Marco under the looking glass

The next day early morning king Marco came to visit. He wanted to see how is Sienna doing. He felt a bit guilty for all the bruises he made her. Marco wanted to bring Sienna a present, so he brought her a roll of shiny silver mermaid silk.

Marco came with 20 eagle warriors. They brought Nefari and a few other merfolks over because she made a deal with Sarcos to start having her concert's in all major cities. Her first one will be held in the big arena in Sand City.

Marco dropped Nefari at the house Sarcos arranged for her. Nefari did not want to stay in the castle. She wanted to be independent and asked the Scorpion King to have a separate house. She also heard about Sienna getting sick from Marco, and she did not want to catch a cold. "Well, a cold is a disaster for any singer, so even if Sienna knew, she would be not really upset anyway." Thought Sarcos. He kept Nefari's arrival a secret. He wanted to surprise Sienna.

The eagle warriors stay in the city and King Marco went to the castle. He wanted to see Sarcos first. Sarcos gave the strong eagle his hand."Welcome, king Marco. Let's talk a bit in private."Sarcos took Marco to his laboratories to talk to him. He sat with him in his cushion seating area near at the low table. Marco looked curiously. Sarcos's table was full of weirdly looking experimental stuff and old books.

Sarcos gave Marco a piece of raw clay. "Press it strongly,", he said to him."Marco stared at his face.

"It is not poison," he chuckled a bit as he saw Marco's gaze with a question plastered on his face. I see my crystals made an impression on you." he smiled.

Marco nodded and pressed the clay hard.

"Open your hand now," Sarcos ordered.

Marco stared at the clay surprised. The clay was baked!

Sarcos smiled cheekily and took the clay from his hand. He broke the clay in half. It was baked thru.

Marco looked at Sarcos with another question on his face.

"Well, I think you might be half-dragon, " Sarcos said seriously." What do you know about your parents? "Asked Sarcos Marco.

Marco shook his head." I remember I visited king Aiden's father and play fights with young king Aiden often, then I was in the late Eagle King army camp. "he said."I do not remember more."He said honestly.

"It is simple, "Sarcos noted "Someone wiped out your early memories together with hiding your dragon half. Probably king Aiden will know more," said Sarcos. "But I'm not on the good terms with him lately, so you will have to go ask him yourself."Sarcos looked at Marco." I will find out much as I can." said Sarcos.

"I do not really care about that. Sienna is my family now."Marco said coldly."I'm not giving her up even if you try to make chimera from me."

Sarcos looked at him seriously."I will not force you to give her up, even if you are chimera. You can still change into a proper eagle, so nobody else needs to know, it stays between us. But you are turning wild and I need to find out more for Sienna's sake."Sarcos noted.

Marco nodded."I will go to king Aiden."

Sarcos nodded."Go see Sienna before you leave, you came here to visit her after all. I'm sure she will like your gift."

Marco nodded. "King Sarcos is alright."He thought but somehow he felt, Sarcos always have to be the boss.

Marco went to see Sienna in her room late morning. She was drawing. He knocked on the door quietly."Come in, "Sienna called in a melodic voice. She was thinking it was Sarcos. She stared at the handsome cold eagle in surprise. "Marco, welcome, "she beamed happily. She came to kiss his cheek, but she kept her hands away from him. Marco saw they are covered in splodges of paint. Marco looked her up and down. She was pale but looked fine.

"Are you better now?" He asked sternly. Sienna nodded."I was painting."She pointed at the canvas and took a towel to wipe off her messy hands.

Marco looked at the canvas. It was a picture of a beautiful horse in the gardens."It is pretty, but what is it for?"

" Her name is Sunshine, she is my horse from Sarcos. This picture is for my room and some for others I'm making for Sarcos's castle, he wants to have my painting everywhere." she pointed at dozen paintings in making stacked neatly along the walls.

Marco nodded."Make some for me too..please..."He said coldly."Something heroic, to keep the appearances, for the Throne Room." he said.

