Sienna woke up late morning. Xander was already laying near her bed and Ramse was sitting behind the table, with her breakfast.
Sienna looked around."Good morning," she smiled.
"It is two hours to noon."Ramse said a bit grumpily."Come eat, till is completely cold."
Sienna ran to the bathroom and got ready quickly. She put on a red velvet dress and went out.
"Sarcos should come today."She whispered to Xander." Tell me, did you see anything in that dome? " she begged with big eyes.
"Yes, but I could not open the door or move the crystal. It was boiling hot and stuck!"Xander whispered to her."I think Sarcos is trying to put himself together, but his visible body is coming up and going back into the air again. I just saw his outlines a few times."Xander sighed.
"You saw him!"Sienna felt her heart beat loudly.
"We will get Marco to help us open the door," Ramse noted quietly." Maybe you can keep Marath occupied tonight somehow, hm? Play chess with him." he looked sternly at her.
Sienna ate her breakfast excitedly. Ramse made her oaty porridge again. "Thank you, "she smiled. "I will die of hunger if not for you, "she smiled sweetly at him.
"I definitely think so, "Ramse noted. "If I'm not here, you will burn this fortress to the ground long ago." he chuckled.
Sienna smiled. She sat at the silvery vanity mirror to brush her hair and put a little lipgloss and eyeliner on. She looked into the mirror quite satisfied when someone knocked on the door!
Sienna bit her lips and went to open.
"Welcome Marath," she sighed in relief and kissed his cheek straight away!
"You don't curtsy to me anymore?" he chuckled.
"I will if you want me to."Sienna smiled gently. She was just happy.
"Hm, no need, I prefer the kiss."He nodded and came inside.
"How are you today?"He asked her gently and held her hand in his.
"Very well, thank you."Sienna nodded. "I'm excited to see if Sarcos will come tonight." she smiled.
"Well, we can go to the laboratory at midnight and watch together."He smiled.
"Thank you, that will be great, "Sienna circled her hands around his neck and kissed his cheek again. Marath held her waist automatically. "And you still did not play chess with me." she smiled cheekily.
"What a mistake at my side." he chuckled."Sure, we will play." he patted her back gently.
"It is a promise!"Sienna nodded.
Marath looked into her smiling face, "I actually came to pick you up. Thyasse likes to see you. Will you go with me?" he asked her carefully.
"Yes, I trust you do not let her eat me."Sienna looked at him jokingly.
Marath kissed her forehead."Of course not, she was sick for a long time."
"Yes, I noticed she was savage."Sienna nodded seriously.
"You helped me to cure her. "Marath smiled gently."She is back to her old herself now. Come!" he took Sienna around her waist familiarly and led her out of the room."Go hunt," he sent Xander and Ramse away. "Have no worries I will protect my little queen. Not a hair will be out of place on her."He chuckled.
Xander and Ramse looked at each other. This was a good chance to go see Marco. Sienna should be safe with Marath, he was not so ruthless as Mathyas. They hurry up and went to see Marco at Sienna's treasure caves.
The strong eagle was waiting eagerly. Ramse told him to wait, so he was waiting. He decided to listen to him after Mathyas almost killed him.
"How is Sienna?" the cold eagle asked straight away as he saw them approach. He was worried sick, seeing she is in the hands of such a petty sorcerer.
"She is healthy and happy. Mathyas tried to kill her again and his father took her instead. He saved her, so she is content with him."Ramse said quickly.
"How could you leave her alone now?"Marco looked at them a bit upset.
"She has a protective necklace from Mathyas's father, no one can touch her, "Ramse explained." She is with him now. He sent us hunting and gave us his word, he will keep her well. We are not able to fight him anyway, his magic is stronger than Mathyas's one. She will do what he wants, he will not hurt her."
Marco stared."His father? Is he not old?"
"He is still strong, she finds him bearable. But if we can get Sarcos out, you don't need to be concerned about him."Ramse grinned. It kind of felt good to taunt the strong eagle!
"Free Sarcos?"Marco looked at him.
"Yes, he is stuck in his father's weapon for too long, I think! Xander saw he is trying to come back. The lock on the dome is hard to open and the crystal is boiling hot and stuck. You are strongest after Sarcos, we need you to sneak into the laboratory with us to free him tonight before midnight."Ramse noted.
