Chương 255: Day Two Hundred And Fifty-Three

Dear Diary, Some day. Maybe not soon, but some day, I want to have a 'conglaturations, a winner is you!' moment without, y'know, someone immediately catching me between the legs with a hockey stick. So, once we'd finished off the last of the formerly Calverton turned Rogue Hero holdouts, I shuttled everybody back to Lancaster House. Somewhere in the middle of settling everyone in for the night, Saffron showed up and more or less collapsed into my arms.

Nothing damaging, but she looked more than a little underfed, so instead of heading to bed we took a pit stop at the dining room. The menu was unexpectedly fluid, and I mean that in the 'everything needed a spoon to eat it' sense. Unusual for Lancaster House, but not unwelcome, what with me having to spoon feed Saffron while she sat there half-asleep. After I'd gotten about three spoonsful into her, Raven showed up behind me.

"Commander?" I blinked away a little fatigue; I'd fought a pretty hectic battle after a really long, boring, exhausting day, so I wasn't all that much better off than Saffron.

"Whatcha need?"

"Could you please come collect your daughter?" I half turned to look at her and after blinking a bit to really grok what I was looking at, realized that she had blood all over her hands and clothes. Apparently the Calverton Heroes she and Bill had been working on when I arrived had really needed the help. Of course, it took me another moment or two to remember why I'd need to collect Isnomi. When I did I barked out a laugh, then said, "sure thing.

Can you look after Saffron, maybe get another couple spoonsful into her while I'm freeing up your bedroom? Also, I dunno if the smaller suites have bathtubs, but if not you're welcome to use ours; the bigger suites each have one." She tilted her head in that sort of fatigued, 'head too heavy' way and said, "lemme think about it. The tub. I'll watch over her while you corral your Menace." I stood up, held Saffron upright until Raven got hands on her, then stepped to Raven's bedroom.

I barely had room to stand; the room was wall-to-wall kids, all of them eerily silent for, y'know, little kids.

"Hey, Menace. Everybody okay in here?" She half turned to look at me from where she crouched just inside of the door.

"Ewabody thay?" I held out my arms, "yeah, everybody's safe. You did good, kiddo." The next moment not only were my arms full of Menace, the whole roomful of kids descended on me cheering. I'm not sure half of them knew what they were cheering about, but it still felt pretty good. I dispensed hugs and tousled heads as the kids moved around me in a kind of Brownian motion.

Once I'd gotten moderately certain any kid who wanted some physical contact got some, and before I could get too tired out and get cranky my own self, I called out, "okay, kids, time to head out for dinner!" The menace jumped from my arms and scampered for the door, jumping up and grabbing the handle without slowing down. Her weight really wasn't enough to open it, but she managed to turn the handle to unlatch it, at which point the crowd of kids managed to heave it open then flooded out the door.

I stepped down to the dining room, at least as much to catch any kids who tried leaping off the balcony as a shortcut as to get back to Saffron. Luckily, the menace decided not to play 'lead lemming', instead leading the kids to slide down the bannister instead. I had to step down to the entryway to catch Liam, because of course I did. Once the thundering herd all made it into the dining room, I stepped back to Saffron and told Raven, "your room's all clear.

Sorry about that; I wasn't sure if the menace knew where anybody's room was but ours, and ours is a little, y'know, open, what with there being two ways into the bedroom." She stood up from where she'd been feeding Saffron, letting me take her place, before saying, "you didn't think to have her just guard the entry door to the suite?"

I'm glad I can pretty much handle food movement on automatic, because I just sat there with my mouth hanging open, hand mechanically spooning soup into half-asleep Saffron while Raven walked away laughing.

"Whassat about defending doors?" Saffron muttered in between mouthfuls of stew. I shrugged.

"Mostly I wanted the kids out of the way, but I realized an attack was headed to Lancaster House, so I told her to get all the kids in a room with one door, and told her to end anything that tried to get through the door." That got her to wake up a little, although I'd still put her at less than fully awake.

