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 Posted: Tue Aug 10, 2010 12:03 pm
Oh gods it had been a long day. Already Eldrick was forming something of a headache, having suffered through a tutoring appointment with a precocious pair of twins. Their mother had been a quiet soul, and the children, well, absolute terrors. Feeling as though he'd been run headlong into a brick wall, he'd never been so elated to wrap things up and make his exit. Shifting his satchel on his shoulder, an article that the twins had possessed the gall to ridicule him over, he sighed and trudged towards the portion of town that housed Amerald's apothecary. After all, it wasn't as though he'd never seen it, he had, on multiple occasions, noticed the shop...but being a healthy and not overly scientifically inclined creature, he'd never seen the pressing need to enter the establishment.
Now, however, was another matter entirely. Eyeing the outside pocket of his satchel, he reached down and brushed the silken feather inside...placed there so that it would not fold, tear, or otherwise become damaged in transit. Looking it up in his books, he had ascertained that it had come from a gyrfalcon, a rather large species of the bird, but... He still didn't know what the significance of the damn thing was, so he'd have to ask Amerald. There wasn't another way to decipher the riddle, or even to find out if it was just...happenstance. Mind, he was going to be extremely discomfited if his guest had not placed it there. It meant that either there had been a strange intruder in his rooms, or that there was a wild falcon hiding out in the bathroom.
Arriving, Eldrick tried the door, and allowed himself in, stepping inside in order to gaze about the little place. "Ah...hullo...?" He did hope that he hadn't come at a bad time, but it was thereabouts in the afternoon and evening hours when they'd met, the two of them. Oh stop that... He scolded himself for his own jumpy demeanor. Good lords, this was a shop, and unless they'd locked the door in his face, he was still welcome.
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Posted: Wed Aug 11, 2010 12:06 am
Amerald heard the door to his shop open, the bell ringing at the top of the door like always. He smiled and bent over to the creature before him. "You stay right here, okay? I'll be right back. Annabelle and Amelia will care for you in my stead." he said, smiling.
With that, he stood and quickly went to the shop door, opening it quickly to view the new customer standing within his establishment. "Oh Eldrick! Hello! Long time no see, eh?" the man stated with a chuckle. "Dinner isn't even prepared yet, but you can come inside if you wish it." he said, holding the door open for the man and smiling. He was definitely going to be surprised when he rounded that hallway to see two women with the features of birds as well as his own son sitting upon the couch.
Amerald had prepped the child beforehand of what the days events would include. He grew quickly over the night, that was for sure. He was quite proud of this one, for he was a cute specimen. Nothing seemed to be wrong with him but his eye. He had been complaining of it being a bother to him, causing him a bit of dizziness and minor headaches. Other than that, Amerald found no reason not to put him down so soon. Hopefully Eldrick would see him for what he really was, a boy longing for a father's love. That would please Amerald to the fullest.
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Posted: Wed Aug 11, 2010 12:54 am
The dusky-eyed boy blinked up at Amerald, and simply nodded at the orders. He hadn't any problem doing what he was told, at the moment, and was quite curious about how such doings would play out, not so very aware yet that he could fathom completely what the bundle of nervousness coiled in his stomach signified, or even truly grasp that it was anxiety at all. Folding one tiny hand over the other, he waited for Eldrick and Amerald to return, the child's gaze flitting from one female to the other as though trying to discern their natures from mere physical appearance.
Eldrick, the hapless newcomer in all of this, smiled broadly at the shopkeeper. "Oh yes, it has been s'terribly long." It was filled with a playful sarcasm, rather good-natured at the moment despite his ordeals at the hands of a pair of thirteen-year-olds. The best part of the entire thing was that it was blissfully over now. "But it's nice to see you again, Amerald...in fact, since you haven't prepared dinner yet...I mean, well...I could help ya a bit?" Strangely enough, he did enjoy cooking. Not the most masculine of hobbies, but at least it ensured that, as a bachelor, he didn't subsist off of sandwiches and expensive cafe meals.
