Chapter 11

Both Al and Savas didn't move a muscle as they watched the tiny dragon on Connor's shoulder lick his neck. Savas made a noise in his throat, nudging Al, his eyes going from Al to the small creature, "sweet mother Mary of course I see it" said Al barely moving his mouth. Mal looked at the new people, with a ohhhh he was suddenly in front of Savas staring at him, his little head tilted, Laurel shook her head "no Mal, you can't have his earring" Mal looked at his Grandmama then back at Savas, touching his little face. Connor laughed "no you can't have his mustache either, you'll have to grow your own one day" DeClan sighed "don't even think about putting a mustache on your little face, it would upset your mama" Mal his little lower lip out, looked at his papa then Connor, then back to Savas holding out his little paw, in his paw was a green ribbon. Connor glanced at DeClan, as he said to Savas "Mal is giving you his ribbon to tie on your mustache, that ribbon is special" Savas who's large hand could squash Mal with one swat carefully took the ribbon, his mustache moving as he smiled. Savas touched his pockets then looked at Al making a slight noise, Savas's eyes went wide as Mal clung to his vest his tiny paw patting his throat making little purring noises, Al checked in her pockets, she pulled out a napkin with an old piece of hard candy, a handkerchief, with a rueful look she reached into an inner jacket pocket and handed what she had taken out to Savas "he gave you something you should return the favor" she said seeing the look of concern in Savas's eyes "it's just an old bosun's whistle after all" Savas shook his head pushing it back into Al's hand, Al frowned and held it out to Mal "this is for the ribbon from Savas" Mal looked at the whistle then at Al, with another sigh Al said "it's a whistle kid, here let me show you" taking the whistle Al piped all hands on deck and man your stations for Mal then handed it back to him. Mal his little eyes wide as could be stared at the whistle, with another purr he nuzzled Savas's neck, Al stood up "come on Savas let's get out of here before they burn us for not being witches or something like that" Connor caught up with Al at the dining room door "you didn't thank my mother for breakfast" Al glowered at Connor "wellll excuse me for breathing" then turned to Laurel and bent from the waist "we thank you Madame for providing us with such a fine meal, we are in your debt and you have our gratitude, We wish you good day." Laurel smiled "your more then welcome, here take this basket with you since you have such a long ride, traveling on an empty stomach can be very demoralizing" Laurel handed the basket to Savas, who nodded and smiled slightly, looking once more at Mal who was sitting on the table by his papa, crooning over the whistle.

Connor returned to the table and went back to his breakfast, annoyed with himself that he had let Al get under his skin once again, over the last five years the two had, had several run ins not to mention the one in Istanbul. Al had always looked scruffy and threadbare but that had been the first time he had ever stolen anything that Connor knew of, he had done some checking around and found out that Al had been a cabin boy for many years on the Lorilee a ship captained by old Willy a more often then not pirate who had retired a year or so ago, most of the talk he heard was that Al was Willy's bastard since Al had come on board when he was barely seven years old. It must have been difficult for old Willy to keep the more hardened sailors away from a boy like that Connor thought, considering the type of crew he had on board. DeClan took the whistle from Mal and looked it over, he had felt a sense of grief well up in the girl as she handed the whistle to Mal, he had also felt a great sadness from the big man Savas when she had done so. Laurel poured herself a cup of tea "what does it say? the inscription on the side" DeClan read it for her "Allora, may you pipe in all your dreams, Willy" Laurel felt like crying for the girl, she remembered what it was like to come down to owning the clothes on your back and having just one thing left that meant the world to her, which was her lute, she couldn't imagine what it must feel like to give that last one special thing away. DeClan sighed "Mal can't keep this, it's a keepsake the girl should not have let go of, even for pride or the pride of her friend." Connor got up and looked at the inscription "Al's a girl? Allora? it must of been someone else's whistle, that was no girl" but he knew it was true and was just trying to justify having not noticed or having not really paid attention to the person Al, what was worse he was remembering the tavern brawl in Port Arthur where he had soundly trounced the kid for knocking two of his crew men out, damnit he had deserved it and Connor hadn't known Al was a girl, he reminded himself. "Al said he had to be in London on Tuesday to meet with some barrister, I'll ask Neil and Uncle Joe to check around and I'll go see if I can't find the kid and return the whistle" Connor told his mother and DeClan, he turned his back for a moment putting the old whistle in his pocket then turned and handed Mal a new whistle, Mal looked at the whistle and looked up at Connor, then down at the whistle, as if he were trying to understand why he no longer had his real whistle. DeClan picked up Mal and snuggled him against his chest his hand gently stroking his back "we have to give it back, so Connor wanted you to have another whistle just like the one that has to be returned" Mal looked at his papa and put his tiny paw over his heart, just like his mama used to do, then touched the whistle. DeClan nodded "yes son it was something very special to her heart and we want to give it back." Mal nuzzled his papa and purred now happy with his whistle, wiggling to get comfy he laid his head on his papa and went to sleep.

