Cinderfella 2: A New Life - 33. Chapter 33

I stayed by Christian’s side most of that night and much into the next day. While he slept I did go and asked those at the door to make space in the hall. I needed to bath and see my husband who had to be worried in a way I hoped I’d never know. I didn’t know much about these tiny creatures, but I wasn’t taking the chance that one could go from me to someone else as I passed. I used another bedroom the palace used for guests and had some clean clothes for me delivered. Bathed and put what I’d worn there to the side of the room. These little creatures…I didn’t know how they lived or how long. Would washing be enough? Would my clothes need to be destroyed? I bathed in water that was almost too hot, but would that be enough? After bathing, I dressed and went into the hall and was immediately grabbed by Seth who hugged me so tightly.

“I heard you were bathing.” Seth said holding me back to look at me. “I had to see you. Are you okay? Is Christian getting better? How is he?”

I saw Ella come up behind us also looking worried.

I nodded. “He’s alive.” I assured them. “And that fluid seems to be working. He’s stronger, but without the Aspri-Willow he’s still a little feverish. So those things are still in him, but Christian seems to be fighting them. He’s winning.”

Ella just put her head in her hands and wept a little in relief.

I kissed Seth. “I’m fine. Nothing aching or attacking me.”

“Can I see him?” Ella asked.

I nodded. “He wants to, believe me, but he wants to get rid of those things completely before he does.” I touched my sister-in-law’s hand. “He doesn’t want to risk you getting those things. I can understand how that would be his whole focus.” I shook my head. “But why was it he only got it? How did you escape?” I asked Ella.

She shook her head. “He met with a man from Parisia. He wasn’t showing the symptoms at first. And I got a bad cold, so to keep from giving it to Christian, I slept apart from him…to get rid of the cold before we came together again.”

I nodded. “This may be the only time a cold saved a person’s life. And the lives of your children, but no one else in the kingdom has these things?”

Ella shook her head. “The man was staying here in the palace. When he got sick, it happened so quickly. How these creatures only were given to Christian, I don’t know.”

I nodded. “If I didn’t know better, it almost sounds like an attack on Christian.”

“But why?” Seth frowned asking. “Who?”

I shrugged. “That’s what we need to find out.” I said hugging him again. “How are the boys?”

Seth smiled. “Having a great time with their cousins.”

I looked at Ella’s distraught face. “He’s getting stronger, Ella. I know he’ll pull through. I can’t imagine what it would be like to have Seth sick and not be able to touch him. This has got to be so hard for you.”

She was back to being a queen. She raised her head and smiled. “If it means he lives, that’s all that matters.”

I nodded kissing her on the cheek. “He will. I’ll do all I can to make sure he does.” I turned to Seth. “Now, I want to see Toby and Dennis.”

Seth grinned. “I know they want to see you.” He pointed down the corridor and led the way. When we were out of earshot of Ella, he turned to me. “Do you think this was an attack?” He asked me.

I shrugged as we continued down the corridor. “It almost seems so. We’ll know more when we talk to Christian more.”

I entered the playroom with my nieces and nephews. But I was instantly hugged on the leg by Toby. Dennis was babbling at me, trying to stand already to come over. He instead gave up and crawled to me. I hugged Toby and walked over to pick up Dennis. That was tricky, holding one while trying to get them both. I ended sitting down so I wouldn’t drop either. Toby’s hands were going and I missed most of what he said. Where had I been? That I got.

“Okay.” I said to them both. “I have a brother, like you two have. Daddy has one, too. Only my brother got sick. I had to help him. I gave him medicine to make him strong to get better. That’s where I’ve been.” I explained.

Toby signed again. Is he better?

I nodded. “He’s getting there. I think he will be soon. Until then, be good for Daddy and I’ll be back with you soon. I promise.”

Thomas walked over. You could see him trying to be as adult as he could be. “You got here so fast. How did you do that?”

I looked at Seth. Then back to my nephew. “If I tell you, you have to swear not to tell a soul, I mean no one can know other than this family.”

Thomas looked doubtful, but nodded. “Okay.”

“You know about your mother’s fairy godmother?” I asked.

