It Had To Be Her

37: Resigned To Duty

Hermione

The bedchamber of King Kaelin was immaculately clean, but dark in its gloominess. Sweet smelling incense burned in the room, and candles in various holders illuminated the room in its soft, incandescent light. Kaelin sat by the gothic fireplace in one of his black leather wing back chairs, sipping a crystal chalice, his starry black eyes staring into the dancing flames.

I silently poured myself a glass of white wine in one of the wine glasses he had on the alcohol serving table, and sat in the other chair.

We sat in silence for a bit before he remarked, "You came."

I cleared my throat. "I did."

He looked at me, and it was strange seeing him because I could see my son in his face, and knew Daemon would grow to look more like him as the years went by. "How is our son?"

I rose an eyebrow. "He is fine. I just laid him down in his crib after his dinner. But I don't seem to recall that he is yours."

He drained his glass and set it aside, making his long fingers into a steeple. "I see. And does he have wings or not?"

I winced at that. "Well, yes, okay, he has wings, and your eyes."

He grinned, flashing his Veela fangs briefly. "Ah, then he is more mine than Severus's, that pleases me immeasurably. A mixture of my genes will always be spread into your family."

"You told me that your people were banished for 'consorting,' with vampires," I reminded him. "And that's why you look the way you do."

He nodded. "Yes. What you wand users call veelas are in actuality lesser cousins from my people's bloodline. We were dying out, you see, and so we bred with the so called Sacred 28 families to preserve our race. So, to hear that my line will continue through you dinvalir, pleases me."

I blushed at that. "I'm hardly your 'beloved,' Kaelin. Sure, we grew acquainted during my time here, and I appreciate that you never pressed your obvious advantage, but I love my husband."

He rose from his chair, and held out his hand for me to take. "Come with me, Hermione."

"Why?"
"I wanted us to dance."
"Oh. Yes, I suppose we can do that."

I rose, and we began to dance about the room slowly, no music playing just the hidden inner tensions between us playing out. I wrapped my arms around his neck and we stared into each other's eyes. My heart sped up. It didn't help that he was gorgeous in the most darkest intense way possible, but I hated that I had to do what I had to do with him.

"May I kiss you?" He finally asked.
"We shouldn't, but..."

He sighed heavily. "This is...difficult for me as well."

My eyes widened. "What? Aren't we supposed to consummate whatever this..you know, is?"

He smirked. "Yes, but that does not mean that I do not feel some measure of remorse in admitting that I love my wife and if we did not have to do this thing I would not do so. The spell would not have even worked if our bond was not as strong as it is."

I felt a lot of relief from this, and it made me have the confidence to brush my lips to his. "Yes, and I love my husband that deeply as well. Still, I would be lying if I said that I don't love our son. He's a wonderfully behaved baby all things considered."

He tucked a piece of my hair behind my ear. "Of course he is, he knows he is a Prince. May I kiss you?"

I nodded, and he leaned in and his kiss was gentle, tentative even, but some inner tension seemed to break between us, because I then deepened the kiss, and suddenly our hands and lips were everywhere as we stripped each other bare. I didn't expect tenderness from such a man as Kaelin but in all of his gestures he was, and that made me accept him, and my duty more readily than if he had been brutish or rough with me. But even with that tenderness, our lovemaking was passionate, soft and when it was all over we couldn't help but touch and kiss one another as if we were memorizing the shape and feel of the other...

✨✨✨✨

"I will miss you in this way, my love," He admitted. "We truly made magic here this evening."

"I will miss you too. But I.."
He lightly kissed me. "I know. I do as well."

"Good. I'm sorry though. But I can't go against my heart, not completely."

"Nor am I. I know you love me."
"Not in the same way."

"Nor would I ever ask that of you, Hermione. Thank you, for doing this. Ellara will ease you into the werewolf lifestyle after you receive the bite."

"And so, you will be together again on the full moon. I'm glad."

"So am I. You should return, our son needs you. Just..." He trailed off, the mask of his self confidence slipping away a bit. "Can you forgive me?"

"For what?"

"For placing this burden of ambition upon you and your mate. There is a very real chance that Severus may need to fight to become the next Alpha. I know you would prefer a more serene life, so I ask for your forgiveness, Hermione."

I changed back into my night clothes. "I...I thought you were going to ask my forgiveness about what we just did."

He grinned, sitting up to cup my cheek. "For a delightful, pleasure filled evening that began as a rather dull eventless one? Gods forbid I do that, my love. No, I take solace in that our bloodlines will join as one from this night forward and so I will live on in our children."

"Alright, I suppose I can forgive you, and you are a fantastic lover I have to admit. So, I suppose it really will be like a roulette wheel in which of my children will have either you or Severus as their father."

He softly kissed me and drew back. "Think of it more that our bloodlines have merged as one and so each child belongs to both of your mates, his wizard and wolf side, does that make it easier for you to bear?"

I smiled. "Of course it does. I need to go."

"Alright. I will have Severus join you for the bite next full moon," Kaelin declared. "But do keep an eye on your little friends, they are causing much mayhem for the deatheaters."

I nodded, stepping to where his full length mirror was located in the bedroom. "I haven't had much word from them to be honest, not since I had to hide away due to my pregnancy."

He rose from the bed, his black wings extending behind him before folding behind him. "Yes, and it is a pity that much rests upon that boy's shoulders. But do try to contact them."

"I will."

"Good. This is not a goodbye. We will be together again."

Don't do it, don't you dare touch him more, idiot. Instead of listening to logic, I reached out and cupped his cheek. He leaned in and kissed me. I kissed him back, and he kissed my hands before putting me away from him. He nodded. I nodded back and stepped through the mirror. The scrying spell ceased and revealed only the reflection of my bedroom and not Kaelin's dark, elegant bedchamber...

✨✨✨✨

I went to Daemon's bedroom and watched my son sleeping peacefully in his nursery. I felt arms encircle my waist and thought at first that Kaelin decided to follow me through his mirror, but then relaxed when I realized it was only Severus. "He looks so serene sleeping like this," He whispered in my ear.

"Yes, yes he does. We have to talk."

He turned me to face him. "Obviously. Come, let's leave him to his rest."

He changed out of his teacher robes and into the dark silk pajamas he preferred when at home, because looking plain was part of his cover while at Hogwarts he explained once. When he was ready for bed, we talked about the bite and how we were going to complete the bond between us once and for all...