Treasure Ch. 09

"Oh, very beautiful," Adeon agreed, pressing a kiss on the top of her head. "But not nearly as radiant as you." Catherine grinned broadly up at him, feeling her cheeks heat up.

"Then I'm afraid you've gone completely blind," she replied just as a hush fell over the cavern. "Don't worry, Adeon: if you cannot see the speakers, I shall describe them to you," she whispered. He mussed her hair fiercely, sending long strands of it falling all over her face, and she fought him off with a few silent flails of her arms.

"I believe we have come to a decision," Grindel announced, and she quickly combed the mass of tousled hair away from her eyes and smoothed it down so she could get a better look at him. Other dragons had parted to form a wide circle around him, and from his higher perch, he was perfectly visible. He looked just as regal and in control as he had before, but Catherine no longer regarded him with stunned awe like she had earlier. His rich voice now seemed oily and insincere, and she could see insecurity blazing behind his air of authority. As Catherine stared haughtily up at him, she swore that his eyes found her in the crowd and gazed down at her while he continued to speak. "We will meet the human soldiers in battle." Catherine grimaced, and cheers and anxious murmurs erupted sporadically from the crowd. Grindel raised his fist. "We have fled for too long!" he roared, and the cheers grew louder. "We have allowed them to drive us into isolation, to oust us from our homes--"

"If what the girl says is true," Kai's voice said loudly and clearly from in front of her, and the rowdy celebrations began to diminish as the other dragons silenced themselves in order to hear her, "we will be severely outnumbered. Although we are great in size, our numbers are small. There will be at least a hundred of them for each one of us." Catherine swallowed a sigh of relief. Finally, someone on her side who was well-versed in the art of public speech. Grindel turned his glare towards her, his yellow eyes bright with anger.

"Then what would you suggest?" he asked softly.

"I have a small, skilled army of men to command awaiting my call at the foot of the mountains. They would be proud to defend us," she announced magnificently, holding her head high. Grindel regarded her with obvious disdain.

"Men?" he spat. "In case you've forgotten, it's man who is--"

"Since when has it become our mission to cleanse the earth of humans?" Kai interrupted. "We are making a stand, not exterminating an entire species." A few dissatisfied mutters echoed mutinously from the area nearest Grindel, but a few of the older-looking dragons inclined their heads thoughtfully.

"I, too, am friend to a city of men," a particularly ancient one croaked from Grindel's right side, his long silver hair glinting in the sparse sunlight. The skin around his pale eyes seemed slightly flushed, and the pink tint stood out eerily in the pallor of his face. "Long have I stood guard over their kingdom. They would quickly come to our aid. This 'eastern alliance' does not extend to the entirety of the human race..."

"I concur," a fierce-looking female with short maroon hair added, nodding solemnly. "We've been at odds with humans for far too long. There is still an opportunity for peace with those who haven't declared war against us. Why shouldn't we make an attempt to coexist with the other inhabitants of this earth? To do otherwise would make us no better than the men who seek our destruction." A moody look crossed over Grindel's pointed features, and once he was certain that everyone had finished speaking, he rolled his eyes.

"Is anyone else in favor of allying with the creatures that are trying to kill us?" he asked dryly, and as a large number of hands rose, (some more hesitantly than others), he closed his eyes tightly and pinched the bridge of his nose in exasperation. "Of course you are..."

"Two small armies won't be sufficient against a legion of men," a dragon near Grindel spat. His hair was long and dark green, and one of his green eyes was clouded over and split by a deep scar. "What's the point? Against such a large number, the cowards wouldn't even agree to do battle." A word suddenly lodged itself in Catherine's throat, followed by another, and then another, and then one more. As much as Grindel terrified her, she felt her mouth slip open, and before she could stop herself she had spoken those four words:

"What about the fairies?"

The cavern grew very quiet, and Grindel's face turned towards her slowly--dangerously so. Catherine tore her eyes from him and focused instead on Kai's upturned azure eyes, which were watching her curiously. A few half-hearted laughs sounded from a handful of dragons who clearly thought she was joking, but they trailed off incredulously as Catherine cleared her throat to speak.

"There were knights gossiping in my city about how King Hadrien planned to siege the Black Forest," she explained carefully. "He had sent messengers to treat with the fey, but they...ah...refused. I know that they want no part in the upcoming wars, but if we were to warn them about the possibility of an attack..."

