Burning Hearts

Chapter Twenty-One

Casen

I moved around the training room stretching my muscles and practicing different moves. Lyrai and Rhistal were standing guard outside the room when I left. “Why are you up so early?” I turned to see Orien walking into the room. “I couldn’t sleep.” I replied. “I wouldn’t have wanted to leave my bed if I had someone like Tana in it.” He smirked.

“Trust me. I needed to leave so she could sleep more. I figured I’d get training in to expel some of the added energy.” “Well, let’s train.” I nodded. Orien came at me, and I blocked his attack. I spun and he avoided my attack to his side. We sparred in training hand to hand for a while. We moved to swords quickly.

We stood there with a gladius each. I spun mine around my hand and he did the same. I smirked. He returned it. I spun mine in the air and caught it with my right hand and kept spinning. His eyes widened with being impressed. He tried the move and missed the hilt. It sliced his palm where he had caught the blade.

“Sh*t!” I tore my shirt off and ran to him. I wrapped his hand in my shirt to stop the bleeding. “I guess you’re just that much better at that than I am.” He admitted. “You do remember I’m the one who taught you how to use a gladius so long ago.” He smiled. I took him to the bathroom close by and washed his wound. It wasn’t as bad as I thought it was. I wrapped it in some gauze.

I went back to the training room to continue my training. I picked up my gladius when I noticed Orien picking up his. “But you’re injured,” I said. “In battle, injuries happen. You taught me that.” I smiled. I took a little pride in knowing my lesson to my son in my other lifetime wasn’t forgotten. We bowed and proceeded to train. I didn’t go easy on him, and he didn’t give up.

I felt eyes on us and especially Tana’s. We stopped and bowed to each other. “That was impressive,” Drew commented. Orien looked at me and gave a nod. I spun my gladius again and switched hands like before. “That is amazing.” Drew amended his initial response. I smiled.

Tana’s eyes told me how impressed she was. I wished we were alone, but we aren’t. “You should go see Robyn. She’ll heal your wound.” Michael said. “Shall we get started on training?” Kalina asked. She had two very serious looking warriors flanking her. “Yes,” Tana replied. “Good. Watch me and do what I do. My warriors will start out a little easy on you, but once you’ve gotten the idea, they will be relentless,” Kalina stated.

I moved to stand by Michael. For being pregnant, Kalina is still really amazing in her fighting. She went slow to show Tana and even corrected Tana’s hips and arm position. She showed the move on her warriors as they attacked her. She is fast.

“Remind me I never want to fight Kalina.” I said low to Michael. “Same. She may look sweet and innocent, but she is deadly in a fight. I didn’t get to witness first hand because I was helping to heal the wounded during the battle with the dark fae, but I heard descriptions and I have seen her train many times in mock battles.”

“Are you a doctor?” I asked. “No, I haven’t finished school. I took time away because Robyn needs us. I’ll go back once Valac is defeated. If I survive, that is.” “Don’t think like that. We just need to find Badar.” “Yeah, but who’s going to fight in place of Ravi? Valac won’t be sealed away forever. We can’t wait for him to turn eighteen and get his dragon either.”

I contemplated what Michael said. I hope having the five of us and Juno will be enough to defeat Valac. I love Juno, but I have never been fully in love with her except during our lifetime together. I’ve always known, even though she is shared between us, that if she was meant for any one celestial male, it was Arosan.

