Disclaimer: The SWAT Kats are owned by Hanna Barbera and the Tremblay Brothers. I own the OCs.
Callista is finally behind the walls of teh Society. Even though she is very temporarily out of Ulysses' reach, there are plenty of others behind those walls for her to lean on.
Enjoy!
Callista shuddered when she heard the gates lock behind her, but kept on walking towards the tom that made her blood boil. To her left and right were very well dressed toms. All were wearing black two-piece suits with dark sunglasses covering their eyes.
David's eyes never left Callista's shapely body, especially the way her hips looked in her jeans. "You are as beautiful as ever, my queen. However, as much as I like your legs in those tight jeans, you belong in clothing, fitting of your status," he said as he slowly raised his left paw over his head.
Callista's clothing slowly changed, starting at her feet adorning them in a pair of pink high-heeled shoes. Her jeans started morphing into a flowing skirt and a form-fitting bodice. She now resembled whence she was the queen.
Callista focused on Michael and Helen instead of David and smiled. She went over to Helen, hugged her, then turned to her left and hugged Michael. She withdrew from her embrace, then asked, "I was looking forward to seeing Evelyn as well, is she here?"
"She's over in the Education Center in one of her Magic classes, your majesty," Helen cautiously replied, knowing David had a strict rule about how Callista was supposed be addressed.
Callista turned to her left and faced David. She took a few steps towards him, then said, "I don't like being addressed like that anymore, David. To be honest, I never enjoyed being called majesty. I don't know what you said, I prefer to be called Callista or Mrs. Feral while I'm here."
David did listen to everything she said, but his eyes were clearly focused on her chest.
Callista looked down at her chest to see what was so enticing to David. That was when she discovered he made an alteration to her gown and a decent portion of her collarbone was exposed as well as a large amount of cleavage. "This is not how my gowns were made!" She said.
"I took the liberty of making a few modifications, in order to bring them into modern times, my dear," David stated.
She definitely did not like being called, "My dear" by him, period and she did not like the way her gown was cut either. In order to rectify the latter, she brought her right paw to the bottom of her rib cage and slowly raised it to above her shoulders, changing her gown back to the way it was supposed to be. "That is much better, don't you agree Michael?"
Michael's couldn't help himself to let his eyes wander to the Queen's chest but quickly averted his gaze to the Queen's face as Callista asked her question. As he blushed, he answered, "Yes, that is much better, your majesty."
"Michael, my dear. Why pray tell were you staring at the Queen's chest?" Helen asked.
Michael turned his body to the right to face his perturbed wife. He instantly noticed her body language in the deep red gown she was wearing, displaying her displeasure as she stood there, resting her body's weight on her left hip, her right leg positioned slightly ahead on her left, her paws securely placed on her hips, and her tail, snapping back and forth. "I was not staring at her chest, exactly," he answered.
Helen's tail stopped when it was positioned directly behind her. "Oh really? So, where, exactly, were your eyes focused then, my ever loving husband?"
"Um,," Michael said as he started perspiring, knowing he was caught ogling Callista. "Oh, I think I hear Evelyn calling me." He quickly kissed Helen's right cheek, then took off towards the Education Center.
"Evelyn calling you my tail," Helen said before she ran after her husband, saying, "Michael! Get back here!"
Callista had to laugh at her friends' actions. She knew that no matter what occurred, Michael and Helen were going to be together for the rest of their lives.
"My queen, what has you tickled pink?" David asked.
"Those two are still hopelessly in love with each other. It's such a pleasure to see," Callista said.
"Michael and Helen have been here for decades. If I remember correctly, they met here when they were teenagers. They became inseparable and eventually, they married and had Evelyn. I'm happy Bast blessed them with twins. These walls could use some new blood," David said as he witnessed Helen grabbing Michael's tail and giving it a firm yank.
"If you want families to bring their kittens here to help them learn how to control their powers, why did you let this once bright sanctuary turn dark David?" Callista asked.
"Is that what you see?" He asked in return.
"Yes I do," Callista answered. She looked around at the dark grey stone walls, all of the guards dressed in dark clothing, and not a single child playing among the grounds. "I visited here over 375 years ago when the Society first started. It once was bright, cheery, and full of life. What it is now is a far cry from what it once was."
