Beornard watched as his little girl worked. She focused with an intensity that rivaled his own. Warmth flooded his heart. This girl, this beautiful child he had never thought he'd ever get to see was here in his home learning and growing far too fast for his liking. Already her alchemical knowledge was twice what his had been at her age, and with the way she continued to seek out knowledge she would likely outstrip him by the time she was all grown up.
The golden grains and other herbs he had instructed her to collect slowly transformed into a paste that would support healing and prevent infections. A thread of life magic flowed from Ayla steadily, a little shaky from her uncertainty but that was alright. Beornard grinned, outstrip him indeed.
"Good job little dove! You're doing great, just make the flow a bit stronger and you'll have it!." Beornard leaned in closer, scratching unconsciously the head of his stepson.
Beornard when he had first Eddie, had been wary of him. Knowing very well the horrible man his father was. However his fears were swiftly proved unfounded as the boy had swiftly stolen Beornard's heart with his mischievous yet kind nature.
"There! You've got it!" Beornard exclaimed quietly. "It's almost perfect Dove! Good job!"
Ayla set the mortar aside and nodded seriously, her little eyebrows knitted together furiously. Beornard's chest tightened and he placed a hand on her back. She looked up at him questioningly as he leaned down and kissed the top of her head.
"You look just like your mother, ya know that?"
Ayla giggled, "No I don't, Daddy, I look like you!"
"Oh really! Lemme take a look at you." Beornard took his hand off of Eddie's head, causing the boy to wake. He picked up his daughter under the arms and made a show of looking at her side to side, while tickling her mercilessly. Ayla's laughter filled the laboratory with a sunny joy that reverborated off of the walls.
"Nope, you look just like her, no way you get that kind of beauty from taking after me."
Eddie, now fully awake, wagged his tail and grinned in a disturbingly human way, "Did sissy do good?"
Beornard barked out a laugh, "That she did, boy!"
"Yay! Can we have cake? To make happy!"
"It's called celebrating, Eddie." Ayla said giggling and rolling her eyes.
"Yeah that!" Eddie said, eyes not leaving Beornard, who was pretending to ponder the question.
Beornard waited for a good while, stretching Eddie's patience to its limit before clicking his tongue and saying, "Why not? Ayla got this one on her first try after all."
Eddie hopped up out of his seat and started to dance erratically chanting, "Cake! Cake! Cake!" As he made his way to the door, tail happily wagging the whole way.
Beornard grinned, the boy had much of his mother's personality.
Ayla sighed and rolled her eyes, but she smiled too. Beornard hugged his daughter and carried her with him as he followed Eddie. Ayla nuzzled into her father's chest, "I love you, Daddy!" She said, her voice a whisper.
"I love you too, little Dove" Beornard whispered back.
Eddie turned around and began to walk backwards, shouting, "I LOVE YOU TOO! Papa and sissy are the bestest family ever!"
Beornard stopped in his tracks, "Eddie... what did you just call me?"
Eddie stopped dancing, and shrunk, his demeanor changing from excited to fearful in a second, "I said Papa, is that ok?"
Beornard's eyes glistened and he crouched down, extending his free arm in an inviting way. Eddie's excitement returned and his flew into Beornard's arms.
"It's more than ok... son?" Beornard lifted Eddie up, hugging the boy to himself.
"Yay! Papa papa papa!" Eddie wiggled happily, hugging Beornard's neck as best he could.
Laughing Beornard held his children tightly, wishing the moment could last forever.
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