[ P ] The Great Escape

NORA SEAFARER
still feels like i can't stop crying

It was around midday by the time she made her way into Rionna, near Eleanor Square. She didn't know how she was going to do this but she'd be damned if she waited any longer. She'd not heard word from Odysseus and not seen Leo since the battle at Maiden's Braid. She could wait no longer-- the longer she wanted the more her children would grow and the less they would think of her as their mother. Her stomach clenched as she thought that perhaps it was already too late with them being around two or three months old now already. What would their father have told them about her? Would they want to meet her... be with her...? Or would they spit on her and turn away just like Leoric had?

There was only one way to know for sure and so she went in search of them, knowing from their past lives that he had lived somewhere in Rionna.

The sounds of children playing at a nearby park caught her attention first and she veered off course. She paused near the edges, a little smile coming to her lips as she watched the kids play about. Some parents lingered on the edges like her, watching and waiting, while others were engaged in the play themselves. She liked to think she'd be the parent playing with their kid, rather than watching. She wasn't so old that her bones would ache from the effort; she still had a lot of life left.

It was at that moment she spotted a sandy girl with a familiar looking black wave down the length of her body and another cloaked in a myriad of blues, blacks and grays. Her heart stopped as she recognized those pelts-- the very ones she'd seen before they'd been snatched away from her in the dungeon. Those were her babies... there was no doubt about it. Water clouded her vision and she looked around, seeing nobody near them for the time being. Foolishly, she decided the best course of action was to simply... walk up to them.

She shook the tears from her eyes and sniffed before moving slowly across the playground to them. With any luck she could convince them to come with her. She did not see Leo, nor anyone looking in their direction yet. "Hello girls," she said as she approached. She tried her best to look as friendly and warm as she could so as not to scare them off. "I'm Nora... I..." what was she supposed to say? 'I'm your mother?' surely they'd have so many questions if she said that. How was she supposed to get them out of here alone? She glanced about furtively and then drew a breath. "Would you like to play a game?"

code by claerie

Hyacinth loved the park. No, maybe love wasn't a strong enough word. Love was something that didn't seem too terribly important, not in their household. Their nurse said that daddy loved them so, so, so much—and that was why he was often gone, working to defend their country (because he loved that too). And, because she and Dahlia were his, they loved him too—of course. Love was like... like the stones underfoot by the fountain. Cold, worn, but sturdy and it kept the fountain all in one piece. Necessary but not... warm.

What Hyacinth felt in this moment was like the splashing of the water. It raced through her like electricity, sparkling in her eyes and setting her tail into an unstoppable wag. "Dia, Dia, look!' Hyacinth called, trying to get her sister's attention as she balanced upon the fountain's edge. Of course, Hyacinth knew she wasn't supposed to be up here. She'd get her ears swatted at if the nurse caught her, but she adored the thrill of mischief. A wicked smile curved over her lips as she moved to leap off.

Her back paw caught on a slick part of the stone and she tumbled.

When her head popped back up, she had a throbbing in her temple and a soreness in her shoulder but she still grinned—albeit less brightly.

"Hello girls," —"Huh?" Hyacinth turned her big, green eyes on the woman that now approached. She just assumed this woman was another nurse or mom, here to admonish her for having gotten on the fountain. Or maybe here to make sure she hadn't hurt herself too badly from the fall? But the woman just awkwardly stood there before introducing herself.

And offering to play a game.

Of course, Hyacinth knew she wasn't supposed to talk to strangers. But again, she loved doing what she wasn't supposed to.

"Hiyah, my name Hya," she said brightly, having adopted this silly moniker. "Wha' game?"

- exit following nora -

manip + code: clae

The swirls of dark blue upon her coat hummed with the warmth of the high sun. Dahlia was thick and poofy; a cinnamon bun made of the sea and boy did she enjoy the heat. It was much preferred to being cold, though she would compromise if being cold meant she could swim in the ocean. Splashing in the waves with her sister was quickly becoming one of her favourite activities.

That wasn't on the agenda today, though. Instead, their nurse quickly shooed them out the door, following on their heels as keeping the two sisters aligned was proving to be quite the task. Dahlia's desires flowed just as freely as water, and this often ended up in antics as she followed her smaller, more mischievous sisters lead. And today was no different - the second the nurses eyes roamed elsewhere (probably clucking with the other moms about burnt food and the weather - so boring!) Dahlia's bright green eyes darted to Hyacinth, eager to see what kind of fun mischief she would find for them to do.

It didn't take long. Hya climbed up so high! Dahlia bounced in excitement on the ground, her big, clumsy body much less agile than that of Hyacinth's. While some would be jealous, Dahlia was perfectly content to cheer her on from below, prepared to become a cushion for her beloved sibling should the need arise. However, neither of the girls' coordination was in any kind of decent shape yet though, so when Hya went tumbling down to the ground, Dahlia just missed being able to stop her head from hitting the earth. With flattened ears, the blue sister went to cuddle Hya until the sudden interruption.

"Hello girls," Dahlias eyes squinted suspiciously, though it was almost comical. The woman introduced herself, but her name was unfamiliar. Hya introduced her nickname quickly, rhyming in her silly fashion that just made Dahlia roll her eyes in mild amusement. "Dia," Dahlia added after her sister, using her nickname as well so she didn't feel left out. Her head tilted to the side at the offer of a game, and her white-tipped, stumpy tail began to wag in anticipation.

manip + code: clae

NORA SEAFARER
still feels like i can't stop crying

They were so young that it was easy to catch their attention; too easy. Whoever was in charge of them was obviously not paying attention right now and that made her angry. How could Leoric leave their daughters with someone so careless? She huffed quietly but did not let it show as the girls chirped their names at her. She smiled warmly and wagged her tail. This would be quick and painless, she told herself... or so she hoped. Once she got them far enough away, Cory would be waiting and they could take them back to Aberdeen together.

"Well I suppose it's more of an adventure than a game," she admitted. "But you two look brave and adventurous!" Nora smiled sweetly and turned to look around the park. "Just follow the leader... that's me... and do what I do!" she said before turning back to them with sparkling blue eyes. A breath would escape her as she turned away and began heading north, towards home... "It's kind of like Simon Says but with a little more..." she said. "And at the end you can see the sea... it's a wonderful place. Lots of water and sand. You'll love it, I promise." she said. What pup could turn down the prospect of adventure! With that she began leading the girls slowly away from the park.

-exit nora-

code by claerie