Supernatural: Chronicles of the Order 8

Chapter 15: All This and Army Base Stew

(DISCLAIMER: No, I don't own Supernatural because it belongs to Eric Kripke and Warner Bros. So, enjoy the show! Rated M for graphic violence, adult content, and adult language.)

I was returned back to Skald Island as I was recovering in my room where my bed was. It had been over a week since we averted the drowner threat on Cordell Island as I was held up in bed in which I also kept in touch with Yavanna and the others who were still cleaning up the mess that was left behind by the drowner threat. It was a huge relief as I was also reading the letter that I received in which I was thankful that everyone was safe from harm, for I was more than glad to hear about the effort of seeing Cordell Island free from drowners for the time being. Even though I was still exhausted from using my raw power, I had to refrain from doing so as I was still weakened from the debacle that I endured from Maro. The red mark where the collar around my neck still hurt me as I had to wear the scarf that Reiko made for me just to cover this embarrassment for now. Just as I was about to go back to sleep, I heard the door open as I saw Reiko entering into the room with a tray of food in her hands, for she wanted me to eat in order to get my strength back.

"I brought you some soup that Mason made for you," she said to me as she set down the tray.

"I never expected him to be here until now," I said.

"This island on Valinor is connected to Matarote Island on Westeros, Sammy. Besides, you can't do anything without eating a piping hot bowl of soup in front of you."

I didn't say another word as I began to eat my soup in which I noticed it to be a Korean recipe that was often cooked by members of the Farragut Clan. I even tasted the Korean spices and tofu that was put into it as I also noticed some seafood in it due to the island being surrounded by the ocean. Even Reiko noticed me having my appetite returning after all the mess I went through as I didn't mind the food in front of me, for it was keeping me warmed up on such a cold autumn day like this.

"The soup's good," I said as I took another bite of my food.

"It's called haemul sundubu-jjigae," said Reiko. "Mason made it in which he even picked up some seafood from one of the markets by the harbor."

"I can taste the shrimp and the soft tofu in it complete with an egg."

It wasn't long until I saw Mason arriving with his medical bag in his hands. He was concerned about my health as he was also there to check up on me in which he was aware of my folly a week ago. Still, he outdid himself as he was wanting me to eat a little more due to the condition that I had.

"Looks like you like my haemul sundubu-jjigae than the local stewards to this place," he said.

"Food from the Farragut Clan always puts me at ease due to the spices," I said.

"Some of the people here on Skald Island happen to be fishermen who also have hatcheries to raise fish just to be put into the wild to prevent overfishing. They don't even use colors on their fish due to the restrictions from the Intergalactic Fish and Wildlife Commission, which is better than having artificial things in our food."

"The people here in the Skalvarg Archipelago take pride in their work," said Reiko. "It's been said that fishing has been the lifeblood of any Norsefolk who live here in this set of islands."

"Tell that to the new Chieftain of this place in which I had to force him to undergo a colonoscopy after hearing his wife complaining about him not being regular enough."

I laughed at that sentiment as I also found it to be very serious due to the fact that undercarriage health was more important to maintain in order to keep everything working down there. Still, I had to remain in bed as I was also happy to enjoy the happiness of those around me, for I had a long way to go in my long road to recovery. The atmosphere here was both cold and inviting at the same time as Skald Island was something that was intertwined with Matarote Island on Westeros. I didn't mind it as I loved the sound of the northern wind blowing everywhere with the ocean waves crashing on the shore. I was basking in a lot of comfort as I felt more calmer than normal, for this was one huge reprieve for me which was better than doing unwanted field work any day…

Dirk was walking on the shore after a long day at school in which he was busy looking at the many seaships that came and went from island to island on the Skalvarg Archipelago. Even though it has been a week since the drowner threat was averted on Cordell Island, Dirk also had to pull his weight when it came to doing his work from school and home respectively. He was busy collecting seashells as he was wanting to bring them back to the castle soon enough. Just as he was about to go back just in time for dinner, he spotted the brother of the deceased Chieftain sitting there as he was slightly humiliated by what happened to him, for it wasn't pleasant when it came to examining below the undercarriage.

