The Curse and the Traveler's

[caela]

His words made sense. She didn't know where they were either, all she really knew was that it was somehow his place not hers. That she had joined him not the other way around. Her place had been full of light while his was dark but bother were warm and comforting. There was nothing frightening in the dark here.

She smiled when he moved closer to her and wrapped his arms around her waist hugging her to him. He made her feel safe this way and the position felt familiar...right, somehow. Leaning back into his embrace she let her hands rest on top of his while her head rested against his chest.

"I don't know where here is either Max. It's your place though. I can feel it, it is somehow essentially yours and I couldn't have gotten here if you hadn't wanted me to. Thank you for sharing it with me."

 

[only_more_so]

Max pondered Skye's words as he held her. He looked about in the velvet darkness around them and from out of the darkness came all the things he held dear. They were ghostlike images that would thicken into reality when he concentrated on them, before fading back into the darkness. There were images of his family, each image a memory from some event in his life. There were the wonders he had seen on a hundred different worlds, the weapons he had trained with, the tower where he watched over his people. He saw the chess board his father had carved with his own hands, no two pawns were quite alike, and he always knew which one started on which square.

"Yes Skye, this is my place. Somehow you have found me. Whether you followed me, or I drew you here, I don't know. But it thrills me and terrifies me to have you here."

Max's thoughts turned to the strange gem he had given Skye. He concentrated on it for a moment and could feel a silken warmth against him, and feel a strong steady thrumming as the blood pulsed through Skye's neck past the gem.

 

[poohlive]

"We can't," David said simply, pushing up against the brick wall and walking past her toward the street. They had fortunately landed in a quieter part of Vegas. The flashy lights and full streets were a few blocks away, here it looked like any other town in the U.S. Besides the heat, no one would ever even notice they were in Vegas. That didn't change anything though. The heart of a city like this without cash or a single piece of I.D. between them was going to be fucking hard... near impossible.

Then he saw what he was looking for. A taxi cab. He waved at it, saw his robe slip open to the world, and quickly wrapped himself up. A woman walking down the street paused for just a moment before giving him a wink. David had to smile at this... only in Vegas.

The cab stopped in front of the alley.

"Come on, our ride is here." David slipped his arm under her, helping her limp to the cab, "It's here to take us away, to the hospital, to the hotel, to everything else that we need."

After easing her inside, he sat down next to her, and looked up at the driver. A balding midle aged man with a hawaiian t-shirt and sweat running down his body.

"The nearest pawn shop," David said, looking down at his hand. Naked. He came into this world with nothing more than a robe... and a ring. His royal crest. He could sell that, with any luck they'd get enough to at least cover a few days worth of bills. After that...

After that they'd have to imrpovise.

The cabbie gave a slight nod and then drove off.

 

[RedHairedandFriendly]

Serena shivered when David made her get into one of those “things” at least this one didn’t have lights and make as much noise, though the long strip of things in the front seemed to be awful loud. “David...” she leaned over to him, whispering in his ear, “Why does that man keep all those people singing behind there... and why is the man singing about ‘a tear in his beer’?”

She swallowed her fear and kept herself pressed against him, her eyes wide, trying to take in everything around her. There were structures that people were moving in and out of, most similar to the one that Skye hand in her town. She wanted to apologize for making him chase her and she wanted to asks alot of questions, but she didn't and after awhile she felt as if she needed to pull away from him.

Serena didn't speak again until the driver arrived at the Pawn Shop. Her curiosity got the best of her when the driver stopped in front of the old building with several odd looking signs all over it. “David... that doesn’t look very fun.” She looked at him and watched him get out of the car, she scooted as best she could and slipped out, leaning on him for support.

“Let’s do what ever you need to do and get this hospital thing done with. They can heal me quickly and we can go look for a way home... surely you’ve got a way to get us home.” She looked up at him with nothing in her eyes, but hope. She blew her bangs from her head and noticed the sweat moving down her back. “David... when can we get back to that,” she pointed to the car and noticed the man getting out of it. “He looks angry,” she whispered to David.

“I believe you need to pay me buddy,” the driver said.

“Don’t call him Buddy... his name is David and he’s a Prince and you’d best remember that!” she ordered him. “You should be honored he even graced you with his presence you vile peasant.”

