^^ Lady Rhea ^^

--- Amber's POV ---

I stepped into the room, and surveyed the situation slowly. Sonja was being held back by Magnus, and both were snarling at Danny, who was cowering under the table, curled into a spiky ball, as his scales had come out in his distress.

After a few breaths to calm myself, I sighed. "Magnus? Sonja? Back away from my friend. Daniel, go to my room for a bit, please, let everyone cool down." He scampered up the stairs, and they stared after him, until I snapped out my voice like a whip, catching their attentions.

"Magnus? Sonja? You are in my territory. You do not get to decide who enters, nor do you decide who lives here. And you DEFINITELY don't terrorize my guests!!! Am I clear?!?" I snarled my warning, and dragged a seat over, sitting down slowly.

Magnus growled a bit and crossed his arms. "I don't like him near Sonja when she's so close to her due date."

I gazed at him coldly. "Then keep her locked in a tower, at your own peril. Danny is here to stay. Get over it. He's a submissive dragon who happens to be one of the few men on this planet I find attractive. You will leave him be, is that crystal fucking clear?"

He grumbled and sat down, pulling her into his lap. "I understand..."

Sonja huffed. "I don't like an unclaimed female near my husband. He feels female."

"Because he's a bottom. And I haven't reached that stage with him yet. Calm yourself. Now. Is everyone alright for dinner? Or should we all eat in our apartments today?" I asked dryly.

She blinked. "A bottom? What's that mean?"

"He enjoys being taken, luv, not taking." I smirked.

She blinked again, and then laughed. "Oh, okay. Interesting. Sorry about that, I'll try to be kinder to him."

"Please do so. As I said, he's here to stay. And he's the youngest, disowned son of an 8th blood. He's one of the weakest dragons on the planet. No threat, luv. None." I walked over and hugged her gently. "Now I should get cooking. Go apologize to Danny, and leave Magnus with me to cook." I shrugged.

She nodded. "Alright. Magnus, make sure my steaks are rare. I'm feeling a bit... ravenous."

He smiled and kissed her. "Alright, my dear."

I nodded and walked into the kitchen, and started up my veggie stir-fry I always made for Sarah and Emma, who didn't really eat meat that often. Once the veggies were almost cooked, I threw in the brown rice, and smiled as it cooked in the veggie broth I'd built up at the bottom of the Wok.

I slipped that in the oven to keep it hot, and then started rolling some sushi, a recipe Adam had given me, and requested, which was made of avocado, seaweed wraps, and different meats, like eel, or crab meat. It was rather delicious, when made right.

Colin ran in and set the table, quickly getting everything perfect, and grinned at me. "Guess what?!?" He asked energetically.

"What's that, then?" I nodded.

"I'm no longer failing PE." He placed his hands on his hips proudly.

I hummed. "Good, good. What about the rest of your classes?"

"I'm still failing Chem and Bio, but that can be fixed, it's only the third week." He shrugged.

I raised an eyebrow. "Don't be so sure. Work at it, eh? But good job. I'm sure Ron will be happy to hear that, as well as your mothers."

He nodded and sat down, just as Adam and Ron walked in, debating the latest rugby game their teams were playing against each other tonight.

I cleared my throat, and they grinned, sitting on either side of Colin. "So I heard you ain't failing that PE class no more, eh?" Ron grinned, rustling his hair.

He nodded, smiling happily. "It's a C, but that's better than it was!"

"That's the truth, yeah, but don't slack now." Adam nodded wisely, making us all laugh.

I set the Wok with the veggie stir-fry in the center of the table, then the platters of sushi next to it, and Magnus set three platters of different meats next to that, as he'd apparently been very busy.

Ribs, Rib-eyes, and pulled pork graced my table, along with a large bowl of potato fritters, and what looked to be very fatty sausage links. "Bratwurst. My apology to Daniel." Magnus shrugged at my questioning look.

I nodded, smiling. "Good."

"Who's Daniel?" Colin asked.

"A new dragon, and a friend of mine. He'll be staying with me for a while." I smirked.

He blinked. "Wow. I thought you were-"

Adam and Ron whacked his head simultaneously, and I snickered. "No, boy. I'm just very particular. I'm actually bisexual, and pan-romantic, though I do prefer women, sexually, though, if that's what you meant."

