ZEDD - THE NEXT EVENING
I sigh as we wait for the others to arrive. What started out as a simple family dinner at the local eating establishment has become more of a family reunion. My siblings are bringing their mates and offspring - those that have them anyway. Mother has had to rent out a party room, for hells sake. Thomas is talking to my mother across the room. Pina and Dar have come, but are staying close to me. While Father is…well he just is I suppose. Recalling Mother's rather biting jab at him about allowing Thomas to sit in a chair at the dinner table last night, I was less than satisfied by his lack of shame or acknowledgement at how he'd treated my mate in my absence. Still at least with myself, Dar, and Pina at the table we made certain there was no repeat of direct rudeness from him where Thomas was concerned.
Still thinking on his behavior along with what obnoxious remarks my siblings might make once learning Thomas was human and is now a mixed breed, I hear Dar mutter to his mate, "Tell me again how we got talked into this."
"Because Tommy didn't want to take the chance that if someone pisses Zedd off and he couldn't handle it, that Zedd would end up in jail and we'd have to break him out later."
I can't help but agree with Dar's next comment. "It'd be more fun to break him out of prison." Especially if we take out half the neighboring city when they do it.
I snap to attention when I hear a female voice call out, "Mother!"
By the powers, is that Serena? Hard to tell by the gaggle of younglings surrounding her. By rough count, I'd say eight children and working on number nine if my eyes aren't deceiving me. Wide range in age too. Some of them look to be slightly older than Thomas while the youngest is being carried.
Suddenly I realize that Thomas is listening intently to the conversation between the two women while looking - at least to someone who doesn't know him well - as if he's not. Mother turns to him and is obviously making introductions. Thomas greets her formally and she waves that off and manages to give him a one armed hug around her other armful of squirming toddler. They speak for a moment before he points at me. She spins to look, turns back, hands the child off to Thomas and almost sprints at me once she's clear of the sea of ankle biters.
"Zeddic!" Serena, who it indeed is, calls out happily. "I've missed you!"
She hugs me fiercely. If I were to admit such a thing to myself, this is the sibling I've missed most, immediately followed by my youngest brother. "Quite a lot of little ones, sister. Planning on starting your own country or just plotting to take over Eltar with your own handmade army?"
She pulls back and slaps my arm playfully. "No, planetary conquest I shall leave up to you dear brother. Besides, you know I've always wanted a lot of children."
"Well, yes but-"
Serena laughs. "You thought I'd grow out of it."
"Oh you've grown out all right," I remark gesturing to her stomach which I've no doubt now is in fact housing a ninth child as I can hear the additional heartbeat with her so near to me. "Nice to see that inept husband of yours is at least making certain you're well fed."
She ignores my playful jab. "Actually, my cook is responsible for that, as well as my oldest daughter. Though speaking of my mate, Marcus isn't coming, but I'm sure you don't mind."
Not really as I didn't like the little weasel when I first met him about a hundred or two hundred years ago. "Too busy?"
She shakes her head. "Too busy being a stuck up, snobby jerk. Apparently if I came to see my 'outlaw fugitive of a brother' then I didn't need to come home."
My hands curl into fists and I can sense the couple next to me tense up as well. Oddly, I can feel Thomas trying to calm me through the bond. A quick glance at him shows me he's grinning at me. A small quick shake of his head has me turning back to my sister once more. "And what did you say to that?"
She laughs shortly. "I reminded him that everything we have is mine due to money or title and if he didn't like it he could leave - with nothing but the clothes on his back and I made sure that every member of the staff knew it too." Hm, I might let him live yet. Might.
"Good girl." There was a time when the only one that Serena would stand up to was me, coming to me to 'resolve' any other conflicts she found herself in. Not that I wasn't more than happy to do so, but still my worry for her not being able to fend for herself and me not available to fight her battles once I joined Dark Spector never really ceased.
"All because of you" she admits sheepishly.
"What?"
