"Come in." Athos walked in. I looked for Anna and Arthur. "Where is Anna?"
"Oh! She is feeding Arthur. She will be along shortly."
"All right." He did not look like she would be coming.
"Is everything all right?" I asked.
"Yes Kylie. Why do you ask?"
"You do not look very happy." He shrugged his shoulders.
"I do not know. I am beginning to wonder if it is a good idea to go to the New World or not?"
"You were so sure before. Why the change of heart?" He was a little unsure if he should tell me.
"Well its Anna. She has been so irritable lately. I can not do anything right. She becomes upset."
"I see. Has she been able to sleep?"
"Oh yes. I take care of Arthur."
"All right. It is not that. Does she eat enough?"
He nodded. "If she is not upset. She is crying. I do not know what to do? I am a bit of a loss."
"She cries a lot, does she?"
"Yes." He whispered.
I nodded. "It is part of having a child. She feels sad but she loves her child. Give her time Athos. She will smile again."
"I do miss her smile." He was very worried about her.
"Give her time Athos." I repeated. "It has only been eight months. With some women it can take up to a year to feel normal again."
"That long?"
"It is only one year out of your entire life time."
He smiled. "And we do live for a long time."
"Yes we do."
"Thank you Kylie. I am going to see if she needs help with anything."
"Do you help her a lot?"
"Oh yes all the time. She was willing to have our child. I am most certainly will help her as much as I can."
"I am sure it has helped with how severe her sadness is."
"You think so?"
"Yes." He smiled then kissed my cheek.
"I will see you later."
Athos opened the door as Paddy was reaching for the handle.
"Athos welcome."
"Hello Paddy, Quinn."
"I am glad you made it back."
"Thank you Paddy. I am glad too."
Athos waved goodbye. "I must go help Anna."
"Of course." He let Athos through the door.
Paddy kissed my cheek. I smiled. "Hungry?" I chuckled.
"Yes."
"Me too. Mom."
"Good because I started dinner."
We walked into the kitchen. Our quarters was starting to look a little sparse. We have packed five of the smaller crates and brought some items up to the boarding houses. That we were not taking with us.
Quinn kissed my other cheek. "What are we having for dinner?"
"Some ground meat, vegetables and potatoes."
"Sounds delicious Mom." He started cutting up some vegetables. "When is Cassie supposed to be back?"
"Next week is her deadline." I told him.
"If she is not back by the end of next week. I am going to go find her. I do not want her to miss the boat."
"She will not Quinn. I think Samuel would be upset if we left without her." Paddy told him.
"Never the less. I will go and find her."
Paddy nodded.
We were busy with patrols and packing by the time Cassie's deadline arrived and still no sign of her and Samuel.
Quinn and Paddy went to the dockyard to see if any boats were coming in soon.
They were back a few hours later.
"The harbourmaster told us that there have not been any ships from Spain in the last few months. There seems to be a problem with the harbourmasters there. They are not allowing any ships to leave." Paddy told me.
"She is trapped there."
"It seems so. Quinn and I are going to fly down to Leon to see what is going on. If she is on her way. We will know also." Paddy hugged me. "We will not be gone more than a few days to a week."
I nodded. "All right. Hurry back."
"Definitely."
Paddy and Quinn kissed my cheeks.
Shaun had been standing beside me listening.
"Paddy contact me often."
"I will."
They shifted into albatrosses and flew out of the cavern.
"Do not worry Kylie. They will find her."
"I know they will but will they find her in time."
Shaun was speechless.
I walked back to my quarters. It was so quiet with so many of the exits bricked up.
I packed up most of my kitchen leaving only a set of plates and cups for four people.
I kept busy helping Katey salt some meat and pickling vegetables and making hardtack.
It kept me from swimming across the Channel and running to Leon.
Shaun walked into Katey's kitchen a few days later smiling.
"Paddy has just contacted me. They are in Belgium. They will all be home in a day or two."
"Oh. Thank goodness."
"They met up with Cassie and Samuel heading for Amsterdam. They were on their way here."
"Good. Thank you Shaun."
"Anytime Kylie."
He kissed my cheek then left.
After I was finished at Katey's I went back to my quarters and cut up some chicken and marinated it in the cold water.
It would be ready to cook when they come home.
The Council and Elder Camarillo paid a visit later that day.
"Welcome please come in."
"Thank you Kylie." They walked in. Elder Camarillo was smiling broadly.
"Hello my dear. How have you been?"
"I have been fine Elder Camarillo."
"Good my dear. I have been busy testing that cage. Scott was an excellent choice to be my assistant. We learned so much from each other."
"That is wonderful."
"Kylie we have come to ask you something?"