"You doing okay?" he asked.

"That Orc put me through the ringer in which he forced me to undergo some uncomfortable tests," said the man. "And do you know what he said to me? He told me that I needed to eat more vegetables and less meat if I want to maintain a healthy colon. I saw an image of my insides below on that screen in front of me in which they were in bad shape due to a blockage in my bowels."

"Mason's in the Medical Corps and he's no stranger into following the rules. As for your predicament, you can't just put it off when it comes to the digestive health that often leads to constipation. Being plugged up is no fun, but there are laxatives and stool softeners that can relieve your troubles, including a healthy diet."

"Edgetho!" yelled a woman in Norse. "It's time to take your laxing medicine!"

The new Chieftain, Edgetho, was in hot water as he got up and faced the woman who was in front of him. The woman herself happened to be the Chieftain's wife as she had red hair and blue eyes while dressed in a grey dress with a fur cloak. She was also aware of Edgetho's unmentionable problem as she refused to let him off the hook, for he was still embarrassed from undergoing a colonoscopy earlier. By the time he was escorted by his wife, he was dreading the fact of getting probed through the undercarriage as he left the castle grounds and off towards his own. Dirk, on the other hand, was more than likely to be going back inside of the castle near the beach as he rushed inside to where the sitting room was. He spotted me in my wheelchair reading to the younger children as they were curious about the story I was telling them, for they were all over me during storytime.

"And Lord Velgar felt the hand of the gods grabbing him and raised him up in which he was facing the worst punishment of all for not taking time for himself," I said as I read to the children. "They told him that he must have balance for both his kin and himself if he would make it to the gates of Valhalla in his golden years."

"Was Lord Velgar being bad?" asked Aora out of curiosity.

"He had dignity and honor for his family, but he should also take time for himself as well."

"I see that you're up after busting up that drowner nest," said Dirk.

"I'm fine, but I can't do anything right now and that's okay."

"That's good to hear in which you even helped to deliver Samantha and Mary-Rose while we were staying at Matarote Island on Westeros at the time. You even went camping with us big boys on the beach just to get out of the castle."

"It's freezing here on Skald Island, but at least we have a castle to call home until I recover to full."

I wasn't having any difficulties at all this time as I was surrounded by the younger children who were happy to see me read to them. Dirk, being the big brother that he is, loved to see me here with everyone instead of being held up in bed as he noticed me feel more chipper than normal, for I was still focused on taking care of my health right now…

Later on in the evening, I was in the bathhouse as I was in one of the bathtubs after cleaning myself earlier. The warmth of the water was more than enough for me to be happy in it as I would soon get ready for bed afterwards. It wasn't long until I spotted Mason in one of the bathtubs next to me as he was beat for the day, for being in the Medical Corps was no walk in the park for him.

"You had a rough day, didn't you?" I said.

"After dealing with Edgetho getting hauled into the infirmary at the behest of Gudrun, he had the worst of it when he had that camera shoved up his butt," said Mason.

"It was the colonoscopy, wasn't it?"

"Edgetho had a blocked colon and his bowels weren't working properly. No wonder Gudrun put her foot down and forced him to go to the Medical Corps for his problem in his undercarriage."

"We all have to take care of the undercarriage or else we'll end up being constipated if not careful."

"I remember Director Mitani talking about how he brought this one guy to the Order's infirmary wing on Alecrast after that suicide bombing in Akatsuki in which he was on him the moment he gave him the roto-rooter treatment."

"At least he's regular for once."

