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 Posted: Sun Jan 04, 2015 11:56 am
”It’s going to be loads of fun. I promise!” Henry said, already taking a few packages to the car. Christmas seemed to pop up this year, what with the nurse being busy with work, taking care of Ethiriel and taking in Gabe.
The ride to the ferry wasn’t long, but throughout the entire trip the car was mostly silent – Henry made few attempts at conversation and eventually turned on the radio to fill the silence. His brother seemed dejected since the invitation – or rather, the expectation – of Christmas was given by their parents the previous week. Gabe was still without a job and money was tight, which meant presents were cheap or not at all.
Ethiriel didn’t seem to particularly excited about the whole trip, having a dislike for cars since being born, but she couldn’t say she hated the idea of meeting family. She had no gifts to give, not that she particularly felt bad about it, but Henry made sure that there were plenty of ‘group’ gifts from all three of them. Holidays were still new to her.
The change in weather was immediately noticeable. Gambino had its cold air and flurries but snow didn't stick to the beach like it did out on the mainland. It was chillier and they were all bundled up accordingly, which made things uncomfortable for the first half hour or so when transitioning.
When they pulled up, Gabe sunk lower in the backseat. It was a small single story on the suburban edge of Aekea West complete with rows of well maintained flowers on either side of the driveway and an inlaid stone path up to the porch stairs. Almost as soon as the car was turned off, the front door opened and a petite woman with short cropped brown hair plodded onto the stoop bundled in a big thick coat. She adjusted her glasses as a taller, burlier shape exited and settled beside her.
”Hey, mom! Dad! It’s good to see you!” said Henry, helping Ethiriel out of the car before making his way to the trunk to fetch presents.
With Henry fetching the gifts, Gabe got out of the car and stood near Ethiriel for the time being. Their parents wasted no time in coming down after being addressed, though It was their mother who hurried the fastest.
”Oh, it's so good to see you both!” Clementine beamed at her sons – or tried to, as Henry was the most accessible and she could barely peek over the top of the car to see Gabe's hair, ”We're glad you could make it, dinner's already cooking.” Her voice was quivering with excitement.
While she gushed and shivered in place, Jonas stepped beside Henry and helped him fish some things from the trunk with a beard-covered smile.
”Hey, mom, dad,” Gabe greeted flatly. He reached over to lightly tap Ethiriel's arm with the back of his hand, then held it in place for her to latch onto.
Ethiriel was quick to accept Gabe’s hand, immediately feeling out of place as she floated next to the car in an unfamiliar location. Once her arm was around his, she waited patiently for introductions.
Henry, glad to have some help, offered his father a hearty pat on the back before digging back into the trunk. ”How have you guys been? I’m sorry I haven’t visited in so long! Work’s been busy, plus—“ he started, finally making his way back toward Gabe and Ethiriel. ”I’d like you guys to meet Ethiriel!” he announced with full hands.
Even if no one could see it, Ethiriel gave a bow rather than speaking.
Once given the cue, Gabe moved away from the car and brought Ethiriel into better view. Jonas paused in assisting with the trunk and peeked around Henry first to offer his younger son a smile and then give one to Ethiriel. Clementine scooted out a bit further to do the same.
”Hello, miss. Make yourself at home,” their father offered with a surprising pleasantness for his gruff exterior before tucking back in to help Henry.
Gabe's arm tensed in Ethiriel's hands when their mother approached.
”Hi, dear! Oh, gosh, hello. It's wonderful to meet you. Jonas and I-- I'm Clementine-- have heard the world of you from Henry.” She gave her younger son a soft thwack to his chest, ”Unlike you, you haven't called us at all since the move. Have things been okay? How are you doing?”
”Things are fine, mom.”
”Are you sure? Do you need any of your furniture while you're here, we've got it all set up--”
”I'm fine, thank you.” he straightened his shoulders and side stepped around Clementine with Ethiriel, ”I'm gonna get her set up in the living room, it's freezing.”
”Alright, sweetie, we'll be with you in a minute!”
”A pleasure,” Ethiriel bowed again, one for Jonas and another for Clementine. ”I am glad that a good impression has already been made.”
Grinning, Henry followed close behind Gabe with a stride, having most of the presents in hand while Jonas had the rest. ”All good things, Ethiriel, I promise!”
Meanwhile, Ethiriel was grateful to Gabe – it really was cold and her scarves were doing little to protect her exposed silver.
Jonas and Clem followed swiftly behind Henry, their mother plodding along like a duckling at the end of the line.
The central heat was on in the house and it made a world of difference once they got past the foyer. Ethiriel was guided to a section of the living room with a string of sofas lined in the corner. At the opposite end sat a medium sized evergreen decorated thoroughly with all sorts of bits, bobbles, lights, and tinsel. A few of the decorations had some amount of silver to them, even if it was dull. It looked as though there had been some attempt made to make the house manageable for Ethiriel's visitation but it was likely misunderstood; there was a single bit of silver here and there but hardly arranged in ways that would make navigation simple.
Gabe scoffed.
The others entered soon after Ethiriel was seated. Clem shut the door quickly to keep the draft out and rid herself of the bulky coat. ”Just under the tree, boys, the rest is there.” Their father was already leading the way.
”Whew,” Clem laughed as she straightened out her blouse, ”Now, dear-- Ethiriel-- is there anything I can get you? Would you like a drink?”
Seated, Ethiriel daintily rested her hands just above her ribbon where her lap would be. She shook her head, taking a glance at Henry’s rings as he moved across the room. ”No, thank you, I am quite alright. I thank you for your hospitality.”
”Maybe some hot water, later,” Henry offered.
”Indeed. However, for now I am content,” Ethiriel said, finally shrugging off her scarves and jacket.
”I’ll take some tea, though, if you have it made!”
”Goodness, you're polite--” their mother giggled, ”--Just let us know if there's anything we can do to make you more comfortable.” She smiled over at Henry while heading for the kitchen, ”I do! Some gingerbread spice.”
The couch sagged a cushion away from Ethiriel as Gabe took his seat.
”How was the ride?” Jonas peeked over at Henry. His voice was a bit haggard but there was a warm tone to its softness.
”Long,” Gabe piped in.
From the other room, Clementine teased, ”Well, if you two didn't move so far away--”
”Oh, come on, mom!” Henry said, his smile clear in his voice. ”You know I need to live closer to the hospital! Besides, the drive wasn’t that bad!”
At least, not for the human puppy who drove the rest of them.
Their father chuckled quietly but Gabe didn't sound quite as amused. ”I could swear you helped mom decorate, you're just vomiting holiday cheer--”
”--Here you are, dear,” Clementine interrupted with an oblivious smile as she brought Henry his tea. Once her hands were free, she turned to her younger son and swatted at his legs. ”Gabe, get your feet off the table. And take your coat off, stay a while.”
Gabe shifted after a resigned sigh.
While their mother's tone with him had just been curt, Clementine flipped back to gentle and cooing when speaking to the frei. ”Ethiriel, are you sure I can't get you anything? Is the temperature fine? Would you like another pillo--”
”She just got in the door, mom, why don't you let her breathe for two seconds. ”
Delicately, Ethiriel raised her left arm just enough for Gabe to catch, nodding her head. ”I am quite alright, Misses Knight. Once again, I thank you.”
The corner of Henry’s lip twitched as his eyebrows raised, but he held his tongue and cleared his throat. ”Thanks, mom, you make the best tea! Next to Ethiriel, of course!” he said with a wink.
”You flatter me,” Ethiriel cooed, her voice more gentle with Henry than it had been.
There was a momentary stiffness from Clementine after Gabe piped in that Ethiriel and Henry quickly remedied. She eased up and gave a soft sigh through her nose, smile once again meeting her voice. ”Oh, I didn't realize you made tea. I'd love to try yours, sometime.”
For a moment, mother and son glanced at one another, ”Maybe you should have a cup, too, Gabe, you seem a bit tense,” she turned back towards Henry and their father. He exhaled and leaned back against the sofa.
”In a sense,” she responded. Her own ease began to slip at the harsh tones between Gabe and his mother, despite her show of poise.
Henry’s smile also faded as Clem and Gabe went at one another, but he did his best to keep his own tone cheerful. ”She makes it by soaking her fingers in water! It’s really interesting!” He then turned to his father, silently pleading to possibly step in and smooth things over. ”Hey, how about we open presents, huh? That’ll be fun!”
