When Fin had entered the banquet hall he had noticed the swirl of whispers around him, though they were so quiet they most likely didn't reach the King's ears. A few words and exclamations he was able to hear as he walked by, but it was surprising he noticed anything over the hard pounding of his heart.

“... He looks just like…”

“... Related?”

“Different… name?”

Fin kept his eyes trained on Norman who was regarding him gravely, as though apologizing for forcing him into such an uncomfortable situation.

The laughter that rang out suddenly made his insides clench and twist. He had forgotten how that laugh sounded after so many years...

“Mr. Ashowan, it would seem that the Royal Troivackian Cook has insulted more than Lord Piereva's tastebuds. Mr. Helmer here can’t help but be amazed at your superior skill and wished to commend you.”

His expression remained a mask of indifference, Fin turned to stare at the man in question. His palms were sweating, but were safely stowed in his pockets as he looked at his father for the first time since blasting him off the island.

Fin's own face aged twenty years older stared back at him except… except for the black eyes that made him feel as though he were about to be sick.

Aidan stood from the table, a half smile on his face as he rounded it, and effectively silenced the remaining whispers in the hall as everyone watched, shocked. There was no doubt that they were father and son once the pair stood toe-to-toe.

Fin held his ground even though his insides quaked, and bile rose into the back of his throat. His father on the other hand looked completely at ease, his handsome face still wearing a half smile.

“You’ve grown to match my height, I see.” Aidan observed quietly with a nod.

Fin stared back blankly, not saying a word. He couldn’t bring himself to talk when he knew his voice would come out as nothing but a croak. There was the growing smell of lightning in the room, and a few nobles noticed their arm hairs were beginning to rise on their own. Norman glanced over to mage Lee, who met his questioning gaze with a worried one. The situation was undoubtedly dangerous.

“Your stew was a nice homecoming message.”

‘Is that why you didn’t eat any of it?’ Fin’s mind snapped, and he wanted to say it outloud as carelessly as his father spoke, but couldn’t. So instead, he opted for stoic silence, not letting his eyes leave his father’s face for a moment.

“You’ve got some talent cooking for your King.” His mocking tone could only be heard by Fin, who immediately interpreted his words with ease.

“How could you serve a mere human man?”

“Now, now, my boy, it is rude not to reply when an esteemed guest addresses you.” Aidan clapped a hand on Fin’s shoulder, and blue lightning immediately began to fill his gaze.

“Sire,” Captain Antonio exclaimed suddenly, forcing Norman to tear his gaze away from the calamity unfolding before him. “The silverware… the plates… they're burning hot to the touch.”

Norman looked back to Aidan, and noticed waves of heat beginning to pour from his body as he gripped Fin’s shoulder.

“Mr. Helmer, if you are quite done having words with our cook, I believe he has other duties to attend to,” Norman called out between them, his voice ringing in the silence of the hall.

Fin blinked, the lightning disappearing from his gaze before he wrenched himself free of his father’s grasp, and turned to exit the banquet hall.

Aidan stared after him with a bemused smirk on his face before he turned and made his way back to his place at the table.

“I apologize for the awkwardness, Your Highness, I’m sure you could see that my son and I are in need of a more private discussion.”

“You will not interfere with my cook’s work under any circumstances. If he wishes to speak with you, he is free to approach you,” Norman ordered, making Aidan’s infuriating smile at long last drip off of his face.

“Your Highness seeks to bar me from my own family?”

“I seek to protect my citizens from a man who, were I a vindictive individual, could be tried as a traitor,” Norman replied back coolly. “Or were you forgetting?”

“Your Highness, I am here to collect the true treasonous man known as Earl Phillip Piereva, surely you do not wish to insult me gravely with the suggestion that I had anything to do with-”

“What is your job, Mr. Helmer?” Norman cut him off, staring at him levelly.

“Your deplorable manners are noted, majesty,” Aidan replied, though his lip twitched as though wishing to sneer.

“You are the Chief of Military, are you not? For Troivackia?”

Aidan’s jaw clenched shut.

