Chapter 2: In which our characters meet five impossible people/Meet the Family
Here's chapter 2 this chapter unlike the last one is mainly centred around getting to know the Scots and their society but I have managed to inject some comdey. Try to guess which program(s) I have written this episode around.
Iolaus having missed the introduction of the Scots still had no idea who they were although he didn't know much less than any of his fellow cadets. He came into the practice room just in time to see them fighting eachother blind folded and it took him a while to process the sight of their combat.
When Aynsleigh and Scot had finished they were barely even sweating, they wondered over to the three cadets and Jason to stop them using the royal and he believed mocking titles, introduced himself, "Hello my name's Jason."
"Yes we know," replied Scot with his usual smile.
"Do you like Greece?" asked Hercules in a desperate atempt to avoid an aquward silence.
"Well we should it's were we've lived for the past six years," said Aynsleigh teasingly but serious all the same.
"This has been your home for six years?" inquired Jason open mouthed.
"On and off, we have done a lot of traveling Rome, Egypt, India, the far east, lots of places," explained Scot, "So if you take in how long the traveling is it's probebly less than half of that."
"Why are you here?" Jason was sure they weren't going to answer that but to his great surprise they had no problems with sharing information about the troubles of their country with him.
"We were asked to leave and hide when we were eleven because the people and the fallen angels, I beg your pardon Gods, believe that we are some divine presence sent from God to end this war and being in the country has put both us and our people in ferocius danger so we had to minmalize the risk to the people we loved and if it ment leaving our home so be it." Scot delivered that magnificant speech with such conviction that the boys for the first time saw some royal in him.
"So you have lived on your own since you were eleven?" Jason knew he was asking very personal questions but he was so curious about these impossible people, not so he could use the information just because they were unlike anything he had ever seen. They were so open but still they managed to remain a mystery. They were his enemy and their attitude 'annoyed the Hell out of him' as they would say but he still found it very hard to hate them.
"Most certainly not," said Aynsleigh agian in a teasing tone but serious all the same, "we had eachother." And they exchanged another tender smile.
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Later on in the day Aynsleigh and Scot were shown to the barracks where they would be sleeping, they had the beds closest to the door Scot slept on the lower one and Aynsleigh had the one between him and the wall higher up than his. When they entered the room Aynsleigh looked around and said, "Oh look, what a lovely colour sceme, every possible shade of cack."
She said it quite cynically but for some reason the cadets knew she ment nothing nasty by it. Aynsleigh had asked Cheiron shortly before bed if there was anything to eat and he said the cook had gone home and locked the kichen, "How about a minted sweet," he asked.
"Oh perfect so at least when we die of hunger we'll have fresh minty breath."
Agian she managed to say it in a way that let Cheiron know she was just teasing and he couldn't help smiling, the cadets were astonished they'd never seen Cheiron smile, and then they went to bed after Scot giving Aynsleigh a playful slap on the arm for her cheek, but she just smiled at him.
After they had unpacked the left their bags on the floor and Scot noticed Aynsleigh was miles away, "What are you thinking," he asked narrowing his eyes.
"I'm thinking we should have had the minted sweets."
Scot flopped on the bed as if he couldn't be bothered.
"I'm sorry, I'm sorry," Aynsleigh said sitting herself, "I won't be able to sleep I can't stop thinking about food."
"We didn't let things like this distrupt our sleep years ago did we."
"Oh come on back then our stamina wasnae built up what with hiding, war, parliment, the wards, the prime minister, your mother, we were exhausted we'd've slept on a bed of broken glass if it ment we could sleep."
"Yeh"
"Yeh were has the romance gone eh?" she joked until they heard pleasurable yes' coming from the wall which must have belonged to some unknown guests unaware that they could be heard.
"Obviously next door," chuckled Scot.
"You don't think they could be moving their lugage in do you."
"OHHH Yes," came the voice from the wall.
"Well he certainly has," Scot said setting off laughter from the cadets that he didn't much notice.
"I've just remembered something that might cheer us up," said Aynsleigh delving into her bag.
"Oh no what could be more fun than this," he laughed.
