****************************Chapter Seven********************************

Tori shoved her hands deep in her coat pockets, which she hadn't bothered removing for practice, and trudged to the High Lord's office. Kaelin appeared at her side, concerned at the tension pouring off of her.

"I…I have to go see Lyra. My mother," Tori told him, turning down a hall.

*You don't want to? * He asked curiously.

"No."

Undeterred by her brisk answer, he pressed. *Why not? *

Tori didn't answer, stopping in front of the closed, large wooden doors of the High Lord's office. She scowled deeply at the suddenly nervous feelings that surfaced and shoved them away, knocking sharply on the door. She stood perfectly still as a light Black probe brushed over the surface of her mind, not even past the first barrier. And waited.

Kaelin turned, wandering off. *You are a very difficult Human, Tori. * Was his parting mutter.

The door opened and Tori walked in, refusing to hunch or give any hint that she felt she had done something wrong. She wasn't doing this to make amends with her mother. She was doing this so Talia would be spared this particular burden.

Tori raked her black gaze over Saetan and Lyra, who sat curled up next to each other on a large couch. They looked comfortable, as if they sat that way often.

"Am I interrupting something?" Tori inquired coolly.

"Yes," Saetan rumbled. Deal with it, his expression implied.

"Then I won't take up much of her time," Tori said, stressing just a little on the 'her' part.

Saetan's shoulders tightened. "I'm not leaving her."

Tori growled softly in frustration. Mother Night, was it not bad enough that she had to choke out words of peace?! Must she do it in front of an audience?

"Very well," she growled, glaring at the High Lord. She took a deep breath and crossed her arms, staring at the back of Lyra's head. The woman hadn't even turned to face her when she came in. Some mother, she thought bitterly. "I…wanted to apologize." Tori hid all of her unpleasant emotions behind her cold mask and thought very hard about Talia. "For the way I reacted when Jaenelle brought Talia and I here."

Lyra's head tilted slightly towards her. At least she was listening, Tori thought to herself.

"It-I wasn't expecting to…see you here." And that was the truth. Tori had thought she would at least have the decency to avoid the daughters she abandoned. At a loss for anything else to say, Tori shrugged. "So. I'm sorry."

After getting it out, Tori turned, intent on leaving and heading back out to the training field. Behind her, she could hear Lyra turn around completely, and paused, still facing the door.

"You're not sorry," she said softly.

Surprised, but damned if she'd show it, Tori spun on her heel and glanced at the woman. "Oh?"

"I think I would know when my first-born was lying to me," she said, a little bit of a snap in her words.

Tori bit her tongue hard to keep from snapping at her. Lashing out violently to wipe the reproving look from her eyes. Lyra had not earned the right to give her that look.

"Listen," Tori said bluntly, stalking back over to the couch. "I don't like you. Period. But Talia does. She needs a mother. And it hurts her to see us upset at each other. So, I propose a truce."

Lyra seemed shocked by her bluntness. "You love her, don't you?"

"Love-" Tori spun away from the woman, growling half-curses in a choked voice. She rounded on her once more. "Of course I love her!" She growled with enough heat that Lyra flinched back slightly. "Of all the-" Again Tori bit off her words.

In a slightly more composed voice she continued. "Yes. She is my sister. Now, can you handle a truce?"

"I'm not the one who proclaimed the vendetta."

Tori tilted her head back, stared at the ceiling for a full minute until her temper was leashed, and looked back at the woman. "Okay. Fine. I'll play nice daughter."

Lyra looked at her with an expression somewhere between hurt and bemused. "You must have gotten your temper from your father. He always was set off rather easily."

Tori's frustrations vanished and she stared coldly at the woman. "That's not the only thing I got from him," she said darkly.

Saetan glanced at her sharply, and Tori could see the pieces of the puzzle coming together for him. She clenched her jaw, watching as realization broke over his features. Glaring at him, she sent a silent message to him.

*This stays between us, High Lord. * She sent with a warning growl.

Saetan glanced at Lyra before nodding. *As you wish, Lady. *

"I have to go check on Talia now," Tori said, turning and leaving the room quickly, before Lyra had a chance to ask what she had meant by that.

She hurried through the halls, relaxing only when she walked in and saw Talia hard at work on her potions. Melivian sat cross-legged in the air, slouched over a brown book. Dejan was across from Talia, mixing potions as well. Talia looked up, smiling automatically.

"It hasn't been an hour yet," Talia informed her, going back to her work.

Melivian looked up from her book, scowling fiercely at Talia. "Why'd you have to say that? She might have let us off early."

"If she came here early," Dejan pointed out quietly, "it is reasonable to assume she means to let us out early." She glanced behind her at Tori for conformation. "Correct?"

A corner of Tori's mouth quirked. "Yes, Dejan. You may go now, if you wish."

The two girls cheered and ran from the room. Talia remained in her seat, hunched over her bowl. Tori smiled fondly at the back of her head. Once Talia sat down to work, no matter what, she finished it. It was a good trait for a young witch to have.

"I just want to finish this up," Talia murmured, reaching for the dried herbs.

