A Visit Home (Islena)

[Adrin]

Time: Winter 15, 510 A.V. Noon. Location: House Of Azeran and Islena

Adrin usually tried for his first visit to his father’s house to be one when his father wouldn’t be home straight away. When the winter winds started to howl their was little choice but to find shelter in the city of Riverfall. Cyphrus was not a friendly place when the cold weather set in, not that it was free of its dangers any other time. Of course he knew his way to his father’s house by heart and could probably find his way there with his eyes closed. It was the midday and his mother would be in from the market. Adrin pushed his hair from his eyes as he made his way up the stone path to the small house. Azeran didn’t have the standing he wanted yet but Adrin imagined when his own son was born this house would be quickly left behind for something more opulent and fitting his station. Adrin sighed. Though the temperature hadn’t yet dipped below freezing the water was much too cold for swimming and sent a chilling blast of wind through the front yard as well as through the cloak that Adrin wore. He stepped lively up to the door and opened it making his way inside. Therein surely enough he saw his mother, the Konti Islena, looking as beautiful as her station befitted and staring silently out of the window inside. Adrin knew why she stayed so long looking outside of windows but it was something that they didn’t speak about. It was too painful for her and something that he didn’t feel he could understand enough to warrant its severity. Slipping inside he spoke softly, in Kontinese, a language that he had learned from her, and while he wasn’t perfect at it he could certainly speak it well enough to be understood. “Greetings mother.” He said softly, dipping his head.

[Islena]

The day was a particularly long one. Again, Islena was left alone to do her work, relax or brood as she pleased. It was usually work that occupied her time, however. She somehow always found something to clean, organize or fix. The house was never bereft of food, for the woman flourished when she was cooking, her face usually lit with a smile. However, today was different. It was cold, and lonely. Simple as that. After a while, such things get to even the strongest of people. But Islena kept her back straight and didn't complain. In fact, the woman was in the midst of not complaining as she hacked a poor piece of fish to bits on her cutting board, gazing out the window when she saw the fimilar shape crest the hill. The knife stopped half way through her stroke, and Islena felt her heart lift a bit. Hands smoothed over her light blue dress, fingers sweeping through her long, straight silver locks until they fell back into place. Her face lost the slight thundercloud that had previously occupied her expression and she turned expectantly towards the door. The latch lifted with a click, and it was obvious her visitor was trying to be inconspicuous. This only made her smile. "Greetings mother" The fimilar voice made her face break into a rare grin, and the small woman quickly closed the space between her and her son, upon him before he had even properly finished shutting the door. "Adrin! My darling, where have you been." Rare enough that her Akalak son was still allowed to see her, even rarer still was their relationship. Adrin was the light of Islena's life, and he had turned into somewhat of a Momma's boy. None of this concerned her, as the small woman threw her arms around as much of his waist as she could, pulling him into a motherly hug despite the extreme height and size differences. "Don't you stay away that long again!" The scold was said with a light tease, none of the odd phrasing that usually plagued the woman's speech present as she spoke her native language, usually skipping back out of habit in extreme bouts of emotion. Tilting her head back far enough for her to look into her sons face, she prodded him in the ribs, expression becoming serious. "You are not in trouble, are you?"

[Adrin]

The Akalak was always happy to see his mother. “Don’t stay away that long again!” The greeting had become a secret tradition between the two of them as he found a lot of the time in the warmer seasons to be away from home. It wasn’t out of any kind of malice, just that he felt his days were better spent training and things than growing fat and content on Islena’s cooking. When she posed her next question though he blinked in surprise. Islena had a way of posing questions that put even the staunchest warriors off balance. In fact, he’d seen her do the same thing to his father on more than one occasion. His bright white eyes, the same color as his mother’s hair, met hers with a slightly questioning look. Again he spoke up in Kontinese which, when he was alone with her he spoke to honor her, it was better to hear her speak freely. Still, she’d asked in a way that bothered him. He wasn’t in trouble exactly, not so much that his thoughts troubled him. They worked constantly beneath his silent and reserved demeanor. “I don’t believe I am in trouble, no mother.” He stated simply. “Why do you ask?” He saw that she was preparing food, as he thought she might be and stepped away from the counter. It wasn’t the place of men to be in the kitchen or least of all in the way while their mother was in it. Despite her coddling when he was younger he’d grown up a more model member of his race for it, which is probably why Azeran still encouraged their relationship.