Going Home
POV: Alexandra
I woke up the morning after I created the light healing potion and I was able to pass the test so I could go home. Mordred and Whisperia said they would bring me home via a portal. He said that Whisperia would be back in a week’s time to assist in the making of and pick up the next batch of the potion. I made sure I had everything packed up and I had gotten a promise from Whisperia that she would inform me of the status of Tilly when she returned. The last I checked in, she was in stable condition but what I understood of the disease is that that could quickly turn worse. I knew this would be the only way that I could ease my mind about the child. I was hoping that the light healing potion would assist in healing the patients in the quarantine tent. Doc wasn’t sure if this potion would be specifically for healing wounds or if it could heal the disease. He was going to have Mordred test it out on Tilly today. We had spent most of yesterday bottling and labeling the vials for distribution. Apollo didn’t specify if this could heal a disease so I was silently hoping that it would work for the patients. Derek grunted as he pulled his bag from his cot, “You ready to go, Lex?” I looked down at the drawing that Tilly gave me in the early days of us being at that camp, “Yeah, I think so.” I looked over at Jess, “How about you Jess?” She nodded, “As long as you have that special medicine.” I nodded, “Yeah I do.” I looked at the bundle in my bag that was cushioned a lot. We had all talked last night and decided that we would give it to her when we got home. The after-effects of the potion seemed to render its user knocked out for the better part of a day. We also decided that we would involve Teddy so that he could check to see if this potion worked on Jess the way I had hoped it would. A big reason that I wanted to do this work was for her after all.
Jess and I picked up our bags and followed Derek out of the tent. We were supposed to meet with Mordred and Whisperia in front of their tent and proceed to portal home right after that. We decided we would eat breakfast after we got home and we were informed that my parents knew we were coming around this morning. On our way over, we saw Ronan walking about, “Your…um I mean Alexandra, I wanted to catch you on your way out. I wanted to thank you for getting me out of that bed sooner. I feel much better than I did before the appendix started to act up. That is some miracle potion that you created there. I know it wasn’t easy to do it either. I heard from Chalshin that it was very uncomfortable to make it. I wanted to let you know it will never go unappreciated.” I smiled at him, “Oh well, it was a labor of love for my realm. I am just glad that you stuck with me through it. After that first batch, you had every right to quit being my test subject but you didn’t. I’m just glad you only had to endure four of the failures.” Garrett walked up to Ronan and whispered in his ear and he nodded, “I am terribly sorry that I cannot see you off today, Alexandra. I am needed elsewhere and my presence is needed now more than ever.” I nodded at him, “It is understandable. You were in bed for the better part of a week. A good leader will be needed when he is on the mend.” He smiled, “That is kind of you to say. How characteristically you.” Garrett cleared his throat, “I can see Her Grace off, sir. I have business with her anyhow that I would like to discuss with her.” Ronan gave him a skeptical look, “Alright but don’t try anything funny. I will know. Now if you’ll excuse me.”
Ronan walked away and Garrett sighed, “He doesn’t trust me with you, Your Grace. I have never seen him so protective over anyone. I think he quite considers you like a niece himself. You are well loved.” I shrugged, “I think it is because you were acting quite obsessed over me.” He looked down and sighed, “That brings me to what I wanted to talk to you about. I am ashamed of how I acted. I am not generally a straight and narrow guy but knowing that I acted untoward to you, who is a good friend of my brother, I am abashed. I hope you accept my apology at the very least.” I smiled and waved my hands at him, “Not to worry, Garrett. I understood what happened and I don’t think you are to blame at all.” He sighed with relief, “Thank you, Your Grace. My brother truly has found himself a wonderful friend in you and I can see why so many are rooting for you. If you ever need my assistance…” He reached into his pocket and produced an insignia of House Chalshin and handed it to me. I could hear Jess and Derek gasp and he continued, “Please ensure you press the middle of this insignia and I will be summoned to you. I realize you have very capable bodyguards but if you should need it, I will be there to assist you.” Since my two best friends gasped, I had wondered if this was a special thing to lycans. I don’t think I would have to wait long to know what the significance of the insignia was. We continued to walk on to the tent the witches were occupying while they were out here. All that was really left in the camp were a handful of soldiers and the witches. Lucien wanted anyone who really wasn’t needed to go home. The mess tent was dismantled and the soldiers that remained were eating the rations that they had brought out. The remaining soldier crew was just simply there to rebuild the Glades. Countess Kastilidan recovered and was out with the soldiers rebuilding her domain. It was great to see her working with her people since her husband had been so destructive. She was still under investigation but I had hoped that the testimony of myself and a few others would help to soften the blow of any punishment she might receive.
