Three months ago:

Daemon sat behind the dark wood desk in the formal study. His father's old study. He had received several posts from most of the boyos or the coven and had chosen this room to read them in. He had thought that they were invitations for some sort of formal function that required the Warlord Prince of Dhemlan to be present or at the very least it was something that Jaenelle would find amusing. Not liking to read those kind of letters, he slowly open one that was from Dea al Mon. unfolding the expensive opal colored parchment he began to read.

Ice filled his veins as he ripped open one from Scelt, then Nharkhava, Dharo, at last the one from Sceval. He swore to himself. Started pacing. He needed to move he needed to ……..

Deep breath if he wasn't welcome in their territories fine, but in the name of hell they were going to tell him what he had done to ….. No he would play this out. Just for a little while he would play this out. They were Janelle's friends so he wouldn't go and start demanding an explanation, not yet. He would wait and let them come to him and explain why they wrote that….. That… shit.

Two months ago:

A month had passed since he had received those letters. Yes, Aaron had been to the hall since then and had asked him to go to Halaway for a few drinks while the girls ' talked'. And Daemon went. He was a fool to go but he went. They didn't talk much and as the evening wound into night their outing nearly came to a brawl. The only thing that held either of their tempers was Janelle who by the ring of honor that Aaron still wore allowed her to feel that rage building inside him. The rage directed at her husband without any cause. Well maybe because Daemon was directing a little too much of his own temper at the Warlord Prince.

Shacking he took a knee and yielded to his queen. He waited till Daemon was out of the tavern then swore he didn't cause that. He swore Daemon had just….. Just …snapped.

Janelle looked around the room. She knew most if not all of the warlords and landen males in that room. She knew none of them would have scrapped Daemons temper. But something had, something had turned him against her friend and she wanted to know what. She needed to know what.

She found Daemon pacing in the long informal study; pieces of books were ripped and thrown around the room. She walked willingly into this battlefield, her midnight voice tried to stay calm, "Prince, is something troubling you?"

He forced himself to keep the low growl out of his voice, "Nothing that a good work out won't cure."

Her deep sapphire eyes gazed at him. Pinning him where he stood. She sighed to herself whatever the problem it wasn't his chalice. "You will go see Lucivar soon?" not a question a command.

"I'll leave in the morning lady."

She nodded then left the room. She would send Beale there tonight with a message. Simple wrote: "Daemon needs to work out. Make sure he does." signed Witch.

It was well into twilight when Beale dropped from the red winds just outside of Lucivar's home. He was close enough to call out on a red communication web. "Prince Yaslana."

His wife was wrapped in his arms and he didn't want to move. Coldly he replied, "Beale."

"The Lady has sent me to deliver a post."

Oh how wonderful his sister sent her butler to wake him. Slipping his robe on, he went to the front door. "What's the problem that Cat would send you here tonight?"

"Witch sent me prince." handing him the letter he continued, "Something is scraping Prince Sadi's scars. Or so it seems."

Lucivar read the short letter. Damn. "I'll see my brother in the morning. Tell my sister thanks for the warning." shutting the door Lucivar shook his head. Tomorrow was going to be a long day.

It was a cool summer day but the coldness flowing around Daemon was making the nicety of the day too much a reminder of the almost brutal winter that had just passed a few short months ago. Lucivar had gotten the warning late last night and was now relived that he had been given one. Although he thought dryly Witch could had said that the Sadist need the work out and not Daemon, since that who was standing at his front door this morning.

Daemon was holding a slippery leash one that would not bode well to any one if he let it go. Lucivar called in the practice sticks. The movement too fast. The black wall of power knocked him back. Not harming him just reminding him to move slowly, carefully till Daemon relaxed enough that this wouldn't end in a fierce battle, just a long morning workout. Then he would ask why his temper was this frayed and then he would ask his brother who was scrapping that temper. And whoever it was , would be dealing with both the High lord and himself this evening.

After the second time of Daemon's temper slipping the leash Lucivar had finally worked him enough that the coldness was being replaced by heat. They were goading each other. Working each other till they were both sweating. Daemon's hair was drenched with sweat and appeared that he had just stepped out of a shower. Sweat beaded around his chest. He was proud that he was finally getting the upper hand on his brother. Or so it appeared

A cat's grin formed on his face, "Is that the best you got little brother?"

Any other time he would have pushed harder. Any other time he would have chosen an appropriate response to that. A more brotherly response but right now he needed for Daemon to leave. He circled around his brother to better see his eyrie, or more to see who was standing watching them. Her long green dress flowed around her, but the way her tangled hair fell around her shoulders he knew who was there. Who was watching them. No, Daemon didn't need to see her right now. Not when his temper was barely in a chock hold and not when the high lord was still hours away from being useful.

The movement was quick. His well honed war blade was drawn; Daemon was on the ground the sweet tall grass prickling up around his body. Daemon's eyes glazed as the ground hit his back. "What's going on Prick?"

He tried to keep his voice level. He needed for his brother to leave not to do something that couldn't be repaired with a simple apology. "go home Daemon."

The cold vanished as something shifted in Daemon. Lucivar hadn't said he wasn't welcome but it was close enough. What had he…. Done? He knew …. It was his temper wasn't it the reason for…… he swallowed too aware of the war blade. To aware of the Eyrien Warrior that was holding it.

Lucivar saw the weariness in his eyes till he vanished his blade. Not knowing what would happen if he held out his hand to help his brother up, he did nothing except walk away leaving Daemon feeling shut out. He didn't watch to see if Daemon left just felt him leave on the webs.

