Series Rating: E (Minors DNI) [TW: Semi-graphic battle scenes, minor character deaths]
Word Count: 1.7K
Summary: The Elder War has brought battle to Kvia after directly striking Gale Ennore to the North.
[AO3]
The Elder Fae and their worshippers chose Gale Ennore as their first strike, the Elvish city was North of Kvia by nearly a moon cycle with even the fastest of mounts, and you had been forced to watch Pero and William depart with a majority of the Elves and half-Elves that called Kvia home to reinforce the primary city defenses. Watching him shift forms into his true body left you with the reality that this could be the last time you saw him, the hulking onyx-scaled dragon that lurked beneath his guise of a human man serving as a reminder that even he wasn’t immune to every threat they might find, and you’d kissed his snout and begged him to return to you before he took to the skies.
“We must bolster the village defenses, are you staying?” Gawain and Khazos looked over at you, the Selkie and the Ursa weren’t exactly friends but in times of strife they were the most powerful defenders Kvia had, and all of your sisters and brothers looked to you as well. Kvia wasn’t your home the way it was for the others, you and your family dove deep beneath the waves to the grotto your Father had raised you all in at the end of the day, but this war wasn’t just theirs to face.
As a reply you picked up an axe for wood chopping, gripping the tool tightly. “Spiked barricades are what we need, yes?” You saw the respect in Khazos’ eyes as he nodded, your siblings hurrying to join you in assisting with barricade building and reinforcing the buildings, the rest of the were-kin and Selkie hastening to follow your lead. It was only days later that the worshippers of the Elder Fae Pesta arrived with their weapons drawn, the swamp-born goblins and trolls who dutifully helped spread her blight to homesteads bordering their territories were not what anyone expected to encounter, and everyone able-bodied enough was forced to fight.
As the only ones capable of using any kind of healing spells it was left to your family to treat the injured and sick, leaving the waters of the Glennrior Bay to churn and the Faldes Sea to smack heavily against the cliffs in response to your joint anger and fears, but none of you were kept from fighting either. Your arms shook as you gripped the haft of a goblin’s spear and wrenched the weapon from its hands, using the staff to deliver a stunning blow to its chin before spinning the weapon and driving the sharpened point through the layers of hide armor.
When there weren’t people to heal or your youngest siblings were able to handle that task you and the other elder Nereides joined the fighting, you had grown up learning how to battle with halberds and spears or tridents your entire lives after all, and yet your eyes lifted to the clouds any time the sun was hidden hoping to see the stretch of wings from above. “Take care not to be distracted.” Gawain’s ivory war club connected with a goblin in a powerful downward swing, crushing the assailant’s body and sending a spray of blood everywhere, and you nodded at his reprimand before using the pilfered weapon to take down another three goblins before the grip was too wet with blood to hold.
A torrent of water from the pond was used to ensnare and drown a troll before it could deliver a killing blow to a pair of young bulls from Marta’s family, the boys gathering their clubs and retreating to the congregation of fighting where it was safer, but you were too slow to block the upward swing of a hatchet and felt the searing pain along your jaw where the blade had cut into your skin. Any deeper and it would have caught the bone, instead only sea foam dribbled down your face as you sent an orb of water at the attacker to distract him before fleeing to where Melodia and Pelanos were finishing up with a cow that retrieved her axe and returned to the fight.
“There is poison, sister, I’m afraid it will scar-“
“I don’t care.”
You hated how harsh you spoke but there was no time for them to cry over your injury, not when lives had been lost and would be lost, so Melodia sang out the healing song as she held water to your face and the stinging pain faded. “Get rest when you can, both of you.” As they nodded you grabbed Pelanos’ halberd and hurried toward the front line, the spiked barricades had served their purpose to keep the main attackers out of the village, but you could see the piles of sea foam crackling and popping amidst the bodies and blood on the ground.
Outrage bolstered your magic and your body to fight, to defend and avenge, your vision blurred in a haze of anger and tears as the waves responded to match your fury.
He had abandoned Gale Ennore the moment the Immortals and Elder Ones had disappeared, the Elves were more than capable of fighting the last of the trash that had swarmed the stone gates, and Pero’s wings propelled him as he tucked his legs and arms closer to his body to increase his speed. He could see the signs of enemy forces breaking away from the main assault and it didn’t take a genius to know they’d gone to the village, his eyes narrowing as his magic swelled, but as he drew nearer he could hear the sounds of battle below.
Wooden spiked barricades protected the village on all sides, keeping the goblins and trolls from the center, and from here he could smell the pestilence below; his roar echoed in the air and he watched as many of the villagers beat a hasty retreat toward the only entrance through the barriers, torrents and waves of water shoving back the enemies as the were-kin in their bestial forms acted like mounts for other Nereides so that they could maintain their defensive walls.
Pero hadn’t seen you among the fighters but he had no reason to believe anything had happened to you just yet.
He could feel your magic pulsing, swelling strong and true, he knew you were alive.
He spewed flames at the foes below even as they tried to throw spears and plague filled satchels at him, his wingbeats preventing their feeble attempts from even getting close, and only after the last of the trolls fell as a burning husk did he drop down and shift forms; he ignored every person attempting to thank him, eyes searching the crowd for you. He spotted several of your siblings gathered together crying, where there had once been nearly fifty of you he spotted smaller groups totaling at about eighteen, and his heart nearly stopped.
“Pero-!”
He turned in time to catch you as you barreled at him full speed, his arms closing around you in a bruising grip, and your cool aura calmed the fire that had begun ravaging his mind. “Mi cristal marino. You’re safe.” He pulled back to tilt your head up and his eyes found the scar dragging up the right side of your face, stopping just higher than the corner of your mouth and starting right at the edge of your jaw, the skin discolored and jagged despite being healed over. “It was Pesta’s worshippers that did this to you? I will reduce her to ash-“ Your mouth sealed over his before he could finish his threat, hands coiling in his hair, and Pero’s mind blanked before he was licking into your mouth with a groan.
“Stay, please, for as long as you can. Don’t go chasing down an Elder Fae for this, I need you here.”
He followed your gaze to the piles of bodies, blood, and sea foam that littered the grass and recognized the way your voice broke. Pero held you tighter against his armor and nodded into the crown of your head, he had never needed to fear the loss of his kin like any others since most creatures did not foolishly chance facing a dragon, but your grieving state was one he would never forget. Every instinct to rage became the need to protect, to hoard you away, but he couldn’t.
Not yet.
Pero dutifully stood by your side as you and the remaining members of your family used your magic to gather the sea foam and return it to the crashing waves, he watched as the white foam shimmered like the smallest gems and dissipated into the water for good, and he fashioned a means of ferrying you and the other Nereides up into his dreyerie after spotting the meré lurking in the waves waiting for anyone foolish enough to try and enter the sea.
There was no way in hell he would let you anywhere away from him right now, he let you remove his armor and his tunic after everyone was settled amidst his hoard of treasures, and Pero held you close to him as the exhaustion from grief and fighting lured you to sleep. He could feel the churning and shifting of the wilding magic as the Immortals battled their foes, he was aware that drastic measures were likely to be taken but all he could do for now was hold you close and face any threats that came this way.
His hands brushed the skin of your cheek as he watched you, still amazed that you’d been placed in his path, and he couldn’t begin to imagine what he would do if this war truly robbed him of everything. He wanted to spirit you away to the volcano that served as his clan’s home, to keep you safe and secret among the dragons where no harm would ever find you just the his most precious of treasures, but you were not an item to be kept or admired when the desire arose.
You were beautiful, compassionate, alive, and he traced your new scar once more with no less anger than when he’d first seen it. He would be patient, allow you to grieve and wait until the Elder Fae were humbled enough to slink back to their territory once again, and then he would make you his in more than just a declaration of intent.
Series Rating: E (Minors DNI) [CW: Vague mention of war, mentions of disownment/exile, smut]
Word Count: 6.2K
Series Summary: After meeting the one his magic calls for Pero must fight against Immortals, Elder Fae, and magic beings alike to keep her safe by his side.
Chapter Summary: Hope and joy come to the bay in the form of a happy union
Notes: Please join my new taglist if you want updates! This chapter is minimal plot and heavy on the romance.
[AO3]
He was finally home, where he belonged, your body maneuvering through the tunnels branching off the grotto toward the main space as hope bubbled in your heart. Your father looked physically well and his eyes softened as you and the remaining two siblings of yours crowded him, basking in his return at long last.
“My children, I am so sorry that I have been away for so long. I cannot stay, unfortunately the Elder Ones have only retreated temporarily, but I was told by the young dragon that many of you have suffered in my absence. I came to apologize for allowing such grief to strike you, my dear ones.” He traced the scar on your face with his thumb and you couldn’t help the way you stiffened a little, knowing already what young dragon he was talking about.
“How is Pero, father? Is he well?” He was alive, you could still feel his magic burning deep within the core of your own aura, but he’d flown long and far over the last years and his returns had become shorter and shorter. It felt like each time you saw him again his skin bore new scars, new lines from weariness and lacking some of the fullness that he’d once had.
Your father cupped your face and pressed a kiss to your forehead, reminding you of many centuries ago when you were still small and how the gesture never failed to make you feel secure and safe and cherished.
“Your dragon is well, my dear one, he has been one of our greatest allies against the forces the Elder Ones have been using and even the Elder Fae themselves are hesitant to cross him. The Sky Queen has called upon his kindness to defend the temples to the North against Kro’mrak and his Colossus followers. The giants, ogres, and trolls have begun directing their march there since they had thought to have the Citadel’s aid in taking Gale Ennore.” You nodded slowly and felt the tremor of dread deep in your heart, the fact that this war was still raging was beginning to make everyone lose hope for peace.
But you found yourself worrying more and more each day, even with Ulean here the shore around the bay was vulnerable to being invaded by the bog witch and her followers and the Meré had begun their assaults anew.
