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suddeninklings · 5 years

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New Fic!

Hide Your Fires. A little over a year after the events of the Dover-Birch case, Detective David Loki has a chance run-in with a former classmate. Equally lonely souls, burdened with pasts they would like to forget, the two reconnect in ways neither expected. Detective Loki x OC. Romance, Thriller, Comfort.

Monday.

Spring had come to Conyers, Pennsylvania. Winter had finally released its grip on the city, dragged away kicking and screaming by the force that was Mother Nature. Citizens braced for the warmth and the wet that the season would bring. The streets, once desolate and achingly monotone, took on new life as greenery flooded the landscape. Deer returned from the isolated centers of the forests, flowers began to bloom, children ventured out into the open finally free of heavy coats and worry-stricken parents. Soon summer would come and people would venture back in doors to escape the humidity. But for now, the city would revel in the pleasantries of the season.

“David?”

Detective Loki looked up from the trunk of his car. The first day of his HR-mandated paid time off had been decidedly mundane. He had his car washed, gone to the market for groceries, and taken care of the other errands he had been putting off. He stood in his driveway, playing with the idea of transporting all the bags in one trip, when someone called his name.

It was a woman. She stood in the drive across the road, a small but warm smile on her face. He hadn’t seen her before. So how did she know his name? His neighbor, as far as he knew, lived alone. His daughter, maybe? David thought. She looked to be in her early thirties, around his age. But David was under the impression his neighbor had no children. Or family. The only person who ever came to the house was an older man who always wore scrubs. A caretaker, most likely. There was something about her though, some shred of familiarity that tugged at the back of his mind.

She was fairly lanky, with broad shoulders and long legs for her height. Her hair was a light honey brown, several pieces of it clipped back out of her face. She wore slim, black jeans and a somewhat crumpled denim blouse. A bulging leather messenger bag hung on her shoulder and a tan trench coat was draped over her arm. Odd, as it was a fairly cold day given the date. Patches of heavy, dark clouds hung low in the sky; a stark contrast to the traces of surrounding blue. The first of the spring rains could not be far off.

“David Loki, right?” She said, stepping across the road between the two lots, not bothering to look in either direction. She came to a stop at the end of the drive.

“Yes?” He said, still trying to place her. He let his hand fall from the raised trunk door and fit both of them into the pockets of his coat.

“Grace.” She said, gesturing to herself. “Grace Abbott? Georgia High, class of ‘99?”

The name sparked something in his memory, but the details remained elusive.

“I used to wear glasses.” She offered. Shrugging the coat up higher into the crook of her elbow, she lifted both hands up to her face, creating small circles with her fingers and planting them playfully around both eyes.

“Oh yeah,” He said, blinking as an image of a much younger girl flashed in the back of his mind. She had longer hair then, usually tied back in a long ponytail or braid and yes, a pair of round, thick-rimmed glasses. They had not been friendly in high school, he hadn’t really been friendly with anyone, but he remembered that they had shared several classes together. Algebra, Chemistry, Gov & Ec, Composition…

“Grace, Hello.” He stepped forward and took her outstretched hand, shaking it once. Her skin was icy against his.

“Do you live here?” She said, eyes shifting to his house. The two homes were similar in style. Both were crafted of white wood, with the same roofing and basic layout. While hers was a two-story, his was a ranch. He had chosen it mainly for its location. After five years of apartment living, he had grown tired of sharing his space, craving something of his own; both indoors and out. The street, Lakeview Drive, backed up against one of the states many gaming lots. Far from the main road, it was long and winding, the homes one each side were spaced several dozen feet from one another. It offered the privacy and quiet he craved. And, true to its name, the northern side of the street was set against Bonner’s Lake. One of his first improvements to the home was to build a deck in the back. In the warmer months, he would sit out there, taking in the calming atmosphere of the water below. It did mean a longer commute into town, but he did some of his best thinking in the car and the time it allowed him was more welcomed than not.

“Uh, yeah.” He said, following her gaze.

“For how long?” She asked.

“About four years.”

“The Browns used to live there.” She said, a nostalgic gleam in her eye. “I used to have such a crush on Wyatt’s older brother. You remember them?”

David nodded, even though he didn’t. High School had been...a failed experiment in his mind. Having spent most of his schooling days at the St. Francis’ School for Boys, he’d practically begged his foster mother for a chance at public school away from the rigors and rules of the private system. The culture shock proved difficult to navigate. He didn’t do well in most of his classes, choosing instead to focus his attention and energies into more unseemly ventures. It was a period of his life that he wasn’t proud of. One he was happy to bury.

“I’m surprised you’re still here.” Grace said. “In Conyers.”

“You are?”

She clasped her hands together in front of her and shrugged wistfully. “I don’t know. You just had that look about you. Wanting to escape or something.”

The comment struck a nerve. He could remember her more clearly now. She had been a nice girl. A good student with a close group of friends, but she was always watching people. Scribbling in notebooks. Most people paid him little mind, aside from the occasional sideways glance, thanks in no small part to the rumors that spread around school upon his arrival as a sophomore, but every so often he would catch her looking. Observing. Not just him, but anyone and everyone.

“Just visiting?” He asked.

“Um, well, Martin died.” She said, drawing the coat up in both arms to her chest.

Martin Howser. His neighbor.

“My step-father.” She clarified, sensing the question before he could ask it.

He hadn’t even realized the old man had passed. Was he even all that old? Of course, he had hardly been home in the last few weeks, choosing instead to focus on his work. It was what prompted HR to enforce his paid time off in the first place. The hours had been piling up, they said. If he didn’t use them, it could mean trouble. For them. Not for him. In David’s opinion, it was the last thing he needed. On the first of the month, word of Keller Dover’s sentence had finally come through. The trial had been a waking nightmare. Both sides had aimed to drag it out. It wasn’t uncommon for cases such as these. But it didn’t stop David from loathing the process. He had been forced to testify. As had the Birch family. And the Dovers. Reporters from all around the county crowded the courtroom. Sensationalists made themselves known. Even though the verdict was what he had been expecting, it still ate away at him. Gnawing at wounds that were still fresh, both figuratively and literally.

He had been lauded for his work on the case. The offer came down from PSP, even government recruiters had reached out to him. He had rebuffed them all. Anna and Joy were safe. For that he was tremendously grateful. But he could not forget Alex Jones or Bob Taylor. The case was over, the guilty party was dead, but the suffering would continue. David could not, would not, forget it. He should have pushed back on Keller. He should have searched the entire apartment complex at first suspicion. Procedures been damned. He could have found Alex Jones earlier. Stopped things from escalating as they did. His chief had told him not to shoulder the blame; had even taken the weight of the responsibility with the public. But David knew the truth. Work was the only thing that could keep him afloat. And now, to be denied even that...he knew he wouldn’t last long at home. But he had no desire to go anywhere else. He felt tied to this town in ways too strong to overcome.

“I’m sorry.” He said, leaning against the back of his car and crossing his arms over his middle.

Grace shook her head. “Don’t be. He had a heart condition. When he was a kid they told him he wouldn’t live to see his thirties. I think he always felt he was living on borrowed time.”

She looked over her shoulder at the house, her feet shifting underneath her. Her hand went to her head, tugging absentmindedly at a loose lock of hair that curled up over her ear. David sensed that she was hesitant to go inside. He couldn’t blame her. Even after nearly eight years with the department, the sight and feeling of a dead body never grew easier to stomach. The weight of it always lingered, even after it had been taken away.

“Umm,” She glanced at a watch wrapped around her wrist. “I know it’s kind of early but, I just took the train in from the city and...I’m starving. Would you want to grab a bite? Catch up?”

David didn’t bother to look in his trunk. He knew what was there. Microwave friendly meals. Most either too bland or too salty. Nothing he was looking forward to. All that waited for him in the house was a television...and quiet. Neither of which could distract him from his thoughts, a barrage of “what-ifs” that haunted him day and night. From Keller Dover or Bob Taylor or Alex Jones.

He nodded. “Sure.”

He took her to The Mystic, a bar in the town center. It was situated below the only hotel in the city. The interior was all done in dark woods, with old Tiffany-esque lanterns hanging over each table. It was quieter than most of the places, especially given that a game was on that night. They sat themselves in the back corner away from the bustle and chatter of people at the bar.

