-Keegan-

A second later his father came back in, to everyone's surprise. By the look on his face, Keegan concluded that he had something more to say. He inhaled silently and held his breath in preparation.

"Orla and Flynn, go outside. Now." His father's voice rumbled like thunder in the room.

The twins almost threw themselves out of their seats and was gone within three seconds. The door slammed after they had exited the fastet he had ever seen before.

"Now... Keegan." His father muttered and gestured for him to stand with an swift snap of his large fingers.

Keegan pushed his chair out and rose to his feet. With slow, hesitant, steps he placed himself next to his father's chair, creating him space between him and both of his parents. His mother stood next to the cauldron, having stepped nowhere since this quarrel had started. When he met her gaze, he saw something even more unusual than how his father was acting; a precarious look on her face. He felt his eyes widen at the sight and when she noticed it, she nodded at him to turn his attention back to his father.

"Yes, father?" Keegan breathed. He knew he might be in for the worst scolding of his life, and even though he knew... he did not feel at all prepared for it. Something told him that this had the potential of being worse than the scoldings his mother usually gave him.

"It is clear as day that you and Cara are very fond of each other but also very unable to just spit it out." His father began with annoyance in his voice and leaned his right hand against the wall close to the door.

I have told her how I feel, old man... and up until today we were pretty clear with where we had each other... Keegan muttered in his thoughts. An image of Cara, straddling him, flashed before his eyes. Her panting breaths and glowing eyes as they caught their breaths in between kisses. He forced himself to blink it away quickly, before his parents would be appalled of how his body could betray him.

"Why on this green earth would you ask her if she is a witch?! Why not let your mother ask her herself? It is beyond me why you did something so unbelievably dumb!" His father exclaimed in what could only be described as pure frustration. He even held his hands to his temples, which signaled that he wasn't able to comprehend what his son had done, and why.

Keegan's eyes widened and so did his mother's. She gave her oldest son a look of regret that told him that she was sorry for everything. She inhaled deeply, gaining her husband's attention in doing so.

"What does it matter if Keegan asked or if I had done it?" She wondered out loud and crossed her arms over her chest. Keegan expected his father to answer her in a calm manner but instead, his father clenched his fists, still very frustrated and shot her a dark look.

"Because now the girl is upset with him!" His father growled and pointed with his whole hand at Keegan. "I do not know about you, Miriam, but I would love it if Keegan found himself a nice girl. Preferably before I die!" He added so harshly that it made Keegan frown and jerk his head to the side a bit. "And you - might I add, who love the Gods and all that they do - cannot see that Cara was perhaps delivered to us by the Gods?"

Keegan almost snorted but he managed to keep it to himself. His father was trying to appease his mother by dragging her faith into this. Did he really think that she would think that the Gods had delivered Cara to them? No. He had taken things too far, and his mother would see through it immediately. A part of him felt calmer now. This meant things would be restored to the way they normally was; his mother doing all the screaming.

But he turned his gaze towards his mother, to see if she was swallowing his father's words or not, she looked stunned. To Keegan's shock she pressed her palms against her mouth in realization that her husband might be right. '

Is this a joke?

"Oh my heavens." She breathed in fright. "What if they did? What have I done? What if-"

"Whatever." His father stopped her, now pointing his hand at her. "I know you, Miriam. You normally do not act like this. I am very disappointed in you."

Keegan blew his cheeks up, not being able to comprehend what was coming out of his father's mouth. He has a death wish, for sure.

"And for you - you little arse." His father continued and gained Keegan's attention instantly. "Do not believe everything you mother says or thinks. Make your own damned decisions and follow your gut like I taught you."

"You taught me to follow my instincts during hunting." He objected, tired of being berated. "Furthermore, I never thought Cara was a witch." He said for what felt like the hundredth time today. "I just thought it would ease mother's-"

"I do not need to hear whatever idiotic reason you had, not again." His father raised his voice. Warning Keegan to talk back at him once more. "Now, I am going out to talk to the girl. If you two are lucky, she will not leave because of your stupidity." He said darkly.

