All Chapters of This life again: Chapter 11 - Chapter 20

My breath catches in my throat, and I open my mouth to speak when the door slams open. I let out a shriek and scuttled behind Quill, trying not to care that he's nude. It's Leopold, and his gaze meets Quill. "Sorry for the interruption, but there's trouble, my lord!" he exclaims before leaving the room. Quill whips on a robe that was dangling on his bed post, slipping on clean underwear, and running out of the room, the moment broken. I frown, our moment clearly ruined, and grab my own thick robe that will hide the fact that I'm not wearing a corset, and run after him, stopping just around the corner of the living quarters. The couches are filled with what I assume is Quill's pack, their wounds being attended to by the nurse maids, and a medical doctors. One of the pack members has a bandage around his head, and he tries to scratch the back of his head, but can't. "...report." I hear Quill say, his voice calm, and full of authority. "Before

"Kelpies. Those are tricky little creatures. You have to be careful if you ever see one, Cece." my mother says, as she brushes a curl from my face, and gives me a kiss on my temple. "Do we have any here, Mama?" I ask her, and she chuckles. "No, your father made sure that kelpies would never enter this land. But that's not the case in all places you'll visit when you grow up. If a kelpie tricks you..." water began to drip down her nose, and then her eyes. Frightened, I grabbed my blankets close to my chest, scooting away from my mother. "M-mama?" I stuttered out, water pooling out of her mouth as she tried to grab me again. "If...a...kelpie..manages to trick you..." she says, and as she talks, more and more water flows out mouth, drowning out the rest of the words. I don't understand, I can't hear her, or know why she's talking about kelpies of all things- A boy emerges from the waters spilling out from my mother. He has his hood up, and

The conversation flow is natural, though Cersei partakes in little of it. Lip now and then shoves her arm with his book in an attempt to get her to say something. She says naught, rolling her eyes at him, then going back to eating her food, and drinking her orange juice. Luckily, Quill is busy talking to Elex, Eryx, and Xolo, and I try to listen in, though most of it is just about the problem with the trade in. In a more hushed tone, I can hear him ask Elex, and Eryx about Mason. I lean in to hear better when- "Oh! My lady, forgive me, I almost forgot if you settled your ownership of the kelpie yet." Lip asked, making my turn to him in surprise. "I haven't yet-" "I forgot! Lady Cece managed to take the bridle of a kelpie! That sounds so amazing." Xolo exclaimed, stopping the conversation between the twins and Quill. Quill smiles, but I can see the worry in his eyes, and how he pushes the remainder of his food away. I want to know what ex

I stand next to the lake, keeping an eye out just in case. The kelpies prance around in the waters, disappearing and reappearing in a different spot. My bracelet's chain sticks straight up, the clasp tickling my palm. I'd been on edge since Mason's arrival, and the fact that he had a truce with the Fae didn't help. So instead of cowering into fear, I'd practice summoning kelpies in any type of water, not just the lake. I asked Quill if he'd place a huge fountain in the common area of the castle just in case. He'd agreed, noticing that I was more strained than anything. "Do you want to go back home?" he asked, and I shook my head, sending out a message to my father to pull out all trade and businesses he had with Mason. And to send a servant out here with more of my clothes, and boots, because I was going to spend more days here. I knew Mason feared my father more than he feared me; my father could hold his own in Ovylian, but I was determined to keep Quill and hi

After Quill's short tour, due to him being needed by someone he had called into his office, and then him going off to speak to them, I'm back next to the lake, concentrating hard on the way the kelpies dive down in the waters, then reappear. I use raw meat to entice them, the smell of blood catching their attention. More than once, the kelpie tries to take my bracelet. I don't scold them for their nature; they're tied to me because of the bridle I managed to catch. My reflexes from moving my hand away have also improved, and I take great care to ensure that the chain never slips off by accident. Someone behind me clears their throat, and when I turn, Cersei is there, a blank expression on her face. "Your betrothed wishes for you to clean up and have supper with him. It will just be the two of you in the great hall." she says, and I nod, wiping sweat off my brow. Today, Cersei has her hair pinned up in a small bun, wearing a long overcoat gray blue overc