"The fey are dangerous and fickle," snapped an older dragon with an impressive white beard, "and they are more than powerful enough to survive without our aid. Nothing good would come of attempting to treat with them."

"But what if they were to accept?" Adeon said suddenly, and Catherine smiled brightly. "The alliance wouldn't stand a chance. It's only a possibility, but certainly one worth some consideration." He was met with silence, and from the vast crowd, she saw a few dragons nod slowly.

"I've had a couple run-ins with the Unseelie Court," mused a young, white-haired dragon with brilliant pinkish-red eyes. His skin was almost translucent--Catherine could nearly count the blue arteries that snaked down his underarms. "I have a favor to claim from some of its inhabitants."

"I'm sure the Unseelie would appreciate the chance to slay an army of humans, favors or treaties be damned," piped up a short sandy-haired woman, her lips splitting into a diabolical smile. "It isn't a bad idea."

"As always, Catherine, your input is invaluable," Grindel said monotonously. Catherine didn't look at him, but from the corner of her eye, she saw him wave his hand vaguely. "All in favor--" he began, and a host of hands shot up in the air before he could finish. He let out a long-suffering sigh. "Well. Why don't we call it a day," he said dully, "before we decide to dance in circles and invoke various deities as well?"

The room began to clear, growing loud with the roar of merging conversations, and Catherine stared worriedly up at Grindel as he spoke with a pair of the ancients. He seemed to feel her gaze upon him, for those brilliantly golden eyes of his shifted towards her, and his lips curved into a smile as he met her stare. After the two older dragons had turned and excused themselves, he bared his sharp teeth and brought them together quickly in a playful snap, still grinning wildly. Catherine's spine stiffened, and she jerkily turned back towards Adeon, who was talking to Roane. She had lived something of a cozy life before she met Adeon, and she wasn't quite used to the feeling of being so frightened of a single person. Then again, she hadn't ever met someone before who truly, sincerely wanted to hurt her, and who would doubtlessly enjoy every second of the process.

Do you sing, Catherine?

"I, for one," Roane declared, and Catherine was jerked back to reality, "am rather excited to see the fairies. Very excited. I'm coming with you, aren't I?"

"With us?" Catherine repeated uncertainly. Quiet as a ghost, Sher seemed to appear near Adeon's shoulder. Shax loomed behind her, a copper shadow clad in a violet cloak and a dark shirt.

"It was your idea, wasn't it?" she muttered. "We're not an army at anyone's beck and call--certainly not yours. If you want it done, do it yourself." Catherine felt herself go crimson. "But if you need assistance, I'd be willing to accompany you," she concluded moodily, brushing a stray lock of copper hair behind one of her pointed ears, and Catherine blinked.

"I thought you didn't like me," she admitted, and Sher rewarded her with a half-hearted shrug.

"I don't." Her eyes fixed on Grindel, who was striding purposefully out of the cavern. "I like him less," she snarled.

"Sher," Shax sighed, and she turned her furious gaze towards him.

"You saw his face. He hates the idea--it makes him uncomfortable. And seeing him so uncomfortable would make me very happy." She narrowed her eyes. "Don't you want me to be happy?"

"The alternative terrifies me," Shax said dryly. He tucked his fingers into his pockets and slouched a little deeper into his cloak, all the while staring gloomily down at the ground, and Catherine was struck by the sheer human-ness of his defeated expression.

"Then it's settled." She straightened her shoulders and glared a little less ferociously at Catherine. "The fey can be capricious. My brother and I will follow you to the Unseelie court." Shax jerked in surprise.

"Now, wait just one moment--"

"We will," she hissed, and his shoulders drooped obediently.

Adeon watched their exchange with more than a little amusement, and Catherine smiled as he wound his arms around her waist and tugged her a bit closer. "We could leave tomorrow at dawn," he offered.

"Tomorrow then," she agreed. "Do you think we'll have enough time?"

"If we don't stop, we'll be able to make it before nightfall," he said, tucking Catherine's head under his chin. "The fey travel swiftly. They'll have no problems meeting us for battle." Sher made a face.

"Do you always touch each other so much? I don't think I like it," she grumbled as she eyed Adeon's hands, which had entwined with Catherine's, with distaste.

"They're lovers," Roane said helpfully. Catherine flinched, her cheeks burning with embarrassment, and Shax's eyes seemed to go wide.

