#el'sika

The Shokan felt a lax slap against his chest-plate and looked with a grumble at the direction his fellow comrade pointed at with a spear which nearly hit him in his scrunched nose, both of them stopped, not taking a step further, peering over the rock formation of the mountain's steep hills.

The Edenian expanded his lungs, his words a hissed exhale filled with urgency; "Cease...! Cease all movement."

"What? What is it, Katravok?" Kriz rubbed at their scarred brow as soon as they set down the carriage's handlers gently, a bead of sweat blinded their eye. They stopped at a valley, it was not enough steep for the transport to slide back down, fortunately.

Once detecting the urgency and suspense in the other two guards Kriz stepped around the carriage and stopped short in front of Mox'an, their gaze trailing to the sharp end of the weapon.

"I saw movement by the crest... guard the carriage, I shall inspect it closer." however, Katravok hesitated for a short-lived moment then marched from between the taller men.

"That overanxious child will be the death of me..." Mox'an uttered to the shorter Edenian, barely moving his jaws to keep his voice low, his one good eye watched Katravok's every move when he began to climb the slope.

Chartreuse eyes, full of sympathy, shifted from the departing rookie to the commander as soon as he had finished his slander. "Give him time, Mox', one cannot become great in a month's time."

"If he wishes to join his brother at the frontlines, under General's command, the boy should get a grip on himself already."

A craven shriek had the two old warriors redirect their attentions above to the crest where their newest additon aimed his spear at fallen, big rocks of the mountain, just in time to see a red and pale blur dart to another spot to hide behind. Katravok's aim followed the sprinting form, however his focus faltered the moment his eyesight somewhat discerned what it is.

A shilouette of a small person was running from one spot to another behind the mountain's boulders on the flattened cliff ends.

But it's not just a small person. It's a child. Naked, dirty, and malnourished.

"A....! A-a little girl...!?" Katravok exclaimed, his alarmed, pitched tone frightened the child and had her scattering away from the guard over uneaven surfaces of this mountain.

Guarded, the man watched the child dart from one hiding spot to another to get away, already forseeing that the few spots were too steep and it was only a matter of time until she'd plunge herself to death down the rocky cliffs.

Katravok took careful steps up the steep hill, slow and measured, approaching close. The child, however, did not like the armored man getting nearer and from stirred panic deep within she was desoriented enough to get herself cornered behind a boulder of a dead-end cliff.

When the raven-haired Edenian made an attempt to grab her, a defensive hiss spat at Katravok had him back away instead.

"What is taking so long?" Mox'an hollered from below, while he had barely moved an inch from his post his lower right hand gripped at his weapon as patience thinned within the nerve system when he saw no accomplishing and satisfying finish to the situation.

Wouldn't it be for their Mistress they bad a duty to, he would have come deal with it himself.

"Well, she— She is feral, Commander. I have firm belief she won't hesitate to assault should I get closer." To prove his point, he inched one foot forward and the figurative hackles of the girl arose with a frightened hiss.

Cautious, Katravok backed up a foot and a half down the hill, while it felt absurd he held his drawn spear tight to his hip and the metal tip lightly brushed against the mixed texture of a mountain ground.

The Shokan commander glowered unimpressedly at the rookie, displeased by Katravok's fear of a child's bite. Mox'an was about to step up when Kriz's outstretched limb across his breast halted him.

"We shouldn't —"

A wooden window of the carriage's door opened behind the two soldiers and if they were startled, they did not let it show. It was dim inside but their Mistress' leer entered the reflecting lights off the ground in the rectangle window and her monotone voice immediately had her guards straighten up their chins beneath her surveillance. "Report to me."

"Katravok had found a child, Mistress." Mox'an quickly answered, lowering his one-eyed gaze respectfully.

"Presumably, a lost girl." Kriz added, moving closer to the door when their Mistress began to push at it from the inside.

"An orphan...?" Mistress Eileithyia tsked under her breath and manoovered her heavy body until her feet landed on the treshhold of the carriage's doorframe.

