Chapter 3.15 - Shellshock

“So, what’s this meeting about, Annie? Are we replacing our human representative? Because I must say, that’s awfully quick.”

“I don’t actually know, Jay. Kara called this meeting.”

All eyes swung to the fairy, who rarely even participated in meetings, let alone called them. She took a deep breath, and suddenly a girl appeared standing behind Kara’s chair. All members in attendance gasped. Kara spoke. “This child is a Seer. I discovered her in town today.”

Nadia frowned. “I’m sorry, but what’s a Seer?”

“A Seer is a human who can see magic. I believe that they’re usually attuned to particular types of magic. Since Kara brought her here, I would assume this one is what we would call a Fae-Seer. But what I don’t understand is why this justifies a meeting. Seers are certainly rare, but it seems to me that Midnight Hollow would be the perfect place for one to live.”

Kara shook her head. “You don’t understand. This human child is a fugitive.”

“What? How could you possibly know that? Do you even know her name?”

“Her name doesn’t matter. All Fae-Seers, as you call them, are the property of our benevolent king, long may he reign. Midnight Hollow has been harboring this fugitive for as long as she’s been alive, I imagine.”

Amanda felt faintly sick. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

“Who are you talking to, kid?”

“Maxwell.”

Kara sighed. “Sprite, you should have brought your pet to court years ago. Training her was understandable, but this? I know that you’re soft on humans, but this is extreme.”

Maxwell’s face was hard. “I am giving you one warning, and one warning only. Do not pursue this issue.”

“Even you can’t keep a Seer from the king, Sprite.”

Maxwell’s eyes flashed in challenge, and he spoke clearly. “I,” a word Amanda somehow couldn’t quite decipher although it was spoken distinctly, “hereby place the human Amanda Doe under my protection and guardianship until she chooses to leave it free of any influence. I give my solemn oath to keep her safe to the best of my ability until that time comes.”

Kara looked shocked. “You would lower yourself to swear that oath to a human? But it doesn’t matter. You know as well as I do this is only a temporary measure. You have no power over the child once she reaches the age of majority. When that day comes, the king will come for her.”

“Not if I can help it.”

Kara addressed Amanda for the first time. “Oh, child. Do you know nothing? You can’t.”

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“I know you’ve had some… anger issues in the past.”

Willow sighed. “I have a temper, Aunt Lucy. There’s nothing I can do about that.”

“Well, I wanted to show you something that I think could help you control your anger.”

Willow shook her head, defeated. “I’ve tried everything. I just get angry, and then I have to be alone or I’ll hurt people. I hate it, but it’s just how it is.”

Lucy smiled. “Just give this a chance. That’s all I’m asking.”

“Okay. One chance.”

“In that case, welcome to the Midnight Hollow Sim Fu Training Center!”

Willow looked hesitantly at the neat, chrome and glass building. “Really, Aunt Lucy? You think teaching me how to seriously injure people is going to help with my fighting problem?”

“It’s not like it’s boxing. This helps you learn to calm yourself so that you can fight without intent to injure.”

Willow looked at her skeptically, but after a brief moment of hesitation, they both went inside.

“So… where do I start?”

“Well, before you do anything else, you have to center yourself.”

Willow frowned. She was never completely calm. Still, she sat down next to Lucy and surrendered herself to this new practice.

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“I can’t believe you have a karaoke machine!”

Jasmin sighed. “It’s new. Mom got it for Dad’s birthday.”

“That was almost a week ago! Why didn’t you tell me about this sooner!”

“Because I knew you’d react like this. You’re practically bouncing off the walls, Felix.”

“Yeah, because it’s a karaoke machine! We should do a duet.”

“Felix, no.”

“Please?”

“You know I don’t sing.”

“Pleeeease?”

“Ugh, you don’t have to break out the puppy-dog eyes. I’ll do it.”

“Great! What should we sing? How about… um…” Felix scrolled through the list of tunes. “‘You’re The One That I Want’! That should be good!”

“Even you can’t convince me to sing showtunes, Felix. Before you ask, I also refuse to do country.”

“Fine.” Sulky as he was, Felix eventually settled on a darker duet from a couple of years ago, which Jasmin reluctantly agreed to.

After they’d finished singing, Felix grinned. “I still don’t get why you don’t sing.”

“I just don’t like it. Piano is much easier to master.”

“I should have figured this was about you being a perfectionist. But, hey, we sounded good together, didn’t we?”

“We did.” Jasmin gave him a rare smile. She was too serious.

They stood quietly for a little while. Then- “Hey, Jasmin? When we get to high school in a few years…”

“What?”

“Will you join my band? You can play keyboard.”

Jasmin laughed softly. “Of course I will.”

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“I understand that you’re still upset, but Jenny, I feel like I haven’t seen you in forever.”

