Sam Spade 20: Case of the Fae Queen

"You sound like Jasmine, she was an unhappy male and now happy as a female." I replied.

A moment later Amy appeared with another woman. I recognized her as one of Jane's old slaves, "Wow!" she looked at the fighter and stroked it, "Beautiful restoration work." She said looking at the women with the goddess. "Rachel will cream her panties when she sees it."

Turning to Jane I said, "Find a way to move all of these close. I would hate to lose such lovely aircraft." I looked at Amy, "Amy, once all are moved out of the underground bunker here, can you make it go away?"

Amy looked at Jane who smiled. Turning back to me she said, "Of course Goddess."

"Samantha, do you have a minute?" Fayla asked her wife mentally.

"I always have time for you dear," I said mentally. Aloud I said, "If you need me, say so and I will come. I turned and took a step and ended up at Fayla's pond. Instead of it looking barren there was a little creek leading to it and away at the other end. In addition, it had cat tails growing along one bank and I could see turtles sunning themselves on the bank. "I love it!" I said delightedly.

Only then did I notice her sitting with her legs tucked up underneath herself. At first I didn't recognize who it was. Only when she raised her head and looked at me did I realize this woman sitting near the pond was Alyssa, the former queen of the eastern wood Fae. Instead of looking haughty she dripped tears down her cheeks in sorrow.

Before I could ask what was going on Fayla said, "Go ahead Aly, just like we talked about."

I went over to them and knelt facing both. "What is it?"

Alyssa looked at the goddess and gulped. "My daughters..." She whimpered knowing she was going to be killed for her foolishness. It seemed as the goddess looked into her very soul and saw her crime.

"Ahh fuck," I said as I saw what had happened in her mind. The eastern Fae had sought her out for guidance and she told them, "That part of my life is over. Your Queen is dead." To her horror they all died and dissolved before her eyes. There was nothing I could do to bring them back. I bent forward and touched her cheek. "I forgive you," I said tenderly and took her pain away. Standing I turned and started walking to the house.

Fayla said, "Samantha?" She could feel the pain her wife was carrying now and it broke her heart. "Come have a soak, you will feel better," she added mentally.

"Perhaps later," I replied. I was soul sick, a whole race, wiped out in an instant by a misunderstanding. Halfway back to the house I went to Fayla's old pond and the little grove. Sitting down I looked around at the little grove as tears rolled down my cheeks, "I'm sorry I failed you and your protectors."

It was getting dark when I heard a sad voice, "Sometimes shit happens."

I looked up and saw the honey blond Fae from the pair before. Before I could speak she said, "I became as I am because the woman I loved and who was also my best friend had become one of the Fae so she could protect the forest better. She was a park ranger who loved the forest and nature already so it was natural that the queen mother allowed her to become one of the Fae." The woman stopped and looked down, "For five years I served beside Kim in the park service and as a wood Fae in hiding. One day a woman showed up who was human but not and saw what we really were."

"That woman was Carol," I replied already knowing how this would turn out.

"Yes... Carol came and our queen mother summoned her. After they talked that bitch gave Carol my Kimmy as a wife." Her heart broke at those words, "Without so much as a by your leave, she sent my Kimmy away. Against her orders I followed my wife. No one would take her from me. By the time I made it here, Kim was pregnant with Carol's seed. Of Carol, there was no sign of her, she had left." She stood and turned away, "If I had known I would have killed her when I had the chance." She dropped her head, "I know I am damning myself but I would have killed her for what she did to my Kimmy."

As soul sick as I was, I couldn't bring myself to look inside her to live the betrayal. "What happened to Kim?" I finally asked when the woman didn't turn around. Suddenly I was living it. Carol returned but instead of a kind and loving woman, she had become tainted and evil. She tried to rape the pure child out of Kim and replace it with one who would have been as tainted as she was. I watched as Kim fought her off and tried to kill herself and unborn child. Only then, did Carol leave once more all the while shouting curses down on the wood Fae.

