*Andrew’s POV*

My eyes shot open so wide they fucking hurt. Eliza’s uncle?!? The exiled one, that spawned the evil, murdering kid that had assaulted Eliza … but probably didn’t even know he had ever had aforementioned nasty offspring? The guy that had paralyzed other Fae, maybe had a very bad temper? That guy? I glanced at the giant man again in shock.

‘Henry’ was as tall as Big Pete, but even bulkier. His arms, his legs, his neck were all as big around as trees! His horns were as massive as Elder Lemmy’s, but he looked like a younger man…

The academic in me protested at the explanation. Dark Mountain Elves were supposed to be even taller than this guy, true, but they were either a bit gangly or, well, rotund in appearance. I hadn’t read anything about them being built like, well… Glenn the metalsmithy, but tall, really tall! Besides, he wasn’t as pale as Eliza, shouldn’t he be practically translucent?

I didn’t know what to do, what to think. The Councilmen surely had no idea what ‘Henry’s’ background was, and Eliza hadn’t even known he was alive. But no one was saying anything. So, naturally, I couldn’t keep my mouth shut.

I cleared my throat. “Perhaps Watchman Eliza should speak with Henry?” I couldn’t decide if I should suggest they be given privacy… Ultimately, I was too worried that the guy was dangerous and said nothing. If he tried anything to hurt her, I would rip his balls off! Surely he had balls…

Sebastian and Lars exchanged a look before nodding. I followed right behind Eliza as she walked closer to the group of people at the other end of the room. I saw Alissa, Angus, and Ozzy were there. While the first two made sense, given that Lars had let slip that Alissa had been traveling with Angus, I wondered why Ozzy was milling about...

Eliza squared her shoulders as everyone grew abruptly silent. All of us looked expectant, and the tension was so thick you could have cut it with a knife. I eyed the giant man for a weakness and readied myself to take him down if needed.

And then… Eliza spoke gibberish at the giant man. Oh, right, that again… I motioned to the other people watching to be patient. I didn’t want to interrupt and clarify that they were speaking their special, er, Elf-language. That I guess made him, I dunno, uncomfortable or something, if he lied. I watched ‘Henry’ carefully. If he so much as itched his asscrack, I’d be on him in a second or less.

The big man responded by asking a question, also sounding like gobbledygook. Eliza was tearing up as she responded with clearly emotionally laden nonsense, and then the two of them rushed to hug each other. Um, good? I reluctantly relaxed a little. But just a little.

Like everyone else, after a few seconds of hugging, I felt intensely awkward and intrusive, but I couldn’t exactly leave. What if this ‘Henry’ hadn’t lied, but was still a just waiting for his chance to attack? Besides, Eliza was my ward. Predictably, Lars was the first to speak. He loved talking even more than I did. “So, uh, Watchman Eliza, Henry is your uncle?”

Eliza turned around, with a fresh coating of dirt all down her front from embracing the giant man. She was smiling ear to ear. Hrmm… I relaxed a teeny, tiny bit more. She looked briefly at ‘Henry,’ who motioned for her to continue. “This is Henry, my mother’s older brother. He was always a good man. He was exiled from Merry Willows when I was much younger.” Her face hardened. “For what I believe to be an unjust cause.”

My stomach dropped out a little. It just was NOT done to question the findings of another Council, however ludicrous. It was tantamount to denouncing an entire tribe’s leadership. Ah, fuck… Eliza!?!

I saw Lars’ eyes pop out and Sebastian’s eyebrows raise, but they didn’t say anything, thank the gods! Before she could go on, Ozzy interrupted her, and (as it seemed he always did) surprised me with what he said. “So it is you. Henry, we’ve been looking for you for some time now.”

Ozzy turned, and when he spotted Alissa, he motioned to her. “Would you fetch the Elder here?”

What? The Elder? Looking for Eliza’s uncle? What the-

Ozzy continued calmly, his voice strangely laidback, as it almost always was. “Ang, would you stick around for a tic, to give the Elder your message?”

He looked at Sebastian and cocked his head. “Kid, aren’t you tired? Surely it’s been a long Day for you? You can head home. You too, Lars. Ancient Common doesn’t lie, you know.” Ah, yes, that’s what it was called…

Ozzy looked around, then threw up his hands and said, to no one in particular. “Dammit, Mick, I’ll be fine; I don’t need a babysitter!”

I was startled out of my skin when Mick jumped down from a bloody rafter! He stood up slowly and cracked his back. “Good! I was getting stiff, Ozz.”

What was Mick doing here? And hiding in the ceiling? What in the nine hells was going on? It was hard to look externally completely unperturbed, cool as a river stone, given the proceedings… Lost relatives and random high-ranking officials kept pipping out of the fucking woodwork every five seconds! I forced myself to stop adjusting my hair with a grimace.

Ozzy pressed his lips together and seemed to be thinking for a moment. Everyone waited on his words; doubtless he would lend some much-needed wisdom and insight. “Alright, alright! Henry, Ang, Eliza, and I guess, therefore, Andrew… I’ll share my food stash, but we can’t be making a habit of this! It’s only because we shouldn’t leave the bloody building before Lem gets his ass over here, you know? It’s just I’m so damned hungry. Once Lem’s here, you can take off, Ang.” Food? He was thinking about food?

