by Melanie Ray
Yed wasn't surprised by the look of astonishment on Ezra. It would be fried to his mind forever, a blend of 'you can't be serious' and 'you’re an ass' all in one. He watched Regwallis start to remove the crown. "Keep the crown for now, I am using the claim for a limited time. Tell me what I need to know, and I shall let go of the claim."
Not surprisingly, Ezra spoke up. Loudly. More loudly than was typical of her.
"Yeducavich Smilliat," Ezra cried out. "That boy has been through so much and you-you-I can't believe you did that!"
Much louder than typical, but it didn't matter. He looked back down at the boy. "Prince Regwallis."
The prince had no choice. He let go of Ezra's side and stood, face front. "Yes, sir."
"Then I am waiting," Yed answered. "What do you know about the twins?"
"A rhyme," Regwallis answered. "Daddy and mommy used to sing a rhyme about twins. I don't remember how it goes exactly." He held up his fingers. "Rainbow colors, Black and white,
Hold onto mommy, And hold on tight. We'll spin around having fun...I'm forgetting a lot of, but twins are in there somewhere."
Ezra's expression was smug, while Yed's held a goofy look, his lip quirked up. "You can't be serious. Are you serious?"
"I think he is," Ezra said, her voice as smug as her expression. "How does that suit you, Yed?"
A nursery rhyme, a nonsense nursery rhyme every warno knew. All that effort, even some hope had sprung up into him. Oh, like the tiny prince would ever know anything. He didn't even know the first verse, and there was nothing about twins in there anywhere. The prince was confused. "Nevermind. Take your title back, Sire."
"Don't call me sire," Regwallis shouted loudly. "If I am the king, then you have to obey me. And I say, call me Wallis. Not majesty or sire or nothin' like that."
A part of Yed was screaming from the indignation. Calling the king of the kingdom by a short nickname? However, Regwallis was king and if he wished it, it had to be so. "As you wish, Wallis."
Regwallis almost smiled as he crossed his arms. "Also, stand on your head."
Yed raised his eyebrow at the requests as Ezra laughed. "Si...R...Wallis? Are you sure?" The king nodded. Yed looked at the floor. Was Regwallis going to be making him do tricks now? Is this all that was left of the Warno Kingdom's hope? A small boy asking him to stand on his own head. He felt failure enter his being as he stood on his head.
"That's better," Regwallis announced. "I am small, but I am king. Pull something else again, and see what else I make you do."
Then like that, Yed's heart lifted again. There was still some of Sheward in the boy. It wasn't a game, it was ridicule. He stood back up and bowed correctly. "Of course, Wallis. I would not dream of doing that again."
"Good." Regwallis nodded. "No more bowing either. Now, you have your warnings, and daddy never dished second warnings."
"Well, now that this is all settled, Wallis, I think you've gone several days without a bath." Ezra patted his head. "Am I right?" Regwallis had a sour expression on his face. "Come on, let's go get you cleaned." Ezra took his hand and looked back at Yed. "Yed, would you like to bathe Regwallis or take care of the twins?"
Bathe the king or watch the babies. Not a hard decision. Yed proceeded up the stairs, the tension he felt before barely traceable. He reached the crib room and approached Tigeravich’s crib first. “Well, now that I have my faculties back and we’re not running for our lives, let me look at you.” He picked him up and held the boy close in his arms. “Great thing you got my hair color, I was teased constantly as a kid. Blue doesn’t dominate as much as red or purple. You got highlights of blue and green? You’d really stick out,” he chuckled. “You won’t have to deal with that though, not the way this world is heading.” He bounced him gently in his arms. “No idea what the future is going to be like. Actually.” He looked back toward the door, making sure no one was there. “I have to say for the first time I feel a little helpless. I don’t know what to do.” He shrugged, bopped his nose once and went over to Carressela’s crib. “Oh shoot, she’s sleeping.” He propped Tiger up in one arm as he covered Carressela more with her swaddling. “We’ll talk later.”
