Prince Ezra
"Oh my! How big you've gotten!" I laughed as within seconds I had Blue on my shoulders, Rain hanging off my arm and Luna wrapped around my left leg as they all loudly squealed, finding my struggle with them extremely amusing.
"We missed you Uncle Ezzie!" Luna with her adorable little smile, red cheeks and freckled face emphasized that by pressing a kiss to my knee before she burst out laughing. Her long red hair neatly braided into two French braids, white bows at the end and a playful toy tiara on her head.
Covering her body was a beige ruffled dress, white knee length socks and black pumps with ankle straps since she was never able to keep them on.
"Well I missed you too," I snickered, "however Rain there's no need to tug on my hair."
Rain, as blonde as Apollo, with bright green eyes and the only sign of freckles on his body were the ones dusted on his nose. He was the exact duplicate of Blue besides the red hair and more prominent freckles. They were dressed the same, white matching shirts, little denim shorts, knee high socks and sneakers.
Truthfully cartoon princes in human form.
"It's pretty!" Blue cooed as he hugged my head tighter. "Zekie! Come say hi to Uncle Ezzie."
"Why is your brother shy?" I snickered and crouched down with them still on me to be a bit shorter for the youngest of the siblings.
Zekie was the only sibling with dark brunette hair, tanned skin and darker green eyes. At three years old, he was the least exposed to me simply because I had been living on a jet for the past few years instead of actually spending time with my nieces and nephews.
"Hi Uncle Ezzie," he finally came around, still dressed in a brown fluffy onesie and holding a small horse plush, clearly due for a nap at any time.
"You're becoming just as tall as me," I teased him as he gave me a tight small hug whilst I picked him up and pressed kisses to his cheeks that made him laugh.
"No one is even batting an eye at me," Thea jealously remarked and almost instantly Blue launched himself from my shoulders and into her arms as she spun him around. One by one they all flooded to her, giving my back a slight break as we walked into the chambers.
"Uncle Ezzie!" Artemis, who was a spitting image of Maria came running down the hall in a pink tracksuit with her hair in pigtails. I picked her up and fluttered kisses all over her face as she giggled until her face became pink.
"Have you been good to your daddy and mommy?"
"Mommy yes, daddy has been rather questionable these days," she smiled.
"As he always is," I laughed as we entered the common room where a number of platters were on a stretch of an oak table. Even though I had eaten plenty at Ma my stomach growled, already begging for me to consume something from the delicious smell throughout the room.
"Just like your mother," Apollo teasingly yet bitterly remarked as he gulped his wine. His blonde hair swept away from him fair and gelled back. A new look he had been trying, dressed in black trousers, a white button up shirt and black formal shoes.
"You look red," I chuckled as we shared a tight hug.
"I was out by the sail boat this week after you bailed on me," he glared, "I hope being in Sweden was worth it. I caught a big fish that I gobbled up alone."
"You know I'm not great on water. Not since the time I nearly died," I laughed.
"Oh yes, how could we ever forget the time you dived head first into the water accidentally," Maria was next to give me a hug.
"As beautiful as always," I kissed her cheek as she did the same to mine. Her dark hair was pinned up in a beautiful bun, a black cocktail dress on her body as she wore red heels. "Where's Iris?"
"Have no idea," Apollo smiled as he watched Artemis tackle Blue down for a creamy tart. "Probably giving birth."
"She's running late," Maria scolded her husband. "He's just moody because Artemis picked me as her favorite parent this morning."
"She didn't say that," he argued, "she just said she liked your car more."
"Oh, is it this argument again?" Thea groaned, "she will always pick Maria's cars over yours because they're blue. It's her favorite colour."
"Still doesn't make me feel any better," he mumbled lowly.
Even though I always felt connected to the family due to phone calls and mostly Thea recalling the day's events, I felt slightly out of loop during the conversation mostly because I didn't even know one of Maria's cars or that this argument had occurred before.
I didn't know Zekie had just started nursery and was already picking up Greek better than his siblings had at his age. I didn't know Blue and Rain were due to start primary this month with Artemis or that Luna was now going for singing classes.
For a good moment it had hit me that despite me running away from life, life had continued to move on without me.
"I was worried you were going to suddenly have a national disaster you needed to attend too," Cloud beamed when he entered the lounge area dressed in denim jeans, a blue button up shirt and his hair down. He looked much more relaxed now than he did in the jet which was good.
"Oh yes," Apollo cooed, "coincidentally enough every time you're due to come home, there's a hostage situation they need you for. Always the most perfect timing."
"Don't get me started on the wars. They seem to be breaking out left and right these days," Thea giggled as she held onto my hand.
"From what I've seen on the news they seem to do."
My breath caught in my throat when I heard the voice behind me and a shiver ran down my spine when the warm strong hand held onto my shoulder.