Her chest rose up and down, tears streaming down my cheeks at the sight of the white bandages around her torso.  Her wet hair was splayed out around her sweat drenched soaked skin.  Picking up my mirror, I called my father.  This was something I had ever done except for the other day.  It only rang once, my father’s concerned face filling the oval.  An exhausted sigh tumbled from his lips, his green eyes flashing with excitement. 

“Are you okay?” He asked quietly, looking at Alice slumbering away behind me. “Is she okay?”  My hands trembled, the silk sheet crumpling up underneath my grip.  Pulling my hair back, my pointed ears and scales shimmered in the candlelight. 

“I hurt her father.” I admitted guiltily, him tucking his hand behind his pointed ears. “I feel horrible about it and she still wasn’t scared of me.  She followed me to my hiding spot, and got sick because of me.  I am a horrible husband, and will be a horrible father.  She took that with a grain of salt as well.  I don’t deserve her.”  A toothy grin greeted my falling face, his hair falling back over his ears.  

“Your mother was the same way. I wasn’t always this kind.” He uttered in a depressed tone. “At first I thought I didn’t deserve her, and she followed me once during the Dragon Moon.  I hurt her, but she brought me back.  I hate to inform you though.  Once you make an heir, the ears and scales stay.  Do you two just want to come home?  I only sent you to school to make friends.” He was hiding something, and it was big.  She stirred behind me, a tiny sneeze popping in my ears.  

“Are the other kingdoms giving you problems?” She inquired groggily, rubbing her eyes. “I can try to talk to them.”  She was still super sick, so she forgot she was naked.  Placing a black cloak over her body, the awkward moment of him seeing my wife naked avoided.  My father smiled warmly in her direction, black bags forming under her eyes. 

“Are you okay, daughter?” He questioned cautiously, rubbing the back of his neck. “You look a little worse for wear.”  Muscling up the best smile she could, she laughed until she started coughing.  Snuggling against my chest, her hot skin burned mine. 

“I am got bitten by a damn nymph.” She brushed it off lightly, a happy glint in her eyes. “I am allergic to them.  Give it a couple of days, and I will be as good as new.  So don’t worry.  Schedule a meeting with the other kingdoms for when I come back on break.  Maybe we can form a treaty.  Even if you get at least half of them, then you have a better army to protect the whole world with.  Maybe you send some letters to start gathering what it would take for them to enter a peace treaty.  Let’s try to avoid as much war as possible, ‘kay!”  Tilting his head curiously, he was scribbling down what she was saying.  

“I will try that.” He promised sincerely, glancing over at me. “Are you excited to be a mother?”  Shock twisted her face, a sincere smile growing on her lips. Tucking a piece of hair behind her ear, a soft blush rose to her cheeks.  Anxiety hid beneath her smile, her eyes barely hiding it. 

“I am so happy.”  She stammered jovially, clenching the hem of the cloak. “I just want to be a good empress, and mother.  I hope I can meet everyone’s expectations.”  Bowing her head in shame, she gave him one last smile before burying her face into my neck.  Waving goodbye to my father, he hung up on us.  She was intelligent, and wise in the ways of wars.  Something was wrong, my strong vixen was falling apart.  Her horns brushed against my face, her silence scaring me. 

“Hey.” I muttered quietly, not wanting to hurt her more. “Are you sure you are okay?” A dismayed glance flashed in my direction, her body trembling.  Laying her back down, she turned away saying nothing.  Snapping her fingers the light turned off, leaving me to stew in my own thoughts.  Throwing on a pair of blue dress pants and a white dress shirt, I stood up. 

“Are you going to come back?” She mumbled numbly, playing with the cloak over her body. “I don’t want to have to hunt you down again.”  Kissing her forehead, she needed medicine.  The door burst open, Scarlet and Lily rushing to her side.  The crack of Scarlet slapping my cheek echoed in the still room, a ferocious look fuming on her face.  A snarl began to curl on my lips, my face softening shortly after.  I deserved this and I knew that.

“Do you know what you put her through!” She barked bitterly, standing nearly as tall as me. “I want you to never leave her again.  She just cried day in and day out, her heart broke because of you.”  My eyebrow twitched at her boldness, my arms crossing my chest.  The slap I deserved, the metaphorical slap was not necessary.  Alice sat up, a dazed look on her face.  Lily hovering over her with tears crashing onto her face, her long silky hair acting like a curtain. 

“You don’t think I know that!” I roared defensively, waving my hands around. “I already feel like shit because she is in her current condition because of me.  So back the fuck off!”  Storming out of the door, my boots pounded to the doctor’s office.  My fist pounded on the door, an exhausted doctor with wild white hair opened the door.  His mustache wiggled over his fat lips, his short tiny body telling me that he was a dwarf.  

“What do you want?” He demanded irritably, playing with his beard. “Oh shit, I am sorry your majesty.”  Guilt dimmed her eyes, his scowl turning into a fake smile.  This is why I didn’t trust anyone around me, but I needed some medicine.

