Date: Sat, 1 Jan 2022 16:16:12 -0500
From: Richard McQueen <mcqueen.richarderic@gmail.com>
Subject: Cinderfella 2: A New Life, Chapter 34 Hana

Story: Cinderfella 2: A New Life

Chapter: 34 Hana

Author: Eric McQueen (mcqueen.richarderic@gmail.com)

Mature Readers only due to sexual situations and graphic sexual content

Freedom of expression is precious. To do that Nifty needs help. Your
donation is greatly desired. Give to http://donate.nifty.org/ or this story
ends and all the others! That would be a crime!

Hana confesses she can't marry Thomas and says why. They go to Demetrius'
home.

Hana

"Another hemisphere?" Seth asked.

"Yes, Seth," Demetrius chuckled. "You DO know the Earth is round? Don't
you?"

Seth smirked, "I also know we circle then sun. The sun isn't moving around
us."

"You do?" Demetrius smiled in delighted. "Many learned minds today don't
know that." He cocked his head. "You know the only thing that obits the
Earth..."

Seth and I finished with Demetrius. "The moon."

I nodded, "Yes, we know."

"...and the other lights in the sky?" Demetrius asked in a challenge.

"We're still learning," I defended throwing my arms out. "The minds here
said there were other bodies like the Earth circling the Sun."

Demetrius nodded again as he smiled even more, "Which you will be
discovering about and even going as you develop and grow in life. Just as
we told you."

Seth's eyes widened, "How are we going to get there? We're not connected to
anything out there by land or even by water!?"

"You'll figure it out," Demetrius chuckled and his eyebrows rose. "You
didn't really expect me to tell you, did you?"

I hugged Demetrius, "No. You never have."

"It's an incentive!" Demetrius said simply.

"Weren't people paying attention?" Seth muttered as he asked. "The Native
people here and in Asiana knew

I nodded, but looked at Demetrius, "The Chinese knew that as the Native
tribes here did. It explained our seasons." I smiled at Seth. "You know the
Earth is round?"

Seth nodded, "Yes, we've known that a thousand years."

I chuckled, "It's been known a lot longer than that. It became more widely
known about a thousand years ago, but even today, if you ask the ones that
were raiding our supplies I can guarantee the majority of them think it's
flat. The Chinese, Mayan and Inca have known it much longer! Our world
moves!" I laughed again, "It also wobbles."

"Wobbles!?" Seth asked. "I've never felt it wobble."

I didn't know what Arthur allowed his children to learn. Arthur didn't send
his children to school. No, he brought school to his children! In A'Dore it
had been a question of security. My security. Christian was at a higher
grade level, so we weren't schooled together. Other than that one professor
that almost hit me (saved by Christian. Remember?). All of my instructors
were nice and very smart men. Wealthy families tried hard to hire the
choicest instructors. To the point that families would pool the money and
get those few in one place and the families would send their children to
them. There were teachers and instructors that traveled from town to town
like traveling minstrel groups. Having a reputation of good results
helped. There ones with the reputation for good results were often in high
demand and came with an invitation. With some of these people, who checked
on what they taught? It was about that time if someone told me something
was true, I wanted to see proof they were right. Reading, writing, and math
proved itself being right. Events in history and conclusions from ideas, I
wanted proof. With science...it was sad. I blame the Church for a lot of
it. They knew they understood how everything was to be. It was their
power. If it was proven they didn't understand, they would lose
control. They did with my parents and with me. King Alexander, too. They
fought like crazy to keep that control and almost everyone who claimed the
world was round was put to death for heresy against God! Over in A'Dore our
people had already begun to meld with Natives! When representatives from
the Church came to A'Dore, we already had several of the royal family
married to Natives. The Mayans had taught us about the Earth that they had
observed. Then the Chinese added to that knowledge. The Church's
"knowledge" was disputed. From the THRONE!! We had charts, equations and
documented observations and SHOWED it to them. That was the beginning of
the end of any cooperation between the Church and A'Dore. Blethos was the
same way! No one was telling anyone from either kingdom what to do. We
could show how we got the opinion! Common sense made more sense!

There were families that didn't monitor what was being taught to the
children. Arthur hired instructors for Darius and Deena. He didn't really
care if Seth or Sam were included. The instructor was there, if Sam or Seth
came, they got taught. I know he didn't spare a thought to any of the
children of his employees. Those traveling teachers would come and in
exchange for a roof and food would teach a few months. A year after Seth
and I were married, I met Christina who knew she was losing her job because
she was pregnant. Arthur's policies concerning working and being
pregnant...well. Christina said she could barely read as they didn't have
money for her to be taught. Now, she had four children and they ALL read
now. That's right four children!!

Oh, yeah. The round Earth and wobble. "You know the Earth is a sphere going
around the sun." I saw Seth nod. "The Earth rotates and the day gets longer
as the Earth tilts away from the sun in Fall and Winter. Longer days in
Spring and Summer because the Earth wobble toward the sun." He apparently
had not been taught this as he listened closely. I held my fist up as a
model. "The equator has the world divided into a hemisphere to the North
and another South of the equator is the Southern Hemisphere. We are in the
Northern Hemisphere." I touched Seth's arm. "Not knowing because you were
never told is different than being stupid. You are NOT stupid, babe."

Demetrius smiled at us, "No one here is stupid." He leaned forward,
"There's one other thing." He was acting out of character as he smiled
sadly and pulled out papers that were folded and sealed with the royal
crest of A'Dore. "I didn't look, but I was told this is a letter to you,
but a letter to Tom was put with it."

