The Triplets

Thanks again to a_koozie, most especially for her patience! Thanks as well to the readers and comments! I really appreciate any feedback.

Also a little title explanation:

Es:Unmarried Male

Esa: Unmarried Female

Et: Married Male

Eta: Married Female

*****

(Aiden)

The room that had been designated for the dancing that evening was incredibly full. People that he didn't recognize were here as well, but Aiden figured that they were acquaintances of his parents at the least. Aiden found himself among an enthusiastic crowd of women vying for his attention, though he noted that Lady Meredith was not one of them. Slipping into his practiced smile easily, Aiden nodded at the chattering women before excusing himself as he spotted Kaleb. From the self-satisfying look on his face, Aiden figured that Kaleb had something to do with the excessive attention he had been on the receiving end of.

His brother's comment confirmed the thought.

"Evening brother, how did you fare among the husband hungry?"

"Well enough, my overall charm and good looks must have attracted them to me instinctively."

Aiden smiled as Kaleb snorted. Grey finally appeared, naturally taking a place next to Aiden. As they chatted, Aiden realized how much he had missed his brothers, though that wouldn't prevent him from sailing again. He noticed that both Grey and Kaleb were a bit distracted, scanning the gathering crowd occasionally. Aiden would have teased them about their behavior if he hadn't caught himself doing the same.

Then their mother appeared at the entrance of the hall and began announcing the recent crop of eligible women. The younger ones got the privilege of having their names shouted across the room, just in case the standing males didn't bother to know them already. From the corner of his eye, Aiden noted how Kaleb twitched at his side when a short woman was pulled to the front. Elbowing Gray, he tilted his head and saw his brother smile in acknowledgment. Kaleb wore an expression of anticipation that rarely appeared outside of his various projects.

"Anyone catch your interest, Kaleb?" Aiden whispered.

An overly droll mask betrayed him, as he replied.

"Why do you ask brother?"

"Just that both Grey and I noticed how you seemed to be staring at that new one Mother just announced."

"Nonsense. Only mild curiosity."

"Is that so?"

Kaleb didn't reply, but Aiden was too distracted by a head of black hair to continue his teasing. He was unexpectedly pleased when Meredith appeared from the crowd. She ignored him and bowed to his two brothers, both of whom looked at him as if he had lost his mind. Before they could say anything, Aiden performed the introductions, his brothers shooting him warning glares the entire time. Grinning widely, Aiden pulled Meredith onto the open dance floor as soon as the music began.

Despite his less than civilized pursuits, Aiden was actually a bit proud of the fact that he had retained most of his childhood lessons; though his most recent dancing had been to simpler music and with a much rowdier crowd. He doubted he would be able to impress Meredith with any skill in dancing, but he could at least make it fun. At every opportunity, Aiden spun her light body in tight circles, drawing her body inappropriately close to his own. Like most of dragon blood, she was tall; her head reached just below his chin even in slippered feet. She had an alluring scent, appealingly exotic and sweet.

Her light laughter surprised him, drawing his attention away from their dance movements to her face. Her brilliant green eyes seemed to reflect every light in the room, golden flecks swirling in their depths. Aiden felt himself suck in a startled breath. Suddenly, she wasn't just another dragon. She was a woman enjoying herself; enjoying the time that they were sharing together.

Entranced, Aiden didn't notice that they had slowed their dance or that he had drawn her body closer until he could almost feel her legs through the layers of her lavender gown. She caught his gaze and held it before her lips quirked up in an impertinent smirk, tempting him to drop a kiss to her mouth. But this was neither the place nor the time for such an action and she wasn't a woman to perform such an act lightly. Feeling slightly humbled, Aiden spun her once more as the dance came to a close, effectively putting distance between them. Her limber body gracefully executed the flourishing curtsy at the end.

As stoically as he could, Aiden led her off of the dance floor and returned her to an elderly woman, who he assumed was her mother. Bowing his head to both of the ladies, Aiden fled back to where Kaleb was standing alone. Not alone, he realized as he came closer. Kaleb seemed to be engaged in a quiet conversation with another dark-haired woman. She also had black hair and he wondered if she and Meredith were related. Though she was so short, he had almost not seen her around Kaleb's body.

