“Thank you, Balthasar,” Jasper said quietly. His son nodded, and the video screen flicked off until he was staring at his own reflection on the blackened surface. Physically, he’d changed scarcely at all from the man he’d been a hundred years ago, but the events had effected him, and it was evident in his eyes alone. There was a light there, one that came from his family and the wonder that was having children of his own, but more even than that, there was weight. A ponderous, heavy weight that he could see already reflected in the gaze of his oldest son. Sometimes, looking at Balthasar was a little too much like looking into a mirror. Not only were they physically almost identical in some ways, but…the war had shaped them similarly as well, no matter how he’d tried to shield all three of them from the worst of it.
And he had, but… the worst of it was beginning to shift center towards them, and if his son’s news was anything to go by, it would not be long before they were right in the thick of things, whether he wanted them to be or not. Some of them already were, and his thoughts flickered for the briefest moment to his nephews Emrys and Alden especially, but he moved the thoughts aside. There were too many pressing matters to spend much time thinking in such an abstract fashion.
He sent a quick message to Ava, in case she had not already heard through her own children, and then another to Morgan. Between the two of them, they would inform anyone that needed to be informed. Save one. The task of informing his wife that their daughter was missing would be his alone. He did not relish it, but he would never let anyone else take it on, either. Whatever he and Nikki did, they did as one—that was the promise he had made her, the day he married her, and between them there were no secrets.
The two of them and their household were currently stationed in their home in Ireland, because recently, the conflict over the British Isles was the worst in what was otherwise a lull period in the battles, and someone always needed to be close enough to deal with things if they became too grave on the front lines. By this point, he and Nikki could sweep and entire battlefield by themselves, but it was better when they didn’t. The goal was to prevent death, not dole more of it out, but sometimes, there was no other choice, like when the armies moved too close to civilian settlements. His sharp ears picked out the lilting notes of a piano, though he would not need it to find her. He always knew where she was, with a consciousness of her presence that could only come from a bond as deep as the one they shared with one another.
When he found her at the instrument, he bent at the waist, sliding his arms around her own and resting his chin on the crown of her head. “Nikki,” he said softly, drawing her from the music, which was something he almost never did if he could avoid it. But this needed to be said right now, as the undertone of concern in his tone would well suggest. “There is something I must tell you.”
The piano had always been the one thing that was able to keep Nikki grounded, other than Jasper. Almost a century of war and death, and killing, it took its toll on everyone, her included. But, she did what she did so that her children didn't have to. She could already see that look in her son's eyes that she saw in her husband, and a part of her heart broke. She didn't want to see Balthasar like that.
She was well aware of Jasper's presence as he approached, sliding his arms around her waist, a small smile lighting her face, however; her fingers stilled abruptly at his tone. The last note she played still hung in the air, but the hairs on her neck were raising. There was only so much that would make Jasper stop her before she finished playing, and the first and foremost was their children. She twisted halfway around in order to look her husband in the eye.
"What happened, Jasper?"
He sighed. The alarm in her tone was not unwarranted, but that didn’t mean he liked hearing it from her. If he’d had his way—when he had his way—she would never need to use it again. None of them would. But now was not that time, and there was still much work to be done before it would come. He moved to sit down on the bench beside her, taking both of her hands in his and looking her in the eye. She’d be able to see the concern in his, he knew, but he didn’t mind that much, at least.
“I just received a call from Balthasar,” he said softly, moving the pads of his thumbs in soothing circles over the backs of her hands. “Last night, Yuki went missing. It’s believed that the person responsible was Helen and Freya’s brother, a member of the Pantheon, and that she went willingly. Based on what is known of his abilities, it is likely that she went to prevent harm from coming to the others.” There was the faintest hint of irony at the edges of his tone—it was not so unlike what he had done, a hundred years ago, when he believed it was the only way to save the ones he loved most.
