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Emma sat up slightly, inclined against pillows as she cradled her newborn in her arms, looking at him curiously with a small smile. "Enver..." She murmured gently, sliding a hand gently against his cheek as she watched him rest against her bosom. Eventually, she looked to the window with a sigh. Soon they would come... She'd sensed Tavri lingering nearby over the past month, waiting so patiently for her to leave the castle grounds.
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Danielle would come later, once Danny was tucked into bed, to instruct Emma on how to care for the baby. She smiled at them and took a seat by the bed.
"Have you named him?" she asked. |
Emma nodded slowly at Danielle and she nuzzled the sleeping child briefly. "I've named him Enver..." She replied, looking at the beautiful baby in her arms.
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Danielle gently touched over the baby's cheek and smiled. "Enver," she repeated in a whisper. "You're such a big boy. I hope you and Danny can grow up to be friends."
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Emma furrowed her brow at Danielle's words. "...I hope so too." She watched the boy stir a little at the touch, make a faint little noise and settle back down, tiny fists grasping at the air absently before he fell still once more.
Shifting, she stared out the window again. "They're waiting for me." She whispered, closing her eyes as she sighed out in exhaustion. |
Danielle raised a brow. She watched the baby.
"What? Who?" |
"...The Tribe. And Tavri." She said gently, looking down at her child again.
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Danielle nodded. "I'll let the guards know to be extra alert for anything suspicious then." She stood up and departed from the room.
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Emma nodded slowly and rocked her child slowly as she sat there in bed. She knew she couldnt' stay there forever, even if no one was making her leave. She would want to search for Denzell, and Arturo, the mage never seemed to have returned. "Thank you, Danielle." She said before the woman left, laying down with her small child, such a beautiful child, if only Tavri had not been the father.
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With King Aviar's approval, the security level raised. All of the little children were advised to stay within the castle walls. A few protested from their loss of freedoms to enter the city, but the majority was well aware of the purpose.
Danielle herself kept her Danny by her side at all times and knew where Aidan was at all times. He seemed fine for the falcon would fly over the stone walls, letting him explore what was happening. |
Emma walked along with Enver in her arms quite often, longing to leave the castle walls but she knew she couldn't. She often sat in the court when no one was around, her child in a soft carrier that slung him against her stomach.
She'd been able to summon her flames again, and that made her happy, but exhausted. She couldn't do much yet, it would take much more work before she was back in shape both with her element and body, and she didn't get much free time with her newborn and no father in the picture. She wasn't about to go to Tavri though, not back to the Tribe. |
During Arturo's absence, Aidan trained with the other Elementals. He often had to hinder the amount of power he released for, after the first few times, it was quite obvious he easily overpowered all of the others. Danielle watched, somewhat fearful. Aidan's fire strength was usually motivated by anger. Frustration. And what upset him so she was uncertain.
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Emma watched Aidan train from time to time when the child would not allow her have the time to train herself. She was not entirely surprised by Aidan's power, she could feel it whenever he was around her, she could always sense where he was within the castle walls.
At night, she sat in her window and watched the sky change colours as the sun fell beyond the horizon. Frowning, she saw a bird approach the open window, and it was not Flare. The carrier sat upon the sill and waited for her to take the note from it's leg, and promptly flew off. Unrolling it, she paled slightly at it's contents and with a glance to the sky again before hurrying to pack what things she had for the baby. She had to leave. The Tribe had her brothers, and if she returned to them willingly, no harm would come to them. |
Danielle headed back to her room to retrieve some warm milk for Danny. As she passed Emma's room, she was surprised to hear so much noise. What was she up to? Quickly, she went to give her son the milk before she would return to see what Emma was doing.
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Emma was packed up with the child wrapped up against her chest, about to leave as Danielle came to see her. She held the crumpled note in her hand, looking surprised to see her. She'd hoped to slip out unnoticed. "Danielle..." Emma looked distraught.
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Danielle looked at the packed bag. "Emma? What...what's going on here?"
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"I... Danielle, I have to go. They sent a message--If I do not go with Tavri, they.. They have my brothers, they'll kill them!" Emma picked up the packed bag carefully, holding her baby boy against her chest, though he was secured safely there, putting her bag on her shoulder.