Their parents both made two very different sounds upon hearing Eth's tea making process; while Jonas' bushy mustache upturned to a smile with an approving hum, Clementine's was somewhere between interested and uncertain.
”Very interesting,” she remarked softly.
Henry's plea to his father did not go unnoticed and the larger man was quick to bend down and begin gathering things from beneath the tree. His mother didn't waste a second to recall things were still cooking, either, and hurried back to the kitchen to check on them while Jonas sorted the gifts out.
”Good call,” he murmured softly to Henry as he took some boxes and bags to the coffee table in front of Ethiriel and Gabe.
There was a decent quantity of gifts, though most of what had been beneath their tree were smaller packages. An assortment was addressed between Henry, Gabe, and a few for Ethiriel on top of the gifts the trio brought. Before they could start passing them out, Clem returned with a chipper smile and straightened her glasses.
”Who wants to go first?”
”Well,” Henry started, his smile flashing his pearly whites, ”I think, since she’s new to the Knight household – perhaps Ethiriel should go first!”
The tea Frei’s eyes widened as she glanced toward the silver rings on each of Henry’s middle fingers. ”O-oh, there is no need to—“ she stuttered; the first time the nurse had even heard her stumble on words other than their walk. ”I mean, thank you, but there is no need for special treatment—“
Henry chuckled, passing a glance to both his father and brother, then his gaze settled on Clem. ”How about you, mom?
Gabe glanced sidelong to her, then returned forward and tucked his hands into his coat pockets.
”Oh, sweetie, no need to worry,” Clementine offered Ethiriel with a bright smile of her own, ”Me?” she giggled, ”Are you sure you boys wouldn't rather start us off?”
When Gabe cleared his throat as though to prepare a comment, Jonas offered gently, ”Go on, dear, it's not Hot Potato.”
”Oh alright. Which one?”
”How about this one?” Henry asked, bending over and picking up one of the silver-wrapped gifts from the ‘three’ of them.
Clementine took the box gently and moved to sit on a free section of the couch with it. She smiled at the lot of them and gave an innocent chuckle, ”What could this be?”
With obvious practice, she unwrapped the package with hardly a tear. Beside Ethiriel, one of Gabe's legs began to tap, only stopping once all of the wrappings were removed. A beautiful ceramic tea set was propped in her lap, covered in delicate floral patterns. For a moment she was speechless, then Mrs. Knight barely got a breath in edgewise.
”Oh my goodness, this is beautiful. Thank you so much, boys, Ethiriel. Oh my gosh, look at this. I'll use this all the time.” She gasped. ”We can use it tonight. I just need to rinse these out--”
Jonas laughed and rested his cheek against his palm. ”One thing at a time.”
”Sorry,” she chuckled and got to her feet. Clementine went for another round of 'thank you's, then offered hugs. First one to Gabe, who leaned forward enough to give her a one armed half-hug, then one to Henry.
”Wanna go next?” Gabe offered to Ethiriel while the others were occupied.
Ethiriel managed a smile at Clementine’s reaction, glad to hear that the gift was appreciated. She didn’t know what it looked like, but the texture was interesting and she hoped it was easy on the eyes. When she got her hug, she stiffly gave the woman a gentle squeeze.
”Oh, I suppose…” she said, giving him a sheepish smile with upturned brows.
Henry was quick to hand her Gabe’s gift, happy to know that his brother cared enough to include her – not that he worried about it from the beginning, but the gesture warmed his heart. ”Would you like some help unwrapping it?” he asked, gently placing the box in Ethiriel’s hand.
”I believe I can manage it,” she replied, feeling along the edges until she found an edge. It was a thin yet square box, light in her hands. Clumsily, she tore the paper and felt the top of its smooth surface.
”It’s a CD!” Henry exclaimed, leaning in to take a better look. ”Ah, The Lord of the Rings! I’m sure you’ll love it!” he said, reaching over for another box. ”I actually have a second gift for you to open before anything else since it’s related!”
The Frei took the next box, a small blush creeping across her cheeks. ”Thank you…”
Inside was her very own Walkman.
”Oh, look at that!” Clementine exclaimed for her, ”You didn't get her the CD, Henry?” she glanced to Gabe, who was staring at the walkman with raised brows. ”Ohhh, finally getting into the Christmas spirit, I see.”
Gabe stiffened. ”What?”
”That was nice of you,” their father attempted to translate Clementine's playful jab. It only caused the younger brother to shrug.
”It was on sale.” Gabe shifted, and added under his breath, ”The only way I could get anything this year.”
Clem chuckled and lightly tugged on Henry's sleeve, ”Your turn!”
”It is the thought that counts,” Ethiriel said, her voice low for Gabe as she blindly searched for his hand. However, the gesture was short lived as she patted the couch beside her, thinking twice about the potential touch for his sake.
”Alright!” Henry exclaimed, beaming. In his first box was a new set of lime green scrubs, which the nurse immediately loved and gushed over. Along with them came a pair of black, laceless shoes that he could wear with any of his work clothes. He was beyond ecstatic and he thanked his parents happily.
”Gabe’s turn!”
Their parents both laughed appreciatively and then joined in Henry's coaxing of his brother. Briefly, Gabe sat still and stared, tired, as they all beamed at him. Without protest, he leaned forward and fished for the smallest gift he could find – a faint blue envelope decorated in paisley from mom and dad.
”Thanks,” he prefaced. When he opened it, a few bills fluttered onto his lap. Gabe lifted the card some and stared down at the gifted money.
Clementine shifted anxiously beside Henry. ”We know it's been tough the past few months, so--”
”--yeah.” His tone was flat. Without looking at them, he tucked the bills back into the card and took to reading its contents to himself.
Both parents exchanged a glance between themselves and then one with Henry. The discomfort of such a gift, a hand out more or less, was obvious in Gabe. Clementine was quick to try and bring the mood back around, however, and began distributing the rest of the presents. Henry got a few new additions to his cookware while he and Gabe both received an assortment of new shirts and socks to keep warm for the season. Ethiriel, too, was given a few blouses and dresses but they were quite a bit too long for her ribbon. To sweeten the deal, Clem offered a few more pieces of jewelry and – at the last minute – some of their extra teabags.
From there, it was time to move on to dinner. While Gabe's attitude didn't necessarily seem to improve he at least didn't appear to bring whatever unpleasantness his first gift riled in him to the table. It was like back to square one.
Ethiriel was mostly silent throughout the meal, focusing mostly on her water as she listened to the banter of the Knight family. Every once in a while she would pass glances to the silver that each other wore for her sake, though her glance generally remained on the tarnished silver before her.
Enjoying his ham and fixings, Henry was eager and more than willing to partake in dinner conversation, often stopping to ask Ethiriel how she was doing or check on Gabe in his silent state. The nurse had greatly missed his family’s cooking and was pleased as punch to spend time as the Knight clan once more.
As the meal tapered off into conversation and relaxing from full bellies, the group eventually migrated back into the living room for continued conversation. A few hours passed before the bug was planted about leaving as time was growing late; they were not heard without some protest from their doting mother. Goodbyes were tearfully given on Clem’s part and with hearty hugs from Jonas, the boys and Ethiriel were off, back to their home.
Sitting daintily in the front seat, Ethiriel gazed at the necklace that rested between her fingers. It was a nice trip – while she was silent for most of it, she had enjoyed herself and while somewhat embarrassing, being toted on and fussed over was quite nice. While she couldn’t enjoy her presents in the same way that everyone else could, she liked the textures of her clothing and the jewelry was lovely to actually behold. Holidays were still strange to her, not quite grasping the concept, but the idea of spending time with family and friends was something she was completely open to. She kept catching Gabe’s discomfort, putting a slight damper on her time as she wished he could have enjoyed himself more, she was glad to have spent the time with the Knight family.
If this was what her life was going to be like, she was going to grow to like it.
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Posted: Sun Jan 04, 2015 12:41 pm
While Ethiriel was still in her room getting ready, Henry ushered Gabe into the living room with a hushed, excited voice. Today was Ethiriel’s birthday and considering, what he had heard at least, Leo had never really celebrated much with the Frei. Heck, he wasn’t even sure the man had even offered a simple ‘happy birthday,’ to the poor thing.