In many ways, the passing of time was playing with me. I knew we had just
gotten here, but at the same time it felt like we'd been there a long
time. Getting a response about a letter I just sent, Thomas, too. I was
surprised there WAS a response. I broke the wax seal and opened the
letter. Christian, Ella, and Dennis had written something. Christian
"could" write very elegantly and worded sentences suitable to be from a
king. This quickly written letter was from brother to brother. You could
read it, but...Ella's handwriting was always pretty. Dennis!? He was eight!
Soon to be nine and just learning how to write in cursive. He tried to be
grown up about it, but his letters were larger than...Hey, perfecting the
fine motor skills to write took a long time. Many adults can't read or
write at all.

I put the letter to Thomas down. It was to Thomas, not me or Seth. Unless
asked to by Thomas, it would remain unread by us. The letter to us wasn't
lengthy. I held it up so Seth could read it, too. Christian was glad we
were safe and things had calmed down in A'Dore and Blethos. The one threat
was dealt with and done. There wasn't a connection to Creid, but we heard
about what happened there. Ella told us Dennis was fine, but not his usual
bubbly self with us gone. I frowned when she said he was depressed and
understandably so. He was well cared for and loved, but his parents and
brother weren't there.

The only thing said to us about Thomas to us was to please bring Thomas
home. Mentally, I swore to both Ella and Christian I would or die
trying. The "love you" comments were there and really sincerely meant. Not
just a letter closing or address. It was meant. Dennis expressed it best in
big letters. "Come Home!" My heart ached reading that. I passed the letter
to Seth as things got a little blurry.

Demetrius shook my shoulder lightly. "Just remember," he began. "They are
why you're doing this."

I nodded and wiped the tears from my face, "It just hurts." I looked up at
Demetrius' serious face. "No," I said, shaking my head at him, "You can't
do this." I chuckled and pointed at his face, but my grin said more.

Demetrius looked puzzled, "I can't do what?" His face told me he knew.

"You're the zany, often crazy god-father!" I shrugged. "You make me
laugh. You're not supposed to be serious!!"

Demetrius nodded, but a smirk was on his face, "Oh, you think I'm here to
just entertain you."

I shook my head, "No, of course, not." I said grinning. "Whenever you are
here with us, I'm usually entertained, but that's not WHY you're here."

"Why is that anyway," Seth chuckled, asking. "My understanding is that you
were here to help Erik marry the right person." He held up my left hand and
wiggled his own left ring finger by mine. "We ARE married."

"That was the hardest thing. Two men legally married to each other, but we
are and we have been for a whole decade now!" I added. "I say, job done and
mission accomplished."

"It was accomplished," Seth nodded. "Wasn't it?"

Demetrius laughed and hung his head. He was an artist who appreciated humor
from others, "Yes, mission accomplished." He shrugged. "So, we should just
leave?"

I hugged Demetrius quickly, "Don't you dare!"



There were advantages to having a child that could read lips. Toby was on
Thomas' other side. I simply asked Toby to tell Thomas to speak with me at
the end of the meal. Toby looked up at me, nodded and gave me the agreed
signal that he understood. What parent doesn't get a jolt of pride with a
talented child? That was Toby! I felt an ache in my heart thinking about
Dennis. If I could harness this transporting thing...I could simply be
there. Right? I did it with Seth, but I needed to understand some things
first. I did what I didn't know I could, but was very fuzzy on the
how. Could I do it with everyone? Or one at a time? Can I bring our things
with us? The horses, trunks...do you remember about Toby? There was no way
he would go without Smoky! I wouldn't dream of asking Toby to and it would
be cruel to ask of him.

Meals were more than where a person stopped that gnawing pain in his
stomach. A good sized kill could be shared with others. See? That and a few
other things had me question the scriptures! And still do! There was
evidence about people living in caves! Whole families! The people who lived
there left paintings on cave walls about hunting creatures that couldn't be
made up. Some pictures showed a hunt of a giant...elephant? It had long
tusks. That was on THIS continent! I never even HEARD of elephants
here. These were hairy! I knew there were some elephants across the
Atlantic... No, rabbit. go on! Scoot! You're distracting me. Maybe, I
shouldn't call them rabbits. Rabbits are cute. You know what I mean. Those
odd topics, unrelated to the main topic that scatter off causing you to
pursue it and losing the main point? How about wild geese? You end up so
far from what you're talking about on a wild goose chase... Follow them and
you end up nowhere.

Where were we? Oh, yes. Was I limited on what I could take? We all had
things we brought things, like the armor and clothes...

Mealtime became so much more now. A time for everybody to catch up with
each other, It was a time for bonding. We had been gone quite a few
weeks. It would be the Nativity Season soon. Even if we all left now, we
wouldn't be home in time. There is something I DID that Christian would
never consider to do. To get what I thought was impossible, I gave magic a
chance. Then, along came Demetrius and my life would never be the same. I
will also say again, using magic wasn't difficult. No words or objects
used. No special skills needed. War was a harsh reality. People die in a
war and not just soldiers, but innocents, too.

