The Bent World (Formerly: Multiverse Revenge Story): Interlude II (Eight Months Later)

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Interlude II

(Eight Months Later)

“Can you tell me why I have received official inquiries from the Jaupry estate inquiring about whether the services of our Pathfinder in training will be available again this summer?” Erikla Andry, acting Matriarch for the Andry family, found herself asking a suddenly very active Dr. Andry.

At that question Sarina looked completely lost, while Dr. Andry looked like she was trying to come up with the best way to explain whatever happened next.

From the reactions it was clear that Dr. Andry knew exactly what was happening, while Sarina was either not part of the tactics going on, or Erikla was way off base with what she thought was actually happening.

“I think it is best if we scale back the operation this summer,” Dr. Andry began. Her words only offering insights into a portion of the question being asked.

While Erikla had her guesses, she wanted things to be spelled out verbatim, to help her fully comprehend exactly what was going on.

“Very well, I do remember you being particularly busy last summer with your sudden interest in rifts again. An interest that just so happened to have you take up the mantle of acting as this year’s profiling ceremony administrator.”

“Yes, well with the whole debacle of what happened last year, there was no way I could let something similar happen for two years in a row. And being as I would already be there, I figured offering my services would be no issue, particularly with Sarina acting as the official guardian for Missala.” Dr. Andry spoke her words and excuses coming out with grace and fluidity that showed she had been speaking her way in and around trouble for generations.

Honestly, at this point, Erikla was just happy that the now barren, and therefore permanently removed matriarch head was once again interested in helping to improve the family lineage.

Still, this talk about the new future Pathfinder linked to the family was concerning. Especially as Erikla had no clue who, or rather where this future Pathfinder came from. There was Sally, the groundskeeper’s daughter, who was roughly of age to be trying to expand her potential. But Erikla knew for a fact that on many of the runs Sally didn’t go with the crazy Doctor.

“As the elder, I cannot force you to do more than you feel comfortable completing,” Erikla began, “that said, I can tell you to tell me the name of the person that is a potential future Pathfinder, especially if they are linked to our family.”

At that, Dr. Andry just inhaled deeply as if trying to find a way or words that could be used to circumvent what was being asked of her for a second time. This time, her phrasing made sure there was no ambiguity about the question being asked.

“Let me be clear, there is no one who will be a true Pathfinder related to this family or our subordinates. In fact, these claims are partly why I wish to scale back our operations this summer to focus on promising children directly linked to this family, to include but not limited to Pandaline, who is just now starting to come to an age where such training will be beneficial to her growth. Making my staying on as her profiling ceremony administrator even more important.”

Smirk.

Hearing the doctor speak about Pandaline brought a smile to Erikla’s lips, but not for the reason why Dr. Andry might have originally thought.

Especially as this clear diversion away from the fact that she wanted a name was still left unspoken. However Erikla despite being constantly performing missions for the family still had her pulse on the course of events. This went doubly so with the still quiet but seemingly squirming within her own skin Sarina off to the side fidgeting at every noted comment being made by both side.

While the doctor was as hard as ever to read and predict their true motives, it became increasingly clear that her son was something of a prodigy. One that Dr. Andry had come out of retirement for and was now an active leader of the family once more.

“I think you are correct, though know that while we might be able to avoid most of the contacts you spent all summer building up and draining for additional resources. Know that we now have certain obligations to local families that cannot be ignored,” Erikla stated. This was as diplomatic as Erikla could get with this line of discussion.

While Dr. Andry still had the opportunity to withdraw her consideration for hosting and running such summertime programs, there would need to be some coordination between the regional houses. Which was why Erikla now had to make it clear that future operations must continue to utilize the Oteranski family, but this holds the benefit of maintaining their resources as well.

That said, Erika did not wish to give this tidbit of information over freely. Instead, she chose to use it as the proverbial carrot on the stick to draw out the one answer that Erikla desperately needed to hear with her own ears.

This would be an answer that all but confirmed that her first trip and double awakening was not wasted, not fully.

To this day she still has her concerns about what happened and her choices to allow such a stain to survive. But if the reviews that Dr. Andry herself had already had about Missala were to be confirmed, not just by her, but by outside families, well then, it would change things. It would change a lot of things.

“Who is it that we cannot afford to disappoint?” Dr. Andry asked, though her begrudging tone seemed to already imply that she was aware of who the answer was. An ironic twist as Erikla was already fairly certain that she knew the same for the information that Dr. Andry all but refused to acknowledge in her presence.

“How about this, I’ll confirm your thoughts. If you confirm mine?”

There was a moment of silence as the old and former matriarch just stared at Erikla.

“Fine, but I go first.”

“As you wish,” Erikla confirmed.

“You mean to force me to train and use the resources of the Oteranski family, while I train our house members?”

