Acceptance

Chapter 56

Nathaniel's POV

I knocked on Qin's office door before sticking my head. It was late and he missed dinner because he was handling documents that were due soon that he had put off to celebrate our mates' birthdays. When I went in, I saw he was asleep at his desk. I took a picture with my phone before picking him up bridal style. He mumbled something softly but didn't wake up. I chuckled as I began to carry him to our room.

Drake was in the room reading a book when I came in with Qin. He smiled softly and helped me undress him and take his hair down. "He and Shelton are working far too much. It's not healthy," Drake said as he covered Qin with the blanket while I checked his pockets. "So is Pyrus," I told him. "He and his team are rushing to get the castle built before Cindy has the babies. Thankfully it's just a few finishing touches and we can move in." Drake smiled, "The girls have been happy they got to decorate the entire castle to their liking." For days they shopped and looked at design ideas, wanting to ensure it was perfect for all of us.

"How have things been with the clan," Drake asked me. I sighed and ran a hand through my hair, "Tricky. So the nobles have all come to this agreement that they accept Alice as the future queen after she helped save as many as possible during the apocalypse, however, I'm torn. It's a lot of responsibility to take on, and I know she already has so much with the coven, I don't want to over load her. But I want to see her be crowned as my queen." "And it will just tack on the amount of lessons she has to take," Drake said with a nod of understanding. "Not only that, but vampire queens don't just sit there and be pretty while having our children. She will have just as much power and say as I do."

"Have you talked with Alice yet," He asked me. I shook my head, "I don't know when the best time for that is." "It's best to do it sooner rather than later," he told me. He was right. It's best to not make it wait. Cindy then came in looking exhausted. She then smiled at us. "How was your appointment today," Drake asked her. She held up three fingers, "I'm dilated to three." Meaning the twins could be here any day.

The doctors had trouble figuring out when she would be due since dragons and genies develop at different rates. The mother of the child doesn't determine how long the pregnancy is, it's the child so those babies will come when they're ready. Alice came in with Pyrus who was limping. "I told you so," Alice teased with a smile.

He growled, "Oh shut up." I helped him sit down, "You pushed yourself too hard during your run didn't you?" He sighed, "Yeah." Alice used her pain suppression spell and he sighed happily. Alice then asked Cindy the same question Drake did and Cindy replied happily. Alice was super excited while Pyrus looked over his calendar, to see what he could have quickly finished. "We have the movers putting in the furniture, then the castle will be ready for us," he announced happily.

Shelton then came in looking dead on his feet. He had been up before sun rise. "You and Qin work too much," Cindy told him. While gesturing to the sleeping warlock who hasn't stirred once since I brought him here. Shelton yawned, "It can't be helped." He then went into the bathroom for a shower. "I'm gonna go feed him," Alice said softly before following after him.

"I'm worried that they won't be able to go to the gathering," Cindy whispered. "Work has been so intense for them. It would kill them if they missed it." "It would take a lot for them to miss it," Drake assured her. "They wont miss it." I nodded in agreement. They have been looking forward to it just as much as we have.

After their shower Shelton came out, carrying Alice who had a blissful smile on her face. It seems Shelton fed a little too heavily from her and he seemed to have a slight look of guilt because of it. He laid her next to Qin who moved in his sleep to pull her to him without waking up. Cindy giggled softly while shaking her head at them. We then decided to join them.

Alice's POV

I sat watching some of the new warrior recruits train together. They were in their late teens, almost twenty. When training with the veterans they tend to get their asses kicked, but that's because  they haven't gained the muscles yet. Little do they know, it was me who chose them when I watched the try outs with Qin. They have great potential, however, the veterans are crushing their spirit. At this rate they wont be the warriors I know they can be. Qin didn't see what I did, but he trusted me enough to accept them.

"Why did they even accept us," One of them mumbled. His name was Jovan. He was an orphan who was living on the streets till he was thirteen when a woman took him in as her own. He grew up with our newest recruit that Qin picked, named Winston. Winston was large for his age and was skilled in his water abilities, but he was also cocky which will be his downfall.

"Because you all have potential," I told them, causing them to jump since they hadn't realized I had been watching them. They seemed to stand on guard. Except one of them who seemed to be studying me. "You're Princess Alice," he said. His name was Porter. He was the youngest of the group who had impressive talent with his wind abilities. I nodded, "I am. I'm also your new trainer." "Why would a witch want to train us," Deminik, a fire using warlock who has been kicked around too much by his abusive father, spat. "Because this witch, sees the potential all of you have," I replied. "You are going to be the first warriors, who get to train using the new ways." "New ways," Porter asked me. "You guys had been in hiding for so long, that none of you are aware of the changes that have taken place," I explained to them.

"We've noticed the weird clothes the King and the rest of you wear," Jovan said as he looked at my Addidas track pants and jacket. "If you leave the castle, you'll see that your clothes are what is seen as weird. The fact you all still use swords and shields is very out dated as well."

"What do you mean," Porter asked me. "Well, we use more advanced fighting tactics," I told him. "And weapons." I then made my duffle bag of weapons appear, "Let's go somewhere safe." I then teleported us to a woods away from people so no one could get hurt. "God that feels weird," Deminik muttered, holding his stomach. I rolled my eyes, "You'll get used to it."

I then made them sit on the ground while I began my lesson in weapons with demonstrations. They were very much excited and eager to train to use them. "These weapons are highly dangerous and have found themselves in the hands of highly dangerous people," I explained to them. "All it takes is for a well aimed shot to end a person's life. So before you go for a kill shot, assess what is going on around you and take the best approach. Sometimes a shot to the leg, or other non vital areas are just what you need. Never aim to kill."

"How come you know so much about this stuff," Jovan asked me. "It's because I was once a Huntress. I had to become a Huntress because I couldn't get a job anywhere else because I was mixed," I explained to them. "You warlocks look down on me because I have witch blood in my veins, but outside of the castle, I'm looked down because I'm mixed. I'm proud of my blood though. My mother was a witch who wanted a peaceful world and my father was a wolf who was helping her achieve that world. They had me, a symbol of their love for each other, but most of the world sees me as a disgrace. I'm part vampire because a corrupt member of the council tried to kill me, forcing my mate Nathaniel to turn me into part vampire. He did it because he didn't want me to die and because he loved me. So you guys may not like that you are being trained by a witch and you can say whatever it is you wish about me, I've heard it all before. However, I'm not going to give up on you guys. You will lead the future for the warlock warriors."

I then checked the time and began to pack up the weapons, "Its best I get you guys back to the palace." They were silent as I teleported us back to the castle. I made my bag disappear, "See you boys tomorrow." I then went inside where Cindy was waiting with a cup of hot chocolate. "I think what you're doing is amazing," she said as she handed it to me. "I can see why Qin doesn't see much in them, but that's where he is stuck in the old ways. He is a warlock warrior, with the old ways sewn into his soul. Yet I can also see what you see in those boys. You hope to change their people one person at a time."

She had me pegged. "Rome wasn't built in a day," I told her. She smiled, "No it was not. With time though will have a kingdom better than Rome." I sure do hope so.