Sometimes he couldn't really believe at all it's now two years ago since he became a Father. Watching his little Angel growing up and being pampered by their Comrades draws a smile on his face. Both of them were only twenty when due to unlucky circumstances his mate ended up being pregnant. But neither of them regret having her around. It was quite the opposite. Now even he wasn't able to think of a life without having Shirayuki around him. She was just as important to him as Rogue, Frosch and Lector. Looking at her is the proof of him being the mate of the Shadow Dragon Slayer. A gentle smile rests on his lips. She is the unison of their two elements and of their undying love for each other. On some occasions he wished deep within himself Weisslogia and Skiadrum were still around so that he could show them Shirayuki.
In a way it was a bit sad to know she would never be able to meet the two Dragons that raised her parents. He was also wondering as in how far they would have accepted her. Currently he was on a walk with Lector and Shirayuki when his mind trailed off towards the days he had spent in her age with Weisslogia. Back then he had only the White Dragon to refer as family. He lived with him in the sacred woods and had to learn very early to be indepented. He was taught White Dragon Slayer Magic but also what he needs to know while living among other human beings. He only had the animals of the forest to play with but they were to scared of him to stay around him.
Compared to himself Shirayuki started off in a much better way into life itself than Rogue and himself had done when they where once children. She's surrounded by people who adore and care for her. She has someone to play with even through the Exceed were way older then her. She has a place she's able to call home. Yes, he was sure Weisslogia would have accepted her as his daughter. The White Dragon might also be proud of him figuring out on his own how to be the father he wants to be for his little Angel. Even through his childhood memories mere hazy he tries his hardest to be as Weisslogia had been to him as a father.
************
Since they had started to train Shirayuki how to wield Dragon Slayer Magic the draining procedure was cancelled due to the effect she was able to exhaust herself while using magic. Even adviced them to continue her training when they showed up for her annual Check - up at his place and he is quite pleased how healthy she is. They also learned she had grown fast for a two year old toddler.
Due to the inherited antibodies residing both within Rogue and himself this might be one of the explainable reasons why she shows rapid signs of development in Speech and spiritual Growth. But he was more than proud when the scientist could finally confirm them of Shirayuki being a Dragon Slayer like they are. That would explain why she got faster motion sickness then her parents. Because of her being able to wield both Light and Shadow Magic at the same time any kind of transportation affects all of her keen senses.
So what kind of Dragon Slayer was she then with two Elements residing in her body? He really tried to figure it out while they were walking back towards the Guild. There were only two possible solution in his mind. White Shadow Mode as the one Rogue's future self was using or Holy Shadow Mode as in the way Rogue and himself are using constantly for Unison Raid. „Why is that weird man talking to Kaa-san?" was Shirayuki now asking him, pulling slightly at his pants and right there he noticed her pointing towards a shadow near his mate he hadn't really paid attention to. How in the world was it possible he hadn't detected the luring danger around the Shadow Dragon Slayer earlier?
Both of them had always knew it would one day come up to this moment to fight off the evil shadow trying to possess Rogue but instantly he had hoped it would occur when their daughter would be old enough to understand. Afraid as she was from the shadowy figure she hid behind him and biting on his lips he had know to think through a strategy to protect his daughter from harm while rescuing his mate from the evil shadow now controlling him. To make matters worse Shirayuki was so afraid, she don't wanted to leave his side at all when he told Lector and Frosch to go ahead with her to the Guild. She was clinging on to him as if her own life depened on it. So therefore this fight became quite the challenge for him. With his movement partly restricted he really tried his best but he soon felt himself being overpowered.
No, he can't let Shirayuki getting hurt by this vicious shadow. So he pressed her small body against his and turned his back towards the oncoming attack cast towards him when a warm engulfing light came out of nowhere. In his deep urge to protect her from harm he had cast a spell he'd never used knowingly before. When he just looked over his shoulder a big multi-hexagon structured shield of light surronded them and right there he noticed how pissed off the evil shadow reacted on this move. Was this really his own magic? He never remembered Weisslogia teaching him any defensive or supportive magic at all so therefore it quite surprised him how strong this shield was while repelling the cast shadow magic against it.
