Aurora's Consort *ch. 51 added*

A/N: urgh. Forth try at posting this. My internet connection is really starting to tick me off! lol Here it is. Didn't get as far as planned so the short time skip ended up pushed back to the next chapter. Sigh. Underestimated how long this part would take. Either way, hope you enjoy it. Lots of Jayden this time and some background and revelations. Ahhh!! That's sounds like a soup opera!! bwahahahaha! Anywho, hope you like it!

Shoutouts, cuddles, and cyber-cookies for the following cuddly reviewers: MustLove_PrettyBoys, Khayman, bella, mdevries08, Nodoz, xXTrissyXx, Paradox13, Fragmentary Horcrux, SunaoTsuji x2, and Vixcn. Ahhhhh! Thanx so much!!

As always, big thanx to Madrachdevvi for helping with the chapter. *glomps*

PS. Fiction Press isn't being friendly with me today, so no formatting. Sowry!! I'll fix it as soon as they'll let me into my account.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Chapter 44 A Prince's Burden

Trying with all of his might to control the panic that was welling up inside him, Jayden hurriedly worked the damp cloth down Devin’s abdomen as he watched his beloved carefully for any sign that he might be in distress. Devin didn’t stir at all and Jayden couldn’t decide whether to feel relieved or more concerned as he tried to force himself to concentrate on the task at hand. It seemed like an eternity before Master Alan knocked loudly at the outer door of their suite, although in reality only a few minutes had passed. Jayden immediately stopped cleaning the last of the come from Devin’s soft skin and spread a sheet over his lower body before rushing to allow Master Alan entrance. With a sense of urgency, he quickly shepherded the Master physician into their bedroom as he stammered, “He suddenly lost consciousness. That’s never happened before after . . .” Jayden let the words trail off. Knowing how shy Devin was, it seemed almost disrespectful to say them aloud.

Master Alan’s nod assured him that the mage understood. After all, the scent of their union was strong in the room, so it was obvious what they’d been doing. “His Highness might simply need more rest after his recent ordeal,” Master Alan explained as he went straight to Devin’s side and started scanning him with his magical energy. “I’d hoped for both your sakes that you would avoid this type of intimacy for now, but what’s done is done. His energy levels were normal this morning and he’s physically sound, although not in the best of conditions considering his treatment at the hands of the Omega and his most recent crisis. Your Consort has definitely lost more weight since his return, but so far nothing that would threaten his or the child’s well-being.”

“Then why would this happen?” Jayden demanded impatiently, desperate for answers and still unnerved in spite of the other man’s reassurances. “Our past encounters have often been just as intense, if not more so, and this has never been a problem before today. What if he slips back into . . . ?”

“I understand your fears, my King,” Master Alan interjected with a patient, understanding smile, “especially after what you both went through after King-Consort Devin’s homecoming. We can only give thanks to the Forces-That-Be that High-Consort Chris was able to siphon off enough of the negative emotions to allow His Highness to return to some semblance of normalcy. I know very well what this must be doing to you, King Jayden, with the circumstances so closely shadowing the rumors you encountered growing up regarding your birthfather’s supposed malady. Still, you must keep in mind that King-Consort Aaron’s constitution was much more delicate than your own Consort's. King-Consort Devin is still physically healthy and his body is strong, whereas King-Consort Aaron’s condition had already been steadily declining for two years before your impending birth was even announced.” Jayden nodded his understanding and tried to put up a strong front, although Master Alan’s words were little comfort to him. If anything happened to his mate or son, he didn’t know what he’d do. Just the thought of going through what his father had was too much to bear.

When Jayden failed to reply, Master Alan left him to his thoughts, a look of deep concentration on his face as he continued to examine Devin carefully. Jayden kept his many worries to himself, not wanting to distract the other mage from what was most important. The Master physician ran his hands up and down Devin’s still form, hovering just above his smooth skin as he searched out the cause of this most recent ailment. After several long minutes, Master Alan looked up with a troubled frown and then humbly motioned for Jayden to follow him out into the living area.

“Is he going to be alright?” Jayden asked urgently once they were on the other side of the door. He’d hoped to receive at least some modicum of reassurance from the small physician, but the other mage’s quiet, reflective manner did little for his peace of mind. If anything, his heart was now racing even more rapidly in his chest than it had been before the man’s arrival, and it was a constant battle for him to hide his impatience as he tried to present a more collected facade.

Without a reply, Master Alan crossed the room to take a seat on one of the couches before looking at Jayden pointedly, signaling for him to do the same. Desperate for answers, he quickly made his way over and eased down on the couch across from the other mage, pretending not to notice when the other man’s eyes landed momentarily on the discarded clothing still lying in the floor nearby. Once they were seated, Master Alan studied Jayden, a serious but compassionate light in his hazel eyes, before leaning forward attentively.

“I hesitate to bring this up because you have both been through so much already and I want nothing more than to erase the worry from your mind and grant you some small piece of happiness,” Master Alan began quietly, a sad but hesitant look on his face. Then a look of determination took its place and his caring attitude became more professional. “Still, I feel that you need to hear this . . . that you are more than capable of being reasonable and listening carefully to what I have to say.”

Jayden furrowed his brow in confusion, not having the slightest idea where Master Alan was going with his comment but quickly realizing that he wasn’t going to be happy with where their conversation was going. Master Alan was rarely hesitant when it came to the health of his patients and the fact the he had been up till now didn’t bode well for any of them. The small mage was Aurora’s foremost expert in both physical and mental health and to see him so unsure was frightening in and of itself. Silently and with a sinking heart, Jayden nodded his head for the man to continue while he braced himself internally for the terrible news that he was sure was yet to come.

“Normally when a mage deteriorates physically,” Master Alan explained in his most calm, soothing tone, “it is a direct result of his emotional state. We, as mages, have never been prone to maladies of the flesh, as you well know. It’s obvious from the events of the past few days that your mate is deeply, emotionally disturbed and might well have some issues because of that during the pregnancy. Physically, His Highness is stable for now. That could change, however, if he’s not treated with the utmost care.”

“I understand that,” Jayden murmured, his confusion showing clearly as he rubbed absently at his now-throbbing temples. “Just tell me what needs to be done and I won’t hesitate. Devin’s well-being is my biggest concern. You know that.”

