Episode 6: Maelvish Morning (Meldrick)

Meldrick watched the stars give way to morning under his queen’s glass ceiling. She lay nestled against his chest with slow rhythmic breaths as he let his left hand knead softly through her hair, brushing it away from his face and giving her a head start on taming the brown waves for the day. She stretched her feet as his fingers grazed her scalp.

He rubbed her arm with his right hand, that was wrapped around her, and smiled at how beautiful she was.

As though she knew he was watching her sleep, her eyes flickered open. He kissed her lips, soft and plush against his.

“Good morning,” he whispered.

Her eyes batted away sleep in a series of blinks and a soft and resolved smile etched across her face, “Good morning.”

He rotated her with his hand behind the small of her back, and moved partially onto her to kiss her and feel her silky nightgown against skin. He closed his eyes and breathed her in underneath the remainder of the glowing moonlight. Soon the sun would rise among a sea of people waiting to hear them speak some words of wisdom. For now, he buried them in the creamy sheets and moments alone in silence.

Unfortunately, like all Maelvish days, the time with just her was cut short. They both dressed to mirror their unity. Today she wore Upper Dell garb and he wore Lower Dell. The difference was subtle but, he had felt, important. Whether she agreed or not, Aadya coordinated with him every week.

As she moved in front of him, sorting his hair in front of the full length mirror, he slipped his hand across her stomach and kissed her again.

“We’re going to be late,” she teased.

He looked into her eyes, “I shall deliver you on time at the cost of one last kiss.”

She smiled and her skin glowed just enough to see his words had gotten to her. Her pulled her closer then dipped onto his knees and lifted her shirt a few inches. He kissed her soft lower belly, the hint of roundness between her hips, then stood up again, “You look as beautiful as ever, Aadya.”

He felt her fire cool underneath a wave of water; his teasing had pushed her to use her own magic to settle with a full morning ahead of them. He chuckled under his breath and let her calm as he put his socks and shoes on.

“Should I wake Talise?” she asked, her hands kneading themselves openly, fingers brushing against fingers as though she was counting.

Talise was their heir, the first child born to the new throne. She was his brother’s legacy and it was Meldrick’s job to ensure she grew up knowing both her birth father and the love that her step-father had for her. Today marked her eighteenth birthday. She was two years into adulthood, five into parenthood, and an unknown number of years away from leading the Dells herself. She was likely asleep, despite the morning calling the royal family to attention. She needed to be at these breakfasts of worship, as inconvenient as they were.

Meldrick pulled a strand of lavender from collection of herbs in the corner of the room. “Calm, Sest zikol-zel oll. I’ll wake her.”

He enjoyed the way she resorted herself when he called her his strong light. The way she didn’t respond with weeping affection but instead set her course. With a kiss, she checked in the nursery then left.

Yishti always spent Pavish nights in the room opposite the nursery from theirs, to ensure the youngest of their children did not need to be disturbed too early.

Meldrick took his notes off of the dresser, where he had finished preparing his speech for the day the night before. He checked on the little faces in their beds and the dragons that rested by each.

He closed the soft beige and grey pine door as quietly as he could, leaving it just ajar to prevent the sound of the door clicking into place. Their room was safe, if anyone decided to venture into it. He locked the windows closed and shut the door to the bathroom and, as he left, the hallway.

The walk to Talise’s room was only a minute, but while he made his way through the halls he thought of what he might say to her. It was her birthday; she should be allowed to sleep in.

He knocked on her door with his knuckles, “Talise?”

Groans emerged from inside.

He waited, then knocked one more time, and was finally met with her eyelids fighting gravity, “Yeah?”

“Happy birthday, Talise. I thought you’d like to start the year off by attending breakfast?”

“Can’t you move Maelvish? Why does it have to be on my birthday every year?”

“You are lucky enough to have your birthday on a day when the entire kingdom is remembering Drey. Breakfast – Maelvish – is something you’re not going to be able to cancel once you’re a queen.”

“But I’m not a queen today,” she groaned as she brushed her fluffy tangle of curls away from her face. Her hair, like many things, mirrored her mother’s. He adored the way she mirrored many of Drey’s moods though, because despite enjoying where he was, he did miss his brother.

“There is a special breakfast for you and Ach. Your mom requested it, and I know she’d be disappointed if you don’t attend.”

“Fine,” she groaned again. It was a talent of hers, to make every word come out in a groan. Her pale skin glowed to life as she forced her body to wake up.

“I’ll wait in the hall,” he added. He didn’t want her to fall asleep again. While he waited, he thought of possible ways to make the lack of sleep up to her. He settled on assuring her she could return to bed once the morning was over. They had already planned the day off for Talise and Acheron, with an evening party for them. All of the outstanding work had been caught up on, and only emergencies that may arise and other urgent matters would clutter their day.

While he waited, he looked out the long window near her bedroom. Aadya was on the lawn already. He guessed that she had taken the elevator and the passageway that let her out near the garden. As he waited, he saw Nell, a pixie with bronze wings and strawberry blonde hair, embrace her. His hand slid around her belly the way his had. He knew there was a chance that Nell, or Konrad for the third time, was the father of the twins.

Nell’s affection was new; Mel suspected the eggs in the barn implicated the parentage.

He pushed a smile back on his face as he watched her walk off. He loved her.

The bitter taste of a third set of twins, in a row, fathered by someone else, hung in the air. The curse had been cured and she still couldn’t commit.

He looked back as the door creaked open. He refused to become his parents. He loved Aadya. He loved his children, including his three gancanagh sets. He loved the way she moved through the crowd like an arrow, yet left every guest in her wake with a smile.

He took a deep breath. Aadya had already shifted her focus more toward Meldrick. It was his children’s birthday and his favorite son-in-law would be there to provide the company only another man raising someone else’s children could give. He had more than most dreamed to ask for.

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