Wolf’s Cub

Chapter 5

The vision in his scrying glass held Colin transfixed. He would not have been able to look away even if it occurred to him, which it did, but not until well after the vision faded. He just stood perfectly still, his breathing shallow and harsh, as he stared at the image of Michael, his beloved Michael, dancing within  the circle of dancers, around a large ceremonial fire.

This was not a vision from his friend’s distant past. That was not the body of a young boy. No, this was the Michael of their island days, slim, but with muscles sleek and hard like a mountain cat’s, enabling him to jump and twirl effortlessly. Colin’s druid eye noted his catlike grace, even as his male eye appreciated his sensuality. Michael was nude, his member hard and oiled like that of the other male dancers, but he was as unlike them as a god among mortals. Colin’s heart was pounding so hard, it was as though he could hear the drums that spurred the dancers on.

There were only male dancers, men of great beauty, but none to equal Michael. He spun among the others, touching them lightly, curving his lithe form around a pair briefly before spinning away in his dance. It was the dance of virility, Colin realized. He’d seen pictures of it in books, but nothing could compare to seeing it performed by living men, led by a dancer of such skill as Michael. Colin drew in a shuddering breath. The dance would end with the leader choosing one of the men. He would then make love to him in front of the others, leading them in the more intimate dance, until their seed spilled forth, showering the fire of life and ensuring another year of pleasure and virility for their island.

No wonder Kelway never demanded anything in the way of trade from Colin, the Druid thought with a wry smile. Michael was more than satisfying the trade balance. Indeed, now that he thought about it, in the convoluted way that the islands kept track of debits and credits, it seemed that their status with Kelway entitled them to a credit with the other islands as well.

Michael was quite a dancer.

Colin stopped thinking of commerce when Michael made his selection, a dark skinned, muscular young man with close cropped hair. Michael knelt before the trembling young man, and stroked his gleaming dark member until it grew even longer and harder. The others watched intently as Michael leaned forward and took the engorged cock into his mouth, his hands holding firmly to the rounded hips of his lover. Colin could not help himself; he reached down and felt his own aroused member through his robe. He stroked himself gently as he watched the man he loved deep throat the young island man. Michael’s own cock looked impossibly large jutting out between his hard thighs as he crouched easily, his firm buttocks looking so smooth and perfect in the firelight.

After only a few moments, Michael lifted his mouth away and stood. His chosen partner reached down to touch him but Michael shook his head, his expression kind but firm. He smiled, then turned the man around. Colin saw his hand glow with magic for a second and then move between the ample cheeks of the young man; Michael whispered in his ear and the young man threw his head back and moaned in pleasure as he was penetrated in one smooth movement. The watching men reacted with joy and began pairing off as Michael continued to thrust, one hand supporting his young partner’s chest, his other roving over the muscular body, caressing, kneading. Michael’s legs were set wide apart, and Colin watched the flexing of his ass and leg muscles as he moved in and out of the other man, his member hard and shining with the lubricant he’d magically conjured.

Colin’s own hand moved faster, unconsciously keeping time with Michael’s thrusts. The sight of his cock disappearing between those firm mounds – Colin was close to orgasm. Yet he could not stop watching, not even to lock the door or remove his robe. The paired men around Michael were moving faster and faster also, but at some signal, Colin was not sure what it was, they all moved into a circle again, cocks pointed toward the fire. Michael’s partner was the only one still being penetrated, but from the look of ecstasy on his face, he was close to spending himself.  And with a final thrust from Michael, he did, a long, high arc of semen fanned out over the flames, causing them to jump even higher. Michael pulled out and he too ejaculated over the ceremonial fire, the cascade like a fountain. It triggered the orgasms of the other men, and simultaneously, they too fed the fire.

There was much rejoicing and cheering then, as Kelway’s legendary virility was ensured for another year. Colin looked down at himself, shamed. While he knew he should appreciate the beauty of the ceremony, he felt only emptiness. How could he face his friend?