Laurel told DeClan she was going home to Zinmer and if they needed anything or if there was a problem just to let her or Alex know, Connor headed off to tell Trink he was going to London, DeClan wrapped the blanket around Mal and headed upstairs saying to his sleeping son "let's go see what's wrong with your mama" Zara sat on the gabled windows seat looking down into the garden she had worked so hard to have ready for when DeClan came home, she heard the door open and quickly wiped the tears away "did they leave?" she asked not turning around. DeClan tucked Mal next to Tabby "yes their gone" he said quietly walk over and sitting down next to Zara "why have you been crying? little one" Zara nibbled on her fingertip not looking at him "are you leaving again?" DeClan put his fingers under her chin and turned her face to his "is that what you thought? that I was going to leave you? I'm not going anywhere Zara, what I wanted to say earlier was to try and explain why I had left, it wasn't because of Virlane or your father, it was because I was so afraid I would hurt you, never intentionally but still hurt you somehow like the night of you came here and I struck out at you thinking you were part of my nightmare. It took me a long time little one to realize that it was an accident, that I wasn't like Leander and I wouldn't and couldn't hurt someone I love as much as I love you. Then I was afraid that even if I came back you wouldn't want me here or in your life anymore, that thought hurt more then I could ever say, I spent months wallowing in self pity and self hatred that I had done something to hurt you so badly that you might hate me for it, then when you took off the ruby heart I felt it and thought I had died inside. No, Zara let me finish, I know now you gave the mended heart to Dougal I didn't then, I had finally decided I had to know once and for all how you felt and was thinking about returning home when Alex and Dougal found me, I don't want you to ever think I just returned because I felt guilty about leaving you pregnant or that I just returned to see the babies." Zara sobbed "I never stopped loving you DeClan, I knew you would come home, we've belonged to each other most of my life and a good part of yours, when I saw you standing in the doorway the other night, I was so happy I didn't know what to say or how to say it, I didn't think you had come out of guilt or regrets, I didn't even know you knew about Mal and Tabby. What I was so frightened of was you came home to a house filled with my family and friends, I didn't know how you felt about that, I didn't know if you were angry to find them here, I was afraid you would leave again because of it." DeClan pulled Zara onto his lap hugging her, he pressed her head against his shoulder as he held her close "little one, I've smiled and laughed and felt so free since I returned and all because of you and your family and friends, I'm glad they were here, Tabby and Mal were an added bonus I'll cherish all my life, now I'm going to do something I've been dreaming of for a very long time, I'm going to hold you in my arms while you sleep so I can watch your beautiful face as you dream and hold you close knowing you're finally mine, knowing every year that I waited was worth every second" DeClan stood up and carried Zara to the bed, laying her down he snuggled her against him feeling content and so well loved.