“Is there anything that can be done, Father?” Pelanos’ voice was small but you knew it was his fear that made it so, he and Melodia were the last two of your siblings that remained. Kelain, Ilo, and Aret had all died fighting a swarm of Meré that had come when Ulean had been on the shore fighting off several groups of goblins.
Watching the way your Father’s eyes looked between the three of you, the way he seemed to almost deflate, you knew that the answer was likely a very difficult choice for the Immortals to make. All of the most powerful spells and magics came with a high price and you couldn’t begin to imagine the cost of unleashing such great magics upon the world.
“There is, and we have considered it, but doing so would cause the greatest changes to Solvora and rend the magic of the world into pieces and we do not know whether the end result would do more harm than good.” All you could do was nod, understanding the hesitation far too well, these decisions were not yours to make but if your Father had even taken them under thought it meant that he was already working to weigh the risks involved.
After a beat of silence you reached out and captured his hand in yours, the appendage so much larger due to the sheer size of him, and you squeezed gently with as hopeful as a smile you could muster.
“We’ll continue to fight, Father, we’ll continue to do what we can to protect Glennrior Bay in your absence. We love you and we trust you to do whatever it takes to protect as many innocents as you can.” His lips lifted into a sad smile, nodding once, and you knew that he likely had to leave again soon. But he captured your hands in his and this time you felt the thrum of power dancing beneath your skin, felt the way your natural aura swell and shift.
“Be strong, my darlings. I am proud and always will be proud of you. Your dragon asked for my blessing to complete the bond between the two of you and take you as his mate, and I’ve given that blessing to him. I name you the Guardian Nereid of the Glennrior Bay, my darling, the power I just granted you will allow the three of you to create physical forms for Water Elementals. If they choose to bind themselves to the sea proper I can complete that ceremony after the war has settled.” You watched him give both Pelanos and Melodia a fraction of his power, the three of you nodding once as he looked over you, and the Immortal left for the Taunmack Flats once again.
As the Guardian Nereid, the Elemental bound to the bay waters, you held more authority than any over the future of the bay. But it also further cemented your tie to the wilding magic that was flowing through the waves and the sands and sky, acting as both an anchor and a means of increasing the power of your magic. You could feel the ties of your natural magic and the wilding magic of the bay begin to intertwine, to weave together as one, and you could feel the life of the magic thrumming around you.
“The Meré have gathered just outside the bay and there are guests asking for you on the shores.” Ulean’s lithe form was cutting through the water toward you as you emerged from the grotto, it was strange to see her swimming just as swift without being in her dragon body but you’d long since gotten used to it. The pair of you navigated the water with ease and you had to do a double take when you emerged from the waves, spotting the group of young women and their travel satchels, but you recognized them.
“You’re from Marta’s pod.” As soon as the words left your mouth the eldest in age out of them, and quite frankly she couldn’t even be that many years past her majority, let out a soft huff that came more like a growl.
“We were exiled from the pod, all of us have refused to obey the laws of the Elders and Alpha, we know we’re more than just our ability to have pups and because of our refusal to mate and us fighting off suitors we were told to leave. Auntie- she told us to come here, to find you.”
As you looked at the group of selkie, your eyes soft for their plight, you could feel Ulean rumble her annoyance beside you.
“Course you’re worth more, you’re able to learn how to fight, just because you’re women doesn’t make you incapable or even lesser.” The fact that the dragon was quick to offer reassurances bode well, and this gave the Bay more than enough aid once the new Pod was able to fight properly. Pelanos and Melodia had been able to work together and bring new Water Elementals to the bay waters, all of the elementals very eager to assist in defending the bay and the sea in general from the Meré and the Bog Witch.
“We’ll teach you how to fight and help build stronger buildings for you to live in here on shore, Kvia might’ve been abandoned years ago but now with you here it will rise again if we all work together.” You offered your hand and the selkie eagerly offered hers in return, the other young cows looked equally relieved at the acceptance.
“My name is Rhiannon, I’ve taken the role of Alpha of our new pod.” You couldn’t help the way your mouth curled into a proud smile as the young selkie stood straight, tall and firm in her declaration, and you looked at the cliffs of the bay only briefly. This was the offer of hope and your eyes danced with a newfound gleam as you felt Pero’s aura swell in the distance, which he often did when he was returning home.
“Rhiannon, as the Guardian Nereid of the Glennrior Bay I welcome you and your pod amidst our waters. From this day forward you shall be the Faldes Point Pod, it is the Northern curve of the crescent cliffs and currently the most defensible against the Meré assailants.” The selkie nodded and her pod all murmured in excitement, earning a name from a Guardian elemental was the ultimate pride for any Werekin or Shifter families, and you had no problem giving them this as a gratitude for their return.
“We will learn how to help fight and defend the Bay and the shores, thank you so much for allowing us this chance.” With the formalities done you sent Ulean to fetch Pelanos and Melodia, not only to watch for the Meré but to have their aid in construction, and as the girls eagerly jumped to help you decided to keep your heart open to hope that this was a good turn for the war.
Pero arrived by nightfall, when the rough outlines of the new buildings were made in stone markers and tents had been erected for the selkie, and his hold was tight as you hurried to him. You grinned against his insistent kiss and returned his affections without a care for the observing eyes, the searing heat of his aura and the swelling cool of yours casting that bubbling warmth within your veins.
“Mi amor.” His voice was so low that it was practically a purr and you let him trace his nose along your cheek before he was drawing back to look you over, likely for any signs of harm you might’ve earned in his absence, and when his protective sweep was over you were being pulled back into a much deeper kiss. His tongue traced your lips, plundering into your mouth the moment you opened to him, and his hands gripped the soft skin of your waist in a hold that would likely leave marks.
But you loved it, loved the open and needy affection, you loved how much he refused to even hide what he felt for you in any way.
“Pero, my love.” His rumbling returned and you sighed into his insistent mouth as he pulled you against his body much tighter than before, this wasn’t an uncommon way for him to greet you after so many years apart due to the war that the Elders refused to end despite trying to challenge the Immortals who shaped Solvora.
“Marry me, mi amor.” The request whispered against your lips made you stare up at him in awe, you knew he’d asked your Father but for him to ask so soon was not what you’d expected. Your eyes softened, growing wet, and you nodded eagerly as you whispered your agreement against his lips. Ulean’s bellowing cheer made you turn in time to see that your silent observers were much closer than before, the selkie looking both awed and nervous at the presence of your mate-to-be, and Pero’s curious expression made you hum fondly.
“Pero, these are the selkie of the Faldes Point Pod, I’d like you to meet Rhiannon. They are of Marta’s pod, but they wish to learn how to fight and help win the war, their refusal to have children in the pod led to their exile.” Pero regarded all of the young women before nodding once, his stern look softening just a touch more than you expected.
“Then we shall happily teach you, welcome home.” Rhiannon’s eyes began to shine with tears in the light from the torches, sniffling, and you couldn’t help but go to her and pull her into your arms. You suspected that she had issues with having a male figure in her life treat her with kindness, knowing Gawain and the pod as you did, and it appeared the others had a similar history with their own misty eyes.
But as you drew back, watching them collect their emotions, you felt Pero’s large hand press against your lower back. His eyes were stern but not in a threatening way, more like he was feeling whatever frustrations on their behalf.
“Your potential is greater than what your former pod believes, it is folly to discount such determination and drive, and so we will help you learn to protect your new pod.” You suspected he had met many a person who felt powerless, compared to himself especially, but you were honestly a little surprised that he was so good with them. It appeared that, for a battle and time hardened dragon, he was quite good with younger people.
But then you realized it made sense that he was protective of them, the bay was his home as well and you’d welcomed the selkie here, you had claimed the pod and being his betrothed made them his responsibility as well. In a way you and him had adopted them as yours, given that they were hardly old enough to be considered proper adults, and Ulean met your gaze with a knowing smile.
“Have the meré made any ground on the Bay?” Pero’s question made you immediately shake your head, the power that your father granted you had also allowed you and your siblings to set strong barrier spells with Ulean’s aid that acted like a forcefield of sorts and kept the meré out.
“Then I wish to marry you tomorrow evening, when the moon is fullest and the Huntress can lay witness to our union given that you are brethren in that you both were born of the Ocean Lord’s hand. I have- I had a set of robes crafted from the moonspun silk for you, and mi mamá has sent a gift of her own that I am to present to you when our vows are completed.” You nodded and he smiled as he pulled you against him again, his nose against your ear breathing you in with a low him.
“We must do this correctly then, Pero. Your pretty little bride should return to her grotto until tomorrow, it’s poor luck to see your bride until she’s revealed to you.” Ulean’s voice was sly as she winked and Pero rumbled slightly but agreed with a nod, turning you into the water dragon’s arms after placing another searing kiss to your mouth.
Nervous wasn’t the emotion you were feeling. Anxious, excited, and happy for sure were the biggest things. Melodia smiled as she helped you into the white robes, your nieces and nephews all helping keep you dry by preventing the water from touching you or the precious silks, and the tailor who had worked with them had done a stunning job. The long skirt fell loose and fastened off to the side of your waist in a way that showed off much of your thigh, tightening around your torso in a deep V collar thanks to the sewn in fasteners, and you were still wearing your headdress of kelp, net weave, pearls, and sea glass because that was part of who you were.
The long sleeves of the garment fell to your wrists, sheer and decorated with the smallest shining pearls, and the ends of the sleeves belled down past your hands just a few inches. All in all you felt beautiful, the soft mother of pearl belt that Ulean had carved for you sat on your hips helping hide where the robe fastened at the waist. It also had another sheer layer of silk attached to it in a way that would open into a long train, enchanted specifically to not allow sand to cling to it, and you felt the slight buzz of commotion before following Melodia’s gaze to the door where Ulean was waiting.
“It’s almost time.”
You had spent all day in the grotto as everyone else worked to set everything up for your union, decorations and a feast all being arranged for you, and the light inhale of nerves made you smile before you nodded at the water dragon. It was strange to walk across the floor of the grotto, since you were so used to swimming, but the soft white sand felt like silk on your feet; that had been your only request, to be barefoot as you usually were for the ceremony.