”All I need you to do is keep Ethiriel out for an hour or two,” he whispered, handing a small wad of money to Gabe. ”Pick up a cake and have her hold it so that it’s most of what she can smell. I want to surprise her as much as possible!”
The younger brother stared at the money before tucking it into his wallet. News of Leo's abysmal shortcomings as a guardian never failed to make Gabe cringe.
”Fine. Text me when it's ready.” He retreated to his room briefly to fetch a few other effects, including a plain silver band held around his neck with a probably less-than-authentic thin chain.
Once he was prepared, Gabe waited at the end of the hall with his coat on and keys in hand.
It wasn’t long before Ethiriel was ready; what she wore beneath was simple but she had covered herself in scarves and coats to protect her from the harsh cold of December’s days. With her learning how to manipulate her own silver, getting ready was much easier – less hassle with wrapping scarves around her branches and worrying about ripping shirts. She still had to bring her branches back out as keeping them inside was a strange sensation, but dressing herself was far less of a burden.
”I am ready, sorry for the wait,” Ethiriel said, immediately eyeing the band around Gabe’s neck. Henry always wore a ring on both hands, so she recognized the difference immediately. ”Shall we?”
”You two have fun!” Henry called from the other room, fussing with what sounded like plastic sacks and wrappers.
”Yeah,” Gabe offered his arm for the trek to the car, ”See you in a while.”
Even for Gambino, the air was frigid today. It was a short jog to the Escort parked just outside and Gabe hurried to get them both inside and out of the wind. The car was left to idle a few minutes earlier, making it easier for the heat to kick in and get the interior to a more comfortable temperature.
An arm was put around the back of the passenger seat while he peered out of the rear window, ”Do you want music or something?” Gabe offered as he backed out of the driveway.
”Only if you would like,” Ethiriel responded, staring straight ahead.
He gave a short murmur as his only response until they were on the main road. It was turned low, a soft accompaniment, but better than silence. Conversation was usually scarce between them but being stuck in the car together usually made others more talkative – Henry, certainly.
After a few minutes, Gabe cleared his throat. ”First birthday?”
Luckily for Gabe, Ethiriel was also the silent type when it came to car rides. She wasn’t sure what it was, but it sucked the discussion right out of her. Perhaps it was how little she liked vehicles.
She shook her head but continued to stare forward. ”It is my third.”
He nodded idly, eyes on the road. ”Celebrating, I mean.”
”Ah,” Ethiriel said, lifting her chin just a little. ”Yes, it is my first.”
”Third, though,” he murmured, ”Would have pegged you for twenties. Easily.”
A small smile cracked on Ethiriel’s lips as she took a glance over to the ring around Gabe’s neck. ”The nature of the beast, I suppose,” she said, returning her gaze to, what she suspected, was out the window.
”Suppose.” Gabe faltered a few moments in silence, then shrugged. ”That's cool, I guess. Skipping the whole kid stage.”
”I suppose, though I have no experience to base that on. I take it that you were not fond of your childhood…? Forgive me if I am prying.”
He scoffed, though his reply gave no indication of annoyance. ”I don't think anyone is, really.” Gabe paused. ”Maybe Henry but what isn't he fond of.”
Ethiriel let out a hum of a chuckle, low but definitely audible. ”He is quite excitable, isn’t he?”
”That's putting it mildly.” The tone his voice kept while driving was in contrast to most conversations. Maybe it was the topic or concentrating on the road made things easier but there was less stiffness to Gabe's interaction the more he spoke. Better yet, he seemed in neutral spirits – an improvement over the previous holiday.
The Frei had noticed this, and for the most part she took advantage. While she wasn’t the chattiest, at least Gabe seemed more at ease now. While their last walk was silent, it seemed more relaxed. ”He has put up with my troubles since day one, so I cannot fault him – even if my previous behavior was inexcusable. He is getting better.”
For a moment that nearly seemed to put a damper on things. Her guardian's brother stayed quiet longer than before. Thankfully, he didn't dip back into total silence and his tone remained casual.
”I don't know if I'd say all that,” he started, a bit more quietly, ”He does what he can. Whatever he screws up, it's never on purpose. Everyone screws up.”
Ethiriel let the silence settle, not wanting to be the one to break it – at least, not for Gabe. She knew he liked his silence, and she did as well. She was grateful that she wasn’t the one to break the stillness.
”He does his best.” she agreed, closing her eyes and bowing her head, just a little.
”Yeah.”
The rest of the car ride tapered into a more companionable silence. Occasional remarks were made but kept sparse, mostly at the state of the roads or how close their destination was. It was a workday for most and everyone was starting to head home – all at the same time. That made travel slower than Gabe would have liked but it fit well enough into Henry's plans.
It was definitely preferable; keeping silence was easier than conversation, but at least with Gabe nothing really felt forced. They both had a mutual, silent understanding of one another and it made things flow naturally.
With the great dislike of cars and other vehicles, Ethiriel was pleased when their ride was over as they pulled into the lot of the bakery. Even with the door closed, the cold wind carried the sweet confectionery scents through the air; though she couldn’t stomach food, it smelled wonderful. She waited for Gabe to open her door and escort her, and she was happy to get out of the cold, even in such a short time.
Gabe was quick to move them away from the door and its lingering chill. Considering this day was also a public holiday, there was something of a line formed. A few people were certainly excited, namely kids who wanted their New Years cupcakes or some college partiers waiting on a huge cake for a large group.
”Welcome!” a young girl called from behind the counter, immediately disappearing in the crowd.
”It is quite busy,” Ethiriel stated, her voice uncharacteristically flat. Too many people – way too many. She would be glad to get out of this mess. Hopefully they could get the cake and go at this rate--
It was easy to note the younger Knight brother's similar discomfort from the atmosphere by his posture beneath Ethiriel's arms. ”At least it's moving,” Gabe mentioned under his breath as the line shortened just a few steps.
One group with children left first, lessening the volume. Unsurprisingly, though, the most rambunctious and distinguishable voices belonged to the college kids.
There was a bit of a wait before they were helped, and while very stressed the cashier was very friendly and talkative. Their cakes were starting to run low but because of the order Henry had placed just days before, the two of them had their cake and were able to escape the hustle and bustle of the bakery unharmed. Ethiriel was offered the cake to hold as they trekked back to the car.
Gabe helped Ethiriel into her seat and buckled herself in before handing the cake over one last time.
It was a nice cake; chocolate marble with a pale green icing not unlike the color she typically wore. The edges and corners were garnished with darker green leaf patterns. There was still more prep work to be done when Henry got his hands on it, Gabe knew, but it was halfway done now.
Still, something felt off about it. ”I guess that's more for tradition,” Gabe noted after starting the car, ”than making sense.”
”The thought is what matters, I suppose. I hope you and Henry enjoy it,” she said, her tone back to its natural lilt. ”It does smell lovely. Maybe someday when I’ve grown I can enjoy similar confections.”
Gabe's eyebrow quirked at the mention of growth. ”However that works.”
With the time it took to get through the line, rush hour was in full tilt. Gabe tried his best to navigate through back roads but most people were having similar ideas and even they were hit with traffic. At nearly the halfway point, it was bumper to bumper on one of Gambino's straight-a-ways that allowed only an occasional creep of the tires now and then.
He huffed and tapped the back of his head against the head rest once, twice. There was still time to kill at Henry's request but this certainly wasn't how Gabe intended to spend it.
While she couldn’t see their surroundings, she could hear the cars around them and could feel that the car was stationary – it almost made her feel restless. Ethiriel fiddled with the edge of the cake’s container, though she had no intention to open it.
”Sir Gab—“ she paused, ”Gabe…” Another pause. ”This is… normal? Celebrating one’s day of birth?”
Gabe paused as well, taking a moment to process the way she chose to address him. ”Yeah. Every year.” He scratched his chin. ”I didn't do anything for mine this year.”
Ethiriel nodded, passing a glance at the ring on Gabe’s neck again. ”Holidays and yearly celebrations are strange to me. I understand that they hold deeper meaning for those celebrating, but perhaps it is either my genetic makeup or the fact that I was rarely exposed to such customs that it is a foreign concept.”
