XXX-VI
Keres and Larius went to the lake near a big tree in the middle of Linnamenie and sit there for a good ten minutes before Larius speaks. "You didn't have to do that, Your Highness," Larius said, laying his head on Keres' chest as he looks at the glistening lake, as the sun reflects unto the water making it sparkle. Keres sighs and kisses Larius's forehead as he draws his hand over his hair and gently combs it.
"I did it, so I can prove to my father that you are not a traitor and he is wrong about you," Keres softly said as he looks at the lake and wishes that everything could just be easy when it comes to his father. "Larius," Keres calls out softly to the Angel God, making him look at those deep crimson eyes that shine throughout the horizon.
"Yes, Your Highness?" Larius responds, with fondness in his voice and softness in his dark orange eyes. Keres hesitates for a minute before looking at the beautiful Angel God in front of him. The young prince clears his throat and stands up in front of Larius. The elder tilts his head to the side and watches the young prince bending down on one knee.
Keres takes a deep breath and says, "Lirian Arne Indra Uru Samoene, Angel Gods of the North." Larius felt shivers up to his spine and made him realize what is happening in front of him. He looks at the prince's eyes to see the humor but he found none. His heartbeat speeds up and his body feels a few jitters. He inhales and waits for the next words that the prince would say.
"Will you be my mate?"
Larius freezes. He'd always know that Sluaghs never asks anyone to be their mate. They will just mate the creature and let them have their kids before killing them after the child was born. But for a prince like Keres, he never had knowledge if Sluagh Prince or King would ask permission to have their mate.
He just stands there unknown what to say. But then he remembers that this is Keres and he knows that the prince would not hurt him at any cost. He takes a deep breath and smiles at the young prince, who is waiting for his answer. He looks at him, lovingly and said,
"Yes."
Keres smiles at him, so bright, that the sun had lost one of its rays. Keres stands up and hugs the Angel God, not too tight because he is scared of breaking him again. He snuggles in the Angel God's neck and bites him there. Larius, who is not prepared for what's yet to come, gasps when Keres suddenly lifts him up to the air and carries him deeper into the forest.
Sartilliane, who witnessed everything, smiles to herself and whispers, "It did happen." She sighs and walks back to the village where everyone is preparing for the war when she suddenly saw Alviary going somewhere. She was about to follow him when Salthifer pulls her back and shakes his head. Confused about what is happening, she nods back at tried to lift the tingling feelings of nervousness off of her shoulders and continues to prepare for the war. She looks at Alviary's direction again before shrugging it off.
x-x-x-x
Deep in the forest is a small hut where only two of them could fit in. The view is magnificent and the hut is cozy enough for the two. Larius feels something is different about Keres and he can't stop looking at the young prince with lust in his eyes. He knows that he needs to shake the feeling off before something could happen. He sits down on the bed and looks at the muscular prince who undergoes training as his father prepares for the war.
The scars and the bruises are making his arms more delicious in Larius' eyes. Larius felt hotness in his body that he tries to get rid of but the iciness he tries to covers his whole body. The hotness is different but he feels excited about something. Keres looks over him and sees that he is vigorously wiping off his sweat using the bedsheet. He chuckles and left whatever he is doing and went to Larius.
"Are you okay?" Keres asks. The latter speaks in his normal tone, deep and young, like a freshly picked apple on a hot sunny day in the desert. Larius gulps because he thinks that he is seeing things and the young prince's voice sounds different in his ears. His voice is more seductive and sexy and he feels like melting every single time he speaks.
"Larius," the prince calls out his name. As if out of instinct, Larius instantly removes his clothes in front of Keres and jumps onto the bed, spreading his legs apart and presenting himself to his mate. He spreads his legs far apart, welcoming the giant man to his domain as if telling him that he is ready to be mated. Keres gulps as he looks at the enchanting angel in front of him. He did not know the massive effect of courtship on an angel-like Larius but he is loving it.
