Author: Dusk, Posted: Fri Oct 23, 2020 2:16 PM, Post Subject: A Family Offering[P/R]

It was an odd little thing that Everett did, a small motion to grab his finger. The boy had a surprising grip strength for only a day old. That one, tiny little action cemented Everett’s place in Lewis’ heart. He didn’t understand what the emotion was, or how it even worked, but he knew that he would do anything to protect him.

Anything.

Simone felt the same way, and their mutual feelings did something unique with their resonance. It was in full effect, like when they became one, but it was different…it was more. Their bond was so powerful that they remained their separate selves, if only in bodies, to be able to be with Everett.

“You’re going to have a safe place here…” The baby made gurgling noises, evidently happy at Lewis’ words. “Yeah…” he responded, almost as if answering a question. “We’ll love you with all of our hearts…”

Author: Simone, Posted: Fri Oct 23, 2020 1:31 PM, Post Subject: A Family Offering[P/R]

Simone could feel the happiness coming off of Lewis and it was making her feel even happier. Lewis struggled with his own feelings and she knew that so this was good. Both of them had wanted this and now they had a small family. The feeling was surreal and it was just like she remembered it when she had asked to hold her children after they were born.

Her eyes welled up with tears as she put her face into Lewis’s shoulder. Angela smiled and stood up with Raine, “We’ll be on our way. I just need your signatures and everything will be good.” Simone didn’t even need to look as Angela guided her hand with a quill. After getting both of the signatures the goddess left.

The phoenix sat quietly as the butler brought over a handkerchief and left the room. She tried not to cry but once Everett had taken Lewis’s finger with his little hand Simone quickly began to cry. “I’m not ever going to let anyone ever hurt him. I’m not. I’d kill the person first.” She shook her head. “I can’t lose another child. I just can’t do it.” She buried her face in Lewis’s shoulder. “I love him so much already.”

Author: Dusk, Posted: Thu Oct 22, 2020 2:52 PM, Post Subject: A Family Offering[P/R]

Again, most of the rest of the conversation went past Lewis as he once more lost focus on everything except Everett. Is this what it’s like? He copied Simone, nuzzling the boy with his own nose, and sniffed. It was a unique smell, but not unpleasant. Is this what it’s like to be a father? There was another surge of emotions. Elation. Happiness. Joy. These were things he had rarely felt before Simone, but even with her, they were never at these kinds of levels.

How could anyone… He once more thought to all of the orphans and abandoned children on the streets. Even for me…that’s just cruel… But that was why they had decided to do this in the first place. It wasn’t just to make Simone happy. It was because he wanted to make a change in the world that didn’t involve taking lives, but instead giving them. A delicate balance between the two…

“I’m…happy,” Lewis said, almost unsure of his own words. “Thank you, Lady Angela…”

Author: Simone, Posted: Thu Oct 22, 2020 2:45 PM, Post Subject: A Family Offering[P/R]

Simone had named plenty of children over her life and this time she had wanted Lewis to be able to have his choice. She felt him tap her and just smiled. Perhaps she had expected too much and should have offered to help him. She kissed his cheek and looked down at the tiny child.

“I think that’s a perfect name. Everett.” Angela was pleased with the answer and wrote it down once she confirmed the spelling with Simone. “I’ll have Lucian finish all the paperwork. Though he hates me and says I should be the one to do it. He even threatened my grandchildren much to my displeasure. Now I should have some news~”

“What kind of news? Is he unhealthy?” Simone was instantly worried over her new son as she wrapped her arms around Lewis to help hold Everett.

“No, Leilah is nuts.” Angela held up her hand and shook it. “She thinks it’s perfect that you have a boy and she has two girls. Do not let her bully you. She does want to do a lot of playdates but I sense a lot of mischief out of those girls. You know Raile and his tongue… I think those girls will inherit it but Leilah won’t listen to a thing I say as she spoils him. That being said she did send you a whole package for Everett.”

