To Claim A Crown Book Two: The Winter Harbinger (Complete)

Chapter Eighteen: Break Fast

Naomi begins dishing and Stellan follows her lead. Jackson dishes a full plate for himself and then another for Sarah. He places the plate in front of Sarah but Sarah does not acknowledge his actions. She instead remains watching Delilah intently with her arms folded tightly. Stellan leans towards Naomi.

"Your Grace, would it be appropriate to suggest that your aunt dish herself a plate?"

Naomi looks at Raurlin as he waits at the head of the table, watching everything that is playing out before him. Raurlin looks at Naomi then at Stellan. He glances at Delilah then nods once at Stellan. Stellan bites back a smile. He hands a plate to Delilah with a soft smile. Delilah shakes her head.

"Thank you but no. I'm not hungry."

"But you're freezing. I'll have Horatio bring you in a cup of tea."

"Coffee."

"Tea," Stellan insists, then stands up and walks out the room.

Delilah shifts in her chair with a nervous smile at Jackson. Jackson frowns at her then turns to Sarah. The look does not go unnoticed to Raurlin. Tense silence fills the room even after Stellan has appeared with a steaming cup of tea. Delilah sips on it. She watches Jackson and Stellan watches her.

Naomi places a hand on Raurlins. "You're not eating?"

Raurlin shakes his head. "Different kind of hunger, My Queen."

Naomi nods her head and continues eating. Stellan slowly begins working his way through his plate. Jackson picks at his food and with every glance upward Delilah is looking at him. The candles flare up again in thick bright flames.

"Sarah," Raurlin cautions sternly.

She rolls her eyes at his response then turns to completely face Delilah. "Why the hell are you here?"

Delilah looks from the candles to Sarah. Her eyes wide and fearful. "You're the witch.

"Stop saying stupid statements and answer my question."

Naomi chuckles lightly under her breath and continues eating.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean any offence."

"The fact that you're here is offensive, Delilah. You do understand that the truth will come out? Especially now that you're here. You don't get to hide behind another bottle or another black out you are the lowest-"

"Sarah," Raurlin states, turning to face her. The way he says her name is low and almost soft with a hint of disappointment. Sarah turns to face him with a hand up in protest but she falls silent once she sees him. His golden eyes are burning bright and he is clasping his hands together tightly. Sarah falls silent and drops into her seat. She begins eating her breakfast.

Raurlin turns his attention to Delilah. "Woman, you are allowed here by the grace of Your Queen. Should Your Queen change her mind at any point you will be escorted off our property. After breakfast, that you interrupted, a decision will be made about why you're here and if you will be allowed to remain here. You will address myself or Naomi as Your Grace until instructed otherwise. And you will not drink on this premises. Family, please excuse me. Take your time with breakfast. Sarah, when you're done I would like to see you, in my study."

Raurlin pushes his chair out from under him and walks out the room. From outside the room Naomi can hear him ask Horatio for a blood bag. He walks from the foot of the kitchen to his study, banging his door shut behind him. Naomi sighs and pushes her now empty plate forward. She remains seated in silence until Stellan, Jackson and Sarah have finished eating.

Once the meal is complete Horatio walks briskly into the room and begins clearing the dishes and plates. Naomi stands up and walks into the lounge. There is a warm fire burning in the fireplace. Naomi sits down on the couch and she looks out at the snow falling in the yard outside. There's a harsh gust of wind. Stellan sits down alongside Naomi.

"Naomi, may I ask..."

Naomi nods slowly. "After my parents died she was awarded custody of me. I was initially passed around to some distant relatives. Eventually I ended up in her home. She did her best to raise me I guess but she's an alcoholic. From as far back as I remember I would go to school, the neighbour would take me in the morning, then when I got home she would be passed out on the couch with empty bottles. Sometimes she would have thrown up all over herself, she would have...been too drunk to make it to the bathroom. She didn't bath for days."

Naomi inhales and exhales deeply.

"I would clean her up, clean up the house. I taught myself to cook, to clean. Pretty much everything I know I figured out for myself. I started working in high school, after school, in the evenings. I would get us groceries."

"I'm sorry Naomi." Naomi looks at Stellan with a teary smile.

"She would get belligerent. She blamed me for my mothers death. She would swear at me, throw things at me. She would try and attack me physically. She did attack me verbally on a number of occasions. I used to have these nightmares about my parents death. As if I was constantly reliving their death. Almost every single night. As if I was there when it happened. Well I was but I was a newborn. There's no way I could remember that, you know."

"What happened to the nightmares?"

Naomi pushes herself up further onto the couch. "They eased up when I met Raur. The first night I stayed with him I slept the night through completely for the first time. It was so refreshing."

Stellan smiles warmly. "That's the nature of the aeturnum bond. Do you know what aeternum means?" Naomi shrugs. "It means forever, eternally. That is what was intended for the bond of an aeturnum. As soon as you're with them you know that you're safe. You know that you're with your forever. Your eternity. Everything changes. Colour seems fuller, lights are brighter, sounds are louder. It's as if you're finally waking up after being in limbo for all your life." Naomi can't help but grin at Stellan. She allows herself to rest against him.

Stellan runs a hand through her hair. "I never saw myself with an aeturnum. Too much of a risk being king. But I always wanted to have children. That's why I've always been so protective of Raurlin and Jackson. I damn near raised them and at a certain point I did too. But if I ever were to have a daughter I'd hope she'd be like you. Resilient and smart. Quick learning and intelligent. And a little like Sarah too, fiery and fierce when it comes to defending the ones she loves. Thank you for allowing me into this circle."

"If I knew you when I was younger my life would have taken a completely different turn."

Stellan laughs, the sound vibrating through Naomi. "Maybe, Naomi, maybe. I am going to be speaking to your aunt. I figure while she's here I can get some information on your family tree."

Naomi nods her agreement. "Last night I dreamt of a fox. A fox that could talk and we were in front of a big mountain and it was snowing."

Stellan shifts slightly and looks down at Naomi. "What did the fox say?"

"He called me a harbinger."

Stellan nods slowly. "You must tell Raurlin and Jackson your dream. It may just be a dream but for us supernatural beings we take our dreams very seriously."