Chapter 6: The Aftermath.

The next morning Lazariss wakes up in one of the stone houses with a splitting headache, and next to three lamias. He stands and tries to keep his balance. After the fifth attempt he keep his balance, and slowly walks to the door.

Lazariss "ugh, what happened last night?"

Lancalot "enjoy your nap?" he asks Lazariss with a smug attitude.

Lazariss "shut up. You seemed to have enjoyed yourself."

Lancalot is standing in the doorway, shirtless, had a couple scratches on his torso, and had the obvious signs of being hung over.

Lancalot "I would be lying if I said I didn't enjoy our stay here."

Lazariss "rum here is strong. Let's not tell Milena."

Lancalot "agreed. This stuff is way stronger than what we have. If Milena found out…now that's a scary thought."

Lazariss "what happened last night anyways."

Lancalot "after we came back from Cath Reidh, they had a bunch of food and rum waiting. We spent most of the time talking and laughing. You passed out after a couple of hours and spent the rest on the night in here. Me? I kept quite a few of them company last night."

Lazariss "yeah, that's obvious with the scratches on your chest."

Lazariss and Lancalot clear their heads and make their way home. On their way out of the village they run into Silvia.

Silvia "leaving so soon?"

Lazariss "yep. We have been gone for too long, and our mother is probably not too happy right now."

Lancalot "yes and I'm sure everyone else is wondering where we have been by now."

Silvia "I understand. But before you go, please accept these gifts."

Lancalot "gifts, for what?"

Lazariss "are you complaining about a free gift?"

Lancalot "fair enough."

Silvia "for you Lancalot, three books that no human has ever read before. They are about lamias, enjoy."

Lancalot "this is um wow. I don't know what to say except thank you."

Silvia "and for you Lazariss…well I wasn't sure what you would like exactly, so this will have to do."

Silvia slowly moves up to Lazariss and gives him a long kiss.

Silvia "what do you think?"

Lazariss "I have nothing to complain about, thank you for the very wonderful gift."

Silvia "you two haven't forgotten our deal, have you?"

Lazariss "nope. As we agreed Lancalot, or I will visit this village at least once a week. Or someone else will, and it will be some one kind and who Lancalot and I both approve of."

Silvia "excellent. Until next time."

Lazariss and Lancalot give a final goodbye and finally head home. When they arrive, they are greeted by the usual everyday people. When they enter the castle main room, in there waiting for them is their brother, sisters, father, and a very angry mother. Actually, with Lilynette angry is an understatement.

Lilynette "where have you two been?"

Lazariss "well you see…we were um? We were…help?"

Leon "sorry boys, you're on your own this time."

Leon, Maclin, Milena, and Valinteena all decided to leave the room before the storm hit. But their curiosity was too great for them to ignore they listen in from the next room.

Lilynette "you had one job! Deliver chickens! That should have taken an afternoon at the latest! What have you two been doing for over two days?!"

Both Lazariss and Lancalot are scared stiff.

Lancalot "in…in a lamia village."

Lilynette "what?! A what?!"

Lancalot "a…. lamia village."

Lilynette "why in the name of the gods were you two in a lamia village?!"

Lancalot "well you see…uh Lazariss will explain it."

Lazariss gives Lancalot an angry stare that says, "I'm going to hurt you."

Lazariss "ok here's what happened; we went into the Temo forest to deliver the chickens, when we came across the village it turned out to be a lamia village. They were the ones who requested the chickens, soon after we got a messenger raven from Maclin, and a sample of the strange venom that was devastating Cath Reidh. Luckily with the sample in hand the lamias were able to make an anti-venom. We brought the anti-venom to Cath Reidh and cured everyone."

Lilynette "that still doesn't answer my question. Why were you there for over two days?!"

Lazariss "oh that was the deal we made in exchange for the anti-venom. In exchange for it we agreed to spend the rest of the day with them. That ended up being the day we got back from Cath Reidh, we had to spend a few days traveling from the village to the kingdom and back."

Lilynette "I see."

Lazariss "and we agreed to visit there village at least once a week."

Lilynette "what?! Why?! Why would they want you to visit at least once a week?! And why did you agree to it?!"

Lancalot "there is a really good reason for that. They are very lonely. And it doesn't have to be us every time. And it was the only way to get the anti-venom."

Lilynette "lonely?! Lonely?!"

Lazariss "it was the only way to get them to agree to make the anti-venom. And it was the only way they would agree to make the anti-venom. An entire kingdoms fate was on the line for this."

Lancalot "and to be fare they haven't had any visitors that are nice in years."

Lilynette raises a fist as anger swells up inside her with the full intension of hitting her children dead in the face, and Leon grabs her arm as she brings it down. He then tries to calm her down.

Leon "Lilynette, Lilynette calm down. Those are your sons. Relax breath, breath."

At first Lilynette was thrashing around trying to break free from Leon's grip. She eventually stopped and calmed down.

Lilynette "if anyone needs me, I'll be in my room."

Milena "something doesn't feel right."

Leon "I'll make sure she's all right. In the meantime, do something to keep yourselves busy and help the kingdom."

Leon goes to his room where Lilynette is breaking random objects and tries to comfort her.

Maclin "that was something."

Valinteena "hey Lazariss?"

Lazariss "yeah Valiahh!"

Valinteena has him pinned against the wall and has the handle of her mace against his throat.

Valinteena "you did what with the chickens?"

Lancalot "here we go again."

Lazariss "we…we gave them…to a village."

Valinteena "as food?!"

Lazariss "no. well yes and no."

Lancalot "Valinteena, that's enough."

Lancalot grabs her shoulder, and she kicks him to the ground.

Valinteena "answer me!"

Lazariss "we took the chickens to a village as a source of food yes, but they wanted the chickens for their eggs not meat."

Valinteena lets him go and instantly calms down, "sorry, guess I over reacted."

Lazariss "one thing is for sure. You're our mothers' daughter all right."

After a couple of hours pass everything is back to the normal everyday routine. Maclin is training most of the day, Lancalot is keeping himself busy with books or women, Milena is passed out drunk, Valinteena is caring for the livestock, Lazariss is asleep somewhere. Leon is taking care of trivial matters most kings deal with, and Lilynette is by his side. While Lilynette is calmer, it is clear that something is troubling her.

Leon "Lilynette what is troubling you?"

Lilynette "being a mother. I think I'm worrying about our children a little too much."

Leon "we are parents first, a King and Queen second, it's what we do.

There is no shame in worrying too much."

Lilynette "thank you Leon, as usual you manage to set my mind at ease."

Leon "to be honest if I knew they would be going to a lamia village I probably wouldn't have sent them."

Lilynette "well there's nothing more we can do about it. Especially since they made a deal to visit once a week."

Leon "and our children always keep their word. Just like us."