Selene finished organizing her clothes and turned to pat Magda on the shoulder “My clothes are all set, but please start gathering up Joffrey and Tempest’s things.”Magda nodded silently, not wanting to say anything that would get her hurt. The princess then looked to Desmond with a slight smile “Stop looking so mopey, I expect you to come and keep me sane.” Walking up to him, she placed her hand on his arm and squeezed it encouragingly.
Desmond wrinkled his nose playfully and said “Me? Worried? Impossible. Come now, we ought to go and tell your family you would like to leave soon.”
Selene nodded and stepped out into the hallway. With a sigh, she stopped a servant that was walking by. “Where is my husband?”
The servant looked at her fearfully and said “I ‘eard he was seen down by tha’ stables, your grace.”
The princess nodded and waved her off, giving Desmond a hard look “He is spoiling her again, I swear…” With that, she spun on her heels and walked down the hallway and out of the castle with Desmond close at her heels.
Castle Grounds
Just as soon as Selene stepped out of the castle, she felt something was wrong. Call it mother’s intuition. Walking towards the stables, she felt her heart grow heavy as she called out “Joffrey! Tempest! Where are you, my darlings?” Not seeing them in the stables, she rushed out and looked around nervously. “Desmond, I can’t find them.” Turning to a stable boy, she demanded if he had seen her. He mumbled that he had seen the prince heading towards the courtyard, and Selene rushed out of the stables before he could say anything else. Desmond gave the lad a smile and a gold piece before following the princess out.
Selene picked up her skirts and began to run, her long blonde hair whipping behind her. Desmond merely walked, knowing he would catch up with her and where she would be. The princess began to shout more as she neared the courtyard “Joffrey! Tempest! Where are you?”
By now, the Prince was frantic. He had looked everywhere, all her favorite places to hide, and turned up empty handed. This was no longer a game for Joffrey. He couldn’t understand how a seven year old could just vanish without a trace? Still sporting hay in his hair, from searching the stables, he was now running out of options. Nanny finally emerged from the castle, and she too had come up empty handed. Spotting the Prince, she picked up her skirts and made her way down to the lower grounds, where Joffrey was practically pulling his hair out. Reaching him, Nanny looked tearful
“She’s no where to be found in the castle. Unless you have some secret trap doors, or walls I don’t know about.” the Nanny asked him with a glare. Joffrey shook his head.“Trust me, Nanny…they would have been the first places I would have looked. She’s not on the grounds. Not anywhere I could see. Oh hell…what am I going to tell her Mother?”
Just then..Nanny and Joffrey heard a familiar voice;
“Joffrey! Tempest! Where are you?”
The pair looked at each other in shock. “SELENE! Panic set in. What would her reaction be to find Tempest was missing? Joffrey made a weird squeal sound, like he was going to have his balls ripped off, if Selene lost her temper over it.
“Help….” Joffrey whined, and Nanny slapped him across the face. “Get a grip. Tell her the truth…she has a right to know. And to be honest, wasn’t it Selene that set the girl off in the first place?” Joffrey was gripping his cheek, looking like he was the one getting in trouble. “Alright alright…I’ll tell her. But…if she kills me..I want on my tomb stone. Here Lies Prince Joffrey Brax…he never stood a chance”
That said, he sung out. “Over here, Sweetheart…er….Darling…about Tempest…”
<3>
Selene perked up at the sound of her husband and went rushing towards him. Smiling brightly, she flung herself into his arms and breathed a huge sigh of relief against his chest. Lifting her head, she batted her eyelashes and cooed softly “Oh my love, I was just so worried! You mustn’t do that, it will be the very death of me!” Turning her cheek against Joffrey’s chest, she began to purr again and looked at Nanny “Hello there.”Snuggling into her husband, she sighed contently and murmured “Yes, about Tempest…I was just so awful to her at breakfast, I can hardly stand to look at myself.” Lifting her head again she rested her chin on his chest while she looked into his eyes. “It’s just that my mother was so hard on me herself, I just don’t know how to get my point across without being so foul and mean. It’s not just an excuse, I will try harder. I do love our little princess and just want what’s best for her. Surely she knows I love her?”Realizing her daughter wasn’t with her husband, she pulled back in his arms and looked around him “Um…where is she?” A though dawned on her and she dropped her arms to swat him playfully “You’ve spoiled her again with another pony, haven’t you! Oh Joffrey, how loving you are…” Reaching up to tweak his cheek, she cooed “You really are the best daddy…” Withdrawing her hand, Selene then looked around as her eyebrows knitted together. Turning to Nanny, she asked“She just off riding, isn’t she?”
