8

Banging on the door had Ianto turning from the sink where he was making pies and he opened it to find the king himself standing there with his queen. Ianto was uncomfortable with accepting her into his house but moved to one side politely, those damned manners.

"Thank you" the king nodded as he walked in followed by her, her eyes flicking around to settle on the willow pattern collection and a noise escaped as she rushed to examine it.

"My husband's. Heirloom" Ianto said softly, turning to the king, "Would you like refreshments?"

"Yes please" the man chose a seat and settled to look at the placemats the children had made, the one at his chair full of animals and he smiled as he picked them out. Ianto glanced over and watched her pluck up a milk jug.

"Careful, that piece is limited. Jack will be upset if you drop it as it was his first wife's" Ianto warned, placing plates of food down before the king. She replaced the china and sat in a chair, looking around some more.

"Nice room" she finally said.

"Yes, I love this kitchen. Jack and I are a bit old fashioned with our tastes, I like big airy and easy to move about" Ianto placed the tea pot down, this one coincidentally a caravan and the old man laughed at it with delight.

"You have many" he nodded to the shelves around the top of the room full of teapots of various sizes and designs.

"Toshiko collects egg cups, started me on these I guess" Ianto smiled, "Jack loves to bring me things, little items of love and now he has found something that is fun for him to hunt as well."

"A good mate" the king nodded.

"Hard to come by, one of those" Ianto glanced at the queen, her discomfort growing and he smiled "So. I understand there was a light problem earlier? My daughter was surprised to find rutting in public, she has never seen sex before and was surprised. It has been explained"

"What?" the king blinked, "Who did this?"

"Oh, perhaps you need to ask those who were there" As Ianto spoke Big Byrd walked through and poured herself a fresh cup, winking at the king and walking back out of the room, the king craning his head with interest. "Pretty."

"Thank you. My first born" Ianto smiled, pouring the tea as the king and queen swung to gape at him. "I am older than you think I am, so is she. Jack and I are … timeless like our kitchen."

"Is she bonded?" the king asked and now the queen's face paled considerably.

"Yes, thrice" Ianto snorted, "She has two husbands and a wife. She might choose another but that is none of my business, she had her own mind but the dynamic works. Her wife's brother is part of her pack as is her younger brother at times. Gray too … beware of him, the small him is dangerous but if the larger version skulks about you might lose a part of your anatomy. He is very proficient with that knife."

The king stared at Ianto then leaned back, "The woman. The daughter I just saw … she is the little one?"

Ianto sipped his tea and did not answer, knowing the ancient rules of the gods. Let them think what they would, let them see he is powerful and if they wanted to see him as a god with his godly children capable of time-travel why not … true isn't it?

"Hello there" a voice called and Ianto looked up with interest as the Doctor entered, "That mad woman took Sexy again, have you seen my glasses? Left them here I think sweets."

"On the top of the refrigerator" Ianto pointed and the man grunted as he plucked the 3D glasses from the fridge top with glee, placing them on and glancing at the king and queen, then wandering off.

The king blinked, "that….that was the Timelord."

"Yes, you know him do you?" Ianto canted his head, "Ah. Of course, when you first came here right? You met during the initial extraction and re-housing. Terrible thing, the fighting that destroyed your planet. He was a good man, ferrying your people to new home planets."

The king looked at Ianto with something akin to fear then blinked slowly, "Are you a Timelord too?"

"No, I am something different" Ianto shook his head and the king relaxed, the queen rising to look out the window at the children playing as she showed boredom and Ianto leaned forward to lock eyes with the king.

"Mervik may have told you something, judge the source and consider alternative reasons for why she and Bormeth may want you and I to be at odds. Or at least … my dear mate Jack whom she really wanted to open the door this morning." Ianto said softly, "Now you listen to me Gamell, you are growing old, weary and your shield is not at your arm. Do you hear me? Your sword is blunt and the shield is not going to hold. See to it. Check your power and strength."

The old man looked earnestly at the man and nodded, knowing he was being given advice from the gods themselves and his eyes slid to his wife who was unaware of the veiled warnings Ianto was giving.

Seems the king was aware there was something going on and although it was artfully hidden from him, he was still sharper then they thought.

His hand on his sword was still tight.