Aeizith stormed through the forest on his way to the Black-Hearth citadel, it growing harder and harder to maintain his composure with one of Kaida's knight trailing behind. Amira had long since disappeared without explanation, one second there, cracking jokes with her loved-one, the next... completely gone as if plucked from the sands of time. He would've been concerned if not for what she said a little while ago, that she only cared about one person in the world now... Yeah... that was her and her alone... This girl she was mating with? An animal's mate for sex and nothing more he suspected... Every step he took caused a web of ice to spring outwards from the surrounding ground, blasting up into the air in several places off to the side, impaling trees winding along the ground like treacherous vines, but each and every one a safe distance from the girl who escorted him from behind PURELY out of the little, TINY respect for that angel no longer present to maintain the safety of her love... Well... after this... once it was all over, there was nothing left for him to feel for her... she was as dead to him as he would likely be at the end of the day...
Minutes passed into hours, and hours... into more so, the sun now high in the sky, beating down on the young vampire as Emilia once did that horrible day. Every once in a while, he'd look back over his shoulder at the young woman following him and his hatred would dull just the tiniest bit... She was right, after all... she was just fulfilling a job after all. Finally, the guilt of what he had said to her weighed on his mind too much and so he stopped and turned around, his eyes locking onto the woman's seriously, but also tiredly. It hurt to be angry... THIS angry... it made him sick...
"Listen..." Aeizith said with a sigh. "I'm s-sorry about w-what I said... I know I-It p-probably won't matter i-in a few hours a-anyway... but... yeah... Y-you're right a-after all... A l-loyal person y-you are..." And with that, the little frost dragon would turn his back to her once more and begin to walk... but what he saw coming over the horizon next... he just couldn't believe...
Never would she talk about what happened that day or the events that took place. All that would ever be said was that Emelia was gone for good. No longer on this plane to control the remaining children of the Black-Hearth lineage. Should they even be called that anymore? It almost seemed wrong taking the name without Emelia sitting upon the throne anymore. Kaida was still very conflicted about what had happened, partially heartbroken yet feeling free at the same time. She would no longer feel shame for expressing any other feeling besides hate towards the siblings that went on their own path. Maybe this was her chance to finally figure out who she really was, to finally gain an identity other than Emelia's mini me.
So as she walked, the citadel now many miles behind her she braced the elven girl she had so selfishly captured earlier that day. Silver was still half paralyzed from Kaida's venom, it would be at least another few hours before she could walk on her own again, and even more to fully regain all feeling. Kaida however was able to reverse the corruption at the very least, hopefully that would be enough for Aeizith to forgive her. Right now that was who she wanted more than anything, her big brother to embrace her and tell her it would all be okay again. Life from this day forward was going to be hard, it was going to be a constant battle of facing reality and the travesties she had taken part in over the years. But finally after walking for what seemed like forever the figure of her brother had come into full view and Kaida very nearly fell to her knees right there.
Jaela had been walking quietly behind Aeizith for some time now, not really sure of what to say. Amira had dissapeared and this time she didn't think she was coming back. Call it a hunch but it was a feeling deep within her that the love they shared would now all be nothing but a memory and that she would now once again be alone and misunderstood in this cruel world. However, the moment Lady Kaida came into view Jaela had a sense of purpose at least for the time being. Running past Aeizith she closed the difference between herself and the two stumbling along. "Lady Kaida! What is happening!?" Jaela was confused by what she was seeing, Kaida was supposed to be back at the citadel waiting for them to arrive, and Silver.. she was supposed to be inprisoned until Aeizith arrived. So why on earth was she now bringing her back? Something had to have happened...
Seemingly arriving at the perfect time Kaida lost her grip on Silver who was much taller than the young dragoness, it was a real struggle just to make it this far. Jaela though took Kaida's place even though she was also very short in stature. Gently she eased Silver to the ground before looking to Kaida who was on the brink of tears herself. "Your service is no longer needed today. You may leave now if you wish." and with that Jaela took the hint that they needed to be alone. Maybe one day she would get to meet them all again in the same place but for now she as well needed a moment alone. So with the snap of her fingers the ground erupted beneath her swallowing her up before returning to normal. Of course Jaela would exit in such a dramatic way... it was so like her to do so.
Silver meanwhile now laying on the ground could very slowly move her limbs. Her legs kinda of responded as well as her arms, and so with that the pain of her broken ribs was slowly easing in as well, but that could wait. She knew what had happened and the illusion of a life Emelia had created for Kaida. She knew that right now she would take the back burner, and this was how it should have been. A brother and sister bond was one that could not simply be replaced, they needed to heal theirs now.
So as Silver lay on the ground clearly still very alive Kaida fell to her knees before her brother as tears welled in her eyes. "Aeizith! I am so sorry! Please forgive me!" She held her arms out for her brother just as she would when she was a mere hatchling begging to be consoled.
Aeizith couldn't believe it.... Over the horizon and through the trees, Kaida was stumbling through the environment towards him with Silver in tow, seemingly undamaged, but unable to walk for some reason... perhaps her venom... Seeing that the young dragoness was about to drop her supposed prisoner, Jaela acted before the little ice dragon and dashed ahead, taking Silver's limp and struggling form from the much smaller dragoness, setting her face-up gently on the ground, asking what had been happening. Whatever it was... Aeizith didn't care really... He was most certainly relieved that Silver was safe with only a few minor wounds, for her trouble, but... all he could focus on was an expression of barely-restrained tears behind the young dragoness' crumbling look of strength.
With only a mere command, the smaller dragon discarded her servant, Jaela disappearing into the ground, leaving the half-elf and the two black-hearth siblings alone... Aeizith didn't know what to say or do but give his sister a silent, long, cold glare, one he was surely saving for Emilia, but the kidnapper of his first real love would work just as well... He waited for the little girl to lash out at him, to insult him, to try and ruin his day more than she already had... but that's not at all what happened... the smaller dragon threw herself at Aeizith's feet, tears streaming down her face as she begged his forgiveness, begged that he'd hold her like he did all those weeks ago...
His facade of hatred crumbling, the lonely little frost dragon scooped up his sister into his arms as if she were but a child, holding her to his chest as she cried. Aeizith couldn't afford to though... his ducts were dry... they had to be... for Kaida... All the the while he held her, the little lost ice dragon gently rocked her in his arms, whispering "shh" noises to slowly calm her down. He held his little sister, kissed her head as softly as he was able, even sprouting his wings and wrapping them over her as well. It was as if he were her parent or had the confidence of one of his older sibling, becoming strong in the weakness of his sweet, adorable younger sister... He had to be strong... Something had happened back at Black-Hearth citidel that had broken this little girl and now he must be her support...
"Its okay..." He murmured, kissing her forehead softly. "Its okay... I'm here...." With no apparent effort, Aeizith would slowly carry his little sister over to where Kaida had nearly dropped Silver, still somewhat paralyzed from the effects of the poison.
"Hey... I'm gonna set you down..." Aeizith warned, gently lowering his arms just enough for Kaida to slip out of them. With his arms free, the little ice dragon immediately turned his attention to the love of his life, wrapping her up in his arms and sitting down at the base of a large tree, his thumb gently stroking her pale cheeks as the venom worked its way out of her body. He could feel her breathing, hear her heart-beat, see the emotion and motion in her eyes... His beautiful Silver was alive... Slowly, Aeizith would lower his face close to hers, pressing his lips to hers in the softest, most loving kiss he would probably ever be able to produce, tears or relief and joy now running down his face. If he even sensed the slightest bit of apprehension, of course, he'd stop, but he needed to kiss her so bad....
After he pulled away, He looked back up at his little Kaida and opened an arm wide to embrace her once more. Whatever spite he had for her was completely forgotten... She was his little Kaida... and nothing would ever change that...
"Thank you..." He whispered before pulling the younger dragon into a hug.
All too willingly Kaida accepted the embrace her elder brother bestowed upon her. The young dragoness was so full of regret and betrayal that Aeizith seemed like the only one she could trust anymore. She could have said the same thing for her sister at one point, but those days were now but a memory of the past. Then as if realizing something she had forgotten Kaida pulled away from his second embrace and wiped some of the tears from her eyes. She would let him have a small moment with Silver before interupting it all for some more news.
With the snap of her fingers suddenly to trees surrounding the path they had met up on came to life and dozens of Aeizith's assasins dropped down or peared out from behind the foliage. "I brought them to you. Figured you could figure out what to do with them." Kaida still carried the tone in her voice as if she were better than her brother's trained warriors, or better yet better than most beings... but that was something she needed to work on. It had been so long since Aeizith had lived near Kaida that he would soon come to realize that there were a lot of things she would have to change about herself, she was raised by Emelia after all.
Silver on the other hand, even though not able to really move but mere fractions was happy to see the two siblings making up. "I..... I..." her voice raspy as her vocal cords slowly began to be able to function again. "told you so..." And then she smiled the best she could, the muscles in her face still recovering as well.
After Aeizith had embraced his little sister once more for a little bit, Kaida pulled away, a look on her face as if she had just remembered something important. With a snap of her fingers, his crew, his group of assassains in their signature black chain/leather armor began piling out from the surrounding foliage, their faces hidden behind a hood and... crow-like plate masks, or at least, all but one... Aeizith's 2nd in command to his assassins stepped up as Kaida was explaining why she had brought them, a woman a little taller than the dragon himself with long dark hair, irises as black as the night itself, but one could tell she was the kind enough sort. She looked to be about 23 or 24, a long, jagged obsidian straight sword strapped to her right hip, a smooth, silver curved blade on her left. In addition, on her back she carried a bow-and arrows and at least two daggers on her at all times. One could also note, her armor was much heavier than the rest, with plate shoulder-guards and a chain vest over her typical leather, along with steel leg-guards, boots and gauntlets and yet she moves as gracefully and quietly as any of the of her subordinates. There certainly was a reason she was his second... She was quiet, efficient, and had a life outside of her work. She, much like Jaela in that regard, was mainly all business when she was carrying out her orders, and other times, much like the rest of his crew, was as close to him as his own family.
"Aeizith's Assassins reporting as ordered, ma'am." The woman spoke, bowing her head in the assassin's typical sign of respect. She then turned her gaze over to her master, crouched and still holding onto Silver, her expression a mix of both relief, and.... disapproval perhaps.
"Wh... Kaida..." Was all Aeizith could manage, completely taken off guard by the presence of his soldiers, but perhaps even moreso what they called themselves. Up until now, they were firmly the "Black-Hearth" assassins... What had happened back at the citadel...? Aeizith's attention was drawn back to the little half-elven girl in his arms as she slowly managed to speak, stating that she had told him so, her lips slowly creeping into that of a smile. Aeizith only chuckled and pressed his forehead to hers, hugging his little Silver a bit tighter.
"Y-yeah... you did..." Aeizith smiled, before looking back up at his crew. Without him even needing to say a word or give a command, the lead assassin gestured towards them, two more of Aeizith's men taking Silver from him, each one wrapping an arm around their necks to help her stand easier.
"Thanks, T'salva." The dragon smiled, the dark-haired assassin only nodded.
"It is my purpose to serve you, my lord." It was something they insisted on calling him... "Lord, Lord Aeizith, My lord..." all those things that a being like him SHOULD have but never wanted. The little, not-so-lonely ice dragon looked around at his group of killers, his killers, and smiled his widest... They were all here... each and every one of them... He could see their eyes through their crow-masks, eagerly waiting for any orders he might give.
"F-first thing's f-first... K-kaida... r-remember my t-tree house...? W-we'll need to expand on that I t-think... Make a N-NEW house... MEN!" Aeizith called out, each one stepping out of the brush they stood in, standing to attention out in the open. "I require y-your help o-one last time... B-Black h-hearth Citadel is n-now longer ours. W-we shall b-build a NEW home, for my s-sister, my c-companion and I. O-Once this is d-done, y-you need n-not serve m-me or m-my family again... Y-you may leave s-service if y-you so desire." He looked about into the eyes of each and every one of his assassins, checking for doubt or even approval with these orders. He would actually find none... not one actually wanted to leave... Aeizith was shocked, but pleasantly so... Maybe... maybe today wasn't so bad after-all...
"Lets go! M-Move out!"
_____TimeSkip______
"That's it! Aeizith I cannot take this anymore!" Silver said as she jolted open the front door. It had been months since the incident that occurred between Silver and the Black-Hearth family. By now they had taken residence in their new larger home that was much more accommodating for the duties Aeizith had taken over with his group of assassins. Even with several people going in and out all day Silver was not bothered... no it was only one person who did. Pointing to the little brat who followed her in Silver's eye twitched at the very sight of the young dragoness.
"Your little sister is so beyond damaged there is no hope for her! You won't believe what she did this time!" As if on cue Kaida raised a brow at the elfen girl, amused by her outburst. Strolling in as if the ground she walked on belonged to her she walked over to a couch and sat down, sitting up straight and poised. Immediately though she turned to her brother and just gave him a look, one that expressed how she felt all to well. Aeizith had to know this would happen, that Kaida was known for her tricks and lack of compassion to those beneath her.
Continuing on with her rampage Silver laid it all out right there, so that they could recap on everything she had done. "I thought maybe I could get past the fact that she had taken all of the coin from my bag and replaced it with a bag of manure. Or the fact that in the middle of the night when I am sleeping she suddenly decides to have one of her little crying.. 'moments'." she paused to abbreviate with her fingers. " Which seems to only happen on the nights when I have had an exhausting day, or have to wake up with the sun to get things done. But this... she has gone to far! Today she snuck into our room and took one of my daggers! I caught her using it to saw at a tree! WHY!? Its a dagger for christs sake! Not a hacksaw!"
Kaida simply shrugged at all of the accusations before leaning back into the comfort of the couch, clearly more concerned with when to take a nap and for how long. "My room was chilly. I needed firewood..." She answered as if it were the obvious choice to use a prized Silver dagger specially crafted for combat just to cut wood. "I would have asked someone to do it for me but you insist on not using servants anymore."
"S-Silver! Wait...!" The little ice dragon stumbled out after his enraged love, following her outside with a worried, exhausted expression on his face. It had been a long time since Silver and Kaida had come to live with him, building a massive house from what once was a little tree-house at the top of a forest canopy. With the aid of his assasains who'd refused to leave his service after (what he called) "The Fall of Black-Hearth", they had managed to build a MASSIVE home out here in the woods, One that could easily house the likes of Silver, Aeizith, Kaida, and a contingent of their soldiers placed around the perimeter whenever they were in need of some R&R. For the most part, their living had been somewhat challenging, but over-all pleasant, at least to the dragon... Silver and He never had any issues directly as they lived together, but it was mainly little Kaida that loved to mess with them both. Her most recent pranks were her "crying moments, coincidentally when the half-elf had returned home from an exhausting day, or when she replaced all of her coin with manure... Aeizith was still trying to replace it all! He doubted that Kaida was unaware that her pranks were indirectly effecting him as well... Her crying-fits made it hard for him to get any sleep at all as well and his natural craving for a hoard-of-treasure was hardly being satisfied as he needed to replace all the money Silver had lost AS WELL AS some of the materials necessary to maintain the house and it's people.
In short, the young dragon empathized with Silver's frustrations and was trying his hardest to keep everything stable... Aeizith had never ever been in charge of anything so important or unbalanced in his life... Before, he had men that would die to protect him and vice versa... They knew where the power was, just as they do now... But with him having to be the elder sibling to Kaida, her watcher and moral guide in addition to being Silver's place of comfort and understanding.... It was all starting to take it's toll in the little ice dragon. Kaida flopped out on the couch in the living-room near the front door, giving him this look that showed her disdain for Silver and her own frustrations, how little she cared about her little mortal problems. Aeizith returned a look, one that asked she keep quiet and let him handle this... But of course, she wouldn't.
The little frost dragon listened, shocked and exhausted as Silver explained how she could tolerate a lot of things, but Kaida using on of her daggers, her prized, self-sacred daggers, to cut down a tree, that was something she simply couldn't abide. Immediately, Aeizith's gaze turned sour, his patience thinned by the repeated antics and his role within the household.
"K-kaida...?" Aeizith growled warningly. "Please d-don't say a-another word. I-If you d-do, there'll be r-repercussions... BIG r-repercussions..." Kaida would know the frost dragon would deliver on this promise. Back in the say, he wouldn't have DARED to even touch Kaida without her consent, let alone scold her. That was Emilia's territory. Now, though... he was determined to make her see, to help her through this and punishment WAS help. Aeizith had given her minor punishments in the past, each one seemingly failing to stick in her mind. He was going to need to step-it-up now... it wasn't something he relished, but it was something that was necessary. He loved his little Kaida more than anything and that was why he had to do this... For her own sake... Hopefully, if his younger sibling heeded his advice, the little ice dragon would turn to Silver, his sanguine eyes dim with apology and jaded gaze.
"I-I'm sorry, Silver... I'm really t-trying... I-I really a-am..." Aeizith hadn't drank from anyone in days, so his features had started to hollow, his cheek-bones starting to grow more gaunt, his already-pale skin growing moreso, almost transparent. His sanguine eyes seemed to take on more of an orange-ish undertone and he seemed more thin than he should've been, his clothes hanging on him rather than resting. Sure, he ate human food as much as he could, but between his dragon and vampire physiology, it was doing EVEN LESS for him than it did before... Despite sitting down at dinner with them every night and eating at least 2 helpings, he looked as if he hadn't eaten in days... The sad part was, every other day now, at least one of his assassins would come up to him whenever he was alone and offer themselves up to him as food eagerly, readily... Of course, Aeizith had turned them down each and every time, but there were those days that it was REALLY tempting to say yes...
"I-I promise... th-this won't go u-unpunished..."
Leaning back even further into the couch Kaida simply shrugged her shoulders before rolling her eyes and turning her head away from the two. Silver on the other hand stood with a hand on each hip glaring at the spoiled girl. She knew that Aeizith was trying his hardest to make this all work, but he was also neglecting himself which in turn made Silver angry at him as well. "And don't even get me started on you A." Now it was his turn to get the blunt of her frustrations as she turned her body to face him completely now. "Go eat something for goodness sake! You look so sick!"
Kaida did agree with Silver on this one, her brother needed to eat. Unlike her who could survive simply on meat alone he needed blood... human blood. "Brother if you are too afraid to go eat then I will be forced to bring you some." The young dragoness could picture it now... how she would find the most suitable human to bring to him. They would have to be strong, worthy, pure.
Silver on the otherhand was completely opposed to Kaida's offer. She didn't even give Aeizith a chance to respond before turning back to face her. "No thank you. Your brother can go on his own." She then once again turned to Aeizith but this time with a more sincere look on her face. "Please go feed... for me." Her mood though quickly shifted back to the one she held before. "And then you can decide a punishment for your sister."
By now Kaida had grown bored of the conversation and was now snoozing on the plushen couch.
Aeizith seemed to grow even more miserable as Silver then turned on him, stating that he needed to go eat something and that he looked like someone who was sick. That was definitely true... The little ice dragon couldn't look himself in the mirror without flinching or actually gagging in disgust. Maybe they were doing it for his own benifit or maybe they weren't as effected as he was, but neither Kaida nor Silver seemed as completely repulsed by his starved appearance. The younger, lazy dragon in his little sister even commented that if he was afraid, she could bring someone back for him, something he might've actually accepted if Silver didn't step in first. His sweet little half-elf remarked that he was completely capable of going out on his own, Kaida only rolling her eyes in response before closing her eyes for a nap, Leaving both Aeizith and his love alone once more. For a moment, Silver's tone seemed sweet and pleading, asking that he go feed for her... It broke his heart to see how his neglect of himself had effected his new family, and he could only imagine how badly it was hurting Kaida under her nonchalant facade. The young ice dragon sighed before quickly pulling Silver in for a kiss, placing his lips on hers gently before pulling away and smiling as best he could. His eyes were dreamy, loving, and as he looked back at his sister, flopped out on the couch, his expression wasn't anything less.
"I-I'll be b-back soon..." he promised, placing a gloved hand on her pale cheek before walking past her and out into the open. From his shoulders his wings would sprout and with only a single flap, the vampire-dragon would be propelled into the sky and with another, shoot off in the direction of civilization. He never should have let it get this bad, never let his judgment and patience wear so thin under the unending torture of hunger... What was he, stupid...? He wouldn't have been surprised... He's been accused of such things many times before. His biological family, his marks on occasion... People just seemed to see stupidity in the young ice dragon... Maybe, if so many people thought this about him... maybe they were right...
In anycase, Aeizith didn't have to go far to find a village, maybe a 20-30 minute walk from their house off in the forest, but it was all in ruins... Flaming, smoldering ruins as if it'd been attacked... marauded... There were bodies of all shapes and sizes, whole and pieces in the streets below, a complete massacre and genocide. Immediately, the young vampire landed in the burning streets below, completely unaffected by the wafting black smoke and the surrounding heat. Being a vampire, he didn't really need to breath (it made him feel alive) and it also made his skin somewhat tougher to intense temperatures... The things that disturbed him here were psychological... Maybe... this was Kaida's doing...? Did she sneak out of the house to go raid villages again...? No... it couldn't have been her... He'd have been alerted by his guards if she ever left the premises... so what else could've done this... As the little ice dragon wandered through the searing ruins of this place, buildings collapsed under their own burning weight, sending ash up into the air and fires burning higher into the early morning sky. Every so often, he found someone alive, choking, dying, their lungs crushed (among other things) by the smoke inhalation. They wouldn't live even if someone forced their soul back into their body and so... he did them both a favor. First, he snapped their necks with his hands and secondly, ripped out their throats with his teeth, drinking in their blood hesitantly, but needily, every time wiping his face clean. With the more blood he drank, the more his features started to fill and after 3 or 4 victims, the young vampire looked human once more... he looked alive... Suddenly, a large rumbling erupted from the ruins of a MASSIVE burning house, the rubble shivering and quaking as something underneath struggled to get free. Aeizith flinched as pillars of searing wood rolled away off each-other and through the blaze, the little ice dragon could see 4 glowing, angry red eyes.... Before he could even think of getting away, a MASSIVE explosion blasted him backwards, just outside the perimeter of the village, a pillar of massive flame EASILY VISIBLE from their house shooting up into the sky. With each passing second, the fire seemed to spread over the ceiling-of-the-world, blocking out the natural blue in exchange for the creeping orange.
Her slumber was very short lived as the smell of burning flesh entered her nostrils. Aeizith had already left and Silver was who knows where in the house but Kaida was still leaned into the couch by the door, a perfect place for smells to trickle in. The smell did not repulse her, but more offended her that someone dare burn down a village she had been saving for a special occasion. Kaida had happened up on it a while ago and decided to leave it be only due to the body count it held... for Aeizith. So much for that plan..
Sitting up Kaida took her time straightening up her clothing and combing through her hair with her fingers before finally setting foot outside the door. From there the site of flames engulfing the sky caught her attention. "Bet dramatic are we?" The site reminded her all too well of the way some beings were. To Kaida there was no need for all the flashy dramatics, yes you are here, yes you are powerful... whoop dee do. Taking one last moment to look around Kaida then started to walk towards the village, acting as if she were about to just take a stroll through the woods.
Silver heard the door open and immediately knew Kaida was up to something. Coming out from one of the rooms Silver stepped outside as well and took note of the flames shooting into the sky. Immediately concern flooded her as she knew Aeizith was probably headed that way. Unlike Kaida though who had already dissapeared into the trees Silver took off in a full on sprint towards the village. "Aeizith!" she screamed grabbing her daggers from each hip ready for anything that may stand in her way.
The screams of the villagers haunted the forest as Silver approached the other end of it, just before the village. By now the sky was nothing more than an eerie hue of oranges and reds, but not beautiful like the sunset Silver admired so much. No, this was more like the very gates of hell itself had opened up and god only knew what had crawled out of it. Once again Silver began scanning the area looking for Aeizith as he was sure to be somewhere in this carnage. With the help of her wind Silver was able to located him quickly and pinpoint where he was. At this moment Aeizith would feel a cool breeze brush past him before whipping around him and snaking its way through his clothing and hair. This was Silver's signature way of locating someone nearby, her wind just as intrusive as she would have been had she found him first.
There was a certain majesty to the pillar of unnatural flame, more expressive an any painting, more enrapturing than any fire. The sky above danced wildly with a sort of energy the old world didn't possess, expressing oblivion and beyond more clearly than the flat blues could ever do. Perhaps it was there was magic in the air or some kind of powered force controlling this flame and all who witnessed it's glorious blaze, but Aeizith found it REALLY hard to not simply let himself be consumed to aid in it's burn... It's flame didn't seem to hurt, only to gesture playfully towards those who come near it's grasp, licking them with only the most honest and honorable of intentions.
