"I still don't fully comprehend if I'm being expected to repeat that future you've spoken of, and if so, why he's choosing to follow that, and if you like the taste of defeat." Snow said, her red eyes locked on me.
James chuckled slightly. I said, "No. I don't expect you to get together with my dad. I wanted the opportunity to exist sooner, and not without benefit to myself, your life is your own."
"Benefit to yourself?" She repeated.
"Yep. Naturally if you're around good things will happen." I said.
"No one has ever thought that way about my presence." Snow said firmly.
"No one was looking for you to be a part of their family. My regard for you isn't reliant on your relationship, or lack there of with my father." I told her.
"My son has a point. You were not brought here for me." Dad said. "As interesting as I may find you, you exist for yourself."
"Then it's up to me where I go and what I do? None of you are going to hold your 'assistance' over me?" Snow asked.
"No. None of us will hold our 'assistance' over you. You were brought out early because my son wanted you to be." James said firmly.
"No strings. You could join the adventurers guild and not see us again, you could use this as a safe place to sleep, you could work for my Dad with whatever skills you choose to show, or whatever." I said. "My only request is, do not contact your previous clan. Assassins will be sent for you."
"This sounds like a devil deal." Snow said after a moment of silence.
"If it seems like such a.. devil deal.. then I could always make some demands. But I'd prefer not to. It is NOT why you were brought here." James said.
"You can try to make demands." Snow replied.
"You seem to have me mistaken for someone who just gives up once he starts. This is not the case. If I were to decide that you owed us a debt, then that debt would be paid. One way or another." James said.
This made me a little anxious, because they were both the sort to chafe under such attitudes. And that was certainly no way to earn a wife. Snow started to say something back, but she glanced at me, out the corner of her eye. I wasn't sure what she read about me or my expression, but she relaxed her shoulders for the first time today and said, "Big men bark an awful lot. If you want to argue, wait until the kid is asleep."
He chuckled again and said, "This was not an argument. I apologize if that is how it came across. I am still trying to work on banter."
She arched her eyebrows and said, "Man in suit has bed people skills. Got it."
"I am but a humble merchant. My employees handle my front counter." James said.
"Humble." She repeated. "The guy thinks he's humble. Sure thing."
James looked at me. "I feel she is as bad as names as you are."
"As far as I know she refers to people how they wish to be, unless they irritate her. In which case she plots against them." I replied.
Her eyes widened slightly in an innocent way. "I would never." She said, sounding genuine.
"I could see how someone would fall for that act." James said, looking at her, amused. "I will continue to work on my people skills so that you and I can have a pleasant conversation. I'd hate to offend."
Her tail lashed some, "Sure thing, James. But don't ask me about the clan, I don't know much about them."
"That is a promise easily made. I have no interest in them." Dad told her.
"Well, if you are all on to more pleasant conversation, I will be on my way. I am terribly bored. I was expecting some kind of avenging angel. Instead I got a fiesty house cat. Chirping as though she saw a bird." Archimedes said.
Snow started laughing, sobered long enough to say, "Meow." And began laughing and giggling again.
"You see James? That's how you entertain her. Toodles." Archimedes said, leaving.
"I don't know if that's something I'm going to do." James said.
Snow stopped giggling after Archimedes had gone and she said, "Humans are gonna human, you know? To take offense is to care about what they have to say. And I do not."
"To dismiss something one said because it was idiotic is one thing. But to dismiss something because of what said it is another." James said.
"Well, you're the first feline I've met, and Alex is a human who I saw as a father figure. To be clear, I have no problem with any of the other races. I just find that humans are more likely to 'here kitty' people like me." Snow Den said, tilting her head slightly and looking at James. "The only one I'd currently be hurt by them saying something like that is Alex. Everyone else I'd regard as stupid."
"Alright. So what are your plans?" James asked.
