Chloë

by Marcus LaGrone

  Chloë finally got a chance to meet the Third Mothers, the twins. Short red hair with gorgeous jaguar like coats with crisp rosettes, they were darlings at the table if not outwardly mischievous. They enjoyed talking and operating as a block. One would start the sentence, leaving the other twin to finish it. They seemed to enjoy the confusion they caused. But it was in a playful spirit that was well received.

  Most of the talk of the table was centered around a minor festival and public dance that was coming up in two weeks. Not a soul asked Chloë more than she had already ventured. Even the twins steered carefully clear of asking about Chloë’s background. She did notice that Llewellyn seemed to be showing some favoritism to Moira, a point that Ivy seemed to enjoy playfully admonishing him about.

  Chloë did her best to help clean up after dinner. She had never had to clean up dishes in her life, much less help by hand rather than machine. Heather just laughed and helped her when needed. It wasn’t hard, of course; Chloë just had never done it!

  The evening quickly passed as stories were told to the younger children before they went to bed, and the adults soon resigned themselves to either books or exchanges on the pianos or other instruments for the benefit of the hall. Chloë was amused to watch Maria comb and braid Moira’s hair for bed, almost like sisters. The amusement was complete as when Moria’s hair was done, the twins descended on Maria and helped Moira comb and braid Maria’s hair; it was so long, no wonder it took three people to prepare it for the night. Back at the palace Chloë had servants to help with her hair, but these weren’t servants. These were sisters by choice helping each other and laughing and gossiping while doing so. It was so very different…

  Chloë was immediately curious about reading and soon found herself inundated by options when she was shown the family library. It was massive! Most of the books were in the Old Tongue, but there were a few books in more familiar languages. Not ever certain what to read, Chloë spent most of her time just rummaging, much to the humor of the wonderfully helpful Second Mother, Maria.

  Soon the evening was wearing late and the group separated as various people headed off to bed. Llewellyn casually called out as people were departing, “We are probably going to have some people dropping by tonight. I’ll do my best not to let them wake you.”

  Heather just giggled at the comment while Chloë was both amused and nervous about the statement. Llewellyn had mentioned the crash had brought unwanted attention; had various people already followed her here? Was she putting these wonderful people in danger? Heather just walked Chloë back to her room and said her good-nights. Worries or no, Chloë soon found she had fallen fast to sleep in the wonderfully comfortable bed.

  A light flashed briefly in Chloë’s window. She didn’t know if she was supposed to stay quiet or scream out for help. She was three stories up; there was no way someone should be shining a light into her room. She held still and held her breath. What had she done to these nice people? What evil had she brought upon them?

  Just as quickly as the light came, it was gone. She could hear footsteps on the roof outside. They were moving away from her window and down the length of the house. The next room over was Heather’s. Chloë’s stomach tied itself in knots as she thought of poor Heather next door. The girl was so wonderfully nice. Surely they wouldn’t bother her. But Chloë couldn’t take a chance! She slipped out of bed and crept to her door and peeked out: to her horror there were three strange men in the hallway, ready to sweep into poor Heather’s room!

  It wasn’t a planned reaction, it just sort of happened: Chloë screamed as loud as she could. It wasn’t a plan to warn Heather so much, rather it was raw fear bubbling over. The scream launched the three intruders as they rushed Heather’s door and flung it open. The three ignored the source of the scream, too preoccupied with their prey, so Chloë burst out of her room and down the hallway, aiming for the staircase. Just as she reached the staircase, she suddenly noticed Llewellyn standing there calmly at top, blocking the path.

  “Shhh!” he scolded. “You’ll wake the rest of the house!”

  Chloë stood there frozen in panic. Don’t wake the house? There were intruders! Llewellyn was blocking the staircase; was he party to all of this? That didn’t make sense; they had gone into Heather’s and not Chloë’s room.

  The sounds of brutality erupted from Heather’s room and Chloë reflexively spun to see what was happening to poor, poor Heather. There were also sudden vulgar shouts of outrage as the intruders suddenly realized that Heather’s fur coat was unmistakably not Chloë’s. So they were after Chloë!