"I'm sorry that you see it that way Callista," David replied. "I see discipline and order."
"Discipline and order?" She asked. "You have everyone here scared and afraid of mostly you David. No one wants to bring their family here because they fear that you are not stable." She walked over to him, noticed the butt of a handgun sticking out of the waistband of his pants, partially hidden by his coat, then asked, "Why do you feel the need to carry a gun David?"
David fingered the butt of the gun with his right paw as he answered, "My enemies are everywhere Callista, I must be prepared to defend myself."
"Against who? Those who are loyal to you? I was over at the Higgins' house, teaching Evelyn how to properly control her powers, when Michael received a phone call from a mysterious she-cat telling him she murdered Rodney on your orders! Did you know, Evelyn loved Rodney like family? She was devastated to learn he was dead? Your paranoia is affecting you making rational decisions David!"
As soon as David heard the term 'Mysterious she-cat, he instantly knew, she was talking about Angel. 'She might know where Angel is hiding. I'm going to let her get comfortable here, then I will gently request she tells me where Angel is and if I don't' get the answer I want, I might have to use more aggressive measures,' he thought. "I'm not paranoid as you state, my queen. I'm being cautious," David stated. He extended his right paw to her, then said, "Come, I want to introduce you to your security staff."
Callista reluctantly took his paw, allowing him to lead her over to the line of guards to their left. He stopped in front of a large dark brown furred tom with short black hair and said, "My queen, this is Darius, he is going to lead your security detail." He lifted his head to face Darius, then said, "Darius, this is the queen. Her safety is paramount to all else, is that clear?"
Darius removed his sunglasses from his face with his right paw, looked down at Callista with his golden eyes, bowed to her, then said, "It will be my pleasure, your majesty."
"Please rise, you don't have to bow to me. I haven't been a queen for a very long time," Callista said.
Darius did rise as requested. "I beg to differ, your majesty. Your compassion for this city, as well as your great beauty, makes you a much better ruler than the Mayor. You should still be the queen," he said.
Callista blushed, then said, "I appreciate your sentiment Darius. However, my time as queen is long past. I love my new simple life as a Shop Keeper, wife, grandmother, and soon, great-grandmother."
Michael and Helen returned with Michael carrying Evelyn in his arms. She noticed Callista, broke free from her father, and ran over to Callista.
Callista crouched down and opened her arms to accept Evelyn with a smile.
Evelyn ran into the queen's arms and embraced her tightly. "I missed you Callista."
"I missed you too, Evelyn," she responded. Callista let her eyes wander over Evelyn, then said, "You are growing up before my eyes."
"I hope not, your majesty," Michael said. "I want my little girl to stay little awhile longer."
"Dad, I will always be your little girl," Evelyn said.
Michel went over to his daughter, picked her up out of Callista's arms, kissed his daughter, then said, "Someday, a boy will come along and steal your heart. Then you will leave me and your mother, alone." And flashed Evelyn a smile.
Helen rolled her eyes at her husband, then said, "Alone? My dear, remember we have a set of twins to raise."
Michael turned his head slightly to the right to face his wife, then said, "As normal, you are right, my dear Helen. We will have a set of twins to spoil with our affections."
Evelyn giggled at her father's comment, then noticed a boy coming over to them. He was dressed similar to the rest of the guards, including the dark sunglasses covering his eyes. His dark brown fur and wavy black hair made him appear to be a teenager. Her eyes never left his.
The boy stopped in front of Darius, then asked, "Father, I finished classes for the day, can we continue my training?"
"Damon, I want you to meet four very important cats," Darius said.
Damon turned around to face the small group and waited for his father to introduce him.
"First, meet the queen," Darius said.
Damon removed his glasses and bowed to Callista, then said, "It's a pleasure to meet you, your majesty."
Callista walked over to him, gently laid her right paw on his shoulder, then said, "Its nice to know there are still gentletoms left in the world. Please rise, and call me either Callista, or Mrs. Feral."
Damon rose, but his eyes never left the queen.
