"Uncle!" Althea gasped as she saw the light of his power flair through the
windows. She took off at a run, heading for the stairs, the others close on
her heels.

 "Uncle?" She whispered in a frightened voice as she gently lifted his head
onto her lap. There was blood coming from his nose and ears. She knew that
was a dangerous sign. The people of his Temple gathered around them in a
loose circle murmuring in tense voices. She heard someone tell her that the
Healer's where coming, another asked if he was dead. She ignored them all as
she cast the basic healing spell that all of the Guardian's where taught.

 He moved his head slightly and gave a great frown, then squinted up at her.
"I'm so sorry, 'Thea. I tried." He closed his eyes again and muttered, "my
head hurts." The Healers' arrived as he said those words and Mara took her by
her shoulders, pulled her out of the way to give them space to work.

 She hovered by the door to his room throughout the rest of the day, picking
at the lunch Mara brought, taking comfort from her friends that came and went
asking for news that she did not know.

 Finally the Healer's came out, one stopping and giving her a tired smile.
"He'll live, Princess." He caught her arm as she started to go past him, into
the room. "He's sleeping, Lady. Lorna is with him, to watch over him. Let him
rest."

 She bit her lip, wanting to see for herself, but nodded agreement. He smiled
at her reassuringly as he left. Mara came up behind her, took her hand. "Will
you stay the night, Althea?"

 She wanted to, but knew that she had to make the arranged meeting. She shook
her head. "I have to get back to Caer Dythal. But will you send word if
anything changes?"

 "Of course, Princess. I'll go and have Butterfly brought up for you."

 Althea waited until Mara had moved out of sight, then slowly opened the door
to her uncle's room, peeking inside. The healer, whom she assumed was Lorna,
glanced up at her from her chair at Innish's side. She smiled with
understanding, gestured for her to come in, but held a finger to her lips,
demanding silence. Althea tip-toed across the room, stopping beside the
healer. Innish was pale, but he breathed even and steady and his face was
calm and relaxed. Lorna raised her eyebrows at her, her sparkling eyes
seeming to ask, "satisfied?"

 Althea nodded yes, then tip-toed back out.  

 
**************************

 That evening they all gathered in Endymion's room. Althea and Malikai were
seated across from each other with a small table separating them. Nathan
towered behind Althea's chair, his knuckles white as he gripped it's high
back, glaring at Malikai, Zuriel behind Malikai's, glaring at Althea.
Endymion was standing at the mid-line of the table, arms crossed and ready to
separate his friends, if need be. Julian sat opposite him on the bed, his
fingers coaxing sweet notes from the mandolin propped against his thigh.

 "You knew!" Nathan roared at Malikai again.

 "I did not. What would I want with your woman anyway?" Malikai snapped back,
his gray eyes narrowed with annoyance.

 "Nathan, enough." She sighed as she finally spoke up, reached up and across
her chest, covering his hand with her own. This was getting them no where and
was tearing her brother apart. "Malikai knows that your heart is with me, as
you know his is with Zuriel's. He would not betray your trust or friendship,
as you would not betray his."

 Nathan subsided into a simmering silence behind her as Malikai cocked one
eye-brow at her.

 "If we refuse the Union, our father's go to war over wounded pride and
honor. If I flee with Nathan to his country, his Father does not have the
force of arms necessary to back him and would have to hand me back." She
reiterated the discussion that had been flying fast and furious until it had
dissolved into the shouting match.

 "I would win." Nathan promised.

 She tipped her head back so she could look up at his face and gave him a
gentle smile. "It wouldn't matter. I won't go. All the Kingdom's must stay
united to stand against the Darkness that is coming."

 "That is only a rumor started by that crazy Uncle of yours." Zuriel snapped
at her.

 She bit back her sharp reply, unwilling to be dragged off the subject again.
She took a deep calming breath.

 "I have no objections to the Union or your continued association with Zuriel
as long as you hold none to mine and Nathan's." There was no other answer.

 "I would have none." Malikai responded quickly. He understood that there was
no other option open to them, either.

 "Then the marriage will take place?" Endymion asked, his own uncertainty
with that idea reflected in his voice.

 Althea and Malikai exchanged troubled glances then both nodded yes.

