Between Rubies and Opals

It was a beautiful clear summer’s morning in Mortania, as Sam stepped out onto the balcony of the castle, with a cup of coffee in his hand. He rubbed his eyes with his free hand and sighed tiredly. Soft crying could be heard coming from inside the bedroom, and he turned to the door. He walked through the open glass doors and walked to the white crib in the corner of the room. A smile ran across his face as he looked at the baby girl inside. Her eyes were green like Erin’s and she had light brown locks, like him.

“Good morning beautiful,” Sam smiled at her and she let out a happy chuckle. “You look pretty happy this morning, my little Luna.”

After placing his coffee cup on the side table, he held out his hands towards her and she smiled at him again. Sam picked her up slowly, cradling her head with his one hand, and held her against his chest. He kissed the top of her little head and looked at the empty bed next to him. His jaw clenched slightly and walked towards the door.

“Let’s go get you some breakfast. Would you like that, love?”

It was quiet in the house as he slowly descended the old stone staircase and headed towards the kitchen. As he opened the swinging door of the kitchen, Luna let out a loud shriek.

“Easy, love,” Sam cringed from the loudness in her voice. “You’re such a loudmouth. You must take after your mother.”

“Hey, I heard that.”

Sam looked up and saw Erin by the counter, closing the door of the dishwasher.

“Good morning,” Sam smiled and walked over to her.

“Good morning,” Erin smiled back at him and Sam kissed her on the mouth.

“You should be in bed,” Sam said to her, narrowing his eyes slightly.

“I know, but I got bored.” She looked at Luna in his arms and rubbed her daughter’s tummy. “Look who’s also awake so early, and so cheerful too.”

“Yeah, considering she was the one that kept us up all night,” Sam said with wide eyes as he looked at Luna.

“Speak for yourself,” Erin chuckled as she turned to the counter and filled up a bottle for Luna.

“Did I snore again?”

“You did,” Erin said with a nod and raised an eyebrow at him.

“I didn’t hear anything.”

“Of course you didn’t.” Erin shook her head. “Oh, Dad called. They’ll be here in about five minutes.”

“Thanks for the heads up,” Sam cringed. “Wait, they?”

“Yours, mine, and Alex and Gowan,” Erin answered as she screwed the top of the bottle on tightly and shook it a few times. “Apparently they’ve got news.”

“Who, Alex and Gowan, or the fathers?”

“Both,” she answered.

“But I’m not dressed.”

“You look good to me,” Erin winked at him.

“Thanks, but I don’t think my dad, or yours, would agree with you on that.”

Erin looked at Luna and pouted. “Don’t you think Daddy looks good?”

Luna let out a laugh and Sam smiled at Erin.

“See? She agrees.” Erin handed the bottle to Sam and Luna grabbed at it.

“Of course she does, she’s a girl. The two of you are ganging up on me,” Sam laughed as he watched Luna start drinking from her bottle.

“We’ll never do that, will we, Luna-baby?” Erin pouted again. “No, we won’t. We love Daddy.”

“Yeah. Right.” Sam rolled his eyes and Erin planted a kiss on his shoulder.

The doorbell rang and Sam handed Luna over to Erin. “You take your partner in crime and I’ll get the door,” he said.

“I can get it too, you know,” Erin said as she continued feeding Luna.

“You should be resting,” he said to her and gave her a quick kiss on the mouth.

“And you should be a little less protective.”

“Not going to happen.” He walked over to the large wooden door and slid it open. Gowan, Alex, and Frank and Arjen stood, with happy smiles on their faces. “Hey, Erin. Your crazy family is here,” Sam called out to her.

“Speak for yourself,” Alex muttered in mock offense.

“We came all this way, and Sam is still in his pajamas,” Gowan said with a raised eyebrow.

“Oh, I thought this was what he always wears,” Alex retorted.

“Well good morning to you too,” Sam said, pretending to be offended.

“Where’s Erin?” Alex asked, clasping her hands together in excitement.

“She’s in the kitchen with Luna,” Sam answered and watched as Alex sped off to the kitchen.

“Nice to see you again, Sam,” Arjen greeted him with a handshake.

“Likewise, sir.”

“Sammy!” Frank pulled his son close and hugged him.

“Dad.”

“It feels like a decade since I last saw you,” Frank said as Sam closed the door behind him.

“So what brings you guys up here?” Sam chuckled and put his hands on his hips.

“I have good news,” Frank answered, with a smug smile.

“I’ve got good news!” Alex shrieked and Erin turned to her, leaning against the kitchen counter.

“Let me guess, you decided to pursue your career in politics?”

“No, that’s way too boring for my liking,” Alex frowned, shaking her head. “Although, working with Gowan could have its advantages.”

“Whoa, okay. You’ve definitely peaked my interest.”

“Gowan and I went on a date last night.”

Erin’s eyebrows shot up and exclaimed, “As in a date-date?”

