Chapter 13

CENTRAL DISTRICT/SPARTA

KING YELU MEMORIAL HOSPITAL

ANJA LEONIDAS'S OFFICE

"Vana, are you actually being serious?" Anja gasped as she sat in the high backed chair behind her desk.

Anja's office was on the thirty-second floor of the hospital named in honor of her father and dedicated nine years ago just before the start of the Evolli War. King Yelu had been the most powerful Hadarian Healer to have ever lived, more powerful than even their mother who was widely recognized as the finest Mage Warrior to have existed for centuries. It was a feat unprecedented in the annals of Hadarian history since the females were usually the ones who held this distinction. It was said their parents could go nearly two years without having to Ascend. They were remembered as being both exceptionally compassionate and wise and they were both revered on Hadaria, not only for their passion and wisdom but for their love of each other. There were several monuments erected across the planet in their honor among the many cities there, and over the years Anja and Sivana had been to all of them on numerous occasions. Neither Anja nor Sivana knew it, but many of the Hadarian people saw the King and Queen when they looked at the twin sisters. Anja's was the more fiery and passionate like their mother, while Sivana carried herself with their father's almost surreal calm. King Yelu's legacy now carried on in his twin daughters and it was something Anja and Sivana took very serious. Anja lifted the mug of Aricia's coffee and sipped it slowly as she stared at her fraternal twin sister's projection in the holo imager.

The exceptionally clear image of Sivana, clear enough to be mistaken for being in the same room even, nodded as she smiled at Anja's use of the nickname Eliani had given her as she first learned to speak. Eliani had been unable to form the first part of Sivana's name and resorted to calling her simply Vana and the name had stuck.

"They left only a few moments ago Anja." Sivana answered as she moved around the large desk in her own office on Hadaria. "Not exactly the most pleasant of ways to begin your morning I assure you. Thankfully Belen was not here or it would not have been pretty."

"That is why they have been so cold to me the last few times I have gone to see them." Anja spoke reflectively in a soft voice. "Pcillany must have been planning to do this for a while now."

Sivana nodded. "It certainly seems that way." She spoke. "Rinard is involved as well though I don't know to what extent. He is a Lycavorian and he can not request something like this from the Elder Healers."

"No, but I guarantee he had a say in prodding Pcillany to go forward with this." Anja answered quickly. "Aunt Umbra's actions in supporting Pcillany do not surprise me either Vana. She has acted this way since I first returned with Martin. You should have heard her rant when we returned after rescuing Lisisa and she discovered Belen had not only claimed you but turned you as well. Even grandfather could not believe the words she uttered that day."

"You never told me that sister." Sivana spoke.

Anja waved her hand. "It wasn't important." She replied. "I was not about to let our Aunt or anyone take you from what you had discovered and accepted so freely with Belen. She wanted you in her clutches so that she could warp your view of things in order to make you believe and act how she felt you should be. Something that she was never able to accomplish with me either I might add. When I denied her that in regards to you, her dislike of me only grew more intense, not that it matters."

"Grandfather has told me it was always an issue between father and her." Sivana spoke, "Aunt Umbra's insistence on acting superior to everyone around her simply because she was of royal blood. Like she felt she was owed something more because of who her brother was."

Anja nodded slowly. "Grandfather said our father hated that about her." She said in agreement. "And when he took our mother, a Mage Warrior as his Queen, Aunt Umbra about had a cow."

Sivana laughed gently. "I must spend more time around you and my niece sister." She said. "The two of you can produce such vivid visual descriptions using several different languages. It is quite humorous actually."

Anja chuckled. "So Martin and the others have told me." She said. "Does Eurin know about this Vana?"

Sivana shook her head quickly. "I wanted to inform you first." Sivana spoke. "I have already forbid Aunt Umbra from seeing Siara again under any circumstances. Taelle knows what she is to do if Umbra makes an attempt. She also complained that you allowed Retta and Calyb to bond with dragons and that you have not allowed them to experience their Hadarian culture more. She is also quite upset that you have let Eliani make her own way without her guidance."