He grinned, rubbing his scalp. "Cool."

His mother's had entered just before, and both giggled, sitting next to Adam. "I'm sure he deserved that. The school called, by the way, Colin... you may have that annoying device back." Sarah shrugged.

He blinked. "My phone? Or the TV? You hate both."

Emma snorted in a rather unladylike fashion, and laughed, covering her face. "I'm sorry, that was perfect! She meant your phone, love. But you need to work on the others, too." She reached and pet his hair lovingly.

He nodded. "There's a test this Friday in both, and Magnus has been helping me study for them."

"Good." She nodded.

Magnus' pocket lit up, and he hummed, fishing out a phone, and fumbling with the buttons, which were too small for his hands. He answered it eventually, and held it to his ear. "Yes?"

"I'm coming for dinner. You may tell Miss Amber that I'm bringing a guest, and her Initiation begins this Saturday, at dawn." Richten snapped easily, and clicked off, just before the doors opened, and he strode in, smiling.

I laughed. "Well, you called ahead. That's good. Where's Geri and Freki?" I looked behind him.

"They are in Germany, investigating a rogue Talon, who attacked a Jaeger in Berlin." He sighed.

I coughed into a fist. "About that... Uhm... I'm no rogue talon, but I did beat up a Jaeger who was beating on Daniel for looking at him wrong. Broken knee and shoulder?"

He blinked slowly, and pulled out his phone, dialing quickly with his slim fingers. The other end picked up before it rang. "Yes, your majesty?" Freki answered in his gravelly voice.

"I've solved your case. Young Madame Durendal is the culprit, and all is well. Return home." He cut off the call, and tucked his phone away. "Well. Thank you for solving that for me. And now, who is Daniel?"

Danny, halfway down the stairs with Sonja, squeaked and hid behind her.

"I'll take it that the terrified squeak was him?" He asked dryly, raising an eyebrow.

"Yes. Sonja? Please bring us our newest dragon tenant." I called up the stairs.

She giggled and picked him up by his scruff, making him go limp like a cat, and carried him down to us, where she handed him to me.

I smiled and pet his hair as he calmed down, and looked at the king. "Daniel Sjöir, 9th Blood, youngest Son, and disowned."

He nodded. "I know. I recognize the faces of every dragon in my Clans. Hello, Danny. Calm down, you're in no trouble. Let's sit and eat, yes?" He sat at the end of the table, next to Sarah, and she smiled.

"So. How is everything with the dragons? No problems?" She asked politely.

He nodded. "All is well, yes. We prepare for Amber's Initiation this Saturday. That will be... momentous. We do not have as many of them as I would like."

Emma nodded. "We are the same. Our races are steadily declining. It's worrisome."

I sat down with Danny, next to Sonja, with Magnus on her other side, and looked at the one empty plate to my left. "Who's missing?" I asked.

"Ah! My guest!" Richten hopped up, flustered, and grinned like a young boy, rushing outside. He came back a few moments later with a gorgeous woman on his arm, who he swiftly introduced. "My ladies and gentlemen, I present Lady Rhea, the Queen of Sea Fae."

She blinked slowly, her long white lashes fluttering, and smiled at us, flashing adorable dimples.

Adam stood and dropped to one knee, closely followed by Sarah, Emma, and Colin. I stood and approached, smiling. "I don't think I could have ever dreamed beauty like yours existed, milady. Welcome to my home." I bowed my head and kissed one of her pale, thin knuckles.

She smiled softly. "Flattery... and she isn't lying... you were right, Ricky. She is quite intelligent. A political mind, when she chooses to use it... Madame Amber, you are also rather enchanting, in your own way. I am happy to be welcomed into your home."

"Good. Do you wish to dine with us? I assure you, everything is of wonderful make, King Richten can attest to such as I say." I said carefully, avoiding thanking her.

She nodded. "And again, wisdom. Thanking a Fae is not wise. I will dine with you, if you have something untouched by meat."

