9. Arthur

Chapter 9

Arthur

G eorge wasn't difficult to find. He was in the main inn's kitchen having breakfast with the others. When I entered the kitchen, George saw me and smiled.

"There he is." George stood, but the smile quickly fell from his face as he leaned to the side to look behind me. "Where are Patrick and the baby?"

"They're at home. I wanted to talk to you about last night."

Immediately, George's demeanor changed. "Sure." He leaned down to pat Dad on his shoulder before he moved away from the table. Our fathers both started to stand, but I shook my head. I wanted to talk to George alone. I had questions and wanted answers.

We left the kitchen, the feeling of all eyes on us, but at the moment, I wasn't concerned about them. George started toward my place, but I directed him to the brook by placing my arm in front of him while walking that way.

"We're not going to see Patrick?"

"No. I want to talk to you."

George stopped and stared at me intently for a moment before he nodded and started toward the brook. "What would you like to discuss?"

"Many things, but my first question is how did your travels go? Meet anyone interesting?"

"That's two questions," George said but then grinned. "My travels went well. I met lots of interesting people, but sadly, my travels weren't nearly as positive as yours. I'm honestly a bit surprised that your One is Patrick. He's quite a bit younger than you are."

I narrowed my eyes at George. "If you recall, Dad is quite a bit younger than Father."

"Yes, Father is older, but do we really know how old he is?"

"No. But we have an estimate, and he is several centuries older than Dad." Patrick and I didn't mind our age difference. It was something we did discuss in the beginning, right after we'd claimed each other. There were some odd feelings because I had known Patrick when he was a teenager. But I didn't watch him grow up. His family had only been with the coven for around five or six years before they left. He was always polite and eager to learn back then, and yes, even I could admit that there was a certain something about him, but I wouldn't ever have been inappropriate with him.

"And you have a baby already. Little William. Dad said he's just the sweetest. That's just…I'm so happy for you, brother."

I couldn't help but grin at the thought of my son. "Yes, I do. Patrick's pregnancy wasn't without some issues, but overall, he did very well."

"Issues?"

"Just the typical sickness in the beginning. He did amazing during the delivery and has recovered immensely fast."

George smiled at me again. "I truly am happy for you, brother. I would love nothing more than to find my own One. I have no preference; I simply want a family of my own."

"It'll happen. I do have a question though. Were you in the mead or something last evening? You just came barging into my quarters, and I know you had to have sensed that there was more than one aura in there."

George lowered his head. "I didn't even think to look. That is completely on me, and I do apologize. I never would have just entered your place if I'd looked and seen more than one aura. I will also apologize to Patrick."

I nodded. We'd made it to the brook, and I stopped almost exactly where I was that fateful night.

"What's amiss? You seem…unsure."

I looked at George. "Not in the least. I was simply thinking about the night I had returned from my travels. I'd been to Spain, but nothing. I returned, and something pulled me here before I went to my cottage. Not that I think it would have stopped her anyway."

"Her?"

I looked at George. "Did they not tell you?"

George shook his head. "What were they supposed to have told me?"

I chuckled. "Nothing, I suppose. It's just that I didn't find Patrick. I was sent to him."

George looked at me. "Sent?"

I nodded. "Yes. I came here, to this very spot, but wasn't alone. I saw her before I even came close."

"Her?"

I looked directly at my brother. "The goddess was here waiting. She was cryptic, like always. She told me my One needed me, that I needed to rescue him. She gave me a vague idea as to where I needed to go—the city on the point of the lake." I shook my head and chuckled at the memory.

"You're telling me that the goddess told you where your One is?"

I nodded. "Yes. Patrick's parents were going to force him to marry a human. Beyond that though, Henry had been abusing his son for years. Patrick said they were only ever strict with him before they came here and while they lived with us. But after they left, he was abused. I needed to get to him before he was forced to do something that couldn't be undone."

George's eyes widened. "Tell me you took care of his parents."

I slowly shook my head. "That wasn't my burden to bear. Father did though, and he made them suffer as they had Patrick."

"Is Patrick all right? No resentment for what happened?"

I again shook my head. "Patrick knew what needed to be done. He mourns the loss of another set of grandparents for our child and hopefully future children. He does not mourn the loss of Henry and Agnes specifically. They inflicted a great deal of pain, both physical and emotional." Part of me wished I had been the one to deal with them, but a bigger part understood why it wasn't my burden to bear. Father had dealt with others in the past before. It was, in part, why he was created, from what we could ascertain from reading his book.

George sighed. "I am truly sorry for what they have done to their son." George went silent and shook his head. "I cannot imagine doing such a thing to your own child." George looked directly at me. "Children are to be cherished. A true gift that we have been blessed with."

