by Melanie Ray
"More than ready." Yed grinned wider than he had for a long time. It was as if everything wrong with the situation had corrected itself. Ezra liked him again, he didn't have to worry about unconditionals, he could even stick around for a little while after his kids were born.
Yep. Life couldn't get any better than that.
"Why?" Xiam whined over and over at Ezra as Yed was moving his stuff back in. "He was the guy at the bar counter, he was the jerk, he-"
"Xiam, I've told you. I've forgiven Yed and he is the father. Now, there are things that you don't understand. Drop it." Ezra frowned at her brother.
"I'll never drop it. He does not belong here with you," Xiam yelled at her again. "You're blinded because you think you love him, but he's only manipulating you." Xiam glared at Yed from the top of the stairs. "You're manipulating her and I'll never forgive you. Never."
Yed winced as he heard the sound of the door being slammed. “He'll never understand."
"I guess not." Ezra looked at Yed at the top of the stairway. "I think Muin will give it a try, Zaria seems more than happy to give it another try."
"Really? Muin?" Yed blinked. "Miss temper tantrum herself?"
"I keep telling Xiam he doesn't understand everything, but it’s not working." Ezra sighed. "Muin seems to be picking up the truth a little better. Zaria's thrilled for some reason."
"Well that's because he knew," Yed groaned. "My speaker messed up and the king called me and-yikes."
Ezra chuckled. "Are you kidding? So are you saying this entire time the only friend you've had...was..."
"Mr. Yes-He-Married-Muin-Too-Young," Yed whined. "Yeah, I get it, I see the irony."
"Well good, they'll be coming over soon. I think Muin wanted to talk to you first though." Ezra headed for the kitchen. "Oh, and we're having another guest too. Have you met Grammy Fornotia?"
"Not for awhile," Yed said smiling. "Not since I was an unofficial Protector. How is Ancient Fornotia Marks?"
"Still Ancient and crabby, pushing 2010 and she’s coming for dinner," Ezra said. "Let's see. I hate cooking meat, I always cook it wrong. Maybe pasta?"
Maybe not? "Is going out an option?" Yed smiled.
Ezra was displeased with his question. "We're inviting them over."
Which means we shouldn't make them sick. "My treat?" Yed insisted.
"I don't know, can you afford it?" Ezra asked sarcastically.
"Well I did just buy a new phone, a vacation place in Relightop...mmmm...put another down payment on my custom made yacht...got done furnishing my new place,” Yed bragged. "Oh heck yeah, I'm good for it."
"Alright, alright. I get the point. You have more money than you can even count. You better treat well then Protector," Ezra chuckled as she heard the door. "That should be Muin. Have fun."
Have fun. Nice words when dealing with a pregnant Muin. Yed strolled over and opened the door slowly.
Muin stood there tapping her left foot. "So you are back, huh?"
Yed nodded his head. "Muin, how are you?"
"Confused, bitter, and I wish someone would explain what is going on," Muin said with a sour expression as she trotted in. "One minute everyone gets to hate you, the next you and Ezra are the best of friends again."
"There's just stuff-"
"That you guys can't tell me, yada yada. It's not fair," Muin yelled grumpily. "I hate when I don't know stuff." She pointed at Yed. "I know it's something that totally made Ezra forgive you, so I'm guessing that it wasn't all your fault?"
Yed shrugged his shoulders. "I can't really answer that."
"Classified, yeah yeah." Muin snarled. "You two frustrate me. Then Zaria, he's always like 'give him a chance. Maybe you don't know the whole story. Maybe what you know is only the tip of an iceberg.' Grrrr."
Yed didn't say anything. Even as a Protector he didn't want to mess with Muin. "We're going out to eat."
"We are?" Muin's anger turned into instant happiness as a wide grin appeared on her face. "So Ezra's not cooking?" she whispered.
"Nope," Yed whispered back. "My treat."
"Yed, so good to have you back." Muin hugged him as best she could. "Now remember, take us somewhere really fancy because I know you've got the money."
Yed grinned. Well, that was easy. "Sure."
