[Venora] Moments

[Faith Augustin]

54th Ymiden 717

Faith was back in Rynmere.

In many ways it was nerve wracking, but it was not a visit where she could pop and see Tristan, or find out why Lady Elyna had not replied to her letters, or any such thing. She was here for a very specific reason and that was one which was just too important to risk anyone knowing that she was here. Of course, Lord Alistair Venora knew that she'd visited, but the reason for it was not something she'd told him.

"He's so beautiful," she said and smiled a slight, sad smile at the man opposite her. "And I am so sorry for your loss. If I'd known... I'd have at least written." Or come back if she could have. Faith looked at him and she sipped the fruit juice she'd been given as she lowered her gaze to look at the table. They'd spent some time with the baby and there was no doubting it, Faith was entirely entranced.

"We've discussed it, Padraig and I," after his letter, that was. "And we want to help and we're more than willing to." She looked at him and her silver eyes were compassionate but equally determined. The baby in question had been taken off by one of the staff and Faith was alone with his uncle. What this man had been through, she could not begin to understand.

"We can be short term guardians, or we can be adoptive parents," she said, softly. "With access arrangements for you, whoever you want determined by you and whatever level of telling him his background you want." It was a tricky situation and in that, they would be guided by this man. That was only right, after all. "If we're guardians, then we'll do that, but if it's longer term, I think he needs parents. Not people who pretend to be his biological parents, but adoptive parents who love him."

Faith looked at her glass and she sighed. "I just want to be sure that we do what's right for him. I brought a magical scroll, it's an alchemical thing," Faith sounded almost dismissive when she spoke of it, but that was what came of living with an alchemist, she supposed. "I write on it, you see it immediately and vice versa. It would allow us to keep in touch with you, and vice versa."

She looked at him and opened her hands, strange nails, weird tattoos and strange leaves on her palms. "Tell me what you want, and if we can, we will." There was only one thing that worried her, but she kept hold of that for now and waited to see what it was that he wanted.

Off Topic

Agreement with Alistair given beforehand re: travel

[Andráska Venora]

Andráska had sent the morning showering his nephew in kisses, dreading Faith's arrival with a lump in his throat. Hearing her... Seeing her before him now, he was blown away by how different their lives had become since their first meeting and offered a meek smile, "Very beautiful," he said softly, watching the servant take the child away, and thought briefly to Zvezdana. Would Alzorn become like his sister, or reflect his father's appearance?

Andraska had never met Veljorn but could see faint reflections of his sister in small ways the child behaved. It gave him a sweet mixture of fierce love and deep dread. Dread, because as much as he wanted to see those subtleties and to watch the boy grow... he feared it would be a selfish interest.

"Thank you for coming, Faith," Truly, he meant it. The woman was a saint, or as close to one as he'd ever met. She had been a slave of House Venora and yet held no ill will against them. She delivered his sister's first born and now returned, offering her services as a mother. "You're a marvelous woman."

Andraska swallowed and reached out for a small end stand to his right, where papers were stacked high. He grabbed the first sheet, and after giving it a quick glance to make sure it was the right document, he slid the paper to the free woman, "I want my family to be safe," he began, nodding towards the sheet with some reluctance. Upon the paper was a list he had accumulated from the city records and first-hand accounts of riots, assassination attempts, sightings of The Alliance, and potential ties to the RCA, "If that means placing Alzorn under your care... I will do so." He waited quite professionally, green eyes searching hers for some sort of reaction. Faith was an enigma now.

He continued smoothly, hoping his decisions would sound strong and unwavering, unlike the nights he had stayed up with Alzorn, soothing him and debating the decision. He glanced towards the door, and lowered his voice to a more careful tone, "My sister's will was very clear. She wanted her son raised in Venora, but with the current tide of danger, I'm not sure that's realistic. Maybe my house is in danger, maybe it's not... But I never want my pride to be the reason I allow an innocent to suffer, you understand?"

Venora wasn't safe - had never been safe for him and he held those fears close as he considered the child's mental and physical health, "I want-" he tried to answer Faith's question about adoption, or visitation clearly, and chewed his lip, eyes briefly going to stare at the floor between his feet, "I want what's best for him. I... love him very much." Emotion threatened to pull him away as he balanced the magical scroll in his hand, "Which is why I'm afraid a short term arrangement... might not be possible. I would like... to try that, but... If I can't soothe the angry - if I can't guarantee Alzorn's future, I would like him to be somewhere where he can enjoy his childhood... Away from all the chaos Rynmere carries like a dark cloud..." His next word was said softly, tinged with sadness, "Permanently."

