Vermillion: Transforming

Iris and Sirus both looked in her direction "Unless you're going to do something, stop."

"But we're a couple-

"A couple of crazy people, yeah. But you basically want to be everywhere and anywhere."

"You don't like to travel? Go to tropical places?" Iris beamed.

"Tropics are okay, traveling's fine. Just not every day."

"I wish Nicholas could get out a bit more. He hasn't left Verdure in some time. How were the fall colors?" Elizabeth sipped from her wine glass watching Nick's eyes brighten.

"They were amazing, before the fighting we actually enjoyed ourselves. " Nick explained.

"Good, then you can tell me more in the morning." Elizabeth was hinting at something, but unfortunately Nick couldn't read her mind for answers.

That night Nick, Luna, and Dom got acquainted with the new staff, Wen the chef, Pierce the butler, Candice the maid, and the gardener, Rey. Elizabeth had already turned in for the night, Areya and Neimos turned down Nick's offer to stay, but promised to return later in the week once they worked everything out. Lynx would be staying with Alex while Iris stayed in the castle and Sirus opted to stay at the Walcott before returning in the morning.

Now the trio of friends were sitting in Nick's office, alone at last.

"How are you both okay with Sirus?" Dom groaned "He's-

"He's broken." Luna said seriously "He scared me, terrified me, but what can we do? He's working with us rather than against us."

"Why even trust him after all he did?"

"Because he is a man in love." Luna said with a wry grin "Iris is what's keeping him sane, she's why he wants to escape his sin, I'm just a small part of it with his relationship with my mother."

Dom leaned back in his chair "What do you think, count?"

"I think that he is in love. The realization of it may have come at an opportune time, but it doesn't change what he feels. Iris appears to be Sirus' humanity."

"Or is it the sex?" Dom said this loudly "She sleeps with him in Romus and he's keeping his distance. She sleeps with him after breakfast and now he wants to make the world a better place."

"Good sex makes you happy and gives you the energy to do things like fix a leaky drain, whistle, let an asshole take your seat on the bus. It does not make you sacrifice yourself and try to fix everything you crapped on." Luna rebuked.

For a second Dom wanted to ask Luna how she would know but knew better than to tease her and Nick about their sex life, being as there was no actual sex being had, unless you counted oral, and Dom knew Luna hadn't been feeding on Nick, especially with her powers growing.

"It's something to be cautious about, Luna. He's not a bully who stole your lunch money. He choked you-

"He wasn't trying to choke me, he lost control. He has anger issues to work out."

"So, you're over the bruise he left?"

"I'm just tired." Luna deflated, she was sore from the fight and really just wanted to sleep the entire week.

"I am too. We can never get a normal vacation."

"It was worth a shot." Nick said admiring the picture of the moon he had bought for Luna, he touched the surface of the canvas, feeling the paper curve.

"Yes, it was. I think I'll turn in for the night. Goodnight, Luna, Count." Dom got up and bowed before leaving with Nick waving as he shut the door behind him. Nick sat down in his chair across from Luna. It had been some time since he could admire her honey-colored eyes, those silky purple locks. Even then when he knew she was bone tired he couldn't help but look upon her.

"I wanted to talk." Luna began "About us."

Nick knew what this was about, it was practically the only thing that took his away from the conversations that night about Pettiful Life getting new hamsters and them shutting down one of the bars to make it over.

Nick reached out for her, and Luna reciprocated by sliding her hand into his. It wasn't as cold but held a small warmth when she squeezed it. "Things keep spiraling out of control."

"I still want to be with you, intimately, Nick. And I'm not talking about a happy ending." Luna grinned naughtily. He could feel his face warm up with the thought of that vision they both saw the night of their first date. What would happen when they did jump that hurdle finally?

"And I want the same, Luna. Trust me." Nick had been holding back, the idle conversations, real full conversations, and work, it was all a nice distraction from this new relationship goal.

"But you want to wait until things calm down."

Nick kissed the back of her hand "No. I want you..."

"Even with what happened back in Haxir?" Luna's eyes fell to the desk unsure if this was the right way to continue the discussion "With me killing someone?"

Nick sighed "Yes, even with that and it's still on my mind. But I know it won't change much, because of how you saw him."

"Then what are you saying?"

"I want to commit to you fully, but I want to wait until things get into normal working order here with the new staff, me being back here, taking care of the city and the kingdom."

