"You're welcome, sweetie," he said. She reminded him, in some ways, of his niece back home, but Val was bubblier. Isabella was a couple of years older, but a rather quiet child much of the time.
It was nice to have a child in his arms again -- it was odd, though he was only an uncle, that he missed holding kids. Then again, he was the only male role model that had been around them.
"You want to go show Miss Hestia your pretty new ribbons?" he asked, arms wrapped around her warm little body. She was such a sweet little girl, she truly was.