“I need some type of medicine to reverse the effects of nymph poisoning.” I blurted out, my desperation hiding my rage. “I need it now.”  The doctor shook his head, and sighed deeply.  Closing the door, glass clanked around, the door ripping open again.  A purple vial sat in his palms, his hand grabbing my wrist stronger than I thought he could.  

“I heard she is pregnant, and if that is the case then you will need to accompany her at all times.” He warned in a hushed tone, shoving the vial into my sweating palm. “Marissa is plotting a way for her to lose the baby.  She came to me begging for a way to abort a child through a type of poison.  I would suggest you place her in the same classes as you.  Another warning, her powers will flair out of control a lot, and she will probably start puking soon.  Congrats on the heir.”  Wind blew my hair as he slammed the door in my face, Scarlet and Lily running up to me.  Panicked looks flashed in their eyes, Scarlet body covered in cuts and bruises.  

“They kidnapped her, and I tried to fight as hard as I could.” She wheezed, her right arm shattered. “I really tried, and  I am so s-”  Tucking the medicine into my pocket, Lily was balling next to her.  Panic raged in my mind, both of them trembling and bloody. They certaintly did do their best, both of them collapsing to their knees.

“She had black hair with a strip of gray, and glowing red eyes.” Lily stammered out of breath, her lips trembling. “She had red robes, and fangs.  She said to tell you hi.”  They called out after me, my former stepmother crossing the line. Sprinting to the front door, a red light glinted in the light.  Whistling, my golden dragon scooped me up. My hair fluttered in the wind, golden scales cutting into my arm.  Serenity, my former stepmother, was riding on a giant bat, and passed out Alice on her lap.  Thinking, I could use flames to take her bat down but then Alice could get hurt.  She stirred on her lap, white holy flames licking her palms. Her lips were moving, a spell being cast.  Blood poured from her nose, her hand touching the black bat. The creature of darkness squealed in agony, white flames devouring the creature.  Her staff sat in her other hands, my stepmother’s fingers curled around her red handle of her blood sword.  Leaping off of the flaming bat, she whistled.  Her white flame phoenix flew under her, blood dripping from the corner of her lips.  Black silky hair flew up as my stepmother leapt onto her phoenix, her blade smashing against her staff.  Tapping her staff against the bird, a plain of white flames erupted from the bird.  Coughing up blood, she pulled the staff apart.  White flames devoured the dual blades, she needed help.  My stepmother wasn’t even at her full potential, my boots smashing onto the white flame plain.  Treasure, my dragon hovered waiting for me to finish.  Alice slammed into the top of a tree, her legs shaking underneath her.  Rushing over to her, she shot me a loving look.  Her cloak was shredded, blood pouring  from the tiny cuts on her arms. Her creamy skin peaking from the large rips, blood soaking the expensive wool.

“I can’t beat her myself.” She wheezed, coughing up blood. “Do you think we can combine our skills, Dragon?  Do you know any of her weaknesses?”  Shaking my head, she never stuck around long enough for me to figure that out.  My lips parted to speak, a sharp red ribbon smashing the tree behind me.  An idea bounced in my head, I was hoping she could handle a touch more magic.   

“Do you remember the first year spell Thunderstorm?” I whispered in her ears, my fingers wrapping around the purple vial. “Here take this.  It will make you feel better.” Gulping down the purple liquid, her fever faded away.  Nodding, she understood what I was implying. 

“You realize that I am running out of stamina, and if two powerful enough people like us perform that spell there is a chance we could destroy the forest.” She admitted honestly, shooting me an evil grin. “I just need you to back me up for the final blow, ‘kay.”  Struggling to stand, she wiped the blood from her nose.  Standing back to back, my golden dragon blade with a curved blade dropping into my hand.  

“Gods of Rain, Gods of Thunder.” We chanted together, our flames raging on our swords. “Destroy!” Dark clouds rumbled above us, blood now pouring from Alice’s eyes. White and gold lightning cracked around us, confusion twisting my stepmother’s face.  Together we charged at her,  a snarl curling on her lips as our blades cut her up.  Realizing my mistake, her blood twirled around her arm.  Alice was barely able to stand, her magic beginning to weaken.  Blood tentacles snapped in our directions, our blades barely keeping up.  A weak smile flashed on her face, the tentacles wrapping around her arm.  A scream of pain exploded from her lips, spikes digging into her arm.

“You made me do this.” She growled furiously, her aura beginning to fade. “Light of the Goddess combines with the darkness of my blood.  Produce a poison strong enough to kill a giant, Venom!”  Her blood darkened to a purple, her own blood tentacles ripping apart my stepmother.  An evil grin brightened her face, her blade severing the connection.  

“You are too late.” She gloated, Alice collapsing to her knees. “I will win and will kill you and your heir.”  Rage burned in my eyes, my boot stepping forward to kill the awful witch right now.  Alice grabbed my sleeve, a defiant smile growing on her determined face.  Crawling onto my back, she put her staff away. 

“So you say.” She uttered simply, my stepmother’s face falling. “Attack.”  Purple dyed her veins, her own blood attacking her.  Blood spurted everywhere, the tentacles ripping her into pieces.  Gentle snores rang in my ear, pride swelling in my heart.