He left the room with Tiger in his hands when he spotted Ezraponia. “I thought you were giving Wallis a bath?”
Ezra tried not to get emotional, but she couldn’t help himself. Wye was gone. The accent had vanished but the tension he had from that room had completely disappeared. The regret and sorrow were gone. The room no longer meant anything more than any other. On the other hand, Yed was holding Tiger so affectionately close in his arms. What she had wanted to see from him since the first day they were born. “You make a cute pair.”
“Are you sure you’re okay?” Yed stepped forward.
“Yes,” Ezra squeaked. “I’m just glad to see you holding him so close.”
Yed almost seemed offended as he took a step back. “Just because I am a Protector, doesn’t mean I will be a terrible father. For the last time, Ezra, I’m not-“
“I know,” Ezra finished. “He’s gone.”
Yed didn’t reply back at first. He simply watched her for a full minute. “Okay.” He nodded. He looked down at Tiger, then held him even closer. “I don’t know the future, but I didn’t know the future before this either. The unexpected labor in the middle of running was the only thing I messed up on for us. In extreme situations, it can be hard, but I do accomplish the most missions successfully because I am a Protector. Do you understand, Ezraponia?”
Ezra lightly nodded.
“This war will not defeat this family,” Yed said firmly. “I don’t care what happened to whatever me that you think was here. It’s not mine. I make my own. Do you understand that?”
Ezra nodded again, more tersely. What was he driving at? “Of course I know that.”
“Then listen, and listen well.” Yed held Tiger’s face out toward her. “I am an A class Protector and I will do the best I can in my command to protect our future. Do you understand that, Ezraponia Cattral?”
Ezra crossed her arms. “Yes, Protector Yeducavich, I understand.”
“Good.” Yed bounced Tiger lightly and looked toward him. He broke his mood and smiled. Then he looked back at Ezra again. “You understand everything?” Ezra nodded. “Then begin to trust me. With the questioning looks I’ve received from you so far about my incompetence, I could have had you arrested were we not in such a tough battle right now.” He turned back toward the nursery to place Tiger back in his crib.
Ezra stepped forward into the room and watched him. He was swaddling Tiger back up. “I trust you.” She noticed his eyes not quite meeting hers. “Even though he knew the future, I trust you more than him.”
Yed met her eye to eye then. “You’re not kidding. You still believe some future self took over. Why?”
“He had little confidence,” Ezra said. “The things he did, and the way he did them. Every step he acted like he was either saving the future or condemning it. Even Xiam stood up to him.”
Yed actually wore a strange quirk on his face that almost made her laugh. “...okay.” He shrugged and tucked the last piece of swaddling in. “Definitely not me.”
Ezra tried to smile. “Definitely not.” She approached him by the side of the crib. “He was the worse with him, Yed. He was so afraid to get close.” Yed didn’t respond. “I see how hard you turned with no family. What if-“
“Won’t happen,” Yed interrupted. “I will protect everyone.”
“Wye.” Ezra looked over at Yed who shifted his weight on the name. “Wye Cattral.” Her heart rose, hoping the name struck something familiar.
“Smilliat. I am the father,” Yed reminded her. “And why are you wanting to give him a weak name?” His voice was coarse beneath.
“I am still mother,” Ezra reminded him. “There are tough battles ahead Yed, but as long as this Kingdom stands, the female has more power. You aren’t my conditional, nor can you appoint yourself without my authority.” She d
idn’t break her stride as he watched her. “I am willing to compromise to Wye Smilliat. Wye Tigeravich Saga Smilliat.”
“Acceptable, if you change around the first two names,” Yed said. “Come on, Ezraponia, Wye is not fit for him.”
“What is fit for him? What does he grow up to be?” Ezra touched Tiger’s arm lightly. “Does he have to be rough?”
“In this time, yes,” Yed admitted. “We are in the middle of a war, and more is coming. I know it.”
“Your son will have your courage, I am sure of that,” Ezra said, “but he should have a calm name. He will have a choice.” Yed almost growled. “Wye Tigeravich Saga Smilliat.”
