Alaric turned to watch his feet. For a little girl in a long dress she sure moved fast. He was doing his best to not step on her hem. Selena raced out to the stables and skidded to a stop uncertain. "Where's your stuff at Larik?", she asked. Alaric looked at her and grinned. He couldn't help but think she was cute. "Well, my saborah is stabled over here. I would assume my bags are in her stall. Let's go look!" Selena paled in fright. Alaric tilted his head at her. "What's wrong Lena? NightDance is really gentle. She isn't scary at all," he reassured her. "I...I don't know.... I've not been up close to a saborah since one swiped a huge red paw at me last year ," she instinctively hugged Alaric's arm. Alaric frowned. He knew exactly which saborah Selena was talking about. There was only one saborah in the Sun tribe that had red paws. And he was a brute of a cat who would kill prey for sport. His owner was cruel and an absolute bully. Bloodfoot and Stormvance. They were not his favorite beings.
"It's okay Lena, NightDance is not like that saborah. Most saborahs are not like that one at all." Alaric decided to not tell her that cat's name. She was already scared and his ugly name likely would frighten her more. With a gentle tug on his arm, that she was still hugging, he led the way over to where his gentle companion was curled up in a ball snoring. NightDance was a very beautiful shade of midnight blue. The sides of her ears were a dusty golden colour, making her ears look like they had stars on them. She flicked an ear and began puurrring. She cracked open a golden eye and smiled happily. *I am happy you are here my Cub. The stable-master is gentle and kind, but a comeplete bafoon. Thorn-Chaser was put into the stall with Frost-Mist and you know how much those two squabble and fight. Goldenrod was in pain but hasn't been tended too, Cloud-Hopper won't stop complaining, and Tenderfoot is being a pansy and won't lay down on the provided nest. And Baneskull is being a numbskull and trying to pressure Starfoot into mating with him.* Alaric sighed softly with a slight grin. "Okay I'll get that sorted out before I head off to my nest here NightDance. This is Princess Selena and she is my new bestest friend! She had a run in with Redpaw last year and is a bit scared." NightDance opened both eyes and sat up. Selena hid behind Alaric's bigger frame nervously. She was confused what Alaric was going on about, but she guessed he was talking to his saborah. What no one knew was that Alaric was gifted with telepathy with intelligent animals. Alaric could speak silently back to them, but because he intuitively trusted Selena he spoke freely as if he was alone.
NightDance swished her tail in agitation. She and almost all of the other saborahs dispised of Bloodfoot. She immediately understood that Alaric was trying to not frighten this other Cub with that ugly name. But also knowing that she was frightened, NightDance contained her agitation and began to puuurrr again in a soothing way. She slowly reached her head out towards the she Cub and waited. Her eyes were mesmerizing golden with sparks within. They looked like constellations were in her eyes.
Selena timidly peeked at NightDance and watched her great head get really close to her. Lena squeaked and hugged Alaric from behind hiding her face. She peeked out at NightDance again several times before realizing that she wasn't coming any closer or making any threatening movements. So Lena let go of Alaric and slowly extended her hand out too NightDance. Of whom promptly began puurrring even louder and touched Lena's hand with her warm head. Selena slowly relaxed more and began to come out from behind Alaric's back. Within an hour Lena and NightDance was cuddled up in the nest of sweetgrass sleeping. Alaric was in the meantime busy with the stable-master sorting out the other saborahs. They had arrived in the city fairly early in the morning and taking care of the saborahs in the stables took him till almost sunhigh. Even though he was only 9 years old he was fairly mature in some situations. Alaric plonked himself down on the ground by his bags in NightDance's stall worn out. *NightDance its all done. Midday meal will be brought around shortly. Lena and I need to get back inside I think to be in time for our food.* NightDance lifted her head with a yawn and nudged Selena awake gently. *Ok Cub. Come see me again tomorrow.* Alaric nodded agreement. Selena saw sunlight and the shadows and realized it was almost time to eat. "Oopsies I didn't mean to take a nap Larik. Come on, let's take your stuff to your room and go to the eating hall." Alaric nodded smiling at her. "It's ok and alright let's go!" Alaric picked up his large bag and Selena quickly grabbed his smaller bag before he could. He allowed her to help. Soon they found themselves in a hallway. Selena led the way to a reddish door and pushed it open. It was a pretty large room for a young boy child. but Alaric was grateful. He put his bag down by a side table and then asked Selena, "Where is the eating hall?" She giggled then answered. "You'll find out if you can catch me!" Turning she ran out of the room after tossing his bag aside. Alaric grinned and chased after her.
