by L M Lacee
E lla cooked breakfast for Keeper while he showered, after she called Edith and June, she was a little nervous at taking the initiative. Although she felt this move would be right for both Keeper and her. She did not want him to think she was a pushy, interfering shadow. Like her mother.
When they had just finished eating, June and Edith arrived. Ella laid her hand over Keepers as he was about to rise to answer the door. “I will answer that but before I do I should tell you that I called Edith and June.”
Mildly surprised Keeper asked. “Why?”
Ella hesitantly smiled. “Because I have an idea but I need their unbiased opinion to see if I am right.”
Keeper grinned. “My shadow please allow the committee in to appraise your idea.”
Ella nodded and smiled. “Okay.”
She admitted both females who kissed her cheek and hugged her in congratulations. Edith grinned. “We so need a girl’s night.”
“Please!” June said. “Say it like it is, a party, you know Sage will name it so as soon as she gets her hands on it.”
Edith scowled. “She really will, there will be no stopping her. You know one day. We will get just a hen’s night.”
June smirked. “Maybe but not this time, especially as Sage missed the initial meeting of the couples.”
Edith sighed and nodded. “Right! So Ella we are here and... Oh my!’
“Wow books. Loads and loads of books.” June stated as she stared around her at the shelves that were covered in books and the large towers stacked around the floor.
Edith stepped into the room after her and did a slow circle. “Oh my Ella!” Then she moved to Keeper and hugged him. “Hey brother how could you hide this from me?”
Keeper hugged her in return and as she broke away from him, he said. “I did not know I was?”
He looked confusedly at Ella as she addressed the two females. “You see why I called you?”
June nodded as she ran her fingers over the spines of several books. “I do, I really do. Are there more?”
Keeper smiled. “Many.”
Edith said. “Well, shoot.”
“Please sit.” Ella requested. As they all took a seat she handed out tea and coffee which Keeper had placed ready. He grinned inwardly when he thought to his dragon. We are almost like a couple who have been together for years.
Because we are in sync, our shadow is part of us already.
Once seated he looked at the three females. “As delightful as it is to always see Edith and June, my soul could you tell me why you called them?”
Ella shrugged. “Edee could do it better.”
Edith smiled at the couple. “So damn cute, you two together. Just right!” She sighed as she looked at June. “Your turn soon?”
June shook her head. “Not yet, one day in the future, ‘Mr Right’ has not come along yet!”
Edith lifted her eyebrows. “Well alright then.” To Keeper she said. “So you know who I am right?”
Keeper nodded. “Yes, we all do!”
“Was there tone?” She asked June with a scowl who replied. “Dear Goddess, no. Now get on with it. We have places to go.”
“Sure you say that!”
“What... What do I say?”
“That there was no tone.”
Keeper and Ella sat and watched the two females. He turned to Ella and asked. “Are they like this all the time?”
Ella grinned and nodded, knowing if she spoke she would release the giggles she was holding back. Edith sniffed and went on with her explanation remembering they were to be at Storms shortly. “Ella knows what June and I are trying to do for Dragon’s Gap.”
“Which is what?” Keeper asked.
“Drag them into this century.” June said before Edith got on to one of her rants about archaic dragon kind. Keeper pulled on his bottom lip as he asked. “I see, and you and my shadow think I can help. How?”
Edith said. “Oh Keeper you know how? I know you do. It is just a matter of grabbing the courage and letting yourself be happy. Then doing what actually fills you and your dragon with peace.”
He looked at Edith, June and finally his eyes settled on his shadow as he asked. “You think I should set up and run a library?”
Ella nodded slowly. June grinned as Edith said. “Of course, we do, look around you. Isn’t that what you have been saving all these books for?”
“Well I thought I was just hoarding books.”
“Pfft… hoarding books. Well, if it makes you feel better you can call it. Keepers Hoard | Come and borrow a book!”
