Chapter 22

ENURRUA

DAY FORTY-EIGHT

The valley below Arzoal's lair was, for the most part, made up of plains and small stands and patches of towering trees. That land in the valley was now taken up by hundreds of portable buildings used by the Spartans.

They had turned it quickly into a major command post, the 1^st Elf Engineering Corp assigned to Martin's fleet throwing up dozens of portable buildings in only a few hours. There was a large ringed area on the edge of this encampment that held several hundred prisoners, among them Chetak and a now at least partially recovered Joric. It was surrounded by blazing lights and several strands of high strung and unbreakable steel cable. The prisoners had their own separate portable quarters, but they were prisoners after all and were afforded little other comforts. There had been some discussion on whether to give those quarters at all, but Anja and Riall had settled that quickly. Chetak and the others may have been hated for what they had done, but the Spartans were better than they were and would not treat them any different than they would other prisoners. Dozens of Spartans walked among the groups of prisoners, always in pairs, and usually under the watchful eyes of at least three dragons at any given time. The ringed outer area was guarded night and day by Spartans with huge spotlights and heavy weapons. Any attempt to escape by one and they all would be slaughtered. That had been made very clear to all of them.

Several larger portable buildings were set up along the back of the massive camp, just before the huge airfield where four dozen STRIKER ATs were parked. Along the back of that airfield was a massive domed transport that no one had ever seen before. It were ringed by three dozen Spartans, and the only ones to have gone anywhere near the ship were For'mya, Endith and Ben. No one else was allowed close to it. The sun was coming up on the third day after their victory, and Riall stood next to Gorgo outside one of the command buildings sipping tea. Gorgo, Dysea and Isabella had all arrived the day before with Deia and three dozen other Lycavorian Union Senators, many of them not even Lycavorian. L'tian and the entire elfin delegation had accompanied them as well, if only to show their support and to see the dragons that flew and walked among the encampment freely. The members of Mjolnir's Hand kept to themselves for the most part, only so that the new Spartan and Dragon Bond Brothers could further their connections with each other. Some of them had even already left the planet to return to Apo Prime and establish a training area on one of the more desolate islands among the huge oceans.

Riall and Komirri had totally obliterated the Lycavorian People's Republic, as Chetak called it, its single fleet group and all of its ship building capabilities. Every data core had been copied and then wiped. Everything taken from the many shipyard command facilities, every scrap of information and anything that could be used, before the facilities themselves were blown into atoms. Nothing remained of Chetak's six hundred ship fleet, many of the ships being destroyed in the first hour of the attack beginning. The 1^st Spartan Attack Group and Riall's 3^rd Fleet Group were among the finest fleets in the entire Union, and they bestowed no mercy upon the enemy, especially after they discovered the treachery and horrors Chetak and his men had committed not only on their Queen, but the Lycavorian people and dragons that inhabited this world and others.

Across the nine other worlds of the Republic, military installations of any kind were razed to the ground, and if the forces chose to fight they were slaughtered. After the first day, many decided it would be better to surrender and take their chances, for all the good it would ultimately do them. Word had already begun spreading that any soldier captured and held would be placed on trial for any crimes they may have committed, and if they were found guilty they would face Union justice. Hundreds of heavy transport ships were continuously moving back and forth between the planets and the fleets orbiting them bringing supplies and food and medicines to all those oppressed by Chetak and his family heads. Thousands of men and women were greeting the Spartans as heroes, and many of the younger Spartans were discovering just how beautiful some of the young females were.

Deia and many of the other Senators had set up in their own building and were rapidly putting plans together to direct any refugees to any number of planets where they would be welcomed and helped to fit in. Most had already chosen to go to Apo Prime where there was room for all due to the size of the planet, and it was the main planet that the majority of Lycavorians now called home.

Riall and Gorgo looked up towards the face of the massive mountain their camp was based around when the soft screams echoed down from four thousand meters above them. No non Lycavorian could hear the cries as dissipated by the wind as they were when they finally reached the valley floor, but they caused Riall to grin.