Yes, I'm not telling anything you didn't know. One thing about my father,
grandfather, and all members in the Royal Family, we were never the
aggressor. No one had what we thought we deserved. If another kingdom did
have something we might need, something could be worked out as payment or,
even better TRADE! The people of A'Dore were not saints. I know there were
some members of the family that were just as bad and evil as Arthur Thorne
or even worse. I was raised, and I know Christian was and constantly told
to be an example to everyone. We often defended our people and what they
had from others. Any threat to our people was dealt with and eliminated. We
did have people that dealt with spies. Yes, spies. Mostly, the spies tried
to find out what was happening that we didn't tell them. A great
grandfather believed in telling everyone everything. What his hopes were
and what the plans he hoped to make. A time of war, military strategies
were often done in the field. Military leaders knew what the goals were and
planned with other leaders to figure out what needed to be done to reach
those goals...and you probably don't care about that. My whole point
was. The people were the most important and all efforts needed to be taken
was not too much. We protected A'Dore at all costs. I didn't just want to
suddenly appear in the throne room! But I needed more understanding of the
magic to plan. Yes, I had to be patient. I was used to having questions
answered by someone that would know or at least point out what book I might
find it. There were people smarter than me, so I asked them. Only twice did
I have to do extensive research to get the answers on my own. I had to
research to find out where to look!



"Hi!" Thomas said behind us, making me jump. Without even being asked, he
forcibly lowered himself between Seth and me, smiling as he did it. Being
surprised was to be Human. I had gotten distracted. Times like this I saw
him much younger. "Toby said to come over here."

I chuckled at him, but said seriously, "We got a response from your father
and mother." I handed the folded letter to him, "This is to you."

Thomas's face fell a little, "What does it say?"

I shook my head, "I don't do that." I pointed to the two hardened splotches
of red with the Royal Emblem impressed in the wax to seal it. "It wasn't
written for Seth or me."

He wasn't moving and I saw the uncertainty in his face.

"Thomas," I began putting an arm over his shoulder, "I'm glad you're
here. I think you were supposed to be here. What do you think happened when
you left? What did you expect?"

Thomas ran a hand through his hair and did an exaggerated shrug. "I don't
know! I wasn't thinking about it."

I nodded, but smiled at Thomas, "Did you imagine the streets of A'Dore
crowded with adoring subjects all cheering, showering you with flowers as
they welcomed you as a mighty warrior coming back in victory and everyone's
hero? All the women wanting to marry you and men want to BE you?" I watched
his eyes grow a little. No, I couldn't read minds. I chuckled and shrugged,
"That was the sort of dream I had," I grudged a nod, "Sort of." I smiled at
Thomas, "The women still wanted to marry me, I just wasn't interested in
marrying them."

Thomas smiled a little, "The men did?"

My eyes widened in shock, "Of course, not!" That was all put on. "It was
the Summer before my eighteenth year your father tossed me something so I
won't drown. I couldn't say it out loud to myself and definitely not to
anyone else." I still had the letter in my hand. "I don't know what is said
in this letter, but I KNOW your parents. I've known your father ALL my
life. I've known your mother most of my life. They are both good, kind, and
very smart people." I took a breath, "Without knowing what's written, I can
assure you, except for Ada, Ana, and Edward, no other people in this world
means more to them than you. You ARE both of them. I can't imagine your
father using harsh words with you. That's not Christian. They both love you
so much."

Thomas nodded, "I never meant to hurt them."

I smiled and looked at Seth, "Demetrius is always talking about how well we
can see looking back." I waved the still sealed letter. "He needs to know
how what's in an unopened and unread letter is already known."

Thomas smirked at me, but took the letter, "Okay. I'm reading it, I'm
reading it." He broke the seals. There were three parchments on which I
could only see small letters of a lengthy letter.

"Take your time," Seth said. "We're not going anywhere."

This might take some time due to the content. He got up as he read. He
looked up as Hana came close. Seth and I rose from our seated position.

"I need to read this," Thomas waved the pages at her. "My uncles are very
entertaining. I'll be..." he looked at the area, "nearby." He leaned
forward and kissed her. He reached out and touched her arm. He jutted his
head in our direction. "Tell them," he said, "You'll see I'm right and you
have to change your mind."

Change her mind? Something was not adding up here. They got along
well. What was missing? Math was not a favored subject for me, but I saw
the answer and part of the equation...five is the answer, two is part of
the equation, so is six. You KNOW something is missing.

(Ouch) Math is necessary, but it causes me pain after prolonged exposure.

"You say, I tell them," Hana pointed out. "Then go away!?"

"You wanted people to give you unscripted advice," Thomas smiled. He waved
at us. "They don't even know what we're talking about." Then he turned
around to go to another light source to read the letter.

"Gisshirui," Hana blew a frustrated breath to which she got a shrug, but he
kept going.

"While that was not really angry," Seth said. "It also didn't sound
positive."

"What language was that?" I asked.

"I say wrong," Hana shook her head. "It language of Nihon." Then she nodded
quickly and translated. "Japan."

"It wasn't a compliment," I ventured.

Hana shook her head, "No," she laughed. "It is small animal, fur, long tail
and cowers from light." She put her fingers near her mouth and fanned her
fingers straight out, "Has hairs here...you bring in light and they run
away."

I smiled, "A mouse?" I held two hands close together to show size.

She shook her head and pushed my hands further apart. "Is
bigger. Brown. Sofu told they get in supply food on ship."

Seth brightened, "A rat?"

She shrugged, "Could be."

"He knew what you said," I pointed out.

She nodded, "I say before. Not call him gisshirui, but..."

"What does he say you need to change your mind about?" I asked, needing her
to tell us.

"He asked me to come back to A'Dore with you," she said angrily. "He asked
me to marry him."

Now there was another part of the equation, but still not giving the
correct answer using addition or subtraction. "You don't want to marry
him?"

She covered her face to hide tears that were coming, "I CAN'T marry him!"
She turned to us again, "I just say it. I not...virgin!"

