Chapter 23: Atlantean Sawdust
Aynaet wasn't able to sleep much despite how tired she was. She had too many things to think about so after a couple hours of just laying in bed, staring at the ceiling while the distant sounds of her husband making love to his wife O'Callaghan occasionally called out to her.
Which was another reason why she couldn't sleep.
Aynaet should be in that bed with Arthur.
The queen got out of the bed and walked to the door, opening it and rushing out towards the kitchen, the smell of freshly baked goods hitting her nostrils. Aynaet felt her mouth water. She definitely required food. Babd was wearing a flowery apron and was just pulling out soda bread from the oven when Aynaet walked in.
"Hello, Your Majesty," she said, eyeing the queen as she set the tray on a cooling rack. "You don't look rested."
"That's because I'm not," she said. "They're being too loud."
Babd chuckled softly. "Are you jealous?"
"Extremely."
"Don't be. You'll have him back before you know it."
Aynaet lowered her gaze and started fiddling with her fingers. "I don't like keeping things from him, Aunt Babd. Especially with this. He deserves to know the truth."
Babd sighed and tsked as she went to the fridge to grab items. "What makes you think he hasn't figured it out by now?"
Aynaet's eyes went wide. "Has he?"
Babd grabbed a jug of milk and a carton of eggs before putting them on the counter. "Are you just going to stand there or are you going to help me cook for your children?"
The queen quickly raced to the old crone and started helping her prepare for the arrival of her offspring, the ones loyal to her and who were currently not imprisoned. As the two began to create wonderful, filling dishes, the door bell rang.
"Come in, Valentine!" Babd shouted.
The front door opened and Valentine walked through, wearing a brown fur lined trench coat. Underneath, he was all decked out in red and white themed medium armor and his long, blood red hair was tied back in a braid. "Mother!" he yelled before running to her, embracing her in a big hug. "You're alright! I was so worried!"
"I'm fine, Valentine," Aynaet said with a grin as he put her down.
"And you're talking!" he laughed. "How?"
"Well, an associate of the Griffin God and the other Horsemen gave me a special brew for my throat. It still is a little rough to speak, but it's a lot better than before."
Valentine chuckled. "You sound like a man whose balls just dropped. But...what happened to your accent, Mother? You no longer sound Irish."
Aynaet shrugged before going back in the kitchen to help Babd. "Make yourself comfortable, darling. We're waiting for the others."
Valentine nodded before taking his coat off and hanging it on a coat rack. "How did you escape?"
"Turns out the people who kidnapped me were The Four Horsemen."
"...Did they hurt you?"
"Only a little, but once they figured out I wasn't the enemy, the Griffin God apologized."
Valentine growled. "Where is he?"
Aynaet rolled her eyes. "Oh, leave him alone. He's in one of the bedrooms..." she paused when Arthur's laugh was heard.
"Dammit, woman, I think I'm drunk off your coinín," Arthur said, his voice muffled. [pussy]
"...making love to one of his wives," Aynaet finished, taking a deep breath and going back to what she was doing.
"They couldn't wait until after the war is over?" Valentine chuckled as he went over to the kitchen table and sat.
"All his wives have been locked up in here," Aynaet mumbled as she stirred a bowl of batter. "For a very long time. They're having a reunion. And they're constantly horny when they're around one another, so...no. It couldn't wait."
"Dad had other people locked up in here?"
"He still does...in the Garden of Names. We need to get them out, too."
Valentine's eyes widened. "Those are real people?!"
"Yes."
Aynaet's son groaned. "What else do I need to know?"
Rose's bedroom door burst open and a very drunk and naked Arthur came stumbling out with the goofiest smile on his face. He pointed in the bedroom with a laugh as he wiped dripping sap from his mouth.
"God damn!" Arthur shouted. "Woo!"
O'Callaghan poked her head out with a laugh. "Arthur...you're naked," she pointed out.
He looked down at himself and immediately covered up his genitals with his hands. "Oh, uh...apologies, folks," he laughed nervously before running back into the bedroom and shutting the door.
Aynaet and Babd bent over laughing while Valentine looked at them both in shock. "What the...why the...Mother...did you have me base Allan off The Griffin God?"
Aynaet calmed down her laughing so she could answer him. "Yes," she wheezed.
"And why does his wife look like you?"
"Because she is me." Valentine blinked a bunch as Aynaet sighed, cutting a slice of pumpkin pie that Babd had just pulled from the fridge. The queen put the slice on a plate, put whipped cream on top, grabbed a fork from a drawer and walked to Valentine before setting the food down in front of him. "There are a lot of things I haven't told you or any of your siblings. That changes today. Eat. And do not mention any of this to anyone outside this room until I give you permission to do so."
"Why?" he asked, taking a bite of pie.
"Because the Griffin God and his wife don't know who I am yet." Aynaet eyed Babd. "At least I think they don't. But...as I said, Valentine, there are a lot of things I haven't told you," Aynaet said. "We should wait for the rest of your brothers and sisters before I say much else."
"Who is getting them out of Sisika?"
