Chapter 22

Lexi looked down, she was at the end of the vine, nibbling on her lip she untied the knot and dropped, she landed with a thud and lay with the wind knocked out of her for a moment, scrambling up she looked around for some rocks to mark the spot where the vine hung, she built a small pile of rocks and just to be safe also took a stick and made a big X on the ground. Running to the half of the house she burst through a door and found herself in a kitchen "Hello!" she called, with a frown she felt the stove, it was cold, the ashes in the fireplace were cold too, she ran from room to room calling out, someone must be living here she thought, there were beds with blankets on them and clothes in the drawers. Leaving the building she went to the carriage house, then the stables yelling "Hello!" the only response she got was the snort and hoof stomping of a horse, Lexi stared at the horse, she had never seen one before, only pictures in books, she moved closer very cautiously, she held out her hand and grinned when the horse snuffled against the palm of her hand, hell, I've ridden the crusty old sheep for years, it can't be that much harder to ride something a little bigger she thought. Remembering the pictures she had seen and what she had read about riding, Lexi looked around and found the bit and saddle. Taking several deep breaths as she started to become frustrated Lexi tried to tighten up the saddle again, this time the horse didn't puff out it's stomach so the saddle would slide down it's side when she tried to get on she pulled the cinch tight and tied it. Taking the horse outside she climbed up on the fence and got on then frowned looking at the reins dangling down on the ground, bending over the horses neck she let out a shriek as the horse moved and she went sliding off onto the ground with a thud, this time she put the reins on the horse's neck then got back on. Like a loose drunk she bobbed, bounced and clung to the saddle as the horse loped down the road as the horse picked up speed and moved into a gallop she tried frantically to remember the words to stop a horse, then realized it hadn't been in any of the books "stop, halt" she cried but the horse didn't listen. People scattered as the horse came galloping into the bailey, a man ran out and grabbed the reins at the bit as the horse danced around snorting and pawing, the horse stopped suddenly and Lexi went flying over it's head, she landed with a resounding thud and felt the air go whooshing out of her lungs. Several people ran forward and helped her to her feet, Lexi who had never seen any other people except her Mother and brother back away "is this The Keep?" she asked gasping and trying to get her breath back, "aye that it be lassie" one of the men said, with as much dignity as she could muster Lexi brushed the dirt off her ragged clothes, thanking the man she walked up the steps and banged on the large door.

Riley opened the door then blinked "Miss A..." shaking his head he looked at the young girl, this wasn't Miss Allora, he must be going daft he thought. "Is Connor Breeton here?" Lexi asked, Con had told her to ask for father first then for Lady Kat, Riley shook his head "no I'm sorry Miss, Captain Breeton is not here at the moment" Lexi nibbled on her lower lip "is Lady Kat here?" Riley still staring moved closer, Lexi backed up "Lady Kat is in residence, may I say who is calling?" Riley said holding his breath waiting for an answer. Lexi took a deep breath suddenly afraid they wouldn't come help, with a start she knew who this man was, she had seen the sketch her mother had done of him "Riley, would you please tell Lady Kat that Alexi Montcliff is here to see her" Riley turned and started to run to the dining room, then turned back and ran to Lexi "don't go any where, no come with me, I'll get Lady Kat" he looked around almost frantically then started for the dining room again "Miss Allora is with you? no of course she isn't or she would be standing here, oh dear I must stop rattling." Riley threw open the doors to the dining room banging them against the wall, everyone looked up startled "Miss Alexi Montcliff has arrived and is looking for Captain Connor but he isn't here, she asked for you Lady Kat, Miss Allora is not with her" Billy leapt off of Kat's lap and went racing over to Lexi with a mewling purr, Lexi reached down and picked the cat up "hello Billy" Billy rubbed against Lexi's chin and neck then started to lick her face. Kat stood up looking at the ragged dirty child with knee length blonde braids, with the large green eyes of Connor and the petite delicate face of Allora, "where is your mother child?" Collin was all ready sending silent messages, the first one to Alex "Alex, get Connor, he has a daughter standing in our dining room looking for her father, she's all alone, Allora is not with her." Lexi pulled her eyes away from the table "Mother is still in the void, Con stayed with her, we have to help get Mother out, you will help us won't you?" the last said with a hint of pleading. Kat gently touched Lexi's arm "of course we're going to help, we've never stopped trying to get your Mother back, come sit down for a moment and get your breath, who is Con?" Lexi sat down she hadn't realized she was trembling until she felt her knee's shaking "Con is my twin brother, we call him Con, his name is Connor though, is that bread? I saw a picture of it in a book." Collin smiled kindly and cut a piece of bread and buttered it then set it on a plate in front of Lexi "would you like a glass of milk?" Lexi stared at the bread and butter "milk? ohh yes I've read about that too" almost afraid to touch it Lexi reached out and picked up the bread and took a tiny bite, then stuffed the whole piece in her mouth washing it down with the cold milk, she made noises of pleasure "thank you" she said once her mouth wasn't full then blushed as she remembered the manners her mother had worked so hard to teach she and Con.

