premier

the sun goes down like a photograph

There was going to be a lot of explaining. There was going to be a lot of tears. None of that the twins cared about. All they wanted was to see their parents.

"Mom!" Marcus said, bursting through the front door with his sister on his heels. Dad! Margot echoed. Their feet thundered through the small Snowcloak house until they each stopped in the kitchen. Marcus called out again for each of his parents, expecting them to come in from the processing and meat storage room. Margot looked around, her patience wearing thin, as their grandparents stepped through.

"Cordelia?" Amara called out, her voice cold with fear. Marcus looked at her and his head cocked somewhat, sky-blue eyes narrowing with a little bit of confusion. Why would Granna be afraid of Mom?

you try to stop time in the aftermath

Cordelia

"Mom!" The word is called out clearly and Cordelia's head snaps up from the rabbit she was currently skinning, acute senses turning her attention towards the noise. What in all of Caido was going on? Holding her knife in one hand, Cordelia quickly cleans her other of any blood as she turns towards the door. "Noah!" She calls back out to the space her husband had disappeared to a moment ago when she hears her own mother's voice echoing her name. The fear clear and palpable in her tone, urging the One Shot to move more quickly, pushing into the kitchen a moment later.

Ochre eyes flit from one face to the next, taking in the twins, knowing their faces anywhere despite the fact that they were no longer toddlers. Their scent covers her next and she can't scent any blood aside from what is currently staining her hands. Her eyes narrow then, turning to her mother as panic is slowly replaced with the realization of what had happened. "You let them age?" She snaps, baring her teeth in a snarl around the word.

'Cause darling, it was good // Never looking down
And right there where we stood // Was holy ground

It's too much to bear my darlin', the weight of the world

And I would carry it for you

Having started down the ladder to the frozen store room beneath the processing room, Noah stopped halfway down the ladder when he heard the same thing Cordelia did. A cold panic ran down his spine, something he couldn’t help given the current state of things. They were suppposed to be safe with your parents. Noah pulsed over the bond. Marcus Limore and Amara Limore were powerful attuned with a whole array of shifts, and he trusted the care of his children to them without a doubt — until this moment.

He didn’t recollect how fast he went up the ladder and burst into the kitchen of their home, but it was demigodly quick. His breath hitched in his throat and he dropped to his knees before Margot, grasping her shoulders gently. ”You took them to the shrine?” He asked concurrently to Cordelia, his voice cold. While it was something he contemplated, he had the right as their father. Cordelia’s parents, however? Amara and Marcus were quick to say NO, their palms up against the words of the angered parents. ”We were at the market, and they were gone and back so quickly that we didn’t even notice—“ Amara defended, taking a step back from Cordelia. Then they found us. Marcus Limore said.

Noah didn’t look away from his daughters face until he memorized every line, and then he moved to his son.

the sun goes down like a photograph

Marcus draped his arms across Cordelia’s neck as she came towards him, relief flooding his veins faster and hotter than anything he felt before. It was warm enough to melt the icy guilt in his belly, and in his mother’s embrace nothing else mattered. But then she spoke, and his father, and Marcus pulled away.

”Don’t be mad.” Marcus managed, voice still slightly raspy as he pressed words through that he somehow knew — concepts pressed in to his mind that only came from the touch of a god. ”We were just playing — a ningo—“ it looked so funny Margot laughed, lifting her hands to her father’s face as he knelt before her.

you try to stop time in the aftermath

Suddenly there is nothing but ice and wind all around you. Like being plunged into a whirlwind the air grows even more bitterly cold than it already was, and though you try and struggle against it, you feel your feet beginning to slip.

Before you know it there is a sudden SCHWAACK. Snow falls from the sky and you suddenly realize that there are two water elementals only a few meters ahead of you. They seem to be playing a game of…ice-ball-tag? Whatever it is they’re doing, it’s extremely dangerous.I’d…leave them to it, if I were you.

---

You’ve encountered a water elemental! This counts as a rare creature encounter for the purposes of levelling, but does not count as a Random Event for levelling or MP. There will be no further admin/re intervention. If you choose to follow this creature, you do so at your own risk, however, just having it in this thread is enough to satisfy your levelling requirements. You may not kill your rare creature without admin permission.