A familiar wind brought the little ice dragon back to reality once more, one that slipped all under his clothes and through his hair like a 1000 hands, the realization of who it belonged to making him blush in no small amounts. He often wondered that Silver did this kind of thing on purpose, solely to elicit that kind of reaction, even if her main intention was merely to find out where he was. As the wind traveled back to it's owner, from the little dragon's palm small amounts of frosty dust would travel along it's current, softly falling from it's vehicle of transportation and settling all over the little half-elf innocently, though she might know better...
No time for playing pranks on one another, however the pillar of flames dispersed almost immediately, revealing but one monster in the shape of a knight, kneeling low, supporting itself with the point of it's blade:
Spoiler
http://vignette2.wikia.nocookie.net/shadowhearts/images/7/71/Fides.jpg/revision/latest?cb=20090610132834 (http://vignette2.wikia.nocookie.net/shadowhearts/images/7/71/Fides.jpg/revision/latest?cb=20090610132834) Fides from Shadowhearts
The knight was nothing special in height, standing only about 8 or 9 feet, but that's where the lack of significance ended. His armor was as red as the fires in the sky, various holes carved into the helmet, steam wafting out from inside with the faintest echoing hiss. His legs were not that of a man, but of some kind of... goat? Fully plated and clasped in his armor. Finally, the being carried a sword, spreading broader at the tip than vice-versa in a typical blade, the smallest of flame dancing on the flat of the sword. The monster rose from it's spot on the ground slowly, taking it's time, showing no amount of pleasure or pain from the devistation it wrought... The knight simply glanced around, it's helmet gazing over each and every bit of desolate land, pausing only for a moment as his face turned in the directions of Kaida, Silver and Aeizith.... It seemed uninterested, bored even, raising it's free hand above it's head. Suddenly, claws of fire sprung up at the feet of Silver and Kaida, flaming manifestations of the knight dragging themselves up from the smoldering earth below.... while the knight pointed his unique blade at Aeizith...
The seriousness that Silver carried quickly faded away when the bit of frost touched her skin, melting from the warmth of her blood underneath. So he was alright, he was alive... this was good. Even if sometimes she did not show it Silver thought the world of Aeizith, constantly worried if today would be the day she finally lost him. It was sad to think that was how her mind worked, thinking that every moment she saw him could be the last. Who could blame her though based on past incidences. Silver was so used to having everything ripped away from her she thought surely it was only a matter of time until it happened again. Her giggle smile though turned when she noticed the ground erupting just in front of her, where first hands and then an entire manifestation of a creature she thought strange was emerging.
Tightening her grip on each dagger in hand Silver took a defensive stance to the creature. Raising a brow she challenged the creature, beckoning it to even try. "Fire?" biting her lip she did her best to suppress a smirk crawling at the edge of her lips. "I always found it to be... irrelevant." Then without moving Silver's eyes trailed to the space surrounding the manifestation, concentrating on removing as much oxygen as she could from the air. Silver had always preferred to use this ability in a closed space, it was so much easier to control. Out on the open like this though required a great deal of concentration as air would always be leaking into the space she was trying to remove it from. The fire surrounding the manifestation though did react as it began to flicker out.... all fire needs oxygen to grow. The elven girl waited until she saw a moment of hesitation before she lunged forwards at the creature, attempting to cut it down as quickly as possible.
Kaida was shocked that the demon that had emerged had located her so easily. There were at least three of her clones in the forest by this time and it had managed to look past every single one towards her. Sharing almost the same expression as Silver did Kaida seemed almost amused that this demon thought it could take her on. Was this not always the case? A threat seeing her as only a small and frail girl, with skin so pail and a form so tiny who wouldn't? However beneath that skin lay a monster awaiting to be awoken, one she was constantly keeping hidden from those around her. Cocking her head to the side Kaida snickered, not even bothering to reach for any kind of weapon... she never needed one and today would be no exception. Even as the creature manifested a copy of itself before her she simply snickered, almost mocking it. "You're kidding right?"
Then as if a switch had been flipped with no warning Kaida multiplied into five copies of herself, each one synchronized in its movements as they surrounded the manifestation. "I have no time for you. My eyes are set on a bigger prize." From there the real copy of Kaida broke from the formation, leaving another clone in its place. She had meant every word of her statement, she had no time for puppets. She wanted the being that created all of this, the one that thought it had the right to destroy this world only because it thought it could. How arrogant, how naive.. how stupid. If anything was going to push Kaida's buttons right now it was this. Someone who thought they were entitled to destroy the lives of whomever it wanted around it, as if every living soul was a puppet in the game they were playing. As if there were no repercussions to its actions because it was merely hiding behind a web weaved, one that it thought was impenetrable.
That was what most evil being's weakness was though.. thinking they had such a perfect plan in place that no one would ever find out the truth. It all rang to true for Kaida, having experienced it first hand. Always having looked up to someone she thought was a force of nature, turning out to be nothing more than a fake. Someone who built an empire thinking they had the world in her fingertips only to have it all ripped away in an instant leaving those beneath her to sort out the rubble on their own. Kaida had gone from bothered to a full on rage as she stomped towards her brother and the real demon.
Little did Kaida know, this wasn't a being that worked on plans or deception or anything she might've come to expect from a being such as he. This was a creature of Valor, of combat... Aeizith's eyes widened as he stared at the knight that stood before him... this wasn't a mere monster or demon... He had seen his picture before back in the old Citadel's massive library... Emilia had always wanted them to stay informed about the world as the best ally was an informed one, she used to say... It all came back to him now... This was a god...
"F-Fides..." Aeizith muttered, taking a step back in sheer shock. A Fire God summoned from a soul that keeps fighting no matter how many times it tastes defeat... With each swing of it's sword, the world's filth is burned away. That was his description... his purpose for being there... To cleanse the world, wasn't it...? Why else would this being be here, on a plane such as this OTHER than to burn everything away? As another copy went to engage Kaida, Silver attempted to strike at the main body from behind with her daggers, but the more distance the closed, the more unbearable the heat around the monster became, the stone under it's feet literally melting away and their air around it shimmering with the most squiggly of effects. Aeizith felt his own magic begin to wear down within the aura of such a beast, His ice completely useless within it's aura... He was going to need to fight it one on one... Before Silver could reach Fides, it raised it's blade and rushed Aeizith, the little dragon yelping in surprise as he raised his own curved daggers to defend himself. The knight clomped across the cobble-stone ground towards the dragon with quick, massive strides, closing the distance between them near instantly, swinging his blade in a downward slash towards the young vampire.
Seeing the monster's strength was FAR too much for the being to absorb with his own, Aeizith leaped to the side, rolling away as the metal met earth, a pillar of flame erupting out into the sky despite the lack of oxygen. The knight wasn't done yet however as it whirled towards it's fleeing opponent, using his momentum to swipe at Aeizith's chest with the broad-flat edge of the sword, again dodged, but only just, a long burn-strike across his chest where the edge barely met his jacket... Fides then seemed to halt where he stood and, spontaneously, he tossed his blade away, spinning off into the sky before disappearing into the flames above.... The young vampire watched in surprise as the monster seemingly willingly disarmed himself... before it thrusted it's hands forward, making a circular motion with it's arms in front of it, a circular vortex of fire forming where the monster had traced... Then, as if it lead to a pocket-dimension, the monster reached into the fire and pulled out... an even bigger and more grand blade, massive even by it's own standards, easily capable of splitting the world in two, or so it seemed... The little frost dragon's eyes boggled in horror as this being approached him with this godly weapon in hand, flames sprouting up and dying out wherever he stepped...
Kaida seemed to realize it just after Aiezith of the identity of the beast when he uttered its name. She was caught momentarily off guard as another manifestation of it headed her way and it managed to claw at one of her arms. For the first time in decades Kaida had been injured, a scratch across her nearly perfect porcelain skin. Immediately this action snapped her back into reality and she responded in the only way she knew how. Most of the time her tactics of cloning and illusions was simply to intimidate her opponents, but fighting against this it would not work. Splitting into two Kaida's original form fled to her brother, aware that there was no way she could defeat this beast on her own, neither could he. For the first time in what felt like ions she was willing to stand beside him, to lend her power to aid in getting rid of this abomination. Meanwhile her clone was left behind to destruct the clone the god had created itself.
"Aieizith I am here" all she could say as she watched her brother stare on in horror. "We can do this." The way Kaida spoke was unlike anything Aieizith would have heard from her before. It was not the voice of a sobbing or bullying sister, it was one of concern and seriousness. Kaida had taken on an expression completely new to her... comradely. Splitting up once more into three different versions of herself her clones ran ahead towards the god in hopes of fracturing its attention even if it were for only a second. From there Kaida shifted into her dragon form, the scales far more durable than her fragile mortal flesh. Even so in her dragon form a wound was present on one of her shoulders, the blood trickling down across her scales.
Silver stood in shock for a moment as she watched the creature swap weapons with something more powerful. Even she had her limits and this seemed a task too impossible to face. Still, Aeizith was here and so she would fight... for him. Once more she attempted to focus her attention on removing more oxygen from around the god, dimming its fire if even for only a moment.
Aeizith's eyes immediately flicked over to Kaida as she dealt with the God's clone, standing beside him and offering her.... support...? She wasn't chastizing him for his weakness or even going off on her own in some kind of attempt to make him feel inferior... for once, Kaida was actively supporting him... Silver then stood with him as well (though not necessarily besides), Enveloping the god in a vacuum as Kaida engaged the monster directly... All for him...The little frost dragon wanted to cry, to envelop his family in a hug that could express and reciprocate the love they had shown him in this moment, but now wasn't the time for that... Now was a time for action and this was action to behold... Using the opportunity his family had given him, Aeizith let out a roar and he unleashed all his cryomantic power at once, the whole ground immediately freezing over under their feet. Ice and snow, frost and rock began to coagulate around the frost dragon, growing into a large mound of stuff and things, pieces of house, corpses, grass and dirt, all of that melding into a frosty being... The mound began to take shape...
The flames around Fides dwindled for but a moment, Silver's removal of the atmosphere only the smallest of obsticles for a being such as him... With magical reserves large enough to power his flames, Fides erupted in fire once more as Kaida advanced in her dragon from, attempting to be some kind of distraction. She was hardly as big as the knight that stood before her rushing him down as if a lion could rush down a boar. With one swing of his free hand, the flaming knight caused the space in front of Kaida to EXPLODE, archs and pillars from hell blasted outwards and tore the ground there apart, encompassing the area where Kaida and her three clones charged.
Focusing on his magic, Aeizith's avatar grew and grew until it reached an incredible size of 40 feet tall, a colossus of titanic preportions... He could've made it even bigger, but that would've endangered his family even more and it would be weaker due to it's size as well as drain him much faster... Besides his Void-Ice, this was his trump Card... A MASSIVE dragon armored with the debris that came with the ice almost like scales, its teeth Icicles the size of men, it's flesh barbed snowey dunes, It's eyes glowing a sinister red as Aeizith rested inside it's skull, piloting the beast...
Spoiler
(http://img14.deviantart.net/a55d/i/2015/193/8/a/nifhalheim__the_elemental_of_ice_by_dleoblack-d90tv39.jpg)
Fides glanced up at the monster towering before him, not even flinching as the massive dragon let out a roar that would've batted away anything less than what he was.
Kaida could see Aeizith begin to grow emotional and even in her dragon form could not help but roll her eyes. It would be just like him to get all sentimental in a moment like this when their very lives were on the line, he still had so far to go...
But then he took it upon himself to take action instead and began forming into a creature both Silver and Kaida did not recognize. Yet another suprise that he lay out on the battlefield, just as before when Kaida had approached him at his tree house many months ago. How strong had he grown? The both watched as much as they could all the while trying to distract the beast. Kaida though remained more distracted at Aeizith's transformation and was surprised when a large explosion seemed to happen right before her eyes. All she saw was a flash of red as well as the ember and ash of her now destroyed human clones. She would have been lying if she didn't say fear struck her at her core in this moment, but she couldn't show it... not ever. Even if she was the youngest she would always show how determined she was for their futures, the future of the remaining Black-Hearth siblings. Closing her eyes Kaida was enveloped in flames, seeming to dis sapear in the area that was now a burning hellfire pit.
Silver continued on despite everything else happening around her, she kept pushing through each barrier that seemed to present itself before her. She would not give up, not ever.. she would do this for Aeizith. Even if it took every ounce of her energy and was only the slightest help she would continue pulling the oxygen from the fire that seemed to never end. As some of the flames cleared Kaida emerged, seemingly unscathed, her scales still smoking from the incredible heat they had just protected her from. Still in her dragon form she looked back at Silver who gave a nod, Kaida now knowing full well that Silver had saved her in that moment and protected her from a near death experience.... dammit.
As Silver saved Kaida from the hellscape Fides has constructed in that moment, the massive ice-avatar of Aeizith let out a screeching roar that seemed to shake the very foundations of the planet's crust around them, snow and ice flying up from the ground, the sky, each and every chunk of frozen ice and snow coagulating just outside of his mouth, rearing up on his hind legs, his neck stretched up into the air. Slowly, more and more ice smashing into the rotating, swirling, spinning, expanding ball of cryomantic energy, the raw matter being converted into magic. Light blue bolts of magic energy blasted down and across the land from the ball randomly, every where it touched causing tree-sized icicles to spring up from the ground, stabbing through massive foliage, rock, and anything else nearby with ease. All of Aeizith's magical energy was going into this one attack, one that banish the essence of this god of fire from the planet...
Fides didn't seemed disturbed in the least that the little drake managed to avoid his flaming-hell... In fact, he was glad because now she'd stay away and he could focus on the REAL dragon charging it's energy right in front of him. Taking up a defensive stance, Fides raised his blade behind his head, almost in a way a batter might, intent on deflecting the blast.
Slowly, the HUGE ball of snowy energy, perhaps twice the size of Aeizith's avatar itself, began to shrink, to compress, growing smaller and smaller, until it was about the size of a man's fist, but the magic was titanic.... Anyone that could feel the power from this little ball of energy knew that if one was hit by this.... it wasn't coming back... Stretching upwards a little farther, Aeizith reached up and bit down on the ball, sucking it into his mouth before leveling his head down, level with the god. Suddenly, the Dragon's body expanded unnaturally, contorting in shape as his belly exploded to 3 times it's normal size, a hiss of sub-zero icy mist escaping from between it's teeth. The sheer energy from this technique seemed too much for the dragon too control, too much for it to handle before release... but then Aeizith opened his mouth...
The moment his mouth reached it's maximum open distance, A HUGE beam of dark blue energy shot from his throat, ripping across the land, its mere presence shoving Kaida and Silver out of it's path before it even got within a threatening distance. Icy electricity shot out and blasted Fides before the brunt of the blast even struck, sending waves of mist to erupt between the battle of hot and cold. And then... the beam struck...
As the sword struck the magic blast, it sent a shockwave across the land so powerful, it uprooted trees, shattered the earth where the two beasts of power stood, even separated the flames in the sky above where they clashed. Aeizith pooled more and more of his own energy into empowering the blast... but Fides simply had more... It took one step, then another, the beam seeming to bounce off and around the flat of the blade he used to defend himself, that what it struck exploding into ICE-BURGS of pure frost. Even with all of this... He needed more power...
Both Kaida and Silver stared on in awe as Aeizith's form seemed to dominate the scene. However, both knocked down by the power blast that came with it. Silver was able to keep her bearings simply by bending the air around her, lessening the blow of it. However, the moment the blast struck Fide's sword both of them were knocked off of their feet, Kaida able to balance herself a bit with her wings. The same could not be said for Silver as she blew backwards, the blast too much. Tumbling and then rolling on the ground she lay where she stopped in complete disbelief that Aeizith contained such power.
Kaida was nothing more than beaming with pride at her brother. What a magnificent creature he had evolved into, one worthy of the Black-Hearth name. Even if he had almost blasted her away. But she could see he was still not enough and so it was time to pull her weight. Hoisting herself into the sky by flapping her wings Kaida took off in Fides's direction opening her maw to let out a screech louder than anything she had produced in a long time. The waves of it alone enough to make it seem the world was vibrating around her. Screeching as loud as she could she continued flying at Fides, turning and weaving away from any attack he may have sent at her.
Silver finally sat up noticing how Kaida was at it again in trying to disrupt the god. They may hate each other, but at least they had the same end goal and that was to help Aeizith. With a new sense of urgency she stood up taking in a deep breath concentrating all of her energy on Fides. Taking off in a full on sprint towards Fides Silver felt like an insect in comparison to the others fighting, but this insect packed a serious punch. Clearly removing the oxygen from his fire was not working, she was going to have to resort to her last option... lightning. The mere thought scared her more than she wanted to admit, the last time she used it turning into a horrible incident. Even though there were risks, Aeizith was worth it.
As she ran she allowed the energy to build within herself almost to the point she felt the next thing she touched would explode from the energy itself. Clearly she could not get as close as she would have liked to Fides, his hellfire too much for her mortal flesh. So she ran until she could not stand the heat anymore and then she stopped, glaring at the god now before her. The fact her ears were practically bleeding, a side effect of Kaida's screeching, was causing her equilibrium to be thrown off a bit. She could see the edges of her world beginning to warp and her head was pounding something feirce. Still she pushed through and let out a scream of her own as several bolts of lightning started to rain down from the sky.
It hurt, the pain of lightning entering and exiting her body over and over again. She wanted to cry and scream and for it to be over, but it wasn't. Her lightning was barely even a scratch to this god, Silver was nothing more than an insect. But still she continued pushing and pulling hoping that she was helping in some way, ready for this to be done.
Despite the insane power difference between Fides and the rest of them, between Aeizith's blast and the increadibly powerful distractions both Kaida and Silver were offering from the shockwaves of screams to MASSIVE bolts of lighting, The minor fire-god couldn't help but divide his attention between the two. Taking a hand off his blade he reached out his arm to blast the pair away, but suddenly, his one-arm gave out and his sword fell back, unable to stand up to the blast Aeizith had maintained. In a flash, the icy energies consumed the monster, pouring through the chinks in his armor, temperatures below measurement blasting through mind, body and soul, absorbing and breaking down all it came into contact with... and suddenly... in that moment... it was over... Aeizith's icy dragon-avatar collapsed and the the little dragon along with it, lying completely drained atop a pile of snow. 20 meters where the god once stood a Pillar of Ice shot up from the ground, the god's armor, hollow and inert frozen within... The ice it was encased in radiated with such magic that should anyone touch it, anyone but Aeizith, they would suffer the coldest chill able to exist in their world, one that froze someone from the soul-on-out.
Slowly, the little ice dragon rose from his pillow of sand and rubble, stumbling down it's edge before making his way over to Silver, injured by her lighting... Right now, he had little Magical energy to spare to help cool her wounds, but that wasn't what he had initially in mind either... Softly, gently, he would take the little half-elf in his arms and kiss her with such passion and love, one would think he was trying to start something then and there. He stared into her light purple eyes with his sanguine, sighing softly...
"I'm so lucky..." he murmured, gently stroking her cheek with his thumb. "T-that I kn-know you..." If she needed support to walk, Aeizith would gladly help her, wrapping her arm around his neck, his naturally lower body temperature providing some kind of relief to the burns she might've suffered from her lightning attacks. He would then walk over to Kaida, smiling at his younger sister with a sort of pride only an older brother could possess.
"And you, Kaida... I'm so proud of you... Thank you so much for helping me... Lets all go home..."
Kaida fell back at Aeizith's last blow, knowing that the event had finally ended. Lowering herself to the ground she slowly shifted back into her human form, her feet lightly touching the ground in the last moments of her transformation. Before she knew it Aeizith was standing in front of her with Silver in tow and he was thanking her. The young dragoness beamed with pride at the compliment, for once feeling like she did the right thing. "You didn't get in the way too much I guess." The best compliment one could hope for from her. But at his mention of going home Kaida paused, not following him back towards where they came. In truth Kaida felt like she had no home, her presence a bother to Silver and honestly it was boring. "I'm not coming back yet, I'm not ready. I see now that you can handle yourself and for that I am proud, but I need to work on myself." The seriousness in her voice was one she did not display often. She meant everything she said, she needed to figure her own life out before living it with Aeizith and Silver.
"I love you brother and this is goodbye for now." Turning on her feet she started off in the opposite direction. After getting a few feet away she looked over her shoulder to give one last endearing goodbye. "I promise I will stop by when its most inconvenient!" and with that she disappeared into the forest.
Silver truly was hurt from her lightening blasts and thankful that Aeizith knew that she would be. After he kissed her so gently he helped her stand allowing her to fling an arm over his shoulder to brace herself. She was very weak, but he probably was to. As Kaida talked she was almost nodding off not really paying attention to anything she said, except the last bit. "Of course.." all she could say before turning to Aeizith to gauge how he was handling it. Silver knew this would be a blow to hurt him, but they could deal with that later. And so the two walked home, both wounded and hurt yet happy with the end result. "I love you..." her voice a whisper in his ear, one that she knew he would be ecstatic to hear. On this day, he truly had shown her how much she could depend on him to keep himself alive, and not only him but his family... soon she would be telling him her biggest secret of all.
-x- TIMESKIP
Two weeks had passed since the interaction with Fides and Kaida's endearing farewell. Things had pretty much gone back to how they should have been, except for there was no more Silver Kaida arguments for Aeizith to referee. Thankfully though Aeizith appeared to be less stressed than before, most likely due to Silver's constant nagging that he eat properly. The road to recovery from her wounds was a rough one and even today she still bore some markings on her hands but nothing like before. Silver was lucky that not a single one of her lightning bolts backlashed on her causing a wound that would have no doubt sent the two on a search for the origin of the blood that had healed her before. Instead Silver kept her hands wrapped to keep the still sensitive skin covered until it fully healed, but other than that they were still fully functional.
As Silver often did she was sitting outside of the house in the grass, looking at the sun that was about to set. It was always the sun that seemed to draw her and remind her how much she truly loved the hues it created. Today though she seemed to be focussing on it more than normal, as if a thought was baking in the back of her mind. Knowing that he was surely somewhere near Silver pulled her gaze from the setting sun for just a moment to find him standing in front of the house. "Aeizith..." she paused to allow him to come closer. "I have been thinking..."
Taking in a deep and shaky breath she looked back at the sun not really sure how to say what she needed to say. "I have been observing you for quite some time as you know. From the moment I realized I wanted to stay around I have been gauging everything you do whether you know it or not. What I have noticed is that you are a good person A." Silver giggled a bit thinking of all the adorable things Aeizith did. "You protect no matter what and take in family even if they are the worst." Turning back to him once more she was still smiling, but behind her smile was a secret. "Tomorrow I want to take you somewhere. Kind of like the time we went to my clan's old hideout. It will take a few hours to get there but I think... I think it will be worth it."
It had been at least 2 weeks since the battle with the fire-god Fides, and things had had gradually returned to normal. It was no secret that Salzem missed his sister dearly while she was gone, but without her and Silver clashing all the time, the dragon was able to relax, tend to himself far better, and sleep much sounder at night without Kaida's little pranks wracking the house... It was clear that Silver herself was enjoying her time with him as well, their new favorite activity being just sitting out on on the grass outside of their home and just watch the sun as it went down. It was a truly beautiful sight, but nothing compared to his lovely Silver and her radiant smile as they stared off over the horizon. In fact, he often found himself watching her more than the sun, a much more beautiful conclusion to a beautiful day...
It was during one of these evenings where Aeizith was standing just outside the house watching her that Silver decided to confide in him, grabbing his attention by speaking his name.
"Yes...?" He asked, grinning softly, walking right up and sitting down beside her. Though, in a matter of moments, the little ice dragon's expression turned from a soft smile to a lopsided one, not quite knowing how to take her comments. She noted how she's been watching him from the moment she decided to stay with him, judging every move he made, whether he knew it or not. The first image that flashed through the dragon's head was Silver staring over him as he slept, wide eyed and haunting in the darkness. The second image was with her staring at him as he discussed orders with one of his chief assassins, wide-eyed and haunting. Regardless of what he was thinking at that time, the half-elf's comment on how she found him to be a good man, one that would protect his family, even if they were "the worst".
"T-thank you..." He murmured, gently placing his cool hand atop hers. He was absolutely beaming with pride over the compliment she gave... No one has ever called him a "good man" before with the exception of his assassins... It seemed to mean even more coming from his partner, his friend and lover whom he shared equal footing with. Aeizith leaned in closer as Silver said she had a place she wanted to take him, somewhere like her old hide out only a few hours away.
"O-only a few...?" Aeizith asked, pecking her lips softly. "Y-you sure k-keep everything c-close to home...." This time, he'd close the distance again and place a solid but soft kiss upon her lips, gently taking her lower lip between his for a few moments before pulling away, snickering.