“I’m so happy for you, sister.” Melodia’s eyes were shimmering with tears and you wiped them away with your thumbs and offered her your gratitude, all your nieces and nephews tittering in delight and excitement as they helped create the pathway that would keep your ascent dry. Ulean shifted bodies outside the grotto, doing a final sweep for any meré that might be looking to capitalize on the celebrations, while you and Melodia walked hand in hand up the path toward the shore.
The moonlight shimmered down through the dark waters like a beacon, casting the glow around the coral and sea grass that lined your walk, and from here you could see the shimmering fire of the torches and the large bonfire casting its warm glow into the night. A thrum of power from the moon was answered by the rising surge of energy deep in the very ocean itself, your father and the huntress’ blessings making you smile wider than ever, and you watched Ulean weave through the water to hurry to the shore before you could crest the surface.
Pero met your gaze the moment you stepped up into sight, his robe was black and sheer in a way that showcased the onyx scales along his back and draping down the sides of his neck where they met and coated his pectorals before fading into a smattering of scales around his navel, and even from here you could see the gleam of his claws and the ornate antique silver circlet reflecting the firelight as a Priestess stood waiting for your arrival. His trousers were new, clean, and stopped just at the ankle and his feet were as bare as your own.
Along the little path marked by gleaming sea shells were all the selkie, your family, and even Pero’s friend William; you knew then that the Priestess was the very same that William had fallen in love with. As you finally neared your dragon his eyes danced with delight, tracing the deep V of the robe collar, and the Priestess chuckled softly.
“We gather this day to finalize the bond of union between the dragon, Pero, and the Guardian Nereid of the Glennrior Bay.” Lin, you could have sworn that was her name, let her voice call into the open sky; your title always came first in any ceremonial events now and this was no different, she spoke your name after a beat of silence.
“You are not of his kind but you are the one who calls to Pero’s heart and soul, you have faced many hardships and many years apart yet your love has only grown stronger, this love has strengthened both of you and has proven that even in times of tragedy you can still find happiness. By taking him as your own you merge his family and your own, his magic and your own, your duties and his own. Will you accept Pero for all his is, all he has done, and all he can yet still do?”
“I do accept him, Priestess.”
“Pero, you are not of her kind but you are the one who calls to her heart and soul, the years of war have kept you parted and yet neither of you have lost any love for one another. This love has given your strength to return home, to fight and protect, and has proven that happiness and light are possible in dark times. By taking her as your mate you merge your family with her own, your magic with hers own, your duties and her own. Will you accept the Guardian Nereid of the Glennrior Bay for all that she is, all that she has done, and all that she can yet still do?”
“I do accept her, Priestess.”
“Melodia, sister of the bride and sister-to-be of her husband, you have witnessed this pair grow as individuals and as betrothed from the very beginning. This union brings together a daughter of the Ocean Lord and a son of the Sky Queen, dragon and elemental, man and woman. Will you offer your blessing of this union, giving your sister over to her mate and accepting his place in your family and your place in his family?”
“I do accept their union, Priestess, and offer my most sincere blessings.”
Melodia extended your hand and Pero reached out too, letting your sister place your hand in his, and the dragon offered a sincere smile before Melodia stepped back to sit beside Pelanos and the other Elementals. You looked at your dragon, his eyes gleaming golden in the firelight, and the Priestess smiled softly as she revealed the hand fasting rope. It was the same woven rope that made up your headdress braided with brilliant dark crimson, deep blue, and a cloudy white cord; land and sea, fire and water.
“This cord was crafted by the brother of the bride and the heart-brother of the groom, representing the union of two powerful elemental beings, it is a symbol of their bond and a gift from their loved ones. Do you have vows for one another?” Pero nodded and you nodded too, turning to face him fully as Lin began wrapping the cord around your joined hand.
“Pero, my love, I am not a young creature and yet never in my life had I thought I would find someone like you. I was curious of you, at first, unsure; and yet the moment our magic met and called to one another I knew that I would never be able to walk away from you. The Immortals put you in my path that day, something I will forever be grateful of, and I will happily spend the rest of my days as your mate and wife. You’ve proven to me you are devoted, strong, able to provide for me, and despite being away for many years at a time you always come back. I vow to stand by your side through all the dangers that may come our way, I vow to protect our home and treasures and your heart that you’ve chosen to give to me, I vow to protect both our families, and I vow that I will protect and cherish you from this day to the last of my days.”
“Mi cristal marino, mi amor, when we first met I was overcome with the desire to possess you; it is… it is my nature to hoard away treasures and I knew that you would have been the greatest treasure I’d ever claimed. But then you proved to me that while you are my treasure you’re so much more, you’re bold and kind and loving and energetic, and now I wish to be claimed by you and stand at your side. I will never be able to change that I am grumpy and overprotective, that I am quick to temper and hard to calm down, but never will you ever need worry about my love for you. I vow to stand by your side through all the dangers that may come our way, I vow to protect our dreyerie and your heart that you’ve chosen to give to me, I vow to protect both of our families, and I vow that I will protect you and cherish you from this day to the last of my days.”
The knot was bound and you smiled at your husband, your mate, your love as he grinned right back at you. The lines around his eyes and the weariness that plagued him lessened just a little for tonight, his molten gold eyes were gleaming with the love he had for you, and Lin wiped a tear from her eyes before she stepped back from the pair of you.
“With the Huntress as your witness, the blessing of the Ocean Lord and Sky Mother, and the presence of your families and friends I name you husband and wife. Mates, for the rest of your days, and wish you a long and happy lifetime together.” Pero’s free hand came up and you went willingly as he cupped the back of your neck to steal into your mouth, the kiss was full of pent up emotions, and the rope around your wrists began to shimmer before it faded into your skin like a tattoo. At the end of the aisle you smiled at the besom broom before walking alongside Pero toward the tables of food, the pair of you jumping the broom stick, and Pero squeezed your hand in his tightly as you both were sat at the head table.
He handed you a silk wrapped item and you stared at the pendant within the fabric in awe, it was the same antique silver as his circlet and the center of it held a smoky crimson gemstone that was riddled with orange and gold veins.
“This is the mark of our clan, mi amor, a gift from mamá. Her way of welcoming you and providing her blessing without being present to do so.”
“We’ll have to visit soon, so I can thank her properly.” You smiled as he kissed you deeply, knowing it stemmed from accepting that you were truly part of his family now and you would have to reach out to your Father soon.
You smiled at Ulean, who had remained very sober, and your family as they helped the selkie settle into their tents for the night; William and Pero were talking in low voices, you knew that the war was still very much ongoing but this time their expressions looked much lighter. All night you’d danced, feasted, and drank freely to celebrate; Pero had proven himself more than capable of twirling you around the sands in a fast-paced step-dance that left you smiling even as he stole your breath with another searing kiss at the end. The moon was beginning to set and you whispered your gratitude to her, knowing that soon you would be taken up to the dreyerie, and Pero’s eyes found yours before he bid his heart brother a good night.
Lin had already turned in for the evening, the Priestess was recovering from battle still and quick to tire, so you resolved to thank her in the morning.
“Are you ready to turn in, mi cristal marino?” You nodded without any hesitation, knowing what he was asking, and Pero shifted forms before letting you climb up and rest against his back. The train of your robes fluttered behind you, catching the moonlight and shining in the dark, and as you landed on the ledge he let you down before shifting back and scooping you up into his arms. His facial hair tickled as he peppered your skin with kisses and walked you into the dreyerie proper, the piles of golden coins and fancy rugs and treasures all bypassed as he walked you down to a different area.
Your eyes rounded in surprise at the sight of the soft mattress near a hot spring he’d definitely had help creating in here, the bed had pillows and silk sheets and soft crystals created a silvery glow of light around the space that wasn’t too bright. You kissed him, it was like a need clawing at your very being to give yourself over to him and Pero groaned into your mouth, laying you down on the mattress and capturing the sides of your face as he knelt over you.
The kiss turned languid, stoking the fire of passion you had built but not consuming either of you, and Pero drew back to brace his forearm on the bed so he could meet your eyes.
“I will not push you, mi amor, so if you do not wish to go further than this-“
Your darling husband groaned when you captured his mouth, hands cupping his cheeks as you sank your teeth into his lower lip, and the love you felt for him was almost overwhelming. You knew he was gentle compared to what most others thought of him, when he had reason to be, but his willingness to wait for you only cemented the truth that you were ready to be one with him in all ways.
“I want you, Pero, I want you to make love to me. I want you to ravish me, I want you any way you’re willing to give.” The confirmation, the consent, made his mouth curl into a fond smile before he was pressing more of his weight on you and dragging his mouth down your neck so his tongue could swirl along your skin and taste you. But he went lower than your bust and you felt your breathing hitch when he nosed at your ankles, nipping his way up the skin of your leg as he looked at you.
Pero was worshiping your body as he held your gaze, his kisses and bites driving your heartbeat wild as his thumbs slowly circled higher up your leg and the eye contact was making you squirm. As your lashes fluttered closed he let out the softest growl.
“Look at me, mi amor, watch me as I pay tribute to your love; let me kneel at the altar that is your body and prove my devotion to you.” Your lip quivered as you nodded and the dragon rewarded you by dragging his face higher up your leg and sucking hard at the skin on your inner thigh, teeth pressing enough that you knew you’d have a mark, and his thumb traced up to brush against the core of you. His eyes snapped to look at you since you’d gone without any sort of under garments, you usually opted out of things like braies or stays due to the materials available usually not doing so well when wet, and Pero’s mouth drifted higher still until he was staring at you from the center of your thighs.
“Please-“
He didn’t make you wait or beg any more than that, licking a gentle stroke of his tongue through your folds like he was merely tasting you before rumbling out a sound and lifting one of your legs over his shoulder to press a searing swirl of his tongue against your opening while his thumb pressed against the hood of your clit. You keened in surprise as your lower body was hoisted up, the robe falling away from your skin as Pero sat back on his knees and heels, and his breathy moan against your body sent a shiver of delight through you.
