Lady Dhampir
Chapter 317

"What were you two chatting about?"

Milena raised her eyes. Although he was pretending to be all absorbed in their son's adorable expression, she could tell there was a faint hint of tension in his voice. She smiled, and looked back down on Maria, still deep asleep in her cute cradle. Despite their babies having different sleep schedules, they both seemed to be perfectly fine sharing a cradle. Maria was quite quiet even when awake, even Elizio's cries couldn't trigger her own. As a baby vampire, it was of course more understanding that she didn't cry, but it was cute that her twin's tantrums didn't seem to disturb her in the slightest. If anything, she'd just glare at the maids who were late to tend to her brother's needs fast enough. Both babies were just perfectly fine together, better than when they were split up. Right now, Elizio was quietly falling asleep in his father's arms.

Half of their Royal Suite was lit up by the sun coming through the window, but Rayan was standing in the shadows on the opposite side of the room, next to their canopy bed, and rocking their son.

"What are you so curious about, my King?" She replied, a faint smile on her lips.

"She still fears me, and I directed the trial against her husband."

"Ex-husband, now. Don't worry, Rayan. Philomenie is no longer a fool that will be swayed by politicians. She'd leave the Capital herself if she ever thought you had the most subtle doubt about her. She won't risk her daughter's life which is, may I remind you, also your niece." He sighed, and faintly nodded.

"I know. I have no intention to harm either of them, Milena, I promise. But you can't blame me for being worried. We chose to let my brother live despite many divergent opinions, and his wife free. I can't help but always be worried that... even if it's not them, somebody is unhappy about this."

"You know the latter opinion was almost unanimous. And you sparing your brother was more a sign of trust towards humans than brotherly forgiveness on your part... Plus, no one will be able to approach him now, you know that. He's been stripped of all power, all title and all legitimity, forever. Even the humans won't seek anything from him anymore. His crimes are too great, Rayan. He's bound to stay locked up, far from most eyes, mouths and ears, and forgotten."

He sighed, and walked over, putting down the sleeping baby in the cradle alongside his sister. By chance or by reflex, the twins' hands naturally found each other, making their father smile. Those two were the most important treasure of this Kingdom... He was always fascinated by how his children had never been afraid of his disfigured face, when most adults had trouble even looking him in the eyes.

Then, he walked over to his wife, and got down on his knees before her, laying his head on her lap. Milena smiled, and caressed his hair. For some reason, he had let it grow ever since the crown had to rest on his head, and she didn't dislike it. He also looked less like his twin like this.. "Restless?" She whispered softly

"I feel like I brought the war back with me, at times," he muttered. "The giants will leave us alone, but whenever I look at you, I remind myself our worst enemies don't stand in plain sight. I feel like it's a never ending battle... Except, this time, there's a lot more I wish to protect."

Milena let out a faint sigh, still gently combing the dark hair on his nape. There were also his scars running from his face down to his back, where they were even more numerous. He had brought some more back from the North, and she already knew all of them by heart.

"... The war is over, Rayan. I'm still trying to convince myself as well, but it's probably easier for me since my dear husband does an amazing job of keeping me away from all the politics."

"The politics are the same as they've ever been," he groaned. "Maybe that's what's making me restless."

"Then maybe it's time you let your Queen come back by your side."

He suddenly raised his head, frowning. He didn't say anything at first, but she could read the deep conflict in his eyes. Milena chuckled, and her fingers slid down to his chin, caressing his beard, now a well-kept but short mane around his jaw. "... You could rest more," he muttered.

"Rayan, if I rest more than this, I'll die of boredom. You need to learn how to share the fun again, my King."

"I thought I was all the fun."

"You know we can both have fun with the same toys."

He smiled, and she leaned over, granting him a gentle kiss on his lips. Whilst he took that seductive kiss gladly, he didn't seem convinced. That line between his thick eyebrows was still there, making Milena tilt her head and raise her own. "Are you sure you're ready?" He asked.

"I am. Rayan, I'm alright, I promise. I'm not needed anywhere, and that's a bit hurtful. I used to mock Philomenie for being a doll Queen but I am the one who won't even show up to court. Plus, what else am I supposed to do? Eugenie is doing perfectly fine taking care of the De Crescent Manor without my help, and even Lucian is doing surprisingly well as the Family Leader too. Raphael and his daughter moved to the Vermillion Lands to look after my glass business, and I'll be nothing but a bothersome aunt by the time their children get to be twelve or thirteen. I should be bothered by my position here, as the queen, and laying the ground for Maria and Elizio to grow up safely."

"They will be just fine," Rayan smiled. "I don't see how our adorable twins would grow any differently with the two of us together again, in our home, to look after them."