That did not, of course, mean that he thought it had been the best action to take, but he could clearly see Yuki’s reasoning, and the way Balthasar had explained what Freyr was capable of, that she had gone willingly seemed the most likely conclusion, especially given the way she’d rendered both Zero and her own familiar unconscious.
To her credit, Nikki's composure was held, even if the color did drain from her face. Her eyes darkened the longer that Jasper spoke, but her face remained rather neutral. While she feared for her daughter, the muscle in her jaw twitched as she clenched it. More than anything, she was angry. She was angry that her children were being manipulated, she was angry that Yuki thought she'd had to go to protect the others.
She could certainly see the parallels in what Jasper had done all those years ago. She let out the breath she'd been holding, staying quiet for a few seconds. She knew how her daughter's disappearance was going to affect her sons. Within seconds, her decision was made.
"I'm going, Jasper. Balthasar and Aryan are going to need one of us, and they need you here more than me."
He watched the progressive lengthening of the shadow in her eyes, and it broke his heart. But fortunately, even when things got bad like this, she was always there to put it back again, as well, and he had trust in their family. They would conquer this problem as they had conquered the rest. They were never alone, after all. He could understand her desire to be with their sons, and he nodded silently, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear.
“Though it pains me as much as it always does to have you other than beside me, I understand, and I agree that they will need you.” His fingers moved gently to trace the line of her jaw, and he leaned forward until his forehead rested against hers. “Go to them, my love, but do not forget that if any of you need me, this can wait. You need only ask, and I will come.” It was true that what he did here was important, and it would be damaging to their efforts for him to spend an extended period of time away from the field of battle, or the strategy room. But even such momentous concerns as these were secondary to his concern for his family, including the extended one.
He closed the distance between them and kissed her softly, holding her to him with one hand to the space between her shoulderblades and the other at her waist, drawing strength from the contact. He was serious regarding his hatred of her absence, but sometimes, this war demanded things of them all that they did not want, and he knew that she was right to go.
Nikki smiled, returning the kiss. She remained in his embrace, her arms entwined about his neck before speaking, "I'll be back as soon as I am able, love." That was true, she would return as soon as she was able, but she didn't plan on being able until they recovered Yuki. Still, she would not prolong it. As much as her children needed her, Jasper needed her, and she him. It hurt physically to be away from him.
But her first priority was Yuki.
And he had, but… the worst of it was beginning to shift center towards them, and if his son’s news was anything to go by, it would not be long before they were right in the thick of things, whether he wanted them to be or not. Some of them already were, and his thoughts flickered for the briefest moment to his nephews Emrys and Alden especially, but he moved the thoughts aside. There were too many pressing matters to spend much time thinking in such an abstract fashion.
He sent a quick message to Ava, in case she had not already heard through her own children, and then another to Morgan. Between the two of them, they would inform anyone that needed to be informed. Save one. The task of informing his wife that their daughter was missing would be his alone. He did not relish it, but he would never let anyone else take it on, either. Whatever he and Nikki did, they did as one—that was the promise he had made her, the day he married her, and between them there were no secrets.
The two of them and their household were currently stationed in their home in Ireland, because recently, the conflict over the British Isles was the worst in what was otherwise a lull period in the battles, and someone always needed to be close enough to deal with things if they became too grave on the front lines. By this point, he and Nikki could sweep and entire battlefield by themselves, but it was better when they didn’t. The goal was to prevent death, not dole more of it out, but sometimes, there was no other choice, like when the armies moved too close to civilian settlements. His sharp ears picked out the lilting notes of a piano, though he would not need it to find her. He always knew where she was, with a consciousness of her presence that could only come from a bond as deep as the one they shared with one another.
When he found her at the instrument, he bent at the waist, sliding his arms around her own and resting his chin on the crown of her head. “Nikki,” he said softly, drawing her from the music, which was something he almost never did if he could avoid it. But this needed to be said right now, as the undertone of concern in his tone would well suggest. “There is something I must tell you.”