  Suddenly the three quickly backed out of the room in a defensive fighting posture. The sounds of a thrashing in Heather’s room only added to Chloë’s confusion. In an instant, Heather was at the door, snarling, teeth flashing in the narrow streaks of moonlight. The first man rushed her only to have his feet knocked out from under him by an excellent kick by Heather. The man started to fall over. Halfway to the ground, Heather fired a second shot, a savage knee strike that sent his head into the door frame. He hit the ground and didn’t even twitch.

  “Are you going to help her?” pleaded Chloë to Llewellyn.

  Llewellyn looked shocked and confused, “Um, there were only five of them. I didn’t think she needed any help. Besides, she has it down to two now.”

  Chloë was shocked, not just at the statement, but with the tone of Llewellyn’s voice. He honestly didn’t seem to think this was a problem!

  The second man leaped at Heather and grabbed her left arm. In a smooth motion Heather spun, rocketing her elbow into the side of the man’s head. In the same arc of motion, she jumped into the air and kicked off the far wall, sending the man crashing against the nearer wall. Even at this distance it was obvious the man’s shoulder was completely dislocated. Half stunned and in an immense amount of pain, he was reduced to writhing on the floor, no longer a threat.

  The third man did something foolish: he went for a knife. With the silver blade flashing in the dim light he swung wildly at Heather. Heather, to her credit, expertly dodged the first two wild blows before catching the man’s wrist and firing a powerful shot into the man’s elbow. His arm was at full extension and he was teetering off balance. Heather’s strike bent the man’s elbow a good forty-five degrees… backwards. As his scream filled the hall, Heather pulled him the rest of the way off balance before spinning and kneeing him in the back of the head.

  Heather just stood there and smiled as Llewellyn brought the lights up in the hallway. Standing there in her nightgown with the three men sprawled at her feet she was a picture of contrasts: cute, bouncy, hyper and happy, but with a presence that implied she had been going easy on the attackers.

  “Heather?” asked Chloë more than a little surprised.

  “Oh, hi, Chloë! Sorry we woke you up,” she beamed. She giggled as they watched Gavin appear as he hauled two more unconscious forms from her room.

  Gavin secured their arms and legs before turning his attention to Llewellyn. “The other four are already secured. Do we run them in tonight?”

  “Eh, constable Owen and his men are already heading this way. We’ll let them take care of ‘em. You ought to be getting back home to your family!”

  “Sounds like a plan to me! Heather, that was an excellent job you did there.”

  “Thank you,” beamed Heather, “but I know Dad is a little grumpy at me. I should have gone to Live Steel as soon as the guy brought out his dagger.”

  Llewellyn smiled broadly, “Yes, please. You always want to be two steps ahead. But you did do an excellent job, nonetheless.”

  Heather just grinned and grinned before motioning to Chloë, “Go back to bed! Sleep! Dad has it under control!”

  Chloë cocked an eye at her, “So you knew you were going to be attacked.”

  “Well, Dad handed me the tracking beacon that had been embedded in your nightgown, so it was a given! No big deal, go back to bed. I am!” Heather laughed as she entered her own room and pee
ked back at Chloë, shooing her.

  Chloë laughed in spite of herself; Heather was such a live wire. “Um, sir, er uh.. Llewellyn, they were tracking me by my clothes?”

  Llewellyn just smiled, “Yep, yep. It appears that way. Think back; it might explain things when you were back home. Now go to bed girl! You could use a good night’s sleep. We are all very sorry they woke you up, but it’s been taken care of. Sleeeeeeeep!”

  Chloë wandered back to her room and closed the door before snuggling deep into the wonderful bed. Tracking her. Her clothes had tracking devices. Were they bugs too, picking up her conversations? Oh, she was angry! She knew she had been living under tight surveillance, but bugging her clothes? It did explain much, like how people were always there for her, no matter where she was. Or how she could wander off to try and be alone, but someone would always find her in time for supper. Well, that was behind her and she had new people to watch over her. She was a little annoyed at the night’s subterfuge, but she felt that Heather honestly didn’t want her to lose sleep over it. It was all so different.