"I suppose that's it, then," Catherine said, dipping down slightly to hide the heat that was radiating from her face. "Adeon, I'm terribly hungry--"

"Of course, of course," Adeon agreed, but she could see the smirk playing at his lips as he drew her away. "We'll meet here tomorrow at dawn," he called over his shoulder. The three dragons nodded vaguely, and from the corner of her eye, Catherine thought she saw Shax grip Roane's arm as he made to follow them.

--

"I'm afraid," Catherine said suddenly, and Adeon looked up from the chunk of meat he was holding. She stared lugubriously down at the apple in her hands, turned it pensively in her fingers, and chewed on her lower lip before continuing. "Terrified, actually."

"I'd be more concerned if you weren't," he told her. He was sitting in front of her, gloriously half-dressed. While he had donned his trousers after the hunt, he had kept his chest bare. "The Unseelie court isn't the brightest of places. It won't be easy, what we're planning."

The rest of Catherine's day had passed in a haze of worry. She worried while she and Adeon strolled through the mountain passes. She worried through their casual conversations, while she clutched the hood of her cloak closer to fight the invasive chill of the winds. She even found herself fretting while Adeon pounced upon a rogue mountain goat. And now, hours later, they were back in the shelter of the cavern, lit by those odd, luminous crystals, and she was worrying furiously over their meager dinner. She had barely touched the charred lump of meat in front of her, and the smooth skin of the apple she was clutching was marred only by a single, tentative bite. Around the vast chasm she could hear distant mumbles, could catch the faint outlines of passing figures in the gloom, and she wondered if her life would be any easier if she could don layers of scales and sprout wickedly pointed claws. She couldn't shake the feeling of emptiness that was welling up inside of her; like she had finally taken things a step too far, like she was pretending to be a lot braver than she really was.

"Eat," Adeon demanded, and she glanced up at him nervously. He had leaned a little closer, and the faint glow of the cave cast his concerned expression into sharp relief. "You won't be helping anyone tomorrow if you're hungry," he continued softly. Catherine's stomach squirmed and protested as she tore off a piece of the goat meat, shoved it into her mouth, chewed for an inordinate amount of time, and finally swallowed. His lips thinned in frustration when she took a tiny, quivering bite of her apple. "Catherine--"

"I will, I promise." She finally folded the remains of her dinner into a square handkerchief from her sack, then buried her face in her hands. "I just feel...overwhelmed. Do you think I did the right thing?" she asked quietly, and Adeon shifted a little closer. For a moment he was quiet, and Catherine braced herself for whatever was about to come.

"I would have rather you stayed quiet. You have their attention now, and that could be dangerous." She bowed her head in acceptance, but he lifted her chin with a finger. "But you began a necessary conversation, I think. Waging a crusade against the entirety of the human race would do more harm than good," he said gently. He gave her a sad sort of smile. "Although it does pain me that we've become this involved. I never wanted you so close to this."

Catherine shook her head. "Neither did I." Adeon withdrew his hand, and she frowned as he regarded her thoughtfully. "What?" she demanded, and he shrugged.

"I don't think that's true," he said simply, and she gaped at him as he ripped off another bite of meat with his teeth. Rivers of dark juices dribbled down his chin and he brushed them away with his thumb. "You like to fix things too much," he concluded after swallowing. Catherine frowned.

"I do not."

"You do. And you have a spectacular alacrity for battle. I should have known this would happen."

"I wanted to help. Besides, if the dragons go off and try to exterminate every human being on earth--well, I think that affects me, doesn't it?" she said coolly. Adeon smiled.

"It does." He leaned a little closer, and Catherine closed the distance between their lips, smiling reluctantly against his mouth. "I'm not angry," he assured her, and she shivered as he paused to kiss her a little deeper, a little harder, his hands rising to caress the base of her neck. A small noise left her lips and he exhaled richly against her mouth. "Gods, you smell so good," he sighed blissfully. "It's driving me absolutely mad..."

"Adeon," she protested weakly, her voice small against his lips. "We're awfully exposed..." He pulled back, and she felt her brow furrow with concern as the delight faded carefully from his features.

"Not that sort of mad, actually," he said slowly.

Catherine watched him uncertainly. "I don't understand."

