Chapter 16 #2
That was one way to put it, Evander supposed.
“Yes, well, it is a surprise party…” Lady Calla bowed her head, then lifted her chin and offered Corbin a smile.
“I have no wish to war with my sons. None. Evander has proven himself to be a good mate, a good partner, and a fierce warrior. And I would not miss the joys of knowing your children for any cost.”
That was a pretty speech.
He squeezed Corbin’s hand. But well-meant and well said.
Yes. Corbin went to her and hugged her gently.
Lady Calla’s smile proved that perhaps this terrible feud could end with time and care, and the family bonds could be mended.
He hoped so with everything in him.
Evander smiled at her when she nodded to him. He bowed. “Come see the cradle I made, with a great deal of help from Hawk, my lady. Though we’re working on more, as I think there are multiple babies.”
“Well, it wouldn’t be the first time.” Lady Calla came and admired the cradle, running her fingers over the wood, stroking each curve. “It’s lovely. I’ve never seen finer. It’s absolutely perfect.”
Evander beamed, glowing a bit from the admiration. The work had not come easily to him, and he’d spent many hours trying to make the cradle safe and beautiful.
She pulled out a pot from beneath her robes, one that shouldn’t have fit underneath there, and set it on the ground. It was a deep mahogany wood, fae wishes for a long and happy life carved into the curves. It was a lovely thing, although it seemed a bit austere for babies.
“This is for the children. Corbin can tend it during his pregnancy, and they will have a tree of their own.”
He bowed his head in a gesture of respect. “That will make him most happy.”
She winked at him. “Growing things does tend to, doesn’t it?”
A movement outside alerted him, and he turned his attention to the window as the dragons began to come. It was as if a rainbow danced across the ground itself, dozens of dragons in a myriad of colors, along with their children, and they were amazing.
“Friends!” Elliot immediately ran outside, checking the sky before he did, and then rolled right up to a group of children, where they began laughing and playing, rolling Elliot around like a big ball.
One of the biggest dragons came up and peered at Lady Calla with a quizzical expression on his face, multi-colored eyes wheeling. “Arian?”
She laughed softly and shook her head. “No, dear. Arian is my sister friend. She rules over the Court of Bells. She’s dear to me.”
There was a moment of pure disappointment on the dragon’s face, then he smiled, teeth shining. “She is dear to me as well. Can you please tell her Zeke said to say hello? I miss her.”
“Of course, dear. Of course I will. She’ll be so pleased.”
How fascinating. One of the dragons knew one of the court queens. Very fascinating.
That’s Zeke, love. He’s amazing. A genuine friend.
How does he know the Queen of the Court of Bells?
When the dragons lived in the human world, she visited them quite a bit. They were sort of her pet project, if you will.
Evander couldn’t help it. He raised an eyebrow, surprised, making him unable to control his face.
It’s true. You’ll see, she even gave them a changeling, I believe, though I can’t prove it. When Beau and Seth needed to have a child, she provided. Stella is a beautiful little owl dragon baby.
Goodness, he learns something new every day. Corbin waved at Zeke through the window. “My friend Zeke! Have you met my mate? This is Evander.”
Zeke raised an eyebrow but then bowed his head, smiling at Evander. When the huge dragon met his gaze, Evander had to admit his horns tried to grow in a little bit. Such a dominant alpha made him feel insignificant.
“Bright blessings, Evander. It is good to meet you finally. We’ve all been very curious.”
“Bright blessings, Zeke. Thank you. I’m glad I get to finally see you even if it’s only through the window.” He moved as close as he could, because although he would not be able to shake hands. He wanted to acknowledge that he wished to.
Zeke had rainbow-colored eyes and silvery-gray hair and wide shoulders, and he was simply stunning to look at. Seeing the dragons in their natural habitat and not confined to the fae world or other places that were not their normal field of magic was something of a revelation.
The love Bron held for Lady Calla had to be a love for the ages in order to endure living in the Land of Summer.
Corbin gave him a slightly sad smile. He does adore her. She is his everything.
And you’re not here to be sad today; you’re here to be happy. This is a party for you and to celebrate the babies. He understood Bron. You are my everything. Remember, I can go with you whenever you wish.
And you all have to remember, dear ones, my beloved Bron could leave whenever he chooses.
Lady Calla’s voice was soft, but so sure.
He’s not bound to our lands. He stays because this is his home now.
And I am honored every day to have him. Just like Hawk is here in this house with you, and Evander is here in this home with you, and Orion is here in this home with you.
All of us make sacrifices for our families in our own ways, and we do so willingly out of love.
The triplets all bowed their head, and Orion blew rainbows everywhere, making everyone inside and out cheer.
“Enough of this nonsense. Let’s party.”
Suddenly, there was music and laughter and dancing and more presents than he ever remembered seeing, dragons and other folks delivering them from all over. There was even a fascinating stick wagon that Yarrow had created.
“A beaver made that?” A dragon who looked markedly like a bee looked it over through the window. “It’s lovely.”
“Thanks, Tyr! Well, he’s a were-beaver. He’s sort of large, but yes, he made it just for the baby. Thank you for the honey, by the way. It hits the spot!” Corbin’s sadness was lifting, the smiles coming more and more easily.
Or possibly this is for the babies’ toys? He thought very privately to Corbin. He wasn’t sure that his child would be carried around in a wagon made of sticks.
Trust me, if Yarrow made it, it’ll hold up. But I definitely think it wouldn’t fit him for very long, or her, or them. So, probably for the toys, yes.
Evander chuckled because the idea of a were-beaver just made him smile. He wasn’t sure if he’d met Yarrow during his illness. Perhaps he had.
