KTM where is the next chapter for Cause and Effect? Hmm? I know! A bit of writer's block. This story idea has been plaguing me for 7 months so I figured I would just start it now and maybe it would help the other. It is a tangled confused mess in my mind so I am hoping putting it to paper will help. I started the first chapter short just to get it moving. Let me know what you think.

Ysabeau POV

I had just finished pulling on my boots when I felt Lauren stir behind me. No matter how silent I was when I redressed, she always seemed to know when I was no longer lying next to her. I felt her soft touch on my back as I turned on the edge of the bed to face her.

Her fingers followed my movement until her hand was resting on my thigh and I reveled in the warmth of it. The succubus inside me content with the contact.

"I am sorry if I woke you." I said as I watched her open her eyes fully and look around the room. I could see the hazy comfort of sleep leave her as she realized that the hour had not yet reached dawn.

My body tensed at the sight of her frown at this revelation and she replied, "It is not even light yet. Why are you leaving?"

I sighed as I took her hand in mine, avoiding her penetrating gaze, "As part of your personal guard I cannot protect you like this and I could not bear it if something happened to you when I could have prevented it. I was dressing to return to my post." I choked back the rest of my answer but she already knew the unspoken words. It was something we had gone over many times before.

I felt the ache in my chest when she pulled her hand from mine. I watched in silence as she pushed herself up to lean against the headboard, the bed sheet purposely held to cover her naked body.

"So we are back to this again." She spat out, leaving me with no doubt that it was a statement and not a question.

I closed my eyes as the weight of it was almost too much for me to bear. I pulled in a deep breath before I opened my eyes and focused on my love, "Lauren please do not be angry. You know the reality of our situation and as much as I would like to change it…I cannot."

Her expression turned from one of angry frustration to pained resignation. I wanted to break at the sight of it and it compelled me to reach out for her. I relaxed when she met me half way and we sat for a moment, wrapped in each other's arms.

I shivered at the feel of her breath against my skin as she buried her face against my neck. When she leaned back to look me in the eyes, we did not break our renewed physical contact.

Her voice was strong and resolute but her eyes were pleading as she declared once again, "I do not care if you are Fae and I am Druid. You know I do not see the Fae as other Druids do. As lower beings to be used to further the Druid community."

I shook my head at her naivety, "You are also royal and I am not. I am nothing but a solider, positioned as part of your personal royal guard, and even if Fae and Druid could love freely, we could not be together. You know this Lauren."

I gently ran the back of my fingers along her cheek as her tears fell freely and I brushed them away.

Her arms, still wrapped around my waist, squeezed me tighter as she adamantly declared, "You know I do not wish to be queen when my father passes or steps down. I am a Druid healer; it is my nature. I didn't ask for this Ysabeau. I feel like my life is not my own, that I am trapped. I cannot breathe here with the expectations from my father. He wants me to suppress my healing powers and embrace my place as next in line for the throne. Why can we not just run away from here and be together?"

I ran my hands up and down her bare back in an attempt to soothe her. The sheet fell away exposing her nude body to me once again and the succubus inside me came roaring forward at the sight before me. I knew my eyes flashed blue before I could contain it. I quickly shook my head as I forced that other part of me back down to the depths inside me. If Lauren noticed she did not bring attention to it.

I gave her a sad smile as I answered her question, "You are well known across all five of the territories my love. We would be pursued and we would be caught. Of that I have no doubt. The king would not rest until he had you safely back here with him. It is something I have dreamed of Lauren, more than I am willing to admit, but that is all it is."

Hazel eyes stared back at me with desperation and fear. It took everything in me to keep from taking her from this place in this moment and running far from here. To find somewhere we could be happy and love each other openly. My instincts to protect the one I love kicking in and clouding all other reason.

Her voice was small as it cut through my thoughts, "I know it is fools dream. I do not know why I even asked. I have loved you from the moment I saw you Ysabeau. Being with you for a few short hours while the world around us sleeps is better than not having you at all."

I smiled at her sentiment and responded in kind, "I have loved you for fifteen years Lauren. Back when I was in training for the royal army and I caught my first glimpse of you from afar with your tutors. You looked so studious, filled with wonderment and awe. I knew at that moment that my heart belonged to you."

Lauren chucked as she cupped my face gently, "I was so wrapped up in learning all those years ago that I was oblivious of everything else around me. I did not know you until you became a member of my personal guard but I felt the same my love. I belonged to you the instant we met."

I leaned into her touch as I relished in the feel of her skin against mine.

I smiled at her words but it wasn't until she fell silent and her hand slipped away that I felt the anxiety roll off her in waves. I was so caught up in the moment that I didn't feel it simmering just under the surface.

The happiness that filled me remembering the past turned to concern as I watched her bite her bottom lip in apprehension.

I grabbed her hand and brought it to my lips for a kiss as I asked, "What is it Lauren? There is something more to your disquiet. Am I right?"

