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Lost and now Found(Lounger/Moon)

he smiled a little. "true." he agreed, shaking his head. "that's alright though." he admitted with a smile. "i'm sure i'll do something spectacularly 'uncool' and that will be the end of it." if only. "well, maybe sanest people in town." he decided with a smile. he enjoyed the time he had with them immensely. he smiled as he showed them out and thanked them for visiting and when they left he felt pleased, and not just because he had gotten closer to Samantha and her family, but because he had actually enjoyed his time. "Well Dragomir, what do you think?" "...i think she's too trusting." was the response and Daneas smiled. "she is only human Dragomir. besides, we are her Guardians. she doesn't have to be suspicious when we are for her." "very true." the Cat responded, licking it's paw. "when will you tell her?" "soon." Daneas admitted. "a month from now, i will tell them the truth."

and a month later, he had invited them over again, looking slightly troubled. he had invited them over often, loving their company and feeling so much less lonely with them there. no matter that he had Dragomir, he missed actually interacting with people, and he missed serving the Queen and the princesses. it was in his blood to serve and protect the nobility, he was born Marquis and soon Marquis he would be again. "hey! come on in!" he chirped, looking rather nervous. it wasn't everyday you told someone they where long lost nobility after all. "...please, sit... there are... things i need to tell you." he admitted after a long moment. "you see, i have not been entirely truthful with you, i had to be one hundred percent certain you see and..." he chewed on his lip a little. "the things i am about to tell you, you will not be inclined to believe." he admitted. "you will think me a liar, delusional, trying to seek for attention or playing a prank. i know this. i also know that i have proof of my claims, and the first starts here." he admitted as he opened his shirt and let them see his Tattoo. "you recognize this mark." he was not talking to Sam, but to her mothers. they would no doubt recognize the symbol from the blanket they had found their precious daughter wrapped in as well as stitched into the clothing she had been wearing.
 
The following month seemed to just fly past, Samantha couldn't remember ever having so much fun before. Spending time with Daneas at school, where people gradually seemed to be getting the message and finally beginning to back off a little, though it was clear he was still thought of as the most cool and popular guy in school, with boys and girls alike jealous of how Samantha seemed to have become his friend so easily. Still, Samantha never seemed to take advantage or take it for granted, she genuinely enjoyed spending her time with Daneas, he was a good friend, her best friend already. Even Alison and Katherine seemed to be getting along with him well, though Katherine would still shoot him suspicious glances now and again, just as most parents of a teenage girl would.

When Daneas invited them over, none of them expected it to be any different from their usual visits. A night of food, movies and games, everyone having fun. But on arrival he seemed rather nervous about something. Katherine immediately seemed to be suspecting the worst, glancing at Samantha, but on seeing her daughter looking just as confused and worried she realised that this wasn't anything she knew about either. The three headed inside, all looking slightly concerned at Daneas sudden change in personality, taking their usual seats.
"Not entirely truthful?" Samantha blinked, still looking confused. "One hundred percent certain? Certain of what?" She blinked again, seemingly getting more confused the more he said, especially when he started speaking about a prank or not believing him.
When Daneas removed his shirt, Samantha blushed slightly, Alison glancing away, though Katherine seemed rather unphased, as a doctor she had seen it all before after all, though when she saw the tattoo she couldn't help leaning forward, Alison gasping as she glanced back up. "Yes....I recognise that..." Katherine slowly started to stand up, glancing at Samantha, then back to Daneas. "Where did you get that mark...? How could you have that? That's the same one that was on the blanket....is on the blanket..." Katherine and Alison had always kept that blanket, they could never get rid of something so precious.
 
he smiled at them, looking more than a little anxious as he offered them drinks. out of paper cups instead of the usual glass or wooden ones he served. as if he was a bit afraid they might be turned into weapons to be used against him. "i'll explain everything all at once." he assured them when they offered questions. "yes." Daneas admitted. "This mark, is the Symbol of the highest Royalty." he explained, stroking the tattoo. "this Mark indicates that i serve Her majesty the Queen." he explained. "and only her Majesty the Queen, though i often spread my services to the Queen's husband and immediate children." he admitted. "my official title is Marquis, i am a Bodyguard, a butler, everything and anything the Queen might have need of me. i was born into this role and have served my Queen for a very long time, faithfully and happily." here he hesitated. "here is where you start thinking i am a crackpot, but i beg you to please not interrupt, and remember that i can in fact prove it all as truth." he promised. "you see, i was born to a Gypsy Clan in the land that is now known as Romania... around three thousand years ago." he admitted. "i was adopted into the Lands by the Queen herself, and given the roll of Marquise by her will." he explained. "in Three thousand years my people... Samantha's people knew peace, prosperity an joy, until an uprising began around twenty years ago, led by a greedy cousin, or niece, i am unsure of the familial relations. Samantha's Blood Mother did everything she could to keep the fighting and bloodshed to a minimum, but by the time she fell pregnant, there was no stopping it." he admitted, his voice low now, filled with misery.

"The woman, the one who started the uprising was a master of twisting words. she made people think they deserved power, deserved to have more than they had. our kingdom had been beautiful, there was no hunger, there was no one without a roof. we all took care of each other. and in a matter of three years it was burned, torn apart and shredded. My Lady, the Queen. Samantha's Blood Mother was Luraria. it means 'she who dances with the moon'. she sent me to the doors, i had to keep them out for only a little while longer until the reinforcements from the other realms came, but it was too late. i was run through..." he opened his shirt again, letting them see the scar that ran across his belly. "when i woke, it was all over. the rebels where dead. the guards where dead. Luraria was dead, and no one knew what had happened to the Princess." he indicated Samantha. "i knew right away what happened when we did not find the babies body. Luraria was a Mistress of Magic. she studied long and hard and perfected the arcane." he admitted. "she used an ancient spell, one i wasn't entirely sure of until recently. she cast her very life into the spell to protect her daughter. Magic chose you two to be Samantha's parents because it deemed you the most worthy, the most loving, the most caring, and the most open minded. Luraria herself chose you through the magic she had poured everything she had into. i've spent the last sixteen years, searching every human land i could to find her." he admitted, looking at her. "i found her because she unleashed a pulse of magic during an emotional outburst of some form. i was able to track it to this location. this town but i wasn't sure it was Samantha until the first time i invited you all over to my home."

he paused and took a long drink before he continued. "Your daughter is the only living heir of the Throne, the Fayne have all been dying without a worthy Queen." he admitted. "we can hold out for another five thousand years or so, but the land cannot heal without the love of a Queen." he admitted, studying them. "i am not a human, i was once but am no longer. you're daughter is not human either. the magic that protected her and sent her to you, also hid her from sight, making her look, smell, sound, and be just like the humans around her. inside though, i think you never really felt like you belonged. like there was something that was wrong. you're soul yearns for the Motherlands." he admitted, watching her intently. "this doesn't have to change who you are, or what you want." he admitted. "you are the Queen after all. if you wish to remain with the humans for the rest of your life, then we will abide by your wishes." he promised her. "and you're Mothers would certainly be welcome into the Kingdom. parents are very, very important in our land. our culture actually has names specifically for parents who raise those not of their blood. adoptive parents are held in very high esteem." he admitted. "and parents such as yours would be highly adored." he admitted, wondering how they where taking this. probobly not well.
 
