Walking and Sleeping

Moe laid out on one of the two large couches in the living room, dead asleep. Luka was curled up against her chest, sleeping just as peacefully an Daibheid was curled up into a small purring mass of black fur against the woman's stomach.

Luka had tired her out today. Begging for attention all day; keeping her on her toes and having her run around the entire house chasing him.

Learning to walk was something Moe had almost dreaded with Luka. And she was right to do so. Once he was on two feet he was in absolutely everything. She knew now how Aodh had felt when she had caused trouble for him in her youth.

She gave a quiet muffled moan as her arm pulled her pup closer slightly.

Lycus sighed to himself as he approached the cottage, surely this would've been Aleksandr's job, but the Lycan was no where to be found, too busy with his Wolves at such a grave time and now it was up to the Elf to deliver the bad news to the Lycans.

He exhaled a breath before straightening himself out and knocking on the door, this had been a difficult night of separating loved one and hiding all evidence of their relationships, reorganizing rooms and relocating everyone.

The Elf waited for a reply, running his hand through his hair, he knew this was going to be one of the hardest ones, there was no doubt about that.

The woman stirred when she heard the knocking on the door then gave a low groan.

She just wanted to sleep. She was absolutely knackered.

Moe sat up, hugging the still sleeping Luka to her chest. Luka slept like his father did; like a log. Very little could wake him up.

A hiss sounded from the cat as she pushed him off her lap and stood.

She cradled Luka as she padded through the living room to get to the front door. Her hair flowed out around her; a rare instance when she wore her hair down rather than in their usual pigtails.

The halfling manoeuvred Luka into one arm and opened the door with the other.

"Can I help you?" she asked politely. She hadn't met this man before.

"Good evening, you must be Moe, Aleksandr told me all about you."
He started as the small woman opened the door to him, he was dreading this, truly dreading it.

"I'm sorry to have bothered you at such an hour but I'm afraid time is not on our side at the moment.

My name is Lycus Akonito, I am the new Elf Elder of the coven and I have some rather urgent business that we have to attend to which involves your family.

May I please come in?"

This was no place to discuss such a subject, emotions were going to get high and he would rather keep them contained.

Her lips pursed slightly. Time is not on our side. A phrase that always meant bad news was coming.

"I would say its a pleasure Akoniki-sama, but I don't think I'll think it after you've delivered the news," she muttered softly. She hated meeting people through unpleasant circumstances.

She opened the door wider for him and gestured for him to move into the living room.

"Apologies for Daibheid, he's in a foul mood."

She was almost certain the cat would go for him. He went for anyone when he was in a foul mood. Anyone except the pups. He let the pups ply with him like he was a rag-toy.

She closed the door behind herself and padded into the living room behind the Elf, taking a seat in her usual armchair rather than the couch she had been sleeping on previously.

"Is your husband home?
What I have to say will effect the both of you, I was hoping Aleksandr would be here to tell you this but unfortunately he is on the mainland and wont be back until tomorrow and I wanted to give the two of you as much warning as possible."

He replied, pacing across the room before moving to sit on one of the arm chairs, chances were the Elf wouldn't be sleeping tonight, he had so much to get done in such a short amount of time, the same went for Giacinto and Belial, the Fallen had been surprisingly helpful, Gia must have noticed too.

Their mutual hatred for the Fae forced them to work together to achieve the same goal, the survival of this coven.

She gave a little nod and stood, settling the still sleeping pup on her armchair.

"Would you watch him for a moment, please?"

She flitted out of the room and down the hall into the bathroom. "Who's giving who a bath here?" the woman asked with a little quirk of her lips.

Zeke looked almost as soaked as Cinaed.

"Bath time's over, buddy." She strolled forwards and picked Cinaed up, wrapping a towel around him and nuzzling against him.

"We have company. Go put on a dry shirt and meet us in the den. It's an Elder." She gave her husband an almost worried look. Important news being relayed by an Elder generally meant bad news no one wanted to hear.

She padded back into the living room, drying off Cinaed gently, taking a moment to pick up a clean babygro to dress him in.

"He'll be with us in a minute, Akonito-sama."

She perched on the edge of the armchair, drying Cinaed gently.