Aspen and Blaze settled themselves in front of the present table and guarded it, which he thought was hilarious.
Lare, on the other hand, popped in and out of the room at a rather alarming rate, bringing food and drink and taking away trash and plates. It was fascinating.
He’s very quick.
Evander nodded to his mate, although he wasn’t one hundred percent sure that was an absolutely valid assessment. Lare seemed a bit confused every now and again, but he was sure that they would learn one another.
Corbin took his hand and glanced up at him. “This is amazing. Thank you so much for thinking of me. It means the world.”
“I wanted to see you smile, lethean. I wanted your happiness.”
Corbin nodded to him. “I am, you know. I’m very happy.” He patted his belly and then put one of Evander’s hands on the same spot. “Someone’s kicking.”
He chuckled because someone was more than kicking. Someone was tap dancing violently, trying to get attention, and he stroked that bit of belly. “Be at ease, child. Let your father enjoy this.”
Corbin gasped and then grinned at him. “Oh, very nicely done.”
“Thank you. I intend to be the stern parent.” Evander winked when Corbin just gaped at him because he knew that they would both shamelessly indulge and spoil their children.
He never wanted his children to feel as though he didn’t love them with every fiber of his being and that they were not accepted and approved of.
Oh, he knew his parents loved him. His father especially seemed to be happy to come and see him here and spend time with him. But growing up, it had been so competitive and so formal and hard.
Corbin chuckled. “Well, you can see you don’t have to worry about that around here. My mother is the most formal thing in the room, and she’s even being very casual for her.”
“She is. I’m very pleased to see her here with you, enjoying herself and making peace.”
Corbin shrugged, reaching out to touch the pot she had put down. “She loves me. She really does. She also loves the idea of more grandchildren. So, I have no doubt she feels as though it’s time to make up.”
“Give her more credit than that, my love. She is very much a queen in her own right. It’s difficult for her not to simply snap her fingers and expect people to do what she wants.
” He reached up to stroke Corbin’s cheek, running his thumb over one beautiful, sharp, green cheekbone.
His mate was so beautiful, and pregnancy made his skin glow even more, so that he was this ethereal, wondrous creature.
Even the tiny bumps of Corbin’s scales under his skin fascinated him.
“I’ll give her as much credit as I can,” Corbin agreed.
“Corbin, come on!” Cullen waved them over to where tables had been set up on the other side of the window so that everyone could eat together. “Tyr brought honey cake, and Orion made you a rainbow red velvet cake with cream cheese icing…”
Corbin winked at him, then whirled and headed over to where his brother was calling him. “Is there ice cream too? I love cake and ice cream together.”
“There is. There’s vanilla and there’s Butter Brickle.”
Evander followed his mate so he could hold the chair for him where he was going to sit in the place of honor. “What is this Butter Brickle?”
“Oh, it’s this wonderful creamy vanilla ice cream with crunchy bits of toffee stuff. It’s really yummy.” Corbin winged to them. “You’re going to love it. You have a sweet tooth.”
“I never did before I moved in with you,” he accused, teasing hard.
“Oh yes, it’s all my fault,” Corbin agreed.
Evander settled next to his mate, his nose vibrating as he sniffed the cakes.
Obviously red velvet had something to do with chocolate, even though those two things didn’t sound anything alike.
Honey cake, on the other hand, he understood, he knew what it was, and he loved that.
He’d had Tyr’s before, in fact, and he wanted to make sure he got a piece of it.
He didn’t, though. He knew Corbin was craving honey, and he would make sure he saved his piece for his mate.
Corbin took his hand, his thumb rubbing over Evander’s fingers. You’re very good to me, mate.
“I try very hard.” He looked around. “Everyone here is happy for us, though, and has been so helpful.”
“It’s the best baby shower I’ve ever seen. And I put on Cosmo’s.”
Evander chuckled as he was handed a plate of cake and ice cream. The Butter Brickle was indeed amazing. It was creamier than the other ice creams he had tried. And it had crunchy bits of buttery goodness in it. He could get very used to eating that.
“It’s good, isn’t it?” Corbin’s eyes twinkled for him.
“So good.” He made sure Corbin got his honey cake, and they shared red velvet and ice cream. And then it was time to open presents.
By the time Corbin had revealed hundreds of pairs of tiny socks, little outfits called onesies, toys, games, and stuffed animals, he thought his mate had perhaps forgotten all about being sad about things that were outside of his control.
Elliot’s bird seemed to really enjoy picking up the socks and taking them somewhere else in the house. At some point, there would be an Ostara-type egg hunt for them, he was certain.
Just as he thought that, Lare appeared again, carrying an armful of socks. Oh, good… man? House spirit? That meant no great hunt.
Until Eddie grabbed the next pair.
By the time the party wound down, Lady Calla kissing her sons’, and his, cheeks, the dragons drifting away down the mountain, and Orion and Hawk helping Lare clean, Corbin was dozing against his shoulder, worn out from the festivities.
“You should go ahead and take him upstairs,” Cosmo murmured. “We’ll send the new house guy with a tray of munchies for when he gets hungry later. This was the best idea, Ev. Well done.”
Evander couldn’t quite stop smiling. “Thank you, my brother. I wanted him to have a most wondrous party.”
“He loved it, though possibly letting Elliot participate in bobbing for those plastic eggs full of toys was a bad idea.”
He snorted. “Indeed. Gargoyle dragons sink.”
Evander scooped Corbin up carefully, nodded to everyone, and then headed back toward their side of the house. This had been a good day.
More importantly, this has been Corbin’s good day.