"That's the thing," Milena said. "I do not want to just be their mom. That won't be enough, Maria is the future Queen and Elizio will be just as implicated in politics, whether they want to or not. I'm not going to wait until my children can talk to get back into politics, Rayan."

"I am not trying to sideline you," he muttered. "It's just... you deserved to rest. After all you've gone through... I just wish you could be able to live peacefully, without all the intrigues. Just be our babies' mother, and my wife. I hate every single bastard out there who caused you to be like this; how can you ask me to put you on that battlefield again?"

Milena understood him. In fact, she already knew that everytime her husband looked at her, his anger towards their enemies was lit up again, like a candle of endless wax. This would just never end, not in the world they lived in. Even if all their enemies were buried or locked up, they would never be sure if there were anymore lurking in the dark. Rayan was a man who had lived through too many battles to rest properly, and now, he was wearing a crown on top of that. She sighed heavily, and put her hand against his cheek. "Rayan De Solar," she said. "Do you dare to underestimate your wife and queen again?"

"... Never," he smiled.

"Yes you are. Stop doing that and do not dare to pity me. I may be in a wheelchair, but we both know that won't last, and even with both of my legs cut off, I would be able to wipe the floor with those bastards' sorry arses."

"... Now that's my Queen," he chuckled.

"See? I am still the same fierce daughter of the House De Crescent inside," she replied, "so do not try to overprotect me, you're only allowed that towards the children. I am fine, I promise."

After a little while, he eventually nodded, although looking like he was having a hard time to come to terms with that decision. Milena pouted.

"What's this?" She asked. "You seem quite unhappy still."

"Yes," he grumbled. "I will have to share my wife with a bunch of greedy leeches again, I can't rejoice about that..."

"So that's what it was!" Milena laughed. "You weren't trying to keep me from working, you were trying to keep me all to yourself. I forgot my dear husband can be a bit possessive."

"Possessive? I had to spend so long without my wife, how dare you call me possessive? I am merely a husband in dire need of his spouse and unwilling to share her with anybody else. May I remind you I'm the one who married this Queen, why would I even need to consider the idea of sharing you with anybody else?"

"Says the man who leaves me alone every day," Milena scoffed.

"Trust me, I would much rather spend every hour of the day and night, especially the night, with my dear spouse. And, unlike you, I do not particularly attract the masses with my physical traits..."

She sighed, and caressed his scarred face with her finger again.

"You forget I've lost a lot of my appeal too..."

He immediately frowned, quite annoyed by her words. Without warning, he wrapped his arms around her, and effortlessly lifted his wife off her wheelchair, carrying her to the bed. Milena barely had time to glance at the cradle, double-checking that both babies were still deep asleep, before she landed on the mattress.

"What are you doing," she chuckled as her husband climbed over her.

"Reminding my adorable, delicious and very, very alluring wife that she is still as appealing as ever to the poor mortal souls."

Milena tried hard to repress her laughs as he swiftly proceeded to wrestle with her dress to take it off of her. She involuntarily shivered when his hands got closer to her burned arm though. Rayan knew, and got purposefully far more gentle when he took off her sleeve, glancing at her to make sure she was alright. He also didn't go as far as to remove the long glove of black lace covering it, respecting her wish. Milena's smile was gone, but she didn't object when he left her in her underwear on the bed, most of her burnt skin revealed. Instead she couldn't help but glance away. She had always taken pride in her beauty, and now, she had to compromise with this new body of hers she couldn't quite recognize yet. A lot had been burned. She had lost her arm, but the rest of her body hadn't been spared either, leaving wide red scars, sometimes brown, all over. The best doctors in the land had done everything they could, but there were just some wounds she'd have to carry for life.

"Milena."

She f****d herself to look up at him. He still had his pants on, but Rayan had taken off his shirt, revealing his own scar. It was only a fifth of the surface of her own, but unlike hers, it was visible in places he just couldn't hide.

"You were never afraid to look at me," he whispered gently.

He took her hand, and put the palm against his scarred cheek, kissing her palm gently.

"You learned to love me despite all my scars," he continued. "My scars never scared you, so please, don't let yours scare you either. You're still, and will always be, the most beautiful woman I ever set my eyes on. Nothing is ever going to change what I see when I look at you, Milena.... Do you remember? I don't love you."

She smiled nostalgically, those words bringing back a warm bundle of feelings to her chest. He smiled back, kissing her palm again before leaning close above her, caressing her black curls.

