The next morning, the five of them headed back to hell. Sam and Alex are all excited about their little plan to make Dis a little lighter. When the entourage arrived at Arbus' workshop, he saw his sword already half-finished on the anvil. This time the weapon-smith did not throw himself into the dust in fear, but respectfully sat down on one knee, chin raised, and said in a confident voice:
"My king, my Princess, my Prince, how may I serve you?"
Again Alexander took the lead and spoke:
"Rise, Master Arbus, and tell me about my sword."
His prince had now given him the title of Master as well. He suddenly radiated even more light, and one could almost feel his pride. He stood up, went to the anvil and put on thick leather gloves before touching the sword.
"No one touched the sword without gloves, as you commanded, My Lord. As you predicted in your wisdom, the extra time will make this sword so incredibly better, more powerful, sharper, indestructible in battle."
Alex held out his hand and Arbus handed him the sword. He looked at it intently, and even though it was only half finished and still looked rough, it seemed as if the blade was already singing to him now that it was in its master's hand. Hearing this, Alex said with a smile:
"Well hello Lucile, it is a pleasure to meet you."
The weapon-smith and those standing around Alexander looked on in amazement. The sword-smith had never heard a sword sing before, and this one was only half finished. He handed the sword back to the weapon-smith and commanded:
"Red-hot, flatten it, ready for the next fold!"
Arbus rushed to work and Alex put the second part of his plan into action. In an authoritative voice, loud enough to be heard at a distance, he spoke:
"Celine, as the Princess's personal bodyguard, I think you need a better sword to serve your Princess. Michael, as the general of our king's troops, you certainly need a better sword. I order you to choose a new sword, for you are now in the presence of the best weapon-smith, Arbus, the royal blacksmith!"
The two did as they were told and each returned with a sword that, contrary to their own expectations, seemed to feel better than the ones they had been using. The only difference was that Michael's Devine Sword, made for him by the Gods themselves, was simply perfect and fit the General's hand like no other. But as a sword for everyday use, he was impressed with the blade he had just chosen from the weapon-smith's extensive collection.
Meanwhile, Arbus, who had heard his Prince words, worked his ass off. When the sword was red-hot, he put it back on the anvil. Alex looked at Samantha and asked:
"Shall we dance, dear?"
"Always my love..."
"Same as yesterday, Princess."
Wings were spread, feathers exchanged, and both laid their bare hand with the feathers on the glowing blade. The golden glow of their hands disappeared into the sword. Alex looked at the sword-smith and said:
"Master Arbus, in ten days we will come back and get the sword. Don't forget the scabbard, as I said, the purest violet-blue you can find with a green and gold thread wrapped around it. Understood!"
"Yes, My Prince."
He turned to Celine:
"I need a signet ring and a few other things."
"Follow me, My Prince, I know just who can make one."
Arbus's story had indeed spread, for everywhere Samantha and Alexander went, they were looked at with curiosity. On their way to the goldsmith, Alex and Samantha stopped from time to time to admire and praise the wares of one demon or another. Alex for things that interested him and Samantha for things that appealed to her senses, and they ordered a few items left and right. Alex's eyes fell on the display of a female demon who made all sorts of things out of clay and even refined porcelain. He picked up a plate and held one hand against the back of it, he saw the outline of his hand through the plate, it was so thin but at the same time usable for a meal. Not that he had ever held porcelain of this quality in his hands during his life on Earth, but as usual, he had read about it and therefore knew that it was a sign of special quality. A sign of the Demon's absolute mastery. He called the Demon to him because he had an idea for his conference room.
"What is your name?"
"Kasha My Lord."
"From this plate, I can see that you are truly a master of your craft, Kasha!"
The poor Demon almost had tears in her eyes. Alex went ahead and took out a crude clay cup:
"I know you can do it Kasha, so I want you to make something new for me."
"Anything My Lord, anything."
"I want 24 of these cups, but it must be a cross between the sturdiness of these clay cups and the elegant refinement of these plates. Sky-blue glaze with this seal painted on it in pure gold."
He made a piece of parchment appear with his seal as the Crown Prince of Hell on it. When Sam didn't pay attention for a moment, he said quietly while pointing at Samantha:
"On one of the cups, the seal should be surrounded by green diamonds. Eloch will bring 13 later, understood?"
"Yes, My Lord, I will make it right."
"Good, we will return in ten days. Make sure it is packed and ready to move."