Even if Aeizith was trying to be funny Silver could not shake the serious feeling she was hiding. Kissing him back it was not filled with near as much joking and passion as his was, and surely he would be able to tell. "What I am going to show you... its...its always been close. I wouldn't have it any other way." So badly she wanted to tell him what she had been hiding, the secret that only one or two people on this planet even knew.
"Promise me that after I show you what I have to show you that you will keep an open mind. And after you have seen it you are free to leave me if you want... I would understand."
In all honesty that was her biggest fear, Aeizith leaving her for the secret she bore. 'Girl of Secrets', was what she was beginning to feel like. This secret though was one she had to keep for so long... for Amber's safety. But now that she knew Aeizith would protect his family with his life she felt that this man could save her from the distance she had created with Amber. Silver loved her daughter with everything she had, so much so that hiding her from the world was the best thing for her. But with that came a great disadvantage. Amber did not know Silver other than her name and who she was. Every time she visited Amber always acted as if Silver was ripping her heart out when she left, except last year.. last year she seemed to finally become numb to it... that broke Silver's heart.
-x-
Aeizith and Silver had set out early that morning towards the secret Silver had been keeping. They had been walking for a few hours now, treating it as a bit of a retreat or stroll through the woods. But as they closed the gap in distance Silver started slipping out more and more information for Aeizith.
"I traveled a lot because I was always trying to stay within a days travel from this caravan. It carries something special to me, but never stays in one place for too long. I have always come to check on it every year on the same day, I had actually checked on it a few weeks before I met you. But now I feel like I need to finally take it, I just hope that you don't freak out on me." Reaching down she grabbed Aeizith's hand, squeezing it a bit, almost afraid this would be the last time she would ever hold it. "Just remember that the only reason I am showing it to you is because I..." she almost choked on the word, having been only the third time she had ever set it to him. "Because I love you". Her words said just in time as they approached the edge of the town where the caravan had been stopped at for a few weeks restocking goods and trading supplies.
"S-silver..." Aeizith murmured, bringing up a hand, gently cupping her face in his palm. "Silver... I love you... Of c-course I'll k-keep an open m-mind..." His eyes widened quickly as she merely even SUGGESTED him leaving her, completely shocked she would think ANYTHING would make him give up on her. Quicker than a flash, Aeizith wrapped his arms around his little half-elven sweet, pulling her into a hug so soft, so loving and tender, one might've thought the little ice dragon was trying to become love-manifest. "I-I will n-never l-leave you... ever... w-whatever it i-is... w-we'll figure it out...."
From there, the two went inside after watching the sun finally set behind the horizon, but that night, whatever sleep Aeizith managed to grab either wasn't enough or wasn't good, the anticipation for Silver's horrible secret keeping him from getting a wink.
-x-
They had left early in the morning in some direction through the woods, walking in silence for at least, a few hours now. He actually found it quite haunting how little Silver spoke throughout their walk... Aeizith tired to start a conversation here or there but it either died on his tongue or the beautiful half-elf simply refused to respond. Her silence only seemed to escalate the suspicion that whatever she had been hiding for this long was either something truly horrible and dangerous, or something that was truly intimate and personal... either way... Aeizith didn't know how to feel about him being let in on this secret.
As the distance between them and their destination began to close, Silver began to explain more and more about their target, how she always made an effort to keep within a day's distance of a "caravan." Apparently, it carried something special to her, but it never stayed in one place for too long. What... was this a mark of hers...? Was something VERY important stolen from her and she wanted him to know what it was...? He had no idea what was going on, but he listened in respectful silence, not asking any questions. She stated that she had checked on it a week before she met him and now... now of all times, she decided she needed to take it. Aeizith looked at her strangely, wondering what made the difference between now and then. Suddenly, Silver took his hand, causing the dragon's face to splotch with blue blush, stating that she was only showing him because.... she loved him...
Without missing a beat, Aeizith pulled his other half in close and kissed her, letting out a deep sigh as he forced his fears out of his mind. After a moment, he'd pull away once more, smiling at her with a grin softer than fallen snow.
"I l-love y-you too... Silver?" He paused, staring into her eyes. "I-I will n-never leave y-you..." And with that... the two approached the town in which the Caravan stocked up.
The town was nothing special, a typical one with Taverns, shops and inns. The streets were moderately busy and everyone seemed to be going on with their lives paying no mind to the two who had just strolled through. Then the caravan came into a site, a group of carts and horses lining the side of the street while its many distributors went in and out of shops. Silver stopped about a block shy of it, able to see all of it without getting close enough to get their attention.
Taking in another deep breathe she squeezed Aeizith's hand once more before finally letting it go and pointing towards one of the carts. On this cart was crates stacked upon crates as well as an older woman standing beside it, scribbling things down on a piece of parchment, no doubt taking inventory. "That one..." her hand still extended towards it. But she wasn't pointing at the woman or the cart, but the small hooded figure holding a hand out to one of the horses pulling it. Silver flicked her wrist a bit causing a light gust of wind to blow towards the small figure, knocking the hood off of its head.
Beneath the hood was a young white haired girl with eyes as orchid colored as Silvers. Frustrated that her hair had been messed up Amber retracted one of her hands and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear exposing ears with the slightest of tips, just like Silver's.
"That is my secret... that is my Amber." Silver couldn't help but smile at the sight of her daughter, oh how she had grown in the few months it had been since she lost saw her. Silver though had not approached her yet, Amber still unaware that her mother was only a few strides away from her. Instead, Silver turned to Aeizith with eyes as dead set and serious as they could be. "I have a daughter... she is 6. The older woman is her caretaker and has raised her since I have birth to her. She is Jacobi's... I was pregnant with her when I killed him." Silver felt like she had to explain... explain why she never brought her up until now.
"I left her with them to keep her safe. After the incident with the clan there were those who sought me out, loved ones of those I had killed. If they knew I had a child they surely would have killed her just to spite me. After the threats died down I still felt she was not safe with me. I was a traveler, no steady home, nothing to offer her. But now I have you and I think I can protect her..."
Turning to look at Amber once more Silver's face was smothered with worry. "I understand if this is too much to ask, and if you want to leave I understand."
They made their way into town, a place for from spectacular. There was hardly anything unique about this place, from it's architecture, to it's businesses, to it's people: The very definition of bland. What wasn't though, was the caravan halted near a group of other, unoccupied carts. Monitoring their target just out of a noticeable distance, Aeizith was able to see 2 people by the cart, one an older woman, scribbling something down on a piece of parchment, probably taking stock of everything in or being added onto her cart. The other was a very small being enveloped in a cloak, her face hidden from him. Pointing a finger at the little being, Silver unleashed a small gust of wind that caused the being's hood to fall off their head, revealing a small girl...
She had white hair, much like Silver, orchid colored eyes... Like Silver's... and as the girl readjusted her hair, he noticed her ears had the smallest of elven-like tips......... like Silver's....... Oh... my.... gods.....
Even before she had to say it, Aeizith put 2 and 2 together and figured out just what she was hiding.
"Y-you have...." Aeizith began, but was cut off as the half-elf confirmed that yes, indeed she did have a daughter. She's six, raised by these people since she gave birth to her and that... She was Jacobi's.... her previous fiance's.... This struck Aeizith hard, suddenly somewhat jealous and defensive. Somehow, this long-dead partner or Silver was making the powerful ice-dragon feel... insignificant...? As if somehow he had more of a pull on her life than he did...? His first instinct was rage, some primal reason beyond the limiting expressive nature of words, but his second... was sympathy and that instinct completely overpowered the first as she told her story of how she was pregnant when she killed her fiance, how she hid her daughter here to avoid endangering her as the loved-ones of those she'd killed would surely kill her child. Even after the threats died away, she couldn't take the risk, not without a real home to offer her... But that all changed with him there.
"S-Silver." Aeizith said, his tone firm, interrupting her before she could even SAY that he could leave her. He reached up with his hands, each one clasping a side of her head and turning it back around to face him. "I-I. W-will never. L-leave you. E-ever. P-please... don't s-say I can e-ever.... p-please..." His expression softened gradually, before lowering his hands from her head down towards her cheek, gently cupping her face in his hands.
"L-lets go meet h-her, o-okay...? I-I want t-to know w-what sh-she's like..." Aeizith's sanguine eyes flicked over to Amber, still fiddling around with her hair, then to Silver, smiling reassuringly.
When Aeizith's tone changed to something more serious Silver was afraid. In her mind all she could think was "This is it... this is where he leaves me" before he continued on. This was why she loved this man, because no matter what he would be by her side and she was slowly learning that this was the way things were supposed to be. Silver had been raised to believe that her problems were her own, and the only person to shoulder them would be her, it was to teach responsibility. It may have seemed rough to leave someone to clean up their own mess, but it molded her into who she was today. This was why it was so hard for her to accept that Aeizith would be there no matter what, to help her with whatever problem she may face.
Before she started leading him towards Amber she still had one more thing to say. "She doesn't know about Jacobi." the way she said it was in a way so that he couldn't react before she started walking in the direction of the caravan ahead of him. Her walk quickly turned into an almost run the closer she got until she was standing right behind the girl who was completely unaware of Silver's presence. "Tisk tisk... a Ruscoqui should always be aware of her surroundings." her words causing Amber to jump before spinning around to her mother standing there.
Amber was completely speechless as she looked at the woman she dreamed of almost every night. In her mind she was trying to piece together every logical reason as to why she was there, it was too early. But still she stepped forwards embracing her mother the moment her arms wrapped around her waste she was glued never wanting to let go. Silver bent down picking Amber up shifting her weight onto one hip before looking her orchid eye to orchid eye. "You must have grown at least a whole foot in just a few months! You are growing up so fast!" Then Silver pulled Amber into her chest for a hug rocking back and forth a bit never wanting to put her down.
The entire time Amber remained silent still in shock that her mother was really here right now. But then it ended as Silver set her down when she made eye contact with the elderly woman who had been watching over her. Kneeling down to Amber's eye level Silver booped her nose. "I am going to go talk to miss Feerie for a second." Then Silver turned her head towards Aeizith. "This is Aeizith, talk to him while I discuss things okay." Silver then kissed Amber on the forehead before standing up and giving Aeizith an unsure smile, still curious as to how he was going to take all of this in.
As her mother walked over to Miss Feerie, Amber turned her sights on the white haired man that seemed to have arrived with her mother. He was strange looking in a way, but also seemed completely normal in another. She didn't speak to him though, as she was too shy to converse with strangers. So instead she just stood there staring at him, her glare most likely all too familiar to him. Deep down though Amber could feel her emotions starting to spin. She was confused because her mother was there, but also happy. Then she was sad because she knew that she would be leaving again and who knows for how long this time. And then to top it all off she was now being forced to talk to this stranger she had never met before.
Silver looked over her shoulder to see Amber just staring at Aeizith and it caused her to smile a bit more. Her attention then turned towards the older woman who was now very aware that she was there. Pulling her off to the side a bit Silver explained that she was here for Amber and that this time she was leaving with her. Miss Feerie expressed her concerns but Silver reassured her that it was time, all in all the conversation ending with both of them in agreement that Amber leaving was what was best for her.
Aeizith nodded silently as Silver began running right up to the pair, meanwhile, the little ice dragon simply walked up to them awkwardly, stopping a few feet away as not to spoil their moment. He felt his heart melt away in his chest as he watched mother embrace daughter, daughter embrace mother in a tearful greeting. It was so adorable... Silver held her daughter so tightly to her chest, with so much love and compassion, it made him wonder why she ever left her daughter here all those times before. It made him wonder how the half-elf ever had the strength to leave such a cute little girl behind here, especially after the greeting, the loving, caring greeting she had just received... Were it Aeizith, no matter where he was going, no matter what solid home he had, he would've kept his offspring as close to him as humanly possible. From experience, he knew that no matter where one went or stayed, trouble would always find him... It was just a matter of sitting down and defending one's self and the child they now possessed. He wouldn't have ran a single step if his own child were involved, instead, staying right there and waiting, watching, nurturing the youngling, treating it with the love he was never shown at it's age... But then... Silver wasn't a dragon with upwards of 7000 years of experience... She didn't have the power or the confidence in herself that she could raise the little one while on the go, especially with the death-threats rolling in... Given what she was, she actually made the right and clever choice, he thought...
And suddenly, quick as a flash, the little ice dragon was alone once more, Amber standing before him, staring up at him silently, wide-eyed and nervous... She reminded him a lot of how he used to act back when his siblings went out in public... He'd usually never say anything, just stare, wide-eyed, shaking, ice spewing out every-which-way as he dealt with his own self-control... It was actually quite funny how much she resembled him.... Jacobi, not him... Deciding he should be the one to break the ice, he walked a little closer to the child, kneeling down so that he was eye-to-eye with the little girl, smiling gently.
"H-hey there, l-little-one..." He greeted holding out his hand for her to shake. "M-my name i-is Aeizith B-Black-hear-....." He stopped himself. With Emilia gone and their brother and older sister nowhere to be found, the black-hearth name was dead, wasn't it...? "I-I guess it's j-just Aeizith... n-nice to meet y-you..." If she took his hand, she'd feel his cool, almost cold skin, as if he'd just been traveling about in the polar regions of the world without protection and was just now warming up.
The little ice dragon would look up over Amber's shoulders, his eyes meeting Silver's as she looked back at them. He'd smile and wink, letting her know everything was okay.... at least, he thought so... Perhaps his introduction was nowhere near as heart-warming as Silver's.... it it was the best he could do.
Amber flinched a bit when the man knelt down in front of her and extended his hand offering it for her to shake. Nervously she reached out her own small hand and grasped his shaking it but also observing the temperature of it. The way it felt caused many questions to stir in her mind but she would keep those to herself for now. Still she did not say anything though as she slowly pulled her hand back, clasping it with her other behind her back. And so she continued to just stand there staring at him until she saw he was looking past her at her mother. Turning her head herself she looked back at Silver who was still conversing with the woman who had been her caretaker all of these years.
The little girl could tell that Silver was talking about her by the way her eyes kept shifting back at her. Something was different this time unlike all the other times she came to visit. Usually Silver would come on the same day every year and whisk her away for a day of just the two of them. But this time she brought someone with her and he was winking at her mom... how strange. Amber did however take notice how her mother seemed to smile at him and seemed to be just an overall different person than usual. Her mother seemed to be lighter on her feet, less worried about whatever was going on in her life... she seemed better.
Silver noticed how both of them were looking at her now and it almost made her lose her train of thought as she continued to explain everything to Miss Feerie. After finishing with everything she had to say both Silver and Miss Feerie nodded and then the older woman walked up to Amber, her eyes already beginning to fill with tears. "Promise me you will bring her to see me often." Then the elderly woman knelt down in front of Amber and gave her a quick hug before kissing her on the forehead and standing up. "You be good for your mommy Amber." And then as if to keep Amber from seeing her cry the woman walked away into one of the buildings, no doubt to mourn the loss of the little girl being in her life every day.
Amber was on the other hand very confused at the woman's comments, but soon that was all cleared up when Silver chimed in. "You are coming with me Amber... for good this time. We don't have to be apart anymore." Silver had barely finished her statement before her daughters arms were wrapped around her once again, tears of her own streaming down her face. Silver quickly wiped them away before hoisting Amber up in her arms, the girl almost too big for her to handle. "Let's go home."
-x-Small timeskip
Looking to Aeizith every few minutes Silver was beaming with happiness as they walked back towards their home just a little less than an hour away. The entire time Silver carried Amber despite how much her arms were burning from the muscle strain, she just couldn't bring herself to set her down. By now though Amber had fallen asleep, her head rested on her mothers shoulder with her arms slumped down at each side, completely serene and dreaming of a life together with her mother.
"You know I think she could learn a lot from you." Silver's voice a whisper so as not to wake her up. "There is still so much I have to tell you about her. I am sure you noticed that she is very shy... not much of a talker." Thinking of how different their personalities were Silver giggled a bit. "She gets flustered easily, I am surprised we did not have a scene when we picked her up. Usually when she gets emotional things happen." Silver left her explanation at that, feeling it would be better for Aeizith to see what Amber could do on her own terms. She wasn't quite sure though why she didn't just come out and tell him, perhaps because she thought the look on his face would be priceless when he found out.
Gauging by the location of the sun in the sky it would be mid afternoon by the time they reached the house. Silver was happy they had left so early otherwise they would have been gone for what seemed like all day. Silver wasn't ready for this day to end just yet. She still wanted to get home and show Amber all the things that she could now give to her, the life she was never able to provide until she met Aeizith. "I really hope that she learns to like you and that you learn to like her. But I want you to know you don't have to be anything to her other than a friend if you don't want. She is my responsibility and I don't want you to think that I am pushing her off on you."
Aeizith grinned lightly as the the little girl took his hand, albeit hesitantly, noting her nervous nature... It was so easy to look at her and think that she WAS the child of him and Silver, someone they had birthed together with the obvious physical similarities with the white hair, ears and eye-color, but also the meek and intimidated personality that followed the young dragon throughout his whole life... Even as her orchid gaze fell over him once more, he couldn't look away... He didn't know this Jacobi character, only his face, that one night in Silver's hide out when he saw his wanted poster... All the information he had came from an effective gravestone (which was to say, not much), and yet... he was looking for traces of the man within her, analytically, as if he knew what he was looking for... It was very callow of him to be disturbing this girl with his probing, a girl who never even knew her dead father Aeizith was apparently trying to compete with... It was indeed... He was 7000 years old for gods' sake, he shouldn't be feeling this! And yet he did... He had no choice... And he'd have to stop... No matter who's child she was before, Jacobi's or not, she was theirs now... his kid and he'd treat her FAR better than he ever was...
Aeizith rose to his feet as Silver approached them both again, breaking the news to her daughter after the old woman said her good-byes. He couldn't help but smile as the two shared another tearful embrace, his lovely half-elf scooping up her daughter in her arms, almost awkwardly given her size, and declaring they all go home. Aeizith nodded, and with a grin on his face, the pair set off for their home.
-X-
Silver couldn't stop glancing over at the little ice dragon as they made their way back, smiling wider than he'd ever seen her. Not even once had Silver passed the 6 year-old Amber off to him, knowing full well his vampiric and draconic strength would make it no issue for him. Instead, for the entire several-hour walk, she'd handled the girl herself, the strain on her face and the occasional twitch in her arms giving away the exhaustion she felt. Even STILL she refused to give him a turn and, to be honest.... he kind of wanted one... This WAS going to be his daughter too, right...? Help raise her and everything...? Of course, he understood why Silver wanted her daughter (whom she ever say 1 once a year prior to this), but... he didn't know... he wanted to know what it felt to hold a baby-girl in his arms too...
Aeizith glanced up from his moment of thought and over at his sweet-heart as she spoke, whispering that she had a lot to learn from him. Amber and long since fallen asleep after the great strain of her mother suddenly coming back to claim her for good, then the tears that happened afterwords... now she hung limp on Silver's shoulder completely knocked out and adorable. The dragon laughed.
"Y-you think so...?" He inquired cocking his head to the side in wonder. Silver went on to explain that she had so much she wanted to tell him about her, noting that she was, in fact, very shy and quiet. Much like he was back in those days... He stared at the little girl and saw himself, a reflection of him in there, maybe just because of that personality... then that reflection changed into Jacobi's face...
"I-I hope s-she learns t-to like me t-too..." He responded, reaching over and gently placing a hand on the sleeping girl's head, softly stroking her hair if Silver would let him. When she stated that he didn't have to be anything more than a friend to her, that she wasn't pushing her little girl off on him, that this was HER responsibility, Aeizith smiled strangely at her, taking his hand from Amber's head, curling it into a fist and gently rapping his knuckles on her forehead.
"S-Silver... s-she's OUR r-responsibility... W-we l-live in t-the same h-house... e-eat the s-same f-food... m-mostly... I-I w-want to h-help... I w-want to b-be more t-than a fr-friend t-to her... W-we're a f-family, r-right...?"
She could not help but smile at Aeizith's remark on how they were a family. "Of course we are." All she could say without breaking down in a fit of happiness right there. Instead though she could see the yearning in his eyes to hold her little girl. At first she didn't want to make him feel like she was forcing him to like her, but she could tell he liked her more than she initially thought. "Even though we are only about 30 or so minutes from home I think my arms are about to fall off and I don't have the heart to wake her up."
Taking a step closer to Aeizith she slid Amber into his arms where the little girl would simply wrap her arms over his shoulders not really aware of or caring about what was going on. Amber would groan a little bit but other than that she would do nothing else but continue to sleep, now in Aeizith's arms. The moment that Silver's arms were free she continued walking again but stretched her arms out in front of her and then above her head in relief. Then she looked over at Aeizith now holding her daughter, two of the people she cared for most in the world in the same place.
Amber had been dreaming the entire time, so emotionally exhausted that sleep was easy to make happen. In her dreams she imagined the kind of person her mother was when she was not around. Miss Feerie had always told her very little about anything despite how much she had probed. Amber knew that she was a Ruscoqui, but had no idea what that meant. But apparently it had some kind of significance. She also knew that her mother used to belong to a group of people and that they no longer existed. She didn't know why they were gone but she knew her mommy was sad about it. She knew her mother had placed her in the caravan's care for her own safety, but never why. Most importantly she knew that her mother had magic similar to hers, but instead of cold she controlled the wind. After years of piecing things together she figured her father was who she got her ice magic from.
After a bit Silver noticed one of Aeizith's assassins at his station, a sign that they were almost home. "Perhaps when we get inside you could just lay her on the couch while you and I inform your guard of what is going on. I am sure they will be confused by the sudden appearance of a little girl."
The little ice dragon was actually surprised that Silver relented her daughter to him, the same Amber she just liberated and guaranteed a home with her... Claiming that her arms were about to fall off, the half-elven beauty held out her daughter to him as he extended his arms quickly to receive her, Amber letting out a soft groan in protest, but drowsily wrapping her little arms around his neck and falling back asleep, leaning on one of his shoulders. He was surprised by how light she was.. It was like carrying a fragile little balloon, one with a heartbeat, one that breathed, one that was so warm compared to him... he gently patted her back as she slept and the two adults walked on. Aeizith couldn't help but stare down at the little sleeping child as she rested against him, his eyes just unable to look away... She was so vulnerable, so sweet and fragile... If the softest of breezes even DARED to touch his little Amber... gods help them... It was only when Silver made a request of him did he look up, meeting her orchid eyes as she asked him to lay her out on the couch while she informed his guards. Aeizith snickered the tiniest bit at that, looking down at little Amber in his arms, then up at the beautiful Silver beside him.
"S-so long as t-they s-see her w-with me, th-they w-won't qu-question anything..." Aeizith laughed before letting out a sigh. "B-but th-they deserve t-to know... T-thank you S-silver.... f-for that..." He glanced down at the little girl in his arms. "A-and for this..."
-x- (30 minute time skip Xb)
Aeizith and Silver finally arrived at home, the little ice dragon immediately making his way towards the door of the house while Silver went off to find the nearest on-duty assassin. Slipping inside, he made his way to the livingroom where their large couch stretched out in front of a window over-looking the clearing rested. Aeizith walked over to this couch and gently lowered the little girl onto it's soft, tender cushions, slipping a small pillow underneath her head. However, as he looked down at Amber, he couldn't help but feel something was wrong... AH! She was missing a blanket! Of course! It would only be a moment, but the little ice dragon slipped up to the second floor where some of the bedrooms were, pulling off one of his thicker comforters off his bed and dragging it down the stairs with him as he made his way back to the couch to envelop her with it....
Silver broke away from Aeizith to go and find one of his higher ranked assassins and inform them that Amber would be staying with them indefinitely. Turning back one more time she watched as Aeizith carried her daughter through the front entrance of their home.
Amber though seemed to stir when Aeizith laid her on the couch, though she did not fully wake up. Suddenly though she felt the emptiness of no one carrying her and her eyes shot open. Quickly sitting up on the couch and panic stricken her head shot back and forth as she looked around the room. Where in the world was she? She could feel the panic rising within her and this time she was not going to be able to stop it. Standing up she rushed for the door just as the frost begin flowing from her fingertips, freezing the doorknob solid long after she had initially touched it.
Now running she stopped just outside the door a few feet from the house her intense breathing evident by her rising and falling chest, but with each breath a small cloud of cold air came out making it appear that she was standing outside in the middle of winter. Then from below her feet the frost began to slowly branch out, enveloping everything it touched and spreading beyond her reach.
Silver felt a cold chill as she was speaking to one of the guards, going over everything that they needed to be prepared for. Except the bitter air made her smile a bit, an odd reaction. "One more thing, Amber has the same abilities as Aeizith... and she scares easily. Prepare yourself for outbreaks until she gets comfortable." By now Silver envisioned that Aeizith would be finding out who she had inherited her abilities from, she knew she had told him about Jacobi's when they first met. Matter of factly she scolded him for not being able to control something so beautiful, he sure had come a long way since then.
