Are You My Mother? [Zero][Moonspear]

[GoblinFae]

Well that was certainly impolite. 'Why do the big people always do that? I wasn't trying to be funny! I'm sewious! Can't they see this is important and not a laughin' matter!'

Emma crossed her hands over her chest and glared down at the laughing form before her. Like most children of her age she was both curious and impatient for answers as evidenced by her tapping foot and the pouting, scowl that marred her elfin features.

Even as Ashlar explained the truth to her, her face did not soften nor did her foot stop tapping. She stared him down for several long moments, letting the silence hang between them before raising her little button nose up in the air.

"I believe you," she stated in an offended manner despite her childish curiosity begging her to pet his ears and tail anyway. "I find it ofwensive that you would doubt my beweif! Unwess you're lying to me. You wouldn't do that now Mister Ashley sir," Emma eyed him full on with her large brown eyes before continuing, "would you?"

[Zero]

Ashlar didn't mean to laugh, but to him the question truly was funny! And the way she asked was just so cute. Of course, not all humans were very familiar with non-human entities. Maybe she'd never seen someone with a tail before! Oh, but that was so sad. People with tails were so interesting. Like him!

His laughter died entirely at her overly serious expression and her tapping foot. Aw, he hadn't meant to make her upset with him! Having the little lady cross with him simply wouldn't do. As the silence dragged on Ashlar felt himself squirming a bit, his ears laid back and a pout came to his lips. He wanted a smiling, giggling little playmate! She was so much cuter when she was smiling.

As he was admonished for thinking she wouldn't believe him his expression fell further, looking not unlike a kicked puppy. The question of if he would lie to her certainly made his expression turn into something absolutely pitiful. His voice became a soft whine. "Of course not, Ashlar could not lie to the little Miss Emma! Ashlar is sorry; he did not mean to upset the little Miss Emma. Please forgive Ashlar!"

[GoblinFae]

Her bottom lip wobbled, seeing him so upset completely depleted her anger. She had tried acting all grown up and found that it was not to her liking if she ended making someone look so sad and brokenhearted. Forgetting for the moment how horrified her mother would be, Emma raced into Ashlar's arms to hug him tightly, wishing fervently to erase the past few moments that led them here.

"I'm sowwy," she cried pitifully, still clinging desperately to him. "You did nothing wrong. It was all my fault. Miss Emma was bad. She hurt your feelings and she's very sorry. Can you forgive her?"

The little body began to shake with chocked back tears as Emma let her mind chastise her more and more, exaggerating the hurt she had seen in the other man's face until she felt like nothing more than a monster. If this is what being an adult meant then she was never growing up.

She buried her face in Ashlar's shoulder, wailing repeated "sowwies," and still not feeling any better about it.

[Zero]

Ashlar had really done it now! He'd somehow managed to accidentally make the poor child so very upset. Her let her little arms wrap around him and he returned her hug, stroking her hair soothingly. Here he was supposed to be the adult and he'd gone and sent the poor dear into a fit. The poor kitsune felt pretty low about himself. Always ruining everything, yep, that was Ashlar, always messing everything up.

Well, Ashlar was a mommy and he knew how to soothe upset little ones. At least, he'd been a fairly good mommy as far as he was concerned. Sure, all his babies were boys, but little girls couldn't be that different. "Shh, shh. There, there, little Miss Emma. Ashlar did not mean to make you cry. He's okay, there's nothing to forgive. Please don't cry Miss Emma, if Miss Emma cries, then poor Ashlar will cry!"

The kitsune wasn't actually all that much larger than the child in his arms, but he lifted her anyway, hugging her to his chest and patting her back softly. "Come on, enough horsies for now. Let's go to the kitchen and get Miss Emma a tasty pastry. How does that sound? Ashlar and Miss Emma will eat a sweet and then see something else fun, if Miss Emma's parents are still busy."

[GoblinFae]

Emma quickly wiped her eyes, afraid that even the sight of drying tears would send her friend into a fit. When she at last felt that she could control herself, the little girl leaned back to view Ashlar's face. A small hand reached up to pat his cheeks gently, checking to see if she had in fact made him cry.

"No tears? Please, pleaes no cwying. I'm not, see!" She batted her eyelashes to prove the fact before leaning in to give one more hug to the slave. Emma did not want to have to get up and leave. She found it quite comfortable in her guardian's arms and so did HoneyBlossom, for that matter. They both agreed they would rather Ashlar as a nanny than any of the other nursemaids they had had previously. He was kind and funny and best of he gave the best hugs. They were possibly even better than her mother's or father's ones but that was something she was not going to admit until she had further proof on that matter.