"Oh, nonsense! Why would she leave us, Georg?" Keegan's mother asked with her eyes narrowed. "Where would she go? The poor-"

"Because she might be upset that you do not trust her, Miriam." His father interrupted her with his voice dark. "And if you are truly fond of her..." he turned his attention to Keegan again. Unfortunately. "...I suggest you do whatever it takes to get on her good side again." His father advised him. "I'd hate to have to die before you get yourself a wife because you listen too much to your mother."

"Excuse me?!" Keegan's mother exclaimed. Now she had truly had enough of her husband's new side.

"No!" His father answered her curtly. "No, I will not, dear." He said and walked out for the second time.

-Cara-

Blackie had not left her side since he had tried to get her to pet him earlier. Her furry friend had just sat right down next to her, just to lie down and slowly crawl closer and closer. The sweetest part of it was that he actually thought that she didn't notice.

Cara was just about to give in to him when she suddenly she heard a loud argument coming from the house. It made her flinch and also caught the dog's attention. He sat up immediately and let out a low growl, alerting her.

"Yes, I know..." She whispered in response and stared up at the house. With concern mixed with suspicion clouding her mind, she gave the dog an aloof pat on his side.

It was hard to hear who was yelling at whom. Miriam's voice was easy to detect, and soon she thought she could hear Keegan as well. However, a third, much darker voice overpowered both of them and left the house dead silent for a while. She had never heard this voice so dark and angry. It wasn't Keegan's so it had to be...

"Georg?" She asked quietly to herself, keeping her eyes glued to the house. Suddenly, Orla and Flynn came walking towards her from the house. The twins had a stressed look on their faces.

"What is happening?" She asked as they sat down next to her in the grass. Orla put her index finger on her cheek, turning it away from the house as if it was bad luck to look at it. "Wha-"

"Father is angry." Flynn answered in a chuckle before Orla could. He sounded like it was the first time he had seen this happen. Which Cara didn't really have a hard time believing since it was the first time she had heard Georg be anything other than cool and composed.

"What for?"

"He is angry with Keegan and mother." Orla answered her. Cara squinted at her, begging for an explanation. Her face also expressed her wish for it to be told to her slowly. "Father is cross with them for asking, and thinking, if you are a witch." Orla spoke in a pace that made it easier for Cara to keep up and she nodded when she understood.

"I am not a witch!" She defended herself one last time, fed up with this whole lunacy.

"We all know that you are not a witch, Cara." Orla comforted her and gave her a kind glance before turning her eyes back to the stream in front of them. "You have to forgive my brother... my older brother... He thinks he must do everything our..."

"He is dumb." Flynn laughed quietly. "Father said so." Cara would have laughed if she wasn't so offended.

"Shut up, Flynn." Orla hissed, clearly defending their older sibling. It was kind of cute but Cara wasn't going to admit that out loud.

They were quiet for a about ten seconds before Orla drew a sharp breath, just about to tell Cara something uncomfortable. She looked Cara up and down, seeming to be very distressed and not herself.

"What?" Cara asked in a whisper, not sure that she wanted to hear it. Orla and Flynn exchanged looks before Orla finally decided to spill it.

"You know he is fond of you, don't you?" Orla suddenly said quietly. "Keegan." She said as if it wasn't clear whom she was talking about.

Cara felt her cheeks turn red.Yeah well, we slept together. She thought but was reminded - right away -how he had hurt and insulted her. Her heart sunk simultaneously as her blood started racing from rage. Don't let them know that you practically jumped him!

"Uhm..." She stammered, scratching her chin awkwardly. They all flinched when another loud shout came from the inside of the house. That one was definitely coming from Georg.

"You do not have to answer." Orla added, her gaze flickering between Cara and the stream once again. "It is none of my concern." She said when she reached the end of her ability to express how she wanted nothing to help her brother - and Cara in a strange way.