"Oh god," I whispered when I returned to myself. "I would have done the same thing. You are forgiven." I raised my eyes to meet hers and said, "To heal, you have to let go of the hate you have for Carol. She has changed her ways and found the light." I opened my mind hopping all could hear and added to Heather to relay in case they didn't. "Sisters, forgive your sisters' past failings. A man, Alexander Pope, wrote," I paused a moment before quoting, "To err is human, to forgive divine definition. All people commit sins and make mistakes. God forgives them, and people are acting in a godlike way when they forgive." Again I paused while meeting the Fae's eye, "Family always takes care of family. Yes, even to the point of forgiving their stumbles."

The Fae looked down for a long moment then raised her eyes to look at the goddess, "I forgive her."

"I am the wrong one you are telling dear," I replied. "Seek her out and make peace. Once you have done that, I would like you and Kim to come to me. I need your help." She nodded, touched a tree and disappeared. Closing my eyes, I said, "Angel how can I keep it together long enough to stop a war I will lose?"

"Do you really want an answer Woody? Or are you just whining again?" Angela's voice said tenderly.

Opening my eyes, I looked at the ghost of my lost love. In a whisper I said, "Please guide me Angel. Help me find a path through this mine field?"

"Send your followers out to set up temples though the world. Stop micro managing. Finally, Leanne's place is beside you and wearing your rose." She wished she could say more but she too had rules she had to follow. Instead of saying what she really wanted to say, Angela said, "That is all I can say for now." She paused and thought about how to speak without breaking the rules she had to follow, "Woody, I know I can't join you now, but I hope we can be together once this is through."

"Why can't you come back Angel?" I asked surprised. "As you said, I brought Jade and Cindy back. Why not you?"

"Because the board says so," the enforcer from the council said from off from one side.

Standing and facing him I said, "Why not?" I stepped forward until we were eye to eye and added, "What right does the board have in anything I do. As long as I don't mess with Jane's duties, the board doesn't have any call to interfere."

"I could always remove you instead," he said crossing his arms.

"Remove me and you will remove every follower of mine including Jane. When she goes the galaxy goes poof. So kindly fuck off and let me do what I need how I need to do it." I replied hotly.

"Save your world first and I will make your case before them.," He said with an amused expression.

"The goddess will save the world no matter what. In the meantime, her angel's spirit will join with me. Then when the crisis has passed, you will take Sam to the council to make her own case," Angela said stepping forward.

"Are you sure Angela?" the spirit asked.

"Yes, it will give me a chance to learn the love you two have, and you to catch up on our soulmate's experiences with me." Angela said looking at her. "Come join with me sister."

I watched as the spirit of my angel moved forward and touched Angela's hand. In an instant the two became one. The only way I knew that they were joined was that Angela's eyes became brighter and she froze. After a moment she blinked and said, "I understand." She looked at the enforcer and added, "Remove one, you remove all. Leave Woody alone until the war is done."

The enforcer looked at her and shook his head. Turning to me he said, "Miss Spade, believe it or not I am on your side. I will cover you on this, but please try not to push the boundaries of things outside your earthly realm in the future." With one last glance at Angela he disappeared.

I looked from where he disappeared from back Angela, "Could you gather our wives, the pair of wood elves, Carol, and Alyssa, join me at Fayla's pool in an hour or so."

Angela moved over and sat against the tree next to Samantha. "All will be there," she finally said. She paused and then said, "Would you care to talk about it?" When the goddess didn't answer she added, "It seemed like the only solution."

"It's not that," I said after a minute. "I trust you, both of you, to not lead me wrong." I looked over at her, "Angela, why does this so called board give a rat's ass about what I do here? I can see their concern about Jane. But this? What am I missing?"

Mentally Angela said, "Woody, if you go, Jane will follow. When she goes, the Galaxy goes poof. When that happens, they fear that its removal will form a cascade that will take out the universe in the end. That's why they are keeping a close eye on you and limiting what I/we can tell you."

"Jade, is it possible for your little friend of my sister to join us?" I asked mentally.

"Yes, she is with me now," Jade replied with a laugh.

"Give me a minute or two to gather my thoughts and then we can go," I said aloud. I closed my eyes and tried to hear some comforting jazz music. I had always found it relaxing and could pull up the memories of songs I had heard without too much trouble. Instead of jazz I heard a soft violin playing Celtic music. Opening my eyes, I realized I could still hear it. "I wonder who's playing that," I said standing and trying to focus in on the person.

