The Twilight Baby
The sun shone brightly down on the magnificent castle of Hyrule. Just as the day was starting, the calm winds changed as portal opened up in one of the hall ways. From there, a small child plopped out. The little boy’s eyes blinked, and he closed his eyes from the light of this world. Finally, it hurt so much that he let out a wail for help.
~
“Deer. I-I really must be going to work.” Ocax panted as his lover had him pinned, breath heavy.
"No, you're going to stay with me." Seer had gotten frisky during breakfast. There was something sexy about the way Ocax smelled right after a shower. He was clean, his scent was more potent and... dreadfully lacking of any of Seer's personal scent. Someone might get the wrong idea during mating season and attempt a move on his lover. That was unacceptable. The orca Direnor had started with little kisses down Ocax's throat before turning into nibbles. The dining room table was left unattended with breakfast getting cold, as Seer had promptly picked up the Twili, threw him on the bed, and started to make love to him... albeit, a touch rough since his instincts were getting the best of him. "Kanisa doesn't need you right now, you can wait until after lunch. Or after dinner. Maybe tomorrow morning."
“I-I must protest. I can’t lose another weekend of work. What would she think?” Ocax blushed blue as he felt his lovers shaft push tightly in him.
"That you are rather preoccupied..." Seer purred into Ocax's ear as he held tightly to his lover's hips, giving a teasing, harsh, thrust. "With being filled by me."
Ocax screamed aloud with a shrill voice and cam. Afterwards, he mumbled with a pout. “I just had a shower too...”
"What if I want you to smell like me today?" Seer asked the Twili with a smug tone to his voice. "Leave my mark..." He was certain there were a few love bites on Ocax's throat. Not to mention, his scent was now mingled with his lover's, so there would be no mistaking. "You can always top me too, you know. I'm not stingy that way. Though, I do enjoy feeling you wriggle beneath me."
“You little brat.” Ocax did so, quickly pushing his lover over the bed.
~
Rinku, first princess of and hero of Hyrule, sometimes really hated the snow. Trekking up to Kanisa’s door, she glanced down at the bundle she was carrying once again before knocking.
Kanisa, too, was at the mercy of her husband's loving. However, Vidar was currently occupied with training some rookies, so she had a break for the time being. Her legs still felt like jelly. When she heard the knock on the door, the princess wobbly walked to answer it. Surprised to see her elder sister, the princess then had a look of panic across her face. "Rinku?! Oh gods, is it Mama?! Papa?!"
“What?” Rinku was shocked that was the first jump Kanisa went to. “Not at all. Didn’t realize I was the arbiter for doom and gloom. Give me a hug and let me in from the cold?”
"It's not like you to come without announcement so of course I assumed the worst! You scared me!" Kanisa ushered Rinku inside, out of the cold. "But I am glad that our parents are all right and you're okay. To what do I owe the visit?"
After a hug, Rinku pulled her winter coat off to reveal a nice green tunic. She didn’t like to wear the hat. Placing the cradle down, she opened it up to reveal a sleeping Twili toddler boy. “Well, I got a problem I’m hoping you can help solve.”
"...?!?!?!" Kanisa's eyes nearly bulged out of her skull. "You have a kid?!"
“It’s not my kid Kanisa. Look closely. This remind you of anyone?”
"I thought you adopted, but... this... wait." Kanisa gently moved the blanket out of the way a touch more. She sat down with a loud thud, shocked. "This is a Twili. How in the world did you get your hands on a Twili?"
“It suddenly appeared at the castle a week ago. After speculation on what to do, I looked into records of any Twili who might be present in our realm. Imagine my surprise when I found one working with you off all people. Made a quick visit to my baby little darling sister to find this Twili named Ocax. Maybe I can dig some answers from him.”
"Oh goodness..." Kanisa felt terribly sorry for the poor little thing. It was just a baby, how in the world could it survive in this world without care? Not to mention, she thought the parents had to be worried sick. "Ocax fell through a portal, so maybe this little one did too. He has not had any luck on finding a way back to the Twilight Realm as far as I know. Or if he has, he doesn't want to. You can ask him what you wish, but, I"m not sure if he'll have all the answers."
“Alright.” Rinku plopped her hand in her palm. “Where does he live? I’ll go see him.”
"On top of the hill, near the lake." Kanisa pointed out the window to the landmark. "It's the only house with a multiple stone pathways, and one even leading to the water. Seer is blind, so he uses that to help him find his way around."
“Great. Shouldn’t be a problem.” Rinku smiled at Kanisa, looking around. “Where’s Wolfe and the kids?”
"Vidar is training the rookies today and the kids are doing chores." Kanisa told Rinku, "And I'm here doing paperwork for the king and queen. You ought to return for dinner. I'm fixing roasted duck."
Rinku picked up the cradle and nodded. “Love to.” The blonde hero walked away, waving goodbye for the moment. “Let’s hope Wolfe can behave long enough to keep his hands off you.”
"Rinku, as much as I'd love to assure you that is a possible outcome, we both know it isn't." Kanisa laughed. "I'd have more kids if my pregnancy was not so rough with Audlin, but Vidar did not want to take the chance."
~
Ocax was deep into giving Seer head when a knock came at the door. “Hoosh izh ish?”
Seer was enjoying the oral administrations when a rude knock was heard. "Just ignore them and they'll go away." Seer said, irritated at the interruption.