“That position is assigned when there are talks of war, and you Mr. Helmer, have been Troivackia’s Chief of Military for a few years now. Would that not mean, you sought out King Mathais for the position to bring war to Daxaria? Is this not, a prime example of treason?”

Aidan said nothing for a few moments before he picked up his wine and took a drink.

“When I arrived on Troivackia shores, it was many years ago. I have long since become a citizen of the Kingdom. A promotion is to be commended for a foreigner, it means I rose up from the bottom ranks.”

“I see. Then you are admitting that you are a foreigner here in Daxaria now?”

Aidan paused, and slid a suspicious glance to Norman whose face remained unreadable.

“I have said as much.”

“How long did it take you to be promoted through the ranks?”

“I have been in Troivackia for nearly twenty years-”

“Excellent.” Turning to the guards at the door, Norman waved his hand.

Aidan was about to demand just what was the meaning of the unseemly behaviour, when in walked Katelyn Ashowan.

He stilled.

She marched forward confidently, her shoulders straight and her warm gaze fixed on the King.

The nobles were beside themselves with the drama, and immediately whispers broke out once again.

“Mrs. Ashowan, your request to dissolve your marriage to Mr. Aidan Helmer has been approved on grounds of abandonment. Mr. Howard will issue you the official record.”

Aidan’s head whipped around to stare at the King, outraged.

“This is preposterous! This is not a formal trial to make such a decision-”

“Mr. Helmer, I believe we got off on the wrong foot; however, you are attempting to interfere with my governing a grave matter with my citizen.”

“You’re trying to enforce a divorce between me and my wife!” Aidan was on his feet in an instant. “I simply went away, I always intended to-”

“You joined another Kingdom and sent no correspondence to your wife and child for more than twenty years? If it were five years perhaps I could consider this plea; however, I cannot see a single King or magistrate that will deny the grounds of this dissolvement.” Norman waved him off, and the temperature in the room rose notably.

Mage Lee stood, his staff’s crystal faintly glowing as he frowned at Aidan in warning.

“For the love of the Gods, sit your ass down.” The outburst came from none other than Katelyn Ashowan.

Aidan turned on her, the ire in his eyes deadly.

“You despised us, let it end, and leave us be. We have nothing for you. Stay in your new Kingdom and enjoy your life.”

Aidan leaned his hands on the table, and stared so fiercely that he didn’t blink. “This is far from over, Kate.”

“Like hell it is. Thank you, Your Majesty, for your kind ruling. I will retire for this evening.” Curtseying, the healer turned and strode swiftly out of the room, leaving Aidan to turn his anger back to the King.

“You will face consequences for your reckless behavior, Your Majesty.”

“Just as you have begun to face yours. Now. Do sit, a nice sherry is to be served before dinner is resolved.”

*

Fin stood in his kitchen with his hands braced against his beloved work table, his heart still racing in his chest. Even though he had known his father would summon him, it hadn’t made the experience any easier. His aides behind him all exchanged worried glances, when a small fluffy shadow brushed against Fin’s leg.

Looking down into the wide pupils of Kraken, Fin sighed and bent down to scoop up the cat.

“Witch, you are sweaty and your heartbeat could outrace a mouse’s. Whatever is wrong?”

“My father is here.”

The feline didn’t say anything for a moment, as the aides behind Fin slowly began to leave the room. They still weren’t completely used to their employer’s discussions with his cat.

“Are you not pleased to see the male who sired you?”

“No. In fact I want to blast him all the way back to Troivackia.” With a sigh, and still cradling the feline, Fin sank into the nearest seat by his table.

“Why don’t you do that, then?”

“Because it would be breaking the law for me to assault a foreign diplomat.”

“What if nobody finds out?”

“My powers when it comes to expelling people aren’t always subtle.”

“I learned about poison while we stayed at your mate’s home, would you like me to-”

“Why in the world were you learning about poison?!”

“There was a great amount of experiments conducted the night you returned smelling strongly of perfume and females.”

Fin paused, then remembered he had been drugged the night he visited Mathilda’s.