{Talloha's point of view}
"I wonder where that young man is! Hes going to be late for the noon meal!" Talloha exasperatedly told her wife Ari-uhn. "Shhh my dear its fine. He probably got caught up in playing games with the Princess. Young Selena is usually very often almost late and she is responsible for bringing him here."
Moments later screeching laughter could be heard and the sound of running feet. "See I told you. 3,2,1." At the end of the countdown the two royal children came into sight. There was much laughter and good cheer seeing the Princess get tackled in the entrance to the hall. "I CAUGHT YOU!" Alaric yelled gleefully. Talloha exasperatedly shook her head while she grinned at the sight. Selena was laughing so hard she was wheezing. Ari-uhn secretly touched her belly with a sad expression. But, nothing would slip past her wife. Talloha leaned over and hugged her whispering in her ear reassurances. The young Royals sat themselves down at the high table with the Chieftess. Dual blessings were spoken and all enjoyed their food.
...
Time passed and a routine was established. For the first two weeks of their stay, both young Royals were excused from their schooling. However the Chieftess realized they would get into too much mischief without structure. Although she had to admit it was less than what Selena regular got herself into. Alaric seemed to help tame her a bit. So in the afternoons, Selena's tutors would sit both of the Royals down and teach them. Sessions ended at supper time and the scheduling worked well for them. Talloha and her wife Ari-uhn, returned to the Outpost village were Ari-uhn lived. Now, it was known to very few that the two were married. And because they loved eachother so much, they of course wanted a child of their own. The traditional way of procreation wasn't an option for them. So they resorted to prayer and rituals. This way was not unknown for it's difficulty in attracting the Goddess's attention. She was a very busy Celestial. With hundreds of thousands of worshippers and her celestial tasks she was born to follow, having the time to bless two women with a babe or two was difficult for her to find.
Unlike other Goddesses who were more likely to curse her followers for disturbing their rest, The Moon Goddess took time to tend to the people who she considered her beloved children. Anuit The Bright Lady Of Night as she was sometimes called held the two women in her heart. She wished to bless them, but her numbskull of a brother Unrah kept moving stars out of place and making the tides flow backwards. She currently was just too busy dealing with his mischief to give her favorite devotees a prophecy, and twins!
.....
Finally, after a month of dealing with her brother and making a deal with him, (reinforced by their All-Fathers watchful eye), Anuit was able to go to Talloha and Ari-uhn in a special dream.
*Be at Peace my faithful Daughters. I Bless the wombs so twins may be born, separate yet entwined, The older Sun will protect the younger two. Of the Two, one will be born with hair as fair as sunlight, the other as dark as night. My essences I will put forth, and one shall go North. To my holiest Temple, and faithfully serve me. My brother will pour forth and to the South to his holiest Temple one will go. Eldest Sun must choose. One is his destiny, the other a normal life.* Anuit kissed Ari-uhn's forehead and did the same to Talloha. Smiling she vanished. With a sudden lurch both sat up in bed and looked at eachother wide awake. Both smiled and began to cry in joy! They were intimate that night. Such was their love and lust that not one inch of skin was left untouched.
...
Several weeks passed and the people around the two women began to notice something odd. Both women appeared to be showing pregnancy! This was odd to the men because none of them could ever recall them flirting or mating with any of them. The men finally assumed that they had been intimate with some men, or a man! In the capital city. And such life passed without a dull moment for many months.
...
(Alaric's POV)
Alaric crept around the corner listening to Lena's footsteps. With a silly grin he pounced on her making her squeal in surprise.... but unlike her usual laughter she started crying. Alaric quickly got off of her and sat down on the floor hugging her and rubbing her back.
"Lena, I'm sorry what's wrong? Is there anything I can do to help?" he asked? Alaric thought to himself worried, *maybe I need to stop pranking her...* Selena cried till she was hiccuping then slowly stopped. She held out her arm to show Alaric. "Hic...hic..hic. Larik, Redpaw clawed me when I was passing t...th..the stable hic.. hic", tears still streaked her face but were drying. Selena's arm was bloody and bruised near the deep scratch.
Alaric feels horrible. He hadn't checked her state of being before he tackled her. He promptly stood up and scooped up his best friend and carried her to the physician's ward, which luckily wasn't too far away from the stable. As he ran he called out to a maid to please clean up the blood on the east corridor that they just left.
Selena held onto her Larik feeling much safer but also woozy since her arm was bleeding a lot. Alaric was now starting to get very worried as more blood flowed out seeping into his clothes. "Master Physician! Master Physician! Please help Princess Lena!", Alaric yelled out as soon as he burst into the physician's ward fearful. Lena was almost unconscious.
"By the Gods! What happened to her! Boy this better not be your doing!" a middle aged man shouted.