Raven waited until he was sure that she had fallen asleep. Her breath deep and steady, her body still, he was sure that he could leave without waking her.
He sat a few moments more, reluctant to leave her.
*Just a few more minutes.*, he conceded to himself.
He sighed deeply, filling his senses with the warmth of her smell, when a soft knock came at the door.
Raven saw red for a moment before looking down at his fairy child.
He pressed a soft kiss to her forehead before silently slipping away in a gentle swirl of mist, suddenly standing beside the bed.
He bent forward to more securely tuck the blanket around Caeli, reaching a hand out to tuck her hair behind her ear, before mystifying and reappearing just outside her door.
He stood silently behind Einar, the butler unaware of his presence and still facing Caeli's door, was waiting for a response.
"What?", Raven said impatiently, aggravated at the interruption.
Einars surprised jolt was almost imperceptible.
He slowly turned and bowed deeply.
"I apologize my lord. It is time for the drawing of the dance and I only wanted to ensure our lady was alright.", Einar said coolly.
Raven sighed and nodded, regretting his harsh tone.
The greedy dragon inside of himself was hard to control when it came to Caeli.
"Of course. Let us return, she is resting quietly for now. I will check on her once more before turning in.", Raven said turning to head back towards the hall. "Have Bat join her until then."
Einar nodded and bowed once more before glancing at the girls door. He paused for only a second before following his master down the hall.
_________________________________________
The Drawn Dance came and went, to a particularly young and beautiful woman this time that blushed profusely and pouted daintily when Raven bid her a good harvest and left her at the edge of the dance floor.
Raven saw Coruscare's glance as he made his way to the high table to bid each of his guests a goodnight before returning to Caeli's side.
He was eager to go back and leave the festivities behind for the dark warmth of Caeli's room, where he intended to watch over her the remainder of the night.
Raven felt the red dragons' stare on his back as he exited the hall once more.
He only wished he could grin.
____________________________________________
Raven returned to Caeli's room, listening carefully to see if she had stirred.
He could hear her steady unconscious breaths.
He materialized to her bedside to find her in exactly the same spot he had left her.
He wanted desperately to change her into something more comfortable but knew it to be inappropriate immediately.
"Caeli? We ought to get you changed, sweetheart. You'll not want to stay in that gown for the night. May I send someone in?", he whispered softly to her, hoping not to startle her awake.
She stirred minutely before settling with a sigh and falling back asleep.
*Perhaps just this once she will be ok. I will keep her beneath the covers.*, Raven thought to himself nervously.
He could dress her with his magic but she would need to be rid of her clothes first.
He pulled the covers to her cheeks before waving a hand over her body.
The flowers in her hair disappeared, and reappeared on her vanity. Her dress appearing on the hanger of her wardrobes handle.
He hastily waved his hand back over her, dressing her in a silk night gown that he couldn't see beneath the blanket, but knew it's shape and material from his own manifestation. The idea of her having been naked for a moment, and now dressed in a light night gown, causing him significant guilt at the heat that multiplied in his core.
He dropped his hand and stood by her bedside to appreciate her beauty and softened features.
He brushed a knuckle across her cheek, just barely making contact with her skin.
He turned to bid Bat, who now laid sprawled on her floor, a goodnight.
Just as he did so, Caeli's hand reached out and curled around the finger he had used to touch her face.
Ravens heart pounded relentlessly.
"Don't go.", Caeli said softly in her sleep.
Ravens heart tore in half.
Half of it wanting horribly to return to his place in her bed, and the other half wanting to respect her wishes for distance and patience. He feared that the alcohol was lowering her inhibitions and thus her actions were not reflecting what she would normally do.
The last thing he wanted to do was take advantage of her.
"You'll be alright sweetheart. I'll be here.", he said with a soft sigh, small pieces of his heart floating with the air that left his lungs.
He retrieved a chair and placed it at her bedside.
"You'll stay?", she asked drowsily, her eyes barely opening for just a moment before shutting heavily once more.
"Yes, of course. I'll be right here.", he said gruffly, her desire for his presence piercing his heart mercilessly.
She smiled softly and settled back into a deep sleep.
Raven had never been so happy to sit through the night, still as a statue and without sleep.
It was arguably, the best night of his life to date.
