Demon's Height

Chapter 19

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, please-" She paused choking on a sob," take good care of your wife and children." She started to fully cry. "They need parents" She grabbed both Liorn and Melinia's hands laying them on top of each other. "To love and care for them."

Feeling overly happy, Melinia felt like she also wanted to sob. And she did. Liorn looked back and forth at his nurse and Melinia. She wondered what he must feel like stuck between two sobbing women. So, he grabbed both infants and put them all together. Fiora Liana started to wake from her slumber and she started to cry. As if on cue, her younger brother let go of his mother's breast and cried.

Laughing, Melinia wiped at her eyes with one hand. "I'm sorry it is probably me being hysterical." She smiled sheepishly. Liorn bent to kiss her forehead. "How do I get them back to rest?"

Wiping the last of her tears she reached for Fayal. She began to rock him from side to side "Fiora Liana might be hungry." Truly her daughter was finally hungry from being brought into a foreign world and losing the comfort of her brother. Liorn took over for his nurse. She then excused herself. "I'll help the head chef make supper." With that the nurse left the couple alone.

"Thank you" Liorn spoke softly to Melinia watching her as her head drooped onto the headboard. "For what?"

Liorn paused his eyes growing soft. "A family."

Leaning her head onto the pillow she closed her eyes getting rest. "No, thank you" she mumbled before falling into a deep sleep. With Melinia and Fayal asleep, Liorn put him down on the bed next to Melinia. He picked up a baby that stared into the ceiling making gurgling sounds to herself. "You are my strength." Liorn laughed as he wiped the drool around her mouth. Fiora Liana. Her name suited her. He rubbed her small swollen belly, and she laughed. Liorn couldn't believe it. She smiled.

Before he could help it, a tear slid out of his eyes. For a long time, he yearned for love, now he had his own family. He wept like a child for the first time in years. "I love you" Liorn whispered to Fiora before he lied on the bed next to Melinia with Fiora in his arms.

Four Months Later

Melinia woke feeling so exhausted. Both the babes have been fed and slept like..babes. Most nights though they have been playing trouble waking the palace with their cries. Her breasts most of all had been most tired. Aching and sore, mostly from the children. They were a hungry bunch. She had not relaxed since recently when they have been more comfortable and asleep. But Fayal was like a magnet to his mother's breasts. He was always hungry. Next to her Liorn slept soundful on the dias, oblivious to the children's sobs and bawls. She glared at him, freeing one hand she playfully plopped him on his behind.

Turning quickly, she pretended she didn't know anything. Liorn popped up from his slumber. He felt the force wake him from his sleep. He looked at Melinia who seemed to be busy with Fayal. Her shoulders shook from either suppressed laughter or she shivered from a cold that was not present. A look over her shoulder, she looked back. He stared at her back eyeing her carefully. "What did you do?" He asked.

"Nothing" He heard her swallow and took a long big breath playing innocently. He rose onto his knees and kneeled at her back. He laid his head on her shoulders peering at Fayal who had fallen asleep after he ate.

Melinia unconsciously leaned her head into his chest feeling the comfort of him there. "I trade you" She whispered so lightly he was unsure if he heard her right. Fiora then took that moment to bawl her throat out. He brushed Melinia's hair to the side and grabbed the crying baby.

"My lord your high commander would like to speak with you in the war quarters immediately for an important message." A maid informed Liorn as he was about to sit and relax with Fiora in his arms. He nodded to the maid and dismissed her taking Fiora with him.

Liorn sat on the chair with Fiora in his arms and the guards looking over in their peripheral vision at the small bundle in his arms. The message was indeed important for it was a letter from Kitar. Between Fawn and Kitar, it is now a declaration of War between the two provinces. No other allies. The treaty was crossed by Fawn and now the councils have given the okay for Kitar to declare war.

Fine, be it that. Kitar was a weak province filled with thieves and other rogues. "Men we depart for war in two weeks, Kitar is now an enemy and we cut all ties until this madness is done. Soon I know it!" He shouted among his men signing the letter to be delivered. "More land for my children." He whispered to his daughter as she played with her feet.

The tower watch guards taking patrol on the far end of the west gates looked into the far distance. There was Kitar's flags on the small farms while the brush was burned and filled with light fogs of ash and smoke. The guard ran to the nearest tower and had the runner send the message to the commander.

The mobile guards gathered their swords and headed on horse to the commotion. They headed to the woods, the country side of the castle was abandoned and quiet, its farms in ruins and ashes.

The Lieutenant, Margot Bolivion, looked around at the burnt farm stable the animals all burnt alive. Ashes lifted itself off the burnt wood and into the air. Damnation. He looked for any sign of the farmers or Kitar's flag. None at all. He then crept around what used to be a room, children's clothes burnt. Every soul gone. There was a crack and the Lieutenant knew his men were not following him. Another crack.

Margot held the hilt of his sword tighter, the hilt cutting into his palm. Lifting the sword, he had seen the white glint of light on the silver of the blade. Ducking quickly an arrow nearly struck him in the head. It made a "thump" before it implanted itself on a burnt post.

When he caught himself, men piled around the group coming out of hiding. They were surrounded by twenty men. Lieutenant Margot counted his men earlier, they were outnumbered by seven. The men who wore the colors Royal blue and Gold.

"Kitar's men" He whispered. The men let out an animalistic war cry before rushing into Fawn's small guards. Men fought hard but they were still outnumbered. "I like a challenge" He smiled taking on a snot-nosed brat with twin rapiers. They circled each other as he rushed in swinging both his rapiers.

Margot mimicked his enemy's moves. The brat swung with his black blade then the silver white. He caught the black blade with his sword but the white swung for him. He lifted his arm to block the blade from penetrating his flesh. It hurt like a dirty w***e but it was better than a gaping wound.

Pushing back with his might Margot locked his right leg with his attacker's left foot. He then pulled his leg back, bringing down the brat. Margot lifted his blade and impaled his sword into the dirt beneath him through the brat's chest.

It seemed that they were winning and the enemy's numbers shortening. Then more men came out from the woods. Fifteen more men raised their swords letting out more war cries. His men, three dead, were tired and dirtied crimson red. He tightened his hold on his own sword breathing heavily wiping blood from his cheek. Margot stood straightening ready to take more Kitar imbeciles on.

Horses galloping in the distance then sounded behind him and his men. Turning to fight, Margot was then struck in the face with an object that nearly knocked him into darkness. Falling onto a state of unconsciousness he heard screaming before everything finally shut out of his head and he saw black.