Lucivar stood outside the doors that lead to Jaenelle's suite. The family had said their good byes last night or earlier today. This was Daemon's time and the black lock on the door was making sure of that. Still the fact the lock was there to start with was a bit unnerving. It hadn't been there a few moments ago, so why now? No, he didn't want to think of the answer, he didn't want to be told that his sister, his queen was gone.

Standing there trying to block out everything he could have sworn that he felt a faint ripple of black power. A moment of disbelieve crept over him, Daemon wouldn't have, couldn't have. He needed to know for sure. His eyes opened seeing shock and worry in his nieces' eyes, his nephew looked …. Well he wasn't sure how to read him but knew enough that it wasn't good what he was seeing. Yet despite this no one asked nor dared to speculate what that ripple was. No one wanted to know.

He wasn't sure how much time had passed not since time seemed to move differently in the misty place, but knew what had happen while he was there. His eyes slowly focused, as did his flesh that was still wrapped around her. Daemon looked down in his arms and fought hard not to cry, would have if he knew Witch was safe in the misty place and he could go to her soon enough. She said grieve, how was he suppose to do that knowing she wasn't really gone?

Slowly he got up form their bed and laid Jaenelle's lifeless body in a position that mirrored sleep. Grieve, well how was he suppose to do that while wrapped in a calming web? Then again, his children would look for the web, as would his father. They probably would create another layer just so he would remain calm for a few days or weeks or until they tired of creating the damn webs. Therefore, he would grieve in the way his family would expect, for a few days any ways.

Slowly he staggered to the door. Wood and stone remembered might as well make it look like he was disoriented. The door creaked open with a moan as he tried to force his face to look like he was holding back tears that weren't there. His brother was closest to him but his son… one look in those deep sapphire eyes… he couldn't keep this secret not from him. Not from his youngest. Not from the son that Jaenelle had waited so long to give him. She didn't say he couldn't word it where his very intelligent son would understand, she just said he couldn't tell them. The two were completely different.

He spoke softly in a painstaking voice his eyes locked with his son's, "Jaenelle is gone."

Jared looked at his father as the words turned in his head. Something snapped in place. On a spare thread male to male, or more like father to son he called out * Father?*

*come to my study later.* it was all he could say, all he would say at the moment. Slowly he walked away from the room. Stopping every so often to wipe tears that weren't there. He would continue to do this until he was locked away in his study with a red shield on the door.

Several hours later Jared tapped on the study door. He could have just slipped into the study. Could have slipped past the red shield since it had been made to his depth, but he wanted to give his father long enough to compose himself.

Passing through the door he expected to find his father lost somewhere between a sea of tears and fits of anger. Instead, he found him all too causally lounging on the long couch reading some nameless book and a glass of what looked like brandy sitting on the table next to him. No hint of rage in the air, no sign of grieving. Nothing.

He didn't know if he should be pissed that his father loved his mother so little that he couldn't even grieve or if… maybe? He did a quick check there was a web around him but it wasn't actually a calming web, then again…

Daemon saw how unnerved his son was and didn't want to distress him but needed to tell him what he actually couldn't say. "Jared, will you sit for a moment?"

His father seemed calm, then again, that really didn't mean a damn thing, "You don't seem upset ..."

Dismissing the comment he continued, "I need to tell you some things that won't make sense to anyone else. And I need you to swear that you will not tell any living thing what I am about to tell you."

"Are you asking as my father or as a black widow?"

"I'm asking as the man who spoke to Witch and was given a very clear order and one I am choosing to ignore."

"Mother didn't want me to know something?" well that was more absurd than anything else he ever heard. After all, he was the one who knew how to do all of her more interesting spells. Moreover, he was the one that she entrusted all of her secrets that even his father didn't know.

"Yeah ... Well, not so much you but any one. Jared I can't tell you all of it but I will tell you this Jaenelle is gone, Witch is not."

"That don't…"

"Jaenelle didn't carry you, Witch did. She had to."

