Decisions Decisions

Wrath's eyes shoot open in alertness at the feeling of the bed shifting slightly. He looked up in time to spot Syrins naked form retreating into the washroom, the normal sway to her hips ever-present. Upon waking he often found himself forgetting that he was now wed, and Lord to the most feared clan that Xendrada has ever produced. Still exhausted from their actions the night before, he closed his eyes momentarily and took the only time he had left to rest a bit more before his day was to begin.

"As much as I would love to lay with you, we have responsibilities we must attend to." Syrin's majestic giggles caressed his ears with their lovely tune as she reappeared an hour and a half later.

"Responsibilities I did not desire nor intend to take so quickly," He groaned out, his coral blue eyes still tightly shut, willing the day to end faster. "Why the veil could not take me instead I will never understand."

"Because The great Xrion has honorable plans for you," Syrin's voice filled with the appreciation and care she felt towards her new husband. Wrath could not help the smile that stretched his lips, matching her own, as she straddled his lap. Grazing his thumbs over her hips as he rested his hands on either side he marveled at how soft he skin felt underneath his hands. No matter how much he saw her it was still shocking how beautiful of a woman she was. The gentle smile on Wrath's face soon turned into a playful one, one that Syrin quickly learned meant trouble when it appeared on his face. Without saying a word he yanked his wife forward, her hands flying out to rest on either side of his head to stop herself from falling face-first into him.

"There are other things I would prefer to do with my time." Wrath whispered as he gazed into the eyes of his beloved. Both of them trapped in the deepness of each other's eyes.

"You have the libido of a horned rabbit, do you ever stop?" Syrins body shook slightly with laughter, making his smile grow wider with her mirth.

"I will stop when I can no longer move." Wrath replied teasingly before flipping them, his muscular body flexing as he leans forward, placing a kiss on her sweet beckoning lips. "And when you can no longer walk."

"Is that all I am to you?" She inquired with a fake pout, her white eyes sparkling with mischief.

"How else would I assume to produce an heir?" He questioned her, his head tilting in mock thought.

Syrin let out a small laugh and pushed him off of her, not that her halfhearted effort had much effect. Yet his consort spoke no lies and he removed himself from her person with a dissatisfied grumble.

"You must rise now my love, it is time to face the morn." Syrin walked over to the windows and opened up the curtains, causing the light of Xal to illuminate the previously dark room.

"Alright, I am getting up." He let out a long sigh as he got out of their bed. "After all, it is about time we came up with a plan for the battles ahead."

"While you do that I shall be enriching the expanding minds of the youngest mask in the art of battle." Syrin beamed with pride as her training gear materialized onto her form.

"You do not have to worry yourself with this my love, you are now the Lady of the clans'." Wrath wrapped his arms around her from behind resting his chin on her head. "I can have someone else take up the task."

"Training them is no bother to me," She stated, leaning into his embrace and closing her eyes. In such a short time of their being married, she began to find comfort in their solitude. "Being the next generation of Mask, the young are just as valuable to the clans' survival as I am, and must be treated as such."

"Very well, as you wish, I will meet you back here at the day's end," He placed a kiss on the top of her head, lingering there for a moment before venturing to the baths. "I must get ready for the long day."

"I will head out now, my Lord." Syrin replied as she shook the queasy feeling that she was getting in the pit of her stomach and headed out the door, "I wish you a good day."

"What have I told you about calling me such?" He called from his spot where he was soaking in the bath. Wrath felt the slight pressure of someone seeking to push through the mental barriers eternally protecting his mind to communicate with him. Knowing exactly who the assailant was he reopened his mind just enough for that person alone to get through.

"Brother I have arrived," Gabriella informed the lord.

"Excellent, you must find a way to eradicate this budding rebellion before it becomes dire." Wrath ordered his only sister. "Can I trust you with such a task little Ember?"

"You can leave it to me, brother," She declared with confidence. "They have messed with the wrong Kingdom."

***

Gabriella strode down the long halls of her castle with a purpose. She was determined to put an end to the uprising. Herra, her beloved, and Hezra, her love's twin sister took up both sides of her.

Gabriella had met the twin sisters at the young age of fifteen when they, and several other members of their clan, had ripped her from these very walls. Spiriting her away in the middle of the night under the orders of the Fang Brotherhood. They had kidnapped the young Princess and the next in line for the throne with the intent of using her to take the Kingdom for their own. Little did they know that they had captured someone much more valuable than they could have ever known.

Her mother, the former Princess and ruler of the land, fell in love and got married which brought about the birth of her three kids. However, Alfrard was the Lord of The Thousand, the most feared Blessed in all of Xendrada. Their love for each other had to be kept secret for it would have put an even bigger target on her back. When the Princess fell pregnant with her firstborn shortly after Alfrard's father passed and he ascended the throne, she had been taken into hiding for six months until little Wrath was born. At the time they needed an heir for The Thousand Clans' and that was of far more importance to them. Seeing as the clans The Thousand knew of the Lord's binding to a maiden, they were expecting one soon, or he would have not been seen as fit to lead. They left Wrath out of the light of the mortal nobles, their true ruler that would never take the throne of Embers. Seeing how little he thought of them they should probably thank the Gods that it turned out that way.

