Ingrid Hirsch agrees to a tradition that was inherited from her husband's family for their daughter, but is concerned of what implications of the future this tradition recieves
Part 1 for the 'Echoes of the Past' Arcana event by @arcana-echoes . A look at my apprentice's infancy, and no way an implication of what life has in store for her.
(Background belongs to The Arcana)
No warnings apply. And no beta, we die like Fools!
A mobile twirled above the cot, adorned with figures of gentle creatures, a soft melody playing thanks to Annike's enchantment. The infant, though only a month old, seemed captivated, reaching her tiny hands up and cooing, sky eyes full of wonder.
Ingrid couldn't help but smile, placing a hand on the top of her daughter's head, stroking the tuft of fiery hair. Katarina already seemed to be taking joy in the pleasant things. It was something Ingrid wanted more than anything- enjoying a life of simplicity, rather than demanding a life of wealth.
The city of Vivelan may not be the most ideal. But Ingrid left her family, and abandoned her title of Lady, for a reason- Having yhe family she wanted, raising her child in a world she deserved.
The trapdoor created and a streak of light shot it's way through. Ingrid looked up, ready in case the hideout was spotted.
“The Fool sends her regards.”
A familiar voice, and the Revolutionaries password. Ingrid relaxed, and took Katarina from the cot.
Aldert's eyes shone when he saw the two, and Ingrid soon found herself in her husband's embrace.
“I'm glad you're safe,” Aldred said with a sigh of relief. “How is Katarina?”
Ingrid pulled away and offered Katarina to Aldert, who gladly took her.
“A bit fussy when her papa left, but the mobile was quick to distract her.” Ingrid turned her face to the two others who had entered the hideout.
“It will be normal for an infant to be upset when her caregivers are away,” Jacobus stepped towards Aldert, peering over his shoulder to get a look at Katarina. “She seems easy to cheer up when you return, however. A good sign. The family bond is strong.”
As if on cue, Aldert began playfully bouncing the infant, who cooed once again in response. He laughed and gave a rather dramatic kiss on the cheek
After a moment, Ingrid spoke.
“I suppose this is no normal check up, considering how short notice this is."
Jacobus looked up from Katarina, and looked over to Annike, who began searching through the embroidered satchel.
“Always a keen eye. “Jacobus chuckled. “Aldert had requested we give your daughter her first reading.”
Ingrid furrowed her eyebrows. “Isn't she a little too young?”
“It is customary.” Annike pulled out the familiar deck of cards shared between the two siblings from the satchel and handing it to Jacobus. “From the village where the three of us grew up. A month after an infant's birth, one of the village magicians gives them reading. Insight to what the child's future may hold."
Aldert handed over Katarina to Ingrid again, placing a hand on his wife's shoulder and planting a kiss on her cheek.
“It's nothing to worry about,” Aldert said with a soft smile. “Even if the cards seem bad-”
“You already know there is no such thing as a ‘bad card’.” Jacobus shook his head, shuffling the cards as he sat down at the dining table.
Aldert guided Ingrid to the dining table, pulling up a chair for his wife to sit on. “Yes, well, the worst case scenario is a learning opportunity. How we can provide support for our little vuurliegie. Give her the best chance we can of a good life."
Jacobus divided the cards into three piles, choosing one at random. He spread out the cards of the chosen deck, hovering his hand over them until it stopped at one. He took the card, flipped it over and began inspecting, muttering silently to himself.
“Seven of cups, reversed.”
Annike stood next to Jacobus and looked at the cards with a concerned look.
“And?” Ingrid enquired, absent-mindedly letting Katarina hold her finger. “What do the cards say?”
Jacobus's eyes were closed, yet his expressioned focus. As if he was trying to listen. Finally he spoke.
“Her path will converge. Many, many times.”
That sentence caught Ingrid's attention. And it seemed Aldert's as well, judging by his face.
“There will be plenty of points in her life where she must make decisions that would change the entire directory of her life.” Jacobus continued. “She may even have to question her own beliefs at these points.”
Ingrid looked at Aldert briefly. This left her with more questions than andwers. Yes, Katarina wouldn't have an easy life, but that didn't mean she'd struggle so much, did it?
“That…”
“Just means we'll have to be as involved in her life as we can,” Aldert said, giving a chuckle that slowly shifted from nervous to light-hearted. “That's all.”
Ingrid frowned, looking at the infant in her arms.
“I wouldn't phrase it that way. I don't want to smother her. She deserves to experience freedom."
Aldert ushered Ingrid to stand up, motioning for her to face him. There was a solemn look on his face.
“As long as your mother remains in power, she will not be free. Not truly.” He placed his hands on her shoulders. “Jacobus is right. This world won't be easy on her.”
