It had not been easy.

War never was.

Yet they had all survived it.

Vanessa had never truly called any where but Nosgoth home. Not since the day she fell in love with Rune.

Yet as Willow lay unmoving and Drake lay so close to deaths door. She and Rune had been asked to stay in Crendia. Ghallon had asked them himself.

Days had gone by.V was feeling better and Rune was as well.They were alive and their children safe.

Vanessa looked down to Zoe and Nathan. They slept soundly. Everyday they got news.Everyday seemed better yet worse.

Allies were on the mend,the land still needed healing but those laying still as stone took president against the land. No matter how many had healed, and gone back to hearth and home. So many waited for Drake and Willow.

Ghallon waited,Emily waited.

Cadaria waited.

They waited the most it seemed. They waited as if death would come for their loved ones if they were not there.

V looked over to Rune. They had both been injured during the battle, but neither one had been a mortal wound. V wasnt sure she would ahve survived it if she ahd lost the man she loved.

She saw him now looking out to the land. He stood holding a staff that was made of Alder wood rather than his own white staff. That was still in Nosgoth. It lay with Ghallons staffDark emres sword and Drakes own sythe around Drake lifeless,still body.

The last news that had come was that Shea was going to try to reach Drake. No news had come since then.

That had been yesterday.

V pace away from her sleeping children towards Rune. She had come to feel at home in Crendia,it wasnt so diffferent from Nosgoth. Though Nosgoth had a deeper rcher flvor than Crendia. Crendia had its own deep flavor and history. She could see herself living there as easily as she could see her self in their tower at home in Nosgoth.

Home would always ben Nosgoth to her. It seemed odd to her now, that home would be a place she had not known of years ago. She linked her hand with Runes and leaned her head to his shoulder. Looking out tot he land she knew that this could be home as well. Where ever her family was, that had become home.

She had been glad to stay in Crendia watching over the land and its people. Yet she was happier still to be home in their tower.

She was reaching for him when she felt the pendant about her neck pulse. Runes words made her breatha short sigh. Willow was awake. Willow and Ghallon would be going home to Crendia soon. She leaned in more to Rune now. She followed his gaze to the castle in the distance. Her brows rose as he spoke. "Drakes awake?"

Something had happened. She had felt it. She looked off towards the castle then turned slowly from Rune as Nathan was awake and sounding rather upset. Willow and Drake had returned to them all.


Soon, very soon everyone would be back home.

Vanessa watched him as he cooed to Nathan. Rune was an excelent father. She watched him as he rocked the little boy in his arms. Zoe slept as soundly as ever.They were both perfect. She was glad to be home, back in the white tower. She knew Rune was happy as well. And now Drake was back, and Willow had returned to them.


They would go and see Willow in the days to come.For now Vanessa knew that Ghallon woudl want as much time with her as possible. She could understand that.She walked up behind her beloved white wizrad and looked down tot he boy in his arms. Nathans eye were closed,they were taking on that deep green of Runes own eyes. She knew Nathan would ne day eb a knock out, having all the girls flock to him. He had touches of dark hair. Zoe would one day too have the men falling over themselves. Her eyes were a soft violet, her hair wasnt as dark as her brothers, caught between black or blue, it had chosen a deep rich blue,like a pure sapphire. Oh yes they would be lovely, the both of them. V rested her head on Runes shoudler as he rocked his son.

Vanessa had settled back in to the Tower. The daily chores and as it was life. She would walk around outside with Zoe in her arms while Rune held Nathan then they would swtich. Looking over their gardens,then off towards the distant castle. The land had been ehaled, as well as the people. Soon, there was going to be a wedding.In a week,perhaps more.

There had been so much war, the allies needed a good party. She sat beside the babies cribs now,rocking them both to sleep with a soft hum. She would have never through her life as a performer would lead her here, to singing to her two children. She could almost feel his grin,and looked back at him. Rune hasd gone back to his teaching, his aiding of the Mages Guild. Her brows rose at him and she grinned right back at him.

Continuing to smile back at Vanessa, before he leaned off the window frame and slowly moved over to her. Leaning down to press a soft kiss to her cheek. "Well don't you look all motherly now." Teasing her a little as he felt the same as she did. He never expected to see himself as a father, nor did he ever expect to see himself married with children.

Turning his head to look down at their sleeping children, as his looked took on a soft fatherly look. With him reaching down to brush so of the hair from Zoe's face. "I do hope they never have to live the live that we have been through."

Rune's gaze moved to Vanessa when she moved to his side, before slipping an arm around her waist. Smiling down at her, while nodding lightly to her words. "That we will." Murmured as he pressed a kiss to the top of her head, then looked down at their children again.

He knew she never seen this life for herself, as when they first met. She felt that she was nothing more than a monster. Yet through him, and through his friends that she had met at the time. She learned that there were others that were like her, yet they weren't monsters. At the same time, both became closer and fell in love. That got him to smile softly.

Rune kept his eyes on their two sleeping children, as he pondered back on is own life. As he was yet another young man that had met Darkmere, during the elder's travels. While he appeared young, even though he was a mere human.

Dark sensed something in the young man, as he was as close to being born of pure magic as the man had ever seen. Dark had soon found out that Rune was of a different breed of human. One that could if trained, would use magic that was older than the ones most knew.

