Found Heritage

Chapter 4

I arrived at my aunt's small mansion-like home and walked past the police line without a worry. I went inside where the detective finished up.

"Miss Donna," He said. "I'm terribly sorry about your aunt. Is there anyone..."

I shook my head. "No. I..."

"Have me," came a male voice.

I turned to see the man I had greeted earlier approach. I felt him put an arm around my shoulders.

"And you are?" the detective asked.

"Her uncle. Anafiel Delaunay. I'll take her home with me."

The detective nodded and left. Delaunay turned to me.

"Have your things packed."

"Most of it is."

He nodded and began walking away.

"Um... Uncle Delaunay," I started after him. "Where are you moving me too?"

"Terre d'Ange."

I looked out the large airport window, my backpack slung over one shoulder and the video camera case over the other. In the few days since I learned of the move, I had worked at taking pictures and video of my home town. Now I was bound for an European country I haven't even heard of wondering what awaited me. I turned from the window and took an empty chair, putting my bags on the floor. I checked to see how much time I had to see I had about two hours before the plane landed. I heard my stomach growl. I shifted and pulled my wallet out to check how much I hand. Standing, I replaced my wallet and grabbed my two bags and headed off in search for a restaurant.

I sat at a table at a McDonald's, sipping at my drink and watching people walk by. I checked my cell to see that I needed to be at the gate. I went to the fountain and refilled my cup before I left for the gate. There, I pulled out the ticket and passport before I took a spot waiting to be called.

"All those who need assistance and who hold a first class ticket, please make your way to the door now," the ticket counter attentant announced over the gate PA.

I headed for the counter, bags over a shoulder, passport and ticket in one hand, drink in the other. When I reached the door, one of the attendants checked my ticket and passport before allowing me to enter the boarding ramp. I could smell the recycled air even before I reached the plane. There, I claimed my seat and settled into it and sipped my drink.

Finally, everyone was aboard and we taxied out to the runway. I was wishing I hadn't filled my cup before I left because my bladder was screaming at me to empty it. In order to distract myself, I pulled out a book I had bought. Finally, when the seatbelt sign when off, I nearly jumped up out of the seat and raced for the lavatory. I spent a good five minutes before I could even leave the lavatory. Upon returning to my seat, I noticed that my cup from McDonald's was missing and gained the attention of one of the flight attendants, saying that my drink was missing.

"You're not allowed to have outside drinks on the plane," she told me.

"Coulda told me that at the gate," I said, sitting down. I picked up my book and turned to the page I had left off on. I had lost all track of time before a flight attendant came to my seat.

"What will you have for dinner, love?"

"Huh? What?" I did a small double take, looking up from the book to the attendant.

"Dinner. We have turkey or steak."

"Turkey please."

The attendant nodded and left. I turned back to my book, but decided to put it away and pulled out my laptop, hoping to find something to watch while I ate. I pulled up a movie I had managed to download before I left my aunt's when the attendant arrived with the in-flight turkey dinner. I pulled in my headphones and started the movie, before even cutting into the two small slices of turkey that had been covered with gravy. I managed to keep the turkey down and began on the very small serving of mashed potatoes, using them to soak up whatever gravy was left.

About midway through the flight, I fell asleep listening to the movie. When I woke, I found the sun shining and the plane making its final approach. Of course, my laptop decided to die between the time I fell asleep and now, so I unplugged my headphones and packed up the laptop and reattached the headphones to my MP3.

I followed the crowd to the baggage claim and found someone standing in the claim holding a sign with my name on it. I approached him. "And you are?"

"Guy. Come, lets get your bags." He lowered the sign and headed for the carousal, which had already begun moving. I found an open spot and spotted one of the two bags I had checked in nearly twelve hours ago. I grabbed it and wrestled it off the belt. Minutes later, the other bag appeared and I wrestled that off as well. Guy took the two bags before I could even reach for the other. I followed him outside to the waiting town car. He opened the door that faced the curb and I climbed it. I removed my backpack and camera pack before I settled in and buckled up. Guy closed the trunk and got into the driver seat, driving off. I watched as the city passed by as the car entered the downtown traffic.

"Guy," I spoke. "What's that mount? With the large buildings."

He glanced over than back to the road. "Mount Nuit. It's where the thirteen Houses of the Night Court stand."

"Night Court?" I looked to Guy.

"Court of the Night Blooming Flowers. Hold your questions until we arrive home."

I looked back out the window and watched the scenery pass. I even looked down at the river, which I learned later was named Aviline, as we passed over. Minutes later, Guy pulled up in front of a town house. He got out and beat me to opening my door. I grabbed my two carry-on bags and climbed out. He removed the two checked bags and closed the trunk before leading me to the door.

Inside, I was directed to the library while Guy disappeared upstairs. Still with my backpack and camera back still in hand, I went to stand at the threshold and listened to the Italian lesson for several minutes before Delaunay even noticed my presence.

"Come in, Morgan." He motioned me in. "Come meet your foster siblings."

I shifted my backpack and walked into the library. My gaze shifted to the white haired, fair skinned male teen, then to the dark haired female. Both were about my age. I then looked closer to one of the female's eyes, seeing a red speck in her left eye.

"Morgan, meet Alcuin and Phèdre nó Delaunay," he introduced. "This is Morgan Donna. She'll be staying with us for a while."

I watched a smile blossom on Alcuin's face and returned it.

"Sit, Morgan. You can sit in on the last of the lesson."

I took a seat and sat my bags next to me on the floor. I listened to the lesson, not fully understanding the language. A while later, we were released and I went off in search of her room.

"Morgan," Phèdre said. "Your things came a while ago. We have them in the spare room."

I wondered where I stood within the family since I was just give the spare room. still, I followed Phèdre upstairs and down the hall and waited for her to open the door. In the room, I saw the boxes I had sent over.

"Do you need anything?" she asked while I opened a large box.

"Scotch tape. I got some posters in here."

Phèdre nodded and left. I pulled my posters out, laying them on the bed, and plotted where to put them. A knock at the door brought my attention to it. There stood Alcuin, a smile on his face. "Hi, Alcuin."

"Phèdre asked me to bring the tape to you." He handed the tape over the threshold.

"You can come in, Al."

"Al?" He walked in with a questioning look.

"Short for Alcuin." I grabbed a poster and the tape before I climbed onto the bed. I used a couple pieces of tape to hold the poster up and placed two more at the bottom.

"Elua's balls!" came the call from the door. "Child, are purposely trying to kill yourself?"

I turned to see that Alcuin had turned at the voice as well to see Delaunay at the door.

"What are you doing?"

I bent down and grabbed another poster. "I'm taping up my posters for decorations. That's not a crime, is it?"

"No. Just be careful, Morgan."

He left and Alcuin began looking at my posters. "Morgan," he said. "Who's this?"

I turned to see who he was talking about then turned back to the poster I was taping up. "One of my favorite actors from England."

"Where?"

"England. The island across the channel."

"Alba."

"Is that what it's called over here?"

There was a knock at the door and I looked to see Phèdre there. "Morgan, want to go to Night's Doorstep?"

"Sure." I stepped down from the bed.