Winds of Change Ch. 02

She pressed her face to his shoulder and took a deep breath, his scent filled her nose and had heat pooling beneath her skin. Shifting her head slightly she brushed her lips against his neck.

"Alanna, you are tired, you fell asleep at the dinner table." He told her as they entered their room. "You need to sleep."

"I am never too tired for you," she told him as she tried to kiss his lips but he turned his head away avoiding the kiss. He carefully put her on her feet and stepped away.

Alanna frowned, "Tarval... what is wrong?"

"Nothing is wrong," he said firmly.

"Then why won't you touch me?" She asked.

He gave her a puzzled look as he stroked her cheek, "I do touch you."

"No you don't," she said starting to feel her emotions start to spike and become a whirlwind of conflict within her. "You haven't touched me as a lover would since we found out I was pregnant."

Tarval said nothing, he couldn't lie to her and she was right he had steered away from anything sexual as he was afraid to hurt her and the child.

His silence hurt her, "tell me what is wrong..."

"Nothing is wrong," he insisted.

But Alanna's erratic hormones start working on her own insecurities. "If you never wanted children you should have said so."

"Alanna... it's not like that." He said as he went to reach for her.

She slapped one of his hands away and stepped back, "no... don't come near me."

"Alanna calm down," he said trying to reason with her hormone crazed mind.

"Don't tell me what to do!" She told him getting angry. "I thought you wanted to start a family..."

"I do..." he told her firmly.

"Really? I'm scared and you are distancing yourself."

"Alanna," he strode forward to grab her and hold her.

"I said don't touch me!" She told him.

"My love..."

"You don't love me!" she almost screamed.

Tarval went to lunge and grab her but her instincts were to protect her child, she threw up a shield and flung it at him. He felt the impact of her shield and it sent him across the room, it took a few minutes but slowly came around and shakily got to his feet but Alanna was gone.

Jewel was beside him and helped to steady him, "are you okay?" she asked.

"Fine... please... tell no one..." he asked.

Jewel nodded, "I don't know where she went, I heard the argument and came to help... she just vanished."

"She is fine," he told Jewel using the bond to find his mate before she got into trouble. "She has gone to Sage. I will talk to her tomorrow when she comes to get ready for the markets." He paused, "I didn't know she could do that with her shields, fling them away like that."

*

Alanna appeared in Sage's room just as Sage was turning back the sheets. "Alanna!" Sage said as she practically dived over her bed and stumbled to her feet before she got to her sister.

Alanna flung herself into her sister's arms and started to cry. Sage tightened her arms and just let her sister cry. "What happened?"

"He... he doesn't want... our child... and... he doesn't... love me." Alanna explained in between sobs.

"He didn't say that. Alanna he loves you and he wants the child." She said trying to calm her sister down.

"He doesn't... he doesn't want me anymore?" Alanna sobbed.

Sage closed her eyes; she had forgotten to get her father to talk to Tarval, to let him in on what he needed to do to keep Alanna sane at least for the early part of the pregnancy when all her hormones were out of whack. "That's not true and when you wake up you will feel silly for feeling this."

Sage willed Alanna out of her clothes and into a night shirt. Gently she got her sister into the bed and crawled in next to her. "Everything will be better in the morning." She promised her sister.

"How? He doesn't love me anymore; I don't want to do this alone." Alanna said between little hiccups.

"You would never have to face this alone," Sage promised. "Now, take a deep breath, hold it and slowly release." For long minutes Sage slowly talked Alanna through a relaxing technique their mother had taught them. The emotional upheaval and the long day had taken its toll and Alanna was fast asleep in no time.

Sage took a deep breath as she gestured willing the candles and lamps out before she cuddled up to her sister and tried to fall asleep. She would deal with this tomorrow.