She sighed softly, finally able to relax some. Emma even attempted a small smile before standing up and holding out a hand to help him up as well. "Will it weally be alright if we have a treat? Mother won't mind? Or Lord Horst? It isn't right to steal, you know."

[Zero]

Ashlar purred softly as Emma began to calm down. He gave the child a few more comforting pats on the back before she leaned back to pat at his cheeks. How adorable was she? So worried about making poor Ashlar cry! Thankfully, his cheeks were dry. That should please the little Miss. Hopefully she would be satisfied that she had not made him cry. Already he forgot all about being upset.

"No tears! Ashlar is glad that the Miss Emma is not crying. It would make him sad for the little Miss to be so sad. Happy Miss makes Ashlar happy." She leaned in to hug him again and he squeezed her lightly against his chest. Emma was such an adorable child, how he missed having babies of his own to snuggle. Being a mommy was the best. He'd always wanted a daughter, but true females were so very rare among his bloodline. If he'd thought about it, Ashlar would have become depressed again, because Emma would not be staying for very long. For now his mind was only on keeping the little girl happy and in good spirits.

He was quite reluctant to let her go, but he released his hold on her as she stood up on her own again. Ashlar took her little hand in his when she offered it to him and stood up, smiling brightly once again. "Oh of course stealing is bad! Ashlar knows this, Lord Horst will not mind at all. Ashlar gets treats all the time. Although, Ashlar does not know about Miss Emma's mother, but Ashlar is good at keeping secrets!" He winked his red eye at her again, a mischievous grin on his features. What momma didn't know wouldn't hurt her, right?

[GoblinFae]

"You're the bestest!" she declared, hopping up and down in excitement. "I wish my nannies were as fun as you. No one else pwomises to keep thing from Mother. Well e'cept Nanny Annalee but she weft 'cause Father caught her doin' bad things. But, I don't know what she did. They wouldn't tell me. No one eber tells me anything! Do they tell you things Mister Ashley Sir?"

Ashlar had won Emma's heart in record time. She was talking almost nonstop the entire time back up the steps. The girl told him about home a little and her nursemaids. But, she mostly talked about H.B. and the adventures he would go on while she was sleeping. He had tamed a dragon, had tea with the king and queen, the little bunny had even single-pawed convinced the "king of thiewes" to give back all his gold and turn to a life of humbleness.

But, as they neared the kitchen, her steps slowed and she looked up to her new friend in curiosity. "Can I asks you something Mister Ashley Sir? I don' wanna seem rude or anything. It's just..." Emma trailed off, not knowing what to say to him. If she insulted him then there would be no treat and worst of all, no more fun with him. She really did like him. Him being cross with her would make her so sad.

[Zero]

Emma's excitement was infectious and Ashlar quickly found himself rather hyper again as well. He beamed at the praise the little girl gave him. Being considered fun was much more of a compliment than something silly like being smart. Not that he couldn't be cunning, just he preferred his child-like enthusiasm to being serious. Being serious was no fun at all. "What they don't tell Ashlar, Ashlar finds out for himself! Ashlar is good at keeping secrets, but he's good at discovering secrets too!"

On the trip to the kitchen he listened to Emma's stories of H.B.'s adventures with obvious delight. Making all the appropriate exclamations and commentations. Some adults would have dismissed it all as childish fantasy, but not Ashlar. Emma obviously had a vivid imagination, and that was a good thing. Imaginative people were the most fun. Besides, if it was real to the child, who was he to say it was impossible?

Ashlar's tail flicked as the neared the kitchen and his little companion slowed down. He gazed down at her with his red eye, the silver one still thoroughly covered by the hair falling over that half of his face. His ears perked up and his head tilted with curiosity at her. "Little Miss Emma can ask Ashlar anything. Little Miss Emma has nothing to fear! Ashlar won't get offended, he promises."

[GoblinFae]

Emma gave his hand a tight squeeze and a beaming smile in thanks. "You know you make a awful lot o' pwomises for a gwowned up," she commented, looking up at him in awed wonder. "But, that's not my questions. I wanted to asks why you always hide your eye. Do you not have anuzzer one? And is your eye always wed or did it get hurt? If your eye is wed does that mean everything you see is wed?!"