"Just remember," Muin's demeanor changed again. "I don't know what really happened, but I did hear about you losing control around Ezra." She pointed to him threateningly. "Don't do it again, unless you plan on going all the way, Ezra really likes you and you shouldn't play with her like that."
Yed looked guilty as he nodded his head. "I won't do it again, okay?"
"Okay." Muin grabbed Yed's hand. "Lookie, see? They are constantly kicking. They're going to have lots of energy just like me."
"You bet," Yed said smiling. "Wear something nice and I promise I'll take you to the nicest restaurant in Fallensworth."
"Yes. Okay, I'll tell Zaria the great news too." Muin opened the door and yelled out. "Zaria, No food poisoning tonight, we’re eating out!"
"Couldn't she be a little quieter?" Ezra headed to her room, small growls still being emitted.
Yed couldn't help but smile. Everything was almost back to how it used to-!
Yed moved as a vase sailed in through the window at him. He looked down at the broken vase and back out the window.
Xiam was glaring at him from outside, his two middle fingers pointing to his eyes.
The point? I'm watching you.
Yeah. How everything almost used to be.
Chapter 15
The WAR BEGINS
"Just another false alarm." Ezra blew out a sigh as the pain began to subside.
Yed hung his head. "Again?" The aroma therapy candles were lit, he’d arranged the pillows just right, his phone lied beside him, ready to be used to call a medical helper. “Are you positive?”
"This is my first pregnancy, Yed, how can I tell the difference?" Ezra hung on to her back as she tried to get back up. She had trouble with the extra weight and her plaid blue pregnancy gown had slipped under her foot. "They'll come one day. Muin still hasn't had hers either yet."
"Yeah, but they need to come before I leave," Yed suggested as he moved his hands around. "Can't you jump start yourself?"
"I'm not a car," Ezra said as she took Yed’s helping hand and pulled her gown from beneath her foot. "It doesn't work that way."
"Guess not." Yed pulled his big Ezra beside him. He had an important meeting to attend very soon and the babies were due as well. He could not miss this meeting but he didn't want to miss the birth either. He looked at her tummy in her unfashionable gown. It looked like she was carrying quadruplets, not twins. Hell, that better not be the case.
"Don't worry," Ezra assured him. "Xiam said if you couldn't make it, he'd take care of me."
"Yeah, I'm sure those were his exact words," Yed said as bent down to grab his briefcase.
"Okay, there were some other words thrown in, but the message is clear enough." Ezra took Yed’s hand gently. "I'm sorry we can't get through to him."
"Ah, don't be." Yed sat his suitcase back down so he could hold and pat her hand back. "At least I got through to you, and even Muin's been warming up to me again."
"Well of course, you were always like her big brother." Ezra let go of his hand but gave him a smile.
"Yeah. Shoot." Yed looked at a clock nearby. "Dangit."
"Go, I'll be fine," Ezra assured him. "I know this meeting's really important, even if you can't talk about it."
Yed nodded and grabbed his stuff. He wiggled his tail in front of her. "Watch the news today, alright?"
Ezra seemed a bit confused but agreed.
"Do whatever it says, get rid of whatever it says, and don't be afraid, okay?" Yed patted her shoulder. "Everything's going to be fine." He nodded once more before heading outside to his car. The sooner he went to the meeting, the sooner he could get back.
As soon as the car would start of course.
Y
ed banged on the wheel. Not again.
"Trouble again, Yed?" Zaria’s face appeared at his window.
"It's my luck, right?" Yed tried to start the car again.
"I don't know," Zaria said as she looked at the car, "You had a brand new one the first time and now this one, what, cost twice as much?"
Yed shrugged his shoulders. He didn't really remember the cost of anything.
"Do you buy a new car every time you have a meeting?" Zaria said chuckling.
"Look, I don't have time for a car to mess up." Yed banged the wheel again. "Two weeks old and it doesn't work?"
"Your luck is bad," Zaria said laughing, "I can give you a lift to your meeting, but I'm coming back home. I don't want to miss Muin going into labor."