I smiled, again thinking about William. "I agree. I believe those currently in our coven would agree with you as well. I would do anything to protect William. I love and cherish Patrick and would do the same for him. I'm not certain why it is that Patrick's parents were the way they were. Patrick often said it was at his mother's insistence about things, which leads me to believe that it was Agnes who was displeased with Patrick. At least in the beginning. I could never hurt William though. Even the thought makes me ill."

George nodded in agreement. "I don't even have children as of yet, and I can't imagine hurting them. How could someone do such a thing?"

I shrugged. "I'm just as at a loss as you seem to be."

We stood there for a moment in silence before George spoke again. "So tell me how it's like to be mated. You seem happy."

I grinned. "It's the most wonderful feeling. Having what the others do, that connection, it's unlike anything I expected. I am incredibly lucky in that Patrick was more than willing to claim one another immediately. I whisked him away from the tavern he was in with his parents, and we came back here. We talked for a bit; he was unsure at first." I looked at George and shook my head. "He didn't feel he was worthy. I quickly quelled those fears. We've not had any issues since. He had a decent pregnancy, and he gave birth last month."

"Can I ask when?"

"The twenty-eighth."

"Quite literally a month ago."

I nodded. Today was the twenty-eighth of May. Our little bundle was now exactly a month old.

"Do you enjoy it? Is he a good baby? Will I get to see him? I got a peek last evening, but I couldn't really see him."

It was my turn to chuckle. "Yes to all of those things. Becoming a mate was one thing. A new father is another. But you cannot have one without the other, and Patrick is and will always be my greatest treasure." He would. My mind wouldn't ever be able to be changed from that way of thinking either. I could be happy with just Patrick. He and I were blessed to be gifted a child though, and William helped round out our family. If we were to be gifted more, I wouldn't complain, as Patrick and I would both like a larger family. Probably not Frederick and Oliver large, but three or four more would be nice.

"If you would like to hold William, you will need to make sure you are at the kitchen before Dad gets to him. Once Patrick enters the kitchen, William is almost always swept away by someone. Sometimes it's William or Father. Mostly it's Dad though."

We both chuckled at that. George placed a hand on my shoulder and gave it a gentle shake. "Then I suggest we get back that way. I would very much like to meet my nephew."

I could certainly get behind that. "Then let's go so you can be introduced to William." We started back toward the inn, and I reached out to Patrick immediately.

"My love. We're coming back to the inn. Are you there, or are you still in our cottage?"

"I'm enjoying breakfast with the others. Dad has William and is talking gibberish to him. Is everything all right with your brother?"

"Everything is. There isn't much to share, really, but George didn't find his One. He said he didn't even think to look for a second aura last evening. He was dejected and just didn't think that I would have been lucky and found you. He would like to both apologize to you for barging in on us, as well as meet William."

George gave me a quick look once the buildings came into view. I pointed at the inn. "He's having breakfast."

George's shoulders fell. "Which means someone already has the baby."

I chuckled. "Yes, but you can be like the others and simply swipe him from them. Patrick said Dad is holding him. You know he will give him to you if you ask."

George nodded.

"We are coming in. Just outside the garden now."

We walked through the back garden area and then through the outdoor cook area. It was the end of May now, and we would most likely start using it once more. Really, we could use it year-round, but the winter months tended to be incredibly wet and chilly. It was just more comfortable using the indoor kitchen.

We entered through the door, the others immediately looking our way. They seemed to relax once they saw it was us.

"Everything sorted?" Father asked.

"Yes," George said. He moved toward Patrick, and Father's eyes met mine in question. I nodded, agreeing with George's answer. Everything had been sorted. I wasn't truly upset with my brother. But I could have hurt him because my first instincts last evening were to protect Patrick and William.

I moved behind George and heard the tail end of him apologizing to Patrick and my amazing One accepting his apology. Patrick was incredibly likable and didn't hold grudges. We'd not really lost too much sleep over the interruption last evening. At least not much more than we had been with William's nighttime feedings.

George turned, just about ran into me, then stepped to the side and held out his arms. "All right. I have permission to hold the baby. I'm stealing him from you, Dad."

There were several chuckles in the room as I sat beside Patrick. He gave me a smile before he leaned closer and bumped his shoulder to mine.

"How is your breakfast?"

"It's good. Did you want a plate?"

"I do, but I will get it. You enjoy yours, and I'll be right—" A plate suddenly appeared in front of me, an arm and hand attached to it. I looked up and found Frederick. "Thank you," I told him as I took the offering.