 Zuriel gasped, turned so his back was toward them, his shoulder's shaking.

 "Althea. No. Come away with me now." Nathan whispered.

 "It will be tolerable." Malikai tried to reassure Zuriel as he half-turned
in his chair, took Zuriel's hand, pulled him gently to his side.

 She looked back up into her lover's face, her eye's pleading with him to
understand. "There is no other option for us. Do you think I want to see you
go to war against my brother and your friends? You would come to hate me if
you where forced to hurt them in defense of me. And if you hurt my brother, I
would never be able to forgive you, no matter if I loved you or not."

 Nathan closed his eyes against her, his face reflecting the war in his
heart. Finally he put both hands on her shoulder's possessively and nodded
his assent.

 She sank back against the support of the chair, released the breath she
hadn't realized she'd been holding.

 Julian hit a fast progression of sour notes. "What?" Her brother sighed at
him.

 "There is the small problem of succession. "He said quietly.

 *Trust it would be Julian who would cut to the real heart of our problem.*
Althea sighed to herself. This would be the hardest part, the part that might
drive Nathan from her forever. She just hoped that his love would be strong
enough to survive her decision.

 "I don't think that Mathwyny will accept an heir with our Nathan's rather
spectacular coloring. Do you?" Julian finished as he kept his focus on
turning one of the tuning pegs.

 "No. He would not." Malikai answered, looking at his and Zuriel's entwined
fingers resting on the arm of the chair.

 "I will agree to perform the duties of a wife until I conceive and bear our
first son. After that, I belong to Nathan alone." She said it in a rush,
trying not to wince as Nathan's hands tightened against her shoulders in his
shock.

 Malikai closed his eyes and she could see him tighten his fingers around
Zuriel's. "I will agree to perform the duties of a husband, until that time."

 "What?" Zuriel hissed at Malikai.

 Nathan's hands where gone from her shoulders as he turned without a word and
walked out of the room.

 Althea watched him go, knowing that he needed some time to think before he
would face her again. That knowledge didn't make his anger and anguish any
easier for her to bare. Endymion started around the table to go after him,
but Julian shook his head at him as he rose and put the mandolin gently on
the bed.

 "I'll go. He's more likely to listen to me than you at the moment. Don't
worry, Lady Althea, he's too much in love with you to be angry with you for
long."

 *I wish I shared your confidence, Julian* She pushed herself up from her
chair, feeling drained in both body and spirit. "I'm going to my room.
Endymion, would you walk with me?" She asked, wanting her brother's support
and company and thinking that it would give Malikai some time to calm Zuriel
down in private.


 Endymion was sitting on her bed, keeping the conversation light as she
brushed her hair, getting ready for bed.

 "Oh, here." He pulled a slender chain over the back of his head as he slid
off and headed for her, having to stop for a moment to fish whatever was on
the end of it out from under his collar. He handed a locket in the shape of a
star to her. "I wanted you to see this. I had it made for Serenity."

 She pressed the catch with her thumbnail and it sprang open and began to
play a sweet tune, the little half-moon circling the jewel set in the middle.

 "Do you think she'll like it?" He asked anxiously as he knelt beside her.

 "It's lovely, 'Mion. She'll adore it. And you." She grinned back, reached
out to ruffle his hair. He batted playfully at her hand, let her put the
chain back over his head. "Don't let Father see it." She warned softly.

 He tucked it back into the safety of his jacket and had just gotten back to
his feet when a knock came at her door.

 "Enter." He called, then shrugged in apology at his sisters frown.

 The page who opened the door was winded, but managed to get his message out
around his gasps for air. "Lord Julian says to tell the Princess Althea that
the Lord Nathan has decided to go for a little ride and that he will
accompany him." With that, he bobbed his head and closed the door.

 "He's left then." Althea whispered, her eyes filling with tears.

 Endymion gathered his sister into a hug, letting her cry against his chest.
"He'll be back, 'Thea." He soothed. "You know his temper."

 Althea nodded, but the tears still came.

 "He'll probably all but run his horse into the ground, then run on foot
another ten minutes, then he'll start to think clearly and then have to walk
back because he's winded his horse. Unless Julian takes pity on him and gives
him a ride." He said it for his sister's benefit, knowing that it was exactly
what Nathan was doing, but the image of it did make her give him a little
smile through her tears.