Pero’s mouth was insistent, like he was trying to devour you, and you were more than happy to let him do so. Each broad stroke of his tongue ended with him swirling the tip of his tongue against your clit, every dip into your wet heat drew a ragged groan from the man between your thighs, and your body was slowly winding tighter and tighter as he held your gaze and made you watch him take you apart.
Your chest heaved when Pero’s mouth sealed over your clit, drawing a much more insistent circle with the tip of his tongue, and you couldn’t fight the way you keened as he slid one thick digit into your body. His ragged exhale against you was enough to make your hips jerk against his mouth and Pero’s rumbling of approval made you even wetter, he sounded like he couldn’t get enough of you and as his eyes shimmered with nothing but desire and love you felt the tight draw of your muscles as pleasure crested over you.
The sound echoed in the dreyerie and Pero’s mouth replaced his fingers, tongue driving into you so he could catch every last bit of your release, and you could see the hardness of his cock straining against his trousers as he let you down onto the bed.
“Come here, Pero, I want to feel you in me.”
His lips lifted into a soft smile and his facial hair was shiny with your wetness as he stood up and began to loosen the ties of his placket, his tongue darting out to lick at the lingering taste, and you smiled as you unfastened the belt and your robe with a gentle ease to bare yourself to him fully. Pero took the garment as well as your headdress, hanging them on a low ledge with his trousers, and you couldn’t help the way you marveled at him exposed like this.
The onyx scales trailed all the way down his back and over the small swell of his ass, ending in freckles of scales decorating the outside of his thighs and trailing along the V leading to his cock, and your body clenched around nothing at the sight of him erect and shiny with precum. He was thick and throbbing, his scaled shaft had vertical ridges made of thick veins that you could see pulsing beneath the skin, the head of him was a deep crimson and peeking out from the scaled flesh and even his sac was covered in the small onyx scales.
He was beautiful, his broad frame decorated with battle scars and you could see the iridescent shine of crimsons, pinks, and oranges reflecting off his scales as he watched you take him in fully for the first time.
You spread your legs for him to look at you fully, inviting, and Pero crawled over you with a loving sigh as he slotted his mouth to yours in a soft kiss. His tongue gliding against your own as he rubbed the underside of his length against your seam, teasing and drawing a needy whine from you as your head fell back, but the dragon only hooked one arm behind your lower back as the other was braced above your head.
He angled his hips and you sighed as he sank into you, the glide of him thanks to the scales was smooth and warm, your release slicking the way for him; the stretch wasn’t painful, you felt deliciously full and hooked one of your legs over the curve of his lower back to open yourself to him a little wider. Pero’s hiss against your neck was rasped and you could feel each ridge of him, shifting a little when he didn’t move, but his nip against your throat made you whine.
“Needy little esposa.” He took his time, gentle thrusts into you as he held your lower body close to him in a way that made it feel like he was reaching deeper with each stroke, and you slotted your mouth to his as Pero rolled his hips in a way that had the top ridge on his cock gliding against your clit. You bit into his lower lip and angled your hips, panting into him as he groaned into your breathing, and you loved hearing how much he was affected by you.
His raspy little growls and hisses mixed with each moan, the way he traced his nose along your cheek and down the side of your neck as he peppered kisses to your skin, and just the feeling of him holding you so close to him made your body light up until you were shaking and digging your nails into his scaled back as he stroked against a spot in you that left you seeing stars.
You clenched around him as you came, shaking and breathing hard, and Pero exhaled a low rumbling moan as he shuddered and spilled his seed into you. But what you hadn’t counted on was the way you felt the head of him swell, each small thrust dragging against you, and your already sensitive body was shaking as you chased that quickly cresting high by rocking until you were locking down on him again with a breathy cry of his name.
He peppered soft kisses to your face and neck, panting into your skin, and you carded your hands through his hair as you pulled his mouth to yours for a soft kiss.
“I wanted to be gentle with you tonight but all I can think of is hearing you fall apart for me over and over.”
“You were gentle, Pero, and I loved it. But I already said I want whatever you’re willing to give me.”
His eyes darkened and he licked into your mouth with a rumble of approval before promising that sleep would be the last thing on your mind as he whispered his desires in your ear and you were more than willing to give them to him.
All Fics Taglist: @hardc0rehaylz @wordsnwhiskey @pagannightwitch @radiowallet @musings-of-a-rose
Just Pedro Taglist: @maievdenoir @beecastle @dins-cyare @littlemisspascal @writeforfandoms
Alt Tags: @imtryingmybeskar @fan-of-encouragement @grogusmum @sizzlingcloudmentality @deadhumourist @prostitute-robot-from-the-future
Part of the Iridescence Fictional Universe
Precious Sea Glass Series
Pairings: Dragon!Pero Tovar x Nereid f!Reader
Rating: E (Minors DNI)
Warnings: Smut, descriptions/implications of war
Word Count: 4K
Series Summary: After meeting the one his magic calls for Pero must fight against Immortals, Elder Fae, and magic beings alike to keep her safe by his side.
Chapter Summary: The Elder War draws to an end at long last, decades of small skirmishes leading to the final spell.
[AO3]
“P-please Pero-!”
Your mate’s tongue pressed deeper into your body with a throaty moan, his hands gripping your hips as your thighs tightened around his head, and your dragon let out a low hiss when your hands tightened in his hair as he pulled back to circle your clit while three of his fingers -wet with your release from his enthusiastic wake-up- slipped back into your body. You couldn’t fight the breathy sob as he found that spot within you, fingers crooking and pressing just right, your body tightening like a bowstring as you soaked his hand and face.
Meeting his gaze as he lapped at your cunt, like a man starved, your body clenched seeing him jerking his wet hand around his cock. The scales slick with you and you rolled your hips with a whine. Pero chuckled and kissed his way up your body, murmuring affections into your skin and you moaned as he didn’t hesitate to slide his cock into your body while kissing you fiercely. His skin was hot to the touch and you keened when he rocked his hips in a way that pushed him deliciously through your slick passage, your nails pressing into the scales down his back as he bracketed you with his body in your shared bed.
Each thrust was strong, his hips pressing as deep as they could go, and your legs wrapped around his body so you could meet his motions with your own.
“You feel perfect around me like this, mi amor.” Pero’s words were breathy in your ear as he grunted, moaning when you rolled your hips against him and took him impossibly deeper, and he undulated his lower body in a way that made him brush your clit with each stroke and push you higher and higher into another orgasm. You clenched around him and the head of Pero’s cock swelled as he groaned loudly in your ear, pumping you full of his seed as you writhed against him, and the pulsing of his cock pushed your over sensitized body into a weaker orgasm that made your vision blur from tears.
Both of you were panting as he rolled so that he could cradle you against him, cupping the back of your head to press gentle kisses to your eyes, and you crooned into his collar bones and nuzzled against him when he tucked you against him.
The war was far from over but the Bay was finally in a better place defensibly, even Gale Ennore was better now that the Immortals and the spell casters had been able to push the Elder Ones and their followers back onto their own territories.
Small skirmishes were normal now, for the past several decades you and your siblings and all the rest of the water elementals had been able to keep the meré out of the Bay with Ulean’s help and the waning large battles had carried hope with them. Meanwhile the pod and now several were-kin species, along with a few magic-born races that had made a home there, were keeping Kvia safe and the surrounding land free of problems.
“I don’t want you to go.” Pero was set to fly out to the flats, where the Immortals had chosen to convene and finally perform some magic meant to end the Elder Fae threat once and for all. He, along with a small army, were there to keep watch and prevent any possible interference and while you knew he’d be okay you were still worried.
“The sooner your father and the other Immortals complete this spell, mi cristal marino, the sooner any peace can finally just be peace.”
“I know, I just- I’m scared that something is going to go wrong. It’s been too quiet, on all sides.”
Pero left gentle kisses along the crown of your head, reassurances, and you knew that he’d be fine. None of the Elder Fae’s foot solders, hell even the Elder Fae themselves, would be able to do much against Pero; for as strong as they were, well, most dragons were resistant to enough magic to give them an edge. You sighed into your mate’s chest and just let him nuzzle closer to you, his cock softening slowly and sliding free from your body, and his low croon made you smile fondly.
“It will be less than a week, mi amor, then I shall be home and we can fly across the vast oceans and explore the world together.” Your foreheads touched and Pero nuzzled your cheek with his, it had been your dream to see other lands and vast stretches of untamed ocean, to see more of the world you lived on. Your father had always told you it was massive, that there were other continents and islands littering the world, and your dream was to see them all.
Pero had promised it to you, as a wedding gift, that he’d show you the entire world and his sisters had agreed to come stay above Kvia in the wake of your absence and ensure its safety.
He stayed with you through the duration of your bath, taking you one more time in the heated springs, and then he was tugging on his trousers and tunic as you held his armor with a somber expression. Pero kissed you fiercely as he took the scaled chest piece from your hands and you helped him don it quickly, fighting back the tears that threatened to spill as a sense of wrongness permeated the air. With one last, longing, look your mate shifted forms and took to the skies right as the moon began to crest the horizon.
“Huntress, my Lady, please see him home safe to me.” The shining silver glow almost flickered, as if she were replying to you, and in reply you ducked your head and whispered a prayer to her. Your eyes scanned the water’s surface below, looking for any possible signs of danger and seeing none, but you did notice Ulean’s sleek form cutting through the water’s surface and smiled lightly to yourself.
One last, lingering, look over the town below and you turned to head back into the dreyerie to sleep. There were many tasks for the morning to be done and you wanted to make sure there was nothing in the way of large projects when Pero returned, that way you could spend time alone with your mate properly without the lingering fear of war.
“Good Morning, Lady Guardian.” You turned to look at several young selkie, their eyes bright as they waved, and you spotted Rhiannon perched on the bench outside her shop wearing a smile and cradling a babe to her chest. You dipped your head to greet the younger shifters and hurried over to the elder selkie, while she and the other cows from the original pod were all over fifty it would have been impossible to guess, you hadn’t expected it to happen but something changed them after you had claimed the pod as your own.