"Ramse, but what if Sarcos is not ready yet and will scatter into the wind?" Xander asked a bit worriedly.
"That is his problem. If he does not come out on time, Sienna will go with Marath to Sand City anyway. He might be stuck there forever."Ramse noted coldly.
"You are right!" Xander noted."Let's do it then."
"We can meet at the fortress after dusk. Hopefully Sienna will find a way how to entertain Marath long enough."Ramse sighed."Here," he gave Marco black disguise clothes, "Change yourself to fit in. Your shining eagle armour is too flashy."
"Sure, "Marco nodded." Thank you for saving my neck the other day. You have a favour with me."
" I want you to become my blood brother after we finish this! "Ramse smiled cheekily. It was one less mate to stay between him and Sienna!
"Sure," Marco nodded.
"Now, let's go hunt."Xander noted."I'm starving."
"Wait, I need to pick a few things for Sienna." Ramse went inside the caves, to get a chessboard, a new warm dress and a new jar of honey for her. Then the three of them went hunting. Xander killed three deers in a few minutes, he was nervous and excited and needed to vent."Just eat," he said to them."I do not want to be so full."
Meanwhile, Marath led Sienna to Thyasse's bedroom. It was covered in black silk. Everything was dark, just the bouquet of fresh sunflowers was shining in the vase near her bed. Thyasse lay in the bed, she looked pale and her face was slightly full, she looked resting.
Thyasse noticed them coming and sat up in her bed. She stared at Sienna and smiled. Her yellow eyes were not so wild anymore. Sienna found them more familiar. The hatred was gone!
"Hi, Thyasse, how are you?"Sienna smiled kindly.
Thyasse reached for Sienna's hand, and she looked into her blue eyes, "Thank you, I'm getting better fast."
"You welcome, I'm happy you are back."Sienna smiled.
Thyasse looked at Marath expectantly. "You said you will tell me everything when Sienna will come." she bit her lips.
"Sit down, Sienna," Marath sat Sienna on the soft black velvet seat and he sat next to Thyasse on her bed. They looked like a loving couple suddenly!
Marath held Thyasse's hand in his."Before I became the king, I was a warrior prince. I went around the land with Cosimo and clear out the tribes which sacrificed females. Completely." he nodded his head satisfied.
"When we attacked the Silver Tail Lizard's castle, I freed Thyasse and brought her back to her Snake King father. He gave her to me as a reward. We were young and I fell in love with her. Thyasse loved Sharchan the most but I did not complain, I was content. We lived in the Snake's King's castle and had Mathyas there.
As time went on I noticed Thyasse was getting savage but I kept it secret, so she will not be killed. I stood by her side and help her to manage the episodes. Then my father died and I had to return to the wetlands to take care of my people.
Thyasse wanted to stay in the Snake Castle with Mathyas. She was waiting for Sharchan to come back. Her father held her inside, but she ran outside in secret at night a few times. She was always back in the morning pretending nothing happened till she was caught by a castle guard!
She became more savage and attacked her own people, they revolted against her father and wanted to force him to kill her. I took my armies and went to help her, but Sharchan was faster and came back before me. He came with his tiger friend and turned the whole Snake kingdom upside down. He fought with his father, took over the crown and to protect Thyasse and his people he ordered his father to send her back with me and to hide her in my Underworld.
I had to go to war again with Cosimo and my mother found our Thyasse is savage. She read the old books and found out that if snakes shed skin rapidly it can cure them, so she locked her up in a dungeon and lashed her without telling me. But then my mother went savage as well.
When I came back from the war, I had to deal with my mother first. I caught her wanting to eat Mathyas, so I forced her to take the medicine she prepared for Thyasse. It was half poison, half cure, so I made her eat it first and she died.
Then I let Thyasse out of the dungeon, she went completely wild, she found the body of my mother and ate it in a savage rage in her snake form, because she thought she is sleeping!
As a king, I was supposed to kill Thyasse as a savage beast, but she begged me to keep her as a slave, so I did, to give me time to find a cure. The slaves don't count as people of the tribe, so she was off anyone's concern." he nodded." But as a king I could not have a slave for a queen, so I gave Mathyas some of my powers, and made him king, so I can keep Thyasse alive. The magic keeps him mostly sober till he got enraged."Marath looked at Sienna knowingly.