"Yes, king, I know."

"I don't want to rush it, but there may be something that we can explore together...say a week from now on our next date?" Nick smiled.

"Deal." Luna turned her hand and shook his "Do I get a hint at what we're exploring?"

"No, but I promise you'll be happy with it." Nick then bent over the desk and kissed her sweetly on the lips "Sometimes I get lost in those eyes..I don't want to stop."

Luna's face was full of color as she smiled back at Nick "I know the feeling, but tonight I need rest. And so do you. Try not staying up too late."

"I'll try, goodnight, Luna."

"Night, Nick." Luna left and Nick plopped down into his chair closing his eyes, remembering the vision from before.

In the morning Sirus and Iris joined the table with Elizabeth, tea was served with muffins, shortbreads, croissants, and berry stuffed pastries rather than the usual breakfast spread. It was all requested by Elizabeth who decided to have her own teatime to start off the fresh new day. She was dressed in a black and white princess vest and in a black tulle skirt that went down over her knees.

Sirus was in a dark white dress shirt and gray dress pants, Iris wore a dark sky-blue cowl skirt and a mint green wrap top. Nick was in a navy dress shirt with black pants, Dom wore a burgundy button up and dark jeans, Luna wore dark washed denim skinny jeans and a mocha-colored mandarin blouse with wedges to match. Unlike the other two women at the table, Luna wore her hair up into the ponytail instead of down like Eliza or to the side like Iris.

Sirus raised a perfectly clean porcelain cup to his lips and drank from the transparent red water. "I love rooibos. Thank you." He set the cup down on the small plate below as Iris dug into a blueberry muffin.

"All is well?" Nick asked.

"As well as they can be, I will be leaving soon, does this really matter?"

"Yes. All moments matter." Iris nearly snapped at Sirus.

"That's not what I meant."

"I don't mean to intervene and start couple's counseling.", Luna cleared her throat "But are you okay, Iris?" Her behavior was a little panicky, Iris was poised and confident the other night. This morning she pecked constantly at the muffin, jabbing it with her nails as if she was paranoid about of something.

"I just...something flew in last night from my aunt."

"What was it?" Nick allowed things to fly in(He had always held hope out for a creature of the night to fly in), but there were spells placed up around the open windows that would repel any type of attack.

"A letter, she threatened and warned me basically. I don't know how much time my sisters have with me sitting here doing nothing."

"We can't allow you to return home or you'd be slaughter and who knows what would happen to your sisters?" Dom said "Iris, maybe you can send a letter back to hold her off."

"But anything can set her off. The wrong word or looping of an o could set her off."

Sirus patted her hand "I may have an idea."

"Is it a good one?"

"Yes."

"Then tell me later, I'm famished." Iris began eating the muffin again as her worry began to dissipate. Sirus wouldn't lie to her for anything in the world, and that gave her true peace.

"Have it your way, I do like earl grey as well. Though coffee is a lot richer."

"I agree." Elizabeth said sipping from her cup "But Sirus, tell me something.."

"Yes?"

"Why did you trust Elyra in the first place after knowing all the horrors she inflicted?"

Sirus gave a sorrowful grin in remembering "I hope you don't laugh at this, but I honestly wanted to see what she was like. See if she'd change around me, not try to convert me. Or whatever she was doing."

"I've heard of her when I was younger, she and I are around the same age."

"You're a year older."

"Just one. I remember hearing whispers of Lyra, they said that her words were like song, so hypnotizing, soothing."

"So, hypnotizing that it can cause the mind to shut down when one of her victims try to fight back." Sirus said picking up a blueberry scone.

"Then why not try and contain her?" Dom asked, "Were you afraid?"

"Demons don't frighten me, intentions do. I don't have to tell you this, but she is much stronger than I am."

"You're pretty calm about things now. You seemed pretty anxious when we were in Haxir." Luna noticed how relaxed Sirus was versus how he was then, wound up.

"I've spilled all my secrets, Luna. How am I supposed to be? Iris may hate that I'm leaving for Hirea soon, but it is to avoid future conflicts here, with her and you being targeted."

"Do you really want to chance this and superman the situation with her aunt?" Luna took a piece of bacon off of Dom's plate with him scowling at her.

"There's not really any other way, unless you want to jump in and Supergirl this situation. And I'm against that idea."