 She rubbed the tears from her eyes with the heels of her hands and nodded.
"I know. I just ... hated having to do that to him. But there was no other
choice." She told him in a shaky voice.

 "I know. It was a very brave thing to do. He'll understand that, in an hour
or so." Endymion told her as he drew he up to her feet by one hand, led her
toward her bed. "Now, go to sleep, sister. He'll be back in the morning." He
gave her a kiss on her forehead after she scooted herself onto the high
mattress, then headed back to his own room, wondering if Malikai and Zuriel
had left yet.


 But Nathan and Julian didn't return the next morning, or the one after that.
She had all but given up hope and gone to walk in one of the more wild
gardens to avoid having to look at the wedding dress and jewels that Mathwyny
had sent to her room as her bride gift.

 She settled in the shadows on one of the cracked stone benches against a
moss covered wall and listened to the breeze, closed her eyes and thought
about Nathan. She didn't know exactly when she dozed off but woke to someone
calling her name gently. She kept her eyes shut, not willing to face the
world just yet.

 "Althea?" She recognized the voice, her eye's snapping open in surprise as
she sat up. Nathan stood before her in his best dress uniform, his long red
hair braided up behind his head. She was dreaming. This was how he looked the
first time she had seen him as a gangly girl of thirteen, and had fallen in
love with him.

 She smiled up at him. He held out his hand and she reached out to take it,
sure her fingers would close on empty air and signal the end of her dream. It
was a shock when his fingers closed warm and firm against her own.

 "Nathan? Oh, Nathan!" She threw herself off the bench and into his arms. He
hugged her tight against him, then put his hands on her shoulders and guided
her back down onto the bench.

 He went down on one knee before her, like a subject paying homage to his
Lord. She flushed with uncertainty and embarrassment.

 "Nathan, what are you doing?"

 "Do you love me?" He asked in a quiet voice.

 "Yes!" His question startled the answer out of her.

 He pulled a simple gold ring off of his little finger, slipped onto her
forefinger. "Then I pledge my troth to you. Even though you will marry
Malikai before all, I ask you to pledge to me, here and now."

 She stared at the ring, then at him, her throat to tight to make words. Then
she swallowed hard, pulled her favorite ring off of the other forefinger. It
had been her mother's, but she thought she would approve of her gifting. It
barely fit over Nathan's little finger as she told him,  "I pledge my troth
to you, and you alone. Even though I will have to say the words to another,
you alone will hold my heart."

 He gathered her up into his arms, whispered into her hair. "I will share you
with Malikai until you bear his son, but after that, you belong to no one but
me!" He took them into the deeper tangles and trees of the garden.

 They could hear Julian's mandolin and soft voice as he stood watch at the
garden entrance, working on the words to a song to catch the heart of the
Lady he loved.

 
 That had been the last time she had made love to Nathan. She had been
surprised that Malikai had been a gentle and considerate partner, coming to
her every night during the week she was the most fertile, but after, he would
go to Zuriel to sleep the night. Nathan stayed away from her bed, the
temptation for both of them too great and neither wanted to risk a child of
his getting. All four would wait impatiently for the end of her cycle, hoping
that her courses would not come. But until a month ago, they had.

 She had told them that it had. It had been hard to lie to Nathan, but at the
time, with all the stress and upheaval around them, she might just be late,
or if she had conceived, the child might not take. When Father sent them to
Queen Serenity's court three weeks ago, Malikai had been forced to stay with
her. Zuriel, Nathan and Julian being assigned to share a suite with Endymion,
rooms being scarce as Queen Serenity's Kingdom prepared for war. That had put
a strain on all of them.

 She sighed, pressing both hands over her flat belly in a protecting gesture.
The healer had confirmed this afternoon what she had already known, that she
did carry a child in her womb but it was too soon to tell if it was male.