"I will not disappoint you, My Lord."
"I know that Kasha, a master never disappoints!"
As they continued on their way, more and more demons approached to see the young Prince and Princess. In so many, the hasty, frightened look was gone. Replaced by what could be the first signs of hope. A little girl of maybe five approached them, but a guard was about to roughly block her way. Alex had seen it, his eyes flashing for a moment, and he growled a harsh no. The guard wisely stepped out of the way. The girl came to stand in front of Samantha and Alex, holding something that looked like a crown, handmade from pieces of old parchment. She looked at them with fear on one side and hope on the other. He did something that made all the demons who could see it gasp. Robert thought for a moment that Alex had gone too far, but then he remembered that this was Alexander and Samantha, so he stayed out of it. Alex knelt down for a moment and scooped the little girl up into his arms. The child's eyes went wide and she started to panic. Sam came to Alex's side with a warm smile. She placed a hand on the little girl's back and gently caressed her in soothing circles. The child immediately calmed down considerably. Alex asked:
"And who might you be, my little beauty?"
The child lit up at the words and smiled broadly:
"I am Maila My Lord."
"And what do you have in your hands?"
"A crown for the princess."
Suddenly she looked embarrassed again and said quietly:
"It's just scraps of parchment I found, but I tried so hard. I'm sorry it's not nicer."
He lifted her chin as she lowered her little head again, ashamed of not being able to do a better job. He asked:
"Maila, did you make this for Princess Samantha with all your heart and love?"
She nodded diligently and he said:
"Dear girl, love is so amazingly beautiful and strong that it can be truly magical. Shall we see how magical your love is for your Princess?"
She looked at him wide-eyed and nodded with her mouth wide open.
"Okay, give your crown to your princess. Who will place it in her open hands?"
He winked at Sam who was only too happy to play along.
"Very good, now I need you to close your eyes, count slowly to three, and then blow very hard on Princess Samantha's hands."
The girl did as she was told and when she opened her eyes she was completely overwhelmed. Her parchment crown had turned into two necklaces. Both were white gold with a blue stone engraved with his seal.
"You see, Maila, love makes the impossible possible."
Samantha took one of the necklaces and put it around Maila's neck. He and Sam each gave her a kiss on the cheek, then Alex put her back on the ground:
"Now back to your mama girl, go on."
The girl disappeared and Alex took the second necklace and placed it gently around Samantha's neck. She also got teary-eyed because this was the first present she got from Alex and for her, it was more than perfect. Finally, they reached Eloch. Alex did what he had to do at the goldsmith and Samantha was dragged by Celine to a tailor who specialized in the tight leather outfits that Celine wore herself. Something her father wanted absolutely nothing to do with. Samantha had gotten red ears from the outfit Celine had suggested but had agreed to it anyway. If only to see Alex's reaction on his face. To Robert, she was still his little girl and sometimes he hated that she was growing up. Alex gave the goldsmith specific instructions to make his signet ring and while he was there he ordered an earring with a blue stone, a wide leather bracelet with blue diamonds and sapphires in it, and ordered thirteen green diamonds to be delivered immediately to Kasha for that one special cup. At the last moment, another thought popped into his head, describing to Eloch exactly what he wanted for Samantha.
After they finished their shopping spree and made their way back to the palace, it was immediately noticeable that Dis was changing. Demons who not long ago would have fled at the sight of their King and his guards now stopped to watch. Robert saw and felt that the respect his demons had for him had not changed. The difference was that they were now drawn to the light and warmth that Samantha and Alexander radiated. He suddenly felt useless in Dis and couldn't be happier about it. Yes, he would still be king for a while, but as far as he was concerned, now that he'd seen it possible, Alex and Sam could turn the whole city into one big amusement park.
Inside the palace, they stepped into his study for a moment, and everyone fell into a chair. Robert lit one of his cigars and offered one to Alex. He thanked him kindly but manifested one of his cigarettes.
"And now Alex?"
"We'll have to wait and see if the soil here is fertile enough for the seeds we planted today to germinate. Arbus and Kaisha's reactions suggest there may be more to this than just a lack of sunlight. I get that being harsh and treating the Demons was once a necessity. If I've understood correctly what Celine and Laia told me about demon history, they originally came into being as a beast race rather than a race with consciousness. But they've evolved, at least those in the city. We need to try a different approach. Treating them like they're working dogs with commands like "sit," "down," and "off" isn't going to work. You were right: it's time for a new generation, because only a new generation can make this change happen. Forgive the words, but such a change wouldn't be accepted by the old guard. It would be viewed with great suspicion and therefore miss its purpose."
