Daddy Next Door

by Tina Lee

  I grabbed his arm and break it. His scream shrieked in the busy street. All his men came charging at me and I was smiling, ready to kill. There was a gust of wind and yellow flash, and immediately I knew who it was. Leo, standing between me and the men. The men stopped at the sight of him, confused by his quickness. I could take them all, but I guess it wouldn’t hurt to share.

  “You take the left side and I take the right,” I said.

  “No need,” Leo said. He took a bag of coin from his cloak and threw it at them. “That should cover the damages and the old man’s fee.”

  They checked the bag, shot me a nasty look then took the injured man and left.

  “You gave those scumbags coins?”

  “Do not forget why we are here.”

  “Trust me, I have not forgotten.”

  “We should head back.”

  ****

  He summoned us to the hall where a table full Westerners sat and stared at us like we were being tried in court. Mostly old men with thick long white beards. On the left of Agnor is younger man, though older than I am. He didn’t sport long hair like every other man around the table. His was short with the sides shaved completely. Certainly an odd style. He probably picked it up in the South. They do all sorts of strange stuff there.

  To the right of him was a young woman, looked younger than me, but probably only a few years. She had long red hair and freckled face, also something you don’t see often. She wore a diamond necklace, diamond earring and a diamond ring. She was definitely not humble. Bruises on her knuckles meant she was a fighter. She gave us a gentle smile.

  “Did you all came to see us? We’re honored,” I said.

  “My council wanted to see the sons of the great Demetri.” He got up and walked over to me. “This one is Dante.” He then walked over to Leo “This is Leo, the King of the North.”

  “Yes. He looks more like his father,” a weak old voice said.

  “Yes. Yes. I agree,” another voice said.

  Agnor pointed at the old men. “These are members of the council that have lived too long pass their day.”

  The old men laughed. “And we will live for plenty more.”

  He pointed to the short hair man. “This is my son, Kronus.”

  He gave us a slight nod.

  “And this is my lovely daughter, Victoria.”

  “I’ve heard so many things about the both of you. And who would have thought I’d one day meet the Lukas brothers. Tell me, is it true that—”

  “That’s enough, Victoria. Let’s not waste any more time,” Agnor said.

  “I agree,” Leo said.

  We took seats around the table and helped ourselves to wine. “So, what is your decision?” Leo asked.

  “First off, how much warriors would you need?”

  “Two thousands.”

  Agnor nearly chocked on his wine.

  “Two thousand?” Victoria asked. “Are you sure you’re not over estimating your enemy?”

  “Have you ever been to war, Victoria?” Leo asked.

  “No—”

  “Of course not. We are greater in numbers,” Leo said.

  “I’m sure you could defeat them with less men.” One of the old council said.

  “My brother is right. When they attack again, and I’m sure they will, we don’t just want to defeat them. No. We want to obliterate them.” My brother may be naive, but someone has to have his back.

  Agnor whispered with his council. “Two thousand is too much. A thousand.”

  “You’re wasting our time,” I said.

  Leo gently twirled his wine glass. “When we kill them all, and we will. The North and the West would be seen as powerful allies. I know old age is just around the corner for you, King Agnor, but surely you must see my vision. A thousand will not do.”

  Agnor whispered again to his counsels. “I will give one thousand and five hundred men. No more.”

  Leo still looked displeased. After a moment of silence, he responded, “I guess that will have to do.”

  “On one condition.”

  Leo’s eyes narrowed on Agnor. “Well, go on.”

  “The relationship between the West and the North have been rocky since your father passed. And I agree with you, we will one day be known as power allies. But before all of your vision can come to fruition, we must start off our relationship in a proper way. Leo, I want you to marry my daughter.”

  Leo froze, letting the silence linger. We listened to the council’s heavy breathing as we waited for Leo to say something. Leo looked at Victoria, then at Agnor, then finally, “I will gladly take your daughter’s hand in marriage.” The table erupted in all smiles, Victoria’s biggest of them all.