After eyeing him tentatively for a moment, Master Alan nodded his approval. “Excellent. I expected no less from you, King Jayden. That said, what King-Consort Devin needs is normalcy. He will do best if given a stable routine, acceptance, and time to recover from his mental injuries so that they do not lead to a weakening of his physical body. I also feel that it would be best to put aside your own wants and needs for the time being and allow him time to adjust and come to grips with everything he has suffered.”

When Jayden stiffened at the words and started to interject, Master Alan held up a hand as if to ward him off and rushed on. “It would only be natural for you to wish for a speedy recovery and to resume your relationship as it was before. However, from what I’ve seen over the past three days and from what you’ve described to me of your discussion with your mate the night he returned, I cannot help but feel that his and your wishes for your futures are very different at this point in time. Furthermore, even if both of your needs did coincide, your mate is in no condition mentally to make those decisions. To push the issue when your Consort is so set against it can only add to his mental stress.”

Jayden sat there quietly for a moment, clenching his jaw against the harsh words begging to escape him as he tried to hide the anger and hurt he felt at Master Alan’s assessment. The only reason he’d relayed such a private conversation to the man was to give him a better understanding of Devin’s emotional state immediately prior to his mate’s mental breakdown. Now that discussion was being thrown back in his face and used against him in the worst possible way.

He still hated to think of the two and a half days that Devin had been out of his mind as a mental breakdown, but even though they’d agreed to tell Devin that he’d simply been unconscious, that was so far from the truth that it was laughable. In reality, Devin had spent much of the time either resting fitfully as he fought against unknown demons or completely out of his mind and seemingly fully awake as he cursed, screamed, cried, and fought violently against whomever was nearest to him.

In his unhinged state, Devin had seen everyone near him as an enemy who’d come to do him harm. He’d also cursed the names of each and every one of them in turn as he raged at them for leaving him to his fate. Oddly enough, very little was said of Zachary, who now seemed to be so much a focus of Devin’s hatred. Instead he’d aimed his wrath at Jayden for failing him, at Adam for abandoning him again and again, and at Ashcroft for making him suffer. Devin had broken down over and over, alternating between threatening them with his powers, thereby forcing them to bind his magical energy for their own protection, and repeatedly begging for them to kill him and put an end to his suffering.

After the first day, Jayden had refused to allow anyone entrance to their suite with the exception of Master Alan, Chris, and Adam, and then only to do examinations or one of Chris’ sessions while Devin was calm and at least semi-restful. Jayden knew without being told that Devin would never want to be seen in such a state. Still, by the middle of the second day, Jayden had eventually broken down and ordered a potion to sedate his confused and hallucinating mate. It had been the worst ordeal of Jayden’s life, but it had been well worth it if it meant that his Consort would come back to him at the end of it. Now this…

Jayden was forced to look away from Master Alan’s searching, concerned gaze to hide the pain in his eyes as he remembered the worst session between Chris and Devin. Up till late last night, Chris had lasted less than a minute in Devin’s presence. Devin had been sedated during that particular session, however. When Chris didn’t collapse after a few minutes of cleansing his aura, they’d all been relieved and had thought they’d finally made some progress. Then, out of nowhere, Chris had suddenly gone into some strange trance before grabbing desperately at his tiny chest and then throwing back his head to let out a cry of agony that had shaken Jayden and Adam to their cores.

No sooner had the horrible, anguished sound stopped then the young mage passed out again and a panicked Adam quickly gathered him up and rushed him out of the room, saying that he was going to call on Master Alan. As his Godfather crossed the threshold of Jayden’s bedroom, he heard the sound of feet rushing through his suite as the guards hurried to investigate. He could only sigh in relief when Adam quickly stopped them and sent them away with assurances that everyone was fine and that Devin had simply startled awake from a nightmare. Jayden was determined that Devin’s ailment be kept secret. If word got out that Jayden’s mate had gone insane, it would only serve to fan the flames of the rumors already circulating. That was especially true with the way Jayden’s own birthfather had died. His main concern in that instant, however, was Chris’ well-being. The tiny, pregnant mage was the one taking the brunt of Devin’s tainted aura, after all.

Yet, despite the events of the prior evening, Devin's dedicated little brother had insisted on returning this morning, seemingly undaunted by his previous experience. This time he lasted several minutes with no repeat of the terrifying performance he’d given before and Devin seemed to be resting more peacefully as well. So much so that Jayden decided to forgo the medication he’d used the day before to sedate his disturbed mate. Master Alan had assured him that it would have no affect on the baby, but Jayden was still uncomfortable with the idea, especially after having been forced to bind Devin several times during his hallucinations. This time when Chris lost consciousness, Adam sat there staring at Devin thoughtfully with a pleased smile on his face as he held his young Consort on his lap and unleashed his energy source around them like he always did after a session.

Encouraged and relieved that they’d finally made some progress after all their hard work, Jayden had lain down beside his own Consort to rest his eyes. When he’d awakened later, he’d found that his mate was gone. After the guards outside his suite assured him that Devin was across the hall with his father, Jayden had made the decision to wait for Devin’s return, not wanting to intrude on his and Adam’s time together.

Once Devin had returned and they’d spoken, Jayden had found some comfort in the fact that Devin now seemed to be in his right mind. However, the longer they talked, the more dramatic his Consort’s mood swings had become. Devin had been acting very strangely indeed. Despite that, when they’d both acknowledged their love for one another, verbally and physically, Jayden had started to hope that . . . And now Master Alan was telling him that his own need to be close to his mate was making matters worse? How was he supposed to respond to something like that?

“How can you say that my wanting to work things out with him might worsen his condition?” Jayden asked in a hushed, almost numb voice. He wasn’t sure his shattered heart could handle much more of this. Still, there was no other option for him but to continue to love his Consort, so he tried his best to explain to Master Alan why what he’d suggested wasn’t possible. “I’m his mate . . . his husband. If anything, my Consort needs to know that I still love him and want him beside me. He needs to understand that no matter what’s happened, we’ll always be together. If I leave him alone, who knows what foolishness will result? Although his earlier behavior was a dramatic improvement over the past few days, Devin is still far from being completely rational. Everything about his expressions and posture screams that he needs someone to hold him and comfort him. Who better to do that than the one who loves him more than life itself?”