They had gone through a period of unstable form changing, their bodies adapting and filling out differently as they grew, until you realized that they’d become shifters instead of were-kin. Selkie had always skirted the line between the two and remained firmly as were-kin but the Faldes Point Pod was the first to actually do it, to cross the divide.
Several cows had been born instead as shaman, able to commune with the wilding magic of Solvora and summon lesser elementals to their aid, while others had inherited their father’s bloodlines. Rhiannon and her pod had married elves, ursa, ogres, canine and feline were-kin, and even a few shifters and humans that had come here. The pod was so diverse that you couldn’t help but be proud.
“Another grandchild?” You earned a bark of laughter and found yourself cradling the baby before you could even deny her, the little one was definitely hers with its flaming red hair and freckles, and Rhiannon hummed gently.
“Aye, this’ll be sixteen now.” The cow looked happy, her eyes scanning the vast sea of people in Kvia, and you sat beside her as you cradled the babe to your body.
“If your pups have half as many of their own as you did we’ll be overrun, and the other cows have large families too. But I’m glad, you deserved to live in a place where you were allowed to grow and be what you wanted to be.” Rhiannon rested her head against your shoulder, a gesture you were familiar with, and you began crooning a soft song to the baby as the sea winds filled the air with a salty tang.
Raven, one of the healers from Gale Ennore, paused in her medicine making to listen and Rondeau was perched on her shoulder. Through the skirmishes she’d gained a number of battle scars, despite being a healer, but you understood why she saved her magic for others rather than herself. Raven was one of the most selfless people you’d ever met, always giving and being there, and when she’d arrived you had seen the nerves over being accepted here.
So much so that when several dark elves migrated to Kvia the witch of their group, Hazel, had spotted Raven and immediately went to talk to her. Initially bonding over their shared status as witches, although Raven had attuned herself to the druid stones in Gale Ennore and devoted her magic to nature instead of a patron deity, but Raven’s confidence had inspired her and she’d sought a romantic relationship with Hazel. Now the two were inseparable, aside from their usual daytime tasks, but seeing the druid stop to listen made you smile a little.
People gathered, as they always did when you sang, and some even joined in. The song carried through Kvia, being sun and echoed down the roads as others went about their working day, and the feeling that something wasn’t right only grew worse. You noticed Melodia and Pelanos standing at the small alter that had been erected for your father, their eyes on you and round with worry, and several of the water elementals that were walking around looked just as agitated.
As your song ended Rhiannon accepted her grand baby back, several people greeting you on your walk to your siblings, and they shivered as the wilding magic in the waters of the Faldes Sea rippled. Something was happening, you suspected it was whatever spell your father was doing, and you hurried to the water’s edge before diving into the cold with your siblings following. Ulean weaved around in her dragon body and you could tell she felt it too, whatever it was, and you opened your aura to begin trying and calm the seas so the waves didn’t rise and flood the closer buildings.
All at once you were buffeted by swells of raw wild magic, something powerful and something far in the depths writhing and trying to fight against the pull of magic, but the tension disappeared like a bowstring released. Sudden, jarring, and the stillness was even more eerie to you.
“Ulean-“
Everything shuddered, the land and waters quaking, and you shrieked with the sudden explosion of wilding magic that was ripping through the ocean. Ulean ascended from the water and you knew it was to keep an eye on the town, all while you and the rest of the elementals fought to contain the magic of the water so it didn’t cause excess destruction. A roar of sound seemed to echo from somewhere deep in the sea and you found yourself fighting something bigger, a far worse threat than you could ever have imagined.
It came from the depths like a wraith, body formed of the dark waters that made up the raging torrent on the sea floor, and the Leviathan’s incredibly large form looked never ending as its glowing eyes landed on you. Those jaws parted and you threw up the strongest wall of water you could so that your siblings, nieces, and nephews could make it back to land.
The torrent of raw water magic smashed into your shield and sent you reeling through the bay, barely managing to right yourself as the beast struck out in a snake-like manner, but its attack was thwarted as Ulean’s burst of superheated water cut through its almost incorporeal form. The beast went to look at her and you opened your aura once more, drawing on the power of the sea to strengthen you, and this time you felt the energy twist and weave as you called your halberd to you.
Crafted from the bone of an ancient sea dragon that Ulean had brought you as a wedding gift, strengthened with a beskar blade, and inlaid with several powerful gems blessed by Raven and Hazel the weapon was impressive. One of the strongest to date and it had served to protect Kvia from all manner of trouble.
The blade hummed with magic and you darted through the water to help Ulean, the blade slicing through the watery frame and you watched the solid bend of the water rip and pop open as if it had been cut. The Leviathan reformed itself immediately and its body undulated, coiling to try and capture you, but you were just as easily capable in the water as it was and managed to get out of the way. You’d never fought a foe like this, and your father had said he sealed it, but you lacked the power to do the same spell.
Your moment’s distraction made you time moving wrong, body being swatted clean out of the water and rolling along the sand with a grunt from the impact. Your water armor rippled and your watery body wavered between solid and water for a moment, making you shake your head, and Ulean’s form landed beside yours just as loudly.
“We have to stop it from flooding the continent!” The Celestial One of water had made this beast and the goal had been to flood Solvora, the only thing the Leviathan was made to do, and your legs were weak from the landing but you staggered back to your feet and grabbed your halberd. You could see many of the spell casters busy with strengthening wards, the shamans were trying to calm the wilding magic through their elementals, and your eyes searched the sky only to see Pero diving toward the Leviathan.
Its head whipped up and your mate swerved out of the way of a watery jet, his fire touching that body and causing a cloud of steam to appear, but even as he went back to the air you saw the attack before he did. Your scream echoed in the air, panicked as you sought out a way to stop the attack, and the condensed jet of water lot a portion of its power when you opened your magic core and siphoned magic from the Leviathan itself. Its body was made of water from the ocean, its magic was wild and untamed but it was water based wilding magic, and you felt that writhing power crawling in you as the Leviathan whipped its head your way.
Your husband had managed to roll so that the water didn’t touch his underbelly, didn’t go near the sleek and softer scales, but the attack had hit along his neck and down his back instead. You could see pieces of his spines falling with him and your panic turned to outrage, a wa rcry echoing in the air from you.
Pero’s body fell but Ulean caught him, the attack had been strong enough to cut through his scales but not enough that he’d die, and you saw Raven’s magic glowing in the corner of your eye so you trusted her to keep him alive. You whispered an apology to your mate, knowing what you were going to do was dangerous, and your aura swelled and expanded before you pulled more power from the Leviathan. Your siblings, nieces, and nephews saw what you were doing and joined you; as water elementals they were just as capable, but you would be able to handle the most of its magic.
The Leviathan shrieked in outrage, its magic fighting you as you tried to calm the writhing power now deep within your very soul, and you could feel several of the others back off right away. Ulean hissed and flew at the serpentine threat, its long tail thrashing and landing on the cliffs now that it had undulated and coiled enough of its body for the tail to reach the coast, and the water dragon kept the Leviathan’s focus as you continued to try and draw power from it.
Even if you couldn’t seal it you had to weaken it, with enough luck the spell casters could finish the job.
“Keep Kvia safe, Lady Guardian.” Ulean’s bellow was loud and you almost wondered what she was doing, her sleek form coiling under the Leviathan’s body to avoid a crushing blow, and then you felt her open her magic. Dragons weren’t meant to siphon power from elementals, even if she was closer to the Leviathan in terms of being, and you felt the significant dip in power as Ulean’s scales began to shine and gleam from the sheer force of magic now in her body.
You watched her wings beat twice to elevate her and Ulean soared over the town and toward the Northwest as she flew you could see her physical form breaking apart into nothing but raw magic. As Ulean disappeared on the horizon you felt that anger return, the rage, and a glance at where Pero was laying was all it took for you to began chanting the words to a spell that your father had taught you only to be used as a last hope.
The beast hissed and screeched as its body began to glow, as runes began to form along its form, all while you continued to try and absorb its magic as your own.
Pero shook his head, sitting up slowly, and he tried to jump to his feet but Raven held him down, his shoulder and back pulling dangerously, but his urge to fight was strong. You were encased in the most powerful glow of blue magic he’d ever seen, the darker blues swirling amidst the light, and the Leviathan’s water jet was being broken by your own attack.
“Mi amor! What is happening?!” He turned his focus to Melodia, her eyes wet and face dulled, and the other Nereid sniffled and wiped at her face.
“That spell… she’s become the embodiment of the Bay waters. It’s meant to protect the Bay from the most severe of threats but its- she’ll only ever cast it once, her magic core is going to break apart from the strain of so much wilding magic trying to escape the spell work that gives our kind a physical form.” Pero’s gaze whipped back to you and a desperate sort of panic took over, his chest aching at the sudden realization that he would lose you, and the fire in his veins swelled as a rumbling growl exploded through him.
“There must be something that can be done!” He stood up, ignoring Raven’s attempts to stop him, and the druid grabbed his tunic and pulled hard so that she could continue slathering the wound with healing salve as she chanted her spell to close the injury.
Hazel’s eyes darted from you to the Leviathan and then to the shrine to the Ocean Lord before she was scrambling, grabbing one of your discarded halberds from the past battles that was kept on Rhiannon’s shop sign.
“With enough prayer and a deification bond she can become a deity to water nature spell casters.” Hazel began drawing a circle around the roughly created alter, writing runes into the edges before her golem handed her a satchet of herbs and silver flakes. Pero got up and took off the gleaming blue crystal that had been a gift from you, shining bright with your magic, and Hazel tied it around the halberd’s staff just below the blade before she stepped out of the circle.
“I have a patron deity and I'm not a water witch, I can’t do this but-“
The selkie offspring who had been born instead as shaman moved to surround the circle, their voices soft as they began to offer you their strength and bound themselves to you, and Pero turned to look and watch with a panicked frenzy filling his heart. This had to work, he was not going to lose you, and he reached through the mating bond to bolster your power with his own.