He didn't want to say it... Didn't want to admit that he might not be able to keep those he loved safest, "Alzorn's a good child. Would you... like to spend some time with him?"

[Faith Augustin]

Faith shook her head when Andraska thanked her and her expression shifted when he said she was marvelous. That wasn't true, she knew. It wasn't a selfless act she performed here and she wanted to tell him. However, he put the paper in front of her and she looked down at it. Reading it, she breathed in and frowned. "Was it always like this?" Faith asked, looking back up at him. "I never... stopped to look, I suppose." He wanted his family to be safe, and that was something she could entirely understand.

The young woman who sat opposite him was very different from the scrawny little thing who had accompanied him to a party, who had mended doors with him in lowtown. Yet, last time he'd seen her had been with his sister and she and Padraig had cared for Alzorn whilst Andraska and Zvezdana went out. Faith recalled it perfectly, of course, and remembered how pregnant she had been. Did he assume that there was a child at home? Probably.

He spoke some more, looking at the ground and then at her and he spoke words which came nowhere near what he was feeling, she imagined. What he was doing was an amazing, wonderful thing and Faith looked at him and felt pure admiration. There was no doubt that he loved that child, no doubt at all; he was doing what was best for the infant, not what was best for himself. To protect those he loved, he was prepared to do what he needed to.

Truthfully, there was no greater gift.

"I would like that, yes. Very much." Faith said in response to him asking if she'd like to spend some time with Alzorn. "He's grown so much since I saw him last. He looks like his mother and his father both." Velijorn Burhan had been a cruel and sadistic man, in Faith's eyes. What had happened to Lady Elyna was unforgivable, the way that he had treated the slave who had, in fact, been the King. However, the sins and atrocities of the father were nothing to do with Alzorn and Faith was glad that she could, at the very least, say that. He was a beautiful and innocent creature and somehow, somewhere along the line, she and Zvezdana had been becoming friends. It was fledgling, but it was there and stronger than she had realised. Until she found out that Zvezdana had died.

Here, though, was not a place or time to grieve for a friend. Not in front of her brother when discussing her son. So, Faith looked at him. "But before we do, I just want to be clear that we will do the best we can, in whichever role you wish for us." She looked back down at the paper. "I had no idea things here had gotten so bad. None." They had left, had they been wrong to leave?

"Once you've decided what you think is best," Faith said, her voice soft and calm and just trying not to sound too emotional. "We will need to discuss what explanation you want us to give to people, and who knows the truth. I would hate," she said with a slight, sad smile, "to make the mistake of assuming anything and then putting any innocent in danger." So much death, so much violence and so much hurt. Faith looked at Andraska and realised that she was looking at a man who was a true definition of a hero. He was willing to do what needed to be done in order to keep innocents safe, no matter what the cost to himself. It was humbling.

[Andráska Venora]

Faith asked if it had always been like this, and he thought for a moment, not quite sure how to answer. Since the war, the people had been looking for a force to unite behind, and unfortunately, Cassander had not fully been the focus of the endeavor. Andraska shrugged, "So openly? I don't believe so. Nobles and commoners alike have their secrets, but such open violence... I don't recall it threatening my youth or livelihood. I understand why the people are upset - why they feel cheated - it's just... difficult knowing there is a problem and being unable to fix it."

In fact, Andras could only look at a very small expanse of land in the grand scheme of things. He had his barony that he could rule as he wished unless the King or his father said so, but that left entire cities - masses of people struggling or frustrated. Even his own time and dedications were split between serving the kingdom and ruling his own portion of it. How was he to focus on the most important things and do them justice? How could he give Alzorn everything he wanted? Needed?

Andraska stood slowly and moved to the closed door, opening it a crack and extended a few fingers and a smooth whisper. He returned ticks later and attempted another reassuring smile, more for himself than for Faith. She seemed to be doing just fine, and he hoped he looked relaxed. The door opened more, revealing the wet nurse and the child sitting up in her arms.

The nobleman seemed to take a step back with each one the nanny took and he motioned her towards the ex-slave. He looked like a man too scared to get close and was almost attempting to blend into the room around him, but the great blue eyes of Alzorn were inescapable.

The child blinked, a momentary recognition creeping into his bright orbs before he smiled and made a babbling sound, reaching for the young lord. Andraska wanted to recoil, not because he disliked the child, but he knew... knew that the whole situation was going to make him question everything, "Alzorn" he meant for his words to be firm, but they were as soft as a lullaby. The wet nurse carried the child over and smiled when she held him out. Andraska swallowed the lump in his throat, but tucked his hands under the child's arms and held him. Immediately Alzorn opened his mouth and leaned into his uncle's cheek, slobbering all over Andraska's face, and the nobleman squinted one of his eyes closed to prevent getting poked. He dismissed the servant once more and looked at Faith, feeling the babe lean slightly only to press his wet lips back to his skin, "meet Faith. Faith meet Alzorn."