He was ready to turn away, to change, maybe to go down to the shore and bathe, when something called his eyes to the glass again. A strong call. It was Michael, standing alone at the edge of the forest, arms wrapped around himself. One of the men came running over to him, a goblet in one hand, a robe in another. Michael shook his head at the goblet but took the robe and put it on. He gave a brief smile, one that dismissed as well as thanked, and the man went running back to his friends, to laugh, to dance some more. 

Who laughs with a god when his job is done? The loneliness in Michael’s eyes made tears come to Colin’s, his own pain forgotten. Michael had never spoken to Colin about his trips to Kelway, probably because he sensed the druid’s disapproval. But Colin realized with the surety that came with his scrying sometimes that Michael did not go to Kelway for the sexual release, though he undoubtedly needed that. He went because he needed the opportunity to dance; it was dance that he’d poured his heart and soul into as a child and young man. He’d never wanted to be an Assassin – he was a dancer, and by all reports, was going to be a legendary dancer. Instead, destiny took him on another path, one of pain and loneliness, where his only adult friend was a druid.

A druid who had never even dared discuss personal matters with him out of fear of revealing too much of himself. Colin had assumed, because Michael had been married and fathered children, that he preferred women. He should have realized that a royal child fulfills his duty first, and his own inclination second.

It was that night that Colin went down to meet Michael on the shore when he returned from Kelway. And when he saw the sadness that lingered still in Michael’s eyes, he opened his arms and drew him close for a hug, the first one since that terrible day when they buried a King and a Queen.   

*******************

Michael accepted the bowl of stew that Colin handed him, smiling his thanks.

“Aren’t you going to eat?” he asked before taking a bite.

“In a little while. The wine is enough for now. I should go check on Mellisande.”

Michael sighed and put the bowl down reluctantly. “If I go talk to her now, will you eat with me when I return?” There was something so reminiscent of Dominic in his expression that Colin couldn’t help laughing.

“I’m not punishing you, Michael. I want you to eat. You’re famished, I know you are. You expended much more energy that I did over the past day. I am only going to take a quick look in on her, let her know that all is well for now and....”

“I sent her a message telepathically as soon as Rafe was safe,” Michael quickly assured him. Colin smiled. He knew that Michael was always contrite after he was required to be harsh with one of their three. He was harder on them than on any of the other children in their care, but he had good reason for it. And he did not expect any more of them than would have been expected had they been raised at court, which would have been their fate if tragedy had not intervened. Indeed, the twins and Mellisande had far more freedom in this island sanctuary than they ever would have had in their own Kingdoms. The arrival of Veris Benra made Colin much more conscious of that fact than he had been for years. He and Michael had been free to make their own rules here. What would the older druid think of them?  What would he think of their young charges?

That was a concern for later. For now, he had the dispute between Michael and Melli to mediate.

“Why don’t I bring her in? We can talk to her and she can see for herself that both Rafael and Benra are fine.”

Michael frowned at the mention of Benra, but then grinned mischievously, looking all the more like his older son. “That’s a fine idea. If you think she’s ready to see the boys curled up with Lycan.”

“If you could handle it, I’m sure she can,” Colin said dryly.

“Let’s see,” Michael replied, getting up. He staggered slightly, still weak from his exertions. Colin reached out his hand instinctively.

“Let me get her, please, you stay and eat. I’ll join you as soon as I get Melli.”

“I’ll get her, as well as some food for you. You wait here.  I want one of us to stay with the boys,” Michael insisted. Colin gave in – once Michael’s mind was made up, there was no use arguing with him.

Michael made his way silently to Mellisande’s room. She had rooms in both the main house and in Colin’s tower, a concession to her need for the relative peace and quiet of Colin’s domain, as well as to her status as his special charge. The other children lived in dormitories in Michael’s house until they reached their teens, then they each were given the choice to stay for a year or more with the others or to receive their own room in the adjoining house, which was overseen by an island couple, Niall and Fianne Adajeune. Many but not all chose their own rooms. Some did not like to move too soon after having had their lives uprooted so completely. They clung to Colin as a new surrogate parent, and even Michael’s stern demeanor was reassuring, since they always knew what to expect from him. When a young person won a “well done” from him, the twins claimed, they could tell by the way he or she would float on air the rest of the day. 