He was no spell caster but he was your husband, your mate, and he was a creature of wilding magic just as you were; he could feel your aura fighting you, trying to break away, and his magic circled it and cradled that part of you close as he felt the power from the shaman begin to bolster you further. From here he watched the way the center of your aura flared deep blue and then fiery red, ringed in soft blue before it all began to settle to a faint silvery blue.
The runes on the Leviathan’s body became blinding and the shockwave of power had many covering their eyes, waiting, and as the dust settled he watched the rain from the leviathan’s body losing its structure begin to fall as your glow began to fade. Pero raced across the beach to you, ignoring the burn in his back as he slid to his knees and caught you before you could fall.
“Mi amor, por favor, stay awake. I need to know you’re going to be okay, that I won’t lose you.” He whispered his plea as you blinked at him with half-lidded eyes, your watery armor solidifying to return you to your physical form; and now he could see the intricate runes that shimmered along your hairline like a circlet and disappeared down the sides of your face and lining your collar bones where they met at that divot in a larger rune.
“You’re safe- I was so scared Pero.” He felt your hands cup his face and Pero couldn’t fight the sob that escaped him, his forehead dropping to rest against yours. He could feel your aura stabilizing, strengthening, and he cradled you against him selfishly even as the sky began to darken as the spell the Immortals had cast continued to wreak havoc on the innate magic of the planet.
He whispered the explanation to you as he held you, rocking gently as you held his face and listened, about the creation of a new realm entirely for the Elders and their followers where they had been banished. But the portals were all sealed for now, until the Immortals could ensure the natural magic had recovered from the connections between realms being ripped apart, so families had been torn apart and the other realms were lost to anyone that might’ve been there.
The Summer and Winter Realms had sent hundreds of sidhe each and now they were trapped here in the Central Realm, the lesser demons and dark elves were trapped in the Under Realm, and your father and the Immortals had retreated to their own realms to recover their strength. Pero held you as you began to cry, he held you as the pair of you reeled knowing that the world had just undergone the largest change it ever would, and he didn’t know where Ulean was but he owed his friend a thank you.
When he said her name your crying turned to loud sobs, pointing to the Northwest, and Pero saw the grief on the faces of the Elementals.
“Ulean absorbed a vast amount of magic from the Leviathan and flew to the Northwest, we think- we can’t feel her anymore.” Melodia’s eyes were shiny and pearl tears decorated the sand at her feet, he’d known she loved the water dragon and the two had planned to be wed, so Pero threw his head back and roared to the sky. Hoping that her spirit would hear him in the after life as he honored her sacrifice.
Series Rating: E (Minors DNI) [TW: Semi-graphic battle scenes, minor character deaths]
Word Count: 3.6K
Series Summary: After meeting the one his magic calls for Pero must fight against Immortals, Elder Fae, and magic beings alike to keep her safe by his side.
Chapter Summary: The Elder War still rages, battles are still causing destruction, and peace seems like a fleeting dream.
[AO3]
Never had the waters of the Glennrior Bay been tinted such a horrendous shade of magenta, your eyes took in the blood-stained water as you exited the churning waves and sought out the remainder of your siblings all taking refuge on the beach. None of the elder nereides remained, you were the eldest now, and your brethren looked to you for guidance as the meré corpses were steadily devoured by the sharks drawn to the carnage.
“We will fight, this is our home. We are the daughters and sons of the Ocean Lord, even so far from us our Father fights to ensure that we are safe from the Elder One the meré worship and we must show him the same respect by defending this bay.” Pelanos hurried to your side to support you, the exhaustion in your limbs heavy as you leaned more weight onto your halberd, and you shied away from his fussing.
Almost idly you looked heavenward, half expecting to see Pero descend from the clouds like a blanket of black scales, but that would not be the case for now. His involvement in protecting Gale Ennore had evidently led to other dragons calling him home to question him, back to the isles you’d visited only once before, while William had been left in charge of assisting the elven magi and the dwarf stone masons in upgrading the buildings and adding protective spells around Kvia.
“Glennrior Bay was carved out of Ostrea as a gift to our Father by the Huntress, his love and worship of her silver glow was such an honor that she created this place of solace for him to call home, it is our duty to see that it never fall into the fins of the meré and their false sea God.” The story was one that spanned thousands of years, of an Immortal so enamored with the moon that he offered her prayers and love, and the soul of the Huntress lurking within the heavenly body was so honored to have a being of such power offering her his love that she gave him a piece of her to keep.
The Bay was a perfectly shaped crescent for that reason, carved out of the land itself by silvery magic when your oldest siblings were still newly born, and the depths of the Bay had been your home and nursery ever since. Father had fought off ancient dragons, sealed a leviathan of great power deep below the ocean floor, all to protect this place and you would do whatever you had to in order to make sure the Bay was safe when he returned home to you.
“We have riders approaching from the South, waving the Flag of the Citadel!”
Hearing Khazos’ bellow made you lift your arm feebly to show him you’d heard, the Masters of the Citadel and their Necromancers had agreed to help bolster the defenses of Kvia so the Consortium could focus their magi and witches closer to the Taunmack Flats where the Immortals had called for the Elder Ones to meet them in direct combat. The sheer scope of magic power from the meadows was strong enough that anyone with a sense for it could feel the constant thrum of battle. You stood straight and nodded, glancing back over the bay waters, and Melodia pressed her hand to the back of your shoulder as you gathered your own power.
With each nereid that returned to the sea the rest of you grew stronger, absorbing the power of your siblings when they fell, so casting the necessary spells to cleanse the bay waters had become easier and easier despite the emotional toll that you took with each loss. Pero had been there with you for many of them over the past two years of the war, fighting in both shapes depending on how he was needed, but even his love couldn’t quite erase the fear or anger or sadness lurking in your heart.
Nereides were not born through intercourse, your kin were made with magic, and the ritual was one only your Father had the power to perform properly. But many of your kin that had traveled away from the bay to find their own homes and lives had abandoned the sea, choosing to tie their spirits to rivers or lakes and ponds instead, and some even choosing to live as simple water elementals.
Your family was steadily falling and until your Father was able to return to the sea the likelihood of it growing again was slipping away.
“Sister?” The clear waters no longer churned with blood, the sharks and predators dispersed now that the grotesque remains of your battle were gone, and your eyes were beginning to grow moist with tears. You were tired and you just wanted to go back to the time before the Elder Ones decided they were willing to try and change everything.
“Have the magi finished the barrier spells around the outer rim of the village?” You turned away from the water and followed the others, all five remaining brothers and sisters after nearly two years of constant war, and you felt that slight edge of resentment as you noticed Gawain proudly show off another pup. The selkie had begun vastly procreating, all women were ordered to begin bolstering the numbers of the pod, and Gawain’s harem were all heavily pregnant and unable to help defend the Bay waters.
The pod was losing bulls as fast as you had lost your siblings and yet the selkie still found reason to try and blame you and your siblings for their falling numbers.
“Oh, hello.” You paused and turned at the voice, the woman was clearly from the Citadel with a hellfire shine that sometimes broke through the darkness of her eyes, the elongated ears and aquiline nose screamed dark elf.
“Hello?” Having her attention focused on you was discomforting, your skin felt stretched as your aura bubbled up unintentionally, and when she smiled to reveal those sharpened teeth you knew your assumption of dark elf was indeed correct.
“I had not expected to see such a lovely creature in this silly little village, you are simply divine.” The sensation of her aura swelling around you was enough to make you step back, your siblings all looking on nervously with their weapons in hand ready to fight if you asked. But a sudden flare of hot magic that came from you lashed out at the woman’s energy, the rot and blight and undeath in her soul seared by dragon’s fire as Pero’s magic responded to your fear.
“I am also very much unavailable, or does your Citadel allow for you to so brazenly force your magic onto others?” It was the equivalent of molesting someone in the world of spell slingers, to do such a thing to you under the assumption you didn’t know better was far worse a crime. When you’d first met Pero it was your magic that swelled in response to his normal levels of power, a tentative flare to show him you were there and interested, but you’d not wrapped him in your very essence as this woman had tried with you.
“No, we do not. Delmaré, since I cannot trust you to behave you will be working with our casters on the front line.” The woman sneered and stalked by the man, this one very clearly human and holding what looked like a very valuable tome in his hand, and yet his presence made you more on edge.
“Master Delmaré will be properly punished for such… liberties. I am Master Beros, of the Citadel, we will do what we can to ensure Kvia’s safety.” You couldn’t find the words to answer so instead you nodded, chest tight as you looked beyond him to see the Necromancers beginning to set ghouls and reanimated skeletons to patrol the grounds beyond the village. Something about this did not sit right with you and you had no idea why.
Seeing that you weren’t going to answer Beros departed, leaving you watching as he grabbed Delmaré by the elbow to drag her away for a quiet conversation, and you sighed heavily with the added stress of the influx of casters. Marta handed you a helping of a thick fish stew as you approached where she was feeding the villagers, the hunk of herb baked bread hanging out of it was definitely your favorite and she’d given you a much larger portion than the others, but nothing soothed the worries you had being separated from Pero.
He would likely be asked to fly out toward the flats again, to bathe Pesta’s followers in dragon’s fire and deplete the number of foot soldiers the elder ones had. The past three years had been endless battles taking him great distances away, you and your siblings forced to fight below the depths for weeks on end, and the prolonged fear of losing each other. But Pero refused to fully meld his aura and yours, to take you as his mate and wife, his promise was that the moment the Elder Ones were subdued he would do so and no sooner.
You knew why, Pero had not hesitated to inform you that the moment your vows were said and everyone knew that you were his that he fully intended to spend a minimal period of three months flying you all around the world just the two of you. To explore, to have quiet time to yourselves, and for him to ravish you and claim your body without the weight of the war hanging over your heads.
Marta sat beside you and looked over at Gawain, his harem of cows all in various states of pregnancy while the smaller bulls worked to ensure they were all fed and cared for, and after a moment of just general peace her exhale made you look at her weary face.