His own family was long gone as well, but he gained a larger one when he came to Nosgoth. Which grew when the alliance was forged, and grew even larger when he met Vanessa. Whom he looked to now, with a smile offered to her, when she looked up at him.

Through her. He had gained a friend, a lover and a wife. All things he never seen happening to himself. Now he had all those things wrapped in one. Not to mention to children with her, that he never seen happening either. Not saying a word as he just looked into her eyes.

After the party for Drake had ended, Rune would head home. Shaking his head as he recalled the various gifts that the men had gotten the young man. With him arriving home, before Vanessa did and sent the babysitter home. Heading into their children's room, and smiled to the sleeping pair and pressed a kiss to their brows, before heading off to his study.


First changing clothes before heading into his study, plucking up one of the many books there and started to read as he waited for her to come home. Once she did and stole the book from his lap, he flashed a smirk at her. "Hi." Kissing her temple, when she moved to claim his lap as her own.

He chuckled softly. "We had a wild party as well. I don't think Drake will let the men plan another party for him." Looking down at her fingers for a moment.

He chuckled softly as he moved a hand along her spine with her tracing that tattoo of her's that was on his neck. "Knowing that Jade was behind it. Poor Cadaria was probably blushing the whole night." Mused softly before pressing a kiss to her brow.

His brows rose a touch to hearing the gift that she gave to the newly wedded angel, with a smirk. "Scented bubble bath. Oh I am sure that she'll make full use of that once she gets Drake alone." Then a light nod to her saying she didn't want to know about Drake's party.

He smirked to that whisper from her, before he shifted to scoop her up in his arms. "This proves that you women are worse than the men." Teasing her as he moved to carry her off towards their bedroom.

V had to be satisfied with no answer. She knew very well of the web she ahd woven with her question.

Of coarse that was a week ago/ Yet still she wondered who would have been hired to dance at the party the men threw? As she tidyed up around the tower she thought of the moves she had once known so well. It was another lifetime.

A life time of corsets and small skirts. A time long ago before she had been immortal. 647 Years. And the years seemed to strech out now far beyond what she had ever seen. In tot he future of her children. As she gathered tossed socks and baby toys off the hall rug she recalled when she and Rune first met. A chance meeting on the Rhydin road out of town.

She gave the blue floppy dog in her hand a squeeze. It had been luck.. pure luck. She could have been going any where, met anyone on that road. But it had been Rune. As she gathered the toys and lost socks in her hands she went up stairs to put them all away.

She had plans to take the twins out of the tower today,perhaps on a long covered walk. They had yet to really see their home outside of these walls. She had packed their bags, and amde a lunch. The twins were sleeping still. She wouldnt rouse them,not unelss she had to.

Rune had returned to teaching, at least partly. The tower seemed empty without him. She knew he wouldnt have gone if Darkmere had not asked him. They had been so intwinded she and her wizard for the last few days. It was the weddings, Vanessa was sure of that. The love in the air.

Now things were back to normal.

She peeked her head in to the nursey and saw trhat both Zoe and Nathan were wide awake. Yet neither one had cried out for her,they merely lay there looking up at the ceiling as if they were watching something. V looked up at the lovely painted ceiling then down at the twins. "Who wants to go for a walk with mommy?"

It was days later as she sat watching the twins nap after their mid day feeding that she thought about sitting under that great pine tree outside of Nosgoth Castle.

One day she knew her children would walk through that garden , perhaps sit under that same tree.

She heard Rune come in downstairs. His classes were going well. He so did love to teach.

She knew the moemnt he started up stairs, and the moment he entered the nursery. She didn't have to turn to know he wore all white. As he often did when teaching. She watched him though out of the corner of her eye, lean his staff against the wall, shrug out of his coat. His pants were cream white, his shirt crisp white, his jacket had been almost grey, but not quite.

She watched as he changed in t his home clothes. SImple easy dove gray slacks a a shirt of deep blue. She pretended to not see him walk over to her.

His hand graced through her hair, down to her shoulders. He gave them a gentle yet firm rub.

She looked now to him and smiled. "Hello love." She reached back and graced the top of his hands as theyr ested on her shoulders.

He smiled and looked down to their sleeping twins. " Don't worry, they wont grow up over night." She smirked at him, he had said just what she was thinking. "No, but every day they change, a little more. Nathan's eyes are now no longer that baby grey, they are very pale blue green, and Zoe, he hair is growing in dark as a ravens wing. I was hoping they'd be graced with your lovely color." She toyed with a strand of his blue hair.

He chuckled softly. "And it seems my wish has been fulfilled, for she's as lovely as you are." He leaned down and kissed her brow. "Now come with me, you need to eat, and they will be fine, safe within their cribs."

She looked to them sleeping so soundly and rose to her feet. "Alright, but not for too long."

he smirked at her and swept her up with ease. "Come now, don't fret. I shall feed you, you haven't been eating enough." His eyes settled on her very violet eyes. "I am going to make us a grand meal, and then draw a bath." She smirked when she saw his eye brows wiggle softly.

"A bath for me?"

"Maybe." He smirked and carried her down stairs.