Yes, I was surprised at this. I admit it. I shouldn't have been. She was
seventeen. There were mothers with a child or two at seventeen. You could
never assume. "Okay."

Seth frowned, "There's more to this than what you are saying."

"We know a queen now that had a child before she even met the man she is
happily married to now and became queen," I added. "Just really quickly
tell me, Sofu means what?"

Hana was not happy, but she smiled a bit at our confusion. "Oh," she
smiled, "he was father to my mother."

Seth and I nodded, "Your grandfather!" I said in triumph.

Her knees gave a little at having missed that word, "Yes! Grandfather!" She
tapped on her forehead and muttered. "Watashi wa sore o oboete
irubekidatta." She smiled again. "That mean I should know Grandfather."

I smiled, "Why SHOULD you? I know Kon'nichiwa and
Arigatōgozaimashita." I threw my hands out. "There. You now have my
complete knowledge of Japanese."

"You told Thomas this?" Seth asked.

Hana nodded, "Yes." She shook her head. "He doesn't...understand. I
was...damaged. I didn't say no."

"Wahkooha?" I asked.

She nodded reluctantly.

"COULD you say no?" Seth asked.

"Isa," Hana said. "My sister was going to...but...he started with her. She
older three year of me." Hana wiped her face.

"But she didn't?" Seth asked quietly.

"She die," Hana confessed. She pointed up at the roof. "Seven
moon...cycles?"

Dakotah had told us about some deaths.

"She was pregnant?" I said and Hana nodded.

"How old were you?" Seth asked. "When he started."

She shrugged, "Fourteen?"

"You say you're damaged," Seth said. "How?"

"You're a victim, Hana," I said. "A man, having the power of a god wanted
you."

"I could say no," Hana shrugged.

"And died," I said. "You chose to survive."

"I know somewhat what you're feeling," Seth smiled, taking her hand. "We
both have had events happen to us." He took a deep breath, "I was injured
very badly, as you may know. I carried the scars for two decades. I saw
myself as damaged for a long time."

"Those scars are gone on his body," I said and took Seth's hand. "The
damage to his soul still tries to come out..."

"But he never saw them," Seth marveled. "He could see the ones on my face
and body, but he didn't really see the ones in my soul. He married me,
scars and all and didn't care."

"You told this to Thomas?" I asked.

"Yes," Hana nodded.

"I wish I could take what happened away," I smiled. "Really, there is no
closure with this." I grinned and laughed. "There were a few times I wished
I could resurrect him and kill Arthur over and over again so he had to
experience an agonizing death for every cruel moment he caused." I
shrugged, "But he's gone and will never hurt Seth or anyone again. The same
with Wahkooha. He won't harm anyone now."

"You may be damaged," Seth continued. "Thomas may not understand, but he is
NOT stupid."

"There is a man from the Royal Family in A'Dore sees a very smart young
woman that I believe would be a valuable addition to any community." I
smiled.

Hana looked away slightly, "I don't want to embarrass anyone."

"Embarrass anyone of the family?" I asked. I raised Seth's hand. "I think
what we did was embarrassing enough." Seth and collided a little as we
laughed. "A Prince marrying a man!? In a witnessed ceremony with TWO
kings!?"

"How you would like to handle this," Seth began, "Is up to you and Thomas,
but it came out about my past, the curse, abuse...at the beginning."

"You better believe no one insulted any family with Christian and Ella," I
chuckled, "Especially not Ella."

"Nooo, you didn't do that," Seth laughed. "She is kind, polite and all
that, but if you say something about family, she becomes a mama bear
protecting her cubs!" He looked at me. "Mrs. Cunningham? Wasn't that her
name? Ella threw her out of the palace!"

I bounced and nodded. "Mrs. Cunningham was banned from any palace function
for five YEARS!! She insulted Seth!! And too stupid to know she had done
it."

"Born to the family or married to the family," Seth said. "They will
protect you as family."

"Are you interested in marrying Thomas? Even a little?" I asked. "From what
I was told, the people of Japan have all the usual people, good and
bad. There are people you can trust and those you can't." I laughed. "When
it comes to women and sex..." I grimaced and shrugged, "well, when it comes
to marriage and daughters, they put a lot of pressure on women to be
pure. I can't imagine what they'd do with a woman who is a victim of a
crime like this."

"Hide it and never talk about it," Hana said gloomily. "Even in families
that are part Native, they don't talk about it."

I nodded, "It would be very uncomfortable to talk about."

"No, embarrassment or shame is not yours to take," Seth said. "It's a lot
easier to say than to do, but you survived! I can say from experience," he
touched her arm. "It gets easier. Trust me."

"We found surprise was the worst part of this," I smiled, "Being totally
honest is the best defense of surprise. We told everyone how badly Seth was
abused."

Her eyes grew hearing that, "Tell people what he did? To me?"

I bowed my head and asked any power in charge for the words, "No," I
smiled. "You will control how much they will know, but if the people that
love you know more, you take any embarrassment and shame away. It won't
have power over you."

"One more time!" Seth smiled, "You did nothing to feel embarrassed about
and no shame was brought to you, your family, or the people. What happened
was NOT YOUR FAULT!"

"I told you," Thomas chuckled as he came over. He was using his hand to rid
his face of tears, but he didn't look unhappy. He held the letter up, "I'd
like to read this again. I'll be glad to let you read it, but the first
time was full of emotion by me." He explained as he neared the table and
lowered next to Hana who took his hand.

I smiled as she acted like someone who truly cared for Thomas. The hand she
took went into her lap as she caressed his face gently and didn't say
anything, but the look from her eyes expressed a deep affection growing.

