not long after alternis appeared and edea mentioned that he and her had a close childhood, i wanted to write out that possible childhood between her and alternis.

enjoy!

Mrgrgrgr...

He was tired. So very tired.

Braev sighed as he ran a cotton glove over his face, rubbing over his growing wrinkles, trying to soothe the slight ache that throbbed within his skull. Grumbling and growling, the infamous growl he'd rumble out slid past his lips, a growl his little princess eagerly adopted.

Mrgrgrgr...

Recently its been busy, ridiculously busy. More and more he's being summoned and drawn away from his family to serve Eternia. This winter simply gets harsher and harsher, summoning more and more of his attention.

It wasn't so much as a problem for him as it was for his little girl.

His little Edea, she's been taking a toll from all his work. His six year old daughter, bold and a little oblivious to those around her has been lonely as of late, and neither he or Mahzer had the time to spend with her. There was no one that he worked with that was willing to spend time or babysit her, especially after she bit Ominas for trying to scare her with fire; and those that didn't mind being around her didn't have time to spare with her. They were all just as busy as he was.

There were no friends for her to occupy her time with either. He's seen it in action a few times, Edea's blunt and thoughtless comments always chased away any children that he and Mahzer introduced Edea too. All of nobility dreaded any meetings with his princess.

What else was there to do then? He couldn't stand the thought of his little girl spending her days alone; and by the looks of it, they'll just get longer and longer, leaving her alone more and more.

It could be a good experience for, he reasoned; a good chance for her to adapt being on her own.

But she was only six, a little too young to adapt to solitude.

What could a father do? With all his power he couldn't offer or find a companion for Edea. Mrgrgrgr... he was feeling like a failure and Braev Lee was not a failure.

So what could he do...

Braev pauses. Blinking his blue gray eyes as she stared down a curious shape slumped over in an alley, nearly hidden from the pedestrians on the street. Hurrying over to the figure, he raised a blonde eye brow in surprise to see a boy lying on his side, skinnier than a twig, his body bruised and scraped, clothes torn, silver hair dirty and greasy.

A stray as Heinkel fondly called all the urchins, especially children that couldn't get into an orphanage from either lack of room or for being too old. By the looks of it, the kid was probably denied for being too old. Most adopters wanted younger children, even those around Edea's age were pushing the limit. Toddlers to five years old, that's what most people desired when they wanted a child. Any older, and the child has a risk of being troublesome, growing an attitude because of a past they remember much better than any younger children. And this boy was only a few years older than Edea. To most orphanages, he was trouble just taking up space.

Peeling away one glove, exposing his hand to the cold air, he rested it lightly on the boy's neck, feeling the weak pulse beat against the icy skin that burned at his warm fingers.

Still alive, even in this cold and in this shape. This kid was a fighter, a spirit that all Eternian's have. And it be a shame to let such a spirit die when it could grow...

He decided then.

Sliding the glove back on, Braev easily scooped the boy up, cradling him in his arms as he resumed the walk home, mindful of his armor and the discomfort it could be. The boy was oblivious to it though, out like a doused light, snow still patted over his body as he swayed limply in Braev's arms. If it wasn't for the pulse he felt on his neck, Braev really would have thought that he was dead.

There was still a chance for him though, and Braev never turned away from any able body that could go on, soldier or not.

It was warm and soft when he started to slowly rouse from the most comfortable sleep he's ever had yet. With most sleep, he never wanted to wake, specifically just so he could stay numb to the cold, for when he woke, the numbness slowly ebbed away and he could feel the chill in the air seeping into his body. And it got harder to wake too. It was scary when he realized it when it started to happen, but slowly he started to impatiently wait for it. The chance to never awaken again, never deal with the cold again... it kept getting more and more tempting with each passing day.

And now with warmth all around him, he didn't ever want to awaken ever again.

"How long... sleep?"