We finally came upon the witches’ tent and the siblings were outside waiting for us. Whisperia smiled at me and waved but I knew she wouldn’t say a word since I had Garrett with me. She was okay with speaking around Derek and she was very comfortable with Jess but she was not okay with Garrett. She told me the day after he was purged of his obsession with me, she told me she still couldn’t trust him. This was evident when her eyes fell on him and she frowned. Mordred put his arm around his sister and whispered something in her ear and she rolled her eyes. He was, no doubt, picking on her for her attitude towards others. Mordred wasn’t a bully but he did love being annoying to people. He smirked at me, “There’s my favorite niece. Are you all packed and ready to go home?” I nodded at him, I was ready to go home. I wasn’t trying to be selfish knowing that people out here were suffering but I had a grandfather at home who was dying and I wanted to spend time with him. It had been too long for me to be away from him but I knew he was doing as best as he could be. He smiled down at me and put his arm around my shoulders, “I’m sure he will be happy to see you too.” I elbowed him lightly in the ribs, “I told you to stop doing that! I feel like I can’t have my own private thoughts anymore.” He chuckled, “Oh dear, you do have private thoughts…it’s just sometimes I like to spy into your thoughts. It’s very interesting the things you think about. Oh but don’t worry I won’t tell Derek what you really think of him.” He winked at me and glanced at Derek who was trying hard to hide the blush on his face. This prompted Garrett to start laughing and slapping his brother on his back, “You’re as red as a tomato! Oh my God’s, I have never seen him so embarrassed.” I sighed and glared at Garrett, “Would you stop picking on poor Derek?” After Garrett bristled, I shot my glare at Mordred, “Both of you.” Derek cleared his throat, “He was picking on me?” I nodded, “Yes, I do think you are a handsome man but I don’t have the hots for you.” He furrowed his brow, “The hots?” Mordred sighed, “You really have to stop with the human slang kiddo. He doesn’t know the hots mean the same thing as the Vellum equivalent of the winks.” It was my turn to furrow my brow, “The winks? That’s what they call it here?” Jess nodded, “Yep, they figure here that if you wink at your crush enough they will know you like them.” I looked at Derek, “So that’s why you kept winking at me when we first met.” This prompted a stifled giggle from his brother and I glared at him again, “Sorry, Your Grace.”
Mordred sighed, “As fun as this is, I was told to have you home at a certain time dear niece. We must get going. Say goodbye to your new little friend.” He glanced over at Garrett and smirked at him. I wondered why he would look at Garrett the way he was but perhaps he was just being mischievous like always. I turned to Garrett, “Well, it was nice to meet you, Garrett. Even though our time together was rather uncomfortable, I do hope we meet on friendlier terms in the future.” He took my hand and drew it to his lips, “You can be assured of that, Your Grace. I don’t intend to be nearly as rude. While you are indeed beautiful, I have my eye on someone else.” I smiled at him, “I think I know who and I will try my hardest to win the competition so that you can be with her.” He smiled at me widely, “I think you are already well on your way there but I do thank you for your consideration towards me and the woman I love. I can see why she and my brother are both rooting for you.” He bowed to us, “I must say farewell to my brother and my cute little future sister-in-law since I must get going to be by the General’s side.” He turned and walked away and we all turned to look at Mordred to let him know that we were finally ready to leave. He smiled and opened the portal. Whisperia walked through first, then Jess, Derek, and I were just about to step in myself when Mordred stopped me, “Can we speak alone for a second? I will keep you well safe.” I looked around and nodded, “I don’t know how you intend to do that but okay.” I heard a small hum and looked around to see we were in a bubble, “You are safe in this bubble, dear niece.” I nodded, “What is it you needed to speak to me about?” He smiled again, “Straight to the point. Look, you might find home to be a bit different when you get back. Don’t be alarmed, it is just Father overreacting to the fact that he is going to die someday. He’s preparing his own funeral…” I looked down and sighed, “I understand.” I hugged him, “Giving me this heads up was the greatest kindness you have bestowed upon me, uncle. I really do appreciate it.” He kissed my cheek, “Of course. I pick on you a lot, my niece but I really do love you more than you will probably ever know. Now let’s get going, child.” We stepped into the portal together and came out on the other side in the foyer of Blackwood Manor. It was eerily quiet coming out on the other side until I heard my father call from the study, “Alexandra, please come into the study. We have something to discuss.”