There had to be a reason for her sudden engrossment, the two old soldiers knew, because at any other time of day or situation she'd have turned a blind eye to it all with unconcern. It was just as abstruse to Kriz as it was to Mox'an, and he was rarely shocked by anything.

Katravok had already jogged down to the trio, far quicker than when he climbed up, slightly out of breath and looking over his shoulder on occasion.

"Kriz, assist me..." Mistress Eileithyia held out her arm, and as soon as her guard grasped it she slithered out with slight difficulty of the carriage then turned her stare to the Shokan with expectancy. "Show her to me."

"It is too uphill, my lady, you mustn't—"

"Kriz, escort me. I want to see her myself." Eileithyia spoke over her guard's plea, dismissing it as nugatory, and Katravok's mouth immedieately clamped shut.

They advanced slowly, but surely. Eileithyia was increasingly eager to reach her goal before said goal escaped, but Kriz was more concerned than ever over their straining and nerve-wreckingly stubborn Mistress.

The old warrior steadied her, held her in a secure grip without hurting her or the unborn. Their peripheral trajectory shifted their sight at the big boulder they reached and melancholic strings of oud snapped each cord it plucked at — it was harrowing, simply tragic just to set eyes on a child that is skin and bones, no different than a ghoul. With her animalistic behavior Kriz understood Katravok's shaken spirit, not once had they met a kid that was quite similar to a feral feline.

Duty comes first and foremost, it'd be unethical to chose the child over their Mistress, however it was morally wrong to leave the little girl suffer any longer than she'd already been through.

Shaking the fog of lingering thoughts away, Kriz cast their gaze down at their feet as they voiced their musing out loud in a quieter tone; "It appears the girl has been alone in the wilderness for years.."

"Hm. What an exotic hair color...." The Mistress' head tilted to espy the slip of a girl cover and hiss from behind her hiding spot.

The child hesitated to gaze upon them over the corner, the rumbly growls in her dry throat hadn't yet ceased, the knotted and dirty locks of unkept red hair was all over the place like an Autumn bush of crimson leaves. Her frail body was rigid and the malnourished, lean muscles were taut like a coiled spring, spread fingers dug into the mountain's ground as something to hold onto as the two adults continued to unnervingly observe.

It was obvious that she was an orphan, abandoned on a mountaintop where death awaited her. Eileithyia didn't care where the child came from, how she got here, or that she needed immediate help and a roof over her head. What she saw was the outcome in the future, if they took her with them and used the situation to their— her advantage, they would make something, or someone, useful out of her. Give the child a purpose.

Just when the Mistress had given up on hope...

Would it not be for the unbearable wriggling from within her womb, Mistress Eileithyia'd have taken a step closer for further observation but alas.

Cupping the underside of the bulging swell where kicks were more-so present, Kriz's grasp immedieately constricted her close. They could see through Eileithyia's charade of a composed demeanor when she was clearly hurting.

The Mistress could swear that this pregnancy's more painful than the last two ones. Those who repeatedly assured her, that the more babies she bares the less pain there will be, she'd like to personally gift with the painful aches and cramps of expecting and then the agonising birth. Every pregnancy is different; now she knows, and feels more of a fool for not preparing further when this child is/will be her third.

"... A permission to take off to the manor, Mistress?" The old warrior spoke before their Mistress could part her inked lips to breathe out a command.

"Yes, let us go. Katravok," Mistress Eileithyia's head sharply twitched downward to the young soldier boy as she began to descent the mountain's hill with Kriz's aid and Mox'an approached them half-way with outstretched left set of hands. "Take meticulous measures when handling the untamed child."

Inaudiably gulping, Katravok's flitting chestnut eyes tried to look on all three of them at once while grasping at his weapon as if it could give him courage when he's about to climb the same hill for the second time today with even less perseverance.

He When he passed by them, his shoulders tense and tongue just like it, Katravok faced his Mistress's departure into the carriage he could not help himself but brazenly inquire; "Why are we taking the waif?... M-my Lady...?"

