There was a quick knock on the door. Chloë laughed, she could already tell it was Heather. It was almost as if that girl was radiating giddiness. “Come in!”
Heather poked her head in with an almost serious expression, “The mayor is here along with my older sister. Come on, let’s go talk with them and be done with it.”
Chloë smiled at the concept of ‘us.’ She really needed Heather’s support. She was very nervous but, worst case scenario, she could start running again. She hated that idea though; these people were so nice. “I’m following you, Heather.”
Heather smiled back as she took Chloë’s hand and squeezed it lightly. “Maggie is a wonderful lady. If there is any way she can help, she will. Don’t be nervous.”
“Maggie?”
“Oh sorry. The Honorable Mayor Maggie,” Heather replied with mock drama. “My sister Dawn will be there. She’s a serious polyglot; if there are any questions about precisely what is being said, she is sure to help. You aren’t speaking your native language and no one wants any confusion.”
Chloë nodded as she followed Heather down stairs. She had so many questions about the family here, but first things first: the mayor. Heather directed her back down to the first floor and to a massive room just off of the kitchen. The room had two-story ceilings, an enormous fireplace with elegant furniture nearby and a pair of ebony pianos by the far wall. Already waiting were Maria and three other adults. One was a spitting image of Heather, right down to the spritely red hair. Another was solid black with black hair, just like several of the children she had seen in the field, but this one in her mid-twenties. The fourth was an older lady in what Chloë guessed was in her fifties.
Maria began the introductions formally, “Hello again, Chloë. You look like you are doing much better.”
“Very much so. I do appreciate the hospitality your family has shown.”
Maria smiled broadly, “You are very welcome. This is Ivy Stratford. She is First Mother of our family and is therefore the head of the family.” The redhead nodded politely and Chloë bobbed politely back. “This is Dawn,” she began nodding to the lady with solid black fur and hair, “She is our oldest daughter and is a linguist in her own right. As you are working across languages, she is here to make sure everything is crystal clear to all parties.
“Delighted to meet you,” began Dawn. “I’m guessing you are from the Altshea Confederation. Your accent sounds Tisamarir.”
Chloë was delighted and nervous at the same time; the lady had nailed her in one stroke. She was loathe to disclose more than she had to, but she was a guest here. “Yes, ma’am. I’m Altshea and Tisamarir was the main language at the… at home. But I’m fine with this tongue for now.” Chloë was hoping she could give away as little as possible, but Dawn was sharp! Very sharp. She wanted to like her but was afraid what might slip.
The older lady’s eyes just sparkled, “Don’t worry, young lady. We will do our best to help you, no matter what your background is. But you are a minor and some things need to be known.” Her voice was reassuring and honest sounding; that helped. A bit. “I am Maggie, the mayor of the town and it is my responsibility to make sure treaty and custom are honored. You do not need to say any more than you feel you must. But some things must be answered. Are we clear?”
Chloë swallowed hard and nodded, “Yes, ma’am. I understand.”
Maggie smiled as she chose her words carefully, “Are you trying to get back to home or family members? Or are you instead requesting sanctuary?”
Chloë bit her lip, “I am requesting sanctuary, ma’am.”
Maggie nodded, “For the record, how old are you?”
“I am sixteen, ma’am.”
“You realize, since you are a minor we have a fundamental duty to get you back to your proper parents or guardians. Requesting sanctuary from them is fairly serious.”
“Yes, ma’am. I understand that I am putting you in a situation, and I do graciously appreciate that and request protection.”
Maggie nodded, “Well put. Did you have reason to fear for your life or safety back home?”
“No, ma’am.”
“Do you fear for your life or physical safety if you are returned to your home?”
“I do not anticipate physical retribution if I am returned home, but I do beg that I am not returned there!”
Maggie just smiled again, “Don’t worry young lady. We understand there may be many complicated situations. And we will do our best to help you. However, since you do not feel it is your physical safety you fear for, why do you not wish to return? If there are too many people here and you wish to just talk with Dawn and me in private, that is perfectly understandable.”