I continued to relax in the bathtub as I was more than glad that I didn't go on field work after being forced to do so a week ago. I was feeling more better than normal as I didn't let anyone or anything else bother me for a while. I was blessed to be here with my family and friends as I was basically here to be in convalescence, for I had a long way to go in order to recover up to full so far…

I returned to my room after brushing my teeth and putting my nightclothes on as I sat down on the bed. I was more than glad to be in convalescence once again as I had to stick to my long furlough in order to recover from what I went through. The battle to destroy Project Amaterasu and dealing with Sawney Masbath nearly killed me while I overexerted my raw power to do so. Just as I was about to crawl into my bed, I heard the wind blowing from outside as I went towards the window, which was closed, to see the ocean waves crashing near the shore. The sight of the northern wind blowing on the ocean was a calming sight as I returned to bed until I felt a hand grab me and forced me to go towards a much frightening place. It was the dungeon of Hell as I saw Maro standing in front of me in which he was still not giving up on forcing me to return to the field to use my raw power again, for he wasn't about to take no for an answer.

"Take me back," I said.

"You may be backing away from your duties, but I won't let you shirk them again, Sam," said Maro.

"I won't be anyone's weapon right now because of the fact that the Order's higher-ups won't let me return to duty until my furlough is up."

"I tried being patient with you, Sam, but you leave me no choice." I saw Maro lifting me up with his telekinesis as he pinned me against a wall crafted from blood and bone. "Your raw power is the pinnacle of helping everyone win this war against the Executive Division and you cut and run with your tail between your legs? You should be ashamed for your actions in which by the time you complete your furlough, there will be no one left to care for, only the fallen that are buried in cairns of stone!"

I saw an image of Reiko standing in front of me as she was all bloodied and burnt. I heard her screaming at me as she grabbed me to the point of returning to reality. I was back in my room again as I saw Reiko to be normal again in which I hugged her warmly. She was not bloodied or burnt as she noticed me weeping out of concern for her safety, for I worry so much about her and the rest of our friends and family.

"Thank the gods that you're not hurt," I said as I wept.

"Maro tried to goad you into abandoning your furlough again, didn't he?" said Reiko as I nodded.

"He won't stop until I resume my field work against my wishes. He even brought me into Hell's dungeon just to make a point."

"I talked with Maro and I forced him to leave you alone or else he would face the wrath of my maternal grandfather and his friends. I can't let him cast illusions onto you because of the fact that you're still recovering and you even saved Cordell Island from those pesky drowners."

"I worry about you…"

"I worry about you, too, Sammy. Therefore, you need to focus more on your convalescence first. It's the most you can do right now."

I was soothed by Reiko's words as she was more bolder at dealing with Maro more than I was. She was someone who had gotten more braver when it came to keeping me from going off the deep end in which I had to remain in my recovery and away from unwanted attention. I didn't need any negativity right now, for I need some calm and quiet in order to remain firm in my convalescence so far…

The next morning, I was up as I was dressed in my normal clothes while I was still in my wheelchair. With the children in school, I was left with the younger ones in the sitting room as I saw Zoran walking all over the place. Even though he was two like Zia, he had the growth of a four-year-old as he was walking towards the bathroom the moment he opened up the door and was on his way to use it. When I rolled myself to the bathroom door, I saw Zoran near the toilet as he was up there tinkling the moment he was doing his business. By the time he finished up, I saw him closed the toilet seat as he flushed and went towards the sink to wash his hands. He was a brave boy as he was ready to rejoin his sisters who were busy playing with their toys. I was glad to be with them until I noticed Reiko coming into the room with some rolled pancakes with blackberry syrup and vanilla skyr for breakfast, for it was that time since the older children had theirs before going to school. When I looked at the rolled pancakes in the tray, I was wondering if the younger children had their breakfast as I was willing to share with them until Reiko intervened at the last minute.

"Isn't there any for the little ones?" I asked.

"The little ones already had their breakfast that consisted of oatmeal with honey and raisins," said Reiko. "Mary-Rose made a complete mess out of herself when I had to change her onesie and into some cleaner clothes."

