V+O; in the Alternate Universe **Completed**

Chapter 7

The instance they stepped through easily thirty swords, bows, spears, and knives were pointed in their direction. They had been aware they were coming but clearly not aware enough. Coa might as well have been a dragon the way these people were acting, for a moment she was frozen not in fear but shock. V motioned for them to lower their weapons but no one moved.

O stepped out from Coa's shadow, now standing in front of him protectively. Every fibre of her being electrified, power surged through her like a wave looming over. Ready to desolate everything in its path. Every weapon dropped then, followed by the guards dropping to their knees. The instant the threat was gone the power she had felt evaporated like rain on a desert road. The force of it leaving her body made her feel weak, Coa stepped closer allowing her to lean on him once more, borrowing his strength.

A woman with long brownish blonde hair all twisted in a beautifully beaded yet elegant braid stepped through the crowd. It was then that O knew they bowed to her.

"We have awaited your arrival." She spoke to O without acknowledging V. She was clearly drinking O in, eyeing up and down, lingering for a second longer on O's wrist. "We are glad you have come;" this time there was a strange tone of relief... was it relief, in her voice? O thought. Then the woman was nodding at Orailia to follow her. "My name is Neisera."

"I go by Rai."

Neisera turned to face her and nodded curtly, O glanced at V who motioned for her to copy the gesture.

Coa was showing his teeth to the group who had 'greeted' them. Orailia couldn't tell if he was doing it because he was clearly upset or to mock them, but guessed the latter, and had to contain her laughter.

"We have much to discuss but I imagine you are quite exhausted from your journey."

O was not about to correct her and say that she had slept on her giant bear for the past few hours. So she just nodded, "that we are."

"We have made up a room for you already," she pointed up. The large tree had stairs spiralling around it, doors at different intervals. Although it was clear which one she meant, the one with the large balcony carved into it. There was no way Coa could make it up those stairs, they were far far too small.

"We didn't plan for you to bring a..." Neisera let the sentence die thinking before she finally finished it "wilderbear..."

O interrupted her, "Coa, his name is Coa."

"Well hello Coa," she said, reaching her hand out to him, he snapped at it. As if he wanted to warn her, much like a dog would. Neisera looked very taken aback. Once again O had to contain a snort. "We shall have to make arrangements for Coa elsewhere."

"I don't want to be separated." O thought to him.

"Me neither," Coa's mental projection was gruff; she imagined he would have a deep husky voice.

"But I think we'll need try it for tonight, make them happy, we can work something better out tomorrow." O was looking at Coa while they spoke, and finally he nodded.

Neisera was basically examining them as they interacted. O turned to look directly into Neisera's bright blue eyes, so tempted to tell her to stop staring.

"Freak," Coa echoed; O laughed and had to give him a shove, although it didn't even make him sway. "I don't like this one, one bit." Once again Coa showed his teeth, then curled up and lay down, looking at the middle aged women so sour, he looked like a grumpy old man. For what was probably the tenth time in the last fifteen minutes O had to hold back her laughter.

Neisera's face had been wiped blank by Coa's expression. However she took it to mean he was unhappy he wasn't allowed in the room, she wasn't far from being right. "Don't worry Coa, we'll find you a nice place to stay." Neisera spoke to him as if he cared.