by Jessie Wolf
I feel a finger under my chin pushing it up. When I follow the finger to the hand then up the arm they belong to I find myself looking into the eyes of an angel. Alice has this small almost undesirable smile on her face with this look in her eyes that I can’t define. It’s not anger or pity, or any of those negative emotions.
“I don’t care about your past, love. All I care about is the here and now. The past is the past, love. Let’s leave it there. What I want is to look to the future with you.” The love I see in her eyes was something I have not seen in a very long, long time. True unconditional love for ones’ spouse, damn these female hormones. I start crying in front of everyone. Instead of ridicule Alice pulls me into one the biggest hugs I have had in a long time. “There, there love. I know exactly how you feel. Come on now dry your eyes and let’s eat breakfast.” Nodding my head yes, I wipe the tears from my eyes and sit up straight.
When I see the look on mama’s face I know that I did the right thing when all this started. If you had asked me a week ago if I could live the rest of my life as a woman I would have told you to go get your head examined. Because there was no way in hell I would have chosen to live my life as a woman. I had never thought about being anything other than a man. Then again it’s not in my nature to just roll over and give up. I have always been a fighter. So much so that I have never lost a fight in my military career or after, I had become so feared that my enemies began to call me Death himself. This had soon become known to my friends as well, so soon I was even called this among them as well. Now though I am Death’s own Daughter. Time for me to once again face my demons and fight. Only this time I must face the fact that I have been alone for so long I have forgotten what it means to have someone to share my life with.
“It is rather frightening isn’t it, child? To have someone to share your life with after so long. Time for us old dogs to learn new tricks, yes?” mama tells me with a smile. All the while holding Tops hand.
“It is mama, trust I know just how you feel. So are you and Top Bailey going to tie the knot?”
“Lady Maiha, normally I would say that was none of your business. However this is one time I will tell you straight out. I asked your mama here to marry me last night. When she said yes, well all I can say is she made me the happiest man in the world. I don’t know if you stuck around for the celebratory drinks or not. You two seemed to have disappeared before that happened.” Said Top Bailey.
Leaning over I give mama a big hug. “I’m so happy for you mama. Now that you have told us your news, I think we should tell you ours.” Taking a deep breath, and taking hold of Alice’s hand. “A little over a half hour ago I asked Alice to marry me, and she said yes.” Looking over at mama I see she is not surprised at all. “Now that the cat is out of the bag so to speak can we eat? I don’t know about you all, but I’m starving.”
When they hear this everyone just laughs. Mama called out to our maids to come back in and start serving. Over the next half hour as we eat, we discuss our plan to bring the three renegade House’s to us. The more I hear of their plan the more and more I smile. By the time mama and Top get done explaining how to bring these people to me I can’t help but realize just how devious my mama really is. I kid you not I swear a cork screw would lose it in her mind. However I do see one problem with this whole plan. So I decide to point it out to mama.
“Mama, I love your and Top’s battle plan, but there is just one problem. How are you going to get them to come after you, me and the rest of our family?”
Giggling mama has this look of a little girl who just got caught with her hand in the cookie jar. “That has already been taken care of. Before you ask I want you to know something about who really came up with this battle plan.” When she tells me that she wasn’t the one to come up the battle plan I wonder who did. “First of all, they are not your normal sources for something like this. Secondly I wouldn’t even consider this plan if it wasn’t for the fact that I trust this person with my life.”
“Ok, mama. I understand that they are probably a little crazy. So what, so am I. That’s what has kept me alive on more than one occasion.”
“Ok, dear. It was our own APS AIs that came up with the plan.”
I don’t believe my ears, but then again I have never known her to lie. There is one thing about Nakatoma Dai Etsu that has always been true, she does not lie. About anything, not now, not ever if she says that the AIs of our APS’ came up with this plan then they did. “Ok if they came up with this crazy plan did they say how they plan to get them to follow us into the trap?”
“I believe it has something to do with their new paint schemes.” Mama tells me.
“How in the world are their camouflage paint jobs going to that?” I asked in total confusion.
“I believe we need to go over to the hanger and find out.” Standing up and straightening out her kimono she heads for the door. “Well I don’t know about you but I want to find out how they plan to do just that. Well come on, let’s go.” With that she heads out the door. Looking over at Alice I grab her hand and pull her up after me and race after her. Once outside all four of us head for the family APS hanger.
As we walk I remember that SA-7B in the bay next to my Vicky. Deciding that would be a good time to ask mama about I do. “Um mama can I ask you a question about something?”
“Of course child. What is it you want to know? I hope that it isn’t about the birds and the bees.”
Man! Talk about your cheap shots. “Um no. I know all I need to know about that, thank you very much.” I hear Alice try to stifle a giggle. I give a quick wither and die look which just sets her off even more. I decide to ignore her and return to the more important topic. “Mama who does the SA-7B belong to?”
“What is a SA-7B?”
It takes me a moment to remember that mama doesn’t have the experience that I do or the military knowledge. “That assault class APS that is next to my Vicky, mama.”
“Oh, you mean the House’s Katana. That monster belongs to you my dear. Yes I know that you have your Vicky, but as the Head of House for a family it rightfully belongs to you.” I can tell she is hiding something from me by the way she answered me. She didn’t outright lie; she just ain’t telling me everything.
