Heart of Stone Ch. 10

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When they entered the library, chairs and sofas were arranged in a circle, with Aiden's large chair and the one next to it still empty. Mrs. Bennett and Rose were serving coffee and tea to those who wanted it, Bennett served brandy. Once everyone who wanted something to drink had it, the servants left quietly.

The reactions to Aiden's appearance were as Mary might have expected. Some were shocked, some awed, some momentarily frightened, and some took great care not to react at all. Robbie began to make introductions, but Veronica interrupted him.

"I think we should all introduce ourselves." She said.

"Good idea." Gordon said. There was a general murmur of agreement.

"Alright." Robbie agreed. "Do you think thirty minutes will be enough time?"

"I think so." Veronica said. "Though, since this is all about meeting Aiden, if it takes a little longer that shouldn't matter, should it?" Robbie looked thoughtful.

"I had hoped to open the floor for discussion about going forward." He answered. Mary could see why he was so good at leading the group. He gave them the impression that they governed themselves.

"Probably a good idea." Veronica admitted. "Half an hour it is." Robbie rose and offered Veronica his arm. She leaned heavily on him to stand, then crossed the room in her graceful way. Aiden stood uncertainly and let the tiny woman take one of his large hands in both of hers. Mary touched his arm and retreated to where Robbie was sitting. This was probably the best thing that could have happened, but something was making Mary uneasy. Robbie read it on her face.

"You could stand there with him, I'm certain no one would mind." He said.

"That would look like I'm his handler." Mary sat down and tried to quiet her mind. "Besides, he doesn't really need me for this."

"He's much more charming than I would have thought. The recorded history of the gargoyles that I've come across doesn't do their diplomatic side justice." Robbie admitted, the drone of conversation filled the room. She heard Quentin's easy laugh followed by Aiden's rumbling chuckle. "That's not what has you so nervous though."

"Honestly I don't know what it is." She watched Andy hold court with his faction at the opposite end of the room. They had all acknowledged Aiden's presence and then promptly moved away. "Maybe it's just my nerves."

"Maybe," Robbie smiled. "Though it's never a good idea to completely ignore intuition."

"What hold does he have over them?" Mary wasn't looking at Andy, but it was clear who she meant.

"I wish I knew." Robbie said. "I suppose you'll find that sort in every crowd though. Did someone tell you about Caroline's predicament?"

"Ramona and Veronica." Mary noticed that Caroline looked like she wanted to spend more time talking to Aiden, but once again, one of Andy's minions interceded. "They didn't tell me what possessed her to go to him though."

"He went to her." Robbie responded.

"He doesn't seem the warm, caring type." Mary couldn't hide the surprise in her voice.

"He isn't, but he does have an impeccable sense of who's vulnerable and how he can turn that vulnerability to his advantage. He told Caroline what she needed to hear at the time she needed to hear it and now she feels like she owes him." Robbie explained.

"No one's tried to intervene?" Mary asked. Robbie smiled sadly.

"Sometimes it's best to wait in matters like this. When she's ready to reach out, she will find a great deal of support." He looked over the room. "It seems like everyone's been introduced."

Mary glanced over and was struck with the strangeness of the picture. Aiden towered, nearly naked and savage-looking as always in the middle of a circle of formally dressed men and women. Despite the physical differences they spoke and smiled and laughed together as if they were all old friends with no incongruity between them.

"I know you're right, it's just hard to think of it that way sometimes. Would you excuse me?"

"Of course." Robbie smiled. Mary approached the small knot of people and hoped she looked confident.

"Where did you disappear to?" Nigel asked.

"Just having a chat with Robbie." Mary replied with a smile. "Besides, you've already met me."

"If I might have everyone's attention." Robbie started, a hush fell over the room. "Thank you. I trust that everyone has had a chance to meet Aiden." There was a general murmur of agreement. "Good. If everyone would take their seats we'll begin."

People found their places, Mary made herself comfortable next to Aiden in a brown leather wing chair. She could tell from the way he watched her that he would rather have her closer, even though she agreed with him they would both have to wait a bit longer.

