Once, just once, he wished his sister would do something to make him happy to be associated with her, but here he found himself wishing again that he didn’t know her at all. At least his request for a temporary adahi for the holiday had been granted. He was able to spend a few days at home with his parents without the association with her hanging over him.
“Everyone looks at me the moment they hear my name as if I’d do the same thing,” Sanimir complained. His temporary adahi, a pipe smoker, had stepped out, and he finally had some time to talk to his father, Isturon, alone.
“But what she did was within the rules, son.”
“If she’s following rules, watch out. You’ll be next,” he grumbled.
His father glanced at the door. The adahi had just left, but he was right to be nervous. A rogue mage was a rogue mage, no matter if his children were in Thril Gandir or not.
Sanimir frowned, “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have said that.”
“She knows what would happen. She wouldn’t.”
“She knew what would happen to those children too, yet she still did it. A whole class of ten-year-olds just got marks against their records. Marks so bad that they can’t get even temporary adahis to visit their homes now. Marks for a thing that I, myself, used to do.”
His father raised a brow. “You slipped out of the dormitory windows while you were supposed to be asleep?”
“It’s actually somewhat of a tradition. After your tenth name day, it isn’t long before you’re moved to another building. The children’s building is the only one with a wall along the outside. It’s well-known that the wards are a distance out away from the wall, and after the guardians check that everyone’s in bed, they don’t check again without a good reason. So the kids slip out to climb the hill that overlooks the ocean before they have to move to another building. I think most of the guardians know about it, but they know no one is trying to escape. They’re just being kids.”
“I suppose you were lucky none of the guardians were like your sister when you did it.”
“None have been. I’ve never heard of anyone getting in trouble for it, until now. Now, even my roommate wants to switch rooms because I’m a Lightmist. Everyone knows I’m related to her, and they think I must be like her.”
“Your roommate should know better,” his father said, glancing again at the door.
“I know. Anyway, there’s a reason I wanted to come home for this Name Day celebration.”
“What is the reason?”
Sanimir took a deep breath, “I want to change my name in the town records. My last name as well. I can’t take being stuck in Thril Gandir with her and sharing the same last name.”
“Your mother won’t be happy. Do you intend to change your first name as well?”
Sanimir nodded.
“You’re fifteen. I believe you are old enough to decide for yourself so I will permit it. I do hope you intend to speak to your mother about it before the naming ceremony tomorrow.”
“I will. I didn’t expect her to be happy, but I do hope she’ll understand.”
His father nodded. “Do you have a name picked out?”
This is Sanimir Lightmist aka Hethurin Fairsong. In World of Warcraft, he is a young mage who opened a magic academy in the Ghostlands. He lives there with his husband and three children. In Naren, he is a mage held captive in the first book.
Also his name... In WoW, he started out as Sanimir. Because of tension with his mother, he changed it. Yeah, that’s a really brief explanation, but I don’t want to type 10k words tonight =P. In Naren, it is tension with his oldest sister that causes him to change it. That’s something I SHOULD write because I don’t cover it in the books!
His outfit is mostly designed and sewn by me. There’s also a jacket piece, but I’m redoing it in another fabric. His boots and anti-stain long underwear are from ebay. He is a very modest dresser which works well as his resin match for his head and hands to the rest of his body is a bit off. ;)
Ace doll day! I’ve been waiting for this one. This is Sanimir, or Hethurin, depending which story you’re reading (He changed his own name in one, maybe both, but I haven’t come up with how/why in the other). He’s a homo-romantic, gray ace/demi-sexual, which is something I can relate to as a pan-romantic, demi-sexual. He’s one of my favorite characters, and happening upon his sculpt made me so happy. He is loosely based on my mage in World of Warcraft (the guy in my user icon), and is an imprisoned mage in my first book.
I love him.
He’s a Granado Charles on a Loongsoul Grace body. Get it, GRACE... I totally did not plan that.
