© ItalRT4u, 2012

     I couldn’t have been more relieved to find out that most of the blood that had coated Sandra wasn’t much of her own.  After cleaning her off, Lilah had bandaged most of Sandy’s wounds which were mostly superficial and non-life threatening.  It was the hit to her head that had caused her to collapse and remain unconscious.  William, on the other hand, had taken a turn for the worse; shortly after relieving him from his duty of caring for his wife, he had collapsed into unconsciousness which manifested itself into the form of a restless sleep.  Lilah couldn’t do much for him with her witchy powers but was fairly certain that beyond the scars, William would make a full recovery; it all remained to be seen once they had both woken up and their conditions could be reassessed.  I still couldn’t quite completely grasp why we hadn’t brought them to the hospital.  Aside from the places being overrun with the total chaos that was going on, I simply couldn’t shake that it might have been a better place for them altogether.  My opinion changed slightly once I found out that Lilah did have a degree in family medicine despite most of everything she had done thus far had been more witchy in nature.

     I stood by and watched as everything had unfolded, letting Cane and his brothers assist in tending to their parents.  I knew that it was the best thing for everyone at that point in time as Sandra and William lay together, in their marital bed, side by side.  I wished that they would wake up; if not for their sake, then for the sake of their family and friends that were slowly arriving and were currently overcrowding the main floor to the mansion, desperate for news on their well-being and lending their support.  So much love surrounded these premises and I couldn’t help but feel overly emotional at its presence and at the dedication that was shown towards this wonderful couple, to the Royal family, to the throne.

     I had recused myself to Cane and I’s bedroom for some much needed time alone.  I needed to mull things over and let the family be with each other.  Despite the fact that we had an overwhelming amount of people in this house waiting for news on Will and Sandy’s progress, I couldn’t bring myself to go down and greet them all; to address their every question and concern.  I mean, what would I say when I lacked faith in myself and my power to direct our side; wishing that I had someone by my side to help guide my path to this unavoidable leadership.  I chose to lie down and close my eyes for a few moments in hopes that something would come to me – just an answer, anything.  In its stead, darkness enveloped me.

     I was in some sort of garden, somewhere I had never been.  My surroundings were of the utmost beautiful sight that I or anyone could possibly behold.  Footsteps in the distance rang in my ears; the crunching of leaves and twigs, the rushing of wind through the tree branches of the weeping willows that surrounded the clearing I found myself in the center of, the sweet scent of the honeysuckle at the forest edging.  I couldn’t shake the peace and happiness that invaded my senses; or the smile that spread across my face when the footsteps stopped and I turned.

     “Mom?  Dad?”  I ran for them, only for my father, my adopted father that is, held up his hand to halt my advances.  Coming to a full stop, my smile turned into a frown, my brows furrowed in confusion.  “But why?  Why can’t I come to you?  I need you now, more than ever.”  I pleaded but my mother began to shake her head and they both pointed their indexes in the direction that matched where their gazes were focused which was directly behind me.  I turned.

     A hooded and cloaked woman sat before me, surrounded by the ever so stereotypical and ridiculously cloth-cladded table and crystal ball. 

     What the hell? 

     She reached out with her wrinkly taloned hand and motioned for me to come to her with a wave of her index.  As if by magic, a chair appeared beside me and the cloaked woman nodded her head, indicating that I should sit down.  I looked behind, where my adoptive parents had been standing, only to have them both nod in approval and vanish before my eyes.  I couldn’t escape the feeling of abandonment that they had left me with.

     “Before me stands a Queen, a symbol of peace and balance.”  She said in her croaking of a voice, resembling that of an ill toad’s. 

     This stuff is seriously made for a cheesy movie.  I thought to myself. 

     “Child, you are on a path that leads to destruction.”  She commenced.

     “How am I supposed to know what I am to do?  I haven’t known about all of this for long.  Any normal Royal would have had a long life of grooming to deal with this war we’re facing.”  I told her.