"Head North and get my sword and armor. They were given to me by Alex, and I rather enjoy that sword." Snow said. "After that, no idea. Can't be the personal bard of a dead man, after all. And I am certainly not going to seek his return to life. He was despicable."
"Ah, so you're a bard. Well, if it interests you, I have been told that I need to learn to relax. I have heard that music could help one do that." Dad replied. "And I can assure you, I can pay far better than the mayor ever did."
"Incidentally, he didn't pay me at all." Snow said. "Was supposed to. Didn't. Didn't pay any of his staff. Hence why no one misses him." Snow said. "On that note. You're twenty-two. Shouldn't you know how to relax yourself?"
"You would believe so, but no. I have been.. preoccupied with business." James said.
"And adopting children." Snow noted. "You know bad habits are taught to children passively, right?"
"Unfortunately rearing children is not something I've studied." James said, uncomfortably.
"I was sort of a surprise." I pointed out.
"... Eh?" She looked simply confused.
"Dad made a deal with my original father to leave me to him to clear his debt or do jobs. He chose the leave me." I explained.
She stood and approached me, giving me a hug and stroking my hair. "That's awful, little one." She said, trying to comfort me. She shot James a glare.
He put his hands up and said, "I never expected him to take that part of the deal."
She stood, cuddling me in her arms, her voice was louder, as she said, "Are you kidding me? How innocent minded are you? A debtor was given the easy way out, of course they'd take it. People trade literal children all the time, have you read books? Look at yourself, too. You were abandoned at birth. And you didn't think someone would do that?"
I reached up and patted her face. "It's not Dad's fault. To him family is more important than anything, because he'd do about anything for his brother."
"Don't forget that you're on that list as well, Isarial." James commented.
Snow looked down at me, her ears back. "What a sweet child you are..." She sighed and looked at James. "You did the right thing, offering that deal and taking him in. I apologize for fussing at you and raising my voice. You're clearly good to him if he came back in time and chose to be here."
"If that is the case, I'd prefer to be even better this time." James replied.
"That's admirable." Snow said, "This child isn't used to hugs, is he?"
"I do not believe so, no." James said.
"It's my fault." I said. "I'm not a very cuddly child."
"Nonsense." Snow said. "You're tiny, how can it be your fault?"
"I'm not that little..." I said.
"What, are you two years old?" Snow asked.
"Actually, he is four. With a very advanced mind." James said.
"Yeah, I was a half blind, albino runt and I was still bigger than you at your age. Are you not human?" Snow asked, looking quizzical.
"...I am a Kalashtar. We're exactly like humans, only bonded to Quori's." I answered her.
"Then you are very tiny. Gaining him was recent, no?" She asked Dad.
"Extremely." James replied.
"I'd like to gut that ... Thing." Snow said. Trying to mind her words. She was certainly treating me like a child.
"Understandable. I had the same thought. But I am bound by contract to not." Dad said.
"I'm not." She said.
"I would rather you not yet. In four years my little brother will be born. I'd very much like to see him." I said. "After that, it won't matter."
She huffed. ".. Alright, kiddo."
"You're just going to accept that he knows the future so well?" James asked.
"His eyes are bright and open. He's also giving no indicator of being deceptive. So regardless of believing him or not, he's telling the truth. Whether that's a reality that will occur or not.. Time will tell." Snow shrugged. "Besides, children often feel like their to blame for their parents actions, and I sympathize with the boy."
"Well, I'm glad the two of you are getting along." James said.
Snow turned her eyes on Plight. "So what are you." She asked.
"Currently a quiet observer." Plight replied, unnerved. "A peaceful one, might I add."
"Plight's my friend." I said. "He's a good man. Similar to Alex, except less likely to draw attention."
"I indeed prefer to not draw attention. It usually ends poorly for me." Plight said.
"I see." Snow said.
"About getting your things.. The Naga may prove reluctant to let you take them." I told her.
"So that was a real thing? Huh." Snow said.
I nodded. "Yes, you'll have to go deal with Baxter to get your things."
