Love, Life, Loyalty and Honor by Lady Adellandra Dratianos (e book free reading .TXT) 📖

that things had drastically changed. She clicked her heels and nodded her head, looking at her new-old Lady Empress Brattonata with a new respect. “My love, life, loyalty and honor, M’Lady are yours.”
“Thank you, Brattonata.” The Lady supplied. “My first request is for you to hold out your hand, palm up.”
“Are you sure about this, Love?” Draconis asked as he watched.
Alexia obeyed, placing her palm up to the Lady.
“Positive.” Adellandra supplied. “You have Dranus as your Branno, why can I not have his sister as my Branna?”
Draconis and Alexia grinned. “Get on with it, then. We have to prepare for battle -- again.”
Adellandra nodded, unsheathing a dagger that had a dragon’s tail snaking the pommel and body on the hilt. “Do you trust me?”
Alexia nodded, holding her breath. She recognized the ritual her father had used with his Branno, his brother-like bodyguard, Sir Airemus was the same one she recognized as the one her own brother Draconis had used with her twin Dranus. “With my life.”
Lady Adellandra smiled, taking the tip of her blade and slicing the middle of Alexia’s palm. After doing the same to her own palm, grasping Alexia’s hand so the blood flowed between them, she chanted.

“What’s mine is yours and yours is mine.
“Part of mine now yours until the end of time,
“Flesh and blood, bone and heart,
“From this moment on, we’ll never part.
“So I say, this spell is done,
“So mote it be, we two are now one.”

They unclasped hands and Lady Adellandra licked her new-Branna’s palm, healing the small cut with her tongue. When she was done, that was Alexia’s cue to do the same.
Alexia stared at her palm, her vision suddenly getting blurry.
“Dranus,” Adellandra called to her mate’s Branno.
“Aye, M’Lady.” Dranus supplied, stepping in to take his twin sister. “Are you okay to walk?”
Alexia couldn’t speak; only shook her head. “Dizzy.”
“You have always been that, Lexi.” Dranus teased. He wrapped an arm around his twin and nodded to Draconis and Adellandra. “You know where I will be, should you have need, Lord.”
“I’d better follow; just in case.” Adellandra supplied, glancing at the new wound on her palm. “You, dearest, know what must be done.”
“Gather the Armies together.” Draconis nodded.
“Not yet. We need to know more about what we’re up against first.” Lady Adellandra supplied. “Start with the children.”
Draconis nodded, leaving to find his oldest Kano, Dra’Nie Kronin.

Adellandra helped Dranus with Alexia’s now-heavily limp form.
“What would make her feel like this?” Dranus asked, worried. They set Alexia on an empty bed in the infirmary.
“Between the chant and my blood, her body’s going in shock.” Adellandra shrugged. “At least, I hope it’s only shock.”
Dranus glared at her. “Me, too, Adellandra.”
“Oh, stop.” Adellandra grinned, knowing in her heart that Dranus was only protecting his twin. She understood, as she was a twin as well, and knew how it felt. “I’m going to check on Dia, and tell ‘Cora what happened.”
“If she does not already know.” Dranus supplied with a grin.
“True that.” Adellandra said, winking. “I shall return.”
Dranus returned to his twin’s silent form.
It’d been near two-hundred years since he’d last seen her. The two of them had been, and still were, the fiercest fighters of the lines. From their youth, they did everything together.
Dranus pet her hair and smiled. He felt a new kind of power in her system, and attributed it to the Blood-Pact Adellandra had made.
“You will come through this; do you hear me, Alexandria?” Dranus whispered to her, caressing the scars on her face and neck. “I order you to come through this; you need to answer my heart-calls.”
He continued talking to her, both out loud and in her mind. After a few minutes, he looked up, wondering where the Nurse was. He squeezed his sister’s hand and rose. “I’ll return. I promise.”
Quietly, hand on his sheathed dagger and ready to pounce at a moment’s notice, he inched over to the infirmary’s entrance.
That’s where he heard voices; and neither were the Nurse.
“It’s all going according to plan, sister.” A voice cackled. “The Lady Dia has been resurrected, just as you ForeSaw.”
“Stop calling me sister, Gloriana.” Another voice growled. “The only reason I so-called Fore-Saw the resurrection is because I sensed we had a spy in our ranks. There was something about that Dragon fighter that struck me as odd, and we had to do something about her.”
They were talking about Alexia! Dranus scowled. His every instinct was to go in there and destroy the two imposters, but the love he had for his twin stopped him. It would do no good if she awoke now and saw him knee-deep in battle; she’d want to join, no matter how weakened she was.
So he continued to listen, hoping for some clue as to why they were attacking now.
“Why are we here, anyway?” Gloriana grumbled.
“To make sure everything goes as planned.” The other woman remarked. “Soon, we’ll have Ishanar in the palm of our hands and we’ll be unstoppable.”
What did they want with Ishanar? Dranus asked himself in his mind. He automatically relayed the message to his Branno Draconis, telling him what was happening right outside the infirmary door.
Kaetaa, Dranus. Draconis supplied in return. I’ll gather those who know this Gloriana and MagDaliah. Meet us in the Battle Room in an hour.
Aye, Branno. Dranus supplied. As always, be careful.
Without making a sound, Dranus headed back to his sister’s side. She was moaning in her sleep, tossing her head side to side.
He placed a palm to her head and closed his eyes, sending a wave of comfort through their bodies. Hush now, do not fret. Alex is here. I will keep you safe, as I have done for hundreds of years. Dranus sent to her mind.
She took a deep breath and smiled, her body relaxing into a soothing sleep once again.
“How’s she doing?” A voice quite like Lady Adellandra’s interrupted his thoughts.
“She will survive.” Dranus told her.
Before he could ask what Lady Adarramena was doing there, she smiled. “Ah, telepathy. Wonderful thing, isn’t it? Drake told ‘Karr what was going on and I raced over. When your Branno told me personally to look after your sister, I took that seriously. It’s not every day ‘Karr lets his duo push me around.”
Dranus nodded his head. “Are you here to help her?”
Adarramena grinned and winked. “You bet, Branno-boy.”
Dranus ignored the silly nickname she’d thought of when he was first Earthbound to guard over the family.
Adarramena took Alexia’s hand and examined her palm. “Wow. I didn’t think ‘Della had it in her!”
“I know she shared her blood with Lexi, but what are you thinking?” He asked.
“Hmm.” Lady Adarramena stared at the new scar on Alexia’s palm in thought. “Well,” she started, “let me ask you this first: did you hear and witness the ritual words ‘Della used?”
Dranus nodded, curious. “What does it mean?”
“You know the blood-binding as well as any of us.” Adarramena supplied. “You did it with Draconis, as part of the Branno-ing Ceremony, or whatever you call it.”
Dranus had to smile. “So Lexi’s now permanently blood-bound as Branna to your sister? Am I close?”
“So close, you hit the bull’s eye.” Adarramena’s bright silver-blue eyes shone. “What were the words she used? Do you remember them?”
“Vividly. Shall I repeat them?”
“No need. I’ll just get them from her later.” Adarramena responded. She leaned over Alexia’s silent body and placed one palm on her head while the other was on her heart. “Now the healing begins.”