“Boy, this town hasn’t changed at all.” Grace said, her eyes traveling from one side of the room to the other, taking it all in. “I remember Julie Dawes and I tried to sneak in here once when we were kids. Mitch chased us out so fast, I thought my lungs would collapse.”

She spoke with an expected fondness, but there was something hollow behind the words. As if they weren’t entirely genuine. Forced. David managed a smile.

“Thanks for this,” She said, hitching her elbows up on the table and resting her chin in one hand. The bags under her eyes were more prevalent in the low light.

She must have traveled far. David noted.

“I felt weird going somewhere alone and...I don’t know, it’s strange being in that house after all this time.”

“When was the last time you were here?” He asked, his thumb tracing the rim of his glass.

“Oh,” Grace said, her free hand went to her ear, tugging gently on the small ring of rose gold. A nervous habit. He didn’t mean to note it. Catalogue it. But he found it was harder and harder for him to turn off that part of his brain. He relied so heavily on it. To understand his work. And people. Was it irony? That he could so easily gauge the fault lines of a person’s soul based purely on their little ticks and peculiarities and yet connecting, truly connecting, with the heart of a person seemed like an impossible feat?

“Not for...ten? Eleven years maybe?” She said, just as their food arrived. “It’s not that I avoided it...completely. But work takes up so much of my time- Thank you,” She said, smiling up at the waitress.

“What do you do?” He asked after she had swallowed her first bite.

“I’m a reporter.” She said. “I work at the Inquirer.”

“In Philadelphia?”

“MmHmm.” She said, beaming with pride. “I was at the Daily News for a while, but my boss got an editor’s position and he brought me along with him three years ago.”

David fought the frown. She didn’t seem like the type. Usually, he could spot a reporter as easily as he could a lawyer these days. There was something about them, always searching for that story. It showed in their eyes. She was poised and articulate, but she was missing that aggravating verve that he was used to.

She’s note working now, though. He reasoned. And she doesn’t know that I’m a-

“What do you do?” She asked before taking another bite of her sandwich. Despite her best efforts, he could tell she wasn’t particularly interested. What could be interesting about an old classmate from Conyers? He almost wished he had another answer prepared.

“I’m a cop.” He said.

“Really?” Her attention shifted from her plate and back to him.

There it is. He thought. It was quick, like a bold of lightening, but he had caught it. That flash of hunger in her eyes. It bordered on desperation. Sometimes he hated being right.

“I wondered,” She said, suddenly reminding him of a fox. “What with your car and all.”

Normally he wouldn’t dive into a pool such as this, but after a few sips of beer (a rare indulgence for him) he was feeling more generous than usual.

“And all?” He asked, his own curiosity slipping past his carefully constructed walls.

“Well,” She started, mulling it over. “The clothes, the shoes, you have that look about you, I guess. All buttoned up. It’s surprising, don’t get me wrong. I mean if you told me David Loki would become a cop...you never seemed like the uniform type.”

“I’m not,” He said, the first genuine grin snaking across his face.

Grace nodded as she swallowed down another bite. “A detective?”

He nodded back.

“That...makes more sense.” Grace said with a wry wink. “Any interesting cases?”

In what way. He thought, but chose not to voice it.

“Here and there,” He said. The walls were rebuilding themselves. He never liked to talk about his cases with civilians let alone reporters. He made a note to look up her work when they were done here.

Surprisingly, she didn’t press him any further.

“So how long are you here?” He asked.

“Just a few days.” She said. “I have to go through all the stuff in the house tomorrow. I’m meeting with a couple agents on Thursday...hopefully, I can get the house on the market by the end of the week.

“Is there a funeral?” He asked. It seemed like the proper thing to do. He wondered if he was expected to attend.

“No. He didn’t want one, actually specified it in his will. He was cremated on Friday. His hunting buddies took the ashes up the campgrounds off Mayberry. They’re going to spread them around their usual spots. It’s...all he asked for.”

“Were you close?” David asked.

“Not really.” She said, running a hand through her hair before attempting to wave down the waitress. “I mean, he really loved my mom. They got married when I was seven. He was nice and all, but I don’t think he ever planned on having kids. He never really knew how to talk to me. But, he’s got no family left so...someone’s got to clean up the house.”

“What about your mother?”

She swallowed hard. Her body shifted in her seat, going stiff. She folded her hands in front of her, her eyes boring into the table. All manner of ease and warmth faded away.

“Well...she passed.” Her voice was flat but charged. As if it was obvious. As if he should already know. “A long time ago.”

“Right.” He said, blinking. Did I know that? He thought back. No. Why should I?

She stood suddenly, sliding out of her chair and reaching for her bag. Her free hand went to her hair again, tugging and twisting.

“I’m ready to go.” She said, her eyes still directed towards the floor.

“Alright.” David said, rising as well.

The drive home had been quiet. Almost painfully so. Grace had kept her eyes trained on the view outside the passenger seat, her elbow hitched up on the door, her chin in hand. She didn’t say a word until they had reached Lakeview. Even then, she only managed a quiet ‘thanks’ before drifting across the street and up to the Howser door. David had watched her go, unsure of what to do or say.

He stood in his bathroom, brushing his teeth and avoiding his reflection in the glass above the sink. He couldn’t understand it. Why should be expected to remember details about an old classmates family? If they had been friends, maybe...but he couldn’t remember socializing with her outside of school; aside from the occasional class-wide party.

Something. There had to be something he was missing. Grace Abbott. He thought, running the name through his head again and again. Do I even know her mother’s name? Abbott...Martin Howser was her step-father so...she remarried. Grace Howser. Abbott....Howser. An image flashed through his head. Abbott-Howser. A newspaper. And a headline. He caught his own eye in the mirror as he scrubbed at his teeth before spitting a large, foamy glob into the sink.

“Shit.” He hissed under his breath.

After washing his face, he headed into his room, searching the sheets for his phone. After finding it, he typed in the name, scrolling through the results until he found what he had been searching for. His heart dropped into his stomach. The date on the archived article was May 28th, 1998. In bleak, black bold print, the headline read:

Helen Abbott-Howser, Beloved Mother & Teacher at Conyers Community Center, Latest Victim of Suspected Serial Killer.

Thank you for reading! I hope to post the next bit very soon. I’d love to hear from you! I used a gif for now cause I’m still working on the title card but I was too excited to wait! >.<

#prisoners #detective loki #fanfiction #oc #jake gyllenhaal #hyf

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yourcoolfriendwithallthecandy · 5 years

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Rakshasa Zara and Lomi part 6

Ok so my face and body cast is Zakira would be played by Priyanka chopra and the picture under hers is the color of her eyes and then you have Zuhrah in the middle and Zumar on the end and again, their eye color is underneath them and then Sulaimon is under Zakira, Riyad is in the middle and Remi is on the end if your eyes go from left to right and then this angel all the way at the bottom is what Zeeanna, or Anna, Zehra and Zahira all look like- each with matching eyes of their mothers.

If you get a chance to listen to ‘Wake Me Up’ cover by Fleurie that’s what inspired the songs in this part and of course, Zamora looking and sounding just like Taylor Swift with her long curly blonde hair, playing guitar and singing ‘Both of Us’ and Zuhrah singing the beginning to Good Old Days by Macklemore featuring Kesha. So this section is very much a song fic. I’m so not sorry. I mean when you hear Fleurie’s cover to Wake Me Up YOU WILL UNDERSTAND, IT’S GORGEOUS. It totally made me cry and it inspired all of this.

Again, special thanks to @momolady for letting me continue to play in her universe and with her characters, I deeply appreciate it and I really hope I’ve done them justice. @thecriticalcanuck and @cakeful-nudes for expressing an interest in this and I am so so sorry it’s taken forever to update since part 4 but I had to split part 5 into part 5 and part 6 otherwise it was almost 40k words and that’s just...really long, too long.

But woo! Two updates in a day! Yay!

Rakshasa Part 6

Once in front of the palace, everyone was helped back off of their horses before all of them regrouped to meet the Royal Family who are on the steps of the palace and had been eagerly awaiting their arrival.

“Your Majesties, may I present, the people of the Province of Willow, here before you this day as your loyal subjects.” You introduce and bow before the rest of them bow respectfully in turn, mirroring you before they stood back up and the older ones and the younger girls from ages 4 to 7 came forward with their special flower necklaces and crowns and put them on the Royal Family, the women kissing the Queen’s cheeks and the younger girls kissing little Prince’s cheeks.