Michael hoped Melli had gone to her room in his house when ordered away. He doubted that he had it in him to make it up the stairs of Colin’s tower and he couldn’t recall if she had a room in the Adajeune’s house.  He leaned against the wall in the hallway for a moment to gather his strength to walk up a level to where the girls’ rooms were. Magda was the one exception to the rule about the older children from the mainland moving to the house next door since she had been given a room next to Melli when she grew too old for the girls’ dormitory. In theory, they’d thought to give both girls female companionship, but in practice, Magda spent most of her time with Fen, and Melli still spent most of her time with the twins. Still, all five young people were close since Fen and Magda had been the first “rescued” from the mainland.

Michael was still trying to convince himself to head up the stairs when a light female voice called down to him.

“May I leave my room now or must I still wait for your permission?” Melli’s voice was not quite sarcastic, but it was damn close. Oddly enough, it was times like this that made him wistful for the daughter who never saw life. She would have been close to Melli’s age. He hoped she would have been as courageous as this girl who wasn’t afraid to face down demons...or him.

“I could use some help,” Michael told her, his tone calm, almost meek for him. Melli rushed forward, her grudge forgotten in her concern for this second father figure. Drawing closer, she saw the dark shadows under his eyes. She put her shoulder under his arm to give him her support. He leaned against her, putting more of his weight on her than he needed to, perhaps, but realizing that he was winning forgiveness in his weakness that he never would have received in his strength.

“Michael, I am so sorry. I did not realize...of course you are exhausted! You did not have to come to me. Please, let me get you back to Colin.”

“I promised to bring him food,” Michael said, hoping she would offer to get it. “Silly man brought me stew but nothing for himself.”

“I’ll take care of that. Let’s get you back to the boys’ room and then I’ll get more food. Magda has made a really good stew tonight. In fact, I’ll just have her bring enough for all three of us. I couldn’t eat earlier.” She didn’t say it was because she was too upset but Michael didn’t need to use telepathy to hear the unspoken reason. He decided not to get into the foolishness of passing up the opportunity to replenish her energy when the opportunity presented itself – he and Colin had both shown that type of stubborn foolishness.

Melli sent a message telepathically to her friend to bring a large serving bowl of the stew and some bread and wine to the twins’ room while she helped Michael make his way back down the hall. He paused before they entered the room. He took his weight off her supporting shoulder and shifted it to the wall.

“Let’s talk before we go in, Mellisande,” Michael suggested. “I want to explain my actions, and also give you the chance to explain yours. I was perhaps too harsh in judging without first giving you a hearing.”

She tilted her head. “I did what I thought was best.” Her face was set. So much for sympathy, Michael thought. Already, he could feel his temper sparking as he thought back to the vision he’d received earlier that day, the mental image of Rafael and Melli fighting off a horde of demons at that Breslin Circle. Why in the Three Kingdoms did she think he’d left the two of them behind if not to keep them safe? It certainly was not so she could drag Rafael out on an ill-planned rescue mission that might well have been a trap!

You are losing your temper again, which was not the purpose of speaking to her, was it? Colin’s gentle reminder made Michael take a deep breath and count to three. And decide that speaking to the young girl on his own would be a mistake.

“Maybe we need Colin for this conversation,” he said, managing to keep his voice level. He straightened up and opened the door. “After you, dear.”

With an uncertain look at him, wondering what had changed his demeanor so abruptly, she walked into the boys’ room. He followed her in. As he was about to close the door, she stopped him.

“Please leave the door open for Magda. She is bringing the food, as I asked.”

Michael frowned. “You and she ‘speak’ telepathically?”

Melli glanced over at Colin, not sure what she’d done wrong this time. “Well, yes. She’s very good at it and....”