A soft, squeaky voice murmured out, rousing him a little. Peeking his eyes open lazily, he caught sight of two pale figures peering down at him, both with golden shining hair. He mistook them for angels as he managed to catch sight of their deep blue eyes.

"...tired...let him sleep," a more melodious voice spoke out, a little louder than the other, but soothing to his ears. A warm, soft hand slid through his hair as the voice shushed him. "Back to sleep."

His eyes fell closed to that demand, lulling him back into a pleasant night sky.

The next time he woke, he was more willing to get up, his body and mind rested. His hair a tangled mess, eyes heavy with sleep, and mind fogged up, he could only sit up groggily as he stared blankly out into a room he didn't recognize. Milky brown walls with dark wood for the furniture, a desk with two chairs stood by a window with rustic curtains pulled aside to let light filter in. A small table guarded each side of the bed he was in, right next to where he rested his head. And the bed itself had red sheets with a black mattress and pillow beneath. A fireplace lay across from him, still burning as it warmed the room he was, not sending him back reeling under the sheets.

Fancy was the only thing his groggy head could come up with as he noticed all the other ornaments in the room, a mirror, a vase with blue roses in it, a painting of a red phoenix flying high against white, puffy clouds; and many other items he was too tired to care about.

His eyes fell closed as his head lolled to the side, half sleeping, half considering why he was in such a room. He didn't remember how he got here. The last thing he remembered was crumbling to the snow, face planted down in the cold and feeling it grow around him, slowly engulfing his body. He had no chance of waking then. No will to try.

By the memory then, he shouldn't be here.

But he was. In a fancy room, with a large warm bed, and with a roasting fire across from him, welcoming and unquestioning.

He started when the door opened, his eyes flickering open as a large man in loose clothes with white blonde hair stepped in, his dark, grey blue eyes locked right onto his smaller form, his own head tilting up to stare at the big man's face. The large man smiled gently, approaching the boy and seating himself in a near chair, keeping a slight distance away so the boy would have space. "You slept pretty deep," he rumbled out, his voice deep in the air, striking his attention immediately. "Two days long. You had us a little worried."

He tightened his grip on the sheets, unconsciously scooting a little away from the man as he narrowed his eyes at the large man.

"What's the matter son? Can't speak? Don't want to?"

The boy didn't breathe a word, simply leaning away, gripping the sheets like they were a shield he was going to bring up, ready to block the large man before he attacked. Braev kept his easy smile despite the boy's tension. He guessed it was to be expected, being an orphan and relying only on himself, the last thing the boy would connect too is an adult when many others chased him away.

"I wanted to come let you know that you're supper will be arriving shortly and to see if you were comfortable. If you need anything just give a shout." Braev offered him, smiling. Still the boy didn't move, just eyeing him as he grips the sheets.

Seeing no way to move forward with this, Braev nodded too as he rose up and left him alone in his room. Just a few days to adjust. That's probably all he needed. Time to soak this all in. Or so Braev hoped. He didn't really know how to work with children that didn't want to be in his company or speak their mind. Edea and many others were always like that, so seeing a kid this muted was... strange.

As the door closed behind him, the boy relaxed his grip on the sheets, eyeing the closed door as he waited to see if the man would come back. After a few minutes of waiting, the ten year old slowly slid out of bed, careful not to make a sound, worried that any noise would bring the man back. Out of bed and in the openness of the room, he scrambled to a window, tugging and pushing at it as he tried to get out. The window wouldn't move and the glass cold against his fingers. Staring out, his heart skipped a beat as he saw the piles of snow laid out over the fancy part of the neighborhood.

The rich neighborhood.

He wasn't allowed in these sort of neighborhoods.

Many people made that very clear.

So why was he here?

He jumped when he heard the door open behind him, turning around so that he was facing who ever was coming in. The door opened in a crack, yet no towering man came out to see him out of bed. For a moment, the door just stayed ajar, with no one peering it. Curious and cautious with the chance to getting out before him, he slid closer to the door, ready to jump out into the hall and rush out of the building.