Chloë smiled in spite of herself. The lady was just doing her job, but she could tell there was a sincere warmth and honesty in her air. “No, ma’am. Anything I need to say I will say in front of my hosts as well. They deserve to know who they have shared their house with.”
“Well spoken again, young lady. Now to the point at hand; you may keep things vague as you see fit, so long as we have a clear understanding of the basic facts. I can always ask you to clarify if I think you are being too vague.”
“You have been nothing if not obliging, ma’am. I am hoping to avoid a prearranged marriage.”
“As in you were being forcibly married to someone you do not wish to marry?”
“Correct, ma’am. We were to be married a week ago, and so with the help of my governess, we fled.”
“Married, against your will, at age sixteen? Is that the simplest form of it?” Maggie’s fur flared and rippled. She was calm in her voice, but it was obvious she was angry underneath.
“Yes, ma’am. That is the short version of it.”
“Dawn,” snarled Maggie, “it was my understanding that such a marriage was fundamentally illegal in Altshea lands.”
“That is correct, Maggie. While each of the cantons has their own individual laws and customs, forced marriages are universally illegal, much less ones involving a party not in her majority,” replied Dawn expertly. “Even if she was declared an emancipated minor, she would still have the option of leaving her current canton with compensation and no legal reprisal.”
Maggie smiled to Chloë, “I see from your expression that Dawn’s words run contrary to what you have been told.”
Chloë nodded, “Yes, ma’am. It was made quite clear to me that the situation was well beyond anything that I might say or do.”
“So you and your governess snuck out of the palace and fled as far as you could go,” offered Dawn.
“Yes, ma’ma,” Chloë suddenly froze. Palace. She hadn’t meant for that to get out. When had she said that?
“If that is the case, then even the liberation of a craft is excusable, as it was done to protect your liberties,” continued Dawn. “You need not worry about protecting your governess. If what you said is true, then she will be granted sanctuary as well.”
Chloë started to tear and Maggie melted. “She didn’t live, did she? Your governess.”
“No, ma’am. She tried to move the craft to a hiding spot after she had set me down. She couldn’t handle the craft well enough in the strong storms and it crashed,” Chloë was starting to really tear up.
Maggie stood and gave Chloë a warm hug. “I’m so sorry my dear. But here is this: if what you have told us is true, I grant you sanctuary in the Highlands. If others wish to challenge it, we will do so in the Alshea courts as well. They have standards to maintain.”
Chloë was crying proper now, “Thank you, ma’am.”
Ivy stood next to Chloë, “Chloë, the only thing I ask is you do not lie to us. If you abide by that, we will happily take you in for as long as you see fit.”
Chloë just bawled and hugged Ivy, “Thank you! Thank you, thank you, thank you!”
Ivy hugged her and smiled back, “Now you stop that crying; we just got you all cleaned up! Go on! Heather, show her around. Take her to town if you like. Get he
r some clothes that fit properly. It’s too nice of a day to sit indoors blubbering. We will do whatever it takes to protect you.”
“What if they send guys with guns?” Chloë was suddenly in a panic. “I can’t put you in danger!”
Ivy let loose a sinister laugh, “You are in the protection of my house! Let them come and try!”
Chloë was taken aback; these people seemed a far way away from being able to handle shock troops descending on the house from repulsar lift gunships. These were such a simple people. But Heather started pulling her arm, and under her infectious attitude it was hard to worry.
“Come on!” called Heather. “Let’s go to town. Dad can take care of any idiots if they show up.”
Heather had pulled her clear of the house and soon the pair of them were walking through the fields where the children had been playing just hours before. It was hard not to be in a good mood around Heather; it was almost unnatural!
“So, Ivy is the First Mother. How does all that work out?”
Heather laughed, “I’m sorry. I keep forgetting you are a lowlander.”
