Marked Ones: Advent of the Demon Prince

Lucius sighed contentedly. The morning sun had risen hours ago, but he had nowhere to be other than right here. Next to him, the soft sleeper breaths of his first wife tickled his neck. Her red hair covered most of her face in a loose tangle. On his other side, his second wife Kalliope fiercely gripped a pillow between her thighs as well as one around her arms. According to her it provided some sort of relief from the aches of carrying a child.

Soft whimpers started in the corner of the room. A smile crept onto his face as he climbed out of bed as smoothly as he could. Rena was exhausted from the night before. Little Penelope was a voracious eater and they had yet to find a nursemaid to assist. That was if they ever did. Rena was adamant she wanted to do everything for their little bundle of joy on her own.

The door to the room opened with a slight creak. In the doorway Natali's lithe figure appeared, dressed in her normal maid attire. Her ice-blue eyes studied him for a moment, forming a blush across her cheeks. He looked down and realized that he wore nothing other than simple shorts. Scars and muscles were on full display for the young maid.

"I can care for her mi'lord while you rest a while longer." She managed in her raspy voice.

"No. I think I can handle it just fine." Penelope's bright green eyes stared up at him. "Just as beautiful as your mother's, aren't they?" He cooed. Penelope grunted and reached for his fingers, locking an iron-tight grip around them. With a small laugh he scooped her from the bassinet and walked into the common area.

Princess Lefae had ordered them a space in a section of the castle she managed and they moved there from the Oracle's tower. With everyone returning from Aedrider, there was no way they could all fit with Adellia and Lyrah. The capacity had already been stretched by simply adding Rena to the mix. What he really wanted to do was return to the Eroan embassy, but Rena convinced him this was safer. How? He would never really know.

Being stuck in the Arcadian Castle under the same roof as the king felt akin to laying in a nest of vipers. Lucius was constantly on edge at first. However, he noticed that all of the staff and guards in the Princess's wing were Marked Ones. They were also fiercely loyal to the strange woman. Not that he trusted her, but she was a safer bet than her own father.

No love lost between them it seems. Lucius thought as he rocked his daughter in his arms. Natali had brought a pot of tea and began serving it on a table in the common room they were granted. Lyrah walked in wearing loose fitting pajamas and stretched her arms over her head with an exaggerated yawn. She scratched her exposed stomach with all the grace of a common adventurer.

"Good morning, brother dearest. I hope that my little hellfire is doing well this morning."

"Please don't refer to my daughter as a 'hellfire', she is as sweet as the day is long."

Lyrah giggled. "Are you certain? Rena is the one that gets up with her. As frequently as I heard her cry in the night, I'm sure she would agree with my description."

Lucius shook his head. "So, you stayed the night with Natali again I see. Rena only gets up with her at night when Penelope needs fed. Everything else is handled by me. I am used to a lack of sleep thanks to… well you all know."

"My, how the mighty 'Titan' has fallen. To think the real 'Titan Killer' was a small child." Lyrah laughed. As usual her timing was impeccable. The moment her chiding remark left her lips, Corva entered the room tailed by Yue and Snow. Lucius had offered the elven princess a guard detail to escort her from the Aedridan embassy to the castle, but the strange woman declined. She rather stay with them apparently.

Lyrah's comment sent a rare flush to the tips of Corva's ears. Her tanned skin made it hard to discern, but it was there. "Maybe I won't kill him. But I will make something to at least knock him on his ass one day." The Elven princess proclaimed. Her eyes settled on him. "Bet on it, Titan."

"You can just call me Lucius, you know." He sighed. He had no true need for his alias anymore, especially among friends. "After all you did choose to remain in my… Lyrah what was it mother Rubellia called this place?"

"Ah, I believe she referred to it as a 'love nest', brother dearest. An accurate assessment I believe. Considering the primary residents."

Snow began to grumble at the insinuation until Yue whispered something into her ears at the same time Desmond entered the room. The elf's grumbling ceased instantly with a simple clearing of her throat and an ever-so faint pink in her cheeks. It seemed Lucius was not the only one who may make this place into a 'love nest'. Though not much has been happening.

Penelope began to whimper and cry. Long over-due for a feeding, he moved to take her to Rena. Everyone else remained in the common room discussing day plans for themselves. Lucius leaned down and gently nudged his sleeping lover. She mumbled something rude under her breath at him, but he simply smiled and nudged her once more.

"I'm up. I'm up." Penelope's whimpers broke into cries, causing Rena to move to a sitting position much quicker. Her grumpy face instantly replaced with one of adoration and love. Lucius smiled and released their daughter to her. Rena slipped the strap on her shirt down to free herself for feeding the child.

Lucius kissed them both on the forehead before returning to the common room, followed by the sounds of suckling from his daughter and snoring from his second wife. Jade had joined them by this point and some serving staff had brought them all a selection of fruits and breads for breakfast.

"My Lady Kane." Lucius whispered into Jade's ear from behind. She yelped slightly, eliciting a wave of giggles from the women and a groan from Desmond. Lucius turned to him. "Don't complain now. I have to sit and listen to your not-so-subtle pining and flirting with Snow on a daily basis. It's agonizing I tell you. When will you two just…"

Jade overcame her embarrassment long enough to elbow him in the gut. There was more force than he expected, but it wasn't enough to hurt. Instead, he laughed and cut himself off. Desmond flipped him a rude gesture, though the effect was diminished by a smirk.

"Any plans today, m-m-my love…" Jade finally managed.

"No, not really."

Lyrah suddenly clapped her hands, pulling everyone's attentions to her. "Let's go shopping!"