Wedding Crashers

[Neko]

She opened her eyes wide, while it had not made much sense, she was surprised, while she was not certain of what he said, but the fact he heard her, caused her blush to explode again. She however then noticed that Rhys and Walter was in the room. Normally she would have tossed a taunt but she simply looked at them frozen, her flushed face turning pale. She wanted to say something but Rhys seemed to want to do what he wanted and it seemed Damon was going to do what he wanted as well.

She watched like a deer as the two of them traded words, and then Damon was backhanded by Rhys causing him to fall back and get a bloody nose. Normally she would have flared up and started cursing at Rhys for being such an ass but at current all she could do was cover her mouth with her hands and gasp. She felt her eyes tear up. Innocence listened as Damon continued to speak. She saw him sit down and she tore part of her dress and went to put it to his nose so his sleeve would not get anymore bloodied. However she felt her head snap at Walter at what she just heard. She felt her roll down her cheeks, this was to much emotion for her in one sitting.

"Walter..." She looked at the hunter that was now holding a blank expression. She gave one last look at Damon to make sure the dress cloth would stay. She then slowly went over to Walter who refused to look at anyone directly. She grabbed his sleeve and tugged softly. "Walter..." She mumbled again hoping he would explain. Walter just sighed and then wrapped an arm around her shoulder. His familiar smile on his face. "Sorry... Uh well I can tell you this much Rhys, if the two of them really do want to get together Lady Enigma will not mind and the people who enjoy Innocence will agree and well...

Innocence looked up at Walter with a sad look on her face, she was very confused. "Well I do not remember anything from before the original eight years of staying as a butler... I however have been said to look just like Walter Darcia I just never really thought it to be true. If it is... Not that I can really remember, I am also willing to accept. I cannot speak for the people of Lee, but the people of Tiamorre will not attack their lady's sister for any reason and Darcia last time I checked was filled with Gypsy who are all friends with her as well so... I think it is safe to say no war."

He hated war, he hated seeing Innocence sad too. Last time he saw her cry well, it had been awhile she normally cried in private. He really wished he could remember. He still had no idea why he feared woman, but Innocence, Satisfaction, and the other woman of Tiamorre after a little getting used who were like family. He never tried to return back to Darcia, even if all those people including that one girl said he was the heir. He liked being a Butler... He had no memory of anything else.

Innocence listen to him she frowned, "Does sister know?" Walter shook his head. "I did not really know either... I have well... Forgotten my memories. I apologize." He sighed and let Innocence go. "I need to go now... I need to go figure some things out..." He rubbed his head, it was beginning to hurt. He went to the door and went to leave however Innocence stopped him. "Tell sister if you find her that I am moving in." She sent Rhys a glare daring him to say anything. Walter gave her a surprised look but then smiled. "Alright, I shall tell her. Goodbye."

Leaving he rushed back to Tiamorre, he felt quite confused but he figured with some well placed letters he could figure things out. How could he have forgotten something so important? Innocence watching him leave turned and went to help Damon again, she looked up at Rhys with a blank look. "You know, you are being a hypocrite... Call me a child all you want but I know more then you think I know..." She then looked at Damon to make sure his nose was alright. The backhand was a bit much... Her blush was gone but her tears stayed, and she felt really tired. All the emotions were crazy.

She let go of Damon's nose and tore more of her dress. Rolling the two strands up she folded them she then carefully and gently stuffed them up his nose to keep any more blood from dripping down. Leaning forward she kissed his nose softly much like she would if it was Mercy who had gotten hurt. She then cleaned around his lip and chin with the old piece of dress. She then looked down, she felt tears bubbling up again. "Damon... I do not want Walter to leave..." She loved Walter like a brother at this point and everyone at Taimorre was used to him opening the door.

He never acted like a head of the house, he always had been... The butler, it would be a shock to everyone if he was really the head of Darcia... While she could deal moving to Lee to be closer to Damon she at least knew Walter and her sister along everyone else were in one place. If he moved that would be a place she was not used to visiting... She just did not want him to leave. She felt the tears fall from her cheek and land on her dress. Among Walter possibly leaving it seemed that Rhys really was against this whole thing.