Making his way on inside, he took a couple steps on down that hallway, but waited for his host, wanting to be polite, as always. I mean, the fellow had welcomed him into his home just as Eldrick had opened his own humble abode to Amerald the day before. "Oh, also I uhm...I noticed you left a feather in my bathroom, did you...mean to do that?" His fingertips went again for the article in question, as it was still nestled in the bag securely. Now was as good a time as any to return it, before it slipped his mind.
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Posted: Wed Aug 11, 2010 10:24 am
Amerald smiled at the man as he stepped into the house. Oh, he was so close, yet so far from his new little boy. When he turned around to continue talking to Amerald about the feather he found in the bathroom, Amerald's smile turned into a grin. "To be completely honest, yes...I did mean to leave that feather in your bathroom. See, I took the liberty of doing something a bit drastic and I'm sorry it was without your consent." he began. "But what I have done will amaze you. Your surprise is just around that corner." he said, grinning still.
He then began to walk down the hallway and around the corner to view the little boy and his two daughters sitting on the couches. He just needed the man to take a few steps forward and see what his 'surprise' was. He smiled and left the man in the hallway to decide what he really wanted to do. He went into the kitchen and started bringing the water to boil in the pot. He kept looking up at the boy who had been sitting there quietly the entire time. He smiled. 'What a good kid...' he thought to himself.
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Posted: Wed Aug 11, 2010 2:42 pm
Drastic? His mind seized on that word with not a little alarm, however, he could not take the turn of phrase too seriously coming from Amerald. He seemed to place importance on not a few strange articles. "Did you now...?" He murmured, pulling the feather forth from its confines and examining the gift. It truly was a pretty thing. Striding forwards in his host's wake, he found his curiosity less than sated by the three perched about the room. In truth, a whole minefield of queries unasked sprang forth to entrap him, and he stood there for a few moments, for once at a loss for words. Never before in all his travels had he seen creatures such as these...well, not creatures really. They were obviously people, the way that they regarded him, but they were otherworldly, feathers spreading behind them with unmistakably bird-like attributes.
It was the smallest of the three that caught his attention, however, a child... The boy spread his wings, leaning forward as though in anticipation, he did not say a word, merely stretched his hand out to the other, as though in offering. Eldrick, still frozen in his spot, was jolted from his place by the gesture. Very slowly, he took a step forward, "What...are you...?" He murmured, remembering his mam's tales of angels with wings such as these, however, the aura about them did not seem quite that awe-inspiring as to be of deifacted origin.
There was a slow blink from the silvery-haired boy, and he smiled tremulously, "I was made from you...and that." A point towards the feather in Eldrick's other hand. As Amerald had explained to him, it was as best as he understood it, mind still learning, grasping things with a certain unsteadiness that told of his age.
Awe-struck, the historian wasn't sure whether to feel violated or blessed, as he fumbled to understand what that had to mean. But very slowly, he took that hand, kneeling in front of the boy to get down to his level, fingers curling about tinier ones. Eldrick was not one to deny the instant rapport he felt with the youngling, but what did that mean? Looking to the ladies on either side, he sought some form of explanation for all this. "Th'hell is goin' on..." He muttered, feeling a headache coming on as he tried to make sense of this happenstance.
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Posted: Wed Aug 11, 2010 5:52 pm
"It isn't nice to curse in front of a little one." said the girl to the right of the boy from where Eldrick sat. She was not happy with the words he chose. But, it was his decision, though after that, she let up and a smile grew across her face.
The woman with the long black hair then decided to speak. "Let me explain. My father, Amerald..." she began gesturing a hand towards her father. "...is somewhat of an inventor. He has created the most miraculous gifts for others. These children are known as Hraapea. However, we are an illegal people. The government has somewhat found out about my fathers workings and has become quite suspicious, beginning to believe that here in Nuan, a man is creating these creatures as some sort of war machine. They do not know for sure, and are not completely convinced of our race, but they are surely suspicious of Nuan and its residents." she said.
The other girl then piped up a bit after her sister was done talking. "Yeah, so if you decide to take on the challenge of keeping your baby boy here, you must try your best to hide him. Cover his wings, don't take him out too terribly much. I mean...I've been stuck in this household almost all my life. I only get to go out on certain occasions when dad lets me. It's quite a fun filled life however, or so I believe it to be. What do you say? Name the child and take him in as your own. Or will you leave him with us? That choice has got to be yours."