“I know Magda is a good telepath,” Michael interrupted.  He continued in a clipped voice. “I train all of you, you might recall. My concern is that you are using that method of speaking when it is not necessary and I am not sure if you know how to guard your communications when there are strangers around.”

Melli rolled her eyes. “I strongly doubt Benra is going to steal your dinner.”

The anger in Michael’s green eyes at her sarcastic comment made Melli take a step back. Before he could speak, however, Colin stopped him. He had taken a few steps closer, still near the bed where the twins slept with Lycan.

“Michael, please.”  Their eyes met. We speak like this often, as do the twins. She may not realize why it is okay within our group and not for her and her friend.

“Perhaps you should lead this discussion, Colin.” I can accept that we have erred in not explaining that to her as we did to the boys, but tell me how that justifies her rude demeanor to me? Even Dominic at his most irreverent does not speak to me in such a tone!  This is not the first time she has done so either!

Melli looked from the one man to the other and said, “See, you’re doing it now! So why is it....”

Michael gave her a quelling look while Colin went a step further and silenced her. No words came out of her mouth although she knew she was still talking. She looked at Michael, appalled, and assuming that it was he who was using one of the discipline tactics that he and Colin used to use on the twins when they were small and wouldn’t be quiet when told.

The difference, child, is that Michael and I can control where our thoughts are heard – through concentration – and even then it takes practice and skill

He has silenced me! Mellisande’s inner voice was shrill. The twins stirred in their beds and Lycan growled in his sleep, pulling the boys closer into his embrace.

Michael looked at Mellisande, his expression just as angry as hers now. But it was Colin who spoke, as it was he who handled the discipline of the three young Royals unless the infraction were extremely serious. He spoke quietly to Mellisande but his voice was deadly serious.

“It was I, not Michael, who silenced you, and be assured, I will take even stronger steps if you do not conduct yourself in a more seemly manner. Michael has a point. Telepathy is not to be used in a careless manner. It was our error if we did not make that clear to you before. It is not a trick, to save yourself steps to the kitchen or to complain about people in the same room with you. It is used by those of us with close connections for private conversations but we know how to limit the projection of those thoughts – you do not. Even with telepathy you are disturbing the slumber of the twins and our ally. You were silenced to stop you from waking those who need sleep since you were speaking in an intemperate, rude tone toward Michael that will not be tolerated. However, since you are ‘louder’ when projecting your thoughts, we will try to conduct this conversation between the three of us in a civil tone. If you can accede to that?”

Melli bit her lip. She felt as if something was making her want to talk back yet again. Magda entered then, carrying the heavy tray of food and drink. Before she could place it on the table, she saw the large naked man lying in bed with the twins – and shrieked even as she dropped the heavy tray.

Colin spun to throw up a silencing shield even as Michael used telekinesis to stop the tray of food from hitting the ground. Magda stood still, her arm outstretched, pointing at Lycan, who had sat up, this latest outburst finally having woke him up. He had a hand on Nic’s back and his brows were drawn together in a scowl.

“What’s going on?” he asked in a low growl. “It’s getting damn hard to sleep around here and the Pups are still in need of rest.”  He looked to Michael for an answer, knowing he was the Alpha of this pack. Michael walked closer to the Leader, leaving it to Colin to keep the two girls quiet.

“I am sorry, Lycan. There will not be any more disturbances. Since you are awake now, would you like to share a meal with Colin and me?”

Lycan was looking closely at Michael.

“You are very tired. It is...” Lycan paused at calling the Pup’s sire “foolish,” after all, this was his den and Lycan only a guest of another Alpha. To insult him was tantamount to a challenge that Lycan was not about to issue. Not only did he not wish to fight this strong leader at a time when the man was very weary, as that would be the act of a coward, but he most certainly did not want to kill his Pup’s sire, and then have to fight his Pup. Thus, Lycan found himself searching for his seldom used tact. “It would be better for you to rest. Since I am awake now, I can take care of the watch.”