“Well, I’m not a Highlander with this accent,” Chloë laughed back.
“Ivy is First Mother, she’s head of the house. If she says ‘yes’ or ‘no’ it stops there. Period. She teaches music professionally and also works in the instrument shop. You’ve met Maria; she’s the Second Mother. She handles the schooling and general herding of the small kids. Gwen you probably saw in the field. She’s a Second Second Mother. Kinda rare to do that, but we have a really big family. She’s all about taking care of the kids by day, and playing music by night.”
“She did seem friendly,” replied Chloë. Well, she wanted to say ‘odd’ but that would have been rude.
Heather beamed, “Yeah, she is a little different. It’s okay, you can say that.”
“Well, it is a little rude.”
“‘A wise man isn’t offended by the truth.’ Well, that is what my father would say. Mind you, he’s terrible in social arenas, so take that as you will! Oh, yeah, you met Moira, Fourth Mother. She’s kinda young. Barely older than Dawn; that still seems funny. Oh! Third Mothers! How could we skip them?” laughed Heather.
“Them?”
“April and May, twins, gorgeous coats with rosettes. They are luthiers and are awesome up on stage playing for dances. I guess it is music that ties this whole family together.”
“So the twins are both Third Mother?” Chloë was more than a little confused.
“Yep! They came in as a pair. I have a friend in town whose First Mothers are twins. Now that is hectic.”
Chloë’s head spun, “Um, are there no guys around?”
Chloë laughed, “Well, Dad is around. I don’t have any brothers, with as big as our family is, that is a little odd but not much. Up here in the Highlands there are about four girls for every boy. I guess you were used to about one to one or so.”
Chloë nodded with a small chortle, “Yeah. Normal was about half boys, half girls. I guess if the balance is different, then the culture would also be different to go along with it.”
“Exactly!” beamed Chloë.
“Um, your First Mother is head of the house, not your dad?”
“Yep. That is odd to you?” grinned Heather.
Chloë grinned, “Just a little. But then again your mayor was a lady too. Different world, different customs.”
“Precisely… oh crap… no birds,” mused Heather.
“Is that a worry,” asked Chloë suddenly very nervous.
“Nah, probably just means Dad has been through recently with a kill. Fresh elk would be nice,” smiled Heather.
“Meat is taken wild?”
“About half wild, half farmed. Dad used to hunt all the time; doesn’t have as much time nowadays, so it’s always fun when he does bring home something wild,” Heather grinned as she strained her eyes looking ahead. “Speaking of which, I think that is Dad and Gavin up ahead. Oh, Gavin is my brother-in-law. Dawn’s husband.”
Sure enough Chloë could make out two males far on the trail ahead walking their way. The elder was a lean and elegant sort with a brilliant coat of snow leopard spots, just like Chloë’s. The younger was a striking young man in his late twenties with clean lines and ticks like a snow lynx in winter. They both waved as they got closer.
“Hi, Dad! This is Chloë. Ivy says she can stay with us for a while. Oh, and this is Gavin, Dawn’s husband!”
“Delighted to meet you both,” smiled Chloë.
“Delighted to meet you too, Chloë,” replied Llewellyn. His voice had a light and even meter to it. Chloë could tell where Heather got her voice! “I go away for six hours and all of a sudden we have a new person at the house. Well, that will teach me! Lowlander, are you?”
“Yes, sir,” replied Chloë formally.
“You wouldn’t know anything about the crash over by the canyon would you? Two days ago, Altshea craft.”
Chloë nodded and replied evenly, “I believe that may have been my governess, sir.”
“You walked here from there? It was raining enough to strangle the frogs the last two days.”
“Yes, sir. I walked all the way from there.”
Suddenly Llewellyn’s face melted, “Did you have food? What about rain gear? That was a nasty storm!”
Chloë shook her head. “The first real food I had in two days is what the lovely lady Maria made for me this morning.”
“She walked all that way in a nightgown, Dad,” interrupted Heather.
