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“Isla, my love, are you alright?” Enderian turned back, noticing that she was no longer walking beside her, instead freezing in place. “Isla, what is it?”
She followed Isla’s line of sight to see what she was staring at. Through the crowds of deceased souls enjoying the park, Enderian could see two men sitting on one of the benches, talking and laughing together.
The taller soul had short brown hair, held back by a pair of goggles, dressed in a blue shirt, brown leather waistcoat and fingerless gloves. A small blue flower was tucked into his hair above the arms of his glasses.
The other had a silver crown perched on his head, ordained with light blue jewels. He had long, light blonde hair cascading down both sides of his shoulder. The man was dressed like a king, a flowing white shirt with a blue jewelled tie pin at his throat and a deep blue mantle over his shoulders.
They both had identical silver wedding bands on their ring fingers.
“My dads are over there.” Isla whispered, “Gods… I haven’t seen them since before I married Fable.”
“Raemond and Everett? That’s them?” Enderian took Isla’s hand, “Would you like to go over?”
“Yeah. Yeah, I do.”
They started walking toward the bench, Isla’s hand starting to tremble in Enderian’s grip.
“Dads?” Isla asked and the souls’ heads snapped over to look at her, getting to their feet, faces going slack in shock.
“Isla?” The soul Enderian assumed to be Raemond said, breathlessly, “Oh, Isla!”
She stepped back as the souls surged toward their daughter, wrapping their arms around her, tears running down their faces.
“My daughter.” Everett was whispering in Isla’s ear, pressing a kiss onto her cheek, “We’ve missed you so much, my sweet snow orchid.”
They pulled away, holding Isla’s face in their hands, Raemond moving her hair out of her face.
“I missed you too.” Isla’s face was wet with happy tears, sniffing through a relieved laugh.
“Wait,” Raemond’s face fell slightly, “If you’re here, then-“
“I’m still alive, Dad.” Isla said, quickly, stepping back and taking Enderian’s hand, bringing her forward, “I’m here visiting my girlfriend.”
The souls seemed to just notice Enderian standing there, awkwardly.
“Your majesties,” She bowed, slightly, “I’m Enderian, ex-goddess of the mind.”
“I remember you.” Everett frowned, shaking her hand, before turning a surprised look to Isla, “Goddess of the mind… and Fable’s sister.”
“It’s a long story.” Isla shrugged, “But I’m happier with her than I could ever be with him.”
“Are you treating our daughter right?” Raemond asked.
“I believe so.” Enderian replied, “I have nothing love for Isla.”
An ethusiastic nod from Isla seemed to satisfy him. He nodded, shaking Enderian’s hand.
“Welcome to the Morningstar family, Enderian.”
A smile broke Enderian’s face as she nodded once. “Thank you. You have no idea how much I appreciate that.”
Raemond nodded, giving her a soft smile.
“I have so much to tell you two.” Isla smiled, sitting with her fathers and Enderian on the bench, “So much’s happened.”
“We saw a bulletin before we died that you gave birth to a child.” Everett said, “How are they?”
Isla hesitated, facing Enderian as she put a hand on her’s.
“Their name was Icarus Morningstar… but I can’t really tell you anything about them.” She took a deep breath, steadying herself, “I was taken by Fable when they were five and when I was rescued… I was told they passed away when they were twelve and their soul hasn’t appeared yet.”
Raemond and Everett’s faces fell.
“Oh, Isla, I’m so sorry.”
“That’s terrible.” Her free hand was quickly held between those of her fathers’.
“It was hard.” Isla admitted, “But, I was helped by my son. Me and Enderian’s child.”
“You have another child?” Raemond’s smile returned, “Well, what’s he like?”
“He’s not much of child anymore, he’s all grown up. He is… incredibly smart,” Isla smiled, memories of his caffine-fueled ramblings flooding her mind, “He loves books and science, he’s kind and caring and-“
“Addicted to coffee and pastries.” Enderian added, making everyone laugh.
“What’s his name?”
Isla glanced at Enderian, their smiles widening, “His name is Rae Morningstar. Spelled R-A-E.”
Raemond’s jaw fell open and Everett let out a surprised laugh, putting an arm around his husband’s shoulders and jostling him affectionately.
“Isla, you didn’t…”
“I did.” She nodded.
Isla laughed as Raemond wrapped her in another hug, tears welling in his eyes,
“Thank you, sweetheart. This is the highest honour I’ve ever been bestowed.”
Enderian pulled out her communicator and scrolled through her photos, finding a photo of Rae on his wedding day and passing the communicator to Raemond and Everett as he withdrew from the hug.
“This was his wedding day: there’s Caspian, Aax and Fenris- that’s Rae there, the man with horns.” Enderian pointed to the men in the photo and Raemond and Everett looked to each other, pure joy on their faces.
“He looks so much like the both of you,” Everett said, barely glancing away from the photo for a moment before turning back to the joyous face of his grandson and his partners, “His face- his eyes… he looks so happy.”
An idea popped into Isla’s head and she pulled out her own comm, “I can see if he come here, if you want?”
“He’ll do that?”
