Mel sat in her throne gently drumming the tips of her fingers on the armrests. She was lonely. The day was very young and she was the only one awake. Jaz always woke first, and Mel knew she would be in the throne room any minute. She hoped that within a few days K would also be joining them for their morning meetings.
Mel's husband, King Alex, had taken Rocky, along with the duke, to open trade routes to the North. Even though Rocky was only 10 Alex insisted he learn the ways of politics. Mel knew her son wanted none of it, he waned to be ruler, yes; but he was a boy, a boy with the spirit of wild adventurous beast. He was strong ad brave, as well as easily bored with adult doings.
Mel looked outside, the sun had just crested the far away hills and although, her land was bright and sunny her heart had a huge gray cloud hanging over it shadowing her emotions. She missed her son, the thing she loved most in the world.
The doors flew open and in stepped Jaz along side a handsome man. He was an exotic creature, tall and slender. His limbs were rather long and her appeared awkwardly lanky. His hair was a beautiful platinum blonde, and eyes were an arresting golden color, like that of a cat. He smiled.
Mel laughed, she had been awaiting the pair.
"Jaz," Mel said standing and gliding over to her friend.
"Mel," Jaz stated solemnly, acknowledging Mel's greeting.
Mel turned her attention to the man, "Copperclaw, why the disguise today? Is there a special occasion I am missing out on?"
"Not at all my Queen." He said in his thickly accented voice. He scooped her hand up and pressed his thin lips to the back of it, "I simply wished to come onto the castle today."
"Ahhh," Mel smiled knowingly, "well I supposed you have gotten a bit big to fit through the doors or sleep on the floor at supper time."
"Tell me friends, have you heard from K lately?"
Jaz smirked, "Last I heard she had taken up with an inn keeper. Word has it he is large and handsome," she clasped her hands to her chest pretending to sigh dreamily, then quickly dropping her hands to her side she smiled in her deviously evil way, "but also posses the angry temper she favors in a man."
Mel smiled wearily, "I wish she would be content to settle somewhere and start a life."
"Yes, well she would rather stay here and never settle," Jaz said.
Copperclaw commented calmly as he eyed the cat curled at the base of Mel's throne, "What you really want is for her to settle here so that you can mother her like you do everyone else and so she might appear content with life."
Jaz reached out a hand and stroked the back of Copperclaw's neck; in so doing she was telling him, not only, to let her deal with Mel but also not to act foolishly and to leave the cat alone.
"She has been gone several fortnights, she will feel the longing for home soon and will return."
"Yes Jaz, I am sure you are right. Will you and Copperclaw join me for lunch?"
"I will sit with you." Jaz offered going to the window. She peeked out across the land that she helped Mel run. Jaz wished everyday K would return, she missed her cousin dearly.
"Alex and Rocky should be back any day now."
Jaz continued to stare out the window "That's good. I know now isn't the best time, but no time is really a fabulous time to bring up old memories, however, lately I've been hearing all kinds of talk among the people of the Spirit Knights."
Copperclaw laughed, "Yes when I mingle I hear plenty of stories of the legendary conclave. I remember them well."
Mel smiled, "Yeah?"
Jaz nodded looking over to Mel, "it's true."
"I still think of them at least once a day," Mel said looking to a portrait of her son that hung on the wall across from her.
"Yes, well holding onto the past keeps us from looking forward," Jaz snapped.
"I think you're just bitter," Copper snickered, "You know you miss him. Admit it."
Jaz felt her cheeks get hot.
"Come on Jaz," Mel eased calmly, trying not to make her friend mad, "You can't ignore facts."
Jaz still had a hot temper, "I can't believe you! Both of you! I am an adult; I don't live in a candy-coated dream world. I haven't got time for that!" Jaz snapped turning for the pair and stalking out of the room letting the door slam behind her.
"Mel looked over to Copper with a grin, "She was thinking about him, she mentioned candy."
Copper gave a wide toothy grin.
