Welcome to Gaia! ::

"For what?" replied Third simply, as if the inquiry made no sense. Alin-Maya cracked open one eye. Third wore a look of stubborn determination on his face. Alin-Maya had to smile faintly. That expression reminded him a lot of Trion.

Third wondered if Vin was simply too naive and good-natured to realize what Emperial of thought of him, but if so, it was probably better for the elf's sake. "No," he said, "Constant and I can take care of Aelinye. Why shouldn't we?" By some miracle, he kept any trace of indignation from creeping into his voice.

Alin-Maya softly giggled, opened both of his eyes and smiling at Third. "Of course you should! It's clear Aelinye likes you best." The Merovingian had a unique perspective on the situation, having been raised by servants the first six years of his life.

"We're not stuck with Aelinye," said Third, slightly appalled at the notion. "I was looking for her. Constant, too." He almost let slip that the desire was more his than his daemon's, that his finding Aelinye had been an act of selfishness. He pursed his lips. "Of course we know all about bonding."

Alin-Maya thoughtfully pressed his fingers against his lips and watched Third carefully, coyly avoiding comment.

Alin-Maya relaxed with a gentle hum, glad for such a diffusive answer. "Children are so wonderful!" Alin said.

Looking at Aelinye, Third had to agree, and wonder if Emperial had at all felt the same way about him when he arrived. Constant assured him she had. Third remembered some of Trant's questions. "There aren't any dietary requirements or special procedures?" He was trying very hard to be a conscientious Keeper, trying to make sure there was not a single detail he was missing that would later be attributed to or blamed on his age.

"We're not afraid of nightmares," said Third, as if saying it would make it true. It was in a way true and in a way false. Third and Constant had no fear of any nightmare that Aelinye could set upon them, but Third's fear of his own nightmares was very real, too real, so he denied it with a protective mantra.

In his lap, Aelinye rested lightly, strands of grey hair trembling at her breath and the gentle weight of Third's fingers. No hint of nightmare surrounded her; she daydreamed peacefully.

Third phrased his next question carefully, hoping to avoid confusion. He asked, "Can you tell me how fast an Iridae grows?" He knew that his own growth was accelerated beyond that of a human and suspected that Aelinye, with her Gaian origins, was the same. How fast she might grow was important. He had no intention of allowing her to outgrow him and turn their tentative relationship upside-down, reversing the roles of ward and protector.

Alin-Maya leaned forward, resting his palms on his knees. "Who is the Medium?" he asked, as innocently eager as a small child.

"She's another Iridae," said Third, "guardian of Death." He looked to Arranos for confirmation, and in the hopes that the other Keeper had more information on the strange woman. Third could only go by what he knew from the two brief encounters.

Third lightly edged Arranos away, but not soon enough. Aelinye and stirred at the unfamiliar touch, opening her eyes and then her mouth in a plaintive whimper. Her little fingers pulled at Third's jacket and she buried her head into the fabric with a shudder.

Blanking his face against reaction, Third repositioned Aelinye on the far side from Arranos and Vin and hugged her close, Constant taking Aelinye's place in front of Arranos. The daemon panted and wagged her tail in eager friendliness.

"No, We don't know that," said Third to Vin, wondering what Aelinye's mistake had been. Whatever it was, he was grateful, because it meant she was here now.