Angela summoned some baby clothes and a new blanket. “She knitted this once she knew you two were adopting but she wanted to hold onto it until you found a baby.” Simone blushed a bit as she picked the blanket up and smiled at Angela.

“It’s perfect thank you.”

“Thank her not me,” Angela chuckled a bit as Simone gently took Everett and dressed him into some of the clothes that Leilah sent. It was better than him just being in the blanket almost naked. Now little Everett was flailing his arms and his legs as he let out noises. He was still looking between Simone and Lewis who quite obviously loved him.

“He is very cute,” Simone smiled at Lewis. “He looks like he could actually belong to us~ Not that he doesn’t but well…” Her face flushed as she brought Everett up and snuggled her face to his. "Here, smell him. He has a new baby smell… The smell makes people happy."

Author: Dusk, Posted: Thu Oct 22, 2020 2:27 PM, Post Subject: A Family Offering[P/R]

This was all happening so fast that Lewis was having trouble following what was happening. It didn’t help that most of his focus was on the baby. It wasn’t until Simone said that he needed a name that Lewis was able to bring his focus back to the whole conversation. “What…a name?” he asked. Out of the two of us, you’re the more creative one…why ask me?

Still, he closed his eyes, thinking. The resonance between him and Simone sparked, and for a moment the two were almost in full unison. It was there, that Lewis tapped into Simone’s creative side of her mind, and it was there that he found the answer. At once, both he and Simone spoke.

“Everett.”

The almost full resonance broke, and they were Simone and Lewis once more. He opened his eyes, and smiled. It was strange, seeing the psychotic assassin smile, but it was a true one that showed he was really putting effort into this. “Everett Terrowin…that’s the name we choose.”

Author: Simone, Posted: Thu Oct 22, 2020 2:19 PM, Post Subject: A Family Offering[P/R]

Simone smiled at Lewis and chuckled, “Maybe he knows you're his daddy? Eh?”

Angela smiled a bit at them both, “Oh~ It’s entirely possible that Raine has been telling him everything. Children are especially gifted at understanding animals.” Raine nodded happily before going and sitting next to her goddess. Angela fixed the way Raine was sitting and scolded her for trying to sit like a bird.

“I did not steal a baby. I lifted him before he had the paperwork on him so other people couldn’t have him.” Angela tried to find her way around it.

“But… Lucian yelled at you about stealing babies and that if you did it again…” Raine saw the look Angela was giving her and shrunk down.

“REGARDLESS, no one will come for him. We just need a proper name for the adoption paperwork and he’s all yours.”

“He’s not ours now?”

“Oh, he is. That’s just how Lucian put it. He wanted to make sure you had a wet nurse too and that he was in a good home.”

“I think one of our house help just had a baby so I can ask her…” Simone found herself a bit jealous but smiled up at Angela. “If not I can find one for him. There should be someone in Benin who would do it.”

“Sounds like a good idea. I brought a cow too for him for the middle of the night. There was a small stable so I shoved her in there.” Angela seemed pleased with herself.

“Of course… Fresh milk… That will work too if I can’t find someone.” Simone smiled back down to their new baby and softly pet his hair. “He needs a name, Lewis… What should we name him?” Simone hadn’t been prepared for this. Normally a couple had nine months to figure it out but here they were with a baby they hadn’t planned for and loved him so very much.

Author: Dusk, Posted: Thu Oct 22, 2020 1:57 PM, Post Subject: A Family Offering[P/R]

Lewis had no idea how to actually respond to Simone’s question. He was entranced at how the baby moved and made little sounds as it tried to understand the things happening around him. When he was in the guild, he had dealt with young kids, but they were never this young. This was an entirely new experience.

“He’s looking at me,” Lewis said, a little unsure of what to say or feel. Their eyes were locked on each other, and the assassin felt nervous, but willing to do anything for this baby boy. It took a lot of effort to tear his eyes away from the stormy gray ones, and he looked at Lady Angela.

“…you stole a baby?” Lewis was confused. Did that mean someone would come for him? He looked back down at the child, and was once again enamored by the boy. “If anyone comes for him…they won’t get far. I wouldn’t let them…” It was oddly threatening, but endearing. “I’d…do anything.” It was weird coming from his mouth, and in this rare instant, his voice held actual emotion.

