Chapter Eighty One

Dory and Mira had been spending some time together in the aftermath of Pete's death.  They were watching the TV when Dory noticed there was a new channel, the weather channel.  Flipping to the new channel, they found reports running on strange changes to the whole world.  It appeared there was rain, snow and hotter weather appearing around the world.  Scientists had been studying the new phenomenon and historians had found some ancient records about weather which they were using to predict what would happen. 

After they had been watching for a while, Mira got up and wandered off without saying anything.  Shortly afterwards, Nik came in to talk to Dory."I'm sorry to add to your burdens Dory, but I've noticed your mother is acting a little strange recently.  She seems to be forgetting things from time to time and I'm a little concerned about her.""I had hoped I was imagining it, but if you've noticed too then something is going on.  Oh, Nik, whatever can I do?  How can I keep watch on the changeling and look after Mother if she's starting to act odd?"

"Well, I do have a suggestion, I've been in contact with some people back where I came from and if it would help I could arrange for someone to come and help us.  The person I've got in mind would look a little strange to your eyes, but she's got special magic which would enable her to track the changeling if it tried to go home and she'd be able to help around the house and keep an eye on your mother for you."

"That sounds like a good idea, but how much would her help cost?  We don't have Pete's salary coming in any more and Mum only has a small pension.  I'm going to have to go out and do a lot more tracking down of birds and animals to keep out income going as it is."

"Don't worry about that, she won't charge much, the experience of living out here will be a massive plus for her and she'll charge even less if you can put her up in the house or the outbuildings.  Besides, I do have a certain amount of income which I'm happy to share with you while I'm living here.  I'm afraid a lot of my work does take place at night, but I can't tell you any more about that as it involves certain things which I'm not allowed to share with mortals...  Anyway, I have a telephone number for the person I was thinking of getting to come and help and you can interview her and see what you think.  Her name is Ug-Laruka Grockiak" 

Nik then flitted away and Dory telephoned the number he had left her.  She discussed a lot of things with the woman on the other end of the line and arranged a trial period to see how things went.

While Dory was interviewing their new home-help by telephone, Pete had gone outside to attend an appointment he had set up with a representative of Dragon Falls' Social Services department. 

Greeting her pleasantly, he immediately began to weave a spell of words around her to convince her to believe what he wanted her to believe and to discuss what he wanted to discuss with her.

"Elenie is very close to her next birthday and will be required to go to school after that, however, as you will be aware, she was present when her father died and I'm afraid she's been terribly traumatised.  Her mother and I don't believe she will be able to cope with school at the moment."

"Well, Mr Splicablee, I will of course have to examine the child to consider what will be best for her and whether there is any additional support that we should be providing to both her and her mother.  Assuming that you are correct, there is a home schooling programme which I can set her up for as long as there will be someone in the house capable of supervising her schooling."

Nik nodded and then cast some fairy dust into the Social Worker's eyes.  "You have seen the child and agree with my suggestion.  You will go back to your office and recommend this.  You will not return to check on her."  toning down his voice from the command he had just imprinted upon the woman he continued "Dory is currently engaging a carer/teacher who will be able to provide some counselling for Elenie, supervise her schoolwork on the homeschooling program and also assist with her grandmother who is unfortunately starting to show the first signs of dementia."

The Social Worker nodded her head, agreeing with everything he said and returned to her office to put the required paperwork in place.

Nik then went on to his cupola where he used his mirror to contact his Queen.  

"Great Majesty.  I have succeeded in convincing the authorities in this place to allow the brat to be home schooled so that she will not go to school and I have also planted a compulsion to prevent them from checking up on her as long as her homework is submitted to the home schooling system on time every day."

"Good, good, and keeping her at home you will break her for me."  Her purr of satisfaction suddenly sharpened "But what is it you are keeping from me?  What failure are you avoiding reporting?" 

"Majesty, I must prostrate myself in shame.  It is the weather spell..."  His voice trailed off

"Well, spit it out you fool!  What happened to my lovely spell?  Did you ruin it?"

"No Majesty, the spell itself worked well, weather is returned to the mortal realms, but it is not having the effect you wished for.  The mortal realms have recovered in the years that weather has been absent and there have been no disasters.  Worse, the mortals have not panicked and their authorities seem to have it all under control."

"Hmm, there was always the chance that would happen.  I shall have to punish the fools who were not able to construct my counter spell soon enough to cause the chaos I desired.  In any case, you must go, the brat is about to age up and you must explain her new role in life"

The mirror went blank and Nik flew down from his hidden room heading for the nursery where Elenie had been left alone and had fallen asleep on the floor earlier in the evening.

She had woken up as she began to feel the first stirrings of her birthday.  It didn't feel comfortable and she was still so tired that she began to wail. 