"Royalty?" All three women seemed to blurt it out at the same time, glancing at each other then back to Daneas. That mark was some kind of sign of royalty? If that was the case then what in the world had it been doing on the blanket that Samantha had been found in. And then his tattoo, it meant he served some kind of Queen? The way he was talking, about having served the queen for a long time, he was acting like he was somewhat older than just 17 years, but how was that possible? Even if he looked younger than he was, he couldn't have been older than his mid-20's, hardly enough to qualify as 'a very long time'.
"Three thousand years?!" Samantha blinked, her mouth hanging open slightly as she stared at him. Daneas was trying to claim he was three thousand years old? Katherine looked much more sceptical, disbelieving even, a slight scowl on her face as if she thought she was being messed with. Alison placed her hands on the other two's shoulders, trying to keep them quiet and settled whilst Daneas had spoken. He had warned them they might not believe him after all, but the least they could do was hear him out and wait until he was finished before bombarding him with questions and, rather likely in Katherine's case, accusations.

When he started to talk of magic, Katherine seemed to scowl even further. She was a Doctor, a scientist, she believed in what she saw not tales of magic. As far as she was concerned 'magic' was nothing more than illusion and trickery. Still, that was a nasty scar, and it would be consistent with his explanation of being 'run-through', it had clearly been a long and sharp blade to cause something like that. It was rather remarkable he had even recovered from an injury that could leave a scar quite like that, most people would have either simply bled to death or suffered some kind of long term problem from their injuries, yet Daneas seemed perfectly healthy, probably the healthiest student in town from a casual glance.
A pulse of magic? During an emotional outburst? Alison glanced over at Samantha, who was too engrossed with Daneas explanation to notice. That sounded familiar. Not long before Daneas had arrived in town Samantha and Katherine had gotten into an argument. It had been over something silly, Alison forgot the details now, but they had shouted at each other as parent and child tend to do...everyone had been very emotional that night. Could that have been when it happened? As Alison recalled, at around the same time there had been a blackout in the house for a few moments, that was actually what had ended the argument and got everyone back on speaking terms, the whole thing simply forgotten about the following day.

When he was finally finished explaining, Samantha sat back and seemed to stare at the floor for a few moments whilst her brain processed the information. Should she believe him? Could she believe him? "I'm....a Princess? A Queen? I'm not human...?" She raised her hands, looking at them, turning them over several times. She looked human. She felt human, didn't she? Then again how could she know? She didn't exactly have anything to compare it to. Maybe every other human felt completely different to themselves than the way she did with herself. Before she could even ask any further questions though, Katherine had stood up, rather protectively moving between Samantha and Daneas.
"You can't possibly expect us to believe a story like that can you? Who in their right mind would believe something so...so...ridiculous. I've never even heard of a 'Fayne', just what is that supposed to be anyway?" This was normally where Alison would step in and tell Katherine to calm down, but this time she didn't, instead kneeling by Samantha. It seemed even Alison was having a hard time accepting something like this. "You said you can prove it though? Well, you've been a good friend to Samantha, so before I take my family out of here, I'm going to give you that chance to prove it, to prove everything you've said is true" At least Katherine was open minded enough to give him the chance, many people, especially Doctors, would likely have accused Daneas of being high on some kind of hallucinatory drug and gotten away from him as fast as possible. But deep down, not only Katherine but Samantha and Alison too, they felt they should at least give him a chance.
 
Daneas knew he was losing them, well, loosing the parents anyway. but he could prove it, and he would. "yes... somewhere around there. you start to loose count after five hundred or so." he admitted, shrugging a shoulder. "Time runs differently where i'm from too so i might be older or younger. i just did the math from the year that i was born." he admitted. he continued with the story and did his best to ignore Katherine's scowl. he knew she would have the hardest time accepting this. "Yes, you are a Queen." he admitted with a smile. "and no, you're not human, but that doesn't really mean anything. in the end, it's still your choices, i won't force you into anything, i can't." he admitted. "Fayne is a general term. anyone who lives within the Motherland is a Fayne. just as everyone who lives in America is an American." he admitted. "...i think that's how it works..." he shook his head. "in any case, the Fayne have always been, your world is rife with stories of them. werewolves, unicorns, dragons, Vampires, pixies, Grim, all of them are Fayne who used to come to the human realms in search of..." here he paused. "well that varies really. some wanted money, others lovers, some wanted to kidnap human offspring and give them 'more fitting homes'. it wasn't until the Human's started to slaughter us in their fear of the... devil? that we retreated into our realm and did not return." he admitted as he hesitated and stood, shedding his shirt. "yes. i can prove it... but please... just don't scream. my ears are very sensitive." he pleaded as he stripped off his shirt and folded it, turning to bare his back tot hem, showing the other side of the scar, proving he had indeed been run through.

and then Daneas's shoulders... dropped. not unlike someone in the circus might do for a contortion act. two openings slipped open and there was a sudden burst of feathers and two wings spread wide. they where so big, they barely fit in the room. they where the same color as his hair, a rich blue black, and the bottom edge of the feathers where as golden as his eyes. he turned and faced them, letting them see how his eyes had gone long and pointed and then he indicated Katherine to come up. "you're a doctor. come and touch, see that they are real." he offered, spreading the wings wide and letting Katherine touch all she wanted. "if that's not proof enough, Dragomir should be." he admitted, watching as the Cat strode in and seamed to morph, growing larger as he did so until there was a... well it looked more like a woman standing there. she bowed to Samantha and then spoke, only her voice was rich, deep, male. "Your Majesty, i am Dragomir, it is an honor to serve you." Dragomir stated, offering her a smile. "i know this must be a shock to you." Dragomir admitted. "please take all the time you need to calm down. is there anything i can get for you all? Tea? Coffee? Ice-Cream?" the androgynous being asked, his head tilted as Daneas allowed Katherine and Alison to touch, warning them not to pull any feathers because it hurt, a lot, and he'd bleed all over. he half suspected they'd yank just to see if he would bleed.
 
She wasn't human. Samantha was having a hard time coming to grips with that concept. Even she was starting to become as doubtful as Katherine over this whole thing now. A Queen and not human? How could that even be possible? Queen of the Fayne? How could she be Queen of something when she didn't even know what they were? Werewolves? Unicorns? Dragons? Vampires? Things like that didn't really exist, yet she was supposed to be their Queen? "I don't understand, I don't understand how this is possible" Samantha shook her head, taking a few deep breaths to try and calm herself. Was Daneas really crazy? Had he just been some nutjob all this time? But he had been such a good friend too. Maybe they could help him? Maybe Katherine could get him some kind of psychiatric help? But he could prove it? How could he possibly prove something like that? Surely there was no way to prove such a thing, was there?

