Page 43 of Knowing Trust

Sasha came to visit and check on me. Unfortunately, she made the mistake of asking about protocols and the ins and outs about if she would be considered a grandmother of the child Neldor and I had.

I threw a pillow at her wishing I had something more threatening.

“Yes, yes, I am an ass for bringing this up now, and beat me later, but hear me that you need to decide these answers before others do, Tamsin,” she warned me.

It wasn’t until I felt better that I understood the warning. I was finally walking around a bit on my own and actually asked for Julian to help me shower.

He studied me and sighed. “Yes, I’ve been thinking about what she said too. If my mother is the grandmother of the heir of Faerie one day, it would be a nightmare.”

“Not just her. Lucca’s dad too. We need to decide certain things, but we are all the way in.”

He nodded. “I know you said it more offhandedly, but I actually like the idea that our child inherits the Craftsman family everything. We can change the charter that it’s Craftsman-Vale or whatever.”

I nodded. “Make Craftsman the middle name even. I think you would be traumatized to have your child with that last name. Just have it be a name required.”

“That is bloody brilliant,” he whispered before giving me a soft kiss. “Of course, you’ve considered this. Of course, you’ve thought of this.”

“I have. I’m not going to lie that I’m terrified of being a mother. I don’t want kids. I think I will be a shit one.”

“But?” he hedged.

“But I love the hobgoblin kiddos,” I sighed. “I love watching you with nippers. I can see a future where we heal and have them. I can with Darby and you. Hudson. There is a world where I can see that. I know I have to with a fairy, but there is a dream or alternate reality in the very distant future where I could see it. You want it.”

He didn’t even deny it. “Yes, I want us to have at least one child. Maybe two. I don’t know but yes, our love is—yes.”

I nodded. “Then I need your mother officially cut out. Somehow. Officially. Return her to her maiden name after she’s healed and… I don’t know, but Sasha’s warning made my blood run cold, Julian. She cannot be the grandmother of a prince or princess of Faerie and certainly not the heir, and you would die if you couldn’t be the father to my child—”

“Even if biologically Neldor’s. Yeah, that would gut me.” He nodded. “Okay, we’ll draw up something official. Some sort of trust and agreement to basically… Disown my mother? I don’t know the legal terminology, but—I’m with you on this, Tams. Fully. My mum is—I don’t want her in our lives and certainly not to have any sort of power or perks after how she has treated you.”

“Thank you. Thank you, Julian.”

“I want the same outlined for Lucca’s father though if you’re dating him and so he knows it. I think for Darby as well since he’s guardian of his sister—all of us. I think all of us need something outlined and—let’s just be smart and handle this like prenups so it’s not later when it’s with feelings and a child, not ideas and possibilities.”

That was fair… And apparently much easier than I had thought. All five were on the same page. None objected to any of the others being fathers to their children as well while still respecting that the biological father would have a weighted say in decisions, especially if it was species-specific as a shifter would know more about a shifter, etc.

Also, they all agreed that Mr. Von Thann and Mary Craftsman were vetoed out, but the rest were welcome to be family, including Iolas and Taeral as grandpas. I think we were all shocked we felt that way. It was complicated that we would allow Mrs. Von Thann but not Mr. Von Thann, but he’d made his own damn bed and he’d have to deal with it.

And a miracle happened that he even accepted it. Neldor went with Lucca and Hudson to go speak with the Von Thanns and he accepted it as long as he wouldn’t be blocked from seeing any child we might have. Of course not. He just wouldn’t have public grandpa privileges and certainly not over the heir of Faerie.

Neldor made it clear also that all of this wouldn’t happen for a long, long time and things could change if he basically pulled his head out of his ass. Lucca said it was impressive how Neldor had handled his father while also making it clear that this was also a matter of respect that we were speaking with them right away when the situation changed.

And before anything was made public. But their situation was vastly different than Mary Craftsman.

I didn’t think so, but I understood what they were saying. I didn’t think I could ever throw in with Ronald Von Thann again after he’d tried to out me and wanted to breed me as the last fairy, but… I understood placating him. I knew Lucca loved him, and the man was trying. I cared for Mrs. Von Thann.

And I wasn’t going to die and leave my child alone to have to be raised by them. The others would protect them if it happened. So they were all moot points.

But it was better to make things clear, so I agreed with Julian.

I was just really, really glad that Neldor had a sidebar with me to say he blew smoke up Ronald’s ass. I was shocked, but he’d shrugged and made it clear that we were on the same page, and the moment the man had ever thought it acceptable to breed someone, he crossed a line he couldn’t come back from.

Glad we agreed especially when I was the person.

“Just so we’re exceedingly clear, I had no idea that you would come into your ability to have children so soon when I suggested we start having sex,” he told me quietly while we were alone and I was stuffing my face.

I froze in my next bite, blinking at my food and then glancing over at him.

He cleared his throat and still stared out the window even if I knew he felt my eyes on him. “I just wanted to make sure I said it after the misunderstandings we’ve had—the misunderstandings I’ve made you have because of what I’ve said or not corrected. I wanted this one—”

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