Daemon looked into his overjoyed wife's eyes and knew he wasn't about to like
whatever it was that she was going to say. Very causally, he neatly put his
papers away and laid his quill on the black wood desk. "Sweetheart, you look
happy this morning." Why, he wondered, although her knew better then to ask that
question.
Her sapphire eyes glistened. " I've…We've received an invitation."
Dread filled him. Mother Night, not an invitation for another ball. He tried to
sound happy, tried to hide the dread in his voice. "Did we? And what is the
glorious invitation for?"
"It seems a new shop is opening in Tuathal. It's an exclusive showing... See,
Morgahn sent it herself." She handed over the invitation.
Oh, wonderful. The darkness knew he could spend hours looking at a new shop,
trying to decide if it was one he would patronize but, Mother Night, Jaenelle.
He tried not to shudder, tried not to think of the nearly all day shopping trip
she had forced onto him just last year, because she needed a new desk and had
dragged him along for his opinion.
And of course, he realized later, you can't have a desk unless it matched
everything else in the room. Then you couldn't have new furniture because it
Didn't match the wallpaper which in turn didn't match the carpet. Several hours
later, he had been trying not to whimper when they had gotten back to the hall.
He had tried not to whimper when she told him she wanted to decorate that very
night.
The thought chilled him. Once was enough, had been enough because he was sure
that he didn't want to step into another shop with some one who had more energy
then a room full kindred Sceltie puppies. Trying to be clever, he asked, "Has
Lucivar been given the same invitation?"
"He has… but Marian says it would be best not to take him into a shop. It seems
he scares the shopkeepers…¦ and well you know how well he keeps hold of his
Temper."
His mind turned... Yes, that might just work… Maybe. "Sweetheart, as much as I
would love to go with you, I do think it would be best if it was your coven, and
Marian, of course, you went with out me. Then, on a day that I am not so
overwhelmed with all the paperwork that seems to appear overnight, I promise to
go and have a look for myself."
Brief disappointment filled Jaenelle's eyes before she could hide it. Oh, she
knew he had been awfully busy of late, and that made him edgy but she had still
hoped he would go with her. However, she knew she would have to force him to get
him to come, and that she was not going to do. She gave a soft sigh. "Yes, maybe
that would be fun, but Daemon, would you mind doing something for me?"
Excitement filled him. She so rarely asked him do something for her. And when
she did ask, they both enjoyed it for several hours. "And what is the Lady's
Pleasure?"
She knew what he was thinking, but if he didn't have time for shopping then he
Shouldn't have time for… "I want you to stay with Lucivar while Marian and I are
away. Since we will have Daemonar with us, he might get a little…"
"Bored?"
"Well, no …I was thinking snarly. He does get that way if his wife is gone for
more than a few hours, you know?"
So do I, he thought, then wished he hadn't because now he was starting to wish
he had said that he would go with her. Pride kept him from changing his mind.
"And how long will you be gone?"
"Well, since I'll have the entire coven there, plus Marian and maybe Surreal... I think... by week's end."
It was the beginning of the week and she was telling him she would be gone-
"And when were you leaving?" His voice was getting close to snarly.
"After midday meal. That way I have all day tomorrow to look at the store…"
"And the rest of the week?" He fought to keep the growl out of his voice. The only thing he managed was not to sound to edgy.
"Oh well, since I'm sure none of the boyos will come…"
"Like hell you won't be protected."
Her voice shifted to midnight. "I don't need-"
He stood up and slammed his hand on the desk. "You are a queen as is every
member of your coven, Lady and you will have an armed guard. Or you can stay
Here."
Oh, wonderful, she had only wanted to get him to agree to come, so how had she
managed to spike his temper? He didn't want to go, nor would he be thrilled if he
was forced to. Seeing another way she said, " Morgahn will have an escort
prepared for me, I'll take Kaelas and Ladvarian, and I'll ask Papa to join us."
"And you'll take Tassel. Since Marian is going, so should he."
"Of course, Prince, I would never think that a Arcerian Cat as well tempered as
Kaelas and my little Sceltie Warlord Prince Ladvarian wouldn't love the company
of two wolves," she growled at the insult. She saw he didn't flinch and knew
something else was bothering him, knew he was thinking of the invitation that
the Ladstum man had sent. Quickly, she added, "I've seen the store as it was
being built, Daemon… it's just a large store with several areas of interest.
After all several of the area's shopkeepers went in this together. They did it so they could expand the selection of their own contributions to this store."
He eased back some, "You saw the store as it was being built?"
"Yes, Daemon, I did. It's safe, I promise it is."
"You're still taking the furry faces. I trust their temperament. Besides, if you
left them here, I would have to save them from Mrs. Beale - or worse, Helen -
before you returned."
Seeing her husband return to the realm of the sensible, Jaenelle agreed. "No,
that wouldn't be any good. I need you to keep Lucivar from getting too snarly
while we're gone."
He bit his tongue to keep himself from saying anything stupid. Had to, because
he was sure if he said what was on his mind, both he and his brother would be
thrown into the lot of chattering Queens as they went on this shopping trip. No,
that was one thought he would keep to himself. "I'm sure I can find something
for my brother and I to do for the week."
