Chapter 28: The Zoo

Arthur and Lilly held their children happily and gave them lots of kisses. "Oh Athair!" Lilly exclaimed in a teasing tone. "You must have left shortly after we did!"

"We did," Dutch said. "Honestly, we wanted to see London, too, but mostly, Arthur Junior and Aoífe missed you both."

Arthur Jr. started tugging on Arthur Sr.'s hair and made Arthur Sr. laugh. "Ah, stop that, you silly boy."

Dutch and Hosea laughed as Junior giggled and kept doing it, but Arthur didn't stop him. Lilly bounced Aoífe on her hip and Aoífe squealed in delight. "So how long are you stayin'?" Lilly asked her adoptive fathers.

"Well, we're not sure just yet," said Dutch.

"We want to explore London a bit," Hosea explained. "Who knows how long that will take."

Brian and James whined up at the babies and the parents put their children down. Brian licked Aoífe while James did so to Junior and both the babies giggled.

"Ah!" Aoífe exclaimed. "Tickles!"

The adults chuckled as the boys laid down next to their niece and nephew. Lilly clapped her hands together. "Well, I need to go see if Mr. Pierce left word for me at the front desk."

Dutch and Hosea's faces went dark. "Mr. Pierce?" Dutch asked.

"Please tell me that's a different Mr. Pierce that we're thinkin' of," Hosea snarled.

Arthur sighed. "Nope, same one. She reports to him now."

Dutch stood up. "You're kiddin' me."

"Nope."

Hosea also stood up. "Well, I think we should all go and "report" to him, Lilly. I have more than a few words to say to him."

Arthur grinned. "That's actually a good idea."

Lilly held her hands up. "Now now, gentlemen. We can't kill him. Not yet, anyway."

"We're not gonna kill him. We're just gonna talk to him."

Lilly chuckled and picked up Arthur Jr., then she tossed him up and down a little and he laughed. "Riiight."

"Hey, I got an idea," Hosea said. "After seein' Mr. Pierce, why don't we take the kids to the zoo?"

Lilly gasped happily. "That's a fantastic idea!"

Arthur rode Prasutagus down to Hyde Park after Lilly received word to meet Mr. Pierce near Rotten Row again. He and Lilly's fathers insisted on coming with. The babies were a sight as they were riding the wolves Brian and James. Arthur was surprised how well they could ride. It must have been in their blood. Lilly spotted Mr. Pierce and she stopped her group.

"Do not say a word," Lilly said to her men. "I'm gonna go talk to him, so you guys stay put."

Lilly walked her horse towards Mr. Pierce and Arthur grunted. "I remember that little shit," Arthur murmured.

Lilly stopped, turned and looked at Arthur with a scolding look. Arthur forgot she had really good hearing. Lilly resumed her walk and Dutch chuckled. "I hope she has something good in store for him one day," Dutch said.

"Yeah, here's hopin'," Arthur agreed.

Dutch and Hosea looked at Arthur. "Arthur, we wanted to apologize to you," Hosea said.

"About what?"

"Well, we...kinda encouraged Patrick and Lilly to get together."

Arthur eyed Hosea with a squint. "You what?"

"Lilly was very unhappy without you, Arthur," Dutch explained. "I don't know if she told you, but she tried to-"

Arthur held up his hand. "Patrick told me what she tried to do. I understand you guys wanted her to be happy again, I get that. But..." Arthur jerked his head to the side. "I'm still a bit sore about the whole thing, if I'm bein' honest."

Hosea frowned. "You are? But you two seem fine now."

Arthur sighed unhappily. "We're okay...for now. She's still gotta make things up to me, but...I gotta make things up to her too. I ain't exactly innocent, neither."

"What did you do?"

"I had sex with two call girls in Annesburg."

"On separate occasions or at the same time?" Dutch said with a laugh.

Hosea wheezed out a chuckle and Arthur smirked at Dutch. "Shut up, Dutch."

Lilly sat down in shock next to Mr. Pierce. "You're joking," she said.

"No. Why? Will it be a problem reporting directly to the king from now on?" Mr. Pierce inquired.

Yes, it was a problem. She'd much rather deal with the man who murdered her than the man who touched her inappropriately, but she wasn't about to reveal that information to Mr. Pierce so she shook her head immediately. "No, not at all. I'm just wondering why."

