Nemia and Dorian was pulled along by Lillian, down the corridor and stairs. Dorian and his sister bantering each other during their stroll. Nemia chiming in on occasion with a small laugh or nodded agreements.
Her first impression of Lillian was not exactly what she had expected, but it was pleasant enough. She'd felt disgruntled then panicked after realizing Lillian was just on the other side of the bedroom door when she woke. Was nervous when the door was finally opened. But Lillian was nice and welcomed her so easily.
Nemia wasn't used to it, but still, a warmth has spread through her when Lillian had said she always wanted a sister. It was a reflect of Nemia's own wants, in a milder tone she supposed. Glancing up at Dorian, she knew Lillian didn't share her full wants.
She frowned at the thought and smacked it away. Feeling she should be happy right now, not thinking of impossible scenarios where she had her true family with living members. Aside from Malcolm, that is.
Her nose turned as the thought fluttered past but Dorian took notice.
"You okay, Nemia?" He spoke gently, squeezing her hand as his eyes drew a crease between them. Stopping instantly which made Lillian stop and turn to view her with her own soft eyes.
Nemia blinked away her slipped emotions and placed a small, fake smile on her lips. Shaking her head softly. "I'm perfectly fine, no worries." A light tone lifted in her voice, trying to sound sincere.
Lillian seemed to buy it, or in the very least pretended she did. But Nemia felt Dorian pushing into her mind, his eyes searching herself for the truth.
She could feel his emotions of possessiveness, the need he felt to shield her from anything that affects her negatively. Whether it be physically or emotionally.
She tried to cover her emotional pull, but the bond was too strong to let her hide them. She knew he felt what she had felt just moments ago. The sorrow, stinging pain and the disgust of how Malcolm was actually her brother.
"Just drop it, I want to attempt to be happy and not speak of this right now." She forced the sentence into his mind, making sure to emphasize the feeling of disdain about pressing further. Softening quickly though, instantly feeling bad for trying to shut him out. "Please." She added softly, brushing across his mind softly.
He pulled her closer, taking the hand he used to hold hers and draped it over her shoulder.
"Perfectly fine indeed." He chuckled softly, fakely. His feelings of worry still pouring into her. But at least he didn't press further.
Relaxing as they continued their descent into the main hall finally. Rounding the corner and heading into the same sitting room she'd found Dorian and Nik in the previous day, talking of Lillian. The doors were sitting open already and they stilled on in.
Nik's face was the first one Nemia seen, quickly following with Julia. In heated discussion, he was sitting in the chair on the car side of the room. Julia sitting on the couch, corned to him.
"You need to give her that today Julia." Nemia caught his warning, his eyes flickering up to see them walking in and stiffened slightly. Julia noticed, and followed his trail to see them entering. Julia's eyes quickly hit the floor after briefly staring at Nemia.
Nemia could tell Julia felt horrible about what she had kept from Nemia for so long now, but she wasn't quite ready to accept her apologies just yet. But she also knew, she couldn't stay mad at Julia for long.
Nemia's eyes dropped to the floor for a moment before picking them back up.
Looking at the boy that sat on the opposite end of the couch from Julia, nose buried in his phone with a set of headphones blocking out the others. She couldn't see the entirety of him but could tell he must've been in early to mid-teens range.
Foot patters and giggles sounded behind them just after they made it half way to the others.
Nemia turned to see what was going on and she was met with the sight of a young child pulling Milli by the hand and Grivei chasing after them, his tongue lolling out of the side of his mouth. Breaking into the room, Milli in breathless gasps with laughter filling the gaps.
The little boys eyes found Lillian instantly, growing big and showing his sparkling blue eyes with no obstruction.
"Mommy, mommy. The human has a really big dog!!" He grinned ear to ear, using the hand not holding onto Milli and pointed at Grivei. "Se- gross!" The boy laughed as Grivei stuck his snout against the boys finger and licked.
Lillian clicked her tongue disapprovingly. "She has a name, Milli right?" Lillian questioned.
Nemia's eyes drew together before realizing they had probably arrived much earlier and had already been introduced to Milli and Julia both.
Milli nodded her head with a bright smile, her dimples showing cutely. All the while, waving her hand in lightly dismissing Lillian scold. "Yes, Milli. But it's quite alright, I'm not offended."
Lillian smiled. "That may be true, but little Theo needs to get better with his manners." She aimed the ending as a warning and slid her eyes to the young one, now deemed Theo.
