|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 Posted: Thu May 26, 2022 3:28 pm
Calliana looped one end of a freshly picked wild flower around the other and pulled the stems taught, adding another link in her crown. She’d been out for the better part of the day with her brother and their friends, though now it was just a small group of young girls in the clearing. They all should have returned home well before now, but the children were too busy crafting to care. She didn’t much care that the sun was already in the process of setting anymore than she cared that there were dirt stains all over her brand-new dress. It was only supposed to be worn to class, but she’d wanted to show it off soooo….
“Look Calli! This one matches your eyes.” A chubby little Geian girl held up a bright yellow flower crown with a happy smile and placed it atop Calli’s head. She raised a shoulder, turning this way and that to pose as if it were a prized piece of jewelry.
“Now you should wear yours!” She laughed.
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu May 26, 2022 3:30 pm
[Scar / Discord]
When Ygraine first moved to Belrea, Nimueh had never fathomed he'd follow her there in the future. He and Callum loved their life on the road, and from everything they'd heard the other continent was ... like Oba, crowded and full to the brim with people. When they first came, with toddlers Calliana and Casimir on their hips and Siel and Morain beside them, it was with the intention of it being a visit - nothing more.
And yet here they were, a handful of years later. Siel had parted ways, striking out on his own - and Morain had eventually done the same.
To their happy surprise though, there were parts of Belrea that were more rural - agriculture and, while a far cry from the lands they knew, they were humble and not nearly as chafing as the citiers of Zenner and Valmon. ... So they'd settled there, for now - close enough to visit their grandsons, daughter, and son-in-law, but on their own.
It was getting late, and Casimir had come home on his own, shrugging guilelessly when pressed on where his twin sister was. They were close, yes, but not quite as inseparable as the triplets had been - Casimir was independent, especially when he knew his sister was having fun - and loyal enough not to rat her out.
So that left Nim to go to collect her. ... Although, when he spotted the children in the distance he did slow his pace a bit. They had to have noticed him by now, but he didn't call out to them just yet. It was... nice to just watch his hybrid daughter with friends who seemed to like her.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu May 26, 2022 3:31 pm
Calliana’s curls bounced over her shoulder as a stray whisp of spring wind blew past them. Despite how warm the weather was becoming the winds could still carry a chill and once the sun fell the cold would settle in. A few of her friends shivered, raising their little arms to rub against the skin or even scooting closer to each other. One stood to leave and as she was gathering up her supplies her eyes moved over the pastoral landscape to Nimueh. For a moment she froze, as if the sight of a large looming blue man was enough to put a spark of worry in her, but when realization hit she leaned down to shake Calli’s shoulder.
“Look.”
At first she brushed her friend’s hand off, but when the girl shook it again Calli turned to look at her baba. Instead of looking happy to see him Calliana’s smile dimmed and she looked absolutely put out. The girl rolled her eyes with a dramatic groan, but soon enough the girls were all hugging one another, laughing over something one had said and exchanging goodbyes. When she was sure they were all on their way Calliana made her way closer to Nimueh.
“I was on my way.”
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu May 26, 2022 3:32 pm
[Scar / discord]
(2/10)
... You know, there was a benefit to most of his children having Aishan eyes. It meant that, for most of his life as a father, he had to endure only a limited amount of eye rolling. Which was for the best, because goddess it was one of the most frustrating, galling things he'd experienced as a parent! Calliana had been enjoying herself, but once her little friends spotted him she stiffened up, tossing her eyes in that eery, earthling way, and putting out every sign that he was unwanted.
Should he take it personally? He couldn't recall any of his older children being so opposed to time with their fathers, but then again - the Geians they lived near tended to laugh his musing off, and say it was 'natural', especially for young girls.
"Good. I was on my way to get you." Nimueh responded, in kind. He paused, though, when he noticed her dirty new dress, pursing his lips slightly as a soft sigh exhaled from his nose. "You were making flower crowns, where did this dirt even come from?"
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu May 26, 2022 3:33 pm
“From the ground. That’s where flowers come from.” Calliana huffed and crossed her arms across her thin little chest. She had a way of carrying herself that was far larger than her petite frame and while surely one day she would grow as big as her sisters – because she was surely going to be that tall – for now she made due by holding her chin high. “Giesla made mine, but did you see the one I made her? It’s really good.” And it really was the best! She’d worked so hard on it and getting colors that matched was hard work. Talking about it relaxed her and soon enough her hands were dropping to hand at her sides.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu May 26, 2022 3:34 pm
[Scar / Discord]
Nimueh closed his eyes for a moment, focusing on calming his breathing. What was with that response! Plucking flowers didn't cause that much dirt, not unless she was ripping them out by the roots--
... Okay. She was a child. He'd never lost his cool with his children before, and he wouldn't start with Calliana. Even if she managed, somehow, to gather more and more sass into her small body every single day. "Of course it was, you've always had a great attention to detail." Nimueh said, matter of factly, even distractedly as he gently set his hand on her opposite shoulder, nudging her forward so they could start their walk home.
"I wish I'd gotten a better look at it before she left. Perhaps, if I'm so lucky, I can see the next one you make before you give it away?"
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu May 26, 2022 3:35 pm
She nodded her head with an all knowing ‘hmph’. Baba was finally starting to get it! For a moment she hesitated, even going so far as to look over her shoulder to watch her friends’ retreating forms, before starting to walk. A part of her knew they would see each other tomorrow, but she really didn’t want it to end.