His brow wrinkled. “Those are just stories.”

I knew Christian had doubts before until he met them. “They aren’t just stories. Your mother did have a fairy godmother. I had a fairy godfather.”

Thomas looked to Seth as if he would shake his head or nod. “Did he? Have a fairy godfather?”

Seth frowned. “Why would your uncle lie? I’ve met his godfather, and I’ve met your mother’s godmother. They are real.”

“This is hard to believe, but they were fairies?” I saw Thomas struggle with the idea. I was his uncle and Ella was his mother and he struggled to believe the unbelievable. Why would we lie to him? But it was just made up, right? “I mean, magical and all that?”

I nodded. “They can do magic and all that.” Then I got serious. “Now, what I’m going to tell you we can prove. When your father got sick, I was given a way to get here faster. Instantly. I was given a door we could step through that was like going from one room into another. Only it was from our home Blethos to here in A’Dore. But in order to do that. Your mother and I had to give up our godparents.”

“Because of Dad?” Thomas asked.

“It wasn’t his fault. But in order for me to get here fast, I’d willingly give up access to magic for your father’s life. He’s my brother.” I smiled at Thomas. “So, do you want to see the doorway?”

Thomas nodded.

Entering his parents’ room I directed him to the wall the mirror was. Thomas looked at the mirror he’d never seen before, but showed the reflection of the room.

“It’s a mirror.” Thomas shrugged.

I turned him to face me. “But what I’m going to show you goes nowhere else.” I stressed again.

“Okay.” Thomas nodded again.

I pressed the crystal to the right and the image blurred then refocused on what was our attic.

Thomas’ eyes grew. “How…?” He looked closer and saw more of the attic like looking through a window until his head hit the glass of this window.

“Sorry.” I chuckled, pulling him back. “That was just to see into our home. If you want to go through.” I pressed the other to the left, the bottom and top. “Now try it.”

Now Thomas put his hand up and pressed forward into our attic in Blethos. A thousand miles away. His eyes grew even more! “How does it do that?”

I shrugged. “Even Demetrius, my godfather didn’t know. It just cuts distance away.” But I pulled Thomas back. “No one can know.”

“Got it.” Thomas nodded. Then he looked sadly. “Is Dad really getting better?”

“He’s trying and I’m doing what I can to ensure he does. He means a lot to you, but he means a lot to me, too.” I said.

Thomas hugged me. Even though he was trying to be an adult, but he was still a little boy inside.

“Now, I should get back to your father. He’s got a ways to go yet.” I said.

Back in the room Christian was in, I saw that he was awake trying to get up. I put the breather on quickly and hurried to his side giving him my arm to keep him up.

“Bathroom.” Christian said smiling telling me where he was heading. “I thought I could make it.”

“I’m not leaving, Christian.” I assured again. “I just wanted to see Seth, the boys and tell Ella you’re doing better.”

Christian nodded as we went to the bathroom. “I didn’t think you left.” He chuckled. “But I will need help to make water.”

“Whatever you need.” I helped him get the nightshirt up and sit down. I felt his forehead. It was still a little warm, but he was not as sweaty as before. “You’ve almost licked these little buggers. But not quite.” Then after I got him back in bed. “So, this man from Parisia. Who was he?”

“Jean Claude Remiere.” My brother said. “A nice man. He was proposing a business in A’Dore.”

I nodded. “He breathed on you?”

Christian frowned. “No more than others.”

“So, how did you become invaded?” I asked. “Was there something odd that happened?”

Christian thought and shook his head. Then he frowned as he remembered. “There was one instance…it was nothing I thought. He bumped me.”

“Bumped you?” I asked.

Christian nodded and held up his arm. “I got snagged on something sharp. It cut me a little. A scratch really.” He showed me a part of his left arm where a scratch was healing. “He scratched himself when he did it much more severely.” Then he thought more. “He really was quite upset. I remember telling him that it was no big deal, but he almost seemed…panicked.”

I nodded. “That’s when he got sick?”

Christian nodded. “That evening, the same as I did. Only his cut was deeper and he died so quickly.”

