Welcome to Gaia! ::

Even knowing that it was his own big brother come to fetch him out of the dark and scariness, Xunrak couldn't help but feel a little afraid as Adin drew near, if only for the suddenness of his rushing over. He didn't understand how his big brother was so concerned; to Xunny, it just meant that he was eager to see him, much as he was eager to see a familiar form in the darkness of his room, instead of his scary father who liked to hit him or his stoic nursemaids who never seemed to want to play.

Xunrak felt immediate happiness as he was picked up and moved to put his thumb in his mouth. The sudden tingling in his arm reminded him of how he had woken up, and he shifted himself to show Adin his arm. "Owie." he declared with a sniffle, unaware that he would probably be confusing Adin with the lack of surface injury. Such things didn't trouble him; his big brother always knew things. He knew when to be quiet so that their father would pass by and not see them to hit them, when to be noisy and when playing was a good thing and didn't bring any stinging smacks, and most importantly, he always seemed to know when Xunrak was lonely and had need of him.

At the sound of the strange new word, Xunrak turned his head to watch the other figure in the shadows. Not recognizing him, the infant clutched at his brother with his untingling arm, his eyes wary and a little fearful. But then he remembered that trouble was there when Adin was scared, and if his big, strong brother wasn't scared of the new shadow, than he had no reason to be either. Peering into the darkness, he saw that it was another boy, just like his brother, and he offered the stranger a shy smile. "E.....Eff.....Epppphht" Beaming, he waved a chubby hand at the shadow-drenched boy as he continued to try and say his name and end in a raspberry. "Epppht! Epppht!"

Adinas carefully held his brother to his chest. There was a sense of calm that came with holding the toddler. As if he had nothing to be worried about as all now that he had Xunrak. Perhaps it was because he knew how important his brother was to him? When out of his sight he had no idea if he was hurt, but now that he held him, he knew nothing was going to happen to him. Adinas focused on his brother when he would inform him that he had a wound of some sort. He shifted his grip and reached up to gently run his fingers ober the boys arm. He could not feel any sort of cut or break...perhaps it was a bruise? If his father had grabbed Xunrak he could see how that may have happened.

Adinas smiled faintly as his brother attempted to speak E'ths name. He waited until his slave would greet his brother, then he whispered to him. "Xunrak is Mothers firstborn. So he is very very special." He explained while reaching up to stroke his brothers head. "He has fathers dark hair, but mothers streak and eyes. He is very lucky he was her first son, father would not have cared to keep him if she had not chosen to. It is my job to make certain he grows up to be a good son, so she will not change her mind about keeping him in the family. I want you to help take care of him too E'th. If he is hurt or scared I need you to help him or find me, kay?" Adinas looked over at E'th and smiled faintly. "Someday he's gunna be First Son so I have to make sure no one assassinates him."

E'th was taken aback to say the least and clearly showed it. "First born?" he asked. Didn't Adinas call the Matron his mother? Maybe....maybe he was born to someone else but taken in? Maybe the Matron wanted him in the shadows and didn't publicly recognize his birth? Well....whatever the case he quickly bit his tongue. It wasn't his place to question....regardless how curious his was of it. Besides, it was likely a touchy subject. It was likely if Adinas wanted to tell him he would.

He looked between the two thoughtfully. He would really do better to look into what he should do to care for someone younger.....he wanted to be at least somewhat useful to Adinas. As it were his only skills were cleaning and following orders...it didn't make him the most useful slave really. E'th nodded to him though. "I'll do my best," he promised.

Xunrak ceased his babbling at Adin's obviously affectionate touch and turned his body a bit so that he could cling back. Not knowing yet that such gestures were taboo in his world, all that he knew was that he much preferred his big brother's affection than his father's violent rage or his nursemaids' cold indifference. His mother he rarely saw at all, as was customary for a growing page prince, but he knew that there was another constantly looming threat that often eluded him and resulted in his being hit hard if he tried to look for it. And so he was content with Adin's attention, and for now, the other boy's. At least he seemed willing to pay him attention and listen to his baby talk.

But then he heard Adin ask the other boy if he wanted to hold him, and he turned to look at the other uneasily. It was one thing for his brother to introduce him to a new friend, but what if this new boy dropped him? What if he held him too tight or put his hands in all the wrong places and made him dangle? After all, nobody held him quite like his big brother, whom he looked up at now with a serious expression. "Epppht hol' Xunny?"

Adinas had no intentions of forcing E'th to hold his brother. It would be like handing someone that hated you a dagger and turning your back on them. It was a issue of just common sense. He didn't want E'th to be uncomfortable, though he had hoped his brother and his slave would have gotten along a little easier. Adinas looked down at Xunrak and moved a hand up to gently cup the back of his head.

"No Xunny. Not today." he murmured to the tikes question while smiling faintly at E'th. His hands seemed to be shaking. Was he somehow scared of holding the first born son? Maybe, Xunrak was super special after all and if he made a mistake his mother would have been so unhappy. Just the mere thought of his mother caused Adinas to turn his head and look over his shoulder.

"The nanny will be getting up soon...and we should not be here when she comes." He replied with a note of regret. Adinas looked to Xunrak, then leaned down to press a pair of quick kisses on his cheek. "I'll bring you sweets tonight if your a good boy Xunny. Promise. You be real quiet today?" He asked the little one before looking over at E'th. "I need to show you what places are safe this time of day too. Oh! And how to get food from the kitchen! I don't eat meals with the Family."