Phabel rolled over, feeling the sensation that someone was watching him. His eyes slowly opened to one pretty little girl with her arm wrapped around her over hugged rabbit. Her mother had made her bed clothes in Nethalia's favourite theme, rabbits. The bed shorts were little bunnies dotted over a pink gingham check, the shirt was a plain white with a large bunny embroidered on the front. Nethalia had terrible bed hair but Phabel thought it didn't matter, they were beautiful large brown curls like her mothers.

'Good morning Nethalia.' he whispered.

'When are we going?'

He pursed his lips at her as his eyes narrowed. She was going through her difficult stage, talking too loudly was one of the biggest issues.

'Good morning Nethalia.'

'Good morning daddy.' she sighed.

Nethalia climbed onto the bed, moving to her mother. Phabel pulled her away, lifting her onto his lap as he sat up.

'Let mummy sleep, she is very tired lately.'

'I don't want a brother.'

'You don't get a choice.'

'I want to go now.'

'Nethalia.' Phabel softly chided her.

She pouted as she played with her rabbit, Phabel looked upon the sweet child. For all of her three years of life, she was a demanding little creature. She hadn't stopped talking about going to see her favourite family members, insisting that they go last night. It had taken some convincing, telling her that they would go when guests would be welcomed not when it suited her.

'Let's go and make breakfast for mummy.'

************

'I want to look at the photos again.'

'Please may I look at the photos daddy?' Phabel looked at her.

She pouted and looked up at him with her big blue eyes that filled with tears, much to Phabel's annoyance, he caved to her. He didn't want her screaming the place down and waking Olive. Nethalia sat at the table and looked through the photos, yet again searching for herself.

'I'm not here.' she pouted.

'I told you Nethalia, you were in mummy's tummy.'

Nethalia looked at the picture of her mother in the long white dress, wondering how it was possible.

'Did she eat me?'

'No.' Phabel chuckled 'You were growing inside of her like your brother is at the moment.'

'I don't want a brother.'

Phabel ignored the statement, not wanting to enter into that conversation again. From the very second she had put her hand on her mothers stomach and found the baby within, Nethalia had been telling them that she wanted a sister. She sat quietly and flicked over the pages, looking at the wedding photos. Her father took away the book and put her breakfast in front of her.

'When are we going?'

'Soon, eat your breakfast.'

Nethalia scoffed the food down quickly, wanting to get going quickly.

'I want to wear the pink dress.'

Phabel turned around, Nethalia had climbed onto the kitchen bench and had started to pour the juice.

'Please don't climb on the kitchen bench darling, it's not safe.'

He lifted her off, gently putting her to the floor and ignored the frown she was shooting at him. With dismay he watched as she took off, running through the kitchen. Nethalia didn't walk, she ran everywhere. Phabel finished off making breakfast, when he had prepared everything, he set it onto a tray and walked out of the kitchen. As he took the first step to the stairs, he realised that Nethalia was being far too quiet. His mind rattled, thoughts of children being too quiet wasn't a good sign. It meant that she was up to no good. He hastened up the stairs, turning to the bedroom wing. Silence surrounded him as he stepped over the plush carpet. It was the shadows that was Nethalia's undoing. Phabel had seen the light shine through the window, casting a shadow to the wall opposite. It was of a little cub, wiggling her backside in preparation for pouncing. The curtains slowly moved, giving her away. Phabel set the tray down and continued on, waiting for the inevitable. With a little roar, the cub pounced her way out trying to take down the mountain that was her father. She hadn't prepared for her father knowing her whereabouts and as she pounced along the floor, he changed into a cub and roared back at her. They rolled on the floor, growling and pouncing, chasing each other around. It wasn't until they were faced with a very tall woman did they stop.

'Do you two have a volume control?'

Phabel shifted back, picking up the growling cub.

'Sorry aui leabu but who could resist such a cutie?'

Olive grinned as Nethalia wriggled in his arms, trying to be free from him.

'It's alright, I suppose it's time to get up and start getting ready.'

'I want to go now.' the cub grumped.

'Not like that you're not.' she chided.

Nethalia shifted back, wriggling her way to the ground. Phabel's attention turned to his heavily pregnant wife. She radiated a glow that was intoxicating to him, like when she was pregnant with Nethalia, he couldn't get enough of her.

'Breakfast first, back into bed.'

*********

Nethalia swirled her pink dress around as she span in circles, waiting in the corridor of mid jump.

'Is Sephy going to be there?'

'No honey, Seraphina is visiting another day.'

'And nanny and pop-pop?'

'They are going with Seraphina.'

'Why aren't we going with them?'

'Because we wanted to visit today.'

As Nethalia clung to her mother's leg, she peered past the guards to the shopping district that was so close. More importantly, the toy store. Sitting in the window was a large wood doll house that she had been begging her parents to buy her for her birthday. She could see a photographer watching from a balcony on the next floor, his camera aimed directly at them. Nethalia poked her tongue at him and returned to her wishful thinking.

'I want that doll house.'

