Realistic or Modern Spellbound

[Soliloquy]

Despite the experience in June, Willow wasn't about to completely give up on the ocean. She might have taken extra precautions and stayed quite close to the shoreline, but she wouldn't avoid it just because of Kellsy. She had just come back to the blankets to dry off and enjoy the sun a bit longer in time to hear Finn and Granya singing. She gave a round of applause in approval, still standing up. "That was wonderful you two!" she praised. If it wouldn't have been too suspicious, she might have recommended they sing together at the pub.

By now Granya didn’t shrink into her coat when Willow came around. Quite the opposite. And while she may shy away from a compliment from a stranger, she offered an appreciative smile to Willow, “Thank you, Тетя Willow.” She used the title of ‘Aunt’ now. It didn’t matter to her if Theo had yet to legally marry Willow. To Granya she was already fit for the role.

Finn tilted his beak up proudly, “Maybe one day we sing at the pub.” There were few people at Pine park on Mondays that Finn felt comfortable to speak a little more than usual.

"I think everyone would love that, Finn." Willow nodded toward the water's edge giving Granya an encouraging smile. "Care for a walk? Or would you rather skip that for this week?"

“Alright.” Granya nodded, standing up with Finn on her shoulder, as always. Well, nearly. Sometimes he saw something of interest to take him flying.

They were a little into their walk when Willow decided to pose the question that had been eating at her for nearly a week after her talk with Theo. "So, I was talking with your uncle about Liam and how it'd be helpful for everyone to know more of his backstory. I was going to ask him about it after park day ended and was wondering if you'd want to come with me?"

Granya hadn’t expected that. Finn didn't either, shifting uneasily from talon to talon. Granya tilted her head like she sometimes did as a wolf when she was curious or her interest piqued. They had, at times, tried to coax more information from Liam. The most they got were vague descriptions and a promise he meant no harm. For a while Granya had been wary of him. But with time, and Finn’s seal of approval of Liam (saying he felt no ill-will from him), she had become comfortable around the young man. She even had thought to ask if he like video games once. It had been when he helped shoo away the Russian guy who wanted to dance. But she found herself shy to ask. Granya had a harder and harder time being around him, she suddenly realized. She wasn’t sure why. But, if Willow was with her, Granya decided she’d have an anchor to hide behind in case her stomach made that weird feeling again.

“I guess so. Natalia wants to take Pradedushka Lyov to dinner later, so she’s taking him with her afterwards.” Granya smiled. “And then maybe we scrapbook?”

Willow reached over to tussle her hair at the agreement and grinned in agreement. "Maybe we'll scrapbook. I've got a bunch to add from this year so far. It's just been gathering in a folder," she admitted as they continued their walk. "It'd be nice to make some little decor items for the house, too." The two continued their casual walk down the beach, sharing different ideas they'd found thanks to the wonders of Etsy and Pinterest. Before long their day in the sun came to an end and everyone parted their ways. Granya and Willow traveled together to the pub, still chatting about their shared hobby.

Coming in the back door of the Old Bear they were surprised to find that it strangely lacked a Liam. They found his pottery wheel, a partially shaped chunk of clay on it that was covered with a wet cloth to keep the it from drying while it wasn't being worked. Willow furrowed her brows in confusion, wondering where he could have been, though she hadn't pried much into what he did with his personal time. It didn't seem fair when he wasn't invited to theirs.

She figured it wouldn't hurt to call out to him. "Liam?" There was no answer or even sound around to signal that he was around a corner or maybe in the kitchen. She tried a second time but found the same results. Deciding it just wasn't meant to be, she pointed with her thumb toward the back door. "Home it is then?"

Before the drive home Granya excused herself to use the bathroom, which Willow couldn't blame. Some of the roads were a bit bumpy and it wasn't worth the risk to try and make it home when there was a perfectly good restroom right there. Figuring she'd wait for her in the car, Willow headed out the back, opening the door and surprised to see Liam crossing toward the dirt bike that had been fixed up to give him a way around town. Maybe fate was on their side after all!

As Willow walked up to Liam from behind, who was hastily hopping on his bike, she could hear him humming a familiar tune whilst getting his helmet ready to put on. There was no mistaking the melody for anything other than ‘I see the light’ from Tangled. She nearly stopped in her tracks, clearly recognizing the song as the one Finn and Granya had a duet to earlier that day. An odd coincidence... Brushing it aside, she decided to focus on the entire reason she'd choreographed the visit. "Hey Liam!" she called just a short distance.

At hearing Willow, Liam visibly jolted in startlement. He hovered his helmet over his head a moment before easing it onto his lap. Liam offered a sheepish smile, and flick his eyes warily at the Old Bear, “Oh heh, Willow, hello. . .How was the park?”

His visible surprise was curious, though maybe she had just been treading too lightly. "It was lovely. Always nice to have a day of fresh air," she smiled, nodding toward the bike. "Were you heading somewhere? I wouldn't want to hold you up if you had somewhere to be."

Liam hesitated, running through what he could offer as a reason to leave quickly, something that would warrant not a moment to spare to talk with Willow, “Uh yes, I-- I need--” In seconds Liam dismissed using illness as a reason. Natalia had stocked the Old Bear with what was necessary to handle sickness. They all knew he didn’t have anywhere he went to, no classes, no doctors appointments-- they had yet to fully make him American to have health insurance, and until they were sure he couldn’t be traced, he settled for Theo and Natalia for health. All he did was work at the pub and do ceramics. Liam fished for the right reason, when he said, “--I need to get another loop tool, for the vase I’m making. My other one broke.” Yes, clay! It was drying as they were speaking, and he had to get another before it was too dry.

"Oh," Willow didn't miss how long that answer took, but she wouldn't push it. She knew how to play her cards when it came to men who gave looks like Liam was giving to Granya. Instead, she said with a shrug. "I suppose Granya and I will just have to come back another time then. Wouldn't want to risk the vase getting ruined."

"Right!" Liam nodded, popping on his helmet. His sweaty hands gripped the bars of the bike, "Tell her I said hello?"

"You don't want to hang around just a few moments and tell her yourself?" It couldn't take more than that for her to come out of the bathroom. "She did come over to see you, after all." It was a slight fudging of the truth, but only slight.

"Uh, it's okay, she'll be a while, and I'm sure I'll see her some other time," Liam started his bike, "Don't want to risk the vase getting ruined." She could practically hear the relief of her suggestion existing in his voice. "Good to see you, Willow."

Her lips pursed together, still not able to give up on her endeavor. She hoped that if he was stalled long enough for Granya to appear he'd linger. "Granya and I were just talking about crafting," she shifted her position just enough that it was going to be hard for him to pull out, though not impossible. "I've always thought about taking up a pottery class. Any suggestions?"

Not unkindly, Liam began to scoot the front of his bike to the side of her as he spoke, “Uh, actually I don’t know, I haven’t really been involved outside of the family since I got to America.” He grunted from the weight of the dirt bike, “ I’d suggest looking online for that information,” Liam began to awkwardly walk the bike forward, side to side, to try to pass Willow safely before kicking off.

"Hmm, that's a good idea. Would you want to join us? If we found one that fit your schedule and Granya's?"

Liam paused in his efforts to attempt escape. A brief silence followed before he said, "I'd like that..."

There was still a bit of hope, even if he had seemed quite determined. "Perfect. So we'll look for a pottery class or even an event and maybe Granya can show you some of her other crafts," she continued on.

Another silence. While Willow couldn’t see his face behind the visor, she could tell from his slumped shoulders that he did not see it the same way, “Willow, I would love it. And I'm guessing you probably know why,” Liam murmured somberly, “But the family isn’t comfortable with me getting closer to her than I already am. They don’t fully trust me. I hold no hard feelings. I completely understand why.” Liam sighed, “So yeah, that would be perfect. She’d probably open up to me over time and maybe even like me back, but I can’t risk upsetting them. They could become guarded and restrict what time I get with her now. And I can’t do that. Just because I want to be the guy who makes her happy.”

Her heart went out to him, as it had a tendency to do. She could only imagine how hard it was to be kept at bay by the family of someone you cared for. Still, she also knew they had reason to be weary. "Oh I would know why, and that's actually why we're here," she couldn't help but smile at his covered face while she unveiled a bit of her scheme. "I know that it'd help them trust you if they knew more about you. I spoke with Theo and he said that would help them all relax. It wouldn't hurt toward doing things like park days with everyone and I bet even Granya would open up."

Liam bowed his head, “Willow, this is a great family. I’d do anything for them. Sleeping on stage is a gift. I’d sleep on hot coals if it meant I could stay. They have gone through a lot and Lyov in particular has impressed me with his devotion to mercy, but if they learned what they need to know for us to have an open and honest understanding of who I am, I’d risk more than just losing out on time with Granya. I am afraid. I fear what I have done right will not be enough to forgive what I have done wrong.”

She watched him and though she couldn't read his facial expressions through the helmet, she did hear it in his voice. "Liam, I know that your world is one completely different from mine, but you can't live with your past some mystery. They are all good people and they have the biggest hearts," she tried to offer him encouragement. "I'm sure you're not the only one with a less-than-spotless history, but that doesn't mean you should let it hold you back from trying to have a future."

If Willow hadn’t heard it in his tone enough, she did now. Liam’s voice cracked under the weight of his worry, “I understand, I just. . .don’t feel that I deserve it.” He had long since dropped the guise of needing to leave for his tool. Liam settled into his seat and crossed his arms in indecision, “I guess I just hoped that if I’m right, and they do reject me, that I could stall long enough to get all the time I could with them, and with Granya, before I had to go. I mean best case scenario is they make me leave. Worst case, Amalia or Jovan might try to beat the shit out of me.” Liam did admit his time in Aarin had painted his expectations. Lyov and his notion of forgiveness did not find a home there. Liam took off his helmet and she saw the expression she knew he had, “I feel like a monster asking this of you, like I’m using you. . .I do care for you, Willow. And I think if I have an ounce of hope, it’s help from you. . .and I’m sorry if asking this is selfish or as if it sounds like I am pitting you against them. . .But if I told you everything. . .Would you be at my side when I tell them?”

Willow watched him for a long moment, admitting that while she had wanted to know before, now she was all but dying to find out what his history was. What could have happened that he didn't think Lyov would still accept him? "If you swear that you will tell me the absolute truth, then I won't let you tell the others alone," she said, breaking her gaze to glance over her shoulder at the pub. "Granya was here so we could try and talk to you together. Do you want her to know yet?"

“I can’t say it in front of Granya. I don’t know how she’d take it and I don’t want to see her look at me with anger or disgust.” Liam frowned, “Do you mind if you and I take this somewhere else? Maybe at your place?” He realized that might be too much, adding, “We don’t have to go over this there, we can do it a park or a coffee shop instead. I just don’t want to risk their familiars hearing me.”

At their house didn't sound like a good idea, even if she didn't expect him to attack her or anything ridiculous. Rather she never knew when Giest might show up and if he was concerned with the familiars then it was a good area to avoid. "There's a coffee shop we can meet at once Granya is back home," she decided, giving him the address of one that wasn't far from their house. "But remember, the absolute truth."

Grateful, Liam took the address, “Yes, of course. I promise.” He tucked it in his leather jacket for safekeeping. “Text me when you’re ready. I’ll meet you there.” Since he didn’t have to run off anymore, Liam dismounted. He’d have to play off that he had only just arrived. It wasn’t his favorite choice to make. Liam had worked hard to be as honest as he could. “Guess I’ll just go to the pub and get ready. I suppose you know by now my tool isn’t broken.” He offered a sheepish smile.

"I will and yes, I knew," she smirked, moving to head to the car to actually wait for Granya so they could head home. "You don't lie nearly as well as think you do. But that's a good thing. Honesty isn't something to be ashamed of."

 

[xrakkax]

“I’m glad I’ve gotten worse at it.” Liam smiled gently, “I don’t want to be that kind of man anymore.” Before she walked away Liam said, “Thank you, Willow.”

Willow offered a kind smile, giving him a final nod. "Of course," she said, hoping this was going to be the first step to introducing him to their family.

Liam waited for Willow to get into her car and for Granya to leave the pub before going back inside. Once Granya folded into the passenger seat next to Willow with a ball of peanut butter between her fingers, she said, “Sorry for taking so long. The lock on the door got stuck. Then Finn got hungry. And then after he ate he had me check his foot because he said it felt tender. Just one thing after the other.” Granya offered, giving Finn’s beak a stroke.

Willow frowned slightly at the long string of events that kept her inside. She'll be a while. Clearly he knew about what was going on inside, but she'd save that for their coffee meeting later that night. "No worries, I just figured you wouldn't want me coming in there looking for you like you're a kid or anything."

Granya smiled, “Thank you, Тетя Willow. I appreciate that.”

They drove off then. It was scrapbooking time! Granya was happy to bring out the stones from their camping trip too. She had some ideas about cutting them into shapes, or using them as decorations on a frame. When time with Willow came to a close, she gave her a hug and thanked her for coming to craft.

Upon arriving at the cafe Willow saw Liam tucked at the farthest corner he could get. He chose a booth facing the front doors against the back wall. He waved hello as she came up to him. Liam, already so white, paled in anticipation of what was to come. First, they made their orders. He chose a calming chamomile tea with a stick of shortbread to satisfy his sweet tooth. Willow noted the lateness of the evening and settled on chai tea.

“Alright, absolute truth,” Liam exhaled, “Where to begin. . .” He had thought to tell her what he was, but maybe that was secondary to the bigger issue, “You know the general story of Lyov leaving Aarin from the family. You know they had been in two notable fights. They don’t know I played a part in the second one.”

The people banded beside Lyov to rise up against Mamon. They held out long enough that a neighboring Sokar came to take advantage of the situation. This allowed Lyov’s rebellion to win out. Not many people wanted to follow through with the vision Lyov had of the surface. The followers of Mamon divided up between people willing to hear Lyov out, those who tried to make a settlement, some who sought out another beast to patron out of fear of the unfamiliar life without one, and then there were people who believed that they should take the responsibility of rulership instead of Mamon. Loki met with Lyov to discuss joining him, or becoming an enemy. Lyov chose against Loki’s demand. This initiated a fight. The Russian family survived it and news of their victory spread. Aarin heard of Lyov and his vision. They learned of Loki and his vision too. While Liam’s family did not agree with either, they were vocal against Loki’s movement.

Loki believed strict laws had to be in place for the common mage. Some were not bad on the face of it. But they were the honey that helped people swallow the vinegar. Underneath whatever sentiment of protection and peace Loki offered, there was the implicit submission to his rule. It meant he controlled where they went, who they married, what was allowed, a strict curfew, a diligent census, and death at fifty for all. A whole decade before Insanity was ever known to manifest. But that wasn’t the worst. Death came for the young too, who did not become Awakened before eight years old. Vlad, Theo’s second-youngest sibling, had turned nine and still hadn’t been Awakened. Loki viewed this as a shame. To him, once that age was hit, the usefulness of the Almaeri wouldn’t be worth the resources to keep that child alive.

Here, Liam frowned, “I did not share my family’s opinion of Loki. I saw him as a confident realist. I had lost friends and family to wandering Elders. I had seen weaker Almaeri fail to save others. As a young, unruly man, it just made sense to me.” Liam sighed, taking a sip of his tea, “People who joined Lyov’s cause, in my mind, were dying in vain. I had a best friend, Jakoby, who I lost to the idea of living free and struggling to the surface. A surface none of us were sure even existed or was safe. I. . .got angry.” Liam paused. He drank again. More to stall than anything else. His stomach churned. “I believed I should stop Lyov. I joined them under false pretense through one of their trusted friends at the time. That’s why they don't know me by sight. But I was with their band of Freedom Fighters.” This next part paled the face of the already the ivory man, bringing to question if he had any blood left in him to leave his face, “Lyov and his men prepared for the inevitable second attack from Loki. I sneaked out to find Loki to tell him. I was allowed an audience once he finished his deal with Mamon.” That would be explained shortly, “By the end of our conversation he said he believed he recognized me. We confirmed he knew my family had been outspoken against him. But I said they’d understand, once Lyov was taken out.” Liam’s trembling hand had his tea rippling, “Everything I thought about Loki and his righteous mission vanished when he told me that, while I had done the right thing, he could not spare anyone who had openly opposed him in a situation as delicate as that one. My parents and my sisters were condemned. I was stunned. I couldn’t figure out why a man who believed in peace for Aarin would not give them a chance if they understood they were wrong. But then, in the moment, I realized I was wrong.” Liam leaned back, leaving his cup on the table. He wrapped his arms around himself and bent his head down, “Loki had an advantage. Not just because he knew what the family had planned. If Mamon helped, then he’d get the family back as slaves.”

Liam found himself in between a rock and a hard place. There was only one thing could think of to help Lyov. Mamon would settle for nothing less than proper homage before he joined Loki. Mamon claimed he was a god of fire and illusion. He demanded sacrifice. Loki and his men meant to do just that on the night of their assault. But when they came to do the offering Liam saved the babies, extinguished the fire they lit for Mamon with a hail of ice and water, and ran to the family to warn them of Loki preparing to fight that night.

Mamon was furious. Creatures with pride like that can’t handle when they are humiliated. The beast cussed Loki out and demanded they all prostrate and grovel for the disrespect. Loki broke from Mamon and sent people to find why this had happened. Afraid to lose what advantage he still thought he had, Loki went on to attack.

“Without Mamon they didn’t have the victory Loki wanted despite what I told him of their plans. But Loki destroyed so much of their family because I was a fool.” Liam let silence linger a moment, “They don’t know that I was the one who came to tell them of Loki coming, but they don’t know I had put them at risk either. All they know is that someone had to have betrayed them. And they are right. I did. I betrayed them. And it cost lives. Alexandra, Jovan’s wife, is one of them.”

When Lyov and the rest finally recovered what was left, Liam had returned home in silent shame. He didn’t follow Lyov to the surface. He felt too guilty. His mother was mad that he had kept leaving and angry that he wouldn’t say why. His sisters were at a loss to get him to open up. All they knew was that Liam had become a sudden, avid supporter of Lyov and his movement. They disagreed with Lyov still, not trusting the man’s belief of some call to the surface, but they were happy Liam didn’t join Loki. Liam tried his hardest to get them to go. At the end of all the arguing, he realized his path.

“I knew if I didn’t lead the way they’d just sit and possibly get killed by Loki. So I left. I ran after the rumors of Lyov getting to the surface. My father went after me. He caught me just as I meant to teleport. We talked. I convinced him I was not backing down. I knew if I went back that my mother, my sisters, and even he wouldn’t let me go and they all wouldn’t leave. I told him I was wrong about Lyov, we all were, and I told them they’d have to drag me back if they wanted me. But they’d have to catch me on Earth.” Liam closed his eyes in sorrow, “I teleported away and that is the last time I saw my father.” He opened them, his Alice-blue eyes shimmering, “Seven or eight years later I found myself trying to find somewhere to belong. I slowly moved west. When I got to Ireland I happened across a tracker from Aarin looking for the Russian family. They were nearly upon them, ready to kill them all, so I fought him. I had one last chance to do right by Lyov and his family, and one last chance to redeem myself. So I shut us in that cottage with locking magic and cast a fire spell that consumed us both.” Liam knew this part would also need an explanation, but he would wait until after any questions she had over his crimes, “I had lost track of how many cycles I’ve been through. I risked death to take him out. Thankfully I found myself reignited again as a raven. I was just a fledgling, the morning after the cottage burnt, and the first person I saw was Granya.”

 

[Soliloquy]

Willow's face was unreadable for most of the time that Liam spoke, something that took considerable control to manage at times. The explanation of his betrayal and attempt to rectify his actions made his hesitation seem justified. He had done something terrible and he acknowledged that while knowing that the consequences of his actions cost lives that could not be reversed. She sat in silence though, worried that if she interrupted him that it might cause him to stop all together. She kept her gaze trained on him even when she went to sip at her tea, still struggling to paint the dark hole of Aarin in her mind, pieced together from the tales she'd heard before and now from Liam.

It wasn't until he spoke of the cottage and cycling into a raven that she could no longer keep her mouth closed. "W-wait a minute," she was glad her cup was already on the table or she might have spilled it. "You're Finn?" Somehow, that was a lot harder for her to digest than seeing Granya as a werewolf or being kidnapped by a kelpie. Maybe it was the sheer fact that she had seen both Liam and Finn countless times, clearly two separate bodies. Her voice lowered as she asked, "I thought he was Granya's familiar?"

Liam nodded, "Yes, I'm Finn." He knew Willow planned on coming to ask about his past. That was why he was rushing away. The song he sang with Granya had stuck in his head, coming out as a hum. Liam knew Willows raspberry preference for having known her since when she started here. Liam managed to gain the good grace of just about everyone because he knew them all. When Willow and Theo announced their engagement, he truly understood the weight of the good news. Aside from their hesitancy to trust him fully, by all accounts, Liam fit in like a perfect puzzle piece. "My abilities are inherited from the combination of my Cat Sí mother and Púca father. Caitlin and Cillian." While his sisters were classic Cat Sí, a son born from a female Cat Sí depended mainly upon the father. Cillian's ability to form clones passed to his son. With differences. This was the same with shape-shifting. Liam could shape-shift into any animal he ate the heart of, as long as the current body could digest it. His birth form, a cat, ate a Raven heart once. Caitlin's ability to be an animal while also having a humanoid Spectre manifested in Liam thus: while he did not have a Spectre, he could form clones that worked the same way. As long as he had a creatures body to use. This current one had been formed using the black eagle he defeated at camp. "My body knows no difference of being and existing from the Raven, except that if my origin body dies, I go through another cycle. Cat Sí have nine. It is unclear how many I will have to spare." Then Liam addressed the topic of Granyas having Finn as a familiar, "I couldn't talk at first. I couldn't explain anything. They named me Finn, she thought she made a bond with a Raven, but she didn't know what it was like to bond. I was her first try. They had hoped not to need one for her. But the incident in Scotland demanded it. I've been with her ever since. And....as she's blossomed, I've fallen in love with her."

Everything was falling into place to make sense, at least for what she had been present to witness. Seeing him humming the song Granya had been singing wasn't the first thing she thought of though. Willow's jaw dropped slightly, eyes widening. "When the bear - Agnar - was fighting Granya, I heard you," she said, head tilting to the side. "I recognized your voice when you appeared carrying Granya but didn't realize it then." But that wasn't all that clicked with her. "That's why you always hid when Caitlin and the girls were around. Did you think your mother would recognize you? Didn't you want to see her? And your sisters?"

"You almost saw me coming through the woods too." Liam said, reminding her of the rustling just before she ran off. Liam had risked being seen then. He had to, because Granya needed him. He followed the fight as it moved. Liam got there just in time to save her when Agnar knocked her down. Liam had been tempted to kill Agnar right then. But he decided to focus on bringing Granya back to camp instead. Being there, with the family, Liam didn't want to leave her so vulnerable. As a Raven, he had much less power. Working both as a raven and a man gave him an advantage. That was easier to admit to. The topic of his mother had Liam fall silent, his frown defining his inner sorrow, "I can't face her. Not after everything. Not after knowing I left my father there, in Aarin, learning that he never made it back home. And it was my fault."

Although she knew he was skeptical of how the family would take learning his story, Willow was growing more and more impressed by how much he had done to protect them. They saw him as a stranger and yet he had been with them for years, without their knowledge. "It might not be my place to speak for someone else, but I know that if I thought I lost my husband and my son, finding out my son was alive would feel like a blessing," she offered gently. "You couldn't know what would happen to him."

Liam inhaled, nodding. He had kept this in for so long that reaching out to someone pulled all of his emotions to the surface. The young man pressed his hand to his eyes a moment, reigning in his bubbling sadness, so that he could exhale and refocus without tearing up in a cafe, “I understand. I know, I just. . .I guess I am a little bit of a coward.”

Willow reached across the table, taking his resting hand in hers and giving it a reassuring squeeze. "Well, you don't have to do that alone, either. I can't guarantee that it'll either conversation is going to be easy or that everyone will understand, but you won't have to do so by yourself."

"Thank you, Willow. I don't know if I could have a chance without support." Liam returned her gesture, squeezing her hand, before finishing off his drink. "Let's just hope Theo and the rest don't kill me."

At that moment their replacement waiter had come, since the other got off shift. Willow saw the look on Dave's face when he caught the last sentence Liam spoke.

She been in the process of opening her mouth to offer that she was pretty certain none of them would quite angry enough to kill, when movement out of the corner of her eye caught her attention. Dave had arrived at the very worst moment, as he had an undying tendency to do. "Oh, hey Dave!" she offered a sheepish wave. "Fancy seeing you here. You must have quite the impressive resume." And an absolute wicked view of Theo.

The look on Dave's face shifted from a despairing frown to furrowed brows as he studied Willow lovingly squeezing Liam's hand upon his approach. The waiter looked between the two. His mind pieced together a scandalous puzzle. "Yes, fancy that." He popped a judgmental brow. While Dave had his reservations over Theo, and Willow by association, he did seem to have some moral code. He didn't snitch on them to that pretty girl a few months ago. And although Theo didn't come off as the best person, Dave certainly didn't approve of cheating. But here Willow was tucked in the farthest corner of a cafe, late at night, with a handsome stranger, whose hand she just caressed.

Willow watched his face in curiosity, uncertain just what was going on behind the man who worked at literally every eatery in Seabrook. "Fancy what?" she murmured in confusion, though her own concerns were that he'd overheard more than he should have. "I think we're fine for the evening, thank you though Dave." She also knew she should be getting home soon with how late it was going, though she never knew when to expect Theo around. Attention back on Liam she offered an apologetic shrug. "I should probably be getting home, actually. I just hope Theo's still at work and not wondering where I've run off to."

Dave shrugged and raised his hands in peace. Reminiscent of old women who hear all kinds of juicy gossip and swear up and down to everyone she tells that she isn’t one to talk. “Have a good night, you two.” He said the last two words with a knowing nod, taking steps back and then turning on his heel.

Liam didn’t catch on. Just like Willow he found himself confused. He had heard of Dave though. The family discussed the many times he came at the worst moments, especially for Theo. For now he brushed Dave and the moment with him aside to address Willow, “Yes, I think I should get back to the stage too. Amalia gets wary when I’m out late.”

Rising up, she reached over to give Liam a final reassuring pat on the back. "Let me know when you're ready, but I do think that sooner is better. Less time to try and talk yourself out of it," she said with mild personal experience there.

Liam nodded, “Yeah, I can see your point.” He got up from the table, “Thanks again, Willow. Good night.” The two parted their ways, Willow to her old car and Liam to his dirt bike each to return home.

 

[xrakkax]

Theo had arrived home to an empty living room. He didn’t think anything of it at first. Sometimes Willow was in the back getting on her nightgown, sometimes she was in the bathroom, sometimes she went into her extra craft storage. So, he kicked off his shoes, took off his jacket, fixed his hair tie issue again, and called out, “Красивый, you up?” Not too loud, just in case this was one of those rare occasions she passed out waiting for him. That only happened on nights she knew he was coming home before bedtime and she hadn’t gotten enough sleep prior to stick it out. By now Theo developed the habit of texting if he was doing an all-nighter.

Theo finished adjusting his hair. He tossed the loosened threads in the trash can before going around the house searching for Willow. Upon not seeing her anywhere, even in her storage craft closet, he took out his phone and texted, ‘Hey, I’m home. Where are you, Kpa?’ The nickname being a short version of the longer term of endearment he had for her. Confident he’d get a response in a few minutes, Theo went to take a five minute wash. When he returned and saw his message hadn’t even been read, he began to wonder. Theo brought out Bandit to search the home just in case he didn’t do it well enough. He wished he had Geist with him right now, but the raven was still keeping an eye on Nurse Gale.

Another five minutes later Theo grew antsy. When Bandit came back with no info Theo decided to check the house across the street. Odds were Willow would have texted him she went over there, but maybe something happened and she forgot, and maybe she ended up passing out over there. So Theo got his keys and Bandit to cross over to check. The lights were all off except for Granya’s room. It wasn’t unusual for Theo to drop in once in a while. When he did, Granya could hear and smell his arrival, and was happy to say hello. She came out wearing comfy shorts and a large shirt. Her trench coat hung in her room on its own rack at night. Granya’s wild honey brown hair roped down the front of her in a loose braid.

“Дядя Theo, need something?” Granya yawned.

“Da, have you seen Willow?”

“Last time I saw her we were scrapbooking. She just said she’d me later.” Granya shrugged, thinking nothing of the farewell. “Why, is something wrong?”

“She’s not home. She hasn’t answered my text.” Theo frowned, checking again. It had been over ten minutes since his text. Willow was diligent about texting in a timely manner. He struggled between accepting this was a simple, coincidental mishap, or an occasion to make him worry. Had Nurse Gale found out about him? Had she avoided Geist? Did she discover the whereabouts of Willow and snatch her?

Granya, concerned, called to Finn. She knew Geist was too busy to help Theo. “Finn, check for Willow?”

“I will.” Finn nodded. He flew out of the flap in the wall and they waited for a response. They would need to wait for him to come back. Somehow Granya never got the usual abilities when bonded with a familiar. They chalked it up to the wolf curse.

Theo smiled, “Thank you, Shchenok.” He would wait for a few more minutes before accessing the jade bracelet. It took Almaeri and he didn’t want to resort to that without a dire circumstance like when Kellsy stole Willow.

“No problem. Tea?” Granya went over to make some. Theo said it would be appreciated.

Theo couldn’t sit. He shuffled around, peeked out the window, and checked his phone. When Granya came back with a cup for him he saw she made a third on the counter. Just in case Willow came. She handed him his and both of them peered out the window. Granya was thankful her uncle didn’t need to chat. Most of the time she didn’t have anything to talk about that didn’t have to do with her interests. Not because she didn’t care to know how he was doing, but right now that was clear to her. Theo wasn’t doing well. They needed to know if Willow was alright.

Just before Theo was about to make another text, or call, or consider accessing the jade bracelet, Finn came flying into the house, “Willow is driving home. I saw her not far from here.” And he knew exactly where to look too. In truth, he should have taken a little longer to check, but he understood Theo’s worry and made sure not to prolong their anxiety.

Theo exhaled, “Thank you Finn.” He took a seat on the couch where he could see the street. His tea was too hot to drink right away so he set that on to the side table. Granya and Finn sat nearby.

When the familiar car rolled up to his and her house, Theo got up and walked out of the door immediately to call out to her, “Willow! Over here!” Theo waved. Despite his words, Theo closed the gap between them halfway in the street and hugged her, “Oh I was worried! You don’t normally take so long to answer my text.” This implied his discovery of not finding her home and the reason why he came from his old domicile instead of their own home.

Willow had just stepped on to the driveway when she heard Theo's voice, about to check the alert she'd heard while driving. Looking up, she offered him an apologetic smile, crossing over to him and accepting his embrace. "Sorry, I was driving," she explained, placing a kiss on his cheek and taking his arm so they'd get out of the street. "How was work? Any news on your current project?"

“Finn checked for you and told us,” He smiled, giving her a kiss back. Theo guided Willow towards the old house, wherein Granya waited with their tea. “Work is alright. No word from Geist yet. Probably will know for sure tomorrow.” He opened the door for Willow, saying he thought he’d finish his tea before they headed home.

Granya was sitting on the couch, legs tucked beneath her. Finn sat perched on her shoulder. Willow saw Theo’s cup nearby her on the side table. Theo got Willows and walked with her to the couch.

 

[Soliloquy]

Her thoughts they'd head home and to bed were thwarted as they turned and headed across the street. Willow knew the chance of either of them asking where she had been was next to guaranteed. She wasn't about to launch into Liam's story because that was his to tell, but she also didn't want to lie to either of them. Accepting her cup of tea and taking a seat beside Granya, she let out a sigh of contentment after the first sip.

"So, I've been thinking," she said thoughtfully, "We have a lot of those pebbles still, from the camping trip. What if we took some of the more flat ones and added them to pottery? I think that'd make for some absolutely beautiful centerpieces and serving dishes."

Granya brightened, “Da, that is a good idea.” She nodded, “We can buy different kinds of clay. Maybe--” Her cheeks colored slightly, “--maybe Liam will let us use his kiln.”

Willow beamed as her idea settled well with her, glancing at Granya though for a brief moment her gaze fell on Finn. "Oh, I think he wouldn't mind. Maybe we even learn a few things from him or take a class at the community center. It's definitely a craft I'd like to know more about."

At hearing the girls talk about involving Liam, Theo said, not unkindly, but with some hesitancy, "Alright but, only when Willow is with you, Shchenok."

"Da, Дядя Theo." Granya agreed softly, sipping her tea in thought.

Theo turned a sheepish smile to Willow, "Family is still not yet. . .you know. Is fine, just be sure those days spent with Liam is with you too."

Willow nodded in understanding, though she couldn't say that it was in agreement. Then again, maybe she was blindly rooting for him even after knowing his full story. "Of course. Maybe we can find a nice Monday afternoon or evening class that way we can still have our picnics and not interfere with pub work."

