Cinderfella 2: A New Life - 52. Chapter 52

We returned to the manor just in time for dinner, even though Garth and Bent invited us to stay….that was nice, but they had three children! If they hadn’t planned for four extra mouths to feed…no, we wouldn’t do that. Both Seth and I told them, leaving home at first light was fine, but don’t arrive that early and expect we’ll be awake.

Kitty had gotten a clean bill of health from Garth and we rode back home. Toby and Dennis were feeling much better now.

Seth chuckled suddenly as we rode.

I grinned at Seth looking. “What?”

Seth thumbed at Kitty. “I just imagined Grace’s reaction to Kitty. That will be something to see.”

Seth was right. Once home we came in through the kitchen. It would soon be dinner time and she was working to get things ready.

“Grace,” I began. “…tomorrow Garth, Bent and their family are going to be here for breakfast.” I said to her back. “So there will be five additional guests to eat.”

Grace sighed and her shoulders sagged. “Sure, why not?”

“You have Delta to help, do we need more?” Seth asked. “We don’t want to overwork you. You’ve taken on a lot.”

Grace turned with a smile. “That might not be a bad idea. I’m cooking not only for you four and your two guests from Creid. I’m also cooking for the additional guards, so add five more per meal…” but her eyes grew. She pointed to the satchel as Kitty poked his head out to see where he was and what he was smelling! “Is that….”

I pulled Kitty out of the satchel. “This is Dennis and Toby’s new little friend Kitty.” I held up the little black cat who began purring.

“It’s a black cat!” Grace said not understanding why I was having no problem with that fact.

I frowned at her. “Is there going to be a problem? Surely an intelligent woman like you doesn’t believe those silly superstitions. There is nothing evil about Kitty. He’s a very friendly cat.” I walked closer to Grace. “And Dennis loves him.”

That fact seemed to make more impact and made Grace think a moment. “He’s staying in the house.”

I looked at Seth and then we both nodded. “At least we won’t have to worry about mice.”

Grace’s eye grew. “We don’t have mice!”

Seth chuckled. “And we won’t get them with Kitty here.”

Grace’s eyes narrowed. “Fine, but I’m not cleaning up after him.”

I chuckled sensing her surrender. What Dennis and Toby loved couldn’t be all bad. “Not a problem. We’ll ask someone to come and help with the cooking. Or we can ask Delta if she can cook. You’ll of course be in charge.” Then I touched her shoulder. “But tomorrow, when we have Garth and Bent, you’ll need to be here and be told what’s going on as we tell them. Okay?”

All the fun and casual confrontations went away. “It’s serious, isn’t it?”

Seth nodded. “Deadly.” He admitted softly.

It was the next morning we came down and saw Grace working hard, but being helped by Delta. And Delta seemed pleased to being needed more and Grace watched her and soon took her eyes off Delta. The guards were once again there as their shifts changed. Yannick came down as well greeting everyone, but especially Delta and Ryan was next. It was a good thing our kitchen and dining area was there and big as there were a lot of people here and then I heard a wagon arrive. Five more were just getting here. Garth and Bent came in with three young people with them.

Garth smiled putting his hand on his only son as they entered the dining area. “Seth, Erik, you remember Ely, my eldest?”

Seth and I nodded shaking the boy’s hand who was now grown into the beginnings of a handsome manhood.

“This is Rebecca, my middle and oldest daughter.” Garth motioned to the young girl about ten. “And Scarlet our youngest.” He said to the girl about seven. All of Garth’s children had the sandy colored hair of their father. The girls were going to be beautiful. “You all know Seth and Erik.” He said to his children.

Rebecca did a little curtsy. “Thank you for having us.”

“Your fathers and we have been good friends.” I told her. “You’re all welcome in our home.”

It was after breakfast, I got Garth, Bent and Grace in my office I had converted a little in to a work space for Ryan, Yannick, Seth and me. All were staring at the new equipment with amazement and we told Garth, Bent and Grace what we knew was happening.

“So, this Len Na is launching an attack…using something no one can see?” Grace repeated.

Seth gave a nod. “Well, yes…but we can see them now.” He motioned to a Seer. “These are not the little creatures that Len Na will be using, but you will see that there is a threat and Len Na will use new little creatures to attack mankind. If you care to look…”

The three did as everyone always did, look, check and look again. The truth of what we said was clear.

“And these little warriors you want to give us are the only chance for us to survive?” Bent asked for clarification.

“The only chance.” I nodded.

Grace grimaced, but rolled up her sleeve. “There’s no discussion. Do it.”

There were the expected tears from the children.

