I am not your enemy - Lance fanfiction list for all chapters
To make it easier, here are the links to all currently published chapters of my fanfiction I am not your enemy. Good reading 💕
(if you want to read it in French or English on my Wattpad, it's happening here / also in Polish on @Viviaanx’s Wattpad just here / and in Spanish on @Asshanai’s Wattpad here)
This story is my work and if you want to repost it somewhere, it’s important to ask me first and especially not to change anything in the original work please.
The cover by @ryoukames ❤️
An extract if you want to discover
An illustration of Andraste by @deora-owl 💕
A second illustration by @exykingalazagna 💕
The comic by @w34sl3 on Instagram 💕
Prologue : Awakening
Chapter 1 : I am not your enemy
Chapter 2 : Everything is your fault
Chapter 3 : You have five minutes to get dressed
Chapter 4 : Someone to talk to
Chapter 5 : Hate me, just a moment
Chapter 6 : I selfishly wished he would notice me too
Chapter 7 : I had just entered his territory
Chapter 8 : Your powers are still there
Chapter 9 : I've always been used to only showing my human form
BONUS CHAPTER (9.5) : The thoughts of the dragon
Chapter 10 : You are very far from the account, my beautiful
Chapter 11 : Let me take care of you
Chapter 12 : Aengels are the most powerful breed Eldarya has ever known
Chapter 13 : You always trusted him
Chapter 14 : I just stopped hoping for your awakening
Chapter 15 : We’re going to make a deal, you and me
Chapter 16 : In the deepest memories of the last of the dragons
Chapter 17 : I’ll personally take care of making him understand that you belong to me
Chapter 18 : Did I already tell you that you were unbearable ?
Chapter 19 : I was so scared
Chapter 20 : If this is your wish, my angel
Chapter 21 : I see how much you’re in love with him
Chapter 22 : I think you're going to have to take care of me
Chapter 23 : I’ll end up imagining that you’re mine
Chapter 24 : Don’t blame me for hugging you
Chapter 25 : I tend to forget that you’re not from this world
BONUS CHAPTER (25.2) : Where do you know this lullaby from ?
Chapter 26 : It’s always been different
Chapter 27 : I have to know
Chapter 28 : There's only been him
Chapter 29 : Will you grant me this dance ?
Chapter 30 : Are you sure of it ?
Chapter 31 : You're going to have to take your clothes off
Heyy! It’s been some time since you’ve posted something here. I hope you are doing ok :)
Heeey @hethelain ! 🥰
Yess it's been a really long time, I'm very saddened ! I'm not too much on Beemoov games at the moment, I don't really have time and I've lost my interest a bit lately. I hope to be able to come back soon, I miss my fanfiction and the drawings aha !
Thank you very much and I hope you are doing well too 💕
Hi, I wanted to ask when another chapter of i’m not your Enemy will come?
Hi anon ! Thank you for your question !
For the moment the next chapter will not be released immediately, I’m sorry for that. I have a lot of work to do for this year, I don't have time to sit down to write and imagine what's next. I hope to be able to do this soon 🙏
I'm really sorry for this waiting time but know that I haven't forgotten this story and that the next chapter will indeed be released 💕
Hej! Zajmuję się tłumaczeniem francuskiego fanfiction związanym z Eldaryą.
Posiadam wszelkie zgody!
Poniżej znajdują się wszystkie wersje autorki książki:
❄ Oryginał z tumblr wersja angielska
❄ Oryginał z wattpad wersja francuska
❄ Oryginał z wattpad wersja angielska
❄ Moje tłumaczenie jest również na wattpadzie, o tutaj.
Rozdziały:
❄ Prolog: Przebudzenie
❄ Rozdział 1: Nie jestem twoim wrogiem
❄ Rozdział 2: To wszystko jest twoją winą
🖤 — "in the midst of colors, you are the beautiful representation of the deepest universe, like the feathers of a raven and being the happiest part of me."
- Damn, when I tell you that I can't be a father, Andraste... he choked back.
My arm fell back, burning with pain where Lance had squeezed it too tightly. I probably should have been terrified by his gesture, upset with him and his silly words ; almost abject, wanting to hit him or at least respond to his hurtful insults.
However, I couldn't.
Obviously, all this revolted me, I admitted it. But...
But he had once again opened the breach, probably totally unconsciously, except that the fact was there. Even if he shouted at me otherwise, the dragon made me understand that the idea had already begun to germinate in his mind. And his anger, as virulent as it was unjustified, only confirmed it.
Lance had been terrified of something happening to the baby and me, it was as simple as that. And even if his method was clearly not the right one - I was also not left to know that mine had not been either - at least, he attached importance to it. A real importance.
Despite the searing pain in my forearm, I walked over to him, making his eyes widen slightly.
- It may still be a little early to give such hasty conclusions, don't you think ?
He blinked several times, giving him a youthful look that confused me. Then its hard, impermeable and cold shell reformed, preventing me from reaching it any further.
He looked away, staring at a point in the distance behind me.
- You should go home now. The order should have already been announced to everyone in HQ, but no one should stay outside until the area has been fully secured.
I bit the inside of my cheek, now really annoyed that he was stopping the conversation like this.
- And... consider going to see Eweleïn, tomorrow, for your arm, he added with what sounded like shame. I hope you're okay, I'm sorry.
I turned my head and sighed deeply, finding nothing more to answer as he turned away from me to close the large gate that gave access to the plains.
With a heavy heart, I returned to my room.
*
I had been circling my room for far too long not to feel like I was going crazy, my palms sweating, somewhat shaking with apprehension, reminiscing about our disastrous conversation over and over again following my far, too abrupt and direct for him who was of course, not ready to hear such news. Subsequently, his gentler gestures, even caring, when he helped me put on a more suitable outfit. And finally, his last words, pretty scathing, still resonating in my mind.
