Sage Niao

She nods and thinks. After a moment, she flips some scratch paper to the blank side and writes on it, trying to make it as mirrored as possible. She holds it up to the mirror, explaining what she just said.

She frowns in concern. “Who would put you in a prison of such a making? Why would they?”

 His smile darkened when she mentioned his name and he didn’t respond. He was Aaravos, why would he lie about that, of course he knew how he could be freed, but no single elf beside himself had that power.

She nods and thinks. After a moment, she flips some scratch paper to the blank side and writes on it, trying to make it as mirrored as possible. She holds it up to the mirror, explaining what she just said.

She frowns in concern. “Who would put you in a prison of such a making? Why would they?”

She nods and thinks. After a moment, she flips some scratch paper to the blank side and writes on it, trying to make it as mirrored as possible. She holds it up to the mirror, explaining what she just said.

She frowns in concern. "Who would put you in a prison of such a making? Why would they?"

She nods and thinks. After a moment, she flips some scratch paper to the blank side and writes on it, trying to make it as mirrored as possible. She holds it up to the mirror, explaining what she just said.

She nods and thinks. After a moment, she flips some scratch paper to the blank side and writes on it, trying to make it as mirrored as possible. She holds it up to the mirror, explaining what she just said.

“I prepare the training grounds.” Runaan said, flipping the knife in his hand so he could give it to tinker, handle fist. Tinker smiled and placed a kiss on the assassin’s nose, right on the bottom mark, then got to helping sage.

She does everything she can to help make lunch. “Papa, why do you make things? Does someone pay you to make stuff or do you do it because you like making things?”

Tinker paused, thinking of how to answer. “Both, really.” Tink smiled. “Sometimes I just have an idea I want to try, other times someone pays me to make them something. The bowblade I made your poppa was one of those I wanted to try.”

“Wow… next time poppa’s on a mission, can you show me how to make things?” She bounces in excitement.

“Sure.” Tinker smiled. “Now, do you want a little, or a lot of spice?”

“Lots of spice!” She pulls out the spices she wants to use. It’s the usual spices she likes.

Tinker smiled. “That’s my girl.”

She giggles and starts seasoning it. When he deems it finished, she nods and looks at Tinker. “Done!”

“Okay, not to let it sit for a minute.” Tink hummed. “Maybe we can see what runaan has planned?”

She nods and holds Tink’s hand while she walks outside. “Yeah!”

“Stances,” Runaan answered. “Forms. The basics. Once you get a hang of that, that’s when you’ll use a real weapon.”

She nods and gets a determined look. “Can I start now? Pleaseeee? Since lunch isn’t done yet?”

Runaan sighed. “Very well..”

She tries to hide her excitement. “Thank you!” Sage runs over to Runaan and waits patiently.

“Grab your sticks, we’ll start simple.” Runaan ordered, taking on the same tone he used while teaching other young assassins. Tinker retreated inside with a smile.

“I prepare the training grounds.” Runaan said, flipping the knife in his hand so he could give it to tinker, handle fist. Tinker smiled and placed a kiss on the assassin’s nose, right on the bottom mark, then got to helping sage.

She does everything she can to help make lunch. “Papa, why do you make things? Does someone pay you to make stuff or do you do it because you like making things?”

Tinker paused, thinking of how to answer. “Both, really.” Tink smiled. “Sometimes I just have an idea I want to try, other times someone pays me to make them something. The bowblade I made your poppa was one of those I wanted to try.”

“Wow… next time poppa’s on a mission, can you show me how to make things?” She bounces in excitement.

“Sure.” Tinker smiled. “Now, do you want a little, or a lot of spice?”

“Lots of spice!” She pulls out the spices she wants to use. It’s the usual spices she likes.

Tinker smiled. “That’s my girl.”

She giggles and starts seasoning it. When he deems it finished, she nods and looks at Tinker. “Done!”

“Okay, not to let it sit for a minute.” Tink hummed. “Maybe we can see what runaan has planned?”

She nods and holds Tink’s hand while she walks outside. “Yeah!”

“Stances,” Runaan answered. “Forms. The basics. Once you get a hang of that, that’s when you’ll use a real weapon.”