”No. Holidays are weird,” he leaned his elbow against the door and propped his cheek with his knuckles, ”You're expected to get excited for the same thing on the same day every year of your life.”
The Frei mulled that over for a minute, eyes still locked with the ring. ”But isn’t that the same for birthdays?”
”It's exactly the same.”
”You are not fond of celebrating these things?”
Gabe shook his head, eyes on the license plate of the station wagon in front of them. ”Social obligations get old fast.”
Ethiriel let out a hum of a breath, relaxing into her own seat just a little. She continued to fiddle with the box. ”I still do not understand the need for celebration, but I appreciate the effort you and Henry have put forth for my sake.”
”Mm,” Gabe murmured, leading to another lengthy pause, ”The idea is to celebrate the person. Which is nice, I guess.” He shrugged.
”That is a lovely way of looking at it, and I do appreciate it.”
”Yeah...” His fingers drummed idly on the wheel; they were at a complete stand still. ”Let's send Henry to sit in traffic on his next birthday. That'll be a great present.”
”And perhaps next time I will not be needed to accompany,” Ethiriel said, the slight curl of a smile obvious in her voice.
Gabe offered a scoff, barely hinted with a smirk. ”Yeah, really.” His grip on the steering wheel shifted and the car was able to creep up a few paces before stopping again. ”Fair warning, he's going to sing to you.”
”Oh,” Ethiriel chimed, an amused expression on her face. ”Well, at least his voice is not terrible. I have heard him sing to himself whilst doing chores. Are you to sing, too?”
Gabe let off a short laugh under his breath. ”I'm supposed to.”
Giving another gentle hum of a laugh, Ethiriel smiled. ”You do not have to if you wish. Perhaps you can pretend?”
”It's fine. It'll be obvious if he's the only one singing.”
”That is true… I am sure you will do just fine.”
He murmured again and allowed the conversation to fade. Minutes passed with only the radio faintly playing and occasional distant honking of horns.
”What else...” Gabe mumbled to himself. ”Oh. Right. The cake thing. It's kind of stupid but he's going to put candles in it and you're supposed to make a wish and blow all the candles out.”
”…Well, that sounds a bit dangerous,” Ethiriel chuckled, finally tearing her eyes away from Gabe’s piece. ”I shall have to think that over, then, though I cannot think of anything I would need.”
Partially a lie.
”You don't have to make a wish,” he noted, ”You could pretend.”
Ethiriel gave what felt like the most natural smile she had experienced in quite a while.
”True.”
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Posted: Sun Jan 04, 2015 9:09 pm
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Posted: Wed Apr 29, 2015 9:50 pm
”So… we may have lied.”
Ethiriel turned, her fingers curled around the handle of her bedroom door as her other hand was full with gifts – the tea set had been put away shortly after being opened. She said nothing, staring only at the silver around Henry’s neck with quirked brows.
Henry chuckled, taking a step closer. ”Don’t worry, don’t worry; it’s just that we have a surprise – another gift. I think you’ll like him…”
Brows still raised, Ethiriel pulled her hand away from the door. ”’Him?’”
Off to the side, Gabe cleared his throat. He took a few small steps to join them. ”He doesn't have a name yet. That's your job.”
The Frei continued to stare.
”Just wait a second—“
Henry then walked past Ethiriel, through the living room and kitchen until the outer door could be heard. The nurse whistled once and within seconds, the click of claws could be heard on the linoleum floor. It wasn’t until they were coming out from the living room that Ethiriel picked up on the thick scent of a furry mammal.
”A dog…?”
”Yep!” Henry chirped, tugging gently on the collie’s collar.
If it weren’t for how important they were for her, Ethiriel would have dropped her gifts.
”Just one moment.” she said, fumbling with her door. She sat her gifts carefully on the bed before emerging once more. Immediately, she hovered lower to meet the dog, her hands extended outward.
Henry let go of the pup’s collar, allowing him to approach Ethiriel, himself. She was met with kisses and immediate attempts at snuggles.
Ethiriel’s arms found their way around his neck and immediately she felt bonded. She remembered meeting Trox’s dog, as well as some time spent with Tango at the Bishop household, but she never felt so strongly for another animal; perhaps it was because this one was to be hers.
”He’s a seeing-eye dog. You’re mature enough to go out on your own, and this way you can still be safe.”
For the most part, Gabe lingered back and allowed Henry the floor with the explanation. He gave a short, muted laugh at his brother's last comment.
”Yeah, this is a long time coming. It sucks being cooped up, so,” he trailed off, his statement ending with the sound of his arms gently slapping his sides – he shrugged.
With continued silence, Ethiriel gently patted down the dog, who gave her more kisses in return. She smiled, burying her face into his soft, thick fur. ”Thank you…”
Henry smiled and leaned against the wall, crossing his arms. ”So what are you going to name him?”
With a large inhale and a gentle rub of the dog’s fur, Ethiriel pulled away. A name… She’d never had that kind of responsibility put on her, but then again, she’d never been given another living creature. She thought it over, allowing him to give her more kisses to the face – something she didn’t mind at all, despite the doggy breath.
”Nedhudir.”
There was a pause from the two brothers.
”Come again?”
”Neh – thu – deer.”
”…Definitely an interesting choice!” Henry exclaimed, his brows quirked.
”It's very...” Gabe paused, ”Tolkien.”
”Tolkien?”
”An author. I believe Gabe actually got you some of his books on audio, right?”
”Yeah.” Gabe ruffled the side of his hair and cleared his throat. His voice sounded a little more rough since Nedhudir entered the house, as if he were swallowing back a cough. ”Anyway, he's already trained so you just need to get used to each other.”
”I see…” said Ethiriel, taking note of Gabe’s voice. ”Thank you, I love him.”
Henry smiled again, pushing himself away from the wall. ”I’ll help you take him out when you need me to, but hopefully you get used to each other enough to not need our help.”
”Thank you, again.”
”It’s getting late, I’ve gotta call it. I’ll take him out this time, and don’t be afraid to get me if you need help,” Henry said as he gently took Nedhudir by the collar and led him toward the door. Ethiriel pulled away and hovered back to her regular height.
The Frei turned to Gabe.
”Thank you…”
”Sure.” There was a slight pause – a momentary shuffle, as though he were about to move away. ”Happy birthday.”
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Posted: Thu Apr 30, 2015 2:23 pm
The atmosphere of the Knight household was noticeably different after Nedhudir's addition. It had only been a few days but, following the birthday party, things seemed lighter. Warmer, even. The cheer of celebration hadn't quite worn off, though they all mostly returned to their usual states and business. Ethiriel had been growing fonder and fonder of the collie since day one. Henry had been helping her become adjusted to being led and getting the dog used to the house, and the Frei enjoyed every minute of it – in fact, since her birthday, things had been looking brighter for her.
Perhaps the only less than pleasant change was the sudden increase in Gabe's allergies. What before was a cough here, a sniff there, had settled into numerous sneezing fits. Despite it, the younger brother didn't appear too ragged – he continued to sequester himself with work only as much as usual.
Ethiriel had taken note of Gabe’s change in health, worry peaking its head through her newfound joy. Once Henry had offered to take Nedhudir out for a quick potty break, the silvery Frei approached the younger Knight.
”S—Gabe. Have you been alright? You are not sick, are you?”
She had no idea what allergies were.
Gabe was in his room, the same as most days around this time. His typing paused.
”No,” he answered, voice strained. Before he could get another word in, there was yet another muffled sneeze followed by two short coughs. Gabe cursed under his breath. ”Just figuring out the right dosages.”
”Dosages?” Ethiriel asked.
”For my meds.” Gabe cleared his throat, evening out his voice for the moment. ”I knew this was gonna happen, it's fine.”
For a brief moment Ethiriel hovered in the hallway, staring at the dim, dim light of the computer screen before turning without a word. She had no idea what his meds were for, or what exactly meds were to begin with, but after some fumbling in the kitchen and the sound of running water, Ethiriel was back with a mug of hot water, her thumbs soaking. After a moment, the water had turned to tea and she handed it to Gabe.
”For you,” she said, nearly bumping the mug against the computer desk.
At the near bump, Gabe slid one of his hands close to act as a buffer. Only after they were both still for a second did he take the mug.
”Thanks...” he sounded a little unsure.