"And who is this 'Baxter'?" Dad asked.
"The original owner of the mansion. He's locked in the basement. He's over 800 years old." I answered.
"That's very old to be locked in a basement." James said.
"He might be older, I don't know. It was very confusing when I was talking to future Snow Den about it." I said.
"Sounds like we won't have any actual answers until we go there ourselves." Dad said.
"There's danger to signing the book." I said. "But again, I don't have exact information about that. Baxter can only talk about it with the owner."
"I don't know anything about that. The basement was the only place I couldn't sneak into." Snow said.
"Do we know why he can only discuss it with the owner? Or are we just out of luck until we can find something out?" Dad asked.
"I don't know. Future Snow said it sounded like some kind of Fey deal and made her nervous, but she also didn't care at the time of signing it because she had no bonds to anyone or anything." I said.
"Facts." Snow said, unbothered. She looked back at James, "You're planning on go to the mansion?"
"It would certainly expedite your trip. And make it safer." Dad said. "Unless you wish to go alone."
That was one of her weak points. She didn't really like to be alone. Certainly, she'd made peace with it, but that wasn't enjoying it. "I have no reason to decline." Snow said after a moment.
"Well, then. We simply need to decide on a time." Dad said.
"I know the glyph." I said.
"That is certainly a useful way to get there." Dad said.
"My time is clearly open. You're a merchant and father, it's your time that's taken up." Snow said.
"I work myself day and night to stay ahead of the game. I can take a little trip." Dad replied. "How about we wait, have lunch, then go a little later?"
"Sure. That's fine. When is he put down for a nap? His advanced mind probably tuckers him out. He's also growing." Snow asked James.
"As soon as he feels he can not go on any longer." Dad answered.
"Children need schedules and structure, James." Snow said. "He shouldn't be running himself ragged. That'll stunt his growth."
I gasped, looking up at her, "Can it?"
"Yes. Growth hormones are thought to develope during a child's sleep. Not sleeping enough, alcohol, and caffeine can all result in stunted growth." Snow replied.
"Isarial, you feel like a nap?" James asked.
"My mother is the same height as Dad. I grew previously to only be five foot six." I said, darkly. "I'm not tired currently, but after training with Uncle, I'm sure I'll fall asleep."
James looked at Snow and shrugged. "He goes to sleep when he's tired."
"How about set his nap time between two and four at least, until he's six. That gives him plenty of time to run around and the wiggle room for if he's not very tired to wake early." Snow suggested to James.
"That seems like a reasonable idea." James said.
I didn't want to be short, but Snow was doing what I'd worried about. Mothering me. "You've never taken care of kids before, either." I grumbled.
"True. But I read a lot of books about random things because I was bored beyond reason." Snow said. "So I do know a thing or two on the topic of child rearing. Even if your mind is advanced, your body is still a baby."
I started pouting. Having no way to argue that. "Daaad, I can't argue logic like that. Tell her not to."
"..Sorry, son. But she has a point. Besides, you get tired around that time anyways." James said. "If you can look me in the face and say that's not true, then I will argue it."
I looked at him and repeated, "'That's not true.'" It wasn't a lie, just saying words.
"And exactly what is not true?" James said.
He had me now. "You added that, that wasn't the condition." I started pouting again.
Snow laughed lightly and said, "Very cute."
"Son, you know me and my immunity to a loophole." James said. "Now, might I suggest you go use your time wisely."
"Fine. I'll go outside with Plight." I said, sticking my tongue out at him.
"Do be careful with that tongue. Someone may snap it off." James said.
"And I'll spill all their secrets." I retorted as Snow crouched and set me on the floor. She looked greatly amused.
"So where are we headed?" Plight asked.
"I don't know, to play with Simon?" I replied.
"Alright. He enjoys our visits. I think. Pretty sure." Plight said.
