Demon's Height

Chapter 18

Chapter 18

"My lord- your daughter and son" The Nurse presented to Liorn. With one look he fell in love almost instantly. Both his children. They were his babes, his little precious babes. His vision blurred as they misted up but he had swallowed them back with a heavy breath. He shut all thoughts of her having two babes but there was no denying the uncanny resemblance that they were his and hers.

Liorn's eyes averted to Melinia who had rested peacefully with exertion. Her face pale, perspiration matted her hair to her face her breaths coming in soft breaths and huffs. "What shall ye name thy babes?" The nurse asked.

He shook his head, "I wait until my Queen has awaken from her slumber." With a nod his nurse took her leave leaving Liorn alone with his new born infants after they both had been cleaned. They had quieted down and rested just like their mother did. He held onto his son, small and pink the small puffs of the babe's eyelids swollen with his new flesh. His daughter, she looked the same as her little brother, both of them tiny and fragile. He was afraid of holding them so tight that he would cause them harm so Liorn laid his son next to his sister. The three of them slept in his- no- their bed. And it had warmed him incredulously.

It made him think of his parents. Liorn had never met his mother but he vaguely remembered the man that had sired him. The bastard that he was and he could only see them in paintings. He remembered only a fragment of that portrait but as he had grown older, he had his servants place the portraits hidden. Hiding all remnants of his mother and the man who was supposed to have been his father. Instead, he was the man who tortured Liorn growing up and gave him nothing but an sneer on his face as he looked at Liorn with disgust.

Liorn knew that the old man had blamed him for the death of his mother. He remembered the backhand he had given Liorn when he was young and had hurt himself. As he went to his father for comfort, the old man had struck him and told him that men do not cry. Ever since then, Liorn had learned to bite his tongue and take in the pain. If not, he would direct his pain elsewhere. The bastard. He thought as he realized what he had done. He was hurt and he directed his hurt towards the woman who was supposed to love him and he had tarnished any progress he made with her. Opening up the mental wall that he had placed for his parents Liorn had once again thought of the paintings of the deceased royal couple.

Just like Liorn, His mother Yvonne had black hair almost as dark as night while his father had brown like the trees in the woods. Where Liorn had dark eyes, his mother had a hazel. His father's a black. His mother was tanned and yet beautiful, the king almost pale yet held an almost brown tint.

An acidic taste had filled his senses as he thought more. They were not joined politically. It was said he had kidnapped his queen but Liorn could not think about the possibilities surrounding his birth. He thought they were a perfect match. Except his father was a bastard who always had different women surrounding his chambers while his wife sat in the other room yearning for her king's touch. His father a true bastard while he had chosen other women frequently, he had one right next to him who HAD loved him. He was a stupid blinded fool enough not to ever notice and when she had birthed him, she died and he blamed Liorn. A helpless child. He swore that he would no longer behave like his father had. He would show his children and his wife love, even if it killed him.

He looked over to his Queen and pushing away the damp hair he placed a kiss on her plump lips.

Melinia stirred slowly her eyes slid open, "Liorn" She lazily sighed. He tenderly brushed the back of his hand over her cheeks. It made her close her eyes and relax. Then their son had started to bawl. Melinia reached over but she couldn't without squishing her daughter. Surprisingly, she didn't awaken or cry.

The nurse entered, informing them the babe needed to be fed. Liorn holding the boy watched as the nurse had helped Melinia slip off her gown sleeve exposing her swollen breasts. She held out her hand for the wailing boy. Curiously, Liorn watched as the small babe suckled on his mother's breast. "Have you thought a name for them?" The nurse asked looking at both Liorn and Melinia.

They both took a look at the nurse then at each other, then the babe. "What do you want to name him?" Liorn asked her. Melinia looked down to the small boy suckling on her breast. She placed a finger to his small button of a nose. "Fayal" Liorn smiled nodding knowing the term for "Strong one".

"Perfect" Liorn commented. He picked up the sleeping babe in his arms. "I believe she should be Fiora Liana" Liorn requested. Melinia closed her eyes whispering "Strength Keeper." He nodded at her. "She's the big sister and a tough one." The nurse laughed joyfully.

"In all my years I had never seen such a beautiful Kingdom." She looked Liorn in the eyes. "My Lord, I know you had never met your mother and think ill of your father, but they truly did love each other. They knew nothing of expressing it to each other. I am sorry on their behalf if you had felt or been treated bad because of this- but my lord they would have wished for you to be happy." She sniffed back a tear. "The tales of your parents are true my lord but there is more. Your father King Samaran, he believed he did not deserve your mother, for she was taken as a slave from her land, Kitar. Queen Yvonne was married to the duke who was a cousin to the now residing Duke. Your father stormed Kitar, killed the Duke, your mother's first husband, and kidnapped the Duchess. He was going to torture her for her late husband's documents instead he fell in love with his prisoner. Her soft nature and strong stubbornness. They married in the altar and then she had you My lord. Suddenly the king changed and he took in spirits and whores to bed. Your mother Yvonne cried for all of us as you can see the kingdom was falling apart. She hurt, my Lord. Oh, how she'd weep every night. I had remembered tending to your mother, tried for her to eat. With your birth and her departing so soon, she would have loved you. Your mother Queen Yvonne was...I wished to the gods Liorn that they should have lived for you. King Samaran should not have been that tyrant that he was to you. He was hurting, he knew he could not be a father to you without your mother. But your mother's last breaths were her love for you and for him to promise that he would make you the King that you are."

Chapter 19

Liorn swallowed his saliva feeling the pain of lies. His mother loved him and they did each other. They just never knew, and as much as he wanted to fault his own father, he loved them. Gods how bittersweet was their story. His parents didn't get to start their love. He- he wasn't going to be like his parents. He would love Melinia with what he had. All of it. Including their children, he'd be the best father he could be, not letting his own past take control over his future. "Thank you" He said to the nurse giving her a kiss on the cheek. She smiled at him wiping her tears.

"You make me proud Liorn, it makes me happy to see your eyes gleam with light, not like before, it makes me happy to see a family. Liorn you are not a child anymore, you are a man,