     “HUSH!”  She bellowed in her toad-like voice.  “Pardon your Majesty.”  She stated with a slight bow before continuing.  “It is not the experience and knowledge in being a Royal that matters, but the mere heart and the knowing in what is ‘right’.”

     “What’s that supposed to mean?”  I questioned the old hag.

     “I have foretold the rise of two and the demise of the same.  The things I’ve seen nearly a centennial ago still ring true to this day.”  She says.  “When the time is right child, you shall know what it is that should be done.  The loss of loved ones is inevitable and necessary for the outcome that which the Fae seeks.”

     “I need to know exactly what to do!”  I demanded.  All she did was hold her hand up, palm facing me to halt my progression of words; frustration building up.  I’ve seen more than enough palms held up to stop me today but something about this whole scene before me made me push my frustrations aside and pay attention to whatever message this woman had to give.

     “You already know what is needed to be done, child.  Trust in yourself, trust in your love for your people, but most of all, trust in your capability of success.  Once you’ve established this trust I speak of, you can only succeed at restoring the true balance.”  The oracle spoke and then bowed her head and folded her hands onto her lap.  “You must go child, your destiny awaits you and war doesn’t wait for anyone.”

     The infamous oracle disappeared shortly thereafter.  I began feeling a pull – a voice.  Puzzled with the oracle’s statements, I listened to the voice which sounded like it was getting nearer – such a sweet and comforting tone.

     “Payton.  It’s time, Payton.”  It called.

     I woke to a light rub on my thigh; the contact sending electric shivers of warmth through my body and with that, I knew that Cane was the one waking me from my slumber.

     “Payton.  It’s time Payton.”  He said.  I opened my eyes to find a beautiful yet tired smile on his soft lips.  I bolted upright into a sitting position, not knowing how long I had been out for.  Judging by the fact that I still felt drained as well as the fact that the alarm clock on my bedside table was reading nearly nine-thirty in the evening, I had to have been out for an hour at the most.

     “Are you…  Are they…”  I couldn’t finish my sentences; I was so out of sorts with fluster and confusion.  My worry dissipated the minute that Cane nodded slightly and gave me the brightest smile I had seen since the beginning of our day, before Patrick had barged in on us.  I jumped into his arms for a giant celebratory hug.

     “They’re both awake.  Dad’s having issues with his speech and he’s not completely coherent but Mom is able to explain everything that happened to them.  They asked for you immediately which is why I’m here.”  He brushed a stray strand from my hair and tucked it behind my ear.  I kissed him quickly on the cheek and jumped up, off the bed and ran to the door.  I paused to turn and wait for him to meet me and grasp my hand in his before opening the door.

     I stood at the open doorway, looking at Sandra and William; despite looking like death had been after them, there was an abundance of life and joy surrounding the two of them.  I couldn’t help the smile that spread onto my lips; a smile that, upon looking up at Cane who stood by my side, returned.  Lilah waved us in the room as Cane’s brothers, Carly and Kristie turned to face us, all smiling happily – relief was palpable.  Carly turned back towards Sandy and leaned into her to kiss her forehead, whispering something only the two of them could hear.  After a few minutes, everyone had vacated the bedroom and left the four of us to speak with one another.

     “How are you feeling?”  I asked Sandra who had grabbed my hand tightly in hers.  Will was mumbling something under his breath that was utterly incomprehensible; he appeared like he was in his own little world.

     “Better than him.”  She turned her head to look at her husband.  “William?”  She paused until Will turned to her and smiled the most endearing smile that I had ever seen; the love shared between them very much evident.

     “Yes dear?”  He said lovingly.

     “I think you should have a nap.”  She told him.  Cane stood behind me, his gaze locking with his father’s; Will’s eyes bulging with what I could only read as disbelief and possibly a slight hint of shock.

     “No time!  No time Sandy!”  He exclaimed.  “Why am I standing behind that lady?  Wait a minute!  There’s two of me?  Sandra, why are there two of me?  Is this a joke?”  If I hadn’t known about his head not quite being there, I would have thought it a joke with the belligerent way he was voicing every thought.  His brain was almost ADD-ish in nature with the way it bounced around.

