Chapter 24

Alex his back stiff after hours of sitting gently eased his son and daughter over against their sleeping mother's chest, Marti'en had gone to talk with the others some time ago. Standing up he stretched his back and let out a sigh of relief, figuring Laurel and the babies would sleep for a while longer he decided he needed a good stiff drink and a hot meal, quietly he started to walk across the blanket strewn room. Hearing a noise Alex looked back to see a tiny little dragon poking his head out from under his mama's wing, turning Alex went back and bent down holding his cupped hands out, in a moment he was holding his son snuggled against his chest, with his throat choked with emotion Alex smiled softly down at the little dragon. Feeling a tiny shiver Alex pulled his jacket over his son "let's go find you a nice warm blanket, your mama and I never decided on a name, Connor Breeton came over with the Conqueror, he was a great warrior, but gentle and fiercely protective of his own, I think he would be proud to have you wear his name, how does that sound? Connor Breeton" Alex looked down as he went up the stairs to see a pair of tiny crystal blue eye's smiling at him. Alex walked into the dining room "hey save some for me, being a papa is hard work you know" he told everyone with a grin, Mar snorted "you haven't seen the half of it yet" Connor stuck his little head out from under his papa's jacket staring at Mar. Mar stared back, Connor looked up at his papa back at Mar then gave a tiny snort, Alex groaned "your teaching him bad habits already" Mar grinned wickedly "shall I puff a little fire?" Alex laughed "go for it, he's pointed in your direction, by the way I would like you all to meet Connor" said Alex taking a blanket wrapped Connor out from under his jacket. Everyone jumped as Connor let out a loud shriek staring at the doorway, there tottering towards them was a tiny iridescent dragon making little mewling noises, Marti'en reached down and picked up the little one and wrapped her in a blanket feeling her shivers carrying her over to Alex, Connor stretched out his neck making little purring noises, seeing her brother she purred back then snuggled with a wiggle deeper into her blanket staring up at Marti'en. "Ummmmm Kat, I thought you said they didn't turn dragon for awhile" a very confused Alex commented, Kat grinned at him "I think you can safely say this is the exception to the rule" Alex tucked Connor in the crock of his arm "I've always been fond of exceptions." Laurel woke up with a sense of panic, looking around she didn't see her babies, with a roar she looked all around the room wildly, Bitsy in a soft soothing voice told her the babies were just fine and in the dining room with Alex, Laurel sighed looking at Bitsy "thank you, I was afraid something had happened to them" Bitsy laughed "your son is snorting at Mar and your daughter is staring so hard at Marti'en she will be cross eyed soon, I would suggest you try and get some more sleep, babies usually decide they are the hungriest in the middle of the night, Alex seems to have things under control for the moment." Bitsy sat with Laurel, pleased that she had not resisted going up to her own bed and returning to her human form. Bitsy helped Laurel clean up, get into a fresh clean nightie, then tucked the covers around her, making sure she drank a hot cup of tea and nibbled on some toast. Half asleep Laurel asked Bitsy "do you think that our little dragon will turn human at some time? Bitsy" Bitsy smiled "if your daughter is any indication I would say he will very soon" at the look of confusion on Laurel's face Bitsy chuckled "you have a tiny little dragoness snuggled in a blanket downstairs" Laurel smiled with tears in her eye's "well Alex said he wanted to populate the earth with urchins, I think he's made a good start."

Trink with a chuckle fixed a plate of food for Alex, setting it in front of him "seeing as how yea got one arm occupied thought yea could use a hand" with a chuckle Alex watched Connor's tiny paw reach for the bow in Trink's beard, "like that bow do yea me boyo?" Trink grinned down at the tiny dragon, Connor his eyes wide watched the bow bounce with each word Trink said. Trink suddenly found his arms filled with a little dragon "why don't you hold Connor while I eat, Trink" Alex said with a grin. Trink not saying a word walked back to his chair like he was walking on egg shells as he grinned down at Connor. Connor purred nuzzling Trink's beard the bow firmly clutched in his little paw. Marti'en a tiny dragoness snuggled sound asleep against her neck said quietly "you've named Connor, what about this tiny one?" Alex smiled softly looking at his daughter "my mother's name was Miranda, that's what I would like to call her but since I've already given Connor his name, Laurel should say what her name will be." Trink gave a little chuckle "here now me boyo yea ain't gunna be gettin any milk outta me, yea need to go to your mama for that, Alex I be thinkin your boyo is hungry" Virlane snickered watching Connor nuzzling at Trink's chest, Alex laughed getting up, first he took his daughter, then got Connor from Trink, his bow still clutched tightly in Connor's little paw.