We left the library together. Left the house, and property, heading for the Guard barracks. Leaving Snow with James. I was hoping he'd be able to get closer with her anyways. I pouted up at Plight. "Can you believe she teamed up with Dad already?"
"She did seem to know exactly what she needed to do." Plight said.
I groaned and said, "She's mean."
"Oh? How is she mean?" Plight asked.
"By teaming up on me. Now I have a nap time." I said. "I've never had a nap time."
"I've never had a nap time either." Plight teased me.
I gaped at up him. At this moment we were standing between the Gold Shilling and another building. Below my feet, a red magic circle lit up. Noticing it, I moved towards Plight as he reached for me, but it was too late. The light flashed and with it, my surroundings vanished.
When my vision cleared, I was nearly sick. I'd been here before. Had I nightmares, this would encapsulate every bit of them. This was the very basement I'd been held in for an entire weak, where I'd been beaten severely and violated. I was panicking, in this room. How and why had they captured me this early?
"How delightful." That sickening voice said. "What a beautiful boy. How frail."
My mind receded into itself, terrified. I felt him touch my body, my body shuddered and curled in on itself. I was lifted from the floor and placed on the table. Reinier was cheerfully looking through his extensive collection of toys.
He selected one and approached me. I felt the tears running down my pale face. That's when I heard a voice in my head.
'Isarial, are you alright? Where are you, do you know?' Snow Den asked.
'Hell. I'm in hell. Save me.' I begged, 'he's going to hurt me again.'
'In actual hell? Can you be more specific?' Snow asked, she remained calm.
'Reinier Estate.' I replied, throwing up.
This displeased Reinier. He snapped his fingers and a guard stepped forward. "Punish him."
I felt my arms get strapped down, I began screaming in terror and trying to fight it. It was useless. With a crisp snapping sound, a whip sliced into my skin through the shirt I wore. No one would come for me. This was how I would die. I was much too small and weak to escape.
I received one more contact from Snow, 'We're coming for you, baby.'
I stopped crying and screaming. I believed her. I heard Reinier scoff. "Wake him."
I wondered if I still knew those spells. Any of them. Water was splashed over me, but I didn't move or react to it. It was all external stimuli anyways. I tried looking inside myself, trying to find that magic. I managed to find it, but dimly. And I understood why, my body wasn't well enough to use the magic yet.
That's alright. I'd never relied on it. My body was in pain, and rapidly becoming cold, but my rational side was in control. I turned my head and glared at the guard. "Surely, you realize you all are going to die, don't you?" I felt myself ask.
The guard didn't respond. But Reinier did. "We'll work that attitude right out of you, don't you worry."
"I'm a Hearthry, you fool." I replied.
Reinier didn't pay me any more mind. He went to select a slicing tool. I was clinging to the knowledge that Snow, Plight and maybe Uncle were coming for me. This time I'd be saved. I sighed a little as he selected the tool he wished to use.
I turned my mind inwardly again. Not paying attention to external stimuli. I reached for my mother, through our Quori. She was still very sick. But she seemed to sense me this time, or maybe it was just the strong fear and pain radiating through me. I felt confusion from her. I told her everything was ok, before withdrawing from her.
I bit my lip, hoping that wouldn't add to her distress and she'd just think it was a delirium dream. Especially when that man told her I was dead. I heard some loud noises echoing above us. Reinier ordered the guard to go see what was happening.
I heard a loud roar and looked towards where the noise had come from, the door was open and the guard was frozen in place with fear. He was suddenly cleaved in half, as a very red Dirthin burst into the room.
"Uncle." I said.
He looked around, then approached Reinier and punched him straight in the chest. Reinier collapsed due to that. Dirthin dropped his sword on him then. He leaned towards Reinier and through clenched teeth said, "Stay there until I am allowed to kill you."
Reinier started to protest, make empty threats and such. All falling on deaf ears, of course. James, Snow and Plight entered the room very shortly after, approaching us. Snow broke the straps off of me, while James asked, "Are you alright?"