"When he told Andreus three days ... he meant it." Riall spoke softly.

Gorgo chuckled and moved closer to her mate of over two thousand years. "Would you not do the same thing Riall?" She asked sweetly.

Riall looked at her. "Gorgo ... I would take a week to reacquaint myself with your body my mate."

Gorgo grinned. "Perhaps we could arrange that in the future then." She said pressing herself up against him, his arm snaking around her waist. "You know how cranky I get without your attentions."

"I think we should." Riall spoke.

"They are young ... and if what Torma told us is true when he came to retrieve their uniforms and such, they will have considerably more endurance due to their Mindvoice bonds with their dragons." Gorgo spoke.

Riall nodded slowly. "Never in all my years did I imagine something like this Gorgo. Lycavorians and Spartans fighting beside dragons. We knew they existed yes ... but never in the numbers seen so far. And we never considered that they could be so intelligent. We should be ashamed of ourselves for not seeing what he was doing here earlier. Ashamed for ignoring it for so long."

Gorgo nodded. "We should Riall ... but now we must move forward and make things right."

"We will." Deia's voice spoke from the side as she walked up slowly, holding her own mug of tea. "We have started already ... and we will continue forward."

Gorgo looked at her. "They are here I take it?" She asked.

Deia smiled. "Oh yes ... and they are quite happy at what they have accomplished on the King's orders. So happy with the profits they made in fact, that they built what the King asked them too for nothing. And they have already agreed to maintain and establish similar items as needed."

"Good." Gorgo spoke. "I had a feeling they would come around in the end. They may be businessmen and women but they are loyal to the Union."

Deia smiled and looked up towards the mountain. "When he and his Queen have finally rediscovered each other to their satisfaction ... we'll deal with Chetak and his ilk. Deal with them for all time."

"Deia ... you know what he is going to do don't you?" Riall asked.

Deia nodded slowly. "He told me before coming here." She answered. "I have already filed all the proper documents and the Senate has processed all of it in record time. There will be no discussion anymore ... it has been agreed upon by unanimous vote already. In this instance only ... the King has been granted emergency powers and his will shall be done. He didn't want emergency powers, but I convinced him that it was the best way. And once he saw that the entire Senate supported what he wanted to do, he acquiesced."

"What will he do Deia?" Gorgo asked.

Deia smiled. "You will see soon enough."

Andreus squatted in front of Joric as he sat next to his father on the ground with several other family leaders. His eye was destroyed, and now was nothing but an empty socket. The Hadarian healer Andreus had dragged him too had refused to treat him at first, until she was ordered to by Eurin in a gentle but firm way, but he still bore the scars of his fight with Martin in their wolf forms. Atropos stood behind his younger brother, a stern look of pure hatred on his face.

Andreus smiled when Joric looked at him with his remaining good eye. "Do you hear that Joric?" Andreus asked in a mocking tone. "My sister singing out her pleasure as she has for three days now. Does it burn your blood to know that you could not do to her what the King does to her? Does it burn your blood to know that she will never be yours? Was never yours to begin with?"

"She is my mate! She begged me to claim her. You saw it yourself" Joric hissed. "Your scum King breaks his own laws!"

Andreus laughed in his face and stood back up looking at his brother. "He has no idea Atropos." He said. He turned back to Joric. "What I saw you fool ... what I saw is you signing your own death order the moment you placed your hands upon my sister. Did you know that they are Soulmates Joric? Martin claimed my sister under the Centennial of the Moon, which they later consecrated by sharing blood. You do remember that sacred ritual of our people don't you? Oh ... but that is right ... you do not know what love is." Andreus saw Joric's single eye look at him quickly. Atropos saw this and grinned.

"Now you are beginning to see what you have done." Atropos spoke softly. "Now you are beginning to realize the crime you have committed. And I for one will be supremely happy to watch you reap the rewards for your actions."

"You lie!" Chetak barked.

"Careful old man..." Atropos spoke. "You will get yours soon enough."