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"Emma..." Danielle backed up, unsure of what to say or do. She touched her chest lightly and sighed. "You have to do what you have to." She had plans to tell Aidan to follow and help her.
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Emma paused a moment, surprised that Danielle wasn't stopping her. She nodded and shifted to gently hug Danielle, minding the infant secured against her body. "I'll come back someday." She always did.
She hurried off, knowing exactly where Tavri waited for her. She met him at the inn he'd been staying in for the past month, and after a few hours, they departed on horseback to return to the hidden city. |
Aidan was startled awake. Danielle repeated his name till he sat up. "You have to follow Emma. She's in danger. She took the baby with her."
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Emma rode with Tavri and the child in silence. It was nearly noon by the time they arrived at the gates of the hidden city, they hadn't stopped much, and when they did, it was only to care for the child. Tavri was proud to have a son, though he wished his wife-to-be would be more obedient, and his cold treatment of her expressed that clearly.
The wall slowly opened upon their arrival and they rode into the large city, Tavri leading Emma's mount at this point so she could not change her mind and ride off with the child. Some of the council waited for them inside, and the girl glared at them. "I'm here, now let my brothers go." They simply smirked and looking at them, she knew something was amiss now. "You.. You never even had them." Emma turned as she heard the doors closing, dismounting and attempting to run with her child for the large stone gate. It was of no use however, Tavri grabbing her and easily overpowering her. "You sonnova'--" She was angry; furious, her flames sparking faintly. "We had no choice, you refused to leave the castle walls and we could not get in." Tavri said against her ear, and she struggled a moment before settling down as Enver began to cry. She stopped and got the child out of the wrap to cradle him against her, rubbing his back as she tried to quiet him. "We need to do the ceremony." An older man from the council stated, approaching them to take the child from Emma. Emma protested and tried to keep the child but Enver was soon out of her hands. "Don't! Don't you dare!" She cried, but she was held back by Tavri. "If we do it now, he'll be too young to remember it, Emma! It's best this way." Tavri hissed, holding her thrashing body close. Emma collapsed in his arms in defeat when the child disappeared with the council members to the main hall across the city. |
The falcon flew ahead, forcing Aidan to travel blindly. His steed moved swiftly, but didn't do anything to prepare him for any low branches on the way. Despite receiving numerous cuts and bruises from everything and anything that hit him along his ride, he pushed forward, ignoring them.
Danielle said to get Emma and the baby. And that he would do. |
"Come, Emma." Tavri said as the child shrieked in the distance, a blood curdling, unhappy scream, and he cried and cried. Emma unwillingly went with Tavri to a room they'd be staying in that night. "In the morning, they'll be transferring you and the child to another village for your training. I'll be coming with, of course."
The dark skinned man drew her into his arms as they laid on the bed together that night, and Emma cried quietly until she fell asleep. Upon sunrise, they were woken up and Enver was returned to them. The child was fussy and his right shoulder was bandaged where they'd branded him with the Tribe's symbol. Her hands cradled Enver carefully, trying not to bother the sore shoulder as she gave him a bath of motherly affection, then fed him and got him ready for travel once more. They were soon on horseback once more, this time tavri leading her mare by the reins rather than allowing her to have control over the horse. He knew she'd try to run if she was given the chance. A leader traveled with them as an escort, and Emma knew she was no match for the man, so she merely fascinated herself with the child while they made fairly slow progress toward a smaller village a few days travel away. Their pace would double the travel time, but the child's health was their primary concern. Emma could feel Aidan following them, and she imagined Danielle must have told him to do so. She was glad her ability to sense their elements was rare, for she was the only one who knew of his pursuit. |
Aidan grew weary on the travels. He had only stopped when the horse refused to move forward past any body of water until it had enough to drink. He allowed it as he walked around, stretching his legs. Once the beast was ready to go on, the falcon once again lead the way. The bird could spot from above the fastest paths for him to travel. Often, he would look up and wonder...wonder what motivated this bird to do such a thing.
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They didn't set camp until late that night when they were near water, allowing the horses to rest, drink and graze. Emma slept with the child against her chest, Tavri holding her close as they wrapped up in a blanket near a small fire.
The leader did not sleep that night, watching over the three he escorted. He listened to the sounds of the area while he sat, caring for the small fire to keep it going and cozy for the girl and child. |
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