Tanner grimaced as the carcass of the former Constable Marche was carried away. Behind it a trio of Brownies followed; cleaning the trail of blood and entrails so that no trace remained to mar the ground. A big ball of guilt sat heavily in his stomach and Tanner had to turn away from the grisly sight.
“Your mother never could tolerate violence either” stated the King quietly. Tanner turned his head sharply to look into his father’s tired eyes. “If it were not for your physical similarities to me I would have dismissed her claims that you were my child.”
“You didn’t have to kill him” said Tanner ignoring the later statement.
“His life was forfeit the moment he picked up that gun and aimed it at you” said the King angrily.
“Would you have saved me if I were not your son?” demanded Tanner “I think not!”
“It matters not since you are my son. No mortal will ever get away from threatening one of the Faye. Be they of Royal standing or of more humble origins; we cannot afford to lose our anonymity. Our realm needs to be protected and I refuse to allow it besieged by those...savages.” As he spoke his voice became hardened and his gaze wandered from Tanners face to the empty theatre before them. “I will not lose our home to them; not this time.”
Tanner frowned at the phrasing but didn’t bother to ask what his father meant by the last part. “Is there a reason why you wanted me here? Or am I able to return to the other side now?” He just wanted to see Wynter. She had looked so pale and fragile as she had spoken but he had been unable to reassure her because they had made certain that she could not see him during the trial...if trial was even the right word for it.
“Why have you not completed your mission? It was a simple matter which I expected you to clear up and then return here as there are other more important topics with which I wish to discuss with you.”
“It is far from simple Father...there are complications which have arisen that were not fore see able...there are more than one Seelie loose within the town. It seems that a portal has been opened and I require more time to seal it and dispose of the escaped prisoners in such a way that no other mortals are harmed or suspect to the actual events occurring under their noses. Plus there seems to be a cache of bodies that needs disposing of....” They stared at each other in silence; mirrored expressions of stubbornness upon their faces and within their stiff stances.
“I should have sent Oisin in your stead” said the King in disgust.
“Why didn’t you?” asked Tanner more out of curiosity then hurt feelings.
“We both know that your brothers lack your subtleties when dealing with the mortals...”began his father but he was cut off as a great falcon swooped down and landed on the throne. Stretching out its leg it patiently waited for them to remove its burden before soaring off into the sky once more. Tanner watched it disappear into the distance as his father read the tiny piece of parchment. “Leave me” he stated.
Not one to argue a dismissal Tanner made to go but there was something about the Kings appearance that stopped him. His shoulders were hunched over and his face looked grey in colour, if Tanner didn’t know better he would have thought his father carried an air of defeat about him. “Father?” he asked taking a small step towards him.
“If I wanted your miss placed compassion I would have asked for it! Now take your leave before I have you escorted out of my sight!” he exclaimed in anger.
Biting his tongue Tanner gave a curt nod in lieu of a bow and did as his father asked.
***
As he walked along the path Tanner realized that was nothing that was stopping him from returning to Wynter...His father had requested that he take his leave but failed to say where nor did he expressly request his presence remain within the realm...Casting a few weary glances over his shoulder he ducked into the cluster of birch trees and took a few moments to calm himself with a deep breath. Releasing it he thought about his apartment and how it looked on the inside...of the clutter and the chipped leg of his couch...how Wynter looked laying upon it...Her face flushed from kissing him...
Shaking his head he tried once more to concentrate on how his furniture looked. Unlike his brothers who could open any doorway they pleased Tanner had to give considerable effort to the task; a side effect of being raised not as a Faye but as a mortal. Sweat began to form on his upper lip and his hands were curled into fists at his sides as he focused.
A slight ripple in the air told him that it was working.
“Careful; you might hurt yourself with all that thinking” said a voice. The ripple disappeared and Tanner fell to his knees from exhaustion. “Going somewhere little brother?”
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