Shortly after noon:
Corthion paced around the conservatory, twirling his tanto. He had removed the scabbard and placed it on the wicker table. He stared at the knife's edge.
"Now if only Colonial Mustard and Mr. Boddy were here." He sniffed at himself
Man do I need to shower. He thought. Where are they?
He heard the front door shut. Finally. It was the perky one. Phoebe.
"Hello?" she entered cautiously "anyone in here?" she was surprised at whom answered.
"In Here," Corthion shouted
"Phoebe sped up to a fast walk. She was surprised to see him standing there.
"I am not liking the looks of this," she said with a sour tone.
"Yeah it's a recurring theme in my life too, the demon replied glibly.
"Where are my sisters?" Phoebe asked with a shade of dread in her voice.
"Shopping, apparently Wyatt just ran out of diapers."
"They both needed to go?"
"Neither wanted to stay with me. Now we can go about this one of several ways. One, I can tell you what is going on, and fill in your sisters when they eventually get back. Two, we wait. Three, you go about laying the smack down on my candy ass because of whatever reason seems good. Now a standard vanquishing spell won't work while I am under my goddess's protection, but feel free to use me as your punching bag for the time being."
"Put the knife down," Phoebe ordered coldly,
"Here," he offered the handle to her "You can hold on to it."
She grasped it. Phoebe then received an image. One of Corthion holding the dagger high, standing against a column of demons.
"What's wrong?" the White Knight asked apprehensively.
"You should have this," she responded.
He could hear the back screen door slam shut.
"Hello any good demons here?" Piper asked loudly and sarcastically from the kitchen.
Phoebe went in to the kitchen followed in close by Corthion.
"Just what's going on?" Phoebe asked intently. Paige was putting things away while Piper was putting Wyatt who was in his car seat on the table.
"Ask Mr. Odoriffic over there." Piper rejoined
"OK here is what's going on" Corthion commenced. "A demon army is being assembled as we speak. As of this moment it consists of a few hundred. It's growing though, exponentially."
"Excuse me?" Phoebe asked. "A demon army? It's a little far fetched to tell the truth. The demon's we've fought have always unequivocally been interested in their selfish gains. An army of them suggests they've developed some kind of demon patriotism."
"I for one refuse to believe that demons have developed a sense of the greater evil, as it were." Paige added.
"How do we know for sure we can trust you?" Piper asked. Corthion started to sputter.
"How? How?" He couldn't stand it. "How you ask? Here's how. Now would be the opportune moment to turn the little one away." Piper did so. Corthion then took his blade and cut a slab of his own flesh nearly from elbow to wrist and flung it on the floor between them.
"There you go, fillet of demon. Good for vanquishing, or on a bed of couscous with some collared greens and a nice Merlot." He reacted bitterly "Why must I prove myself to everybody, thirty years and this crap doesn't get any easier."
"Yeah that's been a recurring theme in our lives too," Phoebe replied.
"You had me turn my baby for that? He's seen plenty of things if not worse then, equal to that." Piper quipped. "Besides I always thought demon would go better with a cabernet."
"Look I've given you three the heads up. If I get on the road now I could shimmer my way to Sevastapol, at least I know a few satyrs there who will help." Corthion said resignedly.
"Family meeting?" Paige chimed in. Corthion went to clean himself up with some paper towels. The Charmed one's conversation moved into the dining room.
"We have to keep him here." Paige advocated.
"Why he's surly, and rude, and he's got a bit too much attitude," Piper pointed out.
"Of course he's surly. With last night and the way we've been treating him," Paige came back
"I agree with Piper," Phoebe concurred. "I'm not comfortable having a demon in this house. Not after Cole. And especially with Wyatt and the book.
"What better place to keep our thumb on him? "Paige countered. "Where would be better? For him to be out there, where he could theoretically be causing mischief, or here?"
"Paige has a point. If he's here, we could vanquish him if he appears to be out of line," Phoebe added.
"Why don't we vanquish his sorry rear end now?" Piper retorted.
"On the off-hand chance he is right." Paige rejoined.
"Oh all right, but I've got a bad feeling about this." Piper ceded.
Paige returned to the kitchen. She was more than a bit surprised by the sight of Corthion mopping up the mess caused by his self-mutilation.
"How would you like to stay here for the time being? Paige offered.
"So you can keep tabs on me?" the demon shot back?
"No, if this army exists like you say it does, we'll need every resource we can muster."
"Let me guess, cot in the basement?"
"It's yours if you want it.
"Well, it's better than Sevastapol.