Chapter 2

"Begin!", snapped the Armsmaster.

Pagan spun, drew, flicked the thumb-safety off, fired six rounds, safed the pistol, reholstered - in one continuous, uninterrupted, motion - and announced, "Clear!"

The Armsmaster pressed the button, to retrieve the targets, and glanced down at the stopwatch in his hand.

"It's unreal, ' the old warrior thought, 'he's beaten every record in the books - including his own previous ones. Those shots were so close together, I'd have thought they came from an automatic weapon - if I hadn't witnessed it for myself. And I'll wager a month's pay that none hit outside the ten-ring!'

Sure enough, each of the three targets bore a double-tap in the center of its ten-ring - the hits spaced so closely, that they overlapped each other.

"The Clan Chiefs will never believe this!" he remarked to his Number Two. We're going to have to put on a demonstration for them."

Interlude; Maera Gets the Nod

"Does The Dragon have a report for us?", inquired the high priest.

Sion Connagher O'Rourke, Clan Chieftain of The Dragon's Blood, Supreme Master of Shades, proud father of Pagan O'Rourke rose from his place at the council table.

"Yes reverend one - I do."

"Please proceed.", she said.

"It's now been six months since the boy was returned to us, and all the test results are in.", he began.

"Proceed."

"All of the results are, without exception, off the scale reverend one. We simply have no standard high enough to test his limits. He's absorbed everything we have to teach and then gone on to exceed every mark. He's broken records that have stood for hundreds of years, with apparent ease. He's so far beyond the abilities of his teachers, that we have no clue as to what he'll eventually achieve."

"Thank you Clan Chief of the Dragon, you may be seated. Does the Master Healer have a report for us?"

R'hee ap Llewellyn, Master Healer of The Dragon's Blood, Chief Archivist of the Sacred Grove, and proud aunt of Pagan O'Rourke rose from her chair.

"Yes, reverend one, I do."

"Please proceed."

"During the last six months, he has gained 6" in height and has achieved the body tone of a marathon swimmer. He has no discoverable allergies or physical defects. His stamina is off the scale and his IQ as well. We can discover no psychological abnormalities, which is remarkable - considering his past experiences. He gives every indication of being a perfectly healthy, well adjusted individual. If not for our knowing otherwise, he could easily pass for a twenty five year old adult. I can only add, in passing, that his sexual equipment has increased to a size that is proportional to his 6'4" frame."

"If I were ten years younger, I'd give Maera and her team a real run for their money.", she added with a smile.

"Try twenty, Master Healer.", quipped a smirking Maera from across the room.

The chamber exploded into laughter.

"What of our guests, Master Healer?" asked the priest. "How's the man doing?"

"Excellent, reverend one!", the healer responded. "His recovery has been rapid. It's just a matter now of rebuilding his strength and stamina. His wife was most attentive during the entire process - I think we have a potential healer in that one. He was discharged the day before yesterday, with the admonition that he's still not recovered enough for an emotional reunion."

"Excellent, Master Healer!", the high priest replied. "Just excellent - He's going to be so pleasantly surprised!"

The high priest asked if there were any further matters which required their attention.

Maera shot to her feet.

"Yes child, you have something to add?"

"If you please, reverend one. We've exercised incredible patience, but we're twenty five year old virgins - and our clocks are ticking. When are we going to get the nod? We're barely restraining ourselves, as it is."

Once again, the high priest was forced to wait for the merriment to subside.

"Well, Master Healer?", she asked.

R'hee seemed to take delight in slowly rising to her feet, while an anxious Shade impatiently wrung her hands.

"After that twenty years remark I should probably discover a reason for delay. However, I vaguely recall being young once, and can see no reason for further delay. I approve."

"Well, Maera it appears you have a green light. I can only hope that the reports of his incredible stamina are not in error. Knock yourself out child, but try not to break him. We've awaited him for too long, to have him expire before his time."

Hilarity reigned supreme.

Pagan O'Rourke was immensely happy. He was floating in a tub full of hot, squiggly, naked titties. TITTIES? Wham! - his eyes flew open, and he was instantly wide awake. His first attempt to speak was thwarted by the delicious goody which was between his lips. He reluctantly spat out the tasty morsel and attempted to rise. Curses, foiled again! He was apparently immobilized by several hot, squiggly, naked, female bodies. 'Shit, not food-poisoning again!', he thought. He slowly realized that the hallucination was incredibly lifelike. 'No wonder my cock's so happy, something's giving him an incredible massage.' MASSAGE? Wham! - he was suddenly gazing into an incredibly beautiful pair of dark-blue eyes.

