Chapter 2 - Recovery

Chevalier laid Emily down in their bed extremely slowly and gently. She winced when her back hit the mattress, but then relaxed as she settled down. He propped her leg up on a few pillows, and Kyle stuffed pillows under her arm.

“Do you need anything?” Chevalier asked, sitting on the chair by the bed.

“No, I’m good.” She smiled.

“Allen wants to see you,” Chevalier told her.

“That’s fine,” she said. Sam came in carrying Allen. He looked at Emily, and reached down from Sam’s arms and kissed her on the forehead.

“I love you, Mommy,” Allen said, looking at her curiously.

She smiled, “I love you too, Baby.”

“Does it hurt?”

“Sometimes.” She smiled slightly.

“Enough,” Chevalier said, and Sam took Allen out to the stables.

“How is Mark?” Emily asked. “You promised.”

“Ok, we’ll go get him,” Kyle said. They didn’t want Emily to worry about Mark, so they waited until he healed properly. The faction’s doctor had to re-break almost every bone in his lower body so it could reset properly.

Mark came in a few minutes later and smiled, “Heya, Killer.”

Emily looked over him carefully, “Are you ok?”

“Sure!” Mark said, spinning easily.

“Thank you,” she said softly.

He touched her hand, “Any time, Kiddo. Did you bring my clothes back?”

Emily smiled, “You sure you wanted them back? They were covered in Valle goo.”

Mark laughed and left the room.

“Has Exavior called?” she asked quietly.

“No, he hasn’t,” Chevalier said, trying to sound concerned. He still didn’t trust Exavior, and couldn’t forget that he was there when the Valle and Encala tried to destroy the Equites city.

Emily shut her eyes and winced.

“Do you hurt?” Kyle asked, grabbing the bag the doctor gave them.

“No,” she lied, but her face told them the truth.

“You can’t even fight this off, so don’t try,” Kyle said, filling a syringe.

Her eyes grew wide, “Please don’t, I’m ok.”

“Mmhmmm,” he said, putting the bottle back in the bag.

“Kyle… don’t!” she screamed as he injected the pain medicine. She frowned at him, and then felt herself relaxing as the medicine flowed throughout her body.

Chevalier chuckled, “I appreciate you doing that. She’d never forgive me.”

“No problem, I’m sure I’m already in trouble for the council chambers. How much worse can it get?” Kyle said.

“Back in five hours?” Chevalier asked. Kyle nodded, and then disappeared.

Chevalier watched as Emily slept and looked through the doctor’s instructions for her. He chuckled when they suggested she may have a long-term brain injury because of her incessant use of the word ‘hekoo’ while under medication. He wondered how the four weeks on bed rest were going to go. Her back was taped up, and she had to remain as stables as possible for the entire time. She had six weeks in an arm cast and eight weeks in a leg cast.

Chevalier shook his head. He wasn’t sure how to make her follow the doctor’s orders. He guessed there was no way, and finally decided to just do the best he could.

Emily was compliant through the first three weeks. Any time she tried to move, her back caused enough pain that she dutifully stayed in bed. Kyle kept up the injections for a few days, and then backed off to only once or twice a day for the next few weeks.

The part Emily fought the most, was being fed. With one arm in a cast and the other’s fingers wrapped up and too stiff to bend from the frostbite, Chevalier had to feed her, and she found that humiliating and degrading.

“What do you want for lunch today?” Chevalier asked her after the movie ended.

“A sandwich, that way I can feed myself,” she said, and flexed her fingers. They were getting less stiff every day.

He grinned, “Ok, though I don’t mind.”

“I bet you don’t,” she said, looking around the room.

“We even got a new chef. I’m sure he’s going to love sandwiches, very easy,” Chevalier said, knowing her order had already been heard.

“How many more days until I can try to stand up?” she asked, for the second time that day.

“It’s still six days away.” Chevalier grinned.

“It’s sooo boring,” she said, frustrated.

Chevalier turned around and took the tray from the heku, then sat it on the table. He lifted the dome and handed Emily half of an egg salad sandwich. Emily ate slowly, her stiff fingers held tightly to the sandwich. She finished the half and ate the other half a little faster.

“Drink?” Chevalier asked.

Emily nodded.

Chevalier picked up the special cup they used for Emily. It had a lid and straw, so she could drink lying down.