Robert seemed to look sadly into the distance. It was Sam who brought him out of his reverie.
"What are you thinking Daddy?"
"That your mother and I should hand over power to you and Alexander as soon as possible."
She started to object, but he cut her off with a wave of his hand.
"No baby, it has to be like this. You are the future! Alexander is the strategy, the reason, the power. But you, and Alex will absolutely agree with me, you are the heart, the emotion, the mercy. Together you are unstoppable. You are so attuned to each other that you don't need words, like with that girl."
Robert's eyes glowed gold as he scanned the city, and a warm smile appeared on his face. He pointed to the window:
"It has already begun. Outside, the city is in turmoil, warm and peaceful. The Demons are running from here to there to hear from the other Demons you spoke to and to hear their story about you. Arbus is no longer treated as a doormat, but with the respect that the royal master blacksmith deserves".
He smiled mischievously and pointed at Alex. Alex put his hands in the air and said:
"Hmmm yes, I may have exaggerated a bit there, My Lord."
"My Fu..."
He saw his daughter sitting there and changed his choice of words:
"You can't fool me anymore, boy, it was your goal and you achieved it perfectly. You know that from now on I will have to have a sword made by Arbus at least once a year for him to keep this status."
Alexander shrugged and said:
"You have enough children in heaven who belong to Michael's ceremonial guard. Give them a new sword one at a time, two birds with one stone. Heck, organize a few contests between Angels and Demons and give one away as a trophy to the winner, and before you know it, an Argo sword will be a matter of prestige to be allowed to have one."
Michael and Celine, who had been listening in silence, began to laugh and Samantha moved a little closer to Alexander. The king continued:
"Kasha is overwhelmed with orders. No one wants the rudimentary cups they used to use. The female Demons all want your new concoction now that they know what you want. Eloch doesn't know what hit him. Male Demons do not care about jewels in the slightest, and now the men are lining up to get a jewel for their wives and daughters. They want to be like their Prince because they saw how you made a necklace for Samantha and little Maila and hung it around their necks. And little Maila herself is now the center of attention. Especially from the other children where she used to be an outcast. Everyone wants to see her jewel with the stone with your seal. Now she is treated as if she were under your personal protection."
The description of Maila's condition had brought a hard look to Alexander's face and his eyes were set on thunder, his body stiffened a little and his muscles became noticeably harder. Samantha had seen and felt it too, recognized all the signs, and shot straight. Startled she said:
"Alexander, let me see your arms now!"
"It's okay honey, I'm fine."
"Alex now!"
He sighed and rolled up his sleeves. A few scars had indeed appeared, faint, but they were there. Now it was Robert who sighed and asked quietly:
"What are you going to do about it, Alex?"
He thought he had a very good idea of what it meant to be an outcast in a city that looked more medieval than anything else. Not to mention the rough way the demons treated each other. Mercy was not their strong point. The thought that the child he had met so recently and who seemed to have such a positive attitude had to live in misery made his blood slowly but surely boil. Instead of answering, he asked in a frightening tone. Everyone in the room knew he wouldn't be satisfied with half answers. Gone was the cheerful little prince, the true Prince of Hell had appeared. He would correct the situation for the girl and her mother at any cost. Either in a positive, constructive way or with terrible violence, Dis was about to experience for the first time that he was the true Crown Prince of Hell. And it would be an experience Hell would not soon forget.
"Why is Maila an outcast, My Lord, and does that mean what I think it means?"
Robert replied:
"Because her father drank and when he was drunk he became aggressive. One night he harassed the wrong person and taunted him. Amag ranks highest in the Fifth Circle and is one of Hell's most dangerous warriors. Of course, the fight was over before it began. After the fight, Amag ordered that everyone in Maila's house would be an outcast from society."
"So this poor child and her mother will have to pay for the rest of their existence because her father was a fucking asshole. Condemned to the lowest of the low, constantly living in absolute poverty?"
The king just nodded. The hellfire ignited in Alex's eyes with tremendous intensity and he jumped from his seat.
"Michael, Celine with me!"
The two jumped up to follow him without hesitation. Samantha stood up as well, ready to follow him, but he said firmly:
"No!"