"If only I would help a little more…"

"You were exhausted after you were forced to use your raw power to stop the drowners all over Cordell Island a week ago. You can't do all the workloads at once in your condition."

It wasn't long until I took the tray and began to eat the rolled pancakes that were in front of me. The taste of the rolled pancakes with blackberry syrup and vanilla skyr perked me up just to eat as I couldn't get enough of them. I was trying hard not to lose my appetite as I finished up my breakfast and was ready to help out with the younger children. Just as I was about to do so, I was stopped by Reiko as she didn't want me to become exhausted too much, for I was still recovering after that battle against Sawney Masbath two years ago.

"Don't even try to do anything today, Sammy," she said to me. "Besides, Mother would be very cross if you did."

"'Mother?'" I said.

"Of all the places in the Ashizoka System, I finally get to visit the Skalvarg Archipelago," said a familiar voice as she entered into the sitting room. "I see that you're still not in fine fettle after two years of your long furlough, Sam."

It was Cynthia as she was dressed in northern clothing in which she never lost her edge. She was also disappointed that my recovery had a setback as she noticed me still in my wheelchair in which I had problems walking due to the exhaustion that I had. Even though it didn't bother her, she was still concerned about my overall health as she wasn't letting me off the hook yet.

"I see that you're looking well," I said.

"After two years of helping the war effort, everything else is quiet in the other parts," said Cynthia.

"I wonder if everyone on Alecrast is okay… Abiasaph must be having a field day patrolling all of Kanto Village."

"Everything has been topsy-turvy since you left two years ago, but there's also the problem with Abaddon taking over Hell's throne and ruling it with an iron fist. On a lighter note, Crowley, on the other hand, has lost his demonic mojo again at the behest of Rowena in which she threatened him with the wrath of Kazuo's spirit shoving a finger up his ass."

"Well Kazuo did give him a prostate exam once."

It wasn't long until I saw Mason sprinting into the sitting room in which he was worried about something. I had to know as I sensed that something wasn't right in which I had to find out in which I noticed Deejatra staggering in pain the moment she was clutching at her stomach, for she was about to have what she was carrying inside of her.

"We need to get to the infirmary wing in this castle," said Mason.

"I know where it is," said Reiko.

"You better hurry, for I can feel the head coming," said Deejatra as she was wincing in pain.

"Damn it," said Cynthia. "If the infirmary wing is in here, we're gonna need to get some towels and warm water."

"On it," said Mason as he was worried about Deejatra. "Hang in there, Deej. We'll deliver the baby soon enough and Ma was right about having it on the first day of October."

I slowly got up as I lent my wheelchair to Deejatra as she got into it. With Reiko leading the way, everyone left the sitting room as I was left with the younger children for now. Even though I was stuck with the little ones, I didn't mind it as I had my own reasons to take care of Zoran and his sisters. I wanted to help a little more as I was worried about Deejatra, for she was with child after all…

Reiko led the way to the infirmary wing as she allowed Mason to wheel Deejatra into the operating room. She was willing to help as she put on a scrub and a mask over her clothes and face. With everyone donning face masks and scrubs, they propped Deejatra up on an operating table as she had her clothes removed while having a hospital gown put upon her. They were ready to deliver her baby as she was worried about what could happen next, for it was ready to be out into the world.

"Come on, Deejatra, you need to push," said Cynthia as she was concerned for her health.

"I can feel the head coming," she said as she was trying hard to do so.

"I can see the head," said Mason as he was armed with a towel.

"We have to keep her focused," said Reiko. "The baby won't wait when it comes to delivery."

Deejatra pushed with all her might as she felt the head making its way out. With Mason on hand to deliver the baby, he carefully pulled the head out as he finally saw the rest of it into the towel in his hands. With a healthy cry, he heard the baby screaming as he set it on a small table in which he carefully cut and tied the umbilical cord the moment he cleaned it up and wrapped it in a swaddling blanket, for it was a miracle that occurred.

