"Father!" Ilios called out with wonderful eloquence as she thrashed herself free from the shore and made her way to her home. 

He gave her a small shy nod and smile as he made his way to her. 

She gave a small laugh herself. How strange everyone acted, treating her like a stranger. 

"Oh Father," Ilios cried out, "I've missed you terribly." 

Erik pried his sopping wet daughter from his chest,  a twinkle shining in his eye "Silly girl, I do wish you'd change before swimming." 

Eli made his way in frustration to the store and rather bitterly took off his coat and placed it on the wood pile. 

"Oh, Eli!" Christine Exclaimed as her son walked over to her window and knocked on it rather loudly demanding a towel. 

He shook out his coarse black hair in it, the friction leaving pieces to flop every which way. 

"Only fourteen and soaked to the skin," Erik noted, "After all the trouble I took to get you home." 

"Home means I'm free," Ilios noted widely, her eyes shining with indescribable joy. "Tell Mother I'll be home by supper. I want to take a walk around." 

Erik nodded and flicked the small droplets of water from his newly pressed suit. 

Ten years ago he would have hung someone for touching him, how things had changed. 

Ilios kicked her feet in the sands and looked up adoringly at the many pictures along the lakes cement outer walls that she and Eli had carved painstakingly as children. In the echoes, she heard her Mother calling for Wade to come inside, for Eli to dry off, all like ghosts in the silence. She wasn't sure if she imagined them only in her mind, but they comforted her all the same. 

She happened to glance, on her journey round, her reflection in the mirror that led to the catacombs, how funny she looked! Her hair was thoroughly soaked, turning the darkest of blacks near the bottoms and a strange greyish gold towards the roots. 

The cool drafts blew across the lake and made her shiver in her dripping clothes, but she didn't seem to mind. There was something about that shiver that always told her that her Father was watching, that she was safe as long as she remained within his grasp. 

She turned as she heard footsteps jogging quickly from behind her.

No sooner had she glanced backward and saw nothing, then as she glanced back the unmasked face of Eli appeared. 

Ilios stumbled backward,  nearly falling into the sands. 

"Good Lord Eli you gave me a fright!"  She exclaimed. 

She couldn't help it, she had been out in the real world so long, strange faces by candlelight now drove her to madness, so diffrent was Gustaves world to the one she had tasted down below. 

"It's alright," Eli shrugged, fixing his vest which he had exchanged for a clean dry one. "I should have made myself known. Father has been teaching me to tread silently."

Ilios scrunched her nose, "Goodness, what do you need to know that for?" 

"Well," Eli said after a moments contemplation, "But he says it's important and I trust him." 

Ilios nodded and gathered her skirt, picking off the large lumps of wet compacted sand that were lodged to the bottom of her crinoline like barnacles on a boat.  

"Goodness Ilios," Eli sighed in frustration after a while, startling his sister completely, "Confound it. You went and grew up without me didn't you?" 

Ilios blushed, "Eli it hasn't been that long." 

"It's almost been a year Ilios." Eli said solemnly, "So much has changed. So much I-" 

She watched with intrigue as he shook his head with a sorry laugh. 

"Things I don't even know how to tell you about."

Ilios took his hand, "Start at the beginning." 

Eli looked off into the distance, his muscles tensing in the anticipation of pain. 

"I made a monster of myself Ilios," He said with great shame. "I fought nature, I made something I shouldn't had." 

"What?" Ilios asked. 

"A mask, a prosthetic. It fixed my face, it made me normal. I would sneak upstairs at night, give the managers scripts. I never told Father, how could I? I must wear my cursed mark proud for him." 

"Eli-"

"Through the summer, into fall, I trusted her. I waited till the day, the day she promised she'd never leave. And I showed her-"

Eli shook his head and gave a broken laugh, "Every hour we spent together lives inside my heart. A friend Ilios, a true friend." 

"What happened?"

"I was lonely, deserted, I never thought I'd see her again. But-She came, came to our old meeting place in the grand hall the day before she left. I never thought- She smiled at me and hugged me, just like she used to before it all. She felt betrayed like she had been manipulated by a monster and I don't blame her." 

"You're not a monster Eli," Ilios said with great conviction. 

"But I am," Eli shrugged, "Not in looks, maybe not. But in heart, I mislead her, I lied and stole friendship that wasn't mine. I won't ever pretend again Ilios. Never again. I know where I belong now." 

Ilios gave a small grave nod, trying to wrap her mind around her Brother being friends with anyone outside of their small family. 

"Eli!" Christine called from the small house as they approached it. 

"Coming Mother!" He boomed back, helping Ilios to her feet. 

"Race you?" 

Ilios grinned, "Of course." 

The two took of running, Ilios straight into her mother's arms, and Eli back into the shadows. 

"Ilios!" Christine exclaimed, "Where have you been?!"

"I went for a swim," Ilios laughed wringing out her hair. 

Christine looked to Erik and he gave a small shrug. 

"And the twins?!" Ilios called out gleefully, "Wade? Winnie." 

The two children came running from the kitchen nearly bringing tears to her eyes. 

"Oh, Winnie what beautiful braids you have!" She gushed peppering the young girl in kisses. 

"Father did them!" Winnie grinned turning to her Father with pure youthful admiration. 

Erik gestured for her to focus on her sister. 

"And Wade how handsome you are." 

Wade blushed and revealed from behind his back a bunch of daisies clutched in his little hand. 

Ilios gave a small gasp of delight and took them. "Wade I adore them." 

Wade beamed proudly. 

"I'm so glad to be home," Ilios said tearfully. 

"Wait-" Erik aid startled, taking a good look, "Are you wearing a corset?!"

"Erik!" Christine scolded, "You don't ask a lady-"

"She's not a lady!" Erik said forcefully, "She's a child!"

"She's nearly fourteen!" Christine laughed. 

Erik frowned, his brow furrowed deep in thought. "No she's not! She's only." 

Ilios stood in front of him, wet arms spread to both side with a teasing look. 

"My God," Erik marveled looking her over. "Can it be? Can it be my Ilios."

"I'm still a child Papa," She smiled kindly making her way to him. "And your little angel I will always remain."

"Come now," Eli sighed picking up Wade, "I thought writing dramatic lines was my job in this family." 

"It was my job first." Erik snarled teasingly. 

Eli pretended to hang himself much to the discomfort of Christine. 

"Your home for good?" Erik asked his daughter with a worried glance. 

She was pretty. 

Too pretty. 

Ilios looked ot her parents lovingly. 

"No promises."