10

Ianto had covertly fed his baby, then handed her back to Tosh before the food arrived.

As they carried it in he checked and sniffed all of it, pulling more than one lot aside and declaring it yucky.

He then had a Hendry Tantrum when there was no milk, bemoaning his smallness that he didn't even get milk to wash this swill down.

They scuttled about to please him as he sniffled and pouted, flounced and harrumphed.

More than once Owen had to hide laughter behind a choking fit and eventually they were dismissed.

"Well, they won't be back any time soon" Ianto sighed as he settled in Jack's lap, "The more obnoxious I act, the less they will hang around. Less people in here watching us, the better."

"How long do you think they will keep us?" Tosh asked and Sean moved over for a cuddle, Ianto crooning as he rubbed his back and told him he was being brave.

The door opened and his parents were in the room before he had a chance to move away and they found him with the child in his lap.

Sean shot out of his arms and into Rhia's with wide eyes, the Queen's eyes following the movement.

"They stay with me!" Hendry pouted, Pulling Jack beside him again, "I need my cuddlies."

"Of course dear" she smiled, "I was hoping to see the wee one, I didn't realize there was a baby until I read the reports again."

"Reports" Jack repeated, looking at John as the 'ghost' was finally known for sure to have been someone spying on them.

"Yes. It seems both of you have been providing comfort to my Hendry, I am grateful to you both, we will provide quarters for your family …"

"NO!" Hendry roared, stamping his foot, "They're mine!"

"Come now darling, you don't mean to tell me you all shared a nest" she snorted.

"I am not safe. I need them all to protect me" Hendry pouted, sniffing as he cuddling in Jacks lap.

"Of course you are safe, you are home!" she frowned.

"Like I was in my own home?" he snarled, "Look at my face! Do you not see how they hurt me? Look at my tail .. oh no .. wait … I don't have one! I have been docked. DOCKED! In my own palace!"

Hendry started to wail as Jack hugged him, trying to console him and the king looked at his wife and frowned.

"The reports did not tell us that it was you" she tried to explain, "We thought you were all living the high life over my son's bones."

"Like you would care" Hendry sniffed, "You fed me to the wolves!"

"My darling" the Queen sighed, "Don't be so dramatic."

Hendry's face crumbled and he hid it in Jack's chest as he started to cry, Jack holding him close a he rocked him and John decided it was his turn to play.

"Now he's upset" he groaned, "It will take us ages to get him happy again."

"Rikhard had proposed a ball" the Queen said to her son and Hendry huffed, still refusing to look at her, "It will be fun, right? A chance to let us get to know your intended?"

Hendry stood, straightened his back and haughtily addressed his parents, "Jack is my bond-mate. Not my betrothed. How dare you insult my Cariad!"

"Your mother did not mean it like that!" the King finally spoke, "She means the intended member of our kin."

Now Hendry's face crumbled as he started to wail, throwing himself behind Jack into the nest and the children rushed to join him as the adults all sighed.

"Ianto, sweetling" Jack soothed, reaching out to rub his back, "They know we are your kin, come on, you are being sensitive."

"They will take you away, I will die alone and cold with no love!" Hendry sobbed and John climbed into the nest to cuddle him as Jack rose to address the couple.

"Please stop upsetting him, he is so delicate" Jack begged, "We were taken with force, he the first one attacked. Our little fluff was left behind and it was one of the things that pleased him, he is so fragile right now, please let him adjust slowly."

"I see that you care for him" the Queen nodded and she looked at her husband who was crouching by the bed.

"Hendry? My wee Cubbie?" he crooned and an eye rolled to glare at him.

"I'm not your cub. A Tadda would never hurt his cub." Hendry sobbed, "You hurt me! Why do you hate me so much that you hurt me Taddy?"

"Oh Hendry, your mother and I were devastated when we learnt of how he treated you" the king sighed, "We demanded explanation from his family and they were as horrified as us, then they admitted that he had killed one of his wives in previous years. They had hoped a male member of his stable would fare better."

"Stable" Hendry sighed, "Perhaps I did not moo appropriately."

"Now, come on munchkin. Your mother and I have done the best we could under difficult circumstances" he scolded softly, "How can we fix it if you keep anger in your heart?"

"Because my heart belongs to my keepers" Hendry answered, "My Captain lays here, my Hart beside us. Do you not see? You hurt them, you hurt me with this. Let us go and I will never want from you again. You need never pretend that I mattered in this nest, I can be as dead as you left me to be."

Ianto watched the pain cross his father's face and wandered if he had pushed too far, but then the king sadly rose and reached out to stroke his hair.

"I cannot believe they harmed you and cut your tail" he sighed.

"The ball" the Queen pushed, "Come now. The realm needs a good show, we can introduce your chosen mate and everyone can see how happy you are!"

"Really Mama?" he asked with big tear filled eyes, "You will accept my loves?"

"If the ball goes well, yes" she huffed, "We shall endorse the union."

Ianto hid his triumph in Jack's chest as John frowned.

Rikhard stood in the doorway watching intently, unaware that John had seen him.

They weren't safe yet.