"It's a girl!" he yelled. "Ma was never wrong on this!"

"Thank the Matriarch," said Deejatra as she was exhausted.

"She's an Orcress, but she looks more like her mother with black hair and blue eyes," said Cynthia.

Deejatra looked at the newborn Orcling as she had her looks complete with the Cetra blood that flowed in her veins. Reiko and Cynthia were grateful that the baby was alive as it was something that was there to brighten our days. Mason was more than glad that the little one was born as he was most likely to be making a feast to honor his newborn daughter, for she was a spitting image of Deejatra in spades.

"What you will name her?" asked Reiko.

"We will name her Danae after my mother," said Deejatra.

"At least you'll do that to honor her memory," said Mason. "Danae Trelundar was the greatest in the Order until she disappeared, only to be possessed by a demon."

"I know…" Deejatra remembered that fateful day two years ago. "Thankfully, she was exorcised by Sam, but we were unable to save her. At least he prayed for her to be in the Grey Havens when she passed. Normally, it's the Elders who choose names for our children, but we have a name for our daughter to honor the memory of my mother."

"Welcome to the world, Danae Farragut…"

Deejatra and Mason were happy to see little Danae healthy and alive as they saw her yawning after coming out head first. It was a very happy day as the birth of Danae was a godsend in which everyone was blessed to see her with her parents, for it was one huge blessing indeed…

I was in the nursery as I put the younger children down for a nap. Even though I used my legs to go over there, I was starting to feel overwhelmed with exhaustion again as I was trying hard to fight it the moment I left the nursery and went back downstairs to the sitting room. By the time I got there, I saw Maro standing in front of me as he was still defiant into forcing me against my will to use my raw power. I didn't want him to mess with me as I was also feeling the pinch of the exhaustion getting the better of me, for I wanted him to go away and not bother me for a while.

"You still defy me and yet more people are dying at the hands of the Executive Division," he said.

"I won't let you do this to me, Maro," I said. "There are others who are fighting the good fight in this war and I have faith in them."

"Faith, is it? Well, I know that you have faith in them, but do they have faith in you? Look around you, Sam. The Executive Division is still at large and all you do is do nothing but sit on your ass!"

"Don't you dare start with this crap with me!" I was starting to have a panic attack as I was about to hyperventilate on the spot. "I won't be pulled out of my convalescence so readily in which I will abide by what the Order's higher-ups tell me!"

"Then get up and act like a real man. For the record, real men don't show emotions nor cry like a little girl. Real men tend to be strong by not having problems with their mental health. Real men are only dignified when they are manly enough not to show their feelings and not act like a useless crybaby. Are you a dignified man or are you a useless crybaby?"

"Don't you dare torment my husband!" yelled Reiko as she rushed to my aid. "He is a lot of things, but he is not a useless crybaby!"

"Lady Reiko… again!"

"You were warned time and again not to interfere with my Sammy's convalescence and yet you refuse to back off after you were clocked by Seto. I even warned you to leave him alone, but you are still forcing him to go back on the field while he is still reeling from the battle against Sawney Masbath two years ago. There will be a time when he regains his raw power to full, but it's a slow process. You may try as you might to force my husband to go out on the battlefield, but his health and well-being are important right now. And another thing…" A more powerful angelic aura surrounds Reiko as she was ready to banish Maro on the spot. "You need to back off and not bother an ill man who is in convalescence, is that understood?"

Maro vanished without a trace as Reiko stood her ground in which she saw me in the awful throes of the panic attack. When she hugged me, I hugged her back as I was more than glad to have her by my side. I had to stick to my recovery as I couldn't let anyone else force me to go back in the field while I was still in convalescence. I was blessed to have her with me as I wept tears of joy, for I didn't want to be put through the ringer again for the rest of the day.

"Maro was acting more like a bully than a man of sympathy," I heard her say.

"I know, for I was trying to stand my ground into saying no to him," I said.

"Deejatra had a baby girl."