Anja nodded. "That wasn't me. Eliani made her own decisions about Aunt Umbra when she was ten and decided to conduct her Agoge and not attend The School of the Healers. Not to mention that Eliani almost always brings Nyla with her to Hadaria when she Ascends and makes it a point to show as much affection in public with her as she can. It's her way of sticking it to Aunt Umbra."

Sivana chuckled. "Something she does quite well. Sort of like you."

"Aunt Umbra can piss and holler all day at the Hadarian Elders about that if she wants." Anja spoke. "They are our children not hers. Martin and I and the others agreed a long time ago that they do not need to be exposed to her pompous idiocy and twisted ideals of what Hadarian royalty ... any royalty is supposed to be. And the Elder Healers are not fools enough to grant her any rights she may think or perceive she has to our children Vana. Martin and Belen would make them see the folly in that within hours of discovering what Umbra is doing."

Sivana nodded. "That is why I recommend we do not tell them just yet Anja." She spoke. "They are Spartans sister, and neither of them is very subtle about dealing with something that they might perceive as a threat to us or their children."

Anja chuckled once more. "Subtly to Martin Leonidas is plunging his Nehtes through your chest as he tells you that was a very bad idea."

Sivana laughed as well and nodded her head. "Yes, much like Belen. You have to admit though; it does stir your wolf blood knowing they will act in this way."

Anja grinned at Sivana's words. "Sets my blood on fire is more like it!" She stated. "But you're right; this is not something they need to know about right now. Martin already has too much on his plate as it is with the High Coven and the Kavalians here in Sparta at the same time, not to mention the attack on MJOLNIR'S HAND." Anja looked up at her in the holo image transmission. "Belen is still dealing with the Embassy transition right?"

Sivana nodded. "It should be complete within two weeks but this is the largest turnover they have conducted in sometime. Everyone is scrambling to keep up with the demands of time and space."

Anja nodded. "Everyone seems to have a secret agenda and all we want to do is live in peace."

"I will make some discrete inquires here in regards to what Pcillany is doing." Sivana spoke. "I do not know when she planned to go before the Elders, but if she came to me this morning with this information, I would imagine it will be soon. She and Umbra both wanted me to side with them against you Anja. When I refused to do this; that is when Umbra made her veiled threat to petition the Healers to grant her custody of Siara. She apparently thinks neither of us is a very good mother."

"Ah, nubou her and the horse she rode in on!" Anja popped. "I still can't believe this Rinard fool would go this far Vana." Anja spoke. "Seanna never slept with Martin or the others. She stayed in our bed at times, but only to sleep. Why would he do all this simply because I told Seanna that I would not allow him to bed both of us together? Is his ego so big as to think he could have somehow stolen me away from Martin?"

"Perhaps it was the way you told him sister." Sivana spoke with a smile. "I don't think he appreciated you telling him to go fuck himself with his little dick when he refused to believe what you had told Seanna in regards to his request."

"Then he shouldn't have acted like such an ass when he came to our home that day." Anja hissed out. "He is lucky Martin wasn't there or we would not be having this discussion because he would be dead."

Sivana nodded. "True. Perhaps I will remind him of this."

Anja shook her head. "Don't bother wasting your time. If he has been pushing Pcillany to go this far, talking with him will only make it worse. Inform Eurin and Zaniai of what took place this morning and allow them to handle it for now. Eurin knows what Rinard tried to do and she doesn't care for the man. Zaniai has far more contacts within the Elders than Pcillany could ever hope to gain, and he is not particularly fond of Aunt Umbra to begin with."

"Taelle asked if we should activate the alternate plans you have put in place." Sivana spoke.

Anja looked at her sister in the holo imager. "Do you feel that is necessary Vana?" She asked.

Sivana shook her head quickly. "No, but I would like your permission to act on your behalf should the need arise."

"Vana, you never have to ask me that." Anja spoke. "You know that."

Sivana nodded with a smile. "Yes I know, but I like hearing you say it. It tells me just how close we really are."

Anja chuckled. "If we were any closer in how we thought sister we'd be sharing the same body. Something I don't think our mates would appreciate."

