Hey everyone,
Sorry about the long wait. I apologise about any mistakes or if this one is crap, just wanted to get something out there for you all.
Anyway, hope you enjoy,
Love A-A
Captain Blackbourne POV
Family Meeting...
Owen sat in the room that Prince Victor and himself had set up for a place of private to discuss all things Academy. Mr Taylor Jr. and Mr Korba had built a table large enough to fit the nine of them, and had carved their names into it at their chosen place at the table. Right down the middle was the words Academy, and the symbol Mr Coleman had designed.
Tonight we would be discussing certain matters about the young Miss Sorenson and how to ensure she won this competition. At the moment he was waiting on the others to arrive, most taking Miss Sorenson back to her quarters, leaving two to stay with her while the rest of us discuss certain matters.
The sound of the door opening had Owen glancing up at the new arrive, and saw a tired looking Sean walk in.
"How is she?" Owen asks, allowing his walls to fall around his best friend.
"Tired. Exhausted. It was all we could do to make sure she had food in her stomach before she collapsed for the night. North and Luke are staying with her tonight, she should be safe." Sean replied collapsing into his spot at the table.
"Very good. How long before the others arrive?" He asked picking up his wine and taking a large mouthful.
"Should be here soon. They weren't to far behind me when I left." He poured himself a drink and downed the lot before refilling it and leaning back in the chair, one hand tapping away at the table, the other holding his cup. "She was looking for you, waiting for you to come."
Owen didn't have to ask who she was, but he was still surprised by Sean's observation. "She was? Why?"
The Healer rolled his eyes at Owen and scoffed. "Oh I don't know, maybe because that girl is so completely in love with you and you're to daft to even see it."
Owen stares shocked for a moment before shaking his head. "Impossible. How could she love someone like me?"
"Everyone can see it Owen, you just have to look. She would jump into a fire if you told her to, that girl will do anything to make you happy. To her, you are perfection, someone she seriously wants to impress and will go to great length it make sure it happens."
"But I see the way she is with you all. It is you and the others she loves, not someone like me."
Sean shakes his head downing the remaining liquid this time not refilling it. "Gabe told me about what she shared with the two of you. If what Gabe said was true than Sang has only ever witnessed the love between others, never truly loving anyone, then she is completely inexperienced in the matter and the fact that she has opened herself to us, to show us a small part of whom she really is, is a gift in itself. I believe that Sang has enough room in her heart to love us equally, we just have to show her that she is not wrong in doing so."
"So you agree that we should all share her? How will this work? There are nine of us and one of her, and what about Victor? He is a prince and will one day have to marry someone, what will happen then?"
"Voice the questions you have when the others arrive Owen. This is a family matter and should be addressed when the others are here. Just don't hide yourself when the others arrive, let them in, let them see your fears, otherwise we will never get to the heart of the matter." His friend replies.
"And what is the heart of the matter Sean?"
"That you are scared. That you fear that she wont choose you, or that she will leave us, or she will perish in this competition. You are not alone in your fears Owen, we all fear it, as to why we have called this meeting, and to address other matters at hand as well." Owen raises an eyebrow in surprise and a silent question.
"Your referring to the matter about the King's Assassin are you not?"
"Of course. It is after all something that we will come up in conversation with Sang, and we need to be prepared for it once it does."
He remains silent thinking over Sean's word, wanting to believe everything he has spoken, but from previous experience, he knows all to well what women think of him, and find it hard to believe that someone as good as Miss Sorenson is would come to love him as much as he was falling for her.
The sound of laughter cuts through his thoughts and he glances up towards the door to see the remaining five guards coming through the door. Owen waits for them all to take a seat before starting the meeting.
"Mr Lee, have you parchment and quill ready for the meeting?" Mr Lee puts down the supplies on the table before long his way.
"Ready when you are Captain."
Owen looks to Sean who raises both eyebrows at him, reminding him of their earlier conversation. "Mr Lee, Kota, please address me as Owen tonight, we are after all talking tonight on a personal matter and all formalities are not needed."
There is complete silence for a moment before a ghost of a smile grace his family's lips, knowing he did the right thing. "As you wish Owen."
Clearing his throat, Owen sits back in his chair and looks to Kota first. "Before we get to the heart of the matter, is there anything that we all should be made aware of?"
"Everything on my end is good. My mother and younger sister are doing well, no news of my father have been heard. Mother is still working as a nurse at the local doctors clinic and Jessica is attending school, receiving excellent grades as well."
Owen nods before turning to Nathan. "Nathan?"
"My father is still pressuring me to marry Lady Katherine and once again take my spot as heir to his estate. I keep refusing his demands, but if the king gets involved I'm not sure what I am to do."
Victor lays a hand on Nathans shoulder in a comforting matter. "Don't worry my friend, I will deal with my father. You just continue to refuse and I'll make sure my father stays out of it. The worst that can happen is I may have to send you out on a mission, but by the time that happens the competition will be finished, and we all shall be able to accompany you."
Nathan smiles back at Victor and replies with a small thank you. Owen nodded at the two, leaving it up two the two of them to sort it out, knowing they will come to him if they require any more assistance.
"Gabriel?"