“Knowing what he’s like, he probably needs a break from whatever research he’s been doing.” Enderian smiled, “And he’ll want to meet his grandfathers.”
Isla put her comm on speakerphone, listening to it ring until Rae’s tired voice said.
Hey, Mom, what’s up? I thought you were in Elysium with Mom.
“I am, but we found some people you’ll want to meet.”
She nodded to her fathers, indicating to the comm.
“Hi, Rae.” Everett said, hesitantly, taking Raemond’s hand in his grip.
“Hello.” Raemond greeted.
Uh, hi. Sorry, who are you guys? I don’t recognise your voices.
“It’s Raemond and Everett Morningstar.” Raemond breathed deeply, fidgeting nervously, “Your grandfathers.”
Wait, really? It’s really you guys? Mom found you in Elysium?
“Yeah, yes, she did. It’s good to meet you, Rae.” Everett’s voice was shaking as he made eye contact with Raemond, their smiles widening.
Okay, where in Elysium are you? I want to meet you properly.
“Uh, the Overworld Park, I believe.”
Alright, stay there, I’m on my way- I’ll see you soon!
Everett put a hand on Raemond’s shoulder, looking into his husband’s eyes.
“We’re gonna meet our grandson.”
Rae hung up, leaning back in his chair and staring at his comm in disbelief before forcing himself to his feet. He grabbed Field Notes and left his study, all but running toward the front door.
“Fenris, I’m going out- I’ll be in Elysium, I have my comm on me.”
“Rae?” Fenris frowned, stepping back from the oven, still in his apron, “What’s going on? Why the hurry?”
“My moms just found Raemond and Everett in Elysium, I’m on my way to meet them now… Where’s Vaeh?”
“Cas and Aax took her on a playdate with TJ and Argo over in Seaside, remember?”
“Oh yeah, sorry.” He ran his hand over his face, “I’ve been working for way too long- you wanna come?”
“Really, you want me there?”
“More the merrier, c’mon.”
They jogged outside, launching themselves into the air, without any need for their wings, flying to the Elysium portal. Together, they stepped through, going as fast as they could to the Overworld park.
Enderian was waiting by the entrance, pulling Rae into a hug as he got close.
“Hi Mom.” He smiled.
“Hey, Son.” She pulled away, nodding respectfully to Fenris, “Is the little one with you?”
“Playdate in Seaside with Cas and Aax. She’s safe, you don’t need to worry.”
“You’re really growing into this whole grandmother thing, I think.” Fenris smiled as Enderian failed to hide her glee at the compliment.
“They’re waiting for us in there.” She nodded inside the park, composing herself, “I don’t think we should keep them waiting.”
He took a deep breath, following his mother with his hand in Fenris’s.
The park wasn’t very busy, only a few souls milling around and a few child souls running around on the grass and climbing the trees.
Rae smiled and watched them from the corner of his eye, his thoughts immediately going to his daughter.
I hope Vaeh’s having that much fun in Seaside.
They approached one of the benches, Isla smiling once she saw them, pointing as the souls sitting beside her turned. Raemond and Everett got to their feet, looks of awe on their faces.
“Hi.” Raemond said, smiling nervously as they came close, “I- I’m Raemond.”
“I know.” Rae released Fenris’s hand, running over and wrapping both of them in a hug, mindful of his horns, his face smiling wider as the hug was returned, strongly, “I thought I’d never get to meet you. I found the castle last reset- and your graves…”
He pulled away, letting them fully take in his appearance.
“I just can’t believe I’m talking to you right now.”
“We always hoped for a grandchild.” Everett smiled, “We can’t believe we’re talking to you.”
Raemond couldn’t take his eyes from Rae’s face, near speechless by the man bearing his name.
“Sorry, I look a bit scruffy right now.” Rae said, adjusting his shirt a bit, “I’ve been working and Vaeh’s been running circles around me and Fenris.”
“Well, flying circles is more accurate. And don’t worry, you look great.” Fenris grinned, holding out a hand, “Hi, I’m Fenris- one of Rae’s husbands.”
“We know- Enderian showed us one of your wedding photos.” Everett shook his hand, “Good to meet you. I’m Everett.”
“Uh, good to meet you.” Raemond snapped out of his trance, flushing pink without blood with embarrassment, hurriedly shaking Fenris’s hand, “Sorry but, who’s Vaeh?”
Rae glanced to Fenris, taking his hand.
“Vaeh Orchid Nightingstar is our daughter.” Fenris said as Rae pulled out his comm, loading his photo of his part ers and her, “She’s five now.”
“Our little north star.” Rae passed his comm to his grandads and for seemingly the hundreth time that day, their non-existant hearts melting as they saw her smile.
“She’s out with my other partners, but when they’re back we’ll bring them to meet you.”
“She’s adorable.” Raemond looked up from the comm, “Looks so much like both of you.”
“Thank you.” Rae smiled at his grandfathers as they pointed out the small details of their great-grandaughter a d sons-in-law. Fenris’s hand was still in his. He saw his mothers holding hands on the bench, Isla’s head on Enderian’s shoulder, watching them.
His family.
His love.
His true home.