Andreus turned as another soft whispering cry of rapture drifted down to them on the wind and he smiled. He turned back to Joric.

"That sound is something you will never hear." He spoke. "How many times has she called out his name now? Thirty ... forty ... fifty ... remember that sound as you die Joric." Andreus laughed at Joric as he and Atropos turned to walk away.

At that particular moment, how many times she had screamed out Martin's name in blissful abandon was completely lost to Aricia. She neither remembered nor cared due to the shivers of indescribable pleasure that were lancing through her right now.

They had returned to this small cave off of the massive main cavern where the hatchlings learned to fly, only to discover that For'mya had been here before them. In her wake she had left what amounted to a complete bedroom, with dozens of large soft blankets and pillows, several large bowls of fruit and dozens of candles. A small fire burned in the pit, casting a soft glow across the cave, shadows dancing against the wall. There was a large hole in the cave wall that allowed the sunlight to penetrate from the outside adding to the seductive nature of the small cave.

It was here that, for the first time since falling in love with Martin and having him claim her that night in Eden City, Aricia felt the full, unshielded power of his aura radiate over her. It had literally set her entire body aflame with passion and desire. This is what he had meant when he told her he should have followed his instincts during the Lunmai. This is what he should have done. What she felt racing through her had ignited fires within her veins that would have turned someone without her Mindvoice abilities and love for Martin, to a whimpering pile of flesh before him. As her Soulmate, Martin's aura made every nerve ending in her body cry out for him, desiring him in every way, and her aura had much the same effect on him. This was what Aricia had wanted to feel for so long, even in the grips of the Lunmai as she had been, his was the only aura she wanted to taste, and unshielded as it was now, her blood burned for him ten times more than it ever had during the Lunmai fever. The serum given to her by Joric may have contorted her mind, but her body still sang for only one man. And he stood before her.

He had taken forever to undress her, his lips and tongue rediscovering every centimeter of her flesh as he uncovered it. Her own aura wrapped around him, signaling to him that she was his, all of her was his and no others'. When his lips found her center and his tongue tasted her once more, Aricia cried out his name to the heavens, beginning what had only stopped for them to fuel themselves with the fruit For'mya had left. Aricia had forgotten his enormous size, and the first time he plunged into her, she descended into a world of rapture she had not yet climbed out of. He had taken her in every way imaginable the past three days, feasted on her more times than she could remember. His hands, his fingers, his lips and his tongue, they never ceased or stopped dancing across her skin, touching her, caressing her in ways that made her shiver in unabashed delight.

Aricia had not been idle either.

Aricia burned in Martin's blood just as brightly as Martin burned in hers, and she had spent hours rediscovering every portion of his chiseled, muscular body with only her tongue and lips. How many times had she swallowed him completely in her throat, his fingers wrapped tightly in her silky raven black hair as she drank his essence eagerly, tears in her eyes from his size and thickness as she held him this way. Aricia didn't care, for he tasted sweeter than any fruit she had ever had. Her pleasure tripled when they were mutually joined in this fashion, his lips and tongue licking and nibbling, plunging into her, until their muffled cries of release were all that filled the small cave.

Aricia had become more demanding in his arms, wilder in nature, surer of what she wanted from him. It was due in part to his natural instincts bringing out her wilder, base nature and both of them were covered in spots where they had nibbled each other too hard or too long with their extended fangs, but Aricia also knew what Martin now knew. They could no more deny the animal inside them then they could deny the sun rising in the sky. Their lovemaking had not been gentle all of the time because of this. They had taken each other furiously as well, slamming into each other, demanding forcible sometime, reaching for the pinnacle of their love making with all the strength their wolf genes gave them, both of them howling out their pleasure as they came together. Aricia could feel every wonderfully thick inch of his massive cock inside her, stretching her as only he could. Loving her as only he was able to love her.