"Her getting involved, or my king?" Dom asked, he fiercely snatched the bacon back from Luna who made a defeated noise as she snapped only a small piece off.

"Try both..Are you two really going to play with your food all morning?"

"If someone can keep her hands off my food then no." Dom pulled his plate towards himself.

"You barely eat bacon anyway, it's a waste." Luna told him.

"Just ask for a few fresh pieces. Problem solved. Just, because you share food with my king doesn't mean you get to hijack mine."

"We don't share food." Nick said abruptly "We taste each other's food sometimes, normal people do that as well Dominic."

"Brina and I don't."

"Because Brina caught your tongue." Luna teased.

"And what's caught yours I wonder."

"Children...you two are old enough not to bicker back and forth. Could you desist for a minute?" Nick was over the two-year-old arguments and wanted to get back to normal conversation.

"Speaking of Dominic, what shall you do with him now?" Elizabeth gave a small smile "Luna assists you in your work, what will he do?"

Nick shrugged "Live his life, Eliza. He shouldn't have to kill himself for us his entire life, Dominic is free to do whatever he pleases."

"Without title?"

"He's our friend, our family."

"Nicholas-

"Do you have something in mind?" Nick grumbled, it was always a suggestion she wanted to present, first the windows, now the guy who was practically their younger brother.

"Lady Elizabeth-

"You can quit with the formalities, we are family. I've known you since you arrived outside of these castle walls. Eliza or Elizabeth suits me fine, though I know you won't agree to the next part, you don't have to keep calling Nicholas my king or your majesty...or my count."

"He favors the latter." Luna added.

Dom nodded robotically, there were certain things that he had gotten used to in all his years of service, his non-required service. He only needed to help for a little while and decided that he owed Nick more than that. Nick didn't try to persuade him, since he wouldn't be able to. Dominic did it for a time, because he felt comfortable with his role, stepping out of it into another was beyond anything he could ever imagine.

Being the next in line was nerve racking, a giant weight upon his head if he did decide to take that right that Nick and Eliza believed he deserved rather than earned. He earned their trust, their respect, and their love, he didn't need to earn much more than that.

"I'll try...Eliza." Dominic then took a long sip of milk.

"Did that burn?" Luna whispered.

"No. It will take getting used to."

"Then can we talk about me borrowing one of your dvds for tomorrow night?"

"For?"

"Dom, it's a movie, it's not a big deal."

"Alright." Dom leaned back and smiled "If you tell me what for, it's yours."

Luna scoffed at him "It's not a movie date. I'm going to hang out...with Lynx as a favor to Alex who wants her to have girlfriends."

"I don't think that's the right way to go about it." Nick said.

"But it's graphic violence, Lynx will love this movie or hate it enough to criticize and it and have a q and a."

"I don't think Lynx would talk that long about it." Sirus informed her "She's more for show than tell, Luna. But it's worth a try, Lynx is hard to unearth."

"She's still your best friend, Si." Iris punched his arm "And she's my friend. We can have a girl's night."

"Okay, well then forget the movie then." Luna said.

"What? Why? There's nothing wrong with graphic violence as long as the storyline is above average." Iris snapped her fingers "We can rent a movie from a store, talk a little on the way, go out have drinks."

Luna slowly grinned "Clubbing it is. I'll invite Brina too."

"Just don't come back sloshed dropping f-bombs." Dom told her.

"Please, you use them too. I promise to be a good little succubus and do my homework before I go out and cause all sorts of chaos, kay?"

"Fine, and don't get into any trouble."

"I haven't gotten into trouble since I came here."

"I'm sorry, but unlike Nick, I don't trust girl squads."

Iris giggled as Nick turned to Dom "I think they'll be alright for one night. We're not they're keepers, Dominic."

"No, but if someone gets hurt-

"Why not get someone to babysit them so that they don't accidently break one of Nicholas' rules?" Sirus suggested "Why not Eliza?"

"I have plans of my own."

Nick could practically hear the lightness in his sister's voice, the soft edge of it when she spoke. She had the air of coolness, underneath was something warm and thin. "Plans? Like a date?" Nick knew that his sister hadn't dated anyone in some time, being centuries. It was very hard to interest or even tempt Elizabeth.

Elizabeth nodded "Yes, a friend of mine actually. He came with me and helped me with keeping the kingdom together while you were away. He's been staying at one of the hotels in town."

"He could have stayed here."

