*Sarial's POV*
Dad listened closely as ever, just letting me go on about it all. I told him that the city expansion was going well, and that's where Bit's store would be, though Bit would have his own room through my office. I told him about how I was excited for him to see the town and I couldn't wait for the school to be ready. I needed to find teachers, but I'd used the Silver Shilling, Phintias and the Crimson Hoof to get the word out about the types of people I was looking for. I told him about the Tabaxi girl from the islands I'd hired, too.
He finally said, "It truly seems like you've began something grand."
I grinned at him and nodded, "It's certainly became more than I initially put thought into. I'm excited for it, though."
"That's the amazing thing about projects. They can always grow far beyond your imagination." Dad replied.
I suppressed a yawn and said, "I'm afraid that she'll blame me for not going and getting her. Of not proving I was alive after I knew she was told otherwise."
"If she is a mother truly worth the title, then she will find a way past those notions." He replied.
"I'm afraid of being rejected." I said. "Likely when Derek wrote that he regretted me being born it affected me."
He clicked his tongue. "Those damn letters. I always asked myself why I let them through."
"Transparency, I assume." I smiled.
"Even if it was the right decision, I can still regret it." Dad said.
I yawned again, and told Dad that I was going to go to bed. I enjoyed our chat. I wished him good night and he returned the sentiment, saying again that he had missed our nightly chats. With that, I headed to my room, where Mills had been wrestling Dia, who was now sleeping. We got into bed together, leaving Dia sleeping on the floor and went to sleep ourselves.
When I woke, I was in quite a mood. Wanting to satiate it, I let Dia out of the room, but I stopped Mills from exiting. There was just over an hour to breakfast being served... So, I made a suggestion to him to 'play' the time away. Surprised, but very keen on the idea, he agreed and our activity began. It took every bit of that hour to satiate ourselves. Funnily enough, I only wanted to sleep after. I was happy and feeling warm and wonderful. We bathed, and I nodded off a little.
He let me sleep and cleaned us up while I did so. He woke me to dry us off and for us to dress. Breakfast was in a few minutes and I headed to check on Adelaide. She was starting to wake when I'd walked into the guest room she was using. Mills waited in the doorway. She seemed a little dazed, still numb.
"Mutyir? Are you up for having breakfast with everyone?" I asked.
"Deagytir.." She said, here eyes on me. "Alright."
She sat up and got out of bed. She seemed a little stiff, I stepped forward and rubbed her shoulders, her face remained expressionless. She was no longer wearing the mask since her bath. Grief was deeply etched into her features. Seeing this, I hesitated. I didn't want to drag her into an uncomfortable situation.
"Mutyir, everyone will include my parents, my siblings, and Mills. Are you sure you're up to that? I can have a meal seperately with you." I offered her, concern in my face. "They'd also like to talk to you today... If it's too much I can postpone.."
"It's alright. I will go." She said.
Still worried for her, I smiled, gestured to Mills who was outside the door and said, "Alright. This is Mills, he's my baby's father."
"It is good to meet you, Adelaide." Mills said.
"Hello, Mills." She said. "It is nice to meet you, as well."
I took her hand and gently led her from the room and to the dining room. There was a place set for Adelaide next to Mom. Her expression remained emotionless, even while I introduced her to everyone. I could tell from the set of Tyra's ears, she had all-around-sight activated. I guided Adelaide to the seat, Mom invited her to. Treating her surprisingly warmly.
Breakfast went well. Daelyn asks her tons of questions, like how many people has she killed, if there are songs about her, if she kills people in the songs about her, how much money she's made... and so on. Dia asked different questions that had nothing to do with anything. Adelaide responded in a very matter of fact manner, unoffended by Dia and Daelyn's questioning. During a break in questioning, I asked her if she rested well. She responded that she did.
After everyone finished their meal, Dad invited Adelaide to the sitting room to talk. She inclined her head accepting it. It was meant to be Dad, Mom, and Adelaide, though Mom allowed me along. I asked Mills to handle things with Bailey, hesitantly, he agreed to it, knowing it'd be one less thing I'd be rushing to do. Dia decided to go with him.
I accompanied Adelaide and my parents to the sitting room. Dad was firm with Daelyn to go play. Tyra helped to steer him correctly, telling him she had a story for him, and sweets later if he behaved. In the family room, Mom and Dad sat together like always, Adelaide sat in a single chair, and I sat in a cozy chair near a window. A good reading spot.