"I will."Sienna got an idea, she will paint how they killed Kraken. She had never seen something more heroically looking than that!

Marco circled Sienna's waist and sat with her on her bed. "I missed you, my queen," he kissed her cheek and held her head on his chest for a moment."I'm sorry to make you sick."

Sienna listened to his loudly thumping heart. His body was hot."I don't think it was you."Sienna shook her head." I think is just colder months are coming and it was too much going on with me lately but Sarcos's medicines made me better." she smiled.

"Just listen to him well."Marco nodded.

Sienna giggled."I will."She stared at Marco's cold face. Her heart was always so moved by him. She felt he loved her a lot.

"I need to go," said Marco, "But will come again soon to see you." he stood up.

Sienna hugged him."Goodbye my king in shining armour," she kissed his lips softly. Marco looked at her in a daze. "See you soon my queen." he left fast as the stern soldier he was. He felt his body on fire. He changed to an eagle and fly out of the castle gates in the hurry. Sienna saw him rise up to the sky thru her window." My cold eagle." she sighed.

That evening Sarcos have dinner on the terrace with Sienna again.

"How do you like king Marco, " he asked her nonchalantly.

"I do love him," Sienna nodded her head and smiled.

"Is he not too cold to you?" Sarcos asked her.

"Well, he is cold by personality, he is not doing it on purpose. I'm sure he loves me dearly, and he will give up his life for me too."Sienna nodded.

Sarcos nodded his head."Does he treat you well?"

Sienna nodded."Best as he could."

Sarco looked at her with a question on his face. His sparkly dark eyes pierced into her blue ones hardly.

"He tries to be polite, but sometimes is stern and rough, but he is still quite pleasant."Sienna blushed.

Sarcos still stared.

"That marks if that is what are you asking about, I did enjoy it quite a bit." her face was red as a pepper."

Sarcos nodded."So you liked it?"

"Yes."Sienna bit her lips. She was boiling inside. Her cheeks were on fire.

"If ever anybody mistreats you, you need to tell me before I will find out!"Sarcos noted.

Sienna swallowed hard." I do not like to hold grudges," she said.

Sarcos nodded, the scorpion in his eyes lit up and Sienna's heart stopped for a moment.

"As you say, my love. But really Marco was good to me," she whispered.

Sarcos nodded slowly. He liked her cute reactions. He could tell, she was worried about that eagle.

"So how do you feel tonight?" he looked at her a bit hungrily.

"So much better."She nodded," But I'm still a bit sick."

Sacos nodded."I let you rest then."

"Well, you can come to cuddle me at night. I miss you."Sienna blushed.

Sarcos nodded."I will."He was so satisfied she asked for him!

Sienna smiled sweetly. Sarcos made her heart flutter.

That night Sienna slept next to Sarcos. She hugged him and stay closer to his warm body. Sarcos did not sleep much. The scorpion was flaming in his eyes and wanted to mate. In the early still night like morning, Sarcos just went out hunting to cool off.

He rushed to be back at sunrise till Sienna woke up. He lay back in the bed next to her as if nothing happened. Sienna cuddled up to him in her sleep. Sarcos felt his heart beat loudly. He chuckled in his mind. "I'm acting as a loved-up teenager. What fun." He really liked his life right now.

Meanwhile, Tyrell ran thru the dark forest. He was almost at the wetlands. The soil under his feet was moist and wet, he could smell the stench. "I will reach the crocodile tribe soon, "he thought.

The mage Crodius was resting in his stony underground temple. He was counting his gold again. The female-selling business he got was not so prosperous lately as Ape warriors did not come as often as before and the crocodile tribe was getting a bad reputation for sacrificing females, so all tribes were killing his warriors on sight.

Crodius was a hustler. He entertained a steamy sacrificial ritual to fool his tribe and kept selling the females steadily. The only thing he had to do was to colour their hair blue with his special mixture and sell them as mermaids to Ape warriors who always came at night to his special hiding place. "I need a new idea." he sighed."I want to be richer, more powerful and more famous. I want to become myself!"