"Veronica was right when she said this meeting was about Aiden, so I propose we dispense with the usual formalities of reading the minutes and old business and move straight on to more pressing matters."

"Agreed." Ramona said.

"Second." Andy said. There was no dissent so Robbie continued.

"You've all met Mary and Aiden and you all know that Mary is the one who awakened Aiden-"

"I don't know that for certain." Stuart spoke up in his nasal voice.

"Neither do I." Alex said, one of his fat fingers traced around the rim of his brandy snifter. "All we know for certain is that she was present when he woke."

"And what? You think she just happened to be there at the right place at the right time?" Ramona asked.

"It's a logical conclusion." Alex said. "She's untrained. It's much more rational to think that Ambrose created a spell that worked on a time schedule."

"If Ambrose could wake Aiden, why would he hold off until so many years after his death?" Mary asked. "That doesn't make any sense."

"It certainly doesn't." Veronica said. The way she clanked her coffee cup against the saucer made it clear that she was angry. "We've worked for years to accomplish what Mary managed naturally-"

"You keep saying that, but where's your proof?" Andy asked. "She certainly hasn't been able to do it again, Esme is still frozen."

"Jealousy is an ugly thing." Gordon said. "We all know that Ambrose modified Aiden's enchantment as much as he could. If he had been able to release him, he would have done it."

"And even though Mary lacks formal training she still has more ability than Ambrose had." Quentin said.

"More natural ability than anyone sitting in this room." Gordon added. Mary felt a blush heat her cheeks.

"Well then, she shouldn't have any problem proving it." Andy sipped his brandy as if he had just commented on the weather.

"Agreed." Alex smiled coldly and turned to stare at Mary.

"Absolutely NOT!" Ramona said. "We've never required anyone to demonstrate anything."

"And we are not about to start now." Nigel punctuated his statement by striking the arm of the chair with his fist. From there it degenerated into a cacophonous argument. Mary was surprised both at the staunch and unbending support she had earned in such a short time, and the intense venom of the others, who had known her for an equally short time. When the others were occupied with their sniping Aiden stroked the back of Mary's hand softly. She looked over at him and tried to force a smile. When the insults began to get personal Robbie ended it.

"ENOUGH!" He shouted above the noise. Mary jumped, she had never heard Robbie raise his voice. "There will be no parlor tricks or vulgar displays. Whatever you claim to believe, Mary IS the one who awakened Aiden. If you want to debate further in your own time, feel free. Right now the topic that's before us is how to awaken the rest of the gargoyles."

"May I?" Mary said.

"Of course." Robbie smiled.

"Some of you are right when you say I'm untrained. I don't really know how you all work together or what my place is in that. I think before we attempt to wake the others I need the chance to practice." Mary could hear her heart pounding in her ears in the silence that followed.

"A very wise idea." Quentin said finally.

"Absolutely." Robbie nodded. "Though I've seen how naturally this comes to you, I have absolute faith in your ability. Any thoughts on what order we should begin waking the others, Aiden?"

"I would like to say that order does not matter, but I think we must consider clan affiliations when making our plan. There are some clans that are enemies themselves but can interact with others as intermediaries. Until the situation is understood fully I think it is wise to let allies speak to allies. Because of that, Esme should be wakened first. My clan is tied to hers through many matings."

"So you propose we wake each one individually." Veronica said.

"Yes." Aiden said. "I know that I would have been very disoriented if I had awakened alone in a strange world."

"I'm certain that this will be shouted down," Andy started. "But has anyone considered how the world will react to its new residents?"

"Expand on that idea." Gordon said. All eyes were on Andy and he was enjoying every minute of it.

"Well, we human beings can't seem to get along with each other and you all want to add in a whole other race of creatures that look completely different and behave completely different from us and yet are sentient beings. That seems to me to be a recipe for disaster." The room was so silent Mary could clearly hear the ticking of the mantle clock.

