On the way back Frill stopped and meowed. Brooke stopped to watch his ears swivel and then he crouched down to speak quickly. “What? Is there trouble?” Frill nodded. “Is Cage in the trouble?” Frill shook his head. The cat then began to run in the darkness and Brooke found it difficult, but not impossible to follow. She gripped her weapons and ran closely. Frill darted ahead and turned at a building near the outer heart of Jalara and hid behind a large crate. Brooke looked down an isolated alley to find the end lit by two torches stuck in the ground as five men crowded around a small boy of maybe ten years.
“Are ya deaf as well as dumb, Boy? I said, where is the money you pinched off that traveler from yesterday?” The boy’s frightened eyes and shaking form didn’t respond in a timely manner for the lead thug punched him hard upside his head. The boy’s face spun and he fell painfully on the ground with a cry. “You are a simple thief who I own and I want that money!”
“I didn’t take anything. He was poor too.” The boy said in a subdued way.
“You have the gall to lie to me?!” The man said and kicked the boy while already down.
“Is there a reason you men are blocking my way?” Brooke said as she snuck closer and stood in the full light their torches provided. Her tomahawks were concealed in such a way that none of the men could see it in he dark. She found it hard to disguise her raging hatred at these stupid men beating a child.
The five men jumped in surprise at her calm, sultry voice and turned to see her standing nonchalant. It didn’t take long to overcome their surprise as she stood nearly naked before their beady eyes. They all saw her as a single, helpless woman, all alone where she shouldn’t be. The five spread out, without verbally communicating as she watched them all get the same idea and wanted to mate her. “If you do not mind, I’m in a hurry.” She said sweetly and eyed the boy to remain still while she claimed their full attention. He didn’t move.
“Why?” One man smiled, missing his two front teeth. “We were looking for the company of a pretty lass. Care to come with us?”
“I’m sorry, but I seem to have left my money at the inn where I could hire a few of you men to satisfy me for the night.” That got two chuckling.
“We will do it for free tonight, wont we boys?” The leader said and got a few chuckles. Then he pulled a knife from his belt.
“Are you trying to fight a woman?” Brooke pouted to lure him in first.
“Can a woman resist five virile men?”
Her visage dropped completely as her anger made her expression fearsome. “Hollow bravado doesn’t impress me. You should have brought another and not confined yourselves to an alley to beat on a child. Stupid Men, I give you this one warning, leave.” Her tone dripped with murderous intent.
The men blinked before laughing. The leader lunged for her arms, but she whipped and flipped her wrist, burying the hatchet in his skull. She spun and pulled her weapon out in one graceful movement and sliced through the throat of a second man who followed right behind. The two fell dead in an instant. The jocular side of the conversation ended as two more jumped in her direction. Brooke caught the neck of one and the shoulder of another, but due to the narrow alley, she couldn’t dance away as she naturally does. The man she didn’t kill immediately got hold of her legs and knocked her to the ground. The man with the side of his neck squirting an arch of blood couldn’t do anything except writhe and choke on the ground. The man grappled with Brooke and knocked the wind from her lungs with a well placed elbow to her stomach. Before he could capitalize on her there came a sickening, bone crushing shatter of a person’s body.
The man reacted to the noise by turning around and seeing a huge cat land on the last thug, dropping down off the roof and upon landing, demonstrated so much weight that bone breaks. Frill completely crushed his target before he could either run screaming or have the other man gain advantage over Brooke.
Brooke’s anger flared as she saw the man above her, looking away. She grabbed a fistful of hair and snaked her arm around the man’s neck to get a firm grip on his jaw. Before he had time to react, Brooke hyper-extended the neck’s natural movement, breaking his vertebrae by pulling the chin all the way around. The body jerked before going limp. Brooke threw him off herself and coughed as she tried breathing again. Her stomach hurt, but she had killed four stupid men. She wiped the blood off her cheek and shoulder that didn’t belong to herself and retrieved her tomahawks. Brooke looked over to see Frill pad nearer to one man still dying, and with the simple flick of his paw there came a loud crack of bone as he broke the man’s neck with force she never knew him capable of. She gained more respect for the strong Familiar.