"To be perfectly clear this is not an interrogation or us grilling you, it's just a conversation." Dad said.
"That is my understanding." Adelaide replied.
"Alright then, Sarial tells me that you plan on easing off your emotional block today." Dad said. "Is that something you've already started, or plan on starting?"
"I had planned on starting later in a more private setting." She answered.
"Alright, what do you plan to do once you have recovered?" Dad asked.
"Once I have recovered I intend to find a purpose." Adelaide said. "And spend time with my daughter."
"Those sound like lovely ideas, I'm sure she would enjoy it." Dad said.
"You'll like to know, if love and warmth was a person, it's Sarial." Mom said.
"I am glad to see that she was raised in a kind and loving home." Adelaide commented.
"Yes, well, she was quite the handful at times." Dad said. "Tried to buy her dolls, instead she decided to carry her siblings around."
"It was helpful sometimes. And I preferred her doing that over running around breaking her bones. She often got ahead of herself and forgot she was a little girl. Picking fights with older kids and teens." Mom sighed.
"I still feel a lot of those were instigated by that Dean kid." Dad said.
"Hey, no one gets to make cat jokes about my siblings without a fight." I said defensively. "And Dean preffered me to not fight and instead to stab people."
"Well, I'm glad you mostly ignored that advice." Dad said.
Dad and I retorted back and forth for a few minutes and Mom interjected a couple of times, telling some other story, about me and my siblings being silly, like when I bought us so much candy we were all sick for a few days. We noticed Adelaide was smiling with tears running down her face.
Once there was a break on conversation, she noticed her control had slipped, she wiped her face and said, "Excuse me, I need to go." She got up and left the room, heading back to the guest room, I assumed.
"Well, I believe we got a little ahead of ourselves." Dad said.
"I don't think so. As much as it hurts to miss it, she'll like to hear it." Mom said, understand Adelaide in a way. "Wouldn't you, in her shoes?"
"I believe I would. I would want to hear all the things my children were up to." Dad answered.
"I suppose I'll check on her later." I said.
"Yes, it would probably be good to let her have a little time to herself." Dad agreed.
I nodded and said, "I guess I'll play my favorite game of harassing my siblings... Let me know when you wanna check out my town."
"I will go and take a look tomorrow." Dad said.
"I'll admit to being very curious myself." Mom noted with a smile.
"Well, we can turn it into a family outing." Dad suggested.
I grinned and said, "You've got to inspect it anyways."
"Haaah. Indeed I do." He said.
I giggled and said, "Wonder how Tilton'll feel bout that."
"I have no idea, I haven't really met the man." Dad replied.
"You and Mom are his Town's lords." I said.
Mom started grinning and said, "Oh, he's gonna hate that."
"Oh, we should introduce ourselves." Dad commented, to see his wife's delighted response. We all know Mom loves harassing Tilton.
I laughed and headed to the library, where I sat near Daelyn and pulled him into my lap to cuddle him. He acted disgruntled, but settled into a comfortable position after adjusting himself. He gave a run down of the story Tyra had given.
"I know a not really secret type secret that you kids don't know." I said.
"And what, pray tell, might that be?" Seralyn asked.
"I dunno. Should I not tell you?" I teased.
"No, you should tell us." Daelyn said.
"But then I can't tease you over you not knowing." I pointed out.
"I know things that you don't know." Daelyn said.
"I know where you hide your treats." I said.
"No you do not!" Daelyn said firmly.
"Oh, yes I do." I said.
"Prove it. Where are they." He said.
"Your stash has been emptied." I grinned.
"Has not. You don't know where it is." Daelyn said.
"Wanna bet?" I said.
"Sure. Whatcha wanna bet." Daelyn said confidently.
"The treats that've been pilfered." I said.
"You can't bet what you don't have." He said.
"Oh, so that's what you had earlier." Tyra said.
Daelyn looked at her surprised. Then said, "It's all a trap. I won't reveal where they all are. Cause you don't know."
"Yep. Tossed some of it cause it looked a little bad." I replied to Tyra.
"Now I know you're fibbing. All my candy is fresh." Daelyn said.
"A pregnant woman's perception about food is highly affected by hormones. Just like how all the food Sarial's seen us eat has looked bad to her recently." Tyra pointed out.