Serena looked back to her friend and grimaced. “I’ve mucked up again,” she thought to herself. Her shoulders dropped and she felt foolish again. “No man will ever want to be my mate... I’m so foolish.” She felt her lip tremble and for a moment everything seemed to wash over her, the pain in her leg, Max being hurt, Skye not loving David, David not happy because he is stuck with her, David loving Skye, Max loving Skye... it was a miracle she didn’t just sit down and cry, but she didn’t ... she would when she had time though, she promised herself that.

 

[caela]

"Yes Skye, this is my place. Somehow you have found me. Whether you followed me, or I drew you here, I don't know. But it thrills me and terrifies me to have you here."

Leaning against him she laughed softly, "Terrified? Why are you terrified Max? You can send me away anytime you like, I can't stay here unless you allow it. I'm not sure how exactly I got here either, perhaps we're neighbors in whatever this place is. All I know for certain is that I like being here with you and that it doesn't scare me at all."

Tipping her head she smiled up at him and though she knew better she leaned up and pressed a soft kiss to his lips. It was a brief kiss and nothing that anyone could call improper and yet she felt as if electricity leaped between them and just that soft touch left her lips tingling.

What really startled her though was when she felt the gem at her throat grow warmer. She looke up into his eyes and laughed softly, it was like he had reached out and stroked it lightly.

"You're concentrating on it aren't you?"

 

[only_more_so]

"Skye, in this place, you are literally in my thoughts. All my secrets are lying bare around you..."

He was trying to explain when she suddenly kissed him. Even as chaste as the kiss was, it made all others pale in comparison. Not that there had been many kisses. While he might be considered the most eligible bachelor in the kingdom, he had never allowed a girl this close to him. Some girls had too much to drink at a party and surprised him with a kiss, but those were mushy wet things, or dry and hard. Then there were the kissing games Serena had always wanted to play, that involved more noise than anything. but this kiss was delicate and warm and delicious.

Max looked down at Skye, at her radiant face, and her bright violet eyes that seemed to glow against the surrounded darkness. He caught a glimpse of the jewel lying against her smooth pale throat and wondered what it would be like to kiss her there.


"You're concentrating on it aren't you?"

"No, I am jealous of it."

 

[caela]

"No, I am jealous of it."

Reaching up she touched the jewel gently and smiled up at him. She couldn't not smile when she looked at him. He put her at ease and there was no pressure or sense of duty between them, she felt like she could just be herself with him and that was a feeling she cherished almost above any other.

"Jealous of it? Why? I wouldn't be wearing it if you hadn't given it to me. The only meaning this gem has is in the fact that it was a gift from you. You however mean much more than it ever will."

Gently she threaded her fingers through his and drew his arms tighter around her waist while resting her head on his shoulder once more. She didn't want him to let her go and oddly enough in this place there was no guilt attached to that.

"If you're worried about your secrets Max we can leave. We could go to my place or we could wake up. I have the feeling we can wake up any time we want to."

 

[poohlive]

Everything kept happening at once. He had to stop everyone, and calm them down. He looked at Serena, holding her close to him.

"Calm down. If you don't understand something, just ask me... but ask quietly. Some people may think your questions are weird, or stupid. It would be like someone asking you why the sky is blue, or why you wear buttons on your shirt."

He moved over to the cabbie, and showed him the ring he was about to sell.

"This will give me more than enough to pay you. I have no cash, but if you let me pawn it, you will get your money. I assure you."

"Yeah sure buddy," He crossed his arms over his chest, a stern face moving over him. Well, that wasn't entirely true. His face had always been stern. Now it just had a grimace that sent a shiver down David's back.

"Come in with me. I'm not trying to scam you. Ok?" The face did not change, but his stance did. He made a reserved step towards the door and opened it for David and his girl.

What an interesting group they had become. Like some lunatic modern day version of Wizard of Oz. The cowardly lion with coarse arm hair and bad body odor, followed in by the Scarecrow, wearing nothing more than a robe that fluttered each time he moved, revealing more and more thigh, and bringing up the rear was Dorothy, lovely and pretty, but limping as they moved.

David put the ring down, looking up at the broker. He was an aging man, David would guess over fifty, with slick back white hair and a golden tooth. He took one look at the piece, and then went to grab one of those micro lenses, examining it more closely.

"Lost everything, even the shirt off your back?"

David sighed, but nodded, "Yeah, they say what happens here, stays here."

The broker continued to look at the ring, "Fine quality. Pure gold, and is that a platinum sliver atop those emerald eyes?"

"Yes. It is my family crest."