She would have been lying though if she said she was not disappointed that Amber did not have an air atunement like her, but she knew there was no controlling that. "If you have any further questions please feel free to ask me, I must be going now." And with that she nodded at the guard before walking back towards the house.
Upon reaching the bottom of the stairs, Aeizith was confused to see that the door had been swung wide open and... the chair was now empty... AMBER WAS GONE! Immediately dropping the blanket he brought Aeizith rushed out the doorway as well, spotting the little girl only a few feet outside, much to his relief..... And then he saw her feet... From underneath the girl's bare feet, frost branched out and crawled along the ground, spreading across the earth very much akin to what happened when Aeizith was this panicked... He didn't know WHAT to feel seeing that she possessed cryomancy... On one hand, it gave him something really substantial to relate to her with, something he'd be able to talk to her at length about and maybe... teach her how to make things with....? On the other hand, he knew exactly who these powers had come from... The long dead former fiance of Silver, Jacobi... Another reason why his callow rivalry with a dead man continued to grow... Amber looked panicked, frightened beyond words, looking almost like she was going to pass out from her fear or freeze everything around her in moments... When the ice reached Aeizith, it immediately stopped inches away and even receded, the dragon's aptitude with Ice far surpassing the 6 year-old.
"Hey..." Aeizith murmured, holding up his hands as he approached as if to show he didn't mean any harm. "I-It's o-okay Amber... Y-your mother i-is j-just talking to a f-friend..." He assured her, speaking in as calming a tone as he knew how to make. If she was anything like him when she was scared, Amber would most certainly not believe anything until she saw it for herself, leaving Aeizith in a very awkward position. What could he do to help her relax? Walk up and embrace her like the parent he wasn't? It most certainly would only cause her to panic further, perhaps even encase herself in ice as he used to when people used to touch him... but he knew not what else to do...
Slowly, the little ice dragon would kneel down so that he was at her eye level and wrap his arms around the little girl, pulling Amber into a gentle hug. Surprisingly, she would feel Aeizith's skin was really warm, much like that of the average person... or Silver...
"I-It's okay..." He murmured softly, gently stroking her hair. "D-don't b-be sc-scared Amber... Y-your m-mother should be h-home in a m-minute...." He genuinely hoped Silver would suddenly appear and take it from here... he didn't want Amber to hate him on the first day she met him....
Amber immediately ceased all action when she saw how the ice retracted in front of Aeizith. If anything it confirmed her suspicions from the moment he first took her hand. Then he knelt down before her and pulled her into a hug. At first she was unsure of how she felt about it, but then found herself hugging him back, just happy there was one kind of familiar face even if she had just met him hours before.
"I woke up and no one was there and I didn't know where I was" the little girl whispered, her first words ever to Aeizith. Then as if on cue Silver appeared within her line of site and she immediately pulled herself from Aeizith's hug and ran to her mother. Silver had already practically melted at the site of the two hugging one another, so when Amber came running at her she was nothing but smiles. Grabbing her mothers hand she walked back towards the house with her as if nothing had just happened. Stopping right in front of Aeizith Silver smiled, patting him on the shoulder before walking past. "I did mention that Amber was a lot more like you than you thought."
Walking through the door with Amber's hand still intertwined with hers Silver looked back to see if Aeizith would be following them inside, as did Amber. As happy as the little girl was she still felt slightly out of place, like she did not belong. Of course she loved her mother and was more than happy that they would finally be together permanently, but she knew almost nothing about her. And then there was this man who seemed to create more and more questions in her own mind everytime they interacted. Who was he? How did he meet her mother? Silver could see the tension building within her daughter again and was quick to help her shut it down. "Amber... all that matters now is that we are together and that everything will be okay." And those simple words were all it took to put the child's mind at ease once more. "This is your home now and you should feel comfortable here. So next we need to pick you out a room."
The mention of having her own space perked Amber up a bit, having never had a home much less her own bedroom. So the child followed her mother up the stairs until she found herself standing in a long hallway. "Which room is yours mommy?" Silver simply smiled and pointed at a door at the end of the hall. "That room belongs to Aeizith and I" she then paused to point at a door on the opposite end of the hall, the farthest one in fact from theirs. "That room belongs to Aeizith's sister. Do not EVER go in there." Silver's voice was firm with that request, oh boy what would they do when Kaida found out.
Nodding Amber walked down the hall towards her mother's room stopping at a door adjacent from it. "Does anyone have this one?" Silver took a second to think before responding. "No... but don't you wan-" Amber cut her off before she could finish. "I want that room because it's closest to yours." And so it was decided then that Amber's room would be right next to theirs. The moment that Silver nodded agreeing to it Amber opened the door to the room. Inside it was not one of the largest, but by no means the smallest of bedrooms. In the center of one of the walls was a bed clearly made for two people. None of this mattered really as all she cared about was how close she would be to her mommy. "It's perfect" she smiled rushing out of the room and back into the hallway.
From there Silver led Amber throughout the house, giving her a tour of every square inch. Amber could not believe how large it was and all the rooms it had. Part of her was in shock that all of this was now considered her home as well. Never had she had a home because she was always traveling with Miss Eerie. When the tour was over Silver led Amber into the kitchen area where a few off duty Assassins were working on their dinner. "If you ever feel hungry just come in here, someone will help you find whatever it is your craving." The off duty assassins nodded and smiled at Amber before going about cooking food.
Silver then walked back into the living space of the house, the very first room Amber was brought into by Aeizith. At this point Silver had run out of things to talk about with her daughter, not really knowing what else to say. In all honesty she knew the first few weeks were going to be rough, but hopefully one day it would be as if Silver had been there every day since the beginning. But then the thought came to mind of Aeizith and the role he would be playing in Amber's life from now on.
Going over to the couch Silver sat down patting on the spot beside her for Amber to sit in. Following her mother Amber climbed onto the couch and crossed her legs in front of her ready for whatever it was Silver was about to talk to her about. Maybe today would be the day she would finally find out the answers to all of her questions. "Amber... I want to talk to you about Aeizith." Whether or not Aeizith himself decided to stay around for this conversation was completely up to him.
"Aeizith is my special person." Silver raised her hand and placed it over her heart, although she couldn't exactly bring herself to say she loved him in this moment she knew he knew. "I want him to become as special to you as he is to me. So if you ever need anything and I am not around don't be afraid to talk to him. Or even if I am here don't hesitate to be around him if you want." Silver took a moment to consider what she could do to bring them closer together and immediately she was struck with an idea. "Matter of fact I need to run to town to get you a few things. How about tomorrow you spend the day with Aeizith while I go."
Amber only nodded at what her mother said, still too shy to say too much. Also afraid that she may mess up, say something she shouldn't and be sent away again.
Aeizith held the little girl close, humming "sh" noises softly into her ear as she said her first ever words to him, that she woke up and had no idea where she was and that no one was around.... The poor girl... She must've thought she'd been abducted... He could only imagine how terrible it must've been for her to wake up in some place she's never seen, on a couch she never knew with no one in sight... The little ice dragon wanted to say something comforting, to help her calm down after such an experience but... he didn't know what to say... All he could do was hold Amber close and hope to the gods almighty that it would be enough.
Aeizith didn't notice Silver's approach, but Amber certainly did, pulling away from her embrace with him and immediately running up to her mother, taking her hand. The little ice dragon rose to his feet, sticking his hands inside his jacket pockets as the beautiful half-elf approached him and commented how she told him that Amber was a lot more like him than he must've thought. He smiled lightly at that... Yeah... that was definitely true... She was just like he was at her age... well... proportional to his of course. She was such a soft and sweet, delicate girl, wanting nothing more than the presence of a loved one to help her feel safe... loved... She never wanted to be alone... He could certainly sympathize. All he ever wanted was the feeling that he mattered, that he wasn't useless, dead-weight back when all those things mattered. After that... all he wanted was for someone to care... And then he found Silver and he wanted no more because he had her... and now Amber had them and nothing would ever tear him from them... Not vampire-hunters, not some dead fiance of Silver's, not his on inhibitions... That's what he told himself. That was his motto. Now he had to live up to it... That was the hard part.
The little ice dragon followed the two half-elves back into the house, Aeizith scooping up his blanket he left on the stairs before allowing the pair to proceed upstairs ahead of him. He was all smiles as Silver showed her daughter around the various rooms up here like a new house-guest, draping the blanket back over he and Silver's bed before going back out to aid with this new homecoming. When his sweet Silver said to never enter Kaida's room Aeizith spoke up, wanting to explain why that is... He knew at that age he was extremely curious and without ample justification... well... he'd go anyway.
"S-she's a little b-bit intense..." He commented, shrugging his shoulders. "S-she w-wouldn't want y-you in th-there..." It didn't take a vampire-dragon of 7000 years to detect the tension rising from within the little girl at the mere sight of him, no doubt she was thinking that he was going to steal all of Silver's attention for himself or simply being protective of her... It didn't take all of that to know he should probably back off and not place himself between a daughter and her mother lest that that builds a rift between them that might never be closed. And so, he said nothing as Amber made her definite decision on her room being next to theirs and stayed upstairs momentarily as both Silver and her daughter made their way into the living-room below.
At the top of the stairs, the little ice dragon smiled softly as he listened, his sweet Silver titling him her "special person" and that she wanted him to be as special to Amber as he was to her... He wished he had the guts to say all these things himself... he wished he had the confidence... but that was something he just... didn't... possess and it frustrated him... he peeked down from his place down by the stares as Silver suggested her daughter stay here with him tomorrow while she ran off into town for some things... What a devious little mastermind she was... It's why he loved her so much. It was at this point that the little ice dragon would walk back down the stairs and into the living-room, sitting down on the other side of Silver as she made this declaration, smiling at the both of them.
"I-I'll always b-be h-here... f-for the b-both of y-you... I p-promise..." He smiled, gently leaning his head on Silver's shoulder. "S-silver's 'special p-person' promises..."
Silver laughed a bit at Aeizith's comment of calling her statement 'special person promises'. Then he laid his head on her shoulder and the three of them sat there on the couch for a few moments, one happy but mixed up family. Amber was happy on the inside, happy that in this moment she was having she was living out something she had dreamed of for quite some time. But as happy as she was she could hardly fight back the feeling she now had in her stomach... hunger.
Too nervous to ask for anything just yet she sat there not wanting to break up the moment. Her stomach though had other plans as it gurgled under her dress. One such rumbling was loud enough to be heard by the human ear and Silver lifted her head up, turning it towards her daughter. "I imagine dinner will be ready any moment." By now Silver had figured out that despite the fact she told her not to be afraid to ask for anything that she would be. "How about we head on over into the dining room and see what they have?" The question more rhetorical as she turned her head towards Aeizith before giving him a gentle kiss on the lips.
Standing up Amber followed Silver to the dining room, but first not before pausing and reaching out for Aeizith's hand. It was her own silent little way of saying that she was going to trust him and that she wanted him to be with her. If Aeizith would take her hand Amber would walk by his side behind her mother towards the dining room she had been shown a bit ago when Silver walked her through the entire house. Except this time upon entering there was no longer just a long table with several chairs surrounding it, but a table filled with food surrounded by a handful of off duty assassins getting ready to eat.
The site of so many new faces caused Amber to freeze up a bit, her muscles and gestures becoming more tense. Out of shear panic she grabbed at Aeizith's hand tighter, shuffling herself behind him with only her head peaking out from behind his body. In the few moments that she had met him Amber found Aeizith to be a comforting presence. He was the one who helped her when she lost a little bit of control outside and she had also pieced together that he was the reason she was even standing here today in the presence of her mother. Long before Silver even had to tell her Amber knew that Aeizith was a good person, one of the few she felt comfortable with.
Silver looked back to see Amber hiding behind Aeizith and for what seemed like the hundredth time today her heart melted a bit. She was so happy that her daughter had taken a liking to him, ecstatic that it was one less thing she had to worry about. So knowing that Aeizith had the situation completely controlled Silver went ahead and sat down at her place at the table, smiling and nodding to those who had joined her. Within a matter of minutes she was deep in conversation with one of the off-duty as assins laughing and carrying on about the events that had transpired that day, sharing stories between the two of them.
The way Silver was acting was no different than the way she herself had been raised. It was almost nostalgic living in this large house with so many people. And although this house was not a clan hall hidden inside some hill, it had a remarkably similar atmosphere. Amber would be able to grow up with a group of people who would be watching her develop into a young lady, each and every single one of them seeing her as apart of their own family. Throughout her entire conversation Silver's eyes kept flicking back and forth between the assassin she was talking to and Aeizith and Amber, the site of the two of them endearing.
Of course Silver would have been glued to Amber's side just as Amber was to her if Aeizith was not there. But Silver knew that for now, whether either of them knew it or not that they needed each other. Aeizith had told Silver the stories of how he was when he was young, almost exactly like her daughter. He would be able to see past her silent fortitude and understand it better than Silver could ever hope for. When Silver was young she was loud, boisterous... spontaneous. Another trait clearly not inherited from her. Jacobi on the other hand was always serious, calm, cool... collected.
The trio sat on the couch just enjoying being together... In the beginning, he had no one... He didn't feel his family loved him, his world was small, and the sky really was the limit because it had a very obvious ceiling. Then, there was Amira, seduced by a being that could easily end his life with a mere flick of her wrist... And then she left him for reasons she never explained... Once again he was alone, exhausted, his view even smaller in his grieving anger and despair, having been transformed into a monster he believed himself to be with his vampirism. And then there was Silver... oh there was Silver... Lasting longer than Amira and displaying more than love on the bare basic levels, She was far more than what his FORMER elder sister had claimed mortals to be... Perhaps, back then on some levels, he might've believed the human-like races to be something to stomp under his boot. Perhaps on some level, he craved that domination and power that was hardwired into skull by simply BEING a Black-Hearth. For his entire life he suppressed it, believing himself better than that and on some occasions he came REALLY close to embodying what he was supposed to be but with Silver and now Amber there... They suppressed it even more.
The little ice dragon suppressed a giggle as he picked up on the little girl's stomach growl, covering his mouth with his hand in an effort to contain his glee. Obviously covering for Aeizith's snicker, The older half-elf promised her daughter that dinner would be ready any minute, then proposed they all head to the dining room. He raised his head off of his sweet Silver's shoulder, smiling at her softly. He couldn't think of another time he loved her more than he did right then. He didn't have an excuse for it... he just felt it...
"Y-yeah... let-" suddenly he was cut off as the half-elf pressed her lips against his, catching the dragon by surprise. His eyes widened, then slowly lowered and eventually closed, placing a hand on her cheek as if to hold her there for at least one second more. When she pulled away, the little ice dragon was smiling like an idiot, appearing almost drugged with how dreaming his grin was. Gods... every time he thought he couldn't love her any more, it gets shot to new heights.
What are you, Silver...? You're certainly not human... you're too perfect...
As the three got up from their seats to get some grub, something tickled the little ice dragon's fingers, almost as if something was pulling on them. He looked down and saw that instead of little Amber immediately running to her mother's side, she had chosen his hand to take. For what seemed like the hundreth time today, his heart melted in his chest and he gladly accepted the tiny palm, wrapping his fingers around it gently as the family made their way into the next room.
As they made their way into the dining room, Aeizith winced in surprise as Amber suddenly gripped his hand tighter, dragging it with her behind him as she stared out around his legs. Confused, he looked from her, then where she was looking, and his eyes fell on a handful of his assassins at the already full-table, all of them staring at their leader... and his (presumed (by them)) wife and child. Some of them laughed at the small girl's intimidation. Others smiled. Only one remained (at least in part) stoic, focusing on her food, and that was one who he wasn't on good terms with right now. His sanguine eyes would then flick over to Silver as she turned, sharing that same heart-melted expression that matched his emotions right now... Giving her only a wink as a warning, Aeizith suddenly reached over and scooped little Amber into his arms, holding her to his chest protectively, lovingly, holding her at such an angle she could turn away from the crowd if they made her uncomfortable.
In a few moments, the trio would sit down at the table, Aeizith at the head (as per the usual), Silver at his right and now Amber to his left, across from her, their plates already filled with a little of everything from the small feast in front of them, all home made. As Silver made idle conversation with Ms.not-so-stoic-anymore-assassin, Aeizith dug into his food if purely for the flavor and texture, stopping after a minute to see how his little girl was doing.
"S-so..." He began strongly after swallowing his food. "W-what do you t-think of all th-this...?" Of course, he was referring to the home she had, the assassins that would protect her until their dying breath, to the food on her table and the family she suddenly had today.
Amber felt even more comfortable when Aeizith hoisted her up, holding her to his chest. Happily she buried her face in it not wanting to even look at all the strangers at the table. But then that was broken when Aeizith placed her in the chair to the left of his. Before she knew it a plate full of all sorts of foods was sitting before her, many of them she had never even tried before. Of course she was hungry, but with all of these people chattering around her and the clanking of silverware to dinnerware was almost too much.
The random dinner chatter though was broken when she heard Aeizith talking to her, asking her what she thought of all of this. Her eyes immediately expressed concern as she looked around the table, a few too many people looking at her. But then she looked to her mother, who was still happily chattering to the person next to her, not in the least bit concerned with everyone else at the table. So, Amber decided she would do the same, ignore everyone but the person exchanging words with her.
With her hands placed in her lap as she sat in the giant chair Amber had not even touched her food yet, she was too afraid that if she didn't like it that her mother would be upset. "It's... It's.... big." The only word she could come up with the describe this home. Then as if determined to at least try to fit in she lifted one of her hands and grasped a utensil, then picked at a piece of meat on her plate, unable to bring herelf to actually put it in her mouth. So right there, in front of all of them she set the utensil back down, unable to bring herself to even try.
On cue her eyes started to well up as she thought of how much of a disappointment she was. Silver, who had been glancing at her every few moments let her words trail off in mid conversation with the assassin sitting next to her, her focus now 100% on her daughter. She could see that Amber was upset about something, and was heartbroken she did not know what it was. "What's wrong Amber?" A sick feeling building in her gut as she expected the worst.
Amber blinked allowing a single tear to roll down her cheek as she clutched her dress in her lap, squeezing it trying to keep from going into a full on bawling fit. Averting her eyes down she stared at her lap, upset that she had started to cause a scene. "I-I..... I don't" She paused to lift a hand wipe away some of the tears now sticking to her cheeks, her eyes never leaving her lap. "I don't eat animals mommy."
Aeizith grinned and nodded as the little girl gave her rather vague description of what she thought of the place. Yeah... he thought the exact same thing once he saw it in it's full glory.... It WAS kind of big wasn't it. However, the little ice dragon didn't get to eating again, waiting on his little girl to try something that was before her. He couldn't very well eat happily knowing his little girl was hungry. As if noticing her father-figure's apprehension to continue, little Amber picked up one of her utensils and began picking at a small cube of meat resting on her plate, looking more disgusted by it's presence there than anything else. The little ice dragon noticed this, much to his surprise. The meat wasn't bad at all... In fact, if anything, it was mouth-wateringly savory and delicious! He glanced down into the interior of the flank, guessing that maybe it wasn't cooked enough...? It was only the tiniest bit pink on the inside, surely that wasn't enough to deter the little one.
"What's wrong Amber?" Both Aeizith and Silver asked at the same time, causing the little ice dragon to blush the tiniest bit. However, all that disappeared in a flash, that one tear rolling down his daughter's cheek smashing his previous good mood to bitter pieces. In almost a whisper and a voice so fragile and shaky it was as if she would break down any moment, Amber explained that the reason she was so upset... was because she didn't want to eat meat.
The little ice dragon stared at her silently for only a moment, trying to process what exactly she was saying. She was crying... because there was meat on her plate...? Was she a vegetarian? Why didn't he figure this out before? His reasoning for feeling like utter garbage was three-fold now: One, his little girl was crying right in front of him, two, he felt as if he sullied her dinner by tainting it with meat, 3, he was the absolute epitome of a carnivore with his vampiric and draconic heritages. He himself felt as if he was going to burst into tears, but with his little one here and with his assassins watching, he couldn't afford to be that weak... he had to put on a front. He immediately glanced up at each of the assassins around the table, giving them a certain look that told them to not say a single word fore if they did, there would be consequences. With a snap of his fingers, the one he was most intensely looking at, Ms.not-so-stoic-anymore assassin, got up from her chair besides Silver, taking Amber's full plate and replacing it with a new, clean one, ready to be filled with whatever bread or vegetables she'd like.
"I-I'm sorry, Amber... I-I didn't realize... W-what can I get f-for you instead...?" He reached over gently and rubbed the little girl's back with his palm in an effort to calm her down.
Immediately Amber regretted her decision to tell them she did not eat meat, she could see the disappointment plastered all over their faces. But then one of the assassins got up from her seat and took her plate, exchanging it for a new one as if it was not a problem at all. Now with an empty plate in front of her Amber peaked at Aezith from the corner of her eye as he told her to tell him whatever she wanted instead. Lifting her gaze she skimmed the contents of the food on the table and was actually relieved to see many things that she knew would be okay, also soothed by his palm rubbing her back.
Pointing at a few different things Silver took it upon herself to get up to and start scooping her selections onto the plate, letting Aeizith continue to console her daughter with his hand upon her spine. By the end of it Amber now had a plate full of greens, as well as a slice of sweet bread on the side. Unlike before she grabbed her fork and started scooping pieces into her mouth, her frown now turned into a smile as the delicious food slid down her throat and the grumbling in her stomach finally subdued.
Silver went back to her seat and continued eating her food, going back to her conversation with Laeia about how happy she was to have Amber back in her life. Amber on the otherhand had practically consumed all the food on her plate in a matter of minutes and was now picking at the sweet roll she saved for last. Leaned back in her chair a bit she continued picking little pieces off of it before plopping them into her mouth, completely satisfied and content with food now in her stomach. In truth the entire day she had been hungry but was simply too afraid to ask for something to eat. Even when her mother gave her a tour of the kitchen she was too afraid to ask for a snack, she didn't want to inconvenience them. All of this would take some getting used to, having everything she could ever want at her fingertips.
So now with an entire new attitude Amber was all smiles and lightheartedness as she turned towards Aeizith, finally mentally prepared to have a conversation with him without having to worry about her stomach cutting in. "What are we going to do tomorrow while mommy is in town?" Her large orchid eyes staring at him in complete bewilderment.
Aeizith's smile returned as Silver began shoveling all the things little Amber had selected onto her plate, filling it with all sorts of greens to the green beans to steamed cabbage. It was actually kind of strange to see someone inhale that much health-food and once and so merrily as well... He was starting to think that it wasn't because she disliked meat at all, rather because she liked her vegetables too much. Then again, who was he to question her preferences? All that meant was that she left more of it for him and the rest of his merry crew! Cleaning of his plate as well, the little ice dragon sighed, content, but not really full. His body didn't process food the same way and burned it all of almost as fast as it entered his stomach. In theory, he could've burned through this entire meal and only feel a little bit full, what with this rocket-fuel-physiology of his... There was one thing he could say for it though: No blood would ever come close to the flavor he had just experienced in that night... He was going to have to start calling his soldiers "battle-cooks" because that's what they were becoming!
The little ice dragon couldn't help but keep turning an annoyed gaze over to the assassin woman that was talking to Silver, Laeia he believe her name was... Young, maybe a little younger than Silver and utterly infatuated with him. No matter how subtle her glances were, no matter how hard she tried to hide her feelings, he could hear her heart-beat pick up each time her eyes fell on him, smell the different chemicals in her body pick-up as her arousal increased. Even if somehow he had never met Silver, she just wasn't the kind he would have... Laeia had the reputation for stirring up trouble among the younger assassins, pitting them against one another with planting evidence of something or other, spreading rumors, defacing her superiors... But she never touched him with her games... In fact, she was always strictly business, or at least trying to hide behind that facade whenever he was around... It was only now, at this dinner table did her affections for him become blatantly obvious to the vampire and he found them... disrespectful. He had a family! A lover! A child and yet it was as if she was trying to selfishly wedge herself between them.
The dragon's attention was regained as Amber spoke, asking what they would do while "mommy" was out shopping. Despite everything, Aeizith grinned. "Well, l-little one... I-I thought I-I might s-show you a f-few tricks... I-I can control I-Ice too you know..." He smile softly, taking his napkin and dabbing it around Amber's lips and cheeks, wiping off the crumbs of bread and greenery from her dinner. "M-maybe t-teach you s-something 'c-cool' if y-you're good..."
