by D D Mathews
They both nodded.
“Good, finally understanding for us all. Now you both must compromise. Is there anything else important from your parent’s that the other one received that you wanted badly?“
The two women knew what was going to happen when they answered, so the moment dragged on longer than it should have. Eliska spoke first, “Mother’s will gave Andela our mother’s wedding and engagement rings because she was the oldest. I assume our parents expected her to marry before me but hasn’t. I could accept her keeping the cameo if she were to hand over either ring. I would like to pass it on to my daughter, Ruza.“
“Mother’s wedding ring would look good on Ruza, now she has to find the right boy to give it to her,” Andela and Eliska laughed together over their shared relative.
Eliska added, “Well, she tried all the male Weres who have traveled through Ostrava. I might need to send her to you to try all the boys coming through Slovakia.“
“I pity those boys.“
The two women started laughing about Ruza’s dating history and the meeting devolved quickly into chatting and snacks. The rite didn’t need to end with a bunch of long-winded speeches, because everyone already understood. The wedding ring would be given to Eliska and Andela would keep the cameo. The meeting turned into introductions and stories, handshakes and goodbyes. After two hours, all the Amazons had left except one Slovakian wolf staying the night before heading to Warsaw tomorrow. Tamara paid the hotel invoice and corralled her sisters to the waiting SUV for the ride back to the office.
***
Colin’s dad hummed an Irish ballad as they drove to McCarthy Manor. He was excited about his son being invited to Sarah’s home; he felt it was an honor. Colin was all nerves. The Rise and Ephemeris had to be done. He had no choice. This was entirely different. Entering the McCarthy home, with those people, to accomplish nothing was starting to feel like a bad idea. The initial hesitation at the Riley’s was unwarranted; the evening had turned out to be a lot of fun. Dinner with Killian and Seth and their family two nights ago was pleasant, if not intellectually stimulating. Even spending time with the O’Rinns was enlightening. They were exactly like all of the rumors said they were. Mr. O’Rinn smuggled for the clan and used his well-earned reputation to cut others out, force better deals, and steal when it made sense. He bragged about being a louse, he was proud of it. His nature bled into all of his kin. Juliet and Rosaline were aggressive like two dogs fighting over a bone. Colin didn’t judge any of them. It was the O’Rinn way, it worked for them, and as long as none of them had any real power, they only hurt the stupid and greedy.
The long road from the gate to the Manor wound up gradually, with a line of trees on each side. The time it took to reach the house increased Colin’s concern to worry.
“You show respect and they’ll show it right back,” Carthach said stopping his humming.
“Are you sure?” Colin asked sarcastically.
“Maybe, but I know for certain a sour attitude will not go over well with the McCarthys.“
“Sorry Da.“
The car finally reached the end of the drive where four luxury cars were parked on the circle. Colin’s worry changed into distress.
“Colin, I know you feel shame and anger about how we are treated within the clan. And that’s my fault and your grandfather’s fault. We were pushed down into, trained to be, molded into it from birth. We never fought against our place, I never fight. It’s just not my way. I feel happy to be included any time it happens. I was so happy I was allowed to marry. And nothing, not even your healthy birth, made me more ecstatic and proud than your Rise. You are not me, never were, now prove it. Prove it to those people in there and prove it to yourself.“
“I will,” Colin answered his father, solemnly.
“I know you have issues with that nice girl Colleen, but Sarah has never treated us badly. She wouldn’t want me saying this, but without her, we would have been on the street a dozen times, kicked out of the clan or worse. She’s good people.“
Colin couldn’t wrap his head around his father’s words. His father believed everything he said to his core, he couldn’t lie. And yet, everything he said flew against what Colin knew to be true. Colleen was a ‘nice girl’ like a poisonous snake was safe. Sarah, the matriarch was ‘good people.’ His dad still had so much to learn.
“I will be back at 11:30 to pick you up. You can tell me all about it.” Carthach pulled away and Colin was alone, staring up at the imposing façade of the manor. It felt like the beginning of a Victoria horror novel. Innocent lad visits cruel relatives.
