Part 22
“What, you were afraid of a five-month-old child?!” Gran asked.
“Four months old when she did it to me, if I remember correctly.” Bezedil said as he walked around and picked Fire up, and hugged her. “But you have to understand, they were already as bright as ten-year-olds and incredibly powerful psionicists, and when a baby with incredible psionic power and a lot of talent for it wants to scare the crap out of you, she can, believe me!”
“And you were one of the least scared of all the people she did it to!” Six laughed. “It was four years before Prince Reen could even look her in the face and smile!”
“So I was precocious as a baby.” Fire laughed, and shrugged as she hugged Bezedil. “I’m adorable now, and that’s all that matters.”
“Oh, you were adorable then too.” Sana assured her with a suitably adoring smile. “Scary, but very adorable.”
“You’re still very adorable, and very scary.” Val teased.
Nemia joined Talia and Alilia in Mark’s lap just long enough to hug the three of them, and declared to Val; “Considering that your parents are still both scary and adorable, I consider it only natural that you cubs be the same!”
“This one is the adorable champion in our marriage.” Alilia teased as she pulled Talia over for a quick kiss, then spoke to her from ten centimeters away, holding her gaze with a smoky intensity. “I wasn’t that surprised that Mark could love me, even though he already had you. He’s a man after all, and men are like that.
“But you. That you can love me so beautifully after what I did to you is amazing. And more amazing is that you were willing to share him with me, to share him completely and whole-heartedly, without reservation. I doubt I could have done the same if I’d had him first. You are the most loving and giving person I’ve ever met, and I owe you everything. You’re my hero.”
She slowly drew Talia close for a far more involved kiss than the last one.
Talia chuckled quietly as they drew apart. “It was easy to share him with you.” she declared. “I knew with certainty that he wouldn’t love me one bit less, or give me one moment less of his love, if you shared your love with us. And he hasn’t. On the contrary, he feels that I’ve made a mighty sacrifice by allowing him to have you as well as me, and he loves having you as well as me, so he loves me even more because of it.”
low in her throat. “As if it could ever be a sacrifice having you around. You’re far too magnificent and beautiful and desirable for that. And you gave us
love you both so much, and there’s no doubt that I’m also feeling a lot of the magic love of the binding of Laylas
a really
murmured as the three of them
Bezedil. “Will you be ready to become Prince and Princess
years of subjective time, I think we will!” Bezedil assured him. “And to be honest, I won’t mind returning to the comparatively simple and predictable life we
ribs. “Feed the chickens, raise some kids, and battle simulated demons three days out of five. Just relaxing
study as well!” Bezedil laughed. “But still, you love it as much as I, and it’ll be hard to leave when the time-bubble
looking forward to life in Heartwood as well, and I
smiled back, and
close.” Somonik observed. “We are awash
said with a rumbling
his wives in his arms and set them on the table, then took their glasses,
of you, and to spend time
began a long process of farewells and hugs that lasted almost half
he and Equemev took their turn for farewells. “But it is unfortunate that the needs of unicorn colts,
to the Hiliani time-bubble tomorrow, we will be entering the time-bubble on the plains of Xervia, and joining a great many of our people there. Falgaroth assured us it would
time-bubble in five weeks of real time, we will emerge from the Xervian time-bubble with our grown son, who will be more than ready to
the big white unicorn around his
this distance between us.” Talia assured them as
dear Princess.” Equemev told Alilia as