Welcome to Gaia! ::

I'll try to come up with a decent starting point by tomorrow then, need to think on this one a bit.

It was rather late in the day when Kero showed up at the island hideaway, looking like something the cat had drug in, landing with a half hearted umph in front of Bezernia as he penned up the little colony's goats for the night. Of course, true to his nature, the mage refused to speak on what had gotten him in such a state, stating only he needed to rest.

Bez knew better than question him too closely and helped the mage into the front cavern, leaving him on the pallet that they now used as a communal couch, while he went off in search of bedding and to let Ai know they had company.

Ari and Mara, overhearing him speak to Ai about Kero and the state he was in, run into the room all worried, plopping down one to aside, to determine for themselves if their elder "brother" was alright.

"Kero, does it hurt much?" cries Ari as Mara leaned down to give him a hug.

"He'll be fine, once I doctor him up and you two give him some air so he can breathe." grumbles Ai, running in with the first aid kit. "Here now, go fetch Emnast... both of ye. Once your brother is rested enough to speak to ye, he will and not one moment before then. Off with ye... come one..."

Clearly relunctant, the two girls leave to fetch their draconic neighbor while the bard kneels down and begins to clean and bandage the mage's injuries, which looked far worse than they truly were. "Did ye forget to duck or was it dodge this time?" he teases as he gently ties off the last bit of gauze. His eyes though are worried as very little gets pass him and he knows it could have been far worse.

**you can make this either a nothing happened episode or draw it out, doesn't matter... he's on the island and we can go from there.**

Ai embraces him warmly and holds him close feeding him his love and understanding.

"Be strong, dulcha, be strong... for a child does not always know true right from true wrong. The piper has his mission, one he has become so ingrained into, he forgets that the father forgives all who truly are deserving of forgiveness and welcomes all children with open arms. True there may be an occassional youngster who may appear to be truly despicable, but I've lived a long time, Taro, and I've yet to see one who could not be reformed, given the right kind of teaching and supervision."

Bez sighs from where he is standing leaning against a door jam. "He really does have a rough job... I wouldn't do it iffin ye paid me to."

Ai nods as he brushes his hand lightly across Kero's brow, sending him into an even deeper healing sleep. "Someone has to, but somewhere along the line, compassion has fallen by the wayside. He's... he's been fighting to bring it back. If anyone job needs it, it is his. As the final judge, he needs to look at all the reasons behind an individual's actions. Good done in the name of evil is still good... but it's a twisted good. And evil done in the name of good is doubly wicked... There truly is no black and white anymore... it's a matter of greys and intensities... but over the eons, since this duty fell to his kind, things have gone so very wrong. Perhaps... perhaps tht was why I was led to him to begin with. Both he and I needed to learn this lesson... and learn it well."

Ai chuckles and reaching out into emptiness, snares the small stuffed toy from it's voidic hiding place. "Thank goodness I'm keyed to this thing. I had to find it so often for him when he was young." he remarks, carefully tucking it into his embrace then standing up. He looks down at the mage and sighs. "There is a part of him that will never grow up you know... poor dear. For all his maturity, he died far too young to begin with."

Bez closes the distance between them and encircles him in his arms. "Do you regret coming back to me?"

Ai tilts his head back and smiles. "Never... though I love him still. You do know that, don't you?"

Bez kisses his forehead and nods. "Aye, that I do... a heart once given is rarely snatched back. I'm just grateful you found it in you to love us both, dear heart." Then he grins mischievously. "And that you chose to go to me in the end."

Bez chuckles sourly. "The Brat needs ye, dulcha." he whispers softly in Ai's ear. "Though fer the life of me I don't know why, yer such a scrawny chicken these days." He pokes him fondly in the ribs, then pushes him towards th pallet.

Ai sits down slowly at Kero's side and sighs. Looking up he shakes his head. "You're not jealous?"

"Nope, not a bit... He needs you and you need him... and you both need me and I need you... and I guess I have needed him all along as well. It's one right strange triangle we share. Took me ages to figure it out, but once I did, things began to make sense. I have faith in you, Ai. And I have faith in him. I'll go make us some tea. You try to get him to settle down, alright. The girls see him fussing around like that and they are going to get mighty worried."

Ai sighs and slips under the blanket with him, pulling him close and softly singing him an old familiar lullaby. ALmost instantly Kero snuggles close, desperately close, and Ai knows that he has had a rough time of it emotionally of late.

"What's wrong, dulcha... Tes take off for parts unknown again? You have a fight with Pasa and he's not speaking with you... Or is it those little dragonlings you've been raising? Who is giving you such grief to bring you so low?" he whispers to the sleeping mage, resting his head the pillow.

He doesn't mean to fall asleep, but he has had a rather long day himself. It was spring planting time and he and the girls had worked long and hard in the gardens, planting and readying the soil for the summer crops. Living in isolation wasn't nearly as bad as he had once feared it would be, but it did require they do more for themselves than he had ever thought he'd do. Yawning he finds himself drifting off, just as he hears the others return, but he just can't keep his eyes open any longer.

"Now that's a pretty picture." comes a soft rumbling laugh at the edge of his dreams.

"Why's Mama in bed with Kero? We wanted to talk to him..."

"Shhh... come in here. Kero was tired and he doesn't have his cocoon. Your mother is trying to keep his dreams calm or we might be facing some rather odd visitors." scolds Bez leading everyone into the kitchen. It really wasn't a lie. It was one of the reasons he had pushed Ai to stay with him, but only one of the reasons and not even the most important one. But he didn't believe the real reason had to be explained just yet.

Bez swallows hard and shakes his head, while the girls stare at the door to the living room.

"Ye want me to take them up to my place for awhile?" says Emnast softly in concern. "He's pretty down iffin he's broadcasting that much. That was not so much a dream as a reliving."

Bez frowns and calls the girls over. HUgging them both close he looks down into their eyes, seeing their fear. "Kitten... Princess... maybe Em is right. It might be better if you do go up to the cavern, until Kero is strong enough not to let his emotions run so rampant."

"Daddy, who was that funny man... the mean one who was hurting those children?" asks Mara worriedly.

"That... that was the piper..." whispers Ari in a quivering voice. "A... and he's not really mean... at least he wasn't before..." she realizes what she's just said and shudders, closing her eyes.

Mara turns to stare at her. "How would you know?" she demands angrily. "He certainly looked mean just now."

"It... it's his job....." sighs Ari sadly, shaking her head. "And I know... cause I just know, ok? I... I don't know why, but I know..."

She sounds worried and desperate, so Bez turn her back to face him. "Hush, Princess... I understand. And yes... it is his job... but he seems to have gone overboard in his approach. I wonder why?" He hugs them both again and tells them to go pack a small overnight bag. "I want you both up at Em in the hour, so don't take too long. Your mama has his hands full trying to contain Kero as it is, and I'm going to have to shield them both to keep them safe. I'd rather you not see such things just yet and I suspect you would rather not see them as well. Fair enough? Em? Is there anything you need to take up by way of supplies?"