  I knew my brother, and I knew this was never what he wanted, but he did it for his people. It would help to convince all who had their doubt about their king. He had restored relationship with the West, something many Northerners were going to love. Many dreamed of seeing see the King’s long awaited elegant wedding in the capital. Finally, the King has a Queen, and soon she would bear his child. This could go well for his image, but as for him, he must keep his misery silent, and give the people what they want.

  Victoria never took her eyes off Leo, waiting for his eyes to meet with hers. They never did. Leo stared at the wine before him, in his own head, probably coming to terms of what just happened.

  “I’d rather this process be as quick as possible. So, we say, a month’s time?” Agnor asked.

  “Is that alright with you?” Leo asked Victoria.

  “Yes, a month is perfect.”

  “Then a month it is.”

  “In a month I’ll be a Queen. Pinch me.”

  Her brother, Kronus, scoffed, obviously bored of listening to his exuberant sister.

  We left shortly after. Leo refused Agnor’s offer of staying another night. We shifted and started our journey back home, a silent one, not that there was anything to be said.

  With every step I made, I was getting closer to her. I was eager to taste her, smell her, touch her, hear her and see her. I wondered if I occupied her thoughts as she did mine. Would she be delighted to see me when I arrive or would it be as I never left?

  There was a certain conflict inside me. The path of affection is a dangerous path. It weakens you because you’re always tied to someone, and that someone will affect your ability to reason. If I continued down this path, I would be exposing myself, leaving me vulnerable.

  If I ever plan on being the strongest then it was obvious what I must do. I must forget her.

  Chapter Eleven

  Elizabeth

  I would call it being crushed but even that couldn’t sum up how much hurt I was feeling. There I was, the big fool, waiting patiently for Dante and Leo to arrive, and when they did finally arrive back to base, they said not a word to me. No hi Elizabeth. No hey, did you miss me. No I’m fine. I blamed myself. I was the one who cared for people who didn’t care about me.

  We left the base and I was only twenty minutes from my soft bed.

  Sia’s men knew nothing of what Leo and Dante did. There were only speculations. They barely said a word to anybody. Leo ordered we leave the base the day after he arrived, eagerly wanting to return to the North. The injured were well enough to take the journey back home to their family. My daily walks had served its purpose and were managing alright.

  Sia groaned for the hundredth time today. “What is it now?” I asked.

  “I need a break. My legs are tired.”

  Sia was never much of a walker. Never much of anything related to work, to be honest. “We’re almost there.”

  “Here, give me your luggage, you whiner,” Ben offered.

  “Thank you,” she moaned, getting her way once more.

  “Do you think they’ll be happy to see us?” Ben asked.

  “Of course, we’ve been gone for quite a while.”

  “I just think everyone has forgotten about the war by now.”

  “Nonsense.�
� Or least I hoped they didn’t forget. Not for me, I didn’t want to take part in any glory, but for the men who we had lost. They deserved to be remembered.

  Snow and Midnight walked side by side up ahead. I caught myself admiring their beastly form. As if I was separating Snow from Leo, the beast from the man, and somehow I found the beast innocent in all this. It was Leo who was the jerk. Those two looked right beside each other, the way how their furs contrasted and complimented each other. A poetry in colors, if you looked deep enough.

  My assistances struggled to keep up at the back. They looked out of place, like they would rather be in the North working in the kitchen or serving the royals. They did well, I must say.

  The walls of the North was now in sight, and you could sense the extra spring in everyone’s step. Horns blew at the sight of use, and I can imagine everyone scrambling to the gate to greet us.

  Everyone cheered as Snow led his pack through the gates. Boys howled and wives who have seen their husband return whistle, while the other wives wait to see if they had become a widow.