"I'm not sure. He ordered it."

"I see." This made Lilly very uncomfortable. "So what now?"

"Well, for now, just enjoy the day." Mr. Pierce looked over at Arthur. "I see your husband is looking well."

Lilly smiled at Arthur. "Yes, he is."

"Mrs. Morgan, was he really dead?"

Lilly looked at Mr. Pierce with an eye roll. "Obviously, he wasn't."

"The Morrigan brought him back, just like she brought you back."

Lilly blinked a few times at the man. "I suppose you are smarter than you look."

Mr. Pierce chuckled. "I suppose I am. But anyway," he peeked at her children. "Your children are beautiful. I am glad they were born."

Lilly sighed and leaned back on the bench. "Yes, I guess I never thanked you for convincin' my uncle Levi to keep me alive." Mr. Pierce looked at her in shock. Lilly smirked at him. "I don't forgive you for killing me, Mr. Pierce, but I'm not so callous as to not...notice your need to atone for it."

Mr. Pierce smiled. "Do you still plan on killing me?"

"Yep."

Mr. Pierce laughed and stood up. "Well, that's just too bad, I suppose."

"Perhaps."

Mr. Pierce looked down at her. "Well, the king will send instructions at your hotel when he needs you. Good day, Mrs. Morgan."

Mr. Pierce turned towards the men but apparently decided better of it and went the other way. Lilly laughed to herself and got off the bench, then she walked over to Arthur and the rest. "Well, how did that go?" Arthur asked her.

Lilly shook her head. "Nothin' new, except I personally have to report to the king from now on," she said with a frown.

Arthur narrowed his eyes. "Really?"

"Yes."

Dutch and Hosea's jaws dropped. "So you really did meet him?" Dutch asked.

"Yes."

"What's he like?"

"Very touchy feely, if you get my drift." Lilly mounted up on Liath and sighed. "He wanted to see my scars and he got...a bit too friendly about it."

Dutch growled. "What else did he do?"

"Nothin'," Lilly said. "He made a pass at me, that's it." Lilly saw Arthur's knuckles clench on the reins. She frowned and decided to change the subject. "So, zoo?"

Arthur and the rest walked along the small road towards the London Zoo. The kids were very excited. People occasionally stopped to point at the wolves, wondering if they were part of an exhibit. Lilly had Aoífe in her arms and Arthur was holding his son as they paid and walked in. Dutch and Hosea tailed in behind them. The first exhibit they went to see were the sea lions. The children absolutely loved it and Arthur helped Junior clap as one jumped into the water.

"Look at that, Junior!" he said.

"Yaaay!" Junior exclaimed. The next exhibit was a bunch of monkeys and Arthur Jr. laughed when the monkeys climbed up and down their trees. He looked at his father and smiled. "Look, Daddy! Monkey!"

Arthur beamed at him. "Very good, Junior!"

Lilly laughed. "They're gettin' real good at talkin', now."

She put Aoífe on her shoulders as they walked to the next exhibit. It was a lion. The lion roared at Brian and James but the boys ignored it. Arthur was glad they were on their best behavior. Aoífe pointed at the lion. "Big cat!"

"Yes honey, that's a very big cat," Arthur said with a chuckle. "It's called a "lion"."

Lilly smiled at her husband. "Do you remember Margaret?"

"Margaret?"

"Yeah. The man dressed as a woman animal wrangler."

Arthur stroked his chin. "Hmm, Margaret...Margaret...no. Can't say I remember."

Lilly sighed. "It'll come to you eventually."

Arthur chuckled. "I'm sure ot will, but why do you ask?"

"Well, I had to get a lion for him."

"You what?!"

Lilly laughed. "Yup. Had to sing to the damn thing so it wouldn't kill me."

Arthur shook his head with a chuckle. "You are just full of surprises, ain't ya?"

"Yes."

They walked to the next exhibit which was a manatee. "Junior, do you know what that is?" Lilly asked.

"No," Junior replied.

"It's a manatee."

"Man...manatee." Arthur Jr. giggled.

Suddenly there was screaming and Arthur looked around. People started running away from something. It was an undead werewolf barreling down the path. Lilly gave Aoífe to Dutch and Arthur gave Junior to Hosea. Lilly and Arthur stood in front of them as they drew out their revolvers.