All three women looked up as Daneas removed his shirt, Katherine paying particular attention to the scars on his back. So the wound really did go all the way through? But how was that possible? A wound like that would be fatal almost instantly. No human could survive that, their organs and spine would've been pierced straight through. But then they all saw as his skin seemed to open, then suddenly a burst of feathers, all three of them squeaking and jumping backover, backing away quickly. "That's..." "This is..." "How can..." It seemed all of them were lost for words, just staring in disbelief.
It took a few moments before Katherine could stand up, taking the lead in moving a little closer, then reaching out to carefully touch one of the feathers. They were real, they were actually real. And if this was real then could he be telling the truth after all? Before they could ask further questions, Dragomir walked in, Samantha turning to look over as the cat started to morph and change, her eyes growing wider by the second, until there was a....woman? standing there. "Uhhh....h-hello Dragomir..." Was Dragomir male or female? Samantha honestly couldn't tell. The body seemed feminine, yet the voice was so deep that it couldn't be anything but male. But to simply ask outright seemed rather rude, even if she was Dragomir and Daneas' Queen. "This is all real, isn't it?" Samantha looked between Dragomir and Daneas. "I really am some kind of Queen aren't I? I'm really not human, am I?" Samantha looked at herself slowly, turning her hands over slowly. "So just what am I then? What was my mother? And what about my father? You never mentioned who he was. Is he dead too...? Do you even know who he is, or was?"
 
Daneas didn't have to be a genius to realize he was loosing them all. it was a bit hard to beleive, he knew. Humans had not believed in the Fayne for many a century after all. they where just silly story tails. most of them wrong for that matter. "it is hard to believe, i know." he admitted. "the Fayne, your people, have long been separated from the human realms. they kept killing us in the name of some silly god." he admitted. "in this part of the world anyway. some of the other human cultures still mingle with our people from time to time." he admitted as he undid his shirt and let them see. he nearly laughed at their reactions though. it was funny, really. as Katherine touched him, tiny muscles twitched and flexed under her fingers, something that even the best makeup artist couldn't replicate. hell, the most advanced robotics probobly couldn't duplicate that! he smiled as she greeted Dragomir. "Yes Your majesty. it is all real." Dragomir admitted. "if you would allow, i would be best to explain the more intricate parts. Daneas is a very bright boy, but he does not understand magic as i do." he admitted. "as for your parentage, Daneas knew the previous King and Queen, your parents, the best." he admitted.

"I served them, and i served with them." Daneas admitted with a smile. "your Mother, was a Valkyrie. they are perfect for ruling kingdoms because they value fairness and equality above all things. they are protectors, especially of children and the helpless." he admitted. "she was a brilliant woman as well. by the time she was two she was reading full sentenced books, and speaking in them too." he admitted with a smile. "she was a scholor, a fair and just ruler, and a mistress of magic. her name was Lilytana. your father was an Elder Dragon, one of the very last. it was actually her mating bonds with him that caused the first stirs. you see, some of the morally loose believed that they where better than everyone else, because they where not bred with other species. 'pureblooded' they would call themselves. 'untainted'. they didn't like that the next Queen, you, would be 'cross breed filth'. they where wrong to think that way of course, and they suffered for their arrogance when they killed your father in one of the first skirmishes. he killed all fifty warriors who was sent after him, and died five hours later from the wounds." he admitted, sounding awed, amazed and sad. "i had helped raise your mother." he admitted. "i would have helped raise you if things had not ended so badly." he admitted, shaking his head. "your father, Drakonos. King of Dragons, was one of the most powerful warriors i have ever known. he taught me everything i ever knew, and it was he who took me from the human realms and offered me a place in his home." he admitted. "that was about.. four, or maybe five? thousand years or so ago." he admitted. "he was the Marquis before me, and when he retired i was chosen for the position by the Higher Magics." he admitted, Dragomir sighing.

"Daneas she doesn't understand a word your saying." the shapeshifter stated, Daneas blinking. "for one thing, she doesn't know what a Valkyrie or an Elder Dragon even is. she probobly has some silly images in her head. for another thing, she has no knowladge of magic so trying to explain how you where chosen, or even what a new birthing is, is going to be completely beyond her right now." "...right." Daneas agreed, smiling sheepishly. "sorry." "in any case, your Majesty, you are, as explained earlier, a 'cross-breed'. though i don't particularly like the term." he admitted. "you are half Valkyrie, and half Elder Dragon. both are exceptionally powerful species, and you will have twice the power for it. in all honesty, the 'pure blooded' are of the weaker people, because they interbreed." he admitted. "new blood is strong blood. and with the blood in your veins, you will be an exceptionally powerful Queen."
 
A Valkyrie? An Elder Dragon? Dragomir was right, Samantha really wasn't sure just what they were talking about. When someone said 'Valkyrie' she had images of 10 feet tall muscular angel women wielding swords and axes, wearing skimpy armour that covered far too little to offer any real protection. When someone said 'Elder Dragon' her mind was filled with images of some 100 foot long giant red Dragon that was more interested in breathing fire and eating anyone and everyone in sight than it would be having a relationship and settling down with a family. "I....no, I'd be lying if I said I understood most of what you're saying. You might be telling the truth but I still have no idea what you're talking about exactly" She sighed, her parents looking just as confused as she was, if not moreso. "About the only thing I really understand is that my birth mother and father are dead, killed by a rebellion driven pretty much by short sighted racism, is that about the basic swing of things?" It seemed some things didn't change no matter where you went. There was always someone who thought they were better than everyone else for the stupidest of reasons. Why the hell did it matter who your parents were or where your blood came from? And to go so far, it just made no sense to her.

"So....what now?" It was Katherine that spoke up this time, moving forward to gently grasp Samantha's shoulders from behind, holding her daughter against her protectively. "You may have said that it's up to Samantha what she does, but clearly you both want her to come back and be this Queen of yours. But this war, you said it was still going on, that at the moment you could simply 'hold out' rather than win. That implies you need Samantha to win it somehow. Do you expect her to fight?" She frowned, tugging Samantha a little more against her. "Or just as some kind of symbol for people to rally around? Before this goes any further I want to know honestly and exactly what you two want and what you're hoping for"
 
Dragomir smiled a little. the smile was strained and sad as he nodded. "yes. that is about the 'swing of things'. it was a stupid reason for people to die, but the 'purebloods' thought they where right and everyone else thought they where wrong, thus. war. all sentient creatures have such problems." he admitted, shaking his head before he blinked at Katherine. "that's my answer." Daneas admitted. "and it's a bit hard to explain..." he admitted, frowning as he tried to explain it in a way the humans would understand. "alright, the thing is. the war is over, well and truly done, sure there are still a few groups spatting and spitting, but it's mostly about who gets to be in control since there's no Queen." Daneas admitted. "you see, our people are Matriarchal. only a woman can rule us. more importantly, it has to be a specific woman of a specific bloodline, because they have certain abilities and powers no one else does." he admitted.

"it's like a Lamp." Dragomir stated suddenly. "Th people are like the light bulb. they shine, and share their magic. they use the magic and because of that, the land flourishes, grows and thrives. the Lamp parts are the earth, without it the people would not exist. they must be one with each other in order to survive, grow, give life, give birth, and so on. but without the plug, without the electricity, the two cannot connect. Samantha is like the conduit. she has to be the bridge, the source of power. without her, the people cannot access Magic. without Magic, the earth cannot tap into them and continue it's own growth." he sighed. "because there is no way to connect the People to Magic, and no way for the earth to connect to the people. there has been no new life. no budding trees, no new fruit, no babies." Dagomir admitted.