Selene had found Nanny and Joffrey, who both put on their best faces as she rushed towards Joff and wrapped herself around him, her angelic aura coming to the fore. Clearly she was happy just to find her husband, and was all apologetic about her behavior towards Tempest at meal time. Joffrey did love his wife, very much and then he became lost in her affectionate mood. It was like she was able to charm him and he forgets all of what he is doing.
“Oh my love, I was just so worried! You mustn’t do that, it will be the very death of me!”
“My petal blossom, I do hope I am not the one to ever cause you death…be more like…err…yes, I am so sorry for making you worry so.”
Nanny scowled at Joffrey from behind, her hands making their way to her hips. She jerked her head as if to instruct Joffrey to tell her that Tempest was missing. Joffrey stuck out his bottom lip in a pout, and as Selene made greeting with Nanny, Joffrey shook his head violently. He had chickened out on telling the truth. When Selene snuggled and explained how she didn’t get any really good parenting skills from her own Mother, Joffrey sighed, knowing full well it was the same case with him. Nanny looked set to freak. Joffrey was stalling, and it was only going to get worse as time marched on.
“I do love our little princess and just want what’s best for her. Surely she knows I love her?”
“My little pookie bear, she knows how you feel about her, and of course we all know you want what is best. She is just…that age. So inquisitive and curious. Asking a lot of sensitive questions. My worst fear is that she is exposed to things beyond her understanding, like a maid who I am certain will be cleaning the west wing with a toothbrush, when I’m done talking to her.”
More stalling…and now the Nanny huffed in an aggressive fashion. This was going too far. He needed to man up, he needed to get a grip and tell her the truth. But Selene finally asked the big question.
“She just off riding, isn’t she?”
At this, Minerva appeared and she was smiling brightly. “Why yes, the princess is off riding the new white pony that the Prince arranged for her. The gnome is out watching her, she should be back in…a few hours.”
Both Nanny and the Prince stared at the witch in surprise, who winked at the Prince. Had she just saved his neck…or was she wanting something for her deception?
<3>
Selene smiled and nuzzled more into her husband’s chest as he apologized “Oh you are so very sweet, my love. I am just so lucky to have a husband like you who cares for our daughter so dearly.” An impish grin crossed her face as she began to squirm and wiggle against her husband “I want another…”
She heard Nanny huff but assumed it was from the lovey dovey display of affection the prince and princess were doing. Pulling back, she laughed softly and waved a hand nonchalantly “I’m so sorry, Nanny, I just can’t get enough of this man.”
The princess turned her head to look at a woman she wasn’t very familiar with. Tilting her head to study her, her eyes roamed over her form before returning to the witch’s hues. Another smile broke out as she explained where her daughter was. Looking back at her husband, she laughed “Oh thank goodness! Joffrey, why didn’t you just say so, you goose!” Throwing her arms around him once more, she hopped up off the ground so her feet dangled as her arms were around the demon’s neck.“That gives us plenty of time to go knock the bed around and make me another child!” Glancing at Minerva, she smiled and nodded her head “Thank you for the whereabouts of my daughter.” As she faced her husband once more, she began to plant kisses along his neck and nibbled his ear, immediately disregarding everyone that was around them.
As Selene began to maul her husband, it was then that Desmond finally showed up. Watching the princess like that made him want to vomit, so he turned his eyes to Minerva. Raising an eyebrow, he stepped forward and held his hand out to shake. On his extended arm there was a tattoo of a rune on his wrist, one that displayed his vast knowledge of the more earth elemental magic. Smiling slightly, he murmured “I don’t believe we have had the honor of meeting…I am Desmond, the princess’s personal adviser.”
