~~
Trinity
~~
The wedding was over after that. The attendees were too frightened to do anything other than head home and hide away. This was just over a year after the fear and worry that had plagued them when Hibiscus was wreaking havoc on the city. This was all happening too soon for them.
The citizens were sent home and ordered to stay inside. Honestly, with the threat of war having been issued, I don't think they would want to come out of their homes. They would probably want to leave the city and take their chances among the humans. They all probably felt safer doing that.
What I felt the most heartbroken about, was that Aunt Glory's wedding had been cancelled. She and Trevor were not able to finish their ceremony with everything that had happened today. And poor Daciana, she will forever have to remember the day of her wedding as the day that a war had broken out among the Fae of the light and the ones that had been sealed away for centuries. That would most likely make her never want to celebrate this day.
She was handling it well, for now. Her and Athair mòr walked hand in hand behind Aunt Glory and Trevor as we all made our way to the study for a strategy meeting. Reece was holding for my arm as we marched onward, and I was just glad that I had some of my family here to take the children back to the residence.
I was actually thinking about the children a lot. In all honesty, I was probably going to send my parents home with all three of them and have them protect the children there. The ley lines would keep the protection magic going strong in the castle and protect them. I would most likely send quite a few people there if I thought that things were going to get too dangerous here for them. Those that were incapable of fighting needed to be protected.
When we made it to the office, we all sat in our usual places. Aunt Glory and Trevor were seated together on an armchair next to the fireplace. Athair mòr and Daciana were sitting on a loveseat opposite them. And Reece and I were sitting on a couch that was to the side of them and caused us to form three sides of a rectangle.
"What the hell was that about?" Trevor blurted the words out the moment we were all alone and seated in the room.
"That was a shit show, that's what that was." Reece answered him.
"I wouldn't call it a shit show." I scolded him. "Honestly, it could have gone a little better, but it definitely could have gone a lot worse as well."
"Yes, I am truly thankful that Trinity was there with us today. If it had not been for her, then we might not have been able to survive this day." Athair mòr was giving me a look that was filled with both gratitude as well as shame.
"Athair mòr, is she that strong of an enemy?" I needed to know this. I needed to know what we were up against.
"It is hard to say." He was intentionally not answering my question.
"Athair mòr." I just stared at him, not letting him get away with this. "Tell me about Solanum. Tell me what we need to fear about her."
"Trinity." He clearly didn't want me to know what was going on, or rather what had happened."
"Stop beating around the bush." I snapped at him angrily. "You both know that Danu asked me to help when you were both threatened by the evil that was coming. We all assumed that she had been talking about Hibiscus, but I think that she was talking about Solanum. It's just that Hibiscus was clouding the vision. Or perhaps Hibiscus led to Solanum's return. We don't yet know enough to make that call."
"Do you truly think that what Hibiscus did could have led to Solanum escaping from the dark lands?" Aunt Glory seemed truly shocked to even think that idea had been possible. "I should never have been so relaxed with her. I should never have let it get this far."
"Live and learn, Aunt Glory. You know now that when something like this happens you can't trust people that you thought you've known for years. Simply not suspecting them because you love them can give them the perfect time to put that knife right into your back."
I was sounding so cynical but that was what was needed at the moment. I needed to get this point across so that we could move on. I needed to learn the story of Solanum and Valerian. I needed Athair mòr to tell me what had happened between the two of them. I needed to know why it was that she hated him and the rest of the Fae so much.
This was the true danger that we had been waiting for. This was the true battle that Danu had warned us against. We had grown complacent and soft thinking that the threat was gone. But it was still here. It was still growing stronger and waiting for us. And now that evil was ready to strike.
"Athair mòr, Aunt Glory, the two of you need to throw out everything that you thought you knew about your kingdom. I hope that one day you can go back to normal. However, for right now, there is nothing but fear and hatred that I can sense around you. The love, happiness, and acceptance of this afternoon is gone. I am sorry, but that is the reality of it all."
"Yes."
"You are right." Aunt Glory and Athair mòr nodded in agreement as they heard my words.
"Good, I am glad you understand. Now, Athair mòr, please tell me what happened. Tell me why there is so much hatred in Solanum's heart.. Tell me what I need to know so that we can figure out how to win this war before it even starts."