  All the boys ran into the streets and walked beside Snow and Dante, pretending to be a part of the pack. They cheered for us commoners too. Ben, Sia and I waved to the people in the streets and to the people waving from their roofs and windows. More people fill the streets, bearing gifts and hugs. One man even carried Sia on his back, now she didn’t have to walk.

  “Thank you,” a woman said to me as she gave me a basket of baked cakes. I smiled and accepted her gift, but I was not sure I deserved it.

  We quickly became exhausted from waving to people and having to smile. After the march we never wanted to see another face again. Ben poured me some soup and we sat on the floor and drank. Too tired to walk to the table. Sia joined us with a smile on her face, “that was great.”

  “You were being carried all the way.”

  “I felt like a princess.”

  It wasn’t everyday shifters praised commoners. We’re typically ignored any other day, and most likely will ignored again tomorrow. “Enjoy it while it lasts.”

  “Oh, I intend to,” Sia said.

  “What’s that supposed to mean?” Ben asked.

  “What do you think it means?”

  The soup tasted delicious, and we were just getting warmed up. We were going to feast and drink tonight. Leo and Dante didn’t take part in the celebrations, and indeed, there was little to celebrate. There weren’t any celebration for the newly widows, only grief. We had been through our share of grief, now, we just wanted to forget. I toasted to my assistances, Ben, Sia and all the other commoners who joined the clan.

  He hurt me, and I still think of him. I was a fool who didn’t kniw when to stop. I was still concerned for Leo. Knowing everything he had been through, it was hard not to sympathize.

  I took one more glass and drank half of another before Ben took it from me. “No more for you,” he said.

  “But I feel fine.”

  “Yes, and let’s keep it that way.” He finished my half cup of beer. That bastard.

  Good thing about being a part of the clan was not paying for anything, and people gladly giving it away. Our table was filled with all these meat; chicken, pork, beef and even lobster, which was on more of the pricey side. I stuffed my face with carrot cake, which was delicious by the way, and started to sing old songs. Songs only humans would know.

  I drank more beer while Ben wasn’t looking. I wasn’t in the best of moods, eating away the pain didn’t work quite liked I planned. I was still hurt. How could they do that to me? Did I mean nothing to them all this time? I was so fucking hurt. Fuck you, Leo. Fuck you, Dante.

  I had enough food, now I wanted to sleep the pain away and hopefully feel better in the morning. I took a step then another, and things started to spin. Why was everybody spinning? Was this a magic spell? I took a third step and landed on my ass.

  “What are you doing?” Ben looked down at and asked.

  “I don’t know,” I replied, “there was a magic spell—”

  “I knew it. You had more beer.” Ben lifted me, “come on, I’m going to take you to your room.”

  “I’m fine.”

  “No you’re not.” He carried me on his back while I slipped in and out of slumber.

  “I like carrot cake,” I told Ben.

  “We’re almost there.”

  “Do you like carrot cake?”

  “Yes Elizabeth, I like carrot cake.”

  I slipped in and out again. Ben placed me on my bed and took off my shoes and took the crushed carrot cake from my hand. “Why are guys so mean?”

  “They’re not all mean. Just some of them.”

  “Are you mean?”

  “No, I don’t suppose I am.” He pulled the sheets over me. “Good night, Elizabeth.”

  “Goodnight, Ben.” I drifted away.

  I woke up to a letter slipped under my door. I was invited to ceremony to honor the courageous men who put their life on the line. Then I saw something unusual, a human being awarded the badge of Hector, an award given someone who had shown great bravery in the face of war. It took me a while to wrap my head around a human receiving such a prestigious award, and even more jaw dropping, was that human was me.

  There were rabbits running around in my belly. I felt a bit woozy. I reread the letter to see if I was imagining things, it seems I wasn’t. I screamed with excitement!

  Suddenly my door burst open! “What’s wrong?” Ben asked.

  “Can’t a girl scream anymore?”

  “Have you gone mad?”