Emily took a drink and then immediately spit red liquid all over the bed. Chevalier gasped and put the cup down quickly, and then grabbed a rag. Emily was gagging as blood dripped down her chin.

“Damon!” Chevalier yelled.

Damon blurred into the room and stifled a grin, “Problems?”

“The new chef gave her blood to drink,” Chevalier hissed, digging in a basket full of chocolates high on a shelf.

“And… you want some?” Damon asked, confused.

Chevalier growled at him, “Punish him. That is your job, is it not?”

Emily began stuffing chocolates into her mouth to get rid of the taste of blood.

Damon grinned when she looked at him, and then blurred from the room.

“I’m sorry, Em. I should have checked to see what he sent,” Chevalier said, stripping her covers off and throwing them in a corner. Servants appeared and threw a clean sheet and a blanket over her.

“That is so nasty,” she said, gagging a bit.

“It’s infuriating that he made such a stupid mistake,” Chevalier hissed.

“It was gross, but no harm done,” she said, eating another chocolate.

Damon appeared back in the room almost an hour later, and Emily glared at him.

“Cheer up, he’s been punished.” Damon was rocking back and forth on his feet, his hands clasped behind his back.

“What did you do?” Emily asked. The curiosity got to her.

“I made him eat what he’s making you for dinner,” Damon said, grinning.

“That should work.” Chevalier grimaced.

“What’s he making?” Emily asked skeptically.

“I don’t know what it is… red and stringy.” He shuddered. Damon looked around the room and continued to rock on his feet.

“Are you waiting for something?” Emily asked.

Damon looked at her, “Waiting, in case someone else tries to assault you.”

“Like you’d care,” she snapped at him.

“I would, most definitely,” Damon said, acting concerned. “I’d like to lessen the time we all have to carry you around the palace.”

“Get out,” Emily said, throwing a chocolate at him and missing.

“Nice shot.”

“Get out!” Emily screamed.

“Damon,” Chevalier sighed, and Damon blurred from the room.

“He’s infuriating!”

“Yes he is. Can I get you anything else?”

“Don’t suppose there are any popsicles in the place?” She asked.

“Popsicle?”

“Never mind,” she sighed.

***

“We all ready?” Chevalier asked.

Emily nodded, her eyes suddenly afraid.

The faction doctor was in the room with pain medicine ready. Kyle had his hands under Emily’s injured arm, and Chevalier was lifting under her good arm.

“Ok, all on three…” Chevalier said, and counted slowly to three.

At once, the doctor swung Emily’s legs over the side of the bed, while Kyle and Chevalier lifted and turned her body. She cried out slightly and then sat up on the edge of the bed, breathing heavily.

“Need to lie back down?” Chevalier asked.

Emily shook her head. She didn’t want to have to do that again.

After just a few moments, she raised her head and looked out over the room.

“How are you feeling?” the doctor said.

“Just dizzy, give me a sec,” she said, squeezing her eyes shut.

They all watched her, carefully.

“Ok,” she said, and then opened her eyes.

“So?” Chevalier asked. He and Kyle were both ready to catch her if she fell.

“I’m sitting.” She smiled.

“Do you want to stand up?” the doctor asked, and Emily nodded.

“Ok, up you go,” he said as Kyle and Chevalier lifted her up so she was standing on her one good foot.

Chevalier braced under her casted arm, and acted as a crutch as she maneuvered over to look out the window. Her eyes scanned everything from the clouds in the sky to the grass. She’d been staring at the ceiling for four long weeks.

“Did they give me crutches?” she asked, looking around.

“Just one, you can’t use a crutch under your left arm,” the doctor told her, and handed her the crutch. She slipped it under her arm, and Chevalier let go of her. She hobbled slowly across the room as Chevalier stayed close to her in case she fell.

“Oh freedom,” she said, grinning.

“Great, now she’ll be slipping guards and sneaking out in no time,” Damon said from the door.

Emily frowned, “Why are you in my room?”

“I need to talk to the Elder,” he said, watching her. “Getting fat lying around, aren’t you?”

Emily grabbed a vase and hurled it at his head. He ducked and it shattered against the wall behind him.

“Damon,” Chevalier said. “Meet me in my office in ten minutes.”

Damon nodded, bowed to Emily, and walked slowly down the hallway.

“Ugh!” Emily screamed.

Chevalier went down to his office and stepped in. Damon was already waiting for him.