He turned it over, "Fernald? Ha ha, listen. I'm a bit of a researcher in my spare time. I ain't never heard of no royal family of Fernald."

David gave a mean glare at Serena, silently telling her not to say anything.

"It's from Europe, one of the eastern countries."

The man gave the three of them an odd look, but then shrugged his shoulders.

"I'll give you five hundred."

The platinum piece alone was worth three thousand, but David didn't feel like arguing.

"Ok..."

The money was placed in a plastic tray and pushed out through the bullet proof glass.

David took it, giving a twenty to the cabbie.

"We would like to go to the hospital now, if you don't mind..."

The cabbie, with money now in his hand, had a completely different attitude altogether. One would imagine he had just had the most incredible orgasm in his life. He even held the door open for them going out.

 

[only_more_so]

"I am jealous of it because it gets to rest against your skin." He smiled down at her and squeezed her gently.

"As for you being here... Maybe it doesn't terrify me, but I would hate for anything you see here to lower you opinion of me. Someday I would love to see your place, but I like learning about you a bit at a time. If I were to go there I would be like a child in a candy store devouring everything in sight."

The third option was harder for Max to consider. In here holding Skye felt so right, but out there, in the waking world it would be so wrong. He looked down into her eyes and bent his head to place a kiss on her soft lips, sending a shiver or electricty throughout his entire body.

 

[caela]

He looked down into her eyes and bent his head to place a kiss on her soft lips, sending a shiver or electricty throughout his entire body.

Skye gasped softly against his lips but held his fingers tightly not wanting him to let go. She too felt that shock of electricity run through her body and unconciously she moved closer against him. She couldn't deny the fact that she found both him and David physically attractive but she was also drawn to Max on an entirely different level as well.

When the kiss ended she sighed sadly and tears glimmered in her eyes, "We won't be allowed to do that when we wake up will we Max?"

 

[only_more_so]

"We won't be allowed to do that when we wake up will we Max?"

"There is no telling what fate may decree. But whatever may happen, we always have this moment."

Max felt Skye squeezing his hand, and knew that she didn't want to wake up any more than he did.

"As much as I want to stay here with you, my mother won't be able to keep everyone out much longer, since it is already morning in the waking world." Max blushed furiously when he remember what position their bodies were in when he fell asleep and came here. "And we don't want anyone seeing us like that."

 

[RedHairedandFriendly]

By the time they were at the hospital Serena was angry with David, but she had kept her mouth shut and not asked him any questions out loud. She watched him pay the man who drove the car and then he helped her into the hospital. She almost refused to go with him when the doors opened by magic, her words of wonder were contain in a gasp of amazement. When he helped her to a chair, her eyes took in the bright walls, the comfortable chair, and the magical box that hung in the air.

She didn’t bother listening to David and what was exchanged with him and the woman behind the counter. She heard words of Insurance and Billing, finally David was with her and he was still quiet. Serena assumed that it was best for them to talk when there was some privacy.

“Serena Valistica,” a woman called out.

“What?” Serena spun around in her chair. Her eyes looked for someone she knew but so no one. There was a woman in white with a board in front of her and she smiled at Serena. “Serena Valistica?” the stranger repeated her name.

Serena grabbed David’s arm and squeezed tight. “David,” she whispered against his ear. “She knows my name... she’s a witch, isn’t she....” she hissed under her throat. Serena heard his chuckle and she was soon being helped by David into a chair with wheels where she was taken to another room. The woman pulled a curtain around Serena, David and herself.

“Your friend tells us you fell from the stairs and hurt yourself... is that true?” the woman asked Serena. “If you would like to tell us your version of how this happened your friend can leave... sometimes its easier to remember what really happens when your with someone else.”

Serena thought the woman was weird, but now that she was telling her to make David she leave she knew she was out of her mind. “David is staying. I fell down the stairs.”

The nurse raised a brow in sympathy and looked over at the man in the robe. “I’ll give you the number for an abuse hotline if you need one,” she said to Serena though she was looking at David.

“Abuse?” she looked at the woman, then laughed. “Oh heaven’s David didn’t do this. He’d never hurt a fly or me. I don’t even know if the poor Prince can fight. I mean he’s been trained, but really... he’d probably rather I was kidnaped before he bothered fighting to protect me... he’d probably pay them to, he probably...” She stopped when she saw David glare.

“Well...” the nurse said, this time giving David a sympathetic look. “You must be a special girl.” She handed Serena a folded sheet of paper and smiled. “Put this on and I’ll be back in a bit with the doctor.”