"Do not play mind games with my treats. I'm not playing anymore." Daelyn said, then tried to get down.
I let him go and said, "We're all going to Hearthstone Town tomorrow."
"You all will. I'll be busy hiding my things. You all won't know if I even still live here anymore they'll be do hidden." Daelyn said.
"Guess you won't get to see your room at my place or meet any of the kids there. There's a girl with your eye color." I said.
"Well, if I'm fast enough I'll still go." Daelyn said.
"There's a stage in the family room. I commented.
"Eh. Sounds appealing." He said.
"And a waterfall." Tyra said.
"Well, if you describe everything there, I won't have anything to look at when I get there." Daelyn pointed out.
"I don't know what your room looks like." Tyra replied.
"Good. I'll be back." Daelyn said and took off.
I grinned at Tyra and said, "Why'd you play along?"
"It seemed entertaining." She said.
Seralyn laughed a little.
"I thought everyone knew he just kept them under his bed." Vincent said.
"I thought it was under his sheet with how sticky he is sometimes." Seralyn said.
"He's got a couple spaces. But I believe Jasper gets into one of them on the occasion." I said. "Don't tell him I said so."
"Oh, I won't say a thing." Seralyn said.
I gave her a hug and said, "That brat is always training anymore anyways."
"I don't know why he wants to maych Uncle so badly, but he does." Seralyn said.
"Leonin often have a strong drive to excell. It's more common to be competitive for our kind." Tyra said.
"Well, I'm glad we're a bunch of oddballs." She said.
"Don't like competition?" Tyra asked.
"I just see no reason for it.. in what I do." Seralyn answered.
"Why?" Tyra asked.
"Competition in the field I want to get into means mistakes." She said.
"Which field is that?" Tyra asked.
"Archeology." She said.
"An interesrting subject. You are aware there's a lot of back stabbing, stealing of work and findings in that line, correct?" Tyra pointed out.
"I dare them to try." She said. "They'll learn very quickly they'll become a part of what I'm digging up."
We laughed. I contacted Sienna and chatted with her and Plight for a bit. About nothing in particular. I told them my family would be visiting tomorrow. Mom had said she was curious, after all. Dad often did quite a bit to satiate her curiousity. Daelyn returned just before lunch to announce that everything was re-hidden. And that we had lied.
Adelaide hadn't come out at all, even after lunch. So I brought her some fruits, knocking on her door lightly. It took a moment but she came to the door. After opening it, it took her a moment, but she greeted me in a soft voice, simply saying hello.
"I brought some fruit for you, if you're hungry. I don't know what you like, so I brought a variety. The apples are really good. I'm sorry we made you cry earlier." I said.
"That's alright, it simply showed me that it was time to ease off." Adelaide said. "Fruit sounds wonderful."
"Do you know where your mail would have been stored? I sent you letters when I was little." I told her. Offering her the fruits. "And I can give you that hug anytime you'd like it."
"Any mail sent to me would have probably been stored at the Arena office." She said. "And I'll take that hug now."
I entered her room, setting the fruit on the desk, then I approached Adelaide with a smile and wrapped my arms around her. Nuzzling my head against her neck and offered, "I can try and recover it for you, if you'd like?"
She did her best to be gentle when wrapping her arms around me in return. It was a little tight, but not uncomfortable. After a moment, her hold changed, keeping me close to her. It made me feel like a little child again. She gave me a little squeeze, before letting me go and saying, "It would be good to. I would love to read them."
I nodded, then mentally asked Mills to send a letter to Lucretia through Dia to try to obtain the letters from me to Adelaide from the Arena office. He said he would and asked how Adelaide is doing. I explained about the hug. He thought that was pretty positive. I peeled an orange for Adelaide, giving her the fruit.
She accepted the orange with her thanks and said, "I don't know if I've actually had one of these before. I know I ate while I was the Champion, but I don't remember what."
"I think you'll like it. It's sugary and flavorful to a point where it's almost too much, and then it's gone. It's delightful." I said.
"That does sound delightful." She said.
"You can pull it apart-" I stopped speaking as she bit into it like an apple getting the juice everywhere on her face and hand. I giggled and continued, "It's really good, right?"
"It is. But I am starting to feel sticky." She said.
