The solitary cottage stood at the edge of a large ice covered lake, at the end of the never-ending forest landscape. It's spot was perfectly created for privacy. The land, dominated with hundred year old evergreens, pine and oak trees, belonged to the Scottish family known as the Burnetts since the pendragon King Arthur ruled the English soil. Its location was barely known and it had been said that members of the elite society had visited the cabin for centuries. Secrets dominated the stone structure, from hidden tunnels that led to a safe route, to hidden passageways escaping deadly villains and even the history itself was intriguing. It had been said that the stone house was built during the Middle Ages for Lady Devina Burnett, married to the Earl of Harp, heir to the Scottish thrown. The cabin was created for a life of privacy, for Lady Devina had been known to the Scots as a woman with a mind of her own, and a temper that could chill the very blood of one's soul. Tragedy struck the cabin, years later after Lady Devina's death, and the cottage was rebuilt, yet a mystery always resided in the cottage. Who had rebuilt it? And why? Like many high society families, the land and its only livable structure passed down from generation to generation. And presently the cabin had passed to the youngest living member of the Burnett clan, Alison Hart- Burnett. It had been also said that a curse would come to any male Burnett that owned the property, so it had been known that only the Burnett women came to own the land. And for safety purposes, Alison Hart-Burnett had modified the structure to resemble a wooden cabin.
Though the structure held over century old stories and mysteries, it remained a solitude destination to the family. Family members as well as close friends visited the two-story cabin for vacations, a place to relax and a place to rekindle a lover's spat. Once inside the cabin, with its country state décor, one could relax and enjoy the company of nature. The woods were dominated with creatures, some more dangerous than others. The lake, mostly peaceful and serene, had an endless source of fresh fish. But it was the caverns on the other side of the lake that held dangers, and were off limits to any. Not even the most skillful mountain climber would dare set foot in the caves, which had been named, Draco Caverns. A story of the caverns passed from one generation to the next, telling that deep inside the caves lived a ferocious monster that slept for over a thousand years in the deepest grotto of the caverns.
For the most part of the year, the cabin stood, dark, empty and lonely, but at the moment, laughter, happy yelps and even barking came from within the homestead. The February wind blew, muffling the loud voices from its strength, and the snow fluttered down from the dark skies.
Inside the cabin, a warm fire blazed, while two young men sat on two blue comfortable looking chairs and played a hearty game of chess on an one-of-a-kind chess table. The table tall and squared, held the most of the green and blue chess pieces upwards, while several of them lay next to the opponent's side. The two young men laughed while a Doberman came over, sniffed at the blue fallen chess pawn and gave a short growl, before walking over by the fire and lying down.
The players, one with dark brown hair and emerald eyes, while the other, blond with light blue eyes, shook their heads at the animal.
"Apollo, what's wrong?" a woman's voice came from next to the blond man, while feeding him some warm soup as his right arm held a cast, covering most of it. The young woman grinned at the animal, her long brown hair in a low ponytail and her dark brown eyes showing a golden tint from the fire's golden flames.
"I don't think he likes the Cobra Viper chess piece, Reena," commended the woman sitting on a large sofa, her reddish golden hair falling loosely around her shoulders and ending down to her waist. Her dark blue eyes shined with mischief, while she held an eight-month-old sleeping baby in her arms. A second identical baby had fallen asleep in the bassinet.
"I agree with the dog, Colleen," a man's voice replied, and the women turned to the gentleman, an older image of the dark haired player, who sat on another chair, reading a book. A glint came to his dark brown eyes, and a smile spread on his face, all the way to his beret. "Looks like you are down to three Vipers, son."
"Don't worry," Cayden, the gifted young doctor told his father. "I'll beat him."
"Yeah, sure you will," Kastor said, twin brother to Cayden's beautiful wife, Colleen.
"Like last time?" Sky Dancer replied with tease to her husband, pointing at the cast, which the young sergeant had received as a losing trophy from a rowdy game of football.
Flint chuckled at the embarrassed looking young Hauser. "Well, at least we got the doctor near by this time," he pointed out.
"You don't have to rub it in you know," Kastor grumbled.
"Spoiled sport," Cayden teased his best friend.
Sky Dancer snickered at her husband. "Open the hangar, dear," she requested in an elegant manner, while scooping another spoon full of creamy soup. "Now, we don't want your poor mother getting angry again if you don't eat, now do we?"
Colleen started giggling. "Mom will chase him with her crossbow!" she stated, rocking the little baby to sleep.
"Mom doesn't scare me," Kastor said, bravely causing Cayden to laugh.
"Who doesn't scare you?" came a female's authoritative voice right behind the young blond man, and everyone held a snicker from his tense posture.
Sky Dancer swallowed her giggle, spotting Scarlett walking into the large living room, followed by Lady Jaye.
Flint coughed and resumed his reading, while carefully watching the redhead, cross her arms and stare evenly at her son.
"Ummm...Baroness, Mom." Kastor tried to cover his comment.
Jaye acted as if she were going to fall and fell right into her husband's lap.
Watching his parents, Cayden chuckled.
At the corner of the room, two little girls had settled with coloring books, one with long scarlet locks, while the other with two chestnut ponytails. Though both girls were almost the same age, only a year apart, both were very different. It had been over a year that Eryn, daughter of Flint and Lady Jaye had been diagnosed with dwarfism. Though size did not matter for this little girl as her spirit was strong as Duke's and Scarlett's adoptive daughter, Rowan Rose.
