[Flashback] Happy Birthday, Son [Adrin, Islena]

[Azeran]

Timestamp: 32 of Winter, AV 509 Location: Azeran and Islena's Home - Riverfall

It was only once a year that a man could be as excited as Azeran was today. There were always things that made people happy, ecstatic, unable to contain their bliss, such as a wedding, your son passing into manhood, seeing your beautiful strong child wielding that personalized Lakan for the first time in his life, watching him become a skilled fighter with and without it, and above all, your son's birthday. Azeran was more excited about his son's birthday than he was his own (there was no longer anything special with his birthdays in his opinion). It was a celebration of Adrin's birth, it was the celebration of his survival into forty four years of healthy disciplined Akalak life, and it was a celebration that, Azeran thought, could only be fully appreciated with the perfect gift a father could offer. Azeran looked down at his side at the young woman next to him. She seemed human in every way, the height, the hair, her natural beauty (and she was fairly attractive), but there were a few details that gave her away for what she was. The constant jerking gazes to view her surroundings, the redundant sniffing of the hair as she observed the odors that were everywhere around, and she most likely was attracted to the wonderful scented concoction of food waiting just on the other side of the door. Golden red hair that reached all the way to the young woman's butt, skin that was pearly white (almost), and nails that were lengthy, but expertly groomed. She was a Kelvic, a Lioness to be correct, and although she had not yet learned the Akalak language, or even all the slightest cultural rituals that were ever so important to the giant blue men, she seemed to have been tamed and trained well. Fresh off the plains, a new life for the girl. After a few moments of silent standing, only her sniffing breaking said silence, she gazed up at Azeran with large green eyes, curious and confused, but not afraid. Azeran lighty rapped on the door with his fist, expecting and hoping for Islena to answer. Azeran wanted her with him when he present Adrin with his gift. The Kelvic girl. Azeran was certain that his son would appreciate this, he already knew that he himself did.

[Islena]

"Coming." The word barely echoed through to the pair waiting outside as the woman inside set down her chores and moved toward the door. Azeran had been out this morning for quite a while, but Islena was expecting no visitors. Drying her hands on the small towel she always kept nearby, the small woman paused only a moment before gently drawing open the door, her head tilting to peek first around the edge. The sun caught her eyes and she blinked, raising a hand to shield them before she was able to see who stood waiting on the doorstep. "Ah...That...is what I thought. For Adrin? Well, good enough. In, in." Stepping to the side and easing the door open all the way, Islena ushered Azeran and the Kevlic inside with a sweeping gesture. The pale white-silver of her hair flashed just a bit in the sun, distracting from the same flash of the pale blue eyes as Lena moved to shut the door. A soft click of the latch and she took a deep breath before turning. Despite taking the second to gather herself, Azeran would think nothing of it, as he was much used to Lena's carefully paced, measured and thought out movements. "Have she a name? Or is that for our son to decide? Does he know?" The odd lilt, the slightly off cadence of Islena's Tukant hinted at her heritage...That is, if the shimmering white hair, pale skin, scales and gills didn't give enough away to begin with. Her voice was soft but crisp, firm when she wanted something but otherwise quiet and glad to watch. Slender armed moved, hands propping up on equally slender hips, the towel still grasped in her left. It was a comfortable posture, nothing more. There was no chill in the icy blue gaze that raked over the kelvic, from top to toe and then back up again. The way she twitched and started was noted, as well as the rather wild look in her eye. She was untamed, fresh. Of course that is what Azeran would pick. A slight shake of her head, and Lena moved into the room, towards her...mate. Raising onto tip-toes a kiss was placed to his cheek as she moved back to the wash bin. "A choice is a choice, and if you think that is what is best, I support. I am almost done here." A final glance over her shoulder at the strange girl standing in the middle of her home, an indistinguishable flash in her eyes and Islena turned back to her work, deftly finishing the job so they could continue on to celebrate their sons birthday.

[Adrin]

His birthday always came after the cold set in. He saw the humans on the road clutching their cloaks to themselves as they milled about Riverfall to and fro. The first snow had already fallen and chances are it wouldn’t let up again until spring. No matter that, it was his birthday and he would be expected at his father’s house. Adrin had lived forty four years of Akalak life. The longevity of his race was something he often thought of. If he were a human he would be well into middle age but as it stood he was young He’d killed his first Zith a year before. His father, well his father was gloriously proud of him, as he was with most everything Adrin did. He rounded the corner as he headed to the familiar house. Already it looked like a winter home, everything bundled in nicely and even the stone path seemed heavy with snow. Adrin loved the cold. Turning his hand he stepped up onto the step and kicked as much snow off of his boots as he could before rapping on the door with the back of his knuckles. He knew why his father got excited over his birthdays and Adrin would not spoil that for him. His family was his life. That was his place and he honored that. Still, if he knew what was waiting for him on the other side…

[Azeran]

