"She is. So cut her some slack, Gunther." Silas interrupted the moment and Gunther pulled away. "She may not be our Cathy, but Cathy picked her. We must trust in her decision."
"You too?" His voice cracked as his red eyes stared at Silas.
"I see no reason to distrust her. She will remain married to us." The Fae waved off Gunther's concern. "She could have ignored our request and had us killed, but she did not. The simple fact is, as long as she inhabits Cathy's body, she is our wife. As husbands, it is our duty to protect her until she is strong enough to take back power."
Silence fell in the cavern, and Catherine looked at the two men. If ever there was a power struggle between opposing personalities, this was it. The atmosphere chilled a little as the two men glared at each other. There was a history there Catherine did not know. All of her memories were only fragments left behind, those voices unlocked. The rest of Cathy's memories went with her, Catherine supposed. So, the unlock was actually of no help. Yet. Catherine figured there was something there, in the memories she had, that would tell her what she needed to do.
But thinking about that did not help her current issue. With the steady decrease in temperature, she could tell Silas would not keep his anger in much longer. And the ground was shaking, just ever slightly, making it obvious Gunther was not too far behind him. What else could she do? To her, they were still strangers, though she now had a few memories of them. How could she stop them from fighting? There was so much she still had to learn, and though she appreciated their help, Catherine did not like people arguing. She shifted a little; her gaze going back out to the view of the four moons above her head.
"Look, I don't know what you two have against each other, but now isn't really the time to argue. I have a lot of questions and I'm not a very patient person, so let's get started." She stated without looking back at them. "We clearly have someone after us, and I only have fragments of Cathy's memories unlocked by some strange voices when I went to sleep. So, could someone please explain why the Tatiana of Erlias is on the run from someone?"
"There are Queens in this world who want your power, which I assume you have already figured out. That Satyr is a servant to one of those Queens." Silas explained, walking closer to her with a nod. "Cathy had yet to come into her Tatiana powers. That is why we were out here. The night we felt she was closest is the night you arrived. And I assume those voices only granted you the smallest fragment."
He was not wrong. Catherine only knew of Cathy's three husbands, the soul poisoning, and a few faces from Cathy's past. There was nothing else there to give her any answers. So, she would have to depend on these three husbands to give her all the answers. Catherine sighed before closing her eyes and leaning against the cave wall. How could she save anything, knowing nothing? Especially if her husbands were the only people standing between her and people who wanted her dead. For now, she would have to trust in the feelings they claimed to have for Cathy and their desire to get her back. And her desire to protect her home world of Earth. Even if it meant she never got to go home.
'You likely cannot go back. What will you do?' Zion had not even shifted from his spot near the fire, and his sudden deep voice sent a thrill down her spine. 'Will you remain and continue to keep us alive? Or convict us to death and select new husbands?'
'I don't know, Zion. I'm just trying to figure out all I need to know about here and now.' She countered, before releasing a soft sigh, and opened her eyes. 'But even if I never figure it out,' "I will never convict the three of you to death."
It was as though her last sentence echoed in the cavern and she glanced over her shoulder to find the three of them staring at her in shock. What just happened? Catherine wondered, looking around the cave. How were her thoughts broadcasted when she had not said a word? Silas exchanged a glance with Zion before looking back at her, with an expression akin to shock on his face. Gunther looked between the three of them with annoyed eyes before he huffed, crossed his arms, and stood to walk towards the back of the cavern where Catherine could hear the dripping of water.
"Did you two…?" Silas wondered aloud, his one gold, one purple eyes bouncing between the pair as Catherine shifted to a stand.
"No." Zion replied with a shrug, before his colossal form shifted back to the pile of pillows on the ground. "Our link is back."
"Huh?"
"Zion, explain more." Silas replied, stepping forward with an annoyed expression. "We are your Husbands, and Intirmates. They wed us under your crown, but your body bears our marks. It's known as Intirmates. The stronger our bond with you, the easier it becomes for us to communicate and protect each other. You would think those voices would have given you the basics of this world, at least."
~~~~~
Their marks magically linked Intirmates to their spouses. The marks worked to link her to their bodies and souls, and their spirit to hers. The closer their hearts were, their love for each other, the stronger the bond, and their abilities to work together as a unit. Catherine, as Tatiana (Queen of Queens) could have as many Intirmates as she desired, however, the other Queens faced limitations based on their powers. According to Silas, once Catherine came into her powers, many men would desire to become one of her Intirmates.