“Oh my goodness, you must be Zara’s mother!” Mythri realized when Ziri put her flower crown on Mythri’s head.

“I am, could I please give you a hug?” Ziri asked and Mythri readily hugged her.

“Thank you so much for protecting and taking care of my little girl when I couldn’t. It means everything to me.” Ziri thanked Mythri as they hugged each other tightly.

“You’re welcome, she has been nothing but a delight and we’ve been so lucky to have her.” Mythri reassured her.

“Boys, this is Zara’s mother, the real Ziri,” Mythri introduced when Ziri and Mythri pulled away from each other.

“Well hello there! My Zara has told me so much about you two, which one of you is Dhaval and which one is Himank?” Ziri asked as they stared up adoringly at her, like your mother was just another one of you as she bent at her waist so that she would be close to being eye level with them.

“I’m Himank!” Himank volunteered and Ziri shook his hand first.

“I’m Dhaval,” Dhaval said and she shook his hand too.

“Well it is an honor and a privilege to meet you! My Zara says that you two love to be told stories so maybe later I’ll tell you some ok?” Ziri offered and all the kids cheered at that since Ziri could tell stories off the top of her head and was extremely expressive and dramatic and really made stories come alive.

“Why do you call her ‘your Zara’?” Dhaval asked curiously.

“Well you see there are three Zaras. There’s my Zara who the other’s call Zara Joy, then there’s Zara Grace and Zara Hope so when they’re all together like this, all their mother’s will say ‘my Zara’ or simply refer to them as either Joy, Grace or Hope to keep everyone from getting confused.” Ziri explained before the boys ‘oh’ed’ in understanding.

“Well come inside then, the escorts will take your horses to the stables and bring your things back to your rooms.” King Amit welcomed them.

“Don’t worry, we got this.” The others told Riyad, Sulaimon and Remi so they wouldn’t have to give up their little ones or be separated from their mothers as Riyad, Sulaimon and Remi told their friends where their mother’s would be staying and were pleased when all three of them would be staying right next to each other.

Once inside the lead housekeeper as well as all her assistants showed everyone where they would be staying, the parents being ever so grateful that all the kids from ages 5 and up would be staying in one large hall together so that they could get some relative peace and quiet for once while all the young women were exceedingly happy to get their own rooms while the younger girls got to share their own large room that had several beds so they could all stay together but didn’t have to be grouped together with the little kids as did the younger teen boys, even as few of them as there were by comparison, Aila and all her children were staying at the palace too, having come the previous night to try to learn the layout of the palace so that her own sons and daughters could be special escorts too for the sons and daughters of Willow. The young men of Willow particularly happy to have some new friends to hang out with while Aila’s sons were particularly keen on getting to know the brothers of the girls they had chosen and who had been chosen in turn.

Once everyone’s stuff was delivered and everyone got settled it in was time for lunch and so everyone went to the dining hall and sat down to the feast that was prepared for them, all the young women exceedingly delighted that their escorts could eat and visit with them as everyone got to know each other better and you could see from your spot next to your mother at the head table, all your friends in the various stages of their new relationships, most at the ‘eagerly must find out everything about them’ stage. Zuhrah and Zumar very happy to have both hands free to eat and were feeding Riyad the composer and Remi, who were brothers, respectively while their daughters were still passed out on the Rakshasa’s shoulders. Zakira however seemed the most hesitant and instead of talking, was listening very carefully to everything Sulaimon had to say. You wished Sulaimon had his back to you so you could see how his tail was swishing to see how he really felt about it but otherwise he looked relaxed and calm, which you were grateful for and relieved to see. You prayed silently to Wenet that out of all the couples, that Zakira and Sulaimon’s relationship go the smoothest and for them to have the most happiness because Zakira needed it and deserved it the most and you asked for Sulaimon’s efforts be blessed and rewarded the most as well.

Wenet in turn blessed you by showing you a vision of Zakira singing at the wedding celebration. And not just singing any song, singing the finale song after the feast and she would be singing it to Sulaimon and how that very night she would conceive Sulaimon’s first biological child but one that he would always view as his second and one that he would love just as much as his first, his daughter that was currently snoring on his shoulder and how their love would burn brighter and last longer than the sun itself and their happiness would last until the end of their long lives.

You couldn’t help but smile to yourself as your eyes suddenly began to water with happy tears and you had to lean your head back to keep from crying.

“What did you see?” Lomi asked you knowingly.

“Zakira and Sulaimon, I asked for her to pay special attention to them, to bless them and she agreed and she showed me how.” You murmured to him quietly as Lomi looked up and watched them carefully himself, having been keeping an eye on his other friends before now.

“Good, looks like they need it.” Lomi agreed in a low murmur so that only you could hear him as he noted the relatively cold distance between them while everyone else seemed to be leaning in towards each other. The vast majority of the Rakshasa already putting their arms possessively on the back of the chairs of their intendeds and smiling and laughing and talking and purring, so much purring, like their girls were the only ones there. Omar especially had his arm wrapped around Grace’s shoulders and she was already snuggled into his side and he was feeding her like her lover. In fact Lomi wasn’t surprised in the least when they had been the last to show up to lunch, each of them looking rather mused and holding hands and those special love drunk smiles. He wouldn’t doubt if they had a quick tryst in her room already and probably would be fucking every chance they got and when Omar outright kissed her

Lomi diverted his gaze and looked over and saw how the Princes were sitting across from your mother as your mother spun this elaborate tale and they were so enraptured they were barely eating and just watched her in awed amazement.

“You know you should be writing all this down Ziri,” Mythri urged which Amit nodded in agreement to, having been overhearing the engaging story himself.

“Oh it’s just something off the top of my head.” Ziri waived off.

“Doesn’t mean that it’s any less good than anything on a printed page.” Margo argued before she pulled her notebook she had been writing in under the table on her lap and clunked it on the table as Sharif burst out laughing which got everyone else to laugh. “I’m sorry, I hope you don’t mind but your stories are better than anything I’ve found so far for them. It’s hard to find good stories that aren’t about something sinister! Or have bad elements in them.” Margo admitted. “Because your stories are about teaching values, about being honest and self sacrificing, how that fluffy mouse gave most of his cheese to his little sister who’s other bratty sister ate hers! What a great way, a simple and easy to understand way to illustrate that!” Margo praised. “Or even your story about the skunks with the seven different colored tails! That’s teaching that beauty is in the eye of the beholder and not to judge others based on their appearances. We need to be writing all of this down because this is literary gold.” Margo insisted as the Royal Family nodded in agreement.

“Ok fine.” Ziri relented with a laugh before she went back to telling even more stories as Margo wrote in short hand to keep up.

After the meal the group split into different groups, Ziri went with the other kids to the library for story time with Margo and Sharif and the escorts assigned to the little kids while the parents went to go take a nap with the really little ones except for the infant’s mothers who’s infants had slept through lunch, having needed to catch up on their sleep. While the rest of you went and took a tour of the palace.

Zaida and the other younger girls requested to see where Lomi trained to be a ‘big strong and brave warrior’ and his friends snickered a laugh as you couldn’t help but grin mischievously at their persistence. They wanted love and a special someone just as bad as their big sisters did.

“And how many hell hounds did you take down on your own?” You challenged to his friends as the other girls agreed with you and gave their Rakshasa escorts who had laughed a hard glare and the guys could see that that was a war and an argument that would not be won by them so they quickly stopped laughing and apologized and clamped their mouths shut before Lomi lead the way to the training court yard where the other trainees were doing exercises, currently doing push ups and you all crowded around the balcony, letting the young girls get the best view as Foluke and Kalidas were putting the young cadets through their paces as you prayed that Wenet would help these young ones get a feeling about who they should give their special flower necklaces to and made sure all the young girls had enough to give to the whole troop who you had a feeling would be meeting them in just a few short moments.

Kalidas noted almost all the cadets suddenly get distracted looking up at the balcony that looked close to bursting and falling down because of all the girls on it and looked at the balcony and gave you and Lomi an unimpressed look. Having already spared you some of his best generals, commanders, captains, knights and soldiers for your escorts which to them was glorified ‘babysitting duty’.

“Eyes forward!” Kalidas roared angrily and all the cadets obeyed even though they really didn’t want to, having seen the most beautiful girls they had ever seen before in their lives on that balcony watching them.

