REAL Parenthood (P)

[Salzem]

Aeizith was starting to wonder if it was his fault Silver was never around anymore, that he had done something that made her want to get away... She never said why or where exactly where she was going, only that she was leaving, only to be gone for weeks at a time. Sometimes, she never even bothered to tell him, instead only leaving a small note detailing how long she'd be gone. Needless to say, Aeizith was hurt each and every time she left, his mind starting to run abroad with all the possible explanations. Could she be seeing another man... (that damned jacobi....) could she be LOOKING for that other man...? Was she thinking about leaving for good...? He didn't know what to think! Of course, the only rational thing to do at this point was to send an assassin or two to trail her or do it himself but right now, Aeizith was emotional... He didn't want to ruin the trust that they've built between them by sending his people to spy on her! If anything, knowing where she was going would probably hurt them both more than it would help! And so... Aeizith waited at home, praying that she would come home as he watched over his little girl...

Amber didn't seem effected as much by her mother's now stream of trips which was surprisingly welcome on the dragon's part. It helped him stay leveled to see that someone else was handling it better than he, her daughter no less. He could see her now outside as he washed dishes in the sink, the little white-haired sweet-heart picking away at flowers on the outside. He couldn't help but smile as he watched her and, after a moment, he decided that dishes could be done by someone else! He wanted to spend some time with his little Amber. Using his speed, he was able to creep up on the little girl outside, wrapping his arms around her stomach and gently pulling her into the air from where she sat, holding his little one in his arms.

"Hey there, Amber!" He smiled before gently kissing her forehead and letting her down. "W-what are y-you d-doing?"

[Blink]

She had spent the morning plucking dandelions in the yard all with the purpose to give to Aeizith later in the day. Most would have seen them as a weed but Amber saw more to them. They were a natural beauty that most overlooked. I guess she was like her mother in this way as she tried to see what others could not in nature. Her mother of course had always been obsessed with the rising and setting sun, a magnificent sight to anyone that ever just stopped and took a look.

It was the same principal with the Dandelions and the magnificent yellow hue they created in a landscape. She was just about done with her little bouquet when she heard Aeizith call her name. Immediately she stood up beaming with pride as she held up the handful of yellow weeds before he scooped her up into his arms.

"I'm making you a bouquet!" she exclaimed as she handed the weeds to Aieizith.

When he set her back down she lowered herself back down in the grass as she began to pluck at more of the other greens found in the yard. "Some people think they are just a stupid plant but I think they are pretty." Amber was quite focused as she examined one of the flowers.

"Look!" she held another one up to Aeizith as she pointed to the yellow center. "You can even see little bugs in them!"

[Salzem]

The little ice dragon smiled as his little girl handed him a small handful of those golden dandelions she was picking, stating that she was making him a bouquet. The dragon took the small collection graciously, looking over the weeds as if they were roses from the finest flower-shop.

"T-that was v-very th-thoughtful.." He murmured, kissing the top of Amber's head for her trouble. "Thank you...." The little ice dragon set himself down besides the girl watching her pick at the grass around them with a very enlightened look in her eye. She mentioned that a lot of people often thought that they were nothing but plants, but she thought they were beautiful. It was one of the things he loved about his daughter... She was so perceptive... a thinker... Even now at this age, she was impressing a 7000 year old dragon with her insights.

When she handed him another flower, exclaiming that she could see the little bugs inside, within the golden interior was actually something not so disgusting (which was his first thought), rather, it was a red and black beetle, one that was supposed to represent good luck to those that would find it. Aeizith smiled a bit wider before pulling his little girl into a hug, holding her close to his chest.

"I love y-you Amber..." He whispered, gently stroking her snowy white hair. Suddenly, a small rustling came out from the foliage surrounding their house-clearing, rough movements that seemed to indicate an animal or something... A big one...

"Sweetheart... w-would you p-please go p-put my bouquet in w-water f-for me...?" Aeizith asked, looking off in the direction of the noise.

[Blink]

She was really quite proud of the collection of flowers she had managed to pluck and it seemed Aeizith was just as happy as she was with them. When he pulled her into a hug she happily wrapped her little arms around him as best she could while he stroked her hair.

"I love you too Aeizey!" she giggled before pushing herself away to get back to the task at hand. She didn't even notice the rustling in the bushed as she was simply just too distracted collecting weeds at this point. However, when Aeizith asked her to put his flowers in a vase she was slightly disappointed.

Again reflecting the same personality as her mother Amber crossed her arms in front of her and began to pout. "But I'm not done picking them!" She even stomped her little foot in the grass to show her protest. Though this time when she looked at him the small girl realized Aeizith was looking off towards the bushes separating the forest from the yard.

Immediately she knew something was wrong simply by his reaction and dropped what flowers she was holding on the ground. "Aeizey?" her voice was soft and scared as she slowly walked up behind him and grabbed at his pants. "I'm scared Aeizey."

