90th of Vhalar, Arc 720
It was cold, there was no doubt that the Arc was drawing to a close and soon the twins would be three. It was strange how things had changed, how time had altered him, his sword now sat gathering dust and its place in his hand had been replaced by brooms and pan handles. He was a man who's future no longer seemed to lie in politics, war or leading a kingdom but instead in raising children and protecting them from the dangers of the world. Teaching them how to be honourable and respectable but also fierce and strong. It was his duty as a father and for the memory of Celeste he would give these children the greatest future he could. Rynmere was a memory and the recollection of the wealth and splendor of nobility were slowly slipping from his mind replaced by memories of fatherhood. Though never would he forget the love he had felt for his wife and forever would there be the embers of a need for greatness that had once fueled his actions.
His thoughts had wandered from the original purpose of his trip to the lake though and as a voice cut through the dark silence his eyes were drawn away from the shimmering surface of the lake and down to the child who stood beside him. "Do you think we'll see any father?" Ala'ni had grown, she was taller now and with the proper feeding and care that had come from living as his ward, no, his daughter, she was no longer an unhealthy size and shape. He still remembered the tiny thing she had been when they found her in Krome. A smile creeped into his lips and he squatted down beside her and the two toddlers who stood and swayed beside her holding her hands. "I think if we are patient we may just catch a glimpse." He said brushing a strand of her jet black hair behind her ear.
Turning back towards the lake and scanning the surface of the water the father watched for any signs of these new creatures they had heard of around Rharne. Shimmerwisps they had called them, some kind of fish that was new to the lake. Of course his daughters had been unable to ignore the idea of going and seeing these creatures and he could never seem to refuse them even if it meant venturing out of the city long past their bedtimes. He had decided to making a camping trip out of it and so had brought the tent with him. They hadn't used it since they made the trip to Rharne and the once big enough two man tent was now a squeeze for the four of them as the babies and Ala'ni had all grown.
Zara was stood on Ala'ni's left side and was closest to Xander, her sea blue eyes scanned the lake like his own, watching for any sight of the glowing fish. Still there was nothing, only the reflection of the stars and moon in the sky. There was an icy breeze on the air and Xander removed his large cloak and wrapped it around the three girls, not wanting them to catch a chill. After all, he remembered how afraid he had been for Ala'ni that first cold cycle when they arrived in Rharne. He did not intend to let any of them get sick on this outing. Confident that the girls were wrapped up and warm enough he returned his atteention to the water. He was beginning to think that the rumours were just that, rumours.
However, as the night went on and the girls had now sat down on the ground cuddled up together in the cloak the wolf continued to watch, waiting hopefully that his daughters would not be disappointed. He waited so long he had lost track of time and when he looked up at the moon it was high in the sky. The girls were asleep beside him and he looked at them all huddled together with a warm smile. WHen out of the corner of his eyes a light caught his attention. It had come from the lake and so the man looked again, waiting to see the light appear again.
It did, a shimmering mass moved below the surface of the lake, darting around under the rippling water as Xander moved slowly and silently to gently wake his children. Holding a finger to his lips he softly nudged Ala'ni the girls eyes blinking open tiredly as he let out a few soft words. "Shh, I think we are in luck." His words were barely a whisper as he carefully helped her rouse the twins. The toddlers at first seemed rather disgruntled to have been woken up though he raised them both up and rested them on his hips so that they could see why he had woken them.
There were two glowing masses in the water now a second fishing seeming to have joined the first in venturing close enough to the surface and shore that they could be seen in the darkness. Small gasps escaped from the twins lips as they watched the lights moving. The twins had begun to speak small disjointed sentences but it seemed the sight was far too impressive for them to find the words to describe yet as they remained speechless. Ala'ni watched the fish move too, her eyes darting around as she followed the lights in the water with a look of bewilderment.
"It's beautiful isn't it girls." Xander whispered looking at the twins and then down to Ala'ni. The twins nodded almost in unison and Ala'ni too as she stepped closer towards the water, watching with wide eyes. The father watched his daughter cautiously, moving a step forward himself, reluctant to let the girl venture too close to the lake alone. A third fish had now come up alongside the other two, the light eminating from them a sight like nothing Xander had experienced before. A light in the dark that seemed to fill him with joy and brought a smile wide across his face. Ala'ni stopped at the edge of the lake, where the water lapped up against the shore and Xander came up beside her. "I wish mother could have seen this." Ala'ni's words caused a lump to form in the mortalborn's throat, his heart breaking all over again as it did everytime his daughter mentioned Celeste.
He clenched his jaw not wanting to let any tears escape him as he nodded. "She would have loved to watch it with us, I am sure she is up there watching with us now." He had no idea where people went when they died, whether they truly passed on or whether they lingered to watch over the ones they loved, he hoped it was the latter and that his partner was proud of what he and his girls had become. He watched as the lights slowly sunk back deeper into the lake and out of their view. Sighing softly he lifted readjusted the girls that he had on his hips. "I think its time for bed." Xander said to Ala'ni who reluctantly left the waters edge and walked alongside him to where he had erected their tent earlier.
Placing the girls down in the entrance to the tent he let them make their way inside as he held open the flap so that Ala'ni could join them inside. Dropping the flap down he turned back out and looked out across the dark landscape. They seemed to be alone but still Xander closed his eyes and held out his marked hand, the shield burning for a moment as a large anaconda came into existence coiled at his feet. Its purpose given when he had summoned it to watch over the entrance to the tent while they slept. While Xander had been given no reason to be concerned even now after all this time he feared someone may come for his children again. They were all he truly had left and he did not plan on losing them anytime soon.
Crouching down into the tent himself he took a blanket and wrapped it around his daughters tucking them safely in and placing a kiss on each of their foreheads. "Sweet dreams little ones." He murmured as he lay down beside them watching them as they each, one by one, drifted off into the world of dreams.
Not long after he joined them, his own eyes growing heavy as he watched them and listened for any signs outside that something was wrong but as nothing came and disturbed him he slowly drifted off. His conscious lingering between two worlds briefly before he too found himself within the realm of dreams. Silence had fallen over the tent and the only thing that moved was his serpent as it slowly slivered around outside, protecting them as he had compelled it to do so.
