Chapter: Morning

The sun had gotten up, but the grey clouds hung like a frail veil across it and dimmed its light along with dragging a thin, misty rain over the world outside. The great windows in the entrance hall let in the light, which showered the interior. At the left of the hall, beyond the square hall where the gathering of the family itself had been held, was a slightly open hall, almost like a little scene raised two steps above ground floor. One door led away to a corridor that led to the administration wing, another led to the kitchen where the smell of well-done breakfast seeped out into the hall.

This was the morning table hall, where the family gathered to have breakfast before they went about their business. Usually, it was served at eight, but in weekends it was around ten o'clock.

This morning was one of the usual ones, however last night had caused a bit of commotion. The family knew better than to bring up the troubles of their lord first thing in the morning though.

The first one down was Rachel, humming or whistling a tune, typically with Zacharias at her heels. They laid the table and said good morning to the servants in the kitchen. Then Alexander and Eli descended and came to join them, Patrick and Marek next. Then the four Phoenix-children entered the scene, Paris, Shade, Agribel and Rose Tiger, all on line as they walked down the great stair. Lin Mar never joined them in the mansion unless it was a very, very special occasion.

Then Isobel and Vladimir came down; if there were guests, they followed at this time as well. And in the end, Gabriel and Matthew came down. This was the point where the most of the family was gathered, and they talked and discussed the day's details.

Now, the thing about Gabriel and Matthew coming down the stair was all about the order they descended in, which signalled how the day was going to be. If Gabriel came down first, the day would be fine. If they were side by side, or Matthew was down first with Gabriel close behind him, things were well too, but people were not supposed to talk too loudly at the table about certain subjects. If Matthew came down first and Gabriel followed later, either two or more steps behind or even much later, not even accompanying his father at the table, silence was required from everyone that morning.

This morning followed the usual pattern, and Gabriel and Matthew came down side by side, smiling and talking quietly together, exchanging affectionate glances as they sat down.

The thing about these mornings was that no matter what, everyone was supposed to be there at least for a short space of time while Matthew was there. He oversaw the crowd, like a shepherd looking over his flock.

If you wanted to talk to him afterwards, at the time you left, you were supposed to go and greet him with a kiss on the cheek. And even if you were not going to be home and had completely different plans for the day, you had to go and kiss his forehead, a sign of devotion. If you wanted to speak with him directly after breakfast, you were to kiss his lips lightly, and if you wanted the conversation just you and him, it was a deeper kiss. Only Gabriel did not follow this code of communication and nobody questioned that custom.

Also, you could not address him as anything else than "uncle" or "lord". Only Isobel, Vladimir, Gabriel and Rachel were allowed to call him by his name when in his presence, and even then, it was usually only Isobel and Gabriel who did it.

This morning, he was greeted immediately by the young ones with hugs and kisses, slightly unusual but he accepted their motions of affection; as a matter of fact, and not surprisingly, he enjoyed it. He merely smiled as he settled down and received their caresses without question. He knew they had been instructed in easing his anger from yesterday evening. They sat down around the table and began tucking in. The smell of newly brewed tea and scrambled eggs and bacon drifted out into the entrance hall.

"So, uncle, how was the press conference?" Rachel asked. Matthew looked up from his newspaper, about to grab his cup of tea.

"It was fine," he answered with a reassuring smile.

"I heard there was some trouble with an inquisitive journalist?" Paris stated from the other end of the table.

"Yes, she was taken care of," Matthew said. Gabriel glanced at him with a fork full of eggs on course to his mouth.

"What about the woman?" he asked.

"Oh," Matthew laughed. "She proved to be the wife of Mr. Parpijetsky."

Quiet laughter rose around the table. Only Isobel, Vladimir and Matthew remained unenlightened.

"What was that about?" Vladimir asked sharply.

"We had loads of fun with that guy," Patrick explained and glanced at Gabriel, who looked away with a smile.

"Ah, I see," Vladimir raised an eyebrow. Matthew looked at him as he put a hand discreetly onto Gabriel's.

"The woman was no problem," he assured Vladimir. "Thomas and Marcus told me of her afterwards, but now there's not much left to speak about."

"Uncle?" Eli rose slowly from the table and an instant hush fell on all of them. Matthew looked up, slightly surprised, however not able to contain the expectation that something was boiling up.

"Yes, my dear... dears?" he corrected himself with a pause of perfection, realizing that she spoke on behalf of everyone present at the table.

"Well," Eli took a deep breath, "we were just wondering... For your anniversary..." Matthew cut her off with a warm laughter. She repelled his laughter with a look of confusion. "What is it?" she asked, astonished that he would laugh at her.