She fired off questions, her excitement and curiosity making her louder and more interested as she went along until she was at last out of breath. Chest heaving and hand tugging on Ashlar's sleeve, the child looked up at him in complete adoration. Emma hung on his every word, loving that he was willing to spend time with her and not out of obligation as others had in the past.

Learning about him too helped to fuel her tales about the "mystery man." Currently she was going with him being a pwince from the "Cushion Jungle" who had tried to help the local people but been captured and forced into slavery due to his magical powers that allowed him to become an animal. They caught him mid-transformation and that's why he was forever stuck with fluffy ears and a tail.

[Zero]

Ashlar grinned widely as she told him he made a lot of promises for a grown-up. Well he wasn't like other grown-ups, was he? A soft giggle was given as she quickly asked a series of questions about his eyes. Wasn't she a doll? Grinning even wider he knelt down again so that he could look her in the eye and reached up with one hand to push the hair out of his face. His silver eye was revealed, the pupil immediately contracting into a small point, distinctly separate from his red eye, which did not change at all.

"Ashlar has two eyes, see? Ashlar can see all the colors, his eye is not hurt, it just always is." He let the hair fall back over his silver eye. The light pained it so, but a brief moment of discomfort to satisfy the child's curiosity was well worth it. "Does the little Miss have more questions for Ashlar? Or is she ready for that pastry?"

[GoblinFae]

"They're difwent!" Emma exclaimed in surprise before hastily continuing. "But pwetty! Wish I had pwetty eyes like yours. Mine are jus' ugly bwown, like mud. Not'in' pwetty about them. Did your parwents have difwent eyes too, Mister Ashley Sir?"

'Definitely magical! Maybe Mother and Father will let me wescue him. Then, when I set him fwee he'll be my best fwiend and play wiff me all the time! Can't bewieve you thought he was a spy H.B. You're so silly!'

She snuggled her bunny happily, perfectly content listening to Ashlar talk and being with him. The child found him to be great fun and in their short time together forgotten that come the night's end they would have to be parted once more as he did not belong to her or her family. For now though Emma laughed and listened with rapt attention, happier than she had been in her short life thus far.

[Zero]

Ashlar couldn't help it. Just having Emma around seemed to put a permanent grin on his face. He was still crouched down so he could look at the adorable little girl. "They're very different. Ashlar's daddy had silver eyes, and Ashlar's momma had red eyes. Light hurts Ashlar's silver eye, it is very sensitive, but Ashlar can see very, very good in the dark with it! Ashlar's red eye likes the sunlight though and doesn't see so good in the dark."

Straightening up and keeping a hold on her hand he led her to the kitchen, speaking as they went. "Also, Miss Emma should not say such things about herself. Ashlar thinks Miss Emma's eyes are just perfect, they remind him of chocolate!" As they entered the kitchen he snapped the fingers of his free hand to get the attention of a servant and quickly ordered that a tray of desert be brought to them.

He led Emma to a small table and pulled out one of the chairs for her. "Here we are Miss Emma. As Ashlar promised, Miss Emma will get a tasty treat. Miss Emma can choose any she likes." A platter was brought shortly after that with an assortment of fruit pastries. Ashlar crinkled his nose slightly before picking up one with blueberry filling and taking a big bite, humming happily.

[GoblinFae]

'He thinks they look like chocolate! Did you hear that H.B.? He called them PERFECT! Isn't he nice? We should dwaw a picture for him later. A weally big one wiff lots o' colors! Oh but what should we dwaw? What's that H.B.? You say a picture of him? Weally? We would have to work weally hard on it. Has to be perfect!'

She followed eagerly, a bounce in her step as her mind raced with childish thoughts of the perfect way to thank Ashlar for his compliments and kindness. Why she felt like a perfect little princess with the way he treated her and spoke to her. It made her feel so bubbly inside that Emma really had begun to think long and hard about talking to her father about buying Ashlar so she could release him from his indentured servitude.

"Thank you Mister Ashley Sir! You're such a gentleman," she chirped, perusing the available pastries. Tiny fingers finally selected a small strawberry shortcake decorated with pink miniature sugar roses. Then, following Ashlar's initiative she took a small nibble, humming appreciatively as the sweetness pervaded her tongue.