"there would be no fighting for Samantha." Daneas assured her. "that is my task, it is my forever sworn Duty to always and forever protect the Queen and the Royal Family. where anyone foolish enough to attack her, they would be met with my talons." he admitted. "no matter where Samantha goes, i will follow. i will protect her with my life." he admitted. "now that Samantha has been found. there is hope for our world. even if she never sets foot in Her REalms, one of her children might." he admitted. "one of her grandchildren, or great grandchildren. it doesn't even have to be the firstborn. whoever wishes the Role first, will have it." Dragomir admitted. "as we said, the land can still survive for some time yet. the choice truly is up to Samantha. however, by the time she reaches her own full magical maturity, the spells that made her appear fully human will break under the force of her own magic. she can easily regain human form afterwords, but she will live for a very long time." Dragomir admitted. "hundreds, maybe even thousands of years. and she will need to be taught how to control her magic, and any limbs she might grow."
 
"If it's all about control, then doesn't that mean if Samantha did go back and become your queen there'll be people looking to take her place? Hurt her? Kill her? Control her? People like that won't just stop because someone else has come along. Even if they couldn't actually become the ruler themselves, people like that would be happy working in the shadows and manipulating Samantha I'm sure. It certainly sounds like your people are very much like humans when it comes to thinking things like that" Katherine still clearly wasn't too happy about all of this, at the prospect of her daughter being put in a dangerous situation. Then again the mere fact she was discussing it at least indicated she hadn't simply shot down the idea and outright put a stop to it. Alison on the other hand seemed to be a little more undecided. She wasn't as outspoken as Katherine clearly, though was just as concerned for Samantha, but if nothing else she seemed to be a little more open to the idea.

Samantha herself, well she just seemed more overwhelmed than anything else, still trying to come to terms with the truth of everything. She wasn't human. Her mother and father weren't human. She was set to be some kind of Queen of a place she'd never heard of and most people didn't even know existed. Not only that but she was going to change, and soon from the sounds of things. And when she did it seemed she was set to change in a very big way. "Wait" Samantha suddenly spoke up, looking straight to Daneas and Dragomir. "Wait just a second. Did you say, did he just say-" She looked up to Katherine and Alison, then back to Daneas and Dragomir. "Limbs? Did you just say limbs I might grow? Limbs? As in I might start sprouting new arms and legs all of a sudden?" Samantha looked down at herself for a few moments, Katherine and Alison doing the same, clicking on just as Samantha did as well, then all three looking back up to Daneas and Dragomir again. "I think you definitely need to tell us more about this. About how Samantha might....change" Alison finally spoke up, stepping forward to place a hand on her wife and daughter, gently pulling them to sit down on the couch. Even if Samantha wasn't going to be going anywhere, they needed to know more about what was going to happen to her body. Katherine in particular seemed rather fascinated, though perhaps that was understandable given that she was a doctor, Samantha's own doctor at that.
 
Dragomir shook his head. "no. once she takes her place as Queen, they will find themselves incapable of harming her. the very Earth will protect her. it is desperate for it's Queen. our earth is semi sentient you see, She will allow no physical harm to befall Samantha until she is capable of defending herself." Dragomir explained. "as for manipulations, that is Daneas' job to deal with. he is the Marquis and has been trained since he joined the Fayne to be one. it is his task to be whatever Samantha needs. including a bodyguard, a guide, a butler, a councilman, whatever she needs. he knows more about the people and what they need more than anyone else. and the Earth will guide her as well once she learns to understand it anyway. while the Earth cannot speak, it can give warnings." Dragomir admitted. "and to be perfectly frank, my dear. it is you humans who are quite like us." "Dragomir!" Daneas hissed, glaring at the Shapeshifter who sniffed. "well it's true. they came from us." "that is not the point. they are a people in their own right, and you will not insult them. especially when they have advanced to such a remarkable degree." "...true." "in any case." Daneas stated, shaking his head. "it's not as if Samantha would be alone. she would have me, Dragomir, and both of you as well. we wouldn't ask her to leave her Mothers behind. family is extremely important to the Fayne." he admitted.

oh goodness no!" Daneas hastened to assure her. "you won't grow extra arms or legs. you don't have any chatot or centaur blood in you, so you don't have to worry about that. no it's more... tail... and wings that are most likely. being that both your Mutar and Patur. blood mother and blood father, had wings, it is extremely likely that you will grow a set as well." he admitted. "your ears will very likely elongate and turn to a point, sort of like how humans envision elves." he admitted. "it will ache as it happens, but there won't be any sharp pains... kind of like how you felt when hitting a growth spurt when you where younger. you might grow taller, but you won't get shorter." he promised. "your muscles will also adapt and if you had any... you know... extra weight, it would have melted off, but you won't have to worry about that." he assured her. "there's no way to know for sure what will happen because the genetics are to the extreme. it's like trying to guess what a newborn baby will look like before seeing it. we can make educated guesses however." Dragomir admitted. "you will know the change is about to happen, when she comes down with a heavy fever and is slightly delirious. this happens because your human genetics are fighting the new genetics. it won't hurt her." he promised. "it's natural." Daneas nodded. "i went through the same thing when i became Fayne." he admitted. "it's uncomfortable, but not painful."
 
Both Katherine and Alison visibly seemed at least a little relieved at being assured Samantha would be safe. Still, the fact that the previous King and Queen had been killed still troubled them, if it had happened before then surely it could happen again. And if Samantha did go, then they could both go as well, they could still be near their daughter, remain a family. To them it didn't matter what Samantha was, what she became. Above anything else she was their daughter, it was just that simple.
When Daneas assured her she wouldn't start growing extra arms and legs it was Samantha's turn to be visibly relieved, letting out a breath she had been half holding onto. Though the idea of a tail and wings? That was sending her mind racing again. What kind of tail? What kind of wings? How many of each? And her ears would become like those of an elf? Even if she was able to hide it and look like a human again, inside she'd know she wasn't human. And besides, her parents had always taught her to never hide herself, that she should be proud of who she was no matter who or what that may be. Of course to not hide would pretty much mean she had no choice but to go back to this kingdom of, well, hers.

"This is all....pretty overwhelming" Samantha spoke up, looking up and away from her hands after examining them. "All these changes are going to take time to get used to, even just the idea of them is going to take time to get used to. But they're going to happen whether I want them to or not, and I can't just ignore them" She looked over slowly to her parents. "You told me I should never run away from my responsibilities, that I should always face them head on" "But Samantha, this isn't your responsibility" Katherine moved a little closer, though Samantha shook her head. "But it is mom, whether I want it or not, this is my responsibility, or if nothing else it feels like it is. I can't just run away from that" She looked back slowly to Dragomir and Daneas. "Once these changes start, I'll come back with you. If nothing else, I want to at least see this Kingdom. And besides, it seems like a better place than anywhere else to learn about myself"
 
"it is very overwhelming. i understand." Dragomir admitted. "that's why we are approaching you now. you have only just started to reach your magical maturity. we wanted to give you time to adjust to the idea well before the time came for your awakening. that is the process in which you begin your transformation into your true form." Dragomir explained. "you shouldn't begin any extensive changes for a few weeks yet. at most, you'll start experiencing minor changes. an increased lust for sweets is the main one." Daneas admitted with a grin. "when i went through my Re-birthing all i wanted was sugar. sugar eases the effects of the transformation, and offers the needed caloric intake to make it as painless as possible. the lust for sweets will remain after, but it will be more manageable. the closer to the transformation you get, the more sugar and sweets you are going to want, to the point where you'll attack people to get it." he warned. "when you start getting to that point, you will want to stay home. claim an illness." he warned. "and unfortunately no, you cannot ignore the changes. they're going to happen no matter what. if we tried to repress your Genetics again it would most likely kill us both." Dragomir admitted. "your mother is right however. this is, technically, not your responsibility." Dragomir admitted before blinking at Samantha and smiling as she admitted it felt like her responsibility.