She felt like if she was her more bold self she would have slapped Rhys right back and told him to cut the shit but... But she was so tired she could barely move. She was so emotional all she could think about was all the bad things that were happening. Being a half blood never bothered her, she had Mercy and she had sister, both who treated her well, and then Walter came around and did the same. It was only now that it really bothered her... To much was happening to quickly. She looked up slowly, gripping her dress hard enough to turn her already pale knuckles white.

"Am I really worth all this trouble?" Sure before it was like a school girl like in one of those novels or her visions finally having their crush respond positively but they never head to worry about blood... While she was not happy about it she was willing to drop it, she did not want Damon to keep getting beaten up. This was the second time... Looking down again she did not know what else to say. Right now she just wanted to curl up and a ball and disappear. Instead she settled on looking down at her ripped up dress and letting the tears roll off her cheeks silently.

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Rhys sighed and shook his head muttering under his breath. "Its not that I mind them being together, but Damon has to follow his duty. That is the one thing no noble can neglect." He couldn't let them know that, though. It would only encourage them. He ran his hand through his hair and moved to Damon's side, placing a hand on his shoulder. He pushed down a little to keep Damon seated. "Just stay put until your nose stops bleeding. She's fine." Spoken quietly so as not to interrupt Walter. "Shes a little sad and fairly confused, but not to any great extent." Damon settled back to the chaise and the two brothers listened as Walter spoke.

Then he mentioned Lee, Darcia, and Tiamorre. Said no war and made no mention of the other, lesser Houses. Damon opened his mouth and moved to stand. Rhys stopped him simply by squeezing hard on his shoulder and shaking his head sharply when Damon looked up at him. When it looked as though Damon were about to speak, Rhys merely tilted his head and raised an eyebrow. Damon sat still and continued to listen, watching Rhys' face for any hint of what was going on. Rhys simply watched, reading the feelings around him. He could feel the sadness and confusion of Innocence, as well as a slight undercurrent of anger, and realized that Damon had reacted to it almost as quickly as he had Felt it. A quick glance at the young man received a confused look in return. But Rhys ignored it in favor of continuing his observations of the others. From Walter he caught only confusion, which belied the calm look on his face.

Then the conversation was over, Walter leaving, and Innocence shooting a glare at Rhys while asking Walter to tell Enigma that she was moving in. He just raised a brow and gazed coolly back at her while Damon smiled softly. "That's the spirit. Never let anyone tell you that you can't do something unless they have a damn good reason." Rhys gave Damon a disgusted look and sighed. He did have a damned good reason. They just didn't want to listen. But he couldn't help a slight smile when Innocence returned to Damon to help him and make sure his nose was all right. He had to admit, they did make a cute couple. A little young for it perhaps considering life-spans measured not in decades but in millennium, but still they were cute.

When Innocence looked up at Rhys and spoke, he flinched like she'd struck him. He stepped back, one hand coming up as if to ward off a blow. His face was full of the hurt her comment had caused. And he couldn't deny it. Not when it felt the same to him as it appeared to her. He was following his heart but couldn't let them do the same. Rhys took a step back. And another. Then a third, placing his back against the end of one of the book cases filling the room. Damon was confused and worried by Rhys' reaction but stayed put as he had been told. Getting up like he wanted might upset his brother, and Rhys seemed in a bad place right now. When Rhys appeared to have himself under control, more or less, Damon's attention returned to Innocence as she tore more material off her dress to make nose plugs for him.

When she had finished cleaning him up, Damon placed his hand on her face and used his thumb to brush away her tears. "Thank you." When she started to cry once more, he wrapped his arm around her shoulders and pulled her against his side. "Shh. Don't cry. I'm sure he won't be going anywhere. He isn't as bound as your sister and I are. There is at least one other who can take his place."