Emma took another delicate bite before breaking off a piece and "feeding it to HoneyBlossom," who in turn also made pleased sounds of enjoyment. Together, bunny and girl thanked their new friend, H.B. with a small bow and a squeaky "thank you" and Emma with a large grin and her own softer "thanks."

She was just about to take another bite of the delightful cake when something peeking over the edge of the table from Ashlar's waist. Changing her mind, Emma broke off a small piece and held it out to him.

"Are you going to share with your fwiend Mister Ashley Sir? He looks like he would like some sweets too."

[Zero]

Ashlar ate much less daintily than his adorable companion, and soon found his pasty was gone, which left him licking the crumbs off his fingers and eyeing the rest of the treats with an appraising eye. For all his small size, he had a very healthy appetite, although he usually craved something much more sinister than fruit tarts. As Emma and H.B. thanked him, he grinned widely.

"Miss Emma is very, very welcome! Ashlar loves to make the Miss Emma happy." Which was true! He adored his new little friend. It wasn't often that humans were so enthralled with him, so friends among the other servants and slaves weren't common. Plus, Emma was an adorable little child. He couldn't ask for a better playmate.

"Hmm?" At first Ashlar looked confused when she mentioned his friend, but he followed her eyes down to his waist, where Wallaby's head was poked out of his sash. Wallaby was always in the back of the kitsune's mind, but he hadn't thought of him all evening. Generally, anyone noticing Wallaby made him terribly uncomfortable, but he didn't feel at all threatened by Emma. Grinning he pulled the ragged stuffed puppy from his sash and hugged it.

"Miss Emma, this is Wallaby. Ashlar has had him since he was a little baby. Ashlar's daddy gave him Wallaby. Ashlar is sure Wallaby would love some sweets!" He extended the puppy so that Emma could "feed" him too, although he kept a firm grip on the plush toy.

[GoblinFae]

"Hello Mister Wallaby," she greeted, stressing the first vowel as she struggled to properly pronounce his name. "Would you like a little bite of cake? HoneyBlossom says the roses are the best part. Oh and I'm Emma by the by. It is a pleasure to meet you Miser Wallaby. Please feel fwee to have anuzzer, both of you. Miss Emma doesn't mind sharwing. She can't eat all this. And H.B. can be a weal hog about sweets."

Sucking on her lower lip, the child evaluated the rest of the pastries trying to decide what would be her second one. "It's weally otay if I has anuzzer, Mister Ainsley Sir? You don't mind?" Emma did not wait for an answer though, her fingers already dancing above the decorated sweets. "Was the boobewwy good? I liked the stwawbewwy, you should twy some," she excitedly chattered, trying to decided in her head between a flat pastry swimming with honey and jelly-filled shortbread cookies.

"Oh I just don't know which to choose!"

[Zero]

Ashlar grinned as he watched Emma greet Wallaby, never had anyone so spoken with him. As if he were alive and real, except of course for Ashlar himself. Then again, he didn't like it when people paid attention to Wallaby. That he felt so at ease letting Emma interact with the stuffed animal was a testament to just how much he was enjoying the little girl's company. Yes, he would be most displeased to be separated from the child.

A look of surprise came over Ashlar's face as he blinked and brought Wallaby's face to his large, fluffy ear. "What's that Wallaby? Oh Miss Emma, he says that he is so very happy to meet you and Mister H.B. He says you're the nicest little Miss he has ever met and wants to thank you for sharing with him." By the time he was done speaking a grin was back on his face, he did so love to play along with her. Her reactions were so cute.

"Oh yes, it is quite alright with Ashlar if Miss Emma has all the sweets she wants! The blueberry is delicious, Miss Emma should try one sometime. If Miss Emma finds it so hard to choose, let Ashlar make a recommendation!" He plucked up one of the raspberry jelly cookies she'd been eyeing and held it out for her. "Ashlar finds these ones quite tasty."

[GoblinFae]

Emma took the cookie and nibbled on it tentatively, her eyes never leaving Ashlar's as she did so. The moment the sweet filling countered the dry crumbliness of the cookie, the child's whole face lit up with joy. It was not going to be her favorite treat but it was very good all the same. The fact that the kind man had taken the time to pick one specially for her just made it all the sweeter.

She gave an excited "thank you," while wiping her mouth and trying to hide the small yawn that widened her jaw and made her eyes droop. Emma hugged HoneyBlossom close and leaned back in her chair to look up at her temporary guardian.