"Some chocolate," she said producing a bar the colour of her hair.
"Oh I knew I partnered you for a reason," he said breaking a bit off, "oh God," he said in hunger.
"Oh my Gods," came the voice from the wall.
"Oh yeh that's good," said Aynsleigh with a cheeky smile on her face as she too broke her self a piece.
"Oh yes yes yes," said the voice.
"They must have more sugar," said Aynsleigh.
The screaming visiters soon calmed down and the cadets went to sleep.
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In the morning the cadets were woken up as as usual at four o'clock.
As bell was sounded a startled Aynsleigh jumped, "What the....it's four o bloody clock."
"I know I couldn't sleep either," mumbled Scot turning over and pulling the pillow over his head.
Jason came over to shake Scot, "Come on it's time to wake up."
"It's four o'clock in the morning," groaned Scots quite firecely that Jason stepped back but the Scots begrudgingly got up and dressed with their eyes closed.
They went down to breakfast and they leaned their elbows on the table with their heads in their hands.
"Breakfast is served," said the cook cheerfully.
Aynsleigh groaned, "Yeh well serve it agian when it's morning."
The cadets started to eat and Aynsleigh said to Iolaus who was sitting next to her, "Could you stop breathing so loud or at least have the decencey to kill me."
Then their came a knock at the dining room door, the cadets knew that it couldn't be for anyone but the Scots so they left it alone.
"Scot the door."
"Aynsleigh the door."
"Scot the door." Aynsleigh groaned through her hands and Scot not awake enough to argue slapped his fists quite weakly agianst the table and got up to go to the door.
"Do you know what bloody time it is," then recodnising her "oh it's your mother."
"Oh she's my mother now is she," said Aynsleigh who had now rested her head on the table, "tell her I'm not here."
"It's haulf four in the morning were else are you likely to be."
"Just tell her am oot."
"Where? A rave?"
"You'll pay fur this," she said going to the door, "Hi Jessica."
"Yes that was Scot," Jessica couldn't be heard, "yes Scot your son, yes he's still a dentist, yes we're still parteners, I can asure you we're quite happy."
"I'm not bloody happy," angrily complained Scot through gritted teeth.
"Our address, it's the same as it's been for the last six years. It's not oor fault you havnae visited. No but...aye but....ohh Scot wants to talk tae you."
On that Scot became fully awake, "No No."
"Alright then bye," she said closing the door.
"What would I want to talk tae her for?"
"Besides the fact that she is your mother, I just tell her that it's the only way to get rid of her."
"What did she come for this time other than to wake me."
"She wants to invite us to a little get togther."
"Oh good," he said sarcastically, "a party."
"No her funeral, she's dieing agian."
"She's been dieing for the last 17 years, still hasn't delivered the goods."
"She's trying to trick us into visiting her the manipulative cow, I can't believe we grew up with somebody like that could you imagine still living with somebody like that. Take that back."
Scot looked innocent, " I didn't say anything."
"You were thinking it. Come Scot I don't controle, I suggest I guide I lead. Scot wake up." she snapped as she saw her partner nodding off agian.
"What," said Scot confused by sleep, "It's your mother at the door."
"Well I'm not going to visited her," she said resting her head back on the table and closing her eyes, "I refuse to play the pawn in her twisted little game," then her eyes snapped open with a smile, " I'll get one of the kids tae go."
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By the time noon came the cadets had already learnt quite a lot about the impossible guests. Many had been thinking they were romantically involved, perhaps even married as they made reference to partnership and once in class Aynsleigh refered to it as a marriage. Feducious was teaching them poetry and the apperciation of it and they all had to give ther own poetic views on love and Aynsleigh had scoffed at all of them. One cadet compared love to a flower.
"or weed"
He said the lover was a gardener.
"With a bucket full of manure."
Then another cadet got up and talked about his first love and Feducious asked for comment. Aynsleigh raised her hand.
"Ok but this time tell us what you liked about the poem."
"Well it wasn't as bad as his," she said indicating the cadet who made the comparrisons to flowers.
