She looked at her brother with the warmest smile he had ever seen. She seemed, almost ethereal. He never saw her looking more beautiful.

"It is impossible to put into words." she said, softly. Gently, she rubbed her swollen belly where her kittens had settled back down and smiled again. "I can feel when they are awake and when they fall asleep. I can feel when they are anxious and when they are calm. I know what foods they like and which ones they do not. I can feel each one of their little hearts beating and can hear the sound of their giggles."

"You can HEAR that?!" Artemis exclaimed.

She smiled and nodded her head. "I know it sounds crazy, but I swear I can hear the sound of their laughter."

Artemis stared at his sister for a moment. He had never seen her more beautiful. There was almost an ethereal air around her. It was as if she were glowing.

One day, Artemis was sulking near the outdoor bath where his sister was enjoying a soak. She heard the grumbling of her sibling and called out to him. Hearing the princess beckoning him, the young prince met her and joined her in the bath.

"I do not understand her." he complained. "Why did Father think her a good fit for me? She's stubborn, and argumentive, and she is always right and--"

"In other words, she's just like you." Ajua said, grinning at her sibling.

Artemis glared at her, failing to see the humor in her comment, which made her brother's torment even more amusing. Ajua laughed, heartily, stirring the kittens that were growing inside her belly.

"Ah!" she gasped, pressing her hand to her middle.

"Ajua!" Artemis exclaimed.

She waved him into silence and smiled. "My babies don't like to be jostled like that. I'm not allowed to laugh, only lightly giggle." she explained, smiling brightly.

He looked at his sister for a moment, an unusual emotion etched across his face as he asked, "What does it feel like... being pregnant, I mean?"

Despite their disagreements, there was something that both Artemis and Avalon could agree on; Ajua. The princess was well liked and loved by both the prince and his wife. Ajua was a source of council to the newly married couple and tried to get them to see eye to eye. But, their love for one another, simply would not blossom.

A love that did bloom, however, was a budding romance between Ajua and a young man named, Sek. The two quickly fell in love and were married shortly after. The entire kingdom rejoiced at the princess' newfound love and celebrated, once more, when she announced that she was pregnant. She and her husband were excited and eagerly anticipated the arrival of their precious little ones.

It was hoped that Ajua's successfully endearing relationship would spark a fire in Artemis and Avalon, but it simply was not so. The two stayed staunchly opposed to one another. Hope for the two to reconcile their marriage, began to look bleaker and bleaker. Those close to the two, began to feel that there was no hope for them to ever be happily married and have a happily ever after.

And so, time went on. Days turned into weeks and weeks turned into months, but the relationship between the young prince and his princess went virtually unchanged, if not, a little worse. As it turned out, both Artemis and Avalon had strong personalities, but in different ways. Artemis was confident, as well as a little arrogant. Avalon was determined and perhaps a bit stubborn. The two butted heads more than once, with Avalon usually coming out the victor of their little rows.

Things became particularly difficult when Avalon came into estrus. Artemis had been around his mother and sister, but being related by blood, he doesn't have a reaction to either of them. When female palace servants came into season, they are excused from work and encouraged to stay home, so he is not exposed to them, either. Of course, home for Avalon was the palace, so her nearness to her husband was unavoidable...and extremely frustrating...for both of them.

This is the norm for females, in general. Their enhanced, perfumed scent is terribly distracting to unrelated males for an assortment of reasons, not the least of which being unwanted physical arousal. It's not their fault, of course, as the reaction is chemical, similarly to how a person salavates when they are in the vicinity of the aroma of something savory. It is not intentional, and it is not something that they can control any more than females can control when they come into estrus.

An estrus cycle occurs every 3 months for approximately 3 days. There is no "season" for queens to come into heat and every girl/woman's cycle is different. In other words, it is possible for at least one female to be in estrus every day of every year. To keep a town, or a palace from dissenting into pandemonium, girls/women are encouraged to stay home...for everyone's benefit.