"But he does." Flynn continued on his sister's behalf. "He is very fond of you actually."

Why is Keegan's siblings telling me how much he likes me? This is so weird...

"Get lost the two of you." A dark voice growled behind them. They all looked back to see Georg standing behind them with his arms crossed over his chest. "Go inside and eat your dinner. Scram."

Cara watched as the twins disappeared and walked back to the house like they had flames licking them at their heels.

"Cara." Georg said her name with a voice so deep and serious that it made her nervous. Was he going throw her out of the house? Did he believe that she was a witch?

"I would like to talk to you, if that is alright with you." He sighed. Cara nodded and was just about to get up when he stopped her by waving his hand towards her. "No,no. Sit." He said and sat down next to her. "May I?" He asked when he was already sitting. He seemed to think that it was the gesture of asking that was important, rather than waiting for her answer.

Cara shrugged her shoulders and pouted her lips when he didn't see. She felt butterflies fluttering in her stomach as she couldn't figure out why he wanted to speak with her in private. A part of her wanted to say something, mostly because it would make it less awkward, but she was too nervous to even construct a simple word. What if he wanted her to leave? Was he going to throw her out and that was why he was here?

No... Orla and Flynn wouldn't have been so calm if their father was about to throw me out. She tried to convince herself. Or would they? Naah... and they wouldn't have told me about Keegan's feelings towards me if I was about to be kicked out.

"First of all, I want you to know; I do not think you are a witch. Never have." He said and sounded so grave that it sent a shiver down Cara's spine. "Secondly; I want to apologize on behalf of Keegan and his mother." He said. There was shame in his voice, but also a lot of anger. Then he let out a heavy sigh and it felt like he was trying to let go of that anger. "Neither of them thinks you are a witch either." He said and raised an eyebrow at her. "Miriam is just worried." He continued. "She is very protective of our children... and superstitious." The last part was barely audible, but it was fine since Cara didn't understand that last word anyway.

"Alright." She sighed but turned her eyes toward the stream. The glistening water didn't make her feel the least better though. Miriam and Keegan were definitely in the wrong, but she was starting to feel bad. Mostly because Georg was so sweet to try and fix what they had caused.

"Cara." She looked at him when he said her name so sweetly. As soon as she met the emerald green eyes, which Keegan had so clearly inherited from this man, she turned away again, blushing slightly. "I hope you decide to forgive my idiot son."

Cara licked her upper lip and suppressed the urge to suck her teeth so badly. She was still so hurt and didn't want to talk about it. If Keegan adored her, then why did he do it? Why did he ask her if he didn't think she was a witch? He's an idiot alright...

"I will leave you alone." Georg muttered and she could hear him return to his normal self. Not the yelling and growling man she had heard earlier. A streak of guilt washed over her. He had only went out to see her to smooth things over in an attempt to make her feel better. "I hope you forgive my son and wife."

Wait... so he's not kicking me out? Cara thought as Georg's words sunk in. He wanted her to forgive them? They weren't afraid of her? He just said he doesn't think you're a witch, why would he kick you out?

"I can stay?" Cara blurted just when he was about to get up. Georg froze, his brows furrowed and his mustache twitched to each side once.

"Can you what?" He asked her. "What..."

"Can I stay?" Cara asked uneasily. "Even though-"

"Why would I not let you stay? You have done nothing wrong, girl." He said. "Did you think I would throw you out?" Cara nodded, ashamed. "I am not." He assured her and put his large callous hand on her shoulder. He gave it a slow shake and a bearded smile.

"Thank you."

Thank God.

"Are you coming inside for some food?" He asked with hope in his eyes. "I can throw them all out so we can eat without them."

"I would enjoy that." Cara chuckled and agreed to come inside and eat.

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I hope you liked this chapter!

I am already working on the next one since you had to wait SO long for this one!

Much love,

Jenny