He scowled and she said, "I'm sorry, no really I'm sorry. For God's sake I didn't want to ruin your romantic illusions of love but somebody has to. I mean sunny skys and delicate flowers they've got nothing to do with real love I mean flowers don't take the covers from you at night tell you how to ride your horse or throw you in a freezing cold lake to wake you up at two in the morning. Love isn't a flower it's a Venus fly trap lures you in with promises of forbiden fruit then," slamming her fist on the desk, "crushes you like an insect."
Feducious frowned tryong to remember that these people didn't care much for pleasentries if they didn't like you or thought you were wrong they would come out and tell you, "You have a rather pessimistic view of love."
"That's because I'm married."
"What about Scot," asked Hercules
"Oh I crushed him long ago."
"I mean are you two really married?"
"In your way no. You see in our society people need people they can count on so from a very young age, we have a partner."
"A fighting partner?"
"Yes and patner in many other things too, basically your best friend."
"So you two aren't...."
And Aynsleigh just laughed.
They also found out that Aynsleigh's family (parents and brother) were dead and so was Scot's father.
"Tell us a bit about yourself," requested Jason
"What do you want to know?"
"What was your life like?"
"Hard."
"Sibings?"
"Two Daniel's my only biological sibling. Mel is a royal ward but she has my name and she was raised with me so she is nothing less than my sister. Ginger is Aynsleigh's ward which makes her mine but she only started to live with us afyter her father died when she was eight."
"So you two aren't brother and sister?" and they just laughed. In their society if you though of someone as a mother or brother or aunt, ect then you were not only within your right but you were expected to called them that but Aynsleigh and Scot shared something that went beyond brother and sister something that bound them by the heart not the blood and it was stronger than siblings. Even though they loved their wards more than almost anything they shared something tht no-one else could touch.
Jason resumed his questions, "School?"
"Finished."
"Father?"
"Dead."
"Mother?"
"Killed him."
They must have looked astonished, Aynsleigh said, "What are you talking about Jessica didn't kill King David he died of food poisioning."
"I maintain that she knew the salmon was bad but she gave it to him anyway."
Despite the sparseness of the humour the cadets couldn't help finding this funny. Aynsleigh and Scot obviously didn't like their partents.
They learned that the reason they didn't become King and Queen imediately is because their fathers fobade them from becoming what was known as baby monarchs.
Scotland had two royal families. The men who had traveled back from 2010 A.D. whatever that was shared the country. North and South weren't divided they just both ruled the entire country and for 250 years the two families were harmonious even through Aynsleigh and Scot's fathers' careless rule. David and James didn't really bother about their country anymore than they did their children. Aswell as parents all children got guardiens, they were like second parents and despite the fact that the 18 year old guardiens were onlu 2 and 3 years older than their wards the cadets could easily beileve they did well as they managed to rule a country from afar.
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Durning afternoon drills Aynsleigh was fighting Hercules and taking about her wards saying they would be here soon.
"How do you know?"
"Easy imagine the last place I'd want them to be."
Then came a cheery, "Hi Aynsleigh."
"It's started."
The cadets looked around and once agian all they could do was stare. The boy standing there was gorgeous. He greatly resembled Scot but his hair was lighter, a kind of chestnut brown, the eyes were the same colour but so different, they had clear youth and mischeif in them which matched his smile. He was nearly as tall as Scot, he wasn't as muscular but no doubt he was strong. He walked over to the stepping stones, taking no notice of anyone else he gave Aynsleigh a heart melting smile which she appeared unphased by obviously familar with his charm.
"Hello Daniel."
"Scot's no here."
"You'll do."
"I'll do what?"
"Sign this for me."
"Aye watch me."
"Come on Aynsleigh I can't be considered for the trip without signed permission and a cash slip. Scot said you'd do it."
Jumping off the stones she grumbled, "Alright fine, fine, fine," then seeing the slip, "230 dinars I'm no paying that for you just to enjoy yursel."
"Oh right you'd pay for it if i was gonae be miserable."
"Like a shot."
"Well I hope he kicks your arse," wandering away he called back, "can I take the spare key Ginger has the other?"