"If my big brother, who has the same blood in his veins that I have in mine, can conquer entire planets, then I can certainly stand up to a few snobby society bitches and asses." I can't help it - I laugh. She hugs me again. "Welcome home, Zeddic. Even if it is only for a visit."
"Not to ruin this touching moment, but in truth I didn't really have a choice. My mate wanted to meet my family."
"Yeah, so what's with the formal greeting? With Mother here and Father apparently not, it's really not necessary."
"He's trying to make a good impression, I think, especially since Father doesn't really seem to be taken with him."
She waves this off. "Father is Father. I think he never likes anybody or anything the first time he encounters them." She turns to study Thomas, who is holding the toddler on his hip in a way that says he's done this several times before as he talks to one of the other children. "Hmm. Cute, good with kids - so far. You may have found a winner, Zeddic."
"I'm rather content with him" I agree.
"More so than Annwyl?"
"Considering he recently traded Annwyl to Lord Trey in exchange for my pardon on Triforia I'd say yes."
"Clever." Smiling she gives an approving nod. "He should have thrown in Calan for good measure."
"That would have been a tempting thought if it'd crossed my mind at the time. Let me guess mother told you about his attacking him."
"No, Marcus did." Smiling at my scowl, she shakes her head. "What else is there to do but gossip Zeddic? You grew up on this planet before trying to enslave it, you know how things are. Are you honestly surprised when something that relates to you of all people instantly becomes news here?"
"I suppose not."
"So just out of curiosity, what is he?"
"Half breed now, formerly human."
"Half human and half what?"
"Phaedosian. He's also a power holder."
"Really?" She glances at me skeptically. "How does that work? One of the reasons you divorced Rita was because your powers clashed."
"And the other reason was because she was an obnoxious, self rightous snob." Caving slightly the rather chastising look this earns me I heave a sigh. "She recently dropped in on me and tried to use her power on me to find out about Thomas. You know how I feel about that."
"I do, and I hope you made it clear once more to her as well."
"I burned her with my own power in return. I didn't mean to, well not exactly, however Thomas stopped me before I could actually kill or cripple her. Unlike her though his powers are not bonded to good or evil, but rather to nature, making them more neutral, they don't agitate me and mine don't seem to bother him."
The child on Thomas' hip begins to fuss and he tries to settle it down, with no success. He makes his way over to us and hands the child to Serena. "I think she's had enough of the stranger for now," he says smiling.
Serena agrees. "She's also probably a little hungry and tired, as she's recently gotten over being sick."
"Aw. Poor baby. Being sick isn't fun for anybody. Is it, Zedd?" I can hear the laughter in his voice and despite my still slight annoyance at Jason for infecting us, the sound and slight teasing from him does make me smile.
"No, it's not and that in mind the next time your brother in arms visits, I'll thank him to make certain he's not contagious first. However, I suppose it could have been worse as at least we had someone who could take care of us, Thomas."
Before he can comment back, a less pleasant voice cuts in. "The mighty Zeddic admitting to needing to be cared for? Will wonders never cease?"
Inwardly, I sigh. Here's one of the reasons I didn't want to do this. "Manners usually dictate that one says hello before picking at someone, Jax. However you never really were one to remember your manners when attending social events that did not in some way benefit you directly."
"Quite frankly I would have happily stayed home, but Mother indicated that this was a command appearance. So, I'm here and will stay until it is socially acceptable to leave and return to the piles of work on my desk. Some of us actually have jobs you know."
Casually, Thomas replies, "And some of us are so successful at our jobs, or rather business, that it won't collapse if it's left for a few days, never mind a few hours." He moves over to my side and slips his arm around my waist.
"And you speak to me on manners, Zeddic. Perhaps a few more lessons in our culture are needed for your companion."
"I know enough about your culture to know that talking to your elder sibling in the manner that you are and in a social setting no less is considered disrespectful enough to warrant Zedd and your sister to demand apologies from you."
"Oh, bravo young one." Seeming highly amused now, Serena looks to our brother who is turning a most pleasing shade of red at being all but chastised by my mate.