Granya nodded, "Da, I'd like that." She couldn't stifle the excitement of the idea. Her inner feelings coming out as a smile. "Monday afternoon is best I think." She pressed a hand to her stomach in a comforting motion.

Theo asked, "You okay Shchenok?"

"Da, just, feel strange. Like a fluttering." She seemed puzzled, "It happens when I talk about Liam. But I'm not sick."

A sip of tea hid a smile at the words from Granya, Willow clearing her throat once it was swallowed down. "A fluttering? That doesn't sound like sickness. I know I sometimes get a fluttery feeling when your uncle does something sweet for me," she commented, though in truth he didn't have to do anything and it still would randomly happen. A flop of her stomach when he came in the room or if she looked up from a book to spot him down the couch. Almost a year later and it still felt like passing glances across the pub behind Jovan's back or watching him unnecessarily adjust his hair.

Granya thought about that. Maybe she just felt this way because he was a nice person to her. But she perked her lip in dissatisfaction. Other people were sweet to her too. But she didn’t feel that way with them. Granya asked, “Do you feel it when other people are sweet?”

Willow teetered her head side to side in thought at her question, making a brief face. "Well, I can't say that I don't enjoy when other people are sweet or do kind gestures; it certainly does make me happy. There's just something about your uncle that makes me feel special." She turned her gaze to Theo, her free hand reaching for his and giving it a squeeze. "He can look at me and make me feel like I'm the only person in the world. Then I look at him and it feels that way, everyone else just melts away."

Theo, who was squinting his eye at Granya with a studying expression, met Willow’s gaze and suddenly found it hard not to smile, “Da, me too.” He gave her a kiss.

Granya raised her brows and looked up in thought again, her mouth puckered. Did what happened to Willow also happen for her, when she interacted with Liam? Maybe not quite. A part of her still felt withdrawn from him and others. Giving up, she shrugged, “I guess I don’t feel that way. Just flutters. And my cheeks feel warm.”

Theo broke his lovers’ stare when Granya spoke. His mind brought him back to the thoughts that were stirring. “Maybe you allergic to something on him.” Theo wanted to believe. The idea these tummy butterflies and pink cheeks meant his little pup was beginning the stages of adulthood, growing up and getting interested in guys didn’t sit well with him right now. “Go to sleep, Shchenok, don’t worry about it. Just think about what you make with the clay.”

Willow kept quiet at Theo's suggestion, able to easily guess that a protective uncle wasn't enjoying the thought of his niece entering the age of crushes and all the things they might lead to. She sipped her tea silently and kept that thought for when they'd be alone.

Granya shrugged, “Alright.” She stood up with the two of them. Granya gave Willow and Theo a hug good night before she washed her teacup and left for bed with Finn on her shoulder.

Theo wrapped an arm around Willow on their way out. His mind deep in thought about the implications of Granya’s fluttery feeling and how often Liam paid attention to her. Then he reminded himself, "Willow, did you get any more information about Liam?"

Leaning into his embrace as they crossed the street and returned home, she looked up at the stars through the trees and smiled. His question brought her back down to Earth and she was glad she'd already thought ahead if he was going to answer that. "I did. We went for coffee so he could tell me after I scrapbooked with Granya." She paused, waiting until they were inside the house to continue while slipping out of her shoes. "He's concerned, but he understands that everyone needs to know his story. It just...isn't an easy story for him to tell."

When they got inside Theo had nothing to take off. He had walked from his house to Lyov and Granya’s place without a thought to put on shoes or a jacket. “How much did he tell you?” Theo asked, curious to know if Willow made the kind of progress they wanted. He checked the lock on the front door and got info from Bandit that all windows were secured.

"Everything," she said heading toward the bedroom while he secured the house for the night. "He knew he needed to be open if he's ever going to be fully accepted, so he told me everything."

“Everything?” Theo blinked. The explanation had him scratching his head. Had it not been apparent to Liam already that he wouldn’t full involved if he didn’t fes up? Theo shut the curtains of the living room and headed back towards the bedroom. He came into the bathroom to brush his teeth. He couldn’t quite speak clear enough while he did that, so he waited until after he spit and rinsed his brush to say, “Well, what did he say?”

When they happened upon the question she wasn't willing to answer, she took a minute longer to answer. Coming into the bathroom, she leaned against the door frame. "I don't think it's fair for me to tell his story, just like I could never tell yours or your family's," she said truthfully. "I've heard everything and I understand why he's been hesitant. He's frightened, but Theo he is not a threat to this family."

That took Theo a moment to digest. He hummed in thought as he crossed his arms and rested his hip against the sink. It was fair for her to refrain from speaking on Liam’s behalf. It did bother him that Liam was frightened. A person who was this worried must have done something. But, Willow’s observation had to be taken seriously. Theo looked up from his downcast pondering, “I admit I am not at ease. I don’t think I will be until I hear his story.” Theo uncrossed his arms and took her hand, “But I trust you, Красивый. If you say you believe he is honest and not a threat, then I will remember this when he does come forward. I will give him a chance.”

Willow was relieved that he didn't press further for information. She didn't want to blurt things out, but she also didn't like keeping the truth from Theo. She hoped now that Liam had told her, he'd be ready to explain himself to everyone else soon. She squeezed his hand, stepping close for a tender kiss, one that had a lingering mint taste from his toothpaste. "Mm, good," she pulled from his lips, her hand releasing his and reaching up to tug gently on his collar. "Now, bed? It's been a long day without you."

Without a word, Theo grinned and picked her up. The day had been long. But he felt awake enough for an hour of togetherness. Once they were spent he held her in his arms. Until Dream Warrior surfaced. Then he squished the long, wide pillow between them for a comfortable sleep. The pillow took a beating. Theo called it his sleep shield.

 

[xrakkax]

A few events occurred during August. One of which had been the issue of Nurse Gale. Geist let Theo know that Nurse Gale, indeed, had been preying on children. Through careful study, Theo knew Nurse Gale gave the children something. Either as she brought them to him or when she escorted them out. The next day they would come in, sick, and put up. Theo hated the idea of another child dying. So this time he arranged for Natalia to come in and ‘happen’ to bump into the kid Nurse Gale met with, giving them a cute enchanted Spongebob sticker for absorption. As soon as the nurse did whatever it was the sticker lost its tackiness and floated to the ground as intended. Natalia discreetly picked it up and went home to study it.

It took a day or so before she had any answers. Nurse Gale had been giving the children some kind of melty candy that dissolved a rice-paper curse in their mouths. It began to traumatize the child's body, magically, like a ram at the gate, until the Almaeri awakened days later for her to consume at the time of their deaths. This treat was disguised as the usual kind they gave kids who did a ‘good job’ at the doctors.

Theo and Natalia got together and made a roll of enchanted stickers to absorb the curse. Theo made sure each child had one on them their entire visit. The next step was trickier. They had to curse Nurse Gale while also keeping themselves anonymous as soon as possible. The more her curses failed, the more she’d get suspicious, and may change her tactics. Theo decided to lay a trap.

Nurse Gale had a favorite cup. Every time she came into work she got coffee. While she may have been a crafty witch, she was still a human creature of habit. Theo purposefully traded shifts with one of the doctors whose time ended minutes before she arrived. Just as Theo had enchanted her cup by pricking his finger and inscribed a symbol on the bottom of her mug, Nurse Gale walked in for her morning draught.

“Good morning, Dr. Al-Zakhar,” Nurse Gale muttered. She had been looking frustrated lately. Theo gleefully noted.

“Morning. Coffee?” Theo offered. Thankfully he thought ahead and made a pot. The faster she left without question, the better. Nonchalantly, Theo poured his own. Consuming the same beverage as Nurse Gale bypassed her suspicion.

“Thanks.” Nurse Gale took the glass pitcher from him.

Theo had no reason to stay at this point. He went to his desk to sit and wait. This part wrenched his stomach. If she checked the cup, she’d see his mark. It would not be hard for her to track him or to guess it was him.

The minutes passed slowly.

Tick, tock, tick tock.

There came a murmur of unrest from the nurse's counter. “Nurse Gale passed out! She’s not responding, get her in a room!”

Like anyone else would, Theo came out to see the fuss. Nurse Gale’s coffee had spilled over the keyboard. They were already pushing her to a vacant hospital room. Theo rushed in with the others to try to help her. They took her vitals, got her in a room, and ever so sneakily Theo bent over her feet, reaching past her to ‘adjust’ the clear tubes they were hooking up to her. He had his large doctor's coat billow around him to hide his hand. It held a syringe filled with air. Without looking Theo poked the thin hypodermic needle between her toes, sending a tiny air bubble into her bloodstream. Nurse Gale, being Almaeri, was subject to direct magic. While she still lived Theo commanded the wound to heal. He was worried about using magic to kill her, in case she made precautions, but he was sure that healing wouldn’t be a command she’d deflect. Theo pulled back thereafter, commanded the syringe to take the form of a crumpled up tissue paper, and went about his business helping the staff with Nurse Gale.

“She’s having a heart attack!” Nurse Jayne called out to them.

The room buzzed into action. They did all they could, but their instruments mysteriously failed them. Even despite Theo’s help! A few minutes later and the nurse’s heart sputtered and stopped. None of them could revive her. Theo pulled the white sheet over Nurse Gale’s head. “Call it.” He murmured.

Astonished, sorrowful, the staff went through the rest of their day in a somber mood. Theo, on the other hand, was literally the opposite. Now, he hadn’t wanted it to, but the remaining Almaeri within Nurse Gale rushed into him. He had to hide his ecstasy when it absorbed into him. Theo knew it would come. He had been around the death of an Almaeri in the past. He inhaled sharply as if he had been given a dose of heroin. Theo rode that high basically the whole time. It didn’t impair him, like the real drug would, but he felt really good. And simultaneously ashamed of it as he got the mug back to scrub off his sleeping curse. But it was hard to fight the good feeling. It followed him home.

Theo walked in on what would have been any regular Sunday afternoon, eyes dilated and his body calm, “I got her.” He airily explained what had happened at the hospital that day to Willow. That he won, how he managed it, and that he was pretty high on Almaeri at the moment.

It took a few moments for Willow to digest everything he'd explained to her. She was admittedly impressed with his innovation, but also distracted by his current disposition. Eyes squinting in thought, she closed the gap between them, looking into his dilated green eyes. "Lord, you look high as a kite, Theo," she was a mixture of concern and amused. College hadn't been too long ago for her to forget what that looked like. "Are you... Are you going to be alright?"

Theo wistfully looked into her eyes, "Yeah." he sighed, his fingers raised to caress her cheek, "Mm, I'll be great. . . I'm great." Theo didn't know if this was taking full advantage of the moment or not-- it was hard to tell if he knew much of anything besides what was happening in the present--but he took Willow into a kiss then. "I feel just great." He breathed, "I want you to feel great too." Theo purred, pulling her to him.

His touch was slightly distracting as she attempted to examine him with all the medical knowledge she didn't have. "You're su-" Any desire she had to voice further concern was silenced when his lips found hers. He had unfairly found the perfect way to change the topic, but he wouldn't hear any complaints that night from her.

While Theo did work his talents so that Willow felt great too, there was no mistaking which of them had ended their session floating on cloud nine. Theo soon came down from his high by the next morning. The craving for more lingered throughout the day, but he had long since learned to shake it off before it became a problem.

The family soon heard of Theo’s victory. They celebrated it with drinks at the Old Bear. They were fed up with witches and warlocks getting away with killing children and bullying people into Covens. This marked their first intended thwarting of a cruel mage on Earth. They thought the way Theo did it was clever too! Theo made sure they knew that Willow had suggested to consider the usual way people die, and not only focus on what magic can do. They toasted to the duo’s innovation.

The thrill of the victory over Nurse Gale faded. Their lives returned to normal in a day or so. At least for most of the family. While Liam still struggled to come forward, Willow had her own demons to tackle. August 15th was the requested date to RSVP for the Crosse-Blackthorne wedding that Willow had been on the fence about for the better part of a year. With the encouragement she needed from Theo and visit in the month prior from Wesley, she found she had the strength needed to risk facing her parents so that she could celebrate for her brother. She confirmed electronically on the site that had been included on the invitation on the 14th. Coming home from the pub the next night, she found a thin package addressed to her waiting. Inside were two first class tickets for both her and Theo for a round trip to Galway, Ireland leaving Houston on the 28th and arriving on the 1st. The package had plenty of information for them as a confirmed party and also had travel arrangements once in Galway set up through a rental company. The extended stay and international travel wasn't something Willow had anticipated, now concerned that meant attending might no longer be an option for Theo.

The issue was brought up to Theo. He assured Willow it should be fine. “I schedule with Dr. Yang. Don’t worry.” he smiled, adding, “In fact, I can take a couple more days off just fine. The eldest McQueen girl, Shae, has a pub in Kinvarra, in south Galway. Alassiel is taking a break from escorting to spend the rest of the year in Ireland with the McQueens. We can ask to stay there for a few days and have fun hanging out with them.”

The knowledge that they'd have someone they knew across the ocean was more reassuring than hearing he could have the time off easily. "That sounds like an invitation of where we can go and hide if my family gets too crazy," she spoffed, grateful. From what she had gathered of the information they'd be staying about forty minutes from the city, though she hadn't been able to find the hotel online. "I hope everyone at the pub will be fine with one less person for a week or so then."

“Then it’s settled,” Theo kissed her, “I’ll speak with Caitlin before she and the others leave next month.” He took out his phone to extend the highlighted days to include time with the McQueens and Alassiel. “October twenty fifth, in the afternoon. After Moon-Fishing. Sound good?”

She nodded to the plan, looking over the tickets and planning on calling the airline to see if they could change their departure date. "The 25th. What are you going to do stuck with me across the world? And better yet, you'll have to meet your future in-laws," Willow smirked.

Theo smirked, “I can think of some things.” He purred. As for the last, he chuckled, “If they not Fairy Folk or Hunters, I think I will be fine,” Theo waved his hand dismissively, “I survive worse in Aarin.”

She clicked her tongue and shook her head at him. "You say that now, but my mom is a fierce woman and my brother was always protective of me. I think I might have to reward such bravery for facing them."

Theo pulled her to him, “I have some suggestions for reward.” He mused, and took from a lesson he learned from that night he had come home high. There was nothing like his mouth to take the words right out of Willow.

Among the people without a word to speak had been Liam. Still worried, he flip flopped on whether to speak up yet. Willow occasionally encouraged him to keep his resolve. Finally he decided he would do so in September, shortly after the Moon-Fishing in August. In the meantime he wanted to enjoy what time he got with them and with Granya.

It didn’t take long for Molly to hear from Willow all of the little signs of growing affection between the younger generation. Molly couldn’t keep her mouth shut from Micha about any of it, though she swore to keep the interest Liam and Granya had in each other from everyone else. Micha did not make a peep either. Probably because Molly would have skinned him. At first he didn’t like it. He made excuse after excuse to reject the match. After a few weeks of Molly’s assurance that she had no bad vibes from Liam and sharing some of the sweet moments she heard, Micha decided not to outright refuse the possibility. It was no secret that Liam seemed to come off as a likable guy. Micha had to admit the young man knew just what to say and what not to say. Eerily so, at times. Molly had hope when Micha told her one night that he realized that this would happen one day. Granya was growing up. She was going to be eighteen next year. They just had hoped whoever she liked would be a mundie, or someone they knew and trusted well right away. Micha didn’t think he’d mind Liam being in the family. But he couldn’t make a definite statement until Liam agreed to be open with them. Molly admitted to Micha that she believed what Liam would have to say won’t be easy for them to hear. While Molly did not press for information from Willow, she had had dreams lately of a sorrow deep within the young man about his past. But Molly said she believed there was hope. Micha, in addition to believing Molly gave him no reason to doubt her, plus her Almaeri as confirmation, decided to trust her. Happily, Molly focused on seeing the possible relationship bloom.

Not long after the suggestion was made for pottery class, Willow and Granya found a few for Monday afternoon. Molly had helped search for them too. Liam was invited to attend. Molly encouraged him to check them all out. They all sat in on a couple before they decided the class down Todville road, run by Mr. Mark ‘Minty’ Minton, a man in his sixties, would be best. He recently rebuilt his garage into a ceramics studio as a hobby since he retired. Occasionally he met people who said they wanted to do pottery, but they didn’t have space and they were not confident in their skills. So, Minty decided to invest in teaching. His schedule was as flexible as his students needed it to be. Willow and the two managed to get three of the slots for Monday at five. Finn was welcome. Molly thought the idea of pottery class was a great one. Especially since she heard from Willow of young love possibly blossoming between Liam and Granya. While Molly didn’t know his story, she got the same vibes between them as she did from Theo and Willow. It just had to be! Though Molly was not able to get a class on Monday afternoon, she did get Sunday evening with Micha.

Their first class mainly focused on the ceramics lingo, where to work, where to leave your clay to rest, where to glaze, and so on. At the end they were given a list of items to get.

Granya had been the hardest person to drag out to the mall. Molly and Willow made it their mission to find something to get her attention. Crafting aside, they did see she liked her nails done. Maybe not her hair though. She didn’t want it cut at all. But for arts and crafts she made time and her mood was uplifted. It didn’t hurt that Liam came too.

The four of them, including Liam for guidance, found an art store at the mall to get their supplies. All the while Molly squealed in secret delight and shared knowing looks with Willow whenever the slightest indication of Granya and Liam liking each other surfaced. It was probably a good thing Molly wouldn’t be hovering like a busy bee while the two did their work in class. Molly at least had Willow to call for any details of note.

One day in particular, when Willow and the other two arrived for their evening class, Granya was having trouble with the wheel. It had been something she had hoped to master. The tricky spinning platform began to frustrate her to the point she growled and smashed her fist on the wobbly clay blob. Granya pulled her hand back from the sloppy grey sludge. She frowned down at her monster. Granya shook her head, “It’s hopeless! Hopeless, hopeless, hopeless!” She muttered irritatedly. “Stupid vase!”

Before Granya could stand up Liam quietly came to her side and handed her a rag for her hands. Granya murmured a thank you. Wordlessly Liam knelt beside her to gather the clay into the center. He scraped it into his hands to form it into a ball again. Granya watched him as she wiped her muddy fingers. She tilted her head finding her annoyance fading. There was something calming, seeing him work with clay. And he hadn’t said a word. No need to make small talk. Granya never felt compelled or obligated to speak with him. And while others often tried to anticipate how to navigate her without the advantage of speech, Liam seemed to have a secret knowledge of her moods to do so in silence. Whatever gave him the idea she hadn’t given up yet despite her words earlier, she didn’t know, and found herself curious to understand.

Liam centered the ball, “It must be in the middle.” He said. Then he boldly reached out to take her hands and place them just so on the ball. Granya blushed. Liam eased back on his legs and urged her to start slowly. The wheel began to turn the platform. The clay slid beneath her fingers without the awkward bumping she had been getting before. “There, see? Feel the difference?”

“Da,” Granya peered up at him. Even if she wanted to speak, she couldn’t. To distract herself she trained her eyes on the clay.

“Try to make a well.” Liam encouraged.

Granya pressed the center of the ball on top. As she did so the clay beneath her thumb started to clot against her skin, drying from the friction. A few drops of water fell and immediately fixed that issue. Granya looked up and watched Liam’s fingers drizzling over her respectable spinning creation. Her cheeks flushed again. Granya dropped her eyes down and tried the next technique to expand the well to make a bowl. Just as her fingers were about to lose their proper positioning, Liam's hands slipped over hers to adjust. Granya inhaled, holding her breath. They had never been so close. Or so she believed. When the body of the well widened, Liam guided her to narrow the lip. Then he placed his hands on the back of hers, gently pressing them, pulling upward to form a neck that fluted out. The wheel slowed to a stop.

Liam lingered with his hands on hers, “There, see? You made a vase, Schenok.”

The fluttering feeling intensified, and for a brief moment Granya felt the world melt away. As it dawned on her, and reflecting on what Willow said, she blinked in astonishment that she liked Liam. And not a little. A lot. Granya felt her lungs ache. She exhaled. It broke the moment enough for her to pull away. She was slightly light headed but didn’t say so and recovered from it, nodding, “Da, thank you.”

Smiling, Liam eased up from where he knelt, “Glad to help, Shchenok. Anytime.” He hesitated before turning away to the art he had been forming at his desk.

Willow had watched the two interacting from her own pottery wheel, determined not to interrupt their encounter. Liam had been faster than her to Granya's side, but it felt more appropriate this way. She'd become distracted from her own wheel at one point, her vase ended up a collapsed and distorted pile of clay, not unlike the result of Granya's anger. She had to stop her spinning to start over, reshaping her clay and looking up to find they were still quietly engaged. There was a flood of reverence for the two in their blossoming affection.

Granya stared at Liam from where she sat. It was likely her family would want her to keep things professional and platonic. The young man's back was to her. She had the advantage if she wanted to ignore him for the rest of the class. Except that meant nothing. And in that moment Granya decided to dismiss her family’s voices in her head.

The freshly formed clay vase sat ready to be placed on a shelf. Without looking down, Granya called out, “Liam, do I take the vase off like this?” Just when he turned to see, Granya unceremoniously grabbed the nice vase and pulled it off. Her fingers dimpled the soft sides. A part of the bottom stuck to the platform. Granya feigned a frown for her ‘foible’, and plopped it on the board for transfer with a huff. The indelicate handling slumped the vase like a floppy turkey neck.

Finn and Liam blinked in surprise. Liam observed her crossed arms and the expectant way she looked at him. Granya tapped her shoe in impatience that he had yet to say a word. Liam’s astonishment turned into a grin. He chuckled, getting up to help fix the vase and teach her how to remove a finished piece successfully. Somehow it took the rest of the class. Granya just couldn’t get her hands right. The wire she used to cut the piece from the wheel accidentally cut too much off of the clay, it had to be reformed. But Liam had all the patience in the world.

Their first interactions were sweet, but Willow wasn't at all fooled by Granya's fake anger. She'd seen the girls frustration many a time even doing crafting, and could see the act from her less experienced acting. Smirking, she focused on her own clay once more, leaving the two to their unnecessary interactions. She wasn't about to stand in the way of young love.

After pottery class Liam washed his hands and did his usual farewell to Minty. Granya and Willow did the same. While the three walked out Liam said, “Bye guys.” on the way to his bike that he parked next to their car.

As class came to an end, Willow also waved to Liam, bidding him a fair night.

Granya had yet to fully compose herself from earlier. She barely murmured, “Night.” To regain some normalcy, she urged, “Finn, say goodnight.”

Chuckling, Finn caw’d, “Good night, Liam!”

Liam spoffed, “Good night, Finn.”

Willow had to turn quickly to climb into the car to hide a grin as Liam and Finn bid each other a good night.

Granya got in the car with Finn on her shoulder. As they pulled out she watched Liam zip down the road on his bike. Once the ivory man was out of sight Granya shifted to face Willow and blurted, “I like Liam.” Finn puffed his feathers in contentment. His pale blue eyes told Willow how happy he was inside. “Тетя Willow, I think the world melted away, like you said before.” She held a hand to her stomach, “I think I have love butterflies, Тетя!” Her hands raised to press against her face, feeling her cheeks that were still warm, “I want him, Тетя Willow. I want him bad.”

As Willow was getting ready to pull away, she wasn't completely ready for the outburst from Granya. Her own cheeks flushed, feeling embarrassed that she couldn't know he was listening in. Clearing her throat, she reached over and gave her a pat on her spare shoulder. "Oh sweetie, I know you do, and that's wonderful," she reassured her, glancing over at Finn. "But maybe we can have a girl talk about this another time. I'm sure Finn doesn't want to hear about this."

Unconcerned, Granya gave her white raven a cursory glance, “Finn doesn’t care.” She waved her hand, not even attempting to ask the avian creature if he did or not want to hear anything, quickly refocusing back to her thoughts and feelings, “Тетя my heart beats wildly when he's near me. I want to-- I want to hold him! I-- I want to kiss him!" She perked when a comparison came to mind, "Like how Дядя Theo kisses you!" Finn's raven head popped up and looked at Granya as if he couldn't believe his ears.

Willow hadn't been thrilled as long as she'd had to keep Liam's secret, but in that moment she experienced frustration with it for the first time. She wanted to scold Finn's happy behavior; that wasn't news for him to hear yet! Still, she had to keep her eyes focused on the road as she tried to calm the lovestruck girl, though she was visibly excited as well. "Your uncle is quite the kisser, that's a high bar to live up to," she murmured, before adding at a normal level, "Have you tried speaking with Liam about your feelings? I'm sure he'd want to hear if you feel this way about him."

If there was anything that could zip her mouth closed it was the thought of bringing her inner feelings to a man she had a huge crush on. Granya practically shrank into the collar of her trench coat, “Nope!” She shook her head. No, she wouldn’t. Not so soon anyway. Just imagining walking up to him with the intention to say so got her cheeks pinker than a rose petal. Though, not showing him any interest at all felt wrong. Granya murmured, “Maybe I can ask him to sing with me sometime. . .maybe that will be enough.”

Tapping the steering wheel in amusement at her timid behavior, Willow offered to be the devil's advocate. "Singing is nice," she nodded, adding after a moment, "Personally, I think kissing is nicer, but if you're not certain then you don't need to rush it. Besides, sometimes it's more fun not to tell men how we feel so easily, it makes them work harder." She smirked as she reminisced, turning to Granya at a red light. "Uncle Theo had to wait and I think it was good for him. He was also the first one to admit he had feelings. Between you and me, I think it's fine if you want to wait. Then he'll either show he's patient and wait for you, or he can chase after you and be the first one to show you he cares. There's nothing wrong with being chased," she started to drive again, frowning as an afterthought, "So long as it isn't when you're stuck to a kelpie..."

Granya had been nodding and listening with respect and sincerity. Finn settled where he sat in deep thought over the advice. At the mention of Kellsy Granya burst into a laugh, seeing the amusement of the observation and the truth of it. “Дядя Theo was frantic! He splash, splash, splash all around the water. Almost lost his swim trunks.” Now that they had been several weeks separated from the incident, like all harrowing adventures, they had the chance to recover with humor. "Thank you for listening to me, Тетя . I think Дядя Theo would just sputter and dissuade me."

Willow chuckled, nodding in agreement. "I'm glad you are comfortable discussing it with me because I'm sure that dissuading is the least he would do," she snorted, thinking of just how quick he had been to offer up an allergy as her response to a crush! "You are a lucky girl and you don't have one, but two uncles who would do anything for you. That just also means they're very protective of you and know all too well what a man's thoughts can be like. I'm sure Liam or any man who wanted to pursue you would be smart enough to keep that in mind."

Finn swallowed hard, now slightly unsettled, though not fully displeased. They were the ones who would be the biggest obstacles. He knew them well enough that if they couldn’t physically harm him, they’d prank the hell out of him until he wished they chose to beat him up instead. But hopefully his knowledge of them would help to navigate their moods.

“Yeah, you’re right,” Granya wistfully agreed, chuckling to think of her uncles being so grumpy and fussy. Satisfied with what has been said so far, Granya turned on the radio and began to discuss a possible mud mask movie night.

All in all, Finn shifted on his talons in mute delight. He couldn’t grin as a raven, but Liam’s face beamed beneath his helmet all the way to the pub. Molly knew something was up when the ivory man passed her by on her way up from feeding Bear, unable to control his wide smile.

“What are you grinn’ about?” Molly mused.

“Nothing. Just had a great session in class.” Liam could barely answer her without spurting chuckles between words.

Molly halted. Her mind buzzed with curiosity as she watched Liam tuck himself behind the stage curtains. She hastily pulled out her phone and started texting Willow. As the details of pottery class came out Molly excitedly ran upstairs. Micha had just pulled off his jeans for sleep when Molly quickly came in and shut the door, saying in a hushed voice, “Stars, Micha, it’s happening!”

“What is?” Micha tensed, jeans in hand, wondering if he should put them back on.

“Liam and Granya are totally gonna be a thing!”

“Oh,” Micha relaxed. He pat his heart in the manner of a man who was glad it hadn’t chosen to suddenly stop. Then he tossed his jeans in the hamper and went to brush his teeth. “You say that a lot, Mollyshka, what is different about this time?”

Molly related what had happened as quietly as she could, knowing the general mood around the strange white man. But she trusted Micha would not brush her off or spout warnings. They had already covered his thoughts on the topic. Molly couldn’t help but hop from foot to foot, “Eee! They’re so cute! Micha, I’m so excited!”

After spitting out his toothpaste and rinsing his brush, Micha chuckled, “I’m happy for you, Mollyshka.” He couldn’t be happy for the situation just yet, but he respected her joy. “How is the honesty coming along? Is he close?”

Humming in thought, Molly closed her eyes briefly to think about it, to sense it. Her Almaeri was not able to be controlled. She couldn’t switch it off. They just hoped she used little enough that her mind would be intact as an old lady. “Soon. Very soon.”

Liam had been building up confidence. The pottery class both bolstered him and terrified him. Liam went through another depression for what was to come. It made it hard to enjoy Granya’s attention. She even offered to sing with him on stage. And Liam suspected she growled at a girl who chatted with him. As much as Liam wanted to hide his past under a rock, he had resolved to do it shortly after the August Moon-Fishing. With one more session of encouragement from Willow, Liam decided to do it.

Monday September 3, 2018​

The family opted out of Pine park when Liam announced he was ready to come clean. They decided the pub would be the best place to have this discussion after they had breakfast. Amalia joked that, if anything, they could bury him in the basement. All but Liam found it amusing. It was actually a worry of his that this was precisely why they chose the pub. It made it hard for him to eat anything. Granya was nervous along with Liam that day. She sensed his unease, she could smell the anxiety on him. Finn had not been feeling well either.

Grandpa Lyov insisted on coming to the talk. He believed it would be necessary. Because of his participation, they chose to gather at the hearth after breakfast was cleared. Lyov sat in his recliner next to the crackling fire on his right. To his left sat Granya with Finn on her shoulder. Next, Willow and Theo brought chairs over for them to sit on. Micha and Molly did the same. Jovan took another recliner after them. Natalia chose to lounge on the couch beside him with Amalia. They had brought tea for everyone. Liam took his place on a stool across from Lyov at the other end of the hearth. He too got a cup of tea. But he also dropped an oil in to help calm his nerves.

Once everyone was ready Liam cleared his throat, “Let me first say, whatever happens today I am grateful for the time that I’ve had with you all. I think your family is amazing. I will accept whatever you all decide.” He rubbed his fingers nervously, “I’d love to stay. But only if it is unanimous. I have no right to impose myself in any of your lives. If even just one of you does not want me here, I will go.” Liam looked to Willow, offering a weary smile, “And I want to thank you, Willow. For hearing me out and encouraging me to be open.”

Molly gripped Micha’s hand, sensing the tension. The family exchanged looks of mixed emotion. None of them could fathom what could prompt them to kick him out. But a man as anxious as he must have had some reason to sweat. Jovan broke the silent pause, “Say your piece then, Liam.”

Exhaling, Liam began to relate his story to them. Willow heard little to no differences in what he had told her. As it always is when retelling a story, there were details that came to mind that Liam hadn’t recalled before. Such as the person who allowed him initiation into Lyov’s people had been assigned specifically by Lyov to screen newcomers. And that Liam had deceived him well into thinking he could be trusted.

For the most part, the family listened intently. The initial astonishment and offense turned into a struggle to reconcile the trauma of their past and the man they came to appreciate. Micha and Theo, who had previously talked about the situation and their decision to bank on their lovers being reasonable, shared a look of surprise. How do they defend Liam? How do they move past the pain of the betrayal and what it meant? Many more people could have been standing there with them today. Theo didn’t join the rising frustration between his family and Liam, but he had a hard time choosing to intervene. Natalia sat in stunned silence. Granya pressed her hand to her mouth, tearing up. She didn’t know how to feel.

At the full realization of the part Liam played in the second wave of attack from Loki-- lives lost, land ruined, Lyov’s eye ripped out---Jovan wordlessly got up and grabbed Liam by his collar. A murmur of uncertainty and distress went between them when Jovan yanked Liam to his feet, “My wife! She was nowhere near where the fighting should have been, and because of you she and the youngest all died!” The hurt in his voice pained all who heard him. Liam had no argument. All he could do was whisper he was sorry. “Sorry? Sorry!” Jovan’s normal, gruff tone always carried with it an edge, but this sounded different. This was the sound of a man who lost his world and never recovered. “Have you any idea? Have you any idea what it means to lose your heart?!”

 

[Soliloquy]

Willow had sat quietly at the edge of her chair while Liam launched himself into his story. She wished she could have offered him a final hug, but also knew in this moment that he needed to present himself alone and in truth. For weeks she had tried to fathom how this would transpire, and she wasn't naive enough to think it would be smooth. They would be hurt, no doubt. Pain, betrayal, everything that would make their hearts feel as though they were being crushed as they relived their darkest days.