"We don't need to read it at all," I said to reinforce that fact.

Thomas laughed and sniffed lightly, "None of it was bad. The reason I
wasn't to go was only said once by Dad. The rest was how much they wanted
me to come home, not because of any duty. They wanted me HOME." He looked
at Hana, but pointed at Seth and me. "They threw support behind you, didn't
they?"

"Yes," Hana smiled.

"I told you," Thomas said again.



This had some bumps in the road that were coming. I was Thomas's uncle, not
his father. However, I knew how Christian reacted when anything sexual came
up. I know how seriously that purity of the royal line was stressed to
Christian and me. I was Seth's first and he was mine. I knew Christian was
a virgin when he married Ella and so was Ella. Yannick was older than we
were when he married Delta. He had a few lovers when younger, but Delta was
already a mother when he married Yannick. One major bump coming was
Thomas's feelings about himself. Only he knows if he followed that purity
line. I suspect so, but that wasn't important. Just because Wahkooha had
sex with her, didn't mean she wanted it. I didn't know how often he'd done
it with her. He didn't love her and I know she didn't love him. She was
fourteen years old when it started with her!? Fourteen! Yes, that feeling
of wanting to resurrect him just to kill him again surfaced again. I did
hope that whoever was the real Tawa, or whatever demon that had Wahkooha
simply increased his torment and let Wahkooha know why. I did not want
Thomas to ever feel he was competing with Wahkooha. Ella was who Hana
needed to tell and Ella could explain more to Thomas.

I found out only she and her mother were alive now. Hana insisted that when
a decision was made, if she went to A'Dore, her mother would come with
her. Also, both of the mother's parents were half Japanese and
Native. Hana's father was from Japan. He worked on a ship that returned to
Japan. This was years ago, but no one saw him, the ship or anyone from the
crew again. Was he alive? Who knew?

"Well," I said to Thomas, "Your Uncle and I have a long trip tomorrow."

Thomas looked startled, "Long trip!? Where to?"

"Maybe nowhere," I grumbled.

Seth bumped his forehead against mine, "Nonsense. Demetrius never took us
to his home because he couldn't take us there. Your uncle can, so we're
going to Demetrius's house!"

Thomas thought a second, "He has a house!? Like a regular person?"

"We'll let you know," Seth grinned.

"Where does he live?" Thomas asked. "Is it far?"

Seth shrugged at him and shook his head.



Hana proved to be a charming young lady. Her lack of use with English only
added to her charm. She used it on purpose and did it well. It was
important to see this wasn't an act. One of the attractive things a person
can do is to truly is what they seem. Some women were the worse! And they
ARE!! You know it's going back to the animal kingdom; the males were
strength and made the big decisions. Like where to nap. Being leader was
tough! Some young punk strolls into town and threatens you and your family,
you deal with it! I read many reports from "hunters" that wrote down what
they observed, but it was the female lion that hunted. They were
dangerous. Yet, the human was dangerous of deception! They observed
prey. Learned what the prey wanted and found attractive. I watched out for
Christian. Someone had to watch out for him! These predators would circle
him and start with the battering of the eyelashes Christian just didn't
have the ability to see beyond that point! Women were ruthless! I was
protecting the family! None of them could put on the charade long
enough. Their true selves could be seen. There were some who couldn't hide
things well, such as Ella's stepfamily and three stepsisters. All of them
was dead now, except the eating sister in Italia.

I know, I know, not another rabbit! I swear. Hana was what she was. She was
not playacting.

As we were breaking up for the evening, Thomas smiled at Seth and me. "Just
do me a favor." He looked at Seth and me. "You don't know where, can you at
least tell me when you go?"

"Sure!" Seth agreed. "You can be there when we leave!"

"Why?" I asked.

"He'll be a witness!!"

Most of the time I was a glass half full person. Wahkooha! He showed he
commanded great power, but I did not even for a moment believe he was a
god. Not with a big G or even a small g! He wasn't even convincing he was a
demon or...well, he was sort of a witch, but I was convinced he was the
biggest scam artist the world had ever seen! Dad always told Christian and
me, "As big as you believe you are, there is always going to be someone
bigger! Diplomacy!" I guess up until now, no one proved that to him. That
was a trap I wanted to avoid. We were all Human. Except for Arthur, Darius,
and Deena...and Wahkooha, Anastasia (Ella's Ex-Stepsister... I seriously
doubted they were Human. There were plenty of rotten people in the world.

What happened to Hana was...there is no excuse for what Wahkooha did. Not
one. The Natives philosophy about not owning anything kept theft to where
it was practically unknown. The Native view on marriage was one of the
things I didn't agree with. Seth and I entered our marriage swearing before
God, (See? The big G?) and hundreds of guests from A'Dore, Blethos, and
later I heard from England, France...there were a bunch of people! No one
else, ever! I just saw one person! I found that security comforting. I was
treasured by someone special who was special to me. I didn't like the
marriages that ended on certain dates. That mask wasn't important. He was
beautiful BEFORE the scars were cured! I'm pleased that in some tribes,
such as the Muskogee, didn't always have that. Chitto had one
wife. One. His father Harjo also had one wife. One. Neither wife would
approve of that.

"Should I say anything to Thomas about Hana?" I asked Seth as finished his
evening rituals.

Seth paused mid-stride and looked at me, "Why are you looking at me?" He
straightened a bit. "You know more than I do about that!"

"Says who?" I challenged him.

Seth shrugged and he sat on the side of the bed. "You just do."