Though he was distantly aware of Rhys leaning on the wall by the window and muttering to himself in a distracted fashion, Damon kept his attention on Innocence. Her question, though sad, made him smile a little. And although he wasn't sure if she really wanted an answer, he gave her one anyway. "I wouldn't have asked you to move in if you weren't more than worth it." He watched her tears fall, not sure what to do about them. So he began rocking gently, trying to soothe her. "Cheer up. Smile for me?" He gave her a one armed hug, and was about to tickle her, when he heard Rhys curse and the window shatter simultaneously. Jumping up, Damon started for the desk for the bandages hidden in a drawer before he even realized he had moved. Looking at the blood streaming from Rhys' arm and wrist, he decided to continue to the desk. "What the hell did you just do, you damned fool?" Worry made him yell, though he was sure the slightly dazed Rhys didn't notice. Grabbing the bandages out of the drawer, he started for his brother. Rhys had other plans than being patched up, however. "I have to get Sarah away from Lee. I have to get her someplace safe before..." Damon interrupted him, ignoring the wild look in his eyes. "Oooh no you don't. What you have to do is sit down and let me take care of the mess you've made of your arm." When Rhys began to struggle, Damon looked at Innocence. "Help me calm him down. Use mesmer if you have to, but be careful about it. He tends to react to it without thinking."

[Neko]

She heard him thank her, she felt him rub the tears on her cheeks that had not fallen yet. However she was still crying and therefore the tears kept coming. She then noticed him wrap his arm around her shoulders. She listened to him explain that Walter was not bound as much as he or her sister was. While it made her slightly saddened that meant the both of them were practically prisoners at least Walter would have a chance to stay... There was something good from the bad. She then felt a slight jump of emotion as he said she was more then worth it otherwise he would not have asked her to move in.

Looking up at him for a moment she felt a small smile tugging at her lips. She felt him hug her which made the smile grow, she however did not have much time to cheer up as she heard Rhys swear and punch the window. She saw Damon jump up and get bandages, looking down at her torn dress she was slightly happy that they had them, she was running out of dress to rip... She looked at the blood streaming down his arm and wrist. She felt her agape expression turn into a sad one again. She was getting sick of the blood... She jumped slightly when she heard Damon yell, first time she heard him actually yell at him like that.

She watched as the two men once again traded words, this however reminded her of when they all came back from Loony's party and it caused Rhys to need to stick around the castle. Making him batty as hell. He had wanted to leave while everyone had been sticking around to keep an eye on him. She then notice Damon was asking for help. As far as she could tell this whole thing was her fault, she may have acted like she did not notice but he went to sulk by the window after she told him he was a hypocrite. She knew Rhys not to be weak to psyical blows but this was not exactly the first time her words hit hard.

Standing up she walked over to him. "I apologize..." She looked up at him with a apologetic look on her face. "I sometimes speak without meaning to... I understand that it is different for you and Sarah... Forget I said anything." She looked at the shattered glass on the floor before sighing. "Go ahead and leave if you want, but what to you think you will accomplish by running out with a bloody arm? All you will accomplish is scaring Sarah and getting the attention of all that see you making you a target no matter where you try and hide her." She had never been the type to use mesmer... She had a big mouth but where she could say the wrong thing she often knew at least somewhat of a good line to make it better.

Sighing she looked at his arm, he really had to watch what he did when upset. He might accidentally knock someone out one day... If he had not done it already. Looking up at him again she ignored the fact his arm was a bloody mess and went by his side. She knew he was in a bad mood, but she felt bad enough to risk getting hit herself. She figured his gentlemanly personality would shine though but then again he did just punch out a window... She wrapped her arms around his waist and sighed. "Please wait for your hand to be bandaged... It will make Damon and myself feel better and you will be less likely to attract attention and scare or worry Sarah..."

Just as she going to say something else she saw the door slam open. Her sister looking less then pleased. "What the hell are you doing!?" She went over to Innocence and then noticed she was hugging Rhys who had a bleeding arm. It cooled her head for a moment, she shifted the sleeping Damian in her arms and then she looked at Innocence again. Grabbing her by the collar of her dress she tugged. "You are not moving in here! Return at once!" Any other time and she would have given it a chance, her sister needed to be around friends but this was not normal friends. This was a house leader and if rumors got out problems would arise.