She had braced for the impact to be expected when his tale reached the point where many of the family were lost. It didn't seem as if actual physical danger was aimed at Liam, but she wouldn't this be where the story ended. Releasing Theo's hand she'd been holding, Willow stood and crossed to Jovan, placing a hand gently on his shoulder. "Jovan, let him finish," she pleaded for Liam who was too succumbed to guilt to argue for himself. "You deserve the right to be angry and grieve, all of you do, but please let him finish."

Jovan’s body tensed. She could feel the muscles beneath the fabric of his clothes. Like corded steel, and tightening. Liam’s humble expression, one of grief and regret, dare not look away from the man’s eyes that demanded the respect of meeting his gaze. Jovan, too angry to speak, turned to Willow with a face of fury as a point to acknowledge her. His eye twitched, studying her face as if to decide whether this was an offense or not. The grip he had on Liam’s collar loosed slightly, but he did not yet let go.

Lyov, who had been listening quietly, finally spoke, “Jovan, put him down. Sit.”

“My wife, Lyov!” Jovan reiterated, as if that justified everything, turning back to face Liam.

“And what about my wife?” Lyov posed to him. “Maria had been forcefully unbound of her Almaeri in that fight, Jovan. Do you not think I have reason to sorrow for hearing how it came to be? Listen to Willow. Put the young man down. Let him talk.” There lingered a moment of indecision to obey before Jovan let go of Liam and turned to his seat.

Willow had felt her heart crush all over again to hear the sorrow in Jovan's voice. She couldn't imagine losing Theo, especially young and in a tragic way. Her hand fell off him as he returned to his seat, quietly doing the same, her eyes falling on Liam in hopes that Lyov's words could also provide encouragement to continue.

Unfortunately, as soon as the room had quieted one member of the family could not keep her temper under control. Liam barely parted his lips to speak when Amalia shook her head and waved him silent, “Ublyudok!” Amalia spat, calling him a bastard, “I do not want to hear it. I don't want him here.”

Molly, who had been doing her best not to speak, because it was about the kind of reaction she had expected from the gravity of what Liam had to say, held up her hand for attention, “Hey, he’s not done. Willow is right, let him finish.”

“What more needs to be said?” Amalia snapped. “He’s a spy who gave us up to Loki.”

Frowning, Molly said, “He’s a young man who thought you guys were wrong. He knows he made a mistake. He tried to fix it! He’s been trying to fix it for years. I think that means a lot.”

Amalia, when angry, had little control over her temper or her words, be they true or not, “Fix it? By wiping tables and taking out the trash? You think that's good enough?!”

“You don’t know what he’s done to make amends! And what about Granya, huh? He brought her back to camp!”

“One thing? One! That is what it takes for you? Should I shoot your father one day and save Willow the next and you’ll be just fine? What do you know? You’ve lived all your life on Earth. You don’t know any of the struggles we went through. You soft. You didn’t lose anyone because of him. Shut up, Molly.”

Two of the hottest tempers in one room didn’t make for a peaceful evening. Molly felt Micha’s arm around her shoulder. Not to comfort her. Molly popped a brow, “I don’t personally need to have gone through something to have an opinion about it. It doesn't take a genius to guess, Amalia, and maybe you should shut the hell up and let the man finish!”

Amalia scooted to the edge of the couch, “It’s a waste of my time. Nothing he could say can change my mind.”

“Oh of course, why wouldn’t it?” Molly threw up her hands, “I forgot, your head is harder than a brick and as stubborn as a donkey!”

They sounded off insults between the two of them, slowly inching towards each other. Before things got out of control, Natalia placed her hand on Amalia’s shoulder, “Please, Amalia. You don’t have to accept him here. But I want to understand.”

Micha pulled Molly to him, more for keeping things under control than anything else. Although she was fuming Molly didn’t resist. She huffed and crossed her arms. Theo rubbed his face in distress. It was clear how Jovan felt. And though Micha hadn’t said anything, he too was having a hard time with the idea of having Liam around anymore. Granya held in her sorrow, her lip trembling. She struggled between feeling sad for Liam and wondering if she should be as incredulous and offended as the rest of her family. She normally felt at ease being swept along their wave. But she had conflicting thoughts. Maybe there was some truth to Amalia’s words at Molly. Not having known the people before Aarin, Granya only wistfully held affection for them for simply being told they were family. It was easier for her to digest and accept the apology of Liam, who she got along well with, though he had aided in the attack,, based on the pleasant experiences she’s had with him. Granya wondered if this made her a bad person, or if she allowed love or bias to blind her.

“Liam, go on.” Lyov urged him gently.

Willow was tense throughout the barking match between Amalia and Molly, but there was no need for another pair of arms to hold either back. They were both fighting emotions, as anyone would rightfully be doing, but it was clear that one way or another there were people fighting for Liam to have a chance to explain. She offered him a weakly encouraging smile, nodding at Lyov's words. All she could do was hope it'd be an easier pill to swallow with what she knew would come next.

Willow's smile gave Liam courage enough not to back out of his confession. Eyes downcast, Liam continued, “After I told Loki about where you guys were and how to get in, he said he believed he knew me. He knew my family spoke out against him.” Liam explained his shift in perception of Loki. How he had expected mercy for ignorance. But it turned out Liam had been ignorant. And there was no mercy. “I realized the fool I had been and I wanted to do what I could to prevent the carnage in store for you guys. . .” Liam closed his eyes, “They made a pact with Mamon. They were going to sacrifice to him and he was going to help take you all down, as long as he got all of you as slaves.”

That sent an electric tingle through them all. The very thought of going back made them all shudder. They’d have rather died. Theo, who had been trying not to interrupt, said, “We didn’t see him there.”

Liam said, “I stopped the homage. I extinguished the pyre for him and took all the children with me to your hideout.”

There were so much death and turmoil that it was hard to keep it all straight, and although the specifics of their situation in Aarin still trickled to Willow and Molly overtime, it wasn’t impossible to believe Liam’s tale. In addition, so much happened in their past that not all of it was known to Willow and Molly. They learned then that Roxandra Al-Zakhar, Theo’s youngest sibling, had thought to be dead, when in fact she had been taken as a sacrifice.

Jovan noted that he remembered a report that many of their stolen children had returned the night of the assault, “Roxy made it through that night.” Although she died later, Roxandra had lived longer than she would have, if Liam hadn’t stopped the sacrifice that was always meant to happen whether or not he was involved.

Amalia had calmed down by then. Not admitting to anything, she said, “Alright Liam. What next?”

“I hid. I knew Loki would be after me. I went back home to try to convince my family they had to follow all of you to the surface.” He explained what he told Willow, about how his family had not been convinced, so he decided to draw them out by leaving first. How he had left his father behind.

Jovan interrupted here, “I understand you did something good, but that doesn’t change what happened.” He frowned, “Maybe you’re not a bad man, but I can’t have you here. I can’t forgive you.”

At that, Liam nodded, falling into silence. Accepting what was said. But Jovan wasn’t the end of it at all. Theo didn’t look pleased at what his uncle said, “I don’t think that is right, uncle.”

“What is not right?” Jovan challenged.

“Not considering forgiveness. It isn't right for us to talk like that.” Theo frowned.

“He doesn’t deserve it. For what he did. My wife, and my mother Maria too! And more!” Jovan crossed his arms. “I can’t see my way to it.”

Molly shook her head in disagreement with Jovan. She opened her mouth to argue again, but Micha urged her not to begin a yelling match with the old bear. Molly clearly didn’t not seem to care if she did start shouting, but another voice speaking took away the floor. Lyov drew attention from all, though he addressed Jovan specifically, “Tell me, Jovan. Who deserves forgiveness?”

Of all the words Lyov could have said to thwart a reply, he picked the right ones. Jovan felt his throat tighten. He forced himself to speak despite it, “Alexandra was the love of my life--”

“How did you come to have Alexandra as a wife, Jovan?” Lyov asked grimly, with a determined stare of his blue eye. Jovan downcast his gaze in silent shame. “Did her husband accidentally fall on his knife three times on his back?”

Molly gaped, looking at Jovan in a new light. A fuller light. She had sensed all of them had done terrible things in Aarin. The details came bit by bit. Granya didn’t know everything either, clearly, because she too blinked in surprise.

Lyov didn’t back off, “And what about me, who you believe to be such an inspiration? Did I not lose my temper and beat Sasha unconscious when she was young?” Lyov’s calm questioning held the room in silence. The look of surprise on Amalia’s face spoke of her ignorance to knowing her beloved Grandfather had harmed her mother in such a way. She couldn’t imagine this humble, frail, old man swinging a brutal fist at a little Sasha. But he had.

Natalia asked, knowing the answer, but unable to stop herself, “Is that true?”

“Yes,” Lyov nodded gravely, “I am an old man, my memory is spotty, but I will never forget the horrors I have committed. Neither should you, Jovan.” He urged, “One good act cannot erase the bad, and no bad act should have the power to erase the good. I can no more give back the lives I took than you, Jovan, and if anyone here has a debt of blood to pay it is you and me. None of this-- coming to the surface-- is about scrubbing away our past as much as you all hope it will. We can’t scrub anything away.”

Jovan shook his head, frowning, “Then what is it all about? Huh?”

Lyov answered without hesitation, “It is about choosing today to live in love. To choose to be the people we know we must be, to choose now to remember who we were and know that we don’t have to be those people anymore.” He pressed, looking at them all before landing his eye back to Jovan, “We must believe there is good in this world, Jovan. We must believe we can become better. We must have hope. That begins with us. We live as we should. We are the change we wish to see in the world. And that means, just as we would want to be given a chance, when someone has wronged us, we must choose to forgive. To heal. Liam has, thankfully, made efforts to bring healing, but you can’t expect it to ever be enough. No matter what he does to make it better.” Lyov’s voice strained with passion, “That is why we must choose to forgive. Forgiveness, by its very nature, cannot be bought. It can’t be earned. It is, and always will be, a gift and a grace. We have always been the ones to come with our hats in our hands for understanding and forgiveness for our crimes. It is time we show the same mercy to others. Especially now when it would be so easy to reject this young man. If we cannot forgive him then we cannot be forgiven, and all hope is lost!” Lyov turned to Liam, no better a man and no less a human, “Liam, I will respect your decision to leave if anyone of us cannot accept you here, but my door is always open. You may come live with me at my house. I will help you find a job if you lose the one you have here.”

Liam felt his body shaking the entire time that Jovan and Lyov argued. At Lyovs offer he nodded, “I would like that.”

Lyov addressed the room, “Take time if you need it, but don’t disregard him so easily.”

Willow felt just as in relief of Lyov's offer to Liam as the young man did. It was good that someone besides herself stood up and showed compassion. She recognized that not being of blood in this family, not knowing the true effect of a life in Aarin meant she couldn't say that she understood their loss. Liam needed Lyov's kindness and even Theo's words to calm the others of their emotions. Swallowing, she spoke gently, not wanting to overshadow anyone in that moment. "When you're ready Liam," she offered a patient nudge.

Liam nodded to Willow. He opened his mouth and found his emotion choking him silent. He tried again and failed. Seeing his distress to find the words to continue, Molly said, “Why don’t we take a break?”

Amalia, who had become silent in deep reflection, said quietly, “Micha, let’s make lunch.” It would give her time to think. Micha nodded, giving Molly a kiss on her cheek before heading off. Molly offered him a weary smile. It soon fell away as she sat in worry.

Liam got up from his seat and excused himself, half-hidden behind the curtains of the stage as he waited for the final word. He didn’t have the strength to sit on the stool in front of all of those eyes. He hadn’t even finished his whole story. There was no telling if they’d keep him even if they did forgive him. All these years he had been Finn, not once did he, the raven, try to explain who he was to them. Liam didn’t know if that would tip the scales.

Natalia got up, asking, “Father, can I talk to you in private?” Wordless, Jovan got up to follow her out of the pub. There were some questions she had about the past since hearing he had murdered her mother’s previous spouse.

Theo exhaled shakily, “I need to excuse myself to the restroom.” He stood up, "I think everyone should refresh." He gave Willow’s hand a squeeze, "I'll be right back."

Willow nodded as Theo walked off, imagining this was an incredible amount of information for them to come to terms with.She decided that Liam needed to be alone for a few moments, turning her attention to Granya beside her. She'd been quite quiet, and Willow expected her to be dealing with emotions even if so far the story took place in a world she didn't know of. "How are you holding up, Schenok?"

Granya’s worried, uncertain eyes turned from where she watched Liam go, to Willow. She was not sure how to answer. Granya didn’t want to abandon Liam in the hour of his need, but she didn’t want to hurt anyone for her willingness to forgive Liam. She hadn’t been a part of her family's trauma in Aarin. It was easier for her to hear what he had to say and take a chance on him. She knew it had a lot to do with her personal interactions with him. His patience, his kindness. It would be dishonest for her to say otherwise. And while she liked him she didn’t know what this all meant for them in that regard. It would be a lie to say she didn’t want a relationship with Liam. Even now, after hearing everything, Granya only wanted to reach out to Liam.

“Тетя Willow, am I blinded by my affection?” She frowned, tearing, “Because I. . .I do forgive him.” And she was worried she made excuses for a desire rather than looking at the issue objectively. Though she did agree with Lyov, Theo, and Willow on the subject.

Reaching over, Willow stroked her cheek with the back of her knuckle. "Aww, honey, it's okay," she murmured quietly, offering her the same gentle reassurance she had shown Liam in his turmoil. "I don't think it makes you blind at all. Everyone is entitled to respond and feel as they find fit. No one can ever tell you what you're supposed to feel. If you forgive him, then you forgive him, but it's not everyone how they choose to feel and if they can do the same."

Granya briefly closed her eyes as she listened. When she opened her pools of green she nodded. Never before had she been in this position. By all accounts this was probably normal. And no one could tell her how to feel. Granya thought perhaps she had to make sure her decision took that into consideration. That these feelings meant something. Just as long as she made sure she was fair to Liam and to herself, and didn’t allow herself to make a choice out of only one perspective.

“Thank you, Тетя.” Granya smiled wearily, feeling more confident. Everyone's energy had been slowly draining. She could feel the ache of it inside. Finn wanted to hug her cheek, but restrained himself. It would only make what was to come harder. Or so be believed. A lot of Finn’s behavior had changed. Less cuddly, fewer songs. Granya only just started to notice.

Theo returned then, taking his seat by Willow. Granya looked over at the bathroom and decided she wanted to wash her face and maybe braid her hair back. She excused herself, leaving Theo, Willow, and Lyov (who was closing his eye for a short rest between family discussions) at the hearth. Theo turned to Willow, “Красивый, I think I know where you stand,” It was clear she accepted Liam. Now it was for Theo to give his answer, “And I stand with you.”

 

[xrakkax]

No, it wasn’t easy. Theo’s heart still hurt. But he wanted the future they all did, they couldn’t wait for tomorrow. They had to begin now. Theo kissed Willow’s head, “Just be with me, Красивый.” He murmured, resting his head on hers as they waited for the others to return. Theo needed this time to hold her, to think, and to coax his heart to catch up with his head.

Granya came out of the bathroom. But instead of going back to her chair she paused by the stage. Finally, she decided to go to the curtain that shadowed Liam. She pulled the fabric aside. The light over his face caused him to look up. Those pale blue eyes stared in worry. He looked more like a seventeen-year-old boy here than the man who fearlessly intervened against Agnar. Granya asked, “Liam, can I come in?”

Liam nodded, offering her a seat by him on his bedroll. Granya settled beside him, her hands folded on her lap. She and Liam, quiet as ever, communicated much with their expressions and body language. Granya offered him a tiny smile and reached out to hold his hand. Liam bowed his head, cradling his face with this other hand while the one she held squeezed hers gently in gratitude for her support. Liam silently wept. Willow and Molly made their choice known. So did Lyov. And he was so happy they were giving him a chance. But it truly meant so much to know Granya didn’t reject him. He didn’t want to bring his hope too high. They had yet to learn about him being Finn. So he only held Granya’s hand.

Eventually, Liam and Granya came back to the hearth where the others gathered after their light lunch to finish the topic of Liam staying or going. Since Lyov, Theo, Willow, Molly, Micha, and Granya all clearly chose not to send Liam away, the verdict rested on the others.

Amalia spoke first, “Liam, I am not always in control of my temper. I admit I have not fully come down from my anger. But it will pass.” A common occurrence for the Russian dame, “Although you have done wrong I can’t say I haven’t and I would want to be forgiven too. I want you to know you have a place here if you need it.”

Liam nodded, still reserved, in case Jovan or Natalia could not accept him. Granya slipped her hand in his as they waited for the two to give their answer. Liam felt some amount of strength return to him.

Natalia said, “I think you and Lyov are right. We can move forward from this. What he’s done is no better or worse than us. We can’t expect to take without giving the mercy we seek.” She looked to her father, “If anything, mother would want you to give Liam a chance.”

Jovan, who had been grimly standing by inhaled gruffly, “She would have.” he agreed, “But I don’t make this decision on what she would want me to do. I will answer as I believe I must.” He turned to Liam. It was never easy to tell Jovan’s mind. The outward expression did not always match his mood or his words, but Jovan took honesty seriously, “I forgive you, Liam. You are welcome at the Old Bear.”

Liam felt a wave of light-headed relief, “Thank you, thank you.” He swallowed hard, wiping at his eyes. “I promise I will do my best. I sincerely believe in the principles of this family and I hope I can be a part of it.”

Molly, who had been crying quietly for the good news, asked, “Well you are now, aren’t you?”

Liam said, “Well, I think you should hear the rest of my story. I am so grateful that you all have chosen to forgive me. If I walk away with only that, I will be satisfied. But I don’t want to corner any of you into settling on allowing me to stay before I’m finished.”

None of them could think of anything so dire than what was just said, that could sway them. But here Liam urged them to hold on their decision to open their homes and pub to him. Jovan raised a brow, “Speak then, Liam.”

“The last you heard was that I left my father back in Aarin.” Liam looked between them all, knowing this next part was not what they thought it would be, “I didn’t teleport back at camp. I teleported in the east. Far east. I wanted to meet up with you guys. And if not, to at least live free as you, Lyov, had spoken of back in Aarin. I worked my way west to find you. When I arrived in Ireland I came across an assassin from Aarin, sent by Loki, to get you.” Liam explained about his fight and how he used a specific kind of locking spell that encased the caster in a protective shield from everything outside of it, and unless pulled down there would be no escape, to burn the more powerful mage to ash along with him. They were puzzled until he explained his lineage spared him final death. That he reignited into the form of an animal he had once eaten the heart of, and opened his eyes to see Granya where he sat in the rafters of the burnt cottage.

It took a moment for them to catch up. There were gasps all around. Molly blurted, “You’re Finn!” She looked at the bird on Granya’s shoulder, “You’re Liam!?”

Granya, wide-eyed, and blushing, thought of all the times she had changed in front of him. Though she admitted, the raven looked away. Then there were all the times she had spoken so boldly about Liam, and expressed her desire for him in front of Finn. And so many more vulnerable moments. She looked at the albino avian in silent shock.

Hopping off the stunned Granya, the white raven flapped over to Liam and sat on his shoulder, “Yes, I am Liam.” The two said in unison, and both gave Granya an apologetic look coupled with a sheepish smile. “I couldn’t speak at the time to tell you who I was. I was too young. Granya took me. She named me Finn. By the time I was able to speak, I didn’t know what to do. I just kind of. . .went along with it.” They watched as either both spoke at once, or their sentences flowed easily between the two of them. “My mother, Caitlin, and my father Cillian are the reasons why I am what I am. And why I can do what I can do.” He said this form is as legitimately himself as his cat or his raven, and now an eagle due to the fight in the woods at camp. “I ate the heart of the black eagle. Then I commanded the carcass to form into his body.” A thing none of them could do, but he had the ability passed to him from his parents.

“You’re Peanut!?” Molly exclaimed. The rest of them were at a loss for words at the moment. They were reflecting on the past and how his story fitted perfectly with what had happened. All the times he got ‘sick’ when the McQueen family came around and how he got along so well with everyone.

“Yes, I am.” Liam sighed. The kind of exhale that you’d expect from a man who hoped his toddler's nickname would die.

“Is it. . .is what you are--- are you real?” Molly asked, clarifying, “Is it like, a true, real human one?”

Liam nodded, “Fully homo sapien. I am no different in DNA than any of your species. There would be no possible way to differentiate because there is nothing to differentiate. I am a human. I am just the son of a Púca and a Cat Sí.”

Like Willow, the family took a moment to process all of this. Not for the exact same reasons. They knew people like Liam were possible when two such species came together. It was what this meant for Granya and her reliance on Finn for protection, for Liam’s place in their lives, and if Lyov would still allow Liam to come to his house-- or rather, to stay. Not to mention why he had avoided his family.

Theo looked at Willow with wide eyes, “You knew. He told you everything.” He said, not to confirm, but to state. Willow had even encouraged Liam and Granya to hang out. It was clear where she stood on the issue. Molly made it more apparent from her gaping look of schoolgirl delight between them. Theo looked up at his family, “Uh, do we. . .does he still stay?” He asked, completely confused. Too confused to react as he might have if his mind wasn't foggy with so much all in one day.

No one else knew. They looked at each other for the answer. Liam had done much to influence their lives. Then he spent years living with them. They trusted him. And no one could deny his bravery when he decided to risk exposure to save Willow and Granya back at camp. He had come out, wearing a loincloth, ready for the consequences if it came down to it. But the question of if he should stay with Granya and if they were willing to continue with him there still stood.

Jovan shook his head, befuddled, “Father? What say you?” He asked Lyov. It was the only person he figured might have some wisdom to add.

“Oh I don’t know.” Lyov chuckled, “I haven’t changed my mind, if that is what you’re asking. I trust Liam. If you hold to your forgiveness and agree he’s not a threat, I don’t see why this would change any of that. But if he should stay with Granya and if he should contact his family, and what they’ll have to say about it, well. . .” The old man shrugged, “That’s between Granya, Liam, and his family.”

They all turned to look at Granya. She was just as speechless as she had been when Liam dropped the news. Her cheeks were pinker than a hypericum berry. All the little moments between Liam and herself, added with the years spent with Finn, began to paint a picture of a man she both knew everything about and nothing. One thing she realized she was grateful for was that Liam had not tried to push for a relationship with the situation as it was, what with the stakes being she could have lost someone as soon as she got them. Granya believed she would have struggled with what she thought was real and what was selfish manipulation if he had done otherwise. And maybe Liam, as Finn, knew that. Maybe he kept a distance knowing all of these things about her and didn’t want to disrespect her to even have a shadow of the thought that he did it for his own gain. Granya felt that answer fill her with a calm peace. That it was right. She blinked out of her thoughts and met their gazes. They had their opinions. She could tell. Granya saw it in their eyes. Most were uncertain and all struggled to accept that Granya may well decide to keep Finn and invite Liam into her personal, intimate life. She was their baby. Now she was on the cusp of adulthood. What surprised her was Micha and Theo the most.

“Well, Shchenok, do you need time?” Micha asked, not at all aggressive or coddling as she expected. A glance at Molly told Granya she may well be the reason why. The idea of Liam and Granya as a thing had been a hot topic for a while with many nights of arguing. By now Micha had been worn down to be receptive of Granya’s decision.

The rest of them had always left the final word to Theo. He had taken the brunt of the responsibility like a pseudo father. Theo realized what was going on here. All those little talks about Liam being a permanent part of the family, the prodding to think about how cool of a guy Liam was, and how seeing Granya coming out of her shell around the white man--it all fell like a load of bricks on him right then. As much as he wanted to outright refuse, he knew he had been losing authority over Granya for some time now. All it took was one more year and not even the law could prevent her from making her own choices.

Theo cleared his throat, “Granya, you should think about it.” Because no. And because, well no. Not his puppy. Theo looked at Willow. He pursed his lips and popped a brow, “You. . .you sent them to pottery class!” He said, almost accusingly.

 

[Soliloquy]

The reveal had felt like sheer agony to Willow, seated respectfully quiet though in her head she screamed for him to hurry. Her heart had told her that once they saw what a part of their life he'd been, how he'd always treated Granya respectfully as well as the rest of the family, it had to erase any doubt they had. A small part of her thought it could have been significantly easier if she hadn't been holding it in for the past month. She felt as though she'd seen a movie before them and was biting tongue and cheek to keep from spoiling the ending for everyone. Finally, when everything was laid out on the table she exhaled, feeling a fraction of the relief of Liam.

Theo's accusations were met with a mere shrug of her shoulders. It had been a lot to swallow the first night, but she stood by her decision to this moment to let Liam be the one who shared his story. She knew that his soul may have been tainted one day years prior, but she felt that as he was born the Raven, he was given another chance at life, at their lives. Fate placed him in their hands and everything just felt like it aligned too well to be anything but.

It might have normally been adorned on Theo's face, but right then Willow was the one wearing an impish smile. "No, I did not. I accompanied them and was a very responsible chaperone," she defended herself with a pointed finger back at him. "All I did was give them time to be together without bear uncles to shoo them apart or try to say she's having an allergic reaction."

Before Theo could defend himself he was set upon by the females of the family. Molly scoffed, “Allergic reaction? Theooo.” Molly rung out his name like a dirty washcloth.

“Granya said she felt her stomach was uneasy,” Theo argued first, turning back to Willow to say his piece, but girls hadn’t finished with him.

Natalia tsc’d, “Willow was right to do so. Look at you, giving him a hard time.” A far less harder time then before this point, but still a hard time.

Even Amalia, who had struggled to like Liam at this point felt the need to step in here for females everywhere, “Theo, she is not gonna be a child forever. She’s nearly eighteen.”

Theo scoffed and pointed a finger at himself, “I didn’t say that.”

“You don’t have to say the words, we know that’s what you think.” Amalia rightly accused.

“How am I in trouble?” Theo threw up his hand.

Micha began to laugh, hearing this go down similarly to when Molly and him argued, “Theo, is no use, just say ‘okay’, you’re not getting anywhere with this.”

Theo shifted his tactics, looking at Liam, “Have you kissed her? Have you put your mouth on her mouth?”

Liam, blinking between them answered truthfully, “I-- I haven't--”

“But you want to! I see it in your eyes!” Theo squinted, now his pointer directed at the ivory man.

"Maybe you mistake," Jovan said.

"Mistake?" Theo raised a brow.

"Maybe you see him adjust his hair. Don't worry, is only just silky." Jovan relished how the tables have turned.

Theo pressed a hand to his heart in offense, "Ah!" He scoffed, "My hair really is silky!"

Willow was basking in the back and forth of Granya's protective family and how especially the women came together to her side. It felt as though the worst had come to pass, even small jests being thrown by prickly Jovan. She chuckled and smirked over at Theo. "Almost as silky as your words, krasavchik," she wiggled her brows as he often did. "Now stop being a grouch and let them be young. Otherwise we can always finish this discussion at home tonight, if you want." Even unarmed of magic and a part of their family for less than a year, she felt an almost maternal instinct toward Granya, which included letting her blossom.

Theo sighed. He buried his face against WIllows neck and mumbled noncommittal arguments that only served to make him feel better and did nothing for his cause. Finally peered up from his brief retreat, “Alright. Granya, what say you?” He was curious. And also ready to have it done with and be over. There were better things he’d like to do than argue at home. Things that came to mind when Willow wiggled her eyebrows.

While everyone wanted to know the result of this situation, no one there yearned for the answer more than Liam who looked over at Granya, fully open and honest, and vulnerable. If there was one person here who could crush him with a word, or a look, it would be her. He held his breath.

Granya stood up. She didn’t need any more time. What was done was done. And in her usual way she made herself clear in silence. Granya walked up to Liam with himself on his own shoulder. Granya raised her arm and turned her palm up at the white raven. Liam broke out in a smile filled with relief and joy. Finn hopped up to her shoulder. He tentatively rested his beak against her cheek and closed his eyes. Liam felt every bit of the avian embrace.

The decision was made. But the moment wasn’t over yet. Granya observed Willow in the arms of Theo. And she knew exactly how she wanted to set the tone for the relationship she wanted with Liam. Granya boldly turned and then backed up to sit on Liam's lap. She fit like a glove. Liam wrapped his arms around Granya without worry over how this might be taken by the others, specifically the men who spoke out in protest. Granya had accepted him. All the world faded. It was just him and her. There was nothing more to discuss. Words would have failed him anyway. Besides, Liam was sure she understood. Granya smiled.

Molly let out her girly squeal. She gripped Micha’s shoulder and wiggled him back and forth. The man whined, though he endured it. The worst of the reactions came from a grumbling Theo, a hesitant Amalia, and a skeptical Jovan. The rest were pleasantly content to see Granya and Liam coming together. Willow was over the moon about everything working out and unbelievably glad she had trusted her gut on everything. The two of them were a picture of serene comfort and even if the uncles might bark, their strong women would make sure there was no biting. Besides, this meant plenty of time for better ways to have her evening with Theo, something she was quite fond of indeed.

Though the grumpiest of them didn’t want to admit it, a change occurred. One that defined their future because of the actions of the present. Hope held out. And it would be this hope that they would need. For as they all broke down their walls and cracked those jokes, and though she didn’t bring it up here, Molly felt something was coming.

 

[xrakkax]

Though dread loomed faintly at the back of Molly's mind, Liam could not have been more joyful that night. Coming clean had been the roller coaster of his life. It would take time to bridge the gaps between him, Amalia and Jovan for sure, but he believed it was worth it. Even if it meant sleeping on stage for another few months. Thankfully it seemed Fate, and Lyov, had a little more mercy in store for him.

"Well Liam, it looks like you will be keeping your job." Lyov smiled, "But a stage is no place to live. My offer of my home is still up."

Liam hesitated, looking to Theo who didn't seem pleased, "Uh, maybe."

Lyov caught on, "Oh Theo, really." he shook his head.

Theo could already see the wave coming for him if he put his foot down entirely, so he decided to work things out, "Fine. You can live there, but only on the condition that you and Granya do not go past first base in house." He was sure he couldn't stop kissing. And he wouldn't get away with putting that rule down. But Theo managed to deflect resistance from even Willow on the matter of second and third base.

"Alright, I agree." Liam nodded. Granya had no argument, though her cheeks flushed. She agreed as well.

"Deal," Theo shook their hands to seal it.

The next step in Liam’s new life on Earth meant reconnecting with his family. That had been surprisingly difficult to do. Liam knew it wasn’t going to be the kind of soul-crushing experience as confessing to the Russian family of his past, but facing them after abandoning his father in Aarin and then avoiding them did not make it easy. Granya gave him strength by being at his side. Theo, Willow, Micha, and Molly came too. Just in case Liam needed more support in addition to Theo hoping to ask about Ireland.

The initial surprise and tearful embrace were expected. They did not, however, expect all the family to only call Liam ‘Peanut’. It was obvious he endured it out of love. And how much he wished the nickname had never existed. Even his raven form-- called Finn to keep away confusion-- was not spared.

Once the family went through the joy, grief, and joy again of having Liam back, they invited them all to stay and eat. They feasted, sang, and danced. At the end of it, Caitlin told Liam he’d have to acquire an Irish brogue since they were Irish on Earth now. In addition, he’d have to take the name McQueen. A play on words since the women chose it for the word the surface people used for a female cat; ‘Queen’. Many people of Aarin had no last names. Theo explained they all kept their first names, which made it a little easier to choose which ethnicity to go with on Earth. Then they’d choose matching last names.

Before they all left Caitlin tried to convince Liam to come with them to Ireland. They missed him. They wanted more time than a few days. Liam admitted at that point that he had fallen in love with Granya and didn’t want to leave her. (Theo mouthed ‘fallen in love’ to Willow and air-quoted the words when Liam and Granya weren't looking, clearly not convinced.) Liam said to his family that, maybe one day, if Granya felt confident, they would go to Ireland. But for now, they could just extend their stay.

Here, Theo ceased his playing around behind them and chimed in to explain why things might still work out. Theo and Willow were headed to Galway in Ireland for a wedding. They planned on coming a little earlier, after Moon-Fishing on the twenty-fifth of October, to visit them at Shae’s new Inn. The one she got the year before that was being refurbished. The McQueen’s decision to extend their stay with Alassiel and leave with them to Ireland. Meanwhile, they would play on Fridays at the Old Bear, giving the locals an Irish flavor before they left. Willow and Molly noticed, here and there, hints to how Jovan felt about Mrs.Caitlin McQueen. A look, a smile. Nothing too obvious. Molly and Willow secretly rooted for the pairing. Maybe a new love would soften up the old bear who had so many tough scars.