Azeran leaned over to whisper to the Kelvic in his very poor Common Tongue. He didn't bother to consider if she even knew common or not, he was aware she hadn't learned Tukant in the least. "Not scared. Adrin is nice." Simple casual words were all he could manage, yet the Lioness didn't even bother to acknowledge him. Perhaps she didn't know Common after all. Azeran started to wonder whether that panther taken from Falyndar would have been a better choice, though that one wasn't even at the correct age to carry offspring yet. Azeran shrugged lightly to himself as he stood back up. "Coming." Azeran had spent over forty-five years getting to learn that voice, the elegant chime that rested with certain syllables of the Tukant Tongue, the softness she almost always had. Always had. Azeran often wondered if Islena was happy. Still, with her voice flowing through the door at him, he couldn't help but grin a little. It was fairly uncommon for that man, who was tall even by Akalak Standards (a quality he was glad to pass to his son) to smile like that, that it unless you were either Islena or Adrin. When the door creaked open slightly, Azeran moved his head to the side so that he could see the single shining blue iris hiding from behind that door. She still looked like that young girl he met so long ago. Not a day older. With the door opened fully, Azeran was quickly to gently lead the Kelvic woman inside with a firm palm on her back. She didn't resist. She was probably 'taught' not to fight against the Akalak people. A tough lesson most likely. Azeran allowed the Kelvic to observe the room in silence, it was more space than she was allowed before. Azeran himself seated himself on a chair at the table. "She has no name that I know of. The guy that sold her said she was more passive than most Lionesses he's seen. I think she might have been abused while she was there." Azeran looked away from Islena just to look at the Lioness. There was part of him that just wanted to get the Lioness out of there. Sure, more than anything he wanted Adrin to take her, accept her, but he knew that, regardless of his son's choice, he wouldn't needlessly harm her. To be honest, he doubted that Adrin would even accept a kelvic to carry his son, and Azeran was fine with that. He was the same way. Azeran smirked lightly as he looked back to Islena, her slender hands propped up on her hips. He would give almost anything to find a Konti like Islena for his son, but they weren't common in Riverfall. "Adrin can name her, or if he can figure out what language she speaks, she may even tell him her name. I couldn't get her to say anything to me." Azeran listened as Islena mentioned that she would support his choice, pretty much regardless of the circumstance. It put a lot of weight on his shoulders, but after living nearly a century, one got used to such responsibility. Still though, he would like to know what she truly thought sometimes. Would she have done something different? Would she challenge Adrin to go against Riverfall society if he wanted to? "She isn't to be his mate." Azeran shook his head slowly. "A pet, a companion for whatever he wants. He can take her for hunts, she'd be a useful ally out there." Azeran was always trying to find subtle ways to protect his son, even though he was officially a man now. If a natural Huntress would add some protection to the Versk Son, he would do it. Azeran looked back at the Kelvic Lioness, she didn't so much as return his gaze. Azeran smiled as Islena reached up to kiss him, but she was in a hurry to finish cleaning. He paused a moment before reaching out to he, grabbing her around her waist and pulling her into his embrace. For a long moment he stayed there, his large muscular arms reaching around her slim stomach, and resting his forehead on the top of her head. "Are you happy?" Azeran whispered softly behind Islena's ear, his voice was genuinely sincere, yet he failed to finish the sentence with 'with me'. After several minutes, there was another rapping on the door, it sounded familiar, as if it was his own. Or Adrin's. "He's here."

[Islena]

oocSorry for the delay, boys, Christmas and exams... Most of the dishes had been washed and dried, stacked to be put away before Azeran even appeared back on the doorstep. Islena paused now in the midst of scrubbing a plate, listening carefully to his responses to her inquiries. She was more than used to hearing other living creatures, Konti, Humans and Kelvics especially, talked of as property. She herself was the property of the large Akalak that stood behind her. The heavy gold bracelet that hung from her wrist dripped globs of soapy water onto the plate she had just washed clean, but had absently dropped back into the sink. Her gaze lingered unseeingly on the remaining dishes, her slender fingers pushing the remaining suds around her wrist as the pattern of the light blue scales there were traced. Azeran was talking about the Kelvic being his mate now. Or, not his mate. The term rubbed at her, the fingers that were tracing the pattern on her skin moving to touch at the gills under her left ear. She did this when upset, as if reminding herself exactly what she was and where she came from would help her composure. It usually didn't, but she always kept a stoic expression none the less. Islena studiously avoided the Akalak's gaze, knowing what he would see in her eyes. She had it better off now than when she had left Mura, why complain? All in due time. Maybe he didn't want her as a mate, despite their forty some-odd years together. "Are you happy? The question made her head snap around, and it was only a moment before she regained her composure. His eyes were serious, the kelvic pacing behind him completely forgotten as he zoned in on the small woman. Taking a deep breath, her answer didn't hesitate. "Yes Azeran. I am happy. I hope to make you happy." It was a quick answer, and it was true. She was happy, and wanted nothing more than him. But she wanted him for more than just held by contract, but it wasn't in her place to say such. Islena bobbed in a quick curtesy at about the same time that a knock announced Adrin's arrival. "I'll make her presentable." Was all she said, turning away from the man as she expected him to go get the door, and their son. Icey blue eyes caught onto the Kelvic. The girl was pacing along the wall, like a lioness caged. Her eyes shifted anxiously, her hands clenching and unclenching at her sides. By the arch in her back, the stiff hold of her shoulders and the way her head didn't turn on her neck all screamed of anxiety, or even fear. Stressed as she was, Islena would have been surprised to see the girl sprout ears and a tail, the first of which would most defiantly be pressed against her skull, the latter lashing back and forth angrily. Poor thing. Wiping her hands on the towel, Islena left it by the sink, pulling the plug to let it drain. The rest of the cleaning could wait. Clasping her hands so they hung down in front of her, Islena approached the kelvic with a submissive of a posture as possible. She kept her eyes down, and edged forwards sideways to avoid confronting the edgy girl front on and therefore threatening her space. The slow, cautious movements seemed to work because before she knew it, Islena was next to the lioness, lifting her eyes to look directly into the girls molten gold ones, only inches from her own. "Shh, shhh..." Where words would be lost, soft tones and gestures spanned many languages. A delicate hand was stretched towards the kelvic and met no resistance when it made contact with her shoulder. A small, sad sigh and Islena drew the scared creature up to her chest, wrapping both her arms tight. "Shhh..." Not wanting the men to see them like this, Islena quickly drew the lioness back to arms length, looked at her for a moment as she tried to impress a sense of calm and security on the kelvic with her eyes alone, before she drew them down to sit on the sofa and wait.