44
Ianto had felt better the next day, well enough to explore the boxes and he soon found a little box that seemed to be sealed like a containment box.
He was confused as he couldn't find any paperwork for it or labels on the box itself so in the end he gently opened it to peek in.
Gods, he wished he hadn't as he had eaten breakfast and it wasn't so pleasant coming back up.
A little girl.
The Anwen lookalike lying there as dead as a door knob.
Ianto knew he was weeping as he clutched at the edge of the makeshift coffin, the little face unmarred but showing obvious fear, even in death.
Poor little baby, poor wee bit.
The baby in his gut twisted as if trying to see the cause of its dam's upset and Ianto broke, crying as he rocked on his knees and prayed to the gods for forgiveness for being the cause of such sorrows. If he had a whip he would have beaten himself.
Better he should have died, better he had fallen in the battle but at the university than to have met Rhys in that baby store and be the cause of this.
Maddy was the one who came, kneeling and crooning as she gently took him in her arms and rocked him through his despair until he had his hormonal jag under control and he laughed shakily as he wiped at his face.
"Wow, I think I needed that" he hiccupped, "I think …I might explode sometimes."
"It is the becoming" she said softly, stroking his hair, "You will adjust. You have my brother's heart though your own soul is so compatible that both of you together causes such an array of feeling."
"It is strange" Ianto sat back and looked at her, "You appear so strong, all of you are so intimidating and fierce, it is comforting to know that inside you are real, vulnerable and striving to succeed."
"As small bugs, we are pushed to our limits and to fail is to bring dishonour" she nodded, "You understand that, you strive too."
"My father was disappointed in me" Ianto agreed, "But what could I do. I was born small and sickly. Not the big strong man he expected. Bad enough my older sibling was a girl, so much more was expected of me. Had Rhiannon been born a boy I might have been accepted more."
"And now?"
"Now …now I fear nothing except failing my …bug?" Ianto canted his head, "I know Jack will never leave, never fail in his efforts to protect and love. I only wish to have my son live a full life. Regardless of height or preferences. If he wants to be a dancer, singer, poet or hell-on-wheels like his Daddy, I will cheer and pave the way."
"You are a good man" she crooned, "It is the job of the dam to do just that, accept, strive and endure. I knew, I think from the moment my hand touched the box you were in, I knew you have that spark of the Goddess."
"Spark of the Goddess" Ianto repeated, "I like that."
He rose and she followed, lifting the box with ease and they moved up through the levels, surprising everyone when they walked through the kitchen.
"What have you got there?" Andy asked.
"The little girl who was taken" Ianto replied, "We cannot return her, she's too …altered. I want to bury her next to Tosh, she will look after her for me."
Rhys insisted on digging the grave himself as everyone watched, Anwen feeling something was going on and when Martha and Tish started picking flowers she did too.
Finally the box was lowered and Ianto sighed as he apologised again and wished her some peace.
"We do not burry our dead" Maddy intoned, "We usually save the parts of their power and eat the rest."
Ianto blanched as Mickey burst out laughing, so shocked that he couldn't stop it from bubbling out.
"It is to ensure that they are absorbed, kept in the blood" she frowned.
"We believe that we are of this earth" Ianto explained, "We come from nothing, are born of nothing and should return to nothing. We belong to the earth, so when we die we go back to her."
"But some burn" she asked.
"Ashes, yes. Scattered or kept. There is more than one religion, different people believe different things" Ianto nodded.
"As do we" she looked down at the box, "I saved my brother, I could not eat him so I took him and placed him on your white orb so he may slumber while watching over you."
"The moon?" Ianto asked pointing up, "Diana?"
"Diana?"
"Diana, the Greek goddess of the Moon, animals and hunting" Ianto explained and she reared back.
"Hunting?"
"Yes, Diana is the Huntress, how fitting that a Predator rests in her embrace" Ianto smiled at the thought and Maddy seemed to consider.
"I was unaware of her importance, now I am doubly pleased with my decision" she reached out and stroked his cheek with a talon, "As I am always, with you little bug."
Ianto grinned and took the hand, kissing it before releasing it and she purred softly with delight.
Diana, fitting.
For she knew the Goddess of the Wolves (she had called herself Rose) and wondered if Diana was as fierce, her hair had been blonde and she had worn a gown that flowed like liquid gold when she had visited her to demand she check that shipment.
For it seemed to her, both Diana and Rose were watching over Ianto as much as she.