« When I tell you that I can't be a father, Andraste... »
Damn, how could things have turned out like this ?And how did Lance manage to be so contradictory ?!
My steps came to an abrupt halt as I rubbed the corners of my eyes briskly with my fingers, a gesture Lance often did when he was tense. Then, unable to hold it any longer, I flung open the door of my room to rush into the hallway, which had become strangely calm during this eventful evening.
I knew Lance had returned to his quarters, I had overheard him talking to one of his soldiers. And I had to see him, right away.
So, far too quickly for my thoughts to become clear enough for me to actually make a speech to him, say, within the limits of correctness, I found myself standing outside his door, my hand in the air and my thoughts muddled. Earlier, however, the dragon had been crystal clear : he didn't want children.
Not now, not ever.
But there it was, as incredible and horrible as it might seem to him, there we were. And I couldn't decently stay on those words ; believed, almost cruel, that he had used towards this news and towards himself.
My knuckles slammed into the cold wood, knocking twice sharply.
I waited for several seconds, straining my ears to try to distinguish the slightest sound coming from inside the room, but only silence answered me. I then repeated the operation, this time with a little more conviction in my gesture.
But maybe not in my voice, which was already beginning to waver in my barely audible whisper.
- Please, I need to talk to you...
A deep sadness suddenly came over me, wrapping itself around my heart, preventing me from breathing normally, when a sneaky idea took shape in my thoughts. What if he had decided never to speak to me again ? What if this obstacle really turns out to be insurmountable for him and our relationship ?
Suddenly, long thin fingers and masts appeared in my field of vision, quickly wrapping around my wrist to prevent me from coming to crush my knuckles again much harder than necessary on the door of his room. And I didn't move, didn't turn around either, even when the sparks that were never long in coming to swarm over our skins showed up, much more vivid and cold than usual. We just stayed... like that, his hand supporting my wrist and his breath, oddly disordered, playing in my hair. Then, after what seemed like an eternity, he finally lowered his arm, dragging me at the same time until I fell back into the void, without letting go of me.
With a gesture... tired.
Like exhausted.
- Andraste, what are you doing here ? he asked me in a deep voice, still showing some astonishment.
Now that he was there, that his voice, with its usually so deep and warm intonations, caressed me with its cold current, I remained silent, unable to explain anything to him.
Behind me, he sighed deeply, almost contritely, before letting go of my wrist and opening the door in front of me. Without any other form of politeness, he bypassed me in order to rush into the room while turning on the light in passing. Then he walked to the back without looking at me, leaving the door wide open despite everything, thus inviting me to follow him silently.
I then entered this room of a thousand memories, in which Lance and I had discovered each other for the very first time. I closed behind me, despite myself leaving my hands on the handle behind my back, not really managing to get away from its entrance - or its exit, I didn't really know.
Without a word, the dragon removed his armours, placing them on a shelf not far from him. Once weighted with these weights, he rolled his shoulders under the fabric of his garment with a flexible movement before turning his back on me and removing it completely. I watched thoughtfully as the light played on his back muscles as he pulled on a more relaxed top.
Finally, he turned to me while blowing loudly before finally coming to plant his gaze in mine.
- You can come in, you know. Well, you can take off the door, I mean, he said, raising one of his eyebrows.
I hadn't even realized that my fingers had gripped the handle so tightly when they finally let go...
Dropping my hand, I took several steps until I stopped at his level. Up close, his features were already drawn with fatigue.
- How's your arm ? he asked me in a strangely uncertain way. Were you able to see Eweleïn ?
I shrug my shoulders back.
- I didn't need it. You just squeezed it a little tight, it wasn't that bad.
He turned his head away, clenching his jaw, obviously still blaming himself for his excess of strength a little earlier.
- You have decided on something in relation to humans, with Huang Hua ? I tried to break the heavy silence that settled, not really knowing where to start.
He sighed again.
- We'll have a meeting tomorrow on this subject. If they really come back in two days as they announced, we'll have to prepare for all eventualities. You'll have to be ready.
My eyes rested for a long time on the books that adorned the libraries in front of me, replaying the words of these men over and over again.
- They also mentioned a name supposed to be your knowledge, he resumed. Does that tell you anything ?
I came back to him, my voice slightly troubled.
- Charles is my father's name.
He blinked, obviously not having expected this eventuality.
- They also mentioned the fact that I go to Earth to discuss with him, but I thought that the portals were almost impossible to open.
- It's out of the question that you go there, he decided suddenly.
I watched him, taken aback.
- But if it's really about my father...
- That's out of the question, Andraste ! he snapped, pinching the bridge of his nose. No one on Earth is supposed to remember you. So how could he ?
- But I have to know if it's really him ! It's still my father, Lance... And anyway, do you really think they'll leave very wisely without having obtained anything of what they came for ?
His gaze became hard again, he was visibly implacable on this subject.
- As long as it concerns you, directly or indirectly, they won't get anything at all, indeed.
My shoulders slumped heavily. I was tired of constantly arguing with him tonight...
Without my realizing it, tears - from fatigue, anger or perhaps abandonment, quite simply - then began to form in the corner of my eyes. I wanted to answer but nothing managed to come out. In fact, there were so many things I needed to tell him that it was clogging my throat, I didn't even know where to start.
- Andraste...
- Lance, you can't decide everything for me, I cut him off abruptly. Neither for that, nor for the rest. And I've already made my decision.
I saw him close his eyes sharply, as if my last words were impossible for him to hear. Then he opened them again, staring into the void beside him.
- You're planning to have this child, aren't you ? he asked me in a weak voice, already knowing the answer perfectly. Even if he actually has my genes ?
