Of all the children, I understood that Xerxes was much different. He had changed a bit after having followed his father, who had followed me, who had been followed by Mugen and then the whole debacle that had occurred afterwards. It had been, to say, a clusterfuck! Then Mugen had blamed it on me and while he had saved me (I guess), Viserys had saved him, and so I felt little warmth for my brother-in-law. His words were too vile, his manners too blunt, and he lacked intelligence that Viserys seemed to have taken all of. It was rather startling that he was related in anyway with my mate or Halcyon, so vastly different were their personalities. Xerxes, thankfully, was not full of such disobedience. While I wasn't sure exactly where his head was at, I also didn't worry about him disobeying me.

I grin at his saucy response and press my nose into the spot between his eyes, now damp from my tongue, before I continue. "And some very lovely brains they are, son," I answer, feeling proud of my child but also just a little bit intimidated. I wasn't nearly as clever as Viserys was which meant that Xerxes had already passed me in that department. I just worried he would one day realize I wasn't as smart as him. How disappointing would that be for a child?

Still, jesting with him was among my favorite things to do, and I rather enjoyed making my children squirm. It is a wonder my mother never did such to us but I suppose my need for mischief was much greater. I bust out into laughter at his exclamation, eyes crinkling as I roll them. For now I pause in my efforts to groom him so that I can better watch his expressions. He gets a stern look which makes me bite back a smirk. "I'm listening," I say boldly, although I blink in surprise at his next words. It wasn't some secret, I suppose, but I just didn't think... well, I didn't think my mate would be so open yet with the children about such things. I frown.

Then I promptly burst into more raucous laughter, falling onto my belly with ears back and shoulders twitching from mirth. It only continues with his last fervent statement and I swear there are tears coming from my eyes as I gasp for air. No doubt he is unamused but I am highly so, jaws open in a foxish grin, until I can finally suck in air to breath once more. "Oh Xerxes!" Then I start giggling again, unable to finish any statement as I stretch a paw out to place consolingly over the one he had stamped. What must he think of me now?