We spent the next two days with the Fox twins; Mathias and Nadia spent hours at a time, getting to know one another, while Noah tried to teach me simple BSL signs, by writing down words and then signing it.
In some ways it was strange to know that even a divine being, could be brought to their knees in humility, because of pure, unconditional, love. I had seen Mathias tear down legions with nothing but his hands, had seen him level entire armies alone, but this was truly a sight to behold.
A tap on my shoulder pulled my gaze from the two lovebirds, to find Noah holding out his notepad. Written on the open page, in perfect cursive, were the words, 'A King bows to no one but his Queen.' He held out a pen and waited for me to take it from him; I wrote my response in a single word, 'indeed'. He looked up and smiled. It was a genuine smile, but something in his eyes seemed sad and scared. I smiled back and signed 3 letters; 'B, R, B'. He nodded, still smiling.
Slowly I made my way to the kitchen, where I knew Mathias and Nadia and disappeared to. The way I found them, however, was not what I'd expected to see.
Nadia sat on the worktop, and Mathias stood in front of her, his hands on her hips, her knees either side of his hips, and her hands at the nape of his neck.
"Not in the kitchen, please. I have to cook food in here." I grinned as Mathias shot to the other side of the kitchen. Nadia's eyes were as wide as saucers and her face had taken on a darker tone. The looks of embarrassment on their faces were priceless. Neither one of them, it seemed, had expected anyone to come into the kitchen. I laughed.
"Mathias, can I have a word?" I couldn't stop laughing, even as I spoke to him.
I led Mathias to my room and shut the door behind him.
"I want you to give Noah his hearing." I let the words spill from my lips, but he just stood and looked at me in confusion. "Please, Mat. He's scared. You and Nadia are in this for life, and he's gonna be left, unsure who will, or won't, understand him."
"Nina, I'm a harbinger of death, I don't preform miracles."
"If Aaliyah can become as vengeful as you claim she has, then you can gift a deaf man with hearing, even if it's just for a day. Let him hear his sister's voice, just once."
"Maybe." That was it; that was all her deemed to say on the subject. With that single word hanging between us, he left my room, presumably to head back to Nadia. I followed him.
We walked into the living space to find the twins in a silent conversation, their hands moving so fast, it was impossible to catch even a single snippet.
Just watching the two of them, smiling, deep in conversation, in their own world, restored a little faith in the latest generation. This was what family meant' accepting every difference and trying to find a way to make that difference, indistinguishable.
Perhaps if I'd used my immortality differently, I might have been able to make this world better, not worse.
Nadia glanced at the door and, on seeing Mathias and I, her smile turned to a grin.
"Nina! We were just talking, well signing, about you." She nimbly made her way around the sofa and grabbed my wrist. "Noah was just telling me, he wants me to translate for him, so that he can talk to you." Eagerly, she pulled me to the armchair, before perching on the arm of the chair. Noah began to sign, slowly, and Nadia quietly translated in my ear.
"I have a gift for you." He reached down, into the rucksack he'd brought with him, and pulled out a small, square box, wrapped in a bright red, shimmery paper. Across the top, in the most beautiful calligraphy I'd ever seen, was my name; four simple letters, and it caused a lumped to rise in my throat.