“I wanted you to know that the pod is planning to leave the bay and Kvia, we’re going to be taking the fishing boats and sailing North toward Ash Hollow. They are… unlike the other were-kin we are not comfortable around those who would so brazenly manipulate death.” You paused eating to study her, Marta had been born and raised here in the Glennrior Bay and you could still remember the day her mother had introduced you to the newborn pup. Selkie rarely left the places of their birth, ancestry and tradition were part of what made them strong, and for them to leave it was quite a blow.
But you knew better than to try and stop them.
If the Glennrior Bay weren’t such an important place to your Father you might’ve been willing to leave too.
“Just be safe, do what you can to survive, and try to live.” Marta nodded and you set your empty bowl aside to hug the selkie as she burst into tears, the constant attempts at Gale Ennore had long since brought strife to the village and the number falling was only continuing to grow. But if Kvia fell to the hands of the Elder Ones it would try mean Gale Ennore was well and truly surrounded. The elven city was at a nexus point, right where two leylines intersected, meaning it was a font of magic; the reason many of the most powerful magi and witches lived in Gale Ennore was simply due to the natural enhancement to magic-born that lived within proximity of the city center.
At one point the Necromancers had lived within the clean marble walls until the Consortium found a secondary source of power, centered around the magic of death and blood, where the Necromancers opted to construct their Citadel.
You heard a loud, echoing, bellow from above and smiled as Pero’s large body blacked out the sun. The Necromancers all gaped as he descended, wings kicking up dust and grit, and he shifted forms to land gently on the ground. Pero’s eyes were wild until he finally saw you, brow furrowing at Marta’s distressed state, and as he walked over Marta sniffled and waved before grabbing the empty bowls and leaving you be. There wasn’t quite animosity between the selkie pod and your dragon, though the pod was still upset that you had not chosen any of their kin, but there was still discomfort when any of the bulls would be too friendly.
“Mi amor, what has happened?” Pero sat down and pulled you into his lap, tucking you in his arms and against him as tightly as possible. You told him of the Necromancer that had brazenly tried to drape her essence around you and of the selkie’s decision to leave the bay, of losing another two siblings to the meré and Pero’s little croon of comfort turned to a warning growl as he looked at something nearby. Delmaré was watching the pair of you and you felt the rising heat of his aura, a warning to the spell slinger, and she wisely ducked her head and turned away.
“My kin refuse to get involved, as we suspected they would, but they have not ordered me to step away from the war. Mi cristal marino, I told you I had a favored owed to me by the water attuned dragons, sí?” You nodded gently and he cupped you face in his hands, warm and big and soft, a reminder of his strength and his presence that you needed more and more each day.
“Ulean, one of their strongest, has agreed to come live within the bay and help with its protection to repay that debt.” You had a flood of relief smash into you, the crystal tears that began to form in your eyes solidified into shining gems that fell and sang like chimes as they landed against his armor, and Pero cradled you into his neck with another low croon to offer what little comfort he could.
Nighttime had struck when Pero was jolted awake with a snort, the sound of screams from below his dreyerie shaking away the usual cobwebs that came with such a sudden awakening. You weren’t by his side, you and your siblings were grabbing your weapons and he watched as the magic around each of you pulsed to life as you solidified the outer layer of your water form that made up your bodies into armor.
“Something happened below, Pero, we have to-“ He nodded and shifted forms, his heart did certainly leap in his chest when you simply dove toward the water but he had no reason to fear for now since the spells keeping the meré at bay were still holding. Instead he descended, seeing skeletons and ghouls attacking the people of Kvia, and the sickly green flames of the Necromancers were strengthened by the coating of miasma lurking over the buildings.
His wing beats whipped up the dark haze, lifting it as he circled and created a tornado of vile poison, and one spark set the tornado blazing before it winked out of existence. A sharp pressure against his flank drew his gaze, the Necromancers were trying -failing- to cast spells that were meant to subdue him but it was clear none of them had encountered a dragon before.
The magic hit his scales and slid away like water, his aura scorching any threats before they could truly take root, and as he rounded on the spell slingers their screams were music to his ears as he spewed a jet of flames in response and left nothing but ash. The screeching of ghouls, the rattle of bones being broken, as the ursa and selkie fought off the undead creatures and a battle cry he knew uncomfortably well practically exploded through the sound of fighting.
He shifted forms in time to watch your halberd cut one spell-slinger in two, the shocked cry cut off as Pero’s own blade cut through him in a vertical slice. The searing heat of the beskar blade, imbued with his aura, ignited the Necromancer’s remains so that he couldn’t be reanimated. You nodded at him and Pero growled, seeing you like this was something he hated and loved, you were strong and fierce and powerful all on your own and yet knowing that you were in danger set his instincts to bathe the terrain in fire up to a high gear.
“Sister!” Pelanos’ cry earned your attention, the last five siblings of yours were pinned down by several ghoulish canines and your magic flared in response, his growl cut through the air but Pero’s attention shifted to the sickly green fireball that whizzed by your arm, and his ire spiked seeing the dark elf woman staring him down.
“Once I get rid of you the little nereid will be my toy to play with, you overgrown lizard.”
Whatever the woman said to Pero had been a mistake, one moment you cutting down the ghoulish dogs surrounding your brothers and sisters and the next you were forced to ferry your siblings away from Pero as heat erupted from him. You’d seen your dragon angry before but this was different, for the first time in his human shape you witnessed the way fire escaped his mouth with each breath and the way his claws seemed to grow just a touch longer.
His beskar sword was encased in flames now and you were about to call out to him but he was on the offensive, the blade cutting through the spells hurled at him like they were nothing, and the Necromancer let out an unholy screech as he cut through her. The anger radiating off of him was clear and he turned to look at you.
“Get everyone out to the shore, now.” The order was sharply delivered and in the blink of an eye you were staring at his dragon body, the sickly hue of the green flames reflecting off the ebony scales, but you nodded and hurried with your siblings to get everyone away from the village center. It took several walls of water to delay the undead, to prevent anyone from being burned, but the moment you hit the sand Pero’s roar bellowed across the sky.
You threw up the strongest wall of water you could as a blanket of white-hot fire was breathed onto Kvia, his massive wings fanning the flames as he flew overhead, and the survivors of the attack were clinging to you as Pero turned midair and came back around for another pass. He was truly magnificent to watch but the very real sight of Kvia being burned to the ground broke your heart no matter how necessary it was.
As Pero landed on the sand you could hear the apology rumbling in his throat, even if he couldn’t express it in words, and by morning there was nothing left. Not even the enchanted stones had survived his fire, the runes and spells of protection had been broken by the Necromancers, but even the earth was scorched and dead. You looked over at your dragon as he shifted bodies, prepared to apologize to the survivors himself, but when he did Gawain simply wrapped the man in an embrace.
“You saved our lives, Pero Tovar. Do not apologize for that. When the war ends the Stone Lord will no doubt traverse Solvora and repair the damages, but thanks to you our pod will live on.” You watched as Pero and William helped load the small fishing boats, the surviving magi and stone masons doing what they could to imbue the crafts with protective spells and runes, and by mid afternoon the pod was gone.
William turned to look at you and your siblings net but you shook your head, knowing the question he planned to ask. You also knew that Pero would have to leave and head to the Flats soon, someone had to inform the Consortium that the Necromancers of the Citadel were a threat and he’d be the fastest.
“I’m not abandoning the bay, I can’t, there’s a lot of latent magic here that the meré and their Sea God cannot get access to.” William’s mouth formed a line but he nodded at your answer, glancing at Pero, and your dragon pulled you into a tight embrace with a heavy exhale. You found a grip just below the pauldrons of his armor, and held tightly, breathing in the scent of fire and smoke and musk as he shook slightly.
“Ulean will protect you in my stead, for now, mi amor. You must promise me that you will be as careful as you can, losing you-“
“You won’t lose me, Pero, just as I won’t lose you. Go, my love, the sooner you do the sooner you can return.”
He exhaled heavily and slotted his mouth to yours, the kiss was searing in how much grief and desperation sat between the two of you. It was a battle and a plea all at once and Pero’s essence blanketed you, reaffirming his intent to claim, and you did the same. It was watching him and William depart that was the hardest thing to do, your eyes finding the ursa and ogres that were now trying to steadily map out a place of their own.
Khaszos captured you in a hug and you said your goodbyes as the were-kin decided to head to Gale Ennore, promising to let the elves know that the bay was not abandoned. It would be risky, having the land open for any soldiers to try and camp on, but there were too many lost and the Citadel’s betrayal had to be made clear as soon as possible before the Necromancers were able to slay too many others.
As you dove into the water of the bay, seeing it clear and safe for now, you swam deep to the center where your family’s grotto was nestled safety and hidden; the others joined you in the space that suddenly felt too big and too empty. All you could do was try and rest for now, since there was no way to predict what would come next.
Series Rating: M [This portion is all fluff, however]
Word Count: 1.1K
Summary: Pero takes you to his real home for the first time.
Notes: This is an ask answer regarding our favorite dragon and his lil Nereid by @darkstarcomics and you all can thank her for this 💙
[AO3]
Leisure flights were far and few between as the war continued to tear across the continent, watching as hundreds of lives were lost among magic-born and human alike as the worshipers of the Elder Fae continued their attempted assaults, but for Pero a time like this was one he cherished. Just him, the sky, and you. The feeling of your small form nestled against him, safely secured in the ridge of his spines, was a balm against the continued threats.
“Again?” Your request made him rumble out a soft chuckle before his spines flared a little as he performed a large loop in the air, your grip tight as you laughed with the thrill of the upside-down aerial act, and Pero basked in it. Your laughter wasn’t rare but with the rising threats and the fact that the meré had become more bold in the bay waters you and your siblings had taken up arms alongside the selkie to start battling them back.
Pero soared over the ocean and wondered what you would think, having already seen his dreyerie above Kvia laden with such vast treasures, but he suspected you would be impressed. It was this day that would expose the most of him to you, all of his most precious things he kept far away from the world revealed, but with you Pero knew he had nothing to fear or worry over.