 She would tell Nathan first and tonight, then Malikai and Zuriel in the
morning. Maybe it would improve Zuriel's temper. She snorted. *Zuriel will
never forgive me. He might have to tolerate me, but he will never, ever, like
me.* 

 Her brother's rich laugh and Princess Serenity's light giggle brought her
attention to the garden which stretched out beneath the balcony. She smiled
as they came running into sight, hand in hand and paused, Endymion's arm
going around Serenity's waist as they too, watched the blue and white planet
lift itself over the Moon's smaller curve.

 *At least Endymion is with his Princess.* She thought with a rueful smile.
Father approved the match, seeing in it a chance to extend his power and
standing among the Earth Kingdoms, but Queen Serenity had forbidden it. Yet
she had been unable to keep the two from secret meetings. Some of which she
had been instrumental in arranging once she had discovered that bond between
the two was true, inviting Princess Serenity and her household to visit with
her regularly and taking Endymion with her when the Princess returned the
honor. But here and now they did not need to hide, as Endymion and his
household where here in an official capacity to help with the defense of the
Moon Kingdom.

 Her father had not argued her brother's decision, seeing in it a chance for
his son to prove his worth to Queen Serenity and it also gave him an
honorable way to get his heir away from the Dark Army that was marshaling on
the Earth Kingdom's own borders.

 Nathan came up behind her, put his arms around her shoulders. She leaned
back into him. "Keeping an eye on your errant Prince?" She asked with a
little laugh.

 "It is our duty to protect him, body and spirit." Nathan answered in an
amused tone. "Seeing as Malikai and Zuriel are otherwise occupied and Julian
is off singing to that Amazon Princess he's set his sights on, the duty falls
to me."

 "I think that for a while he will be safe without your watchful eye." She
told him as she tugged gently on a long lock of his auburn hair, pulling his
head down to her. Her kiss was full of her pent-up passion. He responded,
then pulled away from her.

 "Althea, don't." There was a deep longing throb under his voice.

 "But I want too. And at the moment, I can." She smiled coyly at him.

 He frowned at her for a moment, then he figured it out. "You're pregnant?"

 She nodded, for a moment uncertain of his reaction. He hugged her against
him. "Thank all the Powers. I don't think I could have stood this much
longer. Is it male?"

 "I don't know yet. It's too soon for the healer's to tell."

 "We'll hope." He turned her towards him, leaned down and returned her kiss,
his own full of promise.

 She wiggled off the rail, took his hand. "You know, you have never shown me
your rooms here. I would like to see them."

 He led her farther down the balcony, tucked under his arm. "Is it all right?
It won't harm the babe?"

 She laughed. "No, it won't harm the babe. But we'd best make the most of the
time we have now, before I'm too far gone with child."

 "That won't be a problem." Their laughs mingled and danced away on the soft
lunar breeze.


 Zuriel leaned back against Malikai's chest, reached over and laced his
fingers into Malikai's as they rested against the headboard. "Do you care for
her?" He asked quietly.

 Malikai sighed behind him. "Yes, I care for her. How can I not? She is my
wife and will carry my child. But I don't love her, Zuriel. I love you. How
many times do I have to tell you that before you believe me?"

 This time it was Zuriel's turn to sigh. He reached over with his free hand,
took the cup he had poured earlier and offered it to Malikai over his
shoulder. *For now.* He thought as Malikai drained the cup, gave it back.
*But she's taking you from me. I see it starting already.* He looked down
into the bottom of the cup, closed his eyes as it threw back his distorted
reflection. *It was the only way.*

 Malikai shuddered slightly, put both hands to his head. Zuriel turned and
looked at him with a strange expression.

 "The room's spinning." Malikai squinted at his love, fighting the lassitude
that was taking possession of his body. *He drugged me? But why?* "Why?" He
managed to get out before he slipped into unconsciousness.

 Zuriel dressed quickly, then wrapped Malikai's limp form in a warm blanket,
gathered him up into his arms, kissed his forehead. "Because I love you." He
whispered. Then he said louder, "I am ready." They disappeared in a black
shimmer of light.

 Queen Serenity paused in mid-sentence as she spoke with her general's, a
slight frown creasing her forehead as she thought she felt something of the
Darkness nearby, but it was gone before she was certain she had really even
detected it.

 "Queen Serenity?" Artemis questioned gently.

 She shook her head a little, she must just be tired.

*************************************************