They all laughed until Ella stood signaling the end to the discussion. “Well thank you Ladies for your help. We will discuss my shadows future. I just wanted you to see the possibility.”
Edith eyed her as she and June stood. “She has got awfully pushy since her bonding. Don’t you think?”
June shook her head saying. “Nope! It was when she changed her wardrobe, which is when she became all bossy.”
Ella looked haughtily at both females. “I will have you know. I have always been bossy. I just hide it well!”
“Really well.” Edith scoffed.
“Edee say good bye.” Ella said with a smile.
“Well fine. Bye, see you at the party.”
June shook her head as she followed Edith from the apartment saying as she stepped through the door way. “I will let you know when it will be, probably this weekend.”
Keeper said, “Not Sunday you know mama’s rule?”
“Yeah... Yeah!” They heard Edith call back, “Come on June we will be in trouble if we are late.”
“Bye!” June said as she hurried after Edith who was walking quickly along the corridor.
“Oh my!” Ella said as Keeper took her in his arms after closing the door behind the two females.
“They mean well.” Ella told him, worried he would be upset.
“I know and they are right, you are right. I just had no reason to make the change. I will now, I will go and talk to Reighn.”
Ella smiled as she smoothed his shirt over his chest and said. “We, my heart. We will go see Reighn.”
“I stand corrected but first I need to show you something!”
“Oh, is it special.”
“I think so.” He said with a small smile as he lowered his lips to hers.
“Oh…”
Charlie and Storm walked up one flight of stairs from Storm’s place to their new apartment to be met by Edith and June who were returning from Keepers. Charlie asked. “What gives?”
Edith shrugged. “Meeting at your place apparently, they should all be there now. The faeries will be over in about an hour, so mama Verity said.”
Storm said. “You all have to be here… Why?”
June and Edith did not take offense they both had realized over time that the blunt dragon had a heart of gold, despite all his gruff ways. Edith grinned. “Because dragon, we are nosy, so shut it and open the damn door!”
He grunted as June said. “I can go, if you prefer?”
Storm gave her a smile. He liked June. He liked her willingness to always know what was needed and make it work. Gruffly he grunted. “And have to suffer her nagging because you are not here! No, I think not.”
June returned his smile as Charlie grinned at Edith who huffed out a breath and scowled saying. “He means Sage not me.”
As the door was swung open by Sharm, seeing him she reached up and kissed his cheek saying over her shoulder to Charlie. “You know my dragon can beat yours right?”
Sharm sighed as he eyed his brother who wore a perplexed look on his face. Charlie looked between the two dragons. “Really?”
Edith scowled harder. “What does that mean?”
Charlie drawled. “It means yours looks a little soft around the edges.” Edith looked at the flat stomach and hard planes of her shadows muscles. Surely due to the amount of training with swords and hand to hand combat he did with all his brothers. No flab showing anywhere. “I beg to
differ he is hard in all the right places.” Edith told her with a superior tone, which made the people within the room go silent, and Sharm say into the silence. “Every day she makes my life worth living.”
“What...what did I say now?” She demanded to know as she strode into the apartment.
Sage shook her head. “Female shut the hell up!”
“Not any clearer here?”
Verity gave her arm a pat. “Never mind dear it was just a little too much information.”
Edith went over what she had said and laughed. “Oh yeah right, got it.” She whispered to Sharm. “But I am right.”
He kissed her cheek. “I will show you how right you are when we return to our apartment.” Edith refrained from answering, just smiled wider. Storm moved in with his hand on Charlie’s back to be confronted by his parents, Reighn and Sage. Rene`’ said. “We have thirty minutes before the young wake, so let us make this quick.”
“I can make it quicker.” Charlie said. “My children and I are not leaving, we remain here with Storm at Dragon’s Gap.”
Storm said. “My shadow, this is my brother and his shadow our Lord Dragon Reighn and Lady Dragon Sage.”
“I am honored to meet you both.” Charlie said and she meant it.
