The Road to Joy
Original



Warning: Bloody themes

“You’re not supposed to die!”

“Death is but another journey, Yami.”

“It’s not! You’re…you’re suppose to live forever!”

The Queen of Aurora laughed, and it was like music. “Oh, Yami. Don’t tell me you still believe in such things?”

“You’re not supposed to die,” he muttered again, shaking his head. “You just can’t.”

“And what exempts me from death, my sweet?” She asked and her smile was patient, curious.

“…” Yami didn’t know what to say. He knew he was spewing sheer nonsense, but even still, he could hardly believe he was sitting at his mothers’ deathbed, literally waiting for her to slip away. It was the last thing he had expected.

“There, there, sweetheart.” Her frail hands trembled as they reached out to touch her youngest sons long flowing hair, “You’ve grown it out… I thought you didn’t like it long?” It was true; he hated his hair long. Why did he do it? He had no idea why. It just felt right. “It looks very pretty, though… You have hair just like my father…. “ She coughed weakly and her small and delicate body shuddered violently with each one.

Yami felt something twisting in his stomach and he reached back to his Healing Arts book. “…You have to let me try something.” He opened the old weathered tome and began to flip through it anxiously.

“No, no…” Shrains’ fingers, soft and gentle like always, reached out to brush away his hands from the fading pages. “It doesn’t matter, Yami… I am just so glad to see you.”

Guilty tears forced their way into his eyes. Yami had been exiled nearly two hundred years ago and not once had he come in contact with his mother. He had only exchanged brief and rather impersonal letters with his brother over the years. The most recent had spoken of her illness. Ankei had told his little brother it was time to say goodbye. Yami had never heard his brother sound so serious.

“Mother…I…” His head lowered and he shook his head lightly and an annoyingly long lock of hair brushed in his face. He shoved it away angrily, hating it. “I should have come back… I know Ankei said that Father forgave me… but…”

“You were angry. I know.” She smiled again, “I understand, darling… When you were away, Yami… were you happy? You use to always look so sad when you were in the castle…”

“I…” The prince trailed off. Images flashed before his eyes. Not all of them were unpleasant, but they weren’t all enjoyable. He looked away, keeping back a sigh. “I have been well, yes,” he said diplomatically.

“Well, is that all? What have you been doing all these years?”

“Too much, Mother…” He replied quietly, unable to look at her. How could he tell her he had taken up the life of a thief and rogue?

“You seem sad… Tell me, Yami…” She let out a slow breath, and her eyes seemed to grow a little dimmer. Yami quickly took his mothers hands reassuringly. “Did… did you think about me?”

“Of course, Mother…”

“I thought of you… every day…How much I missed…you…” There was a shudder in her breathing that was painful to hear, “H-How I wish I could say I was sorry….”

“You have nothing to be sorry for, Mother. You’re a wonderful, wonderful woman…” Yami could feel the strength fading from the Queens fingers. Her emerald eyes seemed to stare without seeing, her smile fading. “Mother?”

“I love you, Yami… I always have… I’m so…glad… I got to see you…. One….last…. time.”

“Mum?” Yami’s voice shook, “I….” Before he could even articulate all the sorrow he felt, all the guilt of not seeing his mother over all these years, her fingers went limp, her eyes dimmed and her breathing ceased. “Mum…?” He reached out, touching her cheek,
“Mother?”

The Queen of Aurora had finally succumbed to her illness. She seemed to have died rather peacefully, and the soft, pretty look on her face made it seem as only she had fallen asleep. Yami, however, knew this was not the truth. He had never known that his mother was so ill; sick sometimes, yes, but ill enough to die so young? The Prince of Aurora had no idea…. Yet maybe that had just been childhood ignorance.

Trembling, Yami squeezed his mothers’ hand that he held between his and rested his forehead against their interlaced fingers. He let out a shuddering sob.

Now what? Shrain had been the one person he could always count on. She had stood up against the King, begged him to love Yami as his son—look past those red eyes and accept him. The King had blatantly refused, but he had never once raised his voice to his wife. He would instead retreat from her and refuse to speak on the manner. Shrain had always been persistent… Yami figured she had been the one to talk the King out of exiling him. That was the only reason he was able to walk the castles of Aurora unmolested once more. His mother had fought for him…

…and how had he treated her? He had left her. To suffer… Suffer so much and for so long. She was a delicate and empathetic woman. Her loss of Yami due to exile and then Ankei’s own disowning of his tile of Crown Prince had been so painful for her. She had lost both of her children in a manner of days. Only one had returned—Ankei, of course, to return to his princely duties. Yami had only returned once being informed of her imminent doom… She had probably hung on long enough just to see him.