Unsurprisingly, Grey was nowhere to be seen. Out of the three of them, Grey was the best at disappearing. Aiden was a bit surprised Grey stayed in the house at all. When they'd been younger, Grey would sleep outdoors for days until their mother made him or Kaleb drag him home for a bath and a warm meal.

The sharp ringing of a bell directed everyone's attention. Aiden turned towards the sound as well and saw that his father was standing on a raised platform. The noise in the room quieted almost immediately. His father, as always, was an impressive man.

"I'd like to announce that the Trials will be held three days from today. Also for the newly initiated, I'd like to remind you that the Trials are a time-honored ritual. Not only do the Trials prevent unnecessary casualties, it also strengthens the families and the blood. It is a time to prove yourself and grow comfortable with your shift. Everything you've learned about and trained hard for in this past year of initiation will be tested during the Trials. It is a daunting task, but you will learn things about yourself, that you could never learn from text. The last dragon standing will be considered champion until the next trial is held."

His father stepped down from the dais once his speech came to an end. He was replaced by a fairly average looking man dressed in an exceedingly expensive cut of clothing Aiden recognized from own brother's attire.

"I'd like all the participants to come forward and give me their names. Participants will be separated by age during the first round. After the first round, there will be no regards to age."

Aiden made his way forward. This would make a welcome diversion during the week. He might even be able to convince his brothers to compete. The man who was holding up the participant board shook his hand and introduced himself as Es Desmond. Aiden gave his own name before scribbling it on the board. He passed the pen to the next in line and went to find his brothers. He had to convince one of them to join at the least. It had been a while since they'd last sparred.

(Meredith)

Meredith was a bit dazed after her dance with Aiden. He had spun her around till the world seemed to be spinning with her. It was thrilling, not like the times she had partners who'd mistakenly step on her toes. She woefully regretted that slippers were in fashion at the moment. At least with leather shoes her toes didn't hurt as much when stepped on.

Her guardian, Esa Jaine, pulled her towards her next partner. Her grip was so tight on her arm, Meredith wondered if she was trying to find her bones. Jaine was her late mother's unmarried cousin. After her parents had passed away, she had been sent to live with her spinster aunt who had been her closest relative.

"Esa Meredith, my name is Es Dane. I'd would like the next dance."

Meredith eyed the man before her. He was most definitely a red. He had the trademark hair color, a dark red that shone like wine beneath the light. The gossip from earlier flitted through her mind, but Meredith didn't want to be rude, despite her previous attitude with Aiden. Though Aiden seemed to find her disrespect amusing.

She nodded slowly and extended her hand. His palm was smooth, almost as smooth as her own. She found the sensation oddly off-putting. Immediately Meredith realized that she was remembering Aiden's hands which had been calloused and rough. He had the hands of someone who worked and worked hard. Those were the hands that held memories she could only dream of.

Es Dane wore a dark cut of fabric over his torso with matching pants. Both fabric and cut screamed of money. Meredith once again found herself remembering Aiden's simpler garb. Though it had been made of quality material it had a plainer, simpler cut, emphasizing the body beneath instead of enhancing it. She gave herself a mental slap and pushed anymore thoughts of him out her mind.

Es Dane was an exceptional dancer. He moved gracefully through the steps, but executed each as if it were a chore. Meredith followed his lead easily. He said something, but the words were muffled by the music. She looked up to ask if he would repeat what he had said when she noticed that the dance was coming to an end. Her eyes met his. They were startlingly light and cold in stark contrast with his fiery hair.

She was relieved when the dance ended and he took her back to where Jaine was sitting.

"Thank you for the dance, Esa Meredith," he said. He had a deep and clear voice.

He bent and placed his lips on her wrist. Meredith suppressed the urge to shiver. He must have seen something in her expression because he smiled then. There was no suppressing the tremor that ran through her body then, but he released her hand and walked away. Unconsciously, she rubbed the spot that had touched his lips, feeling as if she'd break out in a cold sweat at any moment.