As her eyes had been going back and forth all night Silver caught Aeizith giving Laeia a strange look, one that was substantial enough she would remember to ask him about it later when they went to bed. Amber seemed to be completely oblivious to it, which was a good thing. Instead Amber was too busy hanging on Aeizith's every word as he told her about controlling her abilities. Then as if looking into the past she saw a hint of a smug look cross her daughters face, one that in that moment made her feel she was looking at a reincarnated Jacobi. And when she thought Amber could not get any more similar her daughter said something that sent a chill down her spine from the mere similarity.
"I will be the best ever."
What she said wasn't bad per se, but more of a look into the future her daughter now laid out. Amber would be just like Jacobi, constantly thinking her ice magic would never be perfected, would never be what it should be. Silver glared at Aeizith for a moment, knowing full well he would have no idea why her expression had suddenly changed. But then Amber looked at her mother and her smile slowly faded, thinking she said something wrong. Quickly, Silver tried to recover the situation. "You are already the best."
With that dinner was over and Silver stood up first handing her plate to one of the assassins that was going around collecting them. From there she walked around the table and pulled Amber's chair out holding out her hand for her daughter to grasp. Amber all to willingly wrapped her fingers around her mothers palm and followed her out of the dining room and upstairs to her new bedroom. "Let me go get you something to wear to bed sweetheart." Silver then left Amber in the room, careful to leave the door open so she did not feel closed in. She had not gone far, just into her own room next door and to their wardrobe, digging through it hoping she would find something the small girl could wear, but in reality Silver was much taller than her daughter and everything she owned would swallow her whole.
Thinking on her feet she walked out of her bedroom and peaked her head into Amber's where the little girl still stood just staring at the doorway. "Hold on just a second." And then she was gone again and went knocking on one of the doors a bit of the way down the hall. Inside was one of Aeizith's assassins, one she knew had a child that visited from time to time, a little girl about the same age as Amber. Happily the assassin offered a night gown to Silver and from there she was headed back to Amber's room, where this time she closed the door behind them. "This is why I am running to town tomorrow. You need more to wear than just one piece of clothing."
Amber nodded in agreement as she started stepping out of her clothing before her mother slipped the gown over her head. Then Silver lead her to the bed and pulled the sheets back, helping her daughter climb into it before pulling the blankets over her daughter. Leaning in she kissed Amber on the forehead before checking one more time to make sure she was tucked in well enough. "If you need anything I am right next door. If you feel scared or just alone don't be afraid to knock." And then Silver was out of the room, blowing out the candle before leaving the door cracked enough to let some light in.
From there she entered her own room but not before making sure Aeizith would check on Amber one more time before she herself started getting ready for bed. So while she waited she merely sat at the edge of the bed in anticipation, knowing full well the two had a lot to talk about. When Aezith would enter she would dive right in with the questions. "How are you feeling about all of this? Is it too much? If it is just tell me."
Aeizith smiled gently as Amber declared she would be "the best ever". That's what he wanted to hear... He anticipated tomorrow would be filled with fun for the two of them, learning about each-other, their desires and personalities, their goals and aspirations... He had this whole day planned out for them the moment he proposed the idea and he was eagerly awaiting the mere MOMENT he got to put it all into action... However, what caught him off guard more than anything else that day... was Silver's expression... She glared at him like he had said something wrong, like he shouldn't have proposed a good time with her, like that wasn't what she wanted from him at all... What did she want, him teaching her how the world worked, history, battle tactics and things? She was a mere 6 year old and he couldn't do that...
Not having the foggiest idea what that was all about, Aeizith finished off his plate and his assassins, a god-send they were, began clearing the table, putting on-ice what they could and salting the rest for use in later meals. Taking Amber's hand, Silver lead her upstairs to her room with Aeizith following a few steps behind, tucking his hands into his jacket-pockets and staying outside the door. Silver seemed to notice that their little girl actually had NO clothes of her own and any they tried to share would simply swallow her up as she did her dinner just a moment ago. Coming to the same conclusion faster than he, Silver went up to one of the younger assassins, easily in her mid-to-late teens that had a little girl of her own, impregnated through a history she never discussed for obvious reasons. She was all too willing to offer some of her own child's clothes fore she had a daughter the same age as Amber and wanted to do everything she could to help her little one live a wonderful life...
Aeizith only grinned a small bit as Silver slipped back inside Amber's room, helping her slip on her gown before tucking her into bed. As the beautiful half-elf slipped out the little ice dragon stepped in, gently smiling at the sweet little girl tucked away under her covers.
"W-we'll be j-just one room over... S-sleep well, little one...." He murmured before stepping into he and Silver's room, noticing how she was staring at him intently, resting almost tense on the bed. As Silver asked her question if things were just a little too much now that Amber was here, The little ice dragon chuckled, walking over to where his sweet Silver sat, setting himself down beside her and placing a quick kiss on her lips. She'd easily be able to tell he was tired, exhausted as if he'd put in a hard days work this evening, but he felt good, all things considered...
"I-I will... I-if or w-when it happens..." He smiled but somewhat confused as well, that glare in the dining room still haunting him. "A-and... what was th-that look for...? D-did I s-say something o-out of t-turn...?"
When first her mother and then Aeizith came in to say goodnight Amber simply smiled at them, and before she knew it they were gone, only the light from the hallway peaking into her room. She couldn't help but have her eyes scan the darkened room, searching for anything that may be hidden within. Once she was sure there was nothing lingering she closed her eyes in an attempt to get some sleep, it would be harder that she hoped to do so.
Meanwhile in the other room Aeizith had already began answering Silver's questions and then countered them with one of his own. She wasn't quite sure how to answer him without getting him upset. "So I have kind of told you before how I was when I was younger right? Loud, mischievous... thought I could do anything. Well Jacobi was way worse on those terms. He was quiet, serious but also determined to perfect his craft, he was worse than me about training... always pushing himself too far." Silver stood up from the bed but continued on with her story even while she started to get undressed. "Amber is a Ruscoqui and I would love nothing more than to have already started her training, I was younger than her when I began. But I worry she will take it too seriously. As I am sure you have seen she is a people pleaser. She will do whatever it takes to make someone proud of her, she has always been like that."
Silver pulled her top off first, followed by her bottoms and belts as well as the daggers she kept on her throughout the day. "I worry that even if she is hurting she won't tell you." Silver then walked over to their wardrobe and laid her clothes inside. Now only wearing the thin cream colored undergarments she wore underneath everything she walked back over to the bed, sitting at the end of it once more. "Promise me that tomorrow if you do show her anything that its not too much."
Aeizith smiled mischievously as Silver began her explanation, unable to resist the temptation to kiss her again as she stated how she was in her younger years and how she believed she could do anything. The little ice dragon leaned in and pressed his lips to hers gently, interrupting her explanation with a slow, loving kiss meant to liberate them both of this heavy mood that fell over them. After a second or two, he'd pull away grinning, winking at his beautiful half-elf knowingly.
"I still b-believe you CAN do a-anything..." He murmured, this time keeping his distance so he could hear what she had to say. Much to the little ice dragon's discomfort, she went on about Jacobi of all people, stating how he was nothing like she was back in the day, always so quiet, determined to master his cryomancy, and a far more diligent trainer than her... perhaps even bordering on self-harm. She then commented how Aeizith must've noticed how much Amber wanted to please them, doing whatever it took to make someone proud of her. Yeah... he did see that... In fact, it was kind of hard to miss... When he proposed he was going to teach Amber a few things, her eyes lit up as if she was FINALLY given an opportunity to prove her worth, to show that she was worthy of this life she was given. He could see all of this because he was and is the exact same way. It almost made him cringe comparing himself to Jacobi, if even a little, and even more so through his daughter.
Silver began to undress while she told her story and Aeizith did as well as he listened, stripping off his jacket, his shirt, then his gloves, boots and pants, leaving him only in his light blue white underwear when Silver returned to the bed, worried that Amber might push herself too far and never speak it, that he wouldn't be able to tell until the damage had already been done... At first, Aeizith was hurt, believing that perhaps she didn't trust him to keep his little girl out of harms way. She would be able to see it in his eyes, but only a moment as it slipped away beneath the surface.
"I-I understand..." He whispered, his pale hand slipping over hers, staring into her eyes intensely. "N-no harm will e-ever come to our b-baby... I-I w-won't allow i-it... I-I love her... a-and I l-love you..."
All she could do was smile at Aeizith's statement, telling her that he would never allow harm to come to Amber. Leaning in she pecked Aeizith's lips before rolling backwards on the bed, pulling the blankets over herself when she reached the spot she normally slept. "No funny business tonight, not on her first night." Silver had a point, if Amber were to come strolling in during one of their 'escapades' it would surely traumatize the girl for life. Sitting up just a fraction Silver blew the candle out on her bedside table before once again becoming one with the blankets, and in a matter of minutes she was sound asleep.
-x-
Silver was up before the sun and she did her best not to stir Aeizith as she put on her normal attire, even though with his hearing it was most likely impossible. Still after she was dressed she walked over to him and planted a sweet kiss on his lips, smiling before walking out of the bedroom door. She couldn't help but peak into Amber's room next door where her little girl was half hanging off of the bed, but asleep. Giggling she tiptoed into the room, using her wind to lighten her footsteps the same way she would if she were sneaking up on an opponent. Carefully she scooted Amber back into the bed, making sure all of her limbs were safely on the cushion of the mattress before pulling the blanket over her a bit more. Leaning down she kissed her daughter on the forehead before once again leaving the room on her way out.
Taking two Assassin's with her, Silver made her way towards town... a full day of shopping ahead of her.
Amber though heard the door close downstairs, someone had shut it a bit too harshly when they left. Sitting up in her bed she rubbed her eyes a bit before yawning and stretching her arms out. When her eyes focused, she had almost forgotten where she was, half expecting yesterday to have been a long dream. When Amber found her bearings she slid out of the bed, her small feet making a the tiniest 'pat' noise on the floor when they hit. The small girl then made her way over to where her mother had laid her clothes the night before and without any help undressed, and then redressed in her normal attire of a white long sleeved blouse and black leggings covered by a light blue dress. After making an attempt to fix her rustled hair a bit she sat on the floor, struggling to slip her boots on her feet, but with great effort she had finally succeeded with the task.
Standing back up she placed a hand on each hip, ready to face the day. She had already remembered her promise from Aeizith and she was going to hold him to it. So without any further hesitation she poked her head out of her doorway, looking first left then right. "Aeizey?" she whispered, hoping that he was somewhere close. Going and finding him on her own was simply not an option... too scary.
Aeizith pecked Silver's lips right back and snickered at her request of no "funny business." Most certainly he would abide by this but that didn't mean he couldn't sleep close with the girl he loved. As Silver wrapped herself up in the blankets in their bed, so did the little ice dragon, curling up besides the half elf and wrapping his arms around her softly as she blew out the candle that provided light for their room. Almost instantly, she fell asleep and he smiled placing a soft kiss on her forehead before he too was out like a light.
-x-
No matter how deft his love was climbing out of bed, Aeizith's senses were simply far superior, even when he was asleep. He immediately regretted opening his eyes this early morning... The light bombarded his eyes made for the dark as if it had a vendetta, immediately the little ice dragon retreating into his sheets to bathe himself in darkness. Silver wouldn't have it it seemed, digging him out of the bed simply to place a long, sweet kiss upon his lips, waking him up like nothing else... He was so tempted to drag her back in with him, too ravish her for reason of her mere presence, but he remembered two very important things: Their daughter was in the next room, and Silver had to go shopping. Sighing, he smiled tiredly back as he watched his sweet go, slipping down the stares and out the door, monitoring with his enhanced hearing until she couldn't be detected anymore. With some reluctance, the young vampire's feet found the floor by some miracle of the gods, stumbling as he rediscovered what balance was, slipping on his clothes all the while. It was only when the little ice dragon was fully clad did he hear his little Amber's voice squeak out from next door, calling him by the name of "Aeizey...." This little one seemed to know just the right buttons to push to make his heart melt away into a pool of what it once was, making the little ice dragon nothing but smiles. He stepped out of his bedroom, looking over to the room beside and spotting his little girl peeking out through her door, seemingly frightened to look for him on her own.
"Good m-morning, A-amber..." Aeizith smiled, crouching down low and extending his arms wide to embrace her if she so desired. "S-sleep well...?"
The little girl did not hesitate to smile at Aeizith's appearance from the doorway next to hers. Quickly she leaned in to hug him before stepping back, and giving him the best smile she could muster while nodding to answer his question. In Truth though she was lying, her night full of waking up several times over and over again. Every single noise that traveled through the large house that found her ears caused her to toss and turn, but she was not going to tell him that.
"Show me." her short declaration followed with the little girl raising her own hand in front of him. Then, concentrating super hard she stared at her palm going as far as pursing her lips as she concentrated as hard as she could. After a few moments a very small bit of snow appeared to seep from her skin, sitting in her palm for only seconds before it melted from her bodies natural temperature.
The look on her face was disappointed to say the least, more embarrassed than anything that she couldn't conjure up something better. In fact, it seemed as though the only time she was really able to create anything was when she was upset. Any other time the only thing she had going for her was how she never got hot, or too cold for that matter. Long after the bit of snow melted she was still trying to concentrate on it, determined to make something happen. The silent and serious front she was holding though was quickly shattered as her stomach grumbled just as it had the day before.
With eyes wide she looked at Aeizith before turning her head, not able to bear maintaining eye contact with him in that moment. "I-Im fine" her voice shaky as she tried to hide how she was feeling. In her mind the hunger she was now feeling was nothing more than a nuisance. Something to get in the way of her finally learning how to use the powers she had been born with. Something that she would ignore if she could, a waste of time.
The little ice dragon wrapped his arms around the little girl as she accepted his hug, holding her against him for a few moments before letting her go. Almost immediately the little girl stepped back and almost seemed to DEMAND that they get right to what he promised the evening before. The dragon smirked, about to offer her breakfast first before the little girl held out her hand, staring at it with such intensity it was like she was trying to will it into changing shape. Confused, he glanced from Amber's pursed lipped face to her arm, to back to Amber again before finally detecting the very small amount of frost climbing up her pale skin, almost like a very thin coat of fur dotting her flesh. Although, just as quickly it began to recede and Aeizith covered his mouth with his hand in order to hide the small smile creeping across his lips as Amber's face took on an EVEN MORE INTENSE expression. It looked as if she had a cramp or something and was desperately trying to hide the fact that she was in pain... It was adorable... What was even more adorable was in the midst of all this, a loud gurgling growl erupted from the little girl's stomach, Immediately causing both of their eyes to go wide and for Amber to turn her head away, seemingly embarrassed. He couldn't help it... Aeizith laughed lightly, only growing more merry as the the little-one claimed that she was fine... Still snickering, Aeizith scooped up the little girl in his arms with a single fluid motion that was almost inhuman, cradling her in his arms as he made his way downstairs and into the dining room.
"C-come on..." He snickered, gently *boop*ing her nose with his finger. "I h-haven't gotten t-to eat yet a-and you h-haven't either... If y-you finish y-your breakfast... I'll show you..." This was a promise and something he fully intended to do...
(VERY MINOR TIME SKIP) -x-
After breakfast, both Aeizith and Amber would be outside in the clearing in front of their house that served as their front yard, ice already creeping out from under the dragon's boots and across the grass.
"A-alright... L-lets have s-some fun, okay...?" With a small grin and a snap of his fingers, a large snow-pile formed right in front of him, covering the distance between Amber and the vampire himself. It was as if winter had came already, snow was gently falling from the air, a lump of it was on the ground, it was so soft and squishy, easy for the lessons he was about to teach.
"Now... i-its actually t-the hardest p-part to make I-ice out of th-thin air... L-lets try sh-shaping this e-easy stuff first! T-try lifting the sn-snow without your h-hands... okay...?"
Amber was quite surprised when Aeizith scooped her up, carrying her off for breakfast whether she wanted it or not. She would have told him no, but that may have upset him and she didn't want that. So whether she was willing to or not she ate everything on the plate that was brought to her, the fact that no meat was present an obstacle overcome.
-x-
Now standing outside with Aezith she watched in wonder as ice had already began to trickle from beneath his boots. And then before she knew it there was snow all over, even falling from the sky in little puffs. She couldn't help but crouch down scooping some of it into her hand before dropping it when Aeizith began speaking to her. He wanted to have fun? Tilting her head to the side she was confused by this notion, thinking that they would be serious the whole time. But who was she to complain? He was the one who could control his god given gift and she could not. So upon his request Amber started to concentrate on the snow in front of her, her hands shaking as the muscles in them tensed up. She was trying so hard to make it move, to will it to move.
After what seemed like hours (in reality only minutes) she saw the snow shift in front of her, but only lifted about an inch off the ground before it plopped back down. Such a minor feat in her eyes, not good enough. So without even waiting for a congratulations or even smiling at how she had at least managed to get it to move she concentrated even harder, her brows furrowing as her face tensed more and more. And then... something appeared in the corner of her eye. Was it a reflection maybe? This man had white hair just like her mother and Aeizith, but he was taller. His hair was shorter, his eyes visible from even this distance as being a vibrant hue of blue. Immediately her concentration was broken and replaced with confusion as she instinctively ran behind Aeizith, peaking her head out from behind his leg as the man came closer.
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When he first came onto the clearing he could see the large house first, just as described by the villagers he had spoken to the night before. He had been searching for months for the girl with orchid eyes, the girl with slightly pointed ears and hair the same hue as the moon. And finally, well finally someone knew exactly who he was describing. They had told him she was seen just that morning, walking with another man and a child... he would be lying if he didn't say that broke his heart a bit. He assumed she had moved on, from what he gathered it had been 6 years since he died, only in the last year able to re-manifest thanks to his elemental ancestors.
From the moment he was himself again he had been searching for her, even tried to visit the old hideout only to find a shredded wanted poster in the main room. The woman on the poster though he knew of, the last mission Silver was sent out on before she returned. He was going to give her the benefit of the doubt, hoping and praying something had possessed her to kill him.
Soon the man and child described were in view and Jacobi could feel his heart racing a bit, but also shatter as he saw the cryomancy they were practicing... but no Silver. As soon as he noticed them looking at him though he put his hands in the air to show no harm as he continued to approach, his face half a smile half serious. "Hello." He lowered his hands to his sides as he locked eyes with the man he assumed to be the child's father. "This may sound ridiculous but I am looking for a girl." He then moved his hand to just above his chest but held it out as if he were placing it on top of an invisible object. "She is about this tall, with the most beautiful eyes..." he trailed off thinking of them before he looked at the little girl, the sight of her breaking his heart even more. Oh boy this was going to be harder than he thought.
"Eyes like that." His voice was almost broken when he pointed at Amber. "Her name is Silver... do you know her?" Deep down part of him wanted them to say yes, while another half of his heart hoped he was wrong, and that she had not already gone and started a family without him. "Her hair is white... like yours and hers" he continued to point at the little girl knowing that she was Silver's daughter. She looked too much like her not to be.
Aeizith studied the little girl as she stared as intensely at the bundle of snow at her feet as she did her arm a few moments before, again his face breaking into a smile at her expression of concentration... She was just so CUTE when she tried to be serious, it wasn't even funny... And then... he smelled someone... heard them... felt their presence... Even before noticing that Amber was now staring over his shoulder, Aeizith, unfortunately sensed his presence the moment he stepped into the clearing. How did he get past his assassins!? Did they let him go...? Did he harm any of them... So help him if not all of his guards reported in tonight he was going to track down this stranger and drink his blood himself!
The little ice dragon turned to face the unexpected newcomer immediately blindsided with the face that stared back at him one he never... EVER wanted to see moving, breathing... living... Jacobi's face... He was a few inches taller than Aeizith and certainly looked like far more of a man... He had a thicker build, a stronger jaw-line, shorter white hair and a face that could melt any girl's heart. He couldn't believe it... How could this man be standing here!? Wasn't he dead!? Didn't Silver say she killed him herself!? What...
After the dragon recovered, his expression and body-language immediately became defensive, one hand gently placed on Amber's head as she hid behind his leg, the other curled into an angered fist.... perhaps just because this man was here, alive, waving and smiling like he had a right to be there. He didn't have a right to even breath as far as he was concerned and yet... here he was... In the flesh... Standing on his property as if he owned it...
"What do you want?" the ice-dragon growled, playing dumb for all it was worth, hoping that maybe, just maybe he'd walk right out of their lives like he walked in, silent and unannounced. Jacobi mentioned that he was looking for a girl, lifting his hand up about his mid-face to equate her height. He said the "girl" he was looking for had white hair and... "the most beautiful eyes". His gaze immediately flicked down to Amber and the little ice dragon immediately adjusted his leg to hide her from his view as if he might forget her presence.
"Amber?" Aeizith asked, not taking his eyes of the walking dead-man. "Go inside now. Find somebody and stick with them. I'll be inside in a moment." His voice made it clear that this was no time for arguments, that he needed a moment alone with this... man.
"What do you want with her?" Aeizith asked, whether or not Amber actually complied with his request. "I can't give you the location of someone without knowing your intentions mr..." He was holding out any modicum of hope that maybe... JUST MAYBE this was someone else.... please let it be someone else...
Amber was thrown off by Aeizith's change of behavior, it made her afraid. Who was this man to make him react in such a way? Yet still even when he moved his leg to block her view she just shifted sides and peaked from behind his other leg. But then he asked her to do something she didn't want to, and that upset her. But stuck between the line of doing what she wanted and pleasing others she slowly stepped back, looking at the man who had just walked up and she felt something... she felt drawn to him, it was odd. After mere seconds though she complied and turned quickly before darting inside, shutting the door behind her. Right after she climbed onto the couch, pulling a curtain behind it back as she watched out the window.
___________________________________________
Jacobi didn't take this mans tone of stance lightly. "Whoa whoa" his hands now back in front of him to show he meant no harm. "I don't want anything other than to talk to her." His attitude then shifted back to a calmer one, placing a hand behind his neck. "You wouldn't believe me if I told you but she actually killed me. I just want to know why." Lowering his hand from his neck he shifted his weight a bit, trying to make the best of the situation. "We grew up together in a sense. She probably doesn't even know I'm alive. Heck I didn't believe it at first, but I am... and I am here now."
Trying to lighten the mood he continued his explanation of things, hoping it would ease the man standing before him a bit. "I promise I mean no harm, I just want to talk with her. I can see she has a family now." He paused as he saw the little girl who apparently was named Amber peaking through the window. "She looks just like her... It's almost scary. You must be a proud father to have a daughter so beautiful." Jacobi then started to laugh a bit as the name of the young girl bounced off the walls within his mind. "She always did have a thing for sunsets. It's no suprise she would name her child after one of the beautiful colors it creates."
"By the way... I forgot to introduce myself. My name is Jacobi, and it is always a pleasure to meet another ice elemental like myself." ... even if it broke his heart to meet him.
He was at least grateful that Amber complied with his request, running back inside and leaving him alone with this man that should be 6 feet under. Detecting Aeizith's obvious hostile tone and stance, Jacobi raised his hands quickly, intent on showing that he wasn't someone to be feared. Oh... Aeizith didn't fear him... He hated the fact that he was ALIVE right now and having the gall to search for Silver after all this time. He was enraged because he knew something that Jacobi didn't: That Silver still loved this man about as/if not more than she did him... She always had. He could tell whenever she spoke his name, when they looked at his poster together back in her ruined fortress, whenever he was brought up in any way, shape, or form and Aeizith was JEALOUS. Hell, he wasn't just jealous, he wanted to stamp the life out of this person where he stood because he knew that the moment Silver came home and saw this blast-from-her-past standing on their land, It'd be all over... It'd be like he never died and he'd be cast aside like every other family he had... They'd probably want the house too. AND his assassins no doubt so they could have their merry Fox-people group back. He knew that if Silver ever laid eyes upon this man...
He'd be alone... Again... The family he thought he had, the love he thought he'd earned... His sweet Silver.... It'd all be gone...
Acting against his preferred instinct, Aeizith shoved his hands into his heavy coat pockets, not saying a word as he promised that he meant no harm, how he simply wanted to talk. The little ice dragon felt himself actively restraining his magic, keeping it all bundled up on the inside in the core of his being... Gods... how utterly stupid was he...? Couldn't he see his child when she was standing in front of his face a moment ago!? Jacobi noted how Aeizith must've been a proud father to have such a beautiful child, laughing a bit as he wondered about Amber's name. Aeizith didn't laugh. He didn't snicker, smile or smirk. His face was an angered frown, his gaze growing colder by the second. He didn't appear defensive anymore. No, if anything, he seemed openly aggressive, perhaps even vengeful against this man Aeizith didn't even know of until recently. Maybe he was a good guy. Maybe he had no intentions of stealing his Silver way from him, but his existence was enough to light the fuse on this bomb.
