Why.

I thought there was a way to keep her safe but I wasn't careful enough about it and it didn't work.

Safe from what?

The Enemy hurting her or using her to hurt us.

What's the enemy.

A bad person who is gone now.

Did he hurt her.

He hurt everybody.

How did he get her.

She was born in his fortress.

How did you meet her.

They tried to take her Kat away so she escaped with my brother and came here. We aren't allowed to take orcs and people who might be agents of the Enemy in but I was King and she'd brought Maitimo so I let her in. We kept them guarded in case they'd try to hurt anyone.

That's why I didn't, uh, date her, it's weird to date people who you are keeping as prisoners.

But she was a Mama and you are a Papa.

Well at the time I did not know that we were apparently destined for each other. If I had known that I would have dated her anyway after explaining to my people so they did not think I was very very evil.

You should get her back. And have a me.

So you have said. I would like a you very much.

Would she be weird looking like Kat.

Kat's father was also an orc. I don't know if children I had with Beka would come out as orcs but I expect not, unless she was in a lot of pain all the time.

Nod.

Squeeze. I think your Papa is a very good man and that it's sometimes hard to do right even when you love people a lot.

You don't think he's the worst you?

I am the only one who has yet managed to murder his Beka!

Does Michael know that?

He does. I think he thinks that telling me to feel bad about that would - not do much - while your father still has a Beka to do right by -

Papa and Mama love each other very much.