“That may be true, and I never said that you should withhold that comfort,” Master Alan conceded with a soft, frustrated sigh, “but if you persist in pushing your Consort forward before he’s mentally prepared, then it might exacerbate his already unstable mental condition. That will further compromise his physical condition along with the safety of the child he carries. For now, it might be best to offer your strength and understanding as someone he can trust and depend on emotionally, rather than someone he feels is pressuring him to admit things that he is far from ready to accept. If you or High Councilor Adam were to accidentally push him too hard, it might cause him to break completely and your fears would then be realized. His Highness is so fragile and you should treat him as such. King-Consort Devin doesn’t need a husband right now. He needs someone to love him unconditionally and to play the role of family member and friend.”

Master Alan’s expression was so sincere and honest that Jayden couldn’t hold on to his earlier angry, no matter how much he needed it to chase away all of the painful emotions fighting to take control. He wanted so badly to take out his disappointment and frustrations on the small physician, but knew it would be wrong and petty. The other mage was the man charged with Devin’s physical and mental well-being, after all. To continue to dismiss his opinion simply because it didn’t coincide with Jayden’s own desires would be selfish and foolish. The Master physician knew more about these things than anyone else in Aurora. Still, understanding that fact didn’t make accepting his words any easier.

With a sigh of his own, Jayden ran a hand through his messy hair in irritation and replied, “I can only promise to do the best I know how. I won’t press my mate further to resume our relationship until he becomes more stable, and I won’t approach him physically unless he initiates the contact himself. There’s simply no way that I can promise more because, with the pregnancy, King-Consort Devin’s physical urges will be intensified. I refuse to turn him away and watch him suffer needlessly. My doing so would only further damage his self-confidence.”

“I only ask that you do your best, Your Majesty,” Master Alan murmured consolingly, his concern for Jayden’s own well-being radiating from the other mage as he leaned forward to pat Jayden’s hand in a comforting gesture. Such a display of affection was rare from Master Alan and only served to reinforce to Jayden how grim the situation was. “I know you only have King-Consort Devin’s best interests at heart, as we all do.”

At those words, Jayden finally lost a little bit of his hard-won composure as a ragged breath escaped his tight throat and tears burned his eyes. He quickly blinked them away as he let his face drop into his hands and scrubbed roughly at the skin there before slumping back on the couch dejectedly. “What horrible sin have I committed to deserve such suffering?” he asked in a shaky voice that made him feel that much more foolish. Still, the thoughts that had been torturing him day and night since his Consort’s abduction came tumbling out as if they had a will of their own. “Is this the retribution I’m doomed to endure for causing my birthfather’s death? That my own mate should have to suffer through such Hell because of my weakness and then fall into the same terrible state Aaron experienced before his passing? Is losing my precious mate and my son the price I must pay for causing my own father so much pain by taking the love of his life?”

Master Alan tensed and his eyes widened dramatically. It was obvious that the man was stunned at Jayden’s unguarded words as he stared at him in horror and bewilderment. Then a look of indecision and perhaps a pain as deep as Jayden’s own crossed Master Alan’s face as he continued to gaze at Jayden with a furrowed brow. “That is simply not true,” Master Alan stated with such intensity and force that Jayden was taken aback for a moment. Then the other mage suddenly took a shaky breath and looked away from Jayden’s shocked expression as if ashamed of something. It was disconcerting, to say the least, and Jayden couldn’t begin to imagine why his words might have caused the small mage to react in such a way. Still, he knew it wasn’t his place to pry, so he left it alone as he tried to focus on Master Alan’s words rather than his odd reaction.

“What part is a lie?” Jayden murmured softly when Master Alan looked up again. “I know that without my existence, King-Consort Aaron would have lived on. My father suffered so long, missing his beloved and mourning him even as he tried to reassure me that I was loved and held no blame. But I knew. I heard the rumors surrounding my unfortunate birth. If not for me, my fathers would have never faced such pain and loss. It’s only right that I should be forced to share in some of that as well. I only regret that my Consort was touched by it. I can’t help but think it would have been better if I’d never come into this existence. Perhaps if I hadn’t, Devin wouldn’t . . .”

“You cannot continue thinking this way,” Master Alan exclaimed almost violently as he pinned Jayden with a pleading, yet determined, look. He seemed so upset suddenly that it startled Jayden out of his miserable thoughts once again as he looked over at the normally sharp-tongued and remote physician in shock. Master Alan looked away from his probing gaze yet again, a distracted, pained look on his face as he seemed to struggle silently within himself while he wrung his hands in his lap in a nervous gesture. Then the tormented expression slid from his face and he regained his composure so completely that it was as if the past few seconds had never occurred. When Master Alan met Jayden’s gaze again, there was something like relief in his expression and a sense of purpose lighting his eyes.

“What happened to King-Consort Devin is no more your fault than King-Consort Aaron’s passing, Your Majesty. From the moment I learned of King-Consort Devin’s condition, I feared that you would associate it with the death of your own birthfather. I can see now that it will cause you no end of grief and suffering to continue believing such a thing. For that reason, and that reason alone, I will break the solemn vow I made to your father, King Raphael. I feel that it is past time to enlighten you as to the true circumstances surrounding King-Consort Aaron’s death. I would have done so sooner had I known that you held such unbearable grief in your heart. As disturbing as it may be, I can only hope that you find some comfort in the knowledge that I’ve held so closely since his death.”

“What knowledge?” Jayden asked cautiously, his eyes narrowing dangerously as a chill seeped into his body at the man’s cryptic words. It was beyond his comprehension what Master Alan could say that would bring him any comfort at this point, especially relating to his birthfather’s terrible death. Knowing that he’d been the cause of his own parent’s demise had haunted Jayden his entire life. No one had ever said or done anything to make him feel that he was to blame, but he’d always felt terrible guilt and grief over how things had turned out - toward his father, King Raphael, in particular.

