Chapter 15

6 years later ...

The shouts of childhood innocence carried far over the courtyard and faded into the summer breeze that tickled the grass beneath Donald McIntosh's legs. He brushed a few dandelion seeds from the sides of his kilt, and leant back against the large Mulberry tree that was supplying him with shade. The sweet purple berries had since been picked and would soon be baked into a dessert fit for a king – or four. The Scotsman looked across the grass to where two young boys were wrestling, one of them threatening to throw the other down the dip.

Donald chuckled, contenting himself with the idea of a quick nap whilst the princes played. Since the Scots and Bees were unable to produce genuine heirs - and without technology or some sort of magic to aid them - both couples had adopted. Two boys; Hamish and Joseph. The princes of McIntosh clan. They were confident and brave 'wee bairns', and had already been reported to the kings several times by Finlay, who had caught them causing havoc in the stables. In the end, Donald and Douglas just grinned, and the stable hand had told them that no matter the blood relation, the princes were every bit as vigorous as the Scots had been as children, earning identical "That's my boy!"'s from their Scottish parents.

When they weren't up to mischief, or stealing Ben's slingshot, the princes had begun to ride the little ponies. This was the time Finlay enjoyed them the most, since it was one of the few times where both of them behaved. The only trouble they'd got themselves into so far was to teach the miniature equine to rear up, which they'd turned into a competition of who could hold that pose the longest. Joseph had been eyeing up Mulberry as a riding horse, but was always told that he'd need to be a little bigger before trying a fully grown mare, much less one that was half Clydesdale. For now both boys could trot and gallop on the larger ponies, and if there were small obstacles on the ground, both could make little jumps.

"Better than I'll ever be" Ben had murmured whilst watching them. He hadn't picked up the skill as easily as his brother, and coped with this by saying he'd rather be carted in a golden carriage anyway- or, at least hold onto to Douglas.

"Hey there Donnie~"

The Scotsman looked up into a pair of familiar chocolate brown eyes.

"Heya Billy~" He chuckled, smiling as the Brummie pressed a kiss to his lips.

"I finally got her to sleep"

"Only took four hours? Record"

"I think the breeze made her sleepy"

The bee sat down in the grass besides his husband, pulling back the little shawl and revealing a rosy cheeked little baby nestled in the blankets.

"Aww, Bonnie lass~"

The baby opened her eyes, and both kings held their breath. Donald and Bill's second heir, Bonnie, had a habit of crying excessively. This time however, she seemed calm in the warm summer air, and settled down peacefully against Donald's chest once Bill had passed her over.

"Ach, something tells me she'll be even more trouble than her brother" Donald chuckled, beaming as his daughter gripped onto his fingertip with one hand.

"Or Hamish will squash her" Bill frowned.

"Nae, the lad willnae – ah'm sure they'll get on just fine" Donald chuckled, stroking the ginger locks that curled from Bonnie's head. "Heck if me an' Ben can get on, why won't they?" He laughed, and Bill finally joined in.

"What are you saying about me?" Ben asked, suddenly coming up behind them.

"Ah was sayin' that Bonnie an' her brother Hamish are gonna get on"

"And you better make sure Joseph looks after her too" Bill punched his brother lightly on the shoulder.

"Unless she ends up being even more trouble" Douglas chuckled, joining the others.

"Ye read my mind brother" Donald poked his tongue out.

"We're twins Donnie, it's an innate instinct"

The four of them laughed together, and Bonnie gave a small hiccup which sounded almost like a giggle. There were a few moments of silence as they watched Joseph claim victory over his cousin in the playfight.

"That's how ye do it" Douglas laughed "Looks like we raised the alpha"

"Just ye wait till this one grows" Bill smirked, hugging Donald's arm and letting Bonnie hold one of his fingers instead. "I bet she'll have both of them kneeling under her boot"

"What scares me is how true that might be" Ben gulped, earning a second round of well natured laughter "Oh, I actually came to tell you that Heather and Gavina send their love"

"Where are they this time?"

"No idea, but based on the letter I'm going to guess they went to the coast somewhere"

"Why?"

Ben pulled out a letter from his breast pocket.

"The saltwater on the edges gives me an idea" He pointed to the top right corner "The seaweed is also a clue"

Donald and Bill read their friends letter in earnest, waiting to see where the queens had been this time. Since marrying, Heather and Gavina had taken to exploring many different places, even overseas. But as per the McIntosh king's request, they kept their friends updated on their travels.

"It'd be quite nice to go south sometime" Ben suggested, separating a blade of grass with a pull "Although who knows what the castle would look like when we got back"

"Aye, and ah dinnae fancy takin' the bairns with us either" Donald gestured with a nod of his head towards where Hamish and Joseph had begun a rather descriptive game of knights with sticks.

"Leave them with Maggie and Calum" Ben snickered, gaining three sets of 'lets not do that' expressions from the others. Grandparenthood had made Maggie and Calum spoil their grandchildren rotten, much more so than parenthood, to Donald and Douglas' indignation. They'd no doubt return to trouble.

"But we're never far from adventure anyway" Douglas mused, pulling his husband close to him and kissing his forehead affectionately.

"The Scots and bees having an un-adventure? That'll be the day" Ben agreed, blushing and returning a quick peck on the cheek.

"But none of us would trade that" Bill pointed out, leaning on Donald shoulder.

"Or anyone" Donald nodded, gently rocking a now sleeping Bonnie.

Minutes more silence passed, and the scene was calm. Too calm.

"Where did those two get to?" Ben asked, squinting into the distance for any sign of the princes.

"They were here just" Donald frowned, looking around without disturbing his daughter.

The sound of hooves came from the left of them as a small herd of miniature ponies began to stampede across the courtyard, obviously freed from their pen.

"Boys!" Finlay O'Sullivan's voice rose about the nickering and hooves. Hamish and Joseph whooped, each jumping on the back of one of the ponies at the front of the stampede, out of the stable hand's grip.

Bill and Ben smirked, their old mischievous memories coming back to them. Oh yes, blood was only a biological definition of family alright.

"That's my boy!"