Ingrid noted the sad yet hopeful note in his voice. He seemed determined, as he planted a kiss on Ingrid's forehead.
“And I want to change that. For her. For all of us.”
Before Ingrid could speak any further, an uncomfortable noise broke her thoughts. Katarina was squirming in her arms, almost uncomfortably. That was when the smell hit her.
“Oh dear…”
“I'll change her nappy, love,” Aldert smiled, opening his arms to recieve Katarina. He noted her hesitancy and insisted. “You've worked the whole morning. Parenthood is not something to burden alone.”
Ingrid smiled softly, handing Katarina over. As Aldert shifted their daughter into his arms, the infant sneezed, and there was another noise.
Katarina wailed.
“Heavens, Ingrid, what have you been feeding her, woman?” He brought a hand to fan away the smell.
Ingrid chuckle. “Nothing she shouldn't be eating.”
Aldert groaned. “It smelt like you fed her a barrels worth of-.”
“Just change her already, oaf!” Annike interrupted. “It's stinking up the whole place.”
“Right!” Aldert rushed his crying daughter to the cot.
“On the table, Aldert. Not the cot.” Jacobus groaned. Aldert simply winced, grabbing the cloth nappy hanging on a hook and rushing her to the table. Annike raised an eyebrow at Ingrid.
Aldert makes a final plea to his lifelong friends, when war turns to tragedy, a normal life for his family becoming an improbable fantasy.
Part two of my contribution for the 'Echoes of the Past' event hosted by @arcana-echoes. This time, we looked at the moment that my apprentice had to leave her old home for good.
Warning for mentions of death and war. Once again, no beta, as well die like Fools!
I'm running out of time.
Aldert had no idea how long he had been running. He couldn't afford to. The ship was going to leave any second. This was his last chance to save his daughter.
Despite how fast he was running, Katarina still remained fast asleep in his arms. Her freckled cheeks remained tear stained, from the moment her found her standing just mere centimeters away from the rubble.
The rubble wherein her mother lied.
As Aldert made a sharp turn through an alley, the dock came into view in the full moon's light. A cargo ship floated, and boarding it were two figures.
He made it.
She'd have a chance after all!
Aldert bolted, maneuvering through unsuspecting pedestrians, who simply looked at him confused as they found him weaving through. He was barely able to catch himself before he could fall on the docks, but as soon as he reached his friends, he fell to his knees as his legs acted, his heart raced, his lungs begged for air.
“I thought I wasn't going to catch you before you two left.” He said in between huffs. “I made it. I made it.”
“What the hell are you doing here?” Annike asked, her voice stunned. She knelt down to meet Aldert in the eyes, grippung his shoulders. “Why are you here so late? Why is Katarina with you? Does Ingrid-”
Jacobus walked to Annike, placing a hand on her shoulder. “Give him chance, sister.”
Annike turned her head towards her brother. Aldert could hear a sigh coming from her as she stood up. Aldert followed shortly, but his shoulders stiffened when he felt Katarina squirming in his arms.
“Papa?” She asked groggily.
“It's alright, my darling,” Aldert hugged Katarina a little tighter, stroking the top of her head. “Go back to sleep, it will be alright.”
“Explain yourself, brother.” Jacobus requested.
Aldert was quiet for a long time. Where would he begin. How could he begin?
“The Kercher family,” Aldert began. “One of Ingrid's brothers, he found the hideout. And their soldiers managed tear it down along with the rest of the warehouse.”
Aldert took a moment to pause. The siblings looked at each other with wide eyes. Annike's face in particular seemed bereaved, and Aldert knew her next question.
“Is.. is Ingrid…”
“She managed to get Katarina out, but…”
He let out a choked sob. He had tried to keep his emotions in when learning the fate of Ingrid. He'd never see her again, her beautiful smile and kind eyes. He'd never hear her laugh, smell the scent of dried tulip on her, run his finger through her hair.
“Oh… brother…”
Aldert did not notice the feeling of Jacobus's hand on his shoulder. He didn't want his friend's pity. He didn't deserve it. If she hadn't left her family, joined the rebellion, she'd still be alive.
“If I hadn't courted her…”
He failed Ingrid. But he would not fail their daughter.
“This is no life for a child,” Aldert spoke. He peered down at Katarina's peaceful expression, the way she curled in his arms.
“She can't stay here.” Aldert's voice cracked slightly. “Take her with you. Find a place where she'll be safe. She deserves to grow up like a normal child.”
“We'll have to speak with the captain,” Annike hesitated. She shook her head. “but he wouldn't turn away both of you, not while-"
“No,” Aldert interrupted. “I need to stay. Here.”
Annike blinked. “You're joking."
“All of this is my doing. I lead them both to a life like this.”