Only to fall back in surprise when a smaller, blonde head peeked out from the door, staring up at him with big, curious blue eyes. His rear sore, and his heart pounding from the unexpected appearance; all he could do was gawk at the little girl staring back at him. Her blonde hair was fluffed up and puffy, her face round and untouched; and a clean, red shirt and black pants to complete her attire with pockets that were notably full for some reason...

"Finally awake?" the girl asked him, snapping him out of his reverie.

"And leaving," he said, standing and easily towering over the kid, hands on his hips and he tried to glower down at her, hoping that scaring her would help get him past her. She could lead him out if he did this right...

She merely raised a blond eye brow at him, hardly intimidated by his glare. "Dressed like that?" she asked, waving a hand down at the large, loose white shirt that was placed on him, large enough to brush against his ankles. "Not only will you be a laughing stock, you'll turn into a popsicle in just a minute."

He opened his mouth to reply, when she moved faster, shoving something warm, soft, and... and...

She beamed at him. "If you're going to leave, you can't go without eating something at least!" she declared.

SWEEEET! He realized in alarm.

He reeled away, his mouth tingling uncomfortably at the sugar filling his senses. "I made it myself," the girl went on, oblivious, to his discomfort as he prided it out of his mouth. "I used a whole bag of sugar just to make sure that it'd be good. Its good right?"

"Its sweet," he moaned as he finally got the cookie out, though the taste of it still resided, leaving the tingle of sugar in his mouth.

She giggled, "Just the way I like it!"

He merely moaned on the floor, his tongue out to openly display his displeasure at the flavor. "What's going on here?" Both heads turned and the boy flinched when he saw that the large man returned, attracted to the noise like he had suspected, peering down at the two curiously. Hardly intimidated by the large man, the girl beamed as she said, "I gave him one of my cookies!"

"Ah," the man said, turning a pitying eyes to the boy, a sheepish smile growing on his face. "Well... its nice to see that you two are getting along."

"Oh wait! Do you want a cookie?" the girl asked just as the large man started to retreat. Giving her a sheepish smile, he offered, "No sorry dear, I'm saving up for dinner, perhaps after?"

"Ok!"

"Play nice," he bid as he quickly closed the door behind him, leaving the boy alone with the girl.

"That's my daddy," the girl cooed as she turned and beamed at the boy. "So who are you?"

"What's it matter to you," the boy grumbled, getting up and walking back to the bed, taking the covers and pulling them overhead as if to hide from the girl. This wasn't his place, this wasn't his world. He shouldn't be here and she shouldn't be talking to him. The girl didn't get it though as she followed after him, hopping onto his bed and making it bouncing, taking out another cookie from her pocket and nibbling on it. "Well," she hummed, "you're using our guest room, and father brought you home. And mother and I took care of you. If no thank you, a name be nice."

He peeked at her from under the covers before rebelliously pulling them back down.

The girl frowned darkly at the sheets before she smiled. "Alright, well, since you don't want to talk, I'll just keep talking. My name's Edea Lee, I'm six years old and I'm going to be a Templar just like my dad, and be as pretty as mom, and someday be on the Council of Six, and I'm going to be well known in all of Eternia and be the strongest girl ever and I'm going to be the first to ride a phoenix-"

"Alternis," the boy growled from under the sheets.

Edea beamed before frowning, raising a curious brow at him. "What sort of name is that?"

Grey eyes glared at her from under the sheets.

alternis/ringabel is five years older than edea, to help bring out a bit closer age range, i'm having edea's birthday come before his.

i'm not for sure if braev does say mrgrgrgr, he hasn't said it yet, but i thought it be funny if he did, and the possibility that's where edea got it from.

when i think of what edea was like as a little girl, i can imagine that she was a bossy spoiled girl X)