It was his fault she had died. Had he just returned when Ankei wrote that he was no longer exiled… had he just sent her one letter… Just one…. This could have all been avoided. Her worries for him and deteriorated her health so rapidly…

Yami stood slowly, but hardly realized he was doing it. Something inside of him was burning. Some awful feeling was tearing him asunder inside and he couldn’t quite understand what it was. He found it hard to think anything that made sense. He felt his body moving, but he couldn’t quite understand where he was going. Did he have a purpose? No, that seemed unlikely. Where was he going? He wasn’t sure. He just had to get out of here… The intensity… the sudden burning desire to…

“Yami!” It was Ankei, catching sight of his little brother walking stiffly down the hallway. The crown prince ran to catch up. “Yami, are you all right? How is Mother?” The crimson-eyed man turned slightly to stare into his brother’s cerulean gaze and the look behind those usually intelligent orbs was replaced by one of sheer loathing, insanity perhaps. Ankei came to a sudden halt, blinking. “Hey… Yami, are you all right?”

Something flickered behind the demon’s gaze and it seemed for a moment that he was going to start to cry, but the emotion quickly passed and the man turned away stalking down the hall again. Ankei hesitated, watching his little brother disappear around a corner. For some reason, Ankei knew that the person he had just encountered was not Yami Starboon. The thought was unsettling and he shuddered, helplessly staring down the empty corridor.

~*~

He had made it only two days away from the capital in his current state of mind before he exploded in a violent rage that even the most seasoned killer would have blanched at. He had tried to continue quietly, unnoticed through the tiny village. He had tried to avoid the villagers as best as possible, even going as far to pull his cowl up around his face and not meet the gaze of any of those he passed. All he wanted was to leave, to get away from everything.

But someone had spotted his crimson eyes—how? Yami wasn’t sure. He didn’t really care. The moment that bastard had started to scream heresies, something inside the Prince of Aurora snapped. His usually gentle hands had shot out like lightening, a flurry of heat radiating around them as he took hold of the villagers throat. Yami could feel the mans skin melting underneath his own hands, could see the man’s horrified expression, and could hear the screams all around him and yet he didn’t care. He just wanted them all to stop staring… If they wanted someone to fear, they were about to meet the most terrifying creature to ever cross their path.

At some point during his massacre he had stooped to pick up a sword from a fallen defender. He had never wielded a sword; healing and magic were more his forte. Yet, even so, something inside him seemed to understand exactly how to sweep the blade in a way that mortally wounded but did not kill. He left the dying and dead scattered about him like slaughtered cattle, some still moaned and wailed where they lay. Others succumbed to their wounds with a gurgle of blood that drowned them.

Yami did not discriminate between the men, women and children. They had never taken in consideration his eleven-year old self all those years ago. They had all equally hated that crimson-eyed demon child that had wandered into the marketplace one night… No, they did not deserve any respect. These people were far dirtier, misguided and ignorant to deserve consideration for their insignificant lives.

He entered each home, disinterested with the pleas for forgiveness, for mercy. What did he care? Even the women that sobbed over their trembling children did nothing to stop the blood-thirsty madness that had taken hold of him. He slaughtered them. One by one… He struck down the men that so bravely tried to deter him from their families. Silly, silly, ignorant bastards… Did they really think they stood a chance against a demon?

The blade he held in his hand dripped with crimson and his sword hand was drenched in blood all the way up to his elbow. He was uninjured—all the blood soaking his clothing was not his own. The demon allowed the sword to drop from his hand, clattering nosily on the slick, bloody floor. This family seemed to have been the last. Yami turned away, feeling a pulsating, intense feeling of satisfaction. They had all cried and begged for their pathetic lives… As if their pure-blood elf lives were somehow more important than his own half-breed self. The thought was positively hysterical.

He threw opened the door, smiling maddeningly. The sky was cloudy with doubt, holding back the shine of warm happiness from the hiding blue above. Was he going to be punished? Yami laughed out loud at the thought. By who? Those legendary goddesses these people so blindly followed? As if they existed.