Water Elementals (Uncommon/mythical): Not much is known about these creatures other than that they appear during particularly nasty storms. With the ability to manipulate the water in the icy-landscape as well as that within your body, water elementals range from incredibly dim-witted to quite clever.

Cordelia

Yes, they were. Cordelia hisses along the bond, clearly just as upset as he was about the whole ordeal. She's just as lost as you are, Noah. Give her a bit of grace. Marcus's arms wrap around her neck and she doesn't hesitate to hold him close, tucking him beneath her chin like she did when he was a babe. Her lips purse against the crown of his head as her eyes narrow towards her mother.

"Of course not!" She snaps towards her husband, growling low in her throat as every instinct rages in her to protect her babies. Cordelia releases her son so that Noah may look him over to as she stalks towards her parents. "You were supposed to keep them close. To watch them. Not let them run off!" Claws begin to press into her palms from her fingers as her parents stand before her, rightfully fearful of their daughter in this moment. "This is the worst time possible for them to age! You know what just appeared in our sky. The new danger it brings."

Her daughter reaches out tentatively for her mother's shirt sleeve, blue eyes wide and bright like her fathers. "I'm sorry, momma... We weren't trying to cause any trouble."

'Cause darling, it was good // Never looking down
And right there where we stood // Was holy ground

It's too much to bear my darlin', the weight of the world

And I would carry it for you

After embracing his children, Noah stood. He could feel the rising tension in the room as Cordelia’s rage started to bubble. Filled with an eerie, unusual calm, Noah stepped towards his wife and rested his hand on her shoulder, just as Margot reached for her hand. He pushed love and warmth and everything he could over the bond — the cold panic having been replaced by only warm, golden light shed from his children.

While he agreed with everything that Cordelia felt, and said, he also knew this wasn’t the right time. They had children to get to know, after all. But, he also wasn’t sure he wanted to give his in-laws much of a loose rein at this point. As protective as fathers could be, he knew Cordelia was only more so as a mother. She had protected, nurtured, grown them in her own body. Noah would never know that kind of love. ”Delia,” He whispered, eyes moving to her from Amara’s brightened, wide eyes. ”Let’s just talk.” He said, gesturing down with his chin just as Marcus stepped beside, and Margot apologized.

”There’s nothing to be sorry for, my love.” Noah said, reaching down with his free hand to squeeze her shoulder.

the sun goes down like a photograph

Marcus didn’t like how his mother was as she stepped towards his Granna and Grappa. ”Mom—“ He said in a pleading voice, the grain of it slipping away with more use. Noah stepped forward and Marcus did too, just on the other side of the demigod. They were all reaching out to Cordelia, and Marcus followed suit. Marcus pried his tiny (though bigger than the last time she felt it) hand in to hers. As he made connection with her skin, his eyes widened some with the way her claws felt in his palm.

There was something within him, though, that made him confident that the woman wouldn’t continue on with her children so close. ”I’m hungry.” Marcus said after everyone else talked, the rumbling in his belly loud after his words. He blinked, shaking brown curls from his eyes as he looked up, gaze bouncing between both of his parents.

you try to stop time in the aftermath

Cordelia

There were very few things that could snap Cordelia out of her blazing rage. Noah knew it likely wouldn't be him, though he tried anyway. The warmth and love along the bond was enough to soothe her ever so slightly, a tingling balm against her swirling emotions, but it wasn't the thing that did it. No, it was her son's hand slipping into hers, wiggling beneath her ire with soft eyes that mirrored her own. His sister's lips tugged into a slight frown as she looked up to her father, waiting for guidance of what to do.

Instead, it was Marcus, his quiet confession cutting through the fog in her brain. Cordelia blinked twice, looking down at her son and seeming to finally see him. She makes a soft sound in the back of her throat, claws retreating and fingers gentle once more as she gave his a gentle squeeze. "Of course you are... Come, sit... I'll get you something warmed up." The One Shot murmurs, voice slightly thick as her throat tightens, threatening to close up with the emotion of what all just transpired.