"Maera?", he croaked. "What ARE you doing?"

"Well hell!", she exclaimed. "I thought you were supposed to have a super-genius IQ - you figure it out."

"But... but... but..."

"But me no buts, sugar booger - IT'S CHERRY POPPIN' TIME! Hold him down girls, while I get in the saddle - then turn him loose and open the gate. Let's see if I can go the distance."

Popped Cherry

"What's up Bubba?", smirked Didi, as she plopped down on the bed, "What ARE you..."

"doing to our brother, Maera?", Dierdre finished, while plopping down on the other side.

"That's statutory...", from Didi.

"rape, we'll have you know!", hissed Dierdre, "He's only..."

"thirteen years old!", Didi chipped in.

"YOU NASTY LITTLE HELLSPAWNED BITCHES!", Maera screamed, "GET OUT - GO PLAY IN RUSH-HOUR TRAFFIC!"

"Want us to kick her ass for you Bubba?" Didi queried, ignoring the irate Shade, "She's..."

"over the hill.", Dierdre contributed, "We wouldn't even work up a sweat. It'd be..."

"a piece of cake.", Didi concluded.

"THAT'S IT!", Maera snapped, "Fiona, Adara, grab the little shits. I'm going to teach them a lesson they'll NEVER forget!"

The eleven year old tormentors blurred into motion, abruptly vanishing in midstride.

Startled Shades began arcing through the air and bouncing off the walls - to land, groaning, on the floor.

"They're in discipline!", exclaimed Maera, "Cadi, block the door. Adara, get the window. Don't let them get away!"

The cry of "O'ROURKE!" suddenly exploded from phantom throats.

"Get away?", exclaimed several voices from around the room.

"How about letting US get away?", one of them whimpered.

"What IS that racket?", groaned an awakened Sion O'Rourke.

"It's just the children playing.", his amused wife reassured "Just ignore them."

"And what's in it for me, if I do?", he inquired, as his hand began inching up her thigh.

"Are you sure you're up to the mark, husband?", Maefys giggled, "I overheard the twins lecturing the others about taking some of the load off our shoulders. They said we were getting on in years, and it was time they started taking care of us for a change."

"Why, those little imps!", he chuckled, "Come over here Woman, and I'll soon disprove that wicked libel."

"Oh, my Hero!", she squealed, as she rolled into his arms, "I never doubted you for an instant, not at all."

'My poor cock!' Pagan thought, as his affronted member dwindled to a mere eight inch remnant of former glory, 'He never gets a break. Those little shits could've waited for a few more minutes, before coming in here and terminating the launch. Ten minutes - no more - and it would've been a done deal. No more cherry, no more unrequited lust. Bad karma, I'm still being dogged by bad karma.'

In spite of his frustration, Pagan couldn't help being amused, as frustrated Shades scampered about the room - to no avail.

Maera and Fiona were desperately trying to get their clothes back on, being frequently knocked over by their pestilent adversaries - frequent pinches and taunts bombarding them. Cries of, "old hags" and "cradle robbers" were a couple of the milder epithets which assaulted their frayed senses.

"Hold!", Maera snapped, "Leave off! Let's postpone this for another time, it's late and we have field exercises tomorrow. I'll yield, for now, but this isn't over by a long shot. Ward well, you little demons - paybacks are a bitch!"

Gleeful cries of "O'ROURKE!", dwindled down the hallway, as Maera and her team prepared to leave.

"Sorry sweetie.", Maera directed at Pagan, as she left the room, "Another time - I promise."

"Sure.", he grinned, "And the check is in the mail."

Fading giggles were the only response he got.

"What do you think, is it a go?" Didi whispered to her reflection.

"Of course!", Dierdre returned, "Lets just give that bunch of brother-molesters a few minutes to clear out, before we go back to apply a little TLC. We're just what that poor dear needs right now."

"Indubitably!", declared an emphatic Didi.

Pagan was just drifting off to sleep, when he was aroused by two squirming, naked little bodies, snuggling up beside him.

"Didi? Dierdre?", he murmured, "What do you think you're doing? I'm really not very pleased with you two just now."

"We're sorry, Bubba!", Didi offered, "But we couldn't let those schem..."

"ing cherry-poppers beat us to the goodies." Dierdre joined in, "They're..."

