Ileus: The Dark Prince

A shudder passed through her body, but she contained her emotions, turned and bowed to the General before leaving. The trap that she had laid for him, trapped her. She didn't know where she would find Lucas, but if that came out as an order from Kaizan, she had to see that it was carried out. She clenched her jaws. 

"When you get him back here, throw him in the dungeons and I will make sure that he is in the deepest dungeons. Also find out who bailed him out," said Kaizan in a cold, lethal voice. 

Another shudder passed through her. This only got complicated. She glanced at Olivia with a sharp look. She was sitting in the place where she once sat and once serviced the General, coaxing him out to divulge a secret that she would carry back to Murtagh or to the rebel leader. "I will, General," she said and left. 

"I didn't know that Lucas was set free," said Olivia. She was not one bit happy about it. "Who could have bailed him out? And that too from the Whiteclaw pack?" She laid down back on the grass, her mood sullen. "Lucas should have been tried for treason to attack you, Kaizan." 

Kaizan watched Tasha leave and stayed quiet until she disappeared. Then he lay beside his surly wife with his chest towards her. He propped up his head in his palm. He brushed his knuckles over her soft cheek and said, "It wasn't treason. And don't worry. Tasha won't return without him." He brushed her lips that were pouting now. He chuckled. "Don't be such a petulant child." 

It was easy for Ileus to convince the queen that he was going to 'drop' Kaizan and Olivia to the honeymoon caves, and then visit Rolfe and Iona. Adrianna hesitated but when he threw in the deal that Nicolai would stay with them, Adrianna gladly agreed. They had to take little Alexander with them because he was still feeding from his mother. 

Two days later. 

Olivia was packing for Kaizan and herself. Kaizan was in the main hall, giving last minute instructions to Finn. Worried as hell that he wouldn't be accompanied by soldiers, Finn had been asking about the details of their destination but even Kaizan didn't know the place where the caves were located. Ileus would be creating a portal for them. 

As Olivia threw in her last nightdress in the chest, Anastasia walked in. "What are you doing?" she asked, aghast at the two large chests that Olivia packed for the trip. 

Olivia hugged Anastasia and sighed. She pointed to the one on the left and said, "This one contains my nightdresses and his." She quelled an urge to roll her eyes. "And this one on the right contains our normal clothes."

Anastasia tapped Olivia's nose and said, "No need. You won't carry any of those chests." 

"Why?" Olivia looked at her with a frown. "What am I going to wear?" 

"First, those are caves. Do you think Kaizan would let you wear anything?" Anastasia winked at which Olivia blushed heavily. "I mean imagine a honeymoon with a werewolf!" Olivia's blush deepened. "Second, here's a satchel for you. This one will materialize and pull out whatever you will think of, right from a nightdress to formal wear to slippers and boots. The men are going to carry their satchels which will materialize—" Anastasia rolled her eyes, "their stuff like a leather skin which never gets empty of brew, bedrolls, amongst other things." 

Olivia's eyes widened with surprise. "You can do that with magic?" she asked, touching the satchel that Anastasia offered her. It was so unreal. 

"Of course!" Anastasia laughed at Olivia's curiosity. "Here hold it. It won't bite you!" 

Olivia took the bag from her and trailed its outline, staring at it like a small child with a thousand questions. 

"Now imagine a dress and put your hand inside it," said Anastasia and went to sit on the sofa. She crossed her leg over her knee and dangled it as she watched Olivia. Her curiosity was like that of Nicolai. Innocent and pure.

Olivia closed her eyes and imagined a red silk gown. When she put her hand inside and pulled out the dress, she gasped, stunned as hell when she saw that her dream had materialized. "Oh my God!" 

Anastasia laughed again. "Now when you are in the caves, you better imagine sexy outfits." 

Olivia's lips curled up as another blush rose on her cheeks. 

Kaizan and Ileus entered the bedroom. Ileus was with his son, Alexander. The boy had just learned to say da, and had raven curls just like his father. He was somehow too interested in exploring them which actually meant clutching them… tightly. Ileus was proud that his son called him da first and had yet to call Anastasia ma. The boy looked satisfied because he was well fed. 

"What are we waiting for?" Ileus said impatiently as he walked inside the room. His satchel was with Kaizan. "We are getting very late! Let us go." 

Olivia grinned excitedly and nodded. She really wanted to go to these caves. After winding up the last-minute things, they all quickly went down the stairs. Finn accompanied them to the backyard, where Ileus created a portal, much to his son's excitement. The boy giggled and squirmed to go to his da from his mother's lap. His father was definitely more interesting than his mother. 

When they stepped out of the portal, Olivia's eyes flew wide open at the scenery on the other side. They had stepped into a valley of flowers. Warm breeze blew gently around them, rippling the wildflowers on the surface. The valley had a wide floor that was covered with purple, red, white and blue blooms right up to the edge of the mountains on both the sides. The mountains were dotted with aspens, pines, firs and cedars. And right in front of them was a massive waterfall which cascaded into a pool beneath and tumbled into a winding stream. She walked up to the edge of the knoll they were standing and traced the azure waters of the stream through the valley somewhere down where it would meet Lifye. 

"Do you like it?" asked Ileus, as the breeze ruffled his hair and Anastasia walked close to him. She curled her arm in his and leaned over his shoulder as she watched the waterfall with love in her eyes. 

"I love it!" Olivia squealed. 

Ileus winked at Kaizan. "Then I am going to leave you two, as I take my wife to a different location." 

Olivia jerked her head back. "Aren't you going to stay with us?" 

"Hell never!" Ileus snapped. "Why would I spoil my honeymoon with another presence?" He looked at his wife who was already seeing him in a heated way. "Goodbye!" He snapped his fingers and disappeared with his family. 

"They are gone!" Olivia said, bewildered. "How are we going to go back?" 

"We are going to get lost, baby!" At that he walked to her, picked her up and swung her over his shoulders as she squealed. He started across the knoll over to the waterfall. 

"Where are you taking me?" she asked, laughing. 

He slapped her on her hips. "Somewhere private.." Kaizan jumped over the knoll and landed nimbly in front of the waterfall.