"That one time," I held a single finger up. "I told you I kissed
Yannick. One time," I moved closer to Seth. "It wasn't even a kiss of
affection! I was tired and he needed..."

Seth reached up and stopped me. "...needed distraction." Seth said with
me. "I'm crystal clear on that point."

I was nodding as Seth said that last part. "Yes. Now," I said firmly. "At
first you looked ready to tear our house apart!"

"I never threatened you!" Seth defended, but was smiling, "There was Matt!
My friend from Blethos, the palace guard that checked on the condition of
Royal Valley after the Measles outbreak..."

"I remember and I didn't get upset," I said. "In fact, I encouraged you to
spend as much time with him as you could."

He nodded as he rubbed his hand behind his neck, "Yes, that was a bad
example."

I laughed because he looked disappointed! "You wanted me to be jealous!?"

Seth looked away and was getting up, "What!?" His voice wasn't remotely
convincing as he stood and was about to walk away. "Don't be silly," he
chuckled as I pulled him back down and straddled him. "Okay, maybe just a
little bit wouldn't have hurt."

"Oh," I nodded with a smile. This wasn't about me, but Seth! "I can't do
anything if you do or don't cheat, Seth."

Seth's eyes rolled. It wasn't what he wanted to hear.

"Okay," I laughed. "How's this? If you ever encourage any attention, male
or female, they'll be in big trouble."

"They?" He asked me. "They will be in trouble?"

"Yes," I said proudly. "I have one brother who is King of A'Dore and
another who is king of Blethos. Not to mention a Creid king I love as
another brother." I looked Seth closely in the eyes. "Do you think with
connections like that, I can't make their lives a living HELL?"

There was an obvious advantage to getting up and simply going
downstairs. That advantage was a luxury royal had that I was good with. On
the other hand, if you were just hungry and didn't want to dress and go
down, you either planned it or asked someone to go get something. Sneaking
down to grab something without being seen wasn't going to happen.



Never would we go without our comforts. Going without necessities was
unheard of. Eabha smiled as coffee was poured. She watched Seth as he took
a careful sip. Even Seth's eyes widened more.

"What is this!?" Seth asked in wonder as he held his mug out but he was
smiling as he did it.

Eabha's eyes sparkled, "I debated whether to share this with you or not."
She sipped her coffee. "Ceto's done a great job with your meals," she
changed her position as she illustrated with her hands, "and really I'm not
by bringing this to you now as it comes from some Southern islands in the
Great Gulf. There grows this coffee even the Natives avoid because it's so
strong." She chuckled, "They even named it Ingozi ."

No one can know everything, but I had no idea what language it could
be. There were islands in the base of this Great Gulf that had almost no
contact with the world and who's language was their own.

"That means danger." Eabha said.

"Danger Coffee?" Seth nodded with a smile. "I'll let you know."

I had a mug. A single mug and knew that was my limit then.

After breakfast, I had some training with Max in this new armor. Val and
Beau were training, too. Even putting it on took a few minutes preparation
for the best coverage. As I did that I was surprised as it came together
how much lighter it was. Yes. I heard what Max had said, but putting it on,
you mentally get prepared for the feeling it usually has. I was surprised
at the "lack" of weight. The cloth undergarment, over the chain-mail and
fastened into place...it felt very good! I DID get to spar with Beau again
and I promise you. This lack of effort needed helped Beau and he was just
as brutal as before...and more! It didn't make sense. Because something in
his mind went after something, he became this...monster? The creature known
as Beau was simply not there. In place of that, was this being I'd never
seen before. He struck hard, fast, and repeatably over and over pushing you
back just to escape his wrath!! He never seemed to run out of energy!

Val poured water over his head and neck. He was comfortable with what he
did.

"I'll trade you," I said pointed at Seth who sat/stood a little from
excreting himself.

"Oh, no," Val shook his head. "Seth is great for sparring, but Beau!?" He
chuckled. "I sort of like it when people talk shit about Beau." He quickly
raised a hand to me. "Sorry, that just sort of came out."

I nodded at Beau's happy expression, "What do they say?"

`The usual," Val shrugged. "He's supposed to be this simpleton and doesn't
know what he's doing, and-"

"We know what we're doing! He's here and they aren't!"

Val squinted an eye at me and nodded, "Yes, we do," Val chuckled. "I love
when Beau force feeds crow to everyone."

"Can you tell me what happens, Beau?" I asked. "I know you have a fighting
face, but..."

Beau `s face turned away, "He comes."

"He comes," I repeated uncertainly, "Who comes, Beau?" Yes, I was a little
worried about that. With so many odd and crazy entities in world I knew
about, I think a little caution was warranted. I looked at Val who smiled
at us and calmly at Beau. Val knew who came?

"He's not very nice," Beau shrug. "At times, I don't like him either." Val
was encouraging Beau to say it. "I made up this guy to help me become a
Royal Warrior. When I was a small boy people would get mean with me or mean
with Mom." He shrugged, "He is..." he thought, "big brother to me? He is
called Ben." He smiled. "Big Ben?"

Val nodded at me even before he began speaking, "No one knows." He answered
my unasked question. "I mean no one. His mother won't say, and Beau doesn't
ask. There is nothing about an older sibling or even a step-sibling. Beau
has a father..." he waved at Beau, "obviously, or he wouldn't be." Val
chuckled as Beau's face grew red. "He's a sweetheart!!" He threw an arm
over Beau's shoulder, kissed him noisily on the cheek as Beau gave his red,
embarrassed face down to avoid a scene It was too late. "I'll proudly claim
Beau with no hesitation!"