"Sweethearts, don't worry about me," he said reassuring.

"But we want to," Agribel emphasized.

"It's too long time ago that we've done something. To honour you," Marek pointed out.

"And what better occasion than your anniversary to do such a thing!" Paris said with a shrug. Gabriel turned and looked at his father.

"Matthew, listen, we just wanted to make something special for you," he tried to explain with a smile. "So... we were actually thinking about going abroad."

A light frown swung over Matthew's plain forehead. "I can't do that, I've got meetings and -"

"C'mon, it would be so fun," Rachel pleaded and put up a smouldering look with her warm, green eyes. Matthew eyed her out, and he could see that they had practised this for so long that if he tried to refuse their offer, he would not be able to. And besides there was something inside - was it perhaps love? - that made him warm at the mere thought that these loyal, obedient and loving creatures would do such a thing for him, although he gave them hell. He pondered this odd emotion, if that's what it was called, swelling inside as the girls rose and surrounded him, hugging, touching and caressing him. He laughed quietly, and patted their cheeks and kissed their hair.

"You fiendish little devils," he said as they sat down again. "I've taught you too well."

"That must be a good thing," Zacharias suggested.

"Well, I can see that there's no way out of this for me," he tapped the table top with his fingers and his gaze swept around each one of them. "Where do you want to go?"

The young ones exchanged glances.

"Well, we'd like to go to Tibet," Agribel said and the dark angels nodded shortly acknowledging.

"We'd been talking about the Mayan temples," Rachel glanced at her brothers.

"We were thinking Svalbard," Alexander said quietly. Matthew looked around again and shook his head smiling.

"So you want to go everywhere," he concluded.

"Yeah," they all agreed. He leaned back contemplating his options. Both Vladimir and Isobel had problems disguising their smiles.

"Well, then, we'll let the heir decide then," Matthew said finally, and Gabriel looked shocked at him.

"No, father, I can't do that," he tried to ward him off. "I mean, you should decide this. After all, it's for you, not us. If you want to go somewhere completely different, it's your choice. Not ours." He looked around and received agreeing nods and words.

"Fine, a week's intense training course on Axis?" he suggested.

"NO!" they all exclaimed, but laughed likewise. The only one applauding the suggestion was Vladimir, who smiled fiendishly.

"No, not that? Well, then I must book a passage to somewhere nicer than just this world's locations."

"What about staying over at the Palace of the Dead?" Rose Tiger suggested quietly. They looked despondently at her.

"Tiger, nobody wants to stay over for a week in that place," Eli said.

"What do you care? You're blind anyway!" Marek laughed, and Eli swung the back of her hand at him, striking him very precisely at his cheek and ear.

"You say that again, birdbrain!" she hissed and the others laughed again. Marek scowled at her.

"I'll look into it," Matthew said.

"I've heard the beaches of Bellmar should be wonderful in a few months," Rachel said.

"I'm not exactly the beach-type of guy," Matthew replied eloquently and raised a choir of laughter.

"What about Raishu?" Isobel said.

"Or just a weekend in Paris?" Patrick giggled. Marek nudged his ribs with an elbow. Paris glared at them.

"Oh, boys, you're looking for trouble," she spat.

"As always," Eli rolled her eyes.

"Sweeties, manners," Isobel's sleek voice cut through, and Patrick and Marek looked down, not embarrassed, but they fell silent. Matthew gave Isobel a warning glance. They were her responsibility after all, and although they were known as the greatest pranksters ever born, they were not supposed to bother the others too much.

"I have another idea than going abroad," Matthew tapped the table-top and looked around. Silence fell upon the gathering and they looked anticipating at him.

"What, father?" Gabriel asked softly, being the only one besides Isobel and Vladimir to inquire for his father's intentions.

"What if we," Matthew rose slowly and strolled down along the table. He came to a halt behind Patrick and Marek and put a hand on their shoulders, "made a prank." He glanced down at the two young Darklighters who looked as if struck by lightning hearing their uncle suggesting something funny for once.

"A prank?" Patrick asked.

"How so?" Marek joined in eagerly. Matthew leant down and smiled slyly.

"A cunning prank, my good nephews," he said and straightened up as he looked across the table, "and nieces as well. It will take your loyalty to sacrifice yourselves for the sake of my pleasure," his eyes gleamed, "but I suppose you're used to that." They smiled and nodded willingly without commenting as he walked back to his seat and settled down with the words: "We put up the mansion for rent."

The reaction was not as grandiose as one could expect at a proposition like that from their lord. The most of them were silent and some frowned and threw sidelong glances at each other, repeating his words in a disbelieving whisper.

"What?" Gabriel made the confusion audible, and Matthew nodded to acknowledge his statement.