Serena held the paper in her hand and watched the woman in white leave. She looked at David and the paper, then David again. “Okay David... I’m asking you a question now, because I’m confused. What do I do with this? I can’t read it... there are no words....and she said put it on? Where am I going... and what is “it”?

 

[caela]

"As much as I want to stay here with you, my mother won't be able to keep everyone out much longer, since it is already morning in the waking world." Max blushed furiously when he remember what position their bodies were in when he fell asleep and came here. "And we don't want anyone seeing us like that."

She saw Max blush and laughed softly, "Why not? I'm not ashamed that you protected me and took care of me when I somehow tapped into the magic that surrounds this place and nearly killed myself with it. Your mother saw us like that already and sent me back to sleep in your arms."

Glancing at the look on his face she laughed again and leaned up to press another electrical kiss to his lips, this one she let linger and she parted from him with a soft sigh, "You however have a reputation to protect as a Prince and I wouldn't want my actions to reflect poorly on you or your family. I'll see you when we wake up."

Reaching up she cupped his cheek tenderly for a moment and just gazed into his eyes before she turned and thought open a tear that would return her to her own place where she could wake up from. Slipping back into her own place she almost instantly started to wake and the first thing she did was reach for her throat where she felt the jewel Max had tied around her neck still there even now that she was awake.

As he started to stir behind her she smiled and snuggled back into him, wanting to feel his arms around her for just a moment longer.

 

[only_more_so]

Maximillian woke to feel Skye snuggling back against him. He became all too aware of where his hands had migrated during the night, and the effect her body was having on him.

Max cracked open an eye and glanced about the room. The chair lay empty, and Max relaxed a little. He felt Skye's hand moving toward the necklace and when she touched it he felt a shiver run down his spine. In the waking world the feeling was so unexpected that he hugged her tightly to him.

"Well, now that we both know the other is awake, we should both get up and get decent." Max flushed realizing how indecent his was at this moment, with one hand in her dress, another on her breast, and... well if he didn't think about the other it would go away.

He reluctantly moved his hand from her breast, but seemed to be having trouble extricating the other hand from between the buttons. "I think I need a little help."

 

[caela]

Skye sighed softly when Max acknowledged being awake. If he'd pretended to sleep she could have stayed snuggled against him a little longer. Until he shifted against her she hadn't even realized where his hands were. How one had managed to work it's way past the buttons of her dress without undoing them she'd never know but it made her giggle softly.

He reluctantly moved his hand from her breast, but seemed to be having trouble extricating the other hand from between the buttons. "I think I need a little help."

At that she laughed outright. Reaching up she undid the button above and below his hand so that he could draw it out of her dress. Deftly rebuttoning her dress she slipped from the bed and into the chair nearby that Beatrix had occupied. She was surprised to find that even that simple moving left her feeling weakened. Beatrix hadn't been kidding when she'd said she'd be weak for a few days.

"I think I liked it better when we were asleep. I didn't feel weak as a kitten there. You'd better make sure you're decently covered Max, the doctor is one his way here...and your mother's with him," she blurted with a soft laugh which died quickly when she realized what she'd said.

There was no logical way she could have known that and yet she did. With no effort she could see the Queen and the doctor coming down the hall. She even saw Beatrix head lift slightly as if the Queen recognized that they were being watched and Skye laughed. Of course the Queen knew it.

"Ugh, someone is going to have to teach me how to control this. I can't get caught up in a vision like that again, if you're not around it'll likely kill me."

 

[poohlive]

David paused for a moment, looking back at the door where the nurse left from. He slowly closed it, before going up to Serena.

"It's ok to ask questions when we're alone," He smiled, taking the paper slip from her, and unfolding it.

"This is just so that its easier for the doctor to look at you. It's ok, just put it on. He's a doctor, he's a professional."

David let the curtain seperate them so he could not see her undress. Inside the small office he began to look for clothes himself. There was nothing he could really use, no pants or a shirt, but he did find some scrubs, and when he put that on under the robe he did feel more comfortable. At least now when his robe opened he wouldn't be flashing the whole world.

"Ok," He said, sitting down, "We have some time, we're alone. You can ask whatever questions you would like. You must understand that this world doesn't work on magic like our own, in fact most people don't even believe in it. The things here are all mechanical, devices that work like magic... that radio for instance. The thing which songs and chants come out of, it's a radio. It plays people's favorite songs for them. The car that doesn't need a horse, it works the same way... what else do you want to know?"