“Why do you have to irritate her like that?” Chevalier asked, sitting behind his large desk.

“Because it’s so easy,” Damon said, grinning.

“So what did you need?”

Damon became serious, “The blood drink… I don’t think that was an accident.”

Chevalier frowned, “Explain.”

“Did you happen to taste it?”

“No”

“It wasn’t human blood, it was heku.”

Chevalier growled, “Whose?”

“I don’t know. I just got curious and tasted a drop. Did she swallow any?”

“I don’t think so,” Chevalier said angrily.

“I don’t know much about those runes, but if it’s Vaughn’s blood…” Chevalier’s growl cut him off.

“Find out.”

“Ok, might I suggest we send Elder Quinn to ask? He has quite a talent for getting information,” Damon smiled.

“Yes, go ask him please, and let me know.”

Damon nodded and walked out of Chevalier’s office. He grabbed a stack of file folders, and was about to go through them when he heard a council summons.

Chevalier was the first to make it to the council chambers, but the others soon followed. There was an empty chair in the Chief Interrogator’s seat. No one had been elected to fill that spot yet.

“I’ve summoned you all because a representative from the Valle has asked for an audience,” Maleth said.

“Great,” Damon hissed.

“Let them in,” Maleth said, and all eyes turned toward the door. Exavior entered, followed by four Valle Imperial Guards.

“What can we do for you today?” Quinn asked, his eyes narrowing.

“We have come to ask for the release of Sotomar,” Exavior said.

“No,” Chevalier said bluntly.

“We call for diplomatic immunity on his behalf.”

“No”

Exavior frowned, “You won’t even discuss conditions for his release?”

Quinn growled, “He led an attack on our city. Come to think of it, so did you.”

“An attack that was warranted,” Exavior said.

“Warranted? We returned the Encala’s Elder, against my better judgment, mind you,” Chevalier hissed.

“That is only half of what was taken from them,” Exavior reminded them. “So let’s discuss Sotomar.”

Chevalier raised his eyebrow, “He is a prisoner of war, and we aren’t letting him go.”

“That remains to be seen. I am also here to check on the welfare of the Winchester,” Exavior said, looking directly at Chevalier.

His eyes narrowed, “She’s not doing well, thanks to your infiltrator crashing her helicopter.”

Exavior looked visibly shaken, “What?”

“Surely you realized you haven’t heard from Frank lately?” Quinn said.

“We…” Exavior looked at one of the Valle with him. “We weren’t aware there was a problem.”

“How badly is the girl injured?” one of the Valle asked.

“She’s none of your concern,” Quinn answered.

“It is of our concern. The Winchester’s welfare is important to all factions,” Exavior said, irritated.

“If it was so important to you, then your faction wouldn’t have downed her helicopter,” Maleth snapped.

“I insist on seeing for myself that she is alive,” Exavior said bluntly.

Damon eyed Chevalier, who nodded.

“I will take you, but only you,” Damon said to Exavior.

The other Valle moved to stand around Exavior, and one of the guards spoke, “We do not trust you to take him alone.”

“It’s ok, let me go,” Exavior ordered them, and they fell back.

Damon hurdled the desk and landed in front of Exavior, “Follow me, then.”

Damon led Exavior to Emily’s room and stood outside of her door, “Wait here.”

Exavior nodded, and Damon disappeared into Emily’s room.

“What do you want?” she asked, looking up from the bed.

“You have company. I’m just making sure you were decent,” he said seriously.

Emily frowned, “Who?”

“Exavior, be careful what you say to him, ok? I’ll be in here just in case.” His seriousness made her nervous.

She nodded.

Damon walked over and opened the door. Exavior walked in and stood by the door, looking over Emily.

He frowned, “How are you?”

Emily glanced at Damon, and then back to Exavior, “Alive.”

Exavior glanced nervously at Damon, and walked over to the bed and knelt down, “I didn’t know.”

“You were too busy trying to kill off my faction,” she said, irritated.

“I had to.”

“Ok”

“Emily, I’ve been able to keep factioning out of our friendship,” he said softly.

Emily nodded.

“How are you?”

“I’m ok.” She glanced at Damon again, and then back to Exavior.

“Will you leave for a minute?” Exavior asked Damon.

“No,” he said, crossing his arms.

Exavior nodded and turned back to Emily, “Have they hurt you?”

Emily frowned, “No, this was all your people’s doing.”

“I’m not my faction.”