The boy stared with fear and confusion, so much so his body trembled and couldn’t move. Brooke came over and slowly sat down before the boy. In a soft, motherly voice that held nothing except warmth, she said “I am so sorry I frightened you. My name is Brooke and I’m am a priestess. May I have your name?”
“SSS… SS… Sean.” He said in a tremble.
“Do not fear me, Sean. I did not approve of those stupid men. They were beating you for no reason. Where is your mother or father?”
“Haaave No…None… III”m an orphan.”
A closer look informed Brooke that Sean’s clothes were barely being held together. He was skin and bones, with several scars all over his arms from a hard life and his hair was a mass of knots and the odor informed he hasn’t bathed in months. Brooke came to a decision befitting of the laws she upholds. She held her hand out to say “If you have no mother and wish to live and survive, I will offer you the chance to take me as you mother. If you choose me to be your mother I will expect you to listen to me and your parents. I am the priestess of the Utala and guide of my people. The chief will become your father and will also expect you to be as a son. In the morning we shall leave. If you wish to stay here, you may, but if you wish for mothers and a father, then you will have it.”
Sean’s warm brown eyes met hers and saw a smile, which he at first pulled away from. He looked at the large, bloodied cat coming closer to look at him and then to the woman who killed four grown men by herself. He could see kindness in those eyes of hers and asked “Why would you want me?”
Her hand remained offered. “Because the spirits made it so I would be here at this moment. You were in need and I wish for you to live as you should, with strength. With the proper guidance of me, as one of your mothers, you will have a better chance. I can feed you and give you something these stupid men neglected, love. I have a daughter a few years younger than you who always said she wanted an older brother. So, would you like to have two mothers, a father and a beautiful little sister? I will not force you to accept.”
“If you are honest… you should know that I’m a thief.” Sean admitted and cringed, expecting to be beaten and dragged off to get a hand removed.
“I heard.” Brooke admitted without bias. “But is it true you did not take something from a traveler that the men told you to do?”
“No,” He admitted again in a soft voice. “I took a copper so I can get a biscuit and eat something tomorrow. The man I pinched didn’t have much, but I didn’t feel it right to take everything from someone who isn’t well off.”
“Good, as my son you will not need to be a thief anymore. If you know it is wrong and are honest, I will provide for my baby until you can support yourself. Last chance, do you want a strong mother who will love you and take you from this place?” Brooke still kept the hand stationary.
Sean looked for deception and found none. Very slowly, his little hand reached forward and took hers, sealing their bond with the men’s blood she shed. Brooke suddenly pulled on his arm and put his little face between her breasts and held him there. “Welcome home to your new mother, Sean. And I accept you as a child into the Utala.” She pulled him away and gave him a small kiss to formally bring him into the tribe.
Frill began chatting and then remembered she couldn’t understand. He pointed a paw down the alley
where they entered. He then moved over and buried the torches before going to one of the men and she watched as he bit a sturdy piece of a man’s pants and began running down the other way, towards the forest, all the while dragging a fully grown man’s body as if it were nothing. Brooke figured Frill told her to go back to the inn while he disposes of the corpses.
She stood up and pulled Sean along too. “Come, My Son, let us go meet your new father… and well I suppose your great grandmother too.” Brooke took his hand and led him out, walking over one of the men. Sean remained quiet, unsure what is to come.
Less than five minutes passed before the inn came in sight.
She looked at herself and didn’t realize just how much blood had splattered and she knew it wouldn’t be a good idea walking through the front should someone be watching. Brooke then remembered they were on the bottom floor and went around the building. As she came around she noticed three shadowy forms right outside their closed window. She shouted “What are you doing back here?!” and it had an immediate effect because the snooping townsfolk ran in the opposite direction. When she was sure no one was watching Brooke held onto Sean’s hand and approached the window where she heard muddled voices and knocked lightly. The conversation ended before the darkness vanished as Cage opened the window with a black ball of fire floating above his left hand. “What do you…” He noticed everything in an instant and made the fire disappear, especially seeing a cowering form. “Brooke, what happened? You’re covered in blood? Did you go off and have fun without me again?”