The two of his supperiors reeled their sights over their shoulders and Katravok was frozen in fright to even swallow. One frowned more grimly than the other and he could only hope that whatever line he had crossed won't earn him a painful penalty, but this surely earned him a bad look in front of the General's wife.

Katravok's gaze not once lifted until the carriage door closed, not to see the displeased glower from Mistress Eileithyia when she curtly ordered him to do as he is told. And he most politely nodded and apologized.

The young soldier nearly jumped from his skin when the enormous Shokan had stopped right beside him all of a sudden - silent despite his substantiality - and almost lost his head when Mox'an upper, left wrist flickered over Katravok's head that it turned his helmet.

"Come, kid, or the girl will run away."

Katravok tried not to dwell too much on his superior's gruff undertone which his body naturally tensed upon delivery and tailed after Mox'an like a good little soldier that he is.

Mox'an wrapped a red cape around his lower set of arms in a hammock-like shape as they moved upward.

The child didn't move an inch from where they had left her.

They approached slowly, the sun behind them cast cool shadows that covered her from the hot rays, as soon as she saw them again, she let out a frightened growl and backed away on all fours until her bare foot lost its grip under her.

In shock, the little girl looked over her scratched shoulder and they took advantage of that moment of disarmament.

Within a half of a minute happened two things; the little girl was close to falling off the cliff by a bad judgement of reflexes when Katravok inched too close too fast, and the Shokan mantled the child in the cloth before she could register what is happening therefor preventiventing an unfortunate death. However, Katravok had to hold one of Mox'an's hands so he wouldn't lose neither his commander and the little girl.

The frightened, little girl writhed and howled in her new, restraining cocoon but Mox'an needed only one set of arms to hold her tight, his strength is a match for no other.

"C-commander Mox'an, I don't—"

"I'll carry her," He cut him off curtly before he could finish. While it will be tiring for his ears to listen to the child's scream all the way back, Mox'an is not about to risk her slipping out of the cape she was secured in while being the young soldier's responsibility. "Let us return."

Katravok mouthed a silent 'thank you' to the Gods with a lung-full exhale, uncomfortable enough with the girl's proximity alone, he didn't feel like being up to this task. Oddly enough, he couldn't help but equate this predicament to a kidnapping, it had made a mess inside his guts. What bothers him more is that it seems he's the only one here disturbed by it...

Kriz watched their comrades return, awaiting by the front of the carriage, then gazed at the wiggling bundle where muffled roars came from. It wounded the old warrior's heart to see yet another orphaned child in their lifetime, and this one perticulary refuse to yield when aid had came to her rescue, though Kriz could not blame the little girl to be distrustful; no one knows what she has gone through. Had her family forgotten her? Was she left to die? Or has she been lost for years? Kriz had an inkling that they might never get to know the true story.

Mox'an was not notwithstanding to show any ounce of sympathy, mayhaps pity for a briefest of moments, but rather took caution that this child could mean trouble.

Unbeknownst to the Shokan or the other Edenian, Katravok shared his commander's viewpoint, the idea of accepting a savage to society in hopes to 'tame' it into domestication sounds like an idealistic dream — but he held his tongue between his teeth, his opinion is not of one's interest.

Landscapes of alpine tundra mountains were outlined in a variety of golden colours when the escort returned to the Dragon Mansion of the military family with their Mistress. The guards of the main gates had been awaiting the return of the party since last midday, and when the Shokan Commander of guards was within twenty feet close to them, they each grasped a lever on each side of the gate. They tugged the wooden sticks down in synchrony, and the mechanism within the Ancestral wall pulled on ropes and turned the gears, opening the heavy doors for the carriage to pass through.

The Edenian and Shokan of the gate post mirrored their bows on their respective sides to their Mistress and Commander Mox'an, although seeing him carry a wiggling bulge inside his cape and holding it tight had aroused suspicious questions within them.

“What in the name of the Creator was that?” El'sika wondered to his Edenian companion, watching the gate close just as slowly behind them, suspending their noseiness.