——————————————————————————
Caeli woke roughly.
She had been running through the woods, the fog thick and the night dark.
She ran with all of her might but the man in the silver plating followed relentlessly. Gaining on her despite her efforts.
"Eli!!!", shouted a woman's voice. "Eli! Run!", it shouted again.
*I'm trying!!*, she thought wildly to herself, terrified and confused.
"Eli! Never forget that we love you!", the voice said again.
"Mama!!", she screamed desperately as tears ran down her face.
She then saw her parents and what looked like a river spirit standing in the distance.
"Hurry my love, we haven't much time.", her father said gravely and urgently.
"Papa! Please! Wait for me!", she screamed, her voice stuttering with her sobs.
Just as they came into reach, she was drug backwards with incredible speed.
She suddenly found herself face to face with a human man dressed in knights clothes. The light of his torch flickering menacingly off of his black lifeless eyes and his too wide toothy smile.
"She'll fetch a pretty penny. Take her to the merchants. Vayne's not been able to seed his wife's soil all these years. I'm sure they'll be interested in purchasing her.", the man said as his face elongated taking on a ghostly and beastly appearance.
Caeli screamed and woke herself.
"Caeli?", Raven said, rising from his seat at her bedside.
The lights warmed and brightened at his alertness. He came to sit beside her on the bed, gently grasping her by the shoulders as she screamed and writhed.
"Shhh now sweetheart. Only a dream.", he said quickly trying to calm her.
She slowed and turned her wide and wet eyes to the dragon.
She inhaled a shaking breath and counted to three before letting it loose.
She pressed her hand to her face.
"I've not dreamt like that in some time.", she said with a humorless chuckle.
Ravens' concern instantly bloomed.
Could this be a sign of his tether loosening? Was her soul working it's way free from the weakening bonds?
It was then Raven realized.
She needed to meet Fate. And soon.
"You've not dreamt at all since your coming here?", he asked hesitantly.
She shook her head woozily.
"No. It's the best sleep I've ever had up until last night.", she said furrowing her brow at the throbbing in her skull.
She rubbed at her face for a moment before realizing that Raven had gone stone still.
"This is… not a good thing.", she said, more as a statement than a question.
"I cannot be sure but I don't believe it is.", he said coolly. His mind instantly calculating the time it would take for her to be ready for the Reconciliation of the Five.
Under good circumstances, Caeli could easily prepare for half of the year and be just barely ready.
But Raven suspected, they did not have that kind of time at their disposal.
"Easy now. It was just a dream.", he said softly, leaning in close. Wanting badly to comfort her.
Caeli sighed heavily and leaned forward, allowing her forehead to press against his wide chest.
His cool skin was always a reprieve from the heat that seemed to emit dangerously from her head every time she had an "episode".
"Thank you for being here. Did you stay the whole time?", she asked sheepishly.
She felt his body move as he nodded.
Her cheeks filled with heat and she felt a fool.
"I apologize my lord. You need not listen to the raving ramblings of a drunkard next time. You ought to of gone to bed and gotten some decent rest.", she said sadly, feeling a burden once more.
Raven lifted his hand to wrap around her before hesitating and returning it back to its place in his lap.
"I've never slept better.", he said conspiratorially.
Caeli laughed, appreciating his attempt to make her feel better. Not realizing he was perfectly serious.
He had dozed lazily in the chair at her bedside, the few moments he slept had been uncharacteristically refreshing.
He had been dangerously pleased with the routine of awakening beside her, to find her sleeping safe and sound.
"You should eat something. I'll have food brought.", he said suddenly. It was best to put some distance between them.
He could already sense the urge and desire he felt at touching her, keeping her close, wanting more.
The small taste from the night past only increasing his want.
He gently placed her back on the headboard and pulled the covers over her lap.
"I'll be back in just a moment.", he said sending her a smile telepathically, hoping it would soothe some of her anxiety at being alone.
She smiled warmly in return, the sensation still new and interesting, and nodded.
Raven stood and bowed before exiting the room.
Caeli found herself wanting him to stay.
She examined the feeling in her mind, turning it over.
What did she want from him?
It was unfair to not know but desire his closeness.
She knew that she wanted his friendship.
But sitting beside each other in bed was perhaps more than that.