“It is a weak name, not a calm name.” Yed looked at him. “Wyovich? It’s still too weak.”
“A name is just a name,” Ezra said. “We are raising them in new times, and things change. Let the name not become him, but let him strengthen his own name. Imagine the enemies surprise when such an individual takes them down one day.”
Yed was intrigued by that statement, and actually smiled. “His name would cause them to lower their defenses, tradition would dictate by his name that he would not be rough. Then he’d take them down.” He nodded. “He will make the name strong. Agreed, Wye it is. Wye Smilliat. A new name for a new era.”
Ezra watched his eyes on Tiger, watching every subtle reaction. None. There was no recognition to the name Wye. His future self had accomplished exactly what he wanted. Yed wouldn’t be influenced by him, at all. Trying to hide her emotions as she remembered their last encounter she continued. “I need to tell you that Xiam and Iri stayed in Fallensworth. It looked safe, and there was plenty of covetall.”
“An underground network of warnos,” Yed said with no surprise. “Good to hear Fallensworth had one. That’s good, on a first attack they will get a pre-emptive warning.”
“Yes, and there’s one more thing,” Ezra added. “Muinela and Zaria are on the planet of Fala.”
Yed almost gagged and looked back toward her. “Pardon?”
“Muinela and Zaria,” Ezra repeated, “they are on Fala with their new family.”
“Zaria lived?” Yed stuck his tongue in his cheek. “Amazing. They are probably pets now.” He shook his head. “Crummy, but they couldn’t be safer. Too cute to hurt.” He rolled his eyes. “They will be okay.” He gently grabbed Ezra’s hand but didn’t look her in the eyes. “Be glad that everyone turned out okay. This could have been worse.” He then let go of her hand.
“Yeah,” Ezra said softly. She looked toward Yed once more, and remembered the touch she once felt, from a side of him that would never exist. A name that would only ever be known to belonging to their son. The only thing left she could do for him. That side of Yed that could actually love her back. “It could have been worse.”
PART FOUR
HIDDEN NURSERY RHMES
CHAPTER 65
GREEN RAIN
Who says that Protectors always knew best? Xiam was more positive every day that he made the right decision to stay in Fallensworth. It had only been a couple of days, but with some help, he was back in business. Today was the first day, and everything seemed reasonable. There were no more signs of anything to worry about, and even his customers were loose. No one walked rigid, everyone knew everybody.
There were some waryes that didn’t belong in the area, but they stuck out with their style. Everyone knew to avoid them, or put on an act when talking to strangers. Xiam cleaned out a glass as he watched those precise males walk in. He kept his eyes level as he watched them sit down. He tapped his wife on the shoulder. “Be rude, Iri.”
“I know,” Iri nodded toward him. She approached and went straight to the point, getting the order with no manners. She shoveled off quickly without a goodbye and came back towards Xiam. “Special. He said whatever the special was.” Iri rolled her eyes. “Do we even have a special today?”
“Sandwich.” Xiam wasn’t going to bend his back for them. One of them had red eyes, a slick black tail and was tapping on the table, bored. In his hand, he held a chain to another waryes. This one had dead pink eyes. Xiam didn’t even want to imagine what would happen if that creature came off the chain.
He fixed a quick sandwich and gave it to Iri. She delivered it, and they ate. Xiam concentrated more on his other customers, making sure they all knew to beware the waryes on a chain. Most understood, but some were not as knowledgeable or were too young. When the waryes came up to pay, he handed Xiam more than enough for a sandwich. The amount was more accurate for a large fifty diner guest party. “I believe this is too much.”
“It covers the sandwich, and my friend’s mess.” The waryes with red eyes pulled on the chain harder. “Receipt.”
Xiam gave him a receipt, but didn’t understand what he meant. He looked toward the table they had eaten at, and didn’t see a scratch. Then, he heard a scream from the bathroom. Xiam rushed toward it and realized why the customer was shaking. In the middle of his formerly cleaned bathroom was a male, his throat clearly cut.
Okay. Maybe Protectors did know best.
