8. Day five 6.00pm

Gwen left the house as the strange singing started and she found some people in the square, like they were a choir or something. Their voices were harmonised but the words didn't make sense.

Jack came to join her along with the rest of the team and Jack turned to Rhys "What is it?"

"A welcoming song. The queen is coming back and bringing those who have been living on the other side of the forest. On the mountain. It's a big thing, some have not set foot in the village in many years. They are providing comfort and welcome for those who were banished and are now breaking the truce by coming into the township with their queen. This is to show they are welcome and forgiven." Rhys explained.

"Ianto is not with them?" Gwen asked.

"Not bloody likely. His brother will be with them. He was banished after he attacked Ianto the day they buried their father. It was nasty. It was also the first time Ianto showed his Chimeron strength with a little retaliation that startled the elders. Shamus was banished as he could not accept that Ianto had the blessings of the spirits, not him. Ianto was equally hurt by those who did not believe what they saw, leading to his leaving with Lisa on the doomed mission the council asked of him. You are going to see some painful reunions and some awkward ones. Gwen love… you are going to see green people as most of them are almost pure blood and are proud of it. They did not choose to pale their skin with each renewal as we can … they chose to keep the original colour of our people and will flaunt it like it is a badge of honour. Another problem between the two villages. They believe paling ourselves to match the humans is some sort of … self-hatred or belittling of our kind."

"Great. So … there will be arguments, posturing and maybe bloodshed" Owen sighed "sounds like one of my family's reunions."

"Shamus is older than Ianto. Much older but … Ianto is stronger. We suspect his mother gave him something extra, she was not human either. Came from the stars as we did. We could never work it out but she was …. More. Ianto was born so intelligent and so scary. Giving him away was the only way the village would feel calm, he made everyone afraid. He was too different. After his foster parents died he returned. Seems he remembered, even as a newborn and as a nine year old was pretty pissed that he had been sent away. When I met him I was still a child, he as he is now. A man. Kind, loving and gentle yet … hurt. Always, he felt like he was not good enough. Her majesty chose to comfort Shamus, to take his side in the arguments at the graveside. Something that Ianto has not forgiven. As much as he loves her … he was badly cut from that. Of course, her majesty is now sorry she did that. She did not understand what was happening, only learning after the fact that Shamus had tried to take his father's crown from the grave. Tried to claim birthright when it was not that simple."

"Why not?" Gwen asked with interest.

"Because … it is not a matter if birthright for succession for the crown. It is a matter of strength. Ianto had never flexed before, never. Shamus did not know he had ANY drop of Chimeron in him until that day and boy oh boy did he show his colours. Shamus was humiliated but still clinging to that crown. Ianto was hurt, humiliated when his grandmother scolded him openly for 'attacking' shamus and he withdrew. She didn't see the fight, did not see Ianto's show. He left the island and went to an outpost for many years, then came the chance to stop the madness. He left with a small group hoping to halt the advancement of technology that seemed to be taking over the world. He was mocked for that as well. Well … look who is sorry now. He was right. Lisa died trying to stop it, he almost died. .. how many did… so many have paid the price of us not listening to him. Had we listened, acted as one we might have managed to quash it before it got the strength to fight back. We were stupid. Scoffed like shamus had. Now … there is shame once more as Ianto has had to flex. The only real thing to ponder here is how will the dynamics settle? Who will sit in the chair? I know Ianto does not want it, the queen needs someone to take it and Shamus is far too eager."

"Time is a great healer" Jack said after a while "Perhaps … perhaps with time comes perspective? Maybe they will be more level headed now?"

"Jack. Does Ianto EVER change his mind? Ever back down? Nope. This is going to be a clash" Rhys sighed "But an overdue one."

He just hoped the island would still be standing after it was over.