I frowned. “So these creatures could have come from that scratch. On him was a cut. He must have known he got more of those little creatures than you did.” I shrugged. “He knew he was going to die.”

Christian frowned. “An assassination attempt?”

I nodded. “These things must be able to invade quicker by a cut. But I was warned about breathing them…I don’t know. They may only live a short time out of our bodies.” I shook my head. “Is there anyone else out there that has more hostile intentions than say….well…anybody?”

Christian shrugged. “No more than usual. But who would do this?”

“That’s the question.” I pondered. “We need to find the answer.”

“But these things travel in the air?” Christian asked.

I chuckled. “I’d say close air, but yes. That’s why I was glad Ella had that terrible cold.”

Christian nodded smiling. “She wouldn’t even hug me. She was hoarse and coughing….”

“That saved her life.” I nodded. “And therefore saved your children. I know how affectionate Ella is with the children and she stayed away from them, too. I’d say someone not only wanted to kill you, but the whole family.”

“But he or she would have to know if doing that, you would be next in line to be king if we all died.” Christian said.

“Who would want to kill you and have me become king? I was one for a while. King Consort, but still king. I never wanted the throne, in Blethos or A’Dore.”

Christian smiled. “But you’d be a great king. You’re our father’s son.”

I ran my fingers over his forehead and in his hair. “No, Christian. You’re our father’s son. I’m your brother. In ways I can’t put into words. You were my father.”

I saw his face soften. “Me?”

I nodded. “You were always my hero. First my brother, then my hero, then I knew you as a prince, a husband to Ella and then king. I wanted to be just like you. So, as you wanted to be like Dad, I am like him because of you. I even married a man that is like you in so many ways. You are my role model.”

Christian looked stunned. “I had no idea.”

I grinned. “Oh, come on, Christian. Know that I would give my life for Ella, my children and your children. But there are two men I would not even have to think about giving my life for. That’s Seth and you.” I hesitated. “I’ve been little in love with you since I was twelve.”

“What!?” Christian didn’t recoil, but he was surprised.

I chuckled. “Relax. I never wanted to marry you. I fell in love with the idea of you as a model to follow.” I grinned. “That would have been too weird, even for me if we did more. But isn’t it normal for a little girl to marry a man she models after her father? In my case, and I’m not a girl, but that model was you. You’re kind, smart, unselfish, gallant and noble. And you have to admit, you’re very easy on the eyes.” I smiled. “That’s what I see in Seth. He has so many of those qualities in him that you have. And he was born, like you, the son of king and born to be king. Naturally I fell in love with him.” I got closer to Christian. “Now get better. I won’t let you die. You’ve got a family out there waiting anxiously. And a kingdom full of people that love you. But I love you the most….” I chuckled again. “…well, there’s Ella. She loves you more.”

Christian smiled at that. “You’re a good man, Erik.”

“I try to be.” I turned at the knock on the door. “That must be something for you to eat.” I went to the door and now the servant didn’t gasp when she saw me. I thanked her and took the tray. Coming back, I put the tray down. “Now, do you think you can feed yourself? Or do I need to feed you again?”

Christian laughed picking up the tray. “I think I can handle it.”

I touched his forehead. Even without the Aspir-Willow he was feeling cooler to the touch. I grinned. “I think you’ve kicked those little creatures away. But we’ll see. A few more hours.”

“These little creatures.” Christian said as he ate. “How do we fight something we can’t see?”

I thought about that. “We’ll have to think of something.” I assured. “We just need to get ready. If this was just an attack on you, that’s one thing. If was an attack on our family, that’s something else. But I can’t ask Demetrius or any of the others like him about it now. We’ll have to do it on our own this time.” I tapped the breather. “We may need more of these, but we’ll have to make them, too.”

Christian looked, tilting his head as if that would help him see better. “What’s it made of?”

“That’s another thing we need to find out.” I nodded. “I will have to find a way to see things very small to find something that will work. It might keep those creatures out and let air in, but it’s damned uncomfortable.”

“If it works, and I’d say it does.” Christian observed. Then he shrugged. “We’ve lived all this time with no magical assistance, we can do it now.”

I nodded. “And we will.” But I had to figure out how.