Author's Note: Again, I will warn you that this is REALLY FLUFFY. Like, diabetes-inducingly fluffy (I don't think inducingly is a word but I'm using it anyway.) I love writing about cute things. So if you're not a fan of extreme fluff, you may want to turn back.
This is a follow-up to my other fanfic, The Prince of Mor Ardain, but it's not necessary for you to read it to enjoy this one. What you do need to know is that Niall's son pretty much looks like a baby Niall. Also, I have given Niall a wife named Finnea. I may explore that in another fanfic if inspiration strikes.
I honestly love the idea of Mòrag being an aunt. Based on how caring and protective she is towards Niall, I can picture her being just as caring and protective towards a little nephew. I also wanted to write about Mòrag having fun and being happy. Architect knows she deserves it. Enjoy!
Emperor Niall's estate in Gormott was a quiet, peaceful dwelling. The structure was built in an area free from monsters and danger. Children could run and play without fear of being attacked. In the rear of the estate sat Lake Yewtle, where Niall and Mòrag spent a good deal of their childhood. That lake was why Emperor Niall wanted an estate built in this location; he had many fond memories of this locale and wanted his son to create many new memories in the future.
Mòrag strode towards Lake Yewtle on this sunny afternoon carrying a rather large picnic basket. As she walked closer to the lake, she remembered the conversation she had with Emperor Niall earlier that morning.
"Special Inquisitor, I have new orders for you today." Emperor Niall began.
"Yes, Your Majesty?" Mòrag asked respectfully.
"Please stay behind at the estate while Finnea and I meet with the Torigoth chieftain."
Mòrag was surprised by the order. "I shall do whatever you ask, Your Majesty, but may I ask why you do not want me to accompany you to Torigoth?"
"Because I want you to spend the day with Lochlan."
"The prince?"
"Yes. This is Lochan's first time in Gormott. He's nearly eight-months-old and he's never seen grass, lakes, or nature. I want you to take him to Lake Yewtle. You were the one who first brought me to Lake Yewtle all those years ago. I think it's appropriate that you be the one to introduce Lochan to those same wonders."
Mòrag smiled kindly at Niall and nodded in understanding. "It would be an honor, Your Majesty. I'm happy to introduce Lochlan to Gormott's natural beauty just the same as I introduced you."
"I knew I could depend on you. Thank you, dear sister." Niall turned to leave but stopped short as he remembered something else."And another thing: you have a Nopon friend in Torigoth, yes?"
"Tora? Yes, he lives in Torigoth. It's been quite a long time since I last saw him."
"Then invite him to the estate today. It would be a shame not to see an old friend while we're in the area. And while I'm thinking about it, Lochlan has never met a Nopon. It would be nice for him to meet a Nopon who's also a family friend. It's a win-win situation, wouldn't you say?"
"Indeed. I shall invite Tora and introduce him to the prince. We'll have a nice outing by the lakeside. Thank you for this opportunity, Your Majesty."
Mòrag came closer to the site she had scoped out earlier and found Brighid sitting underneath a tree with the prince. Brighid held Prince Lochlan around his waist while smiling and cooing at him. Mòrag deliberately made her steps softer, not wanting to alert Brighid to her presence; she loved observing Brighid's interactions with the prince when the fire Blade believed that she was alone.
"Who's the handsomest little man in Mor Ardain? You are! Yes you are, you're so handsome!" Brighid said in babytalk to the boy. Lochlan giggled wildly at the attention and reached his hands towards the Blade's face. "You are just the cutest thing, yes you are!"
"I'm back, Brighid." Mòrag said, deciding to let her presence be known. Brighid nearly jumped a foot in the air, having no idea that Mòrag was watching her the entire time.
"Oh! L-lady Mòrag!" Brighid stumbled, a blush creeping up her face. "I was just… that is I… well…"
"Save it, Brighid, I saw the whole thing," Mòrag said with an amused smile as she placed the basket down and sat next to Brighid. "You needn't be embarrassed about enjoying the prince's company. You are correct; he definitely is the handsomest young lad in Mor Ardain, if not all of Alrest. Wouldn't you agree, young Lochlan?"