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Posted: Wed Aug 11, 2010 7:15 pm
Eldrick winced at the girl's admonition and nodded, "Ah, sorry...I w's...startled..." He murmured, turning silvery eyes to the dark-haired lass as the child before him began to play with his fingers, coiling his own tiny hand with the man's own, as though doing so would make it impossible to untangle, and thus seal his fate. Ah gods, he had not expected to have such responsibility thrust upon him. Much less a youngster that, by the laws of the land, was illegal. But he did exist now, and whether by magic or science or some odd coalescence of the two (he did recall that Amerald had called himself an alchemist), and whether he'd consented to the affair or no, the child was definitely of Eldrick, despite his odd set of looks. That seemed most influenced by the bird that he'd been hybridized with. Strange, that the man had chosen birds as his subject. But who was he to be a critic?
And just how, he wondered, could a child be classified as the cog in a war machine? Ack, this was all his fault, likely as not, for prattling on to the shopkeeper about kids and tutoring and his mother desiring grandchildren and all that rot. "I...c'n I ask then, what would happen if I did leave 'im here?" Though it was spoke with the sort of resignation that made that choice seem most unlikely, Eldrick was almost enamored of the silent little boy, and not at all comforted by the near-fearful look that came over those youthful features at the man's inquiry. Damn.
That and there was a name welling up, lingering on his tongue as though begging to be given an owner. To name the child, he would claim him, become his parent. This was all very dizzying, and Eldrick was delighted that he wasn't the sort of person who became faint in such situations, oh no, he was of a much hardier constitution than that.
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Posted: Wed Aug 11, 2010 11:51 pm
Amelia nodded at the man's apology and then fell silent. She was quite happy that the man wasn't faint by the idea of the child. It made her feel safe and comfortable knowing that he was to be the guardian of this new boy.
Annabelle listened and contemplated what the man had said about leaving him. She was not too happy at the thought, neither was Amelia, but Annabelle placed her arm on the boys shoulder. "Than we would be forced to care and raise him for you. But you must swear your silence if you were to. You cannot tell a soul about his existence, or that I or my sister, Amelia exist either. For, if you did, we all may be taken into custody by the guards of Levintol. We would never forgive you for your disrespect or disloyalty." she spoke, her words soft, clutching the boys shoulder, hoping that the man would answer her with the words she wanted.
Amelia nodded as if to agree with her sister. She did have to suggest one thing however, "I believe he likes you though. And you seem like you kinda like him too. Heheh. Maybe you guys were meant for each other." she said smiling, lying her hand on the boys leg, patting it as such. The two girls were just so happy that the boy had taken a liking to his father. That was always a plus in their minds. Hopefully the father would accept him and not push him away...not like...oh never mind, he wasn't to be thought of or discussed. Annabelle and Amelia hoped that would never happen.
"So, have you yet to think of a name?"
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Posted: Thu Aug 12, 2010 12:16 pm
"Well..." He'd listened carefully as both of the ladies had talked, and he was glad, at least, had he not been able or of the inclination to take the boy with him, that he would have been safe and cared for. Squeezing that tiny hand that was still nestled in his own, he nodded, smiling and ruffling silver hair slightly, which he found, rather to parental surprise, was as soft as the feathers behind him seemed. Gods, but he was an adorable youngling, and with the touch, his face lit up, the boy swiveling to smile at all three of the room's occupants, a tiny expression, but no less sincere. "...I'd be a pretty bad father if I din't take care of the likkle guy."
The gazes of the two, seeming to glint silver and gold in the light, met for a moment, locking there in that way that so many would describe as magical, though that particular adjective did not rise to the fore of Eldrick's mind. "Alasdair." He affirmed his choice, as he let the name settle, the child seeming to consider it for a moment, before nodding, his wings half-curling about himself. "Issa good, eld name." As he let some of the accent his dear mam had possessed creep into his voice, it somehow seemed fitting. He was now stepping into the role of parentage, one that had been thrust upon him, but where he to be honest with himself, it was about time.