She nods and gets a determined look. “Can I start now? Pleaseeee? Since lunch isn’t done yet?”

Runaan sighed. “Very well..”

She tries to hide her excitement. “Thank you!” Sage runs over to Runaan and waits patiently.

“I prepare the training grounds.” Runaan said, flipping the knife in his hand so he could give it to tinker, handle fist. Tinker smiled and placed a kiss on the assassin’s nose, right on the bottom mark, then got to helping sage.

She does everything she can to help make lunch. “Papa, why do you make things? Does someone pay you to make stuff or do you do it because you like making things?”

Tinker paused, thinking of how to answer. “Both, really.” Tink smiled. “Sometimes I just have an idea I want to try, other times someone pays me to make them something. The bowblade I made your poppa was one of those I wanted to try.”

“Wow… next time poppa’s on a mission, can you show me how to make things?” She bounces in excitement.

“Sure.” Tinker smiled. “Now, do you want a little, or a lot of spice?”

“Lots of spice!” She pulls out the spices she wants to use. It’s the usual spices she likes.

Tinker smiled. “That’s my girl.”

She giggles and starts seasoning it. When he deems it finished, she nods and looks at Tinker. “Done!”

“Okay, not to let it sit for a minute.” Tink hummed. “Maybe we can see what runaan has planned?”

She nods and holds Tink’s hand while she walks outside. “Yeah!”

“Stances,” Runaan answered. “Forms. The basics. Once you get a hang of that, that’s when you’ll use a real weapon.”

She nods and gets a determined look. “Can I start now? Pleaseeee? Since lunch isn’t done yet?”

“I prepare the training grounds.” Runaan said, flipping the knife in his hand so he could give it to tinker, handle fist. Tinker smiled and placed a kiss on the assassin’s nose, right on the bottom mark, then got to helping sage.

She does everything she can to help make lunch. “Papa, why do you make things? Does someone pay you to make stuff or do you do it because you like making things?”

Tinker paused, thinking of how to answer. “Both, really.” Tink smiled. “Sometimes I just have an idea I want to try, other times someone pays me to make them something. The bowblade I made your poppa was one of those I wanted to try.”

“Wow… next time poppa’s on a mission, can you show me how to make things?” She bounces in excitement.

“Sure.” Tinker smiled. “Now, do you want a little, or a lot of spice?”

“Lots of spice!” She pulls out the spices she wants to use. It’s the usual spices she likes.

Tinker smiled. “That’s my girl.”

She giggles and starts seasoning it. When he deems it finished, she nods and looks at Tinker. “Done!”

“Okay, not to let it sit for a minute.” Tink hummed. “Maybe we can see what runaan has planned?”

She nods and holds Tink’s hand while she walks outside. “Yeah!”

“I prepare the training grounds.” Runaan said, flipping the knife in his hand so he could give it to tinker, handle fist. Tinker smiled and placed a kiss on the assassin’s nose, right on the bottom mark, then got to helping sage.

She does everything she can to help make lunch. “Papa, why do you make things? Does someone pay you to make stuff or do you do it because you like making things?”

Tinker paused, thinking of how to answer. “Both, really.” Tink smiled. “Sometimes I just have an idea I want to try, other times someone pays me to make them something. The bowblade I made your poppa was one of those I wanted to try.”

“Wow… next time poppa’s on a mission, can you show me how to make things?” She bounces in excitement.

“Sure.” Tinker smiled. “Now, do you want a little, or a lot of spice?”

“Lots of spice!” She pulls out the spices she wants to use. It’s the usual spices she likes.

Tinker smiled. “That’s my girl.”

She giggles and starts seasoning it. When he deems it finished, she nods and looks at Tinker. “Done!”

“Okay, not to let it sit for a minute.” Tink hummed. “Maybe we can see what runaan has planned?”

She nods and holds Tink’s hand while she walks outside. “Yeah!”

“I prepare the training grounds.” Runaan said, flipping the knife in his hand so he could give it to tinker, handle fist. Tinker smiled and placed a kiss on the assassin’s nose, right on the bottom mark, then got to helping sage.

She does everything she can to help make lunch. “Papa, why do you make things? Does someone pay you to make stuff or do you do it because you like making things?”

