Liadan had not expected things to go quite as they had when she had (somehow) been roped into helping Cinaed kidnap his little boy. In fact, the whole reason she had been suckered into it, was the idea of any proper, pureblooded child being raised like that... By muggles and aurors combined, no less. It wasn't fitting, by any means, for Tawse's child- or any pureblood child- to be put through such a horrid life. Besides, no one had even considered to ask Cinaed's opinion before letting the boy be adopted out. That was just cruel! So, when the conversation had come up, Liadan had felt a small maternal flame bloom and she had agreed to help.

Not only had she agreed to help rescue (rescue sounded much better than kidnap), but Liadan had decided she was going to help Cinaed prepare. The man had nothing suited for a child in his pub. She had converted his study into a lovely little room, fit for a young wizard boy. She had filled the wardrobe with very nice outfits (including some dress robes she thought he would just look adorable in). Liadan also had a toybox filled with all kinds of toys appropriate for a young, pureblooded boy along with lots of children's books by proper wizarding authors. And the icing on the cake, and the piece of the room that she had thought Cinaed would most appreciate, was the bed which was shaped like a chimaera. It was all just perfect!

Christian had aided her in the quest, and it had been a very intriguing bonding experience. And there certainly was a strange rush in doing something so very illegal. And Liadan's favorite part had been actually getting to practice her spells on people for once! She just hoped those memory altering charms would hold out...

The only bad part about the whole evening was the fact now she had the kid it wouldn't stop crying! Liadan was afraid to try to silence it or use any spells to muffle their sound. She had never used magic on or around a baby before, and as dysfunctional as her conscience may be, it refused to let her use her wand on a child. So, when she apparated into the courtyard behind Tawse's pub, the little boy was still wailing loudly and quite obnoxiously. How in Godric's name was she going to sneak that thing into the pub without waking up every single occupant within? Liadan had tried plugging his mouth with a bottle, with a pacifier, and with a toy- but he didn't want anything other than someone who wasn't her. His parents- who wouldn't even remember having a child in the morning. She had left Christian on clean up duty- removing all traces of there having been a child from the home. A couple who could not remember ever having a child should not have child things littering their home, after all.

Liadan tried soothing the boy to no avail, and eventually raised her wand to cast a spell on the window of Cinaed's bedroom. One which would hopefully capture his attention. If he wanted the child silenced, he would do it himself. Then she wouldn't feel so bad. (Apparently her conscience allowed the father to use a harmless spell against his offspring.) "Tawse!" she hissed up into the night air. The baby cried louder when her voice was no longer soft and soothing, and she groaned loudly.

Attempting sleep had been pointless - there was far too much anticipation and excitement to even contemplate sleep.  So, instead, the evening had been spent contemplating the end result of all of this. 

Cinaed was about to hold his child for the first time.  For the first time while not looking like a balding, muggle pediatrician.  His son; Margo's son; his flesh and blood.  The youngest member of the Tawse clan.  And, from this day forward, the young man would know himself as Fionn Tawse V. 

He'd already told his mother about the boy; it had seemed a prudent thing to do.  Mothers knew (or figured out) all.  There would be more room for suspicion if Anna Tawse learned through channels other than Cinaed.  Better to answer the questions before they have an opportunity to even be considered.  He'd offered a barely modified version of the truth.  He'd gotten a woman pregnant.  (True.  And, let's face it, easy to believe.) He hadn't known about the pregnancy (again, for the most part, true).  She'd died.  (Very true.)  Just recently.  (Not quite so true but a minor detail.)  And she'd left the boy to him.  (Again, not quite so true but it should have been.  And, that was the the point, wasn't it?) 

His mother had been beside herself.  Some time in the next few days, he'd be taking the boy up to Scotland to meet his grandmother, aunts and his cousin, if Xavier was going to be there.  A family homecoming.  And, the boy would probably remain at his mother's for a few days - just to make sure no one would come calling.  The boy would be home for good, soon, though.  Cinaed was determined.

There was the telltale crack outside the window followed by a fussy cry.  Cinaed pushed himself to his feet and made his way down the stairs out into the balcony.  The boy was still crying but Cinaed paid it no mind.  It'd take time to adjust.  He hadn't expected this to be easy.  "How'd it go?" he asked, kneeling down to bring his size more down to the kid's level.  At least a little.