"What if you'd been injured? Or more likely given your track record, knocked unconscious for a few days?" I shrugged.

"Then you, or Loki, or maybe the Marshall would have to go give her the all-clear. You don't seem to be all that upset about me using her as a door guard." Now it was her turn to shrug back at me.

"You put them in the most defensible location you could, and given who and what she's gone up against in the past, she certainly made a better defender than any of the other children would have." Possibly a better defender than most of the Heroes hereabouts. Your lovely wife is not wrong, Champion. Few Heroes would fare well against a Primordial, especially one wearing such an unassuming, adorable seeming. That boggled me a moment. Are you telling me she doesn't actually look like that?

By the look on her face, Saffron wondered the same thing. Oh, she does. Or, rather, she did or will have? While I don't believe I've seen her take on the guise of something other than herself unless she was, for lack of a better term, 'playing dress up', I find it hard to believe you haven't realized; she alters her apparent age to suit her needs of the moment. I leaned over and bonked my forehead against Saffron's. We're gonna need to have all 'the talks' with her earlier than not, aren't we?

Saffron just shrugged. At the moment, she seems content to befriend children her own mental age, or reasonably close to it. But... She sighed, the gesture rubbing her forehead against mine. Yes, we absolutely will. Thank you, Loki. Yeah, thanks, Boss. You're the best. I know. At that point Larry said, "Commander?" Blinking away some tired muzzy, letting Saffron take the spoon out of my hand, I said, "what's up, Larry?"

While I savored the stew she filled my mouth with a moment later, Larry said, "I was wondering if you could do me a favor. Or, really, do Lancaster a favor." When I made a 'go on' gesture since Saffron had decided to fill my mouth again when I opened it, he smiled, fended off Bonnie's attempt to feed him, and said, "The New Year's celebration Tyrsday. Traditionally, Lancaster House hosts a few visitors from each farmstead and village. As many as can make the trip, really.

Any chance you could visit each of the farmsteads tomorrow and bring back any who wish to come?" I looked down at Saffron, who frowned. I turned back to Larry.

"I wish I could, but I think they need me in New Amsterdam. People dying to plague take precedence over those trying to make it to a holiday celebration." I smiled to try and take the edge off my words.

"Not like you don't have plenty of guests already." He smiled and nodded.

"You're not wrong. Were I a better Healer, I would join you. As it is, I suspect ferrying any Healers currently in residence here, whether from Lancaster or Calverton, would probably make the most sense." I nodded.

"Yeah. Thanks, Larry. God knows I could really use a celebration of some kind, but there's still one last battle to be fought, and it's not one we can win with Blades." High Priestess? Yeah, Boss? Please inform Laurence that I would be glad to bring a few people from any household that desires some of their number to be present for the Equinox celebrations. Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions. Holy crap, Boss. Thanks! You're the best. I know.

"Hey Larry?"

"Yes, Commander?"

"I just got the news, but Loki says he'll bring a few people from each household here to Lancaster House for the celebration." That popped more than one set of eyes open wide. When he'd swallowed the latest spoonful Bonnie had put in his mouth, he bowed his head.

"Thank you, Patron. I will not forget this; should your Patron ever have need of me or mine, we will gladly return the favor."

"I'll let him know." I turned to Saffron.

"You still hungry?" When she shook her head, I looked around, made sure Marie was back in her accustomed place and said, "the Imperator and I are gonna go hit the hay. Morning comes early, and we've got to get Curing. Marie? Can you look after the Menace here?"

"Yes."

"Thanks, love." I fell backwards, my arm around Saffron, and both of us landed on our mattress. A moment later our clothes lay next to the bed. Neither of us had the oomph to move the sheets or blankets, so we just snuggled up to one another and passed out right then and there. Mimic dreamt once more of moss. Saffron and I woke up covered in blankets and kids. I nudged Marie awake, and the moment her eyes slid open, I asked, "can you handle the kids today?

