One of my blood...

The war rages on it but it's quiet between Monika and me. She lifts her fingers, putting a singular rose vine between us.

"I'm sure...there's another answer," she says softly, tentatively, growing a wall between us.

I nod.

"Where are the children," she changes the subject, venturing further from me, her eyes cast down.

"On the battlefield, where they were a moment ago. It's just you, me," I reach out, touching a tendril, "And this wall you built between us."

She waved her hand slightly, smiling softly. "It's not a wall dear, it's a bush."

We both stand, staring down at the nearly hundred-foot 'bush'. We look at one another. I smile. "Of course, little wife, whatever was I thinking?"

She shrugs, her soft almost sheer dress floating behind her. Yes. Whatever was I thinking? I glance at her. Her hand rises and falls, the rose wall shrinking. I pull her in, holding her waist. We're hundreds of feet in the air. This information changes this war.

"We're going home," I order, "Soldiers! Convene at the temple. Go first."

I have never taken my children to war. But I trained them for it their whole lives. And rule number one is not to question my orders. They poof home.

I hold my hand out to my wife. She takes it, her small hand in mine, as I whisk us back home.

"We were in the middle of a war," Solice grumbles

"Oh?" I remark flippantly. Before we return to war I must make certain of one thing.

Dion raises his hands in exasperation, and Nathaniel whose face is covered in blood runs his bloody fingers through his hair.

"May I remind you father, the purpose of this war is because you are too weak as you are to fight two primordial gods whose intentions remain unknown?" He sighs, red eyes peering into mine, irritated.

"Then I may remind you, Nathaniel, that I am a god. Forgetting my purpose is an impossibility."

He scoffs, turning around. "What horse shit," he murmurs.

I let it slide. Observe him. Though all my children have my affection equally...there remain only two with my blood. I glanced at Monika. Her lashes flutter, her lip tugging up in a small grimace of a smile.

Her long, elegant fingers tent under her breast. She licks her lips. A nervous habit. Despite the dire nature of the situation, my mind wanders to how lovely she is. My Monika. A goddess of exquisite beauty.

"I'm sorry to say it," Fallon frowns, "But I'm a little confused as well."

Of course, they are. I am too. No matter how approach it, how I look at it, I can't imagine any of them betraying me. My children. My army. I glance away.

"When will we return?" Nathaniel demands. Dion is silent. It's uncharacteristic.

"Dion," I call to him. He lifts his eyes to mine. "What do you make of it?"

Dion's messy hair flops into his eyes. He glances up at me, tenting his fingers. "What I make of it?" He repeats lowly. "I think you're withholding a lot of information, Slade." He stands, pushing away from the table. "But I trust you. So let me know when It's time to go back out there."

Dion lets his hand brush Monika's shoulder gently as he passes her. She smiles softly, patting his hand. Such a maternal look on her face. It's gorgeous.

Radiating such warmth.

Focus.

"Sharpen your sword," I admonish him.

Monika stands. She suggests we get to rest. Attack at dawn. Begin anew in the morning. I agree. Monika leads me by the hand to our bedroom. Her dress hits the floor with a silent thud. I put up a barrier. Her bare body graces the air, the sun reflecting on the richness of her skin setting her ablaze.

"They know you," she remarks, pouring two cups of tea.

I pull off my armor, hanging it up. My fingertips brush her shoulders when I walk past. Nothing feels better than a warm bath after a long day of death.

"Join me, my love," I beckon to her making a tray. "Bring the tea."

The door opens with a creak. I smell her. Roses. Sweetness.

"One sugar. Not too sweet," she remarks, leaning down, her breasts warm on my shoulder. She kisses me, soft lips on mine, fingers intertwining with my own gently. She sets the tea between my fingertips.

Monika slips into the bath with me. I pull my arms around her. "They know me?" I repeat.

She leans back."Hm. They know what you're doing. Testing them like that."

She's right, I suppose. I hum my acknowledgment, filling my hands with the fullness of her breasts, massaging them idly. A small sigh escapes her lips. She heats up under my hands. I kiss her shoulder, sucking on her flesh.

"This prophecy is -" I draw a moan from her lips, my hands drifting down her body.

"Slade,"

It's half a warning. She wants to discuss this prophecy. Ensure I won't harm her children. My finger brushes against her slit.

"I won't harm them," I whisper, "Our children," I assure her. I'm not sure whether I'm lying. Maybe I'm revealing a truth to myself. Rather than won't...I find myself unsure whether I'm capable of harming them.

I don't want to. I'm certain of that.

She relinquishes herself to pleasure, the weight of the day falling off her shoulders. She melts into me, throwing her head back. I dip my fingers into her, her warmth immediately accepting me, walls clenching around me, as I gently scrape her walls.

Her back arches, my name falling from her lips once more.

For a moment, when we connect this way intertwining our bodies forget. My hands roam

The expanse of her flesh, holding her throat. She spasms around my length, her pleasure taking her, my Monika, body floating in ecstasy. Water drips from her as she levitates.

A smile finds my lips. I go after her, holding her soft body in my hands both of us wet from the water long gone cold. Monika's eyes flutter open.

"I don't know why we do anything else," she grins, pulling my hand, setting it gently against

her throat.

I squeeze and smile as her eyes close, her breath trembling. "Because we must."

"Not for right now," she whispers back, taking my hardness in her small hand, she slips me inside her, her legs wrapping around my waist, sighing softly as I stretch her open.

"I love you," she whispers, her arms around my neck, as I stroke deeply inside her, imprinting myself on her.

"I love you too," I kiss her, holding her tightly to my body.

Her words fizzle into moans, my name dripping from her lips, as I fill her up in the air, her body clinging to me.

Monika's eyes close, and I take us to bed. I pause for a moment, glancing at her exposed stomach.

Her hand raised to it as if feeling my gaze even in her sleep. I smile and kiss her head, pulling her close and closing my eyes.

* * *