Shadows of a Broken Past: A Shard of Faith (Book one)

Chapter 20:

As Lizzie, Jimmy and Cleo arrived in the Grimlands, fWhip was stood outside one of the gatehouses arguing with a young woman who had a young child in her arms, another in a sort of sling on her back and a third, slightly older child standing next to her. The mother had a thick, fluffy black tail lashing behind her, her ears flat to her head. It was obvious she was a hybrid, but it wasn't quite clear where she had come from. 

Cleo pointed. "Is that a House Blossom hybrid?" She asked, her fins splashing water everywhere. 

"It appears so." Jimmy answered. "But I thought all of the hybrids were stuck in there animal forms." 

Lizzie frowned. "I thought so too." She said as they approached. 

fWhip sighed. "Look, Marinetta, I can't do much to help you. As deep in grief as I am myself over Katherine, I am in no place to send anything as condolence for your sister. Even after what mine did." He looked so guilty, it made Lizzie's heart hurt. If Jimmy was in Gem's position, she would likely feel the same.

The woman, who Lizzie recognized as Katherine's younger sister by the name and by her children(the youngest of which looked somewhat similar to her deceased friend), Marinetta, sighed as well. "fWhip, I don't blame her." She said, her tail hanging low now. "I just miss her. She was the only sibling I ever got along with." She laughed morosely. "If only it were me." 

fWhip opened his mouth to argue but Lizzie's footsteps seemed to snap him out of his reverie. "Lizzie, you made it." He said in somewhat relief. "Good. Sorry, I'll have to get to this. We'll discuss later." He hurried over, waving to his conversation partner as he got to the Ocean Queen. "Hello hello, my friends!" He grinned. "How may I be of service?"

Cleo gave him a customary bow. "Count fWhip." She said, nodding to him. 

Lizzie smiled to fWhip. "Hello." She said, nodding. "I came for the discussion of a peace treaty?" 

fWhip nodded enthusiastically. "Amazing! May I inquire as to whom this fine young Oceanfolk is?" He gestured to Cleo.

"This is Cleo, my bodyguard. She's a good friend of mine." Lizzie introduced her. 

Cleo nodded again respectfully. "I'm a twenty-eight-year-old Oceanfolk from one of the smaller southern villages." She said. "I've been in her majesty's service for nearly ten years." 

Lizzie smiled again. "She is by far one of the best warriors I have." She admitted. 

"And I see you've brought your brother along with you." The Count of the Grimlands said, glancing somewhat disdainfully at him. Jimmy glared back. 

Lizzie groaned and then shook her head. "I can't believe these two sometimes." She whispered to Cleo. 

"They remind me of Martyn whenever he's around people he hates." Cleo muttered, making a soft 'tsk' noise under her breath. 

Lizzie stifled a giggle before speaking up. "Well he forcefully tagged along after he helped me defend my capital city from a pirate raid. And when I say 'forcefully tagged along', he pretty much just announced his going with me." She crossed her arms. 

fWhip rolled his eyes. "Of course. Well, come with me and we can start working on this agreement." 

Lizzie nodded, catching up to him and standing between her brother and the host as they walked. 

"Who's Martyn?" Jimmy asked suddenly. "I heard you say something about a Martyn, Cleo." 

Lizzie glanced at him. "I forgot you have the same Oceanfolk hearing as we do." She muttered, gesturing to Cleo. 

The fiery-haired woman sighed. "Martyn is my former husband." She said, her tail twitching in aggravation. "We were married for three years before we got divorced. That was....well we got married when I was twenty....so four or five years ago was our separation. We get along okay, we aren't the best of friends -he almost got me killed by accident once by knocking me off the Prisma Palace- but we get along, which is saying more than most divorced couples."