"I'm not an elemental." His voice was as flat, cold and edged as a bet or icicles. "And I think you should go. Now."
Picking up on the anger emanating from the man Jacobi took another step back, his last intention being to mess up whatever it was that Silver had built for herself here. He could see the lack of response when he talked about the little girl and Silver, causing something to stir deep within him. No way? It couldn't be? Immediately his eyes flicked back to the little girl with her fingers pressed against the window, looking out completely confused on what was happening right now. He stared at her for a minute, and then the tears started to well in his eyes.. the tears he had been trying to keep pushed back the entire time. "She has my nose."
It took everything he had not to take a step closer, to walk on past this man and right up to the little girl he now suspected to be his child... but he didn't. That may have been his child but she clearly belonged to this man now. He had probably raised her, taught her so many things. His thought process though was completely interupted when a very strong gust of wind swept past him, the way it coursed through his clothes and hair causing a serious expression to now lay on his face. He knew this wind... this feeling, it was Silver.
Turning around Jacobi laid his eyes on the girl he loved standing just at the edge of the clearing from the woods that led from the town. She was accompanied by two others, both in black with faces covered, all of them carrying all sorts of things.. except Silver. Whatever she was carrying was now laying in the dirt as she stood still and emotionless staring at the scene in front of her. From the moment she thought it was him she sent her wind, only to have that all too familiar feeling returned ten fold. How? How was this possible?
Jacobi was as frozen as she was, and the both of them just stared at each other for what felt like an eternity. "I deserve this" Silver thought to herself as she stared at the very alive man she had thought to have killed years ago. "I should have known this would happen" another thought creeping through her mind as she stared into his enchanting eyes. It was almost impossible to describe how she was feeling right now. Hurt yet happy. Broken yet rebuilt.
Even if she was standing a bit of distance away she allowed her soft spoken words to travel by air, reaching Jacobi's ears. "You died.... She made me kill you." By now Silver's cheeks were already drenched from the tears that had been falling the entire time and Jacobi could see it. As if mirroring each other both of them took off in a sprint towards the other, clashing together in a hug so tight one may think they were going to suffocate one another. "I knew it wasn't you, I knew you would never-"Jacobi's words an acceptance of what happened on that fateful day six years ago. Both of them fell to their knees embracing one another neither able to believe this moment was real.
Amber though could see it all from the window inside and no longer was able to remain silent. Jumping off the couch she sprinted through the door and up to Aeizith, standing behind him once more. "Mommy! What about Aeizey!"
Her child's plea snapping her out of the moment Silver pulled back, slowly standing up and wrapping her arms around herself. What was she supposed to do now? All these years she thought Jacobi was dead, she had grieved him time and time again, moved on... found a new family. Looking between Aeizith and Jacobi, the elven girl could feel herself falling apart. Slowly she took a few more steps backwards, her eyes still shifting between the two with a look of complete self hatred across her face. "I-I can't do this..." Continually stepping backwards away from the two she could feel her entire world shattering right before her eyes. This... this was worse than losing someone she loved. This was pure hell, pure torture....
Her heart was torn in two pieces, and she could quite literally feel it. Part of her could see how broken Aeizith must be right now, and she wanted to run up to him and tell him not to worry. But could she? Everything was different now with Jacobi back in the picture. Her eyes then singled Aeizith out, knowing full well despite the distance he would hear her word for word. "Don't make me choose, not like this." Her words forcing their way out between sobs. "I-I lov-" The moment she felt herself saying the word the pain in her chest increased ten fold causing her to bellow over in agony as she clutched her stomach ever tighter.
All Jacobi could do was look on and watch it all happen. This was a decision she would have to make on her own, one that he could not make for her. In that moment he could have easily brought something up to remind her of the relationship they once had, but he was not that callous. And unlike the man who had been nothing but spiteful towards him from the moment he arrived Jacobi kept his emotions in check. Not a single shard of ice would emit from his body, not a single gust of cold air... nothing. Just as he was years ago he was still just as in control of his abilities as the day he died.
Aeizith glared at the man as he looked past him at the house, at HIS baby girl, his own moral code being the only thing that kept him from killing this man again. Jacobi shouldn't be allowed to look at his daughter... he shouldn't be allowed to cry when he finally pieced it all together. He shouldn't be allowed to stand there and act like a father returning home to the family HE never had! The family he was going to steal from Aeizith... What an insidious creature he was... What a disgustingly devious monster of a man who can stand there and cry in front of someone like it was HIS right to do so... Any other dragon would have gored him where he stood for simply violating his territory. Any other dragon would have made his life hell for simply being who he was and what he was surely planning to do. Any other dragon would have made every last living and dying moment of this man one of nothing but pain and loss for standing there and sobbing like HE had lost something... And then... it went from bad... to worse... Aeizith felt a familiar breeze rustle through his snow-white hair and across his pale skin, a sensation that once made the little ice dragon smile now filled him with dread. Whatever color in his face drained away into nothingness as his head slowly turned to face the direction in which the current was coming from.
Oh no... nononononono... He whispered to himself, staring in horror as the girl he loved standing just inside the clearing, back from her shopping trip... Without Aeizith even needing to state a command, the Assassins immediately rushed past both Aeizith and Jacobi on either side, making their way into the house with the stuff they carried, knowing not to get involved in their master's personal affairs. No.... No....... Why did she have to be here... Why did she have to be here now of all times!? The dragon stared at her... Silver stared at Jacobi... Jacobi stared back, neither of them believing what was happening... To Silver and the dead-man, this was a moment of joy, reuniting with their old loves again. For Aeizith, it was the beginning to his awakening into the nightmare he called reality... It never lasted... Family never lasted... he was going to be alone again...
As if confirming his suspicions, Silver and Jacobi ran at each-other spontaneously as Aeizith watched from afar, unable to look away as the two tearfully embraced, holding eachother as tightly as they could without actively breaking each-other's spines. Gods... why.... why did you have to do this....? He wasn't going to deny he was selfish. He wasn't going to deny that perhaps Silver would be much better off with this man-of-the-dead, but.... Why....? Why did it have to be that way!? It was decided... it was over, wasn't it...? Nothing more to see here... No reason to even be here... Game. Over. Before Aeizith could turn his back and make his way back into the house to collect his things, resigned to the fact that this.... this beautiful dream that was his family with Silver was just that, he felt something run into his legs. The little ice dragon let out a gasp of surprise and look down, seeing that it was Amber who'd hit him, clinging to his pants-legs as she peered out around.
Her words, Amber's innocent little question cut a swath through the dragon's heart without her even meaning to... Yeah. What ABOUT him...? He couldn't compete with Jacobi, not with someone who's been her friend for most of Silver's entire life... Aeizith flinched when he heard Silver's voice, but his eyes immediately shot up when he heard exactly what she said...
I-I can't do this...
"S-Silver...?" Aeizith asked, more scared for her than anything else. She took step after step away from both him and Jacobi, looking like she was about to suffer from a mental break-down. She looked so confused, so heart-broken, torn, scared...
"Silver... It's okay...." Aeizith spoke, just loud enough for her to hear. He smiled, despite his whole insides feeling like they were liquefying to jelly. "It's okay... You don't have to choose..." Slowly, shakily like an automaton about to fall apart, Aeizith scooped up Amber in his arms, holding her close for what he felt would be the last time. "Just give me a moment or two and I'll be gone..." His sanguine eyes flicked back over to Jacobi who sat there, as silent and still as a stone. "You better make them happy." And without another word, he'd squeeze Amber softly one last time before setting her down, making his way back to the house he had built....
So he could leave it all behind again...
They way Aeizith responded was not what Silver needed, and when he turned his back her heart broke even more. Jacobi simply continued to look on at her reactions, his heart breaking for her as well. It wasn't her fault he decided to show up, but despite everything happening he didn't regret it. He discovered he had a daughter... that was enough of a future for him to keep on living.
Jacobi's internal thoughts though were broken by a scream that echoed across the entire lawn. "Don't turn your back! I don't deserve for it to be made that easy!" Silver's broken voice echoing off the trees and onward. "Just wait!"
Mustering up the strength to move Silver started by placing one foot in front of the other, slowly making her way towards Jacobi, but before she even reached him he knew what she was going to say... he could feel it. Indeed he had known her for a long time, he probably knew her better than most. So, knowing everything about her he knew what was coming... and he hated it.
When Silver finally closed the gap between herself and Jacobi she stood in front of him like a child standing in front of its biggest fear. "I know that I took so much from you." Between each word her Biddy sobbed, barely understandable. "A-and I know that it's not your fault that you are standing here now. None of this is fair to you, I did this to you..." Six years of guilt and regret now being laid out for him. "B-but I am not the same Silver I was so long ago. I was devastated... heartbroken. I hated myself more than anything for what I did." Thinking of the incident caused her body to wretch forwards once more as she grasped at her chest in pain.
"I killed all of you!" still doubled over in absolute agony Silver took a moment to let out some more tears before continuing. "Yet here I am standing with a family while all of you remain in your graves!" Her sobbing slowed though at that thought and she was able to stand upright again. "But you live... I don't know how but here you are." It was funny how vulnerable she felt in the moment, how alone... why? How could a girl standing between two men that she loved feel so alone?
"But like I said, I am not the same Silver anymore. I had accepted everything I did, and was content living a life alone. I sent our daughter away to protect her, I never lived in one place for more than a few weeks. I was all alone... surrounded in a world that I had built... isolated. I was lost and scared and didn't really know where I was going." Her eyes then shifted to Aeizith, whether his back was still turned unknown. "But then I met him and he showed me it was okay to keep living. So... I lived."
Her tears seeming to have slowed down Silver lifted a hand and placed it on Jacobi's shoulder, from there he grabbed it, caressing it with his thumb. "I will always love you, but our time has passed Jacobi." She half smiled at him before pulling her hand away, tucking it behind her back. "Seven days... that is what I want. Seven days to process all of this. In that time I want you to come back so we can sit down and talk about Amber. Just because I am gone doesn't mean you can't be a part of her life."
With no words Jacobi simply nodded, having done quite well keeping his composure during her speech. "I would like that." A single tear streamed down his face at his words. "Our daughter will grow up with two fathers... and I am okay with that." Jacobi then, like Silver turned towards Aeizith and nodded at him, a signal that he wasn't here to take anything from him. His eyes then shifted to his daughter, a warm smile creeping on his lips. "I will be back in seven days." And with that he turned around and headed back the way he came, only to reappear seven days from now.
Silver stood alone and watched his back as it faded into the trees. This was the hardest thing she ever had to do, yet she felt like it was the right thing. Her heart, it was still broken... but at least she knew there was hope for her daughter. Her body still shook from the shock of all of this, even as she walked back towards the house her hands were shaking beyond control.
Amber was still in shock from Aeizith picking her up and saying what sounded like a goodbye. Why? With her mother still a good distance away she turned to Aeizith and then back to her mother, feeling torn. What was happening right now? Who was that man? Why did he make mommy so upset? The young girl was silent the entire time, only trying to piece it all together.
When Silver got to Amber she simply patted her on the head before walking right past her, not able to bear explaining anything to her in that moment. Then she walked up to Aeizith, her gaze on the ground as she stepped past him into the house, not able to look him in the eyes. "I told you that eventually something would happen that would make you leave." Her statement given when she paused, only for her to continue walking as she finished.
Aeizith nearly doubled-over with the scream that stretched across the entire lawn, Aeizith couldn't help but follow Silver's instructions, turning back around to face her all the while. Gods... Just seeing her like this... Seeing Silver so close to being broken... It made him want to die. It was such a painful thing to see... All he wanted to do was either disappear and spare himself the hell that was his love's pain... Or hold her close, kiss her and hug her, be with her so he could spare herself from it. She didn't want him to go... She didn't want him to make that decision for her despite the impossibility that there were two options. Aeizith looked on from a ways back, a woeful bystander to Silver's own nightmare: facing one of the people she killed, her first love and ask for forgiveness... The little ice dragon could've easily left at this point, slipped back inside the house and then out the back, taking all that belonged to him and went about his life of unsure loneliness... But he couldn't do that... He thought that he loved Silver enough to let her go, to let her pick up where she left off with Jacobi... But for some reason, his legs wouldn't move... They wouldn't allow it... Silver's demand for him to stay acted almost like the instructions for a golem, holding the little ice dragon there to watch this horror-show with her, to suffer with her for his own reasons...
To his surprise, as Aeizith listened... he didn't feel any better... not when Silver declared that she wasn't the same woman as back then, not when she acknowledged that he had showed her that it was okay to continue living... More than anything... he wanted to cry... he wanted to break down in tears like the little hatching he once was, but those froze in his ducts. This wasn't something he could hide from in his sorrows... He wouldn't allow it... Aeizith had to see this through for better or for worse... for Silver...
And so... The final words were said... Their time had past... By all definitions, Aeizith should've been happy! Jacobi wasn't going to steal his family away! He was going to be able to live out his life calmly, peacefully with the woman and daughter he loved so very much... But he felt terrible... He felt like this was his fault... Like... he didn't know anything. He couldn't possibly begin to imagine the history between these two ancient friends... He couldn't imagine the life Silver had destroyed the first time when she had killed him... He couldn't imagine what she had given up to tell him where the line was drawn... Aeizith's insides felt like they had liquefied further between his skin and bones, shaking himself as if he was going to collapse.
Aeizith and Jacobi shared a glance of understanding with one-another and then... like he had entered... he was gone... Leaving only Silver... him... and Amber there, the former two completely in shambles... The little ice dragon stared, wide eyed, numb, on the verge of collapsing, as Silver acknowledged her daughter with a gentle pat on her head, walking past her to Aeizith, pausing for but a moment, hitting him with the worst words he'd ever heard in his life:
"I told you that eventually something would happen that would make you leave."... Without a word, he grabbed Silver's shoulder before she could pass him, stepping between her and the house and, with tears rolling down his face like waterfalls, he kissed her, wrapping his arms around her back and holding her as closely as he could without harming her... He kissed her for as long as he had breath, pulling away, his eyes wanting, but not necessarily in that way.
"Silver.... I-I'm so s-sorry..." He whispered. "P-please... let me s-stay with y-you... I d-don't ever w-want to leave you..."
When her arm was grabbed and she was turned to face the man she had just chosen Silver simply breathed, her body numb to anymore emotion. With a warm everlasting embrace accompanied by a passionate kiss that any other time would have taken her breath away she was silent, her lips barely moving to match his. Yes she loved him, she did not regret her choice, but that did not change how broken her heart was right now. It was like watching Jacobi die all over again, except this time she was in her right mind and she was truly the cause.
Closing her eyes in an attempt to stop the dead tears falling from her eyes she listened to Aeizith's plea to let him stay, his only response from her being a nod before she pulled herself away ignoring any other attempt to get her attention in that moment. "I just need to be alone. Watch Amber for me please." and then she was inside the house, making her way up the stairs to their bedroom. As soon as she crossed the threshold into the room she shut the door behind her, sliding her body down the door as she sank to the floor her figure wedged to keep anyone from opening it.
And then the sobbing continued, but it was not loud like before. Her face merely twisted with emotion as she started grasping at her chest almost wishing she could just rip her heart out of her chest to make the pain go away. The pain she felt was far worse than anything she thought possible. No amount of torture could even compare to what she was feeling now. Silver could feel the weight of her daggers, each on still in its place on a hip. Frantically even though she was still against the door she ripped each one from its holster before throwing them across the room, the pointed ends not even sticking into the wall but falling to the floor in a clank. She didn't deserve them, not after losing him a second time.
She could remember the day he gave them to her, an upgrade to the ones she had been using. They were so beautiful glimmering in the light of the moon when he presented them wrapped in a leather cloth. He had told her they were exactly what she was... enchanted Silver. Lifting a hand she slapped it on the ground trying to push away the memory, wanting to shed it like anything else she had left of him. Silver slapped her palm on the floor a few more times until she could feel the sting in her hands, before curling her fingers in and bringing them to her face.
Her body continued to wretch in pain, Silver tying to wipe the tears away with balled fists only for more to form in seconds. Opening her mouth she screamed, but no noise would come out, almost like someone who had just been stabbed in the stomach or chest, an impulsive reflex of muscles responding to the fatal blow. And in an instant it all stopped, the tears, her muscles tensing from agony. Her hands fell limp to her sides and her head bobbed down, bits of her silver hair shifting on her shoulders and down over her face. From a distance she almost looked dead, her body on the floor and back against the door, but her shoulders and head slumped over.
Fingers twitching first, then her arm... slowly each of her limbs seemed to flex before she slowly raised her head, her sights set on the window outside. It was still pretty early in the day, not even quite noon yet and the sun was shining perfectly into the window in their bedroom. With each blink it seemed another tear streamed down her cheek, remnants of those created from her breakdown moments ago. But with each passing second Silver seemed to recover a bit as her eyes were locked on the sun beyond the glass. Her body would remain like this for hours, her gaze stuck on the orbiting light and every once in a while a tear streaming down her cheek. If anyone were to come and knock she would simply ignore it, no response for anyone. Her body would remain wedged at the base of the door, refusing to respond to anything.
____________________________________
Amber stood shocked when all her mother did was pat her on the head before walking past Aeizith, only to pause to say something she couldn't quite make out. Whatever it was clearly had an effect on Aeizith though as he grabbed her mother and held her tightly before kissing her, apparently forgetting about the six year old standing right there. But her mother pulled out of the embrace and whispered something more, but this time the little girl could at least make out her name. And in the blink of an eye her mother had gone inside the house, something clearly very wrong. She could feel the cold rising now...
So confused Amber then locked her eyes on Aeizith, still having no idea what really had just transpired. "Aeizy..." her voice shaky and timid, afraid to upset him. By now up to her knees was cold, something she never had experienced before. Amber had always been resistant to temperature changes, her body acclimated quickly to them. So what was this feeling at her feet? Looking down her eyes trailed her boots and she noticed where they were normally brown they were white and pearlescent. She didn't even realize it but she had frozen them solid, her feet stuck inside of them. Frost seemed to cling to her leggings as well, slowly trickling up her legs and branching out.
Immediately when she realized what was happening she could feel the panic rising in her chest, and as the panic rose so did the ice now encasing her legs. ".... help" Her eyes now back on Aeizith and afraid, not able to control what was happening to her.
"O-okay..." Aeizith responded gently to Silver's plea for him to give her some time alone and to watch Amber, staring as she made her way back upstairs into their room... Suddenly, the little Ice dragon's attention shifted over to little Amber, his sanguine eyes widening in alarm as he saw ice began to claw its way up from under her boots, easily up to her knees and gaining ground by the second. She WAS just like him... This is what happened to Aeizith every time a very powerful emotion consumed him, almost literally consuming him as the ice did the little girl now... Acting fast, Aeizith would kneel down so that he was eye-level with the little girl once more, gently placing his hands on her freezing thighs, his palms surprisingly... warm...? At his mere touch, the ice's progress would begin to slow, then stop at the base of his his hands, and, after a moment, begin to recede. Despite her emotional state and her magical power that was heavily linked to such, With Aeizith's will, the ice would continue to melt off of the little girl's limbs, freeing her from the icy prison that only seemed to escalate with her emotions. The moment her limbs were freed from being frozen to the ground, the little ice dragon would scoop her up in his arms and hold her tight, cradling her as if she were the baby he never got to see... Softly, he'd place the gentlest of kisses upon Amber's forehead before heading back inside himself, every step causing him to flinch as if every step he took closer to his sweet Silver was another step he was stamping into her soul... After everything, the little ice dragon was so tired... so sad, so tired, so completely wasted... But he couldn't leave his little girl like this, leave her to contemplate everything that had happened and let her draw an exaggerated conclusion...
"L-lets t-try something d-different...." the dragon forced a smile, gently setting Amber down on the couch while he sat beside her, whatever tears on his face freezing to frost and hovering off his face, forming into a ball hovering above his palm as he opened his fingers. Gradually, Aeizith pulled more and more cold from the air, the ball of snow growing larger and larger until it was around the size of a base-ball...
"Y-you d-don't have to d-do this.... b-but try t-to mold it... l-like clay! B-but without y-your hands.... I-Imagine w-what it will l-look like wh-when you're done... M-make it be th-that..."
-X- (tiny time skip)
Later that evening and Aeizith felt like he was going to fall dead-asleep at the dinner table as his Assassins brought dinner out, a meal refracting the general feelings of the household. Instead of dark, bland food, his crew had bought perhaps the most colorful and vibrant of fruits, the juiciest meat for those that would eat it, the greenest and freshest of vegetables that would make Amber's mouth water at the mere sight of it....
There was still little word from upstairs and that worried everyone, even Aeizith's battle-hardened killers... They all worried for Silver's safety, Aeizith (or perhaps Amber) above all others...
Immediately the threat of her own ice encasing her was diminished when Aeizith knelt down and retracted it from her limbs. Scooping her up the little girl was now in his arms, cradled like a mere infant before he lay a kiss on her forehead. Aeizith was very quickly becoming a very important part of Amber's life. So far he had taken time out of his own life to comfort her, she wasn't completely blind to the adult decisions he was making. After being carried inside Aeizith set her down on the couch before he took his place beside her. The minute he started trying to teach her something new her worry disappearing and forgotten.
Watching in complete awe she saw how Aeizith was pulling the cold from the air around him, something she had yet been able to do. Amber had already begun to lift her hands to try and shape it, but before she could even spread her fingers out he instructed her not to use them. This would prove more difficult than she thought, having always used her hands as a guide to what she wanted to create. Deep down she knew exactly what she wanted to sculpt, and so she willed it to appear in his hands, concentrating the best she could to make it happen. Then, slowly at first, a figure started to emerge in shape from the ball of snow... but that was all she could muster not even able to make it take anymore shape than that of a person... but who?
-x-
Throughout the day Aeizith had allowed Amber to follow him around, watching him complete his daily tasks. But then at dinner she took her place at the table to his left, honestly quite ready to eat practically anything they placed in front of her. But to her suprise dinner tonight would be more colorful than the one from the night before. So many more fruits and vegetables at her disposal, her mouth watering as she thought of eating every single one. With help from one of the assassin's Amber was able to fill her plate, mainly of sweet fruits but also some vegetables. She dug in immediately when her plate was filled, not able to get the food down fast enough.
Upstairs, just when the sun disappeared from the window before her Silver was snapped out of the trance she had placed herself in. Her chest still hurt, but not nearly as much as it did earlier. In her time alone Silver replayed every possible scenario in her mind, and now more than ever she was sure she had made the right choice. A younger Silver loved Jacobi with every fiber of her being, but she lost him. Her heart had broken, but then healed. She used to be so at peace with what had happened and everything that had happened today shredded that to pieces. Never in a million years did she think she would have to face him again, and she was glad she did. Now she could permanently shove that guilt aside, knowing that she had truly made peace with it now. Jacobi made this possible, he lack of anger showing her the understanding that he carried.
By now her tears had stopped and were nothing more than dried salt water upon her red cheeks, her face covered with it. Slowly she stood, her legs feeling weak beneath her but she pushed through. Taking in a deep breath she walked over to the mirror in their bedroom and ran her fingers through her hair in an attempt to tame it a bit before using her sleeve to wipe at her cheeks. Her face was still blotchy, but nowhere near as bad as it was before. From there Silver walked back over to the door, her fingers hovering over the handle before she finally grasped it.
Quietly she made her way down the hall before descending the stairs and making her way into the dining room. A silence fell over the room when she did so, she could feel the eyes of everyone bearing down on her. Averting her gaze she continued on to her seat beside Aeizith, grabbing her plate and putting a few things on it as if it were any other evening. Except on this evening she did not converse like normally, her expression stuck in one so bland it was unreadable. After grabbing what she thought she wanted she sat down in her chair and pulled it forwards beneath her so that she was close to the table. Unlike normal though she did not reach for her silverware, but instead stared at the plate of food as if some hidden message was written on it. With her hands in her lap she moved one beneath the table and placed it on Aeizith's leg, letting it rest there for a moment before she flicked her eyes up for a mere moment to smile at him then quickly letting it fall back to its unreadable state, pulling her hand back into her own lap.
This was all she could manage, but knew it would be enough to let Aeizith know that it would all eventually be okay. Eventually the dinner conversations picked back up again and some acted as if nothing was off. Amber paused with everyone else when her mother entered the room, only able to keep her attention off of her own food for a few seconds before digging back in, completely oblivious to the situation at hand. Taking notice of it Silver just stared at Amber as she ate, a smile slowly emerging at the corners of her lips. "Amber..." her first words for hours, having to clear her throat before continuing. "... Aeizith and I..." Silver paused to look at Aeizith, signalling she meant what she was about to say. "... we both need to talk to you after dinner."
