High Lord's Guardian

Dawn of the Night Court

Orion paced the length of the hallway, shaking with anticipation.

It had been years since he had felt such utter and complete terror, remaining still was completely impossible.

Dolunay watched from her seat as the newly appointed high lord of the night court panicked as the screams of his mate echoed down the halls.

"Orion, you must calm yourself. I have never seen you so flustered. You're practically burning a hole in the floor." The ancient deity hid her concern for her comrade behind a teasing tone.

"I am not flustered, Luna. My mate is giving birth. I am simply..." Orion paused trying to find the right word.

"Panicking?"
"No."
"Terrified?"
"Shut up Luna!"

The High Lord unintentionally calmed at his friend's distraction. Flopping down beside her in a heap, his head buried in his hands.

Ever since the war ended Orion had been in a perpetual state of stress and panic, all coming to a head with the birth of his first child. The land of Prythian had been divided into courts and Orion had been appointed as the first Lord of Night. He was a brilliant man, but utterly terrified of the responsibility he did not expect to obtain.

During his youth, he had made friends with an ancient deity of nightmares.

Orion was only in his early fifties when he found himself trapped in a cave unable to escape. It was there he met his best friend Dolunay, an ancient goddess who heard his prayers. He called out to the mother and from the shadows emerged a woman glowing with ethereal power. After days of starvation, he thought he had finally lost his mind.

Her skin was pale as the moon and her hair looked as if it was woven from shadows.
She offered her assistance to get him out if he swore to take her with him.
Half mad, he agreed and with their bargain, a tattoo of pure darkness was stamped across his skin for the rest of his eternity. He had been terrified of her at first, her power and ability unmatched, but after years of fighting at each other's side, one could not exist without the other.

If platonic Mates were real, Dolunay would be Orion's.

The hallway grew eerily quiet for a moment causing both warriors to freeze. Then another cry, the soft song of a baby's first cry hummed through the air causing them both to smile.

Instantly they were racing into the room, shoving each other out of the way to enter first.

"It's my kid Luna! Fucking Move!!!" Orion growled pushing his best friend like a child.

"Go to hell! Let me see my godchild!" Luna shoved him hard enough for him to trip over his feet as she hurtled over him into the room.

The midwives stepped aside letting the two through, they smiled at the childish friendship as Orion stumbled to his feet pouting about being bested.

Both stood in awe as they looked at the bundle in Amara's arms. She was drenched in sweat but smiling as if she hadn't been screaming in agony for the past six hours.

Orion stepped up taking the baby from his mate's arms.

"A boy. Orion, we have a son." Amara's voice was tired but overjoyed at the birth of their firstborn.

"He's perfect." Tears filled the high lord's eyes as he cradled his son.

Luna peered down at the babe over Orion's shoulder, "oh... poor baby."

"What?! What is it?" Orion looked panicked, hoping she hadn't sensed something wrong.

"He got his father's looks..." Though she said it in a monotone voice her teasing was evident.

Orion glared at his friend as his wife giggle from the bed.

"You are so mean to me." Orion pouted as his friend's Black eyes lit up with mischief.

"Then allow me to make it up to you, old friend. The babe has it hard enough already having your face, maybe I could ease the burden."

Confusing filled Orion's features as Dolunay pulled out her dagger and slid it across her palm. Golden blood poured out of her wound onto the floor as the air of the chamber shifted.

"Luna... what are you doing?" Orion asked as he watched his friend use her blood to draw a symbol on his newborn's head.

"I, Dolunay, daughter of Nyx and Erebus, Goddess of shadows and Night, do swear my protection to the heir of the Night Court, for as long as the Night court shall stand. Upon the blood, I have already shed I swear my patronage and my fealty." As the words echoed with the power of a goddess the symbol disappeared from the babes head and a tattoo of the moon's cycle appeared wrapping around the baby's forearm. A matching tattoo formed on Luna's forearm a sign of a promise.

"Luna!" Orion's eyes widened.

He had never expected such a declaration. She had not just promised to protect his son, but every heir of Night for future generations.

She had tied herself to his lineage for the rest of her immortal life. All because of her loyalty to him.

They loved each other. Not in a romantic sense, but an unending love nonetheless. A bond forged through darkness and maintained in the light of day.

A platonic mate, willing to swear her life to protecting not only him but his legacy as well.

Amara cried, thanking Luna for her oath as Orion handed his child to his guardian deity.

Dolunay may have been the first but similar promises were made by other deities in years to come, guardians for the heirs of the courts, and protectors of Prythian.

"Does he have a name?" Luna asked.

" Cyrus... his name is Cyrus," Orion answered smiling brightly as Cyrus grabbed a fist full of Luna's long black hair.

"Welcome to the world, Cyrus, heir of Night... we are gonna be absolute menaces to your poor father."

"Oh cauldron, what have I done..." Orion loosed a long-suffering sigh as Luna held the baby close, whispering promises of mischief and safety until Cyrus has a babe of his own.

Promises she intended to carry out for generations to come.