"Well enough," was Liadan's response to Cinaed's question. Putting his scruffy, scary face at the same level as the toddler's didn't seem to help matters any. He screamed louder at the appearance of yet another stranger, and Liadan sighed quietly. Children. This was exactly why she didn't have any. (That and the whole not having found a proper husband to reproduce with yet thing. Really she wanted them, but it just wasn't the right time yet.) "It wasn't quite as simple as I expected it to be." But she had never really perpetrated any kind of serious crime before, either. She had only done trivial things- and this was definitely pretty major in comparison.

Liadan carefully handed the child over to Cinaed, and then smoothed out the fabric of her skirt. (Kidnapping in a skirt had not been simple, either, but Liadan didn't own any pants for the occasion.) "Your first task as a father is to make your child shut up before he alerts the entire pub to his existance," she stated dryly.

She stepped past him into the building, peering over her shoulder, beckoning him to follow. "After all of this, I most certainly need a drink if you don't care to oblige. We can take the boy up to his room and see if we can settle him down enough to sleep. No doubt by this point he's exhausted. I'm certain being rescued would take its toll on such a young child. Worst case scenario the poor thing will cry himself to sleep. But we'll take good care of him." Liadan did not notice her use of the word "we". Or the fact that she was already planning to help Cinaed out with the boy. She wasn't sure what all company he kept, or how paternal he was, but Liadan was fairly certain that he would need a gentle, feminine, guiding hand to help him out. Besides, she had no children of her own, no young relatives either... It would be good practice, and it would be helping the boy grow up in the proper way.

"I am fairly certain I bought him something that is supposed to help him sleep. Casts a very subtle charm to help calm down children..." She said as she continued her way up and to the room that she had helped prepare for the boy. Liadan picked up a small stuffed hippogriff from the little dresser and wound it up. Soft music began to play, and even she could feel the calming effects. She became much less tense as the song played at any rate.

This situation was going to require a little improvisation.  The toddler was crying louder than ever and somewhere, overhead, a light switched on.  Mannie's round, scraggly face appeared in the window overhead but, with a mouthed profanity, the light switched off and, presumably, the old former Death Eater went back to sleep. 

"Good, good," Cinaed answered, somewhat distractedly.  How the whole operation had gone was important and he needed to know the details.  But, given the shrieking kid, it was hard to concentrate on anything else.  He couldn't help glancing up, though, when Liadan admitted it hadn't gone as simple as she'd expected.  What had she expected?  That stealing a kid and a tomato would be about the same?  "Well, he looks alright," he said, looking back as the boy stopped crying just long enough to snort up a nostril-ful of snot before resuming.  It was oddly reminiscent of Seamus when he was howling. 

Seamus!  Kids liked dogs, didn't they?  And, they had to move out of the courtyard as soon as possible.  Alerting the pub was one thing - the residents were going to find out at some point, after all.  But, alerting the whole of Knockturn - not to mention whatever Ministry official was on detail tonight - was a different matter entirely.  The crying couldn't, really, get any louder so Cinaed scooped the kid up and carried him into the pub's main room and set him back on the floor. 

"I ... could always go visit my mother early," Cinaed muttered as he stared at the screaming kid.  Alright, alright.  He could do this.  This couldn't be as hard as it looked - the kid was just freaked, understandably.  So, what did his mother do when he or his sisters were upset?  Music.  That always helped, right?  Leaving the boy a moment, Cinaed moved over towards the record player and slipped a record under the needle.  The boy was a little behind, as it was, might as well introduce him to his real culture from the start. 

Cinaed nodded, waving a hand towards the bar.  "Sure, help yourself," he offered, giving her free range of the bar.  She was welcome to anything though he was a bit preoccupied to do the serving.  Cinaed sat himself down on the floor, looking up at the kid.  "Hello, Fionn.  I know you don't know who I am but ..."  He glanced over at Liadan.  "They speak at this age, right?" 

Liadán watched, confused, when  Cináed asked her whether or not children at that age talked. What did she know of children? She knew that they were fun when you could give them away at the end of the day. Liadán was vaguely familiar with the ideas of diapers and potty training and other such typical information related to the raising of a child... But when they began to talk? That was another matter entirely. "I haven't a clue," she responded. "Even if he does talk, I doubt he'd talk to you... You're probably terrifying the poor thing." Liadán cooed at the baby, who seemed to be a bit more calm now that the music was going. (Though she highly doubted that  Cináed's scruffy face was doing anything to help with soothing the infant.)