Now it was Artemis that was unable to suppress his discontent through groaning. Kosuda couldn't help but to feel sorry for his son. He could only guess how difficult this was for him. Fortunately, he and Athena fell in love BEFORE the wedding, so this waiting in desperation was not a suffering that he had to endure. He carried his bride over the threshold that very night and was as eager as she was to do so. The bed that was once hers, became theirs and bodies that once belonged to one, were now shared. She was his and he was hers, that night and forever and always.

Sympathetically, he patted the younger tom's shoulder and continued their talk. They continued to discuss the amorous adventures that awaited the newlyweds and timeline of anticipation. Avalon would not be joining him tonight, tomorrow and not for quite some time, but length of her vacancy was also influenced by him. He needed to get to know her and she needed to acquaint herself with him. She needed to trust him, to feel safe with him, to feel valued by him, and most importantly, to feel loved by the man she surrendered the rest of her life, to. This was a delicate matter and could therefore not be rushed.

Avalon had been forced to abandon her family and move into the home of a man she did not love. In essence, she had been taken prisoner and sentenced to pay the price for a crime she did not commit. Her trust and affinity were not things that would be given away so easily. To win her confidence, Artemis was going to have to court her. Artemis was going to have to make her love him. But, if he was to have any hope undertaking such a feat, there was something he was going to need to do. Artemis was going to have to fall in love...with his wife.

"Is it even okay to undress, completely? Should she keep some sort of gown on? Will it offend her that I to want to see her with nothing on? Will it offend her to see me with nothing on? Should I wear a robe?"

"Artemis?"

"I really want to see all of her, but will she want to see me? And if can only share a bed with her to procreate, does that mean we can only do it when she is in estrus? Can't we--" he babbled, but fell silent when his father placed his hand on his dark head.

"Son," he said, calmly, "you are panicking. Calm down, take a deep breath and let's start again."

Obediently, Artemis complied with his much wiser father and took a deep breath...then another, and another. When he had sufficiently restored his composure, he looked at the emperor with anticipating eyes.

"Better." Kosuda said, approvingly, patting the young prince's head, ruffling his black hair. "Now, as to your sleeping arrangements, you will continue to reside in your bedroom and she will be given one of her own. Since neither of you chose one another, additionally forcing to occupy a shared space devoid of any measure of privacy, would be cruel.

"She is living in a new place, grand and imposing. The palace is not at all what she is used to. She is from the country and is used to living a much simpler way of life. The opulence of a literal castle on a hill, is the farthest thing from an ostrich ranch in the countryside. She will need to get accommodated and that will take time and patience. You cannot rush this sort of thing.

"Knowing, or rather, seeing the girl that she is, it's unlikely that she will choose to sleep at your side, let alone allow you to have her, sexually. That level of intimacy will have to come, later."

"Well," Artemis began, "I know how it's done...I think..."

"You think, or you know?"

"I...think..." Artemis answered, shyly.

Kosuda couldn't suppress the tired groan that crawled out of the weary depths of his soul. Answering the questions of a small child would not be the same as tackling with the conundrums of a man. It was a good thing the rose garden was so expansive, because this was going to take a while.

"Right..." Kosuda said, bravely. "Well, what do you want to know?"

"Well, will we both be sleeping in my room, in my bed? Is that where she is going to be, more or less, living from now on, or will she have her own room?"

"Well, that depends--" Kosuda started.

"I can't believe I didn't ask that before." Artemis said, in disbelief. "Also, when will we be expected to have to have kittens? Do we even need to? Ajua is Crowned Princess, so her kittens will inherit the throne, not mine."

"Well--"

"And speaking of making kittens, I know how it's done, I think, but I don't know HOW it's done. Also, should we only do that when we need to have children, or can we do it for pleasure? Will she want to do it for pleasure? Does Mother? And when we do do it, do I undress myself and she undress herself, or should we undress each other, or should only one of us undress and the other gets undressed by the one that is nude?"

"Artemis?"