“Another?” Joffrey’s eyes widened, while his wife was squirming and practically wrapping herself around the Prince. Under the current circumstances the idea of another that was anywhere near the work of their daughter Tempest, had him all tied up in knots. Currently their daughter was “missing”, accept that the witch Minerva had the Princess fooled into thinking otherwise. As much as the thought of a romp in the sheets would be a wonderful stress reliever, part of him recoiled at the thought of making another baby. Hell, he really didn’t even put much effort into the time when Tempest was conceived.
Nanny actually slapped the side of her own cheek, watching this unfold. The Princess was like a cat that had caught the canary, and was positively gushing at the fact that she simply could not get enough of her husband. Selene was oozing charm, wit and sex appeal, dangling from his neck, her feet wiggling. It was so much like the early days, when they were first courting, and it became clear, that Selene wanted Joffrey….right there, right then. The Princesses kisses, and the nibbling on his ear, had him practically turning into mush. You could see his eyes rolling back. She was like a hypnotic drug to his fancy, and when she was like this…so full on and practically eating him up. Selene had won. Joffrey found he had a lopsided grin, and swept her up in his arms, dismissing Nanny and Minerva with a light wave of the hand.
“Terribly sorry…off to bed my wife. Please make sure Tempest is..washed up for dinner later.” Joffrey carried Selene off, humming and nipping at her neck as he did so, leaving Nanny standing there. Nanny gave the witch a sly look and folded her arms.
“Since YOU said she is off riding, YOU bring her up to the house when she is done.” Nanny stormed back off to the Castle, where she was probably going to lay down, and count her blessings that the child’s care was now in the hands of the witch.
Minerva shrugged her shoulders and pouted deliciously, not really caring what happened to the Prince’s daughter. Course, she had company now, and knew that this sneaky devil was one that had his eyes on the Princess. She glanced at his runes, and smirked. “So…you’re the pup that has been sniffing at the Princess’s skirts, hmm? Really wish you would go a bit further. Might give me half a chance to spend time with the Prince.” The witch didn’t care if the Warlock heard her schemes, she knew that he would be able to read her like a book. Rounding on him, she brought a finger up under his chin playfully. “Minerva…is my name. Dark witch of the Night lands, and future Queen…if I get my way.”
<3>
Philippe stared down at the young girl wrapped securely in his wing and couldn’t help but feel a kindred spirit within her heart. He, himself, had been unloved by his own mother and like Tempest, ran away from home as a young dragonling. He had sensed the special magic of this particular valley and had settled here, content to be alone. When Tempest had stumbled upon his lair, he was surprised to feel somewhat pleased at her offer of friendship. He had been alone so long, he’d forgotten what it was like to have friends.
It was her gift to him, her friendship, that allowed him to manipulate the magic surrounding his home to do what he did while she slept.
“Your mother has done you a great disservice, my darling girl. I will correct this so that you will have the weapons to return her words back on her.” he murmured, pulling her closer to his body. He bent his head down until a puff of air from his large nostrils blew gently across her face. As he backed away, a glow surrounded her body, pure white in its intensity with flecks of red, black and gold swirling around. He kept his eyes on Tempest, even when the glow became as bright as the sun. He watched the changes that she underwent, wanting to be sure she felt no pain during the transformation.
Her body elongated and became more feminine, curves growing where they should have. Her face became more elegant, taking on more of her father’s features than her mother’s. Her hair softened to a honey wheat color, growing longer until it draped low to her hips and over her shoulders in a silk-like cascade. Her lips became more lush and full, pouty but just slightly appealing. On a gasp, her eyes flew open, going from their original sky blue color to a brown so light they were nearly red. Wings, black at their base and spreading out to red at their tips sprouted from her back, shredding the top of her dress until it fell to her hips in tatters. He looked upon her new form, pleased, as the glow began to fade.