Alex sat down on the bed looking lovingly at Laurel "urchin, your son is hungry" Laurel woke up with a smile, reaching for Connor, who instantly started nuzzling at her breast making little noises. After the first slight ouch and grimace by Laurel, Connor carefully started to nurse, his little paws padding against her as he suckled. Alex feeling almost as if he were intruding on a private moment started to get up, still holding his daughter, Laurel reached out and took his hand "I love you" she whispered. Alex gently touched Laurel's hair "I love you urchin mine, thank you for my son and daughter" Laurel smiled softly "I couldn't have done it without you" as she moved Connor who snarled for a moment to her other breast, Laurel made a tisking noise at Connor, who looked up at his mama then once again carefully started to suckle at her breast again.

Smiling Alex looked down at the tiny human baby in his arms who was busy sucking on her fist making little slobbery noises, "I hope you don't mind that I named our boy Connor, after the first Breeton to come to England, it's a good strong, honorable name, if you have no name in mind, I thought perhaps my mother's name Miranda for our daughter" Laurel looked at her babies with a smile "Connor and Miranda, they fit them just fine." With a chuckle they exchanged babies, Alex gently patting Connor's back as Laurel fed Miranda. "The cradle isn't ready yet" Laurel said with a worried frown, Alex went and pulled a drawer out of the bureau, padding it with blanket's he set it on a sofa then put the backs of two chairs against it "this should work for now" he told her as he lay a sleeping Connor into the drawer, seeing Laurel start to get out of bed he hurried over "let me take her, love" Laurel handed a sleeping Miranda to Alex "Kirk is having fits wanting to know what's going on" Alex grinned "just tell him he's an uncle and he can come visit tomorrow" Alex tucked Miranda into the drawer smiling to see her tiny hand curl around Connor's paw.

Going back downstairs Alex poured himself a hot cup of coffee "babies fed, Mama asleep" he told Mar Marti'en, Mar chuckled "looks like you need to be in bed yourself, that's where the rest have headed off too, Trink muttering all the way about needing two bows in his beard." Alex nodded "I will head to bed soon, I think that back room should be cleaned up first, then I'm going to go take a hot bath and get my wits back together." Mar grinned "you can count your wits gone for the next twenty or so years, Bitsy all ready took care of the back room for you, go take your bath boy you've earned it. If you need anything just let us know." Alex chuckled "are you ever going to stop calling me boy?" Mar snorted "maybe in forty or fifty years" Alex laughed as he headed for the bathing room.

Laurel woke up to a little screech, looking over the side of the bed she saw Miranda her tiny wings fluttering furiously, her talons slicing through the covers as she tried to get up on the bed, reaching down she picked up her daughter "next time just call for Mama" she told her, opening her nightdress, Miranda with a purr quickly started to suckle at Laurel's breast, her tiny tail wrapped around Laurel's wrist. Alex lit a candle going to check on Connor, Connor purred up at his papa, picking Connor up Alex frowned tucking him against his chest, he took out the wet blankets, put fresh dry one's in the drawer, wrapped a dry blanket around Connor then went back to bed. Laurel smiled as she got up and put a snuggly warm sleeping Miranda back in the drawer, taking Connor off a sleeping Alex chest she fed Connor then snuggled him next to Miranda, who had reached out in her sleep, her tiny paw touching his, Laurel stood watching them sleep for a long time before she climbed back into bed.

