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Aurick 1

Autumn was a special time of year for the baker. Not only was it the beginning of the busy season, but it was also when he and Harika had started to explore their love for one another, cementing it as his favorite season. He'd come to enjoy their walks down leaf littered streets, long evenings prepping orders with the windows open and a cider warming by a fire, as well as Harika's own visual spin to the season. Each year she managed to outdo herself and Aurick had come to look forward to seeing what his lover came up with.

Now that the children were old enough to attend formal lessons there were events with that as well, and now the family was ever at the mercy of mother dear's creations. They needed to look presentable, though he had no doubt she would turn the school's basic requirements into something special.

All he needed to do was make sure he could button his shirt. He'd just gotten a new one made! The fabric around his biceps was stretched thin, but not so much that it made him uncomfortable and thankfully the buttons didn't pull too much. "Eyvin?" He called out, still focusing on the task at hand. "Are you out of the bath? Don't make me come back in there and get you."

Harika 1

Harika absolutely adored autumn, especially considering all of the special moments that had occurred over the last few years during this specific season. She had first been amazed by how different things could be in cooler seasons, the foreigner accustomed to the tropical life in the ocean and later the desert, and arriving in Belrea mid-spring had allowed her to witness the full transition of warmer weather to cold with leaves changing in various colors to inspire her designs and desire to decorate everything accordingly. The first year had been magical with its moments and Harika refused to let it ever go without some sort of celebration going forward. There was always the harvest, the time they spent with Aurick's family dear to her heart, then after the harvest there was even their time with their own family carving pumpkins and gathering leaves to play in behind the little townhouse they made home with warm cider in the evening while sharing stories together before a crackling fire as the darkness of night appeared earlier as the season progressed. It was stranger this year though to wake up and realize that they were technically already disguised for the season since the latest change had altered most of the family's appearances...Harika still couldn't believe Aurick had only slightly changed, the swap of his eyes almost unbelievable to the rest of the family that had more major changes. Their own children were almost unrecognizable with their different colors, but Harika knew them after a moment as their features beneath the colors were still very much the same. These were still her dear children who were beautiful and just as loved, no matter what coloring changes had occurred. She just wished that Eyvin could see that despite the teasing of the other younglings, very few of which had such drastic changes thanks to their pure blood. A few shades darker or lighter didn't matter as much to them or even different colored eyes while teasing someone who was already a bit delicate and had more drastic changes was far more fun.

Noticing his distress had only fueled her desire to push past her own change, the different crystals still throwing off Harika as she paused in front of the mirror each morning, and Harika did her best to focus on the season instead. She wanted the whole family to enjoy their home for the autumn, the pumpkins and leaf decorations brightening the exterior of the house up with various warm colors, and this year's theme was based on fairy tales. What better way to try to warm her son up to his changes than with a bunch of stories where characters went through so many transformations along the way? The main hallway by the stairs had been painted to look like a magical forest, trees twisting upwards along the walls with vibrant leaves and hanging orbs of colored glass lit the way with candlelight during the darker evenings like glowing forest spirits. Everything else was decorated accordingly through the main living spaces, the array of colorful crystal mushrooms, fairies, animals and little ghosts with pumpkins hiding throughout the house. Now it was just time to work on the family outfits for the public city events and especially for the event for the academy. Harika was hoping that if she made a costume that Eyvin adored maybe it could help him to better accept his new appearance, somehow. She didn't even worry about Inali and the changes except for when her daughter decided it was easier to speak with her fists towards those who wanted to bully her brother, the spitfire not even hesitating to point fingers instead of apologizing for the newest fight.

Amber and golden material was draped over her arms as she walked down the hallway, her pink hair twisted around a flower crown with some autumn leaves splashed in, and her skirts were part of a dress that referenced an autumn queen with her pointed ears perfect for the role of some forest elf or fairy who embodied that spirit with her silk layers looking almost like delicate wings folded along her back. "Eyvin?" She attempted to call out quietly, her hand rubbing along Aurick's back as she joined him to call out towards their son through the door. Harika smiled warmly at Aurick, a silent plea to let her try before she continued speaking to Eyvin. "Would you like to see my latest creation? I wanted to see if you would like to wear some wings this year. I could make you look like one of those butterflies that you both adore watching every summer. If Inali gets here first she may try to claim one of the options I prepared for you." The great monarch butterfly, a perfect inspiration for a fairy prince. It was far better than doing the spittorog that turned into a prince, as tempting as that idea had been. She also couldn't imagine turning her son into a blood thirsty villain from the stories, especially not when he was already struggling with his changes. So why not make him shine and see how handsome he could be with his new look?

Aurick 2

The baker was still fiddling with his clothes when he felt a hand at his back, and turned to see his lover. "Oooh-" Catching himself, Aurick cleared his throat. Harika was every bit as stunning as he knew she would be, especially considering he'd sneaked peeks of her costume from time to time, but seeing it on her was another matter entirely. The mannequins didn't have the same curves as Harika or the presence to make the materials work for her instead of being consumed by it.

Instead of taking her attention, however, he leaned forward to give his Autumn Queen a quick kiss before bending at the waist to scoop up his little firecracker. It didn't matter how much Inali had changed; the moment she came out puffed up and hissing at her classmates Aurick knew it was his daughter. He walked the girl to their bedroom just next door, just to give Harika some time with Eyvin, and plopped her down ontop of the bed. "Think you can do something with those hands besides a one two hit? I need help with my hair."

Aurick walked over to their dressing table, which was admittedly mostly Harika's dressing table, and came back with a little jar of pomade. "Take a little and run your fingers through my hair, just like mama does it? I never can get it right." Which wasn't entirely a lie, but it would give Harika a chance to get Eyvin out of the bathroom without an audience.