“Yes,” Erikla confirmed.

“You are aware that it was Landrina Oteranski that I had to banish from our first hunt due to her talking?” Dr. Andry confided.

This was something that had been stressed by the Oteranski family as a particular selling point for why Landrina needed to continue to train under such harsh conditions.

“I am aware. I am also aware that Ms. Oteranski herself noted how great a change she noticed within her own daughter after that event and in particular how much she grew over the course of the summer.” Erikla replied, trying to alleviate the concerns.

Eith that Dr. Andry could only nod to herself.

“I take it, this is smaller number of resources available will also for Dr. Oteranski to join as an additional guard as well?” Dr. Andry asked the obvious question that Erikla would be disappointed with, had it not been at least broached.

“Yes, I realize that you two have a history together, but I assume that will not cause any problems during these sessions?” Erikla asked.

Blush.

There was the faintest of capillary reactions that occurred on the old Doctor’s face for just a moment. It was there for just a second, and then gone the next. But it was there and it showed that there were still some emotions that were tied to at least hearing that particular name.

“No, that is long in the past,” Dr. Andry stated.

Hearing that Erikla just nodded her head, expecting no other response from the stoic family guardian.

“It will also not cause any undue friction if she uses these excursions to push her family’s own agenda, I take it?”

“Their agenda?”

“Yes, it seems that Landrina Oteranski is quite smitten with my Missala.”

“Your Missala?” Dr. Andry repeated, momentarily losing her composure and coming close to seeming like she was claiming ownership of one of the family resources. Resources that rightly were owned and barterable by Erikla herself.

“Yes, my Missala. I was after all the one who gave birth to him. Keeping him to full term and providing necessary resources to make his quality of life far higher than any male has a right to.”

Deep inhale.

At that, Dr. Andry just breathed angrily. Her posture rigid.

This was good, these emotional ties had been missing from the former matriarch for the previous generations. Erikla had heard tales of times when the doctor was heavily invested in the family’s dealings, and that was when the family thrived the most. Now it seemed that there was at least one thing that could be leveraged to get the doctor to help out a bit more.

“As per your suggestions, I have held off on any talks of marriage or otherwise until after his profiling ceremony, which so happens to be next year. A year you intend to administer yourself again?” Erikla asked smiling.

For a moment, the doctor looked flustered but then exhaled as she forced herself to calm down.

“Well played, it seems all those lessons on politics and economics were not fully wasted on you.”

Erikla just smiled at the jab, before continuing.

“No, at least I hope they weren’t. That said, I do mean it when I say that this is going to be of great importance to our family. So, I must ask you to answer one of two questions.”

“One of two?” The doctor parroted back.

“Yes,” Erikla began by holding up one finger. “First, either answer who the child from our family was who so completely fooled Duke Jaupry’s guards that they are asking about or fledgling Pathfinder?”

With that question the look on Dr. Andry’s face tightened as it was clear she did not want to answer this question at all. This was when Erikla held up a second finger as she began to ask her second question that was clearly causing her a lot of concern.

“Or secondly, you could choose to allow Ms. Jaupry and her estate to also continue to go on these summer excursions.”

Dr. Andry just stared at her great great grand niece and glowered for a moment before noting the obvious.

“That wasn’t a question.”

“Oh it is, will you continue to do your little summer exercises in exploring for rifts with my daughter, knowing that you will have to do so with assistance from both the Oteranski and Jaupry families? Or will you simply tell me who the alleged Pathfinder is that we have been harboring here on our estate?”

There was a long pause as Dr. Andry clearly debated these thoughts within her mind.

Finally, after a long time she answered.

“Tell the Jaupry’s that they cannot let their Dr. Jaupry join our excursions.”

“Oh, but I could not possibly deny the request of your reacquaintance with not one but two former,” Erikla began, but the coughed slightly before saying, “colleagues.”

Dr. Andry just stared for a moment, and all the while a faint smile rose on Erikla’s cheeks denoting her amusement into this odd development. For it was well known that the discomfort that Dr. Andry felt towards the steward of the Oteranski family paled in comparison to the complete animosity that she felt towards the Jaupry steward, who was noted by the title of doctor.

“If that is all, then I will need to leave to make preparations, as it seems that this will be another busy summer, especially for Ms. Pandaline.”

“And?” Erikla asked, her smile widening as she tried to get the doctor to state the other name that she flatly refused to acknowledge.

“And good day,” Dr. Andry added with a crisp bow before quickly pivoting and leaving the chamber before Erikla could even dare to stop her once more.

Seeing her leave in this state caused a smile to form on Erikla’s lips. For now she could keep her secret, it was more important to have a family Steward or Doctor actively engaged in activities that benefited the family than how she had been.

This was a nice change of pace, and one that Erikla hoped to maintain.