They had joined their minds almost from the start, shedding any pretense of psychic shielding from each other and becoming almost one person. Martin had resisted what she wanted from him for three days. He could feel what she desired from him, what he knew would finally make her feel purged of all the vile things Joric had done to her. He resisted because he had not wanted to hurt her with his size.

You will never hurt me Beloved. Her soft musical voice had filled his mind then. Her back was too him as they lay together, his arms wrapped tightly around her, his hands filled with her firm breasts. Nothing you do to me could ever hurt me. I want this Martin my love. It is the only way I will ever be free of the vile memories of his touch upon me.

Little Wolf I...

No my love. She had wrapped her small hand around his thickening cock then. You must have me in every way that pig did! Even ... even as small as he was ... it was pleasant Martin. I am ashamed of that ... but it was. With you my love I know it will be glorious.

Martin took her face in his hand then, turning her head to look into her azure blue eyes. You have nothing to be ashamed of Aricia!

Then do as I ask you Martin. Aricia placed the engorged head of his cock at the entrance she wanted and waited. Now my love! She demanded.

Martin was not one to refuse a demand of his mate and he pushed slowly and firmly. As the heat and friction lanced throughout his already heated cock, they both howled in agonizing pleasure as he slowly sank completely into Aricia's most private of places until his large balls pressed against her firm ass cheeks. Their eyes were wide, part of the blanket clenched tightly in her teeth, as an odd pleasure unlike anything either of them had ever experienced ripped through them. It was so different from being inside her velvet like depths, so new and thrilling. And the pleasure had rapidly built, faster than they had expected, hitting them like an exploding volcano at the same time, dropping them into an abyss neither wanted to recover from.

Now as Aricia sat astride him, her back to his chest, his hands gripping her breasts tightly as his lips and tongue nibbled her shoulders and spine, that pleasure was surging through them once again. Joric may have been the first to ever take her in this way, but as the kaleidoscope of pleasure danced across her eyes now, Aricia knew no one could ever compare to what her Beloved now did to her, had done to her more time than Joric ever had. She would always prefer to have him filling her naturally, as nothing could compare to that, but this way felt so very good as well. As the pleasure built quickly, Aricia felt his hand drop from her breast and slide down her firm muscular abdomen. Her azure blue eyes grew wider when she felt his strong fingers caress the thin line of dark hair above her center, her breathing now coming in gasps. The moment his finger brushed her engorged clit Aricia lost control. Her head flew back and she screamed louder than she had ever screamed before. She felt him swell inside her and just as his warmth blasted into her depths, Aricia's own orgasm nearly caused her to black out with the sheer power of the ecstasy that shattered her lithe young body.

It was then ... at the very peak of their moment of pleasure when they both felt it.

They would never know exactly when it came to be, as often as they had coupled in the last three days, but tears clouded Aricia's eyes as their minds felt it, and she whimpered in joy as Martin's arms crushed her to him, his mind singing out in happiness within her thoughts as he rolled to his side, pulling her with him and holding her as tightly as he could. His hand moved away from her slick center and spread flat across her lower abdomen, her hands coming to rest on top of his as they wrapped their auras around the first flickers of life within in her womb. So tightly bound to Torma and Isheeni as they were, they could hear the Mindvoice trumpets of joy from both of their dragon family in their minds.

It was a flicker of life that would bind them together for all time as Soulmates, something that Aricia and Martin vibrated with pleasure from.

It would also bind them as parents.

Martin stood looking at her as she fastened the crimson cloak on her shoulders. Her raven hair was shiny and soft, and she allowed it to flow around her face and cascade past her shoulders as she knew Martin preferred it. She looked up at him then and saw him staring at her with adoration and love in those dark brown orbs. She had changed in Martin's eyes, becoming more feral and more prone to follow her instincts. It also made her that much more beautiful to him. Her hair was longer and he would always relish running his fingers through its thickness and silky strands. Her body had become firmer and more muscular, and that only added to his desire for her. Her lavender/coco scent now filled every portion of his mind and his body, and he could smell himself just as deeply imprinted on her.

"What?" She asked with a gentle smile.

