A week later, Trick, Bo, Lauren, their four children, Dyson, Tamsin, Erik, Reed, and Maddy were all waiting inside the Ash's Conference Room when as Beverly opened the doors to admit a group of five, lean muscled members of the Regnant Guard, all six-feet, five inches tall, all dressed in greyish-black suitcoats that went to their knees, grey shirts, black vests, black pants with boots. Very different from the uniforms they wear at the Presidium. Bo chalked it up to the dress as their field gear. While there were no apparent weapons, Bo knew they each carried concealed Seracon weapons.
The Head of Guard surveyed the room, stationed the five guards around the perimeter of the room then looked back to Trick and Bo.
"Your Royal Highness, Your Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen. I am Bas Gunther, Head of Her Majesty's Guard." He then nodded his head and then stepped aside.
The Regnant entered the room followed by her four sons Antony, Dakari, Jock, Julian, Agent Chennai and the Seneschal. Everyone bowed or curtsied. When The Regnant acknowledged their curtsies everyone righted themselves. The Regnant wore a heavily embroidered cashmere jacket that went down to her knees, and a chain that went from shoulder to shoulder denoting her position. She wore matching cashmere high heeled boots. It reminded Bo of a similar outfit worn by Damber when she fought to free Ianka from his clutches.
"Welcome to our plane of existence, Your Majesty!" Trick was the first to speak.
"Thank you, Fitzpatrick." The Regnant answered. The Regnant then walked up to Bo with her hands behind her back.
"Lovely to see you again. How are you holding up since we last spoke?" The Regnant asked.
"It is sinking in, and now with the move we have to conduct I don't have the time to dwell on it either." Bo replied.
"Right-minded thinking. Helps maintain your perspective." The Regnant looked to Lauren and the four children.
"I take it this is your family?" The Regnant asked.
"Your Majesty, this is my partner, Dr. Lauren Lewis." Bo introduced.
"Dr. Lewis." The Regnant said as she offered a smile.
"Your Majesty." Lauren smiled right back.
"My name is Ari. My wife, Helen, The Queen Consort sends her compliments and looks forward to meeting you when you join us all at the Presidium."
"Thank you, Your Majesty." Then Lauren blushed a bit. The Regnant smiled, tilted her head a bit
"You blush?"
"Apologies, Your Majesty, but Bo's description of you does not do you justice. You are quite beautiful, if I may be so bold." Lauren said.
"Thank you. That is lovely of you to say. You know, my daughter, Emilia is a Physicist. It is her primary field but she also has other fields she works in."
"Bo had informed me that you had a daughter who is also a Scientist." Lauren replied.
"She also looks forward to meeting you. You work is known even on our plane of existence."
"I am honored that she even knows my name, Your Majesty." Lauren answered.
"We have already crafted a role for you for when you arrive so you can continue the strides you have made here."
"Really?" Lauren replied surprised.
"Was that not the correct decision?" The Regnant asked.
"No, no Your Majesty. It is actually wonderful news. I am flattered you even thought to consider me or my work." Lauren replied.
"Well, we cannot have a Scientist with your competence and experience sitting around can we?"
"If I may Your Majesty, will that also include a continued association with JFM?"
"At your discretion." The Regnant answered. Lauren looked at The Regnant floored.
"Really?"
"Yes. At the Presidium we have several arms related to Science. Yours will be as Head of Medical and Research at the Presidium. It is my expectation that not only you retain your relationship with JFM, but expand our health relationships with the Regional Delegations and the support programs we have forged with them." The Regnant replied. Lauren looked at Bo.
"This is the first I have heard about this." Bo admitted.
"Please, do not blame Bo. Changes were made since she left." The Regnant replied.
"There must have been someone in the position already?" Lauren surmised.
"Dr. Leigh Ortuso. When she heard you were coming she asked if she could go back to her first love of biomedical engineering, and we granted her request."
"I don't wish to make waves, Your Majesty."
