Creatures of the Dark

"Only if you want them, of course." Seren whispered, smoothing Damian's hair down gently. "There is no rush, sweetheart. Take as long as you need."

---

____
Alessia pushed herself to her feet, and made tentative steps towards the door. Not grabbing clothes, too desperate to leave and not trusting him to try and stop her from escaping. As soon as she was out of the room, however, she sprinted down the stairs and out of the house - heading straight towards the main house. Seeking out Stefan or Alice.

He nodded, before he went quiet again.
_

Stefan was just heading back to the house after a hunt, he had left Ana and the baby with their new coven friends as the baby and Ana were having a lot of fu.

Alessia made a strangled noise when she spotted him, not a call for help nor his name. Barrelling with the force of her full body weight behind it into his chest, burying her face in his shoulder with a hysteric cry.

He seemed slihghtly surprised that he was being hugged by a naked woman that was definietely not his wife, but then he noticed who it was. "Alessia?" He asked

Seren tightened her arm around Damian's shoulders, leaning her head on top of his as she hummed a gentle lullaby.

___
"H- he- and I - I- an- and-" She choked through sobs.

“Right let’s get you inside and into some clothes and then you can tell me what has happened.” He brought her inside, guiding her to the sofa and he found some clothes in a basket of washed clothes. “Here put these on I’ll turn my back.”
___

Damian was quiet as he stayed leaning against her

Alessia trembled as she threw on an oversized t-shirt and some jogging bottoms. Sinking back into the the sofa a moment afterwards.


___
"Could you..." Seren asked Thorin, nodding towards one of the blankets in the cupboard. Adding quietly in explanation, "We can all wrap up in it."

Thorin nodded and he grabbed one of the blankets throwing it over them
______

When she was dressed he had made her a warm drink and he sat on the sofa next to her but still giving her space. “Do you want to try and tell me what’s happened?”

Alessia swallowed thickly, shaking her hand as she clasped the hot cup to her. Closing her eyes as she felt the warmth of it on her face. Eventually whispering the barely audible, "I feel dirty..."

____
"Perfect," Seren whispered, moving one hand to secure the blanket around the three of them. Ducking her head to whisper in Damian's ear, "No matter what, you have us, little dove. Never alone, okay?"

Damian nodded slightly. “I’m just going to be king, nothing else.” He told them, he had given up on love at this point and he was just planning on ensuring that his daughter and his people were provided for.
____

Stefan raised an eyebrow. “Did someone do something to you?” He asked gently

"Just be you. That is what makes a good King."

___
Alessia nodded subtle confirmation, turning her head to stare put of the window.

He nodded. “A good king can’t hide away in his rooms, not when I have a daughter who depends on me.”

“Damion take your time, our people will understand.”
_____

“Do you want to tell me?” He asked. “You don’t have to tell everything just enough.”

"You have your father and I who can do all of your duties, if need be. It isn't like we don't know what we are doing." Seren assured quietly, "As for Rose... being her dad, and being King are different. You can take a break from being a King and still spend time with the child."

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"Bael h- he... I think he.. n- no I know he..." Alessia swallowed. "I feel dirty..."

Stefan slid a hand to her shoulder in comfort. “Where’s Damian?” He asked. “You should be with him right now.”
_____

Damian nodded. “No I need to be there for my people my reign isn’t as concrete as yours and dads was I still have to prove myself.” He sighed. “To my people I am still a halfbreed, I need to deal with what happened.”

"W- we thought... I- I thought we mad- made up la- last night b- but.. wa- wasn't hi- im." Alessia gulped, tense at his touch. "Th- the door was burned t- this morning so h- he must of bee- n there o- or... I don't know. I don't-"

____
"Only a few, not the majority. You are allowed a couple of days to yourself."

“I have no time,” Damian told them. “Our people died yesterday in an unprovoked attack, I need to deal with that.”

“Alright Damian, if that is what you want to do instead that’s fine, but let us help you son.” Thorin told him. “Let your mother and I be at your side for now.”

Damian nodded. “Okay.”
______

“So he found you in bed with another man….okay, well we need to get him here to rectify that misunderstanding, you need him Alessia and he’s going to need you.”

Seren just took in a deep breath, turning her head back to watch in front of her instead.

___
"Can you run me a bath? Ho- hot water only..." Alessia gulped. "H- e isn't going to want to see me. N- not now. He wo- would have kn- known I didn't ha- get to choose. H- he knows I- I would n- never."

Thorin pressed a lingering kiss to his wife’s head asDamian got to his feet.

“Can one of you make sure that Rose is okay.”
______

“Maybe he needs to hear that.”

"Fine, fine." Seren sighed, pushing herself to her feet and leaving the room.

____
Alessia shook her head, burying her face in her own arms to try and shut the world out.

“When you are ready I can get him here.”
____

Thorin soon followed her to where Rose was sat with Seren snuggling her teddy bear asking for her parents

"I - I don't want to see anyone." She mumbled quietly, and though she believed she meant it, what she needed was much different. Pushing herself to her feet, she swallowed and made her way upstairs to bath.

______
Seren sweeped Rose up into a bundle in her arms, gently bouncing her. Whispering to Thorin, "Well... what do you think of it all?"

Rose snuggled into her.

“Is it bad of me to say that I believe she would do something like that?” He asked. “I don’t want to believe it, but somehow I’m not surprised by it.”
_____

Stefan nodded.

"I want to skin the little bitch,"

_____
Alessia silently locked herself into the bathroom.

“She’s going to have to come here at some point and I think he might let you.”
____

Stefan stayed downstairs giving her space

"He may not be able to stop me. I'm tempted to go up there now..."