Life After Death

Corryn: can't do anything right

                 

{Corryn}

"Corryn, can you watch the girls?" Gawain asked me.

"What? No, I'm not a babysitter," I replied, folding my arms. "Where are you going?"

Guinevere came down the stairs, wearing semiformal attire, with her blonde hair pulled back neatly. Now that I was noticing, Gawain was in nice dress clothes as well.

"We're going to Vercyne," Guinevere explained. "I'm having a meeting with my mother. We just won't be here when the girls get home from school."

"Why does no one in this family believe in tutors?" I moaned. "Why is it always school?"

Guinevere rolled her eyes at me. "I don't know why you're complaining," she told me. "You're the faery Gawain would have tutor them. And they have song and dance magic; that would be fun."

"Go to your stupid meeting," I growled. "I hope you enjoy yourself."

Guinevere blew me a kiss as they left the house. I'm sure Gawain was rolling his eyes.

Most of the time when I was left at the house, I had nothing to do. Back at the Torninc, other brothers or Nick or even my own brother were around to talk to. But now that Gawain and Guinevere were a family, I seemed to occupy the role of advising butler. But I didn't get paid to be here.

Sure it was nice to be in Otherworld rather than Hell where they wanted to kill me again, but it would have been nice for some appreciation. I had taught Gawain everything he knew. I had tutored Guinevere into the wizard she was today. And, gods help me, I was even training Lunete and Blanchefleur, despite my unwillingness to sing or dance.

If I remembered correctly, I had about two hours before the girls were home. I had to come up with some sort of occupation for myself for two hours. It was just hard to do anything but observe while I was dead. And I wasn't allowed to leave the house, not according to the last time I had been summoned.

It was not fun being dead. I had never imagined that it would be, but now I knew with certainty that I never wanted to be dead again.

It was a silly wish.

I floated up to the second floor to the library. In theory, it should have been Blanchefleur's room, but since the whole family needed books, they had agreed to keep it as the library. For the first several years, it had been empty and a little depressing. Now, they had books spilling out of each shelf. It helped that Adele agreed to let her daughter's family borrow from the royal library, but I wondered how powerful this family would be, given ten years. Both Lunete and Blanchefleur had inherited their parents' will to learn and study, and they had become proficient at their magic, even at the tender age of eight and ten.

Unfortunately for me, no one had left a book open on a desk or chair and I sat down on the table with a sigh. At least from here, I could watch faeries out in Donlin, walking through the street or into their homes. It wasn't riveting, but it wasn't the worst of entertainment; the styles of clothing had morphed into more human looking fashions, influence of Juliet and Mikaela at Vercyne no doubt.

Finally, after hours of waiting, I spied Lunete and Blanchefleur skipping down the street together. I floated to the front door, just in time for Lunete to open it.

"We're home," she called.

"Well, your parent's aren't." I shrugged my shoulders. "They said they would return soon. I'm sure as soon as you finish your homework or something."

"Well, then can we go down to the market?" Blanchefleur asked. "There's a ribbon vendor with new colors. We passed her on our way home."

I attempted pass my hand out of the front door, but as I suspected, was unable. I could not leave this house.

"I think it would be best if we stayed here," I told them. "Your parents would not be happy with me if we went wandering in the city."

"Corryn, it's right down the street, not across town," Lunete pleaded. "Mom and Dad don't have to know."

"I can't go with you," I admitted. "That's why we can't go. If I let you leave, your father will kill me."

Blanchefleur sighed and dropped her school bag. "Our parents never let us have any fun."

"Nonsense, Blanche," her sister said. "Corryn can't stop us; he's just a ghost. Come on, we'll be quick."

"Please don't," I pleaded.

She smiled her mother's smile and then opened the door once more. "Don't worry, we'll be right back." She grabbed her sister, who looked apologetic, and then slammed the door in my face.

I sighed and sunk down to sit on the steps, counting the seconds that they were away and Gawain would kill me for.

Several minutes later, transport spell shimmered in front of me. Gawain and Guinevere appeared. He noted his daughter's bag lying next to the couch and looked around to find his girls.

"Where are they?" Guinevere asked me, frowning. I supposed I didn't normally sit on the steps, looking forlornly at the door.

"They left to look at ribbon," I answered. "I couldn't stop them; they just passed right through me. Lunete had made up her mind. I'm sorry."

Gawain took in a deep breath, ready to shout at me, but Guinevere put a finger to his lips.

"This can be discussed later, but we should find our girls now," she told him. "Come on Gawain."

I thought that Guinevere had maybe seen the truth to my statement and realized it wasn't my fault. The glare she shot my way as she opened the door negated that belief. She did not speak a word as she slammed the door, shaking the whole house.

I continued sitting down on the stairs, hands holding up my head. Maybe Lunete and Blanchefleur would vouch for me. But I couldn't predict their father's temper.

They were gone a long time, or at least, it felt like a long time. I heard footsteps clomping up to the door and it burst open, Lunete and Blanchefleur in front of their steaming parents.

"To your room. Now," Guinevere ordered them.

Both the girls ran past me, not even bothering to get their school bags. I watched them go, and then reluctantly stood, waiting to be berated. But they didn't. Guinevere sagged against her husband who pulled her into a hug. I realized in my own worry how afraid they had been for their girls. Lunete was, eventually, heir to the throne. If they had been kidnapped or killed, it would have been a huge political matter.

"I'm sorry," I said, trying to sound contrite. I was a little peeved they had expected me to be able to do anything, but I didn't want to be dismissed. Roger had told me last week that he would be gone this week. I wouldn't be safe in Hell.

"I want to blame you," Guinevere told me. "Very badly in fact. But you couldn't have done anything to stop them regardless, could you?"

"No," I replied. "I have no magic, no body and orders not to leave the house. I tried though."

"To leave?" Gawain questioned.

"That too, but mainly to tell them it wasn't a good idea. Lunete seemed to think so."

I was rambling, but I was very nervous. Gawain could still dismiss me. Instead, he sighed.

"I'm lending you to Dagonet," he said. "He's convinced he's on a breakthrough about Galahad, and is looking for some help. I know you're bored here and that Hell isn't an option. But just while we figure out the delicacies about Guinevere gaining a Cabinet position, I can't deal with the stress of watching you and our daughters."

"Gawain, I'm not a child. I don't need to be watched like one," I complained. "I can take care of myself."

"Last time you did that, you got yourself killed," Guinevere pointed out with a small smile. "Twice."

"All right, all right, fine. When?"

"Tomorrow."

I wrinkled my nose, but nodded my agreement.