(Aiden)

Aiden let the shift roll over him. His blood heated in a steady rush as the change took over. It only took a few moments before his body lengthened and his bones rearranged. As he settled into shape, Aiden stretched, feeling his muscles tense in a pleasant ache. Unfurling his wings, pulling the thin membrane between the bones taunt. It had been a while since his last full shift. Having been on and off a boat for the past ten years, Aiden felt he was at a slight disadvantage.

Aiden entered the sandy arena, his sharp claws digging deep into the sun-warmed sand. Unsurprisingly, he wasn't the only one here to practice for the upcoming Trials. There were many dragons that he didn't recognize scattered all about the space. Males of all colors were sizing each other up or sparring lightly. Each family tended to revolve around a certain color, despite most females trying to marry into the gold or silver blood lines. Aiden didn't care much for what color a dragon was. During his year of initiation he and his brothers had made fast friends with their age mates; most of whom were greens.

Thanks to some coaxing, Aiden had convinced Grey to enter the Trials with him. Kaleb had complained about being too busy finishing up an irrigation system to join. As he looked around, Aiden didn't see his brother's gold form among the collected dragons. Being the only family to carry gold blood, Aiden was surprised that neither of his brothers had been married off yet. Of course since he had been deem an unsuitable husband, he only had to deal with flirtation, however cold and calculating the reasons behind it were. While a child conceived outside of marriage wasn't well received, if it had gold or silver blood running through its veins, it was usually treated much better than a green or brown.

The dragons were separated into groups based upon their breeding and consequentially their coloring. There were numerous branches in both the green and brown families. The reds were more selective, but they most likely had a dozen or more families. The silvers only had two lines to their name, but the strength of their blood rivaled that of Aiden's own family, being the only golds.

The advantages of having such a prestigious blood line were apparent in dragon form. While as humans they benefited from increased strength and virility, as dragons their full potential was available. Aiden and his brothers had found that all three of them had very strong mind speech, but Grey had a particular special ability. He was able to force his mind into other peoples and even manipulate their memories. The brothers had found that out by accident when Grey had fallen into one of his rare tempers and forced his mind into a red dragon's head.

The red had stilled instantly before dropping to the ground and falling into convulsions, his eyes rolling to show their whites. Fortunately, they had been able to snap Grey out of the trance he had fallen into. Grey had been shaken at his own actions, paling when his gaze fell to the red at his feet. The three of them managed to drag the red to the healers and explained his comatose state by saying he had been helping them practice with mind speaking. Afterward, he and Kaleb had visited the dragon only to find that he couldn't remember anything that had happened in the past week. Though they had been relieved, all of them decided to keep Grey's abilities between the three of them.

During the year of their initiation, they had tried mind speaking with their age mates, but most of the greens could only convey vague emotions and hardly any could send understandable words. The brown dragons weren't any better if not worse. Any of the red dragons had refused to participate and there hadn't been any silver dragons around their age, but he suspected they would be on par with him and his brothers.

As Aiden paced around the arena, a male stepped up to him and raised both his head and wings in challenge. He was a red and a rather large and dark one at that, testifying to the purity of his line. The mental challenge he gave was also surprisingly clear. Aiden tucked that piece of information away and returned the gesture, agreeing to the practice fight. A space was cleared for them, the other dragons moving to stand along the walls. As one, both he and the red began to circle each other, keeping their tails and wings out of reach. Aiden could almost feel his blood thrumming hot and fast through his body as the battle fever began to build. The red pulled back his lips and snarled, sharp teeth glistening with saliva.

Aiden, returned the expression and let out a roar as well. That signaled the spectators to start up their own taunting and jeering noises. The arena seemed to be shaking with the sound of dragons. The red made the first move, lunging forward and snapping his teeth inches from Aiden's throat. He must really be gunning for blood if he was targeting vital areas at the beginning.

Aiden used his bigger body to push the red off balance, his own mouth closing on empty air as he aimed for a shoulder. The red dragon's wings were slimmer than his and were tucked close to his body to keep them from getting caught or punctured. As they broke apart and returned to circling, Aiden saw the red shake his head before snarling again.