And I nodded, simply because deep down I already knew that nothing could have taken me away from this idea.
- But I would like... that you want it too. That you and I, we walk this path together.
Suddenly, the dragon advanced towards me and with one hand, he pushed me back in order to come and press me suddenly against the piece of furniture behind my back, imprisoning me with his arms. He then came to lean against the wood near my face while his other hand curled just around the base of my neck.
- Don't forget who I am, damn it ! he reproached me between gritted teeth, a gleam of deep sadness marking his pupils. I can't be the father of your child, it's simply impossible ! How many times have I hurt you ? How many times have I tried to kill you ?!
He choked on that last words, tears already threatening to flood his too-bright eyes.
On my thin skin, his fingers tensed, twisted.
But I only felt a caress that was perhaps a little too desperate.
- I don't have the right to be a father, Andraste ! What if I went back to how I was before ? What if one day I freaked out again ? I still have a vicious, monstrous fear that takes hold of me when I touch you, when you trust me.
Arms extended along my body, crushed by the weight of the man I loved, I was weakened by his cries, however weak, which pierced my heart.
Probably without realizing it, Lance's fingers left the base of my neck to lodge closer to my neck, unable to help but give free rein to the movements of his thumb.
- What if I hurt our child ? he struggled in an almost inaudible whisper, almost like a sob. What if I couldn't control myself ?
- Lance...
I closed my eyes, my heart heavy with feelings. He had just said it.
« Our child ».
When one of his tears crashed against my cheek, his body towering above me, I finally realized that mine were already dripping. Slowly, my hand moved up to his wrist around me, letting a weak current of energy run between us.
- Who are you trying to convince by doing this ? I asked him suddenly.
His eyes, the gleams made even more unreal by his tears, then blinked quickly. Every time my mouth opened, I felt his breath hitch.
Yet it wasn't his throat he was clutching.
Besides, was that even the right word ?
- Is it me or you, that you're trying to convince ? Because your bullying act...
Despite his powerful fingers, I was sure that my pale skin there hadn't taken on the slightest redness.
- ...would you even be able to do it ? I added, in turn rolling my hand around his.
Because his tense fingers barely brushed me.
Shocked, he jerked his arm away, letting it slide into the void, then he moved away from me to fall back onto the bed behind him, letting his palms fall limply between his legs as he pressed his forearms on his thighs.
- You know very well not...
- So you see that you're no longer the same, I demonstrated to him, taking a step towards him. Before, you were guided by an anger that is no longer necessary, because it's no longer part of you. I trust you more than anyone in the world, and I would only like you to see yourself as I see you and not just as you think we should.
I took another step forward, subtracting the distance between us.
- And this baby is also a part of you. A part that I want to cherish and protect, that I want to teach that the world is not just made of loneliness. And above all, to make him feel, day after day, what it's to be loved unconditionally, I added in a voice trembling with emotion.
Yet it wasn't his throat he was clutching.
Besides, was that even the right word?
- Is it me or you, that you are trying to convince? Because your bullying act...
Despite his powerful fingers, I was sure that my pale skin there hadn't taken on the slightest redness.
- ...would you even be able to do it? I added, in turn rolling my hand around his.
Because his tense fingers barely brushed me.
Shocked, he jerked his arm away, letting it slide into the void, then he moved away from me to fall back onto the bed behind him, letting his palms fall limply between his legs as he pressed his front legs. - arms on his thighs.
- You know very well not...
- So you see that you are no longer the same, I demonstrated to him, taking a step towards him. Before, you were guided by an anger that is no longer necessary, because it is no longer part of you. I trust you more than anyone in the world, and I would only like you to see yourself as I see you and not just as you think we should.
I took another step forward, subtracting the distance between us.
- And this baby is also a part of you. A part that I want to cherish and protect, that I want to teach that the world is not just made of loneliness. And above all, to make him feel, day after day, what it is to be loved unconditionally, I added in a voice trembling with emotion.
Noticing my condition, which I unfortunately had trouble concealing, the hardness that had marked the dragon's eyes a moment earlier disappeared immediately, shifting into something I couldn't define. Then without warning, one of his hands landed on my lower back and pulled me to him, this time in an infinitely more measured way.
When I was close, my knees between his legs bumping against the mattress, Lance took me by surprise as he came to plant his forehead against my stomach.
And I remained planted there, like that, too surprised by his gesture to sketch the slightest movement. Several seconds passed during which none of us broke the silence of the room. He just lay... there, eyes closed, like that was the only place he needed to be.
Then after a moment, his voice rose against my top, his fresh breath caressing my skin through the fabric.
- I'm sorry, my angel... he told me without moving. I don't know how to react anymore. I say and do bullshit after bullshit, I'm completely lost...
He let a few seconds pass before adding, much more weakly :
- And I'm fucking terrified.
So I let my body act on its own, moving one of my arms up to slide my fingers between his long fair locks, caressing them with a gentle gesture.
- You know, I'm scared too, I confessed to him in a whisper. I've never felt anything so strong as since I knew it and it's true, it's perfectly terrifying, yet for nothing in the world I will go back.
When he pulled his forehead away from my stomach, I felt a strange energy, slightly different from Lance's, run through that same area in abstract shapes.
Eyebrows arched in astonishment, he lifted my top above my navel, amazed to discover there an ice he hadn't formed.
Нелли и Асмодей первые близнецы пары (еще планируют в новой эре как минимум троих девочку и двух мальчиков) очень привязаны к папе Невре, ведь он учит их в свободное время упправлять вампирскими способностями. Ведь мама Аля в отличии от папы обращенный им вампир и обладает лишь слабыми силами обращенного, да и силами аэнжела, которые унаследовали и дети.
