Chapter 158: Extras #3 (pt.1)

"Ok," I sighed. "I suppose it's time to go hunt down my wayward daughter."

Keira smirked, "I'll bet that's a phrase you never thought you'd have to say."

I laughed, "Honestly? The only thing that surprises me is having to say it so soon. I thought I'd be well into my fifth or sixth century before I had to worry about a child. Let alone a disobedient teen."

Kelly rolled her eyes, "She's not that bad Tegan. She's just taking after you."

"That's what I'm worried about," I replied with a grin.

It was mid-afternoon and we'd just finished lunch with Maeve and Connor in their private dining room. We'd been back in Otherworld for the past six days, Saoirse's fifty-third birthday was three days ago and two days ago we celebrated Lughnasadh.

Now the three of us were planning to return to Earth tomorrow, and I needed to find out if Elise was coming with us or if she wanted to stay here a while longer.

Just over a year had passed since I adopted her as my daughter, and I had some concerns at first about how she'd handle this new life. After all, she didn't just go from a septuagenarian to a young teen, she also changed species and had to assimilate into an entirely new culture. The first time I rebooted her life was mild by comparison.

But instead of suffering some kind of culture shock, she'd taken to life as the daughter of a fae noble ambassador as though she'd been born to it.

The way her personality shifted to match her appearance and circumstance reminded me of the first time, when she went from being my dad to my cousin. Back then it was like she changed in an instant from a calm quiet retired accountant father to a bouncy energetic party-girl college freshman.

And last year she did it again. She changed practically overnight from a quiet frail sad and lonely elderly human to a small purple-haired teenage fae gremlin. And while she might not have inherited my gift for magic, she absolutely inherited my knack for breaking rules. She also had a natural talent for mischief and mayhem.

In fact between her diminutive size and her uncanny ability to find or create trouble, I was positive that The Morrigan's curse was still in effect. And that it somehow applied to Elise, despite her only being my child thanks to magic and adoption.

Her size in particular had been a surprise to me. When I worked my magic on the Duma last year, my plan was to make her a normal-size fae teen girl. When the spell was finished everything else came out right, except she was less than four and a half feet tall. And she was still that size now.

By comparison Saoirse was already taller than both me and Maeve, and she was still growing. She'd probably be as tall as Kelly and Keira in another decade or two.

Elise didn't seem to mind being tiny, it was yet another thing she adjusted to as quickly and easily as anything else. It did mean I had some things to worry about on her behalf, but nothing pressing. Maybe it would be an issue in another couple centuries, if she decided to start a family of her own again.

For now she was a happy rambunctious teen, with barely a care in the world.

Kelly and Keira accompanied me as we made our way out to the courtyard. A servant mentioned Saoirse was out there, and I knew Elise would be close by. Whenever my daughter was here at the castle, she and my little sister were almost inseparable. They were only about two years apart in age, and they acted like sisters as well as best friends.

It was another one of those peculiar things with fae aging, but for now at least it felt more like Elise and Saoirse were sisters while I was Saoirse's aunt. In fact the opposite was true, Saoirse was my sister and she was Elise's aunt.

"I still think it's weird that she takes after you at all," Keira commented. "I mean... Well you know what I mean."

I assumed my wife was referring to Elise not really being my child, or perhaps that she was once my cousin or my dad. I grinned and told Keira, "I think it just goes to show she really is my girl."

When we emerged in the courtyard we found Elise and Saoirse engaged in some archery practice, under the supervision of a couple of my mother's guards.

Both the teens were using specially-made longbows, designed for younger and smaller fae. Though Saoirse was big enough she'd probably start using a full-sized bow soon, but Elise would likely never be able to draw a grown-up bow.

"Hi mom!" Elise grinned widely when she spotted me and the twins. "Hi Keira, hi Kelly!"

As we approached, the three soldiers came to attention and Captain Gaelen greeted me. "Lady Tegan. We were just uh, overseeing some additional training that miss Saoirse and miss Elise requested."

There was one target set up downrange, and from the look of it the two teens and the three soldiers had been taking turns. Each was using arrows with different coloured fletching so they could keep track of their shots.

After a quick glance at their quivers and back at the target I could tell Gaelen was winning. The other two soldiers were doing pretty good. Saoirse's arrows were in there too, she was giving at least one of them a run for their money. But Elise's arrows were all way down low and to the far left. They weren't even on the target at all, they were buried in the wooden support that the target was attached to.

Saoirse announced, "We're having a little competition! Captain Gaelen is winning, and Lieutenant Cara is in second. I might be in third but I think that's because Corporal Sean is missing on purpose. And uh..."

"I'm having an off day," Elise stated. The spark in her eyes and the grin she was trying to hide told me she was up to something.