“Our apologies General Kalidas.” You called out to him before Foluke seemed to notice you all up there, having been giving orders throughout the troop as he walked between the rows and columns of them to go through their exercises.

“Envoy from Willow I presume. Greetings, welcome to the Crown City and welcome to the arena.” Foluke called as he turned and walked towards the balcony.

“Thank you!” They all called back.

“Yes, they’ve heard of how Lomi took down the hell hounds and they wanted to see where he learned to do it so well. Obviously he’s learned from the best.” You answered proudly as Foluke and Kalidas both stood a little prouder at that praise. “So please excuse our intrusion, we didn’t mean to cause any distraction.” You request politely.

“Excuse me General Kalidas?” Zaida asked bravely.

“Yes?” Kalidas answered curiously.

“The daughters of Willow wish to greet the cadets- would you allow us to do so?” Zaida asked before anyone could stop her or silence her and all the cadets gasped softly in excitement and stood at attention, looking from Kalidas and Foluke to the girls and back again in excited anxiousness while all of them were praying for their instructors to say yes.

“Could you be quick about it?” Kalidas relented.

“We promise!” All the girls agreed before Rashad led them down to the arena and all of a sudden all the girls sprinted into the arena, all of them giggling and laughing as they all branched out among all the cadets who stayed perfectly still before all of them were bombarded with kisses on the cheeks and flower necklaces and nearly fell over from falling head over heels in love at first sight with them before all of them were wearing at least one flower necklace and all the girls choosing, thankfully all different guys so there wouldn’t be any fighting later over boys and giving their chosen ones not just kisses on the cheeks but a quick kiss on the lips as well as give the cadets their names so their chosen ones would remember them before they also greeted Foluke and Kalidas, just shaking their hands though respectfully and thanking them for the chance and opportunity to meet them before their excitement just bubbled over and they started running back to Rashad, some of them jumping up and leaping into the air and running on the walls and doing flips which made all the cadet’s jaws drop and Kalidas and Foluke to blink in surprise at the level of fitness that these girls had before they ran back upstairs to the balcony again.

“Those boys will be so useless the rest of the day.” All those in the guard and the army snickered to each other as they watched these young girls from the balcony as they curiously watched as a lot of their little brothers who were cadets get picked and singled out as well, almost all of them getting their first kisses from these girls and knew it might as well be all over, their little brothers would be absolutely smitten from now on, just like they were, but they were exceedingly proud of their little brothers and were very happy and excited they got chosen too. Just something about all the girls and young women from Willow, being the most beautiful and very easy to fall in love with and head over heels for.

After that the group went on to tour the rest of the palace, the girls particularly interested in the acoustics of the palace and echos in various corners and halls where the massive vaulted ceilings spiraled high before they were shown the royal concert hall and all the girls and women were drawn to the different instruments, especially the piano.

Riyad the composer sat on the bench with Zuhrah as Zahira had since woken up and wanted to nurse so Zuhrah rather unceremoniously just pulled her breast out of her top and started nursing her and Riyad tried not to stare and busied himself with playing a song he had been working on for her.

“Zakira, that song you wrote about Zahir, those words would go well with this melody.” Zuhrah noted as she looked over at her friend who had taken a seat in one of the nearby chairs to nurse Anna but who had self consciously covered herself with a small blanket from her bag that had been around her shoulder.

“Well then sing it Zuhrah,” Zakira replied.

“But it’s your song.” Zuhrah gave her friend a pleading look, hoping to get Zakira to try to sing again.

“You sing it just as well, if not better than I do. You know it, sing it. He was your brother after all. You’re entitled to it just as much as I am.” Zakira returned evenly before she made a pained expression and lifted the blanket to give her daughter another warning look. “You wanna eat? Don’t bite Mommy. You bite, you’re done.” Zakira warned Anna who seemed to pause and think that over as she stared up at her mother challenging-ly.

“Anna, no biting Mommy. Be a good girl.” Sulaimon repeated softly but firmly from his spot seated behind her to try to give her space and a little privacy but who had also giving warning glares to the other Rakshasa if they tried staring at the nursing mothers. Anna practically huffed and continued to nurse without biting her mother’s nipple as she did so.

“Oh you’ll listen to him?!” Zakira teased Anna with a laugh. “You stinker.” Zakira made a face at her daughter who giggled before continuing to nurse and Zakira put the blanket back over her daughter before turning back to Zuhrah. “Go on then, sing it, the words would go well with this melody.” Zakira encouraged her friend and late sister in law.

“Fine, could you start the song over again please Riyad?” Zuhrah requested and Riyad nodded and started it over.

“I wish somebody would have told me Babe, that some day, these would be the good old days. All the love you won’t forget and all these reckless nights you won’t regret. Someday soon, your whole life’s gonna change. You’ll miss the magic of these good old days.” Zuhrah sang out as everyone paused to listen, all the girls and young women smiling sadly at both Zuhrah and Zakira.

“Wow, that’s a beautiful singing voice you have.” Riyad praised as he took a break from playing.

“Zamora, you should sing that little song you tried writing. I see a guitar that looks like the one we have at home.” Zakira encouraged Zamora as she nodded over to the instrument.

“Ooh,” Zamora’s eyes went wide as she picked it up and slung it around her shoulder and began to pick at the strings to get a feel for it before tuning it just slightly as Rashad watched on in eager anticipation, hoping his presence wouldn’t discourage her from singing.

“I wish I was strong enough to lift, not one but both of us. Someday I will be strong enough to lift not one but both of us...” Zamora started, feeling bad that that was all she had been able to write. Rashad just stared in awed amazement at how light and ethereal her singing voice was and sweeter than honey too.

“That’s all I got, sadly.” Zamora admitted with an apologetic look to everyone.

“But that’s a great start!” Riyad encouraged.

“What about Wake Me Up, would you sing that one Zakira?” You asked hopefully and Zakira shook her head no as her eyes watered slightly and she bit her lips.

“No, but someone else can sing it.” Zakira answered.

“I’ll sing it.” Zumar piped up from her spot next to Zakira as she nursed Zehra but she had been leaning into Remi’s chest as he was sitting next to her but had angled himself so that she could lean up against him and against the back of her chair, taking comfort in how big and warm he was as well as feeling utterly safe and protected she felt next to him.

“Feeling my way through the darkness. Guided by a beating heart. I can't tell where the journey will end. But I know where to start.” Zumar began acapella as she remembered the melody she had heard when Zakira was singing it when Zahir had been first taken away then Riyad felt moved to start to playing the piano to accompany her.

“They tell me I'm too young to understand. They say I'm caught up in a dream. Well life will pass me by if I don't open up my eyes. Well that's fine by me.” Zumar continued as she closed her eyes and did her best to remember all of it. Back when Zakira first wrote this, all the girls would sing it together out in the fields and the mountains, hoping their song would travel to the guys. Such foolish hopes looking back.

“So wake me up when it's all over. When I'm wiser and I'm older. All this time I was finding myself. And I, I didn't know I was lost.” Zumar sang out as everyone gathered around and sat down in the auditorium seats nearby and listened appreciatively and the girls who had lost their brothers and their own husbands began to sniffle and mentally cheered Zumar for singing it without crying as the girls who hadn’t lost their brothers all seemed radiate towards them and hung on their brothers. Grateful at least that the four who had come back, came back at all as the Rakshasa escorts began to piece together what had happened. Something really horrible must have happened to these people.

And Zumar hummed as Riyad tried adding flourish to the melody before she remembered the second part. “I tried carrying the weight of the world. But I only have two hands. Hope I get the chance to travel the world. But I don't have any plans. Wish that I could stay forever this young. Not afraid to close my eyes. Life's a game made for everyone. And love is the prize.” Zumar continued to sing and even the Rakshasa were fighting tears because the song was just that damn moving.

“So wake me up when it's all over. When I'm wiser and I'm older. All this time I was finding myself. And I, I didn't know I was lost. So wake me up when it's all over. When I'm wiser and I'm older. All this time I was finding myself. And I, I didn't know I was lost. I, I didn’t know I was lost.” Zumar began to struggle a little and hummed some more as she struggled to get control over her emotions again. “So wake me up when it's all over. When I'm wiser, when I'm older. All this time I was finding myself. And I, I didn't know I was lost. I didn't know I was lost. I didn't know I was lost.” Zumar managed to finish as a tear from each eye escaped and traveled down her cheeks as everyone erupted into applause, Zakira included.

