Chapter Seventeen

[Long Island, New York, end of August]

Humming softly as she stirred the batter for the batch of cookies she was making with the cook, Dee, Annalia smiled over at Arthur as he bounced in his swinging chair, waving his hands merrily as he jumped around. Dee laughed quietly at his enthusiastic babble and jumping while they baked cookies and pies for the upcoming church festival for Annalia’s church. He stopped bouncing and babbled at them some more, waving his fists as if ordering them in what to do, which made them and the maid that entered at that moment laugh.

“Mistress Annalia? A package has come for you. And Master Talin has just called home. He will be coming home shortly and wishes to take you and young Master Arthur for a picnic,” the maid, Theresa, reported as she bowed her head politely.

“He does, does he? What do you think, Arthur? Should we go with Papa for a picnic when he comes home?” Annalia cooed out after she put her bowl down and went over to her cooing and giggling son. She chuckled as he shrieked excitedly and bounced a bit before reaching for her in an obvious plea to be lifted up, which she complied to. He snuggled close before leaning back, giggling as he arched back as far as he could while she held him steady.

Shaking her head, Annalia grinned over at the beaming maid. “That’ll be fine, Theresa. Will you please make a lunch for us then since Dee is busy with the cookies and pies?” she asked politely and smiled as Theresa bowed in acceptance before heading over to help out the laughing cook. Straightening, Annalia put Arthur in his playpen before going to wash up a bit before her husband returned home.

When she had finished, she gathered her son into her arms and went to the study where the package would have been put. She frowned as she saw its size and wondered what it was that had come in. Being the wife of the richest men in the world was a duty indeed, but she herself rarely got packages in the mail. She blinked as saw that it had an England postmark and wondered if Isabella had sent her something or if her parents’ families had, since it had become a habit with them recently since Arthur had been born.

Setting her son on an afghan that her maternal grandmother had knit herself, Annalia set to opening it. But, just as she was about to open it, she stopped as she felt a wave of doom wash over her. Something was wrong with this…

At that moment, Arthur started crying and broke her from her brief trance and bringing her back to the present. She put the box aside and collected Arthur, soothing him with soft words as she rocked him and left the study, which strangely enough calmed him. Concerned, she looked back at the box, and then decided to wait until Talin returned home. She had a feeling that whatever it was in that box would need to be seen by him first.

She didn’t have to wait for very long as he came through the doorway just as she was walking past the foyer on the way upstairs. She laughed and waved before trotting downstairs. Arthur squealed in delight and reached for his father, who swept him into a hug and twirled around, further exciting the infant. Annalia watched with a warm smile as father and son played before she was swept into a heated kiss that she welcomed eagerly, melting into her husband easily as he held her close. They stopped as Arthur’s giggles alerted them that innocent eyes were watching the exchange and they chuckled softly.

“How was your day, love?” Annalia asked as she took back her son so that Talin could put his briefcase aside. They headed up the sweeping staircase to their room so that he could change while they spoke about their days. She didn’t mention the strange box immediately, but knew that she couldn’t keep quiet for long.

Her suspicions were confirmed as, while he was pulling on his shirt, Talin shivered and looked at her. She bit her lip and then finally said, “There was a strange package delivered today. It’s in the study.”

“You did not open it, did you?” he asked quietly, yet it was in a tone that wasn’t accusatory and more confirmation. She shook her head in affirmation of his supposition and he frowned darkly. “Where did it hail from?”

“The postmark looks like from England. But there was no return address,” Annalia answered while frowning as well, but in confusion. “Talin…what is it?” she asked in worry as she went to him and put a hand on his arm as he looked out the window.

“Go put Arthur in the nursery with Kayla and join me. I sense a darkness that we have been without for some time now,” Talin ordered darkly as he gazed at her and put a loving hand on Arthur’s dark head.

Swallowing hard as she looked at her son, Annalia felt cold. “Since Arthur’s birth,” she whispered before going to follow her husband’s order. She went to the nursery just down the hall and gave her now subdued son to the nanny before heading downstairs to meet her husband in the study. As she got closer to the study, she felt an overwhelming urge to be sick flood through her. She stopped at the entrance and leaned against the doorjamb heavily as she looked inside.