"Son," he began, "I know you and I talked about this once before, when you were younger, but you have grown a bit since then."

"Talked about what, Father?"

"About what might happen tonight, or perhaps not."

If it wasn't Ajua saying baffling things, it was their father, Artemis thought to himself. Asking him a question about his puzzling talk would get him no where, so instead, he waited patiently for the man to continue.

Kosuda sighed, heavily. "Where to begin?" he murmured. "It was somehow easier to discuss this when you were a curious kitten asking what a pair of ostriches were doing. You wondered why one was trying to climb on the back of the other." He chuckled at the memory. "You said, 'Father, why is he trying to climb on her back? He's already really tall, why is he trying to be taller? And why does it look like he's hurting her? Is it because he's so heavy?' On and on, your questions came as quickly as they were innocent. As soon as you thought of one, your curious mind thought of another. But, I imagine you may have questions still." he said, looking over at his now adult son.

Artemis listened to his father's anecdote with fond amusement. He remembered that day and all of the questions he had wanted his father to answer. Things were simpler back then, but then, so were his questions, and a simple question required only a simple answer. But now, he was grown, a man, a newly married man, and his thoughts were not so basic and they certainly were not innocent...at all.

"Toni--" he started to say, but stopped almost instantly as he absorbed the urgency of his sister's words. "Tonight..." he thought, anxiously, as a vision of his new bride dressed in no more than moonbeams sprang into his mind. He swallowed hard and tried to empty his thoughts of his erotic visions of her...and even some of the not-so-naughty ones, as even they were enough to tantalize him and fan the flames of his desires into a roaring inferno. He had JUST met the girl! How in the world could she have had such an explosive effect on him, so suddenly?

...and he hadn't even seen her unclothed...

He sighed, pitifully. If this was how things were going to be, he didn't know how he was going to be able to contain himself, to wait until evening to have his wife in the intimately pleasurable way that a man enjoyed a woman. Still, his arousal would have to be maintained...

"Artemis?" a powerful voice called.

Knowing, of course, who the voice belonged to, Artemis shook his head, lightly and turned to face the Emperor of Calico. "Yes, Father?" he replied, obediently.

"I need to have a word with you." the emperor, Kosuda, said, firmly.

"And you will come with me, my little princess." the empress, Athena said to her daughter, sweeping her away from her twin and over to the new Princess of Calico and her family.

Ajua smiled at her mother and nuzzled her, fondly. She was only to eager to meet the new additions to her family. Meanwhile, Kosuda walked with his son through a garden of roses.

Artemis offered the princess a quizzical look. "You can see that just by gazing into her eyes?" he asked, doubtfully.

"Yes." Ajua answered. "Couldn't you? Well, no, obviously you didn't and that is your incredible loss, little brother." she added, poking him in the chest. For a moment, she stared at him in silent contemplation. "I'm envious of you, Artemis." she admitted, quietly.

The thoughtful expression Ajua wore as she studied her sibling, was a gaze he had seen before. "Of me?" he asked. "Whatever for?"

"Because of love. Even if you did not choose her, I really believe that one day, you will fall in love with her and she with you. ...would that it could be tonight." she sighed.

While Avalon was conversing with her family, Artemis was doing the same with his. Princess Ajua, his twin sister, was hugging him, while their parents, Emperor Kosuda and Empress Athena, stood nearby the pair.

"I'm so happy for you, little brother!" Ajua said, as she separated herself from her sibling. "It is so exciting. She is such a lovely girl."

"Ah...yeah." he stammered. "She is an unexpectedly beautiful female."

"Wh-...I was not referring to her looks." Ajua clarified. "I was speaking of her nature, just looking into her eyes, you can tell that she has an enchanting soul."

(PS: sorry for the delay. Was helping my sister over the past few days, and was too tired to post.)

Avalon had seen the face of her country's prince, before, so seeing him was less shocking. Still, he was more handsome in person than on paper or TV. ...he also smelled nice.