Innocence letting go of Rhys felt herself being tugged backwards. This caused her to fall and land on her ass. Looking up at her sister with a slight glare she pouted. "I want to stay..." Innocence then stood up and buried her face in Damon's back. She did not want to return, not because she was not happy with living in Tiamorre but mainly because she would enjoy living here. Plus it would be less travel time. Enigma tried once again pulling her sister away but this time she failed. She had a death grip on Damon's waist and her face was hidden in his back.

Enigma swearing grabbed her sister's ear and yanked hard making her release Damon and face her sister. "Why are you so against me living here! You kicked me out remember!" Enigma looked took back by that comment for a moment before her features turned icy. "If I remember correctly you came back... I am so against you living here because if we do not have enough trouble with you living in another town and returning to his bed, if you live here how the hell do I know that you will not jump next to him whenever the two of you feel like it?" Innocence gave a embarrassed look at her sister.

"Sh-sh-sh-shut up!" Enigma sighed and then grabbed her sister by the elbow with her free arm. "We are leaving, if you cannot even deny it I refuse to let you live here..." Innocence thrashed free and glared at her. "Something tells me it would have been a lot easier for everyone if that crazy human did not miss when he stabbed me!" Enigma gave her a sharp look before snapping her hand back and slapping it across her sister's face. "Do not say that ever again... You are going home NOW!" She then thrusted Damian into her sister's arms before grabbing her shoulders. Trying to make it harder for her to fight and making it easier for her to lead her out the door.

Innocence took Damian and used her free arm to hold her red cheek. She however like a stubborn mule dug her heels into the floor. Enigma spinning her around went to slap her again but before she could do so Walter came into the room causing Innocence to give a yelp for his assistance. He seemed happy to help her before but... Enigma was the law technically. Walter however jogged behind Enigma and grabbed his wrists. "Stop it you are just making it worse." Enigma tilted her head back and locked eyes with Walter. "Release me if you value your job and life..."

Walter let out a nervous laugh and then shrugged. "Well I cannot just let you go, you might end up doing something you regret." Innocence now released pointed to her cheek, "What do you mean might!?" She then went back to Damon's side enjoying that he sister had someone to go through before dragging her away again. She just needed him to succeed... Enigma glared at Walter even more as she heard Innocence walking away. "Your accent is annoying... Let me go NOW!" Walter gave a mock upset look to that comment. "You hurt me, now lets go home..."

Enigma glaring up at him decided to give him one last chance. "Let me go..." Walter however did not and instead brought both of her small wrists into one hand so he could open doors. Pressing her hands behind her back he started to lead her to the door, she however dug her feet into the flooring. Walter sighing went to say something else but felt a sharp pain in his foot. This caused him to let go and flail his arms in surprise. Enigma who had stomped her heel into his foot suddenly lost her balance and the two of them crumbled to the floor. Innocence watched slightly amused at this.

Enigma going to sit up, sat up quickly and was going to scream at Walter for making her look like a fool but collided into him instead. Ending in a painful kiss, which caused her to nurse her now bleeding lip and Walter to yelp out in surprise. The little show ended up getting a small giggle from Innocence who gained a glare. Shushing up she gripped Damon by the tail of his jacket with her free arm. She watched Enigma stand up and then almost playfully kick Walter. “Fine, I will let her be, but I swear to god if I have to babysit one more child I will make you all suffer…”

Leaving the room Walter now nursing his own bleeding lip attempted to smile at Innocence. “Do not say I never did anything for you.” Innocence smiled and then looked down. Walter then went to follow Enigma, hoping to get back in her good graces. Innocence watching them leave sighed, it seemed she won this round with a bit of help from Walter. She owed him big… She then looked at Rhys. She hopped he would follow her advice. Sarah would be in a worry if she saw him like that. Standing next to Damon she let Damian chew on a group of her hair and waited for things to fall into place. It seems like things were looking a little better…

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Rhys continued to struggle, Damon fighting to hold the larger man back, until Innocence hugged him. He flinched at the contact and then kept still so he wouldn't hurt her. As soon as he stopped moving, Damon began to clean his arm and wrist with a wad of bandages, scowling at the gashes his action revealed. "Damn it Rhys, you need to think and not just react. You can't help Sarah, or anyone else for that matter, if you bleed to death." Spoken more harshly perhaps than he had intended, but Damon still wasn't quite over the fright Rhys had given him. He made a pad from some of the bandages and laid it on Rhys' arm. Then he started to wrap the rest of the bandages around that, starting at Rhys' hand and working his way to the elbow. "Not to mention the fact that I would be a mess without you, brother."