'As I said we have many arms within Medical."
"Thank you, Your Majesty. I am overwhelmed, truly, by your thoughtfulness." Lauren said as her eyes watered a bit.
"We are fortunate to have your expertise on our staff, Dr. Lewis." The Regnant assured. The Regnant then turned her attention to Bo and Lauren's four children.
"Now who are these four lovelies?" The Regnant asked.
"These are our four little ones. Ethan, Char, Ryan and MaryAoife. And that is Nanny Maddy on the end there." Bo introduced. The Regnant briefly looked at Maddy, smiled then returned her attention back to the children.
"How old are they again?" The Regnant asked.
"Fourteen months." Lauren answered.
"They are beautiful, and very well-behaved." The Regnant said. As The Regnant spoke to the four children all smiled and looked between Lauren, Bo, and Maddy then back at the Regnant.
"For now. Wait until feeding time." Bo replied. The Regnant laughed.
"I am sure." The Regnant said. Then the Seneschal came forward with a bundle.
"I brought you gifts from Helen. When she is not helping me to rule, she knits, and she is an outstanding knitter at that. She made these four shawls for your young ones here. I thought we were expecting another child when I first saw her knitting them." The Regnant explained as the Seneschal handed them out to Bo and Lauren. Maddie and Trick went over to help.
"Pardon, Your Majesty?" Lauren asked.
"My wife knits blankets for some inexplicable reason when she is pregnant, and we use them to swaddle the children after they are born. When I saw these were shawls instead of a blanket I knew it was a false alarm."
They all took a moment to admire the craftsmanship.
"Your Majesty, these are magnificent!" Maddy said.
"My mother Mary, is a knitter as well. Makes fantastic afghans. She would be impressed." Bo added.
The children grabbed onto them as they were being shown their new shawls, and like children the first place they went was inside their mouths. Nanny Maddy was quick to take them all away from them to protect the quality, and when they started to squeal she informed the children they would have an opportunity to play with them later. The Regnant smiled and looked at Bo and Lauren.
"Helen is also preparing something special for your residence when you arrive." The Regnant said.
"Her Majesty is far too kind." Bo replied.
"Trust me, Helen is in her element right now." The Regnant said. Then she turned to the rest of the group.
"Your Majesty, this is Dyson Thornwood, County Regent." Trick introduced.
"Your Majesty." Dyson bowed again.
"So you are the one that will be taking over for Fitzpatrick here. Congratulations. How does it feel?" The Regnant asked.
"Still shell-shocked, Your Majesty." Dyson said.
"Challenge is always a good thing. Fitzpatrick has expressed a great deal of confidence in your abilities. I am sure you will do well."
"Thank you, Your Majesty for the confidence." Dyson replied.
"You have no idea how much the Presidium will come to rely on you as we make this transition. You will have a lot to do." The Regnant said.
"Thank you, Your Majesty. Looking forward to the challenge." Dyson replied. The Regnant nodded then looked to Tamsin.
"Your Majesty, this is Tamsin. She is the Head of Operations for the County, and will soon be transitioning into the role of County Regent." Trick said proudly.
"May you hand be blessed. May you always prosper. May your life last long. Blessings and felicitations, Your Majesty." Tamsin replied reciting the traditional greeting of the Monadori Sanctuary. Everyone looked at Tamsin with surprised looks. The Regnant cocked her head to one side and smiled.
"Peace and protection be upon you and your loved ones." The Regnant replied. Tamsin nodded.
"You have been to the Presidium before?" The Regnant asked.
"Once before. On official business." Tamsin replied. The Regnant cocked her head again.
"Tamsin is a Valkyrie, Your Majesty." Trick informed.
"Ah, understood. Official business indeed." The Regnant said as she smiled. "My daughter, Elena is deputy Regent for the Presidium and an exceptional warrior. I think you two would get along well."
"I look forward to meeting her." Tamsin replied.