Lady Adarramena’s twin Adellandra soon found Dia in her own quarters, Sir Airemus guarding the door. “Dratyr, how’s she doing?”
“Slowly getting her bearings, ‘Della.” Sir Airemus said. “She was woozy before, which is to be expected from a resurrection. She’s reading from her bed, if you wish to speak with her.”
“Thanks, Dratyr.” Adellandra knocked.
Dia opened the door and smiled, gesturing her inside.
“How are you feeling, Dia?” Adellandra asked. “If you still can’t talk, feel free to speak telepathically.”
Dia nodded. I’m better now, Brattonata. Thank you.
Adellandra took a seat on her bed. “Don’t thank me; thank Alexia. She’s the one to break the curse and bring you back to us. I’m sure we’re not the only ones that will be happy to see you.”
Dia sat next to her, head down. ‘Cora. How could I have been so cruel? I have punished myself for two-hundred years, thanks to that stupid argument.
“Do you remember what it was about?” Adellandra asked, taking one of her hands.
Dia could feel warmth coming from their joined hands. It reminded her of the Dream Magic Adellandra had learned long ago before she disappeared. Adellandra was sending her own Healing Magic through their hands to comfort her. It helped her relax.
I don’t remember. Dia said in her mind.
“If it is important, it will come to you when you’re ready.” Adellandra hugged her. “Would you like to see your duo in Monarch’s Glen?”
Dia shook her head. Not right now, thank you anyway. I’ll go myself when I rest more. Your own duo gave me some pretty potent stuff and it’s made me drowsy. You’d think I’d had too much rest after two-hundred years of slumber.
Adellandra grinned. “I’m guessing it’s not the deep sleep of near-permanent slumber. ‘Darra prob’ly gave you her famous Healing Sleep potion. It only puts you to sleep to help your body heal and readjust. When you feel up to it, ‘Cora and I will help you understand just how much this place has changed in the time you’ve been away.”
Dia could do nothing but nod her head in agreement. Thank you, Brattonata.
“You’re welcome, Blu-Sita.” Adellandra hugged her again and rose, helping her back into her warm sheets. After kissing her forehead, the Lady left.
Dia snuggled into her old nesting bed, falling into a deep, healing sleep with a smile on her face.
 
Chapter One:
Dawn of a New Day


“How are we supposed to fight a woman of her standing?” Brakkon Dratianos, King of the Epsilon Realm asked his son Draconis, Lord Emperor of the Dragon Nations.
They were gathered in the Battle Room, along with Brakkon’s Branno Sir Airemus Dranna, Sir Airemus’ son Sir Anton, Lord Dran’a’vir, second-mate to Lady Adarramena, and their other adult children, Lady Empress Adellandra, Lady Adarramena, Draconis’ twin Lord Drakkar of Mek’anar, Mal’estar’s sister city, Countess of Monarch’s Glen Dracora, her mate, the Champion Karrath, Dranus, Alexandria when she was able and Dia, who stood silent, listening and waiting.
It was three days later and so far, the entire Royal Family was at odds about the new battle ahead of them.
“She’s changed since the War of the Realms, Dratyrna.” Lady Adellandra supplied. “According to Destria, and my own observations of MagDaliah, she’s gathered even