Hethurin’s teleport spell took him directly in front of the large manor in one of the best neighborhoods of Silvermoon. He glanced at Terellion. He would have preferred if Terellion had stayed home. He was going to be careful. Coming here was just wasting Terellion’s time. He had managed to convince him to wait outside. He didn’t want to subject his husband to whatever his mother might say.
“There’s a bench over there. You might want to get something to eat too. I’ll probably be inside for an hour or so.”
“You have a class starting in an hour and fifteen minutes. If you aren’t out by then, I’m coming in for you.”
“Don’t come in for me. It’ll be weird. We’re just talking.”
“And if it winds up that talking isn’t what she has in mind for you?”
“I’ll teleport out before anything happens. I have a special ward right now. Not only does it slow a spell’s effect when it’s directed towards me, but it also lets me know a spell is directed towards me before it gets to me. I’ll have time to get out if she tries to silence me.”
“I don’t trust her.”
“I don’t either. I’ll be careful.” He leaned forward and gave his husband a quick, street-appropriate kiss. “Now go get yourself some lunch. I’ll be upset if you don’t eat because of me.”
“What about you?”
“I’ll have cake after we get back home.”
“You have a class.”
“So? I can eat cake in class. I’m the headmaster. I make the rules.”
Terellion smiled slightly, “I’m still coming in after you if you’re not back out here on time.”
Hethurin sighed, “I’ll make sure I’m out by then. Now go eat.”
He waited until Terellion actually started walking towards the corner where there was a restaurant before turning to face the manor again. He walked up to the door and used the knocker. One of his mother’s servants answered the door. Hethurin didn’t recognize him.
“Can I help you?”
“Hello. I’m Hethurin Fairsong. I have come to visit my mother, Verisna.”
The servant looked him up and down before opening the door more to invite him in. “Please wait here.”
Hethurin stood just inside the door and waited. A couple of minutes later he heard a commotion.
“I can’t believe you just left him in the entry? What were you thinking?”
Hethurin twitched an ear at the sound of his mother’s voice. It still wasn’t too late to teleport away. He seriously considered it until his mother entered the corridor leading away from the entryway.
“Sanimir! How long has it been since your last visit?”
It was too late to teleport now. He allowed her a quick embrace. “Too long, I suppose.”
“I sent you to all those expensive schools and you don’t even write.”
Hethurin’s eyes darted to two more people approaching. One of them was the same servant who had answered the door, and the other was a younger elf. The pool boy. He twitched an ear as his mother released her hug on him. “I’m very busy lately. That’s why I thought to make time to visit you during my lunch hour.”
“Well, come sit with us. We already ate, but we were just about to have tea.” She turned and looked at her pool boy. It was easier to think of him as that instead of as her husband. She was more than twice his age. “Bailas, why don’t you assist Syrel. I don’t want him messing things up again.”
The pool boy nodded and went with the other man.
“The tea room is this way.” She put her hand on his back.
He flinched.
“You’re still jumpy. Some things never change. You seem taller. Have you grown?”
“No, Verisna. I haven’t grown.” He refrained from rolling his eyes. His height was always something she commented on and asked if he had grown more. He hadn’t grown since his early twenties. He certainly hoped he wouldn’t start again. He was already tall enough. He let her guide him to her tea room.
She sat in the chair closest to the door to the room. He took the seat across from her. He noticed a third chair and hoped Bailas wouldn’t be joining them.
As soon as he sat, she spoke again, “You know I’m not stupid. There must be a reason you’re here.”
Hethurin had his response prepared. “Well, Terellion and I have the chance to adopt a set of twins.” He wished it was true.
“This is in addition to the two girls you already have? I don’t know why you adopt. They’re not really yours.”
He wanted to argue heavily with that, but he wasn’t here to fight with her. “Two girls and one boy.”
“Where is the boy from?”
“The orphanage.”
She shook her head.
“Anyway, going from three to five is a big step, I think. I just wanted your advice.”
She eyed him suspiciously as Bailas and Syrel brought in the tea. Bailas set a cup in front of each of them then sat down in the third chair. Her gaze turned to the pool boy. “Bailas, perhaps you would like to take your tea with Syrel in the kitchen?”