"Thank the gods and the Matriarch…"

"Mason was overjoyed that the little Orcling had Deejatra's looks."

"Does the baby have a name?"

"They named her Danae after Deejatra's late mother."

I was surprised to notice it as I was glad that the baby was given that name to honor Danae Trelundar's memory. I remembered that incident clearly as I exorcised the demon that possessed her, but I was unable to save her at the time. Danae Trelundar was a Draaza woman who had the strongest form of conditioning ever made until it was broken when she disappeared ten years prior. Still, I never forgot about her as I only had pity and sympathy for her the moment I prayed for her at the time of her death.

"Please, stop the ones pulling the strings, My Lord, for they only strive for their insatiable lust for power… I beg of you…, don't lose… the faith that you have now…, for it is our future… in your hands…"

I never forgot Danae Trelundar's final words to me as I was striving not to lose faith in the ones I cared about the most. It was the most I could do as I also had to do a lot more into my recovery, for this was something that I had to stick with in this time of crisis…

Later on in the afternoon, I was back in bed as I was taking a nap while I heard the ocean waves crashing near the shore. When I woke up again, I looked at the sunset as dusk was already settling in all over Skald Island. When I got up out of bed, I felt tired as I became weakened by the barrage of Maro's insults. I was trying hard not to think about it as I was wanting all of this to go away. I was backed in a corner with the insults that I heard as I was shaking with fear, for they were a stark reminder of how weak and frail I was.

"For the record, real men don't show emotions nor cry like a little girl. Real men tend to be strong by not having problems with their mental health. Real men are only dignified when they are manly enough not to show their feelings and not act like a useless crybaby. Are you a dignified man or are you a useless crybaby?"

Those harsh words stung me as I was trying to shrug them off the moment I was up on my feet. Even though I was ready to walk out of my room, I opened up the door as I went downstairs to see Mason hard at work cooking what he brought with him. I recognized that smell anywhere as I knew of it to be none other than the Farragut Clan's specialty, budae-jjigae, or army base stew, in which it was made with kimchi, mushrooms, ramen noodles, baked beans, hot dogs, pork belly, spam, glass noodles, tofu, kielbasa, sliced cheese, rice cakes, and bean sprouts. What I didn't expect was that Edgetho was there as he was eating a bowl of budae-jjigae that was prepared earlier in which the spiciness of it was making him feel more regular than normal. It was a very unusual sight indeed as I saw Reiko and the others at the table eating dinner. I was also wanting some dinner as I sat with my family and got a bowl of it, for we were there on Skald Island after all.

"This is good," I said as I took a bite of my budae-jjigae.

"Mason made it," said Reiko.

"And it's the Farragut Clan's favorite dish."

"Don't forget, Deejatra was craving it when she carried Danae," said Mason as he was still cooking at the budae-jjigae he was making. "

"This is a lot better than Maro's constant attempts to force me to go on the battlefield half-cocked against my wishes…" I took another bite of my budae-jjigae as I was happy to not worry about it too much. "This is something that's a lot better than what got put in front of me for the past two weeks."

… And I meant it as I continued to eat at the bowl of budae-jjigae in front of me. Still, I refused to let in all the bad things as I still had to focus on my recovery. I also had to stay away from the constant temptation of being goaded against my wishes by Maro as I was still willing to return to my ongoing convalescence, for this was something that I had to stick with in order to regain my full strength in the future…

Maro was standing near the beach as he saw the waves crashing on the wet sandy shore. His attempt to make me return to the field was getting desperate as he was willing to try again. Even though he forced me to use my raw power to destroy the drowner nest on Cordell Island, he was still not ready to take no for an answer as he would stop at nothing to realize that the galaxy was in dire need of seeing me use it against the wishes of the Order's higher-ups. Looking up at the castle walls, he saw a light in my room as he was eager to try again in which he would stop at nothing to do so, for he was not the type to back down so readily.

