Father of Mine

Disclaimer-Not mine, don't sue.

Chapter One an Unexpected Visitor

Mirana glared imperiously at the man that stood before her throne. He was in his late sixties, with graying black hair, faded green eyes, and he wrung hands that were callused and scarred from years of hard labor. He was wearing clothes that had once been fashionable and well-cut, but now they were faded from the sun and patched haphazardly. He had the air of a seaman, and Mirana frowned as he began to speak.

"Majesty, all I want to know is the whereabouts of Alannah Sullivan. I have asked several people on my way to your palace, and the most I could get out of anyone was that she is living here at Marmoreal. I have travelled many days to see her. Please, could you tell me if she is here? If you are worried about my intentions, I swear by Time that they are nothing but honorable. I simply wish to see her, and to speak to her. So please, is she here?"

Mirana nodded. "She is, but it is likely that she will be extremely unwilling to speak to you. I know I would if I were in her shoes. You haven't exactly been a constant presence in her life, after all."

The man frowned in thought, and then brightened up. "Could you just have one of your servants tell her that there is someone who has travelled a long way to see her and speak to her? That way, she'll come if only to find out whom it is."

Mirana sighed. "I suppose that could work. Let's see, this time of day she's usually in the gardens replenishing her stores." She glided over to the door, and called for a servant. When one arrived, she gave him the order to find Alannah and bring her to the throne room. "But don't tell her anything beyond what I told you. Is that understood?"

The servant bowed deeply, then left for the gardens, and Mirana returned to her throne. "Now all we can do is wait. Alannah should be along soon enough."

The man nodded, and then looked at Mirana, puzzled. "What did you mean by replenishing her stores?"

Mirana smiled. "Her herbal stores. Alannah is the Royal Court Healer, and she is one of the most singularly gifted Healers this Court has ever seen. She has saved numerous lives with her knowledge of potions."

"That is an unprecedented honor, Majesty. When your parents were on the throne, it would have been unheard of."

Alannah sang softly to herself as she gathered the herbs into her basket. She was planning on brewing another healing draught, and she also wanted to make a few more passion potions-the one that she had brewed was beginning to lose its potency. The night before, Stayne had ruefully remarked that he was only able to last for an hour. When Alannah had breathlessly pointed out that he had been quite energetic for the whole hour, he had laughingly acknowledged the truth of the statement, but had still pleaded with her to make a new potion. She had refused at first, and he resorted to tickling her until she agreed to gather the ingredients needed. He lay back in triumph, and she responded by smacking him with her pillow before settling back to sleep.

The next morning, she woke early to go into the gardens and replenish her stores, only to find Katarina awake and sitting at the breakfast table. "Morning, Momma!"

Alannah walked over and kissed her on the forehead. "Morning, sweetheart. You want me to make you some breakfast before I go into the gardens?'

Katarina nodded. "Momma, when will I be old enough to make potions?"

Alannah reached up into the cold cupboard, pulled out the eggs, then looked at Katarina in slight surprise. "I didn't know you wanted to learn how to make potions. But if you want to learn, I suppose you're old enough now."

Katarina gulped. "Well, I don't really want to know, but…"

"But what, honey? Why ask me if you don't want to know?"

Katarina looked at Alannah, tears in her eyes. "Because you're really good at it, and I thought maybe if I knew how to do it, I could be as important as you are, and have lots of people look up to and admire me. I can't do anything." At that, she burst into tears.

Alannah walked over and knelt next to her. "Katarina, darling, you do not have to learn potion brewing to be important, and there are many things you are capable of doing. You are turning out to be a truly talented artist. I saw the picture of the Bandersnatch that you drew, and it is excellent. I know that's something you enjoy doing, right? And you also are quite the good big sister. Michael adores you, and I know you feel the same about him. And you know what, darling? You don't need to be admired by the masses to be important. You are admired, and loved deeply, by many people already. So dry those pretty green eyes, little one. I am good at brewing potions, but I could not draw like you could. We all have different talents." She kissed Katarina's forehead. "Now, do you want raspberry or strawberry tarts?"

"Strawberry, please, Momma." Katarina smiled. Her Momma was right, she thought. She was good at drawing. "Momma?"

"Yes, darling?"

"I still want to learn how to brew a changing potion."

Alannah frowned. "That's a very complicated potion. Why that one?"

Katarina grinned wickedly, and Alannah laughed at how much she looked like her Daddy in that moment. "I want to turn the stable boy into a donkey. He's always making fun of me, and he pushed Arianna down yesterday. He's a mean boy."

"Who's a mean boy?" Stayne came into the room, Michael in his arms. "Katarina, who's a mean boy?"

"The stable boy, Daddy. I want Momma to teach me how to make a changing potion so I can turn him into a donkey."

Stayne laughed. "That's a worthy endeavor, honey, but I'm not sure it's a good idea. His mommy and daddy might be a bit upset with you if you turned their only child into a donkey. So why don't you think of another way?"

Katarina pouted. "Alright. Momma, are the tarts almost ready? I'm hungry."

Alannah grinned and pulled the tarts out of the oven. "They are ready. Ilosivic, if you and Michael could please sit, I will serve breakfast."

After breakfast, Stayne had agreed to watch Michael and Katarina while Alannah went herb gathering. She was nearly finished when she noticed a servant heading for her. "Lady Alannah, Queen Mirana requests that you come to the throne room right away. There is someone there who has travelled many miles to see you."

Alannah frowned. "Did this mysterious visitor give a name or reason for wanting to see me?"

The servant shook his head. "No, My Lady, but both he and Queen Mirana were quite insistent that you come."

"Very well. Let me take these herbs back home, and then I will do as Her Majesty asks."

"Of course, My Lady."

Stayne looked up as Alannah walked into the cottage, recognizing from her body language that she was preoccupied. "What's on your mind, love?"

She set the basket of herbs on the table, and frowned at him. "There's someone here to see me. I don't know who, though. The servant could only tell me that whoever it is has travelled a long way."

"Where is this person?"

Alannah sighed. "The throne room, so I'm pretty sure his intentions are honorable. If they were not, he would not have announced his presence to Mirana. So you don't have to worry about me. I'll go and see who it is."

Stayne walked over and kissed her on the crown of her head. "Good luck. You know where to find me if you need me."

Alannah hesitated in front of the door to the throne room, her mind racing. Who was this mysterious visitor? What did he want, and why was he asking for her? She took a deep breath to fortify herself, and knocked firmly on the door. "Come in", called Mirana, and Alannah walked in. At first, she didn't notice the man, as he was standing quietly against the wall.

"Mirana, you sent for me?"

Mirana nodded, and Alannah noticed that she seemed slightly nervous. "I did. There's someone here who wants to see you, and I was afraid that if I told you who it was, you would refuse to see him."

Alannah frowned. "Why, who is it?"

Mirana said nothing, but instead pointed towards the wall. Alannah turned, and her eyes widened in shock.

The man smiled hesitantly at her. "Hello Alannah."

Alannah took a deep breath, and then spoke as calmly as she could.

"Hello, Father."