Disclaimer: Whatcha gonna do about it? Fans will fan.

Author's Note: Yeah, I know, sorry. A looooooot of technical difficulties and life getting in the way. But in a good way on my part.


...


Ahamo was, admittedly, a connoisseur of the absurd. Given the nature of his eclectic upbringing he had a rather refined palate for life's little foibles, and a necessarily - he felt - fiendish appreciation for humour inherent to these sort of situations. Because, really, it was just too exquisitely funny not to enjoy.

Though the tension in the thigh that was supposed to be acting as his pillow rather than a steel beam indicated that some parties might disagree with him...

Meanwhile the youngest princess thundered by using her sister's hands as much as an imperative tether as a means of support.

"Really, dearest," he murmured soothingly. "It isn't as bad as all that. Try to see the humour in it all."

Lavender, he considered as a piercing glare was sent his way, was not a colour that should be allowed to look deadly. Fortunately, her attention was distracted a moment later by her second born's failed attempt to steer both princesses into the lake.

"There's no use crying over spilt milk, darling, nothing to be done," he tried again. "You said so yourself, official is official and all that. Besides, if it was going to be too heart breaking for the old man not to be allowed to officiate in the first place, think how crushed he'd be to learn, by way of your overturning the whole thing, that he'd screwed up."

If that look she was given him out of the corner of her eye meant what he thought it did, Ahamo figured he was mere seconds from having his head unceremoniously dumped out of the currently not very comfortable lap. Which was still better than the wordless, high-pitched lecture Azkadellia was at the moment being subjected to for refusing to allow her little sister to drown them both.

"I hear he had a new set of Diocesan robes made up for the occasion, what with coming out of retirement and all," he continued reasonably. He'd looked so proud in them, too. And, really, how could they refuse such an earnest request from the man who'd been willing to buck the displeasure of the entire Outer Zone by marrying an Othersider to their queen? Perhaps they should have allowed him to do the honours for Azkadellia, though, he'd have been seven years less senile then at least.

Nearby the infant princess wrested her hands from her not very obedient servant's grasp and plonked ungracefully back on her bottom. She looked around a moment to determine if this was something she should be upset by before turning her attention towards investigating whether grass was edible.

"You know, since all else fails, we could follow the family tradition and call her by her initials. Do you prefer DG or Deeg? Sounds a bit like a sneeze, but it has real potential on the expressions of exasperation front."

"Mother," Azkadellia broke in suddenly, "is going to call her 'My Angel' on account of Dorothy Gale being her favourite."

Ahamo's brows rose and the corner of his mouth quirked upwards. "Is my royal goddess playing favourites now?" He asked archly.

Not all the impotent rage in the world could hide that twinkle of amusement in Zo's eye. "Azkadellia," she explained primly, "was worried that since I would be giving her the throne when I was done using it, that 'My Angel' would feel that I didn't love her as much. So it was decreed that Azkadellia is my Crown Princess and My Angel is my favourite princess."

As if responding to this, her mother's angel let out a shrill demand to be picked up. Seeing as this resulted in a pair of kicking feet in his face, the lap wasn't getting any more comfortable for all that the thigh beneath his head was relaxing at last.

"That is all well and good," the Consort murmured around the toes that kept finding their way into his mouth, "but parents really shouldn't play favourites, Azkadee."

"It is okay, Father," the eldest princess pronounced, "for I am going to be your favourite and that way it's all fair. You may continue to call me Azkadee," she decreed solemnly.

Struggling to maintain his gravity, Ahamo replied, "That does seem fair. Guess that means I am the one that gets to initiate you into the traditional abbreviating of the family, eh, DG?" He asked, tweaking the little toe of Her Royal Highness, the Officially Named Dorothy-Gale Gale of the House of Gale.

"Ah well," he added prosaically, "at least she won't ever be in doubt of who her family is."