Welcome to Gaia! ::

Zee was feeling restless. He'd gotten an anonymous letter telling him to come to the park in Barton. He knew it wasn't from Thali, no. He knew her hand writing by heart. It wasn't from Risa, Zee knew, because the fae preferred to give her messeges face to face. Whoever it was, they had a wordy writing style, and it seemed they really desired to see him. He decided to tell Stasia, via the phone, so she wouldn't get too upset.

He dialed her phone number. "Hey Stasia?" Words failed him for a moment. What could he say that wouldn't make him feel foolish? How could he say he was going to meet a stranger in the park? "Meet me at the park in ten minutes? Bring Aesica." He hung up, and looked to Devin and Howl.

"Well boys, it looks like we're going to the park," he said.

"Why?" Both boys asked in unison. It was a logical question, why was Daddy listening to a letter?

"Why... Well. Your Mommy wants to see you at the park!" Zee invented hastily. Honestly, toddlers always seemed to think they could outsmart him...

"Nuh-uh, Daddy. I heard you tell Mommy to come thee you at park. Thee no know 'bout it till you thay so." Howl was in the lead. Todders two, father zero.

"...Just get dressed."

After much scrambling, and sock flying, they were ready. ~Implied driving here~

They arrived at the park. Howl and Devin rushed over to the swings, as they did everytime they came to the park. Zee made his way to his favorite bench, and froze. He stared for a moment. "Back again? I thought you were going back to Lynwood."

Zee was not pleased. Not at all. What was Averi doing here, anyway? Why wasn't he in Lynwood, where he belonged?The dark elf gave the other a scowl, before looking to Stasia and waving. "Tell me why you're here," he muttered out of the corner of his mouth.

"To learn why I got this letter," the other elf muttered back, easily imitating Zee's tone. "It says you've resigned. I've come to learn why my best assassin would suddenly quit. Last I spoke to her, my daughter had no intentions of giving in to you. Has she changed her mind?"

"No."

"I fail to see the reason why you would leave your position in Lynwood, then."

Zee looked pointedly towards Stasia, and then back at Averi. "No offense, sire, but I've found someone better than your daughter. If all goes well, she won't be leaving me at the alter."

Averi looked in that direction, and paused. "...I see."

Neither toddler seemed very interested in the stranger talking to their father, Daddy did this occassionally; it was called grown-up talk. Howl was the first to notice Stasia. "Mommy!" He shouted, jumping off his swing (which he'd only just gotten going), barely landing on his feet. He ran towards her. "Mommy! I beat Daddy at Hide-N-Theek! But Devi no play with uth! He thcared of it."

Devin was following his older brother, but with less enthusiasum. Mommy had a new baby. He had to share her now. It wasn't fair.

Zee flashed Averi one last glare, before realizing the elven king was heading towards his fiancee. "Oh no. You're leaving her out of this," he said, following the elf.

"Nonsense. I only wish to speak with her," Averi dismissed Zee's worries with a hand. He made his way over to Stasia with ease, ignoring the children as he had often done when Zee was young. "It is a pleasure to meet you, I am Averi. Perhaps Zee has told you about me?" He was well aware of Zee's name change, though he found it quite pointless--Zee's real name was nicer.

Howl gave his mother his brightest smile yet. "I did! Under the table, but don't tell Daddy!" He shook a finger at her as if he thought she would tell on him. Of course, he didn't know that Zee had known where he'd been the entire time. "Daddy not a good hider. He hide behind chairth." He ignored the strange elf pointedly.

Devi frowned, and hugged his mother. "Mommy hath new baby," he informed her, as if she might not know. "Mommy no need me anymore," he voiced his concerns, looking down at the ground.

Zee sat back against the bench closest to the group, his eyes narrowed. If passersby looked closely, they would have seen that he was muttering from the corner of his mouth to something that resembled a flame. If flames could talk, whatever it said made the dark elf scowl. "You're no help, Calcifer," he said aloud. "Aren't you supposed to be watching over Howl?"

"I am," the firedemon fizzed. "I do all the work around here, and you would think I'd get a thank you once in a while!" And so saying, Calcifer floated to Averi's shoulder. He put a fingerlike flame to his lips. He slowly closed in on Averi's head. The hair was audibly fizzling now. Unfortunately, Averi noticed. He took a side step away from the firedemon.

