Daddy dearest

Disclaimer: none of the characters are mine, but belong to their respective owners.

The wake for those fallen in the war with the Garuda was quiet and subdued – no one wanted to celebrate the victory too loudly or at all. Even Kenzi, who was never particularly quiet or subdued, currently was.

Outside Trick's pub evening fog was rising, so not even Mr. Trick's lamps could disperse them for real, especially for too far away from the building.

"So, what happens now?" Kenzi really could not be too quiet or subdued for too long. "What happens next?"

There was a single knock on Trick's door – powerful enough to open the rather solid pieces of woodwork without a repeat performance – and two people came through.

One of them was Bo's mother, Aoife, and Bo was not particularly happy to see her: it was Aoife's terrorist attacks that had weakened Toronto's Fay society enough for the Garuda to attack. In addition, seeing that Aoife was acting almost like a subdued version of Kenzi (the version that Bo was treated to throughout the entire wake) raised alarm bells to the younger succubus as well.

Surprisingly – well, not really so – Aoife's companion was male, though clearly not a thrall, or a human: humans just do not grow this tall or powerful, and while some of them are swarthy, they do not smell of peat and charcoal either.

Plus there was the fact that Aoife's new companion caused Mr. Trick to stiffen and look almost like a deer – or Kenzi – in car's headlights. The height-challenged Fay never did that for as long as Bo knew him. Granted, it was not a lot of time, especially by Fay standards, but still...

"You!" Mr. Trick finally spat out to Aoife's companion. "What are you doing here, Lord of Uruloki?"

"And good day to you too, King of the Mountain," Aoife's companion said smoothly. "I see rumours surrounding you are true; no matter, for I didn't come for you." In several strides he crossed the floor and sat on a stool next to Bo. "Hello, Isabo Jones," he said without breaking his tone. "I am Ancalagon the Black, and I'm your father."

There was a pause as Bo helplessly looked around until her gaze finally landed on Aoife. "Hello, mother. What's the meaning of this?"

"Bo," Aoife sounded more subdued than before. "I know that you're surprised, but he is your father, whatever your feelings are on that matter."

"Then why don't I look like him?" Bo paused and faced Ancalagon. "Why don't I look like you, I mean?"

"Because you're the daughter of a succubus," Ancalagon said matter-of-factly, "and the daughters of succubae are succubae themselves, 97 percent of the time. Well, 97.5 percent, if you want to be technical. I give you at least a decade or two before my blood becomes obvious in your veins, if it does."

"Then how do I know that I'm yours?" Bo asked a question that naturally followed this statement.

"I can smell my blood in your veins," Ancalagon smiled, revealing lizard-like tongue and teeth in his mouth. "And moreover-" his tongue flickered out and licked Bo on her cheek, "I can taste it. Because of that, I acknowledge you as my child, and my heir."

"And if I wasn't? What then?" Bo asked, her usual rebellious nature asserting itself now that the shock was wearing off.

"I would've wasted you and the others," Ancalagon's smile was friendly enough, but his eyes were burning like a pair of lit candles now, with the same yellow light. "For I am Lord of Uruloki, of the Fire-drakes, of the Winged Dragons, and I am not made fool of, not even by Aoife, who fools men for a living."

"Your father exaggerates, Bo," Aoife smoothly slid between Bo and her father. "I do not fool men for a living; in addition, there was at least once a development when a man has fooled me." She gave Mr. Trick a particularly hard glare of her own.

"Don't look at me," Mr. Trick said instinctively. "I told you, and Aditha, and Fordaetha that I won't marry any of you."

"Oh yes," the venom in Aoife's voice was unmistakable. "You married a huldra. You married a woman with a tail! A tail!"

"A tail you tied a knot while Aditha held her!" Mr. Trick shot back.

"And that was, Isabo, why I never married your mother," Ancalagon said in a conversational tone of voice. "A succubus can never be tied to a single man – that makes her bitter."

There was a general pause after this statement long enough for even Ancalagon to get uncomfortable. "Ah, right, I forgot. Non-captive audience. Where was I? I already acknowledge you, Isabo Jones, and your mother and I need more absence to make heart go fonder and all that. So, until next time – farewell."

With a flash of flame he was gone, but not before leaving a monstrous, draconic shadow that lingered on for some time after.

Aoife, however, remained behind.

"Um, shouldn't you be going?" Bo asked hesitantly, seeing how no one was willing to speak up even though Lord of Uruloki was gone.

"No," Aoife shook her head. "I came to spend more time with you."

"Er," Bo was confused and not particularly happy about this pronouncement. "Why?"

"Because you're my daughter," Aoife said quietly, sounding rather subdued once more.

"Well, yes. But last time you said you wanted to bond you almost plunged Toronto in chaos," Bo said reasonably. "You sure that you won't try to do that again?"

"Yes!" Aoife said brightly. "I promise."

Well, a mother is a mother, even when on your last meeting she tried to take over a city and imprison you; Bo was willing enough to give her another chance; plus, she was naturally curious about her father, so she gave in.

"Fine, mother," she said firmly. "Let's go and spend some time together."

"All right!" Aoife said cheerfully. "We're bonding!"

"We'll be bonding," Bo said firmly, but they left together, mother and daughter, arm in arm, and even had an adventure or two together – but that is another story.

End

PS: And Kenzi returned home much later and very wary – she was not going to trust Aoife straightaway, no sir! And she was also correct – but that is another story as well.