{Freyja}

She blinked. Survival. What on Earth did she mean survival? Making herself useful enough so that Keenan couldn't find a way to get rid of her? But not just that. Now she had a name for the older brother. The one who was killed. And just that sparked a light bulb in the back of Freyja's mind.

.

"Claude, I'd never swear a blood oath. They seem a bit...ridiculous. Similar to fae promises. You just need to find the right loophole. I'm already feeling sick at the thought of sharing blood with anyone." She shivered. So she needed to pay attention to Keenan's reaction to her blood. What even did that mean? Freyja sighed. "Shall we have our first lesson tonight? We're given a day after the wedding to pack and prepare unless Keenan's already rushed it over. I really despise this new attitude of his." She wouldn't be shocked if he had rushed everything along. At this point it seemed as if he thought everything was a good idea based on if it would screw her over along the line somewhere. And feeling unprepared was one thing that had to be one of her most despised feelings.

.

She played with her glass as she looked at Claude. "Will you be okay once you break off?" She asked, looking back at the almost empty cup. She was worried. Most definitely. Her mentor and now only vampiric friend would be off after her wedding tour that had already been shortened at least three times that day. So yes. She was a cocktail of emotions at the moment but if she'd learned anything from the interrogation it was that she needed to remain calm when she felt anything else.

.

She needed to work on that.

.

{Daemon}

These vampires had some nerve. If he hadn't before, he definitely dispised them now. Bastards? Aha. Yes. He was done with these people. He glared at his reflection until he heard the knock on his door. He immediately rubbed his face and prepared himself for another hour of smiles and pleasantries before he opened the door.

.

He smiled as the prince entered. Since he came along on horseback, the male had nothing other than what was stuffed in his saddlebags. That being just two outfits for changing if necessary because the other one held his rations of food for the journey. "Yes, you are marrying her. That's true. But I have a feeling that it's a marriage that is only on paper." He said smoothly, wiping his hands off after washing them. Cleanliness was next to Godliness. And that's what he strived to be. "Are you nervous, your highness?" He asked with a grin.

.

"And please, sit down. Ask away, I'm an open book," he said, pouring himself a glass of water. "Should I call for your own beverage?" He asked. On the inside he was screaming. He had expected the male to come trotting along. Curiosity killed the cat, but Daemon's head was pounding and he needed to Crack down to business to see how Freyja broke free. Perhaps it was her God Ancestor watching over her. But he doubted it. That God seemed disinterested in all kind since the incident that created their great great, and then some more greats, grandfather.

.

"I'll be honest, Prince. I'm not exactly pleased with the turnout over here. My sister seems possessed, my research is missing, and then my right hand has been killed. By my sister." He looked at Keenan with a devious grin. "Darling, you could have told me! And you're the one in possession of the diaries so you must know. So, how's it feel to be marrying the weapon of the millennium? Hmm? Originally I wanted her to go with Cassian to see if her gifts would pass along with him. That was our plan to win the war, you know. I'd love to see what she could do after some training. But go on, tell me how you feel about this whole scenario, dear. Because from the outside it looks like there's trouble in paradise."

.

Claude

Loopholes. It had never even crossed her mind, they were told that blood oaths were final. “Freyja, you are a genius,” her eyes lit up. Of course, it would be no good for a long term arrangement but a loop hole could help her right now. Perhaps she could help Freyja learn as much as possible about the kingdoms secrets before she disappeared. Claude walked over to her dresser and pulled out a letter. A copy of a letter that defined Keenan’s linage, of course it would never hold up in front of the king as it was not the original but it would give Freyja and idea of what she would be facing. “I cannot give you the information but there is nothing preventing you from stumbling across the conveniently placed letter.”

