The Cursekeeper

Atlantean Sawdust

Aynaet wasn't able to sleep much despite how tired she was.  She had too many things to think about so after a couple hours of just laying in bed, staring at the ceiling while the distant sounds of her husband making love to his wife O'Callaghan occasionally called out to her.

Which was another reason why she couldn't sleep.

Aynaet should be in that bed with Arthur.

The queen got out of the bed and walked to the door, opening it and rushing out towards the kitchen, the smell of freshly baked goods hitting her nostrils.  Aynaet felt her mouth water.  She definitely required food.  Babd was wearing a flowery apron and was just pulling out soda bread from the oven when Aynaet walked in.

"Hello, Your Majesty," she said, eyeing the queen as she set the tray on a cooling rack.  "You don't look rested."

"That's because I'm not," she said.  "They're being too loud."

Babd chuckled softly.  "Are you jealous?"

"Extremely."

"Don't be.  You'll have him back before you know it."

Aynaet lowered her gaze and started fiddling with her fingers.  "I don't like keeping things from him, Aunt Babd.  Especially with this.  He deserves to know the truth."

Babd sighed and tsked as she went to the fridge to grab items.  "What makes you think he hasn't figured it out by now?"

Aynaet's eyes went wide.  "Has he?"

Babd grabbed a jug of milk and a carton of eggs before putting them on the counter.  "Are you just going to stand there or are you going to help me cook for your children?"

The queen quickly raced to the old crone and started helping her prepare for the arrival of her offspring, the ones loyal to her and who were currently not imprisoned.  As the two began to create wonderful, filling dishes, the door bell rang.

"Come in, Valentine!" Babd shouted.

The front door opened and Valentine walked through, wearing a brown fur lined trench coat.  Underneath, he was all decked out in red and white themed medium armor and his long, blood red hair was tied back in a braid.  "Mother!" he yelled before running to her, embracing her in a big hug.  "You're alright!  I was so worried!"

"I'm fine, Valentine," Aynaet said with a grin as he put her down.

"And you're talking!" he laughed.  "How?"

"Well, an associate of the Griffin God and the other Horsemen gave me a special brew for my throat.  It still is a little rough to speak, but it's a lot better than before."

Valentine chuckled.  "You sound like a man whose balls just dropped.  But...what happened to your accent, Mother?  You no longer sound Irish."

Aynaet shrugged before going back in the kitchen to help Babd.  "Make yourself comfortable, darling.  We're waiting for the others."

Valentine nodded before taking his coat off and hanging it on a coat rack.  "How did you escape?"

"Turns out the people who kidnapped me were The Four Horsemen."

"...Did they hurt you?"

"Only a little, but once they figured out I wasn't the enemy, the Griffin God apologized."

Valentine growled.  "Where is he?"

Aynaet rolled her eyes.  "Oh, leave him alone.  He's in one of the bedrooms..." she paused when Arthur's laugh was heard.

"Dammit, woman, I think I'm drunk off your coinín," Arthur said, his voice muffled.  [pussy]

"...making love to one of his wives," Aynaet finished, taking a deep breath and going back to what she was doing.