"You can't stray from your true duty forever, Sam," he said as he stared at the window of my room.

Without warning, he heard the sound of a boat turning up onto the shore as he noticed a familiar face getting out of it all dressed in Viking garb. He knew of it to be Gary as he was accompanied by Styre, who was dressed up in thermal underwear underneath his shirt and shorts while wearing a pair of boots. They weren't too happy with Maro as they had a bone to pick with him, for they didn't take too kindly of him constantly forcing me to return to the battlefield in my frail condition.

"Well, well; if it isn't Tweedle-Dee and Tweedle-Dum coming to shore to punish me," he said.

"We knew that you weren't up to no good, Maro," said Gary. "You tried to force Sam to use his raw power in his frail condition again, didn't you?"

"Guilty as charged, but that doesn't mean that I'm backing off despite the setback I got from that bitch of an Elven wife who came at Sam's defense."

"Say what you want, but we all did our part to back off just to let Sam recover from the battle against that douchebag, Sawney Masbath, two years ago," said Styre. "You can't just force him just to do something against his wishes without knowing the consequences."

"Recently, he destroyed a drowner nest in the abandoned meadery on Cordell Island in which I had to force him to obey so that no one else would die at the hands of those fish freaks."

"You mean by placing a shock collar around his neck?" said Gary. "This isn't just pleading for Sam to use his raw power in his frail condition, this is absolute bullying and coercion."

"You don't know what happened in Sam's absence in the past two years, do you? While he was busy sitting on his ass in his island paradise, Abaddon took control of Hell while she ousted Milverton and is hunting those who speak against her, including us! And yet the Executive Division has been gaining ground here since the destruction of the Sol-3 two years ago and now they've acquired their new attack dogs who do nothing but putting medical workers out there like lambs to the slaughter."

"Are you talking about the Blight?" asked Styre.

"I know what the Blight are capable of in which they even waged war against the Medical Corps. Their leader, who hides behind a plague doctor mask, is determined to rid the galaxy of medical workers in which he views them as a poison to everyone."

"That turkey's philosophy is so dumb! He must've took the Andrew Wakefield mode of thinking just to force everyone to adhere to his twisted worldview against those who help us get better. We all need medical workers, whether we want them around or not."

It wasn't long until everyone saw a familiar face get out of the boat as she was far from her home in the Cerulean Palace on Targaryen. It was Akemi as she was more than likely to be giving Maro a stern lecture about the consequences of his actions. She knew of him very well as she wasn't about to let him off the hook, for he was the one backed in the corner this time instead of me.

"Mother Akemi, I presume?" he said to her.

"I heard all about it from Gary and Styre in which they were also concerned about Sam's health," she said. "You were told time and time again not to force him to go on the field to use his raw power and for what, exactly? By putting a shock collar around his neck and berate him for not being manly enough to face what's in front of him?"

"And yet everyone in Sam's inner circle continues to coddle him... What a ridiculous farce indeed!"

"You can't force an injured man back on the battlefield like bringing a horse to water. For the record, you and Seto are both guilty for putting Sam into this predicament in which the latter backed off while you were still adamant into doing so."

"If I hadn't forced Sam to use his raw power like a trained poodle, the rest of Cordell Island would've been overwhelmed by drowners by now. The Ashizoka System needs the presence of Sam Winchester and the raw power that he possesses and yet you feeble humanoids refuse to bring him out on the field in which innocents ended up dead like at the Zasselian base in Balin and the massacre in Rookpaw. You can't unsee this and the madness that our enemies leave behind has caused a lapse in faith."

"I'm telling you again, Maro, stand down! If you can't do that, then a certain higher power will force you to do so."

It wasn't long until everyone saw Pendragon standing in front of them as he wasn't too happy with the turn of events that followed. Looking at Maro, he was ready to cast judgment upon him as he placed the same collar that I had around the latter's neck, for the demon was at the mercy of the one who was the father of God and grandfather to His children.