The ceremony continued with the exchange of collars and the anointing of the couple's future with the pouring of floral water through their hair. And with that, it was done. The Kingdom of Calico had a new princess and their prince had a bride. Applause and well-wishes erupted throughout the audience. Avalon's parents, Dimitri and Apple, rushed to their daughter's side, quickly followed by her siblings and other family members.

"Darling, are you alright?" Apple asked, hugging her daughter, tightly.

Avalon nodded meekly and said, "Yes. I was anxious and scared and I don't know what else, but I'm okay, now."

"Are you certain? Do you need to rest, do you feel well?"

Once again, Avalon nodded and smiled. It was her real smile, a sight her family had sorely missed in the past weeks and were thrilled to see, again. She really was alright, this time they were sure.

"We are always here for you, my little bird." Dimitri said, kissing his daughter's brow. "If you ever need us, you can call us and we can come visit you, or you can come home and visit us."

Avalon's smile continued to grow as tiny pools of tears filled her eyes, spilling out as she nodded her head in affirmation. Apple and Dimitri surrounded their precious princess in their combined embrace, trying hard to maintain their emotions. But, it was a task too great for Apple. Tears rained from her eyes and a quiet sob escaped her. Dimitri tried to comfort his mate, but ended up falling victim to emotion, as well. The sentiment was heartily shared and other family members quickly piled in to share their love with their royal relative.

"Are you ready, my dear?" the priest asked. When Avalon gave a gentle nod of her head, the ceremony resumed, and when her name was called again, she answered with a clear, "yes". With both parties now in agreement, the old man instructed the two to turn and face each other, and for Artemis to raise his bride's veil.

Without hesitation, Artemis complied and took the bottom of her veil between his fingers and slowly raised it, revealing her face to him, bit by bit. Each inch he uncovered, made Artemis want to reveal even more until finally, the thin piece of lace was completely removed and all of her lovely visage was revealed.

Artemis was sure that his heart may have skipped more than just one beat. To say that his bride was beautiful was a disrespectful understatement. He had hoped that she would have a shred of her mother's good looks, but he never imagined her to outshine the woman's beauty by leaps and bounds. She was gorgeous, as she stood before him with her long lashes lowered while he removed her face-covering. When the material was finally atop her head, the beauteous creature slowly opened her eyes, revealing the most striking green eyes he had ever seen.

Now, it was he that could not find his words, as he stared at her in disbelief. This...was his bride? This was the woman his father had chosen for him? When did his father ever acquire such taste in the judgement of beauty? Sure, his own mother was beautiful and he had the good sense to marry her. ...of course, Athena was a princess and Kosuda had been the peasant. It was through her veins that the blood of the royals flowed, so to turn her away would be less than smart. ...perhaps just stupid. Regardless of his father's lack of judgement with regard to lovely things, he did good with this one. He would have to thank him, later.

Seeing their "patient's" smile, their REAL smile, brought even more warmth to the gentle healer's entire being. "I can't wait to get to know you and call you, my sister." they whispered to Avalon, making the girl smile even more dazzlingly.

Tears, no longer sorrowful, filled the clear viridian eyes of the peasant princess. "Me too." she replied, her voice a soft whisper. "I can't wait to call you, big sister."

Princess Ajua, Avalon's gentle healer smiled and kissed her once more, then delicately returned her sister-in-law's veil and stepped back to look over at her oblivious twin. His look of confusion made her smile with amusement, before returning to her place at the side of the emperor and empress.

The smile that had found its way to Avalon's face continued to grow ever brighter, even after her veil had returned to concealing her visage. It was Artemis' misfortune that he had not seen it. Fortunately, the change in her demeanor did not go unnoticed by her parents and other family members that had been watching. A collective sigh of relief was shared throughout the group, as the ceremony continued.

Once again she could feel and move her limbs. Once again she could think with clarity. Once again, she knew words and could assemble them, linearly. Once again, she was able to feel the beating of her own heart.