“And that’s why I didn’t want to sing it.” Zakira tried to tease with a grin as she wiped away her own stray tears which made the girls and young women giggle through their tears as they all found their composure again.

“Actually what we should do is in a few days, after we’ve toured the Crown City and the coast, if we called the whole orchestra back I think if Zakira, you’re ok with us using your songs, or if you could even write new ones, I think we could make some really beautiful and amazing music for the wedding celebration and to remember those we’ve lost and celebrate what we’ve gained now.” You suggested hopefully.

“Please?” All the girls beg and plead with Zakira who bit her bottom lip again.

“Ok,” Zakira gave in and laughed when all the girls jumped to their feet and cheered.

“Let’s check out the stage.” Grace instigated, pleased that Zakira would be doing that and all the girls went to the stage and hopped up onto it.

“You know there’s stairs.” Lomi teased.

“Where’s the fun in that?” Grace waived off as all the girls began to explore the stage.

“Uh, guys, go with them, make sure they don’t hurt themselves on stuff, the stage director will have my hide.” Riyad urged the Rakshasa escorts worriedly as he feared all the things the girls could get into.

“OOOOHH!!” All the girls ‘oohed’ excitedly back stage.

“Ah!” One of the girls shrieked and all the escorts scrambled to their feet as you rushed the stage yourself, jumping up and rolling and getting to your feet again and running towards the sound much faster than the Rakshasa could who watched you in surprise and did their best to catch up.

“It was sharper than it looked.” Zaida sniffled as you licked your lips and kissed her palm, knowing that your ‘enhanced’ abilities, in particular your healing saliva, would heal it faster than anything and cradled her to your chest.

“It’s ok Zaida.” You cooed to her and kissed the crown of her head.

“What did you cut yourself on?” Omar asked as he came in, huffing and puffing and out of breath.

“This.” The other girls said as he handed him a theater dagger.

“Wha..ha..ow..” Omar frowned as he took it and tested the edges and it was dull as hell except for the very sharp point. “Found it.” Omar nodded as he pointed it out before he put it back where he thought it probably came from.

“You’ll be ok. Actually it’s getting late we should go back and get dressed in proper attire for dinner. Did you guys want to bathe before or after dinner?” You asked the group.

“Before.” They answered.

“Ok, the guys will show you back to your rooms and then they’ll escort you to the baths ok? I’ll join you there too.” You offered and they all left, taking the stairs this time, most of them taking the hands of their escorts as the young girls followed behind them.

You took your things and walked towards the baths, finding most of the Rakshasa and Aila’s sons hanging around outside of the baths, trying their best to not to go around and try to sneak a peek but you could hear all the girls from Willow and Aila’s daughters singing inside, the acoustics in the baths just was wonderful as they were in the auditorium.

“So, while you’re all here and the girls aren’t listening, does anyone have any problems, questions, concerns about their assigned escort? Anyone want to quit and go back to your regular duties?” You asked them, trying to keep your smugness from your tone and grinned knowingly when they all shook their heads no and all answered in either a ‘nope’ or ‘no’ or ‘nuh uh’.

“Actually I have a question, what is reason why the ratios for guys to girls is so stacked in the girls favor?” Yusuf asked thoughtfully.

“Whew ok that’s a loaded question and I’m going to give you the shortened answer to that. Ok, the ratio for girls to guys in Willow is, right now, 15-16 girls to one guy, before all the men and boys from ages 16 and up were taken for the battle of Habrun almost two years ago, most of the fathers returned, only four boys returned, you saw them, they’re battered and scarred and in Willow, we don’t have forges, we don’t have weapons besides cooking knives, we’re a very peaceful people. Our boys were vastly under equipped and unprepared and got outright slaughtered. Almost all of those girls in there lost husbands, fathers, mostly brothers, there was a mass wedding right before they left where all but one of the boys just chose their best friends to get married to- wanting to at least get laid before they left, that resulted in the three pregnancies, none of the new fathers returned and none of the guys who chose to get married that night returned. But even before then the ratio was 4-5 girls for every one guy. Those guys were spoiled for choice. That’s why all those girls who have a living brother practically surround him at all times and are very territorial and possessive because they’re the lucky ones, because if you have noticed, they like to stick together for the most part. And if you really want to get in the girl’s good graces, interact with the guys and, try to at least be friendly to them if not befriend them and include them in stuff, in conversations or whatever. Also something you should know, because Willow is so hard to get to, very few families have moved in, so the whole population is the culmination of only a pocket of people who originally settled there about six generations ago and even now, except for a few girls who’s families have moved to Willow fairly recently, I’m talking within my and my parent’s generation kind of recently, everyone else is at the most second cousins, if not first cousins because their parents are second and third cousins. So you know, there was a very real danger of inbreeding.” You shuddered and made a disgusted face as they all mirrored you. “Yeah so me, Zamora and her sisters, Zuhrah and her sisters and brother and actually you know what, it’s just us- that aren’t related to everyone else. You can tell because we’re so fair, our three families came from way up north, like, it’s not on any maps here kind of north, like close to the polar kingdoms kind of north. Both Zamora and Zuhrah lost not just their husbands but their brothers too. Zakira, she lost her brother, her father and her husband and her mother died shortly after the men left because of her poor health and she has no other siblings so she is all alone and on her own and has been taking all that grief the hardest, she was this close to loosing Anna during her pregnancy, all the mothers are mostly on their own, Zumar is the only mother who’s brother and father returned. Everyone else got either or but not both.” You explained as they all nodded in understanding. “Now if you’ll excuse me, they’re singing my favorite song and I want to sing along.” You excused yourself and went in and used the baths yourself, holding the babies so their mothers could wash themselves. Once they were done, they got clothed in the bathrobes and reemerged, the babies swaddled in towels before they practically leaned out of their mother’s hold to be held their chosen fathers who walked them back to their rooms before they excused themselves to get cleaned up for dinner too. The babies fussing quite a bit, not wanting to be separated from their new dads. But once inside the room, their mothers massaged the new gently scented oil you gave them to massage into their babies, the babies settled down and thoroughly enjoyed getting pampered before nursing again and then playing on the bed with the toys you had gotten them as their mothers got dressed and ready, Zumar and Zuhrah putting on their special perfume you had gotten them as well as get dressed in their gifted outfits that you had laid out on the foot of their beds and even putting on a little makeup, also in the gift baskets you had gotten them too.

“Hey, could I talk to you just a moment?” Sulaimon requested as he stayed behind and stopped by your room after Lomi left to bathe with the guys, all of which were now talking to him and trying to get as many tips, insider knowledge and the like on the women of Willow before the young men of Willow would join them in the baths as well as you got ready for dinner.

“Sure, come on in.” You invited and let him into your room before you looked over your shoes and chose which ones to wear that night.

“Earlier you said all but one of the guys got married before they left for battle, who was the one?” Sulaimon asked you.

“I said all but one of the guys who got married simply married their best friends before they left. The one who didn’t was Zahir. He married the love of his life and his best friend, Zakira, they had been in love since they were little kids and they had planned on getting married anyway, they just got caught up in everything else, I don’t think there was much romantic emotional attachment for the others, that’s why they are all moving on so quickly and easily.” You explained as you sat down at the end of your bed and put your shoes on and gave him a sympathetic and apologetic look.

“Why did you have me of all people be her escort? Why didn’t you have Riyad the composer be hers? They would have had so much more in common, she wouldn’t even let me approach her armed with my swords and daggers. She won’t even..she barely talks to me, she’ll listen to me talk but it’s like, I can’t get much of anything from her. I don’t know if I’m just offending her with every new word I say or if I’m doing any of this right. I feel like I’m doing it all wrong. I scared her to death because Anna bit me and I wasn’t expecting it and I accidentally roared and growled and she was terrified, I’m surprised she didn’t yank Anna away from me and never let her hold her again. And I am trying to be as helpful and respectful as I can be but I just don’t think she likes me. At all.” Sulaiman confessed as he sank down into a chair and ran his claws tips through the fur on his face and head as you got up and sat down in the chair next to him and rubbed soothing circles into his back.