Claude refilled Freyja’s glass, for no reason other than giving her something to do. She was treading on very dangerous ground and committing treason. The thrill of it made her feel alive, more alive than she had felt in decades. “You understand fae laws right? Where do half breeds stand? Can they be bound by your laws? Half vampires can be bound be ours, so I was wondering if you had similar rules.” Claude folded her hands in her lap, tightly squeezing her fingers.

She was setting Freyja up with an out, one that she had not been able to set up herself. They were females in a world dominated by arrogant males, they needed to stick together where possible, “Your lessons start immediately. If anyone asks, we are doing silly girl things to prepare you for your wedding tomorrow,” she sighed softly as if deep in thought, “If your brother is around the day after the wedding I am sure he will be able to keep Keenan occupied and out of our hair. Unfortunately I cannot get you out of having to share blood with the prince but I can prepare you as much as possible. I can promise you that it won’t hurt if that’s any consolation?”

She was worried about what would happen to her once she left but she did not want to burden Freyja, yet there was no one else she could tell. Literally everyone else in this castle would have her killed for even considering it. “The rogues that Kee and Monty went to rescue Aleks from are not rogue vampires. They are part of a larger network of rebels. My extended family were part of their network before their execution, hence why I am a lady in name only. I will not be welcomed with open arms but they will not execute me nor force me to swear a blood oath. I may be a prisoner for some time but I am useful and not afraid to barter my way to freedom.”

Keenan

Keenan lifted his chin, “I am not nervous. It was not the fate I wanted but a marriage in name only is a better arrangement than what I was originally lead to believe I was forced into,” Keenan crossed his legs and angled himself to face Daemon better, “and what of your love life Daemon darling? I hear you have quite a reputation at court.”

The way Daemon called him darling, made Keenan melt on the inside. It was becoming increasingly difficult to resist the prince’s charms. At this point Keenan didn’t want to. He missed the days when he could flirt and sleep with whoever he wanted without consequence. However, his father would want to kill him for just doing this, unless he managed to get some kind of an advantage.

“Alas that is not how I want to greet an honoured guest. It is not particularly welcoming if the son of your enemy announces that your sister has been running rampage at his court is it?” Keenan, didn’t release how hungry he was. Hell just being around Daemon was wreaking havoc on his system, draining him almost, “Tell me about your homeland,” he said finally, “Freyja never mentioned it”

He was more than grateful when the blood arrived. Supressing the power that threatened to spill every time Daemon took a breath was exhausting. It would be so much easier to just let go.

He knew Daemon would want the diaries. That is why he had refused to give anyone else the key, “It seems as if the diaries implicate you all in the murder of Cassian but also many more fae. I am not going to pretend to be innocent myself but Daemon darling, what are you prepared to offer me in exchange?”

{Freyja}

The Princess jumped at Claude's sudden outburst. She smiled slowly as the other female continued. She stood and walked over, "This very conveniently set letter?" Freyja asked, plucking it up delicately. She opened it carefully so that the laler wouldn't tear on her before she could read the message needed inside. What she found was shocking. Freyja scoffed a few times, mouth agape. "So he's more than your average vampire. Huh." She said, tucking away the information.

.

"For our halflings depend on how much fae they inherited. If they are able to shift into a fae form, than yes. Most definitely. This can even happen to those with less than half as long as they can make the shift. Otherwise no." She sighed. "Claude, we're you permitted to tell me what sort of magic he possesses? And why is sampling his blood like wine going to help me?"

.

Wouldn't it be the other way around since he'd finally be getting a taste of her actual power? She sat back down and took a swig of her water. Grinning, she looked back to Claude. "Well then. Let's get this first lesson started, shall we?" She asked, setting the letter back down neatly.

.

{Daemon}

So his reputation had spread this far? Wow. Still, he flashed a grin as he nodded. "Yes, much to my wife's dismay. I still 'sleep around' as they say." He took a sip of his drink. "Darling, if you're dealt the right cards, why not increase the bet? I don't see why it's such a bad thing to be said. Of course, the female partners are given contraceptives. I don't need any illegitimate children running about." He shuddered at the thought.

