What a terrible day it had been. The skies were rough, but not as rough as the beatings that happened for his failure the night before. The scolding was usually bad, but this time he had failed to kill any of the survivors of the wreckage on the Nyella. That was something that, to his mistress, was unacceptable. She was ruthless on the best of days, but this time her plunder was far less than she had expected, and she was taking it out on Lucas.

And so the Pirate Lord Sylvia beat him as they traveled the skies. She tied him to the mast, and let her crew each have a go with the floggers, merciless torturing the young man. He had failed them, and worse, the debt he owed them was now greater than ever. Time passed, and soon the boy was left alone, still unable to move from the mast. His back was bleeding, and they had torn the shirt he was wearing. Lucas doubted he would be granted another, even if he begged.

The green haired youth felt the airship descend. They had found the next place to land. Lady Sylvia had mentioned a wealthy new trade route that had sprung up in the area to Benin, and set her sights on it. She would have been a fool not to. It was on a giant lake, and she knew competition would be nonexistent. After all, it was quite rare to find sky pirates who had a leviathan on their side.

However, something went wrong. There was a sudden scrambling aboard, and Lucas found himself being untied for an all hands on deck scenario. Something was wrong with the magitek engine, and without warning, the airship bucked as a small explosion, and the young leviathan found himself launched in the air.

Everyone else was too preoccupied to notice the poor by fall off the ship. He was too weak from the beatings, too dazed to do anything to try and save himself. Even a creature of the sea such as himself could do nothing as he slammed into the water, and blacked out.

What a terrible day it had been….

The family was having a picnic outside in the tea rose garden that had finally finished. “AHHH!” Simone yelled with laughter as Fiori popped open her mouth for Lewis to feed her. She had grown attached to the bonding moments she had with her parents. Simone had both the babies in front of her and they were wiggling. Alshaya was so much smaller than Everett.

She wasn’t emotionally able to respond just yet but she knew Lewis and Simone’s voices. Her little eyes were the cutest shade of pink as they darted between Simone’s laughter and Lewis’s amusement. The mama looked down at Everett and covered her eyes. “Where did Mama go? THERE SHE IS!” she came down and kissed Everett’s belly as he let out a bunch of laughter.

These were happy times.

Meanwhile, Mira was adventuring on the island. “Amiga del cielo!” She yelled as she ran towards the ocean. The water formed around her as she darted out. “Amiga del cielo!” Mira clutched him in her paws as the water

Getting him up on shore the little girl poked his cheeks, “Amiga del cielo? Despierta! Quiero jugar!” Maybe she should show her parents!

Lucas wasn’t sure why, but he felt as though he were safe. At least for the moment. It was the most calm he had felt in a long time. Was this what death was? He welcomed it. After the hell he had been through, and all the pain and suff-

He winced as a finger poked his cheek. What a wonderful death this wou-

Another poke. Another wince.

Lucas groaned. The pain was returning. His bones ached from where he hit the water, and he was pretty sure his back was bleeding pretty badly. But he was alive. The pain at least meant that much.

Another poke.

Lucas’ eyes fluttered open, revealing his assaulter to be a small, strange looking staring at him with the utmost intrigue. The boy stared back at her, his cerulean eyes watering. “I’m alive. You’ve got to help me! No…you’ve got to run!” The pirates. They would tear this girl and her family apart. It wasn’t fair to them. Maybe if he was quick enough, he could-

There were sounds of cannon fire off in the distance, and a rallying cry. The color from Lucas’ face drained. They were already here. That fast? Whatever the issue had been with their engine had not deterred them in the slightest. He could see a large castle in the distance, but it didn’t seem like the place to have fortifications against attacks like this.

“I can…” He tried to stand up, but immediately fell back down into the coarse sand. “I can try to reason with Lady Sylvia. Maybe….maybe if you just…” But no. He knew better. The crazy woman wouldn’t bat an eye against Lucas’ argument. After all, what crazy rich kind of people lived on this island with a castle?