He looked meaningfully toward the older druid, who remained unconscious on the bed across the room.

Michael grinned, amused despite his fatigue. He could not yet read the wolf leader telepathically, not directly at least, but he was beginning to pick up impressions and he had a sufficient understanding to know that Lycan was concerned about the etiquette of questioning his judgment. In light of the disrespect he was currently receiving from a slip of a girl, his deference was refreshing, even if there seemed to be no doubt in the Metamorph’s mind that he could take Michael down if he chose to.

For now, Michael would allow him that illusion.

“Thank you, but I have some matters that I must attend to still. I will accept your offer to take watch; however, once you’ve rested more fully. Say, once the night falls? That will be in another two hours or so.”

Lycan nodded, then shifted his body, sliding back down in the large bed so that he was once more aligned next to Dominic, his broad chest pressed against his back, his arm curved protectively over both Emory boys. He closed his eyes and Michael thought he returned to sleep almost instantly. What an excellent skill to have, he thought enviously.

Turning back toward Colin and the girls, he saw that the food had been set out and only Melli remained with his friend.  He raised an eyebrow.

Colin answered, knowing at once what he was asking. “I explained enough to Magda to satisfy her immediate concern – and to assure her keeping the matter of our two guests quiet. Thus far, she and Fen are the only ones who know about Benra being here and she was told that only Fen may know of Lycan.”  Seeing that Michael still looked questioning, Colin smiled faintly. “She is going to need someone to calm her down after the site of a large naked man lying with the twins, Michael. Fen is a remarkably unflappable person, and unlike most people, when he is told a secret, he does not repeat it.”

Satisfied with that explanation, Michael nodded and sat down finally to eat. Melli wanted to speak but a quelling look from Colin made her wait quietly until Michael had eaten his fill. Colin ate sparingly. He never expended the amount of physical energy that Michael and the twins did. They’d never been able to determine why that was, just that it was. Of course, Colin pointed out, they were able to call upon a far greater amount of power, especially Michael.

You too would expend this much energy and experience the power surge if you would only give up that celibacy idea.

Michael’s tone was teasing. If only it were not, Colin thought, keeping his own thought closely guarded. He replied out loud, “If you have eaten enough, Michael, did you want to address Mellisande’s actions of this afternoon or do you first want to review the etiquette of telepathic communication?”

Michael assumed a suitably serious expression. “I would like to hear from Mellisande what took place here after we left to go to Dominic’s aid.”  He pushed his chair back. Colin poured him another glass of wine and he smiled his thanks. Colin looked at Melli.

“Would you like a glass of wine, Mellisande?”

She looked at her surrogate father, perplexed by his demeanor. He was stern, coldly polite, calling her Mellisande rather than Melli, as was his custom. Normally he would pour a glass of her favorite currant wine without asking, much as he poured Michael’s favorite drink for him. Tonight he was treating her as a guest. She lifted her chin, hiding her hurt.

“No, I do not care for any.”

“As you wish.” Colin set the bottles of wine aside. He drank water.

“Please, Mellisande, explain to us what happened from the time Michael and I left you and Rafael here,” Colin instructed.

She took a deep breath. “Rafael was in the room with me. I was looking in my scrying glass so I’m not too sure what he was doing.  I was trying to send whatever strength and energy I could to Dominic and you, though I wasn’t getting a good sense of where you were. Suddenly, a clear image appeared. Rafe came over behind me to lend me his strength. I saw the figure of Benra at the Breslin Circle, and the dark shadows were all around, trying to get to him.”

“Were you confident that what you were seeing was a true vision of a current event and not a past occurrence or something that was still to come?” 

Colin’s question shook her. She started to answer...twice…but each time she fell silent.

“I believed that I was seeing a vision of what was happening at that moment. No, it was not a belief. It was a certainty.”

“You were willing to place your life, and Rafael’s life, at risk, based on your ‘certainty’ that what you were seeing was accurate, and also that your interpretation of what you were seeing was correct?” Colin’s spelling it out like that made her pause. She was only sixteen, not quite seventeen. To have that level of ability was not usual and while she was very good, even Colin did not claim total accuracy. He had taught her to always try to double-check when there was a great deal at stake.