Tori nodded, heading over to the long couch. "That's fine. I'm going to lie down for a moment. Don't let me fall asleep."

"I won't."

Half a second later, Talia was shaking her shoulder and Tori was instantly awake. She glared half-heartedly at her sister as she got up.

"Sorry, Tori," Talia said. "I got lost in the potions. And then you looked like you needed the rest."

"How long did you let me sleep?" Tori asked, stretching.

"Only a few hours." Talia gave her a hesitant smile. "Mother came by."

"Really?" Tori asked, not sounding interested, but not brushing the visit off altogether. "What did she want?"

"To invite us on a picnic with her and Uncle Saetan." She gave her sibling a long, searching look. "Us, Tori. Not just me."

Tori sighed, scrubbing a hand over her face so Talia didn't see the scowl. "When?"

"Tomorrow afternoon. About one o'clock."

Tori frowned, thinking. She was going to start on the Brat tomorrow. Better get the child up early. Dawn would be best. An hour of warm-up. An hour of practice. And an hour of cool-down. That sounded about right for a first day. That would leave plenty of time for her to get in her own exercises with Lucivar and still be able to make the lunch.

Tori nodded. "I'll be there."

Talia's eyes lit up. "Does this mean you're not mad at Mom anymore?"

Tori scowled down at her sister. "Let's not get ahead of ourselves. I'm trying to adjust to her, okay?"

Talia's smile didn't fade. "This is great! Thank you so much!"

Talia threw her arms around Tori's waist, hugging her close. Tori's eyes softened and she softly stroked her hair. She forgot, sometimes, that Talia was only seven years old.

"She said you looked so beautiful when you were asleep," Talia murmured, leaning more heavily against Tori and closing her eyes, the gentle caresses lulling her to sleep. "Just like she remembered you."

Tori accepted these words, letting them pass through her without really believing the truth in them. It wasn't like she mattered. The only feelings Tori cared about were Talia's.

Talia yawned, snuggling closer. "She wants to love you, Ri. She…"

Tori caught Talia as she fell asleep, before she could hit the ground, and lifted her in her arms. Turning, she set Talia on the couch, just where she had been, and smoothed away her hair from her face tenderly.

Only when she was certain her little sister had fallen deeply asleep, did Tori rise to find Lucivar. She needed to talk with him about a place to train the Brat. She smirked as she left, wondering how many people would find an excuse to be outside tomorrow morning.

Dinner turned out to be…eventful. Once again it was an informal mealtime and everyone sat around talking. When Tori walked it, though, Lucia snagged her and dragged her over to their table where she, Lucifer, Daemonar, Narla, Sathe and Rine, Prothivar, and Kalush sat.

"Is it true?" Lucia demanded once Tori was once again seated between Daemonar and Lucifer.

"Is what true?" Tori asked, snagging a roll as the breadbasket passed.

"Are you really going to train Surreal?" Kalush demanded.

"Oh. That." Tori wrinkled her nose. "Yeah, I'll train the Brat."

"When?" Rine and Sathe asked eagerly as one.

"Tomorrow at dawn," Tori replied, swallowing the last of her roll. Lucifer supplied her with another.

"I've got to see this," Lucia snickered. "That lazy brat hasn't gotten up before ten in years."

"You are not going to lay a finger on me!" The object of their conversation screeched from directly behind Tori.

Tori turned around to rake her gaze over the child critically. "You don't have an ounce of muscle on you, you stand on your heels, and you have no sense of balance. How do you propose to stop me?"

Surreal chose to ignore Tori's assessment and continued to screech. "I won't stand for it! Mother says I choose my own path! Well, I choose to follow the path away from half-breed taints like y-"

Tori stood up in one swift motion, grabbed the back of her girls collar, and dragged her from the room, using her Gray to slap away her weak attempts with her Jewel to break the hold. When Jaenelle stood in outrage, Tori pinned her to her seat with a glare.

"Training, Jaenelle," Tori said shortly as she dragged the Brat kicking and screaming out of the room.

Ten minutes later, Tori returned, looking grimly satisfied. Surreal slunk in after her, sopping wet and subdued. When Lucia snickered in the silence, Tori shot the woman a warning glance. Everyone turned back to his or her meal and conversation.

The twins were trying, unsuccessfully, to wipe their smiles off their face. They glanced at each other and quickly excused themselves from the table. Laughter could be heard just outside the door. Lucifer and Lucia quickly followed suit. Tori smiled indulgently and Daemonar chuckled softly, warm approval radiating off of him.

"Tomorrow sounds like it will be great fun," he murmured softly to her.

Tori flashed him a quick, rare smile. "Should be worth watching, should you find something to do outside."

"I'm betting half the household will find something," Daemonar whispered. "I believe Father said there was wood that needed to be split."

Tori laughed softly, and focused intently on her dinner. Yes, she was certainly looking forward to tomorrow.

The next day began before sunup for Tori. Kaelin had once again slept against her back, a comforting pressure that helped keep the dreams at bay. She showered, ignoring Kaelin's grumbles about it being far too early. Glancing out her window as she slipped into her long-sleeved white undershirt and black-leather vest with comfortably worn black cotton pants, she figured there was still a good two hours before dawn, and hurried downstairs to have a chat with Mrs. Beale.