Time to put an end to all of the secrets around here. “What else aren’t you telling me mama?”
“Why on earth would you say that Maiha?”
“Because I know you mother. You never lie, but you don’t always tell the whole truth. Now what aren’t you telling me?”
Mama stops about half way to the hanger and looks over at me. Sighing she looks me in the eye. “We must do all that is in our power to see that the Great Sword of House Nakatoma is never used. Because the day that it is the Emperor has died without an heir. On that day we will become the next Imperial Family and whoever is the Head of House at that time will use the Great Sword to claim the throne. That is why it stands there in our care. Until the fateful day when we must fulfill the most sacred of duties. You see Maiha; there are two High Families that have direct Imperial lines with direct claims to the throne. The current ruling family and ours. Now do you see why I have never married into one of the other High Families here on Hades? They can gain even just a little bit of legitimacy in their claims to the throne through us. They can legally demand a Trial of Refusal against the Emperor. If they were to do that then He could lose his throne and all of the Empire would be in trouble.”
Before I can reply to what mama just told me Dee De gets my attention.
Maiha, I just ran a back trace on the Nakatoma blood line. (Dee De)
“Well, just don’t set there. What did you find?”
Everything that Dai Etsu just said it the truth. If one of the other twenty-one Heads of House were to marry you then that House would become the next in line for the throne if something happen to the Emperor. (Dee De)
“Holy shit! Quick run a search of all the House’s that are currently in revolt and tell me whic
h one’s have the strongest claims outside of House Nakatoma.”
No need to commander. I have already done so. The three with the strongest claims, in order of the strongest to the weakest, are Light, Daniels and Moore. Light with the strongest claim through marriage and blood. (Charley)
“Thank you, Charley. That explains a great deal of what has being going on here on Hades.”
“Mama, I need to ask you a question and I need you to tell me the truth. Did any of the House’s that are in rebellion ever propose a marriage contract with you?” When a startled look crosses her face I have my answer. “They did, didn’t they, but because of your vows to the Temple you couldn’t accept. I bet that the Head of House Light was the most persistent, wasn’t he?” when she nods her head I continue. “It all makes perfect sense now. If they couldn’t gain access to the throne through a lawful marriage then they’ll do it by destroying House Nakatoma. Well now that I know what is on the line I’ll just have to educate them in the error of their ways.” I feel the cold hard look that I always get on my face as I go to the place in my mind that I reserve for killing my enemies. Oh yes the time has come to put an end to all of the corruption among the High Families in this system.
“Maiha, baby, are you alright? You look like you are ready to flatten half the planet.” Alice says.
“No my dear. That is the look she gets when Death is about to come to her enemies. If I were to guess I would say that our dear little Maiha has finally decided to bring down death and destruction on all of the High Family House’s that are in open rebellion.” Mama explained.
Looking up at all of them I smile ever so slightly. “Oh no, mama. That would be too quick. No I plan to rip their hearts from their chests with my bare hands. Taking my time as I do it. These fools have crossed a line that only the truly stupid do.” Looking over at Top Bailey. “They first broke the Holy Trinity of thou shall not screw with. Now they have gone so far as to threaten me and mine directly. And now they have tried to place themselves above the Emperor. Long ago I made a vow to protect the Empire at all costs. I have never broken that vow, and I will not start now.”
“Very well, child. I will I not let you do this alone. As you have said they called down the thunder. Now they shall face the Storm Dancers. Come let us go see what our APS AIs have come up with to draw our enemies in to our trap.” Mama said as she began walking toward the APS hanger.
As we step inside the office door I can hear the pounding of hammers, the grinding of metal, and the smell of burnt metal from welding torches. Looking around I see broken armor plates off to one side, a damaged LLP, and a few other odds and ends. I am surprised at the amount of repair work already done to the family’s AP Suits. As a matter of fact the three Patton’s’ were already half way repainted. Mama’s Highlander is completely repainted. The paint scheme is rather strange though. The top of its head is bright orange, with a white face, the arms, legs, and back are all black while its chest is white. Something about the way all four of them are painted tugs at the back of my mind. The Patton’s each a different color scheme almost as if they stepped off the pages of some ancient twenty-first cartoon. I just can’t place it. As I walk past the Katana I get my first look at Vicky.
To say that I’m shocked it to put it mildly. Her head is all white with what looks like a kitten’s face, her feet and the ends of her arms are white, while the rest of her looks like she is wearing a bright red romper.
(GIGGLE) She looks like a giant hello kitty doll. (GIGGLE) (Dee De)
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------To Be Continued in “Book 3 - Birth of a New Legend” ------------------------------
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Credits
All pictures taken from www.latexcatfish.com and www.freecyclepics.com ..
Social Media Contacts
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Other books by the Author:
The Death Dealers Saga - Death’s Own Daughter
Book 1: Into the Fire once more
Book 2: Out of the Ashes
Book 3: Birth of a New Legend
Book 4: Tendrils of Control – (Nov 2015)
Book 5: Resurrection – (Nov 2015)
Book 6: Knights of Death – TBA – Current project.
The Marshals Stories
Book 1: Embracing Justice – TBA – Current Project.
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