Randalith shrugged with nonchalance her armored shoulders, twisting one-eighty to face the blank scenery and resume her job. “You think I know any better?... Had I any clue, the whole flock would spread the news around before supper. And you know that.”

"Would not surprise me if you would be keeping things for yourself," the Shokan countered with no confidence in his statement, copying his fellow soldier and looked toward the dusk-painted clouds.

Her frown was lopsided, exhaling a baffled snigger before Randalith replied without being heard. "Maaaybe scrub clean your armour before my own, Eli."

In the mansion's front yard, of Oriental landscape spread in cross paths to different directions of this wide estate, is where Katravok stopped pushing the cart and Kriz helped Mistress Eileithyia to step out with her heavy body. The Shrine of Dragon Mountain was on a path of stairs higher up, at the nearly hollowed-out mountain top.

Eileithyia used one arm to support her underbelly while her right arm twisted tightly around one of Kriz's. The growing babe within her was just as restless as she felt. But perhaps there is one more child who can say the same.

The Mistress' unimpressed stare down at the writhing ball in crimson cape had her guards stall all movement, for she was contemplating.

“The orphan shall be entrusted in your care Mox'an,” calculating, ruby eyes lifted to the guard Commander. "Take care of her comfort... Be rough if it will be a must. I will decide on her future tomorrow evening. I’ll send for a healer the next morning, I do not want a diseased person in my house… And lend her some clothes before a tailor makes robes for her."

Mox'an bowed, surpressing the expression of displeasure, but will bent for his Mistress' every order. "Understood."

Kriz exchanged glances with Mox'an for the quickest of seconds before leading Mistress Eileithyia to her chambers. Katravok had separated from the Shokan to park the carriage near the stables, as the Shokan went to the left. The soldier barracks is only a few squares smaller than the main mansion, and the interior is barer, too. But the near-claustrophobic corridors save a lot of space for the bedrooms when the General has plenty of soldiers living at his estate to protect it, whether he is absent or not. The warriors are well taken care of, even when their living quarters lack a personal touch.

A very few have a bedroom all for their own, and Mox'an is one of those who share his personal space. Thankfully, by choice.

But first and foremost, the Shokan was redirected to the lunchroom. It was a building itself, connected to the barracks by a patio, not that big of a room, but vast at least. It was long after dinner, and Mox'an rather hoped that there would be enough leftovers so he wouldn't have to share his measured portion, and Kriz would not have to either.

“Mayhaps this thing would be more agreeable if well fed...” the Shokan grumbled under his breath, wrestling the bundle beneath one armpit.

The little one seemed to have lost quite a bit of her fight and became more manageable to hold. And, thank good grief, for that. Would it continue any minute longer, then Mox'an would not hesitate to drop her, albeit with little care — she looked frail enough to give the impression that the slightest of force could break her bones.

Such a feeble thing; a child.

... And Mox'an hates children... He has his reasons.

When Mistress Eileithyia was taken into care by her maids, Kriz had an excuse to leave as quickly as they did. And if the lunchroom hadn't had lights on, then Kriz most likely would have been running through the barracks panic-stricken. Mox'an stood in the middle of the kitchen, back to the glassless window, and glowered at the corner beside the pantry.

Befuddled, Kriz entered the kitchen and looked the Shokan over, searching for the little girl.

“Close the door.” Mox'an grumbled, and as soon as he spoke a familiar hiss resounded from beside the pantry.

“Oh, dear...” they murmured, peering at the bundled-up child, who was squeezing herself against the corner while they gently closed the entrance, cutting off the child's possibility of slipping through and escaping. The girl growled and hissed at the white-haired Edenian, then disappiered back under the cover of the cape. “Poor darling is scared to death.” Kriz susurated with a heartbroken tone.

“That artrocious thing is stubborn, Kriz.” the Shokan sourly muttered, annoyed with his companion's sugarcoated empathy when they need this child to work with them for her own good.

Kriz gasped and slapped at Mox'an's elbow with no strength. “Oh my stars— do not be talking about her as if she's but an object.”