“Open the damn door! Order from the top authority!” Ocax pulled out, panting loudly for a moment. “Who... company?”
"Damn it all to fucking hell." Seer growled under his breath, quickly feeling for his robe. "I'll handle this, love." The orca Direnor kissed Ocax's cheek. "Give me one moment and I'll be back." Tromping to the front door, Seer yanked the front door open with the nastiest glare he could muster. "Someone either be dead or dying, or you must be here to give me Adda's head on a plate, because you have interrupted a most critical mating season ritual and I. Am. Not. Happy."
“Hey blind man. Long time no see.” Rinku snickered. “You gonna pull up your pants?”
"...?" Seer sniffed the air a couple of times. Adjusting his robe, he had very little modesty during mating season, but did not want to continue to flash the poor woman. "... oh. What are you doing here, Rinku?"
“I have problem you and Ocax can solve for me.”
The Twili man ran forward, fixing his appearance. “I’m so, so, so sorry for his behaviour. What can we do for you?”
“I’m here to ask you a few questions about the Twili. And to deliver this child.”
"I'm not sorry." Seer huffed, still annoyed that his lovey time with Ocax was paused. "And if this is another one of Adda's brats, you're out of luck, I haven't seen her in years, therefore there is reasoning this kid can't be mine---ow!" Seer jolted when he felt Ocax's elbow hit his side, warning him to be nice.
Rinku revealed the kid, and Ocax gasped. “A Twili child?!”
"...?! A what?!" Seer's jaw almost dropped. "... I swear to Rotar and Handeh, if Towa is playing a prank on us, I will boot her ass into the lake."
Ocax was careful to examine the child. “It’s a boy. It’s a Twili boy.”
"Should I even ask where you found him?" Seer felt a confused, and most of all, slightly worried. Caring for two human girls was one thing, but another species might be out of his grasp. "And... who left him?"
“We don’t know who left him. But we just found him wandering around the castle.”
Ocax frowned, remembering his own detail. “It could have been either an accident or they could have been thrown away.”
"Is he healthy from what you can tell?" Seer carefully bent down on one knee, feeling of the baby carrier. Gently, he found the blanket and then the kid's cheek. He was sleeping, and had... the Direnor almost gushed. The kid had those adorable curved ears... just like his lover! "Is he hungry? Does he need changing?"
Rinku took a whiff and plugged her nose. “Yeah. You want me to clean him?”
Ocax was puzzled, trying to figure out this baby. “Perhaps we can send it down to the orphanage for now.”
"What? The orphanage? No, no, Seija already has too many kids there, she doesn't have time for this little guy." Seer simply picked up the carrier and took the kid inside of the house. Mating season also brought out the drive to protect and nurture the young. This little one was like his lover and would have proper care. "I'll change him. Ocax, please get Rinku a snack if she's hungry. There's some leftover cheese and grapes if she wants some."
“But Seer. Surely we need to think this over.”
"It's just until Rinku gets some answers, right?" Seer downplayed Ocax's worry. "I mean, surely his parents are looking for him. They're probably in Hyrule right now or maybe looking for him. If Twili are anything like Abyssians, they'll have that link to their offspring and be here soon, probably within a fortnight or so." He assured his lover. "Don't worry, it's just for a night. Rinku needs her questions answered and a place to stay, and the little one needs a bit of care. Nothing much."
“Well, can I stay anywhere where Direnor’s aren’t in heat?”
“I know this will have my attention for a while.”
"Considering that Direnors are in mating season right now, your best bet would be to stay at the local inn if you don't want to interrupt anymore sex." Seer then suggested. "Besides, this is just for a night until we reach a conclusion on what to do."
“Hmmm. You know, I always wanted to take a deeper look into the old abandoned castle now that it’s king is gone.” Rinku smiled, petting Seer’s head. “Good luck with the baby.”
Seer took the little one into Liz's and Lex's old room to change his diaper. The tiny boy was fussing something fierce, but Seer shushed him. He seemed healthy, had a head full of hair, and a set of lungs to rival a shrieking lady. After swaddling him, Seer simply placed the boy into a sling he made. Then, he returned to the living area where Ocax was waiting.
"It's just for a night. He'd probably feel better around someone like him." Seer then asked once more, "Didn't you tell me that Twili are more at ease around their own species?"
“Anyone is more at ease with their own species. But I don’t like babies. They poo, they crawl over the place and-“ Right on the dot, the little toddler started to cry some more. “And they do that.”
"Heh, if you don't like kids, then you would have had a time with Liz and Lex when they were small. They cried a lot." Seer bounced the little one to try to soothe him. "It was worth it though. I've missed having a little one in the house, but it will be good for Rinku to have a break before she comes back to get him. I'm sure his parents have to be looking for him. If my Liz and Lex suddenly disappeared, I'd search for them."
“Well, it’s a possibility they could have thrown the baby away.”
"...?! They would... do that?" Seer looked disturbed. "Why? From what I can tell, the kid is healthy."
“Because it can be a form of execution.” Ocax sat down, fiddling with a pin on his shirt collar. “If Twili don’t have gateway stones, they can never return to the twilight realm. So with that in mind, we have ripples our people can open up to fling undesirables through your come here in the world of light. We can also adjust where we throw a Twili to, be that an ocean to drown or a burning desert. Sometimes though accidents happen near these ripples and one can accidentally be sent through. I’m imaging someone didn’t want to be a parent and just sent their baby to a nice castle.”
