justice_is_blond | Inbox for Fade Rift

During the day, a young girl arrives at Anders' door, carrying a package and expecting a tip. She disappears immediately after.

Inside is truly a fine thing: a knit blanket, bright green-blue, lacy and intricate. The pattern recalls the look of a peacock's feathers, as does the color. The content of the fine yarn is a blend of wool and silk--stronger than it looks but soft as a cloud. Clearly someone poured heart and care into this, sparing no expense.

There is also a note:

Lethallin,

You saved my life. You saved me for my daughter. We will always be grateful and indebted to you. I hope one day I can bless your life as you have blessed mine. You are family.

Mythal Enansal,
Pel

[The blanket is fantastic, warm and soft and while he doesn't know much about knitting, he can recognize that the pattern is intricate and had to take a lot of work.

And yet, more precious than the blanket is the note. He is family. His own flesh and blood had gotten rid of him as quickly as possible, but others claim him. The note is very, very carefully flattened out and tucked in one of the few books Anders owns before being set on the shelf that Purrelden generally ignores. Once that important task is done, Anders is on the crystal.]

Do you remember the day we met?

[There's a second before Pel replies; she is moving away from the baby, who is clearly asleep because she is speaking very quietly.]

The day I met you or the day I met Detlef?

The day you met me. After the announcement.

[His voice is equally as soft. Babies need a lot of sleep, after all.]

I remember I showed you how to sprout an acorn. I remember how you wanted to plant it so it wouldn't die, even such a little thing.

You were the first to give me a chance, Pel.

[There's a pause.]

I'd the people who knew me from before, who stood with me; you showed me that perhaps there was a chance I could become more than my crimes in the eyes of others. You wrote that you wanted to bless me the way I have you, but you already have.

[There is a long silence. Pel is good at silence, at letting time pass before she knows what to say. But it's especially hard now, when it's not something she did that stood out, but something she was. A person learning, a person thinking.

Her voice is choked when she finally replies. Her inhale is hard.]

I remembered the acorn when I decided you would deliver my baby. I thought...the way your hands treasured such a tiny bit of life, it made me realize I'd judged you at first. When I'd learned you were Anders, I judged you. I'd thought the choices you'd made must have been easier for you than they would have been for me. That was just arrogance. And it was arrogance to think I knew you just because of a thing you did. I had to think...I had to wonder whether that reverence for a sprouted acorn came before or after what you did. And I had to realize it didn't really matter because it's here now. When people judge you...when they judge you, it's them that has to grow and learn, not you.

You can visit your niece whenever you like. Hold her and take care of her and be with her, so she knows you and loves you the way I do.

[His voice is equally hoarse. She'd judged, but she'd not walked away or rejected. It's as much as he can hope for, and on that day it had seemed beyond hope until she'd reached out.]

Nate's going to be jealous. He's only got a nephew, and now I've got a niece. I think I win that one.

[Sure, being married means they share nephew and niece, but that's not as fun to say and it doesn't deflect enough from the emotions he's feeling right now.]

Should I... shall I come over now? As soon as I've put the blanket where Purrelden won't fuzz it up.

Please do. [There's a wet sniffle.] She'll be awake any minute, she's been asleep for a long time. It's a good long nap and she should be alert while you're here.

[He doesn't take long to get there, and anyone observant could notice that his eyes are a bit red and cheeks a little puffy. It doesn't keep his smile from being warm when he knocks quietly. It was a non-sad cry, something he's had a few of lately.]

[The door opens and Pel's eyes are also red and puffy, and her other arm is full of a burrito baby who has just been fed and is flopped dramatically against Pel's shoulder because lifting one's head is for champions and she is but a mini-champion.]

Come in, [she says breathlessly, and as soon as the door is closed she begins to transfer Sina to his arms.] Your little niece. Little Sina.

[He comes in with a duck of his head and a mischievous, but acknowledging shift in his smile. He'd heard the sounds, yes, but knowing he hadn't been the only one a bit worked up is fun in his books.

The baby is taken with care, cradled so he can look down into her tiny face.]

Look at you, little Sina. No matter how many times I work with infants, it's still amazing how small they are.

[She sticks out her tongue and he does the same right back, because maturity is for people who aren't playing with a baby.]

How is she sleeping?

[A soft, breathless laugh.] She's sleeping fine the last few days, and you're not supposed to be a healer right now. You're also an uncle. [Though the tongue thing is a good start.] It's me having trouble sleeping, but that's supposed to be normal for a new parent.

[Sina looks completely blown away by the fact that she can communicate with this crazy weird shem person, and sticks her tongue out again. Mainly she is a very normal elf baby, with some notable but not alarming rash here and there, as might be typical of a baby with some food intolerance.]

Is that so?

[He asks it toward Sina, reaching in and gently touching the tip of her nose.]

I've never been good at turning off the healing thing. It's how I got caught on two of my escapes. Let's not talk about how I failed another because there were cats, shall we?

[He has definite weaknesses. Babies are also among them; he may never have one of his own but if this is as close as he gets he's still happy.]

I'm going to teach you to love cats and turn up that tiny nose at dogs, fear not. I'll be a good uncle.

[Sina looks almost distressed by this. It's so much information. So crazy. She doesn't even know what he's saying and it's too much.

Pel, however, is grinning.]

She doesn't know what any of those are. Though look. [Her finger draws a line under that chin, drawing it up to show little pink spots.] You'll be the uncle who can tell me what that is, at least.

Tell me to be an uncle when I talk health matters, tell me to be a healer when I talk about being an uncle.

[His voice is teasing as he examines the bump.]

Mm. That seems to be a reaction to something. Let me...

[Anders casts, sending more warmth into the baby burrito as he looks past her for a moment before shaking his head.]

All I can suggest is make certain everyone touching the baby, including yourself, has washed their hands and any parts that come in contact with her. As her body develops she may easily get over whatever it is. If not, we can try to narrow it down when she's a little older.

You're an uncle and I'm a new mother. I fret. [She delicately traces the line of a soft cheek, then realizes she just did exactly what he said not to do. She meanders over to a basin and washes her hands with soap.] You can borrow her when you like. I'm finding it's actually quite helpful to have some time to myself once in a while.

[He looks up at Pel at the offer before smiling. She means it.]

I'll certainly take you up on that.

[Children are adorable. And if he cures the taint... well. It couldn't hurt to give Nate more baby exposure.]

Would you like that, little Sina?

[And back talking to the baby again. They like voices, though she may be a little young yet to appreciate being the one spoken to. Every baby is different, there.]

Purrelden might get jealous but she'll learn how to deal.

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