Alois sighed as he readjusted the large flopping, pink hat which had been covering his eyes.
"This too, you will look so very pretty in it, please?" Rachel pleaded handing her cousin a lavender colored apron.
"But Rachel, I-"
"Please, it is for the tea party, you said you would play with me since Mommy is talking to Evian and Vincent and Rowan have to stay in their rooms. I do not know why brother Rowan has been so mean. Does he not love us anymore?"
"I'm sure he does, even Luca has days that he's a little cranky, that doesn't mean he doesn't love me or I don't love him. That's what brothers do. But with your daddy being gone, it probably makes him very sad."
"I am sad too, but I am not bad."
"Everyone handles things differently Princess."
"Like mommy, he gets very sad but he has not been crying like I do. I cry a lot sometimes, mommy and daddy do not like it."
"No good parent likes it when their child cries."
"Mommy and daddy are very good. Know what?"
"What Princess?"
"You are good too, and you are my favorite Alois in the whole world!" Rachel hugged her cousin.
"Thank you. That's such a very nice thing to say."
"It is true. I am very happy that you are living with us." Alois couldn't help but smile.
"I am too." Alois was truly grateful to finally feel like part of a family. Though he missed Naveen very much, Ciel's children kept him busy. It was usually after they fell asleep that both he and Ciel would show their true feelings of worry for their mates.
"Having tea?" Ciel laughed before taking a photo. Alois glared.
"Really Ciel, did you have to?"
"Yes. This one is going-"
"Come on, you're not going to keep that?"
"Of course I am, my daughter's in it." Alois rolled his eyes.
"I am mommy?" Rachel grinned.
"Yes, I got both of you."
"Yay, mommy wanted a photo of me!" She rushed to Ciel who put down his camera and lifted her into his arms.
"I can never have too many photos I'd my little ones.'
"Because we are your very favorite babies in the whole world!"
"That's right."
"Are we daddy's favorite babies too?"
"Yes. You four are also your grandmother's favorite grandchildren."
"That is good, I like being favorite. That means I am loved very much."
"Yes you are."
"Will you come to my tea party too?" Ciel smiled.
"I'd be happy to."
"Good, I can get a photo of you too then."
"Just be careful with it. That's the only camera I have." He set Rachel down and she rushed to the box of dress up clothes.
"I'm going to pick something pretty for you mommy. It will be such a happy thing!"
"You'd really let me take one of you?"
"Why not, they'll be good memories for her when she's older. I don't want her to look back when she's grown and say her mother didn't care enough to spend time with her, to do fun things. If I allowed that to happen, I wouldn't be a very good mother at all."
"Mommy, you are the best mommy ever, do not say you are not good. You make me happy!"
"Good. I want all four of you to be happy, It's very important to me."
"Really?"
"Yes. I know what It's like to be unhappy and that's not what I want for my children."
"Even if you have to look ridiculous?" Alois chuckled.
"Alois, being a mother sometimes means doing an activity that you may feel silly taking part in, but if Rachel is having fun, that's what matters."
"How did you get that way, so selfless and-"
"Having children really does change everything."
"Here mommy, this one is beautiful." She handed him a top hat with a red ribbon tied to it and a red scarf, then she stood very close to Ciel as Alois took the picture.
"You have such a great family Ciel, you have so much love and I just adore your children. If one day I have one of my own, I hope he or she is just like yours."
"Maybe one day you'll find out."
An hour later, Ciel found himself summoned to Ann's castle on urgent business, Alois was at his side. Upon arrival, they found Ann pacing the throne room nervously.
"Ann, what happened?" Ciel asked in a panic.
"Oh Ciel dear, It's terrible, absolutely awful."
"What is?" Ciel's heart dropped as his mother in law looked at him and spoke.
"The war has begun, they- those beasts- my mate was injured badly, one of the angels tried to warn them but... Mordred is missing after the attack and many of our soldiers were-" she put her head in her hands and sobbed. Alois and Ciel looked at each other and embraced her.
"I'm sorry Ann, they're going to be alright."
"There's more, They plan to attack the humans next, close to London, they will make their way toward us from-"
"London, Ann are you sure?" The queen nodded.
"They plan to kill everything that is not their own kind."
"Ciel what's wrong?" Alois asked noticing how the color suddenly drained from his cousin's face.
"Lizzy, she's not far from there." He said, he knew he had ro do something, the question remaining was what could be done?