“You attacked us.”

“I wouldn’t have hurt you,” he promised her.

“From what I hear, you’re pretty adamant on taking me though.”

“That’s faction work,” he said. “I can separate it out from our friendship.”

“I don’t know if I can trust you,” Emily told him.

“If I wanted you, I would have taken you the first night when you were alone in my truck,” he reminded her.

“You would now though, right?” she asked, narrowing her eyes.

“I wouldn’t,” he said, and touched her arm softly.

“Back off,” Damon yelled, as he grabbed Exavior’s collar and threw him across the room.

Exavior stood up angrily, “I didn’t hurt her.”

“Hands off,” Damon scowled at him.

“I’m done here,” Exavior said, turning for the door.

“Exavior?” Emily asked, and he turned around. “The Equites won’t hurt me.”

“Give them time. You have my number,” he said, and walked out.

Damon turned to Emily, “Are you ok?”

She nodded and he left the room, shutting the door behind him.

Damon followed Exavior back to the council chambers. The Valle returned to his faction members as Damon returned to his seat.

“I have confirmed that she is alive. Now back to Sotomar’s release,” Exavior said coldly.

“I think we are done here,” Quinn said.

“We will be back,” Exavior told him.

“Very well, we will be ready for it,” Maleth told them.

The Valle left the room and Chevalier turned to Damon, “So?”

“Not much to say. She was pretty cold to him, and he didn’t like that,” Damon told him.

“How do we get through to them that Emily’s not up for grabs?” Quinn asked, irritated.

“It may be permanent. Yet another reason for the factions to hate each other,” Maleth said.

The Council heard a scuffle from in front of their doors. They blurred to the hallway, and saw the four Valle guards being restrained by Equites troops.

“Where is Exavior?” Damon scowled.

“The Lady was in the fifth-floor foyer when he came out, he grabbed her and took off,” one of the Equites said, putting the Valle he was holding into a choke hold.

Chevalier was gone in a flash, followed by Damon. They appeared in their bedroom, but it was empty. Continuing up the stairs, they appeared on the roof and saw Exavior in front of Emily. Mark was crouched defensively between them. She was leaning against the wall of the roof in only a nightgown, and her crutch was lying at her feet.

Damon and Chevalier walked up to them.

“I told you, they haven’t hurt me,” Emily said, frustrated.

“I don’t buy this helicopter story, Em,” Exavior said.

Mark growled, “It’s not a story.”

“You’re pushing your diplomatic immunity,” Damon said, and Exavior spun to face them.

“I had no choice. I had to talk to her alone. She’s not going to admit in front of you if she’s being abused,” Exavior said angrily.

“The only one that’s hurt me today is you,” Emily said, her voice gave away the pain she was feeling.

Chevalier appeared at her side, “What’s wrong?”

“My back… he picked me up,” she whispered, and her breath caught.

Damon had Exavior on the ground in an instant, his hands wrapped around the Valle’s neck, “I warned you not to touch her.”

Exavior glared, “I didn’t mean to hurt her.” He looked over as Mark and Chevalier helped Emily toward the door. She was groaning. The movement sent her back into spasms.

“Emily,” Exavior said, but his voice was cut off by Damon’s hands.

“Stop,” she cried out, and fought to catch her breath through the pain. “I can’t do this.”

Kyle appeared behind her, and gave her an injection before she even saw him. Exavior watched, horrified, as he saw what he caused. Emily slowly relaxed into Chevalier’s arms. He handed her to Mark, who blurred her away. Kyle and Chevalier walked over to where Damon had Exavior pinned.

“Consider diplomatic immunity, broken,” Chevalier said. Kyle nodded and disappeared to have the Valle guards moved to the prison.

“I… I didn’t know,” Exavior said as he stood up.

“If she spends the next four weeks back in bed, I’ll come kill you myself,” Chevalier said as Damon pulled Exavior down into the palace.

Chevalier walked into Emily’s room, and tensed when he heard Mark growl. He spun quickly on the Elder and then stood up out of his crouch, “Sorry, Elder.”

Chevalier looked over at Emily. She was back in bed with her arm and leg propped up and was fast asleep.

“Stay with her, I’ll be back,” Chevalier said, and Mark nodded.

By the time Chevalier got to the prison, Quinn and Maleth had already arrived to watch the Valle’s Chief Interrogator put into a cell, far away from Sotomar.