And she could not deny that she wished for him to lie beside her and hold her close. To know that he would be there when, or if, she awoke.
His presence brought her peace.
But she also knew that she could not ask for such things without knowing her true feelings. Without knowing what lie ahead for her in the future.
It would be unfair and cruel to do such a thing.
She closed her eyes, the idea of delving deeper into the matter exhausting her even more.
"I've not the mental stamina I had before I'm afraid.", she said quietly to the empty room.
A few moments later and a knock came at the door.
It was then that she realized she was in a thin gown with small straps made of clinging silk.
Her face flushed and she worked herself from the bed and to her feet with great struggle.
"Just a moment!", she shouted, as she worked with effort to make it to the wardrobe and pull out a long robe.
Her face flushed as she thought of what she must have looked like first thing in the morning.
It was a wonder that Raven tarried for as long as he did.
Her breath likely smelled of day old wine and her hair was a rats nest. She could feel it move as a singular unit when she turned her head.
She pulled the robe tightly closed, suddenly self-conscious.
"Come in!", she said once the belt of her robe was securely tied. Her body shook slightly from the haste she had used to make herself decent, a small trickle of sweat slid down the crevice of her back.
*Heavens sake woman pull yourself together.*, she said to herself, hoping Raven wouldn't notice.
The door gently swung open and Caeli's brows rose in surprise.
She dipped as low as she could for a curtsy.
"Good morning my lord.", she said, with thinly veiled surprise.
"Good morning Eli.", came a deep voice, although not belonging to Raven.
"I apologize for my early retirement last night. I find that I am not as energetic as I once was.", she said apologetically to the large red dragon making his way into the room.
Coruscare gave her a small bow and did his best to maintain eye contact so as to avoid observing the rest of her.
He knew the material clung to her warm body and that she wore very little beneath her robe.
The thought made his head feel dizzy.
"Your friends and I will be returning to Ausia soon. I thought I should bring this to you before we do so.", he said approaching more closely, her mothers cloak in his hands.
Caeli's eyes stung at the sight.
"Lord Coruscare, you've no idea as to how grateful I am for your returning this to me.", she said, gingerly taking the cloak from his hands, as though she were receiving a holy relic.
"Of course, had you come to visit sooner I'd of had it to you more quickly.", he said with a wink.
Caeli's face flushed.
"I apologize my lord.", she said quickly, unsure of what more to say, her mouth slightly open and searching for words.
Coruscare laughed and bent close, his eyes sparkling with mischief.
"I only tease, love. You need rest, and time to recuperate. It is I who should have come to you sooner. Admittedly, the Midnight Forest is not easily found. If not for our lordships invitation, it would be almost impossible to locate.", he said sardonically.
Arcane had received a letter of invitation to come and go as he saw fit for his mission, magic imbued into the paper and allowing him easy movement between realms.
If not for Arcanes tireless search, and extensive skill, he would not of found the place the first time around when seeking Lucius's help.
*The bastard. Hiding her away like a princess in an impenetrable tower.*, he thought angrily to himself.
She deserved the light to shine on her face, to move freely amongst the wild things. Not here in this mausoleum.
"There's something in the pockets I think you'll be happy to see.", he said, nodding his head at the bundle of ever-green fabric.
Caeli blinked her eyes quickly, attempting to regain her composure.
Her eyes then darted to meet Coruscares.
Without realizing it, she reached first into the very pocket that held the Seeing Stone, instinctively aware of its presence and location.
She fondled the stone inside of the pocket before hesitantly taking it out to turn over in her hand.
"Thank you.", she whispered.
She had been guarded against the hope that she would ever retrieve either of the items, let alone the both of them.
"Mind my asking on how you came to possess that little trinket?", he asked slowly. He wanted more information but hated risking pushing her away with his inquiry. He couldn't be sure how much she knew, or remembered.
"Believe it or not, I found it on my way to your mountains. Buried in the ground no less. I now have reason to believe that it is important in some way.", she said furrowing her brow and closely examining the large stone. "I vaguely recall Ventus mentioning it in one of my visits. It sounded as though she left it behind for me although under what circumstances I cannot be sure."
Coruscare nodded sagely.
"And you understand what it is then?", he asked.
Caeli swallowed and nodded.