His new clothes weren’t protecting him and his distress turned into panic. He looked behind him as the taillights disappeared around a bend. He imagined a box and put all of his worries and fears into it and wrapped them up tight.
He walked up to the door and knocked. The hollow sound bounced around before someone opened the door. It was Colleen. He was surprised; he expected a butler or maybe an old movie villain with a mustache.
“Please come in, we have been expecting you,” she announced in a perfectly proper way with no irony. “Please follow me,” she added, turned and walked into the grand entrance. Colin rushed to keep up. The house was massive compared to any he had visited recently, even the Daly house could fit inside this place, six times over. The center foyer was open to the second floor and had numerous doors on each side. The main attraction was the dark mahogany staircase. It dominated the room. The carving of each pillar looked like thick vines with delicate leaves, while the handrail was covered in carved flowers. They were a dozen different varieties in all stages of life, from bulb to budding, to full bloom.
Colleen turned to the right into the second to last door, Colin followed.
“…very handsome and very strong and prompt. My father used to say everyone should arrive not too early and never late. He put a lot of stock in propriety. However, behind his back, Mother insisted he was half English,” Sarah finished her thought.
The room was a library with books to the ceiling. Colin saw Sarah McCarthy, Maire Riley, Aiden McCarthy, and two more Weres Colin didn’t know standing listening to their host.
“This is the man I was speaking about, Mr. Colin MacDermott.”
Colin fought the urge to bow. He strode into the room with as much confidence as he could muster. Colleen now stood behind him, waiting at the doorway.
“Colin, this is our special guest. This is Heidi Zimmermann, The Amazonian Duchess of Dresden,” Sarah continued.
He bowed to Sarah’s guest formally, unsure if he was doing it correctly.
“Ms. Zimmermann, this is the man who won our Ephemeris, Colin MacDermott from clan Celt. He is very happy to meet you.“
Colin walked over to the older woman, who wore an elegant dress of black with long sleeves, a bright colorful shawl hung about her shoulders. Her face was pointed and sharp, however, his eyes were drawn to the scars across her cheek and up to her thinning hairline. She looked like a hag from a story. Her eyes, stance, and demeanor said she was anything but.
“Pleasure,” her thick German accent overemphasized her greeting. Colin reached out to shake her hand and retreated quickly when she didn’t reciprocate.
“It is a pleasure to meet you, Duchess,” he said, not knowing what the honorific meant.
“Colin, you already know, Councilor Riley. This is my grandnephew Aiden,” Sarah pointed out the young man a couple years older than Colin. He shook hands with the handsome Aiden who reminded Colin of the plastic groom on a wedding cake.
“Colin, this is my brother, Cary McCarthy. He lives in London and was lucky enough to visit during your Rise. He was very impressed,” Sarah explained.
Cary shook Colin’s hand firmly and repeated his sister’s words, “Very impressive lad. I never would have believed it if I didn’t see it.” He had the same cold eyes as his family, but everything else seemed warmer, his smile, his handshake, his entire demeanor.
“Colleen, pleas
e serve drinks to our guests. Everyone, please mingle. We will eat at nine sharp,” Sarah finished and quickly engaged Heidi in conversation. Colin was pulled into pleasantries with Cary, which Aiden joined in, while Colleen disappeared.
Within minutes, Colleen had made and presented drinks to everyone. She now stood by the door, waiting and watching. Colin was having a lively conversation with Aiden and Cary about the best moves in tafl, a subject he was ill-suited for. Soon they switched to chess and specific types of Irish whiskey. The conversation this evening was vastly different than the Rileys. Both families left Colin racing to keep up. Soon Cary broke away to speak with Heidi and Maire. Aiden immediately jumped into talking about the Ephemeris.
“How did you get Colleen to turn? She is so controlled. She puts the rest of us McCarthy slouches to shame,” said the perfect plastic gentleman.
“I don’t know, luck I guess,” Colin answered with the same non-committal answer he gave everyone else. “She should have bested me,” he added trying to be diplomatic.