     “No Will.  It’s not a joke.  This is your oldest son, Cane.”  She tells him, holding his hand, worry and annoyance clearly evident.

     “Strapping young man that Cane of ours, isn’t he?”  He looked at his wife again with pride.  This time, she was unable to contain the slight giggle she painfully winced out.  “Hey Will!  Go get my Cane!”  He hollered at Cane, evidently, still not retaining what Sandra had just divulged.  It was like one thing was in one ear and literally out the other; his thought process definitely not completely functional – a nap could very well do him well.

     After a few dozen minutes, Sandra had managed to get Will to calm down to the point that he faded into a deep yet restless sleep.  Cane had managed to convince his mother to be brought to the spare bedroom so they could talk without disrupting his father.  Lilah had agreed seeing as it seemed like William’s delirium would fade quicker with rest.  The sooner he was coherent and of right mind, the better for all of us.  Time was of the essence.

     Sandra had explained everything that happened from their departure the day before to when she woke up, in her room nearly two hours or so ago.  I couldn’t believe my ears.  The anger that seethed through her, Cane and myself could have easily set the entire house aflame should the rage been combustible in the very least.  Matt and his Fae clan were succeeding in wreaking havoc but they were progressively getting messier by each hit – that sloppiness would only lead to exposure and exposure is what we were trying to avoid.  My mind flitted back to the newspaper articles that Patrick had brought along with him this morning.  Something told me that it was worse than what these papers were indeed portraying – after all, things happen that don’t necessarily make the news or are privy to public knowledge every day.  Cane had explained to me how the Fae were spread out across the world where they were able to influence the perceptions of the general human population.  They worked solely alongside the humans but with an aim to keep Fae indiscretions and breaches from being widely known.  I had been baffled to say the least.

     “I should have killed the son of a bitch!”  Cane hollered at a whisper, evidently furious with himself.

     “You couldn’t have known that this would happen.”  I patted his lap gently, leaving my hand there to rub soothing circles with my thumb in hopes that it would calm him.

     “Are you kidding me right now?”  He looked at me sternly.  My jaw dropped.  I knew that he was right in his frustrated statement – we knew that chaos would ensue; it was only a matter of time.

     “Payton’s right, son.”  Sandra said.  “It’s not in us to kill for vengeance.  You did the honourable thing that day; no matter how miserable it makes you feel.”

     “But?”  He added, knowing that his mother wasn’t finished.

     “But now, we’re looking at a different outcome.”  She said softly.

     “Are you telling me that we’re looking at a kill or be killed scenario?”  I asked hesitantly but I already knew her answer – it was too obvious; plain as day.  Sandy turned to look at me with sadness in her eyes and gave me a faint confirming nod.

     “The longer we wait to act and defend ourselves, the more our numbers will dwindle, the more we risk total exposure, the more people will be harmed regardless of side or race.”  She pointed out.  Cane and I looked at each other and in that moment, we knew what we had to do.

     “Thank you Sandra.”  I patted her hand and got up to give her a kiss on the cheek.  “Please rest.  We’ll be back in a little while.  Cane, come with me.”

     “What’s the matter?”  He looked at me with worry.

     “Nothing.”  And a smirk played at the corners of my lips.  I waited for him to exit the room and shut the door behind us before I proceeded.  “I have a plan.”

     Moments later, I was surrounded by everyone who had come to support the Nottingham’s.  The house must have had relatively close to seventy people filling its main floor; all of whom were waiting for answers now that their concern over William and Sandra had been ebbed – how would we fight; what are our odds; what’s our overall plan and end goal other than survival?  Cane held my hand tightly.  I gave him a quick glance as the crowd of people followed us into the entranceway.  It was easier to make announcements from here seeing as I could see everyone from my post on the staircase and vice versa; it was also the largest area that could accommodate everyone.  With one last squeeze to Cane’s hand for support, I began…

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