“I thought about putting Riyad with Zakira, because if I was looking at it under any other light, I would have chosen that. But Wenet showed me that while he would have been a good escort for her and they would have been good friends, that’s all they ever would have been and Zuhrah would have never worked up the courage to make a move oh him and they never would have gotten together and they would have missed out on each other. Riyad is a really nice, wonderful guy, but he is a pushover. He is going to spoil his kids rotten and Zuhrah is going to have to be the real disciplinarian in that relationship and in their family. That’s not what Zakira wants or needs. That’s not what Anna needs. It’s what she wants because she’s a brat and a stinker who just wants her mother to laugh and smile for a change but not what she needs. What Zakira wants and needs is you. Believe it or not. She doesn’t really know it or really believe it yet. But she will. Because you’re so strong yet you’re firm but gentle and that is exactly what Anna needs. And you can love Zakira just as intensely as she loves others and just as intensely and just as much as she’ll love you. You can be the second love of her life and her second chance at happiness and her second chance at life. You can help her to live, to really live her life to the fullest and in turn she’ll help you live your own too. So once you gently put your foot down and prove to Anna that she’s not the boss and really be a good father to her, she’ll straighten up and she’ll be the most darling, sweet, thoughtful, respectful and obedient little girl ever because she’ll have you to make sure she stays that way and it’ll just help Zakira to fall in love with you that much harder and deeper because you’ll have earned both her respect and Anna’s. You just gotta hang in there and not give up.” You said before your face changed as Wenet seemed to whisper in your mind and give you a little flash of something. “Ok you need to go get cleaned up and changed and dressed as fast as you can because Zakira is going through my gift basket right now and she’s about to find my note and she’ll be a sobbing mess when she reads it and you need to go in and just hug her and hold her and comfort her. Go. Go get cleaned up first.” You urged as you pulled him up and got him out of your room.

Meanwhile Zakira was going through all the things in the gift basket and was looking at the special dresses and jewelry you had gotten her and the makeup and other things, including toys for Anna as Anna sat in the middle of the large bed and played with them happily and when Zakira was done going through everything she looked at the note that was with the best and prettiest dress and jewelry you had gotten her that you had hoped she would wear to your wedding and was reading the note with it and crying, she angled herself away from Anna to try to conceal her sobbing. And in lightning fast speed, thanks to Remi and both Riyads who helped wash him up, he was able to get dressed in fresh clean clothes, no weapons, no armor. Just nice dress clothes and of course his flower necklace. He ran back to Zakira’s room and put his ear to the door just as Zakira wracked her second sob.

“Zakira?” Sulaimon asked worriedly as he knocked on the door. “Are you ok?” Sulaiman asked even though he knew the answer. “Can I come in?” Sulaimon asked after he heard the third sob and his heart broke all over again. “Please?” Sulaimon pleaded.

“Ok,” he heard her say and he opened the door and slipped in and faster than Zakira was expecting him to and he just enveloped her into his arms and hugged her. She was stiff for only a couple of seconds as she registered what was happening before she seemed to melt into him and hugged him back and clung to him and cried into his chest as Sulaimon just held her and rocked her and rubbed soothing circles into her back before he realized she was still in her robe and not wearing anything underneath it but forced his brain not to let his body react to that, instead, just looked over at Anna who was crawling on the bed towards them, towards him, with a big smile on her face, her toys forgotten, only wearing a diaper and a smile, her skin newly massaged with oil and even had gotten a little into her hair to make it extra shiny and for her curls to be extra defined.

“Dada!” Anna called out when she reached the edge of the bed before she stopped and reached out for him.

“Um,” Sulaimon said as he gingerly walked himself and Zakira over a step so he could still keep one arm around Zakira and bent over sideways at the waist and wrapped the other arm around and under Anna to pick her up and bring her to his chest as Zakira moved her head to the side to see her daughter cuddle with Sulaimon's chest happily as the three shared a soft smile as the rest of the world seemed to fall away for a few long moments before they heard Zumar and Remi laugh in the hallway as they left for dinner.

“Do you want me to see if I can have dinner brought to your room?” Sulaimon asked softly.

“No, that’s not, I just need to get dressed and get her dressed.” Zakira shook her head no.

“Well if you’ll help me get her dressed first I can take her out into the hall and let you get ready.” Sulaimon offered softly. “Or just tell me what to do and I can try to figure it out.” Sulaimon added with a lop sided grin.

“Ok, Joy got Anna some really pretty dresses, they’re laid out here.” Zakira noted as she pulled away and took the little dresses that matched the saris and other dresses you had gotten Zakira and laid them out along the bottom edge of the bed where the various dresses and saris you had gotten Zakira complete with jewelry laid out with the outfits were in two rows on the bottom of the bed along with the basket of gifts and goodies for her. You had gone all out for Zakira. Most of the mothers only got one row of outfits complete with matching outfits for their daughters and some jewelry, while everyone else got gift baskets and an outfit or two and one set of jewelry. You were tempting Zakira and trying to lift her spirits so that she would feel more comfortable wearing more than just straight black.

“Aww, they match. Well which one do you want to wear?” Sulaimon gestured to the different outfits first and Zakira pursed her lips in thought as her eyes went to the different darker colors before she chose the black and teal Anarkali that had a matching teal little dress for Anna.

“Beautiful.” Sulaimon praised with a proud grin and realized as an afterthought that the teal on his own dress clothes matched hers and that made his heart beam with pride and happiness and took the little dress and put it on Anna as Zakira took her own dress and her under garments and went behind the dressing screen/divider to get dressed quickly, so quickly in fact that Sulaimon barely got done dressing Anna by the time Zakira re-emerged, looking particularly beautiful before she forewent the jewelry all together but spared Sulaimon an appreciative smile and decided to wear the perfume you had gotten her after all. Something about that hug, it seemed to tell her more about Sulaimon than his words could and she didn’t realize how much she had missed that and had really needed that.

Sulaimon tried to hide his deep breath in when he smelled the perfume but Zakira caught it and grinned to herself before she put a couple of the toys into her bag along with a few extra cloth diapers and things into it.

“Here, let me get that.” Sulaimon offered as he picked Anna up and reached out for the bag to put on and wear for her and Zakira handed it over to him before getting her own flower necklace on and dupatta before leaving with him, taking his arm as he escorted them back to the dining room. When they arrived all the girls and young women gasped softly and reached over to grab their friends, cousins and sisters as they shared an excited look and bright, excited smiles.

“You look beautiful!” They all told Zakira as she walked by.

“Thank you, a gift from Joy.” Zakira answered.

“Aww!” They all fawned before reaching out to feel the silk of her skirt as she passed them.

When she was done passing them they looked to you and gave you an appreciative smile for finally succeeding in getting her to wear a color other than black, even if it was just a skirt, it was still a small victory.

Remi and Riyad the composer gave Sulaimon beaming proud smiles and had noticed the matching outfits before Sulaimon noticed that they too were matching their escorts, the guys having their new ‘daughters’ in their laps as they tried to get them to eat a little bit of solid food.

After dinner the group gathered in one of the many sitting rooms and you suggested they play “cahoots” and you hold up a large cowry shell that you’ve kept in your pocket as the girls all sat down in a large circle, the Rakshasa escorts all sitting behind them on cushions so that the young women could lean back against their chests, Aila’s sons doing the same. All of Aila’s children knew how to play cahoots and were all wearing giddy smiles.

“What in the world is ‘cahoots’?” Omar asked Grace.

“It’s a very simple game, there is one rule of how the game is played, but we can’t tell you the rule, you have to figure it out as you play but you can’t get angry, you get angry, you’re out. The thing is, once you figure it out, you can’t tell anyone who hasn’t figured it out, you do, you’re out.” Zara Grace explained as she stood up and took the shell from you and got Hope to join her in the middle of the circle.

“Before you start though, I want to add a rule,” Zakira began. “Babies don’t count.” Zakira stated firmly.

“Oh of course,” all the girls nodded in agreement.

“Purring doesn’t either.” Zumar insisted and all the girls nodded in agreement to that since almost every Rakshasa currently was purring and they didn’t want that to stop.

“So are we in cahoots?” Grace asked Hope as she offered Hope the shell.

“No.” Hope shook her head and didn’t take the shell.

“Are we in cahoots?” Grace asked as she tried waiving the shell in front of Hope’s face temptingly.

“I don’t get it.” Omar admitted as he watched on in confusion.

