CHAPTER 41: LADY IN A YELLOW DRESS

Meghan went through Valerie's drawings. They were quite funny, but Valerie was a good illustrator. She could tell who everyone in the drawings were.

'These are so…wonderful.' She said interrupting Mike's discussion with the little girl.

'You are obviously great with illustrations and…' Meghan was saying when she realized something; a lady in a yellow dress. They were at least twenty drawings of her. The lady reminded her of someone she was familiar with.

'Hey Valerie, who is this?' Meghan pointed at the conspicuously coloured woman.

'Mummy.' Valerie sighed.

'Your mum?' Meghan asked.

'Mm hmm.' Valerie nodded.

'Where is she?' Meghan asked. If she was correct and Valerie was a witch, her mother was probably an outcast, banished from her coven or something worse.

'I don't know.' The girl said sadly, resting her head on Mike's arm.

Mike nudged Meghan to stop. He knew Val got sad every time she talked about her mother.

Meghan felt sorry. She didn't mean to sound insensitive. She of all people knew what it feels like to live without a mother around. The situation kind of made her like Mike even more. He was here to support the little girl.

'There's an ice cream truck downstairs.' Meghan ended the awkward silence.

'In a hospital?' Mike asked surprised.

'Yeah. I wonder if he's still there.'

'Really? Can we go get one?' Valerie asked pleadingly, her face all lit up.

'No, I'll go get one. You stay here with Meg.' He said simply as he stood up.

'I'll go see my dad first.' He told Meghan before leaving.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Damien had never been more uninterested in his life. Everything was so lacklustre. He sat and stared vaguely, his mind soaring in a blur. The loud voices of these men sounded like whispers in his inattentive ears.

'Damien are you well? You've hardly said a word.' Aeneas, the youngest of the seated young masters threw some pomegranate seeds at him. Aeneas was from the seventh coven. He had dazzling auburn hair, a drooling beard and a perfectly carved moustache. His dark grey eyes, guarded with his auburn lashes and brows complimented his chiselled face. Laughter aired across the table as the men looked at Damien's startled face. Silent, he took a sip of his drink.

'Disturbed Damien, that's new.' Aeneas added as the laughter waned.

'Let the lad be. I heard he's now celibate.' Alvey chuckled as he drank. Alvey was blonde and considered to be the most amusing of the group. He had fair skin, long shiny hair and a full beard which covered his lower lip, chin, sideburns and parts of his cheek. The man was muscular and quite hairy. He and Aeneas were brothers, sons of Master Calliope of the seventh coven.

'Celibate?' Aeneas crossed his legs.

'So I hear. No mistresses! That must be why he looks like he's been robbed.' Alvey replied laughing harder.

'You think he's had more to drink over the years?' Aeneas asked pretending to be curious.

'Alcohol does more to the brain than the heart my friend.' Alvey nodded in response.

'Maybe he just wants to focus on trade. I hear the fabric business needs a boost. Women are a distraction. You should only have them when you need to.' Erastus said simply, somehow drawing Damien's attention. Erastus was tall. He had chestnut brown hair, brown skin, brown eyes and thick black hair.

'Well unlike you I have respect for them.' Damien said seemingly amusing the gentlemen.

'Then you should marry one.' Alvey laughed.

'He will.' The men heard a familiar voice from behind them. Lord Forneius.

The men weren't sure if they were to stand or kneel. It wasn't a formal meeting, but no one could ever be sure with Forneius.

The men looked a bit perturbed. Damien found their lack of courage amusing. He smirked as he parted his lips to drink.

'Permission to have a word with my son, honourable Young Masters.