Chapter 33 - Lilas

Perhaps for the first time in my life I'm excited as I walk into the meeting hall ahead of the Council meeting. Usually I attend every meeting reluctantly but today I can't wait for this meeting to start so that I can tell them the news. It's the best news we've had in a while after all the reports of very little happening on the war front as Rhistel has yet to make a move and our army hasn't reached the border yet.

"Excited and ready for your big announcement nephew?" Uncle asks coming to walk next to me. He already knows the answer so I just turn and look at him unimpressed.

"You know the answer to that uncle."

"As your uncle I have the right to ask and to tease you about it if I so please." I shake my head knowing that there is no stopping him. I've tried. For centuries. "So when are going to tell them?"

"I'll wait until the end. We should get the serious business out of the way first before I send them into fits about the baby. If we're lucky we might be able escape in time for dinner." We both chuckle knowing that we'll be spending at least a few hours repeating the same information. Emmy is only a few months along so we don't know much at the moment. Hopefully it'll be over sooner than I've imagined because of Emmy taking over the celebration that they'll insist on so we won't have to talk too much about it.

"What are you two laughing about?" Kavarthon asks giving us a strange look as he walks past us.

"You'll find out later." Uncle replies making his over to his seat at the Council table. Kavarthon does the same with an annoyed look on his face, he's never liked being kept in the dark. We're still waiting for Raziel to arrive so we talk quietly to each other while we wait, apart from Kavarthon who sits sulking about not knowing what uncle and I were talking about.

We don't have to wait for too long before Raziel arrives. Despite living so close to the meeting hall he often manages to be late for meetings which is incredibly annoying. Especially when Lord Hess who lives the furthest from the hall manages to always be on time for every meeting. We've mentioned several times that he's free to move into the manor for the human councillor whenever he wants but so far he's maintained that both he and Lady Hess prefer to stay in their own manor.

"Now that we're all here let's start the meeting." I announce sending a stern look at Raziel, if this continues then we'll need to find a new vampire councillor. As King I have the power to dismiss any councillor who isn't performing their duties correctly and Raziel is coming very close to crossing the line. He's constantly holding up meetings which wouldn't normally be a big problem but with the war likely picking up soon we need everyone here on time.

"Well the army should now be less than a month away from the border. Provided that the weather doesn't turn against them then they should remain on track." Lord Hess states rolling a map of the area out on the table for us to look over. We've been working off this same map since they left marking off their route as to our estimates as well as their confirmed movements from reports.

"That's good news. Other regiments have already arrived and are preparing defences but they're just waiting on the arrival of the main army to man the defences properly. Have we heard anything from Nerkise?" I ask as so far we've heard very little about what's happening there. The not knowing is making me uneasy.

"Still quiet on that front. The last we heard Rhistel is still having to deal with uprisings all across the kingdom, while he's managed to overthrow the Council there he hasn't yet succeeded in establishing his order everywhere. The destruction of the Stones is causing great unrest so new rebellions keep springing up all over the kingdom. It's good for us though as it's keeping Rhistel focused on Nerkise rather than us." Kavarthon replies as he's being receiving the reports first. The dragons he'd managed to contact have been incredibly useful in relaying information back to us but Rhistel only trusts those close to him so we're relying on troop movements. In better news though the dragons have been able to help many cross the border with Stones before they were destroyed.

We move on to discussing our food supplies. The harvest is well and truly over so we have much more accurate reports on how much we have and where it is. Hunting and fishing will continue through winter and some plants can still be grown but I still want to be careful of how much we have. Hopefully we won't have to order more food from other kingdoms so long as the war doesn't drag on for too long.

"Anything else we should discuss?" Raziel asks after hours of going over reports of food, troop movements and defence plans. There's a certain note of boredom in his voice that has me all the more convinced that we're in need of different councillor. He's been in this position for a few hundred years so perhaps a change is needed.

"I think that's it for war related business. However I have some news to announce." I state standing up gaining the attention of the Council who watch me expectantly. "The Queen is pregnant." A moment of silence reigns over the room.

"Congratulations your Majesty." Lord Hess breaks the silence and begins clapping soon joined by the others. "Do you know how far along?"

