Her Monster's Wraith

The Grave

(Later that night...)

Inej wore a black silk shirt and black pants and shoes, her knives strapped to her, her mourning clothes just what she normally wore.  She was with Jesper, Nina, and Wylan at the Van Eck home.  Kaz had yet to arrive, and the little girl refused to go to sleep without seeing him.  She sat diligently by the door, looking up at him.  Angelique walked over to her.

"Come to bed now Lady Margaretha."  The toddler looked up at her, eyes wide and wondering.

"Montah?"

"Your monster doesn't want anything to do with you.  Now come to bed."  She picked up the girl just as the door opened.  Angelique quickened her step to get away from Kaz and Inej watched as Margaretha's face contorted and she started screaming and beating Angelique with her little fists.  Kaz shut the door and strode over to Inej.

"What's wrong with her?" he muttered, and Inej shivered at the sound of his voice.

"She's been up waiting for you."  Kaz raised his brows and called out to the maid,

"Angelique!  Come over here and give the child to me."  She turned around and looked at him, her green eyes blazing.

"I don't take orders from you.  Now hush Margaretha!" she chided, patting the girl's back.  The toddler suddenly went limp, and Angelique gasped, changing the girl's position so she was laying on her back in her arms.  The baby snapped open her eyes and Inej could almost see the babe's plan as she rolled out of Angelique's arms and ran/waddled over towards Kaz.

"Montah, Montah, Montaaaaah!" she screamed in joy, giggling and smiling as Kaz swept her up into his arms.  Kaz laughed as she threw her pale, chubby little arms around his neck.

"I mithd you," she baby-talked into his neck.  Inej smiled up at him.  In these moments she could see him as a good father.  Inej walked over to Angelique and whispered,

"I'll help Kaz get her to bed.  You can go."  The maid glared at her and huffed a breath.

"If I get in trouble for this–"

"You won't.  Now leave us."  Angelique rushed out, throwing salt behind her on the marble floor of the foyer.  The crows and the toddler moved into the comfortable sitting room.  Kaz was telling the girl something that was making hre nod solemnly at him.  Inej looked at them and Nina said,

"I always thought I'd be a mother."

"You still can be," Inej said, turning to look at her friend, who sat next to her on the couch.  Nina was looking into fire that Jesper was starting up, her green eyes sad.  She wore a black mourning kefta.

"I'll never find anyone as special as Matty."  Inej reached across and hugged her friend, who started crying.  It had been one year ago today that Matthias had died.  Nina cried on Inej's shoulder and Nina cried harder when she heard Margaretha say,

"Why pwetty gurl cwuying Montah?"  Inej held Nina, her friend, until she could hold herself together.  Kaz had answered the little girl, for she turned back to Nina and said,

"I sorry."  Nina smiled through her tears.

"You could adopt a child," suggested Wylan, he was sitting on Jesper's knee, and Jesper was in a large cream seat by the fire, which contrasted against the white walls of the room.  Nina and Inej were on a grey couch, and Kaz in a matching cream seat.

"But it's not the same.  You don't get the maternal bond, and I wanted to have a family with Matty, I wanted to grow old with him, help him walk when he no longer could.  But then one of those sorry excuses for a soldier shot him.  I could just rip his throat out!" Nina screamed punching a pillow.  Inej put her hands on her shoulders.