And with that, Ozzy took off down a hall. The four of us, assuming we were meant to follow, trailed after him as he nodded and mumbled to himself about how he really didn’t want to share his food, but ‘that bloody giant was surely starving, poor bugger.’

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*Eliza’s POV*

I watched Uncle Henry grab another few walnuts. It was difficult for him to only take a few with such big hands. It was obvious, to me, that he was trying not to look like a pig and take too many. I remembered my mother and Grampy having the same problem all the time.

He looked so different! Sure, I had remembered him as taller than me, but I could swear he had kept growing! I knew my mother had given birth to me when she was very young, but I hadn’t recognized how much time had passed since I had last seen Uncle Henry. I couldn’t believe his hair was silver now!

Realizing everyone was waiting on him to speak, Uncle Henry hurriedly finished the walnuts in his mouth. “I am sorry I was not easily found.” He looked mostly at Elder Lemmy when he spoke. “I left the tribe to which I was exiled a very long time ago.”

He paused, pursing his lips for a moment. The old, intense fire behind his eyes was still there, but it seemed somehow different. “I was angry for many years, but that changed, when I…” He hesitated. “I felt a strong need to do good. I am not the same man.”

I was conscious of everyone staring at him, and felt badly for him. But it seemed he was used to it. “I’ve been alone for a long time. I went to many different places, even beyond our Forest. I wanted to learn how people work, their nature. Ultimately, everywhere I went, I saw some acts of kindness. Amongst Fae and others. But all people are the same, they have a common thread. They look out for their own so easily, within their personal, little worlds, but few think globally. To be a true instrument of change, you have to act, to do good, on an individual level, every day.”

Admittedly, while I understood what Uncle Henry was saying logically, it blew my mind. Globally? While traders came through the Forest and then left, I’d never considered actually doing it. “I decided to let go of the anger I held inside of me, and dedicated myself to bringing about the positive changes I wished so much to see in the world.”

Uncle Henry took a sip of water, and all of us were listening intently. “I have traveled wherever I heard evil forces were at work, and done my best to stop them. Tribal boundaries, who ruled where, I didn’t pay any mind. None of that matters in the grand scheme.”

Uncle Henry sighed. “Now, I am an amateurish mystic; I am self-taught. What I mean to say is that I don’t do fancy things, I’ve just sought out ways to stop dark forces where I found them. In time, I learned to listen to the sounds nature made. That was how I knew to come here.”

Whoa. That sounded like some Conjuration shit for sure! Uncle Henry gestured around us. “The Forest told me of a formidable threat. I have come to ask to help defend the Soul. I believe you will need every ally you can get, Fae or other, when the time comes. And it will come soon.”

Elder Lemmy nodded, shooting a glance at me. “Well, you’re right, Henry, whoever told you. So tell me, do you fight? How are you different from your niece, here?”

Uncle Henry nodded. “My strength is my strength, if you will. I train often to try and stay effective in a physical sense. And I know a few other things.” Other things?

Uncle Henry shook his head. “I don’t know how I am different from Eliza, as I haven’t seen her since she was in Training. My father, he left me great physical power. But it is irritating to be out in the sunlight.” He shrugged. “If you refuse my aid, I will simply leave the Village Walls, and wait to defend the Soul from outside of them as best I can.” He shrugged again. “I hope you don’t see a need to imprison me. That would be inconvenient. If you do, I would appreciate it if I could keep my blanket.” His blanket?

Uncle Henry paused, clearly thinking something over, before looking at me. “I’m not certain why you’re here, though I am glad to see you. However, I stake my life on the fact that you have a good heart. If you are here as an exile, Merry Willows has lost in the bargain, in their ignorance.” I smiled, unexpectedly touched.

Elder Lemmy and Ozzy exchanged a glance, then looked around the table. Andy looked stiffly formal, and Uncle Henry seemed unaffected. I felt like an animal in a trap. “Shut the door, Andrew.”

Andy got up and shut the door, then looked back at Elder Lemmy, who motioned him to sit. “Let’s not fuck around, alright? Eliza is here as an exile, for a murder that I think all of us know was justified.” My mouth popped open and I felt as though I’d taken a heavy blow to my gut. How did they know? “She’s Andrew’s ward only in title. But I don’t want to start a bloody tribal war when we have much more important shit to concentrate on.” The Elder waved at me. “No offense. So let's all just play along, alright?”

I nodded mechanically, feeling overwhelmed and confused. Elder Lemmy looked aggravated, and scratched at his chin as he looked at Uncle Henry. “You do know what I’m talking about, son?”

Uncle Henry’s eyes were abruptly sad. “Yes. She cured the Forest of a great blight that I brought into the world, when I didn’t have the courage myself. I am reminded every-”

Ozzy reached out and grasped Uncle Henry’s arm. “-You will have plenty of opportunity to cure some absolutely shite blights to make up for it.” Sitting back, Ozzy looked at Elder Lemmy. “Shall we send Henry off to Alice and the Healers?”

Elder Lemmy nodded, but Henry protested. “If I walk, alone, into a Healer’s Tent, will I not cause a massive uproar?”

Elder Lemmy scoffed. “Nope! I’ll have these two walk you there, before they head back to the Walls. As soon as you all find Alice, just tell him the truth. He’ll know if you’re lying.”

Notes

hullo, Henry!

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Electoral College: Make Hillary Clinton President on December 19, 2016