"Yes, we have a few different ones, actually. Sarah and Emma are vegetarian as well, so we are prepared." I nodded and stepped aside, so Richten could lead her in, and pull out her chair. Also so I could look at her from the back, and I wasn't disappointed. 'Sigh... why are all Fae so damn beautiful...'

'They are not. That is a glamour. Trust me when I say you would not think her beautiful, or even anything less than monstrous, without it.' Shimmer growled softly, showing me a glimpse of something tall and terrible, pure white and yet also scarlet in hue, like a bone stained in blood, with long, spider-like fingers and hideous eyes. 'Never trust the Fae.' He growled after I'd come back to myself.

I shivered, and realized, belatedly, that somehow I'd set the table with this in mind. All the meat was on the far side of the table, and all the veggies and salad was in front of the faeries and now the Queen of Sea Fae.

I sat back down, and began filling my plate, focusing on the food, not the true form of the woman to my left, while Ron cut Colin a large steak, whispering conspiratorially. "Lots of meat and you'll grow even bigger, eh? Good for your bones!"

The mothers sighed, but allowed it, so we began our meal, as we always did, with the telling of the newest news of everyone at the table, one by one.

"I've managed to open a new location in Belfast, it's still starting, but the men who work there know their trade, so I've no doubt it'll be successful." Ron grinned heartily, cutting his rare/bloody steak.

Adam nodded. "And I've succeeded in breeding those extinct fish you gave me, Amber. They're growing well, and will be transferred to an aquarium soon."

The queen looked at me curiously, and hummed. "Extinct fish?" She asked softly, halting all conversation.

I cleared my throat of the lump that her gaze stuck there, and answered. "Shimmer's Hoard was underwater... he had quite a few fish in there, and a few were extinct varieties. I gave some of their eggs to Adam to hatch and grow."

He nodded. "Yes. They will hatch soon. I'm keeping them in a large tidal pool for now, as I don't know how they'll get on with the other fishes."

She hummed softly. "Interesting." Her voice grated against my ears, like iron nails on chalked steel. I shivered inwardly and focused again through it.

Sarah smiled. "I've actually done the impossible, and scored the the lease to the studio apartment across the street. It will be Colin's, when he moves out. Until then, it's just a studio. Emma will use it to dance in. And maybe Amber?" She looked at me.

I grinned and winked at Emma, easing back into my usual self. "I'd love to. Been a while, I might be rusty, though."

She smiled back. "Not a chance. My news is... a bit more delayed. I have been auditioning for a spot in a Ballet Troupe in Westminster, and they said I had been accepted, but that I had to wait a bit before beginning the practices." She blushed at the praise that echoed around the table.

Lady Rhea hummed again. "I will look forward to your progress." She smiled kindly, and went back to slowly and delicately eating her salad, ignoring the paled faces of each dragon at the table except Richten.

Emma's blush, however, got even hotter, and she ducked her face into her lover's neck to hide, making me laugh.

Magnus hummed when we looked at him. "I don't have much to say, but I am looking into a teaching position at the College here, the London School of Fine Arts. They've said that I am rather over-qualified, but would accept me if I applied."

I blinked. "Wow, that's rather impressive! Good luck, then, eh?"

He grinned and nodded, cutting into his steak again. Sonja smiled and patted his hands. "Mine's the opposite, quite urgent, actually. My due date is today, but it could be any day this week, and so I will be staying at Madame Durendal's starting tonight, so she can be my Midwife. After Ira is born, I will be back, of course."

He growled softly, nuzzling her neck. "I'd rather you stayed..."

"Can you deliver a baby?" She raised an eyebrow.

"Yes." I coughed sarcastically, and he glowered at me, while she looked at me curiously.

"You can?" She asked.

"I worked with my grandmother for ten years, from when I was 11-21, and then moved here four years ago. You don't just forget everything you learn as a teenager." I shrugged.

She smirked dangerously. "Interesting..."

I blanched. "Oh no, no, nope. My granny is the better bet."

"But you're likely cheaper..." she grinned.

"Oh for fucks sake, woman." I sighed, rubbing my temples.

"Oh dear." Lady Rhea covered her mouth genially.

I sighed. "Sorry about that. But no, my gran will be your midwife, okay? I'm not licensed, and she is, so that's final. I'll gladly babysit, though. That I will do happily." I smiled at the thought of the adorable baby.

