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Tam rocks for a long time, holding the baby to his chest, his face an odd study of sad acceptance. "He's been transformed..." he says finally. "Burnt clean, but he has no purpose, no reason to live." He shudders openly and two tears fall down to Ari's cheek. "Part... part of me wants to say good riddance... for ... for it is through him she lost her life, but..."

He looks up with one of the saddest expression Kerobian's has ever seen him bear. "But had he not loved her so, she never would have loved him. A love like that... defies the boundaries of time and space. It... it was his love.. her love that brought her back. I... I would meet this dragon brother of your, Kerobian... to see for myself if he has indeed been reborn."

And suddenly Kero understands, if only a little, what it means to be an angel of love. Tam's pain is so very very real and yet already he is embracing another's pain as his own.

Tam smiles at him. "Uncle Fizban will always be welcomed in my house, Kero... but no fireworks..." he says with a sad smile.

Paladin walks in, going straight to Tam and embraces him, gazing down at the baby as he does so. "So you've finally found your path." he murmurs kindly to Tam, tracing a finger along the baby's cheek.

Wasn't exactly chosen... more like I was thrown upon it will ye or nil ye..." says Tam with a sigh. "Ari, love, this is your great uncle Fiz... who will probably spoil you and your sister to death at some point down in time... remember him, but he won't look like this the next time you see him."

Paladin chuckles and shakes his head. "Mayhaps, I would love to say I'll be around, but lately I just don't know. So she has a sister does she?"

He finds him conversing with a smallish silvery white dragon and Keva. "Mes'sirrah!" he exclaims as Kerobian comes in. "This one tells me there are children in the void."

The dragon snorts softly through his nose. "Sorry, Kero... I didn't know you were raising him here for a purpose. He was asking questions about you and the void... so I was answering them and it kind of slipped out. He's met Rhea, so I assumed he knew about the young ones."

The boy looks at him wide eyed. "Who me?" he asks with a grin.

Emnast laughs softly and shakes his head. "reminds me of someone else I know someone with a sweet tooth that just doesn't seem to quit." He tells the boy good bye and asks Keva if he's joining them, but a warning look from Kerobian to the fox causes him to shake his head no.

"I'll just stay here and help Pasa eat up his candy... if ye don't mind. I've already been over to see Tam and Bez, if that's who yer talking about."

Emnast looks at him with a frown. "Kero, what;s wrong... and don't you go saying nothing because I've known you long enough to know something is bothering the heck out of you."

Tam is still in the chair and as they enter he stands, carrying Ari in his arms. "I see..." he says quietly. "Listen, I need to go get Mara so she can feed and Fiz was asking me to tell you he needed to talk to you and Bez about something, so... Little one, would you hold Ari for me while I go to get her sister?"

Baffled the small dragon gives a hesitant nod. "Umm... yeah... sure... I... I guess I could do that. Never held a baby before though."

Tam smiles and kneels down by his side. "It's really very easy... curl up like this, ok? and hold your arms just so... there ye go... I'll be right back... don't worry... it won't be long..."

He stands up and motions to Kerobian to follow him out of the room. Out of sight Tam stops him and lifting a finger to his lips he edges back until he can see the dragon, but Emnast cannot see him and waits.

At first nothing happens. The dragon merely coos at the baby and tickles her feet, Then suddenly he freezes and begins to exaime more closely the tiny face, dwarfed by his own.