Adalind marveled at the turn her life had taken.
For so long, she had been trying to take the key Nick possessed. They had threatened one another. Attacked one another. Tried to destroy one another. All because of that little trinket.
And now, she had been entrusted with keeping not one, but two keys safe. The grimm himself having placed the delicate chain that held the keys around her neck.
The keys were removed from the hexenbiest neck and from their chain.
Miesner laid a large sheet of parchment paper on the kitchen table as well as some ink, enabling the group to figure how the keys would match up to form a map.
"I think it is best I be on my way." Alexander stated. "The little I know about this quest, the better."
"Are you taking the van you brought us in?" Monroe fretted. "How are all of us supposed to go anywhere if or when we need to?"
"It's alright." Alexander assured. "There are two more vehicles here that are hidden. The van I am leaving here. Please take that when you return to the airport. I will be taking the small car I left here when Miesner showed me the place."
"I have a large truck here as well." Miesner added. "Don't worry. If we need to leave, we have transportation."
"Monroe? Worry? Surely you jest?" Nick said in an obvious mocking tone.
Monroe glared at his friend, menacingly. Nick replied with a smirk, clearly unfazed.
Seeing the exchange, Diana giggled. She then looked at her mother and said. "I like Nick, mommy. He's funny."
Adalind smiled at her daughter, relieved that her little girl was already being taken in by the charms of the man she loved.
Having noticed a bedroom, Adalind decided to grab the blanket, lay it on the cabin floor and give her children the chance to play and bond together while she kept an eye on them and helped out with the quest Nick had gotten himself into.
Adalind then walked over to the table and looked at the the image created by the five keys.
"That looks like the black forest. Or, actually, how it looked several hundred years ago." She observed.
"How do you know what the black forest used to look like?" Nick asked.
Against her will, Adalind's face turned a deep scarlet, and unfortunately, gave away the fact that her story was a bit personal and might be embarrassing.
"In my early teens, I may have had a fascination with the grimm's fairy tales and trying to prove their true origins. So many stories seemed to be centered around the Black Forest. I wondered if maybe the area held some sort of supernatural or magical properties."
"Well, if this map is telling us that whatever those seven grimms hid, they hid it somewhere close to the Black Forest, then your theories may have been right." Monroe said, looking over the map. "I mean, it's not completed, so the only way to know for your is to go there and look at the area covered by the missing keys."
"I don't think that will be necessary." Rosalee announced. She pointed to a cross on the map. "The seven grimms were the Knights Templar. They were men who were considered warriors of God. It would make sense that they would feel the safest place to hide the artifact in a church, on holy ground."
"From the Holy Land to sacred ground. Makes sense" Nick agreed. "But how can we be certain that the church still exists?"
"If your ancestors chose that as the hiding place for the powerful artifact, it would have had significant importance." Miesner said. There is a good chance they hid the object in an underground chamber. So even if the church was destroyed in some way, the underground tunnels would still exist. Even if a newer church was built on top of the old one. Doubtful anyone would take the time to remove stone, wood and morder. Especially if they thought they protected some one's grave."
They looked online at modern maps of the area in question. And found a church that looked like it might fit the one they were looking for.
"Unfortunately, I cannot go with you." Miesner said. "If anyone recognized me, they would find it very suspicious. And as we don't want anyone to know what you are up to, It's best I stay behind. I will arrange for you to be able to leave for the U.S. the moment you have the item."
Nick nodded at Miesner in understanding and thanks. Then said, "We might be able to stay under suspicion if we pose as tourists on a family vacation." He looked at Adalind, "Just parents taking their daughter and baby boy to experience the beauty of the German countryside."
Adalind smiled. She loved the idea of Her and Nick posing as a complete family.
They made plans to head for the area the first thing in the morning.
As a precaution, Adalind hid a dagger and a small pistol in Kelly's diaper bag. Just in case they ran into anyone who violently objected to their presence.
"Hopefully, we won't need to use those." Nick said with a sigh. "But I'd rather be safe than sorry."
"Dude, with our luck, it's always best to be prepared for the worst case scenario." Monroe stated.
Everyone had to agree with the blutbad. Very rarely did anything for them go smoothly.
So as they all settled in to bed that night, wanting to be fully rested for the adventure that lay ahead of them, each one of them prepared themselves mentally for all the dangers that could await. But also held the one that they loved close.
MIesner gave Nick, Adalind and the children the largest bed, and the whole family snuggled together.
Monroe and Rosalee laid on a cot. Each assuring the other that everything would be alright through gentle tender touches and kisses.
Miesner took the couch. A weapon under his pillow, just in case some threat should come.
Nick and Adalind watched the children nestled between them. Each one sleeping soundly. Not a single worry in the world to trouble their dreams.
Just before they themselves drifted off, Nick took Adalind hand in his, pressed her knuckles to his lips, squeezed gently but firmly, and gave her a smile as they looked into each other's eyes. Communicating silently that no matter what happened, they were a family, and they were going to stay together.