Chapter 27

New characters appearing in this and the next chapter:

Wolfgang

Gretchen's Father, the leader of his Clan, 5'-10" tall, 185 pounds, 50 years old, black hair and beard going gray, blue eyes, a warrior

Carl

Petra's father, also the leader of his Clan, 6'-0" tall, 200 pounds, 45 years old, brown hair and beard, gray eyes, also a warrior

Breakfast on Sunday morning was very low key. In fact Pat, our women and I were the only ones there when we ate. It appeared that most of the family wouldn't be up until later that morning.

Apparently there had been a lot of celebrating in Frankfurt last night to commemorate the defeat of the rebels, and the lifting of the siege. We certainly hadn't been interested in celebrating our victory. Those other people hadn't been there to wield the Magic as we had, and had not seen up close and personal the slaughter that had been involved. They hadn't been there to smell and taste the blood in the air, the smell of burnt human meat, or the stink of ruptured bowels as we had either.

We had won, but it was a victory with a terrible cost in human lives, and we didn't consider it something to celebrate. Not by us anyway. Perhaps some of the others in our family had attended the celebration, but we weren't sure at the time.

On returning to our rooms after breakfast, Pat and I reduced the wards around our rooms to just a single general ward, as things seemed to have calmed down and we weren't aware of any new problems that had popped up.

The women started packing to be ready to leave. They used the cleaning spell on all of the clothing that we had worn here, especially those we had worn during the battle, before packing them. They then went with Gretchen and Petra to collect their clothing from the room where they normally stayed. They would be taking some of the clothes and some other personal items with them when they returned to our Reality with us. We would definitely need to get them some maternity clothes when we got back. Other clothing could wait until after they had delivered our Daughters, and were closer to their normal size again.

Our Daughters!! They were something that we would need to make provisions for. We had plenty of rooms in our houses, and there were cribs and baby beds in the warehouse, but they would need clothes and blankets. Most importantly they would need diapers - a lot of diapers for two sets of twins.

Pat and I had been discussing these realities, and how we were going to pay for them while the women were off collecting Gretchen's and Petra's things. They had only been back for a few minutes when there was a knock on our apartment door. Shannon went to see who it was, and returned in a minute or so with an announcement.

"We have all been invited to attend the Grand Master in the Main Audience Hall," she told us.

"Invited!?" Pat asked in a worried voice.

"Yes. There is a reception that is taking place there right now," Shannon replied.

"A Reception?" I asked. "What kind of reception?"

"No idea. That was all that the young girl who brought the message knew," Shannon told us.

"Let's get dressed appropriately, and we'll go, but let's also keep our wards ready. I am a little suspicious of this 'Invitation'!" I told them.

It didn't take us long to get ready, then Pat and I transferred all of us to a side door outside of the Grand Master's Audience Hall. If this reception had already started, we would just slip in and see who or what was involved, as we didn't sense any of our family in there at present.

Once inside, we saw a group of older men gathered in front of the Grand Master's throne. Most of them were standing, but a few were seated. All looked as if they had recently been in a battle from the number of bandages, slings and freshly healed cuts that were visible. On observing this, we listened closely to what was being said.

"We had sent out scouts from our camp early yesterday morning, as we knew that we were close to the city, but were unaware of the location of the rebel camps," one of the men was saying.

"We were preparing for the days march when our scouts hurriedly returned to inform us that there was a rebel force, apparently a very disorganized rebel force, headed up the valley in our direction," he continued before pausing for breath.

"We were already in marching order, and had our cavalry out on our flanks," another man continued, "and our lancers were at the front of the formation. At this word, we sent the lancers to join our cavalry on the flanks and quickly moved our forces to block the rebels' way through the valley.

"Our Wizards were setting up their most powerful spells and wards while we did this. We were lucky that the warning came just before we had started our march, as we were just barely able to finish our preparations before the rebels poured down on us," the second man finished, and he too paused for breath.

"Although they were indeed disorganized," the first man said taking up the explanation again, "they were in a frenzy about something, and fell on us like a tidal wave in their need and desire to get past us, and away from whatever they were afraid of.

"We killed most of the first wave, but took some serious casualties from their frenzied attack. Those in the even larger second wave seemed to hesitate on seeing the first wave stopped, and that was when we hit them from both sides with our Cavalry and lancers. Most of them wisely surrendered.

"A third wave appeared shortly after that, but they were being pursued by Union Forces. They were facing them, and were much too busy holding them back to notice us until much too late. We hit them from their rear, and they too soon surrendered.

"It was only after we had secured all of the prisoners that we had the time for a conference with the leaders of your forces, and learned of the tremendous battle that had been fought earlier that morning," the first man concluded.

"Thank you for the verbal report of your defeat of the retreating rebel forces. I'm sure that the Marshal will want a written report from you also, but that can wait until later, as I see that others have arrived to greet you while you were busy giving it," the Grand Master told them with a smile. All of the men turned to look at who he was talking about.

"Father!!" both Gretchen and Petra squealed in shock on recognizing two of the men in the group, and both hurried forward to greet their Parent. Gretchen went directly to one of the seated men, and Petra went to the second man who had spoken. Pat, our women, and I followed them.

"Gretchen, my Dear!" the seated man said with a smile, as his Daughter reached him and leaned in to kiss her Father's bearded cheek. "My goodness, Daughter, you certainly have changed since I last saw you!" he added on noticing her large belly.