Harika 2

Harika's lips curved up into a grin at Aurick's reaction. Despite her concern for their son, there was a moment where she had to take a moment to appreciate her beloved's appearance as well. He was definitely a bit snug in the shirt, she may have to adjust that once she helped Eyvin, but he did look dashing. A very handsome knight to match with their fairytale theme. It was impossible to not take a moment to study him as he whisked Inali away, the hybrid's gaze lingering on their departing figures before returning to the task at hand.

Picking up her skirts so that she could glide towards the door, Harika gracefully sat down on the wall next to it so that she could talk to Eyvin through the door. "You know I used to be sick a lot." She mused lightly, pondering the situation with a knowing smile crossing her lips. "I was the oddball of the islands, the strange one who stood out from others in my family and on any of the ships. I was teased constantly and those feelings grew into an illness because it was easier to hide away than go out and face those who were being mean to me for no reason." Harika shifted, crossing her hands as she reflected on those more painful years and how she personally had felt when trying to please those who wanted nothing more than to hurt her feelings over and over again. Eventually she had given up on such things, realizing it was best to just focus on herself and ignore the taunts from those who simply didn't want to understand her or were just jealous of whatever talents she possessed that they didn't have. But how did one express that to their child? Harika closed her eyes for a moment as she thought about it. Eyvin truly was hurting and she didn't want to belittle his feelings, but he also couldn't hide away forever...hmm.

"But you know what? A monarch butterfly gets teased by others before going into its cocoon and becoming the beauty that it is. Do you think maybe they're just jealous that someone could change so much while they didn't get to experience such a story?" She mused quietly as she tried to listen for Eyvin on the other side of the door. "The caterpillar can't become a butterfly though if it hides away from the world forever, right? So maybe it can be scary and upsetting, but eventually it'll find those that understand and cherish him despite the bullies who may try to stop him along the way. I personally would love to see a butterfly emerging from our household tonight, especially with the wings of his choice that I'll work hard on so that everyone will be too enamored with his appearance to even try teasing him."

Aurick 3

"Of course it's not. You're also good at making sure I meet the parents of everyone who says something mean about you or your brother." He stood in front of her for a moment, heterochromatic eyes looked down at her. "You're a good sister, Inali, but there are other ways to get them to stop." It was one thing when she said something to them, usually he just got a little note when Aurick left the Bakery to pick them up, but now he was starting to wonder. Inali could be a big, strong girl just like her Aunts one day so this needed to get curbed down a little.

"Oh, I don't know, embarrass your poor mama?" With a little sigh, he bent down just enough to give her access and let out a small laugh. "A hunter or a knight? I thought you'd want to be both! I've heard about some knightly hunters in those stories, y'know." Aurick didn't have the flare for stories that Harika did, but he always made sure to bring some warm milk or tea just at the right time. And that was usually before anything exciting where a kid might get a little jumpy and spill it.

"The strongest, bravest knight who hunts down anyone who would harm...say...a prince? Think you know anyone like that?"

Harika 3

Just a little bit at a time. Harika gave her son an encouraging smile as she saw him peeking out from the small crack in the doorway. "Well, those monarch butterflies have really pretty patterned wings. I was thinking maybe black with orange and yellow or we could splash in some pink or peachy colors? I have options, but would need you to come out and pick which colors I should sew onto the base." She shifted, scooting back away from the door more so that Eyvin could see the materials draped together in her arms.

"It always helps if I can see my subject in a better light." Harika teased lightly, trying to entice her son to come out of the bathroom. "Though I would recommend putting on your clothing for the outfit first, then I can work on the final touches." The little outfit fit for a prince was folded and tucked inside the bathroom for whenever he had finished bathing just like Inali's outfit was sitting on the bed waiting for her daughter as well.

Eyvin 4

"We could...put some pink on them." It was his favorite color, even before the change, because it reminded him of sugar and his mother. For a moment Eyvin pulled back into the bathroom, but instead of retreating to his corner he picked up his small clothes and slipped them on. He took a second to hang up the towel, just like he was taught to, before hesitantly making his way over to his costume.

Getting ready wasn't hard; the outfit may have been stylized, but getting the basics on was easy for a child. There were elements that would need an adults help, but by the time he went to the door little Eyvin looked like a proper Princeling.

Harika 4

"A good choice." Replied Harika with a smile. "I'll make them pink with some yellow and amber accents." A little bit of black outlines, white and some purple even to help bring the colors together, she was confident that Eyvin would look lovely in those. She let out a happy squeal as Eyvin emerged, the hybrid rising to her feet so that she could tug her son forward for inspection. "You look so nice!" She praised him, before holding out the frame for the wings. "I just need you to stay still for a moment so that I can sew on the proper material for this autumn prince of mine."

Though she did pause for a moment, tucking a stray bang to the side so that she could gently rub a finger across the changed crystals. Thankfully they had retained the unique shape that she had inherited from her family, but something else had caught her attention now that she looked closely. "It's interesting how things happen. Those colors are the same as my mother's crystals. Did you know? Our purple ones were more like my grandmother's, but mama had that pinkish hue so maybe it's for the best." Harika smiled warmly at Eyvin at the realization, hoping that it was a good observation to make him feel better. Even if that exact hue was off from her mother's pink crystals it didn't matter, not even Harika could remember such exact details after years without her. As sad as the thought made her, she just held onto what memories she could since losing her mother as a child and hoped that by giving Eyvin a connection to his grandmother things could be a bit better. "You're going to be handsome just like all the other men in the family. Let's get these wings on and finish lacing everything else on your outfit for tonight, okay?"