27
Ianto knew things were happening under the surface but also knew those sharks circling were being led by their mistress and it was nothing to do with him now. Babs was showing her shiny spine. And that fin was cutting a swathe.
He was proud to see her stepping into her priestess robes, even if it was metaphorical and of all his kids he knew she would one day walk across the grass to the great tree with heads bowing to her. She was a natural. The power was not going to her head, she was fair and gentle yet she was stern. She listened to the men who approached, the women who asked and the children who sought. One man had raised his hand to his wife in anger, the child going to Babs who did not seek someone to talk to him about it, merely walking across the square to punch him herself, sending him to the dirt as the others barked with laughter. He still bowed deeply when he saw her, one hand over his heart to show her dominance. He would always know the sting of her chastisement.
No, Babs could handle this part of it … she would seek like a fucking hound after a fox.
If and when help was needed … he would join in to close that book.
The ripples were starting to spread around the village, those who knew and those who did not were growing less and less balanced and by the end to the day people were on guard, some walking around with obvious anger checking people they did not know.
"Tad?"
"Yes Impy?"
"I heard one of the men saying they were doubling security." Imp settled in a chair at the kitchen table where Ianto was sitting with some papers "Is this bad?"
"What happened was bad … as in it was maybe not an accident. Not bad as in seriously hurt him. It could have. If it had been Walt dripping wet from the shower then … it might have killed him" Ianto said, never lying to this one. Like Ton, Imp could smell lies from his Taddy. The Bullshit radar at full volume.
"And now we are safe again?"
"Yes. They are doubling security to check everything, do what is needed to make sure this doesn't happen again and punish whoever did it" Ianto assured him.
"The Men."
"Yes. And the women. There are Hoodlum women too darling." Ianto corrected with a soft pat to his son's hand "We are a family"
"Well … whoever it was … they will find him." Imp said with finality in his nod "Good."
Imp let it go then and there, no longer caring about that side of things and Ianto smiled as the river of life flowing through his house calmed and the ripples settled. Whoever in the distance threw this stone …. They would soon learn that even a gentle, beautiful scenic thing like a river had a nasty undertow that can drag you under and swallow you whole.
Even these pirates Ianto was raising knew that secret.
The Kraken sitting at the table turned another page of the newspaper.
Waiting to feel the change in the water to tell him where to strike.