Whilst they waited, both fathers milled about to aid the passage of time. Dahl made sure to help keep Theo busy until uneeded, and Jamison sat perfectly still sp Dasia could rest. He fiddled a bit with his phone before abandoning it.
Dahl sat up first, gingerly taking Theodosia from her sister's lap. He cradled her up to his chest, arms large enough to hold the entirety of her small frame. Doctor Gaisimmer glanced back at his spouses to check up on them before heading in.
Jamison lifted his wife's head gently as not to stir her nauseated state. He whispered quietly, knowing her supreme hearing would catch it. "It's time to head in, just take it slow alright?" He smiled sweetly, standing up to help her along.
Witch Week Day 3: Skellan from Champion of the Scarlet Wolf.
“My mother is the South Wind, my father is a stone; the cobbles are my friends, and my name is my own.” ― Ginn Hale, Champion of the Scarlet Wolf, Book One.
A short passage reflecting on Jamison during the Flight, as well as his three missing family members’ return. Featuring @dumplingaisimmer‘s characters.
Jamison’s leg bounced as he sat in the old wooden rocking chair, it groaned under the pressure exerted on it and the stress of its bearer threatened to break the piece of furniture.
(Cut because it’s a lil’ long)
It had been almost twenty hours since he’d received the call from his husband that he and his girls were in Chile, South America. Over the phone Dahl joked about the nice weather and lovely beaches, but his voice strained over the call. Jamie’s heartstrings ached at hearing it, only imagining what could be going on down there. Dahl still didn’t tell him what happened, all he said was that they had made a pit stop at a small island and things had gotten rough.
His phone call was cut off abruptly, Dahl losing battery life on the other line.
The Fiaclan at home stared at his phone screen, he didn’t even get a chance to talk to his wife nor his daughter. All he knew was that this whole event, this whole ordeal seemed to be a gathering of all of the Suurkedi species. But Jamison didn’t like how feral they seemed when they left…
He sighed, setting the small device aside on one of Theodosia’s drawers. James hadn’t slept since the three left, and that was three days ago. Was it three days? Four? A week? He held his head in his hands, his eyes squeezed shut to block out any terrible thoughts. He pictured a smooth lovely beach with a jungle nearby. Then he pictured it covered in blood and bodies, lust and screams of claws and teeth against flesh. He even saw them all- Dasiä, Skallen, Dahl- all still on the sand.
At least he wasn’t right about that last part.
Theodosia lay still in her bed, clutching tightly onto her blanket with all four hands. She hadn’t been doing so well either. Theo had fussed often with the loss of her mother and sister and father, not at all used to not hearing their voices. The small child would sob when Jamison went to her instead of Dasiä, but as the days grew on she eventually grew accustomed to the new change. James only hoped this change wasn’t forever.
As the days passed, Jamison would take his littlest dearest to daycare so he could continue working at his jewelers shop, but he quickly found himself being unproductive with this and resorted to staying home. But even there he did nothing but wait for his phone to go off, for that happy voice to say, “we’re coming home!”
The sun had eventually set, and still Jamison crouched in that old rocking chair. His eyes would fixate on his phone, then his daughter, and then the night sky. He wondered what the stars looked like in South America, and if his family could see the same ones he saw. Perhaps not, they were in the opposite hemisphere, but it soothed his mind temporarily.
Stars…
Was Skallen alright? Would he see her happy smiling face whenever she ask for something or watch movies together? Or what about Dahl? Would Jamie see that sly grin of his, and the way he huffed after a long shift? And Dasiä… Jamison whimpered under his breath, the sound trickling past his jaws to catch the attention of his pets and Theodosia. His daughter stirred and awoke from the sound, and he was more than eager to lull her back to sleep.
The phone rang.
The Fiaclan was in the kitchen when it happened, glaring down a lamb that had been carved in the fashion of a turkey. He intended to eat it but of course he had not felt well. Theo was at daycare now, and it was high time to go and retrieve her.
His claws fumbled with the buttons, often clacking against the screen just to answer the phone.
“Hello?” He inquired, his voice stuttering. The caller ID belonged to Dahl.
Dahl groaned on the other end, sounding absolutely exhausted. “Jamison…?” Even through the groggy voice, a hint of a smile could have been heard.
Jamison nearly burst into tears as he listened to Dahl’s tale. He was told about the long treacherous flight just to get to the small island, and how Suurkedi dropped like flies into the ocean just to rip each other apart. He was told how they met up with Nyle and the other Shrikes, and that Skallen had killed one on that island. “Burnt to a crisp” were Dahl’s exact words.
Candypants claimed that once they left the island, they made straight for Chile. There Dahl had lost control of his anger and slipped out of his contained form into his more ancestral image. Figures why he sounded so tired… Dahl continued, him having far too many run ins with the other Shrikes, but he had met up with Dasiä’s parents and even her old flock. That didn’t sound so bad!
But then he learned of the Peak. Jamison learned of the bloodshed and rut that the species shook with, and that in its first few moments hundreds of Suurkedi had been slain. The terrible images showed up in his head again as he continued. All three of them seemed to be torn up from the massacre, and all three of them had killed their fair share of dragons.
