Ancient Mystic's War of the Realms Saga - Lady Adellandra Dratianos (read me a book TXT) 📗

does such a thing.”
“That is because the Onyx Rose only grows in the Nations at Ostara.”
Derrick’s eyebrows scrunched at the word. “What is Ostara?”
"Ostara is a Draconian and Outer Realm Pagan festival of Spring.” Dracora supplied.
Derrick just nodded.
“Do you know a lot about the Outer Realm?” Derrick asked.
“More than you think I do.” Dracora announced. She took his hand and looked into his dark brown eyes. They were full of wonder and confusion. She saw they were also full of infatuation for her. “Walk with me, Derrick.” She said, squeezing his hand. “We have much to speak about.”
Derrick smiled back, relaxing. He nodded and would follow her wherever she led him.

III

Draconis and Adellandra left to greet their three eager children, Prince Kronin, Princess Locarra and Princess Locanna. While Draconis jumped ahead of her with them, she fell behind with the dragon-male Draconis had named his brother, Dranus.
"I am happy for your return, my Lady." He supplied with a smile.
"As am I, Dranus." The Lady sighed. "There's just so much I have to do in the Realm of Dreams though. I am still its Lady Guardian. I have plenty of duties to get back to."
"Does that mean you cannot stay?" Dranus asked softly.
"I want to stay, but I still have things to tend to there." She told him. "Right now, however, I am going to enjoy the day with my familia, which includes you, Dranus."
He grinned at that, nodding. "I am in your debt."
Lady Adellandra stopped, as did he. "No, I am in yours. You are Draconis' Branno." She admonished, using the Draconian-slang word for brother-like bodyguard. "You have never failed to leave his side. I am grateful of that. When I wasn't there for him, you were."
Dranus saluted and bowed. "All in a life's work, my Lady."
Lady Adellandra grinned, catching up with her new-old familia. Draconis was playing with them in the courtyard and she couldn't help smiling at the sight.
Locanna rushed up to her mother and took her hand. "Come, Mutyr! Join us!"
She looked up at her dragon-mate's smiling eyes.
They played flying tag around the courtyard for an hour. To Adellandra, it felt right to be back in Mal'estar. It had been her home like no other place had, and would always be.
When Draconis and she were tired and their children were still bounding with energy, the royal couple sat under the trees, watching them.
Adellandra sighed. He wrapped his wing around her and nuzzled her neck.
"What's wrong, frisca?"
"I'm torn, my love." She told him. grasping his hand into one of her own while the other played with the Dream Amulet that still hung around her neck. "I have another life outside of the Dragon Nations, one that has me as the Lady Guardian of the Realms. I can't stay, yet I wish to so much."
"Why can you not stay with me?" Draconis asked. "You are my Empress and mate."
"It isn't you I cannot stay with, it's the Dragon Nations themselves." Adellandra told him. "I have a life outside of this Realm, Draconis. I have duties in the Realm of Dreams. I have children and an Earthly Protector to return to."
Draconis frowned. "You had me until the Earthly Protector."
This was going to be hard to explain, but she had to. "An Earthly Protector is a kind of mate to an Ancient Mystic."
Draconis growled. "You mated after me?"
"We have been away from each other for more than two-hundred forty decans, Draconis." Adellandra told him. "That's more than two-hundred years. My memories were taken from me by being blooded to the Ancient Mystics. You should have read what I had to go through in my memories when we Fed."
"Aye, I did." He supplied sadly. "I read what you went through when I destroyed our city."
Why does he keep bringing that up? She thought to herself. She placed a hand on his cheek. "Draconis, love, don't think about the past, please? It's meant to be left there. Think only of the present and look forward to the future."
"As you wish, m'Lady." He responded. Adellandra kissed him gently and he pulled her close. "So, when do we leave?"
She was surprised. "Leave?"
"You wish to go back to your life and settle loose ends in the Realm of Dreams, am I correct?"
"Aye, but."
"And," he interrupted. "You also wish to make me Lord Guardian by your side. Is this not also correct?"
"Aye," Adellandra sighed.
"Than the sooner we leave, the sooner we can return and live peacefully as one." Draconis grinned, taking her chin in his hands and forcing her to look into his dark eyes.
"You'd want to come with me?" Adellandra asked him. "To meet my children and Earthly Protector?"
Draconis nodded. "I would insist on it."
Something in his tone made her itch. It told her he was going to take care of her Earthly Protector in his own way, the dark way.
"Draconis Dratianos, you will not harm a hair or anything else on the Protector's head or body, do you hear me?" Adellandra demanded in her best Lady Guardian tone. "I will not have you two against each other."
Draconis shrugged. "If he starts something, I will be the one to finish it."
Adellandra knew Derrick wouldn't start anything, especially after meeting Draconis' eyes, but still could not let the male who'd been her long-time Earthly Protector and Ancient Mystic husband be harmed by Draconis' male jealousy.
With a sigh, she kissed him and the two were on their way.