"Alasdair..." The child tried it out for himself, using fingertips to comb his hair back into place as his guardian had seen fit to muss it. It was clear that he was exuberant enough to have a name, hardly caring what it was, just that it meant...that he was going to go home with Eldrick, and the fear finally released its hold on his insides, and he let eyes lid for a moment, the room having been a touch dizzying not three seconds before.
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Posted: Fri Aug 13, 2010 1:06 pm
Both girls smiled as the man said that he would take him. Alasdair was a great name, but Amelia decided to speak up first. "I'm quite glad you've decided to take care of the boy. He needs love, isn't that right, Alasdair?" she said, turning her head to the side in order to view Alasdair from the front.
Annabelle just giggled softly to herself as she smiled. It was a great sight to see these guardians take care of their children. She was quite happy that no one had declined the offer...nor that anyone else had completely freaked out and told the government yet. She was quite surprised. No words escaped her mouth, but if one gazed upon her, they would realize that she was quite pleased with the happenings of today.
Amerald then finished cooking what supper they had been waiting for. "Okay! Who's hungry?" he said smiling, holding out the cooked fish that had been prepared just as the recipe Eldrick gave to him.
"Oh! I would love some. I'm starved!" Amelia said, jumping up and folding her wings as to not hit anyone as she walked to the table and sat.
"I am quite famished myself, father. I would adore some food." Annabelle continued, doing the same as her sister. The two were sat at the table, smiling back at the boy.
"Haha, Eldrick? Alasdair? Either of you hungry? Or would you rather have some time alone?"
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Posted: Thu Aug 19, 2010 5:50 pm
Canting his head towards Amelia, Alasdair smiled, eyes lidding as he nodded his concurrence. He truly had harbored a fervent sense of dread that his parent would have no desire to take care of him, and that, he'd rather thought, would have been a waste of the destiny that Amerald had intended for him. But now, all his worries had been quelled by something so simple as the gift of a name, the barest brush of a hand. It was almost as though he could sense the earnesty of Eldrick's decision to keep him, adopt him for his own. Rising from his place, almost into the historian's arms, he then wobbled a bit, still slightly unbalanced by his damaged vision, a thing that he'd been concocted with, and thus did not wholly understand.
Noting that the child was teetering, Eldrick simply scooped him into his arms there, where the Hraapea wiggled until he found a pleasant perch, wings shifting until they pressed close to his back, so as not to whack his guardian with one of them. Smiling as he noted that Amerald had indeed made the recipe that had been handed off to him the day before, he supposed he could take a sort of solace in the oddity of it all. He had wanted a bit of uhm...change in his life, just hadn't expected it to be so drastic and so soon.
Silvery eyes flicking to the alchemist, he nodded, "Th'food smells marvelous...so unless the likkle one is feeling antsy, I see no reason not t'join you and th'ladies for dinner..." A nod then to both Annabelle and Amelia. They really were lovely, ethereal almost with their grand wingspans....something that he could not help but admire as he made his way towards the table. Alasdair seemed perfectly happy where he was, snuggled up in the security of Eldrick's arms, and he wasn't really nibblish, but he had no intention of disturbing his father's plans, or moving from his spot. Dinner for Eldrick and a cozy nap for his Hraapea youngling seemed a very sound plan to Alasdair.
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Posted: Sun Aug 22, 2010 8:17 am
Amerald smiled and brought the food to the table. "Great, because I just finished." he stated as he began to set the table for those attending the meal. After that, he sat and began to fill his plate.
The girls smiled at the two and just began filling their plates with the same food, leaving an open seat for Eldrick. The meal tasted so good. Eldrick's recipe was phenomenal.
"Mmmm...this is great. I will definitely have to make this meal again. How about some meal conversation, eh? Eldrick, do you have any questions for me or my girls? I know this probably came as quite a shock to you. So I want you to ask away." he said, taking a bite of the fish. He then wiped his mouth with the napkin and continued doing the same thing again and again.
The girls kept a smile on their faces, turning their attention towards the other man. They were both content in their feelings that this man was going to make an exquisite father to the little Hraapea child.