“Welcome to the family.” Reighn said as Sage grinned. “So cool, two bonding’s. You know this means a party this weekend.”
“Told yah!” June mumbled to Edith.
“I know. Well it gives her something to do.” Edith replied as Sage gave them both a dirty look. They both grinned knowing Sage worked hard as the leader of the retrievers and Lady to the dragons, as well as shadow and mother. Everyone found seats as Verity passed out cups of tea and coffee, saying as she did. “Now, if Charlie and Storm are staying, what is it we are to say to Queen Scarlett and King Elijah?”
“That they can go whistle.” Storm said with a grin. Reighn, Rene` and Sharm laughed as they visualized Queen Scarlett whistling. The females, except Verity, smothered their smiles.
Verity sighed as she said without as so much as a smile in her voice. “No my son. As much as that would be funny, it also is impolite. We are allies and what we do not need is to be at odds with the Grove or the High Queen.”
“So I have no say in this?” Charlie asked, and she could feel her spine stiffening.
Reighn said. “Of course you do, this is your life. What I would like, if you are agreeable of course, is for you to sit down with the Queen and King and talk. Understand who they are, learn what they want from you and then tell them what you are prepared to allow, and what you will agree to.”
Charlie grinned at his phrasing, such a regal thing to say. Reighn told her. “They cannot force you to do anything you do not want to do. One reason is Storm will not allow it, and neither will your new family or I. No one takes one of ours, no one forces one of ours. Family is important for all of us, as it is with the Faeries. Start there and work from that position, you cannot go wrong.”
Storm and Charlie held hands as she nodded. “Okay let’s do that and if all else fails we can set Edith on them!”
“So funny!” Edith grumbled.
“But it is true!” Sage said with a raised eyebrow.
“So not helping my image.”
“Oh was I meant too?”
“Ladies.” Verity said which managed to stop the sniping much to the male’s amusement.
Edith sipped her coffee then asked. “So as a grey one and family to Queen Scarlett, wouldn’t Charlie be the most acceptable for liaison between the Grove and us?”
Reighn stared at her until she asked. “What? That was a good idea.”
“I know.”
She narrowed her eyes at him. “You say that like it is a surprise. I have good ideas!”
“Well…”
“Seriously?” Edith growled out between her teeth as Sharm rubbed her back.
“Must you?” he asked his brother. Reighn grinned broadly as he told him. “Usually no, but I am feeling whimsical today.”
Rene` halted the next words from either brother as he asked. “They may not be accepting of Charlie?”
“Well, that is true. Although it would be the most logical solution.” June mused.
“Anyway Charlie what do you think, it would solve all our problems, plus put you in line to find out everything you may want to know?” Sage said as Sharm, Edith and Reighn stared at one another.
June looked at Storm as he watched the three staring at each other. “See what you have been missing being away from home. This wonderful mature relationship!”
Storm grinned just as Reighn had. “I know I have missed so much.”
“Oh hell no!” Sage shook her head. “Another one, we will never survive!”
Verity swallowed her laughter. “We have Charlie now for our side and Edee when she doesn’t flip to theirs.”
Edith quit the staring and said. “I wouldn’t have too, if you all didn’t come up with mad cow ideas.”
Sage said. “Hey, the last one was not crazy, it was brilliant!”
Edith blew her a raspberry. “It so was, the craziest so far. A Unicorn meadow to attract them to the Gap, just nuts!” June and Verity nodded with her in agreement.
“It could happen!” Sage growled back to all the smiles.
“Yeah right!” Edith shook her head slowly from side to side as though saddened by Sage’s craziness. Sage’s eyes narrowed at the female. Reighn said. “Seriously Unicorns… my shadow?”
Sage crossed her arms and restated. “It could happen!”
“Oh sweetheart, Unicorns have never been verified, they are indeed myth!” He told her.
“So says a dragon. No!” She held her hand up as he went to speak. “I will not discuss this myth with another myth.” Causing June and Edith to almost collapse in laughter at the stunned look on his face.