Yannick told Delta, who brought Tommy in and we did the same for her and her son and Tommy didn’t understand a lot of it, but the look he gave his mother was one of trust.

Keith Davidson, the mayor was next. Zek, Gabe, Curt, Daryl and more of the town was told. What made me smile was that not one said NO. Seth and I were trusted. Ryan, Yannick, Seth and I trained others what to do and how to do it. More bloodliquids was being taken. The warriors, Yannick, Ryan, Seth and I had these little warriors in our systems so we added them and more batches of these warriors were made and given.

Seth grinned as the town of Royal Valley was responding without question. There were some less…cooperative hearing what we said, but persuaded by others to comply. Seth looked at me. “Now, Blethos Capital.”

I nodded. “It will be slower with a wagon, but we’ll need some of our equipment to show and start creating the little warriors. We’ll need to bring some little warriors with us.” I grinned as Dennis played with Kitty on the office floor. “And we’ll need to bring the boys and of course, Kitty.”

My fear was that as we did this, Len Na would know and see what we were doing and begin the attack. We needed an escort by our guards, but we got things together to do that. The carriage Lukus had provided for us for the honeymoon and trip before was very handy. Toby, Dennis and Kitty could ride comfortably as we went. Yannick had insisted that he be one of the guards that escorted us, if for no other reason than to meet Sam. If Sam was like everyone else, the Creid reputation had to be dealt with. Ryan stayed to work with the people of Royal Valley and went every day to A’Dore to work with Dr. Warren as they were doing the same in A’Dore. Toby and Dennis had never been to Blethos Capital or any other town in Blethos and was fascinated by the trip.

When we arrived in Blethos’ palace, Toby and Dennis just stared. It was a big place. Toby was in awe at all the people and buildings. The palace was huge!

He signed to me. Uncle Sam and Aunt Terry live here?

I nodded. “Uncle Sam is the king of all of Blethos. Aunt Terry is queen.”

Toby thought a moment. He’s king of all this? He’s in charge of all this? How big is Blethos?

I motioned all around. “He’s king of everything we’ve seen from Royal Valley to here and much, much more.”

We had sent notification about our coming so Sam and Terry were there when we got there in the throne room.

Yannick was with us, but appeared in his leather armor and everyone knew what he was. Even the guards there in the throne room were ready for the trouble Yannick's appearance suggested, even though he’d done nothing.

I raised my hand to them all, looking at Sam. “Sam, this is the Crowned Prince Yannick of Creid. You can trust me. He’s a good man.” Then I grinned at Yannick who had at least removed his leather helmet that had the bear image shaped on his head. But the black did make him look menacing. “In spite of what you see, he’s proven he can be trusted.”

Seth nodded. “Trusted by me as well, so trust me, Sam.” Seth urged. “He is a good man.”

Sam looked at his brother and then back to Yannick. It was a few minutes before he nodded.

“In fact, without his help and a few others from Creid, we would lose this conflict before we even start. Their knowledge was key to coming up with a way of fighting Len Na and the little creatures.”

It was Terry that had the questions once everyone relaxed.

“Sam told me about what he’d done.” Terry said quietly. “About these….creatures so small that nearly killed Christian. Now there are more coming?”

I nodded. “There are, but we have something to help combat these new creatures. We have these little warriors that will help protect us. Christian was the first, then Seth and me. All of Royal Valley is getting ready. Now, we come to share it with Blethos as a whole. Starting with the two of you and Michael and Kristine. Our two boys have already had them inserted.”

Seth walked to Terry. “You’re smart and the people of Blethos will trust you. We came to show you what we’re talking about.”

To give more importance to how important ties with Creid was needed, I let Yannick explain as we went to a little room I’d prepared.

“Prince Erik and Prince Seth discovered little creatures and devised a way to see them.” Yannick began. “We had a man of science who devised a way of transferring what makes a man immune to another man without that man getting the illness or disease.” He began as we set things up for Sam and Terry. “A special something was given by Prince Erik to his brother to save his life. That something was the source of the little warriors. They kill pretty much everything that can attack a person inside. As a result for the next ten to twenty years Prince Erik, Seth and I will not get so much as a cold. And here they are.” He waved at the Seer I’d set up. “See for yourself.”

Once Sam and Terry saw some little creatures, we showed them the little warriors. We introduced some other little creatures that were causes of illness. They watched the little warriors attack the little creatures.

Terry nodded having seen the warriors work. “And how do we get them inside our bodies?”

I frowned. “It isn’t without some pain.” I showed her the Pusher and its needle.

Her eyes grew. “And you did this to your children?”