A short time later he stood outside his brother's eyrie watching the ladies ride
away in the small coach.
Lucivar had snarled when he was told Marian was going with Jaenelle shopping. He
had snarled because he had promised his loving wife long ago he would never ask
her to go on one of those shopping trips unless she wanted to, not after the
last time. He'd started growling when his son was being dragged into the
shopping trip, then was burning hot when he was told they would be gone a week.
And now he was growling at his brother since his family was out of sight. "And
why is my wife going to be gone for a week?"
"Because the coven is going shopping and you don't want to go with all of them."
"I don"'?" He glared at Daemon, then quickly added, "Then tell me, why is it
that you are here telling me what I do and do not want at the moment?"
"By orders of our queen."
His eyes narrowed. "And my queen, who you happen to be married to, wants me
to…"
"No, wants me to keep you from storming into Scelt in a few days and dragging
Marian back here."
His temper flared. "And why in the name of hell do I need you to baby-sit me?"
"Because it will give us both something to do."
Lucivar was calm now, or calm enough to pace instead of trying to get his
brother to match his mood. Hissing, he asked, "And what will keep us out of
trouble for a week?"
"Well, since Jaenelle only said I had to remain with you, and not in Dhemlan…"
Lucivar grinned. It had been a few years since they had gone out on a crawl, and
since their father was with Janelle after Daemon had insisted.... "So where are
we-"
"I think it would be fun to go back to Amdarah."
"Yes, I believe that would take our mind off the Ladies for a while." Lucivar
grinned. Oh, he and his brother would have some fun together, but it would also
be a lesson to his sister not to leave them alone for an entire week
Four days later.
Zhara had a migraine. Oh, she loved it when Daemon came to the city, loved having both him and Jaenelle close, but, Mother Night, having him and his brother here... No, not just here. Having them practically taking up residence in the tavern and getting drunk enough to barely be understandable when they talked.
She decided it was time for them to go home. She quickly penned a note and had
her quickest carrier take it to the Hall.
Beale took the note, saw where it was from and quickly made his way to the
landing web. He rode the red winds to Scelt and found the High Lord.
Unfortunately, he found him tucked into bed at Morghann's home, apparently
heavily sedated so that he would sleep for a while. The coven, Jaenelle, and
Marian were laughing in the large receiving room.
Jaenelle looked up and stopped laughing, "Beale is something wrong at the Hall?" Why are you here was hidden in her question.
He held out his hand and offered her the letter. "I have a message for the High
Lord but…"
"Oh, Papa has been so distressed since yesterday. I'm afraid that we left him
with Daemonar for a bit too long and…." She paused to keep from rambling and
took the letter. "It's from Zhara?" Her voice changed from silvery to
midnight, and Beale tried to suppress a shiver. (Her voice has this effect on
males.) " If there's trouble she should call for Daemon."
Bale looked thoughtful, "Price Sadi is in Amdarah."
"No, Daemon should be…"
"Prince Yaslana is with him."
"Mother Night." the room gasped, then rolled with laughter.
" I'll go wake Papa. It seems our shopping trip is being cut short." Jaenelle
said dryly.
She slipped into his room and brushed against his inner barriers, startling him
awake. "Witch-child?" he said in a rough, sleepy voice.
"This came for you. It's important."
He sat up enough to read it and glared at his daughter. "I'll be down in a
Moment."
"Papa what does it say?"
"I wish your daughter was here. Come and get your sons," he read in his funeral tone.
"Oh... Oh dear. I'll have to bring her shopping next time… that will cheer her up."
Oh, he doubted that. However, he was not about to tell her that little tid bit.
It had taken Khary, the High Lord, and Surreal to get them into the coach, had
taken them far too long get his very drunk children home. Carefully, he helped
them in to the sitting room, then very quietly, keeping a tight rein on his
temper and amusement, asked, "So how many gravediggers did you have between you?"
Daemon looked up quickly and immediately wished he hadn't. "No gravediggers. What waz ih 'gain, Prick?"
"Not sure... think ih had gravedigger in it."
"How many?"
Lucivar laughed and winced at the harsh sound "Things got fuzzy after the fourth"
"Four. It only took four? Mother Night, it took you seven gravediggers and only
four of whatever it was." Saetan paled. Oh, he would find out exactly what was
in that drink, and make sure he tested it soon. After all, if he was going to
have a headache, he might as well have a good reason for it. Or at least one he
could tell to his daughter.
Surreal and Khary helped Lucivar up the terrifying flight of stairs that he
insisted he could just fly to the top of. Well, he could if his wings remembered they were used for flying, or so he kept saying. And Saetan helped his son up to
his wife's room, where she was waiting with a basin nearby.
He stayed long enough to help her get him settled into bed, long enough for her
to ask, "So what did they drink?"
"They don't know but they think whatever they did pour down their throats had
gravediggers mixed into it."
"Mother Night. Remind me next time I want to go on a shopping trip that I should
take both of them with me."
"Witch-child that is something I intend to remind you of for the next ten
Years…" He paused, met her eyes, and with a sly smile said , "Maybe longer."
Special thanks to Raelity Cayne for catching the errors in my story and editing it for me.