only for his Queen

chapter 17

Ashtrids pov
    I wake up before everyone else and begin setting up the stuffed animal library. The big teddy bears sat in corners, smaller ones sat around the bookshelves and chairs. And then some were bunched up and others hung in nets along the roof. And others on the rails. It actually looks pretty cool. Expesically since this is my private library while the other library looked plain. Then I went to another room and begin to set up the walls to hold the nerfs. After another hour or so I knew everyone in the mansion was up but I didn't leave the room. Several nerfs of the same kind sat infront of each other. And the entire room was covered in nerf guns and different add-ones for them. Well except like 2 walls. Which were for the secret ones in the mail.. Hehehe. But the room was finished. Just waiting on the ones in the mail.
    I walk out and lock the door. Turning around I see Axel and Ezra a few feet away. Staring at me. Slowly I walk down the hall, not taking my eyes off them till I turn the corner. Then I walk into the dining hall were my other uncles, cousins, and the guys sat at the table eating. They all stop and look at me. So glad I changed into jeans and a tank top before I began setting up the nerfs. I raise an eyebrow at them and sit down, digging into the plate put infront of me. "So... What did you guys do last night." Jonathan asks as he eats with a knowing look. So... I might not have mentioned that I fought a little... In my dress... And could have accidentally.. Bought.. Real guns that are laying under my clothes in bedroom... That my uncles don't want me to have... Me and my cousins share knowing looks ourselves. "Um.. Nothing important really." tae says. And I notice the make-up on his slightly swollen face. "Mhmm." damn you uncle Jonathan. "So I didn't find a locked door and you in another room on hundreds of stuffed animals." Jonathan says and my eyes widen. "Um... No?" I say more of a question than I would like to admit. He nods and smirks.  "Oh shush it." I say and go back to eating while everyone chuckles at me. "So.. Ash. Why are you the only girl that we've seen in your family?" Jake asks. I stare into space. Going back to the day I meet my uncles wives for the first time... I was about 10 and they decided to bring them all at the same time. They had said something about me acting like a boy and saying how I should do this and that and be more like a girl. And how I would never find someone like that and yada yada yada. It ended up with them on the ground with their faces clawed. I might have been a mean child. "Well you see when she was ten we brought them to meet her and she got along with her cousins but well... Things were said and things happened and it ended with our wives all having at least one scar on their faces or necks." Isaac says. I hide my smile by stuffing my face and looking at my plate. My cousins stifle laughs at the memory. The guys nod. Axel and Ezra take their seats since they walked in as George told the story. After breakfast we all watched a movie in the movie room. Then my cousins and my uncles had to leave. After I said bye, the only ones left was Ezra, Michael, their kids and the boys. "So.... Im kicking everyone out of the mansion." I say and walk away. "No you aren't. You have to have some of them living here. For protection. "I can protect myself perfectly." I tell them.
"I don't care."
"I do."
"I said no."
"I said yes." I glare at them.
"You need people here to protect you." Michael trays to reason.. Then a idea pops in my head. And a smirk on my face.
"What? Why the smirk?" Ezra asks narrowing his eyes at me. "Axel.. Jake, Blake, Hank..." I say and give them puppy dog eyes, fluttering my eyes. "Yesss?" Axel says slowly. "Would you move in with me?" I ask sweetly. "Ashtrid no!" Michael scolds. But I ignore him. "Ashtrid." Ezra says. I turn and give my uncles the puppy dog eyes "Ashtrid stop. I said no. Ashtrid. Stop giving me the puppy dog eyes. Damn it Ashtrid!" Michael complains. "What do you say boys?" he turns to them. They all nod. "Yes!" I cheer. "But Jared and the guards stay!" he compromises. "Well duh! They wouldn't be guards if they weren't guarding." I say in a 'duh' tone. They both roll their eyes ate me and leave. "So when ya moving in?" I ask. "Tomorrow pleaseeee?" Jake whines, I smile and nod. Him an Blake do a little jig and run out with Hank and Axel following behind. Can't wait till tomorrow. "We will get them rooms ready... Everyone is already finished packing and leaving by tonight." Jared says. I smile and say thank you. And don't get me wrong... Im not putting them on the street. I got them a different mansion to live at. I wanted grandfathers.

     It is now like 10 at night and everybody has left and Jared is laying down. My things were brought over and set up grandfathers room hasn't changed much and smells like him. His clothes are in a box near the door. I might steal some.. More.. Before I put them in the attic. His collone still sits in my closet. Everything is in its place. I walk around the mansion and remember all the good times.  When grandfather would chase after me, when we would swim in the pool and id jump off his shoulders. Us having a food fight in the kitchen. The birthday parties. Surprise gifts. The forts we would make. The pillow fights we had. The late night talks after I would have a nightmare. Him holding me while I cried. And recently when he got worst. Me giving him his meds. Helping him eat. Picking out his clothes. The long talks, me rambling. And seeing him on the hospital bed. Seeing him taking his last breath.
   I crawl into bed and its midnight. I cover up and fall into a tormented sleep.