The former Princess of Embers needed someone to take the throne for the Embers region so when she once again fell pregnant she had Gabriella for all to see, resulting in her being known as the bastard child and being forced to prove she belonged in the role she was born to do. It did not take long for the Princess to prove her worth, unbeknownst to the royals, she was training under the watchful eyes of the Mask. She dominated all that the nobles threw her way in knowledge, elegance, grace and kindness. Though the nobles still detested the sight of the bastard child, the people of the Kingdom itself sang praises of her name.

Herra and Hezra opened up the Princesses office doors for her to walk through, pleased to see that everyone she requested to be there was sitting around the table patiently waiting for her, she took her seat at the head.

"Let us proceed to the matters at hand." Is the first thing out of the princess's mouth the second she sat down.

Gabriella could not be bothered to greet those around her, their dislike for her almost as strong as the hatred she felt herself. If it were not for the fact that they were needed for the Kingdom to run smoothly the uptight pricks would have been killed off long ago.

"Yes, let us," Ginger, the second eldest of the bunch, speaks first. Seeing her always made Gabriella's skin crawl. The way they aged always disgusted her.

She was a small thing, with wrinkles everywhere and wispy grey hair. You would think with how fragile the mortals become as they age they would be friendlier to those around them. But the opposite was true, little did the crone know how easily the very woman she was staring down could kill her with the slightest twitch of her finger. If she did… Gabriella doubted she would be as brazen as she dared be. The princess narrowed her eyes as she focused her gaze on the mortal, the smell of death practically pouring out of her veins. She did not have much longer to live.

"The spy that we placed in the Red Kings domain returns with word of doom." She continues with the two of them locked in a staring match. "Your informant was right, he is planning to eradicate the other Kingdoms so that he could be the one and only ruler of Xendrada."

Gabriella nodded her head, she already knew that to be true, but she had to prove it to them. Especially if she was to do anything about it as the Princess of Embers and not a Princess of Wrath. As much as they did not like her, they were not foolish enough to believe that if the Red King took over the Kingdom that they would still hold high positions in the court. That is if they were even allowed to live within the new Empire that would be founded.

"We alerted the other Kingdoms to his machinations," The snooty voice of Boris cut in, he was the youngest of the noblemen having taken over after his father had fallen ill. Despite his ghastly appearance, young maidens flocked to him like a Voldy on a fresh carcass, courtesy of the mountains of coins he was born into. Giving him the false pretense that he was the most attractive specimen in all of the Ember Kingdom, enough for him to even try his luck on the princess a time or three, much to her frustration. "The Kingdoms of Varania and Epis both promised aid immediately but getting the Crystal Empire to agree came with another condition."

Collectively smiles blossomed across their faces, she knew that smile and she had a feeling that she was not going to enjoy what came next.

"What did they want?" She queries, feeling a headache coming.

"Why you, of course, they want to merge the Kingdoms as one ." Silvia chuckles, unable to contain her glee. "After all, your late Queen mother promised you to the heir, only then will they agree."

"Absolutely not, no." She slams her fist on the table, the wood shaking at the impact as she stands up. "I will not sell myself to them for aid, we will find another way."

"That is the only way they will agree, Princess." She says, spitting out her title like venom on her tongue. "Would you truly pass over such an opportunity to help your people?"

"A promise made before my time, there must be another way to secure their support," She spoke, her teeth grinding at the thought of wedding a mortal. "Or otherwise another Kingdom to ally with, if necessary."

"But will you find it in time and one to match the forces of the Crystal Empire?" Chidi says, raising his brow in mockery. "What type of Princess would that make you, to put your happiness above the safety of your people."

"Not to mention the disturbing news of Renmaz supposedly reappearing," Ginger noted with a raised finger, the bony digit wavering. "Two enemies at our doors, to refuse the Crystal Empire now is to invite retaliation for the insult, wars have been started for less…"

Gabriella slowly sinks back down into her chair, if she refused to do this they would use it against her and call her an unfit ruler.

They would use it to make her vassals rebel against her so that one of them could take the throne, likely one of her distant cousins. She could ask her brother for help but he would not step into the affairs of another Kingdom for little reason. To the Masks, most mortal Empires were fleeting things of little import, they rose and fell every day for many reasons. Useful only for the resources they could barter from them or otherwise take via force. Furthermore, he would think having another land under his belt through her would work out in his favor. She held back a sigh, oh yes, her brother would likely have approved of this development.

"We would understand if you did not wish to do it…" Boris' grin was all teeth and snark. "A young and naive woman like you must dream about true love and happy endings."

She gazed at them one by one, her blood boiling as they did not even try to hide the smug looks on their faces. She was screwed either way, she realized. If she agreed she would be forced to marry and bear the child of some noble brat she does not even know and if she said no she would be dethroned and kicked out on her arse.

To be quite honest she cared not of her place as Princess but did this for her mother. The late Queen cared for the people of the Kingdom and did not want to see it brought to ruin by the greediness of the nobles. She made Gabriella promise should anything happen, she would keep her people safe no matter the cost.

"Whatever will you decide?"