“Should the kid continue to act like a feline, I shall not cease.” the Shokan retorted grumpily, unaffected by the 'assault'.

The Edenian lolled their head to the side, aiming a pleading, coaxing look at the much taller man, whom the latter tried not to make contact with — to not be moved by those green eyes like a mountain itself.

With a disappointed sigh, which pulled the Shokan's heartstrings, Kriz moved to roam around the kitchen to look for any edible thing while the little girl seemed content in the fabric cocoon that Mox'an watched like a hawk.

After finding well-hidden boxes with fruits, Kriz picked some various ones that seemed to be well-ripened before walking over to the ball of wrapped cape. Their steps were slow, measured, listening for the little child's every sound when the makeshift cocoon barely made a twitch since their arrival.

A weak growl was supposed to scare off Kriz when they knelt close by, and while they slowed their movements further, it did not deter them from continuing.

Cautiously, Kris's stuffed hand outstretched, placing the fruits close enough to the opening of the girl's hidey hole, and then took their limb back before she could have the opportunity to bite them.

Kriz had returned to be beside their partner, both waited attentively when silent seconds passed by until the little girl decided to slothfully shuffle one arm from inside her safe space, reaching for a dark red apple, and it disappeared inside the cocoon before the two could even blink. They waited tensely for any sound or motion. But before they had time to register the whine of disgust from inside, the fruit was thrown out, discarded with a barely visible teeth mark on its skin.

The two old warriors breathed a long lament at their washout.

“For a starved child, you are picky.” Mox'an grumbled, frustrated.

“It wouldn't have been enough to fill this poor thing either way... Maybe there is some meat from this midday?”

The Shokan watched Kriz move about the kitchen once more in a search; they came out of the pantry with some leftovers, and also the Edenian sacrificed some of their dinner that was left at the back. Just a fish and boiled potatoes, Kriz only gave her double the portion from their plate.

Again, Kriz placed the food close enough for the little girl to take and cleaned up the fruits they left there. She grew bolder when cajoled by the scent of meat. One fish disappeared off the plate, and the silence was filled with wet munching and mawing from inside the rolled cape.

Kriz heaved a sigh of relief and knelt close by the corner and patiently waited for the child to finish everything to her content. Mox'an's disdained grimace had lost it's tautness on his wrinkled, half-scaley face and he hovered close by, leaning against the counters.

It was fascinating to see almost neatly cleaned fish bones be tossed out, and the little girl reached for the last fish, not finding appeal in the vegetable.

They waited, one with patience, the other with impatience. A plaintive mew made by the little girl had taken them aback again, not used to hear impressive animal sounds from a person before, as another stripped fish of it's flesh and insides was spat out at the first skeleton.

But they didn't expect the little girl to sluggishly crawl out of her hideout this soon. Wide, frightened, baby blue eyes pierced both of them back and forth. Her tiny nostrils twitched, taking in all the new scents and odours, especially theirs.

But she was interested in one peculiar scent.

The child scattered on all four before Kriz or Mox'an could register her intent, but they were not worried that they wouldn't be able to catch her in this secluded room.

The pale, bony body moved quickly, like back at the mountain. She zipped past Kriz and clawed at the furniture and counters under the window that had a view of the small courtyard. She climbed quickly, and her head banged against the translucent glass, which she didn't expect to be there. The girl grunted and huffed, shaking her head as if it would help the ache on her forehead before pressing against the window again, patting at it.

Mox'an shared a puzzled look with Kriz as soon as a throaty, pitched growl came out of the little child whom was staring unmovingly at the chicken coop outside.

“Sorry, little one. You can play with the chickens tomorrow.” Kriz cooed softly, they took the cape to wrap the malnourished child in it again while she was distracted.

“That would be unwise.. I don't have time to play, either way.” Mox'an grumbled, watching his companion wrestle with the whining, hissing girl as he stood aside. "... How am I supposed to focus on my training classes with this wretched thing?"

The Edenian would have scolded his partner, but frankly, they have their hands full to counter his vulgarity. “You could leave her with the cooks during the day.”