I watched Tana training with Kalina. I don’t like that Kalina’s warriors are touching Tana. I growled a few times. “Are you planning on marking her?” Michael asked. “Yes, but I need to bring my dragon to the surface, and I haven’t exactly had time to start working on that. “She’s a dragon. Mark her in dragon form. Let your dragons mate and mark each other. It’ll be quicker.” “Can we really do that?” “You won’t know unless you try.” Michael shrugged his shoulders. My dragon seemed to be perking up to the idea. He feels like he’s prancing around in my mind.

~~~

Class was still torturous for both of us. I haven’t gotten a chance to bring up marking in dragon form and I’m unsure if we’ll have time to discuss it once we return to the house. My phone was blasted by my dad, wondering where everyone had gone. I told him Tana and I moved in with Orien because she doesn’t feel comfortable at the house where her former co-workers keep giving her dirty looks.

I don’t like lying, but I don’t want him to think anything further. I said everyone else followed because they wanted to continue to train Tana and they were largely here for me anyway. That wasn’t completely untruthful. They were here for me initially.

The house was in a sort of organized chaos. There were warriors from Faylinn, Sereia, and Ennorè roaming around along with dragon warriors I think Orien’s grandfather brought along. Robyn snatched Tana up from me the second Tana parked. Lyrai, Rhistal, and me followed quickly.

I realized why when we were brought into Prince Okan’s office. Orien’s grandfather, Oisin, was sitting behind the desk. Okan was standing next to him with Orien taking his father’s other side. Adrian seemed to have been talking with the king and princes.

Oisin eyed Tana. “I require proof you are the queen of dragons,” Oisin finally said into the quiet room. Tana took a couple of steps away from Robyn’s side. She started her flame in her hand much as she had with Orien. She let it consume her body quickly. Oisin and Okan stared at her. She extended her hand to Oisin. He cautiously reached out to take her hand.

Much like Orien, he couldn’t take his eyes off where she held his. He snatched his hand back just like Orien. “A caution.” Tana said to Oisin, and he acknowledged her statement with a slight nod. “Stand.” She commanded him. He stood from his chair. “Come around the desk and bow to me.” Oisin was trying to fight her command, but he still stood and walked around the desk and bowed all the way to the floor. Tana looked at Okan. “You too. Come bow next to your father.” Okan did as she commanded.

“You may get up.” She ordered them after a few seconds. “Wow, this is incredible,” Okan stated. Oisin took his chair again. He looked at Tana with a serious expression. “You must command me to protect you, or I could start a war with Corbin. This is his territory after all,” Oisin said.

“King Oisin, I command you to protect me and everyone who is trying to help me.” Oisin closed his eyes with a peaceful look as if he was basking in her command. “Your majesty, I am at your disposal. Everything I have I offer to you to use at your discretion and pleasure,” Oisin said.

“Now that this is done. Air training and we are going to go shopping later.” Robyn stated. “Again? We just went yesterday.” Tana replied. “Oh, we are going to shop for clothes, and I want you to take me. Orien and Okan don’t need to take me.” Tana nodded a noncommittal nod. “Good. Let’s get to training then.” Robyn said.

~~~

Tana came through the door with Robyn, Kalina, and Lyrai. Their arms were full of bags, boxes, and clothing on hangers with the bags around them protecting the garments. Tana was smiling, but nervous looking too. Adrian stood taking some of the burden. I moved to relieve Tana of some of her burden.

I followed Robyn as she marched up the stairs to our wing of the house. I almost tripped when she stopped at our room. Our room was instantly filled with about eighty percent of everything. I noticed Robyn shifted things and handed what wasn’t left in here to Lyrai. “Help her put things up.” Robyn ordered me.

I looked at the mountain of items. “You don’t have to help me.” “I thought she was shopping for her.” “No, she decided I needed a new wardrobe and to get Lyrai some clothes so she wouldn’t have to borrow anyone’s anymore. I tried to refuse her. I tried to contribute to the cost, and she was having none of it.” Tana looked at the pile and took a deep sigh.

I moved to the bag closest to me and reached in. What I touched and pulled out had my heart hammering and my d*ck hardening. I held a red lingerie piece that I very much wanted to see on Tana. Tana turned almost as red as the negligee I held even though it was see-through.

“Model this for me.” I smirked. She let out a huff of air as she snatched it from me. “Not now. If we want to sleep in the bed tonight, we need to put things away.” “ Any more of these surprises mixed in here.” I arched my brow and grinned. “Maybe.” She replied in a teasing tone.

While Tana had elegant new dresses and clothes, most of the items were very practical for her to wear. I think she was happier about the clothing she can clearly wear in dance class and to train in. She has better sports bras and new sneakers, heels, and such for shoes.

“Baby.” “Yeah.” “After dinner, come flying with me, just the two of us.” “Sure, but why?” “Because Michael suggested we mark each other in dragon form.” “What will happen once we mark each other?” “In the eyes of our world you will be my wife and I will be your husband. We will be bonded.” “Married.” She said softly with a little trepidation.

She walked to the window and looked out. I got nervous the longer she was silent. She turned to look at me. “What if we don’t work out?” She asked. I smiled. “We are mates. It’s going to work out.” “But what if it doesn’t?” I took the few steps toward her. I caressed her face. “I love you, Tana. There is no other woman who I will love or want as much as I love you. I want to be your husband. I want to be the father of your children. I want to be anything you want me to be.”

I kissed her and I felt a tear hit my thumb. I looked at her. “I love you so much it hurts sometimes.” She confessed. “So, you’ll become my wife?” “Can we marry at some point with a ceremony?” I chuckled and grinned at the same time. “Anything you want.” I promised her. She kissed me then.