She went to the bar and mixed herself a drink, only momentarily offended by  Cináed's inability to help her out himself. Liadán quickly put together a vodka infused concoction and settled herself onto the floor next to the boy. "Fionn is a much better name," she conceded. "Much better than Robin." At the mention of his name, the boy peered at Liadán, who was clearly the villain in this whole ordeal. Liadán gave him a soft smile, and then summoned a stuffed animal. She handed the toy to the toddler, who quickly clutched it in his hand and began to suck on its ear. Liadan looked very pleased that it seemed to make the screaming thing drop out and be quieter.

Liadan sipped her drink and placed it on the floor next to her, watching the boy carefully. "He should be able to talk- but I do not know how much, or how long it will take him. I'm sure he's fairly traumatized at this point. He has been living with an auror and a muggle for the last few years. This must be much different from home."

"Would you like a few minutes alone?" she asked, noticing how he had trailed off before telling the boy that he was his father. "I can go... somewhere?" She wouldn't mind if he needed the time. If she had a child and someone had given it to her after it had been wrongly taken and raised by another family, she want a little bit of time as well. "I know this must be a very emotional moment for you, Cinaed. And more than likely you don't want to share it with me." She wasn't exactly one of his loved ones, after all. Just some woman who had fallen prey to his scheme and was trying to capture the affections of his friend. A friend that she would likely end up devouring whole before everything was said and done.

So, Liadan didn't know the answer, either.  Cinaed looked over at the kid, considering his options - and the priorities at hand. Obviously, the kid could make noise - he was demonstrating that well enough.  That didn't help clarify whether the kid could make useful noise but, maybe, time will tell.  Or, his mother - Fionn's grandmother - could clarify for them.  "Alright."  Cinaed watched the kid a moment but a grin cracked across his face as he heard Liadan's slight jab at his less than comforting appearance.  "He'll get used to it."  He'd have to, after all.  Cinaed had no intentions of shaving anytime soon.   

"Who names a kid after a bird?"  Cinaed followed the boy's gaze to the woman, leaning back and propping himself up on his hands.  He watched Liadan as she gave the stuffed animal to the boy before looking back at him.  How strange it was that one so small could prove so intimidating - if, for no other reason, than Cinaed's sheer uncertainty of how to approach the kid.  At least he seemed to be quieting down some. 

Whatever offense she might have taken at the expectation to serve herself barely registered with Cinaed.  After all, when was the woman not offended by something Cinaed did or didn't do.  Annoyance was the rule of thumb when it came to Liadan's interactions with him so there was nothing, really, to stand out. 

Poor kid; Cinaed could only imagine how confused and scared the kid must be.  He had no means of understanding what was going on and, it was like rescuing a sickly kitten from a flooding gutter.  There was no way to communicate to the poor thing that what they were doing was in the thing's...boy's best interest.  One day, things would be better and the boy would be better off than he had been - it would just wouldn't be easy between now and then.  Hopefully, the boy was young enough, though, that ten years from now he'd remember nothing of the first few unfortunate years of his life.  He'd only know life as a Tawse.  Proud and strong.

"I don't know."  The answer was honest.  Sure, being united with one's son for the first time in his life seemed a private moment but, at the same time, Cinaed wasn't sure he wanted to be left alone with the child.  He'd thought the logistics of all of this through: getting the boy, having a place to put the boy.  But, what to actually do with the boy once he had him?  He probably hadn't given that as much thought as he probably should have.  "Up to you," he answered.  There.  She could leave if he wanted but, truth be told, he wouldn't be disappointed if she stayed.

Liadan shrugged. Robin wasn't a bad name in and of itself, it just wasn't fitting for Cinaed's son. She was certain it would be a nice name for a little girl. Besides, the meaning behind names had never escaped her attentions. Her own name meant something akin to grey lady. Very fitting, if she did say so herself.

She watched as Cinaed peered at the boy as though he was afraid. It wasn't like him to seem so unsure. But he did not send her away when she asked if he wanted some time by himself. "Do you know anything about how to care for a child?" she asked cautiously. "I certainly do not mean to insult your intelligent, but you don't see the sort to have experience in this particular area." Liadan's own experience was limited, but at least she had a maternal instinct. Was there such a thing as a paternal instinct? She doubted it, and if there was, no doubt it was not running very rampant in Cinaed.