"Renting out the mansion," he declared without hesitation and looked firmly at his son, who still stared at him, not knowing what to say.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Vladimir specified Gabriel's inquiry.

"I mean that we rent out the mansion. Find a proper reason," he glanced at Zacharias, "find a proper family to rent it," he looked back at Vladimir, "and give it to them."

"What?" Isobel was almost on her feet. Matthew had to laugh. Their fear, their astonishment and confusion was amusing.

"With undeclared inventory, of course," he elaborated his proposition. Isobel's frown was unchanged.

"Undeclared inventory? You mean, scare them to death with shadows and your dolls?" Gabriel asked finally. A grin split Matthew's lips and he nodded to confirm the question.

"Indeed, my dear," he said darkly. "We monitor the entire thing while we stay somewhere secure, the Palace of the Dead would be a good place and I'm sure Sarad'Ilmos would be delighted to help."

The proposition was considered and gradually the thoughts were accepted, analysed and became the source of amusement for all of them. They agreed that Matthew and Zacharias were to take care of the formalities later on.

"What are today's plans?" Isobel asked when peace had settled around the table.

"I think we're going to practise some martial arts in the garden," Gabriel answered. "Me, Alex, Eli, Patrick, Marek and, of course, Tiger." The little dark angel beamed, displaying her sharp teeth.

"I'm going to show some taekwondo techniques," she explained. Vladimir blinked a few times disbelieving.

"Tiger, I love you," he said frankly. Tiger rolled her eyes as the others giggled.

"Vlad, I appreciate your affection, but let's stick to training still, right?"

"No, I'm serious. You're taking my responsibility. Matthew, you ought to make her a trainer in the barracks!" Vladimir turned to Matthew, who looked musing at Tiger.

"I'm not sure..." She hesitated. "I don't think my techniques are perfected yet."

"Let's talk about it after breakfast," Matthew said. She smacked her lips and bobbed her eyebrows; she was readying a provocative kiss.

"Anything else on the program?" Isobel asked.

"We're going through the final evidences from the investigation still," Zacharias said and glanced shortly at Matthew, who sighed.

"I'm having a meeting in the administration. And actually, I'd like the two of you," he pointed at Vladimir and Isobel, "to join when we present the analysis."

"Of course," Vladimir said firmly.

"I'm going for a photo shoot," Agribel said.

"Uh, which magazine this time?" Rachel asked excited.

"Dark Rogue," Agribel beamed. "Front page cover."

"Oh, can I come? I was going to talk to the editor about an article I wanted to sell," Rachel asked.

"Sure, whatever," Agribel tossed a strand of hair out of her face and shrugged indifferently.

"And I'm going to the studio to record a new single," Paris said offhandedly.

"I'm just going to be my master's wake," Shade said monotonously. They laughed quietly.

"I wanted to ask if we could occupy the ball room tonight?" Gabriel asked addressed to his fater.

"Of course," Matthew said. "What's the occasion?"

"Fresh meat!" Paris moistened her magenta red lips.

"Ah," Matthew nodded. "Just remember to clean it all up if it's going to be late. And my only condition besides that is that Rose can join."

"Sure, sure," the young ones assured him and exchanged dark glances. Not Rosie.

Slowly, they began to break up. All of them left round the table and stopped to greet Matthew with the compulsory goodbye kisses. Everyone watched and observed.

Paris enjoyed teasing him with placing a big red lipstick kiss on his cheek even though she was going out today. She knew he cursed her for it. One by one, they left, and only Tiger was going to speak to him. Her kiss was deeper than it was supposed to be and the others laughed. Matthew merely shook his head and smacked her buttocks as she walked away with the others.

Only Gabriel and Matthew were left at the table as the servants began carrying out the dishes. They smiled secretly at each other.

"Tiger loves teasing you," Gabriel said.

"She's so sweet." It was difficult to hear whether it was pure irony or he actually meant it. "Actually, Gabriel, I'd like you to be at the presentation as well."

Gabriel tilted his head. "Why?" he asked with a frown.

"I think it's important for you to see this," Matthew explained. Gabriel rolled his eyes and sighed heavily.

"Fine," he said with a shrug.

"Young man!" Matthew raised an eyebrow.

"Sorry," Gabriel glanced away. Matthew rose, and with a short glance around to see that nobody was around, he bent down and kissed Gabriel softly.

"See you at the presentation," he tousled Gabriel's hair and the young vampire nodded smiling.

"Yeah, see you," he said as his father took off to the grand office where Tiger probably waited for him already. They gathered in the misty rain on the plains behind the mansion, joined by twenty other agents. Matthew watched from his office, and his smile made even Mona Lisa jealous.