"Two of the Four Horsemen, their drone Scotty and Rose."
"Who's Rose?"
"Another wife of the Griffin God who has been pretending to be Violet for almost the last century."
Just then, Morgan's head popped out from the stable room and Valentine huffed. "So, the legends really are true..." The wolf came over to Valentine's side, sniffed him and licked his face. He laughed and scratched her neck, her ears perking up as she tilted her head to the side with a wolfish smile and her tongue hanging out. "Hey there, girl. Who's a good girl?" he cooed. "So that's why Violet's been a little...different since the first war?"
"Yes. Have you gotten word from Coral?"
"I did. She said she had to take care of a couple things before coming here. Cyan should be here any minute," the prince replied, biting into another piece of pie.
Rose's bedroom door opened and Arthur and O'Callaghan, fully dressed, came walking out, but both of them seemed drunk. Aynaet smirked as she looked at them, then she went back to helping Babd make food. "Did you two enjoy yourselves?" she asked them.
"Yes, thank you," O'Callaghan giggled. "But um...I actually have a question for Babd."
"Go ahead," the old woman said, flattening some dough with a rolling pin.
"Um...well..." she looked at Valentine who was staring at her with wide eyes. "Hello."
Valentine immediately stood, looking like a tense rabbit about to spurt. He quickly bowed his head to the couple. "Hello, Griffin God and...I'm sorry, I don't know what to call you, m'lady," he said, clearing his throat.
"I'm O'Callaghan. A pleasure to meet you, sir."
Arthur ran a hand through his hair with a chuckle. "You and I met before, Your Highness. I looked different at the time, but I introduced myself as Theo Powell."
Valentine smirked with a nod. "My apologies for my behavior afterwards."
"Well, we did kidnap your mother."
The doorbell rang again and Aynaet walked to the door while Valentine offered the couple a seat. The queen opened the door and smiled at her son Cyan. "Cyan, my dear boy. Come on in," she said.
Cyan grinned as he walked in, giving his mother a kiss on the cheek. "Hello, Mom. Glad that you're talkin' even though you sound like you got too much testosterone," he said. He looked past his mom as she closed the door. "I uh, I ran into those two this morning."
"And?"
"Violet filled me in earlier on some things," he replied, taking his leather jacket and hanging it on a coat rack. "I'm sure you'll fill in the rest later."
Aynaet grinned and pat his cheek. "Are you hungry, dear?"
"Starved."
"Babd's been cooking for everyone," she said as she linked her arm with his. "Violet took two others to go break out your brothers and sisters from Sisika."
"Is Violet really on our side now or is this another trick, like with Azure and Cobalt?" Cyan asked as they walked towards the kitchen.
Arthur was in a chair with O'Callaghan lazily straddling him. He waved at Cyan with a goofy grin on his face and Cyan chuckled as he went to take a chunk out of the soda bread. "No," Aynaet replied. "Violet has been dead for almost a hundred years."
Cyan arched a brow, looking at his mother in amusement. "That explains a lot. So who is pretending to be Violet?" He bit into the bread and groaned. "Mmm, Babd, this shit is da bomb!"
"Rose," Aynaet replied.
"Thank you, Cyan," she grinned. "It's nice to know someone appreciates my cooking." Babd cocked an eye at Valentine, who looked confused when she pointed a thin, bony finger at him. "Yes, I'm talking to you, young man. I baked your favorite pie and I don't even get a thank you?"
Valentine immediately stood before bowing his head. "I'm sorry, Babd! Thank you for the pie, it's delicious!"
Cyan laughed and pointed at his brother. "Man, you are such a kiss ass!"
"Shut up!" Valentine snarled at Cyan.
"An uptight kiss ass!" Cyan mocked.
"Loud mouthed oaf!" Valentine growled.
"Momma's boy!"
"Obnoxious little cretin!"
"Enough!" Aynaet shouted sternly, making everyone look at her as she grasped her throat. That really hurt. "Don't make me yell, please."
Valentine felt around in his pocket and pulled out his D-Call device before attaching it to his ear. "Valentine here," he said into the tail mic. His eyes went wide suddenly. "What the fuck do you mean he self-repaired?!"
Aynaet's eyes widened like saucers. "Oh fuck, please...don't let it be about Allan. That's just gonna complicate matters." Valentine and her locked eyes and she knew.
Allan was alive and found out what happened, no doubt.
"Mother, uh...we have a problem," Valentine whispered.
He was on his way there.
Cyan cocked his head to the side, then an enlightened smile appeared on his face. "Oh shit!" he yelled, pointing at Arthur and laughing. "Oh shit! Oh shit! Hahahahaaaa!"
Valentine quickly grabbed Cyan by his cyan and green colored leather armor before slammimg his palm over his brother's mouth. "Be quiet!" he hissed, discreetly looking over at the oblivious but interested couple. "There are things we don't know, and there are things they don't know. And they will be resolved soon, but not yet. Understand?"
Cyan nodded and Valentine immediately removed himself from the kitchen, grasping his mother's arm and pulling her off to the side, obviously to talk in private.
