Chapter 20

After checking that all was in order, he blinked to Wing City to see Jim.

The two men hugged, and Nala gave Trae a big kiss. Trae explained to Jim why he wanted him to move to his valley for a short time. Jim and Nala were both distressed to hear what had happened to the twins. They were then shocked by his other revelation.

Jim looked at Trae thoughtfully. “This may surprise you, but I sold your mother and father their joining rings. I have often wondered why you looked so familiar to me and now I know. They were very much in love, Trae. I remember them because their love shone so brightly.”

Trae felt a lump form in his throat. It was nice to know that his parents hadn’t abandoned him intentionally. He still had no idea how he ended up in the Children’s Home in Pixville. He wasn’t so sure about the legacy his mother had left him. At heart, he was happy being a Ranger and a farmer, and playing with his little projects.

He had a lot to learn before he took on the role destiny had mapped out for him. He had a feeling that some other people had a lot to learn about him too. He didn’t doubt that Kat would make an excellent consort. He was so glad that he had found her before he knew what he did now.

At least this way the family couldn’t try to force him to marry someone for political reasons. They may not approve of his choice since Kat was as mixed blooded as he was but he didn’t give a skat about which race a person came from. A person’s action told him more about that person than the shape of their face or the colour of their skin or hair did.

He wasn’t sure Cuttail Island was ready for his brand of leadership, but he also knew that it would be forced upon them sooner rather than later. He wasn’t sure how he knew but he felt that he shouldn’t leave it to long before he visited his grandmother.

In his discussion with Jim and Nala, they agreed that the couple had a little bit of time for them to sort out their affairs before they moved. Jim mentioned that he would like to spend a bit of time in Trae’s mines. Nala was interested in Trae’s greenhouses and herb gardens.

The couple grinned at each other and decided they were up for an adventure.

Trae returned to Raymond’s home in a reflective mood.

Things had settled down a little in the house. Once Edward had returned with the flatbed, the family had started packing everything that they wished to take with them into it. With Edward, Deirdre and Francine helping, it was amazing how fast they got it done.

Raymond had two servants, Pamela and Grahame Cavil. They had been with the family for many years. It was decided that the couple would stay and look after Trae and Kat as they did have another family in the area and didn’t wish to leave.

Sampson and Kitty weren’t happy about being sent back to the farm, but they could see the wisdom of why. Trae was worried they would be harmed because of him and they were not old enough to protect him and Kat yet, despite how fast they were growing.

Trae and Kat had dropped Edward and the girls’ home that night by blinking them. While the three of them knew it was possible, very few magical people could do it. The three of them discussed, after Trae and Kat left, just how powerful they really were. Francine was very curious about Trae and Kat and peppered her cousins with questions.

Edward and Deirdre had both decided to say as little as possible about the couple. They did get to glimpse a different side of Francine that day. While they had been helping Trae sell his merchandise, they found that Francine was a very astute businesswoman and the three of them had a lot of fun working together. It had reminded them all of when they had played together when they were children.

Francine had also done well at the testing. Edward was surprised by how much he had learnt from Trae and Kat in the short time he had known them. He even surprised himself at the testing and Francine had given him some very odd and thoughtful looks.

He was glad that Francine had pitched in and helped with the packing when they took the flatbed back to the Cutter’s house. She had been a lot quieter with the Cutter family and hadn’t contributed as much at dinner. Edward had noticed that she had mostly watched the family dynamics.

Edward still wasn’t sure if he fully trusted Francine, but he had liked the girl who had been his companion today. She had treated him appallingly in the months she was involved with Collin, and he knew it would take time for his mind to get into perspective what was Francine’s own doing and what had been influenced by Collin.

He went to bed in a thoughtful mood.

Francine was also in a thoughtful mood as she climbed into bed.

When she thought of dinner that night, she knew that she did envy how easy it was for Edward and Deirdre to blend into the family as if they had known them for a long time. But then they hadn’t treated the family as dreadfully as she had.

Francine had always obtained what she wanted and she found it a little unsettling that for all intents and purposes, Deirdre was the matron of their little home even though she was only a couple of years older than her. Deirdre wasn’t bossy but she and Edward did expect Francine to pull her weight in the flat.

They didn’t have servants, so she had to clean up her own mess. She didn’t know how to cook but apparently, that was one of Edward’s specialities. He had told her that he would teach her the basics. They weren’t all on the same schedules with their classes but they should be able to share the evening meals unless anyone was going out.

Francine wasn’t allowed to go to parties or anywhere else for that matter, unless one of the cousins or someone that Deirdre had approved of, went with her. Her Aunt Mather had been very explicit with the conditions of her returning to the University.