"if that is what you want." Daneas agreed with a nod as he shrugged his wings and winced a little as they slid back inside of him. it looked as if that part hurt a bit. "it would be best however, to either be int he Motherlands before your transformation, or after. going while you are in the middle of an awakening can be very painful and extremely traumatizing." Dragomir warned. "you will immidiatly form a connection to the Earth and gain several more magical abilities which can upset the changes you are already going through." he warned. "you will have to decide if you want to go in the next few days before the physical changes begin to occur, or wait until after." he admitted. "and you don't have to worry. if you don't desire to stay in the Motherlands after your visit, you can leave." he promised. "we won't... or rather, we cannot hold you in the motherlands, or anywhere else really, against your will." he admitted. "because the earth is dying, your power over it, and the people will be ultimate." he explained. "it's basically a fail safe against... well, what happened." he admitted. "you see..." here Dragomir looked upset. "the previous Queen would have lived had she been more selfish." he admitted. "if she had chosen herself over you, the People would not have been able to lift a finger against her. you probobly would have died, but they couldn't have killed her. she gave up that almighty power to save you." Dragomir admitted.

"this ultimate power is usually only accessible during times of extreme distress or danger, but because the earth is dying, you will have this Ultimate Power until it and the people stabilize." he hesitated and then continued. "you could very easily force your people to bend to your will." he admitted, Daneas nodded. "we weren't really sure we should tell you about that at first, because a power like that, to a greedy or an evil person would have been..." he shuddered a little. "we know you could never use that power for Evil though, your too..." here Daneas grinned. "you're too you." he admitted. "so we thought it better to warn you. giving a direct order will most likely result in immediate that immediate action. so please, don't tell anyone to 'go jump off a bridge' anytime soon, okay?"
 
"I'm very glad you finished 'increased lust' with 'for sweets' there" Katherine frowned sternly at Dragomir at that. "Though I don't suspect we're going to see much difference there from how Sam normally us" Samantha just grinned slightly, unable to argue with her mother on that point. She'd always had a sweet tooth and always tried to sneak additional sugar in past her parents in ever more inventive ways. "Though these other changes...I'd like to keep watch over Sam while they happen. I'm not just her mother, but her Doctor, and I have to keep an eye on what's happening to my favourite patient" Katherine rubbed Samantha's head gently. "I might not understand what's happening at first, but I wont leave her alone for this" "Geez mom, you're always so clingy. You just want this as an excuse to give me more check ups all the time" She scrunched up her face and stuck out her tongue, Katherine giving her a gentle bop on the head.

"So...it sounds like the best thing to do might be to go before it starts" Samantha folded her arms. "If I'm here when it starts then someone from the school might come looking, and that could get rather...awkward" "I suppose I can say I'm taking you for home schooling...." Alison nodded in agreement, all of them seemingly having come to an agreement on only half a discussion.
"So, sounds like I'm gonna be pretty powerful, I'll need to be careful" Samantha smiled softly. "Ah come on, no way I'm gonna go mis-using power, I don't think I'd even know where to begin" "Not to mention her mothers would ground her forever. Doesn't matter how powerful she might get, a mom always wins" Katherine smirked as Samantha laughed nervously, nodding shyly in agreement.
"So" Alison spoke up again. "You mentioned that we'll be going to this kingdom, but how exactly are we going to get there? I doubt we can just head to the airport and hop on a plane there can we? Though I am certainly not riding any broomsticks I can tell you that right now"
 
Dragomir chuckled. "while our people are a lot more open about sexuality, the transformations won't affect her libido. if she felt any effects, it would have been during her physical puberty." he admitted. "most of those who hide within the human realms retain their gluttony for sugar and sweets." he admitted. "yes. you would be allowed to be with her. Family is extremely important, and her trust and love in you can help in the process of the transformation." Dragomir admitted. "you'll be with her every step of the way." he promised with a smile. "i can even get you a book that describes the process using human terms if you like. it's a bit outdated, a human turned Fayne wrote it a couple of centuries ago." he admitted. "some of the terminology will be outdated but you should be fine." he admitted with a smile.

"yes. i agree. if she gets too big a head you can just ground her." he teased with a laugh. "oh no. not an Airport. we have to open a Portal." he explained with a smile. "the Kingdom is..." here Daneas hesitated and then. "it's. god how do i explain this?" "have you ever looked at a shadow, and saw how there where three different shades in one shadow? the Motherlands and Earth are much the same. Earth is one Shadow and the Motherlands is another. they touch, and overlap but don't actually interfere with each other." Dragomir explained. "we will travel through a reality, and step into a new existence for lack of a better explanation. there's a larger explanation, but it's mostly physics and magic and i don't know if you would understand it." he admitted. "i've been studying it for most of my life and i still have trouble understanding it." he admitted, shaking his head. "in any case, it will be painless. you might experience a bit of motion sickness or dizziness but it never lasts for more than an hour." Dragomir assured them. "we'll camp where we land until your feeling better. Daneas has the ability to warp directly into the palace, so we'll probobly land in one of the living rooms."
 
((I just noticed you're back XD Welcome back ^.^))

"Open about sexuality?" Katherine's eyebrow seemed to twitch at that, Samantha glancing up at her and rolling her eyes. "Oh stop being so old fashioned mom. Can it be any worse than what's on TV now?" "That's not the point. On TV is different to going to an entire country young lady" She gently bopped Samantha on the top of the head who just stuck her tongue out in return. "A book? Even if it's outdated then it's better than nothing" Katherine nodded and folded her arms. Any kind of study material was going to be worthwhile so she could begin to understand what Samantha was going to go through, perhaps give her some insight into how she could help rather than sitting there helplessly.

"A portal? Well that sounds like it'll be interesting" Sam grinned brightly. "Definitely faster sounding than flying that's for sure, and no having to deal with crappy in flight movies, screaming babies and airline food" She stuck her tongue out and shivered. "I'm not sure I understand all this about how the Kingdom is alive and everything, but I guess it's something I'll get used to and start to understand once I experience it first hand. Probably better than trying to explain it anyway huh?" She smiled lightly. "Palace huh? Well this is just sounding better all the time" "Don't let it go to your head, you're not a Queen yet" Katherine gently bopped Samantha's head again. "And even when you are, don't forget you're still answering to your mothers" "Ehehe, I know mom I know, you're the boss, I'm just gonna be your figurehead" Sam grinned back at her, Katherine smirking and nodding. "Good girl" She looked back to Daneas. "Well then, I suppose we had better head home and pack hadn't we?"
 
he nodded. "yes. you won't find people fucking in open places of course, that's just rude and disturbing, but you'll find Children who know the truth about where babies come from, and people are a lot more accepting of people who are of... how do humans call it? 'alternate lifestyles'? rubbish anyway. Love is Love no matter the gender or the number." Daneas admitted with a shrug. "you'll find a lot of people willing to talk about things that are Taboo here. BDSM and Multiple partners and kinks and such. people aren't judged by what kind of love life you live and only a few will judge you on your species or bloodline." he admitted. "they are easily silenced." he admitted. "i will see to it that you receive the book." he agreed with a smile.