"I know," Yed said as he gave up on the car. "The sooner I go, the sooner I can get it over with. What's your model because I am not picking the right ones."
"It's called inexpensive but works." Zaria opened his door and let Yed in. "500 wiggles wasn't too much to ask."
Yed shook his head. "Nah, I'd be an embarrassment if I drove anything less than 5,000. No offense."
"None taken. You’ve got a high status, you’ve got to look the part," Zaria said as he started it up. "First time. Have any of your cars did that?"
Yed didn’t say a word. He stared out the window as he thought about the meeting. Every Protector would be gathering for this meeting. Everyone connected somehow. Surely with something so huge they would be able to figure out something? Oh yeah, that reminded him. "Zaria, stop here."
Zaria stopped and looked around. "The middle of nowhere again?"
Yed left the car and headed to the wall. It's looking more and more like I'm going to have to bring them here. He went over to the wall and felt around the panel. It'll be the safest place. He entered the code and watched the walls open. He walked in and over to the door of the house. He opened it and looked around.
Furniture, decorations, appliances, everything he asked for. Only one decorator was still inside.
"Ah, Protector Yeducavich Smilliat." She greeted him happily. "How are you? How is the place? To your liking?"
"Good. Is everything in and working correctly?" Yed questioned her.
"Everything, everything." The decorator smiled at him. "Look around and when you feel it's all accounted for, please sign the Protector decorator contract."
All the rooms looked good, all the lights were working. He headed upstairs and looked into the baby rooms. "Only one crib? Unacceptable.”
"Oh, well, some accessories like extra cribs haven't come in yet," the Protector decorator apologized. "Pardon, Protector Yeducavich Smilliat. They should be in within a day or two."
Yed nodded and looked around. Other than that, everything looked fine.
"Whoah. You know a ring would work just as good." Zaria’s annoying voice came from behind him.
Yed turned around and saw Zaria. "Hey, you're supposed to-"
"Wait? Didn't feel like it." Zaria looked around the room. "So what, are you gonna show Ezra the house and hope she gets the point?"
Yed didn’t understand what Zaria meant. "What?"
"What what?" Zaria looked at him confused. "You're going to make a move soon, aren't you?"
Yed rolled his eyes. "No," he groaned. "This is extra precaution for Ezra, all the babies, Xiam, Iri, Muin, you and I."
"Oh." Zaria looked in the room. "Only see one crib."
"The other will be filled up soon," Yed said. "You shouldn't have followed me."
"You had decorators in here." Zaria frowned. "Why couldn't I come?"
"Protector decorators. They are trained and sworn to secrecy," Yed explained as he touched the crib.
Zaria just chuckled. "Wait, Protectors have decorators? Because they don't have time to decorate their own stuff," he said laughing. "Are you kidding?"
"No," Yed said firmly. "Will you quit laughing?"
Zaria tried to. "I don't know, I just think it's really funny. You have secret decorators?"
Yed walked out of the room.
Zaria chuckled on the way out. "So what are the chances you'll need to use this place?"
Yed waved his hand in a so-so manner. "20/30. Somewhere around there. Now hurry up, I can't be late."
"Aye aye," Zaria smiled as he passed the decorator. "Keep up your secret decorating skills."
The lady growled at him. "You have no clue how much more money we make."
"Don't hassle the decorator," Yed warned him as he left.
They left out the wall and sealed it up again, then headed back to the car. It was time to stop dawdling and get to the meeting.
"An announcement will be made today," King Sheward informed everyone. "Covetall will be outlawed by the end of the day."
A lower class Protector whined as he touched his hair. "Oh no..."
Yed wiggled his tail. No more hiding. It'd been a long time since he'd been able to show his colors. A really long time.
The king passed conotall, a remover of covetall, and had every warno rub it over his hair.
More than half of the Protectors there still had different colored hair. Yed rubbed the conotall on his head with no fear, but he would not use it on his tail. Not until he had to.
A middle ranking Protector crossed his eyes and touched his hair. "Let's paint white rings on our head. If it's a target, why not make it look like a real target?"
Yed moved his tail uncomfortably. That guy had no reason to complain.