Они редко обращаются к маме с тренировками в силах аэнжела, ведь обошли в способностях Алю и могут сильнее владеть этими силами, видимо повлияли силы вампиров, которыми они были рождены. От человеческого ничего не досталось малышам.
На арте Асмодей читает сказку вместе с родителями, а Нелли наблюдает за отцом./
Nelly and Asmodeus, the first twins of the couple (they are still planning at least three girls and two boys in the new era), are very attached to Papa Nevra, because he teaches them to control vampire abilities in their free time. After all, Alya's mother, unlike her father, is a vampire converted by him and has only the weak powers of the converted, and even the powers of an angel, which the children also inherited.
They rarely turn to their mother with training in the powers of an angel, because they outperformed Alya in their abilities and can wield these powers more, apparently influenced by the powers of the vampires they were born with. From the human, nothing got to the kids.
On the art, Asmodeus is reading a fairy tale with his parents, and Nelly is watching her father.
Los días y las noches se sucedían sin que yo notara la sutileza. Los segundos, los minutos, luego los años tal vez, no lo sabía.
Lo único que estaba seguro era que un sobre suave me cubría. Cálida y luminosa, me meció con sus caricias reconfortantes.
Me sentí como si estuviera absorbida en una especie de corriente de nubes en la que me movía, tan ligera como el aire, sin un objetivo real preciso. Una multitud de colores me rodeaba, haciéndome creer que el mundo había arrebatado nuevos matices cuyos matices nunca podría haber imaginado.
Pero sobre todo, una sensación de bienestar me invadió por completo. Como si, me hubiera liberado de mi piel, finalmente me siento libre. Relajada.
Mi descanso, sin embargo, se mantuvo sacudido por tonos de voces, algunas de las cuales me remitían a fragmentos de turbios recuerdos. Estas a veces felices.
Y otras veces atroz.
Pero la oscuridad simplemente no podía alcanzarme en mi capullo, porque nada podía perturbar la paz que reinaba en este saludable espacio.
Así, en momentos fugaces, se me aparecían rostros y me llegaban fragmentos de conversaciones. Entre todos ellas, dos almas llegaron a mí ser de muy diferente manera. Equilibrando constantemente dos sentimientos tan contradictorios como complementarios: la ira ante la desesperación.
Pero cuanto más pasaba el tiempo, más me abandonaban estas voces, hasta que llegaban a hablarme sólo en contadas ocasiones.
Sin previo aviso, nuevas emociones habían comenzado a nacer en mí. Una pequeña llama había comenzado a brillar, al principio tímida, luego cada vez más fuerte, hasta llegar a extenderse en cada una de mis parcelas.
Y un buen día, una de esas almas suplicantes encontró el camino hacia mi ser perdido. Mi corazón se llenó de asombro, al punto que hizo rebosar el fuego abrasador que me consumía.
El deseo de despertar finalmente había entrado en mí.
Finalmente llegó el momento.
***
El aire se precipitó violentamente en mis pulmones cuando el suelo frío de repente hizo contacto con mi espalda. El calor reparador del cristal me abandonó y una sensación de frío inmenso y desconcertante recorrió mi corazón y mi cuerpo.
Entonces se escuchó un ruido sordo, acompañado de pasos apresurados. Una mano áspera y delicada apartó el cabello que cubría mi frente.
- No lo creo. Andraste, ¿eres tú?
Sin saber por qué, el tono grave e implorante de la persona me partió el corazón. Una gota de agua salada aterrizó en mi mejilla mientras dos brazos envolvían mi cuerpo con urgencia, casi enfermizo.
Su intensa mirada azul fue lo único que vi con claridad.
————————————-
@andraaste Hi! I am the girl who asked you for permission to publish your story in Spanish, I will be uploading it both here and on Wattpad, just so you are aware and again thank you very much for your permission!
Chapter 31 : You're going to have to take your clothes off
- Princess, you may be incredibly perfect in this outfit, you're going to have to take your clothes off.
I stared at him, literally speechless.
- That I... what ?
And then, what was this sudden new nickname ?
He huffed, as if my question, which was also completely legitimate, irritated him in any way.
- Like I told you, if humans are here, there's a good chance it has something to do with you. I can't leave you in the Crystal Room with the other inhabitants. It would be too dangerous, both for you and for them.
Showing me the clothes and armor lying on the table, he continued :
- Except you're going to have to stay with me. And even though you look... more than gorgeous in that dress, you're going to have to put on something more practical. We have very little time, we'll have to hurry.
I nodded, troubled by the words he used to describe me.
As if, after denigrating himself, he was trying to put me on a pedestal, thus widening the chasm between us, thus proving to himself that he was probably not worth it and that his categorical reaction could only be justified.
But I did not agree with this method.
- Very well, I whispered angrily.
Without further ado, I took off my high heels while leaning on the wooden ledge, thus losing many centimeters. With a kick, I sent them flying under the table and then attacked the many strings in my back that held my dress. Pretending to ignore me, Lance did the same, removing his golden epaulettes and the red scarf that ran along him. His white jacket quickly followed the same trajectory.
All the strings undone, I let the soft fabric slide down my body, revealing my lace underwear. When it hit the ground, I jerked my feet free.
As he fastened the armor on his large chest, I noticed the dragon's eyes drift unwillingly over me, lingering on my curves, igniting a probably involuntary flame in the hollow of his pupils. Then he lowered his head, clearing his throat at the same time with an uncertain movement, before grabbing the paraphernalia placed in front of him.
- What should I wear ? I questioned him.
Hands full, he walked around the table before stopping in front of me, suddenly towering above me. And, for the first time since Falco had interrupted us, he finally met mine.
With an intensity that left me speechless.