“You can't just let her go like this.” Jacobus was next to speak, the disbelief in his voice palpable. “Her mother's gone, now she needs you more than-”
“She needs a life I cannot provide. Please, I need your help. Just this one last time...”
There was no way. He knew Jacobus and Annike since they were children. They always treated him like family. Family wouldn't reject each other, would they?
For a while, neither responded. Aldert's lips trembled. He wouldn't be able to protect her. Not like this. They can't reject her. They had to take her.
“Alright.”
Aldert looked up. Hope filled his heart, the most he had felt for a long, long time.
Jacobus opened his arms, and Aldert slowly shifted Katarina so she would lie comfortably in them.
“I… will send letters where I can. You have no idea how much this means to me.”
Katarina began to stir once more, her eyes- the eyes she shared with her mother- looking at him?
“Papa?”
As selfish and cowardly as it may have felt, Aldert had hoped she wouldn't wake up when he left. He didn't want to see her cry. He didn't want to see her like this as he said goodbye
“Stay strong, my vuurligie.” Aldert spoke softly, stroking his daughter's cheek, planting a kiss on her forehead. “I love you. I love you so much.”
A sudden commotion from behind Aldert caused him to look back. People began to talk, which became frantic screaming. People began to run as the sound of galloping horses echoed through cobblestone.
A sailor peered over the ship, visibly agitated. “Oi! You lot going to stand there or what? Captain would rather have the ship remain in one piece!"
Aldert began backing away, not daring to look behind him. “Go. Now!”
“Papa!” He could still hear her voice. She was calling out to him. She needed him. He couldn't stay. “Where you going? Papa!”
I like to think Tari felt very alien for a while when she couldn't understand why she wasn't so keen on physical intimacy. At least, why not as much as compared to other people her age. She is a massive hopeless romance, but everyone seems so quick to enter intimacy because it was something that they enjoyed and had the desire to do. Something she didn't experience until maybe a little after entering a relationship with Muriel.
And of course, Muriel does his absolute best to help her completely understand it is not something that makes her 'broken' or flawed.
Thank you to @into-the-daniverse for hosting this event!
Who was going to tell me I never got around to posting the Side-by-side CG of my Arcana Apprentice and her first encounter with Muriel in the prologue???
Vesuvia would bring a lot of new change for Annike and her family. New beginnings, a new home, and for little Katarina, new friends.
Finally managed to complete my fourth submission for @arcana-echoes , as long as it is not May yet, I am definitely not late. Featuring some new, yet familiar faces...
(Background by The Arcana)
No warnings apply. No beta, we die like Fools!
“Remind me again how you managed to even find this place?”
The old shop was dark, save for the afternoon light creeping through the windows. Dust covered the surfaces and hung in the air, the open door only providing so much fresh air to combat the stuffiness.
“I overhead the former owner complain about it,” Annike responded as she set Katarina down. “He got it from his grandmother, but apparently he had no use for it. Considering we needed a place to stay…”
“You bought it from him?” Jacobus finished. “How much did it cost you?"
“Actually, not that much.” Annike shrugged. “Said he didn't care about whether or not he gained profit from it, just as long as it was off his hands.”
A loud sneeze interrupted the two, coming from Katarina. The small child blinked as she was covered head to toe in dust.
“It's dusty."
Annike chuckled, pulling out a handkerchief to to dust off Katarina.
“That's because it's been abandoned.”
Katarina's eyes seemed as blank as newly made parchment.
“It means no one has lived here for a long time.” Jacobus explained, causing the girl to light up, before her eyes furrowed once again.
“Why?”
“Well, maybe the owner already had a place to live,” Annike stood up, walking to the open door to shake off the dust from the handkerchief. “Either way, this will be our new home now.”
Katarina's face scrunched. “Can we clean up the dust first?”
Jacobus let out a hearty chuckle, patting Katarina on top her her head. “Don't you worry about that, we will.”
Katarina turned her head around, gathering more of the area, her curious eyes landing on the staircase that led up. Annike had not yet seen what happened up the stairs, but the man she bought it from said no one had set foot in this place for a while.
“Can I go and look up there?” Katarina pointed.
“Upstairs you mean?” Annike asked, and Katarina enthusiastically nodded.
There would be no harm…
“Alright, but be quick. And don't run.”
Katarina nodded, walking up to the stair case, but only having set foot on one step before she fell over. Before Jacobus and Annike could react, Katarina stood up.
“I'm okay!” She proclaimed, before she sneezed once more. She smiled a big toothy grin before she continued to walk slowly up the stairs.
That girl was going to be the death of them.
“This may actually work for a shop, now that I think about it.” Jacobus mused. “It could be like the wagon we used to operate from. Only with a more permanent roof over our heads.”
“And no more homemade manure?”