.

"My homeland is green, highness. There is varied types of terrain, but you'll find we royals prefer the wooded areas or the beaches. Mountains, if your Faust. And she probably didn't mention anything about it because she never grew attached. Yes, she probably faced some sort of homesickness, but let's be real. I think she was five when she was told she was going to be married off one day... I think it was either Faustian or Rion who told her. Anyways. It's very... moody, our weather. That's how some of us have just grown accustomed to rain or snow. You may have a dislike for Freyja as your companion does, but my do we love the rain. It's hard to hate someone who laughs and dances in the rain." He said, eyes drifting as he remembered many days spent in the gardens or by the lake where they went splashing through puddles until lightning struck and their mother came running for them.

.

Then the blood came and the prince made him an offer that made him grin broadly. Diaries that proved he and Cass had covered repeated murder victims and scenes for whoever killed who. And all of his information on Freyja's gift that could rip this pretty little snake from all seven realms.

.

He leaned closer, keeping his grin plastered on tight. "Depends, your highness. What is it that you want?" Daemon asked quietly. If he had only been fae... even human. Such a pretty face. Too bad it was attached to a blood sucker.

Claude

Freyja’s reaction was exactly the same as hers all those years ago. She met Freyja’s gaze, “he can,” she said softly, “He hasn’t shifted willingly since his father sent him to the front lines. He cannot control it, nor has he ever tried.” Freyja was very intelligent, far more so than she was ever given credit for. The whole thing about finding a loop hole was incredibly clever and so freeing. Claude had carried the burden of this knowledge for so long and now someone else was able to share to load, even if she was helping Freyja manipulate the prince, “to put it simply Keenan is a half fae bastard prince. His father only wanted his mother to try and breed a weapon.”

“You sampling his blood is important. It stops his bite from hurting you, many do enjoy it after the initial shock. With Keenan it is more important as he has never shared blood with another as they would be able to taste the difference in species immediately, you probably won’t be able to do it but,” Claude sat straighter, “You will be able to feel his magic. Magic calls to magic, reach out, activate it and force him to shift, then he will have no option but to tell you the truth,’ she twisted the ring on her hand, “Even a few sips of your blood may be enough to force it from him. It seems the more powerful the fae, the more the blood stirs his magic. You may not even have to do anything.”

If halflings were able to be bent to the laws of the fae, what did that mean for the kingdom? Could Daemon and Freyja use it as reason to bend him to their wills? The vampire king would. More importantly, Claude wanted to know if Keenan’s involvement in the war would be considered treason, considering the large volume of fae he slaughtered. Claude frowned when Freyja asked if she could tell her about what kind of magic he possessed, “If I knew I could. I do not know enough about the fae to be able to answer that question. The only people that would know are the king and Keenan himself, although he has never tried to wield it.”

Claude had one burning question, “If your laws apply to Keenan, your brother could use it to force Keenan’s hand couldn’t he? Hell, could he have him arrested if he wanted?”

“As for the lesson,” she said suddenly business like, “Why don’t we start with the true history of Keenan’s family. Knowing the royal bloodlines are important after all,” the grin Claude gave Freyja was malicious. Keenan wanted to screw her over so she had no free will, fine. She would arm his fiancée with enough information to bring the kingdom to its knees.