Damon continued calmly winding the bandage around Rhys' arm, both men seemingly ignoring what was happening near the door. Rhys was only marginally aware of what was going on, but Damon heard every word. When Innocence got away from Enigma and wrapped her arms around his waist, burying her face in his back, Damon smiled slightly. "That's my girl." He spoke quietly enough that Rhys couldn't hear him. Nor could Enigma or Walter, both standing further away. He hoped Innocence heard, but there was no guarantee of that. He frowned a bit at her comment about the lunatic that had taken her and Sarah hostage. And so did Rhys, taking notice of the argument for the first time. His frown matched Damon's and he raised his head to look at Enigma. The look in his eyes was still somewhat wild, and when Enigma slapped Innocence, he started forward. Damon's back stiffened at the sound, but he kept working on the bandage. He did stop for a moment to put a hand on Rhys' chest to stop him. The wild look in his eyes had faded to be replaced by a wicked glint that Damon had seen only when the worst of the visiting nobles had gone too far. His frown turned to a glare as he stared at Rhys, and his voice was harsher than before though quiet enough to keep the others from hearing. "Don't even think about it. Not only are you in no condition for a fight, but your in no mood to make sure of their health in the process. Now stand still or I'll knock you out some how. I swear I will."

The fight ended and Enigma and Walter left. Just moments later, Damon finished working on Rhys' arm. He pushed him over to the chair and handed him the wine. "Now stay put. I want to be sure I did that right before you go anywhere." He gave his older brother a stern look and turned to Innocence. Placing a finger under her chin, he raised her head and looked at her read cheek. Rhys glared. "That was uncalled for. You should have let me interfere." Damon glanced over his shoulder for a moment. "I agree that it was unnecessary, but I doubt I could have stopped you without calling in the guards. It's happened before, so don't even try to deny it." Turning back to Innocence, he brushed his fingers lightly over her face and sighed. "Are you alright?" Damon placed a very gentle kiss on the hand print Enigma had left. Then he wrapped his arms around her, giving a hug with one arm and pulling her head to his chest with the other.

Rhys watched them with his shoulders slumped in defeat. "I'm sorry. I..." He shook his head slowly. "I don't disagree with the two of you being together, its just...." Damon interrupted again. "Don't worry about it. I know why you object. Even if I don't think its a good enough reason." He gave a short, humorless bark of a laugh. "Besides, which one would be the first to cause a problem? All the heads know about you, about what you used to do. What you still can do. Not a single one of them is stupid enough to start it. Nor are any of them brave enough to risk it."

[Neko]

Innocence just stood beside Damon as he worked on Rhys. She still felt like it was her fault but just focused on keeping it together. She knew Rhys could feel emotions and she was trying her best to avoid subjecting him to them. She zoned out for a moment, only snapping out of it when she saw the two men move to sit down. She gave a tired look at Damon as he ran his fingers over her cheek. She was used to it, not from Enigma but she was used to being pushed around. She sighed softly before nodding. "Yes..." She smiled softly when she felt him lightly kiss the mark her sister had left behind.

She then felt herself being pulled into another embrace. Closing her eyes for a moment she tried to catch up on what happened, feeling tired in the process. "Do not blame sister... She is just... Upset is all." She was not exactly sure how to defend her sister, it was true she had been mean in the earlier years but she had changed, this was just a relapse of judgment... She using her free arm wrapped it around Damon's waist. She kept her eyes shut and listened to Rhys and Damon talk. She stayed calm until she heard something that confused her. "Others...? What do you mean all the heads?..."