"The Healer has estimated that she's a few months along and so far everything is going well." I tell them which brings a round of cheers.

"We should announce it to the city and organise a celebration." Kavarthon suggests just as I'd thought would happen, "Gods know we need some good news lately."

"The Queen is already a step ahead of you. She intends to hold a ball in the big glass house and is meeting with her ladies-in-waiting as we speak to start planning." They nod in understanding and I receive confirmation that they'll be willing to provide funds for the ball.

It takes me quite some time to finally leave the meeting hall as I'm almost constantly pulled aside by Council members offering me personal congratulations then by servants offering the same having overheard about the baby. I resist the urge to run home just to escape anymore well-wishers as I make my way back to the palace.

"Welcome back your Majesty." Tehlmar greets as I enter and start taking off my cloak, "Her Majesty has gone to visit the large glass house with her ladies. She didn't mention when she'd be back and they've been gone several hours."

"Thank you Tehlmar. I think I'll have some tea in the drawing room and then go and find her. Could have some lunch prepared for me to take with me, enough for the two of us?"

"Yes your Majesty." He bows and leaves to organise my tea and the lunch I've requested. It'll likely be a late lunch by the time I finish my tea and walk over to the garden, maybe Emmy will be back before then and we can eat here if she hasn't already. I head into the drawing room and settle down with a book waiting for my tea.

Luckily for me I hear Emmy and her ladies arrive back at the palace when I'm halfway through my cup of tea. They're still talking, likely about the ball, and I must not be only one who hears them as I hear Nuela greet them and she soon guides them into the larger dining room where she says lunch will be served for them as soon as it's ready. With quiet returning I soon finish my tea and the page of the book I've been reading so I mark my place and stand to go and join the ladies for lunch.

"Hello my love, ladies." I greet entering the dining room, "May I join you for lunch?" This dining room isn't one that we use often and we haven't used it at all since getting here a few months ago. It makes it easy to forget how large and magnificent it is.

"Of course my love." Emmy says as I lean down and kiss her briefly. In an instant a seat next to her opens up as her ladies move down a seat just so that I can sit next to her, grateful I sit down helping myself to some of the food laid out on the table.

"Have you had a good day?" I ask Emmy aware that her ladies are making conversation amongst themselves giving us at least the semblance of privacy.

"Very productive. I showed them the garden and we've already determined the flower arrangements, provided we can get them of course, and we managed to figure out where everything is going."

"I'm sure you'll get the flowers you want my love. In some more good news the Council have said that they'll pay for the ball, just as I thought they suggested a celebration after I told them. It's a good thing that you've got a head start on planning it, Kavarthon was the first to bring up a celebration and if he'd ended up planning something it would have been a disaster. Over the top and not mention that the only food he'd think of serving would be meat."

"That is good news. We were going to start planning the guest list when we meet tomorrow so that we can get an estimate as to how much food we might need to prepare. Do you think that the Council will want to look over the list?"

"Most likely, if you send a copy over when you're done I'm sure that we'll look it over. Chances are one of them will have something to say." I tell her already imagining them arguing over who should be invited. The last time I've been around the Council planning a ball the arrangement of the guest list devolved into a full-blown shouting match, each Council member wanting more guests from their race even though we couldn't invite everyone that they wanted to.

"Your Majesties, we should take our leave now." Lady Hess says leading the rest of the ladies, who seem to have reached an agreement to depart, to stand. "Should we meet again tomorrow morning?"

"Yes, if you're all available." Emmy replies smiling gently at the assembled group who nod signalling their agreement.

"I'll send some enquiries out this afternoon about the flowers, your Majesty. Hopefully I'll have some responses by tomorrow." Lady Zenobia tells her not surprising as she and her mate have many connections with merchants in the city. If anyone can get the flowers that Emmy wants it's her.

"Thank you Zenobia. Thank you all for everything today." With a chorus of 'your Majesties' and curtsies the ladies leave the two of us alone. We make quick work of finishing lunch although the kitchens seem to have overdone it on the food as there is still plenty leftover. The servants will have first pick over what's left then the rest will be divided up and sent to different orphanages in the city.

