Branch Clan

Isa led the way through the house with Bella by her side. I let them get a step ahead of me so I could watch them and Diamond. Diamond was sleeping in Isa's arms. I could feel my mind wondering like it had last night but I was recovering faster it seemed. Maybe a blast at once made the effects not last as long?

We had gone a few hallways before I looked over my shoulder at Vera. "Go ahead and bring me four more blankets that Diamond uses, Vera."

I looked back ahead as Vera nodded and turned down another hallway. I turned fast enough to see Bella's frown as she watched me out of the corner of her eye. Neither Isa nor she seemed to have clear cut emotions on the idea though. It was hard to raise a normal child with normal benchmarks. I had no idea what requirements a magic user might have as they grew. I found myself wishing my parents had gotten away so that I could ask them what I was like.

I realize we had gone by the stairs as we stepped into the rooms beyond them. I had been caught up in my own thoughts and hadn't noticed that it seemed almost everyone was down here. I would have thought that Emily and her family would feel best up in their rooms but maybe Emily liked all the people here? Then again, she wasn't in the room I entered first.

My brothers noticed my wives the moment they stepped into the room. My brothers made space so that the women could get to the other women who were closer to the door at the other end of the room. I thought this place was odd but maybe the women of the house had designed it?

This waiting room was huge. There was enough room for the whole branch house as it currently was to sit in groups, talk and of course wait. There was even a good amount of unfilled space even with most of the slaves here too. Other than the door I had just come through there were seven more doors around the room. I let my sense fill the room.

There was a black flame from the messenger behind me but there was also one in the room beyond the door that had the other women sitting outside. The rooms beyond the doors were smaller only enough space for four or five people to easily fit. There seemed to be other doors that would allow someone to leave from the back of those rooms if they wanted.

I let my sense continue to explore these new spaces beyond the stairs as I watched Isa, Bella and sleeping Diamond moved through the people. Most of my brothers stood as they noticed the women, but the women were quick to ask them to sit again or wave them off. I wasn't overly worried as my wives walked through the crowd and I let them get ahead. I could feel the emotions of my brothers and overall, it was currently peaceful.

My wives made it across the room to start talking to a group of the other women before they looked back at me. My brothers had been watching my wives and hadn't noticed me until then. My brothers had been watching them protectively just like all the other women that weren't theirs. It was a bit strange to me that there didn't seem to be any jealousy or other problems with the men. They loved their wives it seemed, and they would die for their brother's wives as well as their own, but they wouldn't touch what wasn't theirs and the women were a big part of why that was too.

While the women weren't afraid of the men, they made it clear that they weren't interested in any male not their husband. The only one I had ever seen them have a fear reaction to is me, but they avoided unnecessary interaction with brothers that weren't their husband and if they did have some reason to talk to them, they made sure at least one of the man's wives were there.

The brothers also made sure to keep each other in line. As far as I know only one brother had taken liberties that another brother didn't like, and he had been trained better the next day. That event hadn't repeated since.

My brothers finally noticed me standing in the doorway. I watched as they jumped to their feet like I was someone important. It was quite a way from a wilder with a debt that made him not worth the horse he was dragged in on. At least from their point of view. From mine there was still so much more to do in this brief flash of life.

I waved for them to sit back down as I looked for Travis. He wasn't there of course; he was probably with his wives in the smaller room but I kept my power just to the room I was in. I decided not to follow my wives they had their own group in the room and Diamond was sound asleep in Isa's arms as they talked. Some of the men stood close listening to the women but they didn't add to the conversation.

Two weeks was going to be a long time to be away. It meant I would only be able to take the men that fought with me in the Blackstone. My wives should be able to keep the branch house in order without me, but I didn't want to leave them without support. If I was taking my pack and their packs and Travis that would leave the house without people who knew what I wanted.

My eyes fell on the two men that my wives had grown up with. They most certainly were not the most senior. Maybe all those people I had thought of wouldn't want to go hunting with me? I still felt I would have to ask them even if I didn't want them to come. Travis first, as much as he might be annoyed with me as this was also his first child. There wasn't much for us to do for the kids yet, but I wanted my brothers to have a real family bond.

The two men stood again as I walked over to them. I took one of the chairs across from them and motioned for them to sit. The shadow had followed me, but he took a spot against the wall watching all the other people. Vera stood behind my chair but enough to the side I could see her easily if I looked. "Why don't you stay by Bella and Isa, Vera?"

Vera smiled at me, and I almost forgot I wasn't in my room for a moment. "They would prefer I stay near you right now."

I shrugged letting my sense wander around the room.