“Yes. I was sure. I did not doubt at all.”

“Being sure of yourself can be an asset in a tough situation. In a battle, there is often no time for second guessing yourself,” Michael commented, his voice quiet, no trace of anger, but Melli felt as though he had slashed her with one of his mental attacks. 

“But you think I should have taken the time to be more careful in this situation,” Melli said, her tone resentful.

“Michael has not said that, but if you do not stop speaking to him in that tone of voice, you will soon find yourself in a tough situation,” Colin snapped. He was mortified by her behavior. To his surprise, Michael’s thoughts were amused.

What’s so funny?  An hour ago you were furious at her lack of respect and now, when she is being just as bad....

Michael sent calming thoughts toward Colin, and the druid found himself soothed despite himself.

Better?

Yes.  Why aren’t you losing your temper?

I’ve done this before, remember.

Colin looked at his friend in surprise. I hate to disagree with you, Michael, but you have only raised two sons. Melli is our only girl.”

Maybe for you, but you forget, I raised a girl before.

The amusement from Michael was tinged with sorrow and a bit of irritation but amusement was still the predominant emotion. Colin was confused. Meanwhile, Mellisande was looking between the two men and growing frustrated. While mental communication took place at a much quicker pace than verbal conversations, the pause since the last time one of them had spoken aloud had grown too long to pass unnoticed.  Michael picked up on her growing upset. He reached out and took her hands in his. He leaned closer, and held her gaze with his intense green eyes.

“Mellisande...Melli...please. Listen to us for a bit. I know you think there is nothing we can tell you, that Colin and I are ‘old’ now and don’t understand what it means to have this power filling you, to have the certainty of your own omnipotence filling you for the first time. It is heady and wonderful...and there is nothing like it.” Michael smiled at her and if she saw only the charm of that smile, so like Rafael’s, it was understandable. Colin saw the sorrow that was in the beloved face and he had to blink fast to keep his tears away. He willed Melli to listen with an open mind as he knew it was not easy for Michael to talk of those difficult days when the twins and Melli were babies. Michael continued.

“But it only takes one error in judgment to change your life. And the trouble is, you can’t be sure that you’ll be the one to pay the price for your mistake. Sometimes, to your horror, it is the ones you love most who suffer when your great power isn’t enough. You fight by their side as the enemy swarms around you and you have to choose, do you save this one, or that one, because you cannot save them both, and you can only hope that you can save one of them, when....”

“Stop...please, stop,” Melli whispered. She didn’t know if Michael was filling her mind with visions of the battle at the circle, she almost hoped he was, but she suspected that her own fear and guilt over putting Rafael through the battle today would be giving her nightmares for some time.

“I am only telling you why we are so hard on you. Why Colin and I spend so much time giving you the training we did not have. We were thrown into battle situations unprepared and it cost us, and it cost those we cared about. We don’t want you and the boys to go through what we went through. It is all well and good to be sure, and to do what you believe is right as far as saving someone else. But you were not in a test devised by us and the old man was not a hurt dog. If Rafael had been killed today, nothing would have brought him back to us.”

Michael kept his grip on Melli’s hands, and Colin knew he was sending steadying thoughts to her, even as he was confronting her with harsh truths.

“You battled bravely and well today, Mellisande, but it was a battle that very easily could have been a trap. You risked not only your life and Rafael’s, but if Colin and Lycan had not gotten there in time, your action would have brought those demons back to this island and the lives of all of the children would have been lost.”

She looked startled. Her eyes flew to Colin and he nodded solemnly.

“Michael is speaking the truth, Mellisande. We practice hospitality, and we defend the defenseless, but we must always exercise caution and judgment. Did you consult with Rafael today and did he concur in your decision?”

