Chapter 20 – What you'd never expect

Meanwhile Delbert and Amelia where dressed up again in casual dress, or rather Amelia was wearing her uniform, both standing at her brothers lounge. One of Roderic' s servants announced them and then brought them out to the roof garden. There Roderic was already sitting at the table and stood up, when his sister, followed by Delbert, entered.

"I'm glad you're here, Amelia. And Dr. Doppler. I am pleased to meet you."

"Thank you", Delbert replied. "Well, so how do we come to the honour of this invitation?"

"If I may introduce myself completely to you doctor. My name is Roderic Jonathan Craigh Smollet. I'm the oldest brother of Amelia. I've invited you both, because I want you two to meet someone."

"I'm sorry, but I'm afraid that I don't understand."

"It's his wife. For some reasons he wants to introduce her to us." She turned to her brother. "So then, where is she?"

"As I see you're wearing your uniform. It suits you much more than I thought it would."

Amelia started to feel somehow annoyed and was just about to say something, when the servant came to roof garden again.

"Master Roderic, Miss Amelia. Lady Lee Ann has arrived."

"Thank you Rachel. You may withdraw yourself now."

"Yes Master Roderic." She turned around and looked into the lounge. "My Lady? Please." She made a curtsey. Then someone stepped out of the room. At this moment it wasn't obvious who was more shocked – Amelia or Delbert.

"Hello Roderic. As I see you were able to persuade your sister to come here."

"Good morning my dear", Roderic said and then went to his wife's side.

"Lee Ann, darling. Those are my sister Amelia and her boyfriend Dr. Delbert Doppler."

Lee Ann Smollet nodded to both friendly.

"Welcome. It's an honour to meet you both. And especially you, Lady Smollet. I've already heard so much about you and your work as a very famous captain at Royal Navy."

Amelia and Delbert were still quiet. Completely perplexed because of the view they looked at. Right in front of them was a beautiful woman. Pretty young, at most 18. Obviously she was pregnant and – a canid!

It took a moment for Amelia and Delbert to get their words back.

"He…hello…and it's nice to meet you, too", Delbert said, while Amelia was still trying to lay out her words.

"This is your wife?", she asked finally.

"I mean, please excuse me I don't want to be rude, but… It's just because…because…"

It was obviously unpleasant for Amelia, but Lee Ann had great understanding for this.

"Because I'm a canid?"

Lee Ann chuckled softly.

"Well, I think in that regard you and Roderic do have more in common than you think. But why don't we sit down at last? The tea is freshly brewed. It would be a shame, if it would get cold."

No one present knew something to say against this statement and so they all sat down at the table and started to enjoy the traditional felirian breakfast, mostly consisting of toast, eggs, bacon and many of the native fruits.

By doing so the atmosphere became gradually relaxed and Amelia learned more and more about what happened here while her being away. Inter alia she knew that the accusation Aurora had against Darryll Brewstone was really justified. In fact, he had even bought the place as Miranda's husband on "certain" way. Also Amelia and Delbert found out, that Roderic and Lee Ann have been married one and a half year ago and in about two months they would get their first baby. The feline was really surprised to hear that Roderic Jonathan Craigh, firstborn of the Smollet family, had fallen out of favour with his father by asking Lee Ann to be his wife.

"And nevertheless father excepts that you live here?", Amelia asked astonished.

Roderic didn't know how to answer without hurting Amelia inwardly, when his wife suddenly remembered him about something indirectly…

"So Dr. Doppler. You've said something about the Garlianic System with its four moons you passed on your journey to Treasure Planet?"

Delbert nodded.

"Well, my great-grandfather left some interesting books and star charts to me. If you're interested at these, we could…"

"You bet!"

He turned to Amelia.

"Honey, would it be okay, if I…?"

Amelia had to smile, when the child inside her beloved Delbert woke up like it always did, when it came to the vastness of the etherium. She smiled at him lovingly and then said lovely but although with an ironic undertone: "Could I keep you from doing so?"

It was a pure rhetorical question that caused even Roderic and Lee Ann to giggle.

Finally Lee Ann and Delbert stood up and then left the roof garden.

"Well?", Amelia asked.

"What?", Roderic asked back.

"Oh come on, Roderic you know what I'm speaking of. You surely had another reason to invite Delbert and me for breakfast, than just meeting Lee Ann."

Roderic noticed his sister's unease and cleared his throat.

"Well, okay. Then please come with me", the feline man said, while standing up and making his way to the door.

Amelia seemed somehow annoyed. But she still knew too, that Roderic would be the last one, to request her for something without a reason. Because of this she stood up as well and then followed him to the door. They went through the lounge and finally entered Roderic's study. He closed the door behind his sister before going to the wall behind his desk. The curtains in front of the window there were closed. But Roderic changed that now.

"I wanna show you something. Everyone thinks this would be a window. But it isn't."

With this words he pulled a long golden drawstring and by this the heavy velvety fabrics were pulled to the side. They uncovered a big painting, that showed a family; a tall feline man with his wife and their four children.