"'Ag, 'Ag!" the baby replied, reaching a chubby arm towards Mòrag. The Special Inquisitor was well-attuned to the name her nephew had given her and immediately held her arms out towards Lochlan. Brighid understood and wordlessly handed the baby to Morag.
"So, Tora and Poppi are going to be joining us today?" Brighid asked as Mòrag adjusted Lochlan in her arms.
"Yes. They should be here any moment now."
Mòrag and Brighid leaned against the tree, simply enjoying each other's company and becoming absorbed in the beautiful day. Brighid decided to rest her head on Mòrag's shoulder and let out a contented sigh.
"I must remember to thank His Majesty the next time I see him," Brighid said quietly. "Although we've been charged with taking care of the prince, this feels like a vacation. It's a perfect day in a perfect place with perfect company. I can't remember the last time I felt so at ease."
"Agreed. Knowing my brother, I'm sure this was his intention."
Mòrag looked down at the baby, who looked right back at her. Lochlan then looked between Mòrag and Brighid and cooed in happiness, thrilled to be spending the day with his two aunts.
"Meh meh! Tora and Poppi heerrreee!"
Mòrag and Brighid looked in the direction of the voice and saw two familiar figures running towards them.
"Tora! Poppi! How nice to see you again!" Brighid said kindly as the Nopon and Artificial Blade arrived.
"Poppi glad we made it on time!" Poppi said, waving her arms up and down. "Masterpon overslept again! Poppi kept waking him up, but Masterpon keep hitting Poppi's snooze button. Was afraid Masterpon would sleep all afternoon and miss gathering with friends! Masterpon genius, but also very lazy."
"Poppi! No need to give so much detail to friends!" Tora exclaimed. He focused his attention on Mòrag and Brighid. "Tora so happy that old friends invite Tora and Poppi to lake! Tora miss friends very much!"
"We're happy you could make it, Tora. We've missed you too." Mòrag said with a nod.
The baby in Mòrag's arms now focused on Tora, a look of curiosity on his face. Tora looked back at the baby and stared at him with wonder.
"This… this new princeypon of Mor Ardain?" Tora asked.
"Correct. Tora, allow me to introduce you to Lochlan Ardanach, the Prince of Mor Ardain and my nephew," Mòrag began, loosening her grip on Lochlan so he could move closer to the Nopon. "In fact, you're the first Nopon that Prince Lochlan's ever met."
"Meh meh?! Tora first Nopon Prince Locky-Lock ever seen?! Tora so honored!"
Lochlan crawled towards Tora and looked up at the Nopon quizzically, still studying the strange creature. The baby reached up and placed a hand on Tora's soft face. He decided that he loved the feel of Tora's fur, smiled widely, and hugged the Nopon. Brighid started "aww"-ing and Mòrag was touched by the sweet scene as well.
"Princeypon like Tora, Princeypon like Tora!" the Nopon exclaimed as he took his big wing-like ears and hugged the prince back. Lochlan let go of the Nopon and stared at him with an open-mouthed smile.
"Prince Lochlan is very cute!" Poppi said as she moved her arms up and down again.
"Princeypon very very cute!" Tora agreed as he began jumping up and down, still elated over the hug he received from the prince. "Friend Mòrag, does Prince Locky-Lock know how to swim? Maybe we all swim in lake together!"
Mòrag laughed a little. "Prince Lochlan is still a little too young to swim, Tora. But perhaps we can see if he likes getting his feet wet in the shallow end. Niall told me that the prince enjoys bathtime, so he may like the experience."
"Meh meh, let's go to lake!" Tora said, already turning and running in the direction of Lake Yewtle, Poppi not far behind.
"Tora's still as excitable as ever, I see." Brighid noted as she watched the Nopon running towards the water.