Sivana laughed heartily now. "No they would not." She stated. "I will handle things here Anja, have no worries. Now tell me sister, I have read the report Belen received from Atropos before that distasteful business this morning. You believe the High Coven has improved their cloning technology significantly?"

Anja nodded, "Very much so." She stated. "I was going to contact you later today and have you begin running some tests of the samples I will send you. I don't want to do them here for security purposes. Most are from the clones who conducted the attack on Martin's ship, but half a dozen are samples we obtained from the Kavalian females who have undergone biogenic treatments and are now here on Earth as part of this Trade Delegation."

"And how did you obtain them sister?" Sivana asked with a sly grin. "I doubt very much they would have given them freely given the distrust the Kavalians seem to have of anyone not of their species."

Anja feigned a stunned and hurt expression. "Sister, are you suggesting I did something unethical by obtaining these samples through deceit? Even I would never stoop so low as to use the hidden bio scanners on the MENKLA transport?"

Sivana grinned in the transmission, "No, of course not sister. I would never suggest you would resort to something so sneaky and devious. That is not in your nature."

"I should think not!" Anja declared with a smile. "Run the standard tests Vana and then anything else you can think of that might be useful."

Sivana nodded. "I will see to it." She said. "I will contact you when I have the results. Sometime tomorrow I would think."

"Give Siara a hug and a kiss for me. And tell her I still owe her a ride on Miath." Anja spoke.

"Be safe sister." Sivana spoke.

Anja nodded. "And you Vana."

The transmission ended and Anja sat back in her chair slowly bringing the mug to her lips. She had smelled him easily when he had come silently into the room minutes before but remaining in the shadows and staying quiet. The one man she trusted with everything outside of Martin Leonidas.

"You don't approve?" She asked softly.

Atropos stepped into the light of her office and moved to the chair in front of her desk where he settled his bulk. He had been Anja's Durcunusaan Captain since the day she became Queen and he would willingly throw his life away for the diminutive Persian haired woman across from him. She had made him a part of her life without question. She had allowed his son to love her sister shamelessly, and she was the High Guardian to both of his daughters, one of whom was turning out to be an exceptional doctor.

"You should have let me kill him long ago for doing what he did Anja. I would have been well within my rights as your Captain and you know this." Atropos spoke using her first name as he always did when they were alone.

Anja bobbed her head back and forth, "Perhaps." She said. "We don't know if that would have prevented this issue we seem to have now Atropos. Rinard is not the one driving my Aunt to do what she is doing. I can't believe she is actually going to petition the Elder Healers to take our children from us. Who in their right mind would go after the Spartan children of the King? That is her own greed and grasping for power she does not deserve clouding her judgment."

Atropos nodded. "True." He spoke. "But Seanna's mother would not have the fortitude to do this without someone pushing her to do it and feeding her lies. And that could only be that fool Rinard." Atropos said thoughtfully. "Pcillany cared for you when you and Seanna were together, and now after so many years to have turned against you in such a way? That tells me outside influence is involved and it comes from this Spartan Rinard."

"There is more to him than he wants us to know Atropos." Anja spoke softly. "I cannot believe he would go to these lengths in an attempt to hurt me just because I would not sleep with him. If he is behind this ... and I believe he is..." She continued quickly and lifting her hand seeing Atropos about to speak. "There is something else going on, something else driving this and I want to know what it is."

"What do you want me to do?" Atropos asked.

"Speak with General Vengal." Anja said getting to her feet. "Find out from him why he was transferred out of the Durcunusaan when we returned from Lycavore. There had to be a reason and I want to know what it is. I want to know what he has been doing all these years as well, especially since Seanna's death. I want to know who he has seen, who he has spoken with, everything. Targeting me is one thing ... but bringing my children and Vana's children into this was not the most intelligent thing for him to do."

Atropos stood up as well and stepped closer to the Queen he had served for a quarter century. "Targeting you is not exactly the sign of someone in their right mind either. You are far from being an easy target."

Anja nodded. "There is that to consider as well."

"You do realize Aricia has her own small investigation ongoing of this Rinard and what he is all about. Should I speak with her?"

