That day he found himself on the seat of a carriage heading towards the castle. “Excuse me, can you repeat that last little bit?” He said finding it hard to swallow that his parents were the King and Queen of the Ashmoon kingdom and this man who sat across from him would basically be his brother-in-law. “Cause that makes no sense, I'm nobody now.”

“You are somebody, you might be a missing heir, you see almost seventeen years ago the Queen went missing and we didn’t find her till five years latter, a bit different.”

“Was she a Drider?” He asked curiously.

“Yes, how did you know?”

“I always had this dream about her, where in the end she is always dragged away and changed into one.” He told him honestly.

“Interesting, well let us find out shall we?” He said as he opened the door, they were at the castle’s back entrance. Aithlin stepped out and Lua put everything quickly back into his item box then stepped out of the carriage with his help. The Ashmoon castle amazed him it was as if they had carved the building out of the stone and trees that were there. Even though this was the back it just had a beauty all of its own. “Are you going to stare all day?” He asked from the door.

“Sorry it’s just so different, drawings don’t do this any sort of justice.” He snapped out of it and walked over to catch up to Aithlin. They went up the back passages so no one could see them and so Lua was less distracted by the architecture. They soon came to a wall that he knocked on before pressing a panel, a door swung open. Inside was an office with two beautifully carved desks, one was empty with papers stacked neatly on both sides, beautiful quills, and elegant ink bottles decorated the larger of the two desks. The other one had a messy stack of papers that had been stabbed through with a sword, there was another stack of papers that was neatly placed behind it and then a stack that was being dealt with, and another small stack of papers that had yet to be started. There was also a bucket of quills as well as an ink splattered ink pot. With all of that Lua’s eyes were focused on the woman behind the desk, the face he had dreamt about only last night, she looked exactly how he remembered before she was changed. Tears picked at the corner of his eyes and a tightness came over his chest. She was a tall Drow woman with long matronly hair swept up into a half attempted bun, her hair was the same silvery green as his and he knew her eyes would be a vivid green. Even though she had to be much older she looked the same as if she was just in her late twenties. Her dark skin was smooth without a single wrinkle and she was fit but there was just this aura around her that made her feel motherly, or maybe that was just him recognizing it in her. He could see his own features in her face. She was the more dominant alpha, her scent dominated the room over her mates, or maybe it was because it was more familiar to him that he could pick it out. 

“I don’t have time right now Aithlin unless it’s important or something was blown up, or my children did something stupid, and that excludes you.” She said not even bothering to look up.

“Well it is important and I don’t think they’ve done anything recently, but ummm I just found out about this one so I still have to investigate, he might have done something that I haven’t heard about yet.” Aithlin said, as he pulled Lua with him.

“What are you talki-” She looked up and froze seeing Lua standing there next to him, the child that she’d always thought she had just imagined standing there in the flesh. Her bright lost child. “Oh… My sweet child, my Lua’aZaer, I thought I’d dreamt you up.” She said walking around the desk and looking him over. “You’re all grown up.” She reached out and stroked his cheek, she remembered his scent the way he felt in her arms when he was a baby, it all came crashing back to her. The last time she had seen him was when he was almost three and they ripped them apart. 

“And you are real, my real mum here and not just a dream or a vague memory.” He said the tears now spilled down his cheek as he nuzzled her hand. 

“I’m going to go get the king.” Aithlin said walking out the main door. He stopped and asked a maid he trusted to bring tea for three after the King returned to his office. He trusted the maid to not go running off and blabbing to everyone, after all she worked for him. She nodded and walked off to prep the tea.

She smiled and then hugged her son, he was shorter than she expected him to be and skinnier too, she noticed him wince slightly and then she looked at him carefully taking in his full appearance. There were hints of a bruise on his cheek only a few days old, and his hair looked like it had once been longer but it had sloppily been cut. “What happened to you? Where have you been?” She asked as she guided him to the couch.

“Well that’s a long story, but I was taken to the surface and raised by the Del Monique family, well raised is a horrible word to call it…” He said honestly. He could see her anger rise.

“That wench Augistine kept you from me? I ought to rip her ugly black heart out.”