Since Cathy was the first Tatiana after the Original Tatiana, no one knew how long it would take for her to adjust. Unfortunately, no one knew what happened to the Original Tatiana, or her husbands, only that her 'spirit' would select the next Queen of Queens. The other Queens only existed to help Tatiana rule. The system was immensely complex, and though she thought she understood most of it, there were some points she felt confused about. Like how so many husbands came into play. What was her role in all of this? And how was she connected to these three again?
"Okay. I'm just going to think out loud here, so ignore me. Tatiana is the ruler, and I am the Tatiana. In this world, that is the title of the Queen of Queens." Silas nodded as Catherine spoke. "And the other Queens seem to function as a Board of Directors, and help the Tatiana's rule. Seems similar to what I did as a CEO." Then his head tilted when she used unfamiliar terms. "Okay, so I understand that much. Where does having multiple husbands come into play? Why so many?"
"As we said before. Are you sure you were listening?" Silas crossed his arms, his eyes sliding closed. "There are very few women in this world, and even fewer with access to Erlias' Magyk strong enough to become a Queen. Men have long lifespans as it is, but it is simply for survival. We have to pass on our genetics. At least, other men. I am your Harlequin. A Dark Fae, but still the Fae you are Intirmated to. That makes me the King of Fae."
"What do you, being a Dark Fae, have to do with anything? Hell, I barely know what Fae are, so you're doing better than I am." Catherine countered, leaning back against her wall. "Which, by the way. Why are we in a cave so far off the ground? How am I supposed to use the restroom?" When his head tilted again, she sighed. "What would it be called here? The bathroom? Go potty? Urinate? Hm. Latrine?"
"Oh. There is a chamber pot a short distance away. Let me lead you." He replied, holding out his hand. "It is not far, but I fear there are a few drops here and there you must know the location of to avoid."
Catherine took his soft, chilly hand in hers, and he gently pulled her to a stand before leading her past the now sleeping Zion. A short distance away, she found herself shoved against the dimly lit cavern wall, by a distrusting looking Silas. His multicolored eyes glowed with the Majyk she could sense curling beneath the surface of his skin, and he seemed to stare into her searchingly. When his chilly hand lifted to press against her forehead, he pulled back with pain written all over his face. Confused, Catherine stared at the being with curious eyes.
"I was attempting to read your mind; however, I cannot break through. Something is blocking me. Tell me, who are you and what have you done with Cathy?" He demanded in a low whisper, his eyes narrowing dangerously. "Such a farfetched story could not possibly be true. How foolish do you think I am?"
"She's telling the truth." Zions's voice echoed in the cavern, and Silas paled. "Now release your wife. After such a heavy speech about trusting Cathy earlier, you're the first to back down on your word. I should kill you."
"Zion." Catherine replied, placing a gentle hand on where Silas still held her arm. "I'm just as confused. I promise I will help you find the answers. But for now, we only have each other and what seems like many people after us. So, at the very least, I hope you'll trust Zion. Do you think he would trust me if I were bad?"
"We are staying here because it has the best sight advantage. You are supposed to have learned this already, Cathy." Silas mocked before letting out a sigh. "Look, that is the only entrance. Gunther built this cave this high to make sure our pursuer could not see us, and I have us shielded from any potential attackers. Our presence here cannot be sensed, so there is no need to continue running." She understood that. That was not what she was asking, and she was sure Silas knew it. Especially since Zion left her alone with Silas and Gunther earlier. Why here? Why were they hiding? What was Zion doing? Why had Gunther disappeared? After what happened earlier, she trusted Silas even less than before, and part of her waited impatiently for Zion to return. Or she would even take Gunther by this point. She was not the type to show weakness, though his minor attack earlier scared her a little. Zion was by far the warmest of her three Intirmates, but he barely spoke. "I will
How many days passed since her arrival here? She wondered, watching the four moons rise again. A month? Two? The other world, Earth, seemed to fade from her memory the longer she spent here. Yet, she still was no closer to solving anything. They were still living in a cave, hiding from some unknown pursuer, and she knew very little about the situation. Gunther, Silas, and Zion all took turns leaving the cave for food, though she assumed they also checked on their situation. She felt as though she were going insane, especially with their recent avoidance. 'You worry the other two hate you.' Catherine grew used to his 'presence' in her head and they often talked to each other using their link, though she still hardly understood how it worked. 'They do not know what to say. It has been a month since your arrival in this world, yet you do not seem any closer to unlocking your powers as Cathy was.' This annoyed her. No matter how many times she meditated with Silas, Gunth