Lucivar let out a sigh. He would need to fix this soon, but right now he needed to know why Tersa was here. Marian had already taken her into the kitchen. And had already made a plate up for her when Lucivar came in. His skins still glisten from the sweat that was still beading up on his chest. His gaze sharpened as he watched Tersa ring her skirt in her hands. Something was making her scared and whatever 'it' was , was not going to be breathing much longer. "Sweet heart what's wrong?"

Her eyes widened. No use trying to make since of her thoughts Lucivar could do that better than she could most days. "My boy."

A sigh that was mixed with a grunt, "what did that idiot of my brother….."

Cold eyes made him stop. "He needs a party. He's my boy he should have had one."

"Sweet heart, as much as I would love to see Daemon have a party where it was for him. He would never ….."

"HE. WILL. HAVE. A. PARTY." she spaced out her words in a command that made it clear that she was spending too much time with Witch.

Lucivar bowed his head like a small child, "what do you need me to do."

"The Keep. It's big enough for the children."

"Alright I'll tell the high lord but first I need you to help me with your boy."

Tersa looked blankly into Lucivar's eyes then abruptly went to the tall kitchen window and began to make a web in its frame. She heard the whispers speaking to her. Telling her what she needed to know. Lucivar watched not amused that her web was going to have his hearth witch fretting about it being in her window. He went outside while she worked. It was no use to try to stop her. She wouldn't listen not when she was working. None of them did. He opened his inner barriers till he found his father at the keep. The sun was till high in the air but this could not wait. On the ebon gray thread he called out *father*

Grumpy anger came back to him. "Tersa is making a web in Marian's window." not his window.

*Tell her to stop.*

*She won't*

* deal with it*

*fine I'll deal with Tersa and you can deal with Marian.*

*Leave it till dusk then I'll read it.*

The thread closed. Lucivar went back in the kitchen at the same time Marian came in from the sitting room. Her hazed eyes, was enough for him to know what was on her mind. Black widows she could handle. Seeing them make tangled webs she enjoyed watching, but when they started making them in her windows … in her home ….. Well she would just see about that.

Lucivar glided quickly over to her. "The High Lord asked to leave it till dusk then he will have it cleared out of your window and he will make sure you can see your garden through it in the morning. I promise."

"It will be gone by night fall."

"Yes sweet heart by night fall."

"Next time she should ask. Did she ask?"

Mad at him or mad at Tersa….. Either way he needed to turn her attention elsewhere. "why don't you go down to the village I think there was a new shipment of ….." her eyes glistened "books and new colors of……" a kiss on the cheek then she was gathering Daemonar up and out the door.

Once the web was done Tersa left. She didn't bother to read it. Just left it attached to the wood frame. Dusk fell ,the High lord dropped from the winds. He glanced at the web. Made with no real answer but raising more questions. The queen reawaking. The mirror becoming both the shield and the sword. A child born another coming home. And the blood that would flow. The web split forming a second web inside the first. Wings either destroyed or protected. If destroyed the darkness would whisper if protected then only the blood would sing, flow. But the darkness would be held back by the shield. A war that could be silenced by the queen or caused by the lack of one. A river flowing red, a house burning a wall crumbling. The echo again the child was coming home but the mirror needed to be the shield and the sword first or all the children would be destroyed.

"What does it say?"

Saetan shook his head, "too much and not enough. Witch needs to see this."

"Is there anything you can tell me?"

"A child born , another coming home. Blood flowing. The mirror becoming both the sword and shield." Saetan mumbled he wouldn't tell the rest not till Janelle had time to read this web. Not when he was seeing something that spoke about his son's wing. He wanted to be sure before he told Lucivar that. There was no doubt that Tersa was a gifted black widow but her web still left too much to be answered

The wood that had been incased into the stone was pulled free. Lucivar was not amused one bit. But if the high lord said the web needed witch to look at it this was the easiest way. The frame vanished. Saetan turned to leave "are you going to the hall?"

He nodded. The sooner Jaenelle reads this web, the better. "Tersa wants to have a party at the keep." Lucivar spoke dryly

"And I am to help how?" Saetan asked not amused at the idea of children being at the Keep.

"Keep Daemon away from there for a while."

He nodded he knew how. Kaelas has been teaching how to bend shields to the Lucivar's son. But this was something he could blame on Daemon long enough to keep him from entering the keep but not accusing him of anything that would strain an already fragile farther son relationship that was just starting to repair itself.

Saetan didn't even tell Daemon why he wasn't welcome at the keep he just nodded and made some mumbled comment about he could have just sent a post to be added to the others. He was worried that Daemon hadn't asked why but even more worried that his mirror hadn't even look up from his desk. Something was wrong but Daemon wouldn't speak he just asked if there was something else.

Jaenelle look at the web. Really looked at it. Two webs. Two triangles. Both attached. Forming a diamond. Father, brother, lover. The lover is the stronger the three the one that will protect the queen. The blood triangle. The other one attached lover , brother another point . Making the family whole the lover is the shield the sword watching over the other two. Stronger than the three. The point the child coming home. The web vanished. Whatever blood that would be spilled was the price for the child coming home. But would that price be too deep to save her family. If the child wasn't returned the other would be sacrificed to save the brother and the farther. To save the queen.

"what do you see witch child?"

"a death , a life, a birth or a sacrifice. The lover will survive but a river of blood will flow to protect the ….… the choice is mine to make." she sighed "I must think. I need to study this more. I need to make my own and see what it says."

Saetan reached for the door "Papa, don't press Daemon right now. Something….. I don't know ….. It's wrong. "

Mother night she could have said that before…." anything I can do?"

Her hands flew up with a sigh, "he attacked Aaron. Then when he returned from Lucivar's today….. He hasn't moved from the study……"

"Give him time witch child. You have moods let him have his." if he attacked Aaron it was probably a misunderstanding. Daemon wouldn't….. Mother Night I hope that's all it was.

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