Yami made his way across the town, admiring the bloody corpses that lay still where they had fallen. His crimson eyes raised suddenly.

There was but one man alive.

The elf seemed startled when he saw the demon that had quite obviously destroyed the villagers. Judging from his attire he was a simple monk. His lavender robes were light in color, falling about his body in a certain air of tranquility that Yami couldn’t quite understand the implications of it. His golden locks were long, silky looking to the touch as they flowed dramatically about his tall and elegant frame. Yami expected the self-righteous little monk to fall to his knees and begin to beg for his life. It was a good feeling.

The demon grinned wider, stalking towards the silly monk. The elf may be able to get away if he ran… Yami wasn’t much into chasing his prey and he would probably let the idiot go. He drew closer, but still the man did not move where he stood. Yami frowned slightly and something in the back of his mind flickered with guilt. Why wasn’t the bastard moving?

As Yami drew closer, he could see that the monk was smiling gently. His eyes matched the colors of his robes, and they too seemed so soft—so understanding. His arms rose out for him as if beckoning him into an embrace. Yami felt his eye twitch. What was he doing? Was he mocking him? What was this…? What was he doing?

Yami drew back his arm, ready to release some awful spell onto the peaceful monk, but when his eyes met those lavender orbs he faltered. There was no fear there. No hesitance—no judgment, just simple and pure love.

“You…” Yami grunted his hand dropping, but he still stalked forward. He reached the elf, grabbing hold of others robes, smearing the perfectly lavender cloth with his bloody sin. “…You…” He gasped again. There it was again... that guilt.

It suddenly hit the Prince of Aurora.

He had just slaughtered an entire village. The pulsating hatred disappeared and was replaced with sudden overwhelming horror. His legs gave out, his eyes wide, his mouth moving, trying to say something. Trying to justify his actions… Yet what could he say?

The monk slowly wrapped his arms around the demon, pulling him close and the two gently lowered to the ground, kneeling in a tight, silent, almost understanding embrace. The monk gently rocked the sobbing prince, stroking his long mane of black hair affectionately and said nothing.

It was after a long moment that the monk finally spoke, and his voice was choked with emotion, “You’re in so much pain, little one. I am so sorry.”

The words stung the prince. His heart hurt worse when he could feel the other man’s body shaking with sobs. Was he crying from him? Why? What was he doing? He had just killed all of these people… why was he crying for him?

Yami couldn’t find himself caring about his sin. This was the comfort he wanted. Someone to just hold him and be with him as if he were someone that mattered… almost as if this insignificant demon and his feelings counted… Almost as if these red eyes did not make him the man everyone claimed was…

And yet wasn’t he that man now—that demon that destroyed towns in cold-blooded murder? Yami began to sob harder at this thought. He didn’t want to be that man. He didn’t… Why had he done this? What had he been thinking? This wasn’t what he had wanted.

There was a hiccup of pain that went through his body and everything went black.

~*~

“Ah… you’re awake.”

Yami blinked several times, trying to focus his eyes. There was someone kneeling beside him. It took Yami a moment to realize it was that monk from before…

The prince jerked up, eyes wide. He had… killed all of those people.

“Hold on, easy there.” The monks gentle hands found the other mans shoulders and he kept the demon from springing to his feet. “Listen to me.” His voice was commanding, gentle, but commanding. Yami found himself obeying. It took Yami a moment to realize that they were inside a room. Where though, he wasn’t sure. Crimson and violet eyes locked together. “This was not you fault… “ The monk continued gently, “I understand your predicament. Please, listen.” The gentle hands fell away to rest on the Yami’s hands.

“…I don’t…” The demon hesitated, his eyes dropping to the monks tender, beautiful hands before hesitantly raising his eyes again.

“You are a man of mixed blood, are you not?” the elf asked. It was not an accusing tone, but it still made Yami flinch. The monks’ eyes softened and he smiled. “It’s… quite all right. I understand. This may be hard for you to accept, but I will tell you anyways… I have studied children of your case; and many end up the same way. They lose control of themselves unwillingly and create atrocities they would never commit in their normal state of mind…. I’ve come to realize this is the chemical imbalance that triggers in the brain during times of great emotional stress… What happened to you was not something you could control.”