The bottom of the mug touched onto the desk just as he turned away in time to be racked with another sneeze. ”s**t. I can't smell anything right now or, uh-- Yeah. Thanks.”
Ethiriel smiled as the mug was taken away, but Gabe’s immediate sneeze drew it away quickly.
”I hope that it helps,” she said, knitting her fingers together next to her ribbon.
”Yeah.”
Judging from sound alone, there seemed to be some hesitance from him in trying it. All the same, after a few moments Gabe took a sip. ”So.“
The Frei didn’t blame him on being hesitant, knowing that she’d never really offered her own tea to anybody before, but she hoped it would help with the congestion at the very least. However, she didn’t realize that Gabe was leading into conversation.
When she didn't respond, Gabe lead further. ”What do you think?”
”Think…? About…?
”The dog,” his voice muffled into the mug as he took another sip.
”Oh,” she chirped. The was a brief pause as she seemed to think it over. ”I quite like him, and the thought of what he does, indeed, does excite me. It will just take some getting used to, given I have never taken care of another living creature before.”
”That's fine,” the swivel chair squeaked as he turned away from the computer, ”and the birthday stuff?”
Ethiriel’s smile softened and her chin lowered, almost bashfully, as she reached her hand up to lightly touch Cesc’s gift. ”It is all appreciated… There are not enough words for how touched I am.”
Instead of a verbal reply, Gabe offered a short hum. Unfortunately, it didn't quite fully make it out and was overtaken by a cough which he muffled with his hand and swallowed down with more tea.
”Well, you're not getting a dog next year,” he gave a light scoff, the subtle humor in his voice just barely detectable. ”Guess you can expect the rest, though.”
Ethiriel’s content expression morphed into worry as soon as Gabe coughed, but for the most part he seemed fine. What was making him so ill? It didn’t quite click that it was the dog – only that he needed medication for it. Her rune thrummed apologetically.
”I do not expect anything… I am beyond surprised and incredibly thankful for what you all have given me…”
”Don't worry about it.” The more they spoke, the more liberal he seemed to become with his tea drinking.
Hearing this gave Ethiriel a little more comfort.
”Was Nedhudir your idea?” she asked, clasping her own hands once more.
That seemed to give him pause. For a moment, the chair squeaked as he moved side to side with his heel. ”Sort of. Henry picked him out.”
”He is a treasure; I thank you both.”
”No problem.”
With another brief pause, Henry could be heard praising Nedhudir as they came through the front door – he seemed to enjoy the dog as much as Ethiriel did, though for different reasons. Listening to them made the Frei smile.
”Alright, I’ve gotta go to bed.” Henry said, giving an over animated yawn for effect. Nedhudir was directly behind, immediately coming up with Ethiriel for love.
”Sleep well, Sir Knight.”
”Can do!”
While she still didn’t quite understand, as soon as the collie approached Gabe let out another sneeze; this time, a bit more intense. It wasn’t obvious to her, but Ethiriel was putting two and two together. She frowned and gently tugged on Nedhudir’s collar, heading toward the door.
”I hope you rest well and feel better,” she said.
”Yeah.”
The door to Ethiriel’s room clicked closed.
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Posted: Thu Apr 30, 2015 2:26 pm
In the mirror, all she could see was the silver.
Ethiriel sighed, raising a hand to meet one of her silvery branches – in her view, her hand blocked some of her silver. She retracted it, then returned it. How useless was her vision? What was even the point of her being born like this? Had Dr. Kyou really made a mistake while creating her? How defective was she? She couldn’t enjoy much of the same things the other Raevans could. During the search for Dr. Kyou, she would have been completely useless regardless of whether Leo had agreed to help or not. What good was she?
Sure, her birthday had shown that she mattered to others; they showed up for such a silly event and brought her such wonderful gifts. Ethiriel was well thought of, and now she knew it, but… why? Why had she been born this way? Regardless of what others thought, she was basically useless. She could clean silver and make tea, but what else was there for her?
Allowing her hand to fall, her fingertip brushed the chain of her necklace and she paused. Her eyes immediately darted to the silver charm that rested on her collar; Rhedefre’s gift to her. Ethiriel then ran her fingers along the length of the branch – even then, she couldn’t help but smile. Her brows relaxed and eyes softened as she pulled away and rested her fingers on the silver chain.
Rhedefre, she thought.
He was so kind and thoughtful – they hadn’t had a chance to meet up one on one in such a long time. Did he notice? Did he think the same thing?
The same thing.
Ethiriel shook her head and sighed; surely he didn’t. It was just a silly infatuation, she figured. He couldn’t want anything more than a friendship, she was sure. He was just a very good friend with taste in gifts. In fact, neither of them had made the effort to talk to one another – it was just as much her fault as it was his.
Yet, here she was, thinking of him.
Certainly he couldn’t think of Ethiriel in any other way than a friend. From what she had come to understand, he liked Freis like Zurine. Granted, the silvery Raevan only knew so much about the owl, but she was kind and personable while Ethiriel, herself, was so limited. Really, it was too bad that their relationship seemed to have a rocky end, but perhaps they had already made up? Cruz’s birthday party had been so confusing for the Frei; there was little she could participate in and any drama was missed entirely – not that she wanted the drama, but it was weird being present and missing everything.
Ethiriel’s fingers slid back down to the pendent. No, they were just friends. She may have wanted more at the moment, but maybe the feelings would pass. It was silly.
She longed to speak with him, but what was there to talk about? Her silly little crush? No, he shouldn’t know about that; there was no reason to put that burden on his shoulders. Not when it had been so long since they spoke. When was that again? Oh, right, her birthday. Had it really been that long? Spring was in the air and her birthday was several months ago.
Hovering to her bed, Ethiriel felt around for her phone. Her fingers caressed its protective case. She entertained the thought of calling, even so far as asking Siri to bring up Rhedefre’s number, yet she couldn’t make the call. It was silly. She was silly. She then placed the phone back down.
Maybe later.
Maybe not.
She would have to think it over.
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Posted: Thu Apr 30, 2015 2:27 pm
It had been a while since she had actually toyed with it; sure, she would adjust to change clothing or to keep out of the way, but Ethiriel hadn’t sat down and experimented with her abilities in what seemed like weeks. Last time, she had shown Gabe.
The silver Frei flexed her coated fingers, watching the movement in awe. It was strange actually seeing a part of herself that wasn’t just her branches or crown. She moved one finger, then another – then she balled her fist and turned it over. It was amazing – everyone got to see these miniscule movements daily and never think twice about it. Ethiriel, on the other hand, appreciated it more than someone could even imagine.
Flexing her fingers once again, she stared at the back of her hand, soaking in every detail that the silver allowed. She allowed the coating to seep up her arm up to the crook of her elbow and looked her arm over. Feeling a bit woozy, Ethiriel did not allow it to creep any further up her arm – she must have not had enough silver in her system to comfortably allow much more adventuring. The silver receded back down to just above her wrist.
Holding up her other hand, Ethiriel allowed the same amount of silver to coat the surface. It felt like liquid to her, liquid she had control of, but it was solid.
Nedhudir whimpered once, catching Ethiriel’s attention.
”What is it, my friend?” the tea Frei cooed, glancing from her hand to the silver bangle that hung from his collar.
The collie remained laying on the floor, resting his chin against his paw.
Retracting her silver, Ethiriel floated from her bed down to where her dog rested. She ran her fingers through his soft mane, giving his muzzle a gentle kiss before adjusting herself so that she could sit beside him. ”Everything is all right, Nedhudir.”
The problem with lack of sight, more than anything, made it difficult to gauge the time of day. With the winter, there were no crickets, no insects or living creatures to hint at the time of day. The sun was setting, making the room just a little bit cooler, but Ethiriel paid no mind.
Even despite having Nedhudir for a couple of days now, having her own constant companion was strange yet welcomed. He was already loyal and attached, and had it been for the lack of one he would have placed his chin on her lap as Ethiriel sat next to him.
After a few moments of silent pettings and affection, there was a knock on the door. It was gentle, but loud enough for Ethiriel to hear it and for Nedhudir to raise his head.
”Come in,” the silver Frei replied.
As if that wasn't the reaction expected, there was a moment's hesitation before the door opened and the silver ring on a loose chain came into view.