"What the fuck is that?!" Dutch yelled.

"A werewolf! Stay behind us!" Lilly shouted as the couple opened fire. Only a few shots made the beast go down. Another one came up behind it and the boys went charging at it. Arthur made a few more shots and the creature died. Lilly pulled out her bow as three more came up the pathway.

"Oh my God!" Hosea exclaimed. "They look so dead!"

"They're Carman's little minion bastards!" Lilly explained. Arthur reloaded his guns as Lilly notched her arrows and fired. The boys attacked one while another was shot down by Lilly. "God damn, I love this bow you got me! So much more effective!"

Arthur laughed as he shot the third one down. "Glad you like it, sweetheart!"

More came running up the path towards them and the couple kept shooting while Brian and James continued their onslaught. Arthur heard the babies crying but he could only do his fatherly duty to keep shooting. Arthur reloaded and shot another werewolf dead. Lilly ran out of arrows and turned into Adair, unsheathing her sword and charging another werewolf. Arthur saw one get close and he dropped his guns to punch it. When he connected, the werewolf went flying. "You guys better high tail it outta here! Run!" Arthur yelled at Dutch and Hosea.

They did as they were told and Arthur tackled into another werewolf. More kept coming for them, but soon the charge ended. Adair stood victoriously over a bunch of dead werewolf bodies and she looked at Arthur. "When are they going to learn that they cannot defeat us?" Adair looked around. "Where are the children?"

Arthur walked up to Adair and helped her down. "I sent them running. Brian, James, go find Dutch and Hosea." Brian and James ran up the path opposite of where the werewolves came from. Adair shifted back into Lilly and Arthur took her hand. "Let's go get our kids."

Lilly agreed and the couple ran after the wolves. They eventually met up with Dutch and Hosea and hugs were exchanged. "Those were some huge bastards!" Hosea exclaimed breathlessly.

"Huge bastards!" Aoífe shouted.

Lilly snorted. "Aoífe, that's a bad word!"

"Bastards!" Junior yelled.

Arthur cackled with glee. "I guess we gotta watch what we say around them now."

Lilly and Arthur went back to dispose of the carcasses that they'd killed. After burning the dead werewolf bodies, the couple was held up for questioning by the local authorities and the two elderly fathers held onto their grandchildren. When that was done, Lilly and Arthur and the rest were free to keep wandering about the zoo. They stopped at a "fairy floss" stand and got some to share with the children. It was good, but soon the kids were hyper as hell from all the sugar they had consumed. Lilly and Arthur set them down and let them run around. They eventually came across a carousel.

"Mummy! Ride!" Junior said.

Lilly picked him up and Arthur picked up Aoífe. "Alright, let's go ride on the carousel."

They paid for tickets and picked out horses that went up and down. Lilly and Arthur set their children in the saddles and then the ride started. The kids squealed in delight as their parents held onto them.

"Weeeeeee!" the kids screamed happily.

Arthur and Lilly laughed and they all waved to Dutch and Hosea as they passed by. "Grandpa! Seanathair! Horsies!" Aoífe screeched with joy.

Arthur, while having an arm wrapped around little Aoífe, put his other arm around his wife and kissed her. "You know, considerin' that we just fought some wild beasts, this is such a nice time with the kids," Arthur said with a smile.

Lilly leaned her head on his shoulder. "Yes, it is."

As the ride continued and the carousel music played, Arthur put a hand through Lilly's hair. "Tá grá agam duit, mo bhean chéile." [I love you, my wife.]

Lillt smiled at him. "Tá grá agam duit, mo fhear céile." [I love you, my husband.]

By nightfall, Aoífe and Junior were sleeping soundly in their parents' arms when they finally got back to the hotel. The married couple went to their room after Dutch and Hosea brought in their bassinets and set them up. Lilly and Arthur laid the babies down and said good night to Dutch and Hosea. Lilly smiled happily as she got into bed naked. This was a very good day, all things considered. The wolves went to the sitting room where the bairns were sleeping and Arthur shut the door. He walked over to the bed and started undressing. "Now," he said in an aggressively seductive to tone, "about tryin' for another baby..."

Lilly smirked at him and opened her legs to tease him. "Yes?"

Arthur finished undressing and climbed into bed. "You better prepare yourself, woman, 'cause I'm pullin' an all nighter."