I nodded. The stinging on my back not bothering me a whole lot.
He looked at Snow, "Snow, if you would, take him? I have a man to eviscerate."
Snow carefully picked me up and said, "Revive him a few times, then."
I felt Plight's cool hand touch me, healing the wounds on my back. Snow simply laid me carefully on her shoulder, checking over Plight's healing.
Rather than answer, James got to work. Snow took that as confirmation on her words, and headed up the stairs and out of the house with me in her arms and Plight following. Haril was just being let past the ring of people circling the Reinier household when we'd exited.
"Hey, what's happened?" Haril asked us.
I turned my head enough to see Haril. Snow growled at him and said, "I'm taking this child home."
"That's fine. Just confirmation of a few accusations is what I was after." Haril said.
I petted Snow's face, she looked down at me. "He's the guard captain, Haril." I said slowly, my eyes still reddened from the crying and panic. "The Reiniers stole me with magic, and hurt me. Teacher healed the wounds."
"Ah. What a terrible thing I didn't reach it in time to stop any of this." Haril said.
I flopped my head back on Snow's shoulder, closing my eyes. She said, "Is that all you need?"
"Yes. That would be all I need." Haril said.
Snow saw a few people looking as she walked past Haril with Plight. She bared her teeth, threatening them silently, of course a snowy white Leonin would draw attention anywhere and everywhere. She took me directly home.
There, she got me to tell her which room was mine. Once there, she figured out about the bathroom and, most embarrassingly, she bathed me and helped me redress. I guess my lack of reacting had her quite concerned.
Plight was in my room with us. Quiet. Saying silent, appearing in deep thought. Snow had rocked me some, but mostly just was holding me. I was slowly becoming worried for him.
Snow turned to him suddenly. "You. You need training. You don't know simple dispelling or counterspell? Hm?"
"No, I do not. And that's actually what I was thinking of. Needing more training." Plight said, sorrowfully.
Snow's tail lashed, "I'll teach you some spells."
"I'll gladly take any training you can give me." Plight told her.
"Good boy." She said, going back to ignoring him.
"It's not any of our faults, Plight." I said.
"I wasn't able to do anything." Plight said.
"You got help, didn't you?" I asked. "That"s enough. They.. held me got an entire week before I escaped last time. I wouldn't have escaped this time."
"I'm pretty sure if your father and uncle have anything to say about it, they won't have another chance." Plight said.
"I guarantee that their servants, children and guards are all going to be wiped out." I said.
"Dirthin walked in like he already knew where to swing. Every time his sword went down someone died." Plight said.
"Oh, he was just angry. And very used to such jobs." I said.
"We were lucky and they were idiotic for placing the trap so close." Plight said.
"Are you ok now little one?" Snow asked.
"I'm fine." I said.
She patted my hair and said, "Alright. If you're sure."
"I will be sure. It wasn't that bad this time. He didn't get to use the slicing tool. Though it did hurt, still." I told them.
".. I understand that you were much older in your mind. But hearing you say that makes me want to break your father." Snow said.
"Oh, well.. don't do that." I said.
"Yes, yes. Well, he's just lucky he's pretty." Snow replied.
Plight chuckled a little, trying to suppress his amusement. Snow glared at him a moment and then started rocking me again, sitting in the edge of my bed. She began singing a song about bright days, and the fall of egocentric people.
I mind linked to Plight while she sang. 'She's not really mad at you. She's just mad in general.'
'Well, I'm glad she's not just mad at me, though it certainly feels that way.' Plight replied.
So I told him about Snow Den's past. How she's been mistreated as a partially blind albino. How she'd been abandoned at a poor village at four years old. That village had led her into the woods to die, making sure she couldn't find her way back. She'd taught herself to hunt, fish and do everything she needed to survive.
I told him. about how she was basically blind by six years old, though after repeatedly poisoning herself she'd discovered a treat with which she cured her eyesight. When she was seven, she came across a small village and learned that manipulating people to get food and other resources was much easier.