"too eager, for your first time.", continued Didi, "They'd just get their jollies..."

"and leave you high and dry!", Dierdre picked up, "We'll be a lot better..."

"because we'll take time to make sure that you get off too." Didi wrapped it up.

"And just what makes you two think you're better qualified?", he grinned, "And please complete your sentences separately - I'm about to break my neck keeping up with you."

"We're sorry Bubbalove.", replied a contrite Didi.

"We promise not to do it again.", apologized Dierdre, as she started caressing his cock.

"That's okay sweethearts, just try to remember not to do it so much. I know it's perfectly natural for you guys, but it confuses most people terribly.", Pagan replied.

Mr. Cock, never one to miss an opportunity for possible pussy penetration, was ignoring their boring babble. He was much too occupied with slobbering over the two delicious little lemon-tittied pastries flanking him.

"Now,", Pagan continued - valiantly striving to ignore Dierdre's hand, "explain why you're more qualified than the others - I can't wait to hear this."

"Oh, we've had TONS of practice on each other!", Didi exclaimed, "We always make it VERY good for each other."

"Yeah, and we've sneaked peeks at the parents, mom always makes sure dad blows his wad.", Dierdre enthused - after licking Mr. Cock's slobber off her hand.

Mr. Cock immediately resumed slobbering, when she returned to his massage.

"So, you think girl/girl joyrides, and sideline critique qualifies you guys as experts?" Pagan, doubtfully, exclaimed.

"Well, sure Frater Meus!", Dierdre leapt in - beating her sister off the dime, "We're extremely precocious, and got oodles of practice, with a strap-on we snaggled from Maera's room.

Mr. Cock was pissed. When were they going to finish all this obnoxious chitchat? Couldn't they see that he was more than ready for the games to begin?

Pagan was rapidly losing interest in further conversation. Having the two raven-haired little hotties squiggling all over him, was having a pronounced effect on his libido. Didi, shoving her tasty little titty in his mouth, was adding fuel to the flame.

"Okay, juicy fruits, give it your best shot, but be prepared to have your performance compared to Maera's bunch when I get around to them.", Pagan gasped - knowing he would never do such an unkind thing.

"Me first!", squealed Didi - yanking Dierdre's hand out of her way, and straddling his hips.

"How come I never get to be first?", wailed a pouting Dierdre, "It's not fair!"

"Because I'm oldest, you know that!", gasped Didi, rubbing Pagan's plum-sized cockhead through her puffy nether lips, "I have to look out for you, make sure it's safe for you to follow."

"That's a big crock of shit!", Dierdre snapped, "You're only ONE minute older, bitch!"

"Older is older - the time lapse doesn't signify.", Didi smirked, as she started trying to put Mr. Cock in his place, "His mouth is still available, why don't you evaluate his lingual aptitude, while I brave the danger on this end."

"BITCH!", Dierdre railed, as she hastened to comply, "I hope he splits you in half!"

Dierdre suddenly lost all interest in squabbling, because a huge tongue had pierced her greedy little cockslot. She was sure that monster was going to soon be in her mouth - frenching her from the back of her throat.

"Oh, Helllllls Belllllls - I'mmmm SO fuuuuucking there!", she shrieked, as she spasmed against Pagan's mouth.

Meanwhile, back at the main event, Didi shrieked out her joy, as Pagan's favorite toy popped through her tiny gate.

"Fuuuuuuck meeeeee!" Didi wailed, as her pussy went into convulsions, "I'mmmmm SO spazzzzzzing ouuuuuut!"

'OH, SHIT!', Pagan thought, trying to suck Dierdre's ambrosial honeypot dry, 'I'm never going to go the distance, not with that amazing little mixmaster trying to wring me out!'

'I've got to concentrate on something else! Ah hah! Mrs. Smeagle's hairy twat! Talk about a tuna-melt special!'

That did the trick!

Dierdre scrambled to pull her sister off.

"My turn now, heifer!", she exclaimed, yanking on Didi's arm, "It's time for a REAL woman to show how it's done!"

"Not yet!", Didi hissed, jerking her arm free, "You know the rule! He hasn't cum yet, and we promised not to leave him hanging."

"Okay.", Dierdre reluctantly conceded, and proceeded to suck on her sibling's engorged nipple.

Didi blissfully continued her self-impalement, sliding down a few more inches.