She nodded as fresh tears ran down her face, "I did not want to tell you Ysabeau but I cannot keep this a secret from you. I had lunch with my father today and he announced that he was in talks with King Edmond of the Porgara territory to arrange a marriage between myself and Princess Nadia as a way to ensure an alliance and trade agreements between our two kingdoms. I am sorry I was angry when I woke to your dressing to leave. I know it stemmed from learning of my father's plans. I am so scared my love."

I felt a heart breaking ache in my chest so strong that it manifested into physical pain. My succubus raged at the thought of my love married to another.

I gripped her waist tightly and pulled her body against me before I spoke, the low undertones of the beast inside me present in my voice, "I thought the king was not going to force such a thing on you."

Lauren kissed me softly and murmured words of endearment as she tried to soothe the succubus inside me that she knew so well.

As my eyes slowly returned to their natural brown under her ministrations, she spoke, "Yes that was true. He made such a promise to my mother before she died but I fear his quest for expansion of our lands and power within the five kingdoms has blinded him to many of the things he stood for when my mother was still alive."

"Did you not remind him?" I demanded as I struggled to maintain control.

"Yes! But it seems his plans with King Edmond are further along than I was ever aware of as this is the first time I am hearing of this again since before my mother died. She was the one to convinced him that forcing me to marry was a mistake and something she did not abide." Lauren replied as she rested her head against mine.

I let out a breath I did not even know I was holding as I implored, "Is that not a good thing Lauren? If he is just now announcing this to you then any plans he has cannot be that far along."

She averted her eyes from mine as I continued to hold her in a death grip, her hands resting on my shoulders, "Just the opposite my love. King Edmond and Princess Nadia will be traveling here for an official visit and if all goes well then we will in turn take a trip to Porgara."

My mind blanked as my succubus took over completely, my eyes blazing cobalt blue. I felt nothing but pain and a need to claim Lauren as mine. I ripped the bed sheet the rest of the way off her body before I laid her down and I followed.

I didn't bother to remove my clothing before I started to make love to the woman I cherished more than anything else. My succubus took control and Lauren could do nothing but writhe beneath me as I pleasured her again and again. Her chi was unique to any I had ever known and filled me like no other. As Lauren was about to reach her climax I fed from her and as she fell over the edge I reversed the flow and returned it to her. I needed to have her essence inside me as I needed mine in her. It was instinctual and I did not fight it.

It was still dark outside but I knew that it was almost dawn when I finally found myself lying beside Lauren once more. I was on my back as she curled into my side, her head resting on my chest.

Lauren was idly playing with the hem of my shirt as I thought about our love making. I had never shared chi with her before. In fact, I had never shared chi with anyone and I didn't know what it meant. My succubus needed the exchange but it was an act I had never been a part of. I had trained with other Succubi as a requirement for joining the royal army and sharing chi was never spoken of before.

I could finally see the first light of day starting to peak through the stained glass window. I knew I had to straighten myself out and get ready for the changing of the guard.

As I started to sit up, I felt a scorching heat on my left wrist as it started to glow underneath my sleeve.

I hopped out of bed in a panic and pulled up the cuff as Lauren gasped at what she saw.

Almost as soon as it started it was gone, leaving Lauren and I to stare at the mark that was left behind.

Lauren grabbed my left hand and ran her fingers over the design now etched into my skin before she lifted her head up to look at me, "Ysabeau, this is your mark indicating you are mated. Your succubus claimed me and made me your mate."

I felt my stomach turn violently as I exhaled sharply and tentatively asked, "Do you get a mark as well?"

Each territory is under its own rule with its own army, customs, and way of life. The laws are different between each kingdom. I live in the territory of Yandi under the rule of Lauren's father King William. In this land it is against the law for any member of the royal army to mate with another. We were trained to live without attachments, though this was something I never followed. I had loved Lauren since I was fifteen years old, though I had only met her for the first time five years ago when I finally proved myself worthy to be a part of her personal royal guard. I trained and held a post in the army for ten years as I worked to become an exemplary solider. It was my goal to move from the general army to the position I was in now. It was the only way I could be close to Lauren even though we had never met before my induction into the royal guard.

I had seen firsthand what happened to those Fae that broke this rule. It ranged from exile to execution depending on the circumstance.

Lauren jarred me out of my thoughts as she began to answer my question, "No I don't get a mark. Druids do not mate. That is something unique to Fae. Ysabeau, you cannot have this as you well know! What happened?"

I stared at her with wide eyes as she continued to hold my hand between us, "I did not mean to mate with you Lauren. Not that I wouldn't want to. I mean under different circumstances. I just…when I thought about you marrying another….my succubus had this need to claim you. As we were making love I shared my chi with you…..it was an instinct that I followed. I didn't know my succubus was claiming you as her mate….my mate. I'm sorry Lauren."

She let go of my hand and I allowed it to fall to my side. She moved to the edge of the bed and pulled me into a hug as she whispered against my ear, "Do not be sorry my love. I am not angry, I only fear for you. What will you do now that you are marked?"