Darius coughed into his right paw, gently letting his son know he shouldn't be staring at the queen, then said, "This is Michael and Helen Higgins, they are the queen's advisors and confidants."
Damon reached out with his right paw in greeting, then said, "Its an honor to meet you both."
Michael took Damon's paw in his own, gave it a firm shake, then said, "Your father should be proud of you Damon, you're growing up to be just like him."
"Thank you, Mr. Higgins," Damon responded. Before turning to Helen. He bent slightly at the waist, lifted her left paw with his right, and gently gave the dorsal side a kiss. "Mrs. Higgins, your beauty is equally matched by the queens."
Helen blushed at Damon's actions, then said, "You are going to be a charmer, how old are you Damon?"
"I'm eight, Mrs. Higgins," he responded, letting go of her paw.
"I have a feeling, you and our daughter will get along great," Helen said before she turned to her right to Evelyn, who was currently, experimenting with her powers, creating vibrant butterflies out of the thin air. "Evelyn, please come here and meet Darius and his son Damon."
Evelyn stopped what she was doing, turned her body to the left and started walking towards her parents with five butterflies fluttering around her head.
Darius watched as Evelyn came towards them. But what really caught his attention was how she walked. Every step purposeful and full of grace. Her smile, lighting up the air around her. 'This girl is something special, she could be a princess, or even possibly a queen. I have to keep an eye on her.'
Damon though was transfixed by her. His heart thumped in his chest, harder and harder the longer he looked at her. He was especially fascinated by the way the blonde curls of her hair bounced with every step she took. Then he got to see her eyes. Those light blue orbs held his attention better than anyone he had ever met. He took a few steps forward towards her, stopped, then said, "I'm Damon, my father is assigned to the Head Guard of the Queen's Security detail." He lifted up Evelyn's paw, just like he had done with Helen, and kissed it, savoring the feel of the fine fur against his lips. "I assume since your parents are going to be with the queen, you and I will be seeing a lot of each other." He stood back up to full height, extended his right elbow to Evelyn, then asked, "The afternoon Magic Classes are about to begin, may I escort you, princess?"
"I'm not a princess, Damon," she said. Evelyn slipped her left arm though his, then said, "But you can escort me to class, then afterwards, can we do something fun?"
"Anything you wish, princess," Damon said before he escorted Evelyn over to the Education center.
Michael stood there with his jaw hanging open at what just occurred before him. While both Helen and Callista laughed, for they knew, Damon had a crush on Evelyn.
He watched his daughter and Damon disappear around one of the buildings, then asked, "What just happened? One minute, our daughter was telling me I was the only tom in her life, and the next, she's going back to class, arm-in-arm with a boy she had just met."
"Our daughter, dear Michael has what's known as a crush on Damon, I think," Helen said. "I'm pretty sure it's a hundred percent innocent, they are too young for anything serious."
"Mrs. Higgins, you might be wrong about that," Darius said. "I met my wife when I was no more than my son's age. As soon as my eyes fell on her, I knew, she was going to be my wife."
Callista turned her head to the right to face Darius, then asked, "Where is Damon's mother? You and Damon seems to have a very close relationship, I'm surprised she's not here with you."
Darius looked up at the sky, then said, "My wonderful Christine died when Damon was four years old, your majesty. There is not a day that goes by, where I don't think about her. I still love her, and I will love her forever. There are days I wish I would pass on, so I could be with her again and hold her in my arms."
"I'm sorry for your loss Darius," Callista said. "I lost my first husband about thirty five years ago. I still love Steven with all my heart, and I do miss him terribly. However, I recently married the tom who I first fell in love with. Now, I'm happy again. I think Ulysses and I were destined to be with each other."
Upon hearing Ulysses' name, David turned his back to them all, crossed his arms behind his back, then said, "Enough, I'm sure the queen doesn't want to hear this stuff. Come my queen, let Darius and I show you to your quarters."
Callista leaned over to Darius, then whispered, "We can continue our conversation later, if you want."
He leaned back to her, then said, "I'd like that, your majesty."
She smiled at Darius, then extended her left elbow for Darius to slip his arm through, which he did. They smiled at each other before heading over to the Residential building.
End of Chapter