From what Jayden had heard, the man he’d known growing up was a mere shadow of the man King Raphael had been before the tragedy surrounding Jayden’s birth. Jayden remembered his father as a loud, boisterous mage, full of energy and mirth, but a shadow had always seemed to linger in his heart, tempering his happiness and enjoyment of the life he led. During those rare unguarded moments, his pain and sense of loss had shown clearly through the sadness that had darkened his sparkling, green eyes . At times like those, Jayden would have done anything to please his father and make him smile again. Even now he tried to live his life by clinging tightly to the lessons he’d learned from the man and by doing things in a way that his father would have approved of.

“There were rumors that King-Consort Aaron was mentally unstable because of his rapid deterioration in the two years preceding your conception,” Master Alan murmured quietly, pulling Jayden away from his painful thoughts once again before leaning forward, guilt written in his expression as if he were about to confess a terrible sin. Jayden nodded his understanding, since he was well aware of that fact, while carefully hiding his own distress at Master Alan’s uncharacteristic behavior. “King Raphael and King-Consort Aaron willingly allowed that rumor to take root and grow because they felt that it was preferable for the Auroran people in general to believe that their King-Consort was insane than to reveal the true nature of his illness. In reality, your birthfather, King-Consort Aaron, was perfectly sound of mind and his deterioration was the end result of a plot to destroy the royal family.”

Jayden barely managed to hold back a gasp of disbelief at the man’s words and his stomach churned sickeningly as he tried to force words past the tightness in his throat to, but Master Alan held up a hand, demanding to be allowed to say his piece even as tears filled his hazel eyes. It was as if the other mage had been so burdened by keeping such a thing inside that, now that the floodgates were open, he couldn’t hold back any longer as he let his horrible tale tumble forth. “I know this is a shock to you, but your father, King Raphael, kept it extremely quiet while they investigated, so naturally most Aurorans came to their own conclusions. The true reason for your birthfather’s untimely death was believed to be slow poisoning which was later exacerbated by the strain of carrying you to term after his long physical decline. He didn’t actually die in childbirth, you see. He fought valiantly to carry on until you could be born, but lost the battle a week before you were meant to come into this world. When we removed you from his body, King-Consort Aaron had already passed on to the other realm.”

Finally Master Alan paused and took a shuddering breath. Then a tear ran down his cheek and he looked away in embarrassment as he tried to compose himself. Not knowing what else to do, Jayden looked away as well to give the overwhelmed man at least some semblance of privacy while they both struggled to collect their thoughts and composure. Jayden’s father had told him before his murder that Jayden’s actual birth hadn’t been the cause of King-Consort Aaron’s death, but Jayden had still felt responsible because he’d been the one to push the already frail man to his death. Now Master Alan was telling him that wasn’t the case at all and Jayden wasn’t sure what he should feel about it, especially the knowledge that someone had purposely done harm to the beautiful, loving mage who’d been hailed as The Heart of Aurora before his sudden decline.

Master Alan cleared his throat quietly and wiped surreptitiously at his eyes as he straightened his posture slightly and looked up at Jayden again. “King-Consort Aaron was my closest companion with the exception of my husband. We grew up together and I would have done anything to keep him safe. If I could have, I would have taken his place at that time. Unfortunately, the poison used was a type that was undetectable inside the body, so it took some time before the symptoms began to manifest at all. When they finally did, there was a period where we were all confounded. Regardless of how often we tested, we could find nothing. Still, his condition continued to deteriorate and some type of poison was the only explanation.”

Suddenly, Master Alan fell silent, his shoulders slumped as if carrying a heavy burden. Seeing the man is such a state was incomprehensible to Jayden and he couldn’t help but feel pity for the man. Master Alan had to have lived all of these years suffering under the knowledge he was now relaying with such heartbreaking sadness. To have been forced to stand aside uselessly while your closest friend wasted away before your eyes when you were the one who’d been solely responsible for his welfare must have been pure torture. That Master Alan had carried such pain and grief inside him without ever giving Jayden a glimpse only increased Jayden’s respect for the man tenfold.

“Did you find the source?” Jayden prodded gently, wanting desperately to hear the rest of the story but not wanting to be disrespectful of Master Alan’s grief by demanding that he continue. It seemed to have the desired effect because Master Alan took a deep breath and looked back up with a thoughtful frown on his small face.

“We tested his food and drink again and again and found nothing. We even went so far as to check the very clothes he wore and his soaps and other personal supplies. Still nothing, but his continued deterioration left no doubt that more extreme measures needed to be taken. Your father put severe limits on the ones permitted to prepare or handle anything your birthfather would consume and it seemed to help for a time. The mage responsible was no longer able to carry on with his attempts. Soon afterward you were conceived and the toll on Aaron’s body was too great. The very day of your father’s death, one of the human servants passed away after consuming a dish meant for King-Consort Aaron’s consumption. No traces of poison were found in the unfortunate servant, or the remainders of his last meal. It was an unfortunate tragedy, but allowed us to conclude without a doubt that the source of King-Consort Aaron’s illness had in fact been an undetectable poison. Because of that unfortunate incident, we were then able to find evidence that led us to the culprit and make an arrest, but it was in vain since your birthfather had already moved on to the other realm.

“He was an Omega who’d reincarnated into the Auroran population without our knowing and was quickly put to death for his crimes against the royal family. In order to prevent mass hysteria and rumors, King Raphael announced that King-Consort Aaron had died in childbirth. He always regretted laying that burden at your feet, but felt it a necessary evil for the sake of Aurora. Your birthfather’s dying request was that the truth never be exposed. He feared for the monarchy’s stability, you see. It was his greatest fear that if the details were uncovered, the Auroran subjects would lose faith in their ruling family and things would begin to deteriorate as they had during the time before the Great War.”

“Was Ashcroft behind it?” Jayden asked numbly, dreading the answer he knew would come. He knew he should feel enraged and bitter. That he should want nothing more than to resurrect the bastard and kill him all over again, but it was all too much. Jayden’s already battered emotions had sapped every ounce of his strength. He simply didn’t have the energy to feel anything more. To find out that Ashcroft had played a part in Aaron’s death was just the proverbial straw that broke the camel’s back. It seemed like the evil mage had been determined to destroy Aurora and everything Jayden cared about. His birthfather would be no different. The evil man’s transgressions against his loved ones seemed to have no limit, but at this point Jayden was too emotionally drained to react with anything but resignation.