“Yes, well, she’ll get what's coming to her. I can give you a mountain of information about her and proof as well if you wish.” He told her.

“Good boy, but why, if you know so much, did she let you go?” She asked and then she stroked his hair.

“I was useless to her and she was going to say I committed suicide because of the last year and a half events. She also doesn’t think I have the courage to come back and stand up against her, part of her was right I am scared of her.” He admitted.

“Did she hurt you physically?” She asked carefully. 

Lua bit his lip and then slowly pulled his shirt up, the cuts were no longer oozing and even on his dark skin she could clearly see the large swath of bruises that covered his chest and back, his arms also had bruises but they were covered by the long sleeves of his shirt. “She wanted to be sure that I feared her.” He said in a soft voice, there were some bruises and cuts on his legs but nothing was as bad as the whip marks on his back. His mother gently touched his sides, careful not to hurt him as she looked at them.

“Why did you not see a healer?” She asked. “Your father will take care of these as soon as he gets here.” She added. 

Aithlin made it to the courtroom where the king and the crowned princess were holding weekly court. He slid in and looked up at his beautiful wife and soulmate, with her hand on her stomach was round with their first. She had dark green hair and deeply tanned skin that made him think of a tree every time he saw her, he jokingly called her a tree hugger because she was also a Druid. Her left eye was green while her right eye was violet. She had the same mixed traits of her parents that all three of her siblings had, she leaned more towards her father in appearance with the eye, nose, face, and ear shape of her high elf father, her mouth and her body shape was more like her mother’s, she had amazingly long legs and the perfect ass, he’d loved everything about her for as long as he’d known her. She was his fate and his joy, and soon they would be a happy trio. She spotted him the moment he closed the door and her smile lit up the room and warmed his heart. She was going to be as surprised as the rest of them when they met Lua. The king didn’t notice him till he had come up behind the two people who were airing out their grievances.

“Pardon me, but I need a quick word with you.” He said loudly. The two looked at him annoyed but then let him go past them.

“What is it?” The King asked curious and thankful for the distraction.

“The Queen seeks your audience now.” He said softly.

“Is everything alright?” He asked, worried something happened to his wife.

“Yes, but something has come up or rather come home and it needs your immediate attention.” He said vaguely. The king stood suddenly.

“Please excuse me, it seems I have some family matters I need to tend to, I leave the court in my daughter's more than capable hands with her husband as her second.” He said, taking off his cloak. His daughter stood and took the cloak then took his seat after sliding it on. Everyone bowed as the King left the room and Aithlin took his wife’s seat.

“It’s nothing bad I hope.” She whispered to him.

“No, not bad at all.” He told her as he took her hand and gave it a loving kiss. “You’ll find out soon.” He told her and then they restarted court.

The King both worried and curious as to why his wife wanted to see him so suddenly, he went through the changing room and up the backstairs to the office he shared with his beloved wife. He could smell the Omega from outside the door, an unfamiliar scent but it didn’t make him angry or anything but curious. He opened the door and saw the young Dark elf sitting close to his wife who looked angry and heartbroken as he pulled his shit down. He had seen the swath of bruises on the boy’s skinny frame, he wondered if this was why she had called him there to talk about this abused dark elf Omega. Then he turned his face to look at him and he gasped, it was almost like looking at a younger version of himself, maybe fourteen or fifteen, but he could see both himself and his wife in the boy’s face just like all of his children. 

“Airdan, I’m glad you came so quickly.” His stunning wife said, snapping him out of his shock. “This is our son, Lua’aZaer who I thought I’d dreamt up, I had him when my family kidnapped me.” She explained.

“I’m pleased to meet you.” He said walking over and really looking at him, there was no doubt in his mind this boy was his son. He leaned down and hugged him gently remembering the bruises he saw. “You remind me of myself when I was fifteen or so.” He told him. He closed his eyes and pressed his forehead against his and let his healing magic run through him, he could feel every bruise, every cut, and his cracked bones, he mended them all. His son’s pain tolerance had clearly come from his wife, only she was a master of walking around in such a condition as if it was nothing.

