Elyna sank back into her chair and watched the exchange. Elsie’s scramble into her Father’s arms. She propped her chin in her hand, bringing up her legs to tuck beneath herself. Curled up and comfortable the young woman remained quiet and reflective. Any one of Malcolm’s children…yet so far only Elsie had been blessed with an apparent gift. Her gaze flicked over Vaughn, searching for any sign of resentment and relieved that she didn’t find any. This seemed more a conversation between Father and Son, yet she could not find a way to excuse herself. Not when it was so difficult to climb the stairs unassisted.
With Elsie back in her arms, the woman at least had an excuse for her attention. She cooled her own drink by blowing on it, before dipping in her little finger and letting Elsie taste the liquid. The girl pulled faces but opened her mouth, sticking out her tongue for more. Until the food was served and Malcolm bent to feed their daughter. Though Elyna noticed the portions of her dinner, she remained quiet on the subject. Though it made her feel more like an old lady than anything else. With Elsie on her lap, Elyna was left trying to dodge the mashed vegetables as the toddler attempted to wrestle the spoon from Malcolm. Eventually, she stole the wooden spoon from the Mortalborn’s grasp and re-positioned Elsie on her knee, watching her with a stern look and feeding the child with more success, and less food ending up in her hair.
Vaughn also fell quiet and the young woman averted her gaze, until Luke started to squirm and she offered up her arms for the baby. Elsie had eaten as much as she was going to and was happily sitting on her Mother’s knee. Elyna was able to tuck Luke into the crook of her arm, and like his father, he was quick to fall asleep again.
The valley. Vanessa’s grave. The skyrider found her ears burning, until mention of the manor stole the air from the room and the light from the fireplace. Elyna sank in her chair, pulling Elsie and Luke closer. She seemed to sink a little in her chair. Vaughn hadn’t been there since…since when? Since she had been there? Since his brother had started carving his mark into her flesh, the memory was enough to make the muscles burn with remembered pain, cramping beneath Elsie as the little girl bounced and wriggled, reaching for a slice of bread across the table. She watched the fire, flames licking against the edge of the grate as she shivered and focused on keeping her breath slow and uneven. She didn’t want to upset Elsie, or Luke and cuddled them, face hidden by a curtain of hair as she remained silent.
How many days had she spent in their manor in Ymiden? When Vaughn returned, he’d find her blood soaked into the mattress, stained in puddles on the floor, handprints on the walls as she’d tried to care for the open wounds. The thought of Malcolm visiting the gory scene made her stomach roll, threatening to reject the dinner that she had managed.
Vaughn moved like a man in a dream, and she watched him, recognising the same sense of loss and uncertainty. The young woman wanted to run away in that moment, rather than face her own demons. Elise had slipped under the table and was crawling again, sat beside Vara as the dog snuffled for any stray scraps. With Luke in her arms, the young woman stood, forced herself to smile at Malcolm and made her way towards the stairs. They did not need her here. She closed on hand tight to the railing and made her steady ascent.
“Vaan?” Elsie called from under the table, peering out at him, wondering if he would come and play.
With Elsie back in her arms, the woman at least had an excuse for her attention. She cooled her own drink by blowing on it, before dipping in her little finger and letting Elsie taste the liquid. The girl pulled faces but opened her mouth, sticking out her tongue for more. Until the food was served and Malcolm bent to feed their daughter. Though Elyna noticed the portions of her dinner, she remained quiet on the subject. Though it made her feel more like an old lady than anything else. With Elsie on her lap, Elyna was left trying to dodge the mashed vegetables as the toddler attempted to wrestle the spoon from Malcolm. Eventually, she stole the wooden spoon from the Mortalborn’s grasp and re-positioned Elsie on her knee, watching her with a stern look and feeding the child with more success, and less food ending up in her hair.
Vaughn also fell quiet and the young woman averted her gaze, until Luke started to squirm and she offered up her arms for the baby. Elsie had eaten as much as she was going to and was happily sitting on her Mother’s knee. Elyna was able to tuck Luke into the crook of her arm, and like his father, he was quick to fall asleep again.
The valley. Vanessa’s grave. The skyrider found her ears burning, until mention of the manor stole the air from the room and the light from the fireplace. Elyna sank in her chair, pulling Elsie and Luke closer. She seemed to sink a little in her chair. Vaughn hadn’t been there since…since when? Since she had been there? Since his brother had started carving his mark into her flesh, the memory was enough to make the muscles burn with remembered pain, cramping beneath Elsie as the little girl bounced and wriggled, reaching for a slice of bread across the table. She watched the fire, flames licking against the edge of the grate as she shivered and focused on keeping her breath slow and uneven. She didn’t want to upset Elsie, or Luke and cuddled them, face hidden by a curtain of hair as she remained silent.
How many days had she spent in their manor in Ymiden? When Vaughn returned, he’d find her blood soaked into the mattress, stained in puddles on the floor, handprints on the walls as she’d tried to care for the open wounds. The thought of Malcolm visiting the gory scene made her stomach roll, threatening to reject the dinner that she had managed.
Vaughn moved like a man in a dream, and she watched him, recognising the same sense of loss and uncertainty. The young woman wanted to run away in that moment, rather than face her own demons. Elise had slipped under the table and was crawling again, sat beside Vara as the dog snuffled for any stray scraps. With Luke in her arms, the young woman stood, forced herself to smile at Malcolm and made her way towards the stairs. They did not need her here. She closed on hand tight to the railing and made her steady ascent.
“Vaan?” Elsie called from under the table, peering out at him, wondering if he would come and play.