"Yes."
"Can I borrow some money we're out of bread?"
"Yes."
"Can I shave my head?"
"Yes." Daniel dashed out of the door lauhing before she realised what she said, "NO Daniel NO, DO NOT SHAVE YOUR HEAD," she shrieked after him.
Hercules not to mention the other cadets found this episode very funny, "Nice boy," smiled Hercules.
"Don't worry you'll meet the rest of the family soon."
"How."
"They're like ants, if one's there you'll find more."
Not even 10 minuets later a dark haired pretty girl a little younger than Aynsleigh stormed in. As soon as she heard stomping footsteps Aynsleigh called with a sarcastic smile, "Oh Mel's here."
"Aynseligh do you have the spare key I can't get intae the house without it."
"No Daniel took it. Where's Ginger?"
"Well she's gone tae the market to sell the jewlery she made."
"Well wait 'til your brother comes home."
"Well that's the problem Daniel has the key and he wont let me in."
"Why?"
"I may have called him a name."
"You may have called him a name, right tell him I said to let you in."
"Well I already have he didnae believe me," she said gesturing towards the window where Daniel was obviously keeping a safe distance.
Aynsleigh went over to the window and called out, "Daniel, Daniel let your sister in, Let Your Sister In.... Look I know it wasn't very nice.... Daniel have some pity...not on her on me. Thank-you," then turing back to Mel she said, "he'll let you in Mel both of you go hame."
Then Daniel poked his head through the window, "Oh mum told me tae tell you she was coming."
"What. Jessica's coming why don't you take the rope string me up and kill me now someone just kill me now."
And sure as that like an ant Jessica showed up. She was about 39 years old but it didn't show, neither did the fact that she had two sons. She looked like a cross between Daniel and Scot so it wasn't hard to beileve she was their mother. She had a lovely smie but there was a hit of cynicalness behind it so the cadets could imediately see why they weren't too fond of her but despite it there was a small amount of goodness that could be seen in her. She gave Aynsleigh a smile. The watchers looked worried, from what they had seem these people, royal or not weren't above making a public scene.
"Scot and Daniel aren't here."
"Really I told them I was coming."
"That might be why they're not here."
"Anyway as much as I would love to spend time with my boys I'm in a hurry. Aynsleigh I need to borrow Donny."
"Well since you're in a hurry I'll give you a quick answer, NO."
"Aynsleigh!"
"What's wrong with that white mare you've got."
"Nothing. She's fine, she's great, she's what anyone who wants to look sweet and innocent is riding but if you're trying to annonymously sell dodgey weapons to your enemy the king of Athens you can't turn up looking like you should be wearing wings and a halo," Aynsleigh rolled her eyes, "Aynsleigh your stalion," demanded Jessica.
"Forget it . It's not gonae happen."
"Aynsleigh I am not leaving until....."
"Safe rinding," she said throwing Jessica a set of reins that were layed on the table.
"Thank-you," and Jessica left.
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Aynsleigh explained that in their society if you thought about someone someway you could no, you were expected to adress them in that way. So even though Mel wasn't Scot and Daniel's biological sister she was their sister none the less. Mel didn't know her real parents she was a ward of the crown since she was a baby but Scot and Daniel's parents weren't even parents to them so Mel had no reason to see them that way. All three of them Daniel, Mel and Ginger were Aynsleigh and Scot's wards they took care of them and guided them but besides a Christmas and Easter or two over six years they didn't get to do that much however through the years they spent together before Aynsleigh and Scot moved away they raised them as best the could with the help of their loyal and tough palace house keeper Gretchen. Ginger was really Aynsleigh's ward after her father Andrew died and she moved into the palace but being partners Ginger was Scot's responsibility too.
In the next episode I plan to introduce Ginger and be prepared for a tear jerker when you read Aynsleigh and Scot's childhood particularly Aynseligh's. Aynsleigh forms a bond with Iolaus over similar childhood experiences and when Mel is forced to indure a visit with Jessica we find out that Jessica(who is only queen by marriage)'s mother was a pros....Never mind all will be revieled.