[Salzem]

Aeizith didn't immediately respond as Amber grabbed his pants fearfully, the young girl seeming to follow his gaze out towards the brush. After a moment, his concentration would lapse, the feeling of his little one's heavy breathing and quick heart-beat forcing him to return to the moment. Slowly, cautiously, the little ice dragon would kneel down to Amber's level, a warm but wary look in his sanguine eyes.

"Listen to m-me Amber... P-please head inside now... I-I'll be in with y-you in a..." Not a moment later, a thin black arrow shot out from the brush closest to the two, aimed at Aeizith's neck. Unable to form an icy barrier in time, the little ice dragon summoned his wings, wrapping his arms around his little girl for protection while his leathery appendages provided them cover... While one would expect most arrows to bounce right off a dragon's hide, these did not... they stuck right through his wings, piercing all the way down, barely missing both his daughter and him thanks to the resistance of his wings. Thankfully, there was hardly any nerves in that skin so he felt little pain but now they were under attack.

More arrows exploded from the brush in a hostile swarm and this time, Aeizith was ready, layer after layer of ice-wall sprouting up from the ground, catching or deflecting the vast majority of these blackened arrows while the dragon retreated back towards the house, his daughter in hand. The poor girl was probably about to die from fear alone and the little ice dragon did his best to keep her calm, holding her tight to his soft, slow, rhythmic heart-beat, kissing the top of her head whenever there was a break in the hail of arrows, and there weren't many...

The withdraw to the safer location that was their house was very slow moving fore these arrows were somehow moving faster than Aeizith could in an initial sprint and if he was sprinting, he'd be unable to protect his daughter... They had to go at a normal, human pace which-under fire, was a terribly slow pace.

The last volley of arrows fired, this one deflected like the others but strangely, there was no next volley... only silence and quiet and somehow that was more disconcerting than the imminent death just a few moments ago.

"Are you okay...?" he whispered attending to his little Amber now that he had a moment.

[Blink]

When Aeizith lowered himself down to her level Amber listened and was fully prepared to actually follow his instructions this time. However he was cut off but a flash of black shooting out from the brush. Before she knew it the two were wrapped in a leathery black cloak that Amber could only assume were his wings.

The rest of it was just a blur as she closed her eyes and buried her face in his chest. Amber had already begun to convince herself that if she couldn't see it then it wasn't happening. She had no idea the damage Aeizith was dealing nor taking in order to protect their little family. All she knew was that they were both still alive... for now.

Overall Amber seemed to fair better than Aeizith during the attack. She was missing a shoe, probably lost when Aeizith swept her up and began running. But other than that all the important bits of her seemed to still be there. "I'm fine" she half choked while pulling her head from his chest.

"What is happening Aeizey?" Grabbing a bit of his shirt in her small hands she held on for dear life, afraid to let go in case another assault came. Tears had already begun to well in her eyes as she thought of the horrific scene that had just taken place. "I want mommy" she quietly cried while a tear fell down her cheek.

[Salzem]

"I don't kn-know..." He whispered, softly cradling his little girl as she asked what was going on. "I-I don't kn-know... but I-It'll be o-okay..." He softly stroked her little head before the world suddenly shifted around them, the visual illusion of Aeizith's super-speed. Still silence as he opened the door to their home... but there was another noise off in the surrounding distance... a noise that sounded something like the crunching of metal...

"Please... go inside little one and h-hide in y-your room... Aeizey will be there soon..." With that, he'd gently pry his little girl off of his jacket, kissing her one last time on her forehead. "And remember... Aeizey loves you... So much..." His heart broke somewhat as the little girl mentioned that she wanted her mother and the little ice dragon wanted nothing more than to hold her, to hug her and kiss her and keep her safe in his grasp but despite his wants, he knew she would be much safer in the house rather than in his arms.

Aeizith would watch his little girl make her way up the stairs and the moment he was out of sight, the dragon calmly closed the door, turning slowly to the oncoming sound... This time, what stepped out of the shadows wasn't a hoard of evil black arrows, but heavily armored legionnaires armed with spears, large shields, the best armor, swords both long and short, their weapons raised not defensively but oh so aggressively... Slowly, Aeizith drew his daggers from his belt, ones he hadn't used in the longest time...

A battle-cry erupted from the soldiers as they rushed out from the brush, feet stomping the ground seeming to shake the earth. The dragon let out a little sigh, a frosty cloud escaping from his lips before the world seemed to slow again as Aeizith reached his maximum speed, charging into the lines of the men before they even realized what was happening.

Within an instant, one fell to the ground, his head severed from his shoulders, the next felt the icy cold steel of Aeizith's dagger right into his gut, through the metal cuirus that was supposed to be protecting his torso... Instant after instant another man went down, one impailed on ice, the next his head being lopped off, blood was everywhere but none of it touched the ice dragon anywhere but his boots.