You were sweet and gentle with his heart, always giving and cherishing him and eroding away at his hard edges, giving you this last part of him was nothing shy of surrendering fully to your love.
“Oh- Pero look at that island!” Green and lush forests ahead were shimmering with wilding magic, your eyes widening in further delight as several water-born dragons breached the sea’s surface to bellow out a greeting to him before diving back into the dark waters, and the earthen dragons stretched up to wave as he flew over. You delighted in the way their movement revealed that the things you’d thought as landscape were living beings, one such earthen dragon stretching out and revealing that it wasn’t a cliff you’d flown over.
“This is amazing! Is this your home?” His rumbled agreement made you let out a little sigh of delight, several air attuned dragons appearing out of the clouds to weave around him; he grumbled a warning and the youngest few backed off, only the elder responded with a rumble of her own but she too waved and returned to looping around the clouds like her offspring. The warmth of the volcano ahead sent him smiling, his own fire-attuned brethren perking up, and Pero heard the loud and familiar call of his mother.
His roar of a reply earned several echoed cries as his clutch siblings watched him fly overhead, your little squeak as he abruptly dove into the mouth of the volcano making him chuckle, and he slowed his descent to glide gently into his dreyerie before changing forms to his bipedal body. His thumb brushed away a smear of water from the clouds and soot from the air, making you laugh lightly, and he couldn’t help but capture your lips in a kiss that you happily responded to.
“So this is the little saint? I don’t know what’s more impressive, that you found anyone who can put up with your attitude or that you found someone pretty who can tolerate you, mijo.” His mother’s disruption made you step back and Pero turned to see that she was smiling, there was pride in her eyes and relief speared through him, he would never admit it to anyone but he had wanted his mama’s approval.
“Oh, I’m no-“
“You do not need to tell me he isn’t a challenge, I raised the boy, but I am pleased that he is not alone any longer. Welcome to our home, your home, mija.” Pero watched as his mother captured your hands and pressed a kiss to your forehead, the spell of protection that would allow you to enter this place even without him and ensure the volcano would never harm you, and he hated that such easy acceptance made his eyes water.
After promising to join his mother and siblings for an evening meal he found himself alone with you at last, your eyes bright with tears of your own, and your heartbeat thundering as you smiled at him.
“Your mother is very kind, and energetic, Pero. I really like her.” He preened at the response, unable to help himself, he was proud of his roots and knowing that you liked his kin was enough to soothe most of his secret worries. He captured your hand in his and tugged, allowing you to follow after him, and you peered around the large open space that made up his real home. Your eyes traced the shining crystals that lined the very walls, the volcanic sand superheated into a cavern of luminescent obsidian prisms, and then onto his treasures.
“What is- this is moonspun silk?” The bolts of fabric were all stacked neatly and shimmering with a silver glow, the silk could only be crafted by a Priestess of the Huntress during the full moon and was exceedingly rare, and he’d never had a use for the material given its delicate nature. Until he met you, of course, Pero had considered asking a tailor to use the fabric to craft you clothes but had not done so just yet. Your eyes found the long wooden planter and you gasped, the vibrant array of rainbow petaled flowers adding color and life to his home.
“Prism lilies, these were said to only thrive among the Diminutive Fey courts.” He nodded and you took in the opulent carpets, the very large array of custom swords and even his spare sets of armor all made his scales he had shed over his lifetime.
Each item held something more personal to him than the wealth, the cloth had come from a priestess who he had saved from being raped and held captive by several dark sorcerers long ago when she was still a child. The flowers had been given to him with the planter because he’d helped slay an Ent taken by disease that couldn’t be killed by the Diminutive Fey. The swords came from dwarven smithies that had needed his flame to replenish their forge, the armor from scales shed during battles he and his kin fought to protect this land from the wyverns and Ancient dragons.
All of these things were more than just wealth to him, they were reminders of the good he had been able to do in his life. Watching you take them in, to see the things he truly felt the most proud of with such a smile, made his heart leap. He couldn’t help but capture you in an embrace, begin telling you the story of each item, and Pero watched you take every item with a new respect.
“There is something more precious than all of these things.” His comment made you turn and the light from the few charmed crystals reflecting off the obsidian walls caught you in a way that created a halo around you. It was a breathtaking image that he would cherish for the entirety of his life.
“There is?” Your eyes danced with delight as you turned to look around, to see what you might have missed, and Pero guided you to the large section of obsidian that was smooth and flat. His reflection and yours staring back at you both.
“Sí, is is you, mi amor.” Tears gathered in your eyes and Pero leaned into the kiss you gifted him, pressing you into the crystal surface when you dragged him back, and heat ignited under his skin just having you here in his home with his kin. For now you were here safe, protected, and you were his.
Series Rating: M [This portion is all fluff, however]
Word Count: 1.1K
Summary: Centuries have passed since your tale began and reunions bring nothing but good news now.
Notes: Written as a bonus for @writer-wednesday, has a few tidbits about major events in the Iridescence-verse but I tried to avoid too many spoilers.
[AO3]
“Are you excited to see him again?” Pero glanced at you as the two of you sat on the train, heading for Silverglenn together for a miniature vacation, and your dragon nodded after sighing gruffly. He was grumpier than usual after the Ostrean Magic Council had finally set a limit on where he could traverse in his natural form, people were still quite terrified seeing this massive black dragon soar overhead for some reason or another, and his idea to just shorten the trip had been halted by the ban.
“I would much prefer to have flown, mi cristal marino, but I suppose this is worth seeing that Elvish bastard again.” You resisted the urge to laugh at him, he really was trying to adapt to many of the restrictions in place, and instead you rewarded him by casually running your hand through his hair. A soft rumble escaped him as he leaned down to rest his head against your shoulder, exhaling heavily enough that the warmth of his breath spiked the temperature of the air around you, and a few people shifted slightly in discomfort.
You took the time to really study your mate, your husband, as he lay against you with his eyes closed; his armor was back at his dreyerie, traded for sturdy cargo pants and work boots along with a black button down currently unbuttoned most of the way down the chest. The centuries had been good to him, the fiery temper was certainly still there but being able to help grow and change alongside Se’Kvia had cooled some of those rougher parts of him, and he had definitely taken advantage of making sure to add his own influence where he could.
Turning the remnants of the land you both had called home into a much larger, singular, city had been his idea and the Elves were the first to back his suggestion after you. Gale Ennore and Kvia had been razed in the Sundering, the lands had taken decades to heal and reform, and once the new terrain had settled Pero had been the one to rally and monitor the construction of the outer rim houses before paying the magi and witches and spell slingers from his personal horde of treasures to erect the strongest of barriers and most potent of wards.
You traced the long stretch of a scar down the back of his neck, one you knew disappeared into the fabric of his shirt and ripped a long jagged mark down his back, and the memory of that day still chilled you to the bone. Pero’s desire was not only to protect the people of Ostrea but you, the Sundering had been such a tragic time for both of you and he’d suffered dearly all to keep you safe.
“Mi amor, you are thinking too hard again. Those days are long behind us.” You met his gaze as Pero looked up at you, the unmistakable warmth in his eyes making you smile again, and you couldn’t help but lean down to capture his lips in a kiss. Pero was the one to draw away from you, which was nearly unheard of usually, but the dragon was a touch greedy in his affections and PDA wasn’t his favorite thing.
“I know, my darling, but I very nearly lost you and that will live with me for the rest of my life.”
“Well it is a good thing we have helped shape a world that is more unified than before and the Elder Ones can no longer come muck this realm up now isn’t it?” You relented with a nod and pressed your forehead to his, letting him stroke the back of your neck gently, and the remainder of the train ride was spent with you leaned against one another holding hands quietly. By the time you arrived at Silverglenn the lingering fears were gone, the entire town transformed, and William stood beside Lin with a smile.
It was still such a strange thing to see the Priestess, you had met her a handful of times but she had met the two former mercenaries before even you, but the warmth that radiated from her hadn’t changed.
“Glad to see you both made it, come meet our little ones Daiyu and Tobias.” You laughed lightly as the Elf proudly presented the two children proudly before they were begging to go find the source of the herbaceous and yeasty aroma in the air. Pero gripped your hand in his and William looked between the two of you, a knowing look on his face.
“What about you two, then, any plans for little water lizards in the future?”
“William.”
Laughter spilled out of you when Lin scolded her husband, Pero flashing a look of gratitude at the Priestess, and you cast a very cautious look at your dragon. It wasn’t necessarily relief but you couldn’t quite be sure of his expression. You had purposefully waited for today, since Lin had given you the same courtesy.
“Actually, yes.” Your remark stopped the triad in their tracks, your mate’s head whipping to look at you with a sharp eye, and Lin smiled brightly as she placed her hand against your abdomen once you nodded.
“Strong, I sense a strong attachment to fire in this one.” You hummed gently at her brief examination and Pero’s hands were shaking as he captured your face.
“We are- you’re pregnant mi amor?” You nodded and tears sprang to your eyes when he grabbed your hips and hoisted you up, spinning with a delighted sound, and the kiss he gave you was searing and intense but so full of love. William looped an arm around your neck after you were released and hugged you against his side, offering a firm handshake to your dragon, and Lin captured your hand in hers.
“Then the three of us will drink to your delightful future as parents, you will have nothing with alcohol.” The Priestess’ word was final but you’d expected that much and as they steered you down the road, under the colorful flags and toward the nearest pub, you caught your mate’s eye and smiled at the barest flicker of a shine that he blinked away.
You would never forget the day, not after watching William and Pero insist they couldn’t get drunk and then proceed to do so, but chasing a drunken dragon was much harder than it sounded and several times you had to stop him from challenging other revelers to some competition or another.
But at the end of the day, laying in bed at the inn you’d chosen, he had held you close and whispered the admittance of how happy he was to learn that you were going to be parents together. You carved that moment into your heart, that reminder of all that had happened in your long life leading you here, to him, and thanked the Immortals for putting this dragon in your path.