"You're most welcome. Enjoy it while it's still warm. Although, it doesn't ever get cold. Not here, at least." Frederick winked, and I chuckled. We had that going for us, at least. We were careful with using our magic, but here, inside, we tended to use it more freely.

"You haven't told us how your travels went," Oliver asked, looking directly at George.

"It wasn't bad. I went to several places, met lots of new people, had some good times, some not so good. Sadly, I came home alone." George looked at me. "Unlike my lucky brother over there."

I shook my head. "Technically, I came home alone as well. I was sent back out shortly after and then returned with Patrick."

George sighed dramatically. "If only I were so lucky."

"Are ye plannin' on leavin' again?"

George looked at Dad and shrugged. "Not anytime in the very near future. I want to spend some time here at home before I head back out again. I was thinking about going to Italy next time. I was tempted to go now, but something told me to come home. Now, here I am."

"I enjoyed Italy," I said without thinking. Immediately, I tried to clarify. "The scenery is beautiful, and the weather is quite a bit warmer."

There was a sigh in the room, but I didn't know who it could have come from as there were so many in here.

"Warmer weather could be good," George said. He quickly glanced at Father. "Not that I dislike it here. But at times, all of the dreary weather and rain can get to me."

"Italy is for you, then. Lots of sun, warm weather, but it does get rain, which is nice. The sea there is beautiful, which can be another draw."

The sigh that time came from George. I was actually a bit surprised that he'd not yet been to Italy. It was such a beautiful place, and although I was mated, I wouldn't mind going back there sometime with Patrick for a little time away.

"You enjoyed Italy?" Patrick asked quietly beside me. I looked over at my One and nodded.

"I did, yes. The weather alone is worth going. But the scenery is beautiful. It is drastically different in the north part of the country over the south. Would you like to visit with me? We could go once William is a bit older."

"I haven't ever been anywhere except here and Zürich. If you wish to go back to Italy, I wouldn't mind joining you."

Patrick stopped at that, but I could tell that there was more he wished to say. Because we were in the kitchen with many of the others, I switched back to our bond. "I would never take you somewhere that we could possibly run into someone I had had relations with before. There were several places in Italy that I visited that we can enjoy together. In fact, that is only one place, one that is quite obscure, that I wouldn't take you. You know that I will only ever desire to be with you for the rest of our lives."

Patrick smiled at me. "I know. We've had this conversation before. You are quite a bit older than I am. As such, it is expected that you have had previous partners. I'm not upset." Patrick reached under the table and gave my thigh a gentle squeeze before he went back to eating his breakfast.

"The two of you have gone quiet down there," Edgar said.

"We are simply eating. Having a little one puts your schedule off a bit with all of the nighttime changes and feedings," I told him. Edgar looked thoughtful for a moment before he nodded once and then looked back to where George was sitting and holding William.

I shared a look with Patrick, who grinned and then went back to eating. He tried to cover a yawn, and I thought back to the past few nights. William was sleeping well, only waking twice in the night. We'd not been intimate since before the baby had been born, but that wasn't an issue for me. I knew that Patrick had been tired after giving birth. He'd healed quite well, but both of us were still adjusting to our new schedule.

"Are you tired? Would you like to take a nap? We can go lie down when William does. I know our sleep last evening wasn't what it has been."

Patrick shook his head. "I'm fine. You took care of William and let me sleep. If anyone should be napping, it should be you."

"Or it could be the both of you," Father said. "Wallace and I would watch William for you this morning so the two of you can spend some time together. Neither of you have been out of your place much since the baby arrived," Father said.

I was about to pass on the offer when Patrick spoke up. "That would be wonderful. I know the two of you will take the best care of him, and you have experience."

I could only stare at Patrick in surprise. I didn't think he was ready to leave William in the care of others yet. Granted, it was my fathers, but still. William was only a month old.

"Are you sure?" I asked, placing my hand gently on Patrick's arm.

"A nap when I know that we don't have to worry about listening for the baby would be wonderful. Would it not?"

It would, but I enjoyed spending time with our son. Was Patrick starting to have second thoughts about having a large family? William had been such a wonderful child thus far.

I realized there were several sets of eyes staring at me, waiting for my response. "Of course, yes. I wish you would have said you needed time away from the baby though."

Patrick grinned and shook his head. "I don't. I'm simply going to let your fathers take care of him for a few hours. I will know subconsciously he will be perfectly safe and cared for. That will allow for true, deep sleep, and I think we could both use it. Don't you?"

I could only nod. I hadn't felt tired or run-down. But it was obvious that Patrick had, and I'd somehow missed it. I went back to eating, vowing I would talk to Patrick as soon as we were in the privacy of our cottage. I could discuss this with him through our bond, but I really wanted to wait until we didn't have others watching us so intently.