"Playing what?" Angela asked as she stood. She looked at Samantha looking around and taking a step first one way and then back again. "What do you hear?"

"Shhhh," I replied trying to hear it better. But before I could focus on where it came from, the song ended. "Shit!" I looked at Angela and as confusion in her eyes, "Don't tell me you didn't hear that. That was the most..." words failed me. "The song spoke to me," I ended lamely.

"Woody, I didn't hear anything." What she didn't add was that it could be all in the goddess's mind and that she was having a breakdown.

"In that case, it must have been a memory of something I heard long ago or something," I replied. Putting on a bright smile I said, "Let's go have a soak and plot out the future." Going to Fayla's pond I smiled at it. Not only was there a single tree, it was nestled in the middle of a little grove of trees.

Stripping down I crawled in the heated part and lay back with my eyes closed. I heard others getting in and after a few minutes and opened my eyes to look at my wives. The only ones not in were the four I asked to join us, Kitten and Tigress. I saw a young girl who couldn't be more than 20. She looked like a younger version of my sister and was sitting between Jade and Jane. "Welcome to my hot tub Ann," I said to her. Looking at the four kneeling beside the pool/ tub I said, "Come join us, we don't bite."

After they got in I said, "Thank you Fayla for making this hot pool for us."

"You're welcome Samantha," she replied with a smile.

"A very wise woman once told me that I am not alone fighting this battle. She was right. An angel said that I need to quit micro managing everything. She was also right." I paused and then added, "With that mind I ask you, my wives and you four who have expertise I need to help me." I looked around the pool and said, "I ask, not demand and you can say um... no thank you" When no one replied I continued, "Ann, I want you and Jade to find a tipping point. How many followers do I need to stop the war? How can I get them? Any other tricks you can come up with to help me?"

I turned to Heather, "Heather it is time we branch out and set up satellite temples across the globe. You have Amy and Jasmine to help you in addition to any followers who are willing to go spread the word." I closed my eyes and mentally asked, "Can you do it?" Both nameless and the hive mother replied mentally, "It will be as you command." Aloud I said, "You and my other followers will find a kiss or exchange of any bodily fluid will create another follower. They do not need to come here and soak."

"Lilith, Molly, and Fa," I said looking at the three. "We need to get the other races on our side. Work together and find a solution to make that happen." I turned to Susan and Cynthia the wolf, "Susan I want you and our lovely wolf Cynthia to continue teaching. Take the brightest and make them teachers under you and let them teach others and send the brightest to you for advanced lessons."

"Carol you have your assignment already. Any issues you find tell one of us at once. No more running away or ignoring a problem. If it gets too much for you say so and one of us here will jump in and help."

"Yes goddess," Carol said with a dip of her head.

"Alyssa, you find a boy who played with fire in your grove. His little fire grew into a forest fire that killed countless trees and things who lived in it. In addition, it destroyed a nearby town and hurt several dozen humans. Finally, he was also burned because of his fire. What would you do?"

"Goddess the woman I was would have watched him suffer and die," Alyssa replied not looking at the goddess in the eye. She raised her eyes finally and looked at the goddess looking back at her calmly. "I would guide him to a place where he could get help for his burns while grieving for those who lost their life."

"Wouldn't you turn him in?" One of the two wood Fae asked.

"A boy isn't old enough to realize the cost of his actions. So no. I would try to explain how wrong it was for him to play with fire, but more than that? No." Alyssa replied. She looked at the goddess who was still not giving anything away. "Goddess, I know that is not the answer you wanted to hear, but it is the truth."

"Alyssa, we have one rule," Heather said. "Never lie, don't hold back the truth to make another happy."

"What if it was an adult?" I asked.

"The same but the reason why is different. It is not my place to judge the actions of others. I made that mistake already," Alyssa said leaking tears.

"Good," I replied. "Alyssa, there is much you know. I want you to work under Fayla." I turned to Fayla, "You with the help of Alissa and the pair of wood Fae are responsible of repopulating Fae from my followers, your sisters."

"Sue Ann, as threats show up, find a way to take away their financing." I said turning to her.