Charlie said into the silence. “If there are, and I am not saying there are Unicorns. Why do you care? Legend says they only like virgins and unless I miss my guess you are so not one!”
It was unavoidable the look of consternation on Sage’s face which had everyone laughing more, even Rene` and Verity joined in. She spluttered as she said. “Tha... Tha... That is unproven. I have read tales that Unicorns like people with pure thoughts, not just virgins. That too is a myth!”
Reighn wiped the tears of laughter from his eyes as he said quickly when Sage looked like she was going to ask again if he knew for sure there really were no Unicorns. “It makes no matter. We have no Unicorns.”
She sighed in regret and mumbled. “So not fair!”
Storm asked. “So if Charlie takes this liaison position, we will stay at home?”
“Yes.” Reighn smiled at his brother’s show of relief. Storm nodded back. “Well, I am willing if Charlie wishes to take over this position.”
“I think it is something for you together with Queen Scarlett and King Elijah to discuss when they arrive.” Rene` advised.
“We thank you for your support.” Charlie told them all.
Reighn nodded. “We will leave you to greet your young.”
Edith said. “If you would like it, I will come and babysit while you all meet the Queen and King. I am caring for Sage’s girls about then.”
Charlie thanked her as Reighn asked. “Where are you going to meet?”
Storm said. “In your new reception or new conference room.”
Charlie looked at Storm who shrugged as he told her. “Reighn has not decided what to call it yet?”
Charlie said. “I always thought reception sounded like a desk in a foyer.”
Sage said to Reighn. “I told you!”
Reighn snorted. “Fine I declare it as my new conference room.”
“Thank goodness.” Sage muttered. “A decision… yippee!”
Edith asked. “Was that sarcasm I heard?”
“You think?” Sage growled back.
June said. “I will notify the Queen and King, where to meet you.”
“Thank you June.” Said Charlie. With the arrangements made, there was no more to say and the others all left leaving Charlie and Storm alone.
Minutes later after clearing the cups from the table, Storm watched as Charlie paced nervously around the dining room. She smiled at him when she noticed him looking and said. “So here we are!”
Storm agreed. “Yes, you are nervous. Why?”
“Well, this will be our first day as parents. I don’t want to get it wrong.”
He took her in his arms as he said. “There is no wrong, if we think before we act and have plenty of love for our young as mama advised, we will be well. My dragon and I have waited nearly a thousand years for you and our young, together we will become a family. I am ready to start our new life.” Just then they heard the small whimpers from Justice indicating he was ready to wake.
Charlie nodded then grinned saying. “Let us see how ready you are after a diaper change.” She laughed at the horrified look on his face.
“No matter.” He said as he straightened his shoulders. “I am a Commander. How much worse can it be than being a Shield? I have walked on battlefields.”
Charlie wiped her face clean of expressions and said in her best assassin’s voice. “Well, Commander let us go find out.”
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
S torm was not proud of his or his dragons conduct, changing the diaper had been a crippling experience. As he placed bowls with cereal on the table for the girls, he shuddered as he asked his dragon. Did you know a baby could smell that bad?
It is not normal. His dragon complained. We need to talk to brother Sharm. The hatchling has a leakage problem it should be stopped.
I agree, although Charlie did not seem to think that!
Not normal! His dragon stated again as they both heard the murmurings of baby Justice and shuddered once more.
Storm applied himself to making coffee and tea. Then while he was pouring the orange juice into the little cups, he felt eyes on him. With a quick sideways look, he saw the little girl. She was tiny. He rightly assumed this was Cara.
Our dragonet! Whispered his dragon. She is small, we should make sure we do not stand on her.
Storm smiled as he replied. Good idea! He slowly finished pouring the juice and turned just as slowly towards her, she hid partially behind a chair as he squatted down. In his softest voice he said. “I have not poured your juice. I was unsure what cup you used. Would you be able to help me?” She moved out a little more from behind the chair and nodded her head up and down.