**

Sage sighed as she watched her sister sleep; she simply didn't have the heart to wake her after last night as Alanna hadn't slept well. She had been woken four times to her sister's nightmares which in itself was strange, as Alanna hadn't had nightmares like that since she started sharing a bed with Tarval.

There was a gentle knock on the door. Sage went and opened the door; Jewel was waiting with a cart. Sage stepped aside and let Jewel in.

"How is Tarval?" Sage asked.

"Distressed," Jewel replied. "How is Alanna?"

"About the same," Sage replied as she walked over to her sister and sat on the bed. "Hey..." Sage said gently as she shook her sister. Alanna growled not wanting to wake just yet. "Come on... its market day." Sage continued trying to get her sister to wake.

Alanna opened an eye as she finally woke; she glanced around trying to figure out why she wasn't in her room. It took her a moment to remember last night and when she did she started to cry again.

Sage leant down and rested her head on her sister's back. "Alanna it is going to be okay." She told her sister.

"I think I hurt him last night," Alanna said after a few moments. "I flung him away..."

"He is fine and more concerned with your mental state than a few bruises." Jewel assured her.

"Come on Alanna, remember what Keira did to Ghan before he got control of her, she went from nearly tearing his throat out to grooming him in less than an hour." Sage stated.

Alanna took a deep breath; she did in fact remember that. "I said some horrible things."

"Yeah well your rational mind was elsewhere at the time, I am sure he forgives you." Sage said as she glanced meaningfully to Jewel.

"He does," Jewel agreed. "I don't think he slept well last night, he is concerned but he wants to work this out. He loves you."

"Now up, we need to get ready for the markets." Sage reminded.

Alanna nodded and got up.

"I brought your armour and Megan is getting your breakfast." Jewel added. "Tarval was hoping you would come back to get ready but I told him you might need more time to calm down. He accepted it."

"I am stealing a shower." Alanna said as she got out of bed.

"Go for it," Sage replied as Megan brought in breakfast. "Yay food!"

Megan grinned as she gave a tray to Sage. "I will just go get Alanna's."

Jewel nodded as she had already started making Sage's bed so that she could lay out Alanna's armour. Dominic knocked and popped his head in. "Tarval said Alanna was here?" He questioned. Sage listened but the sound of water would drown out almost anything.

"Yep," Sage replied. You need to speak with Tarval; he doesn't know how to keep her stable. She replied silently.

Ah... that explains it then. Dominic said. I'll take care of it today.

"Thanks. So what brings you here?" Sage asked just as the water was turned off.

"I need a few words with Alanna." Dominic replied.

"She'll be out in a few moments." Sage replied as she started to eat.

Is she okay? Dominic asked silently.

She'll be fine; I've seen worst spats between mates during the early stages of pregnancy. Sage answered.

Moments later Alanna walked out dressed in a light shirt and breeches. "Morning Dominic," she said before she joined them at the table.

"Morning," he greeted just as Megan walked in with a heavy tray.

"Thank you Megan," Alanna said as her eyes focused on the food.

"I'll be back in fifteen minutes to get you in your armour," Megan told Sage.

Jewel turned to Alanna, "what she said," she added before both women left the room.

"So what brings you here this morning?" Alanna asked before she put some food in her mouth.

"I wanted to speak with you, see there might be some people who will come to the markets that I want to introduce you to." Dominic explained.

"Why?" Alanna asked before taking another bite.

"Because you are Amy's daughter," Dominic replied simply.

"And ma can smooth the way if you want to go to earth," Alanna surmised before she frowned, "Sage is also ma's daughter."

Dominic smiled, "yes... but she isn't Alanna Brave-heart, the woman who stood up for a Santaur she didn't know. You are a person of true honour and they respect that."

Alanna rolled her eyes, "I am never going to live that down am I?"

Dominic shook his head, "No... what you did was radical, and radical things get remembered."

"So who wants to go to earth?" Alanna asked before she sipped some tea.

"The Dragons."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I know I'm evil :P

But at least I warned you.