There was just something about him that she could not place her finger on yet. He was too nice to be a spy and too fun to be a prince. The child always imagined that the heroes in her fairy-tales were bit too stuffy and Ashlar was certainly far from being that. He was fun! Therefore that had to point to something else. If only she could figure it out.

Her nose crinkled in thought right before an idea popped into her head. "Mister Ashley Sir, would you like to sweepovers at my house tonight? It would be fun. We could tell sto-wies," she tried to cajole him with a two-eyed wink.

[Zero]

Ashlar's crimson eye lit up happily at the look of delight on Emma's face as she tasted the sweet jelly of the cookie he'd given her. It pleased him to know that he'd made a good choice and that she approved. He beamed at her thanks, he so loved to be praised. This had truly been a great evening for him, he'd made a new friend, and she not only didn't fear him because he was different, but she seemed to really be fascinated because of his strange appearance.

When Emma yawned, Ashlar perked up his ears. It seemed his new little playmate was becoming sleepy. No wonder, surely it had been a long and tiring day. He wondered how far she'd had to ride in the carriage. The kitsune had no idea when her parents would be leaving, so maybe he should find her a nice place to take a nap.

Then he froze completely. She wanted him to stay the night with her? A sleepover? Ashlar had not been thinking about the fact that he would eventually be separated from Emma, but now it was shoved right in his face. "Oh, Ashlar would so love to have a sleepover with Miss Emma, but Ashlar is a slave and his master would not let him, and neither would Miss Emma's momma."

His ears drooped and a dejected look came over his face. Ashlar didn't want Emma to go!

[GoblinFae]

She clapped her hands excitedly until the "but" registered in her mind and she suddenly stopped, confused as to what Ashlar was trying to tell her. "But Mister Ashley sir can't we just asks them nicely? It's only one ni-ight. Not foweber!"

Emma pouted and squirmed in her chair. To her child's mind it all made no sense. The servants at her house were allowed to come and go with permission, why could Ashlar not do the same? What made a slave any different? He was still a person. And what about what she wanted? Mother and father had always let her have anything she wanted if she was good and aside from what they did not know of her evening activities, Emma had been on her absolute "bestest" behavior.

When she looked at Ashlar though her chest ached and she felt like crying. His face looked so sad and she could not help but feel it was all her fault. 'I'm making him wanna cwy again. Bad Emma. So mean to your fwiends!'

Sliding out of her chair quickly, Emma rushed to Ashlar's side and hugged him tightly. "No cwying Mister Ashley Sir. Emma's sowwy she hurt yous. If Mister Ashlar Sir can't come to her then she'll stay wit' Mister Ashley Sir. Don' wanna leabe!" she cried, pulling back enough to look up at him with worry.

"Pwease?" Emma lifted her arms up in an unspoken demand to be picked up. She had gotten it into her mind she was not giving him up and she was determined to uphold that, whatever it would take. Her parents would not deny her this, of that she was sure.

[Zero]

Ashlar's ears laid back farther, poor Emma, she was so sweet and innocent; he could tell she just didn't understand. How did you explain to a little child about what it meant to be a slave? How did could he explain to her that it was impossible for him to simply ask? Ashlar felt horrible, he was making Emma sad, but he didn't know what to do.  "Ashlar wishes it were so simple, Miss Emma, but Ashlar cannot go, Master would never allow Ashlar to just leave like that."

Helplessly he watched her squirm in her chair, watched how her face turned from the previous joy to something sorrowful and perhaps confused. Ashlar wished he could better explain it to her. He hated making her feel bad, for any reason. She was such an adorable little child; he wished he could keep her. Masters always took his babies away from him too soon, and they never stayed babies long enough.

As she slid from her chair and ran to him, Ashlar's arms were waiting to wrap her up in a warm hug. Clinging to her his tail swished in aggravation. He didn't like not knowing what to do, and he'd only made things worse. "Oh Miss Emma, they would not let you stay with Ashlar. Your momma would never let you stay, Master wouldn't let you stay. Ashlar is so sorry; he didn't mean to make you sad. Don't be sad!"

Without hesitation Ashlar pulled Emma into his lap and hugged her tightly, nuzzling his head against hers. It felt good to be so wanted. Masters wanted him for certain things, but this was entirely different. This child looked up to him, and he liked that. Ashlar wanted to take care of her. "Miss Emma, don't let them take Ashlar away. Miss Emma needs to be Ashlar's Master."