Gareton and Livia prepared for dinner while completely lost in their own thoughts. Gareton sat in a high-back chair near the window and peered outward over the evening sky while Livia put on her make-up and jewelry.
"Darling, are you okay over there?" Livia asked.
"Not entirely." Gareton replied. "Are you?"
"Not entirely. Still thinking about earlier?" Livia asked.
"Can't think of anything else! All our lives we've been told mythologies were exactly that – mythologies! Stories of weird and mysterious, and now we have a house full of the weird and mysterious."
"That includes our four grandchildren."
"I know. And they are far from it." Gareton replied with a smile.
"They are so very beautiful." Livia said. Gareton stood up and went to the window and looked out.
"You know, I honestly I want to go out into the gardens and surrounding forests and start poking at the trees. See if some of them come alive as actual living beings."
"Not sure that's how it all works, darling."
"Actually, a lot of these mythologies center around Fairies. Woodland ones to be exact."
"Well, let's refrain from poking at trees, shall we? The Staff might think we've become deranged." Livia said. Gareton turned from the window.
"Now that you say like that it does sound outrageous."
"Yes, it does."
"And yet, we are surrounded by the existence of such mythical creatures!" Gareton said as he resumed his seat.
"The Staff cannot know."
"Well, that goes without saying, and which is fine for now, but as our grandchildren grow up that might become an issue. We might have to change out the Staff." Gareton replied.
"Why?" Livia asked.
"What do you think they are going to do when they hear Fae are real? May invoke some age-old superstitions."
"I think that's being a tad hysterical."
"Why? Because they're our staff?"
"Yes."
"Doesn't mean they don't possess basic fears about the unknown. Take this Bas Gamba for example. He's a Lycan! A living, breathing, walking, talking Werewolf. That knowledge alone would play into some people's basic childhood fears."
"Yet, we know that once we confront our base fears, we can overcome them."
"That's one big hummer of an assumption where's he's concerned don't you think?" Gareton asked.
"Mary seems fine."
"I suppose, but then she has to be fine with it since her entire Guard staff are Lycans."
"Well, let's cross that bridge when we come to it."
"Well, whatever bridge we cross, we cannot allow any harm to come to our grandchildren if the knowledge that Fae exist comes to light." Gareton said.
"Speaking of which, after tonight's dinner I want to sit down with this Bo and understand this whole 'next Queen' business."
"And that our dear Karen…Lauren will be her Consort."
"Companion." Livia corrected.
"That title sounds like she'll just be warming the bedchamber."
"Darling!"
"Well, it does."
"We know that Lauren will never settle for just that. Besides, she a great many other responsibilities already."
"And that's my other concern. Lauren…has too many responsibilities. She's a mother of four..."
"Who literally has an army to help her take of them." Livia interjected.
"She's also heavily involved with Ash Pharmaceuticals, then with that clinic of Mary's, and has a job back at this Presidium where's she living."
"I share your concerns there."
"And to top it all off she's to be a Companion in Rule to Bo, over 200 billion Fae? On another plane of existence? I just simply cannot grasp my head around it!"
"Neither can I. If it weren't for what we witnessed earlier today I would've thought this was all one, big hoax."
"Even with Bo's eyes?" Gareton asked.
"Well, there's that."
"Well, I won't be able to return to Zandri without looking at what we do there from a whole new set of fresh eyes."
"I agree. We'll need to convene the Committee on the Advancement of Humanity as soon as possible. This news call for a complete revisitation of our programs and research surrounding the human condition and evolution." Livia replied.
"Agreed. Now what do we tell Vespy?" Gareton asked.
"Nothing."
"We have to tell him something. He's going to wonder why we called a meeting of his very own committee and start to ask a whole new set of questions."
"After the dinner tonight, we can assess that question better."
"Alrighty then. In the interim, I want to get to know Bo and her grandfather more." Gareton said.
"Trick, as they call him."
"I think there's more than meets the eye there."