Mox'an hummed, stalling a moment to consider it, but shook his head with a sigh and continued to watch Kriz struggle with his only good eye. “No.. So many things could go wrong.”

“Alright— very well..” Kriz sighed, huffing their stray white locks from their face that undid from their face, finally done wrapping and immobilizing the little girl in Mox'an's cape with only her red-haired head showing, just to be certain she can breathe. Kriz wrapped her nice and secure like a newborn babe.

The little girl was stunned for a moment in what predicament she found herself this time. She couldn't move her body, only trash her head and express her dissatisfaction by yowling as loud as she can, and it certainly made the two adults' ears ring.

Mox'an's patience was put to the test tonight, and he was hanging on by a thread whilst observing Kriz rock the fussy child in their arms and cooing over her shrills with an admirable tolerance. And by time, she did quiet down. Though even if she didn't sense being in danger at the moment, it didn't diffuse the fright like a cloud.

It was far too late when they took the orphan through the barracks, and those who were not at their posts until early morning were already fast asleep. Mox'an was not about to risk waking up the whole place when she was screaming her lungs out, but took the opportunity to eat their meals, or what was left of them, rather. In the end, the Shokan unhappily shared his fish.

Katravok had come for his dinner as well before the three of them were on the move, and he interacted with them as little as possible.

But that uncharacteristical silence of the rookie rancorously pleased Mox'an.

And if the two old warriors thought that they had already seen it all with this little girl, they got themselves into a real fight.

The frightened little girl refused to dip even an inch of her toes into the water of the vast bath built into the ground. It wasn't that it was cold; ongoing magma and fires were still active within the Dragon Mountain, and they took advantage of it to warm their waters. The mere sight of the water in a pretty deep bathtub scared her out of her wits, and she yelled, scratched, and bit to fight against them.

“Everyone is going to think we're drowning her, Mox! I'll fetch a bushel!“ and with that, Kriz was out of the bath house before the Shokan could even stop them.

Being left in the trap of indecisiveness and uncertainty, Mox'an cursed under his breath and maneuvered all four of his arms to hold the screeching child down without bruising her — though it was becoming more difficult by the second.

Mox'an had to hold her arms separately, not to risk being bitten again, while his lower set of arms squeezed tightly around her body, restraining her.

”Cease...! Cease your— Stop.“ he growled, bellowing his deep voice over her animal-like, expressive sounds and it startled her to silence. ”Stop it right now, or so help me-!...“

Wide, blue eyes behind a knotted bush of red bangs and quivering lips is what made him stop yelling back at her. Mox'an couldn't help but scowl, feeling awkward to see her cry. Where is Kriz when you need them?!

Then there was a sob, another followed, and then another. But no wailing. Her frail, little body was trembling, her breathing irregular, and he did not doubt her little heart was pounding in her chest. The Shokan should really not be entrusted with babies. It is only rational that she is this afraid, but empathy is not his strongest suit, however... he does pity her. She is but an orphan, or a lost child.

Mox'an exhaled a long sigh, tired of this all. It took a little more effort than he'd wanted, but he was able to cradle the little girl in his double set of arms. Curling her fragile body against his breast in the carefullest way he knew how.

The little girl stared at the Shokan with apprehension; the only sound that came out of her was her soft sniffles. Mox'an didn't appreciate those untainted blue orbs to be his mirror while also staring right through his soul.

She was unsure what to make of his secure grip, which was wrapped all around her, but it felt less forced, albeit still restraining. When he began to near the bathtub, she whimpered and fidgeted, but he shushed her with a low grumble and made her hold his gaze as he ascended down the bath's stairs, entering the bath with her. And in the briefest of moments, he was glad to think of pulling all his armor off. Her breath picked up speed, but she didn't try to flee just when he was waist-deep in the water.

Mox'an's right eye stared back and forth between her eyes, his facial features held its usual sterness and authority, but he could not phantom what else there was once her rigid body eased in his hold after she had gotten accustomed to the warm liquid, she held his gaze more intently than he.

