Looking back throughout the years, all those years…
Artemus would be lying if he said the lives of his children, his two thieves, hadn't been riddled with twists and turns.
From the time he had first met Garrett, the young street rat who had attempted to pick his pockets on his way home, who held the brightest fire in his eyes, who dared to sink his teeth into a Keeper wrist...
Until that fateful winter where they met again. And Garrett, desperate, afraid, cold, so very cold, tucked himself to Artemus' side and never quite left.
To the young girl hiding within a flooded cellar, resorting to scouring the muck and grime of the City, desperate for food, coin or clothing… Affection… Simply fighting to see the next sunrise, simply fighting to survive…
Before finally taking the hand offered to her.
Through the years they spent within the Haven, hidden beneath the welcoming safety of Artemus' shadow, they learned, they lived, they thrived. And all the while, Artemus watched. Watched them grow, watched them survive...
Until finally, the Haven, a place of safety and learning, became too small for them and they realized that they couldn't grow anymore, couldn't call the Haven home anymore...
They assured Artemus that their decision to leave the Haven, leave his watchful shadow, leave the only home they knew… Was not made rashly. Hastily perhaps, but not rashly.
They were suffocating within the confines of the Haven, suffocating.
The Keepers had offered them much, and the two would be forever grateful, but it wasn't enough to keep them…
Artemus tried not to take offence, he understood, truly he did. The Haven was no longer salvation, there was more out in the city streets, more out in the world…
But Artemus was of the Haven…
To leave the Haven was to leave Artemus.
And Artemus understood… He did.
His children needed to leave the Haven, leave Artemus…
Their return to the city, to the streets was not one of defeat, not of fear or desperation no. the lessons of the Haven were etched into their bones alongside the horrors of their youth.
Garrett and Erin's return to the city, to the streets was of conquest.
A silent declaration of war.
They were no longer children, weak and afraid and hungry and cold.
They would be called monsters and myths, ghosts and wraiths, living shadows or daemons.
They would stalk the streets that once ruled them, and claim the absent throne for themselves.
They were well prepared, strong, swift silent, intelligent. They could survive the cruelties of the city, better yet they could thrive!
And it should not have been anywhere as much of a surprise to the thief siblings that their father would eventually and inevitably find them.
"Do you have any idea how worried I've been?" Artemus said softly, his voice on the verge of wavering as tears warmed his cheeks and dampened Garrett, his alive, so very alive, son's shoulder.
"No note? No way to contact you two? Oh, I nearly died with concern." Artemus scolded as he drew Erin, his daughter, close, tucking her head beneath his chin before he began to gently sway them back and forth.
"We're fine Pa…" Garrett murmured quietly, sheepishly, as he watched Erin press her face into their Keeper's throat, her shoulders shook as the front of Artemus' cloak began to darken with tears.
"And how was I supposed to know that?" Artemus snapped, not cruelly, never cruelly. "Orland ordered your death you know. And there was nothing I could do to persuade him otherwise."
Artemus pressed a firm kiss to the top of his daughter's head, "I never lost faith in you two." He said firmly, "I know that you would never allow yourselves to be caught…"
Artemus reached out to pull Garrett, his son, close, drawing the older thief into a tight hug alongside his sister. "But I worried… Stars was I worried." Artemus sighed as he pressed a kiss to his son's forehead.
"Never do something like this again. Please… I don't think I could handle losing you two…"
The two bowed their heads, averting their eyes, Artemus held them firm, drawing them to his shoulders silently.
"I… I can't expect you to return to the Haven…" He murmured softly once they, his children his! Stopped their soft weeping, "And I can't force you to return either, that would be cruel…"
Artemus took a step back, keeping one hand on each of his children's shoulders. "You two have grown so much… And I know that this." He gestured vaguely to the cathedral attic he found himself in, "Is where you want to be."
He smiled and huffed something ginger, "I've no idea why… But if it makes you two happy, I won't discourage it…" The hands on the thieves' shoulders moved up to cup their cheeks.
"I am so, so very proud of you two. It broke my heart that you decided to leave without saying goodbye, but stars know I would have done everything I could to have you stay…"
Artemus swallowed thickly as he looked between his children, "Please…" He whispered, "Write me, come visit, I know damn well that you two can sneak in and out of the Haven…"
Garrett and Erin, his children, his children! Chuckled at the statement before they moved to him again, burying their faces into his robes as they tucked themselves close.
"Don't leave me like that again…" Artemus whispered delicately, "I know you don't need me anymore… But please, don't leave again… Not like that."
"Thought you'd be upset…" Erin mumbled into Artemus' shoulder, "Oh I was, I was Erin… I was so upset that you'd think to leave me in the dead of night. But you know me… You know I could never stay mad at you…"
"We're sorry, pappy… So sorry."
Artemus sighed, "I know Erin… I know…"
The Keeper stepped back once more to smile before he turned to settle himself atop an evidently well laid in nest of blankets, he patted the spaces beside himself.
"Now… Tears aside, tell me everything, what have you two been up to? How was your first winter outside the Haven?"
Erin's bout of laughter was accompanied by a sob as she rushed to her Keeper's side, pressing herself beneath his arms as she began to delve into the wild and wonderous adventures she and Garrett had been on.
Another weight appeared against Artemus' opposite side as Garrett settled beside the Keeper to listen to his sister.
The three sat in the candlelight of Garrett and Erin's hideout until the early hours of dawn, talking among themselves in hushed whispers until Erin's voice drew quiet and her eyes heavy.
"I love you both…" Artemus whispered softly as he drew the duvet Garrett had most definitely stolen from some estate over Erin's shoulder, pressing a final kiss to her forehead as she finally nodded off to sleep.
"You'll look after your sister, won't you?" Artemus asked softly as he ran a hand through Garrett's hair, soothing the unruly raven locks as the elder thief curled close to his sister.
"I always have." Garrett replied quietly as he leaned into his father's hand.
"And you'll come visit me? You won't stay away?"
Garrett nodded again, "We will, Pa, I promise…"
Artemus pressed a kiss to Garrett's forehead, the elder thief didn't even flinch away from the contact.
"I love you both." Artemus repeated firmly.
"We love you too." Erin mumbled against Garrett's chest, "Now either come to bed or get out."
Artemus merely laughed.
His children were safe.
His children were alive…
And he was so, so, so very proud of them.