"After all the decisions I've helped make for her, for him; for the family, for this town, this county and her nation. No gratitude, none!" Jaz growled to herself.
"What troubles you?" K met Jaz when she rounded a corner.
"K." Jaz said, "I am glad to see you home."
The two embraced.
"What were you ranting about?" K questioned.
"Ranting, I wasn't ranting! Mel and Copper were accusing me of thinking of old emotions."
"Tum tum?" K asked.
"What's with all of you today?" Jaz asked angrily as she turned from her cousin and stalked off again.
K shook her head and smiled as she watched Jaz walk quickly away. "As always it was a pleasure my dear friend. I shall see you at supper."
K walked into the war room and closing her eyes she breathed in deeply. K loved the floral sent that Mel somehow managed to keep lingering in the room. The room was cold and dark like any proper war room. It's walls were covered in weaponry, and it's tables in treaties and maps. There were no tapestries or paintings. The room's windows were set high in order to maximize the amount of daylight that could filter in. It was a fully functional room and its harshness would seem intimidating, if only it did not smell of spring lilies.
K removed a handful of parchments and set them on a table near the door. While she would not be questioned until tomorrow, her reports were always turned in the moment she arrived.
She studied the other charts on the table, something was not right. These papers were seriously outdated. The maps boundaries were not right; the northern boundary should be further in. She studied the maps a little longer. No, they definitely were not right. She thought about their neighbors to the north. Not a friendly people. They had never agreed to a meeting. They were fairly barbaric and seemed to have no need for the fineries Mel's (and most other kingdoms for that matter) thrived on. They had, in fact, brought on battles to control the northern woods and forests. K frowned, these maps still reflected the ownership of Galainwood to Mel's kingdom. K dashed from the room, the map still crumpled in her hand.
"Mel…" she huffed running into the throne room.
"K…we've been waiting for you."
"No time" K waved a hand, "where did your husband go?"
"To open trade routes," Mel stepped from her throne with a worried look pressed firmly on her face, after all Rocky was with them, "why?"
"Which way?" K asked quickly.
"To the north, through Galainwood."
"Oh no," K said.
"K you don't understand, we were cleaning out all the old treaties and maps and we discovered Galainwood. It has been of no interest to us for generations but now that a new port has been built on the coast east of there the woods offer the best rout between here and the port. Alex explained it all to me. It will greatly benefit the kingdom."
K breathed in and focused her will power towards not calling Alex any names, which she would later regret.
"Mel…the reason Galainwood has not been used or thought of much for generations is because for generations it has belonged to Gaul and his people."
Mel stared at K wide eyed, "that is not possible. Why wouldn't Alex know?"
"He had to have known, it was won by them in a war. I'll tell you the whole story later. But now I must ride to offer what help I can. How long ago did they leave?"
"Wait, you aren't going anywhere until you tell me what is going on." Mel said in desperation clutching Mel's arm.
"It's simple Mel. Come with me. I'll show you." Mel and k began down the hall.
"Oh no," Copper said taking Mel's thrown once they'd gone, "I sense danger."
K was busy explaining to Mel how she'd been fooled, "4 generations ago, this land belonged to Tor and his family. Remember?"
Mel nodded.
"Tor was a terrible ruler. Fat and lazy, he over taxed and underpaid."
Mel nodded again.
"Alex's family took the throne from him. But look," K held up the map to Mel, "this is his seal. Which means this map is as old as his dynasty. The border is far closer to us now. The barbarians hold all this land," K pointed to a large area forest over Northwood.
"But that means that that land isn't safe and Alex took my son through that dangerous wilderness."
K nodded, "He sent Jaz and I off on meaningless tasks to keep us away so we wouldn't be able to tell you about the border."
"But why would he do that?" Mel asked with a truly dumbfounded look upon her face.
K shrugged, "To show off. To be noble or at least try to be. All he is really doing is being stupid and putting your son in serious danger."