"Yes, Father. I am carrying twin Daughters," Gretchen told him in a quiet voice. "They are the Daughters of the man who has now asked me to marry him. He is a man of huge Talent, Father," she concluded.

"I thought from your letter that this child... !" her Father started, but stopped and changed subjects to ask, "Can you be sure that it's twins that you are having, and that they are girls?"

"Yes, Father! Originally, the child was to go to the Grand Master, but that is no longer the case. I and my Daughters will be going to the Other Reality with my Husband - Michael O'Connell," Gretchen told her Father proudly displaying her ring.

"O'Connell!! Other Reality?" her Father asked in astonishment. "Is he one of those that I heard tales of from the leaders of the Union Forces yesterday?"

"Yes, Father. He and his other women are among the most powerful of the O'Connells. I will be his third wife. The others are much more powerful than I am," Gretchen finished sadly. I leaned in from behind her and kissed her on the neck then.

"You are just as dear to me as the others are, Gretchen," I told her.

"Yes, we will all equally be Michael's Wives," Clare insisted, as she and Shannon also leaned in from the sides to kiss Gretchen.

"Father, this is my Husband to be Michael O'Connell, the Grand Master's Grandson," Gretchen said in introduction. "And these are my Co-wives, Shannon and Clare." Gretchen's Father stared at her in shock and amazement at this revelation. His mouth had fallen open, and he was unable to speak for a time.

"Daughter, Gretchen, are you sure of that statement?" he managed to ask after a short time.

"Oh yes, Father. I am absolutely certain of it. Michael's Mother is the Grand Master's Daughter by his Queen Laura," Gretchen assured him before turning to me.

"Michael, this is my Father, Wolfgang, the head of our Clan. The other two gentlemen with him are our Clan's Senior Wizards," Gretchen said in introduction.

"I am honored to meet you, sir," I told him with a bow.

"Surely the honor is mine, young Master Michael," Wolfgang replied, and tried to rise from his chair, but was unable to. "I'm sorry. I'm not as well as I was previously," he managed to say, but it was obvious that he was in pain from his wounds. Gretchen looked on in distress. It was Clare who moved forward then.

"Please stay seated, Gretchen's Father," she requested in a quiet voice. "I will see what healing you require." Clare took his hand then and started a mantra. I could feel her Magic start, but again couldn't tell what she was doing. She continued for about five minutes.

"You have several serious wounds," Clare said, as she opened her eyes. "I have started them healing, and you will be much better in a couple of hours. I will check on you again then," she informed Wolfgang, who just stared at her in amazement.

"Father, this is Clare, one of my Co-wives. She is an Earth Mage, and it was she that told me that I was having twin Daughters," Gretchen informed her Father.

"An Earth Mage!?" Wolfgang managed to ask with some difficulty. "And the Grand Master's Grandson! You travel in high company, my Dear Daughter," he managed to finish.

"You will all be traveling in high company now," Grandfather Michael said, as he approached us. Pat and his women, and Petra's Father plus the others all gathered around to listen.

"All of your Clans deserve to be, and will be promoted to the rank of Major Factions for your support of me and the Union," Grandfather Michael told them before adding, "Those Factions and governments that supported the rebellion will be demoted, fined and their leaders, those that have survived, will be tried for treason." There was silence at his words.

"The Eternal Flame appeared to me last night to inform me that It had dealt with those in charge in Persia who ordered their people here, and also those who were responsible for the use of Forbidden Magic both there and here. He / It assured me that we will have no trouble from them for the foreseeable future," the Grand Master told us, before pausing for a few moments.

"To help support your new positions as Major Factions, you will all be gifted with some of the loot that has already been collected from the rebels as well as a part of the future fines to be levied against them. These could be in either money, land, or property," he concluded.

"Now Gentlemen, you must excuse me. The Union is a stern Mistress, and always requires my attention. It's a wonder that my Good Wife isn't jealous," he said with a smile as he departed. A part of his Advisers filed out with our Grandfather, the Grand Master. The remainder circulated with the collective Chief Wizards of the Clans present. They appeared to be talking shop from what I heard of their conversations. However, other things were going on that required my attention.

"Have you eaten, Father Wolfgang?" Shannon asked Gretchen's Father.

"This is Shannon, Father. She will also be my Co-wife. She is a powerful Wizard. It was she, her sister, Sheena, along with Michael and Patrick who defeated the Persian Wizards and their soldiers. Clare and Cathleen were the ones that protected our rear from assault while they were fighting," Gretchen told her Father.

"And were you able to help in any way, Daughter?" Wolfgang asked gently. Gretchen began to cry at this question.

"No, Father. I could not help. In fact I had to be rescued," Gretchen admitted in tears.

"Your Daughter and Petra were very brave," Clare told Wolfgang. "Those terrible men kidnapped them the night before, and were going to sacrifice them and their unborn Daughters to power their Black Magic. We prevented that with the help of the Eternal Flame," Clare finished. Wolfgang and Carl, Petra's Father, looked very angry at this news.

"Do not worry, Fathers. All of those involved are now dead and their remains have been purified by the Eternal Flame's fire," Shannon assured the men.

"Have you eaten lately, Father of Gretchen?" Clare asked again.

"No, I haven't felt much like eating," Wolfgang answered.