"That was epic, you two Princesses are amazing. I can't believe you were so brazen. I adore you." Alexi praised with starry eyes. He was proud of his wife, she was always so bright and beautiful. The perfect blend of beauty and spicy sass that stole his heart, but he couldn't believe how the two played off each other.
"Of course we are. Two power hungry fangless snakes are no match for two brilliant Frost Born Princesses." Lalia was beaming with happiness, glad she finally met someone willing to stand up to these people with her. Alexi had to be underhanded, and most people here were so worried about the 'proper' way to behave that they forgot to feel emotions. She squeezed Kyera's hand.
"Alexi, what does it say for us that we both ended up marrying beautiful, and influential women from the Frost Lands when so many of our own women threw themselves at our feet?" Clovis asked with a bright smile. There was a gentle joyous look in his eyes as he watched his wife get along with his sister in law. Lalia turned to Kyera curiously.
"Oh? What house are you from?" Lalia asked, seeming rather interested as she led Kyera to the sitting area. Several large sofas sat against the wall, a fireplace roaring as the servants tended the logs and made the room warm and inviting for them all. Above the fireplace, there were two family crests, one of the Frost Land's Queen, and the other the Forest Gate Nation. The Snow Leopard and the Wolf side by side.
Kyera tensed, she was a little worried to say. Her eyes darted to Alexi, then to Clovis. SHe heard the soft growl from the panther Ryo who had taken a place beside her feet. "Shh Ryo. Its alright." Kyera soothed him, knowing it was her own tension he was feeding off of and she didn't want anyone go get the wrong idea.
"Is there something wrong? Even if your family is disgraced I wouldn't mind at all. Your my sister, no matter what as long as you are not a traitor I don't see any reason for you to be worried." Lalia tried to sooth and Kyera chuckeld.
"No, that isn't the issue. It's just.. I haven't really told anyone. My family is known as the Frost Dancers." Kyera replied and Lalia looked shocked. It took a few moments in the uneasy silence for Lalia to process these words. Understanding flashed in her eyes as she nodded slowly, but a little stiffly. Just one slow nod.
"Is there something wrong? You two were getting along so well." Alexi sighed thinking that was over now.
"No, not at all I'm just shocked. Frost Dancer is the royal name, the eldest son of the Matriarch Crystalsa's Youngest son, the Crown Prince of the Frost Gate lands." Lalia explained as she smiled at Kyera. "You and the child are welcome here." Lalia reassured her, despite knowing what she was. Kyera couldn't help but smile brightly at her words.
"Thank you, Lalia. I appreciate your generosity." Kyera agreed as the maids led several sets of footsteps down the hall. Alexi stood and approached the doors, his expression concerned. When he saw the people coming down the hallway his eyes widened.
"Empress Grandmother…" Alexi greeted and swept a bow, everyone else in the room stood instantly and bowed as well. Kyera was careful to curtsy rather than bend at the waist as was traditional for greetings. She refused to put pressure on the barren in her womb.
Empress Vivian entered the room with her two main guards, and nodded at the family that had bowed and curtsied in greeting. There was a small smile on her lips as she saw how the four were standing. The two brothers were side by side and the two wives seem as though they had been sitting together on the sofa. The air was calm and harmonious, something she hardly found at family gatherings anymore.
There was concern and uncertainty in her grandson's eyes. He had no idea how his grandmother felt about his wife. She was the one woman who could truly hurt their union, but he had no intentions of letting go of her. Even if Empress Vivian ordered it he would prefer to walk away from his family than lose the little happiness he had found.
The tension built a bit and Kyera winced, her hand coming up to rest on her tummy, drawing the attention to her. Clovis took three strides to stand next to her and wrap a arm around her waist.
"Is there something wrong, Kyera? Did the baby kick?" He asked hoping for the least complicated answer. Empress Vivian looked a bit shocked at the mention of a child. She had no news of this, the Shadow Veil family had been so careful to keep all the news of that baby secret to protect them from outside forces.