“Yes we are.” Hope grinned and whispered something into Grace’s ear as she took the shell from Grace’s hand before they both burst out laughing then Grace left the circle to ‘hide’ behind a pillar as Hope walked up to Omar and kissed him and handed him the shell and returned to the center of the circle as Jamal stared on in outraged shock that his Zara kissed Omar right on the lips!

“Hey!” Jamal objected but Hope just winked and smiled at him.

“Cahoots!” Hope called out and Grace returned and made a show of stalking around the circle as the girls and women all giggled and Rakshasa began to murmur to each other before she stopped in front of Omar who had closed his hand around the shell and leaned forward kissed him then opened her hand expectantly before Omar’s eyes went wide and he gave it to her.

“How did you do that?” Omar asked in astonishment.

“We were in cahoots.” Grace shrugged with a smug grin.

“So, are we in cahoots?” Hope asked Grace as Grace handed the shell back to Hope.

“Do they have to kiss?” Jamal asked Zamora who was sitting closest to him but she didn’t say anything back, just simply smiled cheekily at him then leaned her head up to see Rashad and smile at him too before melting back onto Rashad and sighed wistfully as Rashad just wrapped his arms around her a little tighter and set his head on top of hers possessively. Absolutely loving this relaxed closeness just as much as he was loving being wrapped around Zamora and smelling her perfume wafting up into his nose as he was grateful that there was a cushion that she was sitting on so she wouldn’t feel his growing erection but was not about to loose his closeness on account of it.

“Yes we are.” Grace answered Hope and took the shell back before Hope went back behind the pillar as Grace walked up to Jamal and kissed him and gave him the shell as Omar glared at the action and Jamal closed his hand around the shell.

“Cahoots!” Hope called out once she returned to the center of the large circle and Grace didn’t pretend to stalk the Rakshasa, instead went right for Jamal and kissed him and held her hand out expectantly and Jamal made a little squeaking noise but handed it back.

“This game doesn’t make sense!” Jamal complained.

“You can’t get mad, if you do you’re out.” Hope reminded him and Jamal shut his mouth and folded his arms over his chest like a petulant child.

“Ok who’s next?” Grace asked as she held the shell up to the other girls.

“We’ll do it.” Zari and Zada answered and stood up as Kaden and Kareem gave each other surprised and slightly alarmed looks as they got the shell from Grace before Grace and Hope returned to Omar and Jamal respectively who were sitting side by side anyway.

“So, are we in cahoots?” Zari asked as she and Zada began playing a game where they would put the shell in the other’s palm as they clapped out a beat as they circled each other and giggled.

“This is the most infuriating game there is,” Jamal admitted as he ran his hands over his head in frustration.

“Yup.” Zada asked as she took off and hid behind the pillar and Zari walked up to Jamal and simply kissed him on the cheek but put the shell in his hand.

“Why are you…uurrgghhh!” Jamal bit out in frustration with a growl as the other girls broke out laughing and Zari returned to the middle of the circle.

“Cahoots!” Zari called out and Zada returned and kissed Jamal’s other cheek and held out her hand and Jamal gave it up before Yusuf figured it out.

“Oh my god!” Yusuf called out as he gasped in shock.

“Whisper to me,” Zamira insisted before Yusuf put his hands around her ear so he could whisper it into her ear.

“Yes! You figured it out! You’re the first!” Zamira cheered as Yusuf started laughing as all the girls started laughing too.

“This is madness!” Omar complained.

“No it’s not! That’s the thing, it’s...blowing my mind. It’s so simple!” Yusuf laughed as he gestured to his head exploding.

“Don’t say anymore, you’ll ruin it!” Zamira urged as she couldn’t help but laugh too. “But I am very proud of you for being the first to figure it out, you’re so clever.” Zamira cooed to him before kissing his cheek which made his ears fall back as a bashful smile graced his face and he ducked his head to his chest but happily wrapped his arms around Zamira and was happy Zamira relaxed against his chest again and couldn’t help but start purring again.

Then the cadets came around, escaping the barraks, fueled by a burning desire to just be able to see the girls again as they went though the palace before they found them.

“What’s going on here?” Ajay, Omar’s little brother asked as he walked around to Omar and sat down behind him before Zaida who was sitting in front of her sister Grace turned around and smiled brightly at him before Ajay returned the bright and excited smile to see her again.

“We’re playing a game! Here, we’ll start another group.” Zaida said as she and the other younger girls got up and made a smaller circle right next to the bigger circle as they made an earring their ‘shell’.

“What’s the game called?” Ajay asked Zaida curiously as he sat next to her, happy to be wearing a flower necklace that matched hers before he looked over at the other group and looked at how everyone was paired up and suddenly it clicked with him the meaning behind them and so he just scooted closer to Zaida and couldn’t help but grin when she blushed and in turn scooted closer to him too before she explained the “rules” of the game before they started playing it too, those Rakshasa becoming even more frustrated than their big brothers and soon you all could hear all their tails thwaping on the rug which earned a snickering laugh between the girls who had learned to glean a lot from the actions of their Rakshasa’s escorts tails.

“Oh are you kidding me?!” Rashad and almost all of the Rakshasa who had stayed quiet exclaimed after there was another few rounds played and they had silently watched the game finally figured it out as their faces changed and their tails stopped thwaping the carpet, instead started to wiggle at the ends as the ones who figured it out whispered to their girls who all started squealing in excitement.

“Yay! You got it!” They cheered.

“Oh come on!” Jamal and Omar exclaimed, still not getting or understanding why they kept getting picked, granted the kisses they got from all the girls were the only reasons they hadn’t started pulling their fur out all over their bodies in frustration.

“Whoever hasn’t figured it out yet raise your hands.” You instigate and to your surprise it’s just Jamal and Omar who haven’t figured it out.

“Are you serious?! You all figured it out?!” Omar asked.

“I give up.” Jamal threw his hands up in defeat.

“Me too.” Omar added.

“The first one to speak or make a sound got the shell, since you two loudmouths wouldn’t shut up, you two kept getting it.” Grace explained as she turned around in his hold to face him.

“OH!!” Jamal and Omar growled and roared in agony as they fell back onto their backs and rubbed their faces as everyone laughed as Grace and Hope climbed over them to try to pull them back up.

“That’s why I said it was simple!” Yusuf exclaimed in a laugh.

“Ok, new game.” You instigated before you explained your new game to everyone, this one a bit more complex but still really fun to play for everyone.

After a night of games it was time for bed, the next day it would be time for everyone to sell their raw gemstones to the treasury and it would be taking all day.

However Sulaimon, Remi and Riyad seemed to linger with the mothers in their rooms as they tried their hands at putting their ‘daughters’ to sleep for the night. All of them succeeding but the moment all three tried to give their sleeping ones back to their mothers, the babies would wake up and start crying and wailing and trying to reach for their ‘fathers’ again and outright refused to be parted from them.

“Um, how about you spend the night with us?” Zumar offered to Remi who blinked in surprise. “The bed is gigantic and we could put her between us that way both of us might get some sleep.” Zumar added as she knew Remi would worry about Zehra all night otherwise.

“Are you sure?” Remi asked even though he was beyond excited at the prospect.

“Yes, please Remi.” Zumar pleaded.

“Ok, let me get some things and I’ll be right back.” Remi agreed before kissing away Zehra’s tears. “I’ll be right back ok?” He told them as Zehra relaxed at his tone of voice.

Remi returned to his quarters and giddily packed several outfits and his sleeping attire along with his bathing supplies into a large bag since he hoped he’d be staying the rest of the week with Zumar and Zehra.

When he returned he found Zumar and Zehra already in bed with only a few lamps and candles lit. and quickly changed behind the dressing curtain before reappearing in nothing but a comfortable pair of shorts and his underwear, trying not to grin when Zumar seemed to stare in awed wonder at his body. As massive and scarred and truly magnificent as it was. He quickly blew out the candles throughout the room and got into the other side of the bed before Zehra crawled over to him and babbled at him as she climbed up on his chest and pet him and kissed him some more in the moonlight streaming in through the windows before he rolled over onto his side, facing Zumar and tried to get Zehra to settle down and go to sleep on his arm that acted like a pillow as she snuggled into his chest and got fistfuls of his fur into her little fists and promptly fell asleep and started snoring which got Zumar and Remi to both snort and snicker a laugh at that.

