Icecream in December

Litha: Summer Fun

With the heat of the season rearing its ugly head, Caleb decided to implement a giant indoor pool. Everyone loved it and went swimming often in the nice cold water. Caleb wasn't very interested, though, as rumors had reached his village that a new queen had blossomed. Caleb wasn't ready to let a new queen rule, and thankfully, this new queen was taking her sweet time coming to the village. He thought of many ways he could help delay the inevitable, but it was hard to deny that eventually, he'd have to come to terms. It didn't help that he had so much on his plate half the time. Mostly people showing up to get more of his salve and others asking to be repositioned in their job of choice. On the other hand, his new mailman got lost somewhere, and his scouts haven't been able to find him. Burns said that he would turn up eventually and probably was just partying it up with humans as he was last seen near a frat house. Unfortunately, that meant no mail still. He had thought about getting another mailman but figured the less mail men, the better the chances of keeping the role of mailman a secret.

"So I heard she's coming next week." Lynette said as she sat next to Caleb feet in the pool as well.

"Huh?" He asked, getting out of his own head finally.

"That new queen. She's coming next week." Lynette said with a warble in her voice. Caleb looked over to see Lynette about to cry.

"What's wrong?" He asked, concerned for his advisor.

"I just thought she'd come back somehow. And now there's this new queen coming. It just feels too final. Like I have to just accept her being gone. I had come to like Kadiliene now that I wasn't being a greedy jealous bitch." She said holding her tears back. Caleb held back a laugh and patted her on the back softly.

"I know Lynette. I feel the same way. It's just too soon. I don't know if I'm ready either, but for our people, we'll have to at least put on a brave face." He said softly trying to convince himself as well. Lynette leaned into him, not in a romantic way, but more of a sad slump over that a friend would do.

Burns walked over, laughing. "Hey, hands off my wife, buckaroo!" He joked only to notice she was about to cry. "Cmon here, sweetie." He beckoned and gave her a hug as she let it all out. "Is this about that new queen?"

Caleb nodded and wiped away his own tears. Burns sighed and walked Lynette to their room.

Caleb, now alone with himself again, looked down at the water and splashed it with his feet. It wasn't like himself to do nothing for so long, but the news of this new queen coming sooner than he wanted soured his mood greatly.

"Is now a bad time?" A woman asked from behind him. He stood up and shook his head.

"A king is always here for his people. How can I help you, Miss?" He asked unfamiliar with this new woman.
She held up her hand revealing her symbols sheepishly. "I'm the new queen." She said quietly. His face fell and he thought about Lynette and Burns. Lynette wasn't in a good mindset to begin with and needed her husband to feel better. Caleb decided to show her around himself.

"Ok. Now, that I've shown you the grounds this here will be your room." He opened the door and looked at Kadiliene's old room with a heavy heart. It even smelled like her in there still. The new queen threw open a window and walked around the room.

"A little stuffy in here but that'll clear up soon. Thank you for the space but I thought that I'd be staying in OUR room." She said and leaned closer to him batting her lashes at him. Caleb blushed at the obvious flirt and cleared his throat.

"Not necessarily. Especially since this room is available for you." He said refusing to look down at her face. She giggled and smirked.

"Well, you never know." She said and plopped her bag of things down on the ground. "You know Sarah said it would take a while to make me any clothes but everyone I talked to said that she was a quick worker. Do you know what that's about?" She asked while changing into a new outfit provocatively. Caleb kept his eyes glued to the wall avoiding her naked body.

"Sarah probably needs time to heal from our last queen. She gets really into her work." He said. "What was your name by the way?"

"Oh. Silly me! My name is Katherine, but you can call me whatever you'd like." She said now Sporting a see through tank top and booty shorts. She pulled our a bottle of tequila and shook it smiling widely. "Why don't we talk over drinks?" Caleb thought of taking away her booze and drinking it for himself but regardless of her antics he thought it best to not steal her liquor.

"Sure let's go to the dining room." Caleb led the way and sat down. Katherine took the shot glass off the top and poured him one first. He downed it and scrunched his face wt the awful flavor. She poured him more and started to ask him questions.

"So any business stuff I should know? Upcoming battles? War plans? Anything important?" She poured him another after he drank the second one.

"Not really. Aren't you gonna drink too?" He asked her and she giggled and took a swig of the bottle. He took the next shot and suddenly his brain started to lag slowly with alcohol. She poured another.

"What do you think of me? Aren't I pretty?" She asked a bit on the nose with her question. Caleb looked her over and nodded sluggishly the drinks catching up with him.

"You've always been pretty to me Kadiliene." He managed to say and took the next shot. Katherine scrunched her face in disgust but poured him another drink.

"Maybe we should take the booze to your room? I'd hate to have to carry you." She muttered and helped him sway his way to his bed room. He smiled at his bed and stripped to his boxers happily.

"Sleepy time!" He laughed and climbed into bed sluggishly.

"No! It's not! Stay up and have fun with me!" Katherine begged but he was already fast asleep. She pouted and went to her room in a huff, booze in hand.