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Theodore perked as he heard the voice of the woman, approaching the room before he remembered the princess. He wasn't sure he should get too close to the room--nor the prince. He wouldn't fight of course, he just didn't have the energy, and there were bigger things going on now. He'd lost everyone he really cared about other than his family--and he wondered how long that little town would stay safe?
He could hear the child as well, the blind child... His eyes widened briefly before he strode towards the throne room. He knew it now--the child.. why hadn't he seen it before? |
With duties to fulfill in his kingdom, Aviar handed the baby to a guard, instructing him to ensure the child came to no harm. He rose from his throne and took off with the princess right behind, still complaining.
Unsure of what to do with the baby, the guard set the child down on the ground to crawl around and explore. |
Theodore blinked at the wandering child, leaning down to gently lift the child into his arms. "Hey there.." He hoped he didn't surprise him too much, his touch nice and warm now and he kept it gentle and unrestrictive so he could squirm in his hold. He could only imagine how the child felt being unable to see at such a young age, not knowing what he was coming into contact at all--never seeing the strange things he felt.
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The child looked up toward his face as he spoke, reaching up to touch his lips as they moved. He blinked his empty gaze at him and looked away when Theodore grew quiet. Feeling alone, he uttered a few sounds before laying his head against the boy.
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"Oh, don't be like that." He chuckled quietly, burying his nose in the child's black hair a moment. "I'll play with you, okay? So don't feel lonely." He rubbed the child's back and moved to settle on the floor so he could set the boy down and play with him. He played games with him that his mother had played with him to develop the boy's other senses--hearing and a sense of direction in response to sound. He was still too young for some of the other games.
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The baby responded easily to the new sensations, glad to know he hadn't been left alone. Often he would pull at Theodore's shirt or pat his chest or leg. Gurgling a few utterances, the child slapped the palm of his hand upon the ground, allowing flames to be emitted. The guards looked with interest, but questioned silently.
How useful would a blind Elemental be? |
THeodore blinked as he watched the boy emit those flames, laughing. "Oh my. A little fire child, mm?" He smiled, shifting a bit to ponder a bit. He'd give the boy his sight back... was there a way? He was sure Aviar found the child more useful than he. Though he believed it would be possible to train the child to use his fires without sight if needed.
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Humored by the actions and the heat generated on his hands, he patted the ground further, causing more flickering flames to flutter up. He giggled and then looked up for further acknowledgment.
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Theodore laughed again as the child made more flames, hands reaching to gently lift him up again as he sat there. "Can you do that without hitting the ground?" He asked with a soft chuckle, nuzzling the child a moment before looking him over again.
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The affections made the infant clap his hands, generating more tiny flames. He groped at them, trying to hold onto them. Failing to do so made him whine. He wanted to hold them. Tilting his head up at Theodore again, he waited for a new game.
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Theodore continued to play with the child, starting a new game to try and help the child control his fires, understanding his want to hold them. He tried different strategies to help the child learn without sight, knowing he couldn't show the child like Tobias had shown him, and he had to keep in mind that the boy was very young and might not even catch on at all yet. He continued to coax him to play and use his fire a little, mainly using his voice so the boy knew he was still there when he wasn't touching him.
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After awhile, the boy's curiosity with the conjured flames waned and he began to cry out of hunger. Wiggling some, he whined for sustenance.
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Theodore smiled and picked him up gently, patting his back a bit and he stood to catch a maid and ask for the child's food. "Shh..shh, just a moment little one."
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The baby's hand brushed against the rope tying Theodore's hair. With a tug, he pulled his hair loose and began grasping through it. He was still sniveling over the desire for food, but he found it fun to play with Theodore's locks.
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Theodore gasped a little as his hair was freed, laughing again and he took the baby's food when it was brought, sitting down again to feed him.
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The baby moved his head away once he was full. Closing his eyes, he demanded immediate comfort for sleep by wiggling until he was. He was sleeping soundly within moments.
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Theodore smiled and held the child, rubbing his back as he wiggled to fall asleep. He sighed out slowly and kept him close as he sat there quietly. There was nothing more for him to do, he was just relieved to be around the boy.
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Aviar returned to the throne room and looked at Theodore with the baby. Not wanting to wake the sleeping child, he informed the guard to bring the infant to him once it awoken. He left to his room again.
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Theodore glanced up when he heard Aviar come in and he was going to speak up but he was gone sooner than he could say his name. He sighed and continued to hold the child, rubbing his back in slow circles as he waited for the boy to wake.
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The child did not have a long nap. Within the next twenty minutes, he wiggled in Theodore's arms, yawning and opening his sightless eyes. A few gurgles were emitted to check where his friend was as hands groped. The baby named Theodore "Ahbu" at that moment, chanting it repeatedly.
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"Ahbu?" Theodore smiled and gave a little laugh, shifting the child a little bit. He didn't want to give the child back... but he supposed if anything, he wondered if he could take the boy back to the prince himself.
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The guard approached Theodore after hearing the baby's chants. The child turned toward the footsteps, his head moving around and back bending to make sense of what approached.
"I'll be taking him to His Majesty now." |
Theodore slowly stood up to look more level with the guard, offering a bit of a smile. "Would I be able to return the child personally?" He questioned, patting the boy's back gently as he still held him in his arms.
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The guard saw no harm in this. Stepping aside, he led Theodore and the baby to Aviar's room. The guards nodded at him once they saw the child, understanding why he was here.
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Theodore shifted the boy once he arrived at Aviar's room, knocking at the door. He nuzzled the child a moment, not wanting to let the child go but he knew he couldn't keep him.
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