Lexi opened her mouth with a soundless scream of terror, leaping from the chair she turned to run and slammed into someone "easy baby, it's only Mar, he won't hurt you, he's very old and probably doesn't even have any teeth left" Lexi stared up into the green eyes of her father "father?" Connor wrapped his arms around her and held her tight "yes baby, it's your father" Kat turned her face away and wiped away her tears. "I take great offense at that comment boy, I'll have you know my chompers are all in perfect working order" Mar said casually, smiling at the child then blinked in surprise as she scooted around her father further away from him "I have to go, Con only gave me four clock turns to get back then he's going to try and get Mother out all by himself" Collin said silently to Mar, Connor, Alex and Laurel "Con is her twin brother." Laurel smiled softly at Lexi "then we better go get your Mother and brother hadn't we, I'm your Grandmother Laurel" Lexi smiled a small tentative smile "I know, Mother has sketches of you, we grew up listening to stories about all of you, but Con and I thought she was just telling fairy tales" she said then started for the door, she froze pressing her back against the wall by the front door as Trink and the dragon Rav came in with Natalie, Brand and the fairy Bitsy. Collin said silently to everyone "careful the child is about to bolt, from the little I've been able to get from her emotions she has grown up with only her brother and Mother, she's never seen other people before let alone dragons and fairies and is terrified." Connor went over to Lexi and took her small delicate hand in his "let's go get your mama and brother, baby" he said softly, Lexi looked up at her father, her eyes huge frightened pools of green.

Connor stood staring up at the vine that seemed to just end in the middle of the air, "your Mother and brother should have no problems sliding down that, I'll catch them when they get to the end of the vine" Lexi still confused at having suddenly appeared by the pile of rocks shook her head, Laurel gave her a hug "it's going to be all right, he won't let them fall" Lexi said in frustration "you don't understand Mother can't climb down the rope, a year ago the wall fell on her and she got hurt really bad, Con has to carry her everywhere." Connor looked at Collin "I'll go up and lower the two of them down, if you need to grab ahold of them as soon as you see them" Collin nodded then turned to Lexi "we're going to get your Mother and brother, there's no need to be frightened if we change to our dragon form, it's merely another part of who we are." Lexi held onto Billy a little tighter and nodded don't be a sissy she told herself as she stepped back away from Virlane and the dragon Connor, Laurel put her arm around Lexi "no one here will hurt you sweetheart" Lexi looked at her Grandmother and Grandfather and said bitterly "Mother believed that and look what happened to her."