She was alive. She was still...alive. Though trapped behind the walls of a beautiful cage, though having had her wings clipped, though the sky was no longer the limit, she was still, alive.

The healer must have peered into her soul again, because a warm, soft beautiful smile adorned their face, almost as though they knew they had set her troubled spirit at ease and for the first time in weeks, a beautiful, bright, honest smile was able to illuminate Avalon's lovely face.

Seeing their "patient's" smile, their REAL smile, brought even more warmth to their entire being. "I can't wait to get to know you and call you, sister."

Avalon was terrified. She could not move. She could not think. Was she breathing? Was her heart still beating? She knew that the debacle that was her "wedding day", was happening. In fact, it was taking place right now and SHE was in it, she was the REASON for it. But, it wasn't until that moment, that the gravity of this travesty of romance fell upon her. The weight was so great, that it was crushing her beneath a mountain of fear, anguish, and a feeling of something that she could not explain...a something that she could not put into words.

...she was speechless.

When the priest called her name, she had heard him, both times, but the words he uttered, were words that she did not understand. It was as though he had been speaking in an alien language. It wasn't until she felt the soft, warm hand of someone caressing her cheek, that she started to regain her senses. The touch was soothing and comforting, so much so, that when the hand that was steadying her nerves, gently turned her head to face them, she did not resist.

Big, wide, beautifully, captivating eyes were staring at her. She was certain that the person that placed their other equally soothing hand on her other cheek, was peering into the very depths of her soul. It was at that moment that she realized that her face was no longer secluded behind the shadow of her veil. It was up and gently resting atop the strawberry-red locks that crowned her head. With it gone, the golden eyes of the one who must have been some sort of blessed healer, were able to meet hers.

The "healer" continued to look at her, or was it, within her? Surely it was the latter, for when the gentle one softly pressed their lips to hers, instantly, she was calm. It was alright, everything was alright.

Like Avalon, Artemis could not recollect much about his wedding day, because while he participated in the ceremony, his mind had been elsewhere. His thoughts were numerous and assorted. Some were spared on the event that was taking place, but only just enough to cause him to recognize his own name when the priest called spoke it. When the elderly man called for him, Artemis knew that his attention was required and that the answer to the question that was going to be posed to him was, yes. What the question was, he couldn't recall.

Similarly, Avalon's mind had been drifting, rushing down the river of uncertainty and fear. However, unlike her pretentious, seconds-away-from-being-husband, she was unable to summon any thoughts to remain focused on her tragic wedding day. When the priest called her name, the despondent bride did not answer. He called to her once again, but still, she was silent. The gathered guests began to whisper and murmur.

Why would she not answer the priest? Is her hearing alright? Did she have a quarrel with Artemis? Did she not want to marry Artemis?Was she, a peasant, refusing to marry her prince, a LITERAL prince? What in the name of the Great Spirit was happening?

Hearing the name of his bride called twice, Artemis returned his attention back to wedding. Quietly, he looked down at his peasant princess. She was trembling, he could see that she was shaking...a lot. Her face was still hidden behind a lacy mask, so he could not see her expression and he hadn't been paying attention, so he was unsure of exactly what was happening. He found himself confused, though not for the valid reason of the assembly.

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Avalon had always believed herself to have possessed a strong will and an indomitable spirit...but, now she feared for the loss of those precious things. Now she feared that she would be nothing more than a doll, a thing that existed for the pleasure of others, a girl whose voice had been forever silenced, a bird whose wings would no longer carry her on a whim, ...a spirit...that had been broken.

The first time Artemis' gaze fell upon his bride, was the day she walked down the aisle, guided by her father. Her face was hidden behind a veil and her pure white fur blended seamlessly into the snow-white gown that fit to her small, slender form like a glove. He could see the shape of her figure and was relieved that he found it pleasing...quite pleasing. Apart from that, the only other distinguishing feature he could see, was the bright red of her hair. Her shining locks were decorated with white flowers and pearls and gathered in a neat bun with spiral curls spilling out on either side atop her head. It was such a striking hue that he wondered if the color was reserved solely to her curly hair, or would it appear on other parts of her body. The very thought made the prince both anxious, and extremely aroused.

