Spring Flowers

"John," she said very softly, "I know what it's like to lose the person you love the most in the world. My uncle raised me, and when he died--well, I wasn't as strong as you were. I wanted to die too. I thought if I did, I could be with him. But you know what? I found out that I still had a lot of people who loved me and eventually I started to enjoy life again. Nobody will ever replace your mom for you. You don't need to worry about that. From what your dad told me she was one really wonderful lady. And its alright to miss her--a lot.

"But, I don't want you to keep secrets from me because you're worried about my dad. You need to know a couple things. First, I am a very powerful wizard and a powerful healer. I killed the men who held you hostage. They're gone. They won't be back. And second--you remember my dad? When you were at our farm? He's even more powerful than I am--as a wizard and as a healer. And between your dad, me, my dad, my mom, my husband, his family--nobody is ever, ever going to hurt you or your dad again. I will protect you and your dad. I give you my word. Adults do not ever, ever have the right to ask a kid to keep a secret--unless its something good and only for a short time--like what you're buying your dad for Christmas or something like that. But nobody ever has the right to try to get you to keep a bad secret and to keep it forever. That's just wrong. That's all the more reason to tell someone. Especially when that happens. So a grownup can help you. I am positive your mom and dad taught you all about that.

"I can see where you might not want to tell your dad. But--I'm different. If you want to tell me, and if you want me to not tell your dad, I can do that. The choice is up to you. Maybe someday, when the danger is over, we can tell your dad together. But right now, I think you need to trust somebody. And I'd like to think you could trust me."

John shook his head he wanted to tell her but was too scared the men they had killed had only been his minders not the person behind it he had left several days earlyer, he pulled another weed and brushed off his hands "maybe" he said throwing it into the bag as he looked at her his eyes showing how scared he was to her "I want to , but... "he sighed looking at the ground "he'd know, I know he would and I don't want my father hurt he's all i have left."

"Nobody's going to let your dad get hurt. He's been fighting things like this for a very long time. Its not your job to protect him, John. And your secrets won't protect him anyway. It will only put him in more danger by not knowing the full truth of what happened. When he knows, he knows what he's up against. It doesn't mean he'll go after them. That's my job. Mine and my father's. I don't want your dad following up there. It puts his job in jeopardy. Makes him look like a traitor to his country.

"My father is more powerful than any wizard alive, just about. He and I will go and finish this so neither of you are in danger or have to be afraid. We're just waiting on you to give us the information we need to be able to clea the rest of it up. As I see it, you have a choice. You can tell me the truth and then have us go get this out of your life for good. Or, you can both live in fear, always looking behind your back to see if there is somebody there. I sure wouldn't want to live that way. You've been through enough as it is."

John sighed as she spoke he knew she was right but he also knew how his father would react and he ddin't want to lose him like his mother, placing his hands on his knees "If i tell you you promise you won't tell dad or any one?" he asked now feeling as if a thousand eyes watched him from every corner and dark hidden place , he took her hand "C..could we go inside please" he said the more he sat the more nervose he became. Moving inside he sat on her couch drawing his legs up to his chest his eyes seeming to take on a gazed look as he began to speak.

"They came for me just after mom fell I saw dad swiped by the dragons tail , he didn't move, they grabbed me I tried to fight them but something made me sleep, when i woke i was in a room the windows were blacked out except for a small crack, I think it was a day later a man came he asked about my father but then said he was a fraud that he only managed to arrest as many as he had because he was one, I didn't belive it then they told me mom was dead that father had let her be killed, He wouldn't I know it, he loved mom too much." John paused taking a moment to calm himself be for continuing " when he left it was two more days before they came, they would say the same things if i didn't respond they would hit me over and over, after that they cast "Fiendfyre" leaving me with a dragon that burt my arm and would have done more if the man hadn't returned and got rid of it. " he pulled up his sleeve to show a burn in the shape of a dragons claw. "he was tall with dark hair he had this nasty scar that ran down the side of his face, after he left they they started again with boils they hurt so much i couldn't sleep , not that it mattered as they kept the light on all the time only turning it off for an hour" he could feel his tears forming "when it got to , I don't know a month , i guess i stopped thinking about what they were going to do and acepted it , but not what they told me about my father and mother being dead, that I would never belive" he looked at her as a tear rolled down his face "please keep my father safe , he said if I told any one he would kill my father painfully and he would make me watch"