"Poor thing." Seer frowned when Ocax explained how easily a baby could be tossed away like trash. It made him think of how slaves were treated, how he was treated in the brothel all those years ago. The thought made him shiver slightly. "Do you really think we should take him to Seija? Or should we try to find Towa?"
The mention of Towa made Ocax visibly sad. “No. Towa can’t help us.” Sighing, he grabbed his glasses and cleaned them with a soft rubbing cloth. “I don’t know how to take care of a baby, I’ll be honest Seer. I’m going to go to work, so we can figure out what to do. Tomorrow, we can head to Seija’s.”
"All right." Seer stood, carefully putting the baby back into the small carrier. "I'll make it up to you tonight." He nuzzled Ocax, sliding his hands down his lover's sides. "I'll do that thing you like with my tongue..."
The boy cried again, and Ocax used that as an excuse to leave. “I’m running behind on work anyways. Have fun Seer.” Walking about, the little Twili made his way to the kitchen, reaching for some pans.
Seer heard the tiny kid moving around and gently scooped him up from the floor. The Direnor had this pet peeve about others messing around in his kitchen. It was not safe for a little one to be near all of his utensils anyhow. "I can't just keep calling you kid..." Seer mused as the baby fussed, still wanting the pans. Seer decided to occupy him with a snack. Luckily, he always kept fresh fruit peeled and ready thanks to Ocax. He heard the child munching on the apple and then suggested, "You need a name. How about... Echo?"
The little toddler threw the apple to the floor, the bouncing echoing on the wooden planks.
"I guess not. I could call you grumpy if you tempt me enough." Seer wondered if the child still needed a bottle.
The toddler babbled as it looked around for something important to it.
"If you're looking for your parents, I'm afraid they're not here, little one." Seer had a habit of talking to kids normally, just as he did when Liz and Lex were little. "Evidently, you either fell through a portal or they didn't..." He paused not finishing that thought. "So, you're going to stay with me for tonight until we find a better candidate to take care of you."
Falling back, the baby caught itself, wanting to crawl away again.
"I suppose you need a bit of a distraction, don't you?" Seer considered it was pure luck that he still had a few of his daughters' old baby toys. Little Val still played with them from time to time, but she preferred to be outside. He fetched a few of the toys from the closet and set them out in front of the child to entertain him. Blocks were always a good choice, there were some stuffed animals, and even a few carved wooden figures.
The toddler grabbed the stuffed wolf closely, babbling something once more. It sounded worried, yet comforted by the wolf.
"I'm sorry that you're sad, little one. I promise I'll take care of you while you're here with me though." Seer assured the little kid the best he could. He tried to entertain the child by moving around another stuffed animal, imitating a form of play. "You're safe. I just wish I knew your name."
“Papa.” The little Twili looked at Seer in the eyes and said the same thing again. “Pa-pa.”
Seer just wanted to melt when he heard the adorable voice. It was not right to encourage the name. He was not the boy's father. Yet, Ocax did not like children but... Seer absolutely loved little ones. "Oh... you're such a cutie pie." Seer tickled the kid's belly. "Yes, you can call me Papa."
“Papa!” The little Twili said it more enthusiastically and laughed as Seer tickled him.
"I... got you!" Seer scooped up the little boy and blew raspberries on his tummy. He loved to play with little ones. It reminded him of how he used to play hide and seek with Liz and Lex around the house, pretending he could not hear them from the other room. "On nom nom."
~
Ocax returned from a long day of work. It was harder with Kanisa more or less held captive by her husbands love making, but he was able to meet all the requirements for the day. Finished, he was about to open the door when he heard laughter coming from inside. Was that Lex?
“Aren’t you adorable? I’m Lex. Alexandria the great! You’re a beautiful little guy aren’t you?”
"And watch this, Lex, watch this, he's so smart!" Seer tapped his shadow. The little one had nearly made him shit a brick when he disappeared for five minutes. He then realized the child was hiding in his shadow and drew the curtains. "Come on. You can do it."
Ocax walked in without the adults noticing. He was astonished when he saw the toddler hide into Seer’s shadow.
"Give him a minute... and now..." Seer gently tapped the floor in front of him, signaling for the child to come back.
The baby popped out and Lex screeched with joy. “Oooooooo that’s so neat! When did Ocax pop out the little guy?”
“I did no such thing.” Ocax announced his presence.
"Lex, you know Ocax is male, and as far as I know, male Twilis cannot give birth." Seer praised the little boy, offering a sweet strawberry for a reward. "Who's so smart? You are, yes, you are!"
“I’m thinking of delivering the kid to Seija tomorrow. Should be a good day for her.”
"I... yes, I guess it will be a good day." Seer halfheartedly agreed as he set the kid in his lap, giving him the tiny stuff wolf.
“Oh no. You bonded with him, didn’t you?”
“How could he not?” Lex went to grab a bottle of breast milk from the fridge. “He’s a little mini you!”
"And those... ears..." Seer was gushing. "Look at how cute! Reminds me of how Ocax's ears twitch when I kiss him." He then took the bottle from Lex. "Thank you for bringing this over. He seems to be very picky about some solid foods."
“I’m here to please.”
Ocax took a seat, rubbing his temple. “Seer. A baby is a lot of work. And you’re not as young as you used to be.”