Anja smiled. "God I love your sister Atropos." Anja said. "She is almost as possessive of us as Martin is."

Atropos nodded. "She was born a Spartan woman and will always be a Spartan woman no matter if we are wolf. She loves without conditions or regrets Anja, and like Martin she will protect those she loves."

Anja nodded. "I know. Speak with her first. Find out who she has poking around and then coordinate your efforts. I will talk with her and the others tonight about this."

"Limitations Anja?" He asked.

Anja shook her head. "Not in this case Atropos." She replied quickly. "Allow Vengal to know what is happening and why you want these answers ... but no one else. Not yet. And most especially not Martin."

Atropos nodded. "Yes ... the King would not take kindly to this bit of information. In fact I believe he would take it very personal."

Anja shook her head. "Yes he would." She said. "And we need to find out what is driving this Atropos. I love him with all that I am ... but sometimes Martin can be rather predictable in his actions when it concerns us or his children just as Sivana said."

Atropos chuckled softly. "I can think of many words to describe the King." He said with a smile. "Predictable is not one of them. You have been with him Anja ... you have loved him for so long ... that you, Aricia and the others are beginning to think you know what he will do in almost every instance."

"Well ... he does have his moments I suppose." Anja spoke turning to face him with a grin. "And we are his mates Atropos ... we should know him."

Atropos nodded. "Yes ... but I have discovered through the years that trying to predict what he will do is often times foolhardy." Atropos said. "No one predicted he would take only five thousand Spartans and a hundred dragons and destroy five times their number of these Kavalians on Beklan Nine. The Evolli did not predict he and Andro would never leave their dead comrades on Alba Tau and they lost nearly five thousand of their men in discovering this. They did not predict he would order the shattering of the crust of their homeworld's closest moon to destabilize the sector and make them unable to use the LSD drives for at least two decades." Atropos reached up and rested his hand on Anja's shoulder. "There are times my Queen when you and the others do not give the King enough credit for what swirls within his mind. He may act uneducated and unlearned, but that is only an act and you know that. When you are in his arms again look into his eyes Anja ... look past where you normally go and you will see what I am talking about. And then you will see that same thing in the eyes of the son and daughter my beloved sister and you bore him."

Anja stared at her Captain for a long moment and then reached up to place her hand on his broad chest. "Thank you Atropos." She said softly. "I think I will take you up on your advice."

Atropos nodded. "I will go and see General Vengal." He spoke. "I will advise you of what I discover as soon as I am able."

Anja nodded as he turned and left her office. She stood there for a long silent moment, turning to gaze out her window at the streets of Sparta far below as she contemplated Atropos's words to her. She had known Martin longer than anyone but Danny, but had she and her fellow Queens let themselves grow so accustom to his carefree attitude and loving nature with them and their children that she had forgotten just how truly lethal and exceedingly intelligent Martin Leonidas really was?

And their children?

SENATE ARBORETUM ANTI-ROOM

Martin turned his head from where he was watching the gigantic wall sized monitor of the trade proceedings in the main room as the door to the anti-room slid open. Deia, Laustinos, Stenys and For'mya sat across the massive table from Jalersi, Athani, Jiss and Matuarr. There were data pads scattered across the table, along with pitchers of refreshing water and also coffee and tea. Ardis sat with several other aides along the wall behind Deia, while Karun and Qurot sat behind Jalersi.

Martin smiled brightly when he saw Tarifa enter the room with Dilios and Lynwe and he got to his feet quickly and scooped Tarifa into his arms tightly hugging her. Tarifa's smile was just as wide as she wrapped her arms around his shoulders and hugged him back. Martin was the big brother that Tarifa never had and she relished in how he could make her laugh and put her at ease.

"Bout time you got here." Martin muttered into her elven ear as he kissed her cheek.

Tarifa squeezed his arms. "It is a full time job keeping Panos from worrying about every little thing that goes on within Sparta. You are giving him fits by bringing all these new and exciting people here for visits."

Martin chuckled. "I bet he's called me some choice names huh?"

Tarifa's sapphire eyes gleamed in the light of the room. "You have no idea." She said.