"yes, very interesting." Dragomir agreed with a smile. "i can even teach you how to make one yourself. if anything, we can give you a dual life. sort of like going to school oversees. you could spend most of your time here, learning and studying and going to school, and spend weekends and holidays in the Motherlands. there are many options open for you." he promised. "so long as you are happy and content. that is all that matters." he admitted before he smiled. "i'm not sure i can explain it, not in a way you would truly understand." he admitted. "yes, Palace." he admitted with a chuckle. "oh, we can't leave right now." Dragomir admitted. "it takes a while to get the portal set up, even if i am faster than most it will still take me at least three days to make sure everything is in place. you have to be careful with Portals. rush it and make a mistake and you'll find one half of you in Greenland and the other half in the Darkest moors." he warned shaking his head. "i've never had that happen of course, but if you rush Magic, bad things are bound to happen." he admitted. "we'll set a date for next week?" he offered. "just to be safe. while we're in the Motherlands, i'll work on constructing a Blood Bound permanent portal so you can come between and through as you please."
 
Katherine twitched at the rather vulgar description of 'people fucking in open places', though at the same time she was at least glad that would be the case. "Well, that's ok then...so long as certain things aren't shoved in our faces then that should be fine" She nodded slightly, happy to hear people in this place were at least accepting of others. Well, for the most part at least anyway. Certain less accepting elements had been responsible for the death of Samantha's birth parents after all. But on the other hand, that meant she and Alison had been given their little miracle, their daughter. So, had that intolerance led to something good for them? No, it was best not to get into thinking about things like that, Katherine quickly pushing the thoughts out of her head before they overtook every other thought process.

"You can teach me to make portals? Awesome!" Samantha smirked and gave a thumbs up. "Oh that's gonna be insane fun I just know it" She seemed to be excited at the prospect of learning something so incredible, or at least incredible to her anyway. Though the mention of three days to setup a portal seemed to dampen her spirits somewhat, her expression changing to one of pouting instead. "Three days? Geez....and I was all set to go" She muttered to herself, then looked to her mothers. "Well, I guess we better go home and pack hadn't we? We have to go for at least a week or two, even if I can go back and forth to keep going to school, even just now and again when I'm not all....transforming and everything, I at least want to have a few things to take with me"
"Alright alright" Alison smiled and went to grasp the shoulders of her wife and her daughter, then looked to Daneas and Dragomir. "Thank you again, for everything. But we had best be going now. It seems like we have a lot of preparation to do doesn't it?" She smiled sweetly, then turned to start fussing over the other girls, trying to get them organised into going and heading back home.
 
"it's no worse than going to Europe i think. or going to Africa or something. it's just a different culture." Dragomir admitted with a grin. "just be warned, some of the citizens have tentacles and other... extra body parts so there are a LOT more options to sexual experiences." he admitted. "sometimes, good things come from terrible ones. that doesn't make the terrible things any less perfect." Daneas assured Katherine, as if he knew exactly what she was thinking. "first you'll have to learn the basics but yes, in a few years you will be able to make all the portals you want. Magic is tricky and dangerous. like trying to learn how to drive, wire a bomb, make a firework and build a building all at the same time. it is just as much of an art-form as it is a science. no two people will make a spell the same way." he admitted. "and there ARE basic laws involved so you won't be able to slip into a bank or the men's bath." he warned her playfully. "thank you for trusting me." Daneas returned, smiling at her. "and don't worry, anything you need will be provided for you. clothes, food, housing, medicine, whatever so don't worry about packing anything unless you want it." he promised her.

four days later the portal was ready. Daneas happily invited the family inside and led them to a large circle on the floor in a massive open area. where Daneas's furniture had gone was a mystery, but the entire living room was clear save for that five foot 'circle'. "This is a Magic 'Glyph'." Dragomir explained. "it is what focuses and gives Magic it's purpose. this one is the most stable form known as a mirrored form. see how the three outer circles are exactly the same? just inverted a little? that means that you can reuse this design more than once. the middle circle and the outer rings indicate what you want to happen and if needed, where you want it to go." he explained with a smile. "in this case, it is a repeatable portal, we will be able to use this about a dozen times before i will need to redraw and recharge it." he admitted. "by that time, i should have the blood portal up. which will take me about a month, once you decide where you want it to enter and exit." he admitted. "if you will all stand in one of the outer crescents? take each others hands, and we'll be on our way." he promised, holding his hands out.

once they where all holding hands he told them to close their eyes. the visual could be very disconcerting for first time travelers and could make a person feel sick. once everyone was settled, all the luggage was in the center circles he began, chanting in some sort of husky, fluid language. the sensation was instantaneous. like their stomachs had dropped, like when you went over a hill too fast only extended. then, it was done. "Welcome, My Ladies, to the Motherlands." Dragomir stated with a smile as Daneas moved over and opened a huge curtain that hid a ten foot by twenty foot window that overlooked the massive City they where now in. "this is the Ballroom of the Palace, sitting on the edge of the Technotic City. i'm sure you can guess why it's named that." Dagomir admitted with a smile. "not all of the major cities in the Motherlands is like this, but this is the most populated and is closest to the Human culture." he admitted. "thought it might be easier to adjust to the people and life here." he admitted with a smile. "after all, you have palaces in nearly every single city in the motherlands."
 
The family had spent the last four days carefully packing, Alison insisting that they bring only one bag each for now. After all they didn't want to overload Daneas' portal, nor did they want to be turning up somewhere with bag after bag, looking like they were setting up to take over the place. 'First impressions are everything' Alison had kept telling the other two, Samantha especially. Yes Daneas had promised that everything they wanted would be provided, but all three of them had agreed that the adjustment would be much easier with some of their own things. Their own clothes, collectables, books, it would all make the transition easier for everyone involved.

Finally, the time had come, the three arriving at Daneas apartment with a single mid-sized bag each. They had been discreet, after all it would look strange for them to enter the apartment with luggage and then not emerge for quite some time. On spotting the Glyph on the floor, Samantha leaned over with a clearly impressed look on her face. "Wow, you seriously drew this? That's amazing. I don't think I'd have had the patience for something like this. I wouldn't even be able to remember it let alone draw it" She was tugged back a little by Katherine, trying to keep her daughters excitement a little more in check while she listened to Daneas' explanation. "Huh, I think I sort of get it" Samantha nodded as she looked between the various circles. Hopefully things like this would begin to become a little easier for her as she changed. "Alright girls" Alison spoke up, clapping her hands together. "You heard him, onto the circle and hold hands" She started to shoo Katherine and Samantha into position, every bit the fussy mother as she double checked their hair as well before taking her own position between them, taking their hands, leaving Samantha and Katherine to each take one of Daneas' hands. At Daneas' instruction they each closed their eyes tightly. Sure they were tempted to take a peek, but each of them realised if Daneas had told them to close their eyes then he would certainly have a very good reason to do so.

