The Huntsman of Adamos (Quartet)- draft

Karstien had informed Yuri that he would get half a year and then he was expected to return to the Meridian 4 and work as they system's provincial chancellor or he could pick another of the colony planets. He chose to return to Meridian; he still had a promise to keep. He had vowed to the souls of the late Kingsguard family he would restore the world they loved.

Fleur felt the same, she wanted to return the desolate planet back to its rich biomes. She had sent her friends to live on Meridian 3 thinking they would be safe, but the world was harvested. So, Fleur and Yuri spent the long winter planning. They also studied the unusual isotope Nevin had discovered in the Isles, it was found in the Atlas asteroid belt, and near Yuri’s school on Meridian. The mystery of the place Yuri and Fleur had seen during their healing seemed to haunt them both, and they both slowly found themselves dwelling on it more and more as Yuli’s magic grew.

Yuli thrived under his mother’s new found health and his father’s attention. The only unfortunate part of Fleur’s healing was that she would become distracted from cooking and burn half of what she made. Yuri had taken over most of the cooking to save the house his brother built for her. They grew close as a family, especially with Jenna and Kalen regularly coming through the portal in Banth’s basement.

Bolton had moved into Banth’s house after being gone from Arbor Isle for less than a month. It had only taken him that long to realize how much he missed Desandra. Banth had gone into the light a month after they were joined. Fleur would be turning the lighthouse over to the new couple.

The spring equinox broke cold and clear over Soldier’s Cove. The wind had stilled during the night, just as Yuli had said it would. Fleur woke with the sun as she always did. She felt warm and happy. A light sweep with her mind, showed her Yuli and Kalen were already climbing the steps to shut off the light. Yuri was asleep, spooning her. His arm holding her firmly against his chest. Her fingertip traced the marriage token he wore. This was their last morning as woodsmith and lighthouse keeper, today was the day everything would change again. Tomorrow they would be Chancellor Lord and Lady of the Meridian System, the most isolated system in the kingdom and the one needing the most work. He kissed her shoulder and she turned under his arm to face him. She could feel him smiling down at her.

“Good morning, my lord,” she said softly.

“Good morning, my beautiful lady,” he whispered as he kissed her forehead, “And mother of my children.

Her eyes narrowed suspiciously; he was very happy. She knew he was dreading today and their return to royal duties, so she questioned. “What are you so happy about?”

He gently pushed her onto her back and placed the flat of his palm over her abdomen. She could feel his joy like a beacon and gasped in realization of what he was telling her with the simple gesture.

“Oh by the Light, it just happened last night, my aura is barely changed. How can you already tell, I can hardly feel it! It’s not fair!” she pouted.

He chuckled at her fit, “I’m a huntsman, it’s my magic.”

She rolled her blind eyes at him, then turned her face toward him. Her eyes glowed slightly as she guided his lips to hers. Shining him with all her love and he couldn’t resist.

Afterwards, he sighed contentedly, as she walked around the room getting dressed. “Now, that’s not fair.”

She grinned mischievously, answering in a contrite tone, “I’m an oracle, it’s my magic.”

He grabbed her wrist and pulled her across his blanketed lap and naked chest. “I love you, my hope.”

“I love you, my huntsman,” she breathed against his lips just before he kissed her again.

Downstairs, while Fleur was cooking their last breakfast under Yuri’s supervision, she reached up and touched the plain cabinet doors. “Thank you for packing my doors.”

“They were your windows to this place, and Desa was fine with me taking them as long as I left her the cafe doors and woodwork. Arthos was upset when he discovered Vela took the panel from her registry desk. I can’t believe he is taking over the Slumbering Pines.” Yuri grinned, “I am glad he liked the replacement I made.”

“So things went well in Lumberton when you turned in your rit to leave the crafters’ union?” Kalen asked.

“The Mayor begged me not to go, but I told him I had commitments elsewhere. I thought my vendor was going to cry, she has never had an artisan do so well. You should have seen the shock on her face when I told her who I really was. She said it wasn’t fair that the women of the House of Valent get all the ranked men.” Yuri chuckled. “I promised to send her anything I whittle in my spare time. And Abner of the Southern Sun Mill will continue to send Yuli the fees for his wood but he honestly, doesn’t know how he is going to harvest it without hiring huntsmen or foresters to climb up there. We might have to come back ourselves to harvest it. Want to help, Kalen?”

“That would be awesome!” Kalen replied excitedly but when Yuli didn’t agree, his older brother looked at him oddly. “What’s wrong with Mom, you keep staring at her?”

“I don’t know, she’s all glowy,” Yuli frowned and squinted at Fleur.

“I’m not glowing,” Fleur said at the same time as Kalen retorted, “She’s not glowing the moon’s not up.”

Yuri put his hand on Yuli’s shoulder as he walked past, “To us, you are glowy.”

Kalen looked and blinked several times looking at her using his magic, “I don’t see it.”

“You won’t, it’s a huntsman thing,” Fleur reassured him as she placed a giant plate of bacon-cheddar scrambled eggs and fluffy biscuits, then she sat down next to Yuri.

Their son’s aura is scrunched up in such a concentrated expression of discernment, she could feel Yuri trying not to chuckle and wondered what Yuli’s expression was.

She asked, “Have you figured it out, Yuli?”

“Does it have to do with why you have an extra aura?”

Fleur smiled as she nodded. She felt the realization and excitement waft off her youngest son in waves. He shouted an incoherent sound of joy and knocked his chair over backwards trying to get to Fluer to hug her, then Yuri, who was laughing, then Fleur again.

Kalen was next to hug them both, demanding, “Boy or girl? Single or twins?”

Fleur was laughing too hard to answer so Yuri answered for them. “Even we won’t know for a while, Huntsmen and Oracles don’t know everything.” As he squeezed her hand.

Kalen snorted derisively, “And when has that ever stopped either of you from doing anything?”

Yuri shrugged and kissed Fleur’s knuckles as he answered, “Never ever give up, my sons, never surrender. Hope endures as long as love lives.”

Both of the younger Aetherians nodded, then Yuli squinted his eyes at his mother. “But you knew Vela was having girls when you touched her belly.”

Fleur giggled, “Tattle Tale. You always tell my secrets, Yuli.”

“Moooommmm...” Both boys chorus and Yuri raised an eyebrow.

Sighing dramatically, Fleur put her hands on her abdomen. Her eyes glowed for a moment then she smiled. “It’s a...”

THE END