Jair

[Elnara Aldrich]

Brother’s log, 5 May

I feel so proud of myself. I know pride can be a terrible thing, but I can’t help it. Mother entrusted me to go to the Second’s world on my own today and pick up her new vase – or rather, the vase of our new brother. Jair. He’s going to be a merboy, like Ryu. Except, of course, that he’s not going to be a twin. But Mom says that there’s something else different about him … maybe the markings on the vase are some sort of a clue. They’re quite beautiful, actually – and to me they look like nothing more than markings that might mean water or something. Like waves and water droplets. Quite beautiful, really.

It was an interesting experience, seeing the vase for the first time. I remember seeing the vases of my other siblings for the first time, but it was different this time for some reason. Perhaps because I was the first of our family to lay eyes on it … or perhaps because it was so different from everyone else’s … I felt …

I can’t describe what I felt. It was amazing, that’s all I can say.

When I first touched it, I couldn’t help but think of all the children that I help to rescue in Arda. The trust in their eyes when I help them up onto the cart … the respect and even admiration when I have to leave the ranch and head back home … will I have the trust and respect of Jair, just as I do from those children? I hope so.

Only time will tell. I have brought him home now. Until his vase begins to react, it will be staying in Mom’s room, where it will be safe from accidents; but she says that once it starts reacting, it will have to go by the fountain where Feng and Ryu sleep, so that if he’s born in the night (as most of us seem to have been) he can be in water right away. For my own part, I can’t wait until that happens. Everyone seems excited about it though – it’s been a while since we’ve had excitement like this. Idhril was the last expected child, the rest were all accidents. Happy accidents, but accidents nonetheless. Idhril is especially looking forward to this: the youngest Second in the entire family, she’s never seen the entire process before.

It looks like a new experience for all of us. Mom’s never had a merchild, I’ve never been as in charge of a sibling as now, and … well. We’ll see what happens.

I wonder when Lore will be able to meet him …  

[Elnara Aldrich]

Birth of a Mischief-Maker

In the middle of a moonlit night, the dark green vase sitting on the edge of the fountain in the Winters inn released bubbles – green bubbles in various shades – in the same silence that it had been doing so for the past several days. Yet suddenly their quantity increased until the air was nearly full with the odd green bubbles, and then, with no more warning than that, a little black head popped out of the vase – pale skin, and enormous green eyes … hands pulling on the lip of the vase … white shoulders with black marks that looked like splashes of water … a white torso … black, leathery wings … and then a dark green shimmering tail and fins.

Jair had arrived.

The moonlight streaming in from the window reflected in his eyes, and the corner of his mouth curled up in what anyone could have identified as a mischievous grin, and he flipped out of his vase and onto the edge of the fountain in a failed attempt to put himself in the water. He grunted a bit as he landed on his shoulder, scraping it a bit, but he righted himself quickly, grinning. The twinkle in his eye grew brighter as he looked down at the water below him, and he wiggled carefully to the edge of his seat before launching himself headfirst into the fountain’s depths.

Yes … that felt right. The water was where he knew he belonged. With a flick of his tail and a flap of his wings, he set off to explore his home.  

[Elnara Aldrich]

Mother's log, 25 June

Well it has been an adventurous time for Jair. He came with me to see Celebor and his family in the Seconds world, and that ... turned out to be quite the adventure. We found Idhril there, with a new friend, but that's something to be put in her journal, not Jair's. So.

Niyana painted Jair with the dragon that she promised, that snakes around his wings and over one shoulder to look up at him from his chest, and he couldn't be more ecstatic about it. He was also happy to meet his nieces and nephews ... I can't believe it, four all at once. Anyways, Kanis and Aras both tried carrying him ... Kanis did a good job of it too, but Aras didn't make it quite as far. Still, the fact that she managed to carry him at all is a miracle, really. As Seconds go, he's quite heavy.

Anyways his adventures keep growing, even just at home ... but I really do have to take him to the Goddess Minty to let him learn the spell to walk like Feng and Ryu. His wings just aren't strong enough for him to fly anywhere. Not yet at least.  

[Elnara Aldrich]

Story Teller

I met a Second a while ago ... Mommy says I should write about him in here, now that I know how to. His name was Paki, and he was blind. That means he can't see. But he was sure smart, because he always knew where I was and what I was doing, and he could even know what the sun was doing, and when it was setting and when it was dark outside! Anyways, he told me a story, a story about why cats wash their paws after they eat, and not before. 'Cos a mean mouse tricked him, and tried to trick him again. The cat, I mean, not Paki. Paki is too smart to be tricked like that cat was.

Paki's a really neat guy. Seriously, he's a lot of fun. I want to meet up with him again ... but he's a wanderer and when I'm in the Seconds world I have to stay in the rivers, lakes and streams. I don't know what the chances are of me meeting up with him again. Maybe I'll have to get someone to take me to the goddess Minty so that I can learn how to walk like Uncle Ryu and Aunt Feng. They're mers like me, but they learned how to walk like people.

Or maybe I just have to get stronger wings so that I can fly.