“No, that simply wasn’t the case,” Master Alan replied reassuringly, shocking Jayden in a way he no longer thought possible. “From what we were able to discover, the man had been in contact with one of the Omega cults from the United States, but had never met Ashcroft or any of his higher ranking associates. As surprising as it may seem, he acted alone. He readily confessed that fact when interrogated and was proud of what he’d accomplished with no aide to speak of. He died with a smile on his face, pleased to have done his part.”

As much as Master Alan’s last comment irked him, all Jayden could do for several minutes was to sit there in stunned silence as he let the words sink in. There was always the ever-present danger that an Omega would reincarnate into the Auroran population. It had happened before and would happen again. Normally when that occurred, though, they tended to gravitate toward the Earth plane and what it had to offer. Knowing that Ashcroft had played no part in his birthfather’s murder was a relief beyond words, but the idea that one mage could pose such a threat was a frightening thought and he could only pray that none of the Omega recently killed at the compound would follow suite. Either way, it now made more sense that his birthfather had been strictly confined to the royal suite the entire term of his pregnancy. Perhaps that confinement had more to do with his protection than any mental illness.

“It doesn’t make sense,” Jayden murmured quietly, confusion seeping into his voice as he tried to come to grips with it all. “If my father knew that his Consort was in danger, why weren’t more precautions taken to keep him safe? If my birthfather was truly being poisoned, then shouldn’t it have been a simple matter to . . .”

As if sensing Jayden’s growing turmoil and uncertainty, Master Alan let out a sigh as he did his best to regain control of his own emotions. “I apologize, Your Majesty, for having to reveal such dark and terrible things at such a trying time, but I’ve known you since you were a small child. You feel things so deeply and allowing you to suffer during your Consort's pregnancy because of fears and doubts related to your own birth just seems too cruel, especially when King-Consort Aaron’s death was caused by something completely unrelated. All the same, I assure you that your father did everything in his power to protect King-Consort Aaron. Unfortunately, the damage had already been done even before we discovered the reason behind your birthfather’s failing health. That was the reason for his isolation in his last months of life, to protect him from further harm.

“All food and drink were closely monitored and the few mages and humans who were closest to His Highness and His Majesty, and who were aware of the situation, volunteered to act as a shield by testing his food, drink, and clothing on themselves to insure his safety, but King-Consort Aaron refused. You see, King-Consort Aaron felt that one life held as much value as the next.” A wry smile crossed Jayden’s lips at those words. He’d heard so much about Aaron’s humanitarian efforts through the Earth-branch of the Genesis Council that this didn’t surprise him in the least. If anything, he would have been shocked to hear anything to the contrary.

Unaware of Jayden’s thoughts, Master Alan went on to sadly explain, “Despite His Highness’ wishes, King Raphael secretly acted as his food taster in their stead. By that time, however, we’d managed to make a repeat poisoning extremely difficult, so no harm came to him. In the end, the previous internal damage from the long-term poisonings was too great for even the advanced immune system of a mage to repair. The added stress of the pregnancy only helped to speed his decline, but he was doomed to his fate either way. Your birthfather happily gave up the short time he had remaining in order to bring you into this world, relieved that he wouldn’t be leaving his husband completely alone. You were his greatest joy and I will always regret that I failed to prevent such a tragedy. Regardless, King-Consort Aaron’s death had nothing to do with his mental state. It would be futile for you to continue to make comparisons between what happened with your birthfather and what is now happening with your Consort.”

After a moment, Jayden broke eye contact and turned his attention to the bright streaks of sunlight filtering in through the large windows across the room. It seemed so out of place as he struggled with the many emotions fighting for precedence inside his mind and the feel of it touching his haggard face with its unyielding warmth was too much. Suddenly, wanting nothing more than to get away from it, Jayden dropped his head down into his large hand and slumped against the arm of the couch in utter exhaustion.

“Do you understand now? The fault for Aaron’s death lies at my feet, not yours. His health was my responsibility and I failed him. You were nothing but an innocent . . . yet another victim caught up in the aftermath of my failure,” Master Alan explained gently as he rose from his seat and laid a comforting hand on Jayden’s shoulder. The grief in Master Alan’s voice was only rivaled by the grief in his eyes as he looked down at Jayden, pleading wordlessly for forgiveness. “They never meant to force such a burden upon you, King Jayden. They kept their secrets for the sake of Aurora. Even then there were rumors that Omega was on the move. There was a feeling of nervousness in the populace and had such a thing been exposed it might have . . .”

“I understand,” Jayden cut in abruptly, looking up with a kind smile at the mage who now stood in front of him with a concerned look on his face. It had taken a lot for Master Alan to tell him such a thing, especially if he’d made an oath to Jayden’s father to keep it a secret. “I hold no grudge against you or them and agree that they chose the best path. As to the part you played, you’ll never convince me that you did anything but your best to save him. The guilt I’ve carried was a small burden to bear when compared to what you and my fathers were forced to endure. Thank you for telling me, though. As hard as it is to learn that my birthfather was murdered, I still feel some measure of relief in knowing that what my Consort is dealing with isn’t nearly the same.”

Seemingly relieved by Jayden’s reply, Master Alan nodded his head in mute satisfaction before moving away to hover uncertainly nearby. It was clear that the Master physician wanted to comfort him in some way, but was still unsure of how he would be received after their discussion. Jayden simply wanted to be left alone for now to sort through everything he’d heard and to clear his mind, though, so he quickly stood and walked over to pat the man on the shoulder reassuringly.

“Thank you again for your assistance, but if you don’t mind I’d like to have a moment alone. Perhaps you could return later to check on King-Consort Devin?” he asked with an encouraging smile that fell far short of reaching his eyes. Master Alan quickly agreed, unconsciously straightening his shoulders and slipping back into the cool, composed façade he normally wore as he allowed himself to be escorted to the door. After they’d said their quick goodbyes, Jayden went back to his bedroom to check on Devin once again.

