War-Bloodied Claws

Chapter 14: Battle for the Oceanic Throne

Tom, the Courtesans, all six of the Mer Princesses, the Death Eaters and the Mer soldiers; they tried their best to rest; though it was difficult for some of them. Hearing the sounds of absolute claim, pleasure, and all manner of satiations coming from Hadrian earlier with their Lord and Master and the rest of his Royal Court of Courtesans while the rolls of power in the magic they had leaked out...it had been engrained to their minds now.

Rodulphus and Rabastan knew as did all the others; that their Lord would now do anything...anything to guard and protect Hadrian as his bonded mate. But that same protection would also be given to the Court; seeing as Hadrian also needed them. And even more so now; due to the birth of the first two children of the royal line.

Lucius was quiet to the sounds; every so often making slight expressions, yet the blonde aristocrat was glad internally that his son was Hadrian's best friend and that he had never seemed eager to be one of Hadrian's court, unlike the Zabini heir.

He knew from his own extensive knowledge of the readings he did under Tom's tutelage as a teen himself; that for a vampire of common birth or lower nobility to become such to a royal vampire...it was a very high honor for them. A place of power, status, and prestige. It granted them privileges and more than that of the other nobility outside the royal family and the court that the others did not get with them.

Blaise had likely; likely wanted to re-integrate his family to the clan he was from. But Hadrian had refused that. He would welcome Blaise and his mother now back into the clan, but not as a courtesan or a family of nobility yet.

They had to earn such a thing, though it was very unlikely Blaise would get what he desired out of it even if his family name to the clan was restored. Hadrian didn't seem to like Blaise for that sort of role.

But Lucius was also a very prideful man about his own lineage as wizard; he didn't want to see his son reduced to merely being a courtesan.

However, mercurial eyes then shined as his lips quirked at the corners with a slight smirk; Hadrian must, however, be very...good at pleasing them. For all the noise they had heard before it stopped and Tom came back in bedraggled and carrying a passed out Proteo.

Tapan was wearily slithering next to him as Hadrian was being carried more like a sack of flour over his shoulder than their King, but he supposed Hadrian didn't mind either way since he too was asleep. The rest of the court walked slow and lethargic but not without their grace and elegance.

Not without their pride for their roles.

But what remained the same on all of them and their master...was the slow smirks displayed from the euphoria they experienced as the auras of magic about them simply radiated sex and power then. More than several sets of eyes lingered as they watched them walk towards their area of rest; as they didn't show their slightly off footing or the winces in pain.

Lucius would have bet his entire fortune that if Hadrian had been awake to see and to sense what those who eyed them did; those people might not be breathing now. Tom's face gave nothing away; yet Lucius saw how he glanced to some with cold behind his eyes. Those mer had tried something, he was sure.

Still, they rested for no more than four hours. Once they woke; they all scurried to to clean their weapons, patch their armor as best as possible without a real smith there; seeing as Tapan didn't know if Hadrian would have allowed him to use those skills, as it exhausted his energy and he needed as much of it as he had now.

They all ate a meal and readied themselves to march onto the Palace as Tom went to wake Hadrian; seeing as he was in need of the most rest, so they let him sleep longer to ensure he was well enough to fight.