Adjusting to Liam and Granya being a couple took time for Theo. Liam spent much time with Granya. More than what Theo would have suggested for young love (though, if it were Theo and Willow, to him they were the ‘obvious’ exceptions to any rule he could think of to set for Granya). The biggest issue Theo had was that Lyov allowed Liam to take Theo’s old room. That meant Liam was a few nightly tip-toes away from Granya. Liam promised he hadn’t done anything. He would say so too, when Theo gave him a look; “I didn’t do anything.” But Theo was pretty sure Liam added ‘yet’ at the end of his sentence in the young man's head. Probably because Theo wouldn’t have spared much time if it were him and Willow. Then of course, there was Liam and Granya being spotted here and there in some embrace and word of a kiss or two.

There were some developments that made it difficult for Theo to be obstinate about it though. For one, Granya kept the pottery classes up. Although Liam went with her, Theo was glad Granya was getting out of the house more often. Going out into the sunlight had been something Theo had tried to get Granya to do on a regular basis. Granya started not wearing her trench coat all the time. Occasionally she did when she missed the scent and feel of her father’s jacket. This wasn’t quite enough for Theo, but before he could complain that this wasn’t the best situation people thought it was, Granya decided to take a regular job at the Old Bear. She wasn’t a chatter box by any means but she fit in with the flow of the pub. Granya and Liam took the stage on Friday’s once in a while. Some Russian folk songs, some Irish to keep up his ruse as an immigrant from Ireland. This meant little to no time for endless gaming. This meant a life built with a community. Theo finally chose not to grumble anymore. Perhaps this was good like people said after all.

Liam McQueen was a local heartthrob at the pub. Especially since he took on his mother’s advice for that Irish accent. Girls collected to hear him sing. Granya hadn’t dealt with jealousy in regards to a significant other before. It came on a little strong. She didn’t say a word to the offending women though. Only glared at a few girls. It was only the loud ones who ever tried to start anything with Granya. Liam had his share of insecure moments. Granya had grown into the proper figure of a woman. A few men had hit on her. However, in the end, Liam and Granya found in each other trust and safety. Over and over, until those ugly feelings had no place to grow in them or between them.

One night, in particular, Theo was defeated all over again when he could not deny the look on Granya’s face when Liam sang to her. It wasn’t unusual, now, for them to take turns on stage as Theo and Willow had done. There was just something about it. A shift. Granya had found the right kind of guy.




The days passed, Theo got used to Liam with Granya. He turned his focus on the more important things than griping about the inevitables of life. On September eighteenth he took out Willow for their first-year anniversary of when he decided they became a couple. Though it wasn’t technically recognized until a week later. With the help of the others, Willow believed that was it. That was all he had going. But! Lo, a week later, Theo didn’t drive home Sunday afternoon. He blind-folded Willow and giggled like a love-struck boy all the way to Act 2 of his gift. Theo surprised Willow with recreating their first real date as best he could without Almaeri. His ‘friend’ at the park horse ranch last time had been just himself. While their day lacked a few elements due to not being able to use Almaeri, it did not lack in love.

October Moon-Fishing came and went. This time Liam got to come. He kept watch all night as the raven. When she had to be undressed he still had to go with the men to the cabin so the women could handle that part, but he may or may not have tried to steal a glance as Finn. In the end the guilt of crossing the line kept his eyes chaste. When they came off the boat on the twenty-fifth, the family said their farewell to the McQueen women, Theo, and Willow.

It felt like a whirlwind. They were all in a van, chatting, talking about what they’d see in Ireland. Then they were shuffling through security, taking Bandit in a carry-case to their first-class seats, and soon taking off. The flight took them nearly a day. Theo and Willow fell asleep in each other's arms.

Friday, October 26, 2018​

Dawn broke on the twenty-sixth. Ireland received them in rain that nourished the Emerald Isle. Theo and Willow quickly learned if it didn’t rain in the morning, it would at night. The road trip to Shae’s Inn and pub was a journey in and of itself. The old stone walls, ruined castles, farmland, cottages, cities with character-- all of it fascinated Theo. The McQueens and Alassiel pointed out various landmarks and told them of old stories of leprechauns and gold, and Banshee. Alassiel told them of the selkies here. When before these may have seemed like cute folksy stories, Willow knew they might well be true.

Finally, they arrived in south Galway, in Kinvarra. The small town felt cozy and mysterious next to the woods. The McQueen women helped Theo and Willow out of the rented bus that took them there. Alassiel excused herself. She had business elsewhere. Deirdre insisted on taking Theo and Willow's luggage with the help of Moira. Willow was allowed one easy bag to carry inside. Theo took it off her hands anyway. This was a visit to relax with friends before the arduous wedding. Theo wrapped his arm around Willow and they both took a long look at the old Inn and tavern. It was like the Old Bear in that the pub and restaurant had an attached upstairs dwelling area. The difference here being that Shae wanted a proper Inn. It had two grand suites and a couple rooms that were more like very large closets. They had to make due, so they put bedrolls in those smaller rooms. They were lumpy and they rented cheap. But soon the refurbishing would pay off. They’d convert them into nice, respectable rentable rooms.

“Whatcha t’ink?” Una asked about their thoughts of the Inn while getting the mail gathering in the box. They had a friend occasionally come to collect it. Looks like today they were too busy. And perhaps yesterday they didn’t make it. There was a lot to bring in all at once. Either their friend wasn’t as diligent or they were popular. The envelope on top of the stack indicated to Theo that diligence had to have been lacking. Especially since the address was written poorly, and the ink had been smudged by rainfall.

 

[Soliloquy]

Similar to Molly, Willow was very much Team Liam+Granya. As the two gradually embraced each other, she wasn't afraid to step in between them and overbearing uncles. She brought up Theo's own actions on more than one occasion until he was somewhat tolerant, a tolerance that gradually built with time. He was finally allowing his niece to grow into a young woman with thoughts and desires of her own. Now Willow only had to worry about what sort of a reaction he'd have if they were ever blessed with a girl of their own who would no doubt inherit both parents' appealing facial structures and father's charm.

New love might have been blossoming, but a slowly aging love was just as bright as it had been a year later. Willow was pleased with the first part of his gift, though his second made her heart flutter like the first day. The date was a replication, though it might have had a more heated ending than their first, alone in each other's arms with no one but the woods to tell on them. It was a night that only added affirmation to the choice she had made in April to stay in his life and begin their family together.

The excitement of their trip was more for a chance at extended time alone with Theo, something she realized as they were driving with the McQueens to the airport. While she'd be glad if her brother really had found someone he wanted to settle down with, the two had been distant for so long it was hard to imagine his are more than a teenager with loud music and a fast car. The flight was agonizingly long, and even in first class wasn't nearly enough space compared to her usual constant movements at the pub. Arriving in Ireland she felt cramped, exhausted and groggy. A cup of airport coffee she clung to on the drive to the Inn seemed to help, at least so she could enjoy the ride and seeing Shae's Inn for the first time.

Willow's favorite thing from landing had to be the scent they were greeted with by the Green Isle. Nature was pouring itself out, an earthy smell that was like freshly mowed grass on high which she happily breathed in with a drowsy smile. She might have been in love with the smell of the ocean growing up, but this was decidedly a close second she could get used to. Pausing just outside the Pub, she was immediately in love with it. "It's wonderful," she answered Una with a broad smile, admiring just how quaint it appeared from the outside. "I could just be blissfully American, but it feels like you've bottled up all the Irish charm in on place. If we were traveling alone, this is exactly where I'd want to stay."

Theo smiled, “Is wonderful! You got cheap, Da?”

“Yeh, basically a transfer of ownership for a song. The old couple are out the door and retired.” Una headed inside with them, “C’mon I’ll show yeh around.”

The tour didn’t last long. It wasn’t a huge place but it felt inviting. They got a look around the hundred-year-old posters, the handcrafted wood, the Irish lace curtains, they saw classic Irish instruments waiting for the right player to come for them. They learned that when the British forbade the Irish from playing instruments they could carry, the Irish made some for sitting. And proceeded to play them where the British didn’t want them to anyway. They heard about the Potato Famine, that it wasn’t the kind of plague people heard about. The British knew it was coming and sent soldiers to guard the fresh food of Ireland from the people, so they had to be forced to eat potatoes, and made it either illegal or difficult to get the readily available food, to starve them or force them out. Massive unmarked graves were still being discovered in there day and age. The history of Ireland could be summed up in her songs. Lovers lost, lands lost, and wayward souls yearning for their homeland. Theo felt a connection to that sentiment.

Una said, “I hope we can get you two to sing. We’d love to show you off.” She grinned, “We’re not shy about flaunting the best. And the two of you are among the better duo’s I’ve heard.” Theo agreed, “Willow?”

Hearing the story differently than she'd learned in school was an eye opener, though not a complete surprise. She had always expected that those who wrote history did it in such a way that it was most comfortable for them to live with. No one was in the wrong in their own story as long as they could villainize the opposing forces and make themselves into the hero. She particularly enjoyed their way of refusing to give up their passion of music just because the English were being tyrants. Though she might not have had the threat of death against her, Willow could relate to the sense of defiance. At Una's suggestion of them singing, she agreed, looping her arm through Theo's and looking up at him. "Travel across the road to still end up on a pub stage with you on a Friday night, huh? You are quite the creature of habit, Krasavchik."

Theo grinned, “Is all part of big plan, you see I meet you, I marry you, and then we sing all over.”

"Hmm, but we seem to be doing your plan out of order. The last I checked, there was still a good two-thirds of a year before I decide if 'I do' or not. You better sing your heart out or an Irish man with better lungs could come sweep me off my feet," she wiggled her brows in jest.

Una chuckled, “You two are adorable. I’ll get the keys to your room.”

Theo leaned to Willow and purred, “I will do more than sweep off feet to night.” Willow felt a soft pinch to her backside.

Just then Una returned and gestured for them to follow. They went upstairs and were met by two fancy doors. They were for the grand suites. Una past the first one to open the second. When she got to the knob she saw a ‘do not disturb’ sign, “Fek, what the-- Ma!” Una called, asking what the business was with the sign. A quick talk later and they learned a guest had come in the day to rent it before they landed in Ireland. Nothing to do about it now, unless they planned on kicking the sweet old maid out.

“Is okay, what about this one?” Theo gestured to the other door.

Una hummed in thought, “I dunno, that ones technically reserved.”

“Reserved?” Theo asked.

“Yeh, even before us, with the old couple, someone had set monthly payments to keep it at the ready at any time they dropped in on the Inn.” Una tapped her chin, “But the last time its ever been used has been seven or eight years ago.” She glanced back down the way. The other rooms were smaller. Lumpy beds. Tiny chests for their things. “You know what? Fek it. It’s clean, it’s empty. I don’t expect the woman to pop out suddenly after seven years. Take it.” She unlocked the door. They walked in and it felt like the walls had been designed to keep noise in and keep noise out.

Theo and Willow were treated with a lovely sight. The bed took center stage in the far back. Four-poster, with expensive sheets. To their left, a hearth with a comfy, beautiful love-seat and a handcrafted side table. To their right, a large bath. The closet fit nicely with the rest of the room and had plenty of space.

“Woo, very nice.” Theo set down his bag. The rest of their things would come soon enough. It almost made it hard to want to come down and eat.

“Yeh, the woman who put this together had good taste. It’s all authentic, all Irish. And very expensive.” Una turned when her sisters came up with the rest of their bags.

Moira sighed, “Oh I always wanted a night here. Looks like the kind of place you’d take a fella.”

“Yeh, I think that’s why she had it too.” Una chuckled.

“For fellas?” Deirdre asked for clarification.

Moira nodded, “Old couple didn’t say a word. The money was ripe. Still is.”

Willow was admittedly pleased to hear Una's decision to keep them in one of the suites, a feeling that only grew at the sight of it. Walking up, she ran a finger along one of the bed posts, admiring the beautiful craftsmanship. She enjoyed the furniture they had at home, but this was art you could sleep in. Turning back to the door, a coy grin slipped on her face. "Well, let's hope I've brought the right fella with me then."

Theo wiggled his eyebrows at Willow, grinning, “I could tell you, or I could show you.” Theo purred.

Chuckling at the cute back and forth, Deirdre opened the closet to put their bags in for the time being. When the contents were revealed the room stopped to wonder. There were several kinds of themed outfits. For men and women. A part of the closet had ropes of silk looped over hangers made for them. Just below was a black box without a key. Their imagination had to give them a clue to what was inside.

Theo raised his brows, “Look at all those costumes.”

Deirdre couldn’t help but laugh, wondering if this was some kind of love nest, “Well now, who is this woman?”

“What was her name, Moira?” Una asked.

“Oh uh--” She grunted as she set the last bag in their room. “It’s on the bill. Cristine something? Her last name escapes me. It was French.”

Deirdre chimed in, “De Lafaytte.”

Theo thought that a pleasant name and nothing more. His interest lay primarily in the direction of the tub. If it was good enough for someone seven years ago-- or eight, whichever--it was good enough now.

The closet was teeming with suggestion as to what purpose the luxurious room had served, though that might have just been fueled by Theo's familiar purr. "And you thought I had ridiculous ideas for designing the bedroom," she murmured, though the sight did summon a faint pink blush to her cheeks.

Mention of the prior owner lightly struck a chord of familiarity, though she couldn't quite place it. "Clearly Miss De Lafaytte is quite the bold woman. Better hope she doesn't show up for her room or she'll have you in those ropes." What had sounded as a menacing threat in her head did not deliver well on tongue, only adding to the color on her cheeks. Clearing her throat, she meant to move past it as quickly as the others would allow. "So, dinner? The airline food hasn't tied me over very well."

 

[xrakkax]

Theo caught every change in color of her cheeks. He had those thoughts too, and impishly winked at her when he wrapped his arm around her shoulders, “Dinner.” he agreed.

“Right this way, love birds,” Moira chuckled, leaving with her sisters.

They met with Shae downstairs. She had already started managing the flow of patrons and food. She got them a table with a view of the rainy street and easy access to both the bathroom and the stairs to their room. Moira informed them that they had a buffet and waiter service they wanted to try out. It was a buffet price and selection, all you can eat, but the waiter brought you your food.

Theo enjoyed picking dishes Willow didn’t, so they could share bites between them without ordering too much. They basked in the warm lamplight, the music, and the joined in the dancing. Theo’s favorite song had to be Shae’s rendition of an old Irish folk song.



Amidst the festivities, the lights shut off. The gas in the stoves that cooked their food poofed into air. The music halted. Concern murmured throughout the Inn. Above them rose Mrs. McQueen’s call, “What the fek happened?”

Una sighed, “Ma, I think the returned mail had been the gas and electric.”

“Shite.” Mrs. McQueen pulled out her phone. She hated doing payments over the wire. In her opinion the more they managed business in hard paper the better.

Moira shouted, “You’re welcome to stay, but if you want to go we understand.”

At that, Theo took Willow by the hand. He had thoughts of hot water and bubbles floating around in his head, “Come on, let’s get upstairs.” he urged.

Willow grinned at the offer, falling in step beside him and bidding the other women a pleasant evening with promises to continue the next night.

While Theo and Willow waited for the lights to turn back on they set up for bed before the bath. Brushed teeth, set aside some fun items from the closet, got their towels in easy reach, and just when they were wondering if a hot bath was possible, the lights flickered on. Theo spared no time in being his normal, sensual self, bringing his lover to the bath where he got those bubbles to fluff around them. Turns out he wasn’t a fan of the bubbles. But Willow more than made up for it. They spent a while enveloped in each other’s embrace in the tub before drying off and heading for bed.

The next morning they were expected to come down for breakfast. They were pleasantly delayed. When they did come down they enjoyed a hearty Irish breakfast. The food delighted Theo, who had not had such flavors before. He decided to take notes for the pub. Maybe Jovan would have some of this for Saint Patrick's Day.

Willow was surprised that come an early morning start she didn't feel nearly as tired as she would have expected. She might have attributed it to their lengthy bath the night prior or the hearty meal the McQueens had supplied the night prior. Either way, she was taking this as a preview to just what they'd need to indulge in next summer when they'd escape away on their honeymoon.

Coming down to breakfast, she was a bit surprised to see how full the plates they were presented were. None of it was new to her, though very little of it a 'typical' breakfast dish from how she'd been raised. Still, she gave it a chance and was pleasantly surprised. "This is delicious," she said around a bite of the baked beans. She could tell it was a meal meant to fill you up and get you going for the day which she was sure it would.

Theo’s mouth was too full to say, so he nodded in agreement. Oh boy was he hungry! And feeling great too. He had missed this kind of time with Willow. Between work, the pub, and stressing over Liam-- even considering enchanting the doorknobs, but decided against it when he mentioned it to Willow--Theo was glad for this time with her.

“Alright, kids,” Mrs. McQueen came to their tableside, “I want you two to have fun here. We got lunch packed for the both of you. You got to see Dunguaire castle. It’s beautiful. It’s similar in build to the one Gwen lived in, the one I saved from the ghost Warlord. All mighty, it became a splendid home she got out and managed to come back, to drive out the phantom.”

Theo sipped to clear his mouth, “We know that story. That castle is the entrance to the valley where the center of the void is, I think. Natalia tells it well. Have you seen Haruki since?”

“I have. Shortly before we left. He’s trying and failing to bring what is on Earth, into Aarin.” She didn’t look at all convinced it would happen. “He’s miserable. But, the man won’t give up until the sky is weepin’ red.”

“You mean the prophecy he found?”

“Yeh, the one in the void.” Caitlin said, absentmindedly pulling out her phone to check the time, “Says he might not be able to stop it, but he hoped to have some peace in Aarin beforehand. God love ‘im, but I don’t think that’ll be. The place is a dark hell hole and it deserves to be buried if you know what I mean.” Caitlin heard a Bing! She checked her phone again. “I’ll let you go. I got some talkin’ to do with my neighbor. The one that smudge my gas and electric bill. If we didn’t have ‘Return to Sender’, I’d be fek’d. I put a pretty penny in that envelope.”

“See you later for dinner,” Theo waved.

“Yeh, see you.” Caitlin nodded with a smile

Willow was finishing up her breakfast with a comforting cup of coffee when Caitlin joined them, only to be eager to usher them out the door! It was a sweet sentiment though, and she would have kicked herself if they didn't get out and see everything they could while they were on their small vacation. The talk of a castle had her brimming with excitement, taking down a longer gulp to wrap up breakfast a bit faster.

She nodded at the mention of the tale she was familiar with, a big fan of Natalia's telling of any story. Gradually she was getting pieces of their world over time, and though the picture would likely never be complete, she did enjoy the glimpses she gained. This particular piece of the puzzle was just as dark as many others had been, and she was pleased to hear it wasn't her sky she needed to worry about turning red.

Mrs. McQueen gave Willow an approving look, “Willow I like your outfit.”

At Caitlin's compliment, she grinned, looking down at her sweater dress and leggings, glad she had guessed right that a more fallsy attire would be more welcomed in Ireland than it was in the Texas heat. The light cream color had been a bold move as she was finishing up with Satan's Waterfall for the month, though she decided it was worth the risk.



"Aww, thank you!" she glowed at the older woman's words.

“You’re welcome,” Mrs. McQueen winked before she left.

Theo leaned and gave Willow a kiss. “My Красивый, always so pretty.”

Once they were finished with their breakfast it was late in the morning. Theo and Willow strolled to many beautiful places. And though it rained he felt happy. Rain on Earth meant peace, growth, and renewal. Not acid spit from a passing swamp moth. The two of them eventually got to tour the castle Dunguaire. Theo felt like he got a peek into an old fairy tale.

“I think I have seen this place before,” Theo scratched his chin. “Or maybe Natalia is that good, that I feel I been here.” He walked through the archway in interest. He pointed to the massive double wooden doors braced in iron. “That is the doors to the Center of the World. Or so they say. Well, the one back in Aarin anyway.” He chuckled. They lead to the voidlands. A place where they believed the corpses of the dead that sank into the Earth gathered, to destroy the Galbudahabi, or roughly translated “Gold Heart”, before it could be placed in the center and vanquish the dwelling of their evil brethren. As Natalia tells it, it would be the end of the reign of terror in Aarin and lead a path to New Life on Earth. "Oh, Willow," Theo pointed out the top of the battlements, "That is where Gwen was sitting when Haruki and Ryuu came." He walked around, feeling like the castle was practically taken from Aarin and put on Earth.

Willow was enjoying his reactions to everything just as much as she was the actual sights. She was taking plenty of pictures of the different wonders that Ireland offered around them, both for her scrapbook and also so that she could share them with their family once they'd returned home. Walking into the castle Dunguaire she was immediately in awe at the aged stone that towered about them. "It's magnificent," she breathed, making sure to snap a picture of the battlements. "Pardon the expression, but this is all so magical. I love it!"

“Agreed, look at that sky!” Theo beamed, taking his own pictures. They had a bunch filling up the phone. But he couldn’t help it! Willow was featured in many of them. A few strangers were helpful assistants for a few couple pictures. Thinking it over, Theo decided to try to get their ‘engagement’ photos at the castle. Better a few months late than never!

They ate lunch from the bags they were given. The food was hot and delicious. On the way back they stopped at a bar or two, getting a drink, feeling out the character of the country. They got caught up in a humorous talk with a couple of old men who had no problem poking fun at themselves and others, good-naturedly.

By the end of the day Theo was ready to cuddle up with Willow. The rain began to fall again. Theo thought it would be great to get some tea and listen to it. He was on his way upstairs with Willow to do just that when his phone rang. Normally, this late, Theo would have ignored it. But something told him to check. He pulled it out and saw Molly was calling him. Theo answered, “Hello Myshka, what’s up?”

“You guys at the Inn still?”

“Yeah,” Theo said, going into the room and kicking off his shoes.

“Okay well, this might sound strange but you can’t sleep in your room tonight.”

Theo looked puzzled, pulling the phone away and turning on speaker. He motioned for Willow to listen in, “What was that?”

“You can’t sleep in your room tonight.”

“Why?” Theo asked.

“I went to IKEA with Micha, we are looking for furniture for a house-- we proposed to each other, by the way, it was sweet I loved it--anyway, I saw one of their stalls with a picture of an Irish cottage and I felt dread wash over me.” Molly said she didn’t know why but the feeling built up as the day went on. “When I got home I went to put my bags on the bed and I felt sick, really sick. I thought of you two as well. My skin got really warm. I don’t know what this means. I could be wrong, but I insist you do not sleep in your room tonight.”

Theo frowned, “There is only this room. The other is occupied.” Well, there were the lumpy bedroll rooms.

“Then rent somewhere else, I don’t care. Don’t sleep in that room. Is Willow there? Willow?” Molly called, “Willow you have to listen to me. Don’t sleep in your rented room. Sleep on the damn floor out in the street if you have to. Break into someone's house and use theirs. I don’t know why, I don’t know what, but that is what I know. You got to promise me. I want to hear you say it.”

 

[Soliloquy]

Their day had been lovely and things were winding down nicely after their adventures came to an end. She was worn out, jet lag catching up to her likely aided by the time out and had already begun to undress when Theo was answering his phone. She stifled a yawn, coming to lean against him and listen to what was going on. Her brows furrowed together as she listened to the warning Molly had felt. "I mean..." she trailed off, trying to imagine just where they were supposed to stay. "I guess we can try to find somewhere else. You're sure it's the room we're in now? And you didn't feel this way about it before?"

“Yes.” Molly said definitively. She had no idea where they were. She hadn’t seen the Inn, she didn’t know about the smaller rooms with lumpy bedrolls. Molly only knew ‘their current room’ must not be slept in that night.

Theo scruffed his chin in thought. It was nearly midnight. It was pouring. As far as he saw they were not close to another vacant Inn. “Will we all be okay here? If we don’t sleep in that room?”

“Good question. I got no vibes about anyone else or any other room. All I know is that I don’t want you or Willow in whatever room you slept in last night, to sleep in that room this night.”

Willow face the big, comfy four-post bed a look of longing and sighed. She wasn't going to stop listening to her friend now, seeing as she'd yet to be proven wrong about any of her feelings. Turning her gaze to Theo she nodded, even though Molly couldn't see it. "Okay, we won't sleep in the room," she finally decided for them. "Here's to hoping you're not gonna feel the same once we leave for the wedding. Let us know if anything else comes up though, Molls." Another yawn came out, this time not stifled.

Molly sighed in relief, sensing they were telling her the truth. “Good.”

“Anything else?” Theo asked, slightly disappointed.

“Nope that’s it.” Molly said, “All I need is for you guys to make sure you tell me everything about your trip when you come home!”

Theo said, “Will do, Myshka.”

"Oh yes, we will tell you all about the closet we stay in after we move out of this suite," she groaned, bidding her a good night as the call ended. Looking up at Theo with a visible look of loss, she moved toward the closet. "Think we're fine just getting into pajamas and leaving everything else here? I don't feel like moving everything this late."

Theo nodded, rubbing Willows back. It was hard to go along with something when all he wanted was a comfy sleep with his lady love. But he also didn’t want to be sorry if when he could have been safe. Theo said, “I will get some of the stuff, you just get pajamas.” He insisted he wasn’t too tired not to, and asked her for the list of things that were important to her.

After they got a key to one of the smaller rooms from Shae, who did not understand why Molly was worried though she gave it over all the same, Theo helped Willow get ready for bed before he dragged a few of their things to their hobbit-sized room. Some of what Theo brought to the room were Bandits favorite items. Just in case the scamp did wake at night and want to toy around with something. Among the things Theo took out were the bags they packed specifically for the wedding day. Their clothes, hair care, and makeup. They left the rest of their stuff in the closet.

 

[xrakkax]

In the middle of the night a sharp, high pitched beep woke Theo from his sleep. Dream Warrior was currently bashing the travel pillow shield when he opened his eyes. Bandit sprang out of the darkness, squeaking desperately. Theo didn’t have time to think. The smoke seeped in from under their room. He grabbed Dream Warrior and Bandit. Then booked it out of the room.

Smoke filled the air, billowing out from the fire that raged in the suite they had slept in the night before. Flames bit into the wooden door. Shards of the blackened planks broke off. Angry red tendrils wooshed in front of him, stopping him in his tracks. The smell of charring wood mixed with the unnatural presence of gasoline. In this dire situation, Theo commanded the air around him and Willow to be cleansed and forbade the fire from passing the threshold of that room, as he took them downstairs. His preference would have been to command the flames to calm and the damage to be fixed, but he could already hear the sirens of a Firetruck and see the flashing lights of police cars.

Theo broke through the smoke of the Inn amongst the hurried, frightened voices of the McQueen family. So far none of them noticed that Alassiel did not meet them outside. Theo fell to his knees with Willow in his arms. His lungs drew in the cool, fresh air. Bandit slipped into his pocket.

Caitlin dropped by him, “Are you guys alright?”

“I’m okay.” Theo nodded.

“Jeezus,” Caitlin pressed a hand to her head.

“What about the girls?” Theo asked.

“They’re fine. How’s Willow?”

Theo looked down at Willow, giving her cheek a pat. Sometimes Dream Warrior could sleep through a hurricane. It wouldn’t surprise him if the cracking of the Inn on fire and sirens didn’t wake her right away either, “Willow? Willow, you okay?”

Sleeping on the lump bedroll would have been impossible if she hadn't been so exhausted. If they would have been in a comfortable, four-poster princess bed she might not have woken, but with her body protesting it was kept out of Dream Warrior deep sleep. She lacked the response that Theo had, head far too heavy, barely able to cling to his chests as he took them to safety. Her face scrunched in protest before finally straining to look up at him. "The hell?" she asked in a groggy disorientation, nodding. "I'm fine, what in the hell happened?"

“A fire,” Theo frowned.

Caitlin shook with sadness, “Oh Jeezus, I’m so sorry you two!” She felt her heart break, “We don’t know what happened. It was instant.” The party downstairs had gone on for a while. By the time the patrons left and they were getting ready for bed, Alassiel thought she saw someone lurking around the Inn. She left to investigate and didn’t return. Then they heard glass popping. Shortly thereafter Mrs. McQueen heard the alarms go off.

“It looks like it started in--” His eye caught movement that drew his attention. A strange man was in a fight with Alassiel. Theo shifted Willow to a comfortable sitting position as he stood up to get a better look.

The older man, salt and pepper haired, broad-shouldered, struggled to free himself from a lashing of vines that Alassiel commanded to ensnare him. He stood just below the window of the room on fire with cans of lighter fluid fallen by his feet.



Seeing that they may well have caught the culprit would have been enough for Theo, but the man managed to catch Alassiel’s wrist. He yanked her to him. Alassiel squeaked out of fright when he tried to wrap his hands around her throat. A dead or unconscious mage usually dispelled the commands they were awake to sustain by force of will.

Anger welled up in Theo. His protective instincts gripped his heart of Justice and wrath of vengeance. Both for the fire this man started that could have killed his beloved Willow and for the man now trying to harm his friend in front of his eyes. Bandit leaped into Willow's arms as Theo bolted forward. The older man's fist backhanded Alassiel. She slumped onto the grass. The vines loosed around his legs. But before he could turn away BOOF! Theo tackled him to the ground.

“Grah!” The older man growled, elbowing Theo in the gut.

“Hmph!” Theo curled slightly, giving the other a chance to slam his open palm against Theo’s face and shove his head, stressing Theo’s neck.

Even if Willow had been in direct danger because of this unknown man's actions, she was also aware of people around who might not take kindly to vigilante actions. No doubt the fire trucks were bound to be joined by police who might not appreciate seeing an old man being assaulted, even if it was deserved. She didn't want him to get away in all the events and especially didn't want to risk something happening to Theo. Her eyes fell on the police speaking with the McQueen women down the way. Trusting his strength to win out over the older man, she dashed for the officers, hands up to get their attention. "They have the guy responsible!" she announced hastily with no apologies for interrupting whatever conversation was happening. "Theo's holding him but he's trying to get away." She quickly turned back toward where she had been moments before, anxious and wanting to return to Theo's side quickly.

The sudden shouting took the attention of two of the policemen. They first registered that a patron of the Inn waved and yelled out at them. As their ears strained to pick out her words they saw two men locked in a fight. The puzzle pieces fell into place. Officer Holt and Officer Ward warned Willow to stay back as they ran forward with weapons drawn.

Everything happened within minutes. For Theo and the arsonist, it felt much longer. All while Willow had rightfully caught the attention of the policeman and shouted for them to come over, they struggled for victory.

Theo loosed his grip enough to push the hand off of his face. The arsonist took advantage of the gap and kicked. Theo fell back into a roll, gaining footing as the other clamored to stand. Once again Theo lunged. This time the older man, unrestrained by vines, pivoted away. The older man’s fist flew at Theo who grabbed it. His arm muscles rippled. BAP! The arsonist swung his other fist, catching Theo’s chin.

“Hrr!” Theo grit his teeth, the pain making his head throb. But he refused to let go of the man's hand. Theo deflected an onslaught of blows while he pulled the man’s hand in a downward motion.

The arsonist saw red. Theo’s strength numbed the hand in his grip. Retreat began to slip through his fingers. “Gah!!” The older man threw his weight on Theo. If leaving meant adding murder to his crimes, then so be it. Theo lost his footing. The ground hit as hard as the arsonist who rained blows on him with his free hand. Theo blocked two, three, four, but a successful hit disoriented him. His hold on the arsonist loosed. That was all it took for the older man to pull off of Theo. But it wasn’t enough to quell the fire inside the Russian Rogue who feigned unconsciousness. Just as the arsonist turned his back Theo sprang on him, looping his arms under and over, so the arsonist's head pressed to his chest and his shoulders bent back.

“Fuck!” The older man raged, violently jerking his body to try and wrench himself free.

Theo grunted against the man’s attempts to fling him forward. He shoved the front of his knee against the back of the older man’s, causing the arsonist to drop. Theo held out long enough for the police to come to their side. Guns pointed at both of them. “Get down, get down!” They shouted, commanding them both to separate and put their hands behind their head. Neither of the policemen knew who was who yet.

Surrounded by law enforcement Theo felt secure in the knowledge the arsonist couldn’t outrun a bullet. He let the man go, earning a cheap shot to his brow. The force broke skin. Red trickled down Theo’s face. The older man put his hands behind his head then. Theo let it go. Retaliation wasn’t worth the possible consequences.

Mrs. McQueen came bustling through with Una and Moira. Deirdre and Shae stayed back to check on the patron who had been saved from the blaze by the brave Fireman. They came to see Theo kneeling next to the older man. Both had their hands behind their head. They quickly said Theo had nothing to do with all of this. Then they noticed Alassiel had somehow been spared any collateral damage from the fighting men. She lay unconscious in the cool grass, her cheek purpled from the hit she took from the arsonist.

Officer Holt held a hand when Mrs. McQueen stepped forward, “Ma’am stand back!”

Mrs. McQueen pursed her lips and snapped, “I’m gettin’ that girl, and you can shoot me if you want, but you'll regret it!” She marched over with Una and Moira where Alassiel lay. Officer Holt huffed out of frustration but did not interfere. Una and Moira picked up Alassiel. Mrs. McQueen told them to bring her to the ambulance. The girls did as they were told.