His beloved still wasn’t awake, but he seemed to be resting so peacefully that Jayden couldn’t help but think it might be a good thing for now. The past few days had been Hell on Jayden, and despite the fact that Devin didn't remember anything that had happened during that time, it could only be the same for the smaller man. With a sigh, he pulled a chair up beside the large bed and then circled it, pulling the heavy draperies closed to block out the bright sunlight filling the room. He left the panel nearest his chair open just enough that he could keep an eye on his pregnant Consort and then settled down to think.

He hadn’t lied to Master Alan earlier. Knowing that his birthfather and his Consort didn’t suffer from the same illness was a huge comfort. That Devin was so much stronger in body was also reassuring. Still, he felt torn. He’d carried the guilt for Aaron’s death so long that it had become engrained in his very being. He felt anger at the ones who’d made his birthfather suffer and pity for his father and Master Alan, who’d been forced to stand by helplessly and watch him die. More than that, though, he felt confused and off-balance. He wasn’t sure where to go from here or what to do with the information he now held in his hands.

Did Adam know? He was the one person in Aurora who had been closer to King Raphael than anyone else. It would only make sense that he did. Should he mention it to his Godfather? If he did, how would the mage who’d been so unfailingly loyal to King Raphael feel about Master Alan having told Jayden such a thing? It seemed that with each passing day, Jayden was finding yet another dark secret that Adam carried inside of him and couldn’t help but wonder how the man dealt with it all and still showed such a serene expression most of the time.

Jayden’s father had been much the same way, however. Rarely did he allow his guard to slip and show the sadness and grief he carried in his heart. They’d been so close up until his murder, but Jayden was now beginning to wonder if he’d known the larger-than-life man at all. Unbidden, a memory from long ago washed over him and he couldn’t help but frown as it suddenly took on a new meaning than the one it’d had before.

He’d been a small child then, six or seven years old at most, and he’d managed to escape his keeper and make his way to his father’s suite. It was a rare treat, because the man normally came to Jayden’s rooms for visits or to have meals together, and Jayden had rarely gone to his father’s suite at that time. The guards had given him one of those teasingly scolding looks that adults often give children who are being impetuous and had then moved aside to allow him inside.

As soon as he’d crossed the threshold, Jayden had spotted his father slumped on a couch in the living area with his elbow propped up on the arm and his face resting in the palm of his hand. Unmindful, Jayden had bounced into the room to jump into the man’s lap with a loud giggle, jerking the large man out of his thoughts as he scrambled up into his father’s welcoming arms.

“What have we here?” King Raphael chuckled as he gave Jayden’s ribs a tickle and then squeezed the small boy’s still-giggling form against his broad chest in a tight embrace. “Have you once again escaped from your gilded cage, young prince?”

“I have, Father. I asked Paul to bring me to see you, but he said you were too busy and that we should wait until this afternoon,” Jayden complained as he turned to straddle his tiny legs across his father’s thighs and look up at him with a pout. Sir Paul was always trying to ruin his fun. When he saw his father’s face, Jayden’s irritation quickly melted away, and something in his tiny chest hurt. “Why are your eyes leaking, Father? Did you hurt yourself? I can have the guards call Master Alan to come see to it. He always makes my hurts feel better.”

After a soft chuckle, King Raphael wiped at the tears drying on his cheeks and tucked a stray strand of blood-red hair behind his ear before smiling gently down at Jayden. “You have always been such a sweet and loving child. Aaron would have been so proud of you. But you have no need to worry for me, dear son. Only time can heal some hurts. Time and you, sweet boy. You bring me so much happiness.”

The way his father was acting seemed odd. He wasn’t usually so serious and liked to play with Jayden most of the time. Still, his words made Jayden happy, so he shrugged off his worry and smiled up at the large man cheerfully. “I’m glad, Father. I promise to be a good boy, so that you’ll always have a reason to smile.”

“All I ask is that you become a good King some day. The people of Aurora need someone strong to lead them. I know that you will be that person for them when the time comes,” Raphael stated proudly as he tapped the end off Jayden’s tiny nose with his large finger.

“Uh-uh,” Jayden argued with a frown. “You’re the strongest of the strongest. Nobody could ever be more powerful than you, Father. You could defeat even the most powerful enemy with a wave of your hand.” To make his point, Jayden waved his hand boldly through the air as he imagined how the Omega would flee in fear at the very sight of his large, powerful father bearing down on them. Then, caught up in his own fantasy, he bounced excitedly in his father’s lap as he declared, “When I grow up, I want to be just like you. I want to be a hero and rid both planes of evil and strike fear in the hearts of Omega everywhere.”

Raphael threw back his head and let out a loud, rumbling laugh before reaching forward to hug Jayden to him again. “Such a brave son. I have no doubt that you will be a powerful and just ruler. I only wish that things were so simple. Once you’ve grown, you will come to understand that all things cannot be handled with force. We have rules that we must abide by, even as rulers of Aurora. To toss them aside recklessly would make us no better than the Omega cult who cause such strife. I want you to promise me that when you become King, you will hold our sacred laws close to your heart and never stray.”

Jayden tilted his head to the side and looked up at his handsome father in confusion as he tried his best to understand what he’d said. “But Father,” he replied after a moment of thought, “if the Omega are being bad, then doesn’t it make sense to punish them? When I break the rules, Sir Paul or Lady Elizabeth always makes sure that I’m punished. Is it different for adults?”

“No,” his father countered after a long pause to consider what Jayden had said. “It’s not different and yet not the same. When you break the rules, you are punished. Otherwise, you are free to do what you will within reason. It is the same for Omega. According to our laws, as long as they refrain from approaching us or threatening the Earth inhabitants, then they are free to exist outside of Aurora. Only after they break the laws will we dole out the appropriate punishment. It has been that way since the time of King Samuel and when you are King it will be your responsibility to uphold the same laws.”

When Jayden looked up at him in complete bewilderment, Raphael smiled down at him gently and brushed back the thick shock of bangs hanging over his forehead with a gentle touch. “It is a burden that you will more fully understand when you grow older, my son.”

“What’s a burden, Father?” Jayden asked as he scrunched up his nose in distaste. He wasn’t sure what it meant, but he was positive by the serious tone his father was using that it must be something terrible, like vegetables or taking a bath in the evening.