"I'm just wondering how I ever got so lucky." Martin spoke.

Aricia grinned and stepped up to him, wrapping her arms around his waist. "You mean having five beautiful women who fawn over you?" She asked.

Martin reached up and brushed some hair behind her ear, looking down into her azure blue eyes. "Right now the only one who matters to me, the only one who fills my senses and my soul is you." He told her softly.

"As you will fill my senses and my soul Martin Leonidas. You have two other beautiful Queens however Beloved." Aricia said gently. "And while Isabella may never wish that title ... she will be a queen in our hearts and yours."

"Aricia ... For'mya is..." Martin asked.

Aricia smiled warmly and placed a finger to his lips. "For'mya and I have much to talk about and experience together. I look forward to that with relish. I have seen what you have experienced with her. What she has experienced. We were meant for each other Martin. I know that now and I do not fear the future my love. She and I will become very close."

"What about Anja?" Martin asked.

"Anja and I will always love each other Martin." Aricia spoke easily. She had grown much these last weeks, experienced more than she should have at such a young age, but she was better for it and Aricia knew it. She had her life back, her Beloved, and nothing would ever take him from her again. She spoke with the intelligence and confidence of a woman twice her age, in part because of Isheeni's influence, but more because she had finally become a complete woman now, and she had come to terms with all that had happened. "Yet as our hearts call for you, they call for others as well. Anja's heart calls for Seanna now, as mine calls for For'mya. You already know that Dysea and Isabella grow closer by the hour. You will always be the center of our lives Beloved, the one who owns us all body and mind, and perhaps we will not always be together in body, but our minds and our hearts will always be one. Always together, and we will never deny each other attention of any form."

"You will always be first in my heart Aricia, by the pureness of our blood and by my love for you." Martin said.

Aricia flushed all over at his words pressing her body closer against his as she nodded. "I know Martin." She said softly. "You will always be first in mine. I saw it in your mind Beloved. We follow the path of your grandparents so closely you and I. It is uncanny."

Martin nodded. "I know ... and we need to complete what they started."

"Can we complete it?" Aricia asked.

Martin drew her into his arms further and hugged her tightly. "We're damn sure gonna give it our best shot." He said.

And we will be beside you always. Isheeni's voice filled their heads.

They turned and saw her head in the opening of the cave, followed quickly by Torma's larger one. I told her to wait until you came out sire, but she never listens to me. Torma spoke.

Isheeni nudged her dragon mate with her head. Perhaps you should take lessons from the King husband. We never coupled for three days straight. Your stamina is sorely lacking.

Torma's gold eyes grew wider and her snorted at Isheeni. I will show you stamina when you birth our eggs Isheeni. You will trumpet my name to the heavens.

Isheeni's azure blue eyes did an excellent impression of rolling in her head. I already do that husband. Perhaps something more creative is now called for. She teased him; running her snout under his sensitive jaw and seeing his wings twitch in response.

Martin and Aricia laughed from where they stood. Careful Isheeni... Martin said. I can give him some secret tips.

Isheeni laughed within their connection. He needs no tips sire. He already makes me sing louder than any other female of my kind. They are so jealous of me that I have him and they do not. Isheeni looked at Torma. Something I bless the winds for every day.

Torma butted her gently with his head in a show of affection. As do I. He turned to look at Martin. Everyone is gathered sire, as you ordered.

Aricia looked at him quickly. "What is happening Martin? Why is everyone gathered?"

Martin bent down and picked up the two helmets. "They are gathered because now I have to act as King." He spoke lowering his helmet to his head. "And you my Queen ... you have to act as Queen." Aricia let him lower her helmet onto her head, the raven crest soft and shiny in the light of the cave. "We have a few things to do before all this is over with and we can begin our future with our child."

You should ride down together sire. Torma spoke turning so they could climb into the saddle. Isheeni will trumpet your coming.

It was a majestic sight really.