Seth walked toward her. “There is a choice to make here. Don’t hurt your children a little and they will die. If you do, they will live. There wasn’t a lot of choice.”

Like Ella, Terry considered what she’d seen and what we had told her. “A lot of people in Blethos aren’t that sophisticated. They won’t understand. We can’t show this to everyone.”

I nodded. “If they don’t…”

Terry nodded. “I know. Parents…mostly mothers don’t want to hurt their children. Many will not want to.”

Seth nodded. “And we will tell them what will happen if they don’t. We can tell them their children and they won't get so much as a cold for ten to twenty years.” Seth's eyebrows bounced when he said that.

“If they don't their children will die!” Terry said in horror.

I nodded. “And we can’t do anything about it. We can’t make them protect their children like this.”

Terry shook her head. “If a person raises a knife to kill, we stop them. If parents simply don’t understand, isn’t that the same as raising a knife?”

I shrugged a nod. “It is, but how do you enforce that? Sam can’t make a law to force parents. That would be much worse. We cause more to turn away not trusting us.” I smiled. “Ella had the same reaction as you did.”

“Ella? Is she here?” Terry asked looking for some support as a mother and queen.

“No.” Sam said quietly putting his hand on her arm. “But I’ve spoken to Christian and Ella. They’re reactions were the same.”

Terry shook her head. “You went to Royal Valley a few days, you couldn’t have seen Christian or Ella unless they were here.”

Sam nodded. “But I did. I spoke with and even touched both Christian and Ella. Please believe me. There are things in this world that are pretty hard to believe, but I traveled to from Royal Valley and A’Dore and then back from A’Dore to Royal Valley in less than a day. In seconds!” He took a deep breath. “Ella’s story of the Fairy Godmother is true.”

Terry’s eyes widened. “Sam! Have you lost your mind!?”

Sam grinned waving at her as he looked at me and Seth. “See!? What did I tell you? She’s ready to lock me away now! I said she would!”

“I had Fairy Godfather.” I smiled. “Demetrius, who Sam has met…only he’s not my godfather now.”

Terry looked from Sam to Seth and then me. All of us was nodding. “That’s just so….”

“Insane?” Sam asked.

“Crazy.” Seth nodded.

“But it’s true!” I smiled leaning toward her. “In fact, my godfather is how Seth and I got together. He was the one that told us about Len Na.”

Terry nodded. “And told you about these things?” She waved at the Seer.

Sam frowned. “Terry! We don’t have time for this.” He said loud and firm making his wife jump a little. “I’ve never lied about something this serious. I’ve seen him. You know and have seen Seth is no longer that scarred man. There are things we can’t understand. You have to believe me. I wasn’t hallucinating, I seen this man and I know he’s real.”

Terry was wrestling with the facts and at last sat down.

“Don’t blame the lady too much.” Demetrius said coming out of a wall with his usual casual way on the opposite side of the room where there was no door or way in. He hadn’t been there and now he was. Terry’s eyes grew. “Queen Theresa is a practical woman and tales of fairies and magic are not logical.”

Terry got up suddenly her eyes widening as everyone’s did at first.

I walked over to Demetrius. “And as usual, your timing is perfect.” I grinned hugging Demetrius then turning to Terry. “This is my…or rather was Seth’s and my godfather Demetrius.”

“But we’re still friends.” Demetrius nodded looking at Terry. “And here we go again. So, I’ll save you the questions by answering beforehand, I’m not a demon or angel, I’m a man who can access magic. I’m not good or bad, I just am, but I’m here to warn you all…Len Na knows and she has things in works that will be a problem.” He said seriously. “Right now in A’Dore there is a growing movement among people, influenced by Len Na, not to get these little warriors, as you call them.” He pointed to the Seer. “The people siding with her are raising questions and demanding King Christian to stop spreading lies.”

“Christian has never spread lies!” I protested.

Seth shook his head. “What lies? We have proof!” He said nodding to the Seer.

“They are saying its dark powers and from the depths of Hell.” Demetrius said quietly.

Sam nodded. “I’ll bet they will say the same here.”

Demetrius nodded. “Most certainly.”

Terry’s shock lessened. “And you expect us to believe you’re not because you say so?” She asked suspiciously.

“No.” Seth shook his head. “You’re trusting my knowledge of him over the years and what he’s helped us gain, my marriage to Erik, our two boys. He’s what he says he is and on our side.” He said putting his arm around Demetrius who just smiled with a short nod to Terry.

“Well, we’ve got a lot to do, Terry.” Sam said to his wife.

She thought a minute and then shrugged. “So, what do we do to get them in me?”