Border Crossing

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Richard took the pair of pants and nodded, dropping his others on the floor without a thought. He had never been shy . being a prince, he'd never been given that option. "I am a little put out that I was unable to protect you when the mermaid queen became upset. But I am not angry with you."

The woman held her dress against her breasts and backed toward the door, feeling for the handle on the wall. "I did what I was told. Even your slave knew her place and left when she was told. I am not stupid enough to disobey the king's captain of the guard!"

"This was her idea and in a way, yours." Richard told her. "Didn't you tell me to align myself with them?" He asked, smoothing his long fingers over his still bare chest.

"What is there to learn?" Yena asked. "You are a shem. You plan to kill me and sell my baby to yur king. Or eat it."

Marisol turned her head away, moonlight coloured hair hiding her face from Richard's view. "I am a servant, sire. I do not expect you to do anything I say."

"Sorry to disappoint you... But I bow to no king." The hunter replied, grinning to himself for purposefully not disclaiming the part about her baby.

Seven months passed rather quickly. In that time,  Richard and Marine became rather close. They could often be seen on the ship's deck together in the evening, talking more than just war.  

Seven months were terrible for Yena. She was extremely sick for a great deal of it, most days unable to get out of bed. The baby was quite large, making it clear that it was to be no normal child.

Seven months became more hellish as they passed for Marisol. The queen was even more beautiful than she had thought, and just as charming. The mages own time alone with the prince grew shorter and shorter until finally Richard didn't call for her unless her magic was needed desperately.

The hunter took excellent care of his strange charge. It was clear he had made a personal choice to avoid people, that was why he lived all the way out here, but something was different about Yena. He wanted to protect her.

Richard didn't seem to notice. In his mind Marisol wanted it this way. She had pulled away from him first and he was simply giving her the distance she wanted. He was ever the diplomatic prince.  His father had raised a successor worthy of the throne. Marine was all but eating out of his hand, Blackbeard and her own son forgotten. The same could not be said for Richard. He had not forgotten his daughter. He still had people searching for her, even though he was truly beginning to lose hope. He was not the only one. 

Yena didn't dare to get close to the hunter. Even to learn his name. She was still afraid of him, even though she was far too ill to escape his forest home. She'd given up on anything but the child she carried inside her, truly believing that love did not exist for her and never would.

Marisol kept in contact with Garrik, assuring him she was still looking for Alice, but she must be back with the elves, as something was keeping her from making contact. It was the only time she really got to talk to anyone, as without Richard's company, there was no one on the crew who paid her any attention.

The hunter knew Yena didn't trust him, and that was why he gave her the space she needed. The pregnant dragon would want for nothing for herself and the baby however.
"You know... If you told me who the daddy is, maybe I could find him for you?" He finally remarked after weeks of trying to understand Yena's mistrust.

Garrik was getting desperate. He had tried more than once to escape his prison and had nearly gotten himself drowned for it. He was more than a little certain now that Alice was never coming back. Though he was not yet giving up he was very close indeed. 

"The father is..." that day was one of the first days Yena was able to get out of bed. "Doesn't even know and probably wouldn't care." She muttered. She had her head tipped back and was breathing in the cool forest air. It was the first time she'd been able to breathe fresh air in weeks.

Marisol was also beginning to get desperate. Marine wouldn't allow Richard's ship anywhere near land if he wanted to keep their coalition, which meant the mage had no chance to reach out and find Alice herself. It was to the point where she had considered opening a portal to the fade and taking her chances that Kane wouldn't find her before she made it out again through a land based portal.

"Give them a chance, and men can still surprise you, girl." The hunter commented with a warm smile. "What if being a father is everything he ever wanted?"

Marisol had no idea that would have no trouble getting through the  portal should she try one. Kane was having troubles of his own and had little interest in anything else.

"Lies. You know nothing." Yena muttered, thinking again about how ready Auron was to sacrifice himself just to get away from her.

The young mage was hesitating somewhat now she had the portal open on the deck while the rest of the crew were below making merry with several of the mermaids Marine had invited on board for the evening. She was looking behind her, torn between her duty to her prince, and her desire to do the right thing and find Alice herself.