"Much as I hate to admit this, he has a point." Ramona finally said. No one was able to look at Aiden. "A face of a different color or different set of beliefs sends some people over the edge."

"What would you have us do?" Veronica asked.

"Leave them as they are. Centuries have passed, they're likely to have given up all hope anyway." He said. Mary thought she saw just the barest hint of a smile on his face.

"That is perhaps the coldest, cruelest thing I've ever heard anyone say." Quentin said. Mary was surprised to see all the color had drained from his face and he was gripping the arm of the chair so hard his knuckles were white.

"Nonetheless, the rest of you are powerless without me." Andy was as calm as ever.

"I don't know that." Mary said. "Isn't one of the main components in what we do belief?"

"It certainly is." Ramona said firmly.

"My only concern is how Aiden and his kind will fit in to today's world." Andy said. "What will they do for work? Where will they live? I'm only trying to think of this reasonably."

"We can't just leave them like that." Caroline said softly.

"I'm sorry? I don't think I heard you correctly." Andy hissed.

"I said it's wrong." Caroline's voice was trembling, but she was standing her ground. "It was wrong to start with. We can't change the past, but we have the chance to fix it. We can't ignore that because it's just easier to leave things as they are."

"Truer words were never spoken." Gordon said. A murmur of agreement filtered through the room. From that moment on there was no more talk of leaving things as they were, but no agreement could be reached on the question of trying a new ritual or recreating an old one. At nearly three in the morning everyone was exhausted and conversation was beginning to run in circles. Robbie gave everyone a month to gather their thoughts on the matter and present them at another meeting. It was also decided that Mary's practice would take place then. Robbie adjourned the meeting and wished everyone a good night's rest.

Mary hurried over to Caroline before she could leave.

"Thank you, for what you said." The others were saying their goodnights and filing out, Mary returned those good wishes but remained where she was. She soon found herself alone with Aiden and Caroline.

"It was the right thing to do." Caroline smiled a little. "I don't suppose you know of someone who needs a maid or a companion for their ailing mother. I have the feeling I'm about to need a new situation."

"No, but there's plenty of room at Beeson Hall for friends." She smiled.

"You would do that? I was so nasty to you earlier." Caroline looked like she was overwhelmed.

"I tend to think that wasn't entirely your doing." Caroline smiled a little wider at that. Mary glanced around and saw the room and saw they were alone except for Aiden. He approached the two women slowly. "Before you say yes though, there's something you have to understand." Mary glanced over at Aiden.

"You mean your relationship with Aiden?" Caroline blushed a little when she said it and Mary knew she understood completely.

"Is it that obvious?" She thought she had been so restrained.

"All things temporal, as Ramona says." She smiled a little. "Veronica probably knows too, but I doubt any of the others do, unless you told them."

"It does not offend you?" Aiden laid one large hand on Mary's shoulder. "Or make you think less of Mary?"

"Why should it?" Caroline looked up at Aiden. "You're not exactly the boy next door, but if you and Mary love each other, what's wrong with that?"

"You have my protection, for as long as you need it." Aiden said. Mary could hear the smile in his voice.

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5 Comments
AnonymousAnonymousalmost 9 years ago
amazing

This has to be the best stories I've ever read on here great job

AnonymousAnonymousover 15 years ago
Let's see if I can put this lightly

...I LOVE THIS STORY!

Sorry, just had to say that. Veronica and Ramona are great allies for Mary to have, and she's getting more. That incomplete thought form profecy thing has me baffled... please write more soon! I simply can't wait!

GlosUKGlosUKover 15 years ago
Cool

A fantastic Chapter. Andy is pushing his luck personally and he will get his own in time i hope. Caroline could be a lovely addition to Beeson Hall. PJ xx

AnonymousAnonymousover 15 years ago
Too good!

I'm enjoying this story so much, i went back and re-read the first few chapters. I do enjoy reading how wonderfully Mary and Aiden's relationship has developed. Simply awesome.

AnonymousAnonymousover 15 years ago
Very good indeed!

Another great chapter. Captivating and intense.

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