  4

  Chloë smiled at Maria as she started on her second round of breakfast. Maria and Gwen were wonderful cooks and while the previous day’s breakfast had felt wonderful, this one tasted wonderful. She sat and ate with Heather in the kitchen along with the pride of thirteen-year-olds. “So, you are Lily,” began Chloë as she pointed to the young, solid white one. “And you two,” pointing to the twin pair of girls with solid black fur, “are Lilac and Violet.”

  “Correct,” grinned the pair in unison. “But which of us,” began one, “is which?” finished the second.

  Chloë just laughed, “I have no idea.”

  The pair just glowed as they returned to the food at hand.

  “That means you two are Rose and Iris,” smiled Chloë. Those two had normal coats, unlike the solid black coats and hair of Lilac and Violet, Dawns as they were. Not only were their coats of the more common variety but the pair’s markings were just like Chloë’s, much like a snow leopard with clean black rosettes. “And no, I’m not going to guess which is which.”

  The pair just laughed and went about their meal. “At least we have stable names. I think the triplets actually swap names. They are such a silly set of Aurorans.”

  “Aurorans?” asked Chloë, she was unfamiliar with the description.

  “Oh! Sorry about that,” offered Heather. “I should have filled you in! Aurorans refer to all girls who have a solid white fur coat and hair. The naming comes from the first known one, a girl named Aurora, some five hundred years ago. Likewise, solid black Taiks are now called Dawns. My older sister is the first known one and the description comes from her name, Dawn.”

  “I have to confess, I have never seen Aurorans or Dawns until I came here,” replied Chloë.

  Heather shrugged as she smiled, “Hey, even here on Afon they are all very rare. Unheard of in the lowlands, only to be found around here. Well, save for Moira.”

  “But Moira’s mother was from the Highlands,” countered Lily. “She just spent the first part of her life offworld.”

  Heather nodded, “True! I forgot her mother was from the East Black Forest.”

  “Speaking of Moira, did you see how Father was hanging off of her last night at dinner?” joked Rose and Iris speaking alternately.

  Heather just grinned broadly, “I thought everyone knew that already, she’s due in Spring.”

  “Another sibling?” asked Chloë. “You have a huge family already!”

  “Yep! And just so you don’t get any odd ideas, the family is large even by Highland standards,” laughed Heather.

  “Okay, I have to ask,” joked Chloë. “Are you always this giddy?”

  “Oh no,” replied Lily. “Heather is in an evil blue funk. You should be around her when she is in a good mood. Positively frightening!”

  They all had a good laugh at that.

  “Heather, are you up for taking Chloë into town? Maggie needs to talk with her today,” interrupted Maria.

  “Sure, no problem. Well, I hope there is no problem. Is something up?”

  Maria shook her head and smiled, “Just procedural. Nothing to worry about.”

  Chloë nodded and smiled at Heather, “After last night I expected something needed to be said.” No one had even mentioned the previous night’s activities.

  “What happened last night?” asked Lily. “Seriously, whatever happened, I slept right through.”

  “Unwanted guests,” offered Maria. “Father, Gavin and Heather took care of it.”

  “I’m sorry I screamed last night,” offered Chloë. “I just didn’t know what was going on.”

  Heather blew a raspberry, “Dad loves the melodramatic. He was hoping not to wake anyone. Was it the light from outside that woke you up?”

  “That and the footsteps on the roof,” replied Chloë with a shudder.

  “Yeah, well one of them fell backwards off the roof. He looked terrible afterwards, but that is what people like that deserve. He should have minded his own business.”

  Breakfast finished with happier thoughts. This time Chloë was on dish drying detail, rather than washing, and everything went much more smoothly.

  “Don’t forget to swing by the dress shop on the way back,” reminded Maria. “They should have some more things ready for Chloë.”

  “No problem, Mom, that should be fun,” grinned Heather as the pair headed out the front door.

