Danger

They were on their way home from the court when a pack of wolves blocked their way.

The four put on their animal form.

"Death to traitors!" sneered the beasts, there were about ten.

Tatin, Isabella, Michael and Gabriel faced the enemies. They formed a circle and positioned themselves ready for combat. At the provocation of one of the enemies, they lunged.

What happened was fast. The ten wolves all fell down from the blows they received from Tatin, Isabella, Michael, and Gabriel. No one was wounded among the four.

Silence.

"Do you think they would allow us to live?" Isabella asked Tatin.

"They will. But we have to fight; in every arena that they invite us to fight, we will fight because it's more honorable. Victory never come easy, but it will come," Tatin was trying to build their confidence.

"How many more threats do we face?" asked Isabella.

"I don't know," he replied.

"Where are our friends?"

"Your friends?" he looked at her, his voice low.

"Yes."

"All gone during the war."

There was a deafening silence upon the revelation.

"I had a good life out there in the world where you sent me. Now, even Michael is no longer safe."

Tatin looked at her. He was trying to read her. Something changed. Time did that to him. He wanted to blame time. His looks changed. It turned grim. What had he done? He wanted to scream. Time fooled him. If he could only hold back time. He had power like a god but time? Time was not within his power.

He changed the conversation. "You impressed me as a warrior, young man," he was telling Michael.

"We have been rehearsing all our lives. Aunt Teresa allowed us to use the fencing gears. We practiced daily," said Gabriel.

"Brave boys," Tatin commended the two teenagers.

Isabella looked at Tatin. They suddenly became aware that time had moved fast.

Michael smiled back at Tatin. They held hands and walked side by side towards the house where Isabella grew up. She won't forget that house. She was staring at it now. It reminded her of nanny Teresa, a stranger she had grown to love. It reminded her of Nenita and John. It reminded her of everything that was dear to her heart. The only thing that was left now was Tatin and the two boys. She almost couldn't believe that father and mother's friends at this period, even Azazel and Tom were all gone to the great beyond. And she? She had another life in another world where she had an easier life. Now, she was stepping back, along with Michael to resolve what remained unsettled.

Teresa had passed away, too, she was told. She became too lonely when Isabella was gone. She was too afraid when she was sentenced to die. She was happy when Tatin broke out the news that she evaded her murderers but became lonely when he told her that she was not likely to come back as she would only come back when the atmosphere had become safer and people were ready to listen to reasons.

The house had not changed. She was smiling. Once they all stepped in, she was attracted to the hearth in the living room. She did look for a match box and lighted the pieces of wood; took out the smallest ones first, the ones that when they come together and they come in contact with the big woods, would light up all the rest. Then, she played soft music. Soft music is good for the soul, she thought.

It felt good—it felt good somehow in the middle of difficulties to be with people you love. Tatin was part of her world. Michael was. She had known Gabriel when she came back from her trips abroad and he was close to her heart, too. She felt close to them because they put their lives on the line for her.

Tatin and Isabella cooked some fish and soup so that everyone's stomach was satiated after. They had to be strong. They would sleep in two bedrooms. She and Tatin together, and Gabriel and Michael in another bedroom. Easier to ask help if they needed to or if there ever was danger again. "When would all these stop?" She asked Tatin again as they lay on the bed.

He was shushing her, looked at her, kissed her on her lips, and turned to the other side. He wanted her to have a good rest.