But the answer to that was kind of obvious.But the answer to that was kind of obvious. Ember had been Dave's favorite for a long time, even before he'd been installed in the castle. "Father?" She rose from the couch, the term of endearment irking me a little as she walked over. Her scent wafted over me. She was... frightened? Apprehensive? Something. She held out her hands, in a come-hither gesture that did not go with her present behavior. I walked forward and took her hands. "What's wrong, sweetheart?" I asked. She knows she can't hide anything from me, anymore than I could from her. She looked up at me, her tongue flicking out over her nose, a nervous gesture she'd picked up from her mother. I raised my eyebrow. "Hmmm?" She looked away, shy, then turned back. "Ken..." Now I was REALLY confused. She NEVER called me that. "Ember, what's bothering you?" "Tomorrow's my birthday. Tomorrow I won't be a kitten, anymore." "And you're afraid I'd stop loving you, or change in some way? That's silly." She shook her head, a firm NO. "I need to ask you for a special favor." "I'd do anything I could for you, you know that." She paused, then, "Tomorrow, I'll be caiss according to everybody except... in the most important way. I'll still be a kitten. You told me a long time ago that the one I gave my kittenin' to should be able to appreciate it for the gift that it is. That's how you said it, and I think... you... could appreciate it most." I looked down at what was to me a very young, very vulnerable girl. "You mean?" She nodded. I was momentarily stunned. I looked down at her, and then I picked her up, gently, one hand under her shoulders, one under her knees, and walked slowly over to the hole in the floor that leads to my bedroom. We fell down it, the v-grav systems dropping us gently onto the bed, and as we landed I positioned myself against her, holding her to me. |