"Not much has changed, my stepmother is still with that brute, and continues to use her money. If it gets any worse I will intervene and make the dickhead leave." Gabriel's stepmother was a good woman, but has just been dealt with a string of bad luck, and bad man. When Gabriel's father died, she still kept him, looked after Gabriel even when she had no obligation to do so. For that we all watch over her making sure she doesn't continue to repeat her past mistakes.
"Very well. If anything does change, make sure to notify one of us, you do not have to handle this alone." Owen makes a point to stare right at Gabriel to know he was serious. Owen turned his gaze to the next person Victor. "Victor how goes it with you?"
"The usual Owen. My father is a dictating tyrant. My mother is just as useless, and worships the ground my brother walks on. There really isn't much that can be done at the moment, the only thing I can do is make sure my brother doesn't take the throne."
"I'm sorry Victor, if your father was anyone else, we would have been able to help you, but being the king..."
"I know Owen, I know. An opportunity will arise, it usually does."
"Remember Victor, your not alone, we will always have your back, no matter what."
"Thank you Owen." Owen watched as Victor's whole body seemed to sag, and only just realised how much he must have been stressing about all of this.
Owen nods before moving over to Silas. "Silas?"
"Everything is well on my end." He shrugs leaning back in the chair, his large body filling the chair.
"Sean?"
"Nothing to report Master." He cheekily replies shooting Owen a grin.
"Idiot. Well then, let move on to the reason we are here today. Miss Sorenson." Owen looks around at them all making sure that he has all of their attention. "As you are all aware our... situation, with Miss Sorenson has started to become more."
"I think what our dear fearless Captain is trying to say is that we have all started to fall for our lovely new champion, and he wants to know all your thoughts on the matter." He rolls his eyes at Sean before looking to the others.
"As our idiot of a brother has so elegantly put it, yes, I would like to know of your opinion on the matter. Thought brothers?"
"I don't understand Owen. Are you asking if I love her? If I want more with her? What are you asking?" Silas ask leaning forward resting his arms on the table clasping his hands together.
"What I'm asking is, what if we all loved her, and she loved all of us, could you handle the fact she is with all of us, your brothers?"
Owen waited patiently as he allowed his words to sink in. He knew it was a lot to comprehend, he himself had been thinking over the matter ever since she had returned.
Silas was the first to speak up and spoke with a smile. "I am fine with it Owen, have been for a while now. I to have noticed how she is with all of us and us with her. As long as I have a place in her heart I will not take her from anyone else."
"I to am willing to give it a go, but of course in the long run it is up to her to make the final desciion." Sean says speaking up.
He look to Kota and Nathan and see them both hesitant. He knew out of everyone that they would be the ones who would have most difficulty with this situation.
"I understand what you are saying Owen, I really do, I just don't know who this will work. There are so many factors that will have to be addressed and the fact that one of us is the Prince, who is to take the throne after his father passes. What then?" Kota asks, resignation showing clearly on his face.
"No one is asking for the world right now Kota. At the moment we need to just take it one day at the time. She may even refuse our advances, reject our offer, she may only want one of us."
"What then Owen? How do we cope if she only chooses one of us?" Nathan asks.
"I do not know Nathan, I wish I had the answers for you and the solution to all of our problems, but I don't. All I'm asking right now is if you could handle it if she was romantically involved with us all. Could you handle that?"
"I would like to say no I couldn't, but I also don't want to loose any of my brothers. I will agree to this but only on one request. If it gets too much between us all, that we put a stop to it. I don't want to cause any unwanted conflict between us because of a girl, even if she is someone we have all come to love. We have a motto, family first and we must not let anything come between that."
Owen looks around at the others and see if they agree with Nathan and his request and was meet with 'I am willing, and I will obey'.
"So be it. I will still have to talk with North and Luke, but I don't see a problem with either of them. Now, onto one more topic of this evening. What should we do about the situation with the winner becoming the King's Assassin? How should be all precede?"
"I think she deserves the truth. Tell her everything, keeping it from her will only cause conflict none of us want." Gabriel says speaking up and you could tell he was serious with the way he didn't add any swearing into it.
"Is everyone agreeable with this?"
This time no one hesitates and agrees to it almost instantly.
"Very well, if no one else has any other matters to bring to the table, this meeting is adjourned." Everyone but Sean gets up from the table wishing them all a good night.
Owen pours himself another glass of wine, but this time moves over to the lounging area, dropping into the couch fully relaxing for the first time this evening. Sean soon joins him, sitting on the couch directly across from him.
"So that went rather well. I was expecting more of a fight from Kota and Nathan and Gabriel hardly said anything. Sang must mean a lot more to them then they are letting on."
"I agree. I will have to keep a close eye on them all and make sure their jealousy is not getting the better of them."
"And what of you Owen? You never spoke your thoughts at the table, what do you think of this arrangement?"
Owen sighs looking down into his cup before replying. "I honestly think she is all what we need. She brings a light to our darkness, making us want to be better. I have seen it with them already, they smile more, and they interact more with each other and not just out of duty. I know I don't speak often of how I feel but I to have trouble staying away from her. She is my light Sean, and for that I want to be hers as well."
"Then I will do my best to help you make this work, for I too want to see her happy, for all of us to be happy."
"Thank you Sean."
"What for?" He asks confused.
"Just for being here, for listening, for listening to my crazy plan." For being my friend, he thinks but keeps to himself.
"I'll always have you back Owen, no matter what."
"I know and I yours."