"I think that's great!" I said honestly and got in front of Beau. "What
about him don't you like?"

Beau couldn't look me in the eyes, "He's mean." Now, Beau did look at
me. "He likes to be mean."

There were enough cases about the world where there were people that did
like being mean. I even heard of one recently where a man was brought in
based on his children's testimony that he beat their mother. Since these
crimes were new to face prosecution...well...no one was ready for this,
but...the wife was pleading with the court not to continue the charges. She
was just as guilty has he was! She hurt him as much as he hurt her. On
purpose!! They wanted the pain. What!? I knew about sadists. I knew of
masochists. Here were two right in our court! I knew that some women
protected husbands to save them more punishment later. No, no, this would
not do! We swore she'd be free and never have to deal with him again. She
and the children would never see him again. No!! She pleaded to let him
come back to her. She promised that every bruise he gave her, she'd give
him two!! We did caution them to be gentler with the kids home. Yeah, I'm
still scratching my head about that one. It never occurred to me that I
might like pain. It is pain and we avoid it. Don't we? Beau's Big Ben
didn't draw pleasure from pain. Did he?

"Doesn't he sort have to?" I asked Beau. "The job you do is pretty intense
and violent, so you have to enjoy it somewhat." Then I remembered what had
happened just a couple of days ago. Just his worry I might be hurt lead him
to tears! Tears! I grinned and wrapped my arms around Beau and hugged him
tightly. "I say Big Ben is being watched over carefully. When you stop
worrying about Big Ben, I'll be concerned. Don't you ever change."

"Okay," Demetrius' voice came out of nowhere. "Is everyone ready?" Then he
was suddenly there looking for someone. "Where's Thomas and Hana?"

"Now?" Seth asked in shock.

"Why not now?" Demetrius asked. "You invited them."

I nodded, "Yes, you did." I chuckled.

"Wait for us!" I heard Thomas say as he came in the room with Hana in tow
behind him. "I didn't want to miss..." he looked around us, "How are we
getting to... wherever? No cart, or boat..." He looked at Demetrius.

"Why are you looking at me?" Demetrius asked. "I have no idea. We can't do
this, remember?"

I looked at him, now very cautiously. "How do you know where you're going?
Or know where to go?"

Demetrius chuckled, "It's less of a where and more of a who."

"Not where you go, but who you..." Thomas stood up as he thought about what
Demetrius said and then shook his head, "What!?"

I circled Demetrius nodding, "Yes, of course!" I turned to Seth, "We could
be in any part of the world! Yet, he comes to me! Wherever I am, he feels
it!"

Demetrius nodded in triumph. "Yes!! That's exactly it! All those years ago
with Sam...I really didn't have as solid a fix on him as needed. Now, it
would be harder to do."

"Clever, this magic," Seth said softly.

"Isn't it?" Demetrius agreed with a nod. "A person's..." he thought,
"address will be unique. No one else. Later you will learn to use both." He
used his hands as he explained. "You feel where he is by feeling him," he
motioned downward to the right. He did the same with the left side.

"How do I choose?" I asked.

"After a decade?" Demetrius asked. "That's sort of decided for you." He
shrugged. "It's been over two centuries since we've had to, but..."

Someone had to teach the Children of Lilith's Children to get around.

"Should I mess up on purpose to keep you around?" I grinned. "I'll do that
in a heartbeat."

"You can't mess up," Demetrius chuckled. "I love you, too." He turned,
grabbing Seth and kissing his cheek loudly. "You, too, Seth!" He held a
finger out. "For now, I'll say touch for now." He looked at Seth and
me. "You were touching when you went back to your room. The only other
instructions, are...you know that feeling you have when you hope I'll
come?"

I nodded, "Sure."

"The same thing," Demetrius shrugged. "You wish you went a little faster?"
He waved at everyone. "See you in a second."

"I can't hurt anybody," I said.

"In the time we've done it," Demetrius smiled, "Never even once have I even
heard of someone being hurt during a transport."

"But you can't do this!" And he did the "he was there and just not there'
thing. Even I was tired of hearing the same thing. I was overreacting. I
knew it, but... Shouldn't I have become more daring and confident? I don't
know. I touched Beau next to me and Seth. Everyone was connected and the
change was instant! It was cooler and dark, and then sunny and warm. We had
been inside and now we were outside. We were not in Northwest of our
continent. It was morning here.

"Depending on when you start the day, you're either ahead five hours or
behind nineteen." Demetrius shrugged.

"Which is where?" I asked.

"Aotearoa," Demetrius answered as he smiled knowing his answers were making
more questions. "The Maori are a beautiful people."

"Maori!?" Thomas blurted. "South Pacific Maori? Some are calling it New
Zealand Maori?!" Thomas balked. "We've traveled...eight thousand miles?! In
a second!?!?"

"You did it every time you step through the doorway," Demetrius
shrugged. "And really, this isn't Aotearoa." He chuckled at the comments
and moans given. "Honestly, it isn't." He held his hands up. We were on a
high bluff of thick grass. No random shrubs or trees. "You took steps over
rivers, mountains, farms..."

Thomas nodded, "Yeah, and my head still won't take it all in!"

"This isn't Aotearoa?"

He pointed off the rise, across the bay or gulf. "That is." The name
Aotearoa mean Land of the Long White Cloud, which is the Northern Island."
He wiggled his hands and fingers together without touching. "It's just
opposite here. The farther South you go, the colder it gets. In the
Northern Hemisphere, it's the end of Fall and beginning Winter. Here, it's
late Spring about to be Summer."

I reached out and used both hands to pat Seth down, "I assume everything's
here and working."