'Cause darling, it was good // Never looking down
And right there where we stood // Was holy ground

It's too much to bear my darlin', the weight of the world

And I would carry it for you

A surprised shock rolled over his features as two simple words from their son's mouth, accompanied by his hand in her's, brought Cordelia back to the here and now. Glacier eyes quickly flicked to Cordelia's parents with a you better run while you're still safe look before he cleared his throat. "Okay, let's get the fire stoked up then, and get dinner prepared."

"Come, now." Noah said, reaching to scoop Margot up in to his arms out of instinct more than anything else. It's what he had done with her just hours before, when she reached up to him with chubby, grabbing hands. As he lifted her now, he felt how much she had changed. In height and in weight, in the muscles that pulled beneath her skin where mostly round chubbiness had been before.

He blinked back white hot tears as he swallowed, then set his daughter down at a normal chair at the table. He looked to her high chair and laughed, smile spreading rapidly across his face and wrinkling the corners of his eyes. "I guess we won't be needing this anymore." He said, hands going to his hips. There was a lot to process, including the fact that they didn't need high chairs anymore, and that their shared crib was the only bed in their room.

the sun goes down like a photograph

Marcus' hand relaxed in his mothers and he tugged at her gently, turning to lead her towards the kitchen proper, and out of the entryway of their home. When she started, he followed Cordelia closely, hovering around her like a little fly with little else to do. "Do you need...help?" Marcus asked, blinking a few times as his sentence paused as he thought of the correct word. He didn't notice the headache from the rapid growth of information within him because it was shadowed by the hunger that bubbled in his belly and grabbed at his bones. "I think I can help." He said again, lifting his chin to beam a very-Noah-like smile to the One Shot as he wrapped his arms around her waist and rested his chin on her stomach.

you try to stop time in the aftermath

Cordelia

Cordelia didn't look at her parents again as she was brought towards the kitchen by her son, following after him with barely a thought aside from the fact that he was here and needed her. Marcus and Amara took Noah's warning and slipped out with a quiet goodbye, knowing it best to leave their daughter for the time being. The One Shot reaches up for the bread she put away earlier that morning and a few bowls, intent on heating up the stew from last night as her son's arms wrap around her waist and he looks up at her with a sweet smile that's so much like his father's her breath catches in her throat.

Huffing out a gentle laugh, the One Shot reaches up, smoothing his wild curls away from his eyes gently before her hand cups his cheek. "Of course, my little flurry... Take these bowls and set the table for me, okay?" With the instructions given, the attuned is able to focus on getting the pot back over the fire, giving it a little stir to loosen up the thick stew. "Margot, come get the bread and milk to put on the table."

Of course, the girl must wait for her father to put her down, but she does as directed. First placing the milk on the table before coming back for the bread and butter that her mother made fresh that morning.

'Cause darling, it was good // Never looking down
And right there where we stood // Was holy ground

It's too much to bear my darlin', the weight of the world

And I would carry it for you

Noah let his daughter down and watched both of his children. They moved about the kitchen like this had been a normal part of their lives for years. I’m sorry this happened. Noah said, straightening silverware and bowls as Margot placed them on the heavy-topped wooden table. But look at them. His voice across the bond was soft and filled with every ounce of paternity he had. His glacier eyes sparkled with the tears he couldn’t stop, though his thick lashes kept them from rolling down his cheeks. They’re perfect. And they were — the way they talked, the way they walked. Their eyes and hands and hair and everything about them was perfect. Safe. Put together. Blessed.

the sun goes down like a photograph

Marcus went to follow his mother’s command, but instead he was stopped halfway. His sister, excitable as she was, went instead for the bowls and spoons. Marcus blinked and looked to his father, who only chuckled and jutted his chin towards Cordelia. Blinking again, letting himself settle for a moment, Marcus then went and took the bread and the milk. He brought it over to the table and placed it in the middle. He had to stretch to his tippy-toes to get there, even still with this new and taller body.

”Anything else, Mom?” the little mage asked, spinning quickly to face the One Shot as she floated across the kitchen towards the hearth.

you try to stop time in the aftermath