The boy seemed close to calm now. "Seems as though he has cried himself out," Liadan comented quietly, watching him continue to gnaw on the bear's ear. "He's a handsome little guy. Are you certain you're the father? I can't imagine that you're capable of creating such a nice looking little boy. He's certainly going to grow up to be a heartbreaker. He will be so much more handsome once he's dressed properly and learns the right manners. You know if you need anything or any help, you can always owl me." It was going to be a terribly long time before she had children of her own. "He needs a good female figure in his life. I'm not sure who your current plaything is- or if you even have one at the moment- but I highly doubt your typical tarts are proper influences."

Rising from the floor, Liadan pondered for a moment whether to the child would need a bottle or a sippy. There was so much that they did not know about his progress thus far. She decided that a bottle was likely the better option, and after summoning one from the diaper bag she had bought for the child, filled it with juice. Liadan handed it to the boy. "He must be parched after all of that infernal screaming. I know that I would be."

"I'm not sure if he's potty trained... Do you know how to change a diaper, Cinaed? That's rather important. Do you know how to feed him, and make sure that he stays safe, and everything like that? I don't like the idea of leaving him in your hands if you aren't capable of caring for him? Do you need a nanny? We could likely find you one. Perhaps some nice, homeschooled, pureblood girl? There are quite a few of those out there. With you running the pub, among other things, you'll need someone to help look after him until you learn to juggle everything."

"Does anyone know anything about caring for a kid before its shoved in their hands?"  He supposed, older siblings got a little bit of a test run with their younger brothers or sisters but everyone else had to figure it out as they went.  He wasn't an idiot and how difficult could this be?  No, he didn't have any past experience with child rearing but he could learn. 

The boy did seem to be quieting down.  He was a cute kid, there was no denying that.  With the proper upbringing and supervision, the boy would grow into a fine young man.  And, Cinaed would do his best to be the father the boy needed.  The first step, of course, was getting the boy settled and everything gathered.  And, Cinaed did have a plan for that.  "We'll be heading to my mother's in the morning. He'll have to lay low a little while until it all becomes old news." He could figure a way to disguise the child and fabricate a Ministry-acceptable story for why he suddenly had a child.  It didn't seem a far fetched concept that Cinaed would have a child out of wedlock out there. 

"Of course he's handsome.  He's a Tawse," Cinaed said with a smug grin.  "His mother was a fine woman as well."  At least until she turned tail.  Yes.  Liadan was right; the boy would need a female figure; perhaps it was time to consider the idea of finding one woman to ... what was he thinking?  "They aren't all tarts but there are certainly those that are better mothers than other.  But, he'll have female figures.  My mother and my sisters."

Cinaed chuckled as Liadan started quizzing him on his parenting knowledge.  Really?  Cinaed was still entirely oblivious of Liadan's unspoken attempts to offer help.  How difficult could this all be?  This was a pub; surely there was bound to be someone amongst the regulars that knew anything Cinaed didn't know.  He may not the most about parenting but he was resourceful.  "We'll be fine.  And, I don't need a nanny.  There's plenty of help to be found amongst the Tawse clan."

"I would hardly call you handsome, Cinaed. Perhaps if you shaved your beard, and put some conditioner in your hair. Maybe something to give it some soft waves and body to it. You're certainly not ugly- but handsome is not the word I would use to describe you." It was not intended to be an insult. It was just what Liadan's opinion was. "You looked quite fetching in your kilt, though. But most women tend to have an affinity for formalwear. Though I don't suppose that dress robes suit you well at your height..." But, like most women, she enjoyed a tall man. They made her feel so dainty.

"To your mother's?" Liadan arched an eyebrow. She had never pegged Cin to be much of a mama's boy. "Do you suppose that your mother would be offended if I visited a few times while he was with her? It will be a long time before I have any children, and I don't have any friends who have chilren I can spoil for a few hours and then give back..." Though she was not always honest, it seemed when she was, that Liadan seemed to lack a lot of tact with it.

"I want to be his Auntie Lia. If I have children they will have play dates. Perhaps I'll have a pretty little girl he will be fond of one day. Wouldn't that be terribly romantic, Cinaed? I rescued him, and then he marries my daughter, and they have gorgeous little blond haired babies. Perhaps my family will finally have members with a normal height for once. It would average out to a nice height- your gigantic genes, and my miniature ones. They could be Hogwarts sweethearts and everything if I have one soon enough. Don't you think that would be terribly romantic, Cinaed?" She sighed quietly, and pressed a gentle kiss to the little boy's cheek. "A perfect little marriage and family... And if I were to ever have babies with Christian, then that make the two of you related! Oh wouldn't it just be sublime!" Liadan clapped her hands happily. Yes, it would be perfect.