"I'll get you a damp cloth. It's less messy to pull it apart into little slices, but it can be great fun to eat it like an apple." I grinned, heading to the bathroom for a cloth to dampen. I returned and said, "The first time I ate an orange, I dyed my mom's fur orange getting it all over her. Well, mostly cause I squashed it in my hands to watch the juice."
"They did treat you well, right?" She said.
"There was no difference between me and Jasper, they're first son, or even the twins. If anything, I was spoiled rotten. Except in serious or dangerous cases, I got my way about just about anything. And they always explained to me why something I wanted to do couldn't or shouldn't be done." I told her. "I was practically a princess. I've never had a single day under this roof where I had to go hungry or had to do something I didn't want to do, besides keep my room clean."
She'd begun crying while I told her all this, "I'm glad." She said.
I leaned my head on her shoulder and said, "That man used to write me letters a lot. Until I took Vincent from him, anyways. He was a sickly kid, just like me. Dad spared no expense at getting us healthy."
There was a touch of rage from her at the indirect mentioning of Derek. She managed to calm herself, though. "I'm sorry. I still can't quite control it."
"Dad can locate him, if you'd like a word with him." I said, shrugging a little. "I've never been afraid of anyone, Mutyir, and you'll not be someone I fear."
"I would certainly hope that my own daughter would never fear me." She said. "As much as I would love to get my hands on that person's neck.. I think I've had enough killing for a while."
"I understand, Mutyir. I'm sorry for your pronged suffering. I was afraid to hurt my adoptive family. Probably afraid they'd abandon me." I said. "They wouldn't have.."
"Itxs alright, daughter. I understand you were in a very painful situation." She said.
"I didn't really remember you, honestly. My earliest memory is crying in an alley and Uncle coming by. I'd been there for over half the day. Uncle took one look at me, cursed and brought me to James, my Dad. That rough Uncle of mine comforted me the whole while." I smiled at her, "He's a big softy and you'd never guess it. He used to spend hours tossing me and Jasper until we'd fall asleep."
"Indeed. I never would have guessed he'd be the sensitive type." She said.
"He's vicious to anyone who isn't family." I agreed. "He loves to fight, in fact, he's wanted to fight you for a long time now. But since he knew it'd lead you or himself to death he wouldn't do it. He didn't want to take the chance it'd hurt me, since I knew you're my birth mother."
"I'm very glad it didn't come to that." She said. "I fight that intense would've probably just.. I don't even want to think of it."
I gave her some grapes. "I'm a little food obsessed, I'll admit. It's a learned trait from my Mom... I've wondered for a while, if you don't want to answer, you don't have to. But, why did you marry that man?"
"In the slums you don't go with someone for love. Especially with how sickly I was." She answered.
"How did you birth me while so sickly?" I asked.
"To be honest, I'm not sure myself. I never expected to survive." She said. "I don't know what or who was watching over me, but it went smoothly. Shortly after, though, I started getting sick again."
"Mom used to say she suspected you made a deal with some higher being to have me.'How else could this sweet child exist?' She'd say. She used to tell me whenever I accomplished something that you and she was so proud of me." I told her, offering her a peach.
"Well, she is certainly right. I would've been and am." Adelaide said, taking the peach.
"We're going on a family trip tomorrow to see the town I've built. If you like, we can go shopping today, you and I. You can get anything you'd like to live comfortably. You can choose to live in my home in town, or in your own home if you'd like. I don't want to make decisions for you." I said.
"I don't know how long it's been since I've been shopping." She said, "I would love to go. As for a home, we can explore some options. It was never something I thought about. I always expected to, well not need one."
I smiled at her and said, "Well, if you'd like to be my citizen, I am very strict. But in return housing, meals, and medical needs are all free. Eat the rest of your fruit and we can go."
"Yes, mom." She joked.
I gaped at her for a moment, then gigglingly said, "Now see here little missy, you wonxt get dessert with that attitude."
"What is a dessert?" She asked.
"Oh, I definitely have to show you. Desserts are things like cakes, cookies and sweet creams. The pretty things nobles eat at the end of their meals. Candies. There's even fruit based desserts." I tell her. "Hm. I wonder if the baby will let me get away with having strawberry cake with whipped cream. It's mine and Uncle's favorite- er. Don't tell him I told you."
Finishing her fruit, she says, "Then I have been a good girl and deserve dessert."