Martin laughed and turned to Dilios, taking his hand firmly. "Thank you for coming Dilios." He said.

"I'm just glad Tarifa saw fit to drag me away from the Senate." He spoke.

Martin looked at Lynwe and smiled. The six foot tall Drow female was one of his closest friends and a superior warrior no matter how you cut it. He stepped forward and embraced her as well without hesitation. "You are looking well Lynwe." He said.

Lynwe tossed back her flowing white hair her amber colored eyes bright, "As if I have a choice in that." She stated. "If Selene and Layna are not fawning over me ... it is Joarl."

Martin chuckled. "And this is a problem why?"

Lynwe smiled. "I never said it was a problem." She spoke.

"Joarl is due back in a few days isn't he?" Martin asked.

Lynwe nodded. "Yes and if you send him away for three weeks again Martin Leonidas then Selene, Layna and I will have words with you."

It had been the talk of Eden City for nearly a year when the news broke that the stern faced Admiral Joarl had claimed not only Selene and Layna as his mates, but Lynwe as well. Lynwe may have had equipment that the majority of men would kill for dangling between her legs, but she was a stunningly beautiful woman as well. It had taken her nearly three years to come to grips with the fact that Joarl loved her for who she was and not for what she had between her legs. He had acted like any old wolf would act, patient and calm. He had courted the three of them for three years, never once asking for something that was not offered. One night in that third year, and one sizzling kiss had swept aside all of Lynwe's doubts as to what his intentions were. Selene and Layna would never have accepted him without Lynwe's approval, for while they found him attractive in a rugged sort of way, both of them were very content with the life they had built with Lynwe.

Lynwe never thought she could love a man. She never imagined she would discover a man who would not look upon her in disgust when he realized what the High Coven's demented experiments had done to her. Joarl not only knew what had been done to her, it did not bother him in the least and he showed Lynwe and them that very thing the first time he had shared their bed. Until Joarl came into their lives, Lynwe had never been taken by a man. Up until this Spartan warrior had entered their world, no man had been brave enough to approach her. Lynwe had howled out her pleasure for hours that first night as Joarl took her and Selene and Layna in more ways than they could have ever thought of themselves. That had begun a relationship that was to this day just as solid and devoted as the one Martin shared with his Queens. Joarl had given Selene and Layna four children, their children and Lynwe and Selene had adopted Cihera shortly after Teeria turned ten. Their home in Eden City was large and always full of happiness and love no matter who was there.

Martin laughed at Lynwe's words and squeezed her hand. "Don't worry ... last thing I want to do is have the three of you mad at me." He spoke. "Have you heard from Cihera and Anton?"

Lynwe nodded. "They reported in last night to Armetus." She replied. "They did a recon of the resort's computer database but it did not provide them much in the way of information. The Kochab was there and I believe Cihera said they were going to pay him a visit soon." She said with a smile.

"That ought to be an interesting visit." Martin spoke with a smile.

Tarifa laughed herself. "Yes, Cihera is not terribly fond of the Kochab species." She said.

Dilios looked at the monitor now and stepped closer to the wall sized screen. "So these are our guests." He spoke.

Martin turned still holding Lynwe's hand and nodded. "This is them." He stated. "The talks seem to be proceeding rather boringly."

Tarifa chortled. "Anything involving diplomacy is boring to you Martin." She spoke as she came up next to Dilios. "So these are the biogenic clone daughters of the Kavalian Prefect Keleru?"

"Not clones." Martin spoke as Lynwe moved up next to Tarifa. He lifted the data pad from the table and held it out to her. "They underwent biogenic treatments to remove the coat of hair from their bodies and to make their tails recede." He said looking up from the pad, "Makes them more presentable to other people apparently. Though from what I can see, the younger one has obviously re-grown her tail."

Tarifa nodded. "It does not detract from her beauty." She spoke. "They are both quite stunning."

"The two in the back?" Lynwe asked.

"One Pride Commander Qurot and Pride Lieutenant Karun." Martin answered. "The woman in the center on the left is Jalersi'Puat. The one with the tail is Athani'Puat. Jalersi is Pleistarchus's mate and this Karun is his oldest son with her."