"I'm wounded, Ocax, you think I'm old?" Seer had a cheeky grin on his face. "Says the man who has trouble keeping up with me?"
“Can you even look after this child’s needs? It seems you like to act like one yourself from time to time.”
Now that hurt and it was uncalled for. The blind man had raised two lovely daughters and was always helping out from time to time with his grandchildren. Seer had a look of annoyance on his face. Even if Ocax did not want the child around, there was no need to insult him.
"Lex, would you mind helping me prep the carrier tonight?" He decided to ignore his lover's foul mood for the moment and focus on the little one. "I don't have a crib and he'll need somewhere to sleep until tomorrow."
“Course dad.”
Ocax saw the baby crawl towards him. Raising an eyebrow, he picked the toddler up to have an eye staring contest with the boy. It babbled a bit before burping. “You have thick blankets for him? I don’t think he’ll like the cold of Uskar.”
"I have Liz's and Lex's old baby blankets that are made of wool. They should serve perfectly." Seer stated as Ocax picked up the child. He was not sure what was going through his lover's mind, but there was no reason to be discourteous. As Lex helped him make up the carrier, Seer was sure to place the little wolf with the child.
Ocax brushed his hair back, opening the current up so the moonlight shone on the toddler. It seemed to sooth him enough to calm down and sleep. “Perfect amount of shadow and light. We’ll have to wake up early to close the blinds before the sun hits him.”
"I'll be up anyhow to fix breakfast." Seer heard the little one yawn. "What do you think we should call him? We can't keep calling him kid."
“Fyrir the unknown. How about that?”
"What do you think?" Seer asked the wee one who was dozing off. "You like it, Fyrir?"
Little Fyrir said nothing as he dozed off.
“That’s what I’m calling him.”
"I think Lex and I do agree on one thing," Seer stated. "If he was tossed out, then whoever it was made a grave mistake."
“Just tell me straight if you want to keep him.”
"... you don't like kids." Seer stated, letting the insinuation hang in the air.
“But I love you. And I want to see you happy. I work hard to see you happy... would having the kid around make you happy?” The little charm in his voice, Ocax let his own insinuation counter Seer’s.
"I love you as well, and I am happy. I just..." Seer sighed, bending down as stroking the little Twili's hair. "I feel so sorry for him. You and Towa were cut off from your home. He was... either tossed aside or fell through a portal. I can only imagine how lonely he'd be without someone to care for him."
Ocax placed his hand on Seer’s back, pretending to be nonchalant. “We’ll, I suppose we have no choice but to look after him then and give him the care he needs right now.”
"... are you sure? I don't want you to be miserable. I love kids, and I wish I had more, but... you are my lover. My husband." Seer kissed Ocax's forehead. "Are you happy too?"
“You want me to change my mind? Could always throw the brat out in the cold.”
"No!" Seer huffed at his lover's teasing. "He's staying."
Ocax folded his arms. “Then good. That’s that.”
~
"Come on, little one, that's it! You're doing so good!" Seer praised Fyrir as he heard the tiny footsteps stumble in his direction. He was down on his knees, coaxing the boy to come to him. "You're walking so well now! Soon, I'll teach you how to swim."
“Swim. Swim.”
Ocax shook his head, looking outside at the snow fall. Had it really been a month since they adopted Fyrir? “Seer. The waters will be freezing cold. He’s only just starting to get adjusted to direct sunlight.”
"Well... maybe a little later for the lake, but for now, you can practice in the tub." Seer picked up Fyrir and held him above his head, earning giggles from the boy. "He's a smart one like you, love. Imagine, he might be helping you with your work one day. What do you say, Fyrir? You want to help Daddy with papers?"
“Pa-“ the little Twili paused for ten seconds, then. “-per!”
Ocax’s heart melted at the enthusiasm.
"Yes! Yes, that's right! Paper! Pa-per." Seer repeated for the boy, kissing his cheek. "So smart! You're learning so fast. What is Papa going to do when he can't keep up with you anymore? I suppose you'll have to wait on him, right?" He then set the Twili back down on his feet, turning him in Ocax's direction. "Walk to Daddy. Come on, you can do it."
“Seer. I don’t think-“
Ocax stopped as he looked down to see Fyrir pull on his leg. “Da. Da.”
"See? He knows who you are already." Seer chuckled as Fyrir insisted on Ocax picking him up, hearing his little arms wave. "Are you hungry? I could fix you something to eat while I heat up Fyrir's milk."
“Feel bad taking from Alexandria so much. We really should start moving him to store bought.”
"I do too, but when we tried that last mixture, he barfed for a whole hour straight." Seer made a small crinkle of disgust with his nose. "Maybe I should try some pureed foods..."
“Or water perhaps.” Ocax patted Fyrir on the head as he finished off some documents for a Kanisa. “That should do it.”
"Do you think it's too early to teach him how to read?" Seer asked as he started taking some plates from the cabinets to prepare lunch for his lover and child. Fyrir had learned fairly quickly that the kitchen was a no-no. After dropping a pan on his own foot, the little one was more cautious. "He seems to like looking at picture books."
“I think we’ll have to wait for a while on words Seer. But picture books are fine.”
Ocax got up, picking up his son with him. “I have to go to work now, but daddy is here to look after you.”
"We'll have fun, won't we, Fyrir?" Seer took the boy from his husband. "And we will have fun later tonight." The Direnor purred at Ocax. "The silk ties I ordered came in from Hyrule and we should put them to good use."