Despite the barriers he constantly strove to maintain around him - erecting them as if they were no more than his only lifeline, his only keep out of a chaotic, devastating expanse of water, which would surely take him to his depths if he wasn't careful - I guessed a multitude of emotions when his gaze locked on mine.
His chest heaved, as if he took a deep breath before plunging under the black water, keeping me in suspense. Then, finally, his eyes tore harshly from mine before becoming shifty again.
And my heart seemed to choke.
- It's only a more suitable outfit but a little complicated to put on when you don't know. My teams are already there. With a night like this, it's always best to watch the surroundings, but we need to be in better condition in case of a fight. I don't know how it's outside and I would prefer that you run as little risk as possible.
His voice cracked several times during his tirade, which strangely caressed my ears.
Because he was clearly losing his means...
Following his words, the dragon caught me off guard as he crouched down in front of me, the garment in his hands. I raised my eyebrows in amazement.
- Lance, are you aware that I'm big enough to manage to dress mysel...
But the end of my sentence died on my lips when his fingers, so fresh, curled delicately around my calf. With a sure gesture, he then lifted my leg to help me put on the whole thing. When he had finished taking care of the second, his fingers lingered just behind my knee, caressing perhaps without realizing it the skin so thin there, which gave rise to an irrepressible goosebumps on all my body.
And of course, Lance noticed it.
For a moment his eyes stared at my legs, those turned so white in his large tanned palms, and I thought I could make out a faint smile stretching the corner of his lips before he pushed the soft fabric up my thighs. In the same momentum, he sat up in front of me, stopping the race of his hands just on my hips, touching my stomach.
The dragon then began to tie the garment, circling my body with his arms before pulling the laces over my stomach. Standing so close to me, probably much too close for that matter, I could feel his cold breath on my chest, which was heaving faster and faster.
And I had to admit that its freshness was welcome because, for a few seconds, I was starting to get really hot.
By the Oracle, was Lance aware that the way he dressed me was almost as ambiguous, even somewhat erotic, as the way he undressed me ?
Still, neither of us broke the placid silence we had agreed to, only the sound of laces being pulled echoing through the room. Seeing him take care of me like this took all my attention, so much so that I paid little attention to the small shocks that ran through my skin each time his skilful fingers touched me.
Surprisingly cold discharges, moreover, very different from the usual ones...
His gestures were sure, he knew how to put on this kind of armor in record time. Yet I felt the attention he gave to his task, as he trying not to hurt me. And, maybe I had dreamed it, but I was sure I felt his fingers linger for a moment against my stomach. His thumb caressed my skin in an infinitely soft way at this precise spot, which aroused a new emotion in me.
I couldn't stop my heart from racing. This closeness, just in the wake of his stormy words, made me more than confused and I knew he was too. How were we supposed to behave towards each other after all this, exactly ?
But this distance, it was Lance who had established it, and only him. And despite everything, his words had hurt me deep inside.
So I did nothing. Nothing but watch him carefully.
Eventually, this moment came to an end at some point, leaving a bitter taste in my mouth. Still walled in a stony silence, Lance had helped me put the top on in record time, probably relieved to have only my eyes to avoid. Within seconds I was covered from top to bottom.
- Alright, we can go, he told me in a hoarse voice, swallowing hard.
This wasn't the time to approach him about this subject, I was well aware of that. Still, my heart sank painfully.
- Above all, don't move away from me and try to always stay in my field of vision.
Still in a daze from this strange moment, I nodded to let him know that I understood.
I had to pull myself together.
The dragon dragged me out of the hall. Hurrying through the awfully quiet market square, we finally arrived at the HQ gardens.
Suddenly, several voices began to sound not far from us. Lance and I exchanged a quick look before sneaking our way to the front gate of HQ.
- Calm down. All we ask is to meet the human. The one you call « Oracle's Chosen ».
I froze in place, bewildered.
How could humans have heard of my existence? Miiko's potion having normally erased me from every memory.
Or else, for that, they had to at least have had real contact with faeries, which wasn't supposed to be the case... right ?
Nevra's voice suddenly rose, calm and thoughtful.
- And what exactly do you want with her, « Oracle's Chosen » ?
He increased his intonation on his last words, repeating the ones they had used. I leaned over to better observe the scene. One of the men, probably the one who had just spoken, raised an eyebrow as he lingered on Nevra, then a weak smile tugged his thin lips.
- We just want to talk to her, nothing more. But you, the vampire, should be more open to helping us meet her... am I wrong ?
That...
What did the man mean by that ?
Despite the very low light, night having fallen for several hours already, I still managed to distinguish the jaw of the said concerned suddenly clenching. Before letting out a weak chuckle.
- You have the eye. I'm indeed a vampire, you're right. But that, it's perhaps by dint of frequenting those of my race, am I wrong ?
Nevra toyed with them, seeming to enjoy deflecting their questions so as not to provide them with a concrete answer. The man didn't even try to hide the gleam of amusement that shone deep in his eyes.
- I cannot refute that the vampires of Yaqut are well known to us, indeed. But I'm still surprised to meet one here, given what they... well, never mind, he cut off with a wave of his hand, as if rejecting any information that he suddenly deemed useless. We are here for a whole other thing and it would not be necessary to linger too long. So, he resumed with a darker air, the human, where is she ?
A shiver suddenly ran through me as his expression had changed. Beside me, I felt Lance tense up as well.
I knew he had to join Nevra but that my presence was holding him back...
- Unfortunately, I don't think it will be possible, resumed the vampire. I don't know what my peers have told you, but know that they're not really known to be trustworthy. So, if you want...
Not letting him finish his sentence, the one who was to be the leader of the group of humans suddenly raised his arms in front of him, immediately followed by all his men, holding a gun firmly in his black-gloved hands directly at Nevra.