Jacobus chuckled. “Yes, that too. The forest out on the outskirts. looks like a good place to scavenge, anyhow. We may not need to buy as many ingredients.”
Callen's judgement had been correct. Vesuvia had turned out to be promising for the family. And easy purchase, a forest ripe with ingredients, a fresh market. This may be the start this family needed. The type of life Aldert had begged his friends to give his daughter.
A shadow formed over the light coming from the door, snapping Annike out of her thoughts. She flipped her head to see a man in glinting chain mail and armour knocking on the open door. He held a halberd as tall as he was, a shield hung behind him
What was a guardsman doing here?
“Excuse me, madam.” He raised his free hand up. “I hadn't realised this place was abandoned. I'm simply here to investigate.”
“Well, technically it was abandoned,” Annike stepped twice towards the door. “My family just moved in.”
“Makes sense,” The guard said with a nod. “Still, I'd be thorough if I were you."
“And why is that?”
The guard did not respond for a while, simply weaving past her, looking around the room.
“You seem to be lacking-”
“May hide some suspicious people.”
Annike opened her mouth to say something, before Jacobus placed a hand on her shoulder, clearing his throat as he addressed the guard.
“I'm suspecting that is what you wanted to ask about.”
The guard turned to face Annike and Jacobus. “We received a testimony from a street vendor that two children stole apples from him. One shorter with fluffy hair, the other taller with a scrap for a blanket.”
From the top of the staircase, Katarina froze in place. Her eyes wide, and her shoulders hunched. She shook her head and waved her hands towards her aunt.
“Do you have any idea where they could be?”
Katarina's gestures were more frantic, one finger moved to her lips in a hushing manner.
Was something wrong? Why was she so insistent?
Choosing to follow through, Annike shook her head. “No. No, there is no one here.”
“And you are sure...”
“Yes. We just did an inspection. All we found was dusty blankets.”
Jacobus ran over to the counter where a pile of dusty blankets was. He picked it up, fanning away dust from his mouth.
“Would you like one, brother?”
“No, thank you.” The guard winced, letting out a cough. “If that is the case, I am just wasting my time here. Let me know if you see them around.”
The guards eyes switched from Annike to Jacobus, back to Annike and back to Jacobus, as he slowly walked out the door, making a sharp turn. Footsteps could be heard on the cobblestone for a brief moment.
Katarina slowly walked down the stairs, still eyeing the door.
“Alright, show me what you're hiding.”
As Annike made the request, Katarina froze right at the bottom step.
“What?”
“I'm serious, little lady.” Annike's tone was stern. “You looked paler than a ghost born in winter.”
“I didn't…” Katarina's steps became smaller, her head was ducked. Guilty as sin.
“What was it you saw upstairs? And why did you not want to say anything?”
Katarina was silent, looking as if she wanted to shrink. Her hands clasped together nervously.
“Don't be mad at her."
A soft voice interrupted, and brought Annike's eyes back to the staircase. Slowly coming down were two children. One with hair as fluffy and white as a cloud, the other much taller, with a withered blanket. Both barefoot.
They were the children the guards were looking for.
The taller boy looked away after the sentence, his cheeks dusted with red.
“She wanted to help us. It's us the guards are looking for.” The white-haired child chimed in.
Katarina finally lifted her head and looked at Annike and Jacobus with pleading eyes.
“Can they have supper with us?”
The white haired child nodded. “We'll leave tomorrow morning, I promise. We don't want to get you in trouble!”
“And where do you intend on going, if we may ask.” Annike crossed her arms.
“We'll just go home. We live by docks.”
Annike and Jacobus exchanged looks. Orphans. Like Katarina.
“But Auntie told me that's where all the kids with no families live.” Katarina spoke
“Of course I have a family.” The fluffy haired child pointed to the boy next to him. “He is my family. And the rest of the kids there.”
Annike knew what Jacobus was trying to tell her from his expression. He didn't want to send those children back. Not without a proper meal.
They couldn't help every orphaned child. But it would be cruel to turn them away when they could help.
“Alright,” Annike agreed.“We'll let you stay with us for the night, but no more stealing from merchants. You nearly wounded up in a lot of trouble.”
“Understood, ma'am.” The white haired child nodded.
Katarina smiled and giggled, meeting the other two children at the bottom of the stairs, grabbing their hands in hers.
“That's my uncle Jacobus and Auntie Annike. My name is Katarina.”
“I'm Asra.” The white-haired child introduced “And this is Muriel.”
The taller boy, Muriel, looked away again.
“He's a little shy, so he doesn't talk a lot,” Asra explained
Katarina let out a toothy grin. “It's nice to meet you, Muriel.”
Muriel did not respond initially, causing Katarina's smile to drop. He seemed to have taken notice of this, as he looked at her once more.