“That is a difficult concept for one so young to grasp. Suffice it to say that a burden is something that makes your heart feel heavy but you find that, no matter how hard you try, you cannot turn away from it. As royalty, we both carry the burden of Aurora. Even at such a tender age, you must act in certain ways and hold yourself up as an example for others. Sometimes doing so requires you to sacrifice something you want, but you make that sacrifice willingly because you know that it is for the common good.”

Jayden scratched at his head as he turned his father’s words over in his mind, trying his best to figure them out so that the large man would be proud of him. He knew that if he could make sense of them, his father would be pleased. “Is it kind of like when I wanted to go to the beach in Anrhea with Augustus for my birthday, but you said it would be improper because of the memorial service scheduled to remember my birthfather’s death?” A dark cloud passed over his father’s face and his green eyes lost some of their sparkle. Immediately, Jayden wanted to smack himself for saying what he had, but it was the only thing he’d been able to think of on such short notice.

As quickly as it had appeared, the sadness retreated and his father looked down at him with a proud look on his face. “Something like that, Jayden. Although you wanted to go so badly, you were able to put your needs aside for the sake of others. Our subjects find comfort in that tradition and, since time unrecorded, the King and King-Consort's passing have been observed on the anniversary of their deaths for ten years following their demise.” Once again the sadness crept back into his father’s expression and his eyes teared up as he ran a finger gently down Jayden’s small cheek. “You see, Sweetheart, sometimes making such personal sacrifices is the difference between being a leader and being a good leader. As members of the royal family, Aurora’s needs must always come before our own. That in itself is our greatest burden. Regardless of the personal expense, we must always put the needs of our subjects above our own.”

Jayden couldn’t stand to see his father this way and immediately rose up on his knees to wrap his arms around his father’s thick neck and give him a tight hug. Even at that age he understood why his birthday was on the same day as the anniversary of his birthfather’s death. In his short life, he’d never had a birthday celebration like the other children his age. He felt guilty that his birth had caused his father so much pain, so he’d never really pushed the issue.

“Don’t be sad, Father. When I grow up, I’ll be the best King Aurora has ever seen and I’ll make you proud to call me your son. Then I’ll marry you so that you won’t have to be so sad and lonely anymore. I’ll even read you bedtime stories every night like you do for me, and I’ll order all your favorite meals everyday. You won’t have to eat anything but cakes and candies for the rest of your life, and then I’ll take those burdens from you so that you can be happy again and smile every day.”

Raphael’s arms tightened around Jayden almost painfully as he buried his face in the top of Jayden’s head and breathed in his scent. They sat that way for several seconds before his father pulled away with a sad smile on his face. “Thank you so much, my dear, sweet boy, but I’ve already handed you the largest burden of all.” When Jayden paused and looked up at him once again in confusion, Raphael shook his head as if to clear it and then smiled brightly down at his son as he let out a chuckle. “Besides, how can you marry your old father when you have your own mate to consider? Or have you so soon forgotten? How would you explain to your beloved that you are no longer available when he arrives to claim your heart?”

A little thrown off by his father’s sudden change of mood, Jayden just stared up at him dumbly for a moment. Then the large man’s words sank in and Jayden remembered something Augustus had said the day before while they’d been playing in the large maze in the castle garden. Immediately, his lip jutted out in a pout as he scowled up at his father. “According to Augustus, it doesn’t matter if my mate ever comes to claim me, because he said that no mage in their right mind would want to be joined through the sacred ceremony to a teeny, whiney baby like me, whose hair is the color of a Junrhea tree frog. He even made fun of my eye color, saying it was weird and looked more like the color of Earth metal than a color that a normal mage would want to gaze into. But that’s not true, right? You said that I have beautiful eyes, like my birthfather did, and everyone says that he was very handsome.”

“As are you, my son. You also have Aaron’s red lips and coloring, and his gentle temperament as well,” his father assured him with a tender smile. “Your other half will be very pleased to have such a beautiful mate.”

“That’s what I told Augustus!” Jayden declared vehemently, happy to know that his father disagreed with his friend’s opinion on the matter. “Then he said that Elizabeth’s opinion didn’t count because she was my nanny and had to say nice things to me. He also said that Sir Paul and Godfather’s opinions didn’t count because they were prejudiced in my favor.”

“Is that so?” his father asked with an amused chuckle, one dark-red brow shooting up almost comically as he did so. “And what did you say to that?”

“I told him that it wasn’t true, and that even if it was he didn’t have any room to talk, because he was just an overgrown horse’s tail with hair the color of an Earth orange.” The more Jayden thought about it, the madder he became, until he was practically fuming as he sat there staring back at his father with a haughty expression on his small face. “Then he said that I was so short and puny that my Consort would step on me every time I walked in front of him because he wouldn’t be able to see me, so I told him that it would be better than his own poor Consort having to look at his ugly face day after day.”

“Now, now,” Raphael scolded, clearly fighting back laughter as he pointed an accusing finger in Jayden’s direction. “Augustus is your dearest friend. The two of you should be kind and take care of one another. Some day you might both find that you are one another’s greatest strengths. When that time comes, it would be far more pleasant not to have such negative feelings between you. Besides, as Prince of Aurora, it isn’t appropriate to carry on in such a way in the public gardens.”

That particular scolding was one that Jayden would receive from his father time and time again. Augustus’ dire warnings had not come to pass. A few years after their fated argument, Jayden had starting growing and had soon surpassed even his large friend in height and strength. They’d also managed to turn their quarrelsome friendship into the strong partnership his father, King Raphael, had hinted at on that day. He and Augustus became inseparable and were prone to get into mischief whenever and wherever they could. The older they became, the more that tended to be true, and Jayden had given all of his caretakers and personal guards no end of trouble.

His father had continued with his admonishments, but only half-heartedly, and had often had a good laugh at their expense. Only when Jayden was seventeen and the news of his Consort's upcoming birth had been announced had he settled down and tried to be more serious in life. It had pleased his father to see the change. Although the man had been extremely indulgent with him growing up and had never pushed him to mature before his time, Jayden could tell that his father was relieved by his newfound gravity. Jayden couldn’t help but wonder now if the reason King Raphael had been so lenient with him was because he felt guilt over the burden he’d handed Jayden at such a young age.