Officer Ward questioned the men, “Which of you is Theo?”

“I am.” Both of them said at once.

“Stop playing games!” Officer Holt growled.

The older man grinned briefly, “I am Theo!”

Willow frowned at the older man's response, stepping as close as she dared to before pointing to her Theo. "This man is my husband and we were staying at the Inn," she said firmly before her pointer shifted to the older man. "He was outside with gasoline and knocked Alassiel out."

The older man had to have known there was no way he was getting out of this, but he was determined to cause them trouble. Why not? He had little to lose now. “This whore is lying.” He said, but before he could elaborate Mrs. Mc Queen, the angry Cat Sí, gave him a good kick between his legs.

“Ahh!” The grabbed his groin, doubling over.

“Hey, hey!” The policeman threw up an arm to guard the man from Mrs. McQueen.

That didn’t stop Mrs. McQueen from grabbing his hair and pulling back his head, “You fekin’ bastard, you’re lucky you live on Earth, I’d have skinned yeh!”

“Ma’am! Ma’am, please step aside.” The policeman shouted at her, raising their guns.

Fearless, Mrs. McQueen dropped her hold only because she was satisfied. Theo would have to talk to her about keeping a lower profile. And to fake fear if she had to, because anyone else would have likely been more respectful, like Willow. For now, he was just glad both Willow and Mrs. McQueen were here to clear any confusion about who here was Theo.

Officer Ward motioned to Theo, “You can get up. But don’t run off.”

Theo wiped at the blood dripping from his brow as he stood. Then he closed the gap between him and Willow, holding her to him. He breathed in the scent of her hair. “Willow, oh Willow.” He sighed, relieved to feel her in his arms. “Molly,” Theo murmured, pulling back to look down at his beloved with green eyes of astonishment and worry, “If she hadn’t called…”

Willow’s arms wrapped tightly about him, shaking slightly as she exhaled, the night catching up in that moment when he was there to protect her. She hadn't wanted to pull away but did at his words, her eyes brimming with emotion. "Never going to doubt her again," she breathed in response, planning on getting her quite an engagement gift to both show her gratitude that her instincts had saved her life, and also to make up for not being properly celebrating the news.

Theo’s emotion bubbled. His vision blurred, “Da,” He agreed with her, “I love you, Красивый.” He murmured, pulling her up in his arms so he could kiss her easier. Theo laid several on her cheek and a few on her lips. Then he pressed his cheek to hers as they waited for a word from the police.

“Officer Holt cuff him.” Officer Ward ordered, keeping his gun on the older man.

Doing as he was told, the officer chained the arsonist and pulled him up to stand. Officer Ward made sure not to waver his aim as they walked with the others towards the car. Officer Holt studied the older man, then his eyes widened, “Jeezus, Ward, I think this is that one guy.”

“What guy?”

“The Abominable Arson. This guy’s responsible for eleven other burnings. Flats, suites, random houses. All over the world, practically. Holland, Italy, Scotland, and others. All burnt to ash. Nothing to recover. Likely that room will be too.”

The ‘Abominable Arson’ grinned in silent triumph. Officer Ward took a look at the mans face as they came to a stop by Officer Smith, “Hmm, I think you’re right.”

“Right about what?” Officer Smith asked, turning to them with his notepad in hand. The officers explained who they thought they had in custody. “Jeezus, call it in, eh? Tell them who we’re bringing.”

“I want five minutes with him.” Mrs. McQueen said, taking a step closer.

The officers came together like a living wall, “Ma’am, you can’t go kicking his---!”

Mrs. McQueen interrupted, “Our Inn is fekking burning down!”

“I understand that, ma’am, I just--”

“He endangered the lives of my family and my friends!” Mrs. McQueen hissed. She had dealt with far scarier monsters. This man was nothing to her.

“Ma’am, if you don’t keep calm I’m going to have to restrain you.” Officer Smith frowned.

Theo set a hand on Mrs. McQueen’s shoulder to calm her, “Officer, thank you. I’m sure Mrs. McQueen will be willing to cooperate.”

Taking a deep breath Mrs. McQueen crossed her arms, willing to talk. But not without the occasional cussing and complaining about the attack. While she handled that part of the situation Theo took Willow aside where the McQueen daughters were setting up a place for chairs and water. Alassiel nursed her cheek with a cold compress. A little bruised, but awake. Theo was relieved. Moira handed them tea.

“We woke up to the sound of the alarm. Smoke was everywhere. Someone had lit your rented room on fire.” Deirdre wiped at her eyes.

“You alright?” Una asked Theo, her eyes teary. She handed him a cloth for his bloody temple.

Theo nodded, assuring her he was going to be fine. He accepted the rag gratefully. “Do you know that man?” Theo asked as he cleaned his face. “Have you seen him before, or have you kept anything of value in that room?”

“No, we don't know him. We don’t know of anything worth burning either.” In fact, such expensive furniture and items would be worth thousands intact. Now they were nothing but ash.

 

[Soliloquy]

Willow stuck close to Theo's side as everything progressed, still shaken but also relieved that nothing had happened to them. While it was devastating, an Inn could be repaired and items could be replaced, both for the McQueens and themselves. Everyone was unharmed, save for cuts and bruises that could heal. She accepted the tea from Moira, both hands nursing the cup as she followed Theo's reference to the man.

A thought hit her as she took a sip, attempting to keep herself calm. "You said that the room was reserved? That Christine De Lafaytte had it paid for and it's been empty since she last stayed," she recalled, looking over at Una who had given her that information previously. "What if he's someone who's been looking for her and knew it was where she stayed?" The thought was quite incredulous, but so was her life for the past six months.

Una shrugged, wrapping a blanket around her shoulders, “It’s possible. But why so long? Seven years?”

Moira took out her phone and checked what came up for the ‘Abominable Arson’. Several articles covered the topic, “Says here the Arson’s first burning was about seven years ago.”

Deirdre shook her head of black curls, the white of her hair shifted against, “Doesn’t sound like he knew her well enough. Burning all those places? All over? Like he was shootin’ in the dark.”

Willow shrugged, unable to provide any justification for the arsonist's actions. "Well, something's definitely not right with him," she murmured, pausing with another sip of her coffee. There was one other thing that caught her off guard about the man, though she didn't know how well she could voice it when they were all out in the open. "He didn't seem to be very surprised by Alassiel stopping him." She wasn't sure if anyone besides the vines she'd used to slow him but knew that if that'd have happened to her a year prior she wouldn't have been as calm about it.

 

[xrakkax]

A glance at the man being pushed into the police car confirmed Willow's observation. They noticed then that he had been staring at them. Calm was the right word. Eerily so. His cool eyes stayed with them as the car pulled away. A knowing grin played on his mouth.

Theo frowned, “A Hunter?”

“Could be.” Mrs. McQueen came to their side. “Alassiel, what happened?”

A little shaken, the former Drowned Maid said, “Well I thought I saw someone getting down the side of the Inn. When I got to him he had just dropped down. A couple of cans fell from his arms.” Everything happened quickly. He turned, she raised her hands, the vines twisted around his feet. Then he grabbed at her. Unable to command while in a physical tussle she focused on trying to get away from him. Alassiel nearly made her escape twice. By the time Theo and the others saw her, she was losing the battle. Then he backhanded her and all went black. Moira put her arm around Alassiel. Unlike the others, she hadn’t had many altercations. This was probably her first and most harrowing. “I-- I should have put out the flames instead of the vines. I was just so scared of him, I reacted.”

“You were stunned, Alassiel. Don’t beat yourself up over it.” Theo frowned, though he understood the feeling and probably would have risked being caught for being a mage if it meant saving Willows life.

Willow nodded in agreement, though now she worried they had somehow brought this danger to the McQueen's lives. "I'm so sorry Alassiel," she sighed, her heart going out to the women about them. "I can't help but feel that we put you all in danger just by staying in that room. Whoever that man was, it's clear that's what he was there for."

Mrs. McQueen pat Willow on the shoulder, “No dear, that man’s crazy. I’ve sent my specter to spy. The talk between the cops has convinced me he’s probably had his eye on that room with or without you here.”

Alassiel smiled encouragingly, “The main thing is that we’re safe.”

Theo nodded, giving Willow a kiss on her head, “Da, I’m glad we’re all together.”

Mrs. McQueen got out her phone, “I am finding a nice hotel and I am paying for all of us. No arguments.”

The family arranged for everyone to get a room at a nice hotel an hour into town. The McQueen family were profusely sorry for what had happened. They did their best to make sure Theo and Willow didn’t have to worry about a thing. Theo insisted they were not at fault. None of them were. He finally got them to calm down and go to bed. Once they were safe in their rooms Theo shut the door and got in bed with Willow.

 

[Soliloquy]

There would be no objections to finding elsewhere to sleep. Even if the McQueens were more than hospitable, the night had even Willow itching for some distance, despite the culprit being in custody. In their new room, she took a few minutes to fuss over the cut on Theo's head and the fresh coloration from bruises that were going to form from his If it hadn't already been so late in the night, she might have offered a nurse's reward for his heroic night. Instead, she found comfort in his arms and promptly fell asleep.

The next day went by in a flurry especially after a late morning was well-earned. A large brunch with all of the McQueen women was warranted before they'd have to head back to the pub to assess the damage. Thanks to Theo's quick thinking, only one room suffered damage from the flames, though most of it was saturated with the heavy smell of smoke. Their belongings that had been in the closet were long gone, at least not left completely bare by the few things that had been brought to the second room they'd slept in. Theo's suit and Willow's dress were saved for the ceremony, though that didn't do them much good unless they planned to walk around in pajamas or formal attire.

Mrs. McQueen assured them that they'd be able to handle everything while the two went off to replace enough of what was lost that they'd be able to get through the remainder of their trip. A small shopping adventure in Ireland hadn't been planned, but it proved to be a pleasant experience together regardless. New clothes in replacement suitcases along with toiletries and the like that needed to be replenished meant by dinner they were set to enjoy the rest of their trip, provided no more arsonists showed up.

By the time they'd returned, enough cleaning had been done to keep the pub section flourishing. An inspector was surprised to find how sturdy the building was around the burnt suite, willow ducking her head to hide a grin at her fiance's quick thinking. While they wouldn't be able to rent the remaining rooms for a couple of days and the one would need to be rebuilt, it appeared the Pub had been quite fortunate. The group had a large dinner before retiring for the evening, Willow facing butterflies for the next day and confrontation toward her family. Sleep was a sanctuary from her thoughts, though it only met the next day would come quicker.

Sunday, October 29th, 2018
​

Morning came all too soon and Willow was finding every excuse possible for them not to leave the pub when their bags were already packed. First she insisted that they needed to wish each and every McQueen a personal goodbye. Then she went back upstairs to make sure nothing had been left in the small room which had been empty for a solid hour. Coming back down, she was turning to Caitlin to ask again if she would need them to help with any of the clean-up for the suite, using concern to mask the fact that she was drawing out their departure.

"The wedding isn't until Tuesday, I'm sure no one will notice if we were a day later," she offered.

“Dear you’re welcome here for as long as you want to stay. It’s been a pleasure having you two over and I hope to see you guys again. Maybe next time with Peanut and his girl.” Mrs. McQueen gave Willow a maternal touch on the cheek, “But I think you know what you have to do.”

Theo was at Willow’s side, knowing her apprehension about the other reason why they came to Ireland. The main reason. His arm wrapped around Willow, his hand rubbed her shoulder. There was nothing more to do here. Theo knew it, Willow knew it.

With every other reason exhausted, she nodded, pulling Caitlin in for a final hug before turning to face Theo. She'd have to swallow her own nerves otherwise where would she be? If things truly did grow to be unbearable with her parents, she'd only need to retreat to their hotel room and make an appearance when absolutely necessary. "Oh, I know you're right," she said once she'd encouraged herself enough mentally. "Alright, let's get over to the rental car company then."

A taxi ride across Galway brought them to the rental agency mentioned in the packet they'd received after the RSVP had been sent. Once Willow introduced herself, it didn't seem like much more needed to be done. She offered to produce her passport but the young chap behind the counter only grinned, shaking his head and reaching for a set of keys off the wall behind him.

"Don't ye worry, Miss Crosse. It's all bin handled for ye," he assured her, coming out of the booth and promising them he'd be back in just a moment with the rental that was pre-arranged. Willow was impressed her brother had thought this far ahead, wondering if maybe his bride was the one who had planned it.That thought quickly ended as the attendee pulled up and and got out of a sleek Lamborghini Aventador. No one else would have picked something so flashy for a ride, admittedly bringing a grin to her face.

​

Once in the car (which Willow refused to drive, putting Theo in the driver's side once their luggage was stowed) it was another surprise to find the car's built-in navigation already had their destination loaded. Ashford Castle. Her brows perked, having imagined the 'Ashford' that had been mentioned on invitations and other documents was just a hotel she hadn't been able to track down. She glanced over at Theo a small grin growing on her face. "Looks like we're going to be staying at a castle. That or it's a trap so my brother can throw you in a dungeon."

Theo bowed his mouth in approval at the car. He teased his lover about the driving before taking his place behind the wheel. He felt better in control of the car for a few reasons. One being Willow might drive them off a cliff while claiming she didn’t need direction, and the other was that these roads in Ireland were narrower. Not to mention the rain! Theo decided, for the sake of living, he’d resort to Almaer if he had to. At the joke Willow made he chuckled, “I dressed pretty nice for stay in dungeon.” He raised his hand up and down as if to showcase himself.

"That's very true...maybe if that's not their move I'll have to get you in one myself," she said with a nonchalant shrug as they started off.

Theo grinned, "I think if that, I won't matter how I dress." he gave her a wiggle of his brows, "Or not dress."

They had a solid forty minutes of driving for their back and forth banter and suggestions of whether or not they needed to pull over and put the sexualized car to the test. The beautiful green waves that lined the freeway were a sight to see, creating a gorgeous scenery until Ashford Castle came into view. A hushed 'wow' came out of Willow's mouth realizing this was where her brother had picked for a destination wedding.

​

Coming up the driveway, they were met by a valet service, manned by several suited bodies eager to assist. Once more, Willow only needed to provide their names and it seemed like everyone knew. Two bellhops were quick to empty the car of their belongings while a third was behind the wheel once Theo had left it. Flashing a pearly smile, a grand gesture was made toward the entrance, their bags already being carried in. "Miss Crosse, Dr. Al-Zakhar. Welcome to Ashford Castle," he said with a bow. "If you will please, I'd be happy to lead you to your room."

Willow accepted the offer, looping an arm through Theo's seeing as she'd been left with nothing to carry about. While the Ashford castle wasn't anything like Belarus, it was elegantly designed. It had been remodeled into a hotel and catered to a series of events, and for the final week of October was entirely at the wedding party's disposal, closed off to the public. They followed, pausing to admire a few pieces of art before arriving at their room.

​

"If there is anything at all you need, please let us know. A dinner is arrange for eight tonight, and the remaining facilities are available should you need them," was the parting words they received as they were left with their luggage in the lavish room complete with an en suite.

Flashing Theo an impish grin, Willow immediately fell back on the bed, letting out a long groan of approval. "We are going to sleep in a castle," she said with unbridled excitement. Turning on her side, she wiggled her shoulders back and forth looking up at him. "I guess that makes me a princess. Almost." With a single finger, she gestured him to join her on the bed.

Theo marveled at his surroundings. He occasionally leaned to Willow to tell her about the details he found enjoyable. The landscape, the strength of character of the decor, the brilliant architecture. But as fancy and wonderful as these sights were, Willow laid out on a bed had to be his favorite. He pulled off his jacket and kicked off his shoes. Theo crawled over Willow. He gave her a few kisses, his hand slipped up her thigh.

Her grin grew as he approached and found a favorable place hovered over her. "Do I have the car to thank for this prowess?" she murmured as her fingers slipped beneath his shirt. A normal start to a heated session for the two was ended abruptly as the door opened just behind Theo, any knocking that may or may not have happened lost to the two entwined in each others.

"Will! The concierge let me know when you arrived and I-" The deep but excited roll of Everest's voice stopped quite abruptly to find the two on the bed. "Dr. Al-Zakhar, I presume? The man I was told my sister was in good hands with." His tone had dropped as well as his gaze, falling directly on Theo's hand that was all over his little sister. The fact that his little sister was a fully grown woman didn't seem to dissuade him from setting a firm jaw at the sight.

“Don’t thank just yet,” He purred, “I have something you will thank me for. . .” The kiss Theo had been enjoying abruptly ended with the unexpected appearance of a man Theo had only glimpsed in the pages of Willow’s scrapbook. The Russian Rogue had the grace to blush for the embarrassment. Not that Theo felt embarrassed, it was Everest who barged in on them. But he did know Willow would probably be feeling a sense of uncomfortable surprise. Unhurried, Theo slipped his hands away from Willow. Then he shifted into a modest position, helping Willow to do the same, before standing up with her. Theo took fearless steps and offered his hand, accompanied with an unapologetic smile, “Da, I am. You must be Mr. Everest Crosse. I hear all good things,” His handshake was firm, with a trace of gentleness.

Flushed cheeks, Willow stood up, adjusting her shirt that had gone haphazard as their friskiness commenced. Everest looked down at the offered hand, accepting with a bit more ferocity than he normally would. His gaze then fell back on Theo's face while it shook, weighing him while without shame for it. "What a shame I can't say the same," he bluntly replied, enough to summon Willow out of her flustered state.

"Oh Ev," she groaned, seeing that her brother's protective tendencies hadn't changed after years apart. It was enough to drop his gaze from Theo to Willow, and prompted her to step closer for an embrace. "Good to see you too, jerk." Everest's grip on Theo might have been firm, but there was an entirely different level of strength as his arms coiled about his sister. All those unanswered texts, calls, months of silence seemed to be washed away by the time they parted, Willow dabbing at her eyes. "Do you plan on running head first into all your guests' rooms?"

As he opened his mouth to speak, another body appeared in the doorway of a woman close to Willow in age, dressed in a simple white spring dress. "Evie, I told you to let them get settled," she scolded, rolling her eyes at her fiance before waving to the two of them. "Willow, Dr. Al-Zakhar. It's a pleasure to meet you both."

With the first opportunity to examine her soon-to-be sister-in-law, Willow was admittedly surprised to find how much of a contrast he offered to Everest's normally muted presence. He'd been the strong, silent type while she appeared to be almost petite and with a personality as fiery as the locks cascading down her shoulders. "And you're Eleanor," she smiled, reaching over to offer her hand for a shake which was accepted.

"Ellie is just fine," she promised, eyes shifting to do her own run-down of Theo, though she wasn't nearly as harsh in her actions, merely curious.

“Hello Ellie, so nice to meet you.” Theo flashed a smile. He shook her hand. While Willow would always be the most beautiful woman to Theo, he wasn’t a blind fool. He could appreciate the comeliness of Everest’s bride-to-be. A woman who would become his sister-in-law. Being family Theo wanted to make sure he put his best foot forward to make a good impression.

Whatever she was looking for the redheaded seemed to have found it, pulling her hand away with a dimpled smile and draping an arm about Everest's torso. "Don't let this old bear grumble you away," she to the other couple, rubbing her cheek into his shoulder and seeming to thaw out some of his coldness. "We were just about to head to a small gathering for a few people; a late luncheon. Would you two care to join us? Or would you rather have a chance to settle in?"

Everest felt his jaw tighten again at the idea of just what settling could mean. "I think they should come," he said in what he thought was a charming tone, though a force could be heard in his tone.

"Oh I don't know, what do you think Theo?" Willow offered him the decision, still a small gap between the two of them. Somehow even as an engaged woman her brothers presence made her feel the need to be chaste.

After careful consideration, Theo inhaled, "I think I Willow and I will love to settle in, we've had a long journey--" He exhaled, "But I think it would be nice to meet everyone. I can't tell you how eager I am to be a part of this family." He wrapped an arm around Willow, smiling at Everest with the biggest grin. "I look forward to calling you brother." He nodded happily to Ellie, "And of course, you as my sister!"

While Ellie offered a supportive grin to him, Everest's eyes narrowed at the word 'brother' though a pinch in his side made him force a smile. "Perfect, I'm sure it'll be great," he said in a less than convincing tone.

Ellie sensed the tension and urged movement to try and shift his gaze off the poor Russian man. She forced him out of the room so they could have a few seconds to get ready, having spotted Theo's shoes off. Once they were The two lead the way down the hallways, sparing them of chatter though they did have to pause a few times for different guests to greet them. Wedding wishes were in no short supply but finally they came upon a study that offered comfortable seating. Piping tea and finger foods including sandwiches awaited, Willow realizing as she took a seat beside Theo just how hungry she'd grown.

​

Willow and Theo were seated first and Everest seemed torn as to where he was going to sit. In one hand, he could sit beside his sister which would allow for him to work on catching up on conversation. On the other, he could take the seat beside Theo and continue his work on studying the man who thought he was good enough for his sister. Ellie, who likely knew him better than he knew himself at this point, promptly took the seat directly beside Theo, nodding to her left for Everest to sit beside her. An almost inaudible huff left him but he did as he was wordlessly told, taking up a seat and reaching to pour himself tea.

"Were Wesley and Inara still planning on coming down? I know they got here pretty early this morning," Ellie asked Everest who nodded, pouring her a cup as well before leaving it up to Ellie to pass the post to Theo.

"They were going to. Last I heard was they wanted to help get the kids down for a nap. Something about Kit teething," he offered, turning his eyes back toward Theo as he took a sip.

"Aww, poor thing," Willow commented as she took a couple of the sandwiches on display, placing on one Theo's plate. "That has to be absolutely horrible when they're so little and can't even say when they're in pain."

Ellie nodded in agreement, one hand sliding beneath the table and squeezing Everest's thigh. "I know, you have to feel for the little ones," she said before looking between the two of them. "I heard you're also engaged; congratulations! Any plans on children of your own?"

Though the question was clearly not directed to him, Everest felt compelled to answer for them. "No," he said suddenly before trying to smooth it out. "I'm sure Willow would much rather focus on her career. Or anything."

Theo smiled, “We have discussion. Is something we are feeling out, going to see what best time.” He explained his job as a pediatrician had a rough schedule. Within a year or two he’d get to have more control over the time spent at work and at home. It was more likely they’d intentionally have kids then, but, he added, “Children are blessing. If come sooner, I will be happy.” He turned a gentle smile to Willow, “As long as Красивый is by my side.” Then he asked Everest and Ellie, “What about you? I would love to be uncle again! My Granya is too grown up for old Дядя Theo, I think.” Though in truth, he’d never be.

Ellie thought his response was absolutely adorable, as heard by her little 'awws' here and there. Everest had not passed on his and Wesley's concern that Theo might have been a mage, knowing that was going to get him in hot water for not listening to her request to leave them alone. She was caught off guard by the question, her cheeks darkening and taking a sip of tea before speaking. "We both think that children are lovely and hope to have a good sized family of our own," she managed to say once she'd calmed herself down.

Everest on the other hand had paled, his eyes momentarily falling on Ellie before looking away. The glance was brief, but Willow recognized the look as one he'd have when he was younger trying to feign ignorance when he was most definitely still guilty. She kept her mouth shut for the sake of his wedding, but she quickly had her own theories forming. Eager to change the subject, Everest let his eyes shift to Theo once more. "That's an interesting accent you have. Russian, right? But Al-Zakhar isn't a very Russian name. Mind telling Ellie and me a little about yourself since Willow's been all but silent to the rest of us?"

“Da, Russian.” Theo nodded. The question about his last name was not a new one. Many people had been curious in the past. “My mother is Russian, by father is gypsy. Mix of Romanian or Arabian. We not sure.” Theo explained that in the cold lands of his home, where the men and women are carved from the rough climates and dangerous beasts, sometimes wanderers were welcomed in their tiny village of Okunevo for a pit stop. His father had simply found a reason to stay. “She took his last name and here I am. Dr. Al-Zakhar.”

Willow always enjoyed hearing the story he told very well, though Everest didnt't seem as enrapture as the two women were. "Interesting. And you wound up all the way in Texas? That's quite the journey to make." Even if he hadn't said his intentions, Ellie seemed to be more than aware of his attempts to interrogate, lacking the charm that Wesley had when in the same position.

“Da, very long,” Theo made it his mission to get Everest to think well of him. He believed it was the least he could do for Willow in this situation. Him being a mage had become a detail of the ‘need to know’ kind, when they felt they could trust a person, and although he had no idea of Everest would ever need to know, Theo wanted to have a good relationship with his future brother-in-law. So, although Everest came off less than amiable, Theo gave him a beaming smile, “But worth it! America is good country. Proud to be a citizen.”

A familiar voice to all of them said, “That’s admirable.” Wesley smiled when the saw him and Inara walk up. “It’s good to see a fellow patriot.”

It was hard to shake the memory of Molly’s mood the night after their dinner with Wesley, but Theo wanted to find something to explain away her fears than the obvious; Wesley, the man, terrified her. As hard as it was, Theo found it harder not to see that smile and the willingness to accept him into the group. After all, he needed all the help he could get.

Theo stood up to greet Wesley heartily, “Lord Von Helsing!” He said in a manner of a man who has met an old friend.

Wesley chuckled, “Dr. Al-Zakhar, welcome!” He pat him on the shoulder, “But please, call me Wes. All my friends do.”

“Da, that’s right! And you can call me Theo.” He offered in return.

Inara happily embraced the old friend she hadn’t seen in so long “Oh Willow it’s good to see you!” She pulled away enough to give her an expression of approval for her choice in a mate, “And congratulations!” Because of course Wes told Everest and the two of them spoke with their lovers about the situation. Wesley left it to Everest to tell Eleanor when he was ready, but Inara knew all about the investigations into the Russian family and the guys attempts to confirm or deny Theo being a mage. Inara offered a modest and agreeable hello to Theo, “So glad the two of you could make it.” She told him.

While Inara engaged in her hello to Theo, Wesley took Willow into a hug, “Oh Sweet Willow, happy you’re here.” He pulled away and winked at Everest and Ellie, though what he was going to say was a tease at Everest, “We may yet meet again in a year's time, for another wedding.”

Wesley’s advantage here was that, while he cared for Willow, he was much easier to satisfy when it came to a potential spouse for her than it was for Everest. Understandably Wesley didn’t have the exact same relationship dynamic. Wes had once been a potential suitor himself. So Theo, having passed the various tests of his temper and respect towards Willow, only had to score perfectly on whether or not he was a mage. If Theo turned out to be a handsome, strong mundie, then Wesley would help soften Everest to the inevitable. If not, then Wes would help Everest put a silver bullet in the man's head. It was that simple.

“Da, very long,” Theo made it his mission to get Everest to think well of him. He believed it was the least he could do for Willow in this situation. Him being a mage had become a detail of the ‘need to know’ kind, when they felt they could trust a person, and although he had no idea of Everest would ever need to know, Theo wanted to have a good relationship with his future brother-in-law. So, although Everest came off less than amiable, Theo gave him a beaming smile, “But worth it! America is good country. Proud to be a citizen.”

A familiar voice to all of them said, “That’s admirable.” Wesley smiled when the saw him and Inara walk up. “It’s good to see a fellow patriot.”

It was hard to shake the memory of Molly’s mood the night after their dinner with Wesley, but Theo wanted to find something to explain away her fears than the obvious; Wesley, the man, terrified her. As hard as it was, Theo found it harder not to see that smile and the willingness to accept him into the group. After all, he needed all the help he could get.

Theo stood up to greet Wesley heartily, “Lord Von Helsing!” He said in a manner of a man who has met an old friend.

Wesley chuckled, “Dr. Al-Zakhar, welcome!” He pat him on the shoulder, “But please, call me Wes. All my friends do.”

“Da, that’s right! And you can call me Theo.” He offered in return.

Inara happily embraced the old friend she hadn’t seen in so long “Oh Willow it’s good to see you!” She pulled away enough to give her an expression of approval for her choice in a mate, “And congratulations!” Because of course Wes told Everest and the two of them spoke with their lovers about the situation. Wesley left it to Everest to tell Eleanor when he was ready, but Inara knew all about the investigations into the Russian family and the guys attempts to confirm or deny Theo being a mage. Inara offered a modest and agreeable hello to Theo, “So glad the two of you could make it.” She told him.

While Inara engaged in her hello to Theo, Wesley took Willow into a hug, “Oh Sweet Willow, happy you’re here.” He pulled away and winked at Everest and Ellie, though what he was going to say was a tease at Everest, “We may yet meet again in a year's time, for another wedding.”

Wesley’s advantage here was that, while he cared for Willow, he was much easier to satisfy when it came to a potential spouse for her than it was for Everest. Understandably Wesley didn’t have the exact same relationship dynamic. Wes had once been a potential suitor himself. So Theo, having passed the various tests of his temper and respect towards Willow, only had to score perfectly on whether or not he was a mage. If Theo turned out to be a handsome, strong mundie, then Wesley would help soften Everest to the inevitable. If not, then Wes would help Everest put a silver bullet in the man's head. It was that simple.

Willow beamed to see Welsey yet again, nearly popping out of her seat when she heard him though she was just as happy to be in Inara's small embrace. "It's been too long!" she admitted somberly before seizing the opportunity to show her ring off to her. "The cat's out of the bag, I suppose. June if everything goes well. But Inara, you married an absolute gossip with the tongue of a snake charmer."

"Oh isn't that the truth," Ellie spoffed, her finger drifting between Wesley as he embraced Willow and over to Everest. "I hear you were around when these two love birds met up."

"Hey, hey now," Everest seemed to up loosen up at the appearance of his friends, grinning as the familiar taunting started up. "I don't get off about when you two go have your girl talk and belly dance and what have you. There's nothing wrong with two men in an open bromance together. "

There was nothing to do but gasp in awe over the glimmering rock on Willow’s finger. It was too beautiful. Theo wow’d them further, saying, “Is inscribed.” He showed them the inside and the women melted. And of course, Inara could not argue with Willow when it came to Wesley. She did marry handsome devil with an loose tongue and a twinkle in his eye. It was probably what made it hard for Theo to think badly of him. When Ellie spoke of Wes and Everest's first meeting, Theo chuckled, knowing the story from Willow.

Inara smirked, addressing Wes and Everest, in regard to the comment about how Ellie and Inara spend their girl time, “Oh I bet you both want to though.”

The risque implication delighted Wesley.“Ha ha, darling, I think I’m rubbing off on you.” Wesley grinned, taking her arm as they walked to their places.

“In all the right ways,” She winked at him. Throughout the years Inara found it easier to speak indelicately. It was hard not to, being around a man with little shame concerning flirtatious behavior.

“Oh, good one, my little minx,” Wes approved as he sat down.

Theo sat down with Willow, his hand holding hers, balanced on his leg, “Bellydance?”

Inara nodded, “It’s a cultural art from my Indian heritage. Willow, I’d be happy to show you some moves.” She gave Ellie a knowing look before giving Everest a side glance, saying, “The men seem to enjoy it.” If Wesley’s grin was any indication, she was correct. At times it seemed their love making resembled more of an art performance than the usual bedding of a couple.

“Oh, if Willow wants to, then, I am not object,” Theo feigned naivety, sipping his water.

The talk of Inara's teaching seemed to thaw out whatever ice Everest had, even if could just be for the sake of show. "It's a cultural tradition to appreciate," he said before it sunk in just what was being offered and Theo's agreement. "Although I don't think that's something Willow would be interested in."

Ellie reached over and lightly smacked his shoulder, scowling at him. "Oh come off it. She's not a baby sister, look at her. She's a grown babe and she's going to be married. You can't be upset just because she's no doubt taking this handsome Russian man to bed and-"

"Ellie!" he cut her off, and it was noted that both Crosse siblings had tinted cheeks at that point. "People are trying to enjoy their food."

She only rolled her eyes in return, sipping at her tea before changing the subject for everyone's sake. "After this I was going to go down to the spa they have here. Have a nice long massage, mud mask, all the works to get dolled up while I still can. Inara, Willow would you two care to join me?"

Oh how hard it was for Wesley not to ride the train Ellie started up. Theo himself thought of a thing or two he could say, but this being their first real interaction with Everest, he did his best to wait until he saw a clear step in the right direction before teasing his future brother-in-law.

“Absolutely,” Inara agreed, taking a bite of some of the food Wesley had plated for her. He knew exactly what she liked. “Willow, we won’t take no for an answer. You look like you need it.” Their journey to Ireland had many ups and downs. This had to be an up from here. It would probably do to recover some of Willow’s lost sleep from the night of the fire.

Theo urged Willow, “Da, have fun. Relax.” He smiled, knowing how it may be an uplifting experience for her.

Wesley smiled, “Yes, I think Theo and the others are right.” he nodded, clearing his throat with a drink Inara poured for him, “Everest and I are actually thinking of going on a little hunt, Theo. You must join us while the women folk pamper themselves.”

“Da, I would love it!” Theo agreed.