Abruptly, the red charged him. Aiden met the collision head on, both of their respective bulky bodies thudding heavily into each other. The red managed to get a grip on his back, talons screeching against his scales. Aiden whipped his tail around and wrapped it around a hind leg trying to pull the claws off his back. The red tried to bite through the thinner scales at the base of his neck. Aiden whipped around, hauling the other dragon's weight with him.

The red used the bone in his wing to strike him on his head. The blow was strong enough to daze him for a moment and the claw in his back managed to slip off his scales and gouged into the softer flesh at the base of his neck. Aiden roared but the pain cleared his head and he finally managed to get the red to release his hold. He panted as his blood dripped onto the sand. The red grinned at him, a nasty smile full of teeth and blood lust. This time Aiden charged. He used his greater bulk to topple the red, pinning him to the ground. The red's head whipped about trying to sink his teeth into anything he could reach.

Aiden closed his jaw around the base of the red dragon's head. He exerted enough pressure to hold him still without drawing blood. If he wished, Aiden could have snapped his neck then and there. The red stilled beneath him, both of them panted for breath. For a long moment, they held those positions, until finally the red went lax and closed his eyes briefly. Aiden opened his jaws and lifted himself off the dragon.

The back of his neck throbbed painfully and blood still ran freely down his body. He watched warily as the red dragon stood back up, but almost demurely the red backed away. Though drawing blood wasn't against the rules during a match, during practice it was seen as clumsy and careless. Satisfied with the red's submission, Aiden nodded his head before leaving the area.

Once he had made it past the archway, Aiden shifted back to his human form. His torn flesh burning painfully with the change, but it would be easier to treat the wound as a human. The blood flow had slowed, but still dripped from his body as he slowly made his way out of the building. There was a building that healers used just outside of the arena. He wasn't able to make it that far. Dizzy from blood loss, Aiden had to brace himself against the wall.

He was hardly able to register the feminine voice that was approaching him until someone was pulling him down to sit on the ground. Meredith, her face deathly pale, was saying something to him, but the blood rush in his ears made it hard to hear. Aiden leaned back against the wall and tilted his head up in her direction. He even managed a faint grin as he looked up into her face.

(Meredith)

He was so bloody. Meredith pressed her hands firmly against the slowly trickling wound. Luckily, he had been cut deepest into his shoulder, merely grazing the skin on his spine. As his eyes began to close, Meredith shouted at Aiden, trying to keep him conscious. He blinked slowly at her and had the audacity to grin. She was torn between laughing at his outrageousness or shouting at his stupidity.

She did neither, instead she kept slapping his face to keep his eyes open until some of the ladies, who she had been watching the males practice with, came running up with a healer close behind. He instructed her to keep her hand on the wound until he told her otherwise. Meredith nodded her head and watched as the healer began to unpack various vials and instruments from the case he had been carrying.

Finally, he un-stopped a sickly brown liquid and forced the bottle between Aiden's lips. Between the two of them, they managed to get him to swallow most of the thick liquid. Meredith used the sleeve of her dress to clean up the few drops that had escaped out the corners of Aiden's mouth. He looked at her with a dazed expression before smiling again. Meredith's heart beat thudded loudly in her rib cage. Inhaling sharply at the sensation, she smoothed Aiden's hair away from his face as his eyes flickered and closed.

Meredith found herself staring at Aiden's sleeping face. Even in sleep, his mouth had a cheeky tilt, but his skin was turning pale and waxy. Abruptly, strong hands were drawing Aiden's body away from her. Greyson, Aiden's brother was lifting him off the ground. It was odd to see Aiden being held against Greyson, especially due to the fact that Greyson was a bit slimmer than Aiden. Aiden was also naked. She'd been too distracted by the blood to fully register that fact until now.

Blushing, she rose and followed Greyson as he carried Aiden to the healer's building a few feet away from the arena. Only a few feet had separated Aiden from reaching the building on his own. As their growing group passed through the building, the healer firmly prevented any of the women from entering the room Greyson had carried Aiden into. Meredith was also left out. Several disgruntled women complained amongst each other. Unsurprisingly, Greyson had been allowed to stay in the room.