”Hey,” he prefaced, leaning on the doorway with his hands, ”Your dog been out yet?”
The silver immediately caught Ethiriel’s attention, her eyes darting to meet the sight. Offering a small nod, the Frei hovered just a bit higher and brushed off her top.
”No, I do not believe he has… Would you mind accompanying us?”
Gabe leaned back, leaving room for both of them. ”Sure. I was thinking about stepping out for a minute, anyway.”
”Wonderful,” said Ethiriel as she floated to ‘standing’ level. She softly clapped her hands and Nedhudir stood along beside her, his tail wagging slowly. Reaching for his collar, the Frei gently scooped her fingers between it and the collie’s fur and allowed him to lead her rather than the other way around.
Gabe lead the way to the front door, gathering his keys and other effects along the way. How he stood and shifted when it came to Nedhudir's presence made him seem unsure; even without Ethiriel on his arm, he kept his gait as slow and the service dog matched it.
”Hey,” he spoke up after a minute or two of walking. It was cold enough for their breath to come out in clouds and only getting colder with the setting sun. ”You never had a dog before, right?”
Ethiriel shivered immediately as the cold air struck her face, her cheeks brightening in the dark. Among the things gathered was Nedhudir’s actual leash, or rather, his walking bar, which gave Ethiriel a more comfortable floating distance from the ground.
”No, I have never had a pet of my own. I quite enjoy him,” she said, a small smile painted on her rosy lips.
”Right.” Gabe struggled a moment, turning his head and covering his mouth to cough. ”He doesn't have thumbs, you know. It's kind of hard for dogs to open doors.”
”I have figured that he would not share many anatomy traits as humans… Far less than we Raevens do.”
She almost sounded bitter.
However, her voice returned to its usual form. ”…I will do my best to care for him, but I will probably need help.” Something she hated to admit.
There was a noticeable delay in Gabe's response. He cleared his throat. ”I never had a pet, either.”
Ethiriel hummed, reaching down to give Nedhudir a quick pat on the head as they walked. She shivered. ”Perhaps we can learn together,” she suggested.
”I guess.” He bundled up in his jacket, zipping it up while making sure the bit of silver was still visible. ”I know service dogs are pretty different from pets,” he noted while looking at the collie, ”but they're still dogs.”
”Indeed.”
She offered the dog another pet without looking to Gabe.
”I shall do my best to care for him, regardless of status.”
Again, she wished she weren’t so helpless, so handicapped, but she did not speak this aloud.
Considering the temperature, neither Ethiriel nor her guardian's brother wished to stay out for too long. Nedhudir was able to do his business and the tea frei got a little practice in with allowing the canine to help her navigate. The two didn't speak much following their initial conversation and the short trek was quickly wrapped up as the sun fully dipped past the horizon.
Thankful for the walk being cut shorter than it possibly could be, as soon as Ethiriel entered the house and the warmth hit her, she sighed in relief to get out of the biting cold. She had never been fond of winter – it was slightly worse than summer. The only seasons she could physically tolerate were spring and fall.
Nedhudir stayed by the Frei’s side as she unwrapped herself from her coats and scarves; sitting and admiring his owner.
”Thank you, Gabe,” she finally said, pulling the last of the scarves off of her branches. However, a thread got caught and tugged the fabric from her delicate hands. She pulled it, but without a mirror she couldn’t fully pull it off and she let out a displeased breath.
Instead of asking for help, Ethiriel closed her eyes and waited. She had no idea if Gabe was watching, or would even offer her assistance, but she took a deep breath and focused. Again, it was a slow process but her branch slowly receded back into her shoulder blade, and the scarf fell to the ground’ The Frei reached back and gingerly touched her shoulder, examining her work.
He hadn't offered but he also hadn't left, perhaps lingering as a formality or In case Ethiriel requested assistance herself. There was a notable hesitance to Gabe's acknowledgment. ”Could you always do that?”
Pausing, Ethiriel gazed from over her shoulder back to the ring around Gabe’s neck. After a short moment she shook her head ‘no’ and flexed her fingers, allowing her arms to cross before her. ”No… I have been practicing. It… it is strange, but it has become a great help.”
She turned to face the younger Knight, another pause in conversation. Ethiriel closed her eyes and focused, and within moments her other branch, as well as her crown, melted back into her form, leaving no trace other than a small bump under the skin.
”I would perhaps be less of a burden if I were to keep like this. I would… be less in the way.”
Gabe scoffed. The ring shifted as he folded his arms just under it. ”Cut the s**t, alright?”
Ethiriel’s eyes widened and lips parted in surprise. There was a hesitant breath, an unsure sound, before the Frei tried to look the man in the face. ”Excuse me?”
”The 'woe is me, I'm helpless' s**t.”
The Frei continued to stare forward in disbelief, unable to find the response or retort that every fiber of her being longed to portray. Ethiriel had heard Gabe speak like this to Henry and even a little towards their parents, but she hadn’t expected it to be thrown at her.
When she didn't respond, Gabe huffed and pushed his bangs back. ”You try to skirt around it and be polite, like the fact you exist is offensive, but you keep bringing it into the equation every chance you get.”
Once he got rolling, Gabe's voice traveled easier. He wasn't yelling, far from it, but the shift in tone carried and broke what peaceful stillness the home had.
”I wasn't trying to give you a hard time about being able to take care of the damn dog, I know this s**t's new to you, but you twist it back. You find a cool thing that you can do for yourself that makes it easier for you but oh, no, it's gotta be about how tolerable you are to everyone else.”
Ethiriel’s throat clicked, the starting of words that couldn’t form yet managed to escape her gaped mouth. Where had her voice gone? She finally glanced away, toward one of the necklaces that hung from the frames of their doors; her brows furrowed, chest heavy. The tea Frei didn’t want to admit it, but, of course, the man was right. However, it only made the feeling worse. She was a burden on Gabe, who now seemed to have no more patience for her.
Closing her mouth, Ethiriel took in a silent, deep breath.
”I am sorry.”
It was all she could think of.
He didn't quite laugh but, perhaps in that moment, he may as well have.
”That's-- that's great.” Gabe huffed with palpable exasperation.
Without another word, warning, or apology, her guardian's brother walked past her and into the bedroom hall.
Having barely heard the interaction and the sound of Gabe’s heavy footsteps, Henry popped his head out of his room. Down the hall he spotted Ethiriel, facing away from him and frozen in place. The nurse passed a glance toward Gabe as he rushed to his own bedroom, then back to his Raeven.
”Ethiriel? Is everything okay?” he asked, taking a step out from the door and into the hallway.
The Frei said nothing, keeping her back to the man as she silently wiped tears from her delicate features.
Henry took another step, worry painted on his face. He reached an arm out and gently placed it on her shoulder, causing the Frei to twitch. ”Did Gabe say something to you?”
Shaking her head, Ethiriel was quick to keep silent. Wiping away the last of her tears, she cleared her throat.
”I am just… overjoyed still over how kind you are to me, that is all.”
Nedhudir whimpered but stayed in place.
”I-if you would excuse me,” she said, keeping her face turned away from Henry as she moved around him and toward her own bedroom; the pup followed.
Henry was left with his hand hovering.
Once in the bedroom, Ethiriel allowed Nedhudir to follow before shutting the door – however, after a brief moment she remembered Gabe’s words and, instead, opened it just enough for the dog to be able to nuzzle it open if he so chose.
No longer crying, Ethiriel stared at the leftover silverware left on her nightstand. She took a piece in her hand and silently allowed the entire thing to melt into her skin and she immediately felt full.
She knew Gabe was right; she needed to stop this whole pity party thing she had kept rolling with since Leo had given her up. She needed to grow up – she was being more kind to Henry, doing what she could to make it easier for him, yet all she could focus on when it came to herself was her negative traits and her pension for feeling in the way. Gabe was correct, and yet all she could do was apologize as if she were a burden once more.
No wonder he seemed to hate her. Ethiriel couldn’t blame him.
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Posted: Thu Apr 30, 2015 2:27 pm
Stillness had returned to the Knight household but a sense of unease persisted to hang over all of the occupants. While Ethiriel retired with her canine companion, her guardian and his brother were equally secluded.