  Two days ago Chloë wasn’t sure if she could stand the sight of another tree. Now, fed, refreshed, and in pleasant company, she adored the trees. Tall and proud, fresh and full of life. The birds, flying squirrels and the rest of the plethora of life were a welcome contrast to home. Home. She hadn’t given it a second thought in almost a week. She was curious what the elders were saying, what of her father and her suitor? Most assuredly they were mad at her governess but were the rest scared, upset, or merely annoyed at the inconvenience of her escape? She sniffed the forest air. Whatever their emotions, she was free. No longer a puppet to be bounced around at will, dangled as a prize, shown off like a trophy.

  “Next time something silly is going to go down,” started Heather, “I’ll be sure to fill you in. No need for you to panic and all. Dad just didn’t think you would sleep very well if you knew that there were people watching the place.”

  Chloë offered a feeble laugh, “He was right, of course. I would have just laid there staring at the ceiling until it was all over. I’m just glad none of them had guns.”

  Heather laughed, “Well actually two of the three that came in my window had guns, as did the three outside watching. Gavin took care of the ones outside. One of the guys fell out of my window backwards and the other guy got whacked over his head with his own weapon. They were professionals, just not very good ones. Okay, that and Gavin and Dad just thoroughly outclassed them all.”

  Chloë was taken aback at the comments of firearms, but it was Heather’s cavalier attitude that blew her away, “I saw you go toe-to-claw with those three outside your door. And your father just stood there. Um, that’s a little creepy.”

  Heather just laughed, “If Father thought I was in danger he never would have allowed it.”

  “They were a head taller than you and easily half again heavier!”

  “Yeah, and they stunk! You saw them go down. No trouble at all. Not very often I get a chance to spar at full speed and power; that’s why Dad let me take them.”

  “‘Let you?’ as in you asked?” asked Chloë.

  “Well, yeah, I had to ask. Dad wouldn’t just throw me into a situation like that. I don’t know, I was just kinda upset about everything you’d been through and wanted to do my part to help.”

  Chloë laughed with fine tears being held in check. “I’m deeply honored and flattered that you wanted to help me. Just please, don’t put yourself at risk on my account.”

  “Why not?” fired back Heather with the closest to serious expression Chloë had ev
er seen on her. “I thought that is what friends are for? Besides, like I said, if Dad thought I was in real danger he wouldn’t have let me fight them.”

  Chloë hugged Heather, “Thank you, but I still hold you were being silly…”

  “Me, silly?” beamed Heather. “What are the odds of that? Come on, let’s get the rest of the way to the town and see what Maggie wants.”

  5

  Heather knocked on the door outside of the mayor’s office. Their trip to town had been pleasant enough, but now was the time for seriousness.

  “Come in,” called the mayor.

  The pair swiftly entered the room and closed the door behind them. Chloë stood there trying not to look nervous, but she could tell her fur was already starting to crawl.

  Maggie, the mayor, did her best not to laugh as she looked up, “Oh my word, Chloë! Calm down! You look like you have got static worse than a mid-winter’s day. Sit! Both of you. Relax, Chloë. Things are fine.”

  Chloë clumsily found her way to a chair. She was slightly relieved at the mayor’s reassurances, but doubt still hung in the air. “You wished to see me?”

  “Yes. The nine men who were brought in last night were able to confirm the delicate nature of your situation. Indeed, the Altshea Consul here in town was outraged, not just at those men’s action, but the situation that you were in. We have already gotten confirmations from the five Altshea prefectures and two cantons that border the Highlands that they are ready to legally defend you should those back at your home decide to press the issue. The consul is with the escort taking those nine men back to Altshea territories and I’m sure he will want to meet you when he returns to reinforce the commitment the Altshea government has to protecting you.”

  Chloë finally started to relax, “That is wonderful to hear, ma’am. Although I confess I’m still deeply embarrassed that I put the Stratford family in jeopardy last night.”

  Maggie just laughed, “Gavin had been shadowing them since they entered our realm. And the baron could have just as easily cut them down as captured them; he wanted to catch them with their hand in the cookie jar, as it were.”