„Stay close to me" was he softly wispering to calm down Shirayuki while activating White Drive and right now he had found again his encouragement to fight. It's his duty to assure his family is safe from harm. Shirayuki, Lector and Frosch are entrusting Rogue and him to keep them safe. He no longer fights for selfish reasons like he did during Jienmas reign within Sabertooth. He fights to protect his entire family. Adjusting the shield with his magic so that it would even protect them both while being on the move he was now able to turn the tables in his favour. When the shadow possesed body of his mate knelt before him and he could see Rogue fighting with his own will against it he pulled him into an close embrace. „Come back to us, we need you, Rogue" was he softly wispering to him looking him deep into the ruby-red eyes while his forehead rested on the forehead of the Shadow Dragon Slayer.
Right in the moment after the evil shadow had left Rogues body at all he could sense Shirayuki running and clinging to them as if both of them could vanish right before her eyes. It is the first time he ever sees her cry like this. Honestly it hurt him to see her cry. If it hadn't been for her being around him who knows how this battle would have ended at all. While he has to carry Rogue back home Shirayuki holds on to his pants. She still cries and sobs but in a way he could understand why. They were both this close into losing the one person very dear to them. In a way she is the reason why he is still alive. Because she had been able to notice the lurking danger right befor him he had been able to counteract. Otherwise this fight might have ended in Rogue turning into his future self having killed him and taken over his magic.
************
After this incident the five of them went to seek out the sacred woods he had grown up as a child. For him it was important to travel back to the place he knew from his childhood and it was also important for him to show his daughter there would be no force in this world taking away her mother as long as he would be alive. Being together with her parents and the two Exceeds had the calming effect on her as he hoped it to be. Especially after what she had to experiance in this age he wouldn't doubt at all for her to be mentally scared due to this incident. It changed her so far that she was afraid she would not see them at all when both of them wanted to take off for a Job Request. Even if only the Shadow Dragon Slayer was going on a Job, she only seemed to be little comforted when another mage of Sabertooth would acompany him in this task. That was also the main reason why he decided to travel with Rogue, Shirayuki, Lector and Frosch to the place he once knew as his home. He wanted to give her back some self-confidence and he also wanted to show her to have some more faith into them.
As they finally reach the sacred woods he was filled with warm and saddening memories about his life with Weisslogia. He actually had told himself never to come back here again when he was a teen but right now he felt like coming back here is really important also to himself. Clad in silence he thanked the White Dragon who raised him. When they entered the huge clearing he was still remembering he senses a pure light near by. Shirayuki is left in awe while watching some balls of light float through the air and he smiled when he was her eyes shine bright again. Relieved how he feels in this moment he lays his arm around Rogues waist and watches how she tries to catch one of the fluffy balls of light. No word at all was needed and he knew right away what his mate tried to say to him. „I love you both" was his response to him kissing him on the forehead and they watched now their Exceeds and Shirayuki playing tag with the floating light balls.
This place here would forever stay as a sanctuary in his heart. He vowed to himself to return once in a while with his daughter to the woods so she would be able to forget the bad things lurking in this world threatening to take away what is very precious to her. In a way he has to agree these woods are really a sanctuary. If he weren't named guild master back then he would easily left the guild for a while and stay here with his family as long as they want to. „Kaa-san, Too-san, look" was she now saying to them when he came to them with something resting within her small palms reminding them on a Fairy. „If I ask her nicely to be my friend can she be with us?" was the next thing she wanted to now and with a gentle smile on his lips he nodded. To see these ruby-red eyes lighten up with enjoyment filled his soul with ease. In some ways she was more like Rogue