Damon slammed the door and turned to the Elders.

“Notify the Valle that their group assaulted the Winchester, and is being held here until a decision is made on a punishment,” Maleth said to Damon.

Damon left just as Kyle walked around the corner, “I advise we reinforce the perimeter around the city. I wouldn’t put it past the Valle to try to break their council members out.”

Chevalier nodded, “Do it.”

“Let me talk to her,” Exavior said, from beside his bars.

Chevalier glared at him, “You’ve done enough.”

“She has to know that I didn’t mean to hurt her,” he said.

“That remains to be seen,” Chevalier said to him.

“I do believe I need to converse with the chef,” Quinn said, and a dark smile crossed his lips as he moved off to another part of the prison.

Chevalier returned to Emily’s room and excused Mark, though he heard Mark stand outside of her door. He pulled a chair up by her bed and watched her sleep. Chevalier was deep in thought about the Valle prisoners when her voice brought him back.

“Tell him to stop it,” Emily said, barely above a whisper.

Chevalier wasn’t sure she was awake, but when he looked over at her, she was watching him.

“Tell who to stop?” Chevalier asked her.

“Kyle”

“He’s trying to help,” he told her.

“I’m tired of being drugged against my will,” she said, and narrowed her eyes slightly.

“We had to get you back down the stairs. It was hurting you too much.”

She nodded, “I guess.”

“How bad is your back?” he asked her.

“It’s not hurting right now.”

“What did he say to you?” Chevalier asked.

“He wanted to know who broke my arm and leg,” she said, frowning.

“They don’t believe the helicopter crashed. They think it’s a fabricated story to cover your injuries,” Chevalier said with a slight grin.

“Yeah, I kinda got that.” Emily looked over when someone knocked on her door.

“Enter,” Chevalier barked.

Quinn walked in and smiled at Emily, “How are you, Dear?”

“Fine,” she said, and Chevalier chuckled. He knew Emily didn’t like the new Elder.

“Did you… last week… ingest any of the blood?” Quinn asked, concerned.

“No, I spit it out,” she said. “Nasty stuff.”

Quinn chuckled, “Very well, as long as you are sure.”

“Why?” she asked, and looked at Chevalier when Quinn didn’t answer.

Chevalier sighed, “It was heku blood. We aren’t sure why he slipped it to you though.”

“Well… we do now,” Quinn said.

“Tell me,” Emily demanded.

Chevalier nodded to Quinn, who continued, “The only thing keeping the runes on your leg from reaching full power… as in, the ability to call you to them, or the ability for them to fully control you, is to consummate the bonding, or exchange blood.”

Chevalier growled.

“So that was Vaughn’s?” she asked, wrinkling her nose.

“Yes,” Quinn said. “Has he… ever… you know… fed?”

“No!” Emily almost yelled.

“Good, good, then neither of the two parts have been added to the ritual,” Quinn said, smiling.

“They are trying to get the hard part done first, getting her to drink heku blood. After that, the other part is easy,” Chevalier said, looking at Emily.

She frowned, “I’m not that easy to feed off of.”

Chevalier chuckled, “Yes, I know.”

Quinn left, and Emily watched him go and then turned back to Chevalier.

“Do you need anything?” he asked.

“No,” she sounded irritated.

“Mark’s outside of your door if you do. I need to go finish some things,” he said, then kissed her softly and left.

Chevalier met with Quinn and Maleth in the ante-chamber off of the Council’s room. He sat down and joined in the conversation.

“He’s gruff, but can he get information?” Maleth was asking Quinn.

“I can train someone if we need to.”

“Who’s on the table?” Chevalier asked.

“We’re talking about Zohn,” Quinn answered.

“I don’t know him,” Chevalier frowned.

“I’ve only heard rumors that he does interrogations for his coven,” Quinn said.

“Why don’t we try him out? Bring him in and see what information he can get out of the Valle guards in the interrogation chamber?” Chevalier suggested.

Maleth smiled, “That’s a good idea, actually.”

“As long as he doesn’t question Sotomar or Exavior, that gets a little touchy when diplomatic relations are involved,” Quinn said.

“True,” Maleth said.

“It’s settled then, bring him in and see what information he can squeeze out of them,” Chevalier said.

“Now the hard part… what do we do with Exavior and Sotomar?” Quinn asked, sitting back in his chair.

Chevalier sighed.