Author: Simone, Posted: Wed Oct 21, 2020 7:27 PM, Post Subject: A Family Offering[P/R]

Simone smiled at Lewis and helped him hold the baby, “He really is. It’s a boy right?” Angela nodded to them. “So… We have a son?”

“If Lewis is alright with it,” Angela smiled a bit. “I felt really guilty about not being able to give you what you wanted so I was keeping my eye out in Sularia. It happens a lot there where children lose their mothers and there isn’t a father.”

Simone had caught a few keywords and looked up at Angela, “Did you steal a baby for us?”

Angela froze a bit and got nervous as she looked away from them, “Is it really stealing a baby if I had a good home for him?”

“Oh. My. Gods. You did steal a baby.” Simone was in shock.

“My son Lucian did all the paperwork for him. If you don’t want him I can take him back. Like I said it’s up to Lewis,” Angela smiled at Lewis. The baby began to fuss and Simone shushed at him and gently bounced Lewis’s arms. He got quiet and just stared at them like they stared at him.

“Lewis, I love him already,” Simone was quiet and her heart was pounding hard as she put her head on his shoulder. “Can we keep him?”

Author: Dusk, Posted: Wed Oct 21, 2020 7:18 PM, Post Subject: A Family Offering[P/R]

The whole exchange between Raine and Simone had Lewis on edge for some reason. Whatever was in the basket was extremely valuable and important. When Simone finally revealed a small baby, Lewis’s eyes widened. There was a clash of several different emotions. Some of it was Simone, and some of it was his own feelings. Fear of raising the child, and more so fear of failure, but also something good. The life that was brought before him was something that he felt he needed to protect. That little baby would soon be running around, happy and full of life and love, better than what he was given when he was out on the streets.

All of this could be felt by Simone, but words wouldn’t come. Lewis didn’t know what to say, or even how to say it. Instead, he merely looked at Simone, and then the baby.

“Can…I hold them?” he asked. Simone carefully handed the baby over, showing Lewis how to hold them. He was nervous, and it made little sense why. The man could kill in over fifty different ways with perfect precision, and not bat an eye, yet somehow holding this baby was more nerve wracking than anything he had ever done in his life.

“It’s…so tiny,” he said.

Author: Angela Rose, Posted: Wed Oct 21, 2020 7:08 PM, Post Subject: A Family Offering[P/R]

“Aye, Raine is keeping something safe for me,” Angela smiled and got up for a moment. “I’ll be right back.” She yelled for Raine who came to meet her in the room. “Thank you, Raine. I want you to give Simone the basket.”

Raine nodded and was very gentle as she walked over to Simone and held out the basket. It had a cute blanket over it and Simone was scared to take it at first. It had a simple weight to it and Simone felt the basket move. “Don’t drop it, Simone,” Raine smiled at her.

“What did you do Angela?”

“I only stepped in. It was nothing I caused I promise you.”

Simone’s hand was shaky as she took the basket and set it on her lap. There was a little whine from inside as she pulled the blanket down. A baby who was swaddled up with little tuffs of white hair. Little gray eyes were staring up. “Angela…”

“His mother passed away giving birth and he has no immediate family. He looked enough like you two I couldn’t help myself. My son gave me a lot of grief from lifting him from the orphanage in Arri before the paperwork could be processed but I told him that the baby was going to a good home.”

Simone was oddly quiet as she lifted the tiny boy out of the basket. “How old is he?”

“About a day and a half.” It made Simone pull in her breath as Angela spoke.

Simone looked up at Lewis, “What do you think?” Her voice was quiet.

Author: Dusk, Posted: Wed Oct 21, 2020 6:58 PM, Post Subject: A Family Offering[P/R]

Lewis was skeptical of the whole thing. Lady Angela was definitely being catty about something, but he wasn;t about to be the one to mouth off to her. She was a lot stronger than he was, and despite it being their home, she was in complete control of the situation. Even Simone was feeling something was up with the way she was being, and it was starting to upset her.