Tempest, for her part, was panting heavily, as if she had just run from one end of the gardens to the other. She looked at Philippe, awe and shock all over her face.
“What did you do to me?” she wondered.
“I aged you. You are now a young woman of fifteen.” he replied, truth coloring his words. She stared down at herself running her hands along her face and arms, her new and mature breasts, even reaching back to touch her wings.
“What am I?” she whispered.
“You are a mixture of both your mother and father. The same…but different. A Dark Angel, with all the powers and abilities of light angels, such as your mother and that of demons, like your father.” She was truly amazed at this for it was more than she expected when she entered this realm. Philippe had simply done what she had secretly longed for. She felt wonderful. Taking up the tattered remains of her dress, she covered herself and slowly got to her feet. She wobbled a bit as her center of gravity tried to reassert itself do to her new appendages. Philippe steadied her with a wing until she felt secure enough to walk on her own.
“Why do I not feel conflicted?”
“Because your very soul, that which makes you who you are, has always had the best and worst of both your parents. You have a balance within you, two worlds, one soul. Yin and Yang. Listen to that balance and It will guide you wisely.”
She raised a shaky hand to her face, a small smile upon her lips. “Why would you do this for me?”
“First, to thank you for giving me your friendship these last few years. I never realized just how lonely I was until you stumbled upon me. The second reason was to aid you. Your mother wishes to speak to you as if you were an adult and not the young and curious child you started out to be and belittling you when you do not perform according to her plans. I have sensed this from you many times over in the past. I have simply given you the means to fight back, as it were. But if you do not wish to remain in this form, at this age, I am able to return you to your previous form.”
“No!” she exclaimed quickly, blushing in embarrassment. She laughed, a joyous sound. “No, Philippe. I dare not squander such a gift.” She stared down at herself once more, blushing as she held her ruined dress to herself. Philippe spared her further shame by directing her to a copse of trees that would conjure up whatever she wished. So saying, she immediately got herself a new dress, pleased to find their were slits to comfortably fit her wings when they made an appearance. Once dressed, and under Philippe’s watchful eye, she took the time to learn to control her wings, making them disappear and reappear at will, even getting flying lessons from her friend. She took to it all like a newborn duck to water and she couldn’t help but thank the large dragon over and over again with hugs and kisses to whatever part of his face she could reach. His deep chuckle was music to her ears as he gently wrapped his wings around her in his own version of a hug.
It was late that evening when she curled up to his side again. “I should probably return to them soon. My father must be so worried.”
“Never fear, my Tempest Storm.” he began, catching her smile at the nickname he bestowed upon her some time ago. “Though a week will have passed here with us, you shall only be gone two days in your realm.” Philippe told her. She nodded, pressing a hand to her mouth to stifle her yawn. “Sleep, darling. For you shall need your energy to face what is to come.”
She nodded, yawning once more. “Thank you for being my friend, Philippe.” she murmured as she drifted off to sleep. “The pleasure is all mine.” Philippe whispered fondly, laying his head at her feet and drifting to sleep himself.
As Joffrey carried his princess off, she smiled gleefully at getting her way. She purred louder as he nibbled her neck, her feet kicking happily. Raising hand to cover her face, she giggled with embarrassment as servant after servant stared after the happy couple when they entered the castle. Snuggling closer, she cooed “You really are such a good daddy…but I think you’re an even better lover…” With that she laughed loudly down the hallways as he carried her off.
Desmond looked at the ground before facing Minerva with a slight shrug “Woof.” With a smirk, he watched the way she brushed the nanny off, he himself not caring in the slightest if the child even returned. He was, however, quite intrigued by the princess’s request for another child. He knew she longed for a son to dote on, just as Joffrey doted on Tempest. This could work in his favor.
As Minerva placed a finger to his chin, he crossed his arms and gave her an assessing look as she revealed her plans.He chuckled “I must say, I am impressed by your ambition. As for the princess’s skirts, she hardly lets me touch just the hem of her gown.” He frowned at this and stared her down “If you get your way, I get mine…” Stepping away from her, he began to pace with his hands behind her back “You and I could do wonders, I think…” Glancing at her, his smile turned sinister.