“Sotomar is being held on what charges, exactly?” Maleth asked.

Quinn grabbed a file, “Unwarranted acts of war against Council City.”

“They will fight the ‘unwarranted’ part,” Maleth said.

“Yes, but that’s the charge.”

“Ok, and Exavior?” Maleth asked.

“That one’s tricky,” Quinn said. “There’s actually no law against assaulting a mortal, or a Winchester.”

Chevalier frowned, “What about a member of the Council?”

“There is a law against that, but as she’s the only mortal ever to be bonded with a council member, they may contest that the rule doesn’t apply,” Quinn explained.

“Get someone to dig through the books, there has to be something,” Chevalier said, irritated.

Quinn nodded, “Already on it. Unless we can come up with a charge, we’ll have to let him go.”

Chevalier nodded.

“On another note,” Maleth said. “The Cavalry has requested to be reinstated as Emily’s personal guard.”

“Nothing would please me more,” Chevalier said, with a slight grin. “However…”

“However… she doesn’t want a personal guard, and we promised not to assign them to her,” Maleth nodded.

“Reason with her, had Mark not been with her in the helicopter, she would have died,” Quinn said.

“Yeah... reason with her… that’s not as easy as it sounds,” Chevalier said.

“Will Mark try? Right now she sort of… owes him,” Maleth suggested.

Chevalier nodded, “I will ask.”

“Are you coming tonight, then?” Quinn asked, standing up.

“Damn, I forgot about that,” Chevalier said. “Did we promise the three of us would be there?”

“Yes, we did,” Maleth said, smiling. “It’ll be good for you! We’ll feed on the way back.”

Chevalier nodded, “Let me grab my robe. I’ll meet you at the helicopter.”

Chevalier nodded at Mark and whispered instructions to him. Mark agreed, and then Chevalier went into Emily’s room. She was sitting up on the side of her bed.

“I did it!” she said proudly.

Chevalier smiled, “Impressive.”

“What’s wrong?” she asked, watching him.

“Why do you assume something is wrong?”

“What bad news did you come to tell me?”

Chevalier sighed, “Ok, I forgot that I have an induction ceremony tonight in Illinois. They asked for the three Elders to come, and I already promised I’d be there.”

Emily laughed, “That’s not bad, go.”

“I hate to leave you,” he said, sitting by her on the bed.

“I’ll be ok, if I get bored I’ll go visit Exavior in the prison,” she said, and winked at him when he looked at her, shocked.

“You aren’t helping,” Chevalier chuckled.

“Just go,” she said.

***

The ceremony took longer than expected. Seven hours to swear in a new Coven Head was pushing it, and all three Elders were eager to return to Council City. With the city at imminent war, it made them all uncomfortable to be away for that long. Equites 1 hovered over the palace before gently setting down. The pilot cut the engines, and the Elders stepped out to a long line of guards.

“It just seems… that if we are asked to come to a new Coven Head’s coronation, they should drop the daily announcements and other random coven business, and bring it up at a later date,” Maleth said, irritated, as they stepped into the palace.

“Maybe we should specify that the next time we’re invited,” Quinn suggested, slipping off his green robe.

The Elders stopped and listened when they heard the shouting.

“Run Mark!” Emily screamed.

“I can’t, you attack him. I’m busy with this one,” Mark replied, frantically.

“Don’t attack me! I will always win,” Kyle said, and laughed menacingly.

“I’m hurt,” Emily yelled.

“Die, Emily!” Damon yelled, and then laughed.

Chevalier and the Elders blurred into Emily’s room, and then stopped suddenly. Kyle, Damon, and Marked turned around quickly and stood at attention. Emily peered at the Elders from a wheelchair by the TV.

“Welcome back,” Emily said, smiling.

Chevalier frowned, “What’s going on?”

“Erm… Vampire Attack IV,” Kyle said, stifling a grin.

Maleth frowned, “Excuse me?”

Chevalier laughed, “Did you buy her a game console?”

Mark nodded, “She was bored, Sir.”

“But… I heard Damon threaten Emily,” Maleth said, still confused.

Chevalier took Maleth to the TV, and showed him what was going on. The large LCD TV was displaying a dark, destroyed village. The stereotypical vampire was running around aimlessly, while four dead, bloody bodies lie in the streets. Above the heads of the deceased were the names: Emily, Kyle, Mark, and Damon.