“Yes, but I did not return without a gift. We now have a son?”
“Oh really? I cannot wait to hear the details.” He grinned.
“What is this about blood and having a son?” Megdline said as she stood and came over. Her eyes widened at the bloodied priestess. “I hope none is yours… where’s Frill?”
Brooke held up her free hand. “May we come inside? It is too open out here to discuss this.”
Cage reached out and said “So you bring me a son now? First you give me your love and now him… What’s next? Sorry for scaring you little guy, come closer so I can bring you inside. What is your name?”
“Sean.” He replied simply, still gripped in fear. With a little coaxing from Brooke, Sean approached and Cage effortlessly picked him up and sat him down inside the candle lit room. Brooke didn’t need aid climbing in before she shut the window.
Megdline asked again “Where is Frill?”
“He is busy disposing of five stupid men who were beating on my new son.” She answered quietly.
“Were they the ones with thick beards and shoddy clothes, hanging around the edge of town?” Cage asked.
“Yes.”
Megdline took in the looks of Brooke and the child, Sean. “I will go see if they offer a bath or at least an ewer. Hold the tale till I return.”
Not two tense minutes later, she returned with two large ewers and linen over a shoulder. As it shut she reapplied the earlier spell so they could speak privately. Brooke put a hand on Sean’s shoulder. “The first rule as my son is hygiene. I will not have a dirty child when it isn’t time to play.” Brooke began taking her clothes off and knelt on the ground beside Sean who was reluctant to do so. The new, stern look got him to move, but in doing so, his clothes ripped.
“These are not fitting, even for you.” Megdline said and began digging in her pockets. “I should still have…” She pulled out a tightly folded blue square and a brown one. “Ah, these should do.” She began unfolding the hand-sized material that turned into a pair of brown pants and a new shirt. She put it near his bony shoulders and nodded. “Good… Let the fabric breathe to get out the wrinkles, they’ve been in there for years.” She said while sitting down.
Brooke jerked his tattered shorts off and Sean went rigid as she handed him a cloth. “I will do your hair, but you are old enough to clean every part of your body.” Sean nodded. Brooke then began cleaning herself while making sure Sean did as well. Years of dirt was hard to remove from him and Cage knelt down to help, not smiling or doing anything that would upset him. While Cage helped clean Sean’s arm, Brooke walked up behind and began the difficult task of washing his hair. She grimaced as she found lice and said “Sean, I’m going to be forced to cut your hair short. You have bugs.” He nodded and Megdline offered a pair of scissors which Brooke figured out how to use in a few moments. In a half hour Brooke smiled. “I didn’t know our son would be so handsome.”
“Cage, why aren’t you smiling? Are you upset?” Megdline noticed.
“No, it isn’t that, he’s deeply afraid he just signed his death warrant… uh, he thinks we are going to kill him and use him.” He said while sitting down.
“How can you say that?” Brooke asked.
“Because I too was an orphan. When people smile, especially adults, it usually means they want you to come closer so they can beat you, use you and even likely get rid of you. He is still deciding if this is all a dream or if we’re going to hurt him. Sean cannot understand the concept of family because it is a dream and orphans with dreams don’t survive. Reality sucks. You learn to look out for yourself, just to stay alive another day on the streets. I know I did.”
Sean turned to stare at the tall man in black. “You were an orphan too?”
“Sure was. By your looks and movements, you are a thief, a good one too.”
“How did you know?” Sean wondered.
Cage gave him a small smile that didn’t frighten him. “You have nimble fingers that are quick, but mainly it is your eyes, they twitch. You scan everything before you do anything because if you didn’t, someone could either catch you in the act or you might not get away, if an exit is suddenly blocked. I was in the same situation at about the same age actually. I was about to be killed before a person saved me and brought me in. I suspect Brooke saved you from the thugs. You will find it near impossible to have anyone who can understand your life as I do.”
“Yes, this woman…” Suddenly pain stung the back of his head. “What was that for?” Sean looked up.