 

[RedHairedandFriendly]

Serena held the paper gown up in front of her and stared at it. “Oh I think not.” She said and tossed it back to him from around the corner of the curtain. “I am not putting that on. It is not happening, NO! NO! NO!“

He tossed it back and said nothing. “You're evil!” she shouted at him. Pulling the curtain around her once more; she slipped her dress from her body and her shoes from her feet. She stood there several more minutes, a knock sounded on the door and a voice called, “Are you ready dear?”

“NO!” she shouted before David could answer. The door closed and once again she stood there alone. “I'm not under any circumstances what so ever removing these panties... do you hear me!“ she told him. ”And shut up... you don't think I can't hear you chuckling over there... you... you... Prince!“ she said. She grabbed the paper gown and held it up again. “How indecent!”

She slipped it on like a robe and stared down at her exposed breasts and pink panties. “Oh I don't think so...” she muttered. She slipped it off and then reversed it covering herself. “Not much better,” she growled out. “How the... Good grief David... how the heck do you tie it?“

Serena thought she heard him move. “Get over here and help me you goof,” Serena told him. “You've seen me since I was a baby, you can tie this for me and then let that witch in here to torture me some more.“ She heard him shuffling behind the curtain, turning away from him, she lifted her hair and waited for him to assist her. “Tie it tight so that woman can't undo it!”

 

[only_more_so]

"I think I liked it better when we were asleep. I didn't feel weak as a kitten there. You'd better make sure you're decently covered Max, the doctor is one his way here...and your mother's with him,"

"I would have been plenty decent if you hadn't kept wiggling your bottom against me." Max gasped when he said it. This wasn't a dream world anymore, he had to find control somewhere.

"Ugh, someone is going to have to teach me how to control this. I can't get caught up in a vision like that again, if you're not around it'll likely kill me."

"Until you get acquainted with using magic, you might want to consider taking up damiana tea. It makes it more difficult for a person to do magic, although not impossible. As for learning to control magic, you need to study. There are a few tomes in the private library that I can see you have access to. But it goes much faster to learn from someone which means either David, my mother, my father or myself."

Max pondered for a moment and came to a decision, "The tea really does work, but there is a side effect, it is a bit of an aphrodisiac."

 

[caela]

"I would have been plenty decent if you hadn't kept wiggling your bottom against me."

Skye laughed softly and grinned over at Max a teasing glint in her eyes as she teased, "I might not have wiggled so much if hadn't had one hand on my breast and another inside my dress."

She made a mental note of the tea and smiled at him for the suggestion. Something that made it harder to use the magic that now seemed to want to creep unbidden into her head would be a good idea. It was like her vision of Serena and David had opened some sort of gate in her head and now she had to concentrate NOT to see what was happening in other parts of the castle.

As for learning magic from one of the royal family itself her first thought was Beatrix. She meant no disrespect to the men in the family but Beatrix was like her, taken from a place of familiarity and brought here. She would know and understand Skyes frustrations and be able to explain things from a more familiar angle.

Max pondered for a moment and came to a decision, "The tea really does work, but there is a side effect, it is a bit of an aphrodisiac."

Skye couldn't help it, her first reaction was to laugh, "You're kidding right? Aphrodisiacs don't wo...at least they don't work in my world. Do they really work here?"

 

[only_more_so]

"You're kidding right? Aphrodisiacs don't wo...at least they don't work in my world. Do they really work here?"

Max couldn't help but grin. He didn't bother to bring up the fact that Aphrodisiacs did work in her world if for no other reason than the placebo effect, brought on both by the expectation of the arousal and the symptons that are similar to arousal.

"I would never kid about magic. As for the tea, the effect isn't strong enough to overpower you control, but it will make you more sensitive to those thoughts. You would respond more strongly to pheromones, human contact, even artwork. I've heard it said that some women avoid going outside on windy days."

Another grin started forming on Max's lips, and he could hardly help himself from adding, "So I would suggest you take lessons from my mother, although if that would be an issue as well, there is always the library."

Just then there was a perfunctory knock on the door and in walked Queen Beatrix and the doctor. The queen headed over to sit next to Skye, and seemed to be talking to her about something.

The doctor said, "Well, if she's up and about it couldn't be all that bad. I will check on the young prince's wounds first." The doctor started muttering something about, "should have been checked first thing this morning" which was corrected to "should have been checked last night..."