Jane smiled, "Sue Ann, see May, she can be a big help in that respect." She looked at the Goddess, "Sister, May taught econ and has a brilliant mind when it comes to high finance."

"Good idea," Get with her and see if you two can cut them off at the knees so to speak." I replied to Sue Ann. I looked a Marie, "Marie, keep making the holo cubes with Marty, along with keeping the ponies ready and looking their best.

"Cindy, you Franki, and Angela will float and help out as needed. That is in addition to having my back. Learn blades, firearms, and hand to hand." I paused and then looked around. "That's all I have, any news I need to deal with?"

Molly said, "Lady Darkness has requested that you meet with her. The elders would like to meet with you to discuss joining under your protection."

"Molly set up a time, I will be there. Tell Lady I will see her sometime before sunrise tomorrow morning." I replied. "Anyone else?"

"Richard has gathered all save one clan to your flag," Fa said. "The Longclaw clan have refused any discussion with him or the other clans."

"Have him and the other clans who wish to join us, come. If they rather come in the back way, tell Jade and she will make sure they can come. If the leaders with to meet with me set up a time and I will meet them. Finally, I want to know where the Longclaw clan leadership is so I can deal with them personally."

"Next?" I asked looking around.

"Goddess, the thinking minds of the seas with to meet with you. That includes the mer folk," Fayla said finally.

I saw a look cross her face and then wipe away. In addition, Alyssa acted as if she had been slapped and even Lilith looked worried. "Okay what aren't you saying Fayla?"

"Goddess... The mer folk... I don't know..." Fayla said slowly.

"Granddaughter," Lilith said. "Before the rise of man the old races lived. But there were three who dominated the world, they were the centaurs, succubae, and mer folk. As with any three dominate races, soon a war broke out between the centaurs and succubae on the land." She closed her eyes in pain remembering the war. "When it spilled into the seas the mer folk joined in and fought anyone foolish enough to travel the seas. The war decimated the world and all the various thinking minds. In the end, only those of us who refused to get sucked into the war survived. The remaining mer folk were driven into the deep abyss and put behind a shield."

"Goddess, of the old ones, only Fayla, Lilith, and I survived," Alissa said softly. She cried softly, "So many friends and races lost, never to return in that god awful war."

"When it was done and we realized what had happened. We decided never to have a god again. What god would allow such death and destruction to happen?" Fayla said while looking down. She looked up and met Samantha's eyes, "Better death than to fall into that trap again."

The computer named Ann asked, "I do not understand. If you do not believe in a god, then why are you here now?"

"It is one thing to speak the words, it's another thing when that which you do not believe shows up in your pool," Fayla said tenderly. "In Samantha I found a living god who cares more than I do. I found a god who forgives instead of punishes. I found a god who when given an impossible task by the fates, instead of giving up like the rest of us would, keeps fighting on. But most of all I found love... endless, boundless love for all in her heart." She turned to Samantha and smiled, "She is my wife, my goddess, and yes even my queen."

"At least you can explain the throne in the play room now," Angela said with a smile.

"I accept you as my goddess and queen of the Fae," Kim said getting out of the pool. She knelt and touched her head to the ground, "Command me ole queen and I shall make it happen." Beside her the other Fae with the honey blond hair also got out, knelt and touched her head to the ground as she echoed the worlds.

"I don't know if this is a step up or not." I muttered. "Look, consider me what makes you feel best. With that said, please don't make me untouchable or unapproachable. I have so few I can turn to these days who I can turn to for comfort or advice." A thought crossed my mind and I turned to Jane and asked, "Did you ever keep in touch with the motorcycle gang that fixed your car back in Miami?"

Jane looked at Samantha surprised, "How did you know about that?"

"I was hired back when Angela and I first got together, this Angela that is, to investigate you and do a threat assessment." I paused and looked at her, "I disabled your car just to see what you would do about it. You sure surprised me by going into a biker bar alone."

"What else did you do?" Jane asked quietly.

"Other than toss your house and offices you mean?" I said. "Jade and Angela also talked to the local mob boss about you to see if he had any information on what you were up to or who you were dealing with. Other than an unusual number of safes in your house with enough cash to make an IRS agent to sit up and take notice, credit cards, and a little black book with account numbers of various banks, you were clean as best I could figure out."