With a voice and flaming eyes that would not tolerate contradiction. The three of them nearly flew out the door. Sam looked at her father questioningly. He smiled gently at her and said:
"Alexander must do this alone. Hell is about to meet its Prince and he must establish his dominion. As I said, Sam, you are the love, he is the sword."
Outside, Michael asked:
"How are you going to do this?"
With a grim face, he replied:
"As publicly as possible, because I have a message to send to all of fucking Hell! Today they meet their Crown Prince. Today they will come to know that Hell is mine! The central marketplace! Celine, get Maila and her mother. Michael, summon Amag."
Arriving at the marketplace, Celine hurried to fetch the mother and child. Not much later, they were standing in front of him. The girl with a warm smile because her Prince wanted to see her again. The mother trembling with fear. Alex said to her:
"There is no need to be afraid. No one will harm you. From now on you are in the personal service of your King, your Princess, and me. You will come with me soon. Do you have any valuables or personal belongings to take with you?"
The mother said with tears in her eyes:
"No, My Lord, we have nothing."
He just nodded and became even more angry at this answer. He could feel the wounds on his back getting worse, it was as if he strained himself if he could smell the leather of the belt that had caused them. Amag deliberately delayed, probably to test and undermine the young prince's authority. Alex was silent as he waited, but Amag had just made a fatal mistake that he and the rest of the Dis would soon realize. When he finally appeared with all his misplaced bravado and made no move to kneel before his Prince, Celine and Michael knew that the Demon had just signed his death warrant and that it would not be swift or merciful. Alex spoke with ice in his voice:
"So you are the big tough demon, one of the mightiest warriors in hell. So strong that you take pleasure in punishing and hurting the innocent."
He pointed at Maila and her mother. The demon replied as if his prince's words were of no value:
"So what?"
Alex snapped his fingers and Amag suddenly saw a ring of heavenly fire appear around him. All the demons around him gasped, this was what they feared most, Celestial Fire. Alexander said coldly, as if he saw Amag as nothing more than an annoying pest instead of the mighty warrior he was:
"The fact that you apparently can't bring yourself to address me with the respect that my title demands of you, I'm going to let that slide, because I expected nothing better from an imbecile like you. Perhaps you are deaf, Amag, and have not heard the words of your King. He said plainly that my words, the Prince of Hell, are law. That a refusal to obey my orders is a betrayal of the Throne. When I order you to appear before me, you will do so immediately. You deliberately took your time to undermine my authority, and that is a betrayal of the Throne."
The demon's bravado had vanished like snow in the sun. Not only had he pissed off his Prince, but the general standing next to the Prince didn't look too friendly either. There was not a Demon in hell stupid enough not to tremble in his boots when Michael was angry. Even the Demons of the Ninth Circle, those closest to the beasts, had learned that lesson and paid the price in a lake of blood. The young Prince had just proved how powerful he was, with a snap of his fingers, Heaven Fire had appeared, a circle from which there was no escape. Alex turned to Celine and ordered:
"Take them to the palace, the child does not need to see this!"
Celine, knowing full well what Alex was capable of after what she had witnessed on their trip to Earth, quickly grabbed mother and daughter and immediately disappeared to the palace. Amag fell to his knees, bowed his head, and began to apologize that he had not intended to undermine the prince. He had underestimated this Prince and now feared for his life and began to cry as he begged. Alexander spoke in a tone that could be heard in every corner of Hell, and his short fuse even shook all nine circles of Hell for a few seconds. Every Demon in Hell would understand and even feel his message.
"Punishment is the prerogative of your King, your Princess, and mine, your Prince. If anyone challenges you, it is between the two of you, and the two of you alone. I don't care if two of you idiots are stupid enough to want to take each other out! But mark my words, spread them, and heed them from this moment on! No one, but no one, punishes or hurts the innocent, no one, no one is condemned to go through life as an outcast, NEVER AGAIN! Whoever dares, whoever dares to ignore my words, will end up like this piece of shit who isn't even worthy of drawing my sword, let alone dirtying it on him! For this is not a warrior, this is nothing! Go after the innocent and the weak, and then you are on the path of cowardice. Without honor, you stand on this cursed path, waiting for me, and I will meet you with pleasure, to burn you slowly out of existence with a suffering you cannot imagine in your worst nightmare... A warrior, a great warrior, is the one who protects the innocent and the weak. There lies the honor, there lies the path to greatness. And on that path you will see me waiting to welcome you as my brother!"
