Saturday afternoon faded into evening by the time Corbin returned to his normal form while sitting on the bed in the privacy of the guest room. A few minutes of calm meditation was all that the melding change required. Afterward, he took the opportunity to shower in the bathroom across the hall since the change left him naked, and he was long overdue for a steaming hot shower. With Shade's robe lying beside him at his disposal, he wrapped himself in it, grabbed his duffel bag and scurried across the hall to the bathroom.

    Shade met Corbin in the hallway when he exited the bathroom with his thick black hair glistening from the dampness still clinging to it from the trapped steam inside the tiled walls of the bathroom. His bag was secured under one arm while Shade's robe was draped over the other.

    "You like 'em hot too," Shade smirked, watching the lingering steam drift out into the hall.

    Corbin gave a quick little half smile, then said,"Um, yeah. After working all day in a dirty old factory, it's the only way to truly feel clean."

    Shade nodded her understanding, then glanced at his bag. "Put your things away and come with me to the living room. Gideon should be here soon and we're gonna wait for him there," she informed.

    "Sure thing," Corbin replied. He went to take a step, but stopped. "Here's your robe. Thanks for letting me use it," he said, extending his robe covered arm to her.

    "Why don't you hang on to it for the time being, I've got another one anyway," she offered.

    "Okay, thanks," Corbin answered. He dropped off his things in the guest room while Shade waited for him in the hall, then she escorted him to the living room where Gale and Lydia were already seated; Gale in a plush armchair across from Lydia who was sitting in the center of a long couch where she patted the cushion next to her right, indicating with a grin aimed at Corbin that the seat was reserved for him. He obediently sat next to her while Shade took a seat in another plush armchair next to Gale.

    Corbin briefly examined the room that he'd seen before only in passing. A crackling fire grew in the stone fireplace nearby while a dignified grandfather clock stood off in a corner at the end of a row of three arched windows that were covered with drawn curtains. Aside from the fire's light, a few stylish floor lamps placed around the room helped to generate a comfortable glow within the room. The elaborate chandelier hanging above was more of a staple for elegance, but seemed poised to shower the entire room with light if needed. The expansive, maroon rug that covered the entire center of the room as it cushioned the space between the furniture and the floor was royally designed with bordering tassels.

    Corbin's observation of the room was arrested by Lydia, who scooted over next to him and snuggled up to his side by hugging his arm with both of hers and leaning her head against his shoulder. Once again he found himself unsure in her arms, being a stranger to such affection and wondering if it was appropriate to receive such from a young girl he barely knew; though he couldn't deny the endearing power of her attachment, nor the strong urge he had to drown her with his own hands-on affection. He looked to Gale and Shade to gauge their consent, but the approving expressions they shared while gazing pleasantly at the sight of Lydia's attachment disarmed his concerns; reminding him that Lydia wasn't some random stranger, she was his little sister. With that joyous thought he relaxed into Lydia's loving grasp and even wiggled a bit to get closer to her.

    "Well, since we have a little time before Gideon arrives, tell us Corbin, how long will your stay with us last?" Gale asked, charging the air with three sisters' interest.

    Corbin felt Lydia's head shift on his shoulder and knew she was watching him for his response. "I'll have to go back early tomorrow, my bus leaves out at eight a.m. sharp," he disclosed.

    "If ya wanna stay around longer, I'd be happy to drive you back myself," Shade offered.

    "Um, thanks, but it's a long drive, and to be honest I could use the time on the bus to mull things over," Corbin replied.

    "But how long will you be away?" Lydia asked with the tone of her voice missing him already.

    Corbin cocked his head to glance at her saddened eyes, then he looked across at Gale and Shade as he pondered a question he had not yet considered. "I don't know, I mean I want to have a serious talk with my foster dad about all this, and then there's my work schedule to consider..."

    "We want you to come live with us," Shade boldly put forth, interrupting as she shifted forward in her chair with a trained, unwavering stare at Corbin to emphasize the direction of her statement.

    "Yes," Gale affirmed as Corbin recovered from the suddenness of the proposal. "We discussed this together while you showered and, if  you would be so inclined, we would love nothing more than to have you here with us."

    As Corbin's mind shifted gears to process the idea of their offer, he felt a squeeze around his arm from Lydia, as well as her head leaning back firmly against his shoulder, and he knew that she was making her case for the answer she wanted. He took a deep breath, then opened his mouth to speak, but the sound of the manor's doorbell stole the moment away much to the sisters' relief; because no answer yet meant the one they wanted still had a chance.