No-one had come in response to her cries when she felt the first of the birthday sparkles envelop her and she pulled herself to her feet.

As she aged up, Nik entered the room and threw a heap of tatty clothes at her.  He turned his back as she pulled them on, including a very worn apron and a cloth which she tied over her black plaits.

Once Elenie was fully dressed, Nik turned around again and began to lecture her on her new life and what this would entail. 

"You are nothing, understand me?  You will not talk to any of the adults in this house unless they give you an instruction.  You are tolerated here only as long as you are useful, you will not be going to school, you will complete homework assignments and submit them online and you will work around the house for your keep." 

As he said this, he threw a sleeping bag at her.  "This room is not yours any more.  You can sleep in this out in the barn, it's all you're good for and you can thank me for allowing you to sleep indoors at all!  Oh, and by the way, here's a small sample of what will happen if you cross me at all"  And with that he cast a fairy trick on Elenie, making her feel horribly sick. 

Out in the barn, something more hopeful had happened, Misty had just given birth to a tiny female kitten (who would eventually be named Jewel). 

Elenie flew out to to barn clutching her sleeping bag.  She didn't understand what had happened to her.  It had been only a few days ago that she had been taken to the park by her loving mother and father.  Now, her father was dead, her mother wouldn't look at her or speak to her and this strange man was telling her she would be a servant in her own home.

She sat down on the cold hard floor of the barn and unrolled her sleeping bag.  Somehow she knew that she would have to find out what had happened to change her family and her life so drastically and as she settled into the sleeping bag, she felt the three cats and the new kitten come over and snuggle up to her to sleep.  

Back in the main house, Dory had been sitting down when she had received confirmation of what she had suspected.  The little roll in the hay with Nik had consequences and now she was pregnant again.  As she looked down at the barely visible swelling she promised her unborn child that she would never let him or her be taken away from her.

The next morning, she went down for breakfast to find that Ug-Laruka had arrived and had just finished fixing the washing machine.  Mira had come downstairs a little earlier, still wearing her nightclothes and was in the process of grabbing some leftovers from the fridge

As they ate breakfast, Dory explained to her mother that she'd hired Ug-Laruka to help around the house and to supervise Elenie's home schooling program.

Once Mira had finished eating, she decided that it would be a good idea to go and introduce herself to Ug-Laruka, whom she found outside looking after the bees.  Ug-Laruka however was very brusque and short with her.

"I will be watching you Mrs Yat Sen, so don't think you can leave or send messages to anyone about your crazy ideas.  Mr Splicablee has told me I can't eat your bones but I'm allowed to do anything short of killing to keep you in the house and grounds.  Your things have been moved to the upstairs of the barn next to my room so I can keep an eye on you during the night too."

Mira was stunned to hear what was effectively a house arrest pronounced upon her by a creature (who was clearly not human) who had been hired by her own daughter.  She went upstairs in the barn and found all her stuff from her bedroom in the house had been moved there and Merlin was waiting for her there. 

After she'd finished brushing his fur and had gained some measure  of control over herself, she sat down on the new sofa which had been added to her room and beckoned Merlin to jump up onto her lap.

As she stroked him, Mira poured out everything that had happened over the last few days to him.  It was a jumbled mess, but she knew that Merlin couldn't really understand her anyway and she also knew that for the moment she wouldn't dare do anything to contradict the new "butler", she'd just have to wait and watch developments.

Back in the kitchen, Nik had come down just as Dory was finishing eating and, as Elenie cleared the plates, Dory told him her big news.

Nik embraced her when she told him and assured her that he was utterly thrilled at the thought of her carrying his baby.  In truth, he couldn't care less except for the fact that this was another task his queen had set him which he had accomplished and it was always a good thing to accomplish such tasks as quickly as possible. 

He also knew what to do next to tie Dory and her new baby to him as thoroughly as possible and dropping to one knee, he magicked up a beautiful engagement ring.

"Dory, I know it's not long since your husband died, but would you do me the honour of becoming my wife.  I will care for you and your child whatever happens but please will you marry me?" 

Dory agreed and, caught in the magic of his gaze, she also agreed that they should have a quiet, private wedding there and then.  

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Pet Spam

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Town News

• Christopher Karris-McKinley, Megan Sperie & Lenora Vamp-Roman aged to toddlers
• Ieaun Glyndwr and Jenny McKinley aged to children
• Sallie Mitchell-Crist aged to a teenager
• Bernard McKinley and Christy Sabo had a baby girl called Corinna
• Brook Harris-McKinley and Grant Sperie-Sabo are expecting a baby
• Menolly Clemetis is dating Derrick Harris-Crist
• Raina Sabo-Harris and Torey McKinley-Crist broke up as did Bobbie Clemetis and Salvador Harris