What was worse, was the realization that after they were done looting and pillaging, and whatever dastardly things they had planned, it was back to the same old for Lucas. It was unavoidable. His eyes hazed over. “I really…can’t escape this can I?”

“Estas viva!” Mira’s eyes lit up as she tugged on him. “Nosotras debemos jugar!” Unfortunately, cannon fire caught her attention and she got in front of Lucas and put her arm up, “Mi amigo del cielo!” Her magic was about to surge when… Someone else caught notice.

Simone was about to pick Alshaya up for snuggles when she got the worst feeling imaginable. It was the cannon fire that brought her back. Her eyes filled with panic. “MIRA!” What had that girl done now?

Her body engulfed in ethereal blue and black flames as her phoenix form showed itself. She became larger and larger until she was the size of a house. Her song filled the air with panic as she flew towards where she sensed Mira and heard the cannon fire.

Her eyes lit up azure as she connected with Lewis letting him see this new boy and the pirates. She dive-bombed the pirate ship but didn’t attack as she spread her wings. They were close enough to almost dock now. “LEAVE THIS ISLAND AT ONCE!” Her angry voice tore through the skies and some of the pirates fell back as the saw the terrifying bird of death.

“MAMÁ!” Mira yelled, “Estás siendo rescatado. Please not resist.” They had been working on her common after all. She was smiling up at Lucas now. There was a cannon shot at Simone who dived at the airship grabbing the cannon with her talons. She was big enough to rip it entirely from the ship.

“I SAID LEAVE. THE BOY BELONGS TO ME NOW! GO! BEFORE I SEND YOU TO THE AFTERLIFE!” The pirates either managed to go overboard for the mainland of Benin or get the airship to move. They stopped their advances.

The bird turned towards the children and her eyes softened. She caught both of them with her talons. “Mira, what have I said about causing trouble? Or did you?”

“Save. Sky. Friend.” Mira said to answer her mother’s question. There was a chuckle as Simone soared across the island.

She dropped the children in the tea rose garden near the others and transformed back. “That took a lot out of me,” Simone stumbled a bit and sat down. “You are safe now… For now anyway.”

Lucas was terrified. All at once, a giant black and blue FLAMING bird came from literally nowhere, scattering the attacking pirates and yelling at them that he, Lucas, belonged to her. That in itself was terrifying. It it was between a giant flaming bird or the pirates, well, at least the pirates weren’t going to eat him alive.

And then the little girl called her ‘Mama’. What the hell crazy island did he land on. At once, the bird swooped down and scooped both of them into its talons, and immediately Lucas felt as though this were the end. He was wishing that he had, indeed, died in his fall. Or maybe he had. Maybe this was the Gods cruel hellish landscape that he was living through.

“Oh please, Gods, I’m so sorry! I have no idea what I’ve done to deserve this, but please…I’ll do anything!” The boy heard the strange girl and bird exchange words, which only sealed the fact that she was, indeed, on the monster’s side. All hope was lost. Until, suddenly, he was dropped near a small garden, where there was a silver haired man tickling a baby boy who was laughing and giggling.

“What took you?” the silver haired man asked as the bird turned into a fully grown, hauntingly beautiful woman. “Alshaya prefers you over me…see look, she’s about to cry.”

Lucas scrambled away from the garden, trying to put some distance between the crazy bird lady and him. “Please bird lady I didn’t mean to offend please don’t eat me of for the love of the Gods please don’t eat me!” he rambled. The boy was absolutely terrified of her, and it could be seen in his eyes. He was shaking, unable to move and farther than where he had gone, and he was cowering.

“Ah hell, Simone…you really should take it easy with the giant phoenix thing…” the silver haired man said as he sat up, leaving the babies. The boy seemed a disappointed that the man left, but was quickly appeased when the dark skinned girl, Mira, went over to entertain him.

The man knelt down next to Lucas, but held a dead looking stare. “Don’t worry…she’s not going to eat you. She’s harmle-” the man paused. “Well…she won’t hurt you. I promise. My name is Lewis…what’s yours?” Despite his almost murderous stare, this Lewis guy seemed mostly okay.