"He didn't want to overstep, you are the king here. And he's virtually a stranger to you."

"Oh, so how did you two meet?" Nick seemed fully intrigued by the fact that his sister might be forming an actual relationship. It was something that he hoped for after years of being unable to find someone to match her. He wanted her happiness as she wanted his, but he avoided the topic knowing that it easily irritated Eliza.

"We can go over that another time. Why not invite April and squash all of the drama?"

"Eh, I don't know Eliza..What if it becomes a powder keg?" Luna asked.

"The only other person that I could suggest is Areya, and Alex would probably die knowing that his mother and girlfriend were together for an entire night speaking about him."

"I'll ask her today and see. And if Lynx agrees then we move forward."

"And what will the boys be doing with the girls away?" Iris smirked at Sirus "Lamenting on how much you miss us? Going over your own flaws and woes? Shouting at one another?"

Sirus shrugged "I don't know anything that we'd all like. I was going to call over and speak with my attendant and advisor over in Hirea."

"Then I can help..Nick with his work while Luna's away." Dom announced.

"Sounds like a plan." Iris said biting a piece off of Sirus' scone.

Later that morning Luna, Dom, Nick, and Sirus met up in Nick's office where Sirus was sideswiped by the larger-than-life paintings of Elizabeth, her and Nick's father, and of the moon. The latter seemed that it should have been placed elsewhere. It threw off the balance of the room to him. But after he stopped looking, he sat down to begin talking.

"I'm sure you have many things to say, but all three of us have a hard time forgetting about what you did to Luna, before and after she came here." Nick began "And no amount of sorrow, pain, even fear changes that."

Sirus nodded "So where does this leave us?"

Nick looked towards Luna who shrugged "It's not like you're staying here in Verdure, you're visiting from time to time."

"All the innocent people must make him itch." Dom said, "Or it's the guilt."

"Or it's something else entirely. I'll admit that scaring Luna in the dream was the wrong way to go about this, but I did look up to Casira. And she wanted me to protect her daughter, so I will."

Dom smiled "By leaving? What a hero."

"I'm leaving, because the best way to protect her is to leave her here with Nicholas."

"Because I'm impervious to all types of danger?" Nick questioned sarcastically "I'm not, Sirus. This isn't about strength or your guilt. You don't want to be here."

Sirus rubbed the back of his head "It's lovely here, truly..but peace isn't something that I'm used to. It's so..humane. I do feel guilty about what I did, but I've done worse, I did worse-

"Reluctance is worse?"

Sirus shook his head "That's not what I'm speaking about, reluctance is pretty normal when entering someone's dreams to tempt them. Eventually they all desire it, I've told you before that I haven't forced myself on anyone. I hadn't the need to."

"Because of your vanity?" Luna asked.

Sirus looked Luna up and down "And you wear tops and dresses to conceal as well as reveal your cleavage, because of your vanity."

Luna blushed angrily "That-

"It's adorable, Luna." Sirus grinned "Casira got mad like that too, but she'd usually strike out at something or someone."

Luna sighed, it was finally time to admit that she was done with the darkness Sirus had brought down on her life. Her fear had completely gone in the last couple of days. The dreadful shadow that had attached itself to the white rose seal was destroyed by the truth. It had all dawned on Sirus after his quick battle with Caldric, and their small journey together. All the bitterness, madness, and fury had finally boiled off of him. And with it all gone, Luna felt relief, her worries were no more.

"Dom, I'm okay with him here." Dom pinched up his face unhappy at his friend's response "Sirus has proven himself to be trustworthy...and Nick trusts him too."

Dom calmly pushed his own rage down as he stared into the shaded teal eyes of his oldest friend "You trust him? Luna nearly burned out, because of him. He left bruises around her neck."

"I got...so wound up about seeing her, I didn't mean to hurt her. But that's an excuse. I did it, so you can judge me, hate me. But I won't be a trouble to Luna or you or Nicholas anymore."

"And I'm supposed to take you at your word?"

"Tell me Dominic, in our short time together have I ever lied to you about my intentions? About who I was and what I wanted?"

"No." Dom turned his chair around roughly hearing one of the feet crack from the pressure "You kept secrets."

"Secrets?" Sirus leered "Dominic, none of those secrets affected any of you personally. They were mine, pieces of my life that I didn't want known. You know more about me than I do out of everyone here. You're the one that I shouldn't trust, but I do."