At that thought, his father’s cryptic words once again echoed through Jayden’s mind. The large mage had stated, ‘I’ve already handed you the largest burden of all,’ and could have only been talking about the cover-up surrounding Aaron’s death. At the time, Jayden hadn’t known what to make of those words but in later years had come to interpret them to mean something far different. He’d thought that his father was referring to the responsibility Jayden held for causing his birthfather’s death. That in some way Jayden needed to make restitution in order to repay what Aurora had lost in order for Jayden to be reborn.

Despite that flawed assumption, Jayden had done very little to venerate his birthfather’s sacrifice. Instead, he’d focused on holding as closely as possible to the founding principals that ruled Aurora and to honor his father’s request that he guard them carefully. For that reason, Jayden had often turned a blind eye to changes that he might have otherwise made and had even ignored his own ideas and desires for improving Aurora in favor of the Genesis Council or Assembly’s wishes. To make drastic changes would have been the equivalent of turning his back on the ideals his father had instilled in him from such a young age. It would be nothing short of thumbing his nose at the ultimate sacrifice his father had made when he was murdered.

With an exhausted sigh, Jayden pushed the worrisome thoughts aside and forced himself back to the present as he looked over to where Devin still rested peacefully. Nothing he’d experienced in his pampered, protected life had prepared him for the Omega invasion that had come on the heels of his father’s death or for what he faced now. He had no idea what to do for his mate and was even less confident about how to go about protecting Aurora from the trouble he knew was soon heading their way. Everything he’d done up till now had failed miserably. Despite his attempts to protect Chris, word got out and trouble soon followed.

He’d done everything he’d known to do to protect them both, but still High Councilor Thomas had managed to abduct Chris and unwittingly expose Devin to danger. Jayden had failed to see the potential threat that Zachary posed to them all and had allowed him to remain in the castle even after he’d seen the animosity and dislike between his small ex-lover and his Consort. Then Devin had been taken and abused and Jayden had been powerless to save him, despite having the power of Aurora at his beck and call. Even the responsibility for the search to recover Devin, the rule of Aurora while Jayden was gone, and the subsequent battle to reclaim his mate, had been mostly shifted to rest on his Godfather’s strong shoulders.

He’d failed both his Consort and Aurora. By being so incompetent, he’d failed the memory of his father as well. Jayden knew that it was time for him to step up and take his responsibilities more seriously than he had before Devin’s arrival, but what he didn’t know was exactly how to proceed. Since his spiritual journey at the end of his training, all of his plans for ruling Aurora had rested on the dream that once his mate returned Jayden would be able to count on his other half for support as his co-ruler. As the years passed and clues to Devin’s whereabouts dried up, Jayden had begun to lose hope.

Then, when Devin had finally arrived, lost and completely clueless as to how their culture worked, it had been a blow to Jayden’s dream. Still, Jayden hadn’t given up on his mate, knowing that once he’d had time to adjust his consort would slowly become the leader he was destined to be. In the joint meeting, after Devin had soothed the populace during the disaster surrounding Chris’ origins, Jayden had been so sure that things were finally taking a turn in the appropriate direction. Now his mate was full of hatred and bitterness. Devin’s instability made him less than ideal for the position of power he now held. Jayden could only hope that his mate continued to close his eyes to the true power he could wield if he so desired, at least until he’d had time to recover.

That was a large part of the reason Jayden had refused to continue with Devin’s training. The beautiful, disturbed blond was simply too powerful to continue honing his skills while in such a state of mind. Jayden had no issue with continuing with the character building/submissive portion of his Consort’s training, but knew instinctively that that wasn’t what Devin was looking for now. He wanted to learn how to control his abilities quickly so that he could escape more easily, of that Jayden was sure. If Jayden allowed that to happen, there wouldn’t be a force in Aurora or Earth combined that could bring Devin back home. He could feel the other man’s need to escape in every gesture that his mate made. By saying such hurtful things earlier, Jayden now realized that Devin had been trying to distance himself from both Jayden and their relationship.

Now Master Alan was telling Jayden to back off for Devin’s sake. Jayden couldn’t imagine how much further things would deteriorate between them if he did so, but he could easily see Devin once again slipping over the edge of sanity if pushed too hard. It would be difficult, but Jayden wouldn’t give up until his mate was back in his arms for good. He wasn’t foolish enough to believe for one second that Devin’s giving in to his earlier seduction meant that his Consort had accepted him completely, but it was a start at least. One small step on the road to finding their way back to one another. If it took him the rest of his life, Jayden would see that dream come to fruition. Allowing Devin to continue training would be counterproductive to that dream and foolish. Not knowing what else to do at this point, Jayden sent up a silent prayer that his Godfather felt the same way. Of all the people in Aurora, only Adam had the authority to override Jayden’s decision.

*~*~*~*~*

If anyone would like to be added to the update list let me know at jlori10@yahoo.com and I'll hook you up!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Reviews? Pretty Please? Speaking of reviews, I got the following message from one of the AFF site admins last chapter:

As an archive moderator, I would like to point out that we are having problems with server and database space (if you are on during peak hours you will notice the lag or have to refresh pages that time out-that is because the server is overloaded by the massive use of database space). So we are now suggesting that all authors that put big authors notes and answer reviews in their stories please start using the forum for that. In the fiction part all you would need to do is start a topic in the right area and you can answer reviews, interact with readers and everything else.

The forum is far better able to handle the traffic and load that the archive can't right now (we are working on that but it's taking time to do). Signing up for a forum account is quick and painless, no worse than signing up for your AFF account. All you need to is sign up, start the thread then post the url in your stories.

Please think about this and help us out a bit. -end

I plan to go along with this suggestion and stop posting reviews inside the body of the chapters. What I want to know is if you guys want to continue with responses? And if so, what would be the best way to do it? Forum? Email? My Pesterme Whynot Facebook account? My Pesterme2 LiveJournal account? I really enjoy interacting w/ you guys and have been told that some of you feel the same, so let me know what your opinions are on the subject. I'm open to ideas.