"He's very elusive, and given what he told us about his background, quite murderous apparently."
"It's not we haven't seen that kind of…resolve before with some of the people we've dealt with in the past. Supposedly he's a king in his own right."
"Yes, but we now have a dog in the fight. We have four grandchildren to consider."
"You don't think he would harm them?" Gareton asked.
"I don't know what to think. He condemned his own daughter to certain death."
"Then what are you saying?"
"That we must be in a position to act, that if Lauren and our grandchildren ever come to harm, we can protect them." Livia replied.
"First, we need to know exactly what we were are dealing with here, and the scale or it."
"I agree, but from this day forward, I have but one resolve."
"What is that?"
"To never lose Lauren again." Livia replied firmly. Gareton stood up out of his chair, went over and kissed his wife gently on the lips.
"Ditto."
Trick and Eva moved back and forth across the room as the Seneschal helped them dress for dinner.
"So, what do you think of all of this so far." Eva asked.
"I cannot believe how much I've missed France. I've been gone too long." Trick replied.
"I meant the conversation earlier."
"Oh that. Yes! Bo and Lauren thought it best to tell them everything if they were going to allow the children into their lives."
"Makes sense."
"It's also their thing. They don't like the Fae are hidden. Lauren's use to it because that's how she came to know the Fae, but the Fae being hidden has never sat well with Bo."
"I'm sure she's heaving a sigh of relief now that the Fae can live transparent lives."
"Yes, but even Bo realizes there's a reason why the Fae were hidden for so long and why there's needs to be a managed transition. We don't need Humans or Fae recklessly attacking one another."
"Quite." Eva said. "Now since you have won Inclusion and plan to move your seat of power to Ravenglass, what about Evony? Do you expect her to establish her seat in Ravenglass with you?"
"For now, no. There's too many variables, some of which are emotional ones." Trick replied.
"You've never allowed emotions to stand in the way before."
"I have so much more now to consider. I have a future lineage that I could only dream about, and new beginnings I thought would never come to me again, but Evony is right to stabilize the Human plane first."
"She has quite the task ahead of her."
"It's not as if this is the first time she's ever been a Grand Ducal."
"Yes, but not with as much interest and not with as much at stake. She's literally the Grand Ducal of the home of the next Sovereign. That carries prominence."
"I know. But right now, she has to make sure a war doesn't start between the Humans and Fae once our presence is transparent."
"I realize you have to be conciliatory, but if a war happens between the Humans and Fae why not just wipe the Humans from existence? Problem solved."
"Because as much as Bo is Fae, she also considers herself Human."
"Because she was raised by Humans."
"Yes."
"Nostalgia is all very well, but then there are the practical realities."
"Bo has never been one to allow such things as practical realities to get in the way of her intended goals."
"If she is to reign, she will need to understand the Realm does not revolve around the Human Plane." Eva said. Trick let out a laugh. "You know, Rana Chavalier is still not settled with the Renaştere Delegation being under your Dynasty."
"It has been decreed."
"Nevertheless, he is looking to force a fight."
"Why does it even matter to him?"
"It's prominence. You know that."
"Still. What does he hope to gain?"
"Having his Dynasty linked to the Delegation from which the next future Sovereign hails is prestigious."
"The LauDessar Dynasty is also being hypocritical. It's his Dynasty that would love to see the Humans carted about as cattle."
"Don't think he's the only one strategizing. Rana Atherstone has expressed similar interest."
"Really? The Tulach Dynasty? One would think The Queen Consort would have said something."
"I believe he's being influenced by Grand Ducal Savva who is quite vocal about it."
"Has His Serene Highness said anything?" Trick asked.
"No. But then again, he wouldn't be objectionable to it either. It would only serve to unite the Prescotti line closer to yours. After all, if anything should happen to The Queen the Quedaerin Dynasty becomes the prominent Dynasty instead of the Prescottis. Besides, I think it would help if the other Dynasties were a part of the Renaştere delegation in some way. It would most certainly help with Bo's perception that the Human Plane stands aside from the rest." Eva replied. Trick frowned in contemplative thought. "What's the matter?"