Bitsy woke up the next morning about ready to strangle Brand who had been chuckling gleefully all night "I thought twin fairies were bad enough but twin dragons, ohh thank you, there is a god in heaven" he had said a half a dozen times until Bitsy hit him with a pillow. Brand chuckled as they sat down for breakfast "you have to admit it's funny brat, double the trouble, double the puffs, Trink will be running for the forest again, Mar must be giggling in his wine" Bitsy frowned at Brand "Trink and Mar aren't the ones who have to feed two hungry little dragons, what's this?" she asked picking up a small package that was next to her plate, Brand shrugged "open it and see. Bitsy opened the paper, written on it were the words thank you for all your help, Laurel, Bitsy picked up a tiny locket, opening it she heard Laurel's beautiful voice singing a song of fairies, forests, and a love that spanned all time. With a smile Brand gave Bitsy a hug "Laurel asked me to give that to you this morning."

Alex burst out laughing, watching Laurel try to get the spoon to her mouth, each time she got it almost to her mouth a small tail reached up and curled around the spoon spilling the porridge down the front of her and onto Connor who was making happy noises licking the porridge off himself and his mama. Miranda sucking on her fist heard her papa laughing and wiggled, her bright green eye's smiling, Alex touched his finger to the tip of her nose "funny aren't they." Laurel trying not to sigh since she was very hungry and wanted more food in her mouth then on her chest and son, told Alex Kirk was asking when he could join them, then mentioned hadn't he better let the rest of the family know about the babies. Laurel laughed seeing the oh I forgot look on Alex face.

Kirk walked into the room to see Laurel holding a baby dragons tail while she shoveled food into her mouth as fast as she could. Kirk started laughing "Alex why don't you give her a hand before she starves to death, ohhhhh lord you've got one too, how many are there?" Alex laughed "only two" Connor hearing a new voice peered over his mama's arm, Kirk grinned "looks like he got most of your breakfast Laurel" Alex laughed "let go of his tail for a minute love" Laurel frowned "he has to learn not to do that Alex" grinning Kirk gave her a "pretty please smile" with a sigh Laurel let go of Connor's tail then picked up her spoon, Kirk roared with laughter seeing the tiny tail curl around the spoon.

Michael walked in "what do I need to see so urgently?" Alex held up Miranda who was making funny baby noises "this and that" Kirk grinned "you should see what the little guy can do with his tail" Michael stood staring "one of each?" Alex chuckled "well not exactly, more like both at once, Laurel has Connor, this is Miranda" Michael smiled softly at Miranda then turned to look at Connor, with a laugh he saw the condition Laurel was in "let me take the boy while you eat" reaching for Connor. Connor not sure who the new people were hissed snuggling closer to his mama, Miranda hearing Connor hissing with a sound of distress was suddenly a little dragoness hissing and snapping her tiny jaws. Laurel seeing the look on Michael and Kirk's faces told them not to back down, just give the babies a chance to see who they were. Alex made soothing sounds to Miranda telling her that Connor was just fine, Connor once again peeking over his mama's arm looked at Michael. Michael smiled "protective of each other aren't they" Kirk laughed pulling up a chair next to Laurel, he picked up a spoon off the table, with a grin he held it up for Connor, his eyes wide Connor looked at the spoon then at Kirk, out of the corner of his eye Kirk saw Connor's little tail sneaking under Laurel's arm. Casually he put the spoon back on the table and held out his hands "if you want the spoon you have to come here" Connor looked up at his mama then back at Kirk, Laurel smiled "it's ok, that's your Uncle Kirk" seeing that he had calmed down Laurel picked Connor up and gave him to Kirk, who found himself with a little dragon clutching his shirt with tiny talon's, the two stared at each other for a minute, Connor nuzzled Kirk's neck with a small purring noise at the same time his little tail grabbed the spoon. Miranda sat staring at Michael, glancing now and then at Connor making sure he was all right, reaching out a tiny paw she carefully touched Michael's arm then pulled back her paw, Alex chuckled "I guess we know which is the cautious one" Michael laughed "be thankful you have one that's cautious, two rushing headlong into things would turn my hair gray" Laurel grinned "Michael, your hair is all ready gray" Michael grinned back "that's caused by children and grandchildren, my hair just may fall out with these two great grandchildren." Michael looked down to see the tiny paw back on his arm, gently he reached over and took her from her papa, at first Miranda hissed then stopped staring at the man who had a scent like her papa, deciding it was safe she snuggled into the crock of his arm, making little crooning noises.