10
Jack looked at the remains of the girl and the grieving parents, but all he felt was anger.
"So, you are telling me that she went through my Hand's private access tunnels into his hidden nest and he attacked her" he snarled, "She invaded his own personal space. And he defended his Art?"
"LOOK AT HER!" Gerard screamed, shaking and he pointed at his daughter's corpse as Mary rocked and cradled the severed head.
Jack turned and left, unable to stomach the mess and he wondered at the small twist of pleasure in his gut.
Or was it pride?
He hoped and had faith, sitting in Ianto's room and he was rewarded when Violet materialized from the shadows to stand before him with a look of question on her face.
"I miss him" he whimpered, not ashamed to let her see his tears and she nodded, stepping back into the shadows once more.
He waited.
Ianto had arrived and Jack felt the air change, looking up with surprise to find his beloved in the room with him.
"Hey" he rose and wanted so badly to approach, but he held back, rubbing his hands on his thighs nervously.
"Hey" Ianto returned.
"I … I love you" Jack said simply, not knowing what else to say and he was relieved when Ianto chose to sit on the end of the bed and regard him with those huge grey/blue eyes he loved so much.
"I was afraid" Jack admitted, "I wanted my mother's touch, her reassurance. Not because of what …ah … who you are. But because of who I am."
Ianto 's frown became quizzical and Jack cleared his throat as he tried to explain, "I am the King. You are my Hand. My assassin and gods willing, my husband."
Ianto continued to regard him silently.
"I knew one day I would take the throne, this is what we would become but in my head it was different. I saw a wondrous coronation with my elderly parents happy to go into their twilight years as I sat on my throne, you on one similar beside me. Children running around, laughter and fucking butterflies for the love of all things! Butterflies!" Jack spluttered building steam, "I saw peace, prosperity and wealth for my people, us walking amongst them. Revered and loved we would have songs written about us."
"That might come to pass at least" Ianto growled as he looked away for a moment and Jack knew he was choosing his words.
"I saw you on the throne, me behind it. Hidden and watching, your children running between you and your queen" Ianto struggled now, "Jack, I am what I am. I was born this way. We are ancient, powerful, deadly and so very … very … alone."
"I see that" Jack smiled, "You sidestepped me for so long. It was not fear of me was it. Or fear if us. It was fear of this moment. This day when you must let the robes fall and I see you."
"And I find you left still wanting" Ianto agreed, shifting to the edge of the bed, "If I have a daughter, chances are she will also have a Rider. This is why I never thought to marry. To breed. Only the royal bloodline matches ours, harmoniously. One of us may become seeded. Our daughter would be a changeling."
"Ianto, I see you. I have always seen you. You are my beloved. What you are, were, shall be? All pointless if we do not have now. This moment. I love you. Please, I need you in my life" Jack whispered.
"I saw you in the dirt that day, Rhys looming over you and I did not know you were my Prince" Ianto smiled wanly, "I saw another imp and I cursed the Gods for their humor."
"Why?"
"Because in that moment I loved you, you bloody fool!" Ianto spat, "I was bred and trained to protect my future King and I looked at you and fell head over heels. I thought, 'another nobody, why must you be something to me?' I despaired, as with whip blows fell, I loved you more than the pain!"
"If I could, I would have taken each blow to have saved you" Jack smiled, "For I loved you in that moment too. I knew I was to marry and breed for the bloodline, but in that moment, I saw my beloved and I had to save you too."
"The bloodlines are …. So infuriating." Ianto sighed, "Our power combined is strong, our children would be fierce wee beasties."
"It has been centuries since my bloodline was strong enough" Jack sighed, then frowned as he rose to ask something, his mother choosing that moment to enter.
"There you both are" she huffed, "You will be late to supper."
"It is our kind that can carry within the men" Ianto guessed and spoke freely, "The assassins and the royalty have interbred intermittently through time. This is to quicken both bloodlines and ensures the bond between us. You are part of us."
"So, Riders have worn crowns?" Queen River asked and Ianto nodded.
"Well, there you go" she smiled, "how could there be shame in your bonding?"
"The shame is in what I lack" Ianto told her, "I will always be an assassin. It is done, my training complete and I am a dangerous animal. Even once we are wed, I cannot wear a crown. And as for a throne, that would be …"
"A wonderful idea!" the Queen gushed, "Of course we must get you one. Why did we not do so already!"
Ianto sighed, and bowed politely as Jack finally managed to hook a hand and draw it to his lips in apology.
"I hurt you" Jack said softly, "The one thing I vowed never to do."
"You are only human" Ianto deadpanned and it took several beats before Jack reacted snorting with mirth.
"Things will change, whether you mean to or not you will treat me differently" Ianto pouted, allowing a gentle hug and he looked over Jack's shoulder at the queen who was deep in thought.
"So Gwen was one? No, how?" she frowned. "If it is opposite sex?"
"Gwen was not her first child." Ianto drew back to explain, "The first born child would have been a boy and I assume Lady Mary never birthed a live child or he died in infancy." Ianto sighed. "I do not know if all she did was for Gwen or that poor lost soul's memory. She is troubled."
"Do you pity her?" Jack asked as Rhys entered and waited silently.
"Sorry to interrupt, Ianto mate, I'm sorry. Blackie didn't make it" Rhys said sadly, "He fought like a champion but the poison was too strong."
"Pity?" Ianto asked his mate.
"Yeah." Jack nodded.
"No. But you should." Ianto snarled as he moved towards the door, shaking with rage.
"I'm going to have to punish them now."