Summer Changes

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Eleven

The sun was setting in glorious color’s of grey’s and pinks on the distant horizon as her whole family sat around the long table on the patio. Teeki torches billowed smoke in the air filled with lavender and salt, as a gentle breeze ruffled her hair.

Hailey looked around and smiled, as her intimate family members sat eating dinner. The smell of hamburgers and steak with corn on the cob fresh off the grill made her stomach growl. Lots of veggie’s and salad with sea food for the other half of the food chain of course filled in the blank spots on the table. her mom covered all the bases.

Grandpa sat at one end while her dad sat on the other end. Laughter and small chatter filled the pleasant air that kept them bubbled in each other’s company.

After a while when the food was running low her Grandpa stood up and clearing his voice he called for their attention,

“It is good to have everyone here on this very special occasion.” He held up his glass and saluted the air making a toast.  Everyone followed suite.

“Tonight there must be a retelling of history. The younger generation must know the seriousness that surrounds the secrecy of our world.”

Grandpa glanced first at her then Colin and then the rest of family member’s.

She turned to Colin who just shrugged indifferently.

“We have always swam the ocean’s depth. As time went on more and more left the ocean’s arms to walk the dry land forgetting their first home. Many turned their backs on the ocean, went further inland.

Some chose to balance both worlds and lived by the coast.  Our family have always lived within that balance. Our family has always owned the precious diamond mines and that of the sacred under water forest that grows the much needed kelp for our China companies.

With this united merger of our two families yet again we will have a unified front.      

We will need this for the days ahead are uncertain.” Grandpa announced criptically.

“Dad what is going on?” her dad asked frowning.

“We have had a threat that could expose our world, change the world we know,” Grandpa held his head high uncertainty swimming in his expression.     

Grandma pulled on his arm and he leaned down to her and whispered something.

 Everyone sat in a hushed tension waiting on them to finish.

“Dad who is issuing this threat?” Uncle Arthur asked all professional like. He was a lawyer.

“Your uncle has put in a claim, challenging this marriage. I didn’t want to get into this political issue now, ” he rubbed his fore head.

“Did you know about these mines or kelp forest?” Hailey leaned over and whispered to Collin?

“First I heard of this. Always thought it was just dotor stuff.” Collin whispered back.

“So that is why you and Mr. Devonior applied the blood oath,” her dad’s expression told her that he was understanding the motive behind the man.

“Yes! I needed to lock him out. If I don’t then we will loose the majority of our land,” grandpa said.

“And Mr. Devonior would lose also because, . . .?” her dad left it hanging?

“Someone doesn’t want this marriage to happen,” her grandma announced giving her uncles a piercing glance. 

After having said that you could hear a pin drop. Her uncles all exchanged looks, some hidden knowledge was being swapped amongst them. 

Collin and Hailey exchanged looks. Hailey hated to be in the dark but this sounded serious.

“What is your evidence in this matter?” uncle Theo was the first to break the silence.

“A threatening contract has been brought to light, one that puts all us Mer’s in lethal peril,” Grandpa looked tired. "it show's every location of every family that is a Mer. It was told to us if this marraige is followed through then the list would find it's self in the goverments hands."

“Tell them everything Demarcus or I will,” grandma stated with her chin up.

Grandpa looked as if he wanted to gag her with his napkin.

“Tristan Devonior has been infected with a virus.”

“Isn’t that Kylier’s brother?” Collin whispered to Hailey.

“Yes,” she simply said.

“That’s another reason why I placed the blood oath before the council,” grandpa said. All her uncles then nodded understanding what was going on.

“Wait doesn’t that oath have to do with twins?” Leah asked frowning turning and facing Hailey to continued, “but Hail isn’t a twin so how does that apply in this case?”

The blood drained from her face as the words Kylier told her flashed inside her head.

“Enough. Hailey is not a twin,” her mom said playing with her napkin, her expression strained.

“Mary,” her grandmom started but her mom stood up so fast she almost knocked over her glass of wine saying,

“Enough, do you hear me Olivia, this is my house and I will not have you running it!”

without another word her mom lifted up Jackson out of his seat and left with her dad following.

But he did pause to say, “dad please respect us enough not to continue with this conversation, until we are present. Arthur help me out here,” he didn’t wait for an answer but left.

“Do you have any idea what that was all about?” Collin asked her as Brien stared mysteriously at her from across the table.

She could see Brien knew, but his firm set of his jaw told her she wasn’t going to get an answer from him.

She got up and left heading to the beach.

Leah followed, “Hailey wait up,” she called out to her.

“How did you know about this oath?” Hailey frowned.

“My dad, silly.” Leah chucked and shrugged.

“So spill,” Hailey sat down in the sand.

“Ok, here goes. An oath was set up between the two royal families of that day, to make sure the blood lines stayed alive. It was a law that was made legal and binding, up held by the counsil,” Leah paused and threw some sand. "King Whalen made sure of that."

“Then what is a blood oath?” Hailey asked.

“That is a complicated one, as to why it was created I have no idea. It would have to involve both families having twins nearly at the same time. You know what the chances of that happening?  Like one in a trillion Hail. Anyways this blood oath was put in place sorta like a safety net.  So that if the first died before marriage could be obtained then the second would take that twin’s place. ”

Leah scooped up some more sand sifting it through her fingers.

“Why don’t I know this stuff?” Hailey played in the sand with her toes.

Leah shoulder bumped her, “why should you your not a twin?”

“That’s the problem Lea, I think I am,” she starred out at Leah who’s eye’s were as round as sauces.

**SO WHAT DO U THINK?****