“Oh… Annika was trying to make sure I wasn’t going to die?”

“I believe it was something to that effect, yes.”

“What did you lear-”

Fin’s question was cut short by the castle door opening then.

Drawing his eyes upwards, he felt his stomach drop at the sight of Aidan Helmer in his kitchen.

The man had his white tunic sleeves rolled up, and his maroon silk vest hung open when he held up his hands. “I come in peace. I only want to talk with you.”

Fin felt Kraken roll out of his arms as he stared at his father without saying a word.

“I know it was startling seeing me like that for the first time since you were a child, but I had to be completely certain the rumors were true, that you were in fact the cook for the King.”

Fin still didn’t say anything, just continued staring as the man stepped further into the kitchen, approaching him casually.

“Well, I’ll admit I got a little carried away- your King can be… careless, and my temper was tried by him.” Aidan tilted his head to the side, a charming smile slowly climbing up his face as he studied his son.

“What do you want?” Fin’s voice sounded as though it came from another person, but he didn’t dare blink or look away.

“I want to talk to my son. It’s been twenty years, and while I have heard all kinds of things about you… I haven’t gotten to know who you’ve become for myself.”

Fin continued staring at him blankly for a moment, as Aidan then folded his hands and leaned a casual elbow on the table. Standing up, the younger of the two men turned towards the garden door and strode towards it.

A curling tendril of flames appeared and danced in front of his eyes then, beautifully blocking his path.

Fin turned around, a slightly manic glint in his blue eyes, while Aidan smiled and shrugged innocently.

Before Fin could do anything however, the fire witch suddenly jumped up with a small yelp.

“Something just bit me! Do you have rodents down here?”

“No.” Fin turned back around, after noting the bushy swishing tail hidden under a nearby potato bag, and placed his hand on the doorknob, only to snap it back with a hiss. The handle was scalding hot.

“Finlay, I just want to talk. It hurts to know my son, a witch, is here toiling away as a peasant for a mere human King. I can offer you a great life back in Troivackia. Money, work of your choice, women… That reminds me, I haven’t heard, but do you have a wife yet? Do I have any grandchildren?”

There was something derisive in his eyes, and so without further ado, the broom that had been propped up in the corner by the door suddenly flew over and up the back of Aidan’s tunic, effectively dragging him from the room while spluttering.

Fin made sure the door slammed and locked shut after the removal of his father, then, he turned and left by commanding the garden door to open for him.

“Come on, Kraken,” he called over his shoulder before closing the door behind himself. “I want to go check up on Mum and make sure she’s alright. Apparently she and him at least aren’t married anymore.”

As Fin walked through the darkness towards his cottage, he did his best to calm down, and stop the trembling in his hands. He didn’t want his father to still affect him… didn’t want to feel weak against the monster.

Upon arriving at his humble abode, Fin found Captain Antonio standing waiting for him.

“We’ve moved your mother to somewhere safer for now. We know you can protect her in the cottage but she doesn’t want to be a prisoner here on the grounds while your father is in the castle. She’s found some lodging in Austice, I can tell you where later.”

Fin nodded quietly, and noticed the curious glint in the Captain’s eye in the torchlight.

“She’s doing well. Riled up, but glad to be rid of him.”

Fin nodded again, relieved. “Good. She deserves to be free.”

“How are you?”

“I’ll survive. Goodnight, Captain. It’s been a long day.”

Grimacing slightly, but understanding the young man needing time alone after the ordeal he had just faced, Antonio clapped Fin on the shoulder, nodded his own farewell, and departed.

As soon as the witch entered his darkened cottage, he knew Annika was waiting in the shadows.

Magically sealing off the shutters and doors from intrusion and sounds, a fire roared to life, revealing the Viscountess to be by the table. The minute her wide, worried brown eyes met his weary blue ones, she rushed into his arms, embracing him tightly without a word.

Fin knew while he had made it through his first day with his father being back under the same roof, it was most likely not going to be the hardest. So he embraced Annika tightly, and did his best to forget all the unpleasantness for at least the night.