The Waters Secret

Clair's Reign - Pt. 1

Quinn smiled as he played with Korbin's hair as he slept. The long red strands slipped through his fingers easily as he let them fall onto the soft mossy bed. True to his word, Hank seemed to be ignoring him just fine, leaving him to Korbin's whims.

The last few days had been wonderful as he spent some quality alone time with the man he loved. He still couldn't seem to believe it as he lied awake watching Korbin's freckled chest rise and fall with each breath.

It was still early morning judging by the soft pale light, bouncing around the cell from the cracks in the walls. Sherry had been improving their space a little each day before the effort left her tired requiring long naps. They currently had a semi enclosed bathroom in his old cell with a wash basin and running water.

Though he was most grateful for the mossy double bed she provided for them. The cots had been a little small for the two of them. He wasn't sure how Sherry did it, but he was thankful with the results. Quinn sighed softly as he laid on his back and considered the glowing blooms above his head while he played with more of Korbin's hair.

They were Vilaglow Temerra Blooms. Tiny bluish blossoms that tended to appear in dark places, such as caves or crevices. When the petals were grinded into a fine powder and digested, it could cause blindness. Not very useful for his poison collection since it would require pounds of the dust for any permanent damage. Coleron would have noticed the pungent scent long before he went blind.

The vines shifted along the cell wall making Quinn glance up at the woman wandering in with a tray of food. He grumbled inwardly, sitting up to watch her. He made a promise he wouldn't kill women, and he would keep it. For Korbin's sake, not hers. She paused when he moved, looking him over. He frowned when she nodded coming over to the bed instead of putting the food on the small table near the vines.

"I have been hearing all sorts of rumors throughout the castle and had to come see for myself. I have so many questions I want to ask you." She told him softly with a side glance at Korbin. Quinn growled pulling the blanket up to cover his sleeping lover. Korbin sighed rolling over away from them making Quinn pout. He turned back to the lady as she sat at the foot of the bed watching him closely.

"I will only answer the king's questions. Go away." Quinn huffed reaching for the tray. She put her hand on it shaking her head.

"That tight lipped dill pickle can wait his turn. This is about my daughter." She told him with a soft growl making Quinn sit back annoyed. Was she trying to set him up with a girl? He opened his mouth to tell her off when she blindsided him with her question.

"I have heard you are of dwarven decent. Is this true and do you take after that parent?" She asked almost urgently making Quinn consider his options.

"No. My dwarven side comes from my mother. She was tan with golden blonde hair. I get my looks from my father. Now please be gone." Quinn huffed reluctantly shooing her away with his hands. He growled when she didn't budge except to snack on the food, she brought them.

"But that doesn't make any sense. The darker skin tone should be the more dominate trait and yet both of you get your looks from the pale parent. Dwarven is more dominate than druid, but still..." She grumbled thinking. Quinn waited before he sighed reaching for a cup. She noticed his reach and quickly poured him a glass.

"Then your father, is he alive? Do you have any siblings?" She asked him as he took the juice from her. It tasted of apples and pears with a faint hint of cinnamon. She waited for him to answer as she picked at the fruit.

"I don't know. He left when I was five." He told her softly trying not to wake Korbin. She pouted nodding her head slowly.

"I never met my daughter's birth mother. She died bringing her into this world. My daughter is not like anyone I ever met before. That is until I met you. If I hadn't known Raven's father, then I might have been suspicious that you were her older brother. I assume older, you look to be in your twenties and Raven is only eighteen." She rattled as Quinn simply watched her.