General Charles Watts

*POV* Coral Sparks

Reedia, Judy and Anna had pulled together everything they thought I might need. The house now looked covered in children's toys, it was a mess until Anna helped me change the spare bedroom into the nursery.

Some men came and moved out the queen size bed and put two cribs in its place, then we rearranged until we had the room looking amazing.

I smiled as I looked at the wall. I was on my knees putting the finishing touches on the little wolves I had painted in a forest background on the wall of the nursery. "It's looking good!" Anna comments from the door.

"I am almost done!" I set the brush down and got to my feet and stretched, it had only taken me a good part of the morning to paint the wall. I had missed painting.

"I have got the twins eating, you should come get something to eat too." I smiled at her. She was a pretty older woman with straight black hair that she pulled up atop her head and pinned in place.

Her face had wrinkles from smiling over the years, her brown eyes were all that smiled nowadays. She was quite quiet, but I didn't mind at all.

She pointed at my skirt. "You should probably change first and wash your face." A glance down at my blouse and smiled, it was dirty with paint splotches. "You're right." Putting away the paint, I went to change.

Anna was a good cook, on the corner she had set a plate for me, the meat was cooked to perfection and everything was seasoned just right.

Reedia stood by the door eyeing me. "Has she eaten?" I thought. "Do you and Judy take turns?" She straightened and looked at me in surprise, and I wondered if maybe she wasn't staring at me and was just daydreaming.

"Yes ma'am! We do. she will be here for the night watch." I nodded, it was like being back at the castle with a guard at my door at all times. I had less protection in the fort. "And remember what happened! I would take an around the clock watch any day." I told myself with a shiver.

"When will Lexus return?" Reedia shrugged, "I don't know, I heard that she got wounded pretty badly." my heart sank.

After we ate, Anna left to tend to her own home and I sat with a book I found on the shelf in the living room. The afternoon ticked by, a knock on the door had me putting my sewing down.

Reedia stepped out the door to talk to the new arrival, I glanced at Lula and Samuel playing on the floor at my feet. I looked over my shoulder as an older man entered the room.

He wore a General's uniform like Lexus, black with white rope lining the seams, a white rope hung over his right shoulder, he also sported a couple metals across his chest.

"Miss Coral?" He called, I stood. "Where's Reedia?" I asked, my heart pounding. He stepped forward. "She is outside the door." I eyed him. "And who are you?" He gave a half bow.

"I am General Charles Watts. I will be replacing General Lexus Franklin in overseeing your care." I relaxed a little. He seemed genuine. I step forward to shake his hand like Lexus's has taught me to.

"Nice to meet you." He smiled and I felt a shiver run down my spine. And I motioned for him to take a seat on the padded chair in the living room. "So what brings you here this evening.?" I asked, turning on my charm.

"I came to see you in person. I could hardly believe my eyes when I got the news of your existence." He rubbed his hands together. "My wife and I had always wished for children, now that we have found you it might just be possible."

I raised an eyebrow. "That's unfortunate." He smiled, "I hope you understand how important this is to our world." I figured I did, but I stayed silent. This man was making me feel uncomfortable, with the way his eyes roamed my body and his grin when he watched my babies.

"I can't remember the last time I have seen someone so tiny." He reached out to grab Lula off the floor, I resisted the urge to pull her away from him and stayed in my seat.

"She is small for her age." He smiled and rubbed her cheek. "What's her name?" I told him with a bit of hesitation.

"I would have named her Mabel." I frowned and laughed nervously. "And his name?" I was at least impressed he could tell their genders. "It's Samuel." He didn't pay much attention to Samuel, but went back to looking Lula over like the one and only time Magnur had taken me to buy a horse.

Bile came into my month at the thought of him, and his name in my mind made me shake my head fiercely and pull Lulu from his grasp. My heart was beating quickly.

"I think it's time you go, I need to get them some dinner!" He looked surprised and Lula started howling and I realized I was holding her quite tight. I frown and when I glanced up General Watts was frowning too.

"Are you okay Miss Coral?" I nodded and smiled and I turned Lula into my chest. "Yes, I am fine, it's just been a long day." He gave a small smile. "Okay, I will be back in the morning if you can think of anything you will need you can ask." I smiled.

"Thank you, have a great evening." I practically shoved him out the door and Reedia stopped me from slamming it shut behind him.

I let her enter and took the wailing Lula into my room, I felt the need to hide. Tears prick at my eyes and my chest was tight, I hadn't thought of him in a while, I had almost forgotten.

I felt like screaming, but I fought back my tears and began to sing quietly to Lula. She calmed down after a while and when I felt the room Anna was in the kitchen making dinner.

"Good evening." I greet even though I wasn't feeling it. Anna smiled at me and I felt a little better. I ate little and felt like balling all while putting Lula and Samuel to bed.

I curled into the soft blanket and tried to sleep, but every time I closed my eyes I could see his face, hear his lies. I was able to calm my mind after an hour of tossing and turning, and finally I fell asleep.

My dreams were vivid and I awoke screaming and Judy kneeling beside my bed asking me if I was alright, I rubbed a hand over my face and sighed. I pushed back my blankets and Judy followed me into the kitchen to get a drink.

"Are you sure you are fine Miss Coral?" I smiled sadly at her. "Yeah, I am not in danger. I just wish hurtful memories were as easy to forget as lovely ones." Judy went back to her place by the door and I went into the nursery to curl up beside Samuel.