Bailas frowned. “I was looking forward to getting to know my step-son.”
“Don’t call me that,” Hethurin said flatly. “I have a father already, and he’s older than me. I don’t need a step one.”
Verisna continued giving him a look.
“Fine. Fine. I’ll go. I’ll stay close.”
They both waited until he left the room.
“I’m sorry about him. He’s a little silly sometimes.”
“You mean immature, like a child.”
She frowned at him. “Oh, yes, children. We were discussing your habit of taking in rejected, poor children.”
Hethurin took a deep breath. It wouldn’t do to argue with her.
“You really do want something, don’t you? You don’t show up here unless you have an agenda, and the fact that you’re putting your opinions aside tells me it’s more than simple advice. Tell me what it is. Is the school in trouble? Do you need money? How much do you need?”
He shook his head as she sipped her tea. “The school isn’t in trouble. I don’t need money. I have my own money. I just really want advice on my growing family.”
“Why haven’t you asked your father? Isn’t he living in the Ghostlands now?”
Hethurin almost smiled at her question. She just made it easy for him to slip in his real purpose of the trip. “I have spoken to him, of course. He’s just a little distracted right now.”
“Distracted?”
“He might be seeing someone. I’m probably not supposed to be telling you about it either.”
“Why shouldn’t you tell me?”
“You know how he likes to keep secrets. I didn’t even find out he was seeing his receptionist until I found out he was sending her flowers.”
She shrugged and sipped her tea. “I still don’t buy that you’re here for parenting advice. I know exactly what you think of my parenting.”
He was surprised by the subject change. She didn’t ask who he was seeing. Did that mean she didn’t care?
He sipped his tea, buying a few more seconds for a reply. He couldn’t very well tell her that he changed his mind about her parenting. She wouldn’t believe that any more than his other excuses. He could just agree with her and act like she reminded him that she was not the person to ask. Then he could leave, but that might leave him locked out the next time he actually needed to talk to her, which he hoped would be never, but he couldn’t be sure he’d be that lucky. Coming up with another reason to be here would be for the best.
“This is good tea,” he said, still stalling for time to think. He took another sip. Why was it so hard to think of something to say?
“Of course it is. I don’t get the gross stuff from the market. This comes from a special order and gets delivered here once a week.”
“Oh, that’s fascinating.” There was something he was supposed to be thinking about.
“I suppose.” She eyed him warily. “So? Are you going to tell me?”
“About what?” He felt mildly alarmed that he had no idea what she was talking about.
“About why you’re here.”
Everything went blurry as he struggled to focus on her face. Something was wrong.
“Sanimir? Are you okay?” his mother asked, sounding alarmed.
Something was very, very wrong. The room seemed to spin. He stood and started to cast a teleport spell back to the Ghostlands. He stopped. No. The Ghostlands was wrong. Ter wasn’t there. Ter was… Where was he? He swayed but caught his balance by grabbing the back of the chair with his hand. He had to remember. The bench outside. Easy. He started to cast again, the words felt fumbled in his mouth. He fell to the ground.
“Sanimir!”
His mother was yelling. There were more people in the room now, but he couldn’t make sense of anything. He had to get to the bench outside. He forgot why. He started casting again without trying to get up off the ground. His lips moved in a whisper. He passed out before the spell was finished.
I’m so glad to be back home. I thought I was going to be stuck with that crazy high elf woman forever! Renner finally showed up and took me back home, but everyone thinks I shouldn’t cast anything just yet. I haven’t tried, not even to start the fire in the fireplace. Terellion does a good job of making sure I don’t freeze, so I haven’t had to worry about that. I still don’t remember some things,…
It had been a week since Hethurin had first woke up in the strange room at a high elven outpost in Crystalsong Forest. The only person he had seen during that time was Zayel. She spent much of her day with him in the room, though usually she was at her desk when she wasn’t tending his wounds. She tried speaking to him each time she washed him with the herb-infused water, but he usually declined…