"It's alright," The king assured them. "This is the way it should be. If we are going to give them a fight, then we'll do it without hiding anything. We shouldn't have to. Let the colors of our hair be a sign of pride. Let our nature show through our stand." The king made his hands into fists. "We shall make it so that warnos of all kinds are once again accepted and we will, one day soon, take over the waryes kingdom and stop them once and for all!"
Mixed feelings could be felt but the Protectors cheered for the king.
"Unfortunately," the king whined. "We really don't know how right now."
Yeah, the cheering died down very quickly.
"We will be working on it though. Anyone who has any ideas, please come forward," King Sheward announced.
No one stepped forward.
"Anyone at all?" the king asked again.
"The waryes are way more intelligent and powerful. How are we supposed to come up with something?" One Protector finally spoke up. Others nodded in agreement.
"I figured as much." The king rubbed his eyebrow. "Fine, fine. We will have to stick with what we have. The best way to defeat your enemy is by learning about them. A chosen few will be sent into our enemy’s kingdom itself."
Into the kingdom? If we could get through their barriers and fool them into thinking that... Could he get his family back?
"This is by no means easy," the king warned them. "They will be weary of any waryes entering outside their kingdom. This is the biggest problem why we have not been able to investigate them. Until now." He pointed to a door that suddenly opened. A warno holding buckets of strange black paint was coming out.
"I introduce to you Gootoo," The king grinned. "Gootoo will only last three days but no matter whether rain, storms, wind, or even conotall itself hits it, it will never rub off."
The warno brought the strange black paint underneath the king and bowed.
"No more than a few will go," the king warned. "The less Protectors that go, the better the secret gootoo will remain. In the next meeting, no more than a week from now, I want you all to write the best report you can for why you should go, if you want to be one of the few for this dangerous mission. Meeting adjourned."
Yed stayed still a few seconds as Protectors left and right filed out behind him. Gootoo? The Waryes Kingdom? If I could get in there, I could finally get them back. He eagerly headed outside. With my behavior lately, I'm going to have make one hell of a report, I better get started as soon as I go home.
Ezra just watched as
Yed continued writing something. It was apparently very important because he hadn't quit once since he came back. Although boring, she couldn't help but smile at the excitement in his eyes. He was definitely working on something very special.
Ezra touched her hair gently, no longer hiding it. No one could hide anymore, but the covetall on her tail was still in place. Was it a good thing or a bad thing? She wanted to talk to Yed about it but he was so absorbed in his writing, she knew she shouldn't.
There was a knock on the door, she went to answer it and smiled hesitantly. "Marni."
At her word, she heard Yed stop writing and felt his presence right beside her.
"What," Yed said in a no nonsense tone.
Marni waved nervously and looked at Ezra. "Well, I wanted to let you know. I know I'm not the only one now who wants to be with you, but I-"
"No unconditionals right now,” Yed interrupted. “You failed anyhow, now beat it."
"I made a statement and I've got it notarized." Marni handed it to Ezra. "It's a promise that if you choose me, then when the children are born, we'll both move in the Dens with them."
Yed grabbed the paper haphazardly from her. "Fine, I'll remember the effort."
"And here." Marni handed more papers to her. "I made better detailed descriptions about everything and I-I got an extra good recommendation from Xiamipoc Vallencio."
"Huh?" Yed stared at Marni, a strange glint residing in his eye.
"Xiam still thinks I'm the best for you," Marni said smiling at her. "He's really been trying to help me."
Ezra looked at Yed. So far he had displayed good behavior, but she knew it wouldn’t last long. Xiam was only helping Marni because he wanted Yed away from her.
"Your brother’s also informed me of a second option,” Marni continued. “If by a certain date you still haven't picked anyone, I can petition for two other Protectors to look over my credentials."
Ezra sighed and tried not to roll her eyes. "Fine, but I'm not looking for anyone right now. As I'm sure you know, Yed is the father and he's not doing too bad of a job."
"Yeah, I heard." Marni lowered his voice and whispered in her direction. "You're blinded by love." His whisper was not low enough.