- Very well, if we have to go through the hard way, we'll not hesitate...
My blood only boiled.
Escaping Lance's vigilance and no longer answerable for anything, as the anguish had just wrapped around me, I rushed in great strides in the direction of the two men who were now staring at each other, my ears ringing under the violent blows of my already disordered pulse.
- NO, DON'T SHOOT !
The man froze then, the gun still pointed directly at Nevra – who wasn't moving one iota.
- It's me, I continued, totally out of breath from the panic that had swallowed me whole. It's me you're looking for. I am the human, or Oracle's Chosen.
Quickly grabbing my wrist, the vampire breathed through clenched teeth :
- Andraste, what are you playing, here ?
- What about you ? This is a far more dangerous weapon than any you can possess on Eldarya, it could kill you in one shot !
- That's my problem, not yours.
What ?!
An almost sick laugh interrupted us.
- Well, we're here ! You see, it wasn't that complicated, after all.
When I turned to face him, I was surprised to fall directly on a huge back with broad shoulders, totally tense.
- Let's get this straight, Lance growled right in front of me, his voice so ominous that even the man shuddered. At no time do you approach her, is that understood ?
- Ola, calm down, his interlocutor laughs nervously while finally lowering his weapon, raising his hands in the air to prove a feigned innocence. I see that she's not provided without the watchdog that goes with her. But that's okay, she must be pretty valuable.
Suddenly, a bright cold light sounded a little lower, catching my eye. Lance's ice. It was literally pulsing against his palms, wrapping around his long fingers and wrist.
The man couldn't help showing a stunned pout before trying to pull himself together.
- I'm the leader here, so you'll have to speak to me, Nevra intervened, stepping forward, feeling that the dragon's nerves were failing him. And your intervention, in the middle of the night and, what is more, the evening of a special event, is far from proving to me the candid value of your intentions. So, unless you are in a hurry, you will have to start by explaining your motivations to us.
The man glared, as if really annoyed by the turn of events. Then he capitulated, holstered his weapon right at hip level.
- Unfortunately, we're indeed in a hurry. You see, we still can't keep the portals open as long as we'd like, and this conversation is dragging on a little too long for my liking.
Turning to me, catching my gaze despite the two men standing between us, he added :
- Charles sent us, he blurted, his words echoing like a ticking time bomb inside me. He says you'll know who it is. What he wants is to be able to talk to you. On earth.
Then he turned away from my eyes to address the faeries facing him, looking resolute.
- We'll be back in two days, at the same time. And I dare to hope that the beautiful people of Eldarya will be more... inclined, to discuss.
Slowly, the group of men began to retreat, before finally turning their backs on us and disappearing into the forest that bordered the walls of the HQ.
Lance and Nevra didn't move immediately, staring straight at the edge of the trees.
- I have to join Huang Hua to report to her immediately, I'll let you take care of the rest, whispered the vampire in the direction of his second.
Getting ready to leave, he turned his back on him before hesitating for a moment. Finally, he planted a hand on his shoulder to slip him a few last words, much lower.
- We're going to do everything so that nothing happens to her, you know that.
Then he patted him with a friendly gesture.
- Try to pick yourself up.
When Nevra finally walked away, Lance's voice rang out harshly, addressing the Obsidian members all around us.
- Return to your posts immediately. No millimeter of HQ should be overlooked.
Following his order, the entire team then disbands, returning to where they came from. Gradually, the footsteps died away behind us, yet Lance still didn't move, remaining resolutely turned away from me.
This made the uneasiness between us rise.
Not really knowing what to say or do, I waited patiently for him to finally decide to... I don't know, make a gesture, say something ?
Without warning, his hand went up for the umpteenth time of the evening to his face, thus rubbing his eyes with ardor with a tense gesture.
- Fuck... he swore softly. Seriously, what the hell had you got into, jumping right into their trap ?!
Indignant, I felt the anger flowing in my turn. Lance had been angry with me for far too many times in one night.
- They were going to shoot Nevra, I remind you !
Unable to contain himself, he turned quickly to face me, anger rumbling deep in his eyes.
- So what ?! he got even more angry. You were planning to protect him with your body, perhaps ? Nevra is a vampire and one of the best soldiers I know, he would have necessarily managed to get away with it. But you, what would you have done, if they had really shoot ?!
- It was the only way to stop it and you know it ! You don't know humans like I know them, you can't know how treacherous, cold and desperate they are to achieve their goal ! They would inevitably have left a souvenir before leaving, even if it means dropping some of us just for form !
With energy, he painfully grabbed my arm before adding, in a dull, reproachful voice :
- And the baby, have you thought about it ?!
I widened my eyes, caught off guard, expecting anything but those words.
- You're pregnant, damn it ! If you really want to keep it, at least make the effort to take care of yourself ! What if something happened to you, did you think about it ?
- I...
In fact, I was left speechless. What was this weird blackmail Lance was doing to me ? And why was he getting so angry, so worried about something he had made it clear to me that he didn't want ?
It didn't make sense anymore...
Much too annoyed, my anger fell like a breath when I saw once again, his eyes fill with a thousand emotions far too unbearable for one person.
- Lance, I... I'm going to be more careful, I promise you, I said with difficulty. Nothing will... nothing will happen to me and the... baby.
He remained lost in my gaze for several seconds, suddenly seeming on the verge of breaking completely when he realized, with a hint of panic, the virulence with which he had squeezed my arm. When his fingers came loose, a sharp pain came over me at the same time as the trace of his huge hand marked my skin, but it didn't hurt me as much as the look he gave me at that moment.
A look totally horrified, frozen by the dread of his sudden gesture.
- Damn, when I tell you that I can't be a father, Andraste... he choked back.