Con scrambled back from the hole in the floor as two dragon paws then the head and neck appeared, he grabbed the fireplace poker and raised it over his head "easy son, it's your father" Connor said in a calm soothing voice as he changed to his human form. Con stumbled backwards and tripped over a small stool scrambling up he stared at his father still clutching the poker "where is Lexi?" Connor took the poker out of his son's hand "she is down below waiting for you and your Mother, where is your Mother?" Connor had to blink back the tears as he suddenly found his son in his arms, being hugged tightly, he hugged Con back holding him just as tightly "it's going to be all right, son" Con wiped his eyes with a tattered sleeve "she's sleeping in the study, she doesn't know about the hole" Collin nodded "why don't you gather anything you want to take with you or anything you think your sister or Mother would want and start lowering it down while I get your Mother." Collin smiled as Con went rushing over to the desk and started stuffing things into an old pillowcase, he walked out of the library and stood looking around for a moment then went into the study. Allora opened her eyes then shut them a soft smile on her lips "I always have my dreams" she whispered, Connor trying not to let the shock of her scarred face show whispered back "sometimes dreams become reality, Al" Allora's eyes flew open "Breeton, ohh sweet jesus is it really you Breeton?" her hand reaching out to him. "Oh Breeton, Oh Breeton, it's really you" she cried her hand touching his face over and over again, Connor sat on the bed and took her in his arms rocking her back and forth as she wept. Picking her up he carried her into the library "Lexi is all ready with the family, now it's time to get you and our son out of here too." Virlane chuckled as he dodged another pillowcase stuffed full of things flying out of the air, then a large satchel, then another pillowcase, sticking his head in the hole he said "is there more or are you just testing my reflexes?" Con stared at the dragon "ummmmm I think that's it, ohhhh no wait I have to get Mother's crystal jars that Nedra gave her" turning he scrambled up the wooden ladder and carefully wrapped the jars, bottles and the crystal tray in pieces of a blanket he tore up, then gently put them in another pillowcase, almost sliding down the ladder he rushed back to the hole, Virlane grinned taking ahold of the pillowcase as Con told him he had to be very careful with it, his Mother would kill them all if anything happened to her crystal jars. Virlane handed the pillowcase to Kat "be careful with that, it's special" then went back to the hole, he tried not frown as Connor carried Allora into the room "why don't you sit here on the edge Con and I'll take you down" Virlane said, Con backed up suddenly afraid to leave the only home he had ever known "why don't you take Mother first" he whispered. Connor said kindly "it's time to go son, before the hole closes, we'll rebuild Montcliff don't worry, your home is with your family we've waited a long time for you" Con looked around one last time then sat down and scooted over to the edge of the hole "don't drop me, ok" he told Virlane. Virlane took ahold of Con then suddenly said "whoops" letting go of him for a second, Con started to laugh as Virlane grinned, the minute his feet were on the ground Lexi ran over "where's Mother?" shaking his arm, Con stopped her from shaking him to pieces "she is coming right behind me" then bent down looking at Trink "are you the green ribbon elf?" Trink grinned "that I be me boyo, why I think I might be havin one just for yea" Con took the ribbon Trink held out to him with a grin and tied it around his long blonde hair. Virlane said silently to everyone but Con and Lexi "I'm bringing down Al in a moment don't be shocked at her appearance" gently taking Allora in his arms Virlane smiled "it's a good day to be coming home, Al" Allora smiled softly "now I can lay next to mama and papa and David" she said in a whisper, more to herself then to Virlane. Virlane kept a smile on his face as he carried Allora down to her children, followed by Connor. Connor took Allora back in his arms and held her while Lexi looked her Mother over making sure she was all right and handed her Billy who was trying to leap into Allora's arms. With a deep growling purr Billy licked, sniffed, rubbed against and pawed Allora, looking down at Billy, Allora stroked her short fur caressingly, the kitten had become a full grown cat but still had her ermine. "We'll go to Zinmer, for now love" Connor said as Allora rubbed her face against Billy's neck, Allora looked over at what was left of Montcliff and nodded "for now" she said quietly, then looked over at Riley who had been standing off to one side wringing his hands "it's good to see you first mate butler in charge Riley, I've brought you some first class seamen to worry over" Riley stepped over to Allora "it will of course be my pleasure to make them sea worthy, Miss Allora, it's good to have you home again, you have been grievously missed" Allora looked over at Montcliff one more time then they all left for Zinmer.