She sighed. "Fine. Danny? Your turn." She patted his shoulder and scooped potatoes onto his plate. "Eat up, though, you're all skin and bones!"

He blushed and nodded, eating a bit more, before dusting his hands off on his napkin. "Uhm... not much for me. I just got here today, so... I'm a bit new, still learning everyone's names and the dynamic around here..."

"Is Amber going to ravage you soon? Because I can get some balloons and such for the big occasion..." Ronald asked suddenly, grinning mischievously.

Danny blushed and ducked his head, and I smiled, petting his spine teasingly. "Only if he wants me to." I answered for him.

He leaned over his plate and began eating, avoiding everyone's gaze, still blushing.

I smiled and patted his back. "Sit straight, baby boy, no one is going to bully you." I glared at Ronny and Adam as I said it, and they leaned back, smiling. He sat up, but kept his gaze down.

I hummed. "Well, as for me... I've come into my own, and Succeeded Shimmer, claimed his Hoard and Entrance, as well as founded a profitable trading and freight empire for magical and supernatural beings and artifacts. I actually bought 1000 acres of stable farmland at the northern mouth of the Thames, and a lighthouse, to hide my Entrance, as well as to farm some herbs to sell. I've been given the rather pleasing moniker 'Amber-Rose The Merchant', which, I must say, is extremely satisfying."

Richten narrowed his eyes. "And who gave you that name?"

"Ryuuna the Collector, when I sold him the ashes and Xia Urn of Yu the Great, the first emperor of China, in return for his entire Spice Road Trading Company." I smirked.

He blinked and leaned back. "Well then... that's rather impressive. I approve your moniker. The Merchant... a good name."

I grinned. "I thought so to. Lady Rhea?" I asked through barely unclenched teeth.

She raised a single beautifully shaped eyebrow. "Hmm... I suppose I can share. I have recently entered a treaty with the Mountain King, as well as the Fire Queens and their dread Father. The Sky Lords are still absent, as always." She sighed. Sarah, Emma, and Adam all gaped, completely surprised, and quickly regained composure, congratulating her incessantly.

I just blinked slowly, sifting through Shimmer's memories to catch the significance of that. "I think Shimmer recognizes those names... that's amazing, milady!" I forced a loose smile.

She smiled softly. "I agree. It took sixty years of hard work, but we are no longer on the brink of war with each other." She nodded slowly.

'Such a pity... now they'll be able to focus on us.' Shimmer grumbled bitterly.

'Would they?' I asked.

'I guarantee they have already begun doing so. Do you think it was random that a Fae Jaeger was out and accidentally bumped into a baby dragon, then took exception? I didn't think so.' He grumbled some more.

'So... they're trying to pick off the weak ones first? Then why is Richten fawning over her?'

'Because he is a very good politician. And he knows if he can shift her focus to the other, bigger groups, like the Beastmen, or the vampires, then he can make a treaty with her for a few decades, and gather his own strength against her. The Fae have the biggest population of all the supernatural besides the Beast Tribes, and the only standing army.'

'Shit...'

'Exactly.'

'So... am I supposed to just sit here, and fucking make nice? Why not kill her now?'

The picture of her true form came back, along with the impression of power so potent that it shook my body, even in a memory.

'Oh. That's why.' I shivered.

'Yes. She's a being of great magical power. Her specialty? Natural disasters. Tsunamis, Monsoons, Hurricanes... all the really bad shit. And you just filled five ships with her soldiers, under your 'command', with keys to the Hoard. Good job.'

'Magically protect the Hoard, then! Don't blame me, it was partly your plan!'

'Indeed it was. I'm not blaming you, I'm warning you. Now pay attention.'

"Ahem... I suppose it's my turn, yes?" Richten rubbed his chin thoughtfully.

I smiled. "It would seem that way."

"Yes... well, in light of recent events, it pleases me to announce that Lady Rhea and I will be getting married, this Fall." He picked up her hand lovingly, kissing her knuckles, and I blinked slowly.

"Oh. Wow... congrats, eh?" I grinned as best I could, past the pit in my stomach.