The Story of the Trees - Sword, Ring, and Crown Book One

Chapter Eighteen

Adrian, Erick, and Luke were standing in the dining room, and we found Dominic in the kitchens with Danela. She was instructing him on how to make a beautiful floral basket made of dough. Next to the basket were dozens of daisies made of spun sugar in various colors. Dominic looked like he'd won the lottery.

When he spotted me, he grinned. "Matt! Danela is a blessed genius! Look at those flowers! Don't they look real?"

They did, and I would have loved to have admired them more. Dominic looked superb in the kitchen attire Danela gave him. The coat was a dark blue cassock-style tunic. The crest of the house, a battle between two unicorns, one red and one gold, and fashioned into a brooch, held the collar closed. He had flour in his auburn beard, and his gray eyes were dancing with delight. His hair was sporting some flour in its spiky tufts, as well.

I addressed Danela, "Is there someplace I can take my friends that's private?"

She nodded. "There's a storage room behind that door to the left."

"Great. Thanks, Danela. Come with me, everyone."

"But..." Dominic looked at the project he was working on, pouting. "I was making this for you, Matt. You love sweets, and I remember you telling me once that you loved daisies..."

"That's..." Adorable. Precious. Amazing.  "...true, Dominic, and I'm looking forward to sharing it with you, but I have to talk to you - all of you. It's important."

"I'll finish it for you, Master Dominic. You did most of the basket, and I just need to do the finishing touches," Danela said as she took the piping bag from him.

"Well..." he took off his coat reluctantly and handed it to one of the kitchen help, "okay. "

"Hopefully, it won't take long, Dominic. I can't wait to see the basket all put together."

He was still pouting as he followed me and the rest into the storeroom. "It was supposed to be a surprise..."

I put my arm around his waist. "Sorry, Dom."

He patted my hand. "Well, it can't be helped."

There were wooden boxes and sacks of rice and flour in the storeroom. I put a tall box under the door handle, then sat on a stack of grain sacks.

The strangest sense of peace settled over me now that I was close to all five men. Despite how rattled I was before, the calm soothed every nerve. Within me flowed a sense of belonging I had never felt before, as the links shone between us all. It didn't feel entirely complete, as I didn't have all the people attached to me with me, but it was still comforting.

"Wow," Dominic said the exclamation with a single exhale. "What is that? I feel like I just had a group hug."

"Same, bro," Adrian said as he traced his finger down the root attached to him. "Is that because of this? Are we turning into Borgs or something?"

I suppressed my desire to laugh. Didn't it feel that way, though? I must be the creepy lady Borg attaching everyone to me. I shook off the urge to start making Borg jokes and got down to business.

"Jeanne and Elsie told me what being a member of my court entails. Luke didn't do a good job of explaining this." Then I gave Luke the stink eye because he should have. He had the sense to look guilty. He should be.

"It's not just being an official or something?" Adrian asked as he found a box  of salt to sit on.

"I thought that too, Adrian." Sweat beaded on my forehead. It was hot in here. "But no... you guys gotta be... I mean... if you do this... we will be... uh...."