Liadan understood what he meant. Growing up there had been an endless string of relatives willing to lend a helping hand. But since her father had died, and her mother, Liadan had lost contact with most of her family members. She spent time with a few of her French relatives, but for societal reasons. "But the child needs more influence than just the Tawse family. He needs some variety."

"Who was his mother?" Liadan asked. She hoped it was at least a pureblood witch- even if she wasn't very nice. Obviously not a smart witch if she had given up the child. Then again, the mother could be dead. It was not a conversation she had yet had with Cinaed.

Cinaed grinned in amusement, watching the youngster even as Liadan continued to provide her assessment of his appearance.  She was not the first woman (nor man) to have suggested Cinaed part ways with his beard for the sake of looking more refined.  His mother was, very much, counted herself amongst their ranks.  She seemed to believe that, somehow, Cinaed's rebellious streak was connected to his facial hair - as if shaving would be the first step to straightening up. 

He had no intentions of doing so, though.  For every woman that gave him grief for his scruffy appearance, there were three who were secretly or openly drawn towards it.  One day, no doubt, this young boy who was sucking moodily on his thumb would be fighting off the women as well.  "Us Tawses aren't intended to be as clean cut as your fine young Colburn.  We're a rougher lot."  The assessment was offered with a slightly reserved grin before it faded as he shook his head.  Word had only recently arrived through Chris that Mannie's recent disappearance hadn't been a simple matter of the older ex-Death Eater heading off for an unannounced holiday.  Cinead didn't know if Chris had told Liadan of the unfortunate news. 

"I don't suppose she'd mind if you visited.  Though, she might get the wrong impression."  His mother was always waiting for Cinaed to bring home 'the one.'  Visiting the child at the Tawse residence was one thing; taking a child to spoil them and then return them after a few hours was another entirely.  Especially given the way in which the child came to his rightful place in Cinaed's life.  "It may be best, though, for Fionn to stay close to home until this becomes old news to the Ministry.  And don't take it personally; I'd be saying this to anyone.  Just being careful."  In a few months, if things blew over without incident, things would be able to change and Cinaed could relax. 

Suddenly, Liadan was already planning a marriage between Fionn and some theoretical future child.  "Better get busy," Cinaed remarked with an amused chuckle, raising an eyebrow at Liadan.  Even if Liadan got pregnant now and assuming the child was a girl, Fionn would already have three years on the girl.  Cinaed didn't think it was necessary to point out that, whenever possible, Tawses married Scottish as well as pureblood.  However, purebloods were becoming so much fewer and further between that fulfilling both expectations was getting progressively harder.  Even if the child wasn't Scottish (and, technically, wouldn't be pureblood), it did seem like an enticing prospect.  They'd just have to work on the whole girl existing detail.

Cinaed looked back at the child, giving LIadan's last question some consideration.  "His mother's name was Margo - her family had been involved in the Dark Arts for a while.  She was a fine witch; joined the WBA in the early days but got cold feet and threatened to turn some folks in.  She'd joined ranks with that Auror who stole my son and passed him on without ever having bothered to tell me I was a father." 

"You don't have to be clean cut, Cinaed. Just trim it a bit. A well trimmed, respectable goatee can be very attractive on some men. Think of how many more women you could have if you were able to be scruffy and clean cut at the same time. Perhaps you could attract some women who won't run the risk of giving you some disgusting disease..." Not that she had a problem with facial hair- Gregory had a beard, and he looked far better with it than without it.

Liadan had not missed the blush, though, when he called Christian her fine young Colburn. "Christian would look ridiculous with a beard," she conceded. Liadan wondered if he was done at the house yet. It had been weirdly nice to spend some time with him- even if they had only been comitting a crime together. A bonding experience. "It was nice, seeing him tonight," she told Cinaed. Liadan couldn't help talking to him about it sometimes. He was the only one who knew about her... situation with Christian. "He and I rarely see one another. It's frustrating. I do not understand how we are supposed to... build some sort of relationship when we never see one another." She was conveniently forgetting the part about her pseudo-relationship with Gregory. Naturally any hold up in the process was all Christian's fault.

