Scribbles and Drabbles

#3 The more the merrier

"So this is where you have all been," Daire noted as he looked down at the collection of youths in a variety of states. "There was a big clash this evening and you guys are all hiding here?" he asked slightly confused.

Most of the people in the private room where at high school or younger. Certainly people he was fine with hiding in his establishment to avoid the ongoing chaos of outside. With the pride trying to carve out a piece of territory, all the fractions in the city were at war at the moment. Alliances were being made and broken left right and centre as people tried to keep control of what they had. As for the teenagers of the clans, dens and houses, it was exam season at school and that didn't stop for anybody.

"Explains the phones going off," a MacBreen kid shrugged, his glasses pushed close to his face and his sleeves rolled up as he studied what looked to be some form of maths. Possibly mechanics by the physics books opened next to him.

Daire looked over to the far corner of the room where there was a pile of cell phones."One way to avoid it all," he nodded slowly.

"Hello Daire," a voice greeted from behind him and a black girl pushed past him with bags of takeout with one of the neutral boys carrying a few bags too. "Sorry about the takeout but your cooks got trapped in the conflict," she said cheerfully.

"Why ain't I surprised this was your idea?" Daire shook his head calmly. "Sheylinn, when I gave you the keys for this room, I wasn't quite expecting you to make it a study room. It's supposed to be used in emergencies," he scolded, eyes glancing over to where some younger children were asleep. There a line of chalk on the ground before them and plenty of blankets so they were comfortable. One of the witchlings had made it so the young ones could sleep in peace.

"It was an emergency. The exams are in one week," Sheylinn said firmly. "Most of the families expect their children to go to university. We needed a place to study so I figured the more the merrier." She hit one teen lightly on the head to wake him up. "Renchun if you're going to sleep, go join the babies!"

"Please tell me you got the energy drink," the Chinese boy yawned, rubbing his eyes.

"I think you'd all do better if you sleep," Daire exhaled, clicking his fingers and making all the energy drinks and coffee disappear. The teenagers complained but Daire could tell just by one look most were about to collapse. It was far too late for them all to be up. He was already taking a mental note of who he knew to do a call around. The MacBreen's were one of his families. Renchun had brought some of his younger brothers and sisters by the looks of the younger ones, that was reassuring with just what had happened.

"Sir," a MacBreen said pleadingly.

"Eat your dinner and sleep here. I call round and let families know. You can study more tomorrow but it is far too late now," Daire said firmly, stomping his foot. The floor turned softer and the look of surprise on the teenagers face made him smile. "Rest, and Sheylinn I'll deal with you tomorrow," he ordered firmly, pleased as most of them started packing away there books and supplies.

One just flopped straight was the chair to the ground and crawled away from the table to sleep in a nicer location. Daire left the room and checked his defenses. The children were safe there.

"Daire, sir," a boy called softly, joining him outside the room. Theodore Smith, a neutral with no links to the families ignoring he knew they exsisted. "This was my idea, please don't be made at Sheylinn."

"I'm not mad. Mildly annoyed but not angry," Daire said gently. Theo was polite and all clues suggested he'd been raised by a rich family that had instilled good manners into their boy. Just why they had throw him out was more of mystery. The current betting pool had the reason being because of his sexual orientation."I'd rather have you all here and safe than find out you got hurt in the clashes," he reassured. "But some notice would be appreciated before you offer my space out to everyone."

"Sheylinn... I'll make sure we tell you in future," Theo corrected himself.

"Good boy," Daire nodded. "Now go rest."

Theo disappeared back into the room and Daire smiled grimly. Sheylinn was bound for the witches. She flirted with it far too much. Theodore, Daire had placed a claim on his particular soul. He dailed the Ren's first. They had been the ones to get attacked and Daire was pretty sure that they would like to know the children were with him at the moment.