I really want to get this fucking plague ended before anything else crops up to slow us down. I do not want to have it lingering for years." She reached out, lay a hand along the side of my face, and head bunted me.

"Yes."

"Thanks, Marie." I woke Saffron, and we both watched her go through her whole wake-up routine. Marie had the same kind of smile I could feel on my own face.

"Time to get up and head out, Kitten." After groaning out her lack of enthusiasm, Saffron climbed to her feet. I kip-upped and put my arms around her, nodding to Marie to do the same. We stood there for a minute, just holding one another. About halfway through our moment of silent contact, the menace's arms went around our legs.

"You gad di."

"We do indeed, my girl." A moment later I wore The Dress, Saffron stood clothed in Glowing Midnight, and after hugs and kisses Saffron stepped us to Drivers'.

"Mrs. Driver? One extra breakfast if you could?" Mama Driver came out from the kitchen carrying an armload of crepes wrapped in paper. When she saw me, she asked, "it's over? The Calverton thing?" I nodded, a sigh I hadn't realized I'd been holding in escaping.

"Yeah. Without a war, even. Just had to take care of some folks from Calverton who decided to go rogue." She nodded, stepped close enough for Saffron to reach out to her, and then we stood in the building with the big old rock. Saffron turned to Mrs. Driver and said, "as soon as we're done eating, Tabitha and I will have to head out to help with the Curing efforts. Can you and George keep Ophelia in line today?"

"Sure we can, sweetie. General Lancaster maybe not, but he'll be with you, won't he?" At Saffron's nod, Mama Driver continued, "there you go then. We'll keep things moving that need one of us to keep moving, but if Ophelia gets some kind of royal snit up her ass, I'll just sit on her." As has been previously noted, while Mama Driver is smaller than her husband, maybe even 'petite' compared to him, Papa Driver is a seven foot cube of mostly muscle. Mama Driver was, as the song goes, a Brick House.

If she sat on somebody, their biggest worry wouldn't be propriety, it would be continued respiration. George walked in right around then, and Mama Driver handed over a couple crepes. We all ate in silence for a few minutes. Just as Saffron and I were licking our fingers clean and about to take our leave... George coughed. Call me paranoid, but as a kind of kneejerk reaction I extruded an Assess Health.

Assessment For: George 'Georgie' Papadopoulos Target Type: Humanoid Biped (Human) General Health: Impaired Conditions: Diseased Disease: 341 AF Pandemic, 341 AF Pandemic (Prime Variant) 341 AF Pandemic: Asymptomatic, Immune, Non-Infectious 341 AF Pandemic, Prime Variant: Symptomatic, Infectious Granular Assessment Data: Activate: (Y / N)"GOD DAMMIT!" George cowered. At the same time, Loki's voice sounded in my head. Daughter? He could hear me just fine out loud.

"The fucking plague has mutated." The others in the room looked at me. Saffron glanced at the doors to the building, where the guards had opened the doors to look inside. At her pointed finger, they nodded and closed the doors.

"What does that mean, Tabitha?" It was all I could do to keep myself from screaming.

"It means it's changed enough that there's a new version that can infect and kill people who survived the old version and become immune to it." Then I looked at her, really looked, and saw the tears forming in the corners of her eyes.

"So all our labor... has been for nothing?" The fury I'd been holding back since I destroyed Apollo's bow smoked and glowed deep inside.

"No. No, no, no, NO!" I punched the fucking rock, and despite the awful crunching sound, my hand remained perniciously unbroken. A new crack ran up the side of the rock, though. Mama Driver backed away from me. I took a deep breath.

"No." My mind raced, and I started barking out orders.

"Let Phileo and Lancaster know. Help Lancaster get the Healers spread around Lancaster, and get the Volunteers in Phileo to pass the news that a new Plague has hit us; I don't think we'll need a quarantine, since the weather has kept most people from travelling between the Phileo area and the New Amsterdam area. Just let the folks in Phileo know that if anyone feels ill, everyone in the household needs to get to the nearest Healers, whether that's the Temples, the local Priests, or the Academy."