Talin stood at the desk grimly as he gazed at the box that he held his hands over it while his mouth moved in a chant. Annalia clutched dizzily at the wood as she heard the soft words, but didn’t know what they were because of the dialect. Suddenly, a bright flash of light snapped out from the box and the nausea left her. She took several deep breaths as she watched her husband while he examined whatever was in the box.

After a few minutes, she straightened and went to his side to gaze into the box. She smiled slightly as he wrapped his arm around her waist, but her brief pleasure vanished as she took in what was in the box. Laying on a piece of black velvet lay a sword, its blade broken and rusted and the hilt was tarnished and worn with age. She could see ancient markings along the hilt swirling and angling as they intertwined almost as if in a dance. She blinked and leaned in trying to see better, but Talin’s arm tightening around her waist stopped her and she looked up at him in surprise.

“Do not touch it. I was able to contain the evil within it, but I can not guarantee that you would be safe if you touched it,” Talin warned her quietly, his eyes on the ancient sword.

“What is it? I mean…I know it’s some kind of ancient sword, but…” Annalia trailed off as she saw her husband’s eyes narrow and she gulped before returning her gaze to the ominous broken sword.

“It is the sword of Mordred, the bastard son of Arthur and Morgaine. It was used to kill King Arthur the first time. But how it was found and sent here I do not know. Or why it was sent here,” Talin murmured thoughtfully as he pulled her closer and wrapped her in his arms as they both gazed at the tarnished blade.

“It felt so…evil. Was Mordred truly that evil?” Annalia asked sadly as she looked up at her husband while leaning back into him.

“Aye, he eventually was. He was power hungry, mentally unstable, and bitter towards his father for all the torment he had faced. He was poisoned by his caretaker, the Lady Morrigan, who was jealous of her sister, the Lady of Avalon at the time, and soon took sides with the Picts and Saxons to take over Britain from his father, Arthur. It was a sad day for a father to kill a son and vice versa,” Talin replied brokenly as he hugged her and buried his face in her neck as he shivered.

“And now someone sent us this as a warning. I’m almost sure of it,” Annalia whispered heavily before turning and hugging her husband tightly, shuddering in fear as he nodded against her neck. “What can we do?”

“I must go to Avalon and I shall take this relic with me. If the time is approaching as we fear, then we must be prepared,” Talin answered grimly as he held her close. “I must do this, my love, but I…”

“I know. We’ll be fine I’m sure,” Annalia soothed her husband and smiled tearfully as he leaned back and gazed at her sorrowfully. He kissed her deeply, possessively and his hold was strong and certain as they tasted of each other fully.

When they parted for air, Talin caressed her lips with a light finger. “I will make sure that you are protected. But you must promise me that, whatever you do, do not go out alone at night, for that is when the Shadow are most powerful,” he whispered softly and his eyes are gentle with love.

“That makes sense, but try not to worry so much,” Annalia replied with a teasing smile as she cupped his face. He smiled back before kissing her hungrily again and made her toes curl with want before they parted again, panting slightly this time. She smirked at him and winked. “I think the picnic is off,” she purred out softly and traced his shoulder and pectoral slowly before sauntering out of his hold and heading for the door.

Talin watched her leave with hooded eyes and licked his lips before looking down at the shattered sword in front of him. His eyes narrowed in suspicion and firmed his decision on what he had to do, even if he didn’t want to. He would leave for Avalon to find out what he could and call upon old alliances in order to protect his son and wife. The Shadow wouldn’t win this battle if he had any say about it.

Nodding firmly in resolution, he left the study and went to make arrangements with his private jet. He would have to leave that day for England so he could at the least be home faster. Knowing that he would have to make preparations so he could leave with less worry for his wife and child, he set to work planning on what charms and spells he could use around their home and her family’s home.