“She hasn’t said a word about it to anyone, even Aunt Sarah,” Aiden added.
“I guess all families have their secrets,” Colin thought while asking Aiden, “Do you have any plans after school?”
“College is fine, but I want to help my clan. Serve in some way,” his words echoing Colin’s plans, which surprised Colin. “I might try to be an emissary or if God came down from the heavens and asked my great aunt for me, she might let me be a council member. That’s kind of a long shot. You don’t happen to have God’s phone number. It might help convince my aunt,” he joked.
“It would not,” interrupted Sarah McCarthy. Aiden turned white as a sheet. “Both of you will keep your ‘jokes’ to yourself tonight. Heidi does not care about how funny you are and I definitely do not care how funny you think you are. We must show her we Celts are worthy of her family. Aiden go introduce yourself to her and talk about the finance class you are taking.” Aiden hurried off following his great aunt’s directions. Sarah held Colin firmly by the elbow, “We need a match with the Amazons, and they reproduce like, well, like the Irish. We must get our numbers up for the future.“
“But I thought I was heading to Sweden…“
“I don’t see any problem with selling the stud twice,” Sarah’s crass words woke Colin to what was happening. He wasn’t here to be impressed by the McCarthys. He already was and they wouldn’t care if he wasn’t. He was being shown off like a prized horse; he hoped the examination by Heidi wouldn’t be as thorough as a horse trader. He imagined she wasn’t a gentle person.
“Dinner is ready,” Colleen intoned like a butler with twenty years’ experience. Was there anything she couldn’t do?
“Please assist me to the dining room,” Sarah told Colin, who did as he was told, just like everyone else.
“Heidi’s daughter is named Gretchen and I’ve seen the girl. You would be lucky to marry her. Luckier than winning that Ephemeris,” Sarah explained. Colin didn’t think anyone could be luckier than he had been during the Ephemeris. Sarah was important so she didn’t have to lie to him, nor would she. “She is beautiful, blond, talented and rich,” her words didn’t paint a complex picture of the girl, nor of Colin. Sarah was boiling down this match to two stupid pretty people who should be slammed together like a little girl playing with her dolls. “The girl doesn’t live in Dresden anymore. I don’t know why, but it could be important. Colin, you are not my choice for this, but if Heidi approves, this could be the partnership that saves us.“
“I will try,” Colin answered. Sarah gave him a disapproving look.
They walked through the front entrance across the hall to the dining room, which was grand. An eight-person table sat where a twenty person table could sit. The tall walls were covered in portraits, some on horses, some reading or playing games, some simply looking at the artist who painted them. The table was perfectly set with fine china and silver serving dishes.
Colin helped Sarah to the head of the table, who indicated where everyone else should sit. Aiden and Colin next to Sarah, while Maire sat next to Aiden and Heidi sat next to Colin. Cary took the foot of the table. Colin was stuck between the two matriarchs. After everyone took their seats, Colleen, who waited by the serving table started the dinner, she even wore white gloves. She wasn’t meek or kind, her face was a mask so he couldn’t tell what she felt about having to serve. He thought the only reason she was serving was because of her grandmother, which made sense, it might be the only reason any of these guests were here. Colleen served Sarah first then her great uncle, Heidi, Maire, Aiden and finally Colin. The formal rigidity was vastly different than the Rileys, but Colin liked it better. It was proper. Everything went where it went when it was needed. It created calm, which he needed, sandwiched between Sarah McCarthy and Heidi Zimmermann.
“Very good, Colleen,” Sarah complimented her and dinner started, no prayers. Colin whispered grace to himself and looked at the flavorful food in front of him. The meal was mostly rare roast with a red sauce and a green vegetable. He was happy the food was normal. He watched everyone else dig in, before joining them. It was a civilized affair.
Aiden spoke first, “Great Aunt Sarah, I was speaking with Cary and Heidi earlier and it might be wise for me to visit Dresden this summer.” Heidi didn’t smile or engage, while Cary jumped in.