“L-Lucas…” the leviathan replied shakily.

“Well Lucas…” he stood up. “I think you could use a meal and a bath. And then we can have a talk, all right?” He motioned for someone to come by, and a butler came. Lewis spoke with him, and the man nodded, and left. Lewis held out his hand. “Here, you can join us over by the table.”

Lucas shook his head, pointing at Simone. “N-no…I…I won’t….won’t go near her…she’ll eat me.”

Lewis rolled his eyes, and looked to Simone. “You mind handling the kids for a while? I need to…take care of this kid…he’s outta his mind.

Simone rushed over to get Alshaya before she could cry, “There, there. Mommy has you. Mommy knows that sometimes Daddy doesn’t smile~” She teased Lewis.

“Bird lady?” Simone looked up from Alshaya. “I don’t eat little boys that’s bad for my health.” Lewis scolded her and Simone huffed a bit. “I didn’t know he was there. I was just protecting Mira. What would you have had me do? A small phoenix wouldn’t have scared the pirates away.”

Simone was disappointed and hurt by the kid’s reactions to her. So she waited and eventually they shuffled the kids into the house. With Alshaya in a wrap on her and Everett sleeping, Simone had managed to get a whole tray of food and she waited at the door a long way away from where Lucas was. She didn’t even look at him. “Lewis, I brought food. It should still be warm. I wasn’t sure what he would like so I got a little bit of everything.”

Alshaya made cute baby noises and Simone smiled down at her. “I have to go find the wet nurse. I think Alshaya is hungry.” Simone gave Lewis a kiss before she took off.

It took Lewis a bit of time to calm Lucas down, but when he was finally done, the assassin threw the boy into the bathroom with a bath already drawn and ready.

Lewis crossed his arms and leaned against the wall, waving his hand. “Get on with it. We don’t have all day. The faster you clean yourself, the faster you can get some food and we can figure out what’s going on.”

Lucas timidly stripped down, and got into the water. At first it stung, and the scents were overpowering. He winced as the waters hit his wounds, but after a few moments it started to feel nice. He settled in, and let the warmth soak into his bones. This was, perhaps, the first time he had ever bathed in something so relaxing. He could honestly sleep in here. Now that he was adjusting, the smell wasn’t quite so bad. It was calming.

“Mint,” Lewis said as he reminded the boy he was still here. “And parsley, but that’s a little harder to smell.” The assassin sighed. “Simone grew those.” The boy tensed. “Oh for the love of…” Lewis sighed. “Boy, calm down.”

“Lucas,” he said as he sank down into the bath, blowing nervous bubbles. “My name is Lucas…”

“Okay then, Lucas,” the assassin said, getting a little annoyed. “Please hurry up your bath. I don’t exactly have all day. I have a job to get to this evening, and I’d like to spend at least SOME time with my family before I leave…”

The leviathan sighed, “Fine….” He went about his business, and when he was finished he was given a set of rather loose fitting clothes, and followed Lewis down to the dining hall. The moment he set eyes on Simone, he tensed once more. “Her. And four maids….five total.”

“What…are you going on about?” Lewis asked, glancing over.

“The women. You have five I can count. That’s five to avoid…”

Lewis rolled his eyes. Simone…what….the fuck. He gave her a look. What was he supposed to do in this situation? At least she was out of the way. I’m sorry. Rain check on the family date? He felt bad, but this was an extenuating circumstance. I’ll try to drag it out of him. I’ll take care of Everett if he wakes up before I leave.

It took some coaxing, but Lewis managed to get Lucas to sit at the table. The boy practically inhaled the food he was given, almost choking, scrambling to get a glass of water in before returning to the meal. Finally, Lucas settled in his chair, and burped.

“Manners,” Lewis said as he leaned forward, arms up on the table. “Now, Lucas….let’s have a chat.”

Lucas bolted up in the chair, suddenly worried. “Don’t….don’t eat me?”