Prince Joffrey wasn’t feeling like a very good daddy at the moment. He had just let Minerva blatantly lie about their daughter’s whereabouts to save his own skin. No doubt this was going to cost him heavily later on, both from Nanny, and of course the Witch. Why was it so many wished to interfere in their lives? Seeing Desmond roll up just as Joffrey was about to carry his wife away, he could sense that Desmond favored Selene a little too strongly. So what choice did he have, then to abide by his Wife’s wishes when she asked for yet another to add to their household.
Kicking the door open to their marital suite, he chuckled darkly as he carried her over to the bed, then placed her down gently as she gushed about him being a better lover than a father. “Oh you’re heading the right way for a smacked bottom, Love.” Joffrey said in a teasing voice. He started to unbutton his shirt, as though he was the town’s leading male stripper and shook his hips to his only tempo.
“Dah…dah dah dah..daaaaaaaah dah!” he sang, showing off a bare shoulder, as he stood side on, and performed a few pelvic hip thrusts. “Are you horny, Baby? Do I make you wet?’ Do I?…Rawr!” He pawed the air like a cat, then struck another mincing pose.
Castle grounds
Minerva was starting to take a shine to Desmond, an evil one at that. She had had designs on Joffrey for some time, and now thought this was the perfect time to act it out. Glancing up towards the Castle, she grinned menacingly, when she looked back at Desmond. “The Princess wants another baby. YOU want to get under her skirts. Well, the answer is simple. A mere….distraction, I lead Joffrey away to find his brat of a child, while YOU…using your ability of glamour and shape shifting, make yourself LOOK like Joffrey….and finish the deed. Sew your seed within her…and produce a Son.”
It was a diabolical plan…but would Desmond take the bait? If Selene is seen to have been unfaithful to her husband, then Joffrey may divorce her…which would lead the way for Minerva to go for him herself.
<3>
center]Selene thoroughly enjoyed the dark delicious sound of her husband’s chuckle, her pulse racing as he placed her gently on the bed. As her husband teased her with his little dance, her own face was serious and calculating, a huntress ready to attack her prey. A small smile curved her lips as her eyes darkened with lust. Pulling her dress down to her stomach, she leaned back on her hands as her blonde hair fell around her bare skin. Licking her lips slowly, she tilted her head and purred “If you can catch my bottom, by all means…” Leaning forward, she lifted the rest of his shirt up to nip at his hip bone. Looking up at him, she smirked and quickly crawled away on the bed. “Come and get me, demon.” She rolled over onto all fours and began to crawl as fast as she could, her hips wiggling her ass enticingly towards him.[/center]
Castle Grounds
As the witch boldly proclaimed his desires to be in the princess’s skirts, his eyes flashed as he grabbed her chin. Leaning forward, he smiled coldly “If I were you, I would not be spreading that around much further. I am her…adviser. A close friend. A better man than that fool of a prince will ever be towards her.” His eyes were still dark as he let her go, but his charming smile returned to his face. Folding his hands over his chest, he began to pace around her. It was something he had never thought of doing himself as he didn’t see how he could stoop so low to get the princess’s favor.
However…her plan did have some advantages. If the prince discovered that Selene was unfaithful, despite the fact that she was under the presumption it was Joffrey, he would surely cast her to the side. The princess would then be left vulnerable and prey to what pretty words Desmond always had to offer. He could convince her that Joffrey never even loved her to begin with and that he was just a selfish demon only capable of loving himself. He clearly didn’t love Selene enough to believe her over anyone else. Perhaps he would even go so far as to convince her that the prince was just using Selene to procreate. It would crush her and it would leave the princess to him. He would then take her back to her parent’s castle while Joffrey hopefully decided to try for a divorce. Her parents would surely back Selene up and Desmond would be there to raise his own child while slowly allowing Selene to love him in her own time. The plan was genius.
Turning towards Minerva, he nodded and held his hand out to shake on their agreement “You have my word, woman.”