“A date-date,” Alex nodded with a smirk.

“And?”

“I totally love him,” she sighed dreamily.

“You do?”

“Yeah, what’s not to love, right?” Alex sighed and looked at Erin.

“Right,” she nodded.

“So…”

“If you’re waiting for an ‘I told you so’-”

“Don’t you dare.” Alex pointed her finger at Erin, and Erin laughed.

“Kidding! I’m so happy for you, Lex,” Erin took a few steps to her, still holding Luna and Alex put her arms around them.

“So am I!”

“And it doesn’t bother you, the wolf thing?”

“Not really. I mean I’ve gotten used to the smell, and the full moon thing is kind of sexy.”

“Okay,” Erin said slowly.

“And it’s nice for someone to be so tentative to my needs like he is, not sexually speaking.”

“Not sexually speaking?”

“I told you, I’m turning over a clean slate, Erin.”

“You are.”

“Yes.”

“Good for you, Lex.”

“Yes, because now I realize what it feels like for someone to like me for my mind, and not for my body.”

“Yeah, trust you to fall in love with a mind-reader.”

“That’s exactly my point. He knows every little thing that I’m thinking, and he still likes me.”

“That is really something,” Erin smiled.

“And, now I know what you meant by ‘being inside your head’. It’s amazing.” Alex leaned against the counter and sighed happily.

Erin smiled slowly and looked at Luna. “I think your Aunt Lexi is up to her fangs in love with Uncle Gowan.”

Luna let out a soft giggle and Erin looked back at Alex, floating on cloud eleven.

“So when’s the wedding?”

“Hold the train. We’re not you and Sam.” Alex straightened up and tilted her head at Erin. “We’re just taking things slow for now. It’s better.”

“Honestly, Lex. I never thought I’d hear you say that. Ever.”

“People change, you know,” Alex shrugged.

“Indeed they do.”

Alex turned to Erin and held her hands out to Luna. “Hey little Luna-baby. Let’s go say hi to Grandpa Frank and Grandpa Arjen.” Luna slipped into Alex’s arms and grabbed hold of her long blonde hair. “Come on, Momma!” Alex called out to Erin as she headed out the kitchen.

As Erin limped out the kitchen into the corridor leading to the living area, Gowan appeared, with a bright smile on his face.

“You okay, Erin?” he asked.

“I’m fine.”

He put his arm around her shoulders and together they walked to the living area, where the rest of the family was.

“Erin, can I see you on the veranda for a second?” Frank asked.

“Of course,” Erin nodded and headed out on to the veranda with her father-in-law.

“How are you coping, Erin?”

“I’m okay. Every day brings forth its own challenges, but I’ll get there. The walking has become a lot more comfortable, I must admit. I didn’t think it would take this long,” Erin answered as she looked out at the view of the Capvenel Mountains in the distance.

“That because of your hybrid nature.”

“I know. Being half wolf and half vamp makes it harder, the two halves constantly playing tug-of-war, especially with the healing.”

“Indeed they do,” Frank nodded.

“I feel guilty some days,” Erin whispered and Frank looked at her with a frown.

“Because of your mother?”

“No, I felt little to no remorse for her death until this very day, however terrible that sounds.” Erin shook her head. “I took Lukas’ life.”

“Erin, as biased as this may sound, the world is better off without him.”

“I know, but that does not soothe my conscience.”

“Just give it time.”

“I’ve got lots of that,” she chuckled and leaned against the railing. “How are things in Algharakh?”

“Things have to get worse before it gets better.”

“That bad?”

“There have been several violent protests and riots since you and Sammy left, but things are quieting down nicely.

“That is good to hear,” Erin nodded with relief and looked at her father in the living area with the others. “How is my father doing?”

“He says that he’s fine, but there are days that I can see he still misses her.”

“That’s only natural. She was his only companion for many centuries.”

“Sometimes absence is better for the soul.”

“I often wonder what would have happened if I had helped her, instead of leaving her to die.”

“There is no need to live in the past, Erin-love,” Arjen said, suddenly beside her. “What is done is done.”

“I’m sorry you lost her, Daddy.”

“Don’t be. What matters is that you are better.”

“Yes, and you have a beautiful family now,” Frank nodded in agreement.

“Thank you, Frank, Daddy,” Erin nodded gratefully and stared out at the mountains. “I never did apologize for what they did, Frank.”

“There’s no need to. We wolves can take care of ourselves,” Arjen said.

“But they deliberately attacked-”

“Wolves are attacked by vamps all the time, Erin,” Frank shrugged, almost nonchalantly.

“I can understand why you accept that our races are different and that we will always have our differences, sir, but what I cannot understand is how you think these attacks were acceptable,” Erin frowned.

“We all want acceptance, Erin. Our goal was to change the law, so that those attacks can be made illegal, and punishable,” Frank answered.