Howl nodded happily. "Yeah! We thhow Daddy better hiding placeth!" he said excitedly. "Mommy can play too! Mommy a good hider? Better than Daddy?" He hoped she was, Daddy was too easy to find. He finally noticed the other elf, and frowned slightly. "Hi Ugly," he greeted. Of course, Howl could easily tell anyone they were ugly--he was so vain that most people seemed it in comparison to himself.

Devin seemed surprised, golden eyes widening. "Mommy thtill need me?" he asked, returning her hug. "Kay, I be good big brudder for new baby!" He stood on his tiptoes to look at Aesica. Aw, she was pretty, just like Mommy! "Hi baby!"

The elf frowned. "A pet of yours?" he asked, raising an eyebrow. "Thali's spoken of me, then?" He seemed mildly surprised, to think his daughter would speak of him.

Devin waved back cheerfully, giving Aesica a bright smile. "Hi baby," he repeated. So this was the sister he'd been waiting so long to meet. He liked her! "Nithe meet you," he said politely. He could already tell they'd be good friends. "My baby." Uh-oh. Someone was possessive. At least he'd share; but still--she was his.

Averi looked puzzled for a moment. Ugly? He'd never been called ugly in his nine hundred years. "Charming boy you've got there," He commented. "Wish I had one just like him."Sarcasum was dripping from his mouth. "A family member, huh?" he looked to Calcifer, stepping away from him.

"At least someone appreciates me," Calcifer grumbled, floating over to Stasia's shoulder. He had a respect for the halfling that he showed to few others.

Howl stuck his tongue out at his mother. "He ugly," he said with a nod. "Why I no tell him if it true? He not ath pretty ath me. He never be!" Vain toddler was vain.

Devin was absolutely thrilled to be patted by his younger sister. He gave her a bright smile. "I luv you, baby," he told her. She was his, and he loved her. He poked her hand with a gentle finger. "We gonna be bery good friendth." He could just see it.

"I can believe it," Averi said without hesitation. A smirk had crossed his face. This halfling was rather amusing, wasn't she? Even if she was trying to upset him. He ignored what she said to Howl. "So tell me, what interest do you have with my assassin? He wouldn't give me a reason with his letter of resignation." He paused, and looked over to Calcifer. He raised an eyebrow. "I see. You have strange tastes in family members."

Howl smiled up at his mother, and nodded showing that he had understood. She meant that he could make fun of Averi all he wanted when he left. "Kay, I be nithe till he leave," he said.

Devin returned her smile, completely oblivious. He liked no longer being the youngest in the family. He liked having someone to look after. He liked having someone who needed his protection. Uh-oh. He was showing Zee's traits already. The same traits that had gotten Zee into trouble with Thali.

Averi chuckled at her look of disbelief. "Ah, I see he hasn't bothered to tell you," he said with a smirk. "Yes--he calls himself Zee now? Strange name, I quite prefered his first. Well, Zee was my finest assassin. He's been training ever since he was very young--when he wasn't trailing a certain runaway princess."

Devin had finally gotten bored of talking to someone who couldn't talk back. "Bye bye baby!" he said, patting her on the head before toddling over to his father. "Daddy~ I gotth a baby!" he told his father with a bright smile. He pointed to Aesica's stroller. "My baby."

Unfortunately for Devin, his father did not reply. Instead, Zee had gone from navy to a blue gray. Averi was telling Stasia his history? He knew he was in for it. He half heartedly swore in elvish--luckily Devin didn't hear it, or he would have repeated it, and stood up. He made his way over to the group. "Telling stories again, sire?" he asked. His only chance was to lie his way out.

Averi rose an eyebrow at Zee. "I am surprised Vate, that you have not informed your beloved of your past." Uh-oh. He knew exactly what Zee was trying to do. He had all but ignored Stasia's statement about Thali; he still felt guilty about that. Why did she have to bring that up? "Why don't you tell her now? I will keep an eye on your children."

Howl saw Aesica's hand, and was instantly curious. He took hold of her hand, and smiled down at her. "Hi baby," he said, though not with the excitement Devin had. "I your brudder."