Everything's Changed (Blinkers)

[Salzem]

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.

[Blink]

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.

[Salzem]

"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.

[Blink]

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."

[Salzem]

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.

[Blink]

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.

[Salzem]

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.

[Blink]

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."

[Salzem]

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...?"

[Blink]

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."

[Salzem]

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....

[Blink]

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.

[Salzem]

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....

[Blink]

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.

[Salzem]

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..."

[Blink]

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.

[Salzem]

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.

[Blink]

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."

[Salzem]

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.

[Blink]

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.