#Also the one who looks Zeklan dead in the eye and says maybe Sylpha's is going through elf things instead of humans things | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

smol-feralgremlin · 3 months

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FebruarOC Day 5: Eina

Eina watched the toddler as she investigated the cottage while an anxious pirate watched Eina instead, his fingers clenching and unclenching over his knees. She hadn’t expected Zeklan at her door and had not at all expected the toddler with him. The lack of preparation for the fact he’d be handing over a pointy eared girl after swearing her to silence on the matter was just the equivalent of a storm of falling fish in her yard.

“The other children her age, and even younger, can talk even if its a word or two. She doesn’t even babble nonsense. Never has.”

“Deaf,” Eina said. “It’s an easy enough diagnosis.”

Zeklan leaned forwards, causing the chair he sat in to creak ominously. “Except that she isn’t. Watch. Sylpha. Come here and show Eina your teeth.”

In the time since Eina had last seen her, Sylpha had seemingly disappeared. But at Zeklan voice, much softer than anything she’d ever heard out of the sturdy Commander, a curly head popped up over the back of an armchair. The girl grinned and shook her head before sinking back out of sight. Eina smothered her smile as Zeklan frowned at the chair.

“Sylpha…”

Again that curly head appeared, all chubby cheeks and mischievous grin and curious sparkle in her curiously coloured eyes. Eina didn’t bother hiding that she found it amusing as this was repeated several times. Zeklan asking her to come over, just to have the lively child refuse. It was quite clear that she wasn’t deaf. If anything, she was hearing them quite fine, and more. Once or twice the breeze rattled the chimes outside more than usual and Sylpha moved her head to to sound while still watching them. It was faint to Eina, but she suspected that it was clear and louder to Sylpha’s ears. She had to have inherited more than her pointed ears and curiously coloured eyes from whoever was her elven parent.

Zeklan eventually tired of the game imposed by his toddler and moved to collect her. Sylpha darted off around the cottage, leading Zeklan on a chase that had Eina chuckling before the girl squealed in delight as she was caught up once she was trapped in a corner. Zeklan brought her back and sat down with a huff, clearly miffed by Eina’s attempts to stifle her laughter.

“Well, she isn’t deaf,” she managed to get out between breaths. Sylpha giggled and looked up at Zeklan, nothing but a picture of false cherubic innocence. “And I don’t think she’s mute. May I look you over?”

She directed the question at Sylpha, who climbed out of Zeklan lap and fell to the floor in characteristic toddler grace. She picked herself up quickly enough though and made her way to Eina. Eina smiled at the girl and picked her up. Zeklan’s stance changed from weary father, to captain and Commader who’s expression promised retaliation if she were to hurt Sylpha. She merely raised an eyebrow at the man as she sent a thread of her magic into Sylpha’s body, probing for anything that might signify a problem with the girl’s vocal cords.

“She’s quite warm. Fever?”

“She’s always been like that. The girls dosed with with things for fever and all that we got was a upset baby who refused to drink anything that didn’t come from a tit.”

Eina frowned slightly. “Don’t you have magic of your own to look her over with?”

“I wanted another more expert opinion,” Zeklan replied a little sheepishly.

Sylpha wiggled and Eina carefully took her jaw and held it firm and still. “Enough.”

A slow blink greeted her rebuke. Those curiously muddy red eyes stared at her like she was the one being examined for a problem with her. Sylpha swiftly stuck her tongue out and licked whatever parts of Eina’s hand that she could reach. Immediately Eina drew her hand back in disgust as Sylpha giggled. A toddler was a toddler, no matter if they were entirely human or not.

“She’s fine,” Eina said while wiping her hand on her leggings. “There’s no problems with her physically as far as I can tell. She’ll talk in her own time.”

“Nevlyn taught her sign language before one of the ladies took over because otherwise she’d only know Jhontish signing. So she does know Alcadian sign and talks that way…when she wants too.”

Sylpha wiggled and this time half threw herself out of Eina’s grip. Zeklan had her in his arms before she ever got close to hitting the ground. He pulled her back into his lap, speaking softly in Mikalian. Eina couldn’t tell if he was soothing her, or scolding her. Either way, if she wasn’t watching the feared pirate melt with a baby in his arms, she’d have never believed the sight for herself.

“How many times are you going to end up at my door because you’re worried about her and whether or not you trust yours or your brothers intuition?”

“I don’t know,” Zeklan said without looking up.

Right.

“The usual payment then,” Eina said as she stood up to wash her hands. She could still feel the sebastian of being licked.

“In the usual place.”

Eina nodded. And then made plans to move to Hulls Deep in a few years time. Easier to keep a half-elf secret if she wasn’t being brought out of the safety of the pirate city unnecessarily. Especially if she grew to be even twice as rambunctious as she already showed hints of.

#Eina becomes significant figure in Sylpha's early life #Also the one who looks Zeklan dead in the eye and says maybe Sylpha's is going through elf things instead of humans things #and Eina is not a fucking elf so she can't help sometimes #all while Sylpha is holding her third lost tooth and half the weight she'd been four months previously #its a good time #februaroc #februaroc 2024 #writeblr #gremlin writing #original writing #Defenders of Alcadia

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