"Is it Allan?" Aynaet whispered.
"Yes," Valentine replied in a hushed tone, both of them looking at everyone.
They were all pretending they weren't listening...except for Arthur and O'Callaghan. They were off in their own little world. The queen knew how to get people to stop eavesdropping.
"O'Callaghan, didn't you have a question for Babd?" Aynaet asked.
"Oh! Yeah!" O'Callaghan smiled at Babd lazily. "Why are we both drunk? We haven't had any alcohol."
Babd hummed as she went over to Arthur and O'Callaghan. She looked at both their faces with a smirk. "O'Callaghan, do you not understand what happened in your hell?"
"Well, I tricked Mallacht into thinking torture by music was the worst thing in the world for me and-"
Babd cackled with laughter, slapping her knee. "You think you tricked Mallacht? Haha, no, child...he definitely tricked you."
"Whatchu mean?" Arthur asked with a droopy face.
"I mean, Arthur, that Mallacht used that knowledge to his advantage. He's been using O'Callaghan to produce a drug called "Atlantean Sawdust"."
Valentine gulped and looked at Aynaet. "Ah, shit," the queen said, dropping her head. Her suspicions about Atlantean Sawdust were true after all.
Arthur calmly removed O'Callaghan from his lap, placing her in the chair next to him before standing up and placing his hands on the table, bending down a little to meet the old woman's eye level. "You wanna run that by me again, ma'am?" he drawled angrily.
Babd sighed softly. "Arthur, now is not the time to-"
Arthur slammed his fist on the table, interrupting Babd's words. "Don't tell me what time it is! You've been in here, knowin' full well what that bastard's been doin' to my wife?!"
"There was nothing they could do for me, Arthur," O'Callaghan said, standing up and placing a hand on his shoulder before kissing it. "I'm just grateful Dad had his sword. I'm assuming Apate gave it back to him?"
Aynaet blinked. "What the hell is she talking about?" she thought to herself.
"We exchanged the sword for something else," Arthur answered, looking at Aynaet after a few moments of silence. "Adair brought Apate's kelpie Zotikos back to life after Darrach built a new kelpie body for him."
Aynaet nodded in understanding. "I see."
"Did you know about the drugs?" Arthur growled.
"I suspected," Aynaet replied before looking at her son. "He sells it but he was never in charge of collecting it. That was Jet's job."
"I don't care!" Arthur barked. "You fuckers, you..." he turned away and kicked one of the chairs as he shouted. "This whole god damn place is bullshit!"
"Well beating up my furniture isn't going to help!" Babd snapped before taking a breath. "That's why I have a rage room." She pointed to one of the many doors in the room. "That one. Now, as for your question, O'Callaghan...it would appear that you produce mind altering substances when happy or...aroused. So...I would have to assume that you are both drunk because you, Arthur, had O'Callaghan's tree sap on your face and she kissed you, thus ingesting it herself. As for your temper, Arthur, this place has been horrible to a lot of people, this is not new to any of us. If you want to succeed in here, you cannot be bogged down by things that can be dealt with later. So for now, you need to keep your temper in check and listen to what I have to say."
Arthur grumbled before walking over to the chair he kicked, picked it up and placed it by the table before sitting in it, looking at Babd with a look of intense restraint. "Alright, I'm listenin'."
As Babd began to talk, Aynaet blew a sigh of relief before chuckling at Valentine. "Now, where is Allan?" she whispered.
"On his way here, and he's very distraught," Valentine replied.
"Shit," Aynaet hissed. "This is...this is not going well at all, is it?"
"Why doesn't Mr. Morgan know who you are?" Valentine asked in a hushed tone.
"I haven't told him yet."
"Why?"
"It was Rose and Babd's suggestion. I...apparently look really, really bad underneath this thing so if he sees what I look like right now, he will go after your father and kill him. And you know what might happen if your father dies."
Valentine nodded. "Everyone will get sucked into a void of nothing. I remember. How bad is it?"
Aynaet frowned. "I wouldn't know, seeing as how I can't exactly look into a mirror to see, but...it made the Tree God very upset."
"Darrach's here, too?!"
"Shh!" Aynaet hissed. "Sort of. He operates the drone from the outside."
"What drone?"
"The acorn drone. Oh yeah, I don't think you saw that yet."
Suddenly there was a loud banging on the door. "Babd! You in there?!" Aynaet heard Allan shout. "Aynaet got kidnapped! Is that why you called the banners?! Let me in, dammit!"
Everyone looked at Aynaet and Valentine expectantly, although Arthur appeared smug. "Is that who I think it is?" he asked.
Aynaet grumbled lowly, her fists tightening as Allan continued to bang on the door and shout. "I will kill every god damn person in Hell if I have to, woman! Now open the fuckin' door!"
Aynaet rolled her eyes as she looked at everyone, then she walked towards the door. "Well don't everyone get up at once," she remarked sarcastically before opening the door with a grin, seeing Allan's face change from seething anger to happy relief.
However, she wasn't expecting him to pick her up in his arms and kiss her like he was a very parched man and she was the last drop of water for miles.