She sounded slightly panicked at the idea of there possibly being more then the three houses. She carefully broke away from Damon and gave Rhys a panicked look, "Is that what you meant by war?" She knew about Tiamorre and Lee... Those two houses at this point were practically related now... Darcia was decent even though she had never really been there and if Walter was the leader that meant all three houses would have been fine but... Shit why the hell had it not hit her that the reason Rhys was so worried after knowing that fact himself was because there were more then the three main houses...

"How many more heads?" She felt her eyes begin to water again, if all three main houses were allied in this idea then it would have been no problem but even if they were the main houses... If there was even just two more minor houses that was enough to cause a mass genocide over... Damian feeling the stress in the room let out a whine before starting to cry. He never liked the stress that filled the room. He wiggled in against Innocence and held a frown on his face. Innocence looked down and sighed... She forgot about Damian, he had a knack for feeling emotions too.

She knew that if Damian was upset cause he felt the stress that Rhys felt it and with her own and now her son's in the room she began to feel guilty. She bit that emotion down too however. Worrying did nothing, and feeling guilt was just as bad as any other emotion if felt passionately. She had been able to control herself when Mercy was concerned it should be no different with Rhys or her own son. She tried to calm herself, looking at Damon as he allowed his tears to drop from his eyes down his cheeks in his now silent sobs.

Giving a tired sigh she tried to calm herself right this time, it was not like the secret was out, nor was she really going to cause Damon to screw up the duty he was bound by in the next few months... Sitting on the chaise she used her free hand to pinch the bridge of her nose. She was dizzy, it was getting emotional again... She letting go of her nose looked down at Damian who looked up at her with a sad face, his cheeks stained with his own tears. Using her thumb she dried his face and sat him on her lap. He continued to look up at her with a sad face. He had no idea what was going on but it was to emotional for his liking.

She looked back at him with a tired look on her face. She placed him so he could sit on her lap. Supporting his head she gave him a smile an started to talk to him while bouncing him gently. "What is wrong? You have nothing to worry about besides who is going to feed or change you." Damian looked up at her with a curious look that melted the sad look. Innocence just smiled back, "Not that you have to worry about that either..." Damian seeing her smile clapped his hands and giggled. Innocence keeping her smile placed him back in her arms.

She then silently sighed in relief. She had no idea what to say to either men, she decided it was better if she did not know the answer... She was not sure she could deal with anymore problems. She then felt Damian wiggling down from her arms into her lap again and started to chew on her dress strap string. She went to give him a strange look and tell him to stop or he might break the thin strap. He however just met her eyes and his own started to water. Giving a slightly panicked look she allowed him to chew on her dress again. Not sure why he was doing it in the first place. After a few tries he stopped chewing on the dress and started to whine.

She tried to pull him up to eye level but he seemed obsessed with her dress strap. "What?" Damian just looked back, his face scrunched up in an unspoken sob. Innocence looked at him with a nervous smile, she knew that look. She sighed and she blushed. While it could be seen as something natural and not all to weird she had to date had not fed him in front of anyone, not even her sister. She was for some reason just very embarrassed about the whole thing and yet here she was, holding a hungry and moody child who wanted to feed while in the same room as these two... Sighing she bit back the heat in her face.

"Oh... Uh... Can you both... Um look away for a second..." She refused to look at either of them, granted it would not be the first time Damon saw her topless she was still a little embarrassed, which was something she really did not need. She went to pull off her sleeve strap and looked for the piece that kept her bra like bandage up. Damian seeing her do what he been trying to do all along calmed down and released the strap he had a death grip on. Resting in her lap he looked up waiting patiently now that his mother had gotten the idea. He had no idea that he was causing her a large amount of embarrassment. He had no idea what embarrassment felt like.

This was so embarrassing... She never fed him in front of her family or the people of Tiamorre yet here she was forced to do it for people in another house. Maybe it would not have bothered if she did not know them but... She would have left the room but she had no idea where to go... She knew the castle but she had never been to this library so she had no idea which rooms were allowed and at this rate her legs were jelly. She doubted she would have been able to walk. She had the intense feeling of wanting to crawl under a rock... She waited a moment before she brought Damon up, with a sigh and a heavy blush she could only hope they were not looking before she allowed Damian to start to eat, much to his delight and her embarrassment.