It had turned more tranquil and the Shokan could think sanely again. While her stare was unnerving, he'd take it over her wails. His arms shifted, not loosening only rearranging the hold which disrupted her child's peace and his big, three-fingered hand lingered on top of her crown to still her.

"When you are in my arms, little girl," Mox'an sighed, unwrapping the top, left arm from around her to cup water into his palm and began to soak up her red bush of hair. "I will never let you go. You have my word."

From occasional whines and grunts, the little girl held still as Mox'an cleaned thoroughly the dust and grime that hardened on her locks as much as he could, but it was clear that they will have to snip the red curls short when there are knots that are unmanageable to work with.

Kriz had barged back into the bath house in such a frenzy that it startled both the girl and the Shokan. They mumbled incoherently to themself, a medium-sized bushel in their arms and old clothes draped over their shoulder. They stopped dead in their tracks when they realized Mox'an had managed to put her into the water in such a creative way.

The Edenian filled their lungs at the next intake, then exhaled in a completely enamoured coo. ”Oh, goodness! Look at that precious thing... Mellow like an Earthrealm lion.“

Mox'an grunted and resumed to lather the little girl in soap and scented oils. ”I do not understand, Kriz, she should have ran. My hold is loose enough for her to slip away.“

Kriz had long abandoned the bushel and squatted close to the bath, observing the two of them closely in awe. "I was talking about you."

He had no reason to turn around, already feeling the cheeky smile bore to the back of his head. Mox'an casually continued to tend to the child, letting his companion sit in a tense silence to have them doubt themself before responding a gruff retort. ”You fret the moment I will be freed of this thing, you shall have a bath next, Krizicil.“

A little bit of dread cottoned Kriz's tongue and decided it best to sit back and wait for the Commander to cool off in time.

When they had the child all squeaky clean and Kriz was able to cut her hair wild decently, they did expect this time she'd make a fuss about being put into robes. Shockingly, and thankfully enough, she was compliant.

In their shared chambers, they already had their futons next to each other, and since there was nothing else to put her in tonight, she had to sleep between them. If children hate bedtime, then it is the opposite with the little girl.

The moment Kriz laid her down, she nudged her head off the pillow but curled up on the warm, soft surface and fell asleep with the snap of a finger.

The General's sons could never...

Each lay on their respective side of the bed, no matter the movement, it did not wake the softly snoring child. Both synchronised with a heaved sigh of relief, now that everything was finally calm... except Mox'an's thoughts.

”... The citramontane climatic condition of the mountains is not something a small child would survive this long.“

Kriz paused with a direct reply, they didn't expect their companion would want to have a discussion this late at night. ”Mox...“

”She must have came from someplace else. A nearby village, perhaps. She could not have been up on those mountains long, that makes no sense.“

”You propose we look for her parents?“

The Shokan's brows furrowed when detecting reluctance in his companion's tone. ”She must have a family somewhere, Kriz, we cannot keep her.“

While being unable to disagree about Mox'an's point they couldn't help but retort; ”Can't we? Mistress seemed adamant to have her stay.”

“Yes. For her own gain, we both know that. We must give her back to her family should we find them... If they are alive.”

“... And if we don't? What then?“ while, yes, it is selfish to wish so but Kriz would love to keep the little girl. Adopt her. They never thought about being a parent but the moment they had her in their arms it felt like it had naturally awakened within them — the parental instinct.

”Then,“ Mox'an paused, his hairless brow cinched further in thought, his eye straying to the tiny bundle curled on the futon between their bigger bodies in comparison. This day had been so odd out of all the lively days at this Manor. ”Then you can keep her... I suppose.“

Kriz exhaled a low hum, staring at their ceiling while their hand mindlessly patted at the space which had been usually empty is now occupied by a tiny, living thing. ”You mean.. we can keep her.“

”We are done talking. Goodnight.“ Mox'an grunted, draping one forearm over his eyes to dismiss Kriz entirely.

In the dark, the Edenian grinned wide. ”Come now, you can admit it. No one is around, and she's asleep—“

”I said good. night.“