Milli nodded, acknowledging Lillian's wishes and slid her hand out of Theo's grasp. He whined in small protests before he stopped trying to keep his grip. Dropping his hand defeatedly.
Grivei stepped closer and nudged Theo's hand that was now at his side. Switching tune almost immediately again and smiled wide yet again, scratching the dogs head.
Dorian cleared his throat and Nemia glanced up, seeing the disapproval in his eyes. "The dog really should stay out back."
Nemia's brows furrowed. "Why?" She asked, a hint of disappointment in her tone.
Dorian's gaze flicked down and he opened his mouth to respond.
"It's to pretect the staff that doesn't do well with animals. And protects the dog in the process so no harm comes to him while he is on the grounds." Nik answered for Dorian, having stood and approached them from behind.
Nemia glanced at him and then past to see that Julia had stayed in place but the other boy was taking his headphones off and standing to come join them as well. Must've been addressed by Nik of their presence.
Nemia nodded. "I suppose that's reasonable." Nodding in understanding and glancing back to Theo and Grivei.
Lillian clapped. "Alright, meeting time!" She chimed softly, smiling and motioned for both boys to come stand with her for a moment.
The older boy came next to her left and Theo bounced to her front. She placed her hands on his shoulders and spun him around to face Nemia and Dorian.
"So the is Theodore, or little Theo. Can't believe he'll be turning eight in two weeks." She moved her hand to rest on the other boys shoulder, who was almost as tall as her and looked nearly identical to Lillian. Though his hair was a muted brown that matched Theo's. Must have been their father's genetics for the hair color.
"This is Ajax. My fifteen year old." She squeezed his shoulder, then leaned over towards them and whispered. "He's my shy one."
"Mom." Ajax stressed in a groan, his voice cracking slightly.
She leaned back straight and let out a playful laugh, rubbing his shoulder lovingly. "Alright, I'm sorry."
Then, she glanced at the two of her kids. "This is your Uncle Dorian and his mate Aunt Nemia."
"Nemi-a?" Theo said her name curiously then smiled. "That's a pretty name." He added sweetly.
Nemia smiled softly. "Aw thanks, I like your name too. Which do you prefer, Theodore or Theo?" She asked, giving him control of his decision.
"Theo!" He squealed loudly with a laugh.
"Alright, then. It's very nice to meet you, Theo." She smiled brightly down at him.
"Nice to meet you too. And you too unc- uncle Dory-an" he struggled slightly saying Dorian's name. Nemia bit her lip to stifle a laugh but Lillian let hers on out and Dorian followed. Soon the entirety of the party in the room was laughing.
Dorian shook his head and waved it off, leaning over to, very lightly, fist bump Theo's shoulder. "Happy to meet you, little one." His eyes soft.
She could sense his feelings of pride in the moment, finally getting to meet his nephews and not have to worry about when his next outburst would come.
She glanced over to Ajax and smiled softly. "It's nice to meet you too, Ajax."
He gave a shy smile and nodded. "To you too, Nemia."
Dorian glanced over and done the same, Ajax being a bit more open to him.
"Moms told us a lot about you in stories. Said you had an actual dragon locked away in your dungeons! That's so cool... Could I see it?" He asked with heightened curiousity, his eyes sparkling with interest.
Dorian sighed and scratched the back of his head. His eyes glanced over his sister before rotating between Nik and Nemia.
"I told you he is a dragon trapped in human form. No prison could actually hold this dragon if he remained as one. The old evil dragon, Kyth of Dragosaph." Lillian chimed in to correct her sons question. "It's not really that cool to see, I just embellished it a bit for flair." She humphed with a teased laugh.
But the silent exchanges between Dorian, Nik, and Nemia wasn't for how it was cool or not. No, these looks were because Kyth was gone. On the prowl for his fragmented dragons soul.
"Well... This is awkward now." Nik commented dryly, walking over to prop against the arm of the couch and crossed his arms.
Dorian sighed defeatedly and hung his head a bit, looking at his sister after a moment with strain in his eyes as the room fell silent.
"Kyth... Escaped." He admitted to her, her arms instinctively clutched around her two boys.
"What?!" She snarled.
Oh boy. "You.. didn't tell her on the phone?" Nemia glanced up to Dorian.
"It... Didn't come up?" He grinned sheepishly.