"Why is it you won't allow me to capture you?" Lana said, rubbing a hand along his chest. Her skin was softer than he recalled, and she seemed so much prettier.

Ares blinked a few times to realise he had finally awoken. "How long was I out?"

"A day and a half. It is almost evening," she said. "So?"

"So?" Ares asked.

"Why is it you won't allow me to capture you?"

"I don't know what you mean." Ares reached up and rubbed a hand along her arm.

Lana was sitting beside him, leaning some weight onto her hand as she leaned over to rub his chest with her free hand.

"Finally we are married and yet you always run from me. Journeying away from me. Will you continue to journey away from me? Even though I am with your child?” Her hand continued to rub all along his chest, which was still fairly muscular.

“It’s not like that,” Ares replied with a sigh. He could tell the woman was joking, but her words struck him harsher than any blade, and even the bolt that tore through his stomach wasn’t quite as bitter. “Everything I do, it’s for the future of Rivea, to make sure we’re all safe.”

“Rivea won’t be safe if you’re dead,” Lana said.

“That’s the point,” Ares said as he held onto her arm. “Rivea needs to be safe, whether or not I am alive.”

"You will not die," Lana said, as simply as that. "I won't allow such a thing." She leaned down to kiss his lips, her lips like sweet petals. Ares reached up and rubbed a hand all along the side of her face, feeling her smooth skin before it gave way to ridges that then formed her horns.

"You'll be the death of me," Ares said with a smile.

"You're all too happy to die."

"If it means you'll be safe, yes."

"Enough of this dark talk,” Lana said with a frown. “You had said something when you awoke, the time when you had finally come to from your unconsciousness. You said you had a gift, a surprise of sorts?"

Ares furrowed his brows in confusion. What had he brought Lana? He was uncertain of what she meant. Then the thought popped up into his mind and he smiled. “I do have a gift, but I'll give it to you when I am well. I’ll do so in front of all the Riveans, so they can see what we had managed to find. It's not just a gift for you, though I will offer you whatever you like from it first."

"What is it?" Lana asked with a small smile on her face.

"If I tell you what it is, it wouldn't be a very good surprise." Ares laughed, coughing quickly as the stabbing pain returned. "This wound is a bitch."

"I do not like to see you this way." Lana brushed her hand along his cheek and stared into his eyes. "You would not show me your pain unless it was too much."

"How do you know that?"

"You are a man," she said, simply. "You are Ares, Master of Waters, Kin of all Riveans. When men hold such titles, they do not like to show their weakness."

"There's more to it than that," Ares said. "I don't want to show you weakness because you're my wife."

"It is on these times that you should. I am for you to lean on in such times, my husband," she said as he rubbed his chest again.

Ares flushed red. He reached up and brushed her hair and trailed a finger along her cheek. "I love you," he whispered.

"I love you." She kissed him again. "I wish for you to be healed."

"Yeah, me too. I'll need to head to that healer that Xan had mentioned, and the Bitan told me to head to the same way too, if I recall correctly."

"Then you must go soon, once you are strong. This time with soldiers, a battalion behind you so you may be safe."

"I'll go with my guard at the very least, and a battalion along with a sub-commander."

"I don't want you to die, Ares."

"I don't want to die."

Lana kissed him again and then lay so they were head to head, but their legs went in opposite directions, like chopsticks that were never meant to meet.

Ares stared into the woman's upside down face as she stared back. "Are you going to watch me until I sleep?"

"Yes. Is it not fine?"

"It's fine. I'd let you get away with a lot."

"Get away with a lot?"

"I would let you do things I wouldn't allow other people to do, and I wouldn't stop you."

"Because I am your wife?"

Ares nodded.

"What of your other wives?" she asked. "Would you let them get away with a lot?"

"Maybe."

"As much as me?"

"No, not as much as you, I don't think."

"Why?"

Ares smiled and then reached into her hair again. He leaned in so their faces touched and then caressed her face with his own.

"If I wasn't wounded I would show you why."

"Then I will pray for you to heal."

Ares laughed and then kissed her once more. She reached up to play with his hair, watching him until he fell asleep.