“…I… I killed all of those people.” Yami bit his lip and looked away, chewing painfully on it. His eyes searched the wall before dropping again to the monks’ hands that rested so comfortingly on his. Yami couldn’t help but notice that he had been washed clean of the blood and dressed in simple white robes—far too big, and probably those of the holy man.

“Listen to me.” The monks’ fingertips found his face and raised the demon’s chin. Yami hesitantly met the others gaze again. “I have spent most of my life researching this. I have created a tea that is mixed with a remedy that will keep your chemicals balanced. If you drink it daily, you will never experience what you did that night again.”

“How would you know?”

“I’m an apothecary… and a doctor. It’s what I’ve spent my entire life studying. Please, trust me.” The man smiled and reached out to gently brush a lock of Yami’s hair away from his face. Yami blinked at him, startled. “My name is Kaelin… I am a monk from the monastery in Flanaria. It is my mission to help those like you.”

“…You follow the will of the goddesses?” Yami replied flatly, perhaps harshly. He looked away and Kaelin’s hand hesitantly dropped away from his face. The monk said nothing, just stared quietly at the other awaiting him to continue. “…I don’t believe in them.” Yami admitted stiffly.

“No… I wouldn’t be surprised.” Kaelin said, nodding. He folded his hands in his lap and looked away. His lavender gaze found the window and he stared thoughtfully out it, admiring the signs of life. “You have been hurt very much in this lifetime… I wouldn’t hold it against you to be so indifferent to the thought of a higher power.” His gaze returned. “Please, sir. May I know your name?”

Yami hesitated. If he gave his name, the monk would obviously recognize it. He decided he could trust the other man. “I am Prince Yami of Kingdom Aurora.”

Kaelin blinked once. “Oh…” His gaze dropped and then after a moment lifted. “The Queen…” the blond’ voice seemed to grow faint.

“Yes…” Yami trailed of as well.

The two sat in silence.

“It was the trigger, was it not?” Kaelin asked. His brow creased with worry, his eyes masked in sadness. “I am so sorry… she was a wonderful woman.”

“…It was my fault.” Yami stated matter-of-factly. He swallowed thickly and found even that in itself painful. “I…”

“Please, Prince Yami.” The monk reached out to place his hands tenderly on the others. “Even I was aware of her condition. I was called to see if there was anything to be done… There was not. Her Majesty had a pre-exiting condition, even before you or Prince Ankei were to be born.” Kaelin smiled somewhat, “As a carrier of the innate magic herself, her body was weakened by the mana that it could not absorb. She has been ill her entire life… Her untimely and tragic death was inevitable.”

“…What about Prince Ankei?” Yami questioned, startled. “My brother… if he…”

“Yes, I investigated his situation as well…” Kaelin smiled, “You needn’t worry. Due to a fantastic amount of good luck and the goddesses’ blessings he is not a carrier of demonic blood. His eyes are blue. Only a full pure-blood elf may have blue eyes. It is a trait unique to them only.” The monk hesitated, noticing the others far-away gaze and figured the other was wondering what sort of happiness he would have endured if he were born with blue-eyes. “…There is one other thing.” The monk stood and his robes fell about his body in a powerfully enchanting way. Yami couldn’t keep his eyes off the others graceful movements as the blond made his way across the room.

It was the first time that Yami realized that they had not been alone. There was a crib in the side of the room, a make-shift one, but a crib nonetheless. He could see a shock of red-hair and a tiny baby began to squirm, alerted suddenly to the presence of the monk. Yami jolted upward and out of the bed, nearly stumbling over to the crib… Was this child from…?

“There was but one survivor…” Kaelin stated quietly, confirming what the crimson-eyed man so desperately hoped. “Go on.” He continued softly, smiling encouragingly at the smaller man.

Yami realized that the monk was extremely tall as he was graceful. The blonds’ six-foot-one frame towered over Yami’s tiny five-foot stature. However, Yami didn’t felt overwhelmed or daunted by the others height advantage… In fact, it was somewhat comforting… Even so, Yami hesitated, his crimson eyes frozen on the little baby girl fidgeting in her crib. Her face was scrunched up and she kept making small distressed noises. Her little hands clenched and unclenched as she wiggled under the blankets, blinking and cooing up at them.

Kaelin very gently rested his hand on the demons’ shoulder, but even so the prince still started with surprise. Yami’s frightened gaze searched the monks’ calm, beautiful lavender eyes. “Go on… Hold her.” Kaelin said again.