She was surprised when Cinaed mentioned his mother getting the wrong impression. Tawse was many things, but a person who worried what others thought was not something Liadan associated him with. But, perhaps, he had a soft spot for his mother. "I know how to handle mothers, Cinaed. I won't allow her to get the wrong impression about things. I've a vested interest in this now. If there is at all a chance I'm going down for what I did, I'd like to at least make sure it was worth it... But he is your son, and naturally I'll obey your wishes.

When Cinaed told her to get on it, Liadan blushed again. She had never even practiced baby making. And she would need a husband first- and Liadan, as much as she cared about Christian and liked the idea of one day having a future with him- she still wasn't sure if she could really commit her future to someone who was not a pureblood. And everyone knew he was not a pureblood. She couldn't even fake his pedigree to make herself feel better. Just think of what people would say if they found out! Melanthe would never let her live it down. "You'll have to talk to Christian about that," she told him.

Her attention was drawn to the child again when he finally spoke of his mother. Liadan would not blame the woman for getting cold feet. Sometimes it was just best to save your own ass- but at this point, she did not have that option. She had kindapped a baby, and assaulted an auror and a muggle. That crime, along with all of the illegal dark items and magic practices she dabbled in with her free time, was enough to get her into serious legal trouble. To think- she was involved in this whole mess because of Christian... A man she wasn't even willing to truly commit to.

"You'll be a marvelous father, I'm sure," she reassured him, patting his arm. "It is very late though. You should put the little one to bed. And I should get some sleep. Tomorrow is the New Year's Eve party at the Forrester home- and I've promised James I'm going and Gregory is taking me out for dinner before we go." Perhaps if he was fed he was less likely to be so ornery. Men were much easier going when they weren't hungry.

Liadan took Cinaed's face in her hands and did something very out of the ordinary- pressing her lips against his scruffy cheek. It was a sign of affection reserved for her closest friends- which were few and far between. But she was worried now, about Cinaed's new life as a father and about the retaliation when the ministry discovered the boy was gone. "If you need me for anything, Cinaed, I'm an owl away. Be sure and let your mother know I might be owling her about visiting. I don't want to take her off guard. Or impose. If you see Christian before I do, tell him to owl me so I can be sure that he arrives home alright. I do worry about him being there to clean up the evidence..."

"You haven't met my mother," Cinaed admitted, shaking his head.  Anna Tawse was a firm, solid, strong Scotswoman.  The kind that could single-handedly raise Cinaed and his two sisters on the squally, windswept shores of northeastern Scotland and remain strong even after the extraction of her husband's soul and subsequent death in Azkaban.  Cinaed had never known his father - he'd been raised exclusively by the Tawse matriarch.  He raised his hands in gestured defeat with a slight chuckle.  "My wishes have little to do with whatever impression my mother devises or you try to create.  I know better than to try to mediate between the two of you." 

If Cinaed was being honest (and, usually, he was - he may not approach things with Ministry approved strategies but he considered himself an honest man), he would have to admit he was enjoying Liadan's annoying banter and fussing.  Those comments weren't that far from those his mother had offered over the years.  She was always getting on his case about his somewhat scraggly appearance.  Like his mother, apparently, Liadan seemed to be under the impression his appearance limited his ability to be ... selective in his choice of bedmate. 

"I manage just fine," he assured her.  He pushed himself to his feet, leaning over to hoist the tyke up onto his hip.  Liadan was right; it was probably well passed the boy's bedtime.  Despite being human, it was remarkable how ... light the little guy was.  "I appreciate your concern, though.  And, I'll keep the recommendation in mind."  There were practical reasons for his hesitation to 'clean up', though.  Should the need ever arise to alter his appearance for concealment, he'd be much easier to recognize if the Ministry already had pictures of him in two different hairstyles.  If he ever had to get rid of the beard, the Ministry would have a much harder time identifying him in they didn't have an intermediate trimmed-beard appearance to go off of.

But, she was right about one thing.  Cinaed laughed, ignoring Fionn's uneasy squirm.  Chris just wasn't one to sport a beard.  "He's a good guy," he said in response to Lia's insistence it had been good to see the man. "I hope he's doing alright after everything.  He's doing better than I'd have imagined he would."  Had Cinaed been in Chris' place, he wasn't sure he could have feigned apathy upon learning of Mannie's cold blooded murder in the Ministry. 

