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[Corny / Discord]

It was going to be just a quick trip to the general store. He wanted to make something special for dinner even though the kids were visiting again. Hey, he was in a good mood. He could put on enough for them as well without cheaping out. Riya was napping with Ziya, so it was the perfect time to slip away for those missing ingredients. Almost perfect, at least. Yngvara was awake still. He had been tempted to leave her there, but she could make herself more useful while she was visiting and carry some things!

"Has your mother made you something called akutaq to eat?" he asked, aiming a look back in his niece's general direction. He certainly wasn't about to make it himself, but the thought of food and family brought up a surprisingly pleasant memory. It seemed like so long ago now. ...It was long ago! "She made it for me once. I can not say I would be eager to have it again, but it was not bad. Certainly different from what I'm used to."

[Corny / Discord]

Ehhh... their father. He still wasn't sure what Sylvirah saw in that chaotic guy. At least they were all safe while he went south for the winters. "I think she said it was for special occasions," he hummed, unable to help a little smirk at the idea that Zyphire being gone for a few months was a special occasion.

Any further teasing on his part was cut short when he saw through the window of his parent's home. It had become a habit to take the slightly longer route in order to peek at the house whenever he came to town and make sure everything was still standing. What brought him to a halt was the tiny figure peeking back out the window. She looked alert and awake, absorbing all she could see. When the older woman's eyes landed on him, he saw her expression light up and a beckoning hand rose. Was she actually seeing him, or..? "Yngvara, you be on your best behavior here, understand?" he ordered, though any bite his tone might normally hold was tempered by his clearly distracted attention as he headed for the old home.

[Corny / Discord]

Brow rising, he took a moment to remember the crazy situation with his family. Snowelle wasn't really Yngvara's grandmother, so that wouldn't be right to say. There was too much to unpack in that moment though. "She is my mother, Ms Snowelle," he replied, rapping his knuckles against the door to announce himself out of habit. Part of him wondered if he shouldn't send her along to shop more without him, but the door swung open. There she stood with a bright smile and clear eyes. Eyes welled up with mixed emotions.. but clear all the same. "Mother?"

Snowelle was a frail little thing by now, but she was clearly working on standing as straight as she could in order to meet her son's gaze. "Ergon.. There you are." She reached for his arm and tugged him to go inside, not giving the youngling with him more than a glance. "I have made tea today. Please join me for a bit."

[Corny / Discord]

He headed inside silently, doing his best to keep his jaw from hanging to the floor. Snowelle had gone through clear moments before, but those were usually fraught with depression and pain. Right now, she looked.. content and happy. Was this really her? Remembering himself, he spoke while slipping off his coat and boots. "Mother, you.. look quite well. How are you feeling? Where is Enua?" He glanced at Yngvara and indicated for her to set her things aside as well.

Snowelle smiled excitedly at the mention of Enua, her personal nurse assistant. "I sent her to the store for me. I want to make dinner myself tonight. I can assure you she will not be long, seeing as how she was reluctant to leave me alone in the first place." Seeing Ergon's glance, her eyes finally noticed Yngvara standing there. After a pause, her brow cocked curiously and with mild disapproval. "Well, I know it has been a time since we have had servants, but our servant's quarters is still outside. If you must bring one with you, please leave them out there."

[Corny / discord]

Ergon sighed and shook his head. He certainly didn't like that she had been left alone. He would have to have a little discussion with the nurse later. "She was right mother. I am glad to see you well, but these do not always last very long. Enua's job is to watch over you." He crossed his arms firmly, but the stubborn look ended there. His expression showed that he was still too amazed to see Snowelle looking so alert and awake.

It took him a moment, but his gaze eventually slid over to his niece. Oh... "Um, mother. This is Yngvara. Sylvirah's daughter."

Snowelle's brow cocked again and she waved her hand dismissively. "You have no need to fret. She will be prompt as she always is, and you know that she would not have left if she had any serious doubts." She curled her fingers playfully. "Come, you may help me with dinner."

After a brief glance to Yngvara, nose lifting and the words ignored, she turned to head for the kitchen until Ergon spoke up. "Sylvirah..." she murmured softly. "Oh, that poor thing. She has had a difficult life, and now.." Her gaze turned to the hybrid with sympathy. "To have a child like that? You have a bigger heart than I realized, Ergon, but you certainly do not need to take care of Sylvirah's mistakes for her." She glanced at Yngvara again and gestured for the girl to stay put. "Well, I suppose she will be fine by the door for now." She reached her hand out to Ergon, oblivious to the perplexed look on her son's face. "Come on. Help me in the kitchen."