Ocax lightly smiled. “You just can’t help yourself, can you?”
"You're irresistible, if anything, it's your own fault." Seer gave Ocax a kiss. "Take a jacket. It's supposed to snow later today. I can feel it."
“I’ll dress appropriately for any coming storm.”
~
Hyrule castle was preparing for another beautiful morning when a storm rang in. In the armoury it was quiet as a mouse. Suddenly, breaking that silence came a ripple in space. With a screech, two shadowy figures dropped down.
Unfortunately, the rookie was completing his rounds when the two monsters suddenly appeared. Startled, he started shouting, "INTRUDERS! INTRUDERS!"
The Twili mother whirled her hair. Her dreadlocks flung out, grabbing the soldier by the hands and throat.
The guard struggled wildly, trying to cut at her hair with his dagger, but she had his hands tied.
“Rwak Trei Kal Wry?!!”
"I..." The guard coughed, hardly able to speak. "Don't... understand!"
The Twili’s cold mask didn’t give away a change of pace. “Where is my child?!!”
"... child?!" The guard was beginning to see spots. "It... Uskar!!!" He was starting to panic. "It's in... Uskar!!!"
The Twili turned to her companion. “Uskar?”
The Abyssian was blending in with the shadows. The minimal sunlight peeking through the windows would scorch him if he was not careful. "A country of shapeshifters... to the North."
The Twili frightening mask turned back to the soldier she held captive. “World map. Or I pop you.”
"In... library!" The guard managed to rasp, starting to lose consciousness.
"I can smell him here. The scent is faint." The husband murmured to his wife. "We must find the one who took him."
“Go to library. Say nothing.” The Twili forcibly hid in the guards shadow. “Unless you wish to die.”
"I will ensure he says nothing." The Abyssian father then slipped into the guard's body, entering his mind. "I can see the world map from in here, my mate. It seems to get to Uskar, we will have to board a ship. It is sea locked."
“Too long. Too LONG!” This mother felt that even a day was too long in catching up to her son. “Give me coordinates.”
"There are three different ports. Our best guess for answers would be in the largest." The Abyssian started reading off the coordinates to his mate. "I do not know of these 'Direnors' that live there. They could be hostile."
“We are hostile. We are enough.” The Twili took the guard to an open tower area. Leaving him, she raised a sphere to the sky and started an enchantment.
Down below, Rinku happened to be wondering by, when her eyes caught the shadowy figures. “By Nayru.”
Before she could reach them, the Twili opened a portal in the sky. With that, herself and her husband broke apart into shadow particles and flew high into the portal above.
Reaching the guard, Link shook him awake. “Young man. Status report!”
"Urgh..." The guard held his throbbing head, feeling like he had drank one too many beers. "Princess Rinku?" He blinked a few times before stammering. "They... I swear, it was Midna here! I swear it! I'm not drunk, my head is just killing me! I must have been hallucinating!"
“More like Shadow Beast. I felt an Abyssian was here too. Do you know where they are going?”
"They said something about that strange kid you found a while back." The guard stood on his feet. "Wanting to find it."
Rinku’s adrenaline kicked in more than it already did. Kanisa. “Get up. Go tell Zarazu an Abyssian and Twili have broken through into Hyrule. I’m heading to Uskar immediately.”
"Y-Yes, m'am!" The guard hurried to find the reagent queen and hoped to the goddesses above another war was not coming.
~
“Kanisa. Do you have any idea how nice it is to not have your husband ravage you when he has a baby to look after?” Ocax was in an odd mode, actually enjoying the cold winter air for once.
Kanisa blushed slightly, trying to keep a composed face. The topic of intercourse still made her feel embarrassed, even after all these years. At least here in Uskar, it was normal to talk about sex like any other topic. "Well, I don't mind Vidar's... affections." She cleared her throat. "Why? Seer draining you of energy? All you have to do is just say no, you know."
“He has. But having a baby keeps him focused. Which lets me be focused on my work.”
"Ah, so you're saying that he needed a distraction. From you." Kanisa actually giggled. "Dare I say that you are finding it hard to concentrate?"
“You don’t? We have our duties you know. Our husbands can’t just use us and steal us away whenever they get a rut.”
"Oh, I think King Torbjorn would beg to differ whenever Queen Brigritta is in a rut." Kanisa sipped her tea. "Last time it was three days behind on paperwork I think."
“It’s insane how we have to try and keep up with their freakish nature at times.” From behind them, twelve feet to their left, a group of deer scampered away. “Huh. Wonder who lost their catch.”
"From the way I see it, the desire can be flattering, but also... occupying." Kanisa had to agree with Ocax. "It is hard to get a few things done when Vidar is demanding my attention. Yet, at least Seer seems very happy with you and little one. He always wanted more kids." As the deer ran away, Kanisa shrugged. "I suppose someone was being too loud."
“I feel like being a father is something Seer is simply naturally good at.” Ocax smiled, giving a sigh. “I wonder if he ever had any help in raising Lex and Liz. I’m glad I can give him help now.”
Above them, the clouds started to shift around, expanding to blot out the suns light.
"Seer had his family and friends helping from time to time, but mainly, it was just him." Kanisa told Ocax. "He was crushed when he found out that Lex and Liz were not biologically his. Yet, he still loved them the same. There was a lot of strife for a long while between them, I think, because of that reason. Seer hid it from them because he didn't want to hurt them, and it just blew up in his face. Though now, I think everything is good."