"Oh, Dierdre!", she gasped, "He's SO way bigger than Maera's toy. I'd better seal my lips when he cums, or it's gonna squirt out of my mouth."

Dierdre redoubled her nursing, encouraged by the glowing endorsement.

Didi experienced her fifth spontaneous combustion, as Pagan's cock nudged her cervix - unable to do more than whimper, her strained vocal chords aching from abuse.

"Aaaaaah shiiiiiiiit!, Pagan shouted, as he lost control, "I'mmmmm fuuuuuucking pusssssssy whiiiiiiiiiped!"

It felt like a string of firecrackers was detonating up the length of his cock, as numerous waves of baby juice inundated Didi's rejoicing incubator.

The abrupt throbbing of her brother's crotch-rocket, was all it took to ignite Didi's afterburners, and she rapturously succumbed to system overload.

The happy couple looked on from the open doorway, as Dierdre carefully dragged her unconscious sister aside - and hastened to apply mouth to penis resuscitation to a pussy-pummeled Mr. Cock.

"Oh, Sion,", Maefys whispered to her beaming spouse, "our babies are growing up!"

"Looks like.", he agreed, "Are the girls drinking their tea?"

"Oh, yes!", she assured him, "As much as I'd love to spoil a couple of new babies, eleven's much too young to be cranking them out. I started them on mother's recipe right after our boy came home. I saw the lovelight in their eyes, and made them swear by Brighid's Blessed Hammer, that they'd adhere to daily doses until the Master Healer gives them the nod."

"That's good enough for me.", Sion responded, "They'd cut off their right arms, before breaking a sworn oath."

She nodded her agreement, and they resumed their vigil.

Pagan was drowsily contemplating a short nap, but a newly revitalized Mr. Cock wasn't buying that shit.

Mr. Cock was happily gushing drool through Dierdre's distended lips, wishing her little mouth was big enough to provide a new playpen, but beggars can't be choosers, and he was perfectly delighted by what he was getting.

Dierdre straddled her brothers waist, determined to rock his cradle so well, that he'd soon abandon any yearning for other treats - except for Didi, of course. She shared EVERYTHING with her other half, despite their constant bickering.

As Pagan's reveling cockhead abruptly broached her little portal, Dierdre reprised Didi's earlier rendition of joy.

"Fuuuuuuck meeeeee!" Dierdre wailed, as her pussy went into hyperdrive, "I'mmmmm SO spazzzzzzing ouuuuuut!"

Pagan was thankful that he didn't have to think about Mrs. Smeagle again, as Dierdre's blazing little firebox tried to light his fuse. He had it under control now, thanks to Didi. He could enjoy the captivating vista before his insatiable eyes, without worrying about premature ignition.

'Damn, she's such a total babe!', he mused, 'Perfect little lemon-sized titties with delicious strawberry nipples, are now - definitely - at the top of my most favorites list.'

As his gaze drifted down to her frequently spasticating toybox, Pagan decided he was the luckiest kid on earth.

'Thank you Brighid!', he mutely praised, 'Thank you for changing my karma, for canceling my debt.'

Interlude; The High Priest Gets her Cylinder stroked.

"Well, child,", the High Priest began, "I hear you've been an, extremely, busy boy."

"I hope I haven't given offense, reverend one.", Pagan contritely replied.

"Merciful Goddess no!", she exclaimed, 'I'm tickled pink, and your parents are raving about their precocious children. Maera's madder than a March hare, that the bookends have snaggled your cherry from her, but she'll soon get over it. Just grab her and put your mark on her. She'll be purring like a cream fed kitten before you have time to blink."

Pagan smiled, and felt his nervous apprehension fade away.

"There's just one little detail that troubles me.", she continued, "Could you possibly bring yourself to call me grandmother, when we're alone, or amidst family. Our Lady doesn't mind. She's not nearly as impressed with my regalia as everyone else seems to be. She thinks I need to loosen up, let my hair down, and kick up my heels more often. She isn't very impressed with rank, not even her own."

"I certainly WILL NOT call you grandmother!", avowed Pagan to the startled woman, "You're barely old enough to have children, little alone a third generation."

"Why you honey-tongued imp.", she crooned, "Careful, lest you light my fire!"

"There's nothing I'd like better, than stoking your boiler.", he grinned, "And honey-tongued is an apt description, as there's nothing I like better, than lapping my honey straight from the pot!"

"Oh, you teasing little shit!", she panted, "Take care, ere I make you put your mouth where the honey is."