Claude brought her knees to her chest, not at all lady like but she was going for comfort at this point. “The king had sired Maksim almost two centuries before Keenan. Maksim was an incredibly powerful vampire and even with only 2 percent fae blood he mastered magic faster than his peers. A different kind of magic to what you or Keenan possess, this is more similar to mages and spellcasters. Keenan on the other hand was bred as an experiment. How much further would he be able to push a half breed of the two most powerful species? How far could he push Keenan until he snapped? Anyway,” Claude said, she had allowed her mind to wander and time was not a luxury they had right now, “Maksim’s death was at Keenan’s hand yes but Maksim tried to kill him first. Keenan had bargained with his father to preserve the rose garden in exchange for service as his mother had been the original custodian. The king had Keenan attempting to retrieve information from fae prisoners. Being bitten by a vampire hurts and often the victim wishes for death and Keenan was the only one who could safely feed on the fae. The problem was too much fae blood and he was forced to shift as he had no other outlet for the magic. Usually he would retreat to his rooms and hide until it was over, this time he didn’t make it. Maksim witnessed the whole thing and slit his younger brother’s throat with a silver knife there and then.”

Claude looked pale, she felt ill. It had been such a dark time for them all and relieving it was the last thing she wanted to do but Freyja needed to know. She took a few breaths to steel herself, “Keenan managed to kill Maksim and shift back to his vampire form however the king then decided he was out of control. There was the blood traitor bond but more than that, he locked Keenan in a cell for six weeks. Chained to the wall without blood. Vampires can only last three weeks without feeding before they go mad. He barely managed to hang on.”

Keenan

The prince’s openness about sleeping around startled him. Of course, Keenan was known to sample the crop, but his father would kill him for being so casual about it. Keenan offered him a smile, “I like your attitude,” he said softly. Hell, Keenan wished he was so self-assured. The thing about having illegitimate children caused a small smile to appear on his lips. “Much easier to have male company, no?” Keenan said.

Daemon was so close that Keenan could almost touch him. It took every single ounce of self-control to avoid it. He wondered if he could tell. Was he that obvious? What was about these fae that made their existence so tempting and so likely to destroy his life? Keenan looked up to meet his gaze, he had stunning eyes but again fae.

Something in Keenan stirred at the thought. His jaw ached, he knew that feeling. Keena took a breath, no way in hell was he shifting in front of Daemon, the one person who would not hesitate to use it against him. Yet his magic wanted out, so much so that it was taking all of his concentration to contain it. What was it about this male’s presence that made it so much worse?

The combination of magic calling to magic and high emotions were really not helping. His knuckles were white around the goblet. Breathing would help, count it, come on Keenan, pull yourself together. He should pull away from the fae prince but he didn’t want to. He wanted to be closer, he wanted to close that gap between them.

This was why he never flirted with anything other than the odd vampire or human, like Aleks. Aleks was safe, kind and did not cause him to feel like part of him wanted to escape. Although how would Aleks react to the truth? He would not take it well, considering his reaction to his engagement with Freyja the fae. His reaction to finding out that his lover was a 'filthy half breed' (to quote his father. THe one who had sired him... the filthy half breed), it would terrify him. Vampires lived a very long time and that came with a healthy fear of the unknown, or maybe unhealthy?

Instead he managed to pull himself together long enough to answer Daemon’s question, “I haven’t decided yet. I am sure it is of value to you, considering you are not the first person to ask for it. The real question darling is what you are prepared to give me for it? What can you offer me that I can’t just buy?”

{Freyja}

She kept her face straight. This was not a moment for smiles, it was time to actually listen for once. At least she found something else she could relate to Keenan about. Only, she would be the thing breeding. A disgusting thought, but she wouldn't put it past anyone in her family. Especially after that Journal had revealed why Cassian had even started to show interest in her. And how she willingly played the fool.

.

Occasionally as she listened, she would pick up her glass and take a small sip. She soaked up all of this information that included both Keenan and the King. The king she'd only seen twice and seemed well enough to just avoid her. But Keenan had been locked up and put through vampiric torture. But she had what she needed to know. "As long as he shifts, when he's in that form and you make him swear to something he'll find that he can't or has to do it the next time the opportunity arises. That's why we're taught as small children to never swear on anything. And that's also why we're all experts at finding loopholes or rewording things so that we don't actually have to follow through with the promise." She said, looking at her glass.