"Wolves are one of the few non-human species to practice monogamy, did you know that?" The hunter commented. "Though a wolf may have many cubs, he has only one mate. He would always choose to protect her first. Somewhat caviler by human standards, I know."

Richard was lying on his bed, staring at the ceiling. He was depressed and lonely. It wasn't a feeling he was used to or enjoyed very much at all. He had no idea what Marisol was planning to do. Or why. 

"Elves don't pick mates. What's the point? Love is not something our kind understand or even believe in as far as I know." Yena muttered, his comment about wolves hurting her more than it should have.

"Richard?" There was a tapping at the door that would give away that it was Marine who wished his attention. Over the months the Queen had indeed become rather fond of the human prince.

"You think yourself the same as every elf in existence?" The hunter replied.

ooc: Hope it's okay I hijacked Marine for now

Richard opened the door, offering the Queen a gentle smile. "Hello there, Marine." He said softly. "What can I help you with?" He asked. He stepped aside so she could enter, bowing ever so slightly as was the custom. "I should thank you again for the mermaids you brought aboard for my men. I'm afraid they're getting a bit of cabin fever as of late. It's been a long time since we've been to shore." 

"I don't know anymore to be honest." Yena sighed, her back beginning to ache considerably. Labor was starting and she had no way of knowing. She truly believed her sickness had just returned. 

ooc: Nope. I'm good.

Marine smiled at Richard as he bowed, though only turned to face him with the flowing train of her dress was over the threshold and in the room with her. "Do you not suffer the same as they do?" The elegant Queen asked, her bright cerulean eyes watching Richard curiously.

"Then perhaps you shouldn't assume your child's father isn't out there sick with worry." The hunter remarked. He was keeping Yena talking on purpose, recognising labour in any creature, even an elf. "You would rather let him think you dead?"

"I am their Prince. I can't afford to drop my guard and enjoy myself as they do." Richard said, stepping to his table to pour her some tea Marisol had made earlier. "Suffering has nothing to do with it." He laughed softly. "I'm sure you know what I mean. Does Blackbeard not keep your company still, Marine?" 

"It is safer for all of us." Yena grunted, sure she was about to throw up again. She tried to push to her feet, but again found her legs were useless. She wasn't about to tell the hunter this. "Besides, he has moved on. He never cared for more than what he could get from me. I bored the man."

Marine laughed at the thought and shook her head. "After everything he did? He imprisoned me like an animal." She replied, gracefully taking a seat as Richard poured the tea. "Shouldn't that pathetic elf be here to do that?"

"Tell me again, who left who?" The hunter asked, a large hand pushing Yena back to her seat as he himself rose to his own feet.

"Marisol is an elf?" Richard asked in surprise. He'd never put much thought into it. In fact, he'd never looked closely at her ears. It didn't really matter to him. He adored her the way she was. "And...that's a pirate for you. Another reason I can't stand their kind." He shrugged his shoulders, dismissing his thoughts about what his mage was. 

"I have to go." Yena growled, not sure why it suddenly felt so important to remove herself from even this man. "Don't touch me." Again she tried to get up and again her body worked against her. It felt like an unseen hand was holding onto her lower spine, holding her to the ground.

"Aren't all slaves elves?" Marine asked, perfectly manicured fingers carefully picking up her china cup. The Queen's ruby lips had curled into a smile moments before she sipped her tea; Richard hadn't defended Marisol, and more or less admitted he had paid little attention to the other woman.

"Girl, that child is coming." The hunter told Yena rather bluntly now. "I didn't want to panic you until it was needed." He added, proving he did genuinely care what happened to mother and child.

"Actually, no. Just as not all mermaids are female." Richard said after a long moment of frowning. "Your son is the exception to this. Is he not?" He asked. 

"What's there to panic about?" Yena grunted, her fingernails bending as she dug them into the dirt. "I've been to the Fade. This can't be worse than that..."

"My son's origin is not up for debate." Marine replied rather coolly as she set her teacup back down. "It does however baffle me how you couldn't tell from simply one glance that your mage has an elven father. Are all humans so blind?" She asked, genuinely curious. It was only mermaid eyes that had seen through what Marisol made others believe. She didn't outwardly look in any way like an elf, and so didn't consider herself one.