"All this posturing and shifting. It's beginning to disturb me." Trick replied.
"It used to enthrall you." Eva said. Trick let out a knowing grin.
"Like I said, I have so much more now to consider. Not just simply about Bo, but my four great grandchildren and their futures. I need to make sure they're protected."
"If anyone can ensure their protection it is you." Eva replied.
"Right now, I have a more immediate concern."
"This Dr. Lavoie?"
"He's wrapped in this growing conspiracy against The Queen, so he's coming to dinner for a reason."
"I'm impressed he's been able to keep the fact he's Fae from Gareton and Livia for so long."
"He's in it for the long game."
"Poor Gareton and Livia. Aside from their Human guests they'll be the only people in the room oblivious to the fact a Fae confrontation is happening under their very roof."
"Whatever he's planning to do, I will not allow my family to be endangered."
"I thought you said Bo has never seen the other side of you?"
"She hasn't, and it is my intent she never does, but if any harm comes to my family…"
"Then I know what I need to do."
"Thank you. So how do you like it here? In France?" Trick asked.
"It's quaint." Eva replied.
"Miss the Presidium, already?" Trick asked.
"Would you be offended if I said yes?"
"No."
"I mean, it's nice and all but it's…"
"it's quaint." Trick finished. Eva smiled. "We better hurry."
"Yes, and by the way, if you haven't noticed, Gareton has been eying you closely. Be prepared to be pounced upon."
"I did notice that, and I am prepared."
Ethan and Ryan tore past Bo and Lauren's legs while Char banged around the room and MayAoife sat on the bed playing with the latest toy Livia had given her. A tablet. Bo and Lauren enjoyed watching MaryAoife try to make sense of it while they dressed for dinner. At the Presidium, the technological interfaces were on command, but on the Human Plane everything needed some type of apparatus. MaryAoife banged the tablet on the bed for the longest time, then frustrated, tossed it over on the side and started to wave in the air. Lauren laughed hard.
"She's looking for the interface!" Lauren choked through her laughter at MaryAoife's frustration.
"I am so amazed at how quickly they've adapted to Presidium technology now." Bo commented.
"They have indeed." Lauren replied when she recovered. The Seneschal rounded up the four amigos and then led them out of the bedroom to meet up with both Mary and Maddy down the hall.
"So, how are you feeling?" Bo asked after the Seneschal left them to her own devices.
"About the whole Fae convo with my parents?"
"Yeah."
"Like the Yukon Mountains have been lifted off my shoulders."
"I bet."
"How do you feel?"
"Glad your parents didn't react too crazy. Especially, with Bas Gamba."
"My thoughts exactly."
"So how are we going to handle Dr. Lavoie?" Bo asked.
"It's a tangled web for sure. My parents know you're Fae now, that I work for the Fae, Ash Pharmaceutical is a Fae operation, but somehow don't know that Dr. Lavoie is Fae, who is working with a conspiracy group to include the Viofynne Conglomerate to destroy the Fae, and who worked with Dr. Taft who himself hid his own conspiracy from both Dr. Laovie and my parents to become Fae. Yeah, lots to detangle there." Lauren replied.
"Him coming means he knows we know something."
"If not everything."
"Well, he's still under the assumption that your parents still don't know about the Fae."
"That true. But if my parents find out he's Fae tonight that will wound them greatly."
"Why?" Bo asked.
"Not because he's Fae, but out of friendship. But will hurt even more when they learn that he's part of some grand conspiracy to take down the Realm, thus you, me and the children. That bit of news they will not react well to at all."
"Yet, he must have surmised all of this and is still coming to dinner for some reason. He has to know that once he leaves the dinner party tonight life as he knows it is over. He cannot go back to Zandri knowing that we know. So, what's his gamble?" Bo asked to a pondered look from Lauren.