"You have quite the little champion in this one, Zeddic. I wonder how long it'll take him to see the real you, like all the others did" Jax snorts. "He really has you fooled, doesn't he? You think he's perfect."
Thomas laughs, but I can feel the desire to fight in him. "Oh he's not perfect - not by a long shot, but he's perfect for me and that's all I want him to be. So whatever little jealousy problem you have with him, I suggest you take it elsewhere as while I have the ability to stand here and defend him and our relationship all night, I really find my time would be better spent arguing with someone who can understand half of what I'm saying."
Serena's hand is fast to cover her mouth and stifle what I know is laughter, even as I can barely contain my own amusement.
Left with nothing to say to this, Jax storms off, headed for my mother. Serena comments, "I think I'll just follow our darling brother to make sure he remembers that this is Mother's party and he'd better locate his manners and fast before she has to remind him."
She takes off and I take the opportunity to swiftly kiss my mate. "Thank you, love, for the spirited defense."
He shrugs. "He'll like me or he'll hate me, but he damned well better respect me and you. Or I have no problem making him." His dislike shows clearly in his tone.
"Knowing him, he's either going to avoid you as much as possible until he leaves or he's going to try and needle you until you snap."
"Oh really?" He eyes Jax assessingly. "Thanks for the warning, mate."
Dar speaks. "And you needed us here why? You seem to be doing well enough."
Thomas levels a knowing look at Goldar. "If you want to leave, go right ahead, but I'm betting that you'll stay now just to see if I do end up in a fight with him so that you can take bets."
Dar curses under his breath, knowing Thomas has read him correctly. I pull a card out of my pocket and hand it to Dar. "I'm going to place my bet early - on my mate, of course. And furthermore, I'll bet he doesn't even have to call on his staff or powers to do it either."
Dar hands the card back. "I'm not taking your bet, Zedd. You have inside information and if I know you, the amount on that card will have me working for you free for months - if not years - to pay your winnings."
I laugh and slip it back in my pocket. "Damn, and contracted slave labor is so hard to come by these days."
SOME TIME LATER
Sitting at a table with a few other select people, I watch my mate. He's been coerced into telling the young ones a story and they're all in the corner, him in a chair and the children on the floor at his feet, every one of them enthralled by his tale. He'll make a fantastic parent one day. Hopefully fantastic enough to offset any of my shortcomings and failings. Serena nudges me. "Make you want some of your own?"
"Not quite yet, but someday."
"I assume that you'll have to carry them, then unless you're going to use a surrogate."
"Hell no - no surrogate. And I have no idea if Thomas could carry them or not. I've been meaning to ask Pina but I keep forgetting." I look over at the warrior in question.
She shrugs. "In theory, the Phaedosian genetics would allow for it, but I don't know if the human ones would override them in that instance. Until you two are ready to start a family, I wouldn't worry too much about it. We'll figure it out then."
Satisfied with this for now, I start to relax when Jax comes up to the table and sits uninvited. "So, Mother tells me that the half breed is your mate."
"He has a name" I remind him tersely. "And yes, he is."
"Hmm, mate is a rather interesting thing to call it."
"What?"
"Well apparently you keep him isolated on your planet with you so he has no choice, thus I'm not so certain 'mate' is the entirely accurate title for what he would be really."
"That's not how it is" I protest. Out of the corner of my eye, I see Thomas' head snap toward me. "We're bonded, but he chose whether or not we would be mates. I didn't make him."
Jax rolls his eyes. "There's only you, Goldar and Scorpina there, Zeddic. Since those two are mated to each other, that only leaves you."
"If he didn't want to be mates, we wouldn't be. I'm not isolating him to keep him from having options." Am I? Doing my best to shake away the spark of doubt he's suddenly put into me, I quickly go on the defensive. "Besides we just took a trip back to his home world, not to mention he has complete freedom to contact his fellow Rangers and have them visit if he wants. He's not a prisoner or pet for hells sake."
