Custos Unicorium 1 ~Longe Aluid--Something Very Different~

Chapter Nine: Bad Day

The next day, about full sun, I stopped back at my house. Another tracking mission early in the morning had ended early as a highly annoyed tracker--one that was usually quiet too--started a heated argument with Josephine about the severe lack of information. I'd be at the haven earlier than normal! 

A sharp knock came to my door, dragging my attention to it. If it had been Deverell about another tracking mission I might have exploded. I took my sweet ass time getting to the door, only to open it to my mother. That was a surprise. 

"Can I come in?" she asked, not even bothering to greet me. 

"I'm just on my way out. Will this take long?" 

"No, I just prefer we would be inside," my mother said.  

I looked at her skeptically. "What ever, I guess." She skittered inside my house. 

Sighing, I followed. My mother was shorter than I was, and she had long blond hair. All in all, she had a very feminine statrue. I had got that from her. Shape wise, I almost looked just like her. Nearly everything else I'd got from my father. Black hair, height, personality--for the most part. 

My father was a warrior, so, many times he was away from the village, defending it from various things. As was the case at the time. My mom held down their house--I had moved to my own place a few years ago-- even when he was gone. I hardly ever got a visit from my mother, which really made me wonder why she was here now. 

"Regina," my mother started calmly. 

"Just get to the point," I half growled, "I have to get to the haven." 

"That's what I've come here to talk about," my mother fidgeted.  

"And what specifically?" I didn't like how my mom always danced around the point.  

"I think you should quit the job." 

"No." My mom hardly ever had a thought that completely belonged to her. She was very concerned with what others thought. Like I said, I didn't get her personality. I didn't care what the town thought, but I had a feeling she'd tell me anyways. 

"There are some people who don't like that there is a Keeper who isn't a virgin. They figured you wouldn't be allowed to stay, that it was all a mistake, but now that you've accepted the job they've been trying to get others on their side. Most of the village is uneasy about it." 

"I accepted the job almost two months ago. Why would you only be telling me this now?" I obviously thought it was much less critical than she did. 

"They're taking their time. I think they want to do something, but they want to collect as much support as they can. That means they want to make a real threat." My mom could make paranoia sound logically reasonable. But in the end it was still paranoia. 

"Chrysthy!" I growled my mother's name, "who is they?" 

My mother, Chrysthy, went silent. Either she didn't know, or she didn't want to say. Most likely, she didn't know. 

"Rumors," I mumbled, "stupid, don't know why she--anyone--listens to them." 

"It's more than just rumors Regina," Chrysthy protested, but our conversation was over.  

"I'm going now. Nothings going to come of this, I have it under control." I left my house without waiting for any more idle gossip. Letting Howl out of her pasture, I mounted her and rode toward the haven. 

I wouldn't let my mother's paranoia seep into my mind. So what if a few people were pissed off at me? That was nothing new at all. I clicked to Howl, urging her to lope. We made it to the haven just before the sun was really starting to fall.