Emmy and I spend the rest of the day quietly together reading and even some time working on her handwriting. It's getting much better and with just a bit more practice she should be able to start writing letters for Kor and Bel on her own, at the moment her writing is still difficult to read. We eat dinner in our normal smaller dining room and I find myself missing having more people around, even before Emmy there were three of us eating together. Kor may not talk too much but Bel more than makes up for it, and then some.

Our evening is spent much the same as the afternoon, together in the drawing room. Emmy works on some embroidery while I was reading but for some reason she won't let me see it, apparently I can't look at it until she's finished it. She's gotten very good at embroidery so I wonder if what she's working on is a present for one of us.

Eventually we head upstairs to get ready for bed. We've become used to sleeping without Kor and Bel although we still miss having them here with us. Wanting to be alone we send Talindra away for the night and I help Emmy out of her dress instead, Gods the laces are complicated. Before Emmy I'd never paid much attention to what ladies wear other than knowing if a dress was nice so figuring out how to unlace Emmy's dresses has been difficult.

There are advantages to helping Emmy get changed for the night though. Such as being close enough to lean down and press kisses to the back of her neck making her shiver slightly and release a short moan. Managing to unlace the dress enough to bare her back I gently run my fingers up and down her spine as I continue kissing her neck, I've found that she's very sensitive here.

"Lilas please." She whimpers trying to turn around to face me but I hold onto her hips preventing her from moving. I'm having too much fun listening to the noises she makes as I gently kiss her neck soon finding an especially sensitive spot that I pay more attention to, likely leaving a mark behind.

I'm achingly hard by the time I slide my hands up her back to her shoulders and push her dress off letting it fall to the fall leaving Emmy in just her underclothes. Those soon join her dress on the floor though as I final let her turn around, pulling her close and into a deep kiss. My hands find my way into her hair as I kiss her while she wraps her arms around my neck and lets me lead the kiss.

"Ready for bed?" I ask breaking the kiss even though she follows after me trying to continue. I started this but if Emmy says that she doesn't want to go any further than this then I'll stop now.

"Yes. I need you." She whispers raising her own hands start undoing my robe. Chuckling as she struggles I help undo the ties grateful that there are less ties on my robes than her dresses as it doesn't take long to undo them all. Clad in only my underclothes I meet Emmy for another kiss lifting her up she wraps her legs around my waist as I walk us over to the bed.

Lying her down on the bed I stand up just enough to look at her. She makes a beautiful image lying there naked and flushed watching me with want. Smiling I join her on the bed lying down next her and resuming our kiss keeping slow and gentle, taking my time since we have all night.

Moving a hand down between Emmy's legs I'm not surprised to find her wet already but I gently slide a finger inside anyway to make sure that she's ready. Not breaking our kiss I add a second finger slowly working them in and out as I revel in hearing Emmy's reactions. She pulls away from the kiss on her own unable to keep her moans and whimpers quiet anymore, they only increase as turn my attention back to her neck.

"Lilas. Lilas, please. I need you. Inside me." She moans out tilting her head giving me more access to her neck while spreading her legs wider making it clear my fingers aren't enough anymore. Cock aching I rush to strip off my underclothes and return to Emmy, taking my place between her legs. I hold my cock steady with one hand teasing her entrance briefly with the tip before, finally, gently pushing inside her.

"Gods." I groan loving the feeling of being inside her. Holding still for a while I let us both adjust to the feeling before starting to move, slow and gentle. Leaning down I draw her into a kiss again and moving a hand to one of her breasts toying lightly with the nipple, making her moan into the kiss.

Before long I can tell Emmy is getting close to edge so I release her breast in favour of gently stroking her clit. The added pleasure sends her over the edge with a loud moan and the feel of her tightening around me quickly sends me to join her. Pulling out I roll off the top of her to lie next to Emmy and hold her close as we recover and get our breath back. Once I stop panting I gently extract myself from Emmy, not surprised at all that she's asleep already, and go to the bathroom to grab a wash cloth to clean her up. With that done I re-join Emmy whose quick to cuddle close to me and drift off to sleep myself.