Pagan rose to the challenge.

"Ohhhhhh, sweeeeeet Laaaaaaaady!", sang the delirious High Priest, as her toes strained toward her patron.

And, when Pagan stuck his paddle in to stir the pot, the resulting aria thrilled the ears of an immensely pleased goddess.

The Twins' Surprise

"PAAAAGAN, WAAAAAKE UUUP!", Didi squealed in his ear.

Pagan shot up and glared at his sisters.

"I've about had it with you two!", he hissed, "It's the middle of the night, and I had a really hard day!"

"Yeah, we heard how HARD it was, Frater Meus.", Dierdre giggled, "You really put the pep back in Gram's step!"

"Yeah,", Didi chortled, "She's bow-legging around with a big grin on her face, bragging about how you put a tiger in her tank."

"What's that got to do with you pests waking me up?", he griped.

"We found something that looks really important!", Didi enthused.

"Yeah, and we waited till everyone was asleep, because we think it's meant for you to see, and we didn't want a gaggle of gawkers bugging us.", Dierdre added.

"You really think it's that important?", he queried.

Two heads bobbed in unison.

"Okay,", he sighed, "I don't know why, but I trust you guys. I get the feeling that you're not nearly as wicked, as you try to make everyone think."

"Not everyone Bubba.", Didi grinned, "Just the ones outside the family."

"Yeah, it's a real hoot, making them think we're some kind of evil doppelgangers!" Dierdre giggled.

"What about Maera and her crew?", he asked, buttoning his shirt, "They're family, aren't they? How come they're always calling you the Evil Bookends, and similar pet names?"

That's just foreplay!", Didi snickered.

"Foreplay?", he lifted one eyebrow.

"Yeah, those guys have been hot for our bods ever since they brought you home.", Dierdre supplied, "We rag them about it all the time, but they know it's just part of the pregame warm up."

"Warm up!", he grinned, "You call what you did the other night, warm up? Bouncing those guys off the walls didn't look like warm up to me!"

"Aw, that was just a little playtime frolic.", Didi quipped.

"If we'd been serious about it, those wimps would've woke up in Healer Hall.", Dierdre smirked.

Pagan just shook his head, as the threesome departed.

The girls led him to a large limestone outcrop, a couple miles from Freehold. A good portion of the trip was by way of paths, better suited for mountain goats than humans. When they reached the base of the rock, they started tossing aside rocks from a large pile.

"How do you know there's anything under this rockfall?", Pagan griped, as he did his share.

"Because it's not rockfall, Bubba.", Didi quipped, "We stacked them here so nobody would find the place, before we could get back."

"Find THIS place?", he muttered, "Who would be crazy enough to climb up here looking for it, aside from you fruitcakes?"

"Now, THAT hurts, you big bully!.", Didi pouted, "Besides, it was great fun!"

"Yeah,", Dierdre jumped in, "we're intrepid explorers, modern day Gloomis and Farts!"

"Gloomis and Farts? Don't you mean Louis and Cl...", Pagan stopped, as soon as he caught the gleam in their eyes.

"Okay,", he chuckled, "you got me! I took the bait, and you would've had me reeled in, if you hadn't given yourselves away."

"How did he do that?", Didi bitched to her sister, "Not even Mom and Gram can catch us out like that!"

"Beats me.", Dierdre grinned, "Must be something in his Levis - I mean jeans."

The laughing trio returned to work, and soon uncovered a narrow opening that was, just barely, big enough for Pagan to squeeze through, if he turned sideways.

"Don't tell me you two went in there by yourselves!", Pagan snapped.

"Okay, we won't tell you.", Didi smirked, unfazed by his tone, "Besides, I went first, to make sure it was safe for Dierdre."

"BITCH!", Dierdre hissed, "You always get to go first!"

Pagan jumped in, before they could get wound up.

Didi pulled three torches from her backpack and handed them out. She started to enter first, when Pagan grabbed her, and took her place.

"You big chauvinistic sack of testosterone!", Didi complained.

"Yeah,", sighed Dierdre, "and don't you just love it, Didi."

Fortunately, the passage opened out just past the entrance, and Pagan had no trouble following the girls' trail signs. They followed the winding path for about half an hour, descending slowly into the Earth. They eventually arrived before a great doorway, which was sealed by a beautifully sculpted bronze door.

Pagan was awestruck, at the sight before him. The door was, easily, twice his height - and broad enough for the three to pass through, side by side, but it was the carving which captivated him completely.

