~~~~~~~~~~~
Wendy had been doing well and she could see that Madison was quite impressed by the way she was handling herself in the field. It had been four months and as far as Wendy could tell, Madison's guard was still down which meant that she still had a long way to go. Anyway, as expected she was always allowed to go out at the end of the week but because she was progressing so fast she had made many enemies than friends. So she was always walking alone in the town but she had things to do like dye her hair which was now almost completely turning white. For some reason she liked seeing it like that for longer hours than she used to.
She had gotten updated with the fashion in this world and now had brought herself more clothes with the card that Henry had given her. She was now dressing better and was very comfortable in the clothes. She went to her favorite saloon and was immediately assigned to someone. She was in the middle of her hair being washed when she felt a new presence in the small town. She kept her eyes closed as she thought that whatever the stranger was doing around wasn't any of her business.
Then a bell rang as someone walked into the saloon. She turned her hands into a fist instinctively, and then a familiar voice said, `Relax Wendy, it's only me.'
She opened her eyes and saw him smiling down at her. Her heart warmed up. `Victor,' she managed to say. He leaned over to her and brushed his lips over her cheek then turned and pulled up a chair and sat in front of her. Wendy could see that everyone's eyes were on Victor, as always. She smiled knowing that his attention was completely on her though her hair had foam all over and didn't look in the least bit pretty.
`I see you are doing very well,' he started.
`I thought you did not expect less from me.'
`Of course, but it has to come to a halt.'
`What?'
`You have to stop training. I'm taking you home.'
`I thought you both insisted that training is a must if I'm to survive then I have to go through
it?'
`There is a change in plans and your father wants you home.'
Wendy stared at him, `What are you not telling me?' she asked looking very serious at him.
Victor hadn't been told to lie to her and so he started to explain. `I went back,' Wendy's eyes were questioning enough. `Back from where we came from and...'
`Why did you go back?'
`I went back to see if they were ready to receive you but they aren't. At the moment they have problems of their own and everybody wants to kill each other.'
`If that's the case then shouldn't I go back now that they are distracted and reclaim my throne?'
Victor noted that the woman who was washing her hair raised her eyebrows at that point. `It would have been as easy as that had there not been someone out to kill you which in fact is everyone else except for Gorham.'
`What do you mean?'
`The council, if they had any choice would rather they kill you than to have you claim the throne. They have many reasons for that but the main thing would be that it would bring your mother's death back into people minds and they will start to question how she died. Two, Nathan wouldn't mind if you took over but he will wait until you are comfortable enough before he starts plotting things against you like he did against your mother. Then there's Alice who wouldn't want to give up her position willingly. There will be a contest between the two of you and if you are not ready, the two of you will make the people have a civil war which you may lose,' Wendy frowned at that. `That is if you are not ready. But if you are and you are willing to show them what you can do, the soldiers will follow you no matter what Alice tries to do. Furthermore, if you have the army behind you, no one will be against you. Not even the council!'
`But I'm not going back yet so why are you telling me that?'
`Because either way you will need it.'
`All this relates how with my training?'
`Your father thinks that with every step that you take in your training, your heart goes back home and your true nature is revealed.'
`So he doesn't want me to go home?'
`Yet.'
Wendy sighed. `I'll have to go back and take my things...'
`Madison wouldn't let you leave if she knew your intentions. Not to mention that she will try and kill me.'
`Say that's true, then what about my training?'
`I will be your teacher again.' Victor sat back in his chair and watched Wendy. Meanwhile the latter's heart beat faster. She could only imagine one way that this was going to end and she wondered if he thought about it as she did. `Of course,' he said after awhile, `Your father will be supervising.' Victor smiled knowingly, Wendy looked away in embarrassment. He knew what she was thinking!