“It’s a game,” Chevalier said, frowning. “A bad one at that.”

“It’s fun!” Emily laughed. “I think Damon cheated, though. He only attacked me when I had vampires all around.”

“That’s not cheating, that’s strategy.” Damon grinned.

“At least our team was winning,” Mark said.

“Was not.” Kyle laughed. “We had you both dead before the zombies even got out of the graveyard.”

“The zombies were pansies,” Emily said. “They ran from the vampires, at least the big ones… the little ones they could take out though.”

“This is just weird,” Quinn said, and left the room.

Emily squinted her face at him after he left, “No fun.”

“Hmm,” Chevalier said, walking around the wheelchair. “What did they have to do to get you into that?”

Emily smiled, “They bought me a game, of course.”

“It only seemed logical. Now she can easily maneuver around her room by herself,” Mark said, looking at it. The footrest on the right was lifted to accommodate the cast on her right leg, and a pillow was propped under her left arm, which was no longer in a cast.

“Where’s your cast, Em?” Chevalier sighed.

“It was bugging me,” she said, looking down at her arm, propped up on a soft pillow.

“Who took it off?”

“I’m not telling.”

Chevalier turned to Mark.

“It was off when we got back here with the Wii,” Mark said quickly.

“So we leave for the night, and you all decide to play games?” Chevalier asked.

“It was purely tactical,” Emily said. “Now if I’m ever attacked by vampires, I know to stay away from Damon and the zombies.”

“Hrm,” Damon said, laying down the remote controller.

Maleth lifted the controller and looked at it, then at the screen, where a small human avatar was being eaten by enraged, computer controlled vampires, “Interesting.”

“We… better get back to work,” Kyle said, nodding to Mark, and they both blurred out of the room.

Silas knocked on the door and came into the room carrying a pizza box, “Did someone order pizza?”

Emily smiled, “How’d you guess it was me? Allen, come eat!”

Allen ran out of the bedroom in his pajamas, and grabbed a slice from Silas before running back into his room with it. Silas laid the box down on the table and left the room. Emily picked up a piece, and took a bite of the pepperoni, olive, and pineapple pizza, and then looked up at Chevalier, Maleth, and Damon, who were watching her.

“Um... did you want some?” she asked, holding up a slice.

“No, I think we’re all good.” Chevalier smiled.

“Then why are you watching me?”

“To try to figure out how you can eat something so disgusting,” Damon said casually.

Emily frowned, “Pizza is not disgusting. Now that salty coagulated blood… that is nasty.”

“Says the mortal,” Damon said, raising an eyebrow.

“Leech”

“Child”

“Psychopath.” Emily threw a slice of pizza at him just as he started to turn away, and it smashed into the side of his face.

“Control your wife,” Damon said to Chevalier.

“Get bent,” Emily yelled at him.

Damon threw his hands up in the air, “What does that even mean!?”

“Out,” Chevalier said, pointing to the door. Maleth took Damon by the shoulder and ushered him out, then shut the door.

Emily pushed the control on her wheelchair and it slid silently over to the gaming console. She turned it off and then drove over to Chevalier.

“It’s actually kind of fun,” she said.

Chevalier chuckled and sat down on the bed, “Did Mark talk to you?”

Emily nodded, “Yes.”

“So… let’s start with the answer to his request.”

“I agreed to two, not four, and they have to stay outside of my room. They also have to leave me alone when I go riding,” she said. “Oh, and if I tell them to get lost, they have to.”

“Were those the only conditions?” he asked, chuckling.

“No, it can’t be Damon… ever.” Emily thought, “I think that was all.”

“But you honestly agreed to two?” Chevalier asked, just to clarify.

She sighed, “Yes, I did.”

“What did you ask in return… dare I ask?” he asked, watching her.

“Well the Wii was one of them, or, more like something to do. I get a palomino and a paint stallion when I am up and around. Kyle’s not allowed to give me any more uninvited shots, and I can talk to Exavior whenever I want,” she said, listing the bribe.

“That’s quite the list,” Chevalier said.

“Yes, well… it was quite the demand, too,” Emily told him.

“True, I don’t like a few of the listed items though.”

“Like what?”

“The shots… sometimes they are necessary, and you are just too stubborn to see that,” he said matter-of-factly.

Emily frowned, “That one stays.”

“What about Exavior? Why would you even want to see him?”

“He didn’t know my back was hurt, nor did he know that picking me up like that aggravated it,” she said.