All three of them turned to look at him with wide eyes. "Your brother's..." Dilios exclaimed.

Martin nodded. "Yeah. He's been with the Kavalian people for the better part of three thousand years Dilios it stands to reason he would take one of their females as his wife. It doesn't surprise me though that he was pretentious enough to wait until they had advanced their cloning techniques to the point where they could make their females look like that."

"Martin..." Tarifa began to speak turning to face him.

He shook his head. "My brother died the day he abandoned his people and left Earth with the Kavalians. Over a hundred Spartans died attempting to protect him as King and he just up and let them die. You know what happen that day; I don't have to tell you. No, Pleistarchus may be of my blood but the only brother I have is Danny. This woman and his son by her mean nothing to me."

"Why did you want us here Martin?" Lynwe asked.

"You sat in on the negotiations with the Zaleisians twenty-five years ago Tarifa." Martin spoke. "Lynwe you interrogated Talco once he was exposed. I wanted you to observe them and see if they are similar in any way to this Talco. Dilios you are just flat out scary when it comes to political maneuvering and that is why you are here."

"You don't trust Deia?" Dilios asked surprised.

Martin grinned. "Having you here was Deia's idea."

"Then my first question would be; why is Laustinos in there?" Dilios spoke. "He is the reason we had to accept this ridiculous delegation to begin with."

Tarifa and Lynwe looked at Martin as they all settled to the table. "What is this?" Tarifa asked. "I didn't know that."

Martin shrugged. "Laustinos thought with the wrong head when he agreed to meet with them and let's just leave it at that." Tarifa glanced at Lynwe quickly when Martin said this but she kept her thoughts to herself. "The man doesn't rate real high on my list of people I'd invite to dinner for a number of different reasons."

"Well, there aren't many on that list anyway." Tarifa stated with a grin.

"That's true." Martin agreed. "Anyway, we are pretty sure they are here to find out what is going on with the High Coven. This Trade Delegation is only a cover for that goal. So far For'mya seems to think the Cease Fire story we are using is holding up. All of you know of course why Aikiro and her ilk are really here?"

They all nodded. "Andro is training the dragons they stole from us." Tarifa spoke in reply. "Roluth felt them the moment they arrived in orbit and told Nya Istel and I. Aelnala confirmed it for us. Isra beat around the bush because he did not think you wanted us to know."

Martin nodded. "We didn't announce it publicly but we knew anyone bonded to a dragon would sense them sooner or later. And we know none of them would run around yelling to the heavens."

Tarifa nodded quickly. "Of course not! If the Kavalians knew we were doing this they would automatically assume we were going to enter the war on the side of the Coven and act."

"That's why Andro has them at a very secure location far away from Sparta." Martin said. "Anja was able to discretely conduct bio scans of all of them as they made their way here and she and Sivana will know more in a couple days I would imagine."

Dilios looked at Martin. "You know of course Deia would not approve of that."

Martin nodded. "That's why she doesn't know." He said. "I love my Aunt, but there are times when we need to use Spartan ingenuity and not diplomacy. I will tell her when Anja gets the results of the scans."

"You think these scans will reveal something Martin?" Lynwe asked.

"We know that Kavalians have a very real and distinct fear of dragons." Martin spoke. "However, during the attack the younger daughter Athani, she was able to Mindvoice back and forth with Cemath. She actually rode on his back within the landing bay. This is not information we had up until now and it's one of the two reasons I had Anja do the scans."

Tarifa turned back to the monitor. "Those are the tremors I feel then." She said softly. "So very faint and weak; almost indiscernible, but they are there. Roluth detected them as well when we landed outside."

Martin nodded. "We need to discover if this is something that is just now making itself known among the Kavalian people as a whole, or if it is an isolated incident. Either way, at the rate I sense her abilities are growing, within a week she'll be able to detect the dragons at least faintly. Helen and I are meeting later today to discuss it."

"Andro is prepared to move the High Coven dragons if that is the case, yes?" Dilios asked.