Keres moves forward and enters Larius' domain. Larius spreads his legs more, making himself comfortable as his back in against the bed rest, and looks at the young prince with lust. Keres licks his lips and starts to lean forward as their lips brush. Larius, being impatient, snakes his arms around his neck and pulls the young prince closer, deepening the kiss.
Larius moans in between kisses as the young prince ravish him and marks every nooks and cranny. Keres then stops and looks at the eyes of the angel he loves. "Are you ready?" he asks gently, smothering him with kisses as he trails his kisses down to Larius' abdomen. The elder nods and Keres draw his hand and reveal his claws. Larius takes a deep breath as he felt the burning sensation of the ritual.
Keres carefully draws his mark on Larius' abdomen; a sign that he is Larius' and Larius is his. Such a mark can be felt by other Sluaghs and angels alike. As a result of the mating, Sartilliane and Salthifer felt that their powers had been restored and the others felt that it becomes more powerful. But it has a different effect on the Sluaghs, their powers weakened and some are unable to fight for the war. Agus did not feel the sudden change in his troops, so the war proceeds as planned.
The mating is complete. Now, Keres and Larius could live happily without King Agus trying to kill any of them.
x-x-x-x
Morning came over the island and everyone is getting ready to sail again towards the far eastern coast of Linnamenie in hopes of garnering more help from the merfairies and merpiranhas. Salthifer calls Belevathan over to talk to the merpeople since they only listen to the Endulity Goddess. Belevathan presents herself with a deep scowl on her face as she despises the merpeople.
She never had a really good relationship with them. They only knew her when courting didn't go so well or when they just need something to lure the mortal men to enter their awful and disgusting lair. In all honesty, they were supposed to call Sartilliane and not her since it was all about being broken and abused, which is Sartilliane's specialty. But because they were so scared of the living God chopping their heads off when she got pissed, they turn to Belevathan for help.
The youngest living God just sighs and agrees to go to Crystal Coast, where the merpeople are. They sail across the sixth and seventh mountains again before reaching the fifth mountain, which is now on the surface per request of Queen Meryanha. Delfin, the Merfairy Queen, can lift or sink the island when it was either under attack or in her own will.
They were welcomed by the Merfairy Queen with glee in her voice and a childish tone. She even hugs Alviary, unbeknownst to her understanding of living gods, she never met one and she was so excited to meet him. Salthifer and Sartilliane were unrecognizable in their mortal outfits, requested by Zarzagoa, to prevent the merpeople from asking for help instead of them asking for one.
Delfin led them inside her castle and ravish them with food and snacks. "It has been years since someone visited the island!" she exclaims with softness in her tones. Meryanha chuckles lightly like a true Queen she is and smiles at the youngest Queen in all the mountains. "Well, thank you for the warm welcome from you and your people," Meryanha said as she flashes Delfin her most innocent smile. Delfin was overjoyed by her visitors that she forgot to ask them why they are there.
When she remembers, Salthifer is already asking her about it. "Your Royal Highness," he greets with pureness in his voice, knowing that merpeople can distinguish a liar from someone who is speaking with the truth, based only on the tones of their voice. Delfin looks at him with a smile and a judging look as she waits for the next thing that Salthifer will ask. "We would like you to join our forces against the Sluagh," Salthifer said, his voice exudes with unbearable confidence, hiding all of his nervousness under those menacing eyes coming from the Merfairy Queen.
Delfin sighs as she asks for a luxury offer or they will not join their forces. Salthifer thinks of something but he can't think of anything. Until he realizes what the Queen wants and offers it to her. "One single Angel God," Salthifer said, making all the Angel Gods present looks confusedly at him as if asking him if he is joking.
Delfin squints her eyes and taps her finger on her chin. "Which Angel God?" she asks her tone is a little bit flirty and was trying to be seductive as she looks at all the male Angel Gods with hungry and lustful eyes. Gab gulps and the others look at him since they knew that he is the most powerful Angel Gods of all. Salthifer chuckles and looks at her, and with confidence in his voice, he declares his name.
"Eldridge Luellen."