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Faolan swaggered up to the vardo he shared with his wife, two small children clinging one to each leg with a third child riding piggy back--all under the age of eight. He'd been visiting some friends and had been talked into watching their children while they went out for the evening. Not that Faolan minded. He'd been watching after the clan's children since he was old enough to actually make them listen to him.

Now he was lugging back the three little ones to look after and hoping Ellandra wouldn't make him sleep on the couch for it. He figured she might like a little baby-sitting to prepare for motherhood, even if he was certain she'd yell at him a little for springing the children on her.

"Ah, yeah, hi," Faolan said, giving a sheepish grin. "I kinda decided on . . got roped into . . . givin' these kids' parents th' night off. These little 'uns are Annie an' Sara--" He indicated to the twin girls clinging to his legs, then up to the boy on his back. "--an' this here laddie be Kelly."

The two girls were adorable with curly brown hair and brilliant green eyes. It was clear they were a mischievous pair, though they seemed rather well-behaved for Faolan.

Kelly, though, eerily resembled the man currently carrying him with brilliant reddish-orange hair and laughing golden eyes. The boy's hair looked as if it had exploded, all thick and sticking up in tufts, making it impossible to check if the boy had horns or even to see his ears. He wriggled around, finally getting set down on the ground and ran over to Ellandra, putting his hands on her belly. "Me mama's gonna hae bairns, too."

Kelly nodded enthusiastically. "I'm gonna be a big brother again." He grinned at the idea, clearly liking being the eldest of his mother's children. "Are you haein' a boy or a girl?"

Faolan shrugged at Ellandra's expression. "Sorry t' spring th' weans on you, girl, but I couldnae just tell their parents nae when they asked me t' look after 'em. Might give us a chance t' try out bein' parents afore our own arrive, yeah?"

"Your tummy is really big," one of the twins said, possibly Annie. "Is your bairn gonna come out tonight?"

"I hope not," Faolan said, ears going up a bit and eyes widening. He looked at Elle, his ears lowering again. "I mean, because we hae th' three little 'uns t' look after."

The other twin clung quietly to Faolan's leg, sucking on her thumb, a thoughtful expression on her face. "Will they be halfbreeds like you, Fao?"

"Aye, little lass, they'll be halfbreeds," Faolan said, stroking the child's hair. He looked up at Ellandra. "I can take them somewhere else if you'd prefer."

Annie came closer to the woman and put her little hands on Ellandra's belly as well. "They're moving!" She giggled and looked at Kelly. "Your mama's bairn donnae move as much."

"Well, she's not as ready to birth th' baby yet," Kelly said, sticking his tongue out at the girl, his hands still on Ellandra's stomach.

Faolan sighed. "Oi, weans. Leave off me wife's belly there. She donnae want you two pawin' at her."

Kelly gave a thoughtful expression a moment, then looked up at Faolan. "Can I come watch after th' babies sometime when they're born?"

"Maybe if your dam comes, too," Faolan answered, shuffling over with Sara still clinging to his leg. "Twins might be a lot t' look after fae you right now, but you can always come play wi' them as much as you want." He looked down at the girls. "An' afore you ask, you can come play wi' them, too, lasses."

Annie looked up at Ellandra. "If you're haein' one o' each, idn't a bit odd fae them t' be in there together? Mama says boys an' girls aren't suppose t' be together until they're older."

"They are Uncle Faolan's bairns after all," Sara mused quietly. Faolan rested a hand on her head affectionately.

Kelly shuffled his feet a bit. "Where are you gonna put 'em if there's two?"

Didn't have to tell Kelly twice, the boy bounded inside the vardo and began looking around. Annie followed at a slower pace, waiting just inside for Elle to catch up. Her sister, though, continued to cling to Faolan, letting him carry her in as he shuffled along.