"Are we going to sleep together?" Liora mumbled, burying her face in Malzahar's chest. He hummed softly to let her know he was there, but she kept her hands firmly covering her face from the curious onlookers around them.
"Remove your hands from your face," Nyra scolded gently, but Liora stubbornly shook her head.
"There are so many of them, and they're bowing down! I'm so shy," Liora replied, her grip tightening around her face.
"That's because you're the queen, and our mate is the king. They're bound to show you respect," Nyra explained, licking her paws and swaying her tail playfully. Liora huffed and pouted. "I don't want them bowing to me. I want them to treat me normally."
Understanding her feelings, Nyra nodded and closed her eyes, ready to sleep.
"Hey, wake up! I need your help!" Liora squeaked, causing Nyra to huff in annoyance but eventually sit up.
"How should I act around his family?" Liora asked nervously. Instead of answering, Nyra turned away, clearly uninterested. "Worry about that tomorrow; right now, I just want to sleep." Liora nodded, letting her rest.
"Are we going to meet your family now?" Malzahar asked, looking down at her. "Don't you want to meet them? We can wait if you're not ready." A tug in her heart reminded Liora of their eagerness, making her hesitate. "No, I want to meet them now! They must have waited long enough, right?" She blinked up at him, searching for reassurance.
"A perfect queen; look how she cares for our family," Drakon cooed softly.
"Stop being cringy. Yes, she's perfect for us, for the family, for my children, and for the people," Malzahar replied, giving Liora an encouraging nod. "Can you all please wait in the living room? Someone is eager to meet you," he mind-linked his family.
Groans echoed back from his aunt and little brother. "What could be so urgent that you woke us from our beauty sleep?" he ignored his brother while thinking of his excited mother. "OMG, she's finally here! My daughter-in-law!" Her excitement made him roll his eyes, but he couldn't help but smile.
"Why are you smiling like that?" Liora asked curiously.
"They're excited to meet you," he said with a wink, and Liora squirmed in his arms.
"What's wrong?" he asked as she pointed to the floor, unable to grasp what she meant.
"Put me down, mate," she said, catching him off guard.
"Mate? Did you call me mate?" he replied, surprise dancing in his voice.
"Yes, you are my mate. Now put me down before they see you carrying me like this." He gently placed her on the floor, a playful smirk on his face.
"You shouldn't carry a queen like that; it could ruin my reputation," she teased. Her mother gasped, and Silos burst into laughter as Malzahar watched Liora, pride swelling in his heart. She held out her hand for him to take, which he did, his larger hands enveloping her tiny ones. "Now, let's go," she said, and together they walked toward the living room, hand in hand.
"Oh, sorry! You should take the lead; I'm not familiar with this place," she mumbled, stepping back a little as he moved forward.
"Nope, you're walking beside me, not behind," he said firmly, pulling her closer. She nodded and ran her fingers through her hair to fix herself. Noticing her subtle gesture, he paused and stepped behind her, tying her hair into a messy bun. "There you go, with a dash of charm," he said playfully. She giggled and thanked him, her heart racing as they approached the living room.
Determined to appear confident, she masked her hesitation, focusing instead on the fact that she cared about meeting his family. Malzahar felt elated, ready to support her every step of the way.
"OMG, there she is!" Before he could react, his mother rushed forward, arms wide open and a beaming smile on her face.
"Nyra, enough sleeping! I need you here," Liora called, hoping to rouse her. Nyra, deep in sleep, barely heard her. "You could have handled that yourself; why wake me?" she mumbled, but she soon took control.
"Hey, I didn't tell you to take over! Just let me be present!" Liora exclaimed, but Nyra huffed and allowed a bit of influence back.
"Anyway, what's your name, dear?" Elowen, Malzahar's mother, asked, gazing at Liora with warmth. Blushing, Liora replied, "I'm Liora, and he is my mate," pointing at Malzahar. Laughter followed from those around her.
"I know, dear! Now, go meet the rest of the family!" They gently walked to meet the rest of the family. "That is supposed to be my job, Mum," Malzahar whispered to Elowen, smirking at him.
"She's my daughter-in-law-to-be; you can have her later." He knew he couldn't say much; it was his mother, and she could discipline him in an instant. She gently introduced her to the rest of the family.
"It's so nice to finally meet you, Liora," Lyra, Malzahar's aunt, said, hugging her with warmth and a smile on her face. After introducing her to the family, she noticed a concerned look on Liora's face. "What is wrong, dear? Are you okay?"
Malzahar rushed to her side immediately as concern took over his features. "Are you feeling any pain?" He gently pulled her away from the group.