Andraska tried to move closer so that the dark haired woman could get a better look at the child she may be adopting, and he tried to continue on with business before he lost his nerve. Meanwhile, Alzorn was babbling, and blowing against his skin, creating small pockets of air that rumbled playfully into the air, "Very few people know of him," Andraska muttered, "The Lightening Priestesses, of course. But in Venora, the only few to have knowledge are his wet nurses and a few of the guards. Even still, I don't think they realize it is Zvezdana's child..." He wondered how that sounded - keeping a relative hidden like a disgrace. That wasn't the case at all, but... "My family can't be trusted. Not all of us, at least."

Andras tried to detangle Alzorn's fingers that had found his wild hair, and bounced him gently, without notice, as he talked, "My parents can't be trusted. My father especially," he didn't go into details, but the there was a seriousness - a desperation - to his voice, and he looked into Faith's eyes, "I can't predict the others, but... even Alistair," his name was brief, and some pain flickered across his face, "I don't know your relationship with him, but please understand that he is a politician firstly. A friend second. A brother third. I haven't told him."

Alistair left him. Left him to pursue a life, and now claimed he sacrificed for this family when all he's ever done is shut down or run. He wasn't sacrificing anything for the family. He hated the family. He was sacrificing his family to save himself.

Andraska realized the solemn expression he must have been wearing and took a deep breath, kissing Alzorn's forehead with a fierceness, and gently pulled him away, extending his nephew to Faith. The child finally turned to look at her and appeared as apprehensive as he felt, "You want to hold him?"

[Faith Augustin]

Faith watched it all unfold and she wished, she truly wished that she could do something for Lord Andraska. He had been kind to her when Tristan had sent her to him, gentle and calm and whilst there was no doubt that his life and hers were completely different, Faith knew that he was a good man. This must wrench his heart and pull at the very core of his being in a way which she couldn't comprehend and she knew that she was thankful, in an entirely selfish way, for the fact that she could not comprehend.

It was beyond torture.

Yet, he held his nephew and Faith could not help but smile as she saw the little boy slobber all over the Lord of House Venora. Her eyes showed her emotion, so much more than they ever had. "Oh, he's beautiful. You are, Alzorn, beautiful. I was the first person ever to hold you, you know. Did you know that?" She spoke to the baby, her voice calm and somehow turning into that strange sing-song tone so often used with children. She chuckled at him, and when Lord Andraska introduced them, Faith lifted a single digit and waved to the baby, "Hello, you. You don't remember me, but I remember you. Yes, I do."

When he spoke about his family and how he did not trust them, Faith nodded. "Tristan told me how they had treated his half brother. Your grandmother, his parents. No child deserves that." She looked at the Venora Lord and spoke the simple truth, as she saw it. "I came here to meet you. People will know that, servants talk. You are patron to a local orphanage, yes? If it is you wish, this very handsome young man," Faith's eyes remained on Alzorn as she spoke, "came from there. If you wish. Our name, our family name, will be Augustin and we can all have that, if it is what you decide."

He was beautiful and innocent and did not deserve to be judged for his birth. It was as simple, or as complicated as that. "No one but you and I and Padraig will know differently, if you wish it." She smiled at the child and then turned to Andraska. "No one." Not Padraig's grandfather, not Alistair, not Aeon or Nir'wei. No one. "I swear it before Famula." He knew what that meant to her.

Would she like to hold him? The baby was sensing Andraska's reticence and Faith would not force the issue. So, she smiled at the little chap and held out her hands, holding them open for him if he'd like to come. "I would very much like to, yes, but would Alzorn like that? Hello you, would you like to come and say hello to me?" Her gaze was intent on the baby, her smile genuine as she held her arms open to him. "We'll love him," she said to Andraska, although she didn't look at him. "I promise you, we'll love him completely. Whatever you decide"

That was the simple truth of it, and she waited to see whether the young babe would come to her, not wishing to force the issue. If, as babies so often did, he could sense it then yes, she would very much like a cuddle.

[Doran Cooney]

Faith Augustin

Knowledges
Caregiving: Greeting a child
Caregiving: More than anything, children need love
Intelligence: Servants talk
Intelligence: How to keep a secret

Loot: N/A
Injuries: N/A
Renown: N/A

Points 15

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Tender and sweet! Though it didn't finish, it was still a charming read, even with the heavy undertones.

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