"I found a new cure, which involved carving magic symbols into the skin of a savage person, but they were too complicated for a female to stand in one go. So I carved a bit every time deep enough to leave a scar and called it punishment. I did not want to feed hopes in Thyasse till it worked. She longed to go outside, but I couldn't let her out. The sun will heal the scars faster.
When Sienna came around, she enraged Thyasse so much, her feelings started to come out. When Sienna sang that song she broke Thyasse's soul out. I just had the last set of carvings to make."Marath nodded. "The drawing was complete and it worked. Thyasse is healthy now." He looked at Thyasse and smiled.
Sienna looked at both of them. They looked well together. She could say he does love her and it made her feel a bit weird. She was not sure what Marath really wants. "He does love her, so did he take me just to protect me from Mathyas? He will come to Sand City with me, but he will not like to be king! If Thyasse is not savage any more, I should not keep them apart."Sienna was thinking."He wants to be my lover just to help me out!" the realisation struck in her mind.
Sienna felt a bit guilty in her heart. She looked at Marath softly."So if Sarcos will not come tonight, will you take Thyasse with us to Sand City?"
"You will not mind?"Marath asked curiously.
"No, "Sienna shook her head."She can see Sharchan again and you two can travel a bit as well."Sienna smiled."She missed much of the world for too long."
"I know you are so kind."Marath nodded satisfied.
"You saved my life."Sienna smiled at him."I will be dead if not for you. And you own me for now anyway."
"Travel together?"Thyasse blinked excitedly."But what about Mathyas?" she asked worriedly.
"I let him cool off a bit and then I start his cure."Marath nodded.
Thyasse looked at Sienna, "Thank you for helping me, I remember I wanted to kill you so much."
"You were not well, it was not really you. I forgive you everything."Sienna nodded.
"So you will be Marath's lover?"Thyasse tilted her head.
"We made a deal. I'm leaving that to him. Are you upset?"Sienna bit her lips.
"No, as you said it is his decision. If you let me come with him, I'm content."Thyasse shook her head."You are very beautiful."
"You will be more beautiful as well, you got kind again."Sienna nodded."I will not get involved between you two. I have more mates waiting for me. If my Sarcos will not come back in time tonight, I will need Marath 's help to protect Sand City."Sienna bit her lips.
"Aren't you clever little thing?"Marath smiled."So if you two can go along, you can kiss now."He smirked.
"Sure," Sienna stood up and went to kiss Thyasse's cheek."Get better sister-in-law."She said gently.
Thyasse smiled."Sure sister." she kissed her back and looked at her for a minute."Sienna, you said we have the collecting in our family. What I am to collect now?"She asked softly.
"Good memories," Sienna smiled."I'm sure you will get a lot of them in the future."
"What about you?"Thyasse asked curiously.
"I will see what will happen tonight."Sienna sighed.
"So do you hope Sarcos will make it?"Thyasse asked.
"Yes, I know he will."Sienna smiled."Rest well, sister, "She turned to go out.
Marath stood up as well and walked Sienna back to her room."Pity, you can't be Mathyas's queen." he sighed.
"So you don't want me anymore?"Sienna asked curiously.
"I do, but as a father, I want Mathyas to be happy." he looked at her seriously."But as a man, I have a crazy taste for you."Marath chuckled and circled her waist."You are a little ray of sunshine in the Underworld."He kissed her forehead."Don't forget, I will come tonight for you to see if Sarcos will come back or not."
"Yes, please come a bit earlier, so we can play a game."Sienna smiled.
"I will! Try your best little clever thing."Marath smirked at her.
"Can he read my mind?"Sienna halted."Whatever we just play." she thought in a bit of panic.
"See you later, Marath."Sienna kissed his cheek goodbye and slipped into her room. She fell backwards onto her bed."Sarcos will come again."She closed her eyes and tried to remember the golden scorpion." Who is he? "she wondered in her mind.
Marath was walking down back to Thyasse's room slowly. He could still feel Sienna's kiss on his cheek. It was kind of making him wild." I want to see how you will entertain me, to give your kings time to get Sarcos out." he chuckled."Let's see if they can do it, clever little thing. Still, I have a payment to collect." he licked his lips and smiled.