"Then you should see him more often.  Don't see why you don't.  His whole double agenting for the Ministry can only work in your favor, you know.  The Ministry wants him 'fraternizing with questionables like us'.  It'd be good for his cover."  One hand had been occupied by holding the youngest Tawse securely to his side so he'd had to gesture each of the air quotes in turn.  "In fact, you're on the watch list, right?  A proud badge of honor.  If you two work together, you might be able to come up with some bit of information to pass on - for all you know," Cinaed shifted his grip on the boy to support him by two hands.  He wasn't quite sure why meddling in Liadan's love life had become such an amusing pasttime but it had.  And, here he had the opportunity to meddle in the Ministry and her love life - it was a double win for him.  "- Raynor, or whoever's supervising him, might encourage him to see more of you.  Play the system.  It's in your hands." 

"Happily."  Cinaed doubted Liadan was saying it was just a matter of getting the ball rolling on Chris' end (no pun intended) but if that's what she was claiming, he'd happily play dumb. 

Surprise registered, unhindered, in Cinaed's expression when Liadan pressed the cordial kiss to his cheek but it was soon replaced with an amused smirk.  Had he expected it - had he been better prepared, he might have had some smart comment ready.  As it was, all she got was the honest, amused grin.  "I'll pass on the word.  Mum will probably be ready to greet you with tea in hand.  And, I'll be sure to pass on all your kind words to Chris."  She'd given Cinaed permission to stir the cauldron between the two, after all.  He wasn't one to pass up an amusing opportunity. 

"Sleep well."  He offered, turning towards the doors back to the inn. 

Liadan was unsure what Cinaed meant by meddling between herself and his mother, and decided to let it go rather than questioning him about it. The last thing she wanted to do was get into an argument with him about his mother. Liadan was certain that Mother Tawse would be a perfectly pleaseant and reasonable woman- and that they could coddle the boy together. It would be lovely! She also let the subject matter of his facial hair die. Liadan had, on multiple occasions, suggest he have a shave. He had never listened to her then, and chances were that he would not listen to her now.

"I am well aware of Christian's finer qualities," Liadan told Cinaed. "He is a good man. And he is intelligent, loyal, brave, cunning, and he is also quite adorable. And I hope that he is alright as well. I will talk to him about it, and see if he needs anything. Sometimes there are things a woman can do better than a man, Cinaed, and offering solace is one of those." Not that Liadan was particularly skilled or practiced in the realm of comforting others, but she could try- and she had no doubt she was better at it than Cinaed.

"Watch list my foot," Liadan spat. "I've no reason to be on their radar! You peddle a couple of shrunken heads and have a bad family and they assume you're a rotten apple! The whole lot of them ought to find better things to do than poking their ugly, fat noses into my business. If they focused their efforts on the real criminals, then I have no doubt they would be able to actually do something about their supposed crime problems." The watch list, honestly! Liadan, before this evening, had never set one toe out of line! She had obeyed the law (mostly), and had been perfectly pleasant and given the ministry no reason to suspect anything else.

Liadan knew that Cinaed was right- but she did not want to use Christian because of his double role. And what would happen if Christian ever decided he wanted to double cross them instead of the ministry? She doubted that he ever would- but there was a chance for anything. "Well, I will send him an owl or stop by and visit him and we'll see how things go. Perhaps I could go by his flat and take a nice bottle of wine and some dinner... I do hate muggle London though! It's so dreadful. I hope that he appreciates all the things I'm having to go through for him. Suffering muggle London, gaining so much weight..." She stopped there. There was no reason to voice his bloodline yet again. Cinaed disagreed with her on that front, she assumed, and she did not want to start an argument. "That is the very reason I vowed to never allow myself to care for a man. It has too many unwanted side effects."

"And you can tell Christian whatever you like. I'd rather you say it than me. I wish you could have seen me stumbling over my words that night I showed up on his doorstep in my nightie. It was an awful sight. I've never struggled for words before in my life!" She made a face at him. "But your meddling is not all to blame- just so you know. I would have gotten around to it on my own. Whether you had decided to interfere or not..."

"I hope that you can sleep well also. And make sure the little one gets enough rest." She watched as he turned to head to his rooms before leaving the pub and apparating with an audible pop back to her estate in Ireland. It had been a far too eventful evening. She wanted a hot bath and something smothered in chocolate.