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"So was Keenan's mother just a gardener? Or was she a prisoner of war who the king deemed attractive enough to make Keenan with? How did she survive for so long? Is she still alive?" She asked, spit Allina questions like her first days here at the castle. It was strange to think that three days ago she was spit balling them to Keenan and now she was being given enough information to absolutely destroy him. In any situation.

.

But it has her thinking...was Daemon already trying to bring him down and how did she stop Daemon...only for her to do the job herself. Such conflicting feelings she had at the moment. Because she knew Keenan could be amazing, but at the same time. If he reacted like that everytime she had an accident...

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{Daemon}

So the little prince wanted to play with fire? So be it. He grinned, noticing how Keenan had started to become stiff. "Highness, it's not a matter of gender. But of who keeps my attention longest," he said. "And I don't know, Keenan. Is there something you think I have that you want? You're looking awfully pale...are you alright?" He asked, taking a step backward and standing up straight. The grin was still there though. The ever grinning Prince. That was him.

.

"Was your beverage unsatisfactory or am I bothering his highness?" He asked, brushing a curl behind his ear, showing off his pointed ears. He couldn't tell if the prince was swooning or about to be sick and Daemon was not about to be covered in vampire vomit. "But as for our deal... give me a list of things that are acceptable to offer for these diaries."

.

Daemon took a seat at the table and finished off his water, placing the glass gently back on the table so it wouldn't clang. The prince seemed somewhat anxious...and that alone was enough to make Daemon grin, but what was he so anxious about? If it was his own presence, well. He wouldn't mind himself being the reason. It happened often. Nice to know he could pull anything from human to fae to vampire princes.

Claude

Freyja seemed disturbed, rightly so but they had all become so desensitised to that kind of violence that it no longer phased her. A horrifying thought really. This court had broken her to the point where she was no longer phased. What were her morals anymore? That was why she wanted to get out. She was a whisper of the woman she once was. “That’s why he’s so afraid. His father wants to see how far he could really push him… I mean there is a reason that we are considered monsters.”

The vow thing was weird but how much did she really know about fae culture? Little to nothing if she was being honest. “So if you really want to control the future king, all you would need is for him to swear to something?” she said sceptical Why was it that simple. Hell it seemed too easy. “He would not look for loopholes either. We are taught to lead or to follow. There is no in between, just pure self preservation,” she admitted, compared to the fae, their training was deeply flawed but perhaps it was deliberate?

“Keenan’s mother was a prisoner of war,” Claude admitted, the thought disgusted her, “the king offered her freedom in exchange for carrying a child. She only stayed long enough to recover from the birth and then disappeared, never to be heard from again,” the thought made her sick. The king chose Keenan’s mother like a prize mare than could be bought and sold at will. It was a barbaric way to treat someone. She could understand why the fae had taken that offer though, if it was that or death, sometimes you had to do things you weren’t so happy about.

Claude sighed looking up at Freyja, “I know you have a soft spot for the prince, we all do but something bigger is coming. If it comes to it, protect yourself Freyja, even if it means selling out Keenan to your older brother, god knows he would probably do it. Be cunning if the situation demands it and if he doesn’t get his life together then just take over. This castle could benefit from a strong leader who doesn’t torture their subjects for fun.”

Keenan

He needed to pull himself together. He was a prince who should not be looking this weak in front of a rival. A very very attractive rival. He also should not be thinking about Daemon this way but it made him feel alive. The danger and excitement was not something he had felt in a long time.

He took a few steadying breaths, Daemon looked amused. He didn’t have many options. He couldn’t tell the fae crown prince that he was a half breed that could be bound by both laws. Daemon would enjoy that far too much. Daemon seemed to enjoy his discomfort, was it bad if Keenan still said it made him attractive? Keenan rubbed his temples, willing the splitting headache away, “Your presence, it makes my head fuzzy,” he said sheepishly, batting his eyelids at Daemon. He was hoping that he would buy into the story. Daemon did make his head fuzzy but that was not his current problem. He felt like his soul was trying to split itself in two and he was the only thing holding it together.