"Good morning!" The cook greeted her with a smile. "I hear you get to train young Surreal."

Tori rolled her eyes as she pushed up her sleeves. "Good news travels fast around here," she said wryly. "Yes. I am. What are we making this morning?"

And so they fell into their new routine of making the usual meaty breakfast. Whenever Tori asked why there was always so much meat around, Mrs. Beale just gave her a strange look and patted her hand, saying she had been away from Kaeleer too long. Tori finally gave up. Besides, having all of the 'heavy' food in front of her new charge would make for a good, if not potentially messy, first lesson. Or rather, second lesson. The first one, she hoped, was still fresh on the Brat's mind from last night. There would be no talk of half-breeds being inferior or 'soiled'.

"Good morning Mrs. Beale!" Talia chirped, skipping into the room just as Tori was washing off her hands. "Morning Tori!"

There was something discerning about the gleam in Tori's young sister's eyes as she leaned over for the customary morning kiss on the cheek. Straightening up, she narrowed her eyes at Talia.

"What are you doing up so early, Talia?" Tori asked suspiciously.

Talia's grin turned malicious. "Uncle Lucivar said that since you were teaching one of the children, you might as well teach us all!"

"You don't need to be taught," Tori reminded her patiently, deftly steering her away from the food and into the dinning room. "I have already trained you."

Talia shrugged angelically, snagging a peach and tossing Tori an apple. "Lucivar said to come. I came."

"Did you happen to tell 'Uncle Lucivar' that you already were a master with the sticks?" Tori asked.

"Um…" Talia pretended to think. "You know, I think I forgot." When Tori only glared at her Talia gave her a puppy-eyed look. "Oh, come on, Tori! I want to show her what its like to be inferior to a half-breed. Please?"

Tori bit into her apple to hide her smile. "Well, if Lucivar told you to attend…"

Talia laughed and leaned back in her chair to call over two more pieces of fruit. Glancing at the clock on the wall, Tori composed a mental checklist of all the children she might have to drag out of bed if they didn't get here in the next five minutes. Surreal was a given. Dejan and Melivian were her only other two pupils, and she had a feeling they weren't going to be late for this.

Just as she predicted, the two girls came bouncing in, positively glowing with excitement. They honed in on Talia and Tori, giggling and talking about how satisfying it was going to be to see the Brat finally get hers.

Tori waited patiently until the clock struck six thirty and the first rays of the morning cracked over the horizon. By then, everyone was gathering in the dinning room to eat an exceptionally early breakfast. Tori glanced over at Jaenelle questioningly.

"She says she's not coming down," Jaenelle answered, staring at her food.

A very malicious and feral smile bloomed across Talia's face as Tori stood. Anticipation flowed from the three girls, making the air thick as Tori left. As soon as she was out of earshot, the trio broke into excited giggles, each of them imagining horrifically funny punishments. Talia smirked and sat back, raising her hand for silence and tilted her head to listen. Conversation stopped throughout the entire dinning room.

There was a very loud screech followed by a flash of Gray. Then Tori and Surreal were gone, only to reappear in the next instant inside the dinning room. Once again, Surreal was soaked through to the bone, looking sullen and beaten. But at least she was dressed in what could be called proper fighting attire.

"All right you four," Tori said, ignoring everyone else in the room. "Listen up. You can eat whatever you want. However, if I hit you too hard in the stomach and you throw up your breakfast, you'll be cleaning it up. Without your Jewels."

"You can't tell us when we can and can't use our own Jewels!" Surreal said with an indignant screech. She looked to her mother for support, her eyes widening when Jaenelle only looked back impassively. "Mother! You can't seriously be considering letting this…this Outsider control us this way!"

Jaenelle held out her hand and the Sapphire Jewels Surreal was wearing vanished and reappeared in her outstretched hand. "I will return them to you when you are finished with practice, Surreal. Don't try to call in your other ones, either. I have those, too."

With a furious huff, Surreal turned to look at the breakfast condiments, her stomach rumbling hungrily. Still, her new teacher's warning hung in her mind and, perhaps for the first time, wisely abstained from the solid food and contented herself with a glass of orange juice. Once she was finished, she stomped out of the room to wait on the others by the field.

As the other girls followed Surreal eagerly, Tori caught Lucia's eye and raised her glass in a silent toast. Lucia grinned back and Tori left for her first day of de-Bratting the Brat.


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Sorry it's so short, but I kind of figured that this was a good place to stop! As always, your comments are loved, cherished, and…well, you get the picture!! Chapter Eight coming soon!


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Reviews:

DejaVu--Sorry it took so long. I was planning to post yesterday (or rather this morning) but FF was down so I couldn't. Here is two chapters to make up for it!

Starlight--Hmm. Harry Potter? Okay. Yes, you got it right. Guess I'm not very good at subtlty. ^.^ Oh, well. It was coming out soon anyway! Enjoy!

millnnium--Thanks so much! However, if you continued reading past the first chapter, you'll see that I answered that. Yes, they are in love. Keep reviewing please!!