Saffron had been nodding at each of my commands. Now she asked, "What of New Amsterdam and Newark?" I took a deep breath. I could do this. I would do this. I thought about the shape of New York City and the surrounding boroughs.

"Get the Volunteers to spread the word and help where needed, but I need everyone in the New Amsterdam area to get to a point where they can see the southern horizon at Noon tomorrow. Tell them, force them, lie to them if you have to, but get them there." Saffron nodded.

"I will see it done. Where will you be?" I held up a hand for patience, then closed my eyes, flaring my nostrils, focusing on the Mana inside me, inside Mimic. A trail, faint but persistent, led eastward. Barely there, but enough to Scry. Enough to Translocate.

"I'm going to have a talk with the fuck stick that started this shit." Before anyone could say anything, I stepped to the top of the big slab of rock, Created Water in a hollow, Shaped a Scry tied to that faint trace, and Translocated, my hand coming down as I did.

"Good morning, sunny boy. You and me need to have a talk." Before he or his sister could react, I Translocated us both to my son's Workshop.

"Son! Secure your Workshop, please?" A moment later Conrad stood behind Apollo, a genuine smile even scarier than his fake ones on his face.

"Mother dear! Have you brought me a gift?" Apollo tried to puff up, tilting his head back to look down his nose at me.

"I know not how you maimed my sister, nor how you destroyed my bow, but I am a God, and there is naught you nor your insignificant spawn can do to threaten me!" Conrad's mismatched hands slipped onto Apollo's shoulders, and he leaned forward to whisper in his ear.

"Are you absolutely sure about that?" I gotta say, he might be adopted, but given our propensity for making assholes piss themselves in terror, we might as well be blood relations.

"Y'know, I'm tempted to just tell him yes and let him make a desk lamp out of your sorry ass, but I'm trying to be a little less impulsive, a little more mature even. So you get exactly one chance. You do what I tell you, when I tell you, how I tell you, and keep doing it until I tell you to stop, and if you manage to unfuck enough of what you fucked up, I'll have to find my son something else as a New Year's gift." I looked at Conrad.

"Does that sound fair?" He pouted a little, but even I could tell it was an act.

"Loath though I am to admit it, it does, mother dearest."

"You ready to listen, sunny boy?" Apollo opened his mouth, but nothing came out. He nodded, swallowed, and whispered hoarsely, "what do you demand of me?" I smiled, knowing it didn't reach anywhere near my eyes.

"You're a God of Healing, yes?" He nodded.

"So you can Cure diseases as well as you spread them, yes?" Another nod.

"Okay then. Here's the deal. I'm gonna Cure everybody I can reach in New Amsterdam and Newark. You are gonna go through and Cure anybody I miss. You're then gonna Cure everyone in Phileo City, everyone in Camden Yards, and everybody in Lancaster. Got it?"

"Cure them of what?" I reached out, grabbed his full attention, and squeezed. Maybe not with the same kind of rage I'd felt when I cracked the Council's stone. Maybe not. His eyes bulged out.

"Everything. If anybody in anyplace I've mentioned is still sick by the end of New Years?" I nodded to Conrad.

"You're his. If you try to weasel out and run, you're his. If you spread any new Diseases or do anything to harm anyone, you're his. If you so much as think of stepping into Metaphoric Space?" When he made a kind of questioning noise, I said, "you will wish you were his."

"How am I to reach all these places?" I looked at Conrad.

"Can you help him to get where he needs to go? And keep an eye on him to make sure he doesn't try to rabbit?" I looked Apollo straight in the eyes as I said, "and, if he fails to adhere to what I've said to your complete satisfaction, make sure whatever's left of him regrets it for as long as the sun burns in the sky?"

His mismatched hands massaging Apollo's shoulders, somehow turning the normally comforting gesture into an assessment of his potential as a canvas, The Smith smiled at me and said, "I would be delighted to, Mother dearest."