“I didn’t give it away, Baba. We made a trade; she got one and so did I. You don’t just give things away. “ Not even Casimir got things from her without some kind of trade. She never asked for anything big from her twin, but Calliana never liked being on the ‘losing’ end of things. “If you want to see one I could make one for you, but you’ll have to make something for me too.”
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu May 26, 2022 3:36 pm
[Scar / Discord]
Here he was, having to trade for goods from his own daughter? "Your grandmothers would be so proud of you." Nimueh sighed, shaking his head with a laugh. To his knowledge, his adoptive mothers were still alive - though it had been a number of years since he'd gotten a letter from them, not since the twins were born and they'd moved, temporarily or not, to Belrea.
"Hm. Well, I could make sure to wash your new dress so there are no stains? Or I could pick some stones out for you, and see about some new jewelry, hmm?"
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu May 26, 2022 3:37 pm
The little hybrid preened. “Then we should tell them! You can send them my marks from class, tell them about my flower crowns, and – Well, we’ll talk about it when you can write it down.” She looked at him as if he were betraying her simply by not having a quill at that very moment. Calliana had a lot to brag about, and she wasn’t afraid to do it. After all, she’d put a lot of work into being the top of her class and while it didn’t compare to her nephews’ education in the city she didn’t dwell on that.
“Hmm. I guess if you can make my dress like new again I can make you a pretty nice one.” She pondered shrewdly. “You’ll have to do a pretty good job though; flower crowns are hard and you’ll need a big one.”
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu May 26, 2022 3:38 pm
[Scar / discord]
(5/10)
Nimueh fought the urge to grin, or to laugh, because he knew his little one wouldn't take it well. But she was... precocious was one way of putting it. She reminded him quite a bit of an Alkidike, prideful and a bit arrogant and eager to tell the world her victories. "Very well. I'm sure that can be done." Nimueh said, amused. As her father, should he be responsible and advise her that her attitude might alienate some people? But then, she had plenty of little friends she seemed to like - and all it would serve, he thought, was to make her upset with him.
"I think your papa will be incredibly jealous of my crown. I can't wait to see his face."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu May 26, 2022 3:39 pm
“I could make him one,” Calliana mused, only to quickly tack on, “but I won’t. Papa has feathers; he doesn’t need flowers.” Oh now that had been a fight when she first started her schooling. When she told the others that they were real they hadn’t believed her and Calliana threw a fit until Callum, inevitably, had to allow a dozen or so Geian children to prod his shoulders.
“How come you don’t have feathers? Is it because he’s so short and they make him look bigger?” In all honesty Callum was tall by earthling standards, but compared to their little family he was practically petite. “I bet that’s why he’s so fast, though. I read in a book at school that birds who can’t fly are really fast.”
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu May 26, 2022 3:39 pm
[Scar / discord]
(6/10)
Nimueh arced a rounded brow at her, unable to stop himself from smiling - at least a little. Ohh, so he had to trade for her crown, but she'd make one for Callum? He shook his head, chuckled softly, listening attentively as she rattled off a number of questions. They were getting closer to the little settlement they were staying in, and to the small house that they were renting for their stay, at least for the next few months.
"Well, first of all, papa isn't a bird. He's been fast for as long as I've known him." Nimueh answered, proudly. "And he didn't always have flowers. I bet he'd appreciate a crown, if you're the one who made it. And-- ah... perhaps you could ask papa again about his feathers?"
The legends were that the gods, or spirits, gave their people the gifts - but Callum had vehemently denied being given a blessing from the moment he came home with them. It'd be easy to just chalk it up to that, but - it might backfire anyway. Not everyone had the blessing, and knowing his prideful daughter she might take whatever was said and spread it around her little school, and then they'd have a group of upset Belrean parents saying their kids were asking why THEIR papas weren't 'blessed by the gods'. "When I met your papa Callum, he didn't have feathers. He didn't grow them until a short time before you and Cas were born."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu May 26, 2022 3:40 pm
“Every time I ask him he starts talking about something else and then we always end up doing chores.” Calliana waved her hands around in front of her, moving them in such a way as if they were looping into one another. She’d heard the story before, more so from Siel who always made it a big show, but she still thought it would be better if papa could fly.
“So…that means that it was because of us? Siel said it was a blessing and if he got them before we were born then we must have blessed him!” She jumped a little with an excitable grin. Those eerily gold eyes were devilish as she thought about it. If he hadn’t had them when Sol, Ygraine, Lutana, Morain or Siel were born then that mean they were the best!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu May 26, 2022 3:41 pm
[Scar / Discord]
Oh, well -- ah... Nimueh gave an interjectionary hum, but his daughter was already jumping and grinning, decided on this idea as fact. "Of... course you both blessed us but ah-- you did that already without giving papa feathers." He said, quickly, patting his daughter sympathetically on the shoulder. "I'm afraid you were both just twinkles in our eyes, back then."
He really needed to change the subject, didn't he? "If baba had feathers, do you think I'd look as good as papa does? Would I look silly?"
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu May 26, 2022 3:42 pm
That…wasn’t what she’d said at all. Furrowing her brow, she gave Nimueh a cross look as he gave her a pat and puffed out her freckled cheeks. “No, that’s not what I meant. Miss Rochelle called it a har…harbing…harbinmungur of things to come. That was us and the feathers!” Baba just wasn’t getting it so instead of dwelling she shrugged it off.
His other questions though…”I don’t think you’d look silly but I don’t think it would look good. You’re not as flashy as Papa so maybe something that isn’t feathers. You could have something really nice, though.”
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Reply