"This is Reed Evangrassi. Head of our Intelligence arm and soon will transition into Tamsin's role as Head of Operations." Trick introduced.
"Your Majesty." Reed bowed.
"Dakari here is also part of our Intelligence Pillar. I am sure you two will have a lot to discuss and coordinate." The Regnant replied.
"I look forward to the collaboration, Your Majesty." Reed replied.
"This is Erik Lykke, Dyson's partner at his day job at the 39th Precinct." Trick introduced.
"Your Majesty." Erik bowed. The Regnant smiled and offered a slight nod of her head then turned to her sons.
"These are my four sons. Antony, Dakari, Jock, and Julian." The Regnant introduced.
"Antony is my eldest. He is the Pashan of the Combined Armies, and the Rana of the Prescotti Dynasty." The Regnant started. Antony nodded.
"Dakari is my third eldest. As I noted before, he is part of the Grand Strategum working inside the Intelligence Pillar." Dakari nodded, focusing on Tamsin which both Tamsin and Dyson noticed.
"Jock is my sixth born. He too works within the Grand Strategum within the Law Pillar, and is also an Adherent of the Monadori Sanctuary." Jock nodded his head.
"Peace and protection be upon you all and your loved ones." Jock said then looked to Tamsin. Thank you for the thoughtful consideration of our customs." Tamsin nodded.
"Julian is my ninth born. He is part of the Grand Strategum working inside the Political Pillar. He is also an exceptional logistician. He and Jock will be coordinating Bo and Lauren's transition, and Fitzpatrick's transition, among other things." Julian nodded. The Regnant then looked around the room and then back to Bo.
"Where is your friend and business partner…" The Regnant turned to Agent Chennai.
"Mackenzie Malikov, Your Majesty." Agent Chennai finished.
"She is at the Dal Riata, Your Majesty. She had a couple of issues to address, but she will be here at the dinner later tonight in your honor here at the Compound." Bo answered.
"And your Human mother?" The Regnant asked.
"Back in Grimley, Your Majesty." Bo answered.
"I thought she would be here." The Regnant queried.
"That would entail…complications." Bo replied.
"I don't understand?"
"Her exposure has been limited to myself, Trick, Tamsin, Dyson, and Maddy."
"Why?"
"Aside from my mother's religious convictions, she is recovering from dementia thanks to a drug Lauren developed some years ago. There is a lot that is impacting her perspective right now, and both Lauren and I work to keep it managed." Bo explained.
"That is a lot of words to say you are keeping her in the dark." The Regnant replied. Bo looked bemused. The Regnant exhaled.
"I understand your concern, but eventually she will have to come to know the Presidium. Helen and I expect to meet her one day soon, preferably during your Installation Ceremony where we expect her to be present." The Regnant said.
"Your Majesty, no disrespect, but this is topic I would prefer to discuss in private." Bo replied.
"Privacy is irrelevant. This is your mother. She deserves to be part of your entire life, not just what you deign to show her. If you are to be successful and supported you must allow your family to the opportunity to embrace not just a part of you, but all of you. You will be Queen after me. She must know what that means, what that entails, and how that will impact not only you but her life as well." The Regnant said. Bo looked away. The Regnant exhaled again.
"I understand such things may need to be negotiated, but eventually they will have to come home to roost. The Presidium is a little hard to sweep under the rug." The Regnant said. That last comment made Bo smile and look back up at The Regnant.
"Besides, what mother would not be proud of her daughter becoming Queen of anything, let alone nearly 200 billion Fae." The Regnant added.
"Your Majesty, I think my anxiety is coming back." Bo said as she let a nervous chuckle. The Regnant smiled.
"Destiny permitting we shall have plenty of time to knock those nervous jitters out of you." The Regnant said. Bo smiled. The Regnant then turned to Trick.
"It is my understanding that my first order of business is to take a tour of the medical facility?"
"Yes, Your Majesty." Dr. Lewis answered.
"Then let us proceed."