The sensation was certainly unusual, Alison almost stumbling slightly once it stopped, though fortunately the others kept her in place. When they heard Dragomir's voice they opened their eyes, then shielded their eyes as the huge curtain was pulled aside. They really were in a different place, some kind of giant room, though they instantly forgot about that when their eyes adjusted to the light from the window. Immediately, all three women rushed to the window and pressed gently against the glass, staring out over the city. "This is...oh my god" Samantha gasped as she surveyed the city, her city. She was going to be the Queen of this city and others both like it and not so like it. "Oh wow. This is just, I can't even begin to.." Samantha shook her head quickly, looking over to Daneas. "Can...can we go into the city? Look around? Will people know who I am or will they just think I'm another person?" Already she was filling with questions, wanting to know everything she could about this place and its people.
 
Daneas looked a bit amused by the bags. "is that all your bringing?" Dragomir asked, startled by the extraordinary lack of baggage. "damn, i could have gone with a Fioreal pattern instead. i was expecting a lot more stuff than that. oh well. matters not, this one works just as well as the next." he admitted with a grin at Sam's enthusiasm. "yes i drew this. and of course you can learn how to draw it. it just takes a while to learn. you actually start with single syllable 'glyphs' just like learning the Alphabet. every Glyph has it's own particular meaning and power. like the Glyph for Life, if can mean protecting Life, or ending life, giving life, encouraging life... it all depends on which Glyph you pair it with." he admitted. "just like the letter A." he admitted with a grin. "the letter A can make upwards of twenty different words just by adding one other letter. it's the same basic principle." he admitted. "for example, this here means 'Travel'-" he indicated a single swooping 'letter' in one of the large circles. "but all of this, is a novel explaining who is going, what we're taking, where we're leaving from and where we want to get to." he explained with a smile. "makes sense?"

"Don't worry about stepping in any lines." Dragomir promised. "it's well dried and you can't scuff it now that it's set." he promised. "however, you should never, ever step on a Glyph of any size, or touch it, until you know exactly what it does. and even then you should always check to make sure it is dry and set. scuffing a Glyph can lead to very chaotic results. you might turn into the opposite sex for an hour, or you might end up out in the middle of the Atlantic ocean." he warned, looking amused. "it's rare for a scuffed Glyph to be truly dangerous, but sometimes you can't reverse the effects. and they have been known to blow up." he admitted. "are you all feeling fine? no sickness? anyone dizzy?" Dragomir asked as Daneas left the circle. "amazing isn't it?" he asked with a smile. "this is the city with the biggest human population, so there is a lot of human elements here." he admitted. "like Plumbing. i have no idea how i managed without plumbing before i started traveling the Human realms... granted, when i was human myself we didn't have plumbing either." he admitted. "of course we can." he promised with a smile. "a lot of children got lost in those days and most of them found their way into the human realms. to the people here, you'll just be another lost Changeling." he admitted.

"a Changeling is a Fey who found their genetics locked before their first or second birthday, resulting in them appearing completely human. there are approximately fifty unknown Changelings awaiting their transformation, unaware, as of yet, to who they really are. there could be more but there are fifty six that we know of for certain. there is an entire team devoted singularly to tracking them down and assisting them, just the way that Daneas assisted you. since Daneas is on that team, no one will think twice about him finding an unknown Changeling." Dragomir explained. "not a lot of people will recognize you, being human you look very little like your birth parents. it's common for a Changeling to adopt physical appearances similar to their Heart Parents. that would be you two." he explained smiling at Katherine and Alison. "so yes. we can go out into the city. i'll take your bags to your rooms and Daneas will take you out into the city and i will join you." he promised. "be warned, you might need a second once you get outside." he admitted. "once you touch nature, the earth will know who you are and will make the connection. i'm told it's very disconcerting so you'll want to sit down for a moment afterwords." he admitted. Daneas nodding. "the Motherlands touches everyone with enough magic to bond to." he explained. "your mothers won't feel it, but when i first changed and stepped outside, i started crying." he admitted. "reactions tend to vary greatly, so don't worry about how you feel when the connection is made." he warned with a smile.
 
So, for now at least people weren't going to recognise her. That was good, the last thing Samantha wanted or needed right now was a crowd swarming all around her. Sure that might happen in future when she was revealed as the new Queen, but right now she wanted to take a look around as just an ordinary person. "Then let's go out right now. I want to see this place, I want to see the people, the buildings, the world, there's so much to see, I want to get started right away" Samantha grinned brightly, though it dimmed a little when she was given the warning of what might happen when she touched the Earth. It would connect to her in some way. Well, even so, she still wanted to go. Besides, that had to happen sooner or later, so might as well get it over with right away. The sooner the better right? "Alright, I think I understand. Or if I don't, I guess I will soon enough huh?" Sam gave Daneas a thumbs up, her mothers each grasping one of her shoulders from behind and smiling as the group turned to leave.

At the threshold of the door, Alison and Katherine took the first steps outside ahead of Samantha as she hesitated, staring at the natural ground beyond the stone floor of the palace. Her enthusiasm had been partly replaced by a dose of reality. Still, she couldn't back out now. With a slow, deep breath Samantha took a large step forward. One foot, then two onto the ground. She seemed to brace herself, then looked confused as seemingly nothing happened. "Huh. I wonder if-" She cut off as she suddenly felt something, her eyes going wide, a single heartbeat sounding deafeningly through her head. She froze up for a moment, then suddenly dropped to her hands and knees, taking a sharp breath. Her entire body felt more alive than it ever had.
All at once she felt so many things rushing through her. Dizziness, Happiness, Sadness, Fear, Torment, Excitement, Power, even an incredible sense of intense sexual arousal, every fibre of her being connecting with the land in a way more intimate than she could ever possibly hope to begin to describe to someone else. It wasn't just that she was connecting with the Earth, it was like she was becoming part of it. No, it was more like the Earth was becoming a part of her, an extension of her body and will. She was connecting in a way nobody before her ever had before, the joining so intense and so complete that, magically speaking, it was becoming more and more difficult to tell where the Earth ended and Samantha began. With every second the lines that separated them were blurring further and further, until they seemingly vanished completely.

Alison had tried to rush to Samantha, but Katherine held her back, remembering what Daneas and Dragomir had said. This was something Samantha had to go through, and she had to go through it by herself, for herself. This was something they couldn't help with, no matter how much they might want to, no matter how much it hurt them not to. Fortunately though, the worst seemed to pass after only a few seconds, though for Samantha it had felt like so much longer. She remained on her hands and knees, but began suddenly panting for breath as she released the one she had been holding. It took a few seconds for her to compose herself, then hesitantly get back to her feet, her legs shaking slightly as she reached out, Katherine now grabbing her arm to keep her upright. "Easy there. Are you alright?" "Y-yeah" Sam nodded softly, looking up at Daneas. "Is that what you were expecting..?"
 