Seth threw his arms around me. "You can check more thoroughly later."

I looked at Thomas. "You know more about these people of this area."

Thomas looked at Hana. "She does, I'm sure. There were some explorers that
came from this way just recently." He smiled evilly, "As with all Brits and
Europeans, who they hear is not always the same thing for what they think."

I chuckled without humor, "Such as when they came on these people, saying
they were Dutch, when the people themselves claimed to be Deutsch! They
almost placed a name on people because these was not an understanding!?"

Scratched his head as he tried to work it out. "Given a name to a people,
thinking they were the other people from a part of the world those original
people never even heard of?"

My mind kept up with it, so I nodded. "Yeah!"

"Oh," Seth waved that off. "No one's that stupid."

I gave Seth my "you think so?" look.

(I'll leave poor Christopher Columbus alone. It really wasn't his
fault. Not all of it. I don't know about you, but in the late 60's we had
The Beatles, the Rolling Stones, Vietnam, the Nightly Casualty Report with
Walter Cronkite and it was my first revelation about truth and not all is
taught truth and yadda, yadda. Repeat what they say happen or fail a
test. I prefer you to say, "we think," than teaching lies. I've got a good
joke about Christopher and being a democrat. I'm independent and he was
just...confused. Personally, I wouldn't want to be remembered of an
error. Like the invisible bump you and you alone see on the smooth floor
everyone can see. We always look for confirmation on someone else's
face. We silently ask, "Did you see that!? It just popped out from
nowhere!" Gosh! We need to be careful. It can happen again! Yeah, it's all
connected. A deep cleansing breath. Hold. Be calm. Release.)

"It's warm here," Beau said smiling.

Val nodded, "It is!"

"Can we come back?" Beau asked. "I think everybody will like this."

Seth nodded and jutted his head in a direction, "Perhaps we should ask
him."

Looking in the direction I saw a single man walking. The closest to look
like this man was Hana, but that wasn't right either. I'd met some from the
islands in the Pacific that were Polynesian. This man could be a part of
the Polynesian people and something else. He walked on two legs and seemed
to know Demetrius! He waved grandly at Demetrius who also swung his arms
out to welcome this man! What came out of their mouths...I had not the
slightest clue! I would recognize many languages from Europe, even if I
didn't understand. Slavic languages, romance languages, grammatic languages
and even Middle Eastern languages I knew when I heard them. Again, I have
no clue what said, but... Demetrius brought the man closer and he was
clearly telling this man about us and why we were here. Gestures were
universal. Perhaps that was the real reason for the universal sign language
among natives.

"We can really use Toby right now," Seth said casually.

My hands went out helplessly as surrendered to the inevitable conclusion as
I nodded at the illusive fate.

Seth looked at me and grinned more, "Which you agree with having just
thought the same thing!" He waved at me. "Your whole mannerism changed to
say that loud and clear! He will have a better time understanding this than
we will!"

Demetrius stopped in front of us, "Ko te Rangatira hoki tenei i tamai
Tamati..." He looked his friend, "Ahaka," he practically explained it all
with what he did as he spoke, "He kake a rātau,"

who listened and watched the gestures and frowned? I don't know what he
said, but he clearly didn't like saying so and almost came at Demetrius!
Demetrius smiled at Seth and me. "I was telling you were Thomas' uncles,"
his grin grew, "I explained that one of you is uncle because you married
the uncle." Again, he was putting invisible things in an invisible
corral. "He gets a little testy when stupidity rears its ugly head. He
thought that explanation was pointless."

I loved them! Who I chose to marry was no one's business except if it's
made to against their will. They didn't have facial features like
Polynesians, or skin color. The hair was black, not dark brown, like
others. Ahaka was a handsome man...and I'm sorry for giving you samples of
what they aren't. They aren't Chinese, Japanese, Korean or Polynesian. They
weren't from Africa, or Europe! I don't know. However, I have it,
too. There are things I'm used to. Such as long hair on guys. It's my
thing. The tattoos were another. I would find many Maori men and women and
these facial tattoos. I found out the significance of that later and the
tongue. I liked Ahaka's name. He who laughs! He was given the name wisely
and earned it whenever I saw him.

I also got my first taste of being uncle. I was son of the king and queen,
I was brother to the king, I married to the king. Today, it felt
different. I was Crowned Prince Thomas' uncle and Prince Toby's father. I
was passed OVER! Isn't this what I wanted? Yes, but then it happened.

Demetrius insisted we at least see where he and Dara lived. It was a sort
of hilltop meadow, hundreds of feet above sea level. There was a nice which
beach you could gain access to by marble stairs down the side. Most of the
dwelling was done in recessed rooms in the side. There was almost no
external structure except to let light or air in. There was plenty of
lanterns, urns and windows to welcome light and a steady cool breeze from
the sides. Tables, couches and pillows set on stone floors with mosaic
designs...It was a very comfortable HOME. It reflected both Demetrius and
Dara.

"Wow," I smiled, "I had no expectations, so..."

"You approve?" Demetrius smiled.

"Who cares?" I asked, "You do. This is your home and it is a home. It feels
like you!" I smiled. "The feeling for locating you is easy. A comfortable
place to reach that special place to unwind and relax."

"And the first Child of Eve we've brought here."

Ahaka was right there talking with Seth. Or trying. Demetrius nodded. "Yes,
I've known him, his grandparents and...we protected them. We've always been
with them, but you," he nodded, "You the first Children of Eve who know who
and what we are and came here on your own. Welcome to my home."



Next: More Truth