“Oh my word, young lady. It is amazing you didn’t catch the death of cold! That was a terrible storm and your fur coat is blown for this season. You are taking her into town for more clothes, yes?”
“That and to show her around.”
“At the shops, buy her what she needs or wants. Tell the proprietors to bill my account.”
Chloë just stood there in shock and the generosity again, “Thank you, sir. Thank you very much!”
Llewellyn cocked his head, “If you want to thank me, call me Llewellyn not ‘sir.’ I get enough of that already!”
Chloë just laughed, “Yes, Llewellyn.”
“Okay, I’ve got to get back to the house. Gavin, do you think you are up for running this young lady’s trail backwards?”
“No problem, I’ll just want to tell Dawn first.”
“Dawn was at the house when we left,” informed Heather.
“That will work; I’ll grab some supplies there and head right out.”
“What’s up with that, Dad?”
“The crash has attracted a bit of shady attention. Need to find out if she was followed,” he replied evenly.
“If I’m endangering your house, sir, I’ll leave at once!” Chloë immediately offered.
“Oh, there is was again… ‘sir’… how tacky… after all that effort too…”
“I’m sorry, Llewellyn. It is just that…”
Llewellyn smiled a broad, toothy grin, “Oh, don’t worry, young lady. It is not my house that needs to worry…”
Heather hugged her father and the two groups quickly parted company.
“Um, your dad, well heck, your whole family seems unconcerned for their safety. That worries me a bit,” offered Chloë apologetically.
Heather grinned. “Dad helped fight alongside the Shukurae for several years when he was young. He’s seen some pretty serious action. If he isn’t worried, I wouldn’t worry!”
“Shukurae? Those four meter tall, troll-looking things!”
Heather frowned for the first time since Chloë had met her. Well, she thought it was a frown. Heather’s face didn’t quite seem able to form a frown properly. “Oh my word, Chloë. What have people told you about them! They are wonderful people! Creepy looking, I admit, but they are wonderful, noble, honest people.”
“I was just always told to stay way clear of them. That they were violent beings that would kill faster than you could twitch your tail! Razor sharp teeth and huge tusks!” Chl
oë shuddered at the images she had been presented.
Heather laughed, “Well yes, all of that indeed, but first of all they are three meters tall, not four. And yes, they are capable of great violence, but they are equally capable of great kindness and compassion. They helped frame the house we live in after my father got married. All my uncles could spend days telling wonderful stories about them and their sense of purpose and self-sacrifice.”
Chloë hung her head, “I was never taught any of that. All my education seemed to be to cultivate fear of those different than we were. I’m so very sorry I’ve slighted them.”
Heather blew a raspberry; she seemed to do that a lot. “You didn’t know better. Don’t blame yourself; blame your tutors. Maybe you will get a chance to meet them and decide for yourself.”
“Things are so different than they were a week ago,” murmured Chloë.
“Hopefully for the better!”
Chloë smiled, Heather’s optimism was just so darn contagious, “Yes. Now they are far the better. You have several uncles then? I didn’t see any brothers.”
Heather beamed. “Yeah, a bunch of uncles and no brothers. Blew the odds there. Oh! Right, you’re a lowlander and wouldn’t have caught that: Dad is a High Silver and if a High Silver and a twin have kids, it is almost always either a boy or twin girls! Thus we have quite a few twins. The really, really, awesome one is Moira had triplets! Those are so darn rare you never even hear of them up in the Highlands.”
Chloë nodded and smiled, but most of that was just due to Heather’s incurable personality. High Silver, what was that all about? Questions, but questions for another day!
3
Chloë joined five of the adults of the house for dinner along with Heather and the block of five, thirteen-year-old girls. The rest of the children, along with Maria and Gwen, ate at a separate table that actually started thirty minutes earlier. Dinner was a serious production at this house. Including Chloë, there were twenty-one mouths to feed.
Chloë Page 2