Chapter Text
Orion hasn't seen Regina since her wedding. After years of hearing Sirius brag about the children, and with Regina having a baby on the way, Orion has decided to take a trip to the surface.
The children run over in a cascade of raindrops, not even allowing him to fully emerge from the water. Orion is simply grateful that none of them have taken up their mother's habit of reaching for his trident.
Orion hadn't registered that the children's parents weren't on the shore. As he chuckled, holding the children, his eyes caught the grim faces of Fleamont and Effie.
A figure had strode past him, brushing his arms lightly. Orion turned to look over his shoulder, his head swiveling to find his daughter, dress heavy with petticoats hiked up to her bump as she walked hastily to a boat where James had just lowered a rope, smiling brightly down at his wife as she approached. Regina had thrown her head back, giggling to herself in amazement as she held the trident between her palms.
Orion turned around trying to rush after them, when suddenly the kids got a lot heavier, blocking his vision and dangling from his arms.
"Wait, wait!" Ursa calls, the sunlight reflecting off her silver head, struggling to drag a chest filled with heavy clothing, of which were peeking out like tongues lapping at the air. "Mom said that you have a dressmaker down there that makes dresses that move like water, rippling like waves! I want a blue one, and a pink one, and a yellow one!"
And then Adele begins, barely managing to catch her breath as she continues to rattle on, "I want a gold necklace dotted with pearls!"
"I want to see a shell, one that blows so loud it causes the water to gush out like a volcanic eruption," Beatrice tells him, still dangling over his shoulder. "I want to see a shell that trickles pearl beads that turn into anthills in front of people that I don't like. And Uncle Sirius said you stole his mouth, I want it," Beatrice tells him, completely unhurried as she contemplates.
"I want a water horse, and then you have to launch me into the air on a waterfall, and then I want to ride a cloud to Abba," Julia decides.
Ursa is still tugging an entire trunk as she tries to catch up with her family. "I want a copy of Mom's seashell purse collection, and Dorcas has to make me a custom dress—you have to make her! And get me onto the boat, they left me with the rejects!" Ursa complains, trudging over to them, a glare on her face as she puts her hands to her hips.
"I should have known you would be just like your mother. Vain and bothersome," Orion tells them.
"I want the map!" Juliet tells him, bopping him on the head.
"I want my dress!" Adele chimes in, dragging strands of his gray hair.
"I want to see a band before they're invented," Beatrice complains, smacking him on the shoulder with her little fist.
"I want my parents now! Send me and that trunk to—to that boat!" Ursa tells him, stomping her little feet, glaring at him as her demands are punctuated by a heavy, wet lisp through the gap in her teeth.
"Don't beat yourself up," Flea tells him. "James is the exact same way—always running around pulling pranks and dragging Remus and Peter along with him," Effie agrees.
Orion turns towards the water, picking up Ursa, who complains that he forgot her luggage.
"What are you doing?" Effie questions, bouncing to her feet as she rushes after him, her hands reaching down to hoist up the front of her gown.
"Well, I'm taking the blonde one to Dorcas," he says, pointing at Adele. "I'm taking the dictator back to her mother, and then taking the troublemakers to Sirius."
"Uncle Siri! Yes, Uncle Sirius!" both Beatrice and Juliet begin chanting.
Orion pauses in his steps, his water just off the shore, foamy waves brushing over his toes as he turns around. "What?" he asks.
"No, I was just concerned when I saw you walking towards the water with them," Effie tells him, her posture slipping back into formality as she turns away.
"About your son—what did you say about the human boy?" Orion complains.
"Oh, James? Yeah, he used to pull things all the time. He was so tactical about it, too. The servants would never even know where to look," Flea agrees, turning away to follow his wife with a shrug.
"Why the hell didn't you tell me that before?!" Orion moves, his voice rocking through his chest so violently it causes the girls to giggle in spite of the earth shivering beneath them. Effie doesn't turn around, and Flea only glances back for a moment before turning to hurry after his wife.