In the Council's main chamber, the four remaining Councilors, watched with interest, as Ivar and Serena made their way to the front. It was late morning and the pale, wintry beams of sunlight struggled to penetrate the ever present gloom that hung in the chamber.
"Greetings Your Majesties", Seamus welcomed them.
"I would say that it's a pleasure but it isn't", Ivar replied, with thinly disguised disdain.
Markus chuckled, ignoring Ivar's glare, while Lucinda smiled placidly at Serena, her green eyes sparkling with amusement. Seamus remained focused on Ivar, but beside him, Mikhail had his eyes fixed only on Serena. She gave him a small nod before looking away, feeling slightly uncomfortable under the intense scrutiny of his gaze.
"We have heard about your ordeal with the Lycans...I trust you are fully recovered, Your Majesty", Seamus inquired solicitiously.
"Obviously or I wouldn't be here"
Serena glanced sharply at Ivar, wondering why he was being so openly hostile. After last night he had been in a good mood and she couldn't find a reason, though she wracked her brain for one.
"We take it preparations for the Queen's coronation are going as planned?", Seamus continued with his questions.
"Why shouldn't they be?", Ivar answered by posing a question of his own.
"Lady Lucinda has indicated that there was a slight......disruption to Her Majesty's preparations", Seamus turned to Lucinda, as though seeking confirmation.
"Only for a few days whilst His Majesty was convalescing", Lucinda responded with a quick glance at Ivar.
"Hardly a cause for concern", Ivar replied dismissively.
"Of course. We are confident that the Her Majesty is more than capable of handling her royal duties", Seamus agreed, while the other three Councilors nodded in agreement.
"I am certain that there are other more pressing matters to discuss", Ivar skillfully maneuvered the conversation away from Serena.
"The Lycan attack", Markus said with a fierce glint in his eyes.
"Among other things", Ivar responded calmly.
"We have been conducting investigations into both incidents", Seamus interjected.
"As have I", came Ivar's reply.
None of the Councilors seemed surprised by Ivar's admission, they had, in fact, expected it. He was known to be meticulously thorough in obtaining and verifying information by any means necessary.
"You are obliged to share this information with the Council", Seamus did not need to persuade him, he was bound by Council law.
"I am aware", Ivar's response was deliberately noncommittal.
"The Lycans involved in both attacks were rogues, but not just rogues, they belong to a pack of mercenaries, who sell their loyalty to the highest bidder", Ivar now had everyone's undivided attention, "And these particular rogues were paid by someone who is well-versed in the Dark Magic of the Ancients"
"How do you know this?", Lucinda questioned.
"Because the poison they possessed is a potion capable of killing a pureblood of royal bloodlines", Ivar explained patiently.
"Impossible!", Markus exclaimed, "Potions like that haven't been seen for centuries"
"Exactly", Ivar finished with a smug smile.
"Only a witch of royal blood could live that long", Lucinda observed with a degree of trepidation.
"A bloodline that was long thought to be lost", Seamus remarked, shooting a glance at Serena, a gesture that was not lost on Ivar.
"It survived, a fact that is evident in the traces of Dark Magic that have mysteriously appeared inside the citadel of late", Ivar countered.
A heavy silence fell upon the chamber, as each one of them mulled over the information that Ivar had shared. It had not seemed possible, but now, none of them were sure. Someone, somewhere, was practicing the Dark Magic of the Ancients, but to what end, they couldn't tell.
Serena listened quietly, as a growing sense of foreboding, settled in the pit of her stomach. Like a long, forgotten memory buried deep within the recesses of her mind, something stirred, attempting to rise to the surface. She thought back to two nights ago when she had given her blood to Ivar and afterwards, something had happened after, but she couldn't seem to remember. It was there, floating, just beyond her mind's reach, but each time she tried to grasp it, it slipped away.
She shook her head, willing herself to focus on the elusive memory, as she frowned in concentration. The sounds in the chamber seemed to gradually fade away and her vision blurred, growing hazy, until everything dissolved into darkness.
Ivar felt her grow tense beside him, and turning to her, he noticed her brow furrowed in concentration, as perspiration formed in a shiny layer on her face. He heard her heart speed up then slow down, beating impossibly slowly, just before she closed her eyes. He moved closer, easily catching her in his arms, before she had even begun to fall.
