The triplets were two years old now.
Dasien, Valiera, and Lirael no longer needed to be carried everywhere. Their small feet moved with stubborn determination across the wooden floors of the family house. Their words were still short, but they were clear and full of meaning.
"Dada."
"Papa."
They said the names often, turning from Vael to Davis and then to Lirien with bright eyes. Every time one of those words left their mouths, something warm and tight rose in Lirien's chest. These were no longer the fragile newborns who had once fit in the curve of his arm. They were growing. And the family was growing with them.
Because the law had finally changed, Vael made a decision that once would have been impossible.
One quiet evening, while the children stacked soft blocks on the carpet, he looked at Lirien and Davis and said, "This year's cruise will be different. No more rules that keep families apart. I'm taking all of you with me."