Tabby sat snuggled in the old woman's arms, Mal on her lap sound asleep, Marti'en sat in one of the chairs by the fireplace in the study smiling at Tabby "such a tiny one you are Tabitha McGuire, will you sing like your Grandmother Laurel I wonder, will you dance to the tune of the music as it calls to you, such a quiet one but you hear much don't you sweet one, it pleases The Ancient One's to see a little dragoness of earth and sky." Tabby's eyes smiled back at Marti'en her little paw curled around Marti'en's finger, Marti'en felt a tiny squeeze and smiled softly "that's right, hold on for sometimes the earth shakes and the sky rumbles and you will clasp it just as tightly." Mal gave a squeaky little yawn, looked up at Marti'en, then looked again quickly climbing up to sit next to Tabby his eyes squinted fiercely, his little jaws snapping. Marti'en laughed "oh yes I heard all about you Master Malkirk McGuire, fire and smoke, illusion and laughter, gentle and fierce, protective and wanting to be protected while you reach out and hold life to your heart." Mal nuzzled Tabby making sure she was all right, Tabby purred and snuggled closer to Mal, Marti'en smiled at DeClan who was standing in the doorway leaning against the door jam "you're going to have your hands full with these two but we have no doubts that you will do a good job of raising them and will always give them the salvation they need DeClan McGuire." DeClan couldn't keep the amazement from his face, one of The Ancient One's sitting in his home, holding his children, he knew Zara was friends with Marti'en, he had seen the two at gatherings together but had not expected her to actually come here to his home to see Tabby and Mal. Mar chuckled "are you done being officious old woman? can I play with him now?" he said as he appeared in the room, Marti'en grinned "only if you play nice and the two of you don't set the house on fire or bring it down around our heads" Mar pouted "I haven't blown anything up in days" Marti'en laughed "only because I've been gone and there was no one to fuss at you about it." Mal seeing Mar grinned a silly hatchling grin, Mar grinned back, Marti'en stood up and passed Mal to Mar, still snuggling Tabby she smiled at DeClan "it's safer for your sanity if you don't watch, he is after all the one who taught Zara to stalk, and drop, no one has forgotten that especially Falk" Mar gave DeClan an innocent smile as Mal hung around his neck making purring noises. DeClan didn't know whether to chuckle or be concerned as he followed Marti'en out of the study and into the garden, Fuzz looked at Mar and Mal, then back at DeClan and Marti'en still holding Tabby, deciding to stay with Mar and Mal, Fuzz curled up by the fireplace and went to sleep, one eye half open watching the two. Zara joined Marti'en and DeClan out in the garden a short time later laughing "if Fuzz had been smart he would of come out here, he is now being used as the villain and his tail is getting the worst of it" Marti'en laughed "little boys need to play" Zara grinned "Mar is a great playmate." "Tabby!" roared Falk appearing in the garden Tabby who was snuggled on Marti'en 's lap gave a tiny purr and held out her little arms, Falk purred "there's my little darling, Nedra said you were doing well, thought I had better come see" Falk gently took Tabby from Marti'en with a deep rumbling purr, he laid down snuggling her into his big thick mane "are you being a good girl and eating for your mama?' Tabby nuzzled his cheek, Falk awwwwww'd and wiped his eyes with his tail "I brought you something, pretty Tabby" Falk purred. Zara groaned silently, then smiled to see an old wilted red rose in Falk's paw, Tabby held out her little paw and took the rose, she licked Falk's cheek, touching a talon to the flower Tabby turned it into a brand new red rose bud, Falk grinned "all fresh and ready to bloom, just like my darling Tabby" "it's a good thing he is almost as old as I am or I would say our Falk had come a courting" Marti'en said with a chuckle. DeClan watching Tabby snuggle against Falk's neck, half asleep in the afternoon sun, said nothing. Trink sat down in the grass giggling at Falk and Tabby "where's me boyo Mal" Zara smiled "he's playing with Mar and Fuzz in the study" Trink quickly glanced at the glass doors "do I need to be putting on me protective gear" Zara laughed "I think Fuzz is catching the worst of it but knowing Mar it probably wouldn't hurt" Trink sighed "who is this Al that me boyo Connor went rushing off to London to find? I thought he was gunna stay n visit a few days" DeClan seeing the questioning look on everyone's face explained, Trink chortled "a purty got the best of me boyo? now don't that beat all, thought he had learned better, I need to be havin a talk with that boyo." DeClan told Trink that Mal had given the man Savas his green ribbon, Trink awwwwww'd saying he would just have to make sure that Mal got a new ribbon since they were special and all.