The piano had always been the one thing that was able to keep Nikki grounded, other than Jasper. Almost a century of war and death, and killing, it took its toll on everyone, her included. But, she did what she did so that her children didn't have to. She could already see that look in her son's eyes that she saw in her husband, and a part of her heart broke. She didn't want to see Balthasar like that.
She was well aware of Jasper's presence as he approached, sliding his arms around her waist, a small smile lighting her face, however; her fingers stilled abruptly at his tone. The last note she played still hung in the air, but the hairs on her neck were raising. There was only so much that would make Jasper stop her before she finished playing, and the first and foremost was their children. She twisted halfway around in order to look her husband in the eye.
"What happened, Jasper?"
He sighed. The alarm in her tone was not unwarranted, but that didn’t mean he liked hearing it from her. If he’d had his way—when he had his way—she would never need to use it again. None of them would. But now was not that time, and there was still much work to be done before it would come. He moved to sit down on the bench beside her, taking both of her hands in his and looking her in the eye. She’d be able to see the concern in his, he knew, but he didn’t mind that much, at least.
“I just received a call from Balthasar,” he said softly, moving the pads of his thumbs in soothing circles over the backs of her hands. “Last night, Yuki went missing. It’s believed that the person responsible was Helen and Freya’s brother, a member of the Pantheon, and that she went willingly. Based on what is known of his abilities, it is likely that she went to prevent harm from coming to the others.” There was the faintest hint of irony at the edges of his tone—it was not so unlike what he had done, a hundred years ago, when he believed it was the only way to save the ones he loved most.
That did not, of course, mean that he thought it had been the best action to take, but he could clearly see Yuki’s reasoning, and the way Balthasar had explained what Freyr was capable of, that she had gone willingly seemed the most likely conclusion, especially given the way she’d rendered both Zero and her own familiar unconscious.
To her credit, Nikki's composure was held, even if the color did drain from her face. Her eyes darkened the longer that Jasper spoke, but her face remained rather neutral. While she feared for her daughter, the muscle in her jaw twitched as she clenched it. More than anything, she was angry. She was angry that her children were being manipulated, she was angry that Yuki thought she'd had to go to protect the others.
She could certainly see the parallels in what Jasper had done all those years ago. She let out the breath she'd been holding, staying quiet for a few seconds. She knew how her daughter's disappearance was going to affect her sons. Within seconds, her decision was made.
"I'm going, Jasper. Balthasar and Aryan are going to need one of us, and they need you here more than me."
He watched the progressive lengthening of the shadow in her eyes, and it broke his heart. But fortunately, even when things got bad like this, she was always there to put it back again, as well, and he had trust in their family. They would conquer this problem as they had conquered the rest. They were never alone, after all. He could understand her desire to be with their sons, and he nodded silently, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear.
“Though it pains me as much as it always does to have you other than beside me, I understand, and I agree that they will need you.” His fingers moved gently to trace the line of her jaw, and he leaned forward until his forehead rested against hers. “Go to them, my love, but do not forget that if any of you need me, this can wait. You need only ask, and I will come.” It was true that what he did here was important, and it would be damaging to their efforts for him to spend an extended period of time away from the field of battle, or the strategy room. But even such momentous concerns as these were secondary to his concern for his family, including the extended one.
He closed the distance between them and kissed her softly, holding her to him with one hand to the space between her shoulderblades and the other at her waist, drawing strength from the contact. He was serious regarding his hatred of her absence, but sometimes, this war demanded things of them all that they did not want, and he knew that she was right to go.
Nikki smiled, returning the kiss. She remained in his embrace, her arms entwined about his neck before speaking, "I'll be back as soon as I am able, love." That was true, she would return as soon as she was able, but she didn't plan on being able until they recovered Yuki. Still, she would not prolong it. As much as her children needed her, Jasper needed her, and she him. It hurt physically to be away from him.
But her first priority was Yuki.