My trembling palm was still resting in his, causing the dragon to frown in concern before he let go of me to wrap his long fingers around my face.
- What happens to you ?
His tone had become serious again, a wrinkle crossing his forehead.
- I'm sorry, this is probably not the right time, I say, shaking my head. I'll tell you about it later.
- You've been away for several days, Andraste, I can see that. Do you want to go talk about it somewhere else ?
Torn between two feelings, I stared at him for several long seconds. Lance sensed my doubt, I knew it. It was without letting me run away that his hands let go of my cheeks to grab my fingers again. Without a word, he led me to the exit of the Crystal room.
Here, the corridors were perfectly silent. Only the sound of our footsteps echoed in these long empty alleys. This evening, all the inhabitants of the HQ were invited to the evening which took place behind us.
When he pushed open the doors that led outside, I took a deep breath of fresh air from the heat in the HQ buildings.
Or maybe it was me who was way hotter than necessary.
Both walking at a slow pace, I took the opportunity to let my absent gaze run over his broad back, which moved a few steps in front of me. Head slightly raised, I guessed that he was lost in the contemplation of this starry sky. Lance and I, how far could we walk like this ?
Were our roads made to intertwine ?
Or were they destined to separate...
When the slow sound of the young man's footsteps ceased to rock my thoughts, I looked up and realized that we had arrived at the century-old cherry tree. This place...
His voice, sounding much deeper than usual, almost rocky in fact, finally broke the silence that reigned between us.
- Some of Valkyon's ashes have been scattered here, he informed me in a distant voice, still with his back to me. I was not allowed to attend.
Hearing the fire dragon's first name shook me up. Lance hardly ever talked about him.
- I don't come here very often, he continued. I spent several years there before finally setting foot there again. Between him and that statue of you, it was a lot of things I'll never forgive myself for. And then, sometimes, I have this impression of feeling him...
Finally turning to face me, I could see his eyes glowing a little too brightly in the moonlight as a fleeting, but still very present tremor ran through him for a single second.
- And it calms me as much as it scares me, he concludes while stuffing his hands in his pockets. I know you have something important to tell me, Andraste. I don't know what's coming out of it and I doubt I'm prepared for all eventualities, but I need to know.
A lump formed in my throat under his already emotional gaze.
Tonight, was Valkyon with us ?
I watched him for several long seconds then, feeling a breeze gently lift my hair, I closed my eyes and inhaled a second deep puff to give myself courage.
Then the words finally came out, distant, throwing to the ground the sweet dream in which we had been confused.
- I am pregnant.
My words, almost sharp, then widened the abyss that we had tried to forget. The one who separated us, for so many unforgivable facts.
His eyes widened, in which I thought I read a multitude of conflicting emotions. Then his hands fell back into the void, limply.
Almost fatally.
- You...
As if all semblance of air had just left the atmosphere, his sentence remained suspended.
Long.
So patiently, I let the information flow through his mind.
- Are you sure of it ? he finally manages to articulate.
And just as patiently, I nodded nimbly. His fingers suddenly got lost in his hair as a tone of reproach was born in his voice.
- Andraste, I can't have children and you know it.
We were there. Lance was convinced, and so far rightly so, that he could never give birth, the race of dragons having almost entirely disappeared apart from him. How to make him listen to what he had always believed fundamentally impossible ?
Belly totally knotted, I approached him with an almost imploring step.
- Lance, listen to me...
- Was that why that question the other day ? he cut me off, walking away in turn. Did you already know about your pregnancy ?
Bracing myself for what was to come, I stood frozen in front of him, the angst welling up inside me as treacherously as it knew how. Sneaky, slow and terrifying all at once.
- I wasn't sure yet. But Lance, let me explain...
- Damn, Andraste, I can't be a father ! he suddenly exploded, planting his clenched fingers fiercely in his hair. And even if by misfortune it could happen, for nothing in the world would I want to pass on my rotten genes ! I'm failing, full of flaws, he scoffed in a broken voice. And even so, I'll never be able to raise a child properly. I don't even know what it's like to have a family ! I wouldn't do that to anyone, especially an innocent child.
Under the virulence of his words, I remained speechless, feeling something break inside me.
How could he feel such deep hatred for himself...
Then, taking me by surprise, a smile marked by an infinite sadness was born on his face with completely closed features, creating a bitter shiver along my spine.
- It's true that we never said that our relationship was exclusive, I was naive to want to believe it, he concluded in a faint voice.
Flabbergasted, I watched him through the hazy veil of tears that I struggled more and more to hold back.
- How can you insinuate that ? I was indignant then, feeling my heart race even more. Lance, I haven't seen anyone but you ! I know you've always thought you'll never be able to have children and that I don't have a precise explanation, but I assure you that you are the father and no one else !
Without warning, a fleeting, desperate laugh escaped deep in his throat, making my stomach turn.
- So what ? he asked me with a weary wave of his hand, almost defeatist. Does that mean that I managed to engender an atrocity, made up of my degenerate genes, in the only woman I've ever loved ?
It was too much. Too many for the tears that threatened to engulf me not to end up getting there. My cheeks were streaming, drowning in the flood of nonsense Lance had just sent me, it crashing down on me as brutally as a slap.
How could he talk about himself like that ? Hate himself so deeply, so abjectly that he literally fears having a child, and thus perpetuates his genes which he describes as unfit and dangerous ?
Despite the torrent of emotions that carried me away, I could still make out the deep sadness that marked his eyes, with an agonizing, suffocating depth. How had Lance managed to stay upright when even an outsider couldn't bring himself to do so once he got lost in it ?
Torn between various totally contradictory emotions, I opened my mouth when a voice with a fairly hurried tone interrupted us.
