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Sethos was his father's son. Never mind that he wasn't, in fact, genetically so. And never mind memories of other times and places. The truth withstood such minor details. It was because of this simple fact that he didn't throw away the letter when he received it. As his father did, he worshiped the Lady, and she was rather specific about the importance of protecting children.

It was because of this, because he was devout in his silent way, that he showed up at the compound despite his misgivings. He had warned Sussare to be on her best behavior, and so she lay across his shoulders passively, cool tan scales comforting on his neck, her forked tongue flicking out to smell the air. It was likely she'd be trouble by the end of the day, but he was willing to be grateful for whatever temporary obedience she decided to display.

If Sethos was unlike other people, if he fit poorly in with society, he was not unaware of these facts. A near silent, stoic man. He had, on those occasions he chose to speak, a slightly antiqued sense of words and their rhythms, inherited from his father. He stood tall, with long brown hair and pointed ears. He wore Egyptian jewelry, and clothing that while apparently modern enough, seemed cut for another time. Black slacks. A simple linen shirt.

They would not want him to take in a child once they met him, he thought. And he would not twist himself into a more acceptable form. Still, he would have tried. Perhaps that would be enough to please the Lady.

So he waited at the entrance of the address he'd been given. Silent and patient, as ever.

Luckily, while punctual, Sethos was not the sort to take another to task for lateness. Or, well, anything. In his childhood he had been known for his temper, his ideas of entitlement, but time had mellowed him, turned him silent and solemn. When Dacian came in, presented himself as late, and not entirely clean, well, if Sethos was dismayed, it didn't show on his face.

He bowed, not deeply, but enough to be polite, and merely shook his head in response to the man's question. He did not believe in wasting words, and he did see idle speech as a waste. Words had power, and he was not of the kind to spend power frivolously. So he bowed, and once he'd straightened, he watched the man with a patient, respectful silence. Presumably, he'd explain more about the child, details, special needs.

Odd, how silence often encouraged the gifting of more information than speech did.

"Sethos." He allowed that much, for if more than one man had been contacted, Dacian might not know which he was.

((Sethos is... probably not the most comfortable guy to RP with. But I hope he'll encourage Tabia to be all the more loud and vivacious with his quiet reserve. I assure you, if I think he's getting too awkward, or putting too much pressure of the RP on you, I'll bring Sussare in to add a bit more chatter.))

The man's seeming cheerfulness brought the suggestion of a smile to Sethos's lips. He found such demonstrative emotion both mildly amusing and confusing, it was so very unlike the subdued quiet of his own home. Mind, there was joy there, but rarely the sort that might be expressed by exclamation marks. At his shoulder, Sussare hissed quietly in his ear, and he reached up to stroke the snake to calm her.

Ahh... to see the child, that was well enough. In... energy form. Heh. The places that children formed. The sources magic could be put too. The Lady would approve.

Open question. Bane of silence, of horded words. Sethos was many things, but in his own way, he was polite. Certainly not of the kind who would ignore a man making a direct inquiry. And one that could not be answered with a nod or a head shake. Well, there was no help for it.

No wonder he was so loathe to leave home. Everyone so insistent on speaking, on hearing him speak. He did not respond immediately, falling into step with the man and weighing his words carefully. How to get the most out of the least?

"What would you have a potential guardian know?" He asked at last. And then, after some hesitation, "Meaning, are there concerns or abilities particular to these children."

Sethos followed in graceful silence, nodding at the man's words but making no effort to contribute to the conversation. Useful information, all of it, and he was prepared to trust the man to give him what information he needed. That was his purpose, after all, and surely he wanted to ensure the proper care of the children he placed.

But Sussare was restless. She followed the line of the desert fae's arm and studied the mage with as much open curiosity as her snake form was capable of displaying. Head high and waiving in the air, she waited for something more to happen. A low hiss as they paused at the door, and it was only Sethos's hand on her head that kept her from doing more. She wouldn't wait much longer. Bored. She did not like being bored. And she certainly didn't like being kept from playing. Pity her bonded lacked any sense of fun.

The last statement brought an eloquently raised eyebrow and a slight, inquisitive tilt of his head. Mixed. It was an odd choice. of words Was that anything like summoned?

He understood summoning.

Now to see the thing that would be his child. Perhaps. If all went well. If the Lady willed it.

"Oh, what does it mean?" That enthusiastic exclamation certainly didn't come from Sethos. No, next to the near silent fae stood a tall, lithe, tan skinned, and completely nude woman. "I mean, it seems like the pattern are..."

She started to step closer. And then Sethos grabbed the woman rather sharply by the arm, hissed something in her ear, and with an irritated shrug, she was gowned in a tight cocktail dress that seemed to be made of golden scales. It didn't leave much to the imagination, especially with the slit that ran up nearly to her hip, but at least it was clothing.

"I apologize. Sussare is impulsive." He bowed deeply, and, keeping a tight grip on his familiar's arm.

Turning to the colorful brilliance of the energy that was meant to be his child, he too was taking in by it's odd appearance. "Lady's dance, how bright it is."

Sethos felt the burn of bright affection as he stared at the glowing thing that was perhaps to be his own child. There was, unfortunately, no room for another child at home, but the offer of an apartment solved that problem. Hard, to think of leaving father and Autsu, of leaving his family behind. But Autsu would doubtless find great use for a spare room, something he could turn toward his further training. And Father...

Oh, Father. He did not exist fully in the world as it was, always lost in mourning for the Lady. Besides, it was not as if Sethos could not visit, and regularly. He was of the goddess, he would understand the need to care for a child. He would even take part in the upbringing, a comfortable thought. Sethos would not need to discover this road alone.

Privy, but not interested in his silent musings, Sussare gave him her best innocent look, a difficult feat, her eyes were still a serpent's, bright with cunning. "I would help you." She promised. "Bright bold little one. I could teach it to be clever."

Which meant, of course, that she could teach it trouble. But he was Sethos, so he did not rise into argument or rebuttal.

"I would care for the child, should you allow it." And there was some question of that yet, after Sussare's usual troublesome behavior.

Sethos studied the child again as he formulated his response to the question. The bright vivid patterns of color, the sense of intent in the designs, the wildness of them. And then he thought of his home, in quiet amber and russet, and the way that peace seemed to radiate from each simple decoration. No, his first thought had been right. It was too small, too peaceful. A hard thought, but not one to be dodged.

"I would need to reside here." He stated, pulling his attention firmly from the entrancing image and focusing steadily on Dacian. Sussare, perhaps seeing her influence as successful, leaned against him, dress once again becoming scale, and then she hung at his neck, her own gaze still on the child. Her mind was full of thoughtful whispers.

He paused, considered. He needed to return home, discuss this with Father and Autsu. He needed to make it clear that he was not leaving, but simply relocating for the sake of the child. In honor of the Lady. It was how he'd been taught.

The fae who seemed, for the most, to believe in slow deliberation, moved his shoulders up in a shrug that was rather unsuited to his somber demeanor. "Any apartment will suit fine, as long as there is space for myself and the child. I will accept the key to any you feel appropriate."