Normally Birthdays are supposed to be wonderful. I can be lazy or go drinking with friends. Instead I'm here reaching for a damn ledge with my tiny, not fully developed, limbs.
Looking around I realize that there is a tree growing on this large balcony. One of the benefits of having giant like architecture is that we need giant decorations.
Turning to the tree, I turn on my Nature's language skill, which isn't like turning on a switch mind you. It's like actively feeling nature with a six sense. Remember when all those green lights were cradling me during my gestation, and left a mark in my head? Apparently it was a mark on my soul which classifies me as a chosen of nature.
I'm sure it has nothing to do with the Goddess but basically I have some strange link to nature that has given me several abilities that I don't know how to tap into. But the one I do know how to use is talking to plants and animals which is nifty yet also terrifying.
Trees are pretty nice though and are usually fairly docile. Their so old, they have no need for much. Their like old people. Talking to them is long and tedious.
Turning on nature's language is fairly annoying because keeping it on is like having a bunch of bees filling your head with noises so I usually block it out. Over a year of practice and I've basically learned to hone in on things I wanna speak to.
In this case I'm communicating with the tree to give me a lift if he can.
"Hey buddy wanna give me a lift to that ledge, I promise to water you with something good later." I said to the tree.
"As many younglings I've seen in these halls I've never seen one so small talk to me."
"Yes I'm tiny, don't remind me. Now will you please give me a lift."
The tree slowly brought a vine of sorts down from its branches for me to latch onto and be lifted up. It tied around my waist. I'm guessing the tree didn't want me to fall. He slowly brought me up to the point that my feet could touch the ledge of the stone railing.
"Wow..." I said with a voice of pure appreciation.
When I finally looked over the edge I finally saw something the humans in my past life could never replicate.
This city was in the literal heart of the mountain. The ceilings were being held up by large pillars. There was lava below the castle like a moat. The castle itself was like an island in a sea of lava. I see a whole giant size stone Town ahead of me. It looks to be a collection of huge mansions, smithys, restaurants, and markets. I can almost hear the bustle of the city. Not only that I see several contraptions like lifts and shafts which confuses me because that would mean electricity. There's a hole at the top of the mountain which I'm sure is to let out smoke.
[Are you actively ignoring the obvious]
"I'm getting to that", I snickered.
[Sure you were. You know, you are only lying to yourself]
As the lady mentioned, there is a whole crowd of people on the bridge leading to the castle. I'm guessing my birthday is really important considering there's long tables set up even on the bridge for everyone to enjoy drinks. I don't even wanna see the mead hall in the castle
[Well your father has been pounding your mom for about 4 years everyday trying to have you to no avail. To the point everyone thought he was impotent because the local druids said she was perfectly fine]
"Ew" I remarked. "While it's true I'm the only child but does it have to be such a huge event. Do I really have to act like a baby the whole time. And what's with that vocabulary? Pounding really?"
[I can directly play a tape of it in your mind next time you scan either of them if you prefer. I think pounding is an understatement.]
"I'm gonna ignore that". I said quaintly. The last thing I wanna see is my gorgeous mother being ravaged by my bear of a father.
[Who said it was only one way]
"We're cutting this topic right here before my pure toddler mind is ruined" I yelled out loud but then quickly shushed my mouth.
[you are no fun, but fine]
"Was that you Prince, did I hear you speak just now?!", said a voice not to far from me.
Looks like the time is up, I quickly had the tree put me down so I don't look suspicious. And looked toward the entrance of the balcony.
Just then a woman wearing black and grey cloth clothing came in and looked directly at my eyes.
"Oh my my little prince is standing now", she leaned over and picked me up. "We're gonna have to sand off the corners and close the doors so you can't run away again". She said while smiling in what I would describe as devilishly.
If Satan were the guardian of hell, then she was my Satan and this was my hell. All I want to do is explore. I have too much cabin fever, but she somehow managed to find me every time.
Her name was Hilda and she's been the one helping my mother bathe me and feed me. She has recognized me as an immediate trouble maker because I apparently cause her and the maids so many problems.
This isn't my first jail break, but this is my first successful jail break. I've been trapped in the stone castle for safety with barely any plants or animals to talk to. And it's cause we're in a damn mountain. How am I supposed to escape the maids, climb the lava bridge, get past the guards this entire time btw, cross a few miles of city and make it to the front gate? If me just learning how to walk in the last few weeks is any indication, it's gonna be impossible for a few years.
Anyway Hilda is always watching me like a hawk. Something about me drawing on the walls some child pictures. I don't know what she's talking about but the only time I've ever drawn on the walls was some designs I came up with for a printing press. I don't know about any child drawings!
[no comment]
She took me in her demon claws and carried me to the dressing room to get me all dolled up with other maids who thought I was adorable. By that virtue of me being cute, they tried many outfits on me.
In their defense, I am pretty cute I have to say. I got my mother's hair with my fathers dark brown color. Blue piercing eyes and cream colored skin gave away my lineage. Although I'm a baby and not fully developed I can see a beauty mark on the corner of my lip from my mother and perfectly shaped cheek bones like her too. Everything else is subject to change as I grow but my lips are slightly full like my father. I'm expecting more features like good old dad as I grow.
It seems like a menagerie of features when I talk about it, but for some reason they all fit very cohesively on me. I still have baby fat though so I'm more cute than handsome. Yea handsome, I'm a dude I can confirm.
Around an hour before sundown, or so I'm told, the party began and I was presented to the crowd in my mothers arms. And can I tell you, the number of Oooos and Aaaas I got in my face was so annoying I might as well die and reincarnate again.
[So prideful]
Mother kept me still the whole time though. She had a way of soothing me. That was until we had sat at the table. My father had just started raising his mug to his fellow compatriots.
My father is a large fellow. And the only thing larger than his beard is his muscles. He puts bodybuilders to shame. He's wearing ceremonial armor from what I can see with fur and leather lining it. He has a large two sided axe hammer in his side and a crown made of antlers on his head.
"I'd like to thank the good people of our Aesir tribe for coming to our son's first birthday party. We will soon commence the ritual—-
"AESIR!!!" I yelled. But then quickly shut my mouth after noticing my parents shocked faces. Welp.. maybe if I put my hands up and pretend I'm a baby no one will notice and think I repeated it.
My father gave me a cunning look extremely quickly but then quickly returned to his usual stoic face. "Yes my child the Aesir tribe. The mightiest tribe of warriors the forest has ever seen. And one day you will carry on the will of these people on your shoulders. Today we commence the ritual of birth"—— blah blah blah I'm basically christened with water from some type of holy tree in front of these nobility. At least Im assuming their nobles looking at their outfits. (Later I would find out their all military men)
"HEAR HEAR" everyone in the hall said in unison with a slam of the tankards.
I honestly zoned out at this point. I'm really concerned about the fact the he used the word Aesir. That's another thing I got to learn. What connection do the tribes of this world have to my past world. To many things are coincidences. I'm going to have to start setting mission objectives and knock them out before I turn four when Its about time I start acting normal.
Or atleast that's what I thought.