"Indeed. It's refreshing to see that Tora hasn't changed in the slightest. Please hold Prince Lochlan for a moment, won't you?"
"Of course, my lady."
When Mòrag handed the baby to Brighid, she began to make some adjustments to her uniform; she took her boots off and rolled her pant legs above her knees. Then she removed her gloves and rolled her sleeves above her elbows. Finally, she took her hat off and untied her hair so that it cascaded over her shoulders. Brighid lovingly stared at her the entire time and nearly swooned when Mòrag gave her a small smile.
"Brighid, this is one of those moments we've spoken about where you just need to let your hair down. Literally and figuratively," Mòrag said as she took Lochlan back into her own arms and stood up. "Will you join us?"
"I'll stand by the water's edge and watch you," Brighid answered. "As you know, water doesn't usually agree with me."
"Understood. Come then, let's join Tora and Poppi by the lake." Mòrag offered her hand to Brighid, which Brighid gladly accepted, and pulled the Blade to her feet.
By the time the trio arrived at Lake Yewtle, Tora and Poppi were already splashing each other and dancing in the water like they didn't have a care in the world. True to her word, Brighid stopped short at the edge of the lake while Mòrag walked into the water with Lochlan. Ever vigilant and protective of the royal family, Mòrag tightened her grip on the baby the second she entered the water.
"All right, my prince, this is the lake where your father and I used to play when we were just wee bairns," Mòrag said to the baby as she crouched closer to the water. "Let's see if you'll enjoy it as well. And don't you worry; I'll be holding onto you the entire time. If you're not fond of the water, just say the word and I'll remove you at once."
Mòrag very gently lowered Lochlan's feet into the lake and gauged his reaction. The baby squeaked in surprise at the new sensation and looked down at his feet, confusion all over his face. He kicked his foot and looked at the droplets of water produced from the movement. He repeated the motion with his other foot. The confusion faded from his face and was replaced with pure happiness. He kicked at the water wildly and squealed in excitement. Lochlan's laughter was infectious and, in spite of herself, the stoic and serious Flamebringer laughed right along with him.
Brighid's eyes were glued to the pair and she could not wipe the smile off of her face; Mòrag looked so happy. It was very rare that Brighid saw Mòrag living in the moment and enjoying herself. Brighid had definitely noticed a shift in Mòrag since they had traveled with the Aegis; Mòrag had become more open with her emotions and more honest with herself. And this openness further increased when Lochlan was born. Mòrag was a very doting aunt and her nephew brought her nothing but joy. Brighid's heart fluttered whenever Mòrag expressed that joy in such a candid, uninhibited manner. After all the hardships and heartache that Mòrag had endured throughout her life, Brighid wholeheartedly believed that her Driver was deserving of a little happiness. Brighid made a mental note to write this moment down in her journal later.
Lochlan's squeals caught the attention of Tora and Poppi, who immediately ran over to play with the baby.
"So princeypon does like water!" Tora said happily as he began dancing up and down. He leaned his ears towards Lochan, who grabbed them with his chubby baby hands. Tora continued dancing around, giving the illusion that the Nopon and baby were dancing together in the water.
Their playtime lasted for a good long while until Mòrag noticed the prince yawning. She smiled fondly at him and held him closer to her chest.
"I think it's time for a break. Prince Lochlan is starting to grow tired." she informed the party. Tora nodded in understanding.
"Good idea. Tora getting tired too. And hungry. Did Mòrag bring any food?" Tora inquired.
"I actually did bring something for you, Tora. Check the picnic basket under the tree. I think you'll be very satisfied."
"Oh boy! Food for Tora!" Tora ran towards the picnic basket and stuck his head inside. "What is inside box? Sweets or treats or socks?" he sang.
Mòrag walked out of the lake, cradling a very sleepy prince. Brighid walked beside her and headed towards the tree to meet with Tora and Poppi. They both heard an ecstatic gasp.
"Mehmehmehmeh?! Tasty sausages! Many MANY tasty sausages!"