“How’d you feel finding two little Gerudo when you came here? Must have been nice, no?”
"Oh, I met them before they came here. Orana is my sister, and Corsaire's husband." Kanisa told Ocax with a smile. "They were adorable as babies. Lex refused to be put down and Liz wanted to explore everything. Seer had his hands full, that's for sure."
“Not to mention that Revy girl. Has she always been rambunctious?” Ocax laughed at the thought.
"I have no clue where she gets that energy from." Kanisa shook her head. "It was nearly impossible for Rat to keep her in one spot for long. She cannot sit still."
“Well, she is an electric-“ Ocax stopped, the colour in his face draining away. His feet felt cemented into the ground as he saw the war mask of a Twili. Behind that Twili was a massive shadow.
“Found you.”
“Oh. Oh no.”
As soon as the mask appeared, Kanisa released a shrill scream, stomping on it. She then yanked Ocax to his feet, and started to run.
Bursting from the snow, the Twili made her physical form known. With a spear in hand she stabbed at Ocax’s leg, catching him through the thigh. With a grunt he fell to the ground. “Kanisa! Run!”
As soon as Ocax fell, the male Abyssian pinned him and roared, "Where is he?!" "Ocax!!!" Kanisa skidded in the snow, nearly losing her balance when the Twili was suddenly pierced. She was in disbelief. It was... a Twili! And an Abyssian to boot! How in the seven hells did they get here?! There was nothing she could do right now. The princess had a dagger, but she doubted it would be useful against a creature of shadow. There was no textbook on how to fight a Twili... except for sunlight. Any kind of light. With gritted teeth, she shot a burst of concentrated lightning at the Twili... only to have it blocked by the Abyssian with a blast of darkness.
“Who?!” Ocax was terrified. He’d never met an Abyssian before, and being pinned and injured he was as helpless as a child.
The Twili presented her spear at Ocax’s throat. “MY SON!!!”
Seer has sensed the commotion before any of the others. His lack of sight aided him in perceiving what was happening, even if he was not close to the event. Ocax was in trouble. Releasing a series of whistles and clicks, Seer allowed his family to know there were intruders before handing Fyrir to Bjarke. He was visiting his friend so Naira could give Fyrir a checkup when he heard his lover's distress.
"...?! You're looking for Fyrir?!" Kanisa held her dagger tightly, trying to think of what to do. Abyssians, she could not let him get near her shadow. He'd possess her. For now, she had to buy time. "How did you get through the portal?!"
“Gate stone.” Ocax muttered out.
The Twili mother looked to Kanisa, pressing a hand on the ground. Lifting her hand up she drew a spear of darkness. With it, she chucked it towards the Princess. “Give us our son!!!”
Kanisa managed to avoid the spear, thanking the goddesses that she kept up with her exercises. "I don't have your son!"
"Lies!" The Abyssian snarled. "We can smell him on this filth," He shoved Ocax's face into the snow. "And you."
"He's not here!"
"Where is he?!"
She had to think. Seer would come. He would know. He had that creepy sense of knowing when something was wrong. Yet, he could not fight them well on land. The lake... it was still covered with snow. If she led them in that direction... "Please, don't hurt Ocax further." Kanisa assured the Twili and Abyssian. "I'll take you there if you follow me."
The Twili screamed in agony as a light arrow struck her directly in the back. Another was fired at the Abyssian within a second so that Ocax could have chance to crawl away. Their attacker was Rinku, who was wearing her green garb and drawing a Hylian shield and the Master Sword. The Blade hummed lightly in the presence of the Abyssian. “Get away from them you monsters.”
Kanisa quickly yanked Ocax away from the intruders as the Abyssian snatched his lover and descended into the shadows of the ground. "Rinku!" Kanisa exclaimed. "They're here for the kid!"
Rinku saw a shadow creep towards her, and stabbed the Master Sword into it. Never again would she be possessed. As the Twili and Abyssian fled from the ground, the mother snarled. “She’s mine. Go after the man before he can flee with our son!” Ocax was already hopping along with Kanisa to the lake.
"If I didn't know any better, I'd say you were heavier than my brother." Kanisa struggled to help Ocax along the lake. She had to be careful with her footsteps. The ice could give at anytime. "How does Seer lift you?" Suddenly, the male Abyssian appeared in front of them with a growl. "I'll give you one last chance before I rip you to shreds." He warned the pair, tentacles of darkness appearing at his sides. "Where is my son?!"
Seer, however, was already in the water, swimming in the direction of the princess and his lover. He could feel their footsteps on the ice above him. Then... there was the intruder. His scent was faint, but it was there. It was as if he could move through air. That wouldn't save him. With a mighty swing of his tail, Seer busted through the air, jaws wide. He managed to take the Abyssian by surprise and dragged him under by his leg.
Ocax fell back, shock on multiple levels taking him.
Rinku and the Twili hunter danced in combat for a moment, with hair tendrils and spear lunges trying to take the hero down. Wise beyond her years, and not wanting to prolong this conflict when she could go assist her sister, Rinku ended the conflict. With a shield bash to the Twili’s face to stun her, Rinku leapt into the air with spin of her body, lashing in a saw motion at the Twili’s head. Her blade cut the helmet clean in half, and the Twili fell to the ground with a light gash in her face. Spinning around, Rinku pointed her sword at the woman’s throat. This wasn’t Midna. This was a threat to her family. “Who are you? No lies.”