He looked at the demon who was now begging for his life. Alex asked:
"Why should I pity you when you can't even pity a child?"
He snapped his fingers again and the heavenly fire attacked the Demon. The screams of pain were horrible, Alexander let the screams and the agony last more than ten minutes longer than necessary for him to die before it stopped and the demon was reduced to a pile of ashes. A message to Hell that could not be misunderstood.
Without another word, he motioned to Michael and they were off to the palace. Robert, Samantha, Celine, Maila and her mother were waiting for them in the great hall. Alexander asked the mother:
"What is your name?"
"Freya, My Lord."
"What were you doing before Amag destroyed your lives?"
"I was a servant, My Lord?"
"As in serving food and drink?"
"Yes, My Lord, but also other things such as preparing clothes, picking up and dropping off things for my master and mistress. More like a housekeeper."
He nodded and asked Maila:
"And you, girl, what would you like to be?"
"I would like to learn to read and write and then become a scribe, My Lord. I've seen Demons read and write, and I think it would be so much fun."
Alexander looked at the king and asked:
"My lord, with your permission, I would like to take these two Demons into my personal service, if you will entrust them to the Princess and me, of course."
Robert pretended to think and then said:
"Very well, Prince Alexander, they are at your service from now on. I want to see you tonight!"
"As you command, My Lord."
Alexander took the girl on his arm and Celine put an arm around Freya's waist. The next moment they were standing outside the palace. The eyes of mother and daughter almost popped out of their sockets. They had never seen anything like it before. The beauty of the palace, the perfect grass, the flowers, the trees, the light and the warmth of the sun. The goddess came down the stairs and watched the scene with amusement. With Alex, one could expect anything. So she asked:
"Alex, I thought you were going shopping. I didn't know they had Demons on offer in Dis."
Freya wanted to throw herself on the ground at the sight of the Goddess but was stopped by Samantha and Celine. Alex said:
"I'm sorry Mom. My temper got the best of me again. I really don't know if I've made Robert's situation worse and if so, how much damage I've done. Can Freya and Maila please have a room? I need a shower before I can figure out how to fix this."
Salome saw the look in Samantha's eyes and guessed what was going on:
"We will take care of our two new guests, little prince. Sam, go with Alex and take care of his wounds."
With those words, Alex and Sam darted into the suite and his bathroom. His clothes disappeared and she saw the marks, the welts, the blood dripping from his back. She gently began to clean and care for the wounds, just as Fuzzy had taught her. It didn't matter how gently she did it, it was agonizing for him. He cried out and tears streamed down his face, just like Samantha's tears when she did what she had to do.
The next morning, Alexander went to Dis for the last time to get his sword, but by no means the last visit, considering the Demons' wishes. Pandemonium broke out upon their arrival. As soon as they landed at the palace, a young captain named Arad flew at Robert. With a frightened face, he said:
"My King, there are hundreds of demons in the square. They are unarmed and seem to have no hostile feelings. They all want to see the Princess and the Prince, but we don't know what to do."
Robert said:
"It's all right, Captain."
He looked at Samantha and Alex with amusement and said:
"Well Princess, Prince, this is your show. What do you suggest?"
Alex took Samantha's hand. The rules had almost all been thrown out anyway, one more couldn't hurt. He said:
"Let us go and greet your subjects, My Lord. Celine to Samantha's left, we don't want to take any chances, there can always be someone who hates the changes. Michael to my right."
He motioned to the guards and the captain:
"You seven stand like a phalanx around your king. Don't let me catch any of you not protecting the King at all times."