'Little girls with proper manners get what they ask for, when they ask properly.' Olive muttered.

The door swung open as Phabel turned and smiled at his patient wife, Nethalia was becoming more and more inquisitive with each day and her demands and bad behaviour were getting worse. They knew that it had a lot to do with the impending birth and that she was probably acting out because she thought she would no longer be the centre of their attention. Already their world was becoming baby ready and both Phabel and Olive agreed that they had to give Nethalia time with them that was baby free. Nethalia was already unimpressed that she would have to move out of the nursery and into her own bedroom, many tantrums had ensued over it. What she didn't know was that her bedroom was pink and rabbits, she also didn't know that there was the doll house waiting for her. All of it waiting for the day her brother would be born, a way of helping her settle into the idea of having him around. It was bribery, both Phabel and Olive knew it but it was the only way to get her out of the cot and the nursery and into her own room. Spoil her and give her the attention she would desperately need from her parents. 

Nethalia skipped into Elm'nyth, unaware of the lion cub hiding behind the gate door. It's rear was in the air wiggling away, his head lowered as he watched the little girl skip through the court yard. The pink material with the lace under skirt flopped up and down as she skipped. A large white satin bow sat at the back, the dress was another of her mothers many creations. Olive had taken on the children's clothing world, creating a line of pretty dresses and handsome shirts and shorts. Like all of her work, it sold fast. Olive didn't know if it was because of who she married or if it was because they were good pieces. To test the worrying theory out, she created a second design label that couldn't be traced back to her and put her work out to be bought. Much to her delight, the items were selling. Nowhere near as quickly as the others but it was doing well. And like everything Olive did, it centered around the poor and unfortunate of her new home world. She had no need for any of the profits that came from her fashion house and all of the money was poured into her charity work. The home for the street children that she had demanded from Phabel had been set up in the days after and she frequently stopped by to make sure everything was running smoothly. Loach Issralk wasn't a poor world but there were those that were less fortunate and Olive was determined that no one would suffer as she had done. 

Nethalia stopped and sniffed the air, smelling the familiar scent on the wind. As the cub began to bound toward her she turned to him.

'Caught you!'

She squealed and giggled as he bounced around her feet, stopping at the sight of two adults. Their faces were grinning, wondering what kind of king would turn into a lion cub and hide to pounce on a child. When Nethalia changed into cub to join him, the two of them indignantly stuck their heads in the air and trotted into the house together.

'I swear it's like he's five again.' Phabel muttered.

They followed the sound of giggles as they entered the house, finding Nethalia in the lounge room with Lucian and Danika. She was being plastered with kisses and raspberries by her favourite aunt.

'What have you been up to little lady?'

'Mummy's having a boy.' she pouted, folding her arms.

Lucian and Danika looked up at Olive who rolled her eyes as she settled onto the lounge.

'She thinks that just because she can see in there she has the right to tell everyone.'

'Where's you belly gone Neeke?'

'Oh, well that's because I had the babies last night.'

'Babies?' she frowned.

'Twins, would you like to meet them?'

The noisy and boisterous child had suddenly become quiet and unsure of her surroundings. Lucian lifted her into his arms and took her to the end of the lounge where there was two little girls asleep in their bassinet.

'This one here in the green singlet is Willow and this one here in the yellow singlet is Eden.'

'They are girls?'

'They are.'

Her eyes widened with a grin.

'No stinky boys.' she squealed.

'Boys don't stink, I don't stink, do I?'

Nethalia wiggled her nose, taking his question into consideration.

'You do. Too much perfume.'

'Cologne.' he grumbled and set her to the floor.

'I want to hold them.'

'Can I please hold them Lucian?'

He waited for her to correct her demand to a request, she looked up at him with her big blue eyes, trying to win his affection with looking cute. Lucian leaned over to whisper in her ear.

'I can wait all day, can you?'

She pouted and quivered her bottom lip, her eyes filled with tears, attempting a different approach. Lucian raised his eyebrows with a smug smile, no tears were going to work. When she realised, Nethalia stopped the act and relented.

'Can I hold the babies please?'

'Certainly, on the lounge please.'

Nethalia sat on the lounge beside Danika as close as she could get, Olive loved how her daughter adored her best friend. It made her feel like they were sisters and her daughter could feel the close bond between them. Lucian lifted the first of the babies out, resting her into Nethalia's waiting arms.

'She is heavy.' Nethalia complained. 'When is she going to wake up, can we go and run around the back yard?'

'Not for a while yet.' Danika smiled at her 'She is still very young.'

Phabel watched his little girl interacting with her family, holding a newborn child. He knew that she wasn't impressed that they were having a boy but knew that when he was born, she would love him regardless. His mind cast back a few hundred years ago where he thought that life was all about the conquest, partying and living his life to the fullest. Back then Phabel thought that his life was perfect but it wasn't, it was an attempt to forget the bitter emotions of watching those around him find their own perfection. His life had been a long one, waiting for the right person to come into his life. Over nine hundred years had passed before Olive came into his life but when he looked to her, he knew she was worth the wait.