Story #2:
Lord and Lady Guardian of the Realms

“Joel, I have a quest for you.” Lord O'Dell, former Lord Guardian of the Mystic Realms supplied to his blood-son Braken Joel Hawk and Joel's feline mate Nikita White-Snow. O'Dell had urgently summoned them from their home of the Realm of the Ancients for a special quest.
To Joel, a Balinese feline Companion who knew his Father more than most, O'Dell was acting well out of his normal character. He was in his Immortal Wizard form, which he didn't take often. His eyes were darker than usual and Joel could nearly smell the taint of his Uncle Orthos. O'Dell's twin brother within him. He just did not know what that scent was doing there.
Joel looked at his mate, then his Lord Father. “Anything, Father. What is it you wish of me?”
“Lady Guardian is going to bring a Draconian back through the FireWall with her.” O'Dell supplied. His voice was low and his tone calm. He didn't dare look at the couple, which was unlike him. “I want you to bring them both here.”
Joel stared at him, confused. “Father?”
“Do as I say, Braken Joel.” O'Dell responded. Though he didn't look at their eyes, Joel could see what was in his. He caught a glimpse of a second-soul within his father, fighting for control.
Braken Joel cleared his throat. “Aye, Father. Just tell us when, and we will do it.”
O'Dell finally looked at his son's eyes.
That's when Joel sensed the darkness that was his late-Uncle Orthos deep within his Father's eyes. He feared for him.
“Go now, they will be arriving in the Province Wood, as Lord Draconis will dispel the Firewall.”
Joel stood at attention and saluted. “Aye, Father.”
He nodded and excused them.
Nikita was silent until they left the Mystic Palace. She held onto her mate's hand tightly.
“'Kita, I know what you sense darling.” He told her, kissing her hand as they walked. Joel could Feel her shivering inside and out.“I sense my Uncle within him, too. Though I do not understand why he would be there, if I saw him be destroyed by both Father and Young Guardian.”
“I was there as well, my love.” Nikita said. “I Saw what happened.”
Joel stopped them both in our tracks and stared at his tigress-mate. “What did you See?”
“Three separate colored winds, going to Lord Guardian, Lady Guardian, and the Grand Magus.”
“Did you see the colors?” Joel wondered, his mind thinking. If Orthos did what Joel thought he did, they would have to act fast in order to destroy him for good.
“The black wind, it went to the Grand Magus.” Nikita started. “The blue, it went to Lord Guardian, and the red, it went to Lady Guardian.”
Joel blinked at the admission. He was used to her strong feline-Empathy, but it was never this strong before. That alone meant something terrible was going on and they had to stop it.
“Thank you, love.” He said, absently, mind wandering. He was thinking of both his Uncle and the new mate of his cousin Lady Guardian.
Joel's attentions were averted when they arrived at the Province Wood. He could sense five individuals, all Draconians, outside the FireWall. They watched in shadows as the FireWall was dispelled, as O'Dell had predicted.
Joel stared at the five that stood there, taking in what he saw. His cousin Lady Guardian was in a Dragonwolf form, looking regal in her Guardian's Fighter's Gear. Her grey wings were clipped at her neckline like a cape, and he could see the magical blade in its sheath, glittering in the sunlight. The Dream Amulet hung around her neck and her long hair was braided, held up in a bun at the top of her head. Beside her was a larger Dragonwolf, near-black in wings and tail. Behind them were a were-lion who resembled the male beside the Lady, and a black Spirit dragon, who resembled both the male and the Lady. Joel smiled as he recognized the Spirit dragon from before the Wars for Power began. He was in the rescue party from the Underground, keeping watch over his younger dragonlet sisters. In front of them was a much larger dragon-male in the uniform of a Guard and Joel could see the Crest of the Dragon Nations upon his chest.
As they walked deeper into the Province Wood, Joel Heard her Call in his mind. Braken Joel, I know you and Nikita are hiding out here. Come, greet an old friend.
Joel came out of the Wood with Nikita and hugged the Lady.
"Lady Guardian!" Nikita purred. "A pleasure, as always!"
"I agree, cousin." Joel supplied, patting her back. Just as he suspected and feared, he could Sense the wind of Orthos within her as well. Nikita had been right; it was Orthos' Empathy. "And you bring visitors from the Dragon Nations?"
The larger Dragonwolf-male spoke. "I am Lord Draconis Vilinos Dratianos, Emperor of Mal'estar and the entire Dragon Nations. These are Adellandra's and my sons, Princes Tristian and Kronin Dratianos. Behind us is my bodyguard, Dranus."
Draconis and Joel grasped hands. Joel could Feel the power within Draconis and the look in the Lord's eyes reminded him of his adopted father, his namesake Braken Hawk.
"Pleasure to meet you, Lord Draconis." Joel announced. Does he know what I Sensed? Joel asked himself. Just in case, I'll warn him. "Be wary of darkness hiding within your mate. My Uncle Orthos is fierce, especially on the purest of hearts such as hers."
Lady Guardian blinked and sighed. "Thank you, Joel."
"Oh, Lady Guardian, Lord Guardian is wanting to see you." Nikita announced. "He's had Joel and I in charge of the Realms since you disappeared."
"That's not like him." Lady Guardian said. "Not at all, and you know your own father, Joel."
"You are correct, cousin, I do know Father." Joel supplied sadly. "He has changed greatly since the War of the Realms, and I am not liking it.