[private] don't stay awake for too long, ghaul

[clarissa]

won’t you drag the lake and bring me home again

When Ghaul and Clarissa had finally consummated their relationship after so many years together, the angel girl hadn’t known what to expect. Three beautiful, startlingly large eggs had been the last thing on her mind that night under the stars in the Cove, but just looking at them now causes a trill of pure joy to escape her lips, and she finds herself even less inclined to leave her kingdom than she had before. When all of her mothering instincts kicked in at full force, she hadn’t expected to build such a large nest so quickly with Ghaul, but here they are.

They had settled on a secluded spot along the border of Pangea and the Cove, safe enough that she should go undisturbed while their children grow, and Ghaul is able to split his time between the two lands evenly. She had missed him terribly when he was stolen away, and by the time he had returned she had been listless and dull - a candle blown out by the wind, unable to keep ablaze without half of her soul nearby. Within moments of him coming back to her, however, she had found herself regaining her fire and her body had burned at his touch.

Now though, she feels peace as her draconic body curls around the eggs in the nighttime, the fire in her belly keeping them warm. There are three (three!) eggs, each as unique as the next: one is burnished copper, the same color as her lover’s scales, with a pattern of stars and galaxies decorating. The second is the purest gold, the same color as Clarissa’s talons, and more delicate than the others. The final egg is the most unique of all, more oblong than the other two and gold with teal swirls. They are the most beautiful things that she has seen in all of her life.

With a gentle coo, she nuzzles each in turn, wondering what their children will be like. Will they favor Ghaul, or her? She would be delighted to see them all a perfect blend of their parents, strong and terrifying but kind-hearted and brave. She has no worries that any of them will be anything other than what they were born to be: princes and princesses, destined to rule.

Flames tickle the back of her throat as she readjusts her position in their overly-large nest, and she finds herself staring at the stars as she awaits Ghaul’s return.

@[ghaul]

[ghaul]

GHAUL

i can take you there, but baby, you won't make it back

Even after they finished building their nest, the instinct to expand and gather resources for his children still hums in his chest. He has been to the fields and even the north to scout out anything that might delight the members of the Cove. A strange sort of anxiety continues to flood his veins but he returns home to roost and patrol their borders for a while.

When he lands, there is a soft thud of his talons meeting the pale autumn grasses. He tucks his wings tight to his sides and approaches with a soft series of clicks and croons to announce his arrival. Ghaul is surprised to see their eggs already occupying the nest and he trills in delight when he comes near. He cannot see the colors of each shell, but he recognizes that each has a unique warmth to it. He likes to think he can almost see the tiny bundles of life growing within them, even. Clarissa looks so at home around their brood that it softens his edges even further than usual. Even in his wildest dreams, he had never imagined this.

Carefully, he brings a talon to the oblong egg and gently taps along its length. He then taps at the others and lowers his head to press his ear to them. If he concentrates, he can hear the tiny heartbeats in each one. “I did not expect so many. Fate has recognized our worth,” he says softly as he touches his lips to the golden egg. They feel strong and fragile all at once, he thinks. “Have you been singing to them?” A soft laugh eases from him as he teases her. In truth, he loves the sound of her voice and the way she hums her songs when she thinks he’s fast asleep. It was part of what convinced him they were ready for a clutch of their own.

He lowers himself into the nest on the opposite side from her, curling his body around the brood with a slow sigh. They had done an excellent job of crafting this little nest. All the ash and dried grasses cushion him perfectly as he begins to relax. In fact, he doesn’t even realize that knot of concern is entirely absent from his chest now.

@[clarissa]