Sisters of Mercy Hospital for the Emotionally Damaged, Bordertown
Eli's mother was a human from Mock Avenue. She had not taken it well when the boy's father had stolen him away to the far side of the border, and now she was a resident at the former convent. A friend of Laura's had convinced the nuns to let Eli see her, but in order to keep the disturbance to a minimum, they were to meet her in the garden out back.
Before they entered the courtyard, Leda put a hand on Eli's shoulder. "Corwyn won't give up." she told him. "You're too powerful, and kind of an embarrassment to his house. If he came this far to get you he can find you. Now they say on the other side that Dreamers have no will of their own, but we both know that's bullshit, or you wouldn't be here. I need to know, if he finds us here, can you stand up to him?"
Eli regarded her uncertainly. She was turning out be much like Corwyn had described her in some ways and in others, not. But either way, he was beginning to like her. Finally, he took a deep, steadying breath. "I belong to myself."
"Good boy." she smirked, and ruffled his hair.
Sister Voline brought Eli's mother, Martha out into the moonlit garden. "Someone is here to see you." she said to the slight, stoop shouldered woman.
Martha was only in her thirties, but sorrow had aged her beyond her years. "But I don't know anyone." she said tremulously.
"You'll like him." Laura's friend said charmingly.
"Does he like flowers? I like flowers. I planted these here, see?"
Leda was suddenly glad Karla was not here to see how the woman had been broken by Corwyn's cruelty. It was bad enough that her other friends were seeing the results of the worst Faerie had to offer.
"Martha," she said, drawing Eli forward, "This is Eli. He likes flowers too."
Eli was no less dismayed than anyone else. "Mom?" His voice choked on the word.
Staring, Martha reached out one trembling hand and tentatively stroked Eli's face. When her hand touched the stiches in his brow, she snatched her hand back.
"Mom it's Eli. I've come back."
"Eli?" The reality of the situation cut through the haze in her mind, and she suddenly seized him in a tight embrace.
"What a touching scene." a sneering voice said.
Blocking the exit to the garden, Lord Corwyn stood, dressed in bull battle armor, including a helmet shaped like a human skull topped with antlers. He was flanked by several Elven warriors in similar armor, a few large evil looking hounds, a flock of harpies, and even a small stick-like figure sporting a bow and arrow.
Corwyn exuded an air of menace that literally lowered the temperature around him, causing frost to form on the flagstones at his feet.
[For Momoko, Jon and James.]