    Shade was the first one up out of her chair, and she wanted to blast off toward the door but restrained herself long enough for everyone else to rise, then she led the way as Corbin brought up the rear. The trip from the living room to the manor's vestibule was not a long one, so  Corbin had little time to prepare for the impending first meeting with someone who was obviously highly regarded by his family. He hung back as they neared the front door to allow his sisters the courtesy of welcoming their visitor without being in their way.

    Gale and Lydia huddled around Shade as she opened the door. Corbin watched as a tall, sharply dressed man with a square jaw raked his medium length, wind-blown yellow hair with his fingers as he entered from the cold night behind him. Gideon was greeted with a round of glad smiles from the girls as Shade closed the door. He turned to Shade and began to hand out his own verbal greetings with a debonair tone to his voice.

    "Well Shade, you're looking as lethal as ever."

    A swaggering smirk from Shade sent Gideon to Gale, who was next in line for his flattering charm. "And you my dear, are as radiant as the moon in all it's glory."

    Gale accepted his compliment with a demure grin and mannerly nod that allowed him to shift toward Lydia, who was already holding a stretched smile for him. "Ah, my most precious flower, your emerging beauty will surely be unrivaled," he assured with smiling certainty.

    Lydia threw a quick, but purposeful look back at Corbin to indicate his presence to Gideon, whose stare became one of deep interest as he took notice of Corbin, who suddenly felt the attention of everyone around him settling on him. He shifted uneasily, then grew still with a breath as Gideon left the girls and marched over to him, studying him even more severely as he approached with eyes that Corbin could see were a mesmerizing gray hue, which made them stand out from Gideon's smooth complexion that was as pale as moonlight.

    Gideon took hold of Corbin by his shoulders, holding him at arms length with a solid grasp while he looked him up and down, then settled a very sober expression on him. Corbin tensed in Gideon's scrutiny, but eased up a bit when he saw a soft flash of reminiscence cross Gideon's surprisingly young face. In fact, for someone said to be the oldest and dearest friend of his mother, Corbin was puzzled by Gideon's appearance. He didn't appear to be much older than Corbin, if at all.

    "Surely before me is the son of the White Raven. Dear boy, you have your father's build, but Emma's presence is unmistakable upon your countenance," Gideon solemnly declared, drawing out a brief, reverent smile from Corbin.

    Gale snuck up behind Gideon and placed a hand on his back. He looked over his shoulder at her without breaking his hold on Corbin. "We have much to discuss tonight Gideon, let us do it in the comfort of the livingroom," she said.

    Gideon's arms fell from Corbin as he replied with a smile under his softening eyes,"Of course my dear."

    Everyone made their way back to the living room where Gideon took Shade's former seat beside Gale, and Shade joined the snuggled mass of Corbin and Lydia on the couch.  Seeing Lydia  latched onto Corbin reminded Gideon of how her mother had been the same way. He got lost in a fond gaze at them that revived his own cherished memories, until Gale noticed his observation and amusingly noted,"She's quite taken with him already."

    "Hmm...Oh, yes my dear, I see," Gideon responded, snapping out of his pleasant trance with an agreeing nod at Gale.

    Lydia responded to the comments by squeezing herself closer to Corbin, who grinned bashfully at the exposure of Gideon's watching eyes, but remained completely accessible to Lydia's need for closeness by settling into her. Shade interrupted the moment with a request for Corbin to reveal to Gideon the events that led him to the manor, as well as his adoption and life in Torrell. He happily complied with a thorough version of his tale that spared no important details, nor was any word wasted on Gideon who absorbed it all with the greatest of interest. Shade and Lydia contributed their parts to the story along with Gale after Corbin finished.

    Gideon rose from his chair, rubbing his chin in thought as he paced near the popping fire in the fireplace. The entire living room waited as he considered the remarkable tale of Corbin's discovery, but Shade's lack of patience pushed her to confront Gideon with the one question that burned in everyone's minds hotter than the glowing embers of the fireplace.

    "Who would take Corbin from us, and in such an elaborate scheme as to kill two people in order to cover his abduction with so convincing a death?"

    Gideon straightened his posture at Shade's question, then joined his hands behind his back as he surveyed all the faces in the room that were glued to him with expectations for some type of resolving answer.