******************************
There were voices from somewhere nearby, faint at first, but steadily growing louder, as she pushed herself up from the depths of her unconscious mind. It felt as though she were swimming while being hindered by the weight of her clothes and shoes. She kicked out her legs, while using her arms to propel herself upwards through the water, until finally she broke its surface.
She coughed and sputtered, wheezing as she sucked in lungfuls of air. Ivar was beside her, patting her back and stroking her face, while softly reassuring her that all is well. Hearing his voice and the touch of his hands, she slowly relaxed against the pillows under her head.
She gradually became aware of her surroundings, noting that she was in a rather large and elegantly decorated bed chamber. The bed she was lying in was luxuriously soft and the pale mint green sheets, seemed feminine, hinting to her that this was most probably Lucinda's private chambers.
Looking around, she saw only Ivar, but she could hear voices in the adjoining room, through the partially open door. She could clearly hear Markus and Lucinda, but she assumed that Rathgar, Mikhail and Seamus were also present, although their voices would be too low for her to hear.
"Serena look at me", Ivar's voice was full of concern.
She looked up at him, reaching for his face, as she tenderly stroked his cheek.
"I am fine as long as you are with me"
"Then I will remain with you always", he held her hand and pressed it against his lips.
Serena smiled weakly, allowing him to hold her hand, before asking him the question that had been on her mind before she fainted.
"What happened to me that night after I had given you my blood?"
"You collapsed from blood loss and I nursed you back to health", Ivar replied smoothly.
"You were not able to stop feeding, how did you stop?"
"You stopped me when I heard your pleading through my bloodlust. Now enough questions, you have something far more important to be concerned about", he said brusquely, putting an end to her questions.
"Oh the coronation, I have not forgotten that it is only two weeks away", she said, looking down at the quilt that covered her.
"Something far more important than that"
"What could be more important than the coronation?", she asked, with a bemused expression on her face.
Ivar sighed and took both her hands in his, while looking deep into her eyes.
"Do you really not know?"
"Know what?", she questioned, becoming agitated.
For a long moment, Ivar stared at her, carefully searching her face for a sign that she had even the slightest idea of her condition. But there was none, she was wholly oblivious.
"What is wrong Ivar? What are you not telling me?"
"There is nothing wrong"
"Then what?"
"You are with child Serena"
At first, she thought that she hadn't heard him correctly but seeing his face, she knew that she had. There was a brief moment of shock, realizing that she had absolutely no idea, before she felt a deep and peaceful joy, radiating from inside her heart. She was filled with such happiness, that she thought she might drown in it. She pulled Ivar's hands toward her and placed them on her stomach, covering them with her own.
"I promised you an heir", she smiled happily.
"So you did", Ivar leaned forward and kissed her forehead, "I suppose you deserve a reward of some kind....for your efforts"
"A reward? That will not be necessary. I have you and our child, that is reward enough"
"You are sweet beyond compare, my Queen. Is it possible for me to love you more than I do?"
Just then, the door opened slightly and a head poked its way in.
"Is everything alright? I thought you might like something to eat", Lucinda smiled brightly at Serena, as she stepped inside with a tray of food.
"That's very kind of you", Serena thanked her, realizing only then that she was, indeed, quite hungry.
"You must eat well now Your Majesty. For the baby", Lucinda replied, handing the tray to Ivar.
Serena looked questioningly at Ivar, who only chuckled, as he placed her napkin over her clothes.
"No need to be so worried, all the Councilors are aware of your condition. When you have lived as long as we have, even the tiniest fraction of change in those around us does not go unnoticed"
"Please eat Your Majesty, you must regain your strength", Lucinda remained hovering behind Ivar while watching Serena eat.
Rathgar appeared suddenly in the doorway, saying nothing, he looked only at Ivar, before turning to leave.
"That's strange, Rathgar left without saying anything", Serena remarked, staring at the empty doorway.
"He doesn't have to. We can communicate through our thoughts"
"You can read each other's thoughts?", Serena asked, her eyes widening in surprise.
"We can read anyone's thoughts"
"Even mine?"
"Except yours"