Mel and K had since made it to the war-room. K pulled maps off from shelves and rolled them out on the long tables.
"See the progression through Alex's family? And now," k released the third map, "the most recent topography with your family seal on it."
Mel studied it. It was true; the border was well below the mountain range that had designated the border between Northwood and the frosty unknown that lie in the land above that Alex's map had shown.
"This is so not good." K paced the length of the war room. Jaz was perched on a table flipping through the latest status reports on the different branches of Northwood's Army.
For the first time in a long time Jaz's voice was filled with emotion and concern, "Is Mel going to be all right?"
"I don't know. Jaz, how could this happen. We were gone barely a turn of the moon and now the king is dead, the prince has been kidnapped by an army of barbarians who very likely could, any moment, decide to go to war against Mel and her kingdom. Mean while the ruler of this kingdom was hauled off to her room in complete hysterics," K paced a few more steps before she stopped again, "I can not even imagine receiving my husband's head in a basket, a cruel note attached from the man who killed him."
Jaz swallowed, "K, under any other circumstances I would be the last to suggest this; but, while the three of us mobilize the army and try to salvage Mel's kingdom, we need a small group of people who we can trust to sneak beyond enemy lines and steal Rocky back."
K responded, barely above a whisper, "The Spirit Knights."
"That's nice," Rocky smiled, he was lying.
"Great," Rebecca, Rocky's fiancée, giggled in her high-pitched voice, "I'll take it." She tossed another outfit over the pile of clothes rocky was already holding.
"Aren't you excited rocky?" She smiled, "this is going to be your first assignment with the FBI. And the first Father Son team since the Jacksons' in 1964."
Rocky nodded and with a fake smile pressed on his lips said, "Yeah, exciting."
Rocky had been in school since he could remember. He had acquired his mater's degree and applied with the FBI. Right away they picked him up. He was in perfect shape, young, strong and bright.
Colt caught up with them, "Looks good on you Rocky." Colt laughed picking up a stray pair of underwear Rebecca had picked out and placing them on Rocky's head as he stood his arms immobilized by the pile of clothes.
Rebecca snatched the panties from Rocky's head and clearing her throat she corrected him, "Samuel."
Colt shrugged with a grin. "Whatever."
Colt had disappointed his parents where Rocky had more than impressed them. Colt was a street cop, making dangerous drug busts. Although his profession was noble and his services needed it was thoughtlessly reckless and extremely dangerous. Mr. Douglas had had several talks with him about how his life was worth much more, and how he should be using it properly. Colt had blown him off. Colt had many live-in girl friends. Recently he had been kicked out of Allison's, his most recent interest, apartment. They had been dating for a grand total of 2 months and 3 weeks. Colt had gone home telling his parents he would only stay for a little while.
"Well, I'm outta here," Colt said specifically to Rebecca, "I'll catch you later Rocky," he emphasized the Rocky.
"Bye Colt."
"Samuel, when are you going to grow up and quit this childish nick-name thing?"
"They're our ninja names."
Rebecca rolled her eyes and sighed, "Oh please, not the ninja crap again."
The coach blew his whistle, "Michael! Get you ass over here. The rest of you give me two laps around the field and see if we can't wake you up a bit."
"Sorry coach, my arm's a little stiff today."
"Yeah, right. Michael we had a talk about staying out all night drinking, didn't we?"
"Yeah coach."
"So the reason you're hung over…?"
"Sorry coach, it won't happen again."
"Yeah, I've heard that before. Go home Michael, and stay there until class in the morning."
Tum tum went for his warm up bag. He shoveled his clothes into it, mumbling about being drunk. Tum tum was a 3rd time sophomore, but he made a hell of a quarterback. Mr. and Mrs. Douglas refused to let him go to Cancun again this spring break. They told him if her didn't pass this semester he would have to start paying for his own school or get a full time job.
Tum tum had tried the job thing, several times. He lost all 4 jobs he had had since the New Year 3 months ago. He had complained about Cancun, at first, but when Rocky suggested they go up to Grandpa's cabin for that week Tum tum had let the dream of another spring break in Mexico go.