Confused once again Amber just nodded as she scarfed up the rest of her food, her mothers voice breaking her concentration once more. "When you are finished go up to your room, and we will be up there shortly." Silver's plan was to clear out the dining room after dinner so that her and Aeizith could have a moment alone to talk before they both went up and talked to Amber, she needed this... to get everything out there.
Aeizith actually grinned through his exhaustion as Amber picked up her training rather well, a figure starting to take shape from the little snow-ball. In fact, it looked as if it was going to be the shape of a person, but it stopped before the torso could be fully crafted and the details could be scratched into it's surface. In fact, it look more like a bloated sea-star more than anything else but nonetheless, the little ice dragon couldn't have been prouder. He wrapped his arm around the little girl's shoulders, pulling the little one into a hug as he stared at the icy statue that would soon be her homework for the next few days... It was like when he first discovered he had an affinity for art himself, making little statuettes out of ice and snow, slowly learning the importance of detail and the need for perfection... In his eyes, this little thing WAS perfection... He'd place it on one of his shelves in his bedroom if it were not an important tool in Amber's education.
"You're a n-natural!" He praised her not a single word being an exaggeration. "In a l-little w-while, you'll be b-better than m-me!"
-x-
At the dinner table, Aeizith was actually surprised at how fast Amber picked up on dinner, shoveling food from the table, onto her plate, into her mouth and repeat. Even at his most ravenous, when he was literally starving from his lack of blood, Aeizith never, ever ate that fast. One would think that she hadn't eaten in weeks with how much food she was devouring, but it didn't worry him in the least... All it meant was that she was growing and that the little-one needed some more sustenance than normal...
Silver came down not so long after Amber began her feeding frenzy, sitting down beside the ice dragon, almost roboticly shoveling food onto her plate, but not touching it afterwords. In fact, she stared deep into her meat-and-potatoes, seemingly studying each lump and dent, each trench and drop of juice as if each atom inside contained a piece of the message of the universe. As if knowing what the other was thinking, as the little ice dragon placed his hand on her back, gently rubbing it, she placed her hand on his thigh, the two looking at eachother and sharing a quick smile before they returned to their regularly scheduled behavior... Things went on as they usually did, the assassins chatting amongst themselves, Amber just LOVING her food with a passion, Silver and Aeizith seemed the only exceptions to this rule... They were quiet, almost inert, nod doing or saying much of anything until Silver actually did first.
Looking over at her daughter, she asked that the moment she was done she head up to her room and wait there for a bit, that she and Aeizith needed to talk to her up there and that they would be their shortly. As if sensing the potential for fear, Aeizith gently reached over to his sweet Amber and gently took her hand, squeezing it gently.
"D-don't worry, Amber... E-everything's okay... D-do you want someone with y-you...?" If she did, Aeizith would send one of the younger assassins up with Amber to keep her entertained, to give her a friend, while the master and mistress of the house were left alone at the table once again, the other assassins picking up that they needed to be alone. Almost shaking, the little ice dragon would turn to face his love, a worried expression on his face.
"W-w-what do y-you want t-to talk a-about...?" He asked, unsure and as innocent as ever.
Abiding her mother's wishes Amber slid out of her chair and slowly made her way out of the dining room, careful to pause and turn around for one last look before scurrying off upstairs. This was the first time she had walked throughout the house alone, and honestly it was not near as bad as she thought it would be. Ascending the stairs she allowed her fingers to skim the railing, the cool and smooth feeling of wood beneath her hands mesmerizing. Once she reached the top of the stairs she started down the hallway to her room, pausing in front of the door she was told not to enter. Tilting her head a bit she stared at the closed portal to a place she wanted to enter so badly, only because she was told not to.
Resisting the urge to open the door she turned away from it and started down the hall, this small adventure full of so many distractions. She had only gotten a few steps away when she thought she heard a clunk in the forbidden room. Whipping around on her feet she stared at the door once more, her curiosity peaked more than ever now. But after several moments of staring and listening no further sound was heard and so she once again started towards her room. Once inside she made sure to leave the door open, sitting down on the floor just inside with legs crossed Indian style and elbows on her legs.
Silver waited a few moments before waiting to speak about what she had thought of throughout the day. Locking eyes with Aeizith her expression quickly turned serious as she began her discussion. "First, I want you to know the way you treated Jacobi was the best example of rude I could possible fathom." Leaning back in her chair she crossed her arms over one another, an attempt to become more comfortable but let it be known she was upset. "Let us just say in some alternate universe it was you I killed years ago... that I had your child. The last thing you knew was that we were madly in love, due to be wed... then nothing." Allowing a pause she wanted the thought to sink in a bit. "Now imagine waking up six years later and coming to find me, finding that not only had I moved on but I had your child and that someone was raising it."
"I am the one who took everything from Jacobi. So, as far as I am concerned he had every right to come looking for answers. And to be treated with the hostility you displayed was simply horrible." Sighing she then crossed her legs to mirror her arms, her demeanor growing more irritated. "You know how I feel about you... but you also know how I felt about him so I am trying to understand, but I'm coming up short. All that matters is that I chose you and so, because of this decision I must make another difficult one." Now with all of the negative things she had to say out of the way Silver lightened up a bit, ready to move on with the conversation and put that first bit locked away behind some door forever.
"Amber is his child. He has every right to be as much of a part of her life as you do and so I have come up with a plan that I will propose to him when he comes back a week from now. Amber will go with Jacobi so that they may attempt to gain the relationship I took from them. She will know what it is like to have multiple people loving and raising her... something that neither of you or I were able to experience." Softening her gaze she now sat up straight in her chair, scooting to the end of it as she uncrossed her arms and reached one out to lay her hand on Aeizith's leg once more. "But I also want you to be as much a part of her life as he is. I want you to be her father and pass down the morals instilled in you... it is your right just as much as his as far as I am concerned. You are the one who opened your home to us without any notice. You are the one who took Amber in as if she were your own from the moment you met her, and from that you have shown me how loving of a person you can be."
"I imagine while Amber is away you will be restless, so I suggest we get out of the house or something. Perhaps go on a job ourselves or something?" Scooting even further up on her chair her bottom was now barely even on it as she took her other hand and placed it on Aeizith's other knee. Leaning in as far as she could while remaining in the chair Silver gazed into his beautiful crimson eyes pouring as much love and compassion into her stare that was humanly possible. "I am not going anywhere. You are stuck with me... for as long as I am graced with breath I will be beside you Aeizith. So don't ever worry about me leaving please."
Aeizith smiled at Amber as she paused at the steps, giving her family one last look before disappearing upstairs, leaving the two adults alone. As if thinking the same thing, the two waited and listened for the sound of their little girl 's door opening and closing before beginning their "adult conversation." Silver began with stating flat out that the hostility he had displayed was absolutely despicable, that he he should place himself in Jacobi's shoes and understand what was going on in his head. He should've sympathized with him the moment he saw him, let the man inside and let him see the life he had lost, even if he could not live it. He should've let his humanity go in that moment, show that he could be a man to be proud of, rather than the dragon he was raised to be... But instead, his draconic territorial nature had shined through and he might as well have assaulted the man for no other reason than fear... Fear that the life he was about to live was going to be taken away. Some might say that's well justified, that with the return of Silver's old love, he should be right to be suspicious, maybe even angry, but Aeizith had taken it 3 steps too far... If anything, it was like he was turning into Emilia, perfectly willing and perfectly capable of ripping Jacobi apart because he was afraid of loss... How could he be so stupid to think that a poor, grieving man would warrent such a reaction...? Fear. That's how. And it was a stupid justification.
"I-I'm sorry..." Aeizith mumbled, finding it suddenly difficult to maintain eye-contact with with gir- no, woman he loved. "I-I h-have n-no excuse for m-my actions b-besides that I w-was a-afraid... I-I'm an idiot... I-I'll apologize to J-jacobi too... H-he deserves it...." Silver then stated that she came to a decision, that she was going to send Amber off with her former love the next time he comes around so that they could kindle the relationship they never got to have. Before the little ice dragon could even continue, Silver stated that she wanted him to be as important to Amber as Jacobi was, uncrossing her arms and placing a hand upon his leg. She wanted him to be her father, to pass down the morals he had learned, that it was his right as much as she was concerned. Aeizith was stunned to say the least, even more-so when Silver placed her other hand on Aeizith's other leg and leaned in as close as she could while sitting on her chair, her orchid eyes glowing with such love and such warmth, the little ice dragon could have melted away in that chair in an instant.
She stated that he'd probably be restless without his little girl around so that maybe they should go on a job or something, something to keep his mind off the fact that his sweet little Amber wouldn't be there in about a week. Finally, inching a little closer, their faces just inches apart, Silver stated that he'd never have to worry about him being left like that, that so long as Silver drew breath, she'd stand beside him... Without another word, the little ice dragon closed the remaining distance, wrapping his arms around Silver's back and placing his lips on hers, kissing her with so much love, such compassion... it was indescribable. He gently caressed her cheek with his hand as their lips remained locked for as long as she had breath (if she let it) before pulling away, staring into her eyes with as much love and warmth as possible.
"I love you, Silver... I love you so much..."
Before she knew it Silver's lips were upon Aeizith's and they were locked in a kiss that was just as intense as the first ones they shared months ago. The kiss itself pulled Silver in, and so she in a swift movement slid out of her chair and onto Aeizith's lap, a leg at each side and hands grasping the back of his chair as she continued locking her lips with his. When the kiss was finally over she simply rested her head on his shoulder for a moment, bringing up her arms a bit to wrap around his neck as she just sat there in his embrace. His words of love responded to by her simple hug. She wanted to sit like this for all eternity, her body so close to his with nothing shared but the mere knowing that they were there for each other. But at some point all good things do come to an end and so Silver slowly unwrapped her arms and sat back a bit, her eyes now level with his. "Now we have to go explain everything to Amber..." the evident fear of what the little girl may do reflected in the mother's eyes.
Sliding off of his lap Silver made quick work of making her way upstairs, and to her suprise Amber was practically sitting in her doorway, clearly pushing the limits of 'sitting in her room'. Bending down Silver kissed her daughter on the forehead and grabbed her hand, now leading her to the side of her bed before helping her onto the edge of it, her short legs dangling off the side. Silver then took her place beside Amber and drew in a deep breath not quite sure how this was all going to go.
"That man that showed up today was your father." Silver's words simple and to the point so that no confusion could be drawn from them. "He did not know about you until today, so he never came looking for you." Silver managed to leave out all the complex details of the situation to spare Amber's poor imagination. She need not know that Silver had killed him and that by some miracle he was alive again. However, despite her mother's best efforts Amber was still full of questions. Her theory this entire time now proven to be wrong. Shifting her eyes to Aeizith who was no doubt in the room somewhere by now Amber finally spoke up.
"So Aeizey is not my papa?" Her question directed at Silver but her eyes still locked on him. Silver drew in a deep breath before extending an arm and patting Amber on the back. "Aeizith is just as much your papa as Jacobi."
"Jacobi" his name bounced around her mind for a few moments. These last few days had proven to be quite the challenge for the little girl, and now to top it all off there was all of this. Silver interupted Amber's thoughts with more words. "He will be back in a weeks time. I will be sending you with him so that you may get to know him better. I want you to be the best version of yourself you can manage." Amber took this as a challenge, one that she would do her best to complete successfully. But then fear struck her heart so quickly she didn't even have time to even try and stop the tears.
"Your sending me away again? Do I get to come back?" Smiling Silver nodded at her daughter to wipe the worrysome question away. "Of course you will be coming back! Aeizith and I could not live without you!" With her hand still on Amber's back Silver pulled the little girl in for a hug, kissing the top of her head when she did. "This will always be your home. We will always be here waiting for you when you leave. No matter how old you get or tired of us you grow we will always be here waiting." Silver then looked to Aeizith in hopes he had some words of encouragement for the little girl as well.
Aeizith was steadily growing more and more aroused as Silver matched his kiss with hers, rising from her own seat and sitting on his legs in an effort to push their kiss even closer... It was so close, so intimate, so interactive between tongue, lip and hand that it easily rivaled their first kiss all those months ago... In fact, it made it look modest compared to this one... The dragon pulled away for but a moment for air before kissing her again and again, pulling her as close to him as their faces would allow, holding their lips together for the longest time before Silver pulled away herself, wrapping her arms around his neck and resting her head softly on his shoulder. In response, the little ice dragon's grip softened exponentially, holding her far more gently, one arm rising up so that it rested gently on her shoulder-blade and the other lowering so that it draped around her waist, holding her in a hug-like position as he softly pecked her cheek.
When he stated how much he loved her, Silver simply tightened her hug on him causing the little ice dragon to do the same, letting out a happy sigh, burrowing his face in the half-elf's soft white hair. He was so happy... He could sit there with her forever and just hold his sweet Silver, letting her warmth and love flow through him and his through her, the best of friends, lovers and family... In those few moments, there was nothing... no world, no house, nothing but he and Silver... He was so intoxicated by her textures... her smile... her smell and her presence... He simply couldn't get enough! For all her flaws, it was those that made her perfect in every way... She was his... and he was hers... that's all there was too it and nothing else mattered...
Except it did though... Having far more integrity than Aeizith, Silver was the first to pull away and acknowledge their actual lives, reminding him that they had to tell their daughter about Jacobi, her eyes almost flooding with fear. He only smiled and pulled his sweet into another embrace, softly kissing her lips and hugging her once more.
"It'll be okay..." He whispered in her ear, before kissing it too before pulling away, smiling at her sweetly. "I promise..." With that, Silver slipped off his lap and made her way upstairs with Aeizith close behind, walking their way up to Amber's room only to find her actually sitting in the doorway. Without missing a beat, both parental figures bent down and placed a kiss upon the little girl, one on her forehead, the other on her cheek before they took her hands and walked her inside, Silver helping Amber onto the edge of the bed whilst Aeizith sat beside.
Silver began explaining everything, that Jacobi was her father and that he didn't know about her until today, the reason behind him not seeking her out sooner. When Amber asked if Aeizith wasn't her real dad, he was about to admit that no, he didn't birth her, that he was only filling the role as a parent, before Silver spoke first, stating that he was as much of her father as Jacobi was himself... That shut him up real fast and he only beamed at his love on the other side of the bed. Silver and Amber talked about how the older half-elf was going to be sending her off to live with Jacobi for a while to creat the bond between him and her that never had the opportunity to grow before.
"Don't worry, little one..." Aeizith murmured, pulling Amber into a gentle embrace, rubbing her head gently. "W-we always will l-love you... N-no matter w-what...." He softly kissed the top of Amber's head before beaming down at the little girl, never wanting to let her go...
And with that all the air had been cleared about the situation that had occurred. Silver was happy with her choice and everyone that needed to know anything had been informed. All in all although catastrophic at first it seemed that they had managed to get a lot accomplished in the one day. The night ended with Silver showing both Amber and Aeizith the items she had picked up for their daughter that day, going as far as making sure each garment and item was up to her daughters expectations. And now with her own night gown she was tucked into bed before Silver and Aeizith went on to the their room to do the same.
-x- Next day
It was early morning, the sun just barely peaking through the trees as it began its assention into the sky. Standing in the large lawn of the house the white haired girl stared on at the structure... to peaceful. Taking in a deep breath she began striding forwards ready to start the day on a positive note, her hand instinctively rising to her bare ear to remind her how horribly interesting and embarrassing the previous day was. Kaida had actually flown all night to get home, she needed to find her bearings and be reminded of her end goal once more. As she approached one of her brother's on duty assassins approached her, nodding in recognition of who she was. "And what has my simplistic brother been doing these last few weeks?" Kaida full well expecting to be given an entire report. However, the look on the assassins face told another story... one that she had yet to read.
Not waiting a moment longer she stormed on past the guard into the house, making quick work of getting up the stairs and zoning in on their bedroom door. The hallway leading up to her brother's room was eerily quiet, the other tenants either already downstairs starting breakfast or still fast asleep in their all too comfortable beds. Just as she was about to be standing in front of Aeizith's door though the room right next to it caught her eye, the door on it just barely propped open. "What is this?" the question stemming in her mind all too late as she peaked her head in to see the room with various garments of clothes still in crates as if they were just purchased. "Awe how sweet? They went shopping" Bending down Kaida picked up one of the pieces of clothing, this one a dress. Holding it up to her frame and turning towards the mirror Kaida frowned. "Too small.." The confusion continued to build until she saw the slightest bit of movement through the mirror, coming from the bed behind her.
Turning around Kaida could not believe her eyes as she bore down on the figure of a small girl who looked too much like her brother's mutt. Taking a few steps closer she examined the girl closely even going as far as brushing the girl's hair back a bit to reveal an ear with a slightly pointed tip... just like Silver's. So many scenarios were now running through the young dragoness's mind as she tried to piece it all together. This truly was a very peculiar situation. The little girl then moved once more in the bed, this time her eyes fluttering open to reveal a pair of large orchid colored eyes. Jumping back Kaida in pure horror she could not help but yell out. "They cloned it! They cloned the mutt!" Her voice sure to awaken anyone on the floor still slumbering.
Amber was quite shocked as well to wake up to a strange girl staring down at her. Just as the girl screemed so did Amber, the complete horror and shock overwhelming her in her tired state. The moment Amber's scream left her mouth the area around her seemed to fracture, lines of ice traveling outwards from her body. This alone caused Kaida to shutter, pure confusion not even the best way to describe what was happening. "What are you!?" Kaida's eyes as wide as a bewildered animal.
Silver jumped up the moment she heard Kaida's voice quickly followed by her daughters screams. Without even bothering to get fully clothed she hurled out of the bed and through the door, unaware on whether or not Aeizith was even behind her. Barreling out of their bedroom Silver cut around the door to Amber's and stumbled in to find Amber sitting up in her bed, ice seeming to grow from around her. Then on the other side there was Kaida, half climbed up on a chair like a startled animal. Every bit of worry in Silver's mind completely evaporated at the site. So much so that she fell to her knees laughing at the scene before her. Mockingly she managed to insult Kaida between heavy laughs. "A little girl scared the great Kaida Black-Hearth.... AHA! You will never live this down!"
-X-
Aeizith was sleeping soundly with his love, his arms wrapped around her torso, holding to his chest like she'd disappear the moment he let go... He didn't have any dreams persay, only an awareness of Silver's divine presence in the bed beside him, his fingers toying with her hair absently as he slept while his other hand wrapped around her waist, holding her too him... The moment he heard screaming, Aeizith shot up from the bed as if he himself was attacked, his love doing the exact same thing at the same time in such a way, one might've thought it was coordinated. He didn't quite catch what was being screamed, what words were being said but all he knew was that someone was in danger in their house and that just wouldn't do! Rushing out of their room behind Silver, they dashed into Amber's room from where the noise originated.... coming face to face with his sister crouched on a chair like a wet cat and Amber freezing herself up, curled in a ball on her bed... While Silver broke down in laughter like this was the funniest joke she'd ever seen, Aeizith curled his pointer-finger towards him and Amber would float into his arms, the little ice dragon enveloping her in a protective grip, the frost on her pale skin immediately dying down and warmth returning to her body. Aeizith smiled down at his little girl, holding her tightly, but comfortably to his chest as Silver was just eating up the situation.
"K-kaida... Uhm..." Aeizith began, his sanguine eyes flicking between his sister, to his little girl, to his wife (he wished... secretly), practically rolling on the floor with laughter. "I-If you'll come w-with me into the hall..." If she would abide, Aeizith would lead her out of Amber's room, the little girl still in his grip if she wished, not wanting to let her go after an experience like this...
"I-I d-don't know h-how to tell y-you but... uh... Y-you're an aunt..." The little ice dragon paused, letting this sink in with his younger sister, also shifting his arms so that Amber could look over to the newest member of her family. Aeizith grinned sheepishly...
"T-this is Kaida..." Aeizith smiled down at the girl in his arms. "K-kaida, this i-is Amber... my daughter..."
Amber was quickly floated away in Aeizith's arms, his actions causing her own ice to recede. Wide eyed she quietly sat in his arms as he instructed for the girl named 'Kaida' to meet him in the hallway.
Kaida slowly creeped down from atop the chair and made her way towards her brother, stepping over Silver who was still hunched over on the floor laughing her ass off. It wasn't enough for her to be humiliated once the other day, but now this! Attentively she listened as Aeizith spoke and practically choked on her own breath when Aeizith called her an aunt. Twisting her face Kaida took a step back, confusion written on every square inch of her frame. "What do you mean I am an aunt!? I have only been gone a few weeks! This girl is..." Kaida paused to point at Amber. "At least 5 years old!"
Kaida then went as far as to reach for the girl, touching her skin which indeed felt very human. "This girl is not a dragon. Not even half a dragon. Not even a smaller fraction than that!" Placing a hand on each hip Kaida turned away from Aeizith as she began to pace up and down the hall. "Honestly brother I don't know what has gotten into you. First it was the angel, then the mutt. I managed to just barely stand her and now you mean to tell me that this child will bear the Black-Hearth name!? I won't stand for it!"
By now Silver had recovered from her laughing fit and was standing in the doorway, arms crossed as her shoulder leaned against the frame. "Actually she is a Ruscoqui." Not able to allow Kaida to make such presumptions. "She is my child and the child of my ex fiance. I kept her hidden to be safe, but now I know she is just as safe here with your brother and I as where she was."
Silver's words eased Kaida to an extent, thankful the name would not be tarnished any further than it already had been. Kaida turned her gaze to the little girl, still tucked away in her brother's arms. The sight of it making her want to vomit right there on the floor. "Do NOT call me your aunt." A warning to the child before Kaida turned around once more and stormed off to her own room, but not after slamming the door behind her. Once inside her own sanctuary Kaida paced back and forth once more just as she had in the hallway. Who did Aeizith think he was? If Emelia were here right now she would have killed that child in cold blood! The thought causing Kaida to pause in her own footsteps. Was that what she wanted? To kill an innocent child only because her brother had taken a liking to it? Shaking her head she started pacing again, clearly disgusted with the thought herself. "You are not Emelia. You do not eat something just because you are stronger than it. You are Kaida Black-Hearth. Youngest child of the Black-Hearth lineage and clearly the only one left to instill the Black-Hearth values upon the world."
Meanwhile, Silver remained leaning against the door frame, a new sense of purpose born now that Kaida was back home. She would never admit it but poking fun at Kaida was one of her favorite things to do as of late. Constantly reminding the dragon of how far she had truly fallen. Scoffing to herself Silver rolled her eyes before walking past Aeizith, her hand brushing his shoulder before walking back into their own room to get dressed for the day. Amber squeezed herself out of Aeizith's arms and followed her mother into their bedroom, running in and jumping on their bed as if nothing had just happened. The little girl quickly managed to climb herself to the head of the bed, pulling their blankets over herself as she snuggled into the pillows. "Your bed is better. It smells like you."
Silver smiled at Amber's remark, sure that Aeizith would be just as entertained as she was by it. Standing in front of the wardrobe Silver pulled on her normal attire for the day which consisted of a 3/4 length sleeved sweater of sorts dyed a darker hue of purple than her eyes. Next she slipped on her bottoms and belt, not bothering to pick up her daggers that were still laying on the floor where she threw them the night before. She only glanced at them for a second, her expression changing for a fraction of a moment before returning back to a smile as she watched Amber continue on. The small girl had continued to burrow herself in their blankets, making what seemed like a mound in the center of their bed before her head poked out of the top. "Why was that lady so mean to me? Why was she staring at me while I was sleeping? "
Silver was everything but nice as she began to explain Kaida to her daughter, not even bothering to consider how her words may affect Aeizith. "Well honey you see Kaida is a girl who was a spoiled girl once. She had a big sister that gave her everything she ever wanted and never taught her right from wrong. And now her sister is gone and Aeizith is all she has left." Continuing getting ready Silver had told the story like it was nothing more than mere facts.
"But wouldn't that make her sad then since her sister is gone?" Her daughters words causing her to realize more than she had before. Silver felt a pang of guilt in her gut as she turned back to face Amber, taught a lesson by a 6 year old. "I guess your right...."
"Kaida.... Calm d-down..." Aeizith erged, but his younger sister wasn't having any of it. It was as if the world was burning all around her and she wasn't even invited! She seemed outraged, confused, maybe even scared that something not even remotely dragon was going to be picking up the Black-Hearth name... Of course, that was never his intention. In fact, he didn't even recognize that title anymore... At this point, they were just people living from day to day rather than plotting every hour for world domination. All the while, Aeizith took her outrage silently, gently running his fingers through Amber's hair in an effort to keep her calm. He was actually surprised that Kaida was still holding onto her old morals and name when she was the only one to see Emilia's downfall, one that was devastating enough to have her betray her cause and come to him as a sister once more... If anything, he'd see her as the first one to forget that whole life and pick up this new one with grace! Not... whatever this was.
