23rd Spring, 515AV
The children's section of the library was empty, much to Ayatah's relief. Only a lone Akalak sat in the basement floor, reading some obscure book to himself. Kuame glanced cautiously towards the purple man. They still confused him, all these strange-coloured men that defied common sense and logic. Fortunately, he was both young enough and adorable enough to get away with staring and asking question ("Have you eaten lots of spinch, is that why you're green?). Most of the men simply laughed at him, some went along with his crazy hypotheses whilst Aya silently apologised for her son's directness.
"Does he take after his father?" One Akalak had asked suggestively, and it took Ayatah a full chime to realise that the blue male had been flirting with her. She had hurriedly replied, "maybe, I've no idea who he is", and scurried away, tugging Kuame in toe and turning a bright shade of pink herself.
In Ayatah's books, her days of romance were far behind her. She had even not entertained the idea of taking on a lover since adopting Kuame, but her desire to do so had died long before that. The flirtatious girl of her youth, who had enjoyed rubbing up close to her Myrian comrades, and the woman who had been in a devoted, passionate relationship, were now nothing but faded memories. Ayatah's life was dedicated to her work, her academic achievements, and most importantly, Kuame.
She didn't need another male in her life but him.
"C'mon, Aya!" The boy was already sitting beside a small pile of books he had collected from the lowest of the shelves. Their names for each other were not mother or son, but instead were My Aya, my Kuame.
"I'm here." She said patiently, seating herself on the step above her adopted child and pick up the first book from his pile. The boy still struggled to read, and he would have made his selection based purely on the pictures and colours of the book covers.
It was clear why Kuame had chosen the first book; the front cover displayed a huge Myrian tiger, with wide eyes and an even wider mouth. Three dark-faced, primal-looking Myrians peered out from within the Tiger's gullet, all of them looking terrible forlorn. "Monty the Myrian Tiger." Ayatah tried her best to sound enthusiastic. Excited, even. Kuame stared up at her, pleased with himself for having recognised the word Myrian.
He pointed to the word in question and grinned. "Like you, Aya."
"Yes, like me." She didn't mention that she suspected that Myrian blood ran in Kuame's veins as much as ran in hers. The boy's parentage was unknown to him, having been left at an orphanage shortly after his birth. But Ayatah had spent enough time around pureblooded Myrian to recognise their characteristic broad forehand, wide shoulders should, squat legs. Kuame, much like her family, was built for strength. As for the other half of hertiage? The Gods only knew.
"Does he take after his father?" One Akalak had asked suggestively, and it took Ayatah a full chime to realise that the blue male had been flirting with her. She had hurriedly replied, "maybe, I've no idea who he is", and scurried away, tugging Kuame in toe and turning a bright shade of pink herself.
In Ayatah's books, her days of romance were far behind her. She had even not entertained the idea of taking on a lover since adopting Kuame, but her desire to do so had died long before that. The flirtatious girl of her youth, who had enjoyed rubbing up close to her Myrian comrades, and the woman who had been in a devoted, passionate relationship, were now nothing but faded memories. Ayatah's life was dedicated to her work, her academic achievements, and most importantly, Kuame.
She didn't need another male in her life but him.
"C'mon, Aya!" The boy was already sitting beside a small pile of books he had collected from the lowest of the shelves. Their names for each other were not mother or son, but instead were My Aya, my Kuame.
"I'm here." She said patiently, seating herself on the step above her adopted child and pick up the first book from his pile. The boy still struggled to read, and he would have made his selection based purely on the pictures and colours of the book covers.
It was clear why Kuame had chosen the first book; the front cover displayed a huge Myrian tiger, with wide eyes and an even wider mouth. Three dark-faced, primal-looking Myrians peered out from within the Tiger's gullet, all of them looking terrible forlorn. "Monty the Myrian Tiger." Ayatah tried her best to sound enthusiastic. Excited, even. Kuame stared up at her, pleased with himself for having recognised the word Myrian.
He pointed to the word in question and grinned. "Like you, Aya."
"Yes, like me." She didn't mention that she suspected that Myrian blood ran in Kuame's veins as much as ran in hers. The boy's parentage was unknown to him, having been left at an orphanage shortly after his birth. But Ayatah had spent enough time around pureblooded Myrian to recognise their characteristic broad forehand, wide shoulders should, squat legs. Kuame, much like her family, was built for strength. As for the other half of hertiage? The Gods only knew.