- Boss, you're here !
Taken aback, I quickly turned my head to wipe my cheeks, not wanting to show my disastrous state to the young man I had already seen talking to the dragon.
Annoyed at being so disturbed in such a conversation, the dragon pulled himself together all the same, not without rubbing his eyes vigorously with his still clenched fingers.
- What's going on, Falco ?
Lance's voice, suddenly alert, made me shiver slightly.
- Your presence is requested immediately in the Crystal Room, Chief !
The dragon turned his head towards me, certainly planting his icy gaze in mine, this one having never been so cold. The latent pain that I had been able to read there a moment earlier had nevertheless almost completely disappeared, having been silenced as he was so used to doing.
- Very well, thank you Falco. You can dispose.
After a quick wave of his fist against his chest, the boy went back to where he had come from. Without waiting, the dragon followed him, summoning me to follow him without looking at me. I complied obediently, not really understanding what was happening, but given the tension that I could guess, this one tensing his broad shoulders, I understood that something probably serious was happening.
He walked fast, way too fast for me. So much so that I quickly found myself several meters far behind him, my high heels preventing me from keeping up with his pace. When he realized that I couldn't follow him, he turned around and, without meeting my gaze, he grabbed my hand with his, holding it firmly, with a slightly shaking grip.
Invaluable, his hand offered me support, preventing me from tripping or crashing to the ground. And even more, to feel his warmth that I had already missed so much.
When we entered the Crystal Room, the sound of the music had just stopped, plunging the sweating crowd into an uneasy silence, which was filled with a hubbub of still lively conversations.
Heedless of the people around us, Lance pulled me through the nearly condensed crowd without ever letting go of my hand. It was in the same momentum that Huang Hua's voice suddenly sounded on the stage, resonating much louder than the others.
« Everyone, listen to me. I have an important announcement to make to you. »
This time, Lance's eyebrows furrowed more fiercely, which didn't reassure me. Looking up at him, I felt my heart beat even faster.
Lance was really tense.
- What's going on ? I finally dared to question him.
He didn't look at me.
Not even once.
- There's something abnormal, he explained to me. Huang Hua is not supposed to start her speech now and Nevra is no longer in the room.
« I'm going to ask everyone to stay calm. » continued the young woman.
Bringing his face back to me, I could make out his hardened features. However, his eyes stopped just short of meeting mine.
- Come with me.
Not leaving me time to realize, the dragon took me once again with a hasty step, splitting the crowd with disconcerting ease. On our way, I met the worried eyes of several faeries.
- Lance, what's going on ? I repeated.
Without really turning around, he explained to me over the voices that rose louder and louder around us :
- There is a problem. I think HQ is under attack.
- What ?!
« I'm going to ask everyone to stay here. Under no circumstances should you leave the enclosure of the Crystal Room until the order has been lifted. »
After several long seconds, we arrived at a door that I had never taken, this one being on the side of the room. This corner of the room being much less full, I turned my head back, observing the world which now piled up with anger and incomprehension.
The abrupt halt in Lance's footsteps made me turn back to him. Surprised, I then discovered a man of a species that I didn't know, animal-like, whose size was even more impressive than that of the dragon.
The two men greeted each other with a curt nod of the chin.
- A group of men has been reported outside HQ, explained the colossus. They're currently maintained by our sentries, but they have weapons that we don't know.
- Is the team still there ?
The mountain nodded affirmatively.
- Very well, thank you Chester. Take care of watching here, no one can be hurt.
Realizing my presence, the gaze of the stranger landed on me.
- Is she the human ?
I felt Lance's tension increase as he tightened his fingers around mine. The thick laughter of our interlocutor gave me shivers of disgust.
- You'd better watch out for her, I think they're human.
Hearing his last words, I looked up so quickly in his direction that I almost snapped my neck.
- Humans ? Do you think it's humans attacking HQ ?
Lance's increasingly shifty gaze stopped worrying me. It was not good news.
Truly not.
- It's even sure, my beauty. The vampire just walked out that way, he added to Lance with a shake of his head. He said you knew what the procedure was for her.
In response, the dragon nodded briskly before rushing towards the hidden door, dragging me with him in his race. I could feel my pulse racing from second to second.
- But what are humans doing here ? I shouted over the now surrounding chaos. And why are they attacking us ?!
- I already told you about it shortly after you woke up. When I was assigned to your security, I explained to you that we had found human weapons around the headquarters. They did not appear on our lands on their own as buildings did. We think they figured out how to open portals, but how is another question altogether.
I pondered his words, a question still running through my mind.
- Lance, this man, what did he mean by "the procedure for her" ?
Suddenly, he came to an abrupt halt at a bend in the hallway, almost knocking me forward as his hand stopped me. Turning to face me, I could make out his jaw clenching as he swallowed. His eyes remained shifty.
- You know, Huang Hua asked me to take care of your safety. If they're really humans, there's a good chance their presence here has something to do with you, he explained, squeezing his fingers a little tighter into mine. But don't worry, I won't leave you alone.
Then we resumed our run, finding ourselves in a corridor that I didn't know. Without hesitation, Lance turned to his left before leading us down a narrow staircase. When he pushed the wooden door all the way down the stairs, I was amazed to land in the forge, the headquarters of the Obsidian.
- Since when does this passage exist ?
For the first time, Lance finally let go of my hand, planting me in front of the back door. He answered me while walking around the room in long strides.
- You probably never noticed, but the HQ is built like a fortress. It contains many passages that are known only to the Sparkle and it soldiers.
As he spoke to me, the young man pulled out armor from various places in the room, knowing full well where to look. Putting everything on the central table, he motioned for me to join him.
- Princess, you may be incredibly perfect in this outfit, you're going to have to take your clothes off.