Her father led her along the narrow walkway that was flanked with royals and dignitaries from every island in the Catriona Isles, and delivered her to his side. The man whose name the young prince had already forgotten, gently kissed his daughter's brow and whispered, "I love you.", before abandoning her to retreat to the guest seating area to sit beside a woman who he presumed to be the man's wife and the mother of his never-before-seen bride. She was an attractive woman and Artemis hoped that her daughter shared her beauty, but her face was still frustratingly hidden behind the billowy piece of lace fabric. He would have to exercise a measure of patience in order to reveal what behind the veil.

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Artemis, a young man of 23 years, was wed to Avalon, a younger lady of 19 years, shortly after Kosuda had selected her to become his daughter-in-law. Avalon had objected and protested the forced union, but her parents insisted that it was a great honor to be chosen to become a Princess of Calico. Indeed, there was certainly a measure of pride to be had at being selected for such an esteemed role, but it was not her desire to marry someone she did not know. Everything Avalon knew of her husband-to-be was gleaned from news reports and the brief mention of him in her school history books, and that told her so little, it could be counted as nothing. His name, date of birth, and his ancestral history, were her only windows into the man and the windows were closed. She knew far more of the members of his family that came before him, rather than he, himself. He was a total stranger...and also her betrothed mate.

In mere weeks, the wedding of Prince Artemis and the newly crowned princess, Princess Avalon, had commenced. With royals not firstborn, when it came to marriage, haste was pertinent, for, the very reason that they were marrying their partners, was for the good of the bloodline. The sooner the couple were wed, the sooner they could begin producing offspring. With Artemis and Ajua, urgency was even further required, because there were only two of them, and they were the only ones that could carry on the lineage. If something were to happen to either of them, the entirety of the responsibility to reproduce would become the primary and possibly most important burden of the monarch that was left behind.

Avalon did not recall much of her wedding day, beyond the memory of her being in tears throughout the whole ceremony. People saw her tears and thought they were tears of joy and the forced smile she displayed only lent to that belief. Of course, the ones that knew her well, knew the tiny droplets were not of mirth, but of discontent, sorrowful reflections of the inner turmoil she held within her. A stranger, she was marrying a stranger, a man she did not know. His scent, the texture of his coat, even the sound of his voice were all alien to her. But, worst of all by far, she did not have even the faintest painting of the picture of the man's heart.

Was he kind? Was he gentle? Was he hot headed? Did he have a sense of humor? ...would he like her? ...would he think she was pretty? ...would he ever love her? ...could he ever love her? The answers to all of her queries were unavailable to her, and that, she found, was terrifying. Scared, frightened, anxious, afraid, such were the feelings had engulfed her and refused to release her from their horrific grip.

Why her? Why not some other girl? A classy, elegant lady of fine breeding and dignity. Why the daughter of a rancher? Why a simple girl that loved riding her bird, watching tiny hatchlings breakout of the massive, sturdy eggs that had sheltered them since their beginning? Why a girl that loved getting her hands dirty tending the ranch, a girl that enjoyed the simple things in life, like being free to go wherever she wanted, whenever she wanted? Why was she the one that was chosen to be a tiny bird in a cage, an opulent cage, but still a prison, no matter how beautiful it might be? Why was she the one chosen to be a tiny bird, only able to see the world behind elegant bars? Why was she chosen to be the tiny bird that was forced to have her wings clipped, never to fly again, never to be free again, never to truly live, again?

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With no other persons to bond with beyond the family that loved them, Artemis and Ajua did everything together. Playing, sharing, keeping secrets, even bathing, the two were inseparable and shared a bond that was unbreakable. Where there was one, there was almost inevitably the other. Only death could sever the ties of their friendship and their inseparable companionship.