She had to admit, the idea of a bit of pampering sounded amazing. She hadn't had a mud mask or pedicure in so long, Willow felt as though she had to look like she was falling apart. "It would feel great," she had to admit. The idea of her less than approving brother taking her fiance into the woods was less than exciting though. "If you're sure you want to go hunting with them I suppose I'll have to. Much better than just napping."

"See, it's perfect! The men can go romp around in the mud and we'll come out looking like the queens we are," Ellie clapped in excitement. "Oh, I should see if Rosalie wants to join us."

Willow's interest piqued at mention of the cousin she had yet to meet. Everything seemed to be decided, so while everyone was enjoying their finger foods, Everest inquired as to how the trips in were for the other two couples. It was a casual and simple enough topic, one he could manage to make seem genuine while he was still sizing up Theo a body away, paying close attention to anything he might do or say give himself away.

Once everyone was satiated, Ellie was the first up, a hand on her stomach and a soft groan of protest. "Oh I always eat too much of light foods. It's too tempting when they seem so innocent on their own," she complained before smiling toward Willow and motioning for Inara to stand. "Okay ladies, shall we?"

Everest had just brushed crumbs from his hands, a brief glance at Wesley. Things might work out better than they could have hoped, no doubt able to get a test done on Theo. "Run along girls, we'll be fine here," he assured them. "Cory came in this morning too, right? Could see if we can get his attention if Rosalie is otherwise preoccupied."

 

[xrakkax]

Wesley said, “Yes, I can give him a text. He’ll meet up with us.”

Inara nodded, standing up, “Yes,” She cupped Wesley’s cheek and shared a kiss of parting with him. He was all too happy to enjoy it.

“See you later, Love.” Wesley mused, standing up.

Theo gave Willow a goodbye kiss to her cheek. A sweet, delicate farewell, “Have good time.” He murmured affectionately.

Willow smiled at his gentle kiss, muttering a 'good luck' to him before looking between her brother and long-time friend. "Bring my fiance back in one piece or I'll have your hides," she threatened them both.

Ellie chuckled, pointing a finger at Everest who was standing up to bid her a farewell of his own. "You heard your sister. And to give her extra weight, if he's not in one piece I can promise we'll not have a pleasant honeymoon."

Everet frowned at the news, tugging her in for a longer kiss. He pulled away with an almost boyish smirk. "And that'll remind you of just how pleasant it could be," he grinned, giving her a wink before she turned to walk away with pursed lips. Her attention turned to her phone where she was already in contact with the other half of the youngest couple they were typically made up of, Rosalie agreeing to join them.

Inara looped her arm with Willow’s, feeling like a shrimp to all the tall, long-legged women around her, but proud to be their friend all the same, “Willow, you have to tell us how you met him.” She smiled, her voice fading as the women walked off.

Wesley cleaned his hands, reached and took a last sip of his water. Then he straightened out his blazer and motioned for the men to follow, “Ashford has a lovely pheasant reserve. Good meat and beautiful feathers.”

Theo immediately thought of Granya. Both for the meat and the feathers. But he kept the former to himself, “Oh, maybe I take some home. My niece loves to craft. Willow and Granya scrapbook all the time.”

“Is that so?” Wesley smiled, “I have had the honor of being shown Willow’s scrapbook. It has amusing pictures of my unspoken lover.” He gave a nod towards Everest, “Your niece sounds like she has a creative spirit. How old is she?”

Of course, in reality, they knew how old. They knew her name, what games she liked to play most, her general schedule, and all due to her interactions with Cory. Though word on the wind was that Granya had recently spent more time in the outside world than the one online. Cory only knew that she had gotten involved romantically with a man named Liam. Granya told them she was sorry to have to abandon them so often. Most of their friends took it well. Only RawR seemed to sulk. Cory lost the advantage he once had when she was on full time. Though he couldn’t say he managed to pry much out of her beforehand. But that may have paid off. Now that she was hardly around Cory took a step back to examine her patterns again. One that seemed innocuous before. Granya had been gone for a few days at least once a month, except maybe on a rare February. And perhaps that, in addition to her explanation being vague about why she was gone, had been the reason why he didn’t notice. But the times matched up with the full-moon. Though maybe he had not noticed it before because she left for more than one night. Cory only mentioned it to Wesley because he thought it curious. And anything curious had to be noted in their line of work.

“She turns seventeen this year, in November.” Theo smiled. “We celebrate at the Old Bear. The pub we own.”

“Wonderful,” Wesley mused, as they approached the lodge where the hunting rifles were kept, “The ‘Old Bear’ is it? Don’t tell me that is a Russian pun.”

“No, no, is only funny name, after my cousin’s dog, Bear.” Theo explained that these were bred to defend villagers from the grizzlies of the cold lands back home. “But we joke is named after my uncle Jovan.” He laughed, comparing his grumpy uncle to the hairy beasts.

Wesley joined in the mirth, “You’ll have to tell us about old uncle Jovan sometime. But first, let’s gear up.” He said, inspecting the elegant weapons for the right one for him. He picked one up, felt it in his hands, aimed with it. Satisfied he shouldered the gun.

Theo did not do much when it came to evaluating which gun to choose. He merely picked one that he felt fit his strong arms. Their family Olympics had two gun enthusiasts and he wasn’t one of them. All he needed to know was to aim and pull the trigger.

Everest was fine with letting Wesley take the front seat for conversation. The quick tongue the women might have fawned over was also good for unsuspecting men. He was also, by far, the superior interrogator with his experience with a lesser chance of being bias. While more and more information was piling up against the Russian family, they needed to have absolute certainty.

At the lodge, Everest took care to examine the different choices for guns. He weighed each, taking a gander at their scopes as he spoke. "Do you do a lot of hunting, Theo? Should I be worried you're a better shot than I am?" There was a sense of heavy confidence that made it clear the second question was redundant.

Theo chuckled, “Not much. Micha and Jovan do the hunting. We get deer meat each year.” He explained that they used the hide, the bones, all of it. They didn’t like waste. “Molly is going with them this year, I think. She is also hunter.” And to address how good of a shot he was, Theo shrugged, “I’m okay. Micha and Molly are best shots. We have family Olympics at start of each season. Willow is best archer and rider.”

Wesley popped a brow, “Family Olympics?” he asked as he pulled on a hunting jacket.

“Da, we enjoy healthy competition.” Theo smiled, following the men out of the lodge once he wore the appropriate attire. “We do for fun, to get together.”

Strangely Wesley thought this detail worked in their favor. Hunter families often disguised training their young so that when they got old enough they weren’t couch potatoes. Hunters needed to be in good shape. Mage’s didn’t. Wesley couldn’t imagine why they’d waste the time.

If Theo could have told him, he’d have said it was because they intended not to live with Almaeri. That being fit needed to be what they relied on. Not magic. Being a productive member of society meant keeping their minds and hearts free of the corruption that came with the use of Almaeri. Letting go was hard though. Having fit, healthy bodies would help them feel safer when the day came to bind their magic. A day that wouldn’t be too far behind if Liam and Granya worked out well. And perhaps that was another reason why Theo tolerated their bond. Liam was a unique case. Being a product of a Cat Sí and a Púca meant he could extinguish and then reignite to renew his mind if it went insane. That is, until his last life was spent. But thankfully that would probably be well after Granya passed away. Liam guessed he had died at least four times so far. He had about five left if he had the full complement of a Cat Sí.

As it was Theo would not say so. Not now in any case. The idea a mage family made efforts to live without Almaeri to the extent they would cut it off from their access was so alien to Wesley that he had to make a mental mark of approval. “That does sounds like a great tradition,” Welsey admitted, “I may steal the idea.”

“You’re welcome to it.” Theo chuckled.

Cory appeared then, a happy smile on his boyish handsome face. His collar was a little askew. He wouldn’t tell them he had been fiddling with it out of sensual tension for Rosalie. The young man had hoped to be spared the teasing while they had a guest.

Wesley grinned, “There he is. Theo, this is my younger brother, Cory.” Although they were half-brothers in truth, Wes did away with the technicality. They had been brothers, they were brothers, and they’d stay brothers. “Come here Cory, this is Theo, Willow’s fiance and our hunting partner today.”

“Hi,” Cory quirked a half smile, offering an agreeable handshake.

“Good to meet you, Cory,” Theo took the offer and decided he gave a respectable impression.

Wesley said, “Theo was telling us he and his family have seasonal Family Olympics.” He briefly told the young man what Theo had explained, “Now what do you think of that? Maybe we can do something similar.”

Cory expressed surprise. The news of the annual gathering had been kept close to her chest. He wondered how much he really knew about her. Wesley recognized the look and took note. Cory said, “Oh wow, yeah that sounds fun. She never told me that.” To help relieve Theo of his confusion he said, “I think we know the same Granya Sokolov.” He explained he was a gamer like her. They had a group of friends. “She’s been gone lately though.”

Theo nodded, sighing, “A boy.” he gave an unenthusiastic lopsided smile.

Wesley chuckled, “Well you’re in good company I think.” He nodded to Everest, “I think you can appreciate Ev’s position.”

Catching on, Theo offered a sheepish smile, rubbing the back of his neck and said, “Ah, true.” In that, he could be sympathetic. To both Everest and now Liam. Perhaps he was a little rough on the boy. And maybe feeling this bad was why he said, “Liam is not so bad, he good worker, supportive. . .” he trailed off, finding compliments tasting off on his tongue.

Laughing, Wesley pat Theo on the shoulder once, “Feeling a little guilt are we?”

Theo chuckled, “Maybe.”

“Well then let’s take a walk in the woods and shoot some birds. Get our manly blood flowing.” Wesley mused, taking the lead out the lodge.

Cory had picked his gun and put on a jacket by the time they started off down the pheasant trail. He wondered what else he had missed about Granya, who was still only a pawn, that could have helped figure out if she was truly a mage or mundie. “Theo-- can I call you Theo?”

“Of course,” Theo nodded.

“Theo I was wondering, Granya often leaves for a few days each month,” Cory saw on Theo’s face that the question wasn’t new to him. Theo had often been asked by many people. “She said it was just some family business.” It was hard to push for an answer from her on the topic. RawR, and occasionally Ruby, seemed to have a knack for moving the conversation away from it. And frustratingly Cory never got Granya alone long enough to go into it. “We miss her a lot, even more now that she’s been absent, and I was curious if those few days are the reason.”

Shaking his head, Theo said, “No, Granya took job at Old Bear. Mostly because Liam works there too.” He explained she had been inspired to go out more because it meant spending time with the guy.

“Oh okay,” Cory wasn’t sure how to ask for a more in-depth understanding of those few days. He had been more of an observer, not an interrogator.

The pause threatened to allow the moment to pass for any attempt when Wesley chuckled, “I’m hoping this family business isn’t a part of the Family Olympics. I can make time for a seasonal single day, or even a weekend, four times out of the year, but I think every month is stretching it for me.”

“Oh, no, is not a part of that,” Theo assured him but hesitated to elaborate.

Wesley smiled, “Oh good,” He pressed a hand to his stomach as if he was glad he didn’t have to worry over it, “So what does take your family out for so long? A Russian tradition?”

“Da,” Theo nodded, “Moon-Fishing.”

“Oh, you guys Moon-Fish?” Wesley asked rhetorically as if he knew all about it and met a fellow enthusiast. Everest and Cory were not fooled. None of them knew what the hell that was, but Wes was a master at this, “Lake or ocean?” It wasn’t a genius move to guess it had to be one of these. Wesley gambled Theo wouldn’t think too deeply about Wes’ suggestion.

“Lake back at Okunevo,” Theo blinked, impressed. Or perhaps even surprised. “Ocean in Texas.” He slowed his walk, “You Moon-Fish?”

“Once, in Russia.” Wesley lied easily. “We caught a few Zanders.” He told him, a proud smile for the memory that didn’t exist. “I’m not a lake fish fan myself, so my friend took them off my hands. What about you?”

Theo knew to answer, “Mainly Dorado.” as the fish the family agreed to claim.

“Ah, Mahi Mahi. Nice.” Wesley smiled, not fully satisfied, but felt comfortable with the amount of information he got, “Well maybe if we come down sometime, we can do a little Moon-Fishing together.”

Theo hesitated, “Oh uh, is family tradition. Very important.”

Smiling, Wesley set a hand on Everest's shoulder, “What a shame, looks like you’d be going on the trip with the Russians without me, Everest.” Seeing that, as Theo liked to point out, Everest would be his brother-in-law one day. And being an in-law, well, that made him family.

Offering a tentative smile, Theo said, “Eh, right.” Never having been in this situation, Theo was a little stuck. “Heh, Everest. Maybe next year, Da?” Theo shifted his weight, uncomfortable dwelling on the topic, “So, what about those pheasants?”

Wesley studied Theo’s posture, his weak smile, and the change of subject. All telling him little clues about the man who Willow loved. Slowly Wesley spread his lips, “Indeed. What about those pheasants.” He positioned his gun and then turned to walk further into the woods with them all.

 

[Soliloquy]

Everest was confident in Wesley's abilities to weasel information out of those who were unsuspecting, exiting the lodge with the others while the seemingly casual conversation continued. He had a feeling that his honey-suckle tongue could have gotten information from even the most tight-lipped. Thankfully for them, Theo was more than willing to talk, trying to earn their graces no doubt. He shouldered his gun as they headed into the woods listening to the two who did most the talking.

The Family Olympics and Moon-Fishing had both been topics of interest for some time. Everest took note, though no doubt Wesley's steel trap of a mind was already on it. The information they gathered was going to help either confirm or deny their suspicions on Theo and his family. For now, he'd play it off as they hunted. "So I hear you're a pediatrician," he said as they were making their way through the thick brush. "An interesting choice, I always thought it was usually women who went that way. Have you always wanted to work and be around children?"

“No, actually, I wanted to be an explorer,” Theo admitted. That was practically true. By ‘explorer’ Theo meant he had wanted to leave Mamon’s cult. He wanted to go his own way, live his own life. Lyov’s movement had been the perfect storm. “We did some traveling, I saw many places, but by time we get to America I realize is important to me that I help children.” Theo let the comment about his profession being a woman's job go, not sure if this was Everest being obtuse or making a casual observation. It wasn't far-fetched.

His answer wasn't completely discrediting, though it was fractionally in his favor. Mages and particularly witches were quite attached to jobs where children were ripe for the taking. Being a pediatrician had been a red flag, and though he said it wasn't always his choice, Everest remained unconvinced at that point. He'd have to pry on if they were going to get solid answers. "I suppose everyone needs doctors," he said with a nonchalant shrug, his foot coming down just hard enough to snap a twig.

He decided to shift the conversation slightly, hoping that if there was a weak spot where they might be able to soften him up before asking more telling questions it would be his sister. "It's nice to see that you've been able to find a career you're passionate about to work in. A shame the same can't be said for Willow. I don't recall her ever saying she wanted to be a waitress when she grew up."

At hearing her name Theo’s eyes lit with contentment, he found himself smiling, “Da, Willow is good actress, good singer, good cellist,” He remembered when Molly suggested they work together on that contest. That had been exhilarating. “She still wants to act, I think. Sometime I consider taking break from my practice. I not mind if I act with her, maybe we go to Hollywood together one day.” He chuckled, “Though I am not good actor like Willow.” Wesley agreed inwardly, though he didn’t say so. While they still weren’t sure about Theo he did himself no favors when he hesitated or shifted subjects. And Wesley took note of his surprise that they had heard of Moon-Fishing.

Everest huffed in disapproval of the comment. "It still seems like that means she has to wait to do what she wants to do. I would have hoped that not hearing from her for years at a time would have meant she'd found a way to do what she enjoys. And not just as a hobby when it suits your schedule."

Theo did his best to keep a pleasant countenance, though it strained against his urge to frown. Everest wasn’t going to be easy to please. He had to accept that going in. Theo said cautiously, “I do not wish for her unhappiness. If Willow wanted to go, I would support her. I do not force her to stay.” He thought he’d make that clear. Theo appreciated that Willow respected his schedule and his passion. Had this been a point of contention he probably would not have pursued her. Theo needed a spouse willing to endure his career. For the sake of the children. For the sake of protecting others. Willow knew this and made her choice of her own free will. Theo didn't know how to say so without coming off defensive, so he said no more at the moment.

Nature giving way beneath his boots did well to cover the snort of disagreement from big brother. A rustle in a nearby brush brought them all to a standstill, though a long moment of pausing ended when only a rabbit peered out curiously. They continued on, Everest posing another question, thankfully diverting away from Willow's career. "That was an impressive ring that Will had on and I see the house you purchased is a decent place, even if it is a bit small. How long have you been working? They don't seem like light purchases. From my experience, most people focus on paying off school before spending pretty pennies."

“Grandpa Lyov and Jovan sell much of old heirloom to travel.” Theo said, explaining that their start out of Okunevo meant giving up on taking with them some of the more ancient items passed down through the generations. Turns out they cost a pretty penny. One by one they exchanged heritage for coin. Then when they met a woman, Velka, in Scotland, she connected them to her twin sister in America where they were headed. Runa helped them immigrate. Because of her they were given a head start. They saved a lot of money, scraping every dollar, Theo got scholarships, and it only got financially easier when they opened the pub. The house and the ring were big purchases that they could spare. What with him starting a family and the others getting by in cheaper dwellings, they could spare the money. “We blessed.” Theo said humbly, “Not everyone works out this well. I know this. I am appreciate these blessings.”

Everest glanced over at Wesley at the tell of the heirlooms, a look that meant to see if they could find any weight behind that. Chances were slim, but sometimes the most unlikely of folk could give you the most information, especially people plucking up antiques. "That must be quite the pub you have going," he remarked with interest. "I think I'd like to have a look at it myself. I'm no Wesley, but I do appreciate a hearty meal even if I don't critique every bite."

Theo beamed, “Da, would love to have you over!” He nodded readily, adding, “You too, Cory. All of you are welcome.”

Wesley said, “That is one place I still have yet to visit. A shame I didn’t go there for dinner the night I dropped by, I think it would have been a treat. Especially after business with my associate.” Wesley kept Theo in his periphery, “Perhaps Dr. Kobayashi and I could have even met there for our meeting.”

“You know Dr. Kobayashi?” Theo blinked.

“Indeed. Do you?” Wesley feigned ignorance.

“Da, he is colleague of my cousin, Natalia.” Theo told him.

“Well, small world,” Wesley mused, “So two doctors in the family.” He noted. One for people and one for animals, “I’m sure your skills as a pediatrician will be priceless when it comes to your children.” That opened another topic, “And Natalia’s profession as a vet may come in handy if any of you ever get pets. Willow had always wanted a pet. Maybe one day she will and we’ll get to see it sometime,” He smiled over at Theo, innocently asking, “Do you have any pets?”

Theo’s phone buzzed just as he meant to answer. He pulled it out on reflex and saw a notification from Molly. The line was caught off halfway through her message, due to the small bubble, and it vanished within moments. All he read were the words, ‘You’re phone isn’t picking up. Hope you see this! Hide Bandit! I got a--’. And that was it. Theo’s skin felt clammy. His neck got cold. Bandit was in his jacket pocket. She had been asleep for a while now. There was no telling when she’d pop out. Sometimes there was a delay between Theo and Bandit while she slept.

“Theo, is everything alright?” Wesley asked, curious about his normally tan skin becoming pale.

Clearing his throat, Theo put back his phone and offered a nervous smile, “Da, is alright. Is just Molly.” Before they could ask what she needed he answered their question, “We have some.”

“Lovely, what kind?” Wesley allowed the evasive maneuver for now.

“Micha has Bear, as you know.” Theo pointed out, licking his lips in uncertainty, “Granya has white raven she found in Ireland. Amalia has a boa she call Avril. Pippin is Natalia’s pygmy marmoset.” He offered as examples.

"My, that's nearly an entire zoo you have going," Everest perked in interest, redirecting his pathing so it was closer to Theo though he kept walking forward. His suspicious behavior was only growing by the moment. Having so many pets certainly sounded a lot like familiars, even if they weren't the typical species. "By my count that's one for nearly everyone of you? Oh except for Grandpa Lyov, Jovan and yourself. That's a shame. Wes's is right, Willow did always want a pet."

Something about Molly’s warning and Everest’s sudden amiability bothered Theo. He wasn’t sure how much to say at this point. If he didn’t mention Bandit, and they saw her, would that be a problem? If Everest was going to be in their lives wouldn’t that mean he would know about Bandit at some point anyway? Theo wished he had any skill in clairvoyance or Seersight. But those talents were not learned. Some had it. Some didn’t. End of story. Molly had been a lucky duck.

Then again, maybe Theo didn’t need to glimpse the future or get supernatural vibes. Everest’s mood had uplifted when hearing about their animals. Theo knew he wasn’t always the most perceptive but he wasn’t an idiot. Somehow this conversation didn’t feel like he was engaged in a talk of mutual interest in each other's lives.

Hesitant, Theo decided to turn the tables, “Da, she did,” he asked as casually as he could muster, “I wonder why she never got one. Can’t be about expense. She rides horses and they are pricey.” he started off, “Everest, is there reason?”

The corners of his mouth twitched for a moment, though he kept his gaze trained on the terrain ahead. Everest might not have been silver-tongued or as fluent in interrogations as Wesley but he wasn't too dense to miss a deflection like that. Still, he wasn't about to back down from a question that was clearly posed at his family. "My parents have always had a distrust for animals," he explained. "They felt they often carried disease and caused unnecessary implications. The felt her passion for horseback was at least justifiable, but anything like a dog or snake would serve no purpose. Do you disagree?"

Theo had to shake his head, “Not if you don’t consider them accessories. No creature is accessory. A life, a living thing, is give much respect. Bear or Avril is companion. Not simple pet. My family and I do not look at beings and ask what purpose they do for us in sterile, apathy. Just like we do not look at people and ask what they do to serve us. We make friends, we make companions. We make bonds.” Theo said in sincerity, “Purpose for any life is to love, do you agree?”

Admittedly, it was a valid response when broken down. It might have even been pleasing to hear talk of making bonds and not just looking for a way to benefit as Everest thought of Theo's relationship with Willow. He had been considering for some time that if their beliefs of Theo being a mage were true what that meant for his sister. What good could an adult Mundie provide to a mage, particularly one that was a part of a large group? Granted, his talk of planning to have children with her could have been for his own use of creating more mages.

Still, he couldn't disagree with what the man was saying. "Love is a valiant purpose, though it cannot flourish without proper nutrients. Things like good health cannot be overlooked and that includes bringing potential disease to those you care about," he said with factual tone. "I'm sure you can respect their desire to keep Willow safe, just as we all want."

Love, I think, is not reliant on any external condition. It may be the spring from which all purpose comes. Theo thought to himself before he addressed Everest, “Da, I can respect the intention.” Though he couldn’t say cutting out all but horses did much to safeguard. Stables were not known for being the best sanitary places. And bugs like ticks and horseflies were a common issue for people working with those equine beasts. But Theo let the topic rest and nodded in confirmation of Everest’s last statement. They did want her safety.

Wesley said, “There now, something we can all agree on.” just as the reached the treeline at the edge of the meadow wherein all manner of pheasants may well be hidden.

Cory had truthfully been more curious about hunting pheasants than questioning Theo. He liked Everest. They didn’t all get to hang out like this as often as he wanted. At the risk of disrupting their secret interrogation, he positioned his gun, “Shall we?”

Everest decided they'd leave the sleeping dog for a few minutes. After all, if the four of them came back empty handed, it would definitely raise suspicions. "Alright boys, last one to bag a bird had to carry them all back," he grinned, clicking his safety off as they headed into the taller grass.

 

[xrakkax]

Wesley chuckled, “I guess that might be you, Cory. At the very least I don’t expect Everest will be hulking a sack of birds home.”

Cory took the tease, feigning injury, “Ah, you guys!” he shook his head, “I can shoot well!” he insisted, murmuring Rosalie had thought so, then immediately regretting his words when Wesley’s eyes smiled and snapped over to him.

“Is that right? Is that all she thinks shoots well, Cory?” Wesley grinned.

Blushing, Cory sputtered, “I-- I don’t know what you mean! Wh-- where did you-- Who said--”

The men erupted in laughter. Even Theo joined in the mirth. Finally Wes signaled them to calm as they readied their guns. A hush fell over the meadow. Tap, tap, tap, they padded through the foliage. Theo could practically sense a hum in the air. Then FLAP FLAP FLAP! POP, POP! POP! Their guns aimed at the colorful avians that darted into the sky. Theo took three shots before he snagged one. Cory didn’t catch any. Wes got two.

"Aww Little Cory growing up to be a ladies man," Everest smirked, nodding at Wesley's direction. "See, told you he'd take after you sooner or later."

His chuckling faded off as the weight of the hunt was on. Dark eyes narrowed as he scanned the clearing, his breathing falling into a familiar pace of long, even drags. The moment the rustle of the grass was heard before them, he was ready. With a reaction time that was eerily quick but still perfectly smooth, the barrel of his gun swam through the air while firing off bullets in quick succession. Four shots before the air was cleaned, four bodies to match. As the last of the shots echoed in the clearing, he lowered his gun, an almost joyful grin on his face. "We should hunt more often."

Wesley couldn’t suppress a grin, “Yes, but I think a change of pace would be good too. Don’t you think? Some diversity.” Wesley feigned a hum of thought, “Oh, perhaps archery? We could invite Rosalie and Willow with us. Make it co-ed.” He had to chuckle, “Same rules too. The man who nabs the least fowl must bring the sack back.”

Everest's face dropped to a frown, less thrilled about hunting. "I don't know. Bows are pretty outdated," he argued weakly. He might not admit it aloud, but he knew that both girls could easily out shoot him if bullets weren't involved. He'd really have to count on Cory sucking worse than him. "Besides I'm sure they'll be busy with something."

Theo had a sudden urge to tease and joke like he was with Micha, but he felt their relationship wasn’t quite there yet. So he stood by while Wesley pat Everest’s shoulder, feeling very much the fourth wheel here, “Oh Ev, I want you to say that again. But in front of the girls.” he chuckled. Oh boy, he’d love to see that! All in good fun, of course.

The gunsman whose pride kept him afloat shot his friend a glare. "Don't you dare encourage that. I don't want to know what it'd be like to manage to piss them both off at once. Something in this family breeds spite in even the kindest women, and I know now that's on my mother's side."

Welsey laughed, “Oh I could never really do such a thing to a man as handsome as you, Ev! No worries, hm?” He winked, turning to see where Cory ran off too.

Cory went ahead of them to try to shoot a bird before they left. He simply couldn’t come back without having claimed one victory! The poor lad spent a good amount of time doing so. Theo almost broke and used Almaeri to help him. Cory had chosen well to be a tracker.

“I did it!” The young man came back, breathing heavily. The pheasant, with its beak agape, looked about as surprised as Cory did, “My catch.” He dropped it in the bag.

“Looks like you and Theo are at a tie.” Wesley mused.

Theo shifted his feet. He didn’t know if that was a comment about him being no better than a boy, or if that was a compliment to Cory. Either way he decided to be merciful. Theo pulled the bag onto his back and offered Cory an encouraging smile, “You did great job.” He turned away, heading back to the castle, “I think determination is win in itself.”

Wesley hummed, “Well how about that.” Sure, they didn’t know if he was a mage yet, but in this moment Wesley thought well of Theo. Even just for that. “Well lads, let’s get going.”

Everest had to admit it did make him at least a decent man. Sadly that only did so much if he was a murdering mage. For now it'd at least earn him a nod of approval toward the man who his sister seemed to find a worthy mate. "Look at that. I'm sure Rosalie will be proud when you bring him home," he did slip in one final tease to Cory before the men headed back in. It was just far too easy to get his cheeks blushing.


Cory, rosy cheeked and staring at the sky, tucked his hands in his pockets, feeling a sense of gratefulness as he walked along with the men back to the lodge. Wesley shouldered his gun and engaged with Everest in conversation. Theo did his best to make sure Bandit didn’t pop out as soon as he noticed she woke up. Thankfully he managed just fine.

 

[Soliloquy]

While the menfolk were off ready to get dirty and satisfy their woodland cravings, their female counterparts were entering the section of one wing that had been converted to an on-site spa. An attendant seemed to be waiting in expectation of their group. She motioned them through a door where a room was arranged with four long cots, each prepared with warm towels and a silk bathrobe. The beds were separated by hanging thick white sheets that provided privacy between the beds while still allowing conversation.

Inara’s amber eyes swept over the inviting scene with a sigh of anticipation. How she loved these times with Ellie. Willow being here made it all the better. She had missed her friend. Wesley had the most time with Willow between them, but she enjoyed the time she could get. And of course, it was never a dull moment with Ellie.

In order the women each took one of the spots, Inara placed closest to the door with Willow between her and Ellie. Immediately behind the curtain, Ellie started to undress, slipping into the robe offered and laying down with an audible groan. "You have no idea how much I've been looking forward to this," she murmured, half muffled by the cot.

Inara chuckled, “I could guess.” She pulled off her jeans and long-sleeved shirt. Though she had three children her skin remained supple and taught. Her muscles rippled gently beneath her epidermis. Faint stretch marks speckled her upper pelvic area. A tattoo of Hindu design marked her right hip. There were more notable scars that caught the eye. Slashes, like claws of a wild cat, ran over her back. There were two on her left thigh. But the more curious marks were what looked like bites from a human mouth. There were several up her arms. They thinned as they got to her collarbone. None of these could be seen, due to the sheets between them.

The room was the epitome of relaxation, soft instrumentals floating from hidden speakers along with a gentle ambiance that sounded like a calm river. The scent of lavender with a hint of Patchouli gradually seeped to them, carefully mixed so it wasn't overpowering to the patrons. Willow was much slower in her motions to undress, quickly pulling her robe on and tying it closed before lowering herself down. "I can imagine. Planning this had to be stressful," she offered as conversation, still trying to get a feel for how she would speak to Ellie.

The bride scoffed in response, turning her head so it wasn't as muffled when she spoke. "Don't get me wrong, your brother has been great when I've asked him to help, but that also usually ends up with me having more work to do when I have to backtrack over what he did," she chuckled.

Willow had to admit that didn't sound unlike her brother at all. "Careful, that's a tactic he does to get out of things he doesn’t want to do." Ellie perked a brow even if it was unseen. "Oh really? I'll have to keep that in mind… What about you? Getting your ducks in a row for next June?" Attendants came out to each of their stations, starting the girls off with deep tissue massages.

The conversation was going smoother than she would have imagined, Willow happy to have a chance to talk about something she knew of. "Oh, I wish. I've picked out a few things, but nothing is very concrete. I guess there's just been so much excitement I've been putting it off."

“I wish I had more say in my wedding,” Inara grumbled, closing her eyes. “My Aunt Saanvi was a tyrant. Do you remember, Willow? She insisted I henna my whole body. It was torture. I nearly threw the dye at her head.” Inara had invited Willow to get henna as well. "Ellie, I don't know how to tell you how wonderful it is to be here, and how wonderful you are, and how much Ev does not deserve you." Inara added with a sincere tone, "No offense to Everest, by the way, he's a good guy!"

"I heard excitement and a lie that Ev was a good guy," Rosalie could be heard as she entered the room, lead past the other three to the last cot. It was a new voice for Willow, and because of her current positioning she wasn't going to get a good look at the mystery cousin, but a chorus of welcomes from the other two answered any uncertainty.

"Hey Rosalie, glad to see you could join us girl!" Ellie said, her voice jarring in the middle, likely from her masseuse's assault of her shoulder blade. "Come on in, the torture is fantastic."

“Oh yay, Rosy!” Inara managed before her own massage artist rolled a fist into her back.

Rosalie chuckled as she transitioned into a robe as well, taking up the last bed and letting out an audible sigh. "Jet lag is the absolute worst. You'd think we'd have the technology to handle it by now," she murmured, before adding in a proper volume, "So what's so exciting that we were talking about?" "Willow's wedding and how she's been too busy to get it planned," Ellie chimed in as she let her arms droop off the table sides.

"Oh, Willow's here?" Rosalie sounded nearly as interested as Willow felt. The last few years had been a lot of explaining that she in fact wasn't Willow, hearing plenty of good things and wanting to meet the woman that left a life of luxury and family that loved her to go off on a rather childish tangent. "I've heard so many good things about you."

"Hello," Willow called, feeling a faceless introduction was odd but not in any position to move just then. "It's good to almost meet you." She chuckled at her bad joke, stopped short by what felt like an elbow in her shoulder blade. Questions swarmed in her mind, but at the same time she didn't want to ask them with Ellie between them. Or maybe Rosalie wouldn't want to answer questions at all.

The silence had drawn out and Rosalie actually broke it first, reverting back to the earlier topic. "So a wedding? That is exciting," her tone wasn't quite as thrilled as Ellie's had been. That didn't go unnoticed by the redhead who piped up.

"What's the matter, Rosy? Afraid that you'll never get Cory to get rid of cold feet and make an honest woman of you?" There was a playful banter in her words, the two comfortable enough with each other. To Willow as an outsider, she would have guessed the two were sisters.

