Cinderfella 2: A New Life - 40. Chapter 40

The next day we woke the boys, who didn’t appear surprised we were home in Royal Valley. They were delighted to be home. Getting them up Toby was signing and Dennis was saying a word he knew well. “Juice!”

Seth chuckled. “You’ll get juice, I promise.” He hugged Dennis kissing him on the cheek and neck. “We’ve got a lot of it here.”

Coming down, Grace squealed when she saw us…and the boys in particular. She rushed grabbing Dennis and hugged him and then Toby.

“My, how you’ve grown!” Grace said to Toby and then smiled at Dennis. “I bet you’re talking up a storm.”

Dennis grinned. “Juice, please?”

Grace just laughed at our son. “And polite!” She handed Dennis back. “There’s fresh juice in the winery, I’ll get some.” She hurried out to get the precious juice.

“No coffee?” Seth growled with a smile.

I rolled my eyes. “You can make it, Seth.”

Seth shrugged. “Yeah, but I like it when Grace makes it.” He put Dennis in his highchair and went to make the coffee he needed. “I’m sending Sam the message by special courier.” Then he sighed. “It’ll be a week before we get a reply.” He held the long brass metal canister that held Christian’s message inside, secured with Christian’s ring was the impression to show it hadn’t been tampered with.

“Do you think we’re safe here?” I asked. It was a concern.

Seth shrugged. “I’ll ask for some of the men in town to watch us.” Then he scratched the back of his neck as he thought. “If I know Sam, he’ll send some men to do that.”

I nodded. “I don’t understand why this group….fears about a country….or countries that get along. We are two separate kingdoms. Independently ruled.”

“From what Anastasia said, they don’t like that we’re ruling. My family or yours.” Seth said as the water was heating for his coffee.

“Our families rule because we are in line.” I reasoned. “I know Christian bends over backwards to be fair. I know King Alexander was fair.” I shrugged walking to the cabinet to find us something to fix for breakfast. “And I hate to point out the obvious, but education is just now being more common so most of the people in Blethos and A’Dore can barely read, but they will able to soon. Things are improving, but we’ve a long way to go yet. You and I were lucky. We were taught.”

Seth got his big mug for the coffee. “They think an elected person is better.”

I nodded. “They had that in Italia. A democracy is fine, but there has to be someone to elect. There are learned people available, but…”

Seth nodded as he saw the water was ready and added the coffee to let it seep. “It may be more logical in the future to elect leaders, but to threaten the lives of Christian, Sam, you, me….it doesn’t add up.” He frowned. “How is their approach to change going to be for the better if we’re killed to achieve that?”

“It wouldn’t be better.” I looked at Seth. “There may be a threat to us. There might be a reason for change, but I don’t believe Anastasia was doing anything but getting revenge on Ella for the life she feels she was deserved and cheated from getting.”

Seth shook his head. “That I don’t understand. How can anyone hate Ella?”

“Well, Anastasia does.” I shrugged. “She, her mother and sisters were…quite good at getting what they want. I guess being cheated out of Prince Charming irritated her.”

“But she was nasty before she even had a chance with Christian.” Seth objected.

“Some people are just nasty.”

Seth inhaled the aroma of his coffee as he poured his mug full. “It even smells better when Grace makes it.” He complained.

I patted Seth on the arm and kissing him on the cheek. “It’s the love she adds.” I grinned.

Seth nodded. “That must be it.”

Things were difficult to get back in the running of our daily lives here in Royal Valley. Helen had been in charge of the Winery and did a good job, so I just backed away and left her to the job. I looked at the books and then left it alone. Seth went to town and had the message sent to Blethos’ capital with a letter from Seth stating the message was to be given to King Samuel and for his eyes only. Meaning the courier was to hand the message to Sam personally and wait for a reply. He could not hand it to some guy in the palace to give Sam and then Seth came back to check on the vineyard.

Seth came in for lunch clean! He was never clean when he got home. Ever. He sighed sadly as he entered the house.

“You’re not dirty!” I said surprised. He was always having to wash up before eating.

Seth frowned as he sat in a chair. “I may need to find another job.”

I grunted as I came over kissing him. “I know what you mean. Helen has things well under control. I feel like I’m not needed.”

“Nonsense.” Grace said annoyed. “You’re both needed. Royal Valley! We have come one hundred and eighty degrees since you arrived. Most people here now can at least read and starting to do it more. They have jobs and they like living in Royal Valley. That’s a miracle.” She pulled something out of the oven that smelled amazing. A roasted chicken something. “After all those years under Thorne…” she shuddered at the memory. “This has become a very pleasant town to live in.”