Zeke chuckled as Cinaed splashed about in the bath water, the Lycan's hair was peppered with small bubbles and dripped over his face.

He looked up at his wife and grinned, the smile fading slightly at the news that there was an Elder here, that generally wasn't a good thing.

"Alright."

He muttered, giving her a kiss before padding into the bedroom and grabbing a clean shirt.

After a few minutes he made his way back into the living room, looking over at the Elven man seated there.

"Evening."

He muttered warily, he didn't quite like the look of this.

He nodded as the woman reentered the room, his gaze turning over to the other child, one looked just like her and when her husband walked in it was easy to see that one looked just like him.

"Good evening."

He replied, straightening himself out as he braced for the inevitable reaction for what he had to say.

"I'd hoped to meet the both of you on better terms but like I said, he haven't got time.

Giacinto received a letter earlier this evening, the Fae know about the coven and are sending two of their most ruthless council members to inspect it.

The Fae detest the thought of mixing species and that places you in direct danger.
If the Fae find you and your children you will not be spared, we can't evacuate every mixed breed but we are moving those at highest risk, that would be Cinaed and Luka."

What were Fae? And what did they have to do with the Leon family? She hated it when she didn't know important information.

Moe's brows furrowed and she pulled Cinaed closer protectively.

"What do you mean moving them?"

Her green eyes were narrowed slightly as she gazed at the Elf.

She didn't know how to take the information being given to her.

"Moving them out of the Coven, it isn't safe for them or you to stay here during the Fae inspection.

Giacinto, Belial and myself think it best that we move you and your children to my estate in Greece until the Fae leave and it is safe to return.

Please know that your family are not the only ones effected, any mixed breed relationship is being split up until they leave, anyone with a lover who is not of the same species are being told to separate until the inspection is over.

We are trying to save as many lives as possible."

He replied, looked at the woman with a sad expression, these were dark days and everyone would be effected, this wasn't going to be pleasant.

"We can't move everyone out, if the numbers of the Coven decrease too much they will know what we have done and will hunt down those that we have hid as well as killing us.

As such we have decided we can only move you Moe, your sons and Alexis."

Her expression slowly hardened.

They were going to take her away from her family? Just her and her children. No Zeke.

"I refuse," she stated simply.

She refused to leave any of her immediate family behind. She wasn't going to leave without Zeke.

She didn't care what would happen to her if she stayed. She'd protect her children and stay with her husband.

"Refusing is not an option, if you stay your children, yourself, your husband, family and Elders will all die.

We can't stop the Fae, they are too old, too power, Aleksandr, Giacinto, Theodore and myself would not be able to make a scratch on them.

We can not defend ourselves against them it is impossible and if you stay you will doom us all, you have to leave."

He replied, there was no possible way that there would be a better outcome, they would all be punished.

If she didn't go willingly then he would make Belial remove them by force, he wouldn't allow all those lives to be lost because she was stubborn.

"I won't leave without my husband."

She'd never go anywhere for an indeterminable amount of time with her children without Zeke.

"You can't force me to leave this coven without Zeke."

She was a stubborn woman and she wouldn't stop until she got her way.

The Elf shook his head, he couldn't allow that.

"I'm not trying to punish you, or deny you anything, but the facts remain that if we allow Zeke to leave then we have to many people leaving, Alexis will want her mate and her brother.

Others will demand to go, we just can't allow it, our restrictions are clear, mothers and children only.

Zeke will be safe, he is a fully turned Lycan, the Fae will pay him no attention as long as he keeps his head down."

He replied, if he could allow Zeke to go with her then he would, but it was too many people.

"How do you suppose I am to take care of my children without their father to help me? We barely survive day to day helping each other. Alone I stand no chance of taking care of them properly."

She wouldn't go without Zeke and that was something that Lycus would have to accept.

"I need Zeke with me. If he cannot come with me then I will not leave."

It was as simple as that.

"There are staff there who will be able to help you with the children, my estate has both Lycan and Elven maids who will be at your disposal while you are taking refuge there."

He replied, this woman wouldn't listen to reason, her stubborn nature was going to get her children killed.

"Moe we do not have time to argue, we need to get you out of here by tomorrow, I'm giving you tonight to gather everything you are going to need and to say your goodbyes.