“I know, but it still seems unfair though. Their suffering ended prematurely.”

“It ended in their deaths,” Frank frowned and tapped his fingers against the wooden railing of the veranda.

“Exactly. It was the easiest route to take.”

“But they were your family.”

“Family or not, sir. What they did was wrong, and they should have been punished appropriately.”

“Have you ever thought about going into politics, Erin?” Frank asked, looking intently at Erin.

“That’s exactly the same thing I asked her, Frank,” Arjen smirked.

“I see how it is now. You two are conspiring,” Erin laughed, shaking her head slightly. “I never gave it a moment’s thought, Frank.”

“Would you be interested? I could use someone as passionate about this as you.”

“It’s a very generous offer, but I’d have to decline.”

“But the way you speak, you have the power to silence hordes, and gain the peoples trust,” Arjen stated.

“Daddy, please…” Erin shook her head. “I do not need any more attention on me than there already is. That was the reason why we moved here in the first place, to get away from Algharakh and all the politics that goes along with it.”

“I understand,” Frank nodded and Arjen placed his hand on her shoulder.

“Thank you for the opportunity, though,” she said, gracefully.

“Actually, I’m the one that has to express gratitude towards you, my dear.”

“Why is that?”

“You have the amazing ability to put a smile on my son’s face. I have never seen him happier in his entire life.”

“Your son is a wonderful man, even without me.” She turned around, watching Sam, holding a sleeping Luna in his arms, talking to Gowan and Alex in the living area. “He makes me happy, and I love him with all of my being, so I am merely returning the favor.”

“You are both lucky to have found one another, and Luna, she’s simply enchanting,” Frank said with a wide smile.

“She must take after her mother,” Arjen winked at her.

“Actually, she’s much more like Sam than me,” Erin smiled lightly. “I wouldn’t know what to do without them.”

Sam caught her gaze and winked at her. She returned his gesture with a smile and he walked over to her, with Luna sleeping against his chest, her head resting on his shoulder.

“Everything okay, my love?” Sam asked.

“Yes, I was just having a father-father-daughter moment,” she smiled at him.

“You need some help?” Sam held his free hand out to her, but she shook her head.

“No, I’m okay,” Erin declined his assistance, but he frowned.

“Are you sure?” he asked, his tone serious.

“Yes, Sam. I can do it,” she nodded, and slowly made her way into the living area.

Sam protectively followed closely behind her, with Arjen and Frank behind them.

“Arjen, your daughter is a delightful girl. She truly brings out the best in Sam,” Frank said with a sincere smile as they reached the rest of the group.

“Erin brings out the best in everyone,” Alex pointed out, winking at Erin.

“Indeed she does,” Arjen agreed.

“Ah, you guys are so sweet,” Erin smiled at them.

“Well, it is your special ability after all,” Gowan said with a smile, his arm around Alex’s shoulders.

Erin glanced over at Gowan, and smiled in acknowledgement. “Thank you,” she mouthed at him.

“Oh, before I forget, Erin-love. I have something for you,” Arjen said and took an envelope from his jacket pocket.

Erin exchanged glances with Sam and took the envelope from him. “What is it?”

“Would you just open it?” Gowan rolled his eyes as he crossed his arms.

“Okay, okay. Settle down,” Erin muttered and opened the already opened envelope. She unfolded the letter inside and read through it.

“No way,” she gasped and looked at Arjen. “You did it?”

“We did it,” Arjen nodded and looked at Frank.

“Piece of cake,” Frank shrugged nonchalantly.

Alex and Gowan burst out into laughter and Erin looked at Sam. He had a wide smile on his face and she narrowed her eyes at him. “You knew about this?”

“Of course not,” Sam chuckled, shaking his head innocently.

“Yeah, right.” Erin rolled her eyes and a smile ran across her face. “I can’t believe you did it.”

“Anything for you, Erin-love.” Arjen stood next to her and put his arms around her, kissing the top of her head.

“Read the last paragraph,” Gowan said and Erin looked at the letter again.

“I, Governor Marcus Wasilewski, will step down as governor of Algharakh, and appoint Franklin Morton and Arjen Lewandowski as my successors, as of immediately. Also, with effect immediately, the Immorality Act, as well as the Prohibition of Mixed Marriages Act will be nullified. All wolf citizens of Algharakh will have the same rights as the vamp citizens, and will be regarded as equals,” Erin read out loud and let out a relieved breath, as she looked at the others.

“Happy?” Sam asked her, swaying to and fro with Luna, still fast asleep against his chest.

“You have no idea.” She slowly limped over to him, planting a kiss on his lips. “Madame Pelt was right after all.”

“About you?” Sam asked.

“About everything,” Erin whispered.

“All is well, Er,” Gowan winked at her and she nodded with a smile, holding onto Sam’s arm.

She looked across the room at her family and rested her head against Sam’s shoulder, knowing that all really was well in the world.