Tinker paused, thinking of how to answer. “Both, really.” Tink smiled. “Sometimes I just have an idea I want to try, other times someone pays me to make them something. The bowblade I made your poppa was one of those I wanted to try.”

“Wow… next time poppa’s on a mission, can you show me how to make things?” She bounces in excitement.

“Sure.” Tinker smiled. “Now, do you want a little, or a lot of spice?”

“Lots of spice!” She pulls out the spices she wants to use. It’s the usual spices she likes.

Tinker smiled. “That’s my girl.”

She giggles and starts seasoning it. When he deems it finished, she nods and looks at Tinker. “Done!”

“I prepare the training grounds.” Runaan said, flipping the knife in his hand so he could give it to tinker, handle fist. Tinker smiled and placed a kiss on the assassin’s nose, right on the bottom mark, then got to helping sage.

She does everything she can to help make lunch. “Papa, why do you make things? Does someone pay you to make stuff or do you do it because you like making things?”

Tinker paused, thinking of how to answer. “Both, really.” Tink smiled. “Sometimes I just have an idea I want to try, other times someone pays me to make them something. The bowblade I made your poppa was one of those I wanted to try.”

“Wow… next time poppa’s on a mission, can you show me how to make things?” She bounces in excitement.

“Sure.” Tinker smiled. “Now, do you want a little, or a lot of spice?”

“Lots of spice!” She pulls out the spices she wants to use. It’s the usual spices she likes.

“I prepare the training grounds.” Runaan said, flipping the knife in his hand so he could give it to tinker, handle fist. Tinker smiled and placed a kiss on the assassin’s nose, right on the bottom mark, then got to helping sage.

She does everything she can to help make lunch. “Papa, why do you make things? Does someone pay you to make stuff or do you do it because you like making things?”

Tinker paused, thinking of how to answer. “Both, really.” Tink smiled. “Sometimes I just have an idea I want to try, other times someone pays me to make them something. The bowblade I made your poppa was one of those I wanted to try.”

“Wow... next time poppa’s on a mission, can you show me how to make things?” She bounces in excitement.

“I prepare the training grounds.” Runaan said, flipping the knife in his hand so he could give it to tinker, handle fist. Tinker smiled and placed a kiss on the assassin’s nose, right on the bottom mark, then got to helping sage.

She does everything she can to help make lunch. “Papa, why do you make things? Does someone pay you to make stuff or do you do it because you like making things?”

Runaan gently pushed her hand away, instead taking the note and looking over it.

Sage happily reaches towards her new dads. Tinker looked so warm! Tiny hands continued to reach until the child was too tired to continue. She yawns once more before dozing off.

Sage grabs onto Tinker in her sleep. The heat felt nice compared to the cold outside. Her blanket felt rough and coarse at the touch.

Tinker almost looked horrified when he felt the blanket, searching around for a softer one on the bed stockpiled with them. He picked up a red, fuzzy one he always cuddled with when runaan was gone and gently removed the blanket from the girl, then wrapped her in the softer one. “We are definitely keeping her.”

She wakes and starts crying during the brief period where she doesn’t have a blanket. However, upon being wrapped in the much softer blanket, she calms down and looks up at her new parents.

“It’s alright.” Tinker cooed softly, warming the blanket some with the hand holding her.

She babbles happily before falling back asleep. Sage felt safe again.

Tinker smiled at her, and then at runaan, who only hummed and said “We’ll have to ask a healer to check on her.”

Sage sleeps happily. She wouldn’t understand why a healer was needed, but she didn’t understand what a healer was either.

“We should sleep too.” Runaan said softly, guiding tinker to lay down with the baby sage. “I have a feeling tomorrow is going to be a busy day.”

“I said I would teach you when you were ready.” Runaan reminded. “What happened to those sticks Papa made for you?”

“Sage, I don’t want you to get hurt. Knives are sharp.” He showed the point of the knife, placing his thumb on it. “One wrong move and…” He moved his thumb, leaving a cut where the blade was. Runaan didn’t feel anything in truth, far too used to worse injuries, but he did hold up the bleeding thumb for her to see.  

She pouts little. “Fine... are we gonna make lunch now?” Sage starts gathering some ingredients for lunch.