The hunter had to laugh at her comparison. "Girl, try to do this alone, and you could well end up back in the fade, is that what you want? Is that what you want for your child?"

Richard chuckled softly as he sat down in front of her and shook his head. "I heard once that the males are the worst. Surely you know this better than I?"

"I can do everything alone. Why should birth...be any different?" Yena asked, pausing to throw back her head and howl in pain.

"Perhaps." Marine replied with a smile, her hand lightly resting over Richards on the table. "As... Tea wasn't the reason I came here..." She breathed before leaning closer and brushing her lips to the human princes.

"Forgive me, but... I don't believe you conceived that child alone." The hunter replied with an amused smirk.

Richard pulled away, his ice blue eyes curious as he looked the queen over. "You'll forgive me, Marine. But I have too much respect for you to treat you this way." He said softly. "I think it's time you returned home for the night."
"Sire! Call the mage!" Came a sharp shout from outside the door. "The sky is changing again!"

Yena wouldn't get the chance to answer. Another agonized scream escaped her. This one came as tiny claws began tearing at her swollen belly from theach inside.

Marine was already on her feet, the look in her eyes making it clear Richard had just made a rather large mistake. No man ever refused her, least of all one who couldn't even claim the throne of his own kingdom. "Go ahead, run to your worthless elf." She snapped, furious with the way Richard had dared dismiss her like he had.

This finally did surprise the hunter. He was lost, unsure whether he should cut this creature out of it's mother's belly, or allow nature to run its course. He didn't even know if this was nature he was seeing before him.

Richard got to his feet, more than a little confused. He had no idea he'd done anything wrong. He gave the mermaid queen a strange look and headed for the door, yanking it open. "Where is she?" He demanded, his eyes on the ruddy clouds above them. "Marine...you need to see this."

Kane had found his portal back into the world of the living. He was currently ripping it open as violently as he possibly could. The elf's screams and the screams of the dying child who's body he was stealing were like music to him. This was it. Everything he had dreamed of. Once he took that first breath, he would be unstoppable.

"Your sky doesn't trouble me, human." Marine sniffed, still sore from a slight that Richard didn't even know he had caused.

The hunter knew he had hesitated too long. He whispered his apologies to Yena before cutting her belly as carefully as he could. He had done this several times before when a mother and child had been in in trouble... Of course they had been horses. The poor man had no idea what he was unleashing on the world.

Lightning slammed into the deck, narrowly missing Richard. The Shockwave knocked him off the deck and into the water. The prince didn't have enough time to react to what was happening or avoid the rock that he had struck the back of his head on. His crew did nothing but stand on the deck and shout his name. 

Kane's first breath was filled with laughter. He had won. It had all been so easy. This birth had been so much more fun than the first. And there was so much more blood.

Marine was the one who was in the water, slender arms sliding around Richard and keeping him from falling any deeper. Her lips closed over his, breathing air into his lungs for him. The price wouldn't be returned to his ship however, the Queen saw this as her perfect chance to take him to her own kingdom and prove she was the one he needed, not a mage he didn't even realise he had feelings for.

The hunter had been holding the 'child', but fell back only when he heard it's cruel laughter. He had always suspected this young woman was something more than she seemed, but he hadn't expected her to birth evil into the world.

"You have lost your mind." Garrik said, watching the Queen's people carrying the Prince through the throne room. "You're going to get a war started with out allies if you don't take him back. He's as good as a king to them. They will kill for him."

The 'child' fell to the ground, wriggling like a possessed larvae. Still he laughed. Moment by moment he grew, his body changing through the cycles of life in mere seconds rather than years. In no more than a few minutes he'd turned into a fully grown adult. And all the while he laughed. 
Yena lay on the ground where the hunter had left her, still bleeding from the gaping wound in her belly. She was begging the dread wolf for death and at the same time wondering why she bothered. No one heard her pleas. No one cared. She was born alone. She had lived alone. She would die the same way.

"He has a great many things on his mind right now, time away will do him good." Marine informed Garrik as she paused by his holding cell.

The hunter still had his bloody knife gripped tight in his hand. Though they weren't kin he would fight to protect Yena... And die doing so.