Hannah

91

With shaking and nervous hands Hannah turned the heavy envelope over to open it, only to be confounded when she saw a blob of sapphire blue sealing wax with an emblem stamped in to it. Caspian was at her side, one of his fingernails elongated like a claw, and popped the wax. "Magnus more than favours drama at any opportunity." He shrugged his shoulders. As though that explained everything. 

Hannah opened the envelope, the inside was a shining gold leaf that showed every bend or touch of her fingers as Hannah removed a single letter on heavy card stock; a folded and stapled bundle of papers behind the letter. On far less fancy paper. Holding on to the folded sheets, Hannah turned her attention to the letter first. Someone had used a fountain pen to calligraphy every single word on the page. Hannah had never once seen anything quite like it. Not in person anyways.

Reading quickly to herself, at first, but then realising she would just have to repeat it, or wait for them to read it, went back to the start. "Hannah Mae Chapin, when this missive reaches thine hands, the sentence cast upon one Carson Jones will have reached the final conclusion and his remains are being deposed as defined for his atonement.

We have concluded our efforts to recoup our losses from his assets, the rest we have decided to divest to you and your own jurisdiction and jurisprudence to dispense with.

Blessed be the fruit of those in the light.

Lord Magnus, Seventh of his name, Flock leader of the Sovran" Hannah quietly read the last two lines on the letter

Loving father to

Diminutive Prince Caspian of the Clear Rivers, Frost might, FitzMagnuson, Dragon Heir

That was a mouthful, Hannah wondered if the wolves had their own title for her now Max was Beta, Bryan was Alpha, Cara was Luna. Hannah liked details, she was going to need to spend some time figuring out exactly how their big complicated life together was going to work. Caspian requested to see the letter, Hannah handed it off while she unfolded the other papers that had come. 

The first page was a list of creditors whom the Dragons had already arranged payment. Including the performance fee from the night that Carson had tried to kidnap Hannah. Meaning her own accounts were well bolstered at the time being. Her normal number of accounts, that were all in her name. Her false accounts had their funds moved to Hannah's new portfolio and ownership of the account itself transferred to one of the Fae looking for new identities. She liked the elegance of legitimising her business and helping people start new lives along with her own new start. 

The next page was a list of assets, now all in Hannah's name instead. Her eyes nearly boggled out of her head, she knew he had been taking more than half the money she made. She hadn't ever thought what he would do with his cut when she had been too busy thinking about her own bills. Hannah had done a lot with the money she earned. Carson had been busy trying to make something big and criminal of himself. There was still a lot of money in Caron's name, even after Magnus took steep reparations from the assets.

Hannah turned the page, it was liabilities not accounted for in the dragon's settling of accounts. The names and general information of three children with three different mothers in different states. One of the children was only a few months old. "Money lawyer account people? We have those here right?" Hannah said, to all her mates, surely someone could help her with what she needed to do. She didn't want any of this money, none of it. Holland and Caspian came over, looking over her shoulder as she flipped through the sheets one more time.

"Sell everything, I want to pay the mother's call it a life insurance pay out, then I want everything else put in a trust for the-" Her voice choked, she hated Carson, the thought that one of his kids could be like he was, would keep Hannah up at night for years. This was the right thing to do though. If those kids had better lives, happier childhoods than Carson had, maybe they would be better than their father. It wasn't ever the kids fault no matter what their parent did. Hannah knew that. 

Caspian quickly ran through the numbers, this was too much money for three human families, even if divided into false insurance payments and trusts. "I counter, yes to payments for each of the mothers to improve their immediate circumstances. Yes to trusts for each child when they reach the age of majority. However a portion should be invested and funnelled into a woman's outreach organisation in perpetuity." Hannah's brows scrunched just a little as she considered his counter plan.

"Amend that trusts are to be available for education at any age, and final access only granted at age twenty-five." Smiling, debating with Caspian had been fun and distracted her from the reality living on those pages.

"I'll set up a meeting with the right people so we can get that all taken care of as soon as possible Hannah." Max said, focusing everyone on him for a moment, before he looked around and got nervous. "Where is Aspen?" Triggering a spike of fear in Caspian who was feeling like he was losing his edge. Failing to protect his flock.

"Aspen wanted to work on his wards, he is happy." Hannah told him, she could feel Aspen, felt his joy as the forest worked with him to mark the border and protect everything inside. Aspen had a plan, his first wish that Hannah wanted to make real for him. Aspen wanted to take Hannah camping for as long as she wanted while he worked in the deeper forest. She would go with him, relax in nature and listen to the sound of the forest. Maybe try drawing, or water colours or even just reading some real books. It sounded very wonderful vacation.

Knowing that if Hannah said Aspen was happy, that he truly must be happy, the panic level lowered in the group instantly for everyone. "You guys all measured and ready for the mating ceremony?" Hannah asked Holland and Caspian. Both blushed as the nodded and looking uncomfortable. Max laughed. Their own inside joke. 

"Let's get something to eat, and then I want to check on my dad. Some time along the way someone should tell me what a mating ceremony is like and what I need to do." Hannah announced, before turning on her heels and heading towards the pack house. She could smell food from the kitchens and she was hungry. Thankfully, lunch time was far less formal than the evening meal was just a buffet open in the afternoon with an ever changing daily menu.