Gaelen sounded embarrassed as he said "I'm sorry Lady Tegan, miss Elise is usually a much better shot. I really can't explain what's happening today. I've checked her bow and her arrows, nothing seems to be amiss..."

The poor man was acting like I was going to blame him for my daughter's bad aim, but I knew she could do better too.

Still, I tried to act like I figured a mature parent would. "Elise? You and Saoirse were supposed to join all of us for lunch with Maeve and Connor. Now Kelly and Keira and I need to talk with you. So how about you all finish up this competition, then we can have a chat?"

Elise and Saoirse both grinned, and my young sister responded "Thanks Tegan! It's only three more shots apiece and we're done."

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My wives and I moved a few paces back and watched. Apparently they were going by rank, or perhaps by age. Gaelen went first, then Cara, and finally Sean. Saoirse went next, and finally Elise took her shot. The other four all struck the target in and around the bullseye, while my daughter sent another arrow down into the lower left corner.

Gaelen looked awkward about my girl missing yet again, especially with me there watching. I didn't interrupt though.

They went through the routine again, with the first four scoring well. Then Elise took her turn, and her ninth arrow joined the other eight. It struck in the lower left corner, and that seemed to be all the wooden support could take.

There was a crack, a creak, and a groan, then the support buckled and the whole target toppled over and clattered on the cobblestones.

The three soldiers looked startled, Saoirse had a wide grin on her face, and my daughter just giggled mischievously.

I did my best not to laugh, but it took some effort.

"Ok," I announced, "I assume that means the contest is over. Elise, let's go."

She pouted but left her bow and quiver with Galen, then followed me and the twins back inside.

The four of us went up to our private chambers, where my daughter asked "What's up mom? Am I in trouble again?"

"Have you done anything lately to get yourself in trouble?" Kelly asked.

Elise blushed, "Nnnnnnnno? Not that you know of anyways."

"We're not here to talk about whatever it is you've done," I told her. "Although I'm sure that conversation will come in due time. We're going back to Earth tomorrow and I need to know if you're coming. Kelly and Keira have work to do, and I've got commitments with the embassy. I can't say for sure when we'll be back here next, it might not be till Samhain."

The purple-haired teen's expression became serious and she frowned, "Aww."

She was quiet for a few moments, then asked "So if I go back with you, I might not see Saoirse again for a few months? But if I stay here, I might not see you for a few months?"

"Yeah," I nodded. "It might not be that long, but right now I can't say for sure. You know the humans are on the verge of officially recognizing our kind. If they decide to go public I'm going to be swamped for a while with boring meetings and press conferences and all that nonsense. If that happens then we might be able to pop over for a day here and there, but I doubt we'll have time to do any more week-long visits for some time. Maybe not till winter."

Elise chewed on her lower lip as she thought it over, "Would you be sad if I stayed here? I'm having a lot of fun with Saoirse, and no offence to Padraig's staff but the teachers here are more fun. And grams promised she was going to have custom swords made for Saoirse and me, I don't want to disappear before she does that."

I was about to tell her I didn't mind if she wanted to stay when I almost tripped over one of the words she used. 'Grams' wasn't a Fae word, it was English.

"Are you calling my mother grams?"

"Uh, yeah?" she replied. "Why? She said it made her feel old when I called her grandmother in Fae, so I figured if I used a human word she wouldn't know what it meant."

It wasn't my mother's age or her vanity that was bothering me. I was thinking about The Dagda's curse. No leader of Clann Brádaigh would live to meet their grand-child. My stomach started to get that cold heavy feeling in it as I began to worry about my mom.

I knew I couldn't have a kid of my own, not without risking Maeve's life. Elise was my daughter by adoption, but also by magic. I used my blood when I changed her. I hadn't even thought about it before, but now I was suddenly worried about what it might mean for my mother. Had I inadvertently doomed my mom when I changed Elise? Or was this a loophole?

"Babe?" Kelly asked quietly. "What's wrong?"

Keira added, "You're looking a little pale, cutie."

"It's nothing," I lied.

Both twins rolled their eyes and Kelly replied "You know we can tell when you're lying Tegan. What's wrong?"

Elise looked worried now too as she watched me. She asked in a small anxious voice, "What is it? Did I do something wrong?"

"No hon," I replied as I pulled her into a hug. "You didn't do anything wrong."

I glanced at my wives and added, "I think I need to stay another day or two. If you both want to head back to Earth without me that's fine. I'll be along as soon as I'm done."

Kelly stated, "Tegan, tell us what's wrong."

I was still holding Elise against me as I told my wives, "I have to go back to the Duma Dé. I need to speak with Taralynn."

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