Many have not been given the amount of time that you have, at least be grateful for that, please see sense, we need to get you out of here."

He replied, desperation slowly seeping into his voice.

The Lycan had been listening to this in total shock, someone was coming who even Aleksandr and Giacinto couldn't stop, that thought shook him.

If the two eldest people from the two strongest species couldn't stop them then what chance did they have at protecting anyone?

"Moe you're going."

He finally muttered, his voice trying to sound firm but coming out too weakly for it to have the desired effect.

"If Gia says you have to leave with the boys then you have to leave, she wouldn't do this to us for no good reason."

"The children need their father. No maid will ever be able to take his place. I won't let any maid take care of them in his place."

The children needed Zeke just like they needed her.

"I've spent most of my life without my father. I won't allow the pups to go through that. I won't let it get to the point where I have to explain to them why they can't see their father."

Her eyes narrowed into a fierce glare. "Tomorrow we'll be having the same argument because I'm not leaving without my husband."

Moe's sharp green eyes turned to Zeke. "Like fuck I am. I'm not leaving without you and that's all there is to it. If I leave, so does Zeke. If not, we both stay here." There were no ifs, ands or buts in her decision. Either they both left together with the pups or all four of them stayed in the cottage.

"If you stay you will never have to explain that to them because they will be dead, killed by your refusal to evacuate the coven for a few days.

If you stay Moe, you may as well kill those boys right now with your own two hands because let me tell you it will be a far more merciful fate than what Xtopherus and Feidlimid will do to them."

He replied, his own eyes narrowing, his sharp gaze piercing through her.

"Right now you a refusing direct orders from your Elders, you will leave tomorrow afternoon with your sons.

If you don't the deaths of Cinaed, Luka, Zeke, Aleksandr, Aodh, Giacinto and Coilean will all be on your head."

He replied as he stood up, the woman would leave, even if he had to drag her off kicking and screaming tomorrow, she could resent him as much as she wanted, he didn't care, at least they would be alive.

She set her pup down on the seat next to his brother. The two of them curled together.

Moe stood and sighed softly.

"I'm not giving you a choice to disobey my demands, Lycus. Either my husband comes with me or I will stay here. Quite honestly I'd rather die with my husband by my side at the hands of the Fae than spend lord only knows how long having to raise his children without him."

Her tongue laved over her lower lip.

"He comes with me!" she finally yelled.

There was no messing around any more. Zeke came with her or they all died.

"You'll kill us all because of your selfish demands, how Aleksandr calls you kin without being ashamed is beyond me."

He sneered, looking down at the woman disapprovingly, he had made this deal to save her and she couldn't show an ounce of gratitude.

"Fine, Zeke will come with you, now I will not hear another word from you, start packing your things, you leave in the morning!"

He replied as he made his way towards the door.

"With any luck, you wont have a coven to return home to anyway."

He added before leaving.

Moe lurched forwards to slap the man sharply when he muttered an insult to her grandfather.

Saying that was an insult to Aleksandr.

She didn't care how many insults were thrown at her, but no one insulted her family.

"Trust me, you'll be lucky to get a from me form now on," she muttered darkly as she watched him walk away.

She gave a soft sigh. "But thank you all the same." She was angry but she wasn't rude. He'd done what she had demanded, he deserved thanks for it.

Lycus' eyes narrowed as he was struck, he shouldn't have bothered warning them, or offering his home as refuge, if they were found there it would be his head on the chopping block, but he didn't retaliate, she could be damned for all he cared.

The Elf ignored her thanks, after the trouble she had caused he didn't want it, he would put this kindness down as being his duty as an Elder and not as a favor to Aleksandr's family.

As far as he was concern, his interactions with the Lycan were not related to his family, they were lovers but not in a relationship, they didn't need to ever find out about them and as such he would not expect any kindness from them.

"Good night."

He muttered sullenly as he shut the door and made his back to the mansion, god help anyone who crossed him now, he was not in the mood and had barely kept himself in check.

The woman sighed softly as the Elf left.

She got what she wanted but now she felt a little bad for making the Elf so angry. She'd have to go and apologise to him soon enough. He was her Elder and she had been rather rude to him.

Moe moved to hug her husband, nuzzling into his chest.

"We should get ourselves packed for tomorrow."