Mel's husband, King Alex, had taken Rocky, along with the duke, to open trade routes to the North. Even though Rocky was only 10 Alex insisted he learn the ways of politics. Mel knew her son wanted none of it, he waned to be ruler, yes; but he was a boy, a boy with the spirit of wild adventurous beast. He was strong ad brave, as well as easily bored with adult doings.
Mel looked outside, the sun had just crested the far away hills and although, her land was bright and sunny her heart had a huge gray cloud hanging over it shadowing her emotions. She missed her son, the thing she loved most in the world.
The doors flew open and in stepped Jaz along side a handsome man. He was an exotic creature, tall and slender. His limbs were rather long and her appeared awkwardly lanky. His hair was a beautiful platinum blonde, and eyes were an arresting golden color, like that of a cat. He smiled.
Mel laughed, she had been awaiting the pair.
"Jaz," Mel said standing and gliding over to her friend.
"Mel," Jaz stated solemnly, acknowledging Mel's greeting.
Mel turned her attention to the man, "Copperclaw, why the disguise today? Is there a special occasion I am missing out on?"
"Not at all my Queen." He said in his thickly accented voice. He scooped her hand up and pressed his thin lips to the back of it, "I simply wished to come onto the castle today."
"Ahhh," Mel smiled knowingly, "well I supposed you have gotten a bit big to fit through the doors or sleep on the floor at supper time."
"Tell me friends, have you heard from K lately?"
Jaz smirked, "Last I heard she had taken up with an inn keeper. Word has it he is large and handsome," she clasped her hands to her chest pretending to sigh dreamily, then quickly dropping her hands to her side she smiled in her deviously evil way, "but also posses the angry temper she favors in a man."
Mel smiled wearily, "I wish she would be content to settle somewhere and start a life."
"Yes, well she would rather stay here and never settle," Jaz said.
Copperclaw commented calmly as he eyed the cat curled at the base of Mel's throne, "What you really want is for her to settle here so that you can mother her like you do everyone else and so she might appear content with life."
Jaz reached out a hand and stroked the back of Copperclaw's neck; in so doing she was telling him, not only, to let her deal with Mel but also not to act foolishly and to leave the cat alone.
"She has been gone several fortnights, she will feel the longing for home soon and will return."
"Yes Jaz, I am sure you are right. Will you and Copperclaw join me for lunch?"
"I will sit with you." Jaz offered going to the window. She peeked out across the land that she helped Mel run. Jaz wished everyday K would return, she missed her cousin dearly.
"Alex and Rocky should be back any day now."
Jaz continued to stare out the window "That's good. I know now isn't the best time, but no time is really a fabulous time to bring up old memories, however, lately I've been hearing all kinds of talk among the people of the Spirit Knights."
Copperclaw laughed, "Yes when I mingle I hear plenty of stories of the legendary conclave. I remember them well."
Mel smiled, "Yeah?"
Jaz nodded looking over to Mel, "it's true."
"I still think of them at least once a day," Mel said looking to a portrait of her son that hung on the wall across from her.
"Yes, well holding onto the past keeps us from looking forward," Jaz snapped.
"I think you're just bitter," Copper snickered, "You know you miss him. Admit it."
Jaz felt her cheeks get hot.
"Come on Jaz," Mel eased calmly, trying not to make her friend mad, "You can't ignore facts."
Jaz still had a hot temper, "I can't believe you! Both of you! I am an adult; I don't live in a candy-coated dream world. I haven't got time for that!" Jaz snapped turning for the pair and stalking out of the room letting the door slam behind her.
"Mel looked over to Copper with a grin, "She was thinking about him, she mentioned candy."
Copper gave a wide toothy grin.
"After all the decisions I've helped make for her, for him; for the family, for this town, this county and her nation. No gratitude, none!" Jaz growled to herself.
