"Hello."
As he sensed and expected, Xavier and Grace were here. The former had his arms crossed and was observing Old Rocco's children and the door keenly. When Dasha entered, he lowered his hat low. As for Grace, she was helping the kids eat until Dasha entered. There were not three children, there were…seven? Dasha put down the box and the children whose faces he did not know ran over, happy and giddy.
No fear lay in them as they scrounge opened the box.
"Ooh, a teddy bear!"
"Car, car! I've always wanted one."
Dasha returned to his full height. Without looking, he said, "I assume this is your doing, Daughter?"
Daughter was laying stomach-down on the bed, legs kicked up. Arms crossed under her face, the leader of the Whispers laughed. "Oh, come on, you're running a daycare, aren't you? A couple more won't hurt."
"..."
"You know, I should've thought about this. Using children as blackmail in an isolated location, it's brilliant. Brilliant, I say! Sooo…I brought some more!"
