"So how are things going at the Palace Ollie?" asked Christina with a smile as she was sipping on her tea.
"Oh things are very good mother, I attended all the High Council meetings and everything Is in order" said Ollie with a smile.
"I am glad that everything Is in order, you seem happier, and that makes me happy" said Christina with a smile as Ollie smiled.
"Yes Mother, I am happier, for one I get to spend more time with my friends, and Father isn't pushing me overboard this time" said Ollie as he smiled.
"Oh and I am also happy that Maddie is getting along with her mother" said Ollie with a smile as Christina put down her teacup on the saucer.
"Oh she is?" asked Christina with a smile as Ollie nodded.
"Tell me about that, this Is news to me, didn't you say that Maddie refused to accept the fact that her mother was alive?" asked Christina.
"Well yes, at first she did, but then she realized that she was being unfair, and the Chancellor told Maddie that she would transfer her mother to the Palace to ensure her safety, which she did" said Ollie as Christina nodded.
"And then somehow Annie convinced Maddie's mother to stay in their room with them, which I do not know how she did it, but that was a genius move by her, since all we wanted was for Maddie to spend more time with her mother" said Ollie with a smile.
"And Maddie didn't refute all of this? Because judging from what I know and what you told me, she seems like a really stubborn character" said Christina as she laughed.
"Oh she is Mother, she is really stubborn" said Ollie as he shook his head.
"But amidst that stubbornness there is respect for her friends and so she really didn't say anything" said Ollie as he smiled.
"And well it did take some time, but Maddie now has a relationship with her mother, so much so that she guards her from everyone and everything like a child" said Ollie as he laughed and Christina laughed.
"I am happy about that Ollie, because no matter what, a mother is still a mother, and a child is still a child" said Christina with a smile.
"I cannot imagine my life without you my precious Ollie, because quite frankly, your father can get so very annoying sometimes" said Christina as she laughed and Ollie laughed.
"I agree with you mother" said Ollie as he laughed.
"What is so funny?" asked Albert as he walked to where Christina and Ollie were having lunch outside as he gave Christina a kiss on the cheek and he sat down beside Ollie.
"Oh nothing is funny Albie, we were just talking about you and about Maddie and how she has reconciled with her mother" said Christina with a smile as she sipped her tea and Albert frowned.
"You mean Maddie, the daughter of Azazel?" asked Albert with a frown.
"Yes" said Christina.
"Oliver, I think that you are spending too much time at the Palace, and especially with that girl Maddie" said Albert as he looked at Ollie.
"Father, I don't think so" said Ollie.
"But you have to realize that she is the daughter of Azazel and her mother was his wife for many years, regardless of if she lost her memories now or not" said Albert as he did not like this at all, he was starting to wonder if it was a good idea to let Ollie spend too much time at the Palace.
"Father, I know what you are trying to say, but Maddie is not like that, she's cool" said Ollie.
"That is what you think, just be careful" said Albert.
"Annie is a reasonable choice of a friend, so is Matthew, seeing as he is the first prince of the Vampire Realm, but Maddie, I have my doubts" said Albert.
"Oh Albie don't be like that" said Christina as she shook her head.
"Father, you can bury your doubts because Maddie is nothing like Azazel, you should see the way she speaks about him with so much hate" said Ollie.
"That Is what you may think" said Albert as Ollie did not want to do this right now.
"Mother, can I be a bit late for dinner this evening?" asked Ollie as he looked at Christina.
"Of course you can Ollie" said Christina with a smile.
"Thank you mother, please excuse me father, I will see you at dinner time" said Ollie with a smile as he stood up and he walked away.
"You scared him off with your words Albie" said Christina as she shook her head.
"I just want him to be careful with the kind of company he keeps" said Albert.
"Well it's kind of a bit too late for that, and trust our son, he knows which friends to have and which friends not to have" said Christina as Albert shook his head.
"Leave him alone Albie, and don't talk about Maddie in that way again, can't you see it upsets him, she's his friend" said Christina.
"Unfortunately Chrissy, unfortunately" said Albert with a sigh.
…
"Alright, before I tell you all what I need to tell you, I would like you all to assure me that you will stay calm" said Stella as she looked at Annie, Maddie and Matt as they all looked at each other.
"Okay Aunt" they said in a chorus as Stella looked at Curtis who nodded.
"I asked that a scan be carried out on the Witch realm and…" said Stella as she took a pause.
"I found out that Azazel has set up his camp in one of the cities, and he is openly recruiting witches to build his army" said Stella with a sigh as Annie and Matt sighed as well.
"Not again, he can't do this again" said Maddie as she groaned.
"Why do the same thing he did last time?" asked Maddie.
"It's not the same thing dear, this time, since he is no longer weak, he is more of a threat than before, and his aim now is to take over the witch realm not just to kill Annie" said Stella.
"But Aunt, can't you do something since you know where he is? Can't you send people to capture him?" asked Matt.
"I can't Matt, not at the expense of a war breaking out and risking the lives of innocent people, he is not attacking, and if we are the first to throw the stone we will be blamed for the repercussions of throwing that stone" said Stella.
"Azazel is taking a more peaceful approach this time, so we can't convict him of anything since the fact remains that he did nothing to harm anyone, but if we enable him to have an excuse to attack, then we will be at fault" said Curtis.
"But there has to be something that we can do, he can't just be free to do whatever he wants" said Maddie as Matt and Annie agreed with her.
"Aunt you have to do something, this cannot stand" said Maddie.
"I know Maddie, and I have been thinking of what to do and…" said Stella as she took a pause.
"And what?" asked Annie.
"The only thing we can do right now is send someone undercover into Azazel's camp, to tell us what is going on there, and what Azazel is planning, since we can't attack him" said Stella as she knew that this was basically a mind game at this point, and Azazel knew that.
"Alright, that sounds like a good idea" said Matt.
"Yes, and I…" said Stella as she looked at Curtis who looked like he was not going to say anything.
"Well I was thinking of who I could send, and the best candidate was… Clove" said Stella carefully as she braced herself.
"What?!?" asked Maddie in disbelief as she stood up.
"Maddie" called Annie as she tried to calm Maddie down.
"No, no, Aunt can you please tell me what you mean by that?" asked Maddie as Stella looked at Curtis who still would not say anything.
"Well it was a difficult choice but it came to my realization that the best person to send undercover would be Clove" said Stella.
"Why? Why Aunt? That makes no sense at all, what about Mira? Or someone else?" asked Maddie in anger.
"Mira can't go, I am sure that Azazel knows her, and as well as some of the other cauldron members" said Stella.
"This makes no sense, why do you have to send Clove of all people?" asked Maddie.
"Maddie, you have to believe that I would not do anything to put Clove in danger" said Stella.
"Oh but you are, I am not going to hear any more of this" said Maddie as she scoffed and she walked out of the room as Annie and Matt called out for her.
"Let her be" said Curtis as they all looked at her.
"But Curtis, she's so upset" said Annie.
"Aunt with all due respect, I don't think telling Maddie that was the right thing" said Matt with a sigh.
"I know Matt, but it had to be done" said Stella as she looked at Curtis who remained quiet.
"Curtis, what do you know about this?" asked Annie as she looked at Curtis.
"I know nothing Annie, but Maddie needs to calm down first" replied Curtis simply.