Eryn whispered to her best friend. "Adults are weird."
Rowan nodded in agreement.
Scarlett shook her head. "And you call Baroness mom?"
Kastor gulped and looked up at his mother. "Love you, Mommy." This caused the entire room to laugh.
"I should hope so," Scarlett teased, kissing him on the cheek, then she looked at her daughter-in-law. "Did he eat?"
Sky Dancer gulped. "A little..." Her face blushed, knowing she had tattled.
"Mom, I'm to busy crushing Faireborn," Kastor said with a whine.
"How bad is our son losing?" Jaye asked Flint softly.
"We have a son?" Flint asked nonchalant, looking around. "Where?"
Colleen giggled while rocking the baby. "Who did I marry then? Tom Cruise?" She stood up from the couch and walked over to her husband.
"Hey Tom Cruise is all old and wrinkly now," Cayden defended as he wrapped his arm around his wife's waist.
Jaye giggled and wrapped her arms around her husband's neck.
"I'm married to Marc Walhburg," Sky Dancer grinned, watching her husband turn to protest and she shoved the spoon of soup in his mouth. "There, it's good."
Scarlett laughed, walking over and picking up her second granddaughter, who had been stirred awake.
Eryn watched the adults with growing confusion. She walked over and stood next to her parents with a very perplexed look on her face.
"Hey, Peanut," Flint said to his little girl, while trying to tickle his non-ticklish wife. "What's wrong?"
Eryn looked at her father. "Why do you act so funny?"
Jaye looked at her husband, still sitting on his lap.
"Because its okay to act silly sometimes, honey," Flint answered his daughter truthfully. "Like that." He pointed over toward the staircase.
Everyone turned and their mouths dropped, finding one G. I. Joe leader heading down the stairs while holding a stuffed bear and only wearing a towel around his waist.
Scarlett blinked and walked toward the staircase. "Conrad, now I'm sure I packed you some clothing," she said in calmness.
Both Jeffrey and Cayden went to say something at the same moment and both of their wives smacked them behind their heads.
"Uncle Connie did Brutus eat your clothes?" Eryn asked, seeing her beloved bear in her uncle's arms.
Duke just stood there looking at his wife.
"Conrad, are you all right?" Scarlett asked, walking close to her husband while holding the baby.
"Yes, I'm fine. But my clothes are not up in our room," Duke informed her.
Eryn looked to her father. "Did Brutus eat them, Daddy?"
"Well, if he did, we will find out in a few hours," Flint joked, then rubbed his head from Jaye's slap. "Thanks, honey."
Scarlett shook her head. "Where could they be! I saw you place your suitcase in the room, along with mine." She turned to the two younger men in the room. "By any chance has Tom and Marc seen the suitcases?"
"It's my suitcase that is missing, Shana." Duke told her.
"Then why aren't you dressed if your suitcase is up there?" Jaye asked.
Both of the younger men tried to look innocent.
Scarlett turned to Duke looking complexed. "Then what is the matter?"
Colleen and Sky Dancer sent each other a look that both women knew immediately, their husbands were walking on thin ice!
Rowan walked to her father and took his hand. "Daddy, do you need help in picking out your clothes?"
"They're not my clothes," Duke said to his daughter.
"Are they Brutus's clothes?" Eryn asked.
"Conrad, I already unpacked my clothes," Scarlett informed him, getting concerned.
"They are Allie's clothes," Duke said, looking over at his son.
Kastor stood up. "Ummm...Cayden and I are going to get some more fire wood."
Cayden stood up as well, eyeing his best friend. They had to make a retreat, and fast!. "Ummm...Yeah, more firewood."
Jaye looked to her husband in shock. She had packed a few outfits that were only for her husband to see.
"Sit down!" Both Flint and Scarlett ordered at the same time, making the young men freeze in place.
"I can't believe you did that!" Colleen shook her head in dismay.
"With these two, anything is possible," Sky Dancer replied to her sister-in-law. "Jeff threw a fake scorpion in my bath this morning!"
"He didn't!" Colleen said in shock, rocking the baby to sleep.
"He most certainly did!" Sky Dancer nodded her head.
Scarlett shook her head. "Kastor, Caveman, where are Duke's clothes?" she asked, holding her temper in check.
"In the basement," Eryn answered for them.
"In the basement!" Scarlett exclaimed. Her eyes narrowed. "I'm counting to three. One..."
Cayden and Jeffrey gulped, jumped off their chairs and raced toward the old wooden door that lead to the lower level of the home, with Eryn and Rowan at their heels.
From their husbands' reactions from the second in command and counterintelligence agent, Colleen and Sky Dancer burst out laughing, getting up, and walking toward the kitchen area.
Jaye jumped off Flint's lap and raced up the stairs to grab her 'special clothing.' Before the leader of the Joe unit could uncover the classified articles inside the suitcase!
Duke and Scarlett headed for the basement door where screams and curses were coming from down the stairs.
Flint shook his head, and picked up his book. "I'm just going to sit here, like a good little warrant officer and see nothing, know nothing and hear nothing while I read my book," he mumbled to himself.