Being the first to emerge from the womb, Ajua held the title of, Crowned Princess. She would be the one to adopt the mantle of ruler and would one day be her country's leader. It was also her privilege and her blessing to, unlike her second born brother, decide for herself the man that was to be her life mate. For Artemis, his wife would be chosen for him by his father. He would be assigned a woman to wed that was not his own choosing or acquaintance. Whoever it was that Kosuda believed would be a suitable partner in life for his son, would be the woman that would be his bride. Artemis had not a deciding voice in the matter.

As it was, Kosuda chose a bright, beautiful, well-mannered, redheaded girl that was the youngest daughter of a well-to-do ostrich rancher named, Avalon. Avalon and Artemis had never met and were, essentially, complete strangers. Everything that Artemis knew of the girl, was whatever that his father imparted to him...and that wasn't much. She was intelligent, beautiful, hardworking, even-tempered, and strong. It was as if Kosuda was describing one of the woman's giant, longnecked fowls, rather than a young lady, still, even that was the custom of the royals.

To keep the bloodline of the monarchs healthy and robust, youthful villagers were sought out to be mated to any prince or princess that was not lucky enough to have been the first to have clawed their way out the safety of their mother's womb and into the harsher chill of the real world. The diversity of peasant blood infused with the strength of regal blood, would keep the line healthy and strong. In this case, the Princess Ajua emerged ahead of her brother, who was 23 minutes behind her. As such, she would one day have the honor and the burden of carrying the crown of the empress, but also, she would be able to decide for herself who she desired to be her husband. ...she had the privilege of falling in love, and marrying for love. A blessing denied to her younger sibling. No, Artemis would not be fortunate enough to marry for desire, instead, he would be forced to marry for the good of the Crown, to maintain the health and stability of the blood of the monarchs.

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...the first time.

Memories of that day filled Artemis' thoughts as his mind took a reminiscent stroll 21 into the past...

°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°

The grey clouds that covered the sky above the Palace of Calico seemed to never fade, a perpetual eternal gloom hanging from the highest point in Calico City. It had been 2 years since the Princess Ajua had departed this world. It was a tragedy that tore the heart of the entire kingdom and left those who remained among the living with a deep despair, the deepest pain felt within her family. Her mother, the Empress Athena, her father, the Emperor Kosuda, and her beloved twin brother, the young prince, Artemis endured the loss with a keen feeling of grief, but for Artemis in particular, the pain was nearly unbearable.

Artemis and Ajua were the only children born into Athena and Kosuda. As such, the twins were not only siblings, they were each other's best friend...their only friend. Being born of royal blood, they spent their entire lives sheltered behind the palace walls, secluded from society. Unlike the commoner children in the city who were blessed with the gift of freedom, the young prince and princess were trapped behind a barrier of stone, glass, and tradition. Simply put, royalty did not mingle with peasants. It was not arrogance, no, it was ignorance...and that made the pair of monarchs prisoners in their own home.


*Author's note: the years that had passed between Alder and Artemis getting along, to when Alder adopted an emotion akin to hatred toward his father was 16, not 19. Sorry about that, I was looking at an old timeline that hadn't been updated. (I promise I'm good at math! ^_^) I don't know if these numbers are important to you guys, but for this specific moment in time, that error would have made Artemis kind of a monster. ^_^: I corrected that error and aligned the passage of time to the most recent timeline, not an older one, so we should be all good.

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The cool, salty, sea breeze whispered throughout the star-filled night. The sweet scent of roses and hibiscus wafted through the air. The evening had cooled from the burning heat of day and was far gentler than before...the perfect setting for a moonlit stroll among the peacocks and flowers.

The bright, colorful birds ambled about, their exotic plumage a lovely spectacle to behold. Their beauty added to the charm and beautifulness of the garden. Quietly, Avalon wrapped her arms around her husband's arm and held him tightly as they walked.

"Do you remember," she whispered, "the first time you brought me here?"

(PS: sorry for the shortness, I'm still unpacking my stuff and building my furniture. I'll do a proper post later today.)