Yami glanced down at his hands that clutched the cribs railing tightly.

Why should he deserve to hold this beautiful girl when he, with these very hands, mercilessly killed her loving mother and father?

Yami’s finger twitched involuntarily and it was for the first time that Yami noticed that his thin frail hands were flecked with cuts from his massacre on the quiet little village…

…They had been so unsuspecting… All of them… Yami began to fold onto himself, giving into the unpleasant thoughts of those terrified screams… How many husbands had died protecting their families? How many mothers had been torn to pieces as they shielded their children? Those children, who despite their parents selfless sacrifices, had still been murdered mercilessly?

“Yami…?” Kaelin asked after a moment, staring quietly at the withering demon.

“I can’t.” Yami whispered painfully. Kaelin tilted his head curiously at him. Yami couldn’t look at the pretty blond; he only shuddered, his head dropping down further with shame. “I killed her parents. I have no right to touch her.”

“…” Kaelin sighed softly. The little girl began to whine impatiently, so the monk offered his hand to the girl. The little elf clasped onto the monks slender fingers and giggled, happily blinking her wide pretty hazel eyes up at him. Kaelin smiled back, chortling softly. “Prince Yami, you may have killed this child’s parents, but you did so against your own will. Knowing this and knowing you that can provide her with love and affection that she deserves, will you just walk away?”

Yami was silent, but he raised his head up after a moment, gazing down at the girl who was happily munching on Kaelin’s thumb (he was doing well to not wince).

“These hands…” Yami said softly, suddenly. He raised them up, staring down at them. “With these hands I ended all those lives. I destroyed so many futures, buried so many pasts… so much history, so much life… I destroyed it… with these very hands…”

Kaelin reached in with his other hand to stroke the girls’ soft red hair, but he did not say anything.

“I…” Yami hesitated. From the little time he had spent with the monk, he had been particularly talkative… His silence was unnerving. “I…” Yami continued, still hesitant. “I don’t deserve to live.”

Kaelin finally looked at him, and Yami felt guilty. He couldn’t hold the other mans kind gaze, so he looked away, staring miserably at the far-away wall.

“Maybe not…” Kaelin answered quietly and Yami side-glanced at him. The monks gaze was even and strong, not even so much as holding any sort of sign of pity. “Excuse me for speaking to freely, my Lord.” Kaelin hesitated momentarily, as if judging his place, but he continued on strongly, “If you choose to not atone for the crimes you have committed, and instead wish to indulge yourself in self-pity and suicidal thoughts, then yes, maybe you should just die.”

Yami stared at his feet and didn’t reply. Was this follower of peace and love agreeing that he should kill himself?

“Prince Yami, please. I did not save you because it is my duty to do so. I saved you because you looked like you wanted to be saved. Your eyes begged for forgiveness. They pleaded for mercy.”

“…” Yami swallowed thickly. Had that been why the man hadn’t turned away and fled? Had he sensed the sane part of him that desperately wanted to stop the killing? How though? How had this peaceful monk seen past that blood-drenched murder and seen the quietly suffering gentle-soul beneath?

The little girl let out a particularly loud giggle, and Yami glanced at her. She was gnawing powerfully on the monks’ fingers. Kaelin was wincing noticeably now, though he was chuckling softly.

“Doctor…I…” Yami remembered the other man saying he was a doctor and felt the need to address him as such.

“Please, just call me Kaelin.” The blond said, smiling at the other.

“Kaelin… will you please help me?”

“Help?” Kaelin blinked curiously at him.

“Help me… Help me fix all this.” The prince looked away, swallowing thickly. He knew he couldn’t recover on his own… No, if left alone he would probably off himself. “Please, help me become a better person… I want to be able to help people…”

Kaelin started to say something but the girl had chomped down on his finger and he let out a startled and pained cry.

“D-Dearest, stop that!” The monk said to the still nameless girl, trying to pull his hand back. She giggled and let go, blinking innocently at him. Kaelin sighed and stared at his bleeding finger. “…She has some life in her yet.” The blond said jokingly, wincing.

Unthinking, Yami reached out to take the others injured hand in both his and brought the wounded finger to his lips, kissing it. Kaelin looked startled, but he didn’t pull away and instead stared, blushing slightly. When Yami pulled the monks hand away from his lips, it was healed. Kaelin gazed in open awe for a long, quiet moment.