Inara chuckled, “If he could stop sputtering for one moment to properly ask her. The man’s mouth loses all sense of direction when he talks to Rosalie.” She thought it was absolutely adorable of her brother-in-law. Cory had confided to Inara that his heart beats so fast his brain rushes and all the words come out wrong. “Cory really loves your smile, Rosy. Said so the other day.”

"Aww, that's cute," Willow commented, though she couldn't say much of Cory herself. Unlike his older brother, she'd hardly seen him, though had heard plenty of stories.

"It's cute and I don't mind waiting," was Rosalie's response across the room. "I don't want to rush him and we're comfortable as it is. Though, for the record: if it ever did come down to it, I refuse to be the one to propose. He'll have to get that one out on his own." This earned a chorus of giggles as their massages ended. "What's next on this pampered agenda?"

The girls were herded on to have a deep conditioning done for their hair. Willow was just a couple minutes later than the others, requesting an extra round of pressing out a knot she'd been dealing with on her shoulder since their night on the lumpy bedroll. By the time she joined the other three, everyone had their heads back in the black basins, soft groans of approval heard as their scalps were massaged. The angle made it hard for her to get another peak at Rosalie, though she assumed it'd happen soon enough and didn't want to look foolish gawking. Instead she settled back in her chair for her conditioning, silently grateful for the treatment after how rough the fire had her feeling.

While their hair was soaking in the saturated nutrients, each of the women expertly had a sweet smelling mud mask lathered on to their faces. Hair rinsed out, one of the attendants offered that they could either remain in the chairs here or relax by the indoor pool. Rosalie perked up in interest. "Does this pool come with an oiled man bringing me a drink? Because I feel like that's all we're missing," she murmured, voicing her interest in pool as she sat up, a towel being wrapped around her head.

"I'll pass on the drink, but am all for the man. And seeing as I have another day of freedom, I wouldn't mind a gander at a young Irish stud," Ellie admitted with a mischievous smirk as she too was being bundled up.

Inara had been puddy in the hands of the professionals. Her mind faded in and out of attention. But something Ellie said made her ears ring. Pass on the drink? Now Ellie wasn't lush, but the girl knew how to have a good time. Inara felt she and Ellie matched fairly well in regards to partying. Studious amber eyes drew over to the redhead. “Ellie, just curious. . .how have you been feeling lately? Specifically in the mornings.”

Ellie was up on her feet, though she did waver for the slightest second, a hand finding the arm rest until she was balanced again. She was grateful for the mud mask, hiding her pale skin flushing at the question. "Like i want to sleep for four more hours," she scoffed as the others all joined her standing up. The attendant was ushering them through a door and large stone archway that contained a rectangular pool and several comfortable lounging chairs.

​

Inara squinted at Ellie in suspicion. Like a cat Inara stuck close to her friend’s side. If nothing else than to keep an eye on her slight waver. “Mhm,” She made a noise of acknowledgment and to indicate she was still very much engaged in conversation with Ellie, “How do your breasts feel? Have they been tender lately?” She asked, taking a lounge chair next to her.

Rosalie and Willow ended up trailing behind the other two, all four taking up seats alongside the pool. Willow had to admit she had some interest in the current topic, all too familiar with the symptoms that were being questions. Rosalie was intrigued, though she wasn't quite jumping to the same conclusion as the other Crosse woman. "Inara Kali Von Helsing, what on earth has you asking about my tits?" Ellie all but laughed at her friend, shaking her head. "I realize it isn't the first time, but still. You're going to have
Willow thinking we are countering the boys' affair with one of our own."

Sporting a good-natured smile, Inara said, “Well now, I wouldn’t mind making Wes jealous. And you’re just the girl I’d pick for that, but if you want me to be blatant about it---” She inclined her head toward Ellie’s belly, “I think you’re pregnant.”

Willow grinned at the accusation, frankly thrilled at even the possibility that her soon to be sister-in-law was going to have a child. She seemed like a good match to Everest, not letting him get away with much from the small glimpse she'd caught. She accepted a glass of wine from the attendant, Rosalie following suit in taking one and immediately sipping at it with a content sigh. Two sets of chocolate eyes peered over at Ellie though, curiosity spreading.

The redhead shifted slightly, denying the wine and asking for a sparkling water to be sent instead. After a moment of thought knowing she wasn't going to be able to lie to Inara's quick wit, she knew she'd have to come clean. "Due in May. God, I should have known you'd be the one to figure it out," she said with a roll of her eyes. "No one was suppose to find out until after the wedding."

Inara clapped twice in excitement, “Delightful!” She beamed, “Oh I had been thinking of it for a while now. I’ve had three kids, Ellie, I know the signs.” Inara asked for two wine glasses for herself to drink for the both of them, “Congratulations! Thought of any names yet?”

Rosalie had joined in on the celebration, raising her glass and letting out a cheer. Even if she wasn't a part of this trio that were clearly familiar with each other, Willow still offered her congratulations as well, though she fretted to think what her brother was going to be like as a dad.

"You mean besides Buzzkill?" Ellie retorted as she sipped on her flavored water that had arrived. "No names picked out, still waiting to find out what the urchin is. Oh, and don't go telling anyone. My family can be ridiculous about things like that."

"Our lips are sealed," Rosalie promised for the group, though she did pry a bit. "But what does Everest think of all this? I mean, it is his doing, but you know how guys can be."

"He won't say it, but the man is terrified," Ellie admitted with a sympathetic shrug. "I think he'll be fine in a few months, but for now he is looking for any possible distraction he can."

Inara chuckled, “When Wesley found out about Lottie, he was stunned. First time I witnessed him speechless.” She wistfully recalled his mouth open and nothing but breathy astonishment came out. He had run shaky hands through his hair, turned around once, and when he faced Inara he had only adoration and awe in his eyes, “He was sweet. He knelt down and hugged me. His face rested against my belly and he murmured something. I couldn’t tell what it was. Wes said it was for her ears alone.” Inara melted at the memory. “Then I felt nauseous and threw up in the wastebasket nearby.” She chuckled, "Oh I hope you don't get the kind of morning sickness I did for my first pregnancy."

"Aww, that's absolutely adorable," Ellie said as she wiped a tear from her eye, sipping her water. "It hasn't been too horrible, although I have been terribly exhausted. More importatly, I can't express just how annoyed I am that I cannot drink at my own damn wedding."

“You know they have non-alcoholic wine that tastes like it’s real.” Inara chuckled, “Though I wasn’t a fan of it when I tried.” She admitted, “But, my doctor said a glass of red wine once a week wouldn’t hurt the baby. My Sundays were spent in a bubble bath with a modest amount of Merlot, or a Moscato if I had a sweet tooth that day. I recommend.”

A groan signaled that sounded like heaven. "Well shit, it is Sunday," Ellie perked her brows with a hopeful grin. "But I think I'll save that for the reception. Less chance of people gettin suspcious too."

Chatter continued with Inara sharing a few pregnancy suggestions and Willow offering ways to handle the bigger baby; Everest. They paused when hot towels were brought out for their masks to be wiped away clean. Willow had been buried in a mask, washing away the mud when her attention was caught.

"Miss Crosse, your bag," an attendant was saying, which only caused confusion. She hadn't brought a bag. Looking up from the towel, she spotted the attendant, but they weren't looking at her or Rosalie for that matter. They both looked over to see the young man bringing a bag over to a woman who was just about to leave the archway out of the pool area, her back to them. She had stopped turning to accept the bag with a soft smile.

"Oh, why thank you doll," Elizabeth nodded, a voice that was familiar to Willow though Rosalie wouldn't know it. The kind face she had seen for three days in December was glancing their way across the room, leaving Willow at a loss for words. Miss Crosse? Dark eyes set in an an aged face fell first on Willow with a soft smile, before shifting to Rosalie, her mouth falling slightly agape. She had seemed ready to leave, though something drew her closer. With each step, her eyes bounced from one of the girls to the other, paying no attention to the other two women. "Willow, it's so good to see you again dear. And who is this?"

Willow would have thought she'd be surprised that after nearly a year Elizabeth had remembered her name, but now hearing the staff member saying she was a Crosse, it seemed logical. Regardless, she had no idea who this woman was, never having heard of her in her entire life. She seemed just as genuine as she had at the Old Bear, and Willow decided in that moment even if she didn't know who she was, she was not a threat. "This is my cousin, Rosalie."

Unlike Willow, Rosalie was much more on edge about this woman who bore their name yet was not in their history. She offered a smile that as practiced as any of Willow's, though her chocolate eyes were less forgiving. Elizabeth seemed delighted at the news, a final glance between the girls before settling on Willow. "That's wonderful! And I certainly see a family resemblance," she nodded in thought. A chime from her phone tore her attention away, shaking her head at the screen. "I will leave you girls to your relaxation. Oh and Eleanor, congratulations doll!"

Ellie seemed a bit taken back by the wish, but merely offered a smile and nod of her head. One hand protectively went to the smallest bulge hidden by her bathroom. She had a fairly good idea of who was coming for their wedding, but had left the security measures to Everest (imagining it to be his forte that couldn't be messed up, especially if Wesley was kept in the loop). She'd have to have a talk with him when others weren't around.

 

[xrakkax]

Inara observed the looks exchanged between the women. While she didn’t personally know Elizabeth she had heard from her husband about her. Wes had learned some details, but she was as a mystery to them as they were to the world. Inara had long since cleaned her face and had meant to take a dip in the pool, but her curiosity paused her to catch Elizabeth’s attention after she wished Ellie well and told them she was leaving, “Forgive me if I am holding you here, but I was wondering if you wouldn’t mind joining me and my husband for an evening stroll with our children? We’ve been ever so eager to meet you.”

A brief moment passed before something seemed to click with Elizabeth. "Oh Lady Von Helsing, of course. Nothing like a breath of Irish air to ease your soul to sleep. I would enjoy that very much. I'll see you at the garden doors after dinner, if that isn't too late for your young ones?"

“Not too late at all, we’d be delighted.” Inara assured her, “The children need a good run around right before bed. Lottie especially.” The thoughts of her little ones began to pull at her heartstrings. How she missed them! Even when away for only a few hours. “We’ll see you then.” She smiled and waved before turning to the pool.

A parting wave was given before Elizabeth turned to walk away, her heels clicking until fading into the hum of the room. Willow took another sip of her wine, oddly enough just as Rosalie did, the two both gazing in thought to the doorway she'd just left from. "Who on Earth was that?" Willow spoke the thought both seemed to have.

The question drew Inara’s attention once she let her silk robe fall and got into the water, not shy about swimming in the nude. Naturally, she looked over at the one who voiced it. While the women still wore the complimentary towels wrapped around their head, it was easy to see their similarities. The thought that anyone would mistake them for anything other than relatives would have been a laugh. And not just between Rosalie and Willow. Elizabeth confirmed the trend. Inara would suspect Ellie and Everests babe to have the strong Crosse and Caine-Bell family features.

“A mystery woman, it seems.” Inara offered some form of an answer, “Wes tells me Everest only recently discovered her. Elizabeth Crosse is your Aunt. An estranged family member.”

Rosalie's brows furrowed at the news, feeling that this was something that should have been revealed to her when she had been invited into the Crosse family. she also had questions about if this mystery woman was a hunter, but she knew better than to ask questions like that in front of Willow. It felt odd to have the outsider among them, though her own curiosity kept her tongue still.

Willow on the other hand was faced with conflicting feelings. Even if she had met Elizabeth before, she struggled to grasp that there was a woman she'd never met who was her own flesh and blood. The necklace that was stored away thousands of miles away in her home in Seabrook came to mind, and the realization of where she had seen it before clicked. While Grandma Mary Crosse never wore it for her to see, Willow had seen it before in aged family photos, though none that included anyone but her father. As far as she had known her entire life, he was half of a set of twins, his brother dying shortly after birth, but no one had ever mentioned Elizabeth.

Willow turned to Inara, ready to ask her long-time just when this discovery happened when her gaze fell on Inara's exposed body. Willow inhaled sharply in surprise, her hand going to cover her mouth as she sat up. After her heart adjusted to the shock, her hand dropped. "Inara! Lord, what happened?!" The scars that had been hidden throughout the years were now cause for concern and so many questions. The cuts, the bite marks, what could have done that to her?

Inara’s cheeks rosied, realizing she had been careless in all the relaxation. “Oh, Willow, it’s alright-- well, it’s not as bad as it--- what I mean is---” Inara chuckled, “Cory might be influencing me! Perhaps it was my tease about him that has come back in my face.” Taking a moment to clear her throat, she answered, “In my line of work I’ve come across a great many people who bite to harm.” She chuckled, “Not all of these are from work though.” Inara pointed to one on her neck. It was much fainter than the others. A light impression. “Wesley’s doing. And I can’t say I didn’t like it.” Having ‘Bounty Hunter’ as her occupation made it easier for her to explain herself to people.

While Rosalie and Ellie were silently complimenting Inara's quick thinking, Willow felt her own cheeks flushing. The thought of someone trying to bite their way out of being caught sounded rather animalistic. Hearing that silver-tongued Wesley was responsible, albeit for a faint mark, only deepened her blush. Ellie caught sight of it and snorted a laugh. "Oh come on, Willow! You're going to act like you're engaged to a handsome man like Theo and he's never once bitten you? Christ, I couldn't tell you the number of times that your brother has left a mark on me."

Willow's cheeks darkened and something seemed to cause a more mild but similar reaction in Rosalie. She was just thinking of the person who she was most likely to engage in such risque behaviors with. Somehow she couldn't imagine Cory doing anything like that, but the thought of even asking about it was enough to get her blushing. Thankfully, Willow's answer saved her from her own curiosities. "Well, I, uh. I mean, we've..." she nervously took a sip of her wine, only making Ellie chuckle beside her.

Inara perked, expectant, if only to rile Willow for fun! “Yes?” She prodded, “You’ve what?”

Her cheeks had grown as red as her wine at that point, Willow feeling all three sets of eyes on her with baited breath. "Oh come on! You don't expect me to talk about what we do in the bedroom," she tried to change the subject. Even Molly only got a few highlights when she wouldn't stop wiggling her brows.

"Oh, yes we most certainly do. We don't get anything from Rosalie's tight lips so this is all on you. Spill it, Crosse," Ellie grinned in a manner that reminded Willow of the girls back in high school.

Well hell, they were all adults and apparently these two at least weren't afraid to spill on their dirty laundry. "Never bitten," Willow admitted, finishing off her wine. "Theo is a sensual lover. It's uh, it's nice." Definitely better than anyone else she'd encountered, though she didn't share that tidbit.

Wesley and the men were strolling through the halls in the direction of the spa. While he didn't intend to disturb the womenfolk during their time alone when he heard the echo of their voices he couldn't help but catch a few words. If the other three didn't notice before, now they did. Wesley held both hands for them to stop. Then he pressed a finger to his mouth and motioned the guys to follow. Wesley carefully placed one foot delicately in front of the other to not make a sound. Theo caught on, though he wasn't as sure as the others over what they were doing. Cory followed his brother, as always, tip-toeing quieter now than when he was in the woods.

“It’s ‘nice’, is it?” Inara chuckled, “Is that how you are to describe Theo’s prowess in bed? Here, I will start off,” She hummed in thought of what to say, “Wesley is as silver-tongued in bed as he is in conversation. That man’s body rolls like a wave, and I am his moon pulling in the tide.” Inara smirked, “Now you try.”

Just outside the threshold Wesley grinned devilishly, feeling a sense of pride that his wife had said such praising words about his talents in bed. He had to thank a certain werewolf hunter for his mastery. Light biting and what his tongue could do had been the least in his repertoire in regard to intimacy. Wesley and Inara didn’t have three kids so early for no reason. It had always been an assumption of Wes that he’d be the one who chased his wife for some attention. In truth, Inara found herself turning on music and dancing to get him out of his workshop often. It worked.

Theo couldn’t decide if he should leave out of respect, or hear what Willow had to say with Everest right here with him. A quick glance at Everest made up his mind. Though he did want to be good friends with Everest, he wasn’t going to skip out on an opportunity like this. To hell with it! He wanted to know what Willow would say. Cory gulped, feeling a blush, and he hadn’t done much than kiss Rosalie!

If Willow hadn't known better, she'd have thought that Inara was reading aloud one of her preferred novel types, curled up on the couch. Those books usual led to her being the one to initiate a heated night between her and Theo. "Oh, I don't know," she said again in modesty, though beside her was someone else who didn't seem to be afraid to join in.

"Cory's kisses feel like air when you've been underwater for too long. It's like I'm inhaling him and I can't get enough," Rosalie remarked before realizing it, her cheeks flaring up again.

Ellie let out a squeal of delight, clapping her hands in admiration for the younger girl's words. "Well, well. Seems like even if Cory struggles with his conversation now and then he finds ways to make up for it with his mouth," her shoulders bounced in delight. "Being with Everest is a burning passion. He's like surging wildfire that absolutely ravages the land; flames licking and consuming everything in sight. It's breathtaking." Just outside the room, Everest grinned with pride at the comparison, already planning just how much time before dinner there was or wasn't to hold true to his descriptor.

All eyes fell on Willow once more who was the only one remaining to describe her lover. Closing her eyes, she thought back a recent night they'd spent in each others arms, her lips pulling back into a grin. "Theo is strong and sensual, and his arms around me make the world melt away. Making love feels like we're making music and our movement are the detailed and attentive notes that make our bodies sing out." Her cheeks were slowly returning to their typical color.

Ellie perked her brows at the description, finishing off her water and setting the glass down. "It still sounds like you could go for a bite, but maybe I'm just prude," she shrugged, mischievous smile shared for Rosalie as well. "You too, Rosy, see what else you can get out of that Cory's mouth."

Theo silently nodded in approval. It felt right that Willow painted a picture of their love-making with music. When entwined in her embrace he enjoyed her special song only meant for him. Wes gave Theo a thumbs up. Willow had stepped out of her comfort zone to join in and kept up with the girls. Now the talk about Cory had the guys giving the young man imish gleaming eyes.

Inara grinned, “You may want to give him some pointers, Rosy. Cory has yet to ‘sheath his sword’ if you know what I mean.”

Cory’s cheeks couldn’t have gotten any redder. It was true. Growing up with tutoring, getting involved in the family business, and training with Wesley had taken all his time. There was never a minute to spare to flirt, let alone become close enough to lay with a woman. Theo gave him a sympathetic look, knowing that such a detail was being shared couldn’t be easy to endure. Wesley mouthed soundlessly, “Oh that’s right,” And gave Cory a reassuring pat on the arm, “We can talk later.” Because what were older brothers for than to help their younger brothers impress the ladies?

As pleased as Everest was with his own lady's response, hearing Willow talking about the same thing with Theo sounded very much like indecencies. Still, he'd have to put aside being a protective big brother for now; there were more pressing matters at hand, and she was just on the other side of that wall. Even teasing Cory was paused, knowing the lad wasn't too far behind most his age, just barely reaching eighteen.

A wall apart, Rosalie was growing as red as Cory was, taking her time to take a long sip of her wine. "Only if that's something he's comfortable with. I don't want to rush this and ruin it," she said with as much firmness as she could muster without offending anyone. Willow had to admire the girl's courage and nodded in agreement.

There couldn’t have been a better thing to say. Cory went from nervous and worried to wide eyed and beaming. She wasn’t put off by him with his cherry still intact. More than that, Rosalie spoke aloud her concern openly to others that she wanted this to work out. And she’d be up for something like that in the future! Cory had trouble taking steps. Right then he resolved to have that talk with his brother, even if it met his cheeks would be rubies, and sweep Rosalie off her feet in the most romantic way he could plan.

Theo had only just met Cory, but he bobbed his head and smiled, joining in the young man’s delight that shone like a moonbeam across his face. Wesley couldn’t hold in his amusement forever. This talk might well go on and on. Now was the time to make an entrance. And Wes loved a good entrance! Wes gave Cory a quick prep beforehand about how to walk. He had Theo adjust his collar to reveal the dip at his throat and to accentuate the strength in his neck, telling him to trust him on this. Wesley trusted Everest to know what to do. They have done this kind of thing before; teasing their women. Just as Wes undid two buttons on the top, to reveal Inara’s favorite bit of clavicle in a calculated move to get her hot and bothered, he called over a staff member to come and cooperate with their plans.

Thankfully Wes knew his wife enough to know she would like the option of putting on a robe if she didn’t fancy being seen naked. Though she had, at times, not cared. So the servant stepped in, respectfully interrupted Inara’s ‘awww’ over Rosalie’s words, and announced, “Lord Wesley, Lord Cornelius, Mr. Crosse, and Mr. Al-Zakhar are requesting to join you all.”

The girls looked up in surprise at the announcement, Willow unable to help but grin at her lovers name. Rosalie could feel her cheeks back to their normal temperature, now looking with eager eyes at the door. Ellie chuckled, shaking her head to herself. "Speaking of the devils," she murmured but nodded to the servant once Inara was robed again. "Yes, please send the rapscallions in."

Inara pondered the robe. Until Theo could be determined as either a mage or mundie, it would likely be best not to alert him of her scars. Odds are, if he be a mage, it wouldn’t take him long to tell that vampires had sunk their teeth in her. Inara managed to get out of the pool and slip on the silk robe just as the sound of leather on stone echoed off the walls.

The men strode in from the hallway. It felt like watching a slow mo in a movie. Wesley and Everest led the quartet, with Wes slightly ahead so that he may sweep his arms open in a welcoming motion. This also happened to shift the collar around his shoulder. He noticed Inara’s amber gaze glance off of that bit of bare skin like a tennis ball against a racket. This had happened enough times that Inara knew Wes was batting up. Whoever suggested to ‘freshen up’ first lost. This was also what Wes quietly told the men before they came in with their swagger.

“Ladies, I dare say the room is made more beautiful by your presence.” Wesley grinned, meeting Inara just as she tied her silk robe shut. He leaned and gave her a greeting kiss, more so that his musk could be inhaled than anything else. And she knew it. “Hello darling.” He purred.

Inara pursed her lips that threatened to smile, “Mhm,” She shook her head gently, “Good day to you too, sweety.” She walked past him to a lounge chair. The way she sat, exaggerated and slow, indicated to him that the game was on.

Cory desperately wanted to clear his throat. But as per Wes’s short pep talk, he had to muster all the work he did to be smooth in this moment of the utmost importance! So, he casually walked his bouncy gait-- that was encouraged, Wes believed a natural charm to be the best to play off of-- over to Rosalie, hands tucked. He brought one out and softly grazed her cheek with the back of his knuckle, “Hey Rosy.”

Theo grinned, wanting to be one of the guys so badly. As he moved over to Willow he took out his hair, as if he was tired of it up, and shook his mane out. His green eyes landing on her chocolate gaze, with a gleam of impish desire. Just as he got to Willow he gave her cheek a kiss, “I missed you.” He murmured, choosing to employ the tactic of smell as well.

 

[Soliloquy]

Everest indeed wouldn't need any coaching on the way to meet their women, a debonair presence only second nature to him. He waited until he was in Ellie's sight before he began to unbutton the cuffs of his long-sleeved shirt, his eyes locked on her. Spending the first several years of their relationship at a distance, she knew all too well what this meant; the first step in a lengthy undressing. Biting her lower lip as he crossed to her, Ellie watched in suspense to see what he would do next. Rather than a gentle kiss or shy hello, he wasted no time with words and instead lifted her right off the lounge chair, Ellie automatically wrapping her legs about him, Everest's body blocking the others from seeing anything they need not see.

"Oh? A good hunt?" she asked with an amused smirk, keeping her mouth just barely away from his to ramp him up in return.

"Not as good as the one I'm about to go on," he murmured, tilting his head to make way toward her neck.

"Ev, I'm not dressed," she protested weakly, their clothes piled for them in the next room.

"I fail to see the problem, El," he smirked, though he did do her a favor and gently lower her back to the lounge chair, less the rest of the room wind up with a show they didn't ask for.

Rosalie felt a rush of heat at Cory's touch, setting her empty glass down and sitting up so that the gap between them narrowed. "Why hello, Cory," she mused back to him, shifting her feet and motioning for him to join her if he chose to. "It's good to see you."

Watching Theo's hair fall down made Willow want to bury her fingers in it. She didn't know if it was the heated girl talk or the wine after being so relaxed or just his presence, but she could already feel her own friskiness rising before he even made contact with her. "Oh and I missed you," she admitted, his familiar musk rolling over her and making her grin up at him. "Something tells me that the spa day just came to it's end girls," she said loud enough for others to hear, though there was no disappointment in it.

"Hour until dinner," Ellie said as a warning, backing out of the pool area while tugging a grinning Everest by his collar.

"See you guys then," he smirked, following after her not unlike a dog eager for a walk.

Farewells were made and the time was noted. If only things were as simple for Inara and Wesely. He called this game ‘I Win’. She had yet to get a straight answer from him on why he titled it that. Wes, in fact, did not always get her to break first. Sometimes Inara managed to bend the all amazing Wes until he couldn’t stand not being with her in his arms. Then he’d whisk her away to some comfortable spot to take her. Inara suggested ‘We Win’ as the name, but no, he kept the original. Perhaps due to his ego.

Wesley took one step, another, and stood at the foot of her lounge chair. His coffee eyes spilling all over her silk-robed body, “How was your spa day?” After all, Willow said it was about over now.

Inara quirked a smirk, “Oh I’ll let you know when I’m done.”

“Care to interpret your experience through dance later?” Wesley liked the challenge. If he took her away before she declared her pampering finished, he’d automatically lose. He feigned an itch on his shoulder, scruffing his collar.

“I don’t know, we only have an hour,” Inara shrugged, thinking of something to distract her from watching his sensual bare clavicle. She couldn't explain it. It was what it was. Inara felt her body heat up. She shifted her legs off of the lounge and stood, “I may get my hair styled.” She sashayed by him, her hips catching his eyes as she made her way out the door, “You’re welcome to come if like, Love.”

Wesley couldn’t win if he wasn’t around. So, she’d be getting her hair done? Well, the next obstacle presented itself and now he must vanquish it. Giving the others a wink and a wave, Wesley followed Inara. His plan? Get her in a closet before she made it to the makeup artists. And if all went well, Inara would be the one to drag him into it.

Their game could be a while. Inara and Wesley would rather spend the hour seeing who broke first than back down now. Cory had known a streak to last a week. The longest yet. Apparently they both agreed that one was a tie. Theo, on the other hand, had no such patience. As he said before he barely kept his hands off of Willow in that first week of working. When Willow looked into his eyes, he felt his heart skip. Maybe Inara wasn’t done with the spa, but Theo was glad to hear Willow announce her time away had come to an end. Theo decided to take a note from Everest book now. Those strong arms Willow talked about scooped her up. “I think is time we settle in, Da? You late for check-up.” He purred, walking away with her.

Cory sat down next to Rosalie. He placed himself strategically. Though she might not know it. Perchance, if the mood called for it, Cory could easily shift them into a lying position on the lounge chair. Side by side. The narrow furniture meant they’d be pressed against one another for stability. A detail Cory wouldn’t complain about. “I like your outfit.” He managed to say. Wes had only just given him a short rundown in a minute. And the young man learned more and more through experience. Today he learned that he should probably have thought through his compliment better instead of pulling one out of a hat. It both worked for him and against him. Cory’s cheeks blushed to realize her ‘outfit’ wasn’t much of an outfit and easily discardable. Instead of getting flustered for his words being too forward, he took Wes’ advice and rolled with it-- probably a little too far, saying with a lower voice, “I think it would suit the ground better.” He felt his throat begging to clear. No longer able to stand it, he did so, and felt it gave his suave attempt a boyish tone. Good or bad? Cory would find out in a moment.

Despite not having much to spare, Willow was quickly disconcerted about her clothing. If it wasn't brought to her by an attendee she'd hunt it down later. Similar to her long-time friends making their way down the hallway, she had much better plans for the next sixty minutes. Her arm draped about Theo's neck, nuzzling into his nape to plant a few kisses while he took them back to their room, should they get that far. In the back of her mind, the conversation with the girls about biting was trying to wiggle it's way forward, curiosity piqued.

Rosalie's eyes followed his as he sat beside her, her hands coming to rest on her lap for lack of anything else to do. He was so close though, it'd barely take a shift of her body to reach his, something that sent an excited buzz through her. That buzz was nothing compared to the currant that ran through her when his voice lowered and those very suggestive words were put out there. The corners of her lips pulled back into a smirk, eyes dancing along him playfully. "Oh would it? I don't think the staff would appreciate me leaving my robe here on the ground, though. Any suggestions?"

Cory mentally dipped into his ever-increasing closet of maneuvers. Set left hand on the knee of that leg, shift to pose the body in a more relaxed, inviting posture. Tilt head to show his best side. Flash a pearly smile. In his head, Cory looked amazing. But he felt perhaps his body hadn’t gotten the muscle memory down. His movement had been slightly awkward to do on the lounge chair. Now to speak. Cory had come to learn the verbal mountain was his biggest foe. After hours of practice and countless responses born from previous study, Cory was delighted to know he had a reply that would work in this situation, “Well, I know of another floor that could due with a silk robe.” Cory offered his right hand, “I can show you if you want to see.” He may have swallowed, but he was overjoyed not have cracked his voice.

While she couldn't quite tell what was going on with his body, for the first time in probably ever Cory's words were making up for it. She also might have had the atmosphere of the girl's day to thank, but in her mind he had just recited poetry that had her on full alert. Her had slipped into his and her chocolate eyes locked his as she felt her heart quickening. "I would like that very much," she said with a growing smile. Not expecting to be carried off like Willow or Ellie, Rosalie let her legs dangle off the side of the lounge chair before rising up, still holding his hand.

Cory felt his heart flutter. Was this really happening? The doubts of his skills melted away with each finger that laced with his. It helped stop his mind from convincing him that he wasn’t dreaming. Boy did Rosalie often feature in his dreams! Cory’s grin turned into more of a smile of awe. He stood up. He decided it wasn’t his style to literally sweep her off her feet. But he didn’t want to skip down the halls by her side like a school boy. Cory slipped an arm around her waist, purposefully bunching the silk briefly against her skin. Then he guided her out the door of the pool area. Cory kept glancing down at her with a smile. All the talk he had heard caused a stirring in him. It only got worse when the two of them saw a silk robe on the floor in front of a hallway closet. Muted noises of passion just behind the door had Cory’s mind fashion in his head an image of him and Rosalie. Cory quickened his steps to his room without realizing it. But the more he walked the more his blood grew hot. The more his breathing became uneven. And not because he was moving quicker than he meant to. There was a whole set of stairs until he reached his room.

At that moment Cory felt his body ready to pounce. But one look at Rosalie and he knew he had disappointed himself. He didn’t want to have her just because his body said it wanted her. Cory wanted to share himself. And for Rosalie to share herself. Taking control of his inner fire was difficult. Cory did it anyway. He hadn’t noticed that he stopped at the bottom of the stairs. He only saw Rosalie. Cory smiled and caressed her cheek with his thumb. There was a whole stair case of time he got to walk with her.

Cory leaned and kissed her head. He took a step up. He kissed her cheek, another step up. Her mouth, another step. All the way while Cory walked up the flight of stairs he murmured to Rosalie, “I kept thinking of you since the New Years night,” he said, another step, another kiss, “I missed you, Rosy. I miss you all the time.” Cory kissed her neck, shifting her robe as he leaned to her, and each step upward making it all the more difficult not to disturb the integrity of her silk covering, “I want to see you on the weekends. I want to take you out to eat.” Before he knew it he was at the top of the stairs, several doors from his room. Cory kept speaking, kept caressing, kept placing gentle kisses on her cheeks and neck, “I want—“ He breathed, reaching the door, “I want—“ He searched for the right words, when finally they came to him, “I want you, Rosalie.” Cory turned the knob, they heard the click. The door eased open, giving in to the push of their bodies.

Their unexpected dance up the stairs was exactly what Rosalie didn't know she wanted. To hear his sweet words and feel his gentle touch. They'd teetered with their emotions each time since meeting and now the scales were tipping much to her delight. She had offered her own murmured words of encouragement, her heart soaring to hear that his desires matched her own. By the time they'd reached the door, her eyes shone brightly just for him, heart beating in her ears as she yearned for his lips again. On her lips, on her neck, everywhere. "I want you, Cory," she all but panted as they spilled into the room, immune to anyone else as they had each other. Unknown rooms (or closets) away each of the couples expressed their love for each other in familiar ways while young love took root in Cory's. Only the reminder of dinner approaching and that their attendance was expected seemed to pull them out of each others arms.

It was nearly eight when the realization that she had nothing but a silk robe somewhere in his room dawned on Rosalie, and she shot up in bed. The castle was no doubt much more active than it had been with everyone heading to dinner and going out in just a robe was going to draw plenty of attention. "Shit, my clothes," she cursed under her breath, a glance at the time telling her she was rightfully screwed.