"I worship you, my Queen," he whispered. "I absolutely adore every inch of what was, is or will be Milena De Crescent. No matter what, that will never change. Even when my Queen and I get more white hair, even when we both get scarred, sick or wrinkled. Even if I go blind or forget my name, I will never, ever forget what I feel for you, Milena. I do not care what History Books record about our reign. What matters to me is what happens here, between us, and everything that will only be captured by our eyes, lips and our hearts."

Milena smiled, feeling quite touched again. She raised her arm to put it around his neck, and pulled him in for a brief, gentle kiss.

"... You're quite the poet sometimes," she whispered.

"Only when my muse needs it."

"Thank you," she said, caressing his neckline again. "I think I needed to hear that... more than I thought."

He smiled, and put a gentle kiss on her forehead.

"I know, my Queen. You're even more adorable when you're a bit insecure. I love that the vulnerable side of my wife is only mine to see." "There goes the possessiveness again. I'm surprised you've resisted the urge to lock me up somewhere."

"Oh, I would try, but from experience, you like the shackles on me better."

"You silly."

"For you? Always..."

She chuckled, and soon enough, their lips reunited again, for a deeper, longer kiss this time. She had missed this... The two of them, caressing each other, pleasing each other as if they were newlyweds again. Rayan hadn't lied; he was exploring her body as if her skin had been perfect as always, uncharred and smooth. He was incredibly mindful of the few areas where she was still sore or sensitive, as if he'd learned them by heart. Some parts of her didn't feel broken when he was the one to touch it, or hurt a bit less under his gentle caresses. Milena's breathing slowed down to endure the torture of his soft touch, only focused on pleasing his Queen again. Things weren't as simple as before, and some parts of her required more time to heal, but he never uttered the shadow of a complaint about it. Instead, he had found new ways to please her body, new uncharted roads to pleasure for both of them to share. It was definitely different from before, but it was leaving them both satisfied, and if possible, even more enamored with each other. They were kissing, both slightly out of breath and tired, when a baby's cry rose in the room. Milena was resting her head on his shoulder, when she felt him raise his head a bit.

"Which one is it?" She sighed.

"Elizio. But they are both awake..."

He gently moved his wife to the pillow, pulling the cover over her body, and grabbed his bathrobe to go and get the babies. A minute later, he came back to bed, a gentle expression on his face, and put the twins between them as he laid back down again. Elizio whined until he was against his mother's chest, happily feeding on her breast. On the other side, Maria had her red eyes half-open, staring at her dad as he put a little kiss on her forehead.

"... She'll grow up to be such a beauty."

"At least try to be happy about it," she chuckled.

"I'm worried about how many boys' butts I'll have to kick out..." He frowned. "I should teach her sword lessons soon. Or do you think she'll be more of a whip kind of lady?"

"So she can kick them out herself?" Milena laughed.

"Of course."

"What about Elizio? Aren't you worried he'll be playing around too? Attracting ladies like bees to honey?"

"If he's like me, he'll go right for his own Queen."

Milena chuckled. At least their son would learn from the best of sweet-talkers... The blue-eyed baby was a bit calmer now that he was able to drink milk, and almost dozing off already. "Philomenie wants to tell the truth to her daughter," she muttered.

Her husband frowned, finally raising his eyes from his daughter a second. He nodded.

"... That seems wise of her. The twins will need to know too."

"Will you be alright?" She asked. "Telling them about... you and your twin brother."

"I already put my own feelings at peace," he said. "As long as my brother serves his sentence, I will not fuel my hatred for him any further. It won't serve me in any way, and I do not want to pass it on to our children. You're stronger than my mother was, and I swear to be a better Father than mine was too. Nothing will be the same."

"Our family will be stronger," Milena muttered in agreement, caressing Elizio's back.

"My parents didn't choose to be together," Rayan added. "You and I did, and we desired these children, deeply. I want our twins to have everything any child could hope for from a family. ... I used to envy what your parents had, and you and your siblings. Now, I get to have it with my own family. That's all I want."

Milena smiled, her eyes going to the twins. The path wasn't going to be easy for them either, but she and Rayan together would work on making it easier all they could.

"... They will be amazing, won't they?" She chuckled, looking at their babies.

"Of course. They're yours and mine, after all. If anything, anyone out there should be ready to tremble when these two grow up."

"You know... It's the middle of the day," she chuckled. "I'm afraid we're setting quite the bad example already."

"On the contrary," her husband said, caressing Maria's forehead. "Lesson number one, children. Family always comes first."

Milena chuckled, and they both leaned in to kiss each other, before lying back down with the twins, the whole little family in that large bed.

"... Rayan?"

"Mh?"

"I don't love you."

She heard a chuckle.

"Me neither, my Queen.... and I always will."

*The End*