"Marilith al-Rahzal, otherwise known as Mara in the female form and Maro in the male form," he said to him. "You have violated the commands of the Order of Letters and those who forced your future Lord from going out on the field against his wishes. As punishment, you will wear the collar that you put around his neck for doing so. Even though Seto aided and abetted into forcing him to be on the field in his frail form, she recanted and backed away, only for her to keep him from straying away from his convalescence. I cast the illusions to force her to back off, but you refused to follow her example and coerced Sam to use his raw power against his wishes."

"If he hadn't done that, how many more people would've ended up dead on Cordell Island?" he said in defiance. "How many more dock workers and fishermen would've ended up dead at the hands of drowners? In the end of this debacle, he should be revered instead of being chastised for using the very thing he has against the Executive Division."

"That doesn't matter, for you of all people will repent and back away from forcing Sam to return to the field. His body is still frail from the battle against his uncle, Sawney Masbath, two years ago in which he can't walk too much due to the exhaustion he suffers from. He even suffers from a lingering sadness in which it can also cause a toll on his health. You can't force him against his will in which the use of his raw power in that battle nearly killed him. Therefore, this collar around your neck will only be remove if you have the humility to treat others with kindness to those who have suffered a lot worse, for this is a warning that can't be ignored."

It wasn't long until Pendragon disappeared without a trace as Maro was struggling to get the collar off of his neck. The collar glowed as he felt pain surging all over him in which Gary, Styre, and Akemi were not about to let him off the hook, for he had no other choice but to obey for now…

I was up in the middle of the night as I stared out the window in which the sight of the ocean waves crashing on the shore was a soothing sight. Even though everyone was still in bed, I sat down in my wheelchair as I became more calmer the moment I was ready to go back into bed. Just as I was about to do so, I heard the door open as I saw Reiko entering in which she laid down in the bed we slept in, for she was wanting me to go back to sleep soon enough. Getting up from my wheelchair, I decided to lay back down in the bed as I noticed Reiko inching herself forward to me in which she snuggled up to me, for I held onto her with more than just warmth.

"It's just us in this room," I said.

"Maro has been punished for his actions," said Reiko.

"He had it coming, but he can't force an injured racehorse to go on the battlefield."

"At least he's backing off for now…"

I stroked Reiko's hair as she was inching herself closer to me. I didn't mind it as I noticed her open up my nightclothes and began to expose my nakedness. She was willing to allow me to take her as I saw her hike up her nightgown to reveal that she wasn't wearing anything underneath the moment I saw her stroke my member with her hand. The feel of her gentle touch sent a huge shockwave all over my body as I was wanting more of it. With my member hardened up, I noticed Reiko crashing on top of me as she was feeling it hot and heavy inside of her. It wasn't long until I saw her clasping her hands with mine as I was enjoying the feel of seeing her on top of me in which I was overwhelmed by the pleasure of our lovemaking. I wanted more of this comfort as I continued to feel more content with what I was experiencing. I was in a passionate state of bliss as I felt Reiko giving me more pleasure than I could ever endure until we reached our climax. By the time we reached our end, I let out a cry of excitement as Reiko felt my hot livelihood gushing upstream in which she was satisfied with what we both had, for we had a constant yearning for one another. By the time Reiko withdrew from me, she cuddled next to me as we were ready to fall asleep, for the sound of the crashing waves outside was the best comfort that we had.

"I love you so much, Sammy," I heard her say to me.

"I love you, too, sweetheart," I said to her.

"We've been through so much…"

"I know… Still, you stood up to Maro in which you're a lot braver than me."

"Don't try to dwell on it, Sammy." I notice Reiko pressing a finger to my lips. "Tomorrow is another day, for it'll be better."

I decided to focus on the positive as I held Reiko close in our bed the moment we fell asleep in our arms. I was more than blessed to have my wife with me as I felt more content than I ever been, for I also had a long way to go in my ongoing recovery in this time of uncertainty…

To be continued...