Brooke had smacked his head lightly. “I am not this woman. You will either call me Mother or Brooke Mother, nothing else. Am I understood?”
“Uhhh…” Sean said, before noticing the look she gave that dared him to test her on this. “Yes… Um… Mother?”
“Better.” Brooke finalized. She then walked over while drying her hair and sat beside Cage. “Sean, allow me to introduce you to your father, Cage. He is a magic man, as you saw, but you have no cause to fear him unless you come at him with a knife. You will call him either Cage, chief or Dad. Your sister Rena calls him Dad. Now come sit with me while I tell them how you came into my life.”
Just then, there came a scratching noise on the door. Megdline opened it to allow Frill inside. Brooke said “I was just about to tell them, Frill. Wait your turn.” The cat nodded, saw Sean and looked quite satisfied with the transformation. He began licking off the few flakes of blood from his coat while Brooke retold the story. Frill then had Megdline explain how he removed all the bodies before anyone noticed and wouldn’t find them for a few days.
Afterwards, Megdline had to say “Brooke, I’m glad you wish to take him in, but we also have to consider the danger we are sure to face.”
“I know this, but I cannot let Sean die if he makes a mistake because he has no other choice. And since I cannot have a baby with Cage, I will adopt, as he has told me is common where he is from. From now on, Sean is Meeka’s, Cage’s and mine son. He has chosen the right way and will never find better or stronger parents. One day, I will love him as much as my daughter. And for the danger, he will stay away from us when we go to rescue his other mother. Besides, our law doesn’t allow for any children to be left without a parent. And since much of Cage’s time is devoted to learning magic from you, I will have a son to teach.” Brooke smiled and put an arm around him. “I know you have many questions, Sean, but I promised you a filling meal. Put on your new clothes Megdl
ine has for you.”
Sean looked all around, never dreaming something like this could happen. He got up and slowly walked over to the kind lady mage and held out his hands. “Please?” She smiled and handed them over. “Thank you so much.”
“You are quite welcome, Young Man. Since it looks like you’ll be tagging along we cannot leave you so skinny. Go with your new mother and enjoy a nice hot meal.” She then gave him five coppers, quite a lot for a meal. He thanked again and left with Brooke to go get a late meal. “Cage, do you have a problem with any of this? I mean, seriously, she picked him up in a dangerous time.”
He shrugged. “Brooke is an alpha female and is very territorial. We both know it was a blow to her that I can’t get her pregnant. She unconditionally loves babies and children. This will be good for her, because he needs us, even with all the danger. Don’t you think it would be better to save a child in desperate need than leave him to die just because you want to make a baby? It is another reason I love her, she is fond of children and would die just to save one. And he isn’t as helpless as he appears. He has survived on his own for years, if those old scars mean anything. He is also smart, not speaking too much, listening for any deceit we have. If Brooke wants him as our son, I want him too. For now though, he cannot learn certain things about me, our discussions or inappropriate topics and we shouldn’t lie if he has a question.” Cage crossed his arms. “And what did you learn when you used magic?”
“That there is no deceit. He is as a ten year old boy should be, if malnutrition is his only issue. I could not take the chance someone plotted for him to join us. It isn’t the first time a tactic like that has been used. Also, Sean has never been touched by magic. He was frightened every time we smiled though, is it really that bad?”
“Yes. You don’t know if you’re going to live the next day, but he’s never killed anyone before, like I did. He will be good for Brooke, since my time is split between everyone, specifically you as I try to learn as much as possible before I tell you my plans. Since we only have a few days, I need to learn all the spells that might be used and how to counter them.” Then he simply glanced at the occupied Frill. “Let’s keep going before Brooke brought me a kid. We left off on growth magic that can be looped to grow by draining me dry, if I strike it first. You said it links itself to me and grows if I fight against it with mana. I’ll need to relax and get closer so it thinks my life is diminishing and I’ll have just a fraction of a second to erect a barrier before it detonates.”
Familiar's Ancient Throne (Book 2 of the Death Incarnate Saga) Page 32