  I threw the letter at him. I watched his eyes move along the page until the moment of him realizing. He made a big smile, “Are you serious?” He looked again, as if he didn’t trust his own eyes. “The badge of Hector?”

  “Yeah,” I said with my heart thumping in my chest.

  “You’re probably the first woman ever to receive this.”

  “I never looked at it that way. First human and first woman to receive it.”

  “You made history, Elizabeth.”

  I looked at Ben with a loss for words.

  “Young girls will be inspired by what you have achieved today,” he said.

  “No way. Come one.”

  “They will, Elizabeth. Your name is now being forged in the Northern history.”

  I tried hard to breathe but it was proving difficult. I stepped back and sat on the bed. “Oh my.” I was starting to feel the weight of it all.

  Ben sat beside me. “After you accept that medal. Your life will not be the same. There will be things expected from you, and responsibilities you must accept.”

  Suddenly all the fun of it was gone. “I don’t want to be the face for women. I just want to eat and heal people.”

  “Sometimes, people don’t chose greatness, greatness chose them.”

  “Ben, it’s me, Elizabeth. I heal people’s wounds and feed them medicine. There isn’t much greatness in me.”

  “That’s where you’re wrong. Back there, I saw a woman run straight into middle of a war to save lives, with no hesitation. I saw a woman tend to the injured with such love, like a mother and her young. I see greatness in you, Elizabeth. And with that letter, it is obvious Leo sees it too.”

  The time was here; Ben, Sia and I were really early to take our seats, while the royals took their time filling the hall. Other members of the Lukas family made quite an entrance with white and gold gowns matching their gold hairs. Exchanging smiles with lords and members of the pack. They walked pass us with their heads held high.

  Ben stared intently at Diana Lukas, the cousin of Leo and Dante. Long blond hair, narrow face and a slim physique. She walked with confidence I wished I had, strutting to the front with swaying hips. I think Ben was in love. I had to remind him to blink.

  “You fancy her, uh?” I asked Ben.

  “I’m a woman and I fancy her. She’s perfection,” Sia answered.

  She took her seat at the front, along with the other family me
mbers.

  Ben shaved his face for the ceremony and he couldn’t have looked any better. I told him if he didn’t start shaving more often then I’d shave him myself. Sia’s black dress fitted her well and brought to my attention what nice legs she had. No wonder men loved her the way they did. I settled for a red dress, well, because I liked the color red. I was never much of a wearer of dresses. I almost didn’t recognize myself in one. It was pretty, though, I will admit, and I felt pretty too.

  There was a sudden silence. Dante entered the room, dress in a black and gold cloak, then Leo entered, dressed a white cloak with Northern emblems stitched in gold.

  The first speaker, an old woman by the name of Madame Irvine, who spoke on the rich history of this land and all who had fought to uphold its values. It wasn’t long until Ben fell asleep, and me, fighting to stay awake. I didn’t realize how boring these ceremonies were and how much strength it took not to run out through that door.

  Speakers after speakers and yet no word registered into my head. Heads bobbled as one by one people fell asleep, only to be awoken by a nudge from the person next to them. Leo looked bored, applauding when he needed to and playing with his wine glass. He looked handsome, just as the sky was blue or water was wet, it was almost synonymous.

  It had been eighteen days since they last spoke to me, and being the fool I am, I kept counting.

  There was silence again as they listed the names of the men killed in action. Breaking the silence was a woman wailing in the back. A chilling and echoing cry. Her children consoled her, who came to grips with the reality that he was gone, forever.

  It was Leo’s turn to speak, and he demanded everyone’s attention. Something was different about him. His demeanor, it resembled that of Dante’s.

  “Our enemy was strong, but we were stronger. They had the numbers but we had something only the North truly knows, and that it what it means to sacrifice. The enemy, their first priority is stay alive, then their second priority is to defeat us, and that is why they will forever be weaker than us. For how can they defeat us, when we don’t even fear death? We have only one priority in a war, and that is to defeat those who oppose us.”