Exton

I've never been in this part of the Manse before; it seems less austere than the rooms I've been in up till now. Maybe that's why Mortuis - or Silk - chose this room for the free-for-all that this is becoming. The children are shrieking and squealing and making happy sounds and trying their damnedest to get together while we adults stand around with bemused looks on our faces.

This is apt to be a multi-lingual group when they grow up, with Tara, Tomas and Mera speaking English and French - and possibly, depending on Keon's level of involvement, Gaelic as well. Chloe is apt to be speaking English and Spanish and I'm sure Ruarc will pic up some Old Norse from me and my siblings. Gods, it'll be like that Tower of Babel story, right here in Exton!

I wonder if the gargoyles have their own language? That could be more interesting still….

I hear voices - don't ask me how, over all the din - and Tannr and Raina join the fun. A gnome wheels in a dessert cart with small dishes of ice cream and the riot becomes more riotous, with the babies gulping down the cold stuff like a school of piranha in a feeding frenzy. Thank the gods they don't have teeth yet….

Ruarc reclines in Star's arms, watching with eyes that miss nothing, almost as if he knows what the future has in store for him….


The festivities continue for perhaps half an hour, and after everyone has had a chance to meet, greet and comment on the new arrival, they make their various goodbyes, leaving me and Laila to get Star and Ruarc to bed.

Laila gets the baby, I get the hottie, and Mya supervises….