Running his tongue over his canines, he had to check that he hadn’t already begun shifting. The fangs were still there for now. Keenan examined his nails, trying to act nonchalant, even though he had laid most of his cards on the table, he still had the diaries, “Alas I haven’t decided what I want. Information is useful but boring and I could interrogate either of your other siblings if I wanted to. Faustin is a lot of fun drunk. Surprising I know, considering the urge to smack his smug expression off his face is constant,” he stood offering Daemon a small bow, “I should rest before the wedding. If you can think of anything to offer that would make handing over the diaries worth my time, my quarters are located next to Freyja’s. if you get lost any servant would be more than happy to point you in the right direction.”

{Freyja}

She wrinkled her node as the rest was spilled. It was disgusting. How could people just assume females were good for nothing other than Breeding. A very misogynistic way of thinking that she was done with. But overall, this conversation gave her mixed feelings. On one end, Claude was trusting her with all of this and they were talking and she actually believed that Freyja could make a difference. Of course Freyja wanted the kingdom all along, but for awhile there it looked like she would be on the road alone. Because who wanted to see a fae on the Vampire's throne?

.

"Claude, I think Daemon would find Keenan a bit more useful alive. But I'd like to try...not selling anyone out. I'd feel guilty about it for the next three hundred years, " She said, playing with her glass. Freyja looked up at Claude. "I know that cunning and wits are going to be my friends, but if I'm being honest. Claude, I trip over my words more often than I deliver them properly. After years of court. Faustian will say I drove people away, but really all I did was tell Daemon. He would do the rest for me. I was trained to be a trophy wife. Something nice to look at. So I'm sorry, but you've got your work cut out for you." She grinned with a wink.

.

Was she unprepared? Yes. But she wanted this. She wanted it before Keenan went to the dark side. She just needed to get rid of the people in her way. She'd have to wait till after the wedding so no one else could argue her stance.

.

"Does Keenan have any relatives that are able to stake a claim on the throne?" The princess wondered aloud. They were going on a tour through the country and Keenan had mentioned a distant relative. So if they were able to claim the throne, she'd have a lot of buttering up to do.

.

{Daemon}

Daemon watched the prince with a lazy gaze as he tried to pull himself together. Your presence makes my head fuzzy. He didn't know if that was some vampiric trick or if he actually meant it. That male was confusing. But soon afterward he started to examine his nails as if he hadn't almost been near drooling two minutes ago. Bipolar?

.

He walked with the male to the door and waved him farewell with a smile. "I couldn't possibly bother his highness on the eve of his big night!" Daemon gasped, but it was followed with a quick grin. "Have a pleasant evening, highness. And get some sleep, darling, you've got bags under your eyes." Daemon said before returning into his room and shutting the door gently behind him. He himself was tired and he felt as if he could sleep through the next few days. He'd exhausted his borrowed magic extremely today. Trying to control Freyja has turned into quite the task. But it still worked on Faust.

.

He decided that a bath was best for now.

.

He ran his own water and dipped himself in slowly into the steaming water. Lavender oils for not only relaxation, but it was one thing that covered the smell of rot that had never made anyone suspicious. Daemon had until his Demon was done with him, but he'd made a bargain that should have set him up for the rest of his life. But demons and dark magic came with a stench. One he was constantly trying to make disappear.

.

{Faust}

The male went "walking" through the halls. He tripped over his feet more often than not and he still hadn't found his room after an hour of wandering around. But, to his surprise, when he looked up, Aleks was stumbling about. Faust straightened his back and slightly swayed but he gave a smile. "So, what's the reason for your spirits, hmm Aleksia? Aleks, shoot. Damn." His mind was still scrambled.

.