If his world hadn't been turned upside down already he would have found this conversation absurd to say the least. Looking in his father's eyes, he knew to listen and to do so carefully because this would never be said again. "I know mother was older when I was born. Hell Aunt Karla told me once she had never thought that Mother would carry me because of her age."

"As I said Jaenelle didn't carry you. Well in the end I guess she did but." He paused unsure how to really say this. Knowing that there were some things a father shouldn't tell a son regardless of how close they were. "Witch wanted a son. She wanted to give me an heir. But we waited too long for Janelle to conceive. Still Witch wanted and you know I could never tell her no, or at least not out right. So she conceived in the misty place, in our place."

"Misty place?"

"Hmm, a place she created long ago. The first time we were there Jaenelle was twelve. It was a bad time in all of our lives but the place… It became our place."

"She's there now?"

"She is and no you cannot go there. I don't think I can get there now." that thought made him cringe. Witch had said he would be sane there but how could he get there? Was there a road in the twisted kingdom that would take him to her? Would he be able to find it if that was the case?"

"Father?"

If he found her, could he still walk this world?

"Father?"

Would he be able to return to her if he left her again?

"Dad"

Daemon snapped his attention back to his son who was now gripping his wrist all too franticly. "I'm sorry. Jaredd I don't have much time to explain this."

"Explain what? Ok so, Witch is my mother I always knew that. She's alive despite not having flesh. Well it's a little unnerving but I get it, on some level I get it. Mom made another spell now I want to know how she did it."

Daemon looked stunned then got his mind working enough to realize his son wasn't asking to learn the spell for just simply knowing but he wanted to help. "I don't know how she's doing it. "He sighed, "Jared, Listen please. Do not look on the webs for answers. You'll find them but the spell will break. You're not suppose to know and if you find out too much…

"Mother will be gone?"

With a nod he added, "So will I"

"But you're here!"

"Shhh, Listen. I can't stay without your mother but I won't completely leave you either, but when my queen ask for something that is mine to give… I have to give it to her. You'll understand one day. And until then…" he could feel the web wrapping around him knew he didn't have long now. Midnight at the latest then he would be a tool for Witch. Still didn't understand what that meant. "You have a year before you make the offer to the darkness. Descend to your full strength and not a bit less."

"What if..."

"I mean it Jared. That strength won't be needed much now but later. When Witch is born into flesh that can hold her… who knows. There is a letter in the desk for your uncle and grandfather. If you need them, ask. If you need their protection until you make the offer ask."

"Why would I …?"

"The only restraint your sisters had were your mother and me. Their good queens but …"

"You don't trust the males that serve them."

"No one trusts the males that serve them, but they will back down long enough for them to mourn the loss of their mother. At least for a few days. They can't attack them but… Jared, they will go after you just because you will wear a dark jewel and you will protect your sisters after you make the offer."

"Psh, I already protect them. I grew up protecting myself form Daemonar didn't I?"

"You did. Now I'm telling you protect your sister's. I couldn't interfere but I have made it clear that I didn't serve either of them and their request not to kill them their males has been kept out of respect and not out of loyalty. Your grandfather may not hold that restraint now. Don't be shocked if he doesn't."

He could see that sleep was coming for his father. Could hear it in his voice. Didn't want him to stop talking. "Is there any else."

"There's a letter on the desk. It will explain what I can't right now. Jared the flowers your mother was so fond of..."

"Her garden that was built in the middle of the Dae al Mon territory?"

"Those are the ones, tend to them for me. I have several pots of them planted in her room those will need watered often, but the ones that grow wild… those were her favorite."

"Father, why don't you lay down here for a while and rest I'll stay…"

"Now that's a first."

"What?"

"Twenty years and you're telling me to rest. Wish you would have said that about a thousand times while you were growing up."

"I wasn't that bad."

"Didn't say you were. But you are your mother's son and you will always be."

Helping his father lay on the long couch, he asked too quietly, "and I'm not your son?"

"You can trace your bloodlines to me. But in spirit and strength, no you are your mother's son." With that, said Daemon closed his eyes. A ripple of power flowed through him and a single tear rolled down his cheek. Witch had said a few days; for once she had been wrong in the timing.