2019, July 1st The war may have ended in Warlanda, but the truth was Dean and Troy were merely shifting battlefields. Dean had taken Warlanda, becoming its regent and almost immediately declared war on Sartis Est. Troy wanted to go for her, to be with Aria like he told her he would be, but the rumours that Diane was still in play, alive somewhere in Warlanda kept him in the country that was trying to take his head. If he could only find her and place her on the throne, he could stop Dean in his tracks. Troy felt a twisted sort of relief knowing that Diane might be with Dean. Taking out King Edward was one thing. Hell, even Troy had considered taking him out when he was looking for ways to end the Warlandian Wars the first time. But Diane was a no go. Dean wouldn't hurt her. She was the only thing left of his humanity, the only thing still tying Troy and Dean together as brothers. This knowledge, this irrevocable bond gave Troy hope, made him keep looking. So instead of leaving Warla

2019, December 26th "I told you to wait for me, James. She's not going to talk to you. Honestly I'm surprised she's still here," said Troy, sitting down next to James. "This is my house. No one comes to it, takes a shot at me and just walks out. I don't care how good she is. She still bleeds, right?" James said, the wrath of his Beaumont blood threatening to come out. Keira perked up, smiled her killer smile and spoke for the first time since being taken captive. "All your friends are so hot Troy," she said, winking at James while licking her lips. "Especially this one. His eyes are almost as delicious as yours." Troy watched her get to James, the way she was no doubt about to get to him. James had been in here too long. Troy needed to ask the right questions and do it fast, before James Beaumont lost his shit. Keira turned back to Troy, reached out a finger to his face, which he promptly grabbed. "Is she here, Troy?" Keira looked to the two way mirror and waved. "Hi goody goody Ade

Bart had just agreed to go on a date with Aria if they should ever meet again. In truth, he should have known the moment he made that promise. He should have left right then and there. But she was holding his hand, crying her eyes out and suddenly he wasn't a wreck anymore, not for anyone but her. He'd deal with the stuff about CC when he left her. Right now she was the woman in front of him and he wanted so desperately to fix what he broke, even a little, if he could. "There's supposed to be some festival or other going on tonight. There will be fireworks and greasy food. Want to sneak out and go?" Bart asked, stroking Aria's hair as she sobbed in his lap. Aria shook her head no. "What about the rock climbing place we never got to go to because Ethan said no? He's becoming more and more of a stick in the mud huh?" This earned him a little giggle, but she still shook her head no. "You should just go Barry. You're all packed and were practically out the door when I got here," she sai

2019, December 27th He wanted to be that guy for her tonight. The one who waited patiently for her, like he always did. But waiting had always been his problem as it turned out. Bart was done waiting. "The wedding's off," said CC the moment he entered the room. He was watching her pack furiously methodically, like she did everything. Bart was a fool. She was threatening to leave him and he was just as in love with watching her as always anyway. He went to her and wrapped his arms around her. She yanked them away from her waist and went back to packing. He took her hands in his, pressed his front up her back, put his lips up to her ear and whispered, "You should get angry more. You're absolutely beautiful when you're mad." She whipped around, hurt, sad, mad eyes glaring back at him. "You like this?" she asked, her tone accusing. "Maybe you should tell more women you're in love with them! That's sure to get you more responses like this out of me!" Those eyes were like daggers to the hea

(Terres Somnia) “Come on. It’s been a while and with the rain cloud you have over both of our heads now, we could both use the distraction,” Troy said, taking her hand and walking her out of Ethan’s nursery. Aria gave him an apologetic look and a quick kiss, before sitting down across from him to the chess board he had laid out. “Want to make things a little interesting?” she asked. Troy gave her a suspicious look. “Interesting how?” When Troy sat down with her that first time to teach her how to play, he never could have imagined the situation that he was in now. That prim and proper Queen Aria Maine would strip him bare in a strip chess tournament. “So you haven’t played in a while huh?” "I can't help it if you're slipping, Troy," she grinned. She walked circles around his naked form in her bra and skirt, surveying him the way he had her that night in the hotel. Troy returned her grin, liked how happy she looked. He grabbed her when she came around again. “Peep show’s over, my queen