New 8-

the Hall

Lucivar try to not take the second dose of the tonic that his sadistic brother said that he needs… and could barely swallow on his own for the third. His breathing was much too slow and much too light to be anything close to normal… but his heart… that was racing in a way this rarely did… at least not when he wasn't working off his temper.

"Damn it Sadi you better be right about this or so help me…"

"Karla…" Daemon waited till he had her full attention… "I have done a lot of things but I would not kill my brother when he couldn't meet me on the battlefield."

"You… Mother night… you would do it wouldn't you?"

"If I had a good reason… I mean a damn good reason… I would but not this way." He gave her a cold smile, "This wouldn't even be tame of what I would do… if… I had to."

Karla glanced over at Lucivar who she knew despite not being awake was aware of everything that his brother was saying… and for once didn't know if she should comfort Lucivar or dent his brother's head.

The coach landed too softly on the landing web before Daemon spoke again. "I told Beal that my bed needed to be stripped down and some that could be changed often put on it."

Rolling her eyes, Karla asked, "Should I even ask?"

"The toxins will expel themselves shortly… It won't be pretty and one who is currently pregnant is not to be in that room until the prick can swallow without becoming sick."

"Wonderful… And just when I was getting bored."

By time the fourth does was given Lucivar was laying on Daemon's bed and several layers of folded towels.

Ever so carefully Daemon laid his brother in a way that he was more or less sitting but still on his side. Then called in his little hourglass after giving Lucivar his last dose of the tonic.

Gabrielle sat at the foot of the bed watching smooth tan skin turn dark and blotchy. "Daemon?"

"Anything that was hurt after the first dose of the bitch's brew was given will show signs." Daemon shifted slightly, "When he's able to speak expect him to be pissed."

"Of course he will. Not to mention that you had Karla give something to make him puke."

"Darling, it's going to do a lot more than that."

"I see." Gabrielle the healer said then in a voice that every bit a queen asked, "And what else will it do."

"Lady, imagine your worse moon time. The cramps I mean… then add to it vomiting and well shitting yourself all the while being unable to move… being too weak to do more then lay in whatever position you are currently in and resigning yourself to let your body do whatever it damn well pleases."

"Oh." She looked back at Lucivar. "In that case I'll help Karla make a few tonics… I trust you can handle him till…" Lucivar's legs tightened just enough to know something was going to happen … soon…. "…We are done."

"Do I have a choice?"

"None."

"In that case… I'll do my best." He waited till she was out of the room before whispering, "You are so lucky that Helen thought to put a spell on the bed so you can't make a mess of it."

Within a half hour of taking the final dose Lucivar stomach was longer holding anything down… An hour after that… Daemon had figured out a displacement spell … that he would share with the healers … if they ever spoke to him a sane voice again… that moved the foul stuff that his brother was dispelling to the toilet. Only problem was someone had to go flush it every so often.

After what felt like an eternity Lucivar glared at his brother. "I'm going to kill you."

"Well since you were able to say that without spewing over the carpet I think you're over the worse of it."

Lucivar shivered. His throat burned. His chest was tight… Hell he could even remember why his wings, Back, wrist or ankles throbbed but he knew with all certainty the pain that he felt in his gut… was completely Daemon's fault.

Karla touched Daemon's arm softly, "Why don't you go see how Jaenelle is doing."

He only nodded as he slipped out of the room. Before the door closed behind him he head, "I really hate him." "I know , Prince. I know."

Jaenelle looked up from her book and watched as Daemon came into her sitting room. Watched as he shuttered as he closed the door. Watched more closely as he tried to regain his composure. Didn't speak till he looked at her with worried eyes. "How's Lucivar?"

He needed to go to her … but couldn't until he had his temper leashed… needed to have that temper leashed so that he wouldn't harm her child. Falling behind his court mask he too calmly said, "He wants to kill me so I'm sure he's fine."

She patted the seat next to hers on the couch. Didn't speak until Daemon didn't move. "Come here , Prince."

She was his queen… and even if she wasn't he wouldn't have argued with that tone in her voice… at least not while he wanted to continue to be married to her. Slowly he sat down but couldn't look at her. "It's my fault."

Never in the three years that they had been married had he spoke about that last night in Terrielle. She knew what he was going to do. Knew everyone would forgive him… and hoped that nothing ever pricked those memories. Still since Chaosti had came back from that make shift camp… knew she would have to have this conversation. Hoped it would be after she had one with her brother. "No, prince this is not your fault."

His eyes held temper but nothing else did… not even his voice. "You know what I did in that camp."

Anyone else she would have taken that ball less tone… but not from this man … not from Daemon… And damn it not when he had done nothing wrong … not then and not now. "This is not your fault."

"….But…" he looked at her… and couldn't decide if she was pissed off because he wasn't or pissed off because of something and couldn't know what.

She stood up and paced for a moment before stopping in front of him, "Damn it to Hall Daemon. This is not your fault. It is not your fault that my relatives decided that they had a death wish. Not your fault that decided to use Lucivar to commit suicide … and it's not your fault that they picked the one memory, out of thousands, that would make Lucivar falter for a damn second."

"I should have destroyed everything in that camp…"

"No, you were told to get to the Keep exactly when you did. Everything else … the storm should have taken care of it…"

She wouldn't let him take the blame so he was not going to let her either, "The storm eliminated the taint… not anything that wasn't glass."

"And the fact that one guard… One, Prince… One survived … What does that tell you?"

"That he wasn't tainted.. but there are easier ways to commit suicide." He finally stepped up to her and let his fingers caresses her arms. Softly kissed her neck. It wasn't his fault and if his brother wanted to blame him… well they could deal with that later… "I hear making love is more special when someone is pregnant."

She pulled away from him just a bit." When your brother isn't sleeping in your bed we'll have to find out."

That caused a snarl and had looking at the door like he was considering removing Lucivar from the room regardless of the reason he was in there.

Her hand pressed against his cheek, "Daemon, you had a reason that you wanted your brother in your room…. Can I know why?"

Another snarl then taking a deep breath he slowly let it out, "He doesn't remember what happen."

"That could be a good thing."

"The memories will surface. They always surface." She searched his eyes knowing he was taking a mental side trip and may not know who he was talking to but would know what he was talking about. "What was crossed between now and then will be clouded in doubt… but he will know."

Carefully she let just a finger turn his head from the door and toward her, "Daemon?"