She’d had to endure many lectures from her Aunt in the weeks before her return and even got one from the Queen after the incident that stirred up the current mess. She had felt pretty bad about that little lecture. The Queen had not looked well, and her actions had deeply hurt and saddened the monarch.

She also knew from that conversation that she had probably killed her chances of becoming the heir to the throne. The fact she was sent back to the University with no servants or personal guards was humiliating. She may still be a Princess, but she wasn’t ‘The’ Princess anymore. It didn’t take long for her disgrace to do the rounds of the gentry.

She knew she shouldn’t have been, but it had surprised her to learn just who her true friends were. She had found it very humbling and downright miserable to be snubbed in public. If she was with Collin or his buddies, it didn’t seem to happen and she found that she had clung to him more when she had been able to see him.

When Trae had removed Collin’s spells, the memories of her being a bitch and what she had done for Collin returned and had deeply distressed her. She knew she hadn’t been an angel before, but she was appalled by what she had said and done while under Collin’s influence.

She now understood why she had been snubbed and talked about behind her back over the winter season. She still found it hard to reconcile that she had helped Collin and his friends trick other young women into having sex with them. She felt very bad about the twins. They didn’t deserve what happened to them.

They had honestly tried to be her friends and she had let them be used and abused because of it. At Collin’s suggestion, she had dragged them into the group and had even thought that she was doing them a favour at the time. It made her sick to think about it. She still didn’t understand why they kissed her on the cheek after dinner and said they forgave her.

She had felt Collin’s hold on her slip, over the winter season. The lectures from her Aunt and the Queen must have had an effect on her, as she hadn’t gone to see him for several weeks before she came back to the apartment building.

He must have realised it too and the previous day, when Deirdre found them in bed, she was not sure how they had even ended up there or that he had in fact, been in the apartment for several days. He must have really put in the effort to reclaim her.

She had been surprised by how much the look of hurt and sorrow on Edwards’ face had affected her when he came into the room and saw them. When Trae had touched her, the memories of how she had treated Edward came flooding back. It had taken Kat and Deirdre quite some time to get her settled down.

She had seen several sad looks on Edward’s face during the day when he didn’t realise she was watching him and each one had hurt her because she knew she was the cause. They had been friends when younger, and he had always treated her with kindness.

When Trae had mentioned what Edward did to save that man, she wasn’t really surprised. Little instances from their childhood had come back to her. While Edward was generally quiet and seemed to hover at the back of a crowd, he had always looked after her and protected her.

Since she had become involved with Collin, she had treated him appallingly. He hadn’t deserved that from her. While she knew that Collin’s influence had a lot to do with it, as he hated Edward, it still didn’t excuse her actions or words in her mind. She felt she had a long way to go to get Edward to forgive her.

She wasn’t sure why his forgiveness was so important to her but it was.

After Edward and the girls went home, the Cutter house had settled down.

The family knew the following day would also be very busy and they were all tired. Trae and Kat had once again retreated to the flatbed to sleep. Kat had joked once they were inside that she didn’t want the Cutter’s to think that Trae was strangling one of the cuttails when he made love to her.

Trae for his part had no problems with Kat screaming when she came. He loved being able to get her to that state and did a bit of screaming of his own when she brought him to fulfilment. The magical recharge had been very intense and they were both surprised by the flow of energy required to recharge their batteries and their crystals.

They were all out of bed early and packing of Teal for its trip back to the farm had become earnest. By lunchtime, Trae and Kat were moved into the house, as it would be their home while they stayed in Hilton and the family was set to take on their new adventure.

Raymond planned to take it easy since Vera was so heavy with child. Trae’s reassurance that the roads were now smooth had helped. They also planned to stop off at the de Vaal estate and give Dalila and Ewin an update.

Trae and Kat were sad to see them go but they both felt it was for the best. The twins had been a lot happier, and they had no problem with moving. Raymond had also assured them that once they got the new University built, they could continue their studies.

The necklaces that Trae had given both of them before they left had also gone a long way to help them. Trae had also reassured them that it would be very difficult for a magical person to use coercion spells on them ever again and that the spells on the necklaces and the lads would also help them come to terms with what happened to them.

He didn’t downplay what had happened to them but he also told them that it didn’t have to rule their lives. Bad stuff happens to everyone at some time and it was how you dealt with adversity that either made you a better, stronger person or defeated you. He believed they were strong enough to make a new and better life for themselves.

The girls had hugged him and cried. They ended up smiling and thoughtful when Trae said, “One thing girls, please don’t give poor Tom and Paul too hard a time. They will be putty in your hands, as they aren’t used to having pretty girls to take care of.”

“Also don’t be surprised if they act silly and get hard-ons when you two are around. They wouldn’t dream of hurting either of you. Take it as a complement to your beauty, as they are just poor farm boys. Treat them nice, and they will treat you right.”