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Damon looked at Rhys, who just stared back tiredly. There was too much emotion around for him to deal with properly right now, a great deal of it his own. Innocence was feeling guilty and tired, but calm. Damian seemed calm enough, but babies could be hard to judge at any time. Damon, on the other hand looked calm but wasn't. He was angry, frustrated, and worried. The anger, most likely, was aimed at Enigma, but the worry and frustration were aimed at Rhys. Both were due to the same things. Sarah, wedding plans, and Rhys being more temperamental as of late. Damon could, to a certain extent, understand the last. He himself had mellowed some since Innocence first visited. But understanding didn't make it any easier to deal with. Especially since Rhys, like always, was turning inward with everything. Anger, fear, everything was being turned on himself. Oh, the happiness he felt was shared all right. But when he lost it, his regret could, and sometimes did, have major consequences for his own health. Rhys' current weariness was due to lack of sleep resulting from an argument with Damon over, of all things, the impending wedding. Damon, too, had lost some sleep after that argument. But now that he had been reassured that he was doing the right thing, that was in the past.

Damon sighed. If he didn't get Innocence calmed down, Rhys would end up feeling guilty about it and get even less sleep than the servants said he was currently getting. But how to reassure her? That was the big question. Would an answer to her question help, or would it make things worse? Of course the same questions applied to a lack of an answer. He settled on answering her. Not the whole truth, perhaps, but enough to let her know that while there might be a few bumps in the road they were nothing to worry about. But how much should he tell her? Damon didn't have an answer to that one. He'd tell her a little and hope for the best, he supposed. Especially as it seemed that Rhys wasn't going to answer.

"There are several smaller houses. Most don't have as much in the way of lands or guards as the three main houses though. As for how many, well, no one knows for sure." He glanced at Rhys, who was taking a deep drink of wine in an attempt to dull the pain in his arm. Lowering the bottle, he sighed and looked over at Innocence. "That is indeed what I meant by war. There are enough smaller houses to be a problem even if the three main houses band together." Her panic got through to him. "Ah...Knock it off, will ya? You have nothing to worry about. It's not like the two of you are breaking any laws by you moving in here." He drank some more, almost emptying the bottle. Thrusting it at Damon, he looked at them. Her embarrassment came through louder than her guilt and panic had. But the baby was happy, so Rhys didn't mind. "She's your problem." He grinned and took off his shirt, showing the scars from a life time of fighting. Ripping off the bloodied sleeve, he took it to Innocence and used it to cover her chest. "To save you from more embarrassment." Damon just gaped at him. Not only were the scars a surprise, but the fact that something so natural would embarrass Innocence was totally unexpected. Rhys walked to the door and pulled it open. "I'm going to get some rest. I'll see you tomorrow evening." Then he left, closing the door behind him.

Damon shook his head. Tonight was just filled with surprises. He supposed he should get used to them. Moving over to the chaise, he sat beside Innocence and leaned on the arm. He stared at her for a moment and then shifted so he could pull her to him. "What are you so embarrassed about? Just relax for a while." He leaned his head on the arm of the chaise and closed his eyes. It had been a long night, and they all needed some rest. "I hope you aren't as tired as I am. Other wise we'll never get anything figured out." He looked at the bottle. "And Rhys drank all the wine, too."

[Neko]

She got her answer, she was not exactly pleased with it but like Rhys said, it was true she was not exactly breaking any rules by living here... Well maybe one of Enigma's rules but her sister had already gotten her thoughts across, probably rougher then she wanted but even when she got upset she would apologize. She was kinder then many others... Even though she had a hard time showing it. She was glad that neither of them continued on her sister. She got her answer and she was happy for the most part. Not about the war that might happen if she did decide to try to-- The idea itself was embarrassing. She had hated him when she first met him.

She had complained to her sister... Until her sister had locked her in her room to get some piece of mind. She then was caught dancing and then his actual worry for his brother reminded her of her own love for her sister. It kind of grew from there... She figured it a girl's fantasy... She had no idea he would actually bother giving her the time of day... Or night in their case. She figured he would just continue life and she would have accepted that... She was surprised to see Rhys take his shirt off and cover her chest with it. She blinked twice before holding it with her hand.

