Decision Made

“Do you understand this will wage war? You cannot just go after Centos!” Yiorgos was not happy with Gaylen’s request to go after the highest counsel of the dark side. A war was not something anyone was prepared for; especially after years of peace. The treaties had been signed long ago and for Gaylen to break them now would be detrimental to all; especially over a gifted.
“I have allowed this little romance to continue but I shall not allow any unprovoked attack; she should learn to leave well enough alone.” Gaylen stood angrily listening to his father. He knew his love for Angelica was frowned upon by the counsel, but their respect for his father allowed it to continue; as long as it did not cause a rift amongst the worlds.
“You blame her? She has done nothing to incite an attack from Centos; the council knows nothing of her and her gift. To allow Centos to continue his intimidation and threats breaks the treaty; not her helping of lost souls.” Centos was dangerous, Gaylen knew this, but convincing the counsel to allow him to interfere was going to be hard.
Her gift, in their eyes, was evil but as long as she didn’t cross any lines helping lost souls they left well enough alone; thanks in large to his mother. When Yiorgos found out about his wife’s part in Angelica’s re-birth he was furious, it was a defiant move against the counsel and almost cost them their lives. After hearing her out, and Yiorgos’ pledge to adhere to all rules, the counsel agreed to certain terms of her being allowed to not only live and become Gaylen’s mate, but to use her gift to help lost souls; but there were conditions.
She could not assist in any dark side spirit manipulation, Gaylen was not allowed to interfere, she would not be allowed another re-birth and most importantly she was never allowed to have children. Breeding another gifted was never going to be allowed; her kind was not accepted.
There was a fine line between helping lost souls; seeing and speaking to them; but future prediction went against everything the counsel believed. If her gift was enhanced or she birthed another gifted who was to know what the offspring’s abilities would be; especially if its father was supernatural.
Taking a deep breath and exhaling loudly his father turned to him, “I do not blame her, Gaylen, but Centos simply trying to bore fear in her is not breaking the treaty; therefore you cannot touch him. Has he done anything other than scare her?” Gaylen’s anger was building, his father was taking counsel side, again, and he would not allow any harm to come to Angelica simply because he loved her.
“I tell you this, father, I will not allow her to be harmed in any way. If Centos continues his antics I will interfere; regardless of counsel approval or not.” Angrily leaving the room as his mother entered, Gaylen was hell bent on protecting his love, no matter the cost.
“He is his father’s son,” Antoinette said softly as she walked to her husband, “he wishes only to protect his love.” Yiorgos scoffed at her words; his love for the gifted made no matter to him, and waging war over it was not something he could entertain. “We cannot allow this to interfere with the peace of the worlds; can you not see my side, just a little?” He was not willing to budge on his stance, Antoinette knew this; but that never stopped her from trying before. Her husband was as stubborn as he was handsome; his strong mind was something she loved most about him. He was a force to be reckoned with; stubborn and sometimes harsh, but he was as soft hearted as they come and Antoinette knew this about her husband.
Softly placing her hands on either side of his arms Antoinette softly began to speak, “Love, I understand the need to keep peace; but maybe it's time for change. No one truly knows the extent of her gift and has she not kept up her end of the deal? Her love for our son is strong, I do not think she would jeopardize that; even for a lost soul.” He stared down at her, looking deeply into her eyes as she spoke; his wife was the only one that could ever make him see any other side but his own. She was usually right, but this time he doubted. “Do we allow all this chaos to happen over one mortal? Peace in the worlds cannot be tampered with over a gifted mortal, even you can understand that, can you not?”
“Oh, Yiorgos, you are so old fashioned,” she said matter of factly, smiling as she guided him to sit next to her on the bench. “Times have changed, husband, we now have supernaturals blending in all worlds; except hers. Why is it so different for them? So she is a gifted, what have we really done to learn more of her and what she is capable of doing? It could be a positive thing,” she laid her head on his massive chest as she rubbed his leg with her hand. He never spoke as he was taking in what she was saying; some of it made sense to him, but he was still not willing to budge.
“All I’m saying is maybe it's time we get to know her and her gift; see for ourselves just what this gift can actually do. For centuries we found it to be evil; speaking with the dead, helping them find their spiritual world, crossing over to their afterlife. There are exceptions to everything, as you know, maybe she is the exception?”
She was speaking truths, in centuries past they oftentimes found the gifted to use lost souls to gain power, seek the future, create witchery for their own selfish gain; but just as anything else, not all gifted mortals were the same.
He patted her leg as he stood; reaching down for her hand he pulled her up next to him. “You irritate me sometimes, wife” he gruffly said as he bent down to kiss her on her forehead. “Aye, I know, but is it not one of the things you love about me?” she answered just before tugging on his thick white beard, softly pulling his face down to kiss him on the lips.
Groaning, knowing she won the discussion but not wanting to admit it he replied, “Your husband is hungry, prepare dinner and I shall meet you soon,” turning her towards the door he gave her a little pat on her rear end. Giggling at his gesture she walked towards the door, stopping one last time before leaving, “just think about what I said, yes?” He could never resist that smoldering look she gave him when she wanted her way. Sighing heavily he replied, “yes, my love.”
Sitting back down on the bench he stared into the fire that was blazing in the pit just in front of him. So much was at stake, his son was as head strong as he was and deep down he knew there would be no stopping him if Centos continued his antics. The counsel was firm in their views on gifted mortals, changing that would be no easy task; and did he even want to? He was no more a fan of her kind then they were.
Remembering the damage it caused when he ordered her death, Yiorgos felt a deep pain in his heart. He had no idea the anguish it would cause his son; he had just thought it was a meaningless affair, never did he think the love between the two was so great until he watched his son suffer for years after. He almost lost him then; and that was also something he was not prepared to do again.
Was his wife right? She usually was, but was he willing to do what needed to be done to protect a woman he didn’t even know? His heart was torn, emotions were not his strong point and rarely did he show them; aside from his wife people rarely saw this side of him. He was Yiorgos, after all, and softness was never a trait used to describe him.
One thing he knew he could not allow to happen was losing his son; he would fight all of the worlds greatest warriors on his own to ensure that did not happen. He stood and walked in front of the fire, placing another piece of wood on top of the wilting pile on the grate. He hated being sensitive, it made him feel weak, but he knew he had to think with his heart this time and that is what he intended to do. Yes, his family was his strength and their protection was his biggest concern; and if making that happen meant learning more about this mortal then that was exactly what he intended to do.
Antoinette was right, as always, it was time. Time to learn, time to grow, time to step in. If in fact he learned she was never going to be a threat there would be nothing he wouldn’t do to protect her as his own; still he had to see for himself.
He hated when he was proven wrong, it usually didn’t happen with anyone but his wife; and she always reveled in it, but a strong woman by your side ensured your mind stayed focused on what was most important, family. Yes, it was time; he would intrude on the mortal in the morning, but first he must eat.