His stare was intense. "Neither do I," he murmured. "I can't put my finger on it. It's everything about you. Your smell, your skin, your hair..." His eyes grew wide, and he abruptly stopped speaking. Catherine frowned and drew a bit closer, gazing at him inquisitively.

"What is it?" she pressed. He choked a little, and his hands rose to frame her face.

"Catherine," he said shakily, "when was your last blood?"

She raised her eyebrows, feeling her cheeks flush with embarrassment. "I don't think that's any--" she began, but then the blood drained from her face. He just stared at her, his mouth slack, his green eyes large in his pale face, and she brought a hand to her lips. "It...it was...I think it was about three weeks before I met you," she said softly. She could see the numbers flickering behind Adeon's eyes, and after a moment, he seemed to swallow.

"Oh," he said.

"No," she breathed. "You don't think..." She trailed off, hoping that he would say something--anything--but he seemed to be gazing blankly at the rock wall behind her. "Adeon, how can that be possible?" she urged, and he just looked at her hopelessly, like all of the energy had been sucked right out of him.

"I'm...I'm not entirely sure," he finally admitted, and there was an unfamiliar tremor in his voice. For a small eternity, they both just stared silently at each other.

And then, a spark of insanity glittered behind Adeon's eyes. Catherine watched with more than a little worry as his lips split into a euphoric grin and he moved forward to seize her shoulders.

"A baby," he said in a strangled voice, and a nervous titter of laughter escaped his lips. Horrified, Catherine opened her lips to respond, but he leaned his forehead against hers and laughed again. "A baby, Catherine, we're going to have a baby," he whispered unsteadily. "Do you think it will be a boy? A girl? She might have your eyes," he continued shakily, smoothing her hair in heavy, frantic strokes, like he was trying to convince himself that she was real. "Or perhaps she might have mine...a lovely, brilliant little girl with a dragon's eyes, could you imagine?"

"Adeon," Catherine said quietly.

"Or a boy, a strong little boy," he sighed. "Precocious and handsome...I rather think our children could topple kingdoms, don't you?"

"Adeon, I--"

"Or twins," he groaned suddenly, his face growing slack with wonder. "Oh, let it be twins. Catherine," he added in a serious tone, "we should really consider having more children. A child growing up alone--"

"Adeon," Catherine begged, and he stopped short. There was still a giddy smile on his face. "Adeon, this is so wonderful," she whispered, letting her lips quiver into a bleary grin. "But...what are we going to do? There's a war going on, and...and we're living in a cave...and...and..."

"Shhhhh." The sound washed over Catherine's nerves, which were lit up with sparks of panic. "My love," he continued quietly. She shivered as he trailed a long line of kisses up her neck and stopped at her ear. "You worry far too much."

"I think I worry just enough for the both of us," she said in a shaky voice.

"I worry, too," he assured her. His palms held the small of her back and urged her forward, and she clambered into his lap. "I always worry, and you mustn't worry for me." She nodded and snuggled into his chest, and he kissed the top of her head. "I think you'll be a fantastic mother, you know," he said into her hair, grinning, and she suddenly giggled against his chest.

"A baby," she sighed in a quivering voice. "A baby..."

"Our baby."

"Our baby." She clutched weakly at his shoulders, and he chuckled against her hair. "I've...I've never really thought of having children before. Is that strange?"

"I haven't either," Adeon admitted. He still sounded a little dazed. Catherine suddenly glanced up at him.

"Do you think...our baby will be a dragon?" she asked softly.

"I don't know. I honestly don't know." She jumped a little as his hands slid down from the small of her back and squeezed at her thighs, and his lips ascended to her ear. "Mother of my child," he groaned. "And just when I thought I couldn't possibly want you more..."

"You stop that," she laughed, swatting at his hands, but she felt herself droop submissively as that too-long tongue brushed the lobe of her ear, a searing stroke of heat. His hands slipped under her dress and explored her flesh, stroking the tender skin of her thighs, and she shook herself. "Adeon," she moaned, squirming at his touch, "there are too many people--"

"What happened to the fierce Amazon I lay with, frenzied and stung with the passion of battle?" Adeon chuckled, and she wriggled in his arms as he brought his lips up to mouth his next sentence against her neck. "I want to touch you," he urged, nipping the skin before she finally managed to wrench away from him. He watched her hopefully as she stared at him, seemingly invigorated by the conflicted expression on her face. "Please," he finished softly, brushing the tip of his nose against hers.