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Quietly, the Emperor and Empress of Calico walked along the cool, warmly lit hallways to the bedroom they shared. The bedchamber was just ahead of them, when Avalon stopped. Artemis looked at his beloved with confusion for a moment, before she took his hand in hers and started off in a different direction, away from their room.

"Avalon?" Artemis called, quietly, as his mate gently led him by the hand.

"Let's take a walk through the rose garden before turning in for the night." she explained. "It has been a while since we walked through the garden under the moonlight and the night is so pleasant right now. You can feel the salty ocean breeze."

Artemis said nothing further and simply trusted in his wife's wisdom...something he should have done 19 years ago, he thought, sadly. She led them through the hallways, dodging assorted palace staff as she did. In no time at all, they were at the doors that opened up into the menagerie and rose maze.

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Alder could not help but to smile at the guard’s enthusiasm and wondered what it must be like to have a family of his own to share such events and good tidings with. “Well, little brothers,” he said to his siblings, “I think we did a good job. We can make smart decisions when we put our heads together.”

“Yes.” Arjuna replied, pouncing onto his elder sibling and throwing his arms around him. “Thank you.” he said, quietly.

“You’re my brother.” Alder answered, returning his embrace. “I will do anything for you. Beyond that, it’s good to see you smiling again.”

“Yeah.” Palm agreed. “The entire palace has been drab and dreary ever since Amarah went missing. It’s brighter with you happy.”

“Palm…” Arjuna said, pulling his younger brother into the huddle. “I’m so glad that I was born into this family.”

“Well, you’re a prince, so—ouch!” Palm yelped, when Alder pinched his ear. “I’m not wrong.” he giggled.

“Maybe, but learn to read the room, little brother.” Alder said.

“I’m not particularly proficient at that.” he admitted.

“That’s okay,” Arjuna said, “you have us to pinch your ear whenever you need to reread.”

“That’s not funny.”

“Well, I’m not the humorous one.”

“That would be you, Palm.” Alder answered. “Albeit a dark sense of humor, but humor nonetheless.” he added, ruffling the hair on his dark head.

“Then, who are the two of you?” he asked, smiling at his sibling’s hair tussling.

“Arjuna is the gentle one and I…am Alder.”

“You’re more than just a name.” Arjuna said.

“Yup.” Palm agreed. “Nobody knows what, but something.”

“Thank you.” the redhead said.

“Not the reaction I was expecting, but it suits you.” Palm said, hugging his brothers tightly.

Arjuna did the same and Alder would have, but he was being crushed by his younger siblings. Still, he was not unhappy about being smothered by them. On the contrary, it was the best thing ever and he would always welcome it.

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The man smiled, a look of something akin to relief painted on his face. “Not only is it plausible, it is most welcome.” he said. “My wife and the kittens and even I have missed living in the town. The palace is an extraordinary place to live, please do not misunderstand, but me and my family were born and raised in the city, so sometimes we get a bit homesick. When I tell Clarabelle about this, she will be ecstatic. It will be like a vacation for her and the kittens.”

“I am very pleased to hear that.” Alder said, smiling warmly. “For your trouble, once the princess comes to the palace to stay, why don’t you and your family take an actual vacation at the home you find in the city. I have no true understanding of homesickness, as I was born and raised here, in the palace, but Mama talks about it from time to time, so I have a meager insight to it. Please spend some time in town to relax a bit. We will continue to provide for your needs, no matter what they may be. Take a month off and enjoy your return home.”

Tears of gratitude threatened to spill from the man’s eyes. “You are most generous, My Prince. I do not know what to say.”

“I am hoping that you will say, you accept.” Alder said with a peaceful smile.

“Yes, yes of course, I accept.” he replied, cheerfully. “I will go tell Clarabelle right away. That is, if you have nothing more for me to do, Your Majesty.”

Alder shook his head and said, “Please go and prepare your family for your departure.”

“Thank you!” he replied, bowing deeply before rushing off to share the good news with his loved ones.

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