Wish

Chapter 21

Melody

It's been a couple of weeks since Asha distinguished herself as a member of this family and became wanted by the Tiran government. Enough of them survived to form a government, apparently. And while there was no official explanation for what occurred, enough information was disseminated to the mages of the city that they are on the lookout for all of us.

All of us includes my first born, my pride and joy, whom I had the pleasure of freeing from the dungeons for breaking into the Archives with a dijini, a second time. I left Asha home for that one with Willow, along with their father, and went back myself to get my sorry offspring out. He was entirely pleased with himself and asking if Asha was all right while stuffing an illegal captured sphynx kitten down his shirt.

All of us also includes the stray Asha picked up, a remarkably thin, sarcastic, pale little boy whom the Imperial Guards apparently wanted dead. He's not dead, he's quite alive and needs to go into deep hiding. And the Fen has never turned away a child in need.

Idris is a holy terror, he loves Forbidden Magic, and can cast a spell near as quick as Asha. Asha and Jensen have completely adopted the boy and insist on teaching him to spar properly. The child came with no self help skills, up to and including brushing his own hair or running properly, however he did come with a magic carpet so that's not good at all. We make it mostly behave and not fly the children around the Fen however much they may want it to. It tends to crash by mistake.

The child also comes with very worried parents. That's understandable, but they can only visit the Fen so often, without revealing the boy's location. It's already kind of obvious, but we'd rather not tempt an actual invasion. As it is, neither child can leave the Fen for the foreseeable future. They could leave Tira entirely when they grow up, but for the moment they need to stay well hidden. Thank the gods for now they are content to be kids, and they run about and fence and occasionally actually do their lessons. Usually they just run around being the insane children they are.

"I did tell Idris you were coming, he's somewhere outside despite my telling him and Asha to be back before sundown," I say, to Dushka, who came with the baby this time. The men stayed at home. Easier if they vary who goes and when. We've got the visits as random as we can, what good it will do time will tell.

"Course he isn't listening----I'm ridiculously glad he's running around in the fresh air in general but---he's impossible isn't he?" Dushka sighs, unpacking the bag of things she brought him. clothes he doesn't know how to put on I put Baz and Jensen in charge of that, and blankets he won't use. He kicks them all off in the night, but I put them back on a few times. His mum isn't here to do it. Funny, because he's still as anything in the day, soft, fluid movements, rarely a smile. He's just beginning to realize I think that he can actually move.

"I brought his favorite chocolates as well---and pastries to share with the others tell him to share he may not," she says, worriedly, as she unwraps her headscarf and fixes her hair a bit in my mirror.

"He and Asha and Willow are getting along very well," I say, as at least two sweaty children burst in the door.

"NEVER FAILED A QUEST HAD YOU????" Idris is chasing my daughter with a large stick. I fear for Idris.

"It was technically true I hadn't!!!" Asha says, running from him more amused than anything. The boy is neither fast nor agile.

"Idris! Don't," Dushka catches him extremely easily.

"Hello mother, I need to slaughter my best friend, do give me a moment," the wild child says,  trying to twist out of his mother's arms.

"It was true---and we also didn't fail," Asha says, hiding behind me.