Daneas chuckled at her eager anticipation. he could understand, he had been excited too, when he'd first stepped into the motherlands, in the Greenwood and saw things the mind simply couldn't imagine. "i just want you to be prepared." he warned with a smile. "it's hard to explain. i doubt you truly understand, but it won't hurt." he agreed. "a lot of the changeling and New Born often find the sensation to be very comforting once they get used to it." he admitted with a smile as he watched the close nit family comfort each other. he led them through long hallways, most of them rather dusty and out into a courtyard that was made up of natural rock, a massive tree and grass so thick and green it barely looked real.he let her step forward on her own and blinked as she spoke. had she not felt it? nope, there it was. he stepped over to guard her while she was debilitated, eyes focused for any sign of trouble. being disturbed during this stage could cause traumatic problems with the bonding. he didn't suspect anything to happen but it was best to be careful. still... he'd never seen someone driven to their knees from it before. and the POWER. he had known that the earth, would forge a deeper connection to her than anyone else, but he hadn't expected anything like that.

The earth itself seamed to sing in joy. it really was alive. it felt, it knew, it saw, it BREATHED. every breath thrummed through her, every feeling stroked her. the planet did not 'think' but it knew her and rejoiced her return. "Take a few breaths and sit down." Daneas suggested, gently guiding her to a smooth wooden bench. "honestly, it was stronger than i expected. i've never seen anything like that before." he admitted, examining her, checking to make sure she was fine. "you bonded more deeply to the planet than anything i've ever seen before. not even your Blood Mother forged a connection so strong..." he admitted. "that connection will make life much easier for you while your here." he was quick to reassure. "and it will probably assist during your transformation. the aches and pains should certainly be less." he admitted. "once your calm again give yourself time to Feel it." he suggested. "let the power of the earth thrum through you, get used to it. once you feel calm and in control again, we'll continue into the city." he promised.
 
Samantha shivered at the new sensations coursing through her body. No, they weren't coursing through her body, they were coursing through the Earth. And yet, the Earth now felt like her body. Not merely an extension of her body though, but an actual part, no different from her heart or lungs. She could feel it....not just one, but two heartbeats. One from her chest and one from...somewhere else. She could feel herself breathing not just through her mouth, but somewhere else as well. "I-I'm alright" Samantha was still breathing heavily as Daneas helped her over towards the bench, almost slumping down onto it and feeling somewhat relieved for the momentary rest. "I don't know how to describe it" She placed a hand gently onto her chest. "I can feel....not just what I am here, but everywhere else too. It's like, I have another heart somewhere, that I'm breathing somewhere else" She slowly looked around. "It's like I can feel every footstep people make, not just here but...everywhere. Even back home, in far away places I've never seen, I can feel everything the world feels. No, that's not right. It's like....it's like I am the world, and the world is me" She slowly looked down at her hands. "I don't think I'm explaining this very well, I'm not sure I can. I'm still me but...more" She slowly looked up at Daneas. "I can feel that power already. It's not like it's flowing through me, it's more like it's a part of me, like a part that should have always been there but has been missing until now"

As Samantha slowly stood up she was wobbly on her feet for a moment before finally finding her balance. "It's almost like learning to walk again. It's like I can't feel where my body begins or ends. When I try to move my legs it's almost like I want to move the ground beneath as well. It's like having your hand behind your back and trying to figure out exactly where it is" She shook her head. "Ugh, it's so hard to put it into words" Samantha rubbed her face, then looked up as both Katherine and Alison approached her in a gentle hug. "We know you can do it honey" "We're here for you, always" "Mom..." Samantha sniffled, a few tears streaming from her cheeks, and at the same time a few drops of rain falling from the sky that had been clear until a moment ago, though as soon as Samantha sniffled and stopped, the rain also stopped and the clouds seemed to instantly clear. "Ok, I think I'm ready to explore the city some more"
 
"are you sure?" Daneas asked, a bit worried. he hadn't realized the earth would bond to her far more deeply than even the previous queens. considering the planet had been without a binding force for so long, was it really any surprise? the very world would protect her, the elements, the ground, everything the earth had to offer would be Samantha's. "you're connected to the very heart of the planet." he explained. "you'll get used to it, though i've never seen someone bond so closely to it before." he admitted. "The Earth must really like you." he teased with a smile and a shake of his head as he helped her to stand back up. "it is very hard to explain but i understand." he promised with a smile. "it's kind of like having two bodies that move independently of each other." he admitted. "i haven't the kind of connection you have, but it's enough that the trees like to move when i walk past." he admitted, blinking as it startled to sprinkle. "...well. that'll be interesting." he admitted.

"we'll head on down to the shopping district first." he offered with a grin. "let you guys buy whatever you want." he promised. "don't worry about money. the newcomers are never charged." he admitted. "not while your still getting settled. the Kingdom has an account that the newcomers will get to use for the first few months." he admitted. "we'll get you everything you need." he promised. "not that there isn't already almost anything you need in the palace, but shopping is something that will really help you acclimate to your surroundings." he admitted as he led the way down thousands of stairs, across massive bridges that connected cliffs that soared three hundred feet. the City was a mix of nature and technology that humans just couldn't compare to. lights and sounds and hovering disks with people sitting on them. and the people! most of them didn't look anything like human. some reached seven feet tall, some where blue, some where covered in fur. there was a group of cat like people that stood three feet tall and walked on two feet. there was a group of sparrows that where chattering in a language that was a language. there was a centaur. an honest to god centaur. a unicorn stepped through, as pure white as the snow and glowing like the moon even in the daylight. the Market area was just like an open air market. stalls lined the streets and people chattered and chirped in a hundred different languages.

"Daneas! suilannad!" a voice called. it was a little old lady, who was as human as Katherine and Allison. "Elizabeth! suilannad." Daneas greeted back, the two of them sharing a short bow, laying their hands over their hearts while they bowed a short little bob. then they where off, chattering quickly in a language that was graceful and pretty, like a babbling brook. "Elizabeth, Dai Katherine, Alison Un Samantha." Daneas stated before smiling at them. "Ladies, this is Elizabeth. she is the mother of one of the other Changelings that was brought in a few years ago." he explained. "she's speaking in Elvish, she doesn't speak English so i'll have to act as translator for you unless you know French or German." he admitted. " he paused as the woman spoke again, looking quite excited and he smiled. "...she wants to feed you." he admitted with a chuckle. "you'll find that in the Motherlands, food is very important here. it's a way of greeting, it's a gift, it's a way to introduce yourself to someone, a way to invite someone into your lives, a way to welcome someone." he admitted with a smile. "Food is a cultural reference point for all the different species that exists here so i have to warn you to never refuse food. it can be as insulting as slapping someone in the face and then spitting on them." he admitted. "you don't always have to eat it, but you should at least try it even if it looks... weird." he admitted. "if you cannot stomach what's on the plate, explain that your culture doesn't eat it and apologize. it will almost always sooth hurt feelings and you'll usually be offered something else." he admitted before turning to Elizabeth and chattering away again. "i've asked that she has us in for a short cup of tea." he admitted with a smile. "it will be a light lunch. i'm sure you all must be hungry." he admitted with a grin. "i know Sam is."
 
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