She'd stolen a lute from someone and played the same two songs she'd learned from her only friend, my father's older sister. Until she was nine and met Alex, who took her under his wing for six years. She'd grown to adore him immensely in that time and respected him more than anyone.
But at fifteen, Alex left her at the Mayor's Mansion to work. Not even because he was fighting. But because he wished to travel alone. She'd been abandoned by literally everyone who'd ever gotten close to her. So she had some pretty serious antisocial quirks, even though she craved attention and family.
'I have more faith in Uncle seeing her brokenness, and alerting my father to it, than I do for my father to be understanding towards her. But I also haven't told him all about her. She's one of the most loving people I've ever met.' I told him.
'I can't wait to see that part of her. Currently, she just seems to want to kill me.' Plight said.
'Get closer to her, then. Talk with her.' I suggested.
'Well, if I end up getting stabbed, I blame you entirely.' Plight replied. Aloud he said, "How.. do you plan to train me?"
She ended the song she was singing and looked at him. "I'll teach you spell formations. If you know the arcaic to it maybe your god will let you cast it. Or, you could find magic within yourself like a bard or sorcerer. And then I'll teach you to fight."
"How.. would I find magic within myself?" He asked.
"I'm not very good at explaining that. There are those who have magic naturally, those who earn magic through training, those who bargain magic, and religious people granted magic." Snow said. "Though why anyone would choose to serve a fickle god is beyond me."
"That's a.. story I may tell later." Plight said.
Snow shrugged. "That's entirely up to you. Magic theory may be a good place to start for you. Care to listen?"
"Yes, I'd.. love to listen." Plight said.
And Snow started going over magic theory with Plight. Plight asked questions and she clarified what she could. This lesson went on for a couple of hours. Marie interrupted to inform us lunch was ready. So she said she'd continue the lesson after lunch.
She set me down and let me walk myself. Uncle and Dad didn't join us, they were still busy, probably. The food was good, though. As usual. After the meal, we went to the library, where Snow resumed her lesson. She interrupted it herself, to pick me up and put me in my bed for a nap at the time she'd recommended to my father.
As irritating as I found it, I fell asleep to her lullaby. When I woke, Dad and Uncle had still not returned. I rejoined the lesson. She was actually writing out the archaic formulas for him to study by this point. I listened intently to the lesson, unsure if I'd bother taking it to heart. It was still interesting.
It wasn't until an half hour to dinner that my Dad arrived home and sought us out. Uncle had gone to bathe, most likely. We were in the middle of the dispelling theory when he'd entered the library. Snow had finished her point, then stopped speaking, looking at him.
James approached me then, crouched to my eye level and said, "I know I've asked thus already, but are you alright?"
I looked at him for a moment. And I was going to tell him 'Yes, I am fine.' I was really going to. Instead, I launched my little body at him and buried my head against his mane, clenching one fist in it, while the other grasped his suit jacket. I started crying like a stupid little child and babbled bout how afraid I'd been, and how I was sure I'd be killed that time Honestly?
It felt kind of nice to cry. He'd awkwardly found a seat while bracing my back, to keep me from pulling his fur, and to support me. I'd shown signs of my distress earlier, I was sure, but now they could see the incidents effect on me. It took around ten minutes, but I managed to calm down. I tucked my hands closer to myself, keeping my head against him. Sniffling occasionally.
He wasn't reacting much. Far out of depth here. Despite the years I'd lived through, and the horrors I'd felt and seen, I hadn't cried since I'd escaped the Reinier's home that first time. This was the opposite of that time. My Dad had come for me, and in many ways, that was quite healing.
He squeezed me a little, stroked my hair, like Snow had done, and said, "How are you feeling now?"
"Vaguely embarrassed, tired and better." I answered him. "Like the child I currently am."
He chuckled softly. "Your Uncle and I have made sure the Reinier family will never do this to you or anyone ever again."