“We’re not going to eat you,” Lewis said with a sigh. “We’re an orphanage of sorts…” He cleared his throat. “I’m…assuming those pirates aren’t your family.”

“Fuck no,” Lucas exclaimed.

“Language,” he replied half-assed. “Well…you can stay here if you want. Or we can arrange a ride to Benin.” The assassin was genuine, even if he didn’t seem so.

Lucas looked down. He was struggling to reconcile the fact that all he had ever known was pain and abuse from the pirates. But to suddenly be thrust here? With the crazy bird lady? He would rather the pirates. Yet, something was telling him to stay. “Can….I think about it?” A life here…could be something, but he didn’t have enough information.

Lewis nodded. “Plenty of time. No rush. But…I do need to get going,” he said, standing up. “Just…stay in the house for now. You can give us your answer later.” He walked out of the room rather unceremoniously, leaving Lucas alone.

“So…” He looked to the butler. “….how…..is the weather here?”

“Wonderful, young master,” the butler replied.

Lucas glanced back down. “Well…now what…”

Simone sighed a bit and nodded, He’s scared of women. That’s not anything we can fix in a night dear. I don’t hold it against you. We can make up for it later. If anything Simone was very good about being understanding.

“The missus is currently gathering the children for storytime in the family room not that far. She says you are welcome to join them but otherwise you are free to explain the castle. The only places off-limits are her and the master’s bedroom and the basement for now,” the butler informed Lucas.

The lady of the house had gathered the children down in the family room. Mira was sitting with her legs crossed with a big smile on her face. At first, there was reading and Simone was very good at shifting her tones to change it for the different characters. Fiori was in her arms looking at the pictures as Simone showed.

After a bit when Simone noticed Fiori starting to doze. “I have a new idea.” That was when Simone started to sing. Her voice carried throughout the house. Even the babies had their little peepers begin to drift. This was good. She liked them all together like this. She was singing lullabys for them.

Lucas was entranced almost immediately when he walked in on the story. He had missed the first part, bit hearing Simone talk of this world, an escape from the one that they lived in. A book. It was something he had seen a lot of, but pirates had been barely interested in them and he had never had a chance to read. He wanted to know more, but she put the book down and started to sing to the children instead.

At first, the boy was severely disappointed. He wanted to know more, how the character was going to make his daring escape from the villain. But, as the motherly woman started to sing, and at once Lucas’ face lit up. Her voice carried such a wonderful tone, and it seemed to tell it’s own story versus the one in the book.

The song was of a woman who stared at the moon. It was pretty, but the way that Simone was singing made it seem like the woman was sad. But why? He wanted to know more. Why was the woman sad? Why was she staring at the moon? He wanted more, and warily moved closer to listen.

As Simone finished the lullaby, Lucas inched just a tad bit closer, but still far enough that he could make a break for it if the scary bird woman tried to lunge at him. “Why….was the woman so sad?” he asked. “Was it because of the moon?”

Simone smiled up at Lucas. “The woman was sad for many reasons but these songs represent us,” she spoke in a whisper as she looked down to all of the sleeping children. “Whenever I saw the moon I wanted to be free. I had been tortured for many years, Lucas. Sometimes I didn’t get to see the moon. There were times when all I could see was the moon overhead but it was kept from me by a barrier of water. You and I are very different in that light I suppose. You like the water don’t you?” He smelled like the sea.

“To be honest,” and this would hurt Lewis since she never told him but she was trying to bond with this kid. “I drowned for three hundred years at the bottom of a lake. Because I wouldn’t give a man what he wanted and I completely understand why you are so scared of me. Heaven knows if I wasn’t so stubborn that I would… be scared of Lewis. I wasn’t much older than you when the fey lord stalked me and did horrible things to me.”

She patted the seat next to her. “I won’t hurt you. The little ones make it so I can’t move anyways.” Mira had climbed into her lap with Fiori and she was just cuddling them while rocking the cradle with the two babies in them.

“Do you like to read? I have lots of books. I saw you watching me read the story.”