“You’re a Healer?” The elf asked finally, overcoming his initial shock.

“…You could say that.” Yami replied softly.

“You have an amazing gift, Prince Yami.”

“Please… just Yami.” His eyes lowered and he realized he hadn’t let go of the others hand. Yami found himself not wanting to release the soft, warm fingers from his own but reluctantly he let his hands fall away.

“Well, Yami...” Kaelin began, his eyes searching, “You have such an amazing gift of healing… This in itself is something you can use to help others.”

“… I would, but…” The prince hesitated.

“But?” Kaelin pressed gently, curiously.

“I’m… My… I…” Yami struggled. Wasn’t it obvious? “Everyone sees these crimson eyes, and they run away terrified!” he cried, exasperated.

Kaelin was silent as he searched the other mans helpless face. “I didn’t,” he reminded bluntly.

“…No, you didn’t.” Yami agreed. “And I could have very easily killed you,” he finished flatly, scowling slightly.

“Are you chastising me?” The monk asked, laughing. Yami looked a little flustered. “To be honest, I thought you were going to…” Kaelin said after his laughter died away. He brushed the bangs from his eyes. “Yet… I felt like you wanted me to help you… I feel like there’s something…” He hesitated, biting his lip and for once he looked at a loss of words. He let out a soft sigh, “…I feel like we’re connected…” His gaze returned shyly to the other and the monk was a little surprised to see how intensely Yami was staring at him.

“What do you mean?” Yami whispered. Was the monk feeling the same thing he was? This strangely comforting, warm feeling… A feeling that was new and unique to this other mans presence. Yami had never felt anything so positively soothing before.

Kaelin laughed nervously, covering his eyes with one hand and shaking his head. “I don’t know what I mean. Perhaps one day we’ll understand.”

Yami nodded, he couldn’t even think of words to express how he felt, so he couldn’t be angry that the other couldn’t articulate himself either. The prince fleetingly recalled reading something about an invisible string linking soulmates, and immense peace once finding one another. However, his mind didn’t allow himself to think much further on the thought when he suddenly recalled their ‘meeting’.

“You cried.” Yami said suddenly, remembering. “Why?”

Kaelin looked at him a little surprised and his lips pursed together thoughtfully. After a moment he sighed, “Because, you were in so much pain… No one deserves to be in that much pain in one life time.” The monks gaze returned to the little girl and he smiled at her; she giggled back.

“…You’re a very selfless person, you know.” Yami replied.

“Maybe so. I just want to help people.” Kaelin looked sorrowfully at the demon and Yami stared back, a little uneasy at his intense gaze. “I want to help you.” The blond said after a moment.

“…Yeah?”

The little girl was fidgeting again, and reaching out towards Yami as if begging him to pick her up.

“…This can be your first step to helping yourself.” Kaelin continued softly. “You must forgive yourself before you can begin to truly help people.”

After several minute, Yami finally reached down into the crib and pulled the infant out of it. He held the girl in his arms and giggling she began to run her fingers, mesmerized through his hair.

“She needs a name.” Yami said, staring fondly down into her pretty, pale face. The demon looked at the monk, who was smiling at them. Yami flushed a little, and cleared his throat. “You should name her.”

“Hmm?” Kaelin mused, blinking and seemingly coming out of his own little world. “Me? Oh… Are you sure?”

“Yes, I’m not any good at naming things. They tend to die.”

Kaelin couldn’t tell if he was joking or not. “…I take it you never had any pets...?” he questioned apprehensively.

“…No, they kept mysteriously dying.” The demonic prince replied, shrugging.

“…For the sake of not following some kind of strange black mark put on you, I will name her.” Kaelin said, a little wide-eyed. He looked to the girl. “…How about…” He leaned forward, and smiling brightly, tapped the baby on the nose. “Flouresce?” The girl responded with a gleeful giggle. “Yes?”

Yami laughed softly, “Yes, that’s fitting.”

Flouresce, having become distracted once more by the princes’ black hair, took a fist full of it and stuffed it into her mouth, munching happily at it.

Yami frowned at her, but didn’t have the heart to refuse the child her new teething toy.

Kaelin laughed, hiding behind hands to try and not disturb the red-eyed prince who was staring so positively affectionately at the baby.

Kaelin had the feeling the demon would recover very nicely.

[Ramirez]



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