“Ahh umm thank you dad?” He said a bit unsure, not that he didn’t know this Alpha Elf with his long silvery blond hair and violet eyes was his father, he wasn’t sure of what to call him.

“Call me what you like, you are definitely your mother’s child walking around like that.” He said in a scalding tone to both of them. He leaned down and kissed his wife. “Bear, my beloved, why did you not tell me?” He asked as he sat down using her nickname, her full name was Baeraezyne.

“I thought I dreamt him up something to keep my mind sane while I was in the underdark.” She told him.

“Where have you been? In the underdark?” He asked, concerned.

Lua now having both of his parents there started to speak until the door opened, a maid walked in and looked slightly surprised seeing the three of them. Then without a word started to serve tea and snacks, she looked at him and made sure to put most of the food in front of him and then quietly left. Lua took this as a sign of “you’re too skinny, eat up” and then he told his story as he ate and drank tea with his real parents. He told them about the Del Moniques and how they always treated him till he became useful, he told them about Henri and going to school and his friends. Then he told them about his heartbreak without telling them about the game and how the engagement was broken off and he was disowned and sent rambling. He asked them if they would let Sheena stay with him and they agreed. For now he wasn’t going to be allowed to tell anyone, and he would be confined to castle grounds for the next month. He agreed to it as he just felt he needed time anyways, and the grounds included a private beach so he could go swimming to get exercise.

His eldest sister the Crowned princess Alenia came in looking tired with Aithlin behind her just as they were trying to figure out how to tell his sisters. “I swear if I have to listen to one more Omega gripe about their stupid mate I’m going to start suggesting castrations.” She said annoyed.

“Lenia my love, have some pity, your brother is an Omega.” Aithlin said motioning to Lua. 

She paused and looked at him, looked at her parents, and then looked at her husband. Then she looked back at Lua, it was clear this strange dark elf omega male was family, he looked like they all did. “What the hell? Where did you come from and how come I am just learning about you now?” She asked shocked as she marched over to him. He flinched a little as she took his hand into her own. “I’m Your eldest sister Alenia Ashmoon, you can call me Lenia, it’s well, surprising to meet you?”

“Lua’aZaer, but you can call me Lua, everyone does.” He said smiling and gently squeezing her hand. She looked so beautiful and she was much like he expected her to be, he took in her scent, it was much like their father’s sweet but also bold and earthy. She also had a softness to her that came from being happily pregnant. 

“Don’t be upset, we're all just finding out today.” Airdan told her.

“Lunch is shortly, we should all have it together and we’ll tell you more.” Her mother told her. “Aithlin what information do you have on the Del Moniques?” She asked him.

“Not a lot, they keep their shady deals quiet, why?”

“I was a Del Monique and I could give you a lot of information and proof if you’ll legitimately ruin them.” Lua told him. Aithlin smiled.

“Oh I’m going to love this but after lunch I am sure my wife is hungry and I’ll go drag the twins from their study and their bed so you can meet them.” He said cheerily. He kissed his wife’s temple and then walked out.

“Yes I am starving now that food is mentioned.” Lenia said, noting that all the tea and snacks were gone, but there was an adorable fairy rabbit laying in the middle of a plate, one that was white as snow which was very rare. Lua scooped them up and then slipped them into the pocket of his shirt.

“That’s Usagi, she’s my familiar, she’s being a bit clingy right now.” He told her. “She’s a glutton for sweet things, especially berries.” He added.

“She’s an unusual choice for a familiar, and such a rare coloring.” She pointed out.

“So I've been told, but I’d not want her any other way.” He told her as he offered his arm. 

They walked together to the private dining room. There he met his twin sisters Myantha and Ayda who were both surprised to find out they had a younger brother who was going to be seventeen. Lua was surprised to find his mother remembered his actual birthday which turned out to be much later then he was told, he thought it was mid summer but it turns out his birthday is actually the fall equinox. It was nice to know the actual date and now he no longer had to share with anyone. Myantha happily took care of his hair and was more than happy to take him to the tailor to get him some better clothes than the clothes he’d bought. It was weird having people who were his family care about him, sure his friends cared about him but him but this was blood and it just felt different.