As an addition to this threat, he let his eyes glow for a moment. And with those words, he and Samantha stepped out of the gate and into the square. They were overwhelmed by the cheers of the hundreds of demons who had come to watch. They walked slowly across the plaza. Genuine, warm smiles were on their faces, and they tried to make as much eye contact as possible to let them know they were noticed. A group of children who had heard Maila's story started to run towards them, but were stopped by their parents. Alexander saw this and made a sign to let the children come to them. Samantha saw that they were carrying poor bunches of flowers. Hell didn't have many flowers, and the ones they had were far from attractive. She had decided to take them one by one as if they were the most beautiful flowers she had ever seen. A wink from Alexander made her throw that plan overboard and follow his lead. When he winked like that, something typical of Alex followed. He dropped to one knee in front of the first child who reached him so that he could look into her eyes. The girl told him something, he nodded and told her to close her eyes and count to three. The next moment, the child had a beautiful bouquet of flowers in her hand, and he had a crown of daisies. He placed the crown on the girl's head and whispered something in her ear. The child took a white rose and gave it to Samantha, and she ran off with the flowers and gave them to her mother. At this sight, Samantha thought that if her heart could be filled with any more love for her Alex, it would explode. He repeated this over and over again for every girl who approached them. It wasn't long before Sam had a nice bouquet of white roses. The boys who approached them usually had a very crude sculpture carved out of clay or wood. Alex seemed to have a solution for that as well. Whatever it was they wanted to offer, one by one he turned it into a statuette that very clearly represented the King and the Prince and Princess with the boy in front of them, while they both had a hand on the shoulders of a clearly recognizable boy. Some of the older children had written some sort of letter or card. Alexander immediately made them disappear into his office in Heaven, promising to read them and even answer them.
It took a while, but they finally reached Arbus. There his sword lay in all its glory, waiting on the blacksmith's anvil. Alex looked at the masterpiece and rubbed his fingers lightly over the blade.
"Arbus, this is truly a masterpiece. Your prince thanks you."
You could see Arbus' chest swell with so much honor bestowed upon him. Alex turned to Sam:
"One last dance to make Lucile really sing, dear?"
"Always my love."
This time they laid their hands with the feathers on the cold blade. The golden glow in the sword disappeared after a few seconds. All that remained were the words, Alexander Dei and Samantha Dea. She saw it and asked quietly:
"Aren't we getting a little ahead of ourselves?"
He took the sword, and it was as if the blade began to sing, now that it was completely finished and in its master's hand, and everyone around could hear it clearly. He closed his eyes for a moment and it ignited. Alex looked at Sam and replied dryly:
"Nope!"
Arbus handed him the scabbard, and it was exactly as he had imagined. He knew the sword would do what it was supposed to do. With a feeling of relief, he slid the sword back into its sheath and hung it on his back. That was the main reason why they were in Dis. Everything else was incidental, a personal victory for Samantha and himself and a step forward for the people of Dis.
After Arbus, it was time to visit Kasha and pick up his order, which he would use in his conference room with that one special cup for his Samantha. When they got there, the demon was already waiting for them. She showed him one of the mugs and whispered that the special mug was hidden among the others. Alex thanked her. He praised her and her mastery just loud enough for the bystanders to hear, but not too loud to sound exaggerated. With that done, it was time for him to pay Eloch a visit and for Samantha to be dragged back to the tailor by Celine. At Eloch, he inspected his signet ring in perfect blue and the seal itself in pure gold. He took a deep breath and slipped the signet ring onto his right ring finger. Now he was truly the Crown Prince of Hell! His earring and bracelet were also perfect to his taste. The necklace and a ring he had secretly made for Samantha immediately disappeared into his office with Fuzzie. It was truly a masterpiece, close to the grace of its princess. That she would be the center of attention at a banquet because of her beauty. She came back with a red blush on her face, and he already guessed what her outfit might look like. For a moment, he struggled to get his brain working again. He might be the Prince of Hell, but first and foremost he was still an adolescent. Sometimes an adolescent's mind wanders for a while. Robert had noticed, came to stand beside Alexander, and whispered sternly:
"Whatever you may think now, little prince, in our house nothing more is done than is to be expected for your age. Make sure I don't have to get diabolical with you two and give you a time-out."
He turned red and said:
"My King, my word of honor!"
He heard Sam whisper:
"Daddy, don't tease Alex like that, we're responsible and we know we're too young."
He smiled at her kindly and replied:
"I know my little princess, but it's a father's prerogative to give his daughter's boyfriend the fright of his life from time to time."
And with that, he walked away. He looked around and saw how much Dis had changed in a few days and he was damn proud of his daughter and Alex. Was he still Alex, he wondered. Was he not also a son that he and his wife had welcomed into their home? He decided, yes, this is my son as well. And by all the gods of all the universes, these two were unstoppable. He would enjoy making them a little uncomfortable, he was Sam's father for a reason, and she was and always would be his little girl. He wouldn't and couldn't put any obstacles in their way. Everyone had already seen it, they were just made for each other and they would do things no one had ever seen before. He and Salome would be on the sidelines every step of the way, cheering them on, and protecting them when necessary.