Ares awoke with little strength the next morning. Lana was feeding Ozar and Ozri right ahead, her back bare pointed towards him. Ares couldn't only feel more annoyed at his wound due to what the sight of her back did to his loins. He watched her back for some time, following the shapes of her muscles. They weren't as defined as before, she had gained a little weight due to her pregnancy after all, but her back was still shapely, with lines that painted a picture.

He was a back man, apparently.

She continued to feed the pair until they were done, though Ozri did not stop drinking for a little while after Ozar, whose head was resting against her neck. His eyes were half lidded, as though ready for slumber, but soon his eyes met his father's and they shot open wide.

"Awoogaba!" Ozar exclaimed and then reached out his hand towards Ares, squirming against Lana’s hold.

"What is the matter, little one?" Lana asked before she turned to see Ares. "Oh," she said as she allowed Ozar to be free, the little boy crawling over to Ares and then climbing over his arm.

Ares lifted the boy up with a little effort but then placed the boy down onto his chest. Ozar sat firmly on his chest and began to slap along it as well as his father’s neck.

"You've awoken," Lana said.

"That I have," he replied, reaching up to hold onto one of Ozar’s tiny hands.

"You did not say anything."

"I was too busy leering at your beautiful back."

A rare blush encroached on Lana's cheeks. She smiled as Ozri squirmed and then she began to burp him. Ozri saw Ares as well, and he soon began to squirm before Lana allowed him to crawl beside his father. Ozri lay down and then reached up to hold Ares' finger within his hand.

"How are my little boys, hmm? Have you been good for mommy?" Ares asked as Ozar began to slap his chest harder and babble some nonsense.

"Oh is that right? Yeah? Well I'll be sure to let her know."

"What did he say?" Lana asked, playing along.

"Fuck if I know, he's just a baby."

"Back," Ozar said. "Finally back." His voice was sweet and high.

Ares froze. "What?!" He gasped for air as his stomach clenched a little harder, the pain flooding through him like a torrent once more. He winced as Ozri sucked on his finger.

"Hurt?" Ozri asked, with a voice so shy it was like a leaf being tickled by wind.

"What?" Ares turned to face Ozri. Yet when they spoke again, they had returned back to babbling.

Ares’ eyes darted to Lana, confusion filling him to his brim. "Did you hear what they said?"

"They can't speak yet, they are but babies."

"Lana, they spoke. Ozar said I was back, Ozri recognised I was in pain."

"They did miss you," she said, “and it’s obvious you are in pain.”

"No, no. I mean… I understood them. I'm certain of it, Lana, I'm not crazy."

Lana stared at him with her brow raised. "You? Not crazy?" she asked incredulously.

"Okay, I understand what you mean, but I'm serious. They spoke, I heard it."

"It could be your wound playing tricks on your mind. Pain does things to men."

Ares frowned. He sighed and then reached up to brush Ozar's hair whilst Ozri rolled beside Ares and held onto his arm to go to sleep. Ozar, seeing his brother's genius, did the same on the opposite side so Ares was stuck between the pair.

"Did you really hear them?" Lana asked.

"I did… I think I did."

Lana brushed his face. "I believe you."

Ares looked up at her and then smiled wide. "You do?"

"It isn't the craziest thing you've said."

"That's why?"

"That's why."

She left him to think. The boys slowly fell asleep as he was left to his own thoughts. He could hear the going abouts outside of the various Riveans going about their morning. Ares yearned to join them, but he was too weak. He looked on either side to his boys and sighed.

He needed to be there more often for them. The shame washed through him and his eyes burned with tears. A single tear slipped out before the tent flap opened and Lana returned with some flat bread and soup, though Ares had turned to not allow her to see the tear.

"Come, eat," she said as she waited for him to position himself.

"Would you mind bringing me some blankets for my head?" Ares asked.

Lana slipped out from the tent for a second and asked one of the guards. They had returned with some blankets for their King and Ares was finally comfortable, raised slightly with his boys between his arms and chest as they continued to sleep peacefully.

Lana fed Ares, tearing bits of the flat bread and dipping it into the soup. What a lovely peaceful morning, with tinges of pain that would sometimes shoot through Ares.

Then the screaming tore through Rivea.