My Naga King Ch. 06

"I'm fine."

He toyed with the end of his tail, I remember from the little I knew about naga children was that that was a nervous habit.

"Hey." I said.

He glanced at me.

"I'm fine sweetheart, just tired and hungry."

He eyed me for a moment before nodding, I held out my arms and he wrapped his arms around my neck and his tail around my waist as we hugged. Livia smiled, he unwrapped his tail from around me but stayed close while she pressed around on my stomach. When she found the small lump, that was the egg, she smiled again.

"Everything seems just fine."

"I'm guessing I'll be....laying the egg like I would have a human baby?"

She giggled.

"Oh no, the egg will be fairly large, it will be a C-section, and then the egg or eggs will finish growing for a month outside the womb until its time to hatch."

I was a bit relieved to hear that, I didn't want to squeeze out something most likely larger than a watermelon.

"So did the doctor tell you who I thought may have started the fire?"

She shook her head.

"My sister."

She frowned.

"Well the master won't be happy to hear that."

"I know but I also know there isn't much point in trying to hide that information."

She nodded and left the room, I glanced at Tobias as he moved away from me.

"So, miss me?"

He nodded and I smiled.

"I swear, you and Lilly or so different, she hates me to the core but you've never shown the same feeling."

He patted my arm with a smile.

"Hey, have you been in the cellar?" I asked.

"Yes I have."

"Do you know who those people are in the damaged paintings?"

He toyed with his tail again.

"Uh.....Zeos told me not to tell you." he said softly.

"Why?"

"He said you would be upset."

"Did he kill those people?"

Tobias raised an eyebrow and shook his head.

"So tell me who they are."

"The blond was his love, the couple were her parents and the red head was the psycho who killed the blond." he said.

"The red head also destroyed her portrait while everyone was busy at her funeral."

I frowned.

"Why?"

"She wanted to be with....Zeos and he only had eyes for the other one, he cried a lot after she passed away."

"How did she kill her?"

"That depends, do you want the whole story? Zeos didn't tell me until I was eighteen I was three when it happened. I wished so much that he was lying to me..." he said the last part sadly.

I wondered how important this woman was.

"Tell me the whole story."

"The red head was named Matilda, she was a succubus and had met Zeos when he was much younger. He saw her as a friend, but never could get himself to feel for her what she felt for him. She tried harder and harder to win his affections, she was a bit crazy then and only got worse. At one point he asked Nevia to pretend to be his mate just to get rid of Matilda. She seemed fine and stayed away for a while.

One night he went to visit a family friend and met a human couple that had recently befriended them Lord Frederick and Lady Crystal...they brought their daughter Serenity with them. Zeos said each demon species handles finding a mate differently, they were born for each other, he said he would have given his life just to have her smile at only him."

When he paused I couldn't help but feel a bit jealous, I know I shouldn't but it was there anyways.

"They only spent time together at parties for a while before he asked her father if he could properly court her. Of course Lord Frederick was thrilled to know his daughter had caught Zeos's eye and gave his blessings. Of course you can probably guess what happened."

"Matilda saw them together?"

He nodded.

"She cornered Nevia and found out about them pretending to have a relationship, Matilda must have counted Nevia as an equal because she didn't care when she thought they were together. She was livid over the fact that she had lost Zeos to a human, but no matter what she did she couldn't tear them apart, before long they had already.....um...gotten intimate and she was expecting his child. He watched over her constantly because he hadn't bitten her that much and wasn't sure if she could handle carrying a child of his. She turned out to be perfectly safe and had a son. Now while naga and lamia alike always cherish all of their children, a first born son was always a good sign.

She still had bouts of weakness, and would sometimes faint as his venom worked through her to change her bit by bit. She didn't want to marry Zeos while she was feeling so weak she wanted to be at her best when they walked down the aisle. He would let her have anything she wanted and waited for two years, she seemed fine then. Instead of the venom changing her she had worked it out of her system. They planned to get married but they never got to finish the ceremony. As soon as the priest asked her if she would take Zeos as her husband she collapsed.

Livia thought she would recover and had her sleep in the infirmary so she could keep an eye on her, the poison used was the product of black magic and acid it had eaten away at her in just a few hours. Matilda waited for the family after the funeral and asked Zeos if he was happy that she removed the problem."

I covered my mouth, I couldn't imagine losing someone like that.

"Why does he keep Matilda's portrait?"

"Because succubi can be reborn, if she comes back he can show that to the guards."

I looked at my hands, he couldn't have forgotten Serenity, I bet he still thought of her but I knew I couldn't change that. I didn't want to be a replacement though, I shook my head and looked at him.

"Where's their son?"

"He's around, he never could forget his mother and all the times Zeos cried over her death, he would have liked to see his father smiling as often as he does now."

I smiled and Tobias stopped talking just as the door opened, he held his finger to his lips in a shushing motion. I didn't say a word as he hugged Zeos before leaving the room.

....

The next morning I woke up without the help of my phone, then realized I never got it back from Lilly. I sighed.

"What's wrong?"

I jumped a bit and turned to look at Zeos.

"Lilly still has my phone." I said.

"No she doesn't, I got it back from her."

"Did anyone call?"

"No I took the battery out."

I rolled my eyes.