[Corny / discord]

'...fine by the door...' Just like that, the girl had been dismissed like a pair of boots. Ergon felt a ripple of defensiveness roll through him, and he was shocked by the feeling. He instinctively leaned to follow Snowelle, but he froze at the feeling of the small hand grabbing his own so tightly. Blinking back into the present, he looked down at Yngvara. He was only looking at the top of her head from this perspective, but he could feel it. Her posture, her tone, the words themselves...

His eyes raised back to meet Snowelle's gaze and he pulled his hand back to rest it on Yngvara's shoulder. Defending a hybrid? Him? When had this happened? "Mother.. this is my niece," he said softly but firmly. "She is here with me, and I would appreciate it if you would treat her as such."

Snowelle's loving gaze went blank for a moment, making Ergon think the switch had been flicked back off in her mind. Yet, sorrowful disappointment soon filled the gap.

"Oh, my poor boy," the older woman sighed and reached toward her son's face, but her desire to avoid contact with the hybrid kept her at arm's length away. "I spent so much time away from you when I should have been teaching you the ways of the world like any proper mother. I know I ran after your brother's passing. I suppose we all did in our own way. We have the chance to fix this now!" Her watery gaze turned hopeful, and not once did it drop to acknowledge Yngvara. "I am going to be present, and I will teach you how to behave properly. Once your father is ready, he will join us as well. Please do not ruin our chance to be a family again over something so trivial as illegitimate relations. Your real family is right here." Her body was stiffening with tension, but she smiled again and turned her hand to offer it out again. "Come, darling. Assist me in the kitchen."

[Corny / Discord]

He couldn't believe the anger bubbling within him. All on behalf of an annoying, stubborn little hybrid. He had been overjoyed to see his mother up and about, but this utter disregard for Ygnvara's presence was shocking. Anyone else, he wouldn't have questioned it. Hybrids were less compared to pures. It was just a fact of life. That was the way it had always been. He had been taught that growing up. That was how most of the pures around him acted. Yet this behavior from his mother seemed extreme. It didn't just seem extreme; it was extreme. If she had kept her sanity, and Kaygon hadn't died, would he...? He looked down at his niece and a pang ran through his chest. He freed his hands and found himself pulling Yngvara against himself protectively. "Mother, please apologize to my niece."

Snowelle was nothing less than confused. "Ergon, what is this?" She shook her head and reached her hand back out. "Come on now. I am feeling well for the first time in.. in a long time. I have so much to make up for. Are you choosing that over your own mother? Let her go and stop sullying my home." Now her eyes did drop briefly to Yngvara, but now they prickled with disdain. She couldn't bring herself to speak directly to the hybrid though. Her own son, bringing a hybrid here and expecting her to treat them as family? "It is the influence of that girl of yours, isn't it. If you had ended up with a proper lady, this would not be an issue. See reason, Ergon."

[Corny / Discord]

His mother's words were striking deep. His affection for non-Zenans and hybrids was limited, but somewhere along the line.. he had grown enough to know that they weren't so different. Frustrated heat burn his cheeks and eyes. He had never seen his mother acting so.. venomous. How else was he to describe the words coming out of her mouth? There had never been an occasion of his mother interacting with hybrids either though. His father disliked them, but contact with the outside was a part of business. His father could not show this kind of behavior and expect his business to grow... It was painful to hear... His fingers tightened slightly on Yngvara's shoulders. "Mother. Please.."

Snowelle's nostrils flared, glaring down her nose at the child. "You do not speak to me like that," she hissed. Her gaze rose back up, pained but clearly angry and only further irritated by the pain she saw in her son's eyes. "You still have time, you know. There are still a couple ladies out there who might be willing to overlook your history. Someone who can put you back on the honorable path and give me some grandchildren. Honestly, I don't know what you-"

"Stop!" Ergon snarled. He felt like his body was shaking, but that might have just been his heart pounding in his chest. Now she was attacking Riya and their trouble making a family? This.. this could not be his mother. His lips pressed tight and he sucked in a deep breath to reign come control into his voice while his mother stared at him in shock. "I will not stand here while you attack my family. ..I'll come back later to check on you." Snowelle had reached out a frail hand, but Ergon was already turning to slip back into his boots and coat. He could feel the look he was getting... As much as he wanted to go to his mother and make her happy... he instead yanked the door open and carefully but firmly took Yngvara's arm. "Let's go finish our errands.."