The Wolf, the Butterfly, and the Kraken

Chapter 60

Joann

Holy shit! Two actual Ladies of Venera. I froze for a second. Candida did not. "Welcome to my home ladies. Please, come meet Joann of the Red Moon Green Scythes clan, house of Vam."

Lady Yoli chuckled, "And I thought my name and titles were laborious." Bryn bowed out, and headed back to the front door.

I liked Lady Yoli. "You can call me Joann."

Elise was eyeing me in a strange way. "My husband is paying to put your son through school at the Academy." It was an accusation.

I looked from Candida to Yoli, and then back to Elise, recalling Kauhl's words from earlier today. I was important too. "Lord Eureces is putting my son through the Academy."

She nearly spat, "Well, he never asked me if we should. If he had-"

I interrupted her, which was rude, but probably not as vile as whatever she was about to say. "Then I am certain, in all of your wisdom, as the Lady of Lupica, you would have agreed that the child who possessed Oarhu of the oceans, would need a solid education. Also, you would think the services my husband and myself have offered would be more than fair. We have put our lives on the line, multiple times, while you sit back and let Clarissa plan your Midwinter Festival parties."

There was an audible gasp from the ladies. Oh yes, I had brought Clarissa into this. Elise said, "You are far too familiar with my husband."

Lady or no, I was about to slap Elise, "Are you trying to accuse me of sleeping with Lord Eureces?"

Just then Bryn came back with three more ladies. "Lady Valla, Lady Bernice, and Lady Maya." He sensed the tension, and his eyes were wide as he bowed out.

Bernice chuckled, "Elise, are you really still suspicious that your husband is sleeping with other women? We all know he only loves one woman." She left unsaid what we all knew. It wasn't her. Bernice looked at the fruit on the table. "Oh my! Are these grapes from your own garden Candida? They look simply scrumptious." She ate one, "Mm! You must be Joann. I have heard of you, even in Greensward."

Lady Valla smiled, "My son, Grant, has written to me about Oshie. We felt terribly for him when we found out about his accident."

I pursed my lips. "Accident. It was not an accident. Three young men planned to hurt him. A girl almost died. He has burn scars from head to toe." I realized I was being harsh when I didn't need to be, "I am grateful every day that he has such a good friend as Grant to help him through that time of pain, when I- I couldn't. I was in quarantine." I still felt horrible that I hadn't been there to comfort him.

There was a brief silence, "We all know the feeling. Our husbands. Our sons. They are getting hurt. They are in danger. I guess we just want to know how much so that we can help them in any way possible. We can't be there, but you have been there. You've seen the way they live." Maya swallowed, "And what it's like when they get hurt."

Even Elise was agreeing to this, "He won't write most days. I get the strongest feeling that there is a lot he doesn't tell me. I'm not his favorite person, but I am the mother of his children, and the person running Lupica while he is off doing who knows what." He didn't love her, but she loved him. That was sad.

Bryn cautiously entered the garden with 3 more ladies. "Madam Depkitch, Madam Velora, and Madam Brekkan."

These were the mothers of the boys who attacked Oshie, and got sent to Finton. Oh joy. I looked at Candida, "Did you do this on purpose?"