It was a rare sunny day in Dublin. The skies were clear, the birds were chirping and there was the buzz of activity from the street markets that the breeze allowed to travel to the idyllic garden of the house that belonged to the tailor, Elijah Gall, and his suspiciously strong and muscular wife, Madam Aoife.

The house was bustling, servants running to and fro as they set up for the ball that had been planned for that summer evening, a fruitless attempt to try to introduce the younger inhabitants of the household to society.

Where were these younger inhabitants, you ask? Madam Aoife peered out of the window of her study, a soft smile on her lips as she observed the picturesque scene that beheld her.

Her son, Ghastly Bespoke of eighteen years sat against the oak tree that was older than even she was, a cloth in hand as he absentmindedly stitched away with the thin needle and thread that he held delicately between his scarred fingers. He looked relaxed. Good. He took far too much on his shoulders, his demeanor growing older as he watched his mortal father age infront of his eyes.

Using his legs as a pillow was Skulduggery Pleasant, a lanky, ruggedly handsome boy of seventeen that had been adopted into the household the day he had been found by Ghastly, stabbed by some pirates. He had rested a hat against his head, shielding his eyes from the sun while allowing his red hair to spill out across his brother's knees.

If anyone outside of the house came and saw this, not knowing who these young ones were, they would have been scandalised at the sight of Satya Eka, resting against Skulduggery's raised knees with his arm strung around her waist as she read aloud. The girl of eighteen, perhaps nineteen- they still weren't sure- had her hair tied back into a messy bun, keeping it from getting out of the way as she read to her brothers. Her brown skin stood out against the light blue dress she wore, a stark contrast to Ghastly and Skulduggery's simple shirt and pants.

It was a peaceful day, Aoife thought, a happy one. She watched with fondness before turning back to her dream doll, wrapping twine tight around the neck before snipping it and standing to put it on the shelf.

oooooooooo

"How long do we have to stay?" Satya asked with a sigh, her hand hooked through Ghastly's, "I'm too tired for this. Skulduggery was up til the morning with his conspiracy about the governor."

"It's not a conspiracy," Skulduggery said from her other side, a flute of champagne in hand.

"Until you have evidence," Satya started, "It's a conspiracy." She plucked a flute from a passing waiter, downing it.

"Don't get drunk," Ghastly hissed, "Mother will kill you."

"Maybe even forbid me from coming to the next one," She said hopefully, causing Skulduggery to roll his eyes.

"Not sure why you're complaining," The redhead said, his eyes resting appreciatively on a pretty woman passing by on the arm of a rather hideous but rich gentleman, "There's so much to look at."

She slapped his arm, shooting him a look of distaste.

"She only needs one thing to look at," Ghastly said airily, "Specifically, a charming Norwegian inventor-"

"Behnchod," Satya hissed, smacking his side, pulling her arm away from him.

"You are my sister," Ghastly commented, "That is quite disgusting."

She glared at him before turning on her heel, marching away towards a group of women plastering a fake smile onto her face as she began to mingle.

"Shall we steal away and break into Elijah's liquor cabinet?" Skulduggery offered, resting his arm across Ghastly's broad shoulders, "Or shall we mingle and seduce young, beautiful women?"

"I don't think I'd have much chance with the second option, Skul."

"Nonsense, you're almost as incredulous as Jonas in this instance, or have you not noticed that girl looking you over for the past half hour?"

Ghastly looked over, quickly looking back, cheeks flushing, "She's staring at the scars," He hissed, and then quickly looking back and then back at Skulduggery, "And she's mortal."

"So's your father," Skulduggery reminded him, "Mortals and sorcerers do work."

"I'd rather not," Ghastly muttered, "Besides, I'd rather not have to take the only person who isn't repulsed by this-" he gestured to himself.

"You just gestured to all of you."

"Exactly."

Skulduggery stared at him, mouth wide open for a moment before- "Ghastly Bespoke, if we weren't brothers I would marry you in a heartbeat," He declared, "You are on hideous creature-" Ghastly snorted. "-with a heart of gold and a personality greater than anything."

Ghastly grinned, "And if you weren't in love with China Sorrows."

Skulduggery pulled a face, "I'm not," He claimed, leading Ghastly towards the exit. After a moment, "Aren't we all?"

Ghastly thought for a moment, "Yeah," He agreed.

oooooooooo

Satya pushed open the doors of the dark workshop, looking for something she had left in there the other day. She passed the industrial sewing machines, her dress dragging as she crouched down, digging around in the cupboards.

"Fy faen," She muttered as she banged her head on the bottom of the table. She rubbed it in annoyance, snapping her fingers too summon a small spark of flame. With satisfaction, she grabbed the book of patterns that she had been asked to bring by Elijah, getting to her feet.

She absentmindedly walked to the windows, closing the shutters as she flicked through the book.

With a start, she trod on something soft. Her head snapped up and she let out a soft scream.

Resting, unconscious against the wall with two bottles of expensive whiskey lying empty between them was Skulduggery and Ghastly- And she had just trodden on Ghastly's fingers.

Satya's fingers were pressed to her lips, keeping herself quiet as she watched the almost comical scene with giggles rising in her throat.

"Oh, Mother and Father are going to kill you," She whispered with a grin.