"Really? So let's see if I have this correct. You snatched him away from his fellow Rangers and home world while he was injured, took him back to your uninhabited planet without his consent or ability to really grasp what was going on due to said injuries, the only person he had to rely on to survive was basically you, and once aware of the bond instead of closing him off from it and letting him continue to heal normally, you informed him of what it was, what it meant, and that it typically involved or led to the bonded pair being mates. Oh, no, Zeddic, you're right, he had all the freedom to choose for himself on if he wanted to be your mate or not. Truly I am the mistaken one here and of course you aren't keeping him."
"I'm not forcing him into anything!"
"Oh of course you aren't." Honestly getting to me far more than I'd like to admit, he almost has me seriously doubting myself now before he pauses and thankfully says the wrong thing. "You do know that keeping pets of that sort is illegal in most of the universe, don't you?" Gasps around the table as he continues. "But for someone who enjoys being a felon, I don't suppose that the laws the rest of us respect mean anything to you, do they? Not to mention that he's merely a child and despite what you claim, some of us are intelligent enough to know that humans don't naturally bond."
Teeth clenched I dare to ask. "Meaning?"
"You really wish me to say it, brother?"
"Oh please do." I dare you.
Sighing and looking disgusted, he apparently does not take my tone as the warning it is. "Fine, meaning you probably force bonded with him. Shame on you, Zeddic. I know how lax your views and morals are, but seriously, to do that?"
Enraged, but yet still stunned into shocked silence, I can only sit and stare at him. I knew that we didn't get along, but for him to accuse me of such things… Before I can snap out of it, Thomas snarls from behind Jax, "That. Is. Enough."
He snatches Jax up out of his chair by his collar and spins him around. Mother rises from her seat and circles the table. "Jax-"
"No, Mother. Someone had to say it and none of you had the courage! It's bad enough you invite him back here knowing good and well what he's done to shame the family with his past actions under Spector, but then to just show back up with a former enemy turned pet, trying to pass it off as some ploy to get back into the family. Honestly how blinded are you by him?!"
Mother sighs. "Go ahead, Tommy."
An evil smile like I've never seen crosses my mate's face and before anyone knows what's happened, Thomas has knocked my brother to the floor. He drags Jax back to his feet and gets right in his face. "I will tolerate your dismissal of me. I will put up with you talking to me like a child and a second class citizen or one of the help. But there is no way in hell I will stand by while you insult my mate or disrespect your mother. Just who do you think you are? Because I can tell you just from the little I've seen it sure as hell is a far bigger embarrassment then Zedd ever was or ever could be. And just for your information, yes maybe Zedd was evil, but I have been too and let me tell you, him on his worst day cannot compare to what I will do to you if you ever talk to him like that again. You don't know shit about him or me or us."
About to rise from my chair to calm him, Mother beats me to it, setting her hand on his shoulder. "You've made your point, son. Let him go." Surprisingly obeying without protest or hesitation to her command, Thomas all but flings Jax away from him, as if he were afraid he'd catch something from my brother. She turns her attention to Jax. "I'm rather ashamed of you and your behavior today, Jax. I knew you were like your father, but I didn't realize just how much until today. Tommy is right, Zeddic has made some less than desirable choices in the past, however he has never stopped being a part of this family and has never dared to attack any of that family as you have tonight. When you can be civil once more, you may speak to me but until that time, you need to think about what you've said and done here today."
Jax, embarrassed and angry, but thankfully knowing better than to argue with Mother in front of the family, turns to his wife and children. "Let's go." Immediately, three of his children go to his side, but his mate and the other two don't move. "Now!" Slowly, they rise and follow the others out the door.
Once they're out of earshot, Thomas turns to Mother. "He's not going to take it out on them, is he?"
Mother gives him a small smile. "Not to worry, Tommy. If he does, I will surely hear about it and I will take care of it."
"Sorry I lost my temper. Believe it or not, my parents raised me better than that."
There's laughter and not a little sarcasm in my mother's voice as she answers. "Oh, yes. Shame on you for standing up for your mate. Whatever were you thinking?"