Rinku saw panic and fear that was hard to fake. “I’m here for my son. Nothing more. He became lost to this world. We’re here to take him back. I just want my Seikro back.”
The Abyssian male struggled under the water within Seer's grasp. His leg was crushed by the whale's jaws. Finally, he managed to get free when he whacked Seer across the face with one of his tentacles, the spikes digging into the orca's flesh. Seer shook his head to be rid of the pain and the Abyssian hurriedly swam to the surface, crawling through the hole in the ice. Kanisa had managed to drag Ocax to land, away from the breakage.
Rinku’s eyes gleamed at the Twili, her fingers tapping the hilt of the Master Sword. Reading the woman’s face and recalling features of the child she delivered she called out for her sister to come to her. “Kanisa!”
"...?!" Kanisa's attention jerked to Rinku. "What?! I'm kind of occupied here!" She gestured to the wounded Ocax, trying to bind his leg with her scarf, and tied it tight. Just as she finished, the Abyssian male caught her eye. Yelping, the princess held out her dagger. "Go away!" Seer, however, was not far behind. The ice was thicker near the land. With a loud squeal, he surfaced, trying to wiggle his way to the Abyssian to end him. "By Mracni, call your whale off! We're here for our son! You kidnapped him! We want him back!"
“Where’s the toddler Kanisa?” Rinku kept her blade at the Twili’s neck. Her mind was on the Abyssisn not to far away though.
"I... I think Seer took him to Bjarke's house to see Naira." Kanisa gulped, watching the Abyssian closely. "For a checkup. He wanted to make sure he was adjusting okay to the cold weather here."
Seer, however, had shifted back on the ice. "What's going on?" He demanded. "Why are you attacking my husband?!" He sniffed, smelling Ocax's blood. "I'll have both of your heads for this!"
"Seer, please! Calm down!" Kanisa implored the Direnor. "They're here for Fyrir!"
"...?!?! What?!"
“Give us back our son!” The Twili mother said once more, however, this time with fear in her voice. Rinku shook her head in disappointment. She should have known this was a possibility. For Ocax, he had his own feelings. None too happy.
"What do you mean 'your son'?!" Seer snapped angrily. "You threw him away! He's ours now, we're taking care of him!"
"Seer, I have a feeling that Fyrir might have accidently found a portal... either that, or someone tossed him to get back at the parents." Kanisa was trying to remain level-headed throughout this incident. "Otherwise, why would they risk being stranded here to find him?"
"We've been searching for him for nearly a whole day!" The Abyssian exclaimed. "And we found his scent through the portal!"
"A whole day? He's been with us for over a month!"
“You lie!” The mother shouted furiously at Seer. Ocax, wincing the stand up, walked over to the Twili mother. It saddened him, but he spoke to her in his native tongue. “Hunter. Do you know of the Zalant clan?”
She was surprised for a moment, but nodded. “I do.”
“Do you remember Ocax and Towa?”
“... Yes. I-“ the moment she realized who she was talking to, she gasped. “You’ve almost been gone for over two years!”
“Lady. It’s been over 30 years.” Ocax sighed, his scientific discovery disturbing him. “Time must be different for our realms.”
Ocax had taught Seer a little of his native tongue. He was able to understand a few pieces here and there, mainly the mention of Towa and his lover. And something about time. "I'm not lying!" Seer growled, "We've been taking care of him ever since Rinku brought him here! He's safe, happy, and talking non-stop!"
The Abyssian felt a bit nauseated by the fact of how time flowed differently. Any longer, anymore struggles to find a rip to get here, and their son would have been grown.
“Where he is? Where is my son?” Ocax watched the desperation leave the Twili mom, being replaced by a tired tone. Maybe it was hopelessness. Maybe it was the blood loss. Either way, he sighed. “Kanisa, can you go find Fyrir?”
"I can---"
"No!" Seer interrupted Kanisa almost immediately. "Ocax, they want to take him away! What are you saying?!"
"Seer, it's their kid."
"I know that!"
"You can't keep---"
"But he's ours now." Seer now looked desperate, almost panicked at the thought of having to give up the little one. "I don't want to lose him!"
"Seer, be rational!" Kanisa wanted to kick some sense into the Direnor. "These are Fyrir's parents who came looking for him. Don't be the bad guy. You even said yourself that they might come looking for him."
"I was hoping they wouldn't."
Ocax walked up to Seer, placing his hands to grip his shoulders. “Seer. Do you want to be like Adda?” A low blow, but the truth. “I won’t be complicit in kidnapping. Let’s... let’s just see Fyrir’s reaction.”
"... no." Seer finally spoke after taking a breath. He had grown attached to Fyrir. His fists clenched; he did not want to let him go. Once Fyrir was brought to group by Kanisa, the little one was fussing at being woken from his nap.
Fyrir was yawning, but the instant he saw his mother, a light filled his eyes. “Mama! Mama!” The Twili held her hands out for her son as he excitedly turned into shadows through Kanisa’s grip and into her mothers. “Oh Seikro! Oh my baby boy!” She squeezed and held him tightly, never wanting to let go again.
