"Empress of Lightning huh ?" asked Gabrielle with smirk on her face while returning cloak we left behind with her.

"Saw it trough detect ? Err .. girl have rights to have a dream !" pouted mother while puting cloak on.

"Thank you" suddenly mother was huged by Jade leaving her with only one sleeve of cloak put in. Confused mother looked at others for help.

"When she was little, her mother died during raid of bandits, who targeted her village. So she allways had weak heart for stuff like these." steped in closer Leo and pat on Jade shoulder.

"Trained hard since then and managed join royal guards without any background of nobility." He continued and Jade started to feel uncomfortable from attention and released mother.

"One of fastest and strongest wariors we have. If had magic gift would be captain without a doubt. If i had to fight without my adventages as spellblade, i wouldnt be her match. Lars still dreams about beating her at least once though."

"Hey ! Last time i almost managed." complained Lars.

"Yeeaah suuure. With the help of two friends." laughed Leo.

"Ha ! Win is a win." declared Lars proudly.

"And you still lost." laughed Leo and prince with his cousin started to giggle. Jade pretended its not her busines, but her tail was swinging back and forth.

"Because they were weak ... puh !" started complaining Lars only to be sent flying after punch from Ace.

"You !" said Ace, turned around and walked to one of direwolfs.

"He said it was you who was weak" translated Jade with a smile and we all laughed. After a bit Lars started to get up.

"We should start moving. Direwolfs had enough rest and we are still very far from our destination." Said Leo and headed to direwolfs.

Soon we departed and continued our journey to Arcae. Every now and then we stoped to rest and journey was mostly uneventful, til we reached end of forest. End of forest meant end of cover and travel in plain sight. After direwolfs enjoyed their last hunt here, we headed for road leading to Arcae and now traveled at faster pace. When we stoped near lake for next stop it was almost halfway to our destination. Lake meant refilled water supplies, after boiling it, and of course our long awaited bath. None had luxury for that in a while. And of course girls had their turn first.

"Hmm ?" looked questioningly Jade, when felt mothers gaze.

"Dont mind me, just curious. Never saw you without cloak." Said mother while checking her body. Not counting tail and wolf ears her body was moslty like human, with exeption of having additional knee at crural and feet more that of a wolf just way biger. Front torso and face had skin just like of a human. But back, arms bellow elbow and legs, had a slightly noticable fur with grey color, just like her hair. And like all lycans she had glowing in the dark, golden eyes.

"Its not dangerous to step in ?" asked Gabrielle, standing naked near shore and looking at us.

"Mmm ? ..ah .. you are about lightning spirit. Nope. If i am not agitated or in danger it means no harm he he." answered mom and with that Gabrielle entered water and came closer to us.

"Could somone help me with a back ?" she asked and held botle with some liquid.

"Sure, hmm hey Jade, come over here. We can wash each other all at once with three of us." suggested mom and started wash Gabrielles back, when Jade came she started wash moms and Gabrielle Jade's.

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"Mrrr .. so good." enjoyed herself Jade.

"Say Jade, you worked as royal guard and before that in army, must have been surrounded by many men. Had any of them catch your eye ?"

"Hmm not really. I just have one rule, if you beat me fair and square in duel - im yours. Sadly none could do that in army. And ones, who could at royal guards, were not interested in me." answered Jade and then added "What about you ?"

"Me ? Well i had arranged marriage for double wedding before war. Now im not sure."

"Double wedding ?" asked Jade.

"Hmm to put it simply, Its like exchange of mages between Houses of nobles. This way neither House loose mage from marriage." explained Gabrielle and after a bit continued.

"You probaly heard saying that there is one mage for every twenty thousand people born ? That actualy isnt right, because nobles and commoners are included as a whole. Almost every mage we have today is born from noble Houses, thanks to careful marriages only between gifted with magic. If child is born betwen two mages, there is forty percent chance for baby to be mage. If only one parrent is mage, that chance is few percent at best. And if none of parrents is mage, only one out of few millions born is a mage. If nobles married out of love or those they fancy, we would have only few mages wandering our lands."

"Uhh so complicated" grimaced Jade.

"... Its been like this for ages." Said Gabrielle after surfacing from quick dive underwater. With washing of our backs done, we were separated a bit now, but still facing each other in circle.

"As for man ... neither my parrents nor supposed fiance survived war. So decision of my marriage is in hands of my cousin now, as he is present head of Goldmore. Depending how things turn out, my marriage might be needed to secure power or standing. As long as what he picks for me looks decent, i will be happy." She said and after another dive, tossed her hair to the back with quick movement of head.

"Mmm sounds a bit sad ... what about you ?" asked Jade facing mother.

"Hmm i guess, i have full freedom in my case." said mother and after looking at belly added.

"After giving birth that is. If i had to choose i would like him to be strong and ..."

"Wow just like me ?" interrupted Jade with smile plastered on her face. "Mmm but i think you have a problem. From what you showed so far, to find somone who can beat you fair and square ... mmm ... immposible." said Jade, then suddenly her ear twitched.

"Did you heard that ?" she asked while facing in direction of trees with thick bushes around.

"If its not some wandering beast, then somone is looking for beating." Said Gabrielle facing bushes.

"If its Lars, i will beat him to a pulp" said Jade while heading out of water with eyes glimmering dangerously.

"He he. If that was the case, i will lend you a hand. But what if its not ?" asked mother heading out of water as well.

"Hmm ... i will let it slide then i guess, everyone needs some distraction." said Jade and then launched on all four, to direction of bushes, still stark naked.

Mother and Gabrielle, with hands covering private parts, started to head near left clothes. And after some loud noices we could hear Jade.

"Look whom i found !" she said and pushed culprit ahead of her into view and headed to us, who still had no chance to get dressed.

"Cousin?! I cant believe it. How could you ?! And Jade, cover yourself already. And why you ran out naked like this ?" barraged with questions Gabrielle, while prince was trying find place to look at, without inventing new shade of red with his face. His glance stayed on mother quite often making her giggle. While Gabrielle and mother were covering private parts with hands, it was still sight to see for any man.

"Mmm ? Ah .. well he already saw everything there is to see. And if i was slow, criminal would have escaped. Besides when served in army, i often had to bath with men so im used to it." said Jade and walking over her clothes started dressing without care.

"I c..can explain ... Its not what it looks like" started defend himself prince, still secretly stealing glance now and then all over mothers body.

"I wanted to prevent Lars ..." he continued with excuse.

"Ahh .. so sweet, peeping on me like that. Mmm ... you just earned yourself a few more points my dear prince" whispered mom.

"I cant believe it mom ! He just peeped on you and its his good side for you ?" I complained.

"Hmm ? Oh .. its not like that little Nina. I might be pervert, but im not a slut. If it was somone else, i would beat him to a pulp. But if you are peeped by man you fancy, it makes your heart racing. If he shows more strong or cool points, i might actualy fall for him. Though i start to think that its fated to fail." whispered mother.

"Why ?" i asked.

"Becuase if i someday marry him into his House, Darkmoon will cease to exist, but with state of Goldmore neither can he." answered mother in a bit sad whisper.

After a bit more of scolding we dressed up, with prince facing other direction, and returned to Camp. After seeing us Leo blushed for some reason.

"Why is your face red too Leo ?" asked Gabrielle with suspicion evidant in her eyes. After what prince Tomas did she had no faith even in Leo.

"Sorry, when i heard commotion, i used detect and saw what i shouldnt" answered Leo apologeticly.

"Dammit ! Why cant there be detect tools for those without magic gift. Life is so unfair." Lars started ranting only to recieve hit from passing by Jade.