Isheeni stood on the edge of the ledge and let loose with a deafening roar, followed by two long blasts of fire from her maw, each extending out nearly a hundred meters. This was enough to draw the attention of every dragon on the ground nearly four thousand meters below, and they all looked skyward and bellowed out their answer to her call. As all other eyes looked up, only the Lycavorians and elves had keen enough eyesight to see the next two blasts of fire erupt from the ledge just before Torma's enormous obsidian colored body burst out of the cavern like a shot, his massive wings fully extended, and a roar coming from his own throat. Isheeni's azure blue body burst from the ledge far overhead following her mate and roaring into the clear sky. The roaring continued from the dragons on the ground and soon was joined by the Spartans of Mjolnir's Hand as the message was passed among their minds.

Gorgo and Deia stood with Helen and Riall and several others as Anja, Dysea and Isabella walked up to them quickly, their faces beaming. Arzoal trailed along behind them, feeling younger than she had in centuries and loving every moment of it.

Gorgo took Dysea's hand as they came up beside her. "Dysea ... what is going on?" She had to shout over the roaring of the dragons and Spartans. "Why are they roaring like this?" She saw For'mya come running around the corner of a portable building practically dragging Aricia's mother with her.

"They are celebrating Gorgo." Helen spoke as she looked at Arzoal, both Gorgo and Deia turning to look at her. "Celebrating a wonderful moment to say the least. Torma and Isheeni have told them the news and they have passed it to their Spartan brothers. That is why they are screaming. They have just found out their King is going to be a father."

Gorgo's eyes grew wide and she looked at Anja and Dysea. "Aricia?" She gasped her face animated.

Anja smiled and nodded her head. "It will be a boy." She said squeezing Dysea's hand tightly.

Dysea nodded. "And he will have his mother's eyes." She said her face just as joyful as Anja's.

Dasha came up next to Gorgo, For'mya holding her hand. "Gorgo ... what is going on? I did not want to be here for this. To see the man who defiled my daughter is not someone I..."

Gorgo took her hand from For'mya as she stepped back to stand beside Isabella. "You should be present to see what his punishment will be for what he has done to your daughter Dasha. To our Queen ... and Aricia should tell you first of all of us."

Dasha looked at her with a twinkle in her eye. "Tell me that she carries the King's son?" Dasha said. "Gorgo ... she is my daughter. Who do you think knew minutes after she and the King? Did not your Jora tell you first?"

Gorgo laughed and hugged her tightly. "Yes she did." She said. "Yes she did."

Dasha caught sight of Joric and Chetak kneeling with a dozen others apart from where they stood. "I already know what the King intends. He made me that promise soon after he claimed my daughter." She spoke softly. "He is his father's son, and he will act as a Spartan."

Gorgo looked at her evenly. "Yes ... yes he will."

The cheering and bellows from the dragons grew louder as Torma's bulk cruised lower in a wide looping, lazy circle, Isheeni just off his right wing, matching his every maneuver. They could see Martin and Aricia in the saddle, the crests on their helmets blowing in the wind.

A spot had been cleared for Torma to land and he flared his huge wings a hundred meters from the surface, bellowing out a roar that caused the Spartans to drop to one knee and lower their heads, their Dragon brothers lowering their heads as well. He touched down with barely any effort and waited for Isheeni to land beside him before he began walking forward. Gorgo watched her son, his arm wrapped protectively around Aricia's waist, his hand spread out over her abdomen, both her hands on top of his and Gorgo smiled, small tears coming to her eyes.

Arzoal leaned close to Anja, knowing that only she, Dysea, Isabella and Helen could hear her Mindvoice words as she directed them. Now she looks like a Queen. So alive ... so vibrant ... so beautiful. It ... it shames me to think of what I put her through.

What we put her through. Tablina's voice entered the connection as she walked up to stand next to Arzoal. You will not bear that shame alone.

Helen looked at the both of them. You will find your actions over the last few days will go a long way to earning forgiveness. Do not dwell on what you can not change ... what you both have dreamed of is only minutes from reality. It is time to move into the future now, a future you will have in building.