Seer felt so heavy. He heard the excitement in Fyrir's voice. So, it was time then. His parents came for him. It was if a wave of sadness had washed over the Direnor. "Seikro!" The Abyssian limped to his son with a relieved sigh. "Oh, thank goodness you're all right. We looked everywhere for you!"
“Papa!”
And that made him feel worse. He was Papa, not that... that... other one.
"We... apologize for any misunderstandings." Kanisa spoke to the Abyssian and Twili, still a little guarded. "Seer and Ocax were caring for Fyrir... I mean, Seikro, in your absence."
His name wasn't Seikro, it was Fyrir. Seer was angry, upset, and above all, just wondering why he was granted another little touch of love for it to be gone once more.
Ocax saw the Twili mother take out a gate stone. A small part of his core twinged in agony. Before meeting Seer, this was all he wanted. The mother was activated the stone with magic and it flew into the air, changing shape. They were going to leave so quickly. “Tell me. How is Towa? Is she happy?”
“Towa?”
“Yes. She left sometime ago to find a way home. I assume she made it.”
“Towa does not live among us.” The stone cracked open a portal directly to the Twilight Realm. “Thank you. For taking care of our son.”
"Please, wait!" Seer called out before the parents took off. "Please, just... let me say goodbye?"
Little ‘Fyrir’ looked towards Seer, giggling with a laugh and waving a tiny hand. Then just like that, particle after particle they disappeared into the portal.
Fyrir was gone. Seer would probably never hear him again. Direnors, Hylians, no one except kin of Interlopers were welcome in the Twilight Realm. The blind man just looked defeated.
Rinku finally put away her weapons, sighing as she walked towards the couple and her sister. “Look. Part of me feels responsible for this outcome. I probably could have let you avoid the hassle had I saw this as a possibility first hand.”
Seer said nothing, still reeling over the fact that Fyrir was taken away so easily. It brought back unpleasant memories of when Adda tried to kidnap the twins. That feeling of... of failure, of loss, of desperation to do anything to protect those little ones filled his being. Why did they have to come looking for him? Couldn't he had loved Fyrir just the same? Was he horrible for wanting to keep the little one?
"You could not have anticipated them attacking us, Rinku." Kanisa told her sister. "We all thought he was simply tossed aside."
“Well... none of you got killed. I’ll call that a better defeat then my last one at the interlopers.” Pulling out an Ocarina, she sighed. “Should be getting back home. Teleportation is not easy to do in a pinch. Think I might give myself a heart attack with all the adrenaline.”
Ocax looked to his husband, holding him close. “We can get through this.”
"I... want to go home." Seer stated quietly. "I need to rest after a sudden shift like that."
“Ok...”
~
The rest of the day and night Ocax stayed up in inner turmoil. To be honest, losing a son like that affected him too. He was just opening up to the idea of being a father. And Towa... was she dead? He never gave it much thought. Why had she never come back all these years to visit if she had failed in her quest? These depressing thoughts were too much. It was best he sorted them out. The next day, he forced Seer to go on a walk with him. “Quit your belly aching. You’ve brooded enough in the last 24 hours.”
"I have the right to brood, Fyrir was yanked from us without warning." Seer snapped at his lover, not in the mood for a lecture, still sour. "We did not get to say goodbye, that damn Twili woman attacked you, and the Abyssian tried to hurt Kanisa."
“I know. I know. But, if you trust me, I think we’ll have a situation.” Opening a door, Ocax lead Seer inside. “Seija! We’re here.”
"Oh! Good timing, Ocax! We're just about to---" Seija was interrupted by a loud noise upstairs.
CRASH!
She winced, groaning slightly. "... bake cookies... and we could use the help of an experienced cook."
“Yes. We’d like to help, but I brought Seer and myself to discuss the matter of adoption.”
"...?!" Seer was surprised by Ocax's statement. Adoption? He thought Ocax had no desire to raise any children. His lover did not seem too keen on Fyrir being with them at first. What changed his mind? "Oh, really?! That's wonderful!" Seija puffed up, her feathers standing highly on top of her head from happiness. "I'm sure you will love any of the kids. They're all wonderful really, just a little... rambunctious."
“I’m certain we can handle any challenge. May we meet the children?”
"Of course! Just... don't mention 'adoption' in front of them." Seija told the Twili and fellow Direnor. "I hate to put it this way, but I don't like them feeling like potential parents are 'window-shopping' if you know what I mean. If you find a child you just click with, great, but I hate getting the others' hopes up." "... are you sure?" Seer asked Ocax, now feeling slightly nervous.
“I am.” Ocax took his glasses to rub them clean. “I don’t like the idea of you being unhappy. I also don’t like having my work be taken away just as I was getting started. The idea of being a parent was exciting. I want to continue that. With you.”
"I wasn't that bad..." Seer was mildly flustered at Ocax's indication of the Direnor being rather demanding during mating season. "I do miss having little ones around the house. As much as I love our grandkids, it would be nice to have one that is... well... ours."
“I know.” Ocax nuzzled Seer close. “Will you be a father with me?”
"You know I will." Seer kissed the Twili affectionately, running his hands through the man's hair. "But that's not always going to save you from mating season."
“Well, you need to learn how to deal with blue balls in a while.” Ocax waved his horny mind away. “We have to be serious. For the children.”
"Serious as balls?" Seer teased with a grin, knowing just how to vex his lover. "Very well. Though, when the kid is asleep, all bets are off."
“Very well. Let’s get to be good parents.”