The stuff that Keenan had given him was working so well. So what was interrupting his sobering now? He couldn't think of anything. He'd returned to drinking water after the tonic and had stayed away from the alcohol that was calling out to him. But nevertheless, a non-sober prince's pet was possibly worth wandering around for an hour or so.

Claude

Shrugging, Claude turned to face her, “if that is how you wish to play this then that is how we will do it. Information is a useful motivator and sometimes it is easier to allow a rival to do your dirty work. Less blood on your hands if it helps ease your conscience,” she could tell that Freyja was new to this. She felt a guilt that none of those around her would come close to ever feeling. Unfortunately for Freyja she was too compassionate, Claude would help with that. She didn’t need to become a monster, just be willing to make the hard decisions when needed.

Daemon would find Keenan more useful alive. Whatever for? The longer Claude thought about it, the more it puzzled her. She had seen the way they look at each other and the shameless flirting, that alone was enough to make anyone sick but there had to be more to it. From what she had managed to gather from Daemon, he despised vampires, almost as much as Monty hated most fae. So she doubted there would ever be anything between Daemon and Keenan, although if Daemon found out Kee was half fae? Maybe that would change things. Considering the fact the being of rival species was the only thing that was stopping them, it would not be too far from the realm of possibility. Gross.

She furrowed her brows, trying to recall Keenan’s family tree, “Nothing on his mother’s side and cousins would not have any claim especially if he was married. All you would need to do is get him to name you as his successor, then if anything happens to him, you are next in line with full control.”

Freyja was right, Claude had her work cut out for her, but Freyja had that spark, that determination that made a good leader. She’d done more with less. “You may have been raised as a trophy wife but I was raised as a peasant and managed to work my way up to lady. Here anything is possible,” especially if Freyja managed to control her magic.

Keenan

Keenan winked at Daemon as he headed back to his quarters. He was tempted to go for a walk outside in the grounds, but the way things were going, he didn’t want to risk shifting and then being caught. It had not gone well last time that had happened.

Slipping into his room Keenan let out a soft whimper that he had been holding in throughout that entire conversation with Daemon. He walked up to his dresser and looked in the mirror, he could feel the shift coming. His knuckles white, he gripped the edge of the table.

Nothing had ever been able to help with the pain and it was always worse when he resisted. He took one ragged breath and then another. He could feel his body trying to break apart. What had Daemon done to him?

He looked in the mirror, disturbed. Everything was wrong. He felt wrong. He tested his jaw, fangs shortened to the elongated canines that the fae possessed. The bags under his eyes had disappeared and he looked significantly more alive. Tucking his hair behind his ears, he examined the reflection of his pointed ears. None of this felt right, this was not who he was.

The transition back was always easier, especially when the transformation was not catalysed by the consumption of fae blood. When he did that, it was if the magic in their blood compelled him to remain in this form. Unfortunately the transformation was no less painful the second time.

Keenan had never drawn a bath so quickly. He needed to soak the stench of Fae from his skin, if he didn’t, it was going to give people the wrong idea about him and Daemon. He could deny it, without revealing the truth and Claude was the only one other than his father who knew the truth. All he could do was hope that the oils were able to mask the scent.

At least the water was hot, although it did nothing to settle him. Something didn’t add up about Daemon. The fae desperately wanted those diaries. If he was being honest, he would have just given them to Daemon but he was now intrigued and wanted to see what the male was willing to offer in exchange. It was more than that, the way Daemon made him feel, it was nauseating. Like the male was attractive, Keenan knew that but he had managed to steer clear of pretty males in the past. It always seemed to cause more trouble than it was worth but this time there was something else.

Aleks

He hated Keenan, hated Daemon, hated everyone. You had to be blind if you didn’t notice the flirting between Daemon and Keenan. It was made worse by the fact that he saw Keenan slip into Daemon’s quarters, likely to continue their game of cat and mouse. It would not have surprised him if something did happen between them. Keenan didn’t exactly have a glowing reputation. Aleks knew that, yet it did not soften the blow.