A magnificent dragon was encircled by intertwining mistletoe/oak knotwork. A flaming sword was clasped in one of the great beast's foreclaws. Pagan was startled, as one large eye appeared to wink at him.

"Did you see that!", he exclaimed.

"See, what!", Didi snapped, "I haven't seen anything, except a hulking, perfidious bully. The old bloodline really screwed up, when it produced your great retro-neanderthal ass."

"Just ignore her, lover.", Dierdre crooned, as she stroked his arm, "She's just sulking, because somebody else got to lead the way - for a change. Forget her, I'll be glad to warm your cold sheets, and birth your litters. She can just go off, and be a fucking hermit - or something!"

"Bitch.", Didi pouted. She was too worried, to put much fire in her retort, however. Maybe she had gone, just a tad, overboard with her little tantrum. It wouldn't have had any effect on Dierdre, because she was used to it. But, Pagan wasn't really broken in yet. What if he'd taken her seriously. What if he didn't want her around him anymore. She was so busy fretting, that she missed the wink Dierdre gave their brother.

Dierdre saw the tears beginning to leak from Didi's eyes. This was a good sign, because the little shit needed to clean up her act a little. She knew they'd be heartbroken if Pagan sent them packing. Better Didi suffered a little now, before she did something really stupid.

Pagan, who hadn't really paid any attention to either one of them, reached inside his shirt and pulled out the amulet he'd worn so long, that it was a part of him.

Sure enough, the carvings were identical. He then compared the script, which adorned the lintel, with that on the back of the medallion - it was the same.

"Hey, brotherlove!", Dierdre exclaimed, "Lean down here, and let me get a closer look at that sucker."

Pagan acquiesced, and Dierdre was awestruck by the identical motifs. she was suddenly sidetracked by the chain - it had no clasp! She ran it through her hands, carefully examining it, inch by inch - there were no seams! There was just enough slack for it to be comfortable, about a couple of inches.

"How long have you had this?" she asked.

"All my life,", he replied, "They said I was wearing it when I entered foster care."

"How did you keep it from falling off, when you were little?", Didi jumped in. She'd been snapped out of her self pity when Dierdre started examining the amulet - her curiosity overcoming self-absorption.

"It was never loose enough for that.", he replied, thoughtfully, "It's been a part of me for so long, that I never thought to wonder why it didn't get tight enough to start choking me. I mean, by the time I was old enough to have thought about it, I didn't even notice it anymore."

"Oh, wow!", chorused the twins.

"You got That right, girlfriends!", he said, and winked.

All was, suddenly, right in Didi's world - again.

Pagan turned back to the door and reached out his hand, to stroke the dragon's glistening scales.

Soundlessly, as if mounted on oiled bearings, the great portal swung open.

"Sion, wake up!", Maefys implored, shaking her husband's shoulder.

Sion rolled over, and opened his eyes.

"What's going on, sugar britches?", he murmured.

"The children are gone!", she replied, "Something woke me, and I got up to check on them. I wasn't too worried by the twins' being gone - they're always involved in some sort of mischief - but Pagan's gone too, and he never leaves at night, except for field exercises."

Sion got out of bed and started dressing.

"Go get your mother, and I'll rouse the Shades - they've been champing at the bit for something to do.", he said.

Maefys rushed out, and Sion finished putting his clothes on. He soon followed on her heels.

Rhiannon ap Draigh, High Priest of the Sacred Grove, Brighid's Ambassador to the mortal realm, and besotted grandmother of Pagan O'Rourke, was pissed. Just what did those little hellions think they were doing, dragging their brother out in the middle of the night. She had no doubt about who was responsible. Pagan would've let the night watch know, if it'd been his idea.

"Stop fretting, child!", Rhiannon snapped at her pacing daughter, "Maera and her team rushed off as soon as they could. They've been bitching for weeks, about growing calluses on their asses - and moss on their heads. This is just their cup of tea - they were actually grinning, as they rushed off."

"Oh, mother, I know!", Maefys returned, continuing to wander about. "It's just that I'm reminded of the time he was snaggled from under our very noses. I know he's not a helpless babe any more, and pity anyone who tries to cross him. But he's out there somewhere with Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum, and there's no telling what sort of mess they'll drag him into! I just can't find my center!"

Rhiannon couldn't help giggling, like a young girl, as her daughter flung out new nicknames for the little hellraisers.