“I guess we’ll just have to find something else to do.” I grinned to Seth.

Seth pouted. “But I like getting my hands dirty.” He almost whined.

I chuckled bumping our foreheads together gently. “It’s okay, baby. We’ll find you some dirt to play in.”

We had been there two nights before I heard someone moving around in our house. Waking Seth to hear it too, we both got up taking a lamp and I had my sword as we walked quietly through the upper floor. I heard noises from our boys’ room. Dennis was walking now, but never gets out of bed. Toby could, but it sounded too big to be him. Opening the door I saw the large man leaning over Toby, stroking his hair, but I lowered my sword because I recognized his build in the shadowy moonlight coming through the window.

“Demetrius!” I hissed a whisper. “I could have killed you!”

Demetrius turned covered his lips and shushing us and pointed at Dennis. “You’ll wake him up.” Then he pushed us from the room as he came with us. “He can hear, you know?”

I nodded. “We know.”

Seth shook his head. “Erik could have run you through!” He stated louder, but still hushed in the silence of the night.

Demetrius shook his head as his eyes rolled. “Could have, should have…” then he grinned. “But he didn’t!”

Now that my pulse was resuming a normal beat, I grinned at the man. “Demetrius!” I smiled hugging him. “I missed you!” Which Demetrius returned.

Seth was now smiling and hugged the man also. “I thought you weren’t coming back. You said you couldn’t.”

Demetrius shook his head. “No.” He said as a parent would to a small child. “That’s not what I said. I said I couldn’t come if you called me. You didn’t call me. I came.” He said simply. “But I can’t use the magic for you personally.”

I nodded. “But you can use the magic?”

Demetrius looked surprised. “You can breathe, can’t you? Of course I can use the magic; any time I want to.” Then he walked with us downstairs pushing us ahead of him slightly. “I am not visiting you as a godparent, I’m visiting friends, but I’m still godfather to those two little boys.”

Seth and I both nodded as we followed him to my office. Of course he didn’t ask to take the liquor, but he did as he began pouring himself a glass of bourbon. He threw the glass of liquid back and winced as he swallowed.

“So why are you here?” Seth frowned. “Just to visit? You can do that in the day time. Why leave us the message about the threat in Christian and Ella’s past?”

Demetrius turned shaking his head. “I left that message for Toby.” He grinned.

“Come on, Demetrius.” I frowned. “Toby’s smart, but he can’t read yet, not that well yet. That was for us.”

Seth walked closer to Demetrius. “This isn’t fun and games!”

Demetrius shook his head and glared at Seth. “Do you think I don’t know that?” He said a little heated. “This is most definitely not a game!”

I touched Seth’s arm as I knew Seth was getting angry. “They’ve done a lot for us, Seth. If it weren’t for him and Dara, we might not have met. Nor would we have our boys.”

Seth nodded. “Yes.” But he walked even closer to Demetrius. “But I can’t forget that they were the ones that gave Arthur the means to kill my mother and took twenty years from me as I lived in Hell in Thorne Valley. It was fun, Lukus said so.”

Demetrius shook his head again. “He said it was exciting.”

“That makes it better?” Seth asked. “Christian was almost killed!”

“Which they did everything they could to stop it by giving me a means to cure and get there in time.” I reminded Seth. “Because of that, Christian’s alive.”

“This time.” Seth nodded to me. “What about next time? What if it’s you next time, Erik? I will die if anything happens to you!” Then he turned back to Demetrius. “And our boys. Christian said, they are the key between our two kingdoms. Erik and me, we’re the connection between the two kingdoms. We have two sons. They are of Blethos and A’Dore!”

Then it hit me. I said as I thought about another possibility. “We may be wrong about this group. What if they’re not trying to prevent the uniting of Blethos and A’Dore, but making it happen?” I said incredibly leaning forward in a chair. “They almost got Christian, but because Ella had cold, she didn’t get it and it wasn’t passed to the children. They could have wiped them away and I would be next for the throne. I’d have to take it.”

Seth nodded understanding my line of thought “And if they attack Sam and Terry the same way, they could do the same thing to Blethos and I would be next in line for the throne.” Seth’s eyes widened. “And our sons…”

It hit me even harder. “They are legally our sons! We declared it publicly and it is a matter of record. Putting them in the line of both thrones!” I slapped my forehead for my stupidity for not seeing it sooner. “Both A’Dore’s and Blethos’ law is clear, our sons could become the king of both Blethos and A’Dore!”