When the doctor unwrapped the bandages around Max's waist he gasped. Where the knife wounds had been there was now only a pair of swollen purple scars. "I know you princes heal quickly but this is really remarkable!" the doctor said as he poked none too gently at the scars.

"We might heal quickly, but it's still tender" Max said through clenched teeth. He realized his hiss had brought the attention of the ladies, and quickly lowered his shirt back for modesty's sake.

 

[caela]

"So I would suggest you take lessons from my mother, although if that would be an issue as well, there is always the library."

Skye's eyes went wide and she would have thrown a pillow at Max if she'd had the energy...and a pillow to throw. Before she could think of a scathing comment in reply there was a knock at the door and the doctor and the Queen came in. She noticed the doctor barely looking at her and muttering to himself that they should have been checked last night and couldn't help but chuckling.

When the Queen sat down beside her she offered the older woman a smiled and murmured, "Good morning Your Highness."

Beatrix just smiled as she settled herself and looked over at Skye and kept her own voice low, "How are you feeling now dear? You must be a little better, I felt you searching the hallway just a moment ago."

"Still weak and I can't seem to stop "searching" as you call it. I can control it a little, keep myself from doing it if I concentrate really hard but I have to admit it's giving me a headache and honestly if I have to move further than that bed I'm going to have to be carried. Otherwise I feel fine."

"Well the weakness and the problem with control is to be expected. As soon as you get your strength back I'll start teaching you myself until then I'll have maid bring you some damiana tea. It'll make it harder, not impossible but harder, for you to tap into magic."

"Max mentioned it. He said there are side effects...or was he pulling my leg?"

That made the Queen laugh softly, "No he was right. It does also act as a mild aphrodisiac which is the other reason I'll be handling your magic lessons."

Sky laughed softly at that as well but before she could say anything their attention was drawn to Max and the doctor by the doctor's sudden outburst, "I know you princes heal quickly but this is really remarkable!"

That seemed to catch the Queen's attention and she looked specutively at Skye who simply blushed under her gaze. Unconciously she reached up and twisted her hair in a nervous gesture and her the Queens quiet gasp though she knew neither of the men heard it. Looking up she saw the Queens eyes locked on her throat and without thinking she reached up and stroked the jewel that Max had given her.

The Queen's eyes glowed with curiosity and she leaned in to whisper to Skye, "The three of us need to talk when the doctor leaves."

 

[only_more_so]

Max felt a stirring running through his body which was quickly becoming a familiar sensation. His eyes quickly went over to Skye's, but not before noticing his mother's gaze on the jewel. He didn't regret giving her the stone, but he was realizing how much trouble it could be.

The doctor finished poking his side and announced that Max was out of danger, but should still go easy for another few days. He then harumphed and said, "Knowing you, you'll be out fighting dragons by lunch. Eh, knowing how you heal, that might not be so bad..."

The doctor went over to Skye and started his examination of her. "Probably should start her on the tea," he said, vaguely in the direction of the queen. "We best keep the guardsmen and courtiers away, at least for the first few days till she gets used to the effects."

The doctor gave Skye an appraising look and said to her, "course, it would be alright around Prince David, him being your fiancee, and around Prince Maximillian, since he's... well, he's prince Maximillian."

 

[caela]

The doctor gave Skye an appraising look and said to her, "course, it would be alright around Prince David, him being your fiancee, and around Prince Maximillian, since he's... well, he's prince Maximillian."

Skye glanced up at the doctor and found herself wanting to reach up and smack the man. His bedside manner left much to be desired in her mind. She didn't like being talked around as if she were an object and not a person being examined. Still she let him complete his exam and saw his startled look at finding her so weak and his glance between her and Max.

"She's weaker than I would have expected and Max is further healed than even he normally would be after such wounds as he recieved. I'd say she somehow managed help speed the healing process even while slept. She obviously didn't realize she was doing it though so she couldn't get caught up in the magic and harm herself. A few more days rest and the tea until you can start teaching her control Majesty and she'll be fine," the doctor said finally.

Skye glared up at the man, being weak made her cranky and being talked around annoyed her and she couldn't help her outburst, "You know doctor, I am sitting right here, you could try telling ME all of this instead of pretending I'm not right in front of you!"

The man stared at her like she'd sprouted a second head and it was obvious he wasn't used to being talked to that way. The look on his face was so comical that she simply started laughing.