“It could be smart to have a young man learn from the Duchess about the Amazons, we only know things from the outside. I wish we had more connections with the other Were clans. I always wondered about the Amazons or the Russians. I live in London and barely interact with the local Weres there. I hear weird things from America or across the Channel with the Goths.“
“Goths are weak dogs,” Heidi spat.
“What about the Americans then, I heard a rumor about some leader of a Were tribe being hacked in half. I have no idea if that is part of a ritual, or a crime, or just a story. We have such little connections to other clans. Sometimes I even wonder if we know enough about our own. Until the Rise, I never knew Colin existed. Imagine if we were more connected, what do you think of Aiden or Colin coming to stay in Dresden, Duchess Zimmermann?“
“Dresden is small,” she said.
Unsure how to take her answer, Cary continued, “The Weres in London have welcomed me and it has been a boon for both Clans. I would hope to extend the same to you and yours. I hear you have a daughter?“
“Meine Tochter ist…Est tut mir leid. Sorry. My daughter in Krakow.“
“I heard of a woman, not as well-known as you, of course, a Tamara something from Krakow?” asked Sarah.
“Marszałek,” answered Heidi.
“Is she the Duchess there?“
“Not anymore,” Heidi answered revealing nothing more.
Sarah pinched Colin hard on the bicep.
“Ow,” he yipped, everyone looked at him. “Duchess, I would love to meet your daughter,” he added quickly hoping to appease his host. “How long has she been in Krakow?“
“Too long.“
Getting information out of this woman was impossible. If her daughter was anything like her, Aiden could have her. The conversation flowed and changed. It was a polite interrogation amongst powerful women; Sarah McCarthy and Heidi Zimmermann. The rest of the guests were simply tools. He wasn’t sure who gained anything from the dinner. Cary was eloquent and rambled about his thoughts. Maire who was overpowered in her own home by chaos was adept and subtle when conversing with either Heidi or Sarah. She seemed more of this world than the Riley’s world. Colin thought she fit in both families better than he did. Aiden was a proper lad with proper training and proper schooling who knew a little about a lot. Sarah expected everyone to do what she wanted when she wanted it and besides Heidi Zimmermann, everyone did. Colleen stood like a statue the entire meal and said nothing. Colin even forgot she was there when he was speaking about being connected to other clans. While not as educated as Cary, his passion for the topic got a, “Maybe,” from Heidi’s thin lips.
It was the only not negative thing she said all dinner.
After dinner, drinks were served in a sitting area next to the library. Cary lit up a cigar and spoke to Maire who seemed familiar and excited to speak with him. Colin didn’t understand that relationship. Sarah was speaking with Colleen, while Aiden was sitting in an oversized plush chair in front of a fire. Heidi cornered Colin near a piano by the window.
“Why are you here? You no belong,” her half question half accusation set an odd conversation style.
“I was invited, the same as you,” Colin said standing his ground.
“You my daughter want? She too good für Sie,” the addition of German didn’t change her tone. He knew what she was saying without understanding all the words. Her attitude made Colin’s entire body clench up. He knew almost nothing about this woman after an entire dinner, except she was powerful and mean. He took a wild stab, hoping to get the information Sarah wanted.
“I don’t know if I want your daughter, but my guess is you have no idea what she wants. You don’t even act like you care about her. Why does she live in Krakow? What did you do to her to make her run away?“
Heidi’s eyes raged anger deeper and crueler than he had ever seen, “She is a weak girl, like you,” she spat. She turned and went to Sarah, grabbing her shawl from the settee.
“I am enough,” she said loudly to her host. “I go,” she said in the same direct mean way she had spoken all night and she went. Colleen followed and walked her from the sitting room. The entire group listened to Heidi’s departure, heavy sharp footsteps all the way across the foyer.
Sarah was on Colin the second the front door closed.
“What did you do? What did you say?” she asked, rushed, not angry but concerned.
“She was nasty all night to you and Maire and all of us. I took a shot to see if she would say anything about why her daughter was in Krakow. I may have insinuated she herself had caused her daughter to run away. And she did not like that.“