"That…That is our family…"

Amelia was almost speechless Roderic had a bitter smile on his face.

"It looks very harmonically, doesn't it?"

The feline still stayed silent. But she nodded.

Finally she said: "Yes… I remember. That painting has been made before my departure."

"Yes. It was a nice time back then."

"Tss… yes. Maybe it was for you. For me it started just then - my life of horror."

"Amelia, I know that you had to suffer under out father, but I-."

"Suffer?! Roderic you don't have any presentiment! I walked through hell! On that aforesaid day my father started to no longer exist for me. He exiled me from his family and I became my own lord. And believe it or not Roderic, I'm happy with this!"

"So you aren't missing our mother? And Nathan?", Roderic asked dully but yet reproachful.

Amelia stayed silent, but her gaze was strong and her green eyes glimmered full of determination.

But Roderic just smiled. He knew his sister.

"Sure you miss them. But you are too proud to admit it, and that is… good."

"Wait! What?!"

Amelia was almost about to say something against this but she stopped currently. Roderic said nothing. He just stood in front of his sister.

"Amelia. My dear sister. I beg you, listen to me. I know all those years where you would have used your big brother I wasn't there for you. And I really do regret this. I'm so sorry that I wasn't the brother you would have need. I was trying to act as if you wouldn't deserve my appreciation. But the truth is: If someone would ever deserve my appreciation, it would be you!"

While saying this, Roderic grabbed into his pocket and took out a small box. He opened it and the first thing the feline woman saw, was a sparkling shine. Somehow dazzled she narrowed her eyes, blinking. Then she could see.

"But Roderic, that is-"

"The ring of our family, yes. With the special jewel our family had used for generations. I want you to wear it."

Amelia's eyes became bigger.

"Roderic, no! First this is your ring and then-!"

"No!"

Amelia paused.

"No Amelia, this isn't my ring. Look carefully… it's yours."

"W…What?"

"It's true. Lee Ann's wearing mine. This one is yours."

The feline starred at the golden treasure. It was made of pure gold and in the middle was a set jewel; a big, delicately cut, blue-coloured topaz. On that was an engraving with the initials AAVS.

Amelia caught her breath.

"But where… I mean, how could you…?"

"I took it. To proof to you that you were, are and will be still a part of this family."

Amelia remembered the ancient tradition of her family.

"But Roderic. Every descendant is just allowed to get this ring at his marriage!"

Roderic nodded.

"Yes Amelia, I know. But I want you to get it now! I will proof to you that you are a part of us!"

But the feline woman protested.

"But you couldn't just go there and to steal it from father. As the head of our family he is the only one, who's allowed to present the rings to us!"

But what Roderic said then, made her lose her words completely.

"He knows! He gave it to me by himself to show you how much you mean to him!"

Amelia's eyes widened.

"How much I mean to him?! Don't make me laugh! Roderic this man had nearly killed me with his own hands!"

"I know Amelia! But I also know that father regrets what he did to you! I do understand your anger and I don't expect you to forgive him! All I want to ask you for is…"

Roderic took her hands and then did something the feline would have never expected – he knelt down before her.

"… Talk to him. I beg you, Amelia. There's nothing more I ask you for. Just go to him and listen what he has to say."

The feline kept quiet. She had been taken away too much by the acting of her brother.

"Roderic, I… I really don't know."

But then his next words made her last worries vanishing for the moment.

"Amelia Annabeth Victoria Smollet. Here-with I present you the symbol of our family, in a respectful gesture of esteem for your personality, your heart and your soul. Bonds and relationships you will agree to, should be under this sign therewith under the blessing of our family."

Those words. Those words Roderic was using. It was those words. Those exact words that were said to every member of the Smollet-family when getting the ring right after the holy blessing. Those words. Just those words with all the appreciation were all she ever wanted to have so badly.

Totally overwhelmed by the situation and her own feelings, Amelia really reached out her right hand and just a few moments later she could feel the cool metal on her middle finger.

Silently she looked at the small treasure. The she looked down at her kneeling brother.

"Roderic, please stand up."

Roderic, unsure of how his sister would react, stood up. His uncertainty was obvious.

But then suddenly he could see a glimmering pearl, running down her cheek. Every other feeling showed itself by acting. Amelia sobbed and then fell into right into her brothers arms. Roderic pressed his little sister to his own body, as if he was going to never let her go again.

After a few moments they broke apart and Roderic looked into her eyes hopefully.

"So… you will talk to him?"

Amelia nodded.

"I will. But I can't promise that there will be a happy end."

Roderic nodded, smiling when there was a knock at the door. Lee Ann and Delbert came into the room and when Lee Ann saw the ring on Amelia's finger she was so happy, that she was nearly about to cry. And then, after Amelia and Delbert were back in their guestroom, Roderic and Amelia told their partners about the talk they had had.

A/N:

In my story are some special dresses and persons. For some fans it's hard to imagine and so I thought about showing to you my ideas of the different designs. If you're interested, then go on and search for "Delmelia". Then you'll find at least one picture named "When you're with me - ..." Click it and you'll also find my gallery^^

Thank you