Grumbling away to himself he slammed into Faustin who was also stumbling around the halls. Stupid fae, interrupting his pity party. “This is a pity party for one Faustin. Go away,” why could no one understand that he just wanted to be left alone, it wasn’t exactly difficult, “but if you must know, your brother sucks, as does Keenan,” he said bitterly.

{Freyja}

She nodded as Claude continued to pour the information out. Yes, this was all good. "How am I supposed to get him to appoint me as Heir? Is this one of those moments where I have to go suck up and apologize and see if he'll give me the second chance? Perhaps I should wait till after the wedding, we'll. As of right now the wedding is my only leverage." She sighed, almost bringing her hand to her mouth to nibble on the nail, of course she was able to come to her senses in time to shove the one hand under her other arm. "Perhaps tonight? After I bathe so that your scent has been rinsed off some so it doesn't seem like I was in here so long? Or I could go as soon as possible. If he asked why I was with you for so long, do you think he'd buy the answer of you convincing me to put it all behind us? Its... half of the truth." She said, looking up at her mentor.

.

"And that explains a lot. Normal ladies don't go out and fight rogues," She grinned, finishing off her second glass of water. Apparently, her body felt as if it needed it. No doubt do to her earlier sickness. Strange thing that was because the Gods knew she had seen Daemon flirt with everything under the sun that would fall for his smile. She didn't react the way she normally would have and that disturbed her. "Of course, I'd prefer you over any court Lady. They aren't fond of my curls."

.

She started fiddling with her fingers in her lap as she gave everything a bit more thought. "I think I should talk to him. He thinks I'm an overgrown fool with childish tendencies, and sometimes I am," She said, giving a pointed look towards her hands. "But I would like to see how he would take an apology. It's been several hours since anyone's done any apologizing on any ends. I might apologize to Aleks as well. Not Monty though. His only reason to disrespect me is irrelevant. I'd never hurt Keenan." Perhaps she should apologize to Aleks in front of Monty. Let him taste those apples because she was done with his attitude.

.

{Daemon}

He a was agitated. He slowed out of the tub and grabbed a towel, scrubbing his body dry. He called a servant and handed them a pouch of money, assigned to buy him a suitable outfit for the wedding and then the servant could keep the remainder of the money. He may end up with cheap clothing but oh well. He'd most likely burn it when he was done anyways. It would smell like this place for the rest of eternity so it was definitely a one time wear situation. Not that he normally rewore clothing unless it was absolutely necessary.

.

He flopped onto the bed and gave a hefty sigh. It was boring here with nothing to do. To the garden it was then.

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{Faust}

The male shrugged. "Let's be honest, everyone sucks in their own way. Your biggest fault is that you're in love with a vampire prince who's marrying my sister but flirts with my brother and has major mood swings. Hell, the guy was drinking with me earlier!" Faust nudged him with his elbow. "And my faults are that I drink too much and I have power hungry siblings. Only one of them is too nice to actually grab it without a little push. And the other has had everything he ever wanted handed to him on a golden platter."

.

Faust laughed. "So, Aleksander. Don't sweat it. Us royals are simply used to getting what we want but in the end, we need something to stay normal and constant. So let Keenan have his fun. You seem pretty young for an immortal so I'm going to give you some advice you may simply dismiss as Fae Bastard Nonsense but: we get bored of the same things. Humans are easily entertained because they only have a tenth, if that, of our lifespans. There's not a lot I haven't done or seen, but I always go back to the comfort spots of my so called youth. If Keenan doesn't find you as a comfort area, move on. Although, I do thing my sister was secretly rooting for you," he said with a small grin.

.

But the prince wasn't going to hang around with a negative Nancy when he was already down in the dumps. "See ya round, and if you need a drinking partner well. You know the castle better than I ever will," he grinned, saluting the other before walking away. Hopefully towards his chambers.