"What troubles you?" K met Jaz when she rounded a corner.
"K." Jaz said, "I am glad to see you home."
The two embraced.
"What were you ranting about?" K questioned.
"Ranting, I wasn't ranting! Mel and Copper were accusing me of thinking of old emotions."
"Tum tum?" K asked.
"What's with all of you today?" Jaz asked angrily as she turned from her cousin and stalked off again.
K shook her head and smiled as she watched Jaz walk quickly away. "As always it was a pleasure my dear friend. I shall see you at supper."
K walked into the war room and closing her eyes she breathed in deeply. K loved the floral sent that Mel somehow managed to keep lingering in the room. The room was cold and dark like any proper war room. It's walls were covered in weaponry, and it's tables in treaties and maps. There were no tapestries or paintings. The room's windows were set high in order to maximize the amount of daylight that could filter in. It was a fully functional room and its harshness would seem intimidating, if only it did not smell of spring lilies.
K removed a handful of parchments and set them on a table near the door. While she would not be questioned until tomorrow, her reports were always turned in the moment she arrived.
She studied the other charts on the table, something was not right. These papers were seriously outdated. The maps boundaries were not right; the northern boundary should be further in. She studied the maps a little longer. No, they definitely were not right. She thought about their neighbors to the north. Not a friendly people. They had never agreed to a meeting. They were fairly barbaric and seemed to have no need for the fineries Mel's (and most other kingdoms for that matter) thrived on. They had, in fact, brought on battles to control the northern woods and forests. K frowned, these maps still reflected the ownership of Galainwood to Mel's kingdom. K dashed from the room, the map still crumpled in her hand.
"Mel…" she huffed running into the throne room.
"K…we've been waiting for you."
"No time" K waved a hand, "where did your husband go?"
"To open trade routes," Mel stepped from her throne with a worried look pressed firmly on her face, after all Rocky was with them, "why?"
"Which way?" K asked quickly.
"To the north, through Galainwood."
"Oh no," K said.
"K you don't understand, we were cleaning out all the old treaties and maps and we discovered Galainwood. It has been of no interest to us for generations but now that a new port has been built on the coast east of there the woods offer the best rout between here and the port. Alex explained it all to me. It will greatly benefit the kingdom."
K breathed in and focused her will power towards not calling Alex any names, which she would later regret.
"Mel…the reason Galainwood has not been used or thought of much for generations is because for generations it has belonged to Gaul and his people."
Mel stared at K wide eyed, "that is not possible. Why wouldn't Alex know?"
"He had to have known, it was won by them in a war. I'll tell you the whole story later. But now I must ride to offer what help I can. How long ago did they leave?"
"Wait, you aren't going anywhere until you tell me what is going on." Mel said in desperation clutching Mel's arm.
"It's simple Mel. Come with me. I'll show you." Mel and k began down the hall.
"Oh no," Copper said taking Mel's thrown once they'd gone, "I sense danger."
K was busy explaining to Mel how she'd been fooled, "4 generations ago, this land belonged to Tor and his family. Remember?"
Mel nodded.
"Tor was a terrible ruler. Fat and lazy, he over taxed and underpaid."
Mel nodded again.
"Alex's family took the throne from him. But look," K held up the map to Mel, "this is his seal. Which means this map is as old as his dynasty. The border is far closer to us now. The barbarians hold all this land," K pointed to a large area forest over Northwood.
"But that means that that land isn't safe and Alex took my son through that dangerous wilderness."
K nodded, "He sent Jaz and I off on meaningless tasks to keep us away so we wouldn't be able to tell you about the border."
"But why would he do that?" Mel asked with a truly dumbfounded look upon her face.
K shrugged, "To show off. To be noble or at least try to be. All he is really doing is being stupid and putting your son in serious danger."
Mel and K had since made it to the war-room. K pulled maps off from shelves and rolled them out on the long tables.
"See the progression through Alex's family? And now," k released the third map, "the most recent topography with your family seal on it."