Gabe retired to his room as soon as he finished saying his piece. His jacket was tossed haphazardly across a corner of his bed before he slumped into his chair. It wasn't a proper work environment like Henry's “office” but there was a small desk and several application print outs he had yet to finish in lieu of his online findings.
For a while, Gabe submerged himself quietly in work. When that became too tiresome, he retrieved his jacket and made towards the front door.
”Wait, Gabe.” Henry’s voice could be heard behind the younger Knight, as well as the sound of his door closing. His tone didn’t hold his usually happy-go-lucky cantor, and his expression was strangely neutral. The man usually looked so happy.
His brother took another step or two before conceding. Gabe turned to Henry with his hands tucked into his pockets and a look that said he was already done with this conversation before it even began.
This only served to turn Henry’s own expression grave.
”What happened in the hallway, earlier?” he asked, not exactly willing to participate in this particular discussion either.
”Nothing,” Gabe spoke flatly. He turned forward and took another step, not quite past Ethiriel's door.
Brows furrowed, Henry stood in place and crossed his arms. ”She’s not talking, again.”
Gabe stopped. He looked at the ceiling as his shoulders slumped and let out an aggravated sigh. The younger Knight turned back to face Henry this time and leaned his shoulder against the nearest wall.
”She was having a pity party so I told her to stop.”
”In your usual, less than pleasant manner?”
For a brief moment, Gabe's brows rose – they promptly settled and furrowed. ”What other manner do I have?”
The nurse sighed, following Gabe in leaning against the wall. His expression softened, though the sternness remained. ”Sometimes you’re not as big of a jerk as you let yourself on to be. I don’t know much of what went on but it seemed like you two tolerated each other pretty well for a bit, there.”
Gabe looked to the opposite wall with a roll of his eyes. ”Yeah,” he huffed skeptically, ”Are we done? I'm going out.”
”No, Gabe,” Henry sighed, raising a hand to rub his eyes and the bridge of his nose. ”I know you’re not happy here, but you can’t take it out on Ethiriel – on us. We all live under this roof and I can only do so much to keep you all happy. I understand that you’d get aggravated with Ethiriel ‘throwing a pity party,’ but do you even realize how much she’s going through? She’s got enough on her plate without you chastising her.”
”Yeah, I know. It's ******** up, alright?” Gabe snapped, ”The guy was an a*****e, I'm an a*****e, I get it. You know what might actually be helpful instead of coddling the s**t out of her? Getting her some goddamn resources.”
Henry deflated. He stared at Gabe with pleading eyes – this wasn’t what he had intended; he wasn’t meaning to turn Gabe into a bad guy, he just wanted to fix what was wrong. Once again, his hand met his eyes.
”It’s not something that hasn’t crossed my mind, you know?” The nurse lowered his voice, glancing toward Ethiriel’s door, which rested right between the two. ”I plan on getting her help, okay? Time’s not exactly on my side. I’m doing what I can to make both you and her as comfortable as I can with what little free time I do have. If you think you can help, by all means, I would appreciate it if you would step up rather than build walls up!”
”Yeah, of course, Mister Bedside Manner, you plan on getting her help. Does she even know that?” Gabe scoffed, though his intensity lessened as he scrutinized his brother. ”You haven't talked to her about it, have you?”
With a sharp exhale, Henry’s expression fell; his brows knit and his lips pulling down at the corners. ”No, I haven’t. I want to see if getting things lined up is possible so that she doesn’t get her hopes up.”
Gabe let out a sharp laugh and turned away to press his back against the wall. ”Yeah, that's a lot better. Can't tell her a damn thing, she might get excited -- God ******** style="color: seagreen">”If you don’t like how I run this household, why don’t you do something other than complain and cause trouble?”
”Well s**t, Henry,” Gabe pushed himself from the wall and took a few steps backwards while facing the nurse, ”I was before you stopped me.” He turned on his heel and left the hall, grabbing his keys off the counter with a noisy clatter and an unceremonious slam of the front door.
Henry stared at the door for a moment after Gabe’s departure, but it wasn’t long before he turned to glance toward Ethiriel’s room. There was a scratch at the door from the inside; Nedhudir must be getting restless or perhaps he was nervous from the argument.
Opening the door, Henry glanced in. Nedhudir was sitting just behind the door, staring straight up at the man, but Henry’s attention was on Ethiriel – she rested on her bed, laying on her chest and facing away from the door. He watched for a moment before calling the pup out into the hall so that he could take him out.
”I’m sorry, Ethiriel,” he murmured under his breath.
Ethiriel remained motionless.
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Posted: Thu Apr 30, 2015 2:28 pm
They thought she couldn’t hear.
That must have been it. They wouldn’t have argued so easily in front of her bedroom if they thought she could hear. Henry had even lowered his voice for the occasion. Ethiriel held her head between her arms, though she didn’t cover her ears.
All of this talk of help; like she feared, she was a burden. He couldn’t even talk to her about it. What good was she? Like an old ceramic doll, all she was good for was decoration.
It also served to strengthen her perception of negative feelings from Gabe. What did he want? For her not to feel useless, yet he wanted to find her help as well? What was it? The Frei’s head spun as she tried to wrap her mind around everything around her.
Nedhudir remained by the bed for most of the conversation, but at the door slamming, he trotted over to the door. Ethiriel did nothing to stop him; she didn’t call or clap for him. She had to put her own burden on this dog, too. She needed his help, just like she did with everything else. She was so useless, so helpless, and everyone had to work around her. She was only in the way.
At the sound of her door opening, Ethiriel shifted so that her arms were no longer around her head but instead, hugging her chest. She feigned sleep as Henry’s gentle apologies sounded in her otherwise quiet room, and she listened carefully to the clicking of Nedhudir’s claws on the wood flooring.
Tears stung at her eyes once more as she laid silent, the only light in the room seeping from the crack in her door.
Why? Why did she have to be born like this? It didn’t seem so bad when she was young, but now, everything was wrong and she was nothing but trouble. While she couldn’t remember who for the life of her, someone mentioned Raevens being born perfect; was she a defect? An accident? What happened in the tank to ruin her for the rest of her life?
Her hands met her face as Ethiriel let out a quiet sob.
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Posted: Thu Apr 30, 2015 2:44 pm
That boy…
Well, man.
Henry shook his head, taking a deep breath. He was swarmed with paperwork, backed up from his actual ‘in the field’ time from work. The job was rewarding in its own ways, and not to mention that it came with a nice paycheck, but the paperwork was definitely the hardest part. So much he had to do, so little time.
It had been several hours since Henry and Gabe’s little spat in the hallway – the nurse had gotten in a nap before working on more papers and the sun was already back up. The man was thankful that it was technically his day off despite the constant potential of getting called in for an emergency, and, of course, all of this damn paperwork. He’d get it done eventually, he knew, but why put off tomorrow what you could do today? Besides, the sooner he finished, the sooner he could help Ethiriel.
Ethiriel… that poor girl. Henry might not have known what caused Gabe to storm off that night or what was said, but the Frei was trying her best – at least, she was in Henry’s eyes. She had never spoken of her feelings to him; not her being a burden. She had apologized for her prior behavior but she still would not freely speak her mind. It was frustrating sometimes, but all Henry could do was give her, her space.
There hadn't been any calls or texts, no more slamming doors for hours. With Gabe out of the house, it was quiet but no less tense. It was early, around seven o'clock, when the front door opened and the jingle of keys could be heard down the hall. Against the hardwood, Gabe's stride was long and decisive with little attempt to quiet his soles but they didn't carry the same weight as when he first stormed off.
He entered Henry's bedroom without a word. The younger brother hadn't even taken off his jacket. Gabe stopped beside the nurse's desk and set down a packet and a CD case.
The entrance didn’t make Henry jump but he looked up from his paperwork quickly before glancing back down. The slam to his desk, however, made him scoot his chair back just a hair before his gaze landed back onto his brother, then the stuff he put down.
Braille.
”Where did you…?” the nurse started, dropping his pen to lift up and examine the packet.
Gabe tucked his hands into his pockets. ”Library.” He sounded hoarse, tired, and his eyes matched.
It was like he hadn’t slept a wink.
Henry’s brows furrowed as he looked his disheveled brother over. If he had slept it would have had to have been in his car, which means either he kept it running all night, which was unlikely, or he slept in the cold. The nurse sighed, standing up from his chair and took a step to stand in front of Gabe, placing a hand on his shoulder.