Jamison nearly dropped the phone, just trying to picture his family brutally murdering other dragons for their life. He was mortified, then frightened, then angry… so very angry. Why, if he were there he would have-
The Fiaclan steadied himself.
Dahl sighed into the phone. “Pumpkin is messed up pretty badly, I think she got the worst of all of us.”
“Why? What happened? Is she alright?” Dasiä could probably hear the panicked tone in his voice should she eavesdropped.
“Oh yes yes, she’s alright, she’ll be fine… When we get home, try not to talk to her too much about it.” His husband breathed, wincing audibly.
“What? What’s wrong with her? You’re scaring me love!”
“Just hang tight, we’re all in the hospital right now and I’m just about to pass out. We’re just getting some wounds stitched closed. We’re going to spend the night at a hotel before we head home, but there’s no way in hell we’re flying home, we’ll take a plane. Ah- Hm? Mmm… The girls say they love you and wish to talk more, but we’ve got a lot on our plate here.”
“Yes, yes indeed, of course! You three rest up, alright? I’ll have the castle ready for you, I love you! I love you all!” Jamie said, tears streaming down his face from built up emotion.
Dahl huffed on the other end, “Yeah, we’ll see you soon, Rionnag Bheag.”
The phone clicked, signifying the end to their conversation.
Jamison’s heart thumped agonizingly hard against his chest, they were all alive! All of them! His loves and his baby will be coming home so very soon… There goes his chance of sleeping tonight again, but at least it would be that of excitement.
Theodosia even caught on Jamison’s sparked mood, cooing and laughing more than what she had been while they all left.
The day passed and night fell, and the day passed once more. It was night once more as well. Jamison had tried to get Theo to sleep, but she simply couldn’t. She sensed her father’s eagerness and impatient pacing and couldn’t fall into slumber.
James didn’t mind, he just kept her on his hip as he stared out the top of the castle’s tower, that’s where his room was. It overlooked the entire city from the slope it was built on, and he was able to pick out the colors of cars squat in the middle of it. But eventually his fantastic eyes grew weary.
The Fiaclan sighed and hopped into his home elevator, he’d gotten it installed (and baby proofed) for easier access. It was easier than walking down five flights of stairs. Once he reached the ground floor he trudged down the empty halls, his pets Fiasco and Zuzu following silently behind.
Once he reached the main chamber he set Theo down in her walker, and immediately she tried to chase after the brightly colored monster dogs. The foyer was a mess of baby toys, the kitchen hadn’t been cleaned in days. Beds needed to be made and rooms had to be cleaned. It was usually if not always Jamison who cleaned after everyone, and he loved it dearly. But there wasn’t anyone to clean after right now…
Zuzu’s dorsal fin rose to its full height, and she cocked her head in the direction of the door. She stood on all six of her legs, head hung low as if trying to listen in. Fiasco barked at the double doors, his own fins flitting open and shut.
The doors were pushed open from the outside, and a deep familiar voice called out. “We’re home!”
Jamie’s claws gripped into the ground as he launched himself towards the front of the castle. He saw Dasiä first since Dahl sidestepped from his husband’s oncoming advancement. He wrapped his arms around her and tackled her, his wings supporting them both on the ground so they didn’t hit it. Instantly he covered every inch of her scales in kisses, lifting her up and picking her up into a hug.
“Jamison- James! Down! I’m still hurting…” Dasä winced at the contact, a chittering purr enticing from her chest.
He nuzzled that chest, and neck, and face, having been touch starved over the days. “Oh my dears… My precious dears, all of you, home together once more.” Jamison drew in a sharp intake of breath, looking to Dahl. He was met with a sloppy and exhausted grin that left into the depths of the castle, intent on starting up a gold bath to get his essence back.
He drew away from her, looking over her shoulder towards Skallen. James gasped at the sight of his daughter, her horns broken and ragged, and one of her entire wings were gone. This was replaced with a lone amputated stump with gauze and pristine white bandages wrapped around it.
Jamison approached her, getting down on his knees to meet her height. “Oh… princess…” He croaked out, drawing her in for the gentlest and sweetest loving hug he could muster.
Dahl let out his own growl, but it morphed into a huff and a grunt. He couldn’t tell if the younglings were fighting or playing, but Adelaide’s calm behavior made him take the latter.
“She’s done so much thus far.” He said quietly. “I’m sure you’ve heard of the news.” He thought back to her hiding in fear, to her destroying a Shrike, killing a human...
Dahl listened in silently to their conversation. Peak? What’s a peak? The Fiaclan rose up from his haunches, towering over his tiny wife. “You haven’t told me a lot of things about this Flight, my queen.” His voice sounded pained, and it was true. She never told him or Jamison about this migration, what it was for and why.
The Fiaclan leaned his head down, pressing it against her own as he stared her down. “But I do not like the sound of this ‘peak.’” He ‘hmm’ed in displeasure, the deepness reverberating through his chest and to Dasiä herself, enough to make anyone’s spine rattle. “Whatever it is, I’m sure I’ve seen enough damage already to take it so... lay it on me.”