But finally, the Goddess gave a clue as to why she was here. A reason for her visit. Lewis looked at her with a certain curiosity, and asked the question that Lady Angela coaxed out. ‘

“What is it that you’ve done for us?” The words seemed heavy. There was definitely something different in the house. There was a presence that he recognized deeper in the castle, in the garden courtyard. It had to have been Raine. “Does it have anything to do with Raine hiding in the garden?” But why is that runt hiding?

Author: Angela Rose, Posted: Wed Oct 21, 2020 6:47 PM, Post Subject: A Family Offering[P/R]

Angela was sipping tea when the two finally came down, “Your butler makes a good chamomile tea. Is it one of your favorites then?” Simone nodded to her and Angela noticed how well she was looking. “Also to answer your question: Rhenakos has a huge mouth. I just confirmed with Raile while threatening to invalidate his marriage to my daughter if he didn’t.” Angela could play dirty.

She didn’t want to ruin the surprise for them. Simone came over and sat across from the goddess. She was wearing her usual noble attire and her hair was pulled back in loose black curls. “I suppose that explains how you found us… but it doesn’t answer why you are giving us a house call? Is my health bad?”

Angela finished her cup of tea and set it down. “No, Rhenakos told me about your goal of opening an orphanage and I just wanted to be supportive of that.”

“Rhenakos doesn’t have a right to tell you anything,” Simone frowned a bit.

The goddess held up her hand, “Then perhaps coming here was a mistake and I shouldn’t have done what I did for you both.”

Author: Dusk, Posted: Wed Oct 21, 2020 6:38 PM, Post Subject: A Family Offering[P/R]

Lewis roused himself from the bed, and stretched his arms to the sky. He wasn’t sure what was happening, or why Lady Angela was visiting, but they at least had to play the nice host for the time being. Not that Lewis had anything against the Goddess, but he hated the fact that a deity was making a house call. It was usually bad news when Lord Raith had to come find Lewis, and thankfully that had rarely happened…

Lewis was dressed in an oddly more noble attire from his usual drab garb, with a rather noble looking white shirt and dark blue vest, and darker pants to accentuate. He descended the stairs with Simone to greet his newly arrived guest.

“Indeed it is Lady Angela,” Lewis said. Despite his choice of words, it was spoken with his usual dull, disinterested tone. “And what, pray tell, brings you to our lovely island.” How the hell did you even find this place. If you weren’t a Goddess, I’d be skeptical… He adjusted his shirt and vest, obviously uncomfortable in the garb. He was still trying to get used to it. Interviews for adoptions and all were a pain…

Author: Angela Rose, Posted: Wed Oct 21, 2020 6:25 PM, Post Subject: A Family Offering[P/R]

Angela looked down in the little basket that she had. The child was fast asleep and matter of fact he wasn’t that old at all. She put a blanket over the basket and handed it to Raine. “I want you to stay out here until I’m ready. Take care of him okay? I put him to sleep so he doesn’t ruin the surprise.” Raine nodded and romped off to the garden with the basket.

Knocking on the door Angela smiled as the butler answered, “I know that this is sudden but can I speak to the master of the house? Possibly both of them. Tell them that a friend is here to see them.” The butler nodded and let the Goddess into the house. Angela looked like an everyday noble so it was quite weird to see her all fancy with makeup since most of the time she was natural. She wasn't quite sure if the house help would let her in otherwise.

She was led to the family room where she waited on the soft plush couch. This was a really nice castle and she could see what the others were talking about. It had gotten back to her through others what Lewis and Simone were up to. She still felt quite bad about the situation that she had left the young phoenix in.

“Master?” The butler knocked on the door of their room. “A friend is here to see both you and the missus. She didn’t give me a name but she had red hair. She’s down in the family room sir.”

Simone was cuddling with Lewis when she opened her eyes and looked up at him, “What do you think she could want? I didn’t know she did house calls…” But even then… What could she possibly want from them?