Reapers 6

6

John paces the tent, Caroline sitting in his chair as one of the council messenger’s handed them each a letter. John leaves the tent, radiating heat and goes to the rubble of his once glorious castle, leaving Caroline to deal with the messenger “Thank you… You’re dismissed…”
A blaze pops up and dissipates, leaving a letter addressed to John, he picks it up and returns to Caroline, offering it for her to read.
Recognizing the handwriting on the front, she opens it. It reads: ‘Dear John and Caroline; I am sorry that your castle was destroyed via my attack, as you know I have Anisa and am taking care of her, I believe someone is setting us all up, my attack on your castle was orchestrated, my orders were to leak the meeting and to attack the first castle set to mobilize. I would like your reply post haste as to any enemies that you both share.’
“John… We have a problem bigger than you being kicked out of the council… Darling we’ve been played, someone wanted to get you out of a seat of power, and separate us from our daughter… I’m afraid…”
“What do you mean?” He comes over and reads the letter, his face paling.
“The one enemy… we both share… is trying to kill our daughter… she made it so you weren’t on the council anymore, so if she does murder our daughter, you are no longer in a position to vote to kill her if she succeeds… I think you know who I’m talking of…”
“Kate…”~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
“What exactly did she say her name was? What did the woman look like in the picture? And what on earth was in the tea she served you???” John grilled Kail for several minutes, but the investigation got nowhere, all Kail would say was ‘pretty colors’. Kail’s eyes were glazed over, and his mouth hung half open, like he’d been drugged. John stormed out of the medical tent and paced outside “He’s completely incoherent Caroline! Completely! We can’t get a straight answer out of him! He acts like he doesn’t even know his own name!!”
The winged medic stepped out of the tent “He needs a few days rest then he should be well enough for you to question. I’m sorry about calling you here for nothing liege.”
John puts his hand to his forehead in frustration, sighing he says “It’s not your fault… You tried to tell me that he wasn’t up for questioning and I should’ve listened… I know that when it comes to things like this it takes time and patience, both of which I lack right now… Please take care of him and let me know if anything changes…” John takes Caroline’s hand and they go back to their tent. The ‘Queen’s’ tent stands out from the other tents around it, it’s color a deep burgundy red, with gold trim and a beautifully woven golden blue chord that hangs in front, acting as a door handle that pulls the mouth of the tent up and open, allowing one to see the inside. The inside of the tent is pure satin, purple in color, with a black carpet-style floor.
“That sure took a while.” The fire jumps and crackles, the full form of a man standing in it.
“I’m sorry it took as long as it did, he still wasn’t able to answer questions.” Caroline sits in the chair by the fire while John slowly comes and sits beside her, still unused to these meetings.
John clears his throat softly “At first he tried to tell us everything, we know he was in a castle, we know a woman gave him a glass of tea, we know there was a picture of another woman on the wall in the room he was in. What we don’t know are the specific details we need.”
“And how do we know as much as we do?”
“The woman who held him gave him a sheet of paper and a bottle of ink and a fountain pen. She told him to write down everything he’d seen so that he could reference it when he got back to talk to me. After those little blurbs of information, he started writing about his past life, his mother’s death, Anne’s disappearance, and a man… A man who fits your description, Shan.”
“It probably was me, I fought him at our last location when he just randomly appeared, I think someone lent him tracking Magyks and followed him. And I’m sorry Caroline, but the only species with that kind of tracking power are your people…” Shan ruffles his hair, the movement sending up sparks from the fire.
“None of my people would dare-“ she stopped midsentence, suddenly remembering that fateful night, many years ago. A knock on the door, Kate was expecting a date, a future fiancée of hers, Caroline answered the door because Kate was still getting ready. The man that had stood in front of her that night had the most beautiful lipid pools of green eyes she’d ever seen, and from that first hello, they were always together.
“Kate wouldn’t dare… she doesn’t hate us that much… Does she…?” Caroline just shook her head, a tear slowly tracing its way down her face. Her daughter’s life was in danger, her husband had lost his seat on the council, and the people had lost a potential marital alliance, all because of that night… A flamed hand reached towards her and wiped the tear away, being careful not to burn her.
“Sweetheart it’s not your fault… I know what you’re thinking of right now, and it’s not your fault. That woman is missing some serious marbles from her basket, she may blame you, but it’s not your fault that you are by far prettier than she is”
Caroline smiles softly as John humphs, obviously not moved by Shan’s show of affection “How’s Anisa doing..?”
“She’s asleep currently, but she’s doing well.  She’s a fast learner.”
John looks a little suspicious “How many rooms are in this ‘house’ of yours?”
“One study, one bath, one kitchen, one dining or entertaining area and one bed, why?”
John’s eyes narrow “Be honest. Did you sleep with our daughter?”
“Don’t ask questions you don’t want the answer to John.”   Shan’s eyes narrow in return, the fire growing until it almost licks the roof of the tent.
Caroline places her hand on John’s shoulder “Darling, please… don’t fight with the man who’s protecting our daughter… Shan, maybe it’s time you go…”
John shakes her off “Tell me. Now.”
“DO YOU FORGET WHO I AM?!?!?!” The fire blazes bright sky blue, the tendrils reaching out like feelers.
Caroline drags John to the doorway of the tent and forces him outside, leaving him there to fume, she goes back to Shan “Shan please don’t get angry like that… He’s only trying to protect her; you know how men get when they think they’re daughter is in danger… Well… I get the feeling you’ll know soon enough, and before you ask it’s a mother’s intuition.”
“I knew you’d know, you should try to break it to him easily, and I’m sorry I snapped, the cycle’s almost begun and I still haven’t gotten her a weapon…”
She smiles understandingly “Anisa may learn fast, but she’s the world’s worst procrastinator. You should present her with a challenge, and a choice. She may just surprise you. What’s her element?”
“She’s water, and I will, we have to get her the robes for presentation before too long, and she keeps trying to distract me.”   He smiles softly, the fire returning too normal.
Caroline giggles softly “Shan I do not want to imagine my daughter doing things that you wanted me to be doing once upon a time, so please no details… offer her a compliment, a rose, a box of chocolates, anything to get her out of the bed, then spring the robe on her,” winking softly she continues “Something like that will definitely get her attention.”
“Yes Ma’am, question before I go…”   He smiles broadly.
Curiosity dances in Caroline’s eyes as she smiles “Yes…?”
“Does this mean I have to call you mother from now on?”   He grins sheepishly, trying not to laugh.
She laughs in return “Shan darling, you can call me mom when you go through the marital ceremony or when my grandchild is born, not before.”
“Ok.”   He smiles  “Sadly the latter is more likely at this point.”
She shakes her head softly “As long as you take care of her, everything will be fine.