First of all thank you so much for the reviews, favorites and alerts!

I finally put up chapter 2 and it starts nearly 2 years after the first chapter.


Soft squeals echo through the hallway only heard when the bellowing of the wind outside is silence by the soft click of the lock as the door shuts. Antauri sighed and rubbed his gloved hands together before taking them off and placing them on the table before working the buttons on his dark navy peacoat and placing it the stand neatly and following the clutter of voices down the dimly lit hall.

Opening the door to the living room the warmth of the roaring amber fire welcomed him home by caressing his body much like the the gentle feeling that surged through him when he clapped his ice blue eyes on the heart-achingly sweet scene before him. At the tender age of 1 with only two months until her second birthday Nae sat up with her rose pinks eyes crossed in confusement as her uncle, a red monkey with coal eyes sat beside her on the rich brown rug laughing and wiping a stray tear of glee from his eye as she began to chase her tail against once more, the light jingle of bells ranged from frantic to soft lulls of tinkering as the small ball of pure white moved swiftly as she persued her target.

"Sprx! Stop confusing the poor girl and untie the bell from her tail!" A sharp British accent travelled from the kitchen and Antauri found himself slumping onto the soft comfort of the couch only to crack a smile at the red simian grumble and mutter something about 'no fun' under his breath before hovering the cluster of bells by the pink ribbon above Nae's head and then allowing her to hold the noisy object to her chest, little legs kicking the bells causing them to ring loudly as she held the ribbon in her paws, biting and chewing her target proudly.

"Geez Gibson, don't be such a kill joy!" Sprx retorted in an unamused manner, cocking his head and rolling his eyes as a berulean blue simian appeared in the entrance to the joined kitchen with an apron on and a ladle in his hand. "Sprx, I am trying to make dinner and as much as I adore the girl her shrieks of everlong enjoyment are not helping me concentrate...oh, Antauri! You're back."

The blue simian noted the arrival of the silvery white male who sat comfortably, craning his neck in aknowlegment at the greeting. Sighing Antauri got up from his seat before kneeling down to tickle his daughter's tummy causing her to drop her bells and coo melodically at the affection before he rubbed under her chin and broughte her up to be held against his chest.

"Do you need any help at all preparing dinner Gibson?" Over the first year of having Nae Antauri's voice had broken and become deeper, the responsibility of a child making him more of a man and his practice making him stronger both mentally and physically. When Nae came into the picture he was nothing but an unknowing child, only just becoming to mature but having a babe on his arm made him determined to do right by her.

"No, no, never you mind Antauri. It's nearly done, Sprx will set the table." Sprx crossed his arms and looked over with mouth agape at his brother assuming that he would set the table without even asking!

Nae was placed on the softness of the cushion that lined her seat that kept her inplace at the dinner table, smacking her paw lightly on the wooden frame at being constrained everyone got ready for dinner. The black pan bubbled over as the steam filled the kitchen, the soup was reasy and thank god soup couldn't really be burnt! Gibson rushed over to the pot with a towel covering his hand as he turned off the hob and brough it over to the side, taking the lid off and pouring some of the contents with a ladle into the bowls. Antauri took the bowls and set them onto the table, taking turns in having some of his soup before dipping the spoon into Nae's small bowl and feeding it to her as she awaited her turns more eargerly with her mouth springing open with an 'ah' as soon as she swallowed each spoonful causing the three males to chuckle.

"So Antauri, what are your plans for Christmas this year?" Sprx asked curiously before taking a spoonful of soup, watching with his dark coal eyes before Gibson rolled his eyes and scoffed. "Seriously Sprx, It's two months away and you have already started to tell Nae Christmas tales..." Gibson stated with a slight laugh causing Antauri to smile broadly.

Antauri had known Sprx and Gibson since he was young, Gibson being the older out of the two. They were brothers' but had completely different personalities in terms of interests and ways of portraying themselves, for example, Gibson was well educated with held himself with grace and dignity- science being a facination he spoke passionately about and the basis of his study. Sprx on the other hand was more carefree and easygoing and despite being a tad bit lazy he was still educated well, taking to a life of a pilot in the army before he decided to fly solo.

The only thing the two shared seemed to be their morals and loyalty to each other, they would have up's and down's but would gravitate back to a level of understanding eventually. From the time Antauri had been travelling away from the town to the time he had arrived back with Nae he found that the village and his dear friend's hadn't changed and for that he was truely thankful.

"I have not thought about where me and Nae shall be residing this Christmas..." he furrowed his eyebrows as he looked at the half empty bowl at his warped reflection as Nae got more agitated waiting for her next spoonful, her eargerness making her voice grow louder before Sprx finally obliged the little girl's wish and she hummed happily as the tasty liquid trickled down her throat.

"Come on 'Tauri! You travel so much for the Veron Mystics, surely they would let you spend Christmas here! The door is always open, always home to you. Nae wasn't old enough to understand Christmas last year, technically this would be the first that matters..." Sprx spoke softly but firm, a goofy smile that was usually spread across his face was nowhere to be seen and he looked slightly at the small girl who cooed away for her next spoonful of soup once more. "Somehow I couldn't imagine Christmas without the little mite."

"I agree. Christmas is still two months away, just after Nae's birthday, I couldn't imagine the occassion without her either."


Antauri carried the sleeping budle in his arms as the soft mint green blanket encased her in a gentle hold, providing her warmth and security as she dreamt away. Placing her in her small crib her little limbs spread out in attempt to get into a comfortable position, he mouth slightly agape as she made barely audible snoring noises as she twitched in her sleeping state. Antauri palmed the blanket as he tucked it around her, reminded that she had never parted from it since her birth as he never had the heart to do so. Sighing he rubbed his finger along her face before turning out the light and walking down the stairs and back into the living area where Gibson is sat at his desk and Sprx on the couch in a laid back position.

"Hey 'Tauri! You had some mail today." The red simian chucked a stack of thin envelopes to the silver simian who sifted through them in no particular interest before he came across one that was neatly handwritten and a red wax seal on the back. Curious he opened the delicate folds and pulled out a folded piece of parchment and read it mintently before holding it away from him and blinking in suprise.

"'Sup?" Sprx looked over curoiusly as his tail swished from side to side causing Gibson to looke over, pulling his small circle framed glasses futher down his muzzle as he placed his quill down into the pot of ink and popped his book shut for a moment. "Mandarin, he's holding a ball of some sort. To find a wife..." Antauri looked up as he spoke slowly, Gibson looking just as confused.

"Hang on, isn't he that stuck up arrogant ass that you 'work' with?" Sarcasm dripped off his tongue like venom as he spoke about this charcter with such disdain earning a small nod from his blue brother and their dear frined. "Sprx, I'm sure he is capable of finding a mate that would suit his interests. I just didn't think he would be willing to seperate himself from his work so soon, to have another commitment."

"Social protacol suggests you should attend to wish him the best Antauri. You get along with him don't you?" Gibson asked from across the room as Sprx scoffed and left the room. "Yes I do Gibson but what about-"

"Now, now Antauri. Me and Sprx will look after the little one. You very rarely go out and socialise, you might even find yourself a new friend." The glint in Gibson's eyes let Antauri know what he meant, he had meant find a new woman. After all, Gibson and Sprx had been tired of seeing him so hung up on this mysterious woman that had captured his heart but in all honesty the only female in Antauri's life right now was little Nae and he had no intention of it changing anytime soon.


Nae's adorable isn't she? I think she's the sweetest thing i've ever imagined!

So yeah, let me know what you think, I appreciate constructive critism and and I thoroughly enjoy conversing with other authors' about both mine and their own fics.

Read and Review!

-Eve