The dining hall of the Garreg Mach Monastery was always busy. There were always guards coming off shifts, students getting meals between classes or practice or priests and nuns eating when they could. So as they headed to the halls, Annette and Ingrid quickly strategised on how to explain Violet, Demeter and Alexi.
"Let's just tell the truth or a version of it," suggested Annette, "The girls' hair is too red and Alexi looks too much like his dad for most lies to work. So we'll just tell them that they are Sylvain and Felix's relatives who are visiting for the time being. It's not too far from the truth and there are enough distant members of the Gautier and Fraldrius family that we would not be asked too many probing questions about the kids."
Ingrid agreed, "I hope Felix actually comes back and doesn't just blow us off for the training grounds," she commented as they got in line to order food with the children. Alexi stood beside Annette holding her hand but Demeter and Violet were happy to stand a bit in front of Ingrid whisper together.
"He might," replied Annette, "Given Dimitri's current state, Felix might need to vent on the training dummies. I don't mind. We'll eat, check on his highness and then track him down. Hopefully, by then he would be in a state where he won't upset Alexi," she gave Ingrid a sympathetic look, "What are you going to do with Sylvain?"
Ingrid sighed, "Nothing, I don't need his help to look after the girls. Don't worry about me," she said firmly.
"Grandpa!" cried Alexi, startling Annette. The momentary confusion allowed Alexi to snatched his hand away from hers and rushed towards Gilbert.
"Oh!" Annette gave chase but the boy was surprisingly fast and besides, Gilbert had entered the hall through the door nearest to the kitchen counter.
Alexi had wrapped himself around Gilbert's legs before the former Fearghus knight could even react.
At first, Gilbert was frozen. Then he gasped, "What miracle is this!" he exclaimed as he looked down towards the boy.
He reached down, no doubt wanting to pick up Alexi, "His highness is gravely injured!" Annette blurted out.
"What?" Gilbert's attention shifted to Annette.
"There was a snake! It made the dimension jump with Alexi," said Annette, no doubt assuming that Gilbert had experienced the same burst of knowledge when Alexi had touched him, "His highness was bit! He's in the infirmary."
It seemed to take Gilbert a long moment to fully comprehend what Annette was saying. "Grandpa?" asked Alexi.
"I have to go, my little shield," Gilbert said to Alexi as he turned and rushed away.
Annette dropped to her knees and pulled Alexi into her arms. Based on the shoulders, Ingrid guessed she was crying. "Well, I am glad Felix wasn't there for that," she commented, trying to lighten the mood, "Although, I have been wondering who would win if Felix and Gustava came to blows."
Annetta managed a half-hearted laugh as she distracted Alexi and possibly herself as well, with kisses. Ingrid turned away, she trusted in Annette's ability to handle things on her own. Perhaps if she was better friends with her, she would know how to comfort her. Maybe in the future, they would become close. But for now, Ingrid opted to focus on her daughters, her daughters who were surrounded by Golden Deers!
"You two are so cute! I love twins, I bet you two would look adorable in matching ribbons, what are your favourite colours?" Hilda was asking Violet and Demeter.
"Hilda! You can't just talk to little ones! What if their parents don't like it?" wondered Marianne.
"Oh, please! They are probably orphans," Hilda probably didn't mean anything by it but she hit a nerve and the girls burst into tears.
"Now you have done it," interjected Claude, "Hey now, don't cry! I don't know what it's like to lose your parents but you too look like capable girls. I am sure you'll be just…"
"They are not orphans!" snapped Ingrid as she inserted herself between the girls and the well-meaning but clueless Golden Deers, "Their father is alive and they have brothers."
"Ah! Sorry, I didn't mean anything by my comment," replied Claude putting on a goofy grin.
"You look like Prince Khalid," commented Demeter between sobs.
Claude freezes, "But he doesn't have hunter tattoos," Violet added.
"Your right," Demeter trailed off but then suddenly exclaimed, "Ah! You're Prince Khalid's dad!" she declared, "You're the king!"
"I have no idea what you are talking about," Claude said with a nervous laugh, "I am Claude von Riegan…"
"That's the crest the twins have!" Demeter declared triumphantly, "Mom, mom, he's Tiana and Khalid's dad, the King of King of Almyra!" she said as she tugged Ingrid's hand.
"Mom?" wondered Hilda.
"I am sorry, but can we get back to the King of King of Almyra bit?" asked Lorenz as he joined them. He had not been part of the initial tableau but had been near enough to hear the girls.
"Umm… you two look like you might be Sylvain's daughters," Marianne noted.
"I guess no point in keeping it a secret now," Annette interjected as she joined them, "Also, we probably could use Lorenz and Marianne's help with the dimension displacement spell. This is Alexi," she gestured towards her little boy, nestled in her arms, "He's mine and Felix's son. Somehow, he and Demeter and Violet here got displaced in time, which should have triggered the creation of a different dimension. So we should be able to return the children to their rightful world using a dimension displacement spell."
"Which is a type of spell that only exists in theory!" exclaimed Lorenz, "But never mind that, what is this about the King of King of Almyra?"
"That's hardly the biggest issue here, Lorenz," Claude seemed nervous.
"Your right! What's important here is Tiana and Khalid, are Claude's kids cute?" wondered Hilda, "Also, who did he bang?"
"Hilda! Language!" said Ingrid.
"Ah, sorry, anyway, who is the Queen of Almyra?" It was clear Hilda would not let up until she had her answer.
"Queen Petra of Brigid is Khalid and Tiana's mom," replied Violet, "I guess that also makes her Queen of Almyra, I am not sure. Almyra is weird!"
"Ah, Petra! Good choice, Claude!" said Hilda slapping his shoulder, "Now I know you have cute kids! Oh! I can't wait to dress them in cute accessories!"
For once, Claude seemed too overwhelmed to respond.
"Again, let's get back to the fact that Claude becomes the King of King of Alymra in the future!" insisted Lorenz but they were interrupted again as Sylvain rushed in.
"Dimitri's dying," he told the girls, "The snake was venomous, the venom is melting his insides!"