesty...."
"Hnnng~ Good morning!" Lila replied as she saw Anui standing by the window and sipping some blood as he called her.
Taking a moment to admire her beloved's figure and the room they were in as she was peacefully laying on the bed with the sunlight caressing her hips and legs, she couldn't help but to think that it was really... different to be woken up by someone she loved. Not only that but their room was nothing short of beautiful. The comforting, sweet aroma of blood and fruits flooded the room, coming from the fresh blood and fruits that were standing on the table if they wanted some.
As Anui turned away from the window, going to the bed and climbing over her, delicately caressing her face, she couldn't help but let out a warm smile and snuggling closer to him, gently pressing her face against his hand.
"This... Is our first morning as a married couple... Isn't it?" Lila asked with a discreet giggle as suddenly leaned closer to him and gave a small kiss on the tip of his nose as she hugged him.
When he mentioned that they had to meet with the other Nayu Royals, she wasn't able to hide her insatisfaction as she pouted her lips.
As he said, at least it wasn't about her... for now... Despite her reaction though, she knew how necessary it was to discuss those type of things. Even though the king was recovering himself, Nero didn't have time to waste. They needed to prepare themselves for what was about to come. Decisions needed to be made. And Anui, not only having Royal blood, but the King's blood, was a necessary presence at that meeting. The surprising part was that he wasn't the only one who had it's presence requested... But Lila, as Anui's wife also was required to come.
"I... understand. I will put on some better clothes." Lila said with a serious expression, clearly saying that she knew how important such meeting would be.
"I will too. But first lets enjoy the fresh morning waters. Filtered to a comfortable level of course. Those Fotian's love of heat did bring some good to this world." He chuckled softly. Taking his way to the baths. Running the waters within the large bathing room by turning a large handle on the wall. It poured down from the ceiling like a waterfall. Quickly filling the majority of the room with steaming water. He placed hand inside and nodded. It was hot enough to relax the muscles but not too hot. Perhaps shocking the body a bit at first but easily tolerable. "It's ready." After the bath was ready Anui began to take off his shirt. He called for Lila to enter the bath. His shirt already removed. "Perhaps I am rash in my decision. But I wish to share in this fresh morning cleanse with you." With that said he began to disrobe his undergarments before her. Little shame in his motion to disrobe and then reach for her hand. His eyes looking at her with a calm assured joy.
Lila was almost putting on her clothes with a serious expression on her face (and obviously annoyed by being interrupted and asked to go on a meeting on hers and Anui's first morning as an officially married couple) before Anui spoke with her again, inviting her to take a bath first. Truth be told, Lila had wanted take a bath on that huge and luxurious bathroom before but she didn't have a chance yet. Being invited to take a bath certainly improved her mood a good bit.
"Are you trying to make it up for us being interrupted on our first morning as a married couple to go on this meeting?" Lila asked, raising an eyebrow as she looked to Anui, who had already starting taking off his own clothes.
As much as she wanted to hide it, it was undeniable that she was looking forward to that bath, and seeing the steam coming off the hot water made it even harder for her to hide it.
"...Maybe it's working..." Lila said, looking away for a moment and blushing a bit before she calmly took off her own clothes, gently taking Anui's hand and joining him.
"... You knew very well I was really looking forward taking a bath here, didn't you?" Lila said, accusing him with a discreet smile before she slowly got inside the water.
The second she submerged half of her body on the water, her expression immediately changed as a wave of pleasure ran through her body as her muscles started to relax on the hot water.
"I am still a bit annoyed though..." Lila said, snuggling close to him as she enjoyed the warm water. Upon touching her, Anui would immediately feel how relaxed her body was. It wasn't hard to imagine how much Lila was enjoying that bath.
"Perhaps.." He smiled to her question. He was showing her the routine of a royal one step at a time. Though some of their ways would be harder to stomach than others. Anui sighed as he held Lila. His breathe gently over her head. Though she lacked horns her bright red hair was a sign of her families rare trait. The family line that will merge with his own, the Mythue. "The time to mourn our losses have come. One day I knew our kingdom would face a threat we cannot overlook. Those damn Aion and their leader Vrondi were my first expectation for war to break out with. But now perhaps we have a chance at everlasting peace." He held Lila tight, caressing her back as he spoke. Feeling her tender chest against his upper abdomen.
Moments later Anui and Lila would be summoned by one of the royal guards to come where the meeting was taking place. Inside the medical facility of the royal kingdom. Blood was seen through tubes being drawn from unconscious seraphim swimming within water containers into the veiled bed of the King. Black silk rolled down from above kept the King from being visible. But the dozen or so royals who stood within the giant room were able to hear him clearly. Before the veil were several elite soldiers standing prostrate and without movement. Yet their blind eyes were ever presently aware of their surroundings. Anui and Lila were before the others. Standing in front of the scattered royals, some who stood with feverish mourning for their King, others who merely hugged the dark corners of the walls in watch. All royals of great importance to the kingdom and the King. Anui and Lila were called last, entering the room with the eyes of everyone on them
Anui's mother watched Lila with a scornful look. She crossed her arms at the sight of them. "Anui, the young future of our Kingdom. And his new bride, Lila Mythue." Said one of the royals. He had a pink thorn flower on his elegant attire. His black gloves gestured for them to come closer. "Who did my foolish nephew bring into my families bloodline." Asked the cold voice of the King behind the veil. The man before the veil looked back, then to Anui. "This is Lila Moriarty." He said, looking down at Lila with solemn eyes. "Bring my nephew here." The servant before the veil bowed to Anui and gently lifted it for him to enter. "Only Anui Mythue, you may stay." He said to Lila. Who was then met by a glare from Anui before he himself turned to Lila. "I will return shortly." He said to her, before entering the veil.