"Nobody is going to hurt you or your father. I promise," Khaat said. "I have no intention of telling your dad. I'm going to make sure you and he are safe for the rest of your lives. I promise. Now. Dry your eyes. Its going to be alright. Trust me. If we can get these beds cleared before lunch, I'll make a large homemade pizza for us for lunch. What do you say? Do you like pizza?"

john looked at her and for the first time sincehe was relesed he knew she meant it , he sniffed as he wiped his eyes on his sleeve , looking at her he quickly moved to give ehr a hug , something he had not done since befor his captivity fearing the contact but now having told her he felt he could and to him it felt like the best thing around "thank you, Khaat, thank you" he said his face half buried in her chest as he spoke. Puling back he smiled for the first time "yeah , sounds realy good , no anchovies , there just yuck" he pulled a face "dad dosn't like them ether, don't know about andrew yet, he my new brother" he said his eyes now sparkling as he spoke now relaxed and like his old self "Khaat, maam, could i have some more of the cider, please, its real good" .

"Of course," she smiled. She accio'ed another mug of hot cide for him from the pot of it on the stove. The cup floated over to him easily. "You can have as much as you want," she smiled. She sent her coffeecup to the kitchen, it it returned refilled, fresh and hot. "The most important thing to me is that you feel safe now. And I'll make sure that happens. I promise."

She called her parents throgh the floo and they apparated there quickly. "Mom, can you work with John with the flowerbeds? Get them cleaned out? I have lots and lots of bedding plants to put in too. And I promised John a homemade pizza for lunch. Daddy, would you care to back me up? I have a bit of undone cleanup to do."

"Ah,"Robert smiled, "I wondered when you would want to do that. I'll be right back. And, yes, its high time we do that." He apparated out, and reappeared a moment later, dressed in his black travelling clothes. Khaat apparated up to her room and found she had to go to some black maternity travelling clothes. Her regular travelling clothes, for the first time, were too tight. She draped her black cloak around her and tucked a wand in her boot and the other in her cloak. She reappeared in the living room.

Robert noticed the switch immediately to her maternity clothes. "Very, very nice, my dear," he said. "That has to be more comfortable."

"It is," she agreed.

"Then let's go. John, we'll be right back," Robert said, "Dont' you worry about a single thing. You just do a good job for Khaat with her flowers and she'll make it worth your while. Deal?"

John carried his mug as he moved to KATHRINE "Yes, maam its a deal" he said glancing back at khaat for a moment as if knowing what she was going to do , but went out side and straight to the flower beds , now smiling he puleld out a weed and tossed it into the bag "this is fun, my mom use to do it in her rose garden back home" he said now ginning " she had red ones and blue ones, though she kept me away from those but when she was there she'd let me weed around them, she hd thes pink ones i can't say th name of Crasathimumum..mums" he said and shook his head with a smile a black bird flew ovr head nd he quickly looked up worried at it.

Katherine called the bird to her and spoke to it, "What is it you want, my friend?" she asked. The bird squawked at her and seemed to chatter a bit. Then Katherine smiled. "He is in the house. You can go flying with him if you want to. Archangel! Your friend is here!" The large bald eagle flew out of the window, seemed to recognize the bird and the two of them flew off together. "A raven," Katherine said. "Somehow he befriended Khaat's eagle. He was merely looking for him to go flying and maybe some fishing. Very unusual for two birds like that to become friends, but somehow they did. Its a nice thing. No need to worry, John. They're safe."

John watched in wonderment at the two diferant birds as they flew off together "Im sorry I guess i'm just scared he'll find out and hurt my dad" he said looking at her as he pulled another weed and tossed it into the bag, soon all the weeds were pulled from that bed and he looked at the flowers and sighed "ok where would she like them put?" he asked then looked at kathrine " and I know in the ground " he said chuckling to her as he picked up a pritty pink one holding as he loked at the flowers.