I giggled and let her wipe up her hands and face with the cloth, before heading out of the room. I grinned brightly at Mills, who we happened upon while heading downstairs, and said, "We're heading to go shopping and have some desserts. Want me to bring you back something?" I petted Dia's head as he looked at Adelaide.
Adelaide bent down slightly and said, "Well, aren't you adorable?"
"Yes. I take after my Mama." Dia said rubbing his head against me. "Mama hatched me from an egg, I am her magic beast."
"You have quite the expansive family." Adelaide said, looking at me.
"I am glad to see you're doing better." Mills said, then to me, "If you can happen to find an eclair, yes. I've grown fond of those."
"Oh, can you bring me a parfait?" Dia asked.
"Yes, I'll remember to bring you both back eclairs and a parfait." I nodded. Mills gave me a hug and kiss before I headed out with Adelaide.
I took her around to my favorite shopping places first, which included the Silver Shilling. He knew straight away who Adelaide was, and she interacted with him only after I said he was fine. He also had my goods on the way already. They'd take a couple of days to get to the Capital, I told him to have it sent to the house with my portal in it, though I didn't tell him about the portal. He agreed, saying it'd save him some money that way. I laughed and pointed out I'd paid him for the shipping so the cost was already covered. In response, he offered Adelaide a beautiful silver hair pin, adorned with light blue gems
Adelaide accepted it, commenting that he was 'A nice little one.' I laughed and responded that he could be. Then I took down her hair and pinned it up using her new hair pin. I smiled at him and told him we were even. After our shopping, she'd picked out more shirts, pants and shoes, we went for desserts. We went to three seperate places, and I got all sorts of desserts. Pies, cakes and more. Some to share with my family, some for just me and Adelaide. I was only able to eat three bites of my favorite dessert before I felt ill. But I finished it anyways. Adelaide enjoyed the ones she tried.
Close to dinner time is when we returned, Adelaide helped me carry the sweets into the dining room. Mom had been walking towards the dining room with Dad when she saw us bringing it and doubled back for a moment. The kids, Uncle and Tyra came in while we set up the desserts. Dia and Mills, then Mom and Dad entered.
Mom offered Adelaide a book. "It's copies of the pictures I've had made of Sarial and her siblings as she grew. It's presumptuous, but I assumed it would be something you'd have liked to have."
"Thank you. I may be a bit distracted at dinner now." Adelaide replied, taking the book.
Mom patted her arm and said, "My husband had a protection put on them, so you needn't worry they'll be tarnished."
"I will try not to.. test that level of protection." Adelaide replied softly.
"I see you and Sarial have brought all of our favorites desserts." Mom noted. "Thank you both."
We took our seats, Adelaide was very distracted during the meal, looking through the pages. Mom had give her all sorts of pictures, mostly of me, but also of fun times between me and my siblings. Or like when Dad was teaching me to read, or Uncle was teaching me to knock people out. Me dressing up to go to some noble's get together. My practicing dances. Me playing instruments. Camping trips, hunting.. All sorts of memories.
Adelaide was very touched with the book of pictures. She smiled at a lot of them, muffled her tears through few. Half way through dinner she excused herself again. My parents took no offense to her leaving. Mom was vaguely worried she'd be hungry, but I explained I got her to try lots of desserts so she didn't have to worry.
After dinner, we all played a game, then got ready for bed. I checked on Adelaide before going to bed, she ended up asking me many questions about my relationship with Mills. How I met him, if I love him. Things of that nature, along with who he is. I explained our meeting in Dueling Rivers, how he asked me out with a confidence and straight forwardness no one else had dared use with me. How we'd spent evenings together, and how he walked me to the inn after our dates, being bold enough to steal kisses.
Then I went on to tell her about who he really is, and the downfall of his family. How I'd heard of him when I was little and loved his ideals since they would have saved her when I was little so we wouldn't have needed to be seperated. I told her about how I'd slowly uncovered who he was, too. I also ended up telling her about my nickname as the 'silencer of elves' that I hoped by now was 'silencer of bastards'.
Mills came to get me at some point, knowing I'd fall asleep without him if he didn't. He needed me to sleep comfortably himself. And he told Adelaide so, explaining how I'd come to be kidnapped. Vanishing before his eyes twice. His eyes portrayed the horror he still felt over it. He carried me to bed afterwards. We slept peacefully wrapped up in each others arms. We had a busy day ahead of us.