"You can have it back after you rest more."

I was about to argue when the door was thrown open and a familiar woman jumped in our bed.

"Dammit Nevia!"

She hugged me, I never thought we would be in this position I patted her back.

"I'm alive...now please let me breathe."

She laughed and released her death grip.

"But I was worried about you."

"Nevia you don't even like me."

"I do so."

"Why the change of heart?"

"Because I'm just that wonderful, now I understand congratulations are in order?"

I smiled at her and she squealed, I find it funny she's practically a different person, I suppose I would have to send Alexen some chocolate for that. Nevia got off of me and left the room while we bathed and got ready for the day. Zeos eyed me.

"What?" I asked.

"What's bothering you?"

"Nothing."

"You smell like cinnamon when you lie." he said flatly.

"It's nothing, I just feel bad."

"Over what?"

"Let's not talk about it."

"Cassandra."

I toyed with my hair.

"I don't want you to be sad."

He stared at me, I moved to leave and he grabbed my arm, I thought about the bedroom door and faded from his hold only to reappear at the door. I left the room before he could stop me.

....

Breakfast was awkward to say the least, I asked Tobias if he would take a walk with me in the garden to get out of the room. He agreed and we left the table, well I left and dragged him with me.

"Did you and Zeos have a fight?"

"No."

"I'm sorry."

"Why?"

"I upset you, I shouldn't have told you anything."

I bopped him on the head.

"That's not the problem, I had a nightmare about her death...."

"You did?"

"I did, it was so vivid."

I glanced up as a vine came out of the grass and held out a daisy for me, I glanced at Tobias who smiled slightly. I smiled back and pushed my hair out of the way so the vine could rest the flower on my ear. I kissed his forehead and patted his shoulder.

"You were close to her weren't you?"

He nodded.

"Babies from our race don't forget like human babies do."

"What was she like?"

"Amazing."

I smiled.

"That doesn't tell me much."

"She was beautiful, had a very nice singing voice, she was always warm, and funny, she could cook and dance....was an artist and always tried to help people in anyway she could. The whole family loved her."

I bit my lip.

"What did she look like exactly?"

"She was blond but that's all I remember, race you to the orchard."

"Hey wait..."

My words fell to the wind as he bounded off, I shook my head and chased after him I was faster now but couldn't catch up to him. We reached the orchard but he kept going past it and toward a greenhouse I hadn't originally noticed. It was covered in vines as if it hadn't been used in some time. As he got close the vines moved and the doors opened, I walked in and stared at all the dead plants and flowers that must have once been beautiful. The smell was as if they still lived, the air was sweet. He smiled at me.

"This was her greenhouse." he said.

I walked over to one of the tables and touched one of the decorative pots, the plant shook a little then stood up slowly as the color returned. It was a blue rose, I stared at him.

"That wasn't me." he said.

He smiled.

"I don't have any control over plants."

"Clearly you do."

I moved my hand away and the rose stood, it was beautiful I frowned.

"I shouldn't be in here, Zeos would be mad if he saw me in here."

"No he wouldn't."

"Yes he would, this belonged to his beloved after all."

Tobias smiled.

"You are his beloved now."

I shook my head, this just didn't feel right, it's like when a man becomes a widow and uses his late wife's ring as the wedding ring for his new wife. I wasn't sure why either, my head started pounding.

"The scent is too strong in here, maybe I should...go."

"We could go horse back riding."

"So I can ride her horse?"

"No, Sakura died a few years ago." he said.

I sighed.

"Come on, if the smell is too strong then you need fresh air."

I walked out with him and the vines closed the door again, as we walked to the stables I wanted to see her grave and I wasn't sure why. I took a black horse, named Anamarie and he got on a brown horse named Thunder. He rode down the path behind the castle the greenery was even more beautiful. He picked up the speed until we were galloping, turning corner after corner until I glanced behind and could barely see the castle through the trees.

We passed by a few towns people who waved at us, we waved back but kept the same speed. We didn't stop until we reached a large meadow, it seemed among the rainbow of color that every flower in existence had been planted here. I cocked my head, he went up a tree and helped me up after him. I glanced at the flowers and my eyes widened, the flowers had been planted in a way that they would show a picture of her face.

".....How....could he love someone so much, and still be with someone else?"

He nudged me.

"Look again."

I scanned it again and realized that...the picture looked like I did now.

"...."

"Speechless?" he asked.

I stared at him.

"Did your.....brother change my appearance according to what he wanted?...am I just a replacement?"

He squeezed my hand.

"You changed on your own, back to the way you use to look."

"I am not Serenity..."

"A naga only gets one mate."

My head started pounding, Tobias helped me down the tree and I rested against the tree trunk.

"Are you telling me...the truth?"

"Of course I am, Zeos wanted you to remember on your own but it didn't seem like anything was clicking into place. Look, I know seeing is believing, you want to open that coffin and see the body?"

"No I don't it's not...in there...is it?"

He shook his head, I felt dizzy then jumped as my phone rang, I picked it up and answered.

"Nice to hear your voice again, love."

I dropped the phone as soon my brain registered who's voice that was.

(....I do love a fun cliffhanger, I'm sure several of you will notice a few holes here and there but they'll get filled in as we go along. There are also a few more twists coming :P)