Seth nodded. “They are our heirs. They are in line for both thrones!” Then he shook his head. “Even if only one family is affected, one of us has to take the throne. If both are killed, we both will have to take the thrones!”

I nodded. “And they will inherit both!” I looked at Demetrius. “Tell me I’m crazy!”

Demetrius shook his head and sat down, again, as he has many times, the chair slid over to be beneath him. “You’re not crazy.” He said softly. Then he looked fiercely at both Seth and me. “But I’m saying, as their godfather, nothing will happen to those boys. No harm will ever befall them, not like this. I’ll protect them like I did you, Erik with that evil man that tried to attack you, putting the boys and Seth in danger to do so.” He looked at Seth. “I know it’s not fair. I would have helped you back when the attack on your home, which killed your mother…but I became your godfather because of Erik.” He pleaded for Seth to understand. “I was his godfather, then yours because of Erik. Understand?”

Seth shook his head. “Not really, but the threat to us is real. I’ve got to protect my family!” He walked over right in front of Demetrius. “Who has this planned?”

Then Demetrius looked a little uncomfortable. “I don’t know.”

“What!?” I asked. “Why not?”

Demetrius frowned. “Because….there is another of us involved.”

“Another of you?” Seth asked. “Meaning someone capable of using magic?”

Demetrius shrugged. “That’s what we believe.” He held his hand out. “Remember you asked me if there were any of us that weren’t that nice? Evil?”

I nodded.

“There are.” Demetrius sighed. “Just a few, but these people are pretty evil. And there is one…” he shuddered. “She’s very evil.”

“She?” Seth questioned.

I nodded. “I just told Christian recently, women aren’t the gentler gender. They can be deadly. The lion kills, but the lioness hunts. She is the real danger.” I moved forward in my seat. “Can we fight her?”

“You can try.” Demetrius chuckled. “The reason I bring it up, is because I can’t feel her. Not that she’s not there, but I feel nothing. Just like I did with Sam at first.” He said to Seth. Then he smiled. “Who by the way, is on his way here and is only a day away.”

Seth’s eyes grew. “Sam? He’s coming here?”

Demetrius nodded. “He read the message and wants to talk to you two.” Then he shrugged. “And he’s bringing about ten guards! Eight of which is staying here.”

I hate to admit it, hearing that I felt much better. “Great. Oh, wait! Who is this woman? What could she want?”

“Her name is Len Na.” Demetrius said sadly.

“Leena?” Seth asked.

“No.” Demetrius shook his head. “Len Na!” he repeated emphasizing the NA. “She’s older than Lukus, about seven hundred years old and very powerful.”

Seth shook his head. “I don’t get it! Why has God not stopped her?” He nearly shouted.

“Because he won’t!” Demetrius shouted back. “Any more than he would prevent any human from killing another. Cain and Abel. Arthur and your mother!” He sighed as he said this.

I got up bringing Seth to sit down. “But you’re here.”

Demetrius nodded. “I am.”

“Why?” Seth asked. “Are you going to help us with Len Na?”

Demetrius sighed again. “With her? Yes. She’s one of us. We would have to. With the others that are man, you’re already doing a fine job now.”

“Do you know who the others are?” I asked.

He shook his head. “That’s how we know there is one of us involved. I can’t sense anything about anyone involved.” Then he smiled. “You’re making good reasoning. You found a way to see those little creatures. You’ve come up with a plan to deal with them.”

I rubbed Seth’s back. “Seth figured out how to see them. The palace physician found a way to do it better.”

Demetrius nodded. “When we…those of my kind are gone, you will have only yourselves to rely on. And you’re doing well.” He smiled.

Seth nodded. “Great.” He said without conviction. “Will it be enough?”

“It will have to be.” Demetrius shrugged. “I am not your godparent now. Either of yours. I chose you, Erik in the past. I wanted to be your godfather because I saw in you the ability to bring mankind into another kind of magic, science. I was right. And you are the two best parents for my godchildren. That’s why I gave them to you.”

“I hope we can be good parents for Toby and Dennis.” I said sadly. “It seems there is going to be a battle ahead. I just pray we’re ready for it.”

Demetrius smiled again. “You will be.” He said with confidence I didn't share.