She still had yet to open her eyes. The link between them strummed to life when his massive hands gripped her shoulders, and she finally lifted her lids to lock with his hazel orbs. He was closer than she expected, but it did not startle her. His cocoa skin flexed over his muscles as he lowered her to the pillows beneath them. There was something methodical in his touch, a gentleness she knew did not fit Zion’s image, despite his scary expression. Zion was the first of the men she trusted, but he also was her type. The strong, silent kind of man.His warmth pressed ever closer until he leaned over her, his eyes narrowed in desire. It was a gaze that set her body aflame, and she automatically reached out to wrap her arms around his broad shoulders, feeling the muscles flex beneath her fingertips. Zion seemed to grow hotter under the feel of her hands on his back, and he locked eyes with her. Part of Catherine felt it was too soon to trust herself to him like this, but sh
He first met his arranged bride fifteen years prior, before she became the Tatiana. Her father, determined to find someone who would accept his strange daughter for forever, searched across the kingdom of the Fae until he happened upon Silas. And what was strange about Cathy? She was far smaller than the other women. While most women were closer to the males in height, Cathy was slim, with beautiful white hair, shining purple eyes, and for Silas, it was love at first sight. She was so small he wanted to protect her. So beautiful when she smiled, that when her father offered her hand, Silas was the first to accept."I have been searching for an Intirmate for her for as long as I can remember. Someone who would love her as soon as they met." The older Fae said in a shaky voice. "I do not care if you are a Dark Fae. Please make her happy.""Of course." Silas replied coolly, glancing over the old man's shoulder at the young Cathy. "May I introduce myself?"Silas ste
Gunther remembered when he agreed to the marriage. His father demanded he marry the Tatiana, the only woman who could bear him strong heirs. Then he met her three days before their Intirmating Ceremony, as was tradition for his people. She was beautiful, with pointed ears, glowing purple eyes, and long white tresses down her spine. Flawless skin, a beautiful pale white, with long white eyelashes. She wore such innocence in her eyes, something he found agreeable since he was not interested in a woman who was not. Cathy was ethereal, and Gunther was proud he won the approval of Silas and Zion.“Tatiana, I am honored to stand before you, a Dragon who has won mating rights.” Gunther bowed, but slipped and landed right on his face before her. “Uh…”“Haha…” She giggled, making him look up at her flushed face, and his heart throbbed. “Are you okay?”~~~~~Catherine was noth
~~~~~Catherine rarely found herself impressed by someone’s consideration before. But she could not help but be in awe of her youngest husband. Though he pretended to hate every second, he still helped her to the bathroom. And maybe he thought she did not notice, but she could tell his soap was homemade. It smelled of soft lavender and reminded her of her baths back on Earth. A tear rolled down her cheek, and Gunther appeared from nowhere, making her cover her chest under the bubbling hot water. Clear panic was written all over his face, and his distressed appearance almost made up for his nearly seeing her naked. No matter if he was her husband or not, he was still a stranger to her.“Is the water too hot?!” He cried out, and she felt his Lias swell. “Sorry, I was thinking back to when you first looked at me.”“Huh?” she wondered dumbly, before shouting in embarrassment. “No! The water’s fine!&
“Silas…” Catherine started, but Gunther interrupted.“Do we need to move out?” He asked, not glancing at her. “How close are Queen Susanne and her allies?”“Gunther…” she tried, but Silas ignored her outcry.“Too close.” Zion nodded, scooping Catherine into his arms. “Gather Catherine’s things. We’re leaving.”“Zion…” But he did not spare her a glance, so she crossed her arms in a huff. “I see how things are. Fine, I’ll shut up.”Without another word, she found herself on the enormous back of Zion as the sight of the cave disappeared behind her. Catherine felt a little nostalgic as she watched the mouth of her home for the past two months disappear, but she startled when she realized it, and shook the thoughts from her head. For now, the focus needed to be on staying alive. If someone was after them, they likely not
Gunther felt it was his job to protect her, yet here she was, shielding him against Zion’s and Silas’s glares. He failed her, yet she proclaimed his innocence. Why was she always surpassing his expectations? Catherine was nothing like the Cathy he remembered. She was always crying out for help, pretending she was in danger, and acting like a spoiled child. Catherine did her best to make him comfortable, and it was for that he could find her easing into his heart. His Lias leaked, moving towards his Intirmate, but he blocked it, still unable to face almost hurting her.“While we were in the sky, he activated his Lias to make sure I was comfortable. Doing so alerted our enemies, and he took the hit they intended for me.” Catherine spoke softly, using her bare hand to wipe at the sweat on his forehead. “So, he did not FAIL you. I failed him.”He weakly opened his eyes to look into her concerned purple eyes. Even though he knew he messed