“Of course I’m upset!” It was a rare display of temper from a girl who tended to bottle things up. Soon her voice softened. “Jonah, imagine how you would feel if your father died.”

He snorted. “I’m not sure I’d feel anything.”

“How can you say that? I know you and Alaric don’t really get along, but-”

“Oh, I wasn’t talking about Alaric. I’d probably be happy if Alaric kicked the bucket. No, I meant my real father.”

“... You mean Alaric’s not your real father?”

“Hardly. He’s the man my mother left my father for when I was little. I haven’t seen my real father since then.”

Jenny just stared at him. “Jonah… don’t take this the wrong way… but you look exactly like Alaric.”

“My father was - still is, I guess - his brother. My mother apparently had no conscience, but…”

“Yeah, but… were they identical twins? Because you look exactly like Alaric. I’m sorry to be the one telling you this, but I think you should be asking your parents some questions.”

“What, exactly, are you trying to imply?”

Something about his tone of voice gave Jenny a nasty reminder of her father. On instinct, she backed off. “Nothing, nothing, I just…”

“Are you trying to say that you think Alaric is my father?”

“I-”

“Because I promise that’s not the case. That can’t possibly be the case. That would mean that my mother not only left my father for his brother, she also passed off said brother’s child as her husband’s, which she would never do. Or maybe she would. She probably would. They’re horribly selfish, both of them. Alaric and Madeline. If they’re my parents… what hope do I have?”

“What hope do your siblings have?”

He laughed darkly. “None. Nature versus nurture, right? Well, they’ve had bad luck on both. I’d wish Serena the best, but her genes are probably even worse than the rest of ours. Why do people do these things to each other?”

Jenny looked at him with slightly frightened eyes. She’d never seen him like this. “Not everyone’s like that, Jonah. And you’re not doomed to be like your parents.”

When her eyes met his, his gaze was desperate. “Maybe not, but I always worry. Promise me you won’t leave me, Jenny.”

“I don’t-”

“Promise!”

“I promise. I won’t leave you.”

“Never?”

“Never.”

 --------

“Alaric?”

“Madeline? What are you doing here?”

“You haven’t been home for longer than a few hours in the middle of the night since John died. I have to talk to you.”

“What about? Because I have a lot of work to do.”

“I need you to tell me the truth.”

“The truth about what?”

Madeline took a deep breath. “Alaric, did you kill John Doe?”

Alaric stared at her incredulously. “How could you even think that? You’re my wife! You’re supposed to trust me above anyone else!”

“Am I your wife? Because it doesn’t feel like it! You’ve barely spoken to me since Felix was born. And you’ve broken my trust Plumbob knows how many times already, so what’s one more?”

Alaric shook his head. “I know what the problem is here.” He grabbed Madeline’s arm and dragged her through a maze of identical hallways until she had no idea where she was.

“Where are we going?”

Alaric didn’t answer, but finally they reached a door, which he burst through into a small office.

Behind the desk sat Odessa Winchester, casually watching the news.

“This is your fault!”

She looked up at them leisurely as the newscaster wrapped up the coverage of the new high school gym. “What’s my fault? I know you blame everything from clogged toilets to world hunger on me, so I need specifics.”

“I have to resign, and my own wife thinks I’m a murderer, all because you killed John Doe!”

“I’ve told you before, and I’ll tell you again, I had nothing to do with John Doe’s death. I’ll admit to taking advantage of the circumstances, but I didn’t kill him.” Even as she dropped that bombshell, the TV correspondent was giving a brief report on how black was the new black this year. Madeline found herself watching it with a sick fascination.

“Then who do you claim did?”

“You mean you haven’t figured it out?”

The news had cut to a clip of Jane Doe, speaking to reporters in front of her house. “My husband’s death was… a tragedy.”

Alaric blinked. He’d spent enough time in politics to recognize a barely concealed lie when he heard one. “You mean…”

“Even if you told anyone, they wouldn’t believe you. So if I were you, I’d get back to getting your things out of my new office.”

Defeated, Alaric slumped out. He knew when he had lost.

Author's Note: And that wraps up Alaric's final plotline! From now on he will be relegated to background status while we focus on the kids and their problems, which are becoming clear. However, because of the whole five children problem, there will only barely be enough time to lay down the basics of their stories before the heir poll. So, while the heir poll is up, I'll be giving each kid a little special of their own, in epistolary style (written like a letter). Thanks to Sara A/tunafishfish for all the great ideas, I'll definitely be using some of those. No pictures, just words, to give a little further characterization in case you can't pick a favorite by the end of chapter 20.

Willow is now disciplined, and looking a lot like a Madeline clone at this point. I suppose it's a generational trend (Pretty sure Felix is an Alaric clone). I'm not thrilled about it, but at least this generation the kids aren't all clones of each other, as has been the case in the past. Next chapter: a lot of confrontations, because secrets can never stay hidden for long (at least, not in this legacy)!