“She is out,” Zumar giggled softly as she tried to settle in before she shivered at the chill from the air coming in through the windows and couldn’t help but smile a little enviously at her daughter in the darkness because she knew how much of a furnace Remi tended to be.

Remi with his special eyes, could see exceedingly well in the moonlight and kept looking down from Zehra to Zumar, wanting to be holding her too but not wanting to be a creep or come off the wrong way.

When Zumar shivered again, she finally said ‘screw it’ mentally and worked up the courage to ask. “Is there room for one more on that arm?” Zumar asked.

“Absolutely,” Remi immediately invited, his deep voice making her shiver again but for a very different reason as she scooted closer and spooned her daughter and used the inside of Remi’s upper arm as her pillow and was really happy when Remi’s arm bent at the elbow to fold over her back and shoulders as his other arm wrapped around her and pulled her closer before he pulled the blankets up and tucked them in around Zumar before dipping his arm under them to wrap around her once more and grinned proudly when soon Zumar fell asleep too, mentally vowing to protect them and take care of them for the rest of his life before succumbing to sleep too.

Meanwhile in Zuhrah’s room, Riyad had done the same that Remi had done and had gotten his things from his quarters and returned when Zuhrah had invited him to stay in the room with her and pulled a chaise lounge up next to the bed with the small crib between the bed and the chaise lounge and had laid down on it with Zahira sleeping on his chest as Zuhrah laid down in the bed and watched with a gentle adoring smile at the scene, even in the moonlight, she could see he would make a great father. When Zahira fell into a deep sleep did Riyad chance putting her into her crib, but kept his hand on her sleeping chest over her blanket so that he could keep in contact with her as did Zuhrah before they both fell asleep too.

Meanwhile in Zakira’s room, Sulaimon paced the room, purring, rocking and humming to Anna as Zakira tried to get some rest in the bed as Anna fought sleep and kept an iron grip on his fur on his chest and neck in her fists and refused to let go, even in light sleep. But Sulaimon was undeterred and kept with it, keeping his humming soft and kept his purring loud enough to settle Anna further into sleep as he walked around the room but mostly stayed to the foot of the bed. Once Anna finally slipped into deeper sleep and finally loosened her grip did he pull her hands off of his fur and kissed them sweetly nonetheless before kissing her temple as he changed his hold on her carefully so that she was laying down in his arms rather then on his chest but kept her close to make sure she wouldn’t wake up, she still turned and curled up to his chest, even in sleep and tried to grab his shirt but once she slipped back into a deep sleep again, her hold fading again, did he finally stop humming the lullaby’s his mother always sang and hummed to him and his siblings growing up.

Once he stopped humming though Zakira stirred and tried to sit up in bed and rub her eyes so she could see him better.

“Here, she’s out, get some sleep, I’ll be in the hall if you need me.” Sulaimon whispered as he handed Anna back to Zakira who gratefully took her daughter back and settled back into bed with her before Sulaimon left the room and went back to his quarters quickly to just grab a change of clothes for the next day and a blanket and a pillow and pulled the chaise lounge that was in the hallway up to the outside of her room in the alcove outside her door as he used the relative privacy it afforded to quickly get dressed and settled down for sleep, not wanting to be any farther than he had to be from them as he kept an ear out for any noise inside the room. Once he was asleep himself Wenet hopped by the room and considered him and was pleased by his efforts to be respectful to Zakira and mindful of her needed space yet protective enough to even guard her door at night and granted him very restful sleep, even as little of it that he would be getting, that even though he would only be sleeping for a handful of hours, that his sleep would be as restful and restorative to him as if he would be getting more than a dozen and granted him very pleasant dreams and hints at his future so he would remained patient, kind, and focused during the day while also granting the same to Zakira, sensing how much Zakira needed the same while also blessing her with pleasant, enlightening and inspiring dreams as well so that her heart and mood would be lightened and she would be much more conducive to letting go of her pain, sorrow, anger and hurt and actually accept Sulaimon’s attention and affection and love and return it and come back to her former, happier self.

In the middle of the night Zehra woke up, hungry and rolled over to find her mother at her back, waking up both Zumar and Remi in so doing before Zumar pulled her shirt up to nurse her daughter to try to get her back to sleep but when Zehra drained the breast she whimpered until Zumar brought Zehra to her chest and rolled over, scooting back until her back was flush with Remi’s chest and belly, Zumar grinning a little mischievously when she could feel Remi’s body begin to react to hers as she settled back down to nurse Zehra from her other breast and sighed happily when Remi still wrapped his arms around them both before he settled back down, a happy and proud smile on his face as he couldn’t help but start purring again, the sound and the vibrations of it putting both Zehra and Zumar to sleep again before he chanced a soft kiss to the back of Zumar’s head and breathed in the scent of her deep into his lungs, the smell helping him go back to sleep himself.

Meanwhile Zahira had done the same, waking up in the middle of the night, whimpering as she was suddenly very hungry too which woke up Zuhrah and Riyad before Zuhrah pulled her daughter from the crib and into the bed with her to nurse and try to fall back asleep, Riyad sneaking a peek at her exposed breasts from his spot still on the chaise lounge before forcing himself to look away. Fuck, Zuhrah was so sexy, without even trying to be, she just was, and it was a good thing he was as separated from her as he was, his dick was hard and currently laying up over his thigh and lower belly and he had to keep it pinned there with his other arm or else it would spear the air and she was bound to notice that. Thankfully once Zahira drained Zuhrah’s breast, Zuhrah rolled over with her and got her to nurse the other breast and Riyad sneaked another peek at her silhouette outlined by the moonlight, his eyes drinking her in before he forced himself to try to go to sleep again.

Meanwhile Anna had woken up as well and started to fuss which immediately woke up Sulaimon, his eyes snapping open and he immediately sat up and moved to get up and back into the room but then he heard Zakira’s gentle singing and humming and he couldn’t help but gasp softly at it’s ethereal-ness. It was beyond beautiful. Then he paid close attention to hear that she was humming and singing the same lullabies that Sulaimon had sung earlier, but coming from her, they sounded better than they ever could have. His heart melted as he swooned and laid back down, now that Anna had quieted down and let Zakira’s voice lull him back to sleep.

Meanwhile back in Grace’s room- Omar fought to pull out of her in time so as not to spill his seed in her and ended up cumming all over her belly instead. They had been making love all night and Grace seemed to have more stamina than anyone Omar could have ever met before. It had started when he had tried dropping her off for bed but she had pulled him into her room to kiss him again, pinning him up against the closed door as he hungrily kissed her back, having missed her kisses since he dropped her luggage off at her room and she ‘rewarded’ him for his great effort and that kiss had quickly escalated as Grace outright asked him if she could court him and if there was anything she needed to do to or if she needed a different escort so she could court him and Omar had immediately reassured her that no one would be escorting her or touching her period but him and had laid claim to her right then and there and promptly scented her and was about to make love to her before they got called to lunch and Grace hadn’t wanted him to go and pleaded for him to stay the night with her and Omar immediately agreed and it had taken no time at all to get each other naked and in bed and joined after that.

Meanwhile Joy was in a similar situation right next door and was currently on round 4 with Jamal. When he had tried to drop her off for bed, she had been emboldened to ask if he had wanted to stay and ‘talk’ for a little bit and once in her room, she asked him what Rakshasa did when they wanted to court others and Jamal had answered her question by asking her what people in Willow did and when she simply said ‘they ask’ Jamal asked her for permission to court her and she immediately accepted and had climbed into his lap on the couch and straddled his waist and kissed him for all she was worth and Jamal in turn kissed her back like a man starved as his hands traveled around her and groped her and when they broke for air Hope had asked if he wanted to have sex with her and Jamal immediately agreed and then it was a rush around the room to blow out all the candles and lanterns before they crashed back into the bed and into each other.

Meanwhile Zamira wasn’t even in her room, she was in Yusuf’s as the two of them poured over the medical texts that he had in his room along with going over all the herbs she had brought him, the two of them talking long into the night before they both fell asleep on his desk, side by side. And when they woke up only a short time later, Zamira pulled him to lay in his bed with her since she was too tired to walk all the way back to her room and they cuddled close but quickly fell asleep in the other’s embrace on his little bed.

#Rakshasa #Zara and Lomi part 6 #but obviously featuring everyone but them it felt like #but woo new characters and new relationships yay!#Rakshasa boyfriend #Ruby Empire

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