Still, even as men fell left and right, the dragon was met with heavy resistance, especially from the guys that favored spears. He had to dodge thrusts, slashes, even if they seemed to be moving in slow motion, there were hundreds of them, or so it seemed, a sea of steel and blood. The dragon's determination was Iron however, especially when he was fighting for his little girl up in that house! Unfortunately... in the chaos, he was either unaware of or unable to get to the few men that broke off from the back of the surrounding sea of warriors, making their way into the house...

[Blink]

"I love you too Aeizey" she whispered before slowly steppings backwards inside the house. Turning to go upstairs she slowly began to pick up the pace, not reaching full momentum until her foot hit the first step... and then she was gone.

The hallways of the large home had become a welcome and familiar scene to the small girl. She had grown to know each twist and turn, each room, and each hiding place. With each patter of her feet on the floor an echo rang out through the halls causing some of the assassins to poke their heads out of their rooms. Amber ran up to the first one she saw and grabbed his hand, practically dragging the poor man back down the hallway.

"Aeizey is in trouble! Go help him!" At the mention of Aeizith being in trouble the assassin quickly grew serious and before Amber knew it every single one of his 'special forces' were running down the stairs at full speed. Amber followed them back but stopped just short of the staircase as she looked down at the scrimmage now taking place in the lower level of the home.

Several armored men had apparently pushed their way threw the front door and were now having it out with what was left of the assassins. At first the small girl was frozen in fear as she watched the slaughter take place below her. The blood and carnage was simply too much for her tiny brain to process. However, when one of the armored men looked up to see her standing atop the staircase she bolted.

Back down the hallway she ran straight for her room and slammed the door behind her, locking it before running and hiding behind an upholstered chair in the corner. Now crouched down she sat shaking as she heard the commotion come closer and closer. She could only assume the men had overtaken the assassins and were now searching the home for anyone left surviving.

What happened next was so fast that even she couldn't recall everything that had happened. There were footsteps outside of her door followed by a hand on her doorknob. She heard it rattle and then a loud bang as her door was kicked down. Pulling herself into an even tighter ball than before Amber could only sit and wait to be found... and she was.

She felt a hand on her ankle first as she was drug out from behind the chair and then dangled upside down as one of the men held her up like a trophy. All Amber could do was scream at the top of her lungs as the man then dropped her to the ground holding his arm. Looking up she could see it was encased in ice, clearly something she had done without realizing it.

Still too early in her training Amber did not now how to use her abilities to protect herself nor could she have kept herself calm enough anyways. But still she would try and the moment she decided this she felt a shackle slam onto her wrist. What was this? Why did it burn?

Amber had heard of iron and what it did to people with her ancestry and quickly she realized that had to be what the shackles were made of. Not only did it cause her wrist to hurt but she could feel the essence of it bothering her at her core. Words were pointless at this point so she began to scream again as loud as she could as the man dragged her out of the room and down the hallway towards the stares.

She did her best to keep on her feet but he was moving too fast. She kept tripping and falling and the man did not even care. He just kept walking as he dragged her along like a pet on a chain. The stairs were the worst part as she practically thumped down each one. "Why are you hurting me? Why are you attacking us?" Amber finally managed to get a few words out only to be ignored.

In only a few minutes she was back outside and being dragged through the grass as she saw Aeizith fighting off a large horde of men just like the one dragging her. "Aeizey! Help me Aeizey!" Already she was beginning to lose her voice from screaming so much. Still she reached out with her unshackled hand for him as she was being drug cross the grounds. "Aeizey!"

[Salzem]

Aeizith wasn't extremely surprised that his assassins had joined him in this fight, though he was caught off guard by their initiative. He hadn't summoned them yet and here they were... cutting down men almost as much collectively as the ice dragon himself. Together, the dragon and his men formed a battle-line despite the surrounding chaos and began to push back against the oncoming armored soldiers in an organized and effective fashion, using their superior agility and combat experience to out maneuver the invading party's heavier armor and weapons.... They were making progress... really taking to them... The soldiers were dropping like flies either wounded or extremely dead and the dragon had to admit.... he didn't feel the least bit sympathetic to their pain. The more they inflicted on his people, Aeizith returned their suffering upon them multiples of times over. Each kill he made was quicker and more painful than the first, making his first kill look like an enjoyable experience in comparison to the brutalities he was delivering now.

He was actually getting rather into it... With his curved daggers, he ripped out a man's guts right through his armor and he went down screaming, gargling his blood... and then a sweeter voice hit his ears... the sound of his daughter calling his name.

"AMBER!" He roared in shock and anger, his body impulsively growing and expanding, ice striking down foe and toppling friend as Aeizith took on his massive dragon form, his mere touch freezing the armored knights to the ground. With one flap of his mighty wings, Aeizith took to the sky, slamming into the knights that drug his daughter, ripping them apart with his claws and teeth before she'd able to even see it... Blood would splatter around her, but not on her as she lay there on the ground, the ice dragon folding his wings over her like a dome that would keep her shielded from the outside.