38

"The colours" Ianto whispered as he stood at the air lock looking out at the morning light hitting the forest around them.

Jack grunted as he pushed past and then stopped dead with wonder as he looked with new eyes.

A babbling brook spewed from a tree trunk, flowing across the ground at their feet and they followed the butterflies dancing on the ripples down to an area that was set for breakfast.

"I thought no one was allowed in here during our bonding" Jack said with wonder and Ianto snorted as he informed him that this was the work of the gods.

Jack spun to face him, to tell him that there was no such thing when he looked at the vessel, now emulating a small cottage in the fairy woodland.

"Shit."

Ianto turned to look as well, laughing softly at his husband's face as he shook his head.

"I told you!" he laughed, "We are blessed. Doubly so."

Ianto chose a chair and let Jack push it in, placing a hand over his stomach and smiling to himself as Jack walked around to the other side of the table and Jack noticed the motion with raised eyebrows.

"I think …I felt …" Ianto frowned as he thought about it, "Maybe it was a dream but …I thought …for a moment I felt a seeding within me."

"What?" Jack asked with undisguised hope, "You think?"

"Yes" Ianto smiled and Jack saw a glow in his eyes, "I felt it, definitely felt a spark!"

Jack made a gleeful noise as he grinned, hoping Ianto was right.

If they had managed to seal the deal as it were, as the rules said one might, they also sealed the empire's fate as any child conceived in the Forrest of Whispers was deemed not just royalty but a deity.

What a boon.

"Oh my goddess, do not move" Ianto whispered as one of the butterflies lighted on a bottle in front of them and Jack saw the fine features as she smiled and blinked, Ianto reaching out tentatively to the wee fairy-like woman.

Jack was entranced as she sat primly on Ianto's hand and looked at him without fear, leaning forward to touch noses with him.

"You are wondrous" he said softly and she laughed, rising to join her kin as Ianto laughed as well.

"This mist, how long does it linger?" Jack asked with interest.

"It will dissipate as the day comes on Cariad" Ianto grinned knowing it was the lack of vision that irritated him, what might be creeping about, then he stilled as he watched a PeaKat stalk past and he glanced over to see Jack frozen with fear as the huge beast the size of a panther calmly approached and seemed to regard them.

Ianto was also struck but managed to bow his head in welcome and the pretty multicoloured creature licked it's lips and bent to drink from the brook.

"Ianto?" Jack whimpered.

"Stay" Ianto demanded softly, "Hold fast Cariad. He shall not harm us, this is an ancient one. To grow to this size he must be over a hundred Rells. We are no threat to him, nor him to us."

The Kat then turned its head to stare at the water surrounding them and Ianto did as well, seeing a Swankit paddling past serenely and again Jack gasped.

"Catkind is sooooo from here!" he muttered as the swan with cat-like features blinked at him and wafted past.

"So pretty" Ianto sighed and then squeaked as the large Kat pushed it's muzzle into his hand, forcing it over it's head. "Oh Wow."

Ianto petted the creature as Jack forgot to breathe and when it seemed satisfied it moved away and Jack realised it had been touching it's nose to Ianto's stomach.

"You are seeded, aren't you" he said with wonder, "That was a blessing I just witnessed."

"Oh Cariad" Ianto gushed, almost sobbing with joy, "We have their blessings, we have our wish. Oh Jack, I am so happy."

"Me too darling" he sighed happily, "Me too."

They ate and watched the entertainment as woodsprites danced and replenished the fruit bowls feeling no fear or nervousness about the impending ceremony that afternoon.

For they were already done.

They were blessed.