"Tamed"

Summary: Ilana and Lance have come home to Galaluna but Ilana found it is not like she expected. It is a bit more somber tone than my last but it is in the same universe as in Learning your place.

Two years. Two years on Earth. It had felt like lifetime when you had to live day to day but looking back it was nothing. It was a moment of freedom in exile, even though at the time they didn't realize how free they were.

The trip through the rift gate had been short, a spark of light, and they were "home." The titan had settled on the planet and the fight had begun. A clash of swords and shield and ordering of internal voices.

The general was slain.

The people freed.

All rejoiced.

But there was a loss of innocence. Ilana surveyed the ruins of her home, and only a few lone towers vaguely resembled her precious snow globe or her memories. She knew it was bad but never to this degree.

I guess you just forget, Ilana reasoned. One day Earth and Sherman, Illinois would be a faded memory, just without a snow globe to maintain the image. Though the little snow globe would have little pictures rather than an empty replica of a palace.

The old snow globe that she dragged from one end of the universe to the other was still intact. It was still occupied by flakes of color, no people that died. It shined next to her like a dream. She wondered if that globe represented a memory or created a new one.

"Ilana." Her name snapped her out of her thoughts.

Lance shift uncomfortably in his uniform that was so stiff, so formal. Earlier that day, he slipped on the coat with pride but now she could see that it choked him. It forcing him back into a role that he tried to live up to. "Princess." He corrected himself. "It's time. They have made the announcement."

The brass buttons could not out shine his dark eyes.

She stood at the makeshift vanity in the ruins of what was a formal guestroom. (Her childhood bedroom was still ransacked and her father's was still occupied by the ghost of the general.) She smoothed the lilac sash that spanned from her shoulder to hip of her red and white dress and then glided to her corporal's (though he was ready for promotion) side.

He offered his arm like a shelf and she linked them together by holding on to his forearm. His hand was a clenched into a gloved fist as her rigidly let her out.

Ilana had always believed that she was prepared for the role. She had tried to be a leader on the other planet (not that she had many followers but she stood up for the masses). She just didn't realize how much she would miss the old Ilana until she couldn't be that person.

The corporal gently pushed her along down the corridor toward the packed makeshift hall. Lance was her loyal wolf guarding his flock of one; his eyes were ever shifting from window to window. He seemed to just be waiting for something to jump in and grab her.

She put on her smile and straightened her back, preparing herself for what is to come.

On Galaluna a coronation was always a happy event, a mark of something new and great. It was a time of hope, and it was a sort of spring. However, to have this spring a king of winter had to fall to bring the blossoms.

They told her he died honorably. That always hung heavy in the air, it was like a door blocking her from a real answer. Even Lance was committed to keeping that door shut, but he caved for tears. He always did, and he came back with a mumble of torture and that the King couldn't stand giving up any more information to that general. At the time, Lance stared at his boots. It was honorable, he repeated.

So he had protected her the same way he gave her the crown, by dying. Though there was no body for her to hold or bury. Just an empty throne to sit on.

They stepped through the crowd in time to the music. She did not see the crowd. It was a beautiful throne but not as bright as it had been. The gold was flaking on the feet.

The ceremony was short but draining. The last of army was able to fit into the hall (a sad sight) and they were honored for their bravery with meaningless pins and ribbons. These 'marks' of honor were meant to signify something but meaning was long lost, but they puffed up their chest. Didn't they know Just being able to stand there was the real honor (if you could call it that). Only she noticed that Lance had accepted only two of his metals because he must have seen the irony. Honoring the simply lucky.

Her heart filled with pity but she spoke with warmth.

It was different that she imagined. A lifetime ago, she could remember balancing on her father's knee happily stamping his paperwork that came away to her. He sat in the throne glad to show her the ropes.

The whole thing ended and Ocutus disappeared to arrange the reconstruction and Lance continued to stay at her side. The stroll to the bedroom seemed shorter but he was not less vigilant.

Her room glowed in the soft orange glow of the plasma candles. Gravity pulled her close to her guard.

"Do you mind?" She quietly asked while offering her back and row of small buttons.

His fingers nimbly traveled down the button of her dress. His quick work left her in a slip of sheer white cotton. She turned to undo his jacket but his hand caught hers. His larger gloved hands clasped her smaller ones.

Lance lifted her hand and brushed his lips against her bare knuckles, but his eyes could not meet her own. His eyes preferred to gaze at the carpet than meet her eyes.

"We can't." He whispered.

"Can't what?" She gently teased her man.

"I cannot stay."

Ilana struggled to pull her hands free. "I wouldn't want you to then." She snapped.

He looked hurt but he didn't budge or release her hand.

"Listen." He said even gentler this time "You are a queen. I'm just a soldier."

"A lieutenant." She corrected.

He dropped her hands to just loosely hold her fabric cuffed wrists. "You are not listening. People will talk."

"You never cared about people talking."

His jaw twitched as he grinded his molars. "I'm glad to see you are in better spirits, but you are not making this easy."

"Like I would make anything easy for you." She playfully swung their wrists.

"You never did learn your place, did you?" He gave her the first smirk since they came to Galaluna.

"And you never learned your place either." She was on her tip toes in a quick kiss "Do I need to show you again?"

He laughed quietly. "Not tonight."

"Not tonight?" She freed a hand to touch the shiny metal buckle that kept his pants up.

A wolfish grin crossed his features. "Yep."

"Are you going to make me beg?" She said as she lifted the metal off the fabric.

"Don't I always-ufff" He didn't expect the arm she flung into his stomach. She stepped away heading to the bed.

"Smooth. Maybe you should give your with your fellow soldiers company in the hall. I will keep the pillows to myself." Her fingers grazed over the lacquered wood of the bed post and then she used the beam to swing herself unto the cushioned bed. Ilana sank into the comforter.

He stepped to the bed, "if that is what you want." He called her bluff by turning on his toes. "I will stand guard in the hall, if you need me." His hand settled on the door knob.

"Wait, Lance." She pet the fabric of the comforter "There is plenty of room for both of us."

"Just room to spare? That is not much of an invitation." He twisted the knob.

"No! Please stay." She rose off the bed.

"Hm. I think you will just have to take up all of the bed."

Her feet carried her across the room to his vast back and shoulders. She kissed along his neck and tugged at the woolen jacket. "Please."

"No."

"Please." Ilana begged as she leaned her head against the jacket.

He turned to catch her chin with his gloved fingers. The kiss started out slow but he began to nip her bottom lip. "I told you, you always beg."

She struggled to pull away but her wrapped around her waist tugging her small frame to his full body.

Ilana drown in the fresh smell of his coat. His voice was a soft grumble, "I was serious earlier; we can't continue." His grasp tightened "I'm not what you call consort material."

Ilana broke into a small smile. "fou'ff ve peipp" she mumbled against his coat.

"Hm?" He released her a little.

"You'll be a fine one." She repeated. "Now please stay."

"What are you afraid something? I assure you are safe." His look screamed I will go outside and slay every dragon, monster, and bug if it would make her feel better.

"No. It is not that… It only feels like home when you are near."

Her cheek brushed against the blood red coat. "Well we are home now."

A/N: I hoped you liked it. I was just in a somber mood. However, I hope to get a new one going soon.