Melli bit her lip. She knew that Rafe would back her up. If she said that it was their mutual decision to go to the rescue of Benra, he would never betray her, but she could not add lying to her mistakes today.  She bowed her head.

“I made the decision without consulting Rafael, and when he objected, I told him that I would go without him if he refused to accede to my decision,” she confessed in a low voice.

Colin looked at Michael, troubled.

You don’t think that she has somehow been affected by the darkness that cursed Lycan’s pack member, do you? What was his name?

Chace. And no, I don’t. Trust me, this is not so easily handled as a darkness in the soul.

Michael seemed wryly amused, which irritated Colin since he could not see anything at all humorous about Mellisande’s behavior.

Michael, what in the Seven Heavens do you find so damned funny?

Colin! You just cursed!

I am not amused.

Believe me, I am fully aware of the seriousness of the situation. Get Melli settled, then you’ll pour us some more wine and I’ll explain.  

Colin could find no fault with that plan. He convinced Melli to go with him, after she apologized to Michael for her hasty actions that day. He played his role and accepted her words gravely, and spoke again mild words of praise for her courage and strength at the circle. He struck a nice balance, Colin thought, once again wondering where he obtained these previously unknown skills in handling a teenage girl.

When he returned from walking a very thoughtful Melli to her room and had poured them each a large goblet of wine, Colin asked exactly that. Aloud, but quietly, as they sat near the window to watch the setting sun.

“When did you become an expert in headstrong young girls?”

Michael smiled, a sad reminiscent smile. “When I was ordered to marry one.” He saw the surprised look on Colin’s face and it made him laugh. He shook his head as Colin started to apologize.

“No, it is fine. Sometimes I forget, and that is less forgivable.  Suzanne was a year older than me when we met, and she was so lovely. And so very willful. I don’t think she had ever heard the word no in her life. She wanted me brought to her to be her husband and what I wanted was never an issue. Not for her or her family. My father was only slightly better. Adam insisted that I be consulted. Me, all I heard was that the most gifted dancers in the land would be brought to the Kingdom to teach me and compete with me and that was incentive enough. The ‘get married and live happily ever after as Suzanne’s husband’ part was...how shall I put it? Minimized. At least, it was minimized from the point of view of a fourteen year old boy.”

“But Suzanne always seemed so sweet-tempered,” Colin protested, although his heart went out to the young boy Michael must have been then. Even as the Michael of the present snorted.

“Suzanne was a brat. At first we fought constantly. But I soon learned that in the Second Kingdom, the wants and needs of the Queen’s favorite daughter take precedence over the wishes of a mere husband. The Second Kingdom is a very matriarchal society, as you know.”

Colin nodded.

“If I wanted to be permitted the time to study dance, my first priority had to be keeping Suzanne happy.” He turned toward Colin and smiled brilliantly. “Don’t misunderstand. Suzanne could be charming and delightful. She loved to watch me dance.” Michael looked out the window toward the sunset, his expression pensive.  “She was happy when we came to Adam’s Court.  Adam was much better than I had been at dealing with her. Better by far than her mother had been. I learned from him. And the losses we went through together...we both were forced to grow up. We had the boys to think of, and that made both of us aware of the need to change our ways. The new baby...she was going to be a new beginning for us.”

Michael looked at Colin again. “Suzanne and I were always much better at being friends and parents together than at being ‘in love.’ But, before she settled down, it was like dancing across a field of nettles to keep her mood sweet.” That mischievous grin again. “I believe I was better at dancing across the nettles unscathed than my encounters with a teenage Suzanne. But, I learned and I am trying to put my experiences to good use now. All of which is a long-winded way of telling you that our Mellisande is not suffering from black spirits. Seems like teen spirit to me.”

Colin smiled ruefully. “I bow to your superior experience.”

“Do you want to discuss the problem of your old tutor now? Or should we discuss Dominic’s pet wolf?”

Colin looked out the window. “Why don’t we just enjoy the sunset and leave those questions for tomorrow? I believe both discussions are better handled on a good night’s sleep. Agreed?”

“Agreed.”

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