The little ice dragon let out a sigh of disgust as Kaida stomped back into her room as if he had embarassed her, but not before demanding that Amber never call her "her aunt". He then looked at Amber lovingly and kissed the top of her head before letting her free from his arms, the little white-haired clone of Silver running up behind her and jumping into their bed, declaring that it was so much better because it smelled like them... Aeizith smiled at his daughter, amused as he got dressed, pulling on his heavy snow-pants, shirt and jacket, following his gloves and boots, fully clad like he was going into a blizzard. It was then that she would ask why Kaida was so mean to her and why she was staring at her while she slept.
The little ice dragon gritted his teeth silently as his not-so-sweet Silver went and mouthed off about his sister, stating how she was spoiled and how her older sibling gave her anything she ever wanted and that now he was all she had left. His anger and disappointment was twofold... One, she was mouthing off about his SISTER of all people, the sibling he loved more than any other and that she was doing it so brazenly, that it was her right! Two, she spoke like these were simply fact and that there was no room for opinion. She spoke as if Kaida were a spoiled brat with no ability to care about anything other than herself or those under her foot and that made him mad...
Amber then noted that if Kaida's sister was gone, she would feel sad, right? Aeizith only nodded silently as guilt washed over his lover, Silver acknowledging the fact that was definitely the case.
"Would you h-help Amber g-get dressed. S-silver?" He asked, his voice ridged. "I'm going t-to talk to my sister..." Without another word, the little ice dragon slipped into the hall, walking down until he came to Kaida's room, wrapping his knuckles on the door.
"K-kaida...?" He asked, his voice almost worried. "I-it's your brother... c-can I come in...?"
Nodding in acknowledgment Silver walked over to Amber and began to dig through the pile of blankets to find that indeed there was a body attached to the head poking out. "Come on, lets go get you dressed!" Her voice trying to sound encouraging as she led Amber into her own bedroom.
Down the hall Kaida was still pacing back and forth in her bedroom, trying her best to contain the anger bubbling inside of her. Her pacing only halting when she heard her brother's voice on the other side of her wooden door. Not able to help it she rolled her eyes when he stated it was him. "Well no duh" the voice in her head countering. She had every intention of telling him to go away, to just go back to his happy little family while she paced trying to figure out how to rebuild something that no one else seemed to want anymore.... but she didn't. "Come in" her voice sharp and agitated as she continued to her pacing once more, one hand on her hip while she held the other to her mouth trying to figure her life out. She would pace back and forth like this for a few more moments before finally stopping, her glare set on her brother.
"What do you want? Do you want me to leave? Because I cannot stand for you to be here pretending to be something you are not anymore!" The moment she started speaking her rage grew once again, but instead of pacing once more she turned to her window crossing her arms over one another as she peared out of it, her back to Aeizith. "I came home to find that you have fallen even further in your own delusions. You are not a human Aeizith... you are a Black-Hearth dragon." From this point the confessions of how she truly felt came pouring out. "I know you think me crazy to follow in her footsteps... to want to build something with our name. Can you blame me? Emelia raised me while all of you were off gallivanting in your own fantasies! Even if I was betrayed... heartbroken... lied to. I will never forget who I am like you. I am Kaida Black-Hearth, youngest sibling to the lineage and clearly the only one who cares anymore."
Taking in a deep breath her shoulders carried the burden of what felt like a thousand pounds. "I will never lose who I am in the blur of this life. Sometimes it's hard but I will not lose sight of any of it. I will do it differently than her, I will build something that can not crumble... but I hoped I would not be doing it alone." The young dragon was clearly burdened with the task she had set for herself, one that she would embark on, on her own if she had to. It was her hope that Aeizith would come to his senses at some point, see his mistakes... but that was obviously not happening. Lifting her crossed arms a bit she grasped at each of her own shoulders as if giving herself a hug. All it took was one blink for the first tear to fall stream down her cheek, a silent agony she did not want Aeizith to see.
Aeizith was not deaf to Kaida's tone, but he pressed on regardless, determined to help his sister through whatever was bothering her, though he was sure he knew... She was openly disgraced by a far less powerful being, a being she actively looks down upon as slaves and food and there was little she could do about it. In fact, it was her older brother that kept her hands tied with Silver being his "wench" by Kaida's terms, making her off-limits to what she considered payback. It must feel like the little ice dragon was betraying her, holding her back purely to spite her...
Aeizith stepped into the little dragoness' room before closing the door behind him, flinching immediately as the younger dragon let out a blast of accusations and insults, claiming that he had forgotten what it meant to be a Black-hearth, that he was living and illusion while she was being lied to, betrayed and heartbroken... Aeizith said nothing, only stuffing his hands into his pockets as he listened to his little sister go off like a bomb. She stated that she was Kaida Black-Hearth, youngest member of the family and that she would never forget who she was... and that she seemed to be the only one who cared anymore... He winced the tiniest bit as Kaida stated that she wouldn't be anything like Emilia, that she would build something that wouldn't crumble... and that she was hoping that she wouldn't have had to do it alone... She wrapped her arms around herself, more closed off a single tear rolling down her cheeks...
Without a single word and faster than a bolt of lightning, Aeizith wrapped his arms around Kaida's smaller body, pulling her into a hug that displayed all the love he'd always have for her, despite all the things she had said a moment ago... Kaida was angry, she was sad, she was tired and afraid and Aeizith could understand... He felt so guilty, staring down at his little sister, remembering how he had hurt her that day when she had first encountered Silver... He couldn't help but thing that had a hand in this and that she was still suffering from those words he spoke, wishing he could've taken them all back even more than he normally did.
"I'm s-so sorry I-I can't be t-the brother you w-want me to be..." Aeizith whispered, holding her a little tighter, whether she struggled or not. "I-I'm not a h-human... but a-a disappointment.... I a-always was... t-to you, t-to Emilia... I was.... AM w-weak... B-but you make me p-proud..." He smiled at his little sister with red glowing eyes, his body perhaps a bit warmer than normal, glowing with his love for his little sister. "I-It's okay... I'm s-scared too... about e-everything... I don't w-want to lose you... Y-you may be Kaida B-Black-Hearth, b-but you're my s-sister too... I l-love you... even i-if you can't l-love me..."
"Y-you're never alone..." He murmured, softly stroking Kaida's hair in an effort to soothe her. "I-I m-may b-be j-just a deluded, s-stupid, w-weak c-coward of a b-brother... b-but will y-you let m-me p-protect you...?"
Almost instinctively Kaida tried to shrug off the hug, only for her brother to hold her tighter as he apologized to what he had done months ago to her. Was he still thinking of that? Kaida had long ago moved on from it, realizing his words were brought on by her own words and actions. The dragon may have been young but she was not naive. She knew that if she were going to spit words as hurtful as those that he would react, that is what she wanted. It was when Aeizith started to stroke her hair that Kaida forced herself out of his embrace, not able to stand the feeling any longer. Emelia used to play with her hair and now the simple action made her want to shed her own skin.
"You are not weak... you are not stupid.... you are not a coward." Uncrossing her arms Kaida let out a breath, willing to release some of the tension that had been building. "You are however forgetful. Forgetful of what our name should stand for. I don't need you to protect me. What I need is for you to stand beside me. To help me in my mission of fixing everything that was broken!" Afraid that Aeizith may try to get her in another embrace Kaida took a few steps back from him, her face full of hurt. "I want to fix this. I want to fix what was destroyed and tainted and ruined by our sister."
"I want to be recognized for what we are... a breed of dragons unlike any other, which is as it should be. Except I don't need to trick people like she did. I don't need to eat and enslave humans... I just need them to fear and respect me. I had hoped that at least one other sibling of mine had the same ideals but none of you do. Electi has been missing for months! Long before Emelia disappeared. Eira has sunken so deeply into the human world she may as well be one. And then we come full circle to you Aeizith. The only one who I thought maybe just maybe would want that life. But then not only do you go and get yourself turned into an impure hybrid but you get with a mutt!"
Kaida's rant had gotten her all stirred up again, the anger within her at its surface once more. "I may have saved her from the citadel for you but that does not mean I accept her or that.... mini mutt. I don't care if you love them but brother you have seriously spun yourself so deeply into a world that does not belong to you. What will you do when she dies? Her lifespan clearly a heck of a lot shorter than ours. That girl is nothing but a blink in our lifetime and yet you are willing to throw everything away for her." Kaida knew her words would hurt her brother but they had to be said. She knew he would probably hate her for the way she spoke of Silver and her mini clone but at this point what else did she have to lose? Of course she had a room here but this was not her home... she didn't have one anymore.
"I will not ask you to choose only because I know what your answer would be. You chose that girl one too many times over me." Kaida had long ago realized what she must do, what decision had to be made. When Aeizith showed her the little girl it only solidified her fears. "I am leaving again. But this time I am not coming back. Our worlds are too different now and being here only holds me back."
Aeizith didn't resist when Kaida chose to pull away from his embrace, Kaida stating that he was forgetful and that she wanted him to stand by him rather than in front of her as a shield. He remembered Emilia saying someone along those lines when she first inducted them into her corp of Black-Hearth soldiers, stating that she didn't want them as guardians or fodder, but as equals and look at how that turned out. She was just as eager to cast Aeizith and Eira aside rather than work with them... Some older sister she was and now Kaida was practically emulating her almost completely! It was a scary thought indeed...
It was as if she was actively trying to convince him that he should stand alongside her, that she didn't want to conquer or enslave humans, that she didn't want do devour them whole like Emilia always did. What she wanted was to be feared, to be respected for the dragon that she was! She wanted to feel superior above all others and be comfortable with her place a the top. What Kaida wanted was to stand above everyone else and declare herself their superiors, only without everything below her being wiped out in the process. She accused him that she didn't see clearly, that she'd be gone in a blink of an eye in their live time and that it was ridiculous that he'd through everything away for that. Aeizith said nothing, his expression complex, because Kaida was right on the surface. Silver wasn't even a baby compared to his age. He could outlive her a hundred-thousand times and yet, that time would feel more lonely, even as his power rose with his age. He could stomp cities under his claws, freeze civilizations to mere dust, become the ultimate ruler of the world with everything under the shadows of his wings.... But what would it be worth...? Nothing... It gets one nothing... Oh, the instinct was there... gods, it was there... Aeizith at any moment could turn into a territorial killing machine, establish his hope on a mountain top and lay waste to everything underneath just to prove his strength... but to who...? He knew his limits... Everyone knows a dragon's potential beit by story or by experience... Who was Kaida trying to prove this too, herself?
"Fear doesn't last." Aeizith warned her, stuffing his hands back into his pockets, his eyes sad, but not regretting his position. As he spoke, his stutter seemed to disappear, his voice cool and calm. "I should know. One day, when you are at the top, someone will realize you're not as strong anymore and they will take you down to secure their place or maybe just for protection. It doesn't work. I won't tell you what you should and should not do. You are old enough to make these decisions and I will not stop whatever you have in mind but this? Aeizith gestured around the house with his hand, his eyes never leaving hers. "...This is mine. Even if it lasts for only a blink of my life-time, its mine and I cherish it. I am happy here because these people love me. They understand me. I don't have to kill them or raid them for respect because I let them know what I am. And long after their gone, their children will be the same way... You don't have to have them in your claws either, Kaida... You don't have to manipulate and scheme to get your way. You can be happy living on this level if you'd only let me show you how." Aeizith put his fist to his chest, hitting it with enough force to make a noise. "I am Aeizith Black-Hearth, a dragon that can level the world if I so desire and I chose to preserve it instead, my piece anyway." If Kaida would still be firmly against his offer, Aeizith would only and wait for Kaida to go, nothing more really needing to be said. He tried his hardest... he really did... but if she was so firmly against learning how to live with these people, well... that was her right.
Whipping her head around at his comment of fear never lasting Kaida took a threatening step towards her brother. Not so much to give hint to an impending assault, but more of a defensive stance. "Maybe I was wrong... you are deluded. I want us to be recognized for everything we are! I am proud of my birthright and proud to say that I was born a Black-Hearth dragon. A subspecies to already magnificent beasts that deserves recognition. I want others to look at us as they would a poisonous viper. Deadly, agile, dangerous... yet beautiful."
Rolling her eyes at his next declaration on who he was, a dragon who could level the world if he wanted, Kaida couldn't help herself. "Who sounds like Emelia now?" The words spit from her tongue with pure disdain. "So full of yourself thinking you have that kind of power and your doing the world a favor by not destroying it...Get over yourself Aeizith." Her last words as she made her way towards the door, only to slam it shut behind her as she finished. This time, unlike others, Kaida did not cry a single tear. Leaving her brother this time meant she was doing what was meant to happen from the start. Both of them clearly on different paths. One day they would surely cross paths again, but next time she would be different... no longer the 'baby' sister he thought of her as.
With each stride down the stairwell Kaida's ambition grew stronger. It was almost as if the more distance she put between herself and Aeizith the more sure she was of her end game now. "Let them think I am just like Emelia. Let them think I am nothing but a whiny bratty child... I will show them 'what' I really am one day." Soon she found herself at the front door and without hesitation she opened it and exited, never looking back.
Silver had heard most of the argument from down the hall despite how much she tried to occupy her mind with getting Amber dressed. "What are they fighting about mommy?" Amber's prodding already emerging. "... just be happy you are an only child." Silver's only remark to the situation. The half elven woman was more concerned with how this would effect Aeizith... how much would this destroy his perfect little slice of life he had built for himself? Or would it affect him at all?
Sliding the last article of clothing over Amber's frame Silver then grabbed her hand and led her out of the bedroom, her plan to take Amber down for breakfast at least. But standing there in the hall she saw Kaida exit her room, slamming the door behind her before descending the stairs. Kaida didn't even look at her, much less acknowledge her existence... strange. She waited to hear the door downstairs open and close before taking a few more steps towards the room with Amber in tow. "Aeizith? Is everything okay?"
Aeizith said nothing as Kaida declared her intentions again, that she wanted them all to be recognized as the beings they were, something to be worshiped as a thing of majesty, of royalty rather than the average human existence they were having now. Where the little ice dragon was content living out his years with a person he loved, someone he could spend his power protecting instead of enslaving, Kaida craved a world under her claws, where she had power and everyone knew it. She wanted to be the dominating figure in Aeizith's mind, that everyone would bow at her feet on pure reputation alone... She wanted to be a better Emilia because Emilia needed to massacre to gain an ally.
"Have a good life." Aeizith muttered as he watched his little sister storm past him, the dragon catching the door handle before it could slam, instead leaving it hanging open a crack... He didn't move, instead staring out the massive window in front of which his little sister once stood... No matter how he tried to provide a good life for her, all she could think of was the potential of power and recognition, the apparent need for her claws to be licked and her tail to be stroked, to be recognized as the best, a god or worse. Aeizith didn't shed a single tear no matter how much he wanted to or even felt he needed to. She couldn't be saved... Was what he kept saying over and over, but that quickly devolved into I couldn't save her... What madness had consumed his little sister was the same that consumed his elder... It was over... there was no coming back from it... She was determined to embody the dragons of old and the dragons of now so who was he to stand in her way other than her older brother, guardian and friend? Who was he to override her judgement and tell her what was best for her? Her older brother, that's who and yet he didn't do a single thing. He only stood and stared out that window, watching her leave.
It was only after Sliver peeked into the room, asking if everything was okay did the dragon move, turning his head just enough so he could see his little girl and girlfriend, raising a hand to his face and caressing his brow with his fingers.
"She's an adult now." Was all he would say, kicking a pillow as he made his way out of the room which may or may not have been an accident. Quietly, Aeizith began to descend, his dragonic aspects coming to light in a much more subtle way. This was his territory now... and if Kaida didn't return on her knees... well... Dragons in other dragons' territory tend to fight...
The little ice dragon made his way downstairs and very calmy closed fthe front door Kaida left wide open, letting out a deep sigh of... regret...?
All Silver could do was watch Aeizith as he descended the stairs and made his way to the open door. "Amber would you please go into the dining room for breakfast. Aeizith and I will join you shortly." The little girl had slowly began to grow more comfortable in the home, and going to the dining room was a great example. Amber now knew that it was not enemies waiting for her in that part of the house, but plates upon plates of food... delicious food. But still she was irritated that she was constantly being told to go on ahead without them, mentally noting how this was at least the third time they had done something like this.
Silver waited to see Amber disappear around the corner before she began her approach on Aeizith, walking up behind him to wrap her arms around his torso. "Do you remember what I told you before? That family squabbles were only temporary and that no matter what your sister still loves you." With her arms still wrapped around him from behind Silver continued, hoping her words of encouragement would help in the situation. "I am sorry for making jabs at her before. And I am sorry that you two do not see eye to eye right now. But I know your little sister loves you.... I just know it."
Amber by now had arrived in the dining room and was pondering what she could do to finally make her two role models see how much she loved them. With a little help from a few of the assassins the little girl was able to have a large blanket taken outside and laid on the ground and after a few other trips it was filled with many of the food options from inside the house. It was still early out, but the sun had already began to take its place in the sky and the birds were already chirping in the trees. Today was going to be a beautiful day, she could feel it in every bone in her body. Taking one last trip inside Amber grabbed three plates, one for each of them, and brought it outside to lay beside the food still on platters just waiting to be eaten.
As Aeizith shut the door, he felt the arms of Silver wrap around his stomach and and chest from behind, holding him to her softly in some attempt to salvage the situation. It would be plainly obvious that he wasn't happy with her either, under the impression that she was at least part of the reason that Kaida had left they way she did and choosing her side. She apologized for actively and knowingly antagonizing his sister and for the current status of their relationship but apologies never fixed anything. It was the one thing he learned from his elder sister. He didn't even know if she understood the full weight of what was going on here... When a dragon leaves their home, they might as well be someone completely and utterly different because if they decide to come back, they are no longer family. Servant or enemy and Aeizith had been both. Now Kaida would have to decide which one she wanted to be because she won't leave them alone... She wasn't the kind of person to leave these kinds of loose ends up and, honestly, he wasn't either anymore.
The little ice dragon flinched as Silver claimed that Kaida still loved him, that she just knew it, but she really didn't... Unless she did and she was just trying to keep him from utter depression and that was even worse. It was either untrue or a lie and the little ice dragon wasn't in the mood for either. Kaida's world and his were just too different for her to give a damn about him anymore, especially now with her inner seed of Emilia now sprouting from the soil that was her potential. There was nothing more to be said than his old family was dead. D E A D, dead.
"Silver... D-dragons work l-like this...." He spoke without turning around, her arms still wrapped around him. "W-we don't just l-let people back in w-who leaves u-us like this, either into our hearts o-or our s-service. We are too o-old, kn-know too much, s-seen so many things t-that we know w-what her l-leaving means... W-we are t-typically loyal t-to our companions... T-they know w-where we s-stand... and i-if Kaida w-wants to conquer r-rather than l-live peacefully... I-I cannot s-stop her."
With a sigh, he'd shift his way around in her grip and return her hug. gently resting his head on her shoulders while his arms wrapped around her torso as well.
"Lets g-go eat..." He'd whisper before pulling away, smiling the tiniest bit. Aeizith would head over to the breakfast table to see that she wasn't there... Immediately, Aeizith looked around the house, knowing that she didn't go upstairs, starting to get frightened as each room was as barren as the last. Finally, he poked his head outside and sighed with relief, seeing that somehow she had managed to bring a full breakfast picnic outside without either of her parents noticing. He smiled, turning back to Silver and placing the softest of kisses on her lips before making his way out to where his little Amber sat on the blanket, setting himself down right beside her.
"D-did you d-do this all b-by yourself...?" He asked, softly patting her back.
As hard as she tried Silver would never be able to understand the inner workings of a dragon's heart and for the first time she began to see them as more animalistic than human. But still when Aeizith turned to return her embrace Silver did the same, keeping her arms wrapped around him for as long as she could. But when he pulled away and stated they go eat she knew something was up, his small smile the dead set giveaway.
Following him into the dining room Silver was just as shocked at the empty chair where he daughter was supposed to be just as much as Aeizith. Following him around the house in his search she was just as desperate to find her as he was. Flooded with relief when Aeizith discovered her outside Silver could not help but smile, despite the growing tension between herself and Aeizith. But just as quickly as it grew it dissap-eared when he turned to plant a kiss on her lips, showing that Amber had helped even if she was unaware. Sitting across from the two Silver could not help but begin forking food onto her own plate, listening while Eadith asked Amber if she had done this all on her own.
All smiles Amber nodded at Eadith's question before grabbing a croissant and placing it on her plate. "I did it for you and mommy." The little girl was so proud of herself for having pulled it off without them knowing, a mission completed in her eyes. "It's so nice outside I thought maybe we could eat out here. I hope its okay." She then pulled a piece of the flaky bread apart and plopped it into her mouth, letting the buttery flavor melt as it slid down her throat.
"You did a great job Amber." Silver cutting in between bites of her own food. "So what do you want to do today? Since it's so nice out?" Amber immediately knew the answer to her mother's question and took no time in responding.
"I want Aeizey to train me some more!" Her enthusiasm making Silver proud yet nervous all at once. "Very well then" Silver responded leaning back a bit as she continued to eat her delicious breakfast. "Aeizith? Is that okay with you? Or do you have some stuff you have to take care of first?" Her question having a deeper meaning than she was letting on.
Aeizith's eyes brightened as Amber confirmed that yes, she had done this all for them... She said that it was so nice outside, that she thought it was a good idea to eat out here... He couldn't help but agree. Sure, it was a little bright, and maybe a little hot for his vampire-ness, but his ring kept that from being too... uh... extreme. The little ice dragon gently wrapped an arm around the little girl and she snacked on the breakfast she had prepared for them, his hand resting on her shoulder as he hugged her from the side.
"You're s-so th-thoughtful..." Aeizith smiled, giving the little girl a soft peck on the forehead. "I-It's great..." Silver agreed as she too began forking food onto her plate while Aeizith nibbled on some soft bread. Even if the food were garbage (which it wasn't, it was a gods-send of flavor), or even if it were a messy set up (which again it wasn't), Aeizith would've been all smiles regardless, if his grin were a little weak. His little girl... his sweet little Amber had gone out of her way to do this for them so how could it be anything but a "good job?" Aeizith found he had nibbled his way through 3 slices of soft-bread by the time Silver asked her daughter what she wanted to do today. The little ice dragon immediately turned his attention to the smaller girl as she exclaimed how she wanted to train with him some more, immediately catching onto Silver's nervous expression. How could he not? At this point, he could feel her distress across the world! Smiling gently the little ice dragon reached out a hand and softly took Silver's, intertwining his fingers with hers. Oh, how he loved her... so much... He just wanted to hold her and never let go...
"S-sure thing k-kiddo... I-If y-your mom s-says its okay..." Glancing back up at Silver, he smiled a little wider as she confirmed her request, though, reminding him of something he needed to "take care of first." Now, despite having lived with this beautiful, intelligent, strong and independent woman who often makes her interests known, Aeizith was... uh... inexperienced in the realm of double-meanings. He had heard Silver talk dirty to him on sever occasions and could think of a few times that made him blush just remembering but the technique of such things never seemed to stick...
"I d-don't know..." Aeizith murmured, smiling at his girlfriend warmly. "M-maybe a-after breakfast y-you could tell m-me in p-private....?" He was trying really hard. HE WAS! "Amber... H-how a-about we s-set a date f-for a-after lunch? I-I'll teach y-you something r-really special..."
How could he think such a thing at her suggestion? Silver was clearly taken off guard by Aeizith's suggestion of speaking in private. "I meant regarding you sister." she countered before taking another bite of her bread. Now was not the time for such relations, not after everything that had transpired that morning. But still, his attempts were adorable to say the least.
Amber remained completely clueless at the suggestions exchanged between Silver and Aeizith. For all she knew the two really did just need to speak privately. In fact all she cared about was training even more with Aiezith, eager to get control of the abilities that overtook her everytime she tried to use them on her own.
"Perhaps we have had enough excitement for today" Silver added regarding Amber's training but Amber's pouting face quickly caused Silver to recount her statement. "... Or not." She giggled before finally finishing off her food. Taking in a deep breath Silver stood up, brushing the bread crumbs from her bottoms and shirt. "Well.." she paused to clear her throat. "That breakfast was quite lovely Amber... Thank you." Silver smiled at her daughter before she began collecting the remnants of the food to take back inside.
Amber caught on to her mother trying to clean up and so she followed suit, bunching as much as she could in her tiny arms before carrying it inside behind Silver.
After the breakfast the day continued on without any further faults. Amber was able to get a bit of training in with Aeizith while Silver cautiously watched on from the sidelines.
-END SCENE-
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