Mòrag and Brighid sat back down under the tree and looked at Tora. Lochlan had snuggled his head into Mòrag's chest and was struggling to keep his eyes open.
"Do you remember all those years ago when I hastily attacked you and the others at Alba Cavanich?" Mòrag asked, one of her patented tiny smiles on her lips. "I never did properly compensate you for my egregious error. That basket contains a month's worth of Tasty Sausages. You will be getting a box of that size delivered to your home every month for the next year. I hope you will consider this a satisfactory apology."
Tora's mouth dropped open in shock. "You.. you mean… you really get Tora a YEAR's worth of Tasty Sausages?!"
"That's correct."
"All is forgiven! Many thanks, friend Mòrag!"
"You can also consider it a thank you gift for being so kind to Prince Lochlan today."
At that point, Tora had already grabbed a fistful (or in his case, an earful) of tasty sausages and jammed them into his mouth.
"Masterpon, don't eat too many Tasty Sausages at once," Poppi warned. "If you eat too many too fast, you'll get stomachache and irregular poo poos!"
"Poppi no need to worry," Tora mumbled through a mouthful of sausages. "Tora will be just fine! Can eat many Tasty Sausages at once no problem!"
"He's going to eat himself sick, isn't he?" Brighid asked Mòrag. Mòrag frowned slightly as she observed the Nopon inhaling the sausages.
"It's quite possible. Perhaps I shouldn't have given him so many at once. And he'll be receiving a case of that size every month. My. Perhaps I didn't think this through…" Mòrag wondered aloud. Brighid burst into laughter over Mòrag's deep contemplation and placed a hand on her shoulder.
"Don't worry so much, Lady Mòrag. Even if you didn't give him the sausages, you know Tora would make himself sick eating something else. Your heart was in the right place."
They were interrupted by a loud squeaky yawn from the prince. Mòrag and Brighid both looked down at the sleepy prince and smiled warmly. Brighid took her fingers and gently combed them through Lochlan's short blue hair.
"Someone really tired himself out in the water today." Brighid said softly. Mòrag nodded in agreement.
"It appears so. I look forward to recounting today's events with His Majesty. He'll be pleased to learn that his wee lad took to the water like a salvager takes to the Cloud Sea."
Lochlan sleepily grasped a fistful of Mòrag's uniform in his hand and further nuzzled into his aunt's chest. Mòrag stroked the side of Lochlan's face with the back of her hand. "He's going to fall asleep any second now."
As if on cue, Lochlan fell into an exhausted sleep in his aunt's arms and his soft breathing could be heard. At the same time, the two women heard a soft groan from Tora's direction.
"Ughhhhhh Tora eat too many Tasty Sausages." Tora moaned while lying on his back.
"I told you, Masterpon." Poppi chided.
"Poppi, initiate Tummy Massage Mode. *Urp* 'scuse me." Poppi took her hands and gently began to massage Tora's stomach.
Seeing that Poppi had Tora's situation under control, Mòrag and Brighid's attention went from the sick Nopon back to the sleeping prince. For the second time that day, Brighid rested her head on Mòrag's shoulder. In a rare public display of affection, Mòrag softly kissed Brighid's forehead. A large smile appeared on the Blade's face and she hummed in contentment.
Mòrag took advantage of the quiet moment to fully appreciate her surroundings; the sun was beginning to set, painting the sky a lovely shade of orange. Her favorite nephew was peacefully napping in her arms and the woman she loved was nestled against her shoulder. Despite suffering from a stomachache and heartburn, the Nopon sitting a few feet away from her was very content after playing with the prince and eating his weight in Tasty Sausages. His Artificial Blade had enjoyed the events of the day as well.
Mòrag could not remember a time when she felt this happy. She inhaled deeply, exhaled, and looked up towards the sky. She did not want this peaceful feeling to end. Tomorrow she would return to her official duties as Special Inquisitor. But for now, she was going to live in this moment and enjoy it to the fullest.