Cory contentedly watched Rosalie sit up. The view pleased him. But, her words rang in his head a bell of alert. They didn’t have much time. Thinking quickly Cory got out of bed. The era of modesty had past, bring in an age of boldness. He walked over to his closet and pulled out a fancy shirt. What fit on him like a glove would no doubt be loose on her. Likely long enough to reach her knees at least. Cory strode back over to her, his hand half way raised before he stopped. A smile spread over his face. Cory took a step back. He bunched the shirt so that it could be slipped over her head if she came up and raised her arms to receive it. “You could wear this to get to your room at least. You’re not far,” He had made sure of it, “And if anyone sees you, you can play off that it’s a new style. I bet you could pull it off.” And he bet he’d like to pull it off.

Rosalie had watched him with budding confusion as he crossed the room, although she couldn't say the view wasn't equally enjoyable on her part. Her frown melted into a smile as she realized just what he had was doing. She rose up on her knees at the offered shirt, arms and head slipping through the holes of his shirt as he helped dress her. Once her head was through, she took his face in both of her hands and gave him a tender kiss. "You're brilliant," she praised him for helping protect her integrity. Gliding off the bed, she made sure everything was covered in a mirror before going for the door. "I'll see you at dinner." She paused just before she opened it, an idea on the tip of her tongue. "Maybe I can bring my bags over after? That way I'm not smuggling any more of your shirts to get to my room." Okay, in truth she just wanted to sleep with him, missing the warmth and comfort he had offered her, but she didn't want to seem overeager.

Cory grinned, “I’ll arrange it. Go on, you’ll be late.” He urged her, closing the gap for one more kiss. Can’t say goodbye without one, right?

Throughout the castle guests who had already arrived were bustling to get to dinner in the large hall. Everest and Ellie unfortunately were quite demanded to be present and had to put a pause to their own activities to arrive on time. His collar was askew until Anita showed up to straighten it, his proud smirk uncaring at that point as his mother scolded him. Something told him that she was more on edge with all the events going on than he was, one of the last to find out about a few guests in particular. The two settled in at the head table, chatting with those already present. The room was already decorated for the next two nights, an elegant combination of blacks and reds, their wedding colors. Their parents disapproval seemed to matter naught to the young couple who felt it was fitting giving their professions.

As people would still be arriving late into the next day, there was no seating arrangement for guests. Instead, it seemed everyone naturally sat among their peers. One table was boasting a slew of the parental generation: Fiona, Anita, Robert, Roderick, Henry and Sarah Blackthorne, and Elizabeth. Questioning glances went toward the newest face, though etiquette was in no short supply. As the dutiful mother of the bride and closest to Elizabeth, Sarah took it upon herself to introduce everyone at the table.

The following two tables boasted the younger generations, one a focal point for the few young ones present as well as the remaining Blackthorne children. Annabelle sat beside Gregory and his wife Mallory who had her hands full with a squirming infant. Gregory was engaged in a hushed discussion with the quick-lipped Brit, Oliver Blair, not seeming to mind the children about them. Fierce African beauties finished the table with Sabira and Monifa Zadzisai, though they both appeared jet lagged and less enthusiastic about conversing or the children.

(in order Annabelle Blackthorne | Gregory Blackthorne | Mallory Blackthorne | Oliver Blair | Sabira Zadzisai | Monifa Zadzisai)

Still glowing from earlier involvements and with her hair down to hide a small mark of experimentation, Willow lead Theo through the room. She was quick enough to switch which side of him she was on as they neared her parents, not ready for that talk quite yet. It would have ruined a good evening. Instead, she was beckoned toward the furthest table by a wave from Ellie, indicating there were still two spots available. Everest and Ellie were of course sitting side by side, with Inara to Ellie's left and Wesley at her side. Cory sat to Everest's right and a radiant Rosalie were next along the ring, leaving a spot beside beside Rosalie and one beside Wesley. Willow squeezed Theo's hand, letting him choose who he wanted to sit beside.

 

[xrakkax]

While Everest and Ellie were compelled to go down earlier, Wesley and Inara delayed a moment to settle their children down with Kazumi and Hye. The kids groaned with disappointment. But, a promise of a run around before bed helped tame them. Wes took Inara by the waist down the hallways. They glanced at a familiar closet with knowing looks between each other. That time Wesley had won ‘I Win’. But Inara hoped to claim victory next time. They took their seats with a contented sigh. They were ready for food!

Cory delighted to sit next to Rosalie. His thoughts wandered to their earlier encounter. He had no idea that would feel as good as it did. The part of him that felt like a boy who came with heart in trembling hand seemed to have grown into a man over the hour. Cory felt the words he stumble over found stability. Maybe he had been heartsick for so long he had forgotten what it was like to feel his mind focused. The very idea that Rosalie would move into the room he stayed in thrilled him. Cory stole a glance at her, smiling knowingly, before turning to his menu.

Theo thoroughly enjoyed ‘settling in’ with Willow. The experiment, in his opinion, went well. He decided to add that occasionally if the moment felt right. As much as he wanted to stay in bed with his lady love they had an obligation to their friends. Theo had Bandit stay. She was very upset being cooped up. But a read of Molly’s text made it clear to him that he had to keep her a secret. And further, to be careful what he said and did. Theo wondered if, somewhere here, a Hunter was prowling. Maybe a staff member? Maybe a guest? His recollecting of Molly’s terror over seeing Wesley had bothered him. Could he be some kind of threat? He had seemed pleasant so far. Theo would take Molly’s advice either way. Without her they probably would be dead. He didn’t want to cause Willow distress. So if he mentioned it, it would be light and pondering, and shrugged off. Just in case he was wrong and making a mountain out of a molehill.

As they navigated around the tables Theo made a quick study of the faces and the number of people in the room. Something told him he’d have to keep them in mind. When Willow squeezed his hand she pulled him out of the clouds of his mind and to the present. Smiling, Theo decided to take a spot next to Wesley. If nothing else than to potentially investigate his curiosity about him being a potential Hunter. Theo had learned a little more about the people he recently met since he arrived. Everest and the Crosse family he knew about from Willow. They had an accounting firm, they were intense about the family being a part of it, and so on. Ellie was in telecommunication or networking, he wasn’t clear about it. But Wesley being a tech designer and police consultant, and Inara a Bounty Hunter, he wondered if Molly’s fears stemmed from them alone. Willow mentioned something about Inara’s work being dangerous. She sported many bite marks. Or so it looked like to Willow. That could mean nothing. That could mean everything. He wondered if he could find out.

Once they had sat down Theo casually looked over his menu at what was available. When he and the others selected their dishes and made their orders, he smiled at them all, “So fancy, so amazing.” Theo started, “Is wonderful venue. Ireland is very nice. Willow and I have friend here, we visit before coming to castle.” He looked at Inara, scratching his chin, “I think Willow say you wedding was in India?”

Inara didn’t expect the question. She nodded, “Yes, my family is in India. I’m an American by marriage to Wesley. They were too many to come down. So we had the ceremony there.”

Theo listened attentively, “I hear is long ceremony,” He chuckled, she confirmed and added it was probably too much. Thankfully Theo also heard about the long baby shower for Kit, asking if all of these celebrations were so long.

“They can be, but I think I’ll put my foot down next time. It’s just too long to spend. And Wes and I plan on having a big family. With children and work I don’t think we can keep spending weeks in India,” Inara chuckled.

“Da, I can agree. My work is very demanding of time,” Theo nodded, segueing into asking, “What is work like as Bounty Hunter?”

Inara had dealt with mundies asking this question. She answered quite easily, “Oh it’s mostly boring. A lot of tracking, asking around, checking local police records-- and sometimes I don’t even come face to face with a target.” She answered truthfully. Her system he set up with Wes’s help made it easier to cover more ground and catch vampires in larger numbers. And of course, those that the vampires drain, preemptively ending any potential transformation. “But when I have, it’s been pretty wild. If Willow hadn’t told you yet, I’ve gotten bit more than a few times.” She shook her head as if it was the craziest phenomena.

Wesley chimed in, “My wife is quite the fighter, thankfully. And I am happy to say what bites she has are mostly from me.” And the better kind too. Wesley gave Willow a impish glance, purposefully tapping his neck twice, corresponding to where her own mark rested, “Theo, you might know what I am talking about.”

Theo cleared his throat, casually shrugging and failing to stop his mouth from grinning, “Maybe.” He chuckled, “I hope you job doesn’t bite Wes”

Chuckling, Wesley shook his head, “Thankfully no. But I have been zapped by wires and my hands have been cut by my tools in the past. Nothing a band-aid couldn’t fix.”

“You design, Da?”

“Yes, I make equipment for various companies. My first pride and joy had been a brace that took stress of the workers back. Mainly focused on laborers at the docks.” Wesley nodded, taking a sip of his water, “I’ve moved on from that now. I’ve got software, hardware, weapons, armor-- mainly for my work as a police force associate.”

“Amazing!” Theo praised.

Wesley quirked a smile, sensing something here, “Yes, it is. I am amazing, as I tell my friends,” He winked at them, turning a studying eye on Theo, “But I do have help. My recent successful designs were made possible by my access to Everest, who happens to have a keen eye for code, and my assistant, Angela.”

Cory perked, “Oh Angela,” He had danced with her many times at New Years. He had seen her occasionally after that, but she kind of vanished. “Where is she now? In Spain still?”

“Well, supposedly. I haven’t been able to contact her,” Wes said, as a way to note that even his access to all the Lithe yet made had failed to locate her or talk to her. Angela had been with him in the design. It was possible she knew how to circumnavigate his commands. She’d be the only one who could. What with all her knowledge of his work. Some of which she helped design.

Inara spoke here, saying in a lower voice to not call attention from the more traditional, straight-laced generation, “Well, word is she and Ciara eloped. Their families are furious.” Rumors. But it was all they had so far. The photos of Ciara and Angela posing with engagement rings didn’t seem manufactured or photoshopped. At hearing this everyone at the table decided not to speak further into the issue. If Angela and Ciara were young love they probably needed at least a year away from the wrath of their families. Wes wondered if Angela didn’t trust he’d keep it secret. It didn’t seem like her, but, with such a delicate situation he would leave it up to him simply not knowing her as well as he thought he did.

Theo squinted, recalling those names somewhere. As his brain was rifling through his memory files he discovered more than what he had intended. The images and names to them popped up along with an almost eight-year-old memory. That night of the fire Theo had been so angry over the Arsonist having burned the room and attacked his friend that his mind could only focus on the task at hand. Now that he sat thinking back, Theo was sure he had seen that man before. Not willing to use Almaeri since this wasn’t a dire situation, as promised, he struggled to make the memory clearer the mundie way.

A foggy, dark land flickered in his mind's eye. The Arsonist stood amidst the damp, cool ground of Scotland with an injured woman by his side, watching Theo and his family retreat. Their encounter could have ended in the death of the woman and the man. They had the numbers, they had the power. But Lyov’s call for mercy stayed their hand. If they had the opportunity not to kill them, then they were asked to leave without slaying life. Theo recalled keeping an eye on them in case they came after them again. The injured woman with her back to Theo spoke to the man with her in bewilderment. Whatever she had expected from that night did not seem to come to pass. The woman turned away. The Arsonist raised his gun. A single shot landed true. The woman fell forward. The fog thickened and Theo no longer saw them.

Yes! Yes, Theo had seen the Arsonist that night, long ago! And those names, Angela and Ciara, he was sure they had belonged to the women at the pub. Theo hadn’t looked through any of their things. Amalia was the one to set up their alibi for their disappearance. Willow had been told they had been attacked in the past. They had. And they told her one was recent. Theo just never got around to tell her the details. So the girls knew Wes? Or, at least Angela did. What did that mean? More and more Theo began to distrust Wesley. Even if he did not directly work with Angela as a Hunter, they were connected and this meant bad news for him.

Theo must have been lost deep into thought. When he came back to the present he heard Inara say, “. . .don’t give him too hard of a time, Wes, apparently they had a rough night before they got here. Willow didn’t get the chance to explain it in detail, but something about a fire?”

 

[Soliloquy]

Theo's seat selected, Willow took the remaining one to Rosalie's right side. Finally a chance to speak with her freshly acquired cousin, Willow made little work of picking out a meal, famished from the day so far. Menu set aside, she took a sip of water as Wesley and Theo settled into a conversation. None of it was new to her, familiar with their professions as they'd been explained countless times, so she turned her attention to the youngest couple to her side, eyes falling on Rosalie who seemed to be quietly observing the others.

"So, Rosalie," she started off with a smile of genuine curiosity. "A surprise cousin turned into a surprised sister. It's so weird that we never heard about you."

Rosalie's lips pursed for a moment, fighting back the urge to point out that Willow's absence was probably a contributing factor. She masked her emotions well, quickly letting her lips return a small smile as she shrugged her shoulders. "I guess I'm just a well kept secret," she tried to joke before shifting in for a more serious discussion. "My mother hadn't old many, I guess. She was just worried something was going to go wrong, and she wasn't wrong." There was a buried sorrow in her words, generally preferring to avoid talk of her.

"I'm so sorry," Willows sincerity in her apology was felt by the younger woman. "I was very young but I do remember Aunt Amelie at Christmas. She was always so happy and didn't mind playing with me when Everest wanted to run off."

It was a side of her mother that Rosalie had heard little of, and she immediately felt her heart clinging at the words. She'd heard plenty of how her mother was a fearless hunter, how she had the reflexes of a leopard and grace of one as well in combat. This was a new memory to be shared, one of her in such an exposed state that it made Rosalie yearn more than ever. "I'm sure that was nice," she strained slightly to say, taking a sip of water so she could avoid clearing her throat. Her hand closest to Cory reached beneath the table, finding his and slipping her fingers between his for a needed support.

"Those Christmas' always were. Though caroling was always a tricky tradition. Everyone loved singing but I can tell you that my mother's family cannot carry a tune to save their lives," she chuckled at the thought. "My dad used to make sure that mom, Uncle John and Aunt Amelie were toward the back so it wouldn't scare anyone away."

Rosalie sputtered a sad laugh, wishing more than ever that these were the memories she could have been a part of. "I've heard that from a few people. Well, that I must have my father's singing voice because my mother would make dogs howl." The animosity she had toward Willow who had walked away from everything was softening, now able to see the sweet and kind woman she'd heard plenty of talk of from Wesley and Everest especially.

Laughing, Willow nodded in agreement. "I didn't want to go that far, but it is a very accurate description. My mother as well, so let's be happy that gene was missed," she exhaled, shaking her head though she still smiled. "She was a wonderful woman, and I'm so sorry that she was taken from you, Rosalie."

Emotion swelled in Rosalie's throat, though she did her best to force them down with a long drink of wine that was freshly served. She had worked for so long to build up walls to protect herself so she could focus on her goal, and yet Willow seemed to slip right through them with nothing more than a gentle heart. "Thank you," she quietly managed, before trying to change the direction of the conversation. "It's good to finally meet you, Willow."

From what Willow knew, Rosalie had been around as long as she had been gone. That was none of Rosalie's fault and she knew she couldn't hold it against her. If the young blonde girl was serving as a replacement for the hole she had created Willow could face her parents about that. They needed a daughter and poor Rosalie needed a family. "And you, Rosalie. I'm glad you joined our family."

Willow's soft words might have been enough to bring Rosalie to tears, thankfully she had Cory for support and she just barely fought them off with only sad chocolate eyes. With emotions swallowed for both women, Willow proceeded to ask casual enough questions about the younger woman's schooling and career. The knowledge that Rosalie was taking her place with the family business was a surprise, especially have hearing she focused on biochemistry. "Accounting? That's odd for a biochemist," she commented with a small frown.

Rosalie was quick to offer an explanation, a question that she was accustomed to getting from mundies. "And associates," she reminded Willow. "You can only spend so much on new accounting software. I was able to convince Everest to dip into science with some of the company's investments. Hopefully with a bit of hard work and a few contacts, we'll be able to introduce new vaccines in the next few years."

Willow was pulled from her conversation to realize that Wesley was having trouble getting Theo's attention. Reaching over, she gave his leg a small squeeze to pull his attention back but also to make sure he was okay. Their brief talk before dinner and decision to be cautious was harder to do if he was turning into a zombie at dinner. To Inara's words she nodded and took the opportunity to elaborate. "Yes, hopefully we didn't bring bad luck to the wedding," she said with a spoff before diving in to explain how they'd awoken in the middle of the night to the Inn of their close friends' on fire. She decided she could easily fudge the story just a little, not wanting to bring up Molly just then.

"This Abominable Arsonist guy was responsible for it. Started the room we had been sleeping in the night prior on fire. Thank the Lord that there was a leaking pipe so we had switched rooms, otherwise we wouldn't be here," she said shaking her head. "And you know, it was just so weird because from what Una, one of the girls, had told us there hadn't been anyone in that room for years. Some woman apparently has it permanently rented but hasn't been seen for the longest time, though it's pretty clear she had quite the use of the room when she had."

“That’s awful,” Inara frowned, “I’m glad you are okay. Did they catch him?”

“Da,” Theo nodded. He wanted to brag like he would have with Micha. On one hand he’d risk coming off obnoxious, but on the other hand maybe they’d see the lengths he’d go for Willow. Matter-of-factly Theo said, “Alarm went off, I took us all out past fire, downstairs. When Mrs. McQueen-- the friend we stayed with-- came over to check on us I had made sure Willow was okay, and then I saw someone trying to get away from the burning building.” He told them he saw his ‘friend’ stalling the man, but the Arsonist managed to knock her out. Theo tackled him and kept him there until the police Willow called came to help. “They took him in the car and drove off to station.”

Wesley had heard on the cyber wind from Everest of burnings. The nickname the media gave this pyromaniac had been easy to remember. Unlike Hillary Cove not many could cover their tracks well enough to silence their crimes completely. With digging they may have found out who was doing it and stopped them. But the investigation didn’t seem important at the time. Random burning, serious injury, but no deaths, loss of property, and no trend shifts with either mages or hunters. They put that one on the farthest back burning. But, hearing how close this man had come to harming Willow, Wesley’s attention had been piqued. Doubtless, Everest would want to look into it as well.

“Is that right?” Wesley tilted his head in curiosity, “Perhaps I can take a look.”

Inara touched his shoulder, “After the wedding. If you get into your work here, on vacation, Ellie just might burn you in your room.” She chuckled. The men did have a hard time putting down the guns when they were supposed to relax. Well, when it was ‘girly’. Hunting and a glass of scotch seemed to catch their full attention every time. There would be plenty of time for interrogating the Abominable Arson.

“Yes, dear,” Wesley mused, giving her a kiss on her cheek. Pandering? Maybe.

Everest frowned visibly at the news, pulling away from honeymoon talk to listen to the tale of the fire. It was the first time he'd been informed of this and it directly involved his sister. Granted, they hadn't thought to try and keep tabs on her when it was discovered she would be arriving a few days earlier, that was aside from watching her finances casually when Ellie wasn't staring him down. He nodded to Wesley's suggestion. "I think I might have a few contacts we can get ahold of, too." Ellie clearing her throat prompted an additional, "After the wedding. Of course."

Willow nodded at Theo's telling, a look of pure pride of her face when he spoke of how he'd made sure she was safe. To her it was another example of just what lengths he'd go to protect her, further fueling her desire to build a family with him. Remembering how the former room renters name had caught a vague part of her memory, she assumed Wesley, of all people, might be someone who'd know. Even if she didn't know why, she was familiar with him seeming to have his fingers in everything. "Oh, I wonder if you know, Wes. The woman who had been renting the room, she had a name I couldn't seem to place but I know I've heard it. Since you know everyone, any ideas on a De Lafaytte?"

Wesley found himself guilty of distraction this time. He mentally forgave Theo, offering a “Hm?” To Willow who repeated the name. A grin flashed over his face at hearing it. Inara chuckled, rolling her eyes. The memories of his old flame flooded his mind, dictating his response by evoking emotion and nostalgia that delayed his attention to the fact that her apartment had been targeted, “Oh yes, I knew Cristine Celestine De Lafayette. We had been secret lovers when I was in my late teens. She was my cougar and I was her cub.” Wesley chuckled.

Theo had all sorts of questions, “What is that? Cougar and cub?”

Brows raised in surprise that Theo didn’t know, Inara said, “When a woman at least ten years older is engaged in, or pursuing, a younger man.” Then again, Theo and Willow hadn’t bitten each other until tonight. Maybe Russia simply didn’t have those terms.

“Oh,” Theo blinked, thinking of all the accessories she had in her closet. Wesley seemed to have a gleam in his eye. The kind of shimmer you’d expect from someone who truly enjoyed his time with her. But they had not heard much at all about Cristine. Or, at least, Willow had nothing to tell Theo and only vaguely recalled the name. Curious, Theo asked, “Where is she now?”

Sighing, Wesley said, “Unfortunately she died. A day or so after my date with Willow I got a call from an old friend. Charles Young. He’s coming to the wedding I think.”

“Oh no,” Theo frowned, “How did she die?”

Wesley cleared his throat, “Murder.” He said, shaking his head, “Or might as well have been. A lupine attack in Scotland.” There were no wolves native to Scotland anymore. Willow and Theo noted. Wesley said, “I know. I can only assume it was an irresponsible person.” The trend of acquiring exotic animals didn’t stop at tigers and zebras. Wolf hybrids were not the kind of pet people thought they are, and often ended up abandoned due to the trouble it took to care for them. This caused everyone else problems.

“Oh, so sorry,” Theo frowned, trying hard to think of how long ago that must have been.

“I appreciate it, thank you.” It had been many years since the night he lost her. It took time to heal from those wounds of loss. Inara and Everest eventually brought the sun back into his life. Wesley smiled, “My good friends and my wife helped me recover.”

Inara rested her cheek against his shoulder, “You would have on your own, Wes. I think you don’t give yourself enough credit.” But she was happy to have been a part of it anyway. The look in his eyes and the grin on his face had Inara spoff, “Although, maybe I give you too much credit. You and your ego! Was it Crissy’s doing that you are as humbly prideful a person as ever I met?”

“Crissy only tapped the vein, it was there all along, Darling! It only took a few trips in Europe to hone the untamed stallion that I am, “ Wesley’s amusement blended into thoughtful furrowed brows as he considered the situation with the Arsonist and the apartment just then,, “Strange. . .”

“What is, Love?” Inara asked, receiving the plates they ordered.

Wesley looked to Willow, “You said the Arson burnt her room. That she hadn’t been there in years,” Or so the information said, “Now what would a man want with burning a room down whose occupant hadn’t been seen in so long.”

Theo said, “That is what Una and the others asked too.”

Inara poked Wesley, “Love. After the wedding, remember?”

Wes chuckled, shaking the oncoming ‘work mode’ from his head, “Right, of course. Forgive me, it is my passion.” He took up his fork and knife to eat the prime rib he ordered.

Willow was a little ashamed of herself for not recalling the name at the time. Wesley had spoken of her when they'd mentioned former lovers. Neither of them had that long of lists at the time, but it had been years prior. She hoped this didn't mean she was going to be out a memory by thirty! She didn't want to poke the tiger that was Inara by pushing the subject further, instead happy to focus on her food.

Everest wasn't quite as cautious as his sister though, rubbing his chin in thought. "I definitely know someone. We could give them a quick call and- oww!" he jumped, turning to glare at Ellie who was quite less amused as she had been earlier. Her lips were pursed and she brought her hand back up from under the table where he'd earned a firm pinching.

"If you so much as think about leaving my wedding there won't be one and you're going to be sleeping with Wesley until we go home." Her words were cold and heavy despite smiling to their guests as they said them. He only grumbled a response that coherently ended with, "yes dear."

Willow had to chuckle at the interaction, pleased to see someone who could in fact keep Everest in his place. "Lord, bless you Ellie for putting up with him."

"For now. If he keeps it up he's going to face a ginger's wrath that I can promise won't be pleasant," Ellie assured her. From the next table over, her older sister seemed to have overheard at least part of what was going on, a hideous and shrill laugh sounding that made several including Ellie visibly wince.

Wesley prepared to tease Ellie by asking her to promise there would be no hard or jealous feelings if Everest ended up in his bed, but the startling invasion of what came out of Annabelle stole the moment. And perhaps that was why Wesley felt a little less agreeable, and inspired by Willow's comment about Everest, said, “Lord bless the man who married that hyena.”

Inara pressed her napkin to her mouth in time to top from bursting a laugh. One that would have been preferable to hear. Wesley adored the airy giggle of his wife. Cory’s sudden chuckle almost made up for it. Thankfully he tamed it back into his throat. Theo, being new and hoping to integrate on good terms despite his reservations about Wesley and now Inara, didn’t voice his displeasure, but he did give in to his body’s demand that he stop the ringing from his ear by sticking a finger inside and giving it a good wiggle.

Ellie openly snorted, but she'd never been ashamed to tell her siblings how she felt, the rebellious baby of the family. "Oh no man there. Though Ev nearly filled those shoes."

Everest let out a low groan at the reminder of his once-upon-a-time date with her oldest sister. "Y'know, if it wasn't for the fact that it was the way I found you, I'm pretty sure I would have rid myself of that memory," his comment was much quieter than hers, thankfully on the opposite side of the table that there was no worries it'd make it to Annabelle's ears.

"Oh come on now. You can't say 'that's how I met the woman I love and am about to marry' and not tell the story," Willow insisted, delighted to hear this tale. The majority of the table seemed to share the interest, leaving Everest little choice but to oblige. He began telling, some details were left out due to the present company of Theo and Willow, though the rest could easily fill in the blanks.

​

Spoiler: Saturday, June 18th 2005

Confidence had been a trait instilled in Everest from youth. There was no shortage of belief that he’d grow to succeed, the oldest offspring of two of the strongest families with power that covered the country. Even before he was introduced to the world of hunting he had suspicions that there was more to his parents than met the eyes. Those thoughts likely were the result of finding his mother with blood-stained hands when he was a young boy, his younger sister still an infant. The image washed away with years, but left in place a seed of curiosity.

A month after finishing his primary education he was brought into their world, shown the evil they had protected him from for years and it was as if everything clicked. He doubted nothing that was told to him, agreeing to follow in their footsteps to begin fighting the scum that walked the planet, especially if it meant he could protect Willow. While he didn’t say a word, he felt in his gut that there was no way she’d be able to do this. Her kind heart wouldn’t let her see past the mask a mage would wear to pull a trigger. She needed protecting and he would do what he needed to, in order to offer that to her and all the other innocent souls.

A union in marriage wasn’t what he had in mind when he had told his parents that, though. He was eighteen years old and ready to face the world head-on. He wanted to run in, guns blazing like Jason Stathum or John Cena, save the girl and run on to the next explosion. A wife, children, that was something he could do later in life he insisted. Their argument that later in life wasn’t guaranteed to him fell on deaf ears; he was invincible. Still, they came to an agreement: meet with one daughter from another family of hunters and if there was a connection they’d build off that - if not he could continue with his training.

He had flown from Seattle to Boston to meet the girl his parents raved about: Annabelle Blackthorne. A descendant from the prosecutors in Salem, she was the oldest daughter in a thriving bloodline. She was two years his senior, something his parents insisted wasn’t a bad thing. Women tended to be brought to their world later than men, a precaution from their weaker tendencies. He was dressed to the nines, pulling up to the Blackthorne estate in a sleek Mercedes Benz (not his own choice, but he couldn’t argue when his parents had made the arrangements). Walking up to the door he was thankfully met by a young woman and not a father or brother to give impressions like the one he’d give any man who presented himself to meet his sister.
“Hello there,” the redheaded girl eyed him visibly, dark eyes dancing along his form while he admittedly did the same to her.

“Annabelle Blackthorne?” he asked, hopeful if he was being honest with himself. There was a spark in those dark eyes that was calling out to him; a playful and trying gaze. A shake of her head made the fiery locks bounce about.
“Sorry to disappoint.” Her lips were pulled back in a smirk, using her head to nod over her shoulder. “Anna’s still coming down. You must be Everest Crosse though?”

Observant, a trait he appreciated. “I am. And you are? It only seems fair for both parties to know the other, don’t you think?”

“Hmm, no not at all.” Her response took him off guard, something that didn’t happen easily. “I mean, only a child will imagine things need to be fair. The world is unfair, Everest Crosse, and while I am young, I can promise you I am no child.”

Before he could speak again, a thicker female voice sounded behind her. “Ellie! Don’t pester Mister Crosse,” the scolding came from a face that while similar to the one before him, boasted a wider chin and lower cheek bones. “My apologies for being late.” The younger of the Blackthorne sisters muttered something beneath her breath before Annabelle promptly relocated her with the aid of her hip. “Shall we?”

With a final look to Ellie, he accepted the arm of Annabelle, leading her away from the entrance to the grand house and to his awaiting car. Everest had agreed to the date but it was immediately filled with regret. From the moment she got in the car, she simply couldn’t be satisfied. The seat wasn’t in the correct position, it was too hot - “no don’t roll down the window, my hair will mess up!” The drive was too long, the music was too loud. They had only just arrived at the Deuxave and already he felt ready to leave her there. It took every ounce of his willpower to sit through a meal as she droned on and on about her accomplishments, friends, and lord knew what else. To be honest, he had stopped listening at some point, only brought back to attention by her nasal laugh.

By some miracle, he had pulled through the night. There weren’t a series of questions he’d have to decide if they were compatible. Rather, he knew that the two of them were opposite ends of a magnet; no amount of forcing would bring them together and he was certainly not ready to force anything. He opted out of his initial plan to follow dinner with a movie, instead insisting he wanted to get her home before it was too late.

Their goodbye had been brief and it seemed as though she had found as much enjoyment in the matter as he had. There was no chance of tolerating each other, let alone the prospect of partnership for the sake of their families. Still a gentleman, he had the diligence to lead her up to her doorway, bidding her adieu and ready to retreat to his rental when a low whistle from the side of the manor caught his attention.

“I haven’t seen her scamper inside that fast since Johnathon Walter told her that she laughed like a hyena in heat,” Ellie remarked, stepping forward to be seen better before finding a resting place on a wooden bench. “You must have done quite the number on her.”

Everest chuckled at her observation, hands finding their place locked behind his back as he walked toward her. “I can’t say I did anything, honestly. I mean, I know I was there, I know we ate something, but beyond that it was all a blur,” he confessed, unsure why he opened up to her. Conversing felt natural, enough that he took a seat beside her. “Your sister has an uncanny ability to talk for a solid three minutes without breathing. Were you aware of that?”

She laughed, and oh how he loved that she didn’t sound like a hyena in search of a mate. No, her laughter was soft and nearly melodic, although there was a firmness present. “Oh yes, Anna will talk until someone tells her to shut up. Next time, try that Mister Crosse.”

“Everest,” he corrected her, giving her a long glance, curiosity playing on his features. “Call me Everest. Shall I call you Ellie? I imagine that’s short for something?”

She scoffed, clearly not a fan of what was to come. “Eleanor. Eleanor Marie Blackthorne,” she mock-bowed as she sat, rolling her eyes. “I am not one for the pompous preface. You may refer to me as Ellie; whether or not you’ll call me is another question, Everest.”

The liveliness in her words, her posture, were something that enticed him, brushing off a speck of dust from his pant leg to try and pull his gaze off her while he spoke. “Do you know why I’m here, Ellie?”

“To try and court my selfish sow of a sister. You want to know if she’ll be wife material, which I can tell you she certainly won’t. Not unless you want a life of misery like the night you had today.” She was honest to the point of being blunt, something he appreciated and could relate to.

“No, I don’t imagine I want that,” he agreed exhaling and looking back up at her. “I suppose I’ll just need to keep looking for a wife that won’t bore me, don’t you agree?”

Ellie didn’t answer immediately, although her attention was certainly on him. Her lower lip was pulled in between her teeth in thought, that dancing glimmer in her eyes once more. “Or give up on looking and wait for the right one,” she offered as an alternative, standing up from the bench and breathing deeply. “I think you could try Boston again, but not for another four years. I hear until then the best wives won’t be legal.”

The smallest wave of guilt hit him when she inadvertently gave a good denial reason. No matter how compatible he might have been with a potential wife, he doubted his parents would approve of him robbing a cradle right then. He followed suit to rise, giving her a curt nod of the head. “Then I may need to return to Boston in a few years. But until then, the best of luck finding a man to take care of your hyena problem.”

He left her in giggles as he returned to the Mercedes. It had been an unexpected twist to the evening, to say the least. When he returned home unsuccessful, his parents kept their word and didn’t pester him. Over time the thought of Eleanor Blackthorne faded while he became consumed with his work in the family business, although never forgotten.

"And it took him how long?" Ellie added at the end of his story, perking her brows. The tables around them were beginning to empty as most finished dinner and several seemed ready to retire for the evening.

"Every bit worth the wait," Everest assured her, earning matching 'awws' from both Willow and Rosalie.