“He still had no right to do what he did,” Chevalier said sternly.

“I agree.”

“Then why?” Chevalier was confused.

“Because… that’s why,” Emily said bluntly.

“That helps.”

“Live with it,” she said, frowning. She drove her wheelchair into the bathroom, and tried to slam the door, but it hit her back wheels.

“No fighting, ok? Let me bring it up to the Council and see what they say.”

“Why do they get a say in it?” she asked, backing out of the bathroom.

“Just the Exavior thing.”

“No Exavior… then no guard,” she said, and lowered the footrest on her wheelchair. Chevalier helped her to her feet and turned her around, sitting her in bed.

Emily laid back and relaxed on the bed, “Long day.”

“How’s your back?” he asked, folding her wheelchair out of the way.

“Sore, but not too bad,” she told him, and pulled the covers up.

Chevalier kissed her forehead and turned the lights off, then headed for the door. He still had a lot of work to do.

“Chev?” Emily asked softly.

“Yes?” he asked, turning around.

“Will you stay?”

Chevalier smiled and slipped off his shoes, then crawled onto the bed. He wrapped his arms around her and she laid her head against his shoulder.

“Don’t let go,” she whispered, and snuggled down into the bed.

“I won’t,” he promised and kissed her softly.

Emily slipped quickly off to sleep. Chevalier smiled as he shut his eyes and saw the swirl of emotions surround his thoughts. He hadn’t been able to feel her emotions since she’d removed the ring, and he forgot how much he missed it. The soft swirls were peaceful and flowing. He watched as the swirls slowly formed into images.

Chevalier shivered in the cold. The wind howled above him, and he felt the ice cold water drench the back of his clothing as the snow he laid on melted. There were piles of twisted metal and blood all around him. He couldn’t breathe well, there was something lying against his chest.

Chevalier put his hands under the metal on his chest and pushed it off, easily. He sat up and looked around. He was in a long dark corridor. He felt a cold hand against his leg, but the scream he heard wasn’t his own. He pulled his leg back, desperate for the skeletal hand to release him.

A skeleton slowly crawled toward him as it spoke, “I am Encala.”

Chevalier felt fear, a foreign emotion for him, yet it surrounded him in this place. Blood began to flow from the ceiling and soon the snow was dyed red.

Chevalier felt Emily’s hands tighten against his arm, and she cried out softly in her sleep. He opened his eyes and felt her body tense against his. He touched her cheek lightly.

“Shhhh,” he whispered into her ear, and she settled down.

Chevalier shut his eyes again and rested his cheek against the top of her head. He saw the dark corridors swirl back into flowing, soft emotions, and smiled. He opened his eyes just as Emily started to wake up. The emotions and random thoughts had stopped and began to fade.

Emily opened her eyes and smiled, “You stayed.”

“I told you I would,” Chevalier reminded her.

“Let’s just stay here all day,” she said, curling up against him.

Chevalier chuckled, “It’s trial day. I don’t think the Council would appreciate if I stayed in bed all day.”

“What? They can’t punish the innocent without you?” she mumbled.

“We don’t punish the innocent,” he said, amused.

“When’s the last time a trial found someone innocent?” she asked, sitting up slowly and wincing as her back complained.

“Just because we don’t arrest the innocent,” Chevalier said as he reached over and grabbed a bottle of ibuprofen. He held out two of them to her.

“Thanks” Emily said, and took them.

“I’ll be back tonight. We have a full list today,” Chevalier said, standing up.

Emily nodded, “No problem, Allen and I are going riding.”

Chevalier turned, “You sure you’re supposed to do that?”

“I don’t see why not.”

“Your back though,” he said, concerned.

“I’ll keep Patra at a walk, I promise,” she said, smiling. “Tell Damon I said he’s an idiot.”

Chevalier chuckled and left the room.

“Sam, get Patra and Damnit ready, please,” Emily called out. Sam came out of Allen’s room and smiled.

“He’s excited to go out,” Sam said, and left the room.

“Allen, get some breakfast,” Emily called out, and she stood up slowly and stretched.

“What’s for breakfast?” Allen asked, stepping out of his room. He was dressed in jeans, a western cut shirt, small black cowboy boots and a small black Stetson.

“Why… don’t you look handsome,” Emily said, sitting down in the wheelchair.

“Aww, Mom,” Allen sat at the table.