A few hours later, he left for England after having spent some private time with Annalia in order to reassure her and himself. On the way to the airport, he stopped outside of her parents’ home and placed a protective spell. He knew that the warning that had led to him leaving was also a diversion, so therefore he had to make sure his beloved family would be safe. He had thus, in addition to the charms and protection spells, given his wife an amulet and had placed a small tattoo on his son’s chubby arm. The tattoo would wear off after his return, but it would do for now.

So, with a reassured spirit, Talin Esin, the last Merlin of the Druid world, left for his homeland to find answers and allies. Annalia watched him leave with a heavy heart, but, as she held their son, she knew that Talin would do his best to protect them.

However, as the days passed, she grew more and more worried, though she tried not to show it. It was with relief that she accepted her mother’s invite to go over to relax and let her family soothe away her cares while being with Arthur. She packed up his baby bag while humming softly as Arthur cooed and babbled on his blanket as he pushed himself up to look around and giggle as he saw his mother. Smiling at her son, Annalia went over and gathered him up to get him ready for their visit before changing him into a baseball outfit complete with a hat, which he enjoyed grabbing off of his head and chewing on as she shook her head in amusement.

They packed up her Saturn Relay and she waved to the watching servants before driving off to face the mid-morning traffic of New York City. She kept her eye on her son in the rear view mirror and smiled as he cooed and babbled while looking around. Arthur always loved it when they went on car rides. She looked forward as she drove along and smoothly avoided the more erratic drivers of the streets like an old pro as she sang along with the radio.

She turned down the street that led to her old neighborhood and blinked as she saw a black Cadillac turn after her. She frowned lightly then focused forward and glanced up now and then to watch her son and the weird car. She made another turn to go past the nearby park and felt her heart begin to pound as the car followed her. She bit her lip and sped up, paling as she saw her pursuers speed up as well. She sent a prayer to the Goddess for protection, and then breathed a sigh in relief as she pulled into her parents’ driveway.

But the car parked at the curb and the doors opened to reveal three tall brawny men and two women, all having a very sinister air about them that made her panic. With a whimper, she swiftly unbuckled and got out of the car. She fumbled with the latches to the car seat as she saw the menacing group start towards her slowly. She stared as they stopped as if blocked and growled and snarled as they pawed at an invisible shield. She shook herself out of her surprise when Arthur wailed slightly in worry after she saw them making some headway, and then managed to get Arthur free. Grabbing the baby bag, she ran to the door as her heart pounded when she heard them hurl threats at her. She looked back at them as she pounded on the door frantically and shook with terror as the largest of them broke through and lunged at her.

She cried out in relief as the door was opened by a shocked Jonathon and she ran inside. “Close it!!” she shrieked, which he did immediately in confusion. She nearly sobbed in relief as she looked out the window and saw that her pursuers had vanished. Putting Arthur down, she sank onto the bench that was nearby and put her head in her hands as she tried to calm down. Arthur started crying, having been upset by the abrupt reactions his mother had been through and the scare which he had sensed, so Jonathon knelt and unlatched the straps to hold him soothingly while looking at his sister in question, concerned at their upset states.

“What was all that racket?!” Anthony cried as he came into the foyer followed by the rest of her family as the ruckus that had heralded Annalia and Arthur’s arrival brought them from whatever activities they had been involved in.

“It…it was nothing. I’m sorry…” Annalia whispered shakily as she got herself under control again, and then reached for her son to cuddle. She ignored the disbelieving looks that her family exchanged as she held Arthur close and nuzzled his soft face as he sniffled and cuddled closer to her. She trembled as she remembered how near she had come to being captured on her own parents’ lawn and vowed to be more careful. But with her husband gone, who knew how long it would be until their luck ran out.

Resolving to not give up and to keep praying her husband would return soon, Annalia stood up and smiled reassuringly at her family and acted as if nothing had happened while ignoring their queries into the recent events as she led the way into the kitchen where brunch was waiting. She was able to distract them onto other topics as well as with Arthur, but her mind was never far from what had happened. She silently thanked her husband for having warded her family’s home as well. Without that, she and Arthur would have been captured for certain that day. And, with luck, she would be able to remain safe until Talin came home.

She hoped.