"I think that will be all we doctor, thank you for your service," the Queen said quietly and the man was smart enough to know when he was being dismissed. Giving a bow to all of them he left quietly. Beatrix let her gaze run between Max and Skye for a moment before finally asking, "Where did the necklace come from? Neither of you left here so how did either of you get it?"

 

[only_more_so]

"Where did the necklace come from? Neither of you left here so how did either of you get it?"

The question hung in the air with a heavy menace, even though the tone wasn't sharp. Max and David had been called to task enough as children that Max wisely didn't sneak a glance at Skye. Although he did try to send a little reassurance through the jewel.

"It's actually rather complicated," Max started. The queen sighed and sat back in her chair expecting a long winded alibi.

"I awoke early this morning in much the same position in which you left me last night. Still very tired and much too comfortable I quickly fell back asleep. This sleep, instead of being dreamless found me in a dark comfortable place. I saw Skye come to me through a tear in the darkness, and we talked for a while. Suddenly, I felt like I was under a geas, I lifted my hand and there was the necklace. I also found myself speaking, although I didn't feel in control of the words. Skye believes, and I concur that somehow she came into my dreamworld, or perhaps my mind. I did feel compelled to be unusually candid, and found it impossible to lie or even dissemble. It was like I lacked all but the most rudimentary psychological restraints, which is how one often behaves in a dream. So it could be my subconscious created the jewel to give to Skye, but something tells me it was something different."

Max ran down as he realized he was going off on a bit of a tangent. His mother was still giving him a bit of a look. Then it hit him, "Oh, and when she woke up she was wearing the necklace."

At this point Max did look over at Skye to make sure he didn't leave out any important parts of the story.

"That is definately one of your more elaborate stories, Maximillian!" the Queen said. "However, I do remember reading something about shared dreams while I was learning magic." Beatrix looked over at Skye and adding an aside for her benefit, "the tea's side effects were rather strong with me, and Mathilda, my husband's mother, reminded me of a girl I used to carry-on with."

Beatrix quickly fixed a blushing Max with her gaze and said, "Maximillian! You've heard that story a hundred times, I don't see why you are still so embarrassed. You've been to my world and you know the social mores are more relaxed, even if you were too restrained to enjoy them yourself. And you know that was all before I married your father."

Max blushed a little deeper. Partially because she was right, that he shouldn't still be embarrassed, but also because according to the stories she couldn't say "before my wedding day" and still be truthful. But no one had any doubts about her fidelity since then, and she was truly loved by her people, and by Max.

 

[caela]

Skye smiled gently as she felt the jewel grow warmer against her skin and she felt a wave of reassurance wash through her. It seemed that it worked in both directions and Max could just as easily connect to her through it as she could to him. Curling deeper into the chair she sighed softly as she listened to him speaking. What she really wanted to do was slip back into the bed and curl back up in his arms but she somehow doubted that would be allowed at this point. He seemed to hit on all the major points of the tale while still leaving out that parts that might get them into trouble including the electric shock that passed between them whenever they'd touched in that strange world they'd shared.

"However, I do remember reading something about shared dreams while I was learning magic." Beatrix looked over at Skye and adding an aside for her benefit, "the tea's side effects were rather strong with me, and Mathilda, my husband's mother, reminded me of a girl I used to carry-on with."

Skye was so relieved that the Queen seemed to believe Max's story that at first she didn't realize the import of the rest of what she'd said. When she saw Max blushing like a school-boy however she thought back over what Beatrix had said and felt her own cheeks flush with warmth. If she'd heard right Beatrix had just admitted to having relations with women! And finding her mother-in-law attractive while under the influence of the tea they now wanted HER to start drinking!

While Beatrix teased Max about his blushing Skye found her mind wandering and suddenly she was no longer seeing the room she was in but found her mind skimming out along the hills and fields. It felt strange, like flying, she could even feeling the wind in her face and she laughed softly. Still it was draining and she closed her eyes and concentrated on being back in Serena's room with Max and Beatrix. It was hard to come back but when she opened her eyes she was with them once more and a sigh escaped her lips. Even that short mental journey had depleated her small stores of energy.

"Highness, I think I need that tea sooner rather than later. If I do that too often I'm never going to be able to get further than this chair. If I can I'd really like to lie back down as well Beatrix. I don't mean to be rude, truly I don't but I don't know how to deal with all this magic and trying to stay inside my head is giving me a massive headache."