No more horrible deaths took place, but the amount of mean waryes were increasing. Xiam felt something was happening, but he didn't know what it would be. Everyone still had their hair covered, and no one was accused of being deceitful. Today, the rain was coming down outside Vallencio's. It took more than a little rain to wipe off covetall, but few wanted to keep walking out into it. How long would it last? Xiam touched his restaurant window, watching drops trickling downward into other drops. They eventually became large enough to tumble further down the window. Each hour, the rain became stronger. "Iri, do we have sleeping bags here?"
Iri came over and looked toward the rain. "No, and we don't have any pillows. We've already been out in it three times. I don't know how much longer covetall will last. When will it stop?"
"It's warm in here," Xiam said. "Let's go ahead and sleep behind the bar tonight." He looked toward the bathroom. Most of the mess was cleaned up, and the coroner had taken the unfortunate customer away, but Xiam couldn't bring himself to use it. "The rain will stop tomorrow, it never stays long in Fallensworth." He moved behind the bar. If they cuddled up tonight, it shouldn't be too bad. I wonder how Ezra and Yed are doing? Did they make it to the safety house?
"Xiam." Iri tugged him away from behind the bar all the way to the front window. "Look at this rain."
"It's more green than usual," Xiam said. Usually the rain was more of a mixed rainbow color, but the rain was greener in color than any other. "It's almost slimy looking." He watched as a warno in disguise ran through it. He banged on the restaurant door, seeing him and Iri. Xiam opened it up.
"Thank you, thank you." The male tried to cover up his tail and hair, where his true colors were leaking through. "I'm sorry. I need to use your bathroom. Do you have any more covetall?"
Xiam looked at his tail and hair. "You should limit your time in the rain. Covetall is like tough grease. It can be hard to get off, but it's not impossible."
"I put on fresh covetall three hours ago. I was OK, until the rain changed." He wiped the rain off his clothes. "It feels different too."
Xiam touched his clothes. He was right, it felt greasy. "This isn't rain?" He moved out the door slightly and looked up. The rain clouds were a neon green. "What the heck?" He moved back in and closed the door. "Strange."
"Xiam, you need covetall." Iri pointed to his head. "Your purple is coming through."
Xiam felt the top of his head. The rain was just as greasy as the other male claimed. He moved toward where they stored a hidden container of covetall, when screams were heard. Everyone hid behind the bar counter as they heard weapons go off and the door open.
Xiam felt his heart beating in his chest. When he stepped out to check the rain, he didn’t lock the door. How could he have been so foolish? It was only a few seconds, a quick check.
“Bartender!”
Xiam looked over at Iri. He hated to send her up there, but his tr
ue colors were showing. Iri stood up from behind the bar and took their order. I should have gone with Yed. What was I thinking? Protectors always do know best. He could see his wife’s legs trembling as she poured drinks.
“Watch out for that rain,” the man mumbled. “If you are waryes, the longer you stay in it, the more you’ll suffer third degree burns.”
“Third degree burns, sir?” Iridescent asked them, playing dumb. “Why would rain burn?”
“It’s not your typical rain, ma’am.”
Xiam sighed in relief. It may have been waryes, but not too many lines down. He still had some manners. Did he know anything about the rain?
“It’s greener,” Iridescent agreed, “and it’s greasy.”
“It’s removing covetall. Poor warnos out there are easy targets. It’s not pretty. I’ve never been more glad to be born this way. Thanks for the drink, but you should close soon. I don’t think it will be a pleasant night tonight. The streets are turning red.”
Xiam watched Iri come back down toward him. “It’s removing covetall. I shouldn’t even be surprised that they know how to manipulate weather.”
“Our rain was severe enough, now it’s even more acidic. It will eat straight into everyone’s covetall.” Iri sat beside her husband. “What do we do? We can’t hide forever.”
The next morning, the rain had stopped. Their overnight visitor left, and they covered themselves with extra covetall. Everything seemed back to normal, and customers were visiting Vallencio’s in larger numbers again.