Mel studied it. It was true; the border was well below the mountain range that had designated the border between Northwood and the frosty unknown that lie in the land above that Alex's map had shown.
"This is so not good." K paced the length of the war room. Jaz was perched on a table flipping through the latest status reports on the different branches of Northwood's Army.
For the first time in a long time Jaz's voice was filled with emotion and concern, "Is Mel going to be all right?"
"I don't know. Jaz, how could this happen. We were gone barely a turn of the moon and now the king is dead, the prince has been kidnapped by an army of barbarians who very likely could, any moment, decide to go to war against Mel and her kingdom. Mean while the ruler of this kingdom was hauled off to her room in complete hysterics," K paced a few more steps before she stopped again, "I can not even imagine receiving my husband's head in a basket, a cruel note attached from the man who killed him."
Jaz swallowed, "K, under any other circumstances I would be the last to suggest this; but, while the three of us mobilize the army and try to salvage Mel's kingdom, we need a small group of people who we can trust to sneak beyond enemy lines and steal Rocky back."
K responded, barely above a whisper, "The Spirit Knights."
"That's nice," Rocky smiled, he was lying.
"Great," Rebecca, Rocky's fiancée, giggled in her high-pitched voice, "I'll take it." She tossed another outfit over the pile of clothes rocky was already holding.
"Aren't you excited rocky?" She smiled, "this is going to be your first assignment with the FBI. And the first Father Son team since the Jacksons' in 1964."
Rocky nodded and with a fake smile pressed on his lips said, "Yeah, exciting."
Rocky had been in school since he could remember. He had acquired his mater's degree and applied with the FBI. Right away they picked him up. He was in perfect shape, young, strong and bright.
Colt caught up with them, "Looks good on you Rocky." Colt laughed picking up a stray pair of underwear Rebecca had picked out and placing them on Rocky's head as he stood his arms immobilized by the pile of clothes.
Rebecca snatched the panties from Rocky's head and clearing her throat she corrected him, "Samuel."
Colt shrugged with a grin. "Whatever."
Colt had disappointed his parents where Rocky had more than impressed them. Colt was a street cop, making dangerous drug busts. Although his profession was noble and his services needed it was thoughtlessly reckless and extremely dangerous. Mr. Douglas had had several talks with him about how his life was worth much more, and how he should be using it properly. Colt had blown him off. Colt had many live-in girl friends. Recently he had been kicked out of Allison's, his most recent interest, apartment. They had been dating for a grand total of 2 months and 3 weeks. Colt had gone home telling his parents he would only stay for a little while.
"Well, I'm outta here," Colt said specifically to Rebecca, "I'll catch you later Rocky," he emphasized the Rocky.
"Bye Colt."
"Samuel, when are you going to grow up and quit this childish nick-name thing?"
"They're our ninja names."
Rebecca rolled her eyes and sighed, "Oh please, not the ninja crap again."
The coach blew his whistle, "Michael! Get you ass over here. The rest of you give me two laps around the field and see if we can't wake you up a bit."
"Sorry coach, my arm's a little stiff today."
"Yeah, right. Michael we had a talk about staying out all night drinking, didn't we?"
"Yeah coach."
"So the reason you're hung over…?"
"Sorry coach, it won't happen again."
"Yeah, I've heard that before. Go home Michael, and stay there until class in the morning."
Tum tum went for his warm up bag. He shoveled his clothes into it, mumbling about being drunk. Tum tum was a 3rd time sophomore, but he made a hell of a quarterback. Mr. and Mrs. Douglas refused to let him go to Cancun again this spring break. They told him if her didn't pass this semester he would have to start paying for his own school or get a full time job.
Tum tum had tried the job thing, several times. He lost all 4 jobs he had had since the New Year 3 months ago. He had complained about Cancun, at first, but when Rocky suggested they go up to Grandpa's cabin for that week Tum tum had let the dream of another spring break in Mexico go.