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Posted: Sun Aug 22, 2010 1:06 pm
Once he'd sat down and helped himself to a portion of dinner, the dark-skinned male felt a touch of the tension leave him, familiarity a soothing balm for his riled nerves. Nibbling at the foodstuffs, finding that Amerald had done a smashing job in preparing the recipe, Eldrick's face brightened, the historian somehow pleasantly reassured by the superb, and almost reminiscent taste of the salmon. "You've done quite well...I'd say you're a grand cook as well as an alchemist." Chuckling softly, though the tone still had that tinge of a nervous ring to it, fingertips flitting almost absently to stroke the downy-soft strands of Alasdair's silvery mane.
"I've got t'say, I'm not entirely sure where to start I mean....does he need anything? Yanno, special or different. I'd hate to not...take care of him properly just because I didn't know." The longer he was around the quiet child, the more his protective and fatherly instincts sprang enthusiastically to the fore. Yes he'd been startled, perhaps even a bit put out...angry, at what Amerald had done without permission, but the warmth of the boy nestled in his arms washed all of that negativity away in a rush of pleasing emotion. And his mam had always told him never to act on a wrathful impulse...damn was he glad he'd heeded her over the years.
He could just feel the winged youngster's eyes on him, and redirecting his attention for the moment, he could see curiosity lurking within those hazel-cream depths. "D'you want to try some?" He inquired softly, picking up a utensil and stabbing a morsel of the fish...and then handing it to the other.
Tiny fingers curled about the fork, and the Hraapea brought it close to his chest, nibbling with a decidedly satisfied expression on his fingers, eyes lidding to stave off the headache that had begun to plague him. However, Alasdair didn't see reason to bother his guardian with that fact just yet. Perhaps when his father took him home.
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Posted: Tue Aug 24, 2010 8:59 am
Amerald chuckled with excitement. "Well, I'm quite glad that I have done well. After all, if it wasn't for your instruction, I would not have been able to create such a magnificent dinner for us all!" he said smiling and with a little chuckle.
He took a few more bites and waited for the man to finish his questioning. It was time that he take into consideration the future when caring for the little hraapea. "Well, besides keeping him a total secret, treat him as if he were a regular boy. Though, sometimes I guess his feathers will molt, but other than that, he is a regular child. Just treat him how you would treat any other boy his age." he said smiling, then realizing that his age was only a day, but his body showed the signs that he was at least six or maybe seven at most. "Well...you know what I mean." the man stated with a chuckle.
He then turned to the boy and smiled as he ate the fish. He was happy that the boy seemed to be satisfied with the cooking. Amerald nodded and continued to eat until he was finished. "Well, that was definitely tasty if I do say so myself. Plates?" he stated, standing, taking the other two hraapea's plates from them. He then brought them to the sink. The girls smiled and thanked their father as they too, stood and went to sit on either side of the boy again.
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Posted: Sat Aug 28, 2010 4:48 pm
"I will..." The man murmured, rather thoughtfully brushing back stray strands of silver from the Hraapea's thoughtful gaze, still seeming contemplative over the taste of the salmon. The world really must seem a new place for him, Eldrick mused, having just been spun from DNA and alchemy and into being as a child, everything at his fingertips bright and exciting. For all of that unknowing, he was damnedly calm. "So I'm assuming there are others like 'em, I mean...the likkle guy won't be completely without potential friends...right?" There was something tender and worrisome in the words, already concerning himself with the future of what was essentially his offspring. Oh his mam was going to have a fit about the fact that he'd potentially sired a boy with wings...well, whenever she got around to knowing about it, Eldrick was going to procrastinate on that for a few letters yet.
Setting Alasdair down for a moment, safely nestled betwixt the other too hraapea, he went to bring his own plate to the sink. "D'ya need any help with the dishes?" After this he'd like to go home, get his new 'son' settled. He'd probably let him sleep in his bed for a few nights until something else could be arranged, and he wasn't exactly comfortable with the idea of leaving a newling like Alas alone quite yet. "Dinner really was stellar...n'I thank you. I might not be sold on yer methods, Amerald, but..." He tossed a silvery-eyed glance to the boy, who was currently running fingertips curiously over the edges of Annabelle's dress, "...I guess I'm kinda grateful."
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