”You should get some sleep. I can approach Ethiriel with the idea.”
His brow furrowed and, at first, all Gabe responded with was a short grunt. He shook his head and slipped out of his brother's grasp. ”I got it.”
Gabe’s response was met with furrowed brows, Henry’s hand sliding off of his shoulder in one movement, but the nurse allowed him by handing over the packet and CD. ”She should be awake.”
Though he certainly looked out of sorts, Gabe moved just fine. Ethiriel's door was shut, as usual, and he stood in front of it with a hand on the wall. His knuckles tapped against it with no sense of urgency.
”Yes?”
Ethiriel’s voice was timid behind the wood door, though it was still heard.
A moment's worth of hesitance felt inexorably long.
”It's me,” he croaked.
Another hesitance, a long pause, before Ethiriel could be heard behind the door again.
”You may enter,” she finally said.
The door creaked opened just as tentatively as the frei's response had been. Nedhudir was in the room with her and the two regarded each other for a moment. Ethiriel ‘sat’ at the edge of her bed beside the pup.
There was another silent gap until Gabe cleared his throat.
”Do you want to learn how to read?”
It was obvious that Gabe had caught Ethiriel’s attention, her eyes immediately locking on to the silver that he, despite the fight, still kept around his neck. She took a small breath, attempting to meet his face before finally answering.
”There is a way?”
”Yeah.” He shifted, leaning his shoulder against the door frame to look at the items. ”It's touch based. You know.”
Gabe pulled himself from the door and took a few steps in. ”I-- got some stuff. Hold your hands out,” he requested, giving her a moment before slipping the packet and disc case into each.
Ethiriel hesitantly took the packet for herself, taking just a moment to feel its weight before she ran her fingers gently over its surface. She could feel the little bumps, her fingers slowly dragging along their sentences in awe. She could learn to read this? The slight shock never left her expression but she remained surprised, in awe, and a small smile graced her lips.
He waited while Ethiriel inspected her new resources. Even the dog came over to give them a curious sniff. ”It's a practice book,” Gabe noted while rubbing his eyes, ”and a CD with lessons. Should be straight forward.”
The longer he stood there, the more his resolve seemed to wane.
”I…” Ethiriel stammered, her attention now on the accompanying CD. She felt over its smooth casing and mentally searched for her Walkman. ”Thank you so much, Gabe…”
His jacket shuffled audibly as he shrugged. ”No problem., Gabe added, as an after thought. The younger Knight brother took a few steps back, only to pause and cough into the crook of his arm. I'm gonna--” he coughed again, ”--go lay down for a while.”
If Ethiriel needed help, Henry was up and about. With the nurse taking up the office, there wasn't much for Gabe to do in his current state but sleep.
The Frei could hear the exhaustion in the younger Knight’s voice. Her brows rose sympathetically – she knew that feeling quite well – and she gave him a gentle nod of her head. ”Sleep well. A-and thank you, again.”
Searching blindly on her nightstand, her fingers finally met her Walkman. Ethiriel opened the player, and just as quickly, the CD that Gabe had just given her. She put it in and immediately played it, reaching for the pad of paper that had come alongside it. Eagerness was clear in her expression.
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Posted: Fri May 01, 2015 8:01 pm
As soon as Ethiriel had placed the CD in, she listened carefully. Track one immediately began to play;
Thank you for choosing Gambino Public Library resources. Contained on this audio disc are the stepping stones to understanding the tactile writing system used by the blind or visually-impaired: Braille. Each lesson is contained on a separate audio track and will be clearly announced before the lesson begins. The lessons contained on this disc cover Grade 1 of English Braille: a letter-by-letter transcription used for basic literacy. Once you have mastered this level of encoding, please move on to Grade 2 and 3.
It then asked for her to open her work book, and she obliged. It began to explain to her what exactly braille was and she followed along as best as she could. Most everything about this situation was new to her; she didn’t know what a dot was, nor did she know a line. She did, however, familiarize herself with them, just as the lesson suggested.
This is the end of Lesson One.”
The next lesson was the Alphabet – In all honesty, she had never even learned the alphabet verbally as she never learned how to write, so once again it was new. It wasn’t too terribly difficult to memorize everything, but she knew it would take more than one lesson to get it down. Perhaps she could recite the alphabet for Henry someday to prove that she had been learning.
Ethiriel listened carefully and followed along as it taught her the grooves of each letter. It wasn’t long before the CD announced that it was the end of lesson two.
Next were numbers… another thing the silver Frei had never learned. What were numbers to someone who couldn’t see? She did, however, do her best to learn despite this – especially since, if she were to read more, it would come up eventually. Not to mention the audio books; out of embarrassment, she never admitted to the things she couldn’t understand.
As time went on, the lessons involved capitalization, punctuation, and usage, asking Ethiriel to follow along in her book as they went.
She felt frazzled, trying to learn too much in one go, but she couldn’t give up. She needed to learn this, to better herself and become more independent. She couldn’t rely on the Knights and their kindness forever, she needed to be her own Raevan. Henry would understand, and Gabe had already voiced his opinions on her thoughts. She needed to do this.
Tomorrow she would try again.
And again.
And again.
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Posted: Fri May 01, 2015 8:03 pm
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Posted: Fri May 01, 2015 8:04 pm
Quick ReunionWhile out getting meds for Gabe, Henry happens upon Aaron: the husband of a new Guardian.
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Posted: Sat May 02, 2015 12:26 pm
Forget it, she thought as the white stag crossed Ethiriel’s mind for what felt like the billionth time that night. There was no way; he barely knew her, it felt, and the same could have been said for her. Not only was she naïve, but she was young and inexperienced. Surely the Sigel could find peace in someone else. Ethiriel was not that comfort; not even close.
Tugging lightly on her tie, Ethiriel let loose her long hair and allowed it to fall over her shoulders. She ran her fingers through twice, making sure there were no new knots – it had been a few days since Henry had brushed her thick mane, and soon it would be time again.
Once again the Frei found herself staring into the mirror, staring only at her branches and crown. For all she even knew, she was no beauty – sure, others could say she was, but they were only words. She couldn’t weigh them on her own opinions, she could only rely on what others confessed. However, at least for the moment, she couldn’t believe those words. She could have been plain, could have been ugly, and all she could see were her branches – a hindrance in their own right; she had to retract them to change, what good were they? They had even caused her injury once, long ago when she was kidnaped. Everything about her was just in the way.
And Gabe… it felt like with every step forward, the Frei was forcing a step back. It had been a while, but she always tended to irritate the man with her self-doubt. Really, she should have been listening to him; he was often helping her and, usually, he was quite kind despite his biting tongue. All he wanted to do was help, but Ethiriel’s self-depreciative tendencies often rubbed him the wrong way, causing strife.
Ethiriel really wasn’t good at this.
No, Cesc certainly wasn’t interested. Ethiriel found him to be nothing but kind and warm; any emotions he felt for the tea Frei were merely friendly. There was no need for companionship other than that of a comrade, a friend. There was no room for the emotion of lovers. Ethiriel was playing herself.
Shaking her head, she looked away from the mirror to the silver hanging from the door.
She couldn’t fool herself, or more accurately, shouldn’t. Ethiriel couldn’t let her hopes up when it would only result in being let down. Earlier she had entertained the idea of perhaps speaking with Cesc about such things, but what good would that do? Perhaps it would push him away, disgust him. Would she be able to live with herself if he found her repulsive based on one childish thought?
Shaking her head, Ethiriel sighed. Rhedefre was too kind for such a reaction, she knew, but there was no telling what he would think of such an idea. Surely he would soften the blow, but what better way than to avoid it in the first place than to ignore it altogether. He didn’t need to hear these words from Ethiriel; now or ever.
She tried to think of other things; Cruz, braille, Gabe and Henry, silver and many other things. It was hopeless, both the thought and the infatuation, yet she couldn’t rid her mind of the plaguing thoughts. She was hopeless. These thoughts poisoned her mind and she couldn’t bear the thought of losing any of her friends in any way. No, she would keep silent and allow Rhedefre to live his own life, with or without her.
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Posted: Mon May 04, 2015 1:41 pm
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