Lila couldn't help but chuckle when she heard Anui reply to her accusations as he held her tight against his chest. The moments she spent relaxing on the bath with Anui were precious to Lila. She didn't want them to end yet, but as she heard his words, she knew that soon, they wouldn't have time to spend relaxing on each other's arms like they were doing right now.
"Peace... I hope that it'll show itself to be more than just a dream..." Lila said with a distant stare, thinking not only about Nero and the other Nayus, but about Anui and their child who was yet to be born.
After some time, they were finally summoned by the royal guards to where the meeting was taking place. Despite not being able to see the king due to a black silk separating him from the other dozens of royals present, it was clear how grave his wounds were due to the numerous tubes that were being used to feed the king with Seraphim blood.
Lila simply waited in silence near Anui until they were finally called. She was able to see Anui's mother with the corner of her eyes and the scornful look she sent on her direction but simply chose to ignore her. Lila already knew how much Anui's mother hate her, but that wouldn't keep her from being near her beloved.
When both their names were announced by one of the royals, announcing their arrival though, Lila couldn't help but stiffen up her body. When the king's cold voice echoed through the room, Lila almost held her breath. If the king was as hostile to her as Anui's mother was, it would prove to be quite the problem for both Anui and Lila herself.
It was quite ironic for someone such as Lila, an assassin who had killed numerous people, to be that nervous in front of someone when she was never nervous even when hunting a target, no matter how dangerous it was. It was indeed a... 'new' feeling for her. What was more interesting though was that she wasn't nervous because it was the king of Nero who was talking to them, but because he would be part of her family... Or so she hoped...
When the king called Anui inside, being specific that he wanted to see only Anui, despite Anui's words trying to calm her down, Lila was clearly alert. Not nervous, but alert. She remember what had happened before with Anui's mother, whom unfairly sent her to prison and after the King was so clear that he didn't want to see Lila, she wouldn't be surprised if something happened. If anything happened though, she wouldn't be caught off guard. After all, the only one she trusted right now was Anui and no one else.
Entering the veil Anui felt his time here would be short. It was known to none other than the king as to why he summoned his closest kin here. Perhaps in his time of suffering he wanted to be near those closest to him. Though he was a cold and brutal king. In many ways he showed a strict love and wanted to retain the purity of Nero's royalty. Using Anui's eyes to gift only a select few the power of sight. For many Nayu this was their curse. Though within Nero it was a common thing. "Nephew.." Spoke the king. His face was covered with a mask and a tube connected to a large tank. Blood was being connected to his veins and were visibly being transferred in and out. A slight sign of seraphim essence could be seen pouring into his veins. His wound, his missing arm, was covered by his blanket and his should was bandaged. His eyes were visible. His face no longer hidden as usual. He looked at Anui whilst looking half awake. Anui stepped forward. "Yes my King."[/color]
Sleeth's brows frowned, his expression growing sour. "What's this I hear of you of all people. Bringing outsider blood into our own." His breathing and voice was made more sinister and deep due to the respirator. His eyes were calmed to a midnight purple. No longer glaring red as they did against the Dragon. Anui made no attempts to lie. He knew the King only wanted two things when it came to breeding among his kin. Purity of Nayu blood... And power. "She is of pure noble blood. Hornless, and with scarlet red hair." The King quickly raised a blade of darkness in an instant that gently held itself suspended in air. Pointed to Anui's throat. "But has she the right blood? Will it further our kingdoms power?" The King asked. His voice rupturing Anui's ear drums, his left ear bleeding. He hated these talks with his merciless uncle.
"She is a Moriarty. A line taken from us over 19 years ago. I am certain her line will strengthen our own." Anui said with conviction. the King's blade receded. "Not good enough...! I will have her tested, we have plenty of lines wanting to merge with our own. But few are worthy. See to it that her blood's unique ability is ascertained. Then I will decide whether she is worthy. Now go. You will have a day to do so." Anui bowed and was out of the veil. He looked to Lila with blood coming from his left ear and his throat gently cut to allow a thin stream of blood to flow down it. His King always felt a need to impose his will on those closest to him. He seemed to be even more desiring of power now. Anui looked easily unshaken by the discussion or from the wounds. Their words were blocked entirely by the King's own manipulations of sound. Thus none were able to hear them. Now Anui knew this and walked straight to Lila.
"It's time we took care of something. Let's go." He reached for her hand and held it firmly. He took them both down the dark halls of Nero. Where the shadows lurked and listened. So a private space away from sound and closer to the sunlight. A high balcony of the castle was where he began to tell her. A plan.