She saw him leaving, she felt a soft smile spread on her lips, "... Thank you..." She noticed the scars but it did not phase her, she had seen a few of them being formed that foolish time she had tried to 'help' him... For him the only real thing she could do is let him go on his way to hopefully get some sleep, and smile as he left. She was not exactly jumping for joy but after everything that just happened the shock of finding everything out was subsiding and she was more tired then anything. When Rhys left she fixed his shirt so it was covering her chest but Damian could still poke his head out. She felt Damian finish just as Damon as his question.

It caused her to blush again but she forced it down, "Well... Uh... Never done it in front of anyone before... I do not know why I am embarrassed I just feel that way..." Fixing Damian so he was over her shoulder, she moved so her arm could slip through her dress strap and she started to burp Damian. After a few moments he burped and cooed. He was full, comfortable, and the tension was gone. He was very happy at the moment. Innocence put him in her lap before folding the shirt given to her and placing it beside her. She then looked at Damon who really did look tired.

She saw his eyes were closed and she smiled softly. Standing up she stretched and then sat back down only this time it was in his lap with her legs wrapped around one of his. "Sorry... I am tired too... Raincheck?" She rested her head on his chest and pressed Damian to her own chest. Damian felt tired but looked around the new room with mellow curiosity. Innocence stared at the wall for a moment, she felt her eyes getting heavy but she did not really want to fall asleep yet... "Damon... At the risk of sounding corny as hell... May I just say I adore you , you are the world to me… I can't live without you. I'm a better person because of you. I'm thankful for you. You are my everything. Thank you for putting up with me...”

With that said she ended up nuzzling her cheek into his chest and finally letting her eyes close. Damian looked at his mother who was falling asleep. He paused for a moment before looking at Damon his purple eyes blinking twice in new found curiosity. "Da..." He scrunched his face up, trying to repeat the first world his mother had just said. After a moment he tried again, "Da-Da-Da... Da..." Blinking twice he tried it one more time, this him wiggling free of his mother's embrace and tried to crawl from her arms and chest to his. "Da-Da... Da...Da..." After a moment he stopped trying, Innocence opening one eye noticed that her son was trying to crawl up Damon.

"Damian... What are you doing?" Damian noticing his mother was not yet asleep gripped a handful of his shirt before tugging. "Da..." Innocence felt a smile growing on her face, "Damon?" Damian paused for a moment, "Da?" Innocence felt the smile grow, "Da-Mon" Damian looked at Innocence seriously before looking up at Damon. "Da-Da-Da-Da..." Innocence bit back a giggle, "Oh well, Da works." Damian hearing the calm words giggled. Innocence then wrapped her arms around him again. Damian allowed himself to be placed in another embrace but still looked up at Damon.

Innocence still had the smile on her face but her eyes ended up closing again. She had no clue if Damon was even awake anymore. Last time she checked he had his eyes closed, she doubted he had even heard her corny cliche of a line. Taking a content breath she felt herself falling asleep again. Damian waited a moment before keeping his eyes on Damon. His own eyes were growing heavy but he was curious. He had a tired look of determination on his face. He stared for a moment later before taking another handful of Damon's shirt and giggling. "Da!" He then yawned. Taking one last look around the strange room he ended up resting his head on Innocence keeping the handful of Damon's shirt in his grip.

[/size]

[1<3[)r@I<3]

Her statement shocked him into silence. Between that and his weariness, Damon didn't even freeze when Damian tried to crawl onto him. He smiled softly at the boy's attempts to say his name. When both mother and son had fallen asleep and the shock of Innocence's confession had worn off, Damon sighed. "Da sounds pretty damned good to me, kid." He reached over and gently ruffled Damian's hair. Then he wrapped his arms around both of them and settled in for the day. He opened his eyes long enough to look at Innocence and smiled again. "I...I love you, too. More, perhaps than you will ever know." Then he closed his eyes and drifted off to sleep.