"To a degree. I know that it is a Seeing Stone, an heirloom of many of witches. But not much else. I've been researching it but have yet to find anything of true importance.", she said sadly.
She recalled the symbol that Orion had found in relation to the stone and how it matched the dragon and the woman on the front of the children's book she had borrowed from the library.
"I know that Seeing Stones have some connection to the story about the witch that loved a dragon but little more. And even that is just a hunch.", she said, almost apologetically.
Coruscare nodded and rubbed his chin.
"I do recall this tale, although it had been quite some time since I've thought of it. The witch in the story was the first to create a Seeing Stone. Created so that her and her lover could live a fuller life together if recall correctly.", he said.
Caeli nodded.
She looked at him from beneath her lashes.
"A witch named Caeli.", she said slowly.
Coruscare halted before resuming his contemplation.
"Caeli, the key is your past. I know it now, more than ever. That is all that I can say without being physically bombarded. But remember that. It will help guide your way to the truth. To the answers you seek.", he said quietly.
He recalled the conversation he had with Ventus while visiting Caeli.
*… guide her…*, her voice echoed through his mind.
*I will. I swear it.*, he thought to himself.
Caeli sighed.
"If only I knew where to start. Even the little that I know has turned out to be falsehood. My parents never perished from a plague and I strongly suspect that my uncle and aunt were not my relations by blood.", she said sadly, laying the cloak lovingly on the end of her bed and making her way to the balcony, suddenly in need of fresh air.
"I've so many questions and hardly anywhere to start. And each time I begin I find a dead end.", she said, disheartened.
Caeli leaned on the balcony railing and closed her eyes, allowing the cool air to caress her face.
Winter was coming to the forest and she was unsure of what it would be like. She was pleasantly surprised to find that the weather so far was still agreeable. Even so far into the autumn season.
Coruscare came to lean beside her.
"It will take time but if there is anyone who can do it, I know it to be you.", he said, observing the gardens and the distant nearby village.
Caeli turned with surprise to look at the king before smiling.
"Thank you my lord.", she said appreciatively.
It was difficult to remain in good hopes when she found nothing at every turn.
It was reassuring to hear that someone thought she was capable, even though the path would be hard.
"I believe your friends would like to visit before we leave. We will be leaving first thing tomorrow. I hope to see you again before then.", Coruscare said softly.
Caeli's heart skipped a beat.
She stood silently a moment, analyzing the kings face.
Was that hope she saw there? Unlike Ravens, this kings face did possess flesh.
"Of course.", she said simply, pleased when she saw his expression change to excitement.
"I will allow you your rest then my lady. Until then.", he said, bowing over her hand and kissing it gently.
Caeli's face flushed and her breath caught in her throat.
She nodded dumbly before realizing they were not alone.
She turned to find Raven standing in her doorway, Bat bounding past him to bid Caeli a good evening.
Caeli instinctively tried to pull her hand free of Coruscares.
He felt her recession and barely stopped himself from tightening his grip.
Her retreat torture to Greedy, as well as himself.
"Coruscare.", Raven said simply, nodding in his direction.
Coruscare straightened and nodded back before turning back to Caeli.
He gave her a broad and dashing smile.
"Until then, Eli.", he said with a wink before turning to leave.
He stopped beside Raven without looking at him.
"Trapping her here won't keep her by your side forever.", he said, careful to keep his voice low and avoid Caeli from hearing.
Raven felt the darkness inside of him grow and expand. His menace towards the dragon souring his mood.
Raven ignored him and waited for him to exit the room.
He stepped forward to lay a large tray on her table.
"Would you like to take breakfast on the balcony?", he asked shortly. Unable to hide his dislike for the other dragon from his voice.
Caeli took his tone for displeasure with her.
She could not help but feel guilt at being found with Coruscare although she knew that she had done nothing wrong.
"On the balcony would be lovely. I hope that you will join me?", she said, realizing that she meant it.
Ravens shoulders relaxed at her words and his heart lifted.
He had been unsure